Next Level University

Latest Episodes:

Does Your Community Allow You To Be Next Level? (2434) May 16, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros break down why the wrong environment can become the hidden ceiling on your growth. Goals, discipline, and ambition matter, but they are harder to sustain when the people around you make success feel unsafe. This episode challenges you to look honestly at your community, your standards, and the subtle ways old relationships can pull you back into an older version of yourself.
They get into self-belief, insecurity, peer influence, emotional maturity, and why some people celebrate progress while others quietly resent it. If you want to become more consistent, confident, and capable, motivation is not enough. You need people who can handle your evolution, your standards, and your next level. Choose your circle like your future is listening.
_______________________
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/
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
_______________________
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) Questions every achiever should ask
(5:48) Self-belief changes how you see success
(8:46) When confidence gets mistaken for arrogance
(12:41) Not enough or too much
(16:20) How to spot real self-belief
(21:01) When someone else’s success triggers you
(25:24) Why the right community matters
(30:21) 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.

Without Ownership… You Can’t Win (2433) May 15, 2026

Show notes

The weight that makes you stronger. In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan break down why ownership is one of the most important skills in personal development. Not blame. Not shame. The ability to look at your role clearly, take responsibility where it matters, and use that awareness to grow.
Kevin reflects on past relationship mistakes, while Alan draws from coaching clients through repeated patterns that keep showing up in their lives. Together, they explore self-awareness, emotional maturity, feedback, safe relationships, and the difference between a real obstacle and an excuse. If you want more control over your growth, this episode starts with the truth most people avoid.
_______________________
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:
(2:16) Without ownership, you cannot win
(5:09) Ownership requires honest reflection
(7:36) Self-belief and ownership are connected
(12:21) Self-awareness comes before improvement
(13:05) Taking feedback without shame
(16:40) Safe relationships build honest ownership
(19:40) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

What Does It Really Mean To Stay Focused? (2432) May 14, 2026

Show notes

Are you actually unfocused, or have you just normalized too much noise?
In this episode, Kevin and Alan challenge the way most people think about focus. This is not about doing more or pushing harder for a few days. It is about directing your attention with intention, protecting your mental bandwidth, and staying aligned with what actually moves your life forward.
They break down signal versus noise, the cost of misplaced attention, and the discipline required to stay focused when distraction is always available. If you have been feeling scattered, inconsistent, or pulled away from your bigger goals, this episode will help you reset your standards and sharpen your focus.
_______________________
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:
(3:36) Understanding signal versus noise
(5:40) What pulls you out of alignment
(7:57) Protecting your circle of concern
(9:13) Focus requires a different standard
(13:08) Becoming the CEO of your life
(16:27) Escaping instead of building
(19:14) The P1, P2, P3 system
(23:06) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Don’t Get Logic And Emotion Confused (2431) May 13, 2026

Show notes

In today’s episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros unpack what happens when emotion takes the lead in places where logic should be setting the direction. Drawing on their own experiences with fitness, finances, goal-setting, and years of coaching people through uncertainty, they break down why self-awareness alone is not enough. You also need the ability to read your emotions accurately and respond in a way that supports your long-term goals.
They explore rational thinking, emotional regulation, identity, performance, and the tension between short-term comfort and long-term results. If you have ever doubted your progress, questioned your instincts, or let a feeling overrule what the data was telling you, this episode will help you think more clearly and act with greater intention.
_______________________
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:
(2:14) When progress does not feel real
(6:49) Using logic to avoid FOMO
(10:15) Recalibrating your emotional guidance system
(12:12) Overriding emotion for long-term goals
(19:01) Using accurate data to make decisions
(27:02) Are you head-heavy or heart-heavy?
(29:25) Prioritizing goals over feelings
(31:13) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

The Key To Sustaining Next Level Performance (2430) May 12, 2026

Show notes

Sustainable growth requires honest trade-offs. In this episode, Kevin and Alan break down how to sustain high performance without losing discipline, alignment, or fulfillment. They challenge the sacrifice-only mindset, while calling out the comfort-driven patterns that keep people below their potential. This conversation gets into goal setting, core values, identity, consistency, and the version of you your next level requires. The real question is not whether you need to change. It is what needs to change, what needs to stay, and what you need to stop pretending about.
If you are chasing bigger goals and stronger habits, this episode offers a grounded look at performance that lasts. Press play before your goals file a complaint against your current routine.
_______________________
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:
(3:14) Aligning values with future goals
(8:10) When your goals require more
(11:20) The two extremes of growth
(14:40) Rebuilding neglected core values
(20:33) Meeting needs without sabotaging goals
(24:40) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Goals Are Just Values In The Future (2429) May 11, 2026

Show notes

What if the goals you are chasing are not actually yours?
In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan break down why real goals start with self-awareness, core values, and honest decision-making. They talk through cost-value analysis, identity, ambition, and the hidden risk of building a life around something that looks impressive but feels empty.
Through coaching experience, personal stories, and patterns they have seen across thousands of episodes, they challenge the idea that ambition alone leads to fulfillment. This episode is about getting clear on what you truly value before you spend years succeeding in the wrong direction. Press play before you get good at chasing the wrong future.
_______________________
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:
(2:37) Making decisions through core values
(4:20) Understanding cost-value analysis
(5:56) Why honest self-awareness matters
(8:50) Knowing yourself before choosing goals
(13:43) The success set point framework
(17:02) Aligned goals versus empty achievement
(19:00) When goals pull you off course
(22:14) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Don’t Get Good At Justifying Lack Of Effort (2428) May 10, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros challenge the mindset that turns “good enough” into an excuse for low standards. Average effort can sound strategic when it is really feedback avoidance, weak tracking, and comfort dressed up as self-awareness.
They break down why discipline, accountability, and honest measurement matter in fitness, finances, habits, and long-term growth. This episode is not about perfection. It is about noticing where your standards have slipped and refusing to build an identity around excuses. Press play before “good enough” 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:
(3:31) Success doesn’t transfer
(7:29) How your environment shapes your standards
(10:48) When excuses become part of your identity
(14:06) Why feedback creates real accountability
(18:11) Tracking what you want to control
(19:27) Knowing when to trust logic or emotion
(22:30) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

You Can’t Work Smart Until You Work Hard (2427) May 09, 2026

Show notes

The shortcut mindset has a cost. In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan challenge the idea that you can “work smart, not hard” your way into real success. After thousands of episodes, years of coaching, and repeated client patterns, they break down why smart work usually comes after hard work.
This episode gets into leverage, effort, work ethic, better tools, and the reps required to build real awareness. If you want stronger results, you cannot skip the part that builds the skill. Press play before you optimize your way into average.
_______________________
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:
(3:29) Innovation comes from real friction
(9:13) Why shortcuts appeal to human nature
(13:06) Use tools to multiply effort
(14:06) Why smart tools stop being enough
(16:19) High performers do both
(20:12) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Minimum Vs Maximum (2426) May 08, 2026

Show notes

What if your biggest growth problem is not a lack of ambition, but the absence of a standard you refuse to miss?
In this episode, Kevin and Alan break down the difference between minimum effort and maximum effort, and why long-term consistency depends on what you do when life gets busy, hard, or inconvenient. They challenge the idea that progress always requires more intensity and show why real growth is built through essential habits, clear priorities, self-awareness, and the compound effect.
If you are working to build discipline, raise your standards, and create habits that hold under pressure, this episode will sharpen the way you think about effort, consistency, and follow-through. Press play, then raise the floor before you chase the ceiling.
_______________________
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:
(2:44) Finding the few things that matter
(6:09) Why inconsistency creates failure
(7:05) How habits actually compound
(9:12) When your minimums must grow
(11:10) Consistency as the NLU standard
(16:40) The lie of results without consistency
(20:40) Starting small and raising standards
(22:05) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

The Downside Of Self-Belief (2425) May 07, 2026

Show notes

In today’s episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros unpack a hidden risk of personal growth: when self-belief becomes so strong that it starts to lose empathy. Kevin speaks from the memory of doubt, low belief, and rock bottom, while Alan brings the perspective of coaching, leadership, and high internal certainty.
This episode challenges the way people talk about responsibility, confidence, anxiety, and skill-building when they forget what struggle feels like. It is not about lowering the standard. It is about leading with belief, precision, and enough self-awareness to meet people where they are without losing sight of where they could go. Press play, and make sure your confidence still has a conscience.
_______________________
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:
(2:04) The downside of self-belief
(5:49) When confidence loses empathy
(8:26) Self-belief as a hidden privilege
(12:28) Responsibility versus understanding
(16:53) Building belief through realistic goals
(18:10) Self-efficacy through small promises
(19:38) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

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