July 4, 2025 • 28 mins
Welcome to another empowering and heart-opening episode of the Inspirations for Your Life Podcast! I’m your host, John C. Morley — Serial Entrepreneur, Podcast Coach, and passionate lifelong learner. Today, we’re diving into the deep truth that freedom isn’t something granted to us by the world — it’s something we cultivate from within. Together, we’ll explore how qualities like kindness, generosity, service, and self-control help us break the chains that hold us back and unlock the most authentic, powerful form of freedom: the freedom of the soul. 🌟 So, let’s journey inward and discover how these timeless values can transform the way we live, lead, and connect.
1️⃣ Compassion breaks inner chains 💖 When we choose compassion, we release ourselves from the prison of judgment, anger, and resentment. Compassion allows us to see others — and ourselves — through a lens of understanding and acceptance. This shift lifts a heavy weight from our hearts, breaking the chains of negativity and creating space for inner freedom and joy.
2️⃣ Helping others sets us free 🤝 When we serve others, we shift the spotlight away from our own struggles and open the door to deeper connection and purpose. Helping isn’t just about charity — it’s about realizing that by lifting others, we rise as well. Each act of kindness liberates us from isolation and strengthens the invisible bonds that make us truly human.
3️⃣ Discipline leads to real freedom 🎯 True freedom isn’t about doing whatever we want, whenever we want. It’s about having the discipline to choose what serves us best. Discipline helps us break free from harmful habits, distractions, and impulses, allowing us to walk the path we’ve chosen with clarity and intention.
4️⃣ Generosity opens new paths 🎁 Generosity creates ripples that extend far beyond what we can see. When we give — whether time, resources, or simply a listening ear — we create opportunities for connection and growth. Generosity frees us from the grip of scarcity thinking and invites abundance into our lives.
5️⃣ Mastery of self equals mastery of life 🗝️ The greatest victory is over oneself. When we learn to master our emotions, impulses, and reactions, we gain true control over our destiny. Self-mastery is the gateway to a life of purpose, resilience, and fulfillment — a life where we are free to become our highest self.
6️⃣ Freedom flourishes through humility 🌱 Humility reminds us that we are part of something bigger. It frees us from the burden of ego and invites collaboration, learning, and growth. Through humility, we find strength in admitting we don’t have all the answers, and that is where real freedom begins.
7️⃣ Serving lifts both giver and receiver 🚀 Every act of service is a two-way gift. When we serve others, we enrich their lives — but we also elevate our own. Service breaks down barriers, builds bridges, and fosters a sense of belonging that makes us all stronger and freer together.
8️⃣ Inner peace creates outer freedom ☮️ The battles that matter most are the ones within. When we cultivate inner peace, we stop being controlled by external chaos. Inner calm gives us the strength to respond, not react — to choose, not be driven — and that, in itself, is ultimate freedom.
✨ Connect with me: 🌐 John C. Morley’s Website 📱 Instagram: JohnCMorleySerialEntrepreneur 🎧 Tune in now: https://podcastscj.podbean.com/
#ElevateYourLife #PodcastWisdom #MindsetMatters #JohnCMorley #InspirationalStories #LeadershipSuccess
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:15):
Hello there everyone.
It is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
It is great to be with you on
Inspirations for Your Life, and I'm just taking
a moment here to wish everyone a very
happy, healthy, and safe 4th of July weekend,
and traveling this weekend, but you know I
(00:36):
always put these shows out for you guys
all the time, so it is really, really
great to be with everyone here.
Thank you so much for tuning in.
If you are new to the Inspirations for
Your Life show, well I would definitely like
to say welcome to you right now.
If you are coming back to the show,
well I'd definitely like to say welcome back,
(00:56):
friends.
Thanks so much for coming back.
So this is Friday, which is July 4th,
incidentally, but in addition to being July 4th,
it is the close of our master topic,
because we run our weeks from Saturday and
we close them on Friday.
Our granular topic, in case you guys were
wondering, it is walking forward with purpose, and
(01:17):
our granular topic for today, which is how
we do every day, freedom comes through kindness,
service, and self-control.
Incidentally, that's series 4, show 27, episode number
7, and like I said everyone, welcome, welcome,
and welcome.
If you didn't know about BelieveMeAchieve.com, why
not check that out after the show?
(01:40):
You can do it 24 hours a day,
you can catch more of my long-form
content, my short-form content, and you'll really
appreciate it.
So you can also catch my podcast there
as well.
And so if you are thirsty or maybe
a little parched, feel free to go get
yourself something to, let's say quench the thirst,
whether that's water, whether it's soda, whether it's
(02:00):
something else, sparkling water, or maybe you want
a snack like some nuts or some fruits,
whether it be healthy, whether it be sweet,
whether it be tart, that's totally up to
you.
And hurry on back to the show, right,
so we can kick this off.
All right everyone, let's kick this show off
because I know that you are just as
anxious as I am here.
By the way, happy, healthy, safe 4th of
(02:23):
July to everyone.
That is definitely something that I want to
express to all of you here that are
coming.
If this is your, again, if it's your
first time, I welcome you.
If it's not your first time, well then
I definitely say welcome back.
It is always great to be with all
of you here on the Inspirations for Your
(02:44):
Life show.
And I know a lot of you are
looking for things to improve your life.
And that's what I provide here.
I provide nuggets of information where, well, you
can find those missing links to have an
even better life.
So welcome everyone to another empowering, amazing, heart
-opening episode of, yes, the ever-popular Inspirations
(03:05):
for Your Life podcast.
I'm not only a host, a podcast coach,
serial entrepreneur, video producer, engineer, and many more
things.
I'm John C.
Morley, and I'm also a passionate lifelong learner.
And it is my extreme privilege and pleasure
to welcome you to the show today.
Tonight I'm diving into the deep truth that
(03:26):
freedom isn't something granted to us by the
world.
Huh?
It's something we cultivate from within ourselves.
Together we'll explore how qualities like kindness, generosity,
and service, that's right, and self-control help
us break free from the chains that hold
(03:46):
us back and unlock the most powerful, authentic,
well, form of ourself in freedom.
And that freedom of our own true soul.
So let's journey inward, everyone, and discover how
these timeless values can transform the way we
live, we lead, and we connect.
But we need to make a conscious decision
(04:10):
to do that, aren't I wrong?
So let's go ahead and do that right
now.
Number one is compassion breaks inner chains.
I love this.
When we choose compassion, again, I said choose
compassion, we release ourselves from prison of judgment,
anger, and resentment.
(04:31):
Compassion, ladies, gentlemen, allows us to see others
and ourselves through a lens of, well, understanding
and acceptance.
This shifts, enables us to be lifting a
heavy weight from our hearts, breaking free from
the chains of any negativity, and creating space
(04:51):
for inner freedom and joy.
But it has to start, ladies, gentlemen, with
your choice to do this.
It's not on autopilot, okay?
Number two, helping others sets us free.
I know that sounds crazy, but just hear
me out.
When we serve others, we shift the spotlight
away from our own struggles and open the
(05:12):
door to deeper connection and purpose.
Helping isn't just about a clarity.
It's about realizing that by lifting others, we
rise as well.
Each act of kindness liberates us from isolation
and strength.
It's us, of course, with the invisible bonds
that we have that make us truly human.
(05:34):
Number three, guys, discipline.
That's right.
Discipline leads to real freedom.
True freedom isn't about doing whatever we want,
whenever we want.
I want to be clear about that.
We've said this earlier in the week.
It's about having the discipline to choose what
serves us best.
Discipline helps us break free from harmful habits,
(05:58):
toxic behaviors, and distractions, and impulses, allowing us
to walk the path we've chosen with immense
clarity and intention.
I've said we've got to be purposeful.
I've said we've got to live our life
with intention, because if we don't, no one
else is going to do that for us.
Number four, generosity opens new pathways.
(06:24):
Generosity creates ripples that extend far beyond what
we can see.
When we give, whether it's time, it's resources,
or simply a listening ear, we create opportunities
for connection and growth.
Generosity frees us from the grip of scarcity.
Thinking invites a mindful of abundance into our
(06:49):
lives.
Now, again, you might say, John, I don't
understand how words can do this.
Well, what I want to let you know
is that your thoughts create reality.
Let me say that again, folks.
Your thoughts create reality.
So everything that ever is, and everything that
ever was, always came from a thought.
(07:10):
Anything.
That's your iPhone, that's food, that's even you.
Everything came from a thought before it actually
was able to be in full form in
our wonderful world.
Number five, mastery of self equals mastery of
life.
That's pretty remarkable, he asked me that.
Let me say that again.
(07:31):
Mastery of self equals mastery of life.
Mastery of self equals mastery of life.
The greatest victory is over oneself.
When we learn to master our emotions, our
impulses, and our reactions, we gain true control
over our own destiny.
Self-mastery is the gateway to a life
(07:53):
of true intentional purpose, resilience, and, of course,
fulfillment.
A life where we are free to become
our highest level of ourself.
And so this requires leaving your ego at
the door.
This requires being someone that's going to look
(08:15):
at yourself and be truthful and not try
to, you know, say, well, that's not me.
That's not me.
That's not going to help us learn.
Number six, freedom flourishes through humility.
I know a lot of people, when I
mention the word humility, they say, oh, I'm
humble.
I'm very filled with humility.
(08:35):
But in actuality, guys, they're not.
And the reason I say this to you
is because they want others to feel that
they are humble.
Because they think that if others see them
as humble, you know what?
That they're going to be treated like that.
Well, unfortunately, you have to, let's say, talk
(08:56):
the talk and walk the walk.
You can't just try to fake it.
It's not going to work.
I'm just going to be quite honest with
you.
Humility reminds us that we are part of
something much bigger than just ourselves.
It frees us from the burden of ego
and invites collaboration, learning, and, of course, growth.
(09:19):
Through humility, we find strength in admitting we
don't have all the answers.
And that is where our real freedom begins
and we can start to explore.
Number seven, serving.
Lifts both the giver and the receiver.
You see, every act of service is a
(09:40):
two-way gift.
When we serve others, we enrich their lives.
But we also elevate our own.
It's like the reverse boomerang effect, right?
It throws, it gives some love, but then
it comes back and hits us as well.
So whatever you give out comes right back
to you.
Service, guys, breaks down barriers, okay?
(10:03):
It builds bridges and it fosters a sense
of belongingness, connectivity, that makes us all stronger
and freer to not have to be together
to want to be together.
I think that's a thing most people struggle
with.
Service is, well, you know, you're supposed to
(10:24):
do this, you have to do this.
Well, you don't have to do anything.
But if you do something because you think
it's the right thing, that could be a
problem for you guys.
It could be a serious, serious, serious problem.
And I mean that, guys.
I mean that if you don't understand, it's
a serious, serious problem.
Number eight, our last point for tonight.
(10:47):
Inner peace creates outer freedom.
Let me say that again.
Inner peace creates outer freedom.
The battles that matter most are the ones
that are within us.
When we cultivate inner peace, we stop being
controlled by all the external chaos and mishmash.
Inner calm gives us the strength to respond,
(11:10):
not react, to choose, not to be driven.
And that in itself is ultimate freedom.
Remember I said there are two ways to
live.
You can be reactive, okay, or you can
be proactive.
If you are reactive, then it's like things
flow a lot better, all right?
(11:33):
That's an important thing to understand.
So think about that for a moment, okay?
The battles that matter most are the ones
within.
And remember, if we choose not to be
a person that has a life of reactiveness
(11:55):
and more proactiveness, we're going to be a
lot more calm.
We're going to be a lot more peaceful.
We're going to be a lot more approachable.
We're going to be able to be living
more in the moment.
And I think that's something many people feel
is overrated, but I'm here to tell you
that you don't get the benefit from that
(12:16):
overnight.
You have to explore it.
That's the best way to say it, all
right?
And you have to live it and feel
it.
So what I want to do now is
one of my most favorite parts of the
program.
So what I'm going to do is to
give you basically a personal lesson or a
story for each point.
(12:38):
And it's my hope, guys, that by doing
this, it's going to solidify everything I've talked
about tonight, and it's going to get you
to appreciate who you are and maybe some
of the nuances that, I don't know, you
might have forgotten or you might have gotten
trapped with.
Maybe you got stuck somewhere.
And you know, you didn't mean to get
stuck, but because of life getting busy and
(13:01):
basically not choosing to be in the moment,
well, you miss out.
And so everyone in the world today is
very fast-paced because worlds are fast-paced,
especially from being from the Northeast, New Jersey,
New York.
I mean, they're very fast-paced areas.
(13:22):
You go to southern parts of the country
or Florida, et cetera, and they move a
little bit slower, especially go down south.
They are in no rush to get your
coffee or get your ice cream.
They'll just take their sweet time because that's
how they operate down there.
So compassion, let's go there, breaks, interchanges.
(13:45):
I remember a time when a colleague said
something that really stung me.
It was unfair and it was hurtful.
My first reaction was to respond with anger,
but I paused a moment and chose compassion
instead.
Took a few deep breaths.
I reminded myself that maybe he was having
a rough day or fighting a battle.
(14:07):
I couldn't see this.
That choice changed everything.
I felt lighter because I wasn't carrying around
the weight of bitterness.
Later on, we actually became friends.
That experience taught me that compassion doesn't just
free the other person, it frees us.
It dissolves those walls, softens the hearts, and
(14:29):
helps us let go of the negativity that
keeps us stuck.
You see, compassion, ladies and gentlemen, let me
say this again.
Compassion is a key that unlocks our own
inner peace.
Number two, helping others sets us free.
(14:49):
I'll never forget volunteering at a local shelter
during the holidays.
I went in thinking I was helping those
in need.
By the end of the day, I realized
how much they helped me.
Sharing a warm meal, listening to their stories,
it reminded me of everything I had to
be grateful for.
Helping others lifted me out of my own
(15:11):
worries and challenges and gave me a sense
of purpose that nothing else seemed to match.
This was years ago.
That's the beautiful paradox when we lift others
up.
We rise to the occasion.
We become part of something greater and bigger
than ourselves.
That's where real freedom actually takes flight.
(15:32):
Number three, discipline leads to real freedom.
Years ago, I struggled with staying focused on
my personal goals, whether it was fitness, business,
or learning something new.
I'd start strong, but I'd fall off track.
It wasn't until I made small, consistent disciplines
like setting a schedule, limiting distractions, and sticking
(15:55):
to commitments that I started to feel, well,
truly free.
That discipline gave me control over my time,
my energy, and my future.
Instead of feeling pulled in a thousand different
directions, I felt focused and empowered.
(16:15):
Discipline isn't restrictive, guys.
It's what gives us the freedom to create
the life that we have always wanted.
Number four, generosity opens new paths.
There was a time when I decided to
mentor a young entrepreneur who reached out to
me for advice.
I didn't expect anything in return.
(16:36):
I just wanted to help.
But that act of generosity led to a
lasting friendship.
And later, he introduced me to, well, opportunities
I never could have even imagined were possible.
Giving freely of our time, knowledge, or support
opens doors we didn't even know existed or
were possible to open.
(16:57):
Generosity shifts our mindset from scarcity to abundance.
And that opens up a world of, well,
new possibilities for both of us.
Number five, mastery of self equals mastery of
life.
I've said this before, guys, and I think
it's an important thing to realize is that
(17:18):
when you understand this, you have learned something
that most people miss.
One of my biggest lessons came during a
stressful period in my business when everything seemed
to go wrong at once.
This was around the COVID time.
My emotions were all over the place, and
it was affecting my decisions every which way.
(17:40):
I realized I had to master my own
reactions to stay calm, to think clearly, and
not let fear, false evidence appearing real, or
frustration drive me.
See, when I focused, guys, this is important,
on controlling myself rather than the situation, things
(18:01):
began to turn around.
Mastery of self gave me clarity, resilience, and
the power to lead effectively.
It's a lesson that has stayed with me
ever since.
When we master ourselves, well, we truly master
life and everything around us.
Number six, freedom flourishes through humility.
There was a time I thought I had
(18:22):
to have all the answers to be a
great leader, but I quickly learned that admitting
what I didn't know and asking for help
actually strengthened my connections and opened up solutions
I couldn't have found alone.
Humility, yep, that special dose there, let me
learn from others and build stronger teams.
(18:46):
It freed me from the pressure of, well,
perfection, allowed me to grow.
Real freedom comes from, well, when we stop
trying to prove ourselves and instead focus on
becoming better together.
I think that's important, better together.
Number seven, serving lifts both the giver and
(19:09):
the receiver, and I think that's a very,
very important thing for a lot of people
to realize, is that when we embrace that
whole concept, right, things change.
I once organized a community cleanup event, thinking
it was just about improving our neighborhood, but
as I worked alongside many of the volunteers
or strangers at first, I felt a powerful
(19:33):
sense of connection and pride.
That day wasn't just about cleaning up litter
on the ground.
It was about building and fostering a powerful,
priceless community.
Service gave all of us a deeper purpose
and sense of belonging in the world.
(19:53):
It reminded me and others that every time
we serve, we strengthen both ourselves and the
world around us.
The act of giving life, well, it lifts
everyone.
It involved the process to fill us with
a sense of shared freedom and purpose.
(20:14):
Some people spend their entire life trying to
find purpose.
They don't know what it is.
They think they can get purpose from an
award.
They think they can get purpose from just
being in the limelight.
They think they can get purpose from just
making millions of dollars, but that's not purpose.
(20:35):
Number eight, inner peace creates outer freedom.
Let me say that again.
Inner peace creates outer freedom.
There was a season in my life when
I felt overwhelmed by external chaos.
This was many years ago.
Deadlines, challenges, and unexpected changes, guys.
(20:57):
What changed everything was making time each day
for, well, a few moments of quiet reflection
and some gratitude.
That small habit helped me find a sense
of calmness, even when the world felt very
turbulent.
Inner peace was the secret that gave me
(21:17):
the ability to choose my responses instead of
being controlled by stress.
It reminded me that real freedom isn't about
what happens to us.
It's about what happens within us.
When we find peace inside, we create freedom
outside.
This reminds me of an important story.
It doesn't matter whether you get good cards,
(21:41):
mediocre cards, or bad cards.
We're all going to get them.
It's not what cards we get or what
situations that we are dealt or that we
fall into.
It's how we choose as human beings to
respond to that situation that shapes our character.
(22:03):
It defines, well, the personality of whether other
people are going to want to stay with
us or whether they're going to want nothing
to do with us.
Everyone's had challenges and hardships.
I think what we need to do is
look on the inside.
Look for the silver lining.
(22:24):
I know there's some people out there saying,
John, come on.
No, no, no.
I'm not going to say come on.
I'm going to say be serious here.
You need to realize that there is a
golden lining in every challenge.
Maybe the challenge was there to teach you
something so that next time when you come
around, you will be, well, more ready for
(22:51):
the situation.
I think that's something that hopefully will fuel
a lot of you guys.
It's the moment that we sense something.
How do we react?
What do we do?
I think that comes from knowing that we've
got confidence.
Now, confidence doesn't get built overnight, folks.
(23:13):
With freedom, we have responsibility.
When we harness freedom properly and we respect
responsibility, we create powerful systems.
We create powerful communities.
(23:36):
But freedom can also be abused.
Freedom can be used to control others.
Although that might sound like something really great,
you will quickly find that it's not going
to be what you think it's going to
be.
I think that happens because a lot of
(23:58):
people just don't realize why something is going
a certain way.
Why?
That why can be answered when you choose
to meditate.
When you choose to meditate, your life will
become better.
(24:19):
You'll discover purpose that you never knew really
was there before.
You'll get a new sense of, well, tranquility.
You'll become calm.
You will make connections and see things that
(24:40):
were there the whole time, but you just
weren't tuning into.
What I like to equate this to is
that there's radio signals, right, or satellite signals,
depending on what you're listening to, XM or
Sirius radio or FM radio or what have
you.
So there's all, even TV, right?
(25:01):
There are different stations playing all the time.
There's a station of abundance.
There's a station of scarcity.
And so when we align ourselves, when we
on, let's say, in our world tune to
that radio station, we know how to do
that.
But when we do that in our life,
(25:21):
it's like the magic happens.
And so when we know how to tune
into that frequency, we do that by meditation.
We do that by reflecting.
And when this happens, we start to slowly
(25:44):
get some inclinings on our purpose.
We go down that roadway a little more,
and we find out that, hey, this makes
sense.
Yes, it does.
But I'm not going to tell you that
this is going to happen to you the
first time.
Have you ever maybe, let's say, listened to
(26:06):
a song, and the first time you listen
to it, you're like, oh, this is a
great song.
But then after you heard it maybe like
eight, nine or 10 times, like it's still
a great song, but I never realized that
lyric was in there.
And now I like the song even better.
I think it's just because our world is
in such a rush that we don't take
time to smell the coffee or the hot
(26:26):
chocolate or even sip the cider or even
your tea or enjoy your food.
We're already on to, well, what's for dessert?
Let's enjoy that filet mignon.
Let's enjoy every bite.
Let's enjoy our life.
Let's meditate.
Let's realize that a steak tastes better when
(26:50):
we take time to enjoy it and not
be trying to throw it down our throats.
Let's realize that that trip that we took
is a lot better when we get in
the moment.
We start to enjoy our freedom.
We start to explore and choose to share
(27:10):
kindness, not because we have to, guys, but
because we want to.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
Do check out BelieveMeAchieve.com for more of
my amazing, inspiring creations.
I wish you a very happy, healthy, wonderful,
amazing, safe 4th of July, and I'll catch
you real soon.
Be well, everyone.
Hello there everyone.
It is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
It is great to be with you on
Inspirations for Your Life, and I'm just taking
a moment here to wish everyone a very
happy, healthy, and safe 4th of July weekend,
and traveling this weekend, but you know I
(00:36):
always put these shows out for you guys
all the time, so it is really, really
great to be with everyone here.
Thank you so much for tuning in.
If you are new to the Inspirations for
Your Life show, well I would definitely like
to say welcome to you right now.
If you are coming back to the show,
well I'd definitely like to say welcome back,
(00:56):
friends.
Thanks so much for coming back.
So this is Friday, which is July 4th,
incidentally, but in addition to being July 4th,
it is the close of our master topic,
because we run our weeks from Saturday and
we close them on Friday.
Our granular topic, in case you guys were
wondering, it is walking forward with purpose, and
(01:17):
our granular topic for today, which is how
we do every day, freedom comes through kindness,
service, and self-control.
Incidentally, that's series 4, show 27, episode number
7, and like I said everyone, welcome, welcome,
and welcome.
If you didn't know about BelieveMeAchieve.com, why
not check that out after the show?
(01:40):
You can do it 24 hours a day,
you can catch more of my long-form
content, my short-form content, and you'll really
appreciate it.
So you can also catch my podcast there
as well.
And so if you are thirsty or maybe
a little parched, feel free to go get
yourself something to, let's say quench the thirst,
whether that's water, whether it's soda, whether it's
(02:00):
something else, sparkling water, or maybe you want
a snack like some nuts or some fruits,
whether it be healthy, whether it be sweet,
whether it be tart, that's totally up to
you.
And hurry on back to the show, right,
so we can kick this off.
All right everyone, let's kick this show off
because I know that you are just as
anxious as I am here.
By the way, happy, healthy, safe 4th of
(02:23):
July to everyone.
That is definitely something that I want to
express to all of you here that are
coming.
If this is your, again, if it's your
first time, I welcome you.
If it's not your first time, well then
I definitely say welcome back.
It is always great to be with all
of you here on the Inspirations for Your
(02:44):
Life show.
And I know a lot of you are
looking for things to improve your life.
And that's what I provide here.
I provide nuggets of information where, well, you
can find those missing links to have an
even better life.
So welcome everyone to another empowering, amazing, heart
-opening episode of, yes, the ever-popular Inspirations
(03:05):
for Your Life podcast.
I'm not only a host, a podcast coach,
serial entrepreneur, video producer, engineer, and many more
things.
I'm John C.
Morley, and I'm also a passionate lifelong learner.
And it is my extreme privilege and pleasure
to welcome you to the show today.
Tonight I'm diving into the deep truth that
(03:26):
freedom isn't something granted to us by the
world.
Huh?
It's something we cultivate from within ourselves.
Together we'll explore how qualities like kindness, generosity,
and service, that's right, and self-control help
us break free from the chains that hold
(03:46):
us back and unlock the most powerful, authentic,
well, form of ourself in freedom.
And that freedom of our own true soul.
So let's journey inward, everyone, and discover how
these timeless values can transform the way we
live, we lead, and we connect.
But we need to make a conscious decision
(04:10):
to do that, aren't I wrong?
So let's go ahead and do that right
now.
Number one is compassion breaks inner chains.
I love this.
When we choose compassion, again, I said choose
compassion, we release ourselves from prison of judgment,
anger, and resentment.
(04:31):
Compassion, ladies, gentlemen, allows us to see others
and ourselves through a lens of, well, understanding
and acceptance.
This shifts, enables us to be lifting a
heavy weight from our hearts, breaking free from
the chains of any negativity, and creating space
(04:51):
for inner freedom and joy.
But it has to start, ladies, gentlemen, with
your choice to do this.
It's not on autopilot, okay?
Number two, helping others sets us free.
I know that sounds crazy, but just hear
me out.
When we serve others, we shift the spotlight
away from our own struggles and open the
(05:12):
door to deeper connection and purpose.
Helping isn't just about a clarity.
It's about realizing that by lifting others, we
rise as well.
Each act of kindness liberates us from isolation
and strength.
It's us, of course, with the invisible bonds
that we have that make us truly human.
(05:34):
Number three, guys, discipline.
That's right.
Discipline leads to real freedom.
True freedom isn't about doing whatever we want,
whenever we want.
I want to be clear about that.
We've said this earlier in the week.
It's about having the discipline to choose what
serves us best.
Discipline helps us break free from harmful habits,
(05:58):
toxic behaviors, and distractions, and impulses, allowing us
to walk the path we've chosen with immense
clarity and intention.
I've said we've got to be purposeful.
I've said we've got to live our life
with intention, because if we don't, no one
else is going to do that for us.
Number four, generosity opens new pathways.
(06:24):
Generosity creates ripples that extend far beyond what
we can see.
When we give, whether it's time, it's resources,
or simply a listening ear, we create opportunities
for connection and growth.
Generosity frees us from the grip of scarcity.
Thinking invites a mindful of abundance into our
(06:49):
lives.
Now, again, you might say, John, I don't
understand how words can do this.
Well, what I want to let you know
is that your thoughts create reality.
Let me say that again, folks.
Your thoughts create reality.
So everything that ever is, and everything that
ever was, always came from a thought.
(07:10):
Anything.
That's your iPhone, that's food, that's even you.
Everything came from a thought before it actually
was able to be in full form in
our wonderful world.
Number five, mastery of self equals mastery of
life.
That's pretty remarkable, he asked me that.
Let me say that again.
(07:31):
Mastery of self equals mastery of life.
Mastery of self equals mastery of life.
The greatest victory is over oneself.
When we learn to master our emotions, our
impulses, and our reactions, we gain true control
over our own destiny.
Self-mastery is the gateway to a life
(07:53):
of true intentional purpose, resilience, and, of course,
fulfillment.
A life where we are free to become
our highest level of ourself.
And so this requires leaving your ego at
the door.
This requires being someone that's going to look
(08:15):
at yourself and be truthful and not try
to, you know, say, well, that's not me.
That's not me.
That's not going to help us learn.
Number six, freedom flourishes through humility.
I know a lot of people, when I
mention the word humility, they say, oh, I'm
humble.
I'm very filled with humility.
(08:35):
But in actuality, guys, they're not.
And the reason I say this to you
is because they want others to feel that
they are humble.
Because they think that if others see them
as humble, you know what?
That they're going to be treated like that.
Well, unfortunately, you have to, let's say, talk
(08:56):
the talk and walk the walk.
You can't just try to fake it.
It's not going to work.
I'm just going to be quite honest with
you.
Humility reminds us that we are part of
something much bigger than just ourselves.
It frees us from the burden of ego
and invites collaboration, learning, and, of course, growth.
(09:19):
Through humility, we find strength in admitting we
don't have all the answers.
And that is where our real freedom begins
and we can start to explore.
Number seven, serving.
Lifts both the giver and the receiver.
You see, every act of service is a
(09:40):
two-way gift.
When we serve others, we enrich their lives.
But we also elevate our own.
It's like the reverse boomerang effect, right?
It throws, it gives some love, but then
it comes back and hits us as well.
So whatever you give out comes right back
to you.
Service, guys, breaks down barriers, okay?
(10:03):
It builds bridges and it fosters a sense
of belongingness, connectivity, that makes us all stronger
and freer to not have to be together
to want to be together.
I think that's a thing most people struggle
with.
Service is, well, you know, you're supposed to
(10:24):
do this, you have to do this.
Well, you don't have to do anything.
But if you do something because you think
it's the right thing, that could be a
problem for you guys.
It could be a serious, serious, serious problem.
And I mean that, guys.
I mean that if you don't understand, it's
a serious, serious problem.
Number eight, our last point for tonight.
(10:47):
Inner peace creates outer freedom.
Let me say that again.
Inner peace creates outer freedom.
The battles that matter most are the ones
that are within us.
When we cultivate inner peace, we stop being
controlled by all the external chaos and mishmash.
Inner calm gives us the strength to respond,
(11:10):
not react, to choose, not to be driven.
And that in itself is ultimate freedom.
Remember I said there are two ways to
live.
You can be reactive, okay, or you can
be proactive.
If you are reactive, then it's like things
flow a lot better, all right?
(11:33):
That's an important thing to understand.
So think about that for a moment, okay?
The battles that matter most are the ones
within.
And remember, if we choose not to be
a person that has a life of reactiveness
(11:55):
and more proactiveness, we're going to be a
lot more calm.
We're going to be a lot more peaceful.
We're going to be a lot more approachable.
We're going to be able to be living
more in the moment.
And I think that's something many people feel
is overrated, but I'm here to tell you
that you don't get the benefit from that
(12:16):
overnight.
You have to explore it.
That's the best way to say it, all
right?
And you have to live it and feel
it.
So what I want to do now is
one of my most favorite parts of the
program.
So what I'm going to do is to
give you basically a personal lesson or a
story for each point.
(12:38):
And it's my hope, guys, that by doing
this, it's going to solidify everything I've talked
about tonight, and it's going to get you
to appreciate who you are and maybe some
of the nuances that, I don't know, you
might have forgotten or you might have gotten
trapped with.
Maybe you got stuck somewhere.
And you know, you didn't mean to get
stuck, but because of life getting busy and
(13:01):
basically not choosing to be in the moment,
well, you miss out.
And so everyone in the world today is
very fast-paced because worlds are fast-paced,
especially from being from the Northeast, New Jersey,
New York.
I mean, they're very fast-paced areas.
(13:22):
You go to southern parts of the country
or Florida, et cetera, and they move a
little bit slower, especially go down south.
They are in no rush to get your
coffee or get your ice cream.
They'll just take their sweet time because that's
how they operate down there.
So compassion, let's go there, breaks, interchanges.
(13:45):
I remember a time when a colleague said
something that really stung me.
It was unfair and it was hurtful.
My first reaction was to respond with anger,
but I paused a moment and chose compassion
instead.
Took a few deep breaths.
I reminded myself that maybe he was having
a rough day or fighting a battle.
(14:07):
I couldn't see this.
That choice changed everything.
I felt lighter because I wasn't carrying around
the weight of bitterness.
Later on, we actually became friends.
That experience taught me that compassion doesn't just
free the other person, it frees us.
It dissolves those walls, softens the hearts, and
(14:29):
helps us let go of the negativity that
keeps us stuck.
You see, compassion, ladies and gentlemen, let me
say this again.
Compassion is a key that unlocks our own
inner peace.
Number two, helping others sets us free.
(14:49):
I'll never forget volunteering at a local shelter
during the holidays.
I went in thinking I was helping those
in need.
By the end of the day, I realized
how much they helped me.
Sharing a warm meal, listening to their stories,
it reminded me of everything I had to
be grateful for.
Helping others lifted me out of my own
(15:11):
worries and challenges and gave me a sense
of purpose that nothing else seemed to match.
This was years ago.
That's the beautiful paradox when we lift others
up.
We rise to the occasion.
We become part of something greater and bigger
than ourselves.
That's where real freedom actually takes flight.
(15:32):
Number three, discipline leads to real freedom.
Years ago, I struggled with staying focused on
my personal goals, whether it was fitness, business,
or learning something new.
I'd start strong, but I'd fall off track.
It wasn't until I made small, consistent disciplines
like setting a schedule, limiting distractions, and sticking
(15:55):
to commitments that I started to feel, well,
truly free.
That discipline gave me control over my time,
my energy, and my future.
Instead of feeling pulled in a thousand different
directions, I felt focused and empowered.
(16:15):
Discipline isn't restrictive, guys.
It's what gives us the freedom to create
the life that we have always wanted.
Number four, generosity opens new paths.
There was a time when I decided to
mentor a young entrepreneur who reached out to
me for advice.
I didn't expect anything in return.
(16:36):
I just wanted to help.
But that act of generosity led to a
lasting friendship.
And later, he introduced me to, well, opportunities
I never could have even imagined were possible.
Giving freely of our time, knowledge, or support
opens doors we didn't even know existed or
were possible to open.
(16:57):
Generosity shifts our mindset from scarcity to abundance.
And that opens up a world of, well,
new possibilities for both of us.
Number five, mastery of self equals mastery of
life.
I've said this before, guys, and I think
it's an important thing to realize is that
(17:18):
when you understand this, you have learned something
that most people miss.
One of my biggest lessons came during a
stressful period in my business when everything seemed
to go wrong at once.
This was around the COVID time.
My emotions were all over the place, and
it was affecting my decisions every which way.
(17:40):
I realized I had to master my own
reactions to stay calm, to think clearly, and
not let fear, false evidence appearing real, or
frustration drive me.
See, when I focused, guys, this is important,
on controlling myself rather than the situation, things
(18:01):
began to turn around.
Mastery of self gave me clarity, resilience, and
the power to lead effectively.
It's a lesson that has stayed with me
ever since.
When we master ourselves, well, we truly master
life and everything around us.
Number six, freedom flourishes through humility.
There was a time I thought I had
(18:22):
to have all the answers to be a
great leader, but I quickly learned that admitting
what I didn't know and asking for help
actually strengthened my connections and opened up solutions
I couldn't have found alone.
Humility, yep, that special dose there, let me
learn from others and build stronger teams.
(18:46):
It freed me from the pressure of, well,
perfection, allowed me to grow.
Real freedom comes from, well, when we stop
trying to prove ourselves and instead focus on
becoming better together.
I think that's important, better together.
Number seven, serving lifts both the giver and
(19:09):
the receiver, and I think that's a very,
very important thing for a lot of people
to realize, is that when we embrace that
whole concept, right, things change.
I once organized a community cleanup event, thinking
it was just about improving our neighborhood, but
as I worked alongside many of the volunteers
or strangers at first, I felt a powerful
(19:33):
sense of connection and pride.
That day wasn't just about cleaning up litter
on the ground.
It was about building and fostering a powerful,
priceless community.
Service gave all of us a deeper purpose
and sense of belonging in the world.
(19:53):
It reminded me and others that every time
we serve, we strengthen both ourselves and the
world around us.
The act of giving life, well, it lifts
everyone.
It involved the process to fill us with
a sense of shared freedom and purpose.
(20:14):
Some people spend their entire life trying to
find purpose.
They don't know what it is.
They think they can get purpose from an
award.
They think they can get purpose from just
being in the limelight.
They think they can get purpose from just
making millions of dollars, but that's not purpose.
(20:35):
Number eight, inner peace creates outer freedom.
Let me say that again.
Inner peace creates outer freedom.
There was a season in my life when
I felt overwhelmed by external chaos.
This was many years ago.
Deadlines, challenges, and unexpected changes, guys.
(20:57):
What changed everything was making time each day
for, well, a few moments of quiet reflection
and some gratitude.
That small habit helped me find a sense
of calmness, even when the world felt very
turbulent.
Inner peace was the secret that gave me
(21:17):
the ability to choose my responses instead of
being controlled by stress.
It reminded me that real freedom isn't about
what happens to us.
It's about what happens within us.
When we find peace inside, we create freedom
outside.
This reminds me of an important story.
It doesn't matter whether you get good cards,
(21:41):
mediocre cards, or bad cards.
We're all going to get them.
It's not what cards we get or what
situations that we are dealt or that we
fall into.
It's how we choose as human beings to
respond to that situation that shapes our character.
(22:03):
It defines, well, the personality of whether other
people are going to want to stay with
us or whether they're going to want nothing
to do with us.
Everyone's had challenges and hardships.
I think what we need to do is
look on the inside.
Look for the silver lining.
(22:24):
I know there's some people out there saying,
John, come on.
No, no, no.
I'm not going to say come on.
I'm going to say be serious here.
You need to realize that there is a
golden lining in every challenge.
Maybe the challenge was there to teach you
something so that next time when you come
around, you will be, well, more ready for
(22:51):
the situation.
I think that's something that hopefully will fuel
a lot of you guys.
It's the moment that we sense something.
How do we react?
What do we do?
I think that comes from knowing that we've
got confidence.
Now, confidence doesn't get built overnight, folks.
(23:13):
With freedom, we have responsibility.
When we harness freedom properly and we respect
responsibility, we create powerful systems.
We create powerful communities.
(23:36):
But freedom can also be abused.
Freedom can be used to control others.
Although that might sound like something really great,
you will quickly find that it's not going
to be what you think it's going to
be.
I think that happens because a lot of
(23:58):
people just don't realize why something is going
a certain way.
Why?
That why can be answered when you choose
to meditate.
When you choose to meditate, your life will
become better.
(24:19):
You'll discover purpose that you never knew really
was there before.
You'll get a new sense of, well, tranquility.
You'll become calm.
You will make connections and see things that
(24:40):
were there the whole time, but you just
weren't tuning into.
What I like to equate this to is
that there's radio signals, right, or satellite signals,
depending on what you're listening to, XM or
Sirius radio or FM radio or what have
you.
So there's all, even TV, right?
(25:01):
There are different stations playing all the time.
There's a station of abundance.
There's a station of scarcity.
And so when we align ourselves, when we
on, let's say, in our world tune to
that radio station, we know how to do
that.
But when we do that in our life,
(25:21):
it's like the magic happens.
And so when we know how to tune
into that frequency, we do that by meditation.
We do that by reflecting.
And when this happens, we start to slowly
(25:44):
get some inclinings on our purpose.
We go down that roadway a little more,
and we find out that, hey, this makes
sense.
Yes, it does.
But I'm not going to tell you that
this is going to happen to you the
first time.
Have you ever maybe, let's say, listened to
(26:06):
a song, and the first time you listen
to it, you're like, oh, this is a
great song.
But then after you heard it maybe like
eight, nine or 10 times, like it's still
a great song, but I never realized that
lyric was in there.
And now I like the song even better.
I think it's just because our world is
in such a rush that we don't take
time to smell the coffee or the hot
(26:26):
chocolate or even sip the cider or even
your tea or enjoy your food.
We're already on to, well, what's for dessert?
Let's enjoy that filet mignon.
Let's enjoy every bite.
Let's enjoy our life.
Let's meditate.
Let's realize that a steak tastes better when
(26:50):
we take time to enjoy it and not
be trying to throw it down our throats.
Let's realize that that trip that we took
is a lot better when we get in
the moment.
We start to enjoy our freedom.
We start to explore and choose to share
(27:10):
kindness, not because we have to, guys, but
because we want to.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
Do check out BelieveMeAchieve.com for more of
my amazing, inspiring creations.
I wish you a very happy, healthy, wonderful,
amazing, safe 4th of July, and I'll catch
you real soon.
Be well, everyone.
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