Life is full of ups and downs, good moments and bad, pros and cons. Unfortunately, many people are limited and held down by their negative experiences and perspectives. However, you'll find that it's not all bad — it’s possible to grow even in difficult times. Even when it feels overwhelmingly negative, you'll be surprised by what you can gain when you take the time to filter out the good from the bad!  

Tune in to this episode of Seek Go Create and find out how Joel Green squeezes every last drop of good from his biggest struggles. A former professional basketball player and now CEO, motivational speaker, and author, Joel shares the stories that inspired Filtering. He gives insights into his book and pushes you to go beyond. Be the best version of yourself. 

See the world from a new perspective and learn with Joel Green when you listen to this episode!

3 Reasons to Listen:

1. Learn more about the cause and effect of various forms of discrimination.
2. Listen and learn from Joel's story of growing up with a chip on his shoulder weighing him down.
3. Find out how you can filter what seems negative into inspiration to grow and become better.

Resources

• Teen Wolf (1985)
• Pro Level Training
• Nike Sports Camp
• Filtering by Joel Green: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
• Connect with Joel: website | Facebook | Instagram
• Listen to more episodes and highlights on Seek Go Create. If you liked this episode, share it and make an impact on others!
• Visit our YouTube channel
• Episode's full-length episode
• Episode’s short clip

About Joel

Joel Green is a former professional basketball player, National Director of Nike Sports Camps, motivational speaker, and author. He’s the CEO and founder of Pro Level Training and pursues his passion to help players grow physically and mentally. He provides training that develops necessary sports skills and the mentality and mindset to be their best selves.

Joel is the author of Filtering, a book that aims to motivate and inspire others amidst their struggles. He balances his time between family, business, professional sports and fitness modeling. Joel has appeared on National TV and continues to speak and inspire his audience. In everything that he does, he aims to make an impact on others.

Learn more about Joel when you visit his website. Get in touch with him and share how he has affected you through Facebook and Instagram.

Episode Highlights[03:13] Meet Joel Green

• Joel always works to make an impact on purpose.
• Many people know Joel as a former pro-basketball player and now a speaker, author, national director of Nike Sports Camp, and CEO.
• Even just one piece of feedback can give you an insight into how you affect others.
• Joel grew up in Philadelphia and witnessed a lot of violence. 
• He focused on basketball as a way to escape the bad environment where he grew up.

[03:47] "My purpose in life is to hit that mark. That's what I'm about. So every industry that I'm a part of, it's just about being intentional and making an impact." - Click Here To Tweet This[12:28] Understanding the Whole Story

• Discrimination exists because of ignorance.
• People don't often discuss the effects of growing up in a neighborhood like Joel's. 
• Desperation, lack of resources, and education keep people trapped within a harmful cycle.
• Joel was able to experience both inner-city and suburban education. There he witnessed the vast difference in opportunities and resources between the two.
• His personal experience pushed him to share his story and make an impact on others. Joel wants to spread understanding to encourage people to become their best selves.

[12:31] “I really feel that the racism that may exist, sexism, just all these -isms out there is because of ignorance, in my opinion, a lack of understanding.” - Click Here To Tweet This[17:59] Pros and Cons of Growing Up Somewhere Tough

• One advantage of growing up in Philadelphia is that Joel developed common sense at a young age, which protected him from being taken advantage of.
• The difficulties he faced toughened Joel and put things in perspective. He always looked for the good because he knew things could be worse.
• A con is seeing the difference between the violence and drugs around him and the picture-perfect lives represented on TV. This split pits people against each other.
• This chip on his shoulder motivated him to escape and experience a better life. However, he also realized how these two sides exist to keep people in place.
• It drove him to encourage people to turn their cons into pros.

[22:41] “It's things that are politically just put in place to keep people on a certain level of mindset and mentality.” - Click Here To Tweet This[23:00] Joel’s Religious Anchor

• Joel is the son of a preacher. Both of his parents are Methodists and instilled good values in their children.
• His parents gave him a vision of the other side. With their teachings, he could focus on what he needed to do to reach his best.
• Joel and his family used to have conversations and studies about these learnings. He continues this practice with his son.

[25:03] Growing Up with Basketball

• The movie, Teen Wolf (1985), follows a wolf who excelled in basketball. This movie inspired Joel at an early age to play the sport and improve like the wolf.
• There weren't many ways to escape their circumstances aside from entering the entertainment or athletics fields; business wasn't often taught.
• Joel realized at 10 years old that he could be good at basketball. Back then, he won his first-ever MVP playing in the West Philadelphia basketball league.
• Basketball was something he was actively involved in with his family. It became his way out. Joel got a scholarship and went to college by excelling in the sport.
• He envisioned himself as the best player in his area and continued to work to be the best wherever he went.

[36:34] The Pros and Cons of Professional Basketball

• Joel learned a lot from being a professional basketball player, and gained the mentality and discipline to maintain a schedule similar to his days as an athlete.
• Another good thing he enjoys from his time as a professional athlete is the mentality to go beyond. Rather than limit himself to fit in, Joel overachieves on purpose.
• One of the biggest cons of being a well-known basketball player is building your identity around the profession.
• When Joel stopped playing competitively and started going into business, he experienced an identity crisis. 
• Athletes often have to put their sport before everything. Because of this, Joel grew up putting education second to his performance as a player.

[48:12] Writing Filtering

• Joel began writing short essays in 2014 while struggling with his identity crisis. He later compiled these pieces and titled his book in the making, Filtering. 
• It wasn’t until 2019 that he seriously started working on Filtering. Joel incorporated these writing sessions into his daily schedule.
• Joel initially started writing for himself. His reflections helped him process what he went through and gain a new appreciation for life.
• Joel later started writing for others. In his final editing, he shifted his focus from himself to helping others.
• His son played a significant role in motivating him to keep writing and reading. He took on reading challenges while he taught his son to read.

[56:53] What it means to Filter

• The book encourages readers to form their own perspectives. As they read, they start to understand more and more.
• Leave behind the negatives and take the good you can.
• Joel found that the good can be found even in his worst experiences and be used to grow and improve.
• The filtering process helps you break down, assess, brainstorm, and learn from your experiences.

[58:44] “That's what the filtering process does. It helps you to break everything down, to really assess it, brainstorm about it, and say, ‘That's what I was supposed to get from this situation.” - Click Here To Tweet This[01:00:02] Joel’s Impact

• Joel wants his readers to open their hearts and minds to other people’s perspectives.
• Practicing seeing things from another person’s shoes can help avoid different forms of discrimination.
• Joel enjoys receiving feedback and criticism. If you’ve read his book and want to share how it has impacted you, get in touch with Joel on Facebook, Instagram, or his website!

[01:03:02] Curiosity From Seeking

• Joel is a curious person. His curiosity pushes him to do greater things.
• He encourages his son to be curious and learn more about the world.
• Seeking puts you in a place of curiosity where you can grow and understand.

[01:05:06] “That's a really important thing to not just be so closed-minded where you only see things from your own lens.” - Click Here To Tweet ThisEnjoy the Podcast?

Seek Go Create is for anyone seeking excellence, moving towards success, or creating something new. We share topics, stories, and conversations that allow us to rethink how we live, work, and lead. With the right mindset, you can always find space to grow no matter your situation.

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To growing and becoming all we are created to be,

Tim

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