POPULARITY
Categories
Finding the Floor - A thoughtful approach to midlife motherhood and what comes next.
Send us a text “There is space between stimulus and response.” In this week's podcast, I share a reminder of the book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. I mentioned making our own weather, so we are not so affected by other people's moods or reactions. I remind you that there is a space between stimulus and response where we have a choice. I tell us the story of the Golden goose, and I clarify the difference between the circle of influence and your circle of concern. Then touch on the first habit of being proactive. Then leave you with a challenge to go and review this book, or my podcasts (ep. 95-104) as you think about your becoming in 2026. For show notes and transcripts go to www.findingthefloor.com/ep244 I would love to hear from you! You can reach me at camille@findingthefloor.com or dm @findingthefloor on instagram. Thanks for listening!!Thanks to Seth Johnson for my intro and outro original music. I love it so much!
In this episode, I'm joined by John Guercio for a wide-ranging and practical conversation about leadership through a behavioral lens. John and I dig into what it actually means to lead in applied behavior analysis, especially when so much of the existing leadership literature is vague, mentalistic, or disconnected from observable behavior. We start by talking about the need to operationalize leadership in behavioral terms and explore the four leadership hats developed by Dr. Paulie Gavoni: leading, training, coaching, and managing. We break down what each of these roles looks like behaviorally, how they function across time, and why effective leaders need to move flexibly between them rather than relying on a single style. A major theme of the episode is the role of positive reinforcement in leadership. John shares real-world examples from his OBM coursework and his work at Cornerstone Behavioral Services, highlighting how difficult—but necessary—it can be to shift away from punitive and avoidance-based management strategies. We discuss why punishment often "works" in the short term, why leaders continue to rely on it, and how reinforcement-based leadership creates better outcomes for both staff and organizations. We also spend time unpacking the distinction between leadership and management. John reflects on his own strengths and limitations, describing how he focuses on vision and direction while intentionally surrounding himself with strong managers who excel at systems, logistics, and follow-through. This leads to a powerful discussion about positional authority, seniority, and the myth that leadership status entitles people to treat others poorly. Throughout the episode, we return to the importance of psychological safety, consistent feedback, and emotional regulation in leadership roles. John shares practical strategies for navigating tough conversations, including how to balance empathy with accountability, how to manage staff expectations, and how to avoid letting emotion drive professional communication (including when not to send that email). We also talk through concrete tools and exercises for improving leadership practice, such as symbolic problem-solving activities to surface unspoken team issues, written acknowledgment systems, and using assessment tools like the Performance Diagnostic Checklist to guide supervision and coaching. John closes by sharing future directions for developing empirically grounded management assessment tools, along with a preview of his upcoming work and conference presentations. This is a practical, honest conversation for anyone supervising staff, leading teams, or trying to build reinforcing, values-consistent organizations in human services. Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode RBT Course for Adult Services (the 'bridge' course too!) Sims and Szilagyi (1975). Leader reward behavior and subordinate satisfaction and performance Stone Soup Conference Registration (use code PODCAST26 at checkout) Carr and Wilder (2015). The Performance Diagnostic Checklist—Human Services John's previous BOP appearances Session 274: Psychological Safety in the Workplace (Supervision CEU!) Additional Books, Articles, and Ideas Discussed John's books on Amazon Komaki (1998). Leadership from an Operant Perspective McGregor (1960). The Human Side of Enterprise Daniels and Daniels (2023). The Measure of a Leader Elliot (2012). Leading Apple With Steve Jobs: Management Lessons From a Controversial Genius Covey (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, 30th Anniversary Edition Harley (2013). How to Say Anything to Anyone Grenny et al. (2021). Crucial Conversations (Third Edition): Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High Sponsor shoutouts! Office Puzzle: A thriving ABA practice depends on systems that actually support your team, not slow them down. If you've struggled with software that's buggy, hard to navigate, or offers little support when you need it most, you're not alone. That's why so many practices are switching to Office Puzzle. Go to officepuzzle.com/bop to learn more! HRIC Recruting. Cut out the middleman and speak directly with Barbara Voss, who's been placing BCBAs in great jobs all across the US for 15 years. The 2026 Stone Soup Conference! This is one of the best values in the online conference space. I'm actually going to be one of the speakers at this year's event, along with a great cast of other characters you're probably familiar with. Save on your registration by using promo code PODCAST26 Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Don't forget to use the coupon code, PODCAST to save at checkout! The 2026 Verbal Behavior Conference! Taking place March 26–27, 2026, in Austin, Texas, or livestream and on-demand on BehaviorLive. Presenters will include Drs. Mark Sundberg, Patrick McGreevy, Caio Miguel, Alice Shillingsburg, Sarah Frampton, Andresa De Souza, and Danielle LaFrance will share how Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior can guide the assessment and treatment of generative learning challenges in children with autism and other developmental disabilities. And don't miss the special pre-conference workshop on Wednesday, March 25. CEUs from Behavioral Observations. Learn from your favorite podcast guests while you're commuting, walking the dog, or whatever else you do while listening to podcasts. New events are being added all the time, so check them out here.
Finding the Floor - A thoughtful approach to midlife motherhood and what comes next.
Send us a text“Keep the end in mind.” Happy New Year and hello 2026. This episode I share a handful of ideas as we look toward more becoming in 2026. I mention two funerals I went to over the break and how they influenced me to think more about how I want to become. Which then reminded me of the second habit from Steven Covey's book, 7 Habits for Highly Effective People which says “to begin with the end in mind.”I mentioned things I am grateful for in my life as well as this past year. I give a few ideas to change your thoughts and to look at things in a new way. As I finished I talk of a quick insight about the word, should. Looking forward to a fun year! For show notes and transcripts go to www.findingthefloor.com/ep243 I would love to hear from you! You can reach me at camille@findingthefloor.com or dm @findingthefloor on instagram. Thanks for listening!!Thanks to Seth Johnson for my intro and outro original music. I love it so much!
"Stay curious. And you only have one reputation. Guard it with your life." Hiring for judgment, not just rehearsed confidence Industrial water treatment is full of decisions made with incomplete data—on sites, with customers, and inside the business. JD Roth (Managing Director and Co-owner of Guardian Chemicals) builds his hiring around that reality. His aim is straightforward: protect the team and the culture by selecting people who can think, collaborate, and lead under pressure. JD frames the organization as a group of people choosing to work toward a common goal: building a better future for communities, the environment, and staff. That priority shows how Guardian hires, who they keep, and what becomes a deal-breaker. If a candidate is misaligned with core values, JD is clear: performance elsewhere won't override that mismatch. The "Hiring Olympics" structure For a high-bandwidth, project-based role (their Graduate Business Analyst program), Guardian needed a way to evaluate many strong candidates without consuming 40–50 hours of team time. The result is a four-hour, multi-station day that includes: Core values interviews (two-person format) Competency interviews (horsepower and capability) An individual case study (primarily math/business-oriented) A collaborative case study (decision-making and team dynamics) The collaborative case study is the centerpiece. Candidates work with peers who are also competitors for limited roles, using real cases built around business decisions—often with imperfect or incomplete information—so the team can observe how candidates break down problems, delegate, support others, and present recommendations. How decisions get made afterward After candidates leave, the interview team convenes for a group decision. JD starts by looking for any "vetoes," especially around core values to fit (he references an EOS-style standard of meeting 5 out of 6 core values most of the time). From there, the team compares notes across competency, core values, and observed collaboration behaviors. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Timestamps 02:20 – Trace Blackmore shares part of a real-world service routine and ongoing professional improvement 05:35 – Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals 12:00 – Words of Water with James McDonald 13:52 – Fun Fact about 1903 from this day 14:28 – Interview with JD Roth, Managing Director and Co-Owner of Guardian Chemicals 15:20 - "A company is people" 19:00 – First solo site lesson: ask for help vs. pretend 25:10 – The GBA Program (Graduate Business Analyst) 27:50 – Hiring Olympics format + Efficiency 33:30 – "Ping pong balls in a jumbo jet" example 39:10 – Selection rules: Core values veto + EOS bar + Values list Quotes JD:"And if you've got great people and you take care of great people, they take care of your customers, and your customers take care of you." JD: "There really isn't a company. There is just a whole bunch of people who have decided to work together towards a common goal." Trace: "I can only imagine how empowered your team feels because they're so involved in this process and you're involving everybody" Trace: "I love the fact that we're diving deeper into the most important thing, and that's protecting and enhancing our culture." Connect with JD Roth Email: jdroth@guardianchem.ca Website: http://www.guardianchem.ca/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-david-jd-roth-58714113/ Guest Resources Mentioned Entrepreneurs' Organization Verne Harnish 'Scaling Up' About Verne Harnish Harvard Business Review Case Studies Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned AWT (Association of Water Technologies) AWT Technical Training Seminars Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Submit a Show Idea The Rising Tide Mastermind 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen. R. Covey Fearless Pricing: Ignite Your Team, Own Your Value, and Command What You Deserve by Casey Brown Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg Charles Duhigg — "The science behind dramatically better conversations" (TEDxManchester) 12 Week Year Plan 457 2026: A New Year with New Intentions Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business Words of Water with James McDonald Today's definition is an ion with a net positive charge, formed when an atom or molecule loses one or more electrons. Can you guess the word or phrase? 2026 Events for Water Professionals Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.
Brian Johnson, founder and CEO of Heroic Public Benefit Corporation, entrepreneur, teacher, coach, author, philosopher, and podcast host, joins me on this episode. Brian has helped millions of people around the world become their best, most productive, energized, and connected version of themselves.
What does it take to build teams that perform under pressure, year after year, across entirely different environments? In this special kickoff episode for 2026, Mo Choumil sits down with legendary college basketball coach Jim Larrañaga, whose leadership journey spans more than four decades and includes historic Final Four runs with both George Mason and the University of Miami. He shares timeless lessons on leadership, vision, accountability, habits, and culture, insights that translate seamlessly from the court to the boardroom. Whether you lead a title agency, a sales team, or a growing organization, this conversation sets a powerful tone for the year ahead. What you'll learn from this episode How culture is built through behavior, habits, and alignment, not slogans What accountability looks like when paired with trust and communication The role that daily routines and habits play in long-term team success A simple yet effective way to create sustainable performance Why great leaders see themselves first as teachers and servant leaders Resources mentioned in this episode The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey | Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly | Kindle and Hardcover The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh, Steve Jamison, and Craig Walsh | Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings Dr Bob Rotella About Jim LarrañagaJim Larrañaga is a Hall of Fame college basketball coach and the longtime head coach of the University of Miami Hurricanes men's basketball program. Widely respected for his leadership, culture-building, and player development, Coach Larrañaga has led multiple programs to historic success, including Final Four and Elite Eight appearances. He is known for his emphasis on character, accountability, and team-first leadership, as well as his ability to develop NBA-caliber talent. Over his career, he has earned numerous Coach of the Year honors and is frequently invited to speak on leadership, motivation, and performance both within and beyond sports. Connect with Jim Facebook: 104.3 WQAM YouTube: Hoch, Crowder & Solana Show Instagram: @jimlarranaga X: @CanesCoachL Connect With UsLove what you're hearing? Don't miss an episode! Follow us on our social media channels and stay connected. Explore more on our website: www.alltechnational.com/podcast Stay updated with our newsletter: www.mochoumil.com Follow Mo on LinkedIn: Mo Choumil Stop waiting on underwriter emails or callbacks—TitleGPT.ai gives you instant, reliable answers to your title questions. Whether it's underwriting, compliance, or tricky closings, the information you need is just a click away. No more delays—work smarter, close faster. Try it now at www.TitleGPT.ai. Closing more deals starts with more appointments. At Alltech National Title, our inside sales team works behind the scenes to fill your pipeline, so you can focus on building relationships and closing business. No more cold calling—just real opportunities. Get started at AlltechNationalTitle.com. Extra hands without extra overhead—that's Safi Virtual. Our trained virtual assistants specialize in the title industry, handling admin work, client communication, and data entry so you can stay focused on closing deals. Scale smarter and work faster at SafiVirtual.com.
Hi Mamas, Download my free guide: ✨ ChatGPT Prompts Made Simple for Moms ✨ As you step into a new week, this Monday Mindset is a reminder you may not know you need—but probably feel deep in your bones. Being busy doesn't mean you're being intentional. And a full schedule doesn't always mean a fulfilled life. In today's episode, we're talking about why working moms don't struggle with knowing what matters—we struggle with protecting it. ✨ This Week's Quote “The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” — Stephen Covey This quote comes from Covey's classic book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People… a must-read when it comes to time management, values, and intentional living. So much of what we talk about here on the podcast traces right back to the principles he teaches.
Season 14, Episode 382 reviews chapters 4–7 of Think and Grow Rich for Sales, showing how autosuggestion, specialized knowledge, imagination, and organized planning transform inner belief into consistent sales results. This episode explains practical steps to program confidence, build authority, paint future outcomes for buyers, and design repeatable sales systems that create certainty and close deals more naturally. Today EP 382 PART 2 of our Think and Grow Rich for Sales Series, we will cover: ✔ Chapter 4: Autosuggestion: How Your Inner Script Becomes Your Outer Results Sales Application (Practical Use) Pre-call priming: Speak your outcome out loud before every call (“I bring clarity and certainty to this conversation.”) Language audit: Eliminate soft phrases (“I think,” “hopefully,” “maybe”) from your sales vocabulary. Repetition builds belief: Read your sales goals twice daily as if already achieved. Emotion matters: Read goals with feeling—belief is emotional, not intellectual. Interrupt negative mindsets: Replace “They won't buy” with “I help people make confident decisions.” Consistency over intensity: Daily repetition beats occasional motivation. Key Insight: Belief is built deliberately, not accidentally. ✔ Chapter 5: Specialized Knowledge: From Information to Authority 5 Sales Application Tips Organize your expertise into simple frameworks buyers can easily follow. Know their world better than they do—pain points, language, pressures, timing. Stop overloading: Say less, but say it with authority. Borrow brilliance: Use mentors, subject experts, and masterminds to extend your knowledge. Teach while you sell: Authority grows when you help buyers understand, not when you impress them. Key Insight: You are not selling information. You are selling guidance. ✔ Chapter 6: Imagination: Where Sales Innovation Is Born 7 Sales Application Tips Paint the “after” picture: Describe life, work, or outcomes post-solution. Use sensory language: Help them see, feel, and experience the result. Rehearse success aloud: Walk the buyer through implementation as if it's already happening. Normalize the decision: Familiarity reduces fear and resistance. Tell transformation stories: Stories activate imagination faster than facts. Slow the moment down: Imagination needs space—don't rush the close. Anchor certainty visually: “Imagine six months from now…” becomes a mental commitment. Key Insight: People don't buy solutions. They buy who they become after the solution. ✔ Chapter 7: Organized Planning: Putting Desire Into Action 6 Sales Application Tips Create a repeatable sales process you trust and follow consistently. Plan the work—then work the plan, even when results lag. Refine the plan, not the goal when setbacks occur. Prepare for objections before they arise—confidence comes from readiness. Track behaviors, not just outcomes (calls, follow-ups, conversations). Use structure to eliminate emotion-based decisions during the sales cycle. Key Insight: A plan creates certainty. Certainty creates momentum. Welcome back to our final series of SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren't taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I'm Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago, launched this podcast with a question I had never truly asked myself before: (and that is) If productivity and results matter to us—and they do now more than ever—how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to improve productivity, results, or well-being. About a decade ago, I became fascinated by the mind-brain-results connection—and how science can be applied to our everyday lives. That's why I've made it my mission to bring you the world's top experts—so together, we can explore the intersection of science and social-emotional learning. We'll break down complex ideas and turn them into practical strategies we can use every day for predictable, science-backed results. Connecting Back to Our 6-Part Think and Grow Rich Series (2022) For today's EP 382, we continue with PART 2 of our Review of Think and Grow Rich for Sales, connecting back to our 6-PART Series from 2022[i]. Back in 2022, we didn't just read Think and Grow Rich—we lived inside it as we launched our year. Over a 6-part series that began the beginning of January 2022, we walked through this book chapter by chapter, not as theory, but as a personal operating system for growth, performance, and results. At the time, the focus of our 6 PART Series was broad. We covered: Personal development Mindset mastery Vision, purpose, and belief We covered the BASICS of this book that my mentor, Bob Proctor studied for his entire lifetime (over 50 years) that can be applied to whatever it is that you want to create with our life. Today, we are going to look at this timeless piece of knowledge, through a new lens. What we're covering today—PART 2 of our Study of Think and Grow Rich for Sales—is not new material. It's the application of this series, towards a specific discipline. You could apply this book to any discipline, but this one, I have wanted to cover for a very long time. How the 6-Part Series Maps DIRECTLY to Sales Mastery Here's the reframe that matters: Every principle we covered in 2022 becomes a sales advantage when applied correctly. Each of the 10 chapters explains how to further improve our inner state, and then we walk through how to make this change occur in our outer world, connecting each principal for the salesperson. And just a reminder that you don't need to be in sales for these principles to work for us. Think and Grow Rich for Sales How Inner Mastery Becomes Sales Results Inspired by Think and Grow Rich Through a modern neuroscience + sales lens Chapter IV: Autosuggestion The Inner Script Behind Every Sales Call Core Idea: Your subconscious mind is always selling—either for you or against you. Sales Application: Language patterns that leak doubt Why we program confidence before the call Why tone matters more than technique Listener Takeaway: The buyer responds to your energy, not your words. Chapter IV — Autosuggestion How Your Inner Script Becomes Your Outer Results Autosuggestion is the bridge between what you think and what you experience. I first learned this concept while working with Bob Proctor in the seminar industry, and it fundamentally changed the way I understand my own personal results—both in life and in sales. At its core, autosuggestion is about creating order in the mind, (first) so your inner script consistently produces your outer results. The visual model that explains this in one simple view is the stickperson diagram, originally developed by Dr. Thurman Fleet in 1934. You'll see this image in the show notes, labeled A, B, and C. Here is what this diagram means. The Three Parts of the Mind IMAGE IDEA: From Dr. Thurman Fleet 1937 with his idea of Concept Therapy. A — Conscious Mind (Thinking Mind) This is the part of your mind you use when you are actively thinking: reading studying learning solving problems consciously making decisions This is where logic lives. B — Non-Conscious Mind (Emotional Mind) This is the most powerful part of the mind—and the most misunderstood. The non-conscious mind: accepts whatever enters it does not judge truth from falsehood operates primarily through repetition and emotion This is why: who you surround yourself with matters what you listen to matters what you repeatedly tell yourself matters Your non-conscious mind becomes the program that runs your behavior. C — Body The body is the instrument of the mind. Your body inherits what your mind expresses: thoughts affect emotions emotions affect physiology physiology affects behavior and results This is why mindset impacts: health energy confidence performance And why our thoughts, feelings and actions ultimately determine our results. They create our conditions, our circumstances and our environment. Why Autosuggestion Matters (Real Life Example) Because I learned this before I had children, I became extremely intentional about what was playing in the background of our home. News, negativity, and fear-based messaging go straight into the non-conscious mind—especially when the mind is in a submissive state, such as: early childhood (when your mind is wide open) right before sleep also while eating when relaxed or emotionally open This state of mind doesn't just affect children. It affects adults too. What we repeatedly hear becomes how we feel—and eventually how we act. This is why autosuggestion is not wishful thinking. It is mental conditioning. Autosuggestion and Alignment (Praxis) When your thoughts, feelings and emotions are aligned, you enter a state called praxis—the point where belief and behavior match. How do we enter this state? By: writing your goals reading them aloud repeating them twice daily you gradually impress belief onto the non-conscious mind. Over time: belief strengthens faith develops behavior shifts automatically Eventually, you don't have to force confidence. It becomes natural. Beyond the Five Senses: The Higher Faculties Before moving into Chapter V — Specialized Knowledge, it's important to introduce one of the most overlooked ideas Napoleon Hill emphasized: It's the 6 higher faculties of the mind. If you revisit Episode #67[ii], I explain how living only through our five senses can limit results. Our five senses are connected to the conscious mind. But beyond them lie six higher faculties, including: imagination intuition perception will reason memory Hill believed intuition and imagination were so powerful that he devoted entire chapters to them. These faculties allow us to: access deeper insight perceive what others miss gain a competitive advantage Intuition: A Sales Superpower If I had to choose three higher faculties most useful in sales for us to develop, they would be: intuition perception will Let's focus on intuition. Intuition is the mental tool that allows you to feel truth: a gut sense an inner knowing a subtle emotional signal It develops with practice—and trust. Putting Intuition Into Action (Sales) When you're presenting to someone, intuition answers questions like: Are they engaged, but holding a question? Do they need more information—or less? Is it time to continue… or time to ask for the decision? Highly intuitive sales professionals can sense: certainty hesitation trust resistance —even without being in the same room with this person. Sales at Its Highest Level This brings us back to Paul Martinelli's reminder: “Sales at its highest level is the transference of emotion. And the primary emotion is certainty.” When intuition is developed, you know: when certainty has been transferred when the buyer is ready when the close is natural Eventually, as your higher faculties become conditioned through autosuggestion, you access them automatically—without effort or overthinking. Closing Thought — Chapter IV: Autosuggestion Autosuggestion is not about forcing belief. It's about training alignment. When your thoughts, emotions, and actions match: confidence becomes automatic intuition sharpens results follow naturally Your inner script always becomes your outer results. And that's why autosuggestion is not optional. It's foundational. Chapter V: Specialized Knowledge Why Authority Always Outsells Enthusiasm Core Idea: Knowledge only becomes power when it's organized and applied. Sales Application: Moving from “presenter” to trusted expert Leading the conversation instead of reacting Why winging it destroys certainty Listener Takeaway: Mastery creates calm authority. Chapter V — Specialized Knowledge Why Expertise—Not Information—Creates Sales Success To further refine what we want to achieve, Chapter 5 of Think and Grow Rich introduces a critical distinction: not all knowledge is created equally. Napoleon Hill explains that it is specialized knowledge—not general knowledge—that separates you from everyone else and makes you valuable. Knowledge alone, Hill reminds us, is only potential power. “Knowledge (general or specialized) must be organized and intelligently directed, and is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end.” (Chapter V, p. 79, TAGR) In other words: Information does nothing on its own. Application is everything. Why This Matters (Education vs. Application) This becomes clear when we think about formal education. Much of what we learn in school is general knowledge—useful only if we apply it in a specific way. Hill calls this the missing link in education: “The failure of educational institutions is that it fails to teach students HOW TO ORGANIZE AND USE KNOWLEDGE after they acquire it.” (Chapter V, p. 80, TAGR) This insight alone explains why so many intelligent people struggle to produce results—especially in sales. They know a lot, but they haven't organized that knowledge into a repeatable system of action. Henry Ford and the Myth of ‘Not Being Educated' Henry Ford is Hill's perfect example. Ford famously said he had a row of buttons on his desk—buttons he could press to access any knowledge he needed. He didn't need to personally possess all information. He needed to know: where to get it who to ask how to apply it Hill wrote: “Any person is educated who knows where to get knowledge when needed, and how to organize that knowledge into definite plans of action.” (Chapter V, p. 81, TAGR) Through his Master Mind, Ford had access to all the specialized knowledge required to become one of the wealthiest men in America. This is a critical lesson for sales professionals: You do not need to know everything. You need to know what matters most, and how to apply it. Why Some Ideas Succeed and Others Don't This principle explains why some books—and businesses—succeed at extraordinary levels while others, though insightful, fall short. Take Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Its impact wasn't just the ideas—it was the framework. Covey gave readers clear steps for how to apply each habit in real life. Contrast that with Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now. An incredible book, (I love this book- I own it-and it's on my bookshelf). It's rich in insight—but for many readers, it's difficult to apply without additional guidance or structure. The difference is not wisdom. It's organized, specialized knowledge. “Knowledge is not power until it is organized into definite plans of action.” (Chapter V, p. 80, TAGR) What ‘Educated' Really Means Hill reminds us that education does not mean memorization or credentials. The word educate comes from the Latin educo, meaning: to draw out to develop from within An educated person is not someone with the most information—but someone who has developed the faculties of their mind to acquire, apply, and direct knowledge effectively. This is where Specialized Knowledge intersects with: imagination intuition perception will —faculties we explored earlier in the series. Chapter V Specialized Knowledge Applied to Sales In sales, Specialized Knowledge looks like this: Knowing your customer's world, not just your product Understanding patterns in their world that match with yours, not scripts that lack meaning Being able to simplify complexity for the buyer Organizing your knowledge into a repeatable sales process This is what creates authority. When something comes naturally to you—but amazes others—you are operating in specialized knowledge. That's where confidence comes from. That's where trust is built. That's where sales success compounds. How to Use Specialized Knowledge to Reach New Heights (Sales Tips) 1. Identify What You Do Naturally Well Ask yourself: What do people come to me for? What feels obvious to me but confusing to others? That's your starting point for specialization. 2. Organize Your Knowledge into a Framework Turn what you know into: a process a checklist a conversation flow Frameworks build confidence—for you and the buyer where you can point to them clearly where they are in the process, showing them how to move to where they want to go. 3. Learn Continuously—but Selectively Don't collect information. Acquire purposeful knowledge aligned to your goal. Ask: Does this help me serve better? Does this help my buyer decide? 4. Use a Master Mind No top performer succeeds alone. Surround yourself with: mentors peers coaches Borrow knowledge, insight, and certainty with every action that you take. 5. Apply, Review, Refine Specialized knowledge compounds only when used. Apply what you learn. Review results. Refine your approach. This is how expertise is built. Final Insight — Chapter V: Specialized Knowledge Sales success does not come from knowing more. It comes from knowing what matters, organizing it into action, and applying it consistently. When Specialized Knowledge is combined with Imagination, it creates something powerful: A unique and successful business. And this brings us naturally to the next chapters—where imagination, planning, and decision transform knowledge into results. Chapter VI: Imagination Selling the Future Before the Close Core Idea: People buy future identity, not features. Sales Application: Painting the “after” state Emotional buy-in before logical justification Don't quit when you are at “3 Feet from Gold” (Chapter 1, TAGR, Page 5). Listener Takeaway People don't buy solutions. They buy who they become after the solution. And it is the salesperson's role to activate the buyer's imagination—to help them see themselves on the other side of the decision. This brings us back to Paul Martinelli's reminder: “Sales at its highest level is the transference of emotion. And the primary emotion is certainty.” Imagination is what creates that certainty. Before a buyer can feel certain, they must first imagine the outcome: life after their problem is solved success after the decision is made themselves operating at a higher level When imagination is engaged, certainty follows. And when certainty is present, the decision becomes natural. Can you see how all of these success principles tie into each other? Like the colors of the rainbow. Chapter VI: Imagination Review of Chapter VI — Our Imagination “Imagination is everything,” according to American author and radio speaker Earl Nightingale, who devoted much of his work to human character development, motivation, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. Every great invention is created in two places: first in the mind of the inventor, and then in the physical world when the idea is brought into form. Our lives reflect how effectively we use our imagination. When we reach a plateau of success, it is not effort alone that takes us to the next level—it is imagination. Imagination allows us to see beyond our current circumstances and envision what is possible next. This is why creating a crystal-clear vision is so important. When we write and read our vision twice a day, we intentionally activate our imagination. Writing and reading that vision in detail stimulates recognition centers in the brain. What may initially feel unrealistic or even like a “pipe dream” begins to feel familiar. Over time, the brain accepts it as something possible—something achievable. Eventually, what once felt distant becomes something you can see yourself doing. And then, one day, what you imagined becomes your reality. When you look at the world through this lens, it's remarkable to consider how much has changed in just the last 50 years—and how quickly that pace is accelerating. These new innovations began in someone's mind first. The most recent leap forward is with artificial intelligence, but it follows the same pattern as every major breakthrough before it. Someone first imagined a world where: Amazon would dominate retail while owning almost no physical stores Uber would transform transportation while owning almost no cars Facebook would scale globally while creating no content Airbnb would become a hospitality giant while owning no real estate Netflix would redefine entertainment without being a TV channel Bitcoin would create value without physical coins Each of these began as an idea before evidence—a vision before execution. The same principle applies to our goals, our careers, and our success. Everything we create begins with imagination. When imagination is paired with belief, intention, and action, it becomes a powerful force that shapes not only individual outcomes, but the direction of the world itself. Closing Thought — Chapter VI Imagination is not fantasy. It is the starting point of all progress. What you are able to imagine clearly today is what you are capable of creating tomorrow. How to Use Imagination for Sales Success Turning Possibility into Certainty 1. Understand the Role of Imagination in Sales Imagination is not fantasy. In sales, imagination is pre-decision certainty. Before a buyer can decide, they must first: see a different future feel themselves in it believe it is attainable Your job as the salesperson is to guide that mental rehearsal. People don't buy products. They buy the future version of themselves (with the certainty that you paint for them). 2. Imagine the Outcome Before the Buyer Does Top sales professionals do not start with features. They start with vision. Before the call, ask yourself: Who does my buyer become after the purchase? What changes in their day-to-day life? What problem is no longer taking up mental space? How you can support and guide them in this process. If you cannot imagine the outcome clearly, your buyer won't either.
Most healthcare professionals are trained to sprint.Dental school is a sprint. Medical school is a sprint. Residency is a sprint. Early practice ownership often feels like one long push fueled by adrenaline, discipline, and grit. That approach can work for a while. Eventually, it breaks down.In this episode of The Burleson Box, Dustin Burleson sits down with Travis Frederickson and Dr. Logan Frederickson to unpack what peak performance actually means for healthcare providers over the long term.Travis draws on decades of experience training elite athletes and coaching high-performing professionals. Dr. Logan brings the medical perspective, explaining what happens physiologically and neurologically when stress, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and constant mental load remain unchecked.Together, they explore why so many dentists and physicians feel successful yet depleted, how energy becomes the real constraint later in a career, and why healthspan matters as much as lifespan. The conversation moves beyond productivity tips and into the deeper work of alignment across physical, mental, emotional, and personal domains.This episode challenges the idea that more effort is always the answer and replaces it with a more durable framework for clarity, sustainability, and long-term excellence. If you care about performing well at work without sacrificing your health, relationships, or sense of purpose, this conversation is worth your time. Resources Mentioned:Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter AttiaThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. CoveyPeak Performance for Healthcare Providers - Now Streaming ***Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, exclusive study guides, special edition books each quarter, powerpoint and keynote presentations and two tickets to Dustin Burleson's Annual Leadership Retreat.http://www.theburlesonbox.com/sign-up Stay Up to Date: Sign up for The Burleson Report, our weekly newsletter that is delivered each Sunday with timeless insight for life and private practice. Sign up here:http://www.theburlesonreport.com Follow Dustin Burleson, DDS, MBA at:http://www.burlesonseminars.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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 1916: Brian Tracy outlines four powerful mental strategies for mastering time management and personal productivity. By harnessing the subconscious through affirmations, visualization, role-playing, and modeling successful individuals, you can rewire your mindset and behaviors to align with peak performance and efficiency. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.briantracy.com/blog/time-management/program-your-subconscious-mind-for-time-management-success-4-mental-techniques-used-by-highly-effective-people/ Quotes to ponder: "The person you see is the person you will be." "Pretend that you are an expert in personal efficiency. Fake it until you make it." "The more relaxed you are when you visualize yourself performing at your best, the more rapidly this command is accepted by your subconscious mind."
In this week's episode, I delve into the importance of defining one's success and setting up a clear vision for the future. We explore the process of setting up long, medium, and short-term goals, and how to create a roadmap for achieving them. I'll discuss the significance of setting up your year 2026 for success, and how to make intentional decisions that align with your values and priorities.We'll also examine the common obstacles that can prevent us from achieving our goals, and strategies for overcoming them. From the importance of self-awareness and accountability, to the role of habits and routines in supporting our goals, we'll explore the key elements that can help us stay on track and achieve success. Additionally, we'll discuss the importance of celebrating our wins, no matter how small, and how to maintain a growth mindset to continue learning and improving.Join me to discover how to define your success, set up a clear plan for achieving your goals, and make 2026 your best year yet. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that connects the dots between goal-setting, productivity, and personal growth.All the love, all the power, all of the time!If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link: https://linktr.ee/w.salskiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/unusual.stories_podcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVS_TlmYUm4m6DEx2WLv37gPrimal.net: @wspodcastLinked Media:"The Strangest Secret" - https://youtu.be/l1gXZu1i8TM?si=01AvdxUo9gLRou5P"Easy Way to Quit Smoking" - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0LlIUurH3ecQZQR3s9lUW1?si=6174bc107dab49ea"Let's Talk About Money" - https://open.spotify.com/episode/75naEHqjZy1fcObsjjhFec?si=a0da3364028e4d84"Atomic Habits" - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3A50UQtX54qKMzlW4DqK3w?si=a454a38a804b44a3"7 Habits of Highly Effective People" - https://open.spotify.com/episode/480WQH0BQVFdshqODbWGji?si=347ee1ad7dc44120"Think and Grow Rich" - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6cqFjFdLthDByInLLMAesL?si=68912ab5ff5e4e40"The Power of Subconscious Mind" - https://open.spotify.com/episode/1YfQr0S4qQvpRGyfLpL8Qf?si=44a06e111d1e4701"Looking Forward" 2024 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5smu55ndpxkuEF7u1d9Fy5?si=8841e96ba63b45be"Sketches of the Future" 2023 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5pwCPE6WwyqCKlT6QEOxi7?si=593b349801924256
Learn our 2026 YouTube strategy!
Send us a textYou can grow revenue, scale teams, and carry real responsibility, and still feel like the business isn't paying you. In this episode, I sit down with Mauro Campagnaro, Financial Advisor at Campagnaro Wealth Advisory in Calgary, Alberta, to address why getting paid as an owner often breaks down as companies scale.Mauro brings over 20 years as a business owner and financial strategist. We talk about what happens after growth, when retained earnings pile up, tax exposure increases, and exit planning feels distant but consequential. This conversation is about shifting from hustle to structure: how owners think about compensation, corporate structure, tax strategy, and long-term continuity before pressure forces reactive decisions.If you're scaling past seven figures and want clarity on owner pay, wealth preservation, and building a system that rewards the risk you carry, this episode gives you a strategic lens and practical next steps, without noise or theory.
Aujourd'hui, je partage avec vous une de mes grandes prises de conscience : la proactivité.Longtemps, ce concept m'a semblé flou, presque inaccessible. Mais au fil de mes expériences, notamment dans le monde de l'accompagnement et de l'entrepreneuriat, j'ai compris à quel point cette posture intérieure était essentielle pour avancer malgré les difficultés, les doutes et les silences qu'on reçoit parfois en réponse à nos efforts.Je vous explique la différence entre proactivité et productivité, et pourquoi il est si crucial d'apprendre à rester fidèle à soi-même, à ce que l'on souhaite incarner, même lorsque notre environnement ne nous encourage pas nécessairement. À travers mes réflexions et deux exercices très concrets, je vous invite à explorer votre propre façon d'habiter vos projets, à distinguer ce qui dépend vraiment de vous et à renforcer votre capacité à avancer, malgré tout.Enfin, je partage mon expérience personnelle, les outils qui m'ont aidée à développer cette posture et l'importance d'être bien entouré pour ne pas perdre de vue son axe. J'espère que cet épisode vous inspirera et vous donnera quelques clés pour aborder vos projets avec plus de confiance et d'élan. Bonne écoute et très belles fêtes de fin d'année !
Re-Release: On this Live Greatly podcast episode, Kristel Bauer sits down with FranklinCovey's Kory Kogon to discuss their course based on the #1 bestselling business book - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Kristel and Kory talk about an inside out approach, why getting to a win-win solution is so important, how to become less reactive and lots more! Tune in now! Key Takeaways From This Episode: A look into the 7 habits of highly effective people Why getting to a win-win solution is so important The importance of taking ownership over how you are showing up How to get to synergy at work A look into an inside out approach Tips to communicate with people who have different view points than you Suggestions to thrive amid change How to work on soft skills About Kory: Kory Kogon is FranklinCovey's vice president of content development, and a senior leadership consultant. With over 25 years of business expertise, from the frontline to the executive team, she understands the application of FranklinCovey's world-renowned content within organizations, including the strategy and principles necessary to build great leaders, systems, and winning cultures, and how FranklinCovey's blended learning offerings deliver practical solutions that enable the behavior changes required for transformational results in organizations. She is a co-author of the #4 Wall Street Journal bestseller, The 5 Choices: The Path to Extraordinary Productivity, in addition to Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager, and Presentation Advantage. Connect with Kory and access Franklin Covey's course: Link to Course: https://franklincovey.com/7habits LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-kogon/ About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness and performance expert, keynote speaker and TEDx speaker supporting organizations and individuals on their journeys for more happiness and success. She is the author of Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony, and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business November 19, 2024). With Kristel's healthcare background, she provides data driven actionable strategies to leverage happiness and high-power habits to drive growth mindsets, peak performance, profitability, well-being and a culture of excellence. Kristel's keynotes provide insights to "Live Greatly" while promoting leadership development and team building. Kristel is the creator and host of her global top self-improvement podcast, Live Greatly. She is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. As an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant having practiced clinically in Integrative Psychiatry, Kristel has a unique perspective into attaining a mindset for more happiness and success. Kristel has presented to groups from the American Gas Association, Bank of America, bp, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Santander Bank and many more. Kristel has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine and she has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC, and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area and she can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. To Book Kristel as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Click HERE to check out Kristel's corporate wellness and leadership blog Click HERE to check out Kristel's Travel and Wellness Blog Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions. Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations. They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests. Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content. Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.
Global Ed Leaders | International School Leadership Insights
Which breaks faster: trust in someone's competence or trust in their character? Shane explores Stephen Covey's framework that trust operates on two separate dimensions. Competence trust builds quickly through credentials, positions, and demonstrated capability, but character trust takes time to develop through consistent honesty and integrity. The crucial insight? While competence breaks slowly with each mistake being somewhat forgivable, character trust can shatter in a single moment. Shane shares a vulnerable story from his own leadership journey about a time he broke someone's trust and the lasting impact it had on that professional relationship. You'll learn a practical three-part transparency framework that builds character trust quickly whilst you're still establishing competence. Shane explains how to share your thinking process when uncertain, admit what you don't know whilst committing to find out, and explain your decisions even when they're unpopular. This approach doesn't just build trust faster, it protects you from appearing incompetent, reduces your cognitive load as a leader, and models the honest behaviour you want from your team. If you've ever worried about looking weak by admitting uncertainty, this episode will change how you approach leadership communication. Resources & Links Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveyEducation Leaders Intensive - 10-week leadership programme Episode PartnersInternational Centre for Coaching in Education (Use discount code SHANE5 for 5% off)International Curriculum AssociationJoin Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensiveShane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders globally. Passionate about empowment, he is the author of the best-selling 'Change Starts Here.' Shane is a leading educational voice in the UK, Asia and around the world.You can find Shane on LinkedIn and Bluesky. or shaneleaning.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this powerful, heartfelt episode, Ambassador Elisha sits down with Kevin D'Anna — leadership coach, business builder, and founder of Upward Path Coaching & Consulting — as he shares his remarkable journey from battling addiction to becoming a respected leader who empowers blue-collar entrepreneurs across America.
Can legacy and wealth truly go hand in hand? In this episode, investor and entrepreneur Gino Barbaro shares how he went from struggling restaurant owner to managing over 1,800 multifamily units and $450M in assets. Learn how to build a family business with intention, teach kids about money, and redefine wealth as a lasting legacy. Key Takeaways To Listen For Lessons from failed mobile home park investments and discovering multifamily as his calling The "Buy Right, Finance Right, Manage Right" framework that builds resilient investments Why Carbon integration and profit per unit (PPU) matter more than chasing size Surviving 2008's crash and lessons on timing, leverage, and emotional resilience How to teach children financial stewardship and legacy Resources/Links Mentioned In This Episode Happy Money Happy Family Happy Legacy by Gino Barbaro | Kindle and Paperback Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker | Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki | Paperback and Mass Market Paperback The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel | Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey | Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod | Kindle and Paperback The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason | Kindle and Paperback About Gino BarbaroGino Barbaro is an investor, business owner, author, and entrepreneur who has expanded his real estate portfolio to over 2,000 multifamily units, amassing $450 million in assets under management. He co-founded Jake & Gino, a multifamily real estate education company that provides coaching and training based on their proprietary framework: Buy Right, Manage Right, and Finance Right. Gino has authored three best-selling books, Wheelbarrow Profits, The Honey Bee, and Family, Food and the Friars, and earned his Certified Professional Coach designation from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching. Residing in St. Augustine, Florida, he lives with his wife, Julia, and their six children. Connect with Gino Website: Barbaro 360 | Jake & Gino Podcast: Jake and Gino Multifamily Investing Entrepreneurs: Apple Podcasts | Spotify X: @JakeandGino YouTube: Jake & Gino LinkedIn: Gino Barbaro: Gino Barbaro Connect With UsIf you're looking to invest your hard-earned money into cash-flowing, value-add assets, reach out to us at https://bobocapitalventures.com/. Follow Keith's social media pages LinkedIn: Keith Borie Investor Club: Secret Passive Cashflow Investors Club Facebook: Keith Borie X: @BoboLlc80554
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 3833: ESI shares how small, consistent actions taken daily can lead to major achievements over time, whether in wealth building, health, relationships, or personal goals. By breaking big dreams into manageable steps and tracking progress, you can transform long-term aspirations into real, measurable success. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://esimoney.com/make-small-progress-every-day/ Quotes to ponder: "It's not much each day, but slow, steady progress adds up big-time over a long period of time." "Any goal you have (within reason) is achievable if you follow one simple rule." "You have to work at it over a long period of time, do something regularly and make a bit of progress every day." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/7-Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/1982137274 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 3833: ESI shares how small, consistent actions taken daily can lead to major achievements over time, whether in wealth building, health, relationships, or personal goals. By breaking big dreams into manageable steps and tracking progress, you can transform long-term aspirations into real, measurable success. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://esimoney.com/make-small-progress-every-day/ Quotes to ponder: "It's not much each day, but slow, steady progress adds up big-time over a long period of time." "Any goal you have (within reason) is achievable if you follow one simple rule." "You have to work at it over a long period of time, do something regularly and make a bit of progress every day." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/7-Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/1982137274 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 3833: ESI shares how small, consistent actions taken daily can lead to major achievements over time, whether in wealth building, health, relationships, or personal goals. By breaking big dreams into manageable steps and tracking progress, you can transform long-term aspirations into real, measurable success. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://esimoney.com/make-small-progress-every-day/ Quotes to ponder: "It's not much each day, but slow, steady progress adds up big-time over a long period of time." "Any goal you have (within reason) is achievable if you follow one simple rule." "You have to work at it over a long period of time, do something regularly and make a bit of progress every day." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/7-Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/1982137274 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ever heard of the worst advice you get in starting your show? You should always have a plan in place to start each day of the week and see it through. In today's episode, you will learn what you should do and how to get started with your podcast. WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Difference between Ready, Fire, Aim and Ready, Aim, Fire Just start, don't overthink it: Is this bad advice? Pros and cons that could happen from just starting a podcast Things you should do in creating the podcast to avoid mistakes The importance of Marketing in starting a podcast RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!
All this month, I've been getting real about the changes that are happening in my business.There have been so many decisions to be made about how to market, how to design offers, and how I can best help people really do the thing I'm teaching them to do. Here's the thing, I don't really think of myself as a coach, even though I've been in the coaching industry for years. I tend to think of myself as a consultant, a guide, or a teacher because I focus on tactics and strategies in our programs. And we have other people do a lot of the “real” coaching.But even though I don't call myself a coach, I'm part of this industry. And I have a lot to say about what sucks about it and the big misconceptions people get sold about it.Today I dig into why coaching isn't just showing up, giving advice, and collecting enrollment fees in your sleep. Helping people get what they want and achieve their goals is actually one of the hardest–but most rewarding–things I've ever done.Tune into this episode to hear:The behind-the-scenes practical and emotional labor that goes into coachingWhy coaching is extra challenging if you've got even the slightest control freak tendenciesHow the coaching industry can take teaching radical responsibility to toxic placesThe moments that keep me coming back to teaching, even with the industry's issues Mentioned:The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. CoveyResources:No BS Clients LabNo BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com
Send us a textThis week, I'm inviting you into a conversation that's all about wisdom — not the big, lofty kind, but the kind you can actually live. The kind that helps you walk into the holiday season feeling grounded, intentional, and connected to what matters most.I'm sharing the two principles from Maester T. Colin Campbell that changed the way I think about food and life — and how those same principles can shape the way you show up to Thanksgiving (or any gathering) with more clarity, more grace, and way less stress.If this episode gives you even one spark — one shift, one breath, one aha — share it with someone you love. Forward it, post it, or send it privately to that one friend who could really use a little steadiness this season. Grateful to be walking this Project Weight Loss path with you. Quote of the Week“Wisdom is your perspective on life, your sense of balance, your understanding of how the various parts and principles apply and relate to each other.”— Stephen R. CoveyEating Right: 8 Principles of Food and HealthBy T. Colin Campbell, PhD November 16, 2017, Updated August 19th, 2022 Reference:T. Colin Campbell, Center for Nutrition Studies.Principles referenced:#1: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Nutrition represents the combined activities of countless food substances.”#8: “Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence… All parts are interconnected.”Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.Referenced concept: “Begin with the end in mind.”Let's go, let's get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org
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 2804: Angel Chernoff outlines how to recognize the subtle and not-so-subtle behaviors of toxic friends who drain your energy, undermine your confidence, or manipulate your emotions. Understanding these warning signs can empower you to set boundaries and cultivate healthier, more supportive relationships. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.marcandangel.com/2013/04/16/10-signs-your-friend-is-toxic/ Quotes to ponder: "Sometimes we expect more from others because we would be willing to do that much for them." "A true friend will never put you down, intentionally or unintentionally." "If someone in your life is bringing you down, they shouldn't be in your life." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/ The Four Agreements: https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319
Send us a textThis episode follows our guest's journey from a sports-loving, skateboarding teenager who slid into dealing drugs and a drive-by shooting, to serving serious time in prison and discovering CrossFit behind bars. He shares how starting Redemption Road Fitness Foundation and teaching life-skills courses like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People gave him purpose, community, and a path to a real career when he got out. Now a vice president, coach, and peer recovery mentor, he talks about discipline, redefining health across the physical, mental, social-emotional, and spiritual domains, and why he believes redemption is possible for anyone as long as there's breath in their lungs.
We have been doing this for over a decade, and it's paid off HUGE dividends for our family. Today we're talking about our annual family summit, including why you should consider doing one, and how to pull it off. This is SUCH an impactful day for us, and for so many of the other families in the Family Teams ecosystem that we really wanted to give you guys our full playbook. That's why we're dedicating the entire month of December in the Family Teams Accelerator to this topic. It's THAT important. --- FREE PDF ON FAMILY SUMMITS: https://familyteams.com/summit JOIN THE ACCELERATOR AND GET THE FULL TRAINING: https://familyteams.com/accelerator --- On this episode, we talk about: 0:00 Intro 1:07 Annual Family Summit 3:02 Where to do family summits 7:21 Why have a family summit 15:59 Evening of reflection 20:00 The day of the summit 29:04 Reviewing family culture Follow Family Teams: Facebook: https://facebook.com/famteams Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/familyteams Website: https://www.familyteams.com Resources Mentioned: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1982137274/ 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250857775/ Atomic Habits: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1847941842/ --- Hi, welcome to the Family Teams podcast! Our goal here is to help your family become a multigenerational team on mission by providing you with Biblically rooted concepts, tools and rhythms! Your hosts are Jeremy Pryor and Jefferson Bethke. Make sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube so you don't miss out on future episodes!
The How of Business - How to start, run & grow a small business.
How to use the Eisenhower Matrix to cut through chaos, focus on what truly matters, and make faster, smarter decisions as a small business owner. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/587-eisenhower-matrix-prioritization/ Feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list? In this episode, Henry Lopez explains how to use the Eisenhower Matrix—a simple yet powerful framework—to prioritize your daily tasks and regain control of your time. Originally developed by Dwight D. Eisenhower and later popularized by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the matrix helps business owners separate what's urgent from what's important, so they can focus on activities that truly move their business forward instead of reacting to every fire. Henry walks through how this framework complements the Big Rocks time management approach (Episode 569) and why most entrepreneurs mistakenly live in "urgent mode," constantly firefighting instead of leading strategically. He also shares how the Eisenhower Matrix inspired the creation of his free Task Management Tool, co-developed with his son-in-law, Colin Rhoades, using AI technology. "What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important." — Dwight D. Eisenhower Henry and Colin also discuss how AI made it possible to create this simple browser-based productivity tool in just a few hours - proof that automation can make business life simpler in more ways than one. Listen to learn how to: Reduce overwhelm by categorizing tasks by urgency and importance. Identify your "Big Rocks" and schedule them intentionally. Use the Eisenhower Matrix for daily and even hourly decision-making... This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run, grow and exit your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com
Gabe and Rebekah are joined by their longtime friend, Jon Tyson, author and pastor of Church of the City in New York City. They dive into the realities of marriage, especially how the intense pressures of life, ministry, and urban living can either drive a couple apart or forge an unshakeable union. This is a raw and honest conversation about what it takes to "fight harder," see your marriage with a vertical framework, and find joy in the hard work of becoming one.In this episode, you'll learn:Why pressure is the defining test of marriage and how it can bring you together.The surprising statistic that 80% of "bad" marriages become great within 5 years—if you stay in it.The importance of a "vertical view" of marriage, especially when facing conflict or emotional abandonment.Why joy in marriage is found in "the talking" and the active work of resolving conflict.How to implement intentional rhythms of rest (like Stephen Covey's "big rocks first") to connect with God, even in a chaotic city.Resources:Learn more about Jon Tyson and his work at JonTyson.comThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveyThe Divine Conspiracy by Dallas WillardKnowing God by J.I. PackerThe Journal For Us: 10 Conversations Every Couple Needs to HaveReserve your spot now for Rhythms Retreat November 21-22 in Franklin, TN. Create a free THINQ Account to access more trusted content like this on topics from all channels of culture at thinqmedia.com.Unlock the THINQ Summit 2025 All-Access Pass before it's released to the public: https://thinqmedia.com/access25/More from the THINQ Podcast Network: UnderCurrent with Gabe Lyons: https://www.youtube.com/@gabe_lyonsThe InFormed Parent with Suzanne Phillips: https://www.youtube.com/@InFormedParentNextUp with Grant Skeldon: https://www.youtube.com/@GrantSkeldonNeuroFaith with Curt Thompson: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/neurofaith-with-curt-thompson-md/id1613240148
In this episode, Lisa, Dave, and Mike discuss:How career direction and college major alignment influence scholarship successThe role of personal narrative and authenticity in admissions and financial aidStrategies for early scholarship searching and intentional college preparationHow real-world experiences and self-awareness shape stronger college and scholarship applicationsKey Takeaways: When applying for scholarships, students with a clear personal narrative tied to their future major consistently outperform those who list achievements without direction.Most universities factor “fit to major” (FTM) into admissions and aid decisions, with some high-demand majors (like nursing or computer science) closed to later transfers.Starting early—in both scholarship applications and career exploration—reduces stress, expands opportunities, and allows time for authentic experiences that strengthen applications.Real-world experiences, like internships or organizing community projects, not only clarify interests but also provide concrete material for compelling essays and scholarship submissions. “Students that I've worked with, even when they're applying to general scholarships, are still having success by having that personal narrative that relates to their future college major.” – Dave Peterson“Authenticity should inform every aspect of the admissions process.” – Mike BerginAbout our Guests:Dave Peterson is the founder of Scholarship GPS, a leading scholarship strategist. TwitterFacebookEmail: dave@nodebtcollege.comPodcastMike Bergin is the founder of Chariot Learning, an ACT Certified Educator, and co-host of the Tests and the Rest podcast. WebsiteLinkedInPodcastEpisode References:Download a Sample Birkman ReportThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveyFree Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) formLisa's Launch Career Clarity online course Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). flourishcoachingco.com/video Connect with Lisa:Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingcoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishcoachingco/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co
According to The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, success isn't just about achievement, it's about character and purpose. Covey outlines seven timeless habits that help individuals lead with clarity, integrity, and impact.In today's exchange Dustin Huber, Director of Business Analytics at Nussbaum, shares his personal journey with Nussbaum and explores how these principles can transform both personal and professional life:• Be Proactive – Take responsibility for your choices and focus on what you can control.• Begin with the End in Mind – Define your vision and align your actions with long-term goals.• Put First Things First – Prioritize meaningful tasks over urgent distractions.• Think Win-Win – Foster relationships built on mutual benefit and trust.• Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood – Practice empathetic communication for stronger connections.Through real-life experiences and practical insights, Dustin emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, distinguishing between private victories (personal growth) and public victories (interpersonal success).Ultimately, this episode encourages intentional living, proactive decision-making, and building authentic relationships. Press play to learn how these habits can redefine success for you!FROM TODAY'S PODCAST• Guest: Dustin Huber, Director of Business Analytics at Nussbaum• The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. CoveyLET'S CONNECT• Visit us online at terminalexchange.org • Follow The Terminal Exchange on social media! • Facebook• Instagram • XABOUT NUSSBAUM Employee-Owned, Purpose Driven | Nussbaum is an industry-leader in over-the-road freight transportation. For more information on our award-winning services and top-paying driver careers, visit nussbaum.com or nussbaumjobs.com.
In this episode of Paradigm Shifting Books, hosts Stephen and Britain Covey dive into the fascinating science behind how habits quietly shape almost half of what we do each day. Joined by The Power of Habit author Charles Duhigg, they explore how cues, routines, and rewards work together to create powerful loops in the brain. By understanding how these loops operate, we can start to take real control over them.Stephen and Britain unpack the “Golden Rule of Habit Change” and explain why relying on willpower alone often doesn't work. They emphasize that habits can't simply be erased; they need to be replaced with something new. To bring the science to life, they share personal stories, like Britain's candy jar detours and how simple tools like phone-locking devices can make a real difference.They also connect Duhigg's research to the ideas in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Atomic Habits, showing how these three books build on one another. This episode is a practical and inspiring listen for anyone who wants to build better habits, break old patterns, and take back control of their daily routines.What We Discuss[00:00] Introduction[00:34] The science of habits[02:34] "The Power of Habit" and foundational habit books[06:57] Why Charles Duhigg wrote "The Power of Habit"[09:18] The challenge of changing habits[12:09] The habit loop: cue, routine, reward[20:58] Awareness as the first step to change[24:43] The golden rule of habit changeNotable Quotes[21:25] "You can't erase a habit. You can only replace it." – Charles Duhigg[06:25] "We all have these little habits. And some of them are positive, some negative, and some neutral." – Britain Covey[11:30] "Under pressure, you don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your habits." – Stephen CoveyResourcesParadigm Shifting BooksPodcastInstagram YouTube BookThe Power of Habit by Charles DuhiggThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. CoveyAtomic Habits by James ClearCharles DuhiggWebsiteInstagramFacebookLinkedInBritain CoveyLinkedIn InstagramStephen H. CoveyLinkedIn
“You have to keep evolving. We're always evolving. Never stop growing. Never stop learning. If you're not happy with what you're doing, there's always a way to change. And you can lean on great thought leaders like this to help you get there. ” -Lisa Campbell Lisa Campbell, Founder of Accelerate 2 Advisor, returns for part two of her series about Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. She shares practical ways bookkeepers can apply the next four habits to strengthen client relationships, build stronger teams, and sustain long-term success. In this interview, you'll learn: How to create win-win client & team relationships Why discovery calls should focus on understanding, not selling The power of synergy with your team and professional partners To learn more about Lisa, visit her profile on LinkedIn. Sign up for her Masterclass here! Time Stamp 00:00 – Win-win results with accountants through systemized books01:25 – Habit 4: Think win-win 06:57 – Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood09:55 – Why selling is ongoing & rooted in understanding clients' real needs 12:28 – Listening & trust with clients & team members 15:25 – Habit 6: Synergy 18:20 – Building referral networks & partnerships for growth 21:14 – Niching & connecting with industry vendors & partners for referrals 23:25 – Real-world example: systemized bookkeeping driving strong CPA referrals 25:07 – Habit 7: Sharpen the saw 29:50 – The most transformative habit for bookkeepers 35:00 – How proactive bookkeepers put first things first to reach advisor level 35:56 – Wrap-up & invitation to Lisa's Accelerate to Advisor masterclass This episode is brought to you by our friends at Dext! Dext handles transaction capture, keeps your data accurate, and even simplifies e-commerce reconciliation, all in one place. Join thousands of bookkeepers and accountants who've already made the switch. If you're ready to save time, reduce errors, and make bookkeeping more efficient, Dext is for you! Go to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/dext to book a demo TODAY and see how it can transform the way you work!
Why should Dentists be talking about screen time with parents? Are smartphones even safe for children? What is the right age to give a child their first phone? Laura Spells and Arabella Skinner join Jaz in this thought-provoking episode to tackle one of today's biggest parenting challenges: smartphones and social media in young hands. Together they explore the impact of early phone use on children's health, development, and mental wellbeing—and why healthcare professionals should be paying close attention. https://youtu.be/7RUJZqtEr18 Watch IC061 on YouTube Protrusive Dental Pearl: Live by your values—not your profession, spouse, or children. Don't sacrifice for them; choose what aligns with you, so love never turns into resentment. Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below! Key Takeaways Screen time is a significant public health concern. Mental health issues are rising due to social media exposure. Early childhood screen time has long-term effects. Parents need clear guidance on screen time limits. Community support is essential for children's well-being. Health professionals must ask about screen time in assessments. Regulatory changes are needed for safer screen use. The impact of social media on self-esteem is profound. Misinformation about health trends can lead to dangerous practices among youth. Dentists play a crucial role in educating patients about safe health practices. Parents should engage in conversations about social media with their children. Creating a family digital plan can help manage screen time effectively. Collaboration among health professionals needs to raise awareness about the dangers of unregulated products. Empowering parents with knowledge is essential for effective parenting in the digital age. Role modeling healthy behaviors is important for parents. Highlights of this episode: 00:00 TEASER 01:18 INTRO 03:13 PROTRUSIVE DENTAL PEARL 04:54 Introducing Our Guests: Arabella and Laura Spells 09:24 Statistics and Scale of the Problem 18:09 Early Years and Screen Time 22:27 Safer Alternatives and Regulation 27:08 MIDROLL 30:29 Safer Alternatives and Regulation 30:53 Ideal Guidelines for Screen Usage 34:01 The Role of Dentists in Addressing Social Media Issues 44:59 Parental Guidance and Digital Plans 53:53 Final Thoughts and Resources 56:06 OUTRO ✅ Action Steps
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 2769: Kristena Eden reminds us that the key to creating happiness and harmony in marriage isn't found in fleeting techniques but in consistent perseverance, choosing to live by principles instead of reactions. Through self-awareness and character, we learn to pause, reflect, and act with integrity, transforming emotional chaos into meaningful connection and growth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://corelivingessentials.com/one-principle-above-all-others-will-increase-happiness-in-your-marriage/ Quotes to ponder: "Awareness is the greatest agent for change." "Be present as the watcher of your mind, of your thoughts and emotions as well as your reactions in various situations." "We must have a private victory before we have a public victory." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 2769: Kristena Eden reminds us that the key to creating happiness and harmony in marriage isn't found in fleeting techniques but in consistent perseverance, choosing to live by principles instead of reactions. Through self-awareness and character, we learn to pause, reflect, and act with integrity, transforming emotional chaos into meaningful connection and growth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://corelivingessentials.com/one-principle-above-all-others-will-increase-happiness-in-your-marriage/ Quotes to ponder: "Awareness is the greatest agent for change." "Be present as the watcher of your mind, of your thoughts and emotions as well as your reactions in various situations." "We must have a private victory before we have a public victory." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“ Beginning with the end in mind is very helpful for people who are starting, but also for people who are already in the weeds and they just like, ‘I can't do this anymore. I need to do something else.' Figure out what it is that you want to build and then reverse engineer it and build it.” -Lisa Campbell Lisa Campbell, founder of Accelerate 2 Advisor, shares how to apply the first three of Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People directly to your bookkeeping business. In this interview, you'll learn: Why being proactive creates stronger client relationships How to begin with the end in mind to design the business you want The importance of putting first things first & delegating effectively To learn more about Lisa, visit her profile on LinkedIn. Sign up for her October 20th Masterclass here! Time Stamp 00:01 – Importance of systemizing every transaction for accurate books 01:04 – Focus on Stephen Covey's first three habits 02:11 – Lisa shares her backstory: from overwhelmed bookkeeper to mentor 03:26 – Discovering Pure Bookkeeping & freeing time to grow beyond data entry 04:45 – Building the Accelerate to Advisor Mastermind program 07:42 – Lisa introduces Level Up Live & her sessions on Covey's habits 10:25 – Habit 1: Be proactive 15:19 – Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind 21:14 – Habit 3: Put first things first This episode is brought to you by our friends at Dext! Dext handles transaction capture, keeps your data accurate, and even simplifies e-commerce reconciliation, all in one place. Join thousands of bookkeepers and accountants who've already made the switch. If you're ready to save time, reduce errors, and make bookkeeping more efficient, Dext is for you! Go to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/dext to book a demo TODAY and see how it can transform the way you work!
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 3765: Karl Staib shares how journaling and meditation can help calm anxiety by bringing more awareness to everyday emotions and expectations. Through the practice of an awareness journal, he shows how tuning into your feelings can transform stress into self-understanding, creating more presence, resilience, and joy in daily life. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://digtofly.com/calm-your-anxiety-with-a-self-awareness-journal/ Quotes to ponder: "Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important." "When you start your awareness journal you want to keep track of your thoughts and how they trigger your emotions." "The most amazing part of an Awareness Journal is that life becomes more joyful." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 3765: Karl Staib shares how journaling and meditation can help calm anxiety by bringing more awareness to everyday emotions and expectations. Through the practice of an awareness journal, he shows how tuning into your feelings can transform stress into self-understanding, creating more presence, resilience, and joy in daily life. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://digtofly.com/calm-your-anxiety-with-a-self-awareness-journal/ Quotes to ponder: "Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important." "When you start your awareness journal you want to keep track of your thoughts and how they trigger your emotions." "The most amazing part of an Awareness Journal is that life becomes more joyful." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this inspiring episode of the Millionaire Car Salesman Podcast, host Sean V. Bradley welcomes a guest whose career journey is anything but ordinary. From the spotlight of national television to the fast-paced world of automotive sales, Jamie Jacobs shares how reinvention, communication, and passion can open unexpected doors! "Everything you ever wanted is right outside your comfort zone. So be comfortable being uncomfortable." - Jamie Jacobs This episode explores what it truly means to adapt, evolve, and succeed; both personally and professionally. Listeners will walk away motivated to think bigger, push past limitations, and approach every opportunity with confidence and creativity. "If you don't teach somebody how to be an entrepreneur, they're not an entrepreneur, they're an employee." - Sean V. Bradley Tune in for a story that proves success isn't about where you start, it's about how you grow. "At the end of the day, I've always outworked the next person." - Jamie Jacobs Ready to unlock your next level in automotive sales and leadership? Register now for the upcoming Digital Dealer Conference and use our exclusive code for 25% off your pass with Code: DealSyn. Don't miss your chance to be in the room where the future of automotive is being written: https://tinyurl.com/DSDD2025 Key Takeaways: ✅ Transitioning careers can leverage existing skill sets into new areas with unexpected success. ✅ The service department offers untapped potential for generating new sales leads by building relationships with current service customers. ✅ Mastering the art of communication and listening is crucial for success in any sales-driven environment. ✅ Consistency, creativity, and confidence are key in standing out and making memorable connections with customers. ✅ Treating individual roles in automotive sales like one's own business can lead to greater financial success and personal fulfillment. About Jamie Jacobs Jamie Jacobs is a seasoned professional who transitioned from a successful career in the entertainment industry to automotive sales. With over 30 years of experience in TV, Jamie worked as a television host for major shows on networks such as HGTV and TLC, including "American Home" and "Designing Spaces." He also launched his own classic car TV show, "Tail Fins and Chrome," and has depth in performing arts with stand-up comedy experience in LA. Currently, Jamie is a car salesman at Reed's Nissan near Orlando, Florida. His versatile background in communication and entertainment enriches his interactions and strategies in the automotive industry. Mastering Auto Sales: Communication, Strategy, and Service Drive Success Key Takeaways: Effective communication is fundamental to success in automotive sales, requiring a blend of personality, listening, and adaptability. Viewing car sales as an entrepreneurial venture can significantly boost success rates among car salespeople. The often-overlooked service drive represents a goldmine of potential car sales, particularly through strategic customer interactions. In the realm of automotive sales, the journey from modest beginnings to achieving the title of a "Millionaire Car Salesman" requires more than just selling cars—it demands mastering the art of communication, cultivating entrepreneurial spirit, and harnessing untapped dealer resources. With insights shared in the Millionaire Car Salesman podcast, hosted by Sean V. Bradley, we can dissect the strategic mindset and actions that can transform traditional sales approaches into monumental career success. Below, we'll explore the critical facets that underpin this transformation, drawing from the experiences of seasoned professionals in the industry. The Power of Communication in Automotive Sales In any industry, the ability to communicate effectively is an invaluable tool. In automotive sales, it's not just about talking—it's about creating an engaging dialogue that fosters trust and understanding between salesperson and customer. As articulated by Jamie Jacobs, a seasoned automotive professional, communication is key to connecting with potential clients: “Listen, you can't sell somebody something unless you know what they want.” The value of communication extends beyond sheer verbal interaction; it involves reading the customer's needs, aspirations, and reservations. Jacobs emphasizes the importance of being a "listener," pointing out that selling is not about bombarding prospects with information but rather uncovering their needs through thoughtful questions and active engagement. This approach aligns with Dr. Covey's principle from the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People"—seeking first to understand, then to be understood. To thrive in this sector, one must hone their communication skills as if practicing a craft, ensuring every interaction leaves a lasting impression on clients. Moreover, mastering communication in sales settings isn't just about words. It's also about utilizing tools that enhance messages, such as analogies, stories, and humor. Jacobs's diverse background in television and stand-up comedy has equipped him with a unique storytelling ability, enabling him to weave narratives that resonate with customers on a personal level. This strategy not only aids in retention but strengthens the relationship between the salesperson and customer. Embracing an Entrepreneurial Mindset Many sales professionals mistakenly view automotive sales as merely a job. As Sean V. Bradley highlights, the path to true success in car sales lies in treating it as an entrepreneurial venture. “The strategy that works is treating car sales like it's your own business. Car sales is like owning your own business,” Bradley reiterates. This mindset empowers salespeople to innovate, strategize, and personalize their approaches to selling. To achieve financial independence, key performers like Cody Carter exemplify the benefits of seeing oneself as the owner of their sales destiny. With a structured business plan, Carter operates not as an employee but akin to a dealer principal, handling marketing, personal branding, financial planning, and even employing staff. This proactive stance allows Carter to transcend traditional sales barriers, leveraging tools like CRM systems and community outreach to expand his network and client base. The entrepreneurial approach prescribed by Bradley entails more than just product knowledge or sales tactics; it's about creating a business blueprint that encompasses everything from customer service strategy to personal marketing campaigns. Sales professionals can accelerate their growth trajectory by adopting this posture, investing in self-development, and broadening their business savvy. Unlocking the Potential of Service Drive Sales An often underestimated avenue for generating sales is the dealership service drive. Jamie Jacobs, self-proclaimed "service lounge lizard," harnesses this rarely tapped resource to cultivate leads and close deals. The service department, bustling with customers who are already brand-aligned, becomes a fertile ground for nurturing potential sales opportunities. Jacobs shares his strategic process: arriving early, engaging customers with genuine curiosity, and turning anticipated repair costs into an opening for new vehicle sales. "Hey, I just talked to service, your service advisor, and you're looking at almost, probably $1,800 maybe to fix everything. I said, are you interested in perhaps trading it in with us?" Jacobs articulates this pivot approach, positioning a new car purchase as a cost-effective alternative to costly repairs. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) corroborates the efficacy of this method, revealing that customers who frequent service departments are significantly more likely to purchase vehicles from that dealership. Jacobs's initiative is illustrative of how proactive interaction within the service drive can transform casual conversations into lucrative sales. For salespeople, recognizing the potential of service-ups is crucial; it signifies a shift from passive order-taking to active relationship-building. The success witnessed in the service department underscores a broader industry trend: the bold thrive, while the complacent stagnate. By recognizing the service drive as a pipeline for potential deals, dealerships can realize enhanced customer loyalty and increased profit margins through targeted engagement and strategic upselling. Overall, the journey to mastering automotive sales demands more than conventional tactics—it's a fusion of the art of communication, entrepreneurial spirit, and strategic resourcefulness. This multilayered approach not only deepens customer connections but cements a salesperson's reputation and success within the industry. By channeling the lessons shared by Jamie Jacobs and Sean V. Bradley, sales personnel can navigate the transformative path toward becoming true leaders in the automotive sales sector. Resources + Our Proud Sponsors: ➼ The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group: Join the #1 Mastermind Group in the Automotive Industry with over 29,000 members worldwide. Collaborate with automotive professionals, learn the best industry practices, and connect with top mentors, managers, and sales leaders. Join The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group today! ➼ Dealer Synergy: The automotive industry's #1 Sales Training, Consulting, and Accountability Firm. With over 20 years of proven success, Dealer Synergy has helped dealerships nationwide build high-performing Internet Departments and BDCs from the ground up. Our expertise includes phone scripts, rebuttals, CRM action plans, lead handling strategies, and management processes; all designed to maximize your people, processes, and technology! ➼ Bradley On Demand: The automotive industry's most powerful Interactive Training, Tracking, Testing, and Certification Platform. With LIVE virtual classes and access to a library of over 9,000 on-demand training modules, Bradley On Demand gives your dealership the tools to dominate every department—Sales, Internet, BDC, CRM, Phone, and Leadership. From sharpening individual skills to elevating entire teams, this platform ensures your people are trained, tested, and certified for maximum success. Equip your dealership to sell more cars, more often, and more profitably with Bradley On Demand!
Sign up for “Different by Design: A Retreat for Gifted, Sensitive & Neurodivergent Adults” happening January 30-31, 2026 https://retreatwithdianne.com/ How is the quality of your life shaped by the quality of your relationships? As Stephen Covey wrote in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “Human's greatest achievement is interdependence.” In this episode of Someone Gets Me, Dianne A. Allen sits down with Christina Weber, the visionary founder of WeDeepen, to explore the deeper meaning of relational intelligence and self-awareness. They talk about the importance of setting boundaries, how leaders step into conscious relationships, and how being a role model can teach love in action. Christina also shares how to trust the process of discovering what's truly best for you. Watch the Someone Gets Me Podcast – Relational Intelligence as a Leadership Edge Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe to the channel, tap the notification bell, and leave a comment! You can also listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Christina Weber is a relationship strategist and founder of WeDeepen, a network curating transformative social experiences for singles, couples, and families. She hosts the Deepen with Christina podcast and created Love Immersions, four-day masterminds that revolutionize how people experience love. For over a decade, Christina has led innovative relationship programs worldwide and spoken at the Biohacking Conference, bridging longevity with relational quality of life. Collaborating with top experts in intimacy and personal growth, she guides people to deeper connection and authenticity. Her mission: to expand the way we experience love—conscious, fulfilling, and unforgettable. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinaweber Sign up for Next Love Immersion: https://wedeepenloveclub.com/ Grab the 4 Pillars to Instantly Upgrade Your Love Life: bonus.wedeepen.com WeDeepen Website: https://wedeepen.com/ X: https://x.com/wedeepen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wedeepen YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WeDeepen How to Connect with Dianne A. Allen Dianne A. Allen, MA is an intuitive mentor, speaker, author, ambassador, hope agent, life catalyst, and the CEO and Founder of Visions Applied. She has been involved in personal and professional development and mental health and addiction counseling. She inspires people in personal transformation through thought provoking services from speaking and podcasting to individual intuitive mentoring and more. She uses her years of experience coupled with years of formal education to blend powerful, practical, and effective strategies and tools for success and satisfaction. She has authored several books, which include How to Quit Anything in 5 Simple Steps - Break the Chains that Bind You, The Loneliness Cure, A Guide to Contentment, 7 Simple Steps to Get Back on track and Live the Life You Envision, Daily Meditations for Visionary Leaders, Hope Realized, and Where Do You Fit In? Website: https://msdianneallen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianne_a_allen/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msdianneallen/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianneallen/# Twitter: https://x.com/msdianneallen Check out Dianne's new book, Care for the Neurodivergent Soul. https://a.co/d/cTBSxQv Visit Dianne's Amazon author page. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0F7N457KS You have a vision inside to create something bigger than you. What you need is a community and a mentor. Personal mentoring will inspire you to grow, transform, and connect in new ways. The Someone Gets Me Experience could be that perfect solution to bringing your heart's desire into reality. You will grow, transform, and connect. https://msdianneallen.com/someone-gets-me-experience/ For a complimentary “Get to Know You” 30-minute call: https://visionsapplied.as.me/schedule.php?appointmentType=4017868 Join our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/someonegetsme Follow Dianne's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/msdianneallen Email contact: dianne@visionsapplied.com Dianne's Mentoring Services: https://msdianneallen.com/
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 1825: Kalen Bruce highlights how entrepreneurs can sharpen their skills by embracing continuous learning, surrounding themselves with mentors, and staying adaptable in changing markets. His insights show that growth as a business owner isn't just about strategy but also about cultivating habits that drive resilience, focus, and long-term success. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://moneyminiblog.com/business/entrepreneur-skill-development/ Quotes to ponder: "Entrepreneurship is a skill that must be developed, learned, and practiced." "You'll never ‘arrive' at a point where you no longer need to learn or grow." "Always keep learning, always keep growing, and never get too comfortable." Episode references: Think and Grow Rich: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331 How to Win Friends and Influence People: https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034 Rich Dad Poor Dad: https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1612680194 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519 The Lean Startup: https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 1825: Kalen Bruce highlights how entrepreneurs can sharpen their skills by embracing continuous learning, surrounding themselves with mentors, and staying adaptable in changing markets. His insights show that growth as a business owner isn't just about strategy but also about cultivating habits that drive resilience, focus, and long-term success. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://moneyminiblog.com/business/entrepreneur-skill-development/ Quotes to ponder: "Entrepreneurship is a skill that must be developed, learned, and practiced." "You'll never ‘arrive' at a point where you no longer need to learn or grow." "Always keep learning, always keep growing, and never get too comfortable." Episode references: Think and Grow Rich: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331 How to Win Friends and Influence People: https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034 Rich Dad Poor Dad: https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1612680194 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519 The Lean Startup: https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Every single one of Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People can be applied to dating. So, with deep respect (and a little artistic license), I'm sharing my take on what Stephen Covey might say—if he were a dating coach.►Please subscribe/rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts http://bit.ly/lastfirstdateradio ►If you're feeling stuck in dating and relationships and would like to find your last first date, sign up for a complimentary 45-minute breakthrough session with Sandy https://lastfirstdate.com/application ►Join Your Last First Date on Facebook https://facebook.com/groups/yourlastfirstdate ►Get Sandy's books, Becoming a Woman of Value; How to Thrive in Life and Love https://bit.ly/womanofvaluebook , Choice Points in Dating https://amzn.to/3jTFQe9 and Love at Last https://amzn.to/4erpj7C ►Get FREE coaching on the podcast! https://bit.ly/LFDradiocoaching ►FREE download: “Top 10 Reasons Why Men Suddenly Pull Away” http://bit.ly/whymendisappear ►Group Coaching: https://lastfirstdate.com/the-woman-of-value-club/ ►Website → https://lastfirstdate.com/ ► Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/lastfirstdate1/ ►Get Amazon Music Unlimited FREE for 30 days at https://getamazonmusic.com/lastfirstdate
Join us in this episode as we explore the world of complex problem-solving across industries with Hunter S. Gaylor, an executive partner, financial expert, and author. Hunter is a highly accomplished business leader with a diverse range of expertise spanning mobile banking, corporate strategy, private aviation, and international relations. He holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from Harvard University, is the Founder of Spencer Pruitt, and is the author of Planes Plants and Politics: A Mental Framework To Help Overcome Challenges in Any Industry. Click play to find out: The one thing that kills more strategies more than anything else. The importance of being able to accurately articulate what you're doing and why you're doing it. The driving force behind discipline and action. Why identifying the motivating factors behind specific goals. Discover the strategies behind Hunter S. Gaylor's guidance that drives worldwide business success – join the conversation now! You can follow along with Hunter on X @HunterGaylor and LinkedIn. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9
269. Questions for More Connection and Laughter in Marriage with Casey and Meygan Caston *Disclaimer* This episode contains some mature themes and listener discretion is advised. 2 Corinthians 1:4 NIRV "He comforts us in all our troubles. Now we can comfort others when they are in trouble. We ourselves receive comfort from God." *Transcript Below* Questions and Topics We Cover: Will you share three of the questions from your most recent book, specifically the ones people have told you unlocked the best conversations in their own marriage? You say you're an unlikely couple to help support marriages. Will you share a glimpse of your own backstory? What are a handful of ideas for ways couples can strengthen their connection with one another? Casey and Meygan Caston are the Co-Founders of Marriage365. Casey and Meygan were perfect examples of what not to do in marriage. Three years into marriage, they found themselves having racked up more than $250,000 in debt, fighting constantly, and were ready to call it quits. Despite the 12 failed marriages between their parents, they knew this wasn't the legacy they wanted for themselves or their children. They began reading and educating themselves on how to do marriage the right way. The result of their journey is Marriage365, where they millions of people worldwide through their books, social media, retreats, and their online streaming service, Marriage365. Marriage 365 Website Marriage 365 App Marriage 365 Books Marriage 365 Coaching Thank You to Our Sponsor: WinShape Marriage Sample of Previous Episodes on Sexual Intimacy on The Savvy Sauce: 4 Fostering a Fun, Healthy Sex Life With Your Spouse With Certified Sex Therapist and Author, Dr. Jennifer Konzen 5 Ways to Deepen Your Intimacy in Marriage with Dr. Douglas Rosenau 6 Ten Common Questions About Sex, Shared Through a Biblical Worldview with Dr. Michael Sytsma 89 Passion Pursuit with Dr. Juli Slattery 108 Anatomy of an Affair with Dave Carder 135 Healthy Ways for Females to Increase Sexual Enjoyment with Tracey LeGrand 155 Sex in Marriage and Its Positive Effects with Francie Winslow, Part 1 156 Science and Art of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage, Part 2 158 Making Love in Marriage with Debra Fileta 165 Mutually Pleasing Sex in Marriage with Gary Thomas 186 Sex Series: Enhancing Female Pleasure and Enjoyment of Sex: An Interview with Dr. Jennifer Degler 218 Secrets of Sex and Marriage: An Interview with Dr. Michael Sytsma Special Patreon Release: Protecting Your Marriage Against Unfaithfulness with Dave Carder 252 Maximizing Sexual Connection as Newlyweds to Long Term Marriages and Recovering from a Sexless Marriage with Dr. Clifford & Joyce Penner Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, Instagram or Our Website Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast! Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“ Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“ Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” *Transcript* Music: (0:00 – 0:11) Laura Dugger: (0:12 - 1:15) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here. Today's message is not intended for little ears. We'll be discussing some adult themes, and I want you to be aware before you listen to this message. I'm thrilled to introduce you to our sponsor, WinShape Marriage. Their weekend marriage retreats will strengthen your marriage while you enjoy the gorgeous setting, delicious food, and quality time with your spouse. To find out more, visit them online at winshapemarriage.org. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Casey and Meygan. Casey Caston: Thanks for having us. Excited to be here. Laura Dugger: So, thrilled to have both of you, and let's just dive right into one of your sweet spots. How can open-ended questions change a marriage? Casey Caston: (1:16 - 2:33) Yeah, well, if you think about when we first met somebody that we fell in love with, fell attracted to that first date, as you're sitting across the table, you are looking at that person with so much curiosity. Like, who is this person? What are their hopes and their dreams and their life experiences? What are they afraid of? Where are they going in life? And that curiosity drove us to ask really good open-ended questions. Like, tell me more about yourself. It's funny because we were just reading in Proverbs this morning that in a man's heart, he has a purpose, but a man of understanding draws from the deep wells to pull that out. And I just, I always think about how a great question plums the deep wells of a man's heart or woman's heart. And that attraction, that energy we feel, helps us with asking great questions. But then what happens is when we get married and we move into the wash, rinse, repeat of childcare and chores and, you know, the mundaneness of going to work, coming home, dinner, like, it can really sap all of the romance out of a relationship. And so, what happens is we fall into asking really boring questions. Meygan Caston: (2:33 - 2:34) Like, how was your day? Casey Caston: (2:34 - 2:36) What's picking up the kids? Meygan Caston: (2:36 - 2:37) What's for dinner? Yeah. Casey Caston: (2:38 - 3:18) So, we realize that when the well is dry, so to speak, you're not asking those great questions. We need prompts. We need an outside prompt because I don't think naturally we would ask great questions to spark this, you know, connecting conversation. And I will tell you too, that if you just dropped in and, you know, just ask your spouse, like, “Hey, so, tell me some boundaries we need to set up with your parents.” People are going to be like, “Excuse me, where did that question come from? And what's the question behind the question? What's your motivation here?” But those are conversations we need to have. We just need prompts. So, yeah. Laura Dugger: (3:19 - 3:32) Well, I love that response. And I'm also curious after working with so many married couples, what have you seen as that connection between these amazing prompts for open-ended questions and emotional intimacy? Meygan Caston: (3:34 - 4:20) Yeah. Well, kind of like what Casey was mentioning about, um, just that curiosity of getting to know each other. I think the other part of asking those open-ended questions and having these deeper conversations is really about intentionality. Like you still care about me. You still want to know about my heart. Well, for us, 25 years later, I still care about you. I still love you. And I think that of course, as women, we long for that emotional connection. And I don't think that men realize it, but they actually long for that too. And it's creating a safe place for spouses to share, to cry, to even, um, dream together about their future. And I think, again, if we don't give ourselves those opportunities and we're not intentional with that, we get stuck in the mundaneness of marriage. Casey Caston: (4:20 - 5:03) But, uh, and I would add to that, that curiosity, Meygan, I've talked about how curiosity is the pursuit of something. Right. And we all long to be desired to be pursued. I mean, that is, that underlying communication is so powerful in relationships, because if you think about it, if you're not being pursued and your spouse isn't curious, I mean, that's like the, the heart of apathy. It's like, I don't care. And I know that people aren't intentionally trying to communicate that, but when you feel that, like my spouse doesn't really care about what I dream about or what I'm hoping to achieve this year, they just come home and they just watch TV or they're on their phone. Meygan Caston: (5:04 - 5:18) Right. That communicates a lot non-verbally. And so, that's why these open-ended questions are something that we should never stop being a learner of each other and of ourselves. And that will provide that emotional intimacy. Laura Dugger: (5:19 - 5:45) That's so good. And obviously your resources are amazing. I would love, because you have these 365 Connecting Questions for Couples. And so, I want to just hear maybe three of these questions that come to mind for you guys, especially as you've heard, these are the ones that tend to unlock something deeper in the conversation. Meygan Caston: (5:46 - 6:07) Absolutely. So, August 3rd is, are you someone who spends a lot of time in deep thought, processing things before making a decision, or do you tend to make quick decisions? Why or why not? That question has genuinely sparked so much conversation between us and even like with our kids and other couples. Maybe you can explain why. Casey Caston: (6:07 - 6:11) Yeah. Well, I'm Mr. Impulsivity, so. Meygan Caston: (6:11 - 6:29) Yeah, you are. Where I, I don't, I wouldn't consider myself a deep thinker, but I definitely like to make pros and cons lists and think through things. But if you think about a dynamic between a husband and a wife, you know, there are so many decisions that you make together, small and large, your whole life, every day. Casey Caston: (6:29 - 6:30) Decision-making is huge in relationships. Meygan Caston: (6:31 - 6:57) And it's an everyday thing that couples are tackling. And it's important to know that no one is better than the other. It's not that a deep thinker is better than a more impulsive person. It's kind of more just naturally how you are. Have you always been this way? Do you like that about yourself? Wow. You know, well, when it comes to these bigger decisions, I do spend, make more time, you know, thinking through and pros and cons. Oh, well, with small decisions, I'm more impulsive. I mean, you could just talk about that for hours and hours. Casey Caston: (6:57 - 7:01) Yeah. But what's interesting is I tend to think more futuristic and big picture. Meygan Caston: (7:01 - 7:01) Yes. Casey Caston: (7:01 - 7:03) Even though I'm impulsive in the moment. Meygan Caston: (7:03 - 7:05) And I cannot, I can't do that. Casey Caston: (7:05 - 7:06) You are Ms. Realist. Meygan Caston: (7:06 - 7:08) Just tell me today, tell me this week. Casey Caston: (7:09 - 7:10) I can't think about this fun sponge. Meygan Caston: (7:11 - 7:11) Yes. Yeah. Casey Caston: (7:12 - 7:15) Because I'm like, let's dream big. And she's like, yeah, but what's happening today? Meygan Caston: (7:16 - 7:49) Yeah. Yeah. Another great question is January 18th. How can we romance each other during the day in anticipation of sex? Because as we all know, us ladies, we need the foreplay. But again, I think that husbands also enjoy the foreplay. But I don't think that couples are having these conversations. I think they think a foreplay is, well, once we enter into the bedroom, you know, and what we like to say is it's anything positive is foreplay. So, a thoughtful text, you know, a flirty I'm going to grab your hand to empty out the dishwasher. Casey Caston: (7:49 - 7:50) Amen. Meygan Caston: (7:50 - 7:55) Yeah. You know, it's those kinds of conversations. But like, I would never think of asking you that. Casey Caston: (7:56 - 7:56) Right. Meygan Caston: (7:56 - 7:58) Right. Thankfully for those. Casey Caston: (7:58 - 8:10) But as you know, Laura, like couples that need to talk about their sex life. And if you don't talk about your sex life, most oftentimes there's a lot of assumptions. And that leads to, you know, dysfunction. Meygan Caston: (8:11 - 9:14) Well, and missed expectations. Totally. Yeah. And then I have another question. April 25th is how do our differences help complement each other? Oh, so, kind of another one of those things, like with making decisions. Every single couple has differences. And we always tell people Casey, and I are more different than alike. I think people see us online and whatnot. And they hear, oh, we're both extroverts. We are. So, we have some similarities. We're both stubborn, very competitive, both competitive. But in the day-to-day operations of who Casey and Meygan are, we make decisions, we run our lives, run our business, run our business. We are completely opposite. And what I think it's good to do for couples is to actually own your differences rather than shy away from them or make yourselves feel bad, like, oh, I wish we were the same. I get it. You know, we actually are attracted to those things when we're dating. That's why opposites attract. But then when we get married, it's like, why doesn't he do everything the same way? I do it because I do it the right way. That's what we think. Right. Casey Caston: (9:15 - 9:21) Well, you heard the joke that marriage is about becoming one. And in the earlier years, it's about which one. Meygan Caston: (9:21 - 10:14) Yeah. Which one? Which figure out? Yeah. And so, that question really allows you to identify your differences, but then go, how do they balance each other out? And I think for me, as someone who is organized, type A Casey's very spontaneous. If we were both type A and structured, we wouldn't have a lot of fun. We really wouldn't. His spontaneity really brings out that side of me. But if we were both spontaneous, our bills would never be paid, and we'd be broke. So, you know, I'm a I'm a saver. He's a spender. You can see the balance in that. It's good that we're both those things. Right. I'm on time. He's late. We could continue going on and on and on and on. But I think that he's a risk taker. I'm a complete play it safer. And so, those really draw out a beautiful balance in our marriage versus trying to change one another. So, I hope that question sparks listeners to really ask your spouse that and have fun with the conversation. Laura Dugger: (10:15 - 11:03) Well, you chose three great ones. I love it. And they draw out such different parts of our personality. You highlighted where Casey's more futuristic. Meygan, you're more present. Some people will connect with questions that direct them more past oriented. And so, our orientation to time comes out and the meta conversations, the talking like having the conversation about your conversation. Just so much goodness. And yes, especially with sexual intimacy. So, many couples report that it is much harder to engage in conversation about sex rather than just have sex. And like you said, missed expectations can be one of the blow ups there, among many other things. So, you have questions that don't shy away from all forms of intimacy. Meygan Caston: (11:04 - 11:10) Yeah. And to also say we have a lot of fun questions, too. Like, tell me about what your bedroom looked like when you were a teenager. Casey Caston: (11:11 - 11:12) That's a great one. I love that one. Meygan Caston: (11:12 - 11:47) Let's talk couples. If you had a really hard day with the kids or at work, pick a fun question. You don't have to go by the date. If you don't like the question, it's triggering, then flip to the next one. But going back to that emotional intimacy and connection that you were talking about, Laura, is you have to have those deep questions and those conversations. And you did when you were dating, because if you went on a date with your husband and you were like, hey, tell me, you know, what do you want to do when you retire? And he was like, I don't know. Yeah, you'd be like snooze fest. This guy's boring, right? Or if he was on his phone the whole time, there was something intriguing about your spouse. Casey Caston: (11:47 - 11:48) I don't know. I don't know. Meygan Caston: (11:48 - 12:01) Yeah, there was something intriguing about your spouse when you were dating and you were asking those questions that should never stop. Just like we hear that quote, never stop dating your spouse. Well, never stop learning about your spouse. It's the same thing. Absolutely. Laura Dugger: (12:02 - 12:16) And I love how you two have such a humble approach because you say that you're a very unlikely couple to help support marriages. So, will you let us in on your own backstory? Meygan Caston: (12:17 - 12:46) Yeah, well, can I just start off by saying this? We live in a county that has one of the highest divorce rates in the nation. So, it's 72 percent divorce rate where we live. We also come from there's 12 marriages between our parents. So, we come from so much divorce and trauma. And then we also got married very, very, very young. So, all those statistics were against us on top of that. I'm just going to start off by saying that. Casey Caston: (12:46 - 13:18) Yeah, my mom's been married six times. So, when by the time I hit junior high, I had probably like nine different iterations of home life and different dads and step siblings and half brothers. And all of that between both of our parents. There's just there's some mental illness. There's affairs. There's all this trauma that was really unprocessed. But then when Meygan and I saw each other, it was like we knew the wounds that we shared. It was like almost like a trauma bond. Meygan Caston: (13:19 - 13:19) Yeah. Casey Caston: (13:19 - 14:08) Like, oh, I've got abandonment. So, do you. And, you know, let's do it's like, wow. So, let's make each other happy. And dating was just all the fun stuff, right? It was long walks along the beach. It was going to street fairs or, you know, going out and having fun. And then we're like, if this is what life could be like, then we should do this forever and ever and ever. And just, you know, we were so doe eyed of like and optimistic about how marriage life would look like. So, then once we did get married, done, done, done, we had to like work through stuff. Now, I was so conflict avoidant because I was afraid if there was conflict, then that means that there's going to be distance between Meygan and I and she might leave me. Meygan Caston: (14:08 - 14:24) Oh, there's another there's another difference. I'm a fighter. He's a fighter. So, anytime we would have conflict triggers, you know, emotional regulation, I was like, we're going to go for it. Now, of course, my fighting tactics were not healthy. I yelled. I blamed. I was very aggressive, assertive. Casey Caston: (14:24 - 14:37) Conflict was very scary for me. Now. Now, Meygan, she's like wanting to deal with issues. And here I am, like trying to run for the hills. And she's like, he doesn't care about me. And I'm like, I'm trying to protect the marriage by not dealing with it. Meygan Caston: (14:37 - 14:49) So, you never really resolved anything. We would fight really bad. We broke all the fighting rules. And then there was no true resolve, no apologies, no remorse. And you just kind of move forward. Casey Caston: (14:49 - 15:06) And so, then we piled ourselves like we had over two hundred fifty thousand dollars of debt when we started to try to work on getting pregnant. We we dealt with infertility. We I have ADHD, so that creates a lot of that's fun. A lot of fun for the marriage. Meygan Caston: (15:06 - 15:08) The divorce rate is very high with ADHD. Casey Caston: (15:08 - 15:10) My life gets to teach you patience. Meygan Caston: (15:11 - 15:11) Yeah. Casey Caston: (15:12 - 16:44) But and then we have a child with special needs as well. So, we we had like if there's something that could go wrong, it it went wrong. We had you know, once we got married, there was toxic in-laws that boundaries that were crossed. So, it just nothing for us came easy. And so, that's why we were the least likely to succeed in marriage. I mean, if we there was a couple doomed from the get go, it was Meygan and I believe a hundred percent that God used those trials, those hardships to create marriage. Three sixty five. He gave us the strength to, you know, have the courage to say we're not going to follow in our parents footsteps. We're going to change that. You know, it ends with us literally like we are going to change and break this generational sin because it goes back many, many generations for both of us. Our whole family is littered with divorce. And now like when we approach marriage, it because of where we've come from, it wasn't all flowery. It was really tough. We have to be practical and very tactical with our advice, because when you're sitting across from a couple that's angry and resentful. We have to sit there and go, we know what that's like. And here's exactly what you need to do next. I'm not going to give you a platitude. I'm not going to give you some flowery statement or we're not going to just talk through it. No, we're going to give you a tool and an action step that's going to help you. Laura Dugger: (16:46 - 18:56) Let's take a quick break to hear a message from our sponsor. Friends, I'm excited to share with you today's sponsor, WinShape Marriage. Do you feel like you need a weekend away with your spouse and a chance to grow in your relationship together at the same time? WinShape Marriage is a fantastic ministry that provides weekend marriage retreats to help couples grow closer together in every season and stage of life from premarital to parenting to the emptiness phase. There is an opportunity for you. WinShape Marriage is grounded on the belief that the strongest marriages are the ones that are nurtured, even when it seems things are going smoothly so that they're stronger if they do hit a bump along their marital journey. These weekend retreats are hosted within the beautiful refuge of WinShape Retreat, perched in the mountains of Rome, Georgia, which is a short drive from Atlanta, Birmingham and Chattanooga. While you're there, you will be well fed, well nurtured and well cared for. During your time away in this beautiful place, you and your spouse will learn from expert speakers and explore topics related to intimacy, overcoming challenges, improving communication and more. I've stayed on site at WinShape before, and I can attest to their generosity, food and content. You will be so grateful you went to find an experience that's right for you and your spouse. Head to their website, winshapemarriage.org/savvy. That's W-I-N-S-H-A-P-E marriage dot org slash S-A-V-V-Y. Thanks for your sponsorship. I'd love to hear even more into the redemption part of it, because Marriage 365, you had shared before we had recorded that you launched that in 2013. So, just to get the timeline straight, had you already done some work and some counseling before you launched that? Meygan Caston: (18:56 - 19:26) Or what was that journey? Yeah, so, we always say we it took us two years to fall in love and get married. It took us three years to destroy our marriage, and it took about four or five years to repair our marriage. It was, as you know, Laura, it is not a quick fix when your marriage is as bad as ours. And so, our story is unique in the sense where we were both not wanting to get help for our marriage. I love you, babe, but he was resistant. He didn't want to go to therapy. His family didn't go to therapy. That wasn't normalized. Casey Caston: (19:26 - 19:31) Well, my faith background said that therapy is bad from the from the devil. Meygan Caston: (19:31 - 19:38) It was specifically your parents. But from the devil. Yeah, because I have a faith background, too. And my parents went to therapy. But that's what I was saying. Casey Caston: (19:38 - 19:40) My background was that you don't do that. Meygan Caston: (19:40 - 21:16) Yeah. So, I was wanting to get divorced and he wouldn't divorce me. He was like, no. So, if you're going to do it, you got to do it. And so, I got help for myself. And I had the most amazing woman who a therapist who just walked me through basically how to save my marriage by myself. And she goes, listen, you know, at the end of the day, if you want to make a better marriage, it starts by making a better you. You have zero control over Casey. You have 100 percent control over you. He's not here. You are. I can show you how to communicate, how to forgive him even without getting an apology. I can show you how to bring to his defenses down. I can show you how to create boundaries so he doesn't yell at you anymore. I mean, and that's literally for 13 months I worked on myself. And I believe that that is what genuinely changed everything. And that's really the message behind Marriage 365 is if you want to make a better marriage, it starts by making a better you. Stop waiting around for your husband or your wife to get on board. They may never. Then you're only going to build resentment while you sit there and wait. At the end of the day, you're responsible for how you show up. And so, in that 13 months, the hope was, of course, that I would positively influence Casey, which I did. And he saw the change in me. Everything changed. I mean, like we both used to be yellers, right? We would both yell and scream. And I was like, I'm not going to yell anymore. Like, I just I don't want to be a yeller of a mom. I don't want to be a yeller of a wife. Like, I don't like this part of me. My mom was a yeller. I mean, oh, yeah, I hate this. And I just remember like one day he came walking in and he was all heated and frustrated and he started yelling at me. And do you remember what I did, babe? Casey Caston: (21:17 - 21:33) Yeah. She looked at me and calmly said, you know, I can tell that you're very upset. I really want to have to listen to what you want to share with me. Why don't you go outside, take a break, come back in? We're going to sit back on the couch. We can talk about it. I'm here for you. And I was like, what a change. Meygan Caston: (21:33 - 22:07) Who is this person? I changed the way that we did marriage. I did that. And I tell people that I didn't do that once. I didn't do it twice. I did that for months because we had habits we had created. But I was like, that was like a new boundary. I'm like, I'm not going to engage with him when he's angry. It's been triggered. Nothing good is coming from this. So, it was all of that we started to really adopt and learn together because he's like, you're a different person. Like, it was obvious we were doing the tango. And now I was doing the rumba and he was over there doing the tango. And I'm like, come join me in the healthy rumba over here because it's way better. Casey Caston: (22:07 - 22:09) And so, for toxic tango. Meygan Caston: (22:09 - 23:20) Yeah, we went to a marriage. Yeah, we went to a marriage intensive. And we did some therapy. We did a lot of self-help. But through that journey, this is kind of where we started Marriage 365 is. First off, we couldn't afford therapy. We needed to pay off all that debt that we had with a lot of student loan debt, a lot of stupid debt. What do you do if you can't afford therapy? What do you do if you don't have a good therapist? What do you do if you have a bad experience with therapy? What do you do if the books aren't enough? And that was there was a really big hole and missing part in the marriage. I don't say industry, but in the marriage space, where were all the online resources? Because this was back again in like 2010 when like podcasts weren't even around, social media was just becoming a thing. And it was really hard. We were really disappointed with the lack of resources there were for marriage. And it felt like every church you go to, there was, you know, the missions ministry and the children's ministry and the youth groups. And all those are great. Where in the world are all the marriage ministries? Then we found out only 3% of churches have actual paid marriage ministries. And I thought, that's messed up. That's reverse. It's supposed to be the opposite, because then everything else will work itself out, as we know, with what research shows. Casey Caston: (23:20 - 23:21) Same with men's ministry, by the way. Meygan Caston: (23:21 - 23:22) Yes, same with men's ministry. Casey Caston: (23:22 - 23:23) Men's and marriage. Meygan Caston: (23:23 - 23:26) That's like the stepchild. Casey Caston: (23:26 - 23:33) Tech guy slash men's guy slash, you know. Children's persons can also do marriage. Meygan Caston: (23:33 - 23:40) So, we really just started helping our friends out. Obviously, people could see the change. Then people would come to us. We started helping couples at our church. Casey Caston: (23:40 - 23:48) And we had a ghoul pool. Like people were like, we give you guys another like ten months and then we're expecting you. Meygan Caston: (23:48 - 23:51) Yeah, everyone that knew us thought we'd get divorced. Casey Caston: (23:51 - 23:52) We were messy. Meygan Caston: (23:52 - 23:58) We were bad. Yeah. So, to see the complete transformation. And again, I go back to that work we did was on ourselves. Casey Caston: (23:58 - 25:31) And I just have to say that if you want to make a better marriage, it starts by making a better you. If you're hearing that. And you're kind of in a one sided marriage right now, I got to just say, I know that message sucks because it's a message that says you have to go first. And that's not fair. In a marriage, you're supposed to be a team. But I do want to say there's so many couples that are stuck. Waiting for their spouse to join them on the let's get healthy train. So, their spouse doesn't join them. And then what they do is they kind of lean back, fold their arms and go, well, I guess we're stuck. But I want to say that that's there is a message of empowerment to say you do have influence and the ability to steer your marriage in a healthy way. I have lots of regret that I did not join that train much sooner. But the story is that Meygan, you know, became the hero of our journey. And that is something that I work actively so that I'm never in that place again, that I am the one that's always actively trying to improve myself, that I'm a better communicator, that I'm not a yeller, which we've ditched that a long time ago, that that I'm considered of Meygan's needs. And I'm even like attuned to like, what is she feeling? And how do I meet her where she's at? Laura Dugger: (25:32 - 25:54) Which is amazing that watching Meygan, it was compelling enough for you to join in. And it's admirable on both sides, the work that you've done. And are there any specific areas that you grew in that now you teach couples? I'm thinking specifically under conflict and repair or communication. Casey Caston: (25:55 - 27:42) Yeah. So, I remember those early years and every single week was chaos to chaos. Like coming home, it'd be like, what's for dinner? I'm hungry and we need to make a decision now. Or, you know, it's Friday night or Saturday morning. What's going on this weekend? Or where's all our money going? It was very, it was very reactionary. And I remember reading through Stephen Covey's, you know, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. And the first habit is be proactive. You cannot be intentional with your life. You cannot create purpose and meaning unless you are proactive with your life. So, Meygan and I, you know, I'm working in a company and every single week we get together and we go through what are everyone's goals? What do we need to accomplish this week? We find alignment and the week goes really well. We've got KPIs. We've got all these like, hey, as a team, you know, work team, here's what we're trying to accomplish this week. And it just kind of dawned on us like, well, why don't we do that in marriage? Why don't we do that for a family? You got a family of six. You got six people running around the house. All have agendas. And you are trying to find alignment so that, hey, this is what the family is all about this week, right? We've got tournaments. We've got parties. We've got projects. We've got meals. And I think for so many couples we talk to, they live. Life with purpose on like building their career or their business or purpose with other areas of their life. And then when it comes to family, they wing it. Meygan Caston: (27:42 - 27:43) They just wing it. Casey Caston: (27:43 - 28:31) Yeah. And it's like, well, if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. It's the winging attitude creates chaos. And so, Meygan and I love to teach this tool called the Weekly Marriage Business Meeting. And it is all of the logistics of our relationship schedules, meal plans, budgets, connection time, sexy time, alone time, self-care time. Yeah. And and we kind of set with intention the week ahead for us. And we go through all the decisions of who's going, what, where, when. And all of that's done. So, when you walk into the day, you're not like stressed about what's supposed to be happening. There is alignment and there's no missed expectations. Meygan Caston: (28:31 - 29:27) Yeah, there's no fights anymore about, well, you said you'd be home at six. No, I didn't. I said I'd be home at seven. We sync our calendars. And I think, too, a big thing with this is we've noticed we fight when we don't do this now. It's one of those tools that it's prevented most of conflict. I mean, we say it will on average for the most couples that use it. We have at least over 10,000 couples we know right now currently using it that are our members that they say it cuts conflict in half in half, because what you're doing is you're even scheduling that connection time or date night time where you're like, no matter how busy we are, when are Casey and Meygan going to get to be Casey and Meygan? And that's so important, because again, if you're winging it and you're just trying to find time to connect, well, you've got four kids, we've got two teenagers. It's never going to happen. Right. And so, the weekly marriage business meeting is definitely one of the amazing and favorite worksheets and tools that we've taught and that we use ourselves because it works. Casey Caston: (29:28 - 29:28) Yeah. Laura Dugger: (29:28 - 29:59) What a game changer. That is awesome and so practical, so intentional, which we're all about. But then also we had talked about emotional intimacy earlier and emotional intimacy is interconnected with sexual intimacy and communication is the root issue. And that's what you teach couples. So, what are some conversations that couples can begin so that they can grow in both of those types of intimacy and enjoyment? Casey Caston: (30:01 - 31:34) Yeah, so, I feel like I have to start off by saying I got this so wrong when we were first married. It's OK. I forgive you now. Yeah, because, you know. Let's just let's be we'll be we'll be completely transparent. So, Meygan and I waited to have sex until we were married. So, now I actually waited till I was married to have sex. And I thought that under that purity guideline, I was promised maybe by a youth group, maybe by a convention, that if you withhold sex and remain pure, God is going to bless you with the best sex life when you're married. And that just simply did not happen. Like when we first got married, I really got went into the bedroom thinking. I don't know what foreplay is, but let's have intercourse until I come and then we're done. And that's sex. That's our sexual intimacy. And we missed out on so many intimate ways of knowing each other and sex being an obligation and something like I just was demanding of it from Meygan. And. What I've come to discover and what I love to teach other men is that sex is so much more broader than just having intercourse. I mean, there was this total understanding like, well, I feel good during intercourse. This feels very stimulating, which means that Meygan must feel the exact same way while we're having intercourse. Meygan Caston: (31:35 - 31:35) Nope. Casey Caston: (31:36 - 32:35) Because that's because listen, I never had sex before. But anytime I watched a rom com, you know, the guy threw up, you know, against the wall or they're having intercourse and she's going and he's going and they're having a great time. Like this must be what sex is all about. And what I've discovered now and I get to teach other men is that emotional intimacy is kind of the birthplace of sexual expression of love, right? That we we create safe places for our wives to to open up. And because of that, they become more willing and wanting that that sexual expression rather than us just coming in and saying, OK, it's time for sex. Let's go. And so, when we talk about just this book, this 365 Connecting Questions for Couples, I tell my guys, I'm like, hey, if you want to have great sex, start here because that is foreplay. Meygan Caston: (32:35 - 33:48) That's start here. It's good to know my heart, not just use me for my body, which can feel like that for a lot of people. And I think going back to the emotional intimacy, I think that, again, you had that when you were dating or you wouldn't have gotten married. There was no way you were. If the person was boring, closed off, if, you know, your spouse was just completely on their phone every time, you wouldn't have had that second, third, fourth date. So, there was emotional intimacy at some point, which means you can't ever say we never had it. You can always get it back, but you can have to be intentional. And I think a great way is we call it connection time. I think date night scares a lot of people. I think it's the idea of. We have to go to a restaurant, we have to spend money, we have to find a babysitter, all these hurdles that you have to go through to make it happen, so then couples just don't even do it. So, we're like, listen, if you if that's overwhelming to you, then try connection time. And really what that is, it's still undivided, you know, attention and time with you and your spouse. Maybe it's smaller, maybe it's 15 minutes, 30 minutes. And I know for when our kids were little, we played board games and card games and they'd go to bed, you know, at 7:30 or 8:00 PM. And we would bring out Yahtzee. Casey Caston: (33:48 - 33:51) There'd be a lot of trash talking over chutes and ladders. Meygan Caston: (33:52 - 34:29) But we would play. We would play games. And it was our time to connect. And when we didn't talk about the kids, you know, we just chatted about our day and again, going through some of these connecting questions that didn't even really exist yet, but they were in our heads. Taking a walk with the dog and, you know, going to a little local coffee shop, even if it's just 30 minutes and sharing and talking and exploring that emotional intimacy should never stop again. And that's going to give people opportunities to then go into the bedroom, like Casey mentioned, more willing and more excited to be intimate to each other because it's like, oh, that's right. We like each other. We're still married. We're still friends. Casey Caston: (34:29 - 35:15) You bring up a great point. Like I said, I think sitting down over the table, staring at each other can be intimidating for a lot of guys, because especially if this is not a regular habit in your relationship and taking a walk for guys when we're doing something and maybe it's less intimidating because we're not even staring at each other. But that kind of like getting the, you know, oxytocin going, like getting moving, like that kind of adrenaline can actually stimulate guys for good conversations and processing things. And so, what we hear from a lot of couples that take our book, maybe they'll take a picture of the question and they'll go, Hey, let's take a walk. And then they'll use the question on their walk. Meygan Caston: (35:15 - 35:15) Yeah. Casey Caston: (35:15 - 35:24) And that gets conversations going. So, if that's like a on ramp onto this, that's a that's a great starting point for a lot of people. Laura Dugger: (35:24 - 36:48) Oh, that's so good. And I love how you say just an on ramp, because the goal is more intimacy overall together to know one another, be known. And I love that you're showing this is not a manipulation factor. This isn't ask these questions so we can be more active in the bedroom, regardless of whichever spouse is the higher desire one. But this is to really enhance all levels of your relationship. And as you talk about oxytocin, it just makes me think such an interesting cycle that the Lord created where I will speak more stereotypically that where women require the emotional connection and then they open up and enjoy sex more. But then men, once they've had sex and they just have this like 500 percent increase of oxytocin in this neurochemical bath that opens them up emotionally. And we could see it even as we view our differences. You could be upset because they're opposite or we can see it as a gift that they can fuel one another. And then we get more of a holistic picture of overall intimacy. So, I'll also link to quite a few episodes because we do about one per month where we dive deeper into sexual intimacy. S o, I can link all of those in the show notes. But Casey, were you going to say something? Meygan Caston: (36:49 - 36:50) I want to say something to it. Casey Caston: (36:51 - 37:16) He loves. Well, so, we're talking chicken and egg, right? Like who gets the emotional intimacy, who gets the physical intimacy first? And I just think that there's if we approach our relationship with selfishness, well, then neither people get satisfied. But if we are in an approach to serve one another and be selfless lovers. So, men would be like, you know what? I want to meet my wife's emotional needs. Meygan Caston: (37:16 - 37:16) Yeah. Casey Caston: (37:17 - 37:38) Like and I do believe that men are the spark of initiation. If you're a husband out there listening to this, like that one of your greatest gifts to marriage is initiation. You were the one who asked for the first date. You were the one who got down one the knee. You are the spark of initiation. And I believe that God's created women as nurturers of that initiation. Meygan Caston: (37:39 - 37:41) And to clarify, you're not talking just about initiating sex. Casey Caston: (37:41 - 37:43) Well, yes. Just everything. Meygan Caston: (37:43 - 37:55) Initiating, just initiating, initiating a weekly marriage business meeting. Women are so turned on by when a husband's like, hey, I don't necessarily know what we want to do for a date night, but I want to take you on a date. Can I get an amen, Laura? Laura Dugger: (37:55 - 37:56) Right, sister? Meygan Caston: (37:57 - 38:14) Hey, women are turned on. Listen, men, women are turned on. If you say, you know what? I know that like this has been an issue with my parents and I don't even know how to handle it, but I really want to have that conversation. Oh, my gosh. Just initiating the conversation is all we're looking for. It's OK that you don't have all the answers. Casey Caston: (38:14 - 38:14) Yeah. Meygan Caston: (38:14 - 38:23) But for men that avoid stonewall, escape, numb out, busy themselves, it is such a turnoff. It is so not what we want. Laura Dugger: (38:23 - 39:55) I want to make sure that you're up to date with our latest news. We have a new website. You can visit theSavvySauce.com and see all of the latest updates. You may remember Francie Heinrichsen from episode 132, where we talked about pursuing our God given dreams. She is the amazing businesswoman who has carefully designed a brand-new website for Savvy Sauce Charities. And we are thrilled with the final product. So, I hope you check it out there. You're going to find all of our podcasts now with show notes and transcriptions listed a scrapbook of various previous guests and an easy place to join our email list to receive monthly encouragement and questions to ask your loved ones so that you can have your own practical chats for intentional living. You will also be able to access our donation button or our mailing address for sending checks that are tax deductible so that you can support the work of Savvy Sauce Charities and help us continue to reach the nation with the good news of Jesus Christ. So, make sure you visit theSavvySauce.com. Okay, so, then continue the conversation with just overall intimacy. What are some examples of de-escalation techniques that you recommend to couples who are in conflict, ones that can maybe help the strained relationships so that they can be repaired? Yeah. Meygan Caston: (39:55 - 42:19) Yeah. So, a big thing that I've learned as someone who's very direct, I can tend to be on that, like I mentioned, fighter side. And I know a lot of women, studies have shown 75 percent of us ladies are the ones that typically bring up the issues. So, just be aware that there is a gender difference there. And if you're a dude, there's nothing wrong with you if you're in, you know, that 75 percent or 25 percent. But I think the biggest thing I've recognized is to remind your spouse in the very beginning of the conversation, why you're having the conversation. You know, I love you. I love us. I want to see us be the best people that we can be. I want to see us enjoy marriage and enjoy life. I love you. Like bring the positivity and the reminder that you're better together than apart. And really, that's part of what we call a soft startup, right? There's a lot of different soft startups you've heard of. You know, I feel when you I need those work to but I like to take it a little bit deeper to say, remind your spouse how much that you love being married to them. Or again, whatever the issue is like we have the most. Let's say it's parenting. Casey and I are very different in our parenting styles. Last night would have been a great difference of how that happened. But like reminder that like we both love our children. We both want the best for our kids. No one doubts that. We both have made we made two beautiful, wonderful, quirky children. Right. And so, even you can start the conversation with that. But I wish that more people did that because I think people are are, you know, I'm really upset about something. OK, well, the second you say that defenses, sorry, but defenses are going to go up. We want to keep the conversations defenses low, guards low, right, de-escalation. And so, use soft startups, use kind, positive language. But I think another thing behind that would be come to the conversation processed. Do not have these conversations 11 o'clock at night when you're tired or when you're hungry. Do not have these conversations when it just happened and you haven't had the time to just like stop. Think about what do I really need? Why did that trigger me? What am I hoping to achieve? Why is my husband acting this way? Oh, is he under a lot of stress? Yeah, we got to give ourselves time to sit and process before we even use those soft startups. So, that would be my advice for de-escalation. Casey Caston: (42:20 - 43:04) And mine actually would be an apology. I think that we all make mistakes. And when you think about a couple that's maybe living reactively, just winging it, I doubt that there's ever an apology that's given on either side because it takes a little it takes awareness to recognize, gosh, you know what? My that little comment I just made that probably had a little zing to it. Or, you know, I really let my spouse down by not parenting the children the way she would want me to. Or, you know, I said I was going to do something and I didn't. And I let my partner down. You want to de-escalate a tense situation. Apologize. Meygan Caston: (43:04 - 43:04) Yeah. Own it. Casey Caston: (43:05 - 43:12) When you apologize, you know, you're taking all of the heat out of the fire. They really are. Meygan Caston: (43:12 - 43:16) And you're validating your spouse's feelings. Who doesn't want to be validated and seen? Everybody does. Casey Caston: (43:16 - 43:38) And then you're taking responsibility and accountability for your actions, which is the trust builder for relationships. So, that's why when you talk about high conflict relationships, there aren't a lot of there's not a lot of trust there. It's not a safe place anymore. So, to create that safety, we want to we want to build trust back into the relationship. Laura Dugger: (43:39 - 43:50) Those are fantastic. And do you guys just have maybe a handful of ideas for ways that couples can strengthen their marriage with one another? Meygan Caston: (43:51 - 44:09) Absolutely. I would say, obviously, the weekly marriage business meeting. I mean, I know we talked about it, but the important thing is to schedule it, put it in the calendar because you don't want to wing it. And that way it's showing, oh, you're prioritizing us. Taking walks has been a big one for us. Playing games is a big one. Casey Caston: (44:09 - 45:18) The 60 second blessing is where we intentionally spend time. 60 seconds reminding our partner of how much we love them, using our words to say, like, I saw how hard you work for the family. I love how you take care of the kids and kind of reminding your partner, like I see the goodness in each other. I think it's really important because. Day to day life, we can just be very transactional, and if we again, we have any sort of criticism or, you know, our words just are not flavored with life, well, proverb says, you know, our words have the power to give life or to give death. Right. So, the words that we speak, if we evaluate. Are we producing what I call weed seeds? Or are we planting fruit trees? Because weed seeds choke out the garden. Those sharp, critical words can leave your garden looking pretty shabby, whereas being intentional by speaking positive over each other. It's like planting fruit trees. And who doesn't like a good, juicy orange? Right. Meygan Caston: (45:18 - 47:15) Well, and the 60 second blessing, you know, you start off by writing five to seven positive things you love about your spouse. And so, one spouse shares their list for 60 seconds and then the second spouse shares their list. And it's this habit that we actually started doing after our marriage intensive that we did as we were repairing our marriage because we had yeah, we had we had spoken such mean and harsh words or just a lot of roommate stuff. And we needed that positivity. And it's a great foreplay tip, by the way, just to sit, sometimes sit down and go, I just need to tell you how wonderful you are. Like, who doesn't want to hear that about themselves? I think another thing that Casey and I have recognized it is the only thing, by the way, Laura, in our marriage, the only thing that has ever stayed consistent. That's we have fun together. We laugh a lot, even in hard times. Yeah, it wasn't as enjoyable, but we still had fun. And, you know, again, fun is different for everybody. We don't ever want to judge someone else's fun. But we are constantly like we we are sarcastic. But that's for us because we have high trust levels. I usually tell couples if you're, you know, in a fair recovery or you have low trust levels, sarcasm is probably not great. But we're very playful. We have again, we play a lot of fun games and we play ping pong and cornhole and we take our dogs on our dog on a walk. And we, you know, we're going to try to go ax throwing in April. We've never done that before. Like there are fun that we've taken dance lessons. So, we like to think out of the box and do new things or things that we know that like how many games of Yahtzee have we played? I don't even know. I mean, we've lost count. Or gin rummy, you know, I mean, we just play Sequence or Rummikub like we play them all. And for that for us, that's really fun. We dance a lot. We love the 90's music. Like get out your favorite playlist and just dance and sing and be goofy. Like I think if couples were to laugh and enjoy each other more and be able to laugh with themselves, I think that there would be more marriages that would stay together. Laura Dugger: (47:16 - 47:39) That is something that I've even experienced in this time together. You guys are so fun to be around. And that's very life giving to others. But I can see where it starts in that secret place between just the two of you, your best friend. And you share a lot of this goodness with Marriage 365. So, can you let us know all the different things that you have to offer? Casey Caston: (47:40 - 48:48) Yeah, I would probably say the number one way that people experience all of the resources that we've created over the years is through our mobile app. So, we have an app that has over a thousand pieces of videos, workshop, worksheet, excuse me, courses, challenges. We even have a checkup so you can actually rate kind of your marriage. And that is a great way for people to be able to have access, you know, on the spot if they're dealing with an issue, they don't know how to get through and they're looking for a tool or a conversation to help them work through that. That our app provides such a valuable resource. I mean, beyond that, you know, some couples need a little bit more hands on approach. So, we do coaching. We have a coaching staff actually to handle all the incoming couples that are saying, hey, can you can you help us out? And again, I just want to say coaching is really, really focused on giving action plans and homework and accountability to our clients. And coaching is really, really helpful if you're like, I just need to know what to do next. Meygan Caston: (48:48 - 49:17) Yeah. We do intensives for couples that are in crisis, you know, there that are seriously considering separation or divorce or an affair recovery and that we have an over 90 percent success rate because we went through an intensive when we were struggling and it was something we knew we wanted to get trained on and do. And it's a full two days with Casey and I. I mean, two days back-to-back. We know you. We get Christmas cards from all of our couples, you know, every year. We love it. And it's they become almost I mean, yes, they're our clients, but they almost become like our friends. Casey Caston: (49:17 - 49:45) Yeah. And then probably personally, one of my favorite things that we do is we host our own couple's getaway. And this is a four-day experience. It's not your it's not like a typical retreat where you're sitting in a conference room, you're just getting lectured all day. We're actually facilitating tools and then giving couples opportunities to work on them. Then some free time to really spend some time making great memories. We have a dance party. It is a ton of fun. Meygan Caston: (49:45 - 49:55) We make sure. Yeah, we make sure it's fun. It's more it's definitely more for couples who are doing OK or want to do better, not they're not ideal for couples in crisis because it's going to be very uncomfortable. Casey Caston: (49:55 - 49:56) I love our retreats. Meygan Caston: (49:56 - 49:57) I know. Casey Caston: (49:57 - 49:58) I love interacting with her. Meygan Caston: (49:58 - 50:05) And of course, we have our social media. You can just search Marriage 365 and then we have our website, too. And we have our books, of course. Casey Caston: (50:05 - 50:09) Oh, and I have a men's group. I know I launched a five-week men's reset. . Meygan Caston: (50:09 - 50:34) Needless to say, Laura, we're really busy. I do a lot. I think that's what's funny, right? I think that people see us online and they think that we just have an Instagram, or we just have Facebook. And I'm like, we've been doing this for 12 years and we have a staff of 12 people. So, we reach a lot of people. And we because marriage is never a one stop, you know, one size fits all. It's it's true. There are so many different dynamics, and we want to be able to help as many people as we can. Laura Dugger: (50:35 - 50:59) Wow. Thank you for sharing that. We will add all of those links. I love all these different offerings that you have and that will meet people in whatever phase they're in. But you two already know we are called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for both of you, what is your Savvy Sauce? Meygan Caston: (51:00 - 51:47) Mine would be I would want every single person to think about becoming more confident. And that starts with becoming more self-aware. I think that that is completely changed who I am. And I'm we're raising two kids, and I see the confidence that they have. And we're modeling that but also walking them through how to be self-aware. And really, that starts with having to be one with your thoughts, turning off the phone, sorry, turning off the podcast, sometimes turning off the music and just actually sitting and really going. Do I really know my thoughts, my feelings, my values, my personality, my good, my bad, my ugly? And we don't do this enough. We are busy ourselves. We're distracted constantly. And I think that it's really harming our mental health. And so, that would be my savvy sauce. Casey Caston: (51:47 - 52:30) Hmm. I love that, babe. It's kind of hard because we find so much alignment. I mean, I would that's exactly what I would say, too. Um, I, you know, my focus in twenty, twenty-five has really been turned towards helping husbands. And there's a quote that Henry David Thoreau says that many men live lives of quiet desperation and they die with their songs still inside them. And most guys are terrified of stopping and evaluating. And so, for me, creating space too. Listen, I do a 10, 10, 10 practice in the morning. Meygan Caston: (52:30 - 52:32) That's what I thought you were going to say. Casey Caston: (52:32 - 52:32) Yeah, yeah. Meygan Caston: (52:32 - 52:36) Well, I was like, I bet you he's going to talk about it because it's been life changing for you. Casey Caston: (52:36 - 53:01) Yeah. So, I spend 10 minutes of scripture reading. So, that's input. Then I spend 10 minutes of quiet meditation where I'm sitting and I'm in a listening posture. And I mean, I think about everything from lasagna to the last wave I serve to. But there's intentionality about just opening myself like here I am. I'm ready to be downloaded on like what you have for me today. Meygan Caston: (53:01 - 53:02) God be one with your thoughts. Casey Caston: (53:03 - 53:18) Yeah. And all sorts of things come up. And then I spent 10 minutes journaling. And that process is just and that's like the output. Right. So, now I've got input. I've been listening and now I get to write stuff out. And that's been a huge game changer for me. Laura Dugger: (53:19 - 53:43) Wow, I love both of those. You two are just refreshingly vulnerable and such an incredible mixture of intentional and lighthearted. And it has been so great just to sit under your teaching today. So, thank you for sharing your story and for helping all of us. And thank you just for being my guests. Meygan Caston: (53:43 - 53:45) Oh, you're welcome. It was a pleasure to be here. Casey Caston: (53:45 - 53:49) Yes, you asked great questions that plumb the deep wells of Casey Meygan. Laura Dugger: (53:52 - 57:35) One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news. Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved. We need a savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him. That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.
Today's episode is all about how to be proactive versus being reactive. Resources from this episode: Verity Conference (Use code: NANCYRAY15 for 15% off) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Free Weekly Checklist! Rhythms Reset Send Nancy an Audio Message! Dwell Bible App Discount Visit my Cornerstore! Nancy Ray Website Nancy Ray on Instagram Affiliate links have been used in this post! I do receive a commission when you choose to purchase through these links, and that helps me keep this podcast up and running—I truly appreciate when you choose to use them!
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 3726: Benjamin P. Hardy explains how genuine progress in life rarely comes from small, incremental changes but from bold, intentional leaps that challenge comfort zones. By redefining identity, committing to bigger goals, and aligning daily actions with a compelling vision, he shows how anyone can accelerate growth and transformation. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://medium.com/the-mission/how-to-make-quantum-leaps-personally-and-professionally-cfcae58948c1 Quotes to ponder: "You make quantum leaps by taking bold moves, moves that are not incremental but transformational." "Your identity must be shaped by your future, not your past." "The moment you commit to something bigger than yourself, the resources and clarity you need will appear." Episode references: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/1982137274 Psycho-Cybernetics: https://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Cybernetics-Maxwell-Maltz/dp/0671700758 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After achieving massive success as a renowned author, Dr. Benjamin Hardy knew he was destined for more. Leaving behind a profitable collaboration with his co-author, he focused on mastering the art of scaling a business. As the co-founder of Scaling.com, he has helped top performers transform their strategies and unlock next-level growth in entrepreneurship. In this episode, Benjamin discusses the power of setting impossible goals and reveals his three-step scaling framework, designed to help entrepreneurs grow ten times faster than they ever imagined. In this episode, Hala and Benjamin will discuss: (00:00) Introduction (02:27) His Career Journey and Identity Shifts (06:11) Building a Mindset for Future Success (08:13) Scale Faster: Why 10X Thinking Beats 2X Goals (12:46) The Biggest Blockers to Scaling Your Business (14:44) The Power of Setting Impossible Goals and Deadlines (27:45) Benjamin's Framework to Scale Faster as a Founder (36:12) Finding Your “Super Whos” for Business Growth (42:17) Simplifying Your Systems to Scale Your Impact (48:27) Letting Go of Identities to Embrace 10x Growth (51:55) How Entrepreneurs Can Leverage Scaling.com Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist and the co-founder of Scaling.com, a performance-based training program designed for fast-growth companies. As a bestselling author, his books, including 10x Is Easier Than 2x, have sold millions of copies worldwide. His latest book, The Science of Scaling, offers entrepreneurs a powerful framework to achieve 10x growth by setting impossible goals and aligning with their future selves. Sponsored By: Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting. Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/PROFITING OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first 6 months at OpenPhone.com/profiting. Airbnb - Find a co-host at airbnb.com/host Boulevard - Get 10% off your first year at joinblvd.com/profiting when you book a demo Resources Mentioned: Benjamin's Book, The Science of Scaling: bit.ly/TheScienceofScaling Benjamin's Book, 10x Is Easier than 2x: bit.ly/10xIsEasierthan2x Benjamin's Book, Who Not How: bit.ly/Who_NotHow Benjamin's Book, The Gap and the Gain: bit.ly/TheGapandtheGain Benjamin's Audiobook: scaling.com/audiobook Benjamin's Website: benjaminhardy.com YAP E206 with Benjamin Hardy: bit.ly/YAP-apple YAP E260 with Benjamin Hardy: bit.ly/YAP-BHapple The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steve Covey: bit.ly/7Habits_EffectivePeople Good Strategy Bad Strategy by Richard Remelt: bit.ly/_GoodStrategy_BadStrategy Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: bit.ly/Search_for_Meaning_ Don't Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen: bit.ly/DontBlieve_YouThink Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Networking