The Kevin Miller Podcast

This is what Sam Collier believes, that we are literally wired to function off of joy. This is a significant statement from anyone but to me is more intriguing coming from a pastor. I didn’t grow up hearing this message or witnessing such a spirit in the multitude of churches I frequented. Hearing the way Sam puts it is infectious, however. This is my Habit’s episode and Sam shares from the profound, to the interesting, as we get into his love of movies and music which I share and asked him to give us some specifics. But my focus was his focus on the importance of recreation, fun, and laughter and his own medicine of laughing his way out of pain. He says, "The best leaders have fun and enjoy themselves. When they don't have fun they get stuck in a serious world. People who don't have fun have a hard time having hope when things get rough." This struck a cord in me as you'll hear, because it's a tendency of mine to be serious and production oriented and not giving any attention to fun and play and joy. "Every decision you make every day determines your destiny. Choose wisely. Don't underestimate the power of having a good time." You can connect with Sam and all he has to offer you at agreaterstory.org and find his podcast by the same name wherever you get your podcasts! Thanks to FOCL and their “Plant powered wellness” for supporting this episode, connect with them at http://go.thoughtleaders.io/1898420200810 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all need to get paid for our work. But does it provide you with anything beyond the money? Does it provide value to others? It’s a big question that is worth pondering and being very cognizant of. I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “What value does your work provide beyond making money to pay for your life?” Over 60 lengthy comments about people’s work. Some realized they were only focused on the money. Many cited work they cared deeply about that provided great meaning to them and service to others. A couple who didn’t need the money anymore but worked to bless others. We covered some important ground for us all to consider regarding not only what all we get from our work, but what the end user of the product or service we represent gets. This show will give you great gratitude and confirmation for your work, cause you to ponder more breadth in your work, or possibly show you you need to be looking for work elsewhere! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s just a fact. Your story runs and rules your life. You think your story is black and white and truth and today you are either successful because of or in spite of it, or you are overcome and defeated by it. Likely somewhere in between. While you can’t and should not sugarcoat the hard things that happened to you, you can find the redemption, and that makes all the difference. This is the focus of today’s show, but let me also add...around the 27 minute mark we have an incredible discussion on our current racial tension and then an absolutely profound talk about finding one’s purpose. My guest is Sam Collier, pastor, speaker, writer, and host of the “A Greater Story with Sam Collier” TV show and radio podcast and a brand new book by the same name. I brought Sam on to the show to discuss his incredible story of being born to a drug addict and given up for adoption and his focus on how we can and should elevate how we see our story. Normally I would not give any reference to race or color, but part of Sam’s story is being black and growing up in a very black culture in the south, so we got into the current racial tensions of 2020 and shares a message to blacks and whites separately which I really, strongly encourage you to hear. Then, holy moly, we got into both of our perspectives on finding one’s purpose and from it, well, you’ll hear Sam exclaim a couple times that we need to write a book together. I’ll admit, it was significant. Again, such a powerful show. You can connect with Sam and all he has to offer you at agreaterstory.org and find his podcast by the same name wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever get irked by a personality who just seems to want to sell to you and promote themselves, and doesn’t come off as having your best interest truly at heart? This is a sore spot for many people, and we hit it head on in this show. For many of you who are seeking to lead and influence others, and many of you who already are, you will want to tune in and see how you can better serve and care for your audience and how to and not to market and position yourself. I start us off with a short clip from a presentation by Zig Ziglar where he references a story he used in his all-time best selling book, See You At The Top. The story was about a guy named Tom Hartman who lost a lot of weight. In this segment Zig references the story because he realizes he is selling this book he authored that contains that story and...he is quite overweight himself. This doesn't bode well for his credibility. I'll never forget a celebrity author once with another book on relationships and finding out she was twice divorced and currently single. In that circumstance I found her credibility on what it takes to have healthy relationships, questionable. But from Zig's message and point on credibility I asked the Ziglar audience this question, "With all the personalities (authors, speakers, podcasters, etc…) marketing to you, what hurts their credibility most for you?" We got a barrage of responses and a week later they are still coming in. People get really frustrated and disappointed as we all look for people to lead and guide us, but we are so sensitive when we feel taken advantage of. You’ll resonate with many of the responses and if you are seeking to lead, influence, and market to others, this is your filter to gain and retain credibility and success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much do you care about the home you live in? Does it matter a little or a lot if it’s clean and safe with nice amenities? Of course. Likewise every day we wake up to live inside our brain. Like your home, you have control over the quality and state of your brain. Much more control than you have over your outside circumstances, actually, yet we don’t tend to function from this perspective, but instead tend to live as if our brain is concrete and hardwired. Dr. Caroline Leaf has made it her life’s work to debunk and disprove this and show us how our brain can be our servant instead of the other way around. As a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist specializing in cognitive and metacognitive neuropsychology she has worked since the early 1980s researching the mind-brain connection, the nature of mental health, and the formation of memory. She was one of the first in her field to study how the brain can change (neuroplasticity) with directed mind input. Dr. Leaf is the bestselling author of Switch on Your Brain, Think Learn Succeed, and coming soon, Cleaning Up The Mental Mess, which is the title of her top ranked health and wellness podcast. In this show we go through what led her into the field, how her faith overlaps with her vocational mission, and key aspects of the control we actually have and can employ regarding our brain. You can connect with Dr Leaf and all she has to offer at drleaf.com, and find her new Switch app at theswitch.app. Thanks to FOCL and their “Plant powered wellness” for supporting this episode, connect with them at http://go.thoughtleaders.io/1898820200727 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The punchline, our survey was exactly 50-50. Some people want a plan to walk out and others just pull the trigger and figure it out along the way. It’s more of a personal style than a right or wrong but the bigger point is either way assumes you are going after something! I play a three minute clip from Zig Ziglar where he cites that people who set goals and make plans of action have better lives and success all around and he gives some great stories. From this I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “For those who set goals and strive for progress in your lives, do you 1) Create a plan of action to walk out, or 2) Pull the trigger and figure it out as you go? The responses were not just cut and dry however and Tom Ziglar and I talked through the nuances and insight brought to us by everyone. What you’re about to hear should feel freeing and confirming to you and your style, and convicting to take action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Never make a decision, or jump and risk making a bad decision. These two ends of the spectrum get the most focus. My guest today finds middle ground in being decisive and taking action, then working to make it right. It also aligns with his counsel that, “Done beats perfect!” My guest is Nick Unsworth who was with me in episode 801 where his stories of failures and successes I culminated into the show title of, “Declare your vision”. In this show we talk about the business and personal habits Nick most values. As a people pleaser he cites how he’s had to learn to practice self-care, because as he states, “If you don’t take care of you there is nothing left.” You’ll be inspired by Nick’s sharing. If you missed our first show together, Nick is CEO of Life on Fire and his mission is to build the world’s largest Christ centered platform online and to raise up leaders to grow God’s Kingdom. Nick has coached over 3,100 people and has consulted clients including: Daymond John from Shark Tank, Spartan Races, Navy Seals.com, Joe Polish, John Assaraf who I’ve had here on the show, Keller Williams Real Estate, Safeco Insurance, C3 Church, and many more. He’s just an incredible guy I’ve had the fortune to get to know, with a big heart for people, inspirational businesses, and God. You can join Nick for his Life on Fire Challenge at www.lifeonfirechallenge.com where you can get a free 7 day, live group coaching experience designed to clarify your business vision, create a profit plan, and launch into action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When someone important in your life, someone you respect, or someone in authority states their lack of belief in you and your ability, it either crushes or empowers you. But the point here is not trying to prove people wrong but to recognize how daunting and limiting this can be. I play a four minute clip from Zig Ziglar on the power of setting goals and he tells the story of legendary Notre Dame coach, Lou Holtz. In Lou’s first coaching job, a new head coach came in and kindly told Lou, “You’re not cut out to be a coach, I encourage you to get into some other field.” And I wondered how many people out there have been told by someone important in their life, someone they respect, like a parent, a teacher, a coach, a spouse, a boss, that they should not or could not do something, that they really desired to do? Again, in my experience when this happens the recipient so often believes and agrees and does not pursue the desire or dream. It’s profound how many top world leaders were told they could not or should not pursue the directions they ultimately did. We have to realize that anyone who ever speaks any counsel to us is merely human. I don’t mean to just readily discount counsel from others, I think we should always consider it. But we must also weigh it against the reality that counsel comes from a human who is not perfect and all knowing, and could very likely be absolutely wrong. I’ve been blessed with a lot of support and encouragement in my life but I absolutely have some examples of desires and pursuits where people very close to me advised against it. Who said it wasn’t wise or they didn’t see me as being adequately equipped. And I went forward and succeeded. It doesn’t mean they weren’t wise and there wasn’t validity in their perspective. But in this case they were merely wrong. Likewise I’ve had times of not feeling someone was well equipped to do something and they proved I was wrong! Not bad or ill-meaning, but I was wrong. So I asked the Ziglar audience, “Who has succeeded at something, that someone told you, you could not do or should not attempt?” As you can imagine, some incredible stories that Tom Ziglar and I talked through. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have an incredible and powerful story to share with you. A personal testimony. Not of some hudu-guru “speak it into life” stuff, but just a floundering, good hearted guy who went through failure after failure, but through it all achieved some incredible things that he chose to believe, put hard deadlines on, and just worked to accomplish. Still, how they happened is, well, the stuff of stories. Nick Unsworth is a renowned business coach who is known for his expertise in Facebook advertising. As CEO of Life on Fire, Nick’s mission is to build the world’s largest Christ centered platform online and to raise up leaders to grow God’s Kingdom. Nick sold a marketing agency by 30 years old, an amazing part of his story you’ll shortly hear about. He’s coached over 3,100 people and has consulted clients including: Daymond John from Shark Tank, Spartan Races, Navy Seals.com, Joe Polish, John Assaraf who I’ve had here on the show, Keller Williams Real Estate, Safeco Insurance, C3 Church, and many more. He’s just an incredible guy I’ve had the fortune to get to know, with a big heart for people, inspirational businesses, and God. Join Nick for his Life on Fire Challenge at www.lifeonfirechallenge.com where you can get a free 7 day, live group coaching experience designed to clarify your business vision, create a profit plan, and launch into action. Thanks to FOCL and their “Plant powered wellness” for supporting this episode, connect with them at http://go.thoughtleaders.io/1898920200713 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zig Ziglar brings us a two minute message on the three options your prospect has, 1) Do business with you, 2) Decide not to do business at all, and 3) Do business with a competitor. So your competitor is not just other businesses that offer a similar product or service to yours, it’s also just doing nothing. To give us personal testimonies to work with I asked Ziglar listeners this question, “What is your business? Your product or service? And what is the main competition or deterrent for people buying what you have to offer?” Reading through the comments with Tom Ziglar really helped us flesh out this topic very well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m going to give you five key points and you are going to either be massively educated, or you’ll hear them and say, “Yes! Where did these skills go because I wish everyone had them!” I don’t know how cities of old got...lost. How does that happen? Well in a much bigger mystery, how did the primary skills of success get lost, cause they have been. But you can get them, now. Or if you have them, you can send this show to others who you know need them. Like your kids or a millennial or...you’ll know someone. Give them the gift of awareness for success and security in their work. And I won’t hold out on you, here they are: 1) Do more than expected 2) Be intuitive 3) Take initiative 4) Learn people skills 5) Ask questions. I’ll break them down quickly and concisely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone claims their personal development and self-help resource is the best. What do the consumers say? First I have a four and a half minute message from Zig Ziglar sharing the life changing power of consuming positive and equipping messages. Then Tom Ziglar joins me to talk through an incredible list of real world testimonies. I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “What personal development resource have you gotten the most out of?” We got a boat load of responses and worked to talk through as many as we could. From this show you will hear the number one resources people have used in their lives to change...their lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Consider your personality was not implanted in you and it’s not concrete. It was primarily trained. The concept is controversial and either exciting, or scary. If you are who you are because of how you’ve been shaped, then the truth is you can absolutely reshape yourself. This is a root cause issue of personal development. Ben Hardy joins us today and he takes the “personality profile” industry to task in a massive way. He just came out with his book of research on the topic, Personality Isn’t Permanent - Break Free From Self-Limiting Beliefs And Rewrite Your Story, which as of this writing is ranked in the top 1,000 books on earth in Amazon. Friends, every guest I have on this show has an incredible message to share. But sometimes they bring truly paradigm shifting, revelatory information to divulge. This is one of those shows. Ben was with me over two years ago in episode 552 with his last book and message which was also...massive, “Willpower Doesn’t Work”. I refer to it so often in my life. Ben Hardy has a PhD in Organizational Psychology, his website gets hundreds of thousands of views monthly. From 2015-2018, he was the #1 writer in the world on Medium.com And is always at the top of the rankings. His blogs have been read by over 100 million people and are published everywhere. Connect with Ben at benjaminhardy.com and get his 6-page "Future Self Checklist" and a 23-minute training with the best science from Personality Isn't Permanent, for free. Get the book anywhere you buy books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is just a fact that we perform to the level of our belief in ourselves. How to increase that belief is the foundational effort of the entire personal development and self-help industry. I have a two minute message from Zig Ziglar on the reality of the perspective, then I asked the Ziglar audience for their testimonies with this post, “I'm looking for people who have experienced a significant improvement in their self-image. I want to know what the catalyst was for you.” What you will hear are first hand testimonies of where people were, what they did, and how it impacted their self-image. Tom Ziglar joined me to talk through the responses and we read through a good number. Sometimes hearing true stories like this of how people actually did it is more empowering than hearing counsel and guidance on how to do it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the habits of a professional sales person? I took the opportunity to ask Pierce Marrs, my guest from episode 793. This is our habits show and while we do cover some of the personal habits I normally get into, we spend a majority of the time talking about the successful and healthy habits of sales. You’ll hear Pierce talk about being respectful of the person’s time, cluing in to the person’s interests, are they all business or do they want to get personal. A big key is simply, awareness and listening. Being aware and a student of the other person instead of focused on your agenda and task. He also talks in depth about becoming an expert communicator, in sales and in the marriage relationship, as Pierce and his wife are marriage mentors. You can find Pierce’s book, “Could You Survive Shark Tank?” and the Surviving Shark Tank Assessment, at SharkTankBook.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most everyone’s lives have been significantly disrupted in 2020 by COVID-19. The concept of a “new normal” is a hot topic as many businesses have reopened. I of course wanted to hear from you, so I posted a question on my personal Facebook page at agentkmiller, where you are welcome to join these weekly discussions. I asked, “What aspects of your “new normal” do you want to retain, even if things were to get back to the way they were?” From the submissions, here are some aspects that were covered, Will you work from home? Will you send kids back to school and all the extracurricular activities and rushing around? Will you eat out as much or keep cooking at home more. Personal time for yourself and with your family, will you keep it up? Will you keep investing in hobbies and personal projects that you began? Will you continue the increased outside time?” These issues and more are what Tom Ziglar and I read and talked through. It brings up the need and opportunity for us all to ask some big questions and ponder some important, and I think exciting, decisions. It’s happening in my own family, right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have a business or are thinking of starting one, here is a show you will want to get equipped with. It’s going to give you a powerful filter to structure your business around. Pierce Marrs is a true sales professional who started his sales career at age 19 and now at age 56 has done over $250 million in sales. He’s a student of what Zig calls, “the right way to sell”, with morals and ethics and putting the other’s needs first. As you’ll hear, it’s not just the right thing to do, but the most profitable! We start the show off talking pure sales, including how Pierce’s faith plays a powerful role. But Pierce does more than sell! He’s owned several, successful small businesses, he’s a renowned business coach, for almost 10 years he’s hosted the Shark Tank Fan podcast, and from so closely auditing every episode, he’s just now written a book, Could You Survive Shark Tank? The Shark's Top 7 Questions Every Entrepreneur Must Answer. We spend the second half of the show discussing the focus of the book, which are those seven key questions Pierce realized are almost always asked by the Sharks to every participant. As we say in the show, this is for anyone in business, regardless of whether you need investor or outside money. It’s really an incredibly valuable filter to audit your business or idea against. Pierce has his book, “Could You Survive Shark Tank?” and the Surviving Shark Tank Assessment, at SharkTankBook.com. You can also connect there about his Coaching and Speaking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Continuing from episode 790 and the question, “If you could have a 1 hour consultation with Zig Ziglar, what area of life or business would you get his advice on?” To just get through the very relevant responses took Tom Ziglar and I nearly two hours, and what came out was very much a “best of” Zig Ziglar. Due to the length we cut it into two shows. In this episode, more regarding Zig Ziglar and issues around faith, sales, relationships, working with family, regrets, and self-image. You’ll get much of the ethos that made Zig Ziglar a near household name who touched over 250 million lives with his message of hope and “inspiring your true performance.” Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Self care is community care, if you don’t care for yourself you take it out on other people.” This is the phrase that jumped out at me as I asked Adrienne Bankert about her healthy habits. She responded with the statement after I asked her about her habits in the “Personal” spoke. I feel it is a significant paradigm shift on self-care, and I find it to be so true. When I have poured myself out and not filled back up, others suffer. Maybe I don’t take it out on them in a negative way, but I have less to offer them. They aren’t getting my best. At the idea of a listener, I’m expanding on the Habits show to ask some deeper questions, such as in this show we start off with Adrienne talking about the key habits and routines she values most for herself. If you didn’t catch it, Adrienne Bankert is a national correspondent for ABC news and my guest in episode 789 where we discussed the very acute success strategy of kindness, the topic of her new book, “Your Hidden Superpower” - The Kindness That Makes You Unbeatable At Work And Connects You with Anyone. find Adrienne’s new book and get access to the Your Hidden Superpower e-course, at www.yourhiddensuperpower.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you had his attention all to yourself, what area of life or business would you ask Zig Ziglar’s counsel on? Few people on earth have been sought after for their guidance more than Zig. So I asked the question, “If you could have a 1 hour consultation with Zig Ziglar, what area of life or business would you get his advice on?” The responses covered such issues as faith, sales, relationships, working with family, regrets, self-image and much more. The responses were so many and so significant, Tom Ziglar and I spent nearly 1:45 addressing them, enough to turn this into a two part show. This may be some of the “best of” Ziglar you’ll find! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For your success strategy, what tools or weapons will you choose? Grit? Willpower? Talent? Perseverance? This national correspondent for ABC News had all those, but she cites her most beneficial asset has been...kindness. You probably think of being kind as a nice thing to do. That may be the least value it has. Adrienne Bankert credits kindness for her rapid career trajectory that took her from a traffic anchor at a local news station to the coveted role of national correspondent for ABC News. In her new book, “Your Hidden Superpower” - The Kindness That Makes You Unbeatable At Work And Connects You with Anyone, she outlines the continual opportunities and promotions which time and time again were bestowed upon her because of her devotion to being kind to everyone at all times. Not an easy prospect, as you will hear. This show is going to give you a far different perspective on being kind, which is not always, just being nice. Adrienne is an Emmy-award winning journalist known for her compelling interviews. She was the POP News anchor for the weekend edition of Good Morning America and is now a New York based national correspondent for ABC News. Just type her name into your search engine and hit "News" and you'll generally find her national coverage from Adrienne within the past 48 hours. www.yourhiddensuperpower.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sales class is here. I’ve got five minutes of sales expertise from Zig Ziglar where he simply states, “Questions are the answer!” He digs into the three types of questions in his “need analysis” with the goal to establish trust. He also covers the difference between motivating and manipulating your prospect. This is Ziglar Sales 101 and what amazes me is how in today’s world, so few people and companies know and follow successful sales structure. From Zig’s message I asked this question to the Ziglar Show audience, “What question(s) reveal whether someone is a good prospect for your product or service?” Many replies and I did a lot of questioning back to clarify people’s products and services amongst different industries and how they are literally using questions in their businesses. And some of course who are not doing it well. For all the business owners and salespeople in the Ziglar audience, this is a show for you! And if you know Ziglar and our belief that everyone is in sales, as sales is influence...then you know the show is for everyone listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Entrepreneurs are notoriously mission driven. They do what they do for personal reasons and to serve others. Finances are often not their primary focus, and as such, can often be neglected until it handicaps the overall effort. Janelle Bruland was a single mom committed to only working part time and here in our habits show she shares she prioritized financial success as the means to sustain the mission. It sounds so elementary but as a lifetime entrepreneur who has lived in a world of entrepreneurs, it’s amazing how often this is missed. And I’m raising myself as a chief violator. Janelle was my guest in show 785 where we discussed the gap between you and your highest potential, a primary message in her new book, “The Success Life.” You can connect with Janelle at Thesuccesslie.com where she has a Companion workbook to her book, and find her “Intentional Leadership podcast” wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mas·ter·y - comprehensive knowledge or skill in a subject or accomplishment. Being a complete master of anything is questionable to proclaim, but everyone listening to this show likely has some areas of life where they can viably claim a level of mastery and hopefully a growing level of mastery. This is the focus of this episode and what we culminate with is the essential value of knowing your areas of mastery, and the responsibility to be pursuing increased mastery in your life. Tom Ziglar joined me to discuss this issue and we talked through some listener comments to the question I posted, simply, “Where do you have the most “mastery” in your life?” I think you’ll gain much from hearing the responses! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine being nine months pregnant and deciding to start a business. A business you did not know much about. Years later you become a single mom to by then, three daughters. You are a woman, a mom, and a business owner. This is not conventional and it is not easy. This is the story of Janelle Bruland and the fire she lived through gave her significant insight into human potential and unconventional business practices, such as owning a thriving business and never putting in overtime hours. Not even putting in full time hours. That’s right, she’s done it all on part time hours, as a single parent. The primary motive for starting her business was so she could be a devoted mother. Janelle came to me from Tom Ziglar who show said, “We have to have her on the show!” She has a new book titled, “The Success Lie,” - 5 Simple Truths to Overcome Overwhelm and Achieve Peace of Mind. Today Janelle has 500 employees and 250 subcontractors as part of her facility management company team and is on the Inc. 5,000 fastest growing companies. You can connect with Janelle at Thesuccesslie.com where she has a Companion workbook to her book, and find her “Intentional Leadership podcast” wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all want to influence others, as without that ability, we can’t help anyone. We won’t matter. There are a couple interesting factors in this quest. One, we can’t say what our influence is, only others can. So I asked this question to the Ziglar audience, “If everyone in your life had to give an honest testimony of your influence on them, good and bad, how do you feel about what they would share?” Two, how we feel about ourselves is a root issue that greatly impact our influence. So I posted a second question, “What actions, behaviors, and/or thoughts help, and hurt, your approval of yourself?” Tom Ziglar and I read through many of the responses and talked about the convergence of these two important issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If you’re not at your best mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, you're nothing for your family, you're depleted for your customers, you're unhelpful to your neighbors, and you're empty for society. Build a strong self-relationship because that is the key to every other relationship. It’s not selfish, it’s It’s selfless.” This is our Habits show and we are with Robin Sharma, my guest from episode 781 where our focus was Personal Mastery. In this show, the second spoke of relationships, Robin brought a significant paradigm shift. To strengthen and deepen relationships with others, he shared we must first have a world class relationship with ourselves. I’ve never heard it put quite that way and it’s inspired me to further elevate my expectations of my self image. This and much more in the episode. Find Robin and his new book, “The 5am Club” at RobinSharma.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your primary desire is to matter to other people. If you want a raise or a promotion, you must matter to someone in charge. If you want a relationship you must matter to the person you are pursuing. If you want friends and any companionship, you must matter to them. So how do you matter? In this show I believe we have your best tactic. Give people what they most want. Encouragement. Everyone including yourself wants to hear positive feedback regarding themselves. We all want it and some are desperate for it. When we think of the word “encouragement” we generally don’t give it the gravity it deserves. Using it is literally harnessing a superpower. We’re selfish beings. Be selfish. Encourage people and matter to them. See what opportunities arise. NOTE: This show did not start out with a focus of encouragement. It was a Q&A show with Scott Stearman regarding our influence on others. Scott was my guest in show 777 where we discussed just that...how we are literally influencing others. But briefly into the show we got on the topic of encouragement and I was hit with the reality that Scott is a king of encouragement. His father was a king of encouragement. Zig Ziglar was a king and chief purveyor of encouragement. What could possibly be a more important topic. What followed was I believe and hope, us making a case for the power encouragement can be in elevating our own lives, as we elevate others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is more important than mastering one’s self? The world acclaims those who have mastered a skill and we glorify people for what they can do. What we fail to recognize is the necessary mastery of self that preceded the act the person is on stage for. Did you get that? The performance, whether on stage or an a sports field or on camera or in the workplace, is the result of a level of mastery of self. It is not the most talented who win. We’ve all seen great talent go to waste because the person couldn’t pull their act together. It’s some talent and skill that is honed through the daily fire called discipline and habit and routine. Mastery of self. In this show I bring you Robin Sharma and mastery of self is his muse. He wrote an intriguing book from decades of his teaching that to boil down is a playbook for self mastery. It’s written in story form and I’ll admit, it had me wanting to go back in again and again to hang out with the incredibly inspiring characters. In this episode Robin and I talk about the root issues of mastering ourselves. Robin Sharma is a globally respected humanitarian, bestselling author. His new book, The 5AM Club, is currently one of the bestselling books in the world and his influence is significant, he has 4.1 million followers on Facebook alone. Robin is widely considered as one of the world's top leadership experts and if you search for him you’ll see his clients include many Fortune 100 companies, famed billionaires, professional sports superstars, music icons and members of royalty. Robin books have sold over 15,000,000 copies in 92+ languages making him one of the most widely read authors alive. Honestly I find interest in anyone who is positively influencing so many people and I’m incredibly grateful I invited him to join me on the show. You can find Robin, his new book, “The 5AM Club” and all he has to offer at robinsharma.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes it’s just tiring to go against the flow. We want to belong with and trust the society we live in. Sometimes we may even just want to chill out and be average. But then we realize we are answering the call of responsibility to grow and evolve and strive toward our full potential and it requires doing more than the average. In this show we hear a four minute message from Zig Ziglar on this topic, and from it I posted this question on Facebook, “Having more than average means doing more than average. Being counter cultural. Going against the flow. Do you ever feel tired of the effort?.” Tom Ziglar joined me to talk through the comments and what you will hear is lots of commiserating on the struggle, but also the motives for continuing on. I believe you’ll gain great encouragement from this episode for your own above average pursuits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I want to figure out what is healthiest, best, right, and true and just simply to that over and over again. Simple. Black and white. But alas, the world, humanity, and circumstances don’t often play along with these rules. Often we must discern what is best in one particular moment and the next and one may require an opposite response even though it is a very similar circumstance. In episode 777 I brought you master sculptor Scott Stearman and a very deep discussion on faith and influence. His new book is titled, “What Does Your Jesus Look Like,” we discussed influence overall and what perspective we are all painting with our lives? This is our Habits episode and in the Spiritual spoke Scott shares a perspective of seeking God’s will in specific circumstances and how he has learned to find peace in moment by moment discernment. It’s a big concept friends. Find Scott at scottstearman.com and check out his book, “What Does Your Jesus Look Like?” which was the focal point of our talk in episode 777. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” It’s a pithy quote we often find on placards in gift shops. I have one on a pottery disc hanging by our kitchen sink. In reality we can always fail. So I came at it a different way and asked the Ziglar audience this question, “If you were offered a $50k grant to try something growth oriented in your personal or professional life, what would it be?” The attempt is the same, to remove reasons we have for not going after pursuits we desire. In episode 773 my guest was Jennifer Allwood, author of the new book, “Fear Is Not The Boss Of You.” I’ve mentioned before we received more positive feedback on this episode than any other for quite a while. I had Jennifer come back to talk through some of the wealth of dreams and aspirations people shared, which they would pursue if provided with not only $50k, but just an impetus to help take away some of the real and perceived obstacles, such as money, and fear. This is an incredible, live coaching session with Jennifer. And as you’ll hear us discuss in the show, you can check out her large coaching platform at https://creatorsinnercircle.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tune in for a profound message. You are painting a picture to everyone you have contact with, at every moment of your life, with every action. What does the picture represent? The concept of how and what you are influencing is relevant to all, though we also go deep into Christianity. Scott Stearman is a renowned sculptor whose life size sculptures are the focal point of many military compounds and faith based institutions and universities across America. He has a message he is now delivering on stages across America and in a new book asking, “What Does Your Jesus Look Like?” For those of you who claim Christ, this will hit you in your heart, and right between the eyes. Again however, the message is relevant for anyone who desires to have a positive influence in and on the world. As the saying goes, we judge ourselves by our intentions. Others judge us by our actions. And friends, your actions and behavior bely who you are at the core. What you truly believe. Is who and how you are lifting others up and inspiring them to more? As you will hear in the show, Scott is more than an esteemed guest I wanted for the show. I have closely and intimately done life with him for nearly 17 years. This show is similar to many conversations he and I have had through the years over a cup of coffee. Again, if you care to truly have a positive influence on anyone, and even more so if you claim Christ...I implore you, don’t miss this show. Connect with Scott Stearman and check out his dramatic sculptures and new book, “What Does Your Jesus Look Like,” at scottstearman.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The greatest asset your business and you can have is people’s trust. However, most everyone believes they are trustworthy, yet in truth, few employ the tangible actions to actually gain trust. So many people claim terms like “integrity” and “honesty” or expect their good intent to shine through. To actually gain trust and customer loyalty takes specific methodologies which are fairly simple to put into action, and very, very rare. We kick off the show with a two and a half minute message from Zig Ziglar on gaining trust in your business. Then I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “Do you have an example of a business or business person that has earned your trust. And if you have a business, how do you earn people's trust?” Tom Ziglar joined me for this discussion and here is what happened. In the first 20 minutes, Tom weighs in on how trust is being impacted in the workplace due to the current COVID-19 crisis. Then we dig into some of the comments. At about the hour mark we land on, “exceeding expectations.” Don’t miss this segment, even if you skip forward to it. It’s a massive opportunity for you. And here this. Your good intentions are not enough. Expertly meeting your customers expectations are not enough. Don’t fall for the trap of thinking your heart will shine through you and your work. There is behavioral psychology at work that needs tangible anchors to hold on to. We aim to give you some of those in this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve heard that before, consider it again. This is a common thread we’ve had on the show. Busyness and hurry are not producing good works. The faster we run the slower we produce. Or at least, the shallower we produce. If your life is a blur of lots of shallow work, then speed may be your gig. But to do the great work, the deep work, the valuable and profitable work, we are learning speed kills. This is our Habit’s episode with Jennifer Allwood, my guest from show 773 where we discussed, “Showing up for your own life,” a primary message from her new book, “Fear Is Not The Boss Of You.” In this show as we discuss the Career spoke, Jennifer shares her focus right now amongst success with her book, podcast, and coaching organization, is slowing down to speed up. With so many opportunities she knows there is always a danger of imploding. Her rudder is, “If it’s costing me my peace, it’s too expensive.” This and more in the episode. Connect with Jennifer at jenniferallwood.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That word, “busy”, means, having a great deal to do. Do you have a great deal to do? Are you enjoying the pace? Are you creating your best from the go-go-go grind? I think we are in a special place in time where busy is losing its luster. Not because we aren’t capable of maintaining it, but rather we’re learning it provides lesser, not greater value. Instead of the busy person seeming more important, I’m starting to see them as poor decision makers and living life at a shallower level. Actually I can own this for myself. When I am increasingly busy, I realize I’m at best just maintaining life, I’m not creating and growing it. In show 767 I talked in depth with pastor and author John Mark Comer and his message, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.” It was from this discussion I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “On a scale from 1-10, how "hurried" is your life? If it's high (10 = espresso squirrel), what feels like the main culprit? If it's low (1 = sedated tree sloth), what has helped?” You can join these weekly discussions by finding and friending me on Facebook at AgentKMiller.com. Tom Ziglar joined me to read through and discuss many of the comments. Really insightful, to say the least. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear and being stuck. Everyone can relate to those realities and they are not where we want to be. Jennifer Allwood truly provides a breath of fresh air to this issue, and she does it by relating, commiserating, and having compassion. You can not fully eradicate fear from your life. But you can manage it and move forward anyway. Jennifer cites you can have emotions, feel emotions, recognize emotions, but still do big, hard, and scary things in spite of those emotions. Jennifer uses her social media following of 500K people, her podcast, The Jennifer Allwood Show, coaching groups with thousands of members, and now her #1 best selling book, Fear is Not the Boss of You, to help others do for their businesses what she has done with hers. Jennifer is also steadfast in using her business as a way to serve God and my family. Her goal is to use the tools so readily available—social media, email, the Internet—as the way to make this happen. She knows getting unstuck, pushing through the overwhelm, and doing things in spite of fear are key in growing any business. Friends, this was a fun and poignant discussion and I’m proud to bring Jennifer and this message to you. You can connect with Jennifer at Jenniferallwood.com where you’ll find her new book, “Fear Is Not The Boss Of You”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are in an unprecedented global crisis with the coronavirus. Nearly every American and human is being impacted. I asked this short question on Facebook, “Would you share a positive and a negative regarding how COVID-19 is affecting your life right now?” In just over 24 hours we have in depth comments from 76 people. There was very little sugar coating, but some distinct threads regarding loss of money as the negative and down time and time for relationships as a positive. Really interesting to hear the candid accounts. The question we posed was...what normal do you want to go back to? Is there any current change you desire to retain? I think you’ll find both confirmation for what you are dealing with and inspiration for some benefits you may better take hold of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you able to concentrate? Focus? Think critically and creatively? In episode #767 I brought you John Mark Comer and we discussed the profound message in his book, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.” An issue we discussed was the scattered attention caused by the massive distractions of today’s world. What with our electronic devices and social media, our attention spans are at an all time low. The consequences are, as John Mark cites, we are chipping away at our capacity for concentration and contemplation. This is our Habits show and I walked through the seven spokes on the Ziglar Wheel of life with John Mark. In the Career spoke he said a priority is fighting for deep work blocks. He is a pastor and writer, so that may not come as a shock to you. My question for us all is, who does NOT need deep work blocks? Or just blocks of deep time in general? Deep time to be at peace. To think critically and creatively. How much would your life benefit to stop and think deeply about any aspect of it? This and more in this show. You can find John Mark’s book at https://johnmarkcomer.com/ or wherever you buy books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encouragement. Especially in a time of crisis, it is simply the difference between success and failure. Are you feeling encouraged? Are the “facts”, “reality”, and the latest statistics from the media directing your attitude and anxiety or are you holding fast to faith and truth and inspiration? This is a special edition episode with Tom Ziglar sharing a message straight from the heart of everything Ziglar stands for. Encouragement. Not pollyanna platitudes, but the true belief of those who will overcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As of this episode publishing in March, 2020, we are amidst the coronavirus epidemic. Much will be lost in small business during these coming weeks and possibly months. Not all will be salvaged. The greatest value will likely be how to insulate ourselves from future calamity and not taking the status quo for granted. I posted this question on Facebook, “Is your business being negatively impacted by the coronavirus?” Droves of responses from small business owners who are seeing a slight challenge, a decent decline, or full out catastrophe. I brought one of the best and brightest minds in small business on to co-host with me, Dan Miller of 48 Days To The Work You Love fame. Yes, my very own father. Brainstorming alternative solutions for business is an area of mastery for him. This was a very frank and candid conversation. As you will hear, with some businesses, the best bet is hunker down and wait it out right now. With others, we found options to diversify. Others have options to actually maximize offerings. For all of us however, the show and discussion highlighted how we can all prepare ourselves to withstand nearly any downturn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being positive instead of negative, we’ve all heard plenty about. But then we go about our days and our lives being...what? Are we really changing ourselves? As I often seek to do, I want to know the root. If we are dealing with any negativity, why? Where is it coming from? I’m not going to tell you, instead, I’m asking. I did ask, actually. I posted this question on Facebook, “Which of these are you most prone to struggle with? 1. Complaining, 2. Criticizing, 3. Gossiping, 4. Sarcasm. And about which? a. Other people, b. Circumstances, c. Yourself. Then, what do you think is the root cause? The responses are still coming in. The question was prompted by my recent show, #763, with Will Bowen, titled “Complaining is poisoning our success.” We’ve gotten great feedback on that show, I really encourage you to listen to it if you haven’t. Actually, it’s a great one to share with those you are closest with, as their complaining helps fuel your own. I had Tom Ziglar join me and we talked through many of your comments with the intent of helping us all understand why we have these feelings, so we can be aware and take steps to curb it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are all busy and we’re all in a hurry. Who just loves it? Who feels they are producing their best work while in such a harried state? Yet, who feels trapped by it? So now I’m going to give you some miracle, “seven steps” formula that sounds nice and shiny, but we all know...nothing is going to change, right?” But alas, there is no formula. It comes down to awareness of what is really driving us, and what we believe. I’m part of a prayer group of about a dozen men, all business owners with big audiences. One of them said we all had to get this book he was reading, titled, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.” I got the book. I read it. I contacted the publisher and said I wanted the author on The Ziglar Show with me. That...is what I bring you today. John Mark Comer. John's story is this...he was pastoring a successful megachurch in Portland, OR with six services each Sunday and a marathon lifestyle which left him feeling burnt out and detached from those around him. In a moment of desperation, he asked a mentor for advice. The response he received was this, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. There is nothing else.” From that was born John's new book, "In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: Staying Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in Our Current Chaos." In this show we unpack the concept and what I found was this; an amazing case for me to change my paradigm and limit the hurry of my life. Why? Personal peace, for sure. But also...better production. I don't want to do a ton of good work. I want to do a smaller amount of truly great work. Just today I got word from someone else that they had read the book and it had significantly disrupted their life with this new perspective. But we go deeper too. I’d tell you we talked about the lifestyle of Jesus, except I’m concerned you’d discount it as I used to, in regards to...Jesus wasn’t married. He didn’t have kids or a mortgage. A 9-5 job. But then...he did have a scant three years to save the world before he was assassinated. It might be worth considering… This is a big show folks. You can connect with John at his website johnmarkcomer.com/ and of course find “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” wherever you buy books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For all of you with a product or service: 1) Who is your specific customer, 2) What problem do you solve for them, and 3) How do you stand out from your competition? I’m sure you’ve heard messages around these topics before. But listen again. There is very little chance you are communicating these things well, as it’s very counterintuitive to how we think as business owners. We think of the benefit there is for people. Fulfilling a desire. I recently attended a business event with Pete Vargas’ Advance Your Reach organization and they pounded on this issue, “Who is your target market and what problem do you solve for them?” We often have products and services we feel can benefit people and we want to lead with a desire; look better, feel better, save time, save money, get a new home or car, and on and on. Yet people are much more led by and prone to respond to problem solving. Tom Ziglar has shared with us a study that 80% of the populace relates more to problem solving than goal setting, yet 95% of our marketing is goal oriented. So what I have for you in this show is a two minute clip from Zig Ziglar on this issue. We’ll listen to that, then I posted this question on Facebook, “For those with a product or service - who is your target customer and what specific problem do you solve for them?” We had a load of responses and Tom and I got through maybe half, and they were wonderful case studies. You’ll gain much from this! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So often in business start ups, and even in well established businesses, we make huge investments in giving people what we think and believe they want. We know we can help solve a problem or fulfill a desire. Over 20 years ago I invested over $50,000 in a business I knew solved a big problem. It legitimately did. It was not till the money was spent and the business fully launched that I found out, it wasn’t a solution people wanted. Today the problem still exists! But human nature and habit triumphs. In today’s show I bring back Will Bowen, my guest from show 763 where we discussed the psychology and power of...not complaining. And how pervasive this poisonous habit is in all of us. In this show we walk through Will’s personal habits, going through the seven spokes on the Ziglar Wheel of Life. In the career spoke Will cited his secret to success is simply finding out what people want and giving it to them! He listens to his fans and followers and gives them what they want. It’s obviously working. Will’s organization has handed out over 11 million purple, Complaint Free World bracelets, and over 3 million copies of his book, A Complaint Free World, have sold. You will enjoy this behind the scenes look at the daily habits Will employes to give him the success in life he’s experienced. I encourage you to take Will’s Complaint Free Challenge. You can engage like I have by going to acomplaintfreeworld.org and also find his book, A Complaint Free World, there or wherever you buy books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nothing changes till something changes. An oft quoted saying. But if you sit down right now and look at your life and where you want to progress or where you are dissatisfied, and take out pen and paper and ask yourself, “What needs to change?”, it really is profound. It’s always convicting to me to consider the cost if I don’t change something. Am I ok if nothing in my life changes over the next six month? This time next year, am I ok with the status quo? And yes, I do believe it’s healthy to find contentment in our present circumstances, this isn’t an exercise in ingratitude. But I think most people listening and surely for myself, feel the responsibility to be continually growing and refining ourselves. So what I have for you in this show is a two minute clip from Zig Ziglar on just this, making life changes for the better. From his message I posted this question on Facebook, “What is the most recent change you've made in your daily routine that has produced positive results in your life or the lives of others around you?” Many responses which we grouped in categories, I believe you’ll be inspired as you hear Tom Ziglar and I read and talk through them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You want more success and better fruition for your life. What you are about to have revealed is possibly your greatest, most detrimental bad habit. As English is the international business language, complaining is the international language we use in relationships with other humans. In this show I bring you Will Bowen, the founder and purveyor of an initiative called A Complaint Free World. You will hear why his fans include Maya Angelo and Oprah Winfrey and he’s been featured on The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, ABC Evening News and much more. 12 million of his purple “Complaint Free World” bracelets have been sent to people in over 106 countries. Your mind will be blown to realize how prevalent this divisive and destructive habit is in our culture, and in your own mouth. Following this revelation we will cover exactly why we and others complain so, so often. It is disheartening, but also convicting and something you can start reversing immediately. Not easily, mind you. But when you understand how your complaining is undermining your life you’ll understand why I now feel it’s quite possibly the number one thing we can address for our overall peace, joy, fulfillment, and life success. Will provides us with a methodology to decrease our complaining with a Complaint Free Challenge. You can engage like I have by going to acomplaintfreeworld.org and find his book, A Complaint Free World, there or wherever you buy books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I did not intend for this to be a show, it was just an honest question. But 52 comments later, it became a show. I simply asked this question on Facebook (agentkmiller), “I often ponder the spirit of my own industry of self-help and motivation. It seems the most popular style these days is someone who went from zero to hero and is full of self-confidence, trying to fervently appeal to their audience to adopt the self-confidence they have found and believe you should be able to tap into. Does it compel you? Does hearing someone adamantly and boldly appeal to you about how you can and should find your own confidence and power and success, as they have, inspire you?” Many cited other people’s stories of struggle and overcoming in fact, do, inspire them. But the spirit and tactic matters much. They want to hear “Here is where I was”, “Here is what I did”, and “Here is where I am now.” However an often missing part people care about is the struggle amidst it. The real, day-to-day ups and downs. Tom Ziglar joined me and we discussed how important it is to find a voice and guide you really resonate with and relate to. Not every success path is the right path for you. Along with this and just as important, this show will guide you in how you can best be portraying your story to those you desire to influence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We would all agree to that statement, “Success doesn’t happen by accident.” But the reality is, most people subconsciously feel it will either happen to them or not. Our culture today takes less responsibility than ever for the realities of life. Chronic illness and disease is on a radically high growth curve and while we know most of it is a result of poor lifestyle choices, the average person believes it’s genetics and the luck of the draw. But you know better, which is why you are here listening to The Ziglar Show. In this show I bring you again, Howard Partridge, my guest from show 759 where we discussed why we do and don’t implement. Howard came from a poverty stricken family with seven kids and was kicked out at 18. In this show you will hear him tell more of his story and how he simply worked. He worked hard and he worked a lot. Today he’s a self-acclaimed beach bum and while he still works a lot, it’s out of joy in his work and providing great employment for others, as he no longer needs to work for his personal income. You will gain much by this walk through Howard’s story and habits that have helped him attain a lifestyle he adores and the abundance to bless so many people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check this out, I asked Ziglar listeners this question, “Throughout a given day, do you generally behave as you intend to? If/when you don’t, what tends to derail you?” As responses started pouring in, a very common thread was “people”. So I gave a follow up question, “When you get upset with people, does your emotion come from Fear or Pride? Fear = abandonment, rejection, loss. Pride = justice, fairness, enabling. I asked Stephen & Mara Klemich to join me, they were my recent guests in show 753 where we discussed how our behavior is explained by four principles, the message in their new book, “Above The Line.” As we went through many of the responses, what we came out with was this; what derails people most from the behavior they would wish to exemplify is, lack of control. Whether it is people or circumstances, lack of control is the main culprit. Why is this? Listen in as Stephen and Mara deftly guide us in understanding the root issue. And friends, if you have not yet taken their Heartstyles Indicator assessment, normally only available to if you buy their book. But for Ziglar listeners, I asked them to make it available immediately and at no cost. They are doing so until March 15, 2020. Go to heartstyles.com/ziglar and follow the instructions. Use the access code ZIGLAR2020 to get access to the Indicator/assessment. Again, heartstyles.com/ziglar and use the access code ZIGLAR2020. If you hear this after...get the book! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices