Preeminence Unleashed

“We have income equality when we make our own income. Decide what you want to earn and charge that.”

- Samantha Hartley (29:03-29:09)

Nic Peterson & Jeff Moore

Preeminence Unleashed

Consultants provide an invaluable service to today’s businesses. But many consultants sell themselves short. They secure a handful of clients, but they struggle to move to the next level of success.

Samantha Hartley helps women consultants and experts stop under-earning and get bigger results working with bigger clients while delivering greater value. Consultants learn how to bring confidence and certainty into every meeting they have with clients and show their true value every time.

“You can’t affect change in an organization in less than a year. It won’t stick.” - Samantha Hartley (19:58-20:06)

Today’s consultants have the tools and resources to do the work they want. But they don’t always live up to their potential, and they remain stuck doing too much work for too little pay. They work with clients who don’t see the value of the services they provide. They develop a habit of playing small, charging low fees and selling smaller packages than they should. They don’t raise their fees out of fear that clients will stop working with them.

Most consultants underprice their services. Even consultants who’ve come out of the corporate world and are used to making six figures end up settling for below average fees when going out on their own.

Playing a Bigger Consulting Game

The most successful consultants are those who gain the tools, skills, beliefs, support, and guidance they need to build their businesses and work with the right clients.

Looking at the metrics of your business is the biggest step you can take to achieve better results. However, many consultants are intimidated by the numbers. When you avoid analyzing the numbers, it becomes impossible to create and reach financial goals. Subsequently, consultants become attached to lower fees and are uncomfortable asking for and receiving what they’re worth.

“A consultant leads clients as their trusted advisor. If they need something better, tell them they need it. And if you can provide it, offer to provide it.” - Nic Peterson (44:23-44:35)

When you walk clients through their own numbers, you show them how much their problem is costing their business. You then position yourself as the obvious choice to solve that problem. For some businesses, problems could be worth millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Undercharging your clients hurts your credibility. Clients may not trust that you can solve their problem and fulfill the promises you’ve made. By charging what you’re worth, you emphasize the importance of the services or products you provide. You differentiate yourself from your competitors, and you enhance your credibility and expertise.

You can create the consulting business you’ve always dreamed of when you get amazing results for your clients and start trusting the universe when taking risks. When you implement what you learn, you create a work life that matches your vision and helps your clients turn theirs into a reality.

How to get involved

• An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk. Join the community, and join the conversation in the “Preeminence Unleashed”Facebook Group.
• If you want to continually be challenged in your business growth, sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter.
• You can learn more about Samantha Hartley’s work here.
• Samantha is giving away a FREE copy of her proposal template! You can download it here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“Without a brand, you’re simply a vendor… and vending is for machines. We’re not machines… we are people.” - David Tyreman (17:48-17:55)

Nic Peterson & Jeff Moore

Preeminence Unleashed

Branding is a business buzzword that’s misinterpreted and misused throughout all industries. Today’s entrepreneurs struggle to create effective, engaging, and memorable brands because they simply don’t understand what branding is.

David Tyreman helps businesses crack their DNA code to create powerful brands that open the floodgates of new customers and clients. Arriving in the U.S. with nothing more than a suitcase, $5,000, and a new idea, his venture into the antique business soon left him and his business partner flat broke with no idea of what to do next.

Over time, they transformed their business failure into the monumental multi-million dollar visual branding and merchandising company Propaganda. The company’s unique attention-getting strategies landed them a gambit of high-profile clients including Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger.

David is now on a mission to share the lessons he learned through his consulting, public speaking, and publishing under his new venture The World Famous Company.

“A brand is a story starring your customer living happily ever after using your product or service with great trust and admiration.”

- Jeff Moore (13:04-13:18)

Your brand is your story, and your customer is the hero in that story. Businesses need a story to create a world customers can live through. This is the hub of your brand from which all branding elements like your website, tagline, and logo must grow. Most business owners do it the other way around. They complicate their brand, creating something that their own team can’t articulate. Your brand should be so clearly defined that any member of your organization can communicate it in one sentence.

Begin With the Hub of Your Brand

You can’t look at branding the same way your customers do. For the consumer, the brand identifies a specific product or service. For business owners, a brand distinguishes you from your competitors and allows you to connect with the right audience. Unlike vendors that become commodities, brands are identities based on people. Brands have personality.

Businesses try to emulate what others are doing in their industry, so they become invisible. Your brand must be unique to your business and the value it offers. It should be expressed at every touch point in the sales process to customers and everyone in your supply chain.

“Every brand touchpoint is an opportunity to steal the show and inspire your customers.” - David Tyreman (22:37-22:52)

Your brand comes before your logo or website. Today’s logos are signposts that let customers know where they are. That’s not your brand. Think about what really differentiates your business from your industry competitors. Focus on effective branding solutions that connect with your target customers on an emotional level. That’s the real secret behind branding.

Identify who you are and what you do. Who is your customer? How do your customers brag about your business? Customers see you as the best, so what is it you do that makes them believe it? When you answer these questions, you create a language between you and your customer that represents a lasting and profitable relationship. When you answer these questions, you’ve created a brand.

How to get involved

• An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk. Join the community, and join the conversation in the “Preeminence Unleashed” Facebook Group.
• If you want to continually be challenged in your business growth, sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter.
• Learn more about David’s work at worldsgreatestcompany.com. You can also find out more about his two-day intensive workshop by visiting davidtyreman.com/2-day-workshop.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“Preeminence is the highest form of leadership.” - Jeff Moore (34:49-34:55)

Nic Peterson & Jeff Moore

Preeminence Unleashed

The Sales You Achieve Tomorrow Are the Result of Your Actions Today

Your business success depends on the value you provide your customers and the relationships you develop over time. Preeminence, the quality of being superior to all other options, is one of the most valuable traits you can infuse into your business.

Today’s successful businesses create opportunities by fully giving of themselves and offering ongoing value to their customers. Rather than focus strictly on the bottom line, they focus on long-term growth and sustainability. More importantly, they find that when they stop worrying about losing money, they no longer have that problem. They prioritize the needs of the customers to ensure that the business is always positioned as their first and obvious choice.

“The number one priority for the culture of your company is to take care of the customer.” - Jeff Moore (13:31-13:36)

A common mistake that business owners make is thinking they have to make a sale today. They fail to realize that a sale may come further down the line. Whether it’s six days or six months later, the sales you achieve are the result of your actions today. A strategy built on preeminence is one that leads to long-term growth, reducing marketing costs and amplifying the results you achieve. When you treat people well and give them options that help them meet their personal or professional goals, then achieving results simply becomes a matter of time.

Make Preeminence Part of Your Business Culture

Preeminence means taking care of the customers first and working out the other “stuff” later. It is believing in gaining lifetime customers and clients. Taking care of the customer should be the primary goal of your company’s culture. The impact of business culture can be seen in the countless companies that are bought out by larger ones. The new company takes over and fails to manage the organization in a way that maintains the momentum and success it’s already achieved. They lose sight of the truly important details and quickly see diminishing results.

By taking care of clients and customers as well as your employees, vendors, and other members of your organization, you build trust around your business. Trust creates momentum. Rather than see yourself as your company’s representative to your customers, flip the script and become your customer’s representative to your company. The quality of preeminence must exist in everything you do. It should extend beyond your business and exist in your personal relationships. Preeminence becomes a way of being that supports the results you achieve in all areas of your life.

“Preeminence is not a business tactic, it’s a life strategy.” - Nic Peterson (35:44-35:49)

You attract success through the person you become. But you must see yourself through the eyes of clients and customers. Having a clear and compelling introduction clarifies the value your business offers. You need to articulate what you do, who you do it for, and how customers benefit from working with you. This helps others see the character of your business, its leadership, and its value propositions.

It’s hard for business owners to see the consequences of what they do when they’re tied up in the daily tasks that come with running a business. It’s crucial to have a community around you that supports your ongoing efforts to achieve success in your industry. An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk. A community built on the principle of preeminence supports everything you do and creates a business culture that fosters collaboration, service to your customers, and a shared vision.

How to get involved

• An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk. Join the community, and join the conversation in the “Preeminence Unleashed”Facebook Group.
• If you want to continually be challenged in your business growth, sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“If you haven’t adopted disciplines as you grow, your cash flow starts to dwindle.” - Jeff Moore (3:55-4:15)

Nic Peterson & Jeff Moore

Preeminence Unleashed

Business growth can lead to costly issues that can be easily avoided. When your business blows up, everything within it multiplies. Entrepreneurs must reinforce the relationships they’ve established with their customers, vendors, and employees. Without the right disciplines and systems, you will become overwhelmed as you attempt to adjust to growth.

“When you take your eye off the ball, you’re not in growth mode anymore. You’re in save-your-ass mode.” - Jeff Moore (4:44-4:51)

As you grow, your company is no longer the same business it once was. Failing to have systems in place negatively affects your bottom line, leaving you unable to hire the people you need to scale and operating from a place of desperation. Disciplines and systems create predictability for you and your customers.

Business owners who have grown from zero to a million are used to doing everything themselves. But when they hire someone else to help them reach the next level of growth, they still try to do it all alone. Their business is their baby, and it’s difficult to hand their baby off to others.

Structure Influences Behavior

Many entrepreneurs are spending money on things that aren’t critical to growth. For a company with a 10% profit margin, saving $100,000 in unnecessary expenses can be equivalent to doing another million dollars in sales. But you could also go out and acquire $1 million in new business without realizing you’ve lost $500,000 somewhere else.

The right business structure is essential to your operations. A bad hire can end up costing you ten times the cost of the employee. However, even a rockstar employee is destined to fail if there isn’t a system in place that supports them. Growing businesses need others. An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk for lost time, unnecessary friction, and other common pitfalls. Business owners often become addicted to the adrenaline that comes with resurrecting their business after being on the brink of collapse. But in order to build a truly successful business, you need to have a fireproof system already in place.

“The person that gets over the initial hump is a different person than the one who got them there. You need those two people, but you can’t be both at once.” - Nic Peterson (11:38-11:57)

As a business owner, you don’t have to go it alone. You don’t have to be the hero swooping in to put out fires. Creating disciplines and systems around your work will help you transition into your next stage of growth. Your customers will be better served and you’ll achieve the work life that you want and need for ongoing success.

How to get involved

• An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk. Join the community, and join the conversation in the “Preeminence Unleashed” Facebook Group.
• If you want to continually be challenged in your business growth, sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter.

“If you start out with the wrong market, you are destined to fail before you even begin.” - Ryan (7:54 - 7:59)

Research has shown the biggest reason people fail in their businesses is that they have chosen the wrong market. It can be discouraging to think you can do the work to listen to the market and give them what they want, but if you haven’t chosen the right market in the first place, it’s possible that your business won’t make it.

Ryan Levesque, the author of the #1 National Best-Selling book ASK, spent three years studying businesses to help him understand why some businesses who followed his methods were thriving, while others were failing. In his research, he found common factors present in all markets that were successful.

“I’m fascinated by the success of the unsexy industries.” - Nic (20:52)

There are five components that can be found in all successful markets. If you utilize these “Five Market Must-Haves” when selecting a new market, you’ll be able to be successful regardless of the obscurity of your niche.

Make sure that the market is evergreen. It’s important that the market was relevant in the past and is likely to be relevant in the future. An excellent example of an evergreen market is gardening, which is one of the longest lasting hobbies in America.

Look for enthusiast markets and to avoid problem-solution markets. In enthusiast markets, people stay engaged over a long period. Pet owners would fall in this category since they are likely to need various products and services throughout the life-cycle of their pets. On the other hand, if someone’s basement is flooded, they only need to fix that once. It will be difficult to maintain longlasting success with a business focused around this problem.

Solve a problem that is urgent within that market. A pet owner might think that a dog-sweater is cute, but there’s typically no urgency to purchase. Potty training, however, is an urgent problem. People in these markets are generally not price-sensitive. They’ll pay whatever it is necessary to alleviate their pain.

Find a market that has future problems. Find a market with continued pain points, for which you offer the solution. For example, a business coach can assist the client in launching their business. The lifetime value of this client is great, as a growing business will come with continual challenges.

Choose a market that has “players with money.” Target individuals who are predisposed to spend money on your product or service. One of the best examples of this is the golf market. Most golfers are working professionals, and they spend money on all sorts of things like equipment and training.

“Ask questions. Stay curious. Seek truth. That’s the recipe for a fulfilling and successful life.” - Ryan (10:24 - 10:34)

If you are considering a new business venture, remember that choosing the wrong market can destine you for failure regardless of how great your product or service might be. Take the time to do the research and due diligence to find the right market to go into, and you’ll be setting yourself up for success.

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:27
• How Writing a Book Can Open Doors - 1:46
• The Single Biggest Mistake When Starting a Business - 5:16
• Ryan’s Story - 10:40
• The Five Market Must-Haves 14:43
• Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Market - 30:42
• Get a FREE Hardcover Copy of Choose - 34:12
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 38:00

How to get involved

• An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk. Join the community, and join the conversation in the “Preeminence Unleashed”Facebook Group.
• If you want to continually be challenged in your business growth, sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter.
• To get a FREE hardcover copy of Ryan’s new book Choose + the 25 top niches in 2019 + $200 in bonuses, visit his website.
• Find out what type of business you should start based on your personality, goals, and other factor with Ryan’s free assessment.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“Maybe getting one line in the water, and getting it right, is better than a scattershot method of throwing 15 lines with random bait. ” - Nic 1:46

In the entrepreneur world, we can become so focused on grabbing leads and building a following, that we forget that we are looking for a particular client who will be drawn by a particular method and message. How often do you value personal conversation over blasting content? How much effort are you making in the individual connections with individuals who could become lifetime clients? If you continue spending all of your effort trying to talk to everyone, you’re going to end up talking to no one. This mishap is common, to say the least, but if not remedied, it could be a fatal flaw in your business.

“It’s about being in the right place, with the right message, and the right method ” - Jeff (7:12)

Landing big fish clients is actually much simpler than we’d like to think. Do you really need 7,000 leads in the water, when you’re really only looking to build a substantial working relationship with a few high-ticket clients? This method can take time and patience, but in the end, is so much more effective at building the business you actually want, and getting your message to the proper audience.

A downside of spending too much time trying to grab all of the clients, rather than focusing on accruing the right clients, can be bycatch. In commercial fishing, bycatch is the term used for the unwanted fish caught in the nets thrown for a certain type of fish. If you are casting your nets too wide or using a net when you should be using a hook, you will end up gathering clients who aren’t a good fit for your product or service. This leads to wasted energy, and at times, exhaustion and burnout.

“If you aren’t taking specific and unique action to engage your clients, the clients will eventually find someone who will.” - Jeff (13:13-13:23)

Maybe you’re realizing that you’ve spent way more time than you’d like to admit on lead generation. Maybe you’re recognizing that you are out of touch with your avatar, and you have way too many lines in the water with the wrong type of bait. Maybe you’re realizing that you keep catching the wrong type of client, and now you’re realizing why. What now?

This week, revisit the specifications of your ideal avatar. Who is that client? What is this individual’s natural habitat, and what kind of bait will draw them in? If you don’t know, it’s time to find out. You can’t have a lack of clarity on what you want to catch, and then complain about what you end up with in your boat!

Regardless of the type of client you are seeking, low-tech is always best. What we mean is this, don’t ever demean the value that can be found in a genuine, authentic connection with an individual. It isn’t automation, it isn’t a killer funnel, it’s a real conversation with real people, offering real results. This week, reach out to a client, or a potential client, in an effort to build a genuine connection. Don’t use it as a ploy to make a sale. Add value. Become an expert. Build a relationship. Hone your method and message.

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:40
• Right Place, Right Message, Right Method - 5:23
• Personal Connection is Vital - 10:36
• Why Low-Tech is Best - 18:45
• Dial in the Best Process for Your Avatar - 23:34
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 29:45

How to get involved

• An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk. Join the community, and join the conversation in the “Preeminence Unleashed”Facebook Group.
• If you want to continually be challenged in your business growth, sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“Asking the right question is a skill and a weapon.” - Nic Peterson

Socrates once said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” Success in your business isn’t dependant on having the right answers, but in knowing which questions to ask. Questions are everything. They are the key to your own growth and your business and personal relationships. Learn how to master the art of questions, and gain a new skill and weapon to wield at will.

“People want to be told what to do, but when you can provide someone with better questions to ask, they will have the fuel to propel them into whatever stratosphere they want to go into.”

- Jeff Moore

Most of the time, people just want you to tell them what to do. It can feel simpler, easier, less scary that way. However, unless you are desiring to grow a needy client-base that is dependent on you for their every move, questions need to be your greatest used resource, and your default in conversations. Questioning is so much more powerful than telling, and can be utilized to help facilitate an individual’s growth, helping to guide them towards their own answer. Start being more aware of your conversations with clients. Are you quick to provide a solution? Are you elevating yourself as an expert, instead of helping to elevate your client? While it’s important to ask questions of others, it’s equally, if not more important to consistently be asking yourself questions. Become a detective of your actions, your motivations, and your pursuit of data.

“The process of discovery is not ‘tell me the answer,’ it’s asking questions that prompt more questions. It’s a series of questions that lead to growth.” - Nic Peterson

Become a master of asking questions. Not only will you find yourself learning more about your clients, friends, and family, but you’ll find that people in your circle of influence will become better at asking questions as well.

One way to do this is to start answering the questions that people ask. So many times, people aren’t asking the questions they really want to be answered. If they’re asking the wrong question, does it really matter what the answer is? People tend to hover closer to the surface or stay “safe” with vague, hypothetical questions. Challenge others to dig deeper and be bolder with their questions. When a client asks how to make $100,000 quickly, you can tell them to just sell all of their stuff. These answers could frustrate in the short-term, but hopefully, it will help them to think more about the questions they ask. What that client really wants to know is how to build a successful, sustainable business. To get there, they’ll need to ask bigger, more specific questions. Help them grow, instead of enabling their timidity.

Questions lead to more questions, and there is never a time when there aren’t more questions to ask. That, my friend, is a beautiful thing.

“Questions are the sculptor of the soul.” - Jeff Moore

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:36
• The Importance of Questions - 4:22
• Some Really Important Questions - 6:36
• The Benefit of Questions for Others - 10:22
• Don’t Ask Lazy Questions - 14:53
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 27:36

How to get involved

• An entrepreneur alone is an entrepreneur at risk. Join the community, and join the conversation in the “Preeminence Unleashed”Facebook Group.
• If you want to continually be challenged in your business growth, sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter.
• preimenenceunleashed.com/socrates
• Copy of Jeff’s Card

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“Trust and preeminence are symbiotic. There is no preeminence without trust, and there is no trust without being preeminent. ” - Jeff  

In an industry that advertises “value in advance,” but then psychologically manipulates individuals into feeling so stuck that they feel they have no other option than to invest thousands into a program, how do we foster trust and lead strong with a counterculture that adds value, instead of first demanding substantial investment?

Trust is the foundation for referrals, and for long-term sustainable success. It must be built over time and with intentional effort. However, in order to have the freedom to trust others, and for others to feel the security to place their trust in you, it is imperative that you first learn to trust yourself.

“As trust goes down, the cost of doing business goes up, and the speed of business slows down tremendously.” - Nic

There are two main aspects of an individual that are crucial when assessing the level of trust. The first is character. The people we let closest to us, the people we trust with our money and our time, are individuals that are consistent with their words and actions. In addition to character, it is vital to possess competence. Do I trust the person to get the end result? Do they have the skill required for the specific situation? These are questions we subconsciously ask when we are working with service providers. However, it is important to recognize that, in order to be the best service provider possible, we should be asking these questions of ourselves. Am I being authentic and consistent with those around me? Do I have the competence to deliver the end result?

Often, individuals with a low level of competence and character seem to have an answer for everything. You know the people we’re talking about. Trustworthy individuals, who have also built a level of trust in themselves, have the confidence to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll go find out.” Those are the people to have in your corner, and those are the people to emulate. No one expects you to be all-knowing, but they do need for you to be honest in order for them to trust you.   

“Ignorance is not the opposite of knowledge. It’s the illusion of knowledge that is the most dangerous.” - Jeff

If you are ready to build a greater level of trust in your brand, service, and business, the best place to start is building trust in yourself. The competence and character that you carry will be evident to your clients, and they won’t trust you if you aren’t coming from a position of security and genuine confidence. Find an individual you trust, and ask them to give you feedback. What are your strengths and weaknesses, and how can you grow in the area of trust?

This week, comb through your marketing and position an aspect of your brand to help others move forward. It’s important to focus on the tools you have that will help the potential client to build trust in self. Find a way to give away value for free. Give to those prospective clients that need your help even before they invest a single dollar into your service. When you help others move forward in their business and life because of something you did, you become a trusted advisor. Giving away value for free doesn’t make you a pauper or a martyr. Trusted advisors become trusted service providers. Period.

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:57
• The Two Layers of Trust - 3:45
• The Importance of Self-Trust - 10:21
• Where Does Trust Begin? - 18:13
• Take the Time to Foster Trust - 24:47
• Actionable Advice - 30:23
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 37:51

How to get involved

• Join the “Preeminence Unleashed” community on Facebook.
• Sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“I remember visiting you a couple times and looking out and thinking, man, you’re living this unique life that is really cool, how magnanimous that is and what the steps are in between.” - Jeff Moore

Steve Sims is a guy who is really, really good at making things happen. Or at least, that’s the Cliff Notes version. Over the years, Steve has perfected the art of meeting the right people, connecting with them, and staying authentic. He put his skills to use building Bluefish, a company that provides one-of-a-kind experiences to its clients. Bluefish became the book, Bluefishing, which reached international acclaim (but don’t ask Steve where Taipei is), which has opened up more and more opportunities.

“I wake up in the morning, I look around at my family and just rejoice that it’s my morning, and what am I going to conquer? If I can wake up in the morning, I’ve already got an unfair advantage to win.” - Steve Sims

And all this from a guy who grew up in East London, destined to become a bricklayer. Steve relates that his grandfather told him, “If you don’t get out today, you’re me tomorrow.” He quit immediately, and recalls that he had simply felt out of place and wanted more for his life. From there, Steve’s path took him to a short-lived job in finance, and then to a job as a bouncer in Hong Kong, where Bluefishing was conceptualized.

As he went on, Steve found that his success came when he stayed humble and authentic, and this lesson came after Bluefish took a big nosedive. With this story, he relates the importance of resilience after failure and the story of how he met Claire, his wife and ultimate teammate.

“Go into a bar on a Friday night, and you’re next to millionaires and billionaires. The talent is how you communicate with them. How do you relate, connect, how do you make it irresistible to the point that they don’t want you to leave the bar stool? It takes you back to building relationships, building credibility, and connecting with someone.” - Steve Sims

Steve’s current endeavors include a fresh new course on networking and meeting high net-worth clients - as well as the crucial skill of becoming, not doing - and a podcast based on the ideas behind Bluefish. He also runs Speakeasies, events that bring together smart people and valuable learning. Although he curates all these interesting, intelligent people, Steve notes that he still feels humbled to be among them, and lets everyone listening in to this episode know, “You’re already out of excuses.”

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Steve’s Mornings - 1:30
• Origin Story - 3:15
• Moments of Doubt - 7:35
• Claire and Steve - 10:30
• Bluefishing - 13:30
• Jesse Itzler + Steve - 17:00
• Current Doings and the Course Philosophy - 19:25
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 30:00

How to get involved

• Join the “Preeminence Unleashed” community on Facebook.
• Sign up for Nic’s Network Newsletter
• Check Steve out at stevedsims.com and bluefishsteve.com

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“Success, and success in life for him is the process...he defines success after he finishes the process. It’s a function of the process, not a function of the destination.”

Much of the rhetoric surrounding goal achievement has to do with “shortcuts” promising fast results with minimal effort. Preeminence, on the other hand, involves falling in love with the process – not the expectation of a certain result.

Those who stay focused on the end goal or the idea of a desired result will find themselves unhappy for every day that they aren’t at that point. They become vulnerable to giving up when things go wrong on the journey. A person who falls in love with the process gets to fully enjoy each and every day that they are working towards their goal, because they’re loving the steps and loving where they lead.

After all, the process is the shortcut – and you can’t win a race you don’t want to be in.

“You cannot be running as fast as you can if you’re staring at the finish line. You do not get to choose if the bases are loaded when you come up to bat. Hit the ball.”

That’s an overwhelming concept at the start (for a lot of people). Nic Peterson is a prime example of loving the process and engineering it in a way that works, like so:

•         Figure out what moves the needle – Part of avoiding stress as you figure your process out is isolating the few behaviors that keep your trajectory moving steadily upward.
•         Do those things every day – This is every bit as simple as it sounds. Pick the two or three most beneficial factors for your journey and do them steadfastly every single day.
•         Put the work in long-term – Like all worthwhile things, getting to your goal means showing up and putting in the work every day for as long as it takes, be it weeks, months, or years.
•         Don’t crash and burn when you slip up – Failure is part of success. All you can do is look at whether or not you did the few things you set out to do, and if you didn’t, wake up tomorrow and do better.

“If you’re still in a place of judgment, judge your own behavior. That is the only thing you have any right to judge if you want to achieve anything.”

Finally, record the progress you’re making. This allows you to look back and see yourself moving positively forward, analyze your wins and losses, and constantly improve.

There’s truly no better way to phrase all this advice (or make it actionable) than to say, “The process is the shortcut”. Fall in love with the process, commit to it like you would any other relationship, and put in the work. You’ll get there.

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:00
• Falling in love with the process - 0:25
• Prime example - 4:00
• Engineer the process - 8:10
• Love your goal - 12:00
• Put in the work - 17:00
• Recap and charting progress - 20:00
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 30:00

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