The Lion's Den For Business Men

Our farewell episode. And how you can continue to engage with us and the high achievers we're assembling moving forward. The Huddle – a $1 commitment to your awesomeness.

If you create a positive relationship with fear, you can accomplish anything. In a capsule, that's the message Akshay Nanavati, the speaker, author and explorer behind the book Fearvana came to share with me today. He has been featured in Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Forbes and many more high-profile outlets. And get this: the Dalai Lama wrote the foreword to his book after a cold pitch that took four months of confronting fear. Akshay is a veteran of the Iraq war who suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, survivor's guilt and alcoholism before he learned to confront his greatest fears. By digging deep, he figured out the fears that caused his procrastination and made them an ally. Now he uses fear and guilt to drive his “worthy struggle” of helping others overcome their own fears by embracing them. “If you don't seek out a worthy struggle, struggle will find you anyway,” Akshay tells me in this episode. And that's a lot more scary than choosing the fear you face. Have you ever felt like you procrastinate because you have a deep-seeded fear you can't overcome? This episode's for you. Have you ever avoided doing something that could lead to a great reward because you were afraid? Akshay can tell you how to move forward with actionable advice. Do you ever wonder what you could become if you could quit being scared of what might or might not happen? Akshay can tell you how to change your mindset and find bliss in your brutal reality. Click play in the player above to get started. Podcast episode highlights with Fearvana author Akshay Nanavati How fear and suffereing lead to personal growth. Choosing to live in the danger zone of a war zone. Dragging a 190-pound sled for 350 miles across one of the world's largest icecaps. How Black Hawk Down changed his life. Why the common advice of “following your passion” is a big mistake. A structure to help you get important things done faster, forever. How to use music to psychologically signal “go time” at work. Why you spend too long at your desk, and how you should structure your day. How to make fear a positive ally instead of an obstacle. What to do when fear takes control of your life. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: “Fearvana,” by Akshay Nanavati "The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.” by Daniel Coyle “Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner,” by Dean Karnazes “Man's Search for Meaning,” by Victor Frankl Video about Corp. Jacob Neal How to contact Akshay Nanavati, author of Fearvana: Website

Do you own your mornings, or do your mornings own you? If you race to the door minutes after you get up, you carry chaos into your workday. But if you set up a “preflight morning routine” for your workday filled with clarity and calm, that's what you'll carry into the office. Studies show that about 8 percent of aviation disasters could have been averted by following the standard preflight routines prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration. In this episode, we talk about how you can design a morning routine that will help you cut at least 10 percent of your disaster workdays out of your life. We cover six practices we've discovered that get us psyched for the workday and give us the energy to go hard all day. If you find yourself rushing out the door at the last minute to get to work without giving yourself any time to go through a morning routine, this episode is for you. If you find that you make bad decisions at work because you're fatigued or lack energy, this podcast about owning your mornings will speak to you. And if you want to better control your morning routine to better control your whole day, click play in the player above to get started. Listen in to hear how to craft your preflight morning routine and more: Getting rid of 10 percent or more of your work disasters. What the former pilot of Air Force One taught me about routines. Working smarter, not harder to stay competitive in business. Why athletes have routines and why you should, too. The “freaky new-age” practice that will pump up your morning routine. How to win a Heisman (or win in your business). How to get 5 seconds ahead instead of staying 5 seconds behind. How eating early in the morning or late at night messes with your performance. The practices that will make you look and feel a decade younger. Three things you should never do before 10 a.m. How to become a morning person if you hate mornings Getting “me time” when your mornings are devoted to kids already. Resources mentioned in this episode: Penzu on Android or iOS

Do you stick to the status quo too much in your business? Or are you willing to try something new that has the potential to win big or fail big? My guest today is Dr. Peter Kan, a board-certified chiropractic neurologist with training in both integrative medicine and functional medicine. He's also the co-founder of the Hope Integrative Wellness Center in Gilbert, Arizona. Peter's career has been on a growth curve ever since he decided to cut insurance out of his practice and work only on a direct-pay model. And in an industry dominated by insurance claims, that was a big risk he had to be willing to try. The risk paid off. His business has grown each of the last eight years since he made the leap. In 2016, it grew by 33 percent. But that's not the only area he's done things differently. By propping a camcorder up on a stack of textbooks, Peter also decided he was willing to try becoming a YouTuber. Even though he's not a trained speaker. Even though he had no tripod. His Facebook Live videos every Monday attract about 22,000 views. “It's better to have your message out there than not,” he tells me in this episode. “I have a saying in my business: I'm not doing the same thing now that I was doing 6 months ago and I probably won't be doing the same thing six months from now.” If you feel like your business isn't evolving fast enough, this episode has some great pointers for you. If your business is stuck in a rut or operating on the status quo, you ought to hear what Peter has to say. And if you would rather win big than fail big, click play in the player above to get started. Listen in to hear Dr. Peter Kan talk about being willing to try and unafraid to fail and more: The best way to improve your health. (Hint: It's not exercise.) Why chronic conditions need less medicine and surgery and more lifestyle changes. One positive leadership characteristic you can't afford to bring home. Peter's crazy true story of his “Darth Vader moment.” Learning how to live without regrets. Why you don't have to eat “essence of tofu fart” to stay healthy. The insane life experience that taught Peter to not keep secrets from his loved ones. How to make a Big Mac more healthy (sort of). A “crisis” management tool for toddlers and young children who want more of a bad thing. One great reason to get more sex from your wife (as if you need another). How to connect with Dr. Peter Kan: Website Facebook YouTube

If you don't know where to begin, your to-do list will never end. But this is a place so many high-achievers find themselves in because they have so many high priorities. When priorities wrestle and never come out on top, that leaves you on the bottom of a fire-breathing dragon of a to-do list that keeps getting bigger. In this episode we want to share where to begin fighting your “to-do list dragon.” This is the proven process that recently guided one client out of one of the worst funks in his life due to to-do list overload. It's also what helped Bill reset when he was overloaded while I stepped out on vacation. Too many men get behind on their to-do list even though they're constantly checking things off it. These men have programmed themselves to think they just need to work harder or smarter and never do the right things to fight against a growing to-do list. You don't have to bottle up your anger or frustration at having a never-ending to-do list. You might just need to tackle it differently. If you want to overcome overwhelmed, this episode is for you. If you feel stressed and tired just thinking about all you have to get done, we've got some great pointers for you in this episode. And if you want to know a system that will turn you in a “to-do list dragon slayer,” click play in the player above to get started.   Listen in to learn how to shorten your never-ending to-do list, get more productive and more: What to do when everything seems like a high priority. The practice that gives you clarity and control when you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list. The quote that helped one client (and Bill) hit “reset” when he had too much to do. Why you should never schedule all of your day. Building a support tree that works when you're buried in work. Copy-pasting your way out of a to-do list nightmare. Why you should keep a “to-done list.” How to make your “daily problem” a nonissue. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: “The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself,” by Michael A. Singer

When are you going to tackle your bucket list? My guest today is Alan Worden, a serial entrepreneur focused on leisure-seeking Baby Boomers who founded Scout Real Estate Capital. For Alan, there came a time when he realized it may be now or never if he wanted to chase his dreams. In 1999, Alan asked 10 trusted friends and advisors for advice. He asked each if it was a good idea to drop prosperous careers and go sailing from the U.S. to New Zealand with his wife. Independently, each of them said “If you can do it, do it now. It's never going to get any easier.” That was in 1999. Soon after that, Worden spent exactly 365 days sailing to New Zealand in an Everest-sized adventure you'll love to hear about. (Including a brush with death I won't spoil for you.) He spent all that time and most of his money to make it happen. For him, it was as much about conquering fear as it was about a bucket list item to cross off. See, Alan's biggest fear is the ocean. And he crossed 18,000 miles of it in his “do it now” year. The lessons he learned on that sailboat have carried him to new heights in life and in this episode you'll learn just what they are. If you think you could make your dreams happen and something is holding you back, this episode is for you. If you have trouble facing your fears but want to get better at it, listen to this conversation with Alan. And if you just want to hear about a real-life adventure that changed one life for the better, click play in the player above to get started. In this episode, hear from Alan Worden how to ‘do it now' and more: Why the most influential family members aren't who you think. The critical difference between research and “need-search” A stunning piece of advice that came from an unlikely source. What will make the world care about your business. The paradigm shift that put Alan's life in high gear. Why you should be OK with sucking at some things. Meditation for cynics. The thing you might think that constitutes “the height of arrogance.” How to make your “worry quotient” go down—and fast. Why 95 percent of what you fear shouldn't scare you. Giving yourself a superpower. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business,” by Charles Duhigg “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” by Greg McKeown “10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story,” by Dan Harris (And the app.) “The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level,” by Gay Hendricks “The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness,” by Jeff Olson and John David Mann How to contact Alan Worden: Email

Is not closing that one deal your biggest regret as a businessman? Or do your regrets tend to be a little more…personal? Well, if you're a driven businessman and a father, it's a pretty sure thing I know what your top regret is likely to be. And it's not going to be about what you did or didn't do at work. It's going to be about what you didn't do at home. One study found that 63 percent of parents regretted not doing more activities with their children, and 7 of 10 felt they took their children's childhood for granted.   That is what will haunt you from your work life right now. You worked too much and didn't make enough time for the most important relationships in your life. In this episode, we confront the regret of not spending enough time with your kids when they're young because you're so busy at work. This is one of the biggest regrets that businessmen face in life, and we don't want you to be one of those men. If you find yourself telling your kids you're too busy to spend time with them, even after work, listen to this episode. If you already regret not spending more time with your kids, it's not too late to change that regret into something you're proud of. And if you want to hear seven effective strategies for spending more time with your kids, hit play in the bar above to get started. Listen in to start freeing yourself from a top life regret and more: Why it's so easy to say “no” to your kids to spend time with them. How to make “maybe later” into “yes.” Seven tools for more one-on-one time with your kids. Why your agenda isn't good enough to play with kids. Why Robert was playing like a 4-year-old last weekend. How “stacking” can improve your relationships with kids. A habit you should form at bedtime to create cherished memories with kids. Why Bill's servers knew he always wanted clown pancakes at IHOP. Resources mentioned in this episode: The Huddle Bill's family meeting agenda: Call to order, everyone present? Family prayer. How did your week go? Gripes, complaints, suggestions for improvement or change and any other less-than-positive things to say? (1 per person permitted, $5 penalty for multiple mentions to same person!!) Apologies, thank yous, praise, acknowledgements, “bear-hugs” and any other very-positive things to say? (No limit/unlimited mentions allowed to same person!!) What does your next week's schedule look like including work, school, trips, activities etc.? Assign and confirm next week's chores. Determine if any chores warrant special payment or privileges. Receive family game sheets (weekly) and pay chore allowance (first of month only). Open discussion. Prayer requests. OPTIONAL: Review Family Vision, Code of Conduct and Annual Goals (first of month only). Closing prayer.

Are you giving it your all in business or are you holding back to stay on the safe road? It may be time to quit playing it safe. My guest today is Bubba Albrecht, the founder of Give'r. His company is an outdoor-lifestyle clothing and gear company from outdoor paradise Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Bubba's gear has appeared in the pages of Sports Illustrated, Outside Magazine and more. But not before Bubba made a decision to quit playing it safe. At one point, Bubba was working two jobs besides running Give'r to pay the bills. In Bubba's own lingo, he wasn't “given'r” at Give'r. In case you're not familiar with Canadian slang, “give'r” means “to give it your all or go for it.” But it wasn't until he quit his bill-paying job that Give'r really picked up momentum. He launched a Kickstarter project that earned almost 10 times more than his goal and found more success than he imagined possible. If you dilute your success by not taking chances, this episode is for you. If you can't quit playing it safe to do what you really want to do, Bubba has a message for you. And if you feel like you need to listen more to your gut, click play in the player above to get started. Listen in to learn how to quit playing it safe and more: Removing barriers you place on yourself. How to 10X a Kickstarter goal. Why you need to commit to your special sauce. How you're diluting your success. What you should know if you're starting a business with friends. How to get two hours of work done in 45 minutes. A meeting strategy that will get your employees fired up. Books mentioned in this episode: “The Big Leap,” by Gaye Hendricks How to contact Bubba Albrecht, founder of Give'r Website Facebook Instagram

When the possibilities are endless, it's hard for a hungry man to say “no.” That's why men who go to an all-you-can-eat buffet often walk out in major physical discomfort. It's also the reason high-achieving men end up working ridiculous hours and have no idea how to say no at work. Hungry men in particular—achievers—don't know how to say no at work when it matters. So many kinds of work seem interesting and fulfilling to a high achiever, so you say “yes” to project after project. Soon, you've piled your tiny buffet plate high with all sorts of crap you should never eat. And you still go back for seconds. And maybe thirds and fourths. You want all the work you can get your hands on because you want everything you see that comes with it. Respect, knowledge, money, clients, revenue and cool stuff in your garage. In this episode we guide you through bad reasons you say “yes,” tell you when you should say no and give you an awesome framework for how to say no at work that will help people respect you more for it. If you've piled your work plate too high and don't know how to restore your life to a manageable level, this episode's for you. If you've ever said “yes” to a project that made you cringe, you need to hear what we have to say. And if you simply have a hard time saying no to a work project, click play in the bar above to start improving your mindset. Click play to find out how to say no at work nicely and more: Why you're always overloaded at work. How hunger drives you to say yes when you should be learning how to say no at work. Why Bill said “no” to running a growing international non-profit he found interesting. A simple practice to cut down your to-do list. The one guy you're a jerk to when you don't know how to say no at work. (Hint: Look in the mirror.) How to get past nice-guy syndrome to say “no” when it matters. How to overcome FOMO or “fear of missing out” by redirecting the fear. Six reasons you should always say “no.” A nice, gentle way to say “no” that others will respect you more for using. Books mentioned in this episode: “The 4-Hour Workweek,” by Tim Ferriss “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” by Greg McKeown “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results,” by Gary Keller

If business success is your personal Mt. Everest, how do you make that climb? After all, Everest is 29,029 feet tall, and climbing isn't easy at that altitude. My guest today has an answer, and it just so happens he's summited Mt. Everest multiple times. Jim Williams is the owner of exploration travel company Exploradus. Jim was the first person to successfully guide expeditions to the “Seven Summits,” the tallest mountains on each continent, in less than a year. That included, of course, Mt. Everest. He was also one of the leaders who made the first overland crossing to the South Pole from the South American side. (He tells in this episode about how his group disappeared on him, leaving him lost in Antarctica!) Despite conquering the world's biggest mountains, Jim doesn't recommend starting with a Mt. Everest-sized goal. “Set smaller goals and enlarge them as you move forward,” he tells me in this episode. In other words, you might need to manage your expectations at a realistic level. If you want to hear some crazy survival stories, including how Jim walked in on his own funeral after people thought he had died, you need to listen to this episode. If you want to know how to harness fear to drive results, this episode's for you. And if you want to know how to remove obstacles on your personal Mt. Everest climb, click play in the bar above to get started. Episode highlights; climb your personal Mt. Everest and more: Why a businessman counseled Jim NOT to buy his climbing business. How to separate fear from results. Leading an expedition to an unclimbed peak in China. The creative key to opening any door and building relationships of trust in business. How Jim walked in on his own funeral. Getting lost in Antarctica. Why the journey matters more than the destination. The surprising reason you might not want to climb your personal Mt. Everest. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: “Everest, the West Ridge,”by Thomas Hornbein “Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage,” by Alfred Lansing How to contact Jim Williams: Website Email

Do you ever feel like you have more big ideas than you can ever make into reality? This is the entrepreneur's blessing and curse, my friend. If you're in business for yourself, you probably swim in a flood of big ideas. Ways to improve your bottom line. What you can do to open up new market segments. Product ideas that could be on the distant time horizon. Methods of improving your team. Systems to improve productivity. And many men just let these big ideas sit in their head, battling for attention with the tasks they have to be doing. The mind isn't a perfect filing system, so many smart men jot some of their big ideas down on 3 x 5 cards, sticky notes or in a binder somewhere. But because of the nature of those systems, you don't always have access to them and they're easy to lose. In this episode, we explore a bulletproof system to make your ideas into reality in business or wherever else you want to chase big ideas. After all, everyone – especially businessmen – have ideas. The problem is executing on them to make them a reality. If you feel like you're wasting your potential because of all the big ideas you've let slip away, you need to listen to this episode. If you aren't organized in the way you capture your ideas or execute on them, this episode's for you. And if you have so many ideas you don't know which idea will be best to chase down first, click play on the player above to get your big ideas moving forward.   Listen to this episode to hear a discussion about big ideas, how to inspire them, how to execute them and more: How to fulfill your potential in four steps. Three digital tools you should use to help in organizing your big ideas and executing on them. Why the system you're using for idea management may be outmoded. Breaking an idea into action items using the right tools for the job. The four steps of idea prioritization. (Where the rubber meets the road.) When to give up on an idea. Why working more won't make more big ideas into realities. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World,” by Cal Newport “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results,” by Gary Keller “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” by Greg McKeown Fatigue Science website

In business, it may not be the people you like most who will help your business most. That's a lesson that my guest today learned the hard way. Richard Christiansen has founded or cofounded 49 businesses, of which 16 became multimillion-dollar successes. He's also the national bestselling author of “The Zigzag Principle: The Goal Setting Strategy that will Revolutionize Your Business and Your Life.” But in his first truly successful business, he made the mistake of partnering with someone who didn't share one of his core values of business leadership. In 2006 and 2007, Richard cofounded one of the largest business blog networks with a partner who he got along with great on a personal level. But when the New York Times started to flex its muscle to acquire the growing business, his partnership broke down in horrific fashion and he found himself the victim of a hostile takeover. All of this because of a single key difference of opinion. That experience sent him into a “cocoon” for a while.  But when he finally emerged, he applied the lessons he learned to pioneer values-based leadership that helps him avoid a similar fate in any other business. The lessons have also extended to the way he treats his family. He applies the same lesson of value-based leadership to his family and has seen amazing results. So amazing, in fact, that his three sons have all started million-dollar businesses. And the youngest one is still in high school. If you have ever partnered with or hired someone because you liked them, only to find out later that your key values are disastrously misaligned, this episode is for you. If you have ever started working with a client who wants you to do things you don't feel comfortable with, listen to what Richard has to say. And if you want to know the secrets of making your kids into successful entrepreneurs at an early age, click play in the bar above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Rich Christiansen tell me about values-based leadership and more: The secret of making your children self-made millionaires at a young age. Why Rich quit a cushy job at Mitsubishi Electric. How 45 hours of travel for a five-minute tongue-lashing changed the course of Rich's life. Raising children who don't have an entitlement attitude. How confidence and competence show themselves, even in a grieving man. The “hat trick” you can pull off: taking $5,000 and building a $1 million business. How value-based leadership has prevented “brain damage” for Rich. Trick questions you can use to hire the best fit for your teams. Why being Mr. Incredible hurts your credibility. The three things you can never replace that need your attention now. Why Rich's family has its own coat of arms. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: “The Zigzag Principle: The Goal Setting Strategy that will Revolutionize Your Business and Your Life,” by Rich Christiansen “Bootstrap Business,” by Rich Christiansen and Ron Porter “Even If Your Toes Turn Purple: Raising Teenagers That Are Confident, Happy, and Stand Out,” by Rich Christiansen and Tim Christiansen “Man of Steel and Velvet,” by Aubrey Andelin Rich and his son's website for their joint book. Know your values: Values should direct everything that you do in business, but too many men cast them aside or forget about them in the heat of business. If you want to better align with your own values so you can accelerate your life in the right direction, we've created a challenge that will up your productivity, creativity and bolster your relationships. All while you build a thriving values-based business. Learn more

Charles Darwin is well-known as one of the most creative and highly productive scientists in the last 200 years. He penned 19 complex books in his lifetime and came up with the Theory of Evolution. But his work life wasn't what you might expect for a man of such accomplishment. In this episode, I'll tell you about Darwin's secret work life and what it was that made him so creative and productive. I'll also give you a series of tips for you to replicate Darwin's productivity and creativity in your own work life today. This isn't an episode you'll want to miss, Lions. If you find yourself banging your head against the wall at the end of your workdays just trying to keep momentum alive through sheer willpower, this episode is for you. If you have been struggling to find creative solutions to the problems your business faces, you'll want to hear this episode. And if you want to know what makes the difference between a CEO who scrapes by and one who thrives, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear me talk about Charles Darwin's secret of productivity and creativity and more: The crazy amount of time Darwin worked (I bet you can't guess this.) The countercurrent secret to getting the most out of your workdays. Why you should value creativity more (and how to get it.) How to make your time off a “10” so you can work at an “11” when you're in the office. The surprising reason you should give your wife and/or assistant the keys to your email/social media. 9 tips for blocking time for creativity in the most productive way. A mindset shift that will put your mind at ease about work. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: “Falling Awake: Creating the Life of Your Dreams,” by Dave Ellis and illustrated by Bill Fleming  

Do you ever feel like you're growing apart from your wife instead of growing together? Couples that know the secrets of happy marriages come together through life's troubles instead of drifting apart. My guest today is Jackie Bledsoe, the bestselling author of “The Seven Rings of Marriage: Your Model for a Lasting and Fulfilling Marriage.” As a man who once ended up homeless with his wife and three kids, Jackie knows that it's not perfect circumstances that dictate a happy marriage. Jackie tells me that even in his darkest moments that seemed like part of a drama movie, he never doubted that his wife would stay with him. In this episode Jackie shares some of the secrets that got his marriage strong enough to withstand losing a job, homelessness, massive business failure twice over and a career pivot to writing he couldn't have seen coming. You'll hear the story of a man who felt like he had failed his wife and kids, but found out that was exactly where he needed to be to start moving up. If you want to know the secrets of a successful marriage from a man who has one despite the odds, you'll want to listen to this episode. If you feel a need to change careers but find it hard to pivot, Jackie's got some killer words of wisdom for you. And if you want to hear the real, raw story of a successful man who once struggled to make ends meet, click play in the bar above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear author Jackie Bledsoe talk about secrets of a happy marriage and more: How knowing the seven stages of marriage can help you in each stage The surprising practice Jackie has used to keep trouble out of his marriage as he learns from people doing it better. What it felt like to become homeless while the rain literally poured down on Jackie, his wife and three kids. What it took for Jackie to get noticed as a writer. The message that Jackie has that 100 million men need to hear. How Jackie's best business accomplishment relates to his three kids. Being grateful for what you have—before you're homeless. Why your deepest failures may just be setting you up for your greatest successes. The thing more men should do that comes easy to women. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: The Ziglar Show No More Socks: The Christmas List Genius “The Seven Rings of Marriage: Your Model for a Lasting and Fulfilling Marriage,” by Jackie Bledsoe How to contact Jackie Bledsoe and download a free chapter of his book: Go to his website  

Is your patience on a hair trigger with your kids? You're not alone, Lion, so happy Parents' Day (July 23.) In this episode, Bill and I confess to situations when we lost our cool with our kids. But we also look at all the factors that went in to our impatience. And we'll guide you to correct for the kinds of factors that are likely to affect you as a driven businessman. See, men who are in control of their patience at work often lose their patience at home. Especially when something at work is bothering them. In this episode, we talk about the link between patience at work and impatience at home. And we give you tons of strategies to improve your patience where it matters most. If you are like an impatience sponge (you're around it and you soak it up to become impatient yourself,) you owe it to yourself to listen to this episode. If you feel like your kids have ever felt unloved because of your impatience with them, this episode offers some solid steps you can take to improve that. And if you want to learn about seven habits you can develop to be more patient at home and work, click play in the bar above to get started. Listen to this episode to learn how to become more patient and more: Why what works in business won't work well at home from a patience standpoint. How your children interpret your impatience. 7 habits of highly patient fathers The surprising way you use your brain different than your kids use theirs. How to stop being an “impatience sponge.” The mindset your kids need you to have (and how that differs from work mindsets). Why your Daddy-daughter dates might be counterproductive. The boundary-setting method that will up your patience. The one attribute that makes the world go ‘round (Hint: it's not love, but it's tied to it.) Books and resources mentioned in this episode: My awesome restaurant list! “If I Have to Tell You One More Time...: The Revolutionary Program That Gets Your Kids To Listen Without Nagging, Reminding, or Yelling,” by Amy McReady What Makes Teens Tick? Article from Time. Kids interpret impatience as a lack of love. Are you bringing home impatience from work? Impatient? Impatience is often a sign that you're not getting enough done. That's partly why we launched the Accelerate Your Productivity Challenge. This 4-week challenge will push you to get more done in less time, which will help improve your patience at work and at home. Learn more

Do you face challenges head on or search for the easy way around? My guest today, Thom King, is the founder and CEO of Steviva Brand Sweeteners. He's also a ketogenic lifestyle expert and author of the book "Guy Gone Keto," which will be out in September 2017. Thom believes that Lions thrive in adversity. His story reflects that. In 1999, he ran into an old friend who had just brought back some stevia leaves from Paraguay. While tasting the sweet leaves, Thom could almost taste entrepreneurial success. The kind of success that can also help change people's lives for the better. But on his way to success, he tripped over his own ambition and ran out of money.  In this episode, he tells me the seriously humbling act he had to go through with to get his act together and take his business to the next level. He also tells me of the personal paradigm shift in his own lifestyle he made before he finally started to make money.  [rla-tweet] This is a conversation you don't want to miss. If you need the motivation to make a hard decision or the confidence to jump into the breach, my conversation with Thom will inspire you. If you feel sluggish, tired all the time, or just aren't happy with your diet, my conversation today has valuable advice from a clean-eating industry expert. And if you just need to hear an inspiring success story to help pick you up, hit play in the bar above. Listen to this episode to learn from entrepreneur Thom King on how to face adversity and much more: The link between diet practices and mental energy How to turn your morning coffee into a natural energy boost Why intermittent fasting is actually healthy for you Why you need to eat more ribeye steaks How to productively view pain and suffering The daily practice that took Thom's business to the next level How to take pride in the success of others Books and Resources mentioned in this episode: "Mindset," by Carol Dwick "Between the World and Me,"  by Ta-Nehshi Coates "The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown “Guy Gone Keto,” by Thom King - available late September 2017 How to contact Thom King: thom.king@steviva.com  

As an entrepreneur or businessman, are you addicted to chaos? For men, this is the most socially acceptable addiction. That's why when you see someone you haven't in a while and they ask you how you've been, you might be tempted to say, “Aw, man, I'm just so busy!” Somehow, men equate a busy, frantic, confusing and even chaotic life with success. But what you're really saying when you say, “Just been busy” is that you're addicted to chaos. In this episode, we go over the signs that you might be addicted to chaos and give you four real, proven methods to move beyond a chaos addiction. If you ever procrastinate because you have so much to do you don't know where to start, this episode is for you. If you can never seem to get beyond the most immediate, pressing deadline, we've got some systems for you to implement. And if you ever feel like you're life is chaotic or frantic and that's not part of your definition of successful, click play in the player above to start becoming a little less addicted to chaos. Listen to this episode to find out if you're addicted to chaos and more: Why Angelina Jolie is addicted to chaos Two types of procrastination that both feed an addiction to chaos A bulletproof cure if you're addicted to chaos The system that will lead you away from chaos, confusion and frenzy Why you might cycle through motivated times and ineffective periods The reason entrepreneurs almost always have this addiction How to treat your smartphone if you're living a frantic life The one thing you shouldn't be “strangely proud of,” even though you probably are A killer digital replacement for Franklin planners (Hint: This tool isn't made by Franklin) What frog legs have to do with a chaotic life The scheduling trick that will make your life much more productive and effective Addicted to chaos? You've landed in the right place. Imagine that a ninja carrying a planner ran smack-dab into a man with tasks spilling off his overloaded plate. When the ninja's through with that guy, his task plate is a nicely presented filet mignon: Fun to devour.   Don't fear the ninja. Take a challenge that will make your to-do list more savory. Learn more

Do you ever feel like greater success is locked behind a slightly immoral decision? My guest today is Robert Klinck, an intellectual property attorney from Washington DC, and CEO of the game-changing legal advice company Klinck LLC. He knows how to find success and hold onto his morals. Growing up in McAllen, Texas, Robert always knew he was the brightest of the bright and things always came easily to him. However, when he arrived at Harvard Law School, he had to face his reality: He was just a small fish in a big sea of sharks. Once he graduated from Harvard, Robert worked for a large law firm and then as a prosecutor in Fort Worth, Texas. While working his first job, Robert was mentored by now Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who taught him that a lawyer can be both good at their job and a good person. Robert watched his colleagues and friends chase prestige and glamour, and wasn't interested. He wanted to be a good lawyer, but he wanted to be an even better man. Throughout his career, Robert has faced situations where he had to choose between perfect and good. Slight moral compromise and easy trial wins or do the right thing and have to fight harder? Robert speaks in this episode about how his decisions to do the right thing improved his life. Specifically, he has more peaces of mind and a comfortable lifestyle, all without compromising his morals. If you've faced a choice between what's right and hard and what's slightly immoral but easier, this conversation is for you. If you want to be simultaneously a good man and successful, take the time to learn from Robert's mistakes. And if you're a hard worker, but feel that you lack the decisiveness to make real progress, hit play in the bar above. Listen to this episode to hear from law expert Robert Klinck on how to find success and stay honest, and much more: Why you can't even trust your best friends when setting up agreements The emotion you should learn to control to be more successful (and a nicer guy) Why courage is as important as hard work The one attribute that Robert craves for more productivity A superior method for stress relief Why anger is a ‘peacock' emotion How to correctly view and manage profit for your business The perfect ratio of family happiness and career success Books and Resources mentioned in this episode: "Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine," by Mike Michalowicz "The Entrepreneur's IP Planning Playbook: A Strategy Guide To Help Solopreneurs, Startup Founders, and Entrepreneurs Harness Their Intellectual Capital," by Robert Klinck "Patent Litigation Primer: A Guide For Inventors And Business Owners," by Robert Klinck How to contact Robert Klinck: Visit his website.

If you stepped on a scale when you were 21 and saw your weight today, how would you feel? When life kicks up the pace for most businessmen, your metabolism simultaneously slows down. That makes for some—ahem—hefty weight gains for a lot of men as they cope with big demands on their time. Most businessmen slip into unhealthy eating habits and start to watch their weight ride a roller coaster that always ends a little higher than it started. My business partner Bill learned this the hard way when he jumped from Olympic shape to 60 pounds heavier in a few short years as he started his first business. In this episode, we talk about easy ways businessmen like you can boost a natural chemical in your body that fends off stress, makes you crave junk food less and will make you happier at the same time. And as a little preview to the episode, one of the things that release this chemical in your brain is massages. So yeah, you're going to want to listen to this episode. If you don't look like you want to in the mirror anymore, this episode will help you cut yourself back down to size. If your eating habits are inspired more by your need to eat quickly than your desire to eat healthy, this episode will give you some great ideas. And if you want to know about the naturally released chemical in your brain that will increase your productivity, make you happier, suppress your appetite and make you lose weight, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to learn how to get healthy when business has made it more difficult and more: The top thing you can do for your health (It's not diet or exercise.) Why your brain doesn't adjust to your changing metabolism fast enough. The reason football might make you fatter. (HINT: It's not beer, though that will contribute too.) How productivity can make you healthier. (What???) The thing my wife constantly ODs on (that's super healthy to OD on.) Why stress is bad for your eating and health habits (and how to avoid it.) The surprising reason that energy food will make you less energetic. The inexpensive power food that will make you happier and healthier with a forkful a day. 5 natural ways to easily boost a chemical in your body that will suppress your appetite and increase your energy.

Ever feel like you're just not doing what you're supposed to be doing with your life? My guest today felt that in a big way. As a young man, Rusty Pang had more jobs than most people will have in a lifetime. Within a relatively short 13 years, Rusty jumped through 26 jobs and owned seven businesses – four of which he resurrected from failure by their former owners. But in every position and every business, he got bored or hit an upper limit. Then he moved on. And through it all he felt a deep, residual pain. The pain pushed him to alcoholism, unhealthy weight gain and the nagging feeling that he was missing his purpose in life. But finally he reached a point where he embraced the pain. He sat in it. Lived with it. He wouldn't let his natural fight or flight tendencies take over. And working through his emotions instead of working against them opened up his clarity. In one stunning moment (while eating a sandwich) his purpose came to him. Not fleeing from his pain allowed him to see the shadows his purpose had cast through all 26 jobs and seven businesses. “I believe in the power of pain,” Rusty tells me in this episode. In this podcast, you'll hear Rusty Pang tell a powerful story of learning to live with pain to recognize the shadows of your purpose. And once you recognize the shadows, you can figure out the real thing. If you feel unfulfilled because of your work, Rusty's story will speak to you. If you have a hard time making decisions, or if you make them too fast, this episode is for you. And if you want to know what Rusty's mission is and how to find your own by changing your mindsets, click play in the player above to get started. Benefits and high points of this conversation with Rusty Pang, author of Entrepurpose: Learn how to escape from “Alcatraz” Discover the “not sexy” high-margin industry that Rusty respects Hear the purpose it took Rusty 13 years and a sandwich to discover Getting out of depressions by embracing pain Following the thread of your purpose Seeing shadows of things to come Why it should be easier for you to win seven lottery jackpots in a row than listen to this podcast Recognizing pain as the ultimate teacher Using a coin to help make tough choices, but not by flipping it Why you need to know yourself better Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase The Lions Pride may get a small commission. “Entrepurpose: Find the Single Thread Woven Through Your Past, Present, and Future,” by Rusty Pang and Brian Laprath Strengths Finder 2.0 Personality Hacker “Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time,” by Rory Varden How to contact Rusty Pang, author of Entrepurpose: Website Facebook Email

If you don't have time for a hobby, your work won't flow like it could. One of the most pervasive lies that men tell themselves is that they are so busy with work and commitments that they can't find time for a hobby. In our mind, you can't afford to be without one. By regularly engaging in a hobby, you'll become much more present and effective at work. So with an investment of 40 minutes or so per day, all eight or 10 hours you're at work will be better. In this episode, we talk about six major benefits you'll see in your productivity at work from having a hobby. We'll also tell you seven things you should consider when choosing a hobby to make sure it's effective for you. If you feel like all the adventure has gone out of your life, this episode will help you feel young again. If you stopped doing things you love because your work life got so busy, check out this episode. And if you realize the need for a hobby and just don't know where to start, then you've found the right place to start. Click play in the player above to listen to this episode about how hobbies will accelerate your productivity and how to find one.   Listen to this episode to learn how hobbies accelerate productivity and more: What a lovely psychotherapist told me about needing a hobby. How corporate America ate Bill's hobbies. How recommitting to a hobby helped Bill sell his business for eight figures. The biggest results-driver in your business. Clearing away mental clouds. A time investment that comes back to you many times. The big business of keeping you distracted from hobbies. The difference of a brain on electronics and one that's truly engaged. Why you need a hobby to solve problems. Contact me with any questions about this episode: Email That episode of 60 Minutes about technological distraction

Do you feel like your innovative business isn't getting the attention it should?  My guest today had to work hard for many years to find the perfect balance of work, innovation and humility to achieve what he always knew he wanted. Bedros Keuilian is the founder and CEO of Fit Body Boot Camp, which struggled to gain traction before it took off. But things weren't always so great for him. Growing up in California as the youngest member of a poor Armenian immigrant family, Bedros  helped his family survive by dumpster diving at age 6. At 17, Bedros realized he was unhappy with his body and self-image. So he decided to work hard and eat right to change that. When he succeeded, he decided he would spend his life helping others realize the same kind of transformation. He went from working in a big box gym to starting his own chain of gyms that a larger fitness chain eventually purchased from him. That's when he moved into the internet age. But it wasn't easy, and he soon owed $120,000 to a mentor who had helped him get off the ground. Seeing that Bedros was struggling, the mentor offered to buy the struggling company by forgiving his debt and hiring him as an employee for $10,000 per month. Security in one direction. Limitless possibility the other. Bedros ran away from the “opportunity” that would have shackled his potential. He now makes about four times what his mentor once offered him. If you're facing a crossroads in your life, this story could improve the direction you take. If you want to learn how to manage work stress, family life and self-confidence, Bedros has meaningful advice for you. And if you feel like you innovate ahead of the curve, Bedros and his story will speak to you. “How a dumpster diving immigrant became a high-powered CEO.” Listen to this episode to hear from fitness guru Bedros Keuilian about his journey from “dumpster diving to riches” and much more: The secret to an extraordinary life. How much it costs to illegally cross into Italy from Armenia. How 10 minutes of sincere self-conversation quadrupled Bedros's take-home. Why Bedros regrets not joining the military as an immigrant. Switching to ‘belly-up' mode when at home with the family. How to sell what you love to others. How routines ensure quality time with family. How to innovate without going overboard. The best kept secret to true happiness. (Hint: It's the simple things.) Books and resources mentioned in this episode:   "Man Up," by Bedros Keuilian coming August 2018 Elon Musk's documentary

220: Skills for fathers who raise their kids right As a father, you're shaping the world. Sounds big, right? That's why you often ask yourself if you're doing enough as a father. But if you're reading this, you're probably doing better than you think as a father. Even if you think of yourself as a deadbeat dad. Maybe because you see other fathers who do more than you. And that makes you feel like a man who doesn't give his children the time and attention they deserve. You're more than a deadbeat dad, Lion. In this episode, we explore 7 habits of highly effective fathers that will take you farther in parenting than you knew you could go. (Hint: These are also effective for bosses or leaders.) You'll see firsthand the dangers of being too busy for your children because of business. And you'll experience with us the rare, but completely attainable experience of having your kids tell you that you raised them right. If you find yourself comparing your parenting abilities to other men, take some time out to listen to this episode. If you have children that talk back often, or worse, are headed off the deep end, listen to this episode to learn how to get it to stop. And if you just want a better, happier family, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Bill and me talk about skills for raising your children right (or being a great boss) and more: The lightning-strike moment that changed Bill's life as a father. Who to compete against in parenting. How to not feel like a deadbeat dad. Avoiding the awkwardness of feeling like your father. How fatherhood skills transfer to the workplace, but not always vice versa. Why you shouldn't be your kids' (or employees') best friend. The best measuring stick for your parenting skills. My proudest parenting moment and the drastic measures it took to earn it. Why you shouldn't try to make your kids into you (and what you should do instead.) Quitting a 25-year career because I had to miss one proud parenting moment. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase The Lions Pride may get a small commission. “Raising a Modern-Day Knight: A Father's Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood,” by Robert Lewis   You, but better: Being a better father is just one of many topics we improve with the Lions in the Pride. Our men take whatever they're doing and ratchet it up a notch. Whatever your struggle, we can help you to see and achieve a greater version of you. For business, fatherhood or anything else. Let's talk, it's free!  

Is your business surviving or thriving? My guest today is brand survival expert Jonathan David Lewis, the author of “Brand Vs. Wild: Building Resilient Brands for Harsh Business Environments.” The marketing agency where Jonathan's a partner, McKee Wallwork + Co., has been recognized by Advertising Age as a national leader in branding and marketing. Jonathan specializes in working with stalled, stuck or stale brands that have been living in survival mode. He works to break companies out of ambiguity to hit marketing with a clarity that helps them thrive. “So much of the way out [of survival mode] has to do with psychology and human nature and emotion far more than any of us would like to admit,” Jonathan tells me in this episode. Jonathan's watched as the marketing realm has undergone a complete overhaul, with continuous and dramatic changes still filtering down. That uncertainty has left many stalled, stuck or stale brands that need to revamp their image and their strategies. And to develop a new breed of resilience. Using his background in psychology, Jonathan recognizes the predictable ways people react in survival mode and channels that for better marketing. And he's done it all without sacrificing his integrity. If you've noticed that biographies of great people tend to be filled with a mess of a personal life, this episode's for you. If you feel your business is stalled, stuck or stale, Jonathan's story may help you get chugging again. And if you want to weatherproof your business for the ongoing marketing storms in today's fast-changing world, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Jonathan David Lewis discuss with me how to make your business thrive in the new marketing age and more: How to deal with lightning-fast changes in the marketing world. Knowing who to disappoint. The one attribute that will get you ahead farther than any other. Developing resilience in your business. Being comfortable in ambiguity. Why business leaders act the way they do in the face of disruptions or industry challenges. The one thing every successful strategy has behind it. Work-life balance while writing a book. Buckling down when things seem hardest to WIN! Why Jonathan's company won't service many big-money companies. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase The Lions Pride may get a small commission. “The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level,” by Gay Hendricks “Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding the Three Fears That Sabotage Client,” by Patrick Lencioni “The Connected Company,” by Dave Gray and Thomas Vader Wal “Brand vs. Wild: Building Resilient Brands for Harsh Business Environments,” by Jonathan David Lewis How to contact Jonathan David Lewis: Website   Feeling stuck? You don't have to feel stalled, stuck or stale in your business. As coaches leading a movement of businessmen, we walk beside you to bring your business and life to a higher plane. If you feel stuck at all, let's talk about it. In your free video call, we'll get you started back toward the freedom to grow and go BIG. Learn more

How to recover after children pillage your dating life Do you remember when you had all the time in the world for your wife? Chances are, that time was before you had children. And you probably don't feel quite as close to your wife because of it, whether you ralize it or not. You may even feel like you miss your wife even though you see her every day. Studies show that marital relationships deteriorate once children come along. It's a fact of life, but a fact that you can choose to ignore. In this episode, I want to guide you through five things you can do to keep up an awesome relationship with your wife. After all, the top predictor of overall life satisfaction is if you're happy with your wife. If kids literally or figuratively come between you and your wife, listen to this episode to improve your relationship with your wife, and by extension, your kids. If you feel like you and your wife are living separate lives, we'll give you some awesome ways to keep your family together. And if you want to know what it takes to feel like newlyweds again even though you have kids, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode for five ways to keep children from coming between you and your wife and more: How young children can sense marital strife. Why a happy wife makes a happy life. The one thing a contributor of ours did to recover his wife when she was unhappy. How fast children deteriorate your relationship (even when you love the kids). Ways to make dates out of anything to improve your relationship. “Wow dates” and how to use them. How to best back each other up to block kids from threatening your relationship. GET FREE: Children and business both have a way of taking away your freedom to spend all the time you want with your wife. But you don't have to sacrifice all your freedom. If you sense that your life is out of balance and that's hurting your marriage, business or both, let's have a conversation and see what we can figure out together. We reserve 10 spots per week on our calendar to talk with men like you during free video strategy calls. Learn more

Whether you think so or not, you live in a bubble. Gret Glyer, the founder of DonorSee, didn't realize that until he got far outside his bubble. And he got so far outside it that he wanted to change other people's bubbles. Gret grew up in Fairfax, Virginia in the second-wealthiest county in the United States (just behind Teton County in Wyoming where my business partner Bill lives, according to some lists.) So when he moved to Malawi—the poorest country in the world as of 2014—his bubble popped. He went there to teach math, but ended up doing his own social-work projects more than anything. In the three years he lived there, Gret built more than 100 houses for homeless people and also crowdfunded a $100,000 girls' school designed to give the country an educational boost to exit poverty. After that experience, he decided he could help more projects like that all over the world with his own company. So he founded DonorSee, a visual platform for donations that lets people see who they're helping as well as the results of the aid quickly.   You wouldn't know it now, but Gret's first attempt to raise $800 to build a house stopped short at $100 until he changed one mentality that was holding him back. He had to pop his bubble. If you want to know how to take a leap of faith like Indiana Jones, this episode is for you. If you'd like to learn what it takes to live outside your bubble, Gret's story will mean a lot to you. And if you want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of real people, click play in the player above to get started now. Listen to this episode to hear me talk with Gret Glyer, founder of DonorSee about living outside your bubble and more: Why Gret Glyer left a life on the fast track for a different bubble. Eradicating malaria in an African village. How Gret compares his story to Indiana Jones. The one change that made Gret's idea work when he was hitting a wall. The “brain drain” in Malawi and how Gret's work sought to change that. American poverty vs. African wealth and vice versa. Why failures come from hubris and this one faulty way of thinking. Three historical figures that push Gret to be a better man. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase The Lions Pride may get a small commission. “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010,” by Charles Murray How to contact Gret Glyer Website   Pop your bubble: What holds you back from taking a leap of faith into something in which you could make a bigger difference? That's your gravity. We teach driven and accomplished men how to overcome their personal gravity and fulfill their higher potential. We offer 10 free 30-minute video phone calls each week to discuss with high achievers how they could achieve even more. Let's do this!

Drowning in to-dos? Missing freedom because of it? If so, you need more structure. Most men associate a lack of structure with freedom, but that kind of thinking is a trap. A lack of structure isn't freedom. In fact, a lack of structure can make you a slave faster than just about anything. See, without structure, even if you know you have a ton to get done, you have no real order for doing it. No timing. Other people can sense that, and interruptions for doing….whatever you planned to do…become normal. And since interruptions push you farther away from getting the things done you really need to do, you end up with an even more stagnant to-do list. In this episode, we explore how structure gives men more freedom at work and at home. And we give you eight actionable ways to incorporate more structure into your days so your to-do list will no longer drown you. If you feel like both your to-do list and your bucket list are too long and getting longer, this episode is for you. If you procrastinate because of your lack of structure and that takes away some freedom, you'll be able to improve your life after listening to this episode. And if you want the freedom to do what you want when you want, you need the structure this episode can provide. Click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Bill and I talk about how to get more structure and freedom in your life and more: How to whittle your to-do list down by about 70 percent in 45 minutes. The book that tied freedom and structure together in my mind. Why “work” should be called “waste.” The one thing every man does daily that 98 percent of men suck at. Digitizing your to-dos. How to use an assistant to organize and reduce your to-dos. The surprising amount of your work time you should schedule. Eating frogs. Overcoming procrastination addiction. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase The Lions Pride may get a small commission. “How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life,” by Alan Lakein “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” by Greg McKeown “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results,” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan Structure your freedom: Structure is the foundation of freedom. Need a better foundation? We've helped hundreds of men master their work structure and get more freedom into their lives as a result. We'll get you started during a free 1-on-1 video call. Let's talk, free

20170601 – EP 215 – David Barnett sell your business Build a business people want to buy with David Barnett What if you're killing yourself to build a business that isn't worth anything to anybody else? David Barnett is the author of three best-selling business books and also a consultant who helps people to better build, manage and sell small- and medium-sized businesses. His experience as a business broker and as a businessman himself has helped him sculpt a program that can aid entrepreneurs who are either buying or selling a business. As a successful business broker, David helped sell 36 businesses in 36 months on the job, but realized the feast-or-famine model of business brokerage was too hard on him. In fact, during those three years, he says he got all his gray hair.   The final straw came when, after nine months without a sale, he had six contracts lined up to go through at the end of the year worth a combined $250,000 to him. Of those, three fell through due to circumstances outside of his control. He ended up with only $110,000 in the bank and nothing to show for tons of work he'd put in on the other businesses. At that time, he got a job. But people still kept calling him on referral for his old business, and he soon decided to start back in on a different model—one that would provide stability for him and give better results to his clients. If you're trying to build a business that will be good enough to sell when you want to move on or retire, you need to hear David's story. If you've built a business that relies too much on information in your head, give this episode a listen. And if you want more success today and in the future with the business you already own, click play in the player above to learn the secrets of success David shares with his small-business and medium-sized business clients.   Listen to this episode to hear me talk with David Barnett about buying and selling businesses and more: Building a business with time- and location-freedom in mind. The series of businesses David built before he started selling other people's businesses. What you can do to make your business more valuable now and more saleable later. How David made less selling one business than some people do selling fries. (And what he did about it.) The worst thing that can happen to an entrepreneur that happened to David. Why taking a regular paycheck makes David feel guilty. Why to give people the silent treatment after you've made an offer. The single shift in David's business that made all the difference. How good businesses subsidize bad ones in business brokerage. The man who lost $20,000 in a bad business transaction and ignited David's passion for buying and selling businesses. Secret tactics of business negotiations. The best time to begin exiting your business. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Lions Pride Academy may get a small commission. “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It,” by Michael Gerber “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It,” by Chris Voss How to contact David Barnett: Website   Build a better business: Your life, your business deserve a better foundation. Better guidance. What's troubling you in your business life right now? Let's have a conversation. We offer 10 free 30-minute video phone calls each week to discuss with high achievers how they could achieve even more. Let's do this!  

Have you ever shut yourself down, thinking you weren't good enough to achieve something? Well, no matter how confident men may appear to you on the outside, every high achiever has at some point felt like a fake. A loser. A poser. Unable to accomplish. All that despite a record of high achievement. As the founders of The Lions Pride, both by business partner Bill and I both have felt the impostor syndrome. The impostor syndrome hits men when they feel like the world sees them as great and powerful, but they feel like the Wizard of Oz—a lowly man behind a curtain. You don't have to feel like that. In this episode, we give you three action items you can use to get past the impostor syndrome—and all the bad business decisions that come along with it. If you want to make better business decisions filled with confidence, listen to this episode. If you've ever felt like a poser who doesn't deserve the success you have, you ought to hear what we have to say. And if you've ever criticized yourself after someone complimented you, click play in the player above to rise to a new level. Listen to hear about the impostor syndrome and more Our company name change and how we shed the impostor syndrome to embrace it. Why men who feel like an impostor miss a critical component of goal-setting. What you see in the mirror versus what others see. The two types of impostor syndrome, and how to beat each. Why you should do things you don't feel like are hard for people who think they are. Two world-famous people who still feel impostor syndrome. The percentage of successful men we think feel like a failure or fake. 3 things to never do if you doubt your business decisions. Why base hits are better than home runs sometimes. How we got compared to dentists (when we feel like surgeons.) Stop faking: If impostor syndrome is something you struggle with, let's talk. We offer a limited amount of free 30-minute video calls for men who want something even better than what they've made for themselves. Let's do this!

Money isn't the primary reason or an excuse for doing or not doing something in your life. My guest today knows that from experience after a rough road that made him suicidal before landing him on top of the world. Michael Isom is the founder of Vault AIS, and lives a raw, real, relevant and ruthlessly committed life. But it wasn't always that way for him. At age 22, Michael stumbled into a job selling some of the first cell phones on the market, and made more in his first month doing that than he ever had in a year up until that point. And the money just kept coming. Six years later, he started a business with one of my favorite podcast guests of all-time: New York Times bestselling author Garrett Gunderson.   After a rough patch caused by the death of two business partners in a plane crash, Garrett and Michael parted ways. That's when Michael fell prey to a major myth in the financial industry: that high risk creates high returns. When he did that, he lost $4 million in a bad investment. Worse than that, though, he lost his best asset. His best investment. He started to lose himself. He shut down his three offices, fired his 16 employees and lived off savings for the next two and a half years. Those years, he said, were a blur of alcohol and cycling to numb the pain and keep him from coming to grips with what he had done. His family left him, telling him to get clean, and he ended up with a gun his mouth, crying and screaming at God for answers. Since then, he's learned that the best investment, your #1 asset, is you. And if you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of the people you love. If you feel any of the pain of letting yourself go—whether because of a bad investment or for other reasons, you need to listen to Michael's story of redemption. You're not alone, Lions. If you feel like no one understands your situation, you need to hear what Michael has to say about mindset. And if you want to hear the moving story of how Michael bounced back from suicidal to on top of the world, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear me talk with Michael Isom about getting on top of the world after wanting to end it all and more: Offroad racing from a world champion's point of view. The plane crash that pushed Michael toward losing $4 million and nearly losing himself. A piece of bad financial advice that nearly everyone believes. How not to act when you lose $4 million. Giving yourself permission to be real and raw. The amazing God-given moment that kept Michael from taking his own life. Maintaining control over your best assets and investments. How to create value for others through your experiences. Michael's personal journey from rock bottom to on top of the world. Why reminding others with similar belief systems is important. The rules financial institutions use to get rich that you should use, too. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Lions Pride Academy may get a small commission. “Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life,” by Byron Katie The Work website. “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High,” by Kerry Patterson “Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior,” by Kerry Patterson “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results,” by Gary Keller Get Michael Isom's book, co-authored by New York Times bestselling author Garrett Gunderson, for free: To get a free digital copy of “What Would the Rockefellers Do?: How the Wealthy Get and Stay That Way … and How You Can Too”, text 801-396-7211 with “Free WWRD” as the subject. Listeners of this episode can also get a free hard copy shipped to them for only the price of shipping.  How to contact Michael Isom: Website

Has your life and business beat the fun out of you? This week, Bill and I discuss something deeply embedded within us after learning from hard life experience that having fun outside of business drives results inside business. No matter what life or business throws at you, you've got to do it. After my wife died from cancer in the mid-2000s, I was in no mood for fun. I worked. I worked out. That was about it. But I needed to have more fun. That fact came into focus when a friend of mine asked me what I do for fun. I told her about working out. She said that wasn't fun. True. Rewarding, yes. But not fun. So I dug deeper, and came up empty. Then she gave me advice I've never forgotten: “Until you get some fun in your life, nothing else is going to work.” In this episode, we share the secrets of having more fun when business and life has made you forget how to have fun and made you feel old, boring and bored with life. Specifically, we share a kind of list you can make that will drive you to be a fun, youthful, energetic person despite what life might throw at you. Listen to Bill and me talk about relearning how to have fun and more: Keeping your sense of childhood. How to harness fun to make you more energetic in business. The thing that fills your #1 ingrained desire. A list that will keep you enjoying life. Why you should laugh at yourself in the mirror. The amount of times children laugh in a day compared to adults. Why you feel old and how to find a fountain of youth. The power of learning outside your bubble. How to get energy back in your day when your mind slips. How bad habits dull your ability to have fun. The one thing that made my wife laugh while she was on chemo. Freedom is calling: Or are you calling freedom? Fun is freedom, and freedom is fun. Unleash your potential starting with a free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough video call session. Apply now.

Men want to be valued so much that they work hard to achieve. But that's not what you should be doing, according to Brandon Allen. Brandon is the founder of New Work Revolution Coaching and Consulting, where he coaches business owners to find freedom and growth in their businesses. Brandon has always been a high achiever, starting back when he played sports like every minute was the last minute of a game seven finals game. But he came from a broken family. He never met his biological father, and his mother had alcohol abuse problems as well. He wouldn't see her for days, sometimes. So he developed a commitment to looking good so no one would know how messed up he was inside. “I tried to make sure nobody knew I was screwed up by achieving at a high level,” Brandon tells me in this episode. His “bubble of achievement” helped him in a way, but in reality held him back—as a parent, as a spouse and as a team leader. And nobody valued him for his achievements anyway. If you've ever worked hard to achieve so you could feel valuable or valued, you need to hear Brandon's story. If you put up false fronts that you sense hold you back, Brandon will move you beyond that by telling you his story. And if you want to know the biggest lie men tell themselves so you can stop telling it, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear me talk with Brandon Allen about why achievements don't make you valuable and more: Brandon's story of growing up in a dysfunctional home and how he overcame it. Why Brandon quit his job to start a business at the height of the Great Recession. Building a business plane as you're flying it. Why the message you share as a business owner may not be the one people want to hear. The Wrong reason to start a partnership. How to end a partnership the right way. Why mindset dictates results. The people who grow most as coaching clients. Bursting the “achievement bubble” and filling it up with something more valuable. A question to ask every day—especially when business isn't going well. Why lying to yourself is the worst kind of lie. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul,” by Bill Hybels How to contact Brandon Allen: Website Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher

The bond a mother has for her children can sometimes make high-achieving men feel like deadbeat dads just because they can't cultivate the same kind of connections. Men sometimes feel like losers when their kids don't come to them with requests or to get advice and instead constantly run to Mom. That couldn't be further from the truth. The Lions we work with are far from deadbeat dads, but can still learn some assertive parenting skills. And Mom? She'd prefer if the kids ran to you as often as they do to her. She doesn't like bearing that burden alone. In this episode, Bill and I talk about what you, Lion, can do for the mother of your children to support her in her calling. It's all about assertive parenting, especially if she's the one the kids always run to for everything. This cooperative assertive parenting skill will serve you at home well, especially if your wife has a hard time taking feedback from you. It will also improve your ability to lead in your business if you understand it well. In supporting your wife more effectively through the assertive parenting advice we share this week, you'll find that your kids love and respect you more because of the way your home life works.   If you have a wife with a generous soul who does a ton for your kids, listen to this episode. If you feel like you can never give your wife feedback and that's hurting your relationships at home, this episode is for you. And if you'd like a happier mother and a happier family, click play in the player above to get started. Mothers never give up on their children; so never give up on your children's mother. Listen to this episode to hear Bill and I talk about assertive parenting skills and more: The one thing that makes most high-achieving fathers feel like a deadbeat dad. The reasons you shouldn't feel like a deadbeat dad. The story about why it still feels like my Momma is holding my hand through life. Why Bill's mom still treats him like he's 10 years old. How to get back in favor with kids who like mom more. How getting back in favor will make their mother happier. The accidental events that create “Mommy favortism.” The assertive parenting and leadership skill that will improve all your relationships. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High,” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler “Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior,” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler Assert to lead: Assertive men lead best, but only 5 percent of men know how to be assertive. If you want freedom to lead better and still be more available at home, click here to apply for a free 30-minute video Freedom Breakthrough Session.

You don't have to hate your career…if you play your networking cards right. Today's guest, Mac Prichard, is president of Prichard Communications, and created Mac's List, an online community for people looking to find more fulfilling work. Mac is also the author of “Land Your Dream Job Anywhere,” which walks people through a networking process that can get you further ahead faster. Many men, including a lot of Rusty Lion Academy clients, get to the point where they hate their career so much that they have a hard time working within it. This makes them work even longer hours and deepens the cycle. And without corrective action, the pain only deepens. After graduating from Harvard's Kennedy School of Business with a master's degree, Mac reached out to about 100 businesspeople in Portland, Oregon where he wanted to live and work. Each “infromation interviews” had a direct outcome goal and started to build a network for Mac. There's a big difference between building a network and networking. Networking is casually passing out business cards to everyone you see at a business function, and is rarely effective. Creating a network constructs a two-way street of service, Mac tells me in this episode. Give without any expectation of receiving. When you do, it's amazing what you get back. If you want a career you love and don't know how to tackle the change, Mac's got some great advice for you. If you think your past titles or accomplishments should guarantee your future success but aren't, this episode is for you. And if you want to aim higher in your career than you've ever been, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear me talk with Mac Prichard about effective networking to build a better career and more: Becoming “an accidental entrepreneur.” What electoral politics, writing, and human rights advocacy have in common. The two things that got Mac into Harvard's Master's program despite a 3.0 average in college. Taking risks to grow. Making networking work better. An alternative to filling out job applications. Why service has resulted in the most career growth for Mac. What two long periods of unemployment taught Mac about finding the right career. Career wisdom from Intel's public affairs director. What you should learn from comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Why you can't afford to rest on your accolades. Overcoming procrastination. Get Mac Prichard's book; the first chapter's free for Lion's Den listeners: “Land Your Dream Job Anywhere,” by Mac Prichard and other nationally known career experts Contact Mac Prichard, president of Prichard Communications: Website LinkedIn Twitter

If you're like me, every week feels like a mission-critical week to your business. Can we agree that any week—no matter how hectic it feels—is just another week? In this episode, we explore the technological and societal lies that make it mentally hard for you to take time off—even when it's possible and necessary for your wellbeing. For some men, it's even hard to take time off as you're taking time off. After all, the lure of the laptop and the smartphone can be strong for a high achiever. These are the kinds of forces that made me feel guilty for taking a week off in April even though I knew it would improve my business and my relationships in the end. We've got news for you—your inability to take time off isn't your fault. It's programmed into you by a lot of driving forces. But you can change your programming. You cannot unplug unless you proactively unplug. If you want to learn how and why to unplug and take a real vacation, this episode is for you. If you‘re still the one in charge even when you're not the one in the office, you'll get a lot out of this conversation. And if your long hours are hurting yourself, your relationships and your business, click play on the player below to take more time off and still get more done at work. Listen to this episode to hear me talk with Bill about taking more time off, getting more done at work and more: Two things that finally forced me to take a vacation. The lies that make you feel guilty when you take a break. Societal and technological dynamics that make it harder to unplug. How your life as a high achiever is like the movie The Matrix. The bold-faced lie that sacrifice creates success. The cult of hard work and what it costs. A bulletproof process for taking more time off. The backwardness of American culture when it comes to free time. [CALLOUT] More time off; less worry: Our clients spend less time at work and more time at home and on vacation. They do it by getting the systems we reveal in place. These systems get you producing more and worrying less, allowing you to give your best self to your family. Want this freedom for yourself? Schedule a free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session now.

The worst thing for some men is to get a taste of success. My guest today is Nicholas Bayerle, the founder of The Billion Dollar Body, a company that coaches men to get their fitness right so the rest of their lives can fall in place. Nicholas tells me in this episode that he was once the most self-conscious, least self-confident person he's ever known. As a child, he became the youngest kid in the world to race bikes, which soon led him into motocross, where he wanted to become the best in the world. After a crushing blow to self-esteem delivered by someone he loved, he dropped his dreams of being a professional motocross racer. In fact, he dropped all his dreams and left his confidence in the dust. He stopped being hungry for more success. Less than three months later, he was 25 pounds heavier and enduring tons of ridicule. At some point, he decided to stop hiding behind a sweatshirt—and that changed his life. With nothing to hide his extra weight, he was hungry for a better life. That got him back in shape and chasing his life and business dreams. But at a point when his business was hauling in about $40,000 per month, he became satisfied with what he had achieved. He lost his drive. Everything fell apart. Since then, he's learned how to stay hungry for more success, even when it feels like he's accomplished enough. And he says fitness is the key to it all. If you have ever felt like you've lost your drive, you'll learn a lot from Nicholas. If you have ever tasted success and let yourself stop growing, this episode is for you. And if you just want to hear an amazing story about a man who was once bullied and now helps rich men find richness in their lives through fitness, click play in the player above. Listen to this episode to hear Nicholas Bayerle of the Billion Dollar Body discuss with me staying hungry for more success and more: The five things your fitness needs you to do right (Hint: you do four every day already.) Becoming the best version of yourself. Being the youngest bike racer in the world. Why hunger and drive shouldn't allow you to run for comfort. What your top priority should be for growth. How working out influences all areas of your life. Why people around you will be more happy than you when you start getting more sleep. How a weakness comes to be. Niching down to scale up. What pushes you toward bad behaviors. Changing your expectations to change your results. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” by Robert Glover Billion Dollar Body Live mens' event How to contact Nicholas Bayerle, owner of The Billion Dollar Body: Website Email Get hungry: Success doesn't find you. You find success. We can show you the way to stay hungry for more success, even if you've already tasted success. Start by applying today for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session.

Passion for your family doesn't have to be just lip service. This episode will teach you how to not give everything to work so you can give more to your family. The ones you tell me are the most important people and the most important thing in your life You don't have to be the shell of a man when you come home from work every day. If you live in a way where you're not beating yourself up at work, you'll live better at home. In this episode, we provide you with tips and techniques so that you're filled with the passion you tell me you have for your family. And part of it is loving what you do at work—without going overboard. If you're not doing something you love or doing something you can fall in love with, you bring home less of a man than you could be. Every day. If you feel like you give all your energy to work and just want to vegetate once you get home, listen to this episode. If you ever drink yourself to sleep because the stress of the day took too much from you, you'll love what you hear. And if you want to learn why Steve Jobs hated his life when he was running two of the world's most successful companies, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Bill and I talk about passion that doesn't quit at home and more: Why you're a shell of a man when you come home sometimes. Unhealthy habits that come with running on empty. How Steve Jobs felt when running two companies. (Hint: not successful.) Why to create a stop-doing list. A sequence we put men through to allow them to bring more passion home. Why to blame your kindergarten teacher for taking too much on. How to fill yourself with energy at work instead of depleting it. Why many men are out of tune like a bad instrument when I first meet them. How vulnerability improved my life and got me passionate about coming home. How one client has come to love both going to work and coming home. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. The Phone Bed Charging Station. “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World,” by Cal Newport Get more energy: The men we coach find that their well of energy is deeper than they thought and realize they can be passionate at work and at home. That's freedom. Sign up for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session to get the most of the passion you posess.

When you recognize your top performers, everyone gets better and you make more money as a business owner. That's the quick way of saying a recognition culture is powerful and transformative. My guest today is David Long, the brother of another favorite guest, Randy Long. Like his brother, he's an author, speaker, entrepreneur and business owner. Unlike his brother, he's the founder of MyEmployees—a worldwide leader in the employee recognition industry. You've probably seen his employee recognition plaques in Wal-Mart, Target, Lowe's or in a number of other companies that know the benefits that come from an employee recognition culture. David tells me the incredible story of the desperate start his business got after he lost seven jobs in three and a half years. He then tells how a $700 base for his business turned into the $10.5 million business it is now. He pins most of that growth on the employee recognition culture he inspires in his own business and in others. To improve your employees, the #1 thing to do is recognize them. David Long of @MyEmployees If your employees don't come to work with their A game, listen to this episode. If you want to grow your business, you'll learn a ton from David Long. And if you just like hearing a great rags to riches story, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear David Long, CEO of MyEmployees tell me about recognizing employees and more: Going from a 5 foot by 5 foot office in a garage to outgrowing a 20,000-square-foot building. Unintentionally shooting for a world record for lost jobs. The event that got David to say, “Thank you God and what a country!” when he was destitute and living with his wife and three children at his parents house. Becoming one of the top 1% of businesses throughout history. How David does employee recognition for his 60 employees. Taking 30 weeks of vacation without business missing a beat. Why David's library is valued at $500,000. A practice with employees that David says his given him hundred-fold returns. Getting out of a deep rut—which is just a grave with the ends kicked out. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle,” by Jim Rohn “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ,” by Daniel Coleman “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results,” by Gary Keller “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” by Greg McKeown “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It,” by Michael Gerber “How to Win Friends & Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University “Built to Lead: 7 Management R.E.W.A.R.D.S Principles for Becoming a Top 10% Manager,” by David Long (Buy this on Amazon and email davidlong@top10manager.com for a free eBook version and workbook.) How to contact David Long: Buy David's book (see above line) and email the address above for a free eBook version. Or, go to myemployees.com or top10manager.com. Get your ‘A' team: Employee recognition goes a long way to getting the best team possible in place. If you want to really take your team to another level that will let you work less with fewer worries about work, apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session today.

Who's your workplace hero? Is he on a magazine cover? Does he appear on late-night talk shows? Does this person you admire ever brag about not taking a vacation for the past three years? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have probably succumbed to one of the biggest myths ever handed to the American people. The workplace hero myth is that hard work is always admirable. No matter what. And it's a bunch of bull. In this episode, I walk you this myth as I see it and help you see a better way. If you've ever felt like the people you admire in the workplace work too much, this episode's for you. If you have felt pulled along by the myth that putting in tons of hours means tons of success, you should listen to this espisode. And if you feel like the most successful men are the ones who actually have time for the things that matter most to them, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear me discuss what a real workplace hero looks like and more: Lies men in the workplace believe. The one attribute that should really define success. What kinds of hard work you should be doing. Unmasking the Wizard of Work. Shortening the curve to personal mastery. Why Steve Jobs was no success. How I named my company to keep in mind what was most important. Three things to do to become a real workplace hero while still being your kids' hero. Be a hero: You can spend less time at the office and still get it all done. Then you can be a hero to more than just your employees. Let us show you a better way with a free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session. We only schedule 10 of these per week, so apply now!

Walt Disney always used to say, “Dream, dare, believe and do.” But so many men get stuck at the “dream” phase. My guest today is John Formica, who used to work for Walt Disney World Resorts, and now many people know him as “the ex-Disney guy.” He's an international speaker, business consultant, and author of “Making the Customer Experience Magical Now!” Down under, they named him Australia's best experience coach. For John to take Walt Disney's advice and “Dream, dare, believe and do,” it took a brush with death. It came on the side of Mt. Rainier when a companion slipped on ice and nearly pulled his entire climbing group over a cliff. Dream big, go big: Our clients are sick of dreaming. They want to take their lives to the next level of freedom and fulfillment. Click here to apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session. After surviving that experience, he decided it was time to do something more with his life. On the red-eye flight home, he filled a beverage napkin with plans for his new career, and on seven sheets of paper he figured out how to tell his wife. Guess which was harder. His point now is that it shouldn't take almost dying on the side of a mountain for men to wake up from their dreams to dare, believe and do what they know they should do. If you have dreams, but are afraid of daring to follow through with them, listen to this episode. If you want to hear the story of John's harrowing experience on Mt. Rainier, this episode's for you. And if you just have trouble taking action when everything else is aligned, click play on the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear John Formica discuss with me going beyond dreams into an amazing new reality and more: The professional influence of Walt Disney on one dreamer. How to make things happen when you're hitting a wall. Why you should surround yourself with positivity. What it feels like to literally hold someone's life in your hands for 22 minutes. Why someone told John 860,000 people would have to die for him to get a job. How a guide was ready to let John die to save two more lives. The moment when everything started working for John (Hint: It involved hiring a coach!) How one statement undid two years of John's hard work. Why committing to your dreams doesn't necessarily mean quitting your job. Getting out of the babysitting business as a leader. Making more time for magic in your life. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life,” by Pat Williams “How to Win Friends & Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie “Making the Customer Experience Magical Now!” by John Formica How to contact John Formica: Go to johnformica.com. Find the magic in life: The men we coach are successful, but feel like they're missing the magic of a freedom-filled life. Unchain yourself from the things holding you back by applying today for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session.

Did you know your body has programming in it that will burn fat, give you more mental clarity and even reverse cancer when activated? Today, I invited Dr. Michael Vanderschelden on the show to talk about ketogenic eating, a lifestyle that I've used on and off in the past few years to lose weight and feel great. He tells me that 25 peer-reviewed studies have shown ketogenic eating to improve health, dramatically reduce weight and reduce risk for chronic diseases. This episode will teach you what you need to know to get these benefits. But for now, the quick take is that it's a low carbohydrate, high-fat and moderate protein diet that activates a response in your body to switch to fat as its primary fuel source. Sounds great, right? If you feel like your mind drifts too often at work, this episode will help you regain focus. If you need to get rid of a spare tire around your waist, take a listen. And if you want to enjoy better health while eating some fantastic foods, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear me discuss ketogenic eating with Dr. Michael Vanderschelden and more: The science that makes your body burn fat first instead of using it as a reserve. Injecting “biodiesel” into your body to run cleaner and more efficiently. The anti-inflammatory properties of a ketogenic diet. Getting your mind running in high gear with better fuel. Awesome foods you can eat within a ketosis lifestyle. Foods you'll need to mostly avoid to live a ketogenic lifestyle. How and when you can cheat on a ketogenic diet. Why a McDonald's at a cancer clinic should be considered malpractice. How often a ketogenic king stays on his ketogenic diet.

How do you improve yourself? It doesn't matter who you are, you can become more than what you've become. My guest today is evidence of that. Clayton McLain is the owner of a utility construction company in Bend, Oregon. But he wasn't always so respectable. In fact, he tells me in this episode, at one time in his life he reveled in flaunting his disrespectfulness. That choice led him into drug and alcohol addictions that put him at a lower point than he thought possible. At that point, Clayton says he knew he could stay the same or make a completely new life for himself. He chose the new life. No matter how good you are, you can become more. Via @RustyLionAcad To do so, he had to distance himself from everyone and everything that had contributed to his way of life. He knew he couldn't be a “recreational scumbag” on the weekends. It didn't happen all at once, but Clayton says always doing the next good thing on his list has helped him become more than he had become. You may not struggle with drugs and alcohol, but all men struggle with something, so Clayton's story of self-improvement despite the odds will resonate even with the highest achievers. If you need a boost of confidence that you can improve your lot in life, this episode's for you. If you want to know the kinds of goals you should set to improve your life, dive right in. And if you just want to hear the moving story of a man who once had nothing and now leads a great life, click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Bill and me talk with Clayton about becoming more than you've become and more: Positive traits that come from negative circumstances. How quickly thought patterns can change negative conditions. The link between flossing and setting goals. How to deal with difficult, disobedient children. The simple habit that can carry you higher than you thought possible. How small things make a great man. Why you should keep a to-do list (and put more on it than you thin necessary.) The case for tackling the worst part of your day first. Become more: If you could become more than you are, would you do it? We help guide men every day to becoming better versions of themselves. Apply now for your free 30-minute breakthrough to start becoming more.

To celebrate our 200th episode, we decided to see what has resonated most with our audience. So we looked back to find out what our top 10 most downloaded podcast episodes of all-time have been. As you may know, we run a guest episode every Thursday and an episode where Bill and I discuss a relevant topic for businessmen every Monday. So we broke our top 10 list apart into the top 5 guest episodes and the top 5 Bill and Robert episodes. The results are worth listening to if you haven't already. Or even if you have. On the guest side, these top 5 episodes will: Land you in a Bentley with an extraordinary businessman who found out abruptly about his need to step up his game as a father. Take you on a Wisdom Trek with a true southern gentleman who guides small businessmen to success with integrity. Drop you deep into the wilderness of cannibals and death rituals with an entrepreneur who started with $4 to his name. Let you hear from a four-time Inc. 5000 honoree who guides you toward unstoppable momentum in your life and career. Hand you the keys to a billionaire's mindset—through the eyes of a billionaire who took on Goliaths to get to where he is and now helps others do the same. On the Robert and Bill side, these top 5 episodes will: Pour jet fuel on your life and business. Help you face off against your biggest competitor—yourself. Give you wisdom that took us years to find in our favorite business books. Clue you in to the signs of a weak leader—while guiding you to become the best kind of leader. Get you to quit “Yes cocaine” so you can focus on what matters most. Click play in the player above to get started. Or, skip straight to any of the crowd favorite episodes listed above by clicking through on the links above. CALLOUT: Why these episodes resonate: Every one of these top 10 episodes has something in common. They guide men toward freedom. Time freedom, location freedom, financial freedom, or a combination of the three. If you want more of any of these, apply for a free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough session now!

Some think that principles can hurt profits, but when today's guest learned to practice his principles and values at work, his profits blossomed. Bobby Albert is the president of Values Driven Leadership, a consulting business focused on teaching the potential of building foundational values into company culture. Bobby says correctly taught and applied values create a profitable atmosphere since employees feel empowered and valuable. Principles produce profits. He says he went through a two-year discovery process to unearth his company's core values of valuing people, seeking wisdom, embracing humility, and always continuing to learn. After passing these on to his employees through a game of Wheel of Fortune (a creative interaction with employees that's worth listening to the episode to hear about), Bobby says he watched a miracle unfold. In only six years, the company grew profits by 500 percent. CALLOUT: Find what's important to you: Apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session to find out the values that can drive your profits without driving you to long hours at the office. Bobby says that allowing people to believe in that foundation spurred them toward going the extra mile in all their work. That took his company to another level. In fact, his company became a Top 100 Best Company to Work for in Texas twice. What a “Best Company to Work For” does to make employees happy while still profiting. If you feel like your employees don't put forth their best efforts for your business, listen to this episode. If you want to know how principles can drive profits, take a listen. And if you would rather lead than manage, click play on the player above. Listen to this episode to hear Bobby and me discuss profits, principles, and more: Being a values-driven company that gets results instead of a results-driven company that has values. What Bobby did to get 100% of his employees to take a pay cut during hard times. Dealing with “me issues” for employees in tough work situations. Inspiring authenticity in company values. What employees learned from a game of Wheel of Fortune. The missing ingredient for your business. A $4 million mistake and how Bobby bounced back from it. Why you sometimes need to do pilot testing before going big. Becoming instead of doing. Why employees should report to each other, not the boss. 3 questions to ask before every major decision. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You,” by John Maxwell “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't,” by Jim Collins How to contact Bobby Albert, get his book, or download his free goal-setting resource: Go to bobbyalbert.com/lionsden. CALLOUT: Value your values: The men we coach value freedom, but don't always live true to that value. Unchain yourself from the things holding you down by applying today for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session to find out the values that can drive your profits without driving you to long hours at the office.

You don't have to spend so much time at the office. Every successful, driven man overstays his welcome at the office because he sees that as a way forward to more freedom. In reality, his drive to get more done at the office is keeping him from getting as much done. It's not manly to spend 14 hours per day in front of your computer at the office. Listen to this episode to get more packed into your day so you don't have to spend so much time at the office. In this episode, you'll hear 10 proven, effective ways to get out of the office on time and during the day so you can live a more fulfilling life. This episode is about productivity in that we teach you how to reclaim time you're losing at the office to needless tasks. CALLOUT: Too much time at the office? Harness your time freedom by scheduling a free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session today. If you want freedom to live your workday you want to live it, listen to this episode. If you feel like you should be getting more done at the office, listen up. And if you want to know how to get home on time for dinner, click play in the player above to learn how to spend less time at the office. Listen to this episode to hear Bill and me discuss 10 ways to spend less time at the office and more: The power of correctly prioritized to-do lists. The kinds and frequencies of the breaks you should be taking. How to take a month-long vacation every year. Streamlining your week by using your best energy on Monday and Tuesday. Whipping yourself to work better. The right way to set deadlines for yourself. A mental trick to get you working when you don't want to work. Using your competitive nature to get home on time. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “Meetings Suck: Turning One of the Most Loathed Elements of Business into One of the Most Valuable,” by Cameron Herold Spend less time at the office, and more time living a fulfilling life Business is about all kinds of freedom – financial freedom, time freedom, and location freedom. Even so, too many men achieve the financial freedom while losing all their time and location freedoms. Let us help you spend less time at the office with a free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session. We only schedule 10 of these per week, so apply now!

One great decision can take your business to new heights, so why not make a whole bunch of them? My guest today is Patrick McDaniel, the founder of wiseinsights.net, a former accountant and pastor, and a current paid social media strategist. His website is designed to help motivated people avoid unnecessary pains by finding the surest path to a better life. And that path, he tells me in this episode, is paved with good decisions. To help people shortcut the path to making better decisions, Patrick created the definitive guide to decision-making. He drew on thought leaders, science, research, and yes, even religion to help people make the best decisions possible. CALLOUT Decide now to improve your life Open up your time, unlock your potential, and take your business to new heights of freedom. The choice is yours. Apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session today. Patrick tells me in this episode that most decisions aren't black and white, so the fact that so many people see them that way is a major part of the problem.   If decisions are black and white to you, business is going to turn you black and blue. If you see decisions this way, listen to this episode to open up your mind to a better way. If you find you make too many bad decisions, learn about Patrick's five-step process to make better decisions. And if you just want to know how the heck an accountant turned pastor turned paid social media strategist looks at marketing psychology, then this is the episode for you. Click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Patrick McDaniel tell me about making better decisions and more: How pastoring influences a paid social strategist Finding the motivation behind buying behavior through psychology. An Eleanor Roosevelt quote that will help you banish fear. Learning to rewire your brain. How failure makes you more useful. How to increase your mental muscle. Why you're not afraid to try with the growth mindset. One word that will open the growth mindset to you. One word that will hold you back from growth. How everyone can make better decisions. The surprising problem with yes-no decisions. Warning flags for making bad decisions. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work,” by Chip and Dan Heath “Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions,” by Dan Ariely “The Magic of Thinking Big,” by David Schwartz “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” by Carol Dweck “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business,” by Charles Duhigg “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” by Daniel Kahneman “The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life,” by Tommy Newberry How to connect with Patrick McDaniel: You can get in touch with Patrick McDaniel through his website or download his guide to making better decisions there for free. CALLOUT Make better decisions Indecision is a decision, so deciding not to try something new and return to the things that have always gotten you nowhere is your decision to make. Or you could open up your time, unlock your potential, and take your business to new heights of freedom. The choice is yours. Apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session today.

If you're not sleeping well enough, you're not as successful as you could be. We've been where you are now: Tired all the time because we let our business drive crowd good sleep right out of our lives. Taking a little more time at the end of the day for yourself because the day was so long and hectic. Getting out of a sleep rhythm because of work demands. But we can help you solve the problem, and solving the problem will make you more successful. Your time asleep is almost as valuable to your success as your time awake. Listen to this episode if any of the following are true for you. I can say for me that every one of these has been a problem at some point. Collectively, they'll kill you slowly. You have too much on your mind to sleep well. Your bedroom isn't a sleep sanctuary free of electronics and distractions. Too much light filters into your room. Noises wake you up at night. You don't give yourself a bedtime and go to sleep at wildly fluctuating times. You sleep in a warm bedroom. You've got no bedtime ritual. For us, it took career changes and other habitual life changes, but we, and many of our clients, now recognize good sleep as the lynchpin of success. After implementing the advice we're about to give you, I wake up before dawn every morning ready for success. My clients have seen similar results. If you wake up at night consistently and feel driven to work, this episode's for you. If you sleep less than 7.5 hours every night, listen up. And if you want more success and don't feel like you know how to get it, click play on the player above. Good sleep is the secret to success. Roar like a lion, men, and sleep like one too. Listen to this episode to hear Bill and me discuss sleeping better for success and more: The success one of our clients found that all started with better sleep. Why and how sleep deprivation impairs you. The 7 causes of poor sleep we see most often. Why lack of sleep might be triggering your lack of confidence or pessimism. How to create a “sleep and sex sanctuary” in your bedroom. One reason why you shouldn't emulate Arnold Schwarzenegger. How drinking yourself to sleep will keep you up all night. The thing you should do every day to sleep better at night. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. A product I use during the day to help me sleep better at night. Something that gives me sunshine during the day in my office, and helps me get tired at night. “Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to A Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success,” by Shawn Stevenson Do this next to love your work – and the rest of your life too: Want the freedom to sleep better at night? We can give it to you in 30 minutes, and break open your freedom to perform in all areas of your life. Apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session to love your work more, and love the rest of your life, too. Click here to get started. It's free.

How close are you to your ideal lifestyle? John Bowen is living his, and knows how you can build the lifestyle you want. And he does it by teaching his clients tactics and insights from the super wealthy elite who have been his clientele in the past. John is a top business coach for financial advisors as the founder and CEO of CEG Worldwide, which is about to become an eight-figure business. In that role, he runs a mastermind group for 200 top financial advisors to help them become “seriously wealthy.” Insights of the super wealthy can help you build the lifestyle you want. Via @RustyLionAcad John says that only about half of financial advisors know about the new, advanced financial planning techniques he uses, and less than 10 percent of those use them for individual clients. Even with such amazing reach, John works from his 1,600-square-foot pool house/office in Silicon Valley with zero actual employees. In this episode, learn how to build the lifestyle you want—one filled with freedom and prosperity—by using principles and insights that extraordinarily wealthy people use. If you want to live a long life and enjoy every minute, this episode is for you. And if you want to build a lifestyle filled with more freedom while loving the work you do, click play in the player above to get started. It's never too late to build the lifestyle you want. It's not too late to have a 25-year plan at age 70. Via @RustyLionAcad Listen to this episode to hear John Bowen, CEO and Founder of CEG Worldwide, tell how to build the lifestyle you want and more: Becoming the largest advisory group at Charles Schwab. Why people playing golf five days per week don't have a great quality of life. How building other business owners' lifestyle is the ideal lifestyle for John. Why John isn't a politician now. Living to 120 and loving every minute. How to let the market dictate to you what it needs. Why to never personally guarantee your business ventures. (Awesome story alert!) Using empirical evidence to trump your gut instincts. The one discipline that can help you become more successful. How to continually improve your lifestyle. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. “The Perfect Day Formula: How to Own the Day and Control Your Life,” by Craig Ballantyne “The Wealth Management Edge: Unlocking the Wealth-building Secrets of America's Most Successful Affluent Families,” by John Bowen John's Free book! Co-written with Dan Sullivan and Joe Polish! “The State of the Entrepreneur” How to connect with John Bowen, CEO and Founder of CEG Worldwide: AES Nation Podcast CEG Worldwide Do this next to build the lifestyle you want: You can have it all. Freedom to go big at work, but get home with time and energy to enjoy your family each evening. Those freedoms start by joining our movement, a movement and brotherhood of men who want that lifestyle for themselves. All without waiting until life has told them they're successful. Apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session to build a lifestyle that stokes a fire under your business and your family life—at the same time. Then prepare to see behind the curtain of your own mind.

Eighty percent of Americans are unhappy at work, and my guest today wants to cure that epidemic. Many people aren't ready to make The Leap into a new phase in their careers and just want to enjoy the work they have more. For that reason, Robert Dickie III wrote “Love Your Work: 4 Practical Ways You Can Pivot to Your Best Career.”   Robert is the president of Crown Financial Ministries, a nonprofit personal-finance policy and education organization that focuses on whole-life stewardship. In that role, he's had a lot of opportunities to talk with people who feel trapped in their work. Some are still holding onto a job they were happy just to have during the Great Recession. Others can't move on from a business they started or don't know what to move toward. Regardless, many people stop being happy at work. Much of society spends most of their life in pain and misery at work. You can love your work. Via @RustyLionAcad LINK “People chase what they think will give them happiness or success without doing a lot of due diligence on the front end,” Robert tells me in this episode.    If you find yourself going through the motions at work every day and watching the clock, this episode could change your life. If you feel like you don't know what could make you happy at work, listen up. And if you want some rock-solid advice on conquering fear and inaction, Robert's got you covered. Click play in the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear Robert Dickie III discuss how to love your work and more: Getting past a life of “quiet desperation.” Laying the groundwork for true happiness in your career. Why you should have mentors in their 20s if you're over age 40. The two words that will help your career take off. Building a compelling vision, even if you run a tire shop. Why action leads to clarity and opportunity. The surprising reason you might want to get away from your business for a while. A new educational tool that could help you find your best career opportunities – even if you don't change jobs or careers. The dying economy and what's replacing it. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase Rusty Lion Academy may get a small commission. -        Robert Dickie III's first interview on this podcast – Episode 21 “Love Your Work: 4 Practical Ways You Can Pivot to Your Best Career,” by Robert Dickie III “The Leap: Launching Your Full-Time Career in Our Part-Time Economy,” by Robert Dickie III Coursera Edx Udacity How to connect with Robert Dickie III, President of Crown Financial Ministries: Crown Financial Ministries Robert Dickie's blog Do this next to love your work – and the rest of your life too: Do you ever feel like you have potential inside you can't quite access? Most high-performing men feel it. Hiding behind some interior obstacle is a better man trying to crank up your life. Our calling in life as freedom coaches is to find those obstacles and remove them form your life so you're free to excel as a businessman, a father, and a husband—all at once. You don't have to give up in one area of your life to unlock your potential in another. Unlocking your potential with our proprietary system will unlock it for your whole life. And you'll have freedom you didn't know was possible. Apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session to love your work more, and love the rest of your life, too. Click here to get started. It's free.

You've probably heard of CrossFit, but my world champion guest today takes it to another level. Michael Cazayoux is CEO of brUTE Strength Training, which teaches people how to train to become a world champion CrossFitter. By the way, Michael is a two-time world champion for CrossFit. With his team, he won the CrossFit Affiliate World Cup Championship in 2012 and 2013. But when he started CrossFit, he was getting last place in his classes every day. “I'm not a freak athlete that walked into the gym and was crushing everybody,” he tells me in this episode. Michael says he believes any average person can become more if they put in the time and effort, a mentality that applies in fitness, business, and life. I talk to Michael about what you can do to get in shape quickly and stay in shape. We go over some of the techniques he's used to increase his physical, mental, and emotional fitness. His fitness, you could say, crosses multiple areas of his life. The key sticking point to get in shape, he says, is to get into a solid routine. A routine helps you trust yourself more and builds confidence. If you feel like business has taken out of you the desire to remain physically fit, listen up. If you would like to work out more but feel like you don't have time, this episode's for you. And if you find yourself slipping on fitness goals you set for yourself, Michael has something you need to hear. Click play on the player above to begin. Listen to this episode to hear Michael Cazayoux, CrossFit world champion and CEO of Brute Strength Training, tell how to get in shape quickly and effectively and more: Overcoming drug addiction to become a world champion. Sports performance psychology and the link to failed fitness resolutions. How many minutes per day you should work into your routine for fitness. (It's not as many as you may think necessary.) Why you should pay attention to your personality type when setting up your diet and exercise routines. Goal-setting that won't make you feel like giving up too soon. The link between play and whole-life performance. Exercises that work to help you get in shape, and fast! The biggest “bang for the buck” in exercise to get in shape. When you should work out and why. The life-changing relationship reason Michael uses on old-school alarm clock to wake up. Books and resources mentioned in this episode: Simon Sinek on Millennials in the Workplace video The longer version of Simon's point of view. “On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life,” by John O'Leary “The Perfect Day Formula: How to Own the Day and Control Your Life,” by Craig Ballantyne “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead,” by Dr. Brené Brown How to connect with Michael Cazayoux, CEO of Brute Strength Training: Business Instagram and personal Instagram Business mail and personal email Do this next to get in shape in all areas of your life. You want to turn your wife's head. But you also need a business that's fit, more productivity, a social life that suits you, and a family life that rocks. Guess what? You can have it all. Let us tell you how to become more well-rounded in all areas of your life so you can open yourself to greater freedom! Apply for your free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session to get in shape in all areas of your life. Click here to change your life.

Does everything you do fit with your highest calling? Or are you staying in the weeds more often than you probably should? Delegation gives you more freedom, so you'll want to figure this stuff out. Like a ninja. In this episode, we guide you through the tactics that expert, ninja-level delegators use to put tasks in the right hands. And by the way, that's not their own hands. It's taken us a while to learn this, but we're reaching new heights and want to teach you how to do the same for your delegation skills. Listen up as we explore the excuses too many business owners use to avoid delegation. Then we'll teach how to get past such flawed reasoning to become an expert delegator living your highest calling at work all day every day. We'll give you secrets of delegation that we only recently learned ourselves, and help you perfect your workflows so you don't have to be in the middle of every project. If you think you're a Superman that has to do it all, this episode's for you. If you founded your business and still hang on to too much of the work you were doing as a solopreneur, listen up. And if you want to get more out of each and every day at the office, Bill and I are going to help you get more ninja skills. Click play on the player above to get started. Listen to this episode to hear me talk with Bill about tactics for dang good delegation and more: Why Bill worked from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. in corporate America and why you don't have to. The nearly catastrophic failures that led us to learn delegation. A personality trait that drives poor delegators more than anything. The hidden connection between freedom and delegation. 6 excuses we hear all the time for poor delegation and how to overcome them. The four steps a master delegator follows to get results. Two things we recently learned to delegate we didn't think were possible before. The dos and don'ts of delegation. Benefits you'll see personally and in your business from good delegation. Books and resources mentioned to learn tactics of master delegation: Some of the following links are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase them, we may receive a small commission on your purchase. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change,” by Stephen R. Covey com Do this next to improve your ninja skills for delegation: A lot of men struggle with delegation skills. If you're one of them, you're not alone. Many of the men who come to us are frazzled and worn out from doing everything themselves to keep their business running smoothly. We get that. But we also know a better way. Get on a call with us. Go to helpmegetmoretime.com to sign up for a free 30-minute Freedom Breakthrough Session that will help you lead your business through better delegation and root out some other issues you're probably facing as well. Click here to change your life.