July 6, 2025 • 28 mins
Welcome to another empowering episode of the Inspirations for Your Life Podcast! I’m your host, John C. Morley — Serial Entrepreneur, Podcast Coach, and someone who has learned through experience that true leadership and personal fulfillment don’t come from force — they come from trust. In our fast-paced world, it can be tempting to try to control every outcome, to push people and situations into place. But today, we’re going to explore why force is fragile — and why trust is the real foundation of strength. Get ready to discover how letting go of force can transform the way you lead, connect, and grow. Let’s dive in! 🚀
1️⃣ Force breaks under pressure. 💥 I remember a time early in my career when I tried to force a project forward, pushing the team with tight deadlines, constant pressure, and no room for flexibility. At first, it seemed to work — we hit milestones and looked productive. But as the pressure mounted, cracks began to show. People burned out, mistakes multiplied, and relationships strained. In the end, the whole effort collapsed, not because the idea was bad, but because the way I tried to drive it was unsustainable. Force might give short-term results, but it can’t stand the weight of real-world challenges for long. When you rely on force, you build on a brittle foundation that’s bound to give way under stress.
2️⃣ Trust builds lasting bonds. 🤝 On the flip side, I’ve seen how trust creates something unshakable. When you lead with trust, you signal to others that you believe in their abilities, their integrity, and their intentions. I recall a client relationship that seemed fragile at first. Instead of micromanaging or forcing decisions, I chose to trust the process and the people involved. That trust turned into mutual respect, and respect grew into collaboration. Years later, that client not only stayed loyal but became one of my greatest advocates. Trust lays the groundwork for relationships that can weather storms, pivot when needed, and come out stronger on the other side.
3️⃣ Force creates resistance. 🛑 Whenever I’ve tried to force something — whether it was a decision, a deal, or even a personal goal — I’ve met with resistance. It’s like pushing against a locked door; the harder you shove, the tighter it seems to close. People naturally push back when they feel they’re being controlled. Force sparks tension, defensiveness, and fear. It shuts down dialogue and breeds opposition, even among people who might have been allies. In contrast, when we drop the force and open space for trust, people stop feeling like they need to protect themselves and start contributing with openness.
4️⃣ Trust invites cooperation. 🌟 One of the most beautiful lessons I’ve learned is that trust invites people to show up as their best selves. When I stopped trying to control every piece of a team project and instead fostered a trusting environment, I saw amazing things happen. People took initiative, shared ideas more freely, and offered help without being asked. Trust creates a space where people feel safe to collaborate, to take risks, and to work together toward shared goals. Cooperation flows naturally when trust is the starting point because people feel seen, heard, and valued.
5️⃣ Force needs constant effort. 🏋️ I can tell you from experience: trying to keep things going through sheer force is utterly draining. Force requires you to constantly apply pressure, monitor every detail, and correct every deviation. It’s like trying to keep a heavy boulder balanced on your back — you can do it for a while, but sooner or later, you wear out. I’ve learned that sustainable success comes when you shift from force to trust. When you trust, you no longer have to control every element, because you’re working with the natural flow of people, processes, and purpose. The result? Less exhaustion and greater impact.
6️⃣ Trust creates momentum. 🚀 Trust doesn’t just make things easier — it actually fuels
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:17):
Well, hey guys, it is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
Great to be with you on Sunday, July
6, 2025.
It is our second day of our brand
new master topic, and that master topic, ladies
and gentlemen, in case you missed it yesterday,
(00:39):
well, we happen to share it with you
once again.
It is, well, trust the process and ditch
the force.
Incidentally, today's granular topic is force is fragile.
Trust is strong.
Series four, show 28, episode number two.
Hey friends, if you have not been with
(00:59):
us, well, I want to take this opportunity
to welcome you to Inspirations for Your Life,
the amazing podcast show that can help transform
your life and to give you all the
things you've ever wanted.
And if you're coming back, well, welcome back
my friends, colleagues, and associates.
Thank you so much for being here.
Really do appreciate that from the bottom of
my heart.
Hey friends, if you have not checked out
BelieveMeAchieved.com, what are you waiting for?
(01:21):
That is after the show, go to BelieveMeAchieved
.com to catch more of my amazing, inspiring
creations to empower your life.
All right.
If you're a little thirsty or maybe you're
hungry, well, I don't want you to be
famished or to be, um, how can I
say parched during the show?
So feel free to go get yourself some
water, maybe something sweet, maybe some nuts, maybe
(01:42):
some fruit could be healthy, sweet, tart or
not.
That's totally up to you.
And let's get this show kicked off.
All right, everyone.
So, uh, again, a very, very, very big,
uh, warm welcome to everyone.
I think, you know, when we think about
all this amazing stuff that's, that's, you know,
that's going on, I think, um, the best
(02:04):
thing I can tell you is that everything
happens for basically a reason, but sometimes that
reason is not, well, I'm going to say
that reason is not always evident to a
lot of people.
Right.
Um, and I think that is something that
scares people is that they don't realize that
they have all the power that they've ever
(02:24):
wanted in their life.
They just didn't know that it was right
underneath them.
So welcome my friends to another empowering episode
of the awesome, inspiring inspirations for your life
podcast.
I am your host podcast coach, serial entrepreneur,
uh, engineer, video producer, and a lot more.
I'm John C.
Morley.
It is my privilege and pleasure to be
(02:46):
with you as I'm a passionate believer of
making change through belief and someone who has
learned through experience that true leadership and personal
fulfillment don't come from force.
They come from true trust in our fast
paced world.
It can be tempting guys.
Yes, it can, uh, to control every outcome,
(03:08):
to push people in situations into place.
But today we're going to explore why force
is fragile and why trust is the real
foundation of strength.
Get ready to discover how letting go of
force can transform the way you lead, connect
and grow.
Let's dive in together.
(03:29):
All right.
All right.
Number one, force breaks under pressure.
I remember a time, um, early that is
in my career, uh, when I tried to
force a project forward, pushing the team with
tight deadlines, constant pressure and no room for
any flexibility.
At first, it seemed to work.
(03:50):
We hit milestones and look productive.
But as the pressure mounted cracks began to
show in the project, people burned out, mistakes
multiplied and relationships.
Well, they got strained and some were even
destroyed.
In the end, the whole effort collapsed, not
because the idea was bad, but because the
way, um, I tried to drive it was
(04:12):
unsustainable.
Force might give short term results, but it
can't stand the weight of real world challenges
for long.
When you rely on force, you build on
a brittle foundation that's bound to give way
under stress.
And I think that's important that we all
recognize that understanding.
Number two, guys, trust builds lasting bonds.
(04:35):
On the flip side, I've seen how trust
creates something unshakable.
When you lead with trust, you signal to
others that you believe in their abilities, their
integrity and their intentions.
I recall a client relationship that seemed fragile
at first, instead of micromanaging or forcing decisions,
I chose to trust the process and the
(04:55):
people involved.
That trust turned into well, mutual respect.
And yes, respect grew into a really powerful
collaboration.
Years later, that client not only stayed loyal,
but became one of my greatest advocates.
Trust lays the groundwork for relationships that can
weather any storm.
(05:16):
Pivot when needed and come out stronger on
the other side.
That's what we have to understand.
Number three, guys, force creates resistance.
Whenever I tried, ladies, gentlemen, to force something,
whether it was a decision, a deal, or
even a personal goal, I have been met
with resistance time and time again.
It's like pushing against a locked door.
(05:37):
The harder you shove, the tighter it seems
to close.
People naturally push back when they feel they're
being controlled.
Force sparks tension, defensiveness, and unfortunately fear.
It shuts down dialogue and breeds opposition, even
among people who might have been allies.
In contrast, when we drop the force and
(05:58):
open space for trust, people stop feeling like,
well, they need to protect themselves and start
contributing with openness.
Number four, guys, trust invites cooperation.
One of the most beautiful lessons I've learned
is that trust invites people to show up
as their best selves.
When I stopped trying to control every piece
(06:19):
of a team project, and instead fostered a
trusting environment, I saw amazing things happen and
transpire right before my very eyes.
People took initiative, shared ideas more freely and
offered help without being even asked.
Trust creates a space where people feel safe
to collaborate, take risks, and to work together
(06:40):
towards shared goals and visions.
Cooperation, my friends, flows naturally when trust is
the starting point.
Because people feel valued, seen, heard.
And this is the key to getting collaboration
and to getting projects completed.
Number five, guys, force needs constant effort.
(07:02):
I can tell you firsthand from experience, trying
to keep things going through sheer force is
utterly, well, draining.
Force requires you to constantly apply pressure, monitor
every detail and correct every deviation.
It's like trying to keep a heavy boulder
balanced on your back.
You can do it for a while, but
sooner or later you wear out and you
(07:23):
fall down.
I've learned that sustainable success comes when you
shift from a force zone to a trust
zone.
When you trust, you no longer have to
control every element because you're working with the
natural flow of people, process, and purpose.
The result, well, less exhaustion, and of course,
(07:43):
a greater impact to you and to others.
Number six, guys, that is that trust creates
momentum.
So trust doesn't just make things easier.
It actually fuels progress.
I've seen trust turn small efforts into big
wins.
When a team knows that you trust them,
they lean into their work.
(08:06):
They, um, not only do that, um, they
take pride in it and they go above
and beyond, not because they have to, but
because they want to.
This creates a positive momentum where each success
builds on, well, the last one.
Trust turns isolate efforts into collective energy that
(08:29):
moves things forward faster and more effectively than
force ever could.
The more trust you give, the more power
and progress you gain, not because you're pushing,
but because everyone is pulling together in the
same direction.
I'm sure you've done tug of war before,
right?
And if I'm pulling in one way and
(08:49):
let's say you're pulling the other way, well,
we're going to be basically competing with each
other.
Number seven, force leads to burnout.
One of the hardest lessons I've learned in
my time is that force eventually burns you
out.
I've had moments when I was so determined
to make something happen that I ignored my
limits and the limits of those around me,
(09:10):
we pushed, we stressed and we got results,
but at a cost, the exhaustion, the frustration
and the loss of the joy and bliss
weren't really worth it.
When you operate from a mentality of force,
you drain your energy reserves and the quality
of your work and relationship, well, they really
severely suffer.
(09:32):
Trust, on the other hand, sustains you.
It lets you breathe, pace yourself and keep
going for the long haul, just like in
a run, right?
Runners don't run at their high endurance the
whole time.
They will run a little bit, they'll throttle
back and then they'll go back and forth
so they can kind of manage their running
(09:52):
and so they don't burn out.
Number eight, guys, trust fosters resilience.
I've come to see trust as the secret
ingredient of resilience.
When challenges hit us, and they always do,
trust is what keeps people together.
I face tough projects, business setbacks and personal
trials, but it was the trust within my
(10:13):
teams, my family and myself that helped us
bounce back like overnight.
Trust allows you to weather difficulties without crumbling
because it's rooted in connection, honesty, and belief
in the bigger picture.
It gives you, well, the strength to adapt,
regroup and to try again.
(10:34):
Number nine, force limits creativity.
Force puts blinders on innovation.
I've watched people with incredible ideas hold back
because they felt pressure to conform to what
was being forced upon them.
When you demand instead of invite, you shut
(10:55):
down creative thinking.
Force makes people afraid of making mistakes and
fear is the enemy of imagination.
But when you replace force with trust, people
feel free to explore, experiment, and even innovate
some of the best solutions and breakthroughs I've
seen have come from environments where trust gave
(11:16):
creativity room to grow.
You do that in your life with your
teams and with your family and friends.
Number 10, trust sparks innovation.
I'll never forget a brainstorming session where I
simply encouraged my team to share ideas, no
matter how wild they seemed.
Because the room was filled with trust, people
let their imagination soar.
(11:36):
And that's where the breakthroughs happened.
See, trust sets the stage for, well, basically
true innovation and because it removes fear and
replace it with possibilities.
When people know they're supported, they think bigger,
bolder, and smarter.
Innovation thrives not where force reigns, but where
(11:57):
trust leads.
Let me say that again.
Innovation thrives not where force reigns, but where
trust leads.
Number 11, force isolates.
Force separates people.
When you push too hard, you often end
up, oh, standing let's say alone because others
(12:19):
retreat or they unfortunately resist.
I felt that isolation when I learned to
lean too heavily on force, thinking it would
bring results.
Well, it didn't.
Instead it created distance from colleagues, from partners,
even from friends.
(12:39):
Force might get things done in the short
term, but it leaves you disconnected and unsupported.
And that's a lonely and unsustainable way to
keep operating any part of your life.
Number 12, trust guys unites.
When force divides, trust unites.
(13:00):
I've seen entire groups come together around a
shared vision simply because we choose trust over
control.
When you trust people, you draw them in,
you create a sense of belongingness and purpose.
Trust turns individual efforts into a shared mission.
That unity becomes your greatest strength, allowing you
to accomplish things together that you might've never
(13:23):
thought was possible.
Number 13, force is short-lived.
Force might bring immediate action, but it's a
temporary fix.
It's a band-aid like we said before.
I've seen initiatives driven by force collapse as
soon as the pressure let up because people
were motivated by fear or obligations, not genuine
(13:44):
commitment.
Force doesn't build lasting loyalty, passion, or even
a purpose.
It's like lighting a match.
It's bright for the moment, but it's quick
to burn out.
Sustainable success needs something deeper, something with more
meaning, and of course a true purpose.
(14:04):
Trust, my friends, endures all the time.
Trust stands the test of time.
I've seen relationships, businesses, and projects, well, last
and thrive for years because they were built
on trust.
It's what keeps people connected through ups and
(14:25):
downs, changes and challenges.
When you build with trust, you build something
that lasts, something that can grow, evolve, and
succeed, not just today, but for the long
journey ahead.
And I think most people that want to
be successful are not looking to manipulate.
They're looking to, let's say, build confidence.
(14:46):
They're looking to help others.
And I know that can be hard for
you when you want the results overnight.
Here's the part of the show I really
love.
I am going to basically give you a
personal lesson for each point.
(15:07):
And it's my hope that it will solidify
what I'm talking about.
And it'll give you something to not only
sink your teeth into, but for you to
be able to appreciate where I'm going with
this and some examples of what truth and
(15:31):
trust are about.
And I think sometimes force seems amazing because
it does have a very big dominance.
Okay.
I'll be honest with you.
It has a very big dominance, but that
dominance guys, you know, what is just manipulation.
And although you can manipulate some people for
a short period of time, you can't do
that forever because eventually they're going to get
(15:52):
wise to it.
Force breaks under pressure.
Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I pushed a
project hard, thinking sheer willpower and pressure would
guarantee success.
But under that pressure, my team started to
crack, morale dropped, errors spiked, then deadlines slipped.
I realized that force like a brittle branch
breaks under strain.
(16:15):
Sustainable success needs flexibility and understanding, not just,
well, power.
Trust builds lasting bonds.
I once worked with a hesitant client who
needed time and space to make decisions instead
of, well, pressing.
I trusted their process and expertise.
(16:37):
That trust blossomed into a solid partnership that
lasted years.
Trust is like glue.
It holds relationships together through challenges and then
they change.
Force creates resistance.
In one intense negotiation, I pushed too hard
to get my way.
Instead of cooperation, I met stubborn resistance.
(16:58):
It was a wake-up call.
Force often triggers pushback because people instinctively defend
their autonomy.
I learned that yielding sometimes invites far greater
collaboration.
Trust invites cooperation.
When I stopped micromanaging and instead trusting my
team's judgment, I saw a transformation.
(17:20):
Team members stepped up, volunteered ideas, and supported
each other.
Trust creates an environment where people willingly contribute,
and that's where real teamwork thrives.
Force needs constant effort.
There was a season where I tried to
control every single minute detail, feeling I had
(17:41):
to be on top of everything to keep,
well, things moving.
The energy drain was immense, like running on
a treadmill that never stops.
I discovered that forcing progress, that's right, demands
unsustainable effort while trust lets momentum build naturally.
(18:04):
Trust creates momentum, guys.
Once, by trusting a talented colleague with a
more set of responsibility, I watched momentum build
as they flourished.
Their confidence grew, deadlines were met with enthusiasm,
and results exceed expectations.
Trust fuels positive cycles where effort and reward
(18:25):
feed each other.
Symbiotically.
Force leads to burnout, guys.
I've faced burnout when forcing projects through impossible
schedules and expectations.
The physical and mental toll was a hard
lesson.
Pushing too hard depletes your energy and passion.
Trusting the process means pacing yourself and preserving
(18:48):
your own wellbeing.
Trust fosters resilience.
During a tough business setback, it was the
trust within my team and myself that kept
us grounded enough.
Trust gave us confidence to adapt, learn, and
rebound stronger than ever.
It's the foundation that sustains us when storms
(19:10):
arise, even unexpectedly.
Number nine, force limits creativity.
In a past role, I demanded strict adherence
to process and creativity unfortunately dried up.
People stopped suggesting new ideas for fear of
any pushback.
I learned that force kills innovation by shutting
(19:31):
down freedom while trust invites experimentation and fresh
thinking.
Trust sparks innovation, guys.
At a brainstorming session, I encouraged wild ideas
with zero judgment.
Trust in that space, unleashed creativity that led
to a breakthrough product feature.
Trust makes innovation possible by removing fear and
(19:51):
encouraging people to be bold.
Force isolates.
There was a time I led through forceful
directives and ended up isolated.
Colleagues stopped sharing insights and I lost valuable
perspectives.
Force can create walls that separate rather than
connect.
Isolation is a costly price to pay for
(20:13):
the weird kinds of manipulative control.
Trust does unite, guys.
Conversely, when I shifted to lead with trust,
teams unite around shared visions and goals.
Trust fosters a sense of belonging and shared
purpose that builds powerful, united communities capable of
(20:36):
achieving more together.
Force is short lived.
I've seen projects driven by pressure just fizzle
out like in seconds, so quickly.
When the initial push stopped, things changed.
Force may light a fire, but it burns
fast and it fades.
(20:58):
Long-term success needs a steady flame fueled
by trust and commitment.
In the fuel world, we call it a
consistent trusted source.
If you want a flame or a fire,
whether it's a campfire, whether it's your barbecue,
you know, a grill in the backyard, you
need some type of reliable fuel, whether that's
(21:18):
propane, whether that's gas, et cetera.
If you don't have a consistent, reliable fuel,
you know what happens?
Oh, your barbecue flame goes out.
And unfortunately you can't cook, um, to our
food and you'll have to go into the
kitchen and hopefully get a reliable source there.
So gas is a reliable source.
Propane is a reliable source.
Just to give you a few.
(21:39):
Trust endures folks.
Relationships and ventures built on trust have stood
the test of time in my life.
Trust weathers change, challenge and growth.
Creating lasting legacies that force alone can never
build.
And I think sometimes he was, Oh my
(22:00):
gosh, that force is so powerful.
I've got to be like that.
But force can't happen like that and stay
at that level because as I said, you're
going to get burnout.
You're not really getting respect.
You're getting manipulative power.
That's not there.
Trust is the mountain foundation beneath lasting success.
(22:23):
So everybody says to me, John, how do
you build lasting success?
Well, it's not by lying to people.
It's not by manipulating people.
It's not by confusing people.
It's not like playing the bait and switch
game.
It's not by, you know, saying you do
(22:44):
this, I'll do this for you.
That's not trust either.
Trust has to be developed with a genuine
heart.
Trust has to understand that we are people,
that we are human.
If we are truly human and if we
are truly wanting to make this world a
(23:04):
better place, even though we want to do
things for ourselves, people generally don't want to
come along and help you unless they're going
to get some benefit for it.
So I think we have to be always
talking in terms of the other person's interest.
Like Dale Carnegie said a long time ago,
we have to strive to talk in terms
of the other person's interest.
If you think you don't have time for
(23:25):
trust, well, you're probably going to have a
community that's going to be short-lived not
because you're a bad leader, but because you're
leading with well a big stick instead of
compassion.
Integrity.
And that's a problem with a lot of
(23:46):
bosses today.
They want to crack a big whip because
they think that's going to get the results.
And yes, it might get the products out
faster for the short term, but you know
what's going to happen.
They're going to burn out those people.
There's a company, I'm not going to give
you their name.
They start with an A and the end
with an E and they're very, very well
known, but you know what they do?
They have a reputation for burning out their
(24:08):
employees and they're quitting before they're 40 or
50 years old because they have burnt them
out.
And that's no way to treat, but you
know, this company doesn't care.
All they care about is the money they
put in their pocket.
They start with a capital A and the
end with an E.
I'm not going to mention their name, but
you know who I mean.
And they're all about trying to get blood
(24:29):
out of a stone.
They don't care what challenges you're going through.
They don't care what hardships you're having.
They don't care about anything except themselves.
So they want to manipulate you in any
way, directly, indirectly, consciously, unconsciously, so they can
(24:51):
get their best, biggest profits, so they can
get the most out of you.
And again, that can work for a little
bit of time, but after a while, most
of us spartan up to say, you know
what, this is like ruining me.
But some people never wake up because they
just see the green and like, Oh my
gosh, I'm getting this money.
I could just do this forever.
(25:12):
No, you can't.
You're not in a sustainable type relationship.
And again, I'm talking about a business relationship.
It can also be like this in a
platonic or non-platonic friendship.
You're doing things to help a commitment, but
really you're just depleting yourself in the process.
Remember other people and processes should fuel you
(25:35):
not deplete you.
And I know some people watching this or
listening to this might say, John, Oh, that
doesn't happen to me.
Okay, fine.
Let me ask you this.
When you're around certain people, you feel like
you're drained.
When you're around other people, you feel like
you're totally charged.
It's happening to you.
You're just psychologically desensitizing yourself to think that
(26:00):
it's not happening to you when it is.
The sad part is by the time you
realize it's been stripping you of who you
are, it's going to be too late and
you're going to be burned out.
So I'm hoping that you'll take this advice.
If you're working for one of those large
companies, maybe you'll start to realize that working
(26:21):
for them might not be the bliss.
It might be putting money in your pocket,
but it might not be giving you all
the joy that you need.
So you don't need to work hard to
make a lot of money.
See, that's been the myth.
You don't need to work hard.
You need to work smarter.
You need to be more creative.
And with a lot of these companies, they
(26:41):
break your creativity.
They get you into a mold and they
want you to operate this whole way.
And they, a lot of times don't even
want your own feedback.
They say they do, but the other day
they don't.
So force is fragile guys.
A lot of corporate companies will use force
to kind of put you into shape, but
(27:02):
the long run, you're the one that's going
to be out of luck as well as
the company, because unfortunately you're going to be
burned out.
Ladies and gentlemen, do check out BelieveMeAchieved.com
for more of my amazing, inspiring creations.
And remember, force is fragile.
Let's start mentoring people and leading them with
(27:23):
trust, integrity, and true inspiration from the heart.
Take care, everyone.
Well, hey guys, it is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
Great to be with you on Sunday, July
6, 2025.
It is our second day of our brand
new master topic, and that master topic, ladies
and gentlemen, in case you missed it yesterday,
(00:39):
well, we happen to share it with you
once again.
It is, well, trust the process and ditch
the force.
Incidentally, today's granular topic is force is fragile.
Trust is strong.
Series four, show 28, episode number two.
Hey friends, if you have not been with
(00:59):
us, well, I want to take this opportunity
to welcome you to Inspirations for Your Life,
the amazing podcast show that can help transform
your life and to give you all the
things you've ever wanted.
And if you're coming back, well, welcome back
my friends, colleagues, and associates.
Thank you so much for being here.
Really do appreciate that from the bottom of
my heart.
Hey friends, if you have not checked out
BelieveMeAchieved.com, what are you waiting for?
(01:21):
That is after the show, go to BelieveMeAchieved
.com to catch more of my amazing, inspiring
creations to empower your life.
All right.
If you're a little thirsty or maybe you're
hungry, well, I don't want you to be
famished or to be, um, how can I
say parched during the show?
So feel free to go get yourself some
water, maybe something sweet, maybe some nuts, maybe
(01:42):
some fruit could be healthy, sweet, tart or
not.
That's totally up to you.
And let's get this show kicked off.
All right, everyone.
So, uh, again, a very, very, very big,
uh, warm welcome to everyone.
I think, you know, when we think about
all this amazing stuff that's, that's, you know,
that's going on, I think, um, the best
(02:04):
thing I can tell you is that everything
happens for basically a reason, but sometimes that
reason is not, well, I'm going to say
that reason is not always evident to a
lot of people.
Right.
Um, and I think that is something that
scares people is that they don't realize that
they have all the power that they've ever
(02:24):
wanted in their life.
They just didn't know that it was right
underneath them.
So welcome my friends to another empowering episode
of the awesome, inspiring inspirations for your life
podcast.
I am your host podcast coach, serial entrepreneur,
uh, engineer, video producer, and a lot more.
I'm John C.
Morley.
It is my privilege and pleasure to be
(02:46):
with you as I'm a passionate believer of
making change through belief and someone who has
learned through experience that true leadership and personal
fulfillment don't come from force.
They come from true trust in our fast
paced world.
It can be tempting guys.
Yes, it can, uh, to control every outcome,
(03:08):
to push people in situations into place.
But today we're going to explore why force
is fragile and why trust is the real
foundation of strength.
Get ready to discover how letting go of
force can transform the way you lead, connect
and grow.
Let's dive in together.
(03:29):
All right.
All right.
Number one, force breaks under pressure.
I remember a time, um, early that is
in my career, uh, when I tried to
force a project forward, pushing the team with
tight deadlines, constant pressure and no room for
any flexibility.
At first, it seemed to work.
(03:50):
We hit milestones and look productive.
But as the pressure mounted cracks began to
show in the project, people burned out, mistakes
multiplied and relationships.
Well, they got strained and some were even
destroyed.
In the end, the whole effort collapsed, not
because the idea was bad, but because the
way, um, I tried to drive it was
(04:12):
unsustainable.
Force might give short term results, but it
can't stand the weight of real world challenges
for long.
When you rely on force, you build on
a brittle foundation that's bound to give way
under stress.
And I think that's important that we all
recognize that understanding.
Number two, guys, trust builds lasting bonds.
(04:35):
On the flip side, I've seen how trust
creates something unshakable.
When you lead with trust, you signal to
others that you believe in their abilities, their
integrity and their intentions.
I recall a client relationship that seemed fragile
at first, instead of micromanaging or forcing decisions,
I chose to trust the process and the
(04:55):
people involved.
That trust turned into well, mutual respect.
And yes, respect grew into a really powerful
collaboration.
Years later, that client not only stayed loyal,
but became one of my greatest advocates.
Trust lays the groundwork for relationships that can
weather any storm.
(05:16):
Pivot when needed and come out stronger on
the other side.
That's what we have to understand.
Number three, guys, force creates resistance.
Whenever I tried, ladies, gentlemen, to force something,
whether it was a decision, a deal, or
even a personal goal, I have been met
with resistance time and time again.
It's like pushing against a locked door.
(05:37):
The harder you shove, the tighter it seems
to close.
People naturally push back when they feel they're
being controlled.
Force sparks tension, defensiveness, and unfortunately fear.
It shuts down dialogue and breeds opposition, even
among people who might have been allies.
In contrast, when we drop the force and
(05:58):
open space for trust, people stop feeling like,
well, they need to protect themselves and start
contributing with openness.
Number four, guys, trust invites cooperation.
One of the most beautiful lessons I've learned
is that trust invites people to show up
as their best selves.
When I stopped trying to control every piece
(06:19):
of a team project, and instead fostered a
trusting environment, I saw amazing things happen and
transpire right before my very eyes.
People took initiative, shared ideas more freely and
offered help without being even asked.
Trust creates a space where people feel safe
to collaborate, take risks, and to work together
(06:40):
towards shared goals and visions.
Cooperation, my friends, flows naturally when trust is
the starting point.
Because people feel valued, seen, heard.
And this is the key to getting collaboration
and to getting projects completed.
Number five, guys, force needs constant effort.
(07:02):
I can tell you firsthand from experience, trying
to keep things going through sheer force is
utterly, well, draining.
Force requires you to constantly apply pressure, monitor
every detail and correct every deviation.
It's like trying to keep a heavy boulder
balanced on your back.
You can do it for a while, but
sooner or later you wear out and you
(07:23):
fall down.
I've learned that sustainable success comes when you
shift from a force zone to a trust
zone.
When you trust, you no longer have to
control every element because you're working with the
natural flow of people, process, and purpose.
The result, well, less exhaustion, and of course,
(07:43):
a greater impact to you and to others.
Number six, guys, that is that trust creates
momentum.
So trust doesn't just make things easier.
It actually fuels progress.
I've seen trust turn small efforts into big
wins.
When a team knows that you trust them,
they lean into their work.
(08:06):
They, um, not only do that, um, they
take pride in it and they go above
and beyond, not because they have to, but
because they want to.
This creates a positive momentum where each success
builds on, well, the last one.
Trust turns isolate efforts into collective energy that
(08:29):
moves things forward faster and more effectively than
force ever could.
The more trust you give, the more power
and progress you gain, not because you're pushing,
but because everyone is pulling together in the
same direction.
I'm sure you've done tug of war before,
right?
And if I'm pulling in one way and
(08:49):
let's say you're pulling the other way, well,
we're going to be basically competing with each
other.
Number seven, force leads to burnout.
One of the hardest lessons I've learned in
my time is that force eventually burns you
out.
I've had moments when I was so determined
to make something happen that I ignored my
limits and the limits of those around me,
(09:10):
we pushed, we stressed and we got results,
but at a cost, the exhaustion, the frustration
and the loss of the joy and bliss
weren't really worth it.
When you operate from a mentality of force,
you drain your energy reserves and the quality
of your work and relationship, well, they really
severely suffer.
(09:32):
Trust, on the other hand, sustains you.
It lets you breathe, pace yourself and keep
going for the long haul, just like in
a run, right?
Runners don't run at their high endurance the
whole time.
They will run a little bit, they'll throttle
back and then they'll go back and forth
so they can kind of manage their running
(09:52):
and so they don't burn out.
Number eight, guys, trust fosters resilience.
I've come to see trust as the secret
ingredient of resilience.
When challenges hit us, and they always do,
trust is what keeps people together.
I face tough projects, business setbacks and personal
trials, but it was the trust within my
(10:13):
teams, my family and myself that helped us
bounce back like overnight.
Trust allows you to weather difficulties without crumbling
because it's rooted in connection, honesty, and belief
in the bigger picture.
It gives you, well, the strength to adapt,
regroup and to try again.
(10:34):
Number nine, force limits creativity.
Force puts blinders on innovation.
I've watched people with incredible ideas hold back
because they felt pressure to conform to what
was being forced upon them.
When you demand instead of invite, you shut
(10:55):
down creative thinking.
Force makes people afraid of making mistakes and
fear is the enemy of imagination.
But when you replace force with trust, people
feel free to explore, experiment, and even innovate
some of the best solutions and breakthroughs I've
seen have come from environments where trust gave
(11:16):
creativity room to grow.
You do that in your life with your
teams and with your family and friends.
Number 10, trust sparks innovation.
I'll never forget a brainstorming session where I
simply encouraged my team to share ideas, no
matter how wild they seemed.
Because the room was filled with trust, people
let their imagination soar.
(11:36):
And that's where the breakthroughs happened.
See, trust sets the stage for, well, basically
true innovation and because it removes fear and
replace it with possibilities.
When people know they're supported, they think bigger,
bolder, and smarter.
Innovation thrives not where force reigns, but where
(11:57):
trust leads.
Let me say that again.
Innovation thrives not where force reigns, but where
trust leads.
Number 11, force isolates.
Force separates people.
When you push too hard, you often end
up, oh, standing let's say alone because others
(12:19):
retreat or they unfortunately resist.
I felt that isolation when I learned to
lean too heavily on force, thinking it would
bring results.
Well, it didn't.
Instead it created distance from colleagues, from partners,
even from friends.
(12:39):
Force might get things done in the short
term, but it leaves you disconnected and unsupported.
And that's a lonely and unsustainable way to
keep operating any part of your life.
Number 12, trust guys unites.
When force divides, trust unites.
(13:00):
I've seen entire groups come together around a
shared vision simply because we choose trust over
control.
When you trust people, you draw them in,
you create a sense of belongingness and purpose.
Trust turns individual efforts into a shared mission.
That unity becomes your greatest strength, allowing you
to accomplish things together that you might've never
(13:23):
thought was possible.
Number 13, force is short-lived.
Force might bring immediate action, but it's a
temporary fix.
It's a band-aid like we said before.
I've seen initiatives driven by force collapse as
soon as the pressure let up because people
were motivated by fear or obligations, not genuine
(13:44):
commitment.
Force doesn't build lasting loyalty, passion, or even
a purpose.
It's like lighting a match.
It's bright for the moment, but it's quick
to burn out.
Sustainable success needs something deeper, something with more
meaning, and of course a true purpose.
(14:04):
Trust, my friends, endures all the time.
Trust stands the test of time.
I've seen relationships, businesses, and projects, well, last
and thrive for years because they were built
on trust.
It's what keeps people connected through ups and
(14:25):
downs, changes and challenges.
When you build with trust, you build something
that lasts, something that can grow, evolve, and
succeed, not just today, but for the long
journey ahead.
And I think most people that want to
be successful are not looking to manipulate.
They're looking to, let's say, build confidence.
(14:46):
They're looking to help others.
And I know that can be hard for
you when you want the results overnight.
Here's the part of the show I really
love.
I am going to basically give you a
personal lesson for each point.
(15:07):
And it's my hope that it will solidify
what I'm talking about.
And it'll give you something to not only
sink your teeth into, but for you to
be able to appreciate where I'm going with
this and some examples of what truth and
(15:31):
trust are about.
And I think sometimes force seems amazing because
it does have a very big dominance.
Okay.
I'll be honest with you.
It has a very big dominance, but that
dominance guys, you know, what is just manipulation.
And although you can manipulate some people for
a short period of time, you can't do
that forever because eventually they're going to get
(15:52):
wise to it.
Force breaks under pressure.
Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I pushed a
project hard, thinking sheer willpower and pressure would
guarantee success.
But under that pressure, my team started to
crack, morale dropped, errors spiked, then deadlines slipped.
I realized that force like a brittle branch
breaks under strain.
(16:15):
Sustainable success needs flexibility and understanding, not just,
well, power.
Trust builds lasting bonds.
I once worked with a hesitant client who
needed time and space to make decisions instead
of, well, pressing.
I trusted their process and expertise.
(16:37):
That trust blossomed into a solid partnership that
lasted years.
Trust is like glue.
It holds relationships together through challenges and then
they change.
Force creates resistance.
In one intense negotiation, I pushed too hard
to get my way.
Instead of cooperation, I met stubborn resistance.
(16:58):
It was a wake-up call.
Force often triggers pushback because people instinctively defend
their autonomy.
I learned that yielding sometimes invites far greater
collaboration.
Trust invites cooperation.
When I stopped micromanaging and instead trusting my
team's judgment, I saw a transformation.
(17:20):
Team members stepped up, volunteered ideas, and supported
each other.
Trust creates an environment where people willingly contribute,
and that's where real teamwork thrives.
Force needs constant effort.
There was a season where I tried to
control every single minute detail, feeling I had
(17:41):
to be on top of everything to keep,
well, things moving.
The energy drain was immense, like running on
a treadmill that never stops.
I discovered that forcing progress, that's right, demands
unsustainable effort while trust lets momentum build naturally.
(18:04):
Trust creates momentum, guys.
Once, by trusting a talented colleague with a
more set of responsibility, I watched momentum build
as they flourished.
Their confidence grew, deadlines were met with enthusiasm,
and results exceed expectations.
Trust fuels positive cycles where effort and reward
(18:25):
feed each other.
Symbiotically.
Force leads to burnout, guys.
I've faced burnout when forcing projects through impossible
schedules and expectations.
The physical and mental toll was a hard
lesson.
Pushing too hard depletes your energy and passion.
Trusting the process means pacing yourself and preserving
(18:48):
your own wellbeing.
Trust fosters resilience.
During a tough business setback, it was the
trust within my team and myself that kept
us grounded enough.
Trust gave us confidence to adapt, learn, and
rebound stronger than ever.
It's the foundation that sustains us when storms
(19:10):
arise, even unexpectedly.
Number nine, force limits creativity.
In a past role, I demanded strict adherence
to process and creativity unfortunately dried up.
People stopped suggesting new ideas for fear of
any pushback.
I learned that force kills innovation by shutting
(19:31):
down freedom while trust invites experimentation and fresh
thinking.
Trust sparks innovation, guys.
At a brainstorming session, I encouraged wild ideas
with zero judgment.
Trust in that space, unleashed creativity that led
to a breakthrough product feature.
Trust makes innovation possible by removing fear and
(19:51):
encouraging people to be bold.
Force isolates.
There was a time I led through forceful
directives and ended up isolated.
Colleagues stopped sharing insights and I lost valuable
perspectives.
Force can create walls that separate rather than
connect.
Isolation is a costly price to pay for
(20:13):
the weird kinds of manipulative control.
Trust does unite, guys.
Conversely, when I shifted to lead with trust,
teams unite around shared visions and goals.
Trust fosters a sense of belonging and shared
purpose that builds powerful, united communities capable of
(20:36):
achieving more together.
Force is short lived.
I've seen projects driven by pressure just fizzle
out like in seconds, so quickly.
When the initial push stopped, things changed.
Force may light a fire, but it burns
fast and it fades.
(20:58):
Long-term success needs a steady flame fueled
by trust and commitment.
In the fuel world, we call it a
consistent trusted source.
If you want a flame or a fire,
whether it's a campfire, whether it's your barbecue,
you know, a grill in the backyard, you
need some type of reliable fuel, whether that's
(21:18):
propane, whether that's gas, et cetera.
If you don't have a consistent, reliable fuel,
you know what happens?
Oh, your barbecue flame goes out.
And unfortunately you can't cook, um, to our
food and you'll have to go into the
kitchen and hopefully get a reliable source there.
So gas is a reliable source.
Propane is a reliable source.
Just to give you a few.
(21:39):
Trust endures folks.
Relationships and ventures built on trust have stood
the test of time in my life.
Trust weathers change, challenge and growth.
Creating lasting legacies that force alone can never
build.
And I think sometimes he was, Oh my
(22:00):
gosh, that force is so powerful.
I've got to be like that.
But force can't happen like that and stay
at that level because as I said, you're
going to get burnout.
You're not really getting respect.
You're getting manipulative power.
That's not there.
Trust is the mountain foundation beneath lasting success.
(22:23):
So everybody says to me, John, how do
you build lasting success?
Well, it's not by lying to people.
It's not by manipulating people.
It's not by confusing people.
It's not like playing the bait and switch
game.
It's not by, you know, saying you do
(22:44):
this, I'll do this for you.
That's not trust either.
Trust has to be developed with a genuine
heart.
Trust has to understand that we are people,
that we are human.
If we are truly human and if we
are truly wanting to make this world a
(23:04):
better place, even though we want to do
things for ourselves, people generally don't want to
come along and help you unless they're going
to get some benefit for it.
So I think we have to be always
talking in terms of the other person's interest.
Like Dale Carnegie said a long time ago,
we have to strive to talk in terms
of the other person's interest.
If you think you don't have time for
(23:25):
trust, well, you're probably going to have a
community that's going to be short-lived not
because you're a bad leader, but because you're
leading with well a big stick instead of
compassion.
Integrity.
And that's a problem with a lot of
(23:46):
bosses today.
They want to crack a big whip because
they think that's going to get the results.
And yes, it might get the products out
faster for the short term, but you know
what's going to happen.
They're going to burn out those people.
There's a company, I'm not going to give
you their name.
They start with an A and the end
with an E and they're very, very well
known, but you know what they do?
They have a reputation for burning out their
(24:08):
employees and they're quitting before they're 40 or
50 years old because they have burnt them
out.
And that's no way to treat, but you
know, this company doesn't care.
All they care about is the money they
put in their pocket.
They start with a capital A and the
end with an E.
I'm not going to mention their name, but
you know who I mean.
And they're all about trying to get blood
(24:29):
out of a stone.
They don't care what challenges you're going through.
They don't care what hardships you're having.
They don't care about anything except themselves.
So they want to manipulate you in any
way, directly, indirectly, consciously, unconsciously, so they can
(24:51):
get their best, biggest profits, so they can
get the most out of you.
And again, that can work for a little
bit of time, but after a while, most
of us spartan up to say, you know
what, this is like ruining me.
But some people never wake up because they
just see the green and like, Oh my
gosh, I'm getting this money.
I could just do this forever.
(25:12):
No, you can't.
You're not in a sustainable type relationship.
And again, I'm talking about a business relationship.
It can also be like this in a
platonic or non-platonic friendship.
You're doing things to help a commitment, but
really you're just depleting yourself in the process.
Remember other people and processes should fuel you
(25:35):
not deplete you.
And I know some people watching this or
listening to this might say, John, Oh, that
doesn't happen to me.
Okay, fine.
Let me ask you this.
When you're around certain people, you feel like
you're drained.
When you're around other people, you feel like
you're totally charged.
It's happening to you.
You're just psychologically desensitizing yourself to think that
(26:00):
it's not happening to you when it is.
The sad part is by the time you
realize it's been stripping you of who you
are, it's going to be too late and
you're going to be burned out.
So I'm hoping that you'll take this advice.
If you're working for one of those large
companies, maybe you'll start to realize that working
(26:21):
for them might not be the bliss.
It might be putting money in your pocket,
but it might not be giving you all
the joy that you need.
So you don't need to work hard to
make a lot of money.
See, that's been the myth.
You don't need to work hard.
You need to work smarter.
You need to be more creative.
And with a lot of these companies, they
(26:41):
break your creativity.
They get you into a mold and they
want you to operate this whole way.
And they, a lot of times don't even
want your own feedback.
They say they do, but the other day
they don't.
So force is fragile guys.
A lot of corporate companies will use force
to kind of put you into shape, but
(27:02):
the long run, you're the one that's going
to be out of luck as well as
the company, because unfortunately you're going to be
burned out.
Ladies and gentlemen, do check out BelieveMeAchieved.com
for more of my amazing, inspiring creations.
And remember, force is fragile.
Let's start mentoring people and leading them with
(27:23):
trust, integrity, and true inspiration from the heart.
Take care, everyone.
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