- 5 months ago
Welcome to Hard Makes It Great—a podcast inspired by the powerful truth shared by Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own:
“If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.”
At the heart of this show is the Victories Vibes community—a movement that turns motivational quotes into wearable affirmations and bold reminders that strength is found through struggle. This isn’t just about clothing—it’s about identity, empowerment, and showing up for yourself when it matters most.
Each episode features real people sharing how they turned pain into purpose and setbacks into success. These deeply human stories prove that greatness isn’t handed out—it’s earned in the hard moments. You’ll meet:
A college student battling anxiety and imposter syndrome who found resilience through storytelling and became a mental health advocate.
Jenna Collins, who turned dyslexia and doubt into a teen-focused coaching movement.
Jessica Martin, who broke through self-doubt to become a published author and leader of creative writing groups.
Maya Thompson, who swapped retail fatigue for freelance freedom and reignited her creative spark.
Marcus Lane, who left construction behind to become an actor and motivational speaker.
Jessie Williams, who faced down fear to finish a screenplay that was later optioned for production.
Marcus Delaney, the founder of Victories Vibes, who turned a layoff into a life-changing business built on belief.
A Michigan writer who embraced their “average” story and became a source of inspiration for students.
Julia Emerson, a single mom who went from survival mode to winning a short story contest and building a new life through writing.
Olivia Meyers, who transformed burnout into a thriving coaching business and podcast focused on mental wellness.
These aren’t celebrities. They’re people like you—facing real challenges, rising through grit, and choosing to show up anyway.
Hard Makes It Great isn’t just a podcast—it’s a call to action. It’s a community built on honesty, perseverance, and the radical idea that doing hard things is how we grow, how we win, and how we find ourselves.
If you've ever felt stuck, small, or unsure if the fight is worth it—this podcast is your reminder:
You were made for this. And hard is what makes it great.
Join us. Wear your mindset. Win your moment.
https://victories-vibes.com/collections/tom-hanks-hard-makes-it-great
“If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.”
At the heart of this show is the Victories Vibes community—a movement that turns motivational quotes into wearable affirmations and bold reminders that strength is found through struggle. This isn’t just about clothing—it’s about identity, empowerment, and showing up for yourself when it matters most.
Each episode features real people sharing how they turned pain into purpose and setbacks into success. These deeply human stories prove that greatness isn’t handed out—it’s earned in the hard moments. You’ll meet:
A college student battling anxiety and imposter syndrome who found resilience through storytelling and became a mental health advocate.
Jenna Collins, who turned dyslexia and doubt into a teen-focused coaching movement.
Jessica Martin, who broke through self-doubt to become a published author and leader of creative writing groups.
Maya Thompson, who swapped retail fatigue for freelance freedom and reignited her creative spark.
Marcus Lane, who left construction behind to become an actor and motivational speaker.
Jessie Williams, who faced down fear to finish a screenplay that was later optioned for production.
Marcus Delaney, the founder of Victories Vibes, who turned a layoff into a life-changing business built on belief.
A Michigan writer who embraced their “average” story and became a source of inspiration for students.
Julia Emerson, a single mom who went from survival mode to winning a short story contest and building a new life through writing.
Olivia Meyers, who transformed burnout into a thriving coaching business and podcast focused on mental wellness.
These aren’t celebrities. They’re people like you—facing real challenges, rising through grit, and choosing to show up anyway.
Hard Makes It Great isn’t just a podcast—it’s a call to action. It’s a community built on honesty, perseverance, and the radical idea that doing hard things is how we grow, how we win, and how we find ourselves.
If you've ever felt stuck, small, or unsure if the fight is worth it—this podcast is your reminder:
You were made for this. And hard is what makes it great.
Join us. Wear your mindset. Win your moment.
https://victories-vibes.com/collections/tom-hanks-hard-makes-it-great
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FunTranscript
00:00Welcome to the Deep Dive. Imagine this. You're at a crossroads, maybe feeling a bit stuck or lost or, you know, just average.
00:09Now think about a single phrase, just 10 words, and imagine those words changing, well, everything for you, connecting you to this whole community, sparking a movement.
00:20Yeah, we're talking about that incredible ripple effect from the quote, if it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great.
00:27Exactly. It's often linked to Tom Hanks, right, from A League of Their Own.
00:30That's the one. And today we're really diving deep into how those specific words became, well, a genuine transformational force for so many different people.
00:41Our mission here is to unpack those journeys, people who found strength, found purpose, even a real community through that mantra and the brand that sort of grew up around it, Victories vibes.
00:51Right. And the sources we're drawing on, they're really personal. We've got blog posts, stories people shared online. Each one is just this raw account of overcoming some really significant struggles.
01:00Yeah, it's quite a collection. And this isn't just about, you know, feel good inspiration. We want to look at the actual mechanisms of change.
01:07It's fascinating, isn't it, how that specific quote just seemed to cut through all the noise. It hit people exactly when they needed it. Like it was almost custom made for that moment of doubt they were having.
01:26OK, so let's unpack the before picture a bit. We heard from so many people. And like you said, they were in really different situations. Totally different.
01:35But the starting point was often strikingly similar. This deep sense of being stuck or overwhelmed, maybe questioning their own worth.
01:43That's exactly right. You had, for instance, an anonymous college student just drowning in anxiety, imposter syndrome, trying to juggle studies with a tough diner job, grade slipping, friendships fading.
01:55And this big dream of being a filmmaker just felt completely out of reach.
01:59And then there are Jenna Collins. She grew up with dyslexia, faced misunderstanding from teachers, teasing.
02:04Yeah, a lot of self-doubt there. Battling through college, failed biology, almost dropped out entirely. Plus, student loans, loneliness. It's a heavy load.
02:14Definitely. Or think about Maya Thompson. She felt trapped in her small town. You know, her love for storytelling was just buried under this hardware store job.
02:22And she was only 28, but it felt like she'd already missed her chance.
02:24Yeah. Then Jessica Martin, 32, working as an office assistant, that novel she dreamed of writing, just gathering dust.
02:33Feeling like a fraud, she said. Living this life that felt safe, but also completely empty.
02:38And Marcus Lane, pushed into construction by his dad, feeling totally unfulfilled. Then a layoff hits him at 30.
02:46Rock bottom. Rejection. That paralyzing self-doubt kicks in hard.
02:49We also heard from Jesse Williams, 28, stuck in retail, those filmmaking dreams just frozen by fear.
02:55And the anonymous writer from Michigan described themselves as just blending in, average, half-finished stories everywhere, practical parents kind of pushing them down a certain path.
03:05Stuck in someone else's idea of success, basically.
03:07Exactly. And Julie Emerson, 32, single mom. Years bouncing between low-paying jobs, dreams fading, just tired of putting in effort and seeing nothing change. She wanted to be a writer.
03:20And finally, Olivia Myers. This is interesting. She was a high achiever, but hit a wall. Workplace toxicity, depression.
03:28Yeah. A real breaking point. Questioning her whole purpose. Even basic things like sending an email felt terrifying.
03:34Wow. What really stands out looking at all these stories isn't just the sheer variety of their struggles.
03:39Right. It's how universal that feeling is, that sense of being overwhelmed, lost, asking yourself if you're good enough.
03:45Precisely. It taps into that very human experience of decision paralysis.
03:50Yeah.
03:51Or feeling stuck in a fixed mindset, you know.
03:53Yeah.
03:53These stories really highlight how easily we can get immobilized by challenges. We start internalizing setbacks as like permanent failures instead of just temporary hurdles.
04:02And everyone's looking for that turning point, that catalyst.
04:05That search is incredibly common. And for all these individuals, the catalyst, amazingly often, came back to those words from Tom Hanks.
04:12Right. So how did they encounter it? For some, it was direct from the movie, you said.
04:16Yeah. Jenna, Maya, Jesse, Julia, the Michigan writer. They heard it in a league of their own. But for others, like Marcus Lane and Olivia Myers, it popped up in a social media video.
04:27And the college student found it online, then put it on a sticky note on her laptop. Just a simple reminder.
04:33But here's where it gets really interesting. Like you mentioned, Jessica Martin. She saw it printed on a plain black T-shirt.
04:40Ah. And that's the entry point for Victory's vibes for many, right?
04:44Exactly. This brand emerges. And it's not just selling shirts. It's selling, or rather, sharing the quote. It becomes this physical anchor for the message.
04:53It taps into that idea of enclosed cognition, doesn't it? What you wear actually influencing how you think and feel.
04:59Absolutely. That T-shirt wasn't just fabric. For the college student, it was armor. For the Michigan writer, a symbol. Jenna called it her mantra. Olivia, a declaration.
05:10It gives you this tangible thing, a sense of pride, identity, almost like a uniform for that inner battle you're fighting.
05:16And then those handwritten notes that came with the orders. Things like, your victory starts with belief. Wear this as your reminder.
05:26Or, welcome to Victory's vibes. Your greatness starts here. Little touches, but powerful.
05:33Totally. They weren't just a nice gimmick. They were affirmations. They immediately created this sense of belonging, of validation.
05:40You weren't just buying a product. You were joining something.
05:42A mindset, really. And a community. Which is crucial for making change stick.
05:48Yeah. Absolutely critical for building that community and for sparking individual change, too.
05:53Okay. So, they've got the quote. They've maybe got the T-shirt. They're starting to feel this connection. What did they do?
05:58Because inspiration is one thing, but acting on it, especially when things get hard, that's the real challenge.
06:04That's the core of it, isn't it? For a lot of them, it's started small, consistent routines.
06:10Like the anonymous college student, she didn't suddenly become a filmmaker overnight.
06:13Right.
06:13She created a daily schedule, balanced work and rest, found a campus job that actually aligned somewhat with her goals, joined a film club, started actually submitting projects.
06:23Small, disciplined steps, incremental progress.
06:27Exactly. And Jenna Collins, dealing with her learning challenges. She proactively sought help from professors, joined a learning center, started journaling every day.
06:37And made that big pivot, changing her major to psychology.
06:41Yeah. Which led her to find her voice in campus advocacy. It shows that shift from avoiding the hard stuff to engaging with it.
06:48What about Maya feeling stuck in her town?
06:50She started writing again, late at night, carving out time, took an online writing course, and then, bravely, started a blog using her real name.
07:01That takes courage. And Jessica, with the dusty novel.
07:04She committed to just 30 minutes of writing each morning. Tiny slice of time, but it added up. Led to her first completed short story.
07:11And getting it accepted by a literary magazine, that's huge validation.
07:15Massive.
07:15And Marcus Lane, after the layoff, he didn't just stay down, took a part-time delivery job to pay the bills, but then...
07:21He started learning new skills.
07:23Right. Taught himself graphic design, e-commerce, which of course eventually led to him launching Victories Vibes itself.
07:29Wow. And Jesse Williams, the aspiring filmmaker.
07:32Similar path. Committed to 30 minutes of writing daily.
07:36Joined a writing group for support and feedback.
07:38Started submitting scripts.
07:40And importantly, created that Instagram account.
07:42At Hard Makes It Great.
07:44Putting it out there publicly. Making yourself accountable.
07:47Yeah, a public declaration.
07:48The anonymous Michigan writer dedicated Saturdays to writing.
07:52Started small, 30 minutes, then whole afternoons.
07:55Online courses, critique groups, submitting stories. Consistent effort.
07:59Julia Emerson, the single mom.
08:01Pulled out her old notebook.
08:02Wrote for 30 minutes every single night.
08:04And that dedication paid off.
08:06She later won a Victories Vibes short story contest.
08:10Amazing.
08:10And Olivia, dealing with burnout.
08:12Her first steps were about healing.
08:15Started therapy.
08:16Reconnected with mentors.
08:17Journaling.
08:18And then she launched her own blog, The Hard Makes It Great Project.
08:21It's striking how, for all of them, the definition of hard seemed to shift.
08:25It wasn't a stop sign anymore.
08:26Exactly.
08:27It became like proof they were on the right path.
08:30A necessary ingredient for growth.
08:32Not an insurmountable wall.
08:33That's that profound mindset shift, isn't it?
08:36From fix to growth.
08:38Seeing challenges as opportunities.
08:39Absolutely.
08:40The difficulty itself became reframed as evidence of progress rather than evidence of inadequacy.
08:47How did they keep that going?
08:49When things inevitably got tough again, what kept that mindset from slipping?
08:53Was it the community aspect kicking in?
08:56I think that's a huge part of it.
08:57Which leads us right into that ripple effect.
09:00It wasn't just these isolated individual transformations.
09:03Right.
09:03Their journeys started connecting, weaving together, building something much bigger.
09:07Like the college student you mentioned, her t-shirt started conversations.
09:11Yeah, and then she shared her story online.
09:13Suddenly, she's getting messages from total strangers.
09:16Your story gave me hope.
09:17That's powerful feedback.
09:19It must be.
09:20And she started making films inspired by others, speaking about mental health.
09:24It became reciprocal.
09:26Jenna Collins, too.
09:28Her posts online started gaining traction, connecting her with other students facing similar struggles.
09:34Victory's vibes even featured her on their blog.
09:36And she became a TEDx speaker, giving out the shirts.
09:40Yeah, turning her vulnerability into a source of strength for others, using the shirt as this tangible symbol.
09:46Maya Thompson, the writer from the small town, she got flooded with emails.
09:50Totally unexpected for her.
09:51Other writers, single moms, factory workers, students, all reaching out, saying they saw themselves in her story.
09:58She realized she'd accidentally built a community.
10:01Wow.
10:01Victory's vibes featured her, too.
10:03She spoke at a writing conference.
10:04Her reach just expanded.
10:07And Jessica Martin documented her writing journey on social media.
10:10Mm-hmm.
10:11Victory's vibes shared her post, which made her feel truly seen, validated.
10:15And now she's paying it forward, leading a creative writing group, mentoring teens.
10:19That cycle of inspiration is amazing.
10:21Marcus Lane's story, the founder's story, went viral.
10:24Yeah.
10:24His video about the quote took off.
10:27Messages poured in thousands.
10:29Cancer survivors, single moms, veterans.
10:31It just confirmed how universal that need for resilience is.
10:35And that led to speaking opportunities for him.
10:37Podcasts, a TEDx talk.
10:39His personal story became intertwined with the brand's message.
10:42What about Jesse Williams and her filmmaking?
10:44Her Instagram grew, built a following.
10:46And then an indie production company optioned one of her scripts.
10:50Fantastic.
10:51And she partnered with Victory's Vibes to create a documentary actually called Hard Makes
10:56It Great, showcasing other people's stories.
10:59Full circle.
11:00Completely.
11:01The anonymous Michigan writer found connection in the Victory's Vibes online community.
11:05Their video about the quote also went semi-viral, sparking messages from all over, even inspiring
11:11a student they spoke to directly.
11:12Julia Emerson, who won the writing contest.
11:14Her story got featured, connecting her with hundreds of people who related to her struggles
11:19as a single mom trying to build something.
11:22She started her own blog, The Hard Part Diaries, sharing stories from that growing community.
11:27And Olivia Meyer's blog, it became a movement.
11:29Yeah.
11:30The Hard Makes It Great project took off.
11:32People started sharing their own hard moments using her platform.
11:36Victory's Vibes reposted her entries.
11:39Massive engagement followed.
11:40She even got a custom hoodie from them and later collaborated on an empowerment pack.
11:45It just shows how sharing your own struggle, your own hard, can create this incredible wave
11:50of connection and mutual support.
11:53It reinforces the message for everyone involved.
11:55It's not just my hard, it's our hard.
11:58And we're getting through it.
11:59So fast forward to today, where are these individuals now?
12:03What do those victories actually look like?
12:05Well, the anonymous college student, she's now a junior video editor, has award-winning
12:10short films.
12:12She made it.
12:12Amazing.
12:14Jenna Collins.
12:15Launched her own coaching group, The Great Path.
12:18Still doing TEDx Talks, a real voice in advocacy.
12:21Maya Thompson.
12:22Runs a full-time freelance writing business.
12:24Still collaborates with Victory's Vibes sometimes.
12:26Uh-huh.
12:27She built her own success story.
12:28Jessica Martin.
12:28Is a published writer.
12:30Still leads that creative writing group, mentoring others.
12:33And Marcus Land, the founder.
12:34He's not just the founder anymore, he's an actor.
12:36A motivational speaker.
12:37Got the quote tattooed on his arm.
12:40Wow.
12:41And Victory's Vibes, the company, has grown hugely.
12:44They've donated significantly to mental health organizations, supported artists.
12:49It's become a real platform.
12:50Jesse Williams.
12:51A working screenwriter.
12:53Still mentoring others in the film industry.
12:55The anonymous Michigan writer.
12:56Self-published a novel.
12:58Speaks at schools now, sharing their journey.
13:00Julia Emerson.
13:01Successful freelance writer, still running the Hard Part Diaries blog.
13:04Amplifying those community stories.
13:07And Olivia Myers.
13:08Runs her own coaching business now.
13:10Has a podcast.
13:11Speaks at conferences.
13:12Really built her own platform from that initial blog.
13:15It's truly remarkable.
13:17And you mentioned many of them still have those original t-shirts.
13:20Yeah.
13:20Maybe faded, worn, but cherished.
13:23It's more than just old clothing.
13:25It's a symbol.
13:26A constant reminder of the journey.
13:27Of the hard work.
13:30And who they became because of it.
13:32Exactly.
13:33It speaks to that enduring legacy.
13:35Victory's vibes prove to be more than apparel.
13:38It's genuinely a movement.
13:40A storytelling platform.
13:41A testament to resilience.
13:43And it gives people permission, doesn't it?
13:44Permission to believe in themselves again.
13:46Especially when things feel incredibly difficult.
13:49Precisely.
13:50It validates the struggle as part of the process.
13:52Not a sign to give up.
13:53So wrapping this up, what's the big takeaway here for you, listening?
13:58I think it goes beyond just individual achievement through difficulty.
14:03It highlights the incredible power of a shared belief system.
14:06One that reframes hard, not as a personal failing, but as this shared badge of honor.
14:12Yeah.
14:13It challenges us to look past just grit and think about how a collective narrative, a community,
14:19can empower us in ways we maybe couldn't achieve alone.
14:22So we encourage you to reflect on your own hard moments.
14:26Where are they?
14:27What are they teaching you?
14:28And remember that idea, you are made for greatness.
14:30Maybe your next chapter starts to be really leaning into that difficult path.
14:34Understanding that the struggle itself is forging your strength.
14:37And here's a final thought to mull over.
14:39Perhaps the greatest victories aren't measured just by what you achieve externally.
14:43Maybe it's more about who you become during the process of tackling those hard things.
14:48And how your own journey, maybe without you even realizing it,
14:51could be the spark that lights the way for someone else's breakthrough.
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