Becoming Your Best | The Principles of Highly Successful Leaders

Early on in his life, Paul Cardall would understand that life is fragile. He went through heart surgery on his first day on earth, and his parents, instead of picturing his graduation, his first love, or job, were wondering if he would survive his first year. Paul grew up feeding himself from his parents' optimism, visiting doctors, spending long nights in hospitals, and wondering why life was so hard on him, what was the purpose of all these scars in his body, and why his parents were spending fortunes to keep him alive.   He would find peace and all the answers he needed in music - his gift, and savior.   Paul Cardall is a gifted pianist and a prolific composer. He is the Founder of All Heart Publishing, LLC and CEO of Worth of Souls. Paul is also a speaker and philanthropist; he regularly narrates his congenital heart disease experiences at medical conferences all over the country and serves as the keynote speaker at both the Texas A&M Leadership Conference and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Cardiology Conference.   In this episode, Paul reveals the healing power of music. We dive deep into the lessons life taught him the hardest way; he describes how he turned music into a lifesaver when everything around him seemed to sink and what kept him alive despite all odds since he was a baby. We talk about his heart transplant, the challenges he faced before and after that major surgery, and the crazy experience of feeling his donor feelings. Paul kindly shared his most valuable life lessons and a bunch of beautiful life messages.   Tune in to Episode 297 of Becoming Your Best, relax, open your heart and your mind, and get ready to meet a beautiful soul.   Some Questions I Ask: Could you tell our listeners a little bit more about you, your background, and your experience? (2:19) What was that journey like for you? Once you discovered that music was something that was a part of your life and your DNA? (6:30) What's one of your biggest takeaways from going through all these traumatic things in your life? (14:49)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: About Paul's challenging journey since he was born and the priceless help and inspiration from his parents (3:27) How Paul started his healing journey through music (6:16) Life is fragile. One of Paul's most profound lessons ever learned (15:08) Invest in memories. One of Paul's biggest takeaways from his life experiences (17:12) About the importance of taking a step back, slowing down, and going out to look at the sun (25:31)  Resources: Paul Cardall website All Heart with Paul Cardall podcast  Connect with Paul: LinkedIn Instagram  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We already know about the immense power of habits. We are aware of their role in our long-term goals and how we can generate outstanding results by adjusting them. Still, the tricky part about habits is that they're so embedded in our routines that we go through some of them by default, and that makes it hard to identify which one doesn't serve us very well.   The inevitable question is, how do we know which habits are not serving us the way they should? The answer is quite simple; we must get curious about everything.   In this episode, I'm excited about sharing some fantastic results I got by exploring the power of curiosity. We look at the possibilities curiosity can open for us by asking simple questions about our habits, our fears, the things that make us angry or even anxious. We take a step back to look at ourselves, the way we act and think, and get curious about our thoughts and actions. Today's show's purpose is to empower ourselves by asking questions and use curiosity to open the door of imagination.   What You Will Learn in This Episode: Rating ourselves from 1 to 10 so we know where we need to move the needle (2:20) Why curiosity is crucial for personal development (5:16) The questions we must ask to discover thought loops (6:57) How powerful it can be to get curious about love (13:19) Curiosity can be the external force we need to change the course of the habits that are not serving us (15:51)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are many ways of reaching our highest potential; many books were written teaching different theories. They all have at least two things in common: they aim for our greatness, and their systems are reliable and predictable. Predictable and reliable systems are easier to implement, follow, and keep you accountable for. To apply these systems and ensure their success, we've created many tools along the way, like the Continue Start Stop Sheet, The Trust Meter, or The External Environment Analysis.  In this episode, we explore one of the most powerful tools ever created, the Relationship Agreement. This four-step tool is so easy to implement at work or with our family as it is effective. To better understand the Relationship Agreement tool, I share with you some examples of how it helped me solve professional and personal situations for years.   Tune in to Episode 295 of Becoming Your Best, to learn about this powerful tool that helps you navigate the most challenging decisions ensuring the best outcomes.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: About the reliable and predictable system bombers used during WWII (1:45) What makes the BYB 12 Principles reliable (4:10) Some powerful tools we developed along the way (5:50) What is the Relationship Agreement tool, and how it works (8:58) The main reason why employees experience frustration at work, and what can we do to solve it (9:53) The four elements of the Relationship Agreement tool (11:24) Some examples of how the Relationship Agreement helped me at work and with my children (15:16)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The definition of success varies from person to person; for some, it means to be wealthy, for others to be loved, impact lots of people, or change people's lives. But what happens when everyone but us thinks we are successful? It might look fantastic from the outside, and still, we'd feel miserable. When success is not intimately linked with purpose, it feels empty.   John Ramstead's company was doing great; everybody would pat his shoulder and congratulate him for his success, but he couldn't shake this smoldering discontent. He then realized he was living under the "tyranny of they." John was doing everything "they" considered fantastic, valuable, and he was showing up the way "they" believed he should. John knew he needed to make a significant change in his life, and then he got in an accident that almost took his life.   Today's guest, John Ramstead, is a former Navy Fighter Pilot, Int'l Speaker and Podcast Host, Leadership Coach, and Author of On Purpose with Purpose. He is passionate about empowering leaders and their teams to reawaken the joy, vitality, and clarity eroded in their way to success.   In this episode, John shares his inspiring story of profound change, driven by his unstoppable urge to become the best version of himself. We talk about recovering from adversity, inspiring others, and being a giver before asking for anything. We explore the power of mentoring, being a servant leader, how creating habits can change the course of our lives, and much more.   Tune in to Episode 294 of Becoming Your Best, and listen to John's remarkable story of resilience, bravery, and success.   Some Questions I Ask: Could you give our listeners a brief background on who you are? (1:59) What do you think is the value of mentorship? And how do you find a great mentor? (17:10) Could you share one or two most significant lessons learned from all of your adversity and your experience? (28:42)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: How John realized he was living under the tyranny of they (4:17) How was John's life after the accident (13:39) The value of mentoring and how people around you can help you overcome the most challenging moments of your life (17:18) The mindset needed to overcome adversity. (28:26)  Resources: John Ramstead website. Beyond Influence Book: John Ramstead - On Purpose with Purpose: Discovering How To Live Your Best Life Eternal Leadership podcast with John Ramstead Book: Dale Carnegie - How To Win Friends and Influence People Book: Horst Schulze - Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise Book: Carol Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success  Connect with John: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach the end of 2021, the idea of just tossing the towel and being a little careless for the rest of the year and start focusing our energies on 2022 might sound tempting. But actually, with a bit of recalibration, a slight course correction, we can achieve each and every one of the goals we set for ourselves back in January 2021. That is the primary purpose of today's podcast, a reminder that there is still so much that can be done in the next four months.   This episode is a gentle reminder that we still have time to accomplish our goals and get to our destination, ticking every box in the itinerary. I share a couple of stories illustrating the importance of mid-year check-ins and how simple details adjusted today can make a vast difference later. In addition, to offer guidance on adjusting or recalibrating our course, I've prepared some questions regarding our vision, roles and goals, and pre-week planning.   Tune in to Episode 293 of Becoming Your Best, and make the necessary adjustments to align and empower us to do what matters most.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: Listening to this episode is the first step to start recalibrating our course towards our goals (3:02) The missing document and the visible goal drop-off (4:04) An epiphany flying at 50,000 feet (6:43) Some questions to start adjusting what is loose (8:54) How often should we look at our roles and goals (13:22) Why being consistent on pre-week planning can change our lives (18:37)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A child wanting to become a pro snowboarder in America is not unusual considering the sport's popularity in the country. However, for a kid born and raised in Buffalo, New York, where there are no mountains, it might sound like an unexpected choice. Many people told Chris Naugle it was a silly choice; he wouldn't have a place to practice. But Chris did something that would maintain throughout his entire life, and that would help him succeed: never listen to those telling him what he could or couldn't do. He built ramps out of sand traps, trained, practiced, and became a professional snowboarder some years later.   Chris Naugle is considered America's #1 Money Mentor. He is the Founder of The Money School and Money Mentor for The Money Multiplier. He has built and owned 19 companies and had his businesses featured in Forbes, ABC, House Hunters, and his own HGTV pilot in 2018. Chris is also a renowned speak, mentor, and host of the Real Estate Money School podcast.   In this episode, we have an honest conversation about money. Chris shared his background, taking us through the several ups and downs of his financial life and the valuable lessons he learned from his failures. We spoke about how to make money work for us, the limitations of exchanging time for money, and what it means to "move the money." We also talked about the money mindset, the snowball effect of mental victories, and American's most significant problem when dealing with their money.  Tune in to Episode 292 of Becoming Your Best, and learn what we can do to put our money to work for us.   Some Questions I Ask: Could you share with us a bit of your background? (2:58) What are some of the things that wealthy people do differently? (8:36) What are some other ideas that you've come across that can have a significant impact on people? (18:24) What are your thoughts if someone doesn't have debts, and they do have significant equity in their home? (23:18)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: About Chris' first adventure in the entrepreneurial world (5:35) What banks do with your money (13:01) The importance of changing our money mindset (16:37) How to own nothing but control everything (24:18)  Resources: Chris Naugle website Book: Chris Naugle, Brent Kesler - Mapping Out The Millionaire Mindset Book: Chris Naugle - The Private Money Guide  Connect with Chris: LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When US Senator Kohl decided he would not seek re-election, Darcy Luoma, who has been working with him for 12 years, had a huge decision to make. Her family, friends, and colleagues assumed she would stay working in the political field, but she had other plans. Darcy felt the need to start her own business, put herself out there, and create a legacy. Using her experience and knowledge, she started her own coaching and consulting company, becoming one of America's most highly credentialed coaches.   Darcy Luoma is the Founder and CEO of Darcy Luoma Coaching & Consulting. She is the Creator of Thoughtfully Fit and author of the book with the same name; she is also a Master Certified Coach, Professional Speaker, Author, and Dynamic Facilitator. She helps people and companies stop wasting time and energy dealing with frustrating problems to focus on what they do best. Darcy specializes in team building, leadership development, improving communication, and working through conflict positively.  In this episode, we talk about Darcy's journey into coaching and consulting, the Thoughtfully Fit method, and how what she teaches to others saved her in one of the most challenging moments of her life. Darcy kindly shared some nuggets from her book and valuable insights on how to train our thinking process to react appropriately in extreme situations.   Tune in to Episode 291 of Becoming Your Best, and learn the secrets of being thoughtfully fit, less reactive, and more creative.   Some Questions I Ask: Darcy, if you don't mind, tell us about your background (2:53) How did you set yourself up so that you could ultimately be successful? (6:12) Let's talk about your new book. Give us the background on it; how did you come to write it? (8:27) Can you give us an example of using the Thoughtfully Fit method? (13:55)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: A bit of Darcy's background (3:04) Conquering her inner trash talk. The story behind Darcy's company (5:27) Using the Thoughtfully Fit method to save herself (10:35) Three questions to ask ourselves before reacting (21:14) What to expect from the Thoughtfully Fit training (24:35)  Resources: Darcy Luoma Coaching & Consulting website Darcy Luoma Coaching & Consulting Facebook Book: Darcy Luoma - Thoughtfully Fit: Your Training Plan for Life and Business Success  Connect with Darcy: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After spending 10+ years as an F-16 fighter pilot and finishing his career as a US Air Force Weapon School instructor, Steven C. Shallenberger is grateful he didn't listen to the Air Force instructor who visited his school when he was in seventh grade and told him he'll never be a fighter pilot, that it wasn't for anybody.   Today, I am pleased to welcome one of my sons, Steven C. Shallenberger, CEO of ElementOne, a startup focused on restoring clean air while allowing the continued use of our modern transportation economy. He holds a BS in Engineering Mechanics from the United States Air Force Academy and an MBA in Financial and Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Pennsylvania.   In this episode, Steven shares his experiences as a fighter pilot, the challenges he overcame during that time, and how those experiences helped him upgrade his leadership abilities. We have an inspiring conversation about leadership, humility, resilience, and situation awareness. Steven kindly shared the mantra that helped him successfully carry on with the privilege of being part of the 1% of pilots and technicians that turn into instructors of the Weapons School.   Tune in to Episode 290 of Becoming Your Best, and enjoy the inspirational insights Steven shared with us.   Some Questions I Ask: Could you give us a little background and share a couple of key points from the Air Force experience? (3:06) For anybody interested in getting into the Air Force Academy, could you tell us what the process is? (4:21) Can you talk about some of the adversity that you had? How are you able to overcome adversity and setbacks? (13:17) From your experience, what are the traits of a successful leader within the fighter pilot community? And how can these be applied in everyday life? (17:26)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Steven talks about the sensation of making his dreams come true by getting into the US Air Force (7:05) The relevance of having a clear purpose for overcoming adversity (8:09) What it was like to be in hostile environments as a fighter pilot (10:52) Steven talks about how understanding the struggle between humility vs. ego helped him overcome setbacks (13:20) Steven explains the mantra: being humble, approachable, credible (17:34)  Connect with Steven: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It doesn't matter how long we've worked in any industry; there is always room to improve and we must be humble enough to recognize it and dedicate time to educate ourselves constantly. That is one of Dr. Kizzy Parks' secrets to success; she is aware that she does not know it all, and she let herself go following her curious nature.   Dr. Kizzy Parks is the CEO of KPC, GovCon Winners, AmPar, and Adult Fluent. She specializes in helping service-based small business owners learn how to win profitable government contracts, and she is the host of the Adult Fluent Podcast. Kizzy holds a B.S. in Psychology from Alfred University, a Master of Science, and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology.   Since she was little, Kizzy knew she would be an entrepreneur; her adoptive parents instilled in her the idea that everything is possible. Kizzy's household was the mecca of positive reinforcement, and so she became what she wanted.   In this episode, Kizzy shared her infectious optimism and experience. We had a fantastic conversation about her expertise and her teaching methods, like her CTC technique to win profitable government contracts. We also spoke about her background, her first experiences as an entrepreneur, and why she decided to dedicate her efforts to teach others and help them grow. Kizzy talked about what is, in her opinion, a straight path to becoming the best version of ourselves, and then she explained how she maximizes her teams' performance.   Tune in to Episode 289 of Becoming Your Best, to enjoy Kizzy's expertise in winning government contracts and lead successful teams.   Some Questions I Ask:  Our listeners would love to hear about your background. And how did you know this is what you wanted to do? (2:59) Something that's been in your heart and mind is becoming the best at what you do. So what does becoming your best mean to you? (8:56) How do you maximize the performance of your team? (15:50) What do you look for in a leader? (19:19) If someone would ask you for advice on how to be successful in business or be successful in life, what would you recommend to them? (25:37)  In This Episode, You Will Learn:  How Kizzy discovered her passion for helping others to clinch government contracts (4:12) The difference between teaching what others should do, and teaching from first-hand experiences (7:19) The perks of staying humble and always willing to learn (10:13) How Kizzy maximizes her teams' performances (15:44) The importance of taking time to experience; there is no rush nor the right moment to do something (27:13)  Resources:  K. Parks Consulting (KPC) website AdultFluent Podcast Sam.gov website  Connect with Kizzy: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hearing about self-compassion and "soft" stuff like hugs and empathy made Steven think that wasn't for him; a 6'5", 240 pounds, former boxer and football player didn't resonate with all that. But after some exercises his mentors suggested, he started realizing that being in our corner, being there for ourselves facing adversity and setbacks was actually excellent. That would be the first step of an incredible and transformational journey for Steven, where he would learn the power of self-compassion and kindness to himself.   Steven Griffith is the Founder of High Performance Coaching. He is also a Psychology of Productivity, Time Management & Performance Expert, Speaker, and Author of " The Time Cleanse," a book that provides a proven system to eliminate time waste, acknowledge our full potential, and invest our time in what matters most. Steven is a former Chicago Golden Glove Boxer and Illinois State Heavyweight champion. For the last 25 years, he has helped as a trusted advisor and coach to CEOs, entrepreneurs, Olympic athletes, the U.S. Military, Jimmy Kimmel, NBA players, and many more.  In this episode, we had an inspiring conversation about time management, self-compassion, the A-Game, and mindfulness. Steven kindly shared the three steps of his self-compassion formula and some brilliant insights about how we can help our children thrive in their personal and professional lives. Then, we talked about Steven's most significant challenges of his life and their effect on his development as a coach and as a person.  Tune in to Episode 288 of Becoming Your Best, to learn more about timefulness, the importance of self-compassion, and what matters most in life.   Some Questions I Ask: Can you please tell us a bit of your background, and who you are? (1:59) What are the core concepts that make up the A-Game? (2:57) What are some of the biggest challenges that you see facing student athletes, parents, and coaches today? (11:57) What are some things parents can do to support their kids' success? (20:07)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: What mindfulness is really about, and how it can help us perform at the highest level (4:57) The three steps to self-compassion (7:39) What changes when we start being compassionate to ourselves (11:01) The meaning of timefulness, and its effect on our lives (17:05) It’s not about the scholarship or the championship, it’s about who they will become (29:26)  Resources: Steven Griffith website Book: Steven Griffith - The Time Cleanse: A Proven System to Eliminate Wasted Time, Realize Your Full Potential, and Reinvest In What Matters Most  Connect with Steven: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter YouTube Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having a successful business and being a prosperous entrepreneur was a priority for Randy, but his driving force and inspiration came from his parents. Seeing his friends coming up to his house to hang out with his father gave Randy a clear picture of what he was supposed to pursue in life: being a good husband, father, and friend was way more important than anything else.   Today, I have the pleasure to receive a dear friend and a great person, Randy Garn. Randy is an Entrepreneur, Investor, Advisor, and Coach. He is the author of the book "Prosper", recently re-edited and relaunched. Randy specializes in guiding leaders through a personal and professional transformation; he is a High-Performance Coach and Partner at High-Performance Institute with Brendon Burchard.   In this episode, we had a fantastic conversation about the journey of becoming who we want to be, how our habits impact our lives, and the importance of valuing people over things. Randy shared some takeaways from his book and some nuggets of wisdom about the 6 high-performance habits. We also talked about gratitude, personal and professional relationships, and the relevance of defining our goals.   Tune in to Episode 287 of Becoming Your Best to learn more about Randy and his quest for making the world a better place.   Some Questions I Ask: What's one thing that you learned from your parents that has really stood out to you through the years? (4:59) What's the big picture of "Prosper"? What's the book about? (7:42) Let's talk about something you're really passionate about - high-performance habits (18:55)  What challenges did you go through in your life that you would feel comfortable sharing? (24:14)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: People are most important than things. One of Randy's biggest takeaways from his father (5:51) Articulating the balance between wealth, happiness, and sustainability (8:44) If you don't have a goal, someone will use you to reach theirs (10:16) The purpose of challenging times and how they can help us find who we are surrounded by (26:31)  Resources: Randy Garn website Book: Randy Garn - Prosper: Create the Life You Really Want  Connect with Randy: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being able to breathe, walk, or talk are some of the things we get used to and most often take for granted. The same happens with freedom; we are so used to choosing a religion, having access to clean water, or the right to express our political opinion that we lose sight of how valuable it is.   In this special episode, we want to celebrate our Independence Day by honoring freedom, highlighting its importance, and talking about our role in keeping it. We explore some aspects of freedom most of us take for granted and reflect on how grateful we should be for such a wonderful gift. Today, we remind ourselves that freedom is not free, and we honor those who gave their lives for us to experience it. Finally, we travel back in time and relive the moments that gave birth to our country and remember the people that made their dreams, our reality, possible.   Tune in to Episode 286 of Becoming Your Best, and let's celebrate and value our freedom together.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: The price of freedom (2:07) The world we live in is not the same a lot of people get to live in (3:53) How can we appreciate our freedom for what it really is (5:03) One generation away from extinction. What is our role in maintaining our freedom (6:39) Our flag was still there. The poem after the bombardment of Fort McHenry (9:14)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Book: Do What Matters Most: Lead with a Vision, Manage with a Plan, Prioritize Your Time Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Traveling lowers the chances of heart disease; it enhances our creativity and the sense of happiness and satisfaction. It is also very efficient for relieving stress and anxiety - and the list of benefits goes on and on. And if we pay enough attention, it can be a teaching experience; we can grow and change the way we see things.  In this episode, after coming back from a trip to Peru with my family, I wanted to share some of the beautiful experiences we had in this fantastic place and the four lessons I've learned. I talk about the things we discovered about ourselves throughout the entire trip, the value we got from enjoying simple things, and how important it is to take ourselves out of our comfort zone and explore new things.   If you would like to join me on this trip of amazing discoveries and breathtaking views, tune in to Episode 285 of Becoming Your Best.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: The power of perseverance and trust in ourselves (3:15) It is about the journey AND the destination (6:03) How powerful and fulfilling it can be going outside (9:24) Freedom requires effort. The importance of being involved in our communities (13:08)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode, we prepared something special. This episode is about inspiring and motivating you to become the best version of yourself. I'll share more than 50 motivational phrases and aphorisms I've collected over the last five decades that helped and inspired me along the way.   These are phrases a friend, a guest to the show, or a colleague at work told me, and quotes from brilliant minds I've read or heard that impacted me - and I hope they do the same to you.   If you would like to experience a wave of inspiration and get some motivation to stay on the tracks of becoming the best version of yourself, tune in to Episode 284 of Becoming Your Best.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Thomas Edison and the beautiful story with his mother (4:05) The right way to approach today's business (7:21) The one that survives is the one who adapts better to change (9:04) Great advice from my great, great uncle, Mark Twain (12:01) The best way to deal with the past (15:49) The thing that couldn't be done (21:47)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Undoubtedly, having an upbeat personality coupled with the correct principles will make a huge difference in anyone's life. Whether it is in their professional or personal lives, people choose to be around those with a positive mindset, those who are kind, pleasant to be with, and always open to learning from others.   Today's episode was inspired by our last guest's concluding comments when we asked him what advice he would give as an onboarding message to people joining his company. Bob Marquardt's response was to have a positive personality and be eager to learn. We felt so inspired by Bob's powerful words that we decided to create this list with the 6 keys to have a positive personality and an eagerness to learn.   If you want to find out more about the advantages of having an upbeat personality and being an avid learner, tune in to Episode 238 of Becoming Your Best.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: The power of starting your day with a positive routine (3:17) How having a positive vision can help us achieve more (5:56) Doing what matters most and organizing our day (9:18) Triggering small doses of dopamine. The curative power of smiling (13:17) Respect goes a long way. Being the type of people we would like to hang out with (15:47) Having a sponge mentality. The benefits of being eager to learn (17:26)  Resources mentioned: Book: James Allen - As a Man Thinketh: The Original 1902 Edition Book: Og Mandino - The Greatest Salesman in the World  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being task saturated at work causes several problems in our professional and personal lives. One of the many effects of this is that we keep ourselves busy with what is urgent, and we push away and postpone what is essential.   We've conducted research with over 1200 managers from 108 different organizations, and we've found out that the primary concern of over 68% of them was prioritizing their time. To overcome this, we need a tool that provides us with powerful habits to schedule our priorities rather than prioritizing our schedule, and that is why we've written: "Do What Matters Most."  In this episode, I'm joined by my son Rob Shallenberger to talk about our latest book, "Do What Matters Most." We talk about the reasons behind creating this book, its primary purpose, and the results you can expect from reading it. We go through the three pillars that sustain the book's idea for you to understand how they interact with each other. We dive deep into Rob's breaking point in his life and its effect on his parenting, and we also analyze the importance of equipping our teams with powerful tools to help them become their best.   If you want to know more about Do What Matters Most, tune in to Episode 282 of Becoming Your Best to understand why implementing three simple habits can be a life-changing experience.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: How the book came about and what is its purpose (2:30) The three life-changing habits the book offers (6:42) Rob's and Steve's favorite habit and why (8:41) Why pre-week planning is so powerful, and how it can improve our professional and personal lives (22:19) The importance of growing our mindset and our skillset and equipping our teams to do the same (30:04)  Resources Mentioned: Book: Steven R. Shallenberger, Robert R. Shallenberger - Do What Matters Most: Lead with a Vision, Manage with a Plan, and Prioritize Your Time Book: Dale Carnegie - How To Win Friends and Influence People   Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Running a successful organization can become a power trip for some people; they make it about themselves and not the organization in some cases. That is why for Bob Marquardt, humility is the number one characteristic every leader should focus on. Be aware that no one is irreplaceable and give proper credit to every team member and appreciative words about the work being done by them.   Joining us today is Bob Marquardt, the President of Management & Training Corporation (MTC). His company is a leader in corrections, education, and job training, with more than 10,000 employees in the US, United Kingdom, Australia, and Egypt. He has been active in YPO/YPOG for 35 years and served on the Utah State Board of Regents for twelve years. Bob cherishes humility, performance, innovation, and integrity. As the President of a second-generation family business, Bob worked with his father, absorbing values that he naturally spilled over his own children and MTC's employees.   In this episode, we talked about Bob's priorities as a leader and what kind of work he expects from his employees. We also talked about the importance of positive affirmation and creating a positive work environment. He kindly shared the experiences of teachers working in prisons and the importance of their work as rehabilitators. He talked about how he manages to inspire his employees to become their best and two of the most valuable lessons he learned in his extensive career as a leader.   Listen to Episode 281 of Becoming Your Best, to learn how to help your employees become their best by leading them with humility and integrity, as well as how to improve their outcomes through innovation.  Some Questions I Ask: What are some of the professional lessons learned that have helped you and your business be successful? (4:26) How do you create that culture of innovation, integrity, and performance in such a large company? (9:08) How do you bring out the best in people, your employees, and people in the job centers? (17:33) If you had the chance to sit down with someone who was just joining your team, what would you say to them about what it means to be a great team member? (20:43) Would you mind sharing MTC's program to fight discrimination? (24:27)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: The importance of staying humble when leading a successful company (4:26) MTC's core values (6:03) Most decisions are made for a small group of people. The importance of the performance culture (9:23) How critical it can be to raise high expectations for people who haven't experienced that before (14:20) The importance of presenting a positive spin to every negative situation (22:03)  Resources: Management & Training Corporation website  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ron Williams believes that our bodies tell stories of how we feel about ourselves. When someone asks him for help to improve their health, one of his many techniques is chasing down the beliefs, the stories that hold people down and won't let them thrive. He believes that the body will never do something without the mind's permission, and that is why having a solid mindset is the key to a healthy life.   Joining me today is Ron Williams, CEO and Lifestyle Coach at Ron Williams Champion Life, Inc. He is one of the most decorated Natural Bodybuilders globally and the sole recipient of the "Natural Bodybuilder of the Decade" award. Ron is the author of the award-winning and best-selling book "Faith & Fat Loss". He is a multiple bodybuilding award winner, and in 2008, he made it into the International Natural Bodybuilding Association's Hall of Fame. Ron is also the creator of the Iron Chest Master, a device designed to develop the upper body. Among many other achievements, Ron is a seven times Mister Univers, seven times Mister World, and seven times Mister Olympia.   In this episode, Ron kindly shared a bit of his wisdom in fitness, weight loss, and overall health. We have an inspiring conversation about the importance of a strong mindset regarding achieving body changes and sustainable eating habits. We also spoke about Ron's Iron Chest Master's benefits and the keys to a successful body transformation.   Some Questions Asked: What are some of the critical lessons that you've learned throughout your career that are helpful for people to get into a sustainable fitness regimen? (6:32) What are your recommendations to help people develop the right kind of mindset? How do you do that? (8:10) Tell us about the Iron Chest Master, about the resistance bands, and about the home exercise program you have (14:19) How about diet, Ron? Any recommendations on a diet? (20:19) Tell us about your book, Faith & Fat Loss (23:51)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Steve's experience with Ron's program and training and his results (3:01) The importance of having a solid mindset and two training programs, one for the gym and another for the house (7:16) The body tells a story (8:58) Consistency, the key to succeeding in any endeavor (11:38) Setting a goal first and then adopting a routine to fuel that goal (22:53)  Resources: Ron Williams Champion Life website Iron Chest Master Book: Ron Williams - Faith & Fat Loss  Connect with Ron: LinkedIn Facebook YouTube  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The things we do in the morning set the pace for the day; if we establish a positive and upbeat routine, it will have a snowball effect on our mood, performance, and our health in the long run. On a previous podcast, one of our guests, Dre Baldwin, shared with us the cornerstones of any successful routine: discipline, confidence, imagination, and innovation. Mastering discipline will lead to being more confident, and confidence in what we do will open the door for imagination, which we will use to innovate and find new ways of doing things more efficiently.   In this episode, we will talk about the seven steps of the Becoming Your Best Morning Routine. We will go through each one of the steps that will grant you are getting the best out of your days, every day. This routine can take you anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes to perform, and it will allow you to improve your inner strength and clarity. We will discuss the benefits of completing this routine and the science behind every step, and how they will help you enhance your daily performance, your mood, and your overall health.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: The cornerstones of every successful routine and how they work together (1:59) The importance of adequate sleep and rest (5:23) Make your bed. Starting the day with a victory (6:47) Stay hydrated. The benefits of drinking water (8:46) Insulating ourselves from negative forces. Reflect, pray, be grateful (10:03) Growing the hippocampus. Keeping mind and body healthy (11:17) Benefits of setting a positive mind frame (13:48) Planning for what is coming and imagining what might come (16:30)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feedback is a big word in the office. It generally has a bad reputation and it's associated with negative experiences and emotions. But it’s time to start changing this trend because frequent, action-oriented, specific, and timely feedback can do wonders for an organization’s culture. Growing this muscle will help everyone communicate and work together better.  Joining me today is Jill Katz, Founder and Chief Change Officer at Assemble HR Consulting, a boutique Human Resources firm committed to taking leadership to the next level. She is an influencer, speaker, and strategy coach passionate about turning the workplace into a people-focused environment. Jill has over 20 years of a successful career in several industries like retail, fashion, digital technology, media, among many others. She is the creator of the Candor, Courage, and Care model designed to transform how feedback is offered and received at work.   In this episode, we had a fantastic conversation about Jill's journey from working over 60 hours a week to starting her own business. She kindly talked about what made her decide to completely change her life to save her mental and physical health. We also spoke about feedback at work, its importance, and why we should lose our fear of it. She kindly explained the Candor, Courage, and Care model and how we can use it in our daily routines.   If you want to learn more about when and how to offer feedback and the positive impact it can have when appropriately done, tune in to Episode 278 of Becoming Your Best.   Some Questions I Ask: We would love to hear about your background, including any turning points that have impacted you. How did you get to where you are today? (3:29) What are the components of your Candor, Courage, and Care model? How is it used? And why can it be helpful for us? (10:31) Let's say that a person has something that's been burning on them or feels like they should say. Is there a way to make it easier, to be more collaborative than in conflict? (16:21) If I would like to get feedback, what is the best way to ask for feedback from others? (21:01) What are some of the tips that you would give to our listeners to improve communication? (26:09)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: "Having a portfolio career before it was cool." What Jill decided to do differently in her career (5:01) Jill’s passion about changing the way people work (8:35) The Candor, Courage, and Care model explained (10:26) The importance of honesty when giving feedback (16:43) What is a myth and what is real about feedback at work (22:45)  Resources: Assemble HR Consulting website  Connect with Jill: LinkedIn Instagram  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We live in times of heightened cynicism, where people don't believe things at first blush anymore. People, in general, tend to resist new information in a protective response to the countless lies without consequences from politicians or the feeling that behind every conversation, someone is hiding, trying to sell them something. As people feel they can't trust any external sources, they only accept the truth that resonates with them; they adopt the facts that match their identities. Joining us today is Margot Bloomstein, Author, Keynote Speaker, and Content Strategist at Appropiate, Inc. She is a Lecturer in Content Strategy at FH Joanneum, and she offers industry-leading training and consulting at Rosenfeld Media. She holds a BFA in Design and Anthropology from Carnegie Mellon University. Margot is considered one of the leading voices in content strategy of the moment. She published two books, Content Strategy at Work and her recently published, Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap.Margot kindly shared her journey in the content strategy business, how it was to grow simultaneously with the intaernet emerging industry. She talked about the humbling experience of working in an industry in constant development, where there are lots of things to learn every day. Margot brilliantly explained why cynicism grew that much in our society and why people decide to wall themselves from new information. We also discussed what companies can do to overcome the lack of trust in communication. If you want to learn more about communication, lack of trust, and overcoming the wall of cynicism around the audiences, tune in to Episode 277 of Becoming Your Best. Some Questions I Ask:Tell us about your background, including any turning points in your life that's had a significant impact on you. (2:33)Brands use voice, volume, and vulnerability to bring people closer and then drive brand engagement? How does this happen? (7:58)How do we use voice, volume, and vulnerability to overcome that barrier? (18:05)Is there a way for organizations to measure how effective they are right now with voice, volume, and vulnerability to bring their people closer and drive their brand engagement? (24:11)If you have a low return rate and high satisfaction rates, does that mean you're close to communicating in the right way? (26:45)In This Episode, You Will Learn:A humbling experience in an industry in constant growth (6:35)Companies need to rebuild trust and confidence (10:18)What happens when no new information is accepted (13:43)How can the 3 V's - voice, volume, and vulnerability - help a business to grow trust (18:39)Why vulnerability is considered a strength, not a weakness (29:10)Resources:Appropiate, Inc. WebsiteBook: Margot Bloomstein - Content Strategy at Work: Real-world Stories to Strengthen Every Interactive ProjectBook: Margot Bloomstein - Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust GapConnect with Margot:LinkedInTwitterBecoming Your Best Resources:Becoming Your Best WebsiteBecoming Your Best University WebsiteBecoming Your Best LibraryEmail: [email protected] Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LeadersBook: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your PerformanceFacebook Group – Conquer Anxiety Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Working fewer hours earning a full-time shift salary sounds like the perfect job for any worker, and it also sounds good from the company's point of view; happier workers producing more in less time. However, it can backlash; workers might consider their job a side hustle, lose connection with the company's values, and leave their jobs regardless of the benefits of shorter working shifts.   In this episode, we talk with Stephan Aarstol, Shark Tank Alum, Founder and CEO of The No Middleman Project, Founder and CEO of Tower Paddle Boards, and Author of The Five Hour Workday. Stephan was named Entrepreneur of the Year, Top 10 Most Influential Business Leaders in San Diego, one of Shark Tank's all-time best investments (Mark Cuban's best) in ABC 20/20 Special, named "World's Best Boss" by Germany's MorgenPost Newspaper, to name some of the more than 20 distinctions worldwide as an entrepreneur.   We talked about his experience participating in ABC's Shark Tank and how that participation on TV helped his business. He kindly shared his learnings while setting the 5 hours workday in his company, what he feels that worked well, and what happened with the things that didn't work at all.   Listen to Episode 276 of Becoming Your Best, to find out the best way to retain high-performing individuals and the biggest takeaways from Stephan’s entrepreneurial experience so far.   Some Questions I Ask: Tell us about your background and how did you get to where you're at today? (2:37) What it was like being on Shark Tank? (6:49) What prompted you to move your company to a five-hour workday? (10:37) What are the lessons you've learned over the years after implementing a shorter workday? (13:18) How did you ultimately find out a shorter workday doesn't make business sense, businesses more profitable and productive, and employees happier, healthier, and more loyal? (17:43)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: How the 5-hour shift idea was born (11:26) Offering freedom and adding pressure to get the expected outcomes (12:29) Money or hours don't retain people (14:28) How being in a show like Shark Tank can leverage a company (22:41) The importance of using productivity tools (27:42)  Resources: Tower Paddle Boards Tower Electric bikes The No Middleman Project Book: Stephan Aarstol - The Five-Hour Workday: Live Differently, Unlock Productivity, and Find Happiness   Connect with Stephan: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To get where we want to be and doing what we love to do, most of us try to figure out what we need to do to reach our goal, and it makes sense; it seems fair to assume that there must be an action plan to follow. The truth is instead of asking ourselves what we need to do, we should ask ourselves who do we need to be, then become that individual. After we achieve that, the actions that will take us to the place we want will flow naturally.   Joining us today is Dre Baldwin, a former Professional Basketball Player, Author of 27 books, YouTube Content Creator, Podcaster, TEDx Speaker, and Owner of Work On Your Game Inc. He is the living proof that a solid mental framework can take anyone anywhere. That discipline, confidence, mental toughness, and personal initiative can turn any person into the best version of themselves, regardless of their age, the moment in their lives, or social condition.  In this episode, Dre kindly shared his fantastic story of how he became a professional basketball player and a pioneer in content creation on YouTube at the same time. Always creating his own opportunities, Dre developed a system to help athletes reach their maximum potential and soon discovered that his system's four principles applied to any aspect of life, not only to sports.   If you want to learn more about where confidence, determination, and a bulletproof mindset can take you, tune in to Episode 275 of Becoming Your Best, and listen to Dre Baldwin's inspiring story.  Some Questions I Ask: Where did you grow up? And how did you end up to where you are now? (2:12) You've talked a little about the Work On Your Game system; how can an everyday person use it? (8:28) How does discipline create confidence? (14:38) What is one of the toughest challenges you've had in life? (17:55) What's the most valuable thing people get from you? (22:41)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Handling resumes in an exposure camp (4:31) Elite athletes' mental tools applied to the business world (6:24) Work On Your Game's four principles (8:35) Systems help discipline and replace will power (12:37) No one can give us initiative; we must take it (20:24)  Resources: Dre Baldwin website Dre All Day Podcast  Connect with Dre: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is hard to find a company more customer-centric than Amazon, not only in America but globally. The company's "obsession" with client satisfaction drives its constant innovation, offering great deals and benefits for its Prime members, relentless price competition policy, efficiency, and sometimes threatening behavior. They see no boundaries, from healthcare to satellites; Amazon is constantly expanding, growing, and competing for a share of the market it lays its eyes on.   Today, I'm joined by Dr. Robin Gaster, Visiting Scholar at George Washington University Institute for Public Policy, President at Incumetrics, and author of the book Behemoth, Amazon Rising. Robin grew up in England; he got his Bachelor's Degree in Politics, Economics, and Philosophy at the University of Oxford. He earned a Master's degree in Philosophy at the University of Kent. Robin moved to America and got his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, in Berkeley.   In this episode, we talk about Robin's latest book's main subject, Amazon. He believes that Amazon is losing billions in internet retail, and he kindly walks us through how he got to that conclusion. We also talked about Amazon's most vital attributes and the bold yet brilliant idea of the Marketplace creation. Robin explained why Amazon is the world's most innovative company, its effects on customers and workers, and the business opportunities that mentality creates. Finally, Robin shared his prediction of what we can expect from the company in the next 5 to 10 years.   If you want to learn more about the company that has the most extraordinary business story of our time, tune in to Episode 274 of Becoming Your Best.  Some Questions I Ask: Could you share any turning points in your life that had a significant impact on you and how did you end up where you are today? (2:57) Why is Amazon losing money in internet retail? (5:10) What are Amazon's five defensive moats? And how do they make Amazon unbeatable? (14:47) Why is Amazon the world's most innovative big company? (24:22) What can we expect from Amazon in the next 10 years and beyond? (28:27)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: How Amazon lost $40 billion in retail operations (5:19) Why Amazon divides revenues into five different segments (10:12) Five keys to Amazon's success (15:12) Amazon doesn't need to profit but to grow (24:21) How Amazon encourages innovation (26:19)  Resources: Incumetrics website Book: Robin Gaster - Behemoth, Amazon Rising: Power and Seduction in the Age of Amazon  Connect with Robin: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While leaders have to be held accountable for their relationship with the people underneath them, both leaders and followers are responsible for the quality of the relationship they develop. Leaders' goal should be to build a solid relationship with the staff members, where there is space to offer feedback without fear of being reprimanded. As long as the employee is not the destructive kind, if they are treated fairly, well remunerated, and not verbally abused by the manager, they'll respond in the best of ways. Productivity and happiness will increase, stress and bad experiences will go down, and the work environment will be healthier.  Joining us today is the brilliant Sherri Malouf, Chair and Principal at Situation Management Systems Inc, Ph.D. in Human Development, and author. She also has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Law from the University of Plymouth and a Master's in Philosophy from the University of Bath. At SMS Inc, they teach to successfully handle lateral, upward, and downward influence situations without getting positional power involved. Their focus is on helping people be authentic and successful when working with others.  Sherri kindly shares her knowledge and expertise on building stronger and healthier relationships between leaders and followers. She explains how good relationships between managers and employees translate into engagement, productivity, and satisfaction growth. We also talk about her theory on how idealized images of leaders and followers in our minds will lead us to make automatic, unconscious decisions about who's worthy of our time and who’s not.   If you want to better understand the leader-follower dynamics and how to enhance your experiences at the workplace, tune in to Episode 273 of Becoming Your Best and listen to Sherri's beautiful insights.   Some Questions Asked: You have a new book coming out about the science behind the leader-follower relationship. Can you tell us a little about the book? (5:19) How do you help somebody that is misusing their power in an organization? (9:52)  What actions should the followers take to strengthen their relationship with their boss? (15:02) How do you help people get in this frame of mind? To create a positive plan, get things on track, and rather than blame to take control of the things they can control? (17:56) What is the science behind the leader-follower relationships? (22:57)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Some of the turning points that led to Sherri's realization: there are always ways to grow and evolve (2:54) People don't leave their jobs; they leave managers (6:59) Leaders have to be held accountable for the relationship with people underneath them (10:08) The secret to a strong, healthy leader-follower relationship (13:56) Who's responsible for having an excellent manager-employee relationship (16:22) Every person requires something different from their leaders (22:29)  Resources: Situation Management Systems Inc website Situation Management Systems Inc Twitter Book: Sherri Malouf, Wally Bock - Science and the Leader-Follower Relationship: The Implicit Social Elements  Connect with Sherri: LinkedIn Twitter Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What we want, what we need to do to achieve it, and the way we organize our schedule to meet our expectations are intimately connected. Without a clear direction, planning and reaching isolated goals is hard to do. But with the right vision and prioritizing our time correctly, we can achieve much more in our lives.  In this episode, we will talk about the book we’re preparing to launch on May 18th, Do What Matters Most, and its life-changing content. This book is mandatory reading for those struggling to prioritize their time, and for those who are usually overwhelmed solving the urgent and never having time for the important. We will give you a preview of the book, and we will explain briefly the three life-changing habits the book dances around.   In this book, you will learn the importance of having a written personal vision, personal and professional roles and goals, and regular and consistent planning of your weeks. This will lead you into a more intentional existence, making reaching your life goals not a dream but a measurable, achievable purpose.   If you want to know more about Do What Matters Most, tune in to Episode 272 of Becoming Your Best and learn how to change your life by adding three habits into your daily routine.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: Tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us; we need to have a meaningful life starting today (2:02) We all have the desire to make a difference. The good news is we have the tools to do it (5:20) Discipline: doing the right thing at the right time, regardless of how we feel about it (10:12) The Do What Matters Most Matrix (11:02) What is a written personal vision, and why it is so essential (14:44) Why should we have clear roles and goals (19:08) Scheduling priorities instead of prioritizing our schedule (23:30)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Book: Do What Matters Most - Pre-order Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes we attack an urgent problem without putting too much thinking into our action plan, and even when we solve the issue, we end up having a negative outcome in the long term. This could be the result of forgetting one of the seven universal laws, the cause and effect law; every action is bound to a reaction.   In this episode, we talk about the parable of the stick. Some time ago, a friend gifted me this unique stick with some inscriptions on it, designed to remind us that we embrace our acts' consequences when we decide to do something.   When we consider our next steps, having this idea in mind will allow us to see the big picture, having a smaller error margin. It will also show us the path to the place we want to be. We must consider the result of our actions, who those results would affect, and how. We should also consider other ways to solve our problems, contemplating the alternatives and their outcomes.   If you want to know more about the parable of the stick and what it can teach us, tune in to Episode 271 of Becoming Your Best and learn to be mindful today of the results you will get tomorrow.  In This Episode, You Will Learn: A very unique stick (00:56) The kid in the shopping cart situation (3:28) Three different styles of people and what they can achieve (6:57) Taking the time to know people's stories, to understand their point B of the stick (10:32) A funny example of how our point B might look like, based on what we do in point A (17:33) The dreamers of the day are dangerous (23:17)  Resources: Book: Ron Chernow - Alexander Hamilton  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The perception most of us have about being fit is to look in a certain way, which turns our journey’s starting point into not liking what we see in the mirror. Eating healthy food and exercising will feel like punishment, like something we must do to repair our “damaged” bodies.   This reasoning's main flaw is thinking that happiness will touch us when we get the "perfect" body, and it's not true. Happiness is found in the journey to be fit; knowing that eating healthy is not a punishment but a demonstration of love, exercising is taking care of ourselves. The transformational trip into fitness must be made from loving ourselves.   Joining me today is Drew Manning, a health and fitness expert, author of the NY Times Best Selling book, Fit2Fat2Fit, and the creator of the A&E Show Fit to Fat to Fit. He is also the host of The Fit2Fat2Fit Experience podcast. In 2011, Drew decided to do the risky experiment of gaining weight to experience first-hand overweight people's experience on their journey to being fit; he gained over 70 pounds. Ten years later, now in his forties, Drew is at it again; this time, he gained 62 pounds that he will try to lose in his new experience, Fit to Fat to Forty.  In this episode, we talked about Drew's unique perspective on fitness and being healthy. He explained how his experiments helped him approach fitness coaching from a more empathetic viewpoint, making him more comprehensive about people's struggles. We also talked about our emotions' central role in losing weight and the difference loving ourselves can make when being fit is our goal.   If you want to know more about the secrets of being happy and fit at the same time, tune in to Episode 270 of Becoming Your Best and let Drew change your approach to a healthy life.   Some Questions I Ask: Can you give our listeners a little bit of background, who you are, how this journey started, and where you're at right now today? (1:42) What was the most challenging part of this journey so far, especially this time in your forties? (7:49) You've talked about empathy and other things; what are some of the lessons learned that you've got along this line? (12:27) What are two or three specific starting points? Or things that people can do that would have a significant impact on their health? (16:45) What is Keto? What are its advantages, benefits, things that people need to be thinking about if they're serious about starting Keto? (23:07)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: The reasons behind the Fit2Fat2Fit experiment and its teachings (1:54) Drew's getting humbled during part II of his experiment (6:58) Where people get stuck when they are trying to lose weight (9:40) The pursue of happiness vs. the perfect body (13:02) Working on small habits to make a huge difference (17:16) Keto in a nutshell (23:18)  Resources: Fit2Fat2Fit website The Fit to Fat to Fit Experience Podcast Book: Drew Manning - Fit2Fat2Fit: The Unexpected Lessons From Gaining and Losing 75 lbs on Purpose Book: Drew Manning - Complete Keto: A Guide To Transform Your Body and Your Mind for Life Book: Claire Weekes - Hope and Help for Your Nerves  Connect with Drew: LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being true to character is one of the most rewarding principles of highly successful leaders. While honesty and integrity might lead to sometimes recognizing a mistake and eventually losing a client, at the end of the day, the other side of the coin brings you the fulfilling feeling of having done the right thing. There’s nothing like looking your spouse in the eye and letting them know you are doing your best at being honest and ethical, regardless of the consequences.   Today's guest is Mark Holland, CEO and Chairman of Ascend Staffing, one of the largest light industrial and non-clinical hospital staffing companies in the US, and among the world's largest. He founded Ascend HR Solutions in 1995, and five years later, the company was listed #17 in Inc. Magazine's 500 list, and has been included in the Utah 100 nine out of ten years in a row. Mark served as Vice-Chair of the Utah State University Board of Trustees; he also received the highest award given from the Huntsman School of Business in 2018, the Distinguished Executive Alumnus award. He served as a Board Member for the Children's Center, Single Moms’ Foundation, and he is an active member of his community and the church where he resides.   In this episode, we talked about the power of networking and how easy it is to take a step in the wrong direction when we are not surrounded by like-minded people. He shared some of the key lessons he learned throughout his extensive career and what it means to have integrity and be true to ourselves in our professional lives.   If you want to know more about taking educated risks and being willing to fail, tune in to Episode 269 of Becoming Your Best and listen to Mark's masterclass on leadership, honesty, and integrity.   Some Questions Asked: What are the things that bring you the greatest happiness in life? (3:35) What are some of the critical lessons learned that you've had that have helped you and your business be successful? (4:26) How can you be true to your own character, and how can you stand up for what you believe? (8:55) How can our listeners create a forum of friends that are sounding boards? And what's the value of that from your point of view? (13:03) I know that your clients are really loyal to you, and you have a close relationship. What makes that work? (17:49) What are two or three of your biggest lessons learned in life? And what experiences taught you those lessons? (21:58)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: The power of networking and associating with the right people (4:50) Taking educated risks and being willing to fail (7:14) Doing the right thing and letting the consequences follow (10:12) The value of standing up for what we believe (11:03) The perks of having a family-oriented company (16:10) The importance of ensuring everyone has a voice that it is heard (20:10)  Resources for Ascend Staffing Website LinkedIn Glassdoor Facebook Twitter Indeed  Connect with Mark: LinkedIn Facebook  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leadership is a journey, and the obstacle we find more often in our path is no other than ourselves. As leaders, we need to be mindful of our attitude, steady in our judgment, and make tough decisions thinking of the greater good. Leadership offers many challenges that can be quickly sorted out with proper planning and choosing a culture by design over one by default.   Joining us today is Jody Richards, President at Process Technology, winner of the 2020 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award, certified Supply Chain Professional, Production and Inventory Management, and mom. We had an inspiring conversation about how it is for her to juggle parenthood and running a massive company, the importance of having a culture by design in a company, and having employees aligned with its values. We also talked about what the Entrepreneur Of The Year award represented to her and its impact on her team.    If you want to know more about this inspiring woman and get some tips for refocusing your mind and changing your usual thinking patterns, tune in to Episode 268 of Becoming Your Best and hear what Jody has to say about leadership, decisions, and goals.  Some Questions I Ask: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? (2:28) How was the experience of winning the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award? (4:25) What are some things that made Process Technology successful? (8:44) If you look back at maybe one or two coolest experiences through your life, what would they be? (16:40) How do you juggle between running a company and having a family life with two babies? (22:06)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: The decision-making process when people don’t align with the company's values (8:25) The importance of following a direction while making decisions (13:05) Jody's most remarkable experiences along the way (16:52) Some of Jody's pro tips for 2021 (24:38)  Resources: Process Technology website  Connect with Jody: LinkedIn  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Research shows that more than 90% of the 40 to 60,000 thoughts a human brain produces per day are repetitive. Also, it was proved that 70 to 80% of those repetitive thoughts tend to be negative. If we add to this that the human being is a creature of habit, we can see how easy it is for our minds to get stuck into a vicious loop of negative thoughts.   In this episode, we want to give you three easy tips to disrupt our thinking patterns and avoid falling into a negative thinking loop. The main objective of these three simple activities is to exercise the brain and prevent its atrophy. The brain needs to be tested and continuously stimulated to keep its good shape and perfect functioning, just like any other muscle.   If you want to experiment the possibilities of a fertile mind capable of conceiving ideas ignoring the constraints that limit our thoughts daily, tune in to Episode 267 of Becoming Your Best and take note of these three useful tips.   In This Episode, You Will Learn: What the science can teach us about our brain (4:01) The kind of thoughts we have during the day (5:20) Three ways of disrupting our thoughts (7:20) How has this thought served you? (10:59) Avoiding brain atrophy (12:40) Innovating new ways of living our life by design (17:38)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Book: Do What Matters Most: Lead with a Vision, Manage with a Plan, and Prioritize Your Time - Pre-order Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The human mind has infinite fuel to create millions of thoughts, yet it can concentrate only on one at a time. When we find a challenge in our way, we can either focus all our energy on that particular problem or step back and see the easiest way to solve it and keep thinking about our primary goal.  Joining me today is John Fitzpatrick, President, and CEO of Force Marketing, a company dedicated to transforming the brand-to-consumer buying experience in the automotive business. We talked about his personal and professional life, why he gets involved in philanthropic activities, and how he handles the onboarding process to newcomers in his company. We also talked about keeping the trust meter healthy in business and how the pandemic affected the industry.  If you want to know the benefits of living a grateful and intentional life and the importance of being aware of our roles and goals all the time, tune in to Episode 266 of Becoming Your Best and hear what John has to say about all these topics.  Some Questions I Ask: What are some of the things you've seen that have helped you and others succeed? (03:15) What impact have you seen gratitude had in your life? (06:12) What would you give as one or two pieces of advice to a person starting out with your company? (10:19) What's one or two lessons learned through life that you would like to pass on to your kids? (13:24) What's one of the biggest challenges that you've ever experienced in your life? (17:32)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: John's simple philosophy that guides his life (3:55) Stepping back and being grateful (7:03) The importance of understanding our role and how can we help others (10:30) Getting to the destination, and then going further (15:39) When obstacles block the goal (22:55) Being intentional with our gratitude (25:26)  Resources: Force Marketing Book:  Don Miguel Ruiz - The Four Agreements  Connect with John: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected] Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sleep is one of the most important tools for living a healthy life – and leveraging its benefits by following some simple, yet crucial, principles should be a priority for everyone.   In today's episode, Joe Ojile, founder, CEO, and Medical Director of the Clayton Sleep Institute talks about the importance of a healthy relationship with our sleeping time and how it affects our daily performance. He also explains why sleep is a health promotion tool, and he gives away some easy-to-detect cues to know if we have a sleeping problem. Joe also shares unique insights about life, forgiveness, and happiness.   If you want to know how a good night’s sleep can help you excel in your daily routine, what is social jetlag, and why Joe thinks that happiness is the most underrated daily activity, tune into Episode 265 of Becoming Your Best and listen to Joe's masterclass about the health of mind and body.   Some Questions I Ask: Could you tell our audience a little bit about yourself? (2:00) When it comes to sleep, what are some things that everyone should know and may not be aware of? (5:45) How do travels to other timezones back and forth affect our circadian rhythm? (9:30) Are you supposed to drink water or not drink water? And melatonin, is it right to take it before sleeping? (14:24) What are some cues that people should be looking for to get professional help regarding their sleep? (17:34) If you could share two or three life lessons, what would those be? (23:18)  In This Episode, You Will Learn: Why we sleep, and how it helps us during the day (6:50) What is the circadian rhythm and how it works (10:38) How we create social jetlag. (13:12) How melatonin is helpful when traveling in a timezone that’s ahead of yours. (16:28) The sky is the limit when you surround yourself with high character people. (25:06) The importance of forgiveness (26:30) Three things to do every day. (33:05)  Connect with Joe: LinkedIn Twitter  Resources: Website: Clayton Sleep Institute LinkedIn: Clayton Sleep Institute  Facebook: Clayton Sleep Institute   Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leaders are responsible for dealing with difficult times, but that doesn't mean every leader will find the best answers. Last year, a hard-times making machine put every leader's abilities to deal with adversity to the test.  Today's guest, Mike Choutka, President and CEO of Hensel Phelps, based his strategy to cope with tough times on momentum, the perpetual motion. He went to the fundamentals and succeeded with two simple principles. First, maintain the company's momentum. Fortify what's already working. And second, create new momentum, new ideas to trigger that impulse. He also shares his thoughts on what attributes a good leader should have and valuable advice from his more than 25 years of experience in the building industry.   If you want to know what is expected from a good leader, the relevance of having a well-balanced life and being well rounded, and much more, tune into Episode 264 of Becoming Your Best and listen to the story of this flawless leader.   Some questions I ask: What does it take to move up in an organization like this? (5:45) What would you say to someone who's looking for something positive to take into 2021? (9:24) If you had to share some advice with our listeners, one of your biggest lessons learned through life, what would you share? (19:17) If you had your kids in a room, and you could share with them one piece of advice, what would that be for them? (23:20)  In this episode, you will learn: The role of good fortune, opportunity, availability, and ability in Mike's career (6:08) Learning the lessons from hard times (11:15) Momentum will be key in 2021 (17:51) Empathetic leaders are the solution (19:17) How a balanced life affects people's productivity at work (26:00)  Connect with Mike: Linkedin  Resources: Hensel Phelps website Hensel Phelps Facebook Hensel Phelps Twitter Hensel Phelps Linkedin Hensel Phelps Instagram  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]  Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year we were forced to pivot from in-person meetings to more virtual gatherings, whether in our personal or our professional lives. People who weren’t familiar with video conferencing platforms had to adapt quickly and to learn the insides of this communication medium – which for many, it wasn’t an easy thing to do.   Our guest today – Kim Foley – quickly noticed a growing need for people to learn the proper etiquette for virtual meetings so that they can show up with more credibility in front of their listeners. She documented all the pain points people had when it came to being in front of a camera and she gathered them in her book, “Virtual Meetings with Power and Presence”. She shares her expertise gained in more than 25 years as an award-winning producer, media trainer, television stylist, as well as practices and practical guidelines for putting forth your personal best.   If you want to know how to deal with technical challenges such as poor internet connection or audio quality, how to frame and light yourself for an attractive presentation in less-than-ideal circumstances, and a lot more, then tune into Episode 263 of Becoming Your Best and find out all the tips and tricks that will make you a virtual meeting superstar!   Some questions I ask:  Can you, please, tell us your story and what led you to where you are today? (05:37) What are some things we need to be aware of when we think of virtual meeting etiquette? (10:33) What kind of equipment people should have for a really high-quality exchange in a virtual meeting? (15:28) If people don’t like how they look on camera, how can they fix that? (17:08) What are your thoughts on multitasking while you’re in a virtual meeting? (21:58) Do you have any final tips for our listeners? (24:15)  In this episode, you will learn:  The most important role a television stylist has. (06:39) The reason Kim wrote her book, “Virtual Meetings with Power and Presence”. (08:21) When you should turn your camera off in virtual meetings. (11:20) What your body language should be in virtual meetings. (12:56) How to look fantastic on camera by paying attention to lighting. (16:08) The colors you should wear when showing up on video. (19:14) How to interact with the camera when you’re talking in a virtual meeting. (22:50)  Connect with Kim:  Website LinkedIn Email: [email protected] Facebook Instagram Youtube Channel Book: Kim Foley - Virtual Meetings With Power And Presence: The Ultimate Guide To Online Meetings  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is not uncommon for people, after they’ve suffered an accident or a traumatic injury, to end up addicted to painkillers. They can become your best friend because, as the name says, they numb your pain and make it go away. But at the same time, they can be your worst enemy, leading you to a downward spiral that can affect your entire life and relationships.   In today’s episode, Max shares his story of becoming addicted to opiates and he vividly details his rollercoaster journey, going from a successful quarterback career to the lowest point in his life and to where he is now, sober and happy.   Max Hall is a former American football quarterback. After playing college football for BYU, he was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played in a total of six games as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Arizona Cardinals. Max also spent the 2012 year as an assistant coach for BYU. After suffering some injuries on the playing field, his life took a hard turn when he became addicted to painkillers and opiates.   His story is full of ups and downs, and he’s overcome the addiction challenge after six years of fighting with it. Max is now sharing his experiences, in the hope that other people suffering from addiction will be inspired by his journey. So, tune in and listen to Episode 262 of Becoming Your Best, to find out some great lessons Max has learned throughout his life, that may inspire you to overcome the challenges in your journey.  Some Questions I ask:  What was it like being the quarterback at BYU? (02:05) What are some of your favorite memories of your time at BYU? (05:11) What was your experience like, going to Arizona Cardinals? (08:04) What led you back out of that addiction into where you are today? (17:23) What would be the biggest one or two life lessons or tips that you would share with someone? (32:46)  In this episode, you will learn:  The game that changed Max’s life trajectory. (10:46) How Max got addicted to painkillers and opiates. (13:34) The lowest point in Max’s life. (19:27) Max’s experience of getting sober in a rehab center. (23:40) The most important lesson people with an addiction need to learn. (27:29) How giving second chances can help turn someone’s life around. (28:37)  Connect with Max: Twitter Instagram  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year has been a roller coaster full of unexpected turns. But 2020 is just about to end, and what we need to ask ourselves is, “How will I go into 2021 focused, ready, and aligned with my inner self so that it can be a great year, regardless of what comes?”   Focusing on what matters most empowers you because now your attention goes to the things that are within your control, your sphere of influence, instead of being taken aback by the unexpected events that are not in your power to change.  In this episode, the final one of 2020, we’re going to share with you the three habits that will make 2021 your best year. These habits are ever-green and they have proven time and again to be powerful for the people that constantly apply them. And you can see the results for yourself with a little discipline needed to follow our advice today.  So, listen to Episode 261 of Becoming Your Best, to learn how developing a vision, writing clear goals, and doing pre-week planning can help you stay laser-focused on doing what matters most. We guarantee you that they will improve your relationships, your professional life, as well as have a positive impact on your personal self.  In this episode, you will learn:  Why 85% of New Year’s resolutions are broken by January 15th. (01:36) The Five Predictors of Longevity. (05:25) How to develop a personal vision that focuses on what matters most to you. (06:09) The power of written goals. (10:48) How to word clear goals so that they last past January 15th. (11:54) The importance of pre-week planning. (16:36) The four steps of pre-week planning to correctly shift out of reactivity and into proactivity. (18:20) Our definition of ‘discipline’. (21:41) A couple of examples of people who’ve done the pre-week planning and how that impacted their life. (22:26)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christmas is a really special holiday and a wonderful time of year. It is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus of Bethlehem. What an extraordinary night! A gift unlike any other has been given to us - one that filled the earth with greater love, forgiveness, and eternal hope.   Throughout history, there have been many wonderful stories that have helped us understand the lasting impact Christmas has on each and every one of us, stories that teach us to be grateful for the acts of love and consideration that we receive, and in turn, to do small, quiet acts of kindness for others.   In this episode, we wanted to share with you two of these stories that happened in 1938 and 1914 – how Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was born, and the World War One Christmas Truce. Both of them show the true great meaning of Christmas and can serve as encouragement for us to do good this holiday season, in any way that we can.   Listen to Episode 260 of Becoming Your Best, to get your dose of happiness for the day. We wish you all a Merry Christmas!  In this episode, you will learn:  How stories of hope and encouragement make the world a better place. (01:50) The story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the lessons we can learn from it. (03:40) The World War One Christmas Truce. (08:03) Steve’s message for everyone that’s listening. (14:38)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world.” – Margaret Mead  Imagine what would happen if everyone did these four things: control what they can control, build and maintain trust, become better listeners and communicators, and last but not least, innovate through their imagination. How much more effective would they be? What impact would that have on our society?  Building these principles and practices into your life melts away frustration, distrust, anger, and hatred, and they replace those with vision, peace, hope, calmness, and love. In today’s episode, we are going to suggest four things that you can do to create greater trust, stronger relationships, and hope that produces permanent positive change.  Listen to Episode 259 of Becoming Your Best, to learn how you can start to apply these principles today and see an immediate effect on those around you. And remember! You CAN make a difference by focusing on what you can control and living a principled life.   In this episode, you will learn: The insights from David Brooks’ article, “America is Having a Moral Convulsion”. (02:03) The importance of focusing on what you can control. (13:08) How to build and maintain trust. (15:23) The two parts of being an effective listener and communicator. (18:20) The power to innovate through imagination. (21:37)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we go into the holiday season, especially this year with COVID-19 preventing us from getting together with our families, most people find that they’re experiencing higher stress levels than ever before.   That’s why, in today’s episode, we thought it would be great to have our dear friend, Jon Skidmore, with us to talk about some of the challenges that are associated with this time of year and how we can make a great experience out of this year’s Christmas time. We dive into what traditions mean to us in general and why the increased level of expectations can create additional stress in our lives, as well as why we need to set certain boundaries around some of the traditions that bring more anxiety than fulfillment. Jon stresses the importance of relationships and why we should prioritize them, and he describes how we can change our narrative by playing the ‘Yes, and’ game.   Jon Skidmore is a licensed psychologist, professor at Brigham Young University, therapist, and he’s had the chance to work with thousands of people over the years. Jon co-wrote a book with us, called ‘Conquer Anxiety’, and he has some amazing insight around this topic, especially now, when the holidays are knocking on our doors.   You are in for a treat today, so listen to Episode 258 of Becoming Your Best, to learn how you can better cope with the stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 and 2020’s holiday season.   Some questions I ask: What are you seeing in the landscape right now, as far as stress and anxiety with the holidays coming up? (03:12) What are some of the things that people can specifically do to minimize anxiety and stress this month? (08:42) Any other thoughts on traditions? (17:04) Any final thoughts or tips that you have, as we go into the next three or four weeks of December here? (22:04)  In this episode, you will learn: The importance of prioritizing the relationships in our lives and staying connected with the people we care about. (05:43) How to rewrite the stories you tell yourself. (10:17) Why you should set boundaries around the traditions that are stressful to you. (11:58) The rule of thumb for this holiday season and the ones that follow. (15:27) The ‘Yes, and’ rule. (19:22) What the book “Conquer Anxiety” can teach you in terms of reducing the stress around this particular time. (22:56)  Connect with Jon: LinkedIn Website Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever thought about what part of your consumers’ brain you’re targeting through your marketing campaigns?   One thing that might be useful to you is knowing that most of the time, people buy based on their instincts and not their logic. To be more exact, up to 95% of the time, your consumers’ choice to buy is influenced by factors that they are not aware of. So, getting to the bottom of why they are buying and what drives their decisions, is what you really need to focus on, in order to get more people purchasing what you offer.  In today’s episode, we are joined by Felix Cao, the founder of Happy Buying Brain – a neuromarketing company. He is a neuromarketing and a business growth strategist and at his organization, he is combining his 15 years of business experience with his educational background in biological science and psychology to help businesses truly understand what makes their customers’ brains tick when it comes to better achieving customer brand loyalty over their competitors, through the power of implementing neuromarketing into their own marketing campaigns.   So, listen to Episode 257 of Becoming Your Best, to learn what neuromarketing is and what advantages it has over traditional marketing, as well as how you can understand and leverage how our consumers’ minds work.  Some questions I ask: What is your background? What are some turning points that have had a significant impact on you? (03:30) What is neuromarketing? (07:47) Can you give us a case study of an organization, a product, or a service that may be approached by a traditional marketing approach, and how would you transform it, making it neuromarketing? (09:27) How can neuromarketing – or at least having a strong understanding of neuroscience – help people become the best version of themselves? (11:47) Why should high performers learn about neuromarketing or neuroscience and the importance of understanding this primal brain and reaching new heights of success? (15:37) What are some distinct advantages that neuromarketing and neuroscience offer to help people adapt and evolve in this new environment that we’re in? (20:01) Any final tips you’d like to leave with our listeners today, Felix? (23:31)  In this episode, you will learn: How Happy Buying Brain was born. (06:10) The difference between traditional marketing and neuromarketing. (08:45) How neuromarketing addresses our primal brain. (10:12) How the fear of getting rejected prevents us from becoming the best versions of ourselves. (13:38) The resources you can use to learn about the different dimensions of the primal brain. (17:58) The role NLP plays in neuromarketing. (18:57) How to increase the effectiveness of brand messaging. (22:01)  Connect with Felix:  LinkedIn Website  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fast pace of life tends to make us feel we need to rush through every moment so that we can keep up with it. If we let ourselves get caught up in this whirlwind, we might find out, near the end of our lives that we missed so many beautiful opportunities that could have helped us become our best.   One thing highly successful people and leaders do, is allowing themselves to take the time to pause, take a step back, and reflect upon their lives, their careers, their relationships, and their actions. Research shows that taking 15 minutes to reflect each day, improves your productivity by 22.8%.   So, instead of hustling day after day, wouldn’t it be easier to handle life with ease and grace? We sure like the second option, and that’s why, in today’s episode, we thought of sharing with you four steps that you can take, in order to have a quality reflection time. You will learn what is the impact reflection can have on your life, when should you best sit down and reflect, and some useful tools that can help you in this process.   So, listen to Episode 256 of Becoming Your Best, to learn how to leverage the power of reflection!  In this episode, you will learn:  How taking the time to reflect upon your life helps you in the process of becoming your best. (01:50) Some use cases that prove the power reflection has in our lives. (03:48) How the 52-Week Success Rhythm program offers great perspective and time to reflect. (05:50) Some suggestions on when to take the time to reflect upon the past, present, and future. (07:11) The importance of maintaining a positive upbeat outlook when you’re reflecting. (11:30) How writing down your thoughts gives you great insights into your life. (12:23) How to begin to take action after you’ve paused and reflected. (13:48) The impact of regularly taking time to reflect. (15:01)    Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 The firefighter departments in our country have been dealing with inclusivity and diversion issues for such a long time! Throughout decades, the average number of black people or women joining the forces has been on the low side of the scale, but things are starting to change!   Our guest today, Russell Grant Hayden - the Founder and President of the Firefighter’s ABC’s- although his initial life trajectory didn’t point to being a firefighter, has been given the chance to join this world in the late ‘60s, and became the first Black hired by the Los Altos Fire Department. Since then, he’s helped countless young people of all backgrounds join the endless fight against fires.   His motto is “Reach out and touch someone else” and he encourages everyone to help others in need because the ripple effect of every small act of kindness toward one person can make a difference on thousands of other individuals!   Listen to Episode 255 of Becoming Your Best to find out his background story – which is one full of hope for many individuals that find themselves in rough places – as well as to learn what Firefighter’s ABC’s is all about and how you can join their cause of bringing more diversity into this amazing and noble field.  Some questions I ask:  Grant, tell us about your background – what led you to where you are today? (04:15) What are some of the experiences you’ve had, that have been inspirational for you, where you’ve seen real progress? (05:46) What are some tips you could give us, to be more successful and to make a difference? (13:47)  In this episode, you will learn:  The diversity & inclusion issues within the firefighter departments throughout the country. (05:46)  How one person changed Grant’s life by introducing him to the Student Firefighter Program. (06:31) The ripple effect of small acts of kindness. (08:37) The struggles Grant had to go through, as the only black man in his firefighter department & His motto in life. (10:38) How Firefighter’s ABC’s is preparing the youth to become more well-rounded and able to deal with life. (11:48) How you can join the Firefighter’s ABC’s. (16:13)  Connect with Grant:  Firefighter’s ABC’s Website LinkedIn Facebook Page Instagram Twitter  Youtube Channel  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s amazing what a business can do for its clients when it has a clear vision, a purpose, and a why! But keeping tabs on everything that’s going on in a company is pretty difficult! That’s why it’s crucial to learn easy but yet quite significant tactics that help you stay focused on your end goal.   Today, we have a delightful guest with us - Jennifer Goldman. With over 30 years of experience in transforming small and mid-sized businesses, she coaches leaders on business management techniques and consults on operations infrastructure improvements that boost people, productivity, profitability, and growth. She is going to share with us some of her tips that she uses both in her life, and with her clients also, that have proven to be successful for any individual or company.   Jennifer has been published in Inc. Magazine, Tech Tools for Today, Liberated CEO, and several other magazines, and has taught workshops and spoken at several national conferences. Her love is helping businesses thrive and embrace operational changes so that they can help more consumers. As a volunteer, she advocates for public schools, and in her personal life, she is a loving wife, and mother of two teenagers.  Listen to Episode 254 of Becoming Your Best, to learn more about ways to prioritize your improvements, protect your time, and boost your growth in your personal and professional life.   Some questions I ask:  What is your story? And what are some turning points in your life that have had a significant impact on what you’re doing today? (03:30) How do you help prioritize all possible business improvements to create the biggest impact? (06:12) How have you found the best way to say no? (12:43) Do you have any advice on how to be the best leader for your team during the pandemic? (15:58) What role does modern technology play for a leader? (17:22) How do you help businesses to boost their growth? (21:04)  In this episode, you will learn:  How Jennifer switched from being a financial planner to business owners to becoming a business owner and consulting other people. (05:09) How to determine what your priorities are. (07:23) The importance of having a plan written down. (09:41) The art of saying no and protecting your time. (11:36) The IDEOS mantra that helps you reduce your workload and free up your time. (14:08) Why you should have a scheduling system & the tools that can help you. (19:35) The importance of focusing on your niche and finding your audience. (22:25)  Connect with Jennifer:  LinkedIn Website  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we’re faced with difficult situations, we have a choice: to let fear dictate our emotions and our decision-making or to have faith that everything we’re experiencing is part of a bigger plan, the blueprint that is set for each and every one of us.   We may not know all the answers - actually, we never know all the unknowns in a life equation – but trusting and believing that God takes care of us is the differentiator that can help us overcome any challenges. So, go forward with faith!  In this episode, we share with you some personal experiences that we’ve gone through over the past few years, and the lessons we’ve learned – and continue to learn – from them. Listen to Episode 253 of Becoming Your Best to find out why it’s important to focus on what we can control and have faith for the things that are out of our ability to understand.   In this episode, you will learn: The two forces in the world, that cannot coexist. (03:00) An example that shows the importance of going forward with faith, even if you don’t have all the answers. (05:00) How to focus on the things you can control when you’re faced with difficult moments in your life. (08:28) How to view every challenge through the lens of, “There is a God, and there is a plan”, instead of making fear-based decisions. (11:19)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How many emails and text messages do you write in a day? And how good are you at communicating exactly what you want, including your emotions and your tone?  We’ve all gotten used to this digital environment that for the past few decades allowed us to easily communicate and connect with people all over the world. LinkedIn messages, emails, text messages, Slack messages, you name it! All of these are convenient and have dramatically improved our productivity.   Although all these communication channels prove to be helpful in our day-to-day life, they have a major downside as well. With all this digital anonymity - where we’re hiding behind some written words - and especially in the last couple of decades with the rise in powerful and inexpensive automation tools, we’ve begun to lose the human touch.   Luckily, our guest today and BombBomb, the company he works for, are coming up with a solution to rehumanize our businesses and our online relationships. What they’ve been proposing for a decade now in their growing community, is to replace some of our plain, typed-out text with simple, personal video messages. It’s more satisfying and more effective for us, and people feel as if they know us before they even meet us.   Ethan Beute is Chief Evangelist at BombBomb, co-author of the book ‘Rehumanize Your Business’, and host of the Customer Experience Podcast. Prior to joining BombBomb, he spent a dozen years leading marketing teams inside local television stations in Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Colorado Springs.   Listen to Episode 252 of Becoming Your Best, to learn all about the relationship through video approach and how it can help you boost your sales, make lifelong connections with your clients, as well as the invaluable support videos can offer in your relationships with your employees or friends.  Some questions I ask: What’s your story? And how did you get to where you are today? (04:01) What’s the best way to get started with this relationship through video approach? (12:12) When might people use this style of video? (18:03) How many video clips do you do in a day, or a week, or a month, or during a year? (22:50) What’s the average length of one of your video clips? (24:49) Any final tips you’d like to leave our listeners with, today? (27:40)  In this episode, you will learn: Ethan’s experience of working as a bus driver in the late ‘90s. (06:30) What BombBomb is and does for its clients. (08:52) Why videos are important for your business. (10:27) How videos allow us to restore the personal, human touch in a digital world. (15:41) The best times to use video to communicate a message. (18:03) The role videos play in non-verbal communication, as opposed to typed-out messages. (25:51)  Connect with Ethan: LinkedIn  Website Email: [email protected] Book: Ethan Beute - Rehumanize Your Business: How Personal Videos Accelerate Sales and Improve Customer Experience Podcast: Customer Experience  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve listened to our podcast long enough, you know that we often talk about people, culture, and strategy. The reason we put so much emphasis on these three words is because they are crucial to a company’s success.   The culture you create right from the get-go in an organization is the fuel that helps all the other things run smoothly. According to our guest today, it’s the DNA of any organization, and treating it with the utmost importance and creating a strategy for it just like you would do in your financial department, can surely take you far.   In today’s episode, our guest is Jason Richmond – the CEO and founder of Ideal Outcomes Inc., and the author of the book, “Culture Spark: 5 Steps to Ignite and Sustain Organizational Growth”. He is a business executive with more than 25 years of experience, and an in-demand keynote speaker who has worked closely with Fortune 500 leadership teams all around the country.   We dive deep into what it means an organizational culture, what you should focus on in terms of corporate culture, what are some myths around this topic, and what are the 5 steps toward sustained organizational growth. Listen to Episode 251 of Becoming Your Best, to learn the fundamentals that help your team become their best and thrive.   Questions I ask: What’s your story? How did you get to where you are today? (04:55) How do you define organizational culture? (07:54) Why having the right kind of corporate culture is so important? (09:35) What are some common myths about corporate culture and the impact they have on business? (12:14) What impact did COVID-19 have on culture? (20:16) Any final tips you’d like to leave our listeners with? (24:31)  In this episode, you will learn:  The one thing that’s consistent in every high-performance culture. (03:28) One turning point in Jason’s career. (05:52) The six fundamentals that are defining an organizational culture. (08:15) The role ‘culture influencers’ have in a company. (11:05) The first step to creating a strong organizational culture. (14:33) How to diagnose your company’s culture. (16:50) How to measure your culture. (18:49)  Connect with Jason:  LinkedIn Facebook Page Ideal Outcomes Inc. website Email: [email protected]  Book: Jason Richmond – Culture Spark: 5 Steps to Ignite and Sustain Organizational Growth  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When was the last time you said ‘no’ when something big was at stake? We bet it wasn’t easy, but it was liberating at the same time!  For the majority of people saying ‘no’ can be quite challenging. Whether you’re dating someone and you just don’t feel it’s right, or you are in a toxic relationship and want to get out of it, or you are in a work environment that just does not suit you – how do you say ‘no’ in a way that you are true to your feelings, yet you are considerate of the other person?  In today’s episode, we offer you a few ideas and steps to follow when you’re put in the sensitive position of saying ‘no’ to a task, a partnership, a relationship, etc. What we’re suggesting here is the foundation that will help you every single time!  So, listen to Episode 250 of Becoming Your Best to learn how being principles-centered and trusting your feelings can help you say ‘no’ with consideration, courage, and conviction!  In this episode, you will learn: A story that inspired this episode. (01:41) Some examples of situations where you might have to say ‘no’, but you don’t know where to begin. (03:25) Why being principles-centered is the foundation that will help you say ‘no’. (05:22) How applying the ‘6 Steps to Effectively Plan, Create Solutions, and Take Action’ will make it easier for you to say ‘no’. (10:05) The importance of trusting your feelings when you decide what’s best for you. (12:09) A practical way to say ‘no’ with consideration, courage, and conviction. (13:03)  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you’re first starting a business, it’s not only about the idea you have or the plan you’ve made to make your company successful. Most importantly, it’s about the people you begin your journey with and the individuals that you decide to accept in your inner professional circle – because business is a team sport, and you can only win if you learn how to select your players.  Today’s episode is full of nuggets from our guest, Jeff Burningham. His vast experience not only in the entrepreneurial world but also in the political arena comes with lots of lessons learned along the way - and he was kind enough to share some of them with us. We discussed how to choose the right partner for your business and what to focus on when interviewing a potential employee, how the best leaders show up for their people, as well as Jeff insights on running for governor and the reasons he decided to start a podcast after he’s spoken with thousands of people in his campaign.  Jeff Burningham has built and sold multiple businesses and he’s invested in several others through Peak Capital Partners, a company he founded to helps organizations get their feet off the ground. More recently, he ran for governor in the state of Utah. He is one of the people that just have an incredible amount of background experience and a wealth of ideas that would definitely benefit you and so many other people.  Listen to Episode 249 of Becoming Your Best, to learn from Jeff’s journey through life and business and choose at least one lesson learned by him that you can apply today to become your best on the path you’ve taken.  Some questions I ask: Jeff, can you give us a little background on who you are? (02:30) What are some of the most important things that you’ve seen, that will help make a business, an entrepreneur, or a team successful? (05:58) What are you looking for in the people you hire? (12:08) What were some of your lessons learned from the experience of running for governor? (17:26) What are one or two of the most impactful lessons learned in your personal life? (24:22)  In this episode, you will learn: The number one job entrepreneurs, founders, or CEOs have. (06:18) What it means to be an urgent leader and why it’s important for early-stage businesses. (07:35) The reason why Jeff doesn’t like to invest in solo founders. (09:11) The attributes of an ideal partnership. (10:20) Jeff’s favorite question when he’s interviewing people for a job. (14:04) What Jeff’s podcast is all about. (19:37) Why politics offer ‘fake leadership’. (22:32) The importance of having compassion over comparison. (27:59)  Connect with Jeff: LinkedIn Us: The Extraordinary Ordinary Podcast Peak Capital Partners  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we were children, we used to dance, sing, paint, and express ourselves through any means, without being afraid that someone would judge us. But as we grew up, we started to lower our creativity levels due to the fear of being criticized by our peers, our families, or our friends.  But think about it for a moment. All the successful companies that currently thrive each year have been founded by creative thinkers that applied their imagination and their intuition to bring into the world different things that may have been considered fiction a while ago. Or even think about COVID-19 and how it forced us to step out of our comfort zone to find new ways to go on with our lives.   We all have that creative thinking inside of us, and it’s a skill that we really need to exercise more if we want to become the best version of ourselves.  Our international guest today, Firdaus Kharas is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and he was named one of the world’s 50 most talented social innovators and has received more than 112 awards - including the prestigious Peabody Award. He founded the Chocolate Moose Media in 1995, a human-centered mass communications to influence hundreds of millions of lives across the world.  Firdaus is the author of the book, ‘Creativity: The Key to a Remarkable Life’ in which he dives deep into what creativity is and is not, how creative thinking applies to all of our lives, and how we can hone into this skill and really design the life that we want.   So, listen to Episode 248 of Becoming Your Best, where Firdaus gives us a true lesson of how we can become our best by consciously using creative thinking both in our personal and our professional lives.   Some questions I ask: Tell us about your background, including any turning points in your life that have really led you to where you are today. (02:13) What led you to going from mass communication on issues throughout the world, to writing a book on creativity? (07:22) What are some of the barriers to creativity? (10:07) What are some things that from your experience, really help people stoke up their creativity and use it? (21:01) Any final tips you’d like to leave with our listeners? (27:05) In this episode, you will learn: Firdaus’ definition of creativity. (05:57) The purpose of Firdaus’ book. (09:08) The role creative thinking plays in innovation. (13:10) Case study: Motorola vs Apple & the importance of maintaining creative thinking throughout a company’s lifetime. (14:29) Why creativity is the most required skill an employee should have. (17:17) How COVID-19 enhanced our creative thinking, on a global scale. (18:14) The part of our brain that uses creative thinking. (24:15) An example of how you can use creative thinking to regular activities. (25:47)  Connect with Firdaus: Chocolate Moose Media Website LinkedIn Book: Firdaus Kharas – Creativity: The Key to a Remarkable Life  Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: [email protected]   Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.