The Good Grow Great Podcast: Recent Episodes
Thalia Toha: Entrepreneur Magazine author | CEO, Adventurer, and Strategist
Welcome to THE ultimate exploration place for small giants!
Special thanks to you all in 60+ countries who have recently made us into Top 20s in our category out of 1.7+ million podcasts out there.
"I don't believe you have to be a big name to make a big difference. It's the naked truth that ANYONE can be a small giant." - Thalia Toha.
Thalia, the host, is the biggest advocate of small giants, who helps you create massive momentum in work, life, and business--even when you're still 'small'.
She is also a CEO and Author @ Entrepreneur magazine (15M+ readers). Her mission: supporting under-appreciated yet purposeful people who have yet, but want to, impact thousands others.
Through down-to-earth and realistic, yet often uncommon approaches, Thalia's key insights have been featured in places like Huffington Post, SELF Magazine, & Business Insider.
And with less than 100 followers, she's advised companies with a combined annual revenue of $120+ Billion.
Thalia is passionate about teaching and supporting people so that they can go home at the end of the day, sit down on their couch, and be able to say: "I LOVE what I do."
Which is why here, she wants to give you a chance to stop by, take a break, bounce ideas, hear others' epic fails and success.
Join Thalia as she shares insights from her work with her students, and from people who are just starting out and have yet to get the recognition they deserve--ALL the way to Talks with Google speakers, New York Times best-sellers, Olympians, TEDx speakers, US Air Force pilots, and Emmy award winners.
When she's not busy teaching and helping people around the world, she's doing things outside of her comfort zone, like getting her butt kicked at elevations of 13,000+ feet - about half of Everest.
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Next Season: October 2022
Did you know that millions of people are quitting their jobs right now?
If you want to know what they’re doing instead, to live a meaningful life that they feel they deserve, join others in 60+ countries and Add, Collect, Follow, and Subscribe to the show today.
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How do you really make 7-figures without losing your soul?
To a lot of people, this is like black magic. It’s like people are either lucky, they have ‘a lot going for them’, or they just ‘have what’s necessary’. Sometimes we may even think that what WE do, the industry we’re in, the field, and the goodwill arena we want to be a part of—does NOT and ‘should’ not equal that type of success.
But the real question is, is it indeed possible for YOU?
In this episode, we want to pull back the curtain, pop the hood open and have you take a look underneath it all. And to find out what it really takes to get to ‘your wildest’ goals. Leslie Kuster joins us today as she reveals:
How exactly she went from near death to experience, to traveling to Bali and living her dream.
The mindset block she DIDN’T know was holding her back, and what she did to get out of it
The steps she took to take her $50,000/year income, all the way to $1 million and counting—and how you can do the same.
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Tasia Valenza is an EMMY-winning voiceover artist, TEDX and motivational speaker, teacher and communication Coach. An actor and voiceover artist for over 35 years, she is renowned for voicing iconic female characters in video games and animated TV shows as well as countless commercials, narrations and promos. Through her experience as a voiceover artist, Tasia was inspired to help others use their voices -- so she created a unique platform GiveGreatVoice, which encourages confident, considerate verbal communication. She also co-created a free affirmation meditation app called Haven, which helps people rewire their brains for peace of mind.
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I am passionate about sharing with you stories that, not just highlight 'obvious' answers to your questions and obstacles--but often things that are overlooked.
Answers to questions most people hide, like: "How do I get seen, and paid, for what I'm worth?"
Augie Max Vargas is a producer, son of Filipino immigrants, and have over 20+ years of experience with credits on iconic live specials like the Oscars, the Grammys, Super Bowl Halftime Show, Dick Clarck’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, Jeff Besos’ Blue Origin rocket launch, and have won a coveted Primetime Emmy award.
Today Augie shares with us:
- How exactly his breakthrough in the entertainment industry came about
- Steps he took that landed him work with the Oscars, and how you can do the same
- Mistakes to avoid if you want to have a successful live event, show, or content.
- What you CAN do today to know exactly what type of content to keep or to throw away.
- Ways to engage an audience (and keep them engaged) in under 10 minutes.
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What if everyone can be successful and make a difference – together?
If this sounds too good to be true, we’re joined today by Dina Saoudi, who, in addition to starting an investment and consulting agency, also founded the philanthropic Seven’s World—all WHILE raising two boys Hashem and Hamzah. Dina is a proud member of Jordan’s Queen Rania’s initiatives, the Children’s Museum and the Royal Health Awareness Society, and founder of Empowering Through. She had spoken, participated, and was featured on TEDx, Forbes, TGN Magazine, Global Summit, and Aspen Ideas Festival.
So if you ever wonder if you can have it all, listen to this episode and find out how Dina found ways to make an impact and get meaningful income at the same time.
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Did you ever think it was too late to do or start something you’ve always wanted to do?
Perhaps it’s because others have already done it, or your life situation is not ideal, or whatever else.
Dr. Eduardo Diaz, PhD, did.
Before he founded AdvancingX, a company dedicated to space mission, he spent 22+ years studying behavioral psychology and looking at team performances techniques to develop ways to put together the most optimal organizational team for space exploration. Today, he’s spilling the details on how he worked with U.C. Berkeley, NASA, and the world’s largest analogue mission research study in over 123 countries using biosensors, online astronaut training, and AI technology.
If you’re curious how he accomplished these, and how you can, too, join other listeners in 60+ countries, and click Follow, Add, Save, Collect, and Download.
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What if you CAN condense 10s, 20s, or even 30-years of storytelling experience and high-level knowledge about human behavior into 30+ minutes only?
And what would that teach you about how to create a meaningful piece of content that you can be proud of AND one that impacts other people’s lives?
Paul Puri, MD is an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA, consultant writer for 3 seasons on Chicago Med on NBC, Chief Medical Officer at mental health-focused company OOTify, and is a licensed psychotherapist. Today, shares eye-opening insights about storytelling that you didn’t know you needed for your life, work, content, business, and others.
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When you have a dream, and you’re looking to make it happen—how long do people tell you it will take?
Maybe you’ve heard something like, “It will never happen!” or “Forget about it! It’s take you years!”
Thankfully, this did not stop Samantha Evans, who founded Humphreys of Henley, where she partners with Four Seasons, the Corinthia, Mandarin Oriental, Le Manoir, Heckfield Place, Cliveden, and Calcot Collection—to deliver the most exquisite experience you can have in the British countryside.
She shared with us how she started with Humphreys of Henley, how she handles doubt, and how she was able to connect with a hotel brand in her 1st attempt to reach out to them—with NO inside connection.
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From daytime Emmy-nominated to collaborating with AT&T, McDonald’s, Lexus, and being on the #5 spot on Spotify’s Viral 50 chart, Axel Mansoor is a former Clubhouse icon, musician, third culture kid, and most of all, a courageous and kind human being.
Today, he shared with us:
- His reaction when Grammy-winner John Mayer serenaded him on Clubhouse.
- Underrated ways anyone can really deal with imperfection.
- Behind the scenes of how to write a song that deeply resonates with others.
- Growing up in Mauritius and other places in the world and the surprising lesson he learned from it.
- Hidden ways you can overcome imposter syndrome today.
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After launching Robert De Niro’s and Matsuhisa’s famous Nobu restaurant in New York and becaming a key player behind the success of brands like Four Seasons, Marriott International, the Empire State building, WeWork, 5-star Mondrian hotel in Qatar, Neiman Marcus, and Starwood hotels, James Beard award-winner and proud father of sons, Michael Bonadies of Bonadies Hospitality is sharing with us today:
- How he became a key player in expanding Nobu, which is now known as a celebrity hot spot, having now grown to over 40 locations worldwide.
- Clues that confirms restaurant industry is right for him.
- 2 components for setting yourself apart in your market: early lessons from Nobu New York.
- High level ways to measure profitability: a case study of restaurants v. hotels.
- Comfort foods that shaped him in a multi-cultural Italian household.
- What Michael would’ve done differently if he was to start all over again
- Industry inside dynamics you have to know before you start anything.
- Behind the scenes of how celebrity chefs became popularized.
- The ingredients for having both a successful career and side hustle, and ways you can do the same.
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If success does NOT necessarily mean happiness, what DOES exactly?
In today’s episode, we’re deconstructing:
- The Harvard research study featured in Business Insider focusing on the top 1%.
- What exactly is happiness and how you can possibly get close to it
- The role of wealth and opulence in our day-to-day happiness
- What the top 1% might know that you don’t
- The surprising ‘amount’ that often satisfies, especially if you plan on living meaningfully still.
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Ever felt like you have a 'thing', something unusual, or something people may have looked down upon? And that is the reason why you haven't QUITE got there?
Daniel Mangena, after diagnosed with the social-anxiety related medical condition called Asperger, has went on and got featured on the Wall Street Journal, CBS, NBC, Market Watch, and FOX for his unique work on social dynamics, psychology of success, and money.
Today, he joined us to talk about:
- Easier ways to overcome a crippling mindset block
- Why Dan tells people to stop meditating
- Getting personal and professional breakthrough without meditating
- Secrets behind succeeding in the money game without losing yourself and your values.
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Do you sometimes see people who have ‘more’ than you?
Whether they seem to have a better life, post things online that make you feel behind, or they always look like they’re having an awesome time, it’s often hard these days to NOT feel like you’re not doing enough work to get to where you want to be.
So if you ever feel small, inadequate, behind, or just plain alone, this episode is for you, as we uncover Cirque du Soleil's success and deconstruct how they got to the top.
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If you’re left on your own in the middle of the ocean, what would you do?
Because isn’t this the essence of anyone’s life if you’re passionate about something that you don’t get a lot of support for? Or if you’re doing something that you believe in that others don’t necessarily believe in as well?
Today, we sit down with Peter “Twiggy” Van Ryan, who was raised by surfers, experienced abandonment in his youth, and has surfed in some of the most majestic waves around the world for 45+ years, and helped people overcome their anxiety, fear, and inability to surf. He’s sharing with us:
- The mechanics of Entropy and why it affects how a man can survive any wave
- Steps he took to overcome the creeping fear when he’s in the middle of the ocean on his own
- What exactly he said “Don’t run away from this!” to, and what it taught him about moving forward
- Overcoming an addictive personality and why he did not surf for 2 straight years.
- How he lost nearly 100 pounds when he was overweight,
- The single-most important way you can trick your brain to perform in impossible situations, and
- Ways you can access and benefit from his community of 10,000+ people
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Is it possible to be completely unknown, yet reach stratospheric success?
I always believe that you could.
But not everyone believes this. Because we’ve been fed the idea that you HAVE to have a MASSIVE following, hundreds of thousands of people knowing you – before you see any sign of impact and success.
But what if all of that is untrue?
What if you can totally be WHO you are, with all your flaws, and STILL make an impact?
Many tiny, small countries have done this. They never quite competed with bigger countries to leave a mark.
But they’ve SOMEHOW become the most successful, even wealthiest countries.
How exactly do they do that?
We talk about this in this episode.
If you ever want to live an enriched life in abundance, this episode is for you.
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What if you only need to do ONE thing right first, to create a new income stream?
It’s hard to know exactly nowadays who to listen to. From advice on business card, the right connection, website, and on and on – what exactly DO you need before creating a new income stream?
There’s a lot of question about how to create a website that align with your time, schedule, and values – in a way that doesn’t really eat up your time.
Which is why, today, we’re sitting down with Brandi Bernioskie.
From working with #1 New York Times best-seller Brene Brown, Laverne Cox, Ali Brown, and Judy Smith, to taking time off to travel across the US, to discovering entrepreneurship, Brandi is now a strategic business consultant, website developer, founder of Alchemy and Aim and Interstellar Support where she helps people elevate their online presence and get the right website and technology to be successful.
Today, she’s sharing with us:
- What most people don’t know about successfully naming a company or an offering.
- The uncommon way she discovered what she’s meant to do.
- The ONE key aspect behind designing a website that gets you more views.
- The thought process needed behind making big decisions you won’t regret.
- 2 proven ways you can start getting clients if you’re in a slump, today.
- How often an update is necessary if you want to win back time.
- What Brandi learned from working with Brene Brown and her team.
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If you ever wonder how people made their first million while protecting what’s valuable to them and WITHOUT sacrificing what’s important, this episode is worth a listen.
The weirdest thing about the world we live in right now, is that there are examples of extremely successful people everywhere, yet no one knows who they are.
Even stranger, is how we ALL unanimously agree that to be successful, you have to have all these followers, and be all over the place on social media.
Things don’t seem to add up, no?
So we decided in this episode to study how a group of self-made billionaires, made their first million, and deconstruct a Business Insider article talking specifically about this.
More importantly, though, how do you do this with what you HAVE, with little to no connection, privileges, or even much presence online—WHILE doing so in a purposeful way and in a way that’s meaningful to you?
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What if you CAN earn from your hobby AND get financial freedom?
Sometimes it’s interesting to see how some people are able to take their hobby, or a skillset that they only use every now and then, and create a profitable business out of it.
Today, we’re learning from two impactful individuals who are following their dream while earning handsomely.
Ben Lutz, originally from France and Belgium, spent many years getting in big pharmaceutical companies before turning his passion for adventure into offering and renting out adventure-ready 4x4 vehicles in his growing company called Cypress Overland.
If you’re thinking about creating a memorable experience while pushing your limits, listen to find out:
- How exactly Ben turned his hobby into living the dream with this budding company.
- How he adjusts his offering to really show up to serve for people who are lining up to start their adventure, and how you can do the same for your business.
- Step-by-step framework you can use to start your adventure while still being comfortable.
Meanwhile, Parker Stevenson, a former musician who opened for artists like Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, has spent 10 years as the co-owner of Evolved Finance and helped online businesses get financially stable. He breaks down his no-nonsense approach, including:
- How to avoid the feast and famine cycle and get a steady stream of income.
- Hidden mistakes a lot of business owners do, especially if you’re already earning $100,000+.
- Key things you can’t afford to keep doing forever, if you’re serious about impacting others in your business.
Plus much, much more!
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“But what if it doesn’t work?” – is a question we often ask ourselves when we start something, or are planning to change things up.
Not knowing everything there is to know, is actually one of the most silent yet deadly obstacles to real, meaningful progress.
The fact is, no one knows everything before they start.
Including food moguls, Rene Redzepi, Thomas Keller, Anthony Bourdain, & Gordon Ramsay, who all started out as a humble dishwashers.
Turns out, they discovered something that NO ONE else noticed, in their time as dishwashers.
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Think that you’re too quiet, shy, or too small to make a big difference?
5 World leaders didn’t think so.
Today, we talk about how they’ve overcome extreme introversion, insecurity, impostor syndrome, and in a lot of ways, external obstacles, and got their names in the history books—to the point that, even though some of them have long gone, we are STILL talking about them today, and the world had never forgotten about them.
This episode is for you if you are curious how you can make a big impact even if no one knows you – yet!
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If you're tired of being overlooked all the time, keep reading.
Natasha Gupta, who is an investment bank professional turned UK-based restaurant designer and founder of Blue Feature Design, shares with us:
- What she said to her family when she wanted to do something no one expects her to do.
- 2-step emotional intelligence process to persuade clients to do what’s good for them and get to a YES.
- How your selling point evolves over time without you realizing and how to adapt to this change.
- Word-for-word script to turn any disappointment or embarrassing situation in your favor.
- Ways to reframe our relationship with money and spend and invest in self free of guilt.
- Brilliant work-from-home approach you didn’t know you need.
If you’re still thinking, people just “don’t get it”, and have trouble advocating yourself, this episode is for you.
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What if you've tried EVERYTHING, and you STILL feel like something has GOT to change?
And what if you want to reinvent yourself?
Today, we’re chatting with Kristina Rihanoff, who ranked Top 12 in International Latin dance competition, starred and choreographed in UK’s most viewed BBC1 show “Strictly Come Dancing”, and recently founded a well-being center Soo Yoga. We’ll also be hearing from mother-son duo Jo and Harry Parker who turned years of experience tutoring into a new business venture Flashies, which received the rating stamp Excellent from Trust Pilot.
- How Kristina deals with high-pressure situations in UK’s #1 BBC1 show Strictly Come Dancing.
- BTS of what it really takes to become a high-demand master of your craft, profession, and calling.
- Easier ways Jo and Harry have difficult conversations critical to their business.
- What moving from Russia, to US, to UK taught Kristina about other people.
- The single-most important way Kristina reinvented herself after her mother’s stint with alcoholism.
- 2 things Kristina did that helped her find success after a dyslexia diagnosis.
- How Jo turned a life-long passion into a new source of income.
- Ways to deal with guilt or shame when you’re wondering if you should share a personal story.
- What Jo and Harry did to create and sell over 1,000 of their offering in a short period of time.
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What would you do if you get to start something new right now and for it to go as close to your plan as possible?
For some people, when they start something new, they discover some surprising things.
Today, Paula Williams, a pilot and aviation specialist, who had been featured on NBC, ABC, & Wall Street Journal, shared with us:
- What it really takes to create a 'perfect' flight ... as an aviator, and how you can apply it to your work, your business launch, or your new job.
- The hidden pros and cons of working with a Fortune 500s company, and what you might not expect about 'dream jobs'.
- How to prepare for worst case situations, stay calm, and kill overwhelm in a seemingly impossible situation.
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Do you feel like you’ve done all the things, but nothing is going your way?
It might be that as well-intentioned as your goals might be, our approach needed some tweaking.
Today, I’m unpacking whether or not there are activities, work-life approaches, and case studies that can give you a deeper and richer outcome in impacting others and yourself, including:
- How the founder of multi-million dollar brand TOMS shoes started his social impact business.
- What you can do to start earning a handsome living from a passion project or even a hobby.
- The hidden mental blocks behind what makes us anxious, nervous, or experience imposter syndrome.
- Top perspective shifts you need to overcome impossible challenges.
- Ways to get the freedom to do work that actually align with your preference, personality, and season of life.
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If you have the drive, but don’t know where to start, listen to this.
Every year, thousands of well-intentioned people fail when they start their business. And some of them are really talented and skilled individuals. But because they are missing certain skills, tools, and visibility, their dreams often start to sizzle out.
Today, we’re talking about ways you can prevent that while listening to values that Chase Russell and Trevor Goodchild are sharing.
Chase Russell is the owner of Russell Aviation, a private airline company who offers affordable flight experience for anyone who believes in creating memorable and an enriching experience for themselves and people they care about. With the belief that luxury flights are for everyone, Chase shared:
- How he served in the military in Afghanistan and built a dream with little prior experience.
- Why he taught himself golf, French, investing, live the American Dream, and read 50+ books a year – even though he didn’t used to like to do all of these.
- Step-by-step process of how he uncovers exactly what people need, and how you can do the same today.
- How to practice the discipline of being comfortable with discomfort—and exactly where to start.
Trevor Goodchild is a Facebook policy specialist, owner of the Jetski Shaman blog, and podcast host at Zen & the Art of Social Media. Having served clients like agencies for Tony Robbins and having been featured in Mari Smith’s Facebook marketing essentials course, Trevor shares:
- How you can find your first 1,000 loyal clients, customers, and buyers
- What you can do to have a mindset of wealth, even if you grew up ‘in the streets’, like he did.
- Benchmarks that can help you kill imposter syndrome, and be unstoppable.
- His uncommon path to success despite domestic abuse
- The one thing comedian Kevin Hart did that took him from humble beginnings to global success
Plus much, much more!
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How is it that we can't get enough of a character that goes back and forth between good and evil, chaos and order?
In this episode, you'll learn:
- My advance screening reaction to Loki 2021 launch and what you can expect
- 5 Top Reasons why Tom Hiddleston's Loki portrayal lasts for over a decade.
- The real difference between Loki and other Marvel characters, and why you need to know this if you are a creator, purpose-driven individuals, or even just passionate about something.
- 10 years of journey in Loki's story and what this means about how you can make an impact in this world.
- Step-by-step secrets you can use to also tell a similarly compelling story, advance your cause, and get what you deserve at work or in life.
Plus much, much more!
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What if you have the drive, but don’t know where to start?
It is our mission on the podcast to give a slice of light and feature go-givers who might not always have the recognition that they deserve.
This is why on the podcast, I’ve shared behind-the-scenes of how I got featured on Entrepreneur magazine. Getting seen and heard in the right places, outlets, or places that can advance your mission is key, especially if you’re just starting out.
The problem is, how exactly DO you do that, if you don’t have the connection, the inside track, etc?
Today, we dive even deeper with Krystal Covington, marketing strategist and publicist who had been featured on Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and many other big outlets out there. Krystal is also a proud mom who is a member of the 40 under 40 list in her hometown in Colorado, USA.
She is sharing with us:
- Step-by-step of how exactly she got featured on Forbes
- The mindset most people forget about becoming more visible.
- How long it took her to get a major feature, and what you can learn from it.
Plus much, much more!
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If you feel like you’ve done ALL the things and it’s not enough, read this.
Today, I want to talk about WHY exactly we always feel like we’ve been doing a ton, but it’s just not good enough. That either our work suffers for our personal life. Or our personal life suffers BECAUSE of our work.
For millions of other people around the world, this is a challenge, too. So today, in just 30-minutes time, we’ll unpack:
- The Top 2 ways multi-million dollar small giants have been able to find work life alignment
- What to do if you’re the ONLY one who’s (not) working among your circles.
- Word-for-word answers you can use for constant requests or messages like “Can you do this?”
- Hidden psychology of thriving a work-from-home setting.
- 3 things you can do TODAY, to start taking charge of your life back.
- What NOT to do to survive a make-or-break work meeting, and why your income depends on it.
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Today we’re talking dealing with high pressure, advocating persuasively, and setting up for maximum success, with:
Jeff Van Orsow
From being drafted to US college football team Cleveland Browns, to becoming a military pilot, in the US Air Force reserve, & a first officer in Alaska Airlines. And Jeff Van Orsow walked us through:
- What it really takes to create an ideal flight, and how you can apply the same techniques in your performance, business, and work.
- How he dealt with a BIG disappointment and bounced back within 24-hours.
- What it takes to work with people you admire, from his experience with Cleveland Browns.
- The mental and physical exercise needed to work in intense sprints, v-24-hour flights, and key lessons about endurance.
- Why he decided to write his new book Your Alternate Route.
Adrian Kelaty
After a wealth of experience in music, as a public speaker, and even a rabbi, Adrian has produced over 1000 online lectures, has over 30,000 followers on LinkedIn, and is currently working on a film later this year with $146M in box office Space Odyssey’s Keir Dullea.
Adrian will be talking about:
- The difference between pitching that results in a YES, and one that results in crickets.
- Taking a relationship from respecting top legends to working with them.
- How he chose his career path and balance the passion and art of filmmaking, with work.
- What it takes to spend 2-3 years working on ONE thing, that may or may not even happen.
Doug Kose
From being the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, a career at UT Athletics, and named 2020 Best firm by City View Magazine in his category, Doug shared with us:
- How a car accident helped him make the choice he didn’t know he needed to make
- The #1 mistake businesses make in the beginning, that destroys their chances of exiting with the profit and earnings they had hoped.
- Getting a ‘stare’ from a sports legend who asked him for a favor.
- The unseen effects of NOT hiring the right employees for your business.
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Is this you? ---“I don’t have enough time”
If you’ve found yourself saying this, read on.
I challenged myself with a unique study of what we can accomplish in under 15-minutes. Plus
- Hidden ways to get 2 hours of work done in 15 minutes.
- Top-performing psychology of a healthy relationship with social media.
- What we really mean when we say, “I don’t have enough time.”
- 3 areas of life that you didn’t know is eating up your day.
- Step-by-step shifts for winning more time back, if you’re constantly on the move.
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What if you can outperform everyone else – even in your worst days?
Today, we’re talking exactly that.
We’re joined by Mark Thomas, who is the co-founder of several ecommerce brands and labels, including Wildhorn Outfitters. They’ve generated nearly $40 million since they started in 2015.
We’re also sitting down with Ashley Caldwell is a three-time Olympian and 2017 World Champion in Aerial Ski. She’s known as the only female who has ever landed the Daddy, a quadruple-twisting triple back flip.
In this episode, you’ll get an exclusive look at:
- Key things you can do today to skyrocket your brand the way Mark did.
- Anatomy of decision making that can either make or break your business.
- Step-by-step process to a World Record for hardest acrobatic trick ever.
- Ways to calculate your risk-reward ratio and get massive success.
- Mark’s lessons from 6 years, multiple brands, and $40+ million in sales.
- Techniques for bouncing back from a seemingly catastrophic business disaster.
- The turning point where it ‘clicked’ and Ashley started thinking like an Olympian.
- How Mark survived 8 concussions and learned the meaning of falling and failing ‘better’.
- The psychology of going big, paying the price, and what risk really means.
- Realistic ways to rate our emotions AND get the best result.
- Behind the scenes of pre-game routines of top athletes -- and what we can learn from them.
Join others in 60+ countries, follow, add, collect, save, and download this episode.
Or listen to it now.
If you’re thinking about doing something new, read this. Because today, we are talking about:
- The ONE advice that I will never forget.
- What you really should do before you start anything.
- Uncommon ways to make impossible goals possible.
- 3 insights I discovered during a bike ride that massively impacted changed my life, my work, and business.
Join others in 60+ countries, Save, add, collect, follow, download, and subscribe.
Or listen to the episode now.
Can you really stand out without really trying?
It can seem impossible, regardless of your occupation, business, or passion. There are a LOT of people out there doing the same thing.
So what SHOULD you do?
Today, we talk about exactly that.
After 7+ years working with thought leaders like James Wedmore and Carrie Green, Brandon Lucero is now best known as the founder of the Video 4x effect methodology, Sold with Video, and the New Generation Entrepreneur podcast, which help elevate any online creators’ content. He is responsible for millions of views and products sold online. His focus is on shifting perspective and the psychology of engagement, selling, and human behavior.
Today, Brandon is sharing with us:
- The 4 must-haves of video creation that will immediately grab anyone’s attention
- The real reason why no one is listening to your messaging
- Key lessons from Simon Sinek & Gary Vaynerchuk you didn’t know you can adopt today
- Subconscious decisions we make that hijacks our progress without us even realizing
- The single biggest mistake people make when sharing content, that only few know
- 16 language patterns greats like Tony Robbins uses, that you can adopt and adapt
- Ways to immediately stand out without how-to content while winning your time back
We won’t stop there though, we’ll also be sitting down with another special guest.
After working in film & television on projects like American Psycho, Amina Mohamad went on to do what she is most passionate about: giving back internationally to teach girls photography and journalism in a meaningful way. Her journey started as a refugee when she came to Canada with close to nothing. Now with Triple F Photo Tours , she takes adventurers across photo tours in Uganda, the pearl of Africa, and shares with us:
- Purposeful steps she took to persuade her students to take action.
- Structuring different offerings with different price points, and ways you can do the same.
- Creating an impact with her business and time-saving ways you can do it with your offering, too.
- Ways she incorporated safari tours into a mission-driven business, and why anyone can do whatever purposeful thing they want to do—and earn a handsome living.
- What she learned about being an ‘outsider’ and how you can always be unstoppable
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Ever feel like ... this can't possibly be it?
Like you know you're meant for more, and yet ... You just can't quite put a finger on what exactly went wrong.
Whether that's your life, work, relationship, or home.
If this is you, follow, add, collect, save, and download this podcast.
Or join others in 60+ countries and listen to this episode now.
“I don’t want to be THAT guy!” – is something that we'd say, especially when we’re trying to figure out the best ways to advocate our work.
Here are other comments that purpose-driven people had shared about this ongoing nagging feeling when they talk about their work and life:
- “What would other people think?”
- “I don’t feel like I’m the right person to do this.”
- “Other people are WAY more qualified than me.”
And no wonder, too. We’ve been fed this idea that to be successful, to do good work, to be a leader, or even just to live a good life—that we can only do it by hustling others and being loud.
But not according to David Chitty, an adventurer who spent 35+ years going from Royal advisor, to riot control supervisor, to climbing and abseiling leader. Today, he shares with us:
- An emotionally intelligent persuasive technique you didn’t know today.
- What he learned about growing a business rapidly from deep caving trips.
- Managing 500+ people police force and how you can adopt it to grow a raving audience.
- Top qualities that make the best leaders, and how you can develop it.
- Key lessons on creating a customer experience that leaves them wanting more.
Join others in 60+ countries and hit Follow, Subscribe, Add, Collect, Save, and Download.
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Will anyone EVER be free of self-doubt?
For years now, having worked with students across the world, helping entrepreneurs from small giants to big multi-million dollar names, I’ve found that we’re all united in one common challenge.
That is overcoming self-limiting beliefs.
It almost doesn’t matter whether you’re successful or just starting out, unanimously, there will be moments when we say, “What am I doing?” and “Why should anyone care?”
So today, we’re deconstructing:
- What we didn’t know about self-doubt and why it keeps standing in our way
- Top 3 keys to still make massive wins in life even if you’re unsure.
- Life changing perspective you need when you look around and wonder, “Why not me?”
- How to constantly get out of a rut if you feel like everyone is so far ahead.
- Easy steps you can do TODAY that will attract people to raise their hands to you enthusiastically.
Join others in 60+ countries, Save, add, collect, follow, download, and subscribe.
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What if you always seem to get stuck?
Would you google a how to article to find out what's the best way to do things? Would you ask a friend?
And what if the situation is even MORE serious, and you're out on your own ... and suddenly things take a turn for the worse.
What started out as a fun outing turned into a life and death situation.
More importantly, what can we learn from something THIS extreme about life, work, living fully, and accomplishing things that are meaningful?
In today’s episode of Six Degrees of Greatness, we’ll revisit the time when we've unpacked:
- How you can also go from NOT being at the top of class to working with Boeing and becoming a success for 20+ years like Tom Langeland.
- The 2 hidden ways to grab anyone’s attention with your message, story, and writing, as taught by Standford graduate Lyn Hawks.
- How you can also survive broken bones and work with 5,000 people, like Liz Gallo, author of Surfing on Rocks.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, take a listen, and find hidden ways to living a fulfilling life on your own terms.
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What is the ONE thing people say about you?
I don't know about you, but as an introvert, telling a story has never come naturally for me.
But today is Tell a Story Day.
So I have to share with you about a time when I was in Las Vegas.
I'm no gambler, party-goer, or any of the sort. But I did find myself in an interesting situation there once.
I've shared this in a previous episode before, but as a refresh, this is how it went.
I was putting on my PJs when my phone dings. It was a text from a respectable leader whom I’ve been wanting to meet. The text read: “If you’re free, I’m having a private happy hour. Let me know if you want in!”
If you know me well, though, you know that I’m a total introvert. The only reason I was in Vegas was for business. I didn’t even get to go out much. And no, I definitely didn’t gamble.
That night, I was SO ready to chill on my comfy bed. And I was just not in the mood to go out.
But because everyone I know had said that this person is impossible to get a hold of, I decided to go. It might be my only chance.
I scrambled around for something nice to wear in my carry-on.
And I followed the directions she sent me to the restaurant. When I got there, there were no signs of her. I thought that I must’ve got lost. At that point, I decided to take off my heels and started walking barefoot. The granite floor felt icy. But I needed to let my feet breathe. People looked at me weird. But I can feel my feet blistering. So I just kept on walking.
Then I saw someone who looked like the manager. I asked him if he knew anything about this happy hour. He said, “Yes, of course. Come follow me.”
We took a long walk through the kitchen and I got a huge whiff of what smelled like spaghetti marinara soaked in butter. I definitely know what I’ll eat later!
Before I knew it, I was in this big room. Jazz was playing in the background.
The person I was supposed to meet saw me coming and waved her hands vigorously. “Hey! Thalia, right? Over here!”
I’ve never met her before. And we’ve only ever exchanged a few emails.
But the next hour or two was pure magic.
- She introduced me to all her friends. Even some big names that I’ve been admiring from afar for years. I remember everyone laughed a lot.
- The food was amazing. I think I downed close to 20 skewers of grilled food.
- The entire time I was thinking, “How did I end up here?”
I went home thinking about how much fun it was, which was weird because I didn’t do the typical Vegas stuff.
I’m just not that person.
The following months, I got a massive opportunity from someone I met through the person who invited me to the hang. All my friends thought it was crazy. No one believed that I had somehow got connected with her.
Personally, I was shocked by the whole thing, too.
But the thing that surprised me the most, is that I got the opportunity NOT because I know a guy who then knows a friend of a friend of this person’s sister. You know, because of all the typical ‘connection’ stuff people always rave about.
Quite the opposite, actually.
I emailed her.
BEFORE she knew me. Before she decided to invite me and gave me VIP access.
She had no idea who I was. When I told people I was going to try to get in touch with her, they all said, “Don’t bother … it’s a waste of time.”
Before we keep going, be sure to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
This year, the pandemic has really made us think about what actually IS worth our time. Meanwhile, you might even be feeling like there’s this mind-numbing sameness in your life.
Going through the motions, here are what some people have said recently:
- Nothing is working
“I was really excited about my business until the excitement wore off. Every day I trick my brain into working hard, but I let other aspects of life take up my time and haven’t been focusing enough. I can’t keep doing this. It’s tough to be consistent … literally nothing is working”.
- I just keep doing the same things over and over again
“I just can’t find the confidence and strength to put myself out there more. Somehow I'd prefer to do work that makes me want to kill myself over work that I love to do and is better paid. I ended up just sticking with what sucks, so that I didn’t have to talk to people … Why can’t we just pay someone to do everything. I don’t like the whole dress up every day and do it all over again. I just want to make money”.
- I don’t know what people will say
“If I can start working for myself, I will be so much happier with life. It doesn’t even make sense to go back to work. I think I’m just tired of working for someone else. But I don’t know what people will think of me if they see my email. What will they say? I don’t want people to know about it. I’m just not sure how to approach people if they don’t know me. I’d send them an email. I’d refreshed my inbox every day. Nothing. Then I follow up. Radio silence. And on and on it goes …”
Yes, reaching out to people for ANY reason at all, can be complicated. Let alone doing it so that you can find the right mentor, great clients, or get your dream job even.
For one, people’s lives and work patterns have changed, particularly now after COVID.
There are now new rules to getting someone to notice your work, especially if they’re busy.
And unless you do it right, you may end up seeing everyone left and right celebrating their success while you get further and further left behind.
But if you know:
- When to reach busy people so that they take notice,
- How to catch their attention without sounding like a broken record, and
- How to get a reply within 24-hours and save yourself from hours of follow-up hell,
THEN you will become unstoppable.
Work will feel like finally putting your feet up on your couch after a long day.
Before that, though, you can actually do a few small things that can give you BIG wins, like:
- Focusing first on when you say things, then on what to say. Think of it like if someone had asked you to move in on the first date. You’ll freak out. No, actually, you’ll probably run away first--as you should.
- Taking care of how you’re approaching them, then on how often. And yes, there’s a BIG difference between the two. I get asked so many times, “Thalia, how often should I follow up?” While the frequency matters, ways that you do it matter more. And,
- Finding ways to take non-values OFF their shoulders, instead of simply adding value. If I hear ONE more person out there saying that the key to success is to add value, I swear I’ll just turn on the news and voluntarily watch it on repeat for three straight days.
So what does this really look like, though, when it’s your turn to open up that blank document, and stare at the blinking cursor?
And how can you hit Send without that awful feeling that they would probably just scroll past your message or, worse, that they’d just dump what took you 40-minutes to write ... in the trash?
I talked about this in an article I wrote that went out to millions of readers of Entrepreneur Magazine this morning. You can see what they’re all reading today by clicking here.
You see, I’m passionate about standing by your side so that you can do whatever you want while things are running in the background AND while you’re doing what you love for people who need your help.
To make this possible, let’s have other things do the work for you, including your inbox.
If you want to learn more about the 5 new PRO rules for emailing a high-value person, while getting the recognition you deserve, and without having to feel like you’re dead-lifting for no reason, you can read more here.
Make sure to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
Today, I wanted to give you a Behind-the-scenes look at how that Entrepreneur Magazine article came into fruition. There were a couple of roadblocks that happened, and it nearly made the article just a dream.
So from today's episode, you'll take away:
- How to stand out among 100,000+ people.
- How to get a response within 24-hours and avoid the follow-up hamster wheel. And,
- How to create a win-win work relationship over email with someone you've never met before.
You can download ALL the details in my Ultimate Guide on Stopping the Scroll Problem Your Way by clicking here.
Let's get to it, Growth Solvers!
DON'T FORGET TO HIT FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE
Here are the links to your resources today:
- Read my Entrepreneur Magazine article on 5 New PRO Rules for Emailing a High-Value Person.
- Download the Ultimate Guide on Stopping the Scroll Problem Your Way
What should you do if you don’t have an entrepreneurial background and you’re looking to create a new income stream?
Today, we’re deconstructing ways that this can be made possible
After 15-years of driving people up and down snowy mountains, Hamish Macphee decided to turn his hospitality experience in Australia, competitive volleyball background, and experience with an international community into his new venture Snow Dog Transport. Plus:
- The secret behind finishing anything, including something that seemed physically impossible
- The 2-part secret behind finishing anything you want, including physically and mentally impossible tasks,
- Step-by-step method to create momentum toward a successful mountain climb.
- From amateur volleyball in Australia to playing in the US: Top lessons learned.
- What Hamish learned playing with soccer players from US and baseballers from Asia.
- Key differences in approaching training from different cultures, including Hawaiian sportsmen.
- Learning how to grow unstoppable calm in your work, life, fitness, and business.
- Transforming your non-business background into.
- Turning a 15-year old business idea into reality and how Hamish started Snow Dog transport.
- What Hamish’ bar management experience taught him.
- The ONE thing to remember about dealing with difficult people, trolls, or unhappy customers.
Join others in 60+ countries and Follow, Save, Add, Collect, or download this episode.
Or listen to the episode now.
Before you even think about writing a book, read this.
Because the real questions are:
- How does writing a book fit into your work?
- How effective is it in advocating your message?
- Can it really serve as a meaningful way for you to help others, while earning what you deserve?
Today, we’re sitting down with Dr. Pedram Shojai (aka The Urban Monk), who had been featured on ESPN, Dr. OZ, Today Show, and New York magazine for his work on helping others stay calm and focused amid our chaotic lives.
Pedram talks about the journey he took to write his New York Times Best-selling book, The Urban Monk, which has since been translated into 30 different languages. Plus:
- Unexpected differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing,
- How he came to write 6 books and best-sellers,
- Key activities to prioritize when planning for a successful book launch.
- Technical terms you need to know to monetize a book,
- Step-by-step process he did that led to a NYT bestseller list,
- Inside his award-winning film-making process,
- What helped him save massive amounts of time when writing his latest book Trauma,
- Ways to become unstoppable, even with insane amounts of distraction,
- Elements of book publishing that only few realized,
- What exactly happened AFTER his national TV show appearance on Dr. Oz,
- Creating work-from-home boundaries and successfully working anywhere,
- Techniques he tested to grow a raving audience during his book launch, that;
- Led to growing an audience of 1 million fans across all platforms.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, hit Follow, Add, Collect, Save, and Download.
Or take a listen right now.
If you feel like life isn’t going your way, listen to this.
Because today, we talk about how one man’s journey took him from spending 365 nights on a river, to being chased by a helicopter, to climbing the famed Aconcagua in winter, to pushing an 8-person truck, to finally starting an outdoor and river adventure business, Pro Rafting Tours.
Donnie Hazard is here today to talk about:
- What to do in a life and death situation out in the wild, and how it can uplevel your everyday life.
- How he got himself out of rock bottom after being homeless in Hawaii.
- Practical ways you can overcome or avoid trolls and judgment that keep you stuck.
- Step-by-step actions you can do to get out of the hustle bustle today.
- And many, many more.
Join listeners in 60+ countries and hit Follow, Save, Download, Add, or Collect today.
Or, listen to the episode now.
What exactly you should be doing when someone said no? Or what about nothing is going your way? Or when you fail in front of everyone? Or when you’ve been told that something is impossible?
Today’s guests talk about exactly that.
Gisele Anderson, together with her award-winning filmmaker husband Dave, had spent around 25 years dedicating their life to roughly 450,000 dolphins along the coast of Southern California. Dana Point, where Gisele had ran and operated her whale and dolphin watching safari Capt Dave, had been featured on LA Times as the 1st ever US World Heritage Site.
Today, Gisele talks about:
- How they found the ONE thing that no one else had ever done.
- The transformative power of not taking NO for an answer
- What she leaned on during 6 straight months of difficulties in her business, and how you can bounce from practically everything.
After being a 2-time Olympic assistant coach with the Canada Basketball team, Shawnee Harle dedicates her life to coach athletes, parents, or anyone to succeed in the podium of life. Born in Alaska and spent summers living on a commercial fish boat to make extra money, she learned grit, perseverance, and independence at a young age.
Today she is sharing:
- How she helps people unlock their superpower
- The hidden difference between confidence and competence
- What we didn’t know about ‘playing to win’ v. the ‘fear of losing’, and how this can supercharge your purpose (and in many ways your profit as well).
Join listeners in 60+ countries and hit Follow, Save, Download, Add, or Collect today.
Or listen to the episode now.
Do you feel like you’ve done all the things, but nothing is going your way?
It might be that as well-intentioned as your goals might be, our approach needed some tweaking.
Today, I’m unpacking whether or not there are activities, work-life approaches, and case studies that can give you a deeper and richer outcome in impacting others and yourself, including:
- How the founder of multi-million dollar brand TOMS shoes started his social impact business.
- What you can do to start earning a handsome living from a passion project or even a hobby.
- The hidden mental blocks behind what makes us anxious, nervous, or experience imposter syndrome.
- Top perspective shifts you need to overcome impossible challenges.
- Ways to get the freedom to do work that actually align with your preference, personality, and season of life.
Join listeners in 60+ countries and hit Follow, Save, Download, Add, or Collect today.
Or, listen to this episode now.
What if other people need what you have, and yet they don’t know it?
This is something that most people deal with without realizing … all their lives!
So how can you advance an important idea, mission, or purposeful work if people you’re looking to serve ... have NOT yet realized the need?
That’s what we’ll be talking about today with Angie.
Angie Roberts loves helping people go from timid to confident. Her work with Breakwater Expeditions takes people to over 12 destinations across the US and Costa Rica.
She is passionate about working with at risk young people and showing them beautiful destinations in the back country, and helping them unplug and get back plugged in afterwards with a better sense of meaning.
Angie shared with us small ways that she’s made a big impact on people’s lives and:
- How to make people comfortable with what you have to offer,
- Conversations that help people say yes to what they really need, and
- How you can find strength in strengthening others in your work and life.
Join others in 60+ countries and Follow, Add, Collect, Subscribe, Save, and Download this episode.
OR listen now.
Can you get massive wins even if you don't have everything lined up?
Today, we share the story of how 3 different ordinary entrepreneurs become extraordinary in their own way. Plus:
- 52 ways that Jessica Moak adds value to her client.
- Ways to grow in community, audience and impact, even if you’re in a niche market.
- How Donald Ma spoke in front of 5,000 people virtually and
- Ways to speak so that others will listen
- How ONE day changed Barry & Kanisha Mann's lives
- What they did to maintain relationship at work and at home
Join others in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save & Download this episode.
OR listen to it now.
Ever wonder why when you focus on trying NOT to make a mistake, you end up making that same EXACT mistake?
I certainly have.
And then you see success stories like how inventor Henry Ford created one of the most successful auto-businesses in the world, AND coined the important saying: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't — you're right.”
Does our perception precede our reality? Or vice versa?
Do we become what we THINK we are?
- Today, we’re deconstructing the work and approaches of best-selling author and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl and sociologist Robert Merton among others to deconstruct how:
- To become an adversity whisperer, even when all things fail.
- Ways to deal with disappointment so that you get out of a rut quickly.
- Who exactly you should or shouldn’t listen to for life and work advice.
- Top techniques to deal with high-pressure situations, imposter syndrome, and anxiety, especially if you feel small and invisible.
Join others in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save, & Download this episode.
Or, listen to it now.
Can you really live up to expectations you didn’t know you signed up for?
I’m sitting down with Tamara Nunley, CEO of Genuine Aircraft Hardware, who grew up in her father’s successful business, where he instilled in her an optimism to pursue greatness.
His early death from Alzheimer’s and subsequent issues brought Tamara to the spotlight and prompted her to take on a real leadership role to take care of her team and march onward, despite the adversity, 9/11 recession, and other challenges.
Today, she shared with us small ways that she created big, massive changes in her life, including:
- Hidden ways expectations from others can make you successful,
- Ways to survive deep obstacles or unexpected challenges, like 9/11 and
- What YOU can do about your own self doubt and really become unstoppable.
Follow, add, save, download and collect this episode in advance so that you don’t miss a beat when you don’t have WIFI or cell phone reception later.
Or, join others in 60+ countries and listen to it now.
If you’re looking to get away from it all, while successfully finding purpose-driven work-life alignment, this episode is for you.
Today, I talked with Adam Tobey, who believes that while the wilderness is dynamic, ever-changing, and powerful, it’s also a place of stillness, rest, & education.
Adam holds a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is also a certified wilderness First Responder, a leave-no-trace Master Educator, serves as the Utah State Advocate for Outdoor Ethics, and is an AMGA Certified single pitch Instructor.
With over a decade spent teaching and guiding people through the wilderness, Adam lives to introduce a love of the outdoors to people of all ages at goago.org.
Among others, today, he shared with us:
- What you really should do when you’re fearful of something,
- The timeless art of taking educated risks, and
- What real ownership looks like, as opposed to ‘taking control’.
All of this and more in this episode. Join others in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save or Download this episode so that you don’t miss a beat.
Or listen to the episode now.
What is the best way to advocate yourself?
It’s been a long time passion of mine to support talented and skillful people who are often overlooked, and small giants who haven’t quite got the recognition they deserve.
Today, I unpack potential answers to questions like:
- "What if what I have is not good enough?"
- "What if they don’t like it?"
- "I don’t want to be THAT guy!"
- "How do I deal with imposter syndrome?"
- "Why do I feel guilty whenever I’m not working?"
- "I hate putting myself out there all the time."
- "What if I’m out there, and my friends and family see it?"
- "How can I avoid the dreaded question, “How’s work?” or “How’s business?”
The list goes on.
But what if there are better ways to advocate yourself?
What if you STILL get to achieve the level of success you’re looking for, earn handsomely, AND get to do whatever meaningful thing you’ve always wanted to do?
Today, we’ll be discussing:
- J.K. Rowling’s epic journey from a divorced single parent to 400M copies sold and growing $25B franchise.
- A deconstruction of ways to use rejection and imposter syndrome to be successful.
- What you really can do when you hit rock bottom.
- The psychology of self-fulfilling prophecy and how any purpose-driven individuals should deal with it.
- An exclusive analytical study of how the award-winning Harry Potter series author end up earning $95M/year
All of this and more in this episode. Join others in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save or Download this episode so that you don’t miss a beat.
Or listen to the episode now.
If you’re curious how others are working intentionally to advance something they believe in, this episode is for you.
Today, I sit down with three amazing individuals from different sectors.
Ilyssa Wexler went from working at New York fashion week, Wall Street professional, teaching economics, her new business Fashion4Futures now focuses on offering experiential trips in Italy and New York City. We talk about how she pivoted during the pandemic, plus:
- The art behind why certain work lasts for generations and others simply don’t.
- Expecting the unexpected and how she developed a relationship—fast.
- Working with distractions and how to shut out the noise.
At the same time, we’re also sitting down with Charleen Angell, who walked through 300 canyons in Spain, France, and Western US. She went from failing her college exam to having a Doctorate of Nurse Practitioner to now having a community of 1,000+ people at Canyoneering Chicks. She shares with us:
- How to build a community of over 1,000 people that creates a lasting impact.
- Mental mindset shifts you can practice in top outdoor canyons.
- Going from competence, skilled, to self-reliant through canyoneering.
Last but certainly not the least, Alicia McMurray, esq., who has spent 10+ years in law practice in a crowded market at General Knox Law and has successfully worked out a complicated case with 100% of her client’s needs fulfilled, joins us to talk about:
- How she grew her business from the ground up – WITHOUT social media
- Steps and processes she used to get her clients to take the right actions.
- Ways she helps her clients and her own business avoid overwhelm, and how you can, too.
Join others in 60+ countries, Save, Download, Add, or Collect this episode.
Or listen to it now.
How did a street food enthusiast become one of the most trusted international voices on food?
And how exactly did he grow his channel all the way to 7 million+ subscribers and counting?
Today, we are going to highlight the story of Mark Wiens of Migrationology (a Youtube channel with 7 million avid subscribers). We look forward to potentially having Mark on the show at a future date, but we want to share his incredible story.
We believe that for every inspirational story made visible, the life of another person listening will be even more enriched.
Our mission is to give a slice of light to our listeners by supporting and featuring go-givers and small giants who haven’t always received the recognition that they deserve.
Join others in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save or Download this episode so that you don’t miss a beat. Or you can listen to the episode now.
Wondering how you can make a real difference in yours and other people's lives?
Today, Monique Farmer shared with us how she went from working at Sydney Children’s Hospital with kids on mental health, to taking people on kayaking trips, summiting mountains, and on large multi-day adventures with her 7,000+ people community-driven business called Women Want Adventure.
She also dove into how anyone, yes anyone, can get to a point where they are no longer afraid of things they’re most afraid of. Take a listen to her story on jumping off waterfalls and why a group of full-grown adults burst into tears.
Join others in 60+ countries, Save, Download, Collect, or Add this episode. Or listen to it now.
This past year is proof that we can never expect when life seems to throw one impossible thing after another.
But what if there are hidden ways you can prepare for the unknown, be more resilient, and still do the good work that you’re meant to do?
Today, we’re exploring uncommon ways to be more comfortable with discomfort, using time spent outdoors, with Dr. Will White, who has been immersed in wilderness settings since he grew up in the mountains of New Hampshire.
Dr. White co-founded Summit Achievement and completed his doctorate and a published dissertation on Stories from the Elders: Chronicles and Narratives from the Early Years of Wilderness Therapy.
Dr. White also wrote the book, Stories from the Field: A History of Wilderness Therapy. He currently lives in White Mountains of New Hampshire with his family and shares with us today, how to:
- Always be able to rise beyond discomfort despite the challenges
- Age-old skills you need to survive your biggest challenges
- The daily habits you didn’t know can uplevel the quality of your work and life.
Join others in 60+ countries, follow, add, or collect this podcast and take a listen now.
Ever felt like everyone has everything going for them? Like they started a little bit earlier than you and now they’ve blown up into this huge success?
What then? Should you just turn around and forget about everything?
Today we’re talking with Rebekah Correll, founder of Transparent Interiors, who believes that a great design should be accessible to everyone no matter the budget.
Find out how she started an online design service business that is affordable and is still able to compete with high-end concepts, as she shares with us:
1) What exactly you SHOULD do if you realize that everyone is way ahead.
2) How to gracefully turn things to work toward what you want, even if it seems hard.
3) Ways to price your services or offerings that make you stand out.
4) How anyone, even if you’re starting out, can go from starving to high demand.
5) And much more.
Join other listeners in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save, and Download this episode so that you can hear it when you’re out and about or when you don’t have cell phone data.
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If you can find opportunities where no one else can, what would you do?
We’re often led to believe that people have to be lucky, born into wealth, or have all the credentials and accolades before they make their big break.
Today, we’re talking with Jenny Yi, on how you DON’T need all those, to have your own success story.
Growing up in military for 30+ and later becoming a lawyer, she’s now a designer for investors and military families. She talks about ways anyone can change their ending and what exactly you can do if you feel like you have to start over. Having been featured on Bigger Pockets, she now shares with us ways to find opportunities where no one else can.
Join other listeners in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save, and Download this episode so that you can hear it when you’re out and about or when you don’t have cell phone data.
Or, listen to the episode now.
What if work doesn’t have to eat up your life and life doesn’t have to make you feel guilty about work?
Is it really about balance? Or is the way to become unstoppable more to do with aligning things that are important to you in ways that no one else can?
Today, we’re deconstructing both the mindset and the framework needed to create the type of work and life that doesn’t conflict with one another.
Take a listen and find out:
1) Two types of mindset needed to set the right boundaries.
2) Hidden techniques that people like Richard Branson use to protect priorities AND spot remarkable opportunities.
3) The ONE question most people need to ask in order to get the right amount of work that aligns with their life.
Join other listeners in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save, and Download this episode so that you can hear it when you’re out and about or when you don’t have cell phone data.
Or, listen to the episode now.
How can we live so that you don’t have to escape from your work?
Simon Kither showed us how. He went from climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, being former lecturer, to becoming a music producer and audio engineer in Australia. His new venture Vaast Expeditions takes a community of outdoor enthusiasts to places they’ve never been. Simon is sharing with us how:
- He deals with fear of rejection and judgment, and how you can, too.
- Ways to get comfortable shooting a video in front of a lot of people.
- Hidden lessons he learned when entered one of the most competitive industries.
- Ways to tell a story so that others would listen, even when you’re just starting out.
Plus much, much more!
Join other listeners in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save, and Download this episode so that you can hear it when you’re out and about or when you don’t have cell phone data.
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Imagine if people always raise their hands to you enthusiastically.
Whether it’s advancing your cause, getting a promotion, getting more business, or even just being seen and heard, there is an art to persuasion.
And sadly, every year, talented and skillful people from all over the world get overlooked and forgotten. Not because they’re not good enough. But because others haven’t been persuaded by their genius.
My mission is to stop this. I believe that you don’t have to be a big name to make a big impact. I believe that anyone can be a small giant.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Step-by-step deconstruction of how someone persuaded me to climb up an Alpine route when I didn’t have any prior experience, and why it was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
- The art of persuading someone who is unsure of whether to say yes to you or not.
- Step by step framework you can use to advance what you want, even if you don’t know where to start.
- The psychology of standing out, getting the right attention, and persuading anyone.
- Techniques to get to a Yes, while still being yourself.
All of this and more in this episode. Join others in 60+ countries, Follow, Add, Collect, Save or Download this episode so that you don’t miss a beat. And listen to the episode to start with the unseen art of persuasion.
If this past year taught us anything, it's to expect the unexpected. What do you think?
And what if the unexpected is an obstacle that is SO hard, that it pushes you to your limits, and nearly forces you to give up?
Today, Nylma Laureano , Puerto Rican turned owner of Interiors BY LS, talks to us about:
- What she learned about losing key members of her family
- How she turned her grief into clear action steps that led her to freedom to run her own business.
- Top ways she found ways to stand out from the crowd, even when no one knew about her work.
- How she stayed productive while working from home.
Be sure to Follow, Add, or Collect this Show. If you want to have this episode ready to go, even when you don't have cell phone reception, Save and Download this episode in advance.
Is it possible to be humble and still grow an audience of tens of thousands?
If you’re wondering whether it’s possible to still be yourself, and watch your career or business grow, listen to this episode.
Jared Easley, co-founder of a 30,000+ people Podcast Movement community talks about:
- How he bootstrapped his idea with no real budget or idea of whether it will work
- Specific things he did in the early days that create levers SO massive that even Mark Cuban of TV Shark Tank and Dallas Maverick, wanted to be a part of his community.
- How long exactly it took before he was able to quit his job and pay himself a salary.
- What he did and say to people who don’t believe in him.
- Top ways you, like Jared, can also reach work-life balance, have a personal life, a family, or even kids.
- An uncommon way to become THE go-to person, even if no one knows you just yet.
If you want to check out Jared’s podcast challenge, go here.
Be sure to hit that Follow, Add, or Collect button + Save and Download this episode in advance so that you can still listen to it even without cell phone or tablet data.
What if you still sleep like a rock regardless of how awful your day has been?
It’s not really a secret that trying to accomplish big goals can be hard. Being pulled in multiple directions, doing all the things, and yet feeling like our goal is still so far away, can make us go … “This doesn’t make sense anymore!”
But what if there are actually hidden ways to stop all this from happening?
Today, we’re talking about:
- Rules for turning stress and anxiety into more intentional living using color psychology.
- Knowing our own brain chemistry, color impact, and their effects on whether we flop or fly.
- How Mehnaz Khan combines two typically separate interests into one – all while earning handsomely.
- What you didn’t know about reaching goals that you can try out – today.
Join others in 60+ countries, follow, add, or collect this podcast and take a listen now.
What if the worst thing that could happen – DOES happen?
If we can prepare for life and death situations, and expect the worst-case-scenario to happen, how would that change the way we work and live?
And what are some ways we can prepare for it?
On this episode, that’s exactly what we’ll be unpacking.
Merideth Bisiker went from being a childhood friend of Grammy-winning Michael Buble, to surviving a bomb threat, to singing in a band, to being a certified money coach. Today, she talks about:
- Hidden reasons people don’t often talk about money, and what that meant for business owners.
- Preparing the unexpected, when she survived a bomb-threat.
- Key lessons from knowing Grammy winner Michael Buble and how he grew up.
- Turning being a mom of children with disabilities to effective and purposeful work.
After 20-years in management, Amber Howard took her love of nature in New Zealand to Canada, motorcycle-riding, to now teaching at University of Toronto and sharing with others:
- How her great uncle wrote a book about being the British spy that Ian Fleming allegedly based James Bond.
- Being in an accident with her brother on a farm and what she learned from that experience.
- Ways our relationship with money affects our results and quality of life.
Follow, add, save, download and collect this episode in advance so that you don’t miss a beat when you don’t have cell phone reception later.
Or, join others in 60+ countries and listen to it now.
What if we are immune to our failures? And we can always bounce back no matter how hard?
In the fast-moving world where we’re told that you have to be successful, get all these amazing accolades, and do great things – it can be hard to feel like you’re doing enough.
When we’re working, it can feel like we’re not spending enough time on other things or people that are important.
But when we’re spending time doing things we feel are important, immediately we feel like we have to get back to our work.
It’s nice when things do go our way.
But when it doesn’t, it’s just … awful.
So what should we do about this?
In this episode, we’ll be talking about the specifics of how to use epic failures to push ourselves forward:
- Top things we didn’t realize we should do, when failing publicly
- What to do if you’ve recently lost a job
- Responding to bad comments, trolls, or lack of positive response
Get my ultimate guide to Using Failures to push forward, get out of a rut, deal with embarrassment, even as an introvert.
Download it free now by clicking here.
What would you do if you get your dream job right now?
For some people, when they found their 'dream' job, they discover some surprising things you might not expect.
Today, Paula Williams, a pilot and aviation specialist, had been featured on NBC, ABC, & Wall Street Journal, shared with us:
- The hidden pros and cons of working with a Fortune 500s company, and what you might not expect about 'dream jobs'.
- What it really takes to create a 'perfect' flight ... as an aviator, and how you can apply it for your work, too.
- How to prepare for worst case situations, stay calm, and how you can do the same in life and work.
Follow, Add, Collect, Save, & Download before you start so that you don't miss it when you don't have cell reception.
Or, join others in 60+ countries and take a listen now.
Ever been disappointed that things don’t work out?
Every now and then this happens. That’s what we’ll be talking about today. Specifically:
How Kyle Stout went from playground toothpick sales, to providing music for 100s of people, to cleaning for a living, and now attracting ideal clients at Elevate & Scale, his digital marketing business.
- Ways Kyle attracted 100% of his ideal clients and wastes less time.
- Key elements of messaging your offerings to sell without the sleaze.
- Dealing with 100s of people at a time: Lessons from being a DJ at weddings.
- 3rd-grade toothpick-sales that informed digital marketing, and why you should pay attention.
- The biggest mistake he made when first starting a cleaning business (and yes, it involves bowel movements).
Bernardine Cloete is a South African entrepreneur specializing in video production for creative businesses. Her experience in TV commercials and storytelling through virtual platforms is just the beginning of the story. Today, she shares with us how:
- Losing her brother to cancer 12+ years ago taught her an important lesson.
- How to manage a crew of people and why every business owner needs to learn this skill.
- Dealing with an embarrassing moment, with her pants zipper, and what it taught her about bouncing back.
Join others in 60+ countries, hit Follow, Add, or Collect, and Save or Download episodes in advance for when you don't have cell phone reception.
Or listen to this episode now.
If there are just minutes or seconds to get a point across, what would you say?
Every day, without us realizing this, there is a hidden selection process that we are unfortunately subjected to.
When we jump on:
- A 60-minute interview on a podcast to get more visibility
- A job interview we so desperately want to get right
- A work call or client call that makes or breaks your business
- Or even sharing your expertise in 6-minutes in front of new people online
We are taking part in either:
- Standing out in a meaningful way, OR
- Becoming just another number that people scroll through and ignore.
It’s sad that everyday I have to watch skilled and talented people become invisible because this hidden barrier gets in the way.
So what’s the antidote to this?
There are a few key levers that you might not even realize can change your entire approach.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, Subscribe, Follow, Add, or Collect, and listen to this episode now.
To download a free guide on how to Stand Out in 6 to 60-minutes, click here now.
You know how we'd look at our to-do list and immediately sigh?
I think this is the big Catch-22 for anyone looking to do work with quality and meaning.
It's just tough. The best intentions don't always get us there.
So what should we do?
Today, we're talking with David Farrell, who founded End Grain Design 20+ years ago, on the decision-making process behind choosing what exactly is important. Plus:
1) How his materials got selected by Stella McCartney, a world-renowned designer and daughter of legendary Beatles' Paul McCartney.
2) How he attracts top-paying clients and what he looks for before he even starts anything, and the mistake most people didn't realize they're making. And,
3) What it was like to wake up before 5AM as a kid growing up on a farm and the unexpected lesson it taught him.
4) And much, much more.
Don't forget to:
1) Follow, subscribe, add, or collect
2) Save and download this episode if you plan on listening to it while working out, commuting, or out and about without a cell phone reception.
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Join listeners in 60+ countries and click now to listen.
If you're ever looking around and thinking: "How can I possibly do this? Everyone is SO far ahead," -- keep reading.
It's not always easy to finally find what you want to do, only to find out that there are a LOT of people doing the same thing.
Today, that's exactly what we're unpacking. We're chatting about:
1) How Sahara de Vore, who went up to speak in front of over 1,000+ people with ZERO preparation.
2) Why she decided to travel through Europe alone, and visited more than 84+ countries by age 31, and what she learned from that experience.
3) How she created the world's first and only certification program for her audience and founded the Travel Coach Network -- which has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, & USA Today.
4) The 2-day job stint Ana Popa, creator at Sulfcreative, took on that led her to finding what she wanted to do in her life.
5) What you didn't know you needed to make your sites, visuals, and graphics immediately eye-catching for your audience.
6) The reason why most of your infographics fall flat, and what to do about it so that you can stand out today.
7) The struggles most work-from-home parents won't always admit and Melissa Brander's of Pocket Homeschool's technique on making it a more joyful experience. And,
8) The Persuasion Psychology she discovered at an early age that you can adapt and adopt to meaningfully get people to take action.
Be sure to:
1) Hit Follow, Subscribe, Add, or Collect before you start.
2) Save or Download this episode if you plan on listening to it without cell-phone reception on a workout or on commute.
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Have you heard of a game called 20 Questions?
If not, find out how you can use similar methodologies from this game to know exactly:
1) Who your audience really is (and what you might have backwards, that can help shave hours each day).
2) Where to find your audience (yes, even outside of social media). And,
3) How exactly you can find your audience and stop the mad hustling that only gets you 1-3 yes.
Plus, find out what I ate AFTER I jumped off a 40' waterfall, the food establishment that I saw, and why it taught me an important lesson about how to become THE only place people go to, even if you're not a big name just yet.
You can get started by taking a quick look at Finding Your Audience: A 3-Step Guide.
Download it now for free by clicking here.
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On improving your insides and your mindset through Neurobiology & Rock-Climbing
Isn't it weird how we'd KNOW all the right things we have to do, and yet we just can't seem to get there?
Today, we talk about:
- Why it's not too late to be successful and find a fulfilling life, even if you've experienced awful things in your life.
- Behind-the-scenes of a NASA launch, that gives us an idea of what it really takes to pull off something big (and it's not what you'd expect).
- Top things you can do when you're totally unprepared (like getting stuck in a mountain during an explosion, OR maybe even more simply, having something you've worked on go completely unnoticed).
We'll be unpacking all of these things with Aleya Littleton, LPC, who is an adventurer and therapist with a Masters in Adventure Therapy. She specializes in trauma treatment and the use of nature and the outdoors for healing.
Her background as a middle school science teacher and NASA Formal Education Lead inspired her fascination with neurobiology, the human body and the natural world.
She is a rock climbing guide, and trains therapists in the use of rock climbing in therapy. As a public speaker and therapist educator, she was featured on Amazon’s The Three Day Effect, and in Outside Magazine.
Join listeners in 60+ countries and take a listen.
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What if you can have 10, 20+ years of wealth of information, advice, and words from others who have gone through successes and their own epic fails, and BORROW their wisdom, their playbook?
Well, today, that’s exactly what we’re bringing. We have 3 people weigh in on our episode today.
James George, a 10+ year business owner who said that he “started my business out of a necessity to feed my family and to build a business and career for myself”
Now, he is a published author, he owns GSquaredStudios, and he’s featured on CityView’s Best of Best 2020 award, UpCity Marketplace, and is named “Expertise’s 2020 Best Web Developers in Knoxville TN”.
He will be sharing with us a few key nuggets, including:
- The ultimate book set that he absolutely inhaled and what YOU also need on your bookshelf.
- How to expect the unexpected, and the surprise he received when someone opened their door when he delivered pizza.
Dr. Kate Ricciardi, went from struggling with her own health to doctor of physical therapy and registered dietitian and nutritionist to practicing for 15+ years and sharing ways that she said people can try to reduce symptoms by up to 80% in 3 weeks.
She also shared with us why:
- Like her, you don’t have to love to cook to stay healthy. And,
- Some foods you didn’t know are important so that you can perform at your very best
Tim Porter, who’s owned his business for almost 20 years, started his journey with an MBA and as a financial consultant, but quickly realized that he has more important things to do, including, becoming a marketplace minister, and I’ll share a link to his concept in the show notes if you’re curious to learn more about what this means. Among many things he’s sharing with us,
He is sharing with us how he was asked to LEAVE a JOB because he was making too much money. So he’s sharing with us:
- How to deal with power struggles in the workplace, or even in your business, and
- What to do if you are in a crowded and saturated space.
Our episodes typically do NOT eat up your phone data or minutes if you download them in advance.
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What if we know exactly why we didn't hit our target goals?
In this episode, we’re covering:
- A 5-10 seconds exercise for discovering things that can help you win your day.
- Hitting a goal: How I hit near bullseye with my new archery set without training, and how you can also use this technique to hit your target goals.
- Dr. Jim Rohn’s steps to helping 12+ people win gold medals, that you can use as well.
- Why I don’t talk about winning much and why this episode can help you with fast actions towards your goals.
- 2 different Growth Shifts we didn’t know we needed to get more done by doing less, today.
Join listeners in 60+ countries and take a listen.
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For the life-changing Guide to Transforming Your Income Blind Spots into Real Results and Winning Without Even Trying download your free 1,500+ word guide by clicking here.
Imagine working from home, but STILL achieving everything you set yourself to do.
Working from home doesn't have to mean that you don't get anything done. Having people around you all the time, like your partner, roommate, or even kids, don't always have to mean that you have to sacrifice your work.
Today, Mollee Johnson shared:
1) The exact route she took to grow her company 10+ years ago to today having been featured in DIY Network and Fast Company.
2) The ONE simple theory that can entirely change how you look at your home office, study and work space.
3) Immediate ways you can balance what you DO (your work) without sacrificing what you LOVE (your kids, hobbies, partner, and social life)
If you are a work-from-home entrepreneur, or just starting to create a second source of income, or a work-from-home parent, listen to this today.
Learn more about Mollee Johnson by clicking here.
And join listeners from around the world by hitting that FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, COLLECT, ADD, and DOWNLOAD button.
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Can you really turn your hobby into a source of income?
What if that favorite thing you LOVE doing every day, like watching movies, or going outside, or biking, or painting, or a particular craft that you do -- allows you to become your own boss?
In today’s episode, we sit down with a 10+ year Gemologist, Lucy Walker, and digital marketing Consultant, Giulia Cian Seren, to break down:
- How to stand out as a Creative, if you don't have a huge budget.
- Faster growth v. slower growth. What are the unseen pros and cons?
- Achieving the seemingly impossible: creating 1) Something that people WANT (like things that are aesthetically pleasing) AND 2) That people also NEED (like things that are long-lasting).
- What to do with judgmental people around you, especially if you're just starting out.
This episode is for you if you are a graphic designer, an interior designer, an architect, a jeweler, an artist, a creative writer, or even a freelancer.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, take a listen, and find hidden ways to live a fulfilling life on your own terms.
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What if you get to be creative, do what you love, and STILL earn handsomely?
There is a common assumption that to do what you really want, like to make your hobby or an artistic endeavor your livelihood, you have to starve. That to be true to what you want to do, you have to give up on earning what you want. And if you DO earn what you want, you won’t get to do what you really want in life.
In today’s episode, we get to deconstruct whether this is the case. And:
- How creatives, artists, or even niche businesses, can find ways to work faster.
- 500-year old clues left by the likes of Michaelangelo, Disney, and Banksy.
- How to still be successful, even if you have ZERO training in business.
- The Accidental Playbook to Achieving Anything that can help you start reaching your dream goals.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, take a listen, and find hidden ways to live a fulfilling life on your own terms.
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To download your FREE Accidental Playbook to Achieving Anything, you can click here.
Ever wonder why other people just don't seem to 'get' it?
What if your job, your business, and your personal life can be 3x better? And you no longer have that awful feeling whenever Sunday evenings come about.
You might be closer to this than you realized. Start and find out:
- Which counter-intuitive thing you must do when you've made a mistake.
- Why people don't seem to respond to what you have to say. And,
- How to deal with needing to avoid difficult conversations.
In today’s episode with Phil Brown from High 5 Adventure, leadership trainer for groups like the Boston Bruins, we’ll unpack:
- How to rise beyond what typically makes people panic in a group program.
- The transformative power of discovering what it really takes to have difficult conversations.
- Key elements of how to earn trust, even if you're new.
- What to say if you're irritated by something or someone.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, take a listen, and find hidden ways to live a fulfilling life on your own terms.
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What if the ONE thing you need to make a break-through is lying there waiting in a blind spot?
And what if the difference between getting big, meaningful results, and hustling to no end, for you, is really just in:
- Finding Income Blind Spots few people know or see.
- Avoiding getting sidetracked because of these blind spots. And,
- Turning them into Growth Shifts that can create massive results?
In today’s episode of Growth Amplifiers, we’ll unpack:
- How to 2x or even 3x the speed of achieving your goals.
- How to avoid getting disappointing results and having to say “I did NOT see that coming”.
- How to become your only competition -- with things and skills you already have.
- What I learned after a close call when I first started to drive.
- Why growing your weakness is not always your best route.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, take a listen, and find hidden ways to live a fulfilling life on your own terms.
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For the life-changing Guide to Transforming Your Income Blind Spots into Real Results, download your free 1,500+ word guide by clicking here.
Can anyone really work with their ideal employers, clients, or mentors?
Or do you have to be extremely established, well-connected, and well-known already to start working at your dream job or with your dream clients?
In today’s episode of Great Lengths, we’ll unpack:
- How Ghazel Omrani went from working with Air Force Base, to NASA, to Pottery Barn.
- The unexpected route she took in working from home to partnering with Williams Sonoma.
- How she stands out in an extremely crowded market through interior design.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, take a listen, and find hidden ways to living a fulfilling life on your own terms.
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For the life-changing Guide to Standing Out as a small name, download your free 3,500+ word guide by clicking here.
What if it doesn’t matter what we do NOT have?
What if we can still finish the way we want to, even though we were never an A student, or we’re not born having a lot, or we aren’t as well connected as others?
In today’s episode of Six Degrees of Greatness, we’ll unpack:
- How you can also go from NOT being at the top of class to working with Boeing and becoming a success for 20+ years like Tom Langeland.
- The 2 hidden ways to grab anyone’s attention with your message, story, and writing, as taught by Standford graduate Lyn Hawks.
- How you can also survive broken bones and work with 5,000 people, like Liz Gallo, author of Surfing on Rocks.
Join listeners in 60+ countries, take a listen, and find hidden ways to living a fulfilling life on your own terms.
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For an Exclusive Guide to Finishing First, download your free 1,500+ word guide by clicking here.
What if you can STILL be yourself AND earn handsomely, while doing what you love and conquering COVID-19?
I wanted to share with you the full story of how one person did exactly that. She did what she felt called to do - DURING a pandemic, while crushing the starving artist stigma and staying true to what feels right for her.
Don't forget to hit Follow or Subscribe.
Join listeners in 60+ countries worldwide. This is for you if you want to create a massive impact - and yet often feel small.
If you're new here, I'm Thalia Toha, CEO and Entrepreneur magazine author.
Every week, I'll share with you:
(1) Growth Amplifiers: Meaningful ways you can turn obstacles into opportunities, so that you won't get stuck in the hustle bravado and value-add race.
(2) Six Degrees of Greatness: Conversations between 2-3 people from a vast range of backgrounds, where their stories can help you replicate their success and avoid pitfalls they've already tried.
(3) Great Lengths: Deep dives into the brains of someone who had started to create the life they wanted (and how you can do the same).
Hit subscribe or follow if you want to join listeners in 60+ countries and become unstoppable - in your own way.
If you have resolutions, or just ANY goal, and really want to finish strong, this one is for you.
This is #2 of the top 3 conversations the Good Grow Great podcast has had this year.
Don't forget to subscribe or follow to listen to new episodes coming out in the next year.
As we are nearing the VERY end of this year, here's #3 of the top 3 conversations the Good Grow Great podcast has had this year. Tyler King talks about how he grew his company from scratch, and even said no to investors so that he can earn on his own term
Listen and find out how you can do the same, and get control back of your life.
Drop a review and tell us what's your takeaway!
If you see someone jumping off a waterfall for fun, and they survived it, would you do it, too?
Here’s where my friends and I are different. A lot of them LOVE ... just love things like this. Things like roller coaster rides. You see, every single time I go up a ride like that, I lose all senses below my chest. It’s like the only thing I can feel is my heart pounding. My heart, which at that point is almost like a disgruntled road rage that stares at me in the face, rolling its eyes behind its head and going, ‘Um, really?’
This was exactly how I felt when I was at the edge of a 40’ waterfall somewhere in Hawaii some time ago.
A few dare devils had already jumped ahead of me and I just went, “This is WAY too high!” If you want to hear the full story, I talked about this this week.
What’s weird, though, is that I didn’t plan any of this at all! I went on this trip to just sit down, chill and yet ... this was what ended up happening.
And this keeps happening not even just on trips like these. Certain days totally just turned you upside down. You’d be doing your thing, and then maybe sometime in the afternoon, something happens. People got laid off, a project went sideways, an unexpected message popped into your inbox, etc.
Then when we finally had the chance to take a breather and sit down, we’re sitting there scratching our head going, “What was that all about?”
If you really think about it, this happens on a larger scale, too. I mean, this year totally screwed most of the world in the worst possible way. Even just 10 months ago, none of us had ANY idea of the scale of detour that we were all about to take.
Months of uncertainties later, we’re sitting here looking at each other thinking ... So what now?
How can we possibly go into 2021 with full force, AFTER knowing how badly things can really turn? And can we even look at planning our year—and everything we knew about making New Year's Resolutions (which never really work anyway)—the same exact way we’ve been doing it our entire life?
For me, there are at least several steps that you can take to make sure that the next year doesn’t royally repeat itself, catching us by surprise ... again!
I broke down everything you need to know about this topic this week on the podcast, including:
- The ONE thing you didn’t know you need to have in your planning (20:59).
- The playbook for 360-days worth of achievements you won’t regret (24:25).
- Creating (and reaching) record-breaking milestones without losing yourself (27:10) while gaining meaningful momentum.
- How to pre-learn anything, fast, before you ever need it (31:01).
Don't forget to hit FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE.
Back when I had to go into a big grey office building and clock in every day, I remember something very specific about the end of the year. It wasn’t so much the merriment of the end of the year (though that does come into play). It was that left and right, I'd notice different kinds of people show up.
Kind A: The ones that binge-consume simple pleasures
It’s really weird to see this because having lived in the US for some time now, I’ve become much more aware that people do December here like it’s their last day on earth. The gifts. The cards. The justification we make to inhale food that any other time of the year would be deemed totally awful for our health. And it’s like we suddenly realize there are 30-days left of the year and we’re going to totally make the most out of it. I’ve had totally sour people turn sweet for no reason at all, which is lovely to see. And I’ve even seen people make life changes in that short amount of time. I'm not saying that this is NOT the way to go. In fact, I've spent many Decembers happily being in this category.
At the same time, though, there’s another group of people on the opposite side of the spectrum.
Kind B: The ones that see this whole thing as guilty-pleasures
Over the years, you’d see why some people become just plain unpleasant during this time. Because everyone around them is so unbelievably happy, whether they’ve realized it or not, they’ve decided to give a different perspective. They’ve decided to be the complete opposite of that and hate on everything in their life. So for these guys, it might be that this month is the loneliest, most miserable time of the year. And they’d want nothing to do with it. Which may bother those who have decided to be happy in the next 30-days.
And yes, I must admit that I have also been a part of this group during certain, less-than-amazing years.
It’s interesting to see the two groups interact and talk about their approach about the next 30-days. It’s like watching two politicians argue about world peace. No one wins.
But then among all that noise, there’s the third group of people.
Kind C: The ones that shrug and slack.
For a long time, I’d think that these people are the smartest people. They’d look around the chaos and just say, “Eh … I’m just going to slack off in the next few weeks. Why bother working so hard? I’ll pick up the pace in January.”
And you’d see these people tune out and spend the rest of the year minding their own thing and not really chasing the rush of the pleasures, or even seeking happiness.
But then without everyone realizing it, they’d hit January HARD.
Interesting isn’t it how there are these different ways to seek, find, and in some cases NOT find happiness?
It’s like we get to see with binoculars what it truly means for each of us to be happy.
- Is it to seek simple pleasures?
- Is it to binge consume guilty pleasures?
- Is it to try to live by the old saying that happiness is all about the journey?
- And is it to allow ourselves the chance to prove that money does buy happiness?
Different people have different world views of what it means to be truly happy.
For me, whenever people say that money doesn’t buy you happiness, I do wonder if we accept this in theory, but still don't really believe it.
And I think that’s because we confuse ‘pleasures’ with ‘happiness’.
It’s likely that money DOES buy you happy moments, or in other words, simple things we find pleasurable. But I don’t know if money itself can buy you a lifetime of happiness.
You know, the kind that lasts for years and years. IF there is even such a thing.
And perhaps that’s where we got it all wrong. It’s like we’re looking to buy our dream house by trading in pennies. Sure, it can be done. But it’d be the most frustrating thing you’d ever do.
Which means that we’ve been relying on things that are not built to do the things we’re asking them to do.
Take a listen and see if you agree or disagree with what else we've uncovered about finding fulfillment with your work.
Be sure to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE before you start.
I remember years ago, I had gone back to my hometown to visit my family. They wanted to throw this huge party and feast to celebrate. It had been a long time since I saw my grade school friends and people that I knew.
Years, actually.
So when the time came for everyone to hang out, I was a bit embarrassed. I was super jet-lagged. The time difference was an ungodly 11 hours! So you can only imagine that by the time everyone was knocking on the door with huge bright smiles on their faces, I looked like I’ve pulled an all-nighter with a newborn.
Then there’s the case of me not remembering some friends’ names whom I haven’t seen in 20 something years! I pulled my mom to the side and asked her why she didn’t tell me who was coming. She just smiled.
Before I finished the huddle with my mom, a lady came up to me and said, “Thalia! It’s been years …”
She smiled and reached out for a handshake.
I stared at her for a few long seconds before suddenly realizing who it was. It was one of my teachers—Ms. Ani. I remembered her name.
And with her name, I remembered everything:
- The firm walk she’d take across the classroom to write notes on the board.
- The little tough-love things she did with her faces to show us that she’s disappointed.
- And even what she said when I took too long working on a problem and made the whole class miss recess, “Kid, you may not mind the consequences of your own actions. But you need to always mind the impact of your actions on other people”.
I remember her legacy.
And it took me seconds to remember it, even after decades of not seeing her or even hearing about her.
We have a clear choice every day:
- To do everything like we are part of a machine. OR
- To run the machine so that it can leave behind something we’re proud of.
When you feel exhausted because you have to go through the grind and put yourself out there all the time, I talk about are some questions you can ask yourself to find your north star again and get out of a rut and start living in ways that you're proud to be remembered by.
Listen to the podcast and FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE
One of my students came up to me once and asked me, “Thalia, how do you know when to go for the ask?”
Whether this is about asking for a job, or asking for someone to buy what you have--this is probably as tricky as protocols on asking someone to move in with you or deciding how not to offend the neighbor who has been WAY too loud at night.
It’s like walking on eggshells.
But does it have to be?
Because think of a time you just clicked with someone you just met. Or the time when you walked into a restaurant, knew exactly what to get, and smacked your lips as you tuck into your meal. Or even the time when you picked up a book and you were like, “OMG, this is exactly what I need right now!”
Being able to read anyone in a deeper way so that both sides share this amazing experience, especially when you own a business, is SO important.
And reading anyone is actually MUCH more than just about the things you’ve heard before: body language or even psychology—though they do play some role.
Those are just the tip of the iceberg.
On a deeper level, I dive into how to read other anyone and talk:
- 5 mistakes to avoid when you’re trying to read someone.
- How not to embarrass yourself when asking for what you want.
- Things that most charismatic leaders know about reading anyone.
- What reading someone else has to do with reading yourself.
- Ways you can read anyone TODAY.
- Signs that they are ready to move forward.
- And much more.
This is useful if you’re looking to get more business, get a new job, earn more, have better relationships, or just plain old do things that matter while being successful at it.
Listen to the episode and don't forget to FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE.
So my kids used to go to sleep kicking and crying. They’d throw a hissy fit for over an hour, and I’d try everything in my might not to make them even more upset—often with little success. Of course, this meant that I wasn’t sleeping much either.
Everyone hated it.
Then one day as I was driving my newborn to the store to grab something, I dozed off at the wheel for a couple of seconds. Luckily nothing happened. But it was a close call. So close that I realized,
Hang on a second. This is NOT good.
I was SO worried about upsetting them that I didn’t do what’s actually good for them: getting some shut-eye so that they can grow properly!
That was when I knew that this whole thing needs to stop. I put together a plan on how to encourage better sleep, and after some trial and errors—it worked! They slept. I slept.
AHH … the sweet sound of a full eight hours of sleep!
Turns out, my relationship with the internal monologue of ‘not wanting to upset’ them, was hurting not just me, but themselves!
It was a disservice for them.
If we’re completely honest, we’ve all done this with our work AND our business.
How many times have you avoided a difficult conversation because you didn’t want to feel like you’re pushing in?
I certainly have.
But instead of getting thanks from people for not sharing my offerings, sometimes I got some surprising responses that left my mouth wide open.
Here are other responses that other people have got as well in the past.
- “I felt mad. I really wanted it. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
- “How come you didn’t tell me? I wish that you would.”
- “I can’t believe I missed it. This would’ve been really great for me.”
- “I guess now I have to go back to that job that I hate and live the same st life”.
- “I’m so pied. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Weird, isn’t it? The reactions here are almost guttural. Probably no different than if your kids grew up hating you because you didn’t teach them certain things because, um … they kept fighting it?
And YET … they actually needed it.
So how can you convince someone that they need something that they didn’t yet know they need?
- Remember that what you have can actually change not just their day, or their year. It can change their LIFE. Years ago, I came to this country because my home country of Indonesia got too dangerous for me to live in (full story here). And when I found myself halfway around the world from everything I knew, speaking a language I didn’t know, with people who don’t look like me, it was bad. Find out what the worse part of it all.
- Accept that great leaders eat last. Find out how great leaders know how to stand by someone’s side and support them—with what you have to offer. This is especially true if you want to earn handsomely doing what you do.
- Find things that are actually worth a thousand words. You might just find that what you’ve been saying to them is NOT what rings true to them.
If you’re curious what other things you can say or do to convince them that they need what you’re offering, take a listen.
After all,
I believe in taking small and meaningful steps to create the biggest possible difference.
Take steps toward being your best, true self while still confidently convince other people of what you believe in.
Listen to the episode now and FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show.
You know what’s sometimes really weird about trying to find a solution to our problems?
Is that we tend to hear the same things over and over again. I felt this way once when I was really looking for ways that I could get more things done without simply adding more things to my day.
I realized that I wasn’t making time for important people in my life as I should.
It was really a wake-up call when my daughter said to me at dinner one day, “Mommy, why are you working all the time?” Truth be told, I was eating my spaghetti while thinking about the list of things that I still had to do when she said that. I wasn’t really paying attention to her chipper chatter about the 12th drawing she made this week.
And I knew it was a matter of time for her to notice.
Worse, I felt like I was only half-heartedly clocking in BOTH my work and parenting.
Which means that NEITHER of the two things get proper attention.
And yet, when I look for ways to get out of this cycle, I keep hearing people say things like:
- Do a checklist, a pros and cons list, and scratch them off. Are we building a grocery list or trying to create an impact in the world?
- Create a calendar, stick to it, and set reminders. Done that, and let’s face it—it never works.
- Always add value at every turn. But who’s got the time!?
- Wake up at 4:30 AM then meditate 3 times a day. Again … where can I find the time?
- Follow famous people’s morning routines. Yeah, you mean I need to buy a $40 coffee to get jazzed up? No, thanks.
To be fair, I’m not saying no to all of these. I believe they have a time and place. But to rely on them to create massive changes in our lives is a bit unrealistic.
Take the Value-Add advice you keep hearing. The exhausting thing about this is that no one answers how we can possibly have enough time to keep adding value?
Plus, when our focus is on adding, and not on taking things off of the shoulders of others (and our own)—we’ve already lost.
To time.
And in doing so, we’ve lost our own time.
Which is why I talk about finding ways to become invaluable, to get massive leaps, and make a big difference in this world—with small steps.
There are some ways that you can get more done TODAY even if you don’t always feel like it.
- Think in terms of legacies. Not lists. Yes, even when you’re looking at your day. Ask, what is the ONE thing you want to leave behind when you’re done with your day? And focus on that ONE thing. Of course it’s great if you get more things done. But if you think of some of the great public figures you follow, usually you know them for ONE memorable, impactful things. Not one hundred.
- Look for what can fly first. Then the figures will follow. Before I started my business, watching talented people give up on their dreams, as I always say, feels very much like watching your favorite character in a story die an unnecessary death. It’s painful to watch. Surprisingly, this tends to happen when you’re not finding small wins that can help you fly and you’re focusing instead on the figures. Part of living an extraordinarily meaningful life in ordinary ways is to lean on something totally underrated: momentum. Find ways to fly first, catch momentum, and other things will follow.
- Say no early and yes later. This is HUGE. People always think of opportunities in the context of getting to YES fast. Anyone who has had massive success know that this is not always the case. But when you intentionally say yes and no for the right reasons, you’ve gifted yourself hours and hours of time to do things your way. And do this once you’ve decided that it’s not for you. This will bring you peace of mind earlier and help you sleep better at night.
Listen to the episode and don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the video of a cougar who followed a hiker outdoors recently. But it’s been making the rounds among a lot of my friends who regularly spend time outside.
If you haven’t seen it, it basically shows how a cougar decided to follow a hiker because he had accidentally encountered one of her cubs. She followed him for a good six minutes while making sudden movements here and there to make sure the hiker is far enough from her babies—before she finally turned around.
Aside from the obvious fear of having this gorgeous and terrifying animal follow you around, the real questions are:
- What should you do if you’re faced with a high-stakes situation?
- Can both seemingly opposite sides mutually benefit from the encounter? And,
- How can you make the impossible seem possible?
Things can seem like a hopeless cause if you’re faced with an impossible decision—at work and in life.
And yet:
- Running for your life is not always the best answer. Cougar or otherwise, all experienced adventurers (and business owners) I’ve talked to, always talk about not making any sudden moves.
- Doing exactly what they’re doing and returning their moves can get you killed—literally and figuratively. And,
- Doing the hard things, like walking slowly and taking things minute by minute, is even harder when you’re faced with your fears.
I talked about this recently when Authority Magazine interviewed me to chat how to survive stressful situations.
If we’re honest, these are things that happen to us all the time—in big and small ways. It might be that:
- We had a busy week and you had to go into an important call or meeting that you had little or no time to prepare.
- We made a mistake and someone called us out on your mistake.
- We've done all we can but some haters still share scathing words about you and everything you’ve worked so hard on.
What WOULD you do then?
And I talk even more deeply on this episode about:
- The steps to take when you’re totally unprepared for something.
- The 3 things you need to think about when faced with opposition.
- Ways you can clear your head before you face your fears.
- How to find ways to survive impossibly difficult conversations on-the-go. And,
- Hidden ways to do things your way without ruining your chances.
Listen to the podcast for the full breakdown and be sure to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
Growth Solvers, I’m doing it. In the last BONUS episode #44, I touched on how I walked barefoot in Las Vegas. Today, I’ll share with you the full story. In this episode, you’ll get to find out:
- The behind-the-scenes of walking barefoot in Vegas
- What it taught me about creating a wealth of opportunities
- The challenge that can help you finish the year strong
Hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE before we dive in.
Today, you'll get to hear about:
4:01 The time I went on a business trip and hung out in my hotel room.
5:20 The time a well-known leader texted me on my personal phone.
6:15 The life-changing message that I didn’t expect to get.
7:20 The decision-making process that opened a wealth of opportunities.
8:00 What feeling like something is extremely out of reach will do if you believe it.
9:00 What I bring in my carry-on on work trips.
10:31 Why I took off my shoes and walked across Las Vegas.
11:05 How top performers throw a get-together.
12:35 Why I followed someone through the backside of a restaurant and ended up in a private insider gathering.
15:51 The opportunity that wouldn’t have come if I hadn’t had the courage to do the right thing.
17:55 What Russell Conwell meant by the concept of Acres of Diamonds and what it meant for you when you’re trying to create opportunities.
18:50 What we often forget about our situation and how we can turn weakness into strength.
19:41 How you can skyrocket your impact with what you have.
20:05 Why looking for opportunities is not enough, and why regeneration is important.
20:58 Why getting a mentor is so difficult and what to do about it.
22:23 Why the old networking way is not the best way to start getting big leaps.
23:35 The massively overrated advice about getting ahead that you should avoid.
24:50 What 2020 had done and how you can STILL own the year before it owns you.
25:35 The unspoken mindset that people overlook on their way to living courageously at work, in business, and in life.
26:34 The Good Grow Great podcast’s behind the scenes plan for the next few months.
27:35 What 2021 has in store for the Good Grow Great podcast and what you’ll get.
27:56 The 60-days of Growth challenge you won’t want to miss.
28:41 The resources that you can get so that your business runs for you.
29:07 How to find out the ways so that you don’t have to explain all the time to other people why they need you.
30:41 How NOT to get left behind while everyone around you becomes an overnight success.
31:25 How you can join the 60-day Grow Challenge.
33:35 How you can start planning for survival and thriving in 2021.
Don't forget to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE
I remember a time when I was in Las Vegas.
I was putting on my PJs when my phone dings. It was a text from a respectable leader whom I’ve been wanting to meet. The text read: “If you’re free, I’m having a private happy hour. Let me know if you want in!”
If you know me well, though, you know that I’m a total introvert. The only reason I was in Vegas was for business. I didn’t even get to go out much. And no, I definitely didn’t gamble.
That night, I was SO ready to chill on my comfy bed. And I was just not in the mood to go out.
But because everyone I know had said that this person is impossible to get a hold of, I decided to go. It might be my only chance.
I scrambled around for something nice to wear in my carry-on.
And I followed the directions she sent me to the restaurant. When I got there, there were no signs of her. I thought that I must’ve got lost. At that point, I decided to take off my heels and started walking barefoot. The granite floor felt icy. But I needed to let my feet breathe. People looked at me weird. But I can feel my feet blistering. So I just kept on walking.
Then I saw someone who looked like the manager. I asked him if he knew anything about this happy hour. He said, “Yes, of course. Come follow me.”
We took a long walk through the kitchen and I got a huge whiff of what smelled like spaghetti marinara soaked in butter. I definitely know what I’ll eat later!
Before I knew it, I was in this big room. Jazz was playing in the background.
The person I was supposed to meet saw me coming and waved her hands vigorously. “Hey! Thalia, right? Over here!”
I’ve never met her before. And we’ve only ever exchanged a few emails.
But the next hour or two was pure magic.
- She introduced me to all her friends. Even some big names that I’ve been admiring from afar for years. I remember everyone laughed a lot.
- The food was amazing. I think I downed close to 20 skewers of grilled food.
- The entire time I was thinking, “How did I end up here?”
I went home thinking about how much fun it was, which was weird because I didn’t do the typical Vegas stuff.
I’m just not that person.
The following months, I got a massive opportunity from someone I met through the person who invited me to the hang. All my friends thought it was crazy. No one believed that I had somehow got connected with her.
Personally, I was shocked by the whole thing, too.
But the thing that surprised me the most, is that I got the opportunity NOT because I know a guy who then knows a friend of a friend of this person’s sister. You know, because of all the typical ‘connection’ stuff people always rave about.
Quite the opposite, actually.
I emailed her.
BEFORE she knew me. Before she decided to invite me and gave me VIP access.
She had no idea who I was. When I told people I was going to try to get in touch with her, they all said, “Don’t bother … it’s a waste of time.”
Before we keep going, be sure to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
This year, the pandemic has really made us think about what actually IS worth our time. Meanwhile, you might even be feeling like there’s this mind-numbing sameness in your life.
Going through the motions, here are what some people have said recently:
- Nothing is working
“I was really excited about my business until the excitement wore off. Every day I trick my brain into working hard, but I let other aspects of life take up my time and haven’t been focusing enough. I can’t keep doing this. It’s tough to be consistent … literally nothing is working”.
- I just keep doing the same things over and over again
“I just can’t find the confidence and strength to put myself out there more. Somehow I'd prefer to do work that makes me want to kill myself over work that I love to do and is better paid. I ended up just sticking with what sucks, so that I didn’t have to talk to people … Why can’t we just pay someone to do everything. I don’t like the whole dress up every day and do it all over again. I just want to make money”.
- I don’t know what people will say
“If I can start working for myself, I will be so much happier with life. It doesn’t even make sense to go back to work. I think I’m just tired of working for someone else. But I don’t know what people will think of me if they see my email. What will they say? I don’t want people to know about it. I’m just not sure how to approach people if they don’t know me. I’d send them an email. I’d refreshed my inbox every day. Nothing. Then I follow up. Radio silence. And on and on it goes …”
Yes, reaching out to people for ANY reason at all, can be complicated. Let alone doing it so that you can find the right mentor, great clients, or get your dream job even.
For one, people’s lives and work patterns have changed, particularly now after COVID.
There are now new rules to getting someone to notice your work, especially if they’re busy.
And unless you do it right, you may end up seeing everyone left and right celebrating their success while you get further and further left behind.
But if you know:
- When to reach busy people so that they take notice,
- How to catch their attention without sounding like a broken record, and
- How to get a reply within 24-hours and save yourself from hours of follow-up hell,
THEN you will become unstoppable.
Work will feel like finally putting your feet up on your couch after a long day.
Before that, though, you can actually do a few small things that can give you BIG wins, like:
- Focusing first on when you say things, then on what to say. Think of it like if someone had asked you to move in on the first date. You’ll freak out. No, actually, you’ll probably run away first--as you should.
- Taking care of how you’re approaching them, then on how often. And yes, there’s a BIG difference between the two. I get asked so many times, “Thalia, how often should I follow up?” While the frequency matters, ways that you do it matter more. And,
- Finding ways to take non-values OFF their shoulders, instead of simply adding value. If I hear ONE more person out there saying that the key to success is to add value, I swear I’ll just turn on the news and voluntarily watch it on repeat for three straight days.
So what does this really look like, though, when it’s your turn to open up that blank document, and stare at the blinking cursor?
And how can you hit Send without that awful feeling that they would probably just scroll past your message or, worse, that they’d just dump what took you 40-minutes to write ... in the trash?
I talked about this in an article I wrote that went out to millions of readers of Entrepreneur Magazine this morning. You can see what they’re all reading today by clicking here.
You see, I’m passionate about standing by your side so that you can do whatever you want while things are running in the background AND while you’re doing what you love for people who need your help.
To make this possible, let’s have other things do the work for you, including your inbox.
If you want to learn more about the 5 new PRO rules for emailing a high-value person, while getting the recognition you deserve, and without having to feel like you’re dead-lifting for no reason, you can read more here.
Make sure to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
Today, I wanted to give you a Behind-the-scenes look at how that Entrepreneur Magazine article came into fruition. There were a couple of roadblocks that happened, and it nearly made the article just a dream.
So from today's episode, you'll take away:
- How to stand out among 100,000+ people.
- How to get a response within 24-hours and avoid the follow-up hamster wheel. And,
- How to create a win-win work relationship over email with someone you've never met before.
You can download ALL the details in my Ultimate Guide on Stopping the Scroll Problem Your Way by clicking here.
Let's get to it, Growth Solvers!
DON'T FORGET TO HIT FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE
Here are the links to your resources today:
- Read my Entrepreneur Magazine article on 5 New PRO Rules for Emailing a High-Value Person.
- Download the Ultimate Guide on Stopping the Scroll Problem Your Way
If you’ve known me for a long time, you know that I used to be super shy, quiet, and would avoid conversations that I know I needed to have.
I don’t know where this came from. It might’ve been the playground insults that happened whenever I tried to raise my hand and said something. Yeah, I was that little Asian kid who just stayed out of trouble most times.
In some ways this followed me to this day.
And it just made difficult conversations all the more difficult for me. You know, the ones you know you needed to have with your boss, your colleagues, your friends, family, or even your clients and employees.
And it wasn’t until I was well into my professional life do I truly realize what I’ve been missing out.
Turns out, difficult conversations are a wealth of opportunities, not obstacles.
It’s about being all ears and in turn discovering something that supports other people, which then somehow fills you up with relief or even gladness.
This opportunity of discovery comes in many shapes. But from what I can see, there are at least 3 types of difficult conversations that we need to know (and have), to create the massive impact that we wanted to make.
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Before we dive in, be sure to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
- Bearing bad news to someone you respect.
Ever been SO terrified of breaking bad news to someone you respect that you avoid them for as long as you can?
Years ago when I used to work in corporate America, I used to do this whenever something went sideways. Particularly if I had to share it with someone I admire, respect, or even fear. This often happens if a boss or anyone who has a high stake in you is watching.
It’s mortifying.
But here’s the weird part about it. Delaying the difficult conversation will make it WORSE. SO much worse. The few times I’ve put off sharing bad news, I regretted it.
Whenever there’s bad news that you have to share, share it as soon as possible.
- Being upfront with a peer.
You know, sometimes telling someone the truth is not always that simple.
In the past, I was surprised to find that someone who was quite close to me, would just refuse to tell me their thoughts. And I had to hear from other people MONTHS after I first learned that they had been talking behind my back.
And it could very well be that they never did confront the matter because they were afraid that I would look at them differently.
If you’ve ever felt this way about something or someone, there is this concept of Black Swan. The Black Swan is essentially a deep seated motivator and reason behind people’s actions—which former FBI Chris Voss talks about in his book.
I dived into this concept some more in this week’s podcast.
If you have to face difficult conversations with a peer or colleague, discovering their hidden motivator, which they themselves might not even know, is a HUGE service not just to them, but also to you.
And NOT trying to discover it, is actually a disservice to your relationship.
- Being all ears for the people around you.
It goes without saying that listening is something we all need to do more.
But what most people don’t talk about, is that sometimes, all there is left to do, is simply to listen, and NOT talk.
Particularly if you have people under your wings whom you’re in charge of. Sometimes the best way to support them is to be all ears.
I saw this happen right before my eyes recently when I went on an excursion with a guide. I had the BEST time ever. Hannah wasn’t only great at sharing her knowledge, she was also highly in tune with how everyone is feeling. She didn’t bulldoze everyone with her agenda.
She listened.
We felt safe.
And I gave her a big fat tip as a way to thank her for something only few people cared to do.
The secret, as it turns out, to success, has less to do with the hustle bravado mentality that’s being paraded out there. It’s more to do with who cares enough to raise their hands and have conversations that needed to happen.
This is true in business, and in life as well.
Tell me, what other types of difficult conversations out there should I add to this list?
DON’T FORGET TO HIT FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE
In this episode, you will take home:
- The three different types of conversations every successful people know to have.
- The people you will need to support to have these conversations. And,
- Ways to have these challenging conversations.
Here are the show notes to help you listen and get the most out of this episode:
- 3:43 Why difficult conversations are a place of opportunity to be impactful.
- 4:25 The skill that few have developed that are actually critical.
- 5:03 The source of some of my biggest professional milestones.
- 6:00 The part of the morning that most adults fear, that you didn’t know you also have.
- 6:45 What Tim Ferris, New York Times best-selling author, said about successful people.
- 7:45 Why you should have difficult conversations sooner rather than later.
- 8:06 The time I connected with someone I haven’t connected with a long time.
- 9:15 The real difference between having challenging conversations earlier rather than later.
- 10:29 The time that I messed up royally and I didn’t want to have a conversation that I should have.
- 12:02 What your mentors, boss, people you respect, would’ve done if you have difficult conversations with them sooner rather than later.
- 12:25 The secret to having a difficult conversation with someone you respect.
- 14:35 Why having difficult conversations with your peers or colleague is important.
- 16:34 The time I was on the receiving end of a difficult conversation that should’ve (but never did) happen.
- 19:09 What hostage negotiator for FBI and author of Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss said every person HAS to know before you walk into any difficult conversation.
- 20:16 The real reason why someone does things that you never expect or that you don’t understand.
- 23:09 What we tend to do in difficult conversations that we should avoid.
- 24:44 The conversation you shouldn’t overlook if you have employees, clients, or people looking up to you.
- 25:35 How to balance your work life, and taking care of people in your charge.
- 26:30 The time I felt so safe that any conflict or conversation is never impossible to bring up.
- 27:57 The type of environment you should create for people in your charge if you want to be great at what you do.
- 30:25 The one common thread across all difficult conversations, that you should not ignore if you want successful conversations.
Don’t forget to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
How many times have you heard people say to you, “work hard” or “hustle harder”? Plenty probably. But as your life changes, you might start to realize that those old rules are not something you can (or care to) keep up with. If you get to fast forward your life in 10-20 years, would you honestly want still be doing the grind?
So then the question now becomes, is it at all possible to still be super successful AND do things your way?
YES.
Turns out, though, it has little to do with the hustle, but more to do with your relationships—with yourself AND with others. And no, I’m not talking necessarily about your family or loved ones (though those are definitely important).
I want to look at hidden aspects of our lives that actually compound, affect your work, and matter more than you realize.
In today’s episode, you’ll learn:
- How top performers like Morgan Freeman differentiate themselves from the rest, as experienced during his VISA ads recording for the Olympics.
- The little known reasons why Mark Cuban became a billionaire.
- How to limit what you follow, watch, and listen to keep important things a priority.
- Ways to stay in control in a high-pressured or chaotic situation.
- How to have the right amount of social activities during social distancing.
- The proper attitude for creating a new personal and business relationship.
First, hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
In this episode, we’ll be talking to:
Andi Lew
Andi Lew is a best-selling author and a wellness and relationship expert. She’s been featured on Good Day New York, CBS Los Angeles, and the Today Show among many others. Andi talks the value of being upfront when going into a new relationship—personal or business, PLUS:
- 4:32 Why we should take control of our health and not just accept what’s given to us, including:
- 5:16 Why relationship with yourself should be a priority, even if it hasn’t been in the past.
- 6:20 How to have the right amount of social activities during social distancing.
- 7:03 What listening has anything to do with calming the chaos that’s happening outside.
- 10:20 The proper attitude for creating a new personal and business relationship.
Javier Mercedes
Javier Mercedes is an audio and video engineer and the creator of the Passion in Progress Podcast. He is an Adobe PRO expert and has worked with the likes of Mark Cuban, Shark Tank and Dallas Mavericks owner. Javier shares what Cuban did to him in the time that he was in the same room, including:
- 11:50 His experience of working on Jimmy Carter’s audiobook, Jason Bateman, Morgan Freeman, and Federal Reserve.
- 12:45 How the top performer like Morgan Freeman differentiate themselves from the rest, as experienced during his VISA Ads recording for the Olympics.
- 14:54 The fine line that top performers tread, that you can also emulate.
- 16:13 How to 2x your fee, up to hundreds of dollars, by not wasting other people’s time.
- 16:52 Little known reasons why Mark Cuban became a billionaire.
Anim Aweh
Anim Aweh is the founder of Aweh Supports, LLC and she specializes in helping people of color to overcome physical and mental health barriers and get out of depression and anxiety. She encourages people to have difficult yet important conversations. Anim gets on the podcast to chat about how you can get unstuck while working from home, and.
- 19:50 The sneaky ways that anxiety can affect you without you realizing it.
- 21:00 Why health is more important than ever to keep you charging towards success.
- 22:25 Why work-from-home isn’t always easier and how to stay mentally strong.
- 23:18 How movement and walks can really help you.
- 24:13 How to limit what you follow, watch, and listen to keep important things a priority.
Megan Rafuse
Megan Rafuse is the owner of the Shift Collab in Toronto, Canada and she is passionate about linking people who are looking to get unstuck with professionals who can help, training, and workshop that can get you the results you’re looking for. Megan sits down to talk about the value of treating yourself like you would your own best friend. And,
- 26:12 The compound effects that can change your business success for worse or better.
- 27:08 How to deal with a lot of unknowns, uncertainties, and how to get control back to your business.
- 28:02 How to deal with unprecedented stress, and frustration.
- 29:25 How to create a new normal that would work for you.
- 30:01 Ways to stay in control in a high-pressured or chaotic situation.
Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
Recently, I was given the opportunity to traverse through some river rapids. Before outdoor adventure became one of my favorite things to do, I thought there’s only ONE way to do it. As in, if you’re in the water, it’s just plain dangerous.
I had NO idea that there were levels of danger, and the corresponding skill sets you must have. It’s like the difference between cooking at home and cooking professionally.
There are a lot of in-between areas that few will explain to you.
Over the years, I’ve found that this is totally true if you want to earn more as well. There are a lot of people who give you what I call “front-door” advice. But not a lot of people will share with you the side-doors, the alternate routes, or hidden yet meaningful ways you can get to the same destination and beyond.
Which is why when it comes to passive income, it can get overwhelming to figure out how you can get beyond just your first year of making your idea a reality, particularly if the stuff you see out there just isn’t working for you.
Today's episode will focus on the side of side income that people often neglect, but shouldn't.
We will draw from multiple people's experiences. At the end of the episode, you'll learn a bunch of things, including:
- How to get to $2M in revenue by standing up for what you believe in.
- How to organically persuade people in your life to help you get what you want.
- Why starting the bar high is not always not the best way to start anything.
- Why you can still be miserable even if you get paid well.
Before we begin, be sure to hit FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
Today's guests, we have:
Brandy Lawson is a consultant who started her journey as a business major who, took a C++ computer programming class. After working in corporate America for 14 years, including in software companies, she finally took the leap and created Fiery FX, where she helped people with digital marketing channels. Brandy will talk about the value of making time for and prioritizing yourself. PLUS:
- 5:15 How to productively start creating a side income if you’re working from home.
- 6:14 Why carving out space for yourself and getting multiple pieces together helps.
- 7:10 Why trial and errors are necessary in getting rid of distractions and finally getting things done.
- 7:35 What ultimately kills your chances of getting things done and start your side income.
- 8:35 How to persuade people in your life to help you get what you want.
Jeanie Chang is the National Director of Self-Care and Wellness by National Association of Asian American Professionals. She started her career in journalism with the Associated Press, and she’s a mental health specialist for student organizations for Duke University and UNC among a few. Here, Jeanie Chang shares why getting paid well can STILL make you miserable and the lessons she's learned working with Associated Press, and:
- 11: 02 How to convince others, including your family, about a new career or path you want to take.
- 11:57 How you can still be miserable even if you get paid well and why it’s important to prioritize relationships, including with yourself.
- 13:23 Why sometimes it takes multiple attempts, degrees, and paths to finally figure out what you wanted to do.
- 14:10 Ways that your previous experiences and challenges can make your new path, new business, and side hustle stand out.
- 15:10 Why age shouldn’t be used as an excuse to not move forward.
Rhonda Smith is an award-winning psychotherapist, a graduate of the University of Southern California with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. She also holds a Masters of Social Welfare degree. Her advice has been featured in Oprah, Martha Stewart Weddings, US Weekly Magazine, BravoTV, Ebony Magazine, Teen Vogue and Glamour Magazine. Rhonda talks the value of understanding your own biological clock and what works for you on a daily basis so that you can do things on your own terms. Also, don't miss:
- 17:00 How to juggle pandemic parenting and deal with zoom fatigue.
- 19:02 How to take time away from technology and lean on quiet time.
- 19:20 Ways that stopping what you’re doing can actually level up your performance.
- 20:30 Why you tend to neglect habits that you know are good for you.
- 22:12 Why starting the bar high is not always not the best way to start anything.
Tyler King is the CEO of Less Annoying CRM. He founded his company with his brother and funded the startup entirely by themselves. They chose not to work with investors specifically so that they don’t have to make short-sighted decisions you often see in Wall Street. Tyler King chats about why sticking to what you believe in and saying no to what traditionally would be ‘home-run’ can be the best decision you’ll ever make, and:
- 24:05: Why it’s important to first figure out what’s important or you rather than the profit.
- 24:40: How to bootstrap and get your side income to be fully successful.
- 25:30 Why scaling as fast as possible isn’t always the best way to create a side income.
- 26:53 The unusual path to get $2+ Million revenue in your business.
Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE.
Today, I want to talk about some favorite books of mine that have changed my life.
I believe in investing in yourself in any way possible, including sitting down and reading from great minds in the world.
Besides, that’s how the greats did it—by learning from other people as well.
If you are hitting a ceiling and you feel a bit stuck, here are my top 3 books that created massive changes in the way I look at how to work, live, and run a business. Note: I don’t get paid from these, I just happen to love these books.
Before we dive in, hit the FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE button.
2:29 Where to start if you feel like you just can’t do it all.
When everyone is preaching to not care about what’s going on around you, one book taught a different philosophy, originated by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius: that it doesn’t matter how difficult the challenge might be.
There is always opportunity in an obstacle to rise and become better.
This book has changed my life in drastic ways, and I’ve shared this with Business Insider’s millions of readers here. This book that changed my life is called the Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday.
From this book, I’ve learned:
- How to not let your situation make decisions for you.
- How to overcome ANY challenge.
- How to use obstacles as a Launchpad, the idea of turning weakness into strength
7:24 The real reasons why we procrastinate
If you’ve ever procrastinated, felt guilty about it, and wondered how to battle it—you might want to think twice. One special book talks about how many original and creative ideas and inventions came about because the inventor waited until the very last minute.
Turns out, there’s a scientific reason for this. This is not a free-for-all invitation to never get anything done, of course.
On the contrary, it allows you to do things like eat something fatty for a change and kick back WHILE calibrating your next steps. Oh, and don’t forget to get back to it once you’re ready! Get all the juicy details of Originals by Adam Grant and:
- Why FAST is not always better (letting your brain percolate is a way to spark creativity).
- Why Original ideas usually come from a level of procrastination. And,
- Why it’s OK to postpone and not everything has the same degree of importance.
14:00 How to break records that you think was impossible to break.
The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler is a deep dive into what it takes to continue to break records and a study of why endurance athletes of all kinds seem to do the impossible.
I love this book because it gives us comfort in knowing that you only have to pick up pieces and clues left by success stories before you, to create your own massive success and surpass all expectations set by you AND those people who never believed that you can do it.
- The successes of your predecessors need to be celebrated, emulated, and improved upon.
- Records are meant to be broken.
- We’re not getting better and people are turning into super humans. We’ve just found better and better ways to do something. And it’s built upon previous successes, whether that’s yours or someone else’s.
19:41 How multiple trips to the hospital can show you a surprising fact about your work.
If you feel exhausted because you’ve run out of fuel, Essentialism by Greg McKeown, is the book for you. It’s about how VERY few things are actually that essential, and how you should focus on really just a few smart decisions that can make a big impact.
As you know, I teach this to all my students as well. It’s also the reason why I’m HUGE on encouraging you to take the smallest, most meaningful steps, to create the biggest difference possible (while staying sane)!
What you’ll learn in this book, is that:
- You don’t need to do everything. You only need to do a FEW important things.
- Most things, if you really look at it, are not essential.
- Why sustainable work is better than speedy work.
27:58 How a single piece of your work can be passed around from one generation to another.
You can learn this from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. OK, OK. This IS a kids’ book.
But there’s a reason why this simple story has lasted for generations and will likely continue.
What a beautiful reminder that:
- Something so small can change so many people’s lives and formed so many people’s outlook on life. And that,
- IF you do the right things and learn from the right people when building your business, your work will come back to you tenfold for YEARS to come.
Imagine doing that with your product, your service, your business, or even just your words!
Be sure to hit the FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE button.
Sources:
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Originals by Adam Grant
The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
I remember a time when I was sitting in a meeting with three other guys in suits in a room with grey concrete walls. The meeting was going on and on and everyone was starting to get fidgety. The door opened and in came the top dog’s secretary, who said that so and so was there to meet him. Five minutes later, she came back in to give him another note. Seven minutes go by, and again she came with yet another thing, this time waving her hand and pointing at her watch while looking at him urgently.
After the meeting wrapped, I asked this CEO, who started and grew a billion dollar company from scratch but still has his marriage intact, his kids away from drugs, and his employees raving about him, “You seemed busy. How do you do it all?”
He looked up at me and without missing a beat he said, “It’s simple. Focus on the small things”.
Wait. What do you mean?
There has GOT to be more to it!
He saw the disbelief in my face. And quickly added, “I know. Seems too easy. But simple things are actually harder to do. Because it requires that you rewrite things other people have made you believe.”
He’s right.
After years working with people and businesses of all kinds, I realized that masterpieces have one thing in common: They’re not about the grandiose actions.
They’re about creating a big difference with small, yet meaningful steps.
- Think of your favorite song. It’s probably not complicated or very long at all.
- Think of your favorite food. I’m willing to bet that it’s not a micro scallop served on an oversized plate with paprika sprinkled all over. And,
- Think of your favorite person. It’s likely someone you know and love, who makes you smile, laugh, cry, or even inspired. That’s all!
And yet, we’re taught that to be successful, everything needs to be giant, huge, and this big pie in the sky.
Why else is everyone in the world obsessed with follower counts?
You know how many followers most millionaires and billionaires that I personally know have on their social media accounts?
Around 100.
Yep.
What they’ve known all along, is that the small things matter ... BIG time!
- They know that a small knife can kill a big cow.
- They also realize that the sun, though powerful, is still a small speck in the big, dark space.
- Yet they know that this ‘small’ sun, can still wipe out darkness in a matter of seconds.
When light meets darkness, light always wins.
So how do you swim in the big ocean if you’re a small fish?
The secret, of course, is to find small, yet powerful things that can give you massive wins.
Here are some of my favorite “small” yet big levers:
-
Use the Rule of 3, NOT 13. Find the top 1-3 things that you see have given you massive progress, and make that your top priorities every day. Most of us have 10-20 things that we never finish each day that just makes us feel defeated at the end of the day. I talked about all things productivity, goals, and systemizing lists on this week’s podcast.
-
Double down on the few things that work, THEN delegate. If you find that exercising really gives you a boost at work, don’t skip it. If you learned that a 1-hour Netflix binge is all that you need to unwind, make that a priority. Yes, I said it! And THEN, apply the same principle with your work. Did you do something that make your buyers and clients happy? Do more of that.
-
Focus on ways to repeat wins, NOT redo. Life is a long So is your happiness and meaning. You don’t want to find yourself still grinding away in misery like it’s your first year doing this—five years from now. As you grow, be sure to work in time to create ways to make your days easier. That can be with a checklist, an automated system, or by growing your team and partnerships.
Business—should have a long life. Breathe life into it.
To make this possible, this time I want to dive into how you can get big wins with small changes, including how you look at your goals, how to put them together, and create a well-oiled system that helps you buy back time.
In this episode, you’ll take home:
- How to let the calendar do the heavy work and buy back time.
- The hybrid online/offline productivity approach that kills frustration.
- How leaving town/house/room can finally get you your goals and plans.
Growth solvers, FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE and join me in supporting you to live a meaningful life that you deserve! You GOT this.
Specifically:
5:04 How wanting to get away with computers can create an amazing business
5:24 Why home office is more important than you think.
7:04 Top mistakes and problems about working from home.
8:09 Why being productive is more than just getting organized.
8:40 The top 4 areas of your home office that you can’t ignore in order to be productive.
9:30 How to kill overwhelm and decided what is most important that can create massive wins.
10:07 What open floor plan and our mobile devices have anything to do with getting things done.
10:48 The life-changing power of paperless.
14:39 How to create systems that run for you, instead of you running for your business.
15:22 Why you fall off the wagon and how to prevent walking away from amazing systems you create.
16:54 How to keep a balance mindset for the shiny object syndrome.
18:27 How to get an all-in-one way to organize things and get things done, and what to do if you can’t have one thing organize everything.
19:35 Top mistakes to avoid if you want to stay productive.
20:52 How to pull massive levers on your progress by reviewing.
23:23 The secrets of adapting and adopting new ways to stay productive with a new lifestyle.
25:20 What personal time off and retreats can do to create massive changes in your life.
Learn more about Laura on Eliminate Chaos.
Growth solvers, don’t forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE!
I get a ton of questions lately about working from home and growing passive income.
What’s great is that I see a whole range of questions, like:
- Thalia, how do you stay motivated?
- How do I keep my kids from driving me insane?
- How am I supposed to set goals when I don’t know what’s going to happen?
- How can I possibly get everything done at home?
- What’s the best way to earn money on the side?
I love all these questions. It’s funny though, isn’t it? How we’re doing similar things we did pre-COVID and just going about in our lives, but because everything’s changed now, we’re much more aware of the things that we like and don’t like.
It’s like someone just plugged a speaker phone into all our activities and it screams back, “Hey, this is just NOT working!”
Everything feels bigger in smaller quarters.
And because of this, you may feel like things are just running on a loop and happiness is like a one-off privilege that you have to keep fighting for.
What I discover about work and business, though, is that they will likely suffer when you’re out of sorts, and definitely when you’re unhappy.
So how DO you stay sane, successful, AND happy at home while getting ahead and growing your business?
Spend a ton of time on the things that give you happiness and meaning, and a timed amount on the things that don’t.
The odd thing about working from home, is that no one ever talks about treating your day like there’s an external time-table that runs the whole show (even though life DOES keep moving on)!
It’s YOUR show. You get to decide.
Of course, there are things that are not always fun to do but needs to get done (like brushing your teeth and looking at how you did in your business). AND on the things that make you feel like you’re on vacation! Whether that’s one hour or one week on a particular goal, it’s your call.
Find ways to love the progress first, BEFORE you find the profit.
I think we’ve done ourselves a disservice whenever people throw around things like, “Love what you do, THEN you’ll be happy”.
First of all, I think this is super confusing. It makes us chase that momentary high that we associate with loving something. And it focuses on already loving or hating something, versus cultivating that appreciation for what you’re meant to do.
In reality, you won’t always love everything WHILE you’re at it.
For instance, I love my kids, but I honestly just don’t like what comes with parenting.
Love is not the same as like.
I love working out as a whole. But I don’t always like waking up to it.
So if you want to crush your work and business goals, or even earn more, find ways to make the long days … easier, lighter, or more fun.
Know that passive income IS possible, after targeted activity.
There’s a misconception being thrown around right now that passive income is … all just about sitting back in your PJs and watching things roll in.
Um … sorry, but that’s not (never has been and never will be) the case. And this misconception drives many entrepreneurs into misery, thinking, “Why is it not working?”
Yes, passive income is possible, but only AFTER you’ve put in the appropriate amount of activity, investment, and energy and time upfront. What this means is that if your income or business is still going nowhere, the things you’ve done upfront might need some tweaking.
This is true for both offline and online income.
I’ll talk about mistakes to avoid when you’re creating passive income streams in the upcoming months.
Before we keep going, be sure to not miss a beat and hit the FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE button.
Which is why today I want to bring you a whole range of experience from multiple women business owners who have found amazing ways to:
- Work from home while making authentic work relationships.
- Confidently be introverted and be OK with it.
- Successfully switch from a prestigious job and follow their calling.
- Master how to say no to the things they know is not good for them, and
- Crush the fear of having to be in the public eye.
Find out:
WORK-FROM-HOME STRATEGIES
7:18 How Jennifer Tamborski ended up working from home and why it took a lot of the pressure off.
7:59 How to grow a multiple 6-figure business even if you’re an introvert.
9:12 How to work from home as an introvert and parent for 14 years.
10:23 How to connect virtually with just about anyone from home.
11:01 What coffee has anything to do with growing with your business
Learn more about Jennifer Tamborski.
WAYS TO GETTING UNSTUCK
11:12 How Else Johnson overcome her shyness.
11:37 The internal dialog that made introversion work against you.
11:53 The coping mechanism that helps you get unstuck.
12:10 How being fully present gets you ahead.
12:58 Why introversion is a strength.
Learn more about Else Johnson.
HOW TO WIN YOUR TIME BACK
15:37 Why fully expressing yourself win you your time back.
17:00 Get massive wins carving out time to create ways to take care of yourself.
18:10 The real secrets of saying no to things that eat up your energy.
19:29 Creating criteria in your life so that you’re not getting pulled all over the place.
20:02 How to evaluate your relationships to protect your time, day, and sanity.
Learn more about Mong Sai.
WHY PRESTIGE DOESN’T EQUAL PROGRESS
21:24 How to decide whether to quit or to keep going.
21:46 The five value system you can use to make a decision.
22:00 Identifying when you’ve lived two conflicting lives.
22:43 How to be OK even if you’re facing obstacles.
23:15 How to use increments to balance when you’re consuming versus creating.
Learn more about Megan Brehman.
LIFE-CHANGING WAYS TO FACE YOUR FEARS
25:45 How to crush even your biggest challenge in your business.
26:20 How making other people seen and heard can change your life.
26:46 Major types of introversion you need to know.
27:18 What’s actually your greatest gift.
28:08 How to use your Achilles Heel to make massive changes.
Learn more about Rebecca Shaw.
Growth solvers, FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE and join me in supporting you to live a meaningful life that you deserve! You GOT this.
If you’re an introvert like me, I’m sure you’ve been in situations, a party, a giant conference, or a get-together, when you look at your best friend, or brother and sister, or colleague and mouthed from across the room, “Help me get out of this conversation! Please”.
Usually it has nothing to do with the people who were there.
It was just that you’re tapped out.
And the thought of a quiet night with your favorite book or show, sounds pretty sweet.
What’s interesting, though, is that even with COVID, one of my students told me recently: “It’s weird. I feel like we’re supposed to be doing less, meeting up with less people, and all. But how come it feels like I’m doing even more now and I’m talking to even MORE people these days!?”
It’s because even though we’re not actually around as many people as usual, we are STILL constantly having conversations.
Which means that one thing in your life is still totally crammed.
And that is your headspace.
I always look at this, and whatever it is that occupies your mind, to be almost like the ceiling height in your house.
If it’s too low and there’s not enough headspace, you’re constantly trying to look for a way out. Usually AFTER your neck and back are screaming: GET ME OUT!
The thing is, the more determined you are to get ahead in life and grow your business, usually the more noise there will be.
And with that, you’ll have even LESS time to yourself to do the things that really matter, like being with people you care about, or even just spending more time taking care of yourself.
It gets more and more difficult, to ‘get out’ of the noise.
But if you ARE able to close your ears to ‘conversations’ that you know is not good for you, all the ‘news’ that only distract you, or even the vocal few people in your life who doubted you ...
You will become unstoppable.
THIS is what I’ve seen sets apart the 1% from the 99%: the ability to have clarity, peace in knowing their direction, and graceful execution.
So then the question becomes, how DO you do this if you’re in a personal, work, or business relationship that is—challenging?
Or how do you do it if you’re on your own, especially during COVID-19?
And how do you bounce from all this?
Before we keep going, be sure to not miss a beat and hit the FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE button.
This week, we’re diving into this topic as I sit down with Wendy Sterling, a relationship and divorce expert.
It’s been a while since I take a hard look at how relationship affects life, business, and entrepreneurship. But the ‘not-so-secret’ secret is that we know that it definitely plays a HUGE part in our success.
This is true especially when we need to have difficult conversations with your client, boss, spouse, or even a family member.
“A person's success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” - Tim Ferris Growth Solvers, let’s take a listen as we find out:
- 5:43 How to get unstuck when worrying too much.
- 6:19 What intuition can actually tell you about your relationships
- 7:21 What the realization of the need to live for yourself look like.
- 7:43 What the difference between façade perfect family versus closed-doors reality can do to open up new possibilities.
- 8:40 How to leave a successful career if you are unhappy.
- 9:48 How to face the truth and have an extremely difficult conversation.
- 12:07 What followed a panic attack when a relationship goes awry.
- 12:57 How to read the signs of something going wrong in a relationship.
- 14:50 How to start having conversations you know need to happen sooner or later.
- 15:55 Why sometimes you can have an amazing communication at work, but are lagging behind in communicating with the people who are most important in your lives.
- 18:21 Why understanding yours and other people’s defense mechanism can help.
- 20:18 Why NOT ignoring your gut feeling is useful in your relationships, business, and work.
- 21:33 What to do if you’re trying NOT to burn any bridges and save a relationship.
- 23:24 How to give yourself a time limit to work on salvaging a broken relationship.
- 25:39 The real reason why you are still sometimes stuck in some things that are not good for you.
Growth solvers, FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE and join me in supporting you to live a meaningful life that you deserve!
You GOT this.
This past year, I’ve made a point to try a bunch of new things.
Because of COVID, my plans have changed from soaking in the stunning European alps to now … horseback riding.
I got a new four-legged friend. A horse named Princess.
I have to admit: before riding her, I was a mortified. I didn’t know what to expect. But after she galloped her way graciously while munching on grass (and ... farting), I burst out laughing.
I felt like I’ve known her for ages!
It’s funny though. Because just an hour before my hang time with the not-so-princess-like Princess, I just wanted to stick to what’s familiar and comfortable: my car.
Boy, how I would’ve missed out!
It got me thinking about all the things I had missed out on over the years.
While I’ve been blessed with many great successes, like recently celebrating our Good Grow Great podcast having listeners from 46+ countries worldwide, there were definitely some big screw-ups over the years.
Here are some of Thalia’s Epic Business Failures, in no particular order of magnitude:
Before we keep going, be sure to not miss a beat and hit the FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE button.
Listening to shiny object syndrome whistle blowers.
There’s a lot of people out there who will tell you that shiny object syndrome is what will bring DEATH to your business.
It’s like the world wants us to believe that we’re only capable of just one thing at a time—ALL the time.
And yet, we’re able to do things like driving while looking at multiple directions for safety before crossing an intersection, and we take notes while listening to something we’re interested in.
The thing is, while there’s definitely value in being consistent and sticking to bettering a few important things, shiny object syndrome is only a problem IF we don’t give our previous goals a realistic deadline.
Think about it. If we’re trying to learn how to ride a bike and only give ourselves 1-hour before we say: “Screw it, I’ll take a car instead”—then, yes, that’s a problem.
Because that deadline is unrealistic.
But if you’ve spent 5 years every day learning how to ride a bike and STILL can’t do it, isn’t it time to try something else?
The same applies at work and in business.
Go after all the shiny objects you want, as long as you have given your previous ideas and goals the time that they deserve.
Bending down to comparisons.
I remember a time when I was finalizing an agreement with a big company. The fee was in the upper 5-figures, which I thought was already decent compared to everything else out there.
But when everything is a done deal, they said, “Honestly, for you, we were prepared to give much more … like mid 6-figures.”
CRAP!
HOW did I miss this!?
Don’t repeat my mistake.
If you have something special to offer, big or small, be careful not to look around and compare yourself to others too much.
If you show up and serve in a remarkable way, you won’t need to.
Not lifting your market UP.
If you want to stand out in the sea of noise out there, there are really 2 things that your work must have:
- Standards: offerings you’re expected to provide, and
- Specialties: unexpected offerings that only you can provide to lift your industry, your market, your competitions, your clients and buyers—UP.
Most people only focus on one or the other. But top performers focus on BOTH.
- Michael Phelps is not just good at freestyle, he practices with his eyes closed.
- Oprah Winfrey doesn’t just host shows, she asks questions no one is willing to ask.
- Richard Branson doesn’t just create Virgin airline, he made the passenger experience unforgettable.
You’re not just around to do what everyone else is doing, you’re made to stand out in your own way.
Raise the bar. Lift other people UP.
THEN, the money will follow.
Delaying challenging conversations.
If you want to grow, challenging conversations is a real business skill you need to develop.
Whether that’s with a potential buyer, your boss, a partner, an employee, or a service-provider—it doesn’t matter.
It’s like avoiding an incline when climbing a mountain.
If you keep avoiding it and looking only for flat roads, you’ll never get to the peak.
Thankfully, though, challenging conversations is much like my experience horseback-riding: it’s not actually as uncomfortable as it sounds.
The sooner you do it, the easier it becomes.
Treating everything equally.
I’m Asian. Hard-work is in my blood.
But what my blessed parents never once taught me was that not all work is created equal. So for YEARS, I’d grind away doing everything and pushing the pedal HARD on everything that I do.
Big mistake.
You actually can get MUCH more done by focusing on a few important things BETTER.
Of course, what’s important will look different for every person.
It could be that what’s important for you right now, is to grow your audience and get more visibility in your social platforms—which admittedly for me, is something that I’ve been neglecting in the past.
So to serve you and make you HUGE, massive wins on social media, especially if you are heavily considering having a bigger online presence, today we will talk about how to grow your personal brand online using social media.
What you’ll take home from today’s episode:
- How to create 50 content/topic ideas for your audience.
- How to attract your ideal clients with consistency and engagement. And;
- How to comment like a PRO in a way that establishes long-term win-win and client relationships.
Start with hitting the FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE button to get a head start in all these takeaways!
Today’s guest is Benita Samuels, who had spearheaded the internationally acclaimed I <3 NY Campaign, and who had worked with brands like Disney, Nestle, and Playtex among a few. We sat down to chat about:
4:40 How the “I LOVE New York” Campaign lead Benita to new media, digital market, then social media.
6:50 How to decide which platform to focus on if you’re just starting out.
7:13 How focusing on LESS but better, IS better than doing MORE.
7:34 The biggest piece of advice you won’t want to miss when it comes to lining up your social media with your brand.
8:35 How to know whether you are showing up consistently enough.
10:25 What habits have anything to do with attracting your ideal audience.
10:53 The top things you need to know about what each platform does, and the real difference between Facebook and LinkedIn.
15:42 How to leave comments on your platforms in a way that attracts the right buyers for your business.
16:25 The actual impact of commenting v. sharing v. liking and what they mean to your audience growth.
19:05 Which platform has a 65% reach JUST by engaging with comments directly.
21:26 Why everyone has a depth of content that is worth sharing!
22:31 How to use what you already know and aligning it with what people want, to ultimately get you massive wins.
24:51 How to use the regenerative power of sharing what you already are doing, and sharing it with others.
27:00 How to create 50 different content ideas in a one sitting.
Learn more about Benita Samuels www.benitasamuels.com/free
Growth solvers, FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE and join me in supporting you to live a meaningful life that you deserve! You GOT this.