Recently I faced one of my biggest fears. Check it out here if you're interested in the story. Everything went well and I was thinking about why. So much of what I've done and become has been due to one training I went about three years ago. It was called Discover Leadership and it was ran by a man named Mike Jones.
It's this crazy "experiential" 4-day process that this man has been crafting for 20+ years. It's designed to take you through your biggest fears, to unwrite your limiting stories about yourself, and to show you that everyone has the same beautiful powerful human spirit. It showed me more than just things within myself, it showed me that I affect every outcome in my life, AND I affect other peoples outcome with everything I do or don't do. It's CRAZY, and INTENSE, and EMOTIONAL, and SO WORTH IT!!
How did I hear about this place and end up on a pecan farm in Texas surrounded by sweaty scared people with zero cell phone connection? I'll tell you. My wife's friend had been to it because his work sent him. He said
"it absolutely changed my life for the better, and I can't tell you what happens there. Just know that you'll want to leave on day 1 and 2, but if you stick around it's SO WORTH IT!"
Scared was my first reaction, but then intrigued. He said "you have to be nominated to go, and I'll nominate you if you want?" Sweet, I thought. I want to go be scared out of my mind in Texas and spend about $5,000 doing it. lol His conviction was actually powerful enough where I DID WANT TO. I wanted to feel like he did. He was so confident, fearless, and happy. So I went.
I booked my trip, boarded the plane, got escorted to a ranch, and it began. It took everything I had to stay the first couple days. It was challenging, it was scary, but they walked me right through it. I would love to tell you what happens but I wouldn't want to affect your experience when YOU GO. So I won't. People honestly drop out of the program on days 1 and 2, and since I've been back to be on team I've watched others drop out. It's just part of the process. Some people don't want to open themselves up, or play full out. If you show up and are open to participate fully, you'll be fine. An 80 year old grandmother could pass the class, it's not about physical capabilities. OH before I forget, just because you stay at the ranch and participate for 4 days, doesn't mean you'll pass the training. They give out Certificates of Achievement, and Certificates of Attendance, and YES they give out both. So you've got to give it your all while you're there.
Why am I telling you this? Because it
ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, CHANGED MY LIFE IN AMAZING WAYS!
Before the training I had believed I was "shy" and "not good at public speaking" and "quiet." I believed I was a certain way and could do, and couldn't do certain things. I had so many limiting stories about myself and others it was a joke. When I got back from the ranch I had NO LIMITS. I was ON FIRE. I did something I would NEVER have done before the training....
I joined TOAST MASTERS. This is a group of 20 or so people that get together every week and practice public speaking. Because I didn't care about fear anymore I joined, and spoke on the first week. Guess what!? I got the "best speaker" ribbon for the week! On my first one! I spoke from my heart with enthusiasm and DID IT. Just like the ranch taught. How powerful is that?
I then decided to start getting on video for my business's. I was always scared to put myself out there on camera, but now I didn't care at all. I learned to feel fear and do it anyway. I put the videos out there and created a following of people. PEOPLE LIKED ME and WATCHED ME! It was crazy. I also met my future business partner William Hill because of the videos. We created a product together that ended up doing $300,000 on Kickstarter in its first month, and now we have a thriving business because of it!! WOW. What if I wouldn't have put myself out there? I mean REALLY put myself out there. I ended up writing a book about all of my struggles with anxiety and depression called The Float Tank Cure and how floating has helped me so much. I don't believe without my Discover training I would have ever had the guts to be so vulnerable to the world, but because I did the book has been helping 1,000's find floating, and many find relief from inner struggles. That's so powerful.
During this time I also stepped fully into the CEO role at my family business. I started creating webinars, videos, how-to's, etc. I really put myself out there in a fearless way. It worked too! The business has been growing, I've met many more people by reaching out and putting myself out to the world. People that have helped me with the business. Also, I've sent about 10 people from Walker (the family business) and it's changed their lives too! They all said it was in the top 3 experiences of their lives! Right behind marriage and having a child. That's powerful and I've been watching powerful changes in their lives ever since.
It is so powerful to put yourself out to the world fearlessly. I often wonder what life people are missing out on because they have limiting fears and stories about themselves. I almost missed out on my potential.
My life has been really accelerating since going to Discover Leadership and meeting Mike Jones, and I use the skills I learned there all the time.
Recently I had the chance to really put those skills to the test. I got an offer to be on life TV to millions representing my product, read more about that here. I took the opportunity and stepped into it fully. Even on the day of the shoot I sat in the parking lot and wrote out my outcome. I thought about how I would "STAY IN THE MOMENT" and "SPEAK FROM MY HEART." I felt a lot of fear and did it anyway. I trusted it would work out...
and it did.
Click picture to watch the interview.
I didn't write this blog to brag or show off. Trust me, that's not my style. I wrote this because I hope this inspires even one person to get a hold of me for a chat, so I can nominate them to go to the ranch. To go through the process, to play full out, to re-write their stories, and live their full potential.