How to find Purpose & Success with Nisan Trotter

(upbeat music) - Hello everyone, welcome back to Talk of Fame podcast. I'm Kylie Maunt, Nia Zaholz today, and I'm so excited to welcome Niazah and Trotter. Growing up in the backwoods of Silver Hill, Alabama, Niazah moved as fast as Niazah and 370Z. He loves sports at early age, playing football, basketball, and baseball year round. Trotter's confidence, Guy Rocket and Third Grade, when he pukered up and snuck a cheek keys in his class time crush, which I'm like, okay, earlier the better, I might take it. Well, she sat beside him during the earthquake drill. I've said to remind her to be fearless and take chances. By Nissan Cier Year of High School, peers devoted him most athletic and homecoming king. Shortly thereafter, he earned a football scholarship to won the nation's top liberal arts colleges in the Northeast, Bucknell University. While he lived in Central Pennsylvania, sent an undergraduate, his southern roots continued deep with favorite Thai-Test Sid Dling Goles. Conjure, sausage, cheese grids, Christian cream donuts, without the hot now sign, no judgment. He sold over $4 million in fitness programs as a decade plus award-winning fitness interpreter, served in ministry since a 10 years old, offered the best selling book, Born Gifted, which I read, and I'm so excited to go more into that. And filled his mother's vision on becoming a dynamic sought after keynote speaker. With three ambitious curly hair signs named a Marius Ossets of Marius and a Beef reporter we can queen named Jorosis. Nissan gives a glory to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for life being better than he deserves. Welcome to Show Nissan. I'm so excited finally catch up with you, get it's been a home in it. - Yeah, I've decided to talk with you too, Kylie. Congratulations alone just through making it through that very long and worthy bio. You did a fantastic job. Thank you. - Thank you. Hey, longer the better, I'll take it. So to first kick off this episode, so you grew up in Silverhill, Alabama, which is a king of Southern accents, whatever you wanna call it. So what shit your mind said the most early on while growing up in Alabama? - Yeah, Silverhill, Alabama is a place that's near and dear to my heart, of course, because of where I grew up. It's sandwiched in between two metropolitan cities if you will for the south, that is Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida. You get a lot of different worlds in the deep south along the Gulf Coast. You have a lot of green space for farmland and country. And then you also have beautiful beaches of Gulf shores, Alabama and Pensacola Beach. And then you also have business folks in those cities of Mobile and Pensacola. But again, I'm sandwiched. Silverhill, Alabama was sandwiched in between it. And family life was paramount. It was really important to have my uncles and aunties and my grandmother, she had 10 kids. And I had a lot of cousins and just we played outside the typical family, especially growing up in the 1980s of we weren't glued as much to the devices, the iPads and the cell phones. We were outside in the woods playing hide and go seek. We were riding go carts and riding our bicycles. And that time what really shaped me was also growing up in the church, Kylie. I'm a church boy. And that was the first place where I felt that I could really be somebody. Outside of my home where my mom, who always seen even to this day to envision my immigrant traction, she would tell me before I even became what it is that I am, I knew you would become that. She was speaking lots of dreams into my life. But also the church as well, growing up in the church, listening to the pastor, believing in God's word. I started to dream and dream bigger than my current circumstances. I, my family, we were raised in the single back bedroom of my grandma's house. Again, and I told you my grandma had 10 kids. So it was tight living situation, but I still dream, dream big. And also too, my papa, I'm from the South, calling papa a guy arrested so Harvey Mitchell. And now that I realize that he was actually my first introduction to becoming an entrepreneur, because he was a farmer, he hauled dirt, he built fences, he grew crops, he was a person who night and day it seemed that he always worked. And so I got that hard work mentality really from him as well, in addition to dreaming big because of growing up in the church. So it was a perfect combination. I was the same as I was way because I was growing up, I really wasn't exactly a church person because grew up with anxiety. So church was kind of something that I was like, yeah, I'm not doing that. I come from a very religious family on my father's side. My family always went to church, like very religious as you can imagine. Of course, Pennsylvania is a lot different from Alabama and all that. But really as I got an order, I became more into religion, a lot more like in church. I think I went to church and all them a lot more in starting getting into it within the last year. Like we also have a family church that we usually go to, like all family goes to. It's really mainly myself that goes in my media family. And by really Christ and all that really has become such a big part of my life, even though it wasn't as big growing up in my life. When I was like a toddler, like an early teenager, like high school, it really does make sense to be growing your life. I wish I got into it a lot more when I was very young. It was like, oh, maybe I'm getting religion, would have helped me a lot when I was growing up. And I wish I would have gone into that when I was very young. But it's never too late to get into that, even as a 19 year old. Sure, certainly. And I also wanted to distinguish the practice of going to church, which has its place and is powerful from building a relationship with Christ. And that was really important. Because going to church can still feel empty if you're not engaging with the God of the church. So the words that are written in the 66 books of the Bible is vitally important that in engaging, in interacting with the word, that you allow the Holy Spirit to take its role in your life, to have what's written in those scriptures jump off of the page and into your heart. And that's what was happening with me. So it became more than just really a religion. So to speak, but more so, a relationship with the God of the Bible, with Christ Jesus himself. And that's when I started to really believe that, you know what, if the Bible is truly saying through Philippians 413, for example, that I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. And I really take it for His word and step out and do what I feel God has called me to do. And wow, it comes to pass. It comes true. Now I'm developing a relationship. And I really believe that it's beyond just against going to church, but actually engaging with Christ Jesus our Lord. And that's what was the case for me. - Like how old were you when you started to kind of become like really close to him? Like like in terms of like I started building a really like a relationship with him. And this really taken an end saying like, "Oh, this is really becoming important in my life." - Sure, I'm not able to give you an exact age, Kylie. I joke around like this by saying that I was teeth on the pews. I cut my teeth on the pews of the church because Bob Ball, my dad got me submerged in church at a very early age. I would say it started to become real to me when I became a junior deacon at Little Welcome Baptist Church. Shout out to Little Welcome in Silver Hill Alabama where the deacons of the church, my uncle, I call him Uncle Goodney, you know, in the South we got those good country names. Uncle Goodney and Deacon Brooks, they really taught me how to lead a devotion as a young man probably around nine to 10. 10 years old could have been earlier was teaching me how to pray and things of that sort. And so it happened definitely pre-teen, which was really important because as I'm going into my 10 years of vital time when folks just trying to figure out who it is that they are, I all knew who I was in Christ Jesus because of my upbringing and in church. Like I feel like a lot of people couldn't yourself really know who kind of they are growing up at the church. Like in the fourth of southern states, I know church and religion is very popular in that sort of thing. A lot of people in the southern states like Alabama, Texas, or on those states, religious is probably the biggest thing in those states, which I absolutely love. And also the southern names I'll take it. I love the southern names for some reason. I don't know why but I do have a saucepuff for that to be quite honest. But there's something different a lot about the southern names. I literally get props. I do love southern names. I'll take it. But really religion does play such a big role in people's lives. I really didn't think religion played a big role until I got older and with my family, you know, everyone is really big into religion. And really with holidays, like Christmas Thanksgiving, Easter, the don'ts holidays in my family are just like, let's go. Like this, it's really big in my family because of Jesus that's heard like a really only time I went to church, mainly was for those holidays. And otherwise I wouldn't go like on Sundays. And as I got older, it really did change me and for a lot of people as well because it's like you really don't know how big Jesus in religion played in your life until you got older. Like for a lot of people growing up, it's like you're too young to even kind of realize that. And I was like, I think this would be very helpful, like kind of getting to Christ a lot more even if it takes a while to kind of get used to it. Like into something new like that, it really does play a huge impact on your life. I know for a lot of people like with some friends and all that family, it has helped them so much. We're getting into that. Yeah. And I would also say too that Christ's huge and his spirit is greater than a region. You mentioned the South and with me, Helen from the South, while religion, sure, in a relationship again, I want to express with God and having faith in him is big in that area. I also believe that God's glory will one day cover the face of the earth. And in fact, that's going to be the precursor to Christ return when the gospel is preached to the four corners of the world. And so that is one element that is really important to understand and really anchor down in. And so we'll say when it comes to church, something that you mentioned and again, the practice of going to church that I love what Andy Minio said. He says hanging out with God is uncomplicated, is coffee, meaning, you know, it's just spending time. And so that probably is even more important, I dare say, spending time with God or at least equivalent to going to church because you spend time with God in church, but just only a matter of one, an hour, two hours and most services. But think about all the time that we spend outside of the church and how important it is to have a daily practice, a daily regimen, if you will, a daily desire more so to break daily bread with Jesus Christ and spend time with him through prayer, through worship and through reading the word, etc. And so that has become really really important outside of the holidays that you mentioned where Easter and his Christmas because that's somewhat superficial and you can only go so deep if that's the only consecrated time that you spend time outside of those hours on a weekly basis in church or during holidays is so important as well. It is, like for me, it's like, it's never too late. I know for a lot of people to do those type of things like worship every Sunday, like reading the Bible for maybe five minutes a day or worship music, spending time with God maybe every single day or maybe every other day or on Sundays can help you so much. I'm starting to gain to that a little more besides going to church on Sundays is reading the Bible and all that which I think also started to play a big role in my life is kind of gain that close relationship with him because having a connection with Jesus is one of the biggest relationships you could have in your life. Oh, for me, Kylie, it is hands down the most important. It is the biggest. It's the biggest. And I love the words of David. He said early in the morning, I will seek the face. Oh, God. And so the, the importance and the priority that David puts on this is the first thing I do. This is number one in my book in my list and on my agenda, this is what I do first thing in the morning. And typically how you start your day is how your day is going to go and probably finish. And if you can start off on the strong foot of seeking God's face and connecting with Jesus, it makes it so, so important. And then in terms of your hunger, this is the cool part about the word of God. It says they that hunger and thirst for the Lord shall be filled. And so it increases your hunger for God. The more you seek his face and God will be found if you seek him with your whole heart. He wants to be found. He doesn't take any pleasure in quote unquote hiding from you. He wants to make himself available to you through his son, Jesus Christ, and connecting with him. So, Kylie, I encourage you, as I encourage myself, let's continue to commit to spending more time with Jesus and making it a priority, even like David, first thing in the morning. Absolutely. Totally agree. And she's kind of switching up a little bit into being an athlete. You were a three sport athlete. Basically, you kind of tried a little bit of everything, which is great. Like how did sports influence your confidence and disappoint you carry today? Well, Kylie initially, I wouldn't consider myself very popular in school, especially around those middle school years. I kind of was awkward, probably how most preteens are anyway. And your voice is changing, you got acne, et cetera. And I was kind of verbally bullied, if you will, for the way that I sounded. I kind of had this weird, raspy sounding voice, if you will, probably started and repeated my words quite often. And so, folks, especially around that time, my peers, didn't really catch on to the style, the flavor, the coolness of who it is that I am, until they realized that I was pretty good in sports. And so, when they realized I was maybe a bit faster than them, could shoot a basketball better than them, catch a football better than them, et cetera. That's when I gained the cool point. So my confidence started to elevate through the realm of sports because I got the attention that I probably wasn't getting due to having a weird sounding voice or just being socially awkward at that age. So my confidence improved that way through sports. And also, I would say sports taught me a level of discipline that I still carry on in my life today as well. Showing up for the practices that I had to play for practice for rather for my given sports. You know, whether I was aware of it or not at the time, it was implementing a level of discipline to show up in order for great things to happen. Like I played sports as well, but it's like I only played it when I was like a toddler in this early ages because my family is very, very big sports family. Like football, baseball, everything we were big into. Like for me, I only played like baseball, basketball, swimming, track. I kind of did a little bit of everything, but I wasn't really a big fan to play, but I kind of did it for the fun of it to play sports and this have fun. And my brother is mostly that guy, like one always. Love playing like sports was kind of like I rather display with my friends or something than actually, you know, pushing myself to actually play. or something, like professionally. And it really, like as I grew up, I learned that I think sports is one of the main reasons you grew up really disciplined. And realize like, also learning a lot about teamwork and just how important it is to be patient with others and as you grow during your jobs and going to college, you will learn how to really connect with others, especially through sports. And sports is one of the best things to kind of like grow to build a team and to kind of, you know, learn about yourself a little more as you go, or get a job in college. So if you go back to that fearless moment in third grade, I can't imagine myself doing that to be quite honestly. That is, you had a lot of confidence. So do you see that as a big turning point in how you approach life now? Well, third grade was so long ago, Kylie, that I reflect back on that moment. And sometimes to be naive is the best person to be, to be a naive person. I mean, I was that cheek kiss that you're referring to in the third grade during an earthquake drill. I won't share the individual's name, but she was very pretty. And I just said, you know what, I'm going to go for it. And I think that's the attitude that we got to remember to have it. We want great things to happen. It's just the willingness to go for it. And be naive. Don't think about the ramifications and the repercussions sometimes. Don't worry about who's watching. I could have been like, what if she just turns her cheek or what if people see me go forward and then I look like a failure because that's what we do is we often fear the moment because we're thinking about what happens if we fail. And so that moment, I tried to reflect on it from time to time, especially when people read the bio like you did, to think about what in that moment can I carry into who it is that I am now and continue to get better and pursue. And so that fearlessness that it took in that moment, I still have to have in many regards today. I got to be fearless when it comes to raising my three round bunches, boys and the business endeavors that I have with the businesses that we run and being a professional working with Bucknell University, all these things takes a level of fearlessness and a mitigated goal to just go for it. And so, yeah, those are the lessons that I take from that even to this day. Like at that age, I'll be like, what the heck? Like someone who had to force me into doing that. I would feel like so awkward. I'll be like, what? Someone judges me off of this? I feel like I'm more confident if like someone be like, okay, do that. So I'm like, okay, maybe depending on the situation, but as a third grader, you're like, oh my god, like what's making a move? And in the earthquake drill, I think that was a perfect moment though. Yeah, because we had our books over our head and she was right there, it was just too tough to resist. I had to go for it. And that's the thing also too is establishing what is it that you really want? The things that we really want in life, we will do. We will break through a brick wall if we have to climb on top of a mountain, if we have to get it. If we truly wanted, that's the measure, right? If you wanted in your heart of hearts, then there's very little that can stop a made up mind and a willingness to go through it despite the cost. And so at that moment, I really wanted it. So I went for it. Absolutely. Great timing though. I'm like, during an earthquake drill and a head on it, I'm like, name a better timing. I personally can't work the time. So you're saying, oh yeah, perfect timing. But to get into boring gift date, I really read that and finished it after you weeks ago. Let me say if anyone hasn't read it, read it. I personally, it took me like two days to read it. I absolutely loved it by the way. Actually, we'll put it in description for you guys to take a look. But what really inspired you to write boring gift then? Well, number one, thanks for reading the book and the fact that you finished it as well is incredible, especially as a college student, probably headed into finals, etc. Good for you. What inspired me to write that book? Well, it's God inspired number one. I felt truly like I was plagiarizing from God as I'm writing this book. It's just being downloaded into my spirit and it was easier than I thought it would be. It took me a little while to get going, but I finished the piece relatively quickly because it was spirit or driven. But what also inspired me is because there was at one point I felt giftless. I felt like I didn't have this special sauce, but God has called me to those who feel giftless and share with them that they do have a gift that we all are special and that we do have a place in this world to serve. That book really speaks to that. It speaks to those who feel like they do not have a gift to actually believe that they have a gift that step number one. And then the next area is to discover that gift. Once you believe you got to first believe you discover that gift and then once you discover how do you take that gift to the next level. What I consider quote unquote superstar status. And so of that those were the inspirations behind writing that book. If I didn't believe that I had it, you wouldn't want to be with me today asking me the question that you're asking me. But me playing down does not serve the world and me living up to my greatest potential. And I'm still working on that even now. It doesn't stop until the grave. You know, I want to live to my highest peak performance with the gift that God has called me to. And so that's the book born gifted how to unwrap the gifts inside you for supernatural success. It speaks to that. And I read it. I was like, okay, like this is amazing. Like I walked away. You kind of wrote it. Like for my perspective, I can't really speak for others. Because everyone kind of reads, of course takes things differently. And when I read it, I was like, oh, we are actually born gifted. And I never really heard of that term born gifted because it's like, it's a different type of phrase. Like because I realized when when I was reading that book that everyone has their own unique gift in their life, whatever it's becoming a speaker serving in the military. Like whenever that may be, everybody has their own place to kind of kill like a life right now. And for that, like everyone also has a gift in their life, whatever you're maybe 10 years old is a freshman in college. And adult or your grandparents, like, it's never really too late to find that gift. Everyone has a different gift. Everyone is not the same. And that took me a while to realize. I'm sure for a lot of people as well. And for that, it really is Jesus plays a big role in finding your purpose. Even if it takes a while and I know for a lot of people, people can find their gift as such a young age. Like it can, it's never too late to find that gift. I mean, for me, it's like earlier to better. Let's take it, you know, but it's like no matter how old you are, it's you can still find many gifts in your life that you're very good at and that you should pursue. And I think like that book that you wrote really display purpose and really how to really find your gift and how Jesus plays a role in that. Yeah, absolutely. And I've worked with this content for a number of years now, whether I'm sharing it on podcast or speaking about born gifted from stage or even working one on one coaching clients privately. And what I've come to realize through the inception of the content from its origin to now, especially with a younger population of individuals, is that it seems like the numbers are growing with those who don't feel like they have something special to contribute to the world. I don't have a secret sauce or something special about them. Maybe it's because of the timing of things and what's happening in the world and the negativity, etc. You know, wars happening overseas, etc. I don't know COVID period, but it does seem like is it. extremely vital right now and moment in time for especially Kylie the Jin's ears etc to truly believe and tap into their superpower because their superpower is what's going to make it in a positive way in the sound flowery or any sense of that word I truly truly believe that from my heart I wouldn't have been able to put out the good that I've done and that I will continue to do put it out into the world unless I knew exactly who God created me to be and I use those gifts that he's given me to make my impact. In God I play such a big role and I know for growing up in my Gen Z and little little little for yourself like every like kind of different age groups live in such a different way like for yourself you said like you guys were all tied all day from sun like sunrise to sunset without bones and this having that socialization and like people in like my age everyone has cell phones like no matter what you're doing you can be all your friends and family you can be staring at your phone the whole time and being under phone the whole time is texting I mean having social media and stuff can be a good thing and having a phone and all that to talk to family and all that but I feel like it takes a lot to have the actual socialization these are always on your phone. Yeah certainly I mean the the power of connection is oftentimes lost through the social media outlets and especially and here's a piece that I share in born gift it is that you have to learn how to ruthlessly interrogate yourself and quarantine yourself from the world even from people around you so that you can get to know you and when you ask yourself a number of vital important questions about you like what makes you smile what can you spend time on that when you do spend time on it time passes by quickly because you're having just that much fun. When you do it people want to give you a round of applause because you're just that good at it. Now there's so many questions that you can ask yourself to get to know you and connect to you better connecting God first and God will show you through his son Jesus I believe how you are who you are and why you are who you are and then these things start to just get unwrapped in you and that's why I subtitle it how to unwrap the gifts inside you for supernatural success because when you do what only you can do that's where the shine is that's where the glory is that's where life becomes even more brand new so yeah I would encourage everybody born gift it is where sad you're born gifted you got to read this book and everyone's born gifted whatever you think it or not everyone has their own personality and everyone has their own gift where is playing baseball being athletic or whatever it may be everyone has their own passion in every way learn it to kind of wrap it up to interview like what does it mean to be truly alive versus just living love that question Kylie appreciate you asking it I believe that when you are truly alive your life is centered around your gift not your gift being centered around your life you know life becomes super busy and we're doing things that oftentimes may not even amount to much we got to ask ourselves why are we even spending time doing the things that we're doing if it's not connected to our gift because if our gift is was bringing us alive and I'll give an example and all right now I know that my goal in life is to inspire a generation to live on purpose to live with their special call to live how Christ has called them to using their gifts and I can do that in a number of different ways through speaking from stage through being on this podcast with you through working in my fitness company trot fitness and helping people with their bodies through also the writing of born gifted or even by the way shameless plug I narrated for you on on the bulls so even if you don't like the hard copy him reading and flipping through the pages you can listen to me read it to you but my gift my life is centered around those things that God has called me to do I have the gift of exhortation the gift of encouragement this comes very natural to me it does not feel like work at all what I'm doing with you right now Kylie because this is my gift right and but if you get so caught up in just quote unquote doing life I've done a whole lot of quote on quotes right now but if you know good yeah if you're if you're caught up in doing life and your gift is taking a back seat to life like you got to be here and you got to be there and you got to exist off of your agenda and you're not really doing what you have been purposed and created to do now your gift is centered around your life and it's taking it's on the back burner so you got to figure out creative ways and that's a whole no other conversation but creative ways shift the narrative to where now you are more in tune and in touch and you're doing your gifting and your call and your life is centered around that gift with all that you do and I think like with having a purpose in what you do and love what you're doing like for example what you do and whatever career you might be doing in this specific moment is really a gift like everything that you do is something that you learn from even if you don't love it or just don't like what you're doing you have to stay with that as long as you are kind of trying something new and seeing if you like it or not that's a good thing you kind of see like what you'd like and don't like and for a lot of people it takes a while to kind of realize that it's finally find that passion and it took me a while personally to realize that and that's perfectly okay like to like to realize that and I was gonna say we do just to interrupt for one second that the barometer also too of you truly being alive with your gift and understanding that this is a gift is what I share in the book that when people give you gifts that gift is for you but when God gives you a gift that gift is to serve other people now you feel alive when you use that gift but certainly when you're sharing that gift that gift is meant to empower people to bless them to help them go to higher ground and reach a new place in life and and typically so it's not as self-serving as you might think it is it has cost me a lot right to be where it is that I am to even write born gift itself you know there's some sacrifices being made behind the scene that that takes just brutal work grunt work whatever you want to call it but also at the same token when you share that gift that that blessing that you get from people elevating to another level people moving forward all the more it is something that money can't buy is something that that is is even greater than than the monetary reward now now sure I have been rewarded financially because of my gifts as well and that's another barometer if you will to know that you you got something special and you got a gift in you if people are willing to even pay you for it but I will say to you that by and large when you are sharing your gift and it's blessing other people that's the reward that can hardly be measured exactly and you really have to love what you're doing to stick with it into actually love connect with people yes money can be a plus you know but you really have to work hard to really grow your platform and whatever you choose to do you know every platform or what you do totally different like you know you have to be really committed and love what you do to kind of spend much time into that and it takes a while you know it can be mine to be a few days and go be here really right and how committed you are to your craft and really like you like if you love it so much like you said it doesn't feel like a job like it can be this something you love doing every single day that's something that you could like take a break break from life for maybe a good, maybe half hour, a few hours and just really settle in relax and have important conversations and really have so much passion for it to actually feel like this is not a regular job for me. This is something that I love to do. Even if you have a full-time job to kind of support yourself, that's perfectly okay. This can be a little kind of something on the side. You know, since like you can have a full-time job or a part-time job and still pursue what you actually love on the side. It's you can do either or but it's slowly okay to actually do that. You know, that's what I do. I work part-time and also do do podcasting and also you know a freshman of college, you know, it's difficult. You can imagine, nothing's easy in life but it's like it definitely makes you really think how much meaning life has in you. Certainly, yeah. And grace to you, kudos to you, for all that you're doing in this phase even while being a full-time student. Yeah, thank you. And I think that is a perfect way to wrap up this episode. I really appreciate you Nissan for coming on to podcasts and speaking with us today. I know it's been a hot minute, so we last talked every Sunday to Pensley looks very, you know, like right when MicroFore school started right back in, what was it August or something? I mean August is when we we connected. So it has been a little while but this has been a treat and I appreciate it. Yeah, absolutely. Same here and I will make sure to put born gifted link below for anyone that's interested in checking out. I recommend completely, um, I read it and it will definitely change your life. I'm not just saying it, just because by really in just totally recommend it. It's one of the best books that I read and I'm like, I love reading, but also like I wasn't a big reader growing up until like maybe the last few years. So it's like it really, if you want a new perspective, wherever you believe in God or not, this is something that you would truly learn from in your life. So I totally recommend checking this book out and I really appreciate you guys checking, like, checking this out and listening. Make sure to like, subscribe, review and I really appreciate you coming on and talk with us today for a little bit. It means so much and glad we got to connect again. You're welcome, Kylie. Thank you so much. Of course. I hope you guys have a great day and I'll see you guys very soon.