This Life of Brian: Recent Episodes
Brian Maucere
Hi, I'm Brian. I love telling stories and connecting the dots between my life lessons and how they might apply to business. Here are my stories in 2 minutes or less. My hope is you find some value in them and can bring these lessons into your own life.
I've talked a lot about opening our CrossFit gym, but did you know it was almost a donut shop? It's true. Listen for the full story.
Here's one of my favorite motivational creeds out there. It is from the Georgia Smoke Diver's Association.
Hey Peter, do you have those TPS reports?
Motivation is a funny thing in business.
Often when we have the full intent on doing something, we have no problem staying motivated.
But when someone else mentions it, we lose interest.
So how do we avoid demotivating employees?
By allowing the idea to remain with them.
Instead of saying, “Are you going to finish those TPS reports by lunch?”
Try “I always appreciate when you get reports in on time.”
Zero blame or accusations and replaced by praise and appreciation.
Listen in for some funny stories from my house and how I work around demotivation
Do you routinely undervalue your time?
Chances are, you do.
So how do you spend less and get paid more?
When I was a small business owner, I did all the jobs, big and small.
Because it was a business, I could figure out how much was coming in at the end of the month and how much I was getting paid hourly.
While I covered bills and had enough to get by, my guess is I was actually getting paid less than $5 an hour to own my own gym.
The problem was I never thought about the CBA of all the other things I needed to do to keep the doors open and grow.
I sucked time away from my family and my weekends just felt like another work day.
So learn from me and my mistakes.
Do a CBA not just in business, but in life.
Figure out what a new project or problem is actually going to cost you at your actual rate.
Then decide whether you should tackle it or someone else should.
You just may save yourself a lot of time AND money.
When things aren't working out and frustration sets in . . .
Break the cycle. 🪓
Walk away and allow yourself the chance to refocus.
In the video I talk about my video making process and how some days it doesn't go as planned.
After a few attempts to get the video recorded and either messing up or missing my 2 minute cut off, I recognize that the next 5 probably aren't going to get the job done either 😭
I used to keep grinding.
Now I walk away and give myself a break.
Even a 5 minute ⏰ break and change of pace can help me reset and get the job done.
Don't try to force the work.
Even if you get it done, it won't be your best.
Give yourself a break and come back stronger.
Are you ignoring the basics of your skill set?
If so, you could be heading for a ceiling in business.
We all like doing the flashy stuff.
And there is nothing wrong with wanting to get better at your craft.
But if you ignore the basic building blocks long enough, you will eventually hit a ceiling.
And then you have to make some uncomfortable decisions about how to rebuild.
Strive for virtuosity.
Whatever you do in business, strive to perform your common tasks uncommonly well.
"One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect."
So why do we constantly rate ourselves against an impossible goal?
Here are the things you can achieve that are more valuable than perfection:
😎 Happiness
❤ Love
👨👩👦👦 Work/Life Balance
👍 Approval when you look in the mirror
My career path has been anything but linear.
I used to think it was a black mark on my resume.
Now I see it as my true superpower 🦸♂️
This post is inspired by one from Jake Dunlap, CEO of Skaled Consulting. He listed all the jobs he has had in 24 years.
I started thinking about my nearly 30 year career and all the different jobs I have had.
They might seem all over, but truthfully, there has always been a common thread.
Experience.
I have worked in
✔Corporate climates
✔For governments
✔In war zones for the military
✔For small companies
✔For my own companies
✔In hospitality
✔And in sales
And all of these experiences have taught me how to communicate and interact with people from various professions and backgrounds.
I hope this post inspires someone to
"𝗕𝗲 𝗕𝗢𝗟𝗗.
𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘.
𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦"
Pick one idea and follow it through to completion.
This is what one of my old fire chief's yelled at us.
His point: Don't get paralysis by analysis.
𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:
You are sitting in a conference room or Zoom meeting and your team has been tasked with fixing an important problem for the company.
After an hour or two, your team has come up with 3 possible solutions.
None are sure winners, so the consensus is to start with idea no. 2
Before too long, confidence in that idea begins to show cracks and the team lead decides to abandon it for idea no. 1.
The situation repeats and each idea is revisited at least once.
The problem does eventually get fixed, but it takes much longer due to the constant pivoting.
This is paralysis by analysis and it can sink companies.
Not all ideas 💡 are good ones.
Some you will have to abandon pretty early.
But if you are going to pivot, be sure that you have seen that first idea through to its end so that you can remove it from the list of options.
This is where great leadership comes in.
Having a leader who can listen to the arguments, pick a direction, and go with it is crucial.
Even more so is sticking with an idea long enough to ensure it is or isn't working before the pivot.
I learned a valuable secret on Clubhouse recently
And I'm not trying to hide it below 3 rows of text.
It's simple. Treat humans as humans.
Yeah, I know it really isn't a secret.
But if I had to guess, you don't always follow it in business.
Spending time on Clubhouse ♣🏠 and here on LinkedIn has reminded me that we are all humans.
Regardless of title, rank, or perceived stature, we all are just people trying to live our lives. 🤼
I have had some amazing conversations on Clubhouse and most of the time I really don't know what the other person does unless I look at their bio.
And not knowing has been freeing because I act like myself vs whatever my brain starts telling me I should act like due to their title like CEO, VP, or top 100 business woman of the year.
When I just relax, have a great conversation, and provide value, it turns out fine.
And I have made business connections that I would have never made otherwise.
It is a great reminder that we all have a voice and we all belong. 💗
How many times have you seen a company back a cause only to have it backfire because they jumped on the bandwagon before actually doing some research?
That's what today's episode is all about.
But first is a funny story about how I became the poster child for the Save The 'Stache campaign in Iraq.
Under promise and over deliver.
Is it lying or a great business tactic?
I'm going with the latter for these reasons:
✔ You always get a built in buffer in case you need more time.
✔Surprise and delight. Your customer feels great getting something earlier than expected. Just think how you feel when an Amazon package arrives a day early.
✔ You are always early in the customer's eyes.
Now, sometimes over delivering can be more than you bargained for.
Gmail started as a side hustle at Google nearly 20 years ago. Today we know it as the largest email provider, but it started out small like most ideas.
If you are hustling, but it only brings you further away from a work/life balance, you might be going in reverse.
I think annual performance reviews are a relic of the past. They have no place in the modern work force.
Take it from me, don't try to wear all the hats in your business. Get help early and often to avoid burnout.
Nobody likes messing up, but it is inevitable. I've never met an infallible person. So why do we run away from admitting when it happens? Here's a story about when I messed up and turned the experience into a positive.
Don't forget to enjoy the moment. The really good ones are few and far between. Celebrate them always.
When I mess up, I share how and what I learned from it. This is my second Clubhouse confession. I'm sure there will be more.
A longer episode simply to thank those on LinkedIn and Clubhouse who helped me during my month of unemployment. I couldn't have done it without them.
Our bodies don't come pre-installed with enough pressure release valves. It is up to us to find ways to create and install them.
Mike Tyson said, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Sometimes you need to pivot and fast.
When I owned the gym, we would often have days where our athletes tried to get a new 1 rep max in weightlifting. It was always a fun day filled with cheers and hi fives. But the rule was: If you hit your 1RM, you are done. I explain my thinking in this episode.
Building a strong team at your company takes a lot of work. I have found that it is best to surround yourself with people who you would gladly ride a hot bus around town with simply to be together.
I've watched companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on data software only to find out their data was dirty way up stream. The tool couldn't fix that part. Sometimes training on the things that are maybe a little less sexy can reap huge benefits prior to buying a tool.
This is one of my favorite quotes from the book Anything You Want from Derek Sivers. In this episode, I talk about what lights you up and what is truly worth going after.
Nobody is giving out awards on your death bed for hardest worker. It is super easy to get caught up in the machoism of go go go, but at what cost? Working harder for the sake of saying you are working harder is dumb. Do it when it is required but don't forget what is truly important in life.
Greg Glassman is the former owner and founder of CrossFit. Over the years he has produced some of my favorite quotes about training and methodology. Today I discuss a quote about what is coming out of the hopper.
I'm not a coffee or hot tea drinker, so when I entered the Starbucks in Ramona, California in 2013, I had no idea what was about to happen.
My daughter recently got the card game, Totem. It is a super uplifting game with no winners or losers. We recently played and my totem was a consistent blackbird. I'll take it.
You never know where inspiration will come from. Today's episode is courtesy of Harley Davidson.
There are so many spaces and niches where big players and names are not known beyond those walls. But that shouldn't be a negative. There is room for everyone to become a really big fish in a small pond.
Being a firefighter is fun. You get to be totally reactionary and go help people. But being a firefighter in business can often mean you are running from fire to fire instead of setting a plan and following it.
When I walked into my first internship in '97, I dressed like I was still back at UGA. I misread the situation and got quickly reminded that I was in a professional setting and needed to dress the part.
In this episode I talk about the four training modalities and how we often neglect at least two of them.
My wife, Amanda, is a dietitian and she often says she is a study of 1. This episode explores the concept and how it might apply in business.
As adults we often get annoyed when kids can't sit still or have boundless energy. But there is something to be said for being more like a kid and mixing things up at work.
Sir Desmond Tutu, an anti-apartheid and human rights activist, once said that “There’s only one way to eat an elephant: a bit at a time.”
This episode is about those times when you get overwhelmed and how to deal with it.
When things aren't going your way and you can't seem to find your rhythm at work, don't be afraid to switch everything up. Frustrations are inevitable, but they don't have to ruin your week. There are ways to break the pattern. Identify it is happening first, then start trying new things.
Being able to read a room and know your audience is critical in business. Sometimes it is OK to push back and other times you need to bow out gracefully.
Have you ever taken out the trash and thought to yourself, "This is the 5th time in a row I've had to take it out?" Well then, this episode is for you.
I heard a quote recently discussing the difference between dumping and delegating. One of them causes extra headaches and work and the other does the opposite. Which one are you doing?
This was a quote I heard on Clubhouse recently by Gary V. It was in response to someone asking how they could grow their own audience and fill up their different Clubhouse rooms. "Be a contributor before being a host." This is great advice in Clubhouse but also in business.
At what point does it make sense to bring in an expert vs doing a job yourself? That is the theme of today's episode.
Have you ever listened back to a conversation you were having and realized you were actually performing a one-act play and forgot there were others on stage? Then this episode is for you.
Giving is not the same thing as losing. Just because you give away your help freely, does not mean you are losing something as well. But if you believe that to be true, it ends up being so. Helping really is the best gift to receive.
When you live well into your 80's, you have a knack for dropping truth bombs with no warning. This episode is about one of those times.
Have you heard about the experiment with the 5 monkeys in the cage? Well it is one of my favorite and a great reminder that we all need to reevaluate our processes, big or small. We have to be on the lookout for simply doing things one way because they always have been done that way. We are all monkeys, but we don't have to act like it.
Are you bad at accepting help? Do you have trouble enjoying big and small victories because you are already looking down the road a bit? This episode is for you.
When it comes to our insecurities, chances are others are not thinking of them too. That is unless you decide to stay it first to beat them to the punch. The problem is you are throwing a match on lighter fluid. It isn't a fire until you provide a spark. So don't. Those insecurities are in your head and probably pretty boring to others.
Music is vital to my life. Like nutrition and fitness, I consider music to be the third leg of the stool. It is necessary to keep me propped up during the day and focused on getting things done at work.
I was never a great test taker. My mind was always in the clouds thinking of big ideas and wondering how they might work. Thankfully, others saw my potential beyond my grades and gave me a chance to succeed. Now that I am a parent, I feel fortunate to know that grades are not everything. In fact, they are just one slice of a much larger pie.
Sometimes we don't realize how our negative attitude is affecting those around us, or even ourselves. This is a story about how I was confronted with my own poor attitude and what happened when I decided to change it.
We often want to discuss how we fixed a problem. If my wife has an issue, she is looking for a solution from me. While she might be polite, she probably isn't super interested in how I fixed the problem. The same goes for business. Start with the solution first. Then if asked, get into the weeds a bit. However, you may find that a simple, "Yes, [insert problem] was fixed boss. No worries." will do.
Today I'm celebrating my first 31 videos on LinkedIn as part of my series. And to celebrate, I'm letting you in on one of the more painful business stories of my life. I hope by sharing my story, you can be reminded that we are all going to mess up. But they are really only failures if we choose to stay knocked down. It took a while, but I got back up.
We have all been there. You get an email at work and for whatever reason, it triggers you. While it might feel good to send it out, you cannot go wrong with either delaying it or writing a ghost response and deleting it. Don't let your current emotions blow up the bridges you may need to cross later.
We often turn to our nutrition as a last resort when we are having trouble focusing or we are feeling stressed out. However, nutrition is one of the easiest and fastest changes you can make. Often times, a simple fix like drinking more water in the morning can help you feel more alert during the day. Instead of thinking about nutrition last. Try starting with it.
I've had my fair share of bad decisions. I found myself in the captain's office a lot as a rookie firefighter. But you grow and you learn and do your best to make better decisions. I
Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to survive. It may not be pretty. It may not be fast. Here's a life lesson I picked up in my freshman year of college. I still have nightmares about Dr. Best.
My '97 TJ may not move fast, but it gets me where I need and does it in style. Sometimes we may wish our coworkers would move a little faster or finish that project a bit faster. But if they are getting the job done and have their own style, why jump in?
When I owned a CrossFit gym, I'd joke with new members that ultimately they wanted to look better naked. But being a little vain is not such a bad thing in fitness or in business.
I gave up eating all added sugar several years ago. My choices at that point were limited. I was either going to be pre-diabetic or I need to confront my sugar addiction head on. This episode is about one of the greatest lessons I learned early on in my journey to leave sugar behind after 34 years.
The term "PIVOT" has been thrown around a lot these days. If you are imagining Ross yelling PIVOT on the stairs, you are not alone. But in this case, I'm talking about pivoting in life. Listen to what I tell 5th graders each year and see if you can relate.
The Rock is a nice guy, right? Was he always that nice? Probably. Perhaps. Truth is I don't know but I do know that being famous can make you act differently even when you are having a rough day. Maybe we can all pretend to be The Rock the next time we are having a tough day and need to fake it for a bit.
No, I didn't just lose my mind by making an 8 min episode. Be sure to listen to see how my daughter completely changed my post for today? And if you want to hear a very serious 5 year old talk about nutrition, keep listening past my intro.
Less is more when it comes to absorbing new concepts. If the point is to comprehend, keep it short. Keep it simple.
How does your role add to your organization's larger role?
When you get discouraged, just think about chopping salad.
Pain turned to rage turned to a smile all in 2.5 seconds. My journey from a**hole to neighbor and the lesson I learned.
3 simple words to hopefully help you jump start your day and week. Believe this and then go kick some butt today. I've got your back.
I have no greater respect than for our military men and women. So when a Gunnery Sergeant spoke, I listened up.
I learned the hard way not to ask follow up questions.
Have you ever had to make a decision without all the facts?
I have too many skills and it sometimes leads to failure. Before you think I'm being arrogant, see what I mean in this episode.
What happens when you eat, wear, and do the same thing for 15 months straight? I found out in Baghdad.
If all of your conversations and interactions were suddenly a business, would your customers happily pay for your services?
If you want to get a great start to your day, get up and move around a bit. Your body and brain will be energized and you will be able to focus more.
Being the only one alive in a plane is a scary and humbling position to be in. Here's what happened to me and what I learned from it.
My dad had an interesting take on how he measured success in business. For him, success meant watching those under you not only rise to your level, but to go beyond your own personal limits.
When I owned my gym, I started every class with exactly what I hoped to get out of the class for my athletes. If I wanted everyone to rotate around the gym in a certain way, I said it. If a few pieces of equipment like barbells or rowers needed to be shared, I made sure everyone knew how to get that done efficiently. Setting expectations early is key to having any system run efficiently. The same can be said for any business project, virtual meeting, or all hands call. If the person leading the charge can effectively set expectations, the entire process runs smoothly.
Today marks the 10 yr anniversary of opening the doors to my first business. I'm celebrating a bit by sharing some of the chances my wife and I took before and since that have shaped our lives.
What chances have you taken that ultimately changed the course of your career?
Sometimes the right way to teach a complex set of steps is to start at the end and work your way backwards.
In moments of crisis, it is easy to feel alone and allow your brain to fill with all the possible negative outcomes. That's when you lean on the "What Is's". See what I mean in this episode.
Sometimes the smallest words can have the biggest impact. Take the time to let those around your office (and virtually) know they are appreciated. It is easy to fall in the trap of believing they already know how you feel about them. Do it anyway. At worst you gave them a nice compliment. But on the flip side, you might have been the only person that day or week to do it.
"The checklist gets the dumb stuff out of the way, the routines your brain shouldn't have to occupy itself with." - Atul Gawande from The Checklist Manifesto
I love a good checklist and I find a well crafted one to be incredibly helpful with my everyday business tasks. The key though is to make them fairly simple and not weighed down with every single movement.
Sometimes being a fake is a good thing in business. Listen to see what I mean.
PS, I'm faking it right now ;-)
Welcome to This Life of Brian. I’m Brian Maucere and this micro-cast series is the audio companion to my LinkedIn daily video series. Each episode is less than 2 minutes and focused on connecting the dots between my own life lessons and how they might apply to bigger business lessons. My hope is these episodes make you think about your own experiences and inspire you make positive changes. If you want to connect, you can find me on LinkedIn @ LinkedIn.com/in/Brian-Maucere. You can also follow the hashtag #thislifeofbrian. That’s it. Enjoy the episodes.