Kelsey Merritt | Getting Clarity on Your Dreams In this episode, Mitch Matthews interviews Kelsey Merritt. When they first met in 2016, Kelsey impressed Mitch with her list of 300+ things she wanted to do, see or experience in her lifetime. Since then, she’s gone to check many things off her list… including setting a World Record. They talk about the importance of clarifying your goals and dreams as well as dig into practical strategies for achieving them… even when time and budgets are tight. Listen To The Podcast:   In 2016, Mitch and his Dream Team met Kelsey Merritt when they brought the BIG Dream Gathering to campus.  She stood out because she brought her Bucket List of 300+ things she wanted to do, see or experience in her lifetime. Since that time, she’s stayed with it and checked a number of items off the list.   In fact, Mitch and the crew brought the BDG back to Kent State and helped to make another of Kelsey’s goals (involving honey bees) a reality. Check it out it out below: In this episode, Mitch and Kelsey talk about how to get clear on your goals and dreams.   Then they dig into practical strategies for making them happen! Comment below and let us know what you connected with from Kelsey’s story and strategies.   We’d love to hear from you! Also… here’s a summary of the interview with a few more details too! Enjoy.   Summary Kent State University student Kelsey Merritt met Mitch and the BIG Dream Gathering Team in 2016 and impressed them with her bucket list of about 300 items she wanted to do, see or experience in her lifetime. She’d already checked many items off the list, but she keeps adding items to it. However, this is not a list of mere achievements, it’s a list of experiences. Her focus is to be in the moment and enjoy the process. And she’s not afraid to dream big — one goal she recently went after was to break a world record.   Time-Stamped Show Notes [03:12] Introduction and background of Kelsey Merritt. [06:57] The list. [09:39] Why the list is important. [13:35] Genuine curiosity. [17:34] Education outside of the classroom. [20:22] Failures. [26:20] Don’t be afraid of emotion. [28:03] World record attempt. [31:28] Why attempt to break a world record now? [33:45] Challenges in breaking the world record. [40:25] Wisdom of the week.   Kelsey Merritt, Getting Clarity on Your Dreams The List Kelsey Merritt’s list journey started when she was a junior in high school and her English teacher assigned her class the task of creating a bucket list of 25 items, then completing and documenting two of them. Merritt completed her two items and stashed her list away in her room, only to find it the next year. “I pulled it out around the end of senior year when I was cleaning out my room, getting ready for college,” Merritt says. She decided to complete her list. “From there, it exploded into the beast that it is today,” she says. Although ever-evolving, at the time of this interview, the list has 348 items, 184 of which have been completed. It’s Important “It’s important because it’s helped me live my best life,” says Merritt. “I don’t want to go through the motions of life. I want to experience this world as much as possible.” People are concerned that she won’t finish her list before she dies, but that’s not the point. “I’m not preparing myself to die,” she says. “It’s taking what this world has to offer and just doing it.” People who assume it’s a death preparation are thinking about it backwards. Experience is what gets people talking, because when you start to talk about something you’re passionate about, you light up and your heart starts to sing, and it’s opened up doors for her at career fairs and networking events because of that excitement. “It’s made me who I am today,” Merritt says. “It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone. It’s taught me a lot about life, living,

This week, Mitch talks with Wes Chapman, the Founder of A HUMAN PROJECT. Wes is also the recipient of Apple’s “App of the Year” award multiple times and consultant to Fortune 500 companies. Plus, he holds patents on numerous medical devices. In the episode, they discuss how Wes was able to take the trauma of his childhood and turn it into something that would fuel his success. More importantly, they talk about how he’s learned to shut down the cycle of abuse and negativity to live a loving, fulfilling incredibly fruitful and peaceful life with his wife and their kiddos. Listen To The Podcast: As someone who attempted suicide 12 times before the age of 16, Wes Chapman knows all about trauma and overcoming it. Chapman believes that human beings are capable of overcoming any challenge if they understand their inherent self-worth and move forward in that understanding. He’s the founder of A Human Project, which gathers the greatest minds to find creative, scalable solutions to global issues in education, health, and society. Time-Stamped Show Notes [01:50] Introduction and background of Wes Chapman. [04:20] Snapshot of Chapman’s daily life. [06:30] Chapman’s favorite aspects of the back-to-school season. [09:01] Chapman’s childhood. [16:35] Shifting your thinking and self-worth. [26:00] Practical tips to reprogram the brain. [32:51] Self-worth. [37:27] Your brain is a highway. [43:43] Overcoming pre-conditioned feelings. [53:50] We’re chemical beings. HOW ABOUT YOU? Listen in and let us know what stood out to you from Wes’s story and the strategies he offers. Comment below and share your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you! Keep bringing your awesome. Mitch Now… here are some show notes from today’s episode too! Enjoy!     Chapman’s Backstory Wes Chapman’s childhood was fraught with trauma. He endured alcohol abuse in the womb and at three months old was diagnosed with Failure to Thrive. At a year old his father abandoned the family, and when he was six years old, his mother left as well. “At a very young age, I was without the community that we’re supposed to start with, and the community that had taken me in and adopted me was abusive,” says Chapman. He and his younger siblings were abused physically, sexually, spiritually, and emotionally, and that abuse continued throughout his childhood. It was so bad that by the time he was 16 years old, he had attempted suicide 12 times resulting in documented hospitalizations. “That was my childhood. That was my reality,” says Chapman. However, awful as it was, he would never change it. “That experience and what I went through was key to what I am now doing,” he says. “I look at what happened to me and I look at what I’m now doing, and I look at the ability that I had to endure that, and now I’ve got this responsibility to share my story and how I actually overcame all of that.” Bringing Change to Others Chapman’s work with A Human Project focuses on youth and their families and giving them more opportunities to succeed. He has no typical day, and instead lives in two work spaces. When he’s on the road, he’s out in the communities having conversations with schools and community leaders, working with psychiatrists, and having face-to-face interaction with the youth he’s helping. When he’s at home, it’s more relaxed work on the business side and making sure that they’re rooted, strong, and building sustainable and scalable solutions. “I have to wear these two hats, the on-the-tour Wes and then the founder Wes,” he says. “It’s very hectic, whether I’m home or on tour.” It may be hectic, but it’s also exciting and rewarding for him. Working on a school-year calendar instead of a Gregorian calendar allows Chapman to see the kids he worked with the previous school year. “To see them completely picking up the pieces and changing their trajectory — some are miraculous changes and some are microscopic,

This week Mitch Matthews interviews The VOICE’s Jon Mero.  He’s been lighting up the stage with Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Jennifer Hudson and Miley Cyrus all vying to have him on their teams.  (He went #teamAdam)  His story appears to be one of an “overnight success” because he looks so at home on the national stage, but his journey is anything but.  In this interview, Mitch and Jon talk about the road to the VOICE and some specific strategies he used to break through fear, take the steps he needed to take and to stick with his dream… even during the hard times. Listen To The Podcast: Jon Mero has been lighting up the VOICE since his blind audition. He’s been winning fans from around the world as he continues to learn from his coach Adam Levine and take the stage with new performances. Jon looks like he’s having the time of his life as he sings, dances and under this national spotlight. His singles have also been setting iTunes sales records too. It would easy to think that his story is one of overnight success. But Jon has been pursuing this dream for years. In this interview, Mitch and Jon talk about some of the specific things Jon has done to get clear on his dream and to stay on track to make it a reality. Plus… of course… we also dig into some of YOUR questions like… What is Adam Levine REALLY like? How do you get invited to be on the VOICE How do you stay with a dream when you’re tempted to give up? And more… Oh… and they also talk about how Jon’s experience at a BIG Dream Gathering back in 2011 played a part in Jon taking some needed steps towards his dream. [Here’s a video from that BIG Dream Gathering.] Listen in.  We think you’l dig it… and be inspired (whether you’re a music fan or not).

Mitch Matthews looks back over 150 episodes of DREAM THINK DO to dig into some of the most important lessons he's learned from all the interviews and deep dives from the past (almost THREE) years!  He talks about some of his favorite stories as well as some of the key strategies he's used to overcome fear, break through obstacles and make dreams happen! Listen To The Podcast: WOW!  150 episodes! In this episode, I start by pointing to some of my recent favorite interviews...   There's the masked superhero... Mark Henson... who helps YOU figure out YOUR super powers.   There was the episode with Erik Weihnmayer... who summited Everest and kayaked the Grand Canyon... blind!  (His story is jaw-dropping and so inspiring!)   There was the surprise convo with Sports Illustrated's Don Yeager about making yourself invaluable... by the way of an incredible story of a backup catcher who played for the Chicago Cubs.   I can't forget my "jam session" with drummer (and marketing exec) Tom Pietras... about reinventing yourself and your career.   Oh... and there was Switchboard CEO Mara Zepeda who surprised me with one of the most unique, powerful and gender specific time management strategies!     I've just been SO blessed to have so many great guests like...Tessa Reeves, Tim Sanders, Craig Ballantyne, Perry Marshall, Michael Hyatt, and Russ Matthews!   Plus, I lead up to one of the BIGGEST concepts I've come across in my 150 episodes.  It's something that helped so many people face their fears head on... and beat 'em back with a big stick!  You'll have to listen to the episode to hear what I'm talking about.   How about YOU?   What's one of the episodes that stood out to you?  I'd love to hear from YOU.   Leave a comment below and let me know.

In this episode of the DREAM. THINK. DO. podcast, Mitch Matthews talks with Rob Dionne, the host of Open Sky Fitness Podcast and a lifestyle and fitness expert based in of LA. He specializes in helping busy people and entrepreneurs get out from behind their desks and carve out a better quality of life for themselves and family. In addition, he also runs marathons, competes in spartan races and bodybuilding. He helps his clients create real-world strategies for weight-loss and fitness that anyone can do regardless of their fitness level. Listen To The Podcast: Is your exercise equipment collecting dust in your basement because you’re too busy to use it? Or maybe you find yourself sitting behind your desk for 8 hours or more and you simply can’t find time to exercise.   If you find that you’re just too busy to be healthy, then you’re not alone. My next DREAM THINK DO podcast guest, Rob Dionne, specializes in working with really busy people and entrepreneurs. He helps them carve out time to have a better quality of life, whether that means finding ways to reduce stress, eat healthier or become more active. Rob understands where his clients are coming from because he had a season in his own life where he became really out of shape and had to fight to get back to a healthier lifestyle again. And he’s succeeded. In addition to hosting the Open Sky Fitness podcast, he also runs marathons and competes in spartan races and bodybuilding.   Providing real-world strategies for weight-loss and fitness is Rob’s passion. He shares small steps in this episode that you can take no matter what your current situation is so that you work toward creating the healthier lifestyle you want.    In this episode, you will…   Learn how creating structure can help busy people become healthier   Hear about why working over 90 minutes increments increases stress Gain insight into how you can become fit in just 15 minutes at a time Learn 9 easy things to do during your break to keep you productive Discover building blocks for creating healthier structure in your day     Episode Resources: Open Sky Fitness Podcast openskyfitness.com/coaching openskyfitness.com/dreamthinkdo MitchMatthews.com/149 DREAM. THINK. DO.

In this episode of the DREAM. THINK. DO. podcast, Mitch Matthews talks with Adda Birnir, CEO and Founder of Skillcrush, an interactive learning community teaching total beginners web design, coding and other marketable digital skills. Students are using their skills to pursue entrepreneurship, freelancing, part-time and even full-time jobs.  They talk about career pivots, dream jobs and how to surround yourself with the right people!   Listen To The Podcast:   What do you do when you get laid off from your job? You look for jobs. But when it happened to Adda Birnir she took a friend’s advice and only spent a set amount of time each day looking for jobs and used the rest of her time doing something productive. To be more specific...she taught herself computer coding and it started with a book she bought at Barnes & Noble.  She devoured the book and then she started experimenting.  She read some more.  She built a website.  She took a class.  Then she built another site.  She kept going and eventually pivoted and launched a new career.  Adda went on to build sites for organizations like the New York Times, ProPublica and MTV! Adda took all of her experiences teaching herself to code and turned it into a SKILLCRUSH.com - a thriving learning community where anyone can acquire skills in web design, coding and all things tech. In this episode, you will… Learn strategies for adapting to changes and setbacks Hear the common denominator about those co-workers that seem to “have it made” Gain insight into how you can acquire marketable skills Figure out how to “pivot” into the career YOU want   Episode Resources: Skillcrush.com Check out The Hit Refresh Podcast on iTunes MitchMatthews.com/148 DREAM. THINK. DO.

In this episode of the DREAM. THINK. DO. podcast, Mitch Matthews talks with Ruth Veloria, the Executive Dean for the School of Business at the University of Phoenix. Recently, the university commissioned a survey that digs into how Americans feel about changing careers and the results are revealing. They talk about the findings and more importantly… what YOU can do to make a change in your career to find work that’s more fulfilling and rewarding.     Listen To The Podcast:   Are you struggling to feel motivated at work?   Maybe it’s time to think about a career change. But let’s be honest.  It can be daunting to consider a new career because it could mean a lot of change. And you might be wondering if you’ll have to start over from the bottom again. My next guest on this episode of DREAM THINK DO, Ruth Veloria has a passion for helping people find careers that are a great fit and helping them through that transition. She’s the Executive Dean for the School of Business at the University of Phoenix. She understands the barriers that people face when it comes to making a career transition. After all, a lot of the students who attend her university are already in the workforce and are juggling family, work and school responsibilities. Because of this reason the university recently commissioned a survey looking at how Americans feel about changing careers and Ruth shares some of the surprising results. We also provide some practical steps that you can take to push through the barriers that might stop you from pursuing your dream job. Listen to this episode to learn strategies that will help to make your transition to a new career more smooth.     In this episode, you will…   Learn the surprising results from the survey about how many people want a career change Hear about the why you may not need to start over Gain insight into the biggest obstacle and how to overcome it Learn about the steps you can take to make the transition more smooth   Episode Resources: University of Phoenix MitchMatthews.com/147 DREAM. THINK. DO.

In this episode of the DREAM. THINK. DO. podcast, Mitch Matthews talks with Bix and Joe Bickson, a father/son team helping organizations reimagine their leadership and their leadership approach, improve their thinking and start seeing more of the future they want to see. They’ve worked with brands like Starbucks, Guinness, lululemon, Goodyear and Microsoft. Their strategies have helped teams from 100-10,000 employees and revenues ranging from the millions to the billions. Listen To The Podcast:   Have you ever thought about how much our world has changed in just the last five years? Now imagine how much more will have changed five years from this moment… The only thing we know for certain is that change is inevitable and we need to plan and prepare ourselves for how we will respond to those changes. But what if all that planning is obsolete and irrelevant when it’s time to implement our ideas? That’s the problem that Bix and Joe Bickson are helping organizations overcome...and they’re teaching those teams how to have fun while doing it. They’ve been extremely successful because of an idea they call Future Hacking. It allows individuals to navigate the future and see more of what they want to see, while improving their thinking. There’s a bit of philosophy behind this revolutionary process and it forces us to reevaluate our established perspectives on the world around us. Bix and Joe are even using this technique to ensure their own business remains relevant and addresses the needs of the moment. In this episode, you will…   Learn how Future Hacking can help your team improve their results Hear about common reasons leaders often fail at their jobs Gain insight unresolved issues that are affecting your performance Learn how to not just survive in the face of change, but thrive!   Episode Resources DREAM. THINK. DO.

In this episode of the DREAM. THINK. DO. podcast, Mitch Matthews talks with Cardiff D. Hall, inspirational author, speaker, and mentor. He’s recently written the best-selling book Tide Turners: The Practical Guide To Help You Feel In Control, Experience More Joy, And Sustain Achievement In Life. He uses what he has learned from his personal failures to help other with creating strategies for setting goals, overcoming failures, and dealing with stress, so they can turn the tide and create the life they want.    Listen To The Podcast:   Cardiff D. Hall is someone who doesn’t let the waves keep him down. However, it wasn’t always like that for him. Before he reached the age of 30, Cardiff’s accountant told him that he should declare bankruptcy because he was carrying so much debt and the economy had just downturned. Forced to face his financial failure, he decided to learn from this experience and get himself out of that pit. He used his failures as part of his learning process for how to become successful. It was a slow process - but he did it. As my next guest on this episode of DREAM THINK Do, Cardiff teaches listeners how to control the waves of life and be the captain of their own ship. He provides the keys for how you can turn things around if you’re feeling stuck in a pit. You’ll walk away with his top strategies for how to learn from failure, the 3 key steps to setting goals, and how to deal with stress - all strategies that you can start implementing immediately.     In this episode, you will…   Learn how to make your failures an important part of your success Hear about the 3 steps for setting goals so you can accomplish your dreams Gain insight into what you need to do to make sure you carry out your action plan Learn about his favourite strategy for overcoming stress and worry   Episode Resources: Tide Turners: The Practical Guide To Help You Feel In Control, Experience More Joy, And Sustain Achievement In Life CardiffDHall.com/dtd  (Go to Cardiff D. Hall’s website to get your FREE assessment and get FREE resources to help get you where you want to go.) MitchMatthews.com/145 DREAM. THINK. DO.

In this episode of the DREAM. THINK. DO. podcast, Mitch Matthews talks with Christopher Lochhead, retired Silicon Valley CMO three times over, author, and host of the podcast “Legends and Losers.”  He’s also a self-described surf and ski bum. Entrepreneur magazine calls him one of the greatest marketing minds out there!  In this episode, Chris shares his unique perspective on how to live like a legend and create a category of ONE. Listen To The Podcast:   Christopher Lochhead was thrown out of high school.   So at a young age, he decided to start a business.  (Because… why not?) Despite a lack of formal education, he chose to be in control of where he found himself in life and grew his first business into a huge success. Then he wrapped a Shelby Mustang around a tree and nearly died. That experience taught him some serious life lessons that helped RE-shape his thinking. After some ups and downs and an extremely successful career in Silicon Valley, Christopher has some solid tips and advice on becoming a true innovator.   In this episode, you will…   Learn the mindset of some of the greatest innovators Hear what you can be doing today to position yourself where you want to be Gain the confidence to live the life of a legend Learn why categories are more important than features and benefits     Episode Resources: DREAM. THINK. DO.