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Hello, my friend, and welcome to The
Better Life Better Business Podcast.
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I'm your host, Shawn Ellis, and this
is episode number 32, titled "Community
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Is Your Competitive Advantage."
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Now I almost titled this episode "One
Week in August" and I'll explain why
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in a moment, but first, before we
dive in, I want you to think about a
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time when you felt truly supported.
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When you knew that without a
doubt, someone had your back.
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Can you think of a time like that?
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Can you remember that feeling?
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Because that's what
community is all about.
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And today I'm going to show you how
that feeling isn't just comforting,
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but I believe it's truly your
greatest edge in life and business.
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And I'm saying this as an introvert.
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So it's taken me a while to
come around to this idea.
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But hopefully by the end of the
episode, you'll be able to entertain
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this possibility and perhaps be able
to believe it and use it to make the
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next chapter of your life work business
better then you could have imagined.
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Let me say this, though,
before we go too far.
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When I say competitive advantage, I'm
not just speaking to business leaders
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or entrepreneurs here, although I know
that when you hear competitive advantage,
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you might think of marketing or sales.
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And while certainly it applies there,
this idea really applies to everyone.
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It doesn't matter where you are
in life or what role you play.
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And if competitive advantage isn't a
phrase that you use regularly, maybe
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think of it as your personal edge.
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That unique strength or
quality that sets you apart.
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And helps you achieve your goals,
whether personally or professionally.
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And what I want to share today is that
community is your competitive advantage.
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And it's something I've
been reflecting on a lot.
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Particularly after that
one week in August.
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The last episode I did was
titled, "She Said Yes!!!"
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and I introduced you to, my
fiance, Megan, after, she had
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accepted my proposal for marriage.
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And, and then I kind of went silent
and that wasn't really intentional.
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Just there's been a lot going on.
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Leading up to that one week in August.
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And, now I'm happy to say that Megan
is my wife, because we got married.
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And then a few days after that I
released my first book, Mastering
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the Moments: A Journey of Endings,
Beginnings, and the Space in Between.
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And then on the very next day, I
spoke to over six thousand people
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at the Toastmasters 100th Annual
Convention, which was truly an
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honor and an absolute joy after
25 years in the speaking business.
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it was, it was just a real treat to
be able to speak to that audience
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for that organization, which is just
been a mainstay in the speaking or
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communication space, but all that
happened in the course of one week.
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And on one hand, I could talk about just
how amazing all those things were, but
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I'm not sharing that just to tell you
about the happenings or the achievements.
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But the truth is that none of
those events would have happened
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without the power of community.
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Because if you follow me on social
media, you've seen the pictures.
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I posted a picture from our
wedding day and we're holding
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a sign that says Best Day Ever.
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You've seen the book cover leading up to
the book release, you've maybe seen some
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pictures from the Toastmasters event.
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Those are the highlights.
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That's what social media is, right?
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But what you don't see there is
what went on behind the scenes to
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make all of those events possible.
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And, like we can take
let's just go one by one.
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We'll take the wedding.
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That week leading up to, to us
getting married, which was, it
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was tough for us to fit in our.
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Our lives were so crazy between
stuff with our three kids and
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work and all these things.
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We decided to do a courthouse wedding,
which is the way my grandparents got
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married way, way back a long time ago.
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And, we just decided that that would be
the best way for us to make it happen.
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So we invited our parents and it was
a really special day, but leading up
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to that week, We went in to get our
marriage license and when we went in
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there, having been divorced, I needed
to provide my certified divorce decree
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in order to get the marriage license.
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Well, the problem with that
is I didn't have a copy of
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my certified divorce decree.
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So the whole wedding was in jeopardy
if we couldn't figure that out.
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So I reached out to my dear friend Joy
back in Nashville, And I said, Hey, would
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it be possible for you to go pick up a
copy of this for me and then overnight it?
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And when we spoke, she was doing, a girl's
day out and they totally changed their
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plans, rerouted everything, to be able
to go get the copy of the divorce decree.
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They overnighted it here.
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And then on the morning of the day
we were going to get married, we
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went in to get our marriage license.
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And it all worked out and, and truly
community saved the day that day.
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So that picture you see of "best
day ever" wouldn't have been
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possible without community.
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And then let's go to the book
release a few days later.
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Well, one reason that that I've been
really quiet, and no podcast episodes.
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very little on social media
these last few months, is because
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I was working on that book.
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I was under a deadline to finish the
writing, to get it edited, to get the
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cover designed, you know, to get all the
details in place for it to be published.
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And if you pick up a copy of that book,
you'll see that it's my name on the cover.
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I'm the author of Mastering the
Moments and that's an honor and an
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achievement and I'm Proud and grateful.
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But what it doesn't show there
is the community behind the
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scenes that made that possible.
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it's no coincidence that this book didn't
come out before I met my wife, Megan.
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I've been working on this book really,
you know, going back 10 years to the
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origin, but, over the last five really.
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And I thought it would've
come out long before now.
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If you've written a book, you
know how much goes into it.
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If you've attempted to write a book,
you know, how much goes into it?
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I've always had tremendous, admiration and
respect for anyone who published a book.
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And now, after going through
the process, I have even more
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cause it's just, it's a project.
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There's no other way to say it.
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But that project wouldn't have happened.
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I wouldn't have been able to get that
across the finish line without Megan
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taking care of all the responsibilities
at home with our three kids and making
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sure everything happened there so I
could be freed up to work on the book.
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And then in my business, The Speakers
Group, thanks to my team, Jan and
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Dawn, they were able to keep all of
that moving forward while most of my
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attention was going toward the book.
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So truly community made that possible.
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And if you read the book by the way, the
book, while it's stories from my life,
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really every one of those stories is what
I call an intersection with somebody else.
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Whether somebody said something that
made a difference in my life or an
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interaction that led to a special
experience, I dedicate the book to my son.
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I call him my little guru and, cause I've
learned so many lessons thanks to him.
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But that book is really, it's a
story of all these intersections.
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That book truly would not
exist without community.
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And then the Toastmasters event.
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same thing.
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While, you know, when there's a
speaker on stage one person has
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the microphone and the spotlight.
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But behind the scenes a lot has to happen.
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First of all, everyone at Toastmasters,
Diana and Renee, my main contacts
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there, as we were putting it all
together, they helped to get me
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the information that I needed and
helped to coordinate everything.
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Brandee helped with travel coordination.
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So the whole team at Toastmasters,
that's part of the community.
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But the week before that event, a
potential family crisis popped up.
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And I won't go into the details here,
but just to say, there were some real
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questions about how I was going to
be able to pull this off and whether
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I would have to adjust travel plans.
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But, thanks to the community once again,
in this case, being some professionals
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that we had connected with and family
members, I was able to hand that off
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to others and trust that everything was
going to be taken care of so I could
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focus on doing what I needed to do to
show up with peace of mind and clarity and
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deliver the presentation at Toastmasters.
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But I share all that to
highlight the power of community.
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And in doing so I want to encourage
you to do a check on your own community
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right now, personally and professionally.
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And in this episode, I want to
offer you some practical ways to
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harness the power of community.
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To help you navigate the challenges
you may be facing right now, and
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also to accelerate your success, to
find deeper meaning in your journey.
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So my hope is that when you finish
this episode, you'll feel inspired
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to either build or expand your own
community today because I truly believe
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community is your competitive advantage.
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And now if you've followed my work for
any length of time, maybe you're familiar
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with my five C's to Adapt and Thrive.
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And the fifth C is Community.
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And this absolutely ties back to that.
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And as I said, as an introvert,
community, it's not something I've
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talked much about over the years.
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In fact, it's something I've often
avoided, choosing to focus instead on
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self-reliance, on what we, as individuals,
can tap into in any given moment to
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cultivate resilience and adaptability.
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But the truth is the first four C's
are all about what you and I can do.
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But there comes a time
when we reach our limits.
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And that's when we need someone else.
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That's when we need community.
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And so when I share the story of
the marriage, the book release,
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the speaking engagement, and I say,
It wouldn't be possible without
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community, that's absolutely true.
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So why then why do I say community
is your competitive advantage?
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Well, I was thinking about this
recently because we often, especially in
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business, we focus a lot on competition.
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Meaning, you know, we look around and
we see who we're up against and we're
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trying to figure out how do we stand out?
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How do we rise above?
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And that's true if we're a business,
you want to stand out from your
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competition, but even as an individual,
In the workplace you want to stand
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out from your peers, whether you think
of them explicitly as competition
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or not, you want to stand out.
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You want to make your mark and position
yourself to rise up through the ranks.
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But I believe we stand more
to gain by working together.
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Then by working against each other.
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You see community, again, it
doesn't just feel good, but
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it allows you to be your best.
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It supports you in becoming your best.
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Because when you're surrounded by
a community that's built on true
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authentic connection where you can
show up with vulnerability then you
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can focus on being the best version of
yourself and you leave the competition
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that, you know, they're going to do
their best and become their best.
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But the truth of the matter
is when you are your best,
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there is no one else like you.
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There is no competition for who you are.
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There is only one of you.
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But it takes community to bring that out.
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Both in terms of supporting you
and offering you encouragement when
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things are challenging, but also
holding you accountable and saying,
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Hey, I know you're better than this.
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I know you can do more.
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And so it pushes us to achieve
more than we normally would.
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And then also the reality
is we all have weaknesses.
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We have strengths and we have weaknesses.
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And sure we want to, be the best we can be
and play to our strengths And strengthen
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our weaknesses, but still at the end
of the day, there're going to be some
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things that I just, I don't do so well.
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Or, or at least to say someone else
does it a whole lot better than me.
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And so when we build a community around
ourselves, Then we can focus on doing
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what we do best and the community shows
up doing what they do best and we are
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stronger and better off as a result.
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So community means having the
people to encourage you to hold
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you accountable, to help you grow.
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And also community is not just
about being on the receiving end.
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Community is also about giving.
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It's about showing up for others,
sharing your talents, sharing your
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experience, sharing your perspective.
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Because at the end of the day,
isn't that what really brings true
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meaning and depth to our lives?
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When I think about some of the things
that I've been through, it's definitely
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been challenging for me just as your path
has been challenging for you, I know.
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And what's brought, meaning to me
is to be able to give back whether
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it's writing a book, whether it's
doing coaching, talking with a friend
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who's going through a tough time.
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, Doing speaking engagements, to be
able to show up and share something
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from my experience and then know that
it matters, that it helps somebody
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else, that changes everything.
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So it just brings meaning
and depth to our lives.
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But I also saw, as I was preparing
for this recent speaking engagement,
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Just trying to deepen my knowledge
of the power of community.
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I came across some recent
research from Gallup.
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That 20% of workers around the world
experience loneliness on a daily basis.
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In other words, one out of five workers.
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Experience loneliness on a daily basis.
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And if you work remotely,
Those numbers jump up to 25%.
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That experienced loneliness on a
daily basis where one out of four.
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And I know I've experienced loneliness.
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I know you have.
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We know it doesn't feel good,
but what really caught me off
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guard was seeing the health risk
that's connected to loneliness.
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The US Surgeon General compares
the effects of loneliness to
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smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
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So community, not only does it
help us achieve more, but also it's
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truly critical to our wellbeing.
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So as the pace of change accelerates,
as there's more and more uncertainty
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in the world, all these things that
can leave you feeling isolated,
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leave you feeling like man, nobody
understands what I'm going through.
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Community becomes more and more
critical, not just to survive all the
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challenges, but really to thrive in
this constantly accelerating world.
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So, how do you build or
expand your community?
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Let me just offer some practical
ideas here because I hope as
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you're hearing this, you're
thinking, yeah, you know what?
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I could, maybe I could
use some more community.
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Maybe I'm not as plugged
in as I would like to be.
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So here are some steps you can take.
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Number one.
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Take a moment to identify or
to assess where you are in your
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life in terms of community.
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Identify the gaps, where
are you lacking support?
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Is it at work?
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Do you need to connect
with a mentor at work?
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is it there or is it
in your personal life?
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Maybe things are okay at work,
but in your personal life, you're
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saying my community's kind of
dwindled a bit in recent years.
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So to start with, identify those gaps.
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That's the first step toward
building a stronger community is
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just seeing where you are presently.
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And then from there, the second step is
to start small and reach out to someone,
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whether it's a colleague, an old friend.
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I will say that just in these last
couple of weeks, I've had the chance to
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reconnect with three different people
who go back 20 to 25 years in my life.
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and some of them I hadn't
talked to in almost that time.
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it was just.
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really special to connect with somebody
from a different era in life and
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remember that you both shared some
experiences there and to hear stories.
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One of the guys I used to work with
years ago and then come to find out
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we had both been on this similar path
in terms of bankruptcy and divorce
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and coming out on the other side with
a perspective that just allows you to
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feel like life is better than ever, not
because of external circumstances, but
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because of what you've learned about
life, what you've learned about yourself.
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Community offers that, but also,
you know, community, you can find
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it in going to seminars and working
with a coach or a therapist, mentor.
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Maybe, you know, maybe it's going
to a Toastmasters club meeting.
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I just mentioned that I spoke for
Toastmasters and I'll tell you in
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getting to know that organization
in a more up close and personal way
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as I was preparing to speak there.
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it's just a really special place.
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I've never seen a group where everyone
is so committed to growth and service and
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leadership and supporting one another.
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00:17:34,361 --> 00:17:38,761
I heard story after story of How
members found more confidence
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from going to these club meetings.
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so maybe it's going to a
Toastmasters club meeting.
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Maybe it's just a meetup.
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Maybe it's a professional
association, a chamber of commerce.
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but where could you plug in to
find some like-minded individuals
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who share your goals and values?
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But start small.
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Send an email, make a phone call.
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00:17:57,491 --> 00:18:00,401
you don't have to show up at a
meeting today, but what would
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00:18:00,401 --> 00:18:02,051
be a small step you could take?
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00:18:02,891 --> 00:18:07,061
And then from there, the third step is
just to keep going to be consistent.
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Because building a community
doesn't happen overnight.
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It's about consistent small steps.
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00:18:14,981 --> 00:18:17,511
And as I said, as an introvert,
this is something that
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doesn't come naturally to me.
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I'm working to get
better and better at it.
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I started a mastermind group within
my company, The Speakers Group.
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I work with hundreds of speakers.
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00:18:27,181 --> 00:18:30,631
and obviously working with that
many speakers, we can't all be in
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00:18:30,631 --> 00:18:34,051
touch on a regular basis, but I've
started putting together a smaller
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group where we can get together
periodically and share in our successes.
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Share our goals and share our challenges.
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And offer ideas back and forth
and to a person, everybody in that
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group, it's been just this breath of
fresh air because speaking is one of
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those isolated, lonely professions.
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if you happen to be listening to this
and you are a speaker reach out to
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us at The Speakers Group and I can
tell you more about what we're doing
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and see if it's something that would
be a fit for you to plug in with.
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Take those small steps, make it a habit
to connect with others on a regular basis.
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Whether it's a phone call and email.
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attending a meeting, whatever it may be.
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And I'm continuing to work on that myself.
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One thing I've done.
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00:19:17,451 --> 00:19:22,341
is, you know, I'll have these call
requests that pop up on my calendar.
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sometimes it's an old friend.
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00:19:24,051 --> 00:19:26,031
Sometimes it's a colleague
looking for help.
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Sometimes it's clients.
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And my schedule can just kind
of fill in with these calls.
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one day I was getting really
frustrated by that cause I looked
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00:19:32,631 --> 00:19:35,691
at my calendar and I was like, man,
there's only like a two hour window
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here for me to do some other work.
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00:19:37,941 --> 00:19:42,491
And then I had one of these calls
and that call was such a gift.
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That conversation.
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was the highlight of my day.
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00:19:45,301 --> 00:19:46,141
And I thought, you know what?
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00:19:46,471 --> 00:19:49,231
Moving forward, I'm changing
my perspective on these calls.
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I'm going to look at
every call on my calendar.
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As a gift and an opportunity
to connect with someone.
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And sure some of them are going
to be more meaningful than others.
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Sometimes I'll be like, huh?
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00:19:59,551 --> 00:20:02,821
Well, I could've done with that without
that today, but you just never know.
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So just to note, Every
connection is a gift.
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So just be consistent.
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And then the fourth thing is remember to
give as much as you get, maybe even more.
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But remember the community
is a two way street.
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So look for ways to show up with
others, not just to be supported,
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00:20:22,331 --> 00:20:26,471
but to offer your support, to offer
your expertise, your encouragement.
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00:20:26,961 --> 00:20:29,301
maybe you reach out to somebody
that's been on your mind.
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00:20:29,601 --> 00:20:31,941
Because we all have those people
that have been on our mind a lot.
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00:20:32,631 --> 00:20:36,171
Maybe you just need to reach out to
somebody, send a text, make a call,
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00:20:36,171 --> 00:20:39,251
send an email and say, Hey, I was just
thinking about you and wanted to check in.
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It can be as simple as that.
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00:20:41,261 --> 00:20:43,111
And you never know who you're
going to reach on the other
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00:20:43,111 --> 00:20:44,461
end, what their situation.
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00:20:44,541 --> 00:20:48,981
might be, but the more you give
the stronger your community.
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00:20:49,441 --> 00:20:50,041
will become.
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00:20:51,571 --> 00:20:54,541
community is not just
something nice to have.
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It is your competitive advantage.
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00:20:57,061 --> 00:20:57,901
I believe that.
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00:20:58,361 --> 00:21:01,061
as the world we live in becomes
more and more isolated through
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00:21:01,061 --> 00:21:04,481
technology on one hand, we're more
connected than we've ever been.
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00:21:04,481 --> 00:21:08,441
But then on the other hand, as you know,
We're more isolated than we've ever been.
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00:21:08,681 --> 00:21:11,591
I mean, we go to the grocery
store and we don't have to even
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00:21:11,621 --> 00:21:13,151
have to see anybody to check out.
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00:21:13,151 --> 00:21:14,351
You go to the gas station.
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00:21:14,351 --> 00:21:17,771
I remember the old days going to
the gas station with my grandparents
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when it was full service.
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00:21:18,941 --> 00:21:23,531
And the guy would come up and watch the
windshield, check the oil, do all that.
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Ask, how are you doing today?
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00:21:25,421 --> 00:21:29,441
And now we try to avoid human
contact as much as possible.
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00:21:31,121 --> 00:21:35,441
But I do believe that there is more
to gain from us working together
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than when we work against each other.
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We can work together and
each become our best.
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00:21:42,371 --> 00:21:46,001
And then we just let the
competition piece go where it goes.
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00:21:46,391 --> 00:21:50,981
You know, if I'm my best, then I
trust that the right people are
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00:21:50,981 --> 00:21:52,211
going to find their way to me.
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00:21:52,211 --> 00:21:54,101
I'm going to find my
way to the right people.
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I talk about resilience.
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00:21:55,641 --> 00:21:57,021
I talk about adaptability.
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It's inspirational in nature.
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00:21:59,001 --> 00:22:02,001
There are a lot of other speakers that
fit under those categories and under those
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00:22:02,001 --> 00:22:07,881
umbrellas, But I trust that when I show
up as my best there's a certain audience,
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a certain client base I can serve.
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00:22:10,011 --> 00:22:15,041
And there's a certain client base and
audience that my competitors can serve.
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00:22:16,091 --> 00:22:18,851
But I know that together
it's a whole lot better.
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00:22:19,091 --> 00:22:21,971
when we, when we join forces
and support each other.
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00:22:22,661 --> 00:22:25,781
Because without community, there's
a ceiling on how high you can go.
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00:22:25,781 --> 00:22:28,871
You can give it your absolute best,
but at some point you're going
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00:22:28,871 --> 00:22:30,941
to come to your personal limits.
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00:22:31,481 --> 00:22:35,351
But with the right community around you
to support you, to hold you accountable,
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00:22:35,351 --> 00:22:39,371
all the things we talked about, you can
achieve Heights beyond your imagination.
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00:22:40,361 --> 00:22:43,741
So I want you to imagine
A year in the future.
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00:22:44,311 --> 00:22:46,141
There you are standing there.
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00:22:46,711 --> 00:22:50,611
And you're looking back at how your
community has grown over the past year.
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00:22:51,241 --> 00:22:55,321
And then you realize that this moment
listening to this podcast was the
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00:22:55,321 --> 00:22:57,061
moment you decided to make it happen.
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00:22:58,181 --> 00:23:00,121
Think about the connections
you'll have made.
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00:23:00,631 --> 00:23:04,081
The support you'll have given and
received just from again, taking
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00:23:04,081 --> 00:23:07,321
those small steps, sending an email,
sending a text, making a call.
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00:23:08,401 --> 00:23:10,771
Think about the impact that will have had.
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00:23:11,071 --> 00:23:12,781
On your personal and professional life.
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00:23:12,781 --> 00:23:17,911
When you look back on that past year,
That's what's possible right now.
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00:23:18,611 --> 00:23:21,581
I appreciate you listening
to the podcast today.
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00:23:21,951 --> 00:23:26,271
and stay tuned for future episodes, by
the way, because as we get back into
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00:23:26,271 --> 00:23:29,421
this podcast groove, I'm going to be
introducing you to some of the members
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00:23:29,421 --> 00:23:33,471
of my community, other speakers and
authors and thought leaders with just
400
00:23:33,531 --> 00:23:35,961
amazing perspective and expertise.
401
00:23:36,261 --> 00:23:39,291
Who can support you on your own
journey to live a better life
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00:23:39,291 --> 00:23:40,191
and build a better business.
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00:23:40,191 --> 00:23:41,811
So I can't wait for that.
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00:23:42,091 --> 00:23:45,271
and then again, just a little
book plug, my book, Mastering
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00:23:45,271 --> 00:23:47,191
the Moments is available now.
406
00:23:47,191 --> 00:23:50,241
I'd love to join you and
contribute to your life that way.
407
00:23:50,241 --> 00:23:54,501
If you find yourself navigating the
endings or beginnings or the space
408
00:23:54,501 --> 00:23:57,561
in between in life, that's what
Mastering the Moments is all about.
409
00:23:57,561 --> 00:24:00,591
It's filled with stories and
insights to inspire you and
410
00:24:00,591 --> 00:24:01,881
guide you through that journey.
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00:24:02,121 --> 00:24:07,191
You can also sign up for my weekly
newsletter at ShawnEllis.com slash weekly.
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00:24:07,551 --> 00:24:12,911
That's SHAWNELLIS.COM/WEEKLY.
413
00:24:13,401 --> 00:24:16,281
That's where I share tips and stories
each week to help you live a better
414
00:24:16,281 --> 00:24:18,021
life and build a better business.
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00:24:18,071 --> 00:24:21,761
So if I can serve you in that way and
be a part of your extended community,
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00:24:21,811 --> 00:24:24,151
I would be honored and grateful.
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00:24:24,931 --> 00:24:28,981
And if I can support you in some other
way, reach out to my website, let me know.
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00:24:29,031 --> 00:24:30,411
thank you for being here today.
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00:24:30,441 --> 00:24:31,821
Thank you for listening.
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00:24:32,451 --> 00:24:33,141
And remember.
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00:24:33,621 --> 00:24:37,161
Community is your competitive advantage.
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00:24:37,731 --> 00:24:40,731
So until next time, keep building, keep
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,959
Hello, my friend, and welcome to The
Better Life Better Business Podcast.
2
00:00:04,289 --> 00:00:09,869
I'm your host, Shawn Ellis, and this
is episode number 32, titled "Community
3
00:00:10,019 --> 00:00:12,509
Is Your Competitive Advantage."
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00:00:13,110 --> 00:00:19,080
Now I almost titled this episode "One
Week in August" and I'll explain why
5
00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:23,009
in a moment, but first, before we
dive in, I want you to think about a
6
00:00:23,009 --> 00:00:25,979
time when you felt truly supported.
7
00:00:26,610 --> 00:00:30,419
When you knew that without a
doubt, someone had your back.
8
00:00:31,110 --> 00:00:32,879
Can you think of a time like that?
9
00:00:32,940 --> 00:00:34,259
Can you remember that feeling?
10
00:00:35,339 --> 00:00:38,039
Because that's what
community is all about.
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00:00:38,669 --> 00:00:42,809
And today I'm going to show you how
that feeling isn't just comforting,
12
00:00:43,709 --> 00:00:48,059
but I believe it's truly your
greatest edge in life and business.
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00:00:48,869 --> 00:00:51,300
And I'm saying this as an introvert.
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00:00:51,659 --> 00:00:55,529
So it's taken me a while to
come around to this idea.
15
00:00:55,950 --> 00:01:01,030
But hopefully by the end of the
episode, you'll be able to entertain
16
00:01:01,060 --> 00:01:07,210
this possibility and perhaps be able
to believe it and use it to make the
17
00:01:07,210 --> 00:01:13,390
next chapter of your life work business
better then you could have imagined.
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00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:16,190
Let me say this, though,
before we go too far.
19
00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:21,260
When I say competitive advantage, I'm
not just speaking to business leaders
20
00:01:21,260 --> 00:01:24,980
or entrepreneurs here, although I know
that when you hear competitive advantage,
21
00:01:24,980 --> 00:01:27,530
you might think of marketing or sales.
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00:01:27,530 --> 00:01:30,980
And while certainly it applies there,
this idea really applies to everyone.
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00:01:30,980 --> 00:01:34,040
It doesn't matter where you are
in life or what role you play.
24
00:01:34,910 --> 00:01:40,040
And if competitive advantage isn't a
phrase that you use regularly, maybe
25
00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:41,990
think of it as your personal edge.
26
00:01:42,410 --> 00:01:45,380
That unique strength or
quality that sets you apart.
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00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,370
And helps you achieve your goals,
whether personally or professionally.
28
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,830
And what I want to share today is that
community is your competitive advantage.
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00:01:55,790 --> 00:01:58,470
And it's something I've
been reflecting on a lot.
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00:01:58,740 --> 00:02:01,710
Particularly after that
one week in August.
31
00:02:01,959 --> 00:02:05,530
The last episode I did was
titled, "She Said Yes!!!"
32
00:02:05,590 --> 00:02:10,750
and I introduced you to, my
fiance, Megan, after, she had
33
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accepted my proposal for marriage.
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00:02:13,750 --> 00:02:17,430
And, and then I kind of went silent
and that wasn't really intentional.
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00:02:17,430 --> 00:02:19,110
Just there's been a lot going on.
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00:02:19,650 --> 00:02:22,680
Leading up to that one week in August.
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00:02:22,740 --> 00:02:28,990
And, now I'm happy to say that Megan
is my wife, because we got married.
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00:02:29,380 --> 00:02:33,250
And then a few days after that I
released my first book, Mastering
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00:02:33,250 --> 00:02:37,810
the Moments: A Journey of Endings,
Beginnings, and the Space in Between.
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00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,834
And then on the very next day, I
spoke to over six thousand people
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00:02:41,991 --> 00:02:47,151
at the Toastmasters 100th Annual
Convention, which was truly an
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00:02:47,151 --> 00:02:51,771
honor and an absolute joy after
25 years in the speaking business.
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00:02:52,061 --> 00:02:55,741
it was, it was just a real treat to
be able to speak to that audience
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00:02:55,741 --> 00:03:00,931
for that organization, which is just
been a mainstay in the speaking or
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00:03:00,961 --> 00:03:06,151
communication space, but all that
happened in the course of one week.
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00:03:07,111 --> 00:03:12,951
And on one hand, I could talk about just
how amazing all those things were, but
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00:03:12,951 --> 00:03:18,561
I'm not sharing that just to tell you
about the happenings or the achievements.
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00:03:19,191 --> 00:03:23,721
But the truth is that none of
those events would have happened
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without the power of community.
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Because if you follow me on social
media, you've seen the pictures.
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I posted a picture from our
wedding day and we're holding
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00:03:35,011 --> 00:03:36,901
a sign that says Best Day Ever.
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00:03:37,261 --> 00:03:41,491
You've seen the book cover leading up to
the book release, you've maybe seen some
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00:03:41,491 --> 00:03:43,321
pictures from the Toastmasters event.
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Those are the highlights.
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That's what social media is, right?
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But what you don't see there is
what went on behind the scenes to
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make all of those events possible.
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00:03:53,461 --> 00:03:56,291
And, like we can take
let's just go one by one.
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We'll take the wedding.
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00:03:58,451 --> 00:04:02,031
That week leading up to, to us
getting married, which was, it
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was tough for us to fit in our.
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Our lives were so crazy between
stuff with our three kids and
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work and all these things.
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We decided to do a courthouse wedding,
which is the way my grandparents got
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married way, way back a long time ago.
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And, we just decided that that would be
the best way for us to make it happen.
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So we invited our parents and it was
a really special day, but leading up
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to that week, We went in to get our
marriage license and when we went in
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00:04:28,671 --> 00:04:33,771
there, having been divorced, I needed
to provide my certified divorce decree
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in order to get the marriage license.
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Well, the problem with that
is I didn't have a copy of
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my certified divorce decree.
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00:04:41,361 --> 00:04:45,541
So the whole wedding was in jeopardy
if we couldn't figure that out.
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00:04:45,541 --> 00:04:53,061
So I reached out to my dear friend Joy
back in Nashville, And I said, Hey, would
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00:04:53,061 --> 00:04:57,831
it be possible for you to go pick up a
copy of this for me and then overnight it?
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00:04:57,931 --> 00:05:01,641
And when we spoke, she was doing, a girl's
day out and they totally changed their
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plans, rerouted everything, to be able
to go get the copy of the divorce decree.
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00:05:06,141 --> 00:05:07,521
They overnighted it here.
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00:05:08,031 --> 00:05:11,661
And then on the morning of the day
we were going to get married, we
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went in to get our marriage license.
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00:05:13,281 --> 00:05:18,591
And it all worked out and, and truly
community saved the day that day.
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00:05:18,591 --> 00:05:22,071
So that picture you see of "best
day ever" wouldn't have been
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possible without community.
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00:05:25,251 --> 00:05:28,191
And then let's go to the book
release a few days later.
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00:05:28,521 --> 00:05:33,321
Well, one reason that that I've been
really quiet, and no podcast episodes.
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00:05:33,601 --> 00:05:37,591
very little on social media
these last few months, is because
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00:05:37,591 --> 00:05:39,901
I was working on that book.
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00:05:39,901 --> 00:05:43,451
I was under a deadline to finish the
writing, to get it edited, to get the
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00:05:43,751 --> 00:05:47,441
cover designed, you know, to get all the
details in place for it to be published.
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00:05:47,951 --> 00:05:52,301
And if you pick up a copy of that book,
you'll see that it's my name on the cover.
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00:05:52,691 --> 00:05:57,131
I'm the author of Mastering the
Moments and that's an honor and an
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00:05:57,131 --> 00:05:59,591
achievement and I'm Proud and grateful.
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00:06:00,401 --> 00:06:04,001
But what it doesn't show there
is the community behind the
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00:06:04,001 --> 00:06:05,621
scenes that made that possible.
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00:06:06,651 --> 00:06:13,701
it's no coincidence that this book didn't
come out before I met my wife, Megan.
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00:06:14,131 --> 00:06:18,811
I've been working on this book really,
you know, going back 10 years to the
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00:06:18,811 --> 00:06:22,241
origin, but, over the last five really.
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00:06:22,241 --> 00:06:24,431
And I thought it would've
come out long before now.
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00:06:24,831 --> 00:06:27,651
If you've written a book, you
know how much goes into it.
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00:06:27,651 --> 00:06:30,561
If you've attempted to write a book,
you know, how much goes into it?
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I've always had tremendous, admiration and
respect for anyone who published a book.
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00:06:36,371 --> 00:06:39,671
And now, after going through
the process, I have even more
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cause it's just, it's a project.
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00:06:41,571 --> 00:06:42,681
There's no other way to say it.
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But that project wouldn't have happened.
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00:06:45,231 --> 00:06:48,201
I wouldn't have been able to get that
across the finish line without Megan
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00:06:48,591 --> 00:06:52,581
taking care of all the responsibilities
at home with our three kids and making
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00:06:52,581 --> 00:06:57,381
sure everything happened there so I
could be freed up to work on the book.
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00:06:57,771 --> 00:07:03,001
And then in my business, The Speakers
Group, thanks to my team, Jan and
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00:07:03,001 --> 00:07:07,501
Dawn, they were able to keep all of
that moving forward while most of my
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00:07:07,531 --> 00:07:09,361
attention was going toward the book.
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00:07:09,841 --> 00:07:13,321
So truly community made that possible.
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00:07:13,321 --> 00:07:17,351
And if you read the book by the way, the
book, while it's stories from my life,
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00:07:17,631 --> 00:07:22,251
really every one of those stories is what
I call an intersection with somebody else.
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00:07:22,251 --> 00:07:26,811
Whether somebody said something that
made a difference in my life or an
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00:07:26,811 --> 00:07:31,611
interaction that led to a special
experience, I dedicate the book to my son.
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00:07:31,941 --> 00:07:36,581
I call him my little guru and, cause I've
learned so many lessons thanks to him.
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00:07:37,031 --> 00:07:40,661
But that book is really, it's a
story of all these intersections.
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00:07:40,661 --> 00:07:43,451
That book truly would not
exist without community.
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00:07:44,291 --> 00:07:46,601
And then the Toastmasters event.
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same thing.
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00:07:48,391 --> 00:07:51,241
While, you know, when there's a
speaker on stage one person has
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the microphone and the spotlight.
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00:07:53,191 --> 00:07:56,131
But behind the scenes a lot has to happen.
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00:07:56,291 --> 00:08:01,231
First of all, everyone at Toastmasters,
Diana and Renee, my main contacts
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00:08:01,231 --> 00:08:03,771
there, as we were putting it all
together, they helped to get me
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00:08:03,771 --> 00:08:06,711
the information that I needed and
helped to coordinate everything.
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00:08:07,031 --> 00:08:09,161
Brandee helped with travel coordination.
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00:08:09,161 --> 00:08:12,071
So the whole team at Toastmasters,
that's part of the community.
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But the week before that event, a
potential family crisis popped up.
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And I won't go into the details here,
but just to say, there were some real
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questions about how I was going to
be able to pull this off and whether
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I would have to adjust travel plans.
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00:08:27,551 --> 00:08:32,531
But, thanks to the community once again,
in this case, being some professionals
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that we had connected with and family
members, I was able to hand that off
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00:08:38,001 --> 00:08:42,081
to others and trust that everything was
going to be taken care of so I could
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00:08:42,081 --> 00:08:47,001
focus on doing what I needed to do to
show up with peace of mind and clarity and
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deliver the presentation at Toastmasters.
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00:08:50,061 --> 00:08:56,241
But I share all that to
highlight the power of community.
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And in doing so I want to encourage
you to do a check on your own community
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00:09:05,851 --> 00:09:07,891
right now, personally and professionally.
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And in this episode, I want to
offer you some practical ways to
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harness the power of community.
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00:09:13,471 --> 00:09:16,981
To help you navigate the challenges
you may be facing right now, and
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00:09:17,011 --> 00:09:21,781
also to accelerate your success, to
find deeper meaning in your journey.
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00:09:22,081 --> 00:09:26,461
So my hope is that when you finish
this episode, you'll feel inspired
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to either build or expand your own
community today because I truly believe
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community is your competitive advantage.
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00:09:35,881 --> 00:09:39,481
And now if you've followed my work for
any length of time, maybe you're familiar
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with my five C's to Adapt and Thrive.
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And the fifth C is Community.
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And this absolutely ties back to that.
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And as I said, as an introvert,
community, it's not something I've
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00:09:50,311 --> 00:09:52,621
talked much about over the years.
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00:09:52,621 --> 00:09:57,481
In fact, it's something I've often
avoided, choosing to focus instead on
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self-reliance, on what we, as individuals,
can tap into in any given moment to
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00:10:03,121 --> 00:10:05,821
cultivate resilience and adaptability.
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00:10:06,541 --> 00:10:10,921
But the truth is the first four C's
are all about what you and I can do.
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But there comes a time
when we reach our limits.
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And that's when we need someone else.
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That's when we need community.
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00:10:20,101 --> 00:10:24,751
And so when I share the story of
the marriage, the book release,
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the speaking engagement, and I say,
It wouldn't be possible without
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00:10:29,281 --> 00:10:31,921
community, that's absolutely true.
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00:10:32,521 --> 00:10:36,081
So why then why do I say community
is your competitive advantage?
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Well, I was thinking about this
recently because we often, especially in
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business, we focus a lot on competition.
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00:10:45,801 --> 00:10:48,941
Meaning, you know, we look around and
we see who we're up against and we're
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00:10:48,941 --> 00:10:50,501
trying to figure out how do we stand out?
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How do we rise above?
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00:10:51,971 --> 00:10:54,931
And that's true if we're a business,
you want to stand out from your
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competition, but even as an individual,
In the workplace you want to stand
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out from your peers, whether you think
of them explicitly as competition
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00:11:04,821 --> 00:11:07,101
or not, you want to stand out.
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You want to make your mark and position
yourself to rise up through the ranks.
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00:11:12,921 --> 00:11:17,361
But I believe we stand more
to gain by working together.
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Then by working against each other.
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You see community, again, it
doesn't just feel good, but
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it allows you to be your best.
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It supports you in becoming your best.
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Because when you're surrounded by
a community that's built on true
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00:11:33,831 --> 00:11:38,991
authentic connection where you can
show up with vulnerability then you
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can focus on being the best version of
yourself and you leave the competition
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that, you know, they're going to do
their best and become their best.
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But the truth of the matter
is when you are your best,
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there is no one else like you.
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00:11:52,461 --> 00:11:55,341
There is no competition for who you are.
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There is only one of you.
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But it takes community to bring that out.
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00:12:01,791 --> 00:12:06,051
Both in terms of supporting you
and offering you encouragement when
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00:12:06,051 --> 00:12:09,861
things are challenging, but also
holding you accountable and saying,
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Hey, I know you're better than this.
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00:12:11,231 --> 00:12:12,521
I know you can do more.
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00:12:12,521 --> 00:12:16,501
And so it pushes us to achieve
more than we normally would.
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And then also the reality
is we all have weaknesses.
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We have strengths and we have weaknesses.
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And sure we want to, be the best we can be
and play to our strengths And strengthen
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our weaknesses, but still at the end
of the day, there're going to be some
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things that I just, I don't do so well.
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Or, or at least to say someone else
does it a whole lot better than me.
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And so when we build a community around
ourselves, Then we can focus on doing
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what we do best and the community shows
up doing what they do best and we are
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stronger and better off as a result.
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So community means having the
people to encourage you to hold
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you accountable, to help you grow.
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00:13:01,571 --> 00:13:06,611
And also community is not just
about being on the receiving end.
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Community is also about giving.
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It's about showing up for others,
sharing your talents, sharing your
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experience, sharing your perspective.
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Because at the end of the day,
isn't that what really brings true
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meaning and depth to our lives?
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When I think about some of the things
that I've been through, it's definitely
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been challenging for me just as your path
has been challenging for you, I know.
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And what's brought, meaning to me
is to be able to give back whether
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it's writing a book, whether it's
doing coaching, talking with a friend
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00:13:39,191 --> 00:13:40,691
who's going through a tough time.
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, Doing speaking engagements, to be
able to show up and share something
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00:13:44,481 --> 00:13:48,711
from my experience and then know that
it matters, that it helps somebody
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else, that changes everything.
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00:13:52,451 --> 00:13:55,451
So it just brings meaning
and depth to our lives.
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00:13:55,841 --> 00:13:59,831
But I also saw, as I was preparing
for this recent speaking engagement,
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Just trying to deepen my knowledge
of the power of community.
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I came across some recent
research from Gallup.
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That 20% of workers around the world
experience loneliness on a daily basis.
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In other words, one out of five workers.
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Experience loneliness on a daily basis.
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00:14:16,921 --> 00:14:21,061
And if you work remotely,
Those numbers jump up to 25%.
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That experienced loneliness on a
daily basis where one out of four.
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And I know I've experienced loneliness.
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I know you have.
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We know it doesn't feel good,
but what really caught me off
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guard was seeing the health risk
that's connected to loneliness.
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00:14:38,261 --> 00:14:42,311
The US Surgeon General compares
the effects of loneliness to
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00:14:42,311 --> 00:14:44,501
smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
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00:14:45,551 --> 00:14:51,991
So community, not only does it
help us achieve more, but also it's
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truly critical to our wellbeing.
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00:14:54,511 --> 00:14:59,761
So as the pace of change accelerates,
as there's more and more uncertainty
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00:14:59,761 --> 00:15:03,691
in the world, all these things that
can leave you feeling isolated,
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00:15:03,691 --> 00:15:06,721
leave you feeling like man, nobody
understands what I'm going through.
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00:15:07,681 --> 00:15:11,761
Community becomes more and more
critical, not just to survive all the
242
00:15:11,761 --> 00:15:18,181
challenges, but really to thrive in
this constantly accelerating world.
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So, how do you build or
expand your community?
244
00:15:22,161 --> 00:15:27,001
Let me just offer some practical
ideas here because I hope as
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00:15:27,031 --> 00:15:28,771
you're hearing this, you're
thinking, yeah, you know what?
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00:15:28,981 --> 00:15:31,411
I could, maybe I could
use some more community.
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Maybe I'm not as plugged
in as I would like to be.
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So here are some steps you can take.
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Number one.
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Take a moment to identify or
to assess where you are in your
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life in terms of community.
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00:15:44,581 --> 00:15:47,491
Identify the gaps, where
are you lacking support?
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00:15:48,211 --> 00:15:49,051
Is it at work?
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00:15:49,171 --> 00:15:52,171
Do you need to connect
with a mentor at work?
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00:15:52,411 --> 00:15:55,081
is it there or is it
in your personal life?
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00:15:55,441 --> 00:15:57,601
Maybe things are okay at work,
but in your personal life, you're
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saying my community's kind of
dwindled a bit in recent years.
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So to start with, identify those gaps.
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That's the first step toward
building a stronger community is
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just seeing where you are presently.
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And then from there, the second step is
to start small and reach out to someone,
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whether it's a colleague, an old friend.
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I will say that just in these last
couple of weeks, I've had the chance to
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reconnect with three different people
who go back 20 to 25 years in my life.
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and some of them I hadn't
talked to in almost that time.
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it was just.
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really special to connect with somebody
from a different era in life and
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remember that you both shared some
experiences there and to hear stories.
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One of the guys I used to work with
years ago and then come to find out
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we had both been on this similar path
in terms of bankruptcy and divorce
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and coming out on the other side with
a perspective that just allows you to
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feel like life is better than ever, not
because of external circumstances, but
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because of what you've learned about
life, what you've learned about yourself.
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Community offers that, but also,
you know, community, you can find
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it in going to seminars and working
with a coach or a therapist, mentor.
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Maybe, you know, maybe it's going
to a Toastmasters club meeting.
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I just mentioned that I spoke for
Toastmasters and I'll tell you in
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getting to know that organization
in a more up close and personal way
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as I was preparing to speak there.
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it's just a really special place.
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I've never seen a group where everyone
is so committed to growth and service and
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leadership and supporting one another.
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I heard story after story of How
members found more confidence
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from going to these club meetings.
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so maybe it's going to a
Toastmasters club meeting.
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Maybe it's just a meetup.
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Maybe it's a professional
association, a chamber of commerce.
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but where could you plug in to
find some like-minded individuals
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who share your goals and values?
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But start small.
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Send an email, make a phone call.
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you don't have to show up at a
meeting today, but what would
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be a small step you could take?
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And then from there, the third step is
just to keep going to be consistent.
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Because building a community
doesn't happen overnight.
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It's about consistent small steps.
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And as I said, as an introvert,
this is something that
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doesn't come naturally to me.
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I'm working to get
better and better at it.
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I started a mastermind group within
my company, The Speakers Group.
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I work with hundreds of speakers.
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and obviously working with that
many speakers, we can't all be in
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touch on a regular basis, but I've
started putting together a smaller
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group where we can get together
periodically and share in our successes.
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Share our goals and share our challenges.
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And offer ideas back and forth
and to a person, everybody in that
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group, it's been just this breath of
fresh air because speaking is one of
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those isolated, lonely professions.
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if you happen to be listening to this
and you are a speaker reach out to
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us at The Speakers Group and I can
tell you more about what we're doing
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and see if it's something that would
be a fit for you to plug in with.
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Take those small steps, make it a habit
to connect with others on a regular basis.
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Whether it's a phone call and email.
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attending a meeting, whatever it may be.
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And I'm continuing to work on that myself.
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One thing I've done.
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is, you know, I'll have these call
requests that pop up on my calendar.
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sometimes it's an old friend.
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Sometimes it's a colleague
looking for help.
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Sometimes it's clients.
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And my schedule can just kind
of fill in with these calls.
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one day I was getting really
frustrated by that cause I looked
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at my calendar and I was like, man,
there's only like a two hour window
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here for me to do some other work.
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And then I had one of these calls
and that call was such a gift.
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That conversation.
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was the highlight of my day.
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And I thought, you know what?
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Moving forward, I'm changing
my perspective on these calls.
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I'm going to look at
every call on my calendar.
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As a gift and an opportunity
to connect with someone.
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And sure some of them are going
to be more meaningful than others.
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Sometimes I'll be like, huh?
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Well, I could've done with that without
that today, but you just never know.
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So just to note, Every
connection is a gift.
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So just be consistent.
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And then the fourth thing is remember to
give as much as you get, maybe even more.
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But remember the community
is a two way street.
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So look for ways to show up with
others, not just to be supported,
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00:20:22,331 --> 00:20:26,471
but to offer your support, to offer
your expertise, your encouragement.
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maybe you reach out to somebody
that's been on your mind.
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00:20:29,601 --> 00:20:31,941
Because we all have those people
that have been on our mind a lot.
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00:20:32,631 --> 00:20:36,171
Maybe you just need to reach out to
somebody, send a text, make a call,
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send an email and say, Hey, I was just
thinking about you and wanted to check in.
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It can be as simple as that.
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And you never know who you're
going to reach on the other
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end, what their situation.
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00:20:44,541 --> 00:20:48,981
might be, but the more you give
the stronger your community.
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will become.
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00:20:51,571 --> 00:20:54,541
community is not just
something nice to have.
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It is your competitive advantage.
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00:20:57,061 --> 00:20:57,901
I believe that.
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as the world we live in becomes
more and more isolated through
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technology on one hand, we're more
connected than we've ever been.
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But then on the other hand, as you know,
We're more isolated than we've ever been.
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I mean, we go to the grocery
store and we don't have to even
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00:21:11,621 --> 00:21:13,151
have to see anybody to check out.
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You go to the gas station.
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00:21:14,351 --> 00:21:17,771
I remember the old days going to
the gas station with my grandparents
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when it was full service.
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00:21:18,941 --> 00:21:23,531
And the guy would come up and watch the
windshield, check the oil, do all that.
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Ask, how are you doing today?
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And now we try to avoid human
contact as much as possible.
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00:21:31,121 --> 00:21:35,441
But I do believe that there is more
to gain from us working together
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than when we work against each other.
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We can work together and
each become our best.
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00:21:42,371 --> 00:21:46,001
And then we just let the
competition piece go where it goes.
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00:21:46,391 --> 00:21:50,981
You know, if I'm my best, then I
trust that the right people are
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going to find their way to me.
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00:21:52,211 --> 00:21:54,101
I'm going to find my
way to the right people.
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I talk about resilience.
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00:21:55,641 --> 00:21:57,021
I talk about adaptability.
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It's inspirational in nature.
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00:21:59,001 --> 00:22:02,001
There are a lot of other speakers that
fit under those categories and under those
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00:22:02,001 --> 00:22:07,881
umbrellas, But I trust that when I show
up as my best there's a certain audience,
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a certain client base I can serve.
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00:22:10,011 --> 00:22:15,041
And there's a certain client base and
audience that my competitors can serve.
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00:22:16,091 --> 00:22:18,851
But I know that together
it's a whole lot better.
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00:22:19,091 --> 00:22:21,971
when we, when we join forces
and support each other.
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00:22:22,661 --> 00:22:25,781
Because without community, there's
a ceiling on how high you can go.
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00:22:25,781 --> 00:22:28,871
You can give it your absolute best,
but at some point you're going
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00:22:28,871 --> 00:22:30,941
to come to your personal limits.
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00:22:31,481 --> 00:22:35,351
But with the right community around you
to support you, to hold you accountable,
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00:22:35,351 --> 00:22:39,371
all the things we talked about, you can
achieve Heights beyond your imagination.
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00:22:40,361 --> 00:22:43,741
So I want you to imagine
A year in the future.
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00:22:44,311 --> 00:22:46,141
There you are standing there.
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00:22:46,711 --> 00:22:50,611
And you're looking back at how your
community has grown over the past year.
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00:22:51,241 --> 00:22:55,321
And then you realize that this moment
listening to this podcast was the
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00:22:55,321 --> 00:22:57,061
moment you decided to make it happen.
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00:22:58,181 --> 00:23:00,121
Think about the connections
you'll have made.
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00:23:00,631 --> 00:23:04,081
The support you'll have given and
received just from again, taking
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00:23:04,081 --> 00:23:07,321
those small steps, sending an email,
sending a text, making a call.
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00:23:08,401 --> 00:23:10,771
Think about the impact that will have had.
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00:23:11,071 --> 00:23:12,781
On your personal and professional life.
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00:23:12,781 --> 00:23:17,911
When you look back on that past year,
That's what's possible right now.
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00:23:18,611 --> 00:23:21,581
I appreciate you listening
to the podcast today.
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00:23:21,951 --> 00:23:26,271
and stay tuned for future episodes, by
the way, because as we get back into
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00:23:26,271 --> 00:23:29,421
this podcast groove, I'm going to be
introducing you to some of the members
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00:23:29,421 --> 00:23:33,471
of my community, other speakers and
authors and thought leaders with just
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00:23:33,531 --> 00:23:35,961
amazing perspective and expertise.
401
00:23:36,261 --> 00:23:39,291
Who can support you on your own
journey to live a better life
402
00:23:39,291 --> 00:23:40,191
and build a better business.
403
00:23:40,191 --> 00:23:41,811
So I can't wait for that.
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00:23:42,091 --> 00:23:45,271
and then again, just a little
book plug, my book, Mastering
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00:23:45,271 --> 00:23:47,191
the Moments is available now.
406
00:23:47,191 --> 00:23:50,241
I'd love to join you and
contribute to your life that way.
407
00:23:50,241 --> 00:23:54,501
If you find yourself navigating the
endings or beginnings or the space
408
00:23:54,501 --> 00:23:57,561
in between in life, that's what
Mastering the Moments is all about.
409
00:23:57,561 --> 00:24:00,591
It's filled with stories and
insights to inspire you and
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00:24:00,591 --> 00:24:01,881
guide you through that journey.
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00:24:02,121 --> 00:24:07,191
You can also sign up for my weekly
newsletter at ShawnEllis.com slash weekly.
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00:24:07,551 --> 00:24:12,911
That's SHAWNELLIS.COM/WEEKLY.
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00:24:13,401 --> 00:24:16,281
That's where I share tips and stories
each week to help you live a better
414
00:24:16,281 --> 00:24:18,021
life and build a better business.
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00:24:18,071 --> 00:24:21,761
So if I can serve you in that way and
be a part of your extended community,
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00:24:21,811 --> 00:24:24,151
I would be honored and grateful.
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00:24:24,931 --> 00:24:28,981
And if I can support you in some other
way, reach out to my website, let me know.
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00:24:29,031 --> 00:24:30,411
thank you for being here today.
419
00:24:30,441 --> 00:24:31,821
Thank you for listening.
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00:24:32,451 --> 00:24:33,141
And remember.
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00:24:33,621 --> 00:24:37,161
Community is your competitive advantage.
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00:24:37,731 --> 00:24:40,731
So until next time, keep building, keep
