The Kevin Miller Podcast

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

I have an incredible and powerful story to share with you. A personal testimony. Not of some hudu-guru “speak it into life” stuff, but just a floundering, good hearted guy who went through failure after failure, but through it all achieved some incredible things that he chose to believe, put hard deadlines on, and just worked to accomplish. Still, how they happened is, well, the stuff of stories. Nick Unsworth is a renowned business coach who is known for his expertise in Facebook advertising. As CEO of Life on Fire, Nick’s mission is to build the world’s largest Christ centered platform online and to raise up leaders to grow God’s Kingdom. Nick sold a marketing agency by 30 years old, an amazing part of his story you’ll shortly hear about. He’s 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. 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. Thanks to FOCL and their “Plant powered wellness” for supporting this episode, connect with them at http://go.thoughtleaders.io/1898920200713 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zig Ziglar brings us a two minute message on the three options your prospect has, 1) Do business with you, 2) Decide not to do business at all, and 3) Do business with a competitor. So your competitor is not just other businesses that offer a similar product or service to yours, it’s also just doing nothing. To give us personal testimonies to work with I asked Ziglar listeners this question, “What is your business? Your product or service? And what is the main competition or deterrent for people buying what you have to offer?” Reading through the comments with Tom Ziglar really helped us flesh out this topic very well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m going to give you five key points and you are going to either be massively educated, or you’ll hear them and say, “Yes! Where did these skills go because I wish everyone had them!” I don’t know how cities of old got...lost. How does that happen? Well in a much bigger mystery, how did the primary skills of success get lost, cause they have been. But you can get them, now. Or if you have them, you can send this show to others who you know need them. Like your kids or a millennial or...you’ll know someone. Give them the gift of awareness for success and security in their work. And I won’t hold out on you, here they are: 1) Do more than expected 2) Be intuitive 3) Take initiative 4) Learn people skills 5) Ask questions. I’ll break them down quickly and concisely.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone claims their personal development and self-help resource is the best. What do the consumers say? First I have a four and a half minute message from Zig Ziglar sharing the life changing power of consuming positive and equipping messages. Then Tom Ziglar joins me to talk through an incredible list of real world testimonies. I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “What personal development resource have you gotten the most out of?” We got a boat load of responses and worked to talk through as many as we could. From this show you will hear the number one resources people have used in their lives to change...their lives.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices