EXTRAordinary Podcast

Comprehending loss and experiencing Grief are universal and fundamental aspects of life none of us can escape.  Yet often we feel unequipped to process tragedy and understand the grieving process.  All too often we bottle up our emotions, try to appear as if everything is fine, and never allow ourselves to accept the pain and suffering that comes from loss.  But unfortunately, it is necessary.  It is critical to our overall well being and mental health that we give ourselves permission to hurt, recognize why its there, and through time and effort, allow that pain to subside.  Eventually, you will move on to the next phase and slowly begin to feel normal again.  Although after experiencing a tragic loss, normal will never be the same.  But the new normal can ultimately be better than before.  And through time and patience, you will grow and become stronger, better, for having endured it.

Jason Mueller experienced grief and loss on a scale virtually none of us can comprehend.  He was hit with a tragedy that would destroy most people.  Suffering the loss of a child is something none of us should have to experience and quite frankly I don’t know that I could handle it.  But Jason not only learned how to handle it, but He is also now helping others handle their grief as well.  

Volunteering in his community and ministering at his church, Jason is serving as a beacon of hope to those who have lost loved ones and seek solace in their lowest moments.  The best way he does this is by simply filling the chair.  Being there.  There to listen, there to empathize, there to understand.  Although many don’t know what he has gone through, he is one of the few who can understand and relate to a loss as no one else can.  And after speaking with him, it is clear to see that this is not the path he chose but rather a calling he has been given and one that he uses to honor his son every day.  And celebrating his son’s life has brought joy and inspiration to countless others.  Hear how Jason manages the grieving process in my first in-person interview in a while with my dear friend Jason Mueller. 

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Backing Track - Go Icarus Go by The Whole Other

Creating fiction and writing books is Hard!  Living a laid-back country life looks like an ideal lifestyle, but there is a tremendous amount of hard work involved in surviving in a picturesque environment.  To thrive in any one of these areas requires grit.  Fortitude.  A willingness to give it a go and not care what anyone else thinks.  The discipline it takes to write a book is the same discipline it takes to sustain a farm. 

Brooke Strahan does both.  Growing up in the outback of Australia, Brooke learned quickly to work hard and keep up.  Following after her father and older brother, Brooke developed a love for the land, the things that want to kill you, and a rural way of life specifically because it made her tougher, stronger.  That toughness served her well in the Royal Australia Air Force and even now as she raises small livestock in the high country of New South Wales.  Her time in the service also served her well as she drew from that experience to author the book “The Subject”.  Now concluding the final chapter of what has turned into the trilogy of Bianca Beretta, Brooke is ready to move on to a completely different subject for her next book.   

When you craft a lifestyle you love, there is no limit to what you can accomplish.  Brooke continues to demonstrate that.  Unlike other attractive influencers on social media, Brookes content is not just beautiful, but honest and real.  And one of the few worth emulating.  Hear how she manages it all even with a bruised tail bone, in my extraordinary conversation with Brooke Strahan.   

https://veev.ca/

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Track – Unavailable by Causmic

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCptYdIghPgmOl8opbjZrcuA

Aging is an inevitable process of life and one we assume will gradually take away more and more of our abilities to live, love and learn.  No one likes the idea of deterioration faculties.  The question then becomes what can we do about it?  Some facts of life may be inevitable but that doesn’t mean we are completely helpless to succumb to father time.  When we craft a lifestyle by design, we can actively take steps to reduce, regulate, and even in some cases reverse some of the aspects of aging. 

The first and most important step to impacting the aging process is nutrition.  What we put into our body consistently year after year over the decades can have an incredible impact on not only our longevity but the quality of life associated with it.  Monitoring our nutrition and developing a successful dietary plan is without question the best way to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.  Simply creating a meal plan eliminates stress and decision fatigue.  A healthy diet accompanied by regular exercise will help you live longer, happier, and ultimately make you more successful.

Annie Gaudreault like so many of us focused all her efforts on her career and found satisfaction as a highly successful marketing executive.  But after achieving corporate success, Annie realized she was unfulfilled and unfamiliar with the person and lifestyle she created.  Changing her perspective and focusing inward, Annie didn’t just shift careers, she shifted her lifestyle to one that was in alignment with the woman she was and the ideal she wanted.  Many marathons and triathlons later, this certified nutritionist now specializes in helping other women understand the aging process and adopt a new lifestyle for themselves.  Hear how to whip up healthy meals, improve performance, and age with grace in my conversation with Annie Gaudreault.

https://infinitycoaching.net/

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Background Track – Splashing Around by The Green Orbs                                           

Crafting a lifestyle can be tough to figure out by yourself.  Despite our best efforts, we can only achieve so much on our own.  Even the best athletes need someone else to help them reach the highest level.  Having a mentor or coach provides us the guidance and motivation to reach our fullest potential.  They can push us farther than we think possible.  A coach not only refines our training but helps us identify the shortcomings we have a hard time seeing.  A coach is a vital key to the process of achieving the Extraordinary.

Carolyn Owens coaches others to reach their full potential.  From federal and armed forces employees to the private sector and nonprofits, Carolyn provides guidance on everything from professional development to relationship counseling.  She provides a path for growth for disabled veterans and counsels those suffering from a long term diagnosis.  Everyone can benefit from coaching and Carolyn has proven that in just about every arena imaginable.

Now focused on her latest book and growing her reach to a wider audience, Carolyn is sharing her coaching methods with those who need it most.  With the heart of a teacher, this single mom has raised a bright young man and raised the bar of professional coaching.  Helping her clients realize their dreams and reach for the stars, check out Infinity coaching with Carolyn Owens. 

https://squadcast.fm/

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Background Track – The High Line by Causmic

Being an Entrepreneur has become the new popular trend and hot career choice for many who are trying to discover their path through life.  Though most have no idea what it takes to run a successful startup.  Very few people have a unique concept or business model.  And almost none have what it takes to see that vision through into a successful company.  To be an Entrepreneur, It starts with a great idea.  That idea is then scaled down to its simplest term or definition.  Then, getting really good at that one thing is the recipe for greatness.  It is a proven strategy that can turn a concept into a company.

Co-founders Zack Moreno and Rockwell Felder started Squadcast with a basic premise.  Get the best possible audio recording for their podcast.  Realizing the needed to get in-person audio recording remotely, their concept of direct source recording filled a huge void.  The solution they now provide puts them at a distinct advantage to other large players in the remote video conference space and provides a niche that ensures the long-term viability of their business. 

At the same time Rockwell was launching Squadcast he was redesigning his lifestyle as well. Forced to adapt quickly, he grew his business and his life as a successful entrepreneur.  Rockwell adopted many of the habits of other highly successful people.  Learning from great mentors and friends Rockwell has been a rock for the business and the business has become a rock for the podcasting industry.  Doing all the little things right, Rockwell is a great example of what a true entrepreneur should be.  And Squadcast is a great example of what a successful business should be. Learn more about both in my recent conversation with Rockwell Felder. 

Personality Isn’t Permanent with Benjamin Hardy

https://benjaminhardy.com/

https://www.8keys2great.net/podcast

Who are you….now? Today.  Who were you 10 years ago?  Do you think you are the same person?  Do you believe who you were then is who you are now?  Will you be the same person in 10 years?  Does your past determine your future?  Is your personality permanent?

Dr. Benjamin Hardy has spent the last several years debunking that fixed mindset.  His best-selling book, Personality Isn’t Permanent sheds new light on personality tests and assessments.  Redefining a billion-dollar industry, Benjamin Hardy shows how to break free from self-limiting beliefs and rewrite your story.  This follow-up to his groundbreaking book “Willpower Doesn’t Work”, “Personality Isn’t Permanent” is challenging traditionally defined boxes and providing a way to redesign your future self. 

Benjamin is not just a brilliant psychologist and author, but he has become a good friend.  Benjamin was the first personality and total stranger I reached out to when starting the Extraordinary podcast.  Not knowing the right protocol or procedure for reaching out to established figures, I had very little expectation of a response.  But much to my delight, Benjamin's team did respond, and we were able to have not just a great conversation but ultimately spent the day together with our families becoming friends.  Both He and his wife Lauren made the experience one I will always remember.  That experience gave me the confidence to continue to reach out to authors, thought leaders, and influential people across the board.  While I have not always had the same level of success as others, Benjamin demonstrated to me that it IS possible.  And for that, I will always be in his debt. Check out my second interview with Ben where we discuss understanding personality in great detail.  Learn that your personality isn’t permanent in my most recent conversation with Benjamin Hardy.

Background Track – Clover 3 by Vibe Mountain

“If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far go together.”

There is no easy way to get what you want in life.  Often the path will have many twists and turns.  You must scratch and crawl for everything. Solely focused on that ultimate goal.  Keep your eye on the Prize. 

But there is another way.  Another path that at first may seem counter-intuitive. Believe it or not, the best way to get what you want is to help others get what they want.  Consistently thinking of others and how you can provide benefit to them, will pay huge dividends.  But you must be patient.  You must be willing to delay immediate gratification for long term success.  Long term strategies.  It is important to always keep our long-term dreams in mind through the process but making the process about understanding others and what their hopes and dreams are, you can find ways to help them.  This outward shift in focus has a reaction we typically fail to understand when we are wrapped up in our own selfish pursuits.  This giving perspective has a remarkable effect on those we encounter.  Or even the casual observer.  As we impact their lives in a meaningful way, we leave a mark.  We plant a seed.  And over time these seeds bear fruit.  Many types of fruit.  Some fruit we did not even expect.

Amani Roberts has been helping others achieve their dreams and goals for many years.  After working his way up the corporate ladder in the hospitality industry, Amani took 2 decades of expertise working at Marriot and his two degrees out to California realizing his dream of becoming a DJ.  Honing his craft and earning another degree from Scratch academy, Amani has been rocking out clubs, corporate events, and even the classroom.   Your perpetual wingman, Amani not only sets the tone, but he also sets the standard in when it comes to the music business and life lessons.  His new book DJ’s Mean Business, Amani walks you through the business cycle like a night at the club.  His metaphors and content are both witty and relevant.  Spreading this knowledge to his students at Cal State Fullerton, Amani teaches, mentors and practices what he preaches.  Learn how this corporate executive, flipped the script, found his gift, and has been sharing it with the world ever since.  With even bigger goals on the horizon, hear how he is laying down tracks and knowledge in my recent conversation with Amani Roberts.    

Background Track – RESPECOGNIZE – YouTube Audio Library

Link to Purchase Amani’s new book – DJ’s Mean Business

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084KW9HLM

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Special thanks to all those who supported the podcast this season.

Nate Arnett Thank you for the music

Gabe and Christine Jolley – Thank you for your hospitality

Donna and Richard Garrison, Chris Krimitsos, The White Family

Sawtooth Adventure Comp.  Altra Shoes, Rapid Reboot, Squadcast and Zoom Recordings, Buzzsprout and Podfest 2020.

The 3rd Key - Demolition

Time to tear down the old walls.  Rip out the cabinets and drywall. Remove the old flooring and get down to the foundation.  The bare studs. The basics.  Before we can start constructing, we need a clean slate.  Time to change some of those negative behaviors.  Do some prep work.

This can be a free and liberating time.  It’s the fun part.  Where we get to break stuff.  Tear things apart.  Remove the rotten wood and faulty wiring.  Clean house so to speak.  We all have faults and shortcomings.  No one is perfect.  Are you willing to spend a few moments and consider what those flaws might be?  You know yourself well.  Well enough to easily recognize your bad behavior and negative patterns.  What bad habits need to be demolished.  What limiting mindsets need to be knocked down once and for all? What are the insignificant habits you have developed that are keeping you from realizing that dream life?  What has, over time, gradually taken over your lifestyle. 

What are the habits you have created that added the extra weight to your waistline?  

What are the habits that contribute to your poor performance at work? 

What are some of the things you continue to put off?

What are the things that you are actively doing every day that are sabotaging your success? 

Is there anything you could stop doing today rather easily, that would have an immediate and significant improvement to your life?  Is there more than one?   List a few and pick just one to stop today.  Today, right now.  Make that commitment.  Go with the easiest one first.

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2.

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It is much easier to stop these negative patterns of behaviors when we can replace these bad habits with good ones.  This makes stopping the bad habit a little easier.  With the newfound free time that was consuming your behavior, spend some time thinking about some habits that could have a significant and meaningful impact on your overall well-being.  Simple things such as going on a walk every night after dinner, reading, learning a new skill, or instrument.  Whatever excites you, whatever you think you might enjoy now.  Today.  But these habits should not just be fun, they must provide significance and value to your long-term goals.  So, what are the three new habits you would like to adopt and add to your routine?  List these here.  Again, start with the easiest one to implement as a regular practice.  If you are struggling, I suggest selecting one physical, one mental, and one that strengthens a relationship (like a spouse or loved one).

1

2

3

Just like the habits you have created take time to establish, getting rid of the negative behavior patterns will take time as well.  So be easy on yourself.  Go slow.  We are not trying to change the world in a day.  We are just taking one little step in the right direction.  Start small. 

I started with a goal very early on to make better use of my Sundays.  My Sunday afternoons and evening were spent on the couch, watching football or golf often for hours.  I am not much of a couch potato, but Sundays were different. Eating poorly on top of that, every Monday morning I would regret wasting all that time.  So, I adopted some weekly routines to help change that.  I would still enjoy my downtime and use Sunday as a recovery day, but while doing so I would write a letter to someone I care about.  Taking just an extra 5 to 10 minutes to write that letter changed my mindset but also shifted my perspective so that I felt differently Monday morning.  Yes, I was watching less TV, but the positive act I replaced it with really made a difference in how I felt about the day.  And it only took a few minutes. 

When I first started exercising it was a similar story.  I was waking up on my own without an alarm and just lying in bed stressing about what I had to get done at work that day, knowing that if I didn’t get out of bed and get going, I would be stuck in worse traffic than if I just got up.  This was a daily struggle.  But then I made the commitment to set an alarm and get up earlier on purpose.  I began exercising 2 or 3 days a week for 30 minutes before work.  But it wasn’t easy at first, some days I would just roll over and hit the snooze button.  As I continually struggled with that goal, I change the behavior to make it easier.  I started playing basketball with friends one night a week. That was a great place to start and allowed me to have a fun experience while getting the exercise and achieving the goal.  Make it easy.  Make it fun.   Using these micro habits makes it less painful to give up some of the old habits.  And once you have taken down a few small ones, you will have the confidence to tackle some of the habitual behaviors and addictions that are not so easy…

But don’t worry about that for now.  For now, make it as easy as you possibly can.  Use the 1% Rule.  The 1% Rule is to simply do 1% more today than you did the day before.  So often when we are fed up, sick and tired and finally find ourselves motivated to change, we jump in with both feet and go at it with a vengeance.  When demolishing the old space, we are ready to break out the sledgehammer and hard hats.  But this is not a sustainable approach.  We will lose that motivation over time.  We may tear down the walls that we shouldn’t.  Creating more work in the process.  Rather we should take a more measured and balanced approach.  Remove the old cabinets with care.  We may have a use for them later on.  We take a small step in the right direction and maintain it.  Incorporate it into our lifestyle.  See where it fits.  While these small changes will not feel like much and the lack of initial development may feel frustrating, remember this is a long game, this is a big project.  It will take time and patience to complete.  The beauty of these small steps is that they are manageable they are sustainable.  They are scalable and repeatable.  And most importantly if done consistently they are guaranteed to produce results.

That being said, even the simplest of habits can be difficult to maintain.  The act of flossing our teeth takes less than 3 minutes, is relatively painless, has a significant impact on our oral health and breath, yet very few of us take the time to do it consistently.  These positive habits tend to not be immediately rewarding or self-gratifying enough to sustain on their own.  That’s where challenges come in.  Having a challenge, accomplishment, or long-term goal, make the small habits easier to maintain.  Having a big challenge motivates you to show up and repeat your daily habits because you know the negative consequences if you don’t put in the work now. 

You cannot just show up for a marathon and expect to finish if you haven’t created the habit of running. 

You cannot publish your first book until you have created the habit of writing on a consistent basis.    

You cannot buy your first home until you have created the habit of regularly saving money. 

You cannot receive an advanced degree until you have adopted the habit of learning and study. 

You cannot have an intimate relationship until you have mastered the habit of caring for yourself and others.

What are some challenges you could add to the mix that would force consistent change?  Maybe it’s earning an advanced degree.  Maybe it’s getting a group of friends together to do an obstacle course race or triathlon.  Maybe it's learning a new language.  Having these challenges, along with the long-term goals that we established in creating your blueprint, will help guide your decisions when creating these new habits.  Having these difficult deadlines looming will force the issue and make you much more willing to continue to show up.  Continue to try…

 I always encourage everyone to tackle a marathon at some point in their life.  Especially for those who don’t consider themselves runners.  Even though you might not be a runner, you can walk.  You can put one foot in front of the other.  If you can do that then you can get through a marathon.  Sure, you may have to start with a 5 or 10k and it may take some longer than others.  But the mental and physical toughness that you develop by doing this opens your mind to the possibility that you can do more.  You learn you are capable of more than you thought.  You learn you can do what some may say you cannot.  You learn that you are can do more than what you tell yourself you are capable of.  You learn that your limits are almost all self-imposed and can be overcome. That it is a limited mindset. That so much more is possible than you realized.  And the best part about this challenge is, the tougher your individual circumstances are, the more hurdles that you personally have to overcome will make your accomplishment that much more meaningful. 

That much more inspiring to your supporters.  

That much more impressive to all the haters who said you couldn’t do it.

But there is a catch.  There is something more you must do to achieve the desired result.  The most important demolition happens between our ears.   

Other things to demo

Demo your Ego, Mindset and Misguided beliefs

Now that you see how basic the process can be, have you asked yourself what has kept me from doing this until now?  Why haven’t I taken this action before?  What is preventing me from making forward progress in my life? Why do I

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Background Track – Whose Using Who - https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music?nv=1

Finding our calling or destiny can seem impossible.  Most of us feel lost and confused about what we should do with our life.  This typically first happens as we finish high school and begin our journey into adulthood.  But it doesn’t' end there.  Most of us either fall into a dull routine of jobs that just pay the bills or continue to struggle with this daunting career question.  Many of us never get the answer we are looking for.  And others still think they are on the right path only to find out halfway through that this is not the right road for them.  And even still, if we are on the right track. what may be the right goals and dreams at 20 evolve and grow into something else entirely 20 years later?  So how do you find your greatness?  Well for starters, you have to look.  Hard. 

Tiffeny Farag thought she found her life's work in medicine.  Taking that traditional path at university, Tiffeny found her niche in podiatry.  Providing pain relief to those suffering sometimes for years, Tiffeny drew great strength from the help she was administering.  Over time, with her penchant for striking up meaningful conversations, Tiffeny realized she was also providing emotional relief for her patients as well.  That slowly became a bigger and bigger part of her work.  To the point where Tiffeny could no longer deny this new path laid out before her.  She wasn’t exactly sure where it would take her if how it would happen, but 3 countries and two continents later Tiffeny has found her new calling. Her Podcast “Getting to Know You.” With Tiffeny Farag, she dives deep into meaningful topics and has some very brave conversations.  Finding her greatness in the process, Tiffeny is paving the way for others to do the same.  I hope you enjoy getting to know Tiffeny Farag.   

https://marisamedium.com/extraordinary

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisameddin/

https://talkcollegetome.com/about/       

https://pencilsofpromise.org/

Background Track – Rush Job by Nate Arnett

Many of us dream of retiring and traveling the world.  Others fantasize about creating that visionary product or business.  Yet so few of us ever do anything about it.   When it comes time to make the decision, we tend to retreat to our safe place and complain about why it can never happen.  Understandably so.  To live out those realities can be intimidating and scary.  But for those that take the plunge, and commit, the reward can be life-changing.  And if you can figure out how to provide value and service to others in the process, you have the makings of an incredibly meaningful life.

Marisa Meddin started her journey like most of us.  Checking all the boxes.   After graduating from Michigan, she was engaged and with a high paying marketing job working for Pepsi. Following the traditional path.  But a lack of job fulfillment and a relationship that ultimately didn’t feel right, left Marisa wanting more.  Seeking more.  And like so many of us, Marisa went to work on herself, her dreams, and long-term vision for her life.  This took time and evolved through more than one business model.  But each step and business helped Marisa realize her destiny. 

From an early age, Marisa realized that she a gift as a communicator.  People would often look to her for advice and consolation.  She thought little of it at first but then through a strange series of events, Marisa discovered her gift as a medium.  Marisa has manifested her ability by providing closure to those who have lost loved ones.  She does this through writing and journaling and despite skepticism, she is always able to provide answers and resolution to those who seek her services.  Even though I have my own reservations, I can truly say that whatever Marisa does, it is of tremendous benefit to those who receive it.  If their perspectives are transformed in a positive manner through Marisa’s gift and they can grow and put their lives back together, then maybe we could all benefit from this type of experience.  Whether you actually believe it or not. 

Listen to how she found her gift and the amazing stories that ensue as a result.  Then decide for yourself if a medium experience is right for you after listening to my conversation with Marisa Meddin.

@mlmeddin

@extraordinarypodcast

@mohotnus