Discussing what you want out of life isn't the easiest thing to do. Sometimes, what's more difficult is doing that with those closest to you. Especially your significant other.

Maybe it's because we're afraid of what they're going to think, the criticism we might face, the awkward conversations that follow; but a lot of times, they're the ones in our corners when they see the passion we have for something.

The environment around us affects us in ways that we don't even realize some times. It affects the way we think, the way we process information, the way we make decisions.

Understanding the type of impact your environment can have on you, can be a very powerful tool in determining how you approach situations in life.

We talk a lot about staying true to yourself. About knowing who you are. 

But a lot of times, that's easier said than done. And honestly, it can be a tough conversation; with others, and with yourself.

Achieving your goals comes with its own set of challenges. Some of those roadblocks are small, some of them are big. 

But what happens when you run into a barrier, a wall, a problem; that's almost too tough to handle?

What if that problem sets you back?

How do you keep yourself from giving up?

One of the best defenses from quitting, is having a compelling reason. Knowing why you're working so hard to achieve the goals that you've set for yourself will propel you. Especially when times are tough, when challenges come one after the other; that compelling reason will give you the motivation keep going. That's why it makes all the difference.

When doing anything, whether you enjoy it in the moment or not, sometimes it helps to ask if the future you will thank the present you. It helps keep your present decisions into perspective within the scope of your goals for the future. Because remember:

"Picture yourself 5 months from now; you can either be in the same place, a worse place, or in a better place. But the beauty of you picturing yourself is that you get to choose, right in this moment, where you want to be."

One of the biggest things you can do for you is to quit lying, especially to yourself.

That's part of the process; being true to you. From there, the rest becomes so much easier. Whether that's setting your goals, overcoming your failures, and understanding what it takes to accomplish the things you want to accomplish.

A big part of our success is our environment. And a key part of our environment is the people around us. Our friends.

But what if we're not all on the same wavelength?

It happens. As much as we want success, we want those close to us to be successful too. As much as we all want to grow, we want our friends to grow with us. But a lot of that is easier said than done.

Raccoon Rounds started as an idea. To be honest, it started as a joke.

But it quickly became something entirely different. Something more powerful.

What we found was that this space, this mentality, these conversations; help people to find the positives within the struggles to push forward to be a better version of our current selves.

Life is never going to be perfect. It's filled with ups and downs; some that we can control, some that we can't. But it's how we react to them that can ultimately change the outcome.

Our guest, Muzamil Jawed, talks about overcoming unexpected failures, and how to handle life's curveballs.

So many of us plan. Maybe you write your plans down. Maybe you use a planner. Maybe you have different versions of a plan, from A to Z.

But the reality is, so many of us plan and don't get any results.

The reason: planning is nothing without execution.

Many fall into the trap of planning, and re-planning, and over planning; with all their time devoted to the planning process. The problem that arises is that so much time was invested in planning, that there's much less time to devote to executing the plan. So as much as it is important to sit down, think, and plan out certain steps; results only start to seen once you take action. That's why planning is only half of the battle.