When I set up a one to one with someone, I send them a series of brief emails to share the various aspects of what I do. I have copied the particular messages to my blog so they can jump ahead to those that interest them more.
This is the one where I discuss my network and my book.
When I set up a one to one with someone, I send them a series of brief emails to share the various aspects of what I do. I have copied the particular messages to my blog so they can jump ahead to those that interest them more.
This is the one where I discuss Conference21.
Looking around America in the 2020s, one thing is very clear. This ain’t your grandpappy’s economy. Long gone are the days when you can get a high school diploma, get a job down at the plant, and support a family until you retire with a pension.
Also gone are the days when you can get a college degree and be assured of good employment.
The economy has become more difficult. There are more losers and less winners than in previous decades. Much of this is because the economy has changed dramatically over the last twenty years, but we are still teaching people to work like it’s 1995.
Goalsetting, mindset, networking, and other topics are no longer the exclusive domain of entrepreneurs. Or, put another way, most people need to be at least a little entrepreneurial if they are going to be financially successful in the modern economy.
The problem is that the people who most need this guidance are those who are least able to afford it. The single mom working at Walmart for $8 per hour, the one who would do anything to make a better life for her family, cannot afford a $500 per month coaching program.
I wanted to do something that would make the knowledge I have to share accessible to a broader audience. The Morning Motivation podcast provides the inspiration, but people also need tools for action, and that is why I am creating a series of low cost audio courses.
For only a few dollars, those who are looking to find ways to start winning in the modern economy can find audio courses that will guide them on their path.
As I launch new courses, I put them on my courses web page at https://www.guywhoknowsaguy.com/courses
Folks can also subscribe to my Patreon page and get every new course included at https://www.patreon.com/guywhoknowsaguy
I appreciate you taking a few minutes to learn about what I do. Tomorrow, I will be sharing a bit about my network and how I built it, and I’ll have a special gift for you.
Why does it say “The Guy Who Knows A Guy” under my name in each email? What does that mean? Check your email tomorrow and you’ll find out.
-Michael Whitehouse
The Guy Who Knows A Guy
How do you identify yourself? If you had to choose three words that most describe who you are, what would they be?
For myself, there are many to choose from like father, man, husband, American, Christian, Rotarian, silver fox, entrepreneur, coach, connector, teacher, and many more.
But which ones really matter? Which would be the most important?
How we identify ourselves and how we speak to ourselves creates our world. In The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, the First Agreement is to be impeccable with your word. Ruiz explains that the use of words casts spells and influences the world around us.
If you tell yourself that you are stupid or helpless or clumsy, your mind will hear those words as instructions and seek to make them true. Likewise, if you tell yourself that you are confident, ambitious, and powerful.
Over the past twenty years, with the very positive intention of destigmatizing mental health challenges, there has been a push to encourage people who suffer from mental health conditions to accept that the condition is part of who they are and not to judge themselves for it.
This is a wonderful thing. It encourages us to measure ourselves against only ourselves, doing the best that we can, rather than measuring against some imaginary concept of perfection.
But this can be taken too far when we embrace the condition as a part of our identity. I have known people with clinical depression and other disabilities who made that a core part of who they are.
The danger in this is that you cannot easily change your core identity. It is who you are. Once you embrace a disability or adversity as part of your core identity, you will guard that part of your identity as you guard every other part. Strategies which might mitigate or even eliminate the adversity are now a threat to you and who you are, and you will resist them.
We should be offended if someone tells us that we cannot do something, but we should be inspired if we are shown ways that someone with our challenges can succeed. However, if we embrace your adversity as part of our identity, we will see such suggestions that our adversity can be overcome as attacks on our identity. We will be offended by the suggestion that it can be overcome because it is part of us instead of simply a challenge we face.
Over the last thirty years, there has been a push towards people first language. “Person with disabilities” instead of “disabled person.” “Person who suffers from alcoholism” versus “alcoholic.”The language is important because when we say “disabled person” then the disability is their identity. When we say “alcoholic” the addiction is their identity.
When we say “person with…” it shows that the person is many faceted and this is just one part of them.
People are increasingly attentive to using people first language when speaking about others, but too often we do not use it when speaking about ourselves.
“I am a minimum wage worker.”
“I am broke.”
“I am a failure.”
When we say “I am” we are putting a stake in the ground and declaring that this point is where I will stand. This is why aspirational language is so powerful.
“I am an entrepreneur” you might say when you first launch your website declaring your business open.
“I am a businessperson” you might say when you get your first job.
“I am an artist” you might say when you create your first work of art.
Consider the two sets of “I am” statements I discussed.
Our minds will seek justification for anything we say. We hate being wrong. If I say that I am broke, then my mind will justify it by making sure that money does not stay in my hands too long. That money makes my statement wrong, and we hate being wrong.
On the other hand, if I say “I don’t have money right now,” or “I am working a minimum wage job right now” then it becomes a situation, not an identity. The difference between “I am cold” (put on a coat to solve that) and “I am always cold” (for which there is no solution).
I have ADHD, and it affects me but does not define me. I identify as an entrepreneur who deals with ADHD. There are many times where the challenges of ADHD affect my work. At those moments, if I identified as a person who was a victim of ADHD, then my mind would seek to justify that identity, causing the disorganization and scattered attention to win.
If I identify instead as an entrepreneur, then my mind will automatically seek to circumvent anything that contradicts my identity. When I am derailed by distraction and disorganization born of ADHD, I will automatically seek to redirect back onto the entrepreneurial path.
While the ADHD is part of who I am, the identity I choose is that of someone who does what he sets out to do. This is how I have hundreds of podcast episodes up, including my Morning Motivation which is about to hit it’s 100th episode of a series which goes out almost every single day. That kind of consistency is not something you expect from ADHD, but it’s something I expect of myself.
The effect is subtle but very powerful.
How do you identify?
Are you broke or are you a person who doesn’t have a lot of money at the moment?
Are you a failed businessperson or are you an entrepreneur who is seeking the next success?
Sit down and write out every word, positive and negative that you might use to describe yourself. Now choose three of them to be the ones that really represent you. And since you’re choosing, you might as well choose the ones you want to be. If you lean into this, you’ll find that you will unconsciously move towards the identity you choose.
If you would like to delve further into this, I would be happy to do a complimentary coaching session with you to explore your self identity and what subtle change you might make to achieve profound results.
To schedule a session, use the calendar below.
There is a concept that I heard recently which was quite intriguing. Instead of saying “They made good choices,” say “They had good choices.”
It is an expression of the fact that our society is very unequal and quite unfair, two sentiments which I must absolutely agree with. It is part of a broader set of messaging, the upshot of which is that fundamental changes must be made at a political level to return fairness to our system. I can’t disagree with that either.
On the idea of “making” versus “having” good choices, however, it took me some time to come to grips with how I feel about it.
On the one hand, it is quite valid. Some people are just presented with better choices than others. If your choices include “what should I do with this small million dollar loan?” then your outcomes are likely going to be better than “which low wage job should I take?”
On the other hand, the concept is fantastically disempowering, and that is very dangerous.
We all have choices, and some of choices are better than others. Better choices are often harder choices. If we believe that we are given choices rather than taking them, then we may become fatalistic, choosing the easy path because we do not believe that the hard path will pay off.
We also often have choices we don’t realize we have. If we internalize this concept of having choices presented to us, then we merely choose from the choices presented rather than seeking solutions.
At any crossroads, there is always a better choice and a worse choice. Your better choice may be far worse than another person’s worst option, but that is not relevant. There’s no scoreboard. The only thing that matters is whether you are living your own best life, not how your life compares to anyone else’s.
For one person, their best choice may be to engage in real estate investment and become a millionaire. For another person, their best choice may be to simplify their life to reduce expenses and live on very little income but find satisfaction and fulfillment in other aspects.
There are some people who have lucked into success. Good for them. For others, however, the story often begins when they decided that they would achieve some goal. They did not know how they would achieve it, but they made the decision to find a way.
When they did that, they started to become aware of choices that they did not previously realize they had. It’s like when you buy a silver Honda Civic and suddenly see silver Honda Civics all over the place. They were always there, but you didn’t recognize them until you had a reason to see them.
Even if the goal is seemingly impossible, it creates a broader vision and awareness of a better world.
I have goals that I set twenty years ago that I am not much closer to today than I was when I set them, but the existence of the goal has let me to make choices which allowed me to learn, grow, and have experiences that have made me wiser, stronger, and generally live a better, more fulfilled life.
When I express these concepts, some people will object that I am blaming poor and even disabled people for their lot. This is absurd. The atrocious state of poverty in our society is the result of heartless, amoral, and Godless policies that have been inflicted on our nation for the past forty years, and the disability system is a nightmare that is truly difficult to comprehend for someone who has not experienced it.
As a society, it is imperative that we make structural changes to fix an economy that leaves a massive portion of our population one event away from homelessness and starvation.
But I do not coach societies. I coach people. When one is coaching someone, one does not spend a great deal of thought on how the client got where they are. The primary focus is on how to get them where they want to go.
If I find someone in the water, clinging to a piece of wood from a shipwreck, I’m not going to waste a lot of words on what was wrong with the ship that led it to sink. I’m going to focus on finding ways to get them out of the water.
No matter your situation, if you still have years remaining in your life, you have choices. Some of those choices are better than others, and having a vision of a better future will let you see choices you did not realize you had.
This is true if you are running a multimillion dollar business. This is true if you live in a box under a bridge with nothing but the clothes on your back.
This doesn’t mean that there is necessarily a set of choices that will get you from the bridge to the boardroom. This does not mean that the right choices are easy ones (they rarely are). This does not mean you are playing on an even playing field.
The game may be rigged, but it’s the game you’re playing.
You want to try to change the game? That’s great. But it’s not going to change today, tomorrow, or next week. While trying to change the world, it is imperative to also try to change your world, if for no other reason than to build your resources to change the world.
It does you no favors to believe that the choices you make do not matter.
We are all the sum of all the choices we have ever made. Some of us have had better options, and others worse, but the fact that those choices led us to this day and this place remains undeniable.
This is not just talk. What I do is help people identify the better choices they do have available and pursue them. Maybe you don’t think you have good options, or you aren’t sure what they might be. I would like to help you. That is why I offer a free coaching session to anyone who would like to talk. There is no cost and no obligation. My purpose is to get you in the right direction, and what you do after that is entirely up to you.
To sign up a for a free session, use the form below.
In July 2017, Jennifer Hirschberg-Wise founded her business Radiant Journey LLC, Occupational Therapy & Integrative Wellness Services to bridge the different modalities that have enhanced her life, personally and professionally. Jennifer brings her extensive trainings and understanding of human anatomy, joint alignment, muscular engagement, exercise and importance of meaningful occupation and holistic approaches to her clients, focusing on each individual’s journey. Custom tailoring each session or visit to support the client’s needs, she sets the intention in sacred space to honor a person where he or she is currently at emotionally and physically to facilitate a client’s growth to reach his or her highest potential.
See Jennifer and many more great speakers at Conference21.
Other Links:
Confident, Connected, and Influential Facebook Group
Morning Motivation
Music Credit
Bits And Bytes by Claus Appel
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4688-bits-and-bytes
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Previous Episode: Rob Tull, Path2 Coaching – Podcast Episode 62
Karen Etchells of Innovast Digital Marketing shares her expertise on social media, marketing, branding, and finding your voice in this Internet world.
See Karen and many more great speakers at Conference21.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Website
Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio
Other Links:
Confident, Connected, and Influential Facebook Group
Morning Motivation
Music Credit
Bits And Bytes by Claus Appel
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4688-bits-and-bytes
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Previous Episode: Daniel Greenwolf, Celtic Magician – Podcast Episode 60
Why do you do what you do?
Do you know? If not, you should probably figure that out.
If you do, have you shared it?
Continue reading “Why? Inspire Me with What Inspires You”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Website
Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio
Ed Troxell is the Live Video Guy. Live video creates a tremendous opportunity for people to get their message out, and Ed is the guy who can help you do that.
He helps people navigate the technology and the mindset it takes to make great live video.
Connect with Ed at edtroxell.com
Other Links:
Conference21
Confident, Connected, and Influential Facebook Group
Crush 2021 Motivational Series
Music Credit
Bits And Bytes by Claus Appel
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4688-bits-and-bytes
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Theme song produced by Patrick Howard of Four Unicorns Design
Previous Episode: Jeroen Corthout, CEO, Salesflare – Podcast Episode 52
Next Episode: Keith Besherse, The Lead Leader – Podcast Episode 54
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Website
Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio
Meet another one of the fantastic speakers from Conference21 J Bruce Jones.
Bruce is a true expert on self publishing your book and getting it sold. This interview is an absolute gold mine of great tips and strategies for getting attention onto your books and getting them to sell.
If you have written a book or are thinking about it, this is definitely one to listen to.
Show Links:
Bruce Jones Design
Hoe to Publish Your Book Facebook Group
Other Links:
Conference21
The Guy Who Knows A Guy Book
Prepare for 2021 Goal Setting Workshop
Crush 2021 Motivational Series
Music Credit
Bits And Bytes by Claus Appel
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4688-bits-and-bytes
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Theme song produced by Patrick Howard of Four Unicorns Design
Previous Episode: Jaimie Adler, Sips of the Vine and Bayleaf Communications – Podcast Episode 49
Nex Episode: Tarletta Williams, Black Dragon Marketing – Podcast Episode 51
In person networking events aren’t happening.
If your business depends on making connections, this can be a problem.
The Guy Who Knows A Guy is here to help with Virtual Speed Networking.
Continue reading “Virtual Speed Networking”