Who Influences You Matters To More Than Your Recruiting Efforts

Hi everybody welcome back it’s another recruiting conversations with your host Richard Milligan and it’s a busy season, like if you’re listening to this and rhythm, like in the time that it’s being released it’s like the week before Christmas and yeah, I’m pretty much all done with my Christmas shopping. It’s the new version of Richard, I what I would say is that the old version, if we go back like five ten more years ago I think go back I think exactly but there was a version of me that used to always do the Christmas shopping on on Christmas Eve, how’s that? Like most people would just like just want to pull their hair out even thinking about doing all the Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve and I loved it. It was like a tradition it was like it was just something I was going to do. It was like the hustle and the bustle and like trying to find stuff was like a challenge bring it home and wrapping it that evening I just knew it was gonna go down, it was gonna happen like that, and so was just an expectation I didn’t fret about it didn’t worry about it and then somewhere along the way, I’m not sure if I grew up or if I matured maybe having me some kids to shop for as well plays into me being more prepared today, but yeah I am pretty much done and I will say I typically would buy something last-minute stocking stuff or something like that so that’s just gonna always happen here but I’m pretty much done, and I’m good with that too. So either way I’m good with it I didn’t get to wound up about not having it done till Christmas Eve but you know I am done with it this year and so I guess there’s a there’s a minor check mark checkmark in that box and we all know this is a really busy season, right? So better to go into it prepared it’s about ten days out right now that I’m recording this I’m not here to talk to you about my Christmas shopping though, I hope you have yours done, how’s that? And to those of you there listening of this I wish you a Merry Christmas thank you so much for being a part of being part of this audience that you allow me the opportunity to speak into you at some level to you know coach you. I guess that’s really what this is right is that I’m having the opportunity to share with you the conversations that I have on a daily basis and I’m hopeful that you found value in this this year, and we’ve got some ideas going into 2020 where we hopefully will bring even more value to you.

One of the things I want to talk about today is this, as we get closer to the end of the year, I am evaluating 2020, you know in a lot of different areas what I’m evaluating my current habits, I do believe that your habits predict your future. So, I’m evaluating my current habits because those will actually be indicative of where I’m going you know and I’ve got some some big aspirations with where I am, and what I want to accomplish just like many of you and so I’m considering my current habits and I’m also considering what habits do I need to get to that next place and we’ll talk a little bit about that. The other thing I’m also very aware of right now as I consider 2020 is I’m evaluating a personal growth plan, my personal development plan, and if you don’t have a personal growth plan for you, I highly recommend that you put one in place. The reason why I highly recommend you put one imply is because no one else is really gonna do it for you and maybe that’s not an all true statement because maybe you’re in a role where you’ve got a great leader and that leader does put some sort of leadership growth plan in place for you but what I would say is over the course the years of having spent from the age of 19 to the age of 44 inside corporate America, I know that it was a rare for me to actually have a personal growth plan that was actually put together being helped or helped putting together through the leadership that I had. So, all the growth that took place was ultimately on me and who better to really have put that in place because like I know where I’m at, I know where I’m struggling, I know where I want to go better than anybody. So, I’ll share a little bit with you around that because as part of that personal growth plan you really have to be careful who you’re allowing to have a voice into your life today. There’s a statement that really resonates with me and it is that “we’re drowning in noise while starving for wisdom” and one of the reasons why we’re drowning in noise is because we we all have that noise into our life. Right? It doesn’t matter where it comes through it YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, I mean those three alone you know I’ve got the recommendations on YouTube that show up every single time. I’m there I’ve got the advertisements that come into my newsfeed on Instagram and Facebook every time I’m there. You know just even I think one of the things that I’m aware of is that anytime I’m speaking or have an opportunity to engage with people for any amount of time, one of the normal questions that comes up after the speaking event or after engaging with people is what are some books that you’re reading or what are some books that you recommend, and I would dare say people are asking that because as soon as I recommend them, they’re going to move towards them. And I and one of the things I’ve done over the years I think has brought been a value to me is that when someone says oh you should check out this book, it has gone on a list. So, have a list of books that I need to check out and I need to evaluate do I want to actually read but I don’t just move towards those books, and the reason why is that I have a personal growth plan. So, I’ll talk about that for you in a second, let’s talk about habits because I made that statement your habits predict your future, and I do think that it’s really easy to look at where we are currently with our habits, and say like the daily rhythm, our daily routines are going to play a part and where we’re going. A perfect example this is that data shows that people who wake up early are more successful. So, if people wake up earlier more successful why wouldn’t I want to wake up early. Well, ultimately my brain is kind of lazy and if I let it do what it wanted to it probably sleep till 9:00 a.m. every single day, and so I recognize that waking up early is just a simple habit that can be a predictor of me being on the right path to winning, on the right path to success. I think a nice framework for this that I’ve seen recently is that there are two types of habits or two types of work that people do, that really define whether you are going to whether you’re going to win or whether you’re not going to win, and the framework that I saw was this shallow work and deep work. Now, shallow work is going to be things that are low value so when I’m looking at my life low value would be how much time am i spending in the digital space, how much time I was spending on watching television, how much time am I spending on social media, yes social media is necessary if you’re gonna have a leadership brand, but I’m looking at that going how much low value time my investing in a social media, where I’m where I’m just skimming I’m not there with intent. I’m not there with purpose I’m just waiting for the next, like I’m waiting for the next comment right or I’m skimming to see what’s what’s on that what’s you know inside the platform and I’m you know moving from you know content piece to content piece was really no intent. One of the things I know about shallow work is that it’s actually pretty common. So, most people do it consistently so as an example of that like most people we know today roll over after the alarm clock rings and the first thing they do is check social media, that’s common. So shallow work is very common, most people do it it’s low value and so those are a couple things identify you know habits that are shallow, and what we want our habits that are what are defined as deep work. So, this means that it’s not gonna be easy, it’s gonna be hard, like if I’ll if I didn’t actually you know map my brain to go to these places, it’s not gonna go there on their own, it’s not gonna go there on its own, right? So, for example you know meditation like finding a quiet place to actually create white space, so that I’m not just jumping from one thing to the next thing, the next thing, right? Deep in thought, this stuff is rare, deep work is rare but it’s high value as so I think one great example of this is how much time are you investing into reading? How much time are you investing into growing yourself listening to podcast? Watching or listening to YouTube videos that are aligned with your personal development your personal growth plan, and I bring that up here because if you don’t have that plan in place as part of these habits, then you will end up somewhere but it won’t be where you want to end up, right? It won’t be the intentional place that you want to end up and I know for me because I have a I you’ll have a 10-year vision. That 10-year vision is enormous, the only way that I’m going to get there is I’m if I’m very intentional in the year-to-year about developing myself and then on the flip side of that identifying a handful of people that I actually give my ear to, that I allow that space inside my head too. So, one of the things that you should be evaluating right now is this “how many people are you giving voice to that brain space that you have” that were you’re doing your deep work or your we are doing things that are high value. So, one of the things I’m cautious in is not to allow too many people the opportunity to have a voice into my life. Now, I do that in the real world but then I’m also intentional about doing this in the digital world so I’m gonna give you example of five voices that I allow consistently into my life in that virtual space, in that digital space, and I think you should consider this, and here’s why these five voices are influenced I allow them to have influence into me because they are ahead of the path, they are ahead on this path of life and they’re in places where I want to be. Why would I allow someone who’s in the exact same place as me or even behind me, why would I lend that person a voice into my life, this is me I can’t have relationship with them doesn’t mean I can’t walk in community with some people that that are equal to me, but we do know that statistically we are we will never achieve above the average of the five people that we surround ourselves with, right? With the people that we give influence and draw a life and so I’ve taken that number five and I’ve just played this into one five voices am I gonna allow to speak to me in this virtual space in 2020.

So, here were five voices that I allowed in 2019 okay one of those is John Maxwell, and John Maxwell has been someone’s been a voice for me for a long time it’s just there is there’s just a level of maturity that John Maxwell brings that no one else can bring like here is a man who has I don’t know. What he’s written like 80 plus books he spoke he’s really the number one thought leader on leadership I mean I remember John Maxwell’s 101 books I had US 101 mentorship book in the left hand Joe I could tell you it can even visualize where it’s at in my office drawer why I had it there for probably a decade. And in see in this in a long season where I really was lacking leadership, I would actually go pick up that mentorship 101 book, and I would open that up. I know how to highlight it sticky note had labels stuck in it with my sticky notes like when I came up against something and I needed some information or I needed a voice in my life John Maxwell’s were like where I would go for that and so John Maxwell’s you know that one of those voices that I allow. In fact one of those voices that combined this within the last year for a great content piece is another voice by his name is Ed Mallette and if you’re familiar with Ed Millette he is the fastest growing influencer in social media today. Ed joined up into a podcast of the live video with John Maxwell and there was just something really special about that if you haven’t seen it you can go to youtube and actually just search Edie Millette and John Maxwell and that’s a great content piece. I think that every leader should check out, but Ed Millette another voice, highly inspirational very practical, he has already vetted people that he’s interviewing, the interviews that he does are dynamic I mean that’s a voice that I’m going to allow in my life again in 2020.

Here’s one Craig Groeschel, so for the last 20 plus years I have gone to a place to a church Life Church which is the fastest-growing Church in the United States, Craig Groeschel is the pastor of that church, but Craig is a dynamic leader and actually has a heart for the business world, and so if you check out his podcast Craig is someone that that gives phenomenal framework for leaders and how they can grow and how they can develop themselves, and how they can develop people underneath their care, and so Craig Groeschel is another voice.

Here’s one that a lot of you may not have heard of just because of I know my audience and where we’ve been but Russell Brunson, Russell Brunson built a company by the by the name of clickfunnels from zero to the valuation of about a billion dollars, I think in six years. I have listened to every one of Russell Brunson’s I think it’s like 280 podcast today. I’ve read both of his books he’s in the process of releasing his third book I’ve watched probably hundreds of hours of his videos, you know that’s a voice and there’s a very specific reason, not because Russell’s dynamic but he is, but because the he has content that I need to grow myself to get to a place where I want to be.

Here’s another one Gary Vee now Gary Vaynerchuk’s not someone that i listen to with my kids around. So, this isn’t you know not endorsement as so Gary Vee but one things I know about Gary Vee is that he knows social media better than anybody today, and that’s a really bold statement for me to actually make that but I do believe that he knows social media better better than anyone the day an area that I’ve really focused is growing my smile my leadership brand, growing my personal brand, and so I have taken in hundreds of hours of content from Gary Vee. So, you know we walk through that just giving you five voices that I allowed to speak into my business, into my headspace in 2019. When I get to these places where you can really get lost, which is Booklist that people recommend and you get into the recommended videos on YouTube, when you get into other people’s favorite podcasts, and you go to Facebook and everybody’s sponsoring an ad and advertising to you, and you see all of these shared videos or these shared content pieces it can become overwhelming, and we get there we’re drowning in the noise while we’re starving for wisdom. And so the only way that you can glean the wisdom that you need in the upcoming year is if you’re really intentional, if you’re really specific you have a limited amount of time in a day, you’ve got to be intentional with that and so where I would encourage you in this podcast is have a leadership development plan. That’s very specific so let me give you an example this I will map out every book that I will read for 2020 by the end of 2019, and that will be based off of where I want to grow in 2020.

Now what I would say is that my objective is to read a book per week and that may sound like a lot but the average American spends 97% of Americans actually listen to the radio when they’re quitting when they’re in the car. So, number one boom I can just put a checkmark in the box i don’t listen to the radio I love what Brian Tracy called it back in the nineties he called a bubble gum for the years. So, checkmark radio turned off and the average commute in the United States is 45 minutes one-way. So, if I just said now I don’t commute because I have a home office but if I just said like just if you’re the person that’s commuting to your office and you said I will listen to something audible on my way to work and on my way home from work, you’re at 90 minutes of content that you can take in per day. The average book that I read on audible which by the way if you’re not on audible man and I would highly recommend either being an audible figuring out something in place of audible where you can listen to books. The average book they listen to an audible is around six hours. Now there’s some that are long longer than that but there’s some that are short of that John Gordon’s book one word which is the phenomenal book is 55 minutes. So, if you meet the middle and just say hey the average book I’m going to take is gonna be around six hours long then just in a normal work week in just a matter of like three or four days, you can actually take in a book. So, this isn’t that hard and this isn’t as enormous as we think it is but it does mean that I’ve got to have different habits and those habits are going to predict where I’m going in the future. Look what I would say is this, is I three years ago and not the guy that I was just even three years ago and that’s like a hundred and fifty plus books ago the guy that I was three years ago versus the guy that I am today, I don’t even recognize that person, okay? The reason I don’t recognize because I’ve grown enormously in this season we’re just in this information age, where it’s just at our fingertips, there’s no reason thanks to Google and YouTube and tools like audible and tools like the like a podcast out that we can grow wherever we want to grow in this era, okay? And so that would be my big encouragement for you here is reevaluate your habits what habits do you need to change going to 2020 to get where that where that future you needs to be or where you want that future you to be, and another one is identify the voices that you will take in in 2020 and you get to move from this place now of being hyper responsive which is where most people are today, I mean the average American spends 144 minutes on social media, where we’re hyper you know responsive and we move to a place where were hyper focused. The person whose hyper focus has more clarity. The person who is hyper focused is doing high-value things that are actually growing them to a place that they probably didn’t believe they could actually get and what I would say is this the person whose hyper focus is actually rare, this is not something that’s very calm very calm very common it’s not even the one-percenters, okay? I oh I use that term one-percenters because I think that the one-percenters do things that are different but I would dare say that the majority of even the one-percenters today are all over the place when it comes to the number of voices that they allow to speak into their life, and we’re just this endless, endless chasing and here’s what I know the person who is hyper focused, okay? That’s not doing this shallow work that’s doing the deep work this is a person who has no problem finding fulfillment, this is a person has no problem finding joy in what they’re doing, and the people that are chasing this noise are the ones that feel empty, that feel exhausted, and so for me, one of the things that I am actually looking at one of the things I’ll move towards again in 2020 is doing deep work is actually having defined habits that I will follow and then having a limited number of voices that allow to speak in my life.

So, I won’t talk to you again until after Christmas getting Merry Christmas to you it is such an amazing season if you’ve got a family then you know I’m hopeful that you get to spend all kinds of amazing time with them and enjoy that. If you don’t have a family find someone that you can walk in community with in this season, we’ve had some weird seasons of our own life, Lee and I have before we had kids, and I would go back to some of the memories that we created in some of those seasons there were some of the coolest memories ever. Find someone to inspire find someone to encourage, find someone to lift up, in this season I saw a data piece today which was the amount of negative information the growth of negative information in social media in this season and so we need encouraging people around us and what better time to be for that to be visible than the season of Christmas which is a season that should be filled with joy, and so until the next podcast have a great week everybody merry Christmas to you! And we will talk to you between the week of Christmas and New Year’s so look forward to sharing another podcast with you then thanks for listening everyone.

Want more updates like this?

Subscribe to our newsletter for more content like this delivered to your inbox! 

G-8LG6K5P752