March 25, 2024 • 45 mins
In Episode 55 of the Reclaiming Man podcast, guest Jim Love shares some insights gained on his journey of Reclaiming Freedom by pursuing his passions, overcoming challenges, and integrating his professional pursuits with his life mission - to reach as many people as he can through motivational speaking and enabling his listeners to do the same. Check out more on his website: https://www.goauthenticyou.com/ as well as find him on LinkedIn.
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Episode Transcript
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Michael (00:05):
Okay, great.
Welcome to episode 55 of thereclaiming man podcast.
Good night.
Myself, Michael Beckwith, is on,accompanied by a guest Jim Love.
Jim is becoming a close friendof mine, I'll say that.
Met him relatively recently, ata work conference, and things
have really been, I feel likejust Fascinating conversations,
(00:27):
great mind, great human being.
I think he has a wonderful storythat really ties well into some
of the stuff that we've beentalking about on the show.
And so, just looking forwardtonight to diving in, hearing a
little bit more about his story.
And with that I think we'll justkick things off with an open
ended question here for you,Jim.
(00:49):
Tell us a little bit about yourstory.
Before anything else, beforework, before, your future and
everything like that, tell us alittle bit about your
background, yourself, some ofthe things that are most
important to you.
Jim (01:00):
Awesome.
Well, first of all, for havingme.
I've been a fan of the show fora while, ever since July.
It's been a joy and a blast toknow you and hear all about what
you're doing.
So, my name is Jim Love, as yousaid.
I'm originally from the southside of Chicago.
That's a very long time.
Full snippet.
Community in Chicago, that'sabout 15 minutes Southwest of
(01:23):
downtown.
So when people ask me if I'mactually from Chicago, the
answer to that question is yes,I am, and not many people are
able to say that.
So there's usually a suburb or,something thrown in there.
And I pride myself on that, butborn and raised there parents,
brother and sister, I'm theyoungest, which means I want to
be the center of attention andthat is Couldn't be more true,
so I have that going for me, butI had a really normal childhood,
(01:46):
for all intents and purposes.
I had a great family, superclose knit.
One interesting part about myExtended family is what we all
live within about 3 miles ofeach other.
And that's my mom's side.
So, we call it an overdone closefamily, but that's what our
group text is named, but in avery good way.
But it was really unique havingthat growing up is my aunts and
(02:07):
uncles were around the corner.
We were at my grandparentshouse, every weekend and I was
used to that.
It was great and just superclose and that continues to this
day, frankly.
So I had that and in the, my, mydad's side was similar and we
get together a lot.
And so that's always been my bigon family, big on faith.
That's my two main things andfamily, faith and football.
No, I'm kidding.
I would say just those first twofor sure.
(02:28):
And then I went to college outin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, went to
Marquette University and I havean amazing experience there and
actually have since never reallyleft Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
So I've called home and and Igraduated a little over 10 years
ago.
And since then have been livingand working here and got married
here.
I bought a house here, I boughta dog here.
(02:49):
So you could say that this is,this has now become home.
And The way I'll describeMilwaukee it's like Chicago's
cool little sibling, which ismyself.
Michael (02:57):
Yeah, totally agree.
Totally agree.
I think I told you my family'sfrom Milwaukee.
Yes, fairly certain.
I did.
So I have so many fond memoriesof Bayview, that's Parents grew
up and also spent a lot of timeon the shore of lake Michigan,
growing up and holidays andwhether that's equally bad as
Minnesota is, but surrounded bygood people and great memories.
So, cool that, is your familystill all.
(03:20):
In Chicago area.
Jim (03:21):
Yes.
So my extended family is myimmediate family.
My brother moves to Michigan acouple of years ago.
So my parents are there.
My sister lives about fiveblocks from my parents and then
the rest of them.
I'm not as all there.
My dad's side is a bit morescattered, but but yeah, they're
still within, a couple of milesof each other.
And it's unique.
It's very South side.
I will say that a lot of.
(03:42):
Not many people leave the SouthSide of Chicago, I'm one of few,
which makes it great, honestly,it's a ton of fun, you go home,
you get to see a lot of people,and it's a very unique, close
knit community that has eachother's backs, I would say
that's the best part about it,so I really enjoy that, I
certainly like living inChicago.
Here and enjoy my space here.
But when I go home it's it's, itfeels right.
(04:02):
It feels normal when it feelslike it's for the weekend.
And then I head back home.
Michael (04:06):
Yeah.
Yeah, no, it's good to havefamily close by at least, close
enough where it's within drivingdistance and same for me, I
think it's a.
Huge part of what my goals inthe future are, too, is just to
continue, some physicalproximity with as many of my
family members as possible.
But yeah, Milwaukee.
And you said you're, you'restill there.
So tell us a little bit aboutwhat's kept you in Milwaukee
(04:28):
apart from, the dog and theplace that you live.
What are some of the The thingsthat have really kept you there.
Jim (04:33):
Yeah, just the dog.
No it's really right away.
I felt like Milwaukee was a spotfor me.
It's a very welcoming, like hardnosed, work hard, work hard,
play hard, I'll call it in a waywhere like people.
People like to celebrate, theylike to really, look out for
each other.
You it's a small community here.
We call it small walkie for areason.
(04:53):
And a lot of people know a lotof people.
And if you're connected to acouple of folks, you're
connected to everyone.
And it's very philanthropic,really just charitable.
It's an easy place to live.
That's what I found.
And then certainly my career hasbrought me here.
And I started off working for alife insurance company when I
graduated from college that Iinterned at for three years and
then was hired.
(05:13):
Full time, I was there for about5 or 6 years and then I moved
into the career I'm in now andit's all been based here.
And so obviously my, my, my jobkept me here, but but I can't
imagine, not living here.
And actually, a lot of myfriends from college stuck
around and even the ones fromIllinois are here and live
within a few miles of me.
So it's got a.
It's just cool vibe.
(05:34):
And this place is very givingand it's, it's been, it's for my
twenties was an incredible spotfor my thirties.
Now has been just to relax, goat your own speed.
And whereas I'm, I think ofChicago, it's like folks walking
down the street with sunglasses,the ear pods in, not really
paying attention to Milwaukee'svery like.
Intentional, you can have aconversation with anyone and I
love that.
(05:54):
I had a lot of fun with it.
So those, that feeling and thatvibe really kept me in that
certain career.
Michael (06:01):
Yeah.
And I feel like it's less commonfor folks to have the history
and the background, the breadthof experience with a single
company.
And so you've been, I think fora while now with the company
that you're at, do you want toshare anything about that
specifically?
Or.
Jim (06:19):
Yeah, totally.
I've been there for going on sixyears in about two months and
it's been wonderful.
I've been in four differentroles and have really jumped
around.
And the leadership there isawesome.
Just good people.
Really good people.
And being.
The headquarters is inMilwaukee, and that's been
really significant for me to getto know some of our leaders, our
(06:40):
presidents here, our CEOs here.
It's just a really great place,and I've been able to meet a lot
of people Exhibit A folks, andthat I, share a lot of values in
common and really prideourselves on putting people, and
it's a fun time and it's arewarding time and yeah, I can't
imagine my life without it.
It would be, it's, it was, it'sbeen a lot of fun and I've
(07:02):
learned so much and my goodness.
So much.
So it's been that's been a realpleasure.
Michael (07:07):
Yeah.
I just one of the things I wasstruck by right away with you,
like we were.
Yeah.
At an industry conference.
And I feel like we, we talkedvery little about industry.
So don't it's interesting, andwe've spoken since.
So I've, leveled up on myknowledge of what you do and
things like that.
And so I don't necessarily needto get into too many of those
types of things, but just in thecontext of what you're trying to
accomplish in life.
And, the direction that you'regoing, what, how does that fit
(07:30):
into, to that picture?
And, I guess at this point, I'mjust curious to, See if you
might share a little bit moreabout some of the other types of
things that you've been pursuingsimultaneously and, talk a
little bit about what thatjourney has been like and just
yeah, pursuing multiple thingsmultiple dreams and how you're
finding it.
Jim (07:48):
I love that.
I'm a serial side hustler is theway that I'll call what I do.
But at my day job, I'm asolutions director, right?
And my job is to help folks comeup with solutions that will help
solve their workforce issueswhich is great.
And I love doing that.
And it's all aboutrelationships.
It's just about meeting people,understanding them.
And to your point Michael, Ilove.
(08:08):
I just like talking to peopleand I'll talk about whatever
topic it might be.
And we just so happen to sharethe same interests.
So it works out obviously reallywell.
But a lot of my kind of life isreally based around usually
speaking about leadershipdevelopment, about finding your
voice, about authenticleadership.
And so I really got my start inthis whole leadership journey
(08:29):
when I was 16 and a sophomore inhigh school.
And I was nominated to attend aleadership seminar.
And That really was, I wouldcall it intense and really
challenged me to accept who Iwas as a leader and then act on
it.
And so when I left that, I waslike empowered, ready to rock.
And I came back every summer andhelped out at the seminar.
And then now 17 years later, I'mspeaking at that seminar.
(08:52):
I'm the opening talk, closingtalk.
And then I also have my own sortof company on the side where I
go to high schools, toconferences across the country.
And speak about what it means tobe a leader and just try and
develop future leaders.
So I like bread and butter.
It's like a 17 year old kidwho's a little bit maybe lost,
but definitely a leader and theyhave potential.
(09:12):
Now I've spoken to 88 year oldsand I've spoken to eight, but if
I had to pick like, the one thatwould be it, but I'm a big fan
of human beings is what it comesdown to.
And if I, if you'll give me amicrophone around some of those
folks, I'll do it.
But I, a lot of my journey wasstarted when I experienced
someone who made me feelempowered.
And I really wanted to give thatto other people, if I had to
(09:33):
boil it down that's what itcomes down to.
So the feeling of being on astage or speaking to a client,
whatever it might be, and theyfeel like they have the tools
that they need to go forth andto be successful.
That's it.
That's what I would smile.
Well, I love
Michael (09:46):
that.
Well, I love that for sure.
I feel like just getting thegood fortune of hopefully
gaining some of those wisdom,that wisdom, in tonight's show.
In tonight's conversation here,because a couple of things that
you touched on there, I thinkare really important, especially
when it comes to both reclaimingyour mind and reclaiming
freedom.
And a couple of differentaspects of it, just stood out to
me as far as finding your voice.
(10:07):
And so could you elaborate alittle bit on that a little bit?
Jim (10:09):
Totally.
So I Actually my whole life I'vebeen a person who stutters.
So I've had this adversity thatI faced growing up where I, I
didn't want to speak on thephone.
I was really shut down.
I think I was actually early,like developing my own voice.
And so as time went on I reallystarted to realize what my voice
was and it was to empower, totry and inspire.
(10:31):
So maybe be obnoxious, whateveryou want to call it, but that
was what I was called to do.
And so my whole journey wasreally like, it's funny.
This is obviously specific, butwas like doing student sections,
like in high school and college.
Like I led all that and I lovedit.
I loved every minute of it, likegoing nuts at games and those
types of things.
But what it taught me was thatif I could put this in a
scenario in a space where I'maround people and trying to
(10:53):
empower.
Them to use their voice, which,and when I say voice, I don't
mean like the physical voice,but like something that you're
passionate about, something thatyou really wanna pursue.
Yeah.
So that became really importantto me.
And so a lot of my talk,frankly, a lot of like my
keynote that I gave is aroundthat.
Is around finding who you are,what your voice is.
I use this term called era, likeERA and ERA stands for
enthusiastically, relentlessly,and authentically.
(11:16):
And using your voice in that wassomething that I actually came
up with two years ago, headedinto this talk that I've been
doing for 10 years now.
But but it really became true.
And I've recognized that ifyou're going to go after
something that you feelpassionate about, you need to be
enthusiastic, relentless, andauthentic.
And those three things reallystuck out to me.
So what I do and the way I foundmy voice was certainly.
(11:38):
Taking that adversity head on, Iwould say in becoming a speaker
and, all those types of things.
But but finding myself in thesense that it became my
superpower versus anything thatreally actually helped me back.
So that is part of my journey,but it's 1 where I love sharing
it because a lot of students arelike, no way.
And I'm like, yeah you probablyhave 1, 2 I'm not the only 1.
I think
Michael (11:58):
a lot of people do, but it's so cool to hear that story,
man.
And so.
Gosh, it's moving because I feellike, so many different folks
that I am inspired by as Ilisten to their stories, they
have a similar type ofexperience in the, in their
background history.
It's like some trauma that couldbe, It could be framed as
something that stops you orprevents you from getting where
(12:21):
you want to in life, but,flipping it on its head and
using it to your advantage andthen turning it, into something
that you're so passionate about.
It reminds me actually ofthinking Grow Rich, Napoleon
Hill, and I'm not sure if youremember in, in that book, but
the author was.
He was basically tasked to,interview 500 of the most
(12:42):
successful people in the worldthat at that point, who were
still living and then interviewother people who were
unsuccessful and just to figureout and distill what is the sort
of recipe, the, the, all thedifferent components of success
and.
Interestingly enough, he talksabout his son and one of the
components that he talks abouthow his son was born deaf and he
(13:04):
wasn't born deaf in the sense oflike, what's the right way.
There's two different,basically, I think there's two
different types of deafness.
He was born with physicaldeformity in his ear, but he was
still able to eventually as aresult of that deafness, he was
able to turn it into a careerbuilt around.
Hearing aids, and so he was 1 ofthe 1st people who discovered
(13:24):
that, like, with vibrations, youcould still hear sounds even
when your ears physically wereclosed.
Effectively, he was born with,the ear canal was much smaller
or closed.
And so it was something where,he turns this, Physical defect
in many ways in a way into a notonly just something that was a
strength, but it was somethingthat, he built his career on, he
ended up working for all ofthese these companies to help
(13:46):
them bring hearing to people whowere like him.
And it's just such a really coolstory.
And I think very similar in theway that.
You've approached at least thispart of the side hustles, if you
will.
So just curious, do you have anythoughts about making that a
bigger percentage of what you dois that what's your end game
look like with it?
Or is it just to,
Jim (14:08):
And it's, I do want to go back to something, we talk about
freedom of mind and that isabsolutely something I had to
work on to to get my mind freeof being afraid of going up and.
Being in front of an audience.
So that was a really significantthing.
And that was something thatspoke to me.
I would say right now I reallylike it being a side hustle.
Cause it's exhausting to behonest.
(14:29):
It's one of those things wherewhen I gave a keynote, it's for,
it's very deep.
It's very intentional.
I go nuts on stage.
I have a lot of energy.
So some people say too much I'lllet everyone else be the judge
of that.
But I can, I really I go nutsfor an hour when I am done.
I am done and like I have to getan hour to it's almost like
going to therapy session, butlike a thousand people are
(14:50):
listening to your therapysession.
That's the best way to describeit.
So, cause I talk about a lot ofstuff to talk about.
I mean, that's one of manythings that I speak about and I
love it.
I love every minute of it, butit's one of those things that
when you do it so much, itbecomes part of your
subconscious again.
So just for example, I give acouple of stories about
challenging relationships in mylife.
Right.
So that I learned a lot from andwhat I took away and those are
(15:11):
now like, it was 10 years agoand I still have dreams about
them because I talk about them alot.
So that's a consequence of goingout there and doing it as much
as I do, but I'd probably do it.
Maybe 10 to 15 times a year,depending on what's going on.
I have friends that do it likefull throttle and I, I just, I
don't think I could do that.
It's just, it's a lot of work.
I, cause I love actually havingboth things.
(15:31):
I love growing my normal careerand kind of this, but one
impacts the other all the time.
And I'll have every now and thenI'll just get an email saying
like, can you come out here andI'll just go do it.
And it's a lot of fun and it's anice break, from the routine,
but I would say, and along withthat, of course, I started my
own podcast a couple of yearsago, which was fantastic.
So like I have that, and that'sabout people with side hustles
as well.
So we just meet a ton of folksand it's a lot of fun, but I'm
(15:55):
going, one thing I'm going tolook into, and I was just
talking actually tonight, I wastalking to my wife about this
when we were walking our dog isa lot of people.
Like want to become speakers.
I get this all the time.
And I am thinking about makingthat part of an offering that I
do is train and develop speakersand like, that will go and then
impact the world and whateverthey want to do.
Yeah that I think is the nextkind of natural step that, that
(16:17):
doesn't take.
Like the travel, it doesn't takenearly as much like logistical
things.
It could just be a phone call,whatever it might be, but that's
something I have a structure Iuse.
I'm ready to consult on that,like right now.
And so that, that seems to be agood step and people need it.
I've had a lot of people reachout constantly that they want to
do this.
Where do they start?
And I may not get them theirgig, but I'll get them ready for
(16:37):
their gig.
That's what I would say.
And there'll be in a spot wherethey feel comfortable to
deliver.
So that's something that's beenon my heart pretty recently.
Michael (16:45):
Oh, that's really cool.
Definitely.
So many different formats andoptions that you have these days
to, to build a course or contentonline, recorded pre recorded
videos and a series withinteractive exercises in
between, or like you said, theactual live counseling itself,
but there's lots of differentways that you could do it to
make it more scalable, I think.
And then.
(17:05):
To your point, I mean, just itspreads your impact.
That's the ripple impact forsure.
It's just the ripple effectrather where little things that
you're doing now, some of thepeople that you impact in small
ways.
Well, then, maybe in the 17years, they'll be leading the
the classes,
Jim (17:20):
that's my goal.
I mean, if I could speak to astudent, let's say, Okay.
That in 10 years, they'respeaking to, like, the same
group like that's it, that's thestory.
That's what I want to write.
And there are folks that I'vetalked to that could absolutely
do that and make it happen.
But that's what happened to me.
I guess I should probablypreface this by saying the guy
who spoke to me when I was 16and had my first experience in
(17:41):
leadership development.
He mentored me about 10 yearslater.
And and that was the reason whyI got into speaking.
So like that giving back part isso critical to me.
And he did that for me formonths, mentored me on how to do
it, what it means to speak, tomotivate.
And and that's what I lovedoing.
And now I have the tools, I'vebeen doing it for 10 years now
and it can it can, can bring itback and help out.
Michael (18:01):
So that, that would be awesome.
Yeah, I, so you mentioned thementorship.
I think that's a reallyimportant part of growth and
development.
We've talked a lot just aboutgrowth mindset, things that we
can do ourselves, but sometimeswhen you're looking at, paths to
accelerate learning and not inan unhealthy way, but just to
(18:22):
help move things a little bitmore quickly, I think the
mentorship is something that atleast I was overlooking pretty
heavily until the past couple ofyears, actually.
Yeah.
And have found amazing benefitsin it.
Do you have any from thatmentorship or from others?
Do you have anything, thingsthat you've gleaned or just
through lines, things that youthink are really contributing to
(18:43):
your success right now?
Jim (18:44):
One thing to me was that I had some validation and I, let
me say that I'd usually check.
Like a new mentor every year,just someone that I can learn
from and I've picked themintentionally.
And one thing I've taken away isthat, like, I don't have to
learn.
How many, how do I say this?
I don't have to like changeanything about me.
(19:05):
Like, like, like that's where Ithink we all go into mentorships
to see if they're going to teachyou something that's like so far
beyond, like, you have to reachthis or it's always like small
things.
And the people who I look up toa lot, like I'm almost there,
like where it's like you justkeep going.
And I've loved that.
Like, like those share ways thatthey approach something in, in
the way they did something, butthere's never been a moment
(19:26):
where I was like, I am so faraway from what this person did
that like, and so I think a lotof people are going to realize
that pick a mentor that, thatlike, like actually think about
someone who inspires you, thatyou have access to and ask them.
It's a mentor.
Yeah.
That's really good.
That's what I did.
And trust me, no one's going tosay no to that.
If you get someone reaching outto you, ask them like, yeah,
(19:48):
you're going to be like ahundred percent for you.
And one thing that worked outfor me, actually we have someone
who, you know, very well from mycompany that we were at dinner
with recently was a mentor forme for a year, about three years
ago.
Yeah.
I remember you mentioning
Michael (20:01):
that.
Yeah.
I
Jim (20:01):
got to know him really well.
And that was just such a gift ofa relationship.
But I specifically was like, youare really cool.
And I want to learn from you.
And then like from those, I waslike, wow, we're pretty similar
people.
And I just need to have moreconfidence in what I can do.
That's what I've learned a lotis, like we're not missing some
glaring thing that like, if youdo that's going to bring you to
the next level, you probablyhave what it takes.
(20:23):
It's just a matter of getting anapproach on it and the
confidence from someone that youlook up to.
But that's been a huge thing.
I generally.
The concept of mentorship is socritical.
We it's underutilized.
We don't do it like nearlyenough.
You can really pick out somefolks that that impact you pick
out someone that maybe forwhatever reason you wouldn't
talk to typically and just seewhat they teach you.
And there's a lot of joy thatcomes from it.
(20:43):
And you either, you may have aformal one at your company or
you just make one.
I just, I, we actually have oneand I don't even follow that
one.
I just reach out to someone onmy own.
I
Michael (20:53):
know that's interesting that you say that the first
person that I informally askedto be my mentor was a, a guy who
I realized I rode the train withto, to work.
Right.
And he's senior engineeringmanager.
He was in supply chaincoincidentally, where I sit in
the organization, except he's inthe nuclear side of the company,
(21:13):
which is.
Separate company, almost withina company.
And really interesting though,right.
Just cause I was talking withhim and I was just like, ah,
this guy has a wealth ofexperience.
He's been here for like 20years.
He's he knows all the people heknows, generally at least on the
nuclear side, but I was likehe's going to be a great person
to learn from.
And so I just.
Approached him about it.
We did it for about six monthsand then ended up just pure,
(21:37):
purely coincidentally, likethrough our work program,
assigned his manager as the nextmentor I had.
So, a director level individualin supply chain and And then the
next one that I've been assignedto is another senior leader in
our organization, again, withinsupply chain.
So it's been a really goodprogression just to go after it
(21:59):
first informally.
And then on the, the formal sideof it's basically they just make
sure that you.
Connect every couple of times amonth and give you a couple of
ideas of things to do.
And
Jim (22:09):
In the same token I serve as a mentor for like my college
for a market for the alumniassociation.
That's been a real gift to getto know some students who are
awesome.
So it's cool having both sides.
Like I'm getting the mentorexperience and also a mentee as
well.
And I encourage that too, thatpeople need folks to look up to
you and and people listening tothe show are probably the type
(22:29):
that would want to do that.
And it's a lot of fun to be anovelist.
So, yeah, I like both sides.
Michael (22:33):
Yeah.
And then, bringing it back tolike one of the things that you
mentioned earlier the A of ERA,the authentically part, I find
that when I, and I just havestarted, I would say, To two
informal mentorships, not byrequest, but just by the nature
of our relationship and how theywill ask me for assistance with
(22:55):
various things or what myopinion and perspective is.
And so I look at it veryinformally.
So this is my opportunity tohelp impact, this person's
direction in their career.
And, one of them is he just cameout of like an externship and
we're both super passionateabout data.
And so it's just like so easy toconnect with him on those types
(23:16):
of things.
And so I think that's one thingthat's really an important
attribute as well.
And maybe it's a little bitharder in the context of a
formal program where, you don'tget to necessarily pick exactly
who it is, but to your point, ifyou can find somebody that's
inspired, like inspirational toyou, that's, You have access to,
like, Oh, there's one thing thatwe both are pretty passionate
about based on what they'vetalked about.
Like, I think that reallyincreases the, the potential of
(23:39):
the mentorship for having goodresults.
And I've just been fortunate.
So, so far, because the peoplewho I've.
And assigned to are also peopleI'm like, Oh, I like the way
that this person, thinks andapproaches this job.
This is going to be reallyhelpful.
So that's really cool.
So I was just thinking also, andnot to get too disjointed in it
before we, we break awaycompletely from it, maybe we
(24:01):
come back to it a little bitmore too, but you mentioned, the
one tactic that you had withregards to speaking, era
enthusiastically, relentlessly,authentically.
I myself have.
Not as a by product of thispodcast, but this is another
example of it.
Over the past couple of years, Ihave been trying to level up my
speaking skills, communicationskills in general.
(24:22):
I've been trying to speak at acouple of conferences and just
get more exposure to what, somany people associate as one of
their number one fears, speakingpublicly.
Right.
And I think I've really enjoyedit because it's made me so
uncomfortable.
I think even, the listeners ofthis podcast, the people who are
(24:42):
in the audience, they canprobably, I feel like they can
probably tell like, Oh, he's notsuper comfortable, at least at
first.
But for that reason, I like itbecause it's pushing me to the
edges of what I feel like is mycomfort zone.
But do you have like, I'm goingto be speaking in a couple of
weeks here at a conference.
So do you have any, a couple oflike top two or three things?
I know you do keynotes on thesetypes of things, but for public
(25:04):
speaking, are there things thatlike other strategies that you
have apart from era or could youjust expand a little bit more on
those, mostly selfishly, but forour listeners as well.
Jim (25:14):
I would say first and foremost if you're not nervous,
there's something wrong, likeeveryone is nervous.
Before I get nervous every timeI go up and speak, like it's
because you care.
So like, I just recognize it's avery shared human experience for
everyone.
Even the people who are the mostpolished folks are going to get
nervous because they care aboutthe message.
(25:35):
My nervousness now is more sothat I hope that people are
going to relate to me.
But gosh, it took me yearsbefore I was not like.
Chest pounding, heart pumpingbefore I get out there.
The best thing I would say isthat when you start do
something, that's really uniqueto you to quote unquote, break
the ice and when I'm, so let megive you an example when I walk
(25:56):
up, it's like, The kind ofquick, nervous energy I do a
chance.
I literally lead a chance tostart it off.
Like, because it gets me into mymode.
I'm full on and I literally putthe microphone down and I do a
chant, not for every group ever,if it's, if it's like our
industry folks, that might be alittle bit different, but I'm
thinking
Michael (26:12):
about it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, right.
Jim (26:14):
Fire it up.
But it, that, that is, it'ssuper strategic thing.
Very strategic because I knowI'm good at that.
I'll do it right away.
It'll get people like that guysweird, but like, that's the
whole point.
And also it just wipes awaythat, that kind of quick nervous
energy and it really works.
And so that's not for everyone,but I would just encourage you
and other folks.
Right.
Like.
(26:34):
When you go out there, don'tjust be like, hello, my name is
Jim and this is leadership.
Like start off with somethingfunny or like just do something
that's very uniquely to you andpeople catch on to what that is
right away.
So for like, when people listento a channel, this guy's about
to turn up and like, they'recorrect.
That's what I'm going to do.
I'm going to, I'm going to havea day with them and I'm going to
enjoy myself and do somethingthat's different.
(26:54):
And and again, like.
That's super subjective, but Ifound that, that whatever that
strategic thing is off the batsort of wipes away, maybe that
nervousness.
And then when you get rolling,when you, I would say if you
practice practice, and you haveyour thing down, the rest is
beyond your control.
If you know your content, if youcare about your content.
(27:15):
And you're out there and you'reready to roll.
Like if your audience sucks alittle bit, then they suck a
little bit.
Like there's not a whole lot youcan do about that, and so
control those aspects of it.
Like if you're unprepared andyeah, it's going to be a heck of
a day for you, but do that andleave the rest and recognize
like you're going to be nervous.
Like it's going to happen whenyou get started, that usually
wipes away.
But I mean, I go, before I goout, I am, I'm like a player
(27:39):
entering a basketball game.
Like I'm rolling and I'm likeready to go.
And I really have to get intothe space, right.
Of doing it.
And it's hard, but it becomeseasier with time.
And everyone started off thefirst one.
I did my first keynote.
You did your first talk,everyone starts somewhere and
you're going to have to, andit's going to be a rough one.
(27:59):
Like, it's not going to go well,but you always get better.
And the last thing I'll say isyou think it's worse than anyone
in that audience does.
You're your world's worstcritic.
And I'll come off and I'm like,that was awful.
And I'll get 15 people email meafter how much they enjoyed it.
So you just don't know.
You just don't know, but theyprobably enjoyed it a lot more
than you did.
And if you're having fun, sureas heck they are too.
Michael (28:21):
Okay.
That's a good question.
Our, my next question isrelated.
Do you.
Do you generally script it or doyou outline it or both, or
what's your approach todelivering the content, because
a lot of times what I strugglewith is finding the balance of,
if I have it scripted, maybe Istart to, to go too quickly
through it, or it sounds less,Authentic because it's scripted
(28:44):
or just done as naturalsounding.
But what, yeah.
What are your thoughts aboutthat stuff?
Yeah,
Jim (28:49):
that's, so that's evolved for me over the years, I would
say I'm scripted to a pointwhere I know what's coming next,
but I can be, I can go off thecuff, as needed.
So I use note cards.
I always have.
And what these note cards haveon them is small phrases to
remind me of what I need to donext.
And actually I have five foreach section.
So I have a one hour keynote.
(29:11):
Yeah.
Break it down into three 15minute halves, if you will, and
or halves that doesn't matter.
I knew what you meant.
I knew what you meant.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Let's, we talked about mathright before we get on here.
This is so I write on each oneof those note cards, this five
step process.
And what that boils down to ishow I do every talk I've ever
written.
And it's number one, state yourpoint.
Number two, say why it'simportant.
(29:32):
Number three is give your storyabout it.
Number four is give thesolution.
And number five is recap thepoint.
And boom.
That's it.
That's every Oh, I love that.
I've written speeches forpresentation.
Anything it is, and I have thesenotecards.
And I'll actually say So if I'mgiving a keynote, I'm like,
Alright guys, like, leadershipis great, and here's why.
And this is why it's important.
(29:53):
Here's my story around it.
And here's the solution just torecap the point, like I'll
physically read those out andthat helps keep it structured
for me.
But some speakers use AV, somespeakers have a whole thing
printed out.
Some speakers use none of thosethings, but it's all up to you.
That's what worked for me was Ifelt the security blanket.
I'm having the thing right infront of me and I actually have
(30:14):
ADHD like pretty hard.
So if I didn't have that, Iwould trail off.
I have a time limit, so I can'tand I make a joke about that by
the way, I start off I'll be oneof my talks.
I'm like, Hey, here's the thing.
I have this and I use no cardsjust to be totally real with
you.
And it, It sets a stage for, I'mgoing to be authentic with them.
And it's also like a little bitfunny.
And so that, that's why itworks.
But but yeah, that five stepthing is written on every note
(30:35):
card I have.
And I literally flip it over.
I'll go back and forth.
I don't look down as much, butwhen I need to, I do.
And it helps me get mestructured.
And then if I go off the cuff,if you will, if I get really
fired up about something andjust keep going, then I look
back down and I'm like, allright.
So let's move on to the nextthing.
I know what was coming.
That's just always what's workedfor me.
Michael (30:53):
Yeah.
Great.
Well, those are really helpful.
I'm going to incorporate some ofthem in.
I've been working on putting thepresentation together and I had
started off scripting, intro andthen an anecdote and an outro
just trying to decide like howcheesy and quippy I wanted to be
with it.
Right.
But no, but I appreciate it.
I'm going to take it intoconsideration.
And it's fine.
I am.
Jim (31:15):
I was writing a new keynote about three weeks ago and I feel
like I may have texted youduring this, but it was a whole
new talk for a whole newaudience and corporate audience.
And I had started writing on aSaturday and it wasn't going
well.
I was writing this and I wasjust like getting blocked.
And then I realized I wasn'tfollowing my own structure.
I was just writing down notesand I totally scrapped it.
Three hours of work.
I just threw out the window anddid the structure.
(31:37):
And it formed a whole talkwithin about six hours but like,
I, it was a reminder for myselfthat I was like, I need to stay
true to this process.
It's been a while since I'vewritten anything.
So just like, go back to squareone, like of the way that you
did it.
But it was a good reminder threeweeks ago for me to be like,
yeah, there's a reason why youhave that process and why it
works.
So,
Michael (31:54):
Yeah, absolutely.
And that's like, those are thetypes of things, those
processes, like where.
When you go and you talk to amentor to come back to that
briefly, like that's reallygreat.
They may have established thisreally easy to follow or simple
way of approaching somethingthat you thought was overly
complex.
And I think that's what I do alot.
I overthink things.
(32:15):
I overthink the, thepresentation I'm going to have,
and then the reaction thatpeople are going to have to it.
And a lot of times I seem toforget that, Hey, this isn't
even about me at all.
Like they don't even reallycare.
They're just.
This is about them.
Like, what are the, what do theyneed to understand from this?
And really trying to flip theperspective to remember that
anytime that I'm speaking, it'snot for my benefit.
(32:36):
It's not to sound good.
It's to hopefully connect withthe audience to, like you said,
empower them to make some sortof change in their life.
That's going to be beneficial.
That's really what I'm.
I'm trying to focus on as well.
And one of the books I read thisyear that I thought was really
good.
If you haven't checked it outyet, it's worth your time is
John Maxwell's 16 undeniablelaws of communication.
(32:56):
It's a long, it's a longer read.
It's not like you sit and readit in one sitting by any means,
but you know, just making yourway through it.
I feel like there's a lot ofwhat you said that I think he's
also Would agree with you on, sohe
Jim (33:09):
was, he was my high school kind of guy that was, I've read
all of it was I've had aleadership class in high school
and he was like, he was thereason why the classes made.
So he's only has like, what, 70
Michael (33:19):
books on it.
So, yeah, he
Jim (33:20):
was, he was great.
Now, a lot of my thoughts arereally like correlated with some
of what he put out.
I basically just stole his workand just put it in.
I don't know if it's stealingis,
Michael (33:29):
Maybe emulating, right.
That's.
Emulate a master is a reallygood way to find success with
things.
But so I guess.
Really cool story.
You've been building asuccessful career, from a
corporate perspective on theside, you've pursued some of the
other pieces that are helpingyou overcome some of what could
be considered a liability or aweakness or whatever.
(33:51):
You've turned it into strengths.
You've turned it into, extrasynergy for your career.
Where does that take you?
If you look in the next, in thefuture, like what is your ideal
state when it comes to whatyou're doing to, generate income
to, to live or things like that.
Jim (34:07):
Totally.
Well, I want to, there are a lotmore humans that need to be
motivated and I plan on hittingeveryone.
I will speak until I can't speakanymore.
That's what I will do.
And that's where I'm reallycalled to be.
I, it's a vocation.
And I take it, I don't take it,I wouldn't say take it
seriously, but like I have a lotof fun with it, but I know
that's where my talents are.
(34:27):
And that will only continue toinfluence it.
My, my day job, if you will.
And I will continue to do thatand connect with people and help
them out as much as possible anddo it on a personal level, as
and it's just that's what Ienjoy doing.
And I think the rest will, we'llfigure it out from there and
I'll keep both, I'll keep bothgoing.
And and I definitely, thispodcast I have is year number
three now.
(34:47):
And it's been a blast and I wantto continue to grow that and
just meet a lot of otherentrepreneurs and grow it a bit
more.
And I think it's I know Imentioned going this like
mentorship consulting routes alittle bit more to, of just
starting to help speakers thatwant to hit this, be in this
world and what it takes and.
And really bring people along onthe journey because it's fun and
it's science.
Like it's hard, but but it'sworth every minute of it.
(35:10):
So I will continue to do that.
And as well, as long as peoplewill give me a microphone, I'm
going to take it.
And my hope, Michael, is thatthe next time you and I are at a
conference together, I want tobe speaking.
That's one of my goals is to Ijust wrote that new talk a
couple of weeks ago is aboutculture.
And yeah, it would be reallyrelevant for a lot of folks that
we know within our industry.
And my goal is to deliver thatsomewhere on a stage in the next
(35:33):
couple of
Michael (35:34):
months.
Oh, I like it.
Yeah, that's really cool.
And I think it's evident to methat, the passion that you have
definitely can come out in somany different ways.
There's just different ways thatyou can use communication apart
from on a stage.
Obviously that's one of thegoals is, just to.
Sort of what the evidence thatsupports that you are reaching
(35:54):
levels of growth in those skillsas well as relationships that
you have to build in order toget to those types of
opportunities.
And so I think at the core ofeverything that you're doing, it
feels like, there's that elementof building relationships,
building connections with folksand in your podcast.
You've said you've been doing itfor three years now obviously
some really cool people, I bet,that have come on to this show
(36:16):
and, any sort of key takeawaysor things that have stood out to
you in doing that show and whydo you keep doing it?
Are you planning on doing that?
Indefinitely.
What does that look like?
I love that.
Jim (36:28):
Yeah.
Biggest key takeaway afterinterviewing, I want to say it's
been like 80 people now is thatwe are really interconnected as
humans that, that is like, I'veheard so many stories that are
very similar of just why peoplego after what they do.
And everyone has a passion,which is up to us if we want to
follow it.
So I love that part.
(36:50):
The thing I love most about itis different.
It really requires activelistening.
It's something that we are allnot wonderful at all the time.
And so I have to put my phonedown and I got to listen to the
people that I'm talking to.
And I react in the moment.
I connected back to earlierconversations.
I ask questions because I'mgenuinely curious.
It's a fun time.
I just enjoy that.
I have an amazing co host whofrankly is a lot better at
(37:12):
intervening than I am.
So I'm able to be, I have himaround and he's great.
He's just so, he's so gifted atjust like coming back to earth,
if you will.
And so we love doing it.
We got sponsored by Marquettethis year, which was a ton of
fun.
We did some live shows.
I know I was telling you aboutthat on campus and, That's been
a blast.
And we get a lot of studentsabout, we have like a following
now there.
We'll go there and 30 people arewaiting there for us to come in.
(37:34):
So it's been a lot of fun.
And I can, I want to do that aslong as we have guests there's
actually a program called podmatch, which is like Tinder for
podcasts.
And so you swipe right on peoplethat you may connect with.
And we've gotten a lot fromthat.
I mean, almost too many, whichhas been awesome.
So we'll continue that.
And.
Yeah I will, as long as I've gotfolks to talk to who have a
passion, we'll do it.
(37:55):
And gosh, if we do that for 10more years, I'll be fine with it
because it's a ton of fun.
I just get a lot of joy from it.
It's a really, it's a reallycool.
Michael (38:02):
Yeah, that's really cool to hear.
And honestly, like every littlepart of this conversation, I'm
jotting down notes and things,cause I'm just, I'm learning a
ton from you, which is great.
I love to, I think that's myprimary reason for enjoying
these conversations.
Whether it be with, somebody whowe're interviewing, which we're
just getting into this year, buteven over the past year, just
(38:24):
like building the relationships,building the connections with
Preston and Scott obviouslythen, or maybe not, obviously,
but as a result of those arebyproduct of those types of
conversations, like there's justthis different level of
connection that you have withpeople in general.
And I feel like it's justawakened this.
Different like hunger in me toknow people more to understand
(38:45):
people's stories and what yousaid, about like how everybody
has a passion, but not everybodyfollows it.
I feel like it's, less commonthat we will talk about those
things unless somebody is likeactively prompting us about it.
Almost like we're.
Not ashamed of our passions, butI think ashamed that we've given
up on them,
Jim (39:05):
right?
And
Michael (39:06):
and so that's something that I've been thinking about a
lot You know as I look at mycareer and I look at what I'm
doing and the amount of timethat I spend on various Things,
we talk a lot in the show aboutroutine and habits and you know
what whether it's a 75 hardchallenge or something all of
these things they take a lot oftime and So that's one of the
other pieces that I wasinterested in just hearing, like
(39:27):
how you balance some of thecompeting time priorities.
And, have you found that that'sa skill that you feel like
better at as a result ofmanaging these multiple things,
or do you still feel like thingsare pretty chaotic or
Jim (39:41):
I'm not good at it.
I will say I, I mean, I havesome times that are sacred, for
me, like, Like usually, likeevenings past a certain time or
like weekends.
But I, I try, I mean, there's alot, there's a lot going on,
it's demanding, but the thing isI am wired to be busy.
Like, and I, that's, I, like, ifI wasn't running around doing a
(40:03):
lot of stuff, I'd be reallybored.
Like, I remember the first, twoweeks of COVID, right?
Like.
I was like, oh, my gosh, what amI supposed to do, and I was
already starting to lose it.
And I know that was obviouslydifficult for a lot of folks,
but I'm very much I enjoy being,being busy and having a lot to
do and going from one thing toanother.
But yeah, to time managementwise, I would say that I just I
(40:25):
pick and choose my times whereI'm super productive and just
really utilize those.
And that's that's what happenswhen you have like, with some
ADHD stuff, like you just havemoments where you can really
turn into it.
And I take advantage of those.
I'm like, if it's a Saturday atnoon, then it's a Saturday at
noon.
And that's when we're going todo it.
And I'm feeling productive.
And so I know myself reallywell.
And I know when I'm going to getsome stuff done and I get a lot
(40:46):
done in those moments.
And I'm like, well, I'm notgoing to do it.
And I'm like, all right let's gosit down or do something else.
And then come back into it.
But yeah it's, it works, for me,I'm not, it's definitely not one
of my strengths, but I make itwork, I guess is what it comes
down to.
Michael (41:00):
Sure.
No, that's, it totally makessense.
I think, I mean, I've readmultiple places that we have a
lot shorter of an attention spanthan we think of, irrespective
of ADHD or other types of thingslike that, because I think, and
by no means to diminish likewhat you experienced, I feel
like there are an increasingnumber of people who just.
Didn't get diagnosed with itand, are also in the same way
(41:24):
thinking like, it wasstigmatized and this is
something that instead of, justleaning into and finding those
times when you're productive andthen working extra hard to
understand and recognize like,okay, I am, this is one of those
times, like I can get this done.
I'm going to work on it, maybeI'll take a little break, but
I'm going to get this done.
Cause I'm feeling productive.
Right.
So there's just, I feel like alot has changed around the
(41:44):
perception of ADHD and some ofthose other types of things that
I think it's more common thatpeople have them.
So it's, one of the one of thetechniques that I try to use in
the work day actually to helpcombat that.
I don't.
Believe that I have ADHD, but Idon't think my attention span
typically lasts longer thanabout 30 minutes on something,
unless it's music.
I could just sink into forhours, but at work, I use this
(42:07):
technique called the Pomodorotechnique.
If you heard of this, I have.
Yeah.
So, so that's something thatI'll just, I'll mention that as
like, maybe just something forthe guests.
The guests, the listen, theaudience, the folks that are
listening, not for you, but Iguess it is indirectly for you
only that you've already heardof it.
But yeah, spending about like 20to 25 minutes focused on
something and then taking abreak and, making sure that you
(42:29):
set up basically, from four toeight things that you want to do
tasks that are going to requireyour attention, but only
spending, 20 to 25 minutes onit.
Before you take a break from itand when you do spend that time,
you shut off everything else,phone out of the room.
Generally your email inbox isclosed.
You're, say you're working on apresentation, you spend 20 to 25
(42:51):
minutes on it.
You get up, then you take abreak.
You do something that physicallyyou're moving again, you get
your energy level back up, comeback and work on to the next
thing, so.
Toggle to the next thing.
That's one thing that I'veactually found to be very
helpful.
Of course, equally challengingto find like blocks of time, but
by making it smaller segmentslike that not like the focus
time has really respected thatwell.
Jim (43:12):
Right.
Focus time.
Yeah.
But
Michael (43:16):
yeah, but that's where I've I've been trying to.
Inject that type of practice soI can do like, two or three
cycles or four cycles on someother things.
I know in my world, that'sunfortunately like contract
review or setting up some sortof yeah, not fun stuff.
But anyways, that's really Yeahgood stuff.
I definitely appreciate,everything that, just as far as
(43:36):
what we've talked about tonight,I feel like we've covered a ton
actually.
And again, I feel like I've comeaway from this with some good
things to try as far as my nextpublic speaking engagements.
And just encouragement to hearthat, You are definitely seem to
be following what your dreamsare going after, bigger
audiences, more impact on theworld.
And I think your aspirationaltarget was every human being who
(43:59):
needed motivation, which is nosmall feat, but but definitely
possible.
And the fact that, the longerthat you do the podcast and the,
That's going to be aroundforever, which is really great.
That's one thing that's greatabout a podcast, but yeah,
anything that you, you thinkjust saying in conclusion or
closing anything else you wantto share.
Jim (44:18):
I just think this is a great show and what you've
built, with you guys and it'sjust a real honor to be on it.
And I'm definitely happy toconnect with anyone who.
Feels like they need a speakeror wants to learn how to speak
to motivate and and however Ican be a resource to folks.
And then certainly anyone in thecontingent workforce space,
obviously, any of those areasI'm happy to touch upon.
Michael (44:40):
Yeah.
Where should where should wedirect folks?
Like just LinkedIn, you think,or,
Jim (44:44):
Yeah.
LinkedIn is perfect.
And then I have a website forspeaking is go authentic
you.com, but LinkedIn and thosetwo are the best places to find.
Michael (44:53):
Well, great.
I'll definitely put those linksin the notes for the show.
Awesome.
And definitely appreciate whatyou're, contributing and just
sharing your story and some ofthe stuff that you're doing to I
feel like, living the sort of.
Really living the values thatwe're trying to promote with,
staying focused on the thingsthat you can do to positively
impact other people around us,build relationships,
(45:15):
connections, and, start to justfight the fight by doing what
you're passionate about, whichis, just sharing ways that
you've obviously overcome thingsin your life.
And so I think there's just.
So much that connects withreclaiming our minds, reclaiming
our freedom by doing what youare passionate about doing.
So thanks so much for joining uson the show.
Hopefully we'll bring you backin the future.
(45:36):
You can share about some of thesuccesses of your speaking
circuit.
When you're what you said nexttwo months, I'm going to follow
up with you.
So I'll follow up with you andwe'll see if we can get you to
just share some of the processfor how you made it happen.
And Encouraged by theconversation.
Thanks so much, man.
Jim (45:52):
Thank you, Michael.
It's a pleasure to be on.
I appreciate it.
Michael (45:55):
Awesome.
Okay, great.
Welcome to episode 55 of thereclaiming man podcast.
Good night.
Myself, Michael Beckwith, is on,accompanied by a guest Jim Love.
Jim is becoming a close friendof mine, I'll say that.
Met him relatively recently, ata work conference, and things
have really been, I feel likejust Fascinating conversations,
(00:27):
great mind, great human being.
I think he has a wonderful storythat really ties well into some
of the stuff that we've beentalking about on the show.
And so, just looking forwardtonight to diving in, hearing a
little bit more about his story.
And with that I think we'll justkick things off with an open
ended question here for you,Jim.
(00:49):
Tell us a little bit about yourstory.
Before anything else, beforework, before, your future and
everything like that, tell us alittle bit about your
background, yourself, some ofthe things that are most
important to you.
Jim (01:00):
Awesome.
Well, first of all, for havingme.
I've been a fan of the show fora while, ever since July.
It's been a joy and a blast toknow you and hear all about what
you're doing.
So, my name is Jim Love, as yousaid.
I'm originally from the southside of Chicago.
That's a very long time.
Full snippet.
Community in Chicago, that'sabout 15 minutes Southwest of
(01:23):
downtown.
So when people ask me if I'mactually from Chicago, the
answer to that question is yes,I am, and not many people are
able to say that.
So there's usually a suburb or,something thrown in there.
And I pride myself on that, butborn and raised there parents,
brother and sister, I'm theyoungest, which means I want to
be the center of attention andthat is Couldn't be more true,
so I have that going for me, butI had a really normal childhood,
(01:46):
for all intents and purposes.
I had a great family, superclose knit.
One interesting part about myExtended family is what we all
live within about 3 miles ofeach other.
And that's my mom's side.
So, we call it an overdone closefamily, but that's what our
group text is named, but in avery good way.
But it was really unique havingthat growing up is my aunts and
(02:07):
uncles were around the corner.
We were at my grandparentshouse, every weekend and I was
used to that.
It was great and just superclose and that continues to this
day, frankly.
So I had that and in the, my, mydad's side was similar and we
get together a lot.
And so that's always been my bigon family, big on faith.
That's my two main things andfamily, faith and football.
No, I'm kidding.
I would say just those first twofor sure.
(02:28):
And then I went to college outin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, went to
Marquette University and I havean amazing experience there and
actually have since never reallyleft Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
So I've called home and and Igraduated a little over 10 years
ago.
And since then have been livingand working here and got married
here.
I bought a house here, I boughta dog here.
(02:49):
So you could say that this is,this has now become home.
And The way I'll describeMilwaukee it's like Chicago's
cool little sibling, which ismyself.
Michael (02:57):
Yeah, totally agree.
Totally agree.
I think I told you my family'sfrom Milwaukee.
Yes, fairly certain.
I did.
So I have so many fond memoriesof Bayview, that's Parents grew
up and also spent a lot of timeon the shore of lake Michigan,
growing up and holidays andwhether that's equally bad as
Minnesota is, but surrounded bygood people and great memories.
So, cool that, is your familystill all.
(03:20):
In Chicago area.
Jim (03:21):
Yes.
So my extended family is myimmediate family.
My brother moves to Michigan acouple of years ago.
So my parents are there.
My sister lives about fiveblocks from my parents and then
the rest of them.
I'm not as all there.
My dad's side is a bit morescattered, but but yeah, they're
still within, a couple of milesof each other.
And it's unique.
It's very South side.
I will say that a lot of.
(03:42):
Not many people leave the SouthSide of Chicago, I'm one of few,
which makes it great, honestly,it's a ton of fun, you go home,
you get to see a lot of people,and it's a very unique, close
knit community that has eachother's backs, I would say
that's the best part about it,so I really enjoy that, I
certainly like living inChicago.
Here and enjoy my space here.
But when I go home it's it's, itfeels right.
(04:02):
It feels normal when it feelslike it's for the weekend.
And then I head back home.
Michael (04:06):
Yeah.
Yeah, no, it's good to havefamily close by at least, close
enough where it's within drivingdistance and same for me, I
think it's a.
Huge part of what my goals inthe future are, too, is just to
continue, some physicalproximity with as many of my
family members as possible.
But yeah, Milwaukee.
And you said you're, you'restill there.
So tell us a little bit aboutwhat's kept you in Milwaukee
(04:28):
apart from, the dog and theplace that you live.
What are some of the The thingsthat have really kept you there.
Jim (04:33):
Yeah, just the dog.
No it's really right away.
I felt like Milwaukee was a spotfor me.
It's a very welcoming, like hardnosed, work hard, work hard,
play hard, I'll call it in a waywhere like people.
People like to celebrate, theylike to really, look out for
each other.
You it's a small community here.
We call it small walkie for areason.
(04:53):
And a lot of people know a lotof people.
And if you're connected to acouple of folks, you're
connected to everyone.
And it's very philanthropic,really just charitable.
It's an easy place to live.
That's what I found.
And then certainly my career hasbrought me here.
And I started off working for alife insurance company when I
graduated from college that Iinterned at for three years and
then was hired.
(05:13):
Full time, I was there for about5 or 6 years and then I moved
into the career I'm in now andit's all been based here.
And so obviously my, my, my jobkept me here, but but I can't
imagine, not living here.
And actually, a lot of myfriends from college stuck
around and even the ones fromIllinois are here and live
within a few miles of me.
So it's got a.
It's just cool vibe.
(05:34):
And this place is very givingand it's, it's been, it's for my
twenties was an incredible spotfor my thirties.
Now has been just to relax, goat your own speed.
And whereas I'm, I think ofChicago, it's like folks walking
down the street with sunglasses,the ear pods in, not really
paying attention to Milwaukee'svery like.
Intentional, you can have aconversation with anyone and I
love that.
(05:54):
I had a lot of fun with it.
So those, that feeling and thatvibe really kept me in that
certain career.
Michael (06:01):
Yeah.
And I feel like it's less commonfor folks to have the history
and the background, the breadthof experience with a single
company.
And so you've been, I think fora while now with the company
that you're at, do you want toshare anything about that
specifically?
Or.
Jim (06:19):
Yeah, totally.
I've been there for going on sixyears in about two months and
it's been wonderful.
I've been in four differentroles and have really jumped
around.
And the leadership there isawesome.
Just good people.
Really good people.
And being.
The headquarters is inMilwaukee, and that's been
really significant for me to getto know some of our leaders, our
(06:40):
presidents here, our CEOs here.
It's just a really great place,and I've been able to meet a lot
of people Exhibit A folks, andthat I, share a lot of values in
common and really prideourselves on putting people, and
it's a fun time and it's arewarding time and yeah, I can't
imagine my life without it.
It would be, it's, it was, it'sbeen a lot of fun and I've
(07:02):
learned so much and my goodness.
So much.
So it's been that's been a realpleasure.
Michael (07:07):
Yeah.
I just one of the things I wasstruck by right away with you,
like we were.
Yeah.
At an industry conference.
And I feel like we, we talkedvery little about industry.
So don't it's interesting, andwe've spoken since.
So I've, leveled up on myknowledge of what you do and
things like that.
And so I don't necessarily needto get into too many of those
types of things, but just in thecontext of what you're trying to
accomplish in life.
And, the direction that you'regoing, what, how does that fit
(07:30):
into, to that picture?
And, I guess at this point, I'mjust curious to, See if you
might share a little bit moreabout some of the other types of
things that you've been pursuingsimultaneously and, talk a
little bit about what thatjourney has been like and just
yeah, pursuing multiple thingsmultiple dreams and how you're
finding it.
Jim (07:48):
I love that.
I'm a serial side hustler is theway that I'll call what I do.
But at my day job, I'm asolutions director, right?
And my job is to help folks comeup with solutions that will help
solve their workforce issueswhich is great.
And I love doing that.
And it's all aboutrelationships.
It's just about meeting people,understanding them.
And to your point Michael, Ilove.
(08:08):
I just like talking to peopleand I'll talk about whatever
topic it might be.
And we just so happen to sharethe same interests.
So it works out obviously reallywell.
But a lot of my kind of life isreally based around usually
speaking about leadershipdevelopment, about finding your
voice, about authenticleadership.
And so I really got my start inthis whole leadership journey
(08:29):
when I was 16 and a sophomore inhigh school.
And I was nominated to attend aleadership seminar.
And That really was, I wouldcall it intense and really
challenged me to accept who Iwas as a leader and then act on
it.
And so when I left that, I waslike empowered, ready to rock.
And I came back every summer andhelped out at the seminar.
And then now 17 years later, I'mspeaking at that seminar.
(08:52):
I'm the opening talk, closingtalk.
And then I also have my own sortof company on the side where I
go to high schools, toconferences across the country.
And speak about what it means tobe a leader and just try and
develop future leaders.
So I like bread and butter.
It's like a 17 year old kidwho's a little bit maybe lost,
but definitely a leader and theyhave potential.
(09:12):
Now I've spoken to 88 year oldsand I've spoken to eight, but if
I had to pick like, the one thatwould be it, but I'm a big fan
of human beings is what it comesdown to.
And if I, if you'll give me amicrophone around some of those
folks, I'll do it.
But I, a lot of my journey wasstarted when I experienced
someone who made me feelempowered.
And I really wanted to give thatto other people, if I had to
(09:33):
boil it down that's what itcomes down to.
So the feeling of being on astage or speaking to a client,
whatever it might be, and theyfeel like they have the tools
that they need to go forth andto be successful.
That's it.
That's what I would smile.
Well, I love
Michael (09:46):
that.
Well, I love that for sure.
I feel like just getting thegood fortune of hopefully
gaining some of those wisdom,that wisdom, in tonight's show.
In tonight's conversation here,because a couple of things that
you touched on there, I thinkare really important, especially
when it comes to both reclaimingyour mind and reclaiming
freedom.
And a couple of differentaspects of it, just stood out to
me as far as finding your voice.
(10:07):
And so could you elaborate alittle bit on that a little bit?
Jim (10:09):
Totally.
So I Actually my whole life I'vebeen a person who stutters.
So I've had this adversity thatI faced growing up where I, I
didn't want to speak on thephone.
I was really shut down.
I think I was actually early,like developing my own voice.
And so as time went on I reallystarted to realize what my voice
was and it was to empower, totry and inspire.
(10:31):
So maybe be obnoxious, whateveryou want to call it, but that
was what I was called to do.
And so my whole journey wasreally like, it's funny.
This is obviously specific, butwas like doing student sections,
like in high school and college.
Like I led all that and I lovedit.
I loved every minute of it, likegoing nuts at games and those
types of things.
But what it taught me was thatif I could put this in a
scenario in a space where I'maround people and trying to
(10:53):
empower.
Them to use their voice, which,and when I say voice, I don't
mean like the physical voice,but like something that you're
passionate about, something thatyou really wanna pursue.
Yeah.
So that became really importantto me.
And so a lot of my talk,frankly, a lot of like my
keynote that I gave is aroundthat.
Is around finding who you are,what your voice is.
I use this term called era, likeERA and ERA stands for
enthusiastically, relentlessly,and authentically.
(11:16):
And using your voice in that wassomething that I actually came
up with two years ago, headedinto this talk that I've been
doing for 10 years now.
But but it really became true.
And I've recognized that ifyou're going to go after
something that you feelpassionate about, you need to be
enthusiastic, relentless, andauthentic.
And those three things reallystuck out to me.
So what I do and the way I foundmy voice was certainly.
(11:38):
Taking that adversity head on, Iwould say in becoming a speaker
and, all those types of things.
But but finding myself in thesense that it became my
superpower versus anything thatreally actually helped me back.
So that is part of my journey,but it's 1 where I love sharing
it because a lot of students arelike, no way.
And I'm like, yeah you probablyhave 1, 2 I'm not the only 1.
I think
Michael (11:58):
a lot of people do, but it's so cool to hear that story,
man.
And so.
Gosh, it's moving because I feellike, so many different folks
that I am inspired by as Ilisten to their stories, they
have a similar type ofexperience in the, in their
background history.
It's like some trauma that couldbe, It could be framed as
something that stops you orprevents you from getting where
(12:21):
you want to in life, but,flipping it on its head and
using it to your advantage andthen turning it, into something
that you're so passionate about.
It reminds me actually ofthinking Grow Rich, Napoleon
Hill, and I'm not sure if youremember in, in that book, but
the author was.
He was basically tasked to,interview 500 of the most
(12:42):
successful people in the worldthat at that point, who were
still living and then interviewother people who were
unsuccessful and just to figureout and distill what is the sort
of recipe, the, the, all thedifferent components of success
and.
Interestingly enough, he talksabout his son and one of the
components that he talks abouthow his son was born deaf and he
(13:04):
wasn't born deaf in the sense oflike, what's the right way.
There's two different,basically, I think there's two
different types of deafness.
He was born with physicaldeformity in his ear, but he was
still able to eventually as aresult of that deafness, he was
able to turn it into a careerbuilt around.
Hearing aids, and so he was 1 ofthe 1st people who discovered
(13:24):
that, like, with vibrations, youcould still hear sounds even
when your ears physically wereclosed.
Effectively, he was born with,the ear canal was much smaller
or closed.
And so it was something where,he turns this, Physical defect
in many ways in a way into a notonly just something that was a
strength, but it was somethingthat, he built his career on, he
ended up working for all ofthese these companies to help
(13:46):
them bring hearing to people whowere like him.
And it's just such a really coolstory.
And I think very similar in theway that.
You've approached at least thispart of the side hustles, if you
will.
So just curious, do you have anythoughts about making that a
bigger percentage of what you dois that what's your end game
look like with it?
Or is it just to,
Jim (14:08):
And it's, I do want to go back to something, we talk about
freedom of mind and that isabsolutely something I had to
work on to to get my mind freeof being afraid of going up and.
Being in front of an audience.
So that was a really significantthing.
And that was something thatspoke to me.
I would say right now I reallylike it being a side hustle.
Cause it's exhausting to behonest.
(14:29):
It's one of those things wherewhen I gave a keynote, it's for,
it's very deep.
It's very intentional.
I go nuts on stage.
I have a lot of energy.
So some people say too much I'lllet everyone else be the judge
of that.
But I can, I really I go nutsfor an hour when I am done.
I am done and like I have to getan hour to it's almost like
going to therapy session, butlike a thousand people are
(14:50):
listening to your therapysession.
That's the best way to describeit.
So, cause I talk about a lot ofstuff to talk about.
I mean, that's one of manythings that I speak about and I
love it.
I love every minute of it, butit's one of those things that
when you do it so much, itbecomes part of your
subconscious again.
So just for example, I give acouple of stories about
challenging relationships in mylife.
Right.
So that I learned a lot from andwhat I took away and those are
(15:11):
now like, it was 10 years agoand I still have dreams about
them because I talk about them alot.
So that's a consequence of goingout there and doing it as much
as I do, but I'd probably do it.
Maybe 10 to 15 times a year,depending on what's going on.
I have friends that do it likefull throttle and I, I just, I
don't think I could do that.
It's just, it's a lot of work.
I, cause I love actually havingboth things.
(15:31):
I love growing my normal careerand kind of this, but one
impacts the other all the time.
And I'll have every now and thenI'll just get an email saying
like, can you come out here andI'll just go do it.
And it's a lot of fun and it's anice break, from the routine,
but I would say, and along withthat, of course, I started my
own podcast a couple of yearsago, which was fantastic.
So like I have that, and that'sabout people with side hustles
as well.
So we just meet a ton of folksand it's a lot of fun, but I'm
(15:55):
going, one thing I'm going tolook into, and I was just
talking actually tonight, I wastalking to my wife about this
when we were walking our dog isa lot of people.
Like want to become speakers.
I get this all the time.
And I am thinking about makingthat part of an offering that I
do is train and develop speakersand like, that will go and then
impact the world and whateverthey want to do.
Yeah that I think is the nextkind of natural step that, that
(16:17):
doesn't take.
Like the travel, it doesn't takenearly as much like logistical
things.
It could just be a phone call,whatever it might be, but that's
something I have a structure Iuse.
I'm ready to consult on that,like right now.
And so that, that seems to be agood step and people need it.
I've had a lot of people reachout constantly that they want to
do this.
Where do they start?
And I may not get them theirgig, but I'll get them ready for
(16:37):
their gig.
That's what I would say.
And there'll be in a spot wherethey feel comfortable to
deliver.
So that's something that's beenon my heart pretty recently.
Michael (16:45):
Oh, that's really cool.
Definitely.
So many different formats andoptions that you have these days
to, to build a course or contentonline, recorded pre recorded
videos and a series withinteractive exercises in
between, or like you said, theactual live counseling itself,
but there's lots of differentways that you could do it to
make it more scalable, I think.
And then.
(17:05):
To your point, I mean, just itspreads your impact.
That's the ripple impact forsure.
It's just the ripple effectrather where little things that
you're doing now, some of thepeople that you impact in small
ways.
Well, then, maybe in the 17years, they'll be leading the
the classes,
Jim (17:20):
that's my goal.
I mean, if I could speak to astudent, let's say, Okay.
That in 10 years, they'respeaking to, like, the same
group like that's it, that's thestory.
That's what I want to write.
And there are folks that I'vetalked to that could absolutely
do that and make it happen.
But that's what happened to me.
I guess I should probablypreface this by saying the guy
who spoke to me when I was 16and had my first experience in
(17:41):
leadership development.
He mentored me about 10 yearslater.
And and that was the reason whyI got into speaking.
So like that giving back part isso critical to me.
And he did that for me formonths, mentored me on how to do
it, what it means to speak, tomotivate.
And and that's what I lovedoing.
And now I have the tools, I'vebeen doing it for 10 years now
and it can it can, can bring itback and help out.
Michael (18:01):
So that, that would be awesome.
Yeah, I, so you mentioned thementorship.
I think that's a reallyimportant part of growth and
development.
We've talked a lot just aboutgrowth mindset, things that we
can do ourselves, but sometimeswhen you're looking at, paths to
accelerate learning and not inan unhealthy way, but just to
(18:22):
help move things a little bitmore quickly, I think the
mentorship is something that atleast I was overlooking pretty
heavily until the past couple ofyears, actually.
Yeah.
And have found amazing benefitsin it.
Do you have any from thatmentorship or from others?
Do you have anything, thingsthat you've gleaned or just
through lines, things that youthink are really contributing to
(18:43):
your success right now?
Jim (18:44):
One thing to me was that I had some validation and I, let
me say that I'd usually check.
Like a new mentor every year,just someone that I can learn
from and I've picked themintentionally.
And one thing I've taken away isthat, like, I don't have to
learn.
How many, how do I say this?
I don't have to like changeanything about me.
(19:05):
Like, like, like that's where Ithink we all go into mentorships
to see if they're going to teachyou something that's like so far
beyond, like, you have to reachthis or it's always like small
things.
And the people who I look up toa lot, like I'm almost there,
like where it's like you justkeep going.
And I've loved that.
Like, like those share ways thatthey approach something in, in
the way they did something, butthere's never been a moment
(19:26):
where I was like, I am so faraway from what this person did
that like, and so I think a lotof people are going to realize
that pick a mentor that, thatlike, like actually think about
someone who inspires you, thatyou have access to and ask them.
It's a mentor.
Yeah.
That's really good.
That's what I did.
And trust me, no one's going tosay no to that.
If you get someone reaching outto you, ask them like, yeah,
(19:48):
you're going to be like ahundred percent for you.
And one thing that worked outfor me, actually we have someone
who, you know, very well from mycompany that we were at dinner
with recently was a mentor forme for a year, about three years
ago.
Yeah.
I remember you mentioning
Michael (20:01):
that.
Yeah.
I
Jim (20:01):
got to know him really well.
And that was just such a gift ofa relationship.
But I specifically was like, youare really cool.
And I want to learn from you.
And then like from those, I waslike, wow, we're pretty similar
people.
And I just need to have moreconfidence in what I can do.
That's what I've learned a lotis, like we're not missing some
glaring thing that like, if youdo that's going to bring you to
the next level, you probablyhave what it takes.
(20:23):
It's just a matter of getting anapproach on it and the
confidence from someone that youlook up to.
But that's been a huge thing.
I generally.
The concept of mentorship is socritical.
We it's underutilized.
We don't do it like nearlyenough.
You can really pick out somefolks that that impact you pick
out someone that maybe forwhatever reason you wouldn't
talk to typically and just seewhat they teach you.
And there's a lot of joy thatcomes from it.
(20:43):
And you either, you may have aformal one at your company or
you just make one.
I just, I, we actually have oneand I don't even follow that
one.
I just reach out to someone onmy own.
I
Michael (20:53):
know that's interesting that you say that the first
person that I informally askedto be my mentor was a, a guy who
I realized I rode the train withto, to work.
Right.
And he's senior engineeringmanager.
He was in supply chaincoincidentally, where I sit in
the organization, except he's inthe nuclear side of the company,
(21:13):
which is.
Separate company, almost withina company.
And really interesting though,right.
Just cause I was talking withhim and I was just like, ah,
this guy has a wealth ofexperience.
He's been here for like 20years.
He's he knows all the people heknows, generally at least on the
nuclear side, but I was likehe's going to be a great person
to learn from.
And so I just.
Approached him about it.
We did it for about six monthsand then ended up just pure,
(21:37):
purely coincidentally, likethrough our work program,
assigned his manager as the nextmentor I had.
So, a director level individualin supply chain and And then the
next one that I've been assignedto is another senior leader in
our organization, again, withinsupply chain.
So it's been a really goodprogression just to go after it
(21:59):
first informally.
And then on the, the formal sideof it's basically they just make
sure that you.
Connect every couple of times amonth and give you a couple of
ideas of things to do.
And
Jim (22:09):
In the same token I serve as a mentor for like my college
for a market for the alumniassociation.
That's been a real gift to getto know some students who are
awesome.
So it's cool having both sides.
Like I'm getting the mentorexperience and also a mentee as
well.
And I encourage that too, thatpeople need folks to look up to
you and and people listening tothe show are probably the type
(22:29):
that would want to do that.
And it's a lot of fun to be anovelist.
So, yeah, I like both sides.
Michael (22:33):
Yeah.
And then, bringing it back tolike one of the things that you
mentioned earlier the A of ERA,the authentically part, I find
that when I, and I just havestarted, I would say, To two
informal mentorships, not byrequest, but just by the nature
of our relationship and how theywill ask me for assistance with
(22:55):
various things or what myopinion and perspective is.
And so I look at it veryinformally.
So this is my opportunity tohelp impact, this person's
direction in their career.
And, one of them is he just cameout of like an externship and
we're both super passionateabout data.
And so it's just like so easy toconnect with him on those types
(23:16):
of things.
And so I think that's one thingthat's really an important
attribute as well.
And maybe it's a little bitharder in the context of a
formal program where, you don'tget to necessarily pick exactly
who it is, but to your point, ifyou can find somebody that's
inspired, like inspirational toyou, that's, You have access to,
like, Oh, there's one thing thatwe both are pretty passionate
about based on what they'vetalked about.
Like, I think that reallyincreases the, the potential of
(23:39):
the mentorship for having goodresults.
And I've just been fortunate.
So, so far, because the peoplewho I've.
And assigned to are also peopleI'm like, Oh, I like the way
that this person, thinks andapproaches this job.
This is going to be reallyhelpful.
So that's really cool.
So I was just thinking also, andnot to get too disjointed in it
before we, we break awaycompletely from it, maybe we
(24:01):
come back to it a little bitmore too, but you mentioned, the
one tactic that you had withregards to speaking, era
enthusiastically, relentlessly,authentically.
I myself have.
Not as a by product of thispodcast, but this is another
example of it.
Over the past couple of years, Ihave been trying to level up my
speaking skills, communicationskills in general.
(24:22):
I've been trying to speak at acouple of conferences and just
get more exposure to what, somany people associate as one of
their number one fears, speakingpublicly.
Right.
And I think I've really enjoyedit because it's made me so
uncomfortable.
I think even, the listeners ofthis podcast, the people who are
(24:42):
in the audience, they canprobably, I feel like they can
probably tell like, Oh, he's notsuper comfortable, at least at
first.
But for that reason, I like itbecause it's pushing me to the
edges of what I feel like is mycomfort zone.
But do you have like, I'm goingto be speaking in a couple of
weeks here at a conference.
So do you have any, a couple oflike top two or three things?
I know you do keynotes on thesetypes of things, but for public
(25:04):
speaking, are there things thatlike other strategies that you
have apart from era or could youjust expand a little bit more on
those, mostly selfishly, but forour listeners as well.
Jim (25:14):
I would say first and foremost if you're not nervous,
there's something wrong, likeeveryone is nervous.
Before I get nervous every timeI go up and speak, like it's
because you care.
So like, I just recognize it's avery shared human experience for
everyone.
Even the people who are the mostpolished folks are going to get
nervous because they care aboutthe message.
(25:35):
My nervousness now is more sothat I hope that people are
going to relate to me.
But gosh, it took me yearsbefore I was not like.
Chest pounding, heart pumpingbefore I get out there.
The best thing I would say isthat when you start do
something, that's really uniqueto you to quote unquote, break
the ice and when I'm, so let megive you an example when I walk
(25:56):
up, it's like, The kind ofquick, nervous energy I do a
chance.
I literally lead a chance tostart it off.
Like, because it gets me into mymode.
I'm full on and I literally putthe microphone down and I do a
chant, not for every group ever,if it's, if it's like our
industry folks, that might be alittle bit different, but I'm
thinking
Michael (26:12):
about it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, right.
Jim (26:14):
Fire it up.
But it, that, that is, it'ssuper strategic thing.
Very strategic because I knowI'm good at that.
I'll do it right away.
It'll get people like that guysweird, but like, that's the
whole point.
And also it just wipes awaythat, that kind of quick nervous
energy and it really works.
And so that's not for everyone,but I would just encourage you
and other folks.
Right.
Like.
(26:34):
When you go out there, don'tjust be like, hello, my name is
Jim and this is leadership.
Like start off with somethingfunny or like just do something
that's very uniquely to you andpeople catch on to what that is
right away.
So for like, when people listento a channel, this guy's about
to turn up and like, they'recorrect.
That's what I'm going to do.
I'm going to, I'm going to havea day with them and I'm going to
enjoy myself and do somethingthat's different.
(26:54):
And and again, like.
That's super subjective, but Ifound that, that whatever that
strategic thing is off the batsort of wipes away, maybe that
nervousness.
And then when you get rolling,when you, I would say if you
practice practice, and you haveyour thing down, the rest is
beyond your control.
If you know your content, if youcare about your content.
(27:15):
And you're out there and you'reready to roll.
Like if your audience sucks alittle bit, then they suck a
little bit.
Like there's not a whole lot youcan do about that, and so
control those aspects of it.
Like if you're unprepared andyeah, it's going to be a heck of
a day for you, but do that andleave the rest and recognize
like you're going to be nervous.
Like it's going to happen whenyou get started, that usually
wipes away.
But I mean, I go, before I goout, I am, I'm like a player
(27:39):
entering a basketball game.
Like I'm rolling and I'm likeready to go.
And I really have to get intothe space, right.
Of doing it.
And it's hard, but it becomeseasier with time.
And everyone started off thefirst one.
I did my first keynote.
You did your first talk,everyone starts somewhere and
you're going to have to, andit's going to be a rough one.
(27:59):
Like, it's not going to go well,but you always get better.
And the last thing I'll say isyou think it's worse than anyone
in that audience does.
You're your world's worstcritic.
And I'll come off and I'm like,that was awful.
And I'll get 15 people email meafter how much they enjoyed it.
So you just don't know.
You just don't know, but theyprobably enjoyed it a lot more
than you did.
And if you're having fun, sureas heck they are too.
Michael (28:21):
Okay.
That's a good question.
Our, my next question isrelated.
Do you.
Do you generally script it or doyou outline it or both, or
what's your approach todelivering the content, because
a lot of times what I strugglewith is finding the balance of,
if I have it scripted, maybe Istart to, to go too quickly
through it, or it sounds less,Authentic because it's scripted
(28:44):
or just done as naturalsounding.
But what, yeah.
What are your thoughts aboutthat stuff?
Yeah,
Jim (28:49):
that's, so that's evolved for me over the years, I would
say I'm scripted to a pointwhere I know what's coming next,
but I can be, I can go off thecuff, as needed.
So I use note cards.
I always have.
And what these note cards haveon them is small phrases to
remind me of what I need to donext.
And actually I have five foreach section.
So I have a one hour keynote.
(29:11):
Yeah.
Break it down into three 15minute halves, if you will, and
or halves that doesn't matter.
I knew what you meant.
I knew what you meant.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Let's, we talked about mathright before we get on here.
This is so I write on each oneof those note cards, this five
step process.
And what that boils down to ishow I do every talk I've ever
written.
And it's number one, state yourpoint.
Number two, say why it'simportant.
(29:32):
Number three is give your storyabout it.
Number four is give thesolution.
And number five is recap thepoint.
And boom.
That's it.
That's every Oh, I love that.
I've written speeches forpresentation.
Anything it is, and I have thesenotecards.
And I'll actually say So if I'mgiving a keynote, I'm like,
Alright guys, like, leadershipis great, and here's why.
And this is why it's important.
(29:53):
Here's my story around it.
And here's the solution just torecap the point, like I'll
physically read those out andthat helps keep it structured
for me.
But some speakers use AV, somespeakers have a whole thing
printed out.
Some speakers use none of thosethings, but it's all up to you.
That's what worked for me was Ifelt the security blanket.
I'm having the thing right infront of me and I actually have
(30:14):
ADHD like pretty hard.
So if I didn't have that, Iwould trail off.
I have a time limit, so I can'tand I make a joke about that by
the way, I start off I'll be oneof my talks.
I'm like, Hey, here's the thing.
I have this and I use no cardsjust to be totally real with
you.
And it, It sets a stage for, I'mgoing to be authentic with them.
And it's also like a little bitfunny.
And so that, that's why itworks.
But but yeah, that five stepthing is written on every note
(30:35):
card I have.
And I literally flip it over.
I'll go back and forth.
I don't look down as much, butwhen I need to, I do.
And it helps me get mestructured.
And then if I go off the cuff,if you will, if I get really
fired up about something andjust keep going, then I look
back down and I'm like, allright.
So let's move on to the nextthing.
I know what was coming.
That's just always what's workedfor me.
Michael (30:53):
Yeah.
Great.
Well, those are really helpful.
I'm going to incorporate some ofthem in.
I've been working on putting thepresentation together and I had
started off scripting, intro andthen an anecdote and an outro
just trying to decide like howcheesy and quippy I wanted to be
with it.
Right.
But no, but I appreciate it.
I'm going to take it intoconsideration.
And it's fine.
I am.
Jim (31:15):
I was writing a new keynote about three weeks ago and I feel
like I may have texted youduring this, but it was a whole
new talk for a whole newaudience and corporate audience.
And I had started writing on aSaturday and it wasn't going
well.
I was writing this and I wasjust like getting blocked.
And then I realized I wasn'tfollowing my own structure.
I was just writing down notesand I totally scrapped it.
Three hours of work.
I just threw out the window anddid the structure.
(31:37):
And it formed a whole talkwithin about six hours but like,
I, it was a reminder for myselfthat I was like, I need to stay
true to this process.
It's been a while since I'vewritten anything.
So just like, go back to squareone, like of the way that you
did it.
But it was a good reminder threeweeks ago for me to be like,
yeah, there's a reason why youhave that process and why it
works.
So,
Michael (31:54):
Yeah, absolutely.
And that's like, those are thetypes of things, those
processes, like where.
When you go and you talk to amentor to come back to that
briefly, like that's reallygreat.
They may have established thisreally easy to follow or simple
way of approaching somethingthat you thought was overly
complex.
And I think that's what I do alot.
I overthink things.
(32:15):
I overthink the, thepresentation I'm going to have,
and then the reaction thatpeople are going to have to it.
And a lot of times I seem toforget that, Hey, this isn't
even about me at all.
Like they don't even reallycare.
They're just.
This is about them.
Like, what are the, what do theyneed to understand from this?
And really trying to flip theperspective to remember that
anytime that I'm speaking, it'snot for my benefit.
(32:36):
It's not to sound good.
It's to hopefully connect withthe audience to, like you said,
empower them to make some sortof change in their life.
That's going to be beneficial.
That's really what I'm.
I'm trying to focus on as well.
And one of the books I read thisyear that I thought was really
good.
If you haven't checked it outyet, it's worth your time is
John Maxwell's 16 undeniablelaws of communication.
(32:56):
It's a long, it's a longer read.
It's not like you sit and readit in one sitting by any means,
but you know, just making yourway through it.
I feel like there's a lot ofwhat you said that I think he's
also Would agree with you on, sohe
Jim (33:09):
was, he was my high school kind of guy that was, I've read
all of it was I've had aleadership class in high school
and he was like, he was thereason why the classes made.
So he's only has like, what, 70
Michael (33:19):
books on it.
So, yeah, he
Jim (33:20):
was, he was great.
Now, a lot of my thoughts arereally like correlated with some
of what he put out.
I basically just stole his workand just put it in.
I don't know if it's stealingis,
Michael (33:29):
Maybe emulating, right.
That's.
Emulate a master is a reallygood way to find success with
things.
But so I guess.
Really cool story.
You've been building asuccessful career, from a
corporate perspective on theside, you've pursued some of the
other pieces that are helpingyou overcome some of what could
be considered a liability or aweakness or whatever.
(33:51):
You've turned it into strengths.
You've turned it into, extrasynergy for your career.
Where does that take you?
If you look in the next, in thefuture, like what is your ideal
state when it comes to whatyou're doing to, generate income
to, to live or things like that.
Jim (34:07):
Totally.
Well, I want to, there are a lotmore humans that need to be
motivated and I plan on hittingeveryone.
I will speak until I can't speakanymore.
That's what I will do.
And that's where I'm reallycalled to be.
I, it's a vocation.
And I take it, I don't take it,I wouldn't say take it
seriously, but like I have a lotof fun with it, but I know
that's where my talents are.
(34:27):
And that will only continue toinfluence it.
My, my day job, if you will.
And I will continue to do thatand connect with people and help
them out as much as possible anddo it on a personal level, as
and it's just that's what Ienjoy doing.
And I think the rest will, we'llfigure it out from there and
I'll keep both, I'll keep bothgoing.
And and I definitely, thispodcast I have is year number
three now.
(34:47):
And it's been a blast and I wantto continue to grow that and
just meet a lot of otherentrepreneurs and grow it a bit
more.
And I think it's I know Imentioned going this like
mentorship consulting routes alittle bit more to, of just
starting to help speakers thatwant to hit this, be in this
world and what it takes and.
And really bring people along onthe journey because it's fun and
it's science.
Like it's hard, but but it'sworth every minute of it.
(35:10):
So I will continue to do that.
And as well, as long as peoplewill give me a microphone, I'm
going to take it.
And my hope, Michael, is thatthe next time you and I are at a
conference together, I want tobe speaking.
That's one of my goals is to Ijust wrote that new talk a
couple of weeks ago is aboutculture.
And yeah, it would be reallyrelevant for a lot of folks that
we know within our industry.
And my goal is to deliver thatsomewhere on a stage in the next
(35:33):
couple of
Michael (35:34):
months.
Oh, I like it.
Yeah, that's really cool.
And I think it's evident to methat, the passion that you have
definitely can come out in somany different ways.
There's just different ways thatyou can use communication apart
from on a stage.
Obviously that's one of thegoals is, just to.
Sort of what the evidence thatsupports that you are reaching
(35:54):
levels of growth in those skillsas well as relationships that
you have to build in order toget to those types of
opportunities.
And so I think at the core ofeverything that you're doing, it
feels like, there's that elementof building relationships,
building connections with folksand in your podcast.
You've said you've been doing itfor three years now obviously
some really cool people, I bet,that have come on to this show
(36:16):
and, any sort of key takeawaysor things that have stood out to
you in doing that show and whydo you keep doing it?
Are you planning on doing that?
Indefinitely.
What does that look like?
I love that.
Jim (36:28):
Yeah.
Biggest key takeaway afterinterviewing, I want to say it's
been like 80 people now is thatwe are really interconnected as
humans that, that is like, I'veheard so many stories that are
very similar of just why peoplego after what they do.
And everyone has a passion,which is up to us if we want to
follow it.
So I love that part.
(36:50):
The thing I love most about itis different.
It really requires activelistening.
It's something that we are allnot wonderful at all the time.
And so I have to put my phonedown and I got to listen to the
people that I'm talking to.
And I react in the moment.
I connected back to earlierconversations.
I ask questions because I'mgenuinely curious.
It's a fun time.
I just enjoy that.
I have an amazing co host whofrankly is a lot better at
(37:12):
intervening than I am.
So I'm able to be, I have himaround and he's great.
He's just so, he's so gifted atjust like coming back to earth,
if you will.
And so we love doing it.
We got sponsored by Marquettethis year, which was a ton of
fun.
We did some live shows.
I know I was telling you aboutthat on campus and, That's been
a blast.
And we get a lot of studentsabout, we have like a following
now there.
We'll go there and 30 people arewaiting there for us to come in.
(37:34):
So it's been a lot of fun.
And I can, I want to do that aslong as we have guests there's
actually a program called podmatch, which is like Tinder for
podcasts.
And so you swipe right on peoplethat you may connect with.
And we've gotten a lot fromthat.
I mean, almost too many, whichhas been awesome.
So we'll continue that.
And.
Yeah I will, as long as I've gotfolks to talk to who have a
passion, we'll do it.
(37:55):
And gosh, if we do that for 10more years, I'll be fine with it
because it's a ton of fun.
I just get a lot of joy from it.
It's a really, it's a reallycool.
Michael (38:02):
Yeah, that's really cool to hear.
And honestly, like every littlepart of this conversation, I'm
jotting down notes and things,cause I'm just, I'm learning a
ton from you, which is great.
I love to, I think that's myprimary reason for enjoying
these conversations.
Whether it be with, somebody whowe're interviewing, which we're
just getting into this year, buteven over the past year, just
(38:24):
like building the relationships,building the connections with
Preston and Scott obviouslythen, or maybe not, obviously,
but as a result of those arebyproduct of those types of
conversations, like there's justthis different level of
connection that you have withpeople in general.
And I feel like it's justawakened this.
Different like hunger in me toknow people more to understand
(38:45):
people's stories and what yousaid, about like how everybody
has a passion, but not everybodyfollows it.
I feel like it's, less commonthat we will talk about those
things unless somebody is likeactively prompting us about it.
Almost like we're.
Not ashamed of our passions, butI think ashamed that we've given
up on them,
Jim (39:05):
right?
And
Michael (39:06):
and so that's something that I've been thinking about a
lot You know as I look at mycareer and I look at what I'm
doing and the amount of timethat I spend on various Things,
we talk a lot in the show aboutroutine and habits and you know
what whether it's a 75 hardchallenge or something all of
these things they take a lot oftime and So that's one of the
other pieces that I wasinterested in just hearing, like
(39:27):
how you balance some of thecompeting time priorities.
And, have you found that that'sa skill that you feel like
better at as a result ofmanaging these multiple things,
or do you still feel like thingsare pretty chaotic or
Jim (39:41):
I'm not good at it.
I will say I, I mean, I havesome times that are sacred, for
me, like, Like usually, likeevenings past a certain time or
like weekends.
But I, I try, I mean, there's alot, there's a lot going on,
it's demanding, but the thing isI am wired to be busy.
Like, and I, that's, I, like, ifI wasn't running around doing a
(40:03):
lot of stuff, I'd be reallybored.
Like, I remember the first, twoweeks of COVID, right?
Like.
I was like, oh, my gosh, what amI supposed to do, and I was
already starting to lose it.
And I know that was obviouslydifficult for a lot of folks,
but I'm very much I enjoy being,being busy and having a lot to
do and going from one thing toanother.
But yeah, to time managementwise, I would say that I just I
(40:25):
pick and choose my times whereI'm super productive and just
really utilize those.
And that's that's what happenswhen you have like, with some
ADHD stuff, like you just havemoments where you can really
turn into it.
And I take advantage of those.
I'm like, if it's a Saturday atnoon, then it's a Saturday at
noon.
And that's when we're going todo it.
And I'm feeling productive.
And so I know myself reallywell.
And I know when I'm going to getsome stuff done and I get a lot
(40:46):
done in those moments.
And I'm like, well, I'm notgoing to do it.
And I'm like, all right let's gosit down or do something else.
And then come back into it.
But yeah it's, it works, for me,I'm not, it's definitely not one
of my strengths, but I make itwork, I guess is what it comes
down to.
Michael (41:00):
Sure.
No, that's, it totally makessense.
I think, I mean, I've readmultiple places that we have a
lot shorter of an attention spanthan we think of, irrespective
of ADHD or other types of thingslike that, because I think, and
by no means to diminish likewhat you experienced, I feel
like there are an increasingnumber of people who just.
Didn't get diagnosed with itand, are also in the same way
(41:24):
thinking like, it wasstigmatized and this is
something that instead of, justleaning into and finding those
times when you're productive andthen working extra hard to
understand and recognize like,okay, I am, this is one of those
times, like I can get this done.
I'm going to work on it, maybeI'll take a little break, but
I'm going to get this done.
Cause I'm feeling productive.
Right.
So there's just, I feel like alot has changed around the
(41:44):
perception of ADHD and some ofthose other types of things that
I think it's more common thatpeople have them.
So it's, one of the one of thetechniques that I try to use in
the work day actually to helpcombat that.
I don't.
Believe that I have ADHD, but Idon't think my attention span
typically lasts longer thanabout 30 minutes on something,
unless it's music.
I could just sink into forhours, but at work, I use this
(42:07):
technique called the Pomodorotechnique.
If you heard of this, I have.
Yeah.
So, so that's something thatI'll just, I'll mention that as
like, maybe just something forthe guests.
The guests, the listen, theaudience, the folks that are
listening, not for you, but Iguess it is indirectly for you
only that you've already heardof it.
But yeah, spending about like 20to 25 minutes focused on
something and then taking abreak and, making sure that you
(42:29):
set up basically, from four toeight things that you want to do
tasks that are going to requireyour attention, but only
spending, 20 to 25 minutes onit.
Before you take a break from itand when you do spend that time,
you shut off everything else,phone out of the room.
Generally your email inbox isclosed.
You're, say you're working on apresentation, you spend 20 to 25
(42:51):
minutes on it.
You get up, then you take abreak.
You do something that physicallyyou're moving again, you get
your energy level back up, comeback and work on to the next
thing, so.
Toggle to the next thing.
That's one thing that I'veactually found to be very
helpful.
Of course, equally challengingto find like blocks of time, but
by making it smaller segmentslike that not like the focus
time has really respected thatwell.
Jim (43:12):
Right.
Focus time.
Yeah.
But
Michael (43:16):
yeah, but that's where I've I've been trying to.
Inject that type of practice soI can do like, two or three
cycles or four cycles on someother things.
I know in my world, that'sunfortunately like contract
review or setting up some sortof yeah, not fun stuff.
But anyways, that's really Yeahgood stuff.
I definitely appreciate,everything that, just as far as
(43:36):
what we've talked about tonight,I feel like we've covered a ton
actually.
And again, I feel like I've comeaway from this with some good
things to try as far as my nextpublic speaking engagements.
And just encouragement to hearthat, You are definitely seem to
be following what your dreamsare going after, bigger
audiences, more impact on theworld.
And I think your aspirationaltarget was every human being who
(43:59):
needed motivation, which is nosmall feat, but but definitely
possible.
And the fact that, the longerthat you do the podcast and the,
That's going to be aroundforever, which is really great.
That's one thing that's greatabout a podcast, but yeah,
anything that you, you thinkjust saying in conclusion or
closing anything else you wantto share.
Jim (44:18):
I just think this is a great show and what you've
built, with you guys and it'sjust a real honor to be on it.
And I'm definitely happy toconnect with anyone who.
Feels like they need a speakeror wants to learn how to speak
to motivate and and however Ican be a resource to folks.
And then certainly anyone in thecontingent workforce space,
obviously, any of those areasI'm happy to touch upon.
Michael (44:40):
Yeah.
Where should where should wedirect folks?
Like just LinkedIn, you think,or,
Jim (44:44):
Yeah.
LinkedIn is perfect.
And then I have a website forspeaking is go authentic
you.com, but LinkedIn and thosetwo are the best places to find.
Michael (44:53):
Well, great.
I'll definitely put those linksin the notes for the show.
Awesome.
And definitely appreciate whatyou're, contributing and just
sharing your story and some ofthe stuff that you're doing to I
feel like, living the sort of.
Really living the values thatwe're trying to promote with,
staying focused on the thingsthat you can do to positively
impact other people around us,build relationships,
(45:15):
connections, and, start to justfight the fight by doing what
you're passionate about, whichis, just sharing ways that
you've obviously overcome thingsin your life.
And so I think there's just.
So much that connects withreclaiming our minds, reclaiming
our freedom by doing what youare passionate about doing.
So thanks so much for joining uson the show.
Hopefully we'll bring you backin the future.
(45:36):
You can share about some of thesuccesses of your speaking
circuit.
When you're what you said nexttwo months, I'm going to follow
up with you.
So I'll follow up with you andwe'll see if we can get you to
just share some of the processfor how you made it happen.
And Encouraged by theconversation.
Thanks so much, man.
Jim (45:52):
Thank you, Michael.
It's a pleasure to be on.
I appreciate it.
Michael (45:55):
Awesome.
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