Are you making smart financial decisions, or just calling your impulses “needs” to feel better about them?

In this episode, Kevin and Alan break down a practical framework for spending with more honesty, discipline, and self-awareness. They unpack why people blur the line between wants and needs, how goals change what actually matters, and why identity, dopamine, and self-deception can quietly sabotage financial progress.

This conversation will help you think more clearly about money, spend with more intention, and make choices that support real peace of mind over temporary relief. Listen before your next “must-have” turns into another lesson.

_______________________

Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session

Learn more about:
Track the Work. Earn the Results. To know more about the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group," reach out.

• Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
• Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/

_______________________

NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

_______________________

Show notes:
(4:20) Wants, needs, and financial honesty
(5:17) Goals shape what feels necessary
(9:17) Spend in line with your goals
(11:28) Buy back time or make money
(13:28) Dopamine can distort spending
(16:26) Track every expense in three categories
(18:26) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

In today’s episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros challenge a hard truth about growth. Strong decisions are not made by perfect people. They are made by people who are honest enough to face reality, aware enough to learn, and disciplined enough to adjust. Drawing from coaching, client patterns, and lessons from their own lives, they break down how overthinking slows progress, how identity can cloud judgment, and why real feedback matters if you want to improve.

If you want to make better choices with more clarity and less ego, this episode will give you a more grounded way to think about growth. Listen before your next decision turns into your next habit.

_______________________

NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

_______________________

Show notes:
(2:33) The danger of thinking you’re always right
(4:51) When overthinking replaces action
(6:52) Shame identity and why people stay stuck
(12:41) How to judge feedback without losing yourself
(17:30) The right way to make better decisions
(24:45) Why objective measurement matters
(25:37) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

Not every good thing fits together. In this episode, Kevin and Alan break down why health, wealth, and love often start pulling against each other when you take growth seriously. Most people think more effort solves everything. It does not. Some goals demand different sacrifices, and without real clarity, progress in one area can create friction in another.

This episode explores competing priorities, self-awareness, identity, and the standards shaping your decisions behind the scenes. It is a grounded look at what it takes to build a life that is aligned, not just ambitious. Press play before your goals start fighting harder than you think.

_______________________

Learn more about:
Track the Work. Earn the Results. To know more about the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group," reach out.

• Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
• Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/

_______________________

NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

_______________________

Show notes:
(2:17) The reality of competing priorities
(8:50) Why you cannot be elite at everything
(11:14) Goals in conflict require clear priorities
(17:07) Why success is often more image than reality
(18:19) Belonging theory shapes your standards
(23:02) Clarity about values changes everything
(27:10) Why health may be the foundation
(29:00) Relationships and happiness connection
(31:43) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

What changes faster, your life or the standard you hold yourself to?

In today's episode, Kevin and Alan break down why most people stay stuck even when they care deeply about growth. The problem is not always effort. More often, it is a lack of clear structure. They unpack why every meaningful goal needs a real timeline, a real target, and a system strong enough to survive pressure. Drawing from years of coaching, client results, and their own trial-and-error journey, they show how clarity sharpens action and why vague goals quietly drain momentum.

This is a grounded conversation about discipline, self-awareness, feedback, and the kind of consistency that actually changes your future. Hit play and make your next move measurable.

_______________________

Where learning turns into action. “Next Level Book Club” every Saturday:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMkcuiupjIqE9QlkptiKDQykRtKyFB5Jbhc

Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session

Join our private Facebook community, “Next Level Nation,” to grow alongside people who are committed to improvement. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/459320958216700

_______________________

NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

_______________________

Show notes:
(2:05) Why timelines and targets matter
(4:30) Goals give life structure and meaning
(9:48) How clear goals train your attention
(14:30) Why better lives require better frames
(18:17) Alan’s gamified success framework
(20:44) When to raise or lower standards
(25:22) Timeline target and transformation
(37:26) The coaching system behind real progress
(40:02) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

In this episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros talk about the kind of truth that helps you grow, not just the kind that makes you feel better for a moment. They look at the difference between healthy encouragement and honest feedback, and why both matter if you want real progress. They also get into self-awareness, discipline, ego, and what happens when you lose touch with reality through either false confidence or constant self-doubt.

If you’ve ever wondered when to push harder, when to give yourself grace, and how to stay grounded while still aiming higher, this episode offers a more honest way to think about growth. Listen now before your blind spots start charging rent.

____________________

Episode References:
#25 - Focusing on What You CAN Control, What You Do HAVE, and a Brighter Future
#26 - Danielle Murr - Prioritizing Yourself and Not Creating an Identity from Failures

Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session

Join our private Facebook community, “Next Level Nation,” to grow alongside people who are committed to improvement. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/459320958216700

_______________________

NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

_______________________

Show notes:
(1:25) How much truth are you ready for
(4:17) Why competence can distort self-perception
(6:31) How early success creates false confidence
(11:26) When to challenge versus encourage
(14:17) Why does your state change the right feedback
(18:20) Why self-awareness must replace external validation
(21:36) Discipline as rationing emotion
(23:52) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

The truth you need to grow. In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan take a hard look at what helps people improve and what keeps them comfortable. Drawing from years of coaching, thousands of episodes, and lessons from their own lives, they show how easy it is to mistake reassurance for progress.

This conversation gets honest about rejection, self-awareness, ego, humility, and the kind of feedback that actually helps you grow. If you want better judgment, deeper self-belief, and a more grounded path forward, this episode will challenge how you think about improvement. Press play and let comfort stop calling the shots.

____________________

Learn more about:
Track the Work. Earn the Results. To know more about the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group," reach out.

• Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
• Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/

Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session

Join our private Facebook community, “Next Level Nation,” to grow alongside people who are committed to improvement. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/459320958216700

Where learning turns into action. Join “Next Level Book Club” every Saturday:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMkcuiupjIqE9QlkptiKDQykRtKyFB5Jbhc

_______________________

NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

_______________________

Show notes:
(1:31) The lie about rejection
(2:50) Comfort versus the truth
(4:56) Why do popped bubbles help growth
(6:01) The danger of over-affirmation
(7:08) How much truth can you handle
(8:13) Self-belief comes after humility
(11:31) When the hard truth is real care
(13:20) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

What if the biggest reason you feel stuck is that you are not measuring the right things?

In this episode, Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros address a simple truth. Success gets easier when it gets measurable. Instead of chasing vague goals, they focus on three areas that shape real life: health, wealth, and love. They explain what to track first, why trendlines matter more than daily emotion, and why simple metrics beat complicated systems. The deeper lesson is clear. If you do not measure what matters, you will keep relying on feelings, and feelings are not a reliable growth strategy.

____________________

Learn more about:
Track the Work. Earn the Results. To know more about the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group," reach out.

• Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
• Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/

_______________________

NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/

Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

_______________________

Show notes:
(1:21) The health wealth, and love framework
(3:20) Start with simple metrics first
(8:23) Why trendlines matter more
(10:51) Measuring sleep more accurately
(12:18) Tracking income and spending clearly
(16:17) How to measure love intentionally
(20:03) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.