Just Keep Learning

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSAs a podcaster I have continued to push forward.Through many ups and downs. So many challenges.But I keep going. Like a true professional I put in the practice and I publish.Rinse and repeat. Over and over again.‘Til the night closes in.You Can Only Connect The Dots Looking BackAnyways, like Steve Jobs infamously said,“You’ve got to find what you love. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.But you can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward. So we have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in our future.Trust in something- your gut, destiny, life, or karma. This approach has never let me down. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”So, even though I often feel like giving up on my big dreams, I will never settle.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Dylan discussed being multi passionate, some of the challenges of being creative and solutions that he has found. We also thought about some more questions and ideas around creativity in general. We talked about overcoming fear to become a content creator.Dylan shared some lessons about online business, podcasting and choosing your niche, or target avatar. Dylan also shared his framework “CLIPS” for creating great short form content.You don’t have to overthink learning and posting. We talked about the continuum between being an expert vs being an enthusiast and how we can create from either side, or anywhere in between. Making Creativity SustainableThere is a blessing and a curse of having a lot of creative ideas. But you need to take care of yourself first. We discussed this foundation we need as creatives to keep us in check. You have to prioritize and let some things go. And, if you’re multi passionate, it’s definitely important to embrace your identity, incorporate a few aspects, but not give in to too many shiny objects.Social media and procrastination can be addictive. The only way to achieve work is to find a personal solution to this problem. You do have an incredible message, and social media use does have a powerful role to play in helping spread messages. But we have to be mindful about how much.How can you go from doom scrolling and consuming content to making it instead? Be mindful and intentional about how you’re spending your time. Whenever you’re spending time, think through the lens of What do you want to make? What are you making? Why are you making it? Who are you making it for? And what impact will it have?Mental Health For CreativesBeing a creator can be an ongoing battle to find balance. Figuring out when to push toward your goals and when to give yourself the space to pause, relax and recharge.It was actually Dylan’s therapist who helped guide to continue with podcasting. We talked about a lot of his career, school journey and how he sets goals with mental health in mind.Dylan shared the value of mindfulness, and how he got into stuff like meditation and breathwork. We also discussed the value of deep work beyond our online personas. Which ultimately comes down to self awareness. There are so many options to being a creator. For example, we can build successful businesses, books and achieve big goals completely offline without sharing publicly. We could build exclusively online like livestream, or social posts. Or anywhere in between. And in any order. There are successful examples everywhere on this continuum. So don’t stress. Do what works for you.And be patient. The business of creativity is a step by step climb. You build up and up to certain levels of success in the content creation space. Maybe someday you will have large successful brand deals. But you build up to it. Not to say you can’t start now, but it may not be the amounts, or brands you have in your big dreams. You start out small and continue to build. By the time we see creators, we see them as an “overnight success”. But really that overnight success took five, or ten years to get to.And of course, Dylan is the Digital Podcaster, so we had to talk about clip creation and podcasting. He shared a few pretty unique tips in case you want to start your own show, or short form content.How To Make Great Short Form Videos (CLIPS)One of Dylan’s expertise is creating powerful short form content that stands on its own. He shared that the best videos don’t have much extra information. They can be a complete story all on their own. To make the process of creating short clips more simple he uses an acronym “CLIPS”. “CLIPS” stands for C: capture key moments L: length optimization I: improve visual appeal P: promote on social media and S: study performance.14 Things To Keep In Mind When Podcasting Less can be better because we get paralyzed by analysis and fear. Get your first idea and get started as soon as possible.Build your foundation on the right niche for you that you can sustain (for you) long form and long term.If you want to create the show to teach in a binge-worthy way, by going more and more niche, recognize you might not have long term recurring listeners. But if you create categories that are a bit more broad, it can expand and be more sustainable over time.On the flipside, you don’t need a super clear niche, but the less specific it is, the longer it might take to grow an audience.Know your why and goals for creating the show. This will change the format and cadence of your schedule and workflow.Be authentic by following your curiosity and sharing what you learn. The more interested the host is the more interested the audience will be.Don’t define the direction, the workflow, or try to make the show perfect in the early days. Build consistency as soon as possible. See more and more episodes through and get to the 100th episode.The first year, the first hundred episodes will be most challenging, but then you’ll really u

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSHow To Tell Better StoriesI hope by now you understand that stories can be short, sweet, but also really powerful in helping you share any message you want. The best thing about storytelling to me is that it is yet another infinite game. We can get better and better at storytelling forever.So for today, let’s keep it simple, what are a few things you could do today to improve your storytelling? I’ll keep these quick. Keep It Simple - A good story is easy to understand. It should be around the 5th grade level in terms of language. Don’t make it any longer than it needs to be. Remove the fluff, no extra stuff. And don’t rush the pace, or rate of revelation, just let the story breath.“No And Then” - There’s a funny moment in the movie “Dude Where’s My Car?” where the person working the drive through window keeps saying “and then” and they’re having to say back a bunch of times “there’s no and then”. It’s a great way to remember the main storytelling tip that the creators of South Park Matt Stone and Trey Parker say. Don’t create “and then” moments. Instead make your beats, or events lead to each other. Connect the moments. For example “this happened, so this happened, because this happened, so this happened”. As opposed to “this happened and then this happened and then this happened.”Hooks And Headlines - You need to grab attention. So, you should spend disproportionate time on the head line and hook. This is the catchy, thesis, value statement of the piece. It creates intrigue and without it no one will listen to your story anyways.Engage Emotions - Use power words that connect with your audience on an emotional level. This makes it more impactful, memorable and worthwhile.Show, Don’t Tell - Rather than explaining, use immersive words and phrases that tap into the senses of sight, sounds, smells, and tactile experiences to create a vivid picture in the audience's mind.Relatable Characters - Develop the archetype of your character in a way that makes them understood, intriguing and connected to the audience. Give them depth by adding unique traits, desires, and conflicts. Use A FrameworkNow these can be a bit abstract, maybe something we can look at in more detail later, so I’ll give a couple examples for now. You can go off the beaten track and get as creative as you want, but at first you should start with a framework for the story. There are many frameworks. You can look them up specific to telling stories for education, memoir, business, or fiction. The simplest is to think in terms of “a beginning, middle and end”. And one of the most popular is “the hero’s journey.Hero’s JourneyA series of steps the character must take to achieve their goal. The main steps include: call to adventure; crossing the first threshold; leaving behind the known world, venturing into the unknown; tests, trials, and allies; a major enemy or obstacle; and finally, the return home, transformed and changed by their experiences.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSAre You Transforming?To change what you believe means you do more than gain knowledge.As teachers, coaches, parents, or creators, anyone supporting a community with learning, we can use these 3 points as a checklist. You transform because you:Apply and test new ideasChallenge your truthsUnlearn and modify your understandingPut another way, “knowledge could be power, but not necessarily”**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Justin shares his entire journey of going from athlete to entrepreneur.He talks about the importance of fighting shiny object syndrome.How books, podcasts and masterminds changed his trajectory.Justin shared everything he has learned about being great at sales while being a good person.He talked about building confidence in the world of business.And we also touched on some difficult life stuff. The existential crisis, balancing goals with wellness and his brother’s cancer diagnosis.Life Lessons From Sport And Counter BalanceJustin shared a lot of wisdom from his success as an athlete that transfers to business and life.He reminded us that life is never linear.We’ll have ups, downs, setbacks and jumps forward.There will be times you need to really commit yourself to a goal, maybe lose some sleep. At other times you’ll be able to craft a really consistent routine for wellness. Similar to an athlete in camp training for an event, you’ll need to triple down. After the event there will be some time to rest and recharge.The wins, losses and ties will come too. And similar to sports, our careers and life decisions will evolve. We need to know when to quit and when to fight through a situation.Maybe sometimes you need to switch teams, ask for a trade, or completely move on to a new situation.How To Be Great At SalesTo Sell Is Human: There shouldn’t be any stigma associated with sales. Persuasion and influencing others are skills used in everyday interactions. Leading, teaching, parenting, coaching and business all require great sales.Master Your Product: Thoroughly understand whatever you're selling. You need to know that it’s the best solution for people. Therefore you must know it on the deepest level possible. This enables you to sell with authenticity and confidence.Evaluate Your Sales Vehicle: Does your current product or service have the potential to meet your revenue and income goals? If not, consider switching to a higher-value product, or new way to sell.Don’t Hide From Objections: You shouldn’t need to keep anything secret. In fact knowing what might prevent someone from purchasing and tackling those topics head on, well ahead of time is key to being transparent and trustworthy.Learn from Top Performers: Identify and learn from the top mentors and salespeople in your field. What do they do differently and what makes them successful?Practice, Practice, Practice: Even if it means facing rejections, practice as much as possible. Professional preparation will pay off when it matters most.Ethical Common Sense Psychology: Sales is about psychology in the most practical way. Not a matter of studying manipulative techniques. But understanding how the mind works, why we desire things and why customers would be super excited and grateful to be able to even purchase.Put Yourself In Customer Shoes: Why would someone really want to buy? If your product, or service is truly valuable, then why wouldn’t they buy?Memorable Quotes“I’m learning to have a deeper appreciation for normal days, because those are the simple days, the good days.”"I want people to take wealth seriously because you’re just one tragedy away from losing everything.”“After a few months all of the haters will go away and you can keep building a tribe of people like you.”Guest BioDemonstrated mastery in sales, leading sales teams, training, marketing, customer relationship management, and performance management. Proficient in shaping sales strategies and go-to-market approaches for organizations, backed by more than ten years of experience in customer-facing roles as the brand's ambassador. A compelling presenter who thrives in high-pressure situations, celebrated for a track record of responsibility, achievement, and driving revenue.Justin Freishtat is a hedge fund manager, sales professional and investor. The first 15 years of his professional life was spent building Heartland Foods which is the #1 Farm-to-Table Food Service on the east coast. The company had generated $87 million in gross revenue when the business was acquired by a private equity firm in early 2022.Now, Justin is a Managing Partner and President of Sales at Kerns Capital. This hedge fund is growing rapidly with several funds that use multiple strategies including swing trading in equities, joint ventures in aerospace, and 3B+ unicorn companies in their private equity arm. Kerns Capital is partnered with Forte Capital Group and Innovation X with over $1B+ in assets under management.As an individual investor, Justin and his partners have also amassed a multifamily real estate portfolio comprised of 1674 units across 5 states.Justin is also personally invested in multiple funds inside the Kerns Capital ecosystem as he believes you should only partner with managers who have skin in the game.Follow JustinInstagram - @justinfreishtatLinkedIn - @JustinFreishtatFOLLOW JUSTIN AT JUST KEEP LEARNINGWebsite - JKLHOMELinkedIn - @JustinNolan-JustKeepLearningTwitter / X - @JustinNolan_JKLInstagram

Dave tells everything about no longer lying to himself in the mirror. He talks about breaking his scale and realizing that he weighed well over 400 pounds.How he set his sights on achieving big dreams and the fact that he is in act 1 of his 3 part hero’s journey. We chatted about the fact that you’ll never feel “ready” if you’re waiting for your nerves to go away.You just have to face your fears head on because they’re the only thing standing in your way.Documenting The Process For AccountabilityDave has an incredible story of his journey on social media. Dave tried many times to lose weight before, but the main thing that made a difference this time?Documenting the process on social media. That was the difference between this weight loss journey and all the others before. We talked about the mixed reputation social media has and some of the pros and cons. How to be authentic, how to create in a way true to you and the message you want to share. Such a wild thing to hear how unexpected it was for him to become a social media influencer.Tips For Your Own Weight Loss JourneyDon’t over analyze the plan, mostly take action. Do things that make it more sustainable.Eat less bad foods and more healthy foods.Create some elements of accountability. If not social media, how do you keep yourself accountable?Make sure supportive people know what you’re up to and how to hold you accountable.Keep it lighthearted and fun as much as possible because it’s going to be serious in many other ways.The best exercises are ones that you’ll enjoy doing as much as possible.Choose a gym and times that you are comfortable with. Do what works for you that you can stick to.Creating Content In The GymDave shared how he decided to start filming and posting his workouts. He talks about how scary it was at first. It did not come naturally at all. It was like a whole year before he started to feel comfortable with using his camera in the gym. Now that he’s done it a bunch of times he is much better and more comfortable.Maybe a few people look, but really no one is paying attention to you.Now he creates multiple pieces of content on his phone over the course of about three minutes during his workouts.The main thing to keep in mind is being respectful and ethical toward everyone else in the gym.Don’t do any filming or pictures in the locker room. And don’t get anyone in the backgrounds of your videos.And remember that most people want to support you, so don’t give energy to the negative reactions, or comments.Memorable Quotes“Try things. Whether it's different diets, different exercises, different types of content creation, different platforms, different careers, different things in academia and education, different parts of the world to live in, just try more things”"Man, now I’m gonna be the fat guy filming himself in planet fitness.”“I don’t really know what to do except I don’t wanna get on the bad side of Joey Swoll in the gym. Haha.”Guest Bio“Life is good, Dave is fat. Aspiring supermodel. 30. Accountant. MBA Candidate.”Follow DaveInstagram - @david.e.dannaTwitter X - @DaveEDannaYoutube - @DaveEDannaFOLLOW JUSTIN AT JUST KEEP LEARNINGWebsite - JKLHOMELinkedIn - @JustinNolan-JustKeepLearningTwitter / X - @JustinNolan_JKLInstagram - @JustKeepLearning.CaTiktok - @justkeeplearning.caFacebook - Just Keep LearningFree Group - JKL Goal Setting CommunityWe appreciate you being here! Be sure to leave the podcast, “Just Keep Learning” ratings and reviews because it will help people who need it be better able to find it. Also, if you want a shoutout, simply share an image of the episode, you listening, or your takeaways and share it @JustKeepLearning anywhere on social! I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSI know you want to increase confidence in your creativity.Artist, business leader, teacher, stay at home parent. Whatever.We'll always say yes to more creativity.But a lot of times we feel stuck.Do you ever feel like you’re stuck?There are a bunch of things you could do to light your creative fire.I'll share a few today.But, remember, these are simply exercises.And much like exercises in the gym, they can help us maintain a healthy body and mind.(If we do them consistently)They’re simple, tiny invitations to venture beyond the familiar. And, even though they're small exercises they can a MASSIVE impact.Because your ideas and projects have the power to change your life, maybe even change the world.If you can unleash them…**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSWe may not be able to outright choose our emotions. Our thoughts and feelings stem from a long history of how we react to different situations. But what is reassuring is understanding that it IS POSSIBLE for anyone to live with vitality. If you haven't read “Man’s Search For Meaning” I mean it’s the absolute most incredible book when it comes to this concept. Aside from personal stories I know from clients, this book was the most impactful and clear for me about the mind's ability to thrive through difficulty. Here’s a quote from the author Viktor Frankl about his finding happiness amidst the chaos of living in concentration camps:“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”I wanna tackle specifics about what you can do to make growth a real possibility and give some idea of where this research comes from, but first I want to point out that the examples I’ve shared so far are about the extreme, massive external traumas, things that happen to us that are unbelievable and near unbearable. But the important thing is that this applies also to our day to day, to the struggles every one of us face year over year at any given moment as a result of the suffering and adversity that can come from simply being human.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSThere are so many things I wish I had done differently when starting a creator business.I have no doubt in my mind that this podcast would be far more successful if I knew then what I know now. But I’m not mad about it. That’s just life. And my whole mission is to learn these things so I can pass ‘em on to future clients, or my own kids to give them a head start. In that regard, I am well on my wayThe Most Common MistakeThere are so many things I would do differently. But many of them don’t matter all that much. But there is one specific thing that does make a big difference.It’s one of those things that has an outsized exponential impact for the amount of time it takes.It is an absolute game changer, yet it can be summarized really quickly. I was reminded of it while listening back to the latest JKL Interview.(Which you can hear here: JKL Int 57 Joe Casabona)It’s a great episode, especially if podcasting or the business of being a creator is of interest to you.I asked Joe the number one mistake he sees creators make and he said hands down, it’s definitely not knowing your “mission.”Understanding your mission is one of those things that has huge returns. No matter what you want to build.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

In this episode we chat with Joe Casabona. Joe is known specifically as a “podcast coach”, but he has a broad wealth of experience and expertise.He has helped companies and individuals with brand building, marketing, monetization, workflow automation and web design.We talked about starting a podcast, building a solopreneur, creator business, and balancing all of this with life and family.We also discussed the value of learning and understanding your own curse of knowledge that can get in the way of teaching.Joe shares the change in mindset that he went through once he became a parent.We also talked about forging a habit that allows our hobbies to be simply for fun, not productivity, success, or outcomes.And the lifestyle of having flexibility to hang with his family that drives him to succeed as an entrepreneur.Find Your Balance Of Niche vs Broad As A CreatorYou have to find a way to appeal to a broad audience to make your creator life sustainable. You want to be human. Because people want to network with and buy from people they can relate to. So that means you should share your stories as a parent, with your pets, or about your favorite sports teams. Don’t hold back, just be a person first.But when it comes to the professional elements of your brand, be sure to find your niche.For things like sales, marketing, building a community around the solutions you provide, you need to niche down. What problem do you solve? Who do you solve it for? And how do you solve it? Once you figure this out, then people will understand why they should work with youSteps To Succeeding As A One Person Creator BusinessThe first question you need to ask yourself is “how will you support yourself”? And that’s a tough reality check for many of us. We need to be real with ourselves. Literally, how will you support yourself? How will you support your family if you have one?How much money do you need to live? What is your freedom number so to speak. Once you know this, then you need to decide what will bring in revenue?Drawing from personal experience, the entrepreneurial journey often begins early with a profit making service. In the beginning take a very pragmatic approach. It’s likely going to be a side hustle. But it can definitely gradually expand through strategic use of social media and networking. But it’s most important to align your business with your lifestyle goals rather than just chasing money. You need to establish your balance between work and personal life. Set your non-negotiables such as family time, or fitness.And devise strategies for revenue, eventually passive income that are in alignment with your values.Also, understand that it won’t be an overnight thing. This will take a lot of trial and error. But it will be well worth it. The Biggest Mistake Podcasters MakeThe number one thing Joe says gets in the way for clients is not knowing why the show exists, or who it’s for.When you start a podcast, you need to know what your mission is. This is the number one thing podcast creators get wrong. And it’s easy to define. So define it! “I Create [Podcast Name] to help [Audience] With [Problem Solved] By [Delivery Method]”The Second Biggest Mistake Podcasters MakeThis was an amazing part of the episode. You need to know how much time you spend on each step of an episode.The answers will lead to the creating capacity you have and also set goals for making things more efficient.When it comes to workflow, Joe asks every client the same first question:“What is the checklist of every single step you take to create an episode?”If the client doesn’t have a checklist clearly defined, then that’s the starting point.Make your checklist. Podcasting Automation And Workflow Joe is an automation genius. But a word of caution, he shares that it probably is a toxic trait because he tried to automate absolutely everything. Either way, we can learn a ton from Joe when he says “if I will need to continue to do something a few times, then I need to find robots to take care of it.”The best way to figure this out for you, as a podcaster, or a business owner in general, is listing out your workflow. What is everything you do to run different elements of your work?O.K. Now that you know all of the things, start setting up the dominoes to knock each other over. Don’t just fly randomly by the seat of your pants.What can you automate?This might look different for everyone. The details will change and evolve. But a couple things are universal. Have a calendar set up. Have an episode tracker that defines each stage the episode is as it moves along from an idea to published.What can you outsource?You won’t be able to outsource maybe even anything at first. But, you should have goalposts to work towards. Your workflow checklist will get more efficient over time. This will include hiring to buy back some of your time. If your goal is to work more and more in your zone of genius, aka being the creator, the podcaster, then it all starts with hiring for

Virgil shares the inception story of his business. It’s a testament to the power of partnership and importance of mentorship.Starting with a simple yet powerful interaction with a young entrepreneur, Virgil's journey is a prime example of how a single moment can alter the course of your life. Despite the success, he emphasizes the hurdles. And shares about the mindset shifts required, as well as invaluable lessons from mentors.Mentorship To Navigate The Course Creation Industry Virgil shares his remarkable transition from business ideas and aspirations to actualization. He managed to build a wildly successful business in the competitive space of course creation. From a pivotal conversation that reshaped his outlook to building a $10 million business, he shows us the power of determination.This all started when he decided to set his ego aside and learn from people who have already achieved the things he wanted.Virgil emphasizes this transformative role of mentorship in both his life and business.He recounts how guidance from others really propelled his business.Highlighting the influence of Russell BrunsonCrafting a Legacy Within And Beyond BusinessVirgil's narrative challenges the romanticized version of being a “business guru”.But, as much as his philosophies are awesome, we also talked about the practical aspects of building a business.We talked about vision, values, how to copy-write, storytelling, and the ethics of marketing. Virgil shared his pretty awesome take on the balance between personal growth and professional development.He reminds us of the deeper satisfaction derived from purposeful entrepreneurship.He advocates for a business model that emphasizes well-being alongside wealth.We should focus more on mental health, personal fulfillment, genuine connection, and alignment.Embedded in this episode are incredible tips to help you focus on your foundation first. To be “successful” while also achieving wellness.14 Strategies To Balance Success With Well-beingPrioritize health as the true wealthEmbrace continuous learning as a lifestylePractice gratitude for both trials and triumphsValue genuine relationships over achievementsEmbrace your real identity and stay true to yourselfStay grounded in remembering your roots and your why Focus on your dream, but remain flexible in your approachCelebrate all small wins by acknowledging every step forwardCultivate resilience and the strength to bounce back from adversityLearn from failures, setbacks and challenges as opportunities for growthSeek counterbalance by creating harmony between your work and personal lifeEmbrace change while expecting the unexpected and be open to evolving your actionsAlways give back, with generosity from day one and never stop making a positive impact on othersMemorable Quotes"I like to approach a niche as fluid. Everything changes. Markets change. People change. You change. When you look in the mirror 10 years ago, you look totally different from now. Externally and internally you change. What you thought was cool 10 years ago may seem totally absurd to you now. So pivot and change direction.”“People buy Fiat Pandas, but people also buy Ferraris. So, people buy both. Because there is a market for both. It depends on which crowd you position it for.”"Relationships matter. Not relationships from a business perspective, that goes without saying. You need relationships to grow your business. But the people around you in your journey, through the ups and downs, don't forget, or neglect them, don’t take them for granted, because they are the ones who are with you from the beginning and will be there no matter your glory, or failures.”Guest BioVirgil was a high school dropout, who realized he would not work well with a boss. His only option was to become an entrepreneur.He failed in many business projects. Until he discovered the potential of courses. In just a few years, he’s now built a $10M business.And he’s been coaching others to do the same. The main strategy is to build and sell online courses. Virgil Brewster is an entrepreneur who transcends the conventional definitions of success. He brings a fresh perspective to the world of digital entrepreneurship. With a journey marked by significantpersonal and business achievements, he is a great example of fulfilling your life's mission. His dedication to empowering others makes him a pivotal figure in the entrepreneurial, social mediacommunity.FOLLOW VIRGIL BREWSTERWebsite - VirgilBrewster.ComTwitter X - @thevirgilbrewFOLLOW JUSTIN AT JUST KEEP LEARNINGWebsite - JKLHOMELinkedIn - @JustinNolan-JustKeepLearningTwitter / X - @JustinNolan_JKLInstagram - @JustKeepLearning.CaTiktok - @justkeeplearning.caFacebook - Just Keep LearningFree Group - JKL Goal Setting CommunityWe appreciate you being here! Be sure to leave the podcast, “Just Keep Learning” ratings and reviews because it will help people who need it be better able to find it. Also, if you want a shoutout, simply share an image of the

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSWhy Does Goal Setting Suck?I won’t get into all the troubles with education.But I will mention one.The fact we still (well some people still) drill the idea of “goal setting”.I’m partly to blame. I often use the keywords “goals, or goal setting”.And maybe I should stop.But I feel it’s my duty to change what that means. I want more content about dreaming and letting go.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSProbably the most common question people ask me. (I love your questions, so keep 'em coming!)"How do I pick my niche?" or "I have so many dreams, which one should I work on?"Once you remove your dream blockers, you're gonna have a ton of ideas.And those ideas can become really overwhelming.So "picking" becomes that much more important.But I put "picking" in quotations because you can do them all (eventually).This was really freeing for me.A friend of mine, Jaime Masters who I really look up to reminded me. You can do all the things. But the fastest, less stressful way to do them all is in sequence.One at a time.So, the question becomes what is your "One Thing" for now?**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSI personally recently started therapy again, and it's been incredible. I feel like I could write a book about my experience in therapy alone, or start an entire podcast. But one specific moment sticks out that I wanted to talk about today. And it's actually really connected to my life as a creator, podcaster, entrepreneur, and I'm, I'm sure that a lot of you will be able to relate.And it's a conversation that I had about therapy itself and how therapy compares to coaching, teaching, parenting, really helping somebody else. learn by guiding them through a process. And my therapist specifically has been helping me because I have so much experience already with psychology. I've been on the receiving end of a lot of therapy.I've worked with a lot of other therapists. I've read a ton of books on the concept. And because of my experience, it was decided that we would actually look at The underlying mechanics, the foundation to the therapy itself, as opposed to just sitting on the couch, experiencing the therapy. And so, we've talked a lot about the actual philosophy.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

If you copy artists you look up to enough you will shift from imitation to inspiration. From copying to emulating. From emulating to making your own stuffThen, and only then, you will start creating in your own voice.How I would do this is by creating a quick steal list. Victim list is a bit harsh, especially because any great creator would be honored and thrilled for you to steal from them. But I think you get the idea. How I would do this is to make a list of six creators you look up to. 1. Find two people creating content in the medium you have chosen.2. Two people creating on the platform you have chosen3. And two people who share similar topics, or ideas you have chosen.Steal some of their style, creative decisions and thought process as you start shipping your own work.Austin Kleon covers this concept beautifully in his book titled “Steal Like An Artist”.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

In this episode we chat with Mel, who seems to have the world at his fingertips. He’s a successful father, entrepreneur, content creator, and psychologist. Mel’s journey is a beautiful fusion of self-discovery, resilience, and a commitment to staying true to oneself. He is one of those people who has it all figured out, but is willing to share all of the ups and downs. We see the success with building a business, podcasting, and social media. But it was a grind early on and took a ton of self reflection and self care to get there.As a psychologist he has a lot to share about the battle between mental health and illness that entrepreneurs face. And he gives us a bunch of great ideas for succeeding in business, but maintaining your mindset along the way.Future Proofing EducationMel reminisces about his younger days, brimming with exploration and creativity. Growing up outdoors, young Mel’s world was an endless canvas of possibilities. Today, when he writes online, or produces a podcast or video, it's his way of saluting that imaginative child within, or as he puts it in the episode, “The Kid Mel”.We talked about lifelong learning and how so much of it is about remembering who we were, understanding who we are, and driving towards who we aspire to be.Building His PodcastMel’s podcast is a big success and a great north start for any of us podcasters out here working to scale a show.The journey was anything but smooth. While he's a natural storyteller, it took him six months to muster the courage to record his first episode. Even then, he recorded it seven times. His story underscores an essential truth about success; the tip of the iceberg that we see rarely reveals the entirety of one's journey. In his case, grappling with anxiety, depression, and the procrastination that comes with those things were part and parcel of the journey.Scaling Your Dream BusinessFrom bustling nine-to-fives to the freedom to design his schedule, Mel’s business evolution is a masterclass in growth. An intriguing aspect of his journey was overcoming money blockers, battling the ingrained belief that earning money might be synonymous with greed. Initially charging minimal amounts, Mel gradually recognized and embraced his worth. Today, his course for therapists, which teaches them podcasting, is nearing an impressive $400,000. Yet, Mel is quick to highlight that this wasn't an overnight achievement. It was a meticulous, health-conscious process of trial and error to get to this point.The Reality of EntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship is often romanticized, but Mel paints a more realistic picture.We talked about his hunch that perhaps there is a connection between childhood trauma and the hunger to excel as an entrepreneur.And while the appeal of detaching income from hours is real, Mel reminds us of the significance of traditional nine-to-five roles. His transition to entrepreneurship spanned over six years and took a lot of slow growth both personally and professionally.Mel gives us an amazing understanding of what the steps were, at least in his case, to build a creator business while maintaining his health.Armed with these tips, creators like you and I can navigate the often overwhelming world of entrepreneurship.14 Tips for Balancing Creator Business Success With Well-beingHobby or Profession? It's entirely okay for content creation to be just a hobby.Inspiration, Not Imitation: Get inspired by others, but don’t feel pressured to mirror someone else's life.Embrace Your Reality: Understand and respect your current life circumstances. Work within your present commitments and needs.Reverse Engineer Your Goals: Visualize the life and business style you want in the future, and work backward to achieve it.From Ideal Schedule to Reality: Draft both an ideal and a current schedule. Whether on paper, tabs, or calendars, work consistently to make your ideal schedule your everyday reality.Find the Right Mentors: Seek out mentors who embody the approach and achievements you aspire to.Prioritize Personal Commitments: Start your scheduling with non-negotiables: family, friends, and personal wellness.Then, Schedule Business Tasks: Once personal commitments are in place, add your entrepreneurial priorities to your calendar.Deep Work Blocks: Reserve the earlier parts of your day, around 4 hours, for intensive, focused work.Routine Breaks: Integrate breaks into your day. This could be naps, walks, workouts, or meals. Turn them into regular routines.Optimize Nutrition: Pay attention to your diet and eating schedule, continuously refining for optimal health.Never Stop Learning: Dedicate daily time for continuous, sacred learning.Smart Monetization: Start with a productized service or consulting based on your unique strengths and audience needs. Once you've gathered feedback and have a growing audience, pivot to more scalable ventures like courses, products, or masterminds. This approach ensures income isn’t always directly tied to time spent.Don’t Grow T

Nishantha has ADHD and Dyslexia. He’s figured out how to make the most of my cognitive advantages while minimizing the challenges of dyslexic processing.We talked about the weapons of mass instruction that make it challenging for many kids to succeed. But we also talked about a lot of the areas that we are hopeful for schools and work to become more and more creative.Future Proofing EducationWe talked about what we think school will look like in the future?Naturally there will be a transition away from school and work that is based on the needs and desires of the Industrial Revolution.A lot of this Impact will come from the changes AI will make to education.What’s awesome is teachers will be afforded to be more creative if we build schools with more common sense. As we allow AI to help take away some of the repetitive, cognitive labor, teachers will become more and more like artists.Once we can automate the learning of basic skills, like math, writing, history and geography, the only left is to teach with a very creative approach.We also discussed whether we think kids will be going to post secondary school in 10, 15 years? Creator Economy CareersWe talked about the need to scale the creator economy. Society can get to a place where everyone works because they want to, in an area they are highly interested in. Almost like everyone could be retired in terms of comfortably meeting their basic needs.We’re already headed in this direction. The economy is building toward a bunch of small businesses. Entrepreneurship, and the one person business model will continue to take over to the point where we have a bunch of individual monopolies. Memorable Quotes“All human beings are teachers. That’s what we are.”“Most work places and schools are created by neurotypical people for neurotypical people. At best we make accommodations and adjustments from these typical workflows. But what if we designed learning and working from a less typical lens?“A.I. is both anxiety provoking and exciting.”“Right now grades are celebrated, but in the future it will be more about the social emotional skills. How well can you interface with machines and human beings?”Guest BioNishantha is a family man first.But he’s also an incredible podcaster, filmmaker and artist. He’s also a public school teacher in Southern California.One of his biggest passions is working with dyslexic teens and adults to help them turn dyslexia from a liability to one their biggest cognitive assets. He created an online school called the How To Dyslexia Academy. Build the YouTube channel “How To Dyslexia” and created a private social network, the Dyslexia Community .FOLLOW NishanthaWebsite - Howtodyslexia.com Youtube - @NishanthaUFOLLOW JUSTIN (JustTries)Website - JustTriesHOMEInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesCONNECT WITH JUST KEEP LEARNINGWebsite - JKLHOMEInstagram - @JustKeepLearning.CaTiktok - @justkeeplearning.caFacebook - Just Keep LearningFree Group - JKL Goal Setting CommunityWe appreciate you being here! Be sure to leave the podcast, “Just Keep Learning” ratings and reviews because it will help people who need it be better able to find it. Also, if you want a shoutout, simply share an image of the episode, you listening, or your takeaways and share it @JustKeepLearning anywhere on social! I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

the fact that creation leads to success, and the fact that people want to create something never surprises me. What does surprise me is how many people never take action.I’m sure there are a ton of limiting beliefs and productivity challenges that makes people quite. We can discuss that stuff on other episodes, but for now I want to talk about the first thing that keeps us from starting.When we first get into content creation we struggle with two questions:Clarity of the medium (how to create it?)Niche, or topic (what to create about?)You might have an answer to one of these questions, or both, or neither. And it can change. Especially when we are multi-passionate 🤯But let's find some hints to get you started...**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

This is a transformative conversation focusing on achieving clarity, understanding oneself, and navigating personal challenges. A great listen for those seeking to overcome challenges and redefine their personal and professional paths.Stef shares all of the ways that ADHD impacts her life in a negative way. But we also talk about some of the ways to cope with attention deficit.She tells the story of realizing she was burned out from corporate work at Google. How she knew the symptoms. What other people can look for. And what we can do to prevent burnout.This was an incredible conversation when it comes to helping people get unstuck and clarity in their life.Stef is an incredible storyteller, marketer and branding expert. But one of her greatest strengths is helping people with mindset and clarity. So we also talked about feeling stuck, gaining career clarity and developing your personal brand as a priority.Recovering From BurnoutWe talked about Stef’s journey with burnout. She shares her personal experience with recognizing the signs and symptoms..She shared how valuable it can be to have early warning signs. One of the tipping points for her was coming to the realization that no amount of mental health days could help.During this time she was developing physical manifestations like stomach pains, headaches, and insomnia. Being misaligned with her work had an emotional toll. Another sign was increasing difficulty with handling adversity and constantly digging for reasons to be more grateful.Transitioning from a corporate job that didn't align with her core values of freedom, autonomy, independence, creativity, and impact changed her life.And now she helps a lot of others do the same.Content Creation & Social Media StrategyThere is a lot of bad, or confusing advice when it comes to social media and brand building.Stef gives concrete, practical and In-depth advice for budding content creators. She reminds us that quantity of posts should exist and over time this will lead to quality.We should see social media as an incredible, low barrier to entry, safe way to test ideas as we grow our audience. We can really test ideas as we grow our audience.Steph has a refreshing approach to the debate about niche. She believes we should be humans first. Create content that connects with people. And then, over time shift about 10-20% of our content to serve more specific business audiences.How To Thrive With ADHDStef is incredibly helpful and generous in sharing all of the ways that she manages her own ADHD. These lessons can actually be applied to improving workflow for any of us.The key thing to remember is that this is always an individual, forever journey. While we can steal tips from each other it will come down to figuring out how you operate best, based on your individual needs.Here are things you can try if you are struggling with ADHD. When combined, these strategies provide a comprehensive approach for a creative entrepreneur with ADHD to not only manage their symptoms but to thrive in their endeavors.15 Reminders For "Live" Business CreatorsHarness Hyperfocus: Use the ability to deep-dive into tasks you're passionate about, allowing yourself to be completely immersed in the flow state.Capture Creative Moments: Make an ideation journal with a notebook or digital app handy for spontaneous, fleeting ideas typical of the ADHD creative mind.Dedicated Workspaces: Assign specific areas in your workspace for various tasks to mentally prepare yourself for each task.Visual Cues & Reminders: Use sticky notes, vision boards, or whiteboards to keep tasks organized and at the forefront.Time Blocking: Allocate specific blocks of time for dedicated tasks or activities, which can aid in minimizing distractions.Brain Dumping: Set aside moments in your day to jot down all your thoughts, ideas, and tasks to clear your mind and organize later.Priority Listing: Identify what needs immediate attention, allowing you to address tasks in a sequence that maximizes productivity.The One Thing: Focus on accomplishing the most critical task before moving on to others.Routines: Establish daily routines to add structure, making it easier to navigate the day.Reducing Stress of Big Tasks: Break large activities into smaller, more manageable chunks, allowing them to be tackled systematically.Collaborative Projects: Engage in teamwork to instill a sense of accountability.Hire an Assistant or Coach: Consider assistance for administrative tasks or an ADHD coach for personalized strategies.Body Doubling: Work alongside someone, even if they're working on a different task, to reduce feelings of isolation and maintain focus.Mindful Breaks: Incorporate short mindfulness sessions or activities to reset and recharge.Reflect on Your Patterns: Regularly analyze your productivity patterns to understand and adapt to your most and least effective periods.Improve Wellness Factors: Ensure adequate and quality sleep, exercise and nutrition to boost concentration a

In today’s solo episode I’ll talk about learning skills fast.How can we learn a skill in the most efficient way possible?Steps To Learn A SkillNow what if we wanted to elaborate on that framework to give you a step by step guide to learn something efficiently? In later episodes I can quote and share some specific learning frameworks from creators like Carol Dweck and Tim Ferris, but today I’ll mention a checklist of things we should have to learn anything fast.Define your target performance level. Decide what you want? Clearly define what it is you want to aim to do? Deconstruct the skill into its component parts. Break it down into manageable chunks to learn.Prioritize the most important sub-skills for you first. Apply Pareto’s Principle to your learning efforts.Don’t procrastinate. Try the actual skill in its truest possible form right away so you have the ability to anchor your learning.Research. Learn from teachers in books, courses, coaches and content how to learn the sub skills.Dedicate time in your schedule to focused, frictionless practice.Seek feedback as soon as possible from people who understand what it’s like to learn the skill.Commit to a minimum of forty dedicated hours in trying the skill.Create an environment of accountability by adding rewards, and or consequences for your effort.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Trigger Warning. This is an episode that gives you those Holy Sh*t moments. If it is too difficult for you to hear talk of trauma, then it may be too difficult for you to listen. While it is important to learn from people who have survived difficult times, it can also be too much for some people to hear. But if you can listen this episode is extremely valuable.Working With TraumaSri found her brother murdered at 14. She was only 11 years old. She shares that she faced many challenges afterward that she believes were partly because she never dealt with that trauma. Sri has a powerful voice from being a young mother and a survivor of sexual abuse.She reminds us through her own story that once we start to work on ourselves, it will actually benefit those around us. How if we go deep and lean into our pain, then we don’t have to hold onto it anymore.Finding Your Business PathSri’s daughter lost her father and there was no legacy left behind. This opened her eyes to the fact that we can be here one moment and gone the next.When this happens, what are we leaving behind for our kids?Sri realized she wanted to build a legacy for the next generation. This is one of the reasons she became an entrepreneur. She also wanted to help other people build businesses as a way of owning their true self. And one of the first steps she takes to do this is telling people to audit their influences. Who are you hanging around with? How are you spending your time? What content do you consume? What podcasts, books, vlogs and blogs are you learning from?Sri also told us all about the decision to create her main pillar, or hub content as live shows.15 Reminders For "Live" Business CreatorsAudit your influences. Surround yourself with other creators.Think long term. Remember it takes a while to grow an audience.Collaboration is underrated. Creating a network effect is key to success.Continuously get closer and closer to outsourcing things outside of your zone of genius.Focus on your one thing. Improving going live and growing the business.Confidence comes and goes. Remember you’ll try to talk yourself out of it. Keep going.If you can, work for someone else first to see if it’s what you want to do.Ask non biased, market based questions. Why would someone want to be on the show, listen to this, or buy this product/service?Your live video needs to sound good. Audio is the most important part of any show. Practice interview and conversation skills as an infinite game. Be authentic and personal. Being yourself will connect with your audience. Commit to a consistent schedule for at least one main show. Build a funnel with micro content. Share clips, teasers and mini posts that let people know the value you bring and that they can check out the larger show. No excuses. Level up your software and gear over time. But at first use what you have and get started. Don’t worry about numbers. If you seek feedback, ask your audience, or people interested in those same topics what might improve the show.Memorable Quotes“We should see tough times and challenging life experiences as a ticket that we need to be able to help someone else later on in life.”“Trauma is a best friend of mine, but at the same time it’s been my worst enemy.”“College is not for everybody, but it is for somebody.”“We can create something from nothing. And we don’t need the whole road map. We just have to decide, what is it that we want to do?”“My marker is always where was I the year before? And where am I today. I’m just always pushing myself to be better than I was the year before.”Guest BioSri is a video marketing producer. She coaches entrepreneurs to create highly engaging videos that make money for their business. She’s helped hundreds of clients with improving their own business.Sri is featured in the Top 15 Coaches in Houston Influence. Known for live streaming and marketing content, she is a powerful influence as a personal brand as well. She is a great mentor and also creates a lot of free content for anyone thinking about starting, or improving a live stream show.FOLLOW SRILinkedIn - srimahabirInstagram - @nexlevconsulting_sri FOLLOW JUSTIN (JustTries)Website - JustTriesHOMEInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesCONNECT WITH JUST KEEP LEARNINGWebsite - JKLHOMEInstagram - @JustKeepLearning.CaTiktok - @justkeeplearning.caFacebook - Just Keep LearningFree Group - JKL Goal Setting CommunityWe appreciate you being here! Be sure to leave the podcast, “Just Keep Learning” ratings and reviews because it will help people who need it be better able to find it. Also, if you want a shoutout, simply share an image of the episode, you listening, or your takeaways and share it @JustKeepLearning anywhere on social! I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create

Incredibly powerful wisdom for all of us to be more "GOLD". A Genuine, Original, Loving, Dreamer on route to your big goals.She capped the episode off showcasing some of her ability to create poetry by sharing a flow with us on the spot!Doc Peace also shared the steps to success in building a creator business. And how she went from being a doctor and fulfilling her family's dreams about her career to becoming an award winning poet and entrepreneur. One of the most incredible moments was when Doc shared her prescriptions for living a mentally healthy life. She shared a practice of adding a small object to a jar, like a jelly bean, or pebble to the jar every time that you show up in a time that it took courage. The ability to see the physical objects grow in our courage piggy bank will continue to increase our confidence and build momentum. Doc Peace shared her belief in spirituality and how the universe works through us. We need to trust our inner voice when it guides us toward a direction based on the passions that fuel us.Create Your Own StoryDoc shared key strategies for succeeding in your side hustle even though you may be really busy with work that pays the bills.She reminds us that we tell ourselves a story about our life. We create a character that will do things that we don’t even want to do. Breaking free from this narrative and becoming the hero in our own movie was key for her. She used this approach to pivot from a corporate medical career as a doctor and to poetry and entrepreneurship. Doc shares how it all started when a voice came to her and said “You don’t just need to wear gold, you need to be gold”. That was the moment she created her acronym for "GOLD". A Genuine, Original, Loving, Dreamer. And she started to use this concept of gold in all of her creations from art to business.Doc is a genius when it comes to understanding what it means to build a clear personal brand around a story. She noted how we can be both person and business oriented. In her case Doc Peace, in my case Justin Nolan. But this goes hand in hand with a broad brand as well. In her case “gold” and in my case “Just Keep Learning.”The Three Stages Of Success For CreatorsDoc shared three overarching stages we go through as content creators. At first, we have a feeling that we can’t make money in the world of art. We reinforce the belief in the starving artist. All we can do in phase one is explore. We create, but most of our work is hidden. We need some other way to pay the bills. And we pretty much have to beg for collaborations, partnerships, someone to “put us on”.In the second phase we probably still hold down a traditional job, but we start to get paid for the creative work we do. People actually book us and provide compensation for what we make.In this second phase, even though we may be far from “making it” we can see some light and possibility.Finally in the third phase we know how to craft offers and build revenue that is sustainable on the back of what we create.In the episode, Doc Peace shared her own progression through these phases. She went from wanting to learn more about poetry, to a commitment to create in public daily. And how that transformed her entire world as a creative. 11 Things That Help Build Your Creator Business1. Study the greats2. Get the craft down. Accentuate your strengths, and improve your weaknesses. Write and perform as much as you can for the first year3. Focus on networking and collaboration4. Do outreach in order to start creating your own opportunities5. Figure out who you serve, because you can’t serve everyone as a target audience. Everyone can join later, but in the early stages you have to dial in who you create for and speak directly to them6. If you’re shy, it may help to take on an alter ego, digital guise, persona to create within7. What makes you a genuine, original, loving, dreamer? Create for your higher self and step into that role. 8. Build an offer that connects your creativity to a money making offer for other businesses9. Speak in clear terms when building your brand partnerships so that you are not confusing, vague, or cryptic. People should know what you do, and for who?10. The more you create, get feedback, partner with people and continue to publish, the more momentum will build, keep going!11. Create simple, memorable stories that communicate your values and interests when you are creating any content that you want to spread. Memorable Quotes“Opportunities don’t always come to you. But you can make them happen.”“There were so many times that I was starstruck and had to snap myself out of it. But it helps when we realize that we are all people, and they had a start similar to me too where they were just figuring everything out. And they are gold, but so am I.”“Once you can really own who you are, then you will have the confidence to connect with other people too.” “Confidence comes through actually making enough attempts that you’ve figured something out for yourse

Our guest today is a perfect example of dedicating your time to a practice. He started filmmaking as an adult because he has always loved to tell stories, especially on camera. Since then he’s filmed and edited hundreds and hundreds of videos, some corporate, some for fun, but all creative.We talked about pursuing your passion, ideas for being a great filmmaker and building habits as a creator. We took a masterclass style approach when it came to learning about making your own videos.Enjoy The JourneyPaul has focused on his true love for filmmaking when it comes to being a content creator. Of course he loves creating for clients. But his ability to make something truly creative is what sets him apart.He now strikes a nice balance between making money doing something he loves, but also creating just for the sake of enjoyment with vlog style videos, documentary and photography.His ability to enjoy the whole process and not stress about the numbers is really incredible. Paul also reminded us how valuable it is to live outside of your comfort zone. We should be willing to learn from people that have a different life experience. We can learn a lot from people who are different from us. Go For ItPaul decided to take a college filmmaking course because he wanted to know what it would feel like to have the skill set of making movies. He quickly began to understand the basics of planning, shooting and editing movies in order to scratch his own itch of filmmaking.He talked about this bias toward action, sticking to the process, and how important it is to keep going. It might be because he recently read Rick Rubin’s “The Creative Act” but it was clear that Paul understands how important it is to make art for yourself first. Whether it’s podcasting, writing, or making videos, you will find an audience. Make the art for you first.Interview the people you find interesting. Collaborate with people you enjoy working with. Go with your gut when it comes to making art. It was like a Masterclass when Paul shared with us the basics of video creation. How to get started, using a storyboard, cameras, lenses, frame rates, and music. Paul shared his whole tech stack and tips on making a movie, whether documentary, vlog, or cinematic.15 Reminders For Great FilmmakingHave fun!Create in your style. Anywhere from super scripted to completely random.Know what you want to show when you think of things like frame rate, lens and lighting.Make things you want to make, the audience will follow.Start with shorter films and use deadlines to focus on quantity and consistency at first.Shoot with the best camera you have at your current disposal.Always have a beginning, middle and end in mind.Make a ton of videos because each skill will stack onto your next creation.Organize your footage so it’s easy to find stuff in your edit.Start your edit with a hook and then the start of a quest. Keep people tuned in to see if the payoff happens.Add copy-write free music and sound effects to spice up your edit.Practice a lot.Find your personal presence on camera by patiently building confidence.Use project management skills and checklists to keep your workflow simple.Get things done on time by pre scheduling your workflow into your 168 hours.Memorable Quotes“At any point it would be easy to stop going. Especially when no one else is paying attention to what you’re doing. That’s why it’s so important to stick to the process and keep going.”“You learn by taking action, actually trying something. Making it from start to finish, and then applying what you learned to the next one. And doing that over and over again.”“It all depends on what you want to show.”“Know what is really important to you, so that you can say ‘no’ to the other things.”Guest BioPaul is the manager of the creative meetup group “Get Out And Shoot” which has thousands of members learning photo and filmmaking in Toronto. He is a passionate content creator well versed in all creative software and tech stacks. Paul has worked with tourism boards, local businesses, and community stakeholders since 2015.He is a photographer and filmmaker himself. He currently creates videos for small businesses. And he makes his own films where he taps into his creative, unicorn space. Paul creates vlogs, documentaries, and co-hosts a weekly live photography show, called “Open Shutter”.FOLLOW PAULInstagram- @PGuchYoutube - @PaulYeghouchianTwitter - @PaulGuchFOLLOW JUSTIN (JustTries)Website - JustTriesHOMEInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesCONNECT WITH JUST KEEP LEARNINGWebsite - JKLHOMEInstagram - @JustKeepLearning.CaTiktok - @justkeeplearning.caFacebook - Just Keep LearningFree Group - JKL Goal Setting CommunityWe appreciate you being here! Be sure to leave the podcast, “Just Keep Learning” ratings and reviews because it will help people who need it be better able to find it. Also, if you want a shoutout, simply share an image

In today’s solo episode I’ll talk about reducing stress as a content creator. I recorded an interview today and Taylin Simmonds, a real leader in the creator space, asked me what I would do to help someone reduce the mental load of being a content creator? It’s funny to get a question like this because I’ve battled my whole life with anxiety and suicidal ideation. Heck, I’m feeling it a bit while I write this. When it gets really bad, depression creeps in, but that is very rare in the last 15 years. Suicidal thoughts creep in, but I have minimal fear of any harm. I’m able to laugh at these intrusive thoughts. Anxiety cursors begin, but rarely, rarely develop into panic attacks.So, I wanted to share the punchline with you first: the struggle to figure this out is what connects us as human beings.Now, I’ll elaborate because there are a few other things I’ve learned that can help us live with less stress in the creator economy. But honestly, that line may be all you need. **For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Brandon has built and sold successful companies. He’s also helped many other people build their own. He is an investor, entrepreneur, author, and teacher. He is known for his ability to keep things simple, while being very thorough at the same time when creating a business.Know Your PriorityBrandon is a really skilled business builder. Put simply he’s good at building a business the right way. Whether it’s identifying market opportunities, creating products, or keeping the books in order, he is on point.We talked a lot about building business of course. But we also talk about relationships, achieving our goals in life and how to deal with things that can get in the way.Cultivating meaningful relationships—be it with employees, clients, or other stakeholders—not only boosts the emotional intelligence quotient but also creates a reservoir of goodwill and trust that can be drawn upon during challenging times.When it comes down to success in any of these areas, quite frankly in life, it’s all about knowing your priority and then focusing on that priority.If you become overly co-dependent on people you won’t have a healthy relationship. So, the interesting thing we talke about was the counter intuitive need to focus on your self first in order to have positive relationships. Self Care FirstOne of the things that we talked about was how self care is not at all selfish. For business owners, it can be easy to have the stress and rigor of managing your venture to have a negative impact on your self-care, yet these two elements are crucial underpinnings for sustainable success.Self-care is not an indulgence but an investment that pays dividends in the form of improved decision-making, creativity, and resilience. A business owner in optimal physical and mental health is better equipped to steer the company effectively, make good decisions and inspire teams. Brandon shared how he’s always had a commitment to exercise, bodybuilding and cycling from a young age. This is something that compounds, like interest, in a healthy way. The younger we start the better!If you don’t take care of yourself first, you risk burnout. But you also won’t be available for the relationships that matter most to you. And this never ends well. So the funny thing is, taking care of yourself. Your spiritual, mental, physical health. Is the first step to being able to take care of others.Build Business The Right WayBrandon shares a bunch of the businesses he has worked on. He tells us about the ones that succeeded, failed, and those in between. Often times the idea of “exiting” or selling your business can seem like a mystery. So it was fun hearing how he built and sold his online fishing business.We talked about the importance of content creation in today’s entrepreneurial environment. How he got into content creation and the things learned along that journey. How To Build A Business Plan We got into a conversation that was an absolute masterclass for starting your own business. Brandon shared his tips for creating a plan that will work for you. It’s created in a way that actually tests your ideas and keeps things organized so you either win, or learn.People often act like business plans are boring. But they shouldn’t be. A business plan should be the overall story of a project within your company. This should be something you really enjoy making. It is the story about what your business does, why it will work and how.Quarterly, or at the very least twice a year, you should take some time to work on your business. Remove yourself from the day to day, review the plan and set goals that improve the different aspects of your business.Here are the key topics that Brandon shared:Know your elevator pitch. It’s not about you. Keep it under 30 seconds. Allow it to tell the story of the problem and solution that creates value for people.What problem do you solve? In less than two minutes, describe what pain points are you trying to help your customer with? Fill in the blanks X, Y and Z. Person tries “X”. The pain they experience is “Y.” Existing solutions don’t work because “Z”.What solutions do you provide? In less than two minutes, describe how your product, or service solves the problems in a simple to understand, or frictionless manner. Fill in the blanks Our solution helps you because it “A” “B” “C”. Example: Saves money, saves time and helps you connect with other creators quickly. It’s not the product, it is how the product solves the problems.Describe and share your product. Customer story of using that product and how it works. Like giving a sample, how can you describe in a concise way what exactly the product is? Know all of the costs to produce every aspect of the product.Market opportunities. What is the overall market? What is the total addressable market? How specific and niche can you get at first to own a piece of the overall market? Get as fine tuned as you can to strategize to own your serviceable share of the market.Your business mode

Do You Have A Clear Dream?There is an incredible clarity test in the John Maxwell book, “Put Your Dream To The Test” and the questions are: Can you explain the dream in one sentence?Can you answer any question about “what” the dream is?Have you spent many hours defining this dream in detail?Have you written a clear description of the dream that includes its main features or objectives?Does the dream align with your current values and purpose?**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

A Definition Of Start With WhyGrowing up creates our “why”. Our family, teachers, hobbies, jobs, and experiences all contribute to the total of our abilities, values, and personality patterns.When we look back at our development and the people, places and things that created our most aligned sense of self, we find a recipe for success. These clues lead to our why.A why” does not change. It is the sum total of your experiences that has made you who you are. We can change how we navigate the world, what we do with it, and how aligned we are with our why. But it does not change.This concept revolves around the idea that to truly inspire others, or ourselves, we must start by explaining the 'why' - our purpose, cause, or belief that inspires us to do what we do.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

We need to make sure that we have a solid understanding of why it’s so important that we never settle for what we can do, or what we could do, but instead, we decide, for ourselves, what we were made to do.Personal Life DesignOur past and future can be major distractions. Worrying about things that happened, or could happen is a major source of shame, guilt, and stress.But, learning about ourselves through self-examination can have a very positive impact as well. If we learn about ourselves in a healthy way we can access those scary, big dreams stirring inside us. Feelings of “I was meant to do more” can be negative, or extremely positive.Either way, it call comes down to buying into the concept of personal life design. Becoming a deliberate creator of our lives, as opposed to wandering around like zombies.I’ll talk about the three main questions that help us figure out what we want in a minute. But I want to point out two important things about life design overall.One, this self-examination is not something to put off. It’s not like, “I’ll start my exercise routine on Monday. This is something that should start right now.And the other thing is, make self examination a lifestyle. We should all have a regular practice of uninterrupted reflection on where we are, where we wanna head and what we are going to do about it. Actually, a third thing. Sorry. The concept of Just Keep Learning is really valuable here too. Self-examination is a lifelong pursuit. We are always searching, trying, and discovering new things about our ambitions.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

We can all find success by using what we have at our disposal at any given time. To be honest that’s the only way. But Myke gives a great example of this sharing how he got started with no cell phone, worked his way up to a little cheap one and eventually on to better creator tools. But a lack of resources never held him back from becoming a great content creator and eventually business owner.We talked about creativity, personal branding, and living your core values. We discussed how Myke got into content creation, digital marketing and ultimately becoming a leader in business. And he shared some incredible tips on networking and the entrepreneurial mindset.Our interview was full of incredible advice on achieving your goals, regardless of the industry. Myke shares incredible analogies and strategies for building confidence so that you can live the life you want to live. For example, reminding us that we are the only ones holding ourselves back. Or the incredible notion that we can still cut through a tree with a dull axe. It might take longer, but once we get there no one can debate we’ve done it.11 Tips To Be Great At NetworkingReplace the word networking with “build relationships” in the same way you would think about dating.If you want to be associated in a different circle, then you have to have the courage to associate yourself with that circle first.Imagine it’s just a game and you have to put forward a case in a year, or two from now as to why you should be viewed as a credible figure in a particular category.Understand the fundamental truth that people simply want to stay connected to people that they are simply interested in staying connected to, there are no “tricks, or hacks”.Buidling a network of people will lead to a compound effect.It’s not so much about exchanging business cards, random contact info, it’s about building a reputation on brand and trust.The gift of gab is underrated. Listen well and make genuine connections that last in people’s memory because you are engaged in learning from them.Allocate your connecting time to engaging in ways and with people that you are genuinely interested in.People are naturally more inclined to pay attention when they hear their own name, or things specific to them, so don’t worry about yourself when connecting with people.Don’t have overthink a “niche” but be sure to create credibility where people confidently know you for something or things. Be professional and never stop improving your listening and communication skills.9 Parts Of Developing An Entrepreneurial MindsetStrive to make sure you’re never the smartest person in the room.Reaching our potential begins with striving to get clarity, and continuing to make progress.Compare yourself in a healthy way by asking “Who am I? Who is someone similar to who I aspire to be? And what does that person have, or do that I could learn from in my own way?”Try to be more uncomfortable and incompetent to just the right amount. Find the balance of creating things you love, so that you will overcome the low points, but also that is proven to gain traction for an audience.Strive toward crazy dreams and the business leader you want to be.Remember there is no excuse for not getting started if you truly want it.Focus on building confidence, connections and overcoming procrastination by building habits and systems.Keep going.Memorable Quotes“Create content you’d be happy with even if no one else saw it.”“Don’t attach your self worth to views, or likes.”“It doesn’t take money to make money in a grassroots fashion.”“Nobody enjoys being seen by others at the beginning, but it’s worth overcoming that ego to take the first step.”“Be blissfully ignorant and naive to keep putting in the work toward the vision that you have.”“Be authentic by serving your audience, but not at the sacrifice of yourself.Guest BioMyke Metzger is an American entrepreneur, author, and speaker. He was born in Long Island, New York in 1989. Myke was featured as one of “The Top 10 Most Influential People of 2018” by Entrepreneur Magazine. He has been featured on MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal, FOX, CBS, ABC, Silicon Valley Business Journal, The CW, and more. Myke is a well-known digital marketing consultant that works with influencers, athletes celebrities, and companies. He is the CEO and Founder of “Stoqd”, a Top 100 branding agency on the east coast. He is also CEO of BRWLRZ, a fight game media company. Both ventures reach success by focusing on 3 things: world-class sites, social media presence, and digital advertising campaigns.Myke has shared the stage with some of the top high-performance entrepreneurs in the world. He’s also worked as an influencer with nationally recognized brands such as Cash App and Fiverr. With his talent for content creation, he helps these brands promote their products and services to his own audience.FOLLOW MykeInstagram -@mykemetzgerYouTube - Myke M YoutubeLinkedIn - @mykemetzgerFOLLOW JUSTIN (JustTries)Website -

Once we learn to choose ambitions that pass the dream filter (like we did in the previous episode) we naturally begin to question the size of our dreams. Am I thinking too small, or is my idea too grand?We can remove these types of questions by dreaming in a few different levels, or sizes, while still keeping our eye on the wild prize. So in this episode, we look at 4 different dream levels. You should always have a dream for each level at any given time. **For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

We all aspire to be a certain person, or do certain things, but often we leave the details as vague “maybe’s” or hope that fate will guide us somewhere.We all have beautiful talents and wild ambitions that have been covered up by dream blockers like fear and doubt. Most times we don’t even know that we are blocking our dreams because it happens in our subconscious. The good news is, we can learn to dream again.And the most efficient way to do so is to start naming our dreams.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Today I wanted to do something quick and simple that explains the overall process of reverse engineering. In the coming episodes I’ll share more detailed insights from Tim Ferris, Alex Hormozi, and my own experience, but for the purpose of sharing the overall concept and because I want to practice with AI, I asked ChatGPT to write the episode.The prompt I shared was: Write me a script for a 5 minute podcast episode, in my style, on how people can go about reverse engineering their big life goals.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Showing UpKristin has built a really supportive community based on her value of simply showing up. She has become known for her stance on lifelong learning, and having incredible live conversations with people to learn more about what makes each of us tick. The idea of pursuing self-awareness as a lifelong goal is something that Kristin really understands.We talked about pursuing a career in acting, having the humility to focus on her true values in life, how to get started as a content creator, what it was like to become a stand-up comedian, and some of her core memories in life.All of this leads to some pretty incredible wisdom that we can all benefit from.Become A Content CreatorKristin shared the main thing she thinks that holds people back is worrying about the results. If we stay in the present moment and create content that is in line with our values, then good things happen. We shouldn’t get stuck inside our own thoughts about how good, or bad we are as a creator. We shouldn’t be comparing ourselves to anyone else. We should just continue to show up for our audience and put the work in.Kristin went into stand-up comedy in her fifties because it’s something she always thought of trying, she knew it would be a challenge that brought about healthy fear and she loves hearing people laugh.She really stresses the importance of trying things out too. Over time, the more things we try, the closer and closer we’ll get to being in alignment with our life’s purpose and then the content creation will come more and more naturally.7 Tips To Live Your Best LifeEveryone in the world is trying to be someone else, but the greatest gift is the ability to just be yourself.Don’t worry about cliques, fitting in, or comparing yourself to others.Strive to figure out who you are, not who anyone else wants you to be.Life will be boring and stressful if you don’t build it for yourself.Focus on individuality and confidence. If you are a lifelong learner in those two areas you will live your best life.Remember that emotions, especially fear and sadness, are not only “o.k” but they are really valuable.If a certain path isn’t for you, whether it’s a job, sport, activity, or school, it’s no big deal, live in the moment and keep figuring it out for yourself.Don’t make decisions because they are what other people did. Learn from others, gather evidence and clues, but ultimately make your own decisions.Memorable Quotes“Everyone in the world is trying to be someone else, but the greatest gift is the ability to just be yourself.” “Don’t follow the whole crowd of cars in traffic, instead take a left, or a right and enjoy the journey, you never know what you might find.”“Kids are little people with stresses, fears, and goals too. Just because we are adults out there in the big bad world doesn’t mean that we have more important, or more serious stresses, fears, and goals than our kids.”“In any relationship, you can’t have someone else validate you. You need to validate yourself.”Guest Bio“Kristin Being Kristin” is a mom and wife by day Bartender and comedian at night.Whether she’s pouring drinks, or solving people’s problems with humor and brutal honesty, she uses Heart, Humor and Sass to share a little inspiration.She has core values of showing up and lightening up to laugh.She became quite popular after being a guest on Tea with Gary Vee, and since has created a live interview show, coached people in life and podcasting, and continued to create content that can inspire every day people to believe in themselves.FOLLOW KRISTINInstagram - @kristinbeingkristinYouTube - @KristinbeingKristinFOLLOW JUSTIN (JustTries)Website - JustTriesHOMEInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesCONNECT WITH JUST KEEP LEARNINGWebsite - JKLHOMEInstagram - @JustKeepLearning.CaTiktok - @justkeeplearning.caFacebook - Just Keep LearningFree Group - JKL Goal Setting CommunityWe appreciate you being here! Be sure to leave the podcast, “Just Keep Learning” ratings and reviews because it will help people who need it be better able to find it. Also, if you want a shoutout, simply share an image of the episode, you listening, or your takeaways and share it @JustTries anywhere on social! I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

I just finished reading (well listening to) but audiobooks count as reading, right?Either way, I just finished Matt Higgins, Burn The Boats.I knew about the book well ahead of time because I’ve always been connected to his work through Gary Vee’s content.I was looking forward to it for a while, kind of like when a new record drops, for a couple of reasons.One, I personally have gone back and forth in my mind about when it will be the right time to burn the boats and go all in on the Just Keep Learning podcast. And secondly, I felt that the information in the book fits perfectly into the clarity that I am trying to provide in these posts on finding your one thing and figuring out how to pursue your own goals.So, what does it mean to burn the boats, and should you do it?**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

I love creating content about goal setting and clarity for our big dreams. But even with a lot of tips and tricks, people still get stuck. I find when we have trouble brainstorming an idea to focus on, then there is something getting in the way.When something is getting in the way from letting us dream big, it’s often the case that we need to reset our personal operating system.You know how we reset our devices by adding updates and upgrading the current operating software? Well, our minds need updates too. But we often fail to see it this way.Also, if you’ve ever been prompted by your device to update now, or remind me tomorrow, if you’re anything like me, you almost always hit, “update later.”This is not the end of the world, but with our own minds and goals, it’s important not to put it off. **For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Alright, I think at this point it goes without saying, but it is almost impossible to focus on only one thing. In many ways, the idea of “balance” is a myth. We have many things in life that we need to focus on; family, friends, self-care, work, and unfortunately health at times.This is where counterbalance is the true reality.At times we will be so focused on parenting for example because our kiddo is home sick. And that’s o.k. We can drop the other stuff for a bit.These things are the foundation for life.The One ThingThe foundational priorities of self-care, wellness, friends, and family are not the goals that I would include when referring to your “one thing”.As busy as we may be with those areas of life, at other times we’ll have the chance to go head down, work our ass off, and be super focused on the one thing that is our greatest goal at any given moment.I just want to point that out quickly because I understand there is more than “one thing”. Please do give yourself the time and space to be able to spend energy on all of the other priorities. Because goal setting is an infinite game. We get to play forever. So what do I mean by “your one thing” then?**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Growing UpJoe Shared the challenge of growing up in a primarily white neighborhood. We talked about the importance of finding your tribe and being a part of a community that you feel you belong to.In this case, similar to how we feel about JKL, Joe talks about the “Live Joe Dreamz” community as a place where he finally feels he belongs. For that reason, he’s doubling and tripling down on building as big a community as possible. The vision for the community is simply a world where everyone lives their big dreams.Just Believe In YourselfBeing a content creator, filmmaker, and hip-hop artist with an important message, Joe had to take a leap of faith toward a creative career. He shared that increasing your creative confidence by thinking less and creating more, will work out if you believe in yourself.This style and value came out of a silver lining moment he had in the studio. Joe tells the story of booking studio time last minute which led to free styling and creating some of his best work on the spot. This also led to future production being more efficient, and unlocked a world of future creativity and speed in creating content.It all comes down to trusting in the process. Just make the next thing, then the next and the next. Don’t stress, or worry about results. Joe took his own leap of faith to start street performing, and freestyling. This is well documented as he performs on the street outfront of Padres games. His most viral video in fact took place in New York at a Padres Playoff game. The video showing a fan assaulting him has been shared around the internet hundreds of millions of times.Obsessed With Personal DevelopmentJoe Dreamz as a brand was built after he was introduced to the world of personal development. A friend connected him to a mentor who brought him to his first conference. At the conference was speaker Robert Kiyosaki, author of ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’. His talk opened up a whole new world for Joe as he learned about the concept of self-help. He became obsessed with the idea of personal development. He read a ton of books and consumed as many resources as possible that would help him understand the world of success. He knew that spreading these concepts to other people who have no idea that they exist was going to be part of his life’s work. But, trying to share these ideas with friends, or family was a struggle. It’s not as exciting, or engaging as mainstream media. And so, Joe Dreamz was born. The combination of personal development and the arts, to create edutainment that helps people learn and see out their own goals in life.7 Tips To Help You Live Your DreamsTrust that you can do it the way you want to do it.Figure out “your” perfect. What level is the best balance of being ready to share, but doesn’t take so long to make that it keeps you from creating your next piece?Maintain the mindset that we can always turn trash into treasure.If you do what most people do you will get what most people get.Life is happening for you, not to you. Everything we experience is for us. So when an event takes place in our lives, it’s helpful to ask, what could I gain from this, or at least, what can I learn from it?Find out who the successful people in your field are. Study what they do that sets them apart, decide what you can copy from them and what you can do that is unique to set you apart. Combine those things with consistency and continue to put them into practice over time.Always take moments to pause. Don’t rush to answer something, take action, or talk. Figure out the best balance of action versus feedback and planning. You don’t want to procrastinate, but you do want to move with a sense of patience and calm.Memorable Quotes“When someone poops in your comment section, you can poop back, or you can use that to come up with something playful, or to win them over.” “The live your dreams cause has been around since the beginning of human time, so I’m just the founder of the company that wants to spread this message as far as possible.”“Something that is small, but practical and can have a big impact for people over time, is taking a moment to pause, to just pause and think before we act, or speak.”Guest BioJoe Dreamz is a musician, speaker, and content creator. He has an old-school message of personal development, and chasing your dreams. He combines this life philosophy with a new school sound through hip hop and filmmaking.Joe Dreamz is a breath of fresh air in the music industry because he focuses on purpose and creativity first.Before rapping, Joe worked dead end job after dead end job and lacked a sense of purpose. But he realized the window to his Dreamz was slowly closing so he decided to take a leap of faith. Now he inspires others to do the same. He can do an even better job by building the business brand, so it’s important we all know his name. And “don’t forget the z”. FOLLOW JOE DREAMZInstagram - @JoedreamzTikTok - @joedreamzmusic YouTube - JoeDreamzFOLLOW JUSTIN (JustTries)Website - J

The term “Dream Big” appears on T shirts, water bottles, posters and many other things we see in our day to day life. And I love seeing it!Another thing that is pretty popular is the idea of focusing on your one big dream to be able to make it come true. Books like “The One Thing” make this concept popular.But, what if you don’t know what your one thing is? Or, what if you don’t know how to dream big?Over the last fourteen posts I’ve shared some tips on how to dream big and how to think of many ideas that could become our one thing.However, I know, because people tell me all the time, that oftentimes we still don’t have solid ideas that we feel good about.And that’s where the art of trying things comes in.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

I am a huge believer in pursuing dreams for two big reasons. One, it prevents regret, which is such a powerful state of sadness. And, two it helps us live each day with a little more vitality. A little more pep in our step.It doesn’t matter if it’s for work, for play, or anywhere in between. At any given moment in time, we can establish a big dream. And whenever I feel like giving up on mine, I remember these words from poet John Greenleaf Whittie.“For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.”Play Infinite GamesIn a future episode we will look at a more concrete, practical, step by step filter to decide if a goal qualifies as a big dream or not. But for now I just want to share one of the key indicators. A big dream should create an infinite game for you. I was trying to think of a good way to describe what I mean by this and I got the urge to see how A.I. would explain this.I was quite blown away by the response when I said “​​describe to me the importance of playing infinite games when it comes to our well being.”**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Find Energy Motivation & Flow From Your Day To DayOne method to gather more evidence of what brings us vitality is to measure the activities that we do in our day-to-day lives.Every experience we have will either increase or decrease our energy. And some activities give us intrinsic motivation, whereas others kind of feel like we could take them or leave them.Ultimately the goal should be to find the thing that gives us the most energy, intrinsic motivation and if we’re lucky, a state of flow.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Finding YOUR AlignmentAchieving our greatest ambitions will not come easy. We will experience ups and downs. And heck, we might not even survive. But the pursuit is worth it if we are living in alignment. Like a car without alignment, we can veer off course.The more aligned our wheels are the better we can keep our trip between the lines.In order to know if we are living in alignment we benefit from our ability to answer three questions.Sure, we can have conflicts between the work we are doing and the values we stand for. In fact we most likely will. But the goal should be to do a little bit each day to get more and more aligned. We should learn more and more about our personal values so that our work can become more and more an extension of what we stand for.There exist two big questions that we must answer to help us decide on our alignment needsWho Are You? Why Do You WorkWhat Do You Want To Do?**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Be Efficient With Your GoalsLuke shared one of his hacks for building skills more efficiently. Find ways to get paid for improving skills that help you with your bigger vision. They don’t have to be directly tied to the long term goal. For example, he is an actor because it helps with confidence on camera and networking.Every goal is built on transferable skills. How can you leverage your current work, schedule and downtime to practice skills that are in line with your bigger desire even if you aren’t there yet?When it comes to setting goals be sure to build on a foundation of the lifestyle you want. It’s ok to mimic and copy others actions to reach success, but when it comes to the lifestyle you build that’s a personal need. Be sure to set goals that fit with your own lifestyle goals so that you will keep going when times get tough.Finally, you won’t reach the next level alone. Don’t wait to seek help. No matter what evel you’re at, collaborating and leaning on others is helpful. So, have the courage to ask questions, get noticed, and be a person that people want to be around.Getting Into Personal DevelopmentWe talked about the path that Luke took to go from wondering what to do in life to becoming a top coach in the industry.Luke opened up about his sister’s battle with addiction that led him to focus on personal development and being as perfect as possible to avoid going down that path himself.This seemed like a “good thing” at the time. But, Luke shared about the life changing moment he had at a Tony Robbin’s event that allowed him to understand it a bit better. He realized that he had a lot of personal work to do first in order to succeed in business. Growing up entangled in her struggles as a heroine addict, he held onto a lot of blame, anger and hatred toward. He knew he had to heal and apologize to his family.As difficult as these experiences were, it built his character and empathy that he can apply to working with clients.How To Be A Great CoachLuke shared the difference between coaching and teaching. When teaching we have a script, or prescription of curriculum. When coaching, there are always unique, contextual, individual problems to solve. Coaching is much more about questions than answers. Guiding and supporting people while they craft questions and search for their own answers. Using honesty and transparency to help people figure things out on their own is key to coaching.Any great coach is able to come at life questions from a place of love and compassion. It’s not enough to simply lead, but we need to actually build trust. The coach, client relationship is the foundation, not fear-based, external factorsMake sure your clients are also building on a foundation of relationships, family, and their own health first. Don’t just dive right into their top of pyramid goals. Without the foundation nothing is sustainable.Finally, everyone has strengths. Sometimes life has really crushed their confidence and they feel like they have no skills. But starting with uncovering strengths can have exponential impact at the beginning of a coaching relationship.14 Tips To Use Manifestation To Get What You WantUse your time intentionally.“Create your own luck” by staying true to you and opening your network to helpful people.Don’t just shoot for things like money, understand what will bring you true meaning and vitality.Set the intention and through the ups and downs never stop working at it.You can start for free just by searching for content related to mindset, and manifestation.Follow the blueprints. There are great authors who create for this audience as well, like Joe Dispenza.Cut back, or stop altogether wasting time watching content, news, and social media that doesn’t fuel your mind.Commit one to two hours per day to intentional, focused mindfulness.Reduce physical and mental clutter by minimizing as much as possible.Cut negative influences and people from taking up your energy.If we leave our thoughts in default mode we will always stay the same as yesterday. Nothing will change. So step one is becoming aware, not judging, just being aware of the negative thoughts we have.Become intentional about your beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. Each day get them more in alignment with what you want instead of going through the motions.Then you want to decide what person do you “not want to be”? How does that person think, what do they believe and feel?Now decide “who do you want to be”? As much as you can reflect, in as deep a state as possible on becoming that person. Using what they think, believe, and feel play a movie in your mind of this person. Envision you as the hero in your movie. Do it as much as possible, and as intensely as possible.Memorable Quotes“I’m so sick of seeing all these leaders in the business space who have ruined the rest of their lives. Why can’t we bloody have it all?” “It’s not about being perfect. It’s simply about deciding that you are not neglecting this important area of your life

5 Key Points To Live In The MomentThe book is long and goes in great depth, but here are five of the key points from The Power Of Now:Be aware of your thoughts: Notice when your mind is wandering to the past or future, and gently bring your attention back to the precise, specific moment.Focus on your breath: Do some quick breathwork and focus on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body to feel more grounded.Pay attention to your senses: Notice the things you can see, hear, taste, feel and smell around you to stay engaged with that scene.Accept what is: Instead of resisting or judging the current situation, accept it as a circumstance, not a stressor.Let go of the past and future: Instead of dwelling on past mistakes, waiting for something to happen, or worrying about the future, try to focus only on what you can do right now.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

I am often asked, what if I have too many ideas? Or what if I have no ideas at all? Now, it would be unfair, but it’s tempting in both cases to say, “Just Try” things and call it a day. I will elaborate, but that is the main point. If you can strengthen your dreamer muscle, there will be plenty of ideas, too many to even try them all. So the simple answer is just pick something and try it. Well, if you are really stuck, how do you pick something?**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Here’s the bottom line friends in this JKL community, I want you to be excited about your life. No matter how young, or old you are, I want you to be excited about the life that you are creating. The Meaning Of LifeAnd to me, the meaning of life question is “meaning.”And I actually got this from Viktor Frankl, not just a Holocaust survivor, but as crazy as it sounds, thriver. Frankl believed that even in the most difficult and seemingly hopeless situations, individuals can find meaning in their lives. This is because meaning is the number one motivating force in human beings.So What Is Meaning?Frankl wrote that meaning can be found in three ways:Through achievement by setting goals and working towards them.Through relationships by giving and receiving love.Through suffering by transcending challenges and emerging stronger.Now, assume Frankl is right and meaning is the most important thing in our lives. And then look at these three ways to find meaning. Through goals, relationships, and overcoming challenges. All three of these can be achieved through the pursuit of a big dream. Yet, so often when we hear the term Big Dreams we are probably thinking about little kids wishing on a star.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Terrance almost died at his rock bottom. He shares this experience and how he bounced back in his incredible TED Talk “From Broken To Beautiful”. Now he helps not only himself, but others live a healthier, wealthier and purposeful life.Terrance shared the main points from his TED Talk “From Broken To Beautiful”. There were so many special moments in his life that were filled with adversity which created the leader that he is. He shared how addiction is less about a disease, or spirituality struggle and more about a need for true connection. Terrance also shared some of his wisdom around the fact that rock bottom can be such a blessing when you realize that up is the only direction left to go.Become Great At SalesTerrance is a very successful business leader and entrepreneur. When asked what one skill he recommends someone new to business should study, he said “definitely sales.”Sales is a skill that we need no matter what our goal is when we are interacting with people. And it’s something that can make a lot of money if you are good at it. Because any business would love to have people who can make more sales.It’s also something you can learn for free. On the internet, with A.I. or through books you can learn the knowledge. And then the way to get great is simply to practice.Terrance shared the key points to remember when we are selling. Like, make sure you have alignment with the product. You must actually believe in what you’re selling. Remember that people buy physiology, emotions and energy, not the information.Think like a doctor when selling. How do doctors work? They ask questions, and then they present a solution as an expert. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, then you either need more alignment, more knowledge, or more practice.Authenticity is key. You want to be speaking with certainty and conviction even if you are not one hundred percent sure. Be the voice of calm and reason as you take people from hell, with a problem into heaven, with a solution.Turn Your Life AroundTerrance shared how books are super underrated. Not only do they increase our status and knowledge, but books give us the free tools to be able to achieve our goals.He shares a couple of timeless books that will help you turn life around. He also created an incredible offer to give away a book if you have one that you need and can’t afford. One of the really intriguing moments was Terrance sharing the difference between rehabilitation and recreation.We don’t want the ability to rehabilitate ourselves because rehabilitation puts us back to the broken person we were in the first place. Instead, we want to improve our ability to re-create ourselves. How can we actually become a new person? The steps are simple. Explore the world for ways in which your should comes to life. What gives you meaning? Once you find it, acquire the skills it takes to work on this project. And start taking action. Zoom out five years and ask yourself what does success with this look like? You have the ability to choose new paths, new skills and a new life changing domino that can knock the rest of your dominos over. As you start to re-create and reinvent your life a void will appear. Be sure to stay aware of what people, places and things you fill those voids with. Do they map to that new life you want? Decide what tiny actions and habits you need today, that are lined up, like dominos to eventually knock down the big ones.12 Things To Remember When Building Your Own BrandRemember that we learn by copying others. Find the leaders in your space that you are drawn to and see if there are things they do that you would like to model your work after. Over time you will find your original voice, but in the beginning, steal from great role models.Find the map, or blueprint of where you want to go. Someone else has done this, or something similar, so steal their knowledge, wisdom and apply it to your experience.Build authority and social proof right away and don’t stop. Focus on solving problems for people in this niche day in and day out. Think of it like building a reputation.Create content to start practicing and sharing that you are a leader in this space. Don’t wait until the end to document the whole process. Be sure and show the building and come up that you are on from the beginning.From this plan, create some mini habits that are the small dominos you can start knocking over right away.Don’t take on huge changes, just little habits that keep you aligned with the purpose you feel.Decide on the tools that you will need to be successful and start acquiring as many as you can.Learn to focus on one thing at a time by evaluating your priorities. If something yields a greater return for your success then you should focus your time and energy there.Learn and then practice the skills that you need to achieve your goal.Find a guide that has been there before and who can help support you and keep you pointed in the right direction while you work your way along

The Importance Of Owning Your LifeAlex shares how she was always a bit of a troublemaker. She was never rude, or ignorant, but found herself pushing back against authority in day to day life. Whether it was toward a teacher as a child, or a boss, she always wanted to do things her own way. For this reason she didn’t really excel in school, or as an employee.But for all of the challenges she faced in the institution of school, or work, she always remained a life long learner and has a ton of great skills that serve her well as an entrepreneur. Something that stood out from our conversation was how Alex made peace with the fact that she would make a low to mid level income as a writer, but that would be great because she liked to write. This shows the importance of choosing careers we love. And it also shows that if you do good work, with a bit of luck and persistence, the money will follow.From $0 to Half A Million As A FreelancerAlex is a big believer in owning your time and energy. She tried a whole bunch of different freelance ideas when she first decided that becoming a business owner was her path.Since then she has learned to write effectively, teach, build engaged social media communities and create effective money making, freelance companies.MSNBC featured her in an article titled “This 28-year-old earns $378,000 a year on Fiverr—and just bought a car for $50,000 in cash”.She has scaled her business life to millions of dollars by learning to hire people, develop a CEO mindset, and create multiple revenue streams instead of exchanging time for money. We talked about a few of the strengths Alex has as a business leader, like scaling her team and onboarding people she can trust. We also learned of the struggles she has with staying focused and why surrounding herself with the right people helps to overcome the things she feels are areas of growth.Becoming A Full-Time Entrepreneur As A WriterWe got to hear all about her love for writing. How that love became the side hustle and future business that made the most sense. But, also how that love made it quite simple to create her first book. Alex has a book agent and Wiley is her current publisher. She talks about what it was like writing her first one and how many ideas she has for the next twenty!Alex shares all about the current state of Freelancing. She explains how simple and basic it was when she started, compared to today as the industry continues to expand.Finally, she was kind enough to share a few steps from her book that explain how anyone can get started in the world of freelance. 14 Tips For Being A Successful FreelancerStart journaling ideas as it relates to problems you see in the world and skills that you have that can solve those problems. Think about interests, strengths and dreams you have that you might be able to connect to a freelancing service.Remember that freelancing is by no means saturated. There will always be opportunities for good people who do efficient and effective work.Create a mind-map, or brainstorm on a paper your strengths, interests and skills that you are better than other people at, or things that you would like to learn, that if you were to get good at them you could use them to bring value to other people, or businesses. Know the values and personal goals that you have for your freelancing journey. They can evolve over time, but knowing what you stand for is important when making decisions about what jobs to take, how to price, and how much, or how little to scale.Once you have a few possible ideas do some initial research on the existing freelance marketplaces for all of the job postings that exist. Write down two, or three top categories that you think you might like to work in and then take a deeper dive.Don’t pick a skill for the sole fact that you will make money. There are enough skills to choose from that you can choose something that will make money, but is also something that you enjoy getting out of bed to do. This way you will be able to work through any plateaus and roadblocks.Once you have it narrowed down to a couple of ideas, for example coding and blog writing, spend time looking at the current postings and niches. Examine the top freelancers, their prices, copywriting and profiles. Create your own professional profile and start by posting one or two jobs in the marketplace. At first it’s all about getting experience. Book your first few jobs, impress the clients by over delivering and start getting some great reviews.Continue to learn what you like and don’t like about the chose category and either tweak, pivot, or keep going.Once you feel a bit established in a category learn to grow your audience and improve your marketing, advertising and sales as you become a more and more established business owner. Build a trustworthy brand. Treat your profile as, or more important than a resume. And be professional, deliver things on time according to the specifications promised. Remember that it's fun to sta

If you have a big dream already, great, all you need to do is continue to take action, pivot, and keep going. And, if you don’t have a big dream yet, that’s ok too. It will take us a while to figure it out, but it’s so much fun and there is no rush. I know many of us feel “stuck”. People often use this term, “stuck” to describe how they feel.They feel they’re too comfortable or playing it safe. We feel this way, comfortable, or safe, because that’s simply all we have come to know. Our routines, our energy, and our goals have become super familiar, maybe even boring.But it’s important to remember, this is no safe way to live. If we put our dreams on the backburner we will regret it, which is far from safe, and definitely not going to be comfortable. The good news is, the very feeling of “stuck” is actually a great thing!**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning

Stephen is nicknamed “America’s Life Coach”. His own discovery and building of self-awareness led him to the field of coaching others. Now he is one of the most powerful coaches in the world. Beyond working with clients he creates incredible content and shares free information that can help anyone reinvent their life.We talked for a while about growing up in a cult, breaking free to build his own future, goal setting and what it takes to be a successful life coach.Overcoming Adversity Growing Up In A CultStephen shared the incredibly challenging life experience he had growing up in a religious cult. It was tough because he was faced with internal conflict at twelve years old as he was learning what it meant to be gay. But even more challenging, is what it meant to be gay within this religious context.It’s an understatement to say that he environment he was growing up in was not at all supportive. In fact this led to him being kicked out of his childhood home.He shares about this challenging period in life where coming out to friends and family did not feel like it was in the realm of possibility at the time. One of the cool moments of our chat was Stephen sharing how all of us have things that we just intrinsically feel are impossible. We should explore those often because in all likelihood they are possible. Living A Life Of CompassionStephen is not against specific people or groups of people. He is against the idea that we must put people at odds with each other based on ideology. If people believe things differently from you, it does not mean they are wrong. It doesn’t not make them evil, and it does not mean something is wrong with themWe talked about this idea of being much more compassionate. Not necessarily accepting the things that people do. But understanding that people don’t just choose to be a certain way. Everything a person is choosing makes sense, on some level, in their brain. Given the same circumstances and experiences, we would be in a similar position ourselves.Instead of always seeking, or debating absolute, right answers based on certainty, we should approach beliefs as possibilities. We should approach any debate with an open mind and an open heart. What Is The Goodlife?Being obsessed with the classic big questions has been a big part of Stephen’s life. “Why are we here? What is life for? Why do bad things happen to good people? Etc.”Much of our conversation was about topics of philosophy, spirituality, and psychology, Simply put, sometimes there are no answers to life’s greatest questions. Some things require unknowns and mystery, and that’s ok.Make The World Your Greatest TeacherWe talked a bit about learning growing up. Stephen shared that he loved to learn, but not necessarily school. He shared how he started enjoying formal education more once he decide to take learning and school and make it his own. He would create his own assignments, or get permission to do things that were different than what the teacher had assigned.This is similar to how we should approach life and goal setting. If we want to learn something, or we want to head in a new direction, all of the information exists already.We need to be the driver. We should choose what we want our next step to be. In order to live with alignment, you will have your own unique, current truth. Lean into learning about that direction, not stories from the past.It was really powerful when Stephen shared his tips on being a life coach. Not only are these tips for coaches, but they will help anyone trying to better their own life too.11 Tips For Life Coaching & GoalsettingRead the prosperous coach by Rich Litvin & Steve Chandler.Coaching has a low bar for entry and a high bar for success, be the person willing to meet that high bar.Always meet people and do work with them in the present, calm, mindful moment.Don’t let your sales, or marketing outperform your coaching. The coaching needs to measure up or be better than the ability to sell it. Stay connected to the needs and experiences of your clients because they evolve, shift and circumstances change.Coaching can be a rewarding and lucrative career, but only if you really want to build with integrity and values. Hold yourself accountable to serve from your heart and integrity to clear that high bar of success and you’ll do fine. You shouldn’t have unhappy clients because you should build your business on a strong foundation and the values of coaching itself, not the money. Don’t worry, or stress about the negativity of the industry. There will be bad coaches out there. It does not have anything to do with you. Be on your own journey. Focus on your improvement and your client’s goals.Decide to be grounded in doing work that you truly believe in, that is uniquely you, not just copying what other people do. Let others hold you accountable. Have a coaching relationship yourself. Be sure to always be a client yourself, no matter how much success you achieve.Be a lifelong learner when it

I love sharing ideas about big dreams.And a lot of these ideas come to me when commuting somewhere. Well, today I thought of something that gets in the way of a lot of our big dreams. While driving to meet a client it popped into my head:"Slowing down enough to gain clarity is the challenging part. Pursuing the dream, even achieving the goal, that's the easy part."It’s true. Most people don’t get what they want because they don’t know what they want.**For the full written version of the episode see the transcript. FOLLOW JustinInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok - @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesLinkedIn - Justin I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on building your publishing business. Write a book, create a podcast, share content, and build a business, design the life of your dreams.Let's make it happen. You got this! See how we can work together. https://stan.store/justkeeplearning