[Holiday Special] Justin Breen Reveals Epic Strategies On How To Make This Year Your Best One Ever (#190)

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Welcome to the Deep Wealth Podcast, and wow, is this a special edition for you. And actually this is a follow up to what we did last year. You know, at Deep Wealth, we're all about extracting both your business and personal Deep Wealth, and that's what today's episode is specifically about.

And we've been graced with the presence of Justin Breen, who's no stranger. He's a friend of the Deep Wealth community. He's back here again. And Justin, welcome, I've gotta say, and we're talking offline for a few moments. When we did this last year is with your first book, and I thought, Wow, it doesn't get any better than this.

You've distilled the essence of success and life and personal and everything else but you made it better with the second book, Epic Life. Terrific title. The content, which we're gonna go into for everyone is absolutely over the top, but you did it so easier said than done. I don't know how you did it.

We're gonna be talking about that today as we go through these gems, absolute gems of insights and strategies. For the listeners who are new to the community, and we have a lot of them, there's been so much going on here at Deep Wealth, why don't you give us a little bit of the story behind the story and you can even update us, Justin, so you know what got you from where you were to where you are today?

[00:02:49] Justin Breen: Well I'm very grateful to be here again. And it's like you said, with time, evolution and growth and progress. Sometimes it just takes time and then you look back, you're like, Wow, this has been an interesting journey. And then it'll keep getting better. So, you know, Started first company a little over five years ago after I was a journalist for 20 years.

So after job salary was cut in half, couldn't find a job, reached out to 5,000 people to find first five clients while I was working full time, at half salary with zero business background. And then God, fifth client resigned and then started, people started to find out about it. So now, two books, two companies partnering, with top people in the world like you constantly.

And it's just really interesting. I'm glad you started the interview with that cuz like, I'm very, grateful. I was a journalist for 20 years, so you don't go into that for revenue or employee account. Like I never took a business class or anything like that. I didn't even know what an entrepreneur was. And so it's a, it's been a really fun journey. A little, five plus years and it'll just keep getting more interesting. More interesting.

[00:03:59] Jeffrey Feldberg: Hats off to you and Justin. One of the things that we really intentionally did last year that we're doing again this year, it's the end of the year and people have some time off, some time to think. And as usual as we look to the new year, we always do a little bit of reflection. Okay, what worked this year?

What didn't work? How can I do things a little bit better, maybe become even more successful, Pay it forward that much more. And oftentimes Justin, I don't know what you feel or what you find, but when it's so personal for us, we have the answers, but we don't know the questions. And so what I'm really excited about with today is we're gonna provide the questions for people to think about based on the second book.

I mean, It's just over the top again with what you've done. We're gonna dive into it in just a moment, but for our listeners, we're gonna go through 30 platinum strategies, 30 strategies for life, for business to optimize your life for happiness. And Justin, like we spoke about last time, when you get it right on the inside, you definitely then get it right on the outside and not the other way around.

With that in mind, what do you say? Should we dive into the first one? The cream rises to the top. What do you think?

[00:05:10] Justin Breen: Well, I think so because you know, I'm a hundred percent simplifier, meaning like I just take everything and turn it into a pattern. So all this book is like 30 things I learned from top people on planet. And then here's the answer. Here's something to think about that leads to the question like, am I going this way or am I going the other way?

And I've found that going the 30 ways each of these chapters in the book is like there's the answer. And then most of those answers, if not all, come from top people on the world to how they've created great lives for themselves. So the first one's the most important, I think.

[00:05:45] Jeffrey Feldberg: And before we go there, Justin, I just wanna jump in there because for our listeners, if you're new to Justin Breen and his world, you may be thinking, Yeah, Justin, whatever, some of the top entrepreneurs on the planet. Okay. A little bit of self prova there and promotion. Let's just stop that because absolutely not the case.

This is not gonna be letting the cat outta the bag on this. I want everyone to go out and will put in the show notes a link to get the book. But wow. Justin, you're a heavy hitter because right off the bat, one of the first introductions that you get is from a heavy hitter out there who is just changing the world as we know it and doing some incredible things.

I'll leave it at that, keep that as a little bit of a suspense, but why don't you just quickly share with people, top entrepreneurs, the percent of or percent of entrepreneurs. What do you really mean by that? So that people can understand where these strategies are coming from?

Because I think it'll give context when they hear what we're gonna talk about.

[00:06:35] Justin Breen: Well, So it's from a life business and then personal perspective as well. So again, my brain turns everything into patterns and the two companies that I've helped found we partner maybe with 0.1% of the population. So that's one out of a thousand. And if there's 8 billion people, the 0.1 percent's 8 million.

So there's 8 million views out there. They're a little hard to find at first, but once you find them, then they just keep introducing you to other, 0.1 percenters. But what that means is we partner exclusively with visionaries who live in abundance and who look at things as investments, not cost.

So there's no, what do you cost or charge? There's no nickel and diamond. There's full visionaries who they don't live in scarcity. And then most importantly, everything is an investment. There is no cost.

[00:07:22] Jeffrey Feldberg: And with that in mind, it's a terrific segue into the first strategy, and I know your father was and is such a huge influence in your life. And so when you talk about the cream rises to the top, which is directly from your father, what's going on there? What was going through your mind when you wrote that?

[00:07:40] Justin Breen: Well, If there's only one chapter to read, it's the first one. And the book's not long. It's a little over a hundred pages and each chapter's a couple. But if there's only one, it's that one. And it's quick background. Like most sons have good relationships with their dad, but this is a different type of story.

So my dad was 61 when I was born. He was born in 1916. He was a World War II and Korea War Hero. He'd be 106 if he was alive now he'd die when I was 13. And so he was shot down multiple times in combat, many times without a parachute. Became an attorney in the Nuremberg Trials. President of an insurance company.

Came from nothing at nothing. He and his three brothers who were also deceased, they all served in the military in World War II. And so they came from nothing and they all became very successful. And so from age five to 13, when I had a brain functional brain, I guess a memory and when my dad was alive, he, every day would say The cream rises to the top, the cream rises to the top.

 I didn't understand what that meant. Until pretty much recently actually, and that's why it's chapter one. But so my firm's partners exclusively with the cream that rises to the top are those that will make the investment to do that. And then the chapter has excerpts from my dad's diary, which he wrote during the Battle of the Hurricane Forest, which was a very deadly battle towards the end of World War II.

I'll give you one of the, we didn't talk about this last time, but one of the entries, It's graphic. It's graphic, but Christmas Day, 1944, my dad was on the ground watching three American planes fighting against one Nazi plane. And then the Nazi pilot shot down the first two American planes, but the third American plane got the Nazi pilot.

And the Nazi pilot jumped out of the plane, but his parachute didn't open. He just splatted and exploded on the ground. So my dad and his friends, soldier friends walked over to the body, the carcass. That's what it was at that point. And got out the paperwork and one of them could read German and the pilot was on his first-ever mission.

And 19 years old. It's not funny, but every diary entry is, it's not that graphic, but it's that horrific. And dad was shot down numerous times in combat, many times without a parachute. Wrote about that. Wrote about that in the diary. And then I found the diary after he died.

And so if there's, we just partner exclusively with people that don't make excuses. So if ever there's a time and excuse pops up in my head, maybe I will go read that diary, Be like, Nope, not today. Now, do you get back on the plane without the parachute? And really that's been the litness test for my whole life, but definitely since becoming an entrepreneur.

[00:10:17] Jeffrey Feldberg: And for listeners, when you get the book and talk about a terrific holiday gift for your loved ones, for your friends, for your colleagues, just a way to start off the year with that. I really like how you did two things in chapter one. Firstly, you took, as you're saying, some of the entries from your father's diary and you separated them out in the text is very easy to read and really stands out. And then, there's three epic takeaways, which when I read them I just stop what I'm thinking and what I'm doing and let me really think about that for just a moment. And Justin, did you wanna, you mentioned one of the epic takeaways and they all really play off of each other, but did you want to, for our listeners, talk about those three epic takeaways that you have at the end of chapter one based on your father, his life, how he lived it, and then what you learned later on after his passing in his journal?

[00:11:05] Justin Breen: Well, you know, To simplify it, it's really the title of the chapter, which is the epic takeaway which is the cream rises to the top, and it comes down to, whether it's you or myself or anyone, it's like, are you willing to do what it takes to get to a certain level? Or are you gonna make an excuse?

And what separates entrepreneurs from business owners, consultants, employees, it is that entrepreneurs don't make excuses. They just don't. They will take action and make the investment. And again, when you have a father like that and that's the litmus test. And it really extends to my mom, who was 27 when I was born, and then my dad was hit by a drunk driver in his late fifties.

Drunk driver was killed in the car crash. And my dad survived. He broke every bone in his body. My mom was his nurse, so that's how they met. And my mom was just telling me this story yesterday actually. She was like your dad woke up in the hospital bed and he looked at me and he said, Are you an angel?

Cuz he was so, you know, so it was, she hadn't told me that before, so I'm really glad she's still alive. She can gimme, anecdotes like that. And she wanted to set him up with her mom cuz the same age and he's No, I think I'm gonna have a family now. I think I've been through enough in my life, and so I don't know if this answers your question, but so I got my dad after he had survived all of that and I think from age 61 to 74 when he died, I think he was just so grateful to have a family and that's why my sons are nine and eight.

That's why I would never let entrepreneur life destroy my family life cuz I know what it's like to not have. Have a dad around. I will not do that to my family. And then my wife, our first date was the day before she started medical school. So if there's anything that's similar to this, it's going through medical school.

Those are my three people like, and none of them would ever make an excuse. Ever. So like I just don't understand people that make excuses cuz the cream rise to the top, just they don't make excuses.

[00:13:07] Jeffrey Feldberg: Absolutely. And so for our listeners, as Justin was sharing and really a heartfelt story, Justin, and thank you for being so vulnerable now and as you are throughout the book. And so the question for our listeners, as you look to your life, Do you have people in your life, the cream that's rising to the top?

And Justin, as you said at the end of chapter one, the epic takeaways only partner with those who are prepared to make the investment, number one. Number two, and I love this one because we in today's FOMO society and fast pace, everything's disposable. Here we're doing the opposite. Find strength.

Find strength in your family's history and what you can learn from it, even though it may be generations, even decades, or century or whatever it may be. Find out you know who your family's all about, what they did, and how you came to where you are because of that sacrifice. And then what you mentioned, number three, are you someone who makes excuses, or will you execute on getting the job done?

So right there, you're absolutely right. If we did nothing else, if remember nothing else, but the cream rises to the top and we took that into the holiday season, into the new year, life is good.

[00:14:14] Justin Breen: Yeah, that was excellent. And again, like that's, the book is now long. Feel free to read the whole thing cuz each chapter's, like that. But that's really the one where like, you know, most of society makes excuses. That's, for better or worse. But if you're not someone like that, then there are no excuses, and are you gonna do what it takes and find the right people who also will do what it takes to, to get in the plane without the parachute?

[00:14:37] Jeffrey Feldberg: Absolutely. And then Justin, it was interesting for chapter two, you really threw me for a curve because chapter two, the title is the Perfection of Patterns. And Justin, I don't think there's any talking at a school here. When I speak with you, you're you. What a heck of a smart guy. You're also logical in terms of how you think and I'm thinking, okay, perfection of patterns.

Yeah, that sounds like it's Justin. But then the two things that, that you did was number one, You put yourself out there and you talk about what you did and why that wasn't right. And then right out of left field, this was a real whammy for me. You said mindset that the right mindset creates the right network, which in turn creates the right opportunities.

And that's not so much on the logic side of life and business as it is on the art side. And then the rest of the chapter goes into these other areas. But wow, you really nailed it. So why don't you, listeners, the perfection of patterns, but the right mindset that with that and what that's meant for you?

[00:15:36] Justin Breen: Thank you. That was a good lead-in. And so as simple as it sounds, what my brain does, I don't know why it does this, but it takes all this complexity in the world and it simplifies it into patterns. I, it's always done that, whether it's simplifying a story all this content into a very easy-to-read and understand story for media or.

Just turning all this stuff into one or two sentences or even, a couple words. And so of all the patterns that my brain is done. The, my favorite is the right mindset. If you have the right mindset, it creates the right network and that creates the right opportunity. So right mindset attracts right network, which creates right opportunities for you.

And so basically most of my day is just improving my mindset, which attracts the right people, visionaries who live in abundance, and who look at things as investments, not cost. And then those folks create right opportunities for me, and I create right opportunities for them. And to double down on that, like talk is meaningless to me without an answer or a pattern or a useful tool.

And so I've included three of those tools or assessments in the chapter. My favorite is Kolbe, k o l b e. That's how your brain takes action. It's not your personality, but it's, and so in five plus years as an entrepreneur, of the Kolbes that I know of my first to partner with one person, only one less than a seven quick start a seven quick start.

You're an eight. Overwhelming majority of the people I talk to are eight, nine, and 10 quick starts. And that means they're boom. And then they're not afraid of risk. They're not afraid to get into a plane without a parachute. So that's one. And then Gallup, Clifton Strength Finders there's 34 of them.

The overwhelming majority of visionaries, folks that I talk to have a mix of ideation and or futuristic. So they're often ideal land, future land, but then they have a mix of activator, maximizer, and achiever in there. So they're often ideal land, but they'll do something about it now. And again, there's 34 of them.

I'm 32 outta 34 in ideation. So very low on that, which is actually a strength because I know if it's a really great idea or not. And then very low in futuristic, but top three are activated, maximize, achieve. So talk to an ideator who will do something immediately, simplify and then activate, maximize, achieve.

That's why it works. And then the third one is print, print. Most folks don't know about that one. And that's your unconscious motivator. So people see the tip of the iceberg. They don't see the on the big ice, big chunks under the water. So that's your unconscious . Motivators. And most folks that I talk to are eight-threes or three-eights like me.

So eight is to be strong and self-reliant, and three is to succeed and achieve. So there's no overthinking, there's no over feeling. There's just go for it. Go for it. Go for it. You wouldn't be a top visionary entrepreneur if you didn't go for it. You just wouldn't be. So that's what the three patterns in terms of that world that I see over and over again.

[00:18:49] Jeffrey Feldberg: And before we go into how knowing yourself has just been such a bo to you with rituals, we'll talk about that. It's always interesting just speaking with you Justin, or when you do an introduction, hey, so and I'd like you to meet Jeffrey. He's a 6 3, 8 2 and so is this and that.

And it's, it is just a unique way. But what I really admire, and you talk about this in the chapter and we spoke a little bit about this last time, it's worth revisiting it. It's the rituals that you're doing and they're not just any rituals. You have picked specific rituals that really keep you energized.

They keep you alive. They help you get the best outta life and you just really revel in that. Did you wanna talk about that as far as what that's done for you? And when you look at patterns and mindset, how that just charges you up?

[00:19:36] Justin Breen: Good rituals and good patterns become good habits. Our good patterns become good rituals. Slash good habits. Maybe that's a better way of saying it. And so most of my day, again, is talking to worlds top entrepreneurs or spending time with my family. And so what the new book is really about is how to build collaborative global companies while putting your loved ones first.

And so what that means is I talk to one to two people like us every single week, every week that have let entrepreneur life destroy their family life or prevented them from having a family. And so a newer ritual or habit since we last talked and because I'm so low on ideation which again is a strength.

When I see people who have destroyed their family life or never had a family because of this life, I'm like, that's a bad idea. I'm going to activate, maximize, achieve, not doing that. So I'm going to activate, maximize, achieve being a dad who happens to be an entrepreneur, not an entrepreneur who happens to be a dad.

It's a fundamental difference. And that ritual, that habit has been the most important thing. And that's the been the biggest evolution since we last talk is when it's just so sad because these people, they're so quote-unquote successful and have all these things and have really changed the world, but they don't have anything meaningful.

They don't have anything personal. And it's very sad. And that's the whole point is you don't have to do that. It doesn't have to be like that. You can put your family first or your loved ones first, and build collaborative global companies, and that's why I believe in this message so strongly.

[00:21:23] Jeffrey Feldberg: And as we will do throughout the book, Justin, it really, going back to the first one of the cream rises to the top, family's important. And it's something that really along the way, somehow we've lost our North Star with that. And so knowing who you are and what the pattern is, hey, one of my patterns, one of my rituals is family.

Family comes first, Business is after that. And it just really reinforces one off the other. And then when you look at chapter three, WII.FM, which is really an interesting chapter, find your Babs or have your Babs find you and you're paying tribute to Dan Sullivan, the co-founder of Strategic Coach.

And you tell a little story what's going on with the title of this and behind the scenes with that. But really I'll let you take it from here of how you're leveraging off of that. To your point earlier of just building an entrepreneurial company, a global company really making the difference.

Why don't you share with us what was going through your mind at the time when you put this chapter together?

[00:22:21] Justin Breen: Yeah, so find your bab seems like a very interesting way for those who don't know Strategic Coach, they'd probably be very confused by that, the title of that. But I get, I think that's part of the point is to get people interested. But, so Bab Smith is Dan Sullivan's wife and co-founder of Strategic Coach, which I'm very confident saying is top entrepreneurial group in the world.

I'm very confident saying that Dan is 78. He's been an entrepreneurial, I guess coach, leader for most of his life. Very grateful to be in Strategic. Coach. And Babs. I would describe her as a visionary integrator. Backstage, nuts and bolts, but a full visionary. A full visionary. So without Babs, there is no strategic coach.

Dan said that many times. Two companies now. First one global PR firm. The second one is just technology For what doing with pr. So it's like a, it's a SAS platform. LinkedIn, without the bs. If I tried to build LinkedIn without the bs, I'd electrocute myself, I can barely tie my shoes.

So I was talking to Dan during Abundance 360, which is another very high level entrepreneurial group. In 2021, I was like, Hey Dan, I'm trying to find my Babs. Cuz he found Babs and they created Strategic Coach together. And he's like, No. Justin. The trick is, have your Babs find you. I'm like, Oh, that's it, that's a good idea.

I'll activate, maximize, achieve that. So Strategic Coach has a tool called the Impact Filter and it's a list of things that have to happen for the partnership to be successful. So I filled that out, took a couple minutes, and then I started sending it out to people I trusted.

And one of them was Mark Fujiwara, who is a 1596 Kolbe, by the way. 1596. I'm 8671. So very collaborative. And he looked at it and he goes, Oh, that's a good idea. Let's do that. So we created LinkedIn without the bs. And like Babs, Mark is a full visionary integrator, loves being backstage, loves building the stuff, doesn't wanna any of the glory, which is fine.

 But he's a true vision. He's a bigger visionary than I am, even though he is backstage. And that's why it's been an amazing partnership cuz he's my Babs. I call him that all the time.

[00:24:36] Jeffrey Feldberg: And it's, we're laughing and joking a little bit and it's a cute title, but really as you talk about it, Justin, one of the key takeaways, you talk about partners, and at least on, we can focus really on both the life side, but on the business side, you know what the partner that you choose for your business or plural, the partners that you choose for your business, that's gonna make or break you.

And I wanna take that concept for just a moment with this Chapter number three, strategy number three. And once again, we're gonna marry it to strategy number one with the cream rises to the top. And so are you having partners where they're actually sinking to the bottom or are they rising to the top?

And if we just take a business. Point of view for just a moment here. What does it look like in your business for the listeners? Because if they're not rising to the top, you know what? Stop what you're doing. Don't pass. Go and change it. Correct it. Make the difference because you're headed for a world of pain and

[00:25:34] Justin Breen: will only get worse.

[00:25:35] Jeffrey Feldberg: Only gonna get worse. So at one point. And so again, as we head into the new year as you're thinking about this is really just a whole new game changer of a strategy in terms of how you're looking at your business and what that means. And, a Deep Wealth, we're all about maximizing enterprise value and success and paying it forward.

While I got news for you, and it's not great if you don't have the right partners, or if you're thinking about a partnership, whether it be an investor or a buyer, or someone who's buying into the business to become your partner, there's a cream rise to the top. And just such an epic takeaway, pun intended there.

But that also goes to chapter number four, and you have such witty titles, Justin. So chapter four, strategy four, Winning the Wrong Game. Talk about an oxymoron. So winning the Wrong Game, a terrific story that goes behind this. Why don't you share it with us?

[00:26:23] Justin Breen: Thanks for saying they're witty. I would describe my humor as very dry. People don't know, I'm making a joke, but a lot of times like the names of my company, BrEpic, there's, it's just a joke because I like saying the word epic constantly. So now there's like a, there's scholarships and youth baseball teams and it's just it's, I just like saying the word epic.

There's, it's just funny. And I've been saying that for 20 years, so it's funny. Okay. It's just like, why not enjoy that kind of thing and when you're a journalist when you're a journalist, you don't, for the most part, you don't get into that for revenue. Employee count, office space that like landing the plane stuff.

I've never understood any of that stuff. And so being an entrepreneur for five years, you would talk to these people in these rooms we're like, Oh, my company just got 10 million revenue, or we just got our 50th employee, or we're expanding we're expanding to this. Or we just made this magazine lists top 5,000 lists or, I'm like, Okay that's great.

And so certainly the follow-up question I always ask is, when someone leads with that when someone leads. Which is fine, by the way, but the question I always ask when they're done after 10, 15 minutes of talking about all that stuff, I go, So how's your family? How's your family?

And not always, but many times like, Oh, I never see my family or never had one. And those are the most miserable people I've ever met in my life. Ever. And so I was talking to one of my entrepreneur friends, his name's Jesse Elder. He's a genius. He's a nine-quick start. He's very similar to your Kolbe, by the way.

He's one point higher and quick start, but he's also a six fact finder. I was talking to him, I'm like, why do people like that lead with that? Why do they lead with that? And he's like, Well, they're just winning the wrong game. I'm like, Oh, that's a good idea. I'll write a chapter about that.

And so I can always tell when someone's winning the wrong game cuz they lead with 10, 15 minutes about all this stuff that they don't really care about. But it's what they have. So that's what they have to lead with. And winning the right game is spending time with family and or loved ones. Creating real purpose.

And like what you said earlier, which was brilliant it's inside first. Inside first, then out. And that's what the folks that are leading with the material things, not the meaningful ones, they're leading with the outside stuff first. And that's cuz there's nothing.

[00:28:42] Jeffrey Feldberg: And you know, Justin, you're so right. When we're speaking with people, and I'm gonna go back to the cream rises to the top, you're absolutely right. It's foundational for the book and it's foundational with what we're talking about. When you're speaking to people, listen, not to what they're saying, but what aren't they saying.

And what's missing from that and why? And does the cream rise to the top? And you're really walking the talk because in winning the wrong game, you reference this earlier as we headed into strategy for, you said, I love saying the word epic, and you just found different ways to say the word epic, and one of the epic takeaways strategy four winning the wrong game.

Play your own game with your own rules. So Justin, in your world, one of your rules is how many times a day can I say epic? Have my company name like that. I'm gonna have the scholarships that are gonna be like that. And God bless you for being able to do that. But then you, in winning the wrong game, you also tie in.

So you're having some fun with that, but you're also tying in and really it goes back to find your Babs or have your BAB find you. And then it goes back to patterns. Not laying the entrepreneurial life, destroy the family life. And that's foundational in terms of optimizing a life for happiness.

And then you also say, Listen, list the things that really matter to you and win at those. And isn't that really what it's all about? If the listeners, if you stop right now and ask yourself, what are you chasing and why?

[00:30:02] Justin Breen: Why are you doing it?

[00:30:04] Jeffrey Feldberg: Exactly, did you see it on social media? Is it the fear of missing out?

Is it because someone told you to? And is that really where you want to be? Remember at the start of this conversation, we said, We're going give you the questions, you have the answers. You may not have the questions. And then really from that, just the synergies here, Justin, they continue to build because there's strategy number five, so I'm gonna stop calling them chapters because there really strategies.

So strategy number five, we talked earlier about how your inner talk forms your outer world and wow strategy Number five, name your years. And I just love how you're saying, pick a theme, pick a word or a small number of words for your years. And you talk about how in 2020 it was global growth and everything that you did was global growth.

And then in 2021, it was no limits. So why don't you share the power of what Strategy five has done for you and why you're putting it out there for everyone else to both learn and follow for themselves?

[00:31:00] Justin Breen: Thank you. Again, this is wasn't my idea. One of my entrepreneur friends PR partner Joe Martin, he's like, Oh, I named my years. And I'm like, Oh, that's a good idea. I'll start doing that. So in 2020 or 2019, he, late 2019, he told me about it right before covid. Started 2020 every day. Global growth.

Global growth. So before Covid shutdown everyday global growth. And so in 2020 every day, global growth joined two of the top entrepreneurial groups in the world which were fully global. Part PR partners around the world started talking to people all over the world. And then 2021 was No Limits.

So every day, no. Okay, so when you have no limits, there are no limits. No limits. So, started the second company with a partner I had never met in person until our, a giant launch party later in the year first book, international bestseller in six countries record, profit, So No Limits, right?

And then this year, Epic life. Epic life. Epic life. So the name of the book, Epic Life. And it wasn't the name of the year and book wasn't, it wasn't my idea either. None of those were my ideas. I was on another show similar to this with a great friend, Bill Bloom, also PR partner, tremendous entrepreneur.

He's like, Oh, your first book is Epic business. The second should just be Epic Life. I'm like, Okay. It's great. Thank you. That's perfect. And then it winds up being the year as well, and I start thinking about the next year very late in the year. And it'll happen when it happens, but I don't have 2023 yet, the years, the name of the year yet.

But I will, And then when it happens, it'll, every day it'll be that title, it'll be that title. So I'm very much looking forward to what 2023 will be.

[00:32:45] Jeffrey Feldberg: And I'm sure whatever it is, you're gonna be having fun with that. Going back to one of the earlier strategies, and let's see if you can figure out how to put the word epic into that. We'll see how that all pans out, And then, as strategy number six was really an interesting one and strategy number six, the more you see who.

Not how the more you'll see. You didn't see. And again, I just love the play on words that you're doing here. They give you a lot to think about before you even dive into the strategy itself. So why don't you share with the listeners, Justin, what was going through your mind at this point? And you know why I have this as a strategy in the book.

[00:33:22] Justin Breen: Yeah. It's really interesting how your brain works. I'm an eight-fact finder. You're six. So I'm really like it. These are the best collaborative calls. But, so the one person that I know of who's less than a seven-quick start that my firm have partner with is Jason Lowe. He's in Strategic Coach.

He's a five-quick start. He's more like a nine or 10 now I would say. But his official Kolbe score is the five-quick start, even though he doesn't act like that. And during a Strategic Coach event, he said that phrase that's the chapter title. I'm like, Oh, that's a really, that's very powerful.

And then one of the books that Dan Sullivan along with Dr. Ben Hardy have written is called Who Not How, And Entrepreneurs. A lot of them struggle cause they try to do a lot of things or almost everything themselves, as opposed to finding a who to do it for them. And my whole life is the purpose of my life besides hanging out with my family, is to be a connecting superhero for every visionary, abundance, investment mindset, entrepreneur and share their stories with the world not there.

The fundamental difference. And so if something doesn't align with that purpose either don't do it or find a who to do it for me very much how Mark Fujiwara has been the who, visionary integrator for graphic network. Because I'm terrible at almost everything, which is a, that's great because I know what I'm really great at and essentially ignore everything else or find someone who's much better at it to do it for me.

[00:34:54] Jeffrey Feldberg: And Justin, what's interesting, just your, again, your vulnerability, your honesty, your checking your ego at the door. And for the listeners, what's interesting about this, Justin's not saying this, just to have you bring out the violin and have pity for him. He's saying it because he really means it.

Hey, I'm not great in these areas, but you know what, so and so really is, and they, he or she is my Babs. And that really makes a difference for me. And so the question for our listeners as we start coming out of strategy six, and we're going into strategy seven, which is a mammoth one. Where in your life are maybe your, What's your kryptonite?

Maybe you're not so strong. And Justin, I love what you said a little bit earlier when you said, hey, I know what my strengths are, and I'm paraphrasing here a little bit, but I know what my strengths are. I know what my superpowers are and I'm gonna take that to the world, but I'm also gonna play off other people's superpowers.

And together we're gonna collaborate, make a difference. The cream rises to the top and know what coincidence there, and you're doing some wonderful things together. Then you can tie in the perfection of patterns and finding your Babs, and it just goes on and on with that. But you know what your superpower is.

And so for our listeners coming out of this, what's your superpower? We told you at the start that we're gonna be asking the questions. You have the answers. What's your superpower? And are you taking that to the world or no judgment here. You have a superpower that maybe you've put off to the side because your family didn't want you going in that area, but it's really a passion of yours and you're just doing something but you hate it.

And I'm gonna put a pause on that because that's strategy number seven. And you talk so nicely about this strategy seven, what are your core values? And that really is a nice segue into what we were just saying just before. So Justin, what are your core values? You lead off with an very interesting story, and I'm going to actually turn it over to you and share with the listeners what was going through your mind with strategy number seven.

What are your core values?

[00:36:46] Justin Breen: Again, not my idea, but , that's, again, it's not my strength is ideation, but I depend on all these ideators who have created these amazing lives for themselves. So Darius I can never pronounce his last name. Darius Mirshahzadeh Sorry, I mispronounced your name cuz I know I did.

He's an eight quick start also. He's a six fact finder also. You

[00:37:06] Jeffrey Feldberg: Hey, we

[00:37:07] Justin Breen: There you go. I think it's a three follow through. So yeah, he's like almost your Kolbe twin. And so he wrote a book called The Core Value Equation. Which is really good. Really good. And then I'm paraphrasing, but the first line of his book is like

It's I just built this incredible global company, and I hate it. He had 200 employees and he hated, He's like, Why am I doing this? He's a miserable human being, winning the wrong game. I'm like, Oh, that's a pretty good lead to a book. And so he changed, he flipped the script and he started focusing on core values.

And that's what the book's about. And I'll dovetail that. A lot of folks care about revenue office space, employee count. That's fine. I only have two 10 xs in life. Two cuz I'm a simplifier. So one is, did I have one good experience that day with my family?

So 10 Xing that and then two 10 Xing network on a global level. So did my network grow on a global level every day? Those are the only two questions I ask myself every day. Did have a good experience with my family and did network grow. And every day the answer to those are yes. And what I found is all this other stuff takes care of itself, but it all starts with having those core values of family and network family and network.

[00:38:22] Jeffrey Feldberg: And for our listeners, did you catch what Justin just shared with interfacing with the top of the top entrepreneurs worldwide and running successful businesses? Plural, He boils his day down to two questions. One on the family side, which is first and then one on the business side, and asking if he tend to Exit.

And it's a simple yes or no, There's no complicated answers. Yes or no. Did I do it or did I not do it? Yeah. Yes or no? And if I did, terrific, let's make tomorrow even better. And if I didn't, okay, why not? Then what's going on here? And do I have to pause and think? So I just love how you can take.

Complex types of situations, Justin, and you just boil it down to the most simplest of things. Not to confuse simple with simplicity, but you get it done with that. So I love that. And that actually parlays nice into strategy number eight. And it's a terrific story here, The joy of the bank run. And when I was reading chapter eight, I was actually reminded of our first conversation.

And again, we'll have all that in the show notes. When you started your business, you're this journalist, you have absolutely no business experience and you're making like 5,000 cold calls to just different people to become a client. And it's very humble beginnings. But I'm gonna stop there.

I'm gonna let you pick up strategy number eight. The joy of the bank run.

[00:39:36] Justin Breen: Yeah. It sounds like I'm robbing a bank. It's kinda funny. So again, I was doing another show like this. One of my great friends, Scott Becker. Well this is really fascinating. He is, this is, again, this is why it works. He is I think he's a 6 4 83. So almost your Kolbe as well.

Are you seeing the same pattern now? He's got eight quick start and a decent fact finder. Maybe I should have put all the Kolbe folks, like every chapter, like their name and then in parentheses should have put their Kolbe then that would've been an interesting connection. I was on my way to the bank when he was interviewing me, I'm like, Oh hey, I'm on my way to the bank.

And he's Isn't that fun making a bank run? Cuz it reminds you of humble beginnings or like income coming in or whatever that, and that is, and it was joking for sure, but it was also serious because it very rarely happens anymore where you get like an actual physical check.

But the first check that I ever got that said on it, which I thought was hilarious and awesome, was for $500. And I remember driving that check and depositing it into the bank and it was so cool. It was so cool to see that. And then the checks have just, they've kept going up and up and up and up and up.

And then the first check ever got for BrEpic Network, the second company, I actually saved the receipt for that one. I didn't for the first one. But it's a really good reminder of getting out of the office or out of your house and then just appreciating, hey, you've created something where people are investing in it, where people are valuing.

How you can help them. And it's as simple as going to your bank and depositing a check.

[00:41:14] Jeffrey Feldberg: And you know, Justin, what I really enjoyed about this chapter, you're just starting out very humble beginnings. It was small, $500. It's not so much about the amount, but it's the start of an epic, pun intended word, intended. An epic journey, Justin, that you're starting and forget the amount to this day.

You will always remember that. And it really also it goes back to the perfection of patterns. Strategy number two, what are your rituals? So you know what you could have played the victim, Oh, poor me, I'm just getting going. I don't really have any money. I got this piddly little check, but not at all. It was like, Wow, look at this.

Someone's actually paying me and it's got the word BrEpic the check. Does life get any better?

So, you know, Really for me, strategy number eight, the joy the bank run. And whether it's a bank run or something else, it's really a ritual. Can you look back at your journey and as important as you're going through your journey, particularly something that's new for you, can you really live in the moment and just soak it all in and use that to energize you to really make the difference?

And that's also interesting because that theme ties into strategy number nine, People who pay attention. And it goes back to, I love what you said earlier with your super power. How you know what your superpowers are. You look for other people's superpowers. Let's just pause the conversation here for just a moment, Justin. You're not in this world. You deliberately ensure that you're not in this world, but how many people are in the world of, yeah, I'm doing the same blank, different day. No one appreciates what we're doing. They'll change us out in the blink of an eye for someone who's a few pennies less and they don't really appreciate what's going on there.

And I remember from our numerous conversations that you deliberately went out of your way to only work with people who appreciated what you're doing. So there's power behind that with strategy number nine, People who pay attention. Why don't you share with listeners some of your key insights?

[00:43:13] Justin Breen: Well, you know, Everything's about progress and evolution. And again our firms partner exclusively with visionaries who live in abundance and who look at things as investments, not cost. So the most interesting thing that I've seen since really cementing that, is that some people think they're visionaries.

They think they live in abundance, but they still look at things as costs, not investment. And those people are not visionaries and they don't live in abundance. They live in scarcity and they're not visionaries because there's a cost attached to things. And I found that the people who do partner with our firms and certainly ones that partnered with the first one, many of them became partners in the second company the network as well.

Because they had valued, they had written the check, made the investment and they were glad to write the check for the second company as well. And I'm full activator, so talk to me is, it's completely meaningless without taking action and making the investment. There is no cost. There's no, what do you charge?

There's full action and full investment and people that pay with that investment. Those are the ones that I strictly focus my entire time around because those are the ones, one that actually do something. And two, those investments allowed me to spend time with my family, which is what I value most.

[00:44:42] Jeffrey Feldberg: Goes full circle. Cream rises to the top, no excuses. You're finding your rituals or your patterns, you're finding your Babs. You're actually winning at the right game very intentionally because you're having people that are paying attention and they're paying you, and life is good and it actually helps you name your years as you go along.

I can just go through each of the strategies they build one off the other. It's incredible. But then you really brought this home. We're now a third of the way through with strategy number 10, and so it starts off with gratitude journal, but. Really it was a whopper of a chapter, a very heartfelt with the stories that you're sharing.

I just got the goosebumps and the shivers when I was reading. You're talking about your Uncle Stan and what was going on with him. And I'm not gonna take the wind outta your sales on that one, but you know what? At the end of the chapter, you put your three points as you do with most of the other strategies.

And just this, the second point, for whom are you grateful and how do you let them know? I just stop. And I reread that many times and I said, Okay. Wow. Justin is just spot on with what he's sharing here. So I'm gonna stop there. Justin, why don't you share with our listeners what's going on here with Strategy 10 Gratitude Journal, and for whom are you grateful?

How do you let them know?

[00:46:01] Justin Breen: So Uncle Stan he was my dad's last living brother. And yeah, so I'm not a very emotional person, but when I talk about, actually, I get more emotional talking about him than even my own dad, cuz he, he lived longer and then he was of like a father to me. And then he was, he sat directly to my right when my mom told our family that my dad had passed away.

So we weren't even at the hospital. And then my uncle, who was full military hero Navy great. A great American, just a great American, an inventor, a genius like his IQ was completely off the charts and he started crying. He started crying cuz I think he was the last of the Breen brothers who had, that's a tough, that's a tough one when you've overcome all that in their lives.

They grew up in a tiny little apartment where my grandpa was like a Taylor speak no English. And they grew up in this tiny little place. So for him to be the last living one, I think that was very hard for him. Very hard. And so he was like a father to me after my dad died. Which I'm, endlessly grateful for that, had all that wisdom from him and his wife Fran, who also passed away unfortunately.

But they were the most supportive people in my life by far. After my dad died, those two for sure. And endlessly grateful for them. And so if you're constantly grateful, it's hard to be ungrateful. So what that means is you just work on your gratitude every day. And a big part of that is journaling.

So the first thing I do every day is a grateful journal to my wife when I'm grateful for her, the previous 24 hours. If you think of the opposite personality as me, that would be my wife who's a pediatrician. So she's love empathy, warmth, rules lists, calendar items, rigorous scheduling. Taught me how to say thank you.

And so the most important thing for her is for someone to say thank you to her. So I'm endlessly great. I don't care if anyone says thank you to me, that's fine. But for her, very important. And so that's what I do every day, seven days a week, Grateful Journal to her first thing. And then five days a week on LinkedIn I'll include this conversation in that five days a week, I do a grateful journal there.

What I'm grateful for that day. And then just use it as a commercial for other people. And again, simplify the simplification. When you're constantly grateful, it's very hard to be ungrateful. And then gratitude, I've learned this too. Gratitude. Being grateful attracts other people who are grateful and have gratitude.

And those people are visionaries who live in abundance, who look at things as investments, not cost.

[00:48:27] Jeffrey Feldberg: It's you know, just amazing with what you're sharing. And this came in truly to you. And you know what, Justin, I'm sure that science has really shown what you're talking about, because you said earlier, when I'm feeling grateful, that's really all I can feel. I can't feel anything else.

And science has shown that the way the brain thinks, you can only feel one emotion at a time, and it's always a choice. And if you take the perspective life is happening for me, not to me, it really ties into the whole gratitude side. And gratitude is one of the highest emotions. It's one of the highest frequencies and just does so much of the fact that you're doing it and the gratitude journal right off the bat, and you're appreciating people and just asking all the right questions before you even start your day is pun intended, epic.

Justin, here's one for you. It's epic in terms of how you're starting your day, how you're ending your day, how you're going throughout your day from these rituals. And so for our listeners, your takeaway here, are you feeling grateful? Or are you feeling remorse or something in between? And if you're not grateful, why not?

And why don't you try a little experiment for the first 30 days? Just feel grateful no matter what happens. And see where that takes you, see how you feel. That'll be one of our challenges coming outta this conversation with you to see what you can do about that. And the other challenge is actually a wonderful tie-in into strategy number 11.

Which is the conversation becomes the product. And if you don't know Justin, and I've had the privilege, Justin, of getting to know you Justin could be dropping names and just saying, Yes, I know so and so, I just spoke with so and but as you've heard in this conversation, Justin, I don't think there's been a moment yet where you haven't given a tribute to someone.

Yes, I got this idea from them and they made all the difference for me. And with Strategy 11, you talk a lot about, Hey, just be open to feedback. It can be one comment, one conversation, because you're listening. That can change your life and maybe you'll even collaborate with that person. Yet how often, Justin, on the flip side, there's always two sides to a coin as they say that on the flip side, we all know these people.

How many times have you seen somebody, and again, no judgment here, they talk about themselves. You can't get a word in edge wise, and it's all about them. And it's okay, why am I here? They're just. Talking to me, not with me, and, what's really going on here and not such a great experience.

So Justin, why don't you talk with us about the power of how the conversation becomes the product based on your experience.

[00:50:54] Justin Breen: Thank you again. Yeah, Mark Laden another great entrepreneur. That's something he said. And what I've learned is that there's a huge difference between overthinking and active thinking. Overthinking that would be a life of torture for me where you don't actually do anything but active thinking is where you really think about it and do something.

You'd actually pick action, do something. Again, a perfect example is literally the name of the book. The I've had no Idea or the naming the year or really any idea in the entire chapter is the conversation is became the product. I look at each chapter strategy as a product. It's, that's really what it is.

It's a product. And then the Year, Epic Life, that was a conversation. The name of the book, Epic Life. That was a conversation. It became a product, BrEpic became a company, became a second company. It was a conversation with my wife. I'm like, Oh, I'll just name it BrEpic. Okay. And it became something, it led to something tangible.

And again, talk to me is it's meaningless without doing something about it. But if you have. And this is how your brain works, which is genius. If you partner with the cream that rises to the top, those conversations will become the products. That's what it'll lead to your next company.

It'll lead to have your babs find you or find your babs. That's what will happen by having the right conversations with the right people, which create the right ideas that actually become something of value.

[00:52:27] Jeffrey Feldberg: And Justin, you are so on point with that. And for listeners of the Deep Wealth podcast, you've heard me share the story, which goes right to Justin's point. I was asking the magic wand question. It's an X-Factor in the Deep Wealth nine-step roadmap, and asked this question to a client and the answer that he gave. had me put myself out of business so I can put myself into a bigger business, which later led to a nine-figure liquidity event. But it was all from the client. I would never have thought of that. So the conversation really becomes a product. It becomes your success.

But what I loved about this is you really change things up with strategy number 12.

And strategy number 12. I love the title. Are You an Alley Cat? Which had my interest right away. And you know, for the listeners when you read the book was terrific Justin, with what you did with the book. If you go to the end of the chapter, you have your three epic takeaway. And really in a bird's eye view, boom, you get it.

But then when you go back to the start of the chapter, you fill in the details, you give the narrative, which is absolutely fascinating. You give the context. So let's go to, are you an Alley Cat? What's going on here? What should our listeners know with strategy number 12,

[00:53:37] Justin Breen: Yeah, so your brain, you go to the answer first, then you do the deeper dive into what came up, what led to the answer. That's good. That's good. One of the chapters of the process is the shortcut. You just want the shortcut. So that's good. Perfect.

[00:53:49] Jeffrey Feldberg: A prelude to strategy

[00:53:51] Justin Breen: yeah.

Oh, is that the next one?

Yeah. Perfect. Exactly. Bob Saget, who I would consider him an entrepreneur Oh, really Good entertainers are entrepreneurs. So standup comedian, definitely entrepreneurs. TV star, definitely an entrepreneur movie star. Bob Saget was funny because the most vile, most insensitive comic.

And then he's the lead character on two of the most family friendly TV episodes ever. America's funniest Home videos. And then full house and if you've ever heard him doing, ever heard him doing standup, like worse than Eddie Murphy raw, worse than Robin Williams, by far. Way worse.

So I always thought that was funny. And so after he died, I listened to a couple of his shows about that you had to be insane. He was making fun of comedians. Like you had to be insane to be a comedian, which is very similar. You really have to be off to be a top performing entrepreneur.

Like your brain is not wired like a regular human. And then he talked in the podcast about being an alley cat, being an alley cat. You're up in the middle of the night you're searching for things when everyone else is sleeping. You're looking for all these opportunities. And I'm like a true entrepreneur.

That's where they're at. They're up at all hours. They're coming up with ways to really change the world when everyone else is not putting in the work. They don't mind doing whatever it takes. They're off from regular society. It really. It just hit me at a very high level because journalists are very similar too.

Like terrible work hours, weekends, paper comes out at one in the morning, so you're out all night. I used to write stories in the middle of the night. I don't anymore cuz the kids, but that's like the entrepreneurial mindset is this alley cat. There's three ways to get into a club.

Three ways. Like just picture a nightclub. One vip, vip, that's a very small percentage. Two, the overwhelming amount of people will stand in line like sheep. If you want me to do an aside, I can talk to you about a science daily article I saw about sheep and sheep dogs. I can, if you want.

Cause that'll be a chapter in the third book. So that's most people, sheep standing in line. And then the third way is like the alley cat way. You just break in through the third door . If you can, you get in the third door, when no one's looking. And so that's the entrepreneur.

That's the alley cat mindset.

[00:56:16] Jeffrey Feldberg: Isn't it ever where there's a will, there's a way in doing what's right, often isn't easy, and hey, I'm gonna go around through, over whatever it takes just to get that done.

[00:56:27] Justin Breen: Can I tell you something funny that just happened?

[00:56:30] Jeffrey Feldberg: Absolutely.

[00:56:30] Justin Breen: That over the weekend. This is a perfect example of that. So both of our sons are in travel soccer and one of their games was in downtown Chicago and it was an AstroTurf field, turf field. And it was, the whole field was surrounded by a giant fence cuz there's very limited space there.

And a giant fence and nets. And so there were probably about 50 parents, 50 parents there. There were little bleachers outside the fence, so 48 of those parents sat in the bleachers, even though there was a fence in front of the field, you can't, it's very hard to see through a fence. And so there was a little opening and I snuck in even though I was told not to.

The coach actually said, hey, you can't sit there. So okay, I walked back out and then snuck back in and then sat in a quarter inside the field and got a better view of the game . So I'm like, that was the perfect example of that, of like, hey, I actually wanna see my son play and not be behind a fence.

But most people, they would just do what they're told and sit in the bleachers behind the fence. And true entrepreneurs just not like that. They're just not

[00:57:33] Jeffrey Feldberg: Justin, the Alley Cat who's begging forgiveness, not asking permission.

[00:57:38] Justin Breen: You would do the same thing.

[00:57:40] Jeffrey Feldberg: You're absolutely right Justin. I would, I have, and I will.

[00:57:43] Justin Breen: I can see you in Toronto at like a Maple Leafs game trying to get in like the basement the Maple leaf gardens or whatever.

[00:57:50] Jeffrey Feldberg: If I had a dollar for every time I sold, hey, you can't do that. And I'm begging for forgiveness. That'd be a whole, a whole other episode there. And you know, it's interesting. So book number three, Love hearing that. And you've given us a little bit of job there.

Something to look forward to in the upcoming year. So we'll look forward to that. And, we'd love to talk about the whole sheep thing. You know, something that is very much of interest. Love what you're doing with that. But why don't we keep a little bit of a non spoiler alert.

We're gonna keep the listeners really in suspense on that. You're gonna have to wait for next year after the third book comes out and when the next book comes out, and we'll definitely do a deep dive on that. But then, for strategy number 13, which is really near and dear to my heart because less is more and simplicity and for our listeners, maybe this becomes one of your themes for this upcoming year.

You know, you could say the word simplicity or Justin, if we're thinking of you epic simplicity could be a theme for some of our listeners who are overly complicated with what they're doing. So simplicity, the process is a shortcut. Strategy 13, the process is the shortcut. So Justin, this is all you. Take it away.

[00:58:59] Justin Breen: Well, I think you just gave me the title for 2023. Thanks, Simplicity. I'll probably do that. Thanks. Thank you. There you go. Do you get credit.

[00:59:06] Jeffrey Feldberg: Love it. Simplicity or epic simplicity.

[00:59:08] Justin Breen: Well, simplicity is simpler than Epic. Simplicity,

[00:59:10] Jeffrey Feldberg: Done. Sold. Done, and done.

[00:59:13] Justin Breen: yeah, that might, that it might not a hundred percent, but 99 on that one 99. That's good.

Okay, so the process is the, But again, this is how I learn and like my brain, if something's really good, I'm like, Oh, that's perfect. Cause then I'm thinking like, Oh, simplicity, then that's pretty good. That's a pretty good. So it'd be global growth. No limits. Epic life simplicity. That's pretty good.

That's a pretty good. All right. So let me I'll all, I'll stop there. But that's what my brain does. And so, that does factor into the process is the shortcut because entrepreneurs at the highest level, they just want the answer. They just want the shortcut. They don't want all the complexity.

They don't want all, like, all the reasoning behind it. Just gimme the answer. Just tell me what to do. And in the formula, the shortcut for creating a successful global companies. It's very simple. It's very simple. It's a very simple shortcut, very simple process. So here it is, four steps. This is it.

You see a problem, Create solution, problem solved, successful global company, see a problem, create solution, problem solve, successful global company. So all entrepreneurs want is the problem solved and that will lead to success. Hey and just again, talk is meeting with me without providing an answer.

So journalists for 20 years created entire first company based on how PR firms annoyed me for 20 years. Solve problem created solution, problem solve, successful global company. Second company, annoyed by platforms that let everyone in. Cream that rises to the top, doesn't have time for that. So created LinkedIn without the bs, solve problem, create solution, problem solve.

It's the same, it's the same formula. And then the problem I hear is we're tired of being the best secret. We wanna be in more news, more media to create more validity and credibility for our brand. See a problem, create solution, problem solve, successful global company. And that's all created by creating the process, which is the shortcut.

That's all any good entrepreneur wants to do, is create a process that becomes the shortcut that solves the problem.

[01:01:09] Jeffrey Feldberg: Simplicity at its best. But again, we're not gonna be having simple confused with simplicity and vice versa, and it just works. The process is the shortcut. And you know what? Because it's simple, let's just leave it at that because it is simple. Strategy 13. So for strategy number 14, what I love about strategy 14, clear the mechanism.

Strategy 14 to me really leaned heavily on a few of the earlier strategies, Justin, and how do you give the background behind it? But strategy 14 for me, what really brought it together was again, everything seems to be coming back to the cream rises to the top. So you're right, that's foundational.

But it also goes back to strategy number nine, People who pay attention, and I'll leave it at that for the clear, the mechanism strategy for a team, because I'll have you fill in everyone else. What the heck is going on with this? What does that really mean, and why is Jeffrey saying these things and how they all tie in.

So Justin, clear the mechanism. What's going on here?

[01:02:03] Justin Breen: Yeah, I'm still trying to think of simplicity as the right year game for 2023. I'm not gonna stop. This is where my high follow through kicks in after the high quick start, but I am focused because and this is part of it because, so clear the mechanism watched a lot of sports movies.

Was a sports editor for a long time. So one of my least favorite sports movies is for Love of the Game, is a horrible movie. People like it. That's great. That's fine. In my opinion. It's a horrible movie. Kevin Costner was in it. He pitched a perfect game for the Detroit Tigers in his last start, ever at Yankee Stadium.

Terrible plot, terrible acting. However, there's one line in it, which is absolute gold platinum, as you said. And so he's on the mound starting the game, and he's the road pitcher. So, you know, Yankee Stadium, very loud, air horns, all that stuff. The subway in the background.

And so it's very loud. And so in his head he says, Clear the mechanism and everything goes blurry except the catchers mit. Kind of The umpire and then the batter. Everything else is blurry except that, and that's how my life is. It's ultra focused on just clearing the mechanism. The mechanism is all this other nonsense that doesn't really matter.

And then just ultra focused on what actually does matter to get the job done.

[01:03:20] Jeffrey Feldberg: And absolutely love that also goes back to the process as the shortcut or simple. It's focus and what's your focus. So are you having clients as an example, who don't appreciate what you're doing, They're giving you a hard time and they're taking you off of your super power and you're focusing on all the wrong things.

Are you having people in your life, whether it's a business partner or associates or on the personal side, they're not the cream rising to the top and it's taking you off of your focus. Incredibly powerful questions, and as listeners think about that and what does that mean for you and what more importantly can you be doing about that?

Again, we're raising the questions. You have all the answers, you'll know what to do, but awareness is the first starting point for that. And speaking of awareness strategy number 15, God winks. Justin, this one really was intriguing, particularly coming from yourself.

I really have a lot of respect for you. And when you threw this out, I was like, Wow, isn't that interesting? And so

[01:04:21] Justin Breen: expect that

[01:04:22] Jeffrey Feldberg: It was not expected, but my respect for you, which is already very high, went through the roof with this, because you're really acknowledging what a lot of people tend to ignore.

And that's whether you wanna call it the universe or God or something else. You're saying, hey, you know what? And this also goes back to patterns. There's certain things that we just can't explain and we can either acknowledge them, embrace them or not, and what a difference it makes when we do.

So why don't you walk us through strategy number 15, God winks. And what we should be doing is we go through the coming days, weeks, and as we welcome the new year?

[01:04:56] Justin Breen: Yeah. This is a good one for New Year and holidays, thinking. And then Teresa Isler, she's wonderful human being. Amazing entrepreneur. And I've always found that believing in some type of higher power. Doesn't need to necessarily be religion, although that's fine. And this is a joke, but I'm not joking.

The only proof I need of a higher power is that someone like my wife, married someone like me. That makes no sense. So that's unexplainable. So somebody's gotta be in charge of that one. If you have the answer to that one, let me know. Doesn't make any sense. But, and then if you think about it, like how my parents met or what my dad had to do to survive all that it, you know, I just, it's unexplainable other than, believing in something higher.

So I was talking to Theresa Isler about that, and she's Oh God, winks. I'm like, Oh, okay. Right About that. And it's really interesting when you just it's not giving up control per se, although it kind of is, but it's a very comforting feeling. It's a very, And you talk about lack of ego, I think that's the ultimate lack of ego.

I'm glad you said that cuz it's making me really think about it. It's like a lot of entrepreneurs, they put themselves first, but what I mean is like really over anything. It's beyond a selfish thing. I would say like true visionaries put themselves first in terms of doing helping themselves cuz they can help others, but having a higher power, that is a comforting thing as opposed to making yourself the higher power.

Does that make sense? Cuz that's the way I look at it. It's not an ego thing, it's not an ego thing. It's it's giving up it's giving up a power, but that it will allow yourself to help as many people as possible by giving yourself an ability to accept that type of power.

I think that's really what it comes down to.

[01:06:46] Jeffrey Feldberg: You said that's so eloquently Justin and at short ends. Absolutely. It makes perfect sense. And it also for our listeners, it really takes the pressure off of us that, hey, you know, there are things that are beyond me. I don't necessarily need to understand them, but things do happen that happen for a reason.

And let's go back to mindset, Justin, which is such an important part. And one of the strategies that you shared earlier with your mindset is, hey, part of the mindset is life is happening for me, not to me one little word for. And then the word two, what a difference that can make. And when you look at strategy 15 with God wins, it really brings that all together of life is great.

I don't need to understand all of it, but there's just these synchronicities that are happening and isn't it wonderful? And speaking of wonderful, it really ties nicely into Strategy 16 and once again, I love your play on words. Be a small giant. What a play on word strategy 16. Be a small giant, but small word aside, it's a giant of a concept in terms of what you're doing.

And for me, when I read this Justin, it really got to back to the superpowers. What's my superpower? Let's get rid of this imposter syndrome. Let's forget about what everyone else is doing. I was put on this planet to do something special. I now know what my superpower is. I'm gonna take it to the world and make a difference.

And it could be the smallest, the smallest things in my mind, but it can change lives and actually be a really big thing for other people. So why don't you walk us through be a small giant strategy number 60, and what's going on with.

[01:08:20] Justin Breen: I'm looking up this Kolbe real quick. Steven Noner, so he's an eight quick start. Like you five, five fact finders. So one less, but he's a six follow through like me, that's very rare. So he's a six follow through with an eight quick start. That's really rare. And I'm a seven quick start with a six follow through, which is also really rare.

So I was talking to him about that cuz we're both like unicorns. Most of the people Steven and I talk to are very high quick start and very low follow through. That's true visionary all over the place, endless ideas. And if you don't hire a million people, nothing would get done but that's fine cuz people like that create, companies that change the world. So I was talking to Steven about that and he said folks with our Kolbe, the high quickstart and high follow through there, he describes them as small giants. So at one or two, maybe three, but more likely one or two things.

Incredible superpower, genius, gifted, whatever that is. And then everything else. I'm not kidding. I don't know how to hold a pencil. I've tried to do it. It's really hard. It's really hard for me to tie my son's shoes, even though they can do it now. Thank God they can put their own bike helmets on now.

Thank God the last time we talked I was still having to do that for them. And it's really difficult like getting a nod out of something. Oh God, it's really like, I'm getting stressed just thinking about it. But anyway, like connecting people, , connecting people and getting the media simplifying message, Okay, world class, great, fine.

And then to really like double down on that. Even if you don't have a Kolbe where it's high quick start and high follow through, you can still be a small giant at one or two things. You can be truly great and then incorporate the who not how for everything else. You can do that. So I think that's the lesson is you can be a small giant by clearing the mechanism, cream rise to the top, finding the right people, all of those things that preceded that chapter.

[01:10:11] Jeffrey Feldberg: And you know what's interesting here, Justin, as you just shared that, and this goes back to clearing the mechanism with the focus and the cream rising to the top, and also some just simplicity or simple, there's some foundational strategies here upon which everything else is built off of that. If you did nothing else but mastered these foundational strategies, everything else is gonna fall into place.

And that's what I loved. Whether it was intentional or not, there really is a method to your madness of how you're doing all of this, Justin, with the book and one strategy after the other. And so congratulations with that.

[01:10:46] Justin Breen: I mean, that your gift is, it's really incredible. This is now the second or third time you've done this, you can, you layer, you take the shortcuts, the processes, and you turn it into one big shortcut. Like you just simplified 30 shortcuts by building onto each other.

Like I wrote it, but then you verbalized it.

It's really fascinating. You're welcome.

[01:11:06] Jeffrey Feldberg: It goes back to teamwork as well.

[01:11:08] Justin Breen: Exactly.

[01:11:08] Jeffrey Feldberg: Okay, Justin, for strategy number 17. And again, I love how you chose your words so wisely. Strategy 17, Avoid boring people and avoid boring people. It doesn't get, doesn't get any more boring than that, Justin. And again, I love the continuity here. I'm not gonna take the wind outta your sales. I am simply gonna say before you explain this, that when I went through this, really for me, this went all the way back to strategy number one.

The cream rises to the top. But that's all I'm gonna say. I'm gonna leave the rest to you. So what was going through your mind when you came up with strategy 17 of avoiding boring people?

[01:11:47] Justin Breen: The first thing was, should one of the borings be italicized in the headline to emphasize that it was two different versions of boring. And then I'm like I think people will get it. I think people will get it. And at least non boring people will get it. And it's a really simple thing. It's a simple thing in entrepreneur world that one entrepreneurs are not boring.

They're the really the most interesting people on the planet. They're just totally different than average, normal humans. And then also with folks like that, most of them have short attention spans. So they just wanna get right to the point, get right to the point. So it's two things, entrepreneurs like hanging out with other entrepreneurs cuz they're not boring and then they don't like to bore each other.

They like to talk about all the cool things that they're up to. That's really what it came down to.

[01:12:41] Jeffrey Feldberg: And it just goes back to, you know, we talked about this actually on the last episode and on this episode, and we're taking a little bit of liberty here because we didn't come up with this, but it's a beautiful quote. I believe it was Jim Ron who said, You are the average of the five people that you spend the most amount of time with, including boring people, is in that average.

So the math doesn't discriminate against that. And so it's words for the whys and from boring people. Let's keep this moving because strategy number 18 really hit home. Time vampires stay away from them. And the two things that jumped off the page, and I love these little sayings that you come up with along the way.

Talkers are takers. Now try saying that 10 times fast

[01:13:29] Justin Breen: Not easy.

[01:13:30] Jeffrey Feldberg: maybe even have a, yeah, even a little bit to drink on that one. That'd be even more difficult. We're not gonna go there. But I love that, love that saying that talkers, our takers are gonna talk about that in, in a moment. And then I kind of gave a little nickname.

You have a list of six, and I call it the Deadly six. And

[01:13:46] Justin Breen: Oh good. I like that.

[01:13:47] Jeffrey Feldberg: That the time vampires, there's a Deadly Six list of six things to look out for. So why don't you share with our listeners what's going on here with these talkers or takers, otherwise known as time vampires, and the Deadly Six list.

[01:14:00] Justin Breen: Even though this is chapter 18, this is like for me, this is number one on the avoid list. This is different than boring, but this is it's number one on avoid and as a full activator action taker investment, get stuff done. For me personally, time vampires, it's. It's the biggest struggle I have is constantly being on the lookout for them.

I've gotten pretty good at finding like who they are but every now and then, one, one of them will slip in and I really get annoyed by that. That's the thing that annoys me the most because they don't, they take time away from me and my family.

[01:14:39] Jeffrey Feldberg: Exactly. Back to your two goals for the day. Did I hit it outta the park on the business side and a time vampire is going to zero that out and am I hitting it outta the park with my family? And again, those are all zeros with the time vampires.

[01:14:53] Justin Breen: it's a weird thing too. It just happened, again, it doesn't happen often, but it did recently where this person's definitely a time vampire. They talked a big game, said they were ready to do something, sent them the agreement, and then they're like, Sorry, this isn't gonna happen. I was very confused because this was a long time of discussions, long time.

And it's a bewilderment to me cuz if I say I'm gonna do something, I just do it. You just do it. But there are just some people out there that whether they like attention or they'd like talking about themselves, it's like a real, it's a real confusing thing for me.

I don't know if that's the same for you, but like for me even as a journalist for 20 years, it's like you take your deadline, you get the story done, that's what you do. And then my dad, you get back in the plane, even if it was shot down. Even if you don't have a parachute, you just do it.

And most of the world doesn't work that way which is very confusing to me. So I did list that you said the deadly six, Is that what it was?

[01:15:53] Jeffrey Feldberg: Yes, the deadly six

[01:15:55] Justin Breen: Yeah. Do you want me to list them or I

[01:15:57] Jeffrey Feldberg: Yeah, listen, you know, as I saying, goes straight from the horse's mouth. Why don't you share it with the audience? The deadly six of time vampires. These are the telltale signs that you are, in fact, in the presence of a time vampire.

[01:16:10] Justin Breen: So one if someone sounds too good to be true, they're almost certainly too good to be true. That's someone where they're over, you've never met this person and they're over complimentary. They just keep going on it. If they ask for endless advice or your context before committing to an investment, they're likely wasting your time.

If you ask how a time vampire is doing and 30 minutes later the time vampire on the other end is finished with their answer, they are a time vampire. That was a joke. In case no one can understand my sense of humor. if after several meetings they decide to concoct gimmicks to try and pay for your services, they are time vampire.

That's a barterer. You can a barterer. If they are more than five minutes late to a meeting, which does happen, but then they don't apologize. That's the crew. Listen for that. They are time vampire. And if someone asks, What do you charge within the first five to 10 minutes of an initial conversation, instead of what does an investment with you and your firm look like?

They are a time vampire.

[01:17:08] Jeffrey Feldberg: And you Justin, as you go through that list, the common theme I'm going to say in, in a word, it's courtesy or lack of courtesy.

[01:17:17] Justin Breen: Hundred percent.

[01:17:18] Jeffrey Feldberg: There's a lack of social intelligence. So when you ask someone, hey, how you're . Doing? You're not saying, Tell me 30 minutes from now, continue to tell me how you're doing.

It's, hey, just how give me, give the one or two sentences, Hey, things are greater. I'm going through this. Or having an actual conversation and not just listening. So it's a lack of courtesy, it's a lack of social intelligence and it's all over the place in terms of clues that person is leaving and just too good to be true, as you're saying.

And so it's don't walk, run, and don't just run as fast as you can in the other direction. And for listeners out there, I'm gonna ask a little bit of a tough question. Because we've all been there. I know I've been there and sometimes I've been on both sides of this. And the question is, you may even know the person is a time vampire, but you've put your morals aside, you've put your values aside because you want the business and you put up with that person's, You know what, because there's a contract at the other end and you are miserable.

You look forward to those meetings, like you look forward to going to the dentist. Sorry for all those dentists out there.

[01:18:22] Justin Breen: I like going to the dentist. I'm in the minority

[01:18:25] Jeffrey Feldberg: That's another episode, Justin. Now your wonderful mind works, but you don't wanna do business with these vampires, but you sell yourself short.

And Justin, that goes back very early on to the strategies that we were talking about, where essentially you fired your clients who didn't meet that criteria. It takes guts, it takes courage, but there is a method to the madness with that. So the time vampires, the deadly six, how their talkers are takers, all of that.

Keep that in mind and we're gonna continue on this role that you have with different types of people, because for strategy number 19, mediocre people don't like high achievers. And if we're honest about it as high achievers, we don't like mediocre people couldn't be more true. So Justin, what's going on here?

[01:19:09] Justin Breen: So the point you hit a home run there with, if you're honest with yourself and I've noticed a lot of leaders they try to be someone they're not, where they try to like everyone and some folks are like that. I understand that, but I see a lot of people trying to force their way into liking people and not being honest with themselves. And this is a quote from Nick Saban, who I would argue is the top college football coach ever. He's won seven national championships, including six with Alabama. And he was giving a pep talk to the Alabama football supporters where he was talking about why he has such great culture with Alabama and why they win every year. And he was saying, we don't want people on our bus that are not high achievers that won't put in the work. And then he said, because high achievers don't like mediocre people and mediocre people don't like high achievers. So that's Nick Saban's quote. And of course the chapter credits him for that.

But it got me really thinking that it's two different worlds. It's two different conversations. And for the most part, the overwhelming majority of high level entrepreneurs are very high achievers. And I think as a whole, they don't understand or relate to people that, that don't wanna be like that or aren't high achievers.

And that's why it's so important to be in rooms with other high achievers cuz it's a two-way conversation. And it's okay, like you said, to be honest with yourself and be like, you know what, it's not that I have any ill will toward anyone or anything like that. It's just this is not gonna be a conversation that's worth anyone's time.

And being that direct, I think actually attracts other high achievers and people who aren't, they're just like, Okay, this isn't the right fit for me.

[01:20:46] Jeffrey Feldberg: And Justin, what's really interesting about this, and look, you and I, we don't make the rules and whether the rules are right or they're wrong, it just is what it is.

And so this tribe kind of mentality has asked. Not listen to ourselves and listen to others. And part of that now, and this isn't the tribe mentality per se, this is certain people, and by the way, the certain people can be your best friend, maybe even your spouse, a family member, a colleague, someone that you trust, someone that you admire.

They don't wanna see you better than them. They don't wanna see you more successful. They don't wanna see you wealthier, they don't wanna see you more fit. Not everyone is like that. A true friend is thrilled.

[01:21:30] Justin Breen: Hundred Hundred percent.

[01:21:31] Jeffrey Feldberg: Absolutely thrilled if in different areas you just are above and beyond and you're hitting it outta the park.

And we see this all the time. You're saying, I'm committing to health. I'm not gonna have those sweet snacks anymore. In fact, not even gonna snack at all. And then you're out for a meal with family or friends or at the workplace. Hey Jeffrey, come on, have a piece of cake. Don't be the party pooper here.

You're making everyone feel bad eat, and you feel this peer pressure because your exemplary behavior is having other people feel uncomfortable. And it's mediocrity at it's best. That's gonna bring you down. So Justin, let me ask you this, because you've really gone above and beyond this, and on paper it sounds so. Don't, don't hang around. Mediocre people don't fall into that peer pressure. But how do you do it and what do you do even if that mediocre thinking comes from someone that you admire, that you love, or who's really in your circle of influence? I think I know the answer there, but let's hear it from the master himself.

[01:22:35] Justin Breen: Thank you for saying that. I appreciate that. On Strength Finders I think it's easier for me than most people. So what do I mean by that? So on Strength Finders, Guilt Cliff and Strength Finders, there's 34 of them. I'm dead. Last and empathy, and second to last and Includer.

Naturally. It's very easy for me to do that. Now, for people like you, I have endless empathy, endless, endless. I don't understand people making excuses. I just don't. My partner, Mark Fujiwara, for second company, he's competition one, maximizer two, empathy three, he's third. So collaborative empathy. And then my wife is a pediatrician.

She's probably empathy one probably if that, or competition one, which is very interesting. So Mark is competition one, empathy three. My wife would be empathy, one or two, or competition, one or two. And so collaborative empathy, who are high achievers. But really it comes down to you're better at this than I am, but it really comes down to segueing into the next chapter is if when you're chasing time, you can't create, you can't create when you're chasing time.

 It's a very simple mantra for me because people that waste my time or a mediocre, or are not high achievers or are boring, they take time away from being my family and they take time away from me being able to create things. So that's a very hard and fast black and white rule for me.

And then it's just years and years and years of making that a ritual, as you say, or a habit or a pattern. It didn't just happen, those that Deadly Six that didn't just happen overnight. That took years of talking to the wrong people, which still sometimes come in.

So it's not easy, but it's also essential. I think it's also essential to be able to do this.

[01:24:24] Jeffrey Feldberg: Absolutely. And for our listeners, really as you think about the upcoming New Year, and again, this whole episode, we're giving this to you, This is our way of paying it forward, that you can make the new year the best one ever. And I know we always say, Oh, this is gonna be the best one ever, but this can really be the best one ever.

This can be foundational for you because the rituals that you're going to create from these 30 strategies that Justin has so graciously put out there in the book, Epic Life can be your foundation of a terrific life. And Justin, and I don't think you disagree with me when I say this, or is that saying, doing what's right.

Isn't always what's easy, and there may be times where it's very difficult to cut certain people outta your life. They may be a best friend, they may be a family member. Now you don't have to be a jerk about it. You don't have to in their face tell them why they're wrong and everything else. You can be very quiet, very discreet, very respectful that you choose just to not show up when they're around because you don't want them bringing you down.

And Justin again, you really have led the way for us. You have surrounded yourself and you've gone out of your way to do this. You've surrounded yourself with people who meet your criteria. And again, no judgment with that. They just resonate with what you're doing. They support you in what you're doing.

Justin, if you came to me tomorrow and said, hey, guess what, Jeffrey? I did A, B, C, and D and I'm now a billionaire. First words outta my mouth would be, Congratulations, Justin. I am. I am so thrilled for you.

[01:25:58] Justin Breen: That'd be the same thing for, Yeah, same thing.

[01:26:00] Jeffrey Feldberg: Not everyone's like that. Or Jeffrey, I'm starting a third company, Epic three.

And again it's not gonna be why are you doing that? Don't you have enough money already? Justin, what are you thinking? It's, hey Justin. Wow, that's terrific. Another way that you're just gonna change the world and make a difference. That's where you wanna be with people. And again, it goes back to something that we talked about earlier, Justin.

Always put yourself first. When you take care of yourself, you can then take care of everyone else in your life that matters to you. And speaking of that, strategy number 20. So we are two thirds of the way there now.

And it's, you can't create when you chase time, and we're going back to the most precious currency time, we all have 1,440 minutes a day. Doesn't matter how much zeros you have in the bank account, regardless of the zeros that you have, everyone has 1,440 minutes each and every day. And so what's going on here with you can't create when you chase.

[01:26:55] Justin Breen: It, again, those three types of people, which by the way, that's the overwhelming majority of society. I've actively chosen to ignore that and focus on, people like you because it allows me to spend time with my family and then create potentially third company or third book or and then people like you are like, Oh, that's amazing.

And then we help each other, in that process. But to me, life is about, it's very simple spending time with family and growing network. And I was in this entrepreneur meeting and there was a bathroom break. And so we were talking about, we were just talking to the bathroom.

And so one of the entrepreneurs like, Oh, where have you spending most of your time lately? I'm like, Oh, at the soccer practice field, cause he expected me to say, you know, I don't know, the office or speaking tour. Just did a really interesting show the other day about the difference now between a virtual book tour and then what would've happened 20 years ago.

[01:27:48] Jeffrey Feldberg: Fascinating.

[01:27:49] Justin Breen: It was a really good discussion. And I did the interview on my son's 10th birthday, so just this, it was October 10th, 2022. And I'm like, yeah, 20 years ago I would've been in some ridiculous bookstore some far away city. I wouldn't have been at my son's, I wouldn't have been home for my son's birthday.

And that brings it home for, you can't create when you chase time. So what does create mean? Create means experiences with family. Spending time at son's soccer practice or taking them to flag football practice, which I'm doing today. Or getting their 5k bibs and shirts and stuff.

You can't create memories. You can't create ideas with fellow collaborators. And what I see so much of not from people like you, but in the world, is people are just constantly chasing time. So busy with stuff cuz they're just focused on the wrong things.

[01:28:43] Jeffrey Feldberg: Yeah. And you know what I like about this is if you're not guarding your time, and you know what's so ironic, Justin, and tell me if you'll agree with this. If you know someone, the average person's walking down the street and they drop a $5 bill, they're gonna stop what they're doing. They're gonna chase after that, like there's no tomorrow.

That is priority number one. They're gonna grab that and just make sure that it doesn't get left behind. Now, on the flip side, when it comes to their time, which is worth a heck of a lot more than $5, they're just giving it away. They might as well open up their wallet, get a wad of $5 bills and throw it up in the air.

Or give it to anyone and everyone. And so the point here is if you're not guarding your time, you're under pressure all of the time. That was my interpretation of this. When you're chasing time, you're not in the zone, you're not in the flow. You're not gonna take to the world your absolute masterpiece because, oh my goodness, I gotta get this, I gotta get through this because I need to go to ABC and D I'm already behind schedule and I have a to-do list and I'm to doing instead of being, And it's just not guarding your time. So, for our listeners, one of your takeaways as you head into the new year, as you reevaluate your life, what are you gonna do to safeguard your time? How can you put your time as your most valuable resource? Period? End of story. Think about that. And as you do, let's go to strategy number 21.

The only thing you can do wrong is do nothing. Love it. Absolutely love it. And when I read that I have a little saying, I say to myself and to those that I coach and mentor, dreamers, dream doers do.

[01:30:23] Justin Breen: Oh God. Dreamers dream. Ugh,

[01:30:26] Jeffrey Feldberg: And so this goes back to also the mediocre people. Oh, one day I'm gonna do this, or tomorrow I'm just gonna make a dent in the universe.

[01:30:35] Justin Breen: Do it.

[01:30:36] Jeffrey Feldberg: Exactly. So Justin, what's going on here? Tell us what's going through the brilliant mind of yours when you came up with strategy number 21. The only thing you can do wrong is do nothing aggravation. Tell us.

[01:30:47] Justin Breen: Aggravation. So Dave Erickson he's in Abundance 360. He's a genius. Dave grew up in North Dakota, had an outhouse, and let's just say he doesn't have an outhouse anymore. Just a great guy. He thinks he's an alien.

I actually agree with him. Like for real. Like he showed, he's this is what aliens have. This is what I'm like, Yeah, you're probably right. He is a very high quick start. He just does stuff. And the reason why he's doesn't have an outhouse anymore.

One of the main reasons is he just actually did something. He did it. And boy you really added a lot there with the dreamer's dream dreaming is fine. I think everyone dreams every single day, literally.

But if you don't do anything about that it's pointless putting it off, and it's like nothing.

What I always tell people, what I always tell people without exception is the longer you wait to do anything, the longer it takes for anything to happen.

And with, again, talk is meaningless to me without action. So with this, book, the second book, I started doing media for it before it was, the manuscript was, this was, early 2022. It didn't come out until August. And then started talking about even writing the book well before that. And then just did it, wrote it in 16 days, manuscript, and then thank you. But that's, And then you just do it and then it builds upon itself. But there's no chance for anything to happen or build upon itself unless you actually take action.

And here is something I think that is very important very important. So again, Peter Diamandis wrote the for, I'm incredibly grateful for that. And he leads Abundance 360. He's very confident saying it's one of the top entrepreneurial groups in the world, which Dave Erickson is a part of. And Peter has provided endless value to me and my life, my family.

The number one thing. The number one thing is he always. This will be very helpful for everyone. He always says so what? He does like a timeline. He's what can you do in the next six months to get this project going? Then he goes, What can you do in the next three months? What can you do in the next month?

This is all in a line. Then what can you do in the next week? And then the thing he always adds is at the very end, he goes, what can you do right now that will move it forward right now, not 10 minutes from now, right now? And that one little thing to get something moving forward always leads to something else moving forward.

Always. So what can you do right now? Not 10 minutes from now right now,

[01:33:12] Jeffrey Feldberg: So true. And you know what, Justin, here's another little saying that I have done is better than perfect and better. Better just to get out there better. Just get, Yeah, it's not great. It can be improved, but done is better than perfect because when you get it out there, you get market feedback, the next one will be even better.

The one after that will be even better than that. But you gotta start somewhere. It's not just going to magically overnight happen. So done is always better than perfect.

[01:33:41] Justin Breen: The unconscious motivators test. The print test, p r i n t. It always puzzles me because one of the numbers is the number one, which is, and some entrepreneurs have this, by the way, really successful ones. Everything needs to be perfect and right. And it boggles my like, how is that? But they have a mix of need to succeed and achieve.

So they have to succeed and achieve, but everything needs to be perfect and right. And by the way, these people are tortured cause they wanna do it, but it has to be. And then I was talking to very high level entrepreneur, and this is a dovetail to this, and she's so some of the most dangerous things, these aren't necessarily entrepreneurs, but some of the most dangerous feats on the planet are with people with a one as an unconscious motivator.

So you think about the free solo climber, I think it's Alex Honnold. Like, So if you're free soloing Yosemite, if everything's not perfect and right, that could be a problem, but that is not, that's different than entrepreneur world. It's different. Yeah.

[01:34:42] Jeffrey Feldberg: Absolutely. And speaking of different and just approaching things in a different manner, I love what you do with strategy 22. You took a very famous Japanese, I don't even wanna use the word saying because it's a way of life and it is pronounced Ikigai, I K I G A I.

And for a lot of Western people, this will be a new concept, but it stood the test of time and it absolutely has a place in your strategy. So tell us what EK guy is, Justin, and what that's all about.

[01:35:16] Justin Breen: Next time, I'd love for you to interview Mark Fujiwara my partner for second company because this is something he lives in at all times. Mark's lineage is half Japanese from his father's side and half Chinese from his mom's side. He's a really interesting, he's just a fascinating human being, and IKIGAI is living in your zone of genius.

It's living in your space of greatness at all times. And then it's totally focused on that.

And it's such an interesting thing collaborating with Mark because he's just he's so different than me yet so similar because he's just like this peaceful, calm, kind, empathetic person who is incredibly competitive.

Incredibly competitive, and it's because he's living in his Ikigai and his dad's still alive, his dad's in his nineties. And he said he gets it from his dad who's just this calm sit there, will listen very carefully, doesn't say much, and has this high level inner peace.

And for anyone, but especially an entrepreneur, to find that inner peace in zone of genius, I would say is essential.

[01:36:33] Jeffrey Feldberg: Absolutely. And you know what? When you learn about the concept, you go through it, it just changes your lens on life

of how you look at things. And we have in the west different ways that we say this, when you do an activity, are you feeling energized? Do you feel the flow? What do you look forward to?

And actually, we talk a lot about this Justin, in the Deep Wealth nine-step roadmap of preparation for the post Exit life. So before you begin your liquidity event, before you accumulate your Wealth through the liquidity event, let's talk about life after the liquidity event. And really it's Ikigai, What's going to keep you energized when you're not in the business day to day?

What does that look like? And so I found having that in the book, strategy number 22 was spot on and pun intended, Here's something that's near and dear to my heart. Strategy 23, Lead with Your Heart. And again, Justin, we're now on the art side of life and business. And for the logical folks out there, sometimes this is difficult for them to discuss or hear.

What do you mean? Everything in life is just a complicated formula and a spreadsheet. What do you mean lead with your heart?

[01:37:44] Justin Breen: Whoa, whoa. Stop it. Stop it. Stop. Stop.

[01:37:47] Jeffrey Feldberg: So talk to, you and I are on the same page on this. Why don't you talk with us, Justin, of your experience of leading with your heart and why this is in the book.

[01:37:55] Justin Breen: Again, definitely not my idea. One of PR partners from New Zealand World Traveler created a cryptocurrency based on love. Love coin. And in the Covid world. Prior to recently, I had only had two in person meetings prior to the past couple months.

Cuz some of the entrepreneurial groups I'm in, they've started to go back in person. But prior to that had only been two in-person meetings, one launch party for new company. And the second Aiden came in from New Zealand to Chicago. And so I'm like, Okay, I'll drive 20 minutes, I'll try, I'll do it.

I will meet with you in person. And it was a great, it was a great meeting. I was asking him , cuz he travels the world. I'm like, So where are you going tomorrow? Where are you going? He's I don't know. I'm like how do you make that decision? I'm like, he's Oh, I just leave with my heart.

My heart tells me where to go and I'm like, Oh, that's a good idea. Let's think about that. And you were talking about liquidity events, what folks are doing. I think many of those folks, I'd love to hear your opinion on this. I think for most of their lives, they were leading with the spreadsheet.

They were leading with their head, they were leading with the bank book, the checkbook. They were leading with logic and now they have all that, but they've never led with their heart. And it's very hard or even almost impossible to find anything meaningful because they never even thought that way. And to me, leading with heart is having meaningful relationships with people that you really care about. Whether that's family or other high achievers, people like you. And then focusing on that. And if it's someone who's a time vampire or not a high achiever, or someone who's boring, where you can't connect with them on a heart to heart basis, then it's not a good, it's not a good fit.

And that's what it means to me.

and you know what, as you have been this entire episode and the previous episodes, you're really spot on with that, Justin, in terms of how you're looking at that, and it's really a terrific segue into strategy number 24, because you talked about uncertainty and strategy. 24, you say uncertainty is an opportunity to collaborate.

Now, Justin, I would say that if you're leading with your heart, you're not gonna have the uncertainty. But if you haven't led with your heart before and you're leaving the spreadsheets aside and saying, Okay, I'm gonna go into the unknown, I'm gonna listen to my heart in the beginning, while you first develop this ritual, there is gonna be some uncertainty.

But talk to us about why uncertainty is an opportunity to collaborate and how this played a role in your life. Justin.

The again, talk to me is meaningless without an it's meaningless. So first, first company started after job salary was cut in half. Couldn't find a job, reached out to 5,000 people. That's a lot of uncertainty. There's an opportunity to create new company. When Covid first started in March of 2020 the very first day or second day when there was a real shutdown, I go, This will be, I posted this.

This was definitely not something that was appreciated by most people, but people like us were like, Oh, that's the good idea. I go, This will be the greatest opportunity of all time. For those with the right mindset, by far. Cuz that's the most uncertainty in our lifetimes, probably that will ever happen in our lifetimes.

I mean, maybe there'll be something global. But a truly global thing like that where everyone was affected in the same way or pretty much the same way. That's the ultimate uncertainty. And what happened with that is people with the right mindset, spend more time with their families, created new companies, wrote the book, they always wanted to what they always wanted to do.

Second company started virtually met partner two times in person, a second global company. First book came out May of 2020, right in the middle of Covid. Second book came out on the tail end of Covid and true entrepreneur. Realizes that the uncertainty is a great thing. Most people retreat, they, they would never advance in that.

They wanna feel safe and secure.

Sure.

That's, and that's fine. That's most of society. True entrepreneur, pioneer. More uncertainty. Stock markets tanking. Okay, something recession. Okay. How many companies started in the, 2008? How many amazing company? So things, negative things happen, quote-unquote negative things happen.

That's a tremendous opportunity to create something new. That's what I've.

[01:42:26] Jeffrey Feldberg: And what's interesting about that, and I really enjoyed, as I go through the book and looking at the strategies, they all dovetail one into the other because from that uncertainty, Justin, really what I heard you say there is it's only uncertain depending on the kind of inner talk, inner dialogue that you're having with yourself.

And that's a terrific lead into strategy number 25 and strategy number 25 Isn't this true? Where it's the observers who are creating their own reality. It's our self talk of what we're telling ourselves, what we think we're seeing. And it's that old saying, every situation, there's always two sides to a coin.

And it could be negative, it could be positive.

[01:43:07] Justin Breen: Yeah.

[01:43:08] Jeffrey Feldberg: But our self talk, if we're understanding, hey, this isn't happening to me, this isn't happening for me, and I'm not gonna put a judgment on it, I'm not gonna put a label on it. Easier said than done. But when you can do that, it's just a game changer. So what was going on as you wrote this chapter of how observers create their own reality?

[01:43:25] Justin Breen: Well, One you, you did this with the first book too. You have a gift of taking. I think I do it unconsciously or subconsciously. And you make it conscious how each chapter blends in. You just have a gift about the gift of that. But you know, the example I just provided about Covid being the greatest opportunity, which that's what it was.

For the right people with the right mindset. But that's really what it comes down to, is being in charge of your own mindset and your own reality, creating your own rules. And if you don't like the rules that were put in front of you, just create your own rules. Create your own company.

Take action and do something. Oh, you wanted to get this book done? Okay, go write it. You wanted to be on this show, Ask to be on it. So that's really what it comes down to. And what I found is as well, is other observers who create their own realities are very attracted to other observers who create the wrong realities.

And it's like this incredible radio frequency, magnetizing of abundance, attracting abundance, and then the scarcity is just repelled by that.

[01:44:36] Jeffrey Feldberg: So true, So true. So it's mindset, it's our inner thoughts. It's how we're looking at the world around us and what's going on. And as we look at the world around us, it's really a terrific tie into strategy number 26 where you say, be the buyer and not just any kind of buyer. I'm not gonna take again, the wind outta your sales here, Justin, but I love how you approach of be the buyer when you're looking at how you're gonna conduct your life, what you're gonna be giving, what you're gonna be doing.

So why don't you reveal what be the buyer really means, and some of the takeaways for the listeners of how they can apply this into their lives.

[01:45:14] Justin Breen: Yeah. I'm so grateful for the way you think about things and then discuss them, because it really does. It's just, it just keeps getting more layered and more layered. Cuz if you do all these other things, then you become the buyer. And there's no just like from a tactical, strategic standpoint, there's nothing to sell.

Like people pay, invest in the firms, in the companies. But it's just buying the people you wanna hang out with that you wanna partner with. there's a financial exchange, but you're just buying the right mindsets, the right visionaries. And that can be any type of person, by the way, if you wanna work with mid-market, I don't know, 50 to 150 employees or whatever that is.

And it's a really interesting thing too because when you have that confidence to not sell anything and just buy the people that you wanna hang out with, it really attracts other buyers and it really appalls arrogant people.

It attracts Confident. The story that led to this was an NFL Hall of Fame player.

I'm certainly not going say his name. That wouldn't be good. But this guy's one of the most famous NFL players. And he was, we were talking on the phone and he was like, wait a minute people do that with your company. They just invest. They go, Yeah, all the time. He was like, couldn't believe he was incredulous.

And he was like, Oh, well first you have to do this for me. You have to. I go, No, I don't. I'm not. So that was the last time we ever talked. But like that confidence, like I think it confuses a lot of people, but it definitely attracts the right type of person.

[01:46:51] Jeffrey Feldberg: And you know what? When you are the buyer and you're just giving, making a difference, solving those painful problems and just making a difference. You can't buy that kind of satisfaction. You can't. You just can't buy that. But it comes from within when you're doing that. But when you're also doing that, it also leads nicely into strategy 27, the triple win.

And for all these sports fans out there, you're gonna really relate to this one. You're gonna love it. You start the chapter off with some statistics in baseball about the triple and you can talk about that. Before you do that, I'll just share with you for the triple win, really, and you nailed it in the chapter, Justin, because how many of us go into a situation, particularly in business, it's zero sum.

Okay, I'm gonna win, you're gonna lose or you're gonna win, I'm gonna lose. And that's absolutely not the way to do it. And I know in our nine-step roadmap at Deep Wealth, we always talk about the triple win. We just say it a little bit differently. Look for the win, win. How do you create it that everybody wins?

Because when you do that, you expand the pie. You get the best deal instead of any deal when it comes to your liquidity event and so many terrific things come outta that. But I'm gonna stop there. So talk to us about the triple win.

[01:48:05] Justin Breen: Pete Coffield amazing entrepreneur. This was something he told me. Brilliant. It was just brilliant. And triples and baseball, their far more rare than home runs or doubles or singles that triple play. Very rare hat trick and hockey's, very rare, obvious. Do a little hockey there.

And so I'll go, Pete, what's a triple win? And so it goes beyond transactional, becomes transformational. And what it means is that I'll just land the plane cuz it'll relate to how a business works. So with pr my firm wins. Someone makes an investment in my firm.

Okay, great. Thank you. Great. The partner client wins because they get to, their story is simplified and they get to appear on all this media. Okay, So that's two wins, that's a double. This is where it becomes a triple and I will argue a quadruple win, which Dave Young, another genius entrepreneur, 10 quick start.

 You're actually creating quadruple wins. I'm like, Okay. So the triple win is where the third party, a third party, an outside third party wins. And so again, they'll land the plane. Then people like you win cuz you are hosts of media. The media wins because they get introduced to people, like Dave Young or Kathleen Adams or other PR partners.

And then what Dave Young said is oh, this is where the quadruple win happens is the audience wins. The audience of your show wins. Which is super interesting too. So you've got the business owner, entrepreneur wins, the partner client wins the third party, which in this case is media like you.

And then fourth is the audience wins cuz they get all this knowledge.

And in that it's no longer transactional. It's well past that. It's far more transformational on a global level, by the way.

[01:49:56] Jeffrey Feldberg: And so much there to unpack. But again, for our listeners as you're listening to this, I'm gonna ask a tough question, but let's just be honest here. And the question is, are you creating the triple wins or is it all about you of, I'm gonna get that one. I'm gonna just get on top at everyone else's. And there's no judgment here.

And if you're not on the side of triple wins, then the next question is, Oh, how can you, What would need to happen? And the challenge coming outta this episode for you? Why'd you try it for 30 days, 60 days, 90 days? And compare and see the difference and see how you feel and the difference that it makes.

My suspicion is you're gonna be the better for it. Your business will be, the better for it. Those in your lives will see the best you show up because you're feeling so good.

[01:50:48] Justin Breen: Yes.

[01:50:49] Jeffrey Feldberg: And speaking of the best, you showing up, let's talk about strategy 28. It starts off with a morbid story. And Justin, I gotta tell you, when I first started reading Strategy 28, I was thinking to myself, Okay, where is Justin going with this?

This is, really having me feel down, and I'm again, not gonna take the window to your sales. You'll talk about that. But when you put out there what it is and why you shared that, and you know, ultimately it's called the shooting. And the takeaway is what's really important to you in your life.

For me, it brought so many things together. The cream rises to the top. So who you're surrounding yourself with in terms of the people in your life. Are you winning at the wrong game? Where are you spending your time? And what are you doing? Finding your Babs and the joy of the background.

I Really, I went through all the previous strategies and I said, Oh yeah, This really relates and I get it, and even Ikigai going back there of what that all means. So I'm gonna stop there because I can just go through each of the previous 27 strategies as it relates to the shooting strategy 28.

But why don't you share with us what's going on with Strategy 28 to the shooting and the takeaway for the listeners.

[01:51:55] Justin Breen: It's an interesting strategy, a shooting, but it is, it really is. Our family lives about 20 miles north of downtown Chicago in the northern suburbs. It's a pretty nice area, and shootings are very rare here. I do think about this every day, but hearing someone else talk about it it's still pretty hard to think about it.

But so my wife and I go to lunch at least once a week together, and so we went to lunch about a half mile from our house and, pulled in the parking lot, and I looked behind me and I saw a teen boy probably 17, between 17 and 19 years old. He was laying on the ground. There was blood everywhere.

And where I lived, that does not happen. I lived here my whole life, pretty much maybe happened three or three or four times that I can recall. And, but as a journalist for 20 years covering shootings, and I'm like, I yelled to the person, I go, Were you shot? And he yelled out yes. And he was with someone else. And then the other person got in the car and left. That was, that one surprised me. That part, that really surprised me. He just left his friend there. And it was interesting because everyone else in the parking lot was just staring, like deer in the headlights, had no idea.

And so I'm telling them like, I don't wanna swear, but get the bleep outta here, because you don't know if there's another gun or if the guy, my mom brought up an interesting point. She's like, you don't know, maybe the guy will come back or someone else was there and they'll finish the job.

My dad's best friend growing up, he was assassinated in a famous gang shooting. And so I was, I think it was five or six when that happened. And you become aware of that and then my wife, who's a pediatrician, she wanted to rush in and help, but I told her, you can't, you can't do that even though that's your call of duty.

Because I can't risk her getting shot. The point of that story or strategy is it really shouldn't, I don't use the word should, but it shouldn't take something like that to make you realize what actually matters in life. But it was a really good reminder of how quick something like that can happen.

And it's not random. I don't believe in randomness. It's not random that happened. It's just something where, you know, to appreciate what you have and being in the here and now in your Ikigai for sure.

[01:54:09] Jeffrey Feldberg: Yeah. So there you have it. Sometimes it takes a tragedy that we're a party to or a witness to, and really as a wake up call, what's my life all about? And who am I spending it with, and the people that I wanna spend my life with and enjoy and share together? And that really ties so nicely into Strategy 29.

And again, a little bit of a play on words, but it's a strategy that is really central throughout the book, Justin. Sticks Stick Together. So there's a play on words and as I read Sticks Stick together and what that meant. And we'll get there in just a second. I went back to so many of the other strategies, The cream rises to the top or find your Babs or have your Babs find you, because really it's who are you spending your time with and you may be not spending your time with, that you should be spending your time with. So why don't you walk us through an essential strategy 29 of stick together. What was going through your mind when you put that in the book?

[01:55:07] Justin Breen: In Psalm 45 and but like certain things happen as a child that you just remember them and. Pun not intended. It just sticks in your brain. And so when I was 12, this movie came out about Isaiah Thomas and his mom and his family. So Isaiah Thomas, the NBA Hall of Famer, great player with the Pistons, grew up on the west side of Chicago.

Very poor area that became a high school, college, pro basketball star. And in the movie about his mom, he had several siblings and one of his older brothers gangs, drugs, left the house, and then they never really saw him again. Just disappeared. Whether he was killed or jailed I'm not sure, but the mom got out these Popsicle sticks and so she had one Popsicle stick and snapped it easy to break.

And then she put I don't know, about six or seven or eight together, and then she gave them to little Isaiah Thomas and tried to break him and you couldn't break him. And so having, whatever, it's a family unit, sticking together, a unit of right friendships, right collaborators, entrepreneurial partnerships doing on your own. It's gonna break. It's gonna break every time it's gonna, it's just gonna break every time. But having the right partnerships and sticking together, not only is it not going to break, but it's going to increase with strength because you'll keep adding the right sticks.

Keep adding them.

[01:56:34] Jeffrey Feldberg: And you know what? Again, it just goes to show, and for our listeners, as you think about the new year, the rituals that you're going to start and hopefully continue, one decision can change your life. And one decision here of who are you gonna be sticking together with? Who are those people? Is it cream rising to the top?

How are you gonna be spending your time? It can forever change your destiny in terms of what you're doing. And we, for Justin, time and time again, that for you, it's your family and you've worked your life around your family and the joy. And the return on investment, if I can use that word that you've gotten as a result of that, is just been immeasurable for what that does for you.

And it's really a nice way to tie into the final strategy, strategy number 30, just enjoy playing. And when I read Strategy 30, Justin to a comment, you said a few minutes back that there is no coincidence, it's not random. I don't believe it was a coincidence that you wrote chapter 30, five years after you quit being a journalist, to almost to the day it sounded like in the chapter.

And talk about embracing uncertainty. You left a paying job by your own admission. You don't consider yourself an entrepreneur. And it was uncertainty at the highest level. And here you are five years later, you're saying just enjoy playing. Where you can look back and really talk to us about, Why we should enjoy and what that means.

And there's a little bit of a nice story that you share in there of how you got to that. And so let me stop there because it's a beautiful story and if it's just a terrific way to begin wrapping up this conversation of 30 strategies, 30 Epic Life Strategies that can forever change your life.

So talk to us about strategy number 30, the final strategy of just enjoy playing.

[01:58:23] Justin Breen: Yeah, it's again, I really appreciate this interview means a lot to me. That chapter was also written a few minutes after I learned my wife's grandmother passed away as well, so I got to add her into the book. If you think of the nicest, my wife's like the nicest person on the planet.

She gets it from her grandmother. And what a just Esther. Esther Broski. Quite a wonderful woman. Yeah. So again, I don't believe in randomness, God winks all that. So that was, she was meant to be in there. And all these amazing entrepreneurs, so grateful for them. All the, for lack of better term advice and lessons and rituals, they've shared this chapter.

Just enjoy playing. Not from an entrepreneur or maybe he will be, I don't know. Actually. I wouldn't be surprised if he was, he's zany in a good way. But, so his name's Xander and so he's a, he was a high school soccer player on our local high school team. And then he was also my son's three and three summer soccer coach.

Actually, it'd be interesting if Xander becomes an entrepreneur. He's very funny. So he and his team were in the playoffs, really good team, and they lost a, just a devastating loss in double overtime, lost one to nothing. And so we waited after the game for a long time because the coach was giving a very long post game talk, Cuz was the last game for the seniors and they really, it was a really good team.

But I wanted to wait for two reasons. One, because I knew Xander would appreciate my kids seeing, cuz he was, they were all devastated. So seeing, oh hey, here's two little kids that they really like you and appreciate your coaching.

They stayed a long time. So that's one. Two, I knew, I didn't know, but I thought he would say something very profound because when you're at that type of emotional, when you're at that type of emotion, being a journalist for 20 years with that type of tragedy, there's no filter. It's something great, almost always will be said something pure without any filter.

Like you're just there in a full human context. Okay. So my kids, Jake and Chase, my son's walked over to him. They're like, Oh. He's Oh, Jake and Chase so glad you came here. And then he goes, Guys, guys. And he's full crying. He goes, Guys, I want you to listen to me. I go, You just need to enjoy, just enjoy playing because when you lose like this, it really sucks. And so I'm like. That's it. Just enjoy playing. That's it. Because I think we're, certainly high achievers are so caught up on the next thing. Not good enough. Must be better. Must be better. Must be better. There's such a simple simplicity. Perfect. I'm so thankful for Xander saying that to just be in the moment and just enjoy playing this game.

Playing this game of life, cuz that's what it is. It's a game.

[02:01:24] Jeffrey Feldberg: Be in the moment enjoying it. You know what? Clearing the mechanism, strategy number 14, comes to mind while you're doing that strategy 15, God winks, Ikigai Strategy 22. When you're doing things that really move the dow for you leading with your heart, I mean, we can just go on and on. I just enjoy playing.

There's so much to be said for that. And really as we start to wrap up the episode, Justin, here's really what I'm thinking and tell me what you think about this for our listeners. If you're really ambitious, why not take a strategy a day? And you know what? For the first month of the new year, you've practiced a strategy a day and you're heading into the new year, armed with a whole toolbox full of these wonderful strategies, life changing strategies.

If that's a little bit too much, why not a strategy a week and get through that. And you know what? Each week you see how you're doing and you're really applying yourself because this has come from Justin's life experience, the people in Justin's life, their life experience. And we're talking about the top of the top successful achievers, the people who are changing the social fabric of society through what they're doing.

So it's not just some random soapbox here that you've been listening to, someone spewing at information. It really comes from the trenches of things that work. And Justin, you know what? As we begin to wrap up this very special episode that we put together for the holiday season to welcome in the new year, to put you on the spot what would be some closing thoughts that you have for our listeners of, what here's, if you can take away a few things.

Here's what I want you to think about, or, looking back on this episode with Jeffrey, here's what comes to mind. I What's running through your mind right now? What would you be sharing with our listeners if they maybe only do one or two things? What do you think that would be?

[02:03:12] Justin Breen: Right, Cause taking action, the first step for action

[02:03:16] Jeffrey Feldberg: Mm-hmm.

[02:03:17] Justin Breen: Peter Demanis, you know, what can you do right now? So what can you do right now is look yourself in the mirror. And I'm speaking to very high achievers. I'm speaking to entrepreneurs right now, are you the cream that rises to the top and are you someone who will do what it takes to become that person?

And then what will you do right now to start that process? I think that's to really get that going, but it really comes down to looking at yourself as do you believe, Do you know that you are the cream that rises to the top? Because if you don't know and don't believe that all this other stuff, it won't matter.

You have to believe it in yourself first.

[02:03:58] Jeffrey Feldberg: And you know what Justin, terrific advice and what I really like about that, again, done is better than perfect. And I don't know if you planned it this way or not, but the cream rises to the top and you put a challenge out there without any judgment to all the listeners. Do you recognize that, hey, you're the cream in this instance, that you value yourself starting right there?

Well, that's strategy number one. So what better place to start than strategy number one? And do you value yourself? Do you value your time? Do you value what you're doing? And for our listeners, if the answer is no coming out of this episode, take a few minutes to yourself, journal it out, write it down, talk to yourself, whatever it takes, whatever moves down for you.

Ask yourself the question why.

 So Justin, with the idea that done is better than perfect, I've already asked you this question before. We have a tradition here on the Deep Wealth Podcast where we wrap up the podcast by doing a quick thought experiment.

You've gone through this, but I'm gonna change it up a little bit, but still keep true to our roots here, the Deep Wealth Podcast. And here's the question for you. So I'd like you to think about the movie Back to the Future. And in that terrific movie, you have that magical DeLorean car that can take you to any point in time.

[02:05:12] Justin Breen: Yep.

[02:05:12] Jeffrey Feldberg: So Justin, you can now look outside your window. So it's tomorrow morning, you're looking outside your window. And what do you know? The DeLorean car is not only sitting their curbside, but the door's open. It's waiting for you to hop on in and you can go to any point in your life, Justin, as a young child or a teenager, whatever the point in time would be.

You're gonna go back in time and you're gonna tell your younger self, whether it be life wisdom or lessons learned, or, Hey Justin, do this, but don't do that. So here's a little bit of the nuance in this. So Justin, whether it's gonna be from the 30 strategies that we talked about today in the epic life or in the epic business, from the strategies that we talked about in the previous episode, what would you be telling your younger self?

What would that sound like for you?

[02:06:00] Justin Breen: It's a great question. And the day would be January 11th, 1991. That's the day my dad had his heart attack. When they took me outta school to say goodbye to. He stayed alive long enough just live long enough to say goodbye. And then he went into a coma and died January 18th, 1991.

So I was 13. And I'm gonna cheat here. I would take my kids in the car with me.

[02:06:28] Jeffrey Feldberg: That's okay. Hey, this is your thought experiment. You can do whatever you like. Us and I like that creativity.

[02:06:33] Justin Breen: And because my children are , my dad, they're like my dad. Full maniacs in a good way. Full cream rises to the top, so I would've liked to introduce them. Introduce them to him. So maybe not on the hospital bed as he was dying, but maybe earlier in the day. And the reason why is because all the success.

I'm very grateful, you know, spending family first. It's really to honor, it's to honor my father and certainly my mom too.

And I'm just very thankful that I got just enough time with my dad, just enough time with him to understand what the cream rises to the top actually means. Just long enough, 13 years old.

I think that's long enough. And then to see that in my children and giving them that knowledge as 10 and eight year olds, I'm very thankful for that.

[02:07:33] Jeffrey Feldberg: Well, Thank you Justin, for being so open and transparent and vulnerable with that. And you're really paying homage to your father, to the family unit. Really what all that means, where you come from, the lessons learned. And you know, as we begin to wrap up this episode, because a holiday season really it's about family.

And for some people that's not so easy. They may not have family around or family in the city where they're at and may not be surrounded with family. But coming outta here, let's all take a moment to think about our family. And without putting judgment on it, our family has made us who we've become. If you've had some challenging situations from the family it's made you a stronger, better person because of that.

If you've had, like in your case, Justin parents who were just over the top, above and beyond that brought out the best in you. Again, thinking about that and feeling grateful and remembering where we've come from. So as we wrap up this episode for our listeners, we really wish you nothing but the absolute best for the year ahead.

May you truly make it your best year ever. And Justin, thank you for being so gracious with your insights and your wisdom and paying it forward and sharing that with us here on the Deep Wealth Podcast. You've really made a difference, and thank you so much for that.

[02:08:47] Justin Breen: Thank you so much. I really appreciate the time.

[02:08:49] Sharon S.: The Deep Wealth Experience was definitely a game-changer for me.

[02:08:53] Lyn M.: This course is one of the best investments you will ever make because you will get an ROI of a hundred times that. Anybody who doesn't go through it will lose millions.

[02:09:03] Kam H.: If you don't have time for this program, you'll never have time for a successful liquidity

[02:09:07] Sharon S.: It was the best value of any business course I've ever taken. The money was very well spent.

[02:09:14] Lyn M.: Compared to when we first began, today I feel better prepared, but in some respects, may be less prepared, not because of the course, but because the course brought to light so many things that I thought we were on top of that we need to fix.

[02:09:29] Kam H.: I 100% believe there's never a great time for a business owner to allocate extra hours into his or her week or day. So it's an investment that will yield results today. I thought I will reap the benefit of this program in three to five years down the road. But as soon as I stepped forward into the program, my mind changed immediately.

[02:09:52] Sharon S.: There was so much value in the experience that the time I invested paid back so much for the energy that was expended.

[02:10:02] Lyn M.: The Deep Wealth Experience compared to other programs is the top. What we learned is very practical. Sometimes you learn stuff that it's great to learn, but you never use it. The stuff we learned from Deep Wealth Experience, I believe it's going to benefit us a boatload.

[02:10:15] Kam H.: I've done an executive MBA. I've worked for billion-dollar companies before. I've worked for smaller companies before I started my business. I've been running my business successfully now for getting close to a decade. We're on a growth trajectory. Reflecting back on the Deep Wealth, I knew less than 10% what I know now, maybe close to 1% even.

[02:10:34] Sharon S.: Hands down the best program in which I've ever participated. And we've done a lot of different things over the years. We've been in other mastermind groups, gone to many seminars, workshops, conferences, retreats, read books. This was so different. I haven't had an experience that's anything close to this in all the years that we've been at this.

It's five-star, A-plus.

[02:11:00] Kam H.: I would highly recommend it to any super busy business owner out there.

Deep Wealth is an accurate name for it. This program leads to deeper wealth and happier wealth, not just deeper wealth. I don't think there's a dollar value that could be associated with such an experience and knowledge that could be applied today and forever.

[02:11:19] Jeffrey Feldberg: Are you leaving millions on the table?

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