May 24, 2025 • 29 mins
In this powerful episode, we explore how gratitude is not just an emotion, but a mindset and way of life. Whether you're navigating smooth seasons or facing life’s toughest challenges, gratitude has the power to reframe your experiences, build resilience, and keep you grounded in purpose. From daily rituals to mindset shifts, we uncover how embracing gratitude can unlock deeper learning, strengthen relationships, and add meaning to every step of your journey.But today, we go even further. We unpack the real-life practices that empower us to rise—especially when life gets messy. From offering encouragement during adversity to leading with integrity and transforming hardship into growth, this episode is your heartfelt reminder that we’re all in this together. Let’s dive into ten essential ways to live with purpose, compassion, and impact.1️⃣ Encouraging Others Through Adversity 💬🤝In times of struggle, encouragement becomes a lifeline. Whether it’s a few thoughtful words, a helping hand, or simply showing up, supporting someone through adversity can be the very thing that changes their outcome—and yours. Encouragement isn’t about fixing someone’s problems; it’s about being a steady presence that reminds them they are not alone. By being a beacon of hope for others, we often discover our own inner strength shining brighter than we realized.2️⃣ Staying Committed in the Face of Hardship 💪🛠️Challenges will test your resolve—but it’s your commitment that carries you through. Perseverance doesn’t mean you never falter; it means you rise each time you do. When we commit to our values, goals, and vision despite the roadblocks, we become examples of resilience. And in those moments where you want to quit, but choose to keep going, you build the kind of character that lasts a lifetime. Commitment transforms pressure into power.3️⃣ Leading with Heart and Integrity ❤️🧭True leadership is not about authority—it’s about authenticity. When we lead with heart and integrity, we invite others to trust, connect, and grow. People don’t remember titles—they remember how you made them feel. Integrity means standing for something even when it’s hard, and heart means caring enough to lift others as you lead. This kind of leadership builds cultures that thrive, not just survive.4️⃣ Celebrating Progress, Not Perfection 🎉🧩Perfection is a myth—but progress is magic. By shifting our focus from flawless outcomes to meaningful movement forward, we invite joy and self-compassion into the process. Every step matters. Every effort counts. When we celebrate milestones, no matter how small, we keep momentum alive. This mindset transforms criticism into curiosity and setbacks into stepping stones.5️⃣ Practicing Everyday Kindness and Fairness 🌱⚖️Kindness is a quiet force that changes everything. It’s not always grand gestures—sometimes it's a smile, a thoughtful message, or listening with your full attention. When paired with fairness, kindness becomes a culture-builder. Fairness means treating people with equal respect and consideration, regardless of status or opinion. Together, they create a ripple effect that builds trust, morale, and belonging.6️⃣ Building Respectful, Meaningful Connections 🤝🌐Relationships are the soul of a fulfilling life. And at the heart of every great connection is mutual respect. Meaningful relationships are not built overnight—they’re built moment by moment, through honesty, presence, and vulnerability. When we truly see and value others, we create safe spaces for them to flourish—and for us to grow alongside them.7️⃣ Embracing Change as a Path to Growth 🔄🌿Change can feel like disruption—but it’s often the invitation we need to evolve. Growth doesn’t come from comfort zones. When we lean into uncertainty with curiosity instead of fear, we begin to discover who we really are. Change teaches flexibility, creativity, and resilience. The key is not to resist it, but to ride it like a wave—knowing each turn may lead you to something better.8️
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:20):
Well, hello there everyone, it is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
Just wrapping up our week here.
This is going to be, as you know,
episode number seven, because it is a Friday.
And welcome everyone.
Our master topic for the week, in case
you were wondering, is building a better world
through love, resilience, and renewal.
And tonight's, his granular topic, excuse me, had
(00:45):
some pretzel in my teeth there, rooted in
compassion, rising through challenge, series four, show 21,
episode number seven.
And I do want to welcome every one
of you here to the show.
And I invite you definitely later on to
check out BelieveMeAchieve.com for more of my
amazing, of course, inspiring creations.
That's long form and short form content.
(01:06):
Definitely check it out.
I know you will definitely be inspired.
So what are you waiting for?
All right, guys, I know it might be
late or depending on when you're watching this,
maybe you want to get a snack.
Like I'm actually going to have a nice
slice of chocolate cake a little bit later.
But maybe you want something cold, maybe you
want something hot, maybe you want something healthy
or not, that's totally up to you.
Go and get that and head on back
(01:27):
from the kitchen so we can kick off
this show.
All right, guys, again, like I said, welcome,
welcome, welcome, and welcome.
I am John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
I'm not only a podcast host, but I'm
also a podcast coach and engineer and lots
of other great things to inspire and help
(01:48):
you become better.
So in this powerful episode here tonight, I'm
exploring how gratitude is not just an emotion,
but it's a mindset and a way of
life.
Whether you're navigating smooth seasons or facing life's
toughest challenges, gratitude has the power to reframe
your experiences, build resilience, and keep you grounded
(02:09):
in purpose.
Now, from daily rituals to mindset shifts, we
uncover how embracing gratitude can unlock deeper learning,
strengthen relationships, and add meaning to every step
of your journey.
But today or tonight, I'm going to go
even further than that.
I'm going to unpack the real truth, the
real life practices that empower us to rise,
(02:31):
especially when life gets, well, let's say a
little messy.
From offering you encouragement during adversity to leading
with integrity and transforming hardships into growth.
This episode is your key for heartfelt reminders
that we're all in this together.
It was a great song.
I'm not going to sing it, but it's
(02:51):
like we're all in this together.
It's a great song.
Let's dive into 10 essential ways to live
with true purpose.
Number one.
You ready?
I hope you are.
All right.
Encouraging others through adversity.
In times of struggle, encouragement becomes, well, a
lifeline.
Whether it's a few thoughtful words, a helping
(03:12):
hand, or simply showing up, supporting someone through
adversity can be the very thing that changes
their outcome and yours.
Encouragement isn't about fixing someone's problems.
It's about being a steady presence that reminds
them they are not alone.
By being a beacon of hope for others,
(03:33):
we often discover our own inner strength shining
brighter than we realize.
I think that's something that a lot of
us have to appreciate.
Number two.
Staying committed in the face of hardships.
We all get hardships.
We all get these bad cards sometimes.
But hard cards come and hard cards go.
(03:55):
Challenges will test your resolve, but it's your
commitment that carries you through.
Perseverance doesn't mean you never fail, guys, or
falter.
It means you rise each time you do.
I don't care if you get knocked down
50 times.
It's not how many times you get down.
It's how many times you're able to get
back up.
(04:15):
And vision, despite the roadblocks that you hit,
we become examples of true resilience.
And in those moments where you want to
quit but choose to keep going, you build
that tough character that can last a lifetime.
Commitment transforms pressure into power.
(04:35):
So why don't we start actually living and
building commitment so we can truly embrace that?
Number three, guys.
Leading with heart and integrity.
I know so many people, they just want
to lead, but they don't lead for a
true purpose.
They lead for something they think that's going
to help them, but really, it's just going
(04:56):
to get them in more trouble.
True leadership is not about authority, but as
to what you might think from a lot
of people that are leaders, if they're giving
you that impression, well, they're not a great
leader.
It's about authenticity.
When we lead with true heart and integrity,
we invite others to trust, connect, and grow.
(05:17):
You see, people don't remember titles.
They remember how you made them feel.
Integrity means standing for something even when it's
hard.
And heart means caring enough to lift others
as you lead.
This kind of leadership builds cultures that thrive,
not just survive.
I think that's an important point for all
(05:38):
of us to realize is that we truly
can thrive, but we've got to want to
do that.
We've got to want to do that.
If we do that, then I can tell
you that life is going to get a
lot better for you, a lot better.
Number four, celebrating progress, not perfection.
(06:02):
I know so many people out there that
they only want to celebrate when they get
perfection.
And although that's really nice, it's not going
to help you get to where you want
to be.
In fact, it's going to only frustrate you
more.
So celebrate progress, not perfection.
(06:22):
Perfection is a myth, but progress is magic.
Remember what I said a while back, done
is better than perfect.
We can always make it better, but getting
it done is better than being perfect.
By shifting our focus from flawless outcomes to
meaningful movement forward, we invite joy and self
-compassion into the process.
Every step matters.
(06:43):
Every effort counts.
When we celebrate milestones, no matter how small,
we keep momentum alive.
This mindset transforms criticism into curiosity and setbacks
into stepping stones.
Practicing everyday kindness and fairness is also important.
See, kindness is a quiet force, guys, that
changes everything.
(07:03):
It's not always grand gestures that do it.
Sometimes it's a smile, it's a thoughtful message,
or it's listening with the full intention and
the attention that you want to give.
When paired with fairness, kindness becomes a culture
builder.
Fairness means treating people with equal respect and
consideration, regardless of the status or opinion.
(07:25):
Together, they create a ripple effect that builds
trust, morale, and belonging.
But I think a lot of times people
get stuck in believing what another person has
said, and then they then kick themselves in
the foot, and they can't go further, not
(07:46):
because they don't want to, but because they've
created this new belief that they can't.
You ready for number six?
So relationships are the soul of fulfilling life,
(08:07):
if you haven't gathered that by now.
At the heart of every great connection is
true, mutual respect.
Meaningful relationships are not built overnight, sorry to
say.
They're built moment by moment, breath by breath,
through true honesty, presence, and vulnerability.
(08:31):
When we truly see and value others, we
create safe spaces for them to flourish, and
for us to grow alongside them.
We're not judgmental.
We're people that just want to coexist, get
to know each other, help each other, benefit
each other.
(08:52):
That's what life's all about, guys.
Number seven, I want you to embrace change
as a path to growth.
Embrace change as a path to growth.
And that sounds like something that is very,
let's say, weird, but it's not weird, okay?
(09:14):
And I think most people don't quite understand
that they have more power than they think
they do.
(09:40):
Does that make sense to everyone?
I hope that you understand what this means
to you.
(10:07):
Maybe you'll think about it.
Maybe you'll understand that true relationships come from
not only being vulnerable, but by sharing the
(10:31):
true essence of who we are.
We're not trying to impress anybody.
We're not trying to appear bigger or better
than anyone.
We're just trying to be, living in the
moment.
So change can feel like disruption, but it's
often an invitation we need to avail.
(10:52):
See, growth doesn't come from comfort zones.
When we lean into uncertainty with curiosity instead
of fear, we begin to discover who we
really are.
Change teaches us flexibility, creativity, and resilience.
The key is not to resist it, but
to ride it like a wave.
(11:13):
Knowing each turn may lead you to something
better.
Uplifting communities with positive action is my next
point.
One person can make a difference, and when
many come together, movements are born.
Communities thrive.
New traditions are formed.
(11:33):
And individuals choose to serve with intention, positivity,
and purpose.
Whether you're mentoring youth, organizing a local drive,
or simply spreading encouragement, your actions count, folks.
And when we learn to uplift others, we
(11:53):
actually elevate ourselves.
Whatever we send out to the world, boomerangs
back to us.
We send out goodness, we get goodness back.
We send out hate or any kind of
regret or any kind of judgment, that comes
(12:15):
back to judge us.
We feel it.
Number nine, guys, turning challenges into transformations.
That sounds like something that is hard to
believe, but it's not.
(12:37):
If we can understand one thing, every challenge
that we've ever had and ever will have
holds a hidden opportunity for a gem of
transformation.
It's not avoiding those hardships, because if you
avoid them, you're going to miss the lesson.
It's about alchemizing into something meaningful and purposeful
(12:59):
for ourselves and for others.
When we choose to pause, reflect, and act
with intention that comes from our heart, struggles
become turning points.
You grow not in spite of what you
face, but because of it.
(13:19):
See, transformation is possible when we ask this
one question, you ready?
What is this here to teach me?
That's powerful, guys, very powerful.
Do you ask yourself that question when you
find yourself being challenged, or do you just
close up shop?
(13:42):
Number 10, our last point for today or
this evening, living compassionately with purpose.
Compassion is more than just kindness.
It's action driven by empathy.
I've said this before, empathy is where you
start to understand someone.
Very few people will take the next step,
(14:02):
especially strangers, and become compassionate.
Compassionate is when you take empathy to a
whole new level, and you actually either take
an action to help that person, or you
get that person to take an action.
That requires a little bit of vulnerability.
(14:22):
When rooted in true intention with purpose, it
becomes a force for good that can heal,
that can empower, and can unite.
You see, living compassionately means choosing love over
judgment, listening over reacting, and service over self
-interest is the key, folks.
(14:43):
Put our agenda on hold for a moment.
Let's help someone else.
Purpose gives your compassion direction.
Together, they light the path for a meaningful
life, all right?
They really do.
But I know so many people that have
had, let's say, they've had a stumble, right?
(15:03):
They've had a stumble, and that stumble says,
John, I don't know what to do.
Like, I don't know where I'm supposed to
go.
I don't know how I'm supposed to react,
right?
I think that could be a challenge.
So now you know what I want to
do.
I'm sure you guys know what I want
to do now.
This is that part of the program that
I'm going to give you some personal stories
(15:28):
and lessons, one for basically each point.
Does that make sense, everyone?
And I'm hoping that this will solidify what
I'm talking about tonight, and it will get
you to appreciate not only who you are,
(15:49):
but who you are becoming.
And if you're still on the fence like,
hey, John, this isn't for me, I just
want you to ask yourself, what if?
What if it was for you?
What if you did succeed?
(16:11):
What if your grandest dreams came true tomorrow?
First, would you express gratitude for those things,
or would you act conceited and pompous?
I hope that you would exercise gratitude, because
(16:33):
when we exercise gratitude, we get more things
in our life that we can be grateful
for.
Encouraging others to adversity.
Years ago, a friend of mine lost his
job unexpectedly.
I remember calling him daily, not to give
advice, but just to remind him of his
worth and to be a consistent presence and
friend.
Eventually, he found not only a better job,
but also a renewed sense of confidence.
(16:55):
What surprised me most was how our simple
conversation strengthened me just as much.
Encouragement isn't about solutions, it's about solidarity.
Sometimes the greatest gift we give is showing
up and believing in someone when they can't
believe in themselves.
And he became one of my greatest friends.
(17:15):
Staying committed in the face of hardship, I
know it can be challenging.
I know it can drain you.
We've all had these situations.
There was a time when I poured everything
into launching something, and it failed within six
months.
It felt like the world had pulled the
rug out from under me.
(17:35):
Or as I was sitting at a table,
somebody just yanked the tablecloth off while I
was eating dinner.
But instead of walking away, I took what
I had learned and started over.
I stayed committed to my mission, even when
the outcome was unclear.
That uncomfortable, painful restart turned into the foundation
(17:56):
for a more successful endeavor, a more powerful,
a more successful John.
Hardship isn't the end of something.
It's all for the refining fire that reveals
what truly matters to us.
It's meant to be a wake-up call,
(18:17):
someone will say, hey, you need to change,
right?
We know what Einstein said.
Doing the same thing over and over again
is insanity.
None of us are insane.
So we need to change what we're doing
so we can get different results.
We can't expect the same results from doing
the same thing.
Leading with heart and integrity, I once had
(18:39):
a team member who made a costly mistake
during a major project.
It would have been – I should say
it wouldn't have been easy to shift the
blame or distance myself, but I chose to
defend him publicly and correct things privately.
That moment became a turning point for our
(18:59):
team culture.
We became tighter, more transparent, and more creative.
People don't forget how you lead when things
go wrong.
Leading with heart and integrity isn't soft.
It's the strongest stance you can take.
And when somebody goes off course, there's no
need to make a public ovation about it.
(19:21):
Handle it privately.
How would you want your situations to be
held?
On Grand Central Station stage or in a
personal moment with somebody, somebody that seems to
care about you?
Celebrating progress, not perfection.
A while back, I was mentoring a young
professional who was paralyzed by his perfectionism.
(19:45):
Every mistake felt like failure to him.
I asked him to keep a small whinge
journal, and within weeks, he started seeing progress
as momentum instead of a shortfall.
One entity read, I didn't get everything right,
but I spoke up with confidence today, I
quote.
That one shift celebrating progress transformed his trajectory.
(20:09):
You don't need perfect steps.
You just need ones that are forward and
the same direction and that are continuous.
Number five, guys, practicing everyday kindness and fairness.
This seems so easy, but why don't people
do it?
(20:30):
We'll talk about that in a minute.
I'll never forget the time I bought coffee
for a person behind me at a drive
-thru.
What started as a $4 gesture turned into
a 12-car pay-it-forward chain, and
it reminded me that kindness, no matter how
small, creates ripples.
In business and life, fairness and kindness aren't
(20:50):
extras.
They're essentials.
People remember how you made them feel when
they were unseen, unheard, or unsure of themselves.
See, practice both consistently.
Okay?
Make them feel good, and you become someone
(21:11):
people trust without any question, without a reason.
I can't tell you the numerous amount of
times when people that were not welcoming to
me changed their whole outlook toward me when
they started to realize that I'm different than
the way people were painting me.
(21:32):
The people that were painting the picture were
jealous, were envious, and were just looking to
make things hard for me.
I remember an organization.
I'm not going to give you the details
because that's not proper to air laundry, but
it was an organization, a volunteer organization, that
does a lot for the town, and I
(21:54):
volunteered with one, but I wanted to volunteer
with this other one, and this one was
going to require classes and all this stuff.
And I remember being accepted, getting the nod
to basically go for the education, and then
(22:15):
things changed.
There was an elder gentleman, and nothing wrong
with he was elder, but he had a
spike in him.
He said to me, well, how do we
know we can count on you?
What happens if you become famous?
What happens if you travel?
What happens if you get busy?
(22:37):
What happens if you actually believe in me
is what I would have said.
When I see these people, I barely even
say hello.
Of course, I do to be polite, but
I know that these people have a problem.
The problem is with me.
(22:57):
It's with themselves.
I just know that I don't refer anybody
to them anymore because I don't want people
to feel how I felt.
I got to tell you, it was an
amazing feeling knowing that I was welcomed.
And then they kept wanting to have more
meetings.
(23:17):
We had like three, and then they wanted
two more.
I'm like, how many?
They're going to have as many as we
need.
Well, I asked how many meetings did such
-and-such have?
They said about two.
I said, we're now going to be in
a six meeting.
This is crazy.
They said, well, that's what it takes.
And it became like this big boys club.
(23:38):
It wasn't really about truth.
Number six, learning how to build respect and
foster those meaningful connections.
During a conference, I struck up a conversation
with someone over just a cup of coffee.
I had a hot chocolate.
They had a coffee.
There was no agenda, just some curiosity.
(23:58):
The connection turned into a friendship, then a
collaboration, and later a joint venture.
Meaningful connections aren't forced.
They're nurtured with respect and true presence.
The lesson, every person you meet could be
a key part of your journey.
Approach others with authentic interest and openness.
(24:18):
You're not just networking, you're relationship building.
You know what I want to compare this
to?
I'm taking database systems now, advanced database systems.
And I want to let you know that
there's something called an entity, right?
Things that can stand on themselves, whether that
could be a car or whether that could
be something like subjects or courses, whatever it
is.
It could be something intangible.
(24:40):
But what I want to let you know,
which is kind of interesting, is there's something
called the primary key.
Now, anything could be a primary key if
we justify it, and it has a uniqueness
to it.
Just like every person could be the key
that unlocks the potential, abundance to so many
(25:02):
things in your life, just sprinkle a little
bit of respect, kindness, and connect with people
with no agenda.
When you have no agenda, you know what's
going to happen?
People are going to want to get to
know you.
Number seven, embracing change as a path to
(25:25):
growth.
After 15 years working with one of the
largest marketing advertising companies, I pivoted.
I decided to fire them and take a
big step, open my second company.
A change that terrified me.
(25:47):
I questioned everything.
But once I embraced the unknown, I discovered
parts of myself I didn't know existed, resilience,
creativity, and adaptability.
But really, I don't just give credit to
myself.
I give credit to God and to Jesus
because he's the one that really keeps me
on track.
(26:07):
Sometimes I fall off the track, but he
always seems to get me back on the
track.
Change felt like chaos at first, but it
was really an invitation to evolve and learn.
The breakthrough didn't come from staying comfortable.
It came from saying yes to transformation.
(26:28):
Even in my school, now going back for
my master's, I'm doing something really interesting, which
I should share with you.
And that is I decided to do summer
school, but I'm doing it a little bit
differently.
I'm doing one course in seven weeks.
The second course is seven weeks.
(26:48):
The normal year semester is 14 weeks.
Seven weeks is a short period of time.
And the more I do this, I'm wondering,
do I want to do this again after
this next seven-week class?
Or do I really want to just take
two courses in 14 weeks?
Because it's a lot.
A lot of reading.
(27:10):
I feel like time just flies.
But would it be different in a 14
-week course?
Maybe.
Number eight, guys, uplifting communities with positive action.
When our town's food pantry ran low, a
few of us organized a community drive.
We didn't have a huge platform, just big
(27:31):
hearts.
In one weekend, we collected hundreds of items
and something more valuable, unity and building community.
It showed me that when people come together
with a shared purpose, change happens.
You don't need a big stage to make
a big impact.
Just start small.
(27:52):
Start local.
And remember, you have to start to make
the change.
Turning challenges into transformation, guys, I went through
a major setback a while ago.
And I learned that even after all the
doctors had given me their prognosis, my prayers
and my own dedication got me to even
(28:12):
avoid surgery.
That's a miracle.
That's our Lord.
The challenge forced me to transform life.
Now I know I can do anything.
Living compassionately with purpose might seem hard, guys.
Volunteer for things.
Do things without needing to have a reason.
(28:37):
Feel good about it.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am John C.
Morley, sir, entrepreneur.
It's always a privilege, pleasure, and honor to
be with you guys on these amazing days,
nights, and weekends.
Have yourself a fantastic rest of that, and
I'll catch you soon.
Remember, believemeachieved.com.
Be well, everyone.
Well, hello there everyone, it is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
Just wrapping up our week here.
This is going to be, as you know,
episode number seven, because it is a Friday.
And welcome everyone.
Our master topic for the week, in case
you were wondering, is building a better world
through love, resilience, and renewal.
And tonight's, his granular topic, excuse me, had
(00:45):
some pretzel in my teeth there, rooted in
compassion, rising through challenge, series four, show 21,
episode number seven.
And I do want to welcome every one
of you here to the show.
And I invite you definitely later on to
check out BelieveMeAchieve.com for more of my
amazing, of course, inspiring creations.
That's long form and short form content.
(01:06):
Definitely check it out.
I know you will definitely be inspired.
So what are you waiting for?
All right, guys, I know it might be
late or depending on when you're watching this,
maybe you want to get a snack.
Like I'm actually going to have a nice
slice of chocolate cake a little bit later.
But maybe you want something cold, maybe you
want something hot, maybe you want something healthy
or not, that's totally up to you.
Go and get that and head on back
(01:27):
from the kitchen so we can kick off
this show.
All right, guys, again, like I said, welcome,
welcome, welcome, and welcome.
I am John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
I'm not only a podcast host, but I'm
also a podcast coach and engineer and lots
of other great things to inspire and help
(01:48):
you become better.
So in this powerful episode here tonight, I'm
exploring how gratitude is not just an emotion,
but it's a mindset and a way of
life.
Whether you're navigating smooth seasons or facing life's
toughest challenges, gratitude has the power to reframe
your experiences, build resilience, and keep you grounded
(02:09):
in purpose.
Now, from daily rituals to mindset shifts, we
uncover how embracing gratitude can unlock deeper learning,
strengthen relationships, and add meaning to every step
of your journey.
But today or tonight, I'm going to go
even further than that.
I'm going to unpack the real truth, the
real life practices that empower us to rise,
(02:31):
especially when life gets, well, let's say a
little messy.
From offering you encouragement during adversity to leading
with integrity and transforming hardships into growth.
This episode is your key for heartfelt reminders
that we're all in this together.
It was a great song.
I'm not going to sing it, but it's
(02:51):
like we're all in this together.
It's a great song.
Let's dive into 10 essential ways to live
with true purpose.
Number one.
You ready?
I hope you are.
All right.
Encouraging others through adversity.
In times of struggle, encouragement becomes, well, a
lifeline.
Whether it's a few thoughtful words, a helping
(03:12):
hand, or simply showing up, supporting someone through
adversity can be the very thing that changes
their outcome and yours.
Encouragement isn't about fixing someone's problems.
It's about being a steady presence that reminds
them they are not alone.
By being a beacon of hope for others,
(03:33):
we often discover our own inner strength shining
brighter than we realize.
I think that's something that a lot of
us have to appreciate.
Number two.
Staying committed in the face of hardships.
We all get hardships.
We all get these bad cards sometimes.
But hard cards come and hard cards go.
(03:55):
Challenges will test your resolve, but it's your
commitment that carries you through.
Perseverance doesn't mean you never fail, guys, or
falter.
It means you rise each time you do.
I don't care if you get knocked down
50 times.
It's not how many times you get down.
It's how many times you're able to get
back up.
(04:15):
And vision, despite the roadblocks that you hit,
we become examples of true resilience.
And in those moments where you want to
quit but choose to keep going, you build
that tough character that can last a lifetime.
Commitment transforms pressure into power.
(04:35):
So why don't we start actually living and
building commitment so we can truly embrace that?
Number three, guys.
Leading with heart and integrity.
I know so many people, they just want
to lead, but they don't lead for a
true purpose.
They lead for something they think that's going
to help them, but really, it's just going
(04:56):
to get them in more trouble.
True leadership is not about authority, but as
to what you might think from a lot
of people that are leaders, if they're giving
you that impression, well, they're not a great
leader.
It's about authenticity.
When we lead with true heart and integrity,
we invite others to trust, connect, and grow.
(05:17):
You see, people don't remember titles.
They remember how you made them feel.
Integrity means standing for something even when it's
hard.
And heart means caring enough to lift others
as you lead.
This kind of leadership builds cultures that thrive,
not just survive.
I think that's an important point for all
(05:38):
of us to realize is that we truly
can thrive, but we've got to want to
do that.
We've got to want to do that.
If we do that, then I can tell
you that life is going to get a
lot better for you, a lot better.
Number four, celebrating progress, not perfection.
(06:02):
I know so many people out there that
they only want to celebrate when they get
perfection.
And although that's really nice, it's not going
to help you get to where you want
to be.
In fact, it's going to only frustrate you
more.
So celebrate progress, not perfection.
(06:22):
Perfection is a myth, but progress is magic.
Remember what I said a while back, done
is better than perfect.
We can always make it better, but getting
it done is better than being perfect.
By shifting our focus from flawless outcomes to
meaningful movement forward, we invite joy and self
-compassion into the process.
Every step matters.
(06:43):
Every effort counts.
When we celebrate milestones, no matter how small,
we keep momentum alive.
This mindset transforms criticism into curiosity and setbacks
into stepping stones.
Practicing everyday kindness and fairness is also important.
See, kindness is a quiet force, guys, that
changes everything.
(07:03):
It's not always grand gestures that do it.
Sometimes it's a smile, it's a thoughtful message,
or it's listening with the full intention and
the attention that you want to give.
When paired with fairness, kindness becomes a culture
builder.
Fairness means treating people with equal respect and
consideration, regardless of the status or opinion.
(07:25):
Together, they create a ripple effect that builds
trust, morale, and belonging.
But I think a lot of times people
get stuck in believing what another person has
said, and then they then kick themselves in
the foot, and they can't go further, not
(07:46):
because they don't want to, but because they've
created this new belief that they can't.
You ready for number six?
So relationships are the soul of fulfilling life,
(08:07):
if you haven't gathered that by now.
At the heart of every great connection is
true, mutual respect.
Meaningful relationships are not built overnight, sorry to
say.
They're built moment by moment, breath by breath,
through true honesty, presence, and vulnerability.
(08:31):
When we truly see and value others, we
create safe spaces for them to flourish, and
for us to grow alongside them.
We're not judgmental.
We're people that just want to coexist, get
to know each other, help each other, benefit
each other.
(08:52):
That's what life's all about, guys.
Number seven, I want you to embrace change
as a path to growth.
Embrace change as a path to growth.
And that sounds like something that is very,
let's say, weird, but it's not weird, okay?
(09:14):
And I think most people don't quite understand
that they have more power than they think
they do.
(09:40):
Does that make sense to everyone?
I hope that you understand what this means
to you.
(10:07):
Maybe you'll think about it.
Maybe you'll understand that true relationships come from
not only being vulnerable, but by sharing the
(10:31):
true essence of who we are.
We're not trying to impress anybody.
We're not trying to appear bigger or better
than anyone.
We're just trying to be, living in the
moment.
So change can feel like disruption, but it's
often an invitation we need to avail.
(10:52):
See, growth doesn't come from comfort zones.
When we lean into uncertainty with curiosity instead
of fear, we begin to discover who we
really are.
Change teaches us flexibility, creativity, and resilience.
The key is not to resist it, but
to ride it like a wave.
(11:13):
Knowing each turn may lead you to something
better.
Uplifting communities with positive action is my next
point.
One person can make a difference, and when
many come together, movements are born.
Communities thrive.
New traditions are formed.
(11:33):
And individuals choose to serve with intention, positivity,
and purpose.
Whether you're mentoring youth, organizing a local drive,
or simply spreading encouragement, your actions count, folks.
And when we learn to uplift others, we
(11:53):
actually elevate ourselves.
Whatever we send out to the world, boomerangs
back to us.
We send out goodness, we get goodness back.
We send out hate or any kind of
regret or any kind of judgment, that comes
(12:15):
back to judge us.
We feel it.
Number nine, guys, turning challenges into transformations.
That sounds like something that is hard to
believe, but it's not.
(12:37):
If we can understand one thing, every challenge
that we've ever had and ever will have
holds a hidden opportunity for a gem of
transformation.
It's not avoiding those hardships, because if you
avoid them, you're going to miss the lesson.
It's about alchemizing into something meaningful and purposeful
(12:59):
for ourselves and for others.
When we choose to pause, reflect, and act
with intention that comes from our heart, struggles
become turning points.
You grow not in spite of what you
face, but because of it.
(13:19):
See, transformation is possible when we ask this
one question, you ready?
What is this here to teach me?
That's powerful, guys, very powerful.
Do you ask yourself that question when you
find yourself being challenged, or do you just
close up shop?
(13:42):
Number 10, our last point for today or
this evening, living compassionately with purpose.
Compassion is more than just kindness.
It's action driven by empathy.
I've said this before, empathy is where you
start to understand someone.
Very few people will take the next step,
(14:02):
especially strangers, and become compassionate.
Compassionate is when you take empathy to a
whole new level, and you actually either take
an action to help that person, or you
get that person to take an action.
That requires a little bit of vulnerability.
(14:22):
When rooted in true intention with purpose, it
becomes a force for good that can heal,
that can empower, and can unite.
You see, living compassionately means choosing love over
judgment, listening over reacting, and service over self
-interest is the key, folks.
(14:43):
Put our agenda on hold for a moment.
Let's help someone else.
Purpose gives your compassion direction.
Together, they light the path for a meaningful
life, all right?
They really do.
But I know so many people that have
had, let's say, they've had a stumble, right?
(15:03):
They've had a stumble, and that stumble says,
John, I don't know what to do.
Like, I don't know where I'm supposed to
go.
I don't know how I'm supposed to react,
right?
I think that could be a challenge.
So now you know what I want to
do.
I'm sure you guys know what I want
to do now.
This is that part of the program that
I'm going to give you some personal stories
(15:28):
and lessons, one for basically each point.
Does that make sense, everyone?
And I'm hoping that this will solidify what
I'm talking about tonight, and it will get
you to appreciate not only who you are,
(15:49):
but who you are becoming.
And if you're still on the fence like,
hey, John, this isn't for me, I just
want you to ask yourself, what if?
What if it was for you?
What if you did succeed?
(16:11):
What if your grandest dreams came true tomorrow?
First, would you express gratitude for those things,
or would you act conceited and pompous?
I hope that you would exercise gratitude, because
(16:33):
when we exercise gratitude, we get more things
in our life that we can be grateful
for.
Encouraging others to adversity.
Years ago, a friend of mine lost his
job unexpectedly.
I remember calling him daily, not to give
advice, but just to remind him of his
worth and to be a consistent presence and
friend.
Eventually, he found not only a better job,
but also a renewed sense of confidence.
(16:55):
What surprised me most was how our simple
conversation strengthened me just as much.
Encouragement isn't about solutions, it's about solidarity.
Sometimes the greatest gift we give is showing
up and believing in someone when they can't
believe in themselves.
And he became one of my greatest friends.
(17:15):
Staying committed in the face of hardship, I
know it can be challenging.
I know it can drain you.
We've all had these situations.
There was a time when I poured everything
into launching something, and it failed within six
months.
It felt like the world had pulled the
rug out from under me.
(17:35):
Or as I was sitting at a table,
somebody just yanked the tablecloth off while I
was eating dinner.
But instead of walking away, I took what
I had learned and started over.
I stayed committed to my mission, even when
the outcome was unclear.
That uncomfortable, painful restart turned into the foundation
(17:56):
for a more successful endeavor, a more powerful,
a more successful John.
Hardship isn't the end of something.
It's all for the refining fire that reveals
what truly matters to us.
It's meant to be a wake-up call,
(18:17):
someone will say, hey, you need to change,
right?
We know what Einstein said.
Doing the same thing over and over again
is insanity.
None of us are insane.
So we need to change what we're doing
so we can get different results.
We can't expect the same results from doing
the same thing.
Leading with heart and integrity, I once had
(18:39):
a team member who made a costly mistake
during a major project.
It would have been – I should say
it wouldn't have been easy to shift the
blame or distance myself, but I chose to
defend him publicly and correct things privately.
That moment became a turning point for our
(18:59):
team culture.
We became tighter, more transparent, and more creative.
People don't forget how you lead when things
go wrong.
Leading with heart and integrity isn't soft.
It's the strongest stance you can take.
And when somebody goes off course, there's no
need to make a public ovation about it.
(19:21):
Handle it privately.
How would you want your situations to be
held?
On Grand Central Station stage or in a
personal moment with somebody, somebody that seems to
care about you?
Celebrating progress, not perfection.
A while back, I was mentoring a young
professional who was paralyzed by his perfectionism.
(19:45):
Every mistake felt like failure to him.
I asked him to keep a small whinge
journal, and within weeks, he started seeing progress
as momentum instead of a shortfall.
One entity read, I didn't get everything right,
but I spoke up with confidence today, I
quote.
That one shift celebrating progress transformed his trajectory.
(20:09):
You don't need perfect steps.
You just need ones that are forward and
the same direction and that are continuous.
Number five, guys, practicing everyday kindness and fairness.
This seems so easy, but why don't people
do it?
(20:30):
We'll talk about that in a minute.
I'll never forget the time I bought coffee
for a person behind me at a drive
-thru.
What started as a $4 gesture turned into
a 12-car pay-it-forward chain, and
it reminded me that kindness, no matter how
small, creates ripples.
In business and life, fairness and kindness aren't
(20:50):
extras.
They're essentials.
People remember how you made them feel when
they were unseen, unheard, or unsure of themselves.
See, practice both consistently.
Okay?
Make them feel good, and you become someone
(21:11):
people trust without any question, without a reason.
I can't tell you the numerous amount of
times when people that were not welcoming to
me changed their whole outlook toward me when
they started to realize that I'm different than
the way people were painting me.
(21:32):
The people that were painting the picture were
jealous, were envious, and were just looking to
make things hard for me.
I remember an organization.
I'm not going to give you the details
because that's not proper to air laundry, but
it was an organization, a volunteer organization, that
does a lot for the town, and I
(21:54):
volunteered with one, but I wanted to volunteer
with this other one, and this one was
going to require classes and all this stuff.
And I remember being accepted, getting the nod
to basically go for the education, and then
(22:15):
things changed.
There was an elder gentleman, and nothing wrong
with he was elder, but he had a
spike in him.
He said to me, well, how do we
know we can count on you?
What happens if you become famous?
What happens if you travel?
What happens if you get busy?
(22:37):
What happens if you actually believe in me
is what I would have said.
When I see these people, I barely even
say hello.
Of course, I do to be polite, but
I know that these people have a problem.
The problem is with me.
(22:57):
It's with themselves.
I just know that I don't refer anybody
to them anymore because I don't want people
to feel how I felt.
I got to tell you, it was an
amazing feeling knowing that I was welcomed.
And then they kept wanting to have more
meetings.
(23:17):
We had like three, and then they wanted
two more.
I'm like, how many?
They're going to have as many as we
need.
Well, I asked how many meetings did such
-and-such have?
They said about two.
I said, we're now going to be in
a six meeting.
This is crazy.
They said, well, that's what it takes.
And it became like this big boys club.
(23:38):
It wasn't really about truth.
Number six, learning how to build respect and
foster those meaningful connections.
During a conference, I struck up a conversation
with someone over just a cup of coffee.
I had a hot chocolate.
They had a coffee.
There was no agenda, just some curiosity.
(23:58):
The connection turned into a friendship, then a
collaboration, and later a joint venture.
Meaningful connections aren't forced.
They're nurtured with respect and true presence.
The lesson, every person you meet could be
a key part of your journey.
Approach others with authentic interest and openness.
(24:18):
You're not just networking, you're relationship building.
You know what I want to compare this
to?
I'm taking database systems now, advanced database systems.
And I want to let you know that
there's something called an entity, right?
Things that can stand on themselves, whether that
could be a car or whether that could
be something like subjects or courses, whatever it
is.
It could be something intangible.
(24:40):
But what I want to let you know,
which is kind of interesting, is there's something
called the primary key.
Now, anything could be a primary key if
we justify it, and it has a uniqueness
to it.
Just like every person could be the key
that unlocks the potential, abundance to so many
(25:02):
things in your life, just sprinkle a little
bit of respect, kindness, and connect with people
with no agenda.
When you have no agenda, you know what's
going to happen?
People are going to want to get to
know you.
Number seven, embracing change as a path to
(25:25):
growth.
After 15 years working with one of the
largest marketing advertising companies, I pivoted.
I decided to fire them and take a
big step, open my second company.
A change that terrified me.
(25:47):
I questioned everything.
But once I embraced the unknown, I discovered
parts of myself I didn't know existed, resilience,
creativity, and adaptability.
But really, I don't just give credit to
myself.
I give credit to God and to Jesus
because he's the one that really keeps me
on track.
(26:07):
Sometimes I fall off the track, but he
always seems to get me back on the
track.
Change felt like chaos at first, but it
was really an invitation to evolve and learn.
The breakthrough didn't come from staying comfortable.
It came from saying yes to transformation.
(26:28):
Even in my school, now going back for
my master's, I'm doing something really interesting, which
I should share with you.
And that is I decided to do summer
school, but I'm doing it a little bit
differently.
I'm doing one course in seven weeks.
The second course is seven weeks.
(26:48):
The normal year semester is 14 weeks.
Seven weeks is a short period of time.
And the more I do this, I'm wondering,
do I want to do this again after
this next seven-week class?
Or do I really want to just take
two courses in 14 weeks?
Because it's a lot.
A lot of reading.
(27:10):
I feel like time just flies.
But would it be different in a 14
-week course?
Maybe.
Number eight, guys, uplifting communities with positive action.
When our town's food pantry ran low, a
few of us organized a community drive.
We didn't have a huge platform, just big
(27:31):
hearts.
In one weekend, we collected hundreds of items
and something more valuable, unity and building community.
It showed me that when people come together
with a shared purpose, change happens.
You don't need a big stage to make
a big impact.
Just start small.
(27:52):
Start local.
And remember, you have to start to make
the change.
Turning challenges into transformation, guys, I went through
a major setback a while ago.
And I learned that even after all the
doctors had given me their prognosis, my prayers
and my own dedication got me to even
(28:12):
avoid surgery.
That's a miracle.
That's our Lord.
The challenge forced me to transform life.
Now I know I can do anything.
Living compassionately with purpose might seem hard, guys.
Volunteer for things.
Do things without needing to have a reason.
(28:37):
Feel good about it.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am John C.
Morley, sir, entrepreneur.
It's always a privilege, pleasure, and honor to
be with you guys on these amazing days,
nights, and weekends.
Have yourself a fantastic rest of that, and
I'll catch you soon.
Remember, believemeachieved.com.
Be well, everyone.
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