When Pain Becomes Power with Matthew Ory

Matthew Ory is a defense attorney, commercial real-estate developer, and quasi-venture capitalist. He occupies a special place, not only in my life, but in the Man Overseas sphere. I've written about Matt on the blog and referenced him on a big podcast.Matt was my roommate for four years—three years at Nicholls State University and one year during his first year of law school in Houston. Living with Matt helped me to realize the importance of surrounding yourself with people who not only encourage and inspire you, but also plan to do big things with their life.On this podcast, you'll hear someone who has an appetite for life & success that is infectious. Matt's burning desire to succeed fuels high stress-levels, which he uses to his advantage. His sense of urgency, he says, stems from his dad. Dr. Dirk Ory, even at 81 years old, takes 10,000-15,000 steps every day, never eats fast food and exercises every morning. We discuss: Riding in a Mardi Gras paradeDiscipline learned playing college basebalNo excuses.Why he decided to become a real estate investorHabits & hard workLiving with a sense of urgencyGrowth vs. EnoughFocus under duressAccountability Relationships:Caring for yourself to care for othersHow to think about friends (as you get older)Comparing work ethic vs. intelligenceA true friend is a low-maintenance friend Mike Ory (Matt's brother):Mike always saw the good in peopleHad uncanny mental tenacity—read lots of SEAL booksSelfless to the end—diverted funds to those he considered less fortunateSo many people attended Mike's funeral that the start was delayed Lessons from Pain:What Matt went through at the end of Mike's lifeBeing a trans following traumaHow to approach a friend who has just lost someone close to themHe remembers Mike every day, but still can't talk about himMike's spirit is with him at all times—it drives himCrushing blow—sky is now the limitHolding himself accountable to Mike Being a Criminal Defense Attorney:The stress of being a criminal defense attorneyOperating on others' demiseThings he wish he'd known in undergradAdvice to those considering lawWhether movies are accurate portrayals of lawBiggest misconception of defense attorneysThe business side of being an attorneyWhat he looks for when hiringThe gratitude he feels for how hard his staff works