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Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) - Free. Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home. Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2134: Chalene Johnson shares her core tips for success: set attainable goals, exercise regularly, and build accountability by breaking big goals into smaller ones. Then she flips the script for your business, explaining why real entrepreneurship growth means setting goals that scare you, investing in your brand, delegating, and surrounding yourself with people who push you. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.chalenejohnson.com/tips-for-success-how-to-be-successful/ and https://www.chalenejohnson.com/setting-goals-for-your-business-that-scare-you/ Quotes to ponder: "Setting yourself up for success means setting goals that are attainable." "Taking a large goal, like running a marathon and breaking it into five smaller goals will help focus your efforts and will help build confidence to reach that large goal." "In order to move forward with your business you have to push the boundaries, and this means doing things that scare you." Optimal Work Daily is a daily career advice podcast where we narrate the best articles on productivity, entrepreneurship, and work-life balance, read to you by a professional narrator so you can grow your career a little more every day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr. Jones is finally back, and he is passionate about today's topic! In this episode, he reminds listeners what it takes to truly grow. He and Bethany discuss the challenges and setbacks to growing as well as the skills and determination it takes to make daily changes that lead to growth. Today's episode will have you smiling and hopefully recommitting to the daily pursuit of growth. Rev up that engine and get ready!
What if the challenges standing in your way could become the very tools that help you transform your life?Paul Boerger joins Ric Bratton to discuss his book, The Alchemist's Way, and the leadership principles that can help people turn adversity into opportunity, uncertainty into purpose, and personal struggles into meaningful growth.Drawing from nearly 40 years of experience as a technology executive, leadership mentor, and author, Paul shares six foundational principles for lasting success: Goal Setting, Belief, Character, Vitality, Consistency, and Servant Leadership. He explains how these principles can help individuals strengthen their confidence, build resilience, lead with integrity, and remain focused on what truly matters.The conversation explores the importance of believing in yourself, developing strong personal character, maintaining the energy needed to pursue your goals, and serving others through authentic leadership. Whether you are leading a company, a team, a family, or simply trying to create positive change in your own life, Paul offers practical guidance for moving forward with clarity and purpose.Paul Boerger is an author, technology executive, and leadership mentor with nearly four decades of leadership experience. Through The Alchemist's Way, he encourages readers to recognize their potential, embrace transformation, and turn life's obstacles into opportunities for growth.This Week in America with Ric Bratton is heard on more than 100 radio stations and podcast platforms worldwide. With more than 20,000 interviews throughout his broadcasting career, Ric Bratton brings listeners meaningful conversations with authors, experts, innovators, and inspirational guests.Discover how goal setting, belief, resilience, character, consistency, personal transformation, and servant leadership can help you create a more purposeful life. Don't miss this inspiring conversation with Paul Boerger, author of The Alchemist's Way.Keywords: Paul Boerger, The Alchemist's Way, leadership development, personal transformation, servant leadership, goal setting, resilience, finding purpose, belief and confidence, character development, leadership principles, overcoming challenges, personal growth, executive leadership, business leadership, consistency, motivation, success mindset, life purpose, Ric Bratton, This Week in America, author interview, inspirational podcast, leadership podcast
What if the challenges standing in your way could become the very tools that help you transform your life?Paul Boerger joins Ric Bratton to discuss his book, The Alchemist's Way, and the leadership principles that can help people turn adversity into opportunity, uncertainty into purpose, and personal struggles into meaningful growth.Drawing from nearly 40 years of experience as a technology executive, leadership mentor, and author, Paul shares six foundational principles for lasting success: Goal Setting, Belief, Character, Vitality, Consistency, and Servant Leadership. He explains how these principles can help individuals strengthen their confidence, build resilience, lead with integrity, and remain focused on what truly matters.The conversation explores the importance of believing in yourself, developing strong personal character, maintaining the energy needed to pursue your goals, and serving others through authentic leadership. Whether you are leading a company, a team, a family, or simply trying to create positive change in your own life, Paul offers practical guidance for moving forward with clarity and purpose.Paul Boerger is an author, technology executive, and leadership mentor with nearly four decades of leadership experience. Through The Alchemist's Way, he encourages readers to recognize their potential, embrace transformation, and turn life's obstacles into opportunities for growth.Keywords: Paul Boerger, The Alchemist's Way, leadership development, personal transformation, servant leadership, goal setting, resilience, finding purpose, belief and confidence, character development, leadership principles, overcoming challenges, personal growth, executive leadership, business leadership, consistency, motivation, success mindset, life purpose, Ric Bratton, This Week in America, author interview, inspirational podcast, leadership podcast This Week in America with Ric Bratton is heard on more than 100 radio stations and podcast platforms worldwide. With more than 20,000 interviews throughout his broadcasting career, Ric Bratton brings listeners meaningful conversations with authors, experts, innovators, and inspirational guests.Discover how goal setting, belief, resilience, character, consistency, personal transformation, and servant leadership can help you create a more purposeful life. Don't miss this inspiring conversation with Paul Boerger, author of The Alchemist's Way.
In this episode, I sit down with nervous system expert Jonny Miller to explore how emotional regulation shapes our relationships, health, parenting, and overall well being. Jonny shares the deeply personal story that led him into this work after the loss of his fiancée, and explains why avoiding emotions often creates more suffering than allowing yourself to feel them. Together, we discuss emotional debt, grief, somatic awareness, breathwork, nervous system regulation, parenting under stress, and practical tools for building resilience. You'll learn why emotions are meant to move through the body, how to recognize signs of dysregulation, and simple practices that can help you respond with more calm, presence, and connection. → Leave Us A Voice Message! Topics Discussed: → How do you regulate your nervous system? → What is emotional debt? → Can breathwork reduce anxiety? → Why do we avoid difficult emotions? → How do you process grief in a healthy way? Sponsored By: → Function | Check your health the way I do. Function provides 160+ lab tests for $1/day and member pricing on advanced imaging. Join at https://functionhealth.com/bewellbykelly and use code BEWELL25 for a $25 credit. → Be Well By Kelly Protein Powder & Essentials | Get $10 off your order with PODCAST10 at https://bewellbykelly.com. → Timeline | Timeline's clinically proven formula is now available at a new, lower price. Mitopure now starts at $79, when you subscribe at https://timeline.com/KELLY Timestamps: → 00:00:00 - Introduction→ 00:01:51 - Nervous System Mastery→ 00:04:05 - Suicide + Grief→ 00:13:21 - Feel Your Feelings→ 00:14:56 - Defining Emotions→ 00:16:45 - Mental Loops→ 00:18:53 - Nervous System Regulation→ 00:22:42 - Psychosomatic Response→ 00:28:01 - Traumatic Birth→ 00:31:22 - Emotional Hygiene→ 00:32:49 - Breathwork + Co-Regulation→ 00:38:47 - Exercise + Mental Health→ 00:43:48 - Beginner Emotional Regulation→ 00:45:47 - Different Types of Breathwork→ 00:47:15 - Breathwork Tutorial→ 00:50:21 - Intention Setting→ 00:52:22 - Reactive Nervous System→ 00:54:36 - Parenting + Emotional Regulation→ 00:57:37 - Gratitude + Unpleasant Emotions→ 01:00:46 - Fear of Death→ 01:04:20 - The Pressures of Entrepreneurship→ 01:09:29 - Goal Setting→ 01:13:43 - Clarified Desire→ 01:16:26 - Root Wants + Needs→ 01:19:39 - Decreasing Tension→ 01:23:46 - Watching Your Kids Struggle→ 01:25:11 - Closing Thoughts Further Listening: → Why You Feel Stuck: Trauma Patterns, Self-Worth + Nervous System Healing Show Links: → Free nervous system assessment | https://nsmastery.com/assessment → Protocols for self-regulation | https://protocolcards.com/ Check Out: → X | https://x.com/jonnym1ller?lang=en → LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnym1ller/%E2%81%A0 → Website: https://www.jonnymiller.co/ → Course: https://nsmastery.com/lenny → Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/@JonnyMiller Check Out Kelly: → Instagram → Youtube → Facebook
Making an effort to achieve the goals by envisioning them using CBT tools to make it happen. You can not expect it to appear magically. I don't believe in so-called manifesting.
In this week's episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on one of the bigger projects we've built at Of The West and sharing the real numbers behind its launch. I'm talking about why we created the Ag and Western Career Blueprint, the goal I set for its first launch, and what happened when we came up just short of hitting that number. More importantly, I'm sharing why missing a goal isn't the same thing as failing, and how having the courage to set ambitious goals in the first place can completely change the trajectory of your business and your life.I also dive into the importance of creating goals that are backed by a plan, the lessons that come from falling short, and why success isn't always measured by whether you hit an exact number. Sometimes the greatest growth comes from what you learn in the pursuit. If you've ever felt discouraged because you didn't accomplish a goal exactly the way you envisioned, I hope this episode encourages you to keep going, adjust your approach, and remember that progress is still worth celebrating.Be sure to subscribe/follow the show so you never miss an episode!Connect with Jessie:Follow on Instagram @ofthewest.co and @mrsjjarvFollow on Facebook @jobsofthewestCheck out the Of The West websiteResources & Links:The Ag and Western Career BlueprintEpisode 10: How to Set Your Goals SuccessfullyEpisode 84: Goal Setting with Jessie JarvisJoin The Directory Of The WestGet our FREE resource for Writing a Strong Job DescriptionGet our FREE resource for Making the Most of Your InternshipGet our FREE resource: 10 Resume Mistakes (and how to fix them)Get our FREE resource: How to Avoid the 7 Biggest Hiring Mistakes Employers MakeEmail us at hello@ofthewest.coSubscribe to Of The West's NewslettersList your jobs on Of The West
The FastForwardAmy Show: About Perfectly Imperfect Entrepreneurship
Are you feeling overwhelmed trying to juggle your business and personal well-being? In this episode, I'll share how you can take control of your health like an entrepreneur and avoid burnout. Discover the four key metrics I focus on (using my Oura ring) to maintain my energy in every season of business, and how they can help you too.Feeling ready to track your progress and improve your health? Download my free tracking sheet here: fastforwardamy.com/trackingsheet This episode was originally published in July 2024 so references of dates and seasons might be outdated, but the content and strategies are not.You want to make money on Instagram, but you're not sure what needs to be in place to make that happen. In the Instagram Income Map, a PDF workbook, you discover the 8 building blocks that determine whether you can sell online products on Instagram, from offer to conversion to content, including a self-scan that shows you exactly what you need first. Go to fastforwardamy.com/incomemap and you'll receive it instantly.Follow me on Instagram for more business and mindset tips: instagram.com/fastforwardamyDiscover my free trainings and ebooks: fastforwardamy.com/freeresources
Ready to stop setting goals you never finish and finally start achieving them? In this quick, 10-minute solo episode of the Health by Haven Podcast, host Haven breaks down a clear, play-by-play guide to help you turn your biggest dreams and habits into reality.If you've ever struggled with staying motivated, building strong daily habits, or knowing where to start with goal setting, this episode provides the exact roadmap you need to stay on track and get results.In this episode, you'll learn:A clear, step-by-step strategy for realistic goal settingHow to reverse-engineer your goals into daily, actionable stepsSimple mindset shifts to maintain motivation and momentumHow to overcome procrastination and build lasting disciplineWhether you're looking to build healthy lifestyle habits or crush your professional milestones, this fast action plan will get you fired up and ready to take action today.Join the Health by Haven Community:Newsletter: Subscribe for Recipes & Health TipsSupport the Show: Pledge your support for less than a cup of coffee!Instagram: @healthbyhavenWebsite: healthbyhaven.comThanks to our season 5 sponsor, Avodah Massage TherapySupport the show
Sometimes the hardest setback becomes the start of a far better life. I speak with Jeff Brown, an international photography business mentor whose path began with dyslexia, school struggles, and a fishing fly business at age 16. Jeff shares how military photography, personal branding, and business skills helped him build a successful creative career. He also opens up about losing everything through a failed pub, rebuilding his mental health, and creating a global photography mentoring business. His story shows how persistence, clear goals, strong branding, and the courage to change direction can create an unstoppable life. Highlights: 00:01:38 - How dyslexia and school struggles shaped Jeff's drive to work for himself. 00:05:58 - The first sale that showed him entrepreneurship was possible. 00:14:50 - Why passion and effort mattered more than early photography skills. 00:35:49 - How branding and marketing helped grow four photography businesses. 00:39:06 - The business failure that forced Jeff to rebuild his life. 01:01:49 - Why clear goals, strong branding, and steady action create growth. About the Guest: Jeff Brown is an International Photography Business Mentor, Best Selling Photography Business Author, Public Speaker and President of The British Institute of Professional Photography. Also working for The International School Photography Conference Team he has delivered sell-out courses and workshops around the world. Jeff works closely with photographers from all niches and photographic backgrounds having a real passion to help them grow their online brand and achieve their goals. Jeff first dipped his toe into entrepreneurship at the age of 15 while still at school, selling handmade fishing flies to local tackle shops to boost his pocket money. After leaving school at 16 he set up his first full-time venture, a mail-order fishing tackle business. His fishing tackle business came to an end 7 years later, shortly after Jeff enlisted in the Royal Navy where he went on to serve as a military photographer and intelligence analysist. Following nearly 10 years service he left the armed forces to set up his own photography company, and eighteen months later had a successful six-figure wedding photography company and a commercial photography business, then going on to open a separate school photography business and a Boudoir Makeover studio turning over 1,000 boudoir and model shoots per year. In 2014 Jeff decided to follow his dreams of owning a country food pub by investing over £120k of his own money into a pub venture, which turned out to be his greatest ever failure, losing his entire investment and racking up £60k of debt in just 12 months while at the same time going through a divorce. After suffering from depression in 2015, he changed direction again and developed an online photography business mentoring program, making it his mission to help and inspire photographers worldwide to market their businesses better. Part of Jeff's major focus and teachings are in the areas of Goal Setting, Brand Message, Consistency, and Website Content including the new AI and AEO search on Google, and also his favourite social media platform which is LinkedIn. It's essential to have a mindset for success and a clear path to follow. No business can truly succeed without goals, direction, a powerful brand and a positive mindset to achieve. Jeff has written 4 internationally best-selling photography books and recently published his first travel book – · The Photographers Missing Link-edIn · The Ambitious Photographer's Journal · Help My Photography Website Needs More Customers · The Photographer's Gratitude & Mindset Journal · Plan Your Ultimate Northumberland 250 Road Trip He writes for several photography magazines and associations and is also a brand ambassador for OM System (Olympus Cameras), The British Photography Awards, Studio Ninja, The Societies of Photographers, and the UK and US Brand Ambassador for The Shutter Studio App. Jeff lives in the beautiful scenic county of Northumberland, England. He's a keen traveller having visited over 60 countries so far, as well as being an outdoor enthusiast, motorbiker and loves getting out in nature when ever he can. Ways to connect with Jeff**:** Website: www.thephotographersmentor.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/JeffBrownThePhotographersMentorLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/thephotographersmentorAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jeff%20Brown/author/B09M76J1XK About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson 00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingston, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head-on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hi again, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Unstoppable Mindset. You know what's really fun about this podcast is we get to meet all sorts of people who talk about all sorts of different kinds of things, and today we get to talk to a gentleman from England, Jeff Brown, and Jeff, among other things, is an international photography business mentor, best-selling photography business author, he's a public speaker and also the president of the British Public Institute of Photography. I think I said that right. Jeff Brown 01:36 British British Institute of Professional Photography. British Michael Hingson 01:40 Institute of Professional Photography. Got to say it right, but anyway, and and all sorts of other things. He's an adventurous kind of person, as you're going to learn in the course of the day. So, Jeff, I want to welcome you to Unstoppable Mindset, and we're really glad you're here. Jeff Brown 01:55 Thank you. Thanks for having me on. Michael Hingson 01:57 Well, I'm glad to do it, and I have a visitor in the studio today, my cat Stitch, who is monitoring this, and I'm sure that if she has any opinions, she's going to voice them. But we'll see. Stitch is a wonderful kitty. She's almost 16 years old, and we we love having her around. But anyway, so Jeff, why don't we start by you telling us kind of maybe about the early Jeff growing up and some of those things, and we'll go from there. Jeff Brown 02:25 So growing up, so I grew up in the northeast of England, and I was born in 1970. So I'm 55 now, and back in sort of late 70s, early 80s, the northeast of England was a was a bit of a grim place. It was gray. It was there was a lot of poverty. It was mainly coal mining and shipbuilding, and it was the old sort of mentality of you know you go to school, you study hard, you get a job, you stay in the job for for your life, you retire, and then you're dead. That's it. Yeah. So, for some reason, that didn't really, really appeal to me. And I used to love reading. I read loads of books. I was obsessed with books. Got into books from a very early age. Into sort of fantasy type books, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and stuff like that. But it was only when I got into maybe probably about the the junior schools I'd gone through the infant school I got to about eight or nine year old that I realized there was something the matter with me in the fact that I'm really struggled with with school I wasn't very good at it years and years later, I found out I was dyslexic, but I couldn't read out aloud. I had real problems with numbers. Numbers seemed to always look the wrong way around to me, and I got an instant dislike of school and an instant dislike of authority. I had I just I couldn't wait to get out of it, but I was quite creative when I got into fishing, I was good at making fishing flies. I got into photography, and that sort of gave me more of a creative mindset. Where I thought, well, I don't want to work for anybody else. I don't want to be told what to do. I want to try and make my own direction. And I decided that I was going to be self-employed or you know start my own business at the age of 14, Michael Hingson 04:23 what did your parents think of your your kind of independent mindset or entrepreneurial mindset? Because you must have voiced it along the way. Jeff Brown 04:31 Well, I did, yeah, and funny enough, you know, I said I had a real dislike of school. I mean, I actually not not overly proud of it, but I was expelled from school at the age of 16, kicked out of school because I got into quite a bit of trouble. I was I was very rebellious. I really disliked it with the passion, and I left school with zero qualifications. So I didn't I didn't pass any exams. I filled every exam that I actually bothered to turn up for, but to. It matters worse. My dad was a college lecturer, and my mum was a teacher. So, so obviously it didn't go down well with with having two parents who were in the education system. But they backed me 100% They were they they could see that I was struggling, but dyslexia wasn't really a thing that was talked about back. Yeah, and yeah, my my dad put forward at the time one and a half 1000 pound to help me get onto the you know get the equipment I needed and the the office space to start my first business. Michael Hingson 05:34 So it was pretty supportive, Jeff Brown 05:36 very supportive. Yeah, yeah, yeah, and and and I think it helped as well that my first business was making fishing flies and tying and exporting fishing flies to fishing businesses around the world. But my dad was keen on fishing as well, so he had he had an attraction to the business. Michael Hingson 05:54 Okay. Well, I know that my wife had lots of relatives in England. A lot of them were from the Cornwall Mosel area, and a lot of them, of course, were very much into fishing. Jeff Brown 06:05 Oh yeah, yeah. I know Cornwall. In fact, I spent a year in Cornwall on on Navy search and rescue, and that would have been 1919 98 I think it was then very beautiful place. Michael Hingson 06:19 I've not been. I'd love to go sometime. We'll have to figure that out. Jeff Brown 06:23 Yeah, it is. It's gorgeous. It's gorgeous. Michael Hingson 06:26 So you started this business. So you were basically 15 when you started the the business, which I think is kind of interesting. That's at a young age, and of course, by the time you were 16, as you said, you got expelled from school, which had to not be very very much fun. Jeff Brown 06:44 Yeah, I mean, well, to be honest, so the the starting of the business, I used to I used to go into the fishing tackle shops at weekend myself and one of my friends who who I used to go fishing with, and he was good at making flies. He was called Phil. Obviously, I'm called Jeff, and we decided we were going to create a business called PJ Flies. And one weekend, we we went into one of the local fish and tackle shops, and we were buying some some bits and bobs to make fish and flies with. And the business owner, the owner of the shop, said, "Look, says, look, if you bring me some flies down next week, if they if they if they're any good, I'll buy them off you. So we walked into the shop and took these fishing flies in the following week in a little presentation box. And I remember him individually taking each fly out at a time because he said, "How much how much how much are you going to sell me them for? And I said, "Well, I'll sell them for 10 pence each. So he was taking them out, and I was counting up in my head. And at the time, my pocket money was, I think, was three or four pounds a week, and I came out of that shop with a 10-pound note. So it was double what I was getting paid off my pocket money, and it was such a great feeling. So that was my first ever sort of dip into entrepreneurship, earning money, and and he said, and the last thing he said as I went out the door, he says, if you can if you can make the same amount next week or even double, bring them back and I'll buy them off you. So the following week I went back and made 20 quid. Michael Hingson 08:18 Wow, what goes into making a fly, I'm not a fisherman by by training or anything, so I don't know a lot about fly fishing. Jeff Brown 08:27 Yeah, so it's all feathers and so feathers and furrows, and it's all held onto the hook with with a very fine thread, like what's called a gossamer thread. It takes it takes a while to learn. So I was taught by an old guy who was a really good fisherman, and he he had a caravan on the same caravan site that my parents had that they used to go on holiday on, and because we we we never used to go abroad in those days, all the holidays were spent in England, and that he he saw that I was getting into fishing, and he came and taught me how to how to tie fishing flies, which was great. Michael Hingson 09:06 Yeah, and of course, the whole idea behind the fly is to attract the fish, right? Jeff Brown 09:10 That's right. Yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 09:13 So that they will, if you will, take the bait. Jeff Brown 09:16 Yeah, yeah, totally. And the funny thing was, I was yeah, I used to love fishing, but I don't need fish, so I would either put you know put them back in the in in the river, or I'd I'd give them away to to members of the family. Michael Hingson 09:30 Wow. Well, and suddenly fortunes changed, and there you were making flies and selling them. Jeff Brown 09:37 That's right. That's right. Michael Hingson 09:39 So how long did you do that? Jeff Brown 09:42 So we we got we got a proper sort of business premises in 1986. So when I was I was 16 year old, and we applied for a grant with the then Prince's Trust, which was run by Prince Charles, who's now King Charles. And we were the youngest people in in the UK to be accepted for a grant. They bent the rules and they give us the grant under the age of 18. So we got the grant at 17 year old, and then shortly after, we were in a business sort of a business community, a big a big workspace with lots of offices with other creative people in, and shortly after the the center had opened, about six months after, the the the manager of the center came up and says, "Well, look, we'd like to we'd like you to make a box of salmon flies, but a really good box of salmon flies, all the best ones, and we'll pay you. And it's going to be a presentation box for a special guest who's coming to officially open the business center in a few months. But we can't tell you who it is. And anyway, it turned out two months later it was it was Prince Charles. Speaker 1 10:59 He Jeff Brown 10:59 came to visit us, and he was presented with a box of fishing flies-the the flies that we tied from. Michael Hingson 11:07 Wow, that was pretty cool. So you got to meet him. Jeff Brown 11:11 So yeah, we got to meet him. He talked about fishing. He talked about fly tying. He said he'd he'd been bought a fly tying kit for Christmas one year from his wife, who would have been Princess Diana, but he couldn't get away from get away from it. It was too. He found it too complicated and too complex. So he says, "I really admire that you you know that you guys can can tie the flies. So so yeah. So it was nice. It was nice to meet him. It was nice to be able to do that presentation box, and we had that business till I was 26 so Michael Hingson 11:45 10 years, Jeff Brown 11:46 nearly 10 years. Yeah. Michael Hingson 11:48 Now, have you met him ever since Jeff Brown 11:52 then? I haven't met him, but I have met other members of the the royal family because I was a my next stage in business, so my next stage in life was to become a a military photographer. I met a few members of the royal family in my capacity as a military photographer. So I went from so one avenue being creative, which was the fishing flies, into sort of another avenue being creative. And the funny thing was, I'd never had any intention of John in the military. None of my family were in the military. My dad had done his national service, and my granddad had served in the in the navy during the Second World War. But just on a whim, one day I happened to be walking past a military careers office, and I thought I'd pop in. I love cooking. I thought, oh look, I'd seen a picture on the window where he could train to be a military chef. Yeah, okay. So I went into enquire about being a chef, joined as an aircraft engineer, and then transferred across to become a military photographer. And funny enough, like I said early on, that I hate authority and I hate being told what to do because that came from a hatred of hatred of schools. Michael Hingson 13:10 A school, right? Jeff Brown 13:11 But I believe that the military was different because people say, "Well, you know, if you if you hate authority and hate being told what to do, why the hell did you go and join the military? But the military was very different in the fact that I put up with the I put up with the authority because the military give you adventure. It wasn't a nine foot nine to five. It wasn't a routine job, you know. So it give and I love excitement. I love adventure. I love the the idea of every day being different. So so I was happy enough to put up with military life, and I did that for nearly nine years. Michael Hingson 13:49 Well, so did you find that the military respected your creativity as you grew at being a photographer, and so you were a photographer, so that you were allowed to, to to be creative and do the things that you wanted to do, or did you find that there was just as much authoritarianism, if you will, and they kept telling you what to Jeff Brown 14:15 do? No, no, they were very good at being creative. Funny, the the military photography branch-it's only a small branch. It's about 80 people in the in the in the navy photography branch. So by comparison to all the other branches of the navy, it's tiny, and it's always also a very sought after branch. So basically, have to wait till somebody retires or somebody, you know, gives up their position that you can actually request, and I just managed to get in at the right time where somebody had left, and I applied, and I got accepted and went on to their training course, and their training course is is quite intense, 26 exams in six months, but. All the people who run it are really passionate photographers, so they're all about developing your own creativity. Yes, there's rules and regulations to follow, but it was very different than other other avenues of the armed forces. And then, you know, your average working day, you were you were given a lot of freedom. You were given a brief for a job, but then quite often you would just go off and design that job the way you wanted, you know. Michael Hingson 15:24 But why did you, since you, I guess you, as you said, joined as an aircraft engineer? Why did you decide to look at photography? What what attracted you to that? Jeff Brown 15:35 Because I didn't. Well, first of all, I didn't realize you could be a military photographer. So it was, and you can't join as a military photographer anyway. It's what's called a sidewards entry branch. You have have to have served three years in a in a another part of the armed forces before you can apply. And to apply to get into the military military photography branch, you have to pretty much do it on your own merit. So you've got to build a portfolio up. You've got to do all the application yourself, and they also look at your. It's not like the way you react to discipline, the way you think on your own two feet, sort of thing. So, funny enough, when I went through the interviews and and they looked at my portfolio, they said that my my work was pretty poor, but they loved the way I thought, and they loved the way I was driven, and would get up early and go out and do stuff. This is, you know, it's the it's the passion and the the willingness to learn. We can teach you all the other stuff, but you you know you you're showing that willingness and and going that extra mile. That's that's what got us in and and got us to be accepted into the into the branch. It wasn't my skills as a photographer because I was that was pretty useless. Pretty new, Michael Hingson 16:49 yeah, Jeff Brown 16:50 yeah. But you know they they developed that. Michael Hingson 16:55 So the the whole idea of going in and learning to cook and being a chef kind of went by the wayside, huh? Jeff Brown 17:00 It did, yes. But I still, I still, I still love cooking to this day, and I was still very passionate about it. And I always had a dream of, you know, one day owning a a pub or running a food pub, Michael Hingson 17:12 right? Well, and you know things happen, but you you clearly are an adventurous sort of person that you even chose to do all of this, and that-that's in of itself, I think, admirable to you know to do that. So you you became a photographer, and so what kind of things did you do during the time you were in the military from a photographic standpoint? Jeff Brown 17:40 So we would do everything. We do everything from portraits of sort of admirals in uniform, official portraits. We do big presentations and awards. We do a lot of PR photography. So we'd be we'd be tasked with with a concept or an idea, or being told something is happening, or we want to promote this, so they might say, right? We've got an aircraft carrier coming into your area. Can you come up with some ideas to to sort of really promote it? Something that look really exciting. It'll encourage people to to join the military because one of the one of the things military photography branch, it's it's about PR. It's trying to get pictures of the military into the into the newspapers in a positive light. So you know, young young men and women go, "Oh, that looks great! I'd love to join, and it serves them an absolute fortune in in in advertising. So so that was that was a lot of the stuff we did, we create concepts and ideas, and quite often the concept and ideas led to having a lot of fun. You know, I'd say like, well, what have I got at my disposal? And then an admiral might say, well, what do you need? I said, well, I need a few helicopters. I need some fast patrol boats. I need some marines on on on ribs lent over these these you know rigid inflatable boats all camouflaged up with their cam cream on and their rifles and they'll be in front of the in front of the the aircraft carrier then we'll have the the helicopters flying in the background and all this was was so basically controlled by us, so we would have headsets on. We'd be talking to the, talking to the the pilots. We'd be directing people, and those shoots probably cost 10s and 10s of 1000s of pounds to to put together. When you think about it, but it was great to see some of the images come out. And in those days, when I first started doing it, we were shooting a lot of the stuff on film, so we didn't have the the the the benefit of seeing the images instantly, as in you know with digital photography. Michael Hingson 19:51 I was going to say much less digitally editing it. It was all on film. Jeff Brown 19:54 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 19:56 When did it migrate over to be more digital? Jeff Brown 20:00 So we were still we when I was in training we we were using digital but still preferred you to to do a bit more on the film side of things Michael Hingson 20:08 higher quality Jeff Brown 20:10 yeah and and they also I think for like an archival purposes for the idea of have negatives and hard print Speaker 2 20:18 yeah Jeff Brown 20:19 but then you know towards like the 2004 two you know 2003 2004 Then they were starting to embrace digital fully, and and you know do away with all the the film. Michael Hingson 20:33 Wow! Jeff Brown 20:34 And obviously there is the cost aspect as well. You know because you with film it costs every time you you press the shutter button, you know you can you can take a lot more images. But I suppose it does it does make you a bit more of a lazy photographer. Michael Hingson 20:49 Well, I I suppose in some senses it can. It just depends on how disciplined you are. Well, you seem to be a pretty disciplined kind of person, and so you you worked at that pretty well, and I can. I can appreciate that. So so when did you start doing photography for the military? When did you enroll in the military? Jeff Brown 21:11 So that was 1997 Michael Hingson 21:14 Okay, so you were what 2526 25 Jeff Brown 21:19 Yeah, 2026 Yeah, yeah, 2627 yeah. Michael Hingson 21:23 Well, and the the thing about photography or or any skill like that that is is pretty unique and pretty new for you is that you had to really develop the knack to doing it, but you obviously also had to have a lot of understanding about things like, as you said, PR and all that. I mean, some of that just had to be a little bit more natural, or just you observed so much that you realized the value of it. And as you pointed out, having the the whole photography branch in the military had to be incredibly much less expensive for the military, no matter what you wanted them to do, than them doing PR in other ways because it was all done internally. Yes, yes, you had to have helicopters and military people and all that other stuff, but they didn't have to pay the company to go out and, or didn't have to pay it much to go out and do the photography because you're the company. Jeff Brown 22:29 That's right. That's right. And also, some some of the jobs were required a certain level of vetting that they couldn't bring a company in unless those people were vetted. To you know, like on, I did quite a few photography shoots on nuclear submarines, which you you can't enter a nuclear submarine base unless you're you're vetted to a certain level. Michael Hingson 22:51 Right. Now that brings up a point. So let's let's go back to that. So going into a nuclear submarine base and so on, and and doing photography. What what was the purpose of pictures for that? Since it had to be pretty cleared and must have been somewhat classified. Jeff Brown 23:11 Well, sometimes some of the the shoots on board the submarine would be like award ceremonies. So okay, yeah, you know, people getting medals or achievements, and actually getting a photograph from receiving their award from the captain of the submarine. But then sometimes we would have PR photographs of of the the submarine sailing, and we'd be on speedboats going down the lock, photographing the submarine. Michael Hingson 23:41 But what you were not doing was taking pictures of things that were so classified that they didn't dare show them to the public or whatever. Jeff Brown 23:49 Yes, yes, Michael Hingson 23:50 yeah. Which which makes sense. Speaker 1 23:57 If you enjoy unstoppable mindset and would like to help us continue bringing these conversations to you each week, we've created a way for you to support the show. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and continue sharing stories, insights, and ideas that inspire people to live with purpose and possibility. If supporting the podcast feels right for you, you'll find the link in the show notes. Thank you for being part of the Unstoppable Mindset Community. Michael Hingson 24:30 So you you did that, and so you clearly found a niche to to do and to to work at, and obviously loved it. Jeff Brown 24:43 I do. I mean, it took it took a while to get the confidence. I'm quite an introverted person, so where I love taking photographs, and you know, it's easy to take photographs of things and objects and landscapes and that sort of stuff. It's. It's quite hard when you don't have a lot of confidence and you are quite introverted to start directing people and telling people what to do, especially when you had to direct, you know, entire ships, companies, or groups of 4050, people to do a a group shot at the awards ceremony. So that that was something that took a bit of getting used to and put me out of my comfort zone to to become a bit more sociable and a bit less introverted, and also direct people from behind the camera. Michael Hingson 25:31 So you you became a director, Jeff Brown 25:35 I suppose. Yeah, you do. In some senses, Michael Hingson 25:38 anyway. Jeff Brown 25:38 Yeah, yeah, and from from another point of view, I sudden realized that you know you might not like directing people, or you might be really nervous about speaking to people you've never met before and telling them what to do. But quite often, the people on the other side of the camera are just as nervous as you because they don't like having their photograph taken. They feel awkward, so you know part of your job as a photographer is to put people at ease and make people feel comfortable. Michael Hingson 26:03 Yeah, and I think about it as a public speaker. I keep hearing all the time that one of the top fears that people have is speaking and standing on a stage and speaking. And I and I finally realize that that's because we're conditioning people to think that it's scary, but the fact of the matter is that, and I still believe this to this day, audiences want speakers to succeed. Unless you're just a real jerk, audiences want you to succeed, and I would think that that some of that same level of confidence goes into what you do as a photographer. You are-they want you to succeed, and the people who are nervous about you taking their pictures and so on. Your job, as you point out, is to kind of help make them feel more comfortable about Jeff Brown 26:55 it. Yeah, and and you, you know, on from your point of view, you know, you you want somebody to love the picture? Michael Hingson 27:02 Yeah, Jeff Brown 27:02 you want someone to go, oh wow, you know, like actually take away their their dislike and awkwardness of having a photograph taken, and you know it's it's quite rewarding when you see somebody go, oh wow, I didn't know I could look that good, you know, because you've you've directed them, you've posed them, you've helped them feel more relaxed, and they see themselves in a different because it's it's quite it quite often it's not that somebody always looks awkward or you know they don't take a good picture as people say oh don't take my picture I don't take a good picture you know it's the fact that they've never been directed they've never they've always felt felt uncomfortable and awkward so it comes through in the the final image because they don't look relaxed. They don't look natural. They've got this fake smile. They look uncomfortable. Michael Hingson 27:49 I know. For me, I've I've never worried about that. Of course, being blind my whole life, I never really cared a whole lot about pictures. Yeah. So I love to pick on pictures all the time. So you know, for example, people say that a picture is worth 1000 words, and I just point out, yeah, but it takes a whole lot more memory. So, but but but I I appreciate pictures, and I've learned a lot more about photography and appreciating photography ever since September 11th. And part of that was my guide dog Roselle at the time, who became a real camera ham hound. She loved to be in front of the camera, and there was one time we were on a Larry King show on CNN, and you know his shots are and the photographers and and the and everything on the show is basically front like from the chest up, and and so on, and they take pictures. So one day we were going to be on the show, and they made a a little platform that Roselle, my guide dog, could lie on, and they said, "Okay, put her up on there, and I did, and she laid down, put her head between her paws, and that was it. And the director came like about a minute before the show started, and he said, "Isn't there anything you can do to get her to react more and to be a little bit more involved in the show? And I said, "Are the Klieg lights on yet? And he said, "No. I said, "Just wait till you turn the lights on. Everything will change. The lights came on. She lifted up her head, started blinking her eyes and flashing her eyelashes, smiling and licking her chops, and just having a good old time. She loved the camera. It was so funny. Jeff Brown 29:39 Yeah, I can't get. I can't get my dog to sit. He won't sit in front. He won't sit in front of the camera. He's a working Springer Spaniel. He will not stay still for two minutes. And there's something about it. Every time you look, you pick up the camera. I think he knows that you want to take a picture, and he turns his head away. He looks the opposite direction. Michael Hingson 29:57 Yeah. See, Roselle was exactly the opposite. Knew you wanted to take her picture, and she was going, "Bring it on! She just absolutely loved it. It was so funny, and and and it was it was a blessing. But it it as as we talked about it, as I talked to photographers and other people when we dealt with different interviews and so on, I grew to appreciate the value of pictures and what it was that they were trying to get, and it didn't take any work really to get Roselle to be involved in that. It didn't take a lot of work to get me involved with it, but I gained a greater understanding of it. So I certainly value the fact that there's there's a lot of reasons for taking photographs, although I also like audio input and other things like that that I'm going to see. But still, it's it's great that we have this technology, and nowadays, of course, because it is so digital, it makes it so much easier. Jeff Brown 30:59 It does. I think I think obviously there's you know everybody's using photographer now. Everyone walks around with a camera in their pocket, which is you know effectively a smartphone, and the quality of the images that you can take on a phone are fantastic. You know the you know the the resolution, the color saturation, the the look absolutely amazing. But sometimes I think people forget to stop and appreciate the moment. So everybody is more, you know, getting the picture taken, sticking it onto Instagram, onto Facebook, and also we have all these digital memories. But not many people are printing pictures out and putting them on the walls like we used to in the 80s and 90s. You know, family portraits, and I think that is a big thing that photographers need to be to be sort of reinventing and encouraging people to to enjoy the wall art, personalize the home, have a picture on the wall that brings a smile to your face every time you see it. Because if you take it on your phone, you you enjoy it for a second, and then it becomes a memory, and it goes in. I looked the other day. I've got 14 and a half 1000 pictures on my phone. Yeah. So, and I only ever see them, you know, seconds after I take them and I post them on Facebook, and then maybe a year later when a Facebook memory comes up and reminds me, oh, this is what you were doing this time last year. Michael Hingson 32:20 Yeah. Well. Well, and I understand that, and I, I, I also understand what you're saying about lazy photography because, as you said, you take the picture, you look at it, and it's gone, and you don't necessarily do all you can to make sure that the picture is looking as good as it as it can look, and sometimes we just rely on the automatic zoom and other things like that to make the picture look good. But the bottom line is that ultimately we're in control of it and really should make the picture as good as we can make it. Jeff Brown 32:54 Yeah, I mean that was that was what we were taught in the military right at the very beginning. And as I say, you know, was starting out on on on film cameras. It was get it right in the camera. You know, get it right in the camera. It'll look a lot better, and it'll save you hours of time in the dark room. And then there's a tendency now for photographers to think, "Oh, that'll do. I'll just sort it out in Photoshop afterwards, and which again takes time. And as a photographer, time is money. So yeah, yeah. The better you can get the composition and the and the way a photograph looks in the camera, then the less work you're going to have to do afterwards. Michael Hingson 33:35 Yeah, which makes perfect sense. And so I appreciate that. Well, so you were in the military for 10 years, and what made you retire from the military? And also, what kind of skills did you learn that you then took away from the military? One of them had to be accepting authority a little bit more, but I'm being sarcastic. But still, what what kind of skills and so on did you learn, and and did you take away, and and why did you even leave the military after 10 years? Jeff Brown 34:07 So, so being a military photographer, I was a military photographer, and there was a new a new sort of breed of like a new discipline that was coming into into the into our area into the the photography branch, and it was called IA, which is an intelligence analyst, and they believed that photographers, probably rightly, had a real attention to detail and a keen a keen eye for spotting things, and they were so they recruited intelligence analysts from the photography branch to analyze intelligence imagery, satellite imagery, reconnaissance, and then collate this information with other intelligence services. Like Lacher on I six and JCHQ, so so people on the ground, you know, and and military listening outposts, and so I got sent to work. So I did my intelligence course, and I got sent to work for with the intelligence services for about two and a half years now. While I was while I was doing my job as a military analyst, intelligence analyst, I started getting people coming into my office and saying, "You're a military photographer, aren't you? Yeah. Would you photograph my dog? Can you can you photograph my daughter at her birthday? Do you do weddings? Can you do my my my partner's wedding and stuff like that? So started doing a little bit of stuff on weekends, and then soon realized that there was actually quite a good bit of money being a photographer. So that was it. So that that set me on the path of right. I'm going to get out the military. I'm going to start with my own business. I'm going to go back to being self-employed again, but this time using my skills as a photographer. And yeah, I had good photography skills. I had other skills that the military had sort of drummed into me, which was you know timekeeping, organization, attention to detail, and that would work brilliant with a wedding because with a wedding you've got to organize people, everything's got to be on time. You've you've got to have that attention to detail, so started doing weddings on weekends, and then I left, and now decided to go into partnership with another military photographer who was working at the same the same base as me, and was also from the same the same area, the same the same city. So I left first because he was married with two kids. Alif first to set the business up and get the business bringing in money, and then about six months later, the business was bringing in enough money for him to put his notice in and and come out and and join me full time in the photography business. So and then it just skyrocketed from there. We ended up having four different photography businesses, Michael Hingson 37:03 pretty impressive, huh? Jeff Brown 37:05 It was good, but I think you know a lot of the lot the stuff that we did is when we left the military is you get a resettlement grant to resettle you back into civilian life to to to get you ready to work for other people, but obviously we were going to go self employed, so we we spent this resettlement grant of 7000 pound on marketing and branding training. So I got 7000 Kev got 7000 So we spent spent a lot of our money on understanding how to run a business, understanding what brand was all about and brand concept and and marketing. And it wasn't necessarily our photography skills that helped us succeed. It was the skills of actually understanding how to run a business and how to market our brand, Michael Hingson 37:49 which also goes a little bit back to understanding PR and just as you said, understanding all about business, which is which is pretty cool. Speaker 3 37:57 Yeah. Michael Hingson 37:59 Well, as you as you did that, how easy was it for you to integrate back into society and become disciplined enough to run your own business? Because when you were in the military, you had other people who were making a lot of those decisions, but you had to learn something along the way or figure out something along the way that allowed you to truly run your own business. Jeff Brown 38:22 To be honest, I felt I felt quite excited to be going back to it because, obviously, you know, from sort of 1415, year old, I'd had I'd had my own business, and that that was my first my first ever job. You know, working for myself with fish and fish and tackle business, and I sort of realized early on that yes, I don't have a boss, but ultimately the business is the boss because the business demands from you all the time. It demands how much work you need to put in, and if you don't put the work in, then you don't get the money. But the other good thing about running your own business is you're not on a fixed wage. You know, you have that ability to make a lot more money, without having to be promoted or or impress somebody else, you know. So for some people, it doesn't work. Like my girlfriend always says, she doesn't think she could do what I do because she doesn't like that uncertainty. Of you know, because every business is ups and downs, ups and downs. You have low moments. You have high moments, but that's life in general, isn't it? And I think you've just got to have more high moments than low moments. But yeah, I love it. I don't think I could ever work for anybody else. But a lot of, I think I'm unemployable. I don't think I can. I don't think I could go into a normal job. But a lot of those high Michael Hingson 39:40 moments are also moments that essentially you create. It's your mindset. That's Jeff Brown 39:45 right. Yeah, Michael Hingson 39:46 because you know, like failure. Everybody talks about failure. Well, you know, you're going to experience failure in your life, and I have gotten to the point where I tend to react and say there really is no such thing as failure. Because failure seems to be an absolute-you screwed up, and that's all there is to it. And the reality is, it's not. Failure isn't really the issue. The issue is okay. You made a plan. Something didn't work right. The question really is now: Where do you go from here? How do you fix it? What have you learned from what happened? And I think that's really the issue. Jeff Brown 40:20 That's totally that's totally right, and you know, but I made a a decision back in 2014 So you said, you know, I love cooking, and had the photography businesses, which which were both doing very well. They were both they were all super successful, you know, bringing in the money, and I decided, wouldn't it be nice to buy a really, really beautiful traditional country pub, one with log fires, you know, in the middle of the countryside, maybe a two, 300 year old building, and and run my own pub? So that was that was my idea. So so I found this this beautiful little country pub in Durham, in the northeast of England, and it was like a picture postcard country pub that looked beautiful. It actually had two log fires. It had, I think, it was about 300 year old. It had wooden beams, everything, and so I fell in love with it. I I bought the lease on it. I plowed 120,000 pounds of my own money into it, and within 12 months, I'd lost all that money. I was a further 60,000 pound in debt, and I couldn't see any way out. Because you say, you know, like failure. Sometimes people think failure is that's it, that's the end. They can't see past it, and stupidly, I decided that that was it. I couldn't go on anymore, so I tried to drive my car off a bridge. I was, I was drunk at the time, but you know, luckily I didn't. I just damaged the car. I didn't damage myself. I woke up the next morning feeling utterly disgusted with myself because my daughter at the time would have been seven year old. and I realized I needed to get out the pub, and I needed to change a different direction, which I did. So I ran away, and I came to the countryside where I live now in Northumberland, and moved away from all my family and and my friends, about an hour away from all my family and friends to restart my life again, and I spent probably about six months listening to positivity books and audio books, and and trying to rewind my mindset, and then take a new direction. And that's when I got into the idea of because I was in the middle of the countryside, I could run an online business training photographers in marketing and branding, and you know how to how to promote themselves on the internet, and I could do that with anybody anywhere in the world who was a photographer. So that was my idea, and that's what I went for. And you know, looking back at it, 11 years on from that, it would be 11 years in March when I tried to take my own life, and I thought that was that was the biggest worst failure I'd ever have. It was the best failure I ever had because I've never been as happy. I've never been as stress free. My work takes me all over the world, speaking and meeting photographers. I have an absolutely amazing community. No day is the same because I'm on all different time zones, speaking to different people, and and I just love it. It's stress free, but you know, if I'd stayed at the pub, that wouldn't have been stress free. So, Michael Hingson 43:33 so what happened? That why did the pub fail? Fail, or or why didn't the public pub succeed? And what did you learn from that? Jeff Brown 43:40 So, well, first of all, probably I probably fell in love with the idea of the pub, but I probably didn't do enough research. Now, funny enough, it was in an old mining village, my coal mining village, that was very, very much based around if you weren't born and bred in the area, you didn't fit in, so first of all, I think fit into the village very well. But the profitability in the pub trade is is very hard, especially if the pub, if the building is owned by a brewery and you've got to buy your beer direct from the brewery, it reduces the profit margins. And I just think everything that could go wrong in that 12 month did go wrong. We had staff stealing offers. We had a couple of sabotages to the pub, a couple of really big bills that wasn't expected, equipment going wrong and equipment failing, and yeah, the costs just spiraled out of control. Michael Hingson 44:38 Just a lot of lack of research, Jeff Brown 44:41 yeah, yeah, yeah, Michael Hingson 44:42 and I would suspect that you would say that because of that, and because you realized all that, you learned. Jeff Brown 44:50 I learned, yeah, yeah, I, I totally learned, and I think you know that I, I, I fell in love with the idea of it. I fell in love with the building, and probably, probably didn't research it. And also, you know, yeah, I was great at marketing. I was great at business, but I'd never run a pub before. And yeah, it was probably a bit of a. I'd probably sort of trying to run before I could walk. In that, you know, might have been better off going and working for somebody else and being a manager or working in a bar. And you know, the the day I opened the pub, I'd never even pulled a pint before. Never stood behind a bar and served served a drink. So, Michael Hingson 45:28 yeah, and that's that's an art in of itself. Jeff Brown 45:32 Yeah, yeah, that's right. Michael Hingson 45:34 I used to when I lived in New Jersey and worked in New York. I used to go to a restaurant called Virgil's Real Barbecue, best barbecue I think in the country, and so if you're ever in New York, it's Virgil's. Anyway, they had opened a facility in Las Vegas. Also, they opened a restaurant in Las Vegas, and so last week when I was at the Consumer Electronics Show, I went there, and one of the things I had heard early on when they I heard about them opening the restaurant several years ago, was that the people who opened the restaurant before they could open it had to go spend six months in New York at the original Virgil's, learning everything about it, so that they could make this restaurant and the food be the same as as what they experienced, because they wanted Virgil's to be the same in both places, and they did. And I can say that, from my perspective, at least, they did a really great job, and they learned from that, which was exactly what you wanted for the people in Las Vegas to do, and they survived the pandemic, and it's still open. So when you're in Las Vegas next time, Jeff Brown 46:47 yeah, I'm there next week. So yeah, I'll have to Virgil's. Yeah, I'll check it out. Michael Hingson 46:52 Virgil's real barbecue, best ribs in the country. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it, everybody. Well, that's cool. So. So, do you believe that things happen for a reason? I mean, a lot has happened, and of course, the pub closed and and all that. Do you believe that things happen for a reason? Jeff Brown 47:13 I do, and and you know now I I think one of the things as well when you get to that point where you you don't believe there's there's there's any way out, and and you know you you get that alone, you get depressed, but you you feel that you've got to take your own life. You are right at the very bottom. I think for you to go to the very bottom and then come back up again, it changes your mindset about stuff. And I I never get stressed. I am a very, very chilled out person. If something goes wrong now or something fails, I just go. Well, it's happened for a reason. Maybe something better is around the corner. Maybe it's the universe trying to direct me in a in a different path. You know, and and I think the less you live, the more you live by that mindset, the more it opens you up to other opportunities. Yeah, keeps you living it. You know, you're not living in the past; you're living in the future. It it was for the first six months coming up here 11 years ago. It was hard to move away from that failure in my mind. I kept playing it over and over again, but you know, playing it over and over again wasn't going to make that failure with the pub any different. The outcome had happened, and what I needed to do was focus on the future, get back together and get my myself back together, both mentally and also establish a new business and a new way of life. And that in itself was a a massive learning curve, but for the better. Michael Hingson 48:44 Well, and and the reality is, it it certainly has made a big difference in your life. And the fact is that, again, it goes back to failure isn't the end all, and failure is is probably the wrong way to put it. It's a learning experience, and I think that it's so important to do that. I am like you. I refuse to feel stress. I've been through too many experiences in my life that that caused stress, and I've learned that there are always ways to to deal with things, and so it's important to not let the stress overwhelm you. I wrote a book that was published in 2024 called "Live Like a Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and His Dogs About Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith. And moving forward in faith is part of it, but the whole issue is we focus on our lives on so many things. We think we need to control everything, and the reality is, we only control probably much less than 10% of all the things that we experience, but we worry about 100% of everything, and that doesn't help. And so, it builds up so much fear and causes so much stress. And if we would just focus on the things over which we really can control, we would be much better off. Jeff Brown 49:59 Saying that, you know, after leaving the pub, because my mindset was very, very delicate, and I had to build my my mental health back up, I decided to stop watching the news. So I used to used to get up and go downstairs and put the news on TV and have my morning coffee and and listen to all this negativity, all this drama, every single morning, which I've done for probably 40, you know, well, at least 30-five years, and and that was it. I've never watched the news since. I don't watch any live TV. I don't watch the news. People say, "Well, how do you manage? So, well, somebody will tell me something, but most of the time, half the stuff that people get worried about never actually happens. And if it does happen, quite often there's nothing you can do about it because it's the other side of the world. Michael Hingson 50:53 Well, even if it's in England, you don't have control over it, so why worry about it? Now, I watch I watch the news, but I do it because I want to get the information. But I won't worry about it. And there's so much that happens. But I feel that that at least there is information to be gained by watching the news. But what I had to learn somewhere along the line is don't take it personally because you don't have any control over it. And there are so many things that that go on, but the the trick is not to let things you don't have any control over really affect you to the point where you get nervous and stressful again. Jeff Brown 51:34 Yeah, yeah, and I think that you know the the same thing can be put into social media. You know, people say social media is negative. Social media is dangerous, and it depends how you react to it and what you engage on. You know, in my own social media, I follow a lot of photographers, a lot of people who talk about adventures and motorcycle rides and travel and nature. So my news feed is filled with a lot of positive stuff. And if if I see something negative or see something sensationalist, what I do is I don't unfriend that person. I just unfollow them, so I don't see their content again. Michael Hingson 52:09 Yeah. Jeff Brown 52:10 But from from the plus side, you know, social media has bought me more opportunity than anything else, and and effectively for free. And I've traveled traveled a lot because of my work. I have over 100,000 followers across my my social media platforms, and social media brings me customers, brings me clients. It helps me sell books, so there is a lot of positivity to it. I suppose it. The negative is only if you engage in the negative, then you will you'll find the the negative aspect. Michael Hingson 52:40 Yeah. Well, and the reality is that again, it's it's how you approach life, and you've clearly learned a lot about how to approach life in a much more positive way. You've developed, well, we'll call it an unstoppable mindset. You've developed a mindset that allows you to go through life and do the things that you need to do, and focus on the things that you can, and you leave the rest of it alone. Jeff Brown 53:06 Yeah, yeah, totally, totally. Michael Hingson 53:08 Which which makes a lot of sense. Well, for you, you you talked earlier about the fact that you have dyslexia, and you've been with dyslexia for most of your life, or maybe all of your life. It's interesting. I've talked to so many people who didn't know that they had dyslexia when they were in school and so on, and experienced a lot of the same frustrations and kinds of experiences that that you've experienced. And somewhere along the line, they finally discovered that they they had dyslexia. How did that when you when you finally realized that? What did that do for you? How did how did that really affect you? Jeff Brown 53:52 Well, funny enough, I I can remember a moment where I must have been about eight year old, where a teacher and you know, back in the 70s, teachers weren't as kind, weren't as kind to to schoolchildren as they are now. You know, and and this this teacher singled me out in front of the class and and told me that I was stupid and I wouldn't amount to anything because I kept struggling with this reading and my numbers. And at the time, I I was I was chubby. I had ginger hair, so I didn't have a I didn't have a lot going for us in in the popularity front, and also being you know the the stupid one in the class. So I found it really negative, and I found it really really personal because I didn't realize that I was dyslexic because nobody knew what dyslexia was now, and when I got to my mid 30s, and I went to train to go into the work with the intelligence services and be an image analyst, I had to redo my English and maths all level qualifications that I should have passed at school, but obviously I didn't. I had to do them through the military, and that was when I found out I was dyslexic, and I didn't actually know what dyslexia was until until I made up on it, and then it all made sense. You know why why I'd struggled for so long. I have my own workarounds. I know what my I know what my what my issues are. I mean, now with with with my work, there's so much out there that helps you as a dyslexic. You know, you you have you have spell checker, you have read aloud where you might not be able to see see it. You know, so quite often I'll do a social media post, and I'll I'll get Word document to read it out aloud so I can hear it. But if I if I if I read it back, I can't see the mistakes I've made because my mind doesn't process that. I know when I write a number down, I probably write write it down the wrong way. So if somebody gives me a phone number and I phone it and it's dead, I just change some of the digits around and figure Michael Hingson 55:58 it out. Do you agree? Do you use technology like Dragon, naturally speaking, to dictate? Jeff Brown 56:04 I tend, I tend to. So I started using only in the past six months. I was quite, I was quite sort of against AI, and well, not against it, but everybody was jumping on the chat, ChatGPT bandwagon, and I always tend to do something different than everybody else does. Six months ago, I jumped on a piece of software called Claude, and because I've because I've written five books now, I've written four business books, and I've written a travel book. I also had a lot of content to give to Claude to feed Claude, and then I had transcripts from my YouTube channel, and and then I gave them some do's and don'ts about you know tone of voice and language, and you know I would never say things like this, I would never say things like that. Told them that you know don't be spelling color without a U. Don't put a Z in sympathize because not American English. It's English, English, and the funny thing is, like over the over the past few months, he's he's pretty much replicated my tone of voice, so I can get Claude to write me a social media post, and then I I just tweak it slightly, and I'll make some changes, and then when I've written that social media post, I give it back to Claude and say, can you note? Can you identify the changes that I've made from what you've originally made, Michael Hingson 57:24 right? Jeff Brown 57:25 And take them on board for the next one, and then you give a summary of the changes. And it's yeah, it's it's it's quite impressive. It's quite scary as well because he he says things like, "Am I becoming more Jeff? Yeah, yeah, you are a bit. Michael Hingson 57:42 Well, the other thing is there are programs and technologies, as I mentioned, like Dragon, which is a a technology that you can get where you dictate, and it recognizes your voice, and it will then convert what you say directly into digitized form, which is pretty cool. I use Dragon when I write a fair amount, and and so that that goes back far earlier than AI. Although I'm sure that there are AI, there are AI components to Dragon naturally speaking today. But it's a it's a great program, and it makes writing a lot easier. So rather than typing on a keyboard, I'm speaking, and it is essentially taking what I write, and it just completely digitizes it by recognizing my voice and then putting it out in in in a digital form for me. I can use it with Microsoft Word and other things like that, Jeff Brown 58:41 yeah. And then do then do you listen back to that and then give edits on on what has been on what is being done? Michael Hingson 58:49 Yeah, I can. I just go back and read the word doc, and but it's but it literally is is transcription of what I say, so I can then go back and say, okay, let's fix this, or everything is fine, and I can go even go back and figure out what's misspelled if there are things that it misrecognized. But it works pretty well. Jeff Brown 59:12 Yeah, tech technology is is is fantastic. It's also got it's it's it's I suppose worrying sides for creative people, where there's a lot, a lot of creatives that potentially AI could could really damage their careers going forward. So it's it's interesting to see which direction it's taken. You know, work with it, but then also be aware of it. Michael Hingson 59:40 Yeah. Well, you still need to take control. Jeff Brown 59:43 Yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 59:45 So, what's the most unusual or interesting country that you've ever visited since you do so much traveling? Jeff Brown 59:52 I've been to North Korea. So, 2019 I went to North Korea for New. New Year's Eve to celebrate New Year in in Pyongyang Square with another 100,000 North Koreans. There was only 12 Western tourists in Pyongyang at the time, and we were there for 10 days. So yes, I've I've done North Korea, which it took a bit getting into getting into North Korea. It's not as easy as just you can't go on and book a holiday. He can't choose a hotel. It all has to be done through a third-party agent, and it took about six months to get the whole thing to together. But it was-it was very interesting. It was a completely different than every anything I'd ever experienced before, and it's also supposed to be one of the safest countries you can travel to because you you're followed by the North Korean secret police everywhere you go, even inside buildings, when you're in restaurants, when you're in bars. That nothing could ever happen to you, but the North Korean people would never dare to come up and speak to you anyway, you know. But the the thing with North Korea is everything is everything is orchestrated. Everything is set for you alive and there in advance, so you only ever see what they want you to see. You never see the other side of North Korea. I've also been to Chernobyl, where the the last was that was absolutely fascinating, and last year I went to Transnistria, which is one of these countries that doesn't exist. It's not officially recognized by by the UN, and that was like stepping back into the 1980s Speaker 1 1:01:38 That was, Jeff Brown 1:01:39 but everywhere I've been, you know, I think that that's t
On this episode of Goalchat, host Debra Eckerling talks about creativity with intuitive artist Heather Eck (who has synesthesia - the ability to see color), content creator Holly Homer (founder of Pagewheel and Kids Activities Blog), and author/publisher Brenda Knight (Books that Save Lives aka BTSL). All three are featured in "52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting" - a BTSL book, championed by Brenda. They are also champions of creativity, who constantly juggle multiple endeavors. Heather, Holly, and Brenda share their 52 Secrets secrets, their backstories, and the projects they are currently very excited about. They also discuss the impact of AI - hint, it will not replace people, as well as their favorite strategies for creating, cultivating, and enjoying the world around them. How to Get Unstuck - Brenda: Go for a walk - Holly: Stop stressing out about being stuck; let it rest - Heather: Movement, a vibration plate, go to a thrift store, create art with a lowercase a Goals - Holly: Baby steps, do something today, even for a minute, also do something you are terrible at - Brenda: Sit somewhere relaxing and write a new idea with your non-dominant hand - Heather: Go for a color walk, notice what color you are drawn to first and take pictures; that color is offering you a message (DM @HeatherEckArtist on Instagram if you want her to tell you what that message means Final Thoughts - Holly: Remember all creativity starts with play - Heather: Go back to what you loved doing as a kid - Brenda: Listen to your inner voice and believe in yourself Read the full recap and get the links discussed: https://thedebmethod.com/creative-heathereck-hollyhomer-brendaknight Learn More About Heather Eck: https://HeatherEck.com Holly Homer: https://HollyHomer.com Brenda Knight: https://BooksthatSaveLives.net Debra Eckerling: https://TheDEBMethod.com https://TheBookProposalExpert.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us Fan MailThis week I'm breaking format for a special Maester Athletes episode, built around this year's World Cup 2026 of soccer. I tell the story behind the photo that went viral right before the match — Lionel Messi bathing a baby at a charity event almost two decades ago, a baby who grew up to be Lamine Yamal, the very player who faced him on the pitch. I dig into why I never doubted that photo was real (it's all about who you trust as a news source), why the hug between Messi and Yamal after the final is the most Project Weight Loss moment of the entire tournament, and what Kylian Mbappé's Golden Boot run — plus his answer about "collective spirit" in his Wall Street Journal interview — can teach us about discipline, joy, and showing up for our own goals without blame or shame.I also walk through the real research behind why some people stick to their goals and others don't: Gollwitzer and Sheeran's 94-study meta-analysis on implementation intentions, a British Journal of Health Psychology study on exercise follow-through, and why motivation and information alone are never enough without a plan and regular self-monitoring. If you're working your own Project Weight Loss — on your body, your relationships, or your work in the world — this episode gives you the if-then framework to get back up fast when you slip, the way these athletes do. Share it with someone who needs to hear it this week, and don't forget to write down your own if-then plan.Quote of the Week: "To never stop dreaming, it's something free. Of course you have to work. Of course you have to do, like you said, sacrifice. But the most important thing is you have to dream. You can be young, you can be old, you can be whatever you want, but everybody can dream. And that's something free, and that's something that gives you the power and the patience to do the things after." — Kylian MbappéCitations & Links:· Kylian Mbappé, "Kylian Mbappé Knows He's Too Competitive," The Wall Street Journal / WSJ. Magazine, Sept. 6, 2022 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHKnvLgG7HA· Kylian Mbappé's 2018 World Cup bonus donation to Premiers de Cordée, Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylian_Mbapp%C3%A9· Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119.· The exercise study citation: Milne, Orbell & Sheeran (2002), British Journal of Health Psychology 7(2), 163–184 (the 91% follow-through study).· A source for the $1.1B offer: Forbes, July 2023, reporting Mbappé turned down a Saudi club (Al Hilal) offer, per L'Équipe — matches what you described as "widely reported."Let's go, let's get it done.Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org
A new school year offers more than a fresh classroom and a new group of students; it offers a fresh start for us as educators. In this episode, I share the reflection routines and goal-setting strategies I use to learn from the previous year before jumping into planning. We'll explore simple ways to capture what worked, identify what needs to change, organize your thinking, and set meaningful professional goals that support both your students and your own well-being. If you're ready to start the year with intention instead of simply checking off a back-to-school to-do list, this episode is for you. Related Resources: End-of-the-Year Housekeeping: Reflect & Organize Save Your Sanity with a Things to Revamp for Next Year List Goal Setting Graphic Organizer
The FastForwardAmy Show: About Perfectly Imperfect Entrepreneurship
Do you think being introverted and highly sensitive is a disadvantage in the online business world? Think again. Join me as I reveal how I transformed these traits into my own greatest strengths, building a successful 7 figure business online. Discover how you can do the same!In this episode, I'll take you through my personal journey as an introverted and highly sensitive entrepreneur, sharing how I turned these perceived weaknesses into powerful assets. You'll learn about the common misconceptions of introversion and high sensitivity, and how understanding these traits can help you leverage them to your advantage.Dutch: If you want to register for my passive income formula training, you can register here: https://www.fastforwardamy.com/passiefinkomenformuleEnglish: enjoy my Million Method training, available here: https://fastforwardamy.com/accessmillionThis episode was originally published in June 2024 so references of dates and seasons might be outdated, but the content and strategies are not.If you're already doing multi-six figures and ready to scale with high-level coaching, this is for you. Apply via forwardamy.com/applicationformeng and let's see if we're the right fit to grow your business to the next level. You want to make money on Instagram, but you're not sure what needs to be in place to make that happen. In the Instagram Income Map, a PDF workbook, you discover the 8 building blocks that determine whether you can sell online products on Instagram, from offer to conversion to content, including a self-scan that shows you exactly what you need first. Go to fastforwardamy.com/incomemap and you'll receive it instantly.Follow me on Instagram for more business and mindset tips: instagram.com/fastforwardamyDiscover my free trainings and ebooks: fastforwardamy.com/freeresources
Host Russell Thackeray welcomes Duncan Starr-Boltt, a Cambridge-based Brit who lives in Crete most of the year, and explores his journey from mechanical engineering into personal training, coaching, and running a CrossFit gym. Duncan describes intense fitness challenges (including a wall-ball world record of 452) and how proving fitness shaped his identity, later easing once he felt he'd proven it to himself. After becoming stressed running the gym, he found Western approaches ineffective and turned to Eastern ideas, emphasising “you are not the mind,” cultivating the observer through meditation and mindfulness, and focusing on feeling okay internally. He discusses the tension between goals and contentment, advocating goals for clarity without unhealthy drive, and shares his father's Maslow-inspired visualisation process that iteratively achieves goals to uncover deeper purpose. He also mentions his fictional book, "Seeking Sukha," about lasting happiness and peace, and how to find him online.00:00 Introductions00:37 From Engineer to Fitness Coach01:55 Gym Stress and Eastern Practices02:50 Forrest Gump Fitness Identity03:33 Chasing World Records06:06 Did Proving It Matter07:09 The Goal Behind Goals08:38 Goal Setting vs Discontentment11:08 Driven Energy and Satisfaction11:53 Why We Choose Unsatisfied12:48 Why We Tolerate Abuse13:38 Eastern Wisdom vs Western Fixes14:45 You Are Not The Mind17:08 Observer Mindfulness and Goals17:50 Purpose Beyond the Cave19:15 Vision Triangle Goal Process23:21 Identity and Future Self24:40 Seeking Sukha Book Story26:26 Audiobook Recording Realities26:53 Where to Find Duncan27:24 Final Reflections and GoodbyeYou can contact us at info@qedod.comResources can be found online or link to our website https://resilienceunravelled.com
He turned down $14.5 million because a 3 a.m. truth wouldn't let him go. Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey walked away from Hollywood for 20 months. No calls, no offers, no plan B. He talks about the exact moment that decision landed, and why turning down the money changed how the industry saw him. At 20 years old he wrote 10 goals in a notebook, signed his name, and never looked at the list again. Thirty years later he found it while writing his memoir Greenlights. He'd hit all 10. He also opens up about a solo trip through the Amazon where he stripped away every title he'd built, his name, his fame, his nationality, until nothing was left but a mammal, a child of God. That's the moment everything got quiet. Gratitude, fatherhood, and the goal that once felt too big to say out loud. This one will change how you write down what you want. Matthew on Instagram Matthew on Facebook Poems & Prayers Amazon Audiobook Greenlights Amazon Audiobook In this episode you will: Recognize the difference between chasing significance and giving yourself credit for what you've built Build a daily gratitude practice that reciprocates back into every part of your life Learn why writing your goals down by hand changes how your subconscious chases them Discover the exact 3 a.m. moment Matthew knew it was time to walk away from Hollywood Overcome the fear of losing your identity by learning what's left once everything else is stripped away For more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1955 More SOG episodes we think you'll love: Lewis Howes Solo [Manifest the Life You Actually Want] Eckhart Tolle Josh Groban Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Casey Weade is the founder of Howard Bailey Financial, dedicated to helping people retire with confidence and purpose. A nationally recognized retirement planning expert, podcast host, and speaker, Casey specializes in retirement income, tax-efficient strategies, and financial independence, empowering clients to build lasting wealth and live with intention. 3:01 Golf, Mental Toughness, and Handling Adversity 6:29 Goal Setting, Vision, and Wealth Management Success 8:35 Family, Purpose, and Creating a Life Worth Living 12:55 Financial Independence in Your 20s and Redefining Success 18:17 Remembering What Is True Instead of Chasing More 20:03 Lessons from Nearly 600 Podcast Episodes 23:08 The Story Behind Howard Bailey Financial 26:29 Leadership, Culture, and Scaling a Growing Firm 33:55 Accountability, Expectations, and Conscious Leadership 46:55 Casey's Definition of Mental Toughness 52:10 The Emotional Side of Retirement and Identity 54:24 Why There Is No Finish Line with Howard Bailey Financial 57:58 Final Thoughts on Purpose, Growth, and Living Fully Don't forget you can also follow Dr. Rob Bell on Twitter or Instagram! Follow At: X @drrobbell Instagram @drrobbell 5 Mental Toughness Advantages for Financial Advisors: https://pages.drrobbell.com/ If you enjoyed this episode on Mental Toughness, please subscribe and leave a review! Dr. Rob Bell
In today's episode I'm breaking down the exact formula I use to set goals that most people would call crazy, and why that's actually the point. I'm sharing the two things that have to be true at the same time for it to work: you have to believe the goal is possible, but you also have to be completely unattached to whether you actually hit it. I get into how I'm applying this right now to my new company's goal of seven figures in a year, why I don't need the whole plan before I go after something big, and why not hitting a goal is often the biggest gift in disguise. If you've ever had a goal that scared you a little and made everyone around you say "that's crazy," this one's for you.
☀️ Summer Leadership Recharge: Principal Edition
Chad Hyams and Bob Stewart explore overcoming the "distance trap" in setting goals, drawing from insights like the 12-week year. They discuss transforming broad objectives into manageable actions, leveraging pre-commitment devices, and shifting focus from goals to identity. Emphasizing the importance of tracking progress and preparing for obstacles, they delve into the power of visualization and environment in maintaining motivation. Bob's goal of attending the Kentucky Derby becomes a case study, offering listeners practical strategies to stay committed and achieve long-term goals. ---------- Connect with the hosts: • Ben Kinney: https://www.BenKinney.com/ • Bob Stewart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/activebob • Chad Hyams: https://ChadHyams.com/ • Book one of our co-hosts for your next event: https://WinMakeGive.com/speakers/ More ways to connect: • Join our Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/winmakegive • Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://WinMakeGive.com/sign-up • Explore the Win Make Give Podcast Network: https://WinMakeGive.com/ Part of the Win Make Give Podcast Network Chapters 00:00 Bob's 2027 Kentucky Derby Goal and Tech Talk 05:22 Overcoming The Distance Trap By Segmenting Long-Term Goals 11:47 Achieving Goals Through Micro Steps and Pre Commitment Devices 18:12 Aligning Identity With Goals for Authentic Personal Growth 23:51 Strategies to Stay Motivated When Goals Seem Distant 30:54 Visual Cues and Goal Setting for Achieving Personal Milestones
Caroline White has been a professional photographer for 21 years — starting as an actress shooting headshots on the side before a burglary wiped out her equipment and pushed her into photography full-time. Since 2011 she's averaged six figures a year shooting personal branding for women entrepreneurs and coaches, and more recently has pivoted into a passion project: underwater portrait photography.In this episode, Caroline and Nikki dig into pricing high-touch branding packages (from $2,500 simple sessions to a $20,000 two-and-a-half-day shoot), the "asshole insurance" strategy that protects her boundaries while letting her overdeliver for great clients, how AI is affecting (and not affecting) the personal branding photo market, and her transition from packages to in-person sales for underwater work — including handmade, rhinestone-embellished prints. Caroline also opens up about the near-drowning experiences that shaped her fearlessness in the water and her ability to help nervous clients feel safe underwater.Topics covered:Building a 6-figure business without weddings or paid adsHow marketing lag works — and what happens when you stopAdd-ons that increase average sale (rush orders, retouching tiers, split-day shoots)"Asshole insurance": overdelivering for good clients, holding boundaries with difficult onesAI's real impact on personal branding photographyUnderwater photography: gear, safety, and working with non-swimmersTransitioning from packages to in-person sales (IPS)Handmade art pieces: painting on prints, Swarovski crystals, double exposuresIf you're building a photography business, want to grow your portrait photography income, or are curious about how to make money from photography online, this conversation is packed with actionable advice.
About Michelle Nedelec: Michelle is an international best selling author and expert in entrepreneurs and she's the founder of Awareness Strategies. She's run her own series of companies for over 22 years and for over 15 years has been helping managers and executives to continually double their profits and revenues. She not only has what it takes to help her clients build million-dollar businesses but she does it time and time again. Michelle particularly loves to talk about marketing automation, systems integration, and support both on and off of the stage. She teaches the key components of the business, strategy, systems, support, and state of mind so that you know how to continually elevate all four components to build a healthy thriving business. For the past 6 years, she's been focusing on helping entrepreneurs bring their businesses online from conceptualization to done for you IT automation. In this episode, Jennie and Michelle discuss: Competence vs. Confidence. You don't need to have the competence you need to have confidence. Focus on your goals, short term goals, long term goals, and ultra long term goals. Business automation systems, how to attract people gain their attention, and hook them in. Money and business, spending vs investing. Key Takeaways: Fear is part of being human, embrace it instead of feeling scared of it. Build and embrace your confidence. Expand your comfort zone and confidence by setting goals and then proving that you can achieve them. Pitch marketing is over, everyone wants to buy, but no one wants to be sold on something. Work to solve a problem for them. Employee mindset vs entrepreneur mindset, ask yourself what you want to create and then do it, don't wait for people to tell you what to do. "It's not rocket science it's just common sense in the business world." — Michelle Nedelec Michelle's Book Freebie: Business Ownership Mindset Connect with Michelle Nedelec: Facebook: Michelle @ Awareness Strategies Instagram: @michellenedelec Website: Business Ownership Mindset.com Show: The Little Blue Pill for Business Podcast (Coming to You August 11th) LinkedIn: Michelle Nedelec Email:michelle@awarenessstrategies.com CONNECT WITH JENNIE: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniebpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/badassdirectsalesmastery/app/307339332686535/ Instagram: Website: https://badassdirectsalesmastery.com/ Show: https://badassdirectsalesmastery.com/blog/ Show notes by Podcastologist: Kristen Braun Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
A wise woman said, “You need to declutter your expectations of yourself.” This suggestion felt like advice we should share with The Clutter Fairy audience! In episode #309 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explores how real-world experiences confound our expectations for decluttering and organizing projects—and how to adjust our thinking for better results.Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw309The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.Support the show
SummaryIn this episode, Jeff Weiss shares his incredible journey from running a 10K at age 48 to completing ultra marathons and Ironman races, illustrating that it's never too late to pursue new challenges. We explore the connection between fitness, audacity, and professional achievement, offering practical insights for living a bold, energetic life.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background02:57 The Journey to Fitness and Transformation06:12 Setting Goals and Achieving Milestones08:48 The Connection Between Fitness and Professional Achievement11:22 Understanding Audacity and Big Goals14:29 Overcoming Fear of Failure17:01 Goal Setting and Life Adventures19:39 The Importance of Reading and Learning22:36 Racing Against Time: The New Book25:20 The Impact of Aging and Fitness27:50 Training Regimen and Health Monitoring30:26 Nutrition and Supplementation33:03 Experiences in Ultra Marathons35:56 Reflections on Business and Endurance Sports38:29 Final Thoughts and EncouragementConnect with Me! Newsletter and Podcasts: https://icandopodcast.comBlogs: https://benjaminlee.blogBooks: https://benjaminlee.blog/books-2/Apparel: https://benjaminlee.blog/resources/#!/Youtube: https://youtube.com/@icandopodcast?si=h9-JkT27jwynZZ-X
What if the key to finishing your biggest goals isn't working harder—but thinking smaller?In this episode of the Walk In Victory Podcast, NaRon Tillman sits down with Dr. Christiane Schroeter to explore how small, consistent actions create extraordinary results.From earning a PhD and delivering a TEDx Talk to building a top-ranked podcast and helping entrepreneurs overcome overwhelm, Christiane shares the mindset shift that transformed her life and the lives of thousands of students, business owners, and professionals.Her framework, Petite Practice™, is built on a simple principle:Big goals become achievable when broken into small, intentional actions.Together, NaRon and Christiane discuss:• How to overcome overwhelm and take action• Why perfection is the enemy of progress• The connection between micro-movements and momentum• Building confidence through consistent practice• Leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal growth• The neuroscience behind small actions and habit formation• How community accelerates transformation• Why success is often the result of tiny daily decisionsOne of the most powerful moments in the conversation connects Christiane's Petite Practice™ framework with NaRon's work in mindfulness and yoga, highlighting how small movements can create new pathways for growth, healing, and transformation.Key Insight:You don't need a massive breakthrough.You need a small step repeated consistently.About Dr. Christiane Schroeter:Dr. Christiane Schroeter is a professor, entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, business coach, wellness advocate, and creator of the Petite Practice™ framework. She helps entrepreneurs, professionals, and students overcome overwhelm, build momentum, and achieve meaningful goals through small, consistent actions.In This Episode:• The Petite Practice™ framework• Finishing a PhD two pages at a time• Preparing for a TEDx Talk through daily repetition• Building momentum through micro-actions• Entrepreneurship and mindset• Community, connection, and leadership• The power of consistency over intensityKey Moments⏱ 07:00 – From Overwhelm to Momentum⏱ 09:00 – The Power of Petite Practice™ ⏱ 12:00 – Writing a PhD Two Pages at a Time ⏱ 14:00 – TEDx, Top 1% Podcasts, and Small Daily Actions ⏱ 16:00 – Why Community Accelerates Success ⏱ 18:00 – Turning Your Superpower Into ImpactBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/walk-in-victory--4078479/support.If this conversation connected with you, don't just listen—take the next step.Start with the audiobook: Awakening I AMThis is where clarity begins. https://walkinvictory.me/awakening-i-am/audio-bookPrefer to read? Get the physical copy: https://books.by/naron-tillmanWhen you're ready to apply this in real life: Victory Builders https://walkinvictory.me/victory-builders/Landing-pageSponsored by Cozy Earth Get 40% off with code VICTORY1
Welcome back to The PPC Den! This episode we're pulling back the curtain on how a real Amazon agency runs behind the scenes from AI to accountability.Michael sits down with Joshua Rawe of AmpliSell to talk about how they personally use AI (spoiler: Claude Opus is the daily driver), why "average" AI output is a trap if you don't already have great ideas, and how they built an ongoing, AI-powered account audit so nothing falls through the cracks between reviews.We also get into the messy reality of client goal-setting: how to pin clients down on revenue vs. margin vs. ACOS before you ever touch a bid and the #1 mistake killing Amazon brands in 2026: not killing dead products and not launching new ones fast enough. Plus, why winning on Amazon today means winning off Amazon first.We'll see you in The PPC Den!
In this episode, we explore the development of the T2D3 Operating System, a comprehensive tool that transforms the principles of the T2D3 book into an AI-powered platform for SaaS growth. Discover how this system bridges strategy and execution, making growth planning more accessible and effective for modern marketers and CEOs.key topicsDevelopment of the T2D3 Operating SystemIntegration of AI in growth planningBridging strategy and execution in SaaSTools for SaaS growth and marketingThe role of signal quality in marketingChapters00:00 Introduction to the T2D3 Operating System00:26 Origin and Core Principles of the Platform01:22 Transforming Playbooks into Software Products02:42 The Role of AI in Modern SaaS Growth03:37 Early Feedback and Iteration of the OS04:48 Capabilities and Features of the Growth OS06:01 Connecting Strategy with Execution07:16 Using the OS for Strategic Decision-Making08:01 The Shift from Paper to Digital Platforms09:20 Building a Foundation with Signal and Data10:13 Decision-Making and Growth Planning12:54 Demo of the T2D3 Growth Platform23:06 Insights and Unexpected Discoveries24:28 Planning and Goal Setting with OKRs25:47 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
On this episode of GoalChat, host Debra Eckerling speaks with friends and founders: Bobbie Carlton, Innovation Women; Troy Sandidge, Strategy Hackers®; and Viveka von Rosen, Women's Technology Integration Collaborative. The topic - how to Go Big - kicked off the July GoalChats "Just Go" theme, celebrating the Mid-Year and featuring achievers Debra interviewed for her book 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting. Whether you're growing your business, building your visibility, writing a book, speaking on bigger stages, or stepping into a new chapter, there comes a time when you have to stop playing small and embrace what's possible. Bobbie, Viveka, and Troy share stories and insights about taking risks, embracing pivots, and creating opportunities ... for yourself and others. The conversation is all about claiming your expertise, owning your authority, and amplifying your impact! What It Means to Go Big Troy: Releasing the belief that you are small! Embrace the pivot and go with it Viv: Using liminal space (transitions) as a creating space. You have to believe in what's possible Bobbie: Getting comfortable with an audience ... or the idea of an audience; speaking as one to many Goals Troy: Eliminate 99% of your offers; focus on the big things, raise prices Bobbie: If you are interested in speaking, fix your bio, so it is audience focused, not client focused Viv: Every time you feel discomfort with your situation/progress, reframe it as a rich, creative space Final Thoughts Viv: Paint your oura ring Bobbie: Get comfortable with public speaking,, so you can do the big things Troy: Take a deep breath and go! Throughout July, Deb is featuring achievers who shared tips in her book 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting on GoalChat. Learn More About Bobbie Carlton: https://InnovationWomen.com Troy Sandidge: https://FindTroy.com Viveka Von Rosen: https://VivekaVonRosen.com Debra Eckerling: https://TheDEBMethod.com/blog https://TheBookProposalExpert.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OKRs are a popular choice to communicate team goals… but most teams do them wrong. In this episode, Laura Klein talks with Christina Wodtke, author of Radical Focus, about what actually makes objectives and key results work: the weekly and quarterly rituals that keep goals alive, why psychological safety matters more than making perfect predictions, and how strategy and vision have to exist before you can even set an OKR in the first place.About Christina Wodtke: LinkedIn | Eleganthack (blog) | Books by Christina WodtkeOther Related NN/g Articles & Courses:Aligning UX Metrics with Organizational Goals: A Workshop GuideCrossfunctional Collaboration: Challenges and Strategies for SuccessProject Postmortems for UX Teams: Learning from Success and FailureLean UX & Agile: Study GuidePsychology for UX: Study GuideCourse: Lean UX and AgileCourse: Leading Highly Effective UX Teams
In this episode, Cassandra talks about how this Capricorn Full Moon is asking us all to review the ‘mountains' we've been climbing in our life or the goals we've been putting our time and attention into to make sure that they are really aligned with our heart's desires. Join the conversation on my “with Intention” substack where I share my personal insights on what it looks like to be consciously creating your life first hand as well as my best advice on how to do it yourself right along with me. As well go LIVE every Monday with these conversations! :) https://cassandrabodzak.substack.com/ Say Hi to Cassandra on social media! http://facebook.com/cassandrabodzak http://twitter.com/cassandrabodzak http://instagram.com/cassandrabodzak http://youtube.com/cassandrabodzakTV
In this episode, we break goal setting down into a simple framework that transforms vague intentions into clear action. You'll learn how to connect the external results you want with the internal growth required to achieve them, making consistency feel less like willpower and more like momentum.We discuss:Turning "I'm trying" into specific, measurable, time-bound goals.Breaking big dreams into manageable micro goals and daily actions.Creating the growth gap between who you are today and who you need to become.Why writing your goals down and displaying them dramatically increases follow-through.Using Pursuit Goals to connect achievement with identity-level transformation.Using Progress Goals to build momentum through measurable wins.Using Process Goals to create daily habits that produce lasting results.Speaking your goals out loud to strengthen accountability.Training your attention so better decisions become more automatic.If you've ever struggled to stay consistent, lost motivation after the excitement wore off, or wondered why some people seem to achieve their goals while others stay stuck, this episode gives you a practical framework you can start using today.
The FastForwardAmy Show: About Perfectly Imperfect Entrepreneurship
Are you finding it hard to stay motivated with your goals halfway through the year? Let me share my secret to setting goals that not only keep me on track but also keep me happy and excited. In this episode, you'll discover how to set multiple goals and balance results with processes to reignite your passion and drive.Do you want my 4-step process to set new goals? Download my free focus guide here: https://fastforwardamy.com/focusguide This episode was originally published in July 2024 so references of dates and seasons might be outdated, but the content and strategies are not.You want to make money on Instagram, but you're not sure what needs to be in place to make that happen. In the Instagram Income Map, a PDF workbook, you discover the 8 building blocks that determine whether you can sell online products on Instagram, from offer to conversion to content, including a self-scan that shows you exactly what you need first. Go to fastforwardamy.com/incomemap and you'll receive it instantly.Follow me on Instagram for more business and mindset tips: instagram.com/fastforwardamyDiscover my free trainings and ebooks: fastforwardamy.com/freeresources
Send us Fan MailGet in girl, it's time for a mid-year reset.If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, off track, or simply ready for a fresh start, this episode is your invitation to pause, reflect, and realign with the life you're building. This episode centres around health, hobbies, habits & relationships to help you reconnect with your vision and reset your habits for the months ahead.Grab a notebook, your favorite drink, and join me for a thoughtful mid-year check-in designed to help you finish the year glowing ⭐Support the showDive Deeper On Your Journey:☆ Seeking 1:1 Nutrition Support? Apply to work with Selin here☆ Book your acupuncture session at student clinic (valid until July 2027!)☆ Let's connect on Instagram☆ Read The Painless Period Guide☆ Discover the Goddess Affirmation Colouring Book
Send us Fan MailClaudia Ramirez explores the true nature of discipline, debunking common myths and sharing practical insights on how to build self-belief, structure, and motivation to achieve your goals.Chapters00:00 Understanding Discipline and Its Misconceptions05:10 Identifying Underlying Issues Beyond Discipline10:01 The Role of Self-Belief in Discipline15:05 Creating Structure for Success18:45 Embracing Your True Self and IdentitySupport the showCome say hi!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsclaudiaramirez/Can't wait to see you in one of my courses/programs! I believe in you
The goals you set at the beginning of the year didn't disappear. They just got buried beneath client demands, constant interruptions, unexpected challenges, and the daily realities of running a law firm. In this episode, Steve Riley offers a practical mid-year reset for attorneys who feel like they've lost momentum. Using memorable stories, simple frameworks, and actionable coaching, Steve explains why achieving your biggest goals isn't about working harder. It's about protecting your time, focusing your energy, and making room for what matters most. Whether you're ahead of schedule or wondering where the last six months went, this episode will help you clear the mental clutter, refocus your priorities, and build a plan that puts your goals back in sight. ___________ In this episode, you will hear: Why most attorneys have a goal-protecting problem, not a goal-setting problem The four hidden forces quietly pulling you away from your biggest goals How "100 busy Tuesdays" can derail an entire year without you noticing A simple framework for deciding whether to keep, adjust, or release your goals Practical strategies to protect your time, focus, and momentum for the rest of the year ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Steve Riley, Attorney, Shareholder, & Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/steve-riley Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com Worksheet: Mid-Year Rearview Mirror Check worksheet https://atticusadvantage.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Mid-Year-Steering-Check-Fillable-FINAL.pdf 2026 Goal Setting for Lawyers Part 1: Why Your Plan Gets Hijacked https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/2026-goal-setting-why-your-plan-gets-hijacked 2026 Goal Setting for Lawyers Part 2: Design Your Lane and Stay Focused https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/2026-goal-setting-lawyers-part-2-design-your-lane-stay-focused Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.
What if most people aren't judging you at all?In this episode of The Almost Daily Podcast, I explore a common idea in personal development: while you're busy doubting yourself, other people may be admiring what you're doing. While there may be some truth to that, I think there's an even more important reality worth considering.Most people are focused on their own lives.We spend so much time worrying about what other people think of us, whether we're fitting in, whether we're doing enough, or whether we're measuring up. But when you start to understand who you are and become more comfortable with yourself, much of that pressure begins to disappear.In this episode, we discuss:• Why seeking approval often creates unnecessary stress• The difference between self-awareness and self-consciousness• How many people are far more focused on themselves than on you• My experience growing up with cerebral palsy and wanting to fit in• Why becoming comfortable with yourself changes everything• How awareness helps you identify patterns that may be holding you backI also share a reminder heading into the weekend about taking time to recharge, reflect, and prepare for the week ahead without turning every moment into a productivity challenge.If you've been carrying the weight of other people's opinions, this episode may help you put some of that weight down.Your Level Fitness Links:Framework for Goal Setting and Weekly Planning:https://yourlevelfitness.com/frameworkThe Almost Daily Podcast is an audio journal about self-awareness, mindset, personal growth, and learning to build a life that feels more aligned with who you truly are.
In episode 165 of The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast John (https://www.instagram.com/sidehustleexperiment/ ) and Drew (https://www.instagram.com/realdrewd/) Sadeq Wahabb (https://www.instagram.com/sadeqwahabb/) Sadeq Wahab shares his journey through Amazon reselling, business credit, AI agency development, and innovative marketing strategies. Discover how he's scaling multiple businesses, leveraging AI, and building high-ticket funding offers to achieve financial freedom.Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the bell so you don't miss future episodes with top entrepreneurs and creators.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Current Ventures02:53 Exploring the AI Agency05:42 The Credit Business Model11:41 Ethics in Business Funding14:26 Challenges and Opportunities in Credit Consulting19:58 Scaling and Future Plans25:21 Building a Robust Business Infrastructure26:15 Incentivizing Employee Performance27:32 Goal Setting and Accountability28:29 The Importance of Delegation29:55 Navigating the Coaching Landscape31:35 Emerging Business Opportunities33:47 Scaling Through Influencer Marketing36:03 Learning from Setbacks38:33 The Impact of Market Changes41:08 Investing for the Future44:01 The Reality of Amazon Business48:44 The Power of Early Investment53:41 Content Creation and Personal Branding58:28 Building Trust Through Authenticity#makemoneyonline #sidehustleexperimentpodcast #sidehustles Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidehustleexperimentpodcast/ Listen on your favorite podcast platformYoutube: https://bit.ly/3HHklFOSpotify: https://spoti.fi/48RRKcPApple: https://apple.co/4bmaFOk Check out Drew's StuffInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/realdrewdTwitter: https://twitter.com/DrewFBACheck out John's StuffInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidehustleexperiment/Twitter: https://twitter.com/SideHustleExp FREE ResourcesFREE Guide: How to Make Money Reviewing Products https://bit.ly/3HIGFSP
Send Dr. Li a text here. Please leave your email address if you would like a reply, thanks.In this inspiring episode, Dr. Christine Li welcomes seven-time world champion musician, bestselling author, and high-performance leadership coach James Laughlin to the podcast. Together, they explore what it truly means to be a high performer, debunking the myth that it's reserved for a select few or achieved through hustle alone.James Laughlin shares how simple, consistent habits—rather than massive actions—are the foundation of sustainable achievement, joy, and fulfillment. He opens up about his personal journey from early success and burnout to discovering the importance of aligning daily actions with core values and purpose. Listeners will learn practical strategies for taking small but meaningful steps, overcoming self-sabotage, taming stress, and building a life of excellence on your own terms—no matter your starting point or life stage.Timestamps00:00:00 - Dr. Christine Li introduces James Laughlin and his background in high performance leadership.00:02:27 - James Laughlin describes his book "Habits of High Performers" and its purpose.00:03:27 - James Laughlin shares his motivation, rooted in personal struggle and wanting to help others.00:05:48 - Dr. Christine Li asks about James Laughlin's early drive at age 13; they bond over a shared love of the Guinness World Record Book.00:09:43 - Advice for midlife women: small, consistent actions are more sustainable than massive action.00:12:02 - James Laughlin gives an example of small, stackable actions in his own life.00:14:13 - Emphasis on doing less, but better—focus on quality rather than quantity.00:17:44 - Discussion about changing "should" statements to value-driven commands.00:22:55 - The importance of moving from head to heart, with practical journaling and self-reflection routines.00:26:06 - Discussing cortisol's impact, especially for women in later years, and practical ways to manage stress hormones.00:31:19 - James Laughlin offers a free high performance planner to listeners.00:32:56 - Dr. Christine Li closes the episode and gives ways to connect and learn more.To get the free download that accompanies this episode, go to: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/plannerTo sign up for the Waitlist for the Simply Productive Program, go to https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/SPFor more information on the Make Time for Success podcast, visit: https://www.maketimeforsuccesspodcast.comGain Access to Dr. Christine Li's Free Resource Library -- 12 downloadable tools and templates to help you bypass the impulse to procrastinate: https://procrastinationcoach.mykajabi.com/freelibraryTo work with Dr. Li on a weekly basis in her coaching and accountability program, register for The Success Lab here: https://www.procrastinationcoach.com/lab Connect with Us!Dr. Christine LiWebsite: https://www.procrastinationcoach.comFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/procrastinationcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/procrastinationcoach/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@procrastinationcoachThe Success Lab: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/lab Simply Productive: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/SPJames LaughlinWebsite: https://www.jjlaughlin.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealjameslaughlinYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JamesLaughlinOfficialPodcast: https://go.pddr.app/LOPLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/
We welcome Steve Phillips, CEO coach and strategic planning veteran with over 25 years transforming the way companies grow, lead, and win. Former SVP at a billion-dollar organization, he's the behind-the-scenes architect trusted by Microsoft, PepsiCo, Boeing, and the LA Clippers, and the author of 7 published books on leadership and organizational performance.In this sharp, no-fluff conversation, Seb and Steve dismantle the way most entrepreneurs think about goal setting, starting with the uncomfortable truth that it actively destroys 25% of people. Steve shares his full business-planning framework live, walks through the real strategic plan he built for the Clippers when Ballmer first took over, and closes with a hands-on demo that proves, once and for all, why a realistic, challenging goal will always outperform one that's too easy or too hard.Topics DiscussedWhy goal setting only works for 75% of peopleWhy solopreneurs are holding 5 or 6 jobs at 20% capacityThe complete business planning framework: vision, mission, values, purpose, and value driversWhat actually makes your company more valuable (it's not revenue)The LA Clippers case study: a real strategic plan from Steve's offsiteWhy McKinsey-style top-down planning fails and the alternative that worksMassive action, habit stacking, and the neuroscience of visualizationWhy corporate bonuses are wired to produce sandbagged goalsThe live can demo: physical proof that a 50/50 goal always outperforms the restConnect with Steve on LinkedInConnect with Sebastian on InstagramSebastianNaum.com
Who are you to you?It's a simple question, but one that many of us rarely stop to answer.In this episode of The Almost Daily Podcast, I explore the difference between the roles we play for other people and the relationship we have with ourselves. We often know who we are as a parent, employee, friend, partner, or leader. But if we're not careful, those roles can become so consuming that we lose touch with the person underneath them.I talk about the importance of self-awareness, staying connected to yourself, and regularly reassessing how you're showing up in the world. I also share why feeling overwhelmed is often a sign that you're carrying a lot, not that you're failing, and how taking time to recalibrate can help you move forward with more clarity.In this episode, we discuss:• Why your identity is bigger than your roles and titles• How people can lose themselves while serving everyone else• The importance of regularly reassessing who you are• Why rest and recovery are sometimes the most productive choice• A simple midweek check-in to assess your goals and progress• How self-connection supports long-term health, fitness, and personal growthIf you've been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or unsure of who you are outside of your responsibilities, this episode offers a reminder to reconnect with the person who matters most in your life: you.Your Level Fitness Links:Framework for Goal Setting and Weekly Adjustments:https://yourlevelfitness.com/frameworkWeekday Journal Prompts:https://yourlevelfitness.com/emailThe Almost Daily Podcast is an audio journal about self-awareness, personal growth, mindset, and building a life that reflects who you are from the inside out.
Whoever scores the most goals wins. Simple — until you leave the field and try to keep score in your actual life, where there's no referee and no final whistle. So how do you know if you're winning? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Your Health CEO Matt Staub sits down with Jamie Preston to redefine what a win actually is. Matt opens with the daily ritual that grounds him — making it to the gym — and the moment he realized the win wasn't the scale or the heavier lift, but the discipline of showing up at all. In this episode, you'll hear: Why the heaviest weight at the gym is the front door — and what that teaches about every goal The hidden cost of only celebrating the big wins (hint: it's called burnout) What a humbling match-play golf loss taught Jamie about changing the goal instead of the game Why Matt believes pressure is a privilege — and how he leans into it Who actually decides what counts as a win, and what to do when there's no scoreboard This is the half where winning gets redefined from the outside in. Press play, then come back next week for Part 2 — where it gets personal.
Have you ever felt that quiet nudge from God to change something in your life, but convinced yourself it wasn't the right time? Maybe you've been waiting for a new year, a different season, or for life to finally calm down before taking the first step. In this special conversation, I'm joined by my friend and fellow Catholic coach, Denise Jelinek, to talk about what it really means to pursue the goals God places on your heart. Together, we unpack why lasting change isn't about willpower or perfection, but listening to God and inviting the Holy Spirit into the places where you've been striving on your own. Whether you're struggling with yelling, emotional eating, disorganization, discouragement, or simply sensing that God is calling you to something more, we hope this episode will encourage you to stop waiting and begin with one small, grace-filled step (and we'll share what our favorite first steps are!). Grab your earbuds and join us if you've been longing for more peace, more freedom, and more confidence in following God's call in: Goal Setting with the Holy Spirit and Denise Jelinek. Get your free Homeschool Blueprint here! Work with Emily in the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here! Listen to Denise Jelinek's podcast, Weightloss with the Holy Spirit here: https://weightlosswiththeholyspirit.com/ Free Catholic Weight Loss workshop (July 7th): https://weightlosswiththeholyspirit.com/catholic-way-workshop/
What do a rock-and-roll roadie, a resilience researcher, and a CPA-turned-yogi have in common?More than you think.At first glance, June's guests seemed to disagree completely. Amy Vetter embraced reinvention.Scott Scovill preached tenacity. Courtney Clark advocated quitting. But when I looked closer, I realized they were all teaching the same lesson:Don't quit because it's hard. Quit because it's wrong.In this month's wrap-up episode, I connect the dots between three incredible conversations and explore what turned out to be the difference between giving up on a dream and giving up on a plan.You'll discover:• Why persistence and adaptability are partners, not opposites• The difference between a goal and a plan• How fear disguises itself in different ways but can always get in the way• Why success is more like dancing than walking (hence the name of this podcast!)If you've ever wondered whether you should keep pushing, change direction, or completely reinvent your approach, this episode will help you find the sweet spot between grit and flexibility. Anne Bonney is a keynote speaker and emcee who helps organizations lead through change by building resilience, emotional intelligence, and courageous communication.
In this episode, I explain five common goal-setting mistakes that can hurt an athlete's confidence, including focusing only on outcomes, setting goals outside your control, constantly judging yourself, and giving up after setbacks. You'll also learn how to set goals in a way that helps you stay focused, measure progress, and build confidence throughout the process.Work with me!
Send Dr. Li a text here. Please leave your email address if you would like a reply, thanks.In this episode, Dr. Christine Li shares her Simply Productive Method, a five-step process designed to help women—especially those in midlife—overcome clutter, limiting beliefs, and resistance to achieve their goals with greater ease and positivity. Drawing from her experience running the Re-energize Your Home challenge, Dr. Christine Li breaks down the common struggles her clients face and offers empowering strategies to simplify action, boost energy, and build lasting self-belief for a thriving, clutter-free life.Timestamps00:00:00: Introduction and recent "Re-energize Your Home" challenge overview00:02:18: Background of the challenge and its impact00:04:23: Characteristics and struggles of the women served00:11:29: Introduction to the Simply Productive Method00:12:24: Five essential pieces of the Simply Productive Method00:13:25: 1. Set your "rocket goal"00:14:47: 2. Face your resistance00:16:41: 3. Work with your energy00:18:29: 4. Dismantle your limiting beliefs00:20:38: 5. Build habits and self-belief for life00:22:16: Review of the five components00:23:54: Free worksheet offer and closing remarks00:24:39: Outro and contact informationTo get the free download that accompanies this episode, go to: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/methodTo sign up for the Waitlist for the Simply Productive Program, go to: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/SPFor more information on the Make Time for Success podcast, visit: https://www.maketimeforsuccesspodcast.comGain Access to Dr. Christine Li's Free Resource Library -- 12 downloadable tools and templates to help you bypass the impulse to procrastinate: https://procrastinationcoach.mykajabi.com/freelibraryTo work with Dr. Li on a weekly basis in her coaching and accountability program, register for The Success Lab here: https://www.procrastinationcoach.com/labConnect with Dr. Christine LiWebsite: https://www.procrastinationcoach.comFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/procrastinationcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/procrastinationcoach/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@procrastinationcoachThe Success Lab: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/labSimply Productive: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/SP
In this week's episode, we recap Katie's postpartum 10K race and the lessons that came from a tough but rewarding day on the course, including where and how her pacing strategy didn't go exactly according to plan, the mental strategies that helped her stay in the fight, and why she's actually more proud of this race than others that went "better" on paper. We also discuss race-day mindset, building goals that truly resonate, why every race is a rich learning environment, and how to think about racing as simply an expression of your fitness on that particular day. We wrap with reflections on Western States, evolving training philosophies in ultrarunning, and why your "normal" in training should evolve with different seasons of life. Check it out!To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use this form or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.
We are halfway through the year, and holy bananas, where did it go? If your stomach just dropped because you're nowhere near the goal you wrote down in December, stay with me.You do not toss out the plan you made. You check it.In this episode, Brandi walks you through the exact mid-year reset she just ran with her Strategist Society members, the one that stops the panic spiraling and replaces it with real data. You'll pull your numbers, find out where you're actually sitting in your business, do the gap math (it's smaller than you think), and walk away with three action steps for the next seven days.In this episode, you'll learn:Why service providers should plan in 90-day increments instead of 12-month chunksThe year-over-year growth number that tells the truth about your business (and why the average business only grows 5 to 10% a year)The car-seat gut check: are you in the driver's seat, passenger seat, back seat, or the trunk?How to close your revenue gap by spreading it over six months instead of panicking over the whole numberThe brain dump exercise that took Brandi from a $250K year to $1.2MWhy "I don't like it" is not a reason to skip what actually works (cold email, cold calling, Upwork, local networking)How to reconnect to your North Star and pick the two life areas to focus on nextMentioned in this episode:Strategist Society (scale to consistent $10K, $15K, $20K months): https://thestrategistsociety.comConversions for Clients (just getting started, no clients yet): https://conversionsforclients.comDM Brandi the word RESET on Instagram for the lightning version: https://instagram.com/brandimowlesReady to scale past $10K months?If you're sitting here thinking "this is exactly what I needed, but I'll talk myself out of doing it alone," that's exactly what Strategist Society is for. It's the room where we look at your real numbers with you, tell you where to raise your prices, help you brain dump your gap fill, and hold you to the three things you committed to. Built for service providers ready to scale to consistent $10K to $20K months on less than 25 hours a week. Head to https://thestrategistsociety.com.Loved this episode?Screenshot it, share it to your stories, and tag @brandimowles. It helps more service providers find the show and it makes my whole day.Now go do the dang thing.Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/serve-scale-soar/id1477998650Follow Brandi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandimowlesFollow Brandi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brandiandcompany
In episode 161, "Never Stop Chasing Your Dreams," Dr. B reignites the flame of vision inside you. She explores what dreams really are—not just fleeting wishes, but deep soul-callings. Through every setback, every obstacle, she urges you to keep that vision alive. With hope, confidence, and faith, Dr. B reminds you: it's never too late to pursue what still burns within you. Let this episode inspire you to chase your dreams-because your dreams still matter, and so do you.The HOPE Zone...where there's HOPE for every situation!
Leave an Amazon Rating or Review for my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy! Check out the full episode: https://greatness.lnk.to/1939DM Peter Sage bought his first Ferrari at 25. Cash. Happy for about a week. That's the curse of the white rabbit. Entrepreneurs are built to chase. But the rabbit, by design, never gets caught. The goal posts always move. First million becomes two. Ferrari becomes a McLaren. Peter has worked with people worth $700 million who are on antidepressants because they're not billionaires yet. What feeling are you actually after? Because you've already felt it. You already know how to create it. The only thing in your way is the rule you made up about what has to happen before you're allowed to feel it. You don't need a new hack. Outer world follows inner world. You already are what you seek. Sign up for the Greatness newsletter: http://www.greatness.com/newsletter Topics achievement trap, success mindset, fulfillment, entrepreneurship, happiness, goal setting, inner world, high achievers, personal growth, self-worth Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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