In This Episode:
On this final installment of our special series, hosts Mark Cardone and Theron Feidt wrap up ancient warrior wisdom with Samurai Loyalty. Loyalty is a universally desired trait—everyone wants to feel supported and know that someone has their back. But true loyalty operates on a two-way street: if you want it, you have to be willing to give it first. You cannot treat your employees or your inner circle horribly and still demand their unwavering allegiance.
While most people inherently believe they are loyal friends, parents, or business leaders, true warrior loyalty requires a much higher standard of execution. Mark and Theron pull back the curtain on how real loyalty operates, exposing how a fragile ego or self-centered thinking can secretly erode your most valuable relationships. The hosts map out a 3-step practical blueprint to help you give real support to the people in your life, even when it demands putting your own immediate interests aside.
1. Be Supportive Even When You Disagree 🛡️
Disagreement is a natural part of human interaction, but too many people view a difference of opinion as a personal insult.
- Check Your Ego: If you fly off the handle the second someone questions your play call, it is a massive sign of insecurity. Theron shares a martial arts example: as a 7th Degree Black Belt, if a student questions whether a self-defense technique will work, attacking them or leaning on his rank proves he lacks confidence. A secure teacher explains why the move functions without getting offended.
- The Attila the Hun Lesson: Drawing from the classic book Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun—which Theron gifted Mark years ago—remember the ultimate maxim: "Disagreement is not necessarily disloyalty." True loyalty doesn't mean being a mindless "yes-man." It means providing objective perspectives to find the absolute best collective solution.
- Commit Fully After the Decision: Once a solution or an agreement is reached, loyalty means everyone gets completely on board. There is no room for a toxic "I told you so" if the plan faces friction. If you are a parent of adult children, respect their career or life choices even if you envisioned a different path. Unless it is illegal or harmful, tearing down their autonomy is disloyal and will permanently fracture your bond.
2. Guard Their Back When They Aren't in the Room 🤫
The golden rule of warrior loyalty is simple: Never say anything behind someone's back that you wouldn't say directly to their face.
- The Marriage Trap: Mark highlights a dangerous trend where it has become socially popular to casually complain about or mock your spouse when out having drinks with friends. The peers laughing at those jokes are actually watching you act like a jerk. Worse, voicing those complaints continually plants negative seeds in your subconscious, distorting your view of reality and eroding the foundation of your home.
- Constructive vs. Destructive Talk: There is a distinct line between a leader discussing a personnel issue with a supervisor to find a strategic solution, and a lazy "gossip session" meant to vent. Keep your standards high.
- Keep Your Walls High: Be hyper-careful about letting domestic issues leak out onto social media or into public spaces. Theron notes this applies heavily to divorced or separated parents as well: never speak negatively about your children's mother or father to them. Grow up, protect your kids' boundaries, and handle adult issues with professionals or trusted peers.
3. Stay Loyal to Their Goals (Even When It Doesn't Benefit You) 🎓🌱
The ultimate test of loyalty is backing someone else's success when their advancement offers absolutely zero immediate return to your own pocketbook or schedule.
- The Dojo Leadership Lesson: Theron routinely employs teenagers as part-time martial arts instructors. He spends years training them, knowing that 99% of them will eventually leave for college or external careers. Instead of acting like a "crab in a bucket" and holding them back to protect the dojo's scheduling needs, true loyalty means pushing them to excel.
- The Big Picture Compounding Effect: Mark left the dojo years ago to pursue college and his own career trajectory, with Theron's full blessing. Decades later, that foundational support came full circle, resulting in a lifelong partnership and the very podcast you are listening to today.
- Micro-Support: Supporting your circle's goals can be as simple as ordering a salad at dinner so your friend who is trying to get healthy feels completely comfortable sticking to their nutrition plan. Stop focusing on what you are losing, and start focusing on what they are gaining.
The Takeaway: Loyalty is defined by your actions in the absence of the other person and your selflessness in the face of their growth. Support the decision, guard their name, and back their vision.
ARN Suggested Reading:
Blessings In the Bullshit: A Guided Journal for Finding the BEST In Every Day – by Mark Cardone & Theron Feidt
https://www.amazon.com/Blessings-Bullshit-Guided-Journal-Finding/dp/B09FP35ZXX/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=blessings+in+the+bullshit&qid=1632233840&sr=8-1
Full List of Recommended Books: https://www.achieveresultsnow.com/readers-are-leaders
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