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The Mel Robbins PodcastThe Mel Robbins Podcast

Stop Making Excuses: How to Change Your Life Right Now

This episode is a MUST-listen. If you’ve ever felt behind, scared, stuck, or doubting yourself, you need to hit play. Today, Mel sits down with someone who has been a mentor from afar for more than 12 years. Mel says she would not be where she is today without the person sitting across from her. For more than a decade, Gary Vaynerchuk has been one of Mel’s biggest inspirations - and in this conversation, he is here to challenge you to stop making excuses and start changing your life. Gary is one of the most successful entrepreneurs and creators of his generation, a six-time New York Times bestselling author, and the force behind VaynerX, VaynerMedia, and VeeFriends. If you’ve been sitting on an idea, watching other people do the thing you want to do, worrying about what people will think, or telling yourself you’re too late, you need to hear this. Gary will challenge the way you think about fear, regret, comparison, confidence, your career, other people’s opinions, and the excuses that are keeping you stuck. You’ll learn why the people you listen to shape who you become, why your embarrassment can become your advantage, why peace of mind matters more than status, and why one action could change the entire direction of your life. Gary also shares his advice for anyone who wants to start a business, change careers, put themselves out there, or finally take the risk they’ve been thinking about for years. His message is simple: there is something you are amazing at - and the longer you sit around watching everybody else do it, the more it costs you. You’ll also learn: - What your algorithm reveals about who you are - Why you need to start living your life with your funeral in mind - The 3 words that are keeping you stuck - Gary’s #1 tip if you’re unemployed or looking for a new job - How to stop blaming your parents for your circumstances - How to build self-confidence and let go of your need to be accepted - Why peace of mind is the secret to a rich life This conversation will push you to stop waiting for the right time, stop letting other people’s opinions control your decisions, and stop living in a way that leaves you saying, “I wish I…” By the time it’s over, you’ll know exactly what you need to do next - and you’ll feel inspired to go do it. For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page: https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-432/ Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode. In this episode: 00:00 Meet the Guest 05:05 What To Do If You Feel Misunderstood 09:14 How to Take Control of Your Algorithm Online 10:39 Why Is It So Hard to Change? 14:12 Envy and Blame Are Keeping You Stuck 22:12 Why You Should Live Your Life For Your Funeral 35:34 What If People Judge You? 42:32 How to Stop Hesitating 44:53 Is It Too Late to Change Your Life? 51:14 How Do You Find Your People? 55:23 The Fastest Way to Build Confidence 01:01:11 The Easiest Way to Get Hired in 2026 01:03:45 You’re Not Behind — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com​ — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins​?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

Mel RobbinshostGary Vaynerchukguest
Sep 7, 20261h 10mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Stop blaming, retrain your inputs, and take action without regret

  1. Gary Vaynerchuk and Mel Robbins frame life change as a shift from excuse-making and blame to personal accountability and immediate action.
  2. They argue that fear and other people’s opinions drive hesitation, and the cure is practicing discomfort until judgment loses its hold.
  3. They present gratitude, humility, and perspective (including mortality and global hardship) as tools to neutralize envy, cynicism, and materialistic “keeping up.”
  4. They offer practical tactics: actively retrain your social-media algorithm, create content that reflects your truth (even your flaws), and use LinkedIn content to increase job-market optionality.
  5. They emphasize community as leverage, encouraging listeners to build supportive relationships by engaging with others in comments and interest-based online spaces.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Get comfortable being misunderstood; stop needing everyone to “get you.”

Gary argues that being “misunderstood” only hurts when you require external validation; accepting that even close people can’t fully know you removes a huge emotional burden and makes action easier.

Your algorithm is adjustable—and it’s also a mirror.

He frames feeds as training data you provide: repeatedly marking negative content “Not interested” and intentionally searching/following positive topics rewires what you see—and what you reinforce in yourself.

Blame keeps you stuck; accountability makes you lighter.

They stress that endlessly revisiting childhood wounds, unfair bosses, or a spouse’s mistakes often becomes a strategy to avoid accountability; the pivot is acknowledging what happened and choosing what you do next.

Gratitude flips envy into forward motion.

He connects envy to selective comparison (looking at the rarest outliers) and recommends gratitude and humility as the antidote—especially remembering how much you already have relative to most humans alive.

Live for the eulogy, not the applause.

The “funeral” lens is used to clarify priorities: your life’s scorecard is character, contribution, and regret minimization—not followers, status, or possessions.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Do you understand who you consume, what you consume is who you become?

— Gary Vaynerchuk

My friends, the algorithm did not change you, the algorithm exposed you.

— Gary Vaynerchuk

The question becomes, when is it not your parents' fault anymore?

— Gary Vaynerchuk

The number one thing everyone listening to this podcast wants to avoid is regret.

— Gary Vaynerchuk

You've won the ultimate lottery of the universe, of the actual universe, and we've decided we're gonna mope and cry about dumb shit? And here's the best part. You don't like it? Go change the room.

— Gary Vaynerchuk

Being misunderstood and self-acceptanceFear, cynicism, and optimismSocial media consumption and algorithm retrainingBlame vs accountability (parents, partners, bosses)Gratitude, humility, and envyMortality, regret, and the “funeral” lensConfidence-building through practice and vulnerability (8 Mile framing)"

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