Every Breath Counts

Part 2 of 2
Mark Twain said, "Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."

This is part 2 of my interview with Sonny Von Cleveland, musician and YouTube sensation. If you haven’t heard part 1, listen to episode 22 as he discussed how being molested as a child and turning to a life of crime earned him 18 years in prison. During that time, he spent 19 months in solitary confinement where he met a muslim man that inspired him to change his life. 

In this episode, you’ll learn about the power of authenticity, and how you MUST find your identity so you can live a life in alignment with your purpose. You will learn how to achieve greatness and success without a formal education and how work ethic and building meaningful relationships can take you anywhere.

Here’s a reminder that Sonny speaks passionately about his life, and speaks about some topics not suitable for children, so if you are listening to this with your kids, hit pause, throw in the headphones and listen up.

Check out Sonny's website: https://www.sonnyvoncleveland.com
Sonny's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSH-H6O8PI2k8z4PynAtMRg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/svc720
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/svcofficial720
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SonnyVC720

Maya Angelou said, “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I DO better.”

And Zig Ziglar said, A second chance doesn’t mean anything if you haven’t learned from your first mistake.

Today’s episode is RAW! This is a warning that you should not listen to this if you are driving with children in the car. It’s such a powerful message, I had to break it up into 2 parts. Subscribe now to the podcast automatically download part 2 which will be released tomorrow. 

Sonny Von Cleveland is an amazing individual that has overcame a difficult life. He was sexually abused from the age of 5 to 10 and turned to a life of crime that earned him 18 years in prison, 19 months of which were spent locked in solitary confinement which he refers to throughout this podcast as “the hole.”

Sonny used his time behind bars to find purpose and passion in his life and came out a different man. He formed a band and became a rockstar, worked his way up to a 6 figure income in corporate America, and started a hit YouTube channel with millions of views. He has dedicated his life to inspiring others to realize that their dreams are possible.

Check out Sonny's website: https://www.sonnyvoncleveland.com
Sonny's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSH-H6O8PI2k8z4PynAtMRg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/svc720
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/svcofficial720
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SonnyVC720

How would you react if you were told your 4-month-old daughter was diagnosed with Cancer? It’s not a situation any human would envy. Matt Curbeau has applied the same mindset and skills that he honed as a professional triathlete towards his most recent challenge, fatherhood. 

Matt found his love of endurance sport at none other than a CrossFit class after graduating college. It was the sense of community the was so appealing to Matt about CrossFit as well as endurance sport. 

Matt spent years racing professionally, finishing top 10 in a handful of events and even setting the course record at the Mussleman Triathalon in Geneva, NY. However, the best part of his career was meeting his wife Kaitlin, a fellow triathlete. Matt and Kaitlin have transitioned to their new passion of parenting. 

I’ve always looked at sport as a metaphor for life. Matt has done a beautiful job making the most out of his natural talents and pushing himself to the limit. Shortly after Matt's daughter was born, she was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma, requiring chemotherapy and immediate medical treatment. His family and community rallied around him and his wife as an essential road crew provided necessary support along their journey. 

The principles Matt learned from his athletic career, such as preparation, disciplined practice and a relentless work ethic are the same attributes that he is passing on to his daughter as she is taking on her own challenges with the same passion and zest for life. 

 Matt will be raising money this week for Boston Children’s Hospital in his 2nd “Ride 4 Claire,” a 2-day, 400-mile bike ride from Penn Yan, NY to Boston, MA. You can follow him on his journey and donate to contribute to his mission of funding children’s cancer research.

Follow Matt’s Journey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthew.curbeau

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turbeau86/?hl=en

Donate to Ride 4 Claire: https://secure.childrenshospital.org/site/TR?px=1800659&pg=personal&fr_id=2070

Some Questions I ask:

• What was a typical day during your career?
• What is a misconception about the life of a pro athlete?
• How important was nutrition when you raced? 
• What was the perfect pre/during/ and post race meal for you?
• I’ve heard a lot of people consider a more vegan diet touting the endurance benefits, did you have teammates or competitors going vegan?
• I know recovery is super important, how do you recover from hundreds of miles of racing?
• What lessons have you learned in racing that you have applied to fatherhood?

Check out the Every Breath Counts Podcast Website
Follow the Podcast on:
Facebook
Instagram

I didn’t know what to expect when I was introduced to Natsune Oki, we are so different – or so I thought. I’m an almost 40, married, white male living in the United States, and she’s a 20 something Japanese entrepreneur living in Tokyo. But our similarities made for an extremely engaging discussion about business, purpose, self-awareness, winning, leadership and so much more. 

One of the most interesting thoughts Natsune shared was about the similarities and differences in the Japanese philosophy, Ikigai and the Greek philosopher, Aristotle. She came up with the concept of the “Identity Circle,” as a framework for self-awareness by reflecting on and defining:

• Who you are
• What you love, and
• What you do

Natsune and I went on to discuss the differenced in the mindset of a psychopath killer, like the ones featured on the hit TV show, Criminal Minds and how a similar “scarcity” mindset can be detrimental to human growth.

This episode was a Success Sandwich, and I hope you love it as much as I did. We share practical advice on how to manage time, run a business and perform at a high level, in between a fun blend of philosophy and cultural discussion.


Here are some questions I asked Natsune:

• One of the core principles of self-development is purpose. But I’ve heard you say, there is no purpose in life – what do you mean by that?
• What Non-verbal and verbal behaviors have you found effective in supporting power and confidence?
• Is it possible to envision your future if you lack self-awareness?
• How should entrepreneurs balance the idea you have to be “all-in” or give 100% when pursuing your dream but also maintain some risk tolerance? Or should they?
• What is Reality? 
• Why Is Having Certainty So Powerful? and What Is Certainty Anyway?
• How do we Balance Getting Your Priority Done and Helping Others?
• How do we learn Resilience Through Mastering Self-Talk and Self-Perception? 
• What do people misunderstand about managing your time?
• How do we create growth from change?

Connect with Natsune
Website
YouTube
TikTok
Instagram
Facebook

Are you prepared to be a high-performer when things get stressful?

When things get tough and you start to feel the pressure of the situation do you rise to the occasion and perform at the best of your ability?

There are 2 types of people in the world; when you are driving down the road and encounter a yellow light, some people slam on their breaks and some people accelerate to beat the light. What do you do when you you see a yellow light? In Episode 19, of The Every Breath Counts Podcast, I dive deep into the importance of consistency when it comes to Peak Performance in athletics with expert and coach Jay Thooft.

Jay spent several years at the United States Olympic Training Center working with the world’s best athletes to elevate their performance. His work at the USOTC led to a realization that it wasn’t just athletes at the highest level that needed high performance psychology training – it was all athletes that stood to benefit. In 2016, Jay founded Performance Excellence & Recovery Consulting, a consulting firm dedicated to providing developing athletes the tools necessary to elevate their mental game and perform in the face of stress, pressure, and adversity.

Lessons you will learn from this episode:
How to identify when you are not not performing at your Peak level
What separates champions from competitors
How to overcome your limitations
Strategies for training your mind to handle adversity
How to overcome self-doubt
How sports prepare children for challenges in life
How to separate your role from your identity

Contact Jay
Website: https://www.trainwithperc.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvsY-kH-pNup_IIK2JVPalg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@PERConsultation/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/perconsultation/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf

Check out the Episode Web Page for details

Follow Ryan Shekell and Every Breath Counts Podcast on
Instagram
Facebook

The most successful people I know all share some common attributes. Two of which are being self-reflective and adaptable. Self-reflection is key in evaluating your successes and challenges and brings clarity to your journey. Then you can use this new-found knowledge to plan strategic changes to take you from where you are to where you want to be.  

My guest this week is Minter Dial, a self-described agent of change, a three-time entrepreneur, professional speaker, and award-winning film producer and author. Minter showcases his storytelling as he shares insightful, witty and funny experiences from his journey to become the authority and leader he is today. 

Questions I ask:

·      How did you realized that just being yourself makes everyone you a better leader?

·      How should anyone go about finding out who they are?

·      Should anyone take a job just for a paycheck?

·      What are your thoughts on having a midlife crisis/enlightenment?

·      How has humility served you?

·      How did you create an environment of honesty and authenticity at L’Oreal?

·      What perspective did you gain from your Grandfather’s experience as a POW?

What you will learn from this episode:

·      How to identify what is important to you and build a career around it

·      The type of people should you build a network around

·      The principles attribute to creating a high-performing team

·      How to choose one company over another 

·      How to balance humility and confidence

·      How to lead yourself before you lead others

About Minter Dial

Minter Dial is a professional speaker, elevator and a multiple award-winning author, specialized in leadership, branding and transformation. An agent of change, he's a three- time entrepreneur who has exercised twelve different métiers and moved country fifteen times. Minter's core career stint of 16 years was spent as a top executive at L’Oréal, where he was a member of the worldwide Executive Committee for the Professional Products Division. He’s author of the award-winning WWII story, The Last Ring Home (documentary film and biographical book, 2016) as well as two prize- winning business books, Futureproof (2017) and Heartificial Empathy (2019). 

His latest book on leadership, You Lead, How being yourself makes you a better leader (Kogan Page) came out in January 2021. He’s been host of the Minter Dialogue weekly podcast since 2010. He is passionate about the Grateful Dead, Padel Tennis, languages and generating meaningful conversations. @mdial / minterdial.com 

Have you ever felt caught in a rut? Like you are going through the motions of life, checking off daily responsibilities and punching the time clock with no real purpose? Sometimes life can feel like one big hamster wheel. And you are moving your feet but not moving towards anything. Simon Sinek has made a career writing books about “Finding Your Why,” and the self-help industry preaches the importance of having purpose in life. 

But what is purpose? Purpose is defined as “the reason something exists.” Have you thought about why you exist? Often times we confuse our achievements with our purpose. We think that we are born to entrepreneurs or artists. But those are jobs. It takes deep reflection to understand your true purpose and some people may never find it. 

Today’s guest has been there. He was “overweight, unhappy and on the edge of not wanting to live.” Rob and I dive deep into what it takes to live a purposeful life. You are going to be inspired by his story of losing 160 pounds and teaching himself how to read and write in his 20’s as a fifth grade dropout.

Questions I ask

• Where does passion come from?
• How do you take the first step to creating a better life?
• Are you more afraid of success of failure?
• Can fear paralyze someone?
• How did you lose 130 pounds?
• What is the most impactful book you’ve ever read?
• If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be, what would you drink and why?
• What would the subtitle of your autobiography be?

Things you will learn

• What is purpose and how can you find it
• How to be passionate about living
• How to harness fear to drive growth
• How to create and stick to a path of success

Connect with Rob
Facebook
Instagram
Website

Connect with Ryan
Instagram
Facebook
Website

Follow Every Breath Counts on Social Media
Instagram
Facebook

A common interview question revolves around opportunity for growth within a company. This is something that I have spoken to numerous young professionals about. While the answer varies from company to company, my initial response is always the same; if you act treat your current position like it’s your own business, you will be a leader on day 1. 

Scott described this beautifully in our discussion by saying that an individual must become a leader when they run out of bandwidth to perform their daily activities without assistance. This is a powerful idea, because it empowers everyone to take on as much responsibility as they desire, and then scale their actions to achieve the highest level of success. This means that your achievements will directly coorelate to your goals and your effort.

I encourage anyone that wants to be a leader, to treat your current position as though you are the CEO of your own job. Set goals and strategy, execute the strategy and scale the results. You will be amazed by how much you are able to accomplish with this mindset!

Scott began leading high performance teams in consequential environments as a teenager when he landed a job as a climbing guide on Mt. Rainier in Washington State. After eight years leading in the outdoors, and having completed college and Law School, he embarked on a lengthy career in government. 

Over several decades Scott served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and as an FBI Special Agent. Scott was a Counterintelligence operations officer, an Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, and lived in the Middle East as the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Baghdad, Iraq.

Scott’s core expertise is in building and leading high performance teams. In addition, he has successfully coached emerging leaders across many disciplines including the security industry, non-profits, government, transitioning veterans and intelligence community leaders, the culinary industry, Tae Kwon Do age group national champions, and MMA fighters.

Scott also developed and implemented the FBI’s front-line Leadership Development Program and the FBI’s leadership performance assessment process for Special Agents in Charge.

Scott is a member of ASIS and SHRM, holds a B.A. in History from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor from the Seattle University School of Law.

Want to check out similar episodes?
Listen to Gina Osborn, Cold War Spy

Connect with Scott
LinkedIn
Website
Take his First Promotion training course

Check out the
Every Breath Counts Podcast Website

I have struggled to place a greater value on processor results. I can recognize the value of results because if you have a goal in mind, reaching that goal is of utmost importance. However, the argument can be made that being solely goal focused relies on external factors. And being process focused places a higher importance on the discipline of performing the necessary daily activities to be your best. 

Dave and I spoke at length about his writing process. A process that has made him a #1 international best selling author. He talked about learning to embrace the monotony of performing an important task everyday from his experience in the US Marine Corps. He attributes the discipline to his success as an author and an individual. 

What are your goals? More importantly, what are you doing on a daily basis to bring the goals to reality? 

My problem with being results driven is that when you acheive your initial result, do you simply stop? I believe that if you have process put in place, you are capable of surpassing expectations you have for yourself. 

You should be results-driven, but don’t stop when you receive a positive result. Continue to build processes and maintain discipline to harness a relentless work ethic. And you will continue to grow and build unprecedented results.

David Richards is an international best-selling author, life strategist, and yoga instructor. He spent his early childhood living in various parts of the United States and three years living on the island of Okinawa, Japan. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in English, he was commissioned as an officer in the Marines.  He earned two Masters degrees while on active duty and was part of the initial landing force in Somalia in support of Operation RESTORE HOPE.

Down to earth, insightful, and sometimes silly, he blends elements of yoga with quantum physics to bring the esoteric together with the practical.  In doing this, David helps people see past their limitations and embrace their true potential.

Questions Asked:

• Did you always want to be a writer?
• Did you choose to go into the Marines because it aligned with a greater purpose in your life?
• What was it like spending part of your childhood in Japan?
• How has spirituality and yoga impacted your life?
• How are Christianity and Buddhism similar and how do they intersect in your life?
• How did spirituality make you a better marine?
• What did the Marines teach you about being successful in your life?
• What little habits are needed to be successful?
• Should you align your purpose with your actions even if it creates problems for you?
• How important is collaboration?
• How important is health and wellness to overall success?
• Why is it important to do hard things?
• What have you failed at?
• What is so important about the ability to perform a rewrite or pivot?
• How has humility served you?
• How do you balance deadlines and quality?
• If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be, what would you drink, and why?
• What would the subtitle of your autobiography be?

Author David Richards
David's website
Follow on Instagram

Episode Webpage
Apple Podcast Link

Education is a big part of an individual’s journey to success. Since 1989 the cost of a 4-year college degree has double (even accounting for inflation) from $52k to $104k, according to a recent article in Forbes. This is faster than the rise in wages over the same time.  

There are some amazing and inspiring stories of business leaders that never graduated college. Stories about Elon Musk, Marc Zuckerberg, Sir Richard Branson and Bill Gates are hopeful and inspirational, but are rare and not the norm. More often than not, individuals that have attended and graduated from a secondary education program outpace their peers in compensation and career advancement. 

So what can be done to make secondary education more affordable and accessible for students? Jenna Shulman is the CEO of JELF, the Jewish Education Loan Fund. She credits her network from law school with positioning her for the opportunity to run a company like JELF. The purpose of the organization she runs is to offer interest-free loans to Jewish community members looking to attend secondary, post-secondary and vocational education programs. 

Jenna talks about her journey from law school to the not-for-profit sector as well as managing through the pandemic and pivoting to accomplish the mission. She also discusses how government loan forgiveness would affect the college landscape and loan industry.

In 2014 Jenna was named one of Atlanta’s Top 40 Under 40 by the Atlanta Jewish Times. In 2015, Jenna was also named as an outstanding Jewish community innovator. Additionally, she has served on numerous steering, leadership and advisory committees, both in and outside the Jewish community, for many years.  In her spare time, Jenna’s hobby is matchmaking like-minded singles of all ages and has made many marriages to date.


Questions Asked

• What made you choose to work for a Not-For-Profit?
• How is creating a strong network contributed to your success?
• Is there competition between not for profits?
• How do you retain clients/donors?
• How has Covid affected charitable donation?
• How do you find balance of the right amount of outreach to donors?
• How do you plan and execute an event or gala?
• Why is the Jewish community so interested in helping each other?
• What do you think about government loan forgiveness?
• How would loan forgiveness affect the cost of college?
• Who has been the most inspiring speaker you have booked?
• If you could have a drink with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
• What would the subtitle of your autobiography be?

Resources:
Donate to JELF
Connect with Jenna on LinkedIn
Watch on Youtube
Podcast Webpage