Lead Like A 14-Time Champion w/ Monica Aldama

This week, you’re going to hear some incredible lessons on how to build a WINNING TEAM, LEADERSHIP, CULTURE, and DISCIPLINE from one of the legends in her chosen profession. I consider my guest one of the ALL TIME GREATEST coaches in the history of college sports! Period. Her chosen sport is COMPETITIVE CHEERLEADING. Cheerleading has changed in recent years. For many participants, long gone are the days of standing on the sidelines encouraging fans to show their spirit. Competitive cheerleading at a high level requires as much PERSEVERANCE, PRACTICE, and DEDICATION as much as any other athletic undertaking. Nobody understands this better than MONICA ALDAMA who has set the STANDARD for two decades. She coaches the Navarro College team, located south of Dallas and considered one of the best programs in the country. During her tenure, the Bulldogs have won 14 Junior College Division National Championships and five Grand National Titles. Yes 14 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS! In 2020, Monica was featured in "Cheer," a Netflix docuseries that focused on the 2019 Navarro College coed cheerleading team. It captivated viewers and was a huge boost in introducing the sport to a wide audience. Since that time, she has made several TV appearances including a turn on "Dancing with the Stars," and written FULL OUT, an inspirational guide on LEADERSHIP and developing a CHAMPIONSHIP MINDSET. So, what lessons can a competitive cheerleading coach teach you? The answer is A LOT! No matter what you do in life, Monica is going to download actionable advice on a wide range of topics, including… …the importance of COMPASSIONATE DISCIPLINE. …what to look for in RECRUITS when you’re building a team. …giving DIRECT FEEDBACK. …building a great culture by leading with RESPECT and INSTILLING BELIEF in people. …avoiding burnout and dealing with PRESSURE. …the RIGHT WAY TO PRACTICE. This week’s episode really “sticks the landing” with tons of great advice you can use. Monica Aldama is on the mat and practice is about to begin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Ed Mylett?

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• 1:01Speaker 01

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• 1:36Ed Mylett?

  This is the Ed Mileage Show.

• 1:40Ed Mylett?

  All right, welcome back to the show, everybody. I'm so excited. I have, I think, the greatest coach in all of college sports with me today. And potentially the greatest ever. And many of you, it's true. And many of you may know who she is, but I don't know that you look at her the way that I look at her. And I look at her as one of the greats of all time in coaching. And so my guest is Monica Aldama, who you guys all know from Cheer. She's also got a new book out called Full Out. And I am so fired up to pick her brain about leadership, about galvanizing a team. And for all of you, no matter what your business is, or even if you're a mother or father today is going to apply to your life in a major way. So Monica, thank you for being here.

• 2:19Monica Aldama?

  Thank you for having me.

• 2:21Ed Mylett?

  I'll give you a stat of all time coaching in college sports. Nick Saban, who's the greatest college football coach of all time, seven national championships. John Wooden has 10. Geno Auriemma has 11. Monica has 14 national championships, her and her teams, you guys, just to give you context. So when you see this unbelievable show, if you've not watched it on Netflix, season two is out. It is compelling. The stories are unbelievable. But when I make the case that I say something, I think someone could potentially be the greatest coach of all time, I back it up with some data, 14 of them. When I say that, does it even surprise you?

• 2:58Monica Aldama?

  Yeah, I mean, you know, I, I've just stayed in my bubble. So I don't compare myself, you know, to football or anything like that. But I do know the hard work that I've put in and the commitment that I and the sacrifices I've made for now. I just finished my 27th year. So, you know, I definitely think I put in the work to earn that.

• 3:20Ed Mylett?

  Yeah. And that bubble's burst, by the way.

• 3:23Ed Mylett?

  You don't have bubble anymore, Monica.

• 3:25Monica Aldama?

  I know.

• 3:26Ed Mylett?

  So she's got this book, guys, and there's so many lessons in the book. I have to make a confession. Before I watched the show, I didn't think cheer was a sport. I didn't. I'm looking at, you know, pom poms and whatever I've seen in a movie before. And then I watched this. These are unbelievable athletes, incredible. And the danger level of what you all do. So just quick education on cheer. But then we're going to get into like lessons on life and coaching and leading people in business too. But this, when did this change? Like where have I been? All star cheer is like this thing that sort of turned it, I guess, a little bit, right? But like, just if people haven't seen the show, explain to us how this is a absolutely very detailed sport.

• 4:10Monica Aldama?

  Yeah, I mean cheerleading has definitely changed it over the years, even from when I was, you know, a cheerleader myself. When I, I cheered in the late eighties and around that time, late eighties, early nineties, all-star cheerleading came about and that really changed the industry in its entirety. We did competitive cheerleading in high school, but it was on a much smaller level. And, and what happened with all-star cheerleading, we started seeing where these kids were trained from basically birth or really like three years old, you could have an opportunity to compete and they, so they created these opportunities for people to be coached by really great coaches.

• 4:53Monica Aldama?

  Cause you know, in school cheerleading, a lot of times you have your science teacher that's the sponsor and, and it really is not, there's no education behind it. So there's no coach that's qualified to really get you to the next level. For my, for myself, I did gymnastics until I was able to do school cheerleading. So I think that's what a lot of people did. They had a gymnastics background if they were interested in it. But anyways, it just, it provided this platform where kids could come in and like grow from a very young age, just like with club baseball, you go and you start travel ball and you're playing at an elite level from an early age. And all-star cheerleading also, you compete many times throughout the year.

• 5:36Monica Aldama?

  So your experience is just every single year, you're gaining more and more experience. So by the time you get to me at college, I saw from the time I started and, you know, until now, just the evolution of this and the talent was growing and these kids were coming more and more experienced. And of course it made my job easier, but it definitely all-star cheerleading changed everything about cheerleading and hopefully cheer changed everybody's opinion of it because it definitely competitive cheerleading is not your pom poms and your sideline, you know, just trying to look cute.

• 6:14Ed Mylett?

  It's mind blowing, everybody. If you haven't seen the show, one, the discipline level, the athleticism and frankly, the danger. Level of the precision of what they need to do. And then it comes down to about two minutes and 15 seconds for the whole deal is just compelling the stories of the, the way it's done. It's so funny. I have to tell you, Monica, I'm a dude, right? I'm the way I found out about your show is I'm, I'm golfing. You're playing with dudes like, hey, did you see the Laker game last night? You see this, you watch Ozark on Netflix, you know, and then over and over, guys like, have you seen cheer on Netflix? I'm like, what the hell are you cheer? Like, and then they're like, bro, you need to see this. It's unbelievable. And you got to see this coach. And I'm like, finally, about 11 or 12 different men on golf courses told me this. I'm like, I got to see it. And then it's one of these things like, you're going to binge it. You can't, the stories of these

• 6:59Ed Mylett?

  precious kids that are there and Monica, it's just, it's awesome. So I just want to acknowledge the show. It's so, so good. But so is this book. And very rarely do you get someone who's won 14 national championships, write a book and say, let me show you about my formula, my recipe for leadership. And again, this applies as an entrepreneur, for you one on one in your life, you as a parent, you're going to love this book. But I want to go to some of like, that's the foundation. Chapter one is called Discipline is a Gift. And then you talk about something called, so here we go, guys, there's like, if you're driving in the car, you're wish you could pull over. You say, you call it compassionate discipline, and it's a perfect description of what I observed of you in your coaching style. So just talk about that a little bit for a minute,

• 7:44Ed Mylett?

  compassionate discipline and why it's a gift.

• 7:47Monica Aldama?

  Well, you know, I think discipline is a good thing. And I think a structure is a good thing and expectations. And a lot of times, you know, people come from all different backgrounds, and they don't really have those at home. And those are the things that really can take you to the next level. And, but also being empathetic and being able to relate and make them feel like you care about them. Because at the end of the day, people are going to go that extra mile when they feel appreciated and when they feel like you care. And so obviously, I'm a mother. And so my perspective is how would I want someone to treat my child? How would I want, not only my child,

• 8:30Monica Aldama?

  but how would I want someone to speak to me? You know, and so I try to discipline with a mutual respect. And I'm not a yeller. You know, I think a lot of people think of Being tough and disciplined as yelling and you know, we see the typical football, you're in your face and I like passion too, and we can have those moments of passion, but I think the biggest part is there needs to be, there's a big learning curve when 18 year olds go to college and they're off on their own for their first time and they need the rules and they need to be held accountable, but they also need some understanding and some

• 9:09Monica Aldama?

  love and I think it's just a great combination for people to want to listen and want to do better and you know, yelling doesn't do it, you know, you have to have a combination of something else.

• 9:23Ed Mylett?

  You do that really well. I want to go a little deeper on it. Cause I'm just thinking about different moments in the show where even in the season one, one of the first shows where the girl's going to be at the top of the, what I call the pyramid hurts herself and you're like, we're going to have to take her out and put someone else in and you, these situations happen in business all the time. Most people avoid confrontation in life, even in their marriage, they'll let it stack and stack and stack. You have this really interesting thing because you're firm and you're incredibly truthful, right? Very, very truthful, like, but yet you do do it in a loving way. Do you ever step back and like, if you have an emotion, like you're upset with them, do you ever like let it breathe a minute before you communicate? Do you have anything you do? Cause that's to me, maybe

• 10:07Ed Mylett?

  your great strength. And the other one we're going to come up with in a minute is what this loving, very candid feedback though. Most people don't do either one of those things. Do you, are you conscious of doing it that way?

• 10:18Monica Aldama?

  I mean, yes, I think so because I think if we, especially with coaching, if I am not direct, it can lead to confusion or expectations that are not real on their, on their part. And I, I would want someone to be honest with me so that I, and even if it makes me upset, I mean, I can deal with it and I can move forward. If I'm constantly in a state of, well, maybe I, you know, maybe I have a chance at this or maybe I'm, you know, I, that's unfair, I think to them. If you give them direct feedback and expectations and then it gives them very specific goals to work for and know what they need to do. If

• 11:01Monica Aldama?

  they, you know, don't make that, what do I need to do to make that? Well, To be honest, you know, this is where you're at and and, you know, I don't know, I just would want someone to be honest with me and not let me sit there, you know, thinking that I have a chance at doing something when the reality is if I don't have this specific skill or, you know, if I'm not working on this particular thing, I'm not going to be able to get that spot. Also, it gives them a goal, like I said, to work for if they know that, oh, this is, this is the one thing I'm missing, let me go and put some time into that and work on it. But like I said, I really honestly have always come from a place of I want to have respectful conversations and speak to them in a way I would want to be spoken to, which

• 11:45Monica Aldama?

  is why I'm not a yeller. I don't want to feel like someone is being condescending or embarrassing me. I don't think embarrassing anyone. And of course, it happens at times because sometimes we're in a moment and, you know, you're gonna be really direct at that moment. But for the most part, I think pulling people to the side and having these open, honest, direct conversations in a very loving way is that's what's worked for me. And yes, sometimes I do need to take a moment. I don't know if you've seen season two, but you know, I'm like, you know, I need to walk outside because I don't have a good, I don't have a good attitude right now. And it's gonna probably spill over in, you know, how I start coaching

• 12:27Monica Aldama?

  in a minute. So I'm just gonna go and like fix myself. But yeah, I think that, you know, it's, I feel like I earn their respect. And to me, honestly, the biggest thing of leadership, whether you're leading your family, your children, or whatever, is they have to respect you. And so I really work on myself a lot so that I'm earning that respect.

• 12:55Ed Mylett?

  It's interesting. You use that word a lot. Use it with them. I was just thinking, I mean, I'm, I do these interviews, I get to share them with everybody, but a lot of times they're for me, you know, and I reflect on myself when I was early in my business career, before I had kids, because you're intense. Just so you guys know, this is an intense woman. You don't win 14 national championships if you're not one crazy person.

• 13:17Ed Mylett?

  She's a crazy person, just so you know. By the way, I think crazy is good. I love crazy people. Weird, rich and successful, normal, poor and unsuccessful. So I like that you're crazy. I'm crazy. But when I, before I had kids, I think I had disrespectful conversations sometimes with people. And something about having babies, I went, I would never want someone to speak to my son or my daughter that way. So you use that word respect a lot, both how you treat these young people and yourself. And a lot of times as a leader, when you've won a bunch of titles and you're the coach and they're a kid, it'd be easy to have a disrespectful tone. And as a business owner or an entrepreneur, same thing in business, I own this place, you work for me, it can come across as disrespectful. So I want to really highlight that part of it and, and it's something that she does incredibly well.

• 13:58Ed Mylett?

  And it's how you galvanize a group. The other thing, the second thing I think you're incredible at is instilling belief in people. And getting that each of them to believe in themselves and getting them to believe as a collective team as well. Is that something you think about consciously and you're always sort of like embeddedly commanding belief into people?

• 14:19Monica Aldama?

  I think so for sure. I think I'm careful with my words and it, you know, it comes with that championship culture. You have to have everybody buy in, not only to the program, but to themselves as well. Because they are at such an elite level, if they start doubting themselves, you know, it'll affect their performance. But, um, you know, I think our culture, we, I worked really hard in, in having that, that culture. And the athletes have always bought in and it makes my job a little bit easier because they are holding each other accountable on that as well. But, um, I, I definitely choose my words wisely.

• 15:02Monica Aldama?

  And when there are in, you know, situations where we're going through something difficult or we're struggling or whatever, I have to keep in mind that I'm the one they're looking to, to know like. If we're in a storm, we're gonna get out of the storm. If we're having a tough day at practice, it's okay because tomorrow's a new day and we're gonna, we're gonna hit that pyramid or whatever, whatever. I mean, we go through, you know, just struggling in practice or bigger things that are happening within the team or with different people. So I always know that I have to be that support and that, that calm within the storm. And so I do choose my words wisely and I try to always keep it in a, um, positive.

• 15:44Monica Aldama?

  Like, we're gonna overcome this. I mean, you saw in season one when, um, you know, when Austin got hurt on the bench. That's never happened before. In my mind, I was terrified. I thought, this is, I, I don't know how we're gonna overcome this. But I knew that everyone's looking at me and I was like, oh, we've got this. It's, we, y'all did amazing, like all, all these positive things, you know, that I'm trying to, you know, it's not that big a deal. We have this. We've practiced this over and over. That's not what I was thinking in my head. I, I was going through, I was going through some stuff.

• 16:21Ed Mylett?

  No, that's one big thing as a leader is not showing hurt and showing, I call it equanimity, calm under duress and pressure, right? And it's just, these are the things you hear all the time. And you go, yeah, I know, but do you really do them if you're listening to this? Think about your family for a second. Your family has a culture. Are you conscious of it? Cause a lot of times, you bring the culture from the family you grew up in into your new family unconsciously.

• 16:45Monica Aldama?

  Yep.

• 16:45Ed Mylett?

  You know, little things like if you weren't hugged a lot when you were a kid, maybe you don't hug your kids as much, you know, there's just, there's a cultural thing. How do you build a culture, by the way? I know that's a broad question, but like, you know, is that something you start out, you go, I'm gonna build something here special. Is it, one of these things where you want people to feel special that they're at Navarro College? You put on our uniform. There's something special about being here. Is it, do you, do you think about those things? Or is it just like the culture just becomes a reflection of the coach?

• 17:12Monica Aldama?

  I think it just becomes a reflection because I was very young when I started. I mean, I had zero, I had zero experience. I

• 17:18Ed Mylett?

  You were basically right out of college, right, for everybody's understanding.

• 17:21Monica Aldama?

  Yeah, and I, and I had no intention of coaching ever. I, you know, have a business degree in finance and I honestly, my ultimate goal was to move to New York City and work on Wall Street. I thought, for some reason, I thought that was the ultimate goal that I should look towards and, um, but I, I was, I graduated college early, so I was twenty-one when I graduated and, um, moved to Dallas. I married my high school sweetheart. We moved to Dallas for a year and I was working at a computer company that I really not, I was just the, the first job offered to me to pay the bills, to, you know, to figure out what we were gonna do and,

• 18:01Monica Aldama?

  um, a friend of mine was the baseball coach at Novero and he called me one day and he was like, hey, our cheerleading coach is leaving. You should come and apply for this job. And I was like, well, I've, I don't know. I mean, um, it was, it was, I grew up there, so I was like, I guess I could do that. I don't really, really don't like what I'm doing right now and it'll be a good stepping stone. Give me some time to figure out what I want to do, uh, you know? So I applied for the job, no coaching experience at all. Like I said, I'd only been out of college for a year and, um,

• 18:37Monica Aldama?

  got the job and so I, I basically learned everything from trial and error and just studying my butt off because I was, you know, I got there and there were only fourteen people on the team when I got there. And so, of course, they'd never won. They weren't not good. They were decent, you know, but they were not, nobody knew who we were by any means and, um, so I, I'm very competitive and I was like, you know, I want to build this program up. Like, even if I'm here for a year or two, like, I want to be the best because that's just, if I'm, you know, playing a card game, I want to win every single time. That's, that's just who I am. I'm competitive and I want to be the best at

• 19:16Monica Aldama?

  whatever I'm doing. So I started, you know, trying to learn and figure out how to, to do that and I really just took everything that I learned in business because I thought, well, you know, to earn the ultimate respect, I need to win a national championship. That's what I need to do. And how am I gonna do that? You know, we, we have fourteen people on the team. Um, uh, so I just started. You know, I thought, actually, this is what I did. I was like, how do I win a national championship? Well, I get the most points. How do I get the most points? Well, let me look at the score sheet. I need to maximize my points in all of these categories. How do I do that? Okay, well, this means that we're gonna need to get really good in all these categories. So I kinda started, you know, from the goal and worked backwards and tried to, you know, recruit people.

• 20:01Monica Aldama?

  And at that time, it was not, I mean, I literally was going into the weight room. I see a big guy and I'm like, hey, would you be interested in coming and letting us teach you how to throw some girls? Yeah, I mean, because, you know, I mean, cheerleading, the, the talent pool wasn't as big because it, like I said, it was right at the start of All-Star cheerleading. There weren't a lot of guys, a lot of the guys that were involved, really, they got involved because their girlfriends were a cheerleader. They played football. They were like, oh, they started throwing some people around and figure and realized how, you know, it's kind of like addicting to you. What, what, well, what else can I do? And so, um, you know, early on, there just weren't a lot of males, you know, out there to recruit.

• 20:41Monica Aldama?

  So we're just recruiting and really teaching, uh, the guys that, you know, I, I did actually have some boyfriends of the girls that, that we taught and pulled into the team. So, um, it just started there and, you know, built, um, I didn't, so like I said, I didn't go in and go, oh, I'm gonna build this championship culture. I was really just like, wait, what, what, I, I, I wanna win, so let me start there. And then it just started kinda coming together, but I always knew like what kind of person I am. And I thought the most important thing, like I said from the beginning, was I need their respect and I need to make sure that I'm working on myself to earn that. And I wanna make sure I'm living my life by leading by example and doing what I expect them.

• 21:21Monica Aldama?

  So I really tried to make sure that in my own personal life, I was, you know, being a good person. And, you know, if I expect you to do this, I'm gonna do it times a thousand. I'm gonna, I'm gonna show you how to do it through my actions. And so, um, because of that, I, the buy-in was pretty quick, you know, I was, these kids were buying in because they were like, I wanna, they, they wanted to make me proud. I mean, I've heard that so many times.

• 21:50Ed Mylett?

  That's it.

• 21:51Monica Aldama?

  Yeah. And so I really think that that was how we started building this. I was doing my job by, by being a good leader and by being a good example, and they wanted to follow that example.

• 22:04Ed Mylett?

  Yeah, I think that you said so much there. You know, the first thing that you said was about being competitive. Every single person that I've ever been around, they have a crazy competitive streak. It's this invisible thing. They're psychos. They're just, they're just different. They want to beat you at everything they do. And this is a telling lesson for you guys that are building a team, because she has a whole chapter in the book on recruiting. And I think one of the things you should look for is competitive people. The second thing that she said there that just I want to make sure we unpack because I think great leaders are sort of aspirational people. Meaning they want to live a certain way themselves. They aspire to be a certain way. And then when you're in their presence, whether it's a Tom Brady or a, a John Wooden or yourself or any great leader,

• 22:49Ed Mylett?

  you want to make them proud because you respect them. You start connecting the dots of Monica's mindset. Because a lot of times people just do things unconsciously very well. And, but I like to unpack them. There's this respect thing both ways, which is then aspirational. And then if you get someone competitive, they want to make you more proud than other people are making you proud. And now you've got this thing you can't really describe, but it wins.

• 23:12Monica Aldama?

  Yeah.

• 23:13Ed Mylett?

  And it builds a culture. And so what about the recruiting piece? Because everyone's recruiting. I mean, you can't win without great players in any sport. You can't win in business unless you've got great people around you. What do you look for in recruits? Because there are different backgrounds when you watch this show. And it's beautiful, the mosaic of these precious people that you lead. But what do you look for when you're recruiting? And what do you say to get recruits?

• 23:36Monica Aldama?

  Well, obviously, I'll, you know, look for the talent. I mean, that's a big part of it. But also, I want some, someone that's coachable. You don't always know, because I don't, you know, sometimes what is in my mind as far as like, oh, this person is going to bring this, this person's gonna bring this. Well, then, when you get there, sometimes it doesn't always work out that way. And I think that's probably with everyone, because you don't really know. You know, um, you know their talent. And I don't know how it works, you know, in football. You might have more of a personal relationship. But a lot of times, you're just meeting these people for the first time. And it's, you know, you're basing some things off of phone calls. You look at their social media

• 24:19Monica Aldama?

  and see what kind of person you might think they are through their social media. Yeah, um, sometimes you, you know, talk to their former coaches. But obviously, it starts with a drive of talent. You know, we're looking for certain skills. But we want someone coachable. I've definitely not taken people before because of a phone call with their, a previous coach and some red flags that stick out as, you know, they are talented, but this could be a potential problem as far as being a team player. And that's such a big aspect of what we do, all working together. I mean, you talk about a pyramid. If we're not all on the same page and working together to try to build each other up, it's definitely gonna fall apart really quickly.

• 25:04Monica Aldama?

  You know, there have been some red flags that, that will, no matter what kind of talent they have, I'm like, no, this is, you know, this is probably not a good fit for my program. But, you know, it usually, it, it figures itself out when we get there. We don't always, you know, some people don't make it through the program because they're not a good fit. And then some people that, you know, I think, well, we'll give them a try. They, they end up being my best leaders on the team. They surprise you, you don't really know. So, um, that is the, that is a little bit of the hard part of coaching. You really don't know until you get into it. But, you know, we have enough people on the team that I feel like that even the ones that struggle a little bit, they usually step up to the plate and they, they,

• 25:48Monica Aldama?

  they see the, what they're kind of aspiring to be. But as far as what I say to them, you know, I mean, Obviously, we're junior college, so we don't, you know, I'm not recruiting on that big game day experience. Oh, come to Alabama, you're gonna have the most incredible, you know. But, um, so I just really more so recruit on the family aspect, the competitive aspect. You know, if you're competitive and you want to be a part of a program that's gonna push you to be your very best, both in, uh, cheerleading, but also in life, this is the place for you.

• 26:19Ed Mylett?

  The family part is the thing most people miss when they're recruiting people. Most people have a need to belong.

• 26:26Monica Aldama?

  Uh huh.

• 26:26Ed Mylett?

  And I don't think enough people who recruit people emphasize that part of, we love you here. We're gonna believe in you here. Just saying those words to a human, I mean, I'm talking about some of the top levels and corporate positions and business position I've hired for. I'm like, hey, listen, you know what separates us? We're gonna truly love you, we're gonna be honest with you. You'll be part of our family. And I can't get over the fact that enough business leaders don't say that. I just, I just don't get it.

• 26:52Monica Aldama?

  Yeah, because it, yeah, it truly is. I mean, we're together all the time. We are a family through the good and bad because families bicker, you know, but, but we are here for each other.

• 27:04Ed Mylett?

  The stories on the show, you guys, of how, I mean, I, I really believe that there's a large percentage of these kids, young adults who come to your program for the family aspect. And, and to have a mother leader figure in you. And it's beautiful. And made me think, I gotta tell you, Monica, I'm like, man, these are some unique stories. And then I started to think, every human being has these stories, they've all been with me too. Just you get to document it on your show. All of you that are any leadership position, these are precious souls. These people that, ah, they didn't do this today, or they do that, or they're not. This is a human being with an unbelievable story with some wounds and some needs and some desires and dreams. And what a wonderful position to be in as a leader. And the more you remind yourself of that, the less you'll burn out.

• 27:49Ed Mylett?

  My sense is that's how you can last 27 years doing something that you didn't even know you were gonna do, right? It's gotta be the people. And these precious souls that keep you wanting to come back. Am I wrong about that? Am I right?

• 28:01Monica Aldama?

  No, absolutely. I think the best, the biggest thing, the thing that I love, I will get phone calls, you know, from someone 10 years later. They've been in my program 10 years ago and they're like, you told me one time and I don't, you know, I've, I don't remember, I don't remember, but something that that stuck with them and they're like, um, you know, it made me do this, this, and then I got this promotion. They're just so proud to tell me about how successful they're doing or,

• 28:28Ed Mylett?

  Yeah.

• 28:29Monica Aldama?

  You know, I'm like, this is my purpose. This is why I come in and do this and, and make all these sacrifices and work these long hours and, and it truly is for something way beyond a national championship, you know?

• 28:42Ed Mylett?

  Big time. I wish most people would listen to this because for me, I got to tell you in business or just in life, it's the same thing. It's running into someone or getting a message like you 12 years ago, you said this. I'm like, I don't remember saying that. But most people, this is why you should stay in your dream, everybody. Most of you don't stay in your dream. When it's getting difficult, when you're not winning the national championships of your life or your business, you don't stay in long enough to get the rewards years later. There's something about just doing something a long time in people's lives that eventually the ripple effect, the wave comes back at you and the, the blessings of what you've done for people. Most of you quit before you get those blessings. Stay in it, right?

• 29:22Ed Mylett?

  Now there's other little things you do. Let's get some intense stuff. There's a chapter, look, by the way, get the book, you guys. I'm only going to cover a few things. You can tell. Like this is one of these like foofy leadership books, like every chapter is a lesson. And they're really good ones. But you also have this one, Nick Saban says something very similar at Alabama about, you want to practice first, the way, I'll mess up how you said it, but the principle, you want to practice first to get it right, but then you want to practice to the point where you can't get it wrong. That's the standard at your program, right? Like that's, that's, that's a different standard than most places. Are you, do you think about that consciously all the time?

• 29:58Monica Aldama?

  Well, you know, I I said that, and you know, in season one, and I was just talking. I didn't say it thinking, oh, this is gonna be some standout moment, you know? But it is just something I think with cheerleading, you know, it is such a big. Half the game is mental, believing in yourself and that confidence. And so, and as you know, what we do is so intricate. It's just so, it just, it takes a lot of time and I'm a numbers person, you know? So just like, we're working on our pyramid right now. So I'm like, okay, guys, here we go. We're gonna do ten reps. Let's see what our percentage is of hitting this. Let's see where our starting place is. We'll do ten, we hit three out of ten. Ooh, we're not doing very good.

• 30:42Monica Aldama?

  We've got a thirty percent hit rate right now, you know? And then every day we do that and it goes up and up and up. And, you know, so we do these reps so that we finally are getting it right. But then, who stops there? I'm like, who, I can't imagine anybody that would stop when they finally just do it right. Like, that's not how you make it great, you know? So, uh, we put in all this time in these reps because not just for the physical part of it, but for the mental part of it. Because physically, yes, we wanna make sure that we've done it so many times that when it does not do exactly how it's supposed to, we can still make it through. Because that's the one thing I always tell them too is, the one thing I can guarantee is that it, everything will not be perfect. So how are you gonna handle it?

• 31:27Monica Aldama?

  How are you going to go out there and make it look like everything was so easy and we did it great? Because we know everything's not gonna be perfect. You're gonna have a bad grip, your tumbling's gonna feel weird at this moment, but you still have to keep going. You still have to land on your feet, everything has to stay in the air. Um, so, so we put all this time and all these reps in to get it right. And then we put all these ti- this time in these reps in to not get it wrong. How, you know, when, when you catch that stunt and it's weird, but you have to make it stay up. Like, that's part of that, um, practice and preparation for that one time. Because you said it earlier, we only get one chance. We don't have a whole, we get one chance.

• 32:10Monica Aldama?

  So when that grip's not right, how are you gonna make it look right, you know? And, um, and then it makes it, it, the other whole part of cheerleading is mental. If, cause you're, it's, it's the most scary. Nerve wracking, exciting, adrenaline flowing moment. You step out there, you know, and your muscle memory has to take over because your mind's kind of all over the place, but you, you also need to be so confident in yourself that, that you can calm those nerves. So it's really just this big preparation game mentally and physically.

• 32:47Ed Mylett?

  That is what separates you though. Remember I said earlier, people that are great do things unconsciously. You said, well, who, you said, who would stop just when you get it right? Well, just about everybody does. That's, that's what makes you different. And this is true in every single thing. I watch it like, we got it right. Let's go. Salespeople, you're training salespeople. All right, they got it. Let's go. Next thing, no, you do it over and over and over until they're so familiar with doing it right. That's like a foreign experience when it's not, and they can move back to getting it right quicker than most people. In golf, they call that dispersion. Like I'm a crappy golfer. The reason is my bad shots can go 80 yards left or a hundred yards right. Bad player or good players still hit bad shots. The difference is their dispersion is smaller.

• 33:31Ed Mylett?

  There's this 10 yards too far left, 10 yards right. They can get back to better quicker because they're more familiar with it. So that's a huge thing that someone has won 14 freaking championships does, that she doesn't get why no one else does it and why she do it? Competitiveness. Because ultimately in anything in life, you're going to get your standard, not your goal. So every team has the goal of winning the, the championship, right? But what's different is the standards in her program. You eventually get your standard. That's the culture. So it just fires me up. Thank you for that. I love it. I'll be talking about you with all day long. We're going to talk about Dancing with the Stars in a minute because I want to get to where you had some pain. We're going to go to a pain point in a minute. But one more thing you say, there's just so much stuff in here as a leader and someone

• 34:16Ed Mylett?

  who, that I just knows true. Right? So you give little tips in there that I don't think are little. You said something in the book, I think it's chapter 19 or 20. How I know this, I don't know. About you said, find a training buddy. And before you answer, I just want to give the context to everyone because I want people to hear the greatest of what she does version of it. Not enough of you find someone to run with in your business life or your fitness life. I'm going to get in shape. Find a training buddy. I'm going to make sales calls. Find someone to do it with. And you even break this down even in your own program. So to elaborate on that, why does it matter to have someone you're sort of partnering with? And why? What do you do with them?

• 34:55Monica Aldama?

  Well, I think a lot of things accountability, motivation, support system, all these things that you need. I mean, you're talking about working out. I mean, how easy is it to go, yeah, I'm kind of tired today, you know? But when you have someone to hold you accountable, I mean, that, you know, then, then that's your support system. Your support system keeps you on track. It keeps you accountable. It keeps you going because life does get crazy. It gets hard and it's so easy to go, whoo, had a really tough day. I think I'm just gonna take tonight off, you know, or I'm really going through this.

• 35:38Monica Aldama?

  So I'm just not going to be my best today. No, no, no, no. We got to be there for each other and you know, that's the great thing about cheerleading is, well, really anything. We're there. Everybody's going to have a, we, we have 20 people on the map. Odds are there's going to be a day that one of those 20 people is going through something. Whether it's a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, your parents are going through a divorce, you failed your test that day, whatever. It's some personal issue. You might not be able to be your best that day, but you've got your support system to carry you through that. But the next day you might have to be the support system. You know, because now you're you're at a better point, you know, that day mentally,

• 36:22Monica Aldama?

  physically, you can help carry them through that routine, whether it's just a tap on the leg that's like, let's go. And it just, that's all they needed to hear to make it through the rest, or you're literally hugging them afterwards and getting them through and, you know, mentally ready to go that next full out. It's really could be anything. But, you know, I do talk about in the book, like, you know, like, my dad had a stroke several years ago. And if I didn't have my sister to help, we are each other's support system to take care of him, because it is a tough job, taking care of your parent, you know?

• 36:57Ed Mylett?

  Sure, sure. I'm sorry about that, by the way. That is difficult. I'm amazed by how many people in life don't find that person, even for me in business, used to have a sunny night phone call with two people. We would just like review what we were working on and what our anxieties were. And it just someone just go, hey, this is on my head right now, my heart, and you get rid of it a little bit. This book, frankly, this conversation is like a master class. So I'm really grateful you're doing this morning. I told you when we started, this ain't gonna be like the cream puff stuff. Like, we're getting into it. Because it's a I want I do the show, literally, it's a labor of love for people. I want their lives to get better. I try to bring them every week, somebody who's the

• 37:39Ed Mylett?

  best at something. And this is, this goes to life skills. Have someone to bounce stuff off of. Review your competitiveness. Look at your standards. Do things until you can't get them wrong. All of these different things compassionate accountability and leadership with people. These are all things, this idea of gaining respect and being aspirational. One other thing you do, and this is the hard part for most people. And it's chapter four, you say, separate fantasy from reality.

• 38:08Ed Mylett?

  And I'm gonna let you talk about this because I don't think most people even get honest with themselves. I think they do two things. There's certain people just deny what they need to improve and do, right? And they just, they won't define reality. They go, I'm a little, I hate to say it this way, you know, I'm a little pudgy. No, you've become fat, you know, and they don't define it, right? Or, you know, I'm a little bit lazy. No, like you are blowing it in your life. And then there's the other side where people don't define reality and make themselves feel worse about where they are. You know, I suck at this. I'm no good. Nobody loves me. No one will love me. I'm not likable. No, that's not true at all. You've created a false reality about yourself that you're reinforcing and proving to be true because you believe it in your life, right?

• 38:52Ed Mylett?

  So you're going to prove what you believe long term. So in the book, you talk about it a little bit differently, but separate fantasy from reality. How's that work?

• 39:02Monica Aldama?

  Um, well, yeah, absolutely. So you, you hit it when you said, you know, the people that create their own problems, that's, woo, that's such a pet peeve of mine.

• 39:16Monica Aldama?

  But I, I, you know, here's the thing, I'm really tough on myself and I do think that the key to being successful in anything is always looking at yourself, always. And I'm really good at that. If, if there's a problem, the first thing that I ask myself is, what did I, what did I bring to the table? What could I have done better? And I think there's so many people in this world right now that are looking to blame someone else. And I don't know why. I don't know if it's because they don't, that they feel bad about, you know, if they weren't, didn't, I, I don't really don't know. Like to me, taking ownership of something is the, the best way to gain respect, you know?

• 40:01Monica Aldama?

  Like if, if you come to me and say, I, whatever, I screwed up. I did this. That, you've just gained a little bit of respect. Because if I come to you and say, hey, Did you, you know, were you involved in this situation? And they go, well, you know, so and so, you know, they start putting the blame, trying to, to have an excuse of why and this, like that to me, just, it doesn't show accountability for, even if you didn't, even if you didn't even, you know, if you weren't that big of a part of it, like, at least go, you know, I probably could have, probably could have done something to diffuse the situation, but you know, here's what happened without putting any blame on other people.

• 40:44Monica Aldama?

  Um, and I think that if you take that responsibility, you are always working on yourself and not saying, well, you know, I'm kind of pudgy. No, let me look at this really, what am I, what am I looking at here and how can I get better? And being vulnerable almost like it's okay to not be perfect and, and I'm, I'm bad at that myself because I am a perfectionist, very hard on myself, like, you know, I want to be perfect at everything. And I've really, over the years, have learned to be more vulnerable and go, it's okay to make mistakes because that's how we get better. That's how we grow. That's how we learn and it's okay to own that and say it to the world. I messed up, you know?

• 41:29Monica Aldama?

  And

• 41:30Ed Mylett?

  For me, if I have a friend who's never said I'm sorry, or I've changed my mind, long term, like if I've known them a long time, that's unhealthy. That's not a good sign in a friend or a business partner. I like leaders that go, hey, I messed this one up, you know, give me some grace. I did it. My intentions were good. I just called the wrong shot or I made a bad choice. Do you think it's connected to confidence? Just thinking as you're talking, like, I think if you're confident and something doesn't happen around you, you, you think, well, I, I should be better than this. I think sometimes this pushing it off to other people, they just don't believe in themselves. And so rather than look at themselves who they don't like.

• 42:04Monica Aldama?

  Yeah.

• 42:05Ed Mylett?

  I don't like me.

• 42:06Monica Aldama?

  Yep.

• 42:06Ed Mylett?

  I don't want to look at me. I don't want you to look at me. So it's this person's fault or it's that. And I feel sad when someone's that way, but if you are that way. One of the things to evaluate is, how do you feel about yourself? Cause I think if you can say, listen, I'm, I'm, I'm capable of something really great and you believe that when it doesn't happen, you assume it's you. You assume there's things you could do better. You assume there's a lesson in it, but when you don't feel great about you. I bet you if you think back through your coaching too, Monica, the ones who constantly push it off to other people are the ones who. The truth is, if you really evaluate it, don't believe in themselves like they need to. And so they push it off to someone else.

• 42:42Monica Aldama?

  You know, and I think that's what like a lot of times I'll go, well, sometimes you just don't know until you know, you know? Um, if that makes sense, you don't know until you know. Uh, so I, I think a lot of the like life lessons that sometimes we'll just, I'll have a little talk with the team or whatever. And I just try to tell like, that's something that I've, I do say sometimes to them is like, just take ownership. Like actually people will respect you. It's okay to make a mistake. We are, we are all human and we will all make mistakes. I'm gonna make plenty and you know, I'm gonna apologize and own it and move forward because that's all we can do. And that right there will earn you a lot of respect, uh, in other people's eyes.

• 43:26Monica Aldama?

  And so I'm hoping that just by them hearing it and go, wow, I never thought about it that way. You know, I just did, I just was too ashamed to admit that I did wrong. But you know what? That's powerful to admit that I did wrong. So maybe it's okay. It's like, give them a, you know, the okay to say, I screwed up, you know?

• 43:45Ed Mylett?

  Yeah. I told, it's why I hate politics so much.

• 43:48Monica Aldama?

  Oh.

• 43:48Ed Mylett?

  Because, because the, cause you, you're not even allowed as a politician to go, whoops, made a mistake. They would rather just keep us all sort of against one another. And then even as a leader, you're running a damn country. Over four years, you're gonna make mistakes. Man, would I love to get, go, hey, I called the wrong shot. My intentions were good. I'm gonna get it right the next time. I'd be like, I'll follow that woman through the, through a wall, that man through a wall, but they never admit it. It's always someone else's fault. I'm like, I can't even take, I take nothing any of you say to be truthful, because you just don't have any accountability. It's just one of the things I have on politics. It's just, if you always ask me about it, I can't stand it. All right. Speaking about can't stand it, you did Dancing with the Stars.

• 44:30Ed Mylett?

  And it was, it's interesting. I wanted you to share the experience with me. Was it hard for you to be someone who's?

• 44:36Ed Mylett?

  Coaching most of the time to then have it flipped on you and basically you're the one being coached and I think your back wasn't doing well either. So what was that whole, what was the whole Dancing with the Stars experience like for you? Good or bad? Or yeah?

• 44:50Monica Aldama?

  Well, it was, it was the hardest thing I've ever done. And so I would do it, yeah, I would do it again in a heartbeat because it was a great experience. But, but no, it was not fun. It was not fun. It was hard. Uh, you know, I, I think, I think I'm very competitive and I, and so originally I was like, oh, this is competition. I know how to do competition. I know how to mentally, mentally prepare. I know how to physically prepare. I've got this. I, I can go, I can do this, you know? And I got there and I was kind of shocked at how intimidated I was because I'm not used to being that intimidated. I usually have a lot of confidence, even when I'm, you know, not doing something that

• 45:35Monica Aldama?

  I'm that great at, I still feel like I'm confident, like I can get through this. I, you know, I'll do my very best and just I have confidence in myself. And I got there and I was like, I was, I was intimidated and I realized very quickly that it's not really a competition. I mean, it's a, you know, and, and not only that, all of these people that were there participating, a lot of them were performers that were on stage, you know, the past however many years of their life. They were, you know, they did Broadway, they were, they did this or that. Well, yes, I was a cheerleader 30 years ago, you know, I mean, it's been a long time. I'm on the other side of that. I'm not actually

• 46:17Monica Aldama?

  out there on a stage performing. I'm, I know how to get these people ready, but I've not physically done that myself in a really long time. And I have zero acting skills and I also realized quickly that that was kind of a big part of it too. So, so I saw it as, oh, I have a lot of catching up to do. And so, you know, and also, there was a lot of talk in the media. At every question I got from, because we did lots of press, every week we were doing press. And the question was always, oh, the coach is being coached. How is she going to handle it? And, and so I went in and I was like, oh, my gosh, I need to be the perfect student because I don't want to not be the, a great student. I would expect someone else. So what I did was

• 47:01Monica Aldama?

  I just did everything I was told and I never spoke up, which I know is not right. I, I mean, I was, you know, I, I, I finally spoke up, but I just was doing everything I was told and I wasn't communicating like I know that I should be. And maybe it's because I hadn't been in that student role in a long time. I'd always been in the coaching role and I was just trying to be that good student and yes, sir, whatever you say, let me do it. And really, once I decided to speak up and say, this is not working for me, the way that you're coaching me. Everything turned for the better and the experience was a lot better. And I think our rapport was a lot better after that. And so, learning lesson for me, do what I know is right and which communication is so important.

• 47:45Monica Aldama?

  And I should have spoken up sooner. Uh, you know, but, but the end of the day, the experience, putting myself out of my comfort zone. And through all of that was, I think everybody should get themselves out of their comfort zone every once in a while.

• 47:59Ed Mylett?

  Yeah.

• 48:02Ed Mylett?

  Do you think, uh, speaking of communication, in your sport, there's something called mat talk, which I didn't know what it was until I started watching. Did you guys like that? Tell them what mat talk is. And by the way, how much, there's a chapter in the book called talk, talk, talk. And yet you do Dancing with the Stars and you're saying, I didn't talk, talk, talk.

• 48:18Monica Aldama?

  I didn't.

• 48:19Ed Mylett?

  So, talk about that.

• 48:21Monica Aldama?

  Well, mat talk is basically just encouragement. Obviously in cheerleading, if we're doing a routine full out, it's a lot of yelling because we're. If if you're on, you you wanna basically give some people's routine is harder at a certain moment than others. And so if my routine's easier at this moment and yours is harder, I'm yelling for you. I'm giving you my energy. If if I'm on the side watching, I'm yelling, I'm giving you my energy. It's just, honestly, at the end of the day, it's encouragement. But in cheerleading, it's very powerful. It's passionate. It's loud. It's it's energy. Just when when there's a good mat talk during a full out, the it'd be. It's magic. It's really magical because it's a lot of energy just all over the floor.

• 49:01Monica Aldama?

  But it also, you know, in real life terms, just could just be simply, you know, you've got a presentation. I'm I'm, you know, gonna give you a ton of encouragement before you go out there. You're about to kill this. You know, you've got this. Don't worry about it. Uh, you're, you know, you're a badass, whatever you wanna say, you know? So, uh, that's what it is. And and you know, the as far as dancing with the stars, I, you know, I think in the dance world, the culture that they come from. Being condescending is is kind of what the norm. And it's not the norm where I come from. So I was like, whoa, I'm not used to being talked to like this, you know?

• 49:40Monica Aldama?

  I'm not, I don't talk to my kids like this. When I want to get the best out of them, it's it's an encouraging, like, you you've got this. I mean, I'm, it's an encouraging talk. So the condescending yelling, like, that's not how I run my team. And so it it kind of just shocked me and I was like, well, okay, but I'm the student here, so I'm just gonna do what I'm told. This is obviously what works in this environment, so let me just do it. I I I know better, you know, and so.

• 50:10Ed Mylett?

  Monica, I gotta tell you, for everyone that's on audio, your face just totally changed when you talked about being talked to that way. Like, there's a hurt or there's a pain look on your face. I'm not kidding you. And

• 50:21Monica Aldama?

  Oh, goodness.

• 50:21Ed Mylett?

  And. What it is, is it violates one of your principles, which is respect.

• 50:25Monica Aldama?

  Yeah.

• 50:26Ed Mylett?

  And, and your face changed. If everyone listen on audio, just trust me on this. There's this massively accomplished woman and for five seconds, her mind went to how she was talked to. And her whole face changed. And so that's one thing as a leader, you know, you better be really careful about treating people with respect. I don't think there's any environment where disrespect still works. Now, there are some sports and cultures, maybe it's in dance where they've taken archaic ideas and strategies and ways of communicating into the future. But that doesn't mean someone who didn't communicate the correct way with positive energy wouldn't do better than them. And so it's really, really powerful. And this point of energy too. It's this invisible force. Most people don't get that winners get, that people respond to energy.

• 51:11Ed Mylett?

  You talk about mat talk and creating energy, but this is true even when you're presenting or in your, your family has an energy when you walk in the house. I can feel it in some homes when I walk in them. There's a loving, kind, beautiful energy. You go into other ones, you can just feel the energy is different, right? You go to a culture, I go speak to sports teams or companies, some of them, I mean, their energy and culture is winning and fun and loving and achieving. And other ones, it's not, and it's an energy thing and it's invisible. And it's true in sports as well. And that's, you didn't have the right energy there, did you? Just wasn't the right energy.

• 51:46Monica Aldama?

  Yeah, it was, it was different and I wasn't used to it. And so, and I should have spoken up because at once I spoke up, it was completely different. You know, I just, I, I learned a valuable lesson.

• 51:59Ed Mylett?

  Do you let your kids do that? You're open to that when they go, hey, this isn't, you want them communicating back with you as a coach saying, hey, this isn't working for me the way we're talking right now, or the way you're saying it, or that's okay with you?

• 52:12Monica Aldama?

  Well, yeah, as long as, as long as it's respectful, of course, yeah, and you know, uh, I mean, um, we have open door policy. You want to come talk to me in the office about whether it be like, hey, I felt this type of way because, because a lot of times that's a miscommunication and I definitely want someone to come to me if they feel some type of way because I want to correct the situation and, or if there was a miscommunication, make sure that it's clarified and because I would never want someone to feel unheard or, uh, treated disrespectfully or, you know, and sometimes everyone's different, so, you know, sometimes the quieter people,

• 52:58Monica Aldama?

  you know, I don't, maybe I'm not reading them very well and, and they're, and I'm thinking they're being lazy and they're just intimidated. I don't know. So we definitely need to, to have that communication, whether it's them coming to me and say, hey, my feelings got hurt today because I felt like I was overlooked or, you know, whatever, I, you know, because, because it's an opportunity for me to reassure them and give them back some confidence and, and then just not have any miscommunication or misinterpretation because that, that'll get you all, you know, out of whack.

• 53:30Ed Mylett?

  Yeah, you guys, um, I over prepare for interviews, as you know, right? So I know everything. I probably know more about Monica's book than Monica knows because I know, right? But there's a part of the book we're not going to get into now because I've got two questions left, but to this point that don't assume everybody's like you. And what my biggest mistake as a young leader is, I ended up looking around after about six, seven years and everybody that worked with me was just like me. They were intense. They were males. They were all former athletes or military in real discipline. They loved how I talked. They loved my style. But I didn't have any real diversity of person. I had diversity from a, you know, a race standpoint or religion. I had people from all cultures. That's just me. But the truth is, we're all the same person. Once I figured out, hey, I've got to be able to communicate with different types of people.

• 54:13Ed Mylett?

  The quiet ones, the shy ones, the less confident ones, the, you know, the ones who communicate just differently, but I didn't do that very well. So there's a whole chapter in the book about that that she's really great at doing. And if you watch the show, you know, she's got people from all different backgrounds, certainly different than hers. Okay, two questions left. Pressure, it's different. I have to think it's different of nailing the routine three weeks before Daytona than it is now we're out there. Do you do anything? Is it just preparation or repetition? But that, we got two minutes, it's two minutes, 15 seconds, right? That's what it comes down to. Okay. So is there anything you do like that day, an hour before to calm them to, is there any trick of the trade or anything like, because for some people, their two minutes and 15

• 54:58Ed Mylett?

  seconds is I've got to close this deal right now, or I'm going to ask this woman out on a date. And that's their two minutes and 15 seconds of their life. And they're, is there anything you do to help them deal with pressure?

• 55:10Monica Aldama?

  Well, you know, I think the only thing that we can control is our preparation for that one moment. And so we do put a lot of preparation into our mental game, because that's where the, that mental part comes in. Because we know physically, we're ready. Physically, we have trained and done everything that we feel like we need to, to go out there and put out our best performance. Mentally, though, that's where it can get you, you know, so that pressure is mental. That pressure is mental. So when we're preparing at home, the other thing that we do besides physically doing the routine over and over, is we try to put ourselves in that moment. So in

• 55:53Monica Aldama?

  Daytona, the, the warm up facility is kind of a long walk. It's across the street. What, you got to go way back. And so we do our whole warm up as if we're in Daytona. So we will, we do our mat rotations exactly like it's going to be in the warm up room. We time it. I've got my, my. Clock going, time in each section. We run it just like it's gonna be in there. I try to announce it. You know, so honestly, after we start, the vets know how it works. They, I could walk out, I could walk out and not coach again, and the vets are that, they know exactly how my mind works, and they know exactly how we're gonna run a warm-up. But we, the warm-up never changes.

• 56:37Monica Aldama?

  So as soon as we get in this routine of what the warm-up's gonna be, and the, the new people understand it, it never changes, and it puts them in, so what we say in Daytona, it's just another day at practice. It's just, this is not a big deal. It's just another day at practice. So, we do our warm-up through, they get to go, I'm timing it, however many minutes I think they're gonna have exactly before they compete on that bandshell. That's how many minutes they get. They go to the bathroom, they get a drink, and then we walk to our clock tower to mimic the walk from across the street. So they walk to the clock tower, they come back, they do their prayer, they do their talk, they come in, they get ready, they come out, we do our thing. So we really mimic the pressure that you're, cause I, I feel like what pressure is, it's that different environment and going,

• 57:22Monica Aldama?

  "Wait a minute, I don't, I don't know what I'm doing. I, I feel out of sorts, you know? This, we're not at practice anymore, we're just, you know?" So we try to really take away the pressure by really mimicking how you're gonna feel in that moment. And we do it day in and day out. It's very routine. And so when we're in Daytona, we say, "Just another day at practice." That's all this is. It's another day at practice. And it takes away a little bit of that anxiety of the unknown, because we've tried to really mimic it as much as we can. And, and for me personally, I just, once again, try to remain the calm, and my, I try to keep my demeanor as, "This is another day at practice. This is no big deal. It's just another day at practice. We've got this.

• 58:07Monica Aldama?

  You are incredible. And just go out there and do what you, do you every single day in the gym," you know?

• 58:13Ed Mylett?

  That is brilliant. I wish that was in the front of the interview. I hope everyone stuck around. No, seriously, that's brilliant. One of the most brilliant things. And by the way, secret sauce insightful, that you over and over simulate real conditions. So they become familiar with them. You said something I've never thought of before. The pressure is actually something new and unfamiliar, basically. And that when something's very familiar, the pressure level is reduced. I've never thought about it that way. It's one of the most brilliant things I've ever said on my show. And I wish it was in minute five, because I hope everybody stuck around for that. I want this to be one of the Instagram clips to my team. That was so, so, so, so good. And I don't know that I do a good enough job in my other businesses. I definitely don't do a good enough job at my

• 58:55Ed Mylett?

  golf game. When that big putt comes, it's a totally different putt than than the one for no money and I'm gonna lose. I love you. I think you're awesome. I, I, I just, I had no idea when these dudes are like, watch cheer, that I would run into one of the great leaders of our time. And I know for you, you're like, come on, it's true. Statistically, it's true. And then listening to you, this isn't by coincidence. Your success isn't a fluke. This isn't just luck. This is a formula that you developed over time that you stumble into because you're working at some computer deal you don't want to do. That just blows blows my mind. It just blows my mind. The last thing. So by the way, thank you for today. Yeah, thank you. I've enjoyed this. Last thing.

• 59:42Ed Mylett?

  No, no, no humble part here. Other than what we've talked about here, what is special about you? There's, you don't do what you've done in your life and continue to do if you just average an ordinary. So if someone said, it's not bragging, Monica, what is different about you? You know, you walk into these competitions, you're peacocking around there a little bit inside like, hey, I, there's something we got here. I got something on you. What is it? Don't and don't do, I don't know. I shucks. You know what it is. So what would you say it is about you? That's just different. That's caused you to be great.

• 1:00:21Monica Aldama?

  I think I'm smart and I approach things from, like I said, when I first came in, I was like,

• 1:00:30Monica Aldama?

  I I use my brain. How am I going to win a national championship? Let me think this through and you know, and I'm not, I'm not saying that I'm brilliant by any means, but I do think I'm smart and I, and I do think things through, you know, carefully and, and of course, the being competitive and all that helps. Like you said, a competitive person has that drive. And I think the fact that I am very tough on myself and I try to always look at myself first about how to do better. And I don't, and I've gotten very good at that, like taking the ownership

• 1:01:09Monica Aldama?

  and really working on myself. I listen to a lot of podcasts. I listen to a lot of great people because I want to learn and be better and not just think, oh, we won, we're good, you know? I want to still grow and be better and learn from other people myself.

• 1:01:27Ed Mylett?

  Hmm. I think that growth addiction is a big separator. Obviously, the competition part, you're obviously more strategic than most, which you call smart, and I agree with you on that. But I think this idea of still wanting to grow is how you can do something for 27 years and still want to do it another year. Cause you want to grow. You're addicted to the growth part of it. I really think you're remarkable. And if there's anything I can ever do for you, I'm here.

• 1:01:50Monica Aldama?

  Thank you.

• 1:01:51Ed Mylett?

  And I hope that we stay friends because I enjoyed today's conversation. You'd make me better.

• 1:01:56Monica Aldama?

  Oh, thank you. Yes. Thank you for having me. I really, really enjoyed this.

• 1:02:00Ed Mylett?

  Yeah, this is special. So, hey, everybody. Watch Cheer, season two. Go get full out. By the way, the subtitle's cool. Lessons in Life and Leadership from America's Favorite Coach. And you've become my new favorite coach. Everyone that brings me into their teams to speak, sorry, I got a new favorite. It's Monica. Anyway, y'all, I hope that you enjoyed that. I know you did. And then you just enjoy it. You got better today, didn't you? You learned some stuff today, didn't you? And it improved your life. And every year, I opened up, say, it could be as a parent, could be as a business person, could be in your fitness, could be in every area, even the faith part of your lives. There's so many lessons from Monica. So, fastest growing show on the planet for a reason. We keep doubling every 90 days and we're already huge. So, that's because you guys all share the show. I know. You're going to want to share this one. So please continue to do that and God bless each and every one of you.

• 1:02:44Ed Mylett?

  And keep maxing out your life. Take care. This is the Ed Mylett Show.