DREAM THINK DO | Motivation, Encouragement & Strategy

This week we're talking to Mark Victor Hansen and Crystal Dwyer Hansen. They've just written a book called, "ASK! The Bridge From Your Dreams to Your Destiny." In our interview, we talk in-depth about what they've learned about the art and the science of asking better questions to transform your life. Specifically, we talk about the 3 questions they ask every day and they walk us through how they apply them to their lives, their relationships, their writing, and their businesses. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: Mark Victor Hansen and Crystal Dwyer Hansen New Book: "Ask!: The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny" Mark Victor Hansen Website: markvictorhansen.com MORE ABOUT THE EPISODE: Before we get started… I want to give you a little background on both our guests. Among many things… Mark Victor Hansen is often known best as "that Chicken Soup for the Soul guy." Along with his co-author and business partner, Jack Canfield… they launched what Time magazine called, "the publishing phenomenon of the decade," with over 500 million Chicken Soup for the Soul books sold worldwide. By the way, these books are one of the most successful publishing franchises of all time. Plus, he's written a number of other best sellers as well! He's also a successful and impactful keynote speaker who's addressed audiences around the world. He's been featured by Oprah, CNN, and The Today Show… just to name a few. Okay… now let's talk about Crystal Dwyer Hansen. She's also a successful entrepreneur, as well as a Certified Life Coach, and Wellness/Nutrition Expert. Her first book "Skinny Life - The Secret to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Fitness," along with her speaking, and articles have helped people all over the world. Finally… Mark and Crystal are innovative entrepreneurs and tireless philanthropists… and if I dug into all that they're up to on these fronts… this intro would be 45 minutes long. :) So I'll point you to all their websites (listed above) so you can dig even deeper into their endeavors. Obviously… they're up to some great work… and I'm excited to have them on. So let's do this. SHOW NOTES AND TIMES: Quick Episode Summary: 0:02 What to expect today! 1:30 Welcome Mark Victor and Crystal Hansen 4:02 How the Hansen's are handling Covid-19 7:00 Why the Hansen's book is important right now 8:47 When Mark lost $2 Million 13:21 How to start asking better questions 16:19 The 3 things you need to get unstuck 19:32 The difference between self-worth and net worth 24:19 What you can learn from Joseph 26:00 Why we are afraid to ask questions 28:01 The questions you should be asking others 31:37 Mitch's biggest takeaways WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! How about you? What clicked with you? What got you thinking? What might you apply from what Mark and Crystal talked about? Leave a comment and let me know! Check other Podcasts here:

My guest is Paula Faris. Paula is a Senior National Correspondent at ABC News. She's won multiple Emmy Awards as she's interviewed political leaders, athletes, newsmakers, and celebrities. (Yeah… she's interviewed ALL of the Avengers and almost ALL of the cast from Star Wars. We will now pause for a moment of silence.) Recently, Paula made the news herself because she chose to walk away from TWO of the biggest dream jobs in her industry. The first was being the Co-anchor of Good Morning America's weekend edition and the second was being a co-host of ABC's "The View." She didn't walk away due to some crisis, controversy or for a bad decision. Nope… she chose to walk away to do something she felt called to do. We're going to talk about that decision and her new book, "Called Out - Why I traded Two Dream Jobs for a Life of True Calling." Listen To The Podcast: Paula Faris RESOURCES: Insta: www.instagram.com/paulafaris Twitter: twitter.com/paulafaris Buy The Book: "Called Out - Why I Traded Two Dream Jobs for a Life of True Calling. Paula's past interview on Dream Think Do: www.mitchmatthews.com/226 The INTERVIEW: In our interview, we talk about how Paula Faris got clarity on her calling and how she found the courage to take a stand for it. We talk about the difference between your "faith calling" and your "vocational calling." This was a huge realization and helped her to feel new levels of freedom and clarity. We talk about why… but more importantly, we talk about how you can apply this whether you consider yourself a "religious" person or not. At the heart of the interview… we talk about the 3 big questions you need to be asking yourself in order to find your true vocational calling: What am I good at? What do I love to do? What do the people I trust say that I'm good at? I think you'll really enjoy this conversation. Here's how it breaks down… minute by minute. SHOW NOTES AND TIMES: 0:02 Welcome! 0:18 What to expect today 1:15 Meet Paula 4:01 How Paula and her family are handing COVID-19 6:30 When Paula left two dream jobs and stepped into her calling 11:42 Learning how to disconnect what you do from who you are 18:20 Finding your faith calling 20:14 Finding your vocational calling 25:42 Give yourself permission to branch out 26:48 Fear should be expected 30:00 How to connect with Paula 31:40 Mitch's biggest takeaways WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! So… I want to hear from YOU! I really appreciated those 3 questions. Heck… I wish I'd had those MUCH earlier in my life. Powerful stuff. How about you? What clicked with you? What got you thinking? What might you apply from what Paula said? Leave a comment below and let me know! Check other Podcasts here:

We're talking with Sara Haines and Max Shifrin. Sara's been a regular on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and The VIEW. She also co-hosts the "Strahan, Sara and KeeKee Show" weekdays on ABC along with Michael Strahan and KeeKee Palmer. Max Shifrin is a lawyer specializing in commercial litigation. He's killing it and as you'll hear… he's an amazing guy doing some great work. Sara and Max got married in 2014 and now have 3 beautiful kiddos… Alec, Sandra, and Caleb who are all under the age of 4. Like the rest of us... they're navigating this new normal. We talk about how they're learning to live… and love… and somehow make it all work out of their apartment in Brooklyn. Let's do this! Listen To The Podcast: Sara Haines and Max Shifrin RESOURCES: The Strahan, Sara and KeeKee Show's Facebook Page: Click here Sara's Insta Page: Click here Previous DREAM THINK DO episodes with Sara: Overcoming the Comparison Trap: www.MitchMatthews.com/032 Pushing Through Fear: www.MitchMatthews.com/010 SHOW NOTES AND TIMES: 0:16 What to expect today! 2:05 Welcome The Haines 4:40 How Sara and Max met 8:23 Sara and Max's first date 13:00 How Sara and Max stay on the same page 21:36 Finding the best time to give feedback 25:21 The best marriage advice from Sara 29:20 How Sara and Max talk through their goals & dreams 36:09 Mitch's biggest takeaways WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! So… what stood out to you? I want to hear from YOU! I loved how they talked about having a shared vision but that they fully recognize they're different in their "day to day" and how they've got grace for each other in that. How about you? What clicked with you? What inspired you? What got your thinking? What's going to stick with you? Leave a comment below and let me know!

My guest is Jeffrey Morris. He's a writer, director, and futurist. Jeff's next film is a neo-classic space adventure called "Persephone." It's starring "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's" Emile Hirsch, "Deadpool's" Brianna Hildebrand, "Weed's" very own Mary-Louise Parker, and "A Clockwork Orange's" Malcolm McDowell. Since a very early age, Morris has been devoted to not only science fiction… but science itself — focusing his passion on space exploration, oceanography, and meteorology. Jeffrey Morris channeled these passions into his creative endeavors, which were elevated over the years as he learned storytelling, illustration, and film production. In addition to making films… Morris has created a number of books, documentaries, music videos, and apps. In this interview, we walk through his journey… but we also talk about how he's able to always find a way. That includes that Jefferey is doing all of this… not from Hollywood or New York… but from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He's doing amazing things… and doing them on his own terms. You're going to love him… so let's do this. Listen To The Podcast: Jeffrey Morris RESOURCES: Morris' Production Company: www.Futuredude.com SHOW NOTES AND TIMES: 0:02: Intro 1:10 What every coach needs to know 3:50 Get to know Jeffrey 5:46 How Jeffrey fell involve with SiFi 9:07 How to help your kids dream 14:00 How Star Wars effected us 17:43 Spaces is our future 22:08 What it was like pitching ideas to Hollywood 24:57 Jeffrey's new movie premise 31:32 The greater reality 38:00 Creating a pivot plan 42:42 Teaser for Jeffrey 's upcoming projects 43:50 The blessing of unanswered prayers 46:24 Wisdom of the week 48:30 Mitch's biggest takeaways WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! So… what stood out to you? A story? His outlook on finding a way? His passion for science? Or… let's be real… his thoughts on Star Wars. (Wow… my brain is still buzzing from that part of our convo!) I'd love to hear from YOU! Leave a comment below and let me know! Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

We're talking to Rahaf Harfoush about how to identify the signs of burnout (because it can sneak up on you) and we dig into some powerful and unorthodox ways to beat it. Rahaf is a Digital Anthropologist, Best Selling Author, and Executive Director of the Red Thread Institute for Digital Culture. Rahaf Harfoush 's latest book is called "Hustle and Float." In it, she shows us that a lot of what we've been told about "work-life" balance is wrong… but more importantly… she shows us a better way to maximize our day… our creativity… and most importantly… our lives. She came by this truth the hard way but getting blindsided by extreme burnout a few years ago. So we talk about how it almost killed her career and how she fought back and how she learned to "float" too. It's a beautiful, raw, and powerful conversation with some great insights, good stories, and practical strategies you can start using today! Listen To The Podcast: Rahaf Harfoush RESOURCES: Book: Hustle & Float - reclaim your creativity and thrive in a world obsessed with work. Twitter: www.Twitter.com/rahafharfoush Website: www.Rahafharfoush.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/foushy MORE INFO ABOUT THE EPISODE: Wow… I don't know if there's been a better time to talk about ways to avoid burnout. Seriously… right now… as we're getting bombarded with all sorts of headlines and updates on a global scale. Many are working from home… for the first time. Because of all of this… some of those normal boundaries of a "normal" workday are out the window… and many are asked to do more with less. So yes… the potential for burnout is a very real thing. Maybe now more than ever. That's why I wanted to bring on an expert… both because she's studied the subject in depth… and because she's lived through a brutal first-hand experience which almost ended a career she loved… and it felt like it stripped away the very thing she'd always felt called to do. As the Executive Director of the Red Thread Institute of Digital Culture, Rahaf Harfoush leads a team of researchers in exploring the implications of the world's digital culture on our lives – from the way we date and parent, to the way we travel, work, and stay informed. She helps organizations like the Starwood Capital Group, Deutche Bank, Estée Lauder, L'Oreal, and ING Direct… to name a few. And her writing has been featured in Wired, The Globe and Mail, Fast Company, and many more. Rahaf and her husband Jesse along with their puppy named Pixel live in France… but we got to meet for coffee in LA… when we were both there recently for speaking gigs. I found her absolutely fascinating… and she's a true DREAM THINK DOer. so I wanted to bring her on the show! And since she's all about helping us navigate the bombardment of information… AND avoid burnout in these wild times… I thought it was THE perfect time to have her on. SHOW NOTES AND TIMES: 0:02 What to expect today! 1:35 Meet Rahaf 8:02 How Rahaf is passionate about the topic of burnout 12:07 How burnout affected Rahaf 16:45 How Rahaf overcame burn out 21:20 Tips for avoiding burnout 25:30 What does success look like to you? 27:20 Creating time to be still 32:04 You are more than what you do 36:18 How to connect with Rahaf 37:04 Wisdom of the week 38:20 Mitch's biggest takeaways WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Let me know what stood out to you from this episode? What's something you're going to try based on Rahaf's story and strategies? I'd love to hear from YOU! Leave a comment below and let's keep this important conversation going. Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

My guest is Dan Grec. He's a Yukon-based adventurer, snowboarder, and photographer. A few years ago… Dan wanted a more vibrant life… so he quit his day job as an engineer and drove his 2 door Jeep Wrangler 40,000 miles through 16 countries starting in Alaska and ending up in Argentina. That expedition turned into two of the best years of his life. The journey itself… along with the colorful people he met along the way… permanently changed the way he looked at himself… AND the way he looked at life. He didn't realize it at the time but that adventure also changed his trajectory… and he's continued to explore ever since. In fact, just last year he completed a 54,000 mile... 35 country circumnavigation of the African continent in his 4 doors… Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Most importantly, Dan's found a sense of joy and happiness that he can maintain in the wildest and toughest circumstances and we're going to talk about that too! Listen To The Podcast: Dan Grec RESOURCES: BOOK: The Road Chose Me (Click here.) YOUTUBE: youtube.com/theroadchoseme INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/theroadchoseme MINUTE BY MINUTE: 0:02 What to expect today 1:20 Meet Dan 4:06 When Dan said he was going to drive from Alaska to Argentina 7:30 How Dan pays for his adventures 11:50 Dan's time in Africa 16:44 How Dan is navigating COVID-19 18:37 Find a way to be happy 21:20 The best things you can do to prepare for adventure 24:44 Take the pressure off yourself 28:08 How to find what makes you happy 29:56 Wisdom of the week 31:05 Mitch's biggest takeaways What stood out to you? A story? His outlook on living a happy life? His pragmatic approach to paying for his dream? I'd love to hear from YOU! Leave a comment below and let me know! Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

A "Deep Dive" going after WHY and HOW to dream (and pursue your goals) in tough times! I hate to be "Captain Obvious" but it's tough to think about our dreams and goals when we're getting hit with words like "Pandemic" and "Quarantine" on a somewhat normal basis. At the same time… it's wildly important to continue to look forward, to believe in something bigger, and to continue to take small but significant steps forward on the things that are important to us. Now… this isn't some "rainbows, butterflies and little ponies" session on how to bury your head in the sand. Nope. In this episode, we dig into the psychology, the science and the specific strategies that will help you to look at this season in a way that will help you to keep your head, to stay safe AND to continue to march towards your dreams and goals! I think you're going to dig it. So let's dive in. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: Other DREAM THINK DO episodes on related topics: TIME MANAGEMENT: mitchmatthews.com/257 OVERCOMING WORRY: www.mitchmatthews.com/002 DREAMING WITH YOUR FAMILY: www.mitchmatthews.com/222 and www.mitchmatthews.com/086 FACEBOOK POST I Mention The Book of Life video on Maslow's Pyramid of Needs. EPISODE INFO: QUESTION: Why is it harder to dream when things are tough? ANSWER: You're not broken. You're normal. One reason it's harder to think about our dreams and goals when things are feeling "uncertain" can be explained by a simple triangle divided into 5 parts. You may have heard about it in a high school or college psychology class… but this triangle of brilliance has become better known as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. There's a fantastic video on this concept by the people over at "The Book of Life." The link is above. The quick history on the concept was that in 1943, a thirty-five year old Jewish psychologist… who was born in Russia... but was now living in the United States… was in the midst of an epic journey. In short… he was searching for the meaning of life. His name was Abraham Maslow. He had left the close-knit orthodox family of his childhood… and was now navigating life in the U.S. He had a passion for figuring out how to live a purposeful life in modern-day America. It was something he wanted to understand… but it was also something he could see as a longing for many others too. With the lense of psychology, he started to identify five different kinds of basic human needs. Some were more linked to material… and others might be considered more spiritual. As he dug through the research… as well as thought-through his own experiences… he started to uncover a sequence. A ranking. It's almost like these different needs built on each other. First… we start with what most would consider the "non-negotiables" and core basic needs. These would be things like food... water… shelter... and rest. Next we have what would be considered "safety needs." These are a sense of bodily security and protection from attack. But then we enter into the areas that many would consider more spiritual and/or psychological needs. So third… we'd have a sense of belonging and a sense of being loved. Then forth… we move into what some refer to as the "Esteem Needs." These needs are met when we feel a level of accomplishment or even prestige. But the fifth… and that's the big enchilada… is what Maslow called: "self-actualization." This one is a bit more nebulous… and according to some… more elusive. Because it involves what Maslow described as 'living according to one's full potential' and 'becoming who we really are.' Whew… that's some core Phycology 101 there in 3 minutes or less. BUT I think it's relevant when we're thinking about dreaming BIG when things are potentially tough, scary and/or completely new.

This week we're doing a deep dive into "The Art of Powerful Introductions." Seriously… you've worked hard at growing your network of awesome people… but one of the fastest ways to hurt that network is to violate trust and to T-up an unsolicited introduction. It's like we talk about in the episode, an unsolicited introduction is like giving someone a gift of a surprise puppy. LOL. That's right… who doesn't love a puppy? BUT… if you give it to someone who isn't expecting it… a cute lil' puppy can be a problem… right? If we hand a busy person an unsolicited and/or poorly set up introduction… we can create problems and hurt our relationship with them. So in this episode, we talk through the 4 C's of Permission-Based Introductions. These "C's" will help you to set up introductions that lead to more success for everyone involved! AND… they help to build trust and connection with your network too! So listen in to learn the 4 C's and stop giving surprise puppies!!! Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: Check out Episode 255 - How to Meet 50 Interesting People in a Year! All right. Dream Think Do-ers - this episode is a deep dive. So we're talking about the "4 C's of Permission-Based Introductions." The 4 C's are: CONSENT: Be a blessing, not a curse. As for permission from BOTH parties before you make an introduction. In other words… don't give a "surprise puppy" as a gift! COMPLIMENT: As you make the introduction (with permission) be sure to honor each person with a few heartfelt and authentic compliments that help to showcase the person's talents. CONTEXT: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS give some context to why you think the introduction is important and why you think the two people should meet. Don't make them guess. This helps to give them a starting place to work from and saves them time. CUT THEM LOOSE: Free them of any expectations from you. Let them know you're rooting for them but you're bowing out and you're setting them free to do what they want with the connection! QUOTE: "When you surprise someone with an introduction, it's a little bit like giving a puppy as an unexpected gift!" What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? What's something you're going to try/tweak based on this episode? Leave a comment and let me know! MINUTE BY MINUTE: 0:02 What to expect today 3:12 Protecting your network 6:14 Why you don't want to give a puppy 10:29 Busy people get stuff done 13:03 Be a blessing, not a curse 17:07 The power of honor 22:13 Cut them loose from expectation 25:49 One of Mitch's most powerful connections Listen to Mitch Matthews Top Podcast here

David C. Baker is an author, speaker, and advisor, working with independently-owned marketing firms around the world. In fact… he's worked with over 800 firms and has helped them with everything from positioning to lead generation... staffing to systems… and client acquisition as well as retention. He's been called the "Expert's Expert" by the New York Times and he's been featured in the WSJ, Fast Company, USA Today, and Forbes. His newest book, "The Secret Tradecraft of $1M Advisors" is designed to be a handbook for the top 1% of consultants. We're going to be talking with David about how to set yourself… and your expertise apart to make more impact, have more influence, and bring in more income! Listen To The Podcast: David C. Baker RESOURCES: David C. Baker Site: www.expertise.is David C. Baker on Twitter: twitter.com/davidcbaker Before we get to the interview, I have to include a few other fascinating and intriguing elements of David's history. He was born in Michigan… but grew up with a tribe of Mayan Indians in a remote village in the highlands of Guatemala… and then came back to the United States when he was 18. He's a fan of fine woodworking. He teaches racing to already expert motorcycle racers. He flies 25 different types of airplanes and helicopters. He loves photography. He speaks 10 languages. In short… my boy is wicked smart. Most importantly… he lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his beautiful wife Julie and they have two grown sons who are married… and who have provided David and Julie with some beautiful grandbabies! Now that we've gotten the important stuff covered… let's get to this! SHOW Minute-By-Minute: 0.02: What to expect today! 1:36 Meet David 5:47 What it was like growing up in Guatemala 6:07 The importance of global travel 10:36 The biggest pitfalls for those trying to stand out 13:00 Why David's book forward is unique 17:31 How to identify your expertise 20:28 How to position yourself 23:54 Done is better than perfect 26:21 A deeper dive into positioning yourself 31:46 The questions to ask yourself as you productize your business 38:49 Wisdom of the week 42:37 Mitch's biggest takeaways Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

My guest is Brendan Synnott. Brendan co-founded the organic food brand Bear Naked Granola. He wound up selling the brand to Kellogg for $80 Million. Although it was a big win… there was a LOT of ups and downs and Brendan is very open about the fact that he battled depression after the sale. But he got help and started to live life in a new way. In the years since the sale, he's launched 5 other brands… oh… and he was also on Survivor! Now he's taking on the $3 trillion apparel industry (the world's second-largest polluter) as CEO of the organic, fair-trade cotton apparel company called Pact Organic. During our interview, we talk about what it takes to get clear and go after a goal, what happens when the goal changes things (BIG TIME) and how to create a new mindset and set new goals too! I think you're going to love this real and raw conversation! Listen To The Podcast: Brendan Synnott RESOURCES: To find out more about Pact visit: www.WearPact.com. While you're there… enter promo code: DREAMTHINKDO Brendan is giving the DTD family 40% off for a limited time!!! DETAILS: My guest this week is Brendan Synnott … who is a true renaissance man. He was raised by a single mom and grew up in Connecticut. Brendan went to college in Nashville and graduated from Vanderbilt. One of his first jobs out of school was as a production assistant on Saturday Night Live! So his day job was to be a handler of celebrities as they'd come to do the show. While he was home for the summer (since SNL takes the summers off), he ran into a friend who was making organic granola cereal and selling it at farmer's markets. Since he'd always been entrepreneurial, he asked if he could help. So they launched Bear Naked - organic granola. They started to get their product on local grocery store shelves and it started to grow from there. They had to fight through a number of peaks and valleys but they eventually sold to Kelloggs for $80 million. That's right… $80 million. During our conversation, you'll hear that although it was a huge win… Brendan got hit by significant depression after the sale. He attributes that to a number of factors. The wild ride. The fact that many of his friends worked for the company, so it was tough to let it go. Plus, a lot of his identity was wrapped up in the brand, so it was tough when it was no longer part of his life. But afterward, he spent time figuring out life. He went on Survivor. He also met his wife… and they started their family. Oh… and he also got clear on the type of companies he liked to start and be involved with. For example, he realized he LOVES to disrupt industries by bringing products that allow for more transparency, more connection to the customer, and products that are better for the environment. For example, he launched PACT ORGANIC which is an organic, fair-trade cotton apparel company where he's also the CEO. Obviously, this dude has packed a lot in and made life an amazing journey… and we're going to talk about how he's pushed through fear to do just that! Here's are the specifics and time break down of the interview: MINUTE BY MINUTE: 0:02 What to expect today! 1:02 Meet Brendan 3:47 All of Brendan's business ventures 5:65 When Brendan worked at Saturday Day Night Live 7:51 Why Brendan got into the granola business 10:05 Brendan's advice to anyone facing an opportunity 12:32 How Brendan handled investors 17:49 How Brendan survived his 20's 20:59 What Brendan learned from Survivor 23:31 The only thing worse than fast food 27:38 Mitch's biggest takeaways Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here