724 Do What You Love with Mike Holston: The Real Tarzann

Nov 26, 2018

Mike Holston, aka The Real Tarzann, is a zookeeper and exotic animal specialist who advocates for wildlife conservation through social media. He shares his journey of defying expectations and finding his passion for animals, often despite doubt from others. Listeners will be captivated by his thrilling experiences, from childhood fears to forming bonds with unexpected animal friends. Mike emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and pursuing dreams, all while highlighting the urgent need for compassion and education in animal care.

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ANECDOTE

Near-Death Diving With Sharks

Mike Holston had a scary experience free diving with sharks in the Bahamas without scuba certification.
This taught him to stay calm under pressure and respect the power of wild animals.

ADVICE

Break Generational Fear Cycle

Fear is often a generational habit passed down and can be broken.
To conquer fear, believe in yourself and take action despite doubts.

INSIGHT

Representation Inspires Dreams

Representation matters because most zookeepers and exotic animal experts are white.
Seeing someone who looks like you can inspire pursuit of unconventional dreams.

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DO THE UNEXPECTED.
Do you go the easy route? The expected route?
Or do you find your own path that compliments your unique passions?
Finding your own way takes inner strength. You won’t be able to do it without believing in yourself.
It takes a special person to defy expectations and break into a new field.
People will doubt you when you do something unexpected. That’s a given.
It’s how you respond when people try to dissuade you will determine if you’re successful or not.
On today’s episode of The School of Greatness, I talk with an unlikely zookeeper who is known online as The Real Tarzann: Mike Holston.
Mike Holsten is a 24 year-old zookeeper at Mario Tabrue’s Zoological Wildlife Foundation. He recently did a collaboration with Will Smith and has over four million followers on Instagram.
Mike says that working hard, believing in yourself, and prayer will help you be successful against any odds.
So get ready to learn how The Real Tarzann came to be on Episode 724.
Some Questions I Ask:
How many animals do you have right now? (16:00)
How many times have you been bitten or stung? (22:30)
Why is important to see someone who looks like you doing what you do? (28:30)
What was the first job you had that paid you to work with animals? (33:00)
What’s the most endangered animal? (38:00)
What has being around animals taught you about humans? (39:00)
What has changed since Will Smith posted about you? (51:00)
What has kept you motivated to pursue this dream? (53:00)
Do you eat meat? (1:03:00)
In This Episode You Will Learn:
The biggest thing Cesar Millan taught Mike (14:00)
Why some species get along with each other (19:00)
The best pet Mike has (20:00)
About the time Mike swam with sharks (24:00)
If Mike thinks that wild animals should be left in the wild (35:30)
The story of how Will Smith found Mike (47:00)
What Mike did to get out of his depression (49:00)

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