The Kevin Miller Podcast

Tune in for a profound message. You are painting a picture to everyone you have contact with, at every moment of your life, with every action. What does the picture represent? The concept of how and what you are influencing is relevant to all, though we also go deep into Christianity. Scott Stearman is a renowned sculptor whose life size sculptures are the focal point of many military compounds and faith based institutions and universities across America. He has a message he is now delivering on stages across America and in a new book asking, “What Does Your Jesus Look Like?” For those of you who claim Christ, this will hit you in your heart, and right between the eyes. Again however, the message is relevant for anyone who desires to have a positive influence in and on the world. As the saying goes, we judge ourselves by our intentions. Others judge us by our actions. And friends, your actions and behavior bely who you are at the core. What you truly believe. Is who and how you are lifting others up and inspiring them to more? As you will hear in the show, Scott is more than an esteemed guest I wanted for the show. I have closely and intimately done life with him for nearly 17 years. This show is similar to many conversations he and I have had through the years over a cup of coffee. Again, if you care to truly have a positive influence on anyone, and even more so if you claim Christ...I implore you, don’t miss this show. Connect with Scott Stearman and check out his dramatic sculptures and new book, “What Does Your Jesus Look Like,” at scottstearman.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The greatest asset your business and you can have is people’s trust. However, most everyone believes they are trustworthy, yet in truth, few employ the tangible actions to actually gain trust. So many people claim terms like “integrity” and “honesty” or expect their good intent to shine through. To actually gain trust and customer loyalty takes specific methodologies which are fairly simple to put into action, and very, very rare. We kick off the show with a two and a half minute message from Zig Ziglar on gaining trust in your business. Then I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “Do you have an example of a business or business person that has earned your trust. And if you have a business, how do you earn people's trust?” Tom Ziglar joined me for this discussion and here is what happened. In the first 20 minutes, Tom weighs in on how trust is being impacted in the workplace due to the current COVID-19 crisis. Then we dig into some of the comments. At about the hour mark we land on, “exceeding expectations.” Don’t miss this segment, even if you skip forward to it. It’s a massive opportunity for you. And here this. Your good intentions are not enough. Expertly meeting your customers expectations are not enough. Don’t fall for the trap of thinking your heart will shine through you and your work. There is behavioral psychology at work that needs tangible anchors to hold on to. We aim to give you some of those in this episode.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve heard that before, consider it again. This is a common thread we’ve had on the show. Busyness and hurry are not producing good works. The faster we run the slower we produce. Or at least, the shallower we produce. If your life is a blur of lots of shallow work, then speed may be your gig. But to do the great work, the deep work, the valuable and profitable work, we are learning speed kills. This is our Habit’s episode with Jennifer Allwood, my guest from show 773 where we discussed, “Showing up for your own life,” a primary message from her new book, “Fear Is Not The Boss Of You.” In this show as we discuss the Career spoke, Jennifer shares her focus right now amongst success with her book, podcast, and coaching organization, is slowing down to speed up. With so many opportunities she knows there is always a danger of imploding. Her rudder is, “If it’s costing me my peace, it’s too expensive.” This and more in the episode. Connect with Jennifer at jenniferallwood.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That word, “busy”, means, having a great deal to do. Do you have a great deal to do? Are you enjoying the pace? Are you creating your best from the go-go-go grind? I think we are in a special place in time where busy is losing its luster. Not because we aren’t capable of maintaining it, but rather we’re learning it provides lesser, not greater value. Instead of the busy person seeming more important, I’m starting to see them as poor decision makers and living life at a shallower level. Actually I can own this for myself. When I am increasingly busy, I realize I’m at best just maintaining life, I’m not creating and growing it. In show 767 I talked in depth with pastor and author John Mark Comer and his message, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.” It was from this discussion I asked the Ziglar audience this question, “On a scale from 1-10, how "hurried" is your life? If it's high (10 = espresso squirrel), what feels like the main culprit? If it's low (1 = sedated tree sloth), what has helped?” You can join these weekly discussions by finding and friending me on Facebook at AgentKMiller.com. Tom Ziglar joined me to read through and discuss many of the comments. Really insightful, to say the least. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear and being stuck. Everyone can relate to those realities and they are not where we want to be. Jennifer Allwood truly provides a breath of fresh air to this issue, and she does it by relating, commiserating, and having compassion. You can not fully eradicate fear from your life. But you can manage it and move forward anyway. Jennifer cites you can have emotions, feel emotions, recognize emotions, but still do big, hard, and scary things in spite of those emotions. Jennifer uses her social media following of 500K people, her podcast, The Jennifer Allwood Show, coaching groups with thousands of members, and now her #1 best selling book, Fear is Not the Boss of You, to help others do for their businesses what she has done with hers. Jennifer is also steadfast in using her business as a way to serve God and my family. Her goal is to use the tools so readily available—social media, email, the Internet—as the way to make this happen. She knows getting unstuck, pushing through the overwhelm, and doing things in spite of fear are key in growing any business. Friends, this was a fun and poignant discussion and I’m proud to bring Jennifer and this message to you. You can connect with Jennifer at Jenniferallwood.com where you’ll find her new book, “Fear Is Not The Boss Of You”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are in an unprecedented global crisis with the coronavirus. Nearly every American and human is being impacted. I asked this short question on Facebook, “Would you share a positive and a negative regarding how COVID-19 is affecting your life right now?” In just over 24 hours we have in depth comments from 76 people. There was very little sugar coating, but some distinct threads regarding loss of money as the negative and down time and time for relationships as a positive. Really interesting to hear the candid accounts. The question we posed was...what normal do you want to go back to? Is there any current change you desire to retain? I think you’ll find both confirmation for what you are dealing with and inspiration for some benefits you may better take hold of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you able to concentrate? Focus? Think critically and creatively? In episode #767 I brought you John Mark Comer and we discussed the profound message in his book, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.” An issue we discussed was the scattered attention caused by the massive distractions of today’s world. What with our electronic devices and social media, our attention spans are at an all time low. The consequences are, as John Mark cites, we are chipping away at our capacity for concentration and contemplation. This is our Habits show and I walked through the seven spokes on the Ziglar Wheel of life with John Mark. In the Career spoke he said a priority is fighting for deep work blocks. He is a pastor and writer, so that may not come as a shock to you. My question for us all is, who does NOT need deep work blocks? Or just blocks of deep time in general? Deep time to be at peace. To think critically and creatively. How much would your life benefit to stop and think deeply about any aspect of it? This and more in this show. You can find John Mark’s book at https://johnmarkcomer.com/ or wherever you buy books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encouragement. Especially in a time of crisis, it is simply the difference between success and failure. Are you feeling encouraged? Are the “facts”, “reality”, and the latest statistics from the media directing your attitude and anxiety or are you holding fast to faith and truth and inspiration? This is a special edition episode with Tom Ziglar sharing a message straight from the heart of everything Ziglar stands for. Encouragement. Not pollyanna platitudes, but the true belief of those who will overcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As of this episode publishing in March, 2020, we are amidst the coronavirus epidemic. Much will be lost in small business during these coming weeks and possibly months. Not all will be salvaged. The greatest value will likely be how to insulate ourselves from future calamity and not taking the status quo for granted. I posted this question on Facebook, “Is your business being negatively impacted by the coronavirus?” Droves of responses from small business owners who are seeing a slight challenge, a decent decline, or full out catastrophe. I brought one of the best and brightest minds in small business on to co-host with me, Dan Miller of 48 Days To The Work You Love fame. Yes, my very own father. Brainstorming alternative solutions for business is an area of mastery for him. This was a very frank and candid conversation. As you will hear, with some businesses, the best bet is hunker down and wait it out right now. With others, we found options to diversify. Others have options to actually maximize offerings. For all of us however, the show and discussion highlighted how we can all prepare ourselves to withstand nearly any downturn.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being positive instead of negative, we’ve all heard plenty about. But then we go about our days and our lives being...what? Are we really changing ourselves? As I often seek to do, I want to know the root. If we are dealing with any negativity, why? Where is it coming from? I’m not going to tell you, instead, I’m asking. I did ask, actually. I posted this question on Facebook, “Which of these are you most prone to struggle with? 1. Complaining, 2. Criticizing, 3. Gossiping, 4. Sarcasm. And about which? a. Other people, b. Circumstances, c. Yourself. Then, what do you think is the root cause? The responses are still coming in. The question was prompted by my recent show, #763, with Will Bowen, titled “Complaining is poisoning our success.” We’ve gotten great feedback on that show, I really encourage you to listen to it if you haven’t. Actually, it’s a great one to share with those you are closest with, as their complaining helps fuel your own. I had Tom Ziglar join me and we talked through many of your comments with the intent of helping us all understand why we have these feelings, so we can be aware and take steps to curb it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices