Daniel Hayes Joins Us On The Steve Jobs Inspired Join Up Dots Podcast
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Introducing Daniel Hayes
Daniel Hayes is my guest today on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots business coaching podcast interview.
He is a man who is a top ranked boxing prospect and also Trinidad & Tobago’s boxing ambassador.
He is also is a sought after model and actor, who has been photographed around the world since the age of 17.
And when you see the photos ladies (and of course men too) that fact doesn’t come as a surprise
What does come as a surprise though, is this guy, with a highly tuned competitive streak was so obviously looking for the non-obvious route that could fulfil his dreams.
How The Dots Joined Up For Daniel Hayes
Growing up he was involved in a variety of sports.
He loved soccer, basketball, football, baseball and swimming and at just 10 years old started playing basketball and continued playing throughout college.
At 16 he was already a certified lifeguard and a highly recruited athlete in multiple sports.
In his senior year of high school he was recruited to play basketball for several NCAA Division 1 and 2 schools.
Now this is when one of the big twists occurred in his life, or as we say he hit one of his big dots.
College proved to be quite a defining time for him, he started as a Kinesiology major, but after just one single acting course, he found that he had discovered his love and passion for acting and switched his major to Theatre.
When The Acting Bug Hit For Daniel
It wasn’t long after this revelation that the acting gigs began pouring in.
He landed his first commercial and this was quickly followed by a well-known television ad with Nike.
Now he could have said “This is easy” and coasted a bit, but instead he set out to become the very best that he can be in this new found arena.
He started defining his craft, by studying at The Second City and Groundlings, schools who boast of alumni including Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell, Seth Rogan and Steve Carell.
He added to his training by studying at The Ivana Chubbuck Studio that has trained Hollywood’s elite such as Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Terence Howard and more.
He knew if he was going to be the best he had to surround himself with the best that Hollywood can offer.
And now away from the acting he is training for the Olympics.
Once again he surrounds himself with the best by fighting out of the world famous Wild Card Boxing Club, home to superstar world champions.
So what has these diverse uses of his time and talents taught him, as he drives forwards with his ambitions?
And is better to become very very good at one thing, or be diverse as he has been up to this point?
Well lets find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Mr Daniel Hayes.
Show Highlights
During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Daniel Hayes such as:
How “The Revenant”is a truly boring film, no matter how many awards it gains across the film industry…..but why it has an amazing message for all entrepreneurs too!
Why Mike Tyson would always get up at 4:00am in the morning to go running, because all his competitors are asleep, and the reasons behind the decision to do this.
Why being in the flow and present in the moment is the state that we must all aim for no matter what arena we put ourselves….it’s where the huge wins are found.
And lastly….
Who he would choose to be in later years Mickey Rourke or Leo DiCaprio, and the reasons why he believes that both are masters of their art.
How To Connect With Daniel Hayes
Return To The Top Of Daniel Hayes
If you enjoyed this episode with Daniel Hayes then why not listen to some of our favourite podcast episodes such as Jesse Trevelow, AJ Leon, Joshua Spodek or the amazing Alexis Wolfer
Or if you prefer just pop over to our podcast archive for thousands of amazing episodes to choose from.
Audio Transcription Of Daniel Hayes Interview
Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. join up dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK David Ralph
David Ralph [0:26]
Yes. Hello there everybody. This is David Ralph so these must be joined up dots. And I’ll tell you why I say this more often than not, I might do a kind of Director’s Cut mini episode. Because the things we talked about before we press record, I often think to myself, I should just throw this into the show, I should just put it in there. Because my guest was telling me amazing story, and I won’t share it. But I’ll tell you what, if you pay me enough, I will share it. So you use it like send through your postal checks in your postal borders, and just pay pal money. And I will tell you what he gets up to or what he did get up to when he was a young man, because he a guy who is is really going through big time he is a top ranked boxing prospect, and also Trinidad and Tobago boxing ambassador. He’s also is a sought after model who’s been photographed around the world since the age of 17. And when you see the photos, ladies, and of course men to back fact doesn’t come as a surprise body needs a little bit of work, but you know, I can get into where we should be. But what that has come as a surprise though, is this guy with a highly tuned competitive streak was so obviously looking for a non obvious route that could fulfill his dreams growing up. He was involved in a variety of sports he loves soccer, basketball, football, baseball, and swimming, and at just 10 years old started playing basketball and continued playing throughout college. Now at 16. He was already a certified lifeguard and a highly recruited athlete in multiple sports. In his senior year of high school, he was recruited to play basketball for several NCAA Division One and two schools. And this when one of the big twists occurred in his life, or as we say, he hit one of these big dots. College proved to be quite a defining time for him. He started as a major in a course but after just one single acting lesson, he found that he discovered his love and passion for acting, and switched his major to theatre. And it wasn’t long after this revelation that the acting gigs began pouring in, he landed his first commercial, and this was quickly followed by a well known TV ad with Nike. Now, he could have said this is easy, and coasted a bit but instead he set out to become the very best that he can be. In this newfound arena. He started defining his craft by studying at the second city and Groundlings schools, who both Jim Carrey Will Ferrell Seth Rogen and Steve Carell along their past students, he added to his training by studying at the Ivana Chubbuck studio that has trained Hollywood’s elite such as Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Terrence Howard, and more. Now, this is a key thing to know, even before we start the show, he knew if he was going to be the best, he had to surround himself with the best that Hollywood can offer. So he did that. And now away from the acting, he’s training for the Olympics and once again, surrounds himself with the best by fighting out to the world famous wild card Boxing Club, home to superstar world champions. So what have these diverse uses of these times and talents towards him? And as he drives forward with these ambitions? Is he getting better at just one thing? Or has that diversity really been the thing that is sort of bringing it all together? Well, let’s find out as we bring on to the show to start joining up with the one and only let’s get ready to Mambo Mr. Daniel. Hi, how are you done?
Daniel Hayes [3:43]
Thank you so much. I gotta say that was honestly the most epic introduction I’ve ever
David Ralph [3:48]
had. You are a man and as we started talking about beforehand, but every now and again, I meet a guest I think I should just be in a bar. I should be in a bar having a drink with the microphones in front of us recording live, because we’ve got the perfect sort of body time f1 where you’re an owl I’m a lark, we could literally drink 24 hours a day and still be together.
Daniel Hayes [4:13]
Yeah, 100% What’s your drink of choice? good sir. I might
David Ralph [4:17]
become a bit of a gale recently, I must admit. So I I go for the sort of the very soft loggers or shanties as we have. Do you know what Shandy is? Daniel?
Daniel Hayes [4:25]
Yeah, yeah. Shandy Kara bright.
David Ralph [4:28]
Yeah, a little bit lemonade, a little bit of beer. And it’s just a kind of refreshing drink. But I know I used to be a kind of drink hapa trying to keep up with people. But it was never good for me. But you must be somebody that every time you have a drink, if you do have a drink, you must be this is this is knocking me further away from the Olympics. Is that how it works?
Daniel Hayes [4:46]
I guess you see the thing is with me, I very rarely drink like now and then I’ll indulge maybe with a glass of red wine, white wine. Maybe champagne, if it’s a celebrate every occasion. But I’m one of those people want to win, I’m going to do something, I’m not going to have facet. So if I am drinking, I am going to drink as seldom of the time as that is. And throughout the rest of the time. I’m pretty, pretty tame. But
David Ralph [5:16]
but that is kind of how the entrepreneurial route should operate. You work really, really hard to something. And then you celebrate big time. And then you go again, instead of doing a sort of half assed effect all the way through. So is that your sort of big mentality? Well? Yeah.
Daniel Hayes [5:36]
Yeah, like example, I couldn’t do you know how you have friends that will say, Oh, hey, I just finished work, let’s go for a drink. And maybe just one or two, you know, that sort of thing. Again, just to touch on what you were saying is, if I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it 100%. So I definitely take pride in that.
David Ralph [5:55]
So if you look at your life, that the thing that really interested me when I was doing research on you, and you are obviously a very good looking guy, and I was being dismissive, you’ve got the kind of body but GI Joe would love. I don’t know how long it’s taken for you to sculpture. So I can totally see that as a model. You’re going to be top of the game, I can see why people want to photograph you. But then you want to have your lovely face punch two pieces in a ring. Now I’ve got two words to say to you. Mickey rock, does that not frighten you?
Daniel Hayes [6:30]
I’m very familiar actually with Mickey. He’s, he’s a wild card pretty off. But if I if I’m to say to touch on that, if I’m in his shape at that age, when I’m that age, I could definitely live with that. Yeah, but
David Ralph [6:46]
he’s not a good looking man anymore. Is he? You know, you want it all done. You don’t you? Don’t you want the acting? Would you rather be Mickey or DiCaprio? You know, good looking at two at the top of his game, or a kind of a slightly weird looking character.
Daniel Hayes [7:02]
Huh? I you know, I guess Only time will tell it that one which which? Which adventure takes me first boxing or acting?
David Ralph [7:11]
Yo, Yo, I’m not gonna push you into anything. You’re aware that we’re recording?
Daniel Hayes [7:17]
I very, I see Mickey very often. I would never speak badly about it.
David Ralph [7:25]
So So what is this sort of quality talking about people like sort of Mickey Rourke, because obviously, he has got that kind of intensity, certainly in these early days. But it was almost intangible, you felt that he was going to jump out the screen and punch you in the face that that was a kind of controlled fury in his work? Is that something that all actors have always had that kind of X factor that separates the good ones from the great ones?
Daniel Hayes [7:52]
I would say it’s connecting with the character and being able to portray it so it’s it’s believed visible to the audience, because you can have a character that that’s very, let’s say, have a lower demeanor, low key demeanor. And it doesn’t allow for those explosive performances where it’s something that’s action packed or, or high drama, right. But I would say a great performance or what makes you a great actor example, Leonardo, Leonardo DiCaprio, as you’re mentioning, and reverent which I’m sure is going to win a few Oscars, is he was so connected and so embodied with that character. And it just it totally was transparent on screen. I hated that film. No,
David Ralph [8:37]
I really did. I was talking about it the other day, and after 20 minutes, when the bear ran on, I thought finish them off, finish him off. You know, I can get
Daniel Hayes [8:50]
that far and just watching a guy. So I think it was two hours and 45 minutes, watching somebody suffer for let’s say, two hours and 20 minutes. It was kind hard and I was really rooting for the native guy. You know, the guy that picked him up, heal them. And I guess you could say gave him his second wind in the film, and I was really rooting for him. And then when you see him, he got Well, you know, I don’t want to spoil it for anybody that hasn’t seen it. So I’ll just stop myself there. Now
David Ralph [9:18]
I tell you what, if anybody wants to go and see it, save two hours and 40 minutes of your life, believe me. It’s a man in a fur coat rolling around on snow for two hours and 40 minutes he bought me stupid it really did. Talking about boxing as well. And film work. This is a perfect segue. I went to see creed, which was about two hours. 15 loved it. I loved it. It was a nice kind of flowing Pacey film. What do you think about that bringing your acting ability together with your boxing ability? is a film like that realistic? Is it something that translates well?
Daniel Hayes [9:54]
Oh 100% and another one that recently came out with southpaw? I don’t know if you saw that I was with Jake Gyllenhaal. That’s right. And I really like southpaw I love both movies a lot. I really like self Paula. The reason why is because it actually gave you an insight to what really happens in boxing as far as the the dark characters you have in it and the shady promoters and whatnot, the struggles behind the scenes that a fighter goes through, even though you see this glamorous lifestyle, but what really is happening, the blood in the locker room, the concussions and just just all that I was really I was really pleased that with southpaw that it actually portrayed a very realistic lifestyle of a boxer. With with Crete. I thought it was very good, I think. Um, what is Sylvester Stallone? When recently he just won at a Golden Globe? Was it? Yeah, there you go. Yeah, I thought he was great. I thought the movie was great motivational, I thought it just to to really great boxing films recently. And I can’t say that that’s been something that’s been very frequent in the past few years.
David Ralph [11:02]
So if we take you back in time, obviously, you’re a guy at the moment and you’ve got many strings to your bow, and it’s going very well and you put yourself in the hub of where action occurs and where you’re likely to get spotted. But you grew up in a very different area. So what was the sort of Daniel haze? Like as a young man? And will you destined for where you are now is it as much a surprise to you as most people?
Daniel Hayes [11:26]
I wouldn’t say it was a surprise to people that knew me very closely. I’ll even go back to when I was a little kid, I was hyperactive, I could not stay still. I had to be running, trying to jump even even to go back. I was recently talking with my mom. And she was telling me a story about how I was still crawling around. And I wouldn’t stay still when I’m crawling, and I have my diapers on and something got into my head. One time she was cooking something, I snuck out the back. I’m trying to climb a fence. And mind you, I’m a kid that’s crawling, I can’t even walk it. But something got in my head to climb the fence. I got stuck on the fence, I was hanging there from the diaper. And the neighbor literally ran over is knocking on the door, my mom comes out sees behavior there. That’s pretty much a summary of just how hyperactive I was as a kid. And then that translated just to in sport, so I got into sports, it’s at such a young age. So being an athlete was never a surprise to anybody else. I will say though, when I found my love and passion for acting that did definitely surprise a few people, because I’d always been looked at as an athlete. But I would say I definitely have been able to merge the two quite well as of late. And you do realize that sort of most x boxes end up walking around in diapers as well. That’s how it happened
David Ralph [12:48]
is that frighten you that you’re going to sort of go cylindrical?
Daniel Hayes [12:53]
Ah, I would say it goes with the territory.
David Ralph [12:57]
But that’s it because I don’t understand. It never been hit in the face once. I’ve had two fights in my time, one by one very easily because I think I took the guy by surprise because he didn’t expect me to fight back. And a second one that was a bit of a struggle. But she was a four year old girl now she wasn’t really. But I so I’ve won both of mine, but I’ve never been hit in the face. So it does take punishment, doesn’t it? It does take punishment and what makes you want to come back and back and back when you see so many of the guys, you know, shuffling around reliving their former glories. You know, if you look at the sort of the rocky situation, I know it’s part of film fabric. But there is a truth in that. But he spends all of his time telling stories about his glory times and he hands her in his arms and his legs. You know, why do you want to put yourself through that? Well,
Daniel Hayes [13:49]
I don’t think it’s just with boxing. I think that’s what any sport like let’s say football, for example, where or even basketball where you have guys that can’t even walk properly after just because their knees have taken so much wear and tear or their joints or whatnot. I think that’s just being part of an athlete period and pushing yourself to the maximum effort. But I heard a really cool quote the other day, and I definitely am going to apply that into my life. And it goes something like sometimes walking away has nothing to do with weakness, and everything to do with strength. And I went I heard that I let that sit there and marinated, I meditated with it. And I said to myself, I am going to make sure I apply that to my athletic career. So I don’t have to go down the road that have that we’re talking about right now.
David Ralph [14:40]
So how do you know when it’s time to walk away? When certainly in a uniting situation? That’s difficult to decide, isn’t it?
Daniel Hayes [14:46]
Um, I wouldn’t say so. Because your body will tell you you’ll you’ll know you’re very especially in fighting. It’s such a, it’s such an out of body experience, as weird as that sounds where it’s going to push yourself to the absolute brings. And you’re going to know when you’re not the same, you’re going to know when your body’s not firing the same. You’re just going to know. And for me, I prayed to the Lord that I’m going to have the strength at that given time, which I do envision to walk away from the sport or, or just in general.
David Ralph [15:22]
But isn’t there just one last fight. But that’s that’s the problem isn’t you see all these people they retire? And then three years later, he come back for one more fight? They keep on doing it. So is it the sort of the competitive age? Or is it the way they feel being in the
Daniel Hayes [15:37]
I would say 100% it’s competitive, especially in fighting it’s such a primal and and it’s the most probably highly aside from mixed martial arts is because it’s combat. It’s a combat sport. It’s unlike anything else. So I would say first shirts just because you have such a tremendous competitive appetite. So I think the just missed the the feel when you step in the ring of the adrenaline or just just being in that moment, because you’re so in the moment when you’re fighting. And I think what happens there is they walk away from the sport, even though they probably did walk away from the sport at the right time. And I really commend Floyd Mayweather for sticking to his guns when he did retire. Now whether he will stay out of retirement is another question. But he brought up a good point when he was making comparisons to Muhammad Ali, how he said, You know what, I’m retiring, I’ve made my money, I have my health. And and that’s how it’s going to be.
David Ralph [16:37]
Because I went on a trip through America. And we got caught in a big snowstorm. And we ended up in a place called Louisville and I didn’t I never knew that was to do with Muhammad Ali in any shape, or form. And we ended up in this museum, which was the Mohammed Ali museum. And so I went in there not knowing anything about this guy at all. And I came out totally in all of his PR, no battle, and it was never a person in the ring. It was attitudes and the way that people would, you know, look at Black people in that in those days. Now, do you find that what he’s done has had a knock on effect to yourself? Has it made it easier? Or has it made it no different? What would be your spin on the work of Mohammed Delhi.
Daniel Hayes [17:24]
I want to be political here, but I’m not okay to be honest with you. It’s had no effect on what I’m going for. And the only reason why I say that is because he fought for a very different thing, as you were mentioning with racial segregation, and he was fighting for a bigger cause at that point in time. And for for our country, and to keep us but I don’t have to face the personal struggles or go through or persevere through that. But he did get very reckless as an athlete in his professional career as far as with the drinking the partying, you know, the the half assed training camps. And that’s not something that I plan to ever implement in any of my athletic endeavors.
David Ralph [18:15]
So do you think that he started buying into the myth that sort of the the star quality that he had more than he’s inherent talent?
Daniel Hayes [18:26]
You know, because I didn’t know him personally, I don’t know if it was just the show. But I would say, in people that I know did know him or were even in training camp with him that are now trainers, the stories I have heard, that he certainly at one point definitely wasn’t invested 100% in the sport, it was more just the lifestyle. So I would say it was something like 70% lifestyle, 30% sport. So I would say he in a lot of sense, cording to that last a lot of humbleness, a lot of respect for the sport, or just just even work ethic in general.
David Ralph [19:08]
Because I’m fascinated about this sort of connection between sport and sort of the entrepreneurial lives, where in sport, you have to put the practice in, you have to get up you have to build up the hustle muscle, the stronger you get, the better your performance and everybody kind of accepts that to be the case. But in entrepreneurial life, people kind of think that you can just press a couple of buttons and get online, build a website or whatever you want to do. And it’s the same but i think it’s it’s not I think the to a very, you have to do the reps every single day, you have to get up, you have to be focused on what you’re doing. You have to have early nights or whatever you need to keep your body going so that you can build the business up, as well as the actual sport. Now you’re doing a kind of combined, you’re doing an entrepreneurial route with many different strings, and you’re also doing your sort of athletic side. Do you see like I do similarities, or are they totally different in your mind?
Daniel Hayes [20:04]
Oh, I think they’re they’re very parallel 100%. Just because I think being an athlete, or I would say having an athlete’s mindset, because I do know some people that are athletes, and they have an athlete’s mindset. They’re just truly talented. But I would say having an athlete’s mindset, you can definitely apply to anything you do. Because it does require work ethic, endless hours, discipline, I’d say the biggest thing is discipline. Because in athletics, if you aren’t disciplined, you’re not going to be a good competitor in whatever sport it is just because you haven’t been putting in the practice or you haven’t been putting in the time. And with the entrepreneurial thing, it goes the same thing. And the amount of hours you put in, hopefully is going to reflect what you’re getting back.
David Ralph [20:50]
Now, as we’re recording now is about 10 to 10 in the United Kingdom in the morning, and it’s about 10 to two in Los Angeles where we’re speaking you. And just before we started recording, you said Oh no, don’t worry about it. Because I apologize for not getting you out of bed. I’ve just come back from the gym. Now, to give people an understanding of how you structure your day. How does it work? How do you keep a routine around your training schedule, but our to fit things in like this?
Daniel Hayes [21:20]
Well, a big thing, especially with with fighting or having to travel so much, for example, I just came back from Trinidad is being able to constantly adapt for me. Now I’ll tell you one reason why I like the late night workouts is because one of the most inspiring quotes I heard was from Mike Tyson. And that was he said he liked writing at four o’clock in the worried or five o’clock in the morning, just because he knows his competition is sleeping. So now mind you, I trained two to three times a day. So I don’t I don’t mind the late workouts a lot of times it helps me even to relax before I go to bed or just so I can exert because I still am pretty hyperactive just so I can exert that final bit of energy I have before I go to bed, I have a restful sleep. But my schedule, I definitely would say I don’t have a routine, I have a list of things I have to accomplish in that day. Now because of let’s say acting where you have auditions and you find out maybe 24 hours in advance, you have to be flexible. So that’s what I mean, where I’m constantly forced to adapt. So that’s why when I approach each and every day, I have a list of things I have to accomplish. And whatever order that may come in, will dependent on my schedule for that day.
David Ralph [22:35]
Now, if you think about the mike tyson quote that you said, and I was jotting it down, as you said, but now the reason he does but it’s more his own personal mindset, isn’t it? The more the fact that if everyone else is asleep, and I’m up, I’m coming via guys, you know, I’m putting that extra effort in? Is that something that you look at in your own life? Do you see yourself putting in extra effort? Or maybe is it sometimes you put in too much effort, and you’ve really just got to sort of let it go for a while to sort of give your body time to recover?
Daniel Hayes [23:06]
Well, I would say both yes to both because the first one, one of my motivational things that goes through my head when I am training, and I am going through those strenuous workouts, and you have absolutely no energy, and your heart is in your throat and you’re grasping for error is this is going to make me a better athlete. And I know these guys aren’t pushing themselves as hard as I am now. So that’s yes to the first one to the second one, I would say, I have learned, as I’ve progressed in my athletic career, I’ve learned that hey, I know I’m going to push myself to 100%. But that also comes with a cost. So sometimes it’s better to taper it down and not overtrained because that can have a total adverse effect as well. So that’s something I’m always guilty of is overtraining. And I have paid consequences for that in the past. But I think that has to go with my OCD.
David Ralph [24:02]
In the entrepreneurial route, we say time and time and I’m terrible at this. Not giving myself a breathing space, just working through get to my desk at seven o’clock in the morning. And by 11 o’clock at night, I’m still doing it. And he’s not good for you, it really isn’t good beer, but we do it. So you would say whether it’s in sport, whether it’s in business, or whatever, by switching off, leaving it for three or four days, you can come back stronger, do you really need that breathing space
Daniel Hayes [24:31]
1,000% and, and like I was saying is that’s something I’ve had to pay the consequences for the hard way in, in overtraining. So I’ll touch on something here is one thing, because I am so highly competitive. And I just love to compete in sport, whether whatever sport it is, another sport I do is track cycling. So sometimes when I have to give my upper body a rest, and I have to give my body a restaurant boxing, what I do is then I’ll focus a little bit more on track cycling, where I’m still able to push my body, it’s less wear and tear on my joints. So when I do come back to boxing, I’m fresh renewed. And I have that sense of motivation back in boxing, because at the end of the day, you and nobody’s nobody has an infinite amount of battery here or energy or willpower, you do have to taper it up and down. You do have to transfer it from task to task or whether it be sports a sport, I believe. And that’s what I found has been my remedy is is it with my OCD or was not too much OCD, I would say being a perfectionist, it would be to make sure to give yourself a break and transfer that to something else for me. So when I come back to it, I’m fresh, I’m ready to go.
David Ralph [25:54]
Now I totally agree with you. But I just can’t seem to build that into my I’ve actually got a calendar in front of me. When I found I was working overtime. So I booked in free time. And so a Monday night, it’s free Tuesday evening, it’s free all up Wednesday is totally free. But the trouble with me and I’ll be interested to see if you got the same is when I have free time. Now I don’t like it as much as doing this. This is my passion. This is what lights me up. So I want to do it more and more. So I sort of go off. And I’ve been going to the movies where you just switch off and you watch a film, that’s a good way of sort of like recharging yourself. I don’t like the free time because I’m so passionate. Now you obviously have passion running through you. So how do you sort of just, you know, sit there and play Call of Duty or whatever,
Daniel Hayes [26:41]
I’ll be totally honest, he did the absolute hardest day for me. And these days are very seldom, the hardest day for me is a day off, right? So right now I’m dealing with a rotator cuff injury. And the hardest, the absolute hardest thing for me to do is is to not train at a high intensity. So what how you just mentioned Call of Duty there in playing video games, it still allows me to compete. And it still allows me to exercise my brain. And it’s just still allows me to do that. In that sort of sense, right. But for me, I absolutely agree with you. The hardest thing for me ever to do in whether it be acting, boxing, cycling, whatever it is, is to just sit there and do nothing. One thing I did find, however, is I do love going to the movies, because your phone’s on airplane mode. Well, hopefully it is your phones on airplane mode, you’re just in tune with the movie, you’re sitting back, you’re relaxing. Another thing I found a data that I’ve been doing as of late is I would just delete the app, my social media apps on the phone. And this way, I’m not being distracted by social media. If I need to talk to anybody, it it’s either a phone call, I really refrain from texting sometimes when they just need to, I would say let my mental battery recharge and and focus on something else.
David Ralph [28:10]
But let’s play some words now, which I always play around about his part of the show. And he takes us nicely into the stage to Jim Carrey,
Jim Carrey [28:17]
my father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
David Ralph [28:44]
So if we take you back to college, and you were doing your major, and then you did one session of acting, you went visit, they did this for me. There’s something here. What was it? What was it that really made you think I’m gonna switch my majors
Daniel Hayes [29:00]
was a theater theater course that I took. And what happened is how you’re getting grade, at the end of the semester was for performance. So it was actual production, it was actual show. And my defining moment, I would say at that point was I was backstage, I had never done a theater show before. And all these other kids who had been doing acting classes before or even in high school, were so nervous. And I was wondering, I was like, Well, why why why is everybody nervous? Like, it’s not like football or, or boxing with somebody who’s going to hit you, if you’re just going to go out there and you’re going to perform. And when I went out there and the spotlights on you, all the eyes are on you and and you’re there and you’re delivering your performance, it brings that same adrenaline component for me. And that same thrill of when I’m competing in sport. And so is at that moment when I realized the the mindset was totally there to switch to acting as well. And that was also a fulfilling, the acting was a fulfilling thing for me as an athlete, just just in being able to have that spotlight on that those high pressure situations. Because remember, in theater, it’s alive, there’s no, you can’t do this take and they edit this. It’s live. It’s right there. And I love that whole thing of having to be in the moment. So it was that at that moment in time, that very first theater show where I was thrown pretty much into the fire and having to be in the moment as at that point, I realized this is something I love, that not being
David Ralph [30:43]
in the moment is key to everything, isn’t it that that’s what I am so focused in on doing these shows absolutely blanking out everything except for the words coming out of your your mouth into my ears, and it makes it more powerful, doesn’t it? When you boxing? is it all about being in the moment? Can you be too much in the moment? Or do you have to be a bit more aware because I’d be on age if I was in the ring with somebody I don’t want to be punched. So how would I stay in the moment if I’m going to get punched?
Daniel Hayes [31:17]
Well, there’s you know, I think anybody at an elite level in any sport, any profession, anything they’re able to get, that’s when you’re at your peak, I believe it’s when you’re in your moment. So what happens with a lot of like, let’s bring that back to boxing. What happens with a lot of fighters, especially at the you know, more novice levels. Is there so overthinking everything, everything’s running 1000 miles a minute, they can’t even hear what their corners saying or they can’t even process what’s going on there. Their hearts in their throat their adrenaline’s going, but they’re just they’re just too scatterbrained, they’re worried about what the other fighters doing. And and if the judges are scoring this said that it’s it’s it’s like a hamster on a wheel at that point, right. And it’s only a I would say, through experience, or luckily just been bringing experience from another sport, you’re able to cultivate that talent where you can calm everything down, you could calm down all the pressure, and you could just focus on what your task is at hand, you could just focus on your opponent. And a lot of things then at that point slows down where you see punches coming, you can almost anticipate where your opponent’s going, you could set traps for them. There’s a whole bunch of different elements that come. But that all comes from, I would say experience of going through the fire.
David Ralph [32:43]
Get in the eye of the tiger, as I say. So interestingly. So when you’re boxing and the punches are raining in, when you hit that moment, it does actually slow down, everything seems to sort of work and you can see the punches coming your way and do something about them.
Daniel Hayes [32:58]
100% not even just boxing with with any sport I’ve played, when you’re in that moment, you’re just so zoned in and I think you know I say a prayer before every fight or any sport I played in it, I say that I played to the best of my ability. And I believe when you’re in the moment you’re playing or your your, or whatever you’re doing, you’re performing to the absolute best of your ability. And that’s all we can really ask at the end of the day.
David Ralph [33:29]
How high can you pull your belt up? You know, they say no punching below the belt. I would pull mine right Simon cow in the boxing ring with round my neck. So he’s on a rules to how high can you pull it up?
Daniel Hayes [33:42]
I’ve never encountered that in my personal career, but I believe it can’t be over your belly but I believe but you know what, let me take that back because I’ve seen some heavyweights with that thing almost up to their nipples. You know, I’m not sure that exact rule just because I’ve never encountered it without a belt.
David Ralph [34:03]
I’d be just me eyes poking out. I would be I’d be like a little turret ninja turtle with it sort of poking out. So when you when you actually doing your your boxing? What interests me and it takes us back to the beginning of the conversation is your ultimately could be diminishing your modeling work. Does that not cross your mind at all that some of your income could go out the window with the wrong punch?
Daniel Hayes [34:30]
Ah, definitely not. Because once you start thinking that you start set, letting fear set in, and then you start losing track of what you’re really in there to do. And once you go down that path, I believe His name’s Tony Danza. He was also a professional boxer. I think he had I think it was six or seven professional fights and or even. No, no, not Mickey Rourke. But Tony Danza for sure I remember was it
David Ralph [35:01]
was it was easy going in taxi. He’s at the Tony Danza I’m thinking of, I believe so. He was an actor as well.
Daniel Hayes [35:07]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, he was an actor as well. And he said for him, he had fought and then he got into acting. And then when he tried to get back into fighting, he was worried about breaking his nose, because what his agent would say and whatnot. And he said at that point, you know what, it’s time to hang it up. Just because if you bring that mindset into the ring, where you’re scared of getting hit your, I guarantee you 9.9 times out of 10, you’re going to get hit so or you’re not going to win. So you can’t be scared of getting it
David Ralph [35:39]
is interesting taking it to sort of entrepreneurial work as well. Because that same feeling, if you are frightened of being noticed, or frightened, or people laughing at you, or making troll comments on the internet, or whatever, you never play your natural game, do you it’s always comes down to you just being relaxed, doing your best getting out there. And the people that love you love you and the people that don’t don’t and you just become totally authentic. Now in your platform that you’ve built, it is very authentic. Now, I haven’t spent a lot of time looking around websites or boxes in any shape or form. But is that sort of common because you seem to be very relaxed, and it’s very much out there, it almost looks like a corporation growing around you is that sort of normal way of doing it.
Daniel Hayes [36:29]
It’s definitely the modern way of doing it, I would say as opposed to letting a promoter manager shape your career. I my approach and my team’s approach is definitely where it’s it’s building our own platform, like you were saying. And it’s definitely about just just shaping, taking, taking control of your own journey taking control of your own path and and pursuing forward with that.
David Ralph [36:55]
So how are you building your team then? Because I know a lot of people struggle with finding know what people and I go through many different changes in personnel as it all comes together? Have you done the same? Or have you been lucky with the people that you found?
Daniel Hayes [37:09]
I definitely have not been lucky. At first, it’s been a lot of trial and error. But through that I’ve been able to I’ve been able to cultivate a talent for knowing what works, what doesn’t work, or who’s who’s been messing you and who’s not. So it’s definitely been a trial and error process. But it’s been a great growing experience.
David Ralph [37:30]
You have got a positive mindset on everything. I mean, you know, it’s the old analogy, but you do not mind getting punched in the face every now and again. If you come out stronger.
Daniel Hayes [37:41]
You know, I believe in the law of vibration, so I try to apply that to everything.
David Ralph [37:46]
Well, let’s play some words about being punched in the face. I’ve been desperate to play this, I’m gonna play it Next is Rocky, you,
Rocky Balboa [37:51]
me and nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit. Keep moving forward, how much you could take a keep moving forward. That’s how when it is done.
David Ralph [38:07]
Now for me, that’s one of the greatest speeches ever made. I love hearing. But does it have the same effect to you? Does it sound trite? Does it sound naive? Or do you go Yeah, I know exactly what you’re saying.
Daniel Hayes [38:20]
I believe it in that speech 100% not only in the the obvious of boxing, I believe that in anything you’re pursuing because you are good at face failure. If you’re not failing, you’re not you’re not trying different angles, you’re not trying things the right way. Because you must fail at some point. Or especially if you’re just starting off as something, I believe the best teacher is a trial and error because you will now know exactly what not to do. And I believe in that 1,000% in I believe in that. That’s my mantra. Patience, persistence, patience, variance. And and I I stick by that 1,000% and persevering through it all.
David Ralph [39:05]
So what is your boxing record as we stand Daniel?
Daniel Hayes [39:09]
Right now it’s 23 and two.
David Ralph [39:11]
Now, did I was to ever bother you because? Or do you just go? Yeah, that was part of the learning curve. Do you think oh, if I couldn’t jump back on that one? Oh, let myself down? Or do you just go now let it let it go.
Daniel Hayes [39:23]
One was a controversial decision. very controversial decision. I have no idea how that got me as the other one 100% I lost a better fighter. And I was not in the moment at that time. And I became so much a better fighter from that loss.
David Ralph [39:42]
So do you look at the people that are like 23? and zero? And do you think to yourself, you’re never going to be as good as you could be if you have a few losses?
Daniel Hayes [39:53]
No, not at all. Because I believe everybody has their own journey. Everybody has their own path. And that was my my path. And that is my journey. So if I start comparing myself to them, that’s just an unrealistic thing. Because this is my, this is my journey. So regardless of what’s happened there, I’ve learned from both of those experience, and now I can apply that moving forward.
David Ralph [40:18]
So if I took it one away from you, if I took it no one at the three really, if I took the modeling away, or the acting away, or the boxing one away, which would you let go first?
Daniel Hayes [40:32]
How many? How many years down the line? Are we talking? Now? I’ve got I’ve got the power
David Ralph [40:36]
over you, Daniel, you’re in my control?
Daniel Hayes [40:39]
Well, the Olympics are this year, so I am good to go with everything else. But boxing after the Olympics. That will be a tough question. I would say modeling for sure. Because I do that very sparingly. At this point. Acting is definitely a love of my boxing is definitely love my so I would say the modeling would go first for sure. And so why is that? Not a love? Is it almost like this? If this is gonna sound terrible, and you’re gonna throw it back at me, I’m sure but is it because it’s kind of too easy. You just turn up and genetically you’re right for it. Well, that’s pretty much you hit the nail on the head, just because if you don’t look a certain way, they’re not going to cast you right, or if you don’t fit this certain thing. And it’s definitely not based on talent, because you’re not even open your mouth. You could learn some awful, you know, I would say it may be month, let’s say two months, I’ll even say a year. But I wouldn’t say there’s any mastery involved as opposed to a sports or even an acting where people take years upon years upon years and going through life experiences and whatnot to cultivate a certain character where modeling, you can really only model till if you’re lucky, and you have the best genetics in the world, let’s say 30 233.
David Ralph [42:01]
So on I’m pasty on two factors one on 45. And the Secondly, I like to open my mouth. So I’m never going to be a model.
Daniel Hayes [42:12]
I think that’s a safe choice and a great choice.
David Ralph [42:15]
time I thought it was gonna be there, I thought I was going to be hobnobbing around with Kate Moss. So wherever we now been, so we’re leading up to the Olympics, and I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize the Olympics were coming up. But um, 2012 we had him in London. So yeah, 2016 that seems to quick that those four years absolutely blast past. So how would you How would you pace yourself leading up to the Olympics? Is it something that you have to start working harder? Do you work less? How do you go about it?
Daniel Hayes [42:46]
For me be applicable to myself, it would be working less just because I push it to 100% every single time. So for me, it’s going to be about number one adapting to travel. That’s what a lot of people just wouldn’t be aware of. Because you just turn on the TV and you watch whatever it is, but it’s Hey, being able to acclimate to the timezone difference being able to acclimate to living in a hotel for a week or, you know, just just that whole thing is a whole other factor all together. But for me, it’s definitely going to be tapering it down and maybe working more on the mental aspect as opposed to the physical so my body can stay fresh and and I am dealing with a bit of a rotator cuff injury right now. So to certainly heal that up.
David Ralph [43:37]
So you’re boxing for Trinidad and Tobago. What is what is the chance what what you aiming for in your head? Gold Medal silver medal competing, but what’s in your heart?
Daniel Hayes [43:48]
Well, 100% if I if I do everything and at the best I can do it. I’m going for gold. What thousand percent? Good on you. Good on
David Ralph [43:56]
you. I tell you what, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’ve never watched up the boxing match me life. But I am going to support you. I’m going to be a Trinidad and Tobago. If that’s how you say it. And I’m going to support you as long as you’re not boxing at someone at two o’clock in the morning. What’s the time zone? Where’s the limits gonna be?
Daniel Hayes [44:13]
It’s in Brazil? I don’t know what it’s going to be. I don’t know what the time differences in Brazil? I would imagine maybe four hours, five hours somewhere around there? Well, I’m not 100% sure. But for you, then that’s going to be that’s from LA for you. Oh, man. I have not sure at all.
David Ralph [44:32]
Well, you’re gonna have me in your corner, I’m gonna be holding the bucket out for you to spit into that I’m gonna be I’m gonna be there with you, Daniel.
Daniel Hayes [44:40]
Well, let’s hope there’s no blood coming out in that bucket. No, I’m going to be sharing
David Ralph [44:45]
a room. That’s that’s my whole boxing knowledge. Well, I’m going to play the theme of the whole show now. And this is the speech that Steve Jobs made back in 2005. And it always is something that is inspiring for me to listen to, and generally inspiring the guest.
Steve Jobs [45:00]
This is Steve Jobs. Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards. 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leaves you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
David Ralph [45:36]
So when I would sense it will resonate with you.
Daniel Hayes [45:41]
1,000% I’ve listened to that speech. I believe that was to Stanford University, right? Yeah, yeah, I’ve listened to that. And that has actually got me through some rough times listening to that speech.
David Ralph [45:54]
Tell us about him. What was one of the rough times that you remember based on that?
Daniel Hayes [45:58]
One of them was, as we circle back this was that last that controversial loss I had, that was a tough time, I definitely had a lot of question in myself, or just even in my abilities, where I said, Hey, I gave it my all I did it, I did everything I was supposed to do. And I still lost and you know, you get down on yourself. And that for sure was a defining moment for me as well as the time I lost to a just a better opponent at that time, where I did come to play and I had a point there was not doubting myself. But maybe the the negativity was starting to creep in where am i doing what what’s the right past to do? And in listening to that speech? I’ve always, always believed in that after hearing that speech, where this is only going to make sense 10 years from now on why I did I can that makes sense of it now, because I don’t know what tomorrow is going to hold. But when I look back on it, then I will make sense. So let me do this to the best of my ability right now.
David Ralph [47:08]
So do you think mindset is more important than talent, but for the people out there, and they’re listening to these stories every day, and I’ve got something that they can do? Well, and some that can do really well? Is it more important to have the right mindset by actually having that thing to do that I can do? Well,
Daniel Hayes [47:27]
I believe mindset will always prevail. Because with mindset, you will cultivate skill, skill mindset at work ethic will be talent 10 times out of 10 because talent has not learned to develop that.
David Ralph [47:44]
I was saying to the wife, I mentioned it on a few shows. But I’m looking at a picture now as I’m recording. And there’s a kind of slightly overweight chap hanging from a rock face with one hand like in Mission Impossible. I or whatever it was when Tom Cruise sort of hanging there. And you can see that the guy is not fit for purpose. But underneath it says we’ve ordinary talent, but extraordinary perseverance. Everything is obtainable. And that’s that’s the message isn’t it? Really?
Daniel Hayes [48:13]
1,000%. Yeah.
David Ralph [48:15]
That was so profound. That was so profound. I think that’s the perfect way to lead us into the most profound part of the show, which is the Sermon on the mic when we send you back in time to have a one on one with your younger self. And if you could go back in time and speak to the young Daniel Hayes, what advice would you give and what age would you choose? Well, we’re going to find out, because I’m going to play the theme tune. And when it fades you up. This is the Sermon on the mic.
Unknown Speaker [48:49]
The show,
Daniel Hayes [49:04]
Daniel, look, you learn this a little bit later. But the best trades you can gain right now is persistent patience. Just relax. Enjoy the journey. relish every single moment of it. have less tunnel vision. Just look around you and see what’s going on. Instead of on recess. Just shooting the basketball not socializing with anybody else. Enjoy your childhood. Enjoy your youth. Enjoy those, those naive moments or experiences that you can have, look to learn new things, look to make new friends, go to the best training available. Don’t settle for people that are just lead the blind leading the blind, find a mentor, and learn to truly respect. And when I mean truly respect, don’t just be respectful on the surface, learn to truly respect what that person is saying why they’re saying it. Take everything with a grain of salt. And most of all, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, trust in the process.
David Ralph [50:35]
Brilliant stuff, what’s the number one way that our audience can connect with you Daniel,
Daniel Hayes [50:42]
you could go to my website, www dot Daniel dash hayes.com. So it’s Daniel dash hayes.com. And there you can find links to all my social media. When Instagram at the Daniel Hayes Twitter at official score D Hayes and Facebook you’ll find me on my website as well,
David Ralph [51:03]
where I have over links in the show notes. And Daniel, I’ve totally believe that you’re going for greatness, you’re going to get that gold medal. Even if it’s against somebody in the United Kingdom. I don’t know who our boxes are, but you smash their face in for me, because thank you so much for spending time with us today. joining those dots. Please come back again when you have more dots to join up. Because I do believe that by joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to build our futures. Daniel Hayes, thank you so much.
Daniel Hayes [51:32]
Thank you so much for having me David
David Ralph [51:37]
Wow. So you think you got to be good at one thing, that guy is working at being good at three things, four things, five things while ever and the key message from that is Yeah, you’re gonna take a smack in the face every now and again. You’re going to be knocked on your knees. But you regain you look at it and think okay, what has that taught me? I won’t go that route again. But I I can go a different route and keep on moving forward. I am certainly going to support Daniel in the Olympics coming up and hopefully you all will as well see how he gets on. And if he does get the gold medal. I’ve already invited him back. Thank you so much for listening to join up doors. always appreciate your ears. Thanks very much. Cheers. Bye bye
Outro [52:18]
David doesn’t want you to become a fated version of the brilliant self you are wants to become. So he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to join up.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on join up dots.
