Step One: DESIGN Your Story
Your GPS Dictates Your Destination
Sometimes stories cry out to be told in such loud voices that you write them just to shut them up.
Stephen King
You think in stories, and so do I.
From the earliest of times, we’ve retold our history through the spoken word, not the written one. Born into a story, you’re naturally an expert storyteller whether you recognize it or not.
Your storytelling began with your first breath and won’t stop until your heart does. As a child you told yourself stories when you heard a noise at night. I see glowing eyes in my closet. Something is under my bed. A monster wants to eat me.
Your parent or guardian responded with other stories to help calm you down. There are no such things as monsters. It was just the wind. I will protect you.
Your knack for storytelling sticks with you well into adulthood. Consciously and subconsciously, you tell yourself thousands of mini narratives every day.
You tell stories about:
Why they didn’t have it in stock.
Why the waitress seemed rude.
Why the client came early.
Why the mail came late.
On topic with our conversation, you tell yourself stories about:
Why you continue to stay in your day job.
Why you fail to start your dream job.
Why the obsession with stories?
Stories wield tremendous power, helping you understand yourself and your context better. They provide three benefits.
Stories Provide
| 1. Perspective—They give you vision. | ||
| 2. Permission—They give you consent. | ||
| 3. Promotion—They give you visibility. |
Let’s unpack these one at a time.
1. Perspective—Stories Give You Vision
Without vision you can’t see yourself or your world clearly. You have no framework or vantage point. But unfortunately vision isn’t neutral. It comes in two versions: incorrect vision and correct vision.
Incorrect Vision
You see what can’t be. You see yourself negatively with endless self-limiting beliefs. You take inventory of all the possible obstacles, challenges, and limitations.
Devil’s advocates always have incorrect vision, and they love telling everyone else what they see. As you might expect, they’re not the only ones who suffer from incorrect vision. You do too.
It’s easy to identify. Whenever self-limiting beliefs show up, then incorrect vision is at work. These types of beliefs manifest themselves in thousands of mini narratives that sabotage your success. Yet, after working with hundreds of people, I’ve discovered all self-limiting beliefs center on two core lies:
I am not enough (lack of worth).
I don’t have enough (lack of resources).
Obviously, operating with this story set on repeat inside your headspace produces a negative result. Check out the seven most common manifestations:
| I Am Not Enough . . . (Worth) |
I Don’t Have Enough . . . (Resources) |
Result |
| 1. Physically | Beauty | I hide in fear. |
| 2. Mentally | Education | I hide in fear. |
| 3. Spiritually | Discipline | I hide in fear. |
| 4. Emotionally | Experience | I hide in fear. |
| 5. Financially | Money | I hide in fear. |
| 6. Intellectually | Brains | I hide in fear. |
| 7. Relationally | Friends | I hide in fear. |
Both lies (I am not enough/I don’t have enough) center on lack. Rather than reflecting abundance, they reflect scarcity. You might wonder, where did this scarcity mindset originate? Like all beliefs, it stems from stories too. Let’s revisit just one. Maybe you’ve heard this particular scarcity story as a child:
The early bird gets the worm.
Usually, a well-meaning adult relayed this story to you to motivate you to action. Innocent? Seemingly.
Until you unpack the proposition. Let’s focus on the two main characters in this ultrashort yet influential story: the worm and the bird. First the worm.
Notice, the worm?
As if there’s only one worm in the entire world? Last time I checked, billions of worms populated the earth. Grab a shovel and start digging anywhere and you’ll find more worms than you ever wanted. A quick search on Google reveals thousands of videos and websites devoted to starting your own worm farming business.[1]
The worm?
Try more than 4,400 species of worms already discovered, classified, and named by scientists![2]
Now, notice the early bird.
In our short story, why must birds compete against each another? Can’t they form teams or families? Last time I checked, birds live in community and work toward a common goal. Besides, early signifies a race. What about the punctual bird who showed up on time? Is it disqualified?
Fast-forward twenty years and examine those children who believed the early bird gets the worm scarcity story. What do you observe in people who retell that story a thousand times over?
You end up with adults who believe:
They must compete with everyone else for limited resources.
Fear must drive their attitudes and actions.
Other people need to lose just so they can win.
How many people in your world suffer from incorrect vision? How many see what can’t be? How many see themselves negatively with endless self-limiting beliefs? How many fail to take inventory of all the possible obstacles, challenges, and limitations?
Easier question: How many don’t?
Only those with correct vision.
Correct Vision
You see what could be. You see yourself positively with nearly unlimited potential. You take inventory of all the possible opportunities, advantages, and incentives.
Seeing correctly yields tremendous benefits for yourself and those around you. Although shifting from incorrect to correct might seem difficult, it’s definitely possible.
Consider Dr. Howard Hendricks, a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. He began with incorrect vision, but all that changed through a conversation with an elementary school teacher:
“I was born into a broken home,” the 78-year-old man says. “My parents separated when I came along. I split the family.”
Reared by his father’s mother, Dr. Hendricks says that in elementary school he was a troublemaker, a hell raiser. Probably just acting out a lot of insecurities, he says looking back on his Philadelphia childhood. His fifth-grade teacher had predicted that five boys in class would end up in prison. He was supposed to be one of them. The teacher was right about three of them, Dr. Hendricks says. That teacher, Miss Simon, once tied him to his seat with a rope and taped his mouth shut.
When he introduced himself to his sixth-grade teacher, Miss Noe, she told him something that would change his life forever.
“She said, ‘I’ve heard a lot about you, but I don’t believe a word of it,’” he recalls.
She made him realize for the first time in his life that someone cared, he says. “People are always looking for someone to say, ‘Hey, I believe in you.’”
In his 52 years as a professor at Dallas Seminary, that’s what he has sought to do—believe in his students and help develop them.[3]
Dr. Hendricks shifted from negative, self-limiting beliefs to positive, unlimited potential. Rather than joining three fellow classmates in a life of crime, he created a new life instead.
Miss Noe helped. She told him a new story he’d never heard before. Rather than dismissing it, he let it sink in. Her story became his story, giving him a new perspective and a higher vision of what could be.
His results changed because his story changed. Dramatic events soon followed. He went from being bound to a chair so he would shut up to serving as department chair so he would speak up. By shifting to correct vision, Dr. Hendricks trained some of the best and brightest professionals in his field for more than half a century. His students went on to lead some of the largest and most influential churches in the world.
Shift Your Results with the Story Shift
In Dr. Hendrick’s example, we see a powerful principle. I call this the Story Shift. It happens when you change your results by changing your story. Here’s another way of picturing it:
Stories > Beliefs > Thoughts > Feelings > Actions > Results
Let’s explore this phenomenon with a common example—a salesperson producing poor results.
Imagine this salesperson, named Wendy, isn’t selling enough widgets. She’ll be fired if she can’t make a quick turnaround. If Wendy wants different results she needs to change her actions.
With a little digging we find out she loves doing product demos, but she hates calling companies to set them up. For the sake of simplicity, let’s imagine calling companies is the only way to set up the demos. Clearly, she needs to overcome her fears to change her undesirable results.
We know she feels fear when making calls, but why?
Turns out Wendy thinks companies won’t want to talk to her. She believes they already have their act together and don’t need her help. As a result, she’s told herself a powerful but untrue story. She’s convinced herself she’s that girl. That clueless girl who’s a pest. That girl they hang up on and gossip about at water coolers.
In summary, every time Wendy attempts to call a company she tells herself a debilitating story about being that girl. Her story creates a belief that she’s annoying and inconveniencing the company. She thinks they’ll hang up on her. Her feelings of fear prevent her from taking action and making the call. But without the call, she never gets the opportunity to prove herself at the demo. The result is a disaster—no sales!
Let’s compare the results when Wendy applies the Story Shift:
Imagine Wendy changes her story. Instead of telling herself she’s that girl, she now tells herself she’s the answer to their prayers. She believes the company she’s about to call is in a desperate situation. They’ve reached a wall and their staff is at a crossroads. People are ready to walk because of the crisis at hand.
Wendy focuses her thinking on their need for her product rather than her own self-limiting beliefs. She feels emboldened and empowered to serve them with all the expertise she possesses.
With newfound passion she takes action and dials the phone. Wendy embodies an incredibly unique blend of presence and enthusiasm. Impressed with her confidence and competence, the company immediately schedules a demo. After nine more phone calls she schedules five additional demos. The final results? Later that week, she closes five of her six demos. Quite easily, she outperforms her fellow salespeople who previously held the record with a 50 percent close rate.
By changing her story, Wendy changed her results. She applied the Story Shift and became a superstar salesperson in the process. Her new story gave her correct vision and she quickly saw the unlimited potential of what could be.
Wendy took inventory of all the possible opportunities, advantages, and incentives around her. Surprisingly they always existed. She just needed a new story to give her a new perspective.
2. Permission—Stories Give Us Consent
Without consent you don’t take action. You play safe and play small because your default is to avoid risk. At least intentional risk.
As a toddler you risked your life for a cookie. Standing on a counter four feet off the ground and leaning precariously to reach the jar seemed brilliant at the time. But chalk up that action as blind ignorance. Once you fail a time or two, you quickly learn how falling on your backside truly feels. Settling for inaction seems better for your backside and your ego.
Regardless, stories can change all this. A quick look at history helps you see how stories gave people permission to take action.
Queen Esther issued a story with a proclamation that inspired a three-day fast in hopes of saving her entire nation.
JFK told a story about landing a man on the moon that escalated the Space Race.
Martin Luther King Jr. shared a story with his “I Have a Dream” speech that fueled the civil rights movement.
Al Gore presented a story through a documentary that increased global awareness about climate change.
Before hearing their respective stories, the Jews, Americans, activists, and environmentalists already knew their cause. But their stories gave them consent. They inspired them because they gave them permission to take even more action.
Your story contains the same potential. Shifting from your day job to your dream job is just as dramatic and just as epic. Doubting this truth only fuels inaction.
When you discount your dream, you merely announce your own ignorance. As we examined in the previous chapter, if you don’t permit your dream job to advance, many lives will remain unchanged.
Your Story—Your Responsibility
Investing time with hundreds of Day Jobbers and Dream Jobbers alike, I’ve observed three main responses regarding our stories.
| Response | Posture | Action | Tribe |
| Defer Your Story | Put Off | No Action | Day Jobber |
| Destroy Your Story | Put Down | Negative Action | Day Jobber |
| Design Your Story | Put Forth | Positive Action | Dream Jobber |
DEFER YOUR STORY
The majority of people postpone their stories for another day. Their motive? They believe indecision has its advantages because choosing a side requires work and risk.
Reminds me of a scene from The Matrix. Neo visits a woman named the Oracle to find out if he’s “the One.” If she identifies him as such then he is accountable for saving the world. If she tells him he’s not “the One,” then he’s off the hook.
| Oracle: | “Do you think you are the One?” |
| Neo: | “Honestly, I don’t know.” |
Neo refuses to take a position or exert any action. He feels comfortable deferring and making others do the tough work for him. However, the Oracle refused to play his game. She makes him pick a side.
| Oracle: | “OK, now I’m supposed to say, ‘Hmm, that’s interesting, but . . .’ then you say . . .” |
| Neo: | “. . . but what?” |
| Oracle: | “But . . . you already know what I’m going to tell you.” |
| Neo: | “I’m not the One.” |
| Oracle: | “Sorry, kid. You got the gift, but it looks like you’re waiting for something.” |
| Neo: | “What?” |
| Oracle: | “Your next life, maybe. Who knows? That’s the way these things go.”[4] |
The Oracle simply acted as a mirror, reflecting Neo’s unbelief right back at him. She never said he wasn’t “the One,” but she let him know he was waiting for something. She made it clear he was putting off his story.
Day Jobbers defer their stories because it seems easier. Maya Angelou observed, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”[5] Putting off your story doesn’t solve your problem; it only prolongs your pain.
DESTROY YOUR STORY
Live long enough and you realize it’s simpler to break something than to build it—including yourself. Tragically, many people destroy their own stories intentionally. Take your pick: sports, entertainment, or music—every week somebody else puts down their own story through negative action. We saw this destruction in sports with Brett Favre, entertainment with Lindsay Lohan, and music with Kurt Cobain.[6]
For those unfamiliar with Kurt Cobain, he functioned as the lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the grunge band Nirvana. Rolling Stone magazine identified Nirvana as “the flagship band” of Generation X and Cobain was hailed as “the spokesman of a generation.”[7] They sold over fifty million albums; few other bands have ever reached such a high level of popularity and success. But instead of enjoying his story, Cobain destroyed it.
On April 8, 1994, at age twenty-seven, Cobain was found dead at his home in Seattle. His death was officially ruled a suicide, resulting from a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. His suicide letter invites you into his story.
I haven’t felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music along with reading and writing for too many years now. I feel guilty beyond words about these things. For example when we’re backstage and the lights go out and the manic roar of the crowd begins, it doesn’t affect me the way in which it did for Freddie Mercury, who seemed to love, relish in the love and adoration from the crowd, which is something I totally admire and envy.
The fact is, I can’t fool you, any one of you. It simply isn’t fair to you or me. The worst crime I can think of would be to rip people off by faking it and pretending as if I’m having 100% fun. Sometimes I feel as if I should have a punch-in time clock before I walk out on stage. I’ve tried everything within my power to appreciate it.
. . . I appreciate the fact that I and we have affected and entertained a lot of people. I need to be slightly numb in order to regain the enthusiasm I once had as a child . . . I can’t stand the thought of Frances (daughter) becoming the miserable, self-destructive, death rocker that I’ve become. I have it good, very good, and I’m grateful.
. . . I don’t have the passion anymore, and so remember, it’s better to burn out than to fade away.
Peace, love, empathy,
Kurt Cobain
Frances and Courtney (wife), I’ll be at your altar.
Please keep going Courtney, for Frances.
For her life, which will be so much happier without me.[8]
Just a troubled soul? Maybe. But more than other Day Jobbers? Notice the key phrases:
“I haven’t felt the excitement.”
“The crowd . . . doesn’t affect me.”
“Faking . . . and pretending as if I’m having 100 percent fun.”
“Sometimes I feel as if I should have a punch-in time clock.”
“I’ve tried everything within my power to appreciate it.”
“I need to be slightly numb in order to regain the enthusiasm I once had.”
“I don’t have the passion anymore.”
“It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”
Day Jobbers utter those exact words. Maybe not out loud, but certainly in their heads.
Maybe Cobain isn’t much different from you. He may have literally pulled the trigger, but how many Day Jobbers are already dead?
What’s better? To die instantly? Or to die slowly throughout your career?
To lose your life with one action? Or to lose your heart with a thousand tiny compromises?
Day Jobbers destroy their stories because it seems easier. Ivan Klíma observed, “To destroy is easier than to create . . . but what would they say if one asked them what they wanted instead?”[9] Putting down your story doesn’t help your cause; it only hurts your legacy.
DESIGN YOUR STORY
To join the DJs you must design your story. Forget deferring or destroying—that’s for Day Jobbers. DJs put forth their stories with clarity and confidence by taking positive action.
Here’s a quick refresher.
To escape your day job prison you need a dream job plan. And your particular plan includes nine critical steps. The first step in The Dream Jobber Plan is to design your story. The other eight steps depend on the quality of this first one.
Here’s why—your story dictates your destination.
Hang with me thirty more seconds and I’ll reframe the way you see your story and maybe even the way you see yourself.
Meet the Five Types of Gurus
You might not see yourself as a guru (and that’s part of the problem). But after reading the definition, you no longer have a choice. Time to accept the truth—you’re a guru. A guru is:
A teacher and especially intellectual guide in matters of fundamental concern.
One who is an acknowledged leader or chief proponent.
A person with knowledge or expertise.[10]
Like most humans on the big blue rock, you probably doubt your guru status. Not many people wear robes and conduct eloquent pontifications in their spare time—but gurus look quite different these days. Here’s the five different guru clans:
| Clans | Deliverable | Probability |
| Practicals | Personal Results | 100% |
| Synthesizers | Relevant Themes | 75% |
| Nonconformists | Uncommon Perspectives | 50% |
| Academics | Research/Data | 25% |
| Celebrities | Familiar Endorsements | less than 1% |
Let’s examine the unique characteristics of each.
THE PRACTICALS
These gurus deliver personal results. They’ve climbed the mountain, built the business, cracked the code. Rather than sharing theory, these gurus share from their own experience. Their content feels authentic, chock-full of struggle and victory. Think: hero’s journey retold.
Example of a Practical:
Arthur Boorman is a former military paratrooper with over two hundred jumps to his credit. When he returned home from the Gulf War, military doctors told Arthur what his body was already telling him—his assortment of injuries that had ravaged his legs, back, jaw, and wrist had resulted in the end of his military career. He would never walk unassisted, without a cane or walker, again.
As a special education teacher working seventy to eighty hours a week, he found that his transition into civilian life coupled with his constant pain resulted in putting on well over forty pounds his first year out of the service. His weight had ballooned to 340 pounds by a few years later.
At age forty-seven, Arthur was headed to an early grave. With the thought of not being around for his wife of almost thirty years and their three sons, he made the decision to take control of his life. After two yoga studios turned him away, he discovered DDP yoga, invented by professional wrestling heavyweight champion “Diamond” Dallas Page. The zero-impact, high-energy, fat-burning workout helped Arthur shed 140 pounds in ten months.
Arthur’s YouTube video featuring his transformation went viral (over ten million hits and counting). His testimony inspires and motivates others to own their lives, take control, never give up—and get healthy.[11]
Iowa City Yoga Festival listed him as one of their keynote speakers. Doubters take note: Boorman has “stretched his way” to guru status.
THE SYNTHESIZERS
These gurus deliver relevant themes. They’ve booked the interviews, explored the best practices, and synthesized the results. Rather than regurgitating traditional dogma, these gurus serve up fresh perspectives based on emerging trends. Their content feels innovative, robust, and original. Think: obvious epiphany.
Example of a Synthesizer:
Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer with the New Yorker magazine since 1996. He wrote The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers—all of which were number one New York Times bestsellers.
From 1987 to 1996, he was a reporter with the Washington Post, where he covered business and science, and then served as the newspaper’s New York City bureau chief. He graduated from the University of Toronto, Trinity College, with a degree in history. He was born in England, grew up in rural Ontario, and now lives in New York City.
In his first book, The Tipping Point, Gladwell suggests that word of mouth phenomena shares similar characteristics with epidemics. Ideas, products, messages, and behaviors spread just like viruses do. He proves his proposition with examples from various sectors of society such as history (Paul Revere), entertainment (Sesame Street and Blue’s Clues), and commerce (Hush Puppies Shoes).[12]
In 2005 Time magazine named him one of the “100 Most Influential People.” Clearly, Gladwell “wrote the book” on guru status.
THE NONCONFORMISTS
These gurus deliver uncommon perspectives. They’ve examined opinion, etiquette, and outlook and dared to stand in defiance. Rather than marching in line, these gurus chart their own course. Their content feels unconventional, raw, and passionate. Think: brace yourself, hear it comes.
Example of a Nonconformist:
In his own words, Dave Ramsey has an unusual way of looking at the world.
My wife, Sharon, says I’m weird and truthfully—I am weird. But there’s a reason. Starting from nothing, by the time I was 26 I had a net worth of a little over a million dollars. I was making $250,000 a year—that’s more than $20,000 a month net taxable income. I was really having fun. But 98% truth is a lie, and that 2% can cause big problems, especially with $4 million in real estate. I had a lot of debt—a lot of short-term debt—and I’m the idiot who signed up for the trip.
After losing everything, I went on a quest to find out how money really works, how I could get control of it and how I could have confidence in handling it. I read everything I could get my hands on. I interviewed older rich people, people who made money and kept it. That quest led me to a really, really uncomfortable place: my mirror. I came to realize that my money problems, worries and shortages largely began and ended with the person in my mirror. I also realized that if I could learn to manage the character I shaved with every morning, I would win with money.
I formed The Lampo Group in 1992 to counsel folks hurting from the results of financial stress. I’ve paid the “stupid tax” (mistakes with dollar signs on the end) so hopefully some of you won’t have to. I wrote the book, Financial Peace, based on all that Sharon and I had learned, and I began selling it out of my car. With a friend of mine, I started a local radio call-in show called The Money Game, now nationally syndicated as The Dave Ramsey Show.
Many companies define success based on the dollars coming in, but at The Lampo Group, we define our success by the number of lives changed: listeners getting out of debt, readers taking their first Baby Step and saving $1,000, FPU graduates investing for their future. We learned early on that if we help enough people, the money will come. Our mission statement isn’t just lip service—it’s our mantra.
The Lampo Group, Inc. is providing biblically based, common-sense education and empowerment which gives HOPE to everyone from the financially secure to the financially distressed.[13]
Ramsey has been featured on many media outlets including The Oprah Winfrey Show, 60 Minutes, The Early Show on CBS, Fox Business Network, Dr. Phil, and many more.[14] Ramsey has undoubtedly “banked” guru status.
THE ACADEMICS
These gurus deliver data. They’ve earned the degrees, written the papers, and conducted the experiments. Rather than personal opinion, these gurus share from a deep reservoir of science and research. Their content feels proven, credible, and plausible. Think: graduate class.
Example of an Academic:
Oliver Sacks, MD, is a physician, a bestselling author, and a professor of neurology at the NYU School of Medicine.[15]
He is best known for his collections of neurological case histories, including The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, and The Mind’s Eye. His book Awakenings (1973) introduces a group of patients who had survived the great encephalitis lethargica, or “sleepy sickness,” epidemic of the early twentieth century.
Maybe you skipped his book but saw the movie? Thousands did. Awakenings inspired the 1990 Academy Award–nominated feature film starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams. Dr. Sacks says, “These patients ‘have some words somewhere,’ but must be ‘tricked or seduced into discovering them.’”[16]
Dr. Sacks is a frequent contributor to the New Yorker and the New York Review of Books, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Letters as well as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The New York Times has referred to him as “the poet laureate of medicine.”
Translation? Dr. Sacks “aced the class” on guru status.
THE CELEBRITIES
These gurus deliver familiar endorsements. They’ve found their place in our conversations, status updates, and news stations. Rather than knowledge or expertise, these gurus (and their sponsors) rely on notoriety and name recognition. Their content feels reliable, trustworthy, and recognizable. Think: recommendation from a friend.
Example of a Celebrity:
Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan earned an estimated eighty million dollars in 2012 from corporate partners. According to Forbes, “Jordan out-earns almost every member of the world-highest paid athletes even 10 years after his last NBA game.”[17]
The article continues, “The Jordan Brand is doing ‘exceptionally well’ says Christopher Svezia. He estimates the brand grew 25–30 percent in 2012 and now generates more than $1.75 billion globally, including apparel. The United States Jordan Brand sneaker business alone had $1.25 billion in wholesale revenue in 2012, says Matt Powell, an analyst at SportsOneSource.”[18]
No one believes Michael Jordan possesses guru knowledge about all the products he endorses. How could anyone be an expert in shoes (Nike), beverages (Gatorade), underwear (Hanes), trading cards (Upper Deck), video games (2K Sports), health care (Presbyterian Healthcare), cologne (Five Star Fragrances), restaurants, and car dealerships? Clearly, these brands capitalize on Jordan’s “global fame” rather than his “product intellect.” Yet no one can argue with the effectiveness of his endorsements.
Forbes estimates his net worth at $650 million thanks to years of endorsement checks and $90 million in salary from the Bulls. As a celebrity, Jordan’s numbers prove he “cashed in” on his guru status.
Your GPS Dictates Your Destination
I like my GPS. It helps me understand where I’m going. According to Garmin, “The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the United States Department of Defense.”[19]
Our smartphones contain GPS technology and so do our car navigation devices. Those age-old jokes about men refusing to stop and ask for directions no longer apply. With a GPS, we’re without excuse if we end up lost.
DJs like their GPS too, but a different type. In our specific conversation, GPS stands for Guru Positioning Story.
Every DJ has one, and the best DJs position theirs well for maximum effectiveness. This unique story serves as the key factor in dictating their final destination. They integrate their GPS into everything they do, including the clan they join.
Choose Your Guru Clan
For now, simply choose which guru clan you identify with the most. Keep in mind, out of the five clans, practicals are the easiest to join, followed by synthesizers, nonconformists, academics, and then celebrities.
In honor of your time, I’ll devote the most space explaining how to join the practical and synthesizer guru clans. (Why invest time talking about celebrities when less than 1 percent of us join them?)
PRACTICALS
Most people underestimate their own expertise. You undervalue yourself because you know of someone who knows more than you do.
Think of your hobby for a moment. Chances are you’re aware of someone in your industry who’s amazing. Chances are you think that because this guru gets better results, no one will pay you.
Not true.
Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, says “If you aren’t an expert, don’t sweat it.” He continues his thesis by explaining the true definition of an expert. “First, ‘expert’ in the context of selling product means that you know more about the product than the purchaser. No more. It is not necessary to be the best—just better than a small target number of your prospective customers.”[20]
I’ve seen this in my own experience. I remember one weekend helping my dad create a website for his business—The New Man Project.[21] Aware that millions and millions of people knew more than me about websites, I was embarrassed by my lack of expertise.
Yet, after about an hour of hacking away, my dad was blown away by my knowledge of WordPress and websites. He was thrilled with his website; it achieves his goal and serves his business model.
Compared to his technological knowledge, I’m a guru.
Funny thing is the tables turned later that afternoon when it came time for us to install a new door in my house. As a former carpenter, my dad is clearly a stud (no pun intended) when it comes to home improvement.
Then there’s me. Let’s just say those skills skipped a generation.
After a short time, I was blown away how quickly we (more like he) installed the door. Sure, he might not be Mike Holmes from the HGTV program Holmes on Homes, but he’s Mike Oberbrunner. Compared to my home improvement knowledge, he’s a guru.
The truth is your potential client doesn’t know the top guru in your industry. They know you (and remember you’re a guru too). Besides, even if they knew this other guru, his or her fee is too high.
Although some top gurus create inexpensive video training, they restrict access to them personally. You can thank laws of success for this. Bestselling leadership author Andy Stanley says, “The more successful you are as a leader, the less accessible you will become.”[22]
Your clear advantage over that #1 guru is your anonymity—therefore, your access.
Let me illustrate another way. The other day I went swimming with my kids at the beach. My son Keegan looked at me and said, “Dad, you have big muscles. Someday can you teach me how to work out?” I kindly thanked him for his compliment and assured him when he surpassed the age of eight we’d start our routine together.
Honestly though, a wave of shame came over me. I’ll let you in on the subsequent inner dialogue that followed inside my subconscious. (Think of the Gollum scene when he talks to himself in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.)
Mean Kary—“If Keegan saw an old picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger, he’d really see some muscles. He wouldn’t be impressed with me.”
Nice Kary—“Yeah, but if Keegan wanted access to Arnold, he’d have to cough up a few million dollars.”
Mean Kary—“Yeah, but Keegan could buy one of his old workout videos someday. Those are inexpensive and they travel easy.”
Nice Kary—“Yeah, but then he wouldn’t be able to receive personal attention and encouragement.”
Mean Kary—“Yeah, but I am sure Arnold has better technique and could provide better results.”
Nice Kary—“Yeah, but Keegan could cheat without Arnold knowing. Live training provides accountability. And Arnold doesn’t even love or care for Keegan like I do.”
Funny, how I had a conversation with myself about how I can outperform Arnold Schwarzenegger when it comes to caring and loving my son.
Am I crazy? (Don’t answer that question.) Maybe I am.
However, did you notice all the “yeah, buts?”
Do they sound familiar?
Do you find yourself engaging in this internal dialogue too?
Do you talk yourself out of your guru status because your results don’t outperform others in your industry?
Think of this in another context. If your goal is to make it down a rapids-filled river, you’ll trust a guide who’s done it safely a dozen times prior. The #1 world-class guide may do it faster or better, but you don’t care nor could you afford him or her.
Stop denying your guru status and start embracing it. You’re already part of the practicals guru clan. You just need to own it and position your story well.
SYNTHESIZERS
If you can read this sentence then you can join this clan. I’ll show you how. Brendon Burchard provides a paradigm shifting illustration in his #1 New York Times bestselling book The Millionaire Messenger.
If you were about to invest in real estate, would you take advice from someone who never owned a home or commercial property?
Most people reply, “Absolutely not.” But then I ask, “But what if that person who had never owned a property had interviewed in detail the top 20 billionaire real estate investors in the world and distilled all their lessons into a 10-step system? Would you listen then?”
If someone has researched a given topic and broken it down for us, we will listen. And we will pay for their guidance.[23]
Synthesizers understand they don’t need to have been there and done that to speak confidently on a subject. If so, then shows like 20/20, 60 Minutes, Dateline, and Good Morning America wouldn’t survive. What makes these programs credible is their ability to synthesize information. In a single episode, experts from various sectors weigh in with their most relevant content.
Nearly everyone can join the synthesizer clan too. Many deny my prediction by taking inventory of what they don’t “have.” (Isn’t it interesting how we argue for that which we don’t want?) We say:
“I don’t have a television channel.”
(You can create a YouTube account—free.)
“I don’t have access to press releases.”
(You can start a Twitter account—free.)
“I don’t have someone to publish my content.”
(You can begin a blog on WordPress—free.)
“I can’t interview the top twenty experts in my industry.”
(You can synthesize the best articles via the internet—free.)
These apparent obstacles are only poor excuses. Remember, you’re fully resourced. You can join the synthesizers in less than thirty days. I’ve helped other DJs do this by using my three quick steps.
Three Steps to Join the Synthesizer Clan
| 1. Choose—Obtain the best content. | ||
| 2. Synthesize—Combine to form new truth. | ||
| 3. Communicate—Broadcast your message. |
1. CHOOSE—Obtain the Best Content
Don’t read everything. Your brain will blow up. Only consume the best content. According to Tim Ferriss, “If you read and understand the three top-selling books . . . you will know more about that topic than 80 percent of the readership.”[24]
Not happy being in the top 20 percent?
Internet marketer Ryan Deiss tells you how to climb higher. “Buy and read at least 3 top books on your subject, and read all the blog posts for the last 60 days for the top 6 blogs in your market . . . by the time you’re finished you’ll be more knowledgeable than 95 percent of the people in your market . . . including most other published authors.”[25]
Find the best content on your topic by visiting an online bookstore. Bestsellers are a great place to start. Check out a few reviews, click to look inside. Examine the table of contents and read an excerpt.
Next utilize a feature found on most online bookstores. They’ll suggest other similar books: “If you like that book, then check out this other book.” Purchase three to five of them. (I choose hard copies for a reason. But more on this in a moment.)
After placing your order, examine the top articles and blogs. Work smarter, not harder. The internet is massive, so utilize a website called Alltop. Think of Alltop as the “online magazine rack” of the web.
The purpose of Alltop is to help you answer the question, “What’s happening?” in “all the topics” that interest you. We do this by collecting the headlines of the latest stories from the best sites and blogs that cover a topic. We group these collections—“aggregations”—into individual web pages. Then we display the five most recent headlines of the information sources as well as their first paragraph. Our topics run from adoption to zoology with photography, food, science, religion, celebrities, fashion, gaming, sports, politics, automobiles, Macintosh, and hundreds of other subjects along the way.
We’ve subscribed to thousands of sources to provide “aggregation without aggravation.” To be clear, Alltop pages are starting points—they are not destinations per se. Ultimately, our goal is to enhance your online reading by displaying stories from sources that you’re already visiting plus helping you discover sources that you didn’t know existed.[26]
After securing the best books and the top blog posts and articles, prepare to synthesize.
2. SYNTHESIZE—Combine to Form New Truth
In the words of King Solomon, “There is nothing new under the sun.”[27] Thousands of years later Bono sang (or stole from King Solomon), “Every poet is a thief.”[28]
Bottom line? All art, discovery, and creativity must thank those who’ve come before. No matter how “original” your work seems, on some levels it’s repackaged inspiration.
Be propelled by this, not paralyzed. You should feel liberated to create and communicate your work. But before you get started, refresh yourself with the definition of synthesis. Synthesis is:
The combining of separate elements or substances to form a coherent whole. The combination . . . whereby a new and higher level of truth is produced. [29]
Although the definition of synthesis might sound complex, the actual process is quite easy. I synthesize often. Read below to see my model or check out the free video at DayJobToDreamJob.com/resources.[30]
I call my process RSSS (Really Simple Synthesis Strategy). Here’s the nine steps:
After synthesizing using the RSSS process, prepare to communicate.
3. COMMUNICATE—Broadcast Your Message
Choose your venue. Because you have a worldwide television channel, unlimited press releases, and a worldwide publisher, your excuses no longer hold weight. In the upcoming Dream Jobber steps, I’ll explain much more about effective and efficient communication.
NONCONFORMISTS
We join the nonconformist clan many times by accident. If you look at the world long enough you’ll probably see injustice and unbalance—most people do. But nonconformists do something more than just notice it. They speak up.
We applaud their action and congratulate their courage. While the masses sit sidelined by silence, nonconformists stand up and shout out. Throughout history, they not only cursed the darkness but also lit a candle. They not only told us what they’re against but also showed us what they’re for.
Sink your teeth into sixty seconds of nonconformists via the Apple “Think Different” advertising campaign. Debuting on September 28, 1997, it marked the beginning of Apple’s renaissance period and was credited with setting Apple back on course. I’ll warn you, though, it’s convicting because it kills apathy and eliminates excuses. Although you can check out the video free online, I’ve included the text below:
Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world
Are the ones who DO![31]
This one-minute commercial featured black-and-white footage of seventeen iconic twentieth-century personalities. All were nonconformists. Steve Jobs, the cofounder of Apple and the narrator of this commercial, typified the nonconformist clan.
ACADEMICS
As you might expect, joining the academic clan requires schooling. Lots of it. As someone who earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a doctorate, I can genuinely say I respect formalized education. Many of my former professors have aided me in my journey of personal growth.
Most often, joining the academic clan requires making large investments of time and money. This clan grants credibility to the few who prove themselves over an extended time. Insiders readily acknowledge that universities operate according to bureaucracy, tenure, and “publish or perish” realities. (Blogs often don’t count in this world.)
For this reason there’s only a 25 percent probability of joining this clan. Keep in mind that the majority of academics don’t experience large amounts of direct influence or direct income. They train a limited number of students and receive little financial compensation in return. Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, revealed this phenomenon many decades ago:
There are two kinds of knowledge. One is general, the other is specialized. General knowledge, no matter how great in quantity or variety it may be, is of but little use in the accumulation of money. The faculties of the great universities possess, in the aggregate, practically every form of general knowledge known to civilization. Most of the professors have but little or no money. They specialize on teaching knowledge, but they do not specialize on the organization, or the use of knowledge.[32]
Educators are some of the best people on the planet. But remember, we’re not debating that point. Within our conversation, it’s important to note that the bulk of academics will never achieve guru status because their clan won’t allow it. This particular clan reserves elite status for only a few.
Like all professionals, academics fit somewhere in the Influence/Income Scale. Society compensates people based on the value they provide. If your content is simply theoretical then you’ll be compensated with little direct influence or income.
Comparatively, if your content is transcendent, you’ll be compensated with much influence or income. Take Mother Teresa, for example. Although she received little income, her influence outpaced many renowned world leaders. Notice the scale below:
| Component | Compensation | Example | ||
| Transcendent | $$$$ | Spiritual Guides | ||
| Transformational | $$$ | Business Coaches | ||
| Tactical | $$ | Managers | ||
| Theoretical | $ | Educators | ||
CELEBRITIES
Thankfully a Google search doesn’t list any schools on how to become a celebrity. (Perhaps there’s an open market for this? Let’s hope not.)
If you truly want to join the celebrity clan, then you need to do the world a favor and set yourself apart by becoming exceptional at something. (Or if you’re into reality television you can become exceptional at nothing and join the clan too . . . for fifteen minutes of fame.)
Promotion Stories Give Us Visibility
Besides providing us with perspective and permission, stories also provide promotion. At least the “sticky” ones do, anyway.
According to the market research firm Yankelovich, the average city dweller sees more than five thousand ads every day. Each ad is a kind of mini narrative competing for your attention.
Your brain adapts by tuning out most of these stories. The only stories it allows to survive are the “sticky” ones—those that elicit one of the responses below.
Sticky Stories Cause People To
| 1. See themselves—They’re relatable. | ||
| 2. Free themselves—They’re liberating. | ||
| 3. Be themselves—They’re authentic. | ||
| 4. Pee themselves—They’re memorable. |
In my Dream Job Bootcamp I help my clients write their own “sticky” stories and position them successfully both in their minds and in their marketplace. For the sake of space, I’m not going to expound on these sticky stories here. However, I’ve provided free detailed examples of each at DayJobToDreamJob.com/resources.
When you go there you’ll meet a high school dropout turned entrepreneur millionaire (see yourself), a female author who overcame childhood rape (free yourself), a famous actress who battled the Imposter Syndrome (be yourself), and a shocking movie for reasons you wouldn’t expect (pee yourself).
It’s an online experience stuffed full of education and entertainment.
Stories Need Space to Breathe
Your GPS will only thrive in an appropriate space. In the next chapter you’ll meet a man named Mark who designed a space so effective that his day job couldn’t help but support his transition, and for more than a year encouraged his slow departure into his dream job. Rather than arguing for him to stay, they saw the potential of his plan and answered with affirmation.
In the Shawshank Redemption, Andy escaped his prison by sliding through five hundred yards of sewer pipe. Mark surprisingly escaped his prison by walking out the front door.
His magic key?
He knew his story needed space to breathe. And rather than finding the correct space, he did something even better.
He designed it.
Key Points
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