The Kevin Miller Podcast

A drug is “a substance that causes a change in one's physiology or psychology.” I’m taking liberty in calling “rest” a substance, but there is nothing stronger for positively changing your physiology or psychology for the better. If you want an athlete to kill it at a competition you have them rest the day before, you don’t run them ragged. When you want to perform well on a given day, how do you treat yourself the day before? The week before? In the workplace we treat ourselves more like indentured servants who slog out each day rather than highly prized performers. Thus the purpose of this episode. I'm bringing you a doctor. A board certified internal medicine physician. She's a work-life integration researcher, a TEDx speaker, best-selling author and international wellness expert. She's been on the Dr OZ show and a guest with all the big names. Her focus? Getting you rested and recovered physically AND mentally, so that you can actually have top performance and output. This show will make you want to rest, and rest in all the right ways. Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith is my guest and friends, I went after her to get this message on the show. Her new book is Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity. I just took a weekend following her counsel, to get myself on track for better performance. You are going to greatly appreciate this show. I highly encourage you to take Saundra’s rest quiz, check out her new book, and see all she has to help you with, by going to ichoosemybestlife.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us have dreams, desires, and goals we are uncomfortable with. We may have a hard time admitting we want them. We may be ashamed to share them. Or we may desire to have big goals but can’t tap into what we really want or care about. This show is about these issues. I kick us off with a clip from Zig Ziglar realistic expectations and the need to have big goals, which will seem at odds to many, which is why I encourage you to listen to what Zig has to say. From this I posted this question to the Ziglar Show audience, “Who has a big goal? Maybe bigger than you honestly feel capable of? Maybe big enough you are not even comfortable sharing publicly?” We got so many great responses that Tom Ziglar and I only got through about half. It’s so inspiring and informative to not only hear people admit their goals but to admit their quandary in how to go after these goals. A powerful show, to say the least.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is what Sam Collier believes, that we are literally wired to function off of joy. This is a significant statement from anyone but to me is more intriguing coming from a pastor. I didn’t grow up hearing this message or witnessing such a spirit in the multitude of churches I frequented. Hearing the way Sam puts it is infectious, however. This is my Habit’s episode and Sam shares from the profound, to the interesting, as we get into his love of movies and music which I share and asked him to give us some specifics. But my focus was his focus on the importance of recreation, fun, and laughter and his own medicine of laughing his way out of pain. He says, "The best leaders have fun and enjoy themselves. When they don't have fun they get stuck in a serious world. People who don't have fun have a hard time having hope when things get rough." This struck a cord in me as you'll hear, because it's a tendency of mine to be serious and production oriented and not giving any attention to fun and play and joy. "Every decision you make every day determines your destiny. Choose wisely. Don't underestimate the power of having a good time." You can connect with Sam and all he has to offer you at agreaterstory.org and find his podcast by the same name wherever you get your podcasts! Thanks to FOCL and their “Plant powered wellness” for supporting this episode, connect with them at http://go.thoughtleaders.io/1898420200810  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all need to get paid for our work. But does it provide you with anything beyond the money? Does it provide value to others? It’s a big question that is worth pondering and being very cognizant of. I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “What value does your work provide beyond making money to pay for your life?” Over 60 lengthy comments about people’s work. Some realized they were only focused on the money. Many cited work they cared deeply about that provided great meaning to them and service to others. A couple who didn’t need the money anymore but worked to bless others. We covered some important ground for us all to consider regarding not only what all we get from our work, but what the end user of the product or service we represent gets. This show will give you great gratitude and confirmation for your work, cause you to ponder more breadth in your work, or possibly show you you need to be looking for work elsewhere! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s just a fact. Your story runs and rules your life. You think your story is black and white and truth and today you are either successful because of or in spite of it, or you are overcome and defeated by it. Likely somewhere in between. While you can’t and should not sugarcoat the hard things that happened to you, you can find the redemption, and that makes all the difference. This is the focus of today’s show, but let me also add...around the 27 minute mark we have an incredible discussion on our current racial tension and then an absolutely profound talk about finding one’s purpose. My guest is Sam Collier, pastor, speaker, writer, and host of the “A Greater Story with Sam Collier” TV show and radio podcast and a brand new book by the same name. I brought Sam on to the show to discuss his incredible story of being born to a drug addict and given up for adoption and his focus on how we can and should elevate how we see our story. Normally I would not give any reference to race or color, but part of Sam’s story is being black and growing up in a very black culture in the south, so we got into the current racial tensions of 2020 and shares a message to blacks and whites separately which I really, strongly encourage you to hear. Then, holy moly, we got into both of our perspectives on finding one’s purpose and from it, well, you’ll hear Sam exclaim a couple times that we need to write a book together. I’ll admit, it was significant. Again, such a powerful show. You can connect with Sam and all he has to offer you at agreaterstory.org and find his podcast by the same name wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever get irked by a personality who just seems to want to sell to you and promote themselves, and doesn’t come off as having your best interest truly at heart? This is a sore spot for many people, and we hit it head on in this show. For many of you who are seeking to lead and influence others, and many of you who already are, you will want to tune in and see how you can better serve and care for your audience and how to and not to market and position yourself. I start us off with a short clip from a presentation by Zig Ziglar where he references a story he used in his all-time best selling book, See You At The Top. The story was about a guy named Tom Hartman who lost a lot of weight. In this segment Zig references the story because he realizes he is selling this book he authored that contains that story and...he is quite overweight himself. This doesn't bode well for his credibility. I'll never forget a celebrity author once with another book on relationships and finding out she was twice divorced and currently single. In that circumstance I found her credibility on what it takes to have healthy relationships, questionable. But from Zig's message and point on credibility I asked the Ziglar audience this question, "With all the personalities (authors, speakers, podcasters, etc…) marketing to you, what hurts their credibility most for you?" We got a barrage of responses and a week later they are still coming in. People get really frustrated and disappointed as we all look for people to lead and guide us, but we are so sensitive when we feel taken advantage of. You’ll resonate with many of the responses and if you are seeking to lead, influence, and market to others, this is your filter to gain and retain credibility and success.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much do you care about the home you live in? Does it matter a little or a lot if it’s clean and safe with nice amenities? Of course. Likewise every day we wake up to live inside our brain. Like your home, you have control over the quality and state of your brain. Much more control than you have over your outside circumstances, actually, yet we don’t tend to function from this perspective, but instead tend to live as if our brain is concrete and hardwired. Dr. Caroline Leaf has made it her life’s work to debunk and disprove this and show us how our brain can be our servant instead of the other way around. As a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist specializing in cognitive and metacognitive neuropsychology she has worked since the early 1980s researching the mind-brain connection, the nature of mental health, and the formation of memory. She was one of the first in her field to study how the brain can change (neuroplasticity) with directed mind input. Dr. Leaf is the bestselling author of Switch on Your Brain, Think Learn Succeed, and coming soon, Cleaning Up The Mental Mess, which is the title of her top ranked health and wellness podcast. In this show we go through what led her into the field, how her faith overlaps with her vocational mission, and key aspects of the control we actually have and can employ regarding our brain. You can connect with Dr Leaf and all she has to offer at drleaf.com, and find her new Switch app at theswitch.app. Thanks to FOCL and their “Plant powered wellness” for supporting this episode, connect with them at http://go.thoughtleaders.io/1898820200727 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The punchline, our survey was exactly 50-50. Some people want a plan to walk out and others just pull the trigger and figure it out along the way. It’s more of a personal style than a right or wrong but the bigger point is either way assumes you are going after something! I play a three minute clip from Zig Ziglar where he cites that people who set goals and make plans of action have better lives and success all around and he gives some great stories. From this I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “For those who set goals and strive for progress in your lives, do you 1) Create a plan of action to walk out, or 2) Pull the trigger and figure it out as you go? The responses were not just cut and dry however and Tom Ziglar and I talked through the nuances and insight brought to us by everyone. What you’re about to hear should feel freeing and confirming to you and your style, and convicting to take action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Never make a decision, or jump and risk making a bad decision. These two ends of the spectrum get the most focus. My guest today finds middle ground in being decisive and taking action, then working to make it right. It also aligns with his counsel that, “Done beats perfect!” My guest is Nick Unsworth who was with me in episode 801 where his stories of failures and successes I culminated into the show title of, “Declare your vision”. In this show we talk about the business and personal habits Nick most values. As a people pleaser he cites how he’s had to learn to practice self-care, because as he states, “If you don’t take care of you there is nothing left.” You’ll be inspired by Nick’s sharing. If you missed our first show together, Nick is CEO of Life on Fire and his mission is to build the world’s largest Christ centered platform online and to raise up leaders to grow God’s Kingdom. Nick has coached over 3,100 people and has consulted clients including: Daymond John from Shark Tank, Spartan Races, Navy Seals.com, Joe Polish, John Assaraf who I’ve had here on the show, Keller Williams Real Estate, Safeco Insurance, C3 Church, and many more. He’s just an incredible guy I’ve had the fortune to get to know, with a big heart for people, inspirational businesses, and God. You can join Nick for his Life on Fire Challenge at www.lifeonfirechallenge.com where you can get a free 7 day, live group coaching experience designed to clarify your business vision, create a profit plan, and launch into action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When someone important in your life, someone you respect, or someone in authority states their lack of belief in you and your ability, it either crushes or empowers you. But the point here is not trying to prove people wrong but to recognize how daunting and limiting this can be.  I play a four minute clip from Zig Ziglar on the power of setting goals and he tells the story of legendary Notre Dame coach, Lou Holtz. In Lou’s first coaching job, a new head coach came in and kindly told Lou, “You’re not cut out to be a coach, I encourage you to get into some other field.” And I wondered how many people out there have been told by someone important in their life, someone they respect, like a parent, a teacher, a coach, a spouse, a boss, that they should not or could not do something, that they really desired to do? Again, in my experience when this happens the recipient so often believes and agrees and does not pursue the desire or dream. It’s profound how many top world leaders were told they could not or should not pursue the directions they ultimately did. We have to realize that anyone who ever speaks any counsel to us is merely human. I don’t mean to just readily discount counsel from others, I think we should always consider it. But we must also weigh it against the reality that counsel comes from a human who is not perfect and all knowing, and could very likely be absolutely wrong. I’ve been blessed with a lot of support and encouragement in my life but I absolutely have some examples of desires and pursuits where people very close to me advised against it. Who said it wasn’t wise or they didn’t see me as being adequately equipped. And I went forward and succeeded. It doesn’t mean they weren’t wise and there wasn’t validity in their perspective. But in this case they were merely wrong. Likewise I’ve had times of not feeling someone was well equipped to do something and they proved I was wrong! Not bad or ill-meaning, but I was wrong. So I asked the Ziglar audience, “Who has succeeded at something, that someone told you, you could not do or should not attempt?” As you can imagine, some incredible stories that Tom Ziglar and I talked through. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices