Jesus, in the book of Matthew, speaks on a lesson with regards to knowing people by their fruit.

Taking his context of communication with regards to fruitful human beings, I string together words of encouragement for you in helping to make the decision that will benefit you by identifying the fruit within the decision.

More often than not, you and I both are faced with decisions day-in and day-out. Either of these paths will be filled with good fruit, or bad fruit. Identify the choice that will bring long-term results, as opposed to instant gratification. 

Make the choice in walking the path that contains sacrifice, it is the most fruitful even though the most difficult. 

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You and I will both come against situations that are unknown,

We don't know which step to take. How we will make it through let alone trying to figure out the path as fogged as it is.

Peter stepped out of the boat (Matt. 14) to come to Jesus on the water. The amount of faith it took to leave the comfort of that boat in the middle of the ocean was unfathomable. 

He stepped with faith, and had begun to walk on the water along with Jesus. As soon as the wind and waves begun to pick up, doubt set in and he sunk into the water. 

Adversely, in your life, step with faith into that new situation. Even if it may not be the way you intended for it to turn out, understand that there will be a lesson or a complete breakthrough that comes from taking those first few steps.

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You may have alot going on right now,

Especially within that once area of your life. Most likely a difficult decision that has to be made, and you're not sure which choice to step into.

Weigh the pros and cons. but, ultimately, make the choice that will bring you the peace that your heart is yearning for. This may mean stepping away from and environment you've been comfortable around,

Or stepping into an environment that will push your limits of capability. 

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As humans, we're like batteries.

They're going to drain after some point of usage and require a recharge. We live in a society that glorifies the grind, always be working, no stopping. As important as it is to not be lazy (God despises laziness), He also wants us to rest.

I've felt so consistently busy lately, and funny enough, even thinking to myself how surprising it is that I haven't gotten sick yet. Low and behold, on this morning of recording this episode, I've felt the symptoms come about me.

I feel as though God is calling me for rest amongst the busy schedule I've pursued. Do a self check-in on your own part. Doing a self recharge may be something that you need, even though in moments we feel as though we don't need it.

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Through a few conversations with others in the last week,

It's easy to feel like we aren't completely sure on where we're going or path we want to be. 

First, begin with gratitude on the point you've gotten to. All of the adversity, curveballs, and difficult situations you've traversed to get to where you are. To know in which way our heart is convicted, it can't begin without being grateful for where we already are.

Only then can you tune in to God and find out what path is meant for you. Where is your heart convicting you to go?

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Having a complete, calculated and well-built foundation is the key to building and physical structure,

Without one that's carefully planned, things can go very wrong when stresses to the structure and storms come to shake it.

As humans, we are the same way.


As a believer on my Christian walk, this has become the foundation to my life and way of being. If you're not a believer, what are the set of foundational values "the rock" that you're building your life upon? The structure and support to carry you through adversity? Humility, boldness, honesty, humbleness? 

Do some digging within yourself, and build a foundational set of values for yourself that won't get eaten away by the storms you face. 

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Avoiding various temptations is a difficult task,

The easiest way to not get tempted and keeping on your path is to not put yourself in the environments in which it is easy to fall astray.

Keeping centered and focused on your path, especially when it comes to faith, it is important to surround yourself within appropriate environments and people that keep you on the straight and narrow path to get to where you want to be. 

Changing habits and avoiding temptation is accomplished with staying away from "triggers" and locations that slow us down. 

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Just as the seasons of our world come and go,

Chapters of your life can come and go in unforeseen, or, calculated and beautiful ways.

You may be striving through a frustrating period of life right now. What is the good that you can take away from it? As difficult as this is to do - it may be one of the best things that can serve you later down the road when you encounter a similar situation. 

There is always something to learn from this chapter of life that you're in. Take what you need from it, and leave the rest.

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I sat here in the car,

Only hours before I regularly post the weekly episode - having not an idea of what to bring to you this week in the form of a tangible message.

I realized sitting in the car, the fact that I still showed up despite the late circumstances. 

Take on the realization of how far you've come in your own journey - whatever facet of life that you've been working on for so long now. It may feel as if it's not moving along as quick as you'd like, that things feel to be going no where, or as if it's all a waste of time. 

Nevertheless, I commend you,

Keep showing up for yourself. There will be absolutely no results to be reaped if you quit on what you've been sowing. 

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That path that you're on,

You'll have naysayers, unforeseen circumstances and tough adversity. You've had that passion inside of you for so long and you've finally gathered the courage to commit and begin. 

Press with boldness into what you believe in. Whether it's your career path, business, faith, or personal relationships.

Don't let others deter you from what you believe in. 

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I've felt stuck, as if my 'wheels' are spinning in one spot and I'm not moving anywhere. I've taken it upon myself within the last month to get in the gym consistently, and I've recorded the last few podcast episodes from my car. I had to change the environment to feel a proper reset.

Maybe you feel like you're stuck, as well. Or, at least, lacking an ultimate desire to truly press forward in what it is that you're doing. 

Shift your environment, switch up the route you take to get to work, talk to that new person, shift yourself spiritually. An environmental change will help reset yourself.

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Life's been taking a positive shift lately,

I'm more calm, focused and calculated than prior to the summer. Faith has been a large part and forefront in my life as of 2024 and has provided me with a new-found pivot to bring thoughtful and calculated messages.

Ever felt like your 'tires' have been spinning in circles? Not moving in the direction you want to or, rather, backwards?

In the book of Matthew, seventh chapter, Jesus speaks with regards to asking and you shall receive, 

Seek and you shall find,

Knock and the door will be opened to you.


Ask the questions, speak up for yourself, seek to be around positive influences when it comes to people and be sure to take your shot at that opportunity that you've been waiting to take (business, job offer, quitting your job etc.).

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That situation that's been on your heart,

You can't' decide which path to step into. That scenario ... the one you're thinking of right now.

Much of the time, we'll face difficult situations in which it's truly difficult to decide on which direction to take or choice to make.

In the end, you have to decide to take your step of faith.

He's already ordained your steps. He's got your back. He's sees the tough situation you're in and He's going to get you through it.

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Patience, is truly a virtue.

I share some short insight within this episode as a personal account from my own life. Feeling pulled in rather multiple directions, but being grounded by my faith. Unsure what lies ahead on this path layed out in front of me, I feel called to stay patient. 

I know that most people reach points where they feel like they're waiting for their next "big break" or turning point that they've been working hard for. There isn't much to say beyond the point of encouraging to maintain patience and trust that it's in God's hands and it's His timing.

Stay patient and faithful - your time will come given the path that you're on.

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Adversity is part of life,

Some situations hit harder than others, but they're all scenarios you and I both have to deal with in order to learn and move on.

The wind and the waves are coming to rock our boats - we've in fact most likely had to deal with those scenarios quite recently. What is your foundation that will keep you stable and on track?

Faith has been a pivotal structure in keeping me sane and focused through times of adversity. Regardless of your belief system, maybe it's a set of values that keeps you on track and the "guardrails" in place to guide your decisions.

You and I both need a foundation (belief system or set of personal values) that will keep our "boat" from sinking. It's easy to let adversity (wind and waves of life) keep us from moving forward, or even letting our boat sink.

Develop a foundation to keep your boat afloat. Life's adversity is going to be there, regardless if we're prepared or not.

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This last month ...

I've made a few small, simple errors. It didn't feel good in the moment. Not that they were detrimental in any way, it was simply a recording error for this program (forgot to enable my microphone as I recorded - apologies for that).

In the moment, I felt defeated. Putting the time, effort and thought into the delivery of an episode for you only to have a small error ruin the quality of audio that you'd be listening to.

I've pondered on this for the previous week (mainly telling myself "CAMERON, remember to have your mic ON and ENABLED"). Along with this, I came to the realization in the big picture, years down the road, this is something that I'm going to look back at and probably chuckle at with a few mates.

I plan to have recorded a few hundred episodes by that point in time, have a system and video podcast established. At the end of the day, I've learned from these mistakes and those five minutes is a chuck of time that I'll forget about five years down the road.



What is that situation for yourself? Do not spend the energy getting too worked up over the mistake you've made, or the opportunity you may have missed. Reset, recalculate and follow up differently the next time.

I encourage you - those five minutes you've been stressing about, will most likely be forgotten about five years down the road.

Happy September.

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You may be in the type of season right now where you feel like no one sees it - 

The bone-breaking work,

The long hours,

The sacrifice to make it work.

You're wondering when your moment is going to come. God has placed you in this set of circumstances for a reason. He has the moment planned for you when it is your time to shine.

When the curtain call takes place, the light shines on the actors, all of the work and practice has already been done - it is now, simply showtime.

I've found myself in a season of laying low, preparation, and sacrifice throughout most areas of my life. I'm not sure when the moment will be here - but I'm going to make sure I'm ready for it.

I encourage you to do the same. Stay focused and calm as you progress through this season of preparation and dedication.

The light will be soon to shine on you.

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The African Proverb,

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

It's a piece of historical text that has been on my heart as of recent weeks leading to the conclusion of the summer months. Leading through August, many scenarios have involved me leaning into fellowship and community. By going together in my faith, business, and relationships together with other people - I have made more strides in progress than I could have predicted. 

Your struggle you're battling right now. You'll make it through. You'll, in fact, burst through this adversity by rallying a community of people around and asking for the advice and opinions of others who have been down the same path as you. 

I encourage you to step into fellowship and community this week. Seek the support - there are good people out there always looking to provide the help.

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You'll find yourself in various seasons of life. 

Maybe you're currently in a season of high momentum, high social capacity, a season of "no", or maybe a season of laying-low.

Guarding your heart and intentions is never a bad thing.

You may find your self in a season, as I am currently, of low-laying focus and drive. Within my faith journey as a Christian, fitness pursuits and financially trying to move forward - I definitely lay in a season of saying "no" to things that don't quite fit in with my focuses currently. 

It is okay to be in a season of "no". Your focus is high, you have goals you want to hit and are determined to see results. 

Guard your heart, intentions, and keep focused on your path. 

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You may be feeling stuck, unsure of your next move, or uncertain of what lies on the path ahead.

I've found that one of the significant things to get me out of a rut where I may be feeling this way,

Is it get around specific people who hold traits & values that I want to establish in my life.


It is a rather cliché saying - but truly, you are going to be the sixth person of the five people that you're hanging around.


Choose wisely.


With regards to my faith, finances, fitness and family - getting around people who hold the values and ambitions that I want within my life has been a great step in beginning this journey. Understanding the way they operate, seeing the way they communicate with others in a professional setting, and making conversation with these people as I begin to unveil the curtain that is their life. How have they gotten to where they are today? What are their values?


If you want to know what lies on the trail ahead,

Ask the ones coming back. 

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It's been marked just over one year since the debut episodes of this podcast,

And it's only just the beginning.

The seed for leadership & character development has been planted within my life since my early days of playing sports. Quality time on & off the field with teammates, long practices, intense games, & the time spent "sharpening the axe" in the weight room.

Then, translating into the restaurant, I found myself working well in a position of management. Hearing the stories of colleagues I'd work with, connecting with them then helping coach them to get into a position they wanted to be in within the restaurant, connecting with the guests, navigating properly through difficult situations with employees and guests.

Through all of these experiences, then transitioning into the Financial Services industry, it has been quite the progression. This was when I had the idea spark for starting this podcast for you. With the intention to share my experiences and how I've personally worked through difficult situations and how I've come to develop as an individual.

I feel the calling through faith to share my journey as I go - writing out this "book" through this platform that is this life I'm living. 

The ultimate intention,

helping and guiding you along your path.

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You can tell yourself all that you want,

Be as convicted as the person next to you,

As motivated as they seem to be,

You feel like you have all of the momentum in the world ...

We can talk all of the talk we want. Without the "walking" part, or, "doing the work", you won't be getting anywhere anytime soon.

I take this from a piece of Scripture that resonated with myself as of recently in the book of James - as it relates to life in quite a similar fashion. You have to work the skill, talent, or urgency that you have in order to make progress. You can have as much faith in yourself, someone else, or an opportunity. But, only until you put a plan into execution, you won't be going anywhere.

Muster the courage,

Set the target,

Then work and go execute. 

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"Where do you want to be in five years' time?"

This question can trigger a variety of emotions. Personally, it has initiated one of two emotions. A feeling of urgency, knowing that some habits and disciplines have to change to get to where I want to be. Also, a feeling of intimidation. At some points in time, I barely know how my NEXT day is going to look given all that I have going on!

I've found a way to encourage a positive outlook for these next years of our lives.


Think back five years to 2019. Where was the 2019 version of you? What were you doing, where were you working, who were you hanging out with? Think about all of the progress you've made. How proud would that version of you five years ago be of the 2024 version - that you are today?

Harness this perspective. I know the 2019 version of Cameron would be blown away at what he's been up to and to hear about how much he's persevered through. 

This makes the outlook to myself in 2029 more hopeful, and exciting. Knowing that if that much change took place in the previous five years, then these next five are bound to create beautiful transformations too.

You're the deciding factor in how these next five will go. The 2024 version of you has the complete opportunity to be proud of how the 2029 version of you is going to be. 

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Summer is here - it's a great time to finally have those get-togethers, time with family, and beautifully bided time for yourself. All of this is needed.

It's easy, at the same time, to let your goals slip off-track. It's the "distraction" time of year.

Strength comes in numbers. When it comes to keeping accountable to your goals and progression, having a group of people to stay accountable to makes this process slightly easier.

I've found a couple groups of people who are holding each other accountable to their word when it comes to completing their personal tasks each day. These are related to either their Faith, Fitness, Finances, or Business goals.

I recommend you do this, too, if you find yourself within the frustration of being on such a roll with your progress (right up until these summer months).

Find your close group,

& let them help carry you to where you want to be. 

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It's never something that you WANT to do,

But it HAS to be done.


Whether it involves a scenario within your workplace, business, or a family member - there are conversations with people that we don't want to have. This can range through various reasons from knowing that there may be a sense on confrontation, disagreement, embarrassment, or feeling like they'll be caught off guard.

The person in question may not even view the scenario the same way that you are at all. Have the difficult conversation with them to take the weight off of your back, so that the two of you can get back on the same page.

By not making your request, inquiry, or feelings known - you won't be able to move forward within that relationship, workplace or field of business.

Address difficult conversations right away.

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He has to be one of the hardest working, kindness hearted, disciplined, funniest people in my life. We just happen to be related by blood.

Tyler has graduated with his Major in Criminology from the University of Alberta, captain of his various football teams, has built a beautiful relationship with his significant other, and is now moving away to the United Kingdom to start the next chapter of his life.


Tyler dives into a few key topics, of which, he sheds great insight on - not to mention the fact that he is only twenty-three years of age.

     - How discipline, true commitment, and accountability transferred from the football field into multiple facets of his life after sport.

     - Being in a committed 5+ year relationship, Ty speaks to important aspects that it takes to build a strong relationship with a significant other.

     - Ty offers advice on what step you can take to make that big jump that you've been looking to make, but have struggled in taking the first few steps forward and fully committing. 


Tyler and I both are excited to share this conversation with you. As a rather bid-farewell and his new journey in another continent, this conversation is one that is near and dear to our hearts,

We are excited to share brotherly-bonding insight with you.



I'm proud to call Tyler my brother.

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This world is in dire need of caring leaders.

I've fallen into a habit of hiding my opinion on matters that may be deemed as important - simply because I'd rather avoid potential conflict.

I've come to the realization that when I see an opportunity to speak my opinion on a topic, of which, my thoughts may benefit the involved parties ... My voice matters.

Know that as you gain wisdom and understanding through various facets of life, you'll have the opportunity to spread your thoughts and opinions within scenarios of which other people may benefit from your thoughts. 

You've done the work and gone through all of the hardship - all of the trails and errors you've stepped through to get yourself to where you are today. Share your understanding and wisdom with other people - they're going to benefit from your wisdom and experience.


This world needs people to stand up for what they believe in,

It starts with you.


Let your voice be heard.

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This is a reflection on the past year.

This episode crosses over the one-year mark of this platform I've started.

It is an apparent statistic that over 90% of podcasters don't make it past episode 20. We've made it in the 1%, all because we didn't quit. I don't plan to.

At some point down the road, I do plan to make this a video podcast with my own studio and a team. It all had to start with making through the first year - posting an episode every week to share insight with you. This has been the first step.

Reflect back on your personal journey. Most of the times, to make the true progress that you'll be proud of yourself for, all you have to do is just not give up. You'll have weeks where you'll feel uninspired & not motivated at all - just think of how many people would quit at the point that you've reached. Celebrate your personal wins as you move through your own journey. 

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Make that HUGE jump.

That one that you've been thinking about for so long, but you're delaying within the thought of it all.

The jump that stirs up the butterflies in your stomach - the thought of committing to something so huge and finally letting yourself go.

I chat briefly to encourage you to make that big decision that you've been pondering on for a while. I've sat on my own for quite a while. Beginning one year ago with my podcast, business pursuits, and my faith.



The graveyard is the richest place in the world,

It contains all of the inventions, songs, ideas, and cures that were never shared with the world.

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"When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet, at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before."



This creed was first given to me as an athlete almost one decade ago. My former highschool football coach gave this to us printed on a sheet of paper prior to starting our season with the team.

It has proven to be the quintessential mark of working for the goal that seems to be so out of reach. You have no idea for when that "rock" you're chipping away at will ever split into two. 


I provide my take-away of this creed in the episode, 

and how you may be able to apply to your life.

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It's tough to work through the early mornings, the late nights, and saying "no" to going out with your friends when you know you have work to get done.

It's the little things that will give you a mental edge over your complacency and deterrence from getting the important work done.

I've personally hit roadblocks in my paths that instill large amounts of doubt and complacency from getting done what needs to be done. I've learned to harness small key areas that provide me with that mental edge to push through adversity.


Stay late at the office and being the one to shut the lights off and lock up -

Mental Edge. 

Starting your day early at the gym when you know everyone else is sleeping - 

Mental Edge.

Being the bigger person,  first one to apologize in a disagreement with someone else - 

Mental Edge.


Establish reasons for yourself in why you're going to push through the adversity and succeed. 

Create these moments for yourself - pushing through scenarios that you know other people wouldn't be able to handle nor get through.

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A conversation for the ages.

A conversation with a man who has been through so much - and now has utilized those former hardships and applied the takeaways to his life in ways more than one.

Liam & I were former football teammates. He's the kind of person that I had always viewed as one of the most dedicated and hardworking men on the field.

Throughout his current time serving in the Canadian military, martial arts ventures, background in boxing, and the relationships with his girlfriend and family, he's established the ground for a riveting and insightful conversation that time just seemed to dissipate into. 

Liam states his insight for the importance of leadership in your own life, how to navigate the ups and downs of adversity that we all face, and goes in detail with some his amazing stories and lessons from his personal life. 


Adversity,

Leadership,

Building Yourself Up.


Liam goes in depth on how to break the foundation of flaws that seemed to be consuming him, and how he came out stronger than ever - completing milestones that he never thought he could have in his life. He explains what was revealed to him on the other side of breaking that foundation.

Everything you're looking for is on the other side of this breakthrough that you might not even know that you have.

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It's easy to wait.

Easy to wait on amending that relationship with your family member,

Easy to wait on getting your fitness back on track,

Easy to wait on getting your finances in order,

Easy to wait to make that HUGE jump you've been waiting on for a while.

Looking back on the last year at all of the hardships, beautiful moments, and progress I've made in various areas of my life - it's all circled back to one common theme that I share with you in this episode. It's easy to wait around on the tasks and achievements we want to pursue. 

In the end, as you & I wait, it'll only make it much more difficult to get started.



Procrastination is Assassination of Destination.

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Your path may feel like it's fogged,

Not sure where your next step should be.

Recall why you started, and what your end destination is going to look like.

There are going to be times along your journey, the one you're thinking of right now, that is going to have to be fueled by the faith that you're going to make it.

Whether that may be your fitness journey, amending a family/partner relationship, hunting down that next job promotion, or the rollercoaster journey that is business - there will be checkpoints of frustration and a fogged-path. 

You don't always have to see your next step. Follow the edges of your path, and lean into the blind faith that you're going to make it.

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I've found great fulfillment as a Financial Advisor.

Helping you prepare your path financially to live the life that you want to down the road. Whether it's helping save for retirement, that first-house purchase, or putting tax-sheltered strategies in place, I'm able to help you get to where you  want to be.

My Six Step Strategy is the process I bring you through when we sit down one-on-one. I help you create your personal road map to help you get on target to reach your financial goals.

The six steps include,


          - Cashflow

          - Debt Management

          - Emergency Fund

          - Proper Protection *CRUCIAL*

          - Building Wealth

          - Protecting Wealth


Reach out to myself over social media with any finance related questions - or even to just catch up,

I look forward to hearing from you!

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I've had quite a few conversations with people lately.

Conversations about the future,

Sculpting,

Plotting,

Creating.

These various conversations have brought me to the realization, of which, has been a main proponent in creating better habits within the short term. Since I've been holding these regular "macro" conversations (the big picture), it's created disciplines in the "micro".

It's common to have the conversation on which bar to go to this Friday night, which place next weekend, and the trip at the end of the month.

What do you plan to have happen for your life in ten years down the road?
 
 

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Set your goal so large,

So distinct,

So intimidating,

That you'll get that "sly" smirk from other people.

You may not believe, yourself, that you'll hit your goal. By the time you've reached the time horizon you've set for yourself and your projection, you may not have hit it, but you'll definitely be much closer than had you not set the bar so high.

I use the example in the episode,

If you set a goal to lose ten pounds within thirty days, you may not lose the ten (but, if you do, GREAT. It'll be a worthwhile feeling), otherwise you've lost atleast six or seven.

On the other hand, if you made it a goal to lose five pounds over the same time period, you'll probably lose three.

Over-set your own expectations. Watch how far you'll be able to make it.

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Easter long-weekend.

I hope you enjoyed your time with family, friends, and much needed time to rest & recouperate.

Attended a beautiful service on Sunday morning. It got myself thinking what a beautiful time it is for a new-beginning.

Revisit the promises you've made to yourself coming into January 2024. It's difficult to stay consistent with, but that's why anything worth having takes effort.

I've reflected, after this Easter-weekend, how great of a time it is to recreate yourself and revisit the promises you made for yourself coming into the first-third of 2024.

What adjustments do you need to make for the path you're on?

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When you search to be more patient,

Disciplined,

Faithful,

Courageous,

Or any other trait that you feel like you need in your life, you'll be challenged with situations that will force you to take on that trait.

I used to be the one, too, that would pray to become more disciplined - assuming that I would magically grasp the power to obtain that trait.

But,

I've found that specific situations will become present in my life that will challenge me to stay disciplined in order to make it through.

Actively searching to be more courageous? You'll be faced with situations that require courage. 

Actively searching to be more patient? You'll be faced with situations that require patience.

Actively searching to be forgiving? You'll be faced with situations that require forgiveness.


The pain of the situations you're being confronted by,

Is directly proportional to the growth that you're searching for. 

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I found myself deep in thought, reminiscing,

Driving my way back home late from my office in Calgary.

I had thought back to a time when things were so much more simple, less worries, less hardship that life has now thrown at you and I in adulthood.

I thought back to what I dreamed about being when I'd grow up. Between the ages of five to eight - dreaming ahead to the seemingly-incomprehensible age of twenty-five (of which seemed to come around faster than expected).

My dream was to be in a career that required me to develop, design and build cars for people to buy.

Countless hours spent with lego, K'nex, little assemblies letting my innocent younger-self fall into a daze. I'd bethinking of the days that have now come so much faster than I thought. 

Through all of the life experiences you and I have faced, I've found that passion for developing and building, has never actually subsided.

Instead of vehicles as my purpose,

I've found my purpose for developing and building up other people. 

I've recorded this episode as gateway-support into helping you through the "lost" feeling you may be going through. 


Think back to your younger self,

What passions have carried through the winding years?

How has your purpose changed?

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Taking on any large goal in your life, you'll face hardship.

This episode dives into a realization I've come to after a drive back from my agency's Edmonton Convention with one of our teammates.

We were discussing, freely,

"Why are we here pushing through all of the challenges?"
"What is it that I'm actually grinding away so many hours, for?"
"What is my purpose?"

Then,

It clicked.

I reconnected with my purpose.


I've always wanted to feel like I'm making an impact on other people. Not from a selfish point of view, but to actually help them progress from point A to B and THEN see their gratitude and appreciation for me having helped them get there.

I found this out about myself in the restaurant industry. The fulfilling part of my job was to take someone new, connect and get to know them, then put them on a path to get them to where they wanted to be within the restaurant (server, bartender, manager etc.)

My passion is building people up.

This is my purpose and REASON for pushing through so much hardship.

My talents and true passion lay in the opportunity to make an impact on people. 

This is why I'm taking my message full scale.

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Financial Leadership is the title of my eBook I've created for you.

Within the book itself, I dive into what it actually is that I help people with as a licensed financial broker, and WHY I made the jump into starting a new career for myself -


There are two situations that happened to me in the last two years,

Those scenarios raised two questions that I TRULY needed answers to.


In today's episode, I provide a brief overview of the document I came up with for you. If you've ever had the lingering questions or statements,

"What options are out there for me financially?"
"My money is barely making any movement within my TFSA..."
"How do I even go about getting rid of my debt?"
"Why do I even need to protect myself through insurance?"

Shoot me a message over social media and I'll be happy to send you a copy.

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Make the jump.

I paint the picture for today's message with a bit from an interview with Will Smith.

I explain his amazing analogy with how everything you're looking for,

The relief,

The joy,

The peace,

The bliss,

Is on the other side of fear.


As humans - it's a natural reaction to be worried of the things that we've never done before, or lack awareness of. It's scary to do something new, talk to a new person or even go to the gym for the first time.

Will Smith's analogy of his skydiving experience is a story I think back to when I am faced with new situations that I've never faced before.

I remind myself that everything I'm looking and striving for,

Is on the other side of fear.

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THAT end goal you have in mind,

The one you ponder about daily.

Doesn't matter the length of time it will take, but there are two factors that have a high influence on how long it will take you to get to where you want to be.


     - 1) Who are you associating with?

     - 2) What environment are you spending your productive time in?


I relate specific situations from my personal life in an effort for you to gain insight into how you're able to apply them to your life. 

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I hear you.

It's been a long and rough road.

So many hours.

So much blood, sweat and tears being poured into what you're aiming for.

Truly - you are so much closer than you think.


When others acknowledge the work and effort you're putting in for your field of work, or any endeavor for that matter - use it as fuel.

Most of the time, other people can see the end goal you're aiming for before YOU can even see it at all.

I encourage you to use this as your source of fuel to keep pushing for that exact end-goal you're thinking of right now, even though the path seems to be fogged. When you feel overwhelmed - take a moment to expand "into the big" from a bird's eye view.


Look at all of the banked HOURS you've put in,

All of the EFFORT expensed,

The TIME you've spent pondering on how to get to where you want to be.


Other people can see where you're trying to go - even though through your own eyes, the path seems to be fogged.

You're so much closer than you think you are.

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January,

It was a month of growth and learning for myself.

But, it has been for these reasons that I have never been more focused on a goal in my life.

Through the struggle, hardship, & pain comes clarity for what you truly want to pursue. Use these tough emotions and CHANNEL them.

The struggle & pain you're going through RIGHT NOW will subside. 

Speaking from experience, it gives you the opportunity to channel it into focus for your goals.

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The pandemic really screwed us up,

In more ways than one.

The one I'm referring to today is the fact that I believe it did made us feel sheltered - leaking into the way that we share what you & I are passionate about.

I had a few great conversations with people in the last few weeks.

One of those conversations was a friend thanking me for the content that I post - it encouraged him to share his passion of making music with the world.

PLEASE share what you're passionate about.

Coming out of the pandemic, people are ITCHING to FEEL what your passions are. 

Share them with the world. 

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My career aim is to help close these two gaps.

Gaps that are impeding Canadians & Americans from moving forward together.

Tearing organizations apart.

Companies losing good employees. 

Major component in destroying marriages.

The aim with my content & podcast is to slowly bridge these two separate gaps.

I need help from you. 

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We're human - you and I will naturally want to put off our to-do list.


I was sitting on my Sunday afternoon, sitting anxiously at the thought of what to work on or how to relax in my given hours.

I decided to make the small effort of opening up my laptop and document to work on my project that's very early in the works.

I then got lost in two and-a-half hours of thought and vision. 


I use a physics analogy to best explain this principle of Harnessing Momentum.


Think of a perfect wooden cube, sitting on an inclined ramp. Just enough friction is present to keep the cube from sliding down the inclined surface.

Give the cube a slight tap - you'll notice that it seems to slide down the incline with ease, and no effort required after. 

Give a small amount of effort into the task that you've been putting off - and you'll come to find that the rest of the tiny steps required after to keep going become incrementally easier. 

Because you got the difficult part out of the way - you gave the cube a slight push.

You gave yourself the slight push to start that task.

You'll find your efforts work this way. 

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It will happen.

Battling tough points or periods where you're unsure of what your future holds, and how to get through that tough situation are sticky scenarios to deal with.

The two ways that I've fallen back on in order to help me through will help you as well.


          1) Falling back to a hobby.

     - It's helpful to clear the thoughts in your head rushing at 100MPH by falling back onto a hobby that you've always enjoyed - or even trying something new. Find an activity that will reset yourself, mentally.

         2) Be open - Ask for advice.

     - I've made the mistake in the past of bottling up my emotions, I allowed myself to build a story in my head given the situation. Through addressing your frustration and confusion with another person, they're able to offer an outside perspective that can help you see things a bit more different. More so than you would have, alone. 


Use these two tips to help you battle your adversities as they come in 2024. 

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"Why go through the effort?"

"Post the content?"

"Create the episodes for you to gain value from?"

"Who needs personal development?"

"Why learn about money now? I have the rest of my life to do this."


In this episode, I get vulnerable with you and we dive a bit into my story. I want to kick off our 2024 year by adding a bit of context with regards to my journey - how I arrived on this path.

In the last year and-a-half, two scenarios took place in my life that begged two questions to be answered. 


     1) What other options are out there for me as a career, that allow my skills and passions to thrive?

     2) Why haven't we as a society been formally educated on how money works? What options are out there for Canadians when it comes to monetary disclosure? 


In this episode, I expand on my personal stories and scenarios that raised these two questions.

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Happy holidays! 

I've truly hope that you've had a great month of December. It's been so enjoyable to spend quality time with family, friends, and treating ourselves to some good food.

It's amazing to have our family all back under the same roof - and I truly hope you have been able to experience the same with your loved ones.

This point of the year is very exciting. Including the fact that it feels like a fresh start. 

There is no better time than now to get started on your 2024 goals. Most people will wait until January 1st. Take this last week of December to set up this next Monday to follow through with the promises you've made to yourself.

The opportunity is NOW.

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All leaders have the ability to manage, but not all managers have the ability to LEAD.

Coming from the restaurant industry, I've found the position of leadership to be a point of attraction to myself. Despite the ups, downs and demand from this type of a position, it's personally rewarding through the hard work. 

Now, since I've been licensed in the financial services industry, I've come to pick the brains of people leading teams with their followers who look to them for guidance. This is one of the main parts that excites me about this new field - a new opportunity to pursue leadership.

Throughout my years in different areas of work - I've been amongst different people in positions of management / leadership. I've been had my fair share of having worked beside effective leaders, and the ones that people don't look up to as much. I've become very curious as to what makes a person in a leadership position, a LEADER. 

Leaders do these THREE things with their people, that not all managers follow through with.


          - 1) Build the Relationship.

- Trust has to be established early on. Whether you're in a position of leadership, or work around those in your job, it's much more enabling to follow the instruction from a person whom you have trust with. Trust is the make or break point. Leaders establish trust with their people through communication and getting to know eachother.

         - 2) Identify their Gifts and Talent.

- Leaders find what their people are AMAZING at! More importantly, they let them know about what that is. Every single person has their talents. Leaders are great at identifying those talents and lifting their people up through ways to harness their gifts for success in their field of work.

          - 3) Challenge Them.

- Only until steps one and two are completed, over whatever length of time, only then can you delegate and instruct your people to a task - truly challenge them. Since the leader has built trust with an individual, and found ways for them to succeed with their talents, only then can you challenge them to lift them up to the next level.


I've been around my fair share of people in leadership. I've worked with some who are not great at it - they've almost always have skipped steps one and two. 

The ones who are amazing at it, are the ones that follow these three steps in working with people. 

Be the LEADER for your people.

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Changing any aspect of yourself - with regards to a habit, activity or new way of life, is going to be difficult.

What makes it even more difficult, is having others question your choice of path. Alex Hormozi captures this scenario in one that quote puts today's topic into perspective.


"People don't want you to be the best version of yourself,

They want the version of you that best suits them." 


For example, you haven't been in a habit of going to the gym on a regular basis. Thus, hanging out with the people that are ALSO in that same position of not making it a priority. As soon as you come forward with the new venture in mind to begin making the time to better your health - especially when it takes over the time you spend with them, you will most likely be questioned by that peer group you're in. 


"Ohh you're going to the GYM now?"

"Too good for us now, aren't you?"


Simple example to demonstrate the kind of feedback you may hear when you make any type of big change.

The people appreciated when you took the time to hang out with them - and not prioritize the gym, in this example. They're going to be uncomfortable with the new version of you that is prioritizing their health.

In the deep construct of their thoughts, they know they should be doing it too. The people around you will try to bring you back down to that older version of yourself, because it's the one that best suited their priorities.

Go and make your own path, set your priorities and block out the noise as it comes. 

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Shannon Mortson is an agent within our company that works out of Ontario. She was in Calgary for a team event that we hosted - she was generous enough to give us thirty minutes of her valuable time. 

With a lineup of questions for her, it was truly insightful to listen to her speak on topics regarding the value in friendly competition, the value of understanding your finances, and making the complete jump from employee to entrepreneur. 

We touch on topics regarding,


     - Personal Finances

The gratitude we get as agents to put families in a better financial situation is a feeling like none-other. It's a sticky topic of conversation for most - rightfully so. We are driven to normalize the conversation around finances and provide the right path for to set you up for your financial future. Our drive to help people get in a better financial situation is touched on to start off the episode. 

     - Harnessing Competitive Drive

Friendly competition is great in any work environment. As I reminisce back to my times playing sports - it truly was the competitive nature that drove me harder in both the weight room and on the field. We speak on how that can apply for your life.

     - Burn the Boats

Think about that jump you're itching to make. It's always a tough thing to do. Shannon found herself in a scenario where she decided to burn the boats and place her efforts all in on one thing. Her boss had choice words for her as she handed in her letter of resignation - a trail of ignited gasoline follows her and she's using that fire to PUSH. Her first hand story will help you first hand in making that jump you've been looking to make. 


2024 is around the corner. This episode is going to help you find the drive to start your New Year habits TODAY and find the courage to burn the boats. 


Go all in on that one thing you've been waiting to attack. 

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Being struck with overwhelm through your workload is going to be a natural occurrence.

These two tips are the BEST suggestions I have to combat your busy schedule, and how to prepare for your amount of commitments.


SCHEDULE your time.

     - Utilize your calendar. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. I've made the mistake a few times in the past because of my lack of awareness within my schedule. If you're in a good habit of time blocking your commitments, it is imperative to look at your schedule before the next day AND as the next day begins. Anything and everything goes in there.


MAKE time for YOU.

     - Time block sections of your schedule for YOU. Taking the time throughout the week to take some moments to wind down will recharge and regenerate yourself to go and attack the rest of your week. Any hobby that you enjoy doing, ensure that this goes into your schedule too.


These two things are habits that I am committed to - to make sure I maintain organization and a clear mind as we finish off 2023. 

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It's a frustrating experience when someone always seems to find the most opportune time to point out your flaws, sometimes publicly.

It's out of your control, and there just doesn't seem to be much that you can do.

I detail this topic with a personal story of mine through a conversation recently; names changed to protect identity. 


Someone who is above you, on a path with different types of problems and success - will never talk down to someone below them.

On the contrary, it always seems to be the people that point out your flaws are the ones that are below you. 

This episode lays out the scenario in detail. Always remember that the people who are below your trajectory level will be the ones to point out your flaws while in pursuit of your goals. 

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The plane starts down the runway.

It's picking up speed as it bolts down the open terrain and lights whizzing by. At some point, it then reaches V1 - the indicated speed at which It's unsafe to abort takeoff.

The plane rotates, then lifts off the runaway. 


I've been thinking of this analogy for the past couple months.



2023 has come and gone so fast - that I'm already planning mentally for the changes I would love to see in my life come 2024. I kept getting this nagging thought in my head,

"Cam, why not start all of those things, now?"

Time is truly fleeting. That's when the analogy of the plane taking-off came to mind. Why would I postpone any change in habits and use the fleeting excitement of 2024 (that only last for 3/4 to one month at best), just to have my habits end by February 2024?

Decide to make those changes PRIOR to 2024. 

This last month and 1/2 is the plane building up speed. You reach the speed of no return by Dec. 31st because you've developed these habits since mid November. 

Come January 1st, your habits will truly be cemented and you'll be airborne. 

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What you are going through right now, is a TEST.


I found myself reconnecting with a friend from many years back. We dove into the trials that we're facing and how we are working through them.

It clicked for me,

The trials and tribulations I'm facing right now is a test.

Think back to a time in your life of a great pinnacle of success. Whether it be graduating, celebrating a championship win with a sports team or achieving a new position in your field of work. 

That great feeling isn't necessarily the point of lifting that trophy or receiving the title. It was all of the WORK and pure EFFORT that you had to put in to get to that point.

The grind and tribulations you're going through right now is purely a test. You'll want to throw in the towel, but dig deep for the urge to keep going. It is this point EXACTLY that you're going to look back to. It is this situation that the feeling of success comes from,

Knowing that you were being tested, and decided to push through anyways with many reasons to quit. 

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Our financial team took a trip out to the GTA in October - and I made sure to take the opportunity to get in front of arguably one of the most driven and personable leaders in our organization. 

Alex"zander" Charles has his own brokerage out in Mississauga, Ontario. He and his team have been helping families getting into better financial shape at a shocking rate. He is doing all the right things for people AND for his team. His leadership capabilities were one of the first attributes that drew my own and others' attention to him.

It was truly amazing to be in the same room. To listen to him speak with complete CONVICTION. Zander was gracious enough to take thirty minutes out of his day to join us on the program. 


We dive deep into crucial topics regarding,


     - Identity Shift.

Zander made the heart-stopping jump from being employed at Toronto Pearson Airport to being his own boss in the Financial Services industry. Z describes what changes had to be made within himself to make this transition, and how you're able to make that jump you've been looking to do for so long.  

     - Setbacks

Setbacks are inevitable for all of us - we're human. I was curious with how Zander capitalizes on mistakes and events out of his control. He elaborates on his point of view for how you can turn your minor setback into a major comeback.

     - Mentorship 

Attach yourself to the hip of someone who is in a position that you want to be in, and learn all that you can from them. Zander comes from a line of major leaders - not only in finances, but men and women who are dedicated leaders within their families and teams.


Do NOT miss this episode. Zander dives deep into topics that are applicable to your life and how you're able to begin building specific habits to move the needle in all areas. 


Z's Instagram,

@zvnderc

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Building lasting relationships is KEY in all areas of your life. Not only from a career/opportunity standpoint, but to simply enjoy a better quality of life with the amazing people you've developed connections with. 

Throughout my time within the hospitality industry and through a decade of playing sports - I've been able to develop a key structure for you to apply to begin connecting closer with the people you meet. 



You need to S.I.N. 



     - Sincerity. 

Be sincere with you questions and your compliments. As humans - we are quite intuitive. People are able to read through any false image behind your tonality. 

     - Interested.

Be genuinely interest in people's ideas and opinions! (I'm not saying you have to agree with someones point of view 100% of the time). People appreciate when someone listens and ask great questions regarding their stand on topics and ideas. Are you truly listening to people, or simply waiting to speak?

     - Need.

People have a NEED to be heard! Think of it in your point of view - doesn't it feel nice when people ask follow up questions and seem to be truly interested in your ideas? It feels great when people take the few seconds and actually listen to us when we have something to say. 


This has been the key structure in building amazing relationships with all of the people I've come into contact with. My intention with this structure is to help you develop, or even re-kindle the connections you have or had with people.  

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SILENCE IT! 


We all have that voice in our head that tells us we can't do something, or will probably fail. In my case, I've always seemed to have that voice come back to me time and time again within sports and now through the course of my career. Based off of previous outcomes, that were not ideal, this voice would repetitively come back and haunt me.

"Cam, you're going to fail again."

"You lost the starting spot last year, don't let it happen again this year."

"This is a really big goal you're setting Cam, and you missed the previous one. Are you sure you can make it?"


I've always found this inner voice negotiating success with my desires. Then I received an amazing piece of advice. 



Why even give credit to your short comings to this entity I've made up in my head? Don't give power to it.


CLICK.


Cooper Allen helped me realize that I've been giving power to this false entity in my head for so many years - and I didn't even realize it in the first place.

We all have the opportunity to analyze our short comings, make the adjustment, then go an execute better the second time around. You are not your past - and it doesn't have to follow you if you don't let it. 

Silence the false entity that you have in your head. We all have short comings - but you don't need to blame it on the past or a series of mistakes that seem to be making up a story in your head about who you are.

Re-analyze, re-calculate, then go execute the second time around! 

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We bring Tashinga Chikonyora on for today's episode.

Transitioning from the football field to the entrepreneurship atmosphere - he's started his own car detailing & personal training business. When it comes to clean looking cars, making gains in the gym, and for help sharpening your mindset - he's the person to go to. 

Tashinga dives deep into his story and keys in on the tangibles for how YOU and push past your own limiting beliefs and find your own path.

All of us are in a world where we are trying to figure out our own strengths & weaknesses - and trying to find your own path in the process.


In this episode, we dive into topics regarding,


     - The spark that encourages searching for a path away from the "normal" route. 

     - Handling trials and tribulations within the goals that you're in pursuit of.

     - Specific situations that halts us, and how that in turn can affect our mental state. Tash touches on this subject and how to push through these scenarios by keeping "The Big Picture" at the front of your mind.

     - Handling the opinions of other people on your unique path. 

     - Reflecting on the person you were five years ago, and how you can begin to develop a vision for yourself for the next five years to come. 


This episode has been designed to help YOU expand your vision for your life, the tough points you're going to face, and the mindset to have to push through these scenarios. 


Tashinga Chikonyora - (Instagram)

Business Handles

@tashtrainssfitness
@tash.codetailing

Personal Handle 

@tashtrainss

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Your Efforts are COMPOUNDING. 


NOTHING worth having in your life comes over night. Everything worth pursuing takes work, time and dedication. Efforts will compound over the course of time.


 Pursuing a long-term relationship with your partner to develop a strong bond, efforts will compound.

 Dedicating time to see results in the gym and maintain a healthy lifestyle, your efforts will compound.

 Putting hours into your business or job to see development and achieve higher positions, your efforts will compound.


Many of the pursuits you take on can feel overwhelming. You won’t see many results at first.

Coming into contact with friction and obstacles is the indication for you that you’re doing the right thing and your next level is right around the corner.

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Any pursuit worth putting time into (Fitness, Relationships, Job, Business) is going to have tough periods of time.

Promise yourself to stay committed for one more day.

I took inspiration from Ed Mylett's personal story regarding his father that got sober from alcohol usage. As a younger kid, he asked his father, (I paraphrase)


"Dad, will you stay sober for the rest of your life?"

His father replies,

"Son, I can't promise you that, but I can promise you that I will be for one more day."

For Ed, later on in life, it clicked.


This applies to the pursuit of any path that worth fighting for. You will have a rough period to push through in your journey - whichever one that may be for you. Yes, that one you're thinking of right now.

Promise yourself that you'll stay committed for one more day. The promise you made yourself at the beginning of your journey - recall that moment. 

Commit for One More Day. 

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What kind of choices are you making?

We are all in a position where the easiest decision is the one to make that keeps us comfortable and satisfied in the short term. Is it the kinds of choices you need to make for your future-self to thank you?

     - Losing almost thirty pounds since August of 2022, because I made a Long Term decision take priority in a healthy lifestyle. 

     - Attending my team training calls because I know it will help move my business forward, because I made a Long Term decision to prepare for my future that is on the horizon. 

     - Putting effort into my job during the day then making my way to the office in the evening to help families with their financial situations, because I made a Long Term decision to dedicate time to the families being left behind in the industry. 


What decisions are you going to make yourself this week within your job, business, fitness and relationships to move the needle? Make the decision that you'll thank yourself for at the end of the week. 

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Be FIRED UP about what you're doing!

This episode pertains to any hobby, activity, job or business you are part of. You have a vision for where you want to be - and it helps to be EXCITED about it.

I break down this concept into three sub-categories,

1) Are you fulfilled?

     - The work you're doing or hobby you're taking on should fill you with joy and accomplishment. This makes it more enjoyable to put the time in because you take on that amount of satisfaction. 

2) Are you challenged?

     - Being challenged is a great thing. No challenge keeps you stagnant in one spot - you need to be in situations where you're learning and developing. Ultimately, this ensures that you are making progress and can confirm that you are developing key skills within your pursuit.

3) Is it a path that gets you from point A to point B?

     - Develop a vision for what you want your life to look like in ten, twenty, or thirty years from now. Is the path of pursuit that you're on a viable option to get you to where you want to be? If not, to make it easier, find someone who has reached a point where you want to be. Attach yourself to the hip of that person if it's an available option. Learn from someone who has done it before you. 

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Are you stressed about which career to commit to?

We've all been there - including myself. This piece of advice from my mentor helped me strain out the stress.

Interview Your Future!

Get in touch with someone who has been on the path, twenty to thirty years down the road, that you're weighing as an option for a career, then ask yourself, does their ...

(insert any personal values)

     - Family Values
     - Quality of Life
     - Financial Situation 

Align with your personal values, dreams and goals?

If it looks like the kind of life you want to live - great! Stay committed to the path and be diligent in improving your skills.

If it doesn't,

It may be time to reevaluate the path that you're on - for the sake of your future. 

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High Performers are people that are more successful than their peers. Not only more successful, but they do so on a more consistent basis. They're usually less stressed, as well.

 Amongst other factors, Burchard and his team have completed extensive research to find out why some people are more successful than others - and how they do it happier. His team has found out over decades of interviews and research that it comes down to six different habits. 


DEMONSTRATE COURAGE is the sixth personal habit that Brendon Burchard speaks about. 


Burchard breaks this down into three sections.


1) Honour the struggle

     - anything worth pursuing is going to have times of adversity
     - how you manage to DEAL and LEARN from this adversity will determine where you end up on your journey

 >>> "The struggle I'm now facing is necessary, and it's summoning me to show up, be strong, and use it to forge a better future for myself and my loved ones." <<<

     - Brendon Burchard 

2) Share Your Truth and Ambitions 

     - SPEAK about what you want to manifest in your life, to other people
     - live a life that is YOURS, do not seek approval from others

>>> "I learned that if you open your mouth and shout from the rooftop what you want to do with your life, sure, some village idiots will show up and shout back all the reasons why you can't. But all the village leaders come over and want to help. Life's great that way."

     - Olympic Gold Medalist of whom Burchard worked with 

3) Find Someone to Fight For

- sometimes, it is difficult under our own accord to find the discipline to execute tasks
- think about WHO is counting on YOU to go and execute 
 
     > Take atleast ONE courageous action this week that will pull you out of your comfort zone <

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High Performers are people that are more successful than their peers. Not only more successful, but they do so on a more consistent basis. They're usually less stressed, as well.

 Amongst other factors, Burchard and his team have completed extensive research to find out why some people are more successful than others - and how they do it happier. His team has found out over decades of interviews and research that it comes down to six different habits. 


DEVELOP INFLUENCE is the fifth personal habit that Brendon Burchard speaks about. 


Burchard breaks this down into three sections.


1) - Teach People How to Think

     - critical to being in a position of management, Burchard encourages leaders and individuals to morally challenge their people to challenge others how they think of ... 
   
          - themselves
          - others
          - the world around them 


2) - Challenge People to Grow

     - Challenging other people is NOT condemning them
     - your INTENT and TONE matters during communication
     - those who challenge and influence, do so in three separate realms with people, 
          1) Character (providing feedback & direction)
          2) Connection (how EXACTLY do they add value to the business and other people)
          3) Contribution (encouraging others to be creative in adding value)


3) - Role Model the Way 

     - High Performers have laser-focused intention on how to improve other people and help them achieve a result
     - let all of the outside drama go, and continue to be a role model for your people 

*** To be influential, is LINEAR to my ability to be INFLUENCED ***

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High Performers are people that are more successful than their peers. Not only more successful, but they do so on a more consistent basis. They're usually less stressed, as well.

 Amongst other factors, Burchard and his team have completed extensive research to find out why some people are more successful than others - and how they do it happier. His team has found out over decades of interviews and research that it comes down to six different habits. 


INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY is the fourth personal habit that Brendon Burchard speaks about. 


Burchard breaks this down into three sections.


1) Increase the Outputs that Matter

     - determine your Prolific Quality Output (PQO)
               - this is the key action that will move the needle in your goal
               - schedule atleast 60% of your work week dedicated to your various PQO's

     - Be aware of procrastination and perfectionism


2) Chart Your Five Moves

- each of your goals should have five specific steps to take in order for you to ultimately reach for those milestones

- talent only goes so far, High Performers think before acting


3) Get Insanely Good at Key Skills

     - Burchard dives into the topic about identifying the skills that you need in your pursuit of your goals

     - Burchard has developed the Progressive Steps to Mastery, these steps take you from an amateur to a seasoned veteran within a given skill 

               i) Find a skill to master.
               ii) Set small, achievable goals for development. 
               iii) Attach high levels of emotion and meaning to your results and journey.
               iv) Find factors critical to success, and develop within those areas.
               v) Visualize what success, and failure looks like within the skill. 
               vi) Take on practices developed by experts. 
               vii) Get feedback from others, and measure your progress
               viii) COMPETE! Socialize your learning and efforts. 
               ix) Progressively set higher level goals; 
               x) Go teach others this skill you have learned! 

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High Performers are people that are more successful than their peers. Not only more successful, but they do so on a more consistent basis. They're usually less stressed, as well.

 Amongst other factors, Burchard and his team have completed extensive research to find out why some people are more successful than others - and how they do it happier. His team has found out over decades of interviews and research that it comes down to six different habits. 


RAISE NECESSITY is the third personal habit that Brendon Burchard speaks about. 


Burchard breaks this down into three sections.


1) - Know Who Needs You on Your A Game -

     - Who is that significant one in your life that you're fighting for?

     - Burchard speaks about the "Desk Trigger" ... When you sit down in your desk or any chair to get work done, begin to contemplate to yourself who is counting on you to win. 


2) - Affirm the Why -

     - High Performers don't only know WHY they're doing what they're doing, but they can also tell you in exact detail on their systems for HOW to get there

* SYSTEMS drive PROGRESS *

     - a High Performer's Why is completely powerful  


3) - Level Up Your Squad - 

     - if you are the smartest and most experienced person within your room, you need to change rooms as soon as possible!

     - always be striving for growth and development, as this can't happen if you are the top person within your space

     - get around 5 people who DRIVE you to be better, and make sure it's uncomfortable because that indicator is the key for growth 

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High Performers are people that are more successful than their peers. Not only more successful, but they do so on a more consistent basis. They're usually less stressed, as well.

 Amongst other factors, Burchard and his team have completed extensive research to find out why some people are more successful than others - and how they do it happier. His team has found out over decades of interviews and research that it comes down to six different habits. 


GENERATE ENERGY is the second personal habit that Brendon Burchard speaks about. 


Burchard breaks this down into three sections.


- Release TENSION, Set INTENTION

     - High Performers develop the ability to release the emotions felt in various situations, enabling them to attack the next part of their day at full capacity
     - Repeat to yourself "Release, Release, Release".... right after a scenario that provokes high emotion


- Bring the Joy

     - Burchard describes techniques that allow you to hold a sense of gratitude
     - He encourages you to use different Mental Triggers
          - Notification Trigger
          - Door Frame Trigger
          - Waiting Trigger

- Optimize Health

     - as simple as it sounds, take care of your body and it will take care of you!

     - physical activity will set your internal systems up to have more energy for your day as you get used to the level of exercise

     - working out increases your levels of serotonin, increasing the quality of your sleep!

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High Performers are people that are more successful than their peers. Not only more successful, but they do so on a more consistent basis. They're usually less stressed, as well.

 Amongst other factors, Burchard and his team have completed extensive research to find out why some people are more successful than others - and how they do it happier. His team has found out over decades of interviews and research that it comes down to six different habits. 


SEEKING CLARITY is the first personal habit that Brendon Burchard speaks about. 


Burchard breaks this down into three sections.


- Envision the Future Four /// High Performers are all clear on...

     - Intention for Themselves
     - Intentions for their Social world
     - Intentions for their applicable Skills
     - Intentions for their Service to others


- Determine the Feeling You're After

     - Burchard dives into the discussion of emotions versus feelings. Emotions can't be controlled - they're going to come up for us day to day. Feelings, on the other hand, can be controlled by YOU. You can choose how to feel about certain situations that arise and how you'll respond. High performers do not let their emotions take over. 


- Define What's Meaningful

     - High performers value their personal relationships - because they are clear on how important connection is. High performers find opportunities that give them a personal sense of satisfaction. 

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This is an introduction episode for my next SIX podcast episodes. 

Brendon Burchard (author) has written a book called High Performance Habits. I begun reading it in 2022 when it was recommended to me from a high-end restaurant executive in Calgary.  I finally gathered the discipline to finish taking notes on it and reading it in early 2023.

Prior to heading with my Financial Services team to our annual Las Vegas convention, I found out that Brendon Burchard would be the keynote speaker at the infamous MGM Grand Garden Arena.

To say the least, it was a talk for the ages on the 13th of July. All moved to tears, and inspired to begin making a change in their own lives.

I dive very briefly into his story.

The following six episodes will dive deep into each of these habits individually. I'll offer applicable information that will allow you to take these habits and begin applying them into your life. 

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Are you moving the needle in all areas of your life?

Yes - we can for sure get busy at times in our life. Take a second to step back with a birds eye view and ask yourself if the work you're doing is really moving the needle for yourself. Or, maybe you HAVE to make the LEAP to step into new situations so that you truly are making progress. 

"People complain, but stop when it's time to change". This a quote that resonates in my head quite often when I'm facing situations that are new to me. It's easy to complain in certain scenarios. But, when an opportunity is presented to be able to level up and progress, it's usually so uncomfortable that we back down. 

Press through that discomfort and move the needle in your life. 

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With surfing - the waves are going to push you as high as twenty to thirty feet in the air. If you don't trust yourself and you grip the surfboard - you WILL wipe out.

I've used this analogy to help coach within my industry. Our high emotions (Irritation and Anger) are the waves. We tend to hold onto these feelings and situations when they happen. This causes us days, weeks, or even months of pent-up grudges or limited mental capacity.

Trust yourself and let go of the surfboard. Trust that you're going to ride out the wave. You don't have much a better chance at moving on from irritating situations by gripping to them and marinating in those emotions. As with surfing, when you freeze in terror and grip back onto the surfboard, your high comes down really quick.

Don't grip onto these sudden emotions when these types of scenarios arrive in your life. 

Acknowledge the situation, analyze what happened, how to correct, then ride out the wave. 

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I read this poster morning after morning before going to workout with my team.

"Champions are Made When the Stands are Empty". Those words would bear down on each player in the dark dingy hallway prior to entering the weight room.

In my first year playing football at the senior level - I never quite understood what that meant, only until my team found success at the end of next the season on the football field. 

The work you put in behind the scenes is what matters when it comes to succeeding at all levels. 

Playing football, at a program that is designed to develop you as a person, taught me so many valuable lessons that I am able to apply in my life today. Delayed gratification is a key ingredient to breeding success. The results that you want to see won't come overnight. Your small habits and disciplines day-in and day-out will paint the picture of the direction your life is heading in. 

Regarding football - the stands are empty from December, all the way until the following September. This was when we, as a team, were putting in the MOST work and preparation. The powerhouse team and effort that the fans saw, was ALL developed during the long eight months in the weight room preparing our bodies and minds.

Apply this concept to your life. When the spotlight is on you, how have you taken advantage of the time away from the spotlight to prepare? 

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All of you have the POWER of the RIPPLE EFFECT. But what is this ... exactly? 

The way you move, motivate and inspire people will have a profound effect with the people that THEY come in touch with. 

You have more influence than you think.

I've had conversations with people that have brought this concept to life. My intention with this episode is to explain, via stories, that you hold more influence and reach than you believe you truly have. 

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ATTACK your week this week with TENACITY. 

Whether we know it or not - we make subtle excuses that "allow" our subconscious relief for not following through on a personal commitment.  

Don't let excuses be the reason for not getting your work done. 

I had a riveting conversation with a coworker, earlier this past week, that truly left me in awe at his commitment level to his priorities. 

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How are you setting the tone as you approach your day? 

When we "let ourselves off the hook", that's not serving us purposefully. 

Repeatedly breaking promises to yourself reduces your personal "credit score". It may feel good to sleep in - but I know I regret it twelve hours later when I realized I could have got so much more important tasks completed early in the AM. 

Set the tone for your own life - stick to the promises you make to yourself. 

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Do you feel stuck in social situations? Do you work in a client-based field that requires you to keep, create and develop business through conversation?

Utilize your own energy in conversations with other people. 

Be INTERESTED, not INTERESTING. Ask them questions, be genuinely curious, put them in the spotlight. 

I've been able to develop my people skills by giving out HIGH-LEVEL energy. 

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Getting uncomfortable is the key ingredient to progression in your life.

When you get that sinking feeling in your stomach, when trying something new, it is a daunting feeling - I've been there. 

On the other side of that terrifying feeling is the ability to unlock a different version of yourself. I dive into my story, that touches on my journey in the last three years. 

I almost let the opinion of one person, deter me from my path that I'm on today. 

Getting uncomfortable is always the hardest - but correct choice. 

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