Create Your Life Series

CYLS 079: Listen & Surrender To The Flow Of The River part 2 with Wal-Mart executive Tony Waller

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Tony Waller - Senior Director, Corporate Affairs Constituent Relations for Wal-Mart, tells his journey of trying to avoid the work that he was meant to do and how great advice from his mom + friends helped him accept himself and his life’s assignment.

 

Insight from this episode: 

 

  • Rain shower, cloud, storm, it doesn’t matter Listen & Surrender and Go with the flow of the river
  • Tony went to interview with Wal-Mart out of professional courtesy to a friend who was the recruiter.
  • Tony initially turned down his executive job with Wal-Mart
  • He knew the job was his calling because he wanted to avoid it and as he did so everything in his life went to shambles. He realized he was avoiding what god wanted him to do.
  • “Are you flowing with the river?” is the question that Tony’s mom used to ask him after their conversations every Sunday.  
  • His mom called him out about doing research before passing judgment and how to notice the opportunity in the midst of distractions.
  • “ You have to flow with the river because the river knows where it is going” - Barbara Jean Motley Waller, Tony’s Mom
  • Tony sits on the board of the center for Asian - Pacific American Women. He is the only male and only non-Asian on the board. It was a re-connecting exercise that he did with the board that finally convinced him that the job with Wal-Mart was the right job for him.
  • 14:55 - 15:03 The plan is good and the plan is perfect, what is going to happen is going to happen. What is meant to be is going to be. You don’t have any power to impeded what is to be.
  • “We are given two things when we are born, we are given a name and were given an assignment that only we can accomplish in the greater good. That’s what makes us special is the assignment that was given to us.” - Tony Waller episode #79
  • 15:42 - “Our greatness will be determined on how courageous we are to take on the assignment that was given to us.” - Tony Waller episode #79
  • It ain’t what they call you its what you answer to” - Barbara Jean Motley Waller

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    3 things that have helped Tony navigate and reach his level of success

    1. Living an authentic life (embracing all of who you are the good the bad the ugly)
  • Understand that there is true power in vulnerability
  • Do the best with what you have
  • Be observant about what you do not see 
    • 19:31- 19:47 “If you decide to be truly authentic there will be times that your authenticity will reward you and there will be times that your authenticity will be a liability to you.” - Tony Waller episode #79
  • “I was never happy trying to be what everybody else wanted me to be” - Tony Waller episode #79
  • Tony’s favorite four words in the English vocabulary are “Thank you for noticing” because he is thankful that people notices and doesn’t give much to their opinions about him.
  • Tony believes in a daily routine and having a gratitude journal
  • 25:20 - 25:27 “It is when you become vulnerable and you truly share all of who you are and are brave enough to share all of who you are that you really see great power” - Tony Waller episode #79
  • Tony became confident with living authentically with all of who he is by accepting himself for who he was including his sexuality. He has a strong support group that helped him reach where he is now. He credits the scripture 2nd Corinthians 12 in the bible for giving him the words to be authentic.

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    Tony’s advice on how to build your network

    1. Be the first to say hello
  • Become comfortable with rejection
  • Create friendships, connections and relationships with those that you ordinarily would not create a connection with. Sometimes people who think differently than you and whose views can be offensive to you. It presents an opportunity to learn. It doesn’t mean that you will be friends but can be enlightening.

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    “One of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned is that you don’t know what you don’t know. Often you don’t know because you haven’t had that experience, You know what you know based on your experiences, your education, your trials, your tribulations, your ups your downs. That’s’ what creates what you know, but if you haven’t had certain experiences….” - Tony Waller episode #79

    “I am who I am because of everyone else around me” - Tony Waller episode #79  

    Tony’s favorite quotes

    1. “Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words” - Saint Francis of Assisi 
  • “Each of us is a word spoken by god only once”- Unknown

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    Tony's 3 keys to Create Your Best Life:

     

    • You are meant to great never doubt that
  • It ain’t what they call you it’s what you answer to
  • Never forget that its not about you, its not about your plan its about your role in the great plan.

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    Stay Connected:

    Kevin:

    www.kevinybrown.com

    www.instagram.com/kevinybrown

    www.twitter.com/kevinybrown

    www.facebook.com/kevbrown001

    Tony:

    https://www.instagram.com/1solesearcher

    https://www.twitter.com/1solesearcher

     

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    Create Your Life SeriesBy Kevin Y. Brown
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