Igniting Souls Podcast with Kary Oberbrunner

An online business owner can get stuck in an ivory tower and be isolated from their people. People don't want a guru. They want a guide from the side — someone who will help them and be in the trenches with them. As business owners, will we get away from our towers and make things happen? When you hear people you understand wht makes them tick. Leadership is not always solving problems. Many times it's sitting with a person.

A dentist in Canada is going to bump up her content — photos and videos for a life changing ministry. We connected at a recent conference. Not because we have similar businesses, but becasue we share a passion and a desire to grow. Even if you think you have nothing in common, you can connect on passion.

Sometimes you just have to take the next big step. Even if you don't know what it's going to be, take the next step. It doesn't have to be all planned out.

Look at the outside of this prison in London with me. It's similar to the prison our dreams are often in. Your dreams are often surrounded by the walls of self-limiting beliefs. But there are also windows that can give you a way out — give your dreams a way out.  Don't be somebody that becomes institutionalized and focuses on the walls. Instead, focus on the windows. Scale the wall, find a window. Break free.  Is it tough to break free? Sure it is. But there is hope. Quoting from Shawshank: "Hope is a good thing. Hope is the best of things."

Have you ever seen someone pull up to the fuel tank at a gas station and stop at the first pump, making everyone else wait. People are often worried about getting theirs first instead of serving others first, so everyone wins.

Most people use two filters to determine their dream: their date book and their checkbook. But unfortunately, those two things will clip your wings. Think of your resources like water in the dessert. You can either drink the water or you can use it to prime the pump. We can either consume our time and money or we can invest it.

Not a morning person? If you had a loved one who desperately needed you, you would do whatever you needed to do help them. The mission gets you moving. The urgency of the matter gets you moving. If you can't get out of bed, you don't have a big enough reason. I've had times in my life when I didn't want to get out of bed, but the problem was all I thought about was myself.

The former CEO of Pepsi tells a story about when she came home to tell her mother the good news of her new position with Pepsi. Her Mom said, "always leave your crown in the garage when you come home." What a great reminder for all of us to not let the amazing things we do go to our heads but instead focus when we're at home being a great husband/wife, mother/father, friend, etc.

As I visited the Crown Jewels and the Tower of London with some locals, it reminded me of how we can often overlook our own strengths. We call it the curse of familiarity. We get so familiar with our own strengths that we don't think they're that amazing. Work to identify your strengths. If you need help, ask someone else what they see as your two biggest strengths.

Sometimes having a small vision can cost you. If we think small, tht's the results we get. Instead, ask yourself, "what happens if we go big?" In the end, the bigger vision is often cheaper.

As I meet with my clients in the UK, I keep hearing the same excuse: "you don't understand how it is here." If you wake up and says,"no one in the is buying," then no one will be buying. Discard popular thinking and self-limiting beliefs. Decide what you're looking for. What do you want in life? As you align your focus, your actions will follow.

The top 10 things to do to prepare for your event: 1\. Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise and get plenty of rest. 2\. Practice with your team. 3\. Plan your transitions 4\. Plan your introductions. Remember that everything creates energy. 5\. Check in with your vendors 6\. Get your supplies ready 7\. Develop consistent branding 8\. Train your team 9\. Debrief throughout the event 10\. Plan your greetings/first impressions.

You can't take the ring and stay in the shire. You have to choose between a life of adventure or a life of routine, and you have to live with the results of your choice.

The key to a great workout and just about everything in life is showing up — having the discipline to stick with it, even when it's hard. Discipline is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes. One big way to develop this discipline is to have an accountability group, a community around you that will keep you going.

Don't wait for external forces to ignite a fire within you and create an internal passion. You HAVE to be the fire. It's up to you. You can't control external forces. The only thing we can control is the passion and energy we bring to the table. If you're not on fire, here are some adjustments you can make in your life.