Hey welcome back! In this day and age of endless possibilities, we're constantly bombarded with choices on who to learn from, aren’t we?
We don’t even have to search for people…the ads are so frequent, they can come to us!
But with just a few taps on our devices, we have access to a wealth of information and insights from people we've never met or even heard of before. It's a blessing, for sure, but it can also be a bit overwhelming to figure out who's truly worth our time and attention and who’s not.
Thankfully, there are some very loyal listeners to this podcast that have included me into their list of people they like to learn from.
So, in this episode, let's dive in together and explore some practical tips on how to navigate this vast ocean of choices and opportunity on finding the right sources of knowledge and inspiration.
Get Clear on Your Learning Goals:
First things first, let's get clear on what you're looking to achieve here and what your budget is, ok? Because, as with anything, you USUALLY get what you pay for. That’s not always the case, though, is it?
Now, I’m all for having a low budget and keeping overhead down. That’s why my coaching plan is not as pricy as the norm seems to be. That’s why my 3 hour online course is under $100. That’s why I use as many free online tools as I can. And for the most part, I’ve been able to keep my expenses down to a minimum.
But there have been times when I was willing to spend more on learning from professionals that have proven themselves to be truly professional based on their experience and time in the industry.
When I wanted to learn about copywriting, I took online courses from Ray Edwards, Dan Lok.
When I needed coaching on personal branding, I went to Mike Kim. Now, to be clear, these guys weren’t cheap. I knew enough about them through their Podcasts or the books they wrote to know that they were going to be worth the investment into my personal development along the way.
And I’ve used Udemy for a number of other topics that were more on the low budget side of the expense. And for the record, I think Udemy is fantastic for learning pretty much anything you want.
But the point I’m trying to make here is that we all have so many choices to pick from, either low budget or not. But don’t always fall for the ‘you’ve got to spend a lot to get a lot’ pitch. Because there are plenty…and I mean plenty of people out there pitching high ticket courses or training that really don’t deliver much. You might get a great experience by either being there in person or by getting all hyped up with the experience they give you. But either way, sometimes you could end up walk away with spending a lot of money and getting little to apply in return.
If you’re attracted to the high profile mentors or experts like:
· Gary Vaynerchuk
· Neil Patel
· Seth Godin
· Amy Porterfield
· Tim Ferriss
· Tony Robbins
· Grant Cardone
I get it…there’s a lot to like about these people. But just know that you’re not going to get any face time with them personally. They’ll have courses or events for you to go to that will probably cost you the price of a small car, but again, you’ll sort of be on your own.
So…then what? What’s your next move? How do you find that diamond in the rough or the next rising star, that’s very good at what they do, but they just haven’t hit the big stage yet?
Well, now it's time to do a little detective work! When you stumble upon someone you haven't met or don't know personally but find interesting, take a closer look at their expertise and how long they’ve been doing it.
Check out the content they’re creating and giving away as well. Do they have a Podcast? Check. Do they have an email list you can sign up for? Check. Do they have a YouTube channel with quality videos? Check. Those three things are huge for me. The social media stuff is nice, but you can only get so much out of that channel. SM by nature limits the amount of long form content you can produce.
Seek Authenticity and Relatability:
Learning from someone goes beyond their expertise—it's about their ability to connect with you on a personal level. Look for people who line up with your personality, struggles and values. If their journey, challenges, and experiences appear authentic and you find yourself naturally relating to them on more than one level, then they’re more likely to end up being a good match for you as a mentor or a Coach. Look for those that openly discuss both their successes and failures. Why? Because it's in those moments of vulnerability and openness that we can truly relate and find inspiration.
Engage with Their Content:
One of the beautiful things about the internet is the ability to engage with others' content. Take full advantage of this! Dive into their SM posts, videos, podcasts, or whatever content they’re producing. It free, so take advantage of it. Pay attention to their communication style. Does it resonate with you? Are they able to explain complex concepts in a way that's easy to understand? Engaging with their content will give you a glimpse into their teaching methods and how well they connect with their audience.
Trust Your Gut:
Finally, sometimes it’s ok to trust your gut instincts. Sometimes. But despite all the research, you may have a feeling that someone just isn't the right fit for you. And that's perfectly okay! Remember, though that learning is a personal journey, and finding the right mentor or Coach is all about finding that connection. Trust yourself and your intuition.
Hey, when all is said and done with your research, you have to make a decision at some point and commit. You’ll never know if you don’t try them out for at least a little while. Usually, there’s a short term option for you to see how it goes and that’s ok.
And that’s the options I took at first when I went with Mike Kim, the branding expert. He had a 3 month group coaching option and he laid it all out on what he was going to do and how he’d do it and so I gave it a shot and loved it. I wasn’t able to make all the coaching sessions but he recorded them and offered them as a replay on a special membership page on the website.
And…he never took those videos down. I can still refer to them years later. Now that’s a huge extra bonus that I never expected.
You see what I mean here? I didn’t know what Mike was going to be like before I signed up for his Coaching. I listened to his Podcast, downloaded all the episodes, read his blog (back in the day when blogs were being read) and it just felt like a good fit.
So what it all comes down to is, that, you just need to take that leap of faith sometimes and give that person a shot. I’ve done it a few times and I haven’t had a bad experience yet.
Let me know how you make out. I’d like to hear from you. There’s a link in the show notes for you to rate each episode and leave a comment.
Let me know what you think.
Links:
Website: www.tomclairmont.com
Online Course: Solopreneur 90 Days Launch Plan
Receive weekly emails from Tom on having a professional online business HERE.
The Author's Playbook online author development course from Dennis Geelen (highly recommended by Tom)
I'd love to hear from you about this episode! Click on this link to rate the episode or leave a comment and get a free gift: Episode Rating
www.tomclairmont.com
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/small-biz-essentials/exclusive-content