Next Level University

Latest Episodes:

Gratitude Isn’t Enough (2444) May 26, 2026

Show notes

What if the biggest threat to your growth is the comfort you already earned?
In this episode, Kevin and Alan challenge the idea that gratitude alone will keep you grounded, focused, and moving forward. They break down how complacency starts, why success can quietly lower your standards, and how ambition, measurement, humility, and consistency protect long-term progress.
This is a clear look at the difference between being grateful and getting comfortable. If your results matter, your standards need to be reviewed, not assumed. Check them before comfort starts making decisions for you.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(2:28) Why gratitude is not enough
(5:02) Benchmarking against your real goals
(7:47) The hidden arrogance behind complacency
(14:17) Why awareness prevents drifting
(21:45) Measuring progress keeps you honest
(23:42) Consistency is the separating factor
(26:47) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros
Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

Complacency Steals Everything (2443) May 25, 2026

Show notes

In today’s episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros break down why complacency can quietly take away the life, relationship, body, business, or identity you worked so hard to build. Through personal examples, coaching insights, and years of self-improvement experience, they show how comfort can slowly lower your standards before you even realize what is happening.
Kevin and Alan unpack the difference between real rest and coast mode, why success still requires humility, and how your effort often exposes what you truly value. This episode is a grounded reminder that growth does not stay with you just because you earned it once. Keep the standard high, or comfort will start making decisions your future has to pay for.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(3:09) Why drive has to be protected
(5:21) Low effort destroys what matters
(7:08) Comfort, convenience, and coast mode
(8:41) The slow drift in relationships
(13:22) Effort reveals what you value
(15:39) Success and effort are connected
(16:33) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

The 4 Types Of People In Your Life (2442) May 24, 2026

Show notes

The people around you matter more than most people want to admit. Some raise your standards. Some quietly tolerate your growth. Some support your mission. Others make success harder than it needs to be. In this episode, Kevin and Alan break down the different types of people who influence your self-belief, boundaries, consistency, and long-term success.
They look at why certain relationships become constraints, how ambition can trigger insecurity in others, and why real leadership means supporting people without abandoning yourself. This episode is about discernment, identity, psychological strength, and choosing alignment over approval. Press play, then audit the room before you blame the road.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(3:21) When people pull you down
(5:46) Loving someone without holding them back
(7:24) Leadership without self-abandonment
(13:27) Practicing boundaries with neutral people
(16:24) Choosing goals over old expectations
(21:43) Why givers need stronger limits
(28:16) Being happy for others first
(31:16) Stop comparing and build your own goals
(36:06) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

The Social Box You Live Inside Of (2441) May 23, 2026

Show notes

What if the thing you call perfectionism is actually your mind trying to keep you socially safe?
In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan examine the hidden fears that keep high-performing people from taking the next step. They break down perfectionism as more than a need to get things right. It can be fear of failing, fear of being judged, or fear of becoming too visible. Through client patterns, coaching experience, and their own history with courses, public speaking, content, and criticism, they show why the next level often requires a more honest relationship with discomfort.
Growth does not happen by waiting for confidence to arrive first. It happens when you learn how to move while the fear is still in the room. The box may feel safe, but it was never built for your potential.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Join our private Facebook community, “Next Level Nation,” to grow alongside people who are committed to improvement. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/459320958216700
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(3:32) High achievement does not remove fear
(5:49) Identifying the box holding you back
(9:49) The dominant fear behind perfectionism
(14:29) Using exposure to build courage
(17:35) Visibility, posting, and social judgment
(19:08) Setting realistic expectations before launching
(21:08) Breaking through failure, success, and judgment
(24:04) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Perfectionism Isn’t Helping You (Or Anyone Else) (2440) May 22, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros challenge the way most people think about perfectionism. It is not always about caring too much or wanting excellence. Sometimes, it is fear wearing a more respectable outfit. They break down the hidden fears that keep people from launching, growing, speaking up, or stepping beyond the identity they have outgrown.
From fear of failure to fear of judgment to the pressure of belonging, this episode looks at why avoidance can feel logical when it is actually emotional. It is a grounded look at self-awareness, identity, confidence, and the invisible social limits that shape what people believe they are allowed to become. If “I’m just not ready yet” keeps showing up, it may be time to interrogate the suspect.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Join our private Facebook community, “Next Level Nation,” to grow alongside people who are committed to improvement. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/459320958216700
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(2:20) Finding the fear underneath perfectionism
(7:22) Why do people avoid launching
(8:19) Fear, belonging, and perceived danger
(12:41) How peer groups shape your limits
(14:33) Breaking out of the social box
(16:19) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Goals Don't Work Without This (2439) May 21, 2026

Show notes

Measure the goal, master the growth. In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan get clear on why vague goals rarely lead to real change. Wanting to feel more confident, aligned, or motivated matters, but without a metric, it is hard to know whether you are actually improving or just hoping you are. Drawing from coaching clients, the Next Level Podcast Accelerator, and their years of building NLU, they separate vision from goals, habits from metrics, and emotion from evidence.
This episode brings clarity to goal-setting, consistency, accountability, and the kind of self-awareness that turns intention into proof. If your goals sound strong but keep breaking down in execution, this one will sharpen the target. Press play before your next “goal” starts freelancing as a personality trait.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Relationship Talk Coaching Session - https://calendly.com/emiliasmith/30-minute-relationships-talk-coaching?back=1&month=2025-03
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(3:03) What makes a goal real
(7:32) Goals, metrics, habits, and tasks
(9:37) Measuring what actually moves progress
(12:25) Turning vision into daily action
(18:39) Why small actions compound over time
(19:43) How measurement builds real belief
(22:42) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

How To Decipher Good Advice From Bad (2438) May 20, 2026

Show notes

What if the advice holding you back sounds reasonable because it matches what you already want to believe?
In this episode, Kevin and Alan challenge the way most people judge advice, especially when they are still unclear on their goals, values, standards, and current circumstances. Not all advice is useful. Some of it sounds smart, feels validating, and still moves you in the wrong direction.
This conversation breaks down how to filter guidance through self-awareness, personal values, decision-making, work ethic, identity, and long-term success. You will hear why context matters, why easy answers can be dangerous, and why the right advice must match the person receiving it, not just the person giving it. If you want better outcomes, stop collecting opinions and start building the discernment to know which ones deserve your attention.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Relationship Talk Coaching Session - https://calendly.com/emiliasmith/30-minute-relationships-talk-coaching?back=1&month=2025-03
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(2:26) Advice must match core values
(4:18) Circumstances change the answer
(7:48) Define success before seeking advice
(11:32) Belief, effort, and knowledge gaps
(18:36) Why easy answers feel convincing
(22:49) Advice disconnected from reality
(24:19) Beginner advice versus advanced advice
(26:00) When going all in is wrong
(30:02) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Don’t Take Advice From Miserable People… (2437) May 19, 2026

Show notes

In today’s episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros challenge the advice people accept without realizing the cost. Kevin shares a lesson from training with Bruce, an 80-year-old who still shows up with discipline, intensity, and a better attitude than many people half his age. Alan connects it to coaching, maturity, personal standards, and the reality that high-value people are harder to access.
This episode gets into mindset, self-awareness, ownership, and the quiet danger of letting miserable people influence your future. If you want better results, you need to be more selective about whose words you let shape your thinking. Some advice is wisdom. Some of it is just defeat standing up straight.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Relationship Talk Coaching Session - https://calendly.com/emiliasmith/30-minute-relationships-talk-coaching?back=1&month=2025-03
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(2:06) Gym story
(4:33) Why credible advice is harder to access
(8:05) Mindset, attitude, and the Stockdale paradox
(10:00) Negative advice creates negative patterns
(12:16) How to recognize bad advice
(17:09) Why some advice serves the giver
(21:12) Attitude determines access to growth
(23:09) Energy matters more than age
(25:59) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

How To Stay Humble While Succeeding (2436) May 18, 2026

Show notes

Success is safest in disciplined hands. In this episode, Kevin and Alan examine why humility matters even more when progress starts to stack. Confidence is valuable, but it can turn into distortion when you stop paying attention to the habits, standards, and self-awareness that helped you grow in the first place. They get into personal development, self-belief, discipline, consistency, and the thin line between grounded growth and quiet arrogance.
Kevin and Alan challenge the idea that humility means playing smaller. Real humility is staying honest while still aiming higher. If you are growing, winning, or stepping into a new level, this episode will help you protect your progress without getting careless. Press play before your ego starts treating momentum like a guarantee.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(3:30) Why results are not guaranteed
(6:01) Staying grounded before life gets hard
(9:18) Growth requires constant maintenance
(11:47) Balancing confidence with humility
(18:13) Measurement keeps you honest
(20:17) Set goals around self-belief
(23:33) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Clarity Disappears As You Make Progress (2435) May 17, 2026

Show notes

What if feeling less clear is actually proof that you’ve outgrown what used to work?
In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan break down why progress can make clarity harder, not easier. With years of coaching, thousands of episodes, and real-world experience helping people make better decisions, they explain why growth often brings more pressure, more options, and more identity friction. The more you evolve, the more you have to decide what still fits, what needs to go, and what deserves your full focus.
They talk about self-awareness, goal alignment, identity, decision-making, and why action only creates clarity when it is followed by honest reflection. If you are making progress but feel less certain, this episode will help you understand why. The next level may not require more effort. It may require more precision.
_______________________
Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session
Join the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group" – Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
_______________________
NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.
For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇
Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com
Instagram:
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/
Facebook:
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com
LinkedIn:
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
_______________________
Show notes:
(3:19) Action only works with reflection
(5:09) Identity shapes better decisions
(10:54) Letting go of what almost works
(12:29) Aligning results, process, and identity
(17:40) The three forms of clarity
(19:03) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

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