Story & Lesson Highlights with Steven Celi of Los Angeles

We recently had the chance to connect with Steven Celi and have shared our conversation below.

Steven, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
When I’m rapping, the music completely takes over. If 0 or 100 people are watching I feel just as on fire. That was a clue it’s something beyond me coming through.
It’s something that lights me up at a level 10 energy!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Steven Celi — a rapper, performer, and energy coach. My whole brand is about helping people feel more alive, creative, and confident in who they are. I create music, videos, and experiences that get people out of their heads and back into their natural energy.

Right now I’m focused on making music, performing, and building a community around self-expression and high energy living.
We are all one energy and our expression is our unique gift to share with the world, make our greatest impact and have the most fun

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I trained myself to DUNK! At 5’10”, I thought dunking was impossible for me. I wasn’t tall, I didn’t have crazy genetics, and everyone around me had their own doubts.

One day I asked myself, “What if it is possible?” That one question completely changed everything. I trained harder, stayed curious, and kept going even when it made no sense logically. The day I finally dunked, it shattered my limiting beliefs.

I learned about limiting beliefs and shattered them. I started seeing life through a whole new lens: anything can be created if you believe it’s possible and keep showing up.

That mindset and lifestyle is the foundation of everything i am now.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that held me back the most was this belief that joy isn’t safe.
Somewhere early on, I picked up the idea that if I let myself feel too good, i wasn’t worthy of earning more or being more. So I followed “traditional” routes

That fear was behind so much of my imposter syndrome too. Who am I to feel this good? Who am I to be great? It made me question if following my gifts was arrogant or unrealistic.

But over time, especially through creating, I trust it more. The inspiration and energy that moves through me when I’m performing or creating doesn’t feel like something I force. It feels like something I’m meant to follow.
it feels like PASSION

Now that’s my guiding force
It showed me that my path is the one that LIGHTS ME UP! and that joy is actually the safest place I can live from and the most impactful for others

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
It’s MORE me. When I’m performing or rapping, I don’t have time to overthink anything, I’m just fully present. The energy moves through me and I feel the most like myself.

Off-camera is where the doubts and thoughts show up. On-camera or on-stage, I’m actually the most free, the most expressed, and the most connected to who I really am.

I like to say when you see and hear me rap it’s the closest to my soul.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I’d be doing exactly what i’m doing but I’d be less worried about “how” things will work out. I’d stop second-guessing my path, overthinking my choices.

I’d continue to trust the joy, the inspiration, and the energy that comes through me. I’d spend the rest of my life creating, performing, loving my people, and following what lights me up without holding back.

I’d continue to create as much as I can in the world and inspire as many people to share their unique gifts.

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