Chiseled with Rob Commodari

Eric A. Clayton is a born storyteller. Writing fiction as a child, his grandmother would edit Eric's fantastical stories about elves and dragons, teaching him the skills of imaginary world-building.It is no wonder, then, that as an adult, Eric loves borrowing from the colorful St. Ignatius, who helped Eric find his spirituality as a writer, first for Catholic Relief Services and now as the deputy director of communications at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, here in Baltimore.As Eric explains in this week's podcast, St. Ignatius of Loyola was a soldier and minor noble who "was all about winning wars and wooing women" until he was hit by a cannonball during the Battle of Pamplona. The ordeal led him to put down his sword, become a pilgrim, and found the Jesuit order of priests."We're talking about these trajectory-changing instances in our lives," he said. "And they can be pretty brutal, pretty tragic and traumatic."Eric draws from the inspirational type of prayer that Ignatius taught the Jesuits to pursue — imaginative, contemplative, and most of all experiential."He's really big on getting out into the world," Eric said. "The Jesuits, founded in the mid 1500s, were different than other religious orders because they lived in the world. They didn't live in monasteries."The story of St. Ignatius' self-discovery is where the phrase Cannonball Moments, the title of Eric's second book, comes from."It's kind of a flippant term that folks use in the wider Ignatian community," he said.Aside from Cannonball Moments: Telling Your Story, Deepening Your Faith, Eric also has written My Life With the Jedi: The Spirituality of Star Wars. His third book, Finding Peace Here and Now: How Ignatian Spirituality Leads Us to Healing and Wholeness, is due out in 2025.Meanwhile, he also writes the award-winning weekly column, "Now Discern This," and has a Substack channel with some very entertaining headlines. It may be trite, Eric says, but for him writing is a form of prayer.Eric is not only a gifted writer — and you can learn more about his work on his website — but he is also an engaging conversationalist who will have you instantly tuned in when you listen to this week's episode of Chiseled. Enjoy.

It's funny. When I reflected on my conversation with Carol Foderick, this week's guest on Chiseled, I was amused that she is known as "the hardest working woman in realestate," yet she prioritizes her life outside the office.And then it made sense to me. Working hard at a career is one thing, but creating work-life balance is a whole other level of effort. As you will learn this week, Carol is the epitome of discovering the balance between leadershipand friendship, mothering and managing, and reflection and action. Carol started out in real estate working as a front deskreceptionist while finishing college. Now, her real estate group has 32 people and closes 354 transactions in a year. She has invested in recreational, rental, and multi-unit real estate, owns a renovation company and a staging company,and 90 percent of her business comes from repeat customers and direct referrals."It truly takes a community effort of a lot of like-minded individuals coming together," she said.Carol is also one of the Buffini White Hats, which, if you regularly listen to this program, you know is part of the elite coaching group I have been connected to for 25 years.  "I always tell people the first check that I write of the year is to my Buffini coach and for my Buffini system because they have gotten me here. They are going to be the absolute last thing I abandon," she said.That's a business decision. Personally, Carol is even more committed to her family. As a woman, it is a constant juggle to be successful in the workplace while also putting family first. But as she explains in a very poignant story, being the hardest working woman in real estate isn't going to make it on herepitaph."My tombstone is (not) going to say 'Ran a team of 32,'" she said.Carol has a lot on her plate, and being a fast talker with an entrepreneurial mindset she gives listeners a lot to digest this week. I am sure you will gain many valuable insights from her. You can connect with Carol at her email address:carol@carolfoderick.com

It's our 100th episode of Chiseled and I'm so excited to have Paul Hutchinson join me for this milestone. You may have heard of Paul, the executive producer and inspiration for the movie, The Sound of Freedom. Paul was living the high life building a multi-billion dollar company, Bridge Investment Group. He had a house with 10 bathrooms, seven fireplaces, three kitchens, and a closet larger than most people's apartments. A basketball court and a full-on DJ booth with light structures and a stage were set up in his basement.He was also on his way to his second divorce, his kids wouldn't talk to him, and he had lost his relationship with God.The parties every other weekend with NBA players and half-naked women kept him busy, but his soul wasn't fulfilled. However, his reputation as a flashy playboy with a disarming charm made him the kind of recruit that spy agencies look for.Paul turned down the CIA's overtures, but when he got a call from the attorney general asking him to insinuate himself into a child trafficking ring, the challenge motivated him to action.  "I didn't want to put my life in danger for some white-collar crime guys in Dubai, but when it came to kids, if there was something I could do to help, great," he said.Two days after a follow-up chat with a homeland security agent stationed in Cartagena, Paul was in Colombia making a deal to "purchase" young virgins."Then things became really real. I mean these guys knew who I was, and I realized the depth of darkness that they were engulfed in, and I realized how dangerous it really was, but I said to myself, 'If that was my child, if that 11-year-old was my daughter, I would take a bullet to get her out. I would give everything I have to destroy the lives of whoever tried to take her,'" he said.The successful mission saving a group of children from a sex trafficker profoundly moved Paul. But it still hadn't quite renewed his soul. That would take another two years engaging in some mind-bending experiences with the operators who helped him save so many lives."I had what I call an 'ego death' and that ego death was absolutely necessary for 'Paul Effing Hutchinson' to go away," he said. "That's what brought me back to God."Paul completed 70 missions in 15 countries during his 10 years undercover. He has earned the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the International Medal of Freedom. He has been knighted three times, earned 12 honorary doctorate degrees, is the founder of Child Liberation Foundation, and personally donates millions of dollars to rescue children from enslavement.As if his story needed any more drama, it has been brought to life on the big screen. The Sound of Freedom, starring Jim Caviezel and Eduardo Verástegui, who plays Paul's character is a must-watch. In fact, watching the film moved me to call Paul up and ask him to be my guest on this 100th episode of Chiseled. I could not be more honored, he agreed. When you hear Paul's story, when you hear how bad human trafficking still is, particularly in the United States, you won't believe that Paul could remain as humble as he is. But as he says, "a piece of coal doesn't become a diamond if it's just sitting out there in the sun. It's gotta go through some pressure, it's gotta go through some heat."You can learn more about Paul and the efforts to end human trafficking at Liberating- humanity.com, ChildLiberation.org, and the SoundofFreedombook.com. You can also follow him on his Instagram and Facebook pages.But first, hear him on this week's episode share some of his darkest nights and most dangerous missions. Afterward, let me know if you were able to get through this episode without crying. I wasn't.

Pastors Don and Ethel Rucker both heard the voice of God when they first laid eyes on each other. Meeting in a church — she was there because church was always her "safe haven" and he was there because he wanted to "appease" his sister — the word reached them as a whisper in their hearts acknowledging they had met their life partner.It wasn't long afterward that they married. But even though they were destined for each other, they admit the first three years of marriage were lousy."I had no positive role models on how to submit to men, how to respect them, how to honor them. What was that?" Pastor Ethel said."I didn't have any tools. And neither did he because his father walked away as well."But the glue they shared was commitment and faith."The turning point for us was that we realized this is not God's will. He did not bring us together for us to be miserable," Don said.The two set out investigating what they needed to build a strong marriage, and with God's help, developed 10 principles that laid the foundation for their union."If you look at your marriage as a business, you have towork that thing. That means there's got to be policies ... to govern that relationship," Don said. "It can failproof your relationship, the principles that God gave us."Now, 41 years married, Ethel and Don teach these principles in couples' workshops. They have also written a book about their journey, From Misery to Marital Bliss.That's not all they achieved. Through a program called "Reach One, Teach One, and Grow One," they are building on God's messages of transformation. In 2014, they founded the Christian Development Center in Montclair, California, and now feed and clothe 600 families monthly. They conductparenting and other educational classes and collaborate with local businesses to serve the greater San Bernadino County. They've even started down the path of investment to build affordable housing that can serve neighbors based ontheir income levels, rather than market value."(God) said, 'You will always have the poor. You will not always have me.' So, from Ethel and our perspective, what we're doing in the community is really doing what He would be doing if He was here," Don said.I met Ethel and Don through Kyle Wilson's Inner Circle group, and I am struck by their ministry and their amazing accomplishments. I do believe they are transforming behaviors and outcomes in the lives of many, helping to build the kingdom of God. You can learn more about them on their website, Facebook and Instagram. Meanwhile, I hope you click the button below to learn about their journey and enjoy this inspirational episode of Chiseled.

In this week's episode of Chiseled, I welcome Kyle Wilson to share his story. But he does much more than that. Kyle is one of the people helping to chisel me, and once you hear him, you are going to want him to do the same for you. A self-made entrepreneur who effectively made personal growth guru Jim Rohn into a household name, Kyle is the creator of his very own Inner Circle. If you know me, you know how important this impactful, loving, and growing group of people is to my life. Several are co-authors with me of the book Next Level Your Life, which Kyle published. Kyle rose from an aimless boy to the largest service station owner on his stretch of highway in small-town Texas. After hearing a "God whisper," he picked himself up and moved his family to Dallas. There, he went from being a seminar organizer making cold calls to a public speaker to a marketing strategist who persuaded Jim Rohn to become his exclusive client. From there, Kyle founded Jim Rohn International, where he partnered with Jim Rohn for 18 years. I don't want to get too deep here about what motivates Kyle. He shares some of his values in the podcast. Instead, I want to emphasize how this episode of Chiseled is a master class for business owners — or anyone who has a story to tell or a vision to live. This episode is so full of details on the HOW to succeed that you need to listen to every word. And when you're done, you're going to want more. Fortunately, Kyle has much, much more to offer. Here are just a few marketing tips Kyle shares in this week's episode: — How to empower your advocates to tell your story. — How to fish instead of hunt (meaning how to attract instead of pursue). — How to not seek assurance and instead bring overwhelming value. — How to select the one thing that will move the needle most in your journey. — How to avoid short-term distractions while on the pursuit of long-term success. — How to skip the marketing funnel and use a marketing wheel. The conversation is 50 minutes, but Kyle is so expansive and so abundant-minded that he's offering to give Chiseled listeners a box full of marketing tools for free. You just have to listen to the end of the podcast to hear all that he is giving away, including books, recordings, and access to his Inner Circle. He will explain HOW to claim it (Hint: the only rule is you have to mention Chiseled!). I'm so blessed by Kyle's generosity. He has been extremely impactful to my journey. I am thrilled that he has offered to share so much with my audience. You're going to love these insights so don't hesitate. Click the play button to listen to this week's Chiseled.

Jim Keyes has an outstanding resume. A former CEO of 7-Eleven and Blockbuster, former head of planning at Citgo, a pilot, a sculptor, and a published author, Keyes learned from a challenging childhood that curiosity is the key not merely to get through life, but to grab the reins and run with it.Jim's start wasn't easy. One of six kids, he grew up in a three-room shack with no running water in Grafton, Mass. Overwhelmed by it all, his mother walked out on the family when he was a child, and according to Jim, the family faced crisis after crisis. But these crises never deterred Jim from wanting to discover his place in the world."I didn't see myself as a victim, and said I will get through this and there's going to be another opportunity on the other side of this crisis, and there always was," he said.Born to a Baptist father and a Catholic mother, at an early age Jim was swept away by the "uniqueness" of the Catholic Church, despite its familiar lessons."I learned the Bible verse James 1:12, 'Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial,' and I kind of own that," he said.That verse would pop up in Jim's life repeatedly. But on the Christmas morning right after he was appointed CEO of 7-Eleven, Jim had a dream in which he successfully conquered three trials, and he knew that embodying change, confidence, and clarity would lead him wherever he wanted to go.Jim has taken his classical education and faith lessons and put them in a book called, Education is Freedom: The Future is in Your Hands. He has gone on an international speaking tour with the book, and with the help of social media giant Mr. Beast, has created scholarship opportunities for children around the world.Jim said that freedom has taught him to enjoy the richness of life and the beauty and peace of nature. But freedom can mean something different to everyone."Every day is literally a new adventure if you're open to it," he said.A self-avowed "space geek," Jim is also a lover of the Star Wars franchise, which "preaches" about "the antidote to darkness." So, if you understand Yoda-speak or want to tap into the words of Pope John Paul II, you're going to love the conversation on this week's podcast.You can learn more about James Keyes at his website, JamesWKeyes.com, or reach out to him on his Instagram. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this week's episode of Chiseled.

The "King of Sales," Jeffrey Gitomer, is the author of 17 bestselling books on sales and personal development, including How to Make Sales Forever and The Little Red Book of Selling. He is an icon in the personal growth and development industry so when he said he would cut out some of his time to record a podcast with me, I was all in. Having written 16 e-books and thousands of columns, blog posts, and articles in addition to his bestsellers, Jeffrey has produced a ton of content over the decades. His materials can help anyone become a better salesperson.  You still have got to do the work, and if you don't love what you do, using artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT, Microsoft's Co-Pilot, or X's Grok won't improve your mastery of your profession. It can't close a sale. That's going to be on you.  That's why Jeffrey created his own AI program out of the mass of materials that he has written.   "I created my own AI platform based on observing and realizing that ChatGPT is just a large hole," he said.  If you haven't tried AI yet, I can tell you, it is great for accessing information quickly. But you have to know what to ask it and you have to understand the answer that it gives back to you. And be forewarned: The answers may sound authentic, but they may be nonsensical. The programs even admit that the information may not be useful.  That's not the case with Jeffrey's AI program because he and his team input all of the information themselves. He even suggested it could come in handy right in the middle of a sales call. "The value of my AI Is you don't have to read my book anymore. Just ask me and I will tell you in 10 seconds or less," he said. "I will guarantee that it's accurate." Jeffrey said he gets asked all the time whether AI will replace salespeople in the future. Short answer, no. But the right platform may be what separates you from your competition.  With his Philly accent and accompanying charm, Jeffrey shares how AI can make you great at what you do — as long as you love what you do.  Want to check out more about Jeffrey or his program? You can get additional information on his website, gitomer.ai. Meantime, I hope you enjoy this week's episode of Chiseled.

I have a question for all the business owners out there: Is your 2025 business plan ready? It's nearly Christmas. You should be done with your list and checked it twice. Wherever you are in your plan, I want to give you and anyone else who is ready to wrap up 2024 a Christmas gift: a true story about faith and the cascade of abundance that comes with it. For Chiseled listeners in my Buffini and Company coaching group, you may already know this week's guest, Greg Chaplain. Raised Catholic in Massachusetts, Greg's family always had a relationship with God. Yet, it wasn't until he was 23, when he met a businessman at an Amway convention, that he accepted the Gospel and Christ as his savior. The commitment to walk in faith would guide him well over the next 35+ years. Fast forward 16 years to 2004, Greg was working in the wine industry as a regional leader with a $100 million budget at his fingertips. He managed his company through eight acquisitions, but after a final $1.6 billion deal, he was let go. For many people, losing a high-powered job at 39 years old with a new mortgage, a homemaker wife, and two children in private school would have been a terrifying blow. Not for Greg. He was calm and cool — so much so that a friend in his Christian fellowship expressed surprise by Greg's reticent response to this career broadside. "That was the moment that I went, 'Oh yeah, I really do have faith. It's a real thing. I can actually feel it. My heart's at peace. I am not worried. I know we're going to be fine,'" he said. While confidently interviewing for one of many corporate positions over the next three months, Greg started taking real estate classes on the side. The week that he passed his real estate exam, four hot job prospects, any of which could have been perfect for him, all dried up. The message was obvious. "I looked at the sky and said, 'Really? This is what you want me to do?'" he recounted. Greg joined a real estate company where he would hone his skills and empower himself to start his own team. In 2009, he opened the Real Estate Home Team in Norfolk, Virginia. The team kept hitting higher and higher peaks — until it fell apart. Undeterred, Greg rebooted, and his new team grew and grew — to more than 365 transactions a year. That's more than one a day!  Then the bottom fell out again.  I'll let Greg tell the rest of the story, but as his longtime friend and a true believer myself, I can tell you that Greg is my Rocky — it's not how hard he falls, it's how many times he gets back up. Greg's resiliency is a great story in faith. I am happy to share it with you this Christmas season and hope your holidays, whatever you celebrate, are meaningful and joyous. I can't wait to see and hear from you in 2025. By the way, if you want to talk to Greg about buying and selling in Norfolk, becoming an agent, or how your faith walk is going, he shares how to reach him at the end of this week's podcast. Happy listening.

Steven Cericola was a bit of a wild child. One of six siblings, he was labeled by classmates as the "guy most likely to be dead at 25." But even in his heady youth, he was athletic. He started swimming in the ocean at age 10. He was a competitive distance swimmer in high school. Eventually, Steve got serious about his life, attending Johns Hopkins University part-time to earn a degree in mechanical engineering, and settling down with his wife Robyn. So, it was quite ironic that he would have a near-death experience while swimming during a family vacation in Myrtle Beach, S.C. "I body-surfed in on one of the waves ... I heard all this screaming and commotion so when I turned around to see what was happening, the wave was crashing, was pretty much almost up to my face level," he said. "I was tumbling around in the wave like you were a load of laundry in a dryer." Steve was slammed into the ground with a force so hard, he thought he hit a rock. That's when he had an other-worldly experience. "I was face down in that water, in that warm, serene pocket for, it felt like a long time, that's all I can tell you. And then the next thing I know I felt like it was this kind of like a nudge, like a nudge like, 'You can't stay, you have to go,'" he said. Steve estimates he was under water for maybe a minute, but he doesn't know for sure. He does know that when he was about to let go of his remaining breath, his nephew pulled him to the surface. Steve was badly injured, his body radiating with severe nerve pain. Taken to the hospital, he had spinal surgery the next day followed by a long period of rehab. The arduous journey back to health has had its highs and lows, and Steve says he still feels residual pain and numbness. But one thing he is sure of — he was being protected that day. "I feel like sharing this story with people just to let them know there's something more out there," he said. "There's something way better than here. No one can convince me otherwise." Steve has been a friend of mine since high school. He has been blessed with a close family, a good career, and a deep faith. I am thankful he's still with us today, and I am grateful that he shared his story with me. If you want to talk to Steve about his experience, you can reach him on his Facebook or LinkedIn page. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy hearing his story on this week's episode of Chiseled.  

Eberhard Samlowski, a devout Christian and retired surgeon, knew before the doctors told him in 2022 that he had esophageal cancer. They suggested a three-part treatment — chemotherapy, radiation, and a risky surgery. Eberhard knew the odds were not good. He also had a trip scheduled to Saudi Arabia, a pilgrimage he had been waiting 30 years to take. He was headed to the concealed potential site that many locals and several archeological and biblical scholars believe is Mt. Sinai. The doctors told Eberhard that it was unwise for him to make the trek, and that he had a limited chance of survival without surgery. But as a man of faith and science, and with an irresistible zest for life, Eberhard wasn't about to abandon his dream. "They basically said that ... I was pointing a gun to my head, and they can't stop me, but they strongly advised against going. But I said I'm climbing Mt. Sinai," Eberhard, a former extreme athlete, said. "I wasn't willing to give up my lifestyle." Before he left, Eberhard investigated medical options that might increase the 5 percent odds the doctors gave him of survival. An Ivermectin and Fenbendazole cocktail later, Eberhard started healing even while on his journey. His lifelong devotion to God was also magnified and reaffirmed. "Everything has just been solidified in my mind that the Bible is actually true, that the things that are talked about in the Bible, including miracles, all happened, so I've just accepted all that," he said. Two and a half years later and having never had the esophagectomy, Eberhard has gone from thinking of himself as a "dead man walking" to planning for his future — even after a new diagnosis of kidney cancer. He is now teaching people not only about the convincing evidence of the Bible's literal truth but also alternative therapies that traditional Western medicine does not yet fully embrace. Are you interested in finding out how Eberhard is managing his cancer or want to learn more about the many ways God has intervened in his life? You can reach out to him on Facebook. He is also available at the email address he shares at the end of this week's episode of Chiseled. 

They say dynamite comes in small packages, and Alice Tang, all five feet of her, is full of spark. An immigrant from China, she arrived in the United States 30 years ago with her husband, who had been hired by a U.S. tech company. But with no work visa or her own, Alice started to languish. "I was truly struggling as a stay-at-home wife with no status to work here," said the self-described extrovert. "I didn't feel good about myself. My behavior wasn't good, and it impacted my relationship, my marriage." Alice, ever the problem-solver, asked her husband if the company would sponsor a family Green Card, which would enable her to work as well. The firm said yes, and Alice got a second chance. She registered in college and acclimated with others trying to launch a career for themselves. "It gave me the curiosity and the possibility," she said. "You forget about feeling pity for yourself." Flash forward to today: Alice has been a financial advisor for 23 years, working for the last 18 years with BPG Wealth Management in Portland, Oregon. She specializes in helping women find their "financial confidence" and self-esteem. "A lot of times women are told that we're not enough. Either we're told that or it's implied," she said. "My goal is to have people have confidence in their finances (so) that they are resilient, they don't need to worry." Alice, who says she's always been a Christian, but became a "woman of faith" after she entered the United States, said God is always there, ready to guide. That's where she gets her motivation to help others. "The goal is one woman at a time," she said. "We're in a ministry. It's not about money, it's about what is the ministry behind the work that you and I do." If you would like to contact Alice to discuss your financial situation or gain financial confidence, she shares her email address during the podcast. She can also be reached on LinkedIn. Meanwhile, enjoy this week's short, sweet, and explosive episode of Chiseled. 

When a cruel prank during a drunken rager turned into a stop in the local hospital psych ward, then-20-year-old Lindsey Hanson knew something had to change. Released to her parents' custody, she returned home and decided to start right then. "I looked (my mom) in the eye, and said 'I need help,'" Lindsey said. "I was ready." Rather than go to a program, Lindsey stayed home to detox in her parents' care, a decision that she said enabled her to start over. "I went through four weeks of detoxing, which was absolutely horrid, but on the other side of that is when I started to be able to start feeling human again and working on myself again." After 10 years teetotaling, Lindsey now occasionally indulges in a libation, not because she needs it, but because she has turned her experiences into a self-care program that relies on "intentional effortlessness." For Lindsey, that means a lot of therapy, journaling, gratitude, planning, and self-care, which includes a dedicated effort to focus on one's own behavior and decision-making, as she explains in the podcast. Lindsey has found that using an array of tools available, she is able to "make sure I'm regulating that temperature inside me" so that she doesn't overheat, relapse, or lose focus on the future. She says the routine will be different for everyone, and she can't make decisions for others, but she can empower people with the tools they need to make their own choices. "If you make a mistake your story is not over," she said. "It doesn't matter where you've been, who you've been. Grit and determination are the No. 1 things that make sure you never fail." Lindsey, former operations manager for "Legendary" Tommy Breedlove, is now helping others achieve their success through her podcast, “Productivity with Peace of Mind.” She is willing to help anyone who finds themselves struggling with behaviors they can't seem to control. For those who want to give her a buzz or seek out her assistance, feel free to email her at lindsey@dellamentedynamics.com. In the meantime, I encourage you to sit back and listen to her incredible story on this week's Chiseled.

The worst thing imaginable happened to Bob Arnold and his wife Jeanne in 2002. They were getting ready for bed and a coroner calls. Their 23-year-old daughter Marcie was found dead in her apartment nearly 500 miles away. Marcie, a vibrant young woman who was just getting established in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., was talking with a friend on the phone when the conversation went silent. She had suffered QT prolongation, sudden death from cardiac arrest, a rare occurrence that afflicts people with arrythmia, or irregular heartbeat. It is a tragedy that no parent should have to endure. But rather than get angry or go into denial, Bob and Jeanne chose another route to confront their suffering. "I knew one thing that had to happen in order to do that ... is to really be honest about what's going on," Bob said. "Trying to think of all the ways to try to rationalize this or deal with this, I knew none of those were reality." Bob started journaling. In the first three years after Marcie's death, he wrote 1,300 pages to help him "sort through the depths of despair" he was feeling. Those reflections turned into a book authored by Bob and Jeanne called When the Circle is Broken: Our Journey Through Deep Sorrow and Surprising Joy in the Loss of Our Daughter. The suffering also led Bob to ministry. The Arnolds now have a 70-acre farm in Western Maryland named Marcie's Meadow, which serves the ministry. They help people who are facing illness, death, divorce, or family difficulties find the joyous hand of God in their sorrow. "God doesn't take away the pain, but the pain continually became a healing agent," he said. "It (keeps) shaping and reforming and reforming, and in the process, we meet this compassionate and caring God." Bob's spirituality is evident in this week's episode of Chiseled. He tells a profound story of sorrow and joy and shares a path to healing that we can all follow.  Bob's ministry is available to anyone who needs a lift. He can be reached at his email or phone number, which he shares at the end of the episode. Meanwhile, you can check out his ministry at his website, meadow4.org.   

The doctor who let Paul Hunter know he had back of throat and neck cancer did not have much of a bedside manner. According to Paul, he came in and said, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this. You have cancer and your life is changed forever." Then he handed him a reference for an oncologist and sent him out the door.Paul could have let that curt diagnosis impact his reaction. But after he and his wife drove a bit, pulled over to pray, and then went home to be with their kids, they knew they were going to get through it.Paul moved forward with the monthslong "hell" of treatment, but he never let it get the better of him. In fact, he says a lot of joy came from it."Nobody wishes to go through suffering but there's good there," he said. "Throughout the process you recognize how unbelievably great people are."Paul, who is a devout Catholic and a very good friend of mine, said the experience brought him closer than ever to God. Part of the reason for that was the intense kindness he experienced from countless people, including many he barely knew."Humanity doesn't look so great a lot of times, but when something bad happens, people rally and they come to you and they lift you up and that it a phenomenal thing," he said.It's now a way of life for Paul, who is cancer-free. He is never short of giving a kindness to others suffering an affliction. He also encourages others to offer a gesture, even if feels awkward or nosy."People want to (help) because not only they want to do it for me, but it makes them feel good," he said. "It was a gift to them to say 'yes' so I let people help me."Paul has always had an attitude of gratitude, but if you really want to experience gratitude in action, I urge you to listen to this week's Chiseled podcast. Paul shares his email at the end in case you need help while going through a cancer diagnosis.

Many people who are treated for cancer follow a routine — home, treatment, work, home. Rinse and repeat. That was the case for Florida Atlantic University (FAU) baseball coach John McCormack when he was getting treatment for a neuroendocrine tumor — until one day when he could not get a ride home. John lost weight, had no energy, and was unable to drive a car during his cancer treatment. He was feeling useless, unengaged, and completely dependent on others. His wife, also an FAU employee, had been unable to pick him up that Friday in January when practice had been cut short due to rain. Drained of strength, John nonetheless responded to the team's call to offer some thoughts during its weekly post-practice workshop. John started talking and the players rallied around, reminding him why he was a coach. "I felt really good about it," he said of the discussion. "On the way home, I called my mom and said, 'Mom, I found my purpose again.'" Having worked with players since becoming a recruiter and assistant coach for FAU in 1991, and then FAU's head baseball coach in 2009, John remembered that his job is not only to teach fundamentals of America's favorite pastime, but also to help young men get through college and have a good life. "Baseball is the easy part," he said. "Life is the hard part." John's story is personal to me. I've known him since we were competitors on the diamond when I played for FAU and he played for nearby, what was then the College of Boca Raton, and is now Lynn University. We have been friends since our final year at school. We share the philosophy that whether in real estate or sports or something else, everything we do is relational, not transactional. John is extending his mentorship to Chiseled listeners. So, after you're done listening to this week's episode, if you're looking for more information about cancer treatment or if you have a talented athlete at home, feel free to reach out to John at FAU. He says if he can help, he will. You can find his information on the school's website.   

Real estate agents — and anyone who may be struggling with self-esteem — are really going to enjoy this week's guest on Chiseled. For years, Janell Schmittling seemingly had the tools to become a successful real estate agent — but she lacked the biggest one — self-esteem. Why? Perhaps due to a lack of support from her brokerage, a lot of spinning wheels without getting results, and a husband who was suffering from alcoholism, which she blamed on herself. "I was really struggling," she said. Dealing with her husband's addiction, trying to raise young children, and not closing enough deals, Janell debated whether to leave real estate altogether. But something changed that turned everything around. "When things finally started shifting for me was when I finally started praying for myself, instead of (my husband). And that might sound selfish, but I started praying to God that he would change how I reacted to him. And I asked God to change me instead of him," she said. "I started focusing on myself ... and then because I made changes in myself, that actually helped my husband hit his rock bottom and realize he needed help for himself. So, it was kind of amazing." That's also when Janell discovered Buffini and Company. After watching a series of Buffini success stories on the Internet, she jumped all in. That was more than eight years ago. Janell started learning the systems she needed to succeed, got a great coach, and started meeting like-minded individuals. "The people I surround myself are growth-minded and they know that we are always a work in progress," Janell said. Janell now runs an all-female real estate company in O'Fallon, Illinois. They sold 200 homes and achieved $50 million in sales last year. By the way, her husband has been sober for eight years. Janell still suffers bouts of self-doubt, but she knows now, as she describes in the clip above, that she's not alone. And neither are you. Janell is paying it forward, especially by hiring and training women to be the real estate success she has shown they can be. Want to talk to Janell about lifting your own self-esteem? You can reach her on her email, through her company website, or call her at the number she shares at the end of this week's episode of Chiseled.

Patrick Lewis started working at Superior Rigging and Erecting Company, his dad's place of employment, at the tender age of 10. By the time he was 16, he knew he wanted to own the company. By age 27, in 2001, Patrick and his partners bought it. You would think someone with that kind of focus and drive would be strutting his stuff, but Patrick, while appearing confident on the outside, was plagued by insecurity.Patrick was suffering an identity crisis. His need for approval prevented him from having meaningful connections because, he said, he worried that people would find out he's not that smart a guy."When you're constantly worried of what someone's thoughts are of what you're doing, how you look, do you have enough money, are you making the right decisions, everything in your mind is insecure. Every thought that creeps in is a doubt," he said. While having been a follower of Jesus his whole life, it was not until Patrick's mid-40s — with the help of NFL player Aaron Walker, a therapist, and lots of prayer — that he broke free of his imposter syndrome. That was the day that when God "verbally" spoke to him. But the conversation did not start quietly, as he describes in the clip above. "I started by talking to God," he said. "He talked back to me, and he let me know that he loved me."Since then, Patrick has not had a bad day since. He has established authentic relationships with family and friends, coached the Georgia Impact girls' softball team to a 2018 PGF National Championship and .883 winning percentage over 13 years, and was named one of the top five coaches in the nation. He also grew his company fourfold. Patrick attributes his success to the peace he has achieved in having a relationship with God. "Anybody that knew me during this whole journey would tell you that 'all Patrick ever wanted in his life was peace,' and that's all I ever have now."​I was one of the first people Patrick met at a Tommy Breedlove Legendary Mastermind event almost two years ago. I am fortunate since in the old days, Patrick confesses that he would never have joined one of those meetings for fear of being vulnerable. Now, he's out sharing the word.Want to learn more about Patrick's journey? You can DM him on Instagram or reach him through his company website.

Randy Wilson spent most of his life wondering what he was going to do with himself. An average student who wanted to play pro basketball but lacked the height, he debated entering the military before going to a hometown university and eventually dropping out. In his early 30s and pleased to be a chain retail store manager who could afford to raise his family, his life was upended when the company filed for bankruptcy and his store was shut down.Plagued by self-doubt and unequipped with the education or family support he needed, Randy started searching for some answers on what to do next. He ended up at the local library, where he picked up Robert Kiyosaki's book, Retire Young, Retire Rich. From there, he realized that financial education is key to a better life."I was mad at my dad for not teaching me. I thought he was holding it from me," Randy said. "What I realized was that the reason why he wasn't sharing with me is because he didn't know."Randy became a voracious reader, gaining financial literacy as well as inspiration through personal development. He is now paying it forward with his The Rich Mind podcast, helping others to discover what they can do to build their security, and better yet, regain control over their time.I met Randy while in Dallas, Texas, at a Kyle Wilson retreat. As many of you know, Kyle has helped me to build my brand and my personal development program. He has also helped Randy, who is a co-author of Think Big!, a great read about self-discovery and the power of a mentor. While Randy says he is still early on in his journey, the lessons of those who come before us teach us the value of perspective. The journey must start somewhere and it's usually with the desire to take control of our path. I hope Randy's story reinforces your belief that we are all better than we think. ​Want to hear more from Randy? You can tune into The Rich Mind podcast or go to randywilsononline.com. He is also available by email, which he shares at the end of this episode of Chiseled.

When you hear someone say Jesus was a hustler, you probably think that person doesn't like Jesus. But what if the disconnect isn't the name but the definition of a "hustler"? Erin Harrigan says that's the mistake most people make. The word "hustle" doesn't mean someone who's deceptive, aggressive, or pushy. To hustle actual means to do something with intention. "First of all, Jesus is never in a hurry," she said. "He was here to see his mission through." About 10 years ago, Erin decided to emulate the Jesus hustle. She left her corporate job to focus on molding herself in His image. After a few years, she heard the calling to help other Christian women align their business principles to the Bible. "I just really felt Him saying, 'Now that I've told you how to follow this map, go show my ambitious daughters how to do this," Erin told me. Since then, Erin has opened a business coaching program solely for Christian women. She has written the book, Pursuing Success God's Way; The Practical Guide to Hustle With Heart and hosts the podcast Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success as a Christian Woman. "I love teaching women how they can redefine hustle and experience a level of success and fulfillment without doing what I call business as usual," she said. Erin is extremely committed to her faith as well as her career, and you can tell by her enthusiasm and high-speed conversation that she is hustling. She offers a lot of wisdom and career advice, which I'm happy to be able to share with you on this week's episode of Chiseled. Want to learn more about the alignment of Christian ideals to business? Listen to this week's Chiseled and then check out Erin's website or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

When you hear someone say Jesus was a hustler, you probably think that person doesn't like Jesus. But what if the disconnect isn't the name but the definition of a hustler"? Erin Harrigan says that's the mistake most people make. The word "hustle" doesn't mean someone who's eceptive, aggressive, or pushy. To hustle actual means to do something with intention. "First of all, Jesus is never in a hurry," she said. "He was here to see his mission through." About 10 years ago, Erin decided to emulate the Jesus hustle. She left her corporate job to focus on molding herself in His image. After a few years, she heard the calling to help other Christian women align their business principles to the Bible. "I just really felt Him saying, 'Now that I've told you how to follow this map, go show my ambitious daughters how to do this," Erin told me. Since then, Erin has opened a business coaching program solely for Christian women. She has written the book, Pursuing Success God's Way; The Practical Guide to Hustle With Heart and hosts the podcast Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success as a Christian Woman. "I love teaching women how they can redefine hustle and experience a level of success and fulfillment without doing what I call business as usual," she said. Erin is extremely committed to her faith as well as her career, and you can tell by her enthusiasm and high-speed conversation that she is hustling. She offers a lot of wisdom and career advice, which I'm happy to be able to share with you on this week's episode of Chiseled. Want to learn more about the alignment of Christian ideals to business? Listen to this week's Chiseled and then check out Erin's website or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Baseball fans are in for a treat this week. I had the pleasure of interviewing Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer Mike Bordick, who shared stories about his experiences playing in the Major League for 14 years, lessons he took from the game, and thoughts on the role of sports in young people's lives. As a true lover of baseball, I was in heaven talking to Mike, who is very down-to-earth and charitable. Having never been drafted, Mike signed a minor league contract in 1986 before being called up to the Oakland Athletics in 1990. He signed with the O's in 1996 where he played for six seasons. He also played single seasons for the Mets and the Blue Jays. Mike has two World Series rings playing for the Mets and A's, but still calls Baltimore, where three of his six kids were born and his family still lives, home. Mike is very humble about his career and his success, which he considers a combination of hard work, luck, and circumstance. He also gives back in a big way. An ambassador for The Baseball Warehouse, he gives lessons and clinics to players and coaches. Mike is also chairman of League of Dreams, a Maryland nonprofit dedicated to providing special needs children and adults with the opportunity to play baseball and softball. "When I see a kid, you just never know what's in there, under that skin and heart," he said. On July 16, Mike will be at the Maryland School for the Blind, volunteering his time. If you want to help him out, learn more about Mike, or have him speak to your group, you can reach out to him at ⁠leagueofdreams.org⁠, ⁠thebaseballwarehouse.com⁠, and ⁠mikebordick14.com⁠. Meantime, tune into this week's Chiseled to hear Mike discuss his love of trash talk, how teammates recapped their games in the clubhouse, and why Bull Durham is his favorite movie. You will also hear from his biggest fan, his dog, Emmy, who shares some of the vocals in this week's podcast.

Katie Kiliszewski spent nearly half of her life battling an eating disorder that threatened to take everything from her. At a young age, she began obsessing over her weight, counting calories, and running. She was only 14 when she was diagnosed with anorexia. "I was so young when the eating disorder started, I didn't know what I was doing. It seemed like I was being healthy," she said. "I didn't know it then, but I know it now. I was in a lot of pain." In high school, Katie turned to alcohol to cope with the obsessive behavior. The cycle made for many dangerous situations, which led to hospitalizations and in-patient counseling on and off through her late 20s. Katie beat the eating disorder after hitting rock bottom and discovering that the "whys" in her life had become more powerful. "Every time I felt like I was getting ready to lose more and more and more. That's kind of how the (recovery) started," she said. On this week's episode of Chiseled, Katie shares her "comeback story," which includes a family that never gave up on her, a marriage to her best friend, two children, and running with renewed purpose. Katie recently ran an ultramarathon to raise money for a nonprofit she volunteers with that helps girls and young women overcome eating disorders. A future in public speaking is on the horizon. "I have the power to change someone's life so I guess my message would be if you have a story, share it," she said. Katie's story is not just gripping and emotional, it is also personal to me. She is the daughter of a good friend of mine and I am so happy how her story turned out. I am also proud of Katie and thrilled to see her turn her challenges into a calling. If you would like to talk to Katie about her experience or if you have questions about a young person struggling with an eating disorder, reach out to Katie by messaging her on her Instagram profile, @katiekili. I hope you enjoy this week's podcast.

When COVID-19 hit, Laura Di Franco immediately had to shut down her physical therapy business. She took that opportunity to focus on another project she had been working on since 2015 — Brave Healing Productions, a publishing company for health practitioners who use holistic approaches to physical healing. It was a leap of faith that Laura didn't mind taking because she already had a highly developed sense of awareness a tool that she uses to help entrepreneurs in health-based practices achieve their professional goals of sharing their story, building their business, and changing their world. "With awareness you have a choice, awareness is everything," she said. "Awareness is the practice of healing." Like everyone who experiences self-doubt, usually from listening to the little devil who sits on our shoulder, Laura is occasionally tinged with uncertainty about her next steps. But as someone who has published more than 67 collaborations and written 13 bestselling books on Amazon, Laura's perspective and guidance offer something valuable to everyone who listens. In this episode of Chiseled, Laura speaks about how to build a purpose-driven life, how to knock out fear and self-sabotage, and how to recognize when your discernment and intuition are working for you. There are times in our lives when we meet kindred spirits. Laura is one of those for me. She has one of the clearest senses of mission and purpose as I have ever seen, and her capacity to help people overcome their self-limiting thoughts is a gift on display in this week's podcast. Want to find out how to connect with Laura? You can reach out to her on her website LauraDiFranco.com or on LinkedIn. She is happy to talk about book ideas and publishing, or just to have a brain-picking session.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania-native Dan Armstrong was born with a cleft palate, a congenital abnormality during fetal development that leaves a hole in the roof of the mouth. While today this is frequently surgically fixed during infancy, Dan, 60, had a prosthesis put in his mouth to enable him to speak. As you can imagine, as a result of this condition, he was mercilessly bullied by neighborhood kids and classmates. While his parents always encouraged him to believe in himself, even featuring him as lead on a song recorded by his family's musical act, The Armstrong Family, Dan was angry — so angry that at age 10, he nearly killed a childhood friend for making fun of the way he spoke. "I remember putting my knee next to his head and pushing until I heard a crack. I remember hearing that crack and realizing I came this close to taking someone's life," he said. Dan knew he had to work on his anger, and channeled his energy into writing stories and songs, working on his speech and singing, and even acting in school plays. With guiding love from his parents and practice to build his throat, palate, and lung strength, Dan ended up touring and recording with a band. But he was also working a day job as a cable guy, which turned out to be an unexpected love. It enabled him to develop his affinity for connecting with people. "I'm like a rolling bartender. I walk into someone's house, and they immediately open up," he said. Dan turned many unbelievable stories from his career into a book, The Adventures of a Real-Life Cable Guy. Since its release, he has written or co-authored four more books with another on the way. He is also on the speaking circuit, turning his story into life lessons that others can follow. "Right now, I'm very passionate about what I do. When I speak to audiences, I swear I see people crying," he said. Dan is an overwhelmingly positive guy with a love of discovery, a genuine compassion for others, and a complete lack of judgment. His insights on the way to treat people are inspirational and ingenious. I'm sure you will enjoy his easy-going nature in this week's episode of Chiseled. Want to connect with Dan? You can check him out on his website, contact him on Facebook or listen to the end of the episode to hear him share his email address.    

You would never know it talking to mild-mannered Jamie Krakofsky that he grew up a hard partier in Ft. Lauderdale. Immersed in drugs, alcohol, women, and gang violence, he was thrown out of his dad's house at age 17. He tried living on his own but couldn't keep a job or an apartment. Exasperated, his mom challenged him to change his life. She put him on a plane to Bangor, Maine, with a bunch of camping gear and told him to hike the length of the 2,193-mile-long Appalachian Trail. Whatever he did, he was not to return to Florida. "She said, 'This is something that you need,'" Jamie recalled. But Jamie didn't realize how right his mom was until he reached the top of Mount Katahdin, the northern point of the Appalachian Trail, on his first day of the journey. "I just remember being up at the top of the mountain and just truly started having a conversation with God," Jamie said. The conversation lasted overnight and by time he was done with it, Jamie was feeling detoxed and refreshed. But he still had a long way to go. He didn't make it. Three and a half months into his adventure, he got injured. Obeying his mom's wish for him to keep out of Florida, he went to Colorado to stay with his mom's friends. The first week there, they decided to go camping. While up on Greenhorn Mountain, Jamie met his future wife, Bianca.  Together, the two of them forged a new path. Jamie went into the military but had to take a medical discharge after eight years. He started in real estate and succeeded beyond his imagination.  They also had three children — and they fostered 16 or 17 more. When their youngest child was 20 years old, the couple adopted a baby. "I'd like to think I've had an impact on a lot of people's lives," Jamie said. Jamie shared his incredible story in this week's episode of Chiseled. Usually, I am familiar with the facts of my guests' stories before they come on the show, but Jamie surprised me. I didn't know about all the parenting he has done, and I am truly inspired by the details he shared. If you're like me, his story will warm your heart and give you a spiritual lift. Want to talk to Jamie? You can find him anywhere on social media @jamie.krakofsky or go to the end of the episode to hear him share his phone number. Now, let's go get chiseled!  

At a tender age, Craig Moody moved with his family to a new town. His educator mother and a businessman father wanted the best for their son, but while going to stay with family friends during the transition, Craig felt unwelcome and unliked. Later, at school, he was bullied and had trouble making friends despite his best efforts. Flash forward two decades and Craig was still feeling uprooted. With no job prospects and trouble making fraternal and romantic relationships, a nasty look from a clerk in a grocery store pushed Craig to the brink. "I went home that night and just thought about that stare I got and was like 'I'm done,'" he said. And he nearly did himself in save for the beseeching voice of his father. As it turned out, however, Craig's dad was nowhere near the house. "It was God's voice," Craig said with certainty. "It was a defining moment in my life." From there, Craig decided to turn his life around. He joined a local church, connected with an old friend who never gave up on him, and jumped into personal growth, studying the works of John Maxwell and others. It wasn't long before Craig was flush — starting his own home restoration business, getting married, and having kids. He later started several other businesses and has gone from despondent "loser" to successful business coach. The co-author of the books Think Big and Next Level Your Life, in which, Craig tells a story about getting out of your own way and avoiding self-sabotage, lessons that we all need to learn some time in our lives. "I acknowledge the imposter in me. It creeps up and I don't let him in," he said. Craig's story may sound familiar to you; it even may sound like your own, and that's okay — because we all can learn from each other's versions of our own stories. I know after sharing my own stories with Craig, we will stay connected in the future. Want to talk to Craig? Look him up on craigmoody.co or reach out to him at the email address he shares at the end of this week's episode of Chiseled.

For Amy Somerville, life happens in the transitions. Amy was in the real estate business for 18 years with RE/MAX — as a realtor, broker, team leader, franchise consultant, and coach. She readily admits that throughout it all, she was not a public speaker.But after nearly two decades in business, Amy needed to help her young family transition to the next stage of their lives. She chose to "take one for the team” and begin a very public-facing position running the professional development department. Within two years, she transitioned from senior vice president at RE/MAX to an independent consultant to an employee with Buffini and Company, whom she lovingly describes as "monsters" in the high-end real estate coaching space (I agree).Just a year later, while attending a real estate conference in New York, she was approached by eXp Realty CEO Glenn Sanford, a fan of Jim Collins, whose Good to Great book series offers incredible organizational management principles. One of Colins' principles says you may not know your "what" or your "why," but you are better positioned to take a leap in business when you find your "who."Sanford, who owns Success Enterprises, which happens to publish Amy's favorite magazine, SUCCESS, told her that she may be his "who."And shortly thereafter she transitioned again, becoming the new CEO of Success Enterprises.“It's heavy to carry a brand that has such a reputation and such an impact on so many people, and me included, so it's wild," she said.With its reputation for excellence, Amy is energized by the challenge of carrying the 127-year-old media group to its next level — by pursuing her own mission to LIVE — lead, inspire, provide value, and empathize.With her energy, focus, faith, and fortitude, I have no doubt that SUCCESS is in good hands. I was honored to interview her and believe you will feel the positivity and intention in everything she says during this Chiseled podcast.Amy is a source of strength and inspiration, with which I am sure you will agree after listening to this week's episode. Want to contact Amy? Listen to the end to get her email address so you can give her a buzz.

Justin Breen was an enterprising journalist in a Midwest media market when his bosses started slashing staff salaries in 2017. With a wife and two young children, Justin knew it was time to take his next step.It wasn't nearly as challenging for Justin as you'd think it might be. Tapping into his visionary mindset, Justin reached out to his 5,000-plus social media fanbase. Just six weeks later, he had started a public relations company from scratch."Someone either can get back into a plane after another one's been shot down without a parachute or they make an excuse. At the highest level, there are no excuses. You just do it," he said of launching a new venture.From there, the sky was the limit for Justin. During COVID, Justin really started discovering that he could achieve success by living with gratitude, recognizing a higher power, and developing a great networking community. In 2022, he started his next company."That's when I went fully global," he said. "The trauma creates the triumph."Working with entrepreneurs, Justin has turned BrEpic Communications into a global PR firm and runs the exclusive connectivity platform BrEpic Network. His first book, Epic Business, was a bestseller in six countries and No. 1 for entrepreneurship in the U.S. He followed up with Epic Life, which teaches, as the subtitle says, "how to build collaborative global companies while putting your loved ones first."Justin has a lot on his mind and you can almost hear the wheels spinning in his brain in this clip from this week's Chiseled. He offers so many insights about visionary traits, you need to listen closely to unlock all the tips for discovering your true potential. I encourage you to buckle your seatbelt for this week's episode.​Want to talk to Justin? Find him on LinkedIn or his website.

I had a really fun time with Ken Walls, my guest on this week's episode of Chiseled, and I'm sure you will too. The author of the No. 1 bestselling book Walls of Wisdom, and creator of "Grow Live Academy," an online program that is part Mastermind part family, Ken has one of the most positive and energetic attitudes of anyone I've ever met. Growing up in a "poor family" with "a lot of violence, drugs and alcohol in the house," Ken was a successful entrepreneur from a young age, having started work at 8 years old. But by the time he was 34, his success could not keep him from hitting rock bottom. "I had no business trying to run a business of any kind in the state of mind that I was in constantly, which was drunken at all times," he said. When he finally surrendered, through the "grace of God" and a lot of Alcholics Anonymous meetings, Ken knew it was time to pay it forward. And so he did, setting out to help any person he could. "If you help enough other people get what they want out of life, you will have way more than you could ever possibly imagine having in your own life," he said. Ken has had incredible success in business, with perseverance, focus, and a little help from some of the biggest names in the fields of personal growth and sales. It's no surprise. He is energetic, positive, forceful, and so funny.  I'm certain you're going to be wound up listening to him and will leave this episode of Chiseled buzzing with motivation and ready to act. ​ Want to talk to Ken? You can reach him at kenwalls.com, kensbizcard.com, or on his podcast's website, BreakthroughWalls.tv.  

Will Heaven be boring? During a trip to the Grand Canyon a couple years ago, I looked out at the vastness of it all and thought, if this is Heaven, I can't wait. One step closer to the edge and I may have found it. But I'm not ready yet. I have a lot of life left in me, plus I really don't know what I'm going to do with myself when I get there. Apparently, I'm not the only one. Many years ago, D. Scott Smith's five-year-old son asked him a similar question. In fact, seems that a lot of people are wondering about the afterlife when they haven't yet figured out what to do with themselves right here on earth. Scott began pondering questions about time, space, and how we maneuver through them, and he came up with some amazing ideas about how to best live our lives in the moment. Scott noted that age matters. At five years old, time feels like it's moving six times more slowly than it does for an older person. So, when he tells his son, it will be an hour until dinner, it's no surprise his son starts questioning whether he is going to be bored in Heaven. But the questions don't stop as we age. "We're notoriously dissatisfied," he said. On this week's episode of Chiseled, Scott offers his "octodecim" or rule of 18. In short, we live through seasons of life, which are designed for growing, learning, establishing, reaping, and benefiting, not to mention enjoying a little bonus time at the very end. But in Scott's theory, most of us aren't living the experience appropriate for their octodecim and are instead spending too much time evaluating the past or anticipating the future. From the first minute of this week's episode of Chiseled, I'm certain you will be pleased with how you're spending your time. This was a fun, logical, metaphysical discussion (if such a thing is possible) and a great conversation no matter what age you are. Want to reach Scott? You can catch up with him on his website or follow him on YouTube, LinkedIn, or X (Twitter). Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this week's Chiseled.

When Chad Kneller was in his 20s, he “was all about sex, drugs, and rock and roll.” Laser-focused on being a singer in a rock band, Kneller figured life ends at age 27, just as it did for a host of famous musicians who burned hot and died young. Through the lens of that existentialism, Chad drank too much, partied too hard, and ignored basic rules of society. Eventually, the warrants piled up and Chad found himself doing a couple two-week stints in jail. During one of those sojourns, he picked up a Bible and read it cover to cover. He then approached the prison minister. “I said, ‘Hey, I got some questions,' and he didn't know I have three hours' worth of questions. He answered them all. And that was the beginning of a new life for me,” he said. Upon his release, Chad returned to his new girlfriend and the two set upon a path of finding their future together. A marriage, two military stints, and three kids later, Chad and his wife are now serial entrepreneurs. Chad has also published a book called Finding Happy, which seeks to help people, especially young people, get beyond the intensity of their emotions and gain context to get through the most difficult seasons of their lives. “I feel like if someone would have given me a book like that when I was in my early 20s I could have saved a whole lot of time. I wouldn't have wasted almost a decade after that.” Finding Happy has received great reviews and Chad says he's even been told it saved one person's life, a true win if ever there was one. It was a pleasure talking to Chad and I know his chiseling is going to continue to help others. If you want to reach Chad, his email is findinghappy1@gmail.com or you can check him out on all his social media channels @chadkneller or on his website.

Many of you have been listening to Chiseled since I started podcasting in 2021. I love interviewing new people and hearing what they have to say. I hope you have found some useful insights from my guests on personal and professional growth. Most of all, I hope the podcast has entertained you. Turns out podcasting has brought me closer to an already strong band of brothers. In this week's Chiseled, I talk to four of my buddies in real estate who also have a taste for the mic and have launched their own shows. We're not making a lot of money from these labors of love, but the return on investment has been enormous. Not only have we found our voices, but we've learned several profound lessons.   "Your compensation is directly impacted to how well you serve people and how many people you serve," said Louisville, Kentucky's Mike Gandolfo, who co-hosts the Horse Racing Happy Hour. "If I can help other people win, I'm winning," said Brad Noll, who explains how to become a great communicator.   The five of us had several laughs discussing our adventures in podcasting. Hopefully, the conversation will make you laugh too and perhaps even help you eliminate any hesitation that may be holding you back from pursuing a creative outlet of your own.   Interested in checking out my friends' podcasts? You can find them here: The Horse Racing Happy Hour hosted by Mike Gandolfo. Student of the Game hosted by Brad Noll. Inspire Campfire hosted by Scott Wurtzbacher. The Karl Miller Show hosted by Karl Miller. Meantime, enjoy the five guys (not the burger joint) on this week's episode of Chiseled.

Real estate agent Garrett Maroon has never made a cold call, hosted an open house, or bought a lead. He started in real estate in 2014 with just 40 people in his referral database and has since built a business on relationships and referrals only, doing very well selling 550 homes in under nine years. But about seven years after starting his career, Garrett felt that he was dancing around a subject he really wanted to discuss — his faith. So the Newport News, Virginia-based agent began talking about it with other realtors and even clients, and found that connecting his faith to his work could be wildly successful. Garrett turned his faith into a successful business model. He operates the "Faithful Agent," a real estate business and a coaching company of the same name. He hosts a podcast with his buddy Tyler Wilson, runs a large Facebook community, and last year began holding faith-based business conferences for agents. He is also publishing a book on his faithful agent strategy. "We want to be a place ... where a Christian can say, 'I need to get trained in my business but I want it to come from someone who has the same mentality as I do with this eternal perspective, with Christ in mind,'" he said.   Garrett told me that he wants to make sure that people understand he's not using his faith to try to make a buck. "At the end of the day, for me, as a Christian, my job is to first and foremost honor the Lord." I recorded my interview with Garrett a while back. He is a fast-talker and extremely animated about his goals, which he is rapidly achieving. I firmly believe that Garrett, a husband and father of four young children, is going to have great success in his endeavors, and after you hear this week's episode of Chiseled, you will too.    Interested in learning more about Garrett? You can check out his website or email him at garrett@faithfulagent.com.   #faithfulagent #faithbasedagent #chiseled #Christinmind #awareness #Christian

If you know anything about me, you know I love words. I'm an avid reader, a public speaker, and a burgeoning author. My book, Better Than You Think, is a study of some of my favorite words and how they shape us and our relationships. I am not alone in this love of language, which is why I really enjoyed my interview with Kevin Eastman for this week's episode of Chiseled. Eastman is the former assistant coach of the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics. He is also the former assistant coach and vice president of operations for the L.A. Clippers. He has worked with the likes of Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Paul Pierce, and many others. You may know Kevin as the Amazon best-selling author of Why the Best Are the Best: 25 Powerful Words That Impact, Inspire, and Define Champions. This was one of my favorite reads over the last year. In this week's podcast, Kevin describes some of the words that motivate him, among them "truth" and "preparation." He offers great insight into the meaning of "humility" and "curiosity." These words are just a few of the many that champion athletes internalize and live by. They are also guideposts for us to use to live with purpose. Kevin packs a ton of incredible insights into our fast-paced discussion. This episode is dripping with remarkable stories of how successful athletes, coaches, and others learn and succeed. It's no accident that he found so many of the people he interviewed use the same vocabulary repeatedly. I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to interview Kevin and I really appreciate all he shared. As a professional speaker, Kevin can be booked at kevineastman.net. You can also discover more great bits of wisdom from Kevin on his X (Twitter) handle, @kevineastman.   #chiseled #powerfulwords #whythebestarethebest #champions #awareness

"I do not fit into a box. I'm certainly not a typical attorney." Brandy Wilson Edwards was experiencing hardcore burnout. Working as an attorney for many years, she wondered where her passion went. She loved speaking, writing, and helping people live better lives, all activities she did as an attorney. But it wasn't fueling her own sense of fulfillment.   So Brandy took a "pause" to figure out what drove her happiness. She realized that she didn't have to choose between professional and personal goals. She could have it all — if she knew how to pursue it.   Now working as a motivational speaker, author, yoga and mindfulness instructor — and attorney, Brandy turned her passion for personal wellbeing into a mission to empower the legal community and other professionals to become zealous advocates for themselves, not just their clients. You could say it's not even work at all for Brandy. "I turned burnout into a blessing," she said. In his week's episode of Chiseled, Brandy shares the difference between contentment and complacency, and gifts and skills, and shares how to "PAUSE," her five step method for setting priorities, taking action, understanding the consequences of your choices, self-care, and existing with intention to "live with more courage and less regret." Brandy is a bundle of energy and I can see why sitting at a desk is not the greatest use of her talents. I am blessed to have met her and look forward to seeing what she does next to craft memorable messages and spread her contagious spirit.   Interested in hearing more from Brandy? You can take a look at her website or email her at brandy@brandywilsonedwards.com.

This week's episode of Chiseled is intense. If you're exploring your faith or are hard-core religious — whatever your religion — Rob Foy has some deep thoughts about having a "real" relationship with God. Rob is a long-time friend of mine and a real estate agent in central Maryland. He grew up in an Irish Catholic household, but his family stopped attending weekly services around the time he was nine. Flash forward 20+ years, and Rob and his brother found themselves one weekend abandoning a golf vacation in Myrtle Beach with a bunch of their buddies to check out rumors of Virgin Mary sightings in Conyers, Georgia. It changed his life. "So much grace was put on me at once that I didn't know which way to go," Rob said of the experience.   The event, which he describes in detail on this week's show, triggered a spiritual journey that has taken many ups and downs, including an incredible physical challenge that he explains in this episode. But through it all, Rob persisted, and has reached a level of faith that few of us can imagine. This week's episode of Chiseled isn't just for the Catholics among us. It's for anyone who wants to hear another person's spiritual awakening and the incredible impacts that it has had on his life. Rob is extremely knowledgeable about his faith and discusses it in emotional and intellectual terms that you will find deeply engaging. I promise, you're going to be intrigued by this week's episode of Chiseled. It may even inspire you to explore your own relationship with God. If you do, Rob's happy to discuss your journey with you. You can reach him at robfoy3@me.com. Or if you want to reach out to me, I am curious to hear what you think.  

One day business and health coach Kelli Calabrese thought she had the perfect life — a successful career, a beautiful home, a 25-year marriage, and two great kids. But the next day, her husband came home and told her the marriage was over. He walked out, filed for divorce, and soon after married someone else.It was a huge shock to Kelli, who had spent her marriage trying to be a great wife."It took me to my knees, it emptied me out," she said.After three years of doing a deep dive and peeling back the layers of her trauma, Kelli emerged a new woman. You might have thought there were five stages of grief, but Kelli says it's more like 14. And she knows because she went through all of them and now teaches them as a divorce and mental health care coach.Kelli explains the stages of grief concisely and powerfully in this week's episode of Chiseled. But her story isn't just one of turning lemons into lemonade. It's one of personal discovery, finding joy, and falling "madly in love" with God.Her journey is also not the only one she's offering. Kelli is making available to Chiseled listeners an e-copy of her latest bestselling book, Success Habits of Super Achievers, which shares the stories of 80 people who had something "unreasonably difficult" happen to them and made something great out of it. Just go to her website to download a copy or email her at kelli@kellicalabrese.com. You can also find Kelli on Facebook or LinkedIn.  ​Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this week's episode of Chiseled.

When we hear the word "intimacy," most of us think about sex. But in reality, intimacy refers to honest connections with others, whether they be with a partner, child, friend, or even God. Dr. Stormy Hill, whom I met while working on my book chapter for Next Level Your Life, takes a broad approach to enhancing intimacy. An occupational therapist, mental health and substance abuse specialist, and intimacy coach, Dr. Stormy dove into studies on intimacy while navigating the waters of raising an autistic son. "It was interesting, sort of a mom-world collision with a professional-world collision," she said. Dr. Stormy, who is one of the celebrity authors of The Transformational Journey: Lessons from Business, Life, and Happiness, now helps individuals and couples explore how to build intimacy through self-confidence, self-love, bliss, and pleasure in and outside the bedroom. Dr. Stormy says having a growth mindset for life, love, and sex teaches us how to develop relationships for maximum satisfaction and spiritual fulfillment. "The only thing about emotions is that they will change, which is why I don't think love is an emotion, it's a force," she told me. In this week's Chiseled podcast, Dr. Stormy shares effective tools to connect with your partner, children, friends, and God, and to overcome the challenges that confront us every day with psychological and physical mastery. If you're interested in how your brain and body work together, you must hear her insights. Once you listen to this podcast, which is full of tips and exercises for building intimacy, you will probably want to learn more. On her website, Dr. Stormy offers a free "Compassionate Self-Care Guide," which is full of practices, videos, guided mediations and links to additional resources for developing intimacy more deeply. I'm betting you will want to check it out. If you have questions or want even more of her incredible guidance, you can reach Dr. Stormy by email or follow her on Instagram. Meanwhile, I hope you hope this enlightening episode of Chiseled.

Well, this is going to be a little awkward. Dan Faulkner, Jr. should be sending you this message since he is my guest host this week and interviewed none other than ... me.

If you're a business professional who believes in the notion that "givers gain," you're probably familiar with Bob Burg. Bob, an entrepreneur and leadership trainer, is known for his "Endless Referrals" sales training classes. He also co-authored the book The Go-Giver with John David Mann. The Go-Giver has sold 1 million copies and has been translated into 30 languages. It is listed by Inc. Magazine as No. 10 of the most motivational books ever written. Motivate is what Bob does. He teaches sales professionals and leaders how to communicate their value to accelerate their business growth. He is an "unapologetic" believer in the free market system and says the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people one serves. "The people who are most successful in sales, most sustainably successfully, (are) always the ones who (are) more focused on giving value to others," Bob told me. In this episode of Chiseled, Bob shares the principles behind The Go-Giver, which draws on storytelling and parables to teach the five laws of stratospheric success. These are defined as the laws of value, compensation, influence, authenticity, and receptivity. I'm not going to give the whole podcast away and I couldn't possibly tell you all the valuable nuggets in the book, so you'll just have to listen to Bob's summary. Bob is full of wisdom, which he relays so clearly that you may instantly want to go out and buy his books. It was my honor to interview Bob in one of my shortest but most jam-packed podcasts yet. If you'd like to reach Bob and get a copy of his Daily Impact email, you can sign up at burg.com. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this week's episode of Chiseled.

Robert Taylor Jr. will never forget 12/1/21 and not just because the date reads the same backward and forward. That's the night that Coach Taylor survived a massive cardiac event thanks to "everybody (doing) what they were supposed to do that night perfectly."Rob is a physical trainer who has worked with Olympians and NFL sports teams as well as youth and college athletes. You'd expect him to be tough.But when he woke up that December night to the feeling of a "singular 18-wheeler" hitting him in the chest and running down his right arm, he wasn't sure what was going on. Moments later, a "highway of 18 wheelers" went through his chest and he was thrown to the floor from the pain."I'm 240 pounds. I'm not normally knocked on my rear end," he said.Unsure about whether he was having a heart attack since the pain was in his right arm, not his left, his wife got him into the car to drive to Baltimore's St. Joseph's hospital.They never made it.Through a series of wild events that he describes in this week's episode of Chiseled, Rob shares through laughter and tears the details of that night, how it has affected his life and business, and what he does with the knowledge he gained from the experience.You may want to grab a tissue for this episode. It's an emotional roller coaster in the best kind of way.I've known Rob for about eight years. Our friendship dates back to the days he trained my soccer-playing daughter while she attended Maryvale High School in Baltimore (she also played soccer for four years while studying at Salisbury University on the Eastern Shore). He is a tough but lovable coach and his philosophy and skills have changed the lives of countless athletes. My family is fortunate to have had him come into our lives and we're glad he's still in them.If you'd like to reach Rob, you can download his ebusiness card from callcoachtaylor.com. His information will be entered directly into your phone's contact list. You will also receive great coaching videos and other information about Smarter Team Training. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this week's episode of Chiseled

Michael Schiff admits he could have been in the criminal Hall of Fame by the time he was in 8th grade. Arrested six times before age 16 on drug possession, shoplifting, destruction of property, and other charges, he ended up in a juvenile detention center followed by a rehab center followed by a state-run military school. It was there, in 11th grade, that Mike found his first mentor, a football coach who taught him and his teammates their first lessons in self-respect.   "He was a father figure to me. He was a father figure to many other guys. He really taught me that relationship between coach and coachee," Mike said. Mike rose in the ranks, becoming captain of the football team and a battalion commander in charge of 250 corps cadets. But after 19 months clean, he fell backward again when he started taking medicine to manage the pain of a root canal. "I thought it would be a good idea to double up on my meds — what the nurse would dispense out — and save them all for a Friday night, and by doing so ... I released my addiction all over again," he said. After a second attempt at recovery, Mike was accepted to the University of Florida in Gainesville. There, he relapsed once more and started down another dangerous path. Arrested again, he was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. As an imprisoned senior fearful for his future, that was the final straw. Mike has been in recovery, clean and sober since Nov. 18, 2003. Mike eventually graduated college, a day he calls one of the top five of his life. He also succeeded in getting his record expunged. He considers himself extremely lucky and tries to pay it forward every day. Mike is someone whom I call a friend, and I am inspired by his leadership. Earning his real estate license in 2004, he now owns a real estate team that sells $100 million in real estate and 350 homes a year. He works to find recovery housing space in the Baltimore metro market for others dealing with addiction, and he runs a private Facebook group for real estate professionals who are active in recovery. Mike has faced setbacks, but he says they are no longer a trigger for relapse. Even so, he says when he thinks he's got it all figured out, he knows he, like all of us, is still a work in progress. That's one reason why I am so happy Mike is my guest this week on Chiseled. If you'd like to reach Mike, you can find him on Instagram or through his closed Facebook page REPAIR: Real Estate Professionals Active in Recovery.

Jim DeCarlo has had a very full life. He is the proud son of Art DeCarlo, a champion Baltimore Colts defensive back and end. He lived in Australia for 24 years, lured by the offer to play indoor lacrosse professionally. After 22 years of success in the financial services industry down under, a $19 billion buyout of the firm where he worked as a senior executive proved to be a transformative opportunity. He decided to quit the firm and move his family of six back to Baltimore."I told my kids and my wife, we have two choices, we either sell the house and move to Sydney or we sell the house and move to Baltimore and everyone voted feet and hands, Baltimore," he said.Upon his return, Jim discovered that transitions in the financial services industry in the United States were taking root more slowly than in Australia. It was another opportunity for transformation."It was a gift to see around the corner a little bit," he said.Jim started working with large financial services firms, but decided his mission in the U.S. would be more than technological transformation. It would also be a chance to build an environment where capitalism stands by its original promise to help employees reap the rewards of their commitments.In this episode of Chiseled, Jim shares when he realized the move back to Baltimore was a leap of faith, why he's energized to change the organizational culture of financial firms, and what we all can do to find more joy, purpose, and value while we still have time on this Earth.It was a pleasure to speak to Jim for this episode of Chiseled, and I am really moved by the insights, perspectives, and honesty he brought to the conversation. If you would like to contact Jim you can find him on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Greg Kettner got started in comedy on a dare. After watching hockey with his buddies one night, on their way home they passed a pub that was holding an open mic night. After a couple drinks, he got the courage to stand up and tell some stories. The rush was so big, he returned the next week, and kept up the weekly routine until he got a call to become a comedy club emcee.From there, Greg hit the comedy circuit. For almost a decade, he toured North America, opening for no less the likes of Robin Williams, Jim Gaffigan, Norm MacDonald, and Gilbert Gottfried.But it was a lonely and financially unsatisfying place."The downside was I wasn't getting paid that much so it took me about six years to figure out that I like money more than I like standup," he said. "But now I've been able to combine the two."About four years ago, Greg founded WorkHappy, a coaching program that teaches corporate leaders how to communicate, remember where they want to go, how they want to get there, and how to blow off steam rather than "bottling it up and just blowing a gasket.""We spend two-thirds of our day, a lot of us working, and when we're not happy, it's a grind," he said.Working in suicide prevention and mental wellness, Greg also founded Men in the Middle, a fellowship program in his hometown of Walla Walla, Washington. The program enables bonding experiences and teaches men how to care for themselves and talk openly about mental health."If we take care of each other, take care of ourselves, the world's a much better place," he said.I met Greg through a mutual friend and I'm so glad I did. He made me laugh throughout this interview, and I'm sure you will too listening to his stories and natural timing. I'm sure I will be following his mantra to "laugh every day. Put it on your calendar."Greg also runs the Facebook group, The Humor Lab, which he launched during the pandemic lockdown. Nonpolitical and PG-13-rated, the group now has more than 38,000 members. I encourage you to look it up when you need a laugh. If you'd like to reach Greg, you can do so on LinkedIn or on his website, GregKettner.com. I hope you get a bellyfull of laughs from this week's podcast.

As a 9-year-old, Missouri native John O'Leary was nearly killed while playing with fire. Burned on 100 percent of his body with 89 percent covered in third-degree burns, John was not expected to live the first night.  But then something happened, call it a miracle. Through the power of countless people all striving to keep John alive, not to mention the well wishes from near and far, including President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, sports announcer Jack Buck, NHL star Gino Cavallini and the entire St. Louis Blues hockey team, John pulled through.  But that's just John's origin story. John survived, but he felt lost trying to fit in. Throughout his youth, he would try to be like everyone else by taking big risks, whether physical feats, drinking, or other extreme behavior. "Anything someone else would do I would do even bigger and better to prove that I was ordinary," he said. "I wasn't chiseled, I was bandaged. I was just raft with lies and a mask."  At age 28 while working construction, John was asked to share the story of how he was burned — and he said "yes" for the first time. So, he spoke to a Girl Scout troop of three.  "I did a lousy job. I was not even paid with a box of Samoas," he joked.  But one of the girl's fathers asked John to speak at his Rotary Club. That grew to another speaking gig and then more and more speaking engagements, not to mention two books, including the Number 1 bestseller, "On Fire, The Seven Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life," which has sold 250,000 copies and been translated into 12 languages. "I'm not afraid of the scars anymore," John said. "By saying 'yes' to others, I began to realize the dignity of my own story." Over the years, John has spoken publicly 2,500 times and reached several million people to reveal "what happens when we allow ourselves to be used for something bigger than ourselves."  I am so inspired by John, not only because of the great baseball stories he shares about Jack Buck and the dozens of signed baseballs he received, but also because John embodies the principles of faith, healing, and dedication to purpose.  John shares his story and the lessons he's learned in this week's episode of Chiseled. If you'd like to reach John, you can do so on one of his two websites, JohnOLearyInspires.com and readinawe.com, which will also give you the opportunity to take the 21-day challenge to spark inspiration, meaning, and joy. Check it out and enjoy this week's podcast.

A.J. Yager's grandfather had a lot to do with where A.J. is today — a highly successful hypnotherapist, emotion and performance coach based out of Eden, Utah. "My grandfather was a mentor early in my life," he said. "He challenged me to have a self-study course outside of school or sports." When A.J. was a boy and wanted to achieve a goal, his grandfather would make him read a book, watch a video or listen to an audiotape by Tony Robbins, Napolean Hill, Dennis Waitley, and others. His granddad told A.J. to study these and other self-development leaders for 45 minutes per day and write down his thoughts. At the end of the week, A.J. and his grandfather would review what he learned. "All these different self-development topics that he wanted to start ingraining into my unconscious mind at a young age," A.J. recalls of his studies. "Basically, that got me into a place where I wanted to help other people." A.J. started his career path when he was just 10 years old. By age 17, he owned a computer maintenance business and was attending development seminars with his grandfather. He has been professionally coaching since he was 18 years old. Now 42, A.J. helps people recode their unconscious mind and move out of unhealthy patterns of suppression into healthier patterns of connections. He also helps business owners translate their data into growth. I had the pleasure of interviewing A.J. a few months back and am glad to finally get this episode of Chiseled out to you. A.J.'s knowledge of how the mind works and how to surface the unconscious to achieve what you are set out to do is the true meaning of chiseling. If you're like me, you will be fascinated by what he had to tell me. Want to reach A.J. and learn more about how your mind can affect your physical and mental wellbeing and what you can do to evoke the incredible amounts of potential in your brain? You can reach him on his website and connect for a complimentary introductory call. I'm sure you will immediately tap into some new insights about yourself and your relationship to the world around you.   #awareness #theunconsciousmind #chiseled #mentalwellbeing

You may remember David Sidoni from the 1990s. He was the Pat Sajak of the tween set (were they called 'tweens' back then?). David had a brief but successful career on TV and in music videos, most notably on the sketch comedy show Roundhouse and as host of Wheel 2000, the kids' version of the game show Wheel of Fortune.  But David decided to put his acting career behind him and go into real estate.  "As I got into real estate, everyone said, 'Oh, you're going to be great in real estate (because) you're an actor.' Eh. You're more a stage manager. You put out fires all the time," he said. Nonetheless, David was happy getting chiseled into the 'David' he wanted to become. But after years in the business, he started noticing a trend that unsettled him and he realized he wanted to focus on the parts of the job that he loved. From there he launched his podcast, How to Buy a Home, now in its fourth year. It focuses primarily on first-time homebuyers, a third of the market but a segment that David says most real estate companies ignore.  "Go to all the big ones, I don't care who it is — Keller, eXp, Compass, Coldwell, Sotheby's. It's listings, listings, listings. What other business totally ignores one third of the customer base? It blows me away." I met David not long ago and I am trying on my unicorn horn as one of his referral partners. It seems to fit nicely. More so, I'm happy to have a "guy" on the show with boundless energy and true passion for what he does. I am sure you will feel his energy and joy in this week's episode of Chiseled. If you would like to get in touch with David, all of his contact information can be found on HowtoBuyaHome.com.

Mary Lou Kayser is a best-selling author of seven books, a podcaster, educator, writer, and mother of two. She is also a listener of the universe. And when it sends her a message, she's ready to receive it. But at no time did she expect a message to tell her that she needed to write a book of poems. However, when her father unexpectedly passed away and a new person came into her life who had a profound influence on her, she was tuned in for the signs. And she got one. "I started getting downloads from a higher source and they were coming to me as poems," she said. "So I just started collecting and writing them down." Months later, she found she had a collection that hit on four themes: leaving, grieving, loving, and being. She put them together and published the set in her new book The Far Unlit Unknown, which she describes as a take on "non-obvious leadership development." Mary Lou calls her newest book a gift to herself and an opportunity to move toward her next calling, whatever that may be. Indeed, Mary Lou teaches that resistance or preventing yourself from going after new goals is the enemy of a fulfilled life. "At the end of the day you're the only person who stops you," she said. "It's up to us to say 'yes' to ideas." I was fortunate to meet May Lou through our mutual connection Tommy Breedlove. She has amazing insights and I'm happy to be able to share some of them with you in this week's episode of Chiseled, the podcast for those of us who are still a work in progress.   #Chiseled #Rejectingresistance #awareness #resistanceistheenemy

At age 21, Ty Nichols was "cooking" as Comcast's top Mid-Atlantic region salesman for 19 months in a row. He was looking to buy property in Panama and create a successful life and career — until he ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hanging out with friends he had known since preschool, Ty found himself caught in a massive brawl. Though a bystander, he was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and second-degree murder. "I'm staring down a million-dollar bond and I didn't even do anything," he said. Ty ended up getting sentenced to 15 years, which was suspended to five. He served three years in a state penitentiary. A former Catholic school student, Ty turned to the Bible on his first night in jail. He opened up to a random page and landed on Psalm 1, whose first line starts with "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked." Ty knew that he had to steer clear of troublemakers and eliminate from his life the people who got him into his mess. "Those that you surround yourself with do have a massive impact on your life," he said. After his release, Ty did everything he could to say on the straight and narrow path. After several attempts to find work, Target finally gave Ty a chance. He worked his way up, eventually becoming a store manager, team leadership trainer, and recruiter. After 14 years at Target, Ty moved on and opened up his own business. He now teaches professionals and leaders how to be more productive, more impactful, and more influential through behavior design and habit formation. To get to his success Ty needed motivation, skills, and the will to succeed. It wasn't easy, but thanks to a little help from new friends, a supportive wife, lots of dedication, and a clear vision, Ty is a public speaker, a behavioralist, and the "habit strategist," who helps individuals reach the mindset they need to achieve their goals. I was fortunate to be introduced to Ty by our mutual Toastmaster friends, Karen and Frank Story. Ty really teaches us that anything is possible — both good and bad — and how we use the lessons from our experiences will determine how our futures will progress. I'm pleased to share Ty's engaging story and insights on this week's episode of Chiseled.   #awareness #habitstrategist #behavioralist #chiseled

Lots of people love their pets, but few turn the loss of their dog into a life mission. But that's what Cindy Aronstam did after her beloved English bulldog Winston passed away. Cindy, a real estate agent in San Diego, had always been a dog lover. Her parents had a dog before she was born. She grew up with them. When she got her first dog of her own, she picked an English bulldog whom she named Winston. Winston lived well beyond the 8–10-year lifespan of most bulldogs to almost 14 years old. His passing was so sorrowful to Cindy that she would take walks with her husband and stand behind him so that she would be protected from seeing other people's pets. Two days after her beloved bulldog Winston passed, Cindy spotted a golden retriever with a gray beard and soulful eyes. She pulled away from her husband Jim and asked the owner if she could pet the animal. As she bent down to touch the dog, the owner told her, "This is Winston." And she knew that the loss of her pup wouldn't be in vain. Fast forward and Cindy and Jim now have Harry, a "foster fail" that they were supposed to temporarily care for until he found a home. Turned out that Harry already was home, and Cindy found renewed purpose in helping not only her new pup, but all dogs. Soon after, Cindy and Jim started The Winston Project, which aims to raise funds for shelters and rescues so they can do the work of saving animals. She says, hopefully, one day, the need for shelters will be eliminated altogether. If you haven't heard the story of how my family got our current dog, I share it in this week's episode of Chiseled. If you're a dog lover, this episode with Cindy may well bring you to happy or sad tears, but it's a joyous and purposeful journey.  Cindy and Jim's Winston Project, which is now officially a 501 c(3) nonprofit, is having its first annual gala in San Diego on June 8, 2023. If you can't make it, you can donate. And you'll probably feel the urge after hearing Cindy describe her relationship with Winston, the Winston Project's goals, and her passion for saving animals. You can find more about the gala and the Winston Project on Cindy's website as well as on Facebook and Instagram. And if you're looking for Cindy for real estate in the San Diego market, you only need to look up "the bulldog realtor." Appropriate, don't you think?   #thewinstonproject #chiseled #awareness #thebulldogrealtor #lifemission

Noelle Banks knew when she was 12 years old the life she was going to lead. Attending a non-denominational church for the first time in her family's adopted town outside Atlanta, Ga., she found herself in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. From that point on, she found a relationship with Him as well as a community of people that would model her lifelong relationships. It certainly came in handy years later, in 2017, when Noelle found herself facing a breast cancer diagnosis, which resulted in a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. "I've always been very intentional about who I surround myself with and I think it has made a huge difference in my life." The people who stepped up for Noelle in her time of distress included not only fellow congregants and friends but also strangers among the membership of Buffini and Company, the coaching company for real estate agents that she joined in 2004. "We are designed to be around people and it's really important who you choose to surround yourself with on a consistent basis, which is one of the reasons why I so very much value our White Hat community in Buffini and Company," she said. Brian Buffini's podcast also ended up having a big role to play in her recovery. In this week's episode of Chiseled, Noelle shares the story of her evolution toward Jesus, her surprise diagnosis, and the support she received from the Buffini community. I'm proud to call myself a member of this amazing group of real estate agents.