Dustin's Book - Chapter Eight (#135) — Transcript
Updated: Oct 26
THE PICTURE OF WEALTH · EPISODE 135
Dustin Serviss reads chapter eight of his book. Theo travels to Cabo San Lucas, meets a diving pioneer and considers what a picture of wealth can capture—and what it may miss.
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This transcript was generated from the episode audio and lightly edited for readability. It may contain transcription or speaker-attribution errors. Refer to the recording for exact wording.
Chapters
[00:00:00] Introducing chapter eight and the book’s new direction
[00:01:37] The diving pioneer Carlos Reyes
[00:02:51] Theo arrives and meets Carlos
[00:04:01] Photographing a group of successful lawyers
[00:05:10] Feeling successful without feeling secure
[00:06:23] Focusing on the right risks
[00:07:29] A sunset scene and another picture of wealth
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Transcript
[00:00:00] Dustin Serviss: Welcome to the picture of wealth or TPAW as we call it. I am your host, Dustin Service. Listener, I am sharing a chapter from my latest book. And mid editing of the book, I've been reading it to you and we are actually going to change the name of the book. So you're getting some behind the scenes, real world experience. Never done this before. And definitely interesting to name a book and then edit it and realize the name should be something different. So I'm still going to read you the chapter. I think it's important that I keep going. And the guts of the book have not changed. The message of the book has not changed.
[00:00:55] Dustin Serviss: And you getting a sense of who I am is also not gonna change. So without further ado, my book, which will be finished, shortly and will have a name of the title. Chapter eight, Diving Fearlessly. Third contest, seventeenth of June two thousand eighteen. Somewhere in the south of Cabo San Lucas. For his third attempt at winning the contest, Theo had come across a boutique dive shop in a small resort in Cabo San Lucas that catered to the ultra rich. The owner seemed pretty interesting himself. He was a pioneer in the world of scuba diving. When Theo did a bit of digging out of curiosity, he learned that the
[00:01:37] Dustin Serviss: fifty two year old Carlos Reyes had participated in some of the most iconic and important dive projects in the world, including capping rogue oil wells and managing dive operations for tidal energy projects. Most recently, he'd managed a team of forty divers constructing the world's deepest pillar bridge in South America. Theo was fascinated and wondered if Carlos was anything like the cowboy the bloggers and podcasters described. Taking a long shot, he called Carlos and struck gold. The diver said he had a perfect thing. He was about to guide a group of lawyers, partners in a multinational firm
[00:02:14] Dustin Serviss: based in London who all had personal incomes well north of several million a year. They dove with Carlos every year, so Carlos knew they enjoyed living large and splashing their money around. Getting to the resort meant an early morning flight and a forty five minute bus ride. The bus was more like a shiny black shuttle van that finished down a long dusty road that came into a small impeccable little beach resort. The landscaping around the buildings were lush and the gardens and waterfall. Through the open air lobby, Theo could see a sparkling pool. Another waterfall splashed into the pool, making it even more inviting.
[00:02:51] Dustin Serviss: He had an hour to kill before he had to start his scuba testing, so he quickly checked in and headed for the pool. He had just settled in a deck chair with an iced coffee when he heard a booming voice call, Theo, my man. He looked up and there was Carlos, striding with confidence off the beach with wet hair and a towel around his shoulders. He had clearly just finished his midday beach routine. He was the real deal of health with a dark permitan and stocky physique fed with fruit, veg, and plenty of exercise. Theo knew from an online article that Carlos dabbled in lifting and was an early adopter of ice baths.
[00:03:28] Dustin Serviss: Wait, Theo said on impulse, holding his hand out to halt the amused Carlos in his tracks. He picked up his camera and snapped a quick picture of the diver. Carlos' passion for diving came out in every sentence, and he exuded a sense of self assuredness that put Theo at ease instantly. He had certainly found his calling working with people. I know you'll get the shot you need here, he told Theo. These guys have everything. I really appreciate you making this a reality for me, Carlos. Hey, with that magazine footing your bills, I made it work. He winked. Make yourself at home and enjoy the resort.
[00:04:01] Dustin Serviss: The lawyers arrived at the resort after sundown. Theo had been relaxing on the pool deck after his day of scuba testing when he heard a commotion of loud conversation and laughter. He turned in his deckchair and saw a group of a dozen men, Wearing expensive polo shirts and chino shorts, a few sported brand new fedoras. For the next couple of days, Theo snapped photo after photo of the lawyers as they made their way around the resort, everything from champagne toast to even enjoying a small batch of craft beer they made Carlos import from Belgium. By the second last day, Theo still hadn't captured anything that would be contest
[00:04:36] Dustin Serviss: winning, and Theo's funk during breakfast was real. After breakfast, Theo found Carlos in the boat shed organizing gear. Hey, Theo, Carlos said. Could you help me move this old fish tank? My maintenance guy is off and I need to get it out of here. Sure. The two men carefully hoisted the tank and stepped away from the bench it had been resting on. As they shuffled outside with the tank between them, Carlos asked how the photo shoot was going and Theo told him that the ultimate picture of wealth was eluding him. I don't think I know what wealth even is, though, you know? My business is good. I have a nice house, two nice cars.
[00:05:10] Dustin Serviss: I'm living the dream. But I don't feel wealthy. I look at these guys and they're just so certain. But how do you ever know it all won't go to hell in an instant? That keeps me up at night. Carlos nodded as they went back inside. On the wall, behind where the tank had been, was an old whiteboard with a faded diagram drawn on it. Carlos looked at the diagram, thought for a moment, his brow wrinkling as he turned something over in his mind. He scratched his head thoughtfully, his tattooed forearm rippling under the rolled up sleeve of his white linen shirt. Maybe you could consider wealth or the journey to wealth and happiness
[00:05:46] Dustin Serviss: to be like a scuba trip. What? What you said about everything going into hell in an instant, it made me think. Carlos pointed at the whiteboard where someone had drawn a triangle cut into sections. He explained how they used the pyramid as a pre dive template to sketch out all the possible risks and variables. We account for weather, any hazards in the area, tides, anyone possibly sick in the group, any long latent claustrophobia to be addressed, all the things that could pose any possible risk, and we discuss how we will handle each one of them if it becomes an issue, or before it becomes an issue.
[00:06:23] Dustin Serviss: I've seen so many people get fixated during dives on really low probability events, like getting eaten by a shark. They're so focused on the wrong risks that they make themselves vulnerable to the way more likely ones, like coming up too fast or getting lost. Theo took out his phone and snapped a picture of the pyramid. Then he turned to Carlos. Is that how you made all this happen? He gestured around the resort. Carlos put his hands on his hips and grinned. Well, I guess I did. I knew all the risks going in, I did a ton of research, and I accounted for everything I could, so I could focus on the adventure of
[00:06:56] Dustin Serviss: it all instead of worrying about the worst case scenarios. That day, Theo took almost six hundred photos of their final outing, capturing the whole journey from the lawyers going down the anchor chain to training moments where their masks came off to stunning tropical fish and huge rays swimming around them. Minor issues popped up, just like they'd discussed, but no one noticed. The staff dealt with everything efficiently and the minutes of the trip were maximized. Theo watched the lawyers with interest as they were served food and drinks at the prow. They were casual and seemingly unaffected by the uniqueness of the moment.
[00:07:29] Dustin Serviss: Rather than watching the waves and the sun that was beginning to set, they were completely at ease, as though it were just another day. This has to be well, Theo thought. Expensive resorts, surrounded by other rich people, not thinking about work, the law firm was halfway around the world, operating without them, cranking out profit. As the other men picked at a surprisingly comprehensive seafood buffet and got drunker, Theo took photos of the back of the boat and even saw a pod of dolphins that raced alongside for a short while, occasionally spiraling into the air. It was a magical moment.
[00:08:02] Dustin Serviss: He looked back to see what the lawyers were noticing, but they didn't look up from their talk. He overheard Mad Dog asking Carlos, what's the biggest shark you've ever seen? Life priorities clarified. Wakes up the daredevil of your identity. Thank you for tuning in to this episode. If you enjoyed the show, please like and rate the show, share with a friend, or use your new knowledge in your next conversation. If during the show something gave you a pang of inspiration, motivation, or sense of uncertainty, act on it now. Get the clarity you're looking for. Find the permission you seek.
[00:08:33] Dustin Serviss: Go to servicewealth dot com to discover how others are learning how to take Fridays off or buying a recreation property or spending more money. If you're an organizer of an event where you believe my philosophy of finance lifestyle design would be applicable, Go to service wealth dot com and book me as a speaker at your next event. If you want a copy of our new book coming out soon, send me a message on Instagram or Facebook, and we will be sure to get you a first copy.