Stop Wasting Your Life: A Guide To Unlocking Your Full Potential I Entrepreneur Jodie Cook

Added: Nov 3, 2023

Jodie started her first business at the age of 22 with no real business plan other than to get clients. She began by attending networking events and offering social media management services, which was a relatively new field at the time. She gradually built her business by acquiring clients and using case studies to attract more clients. Jodie's entrepreneurial mindset and desire to avoid traditional job paths led her to start her own business.

The conversation then shifts to the concept of personal success and how it can be defined differently for each individual. Jodie emphasizes the importance of designing one's own personal success system and finding ways to achieve success in multiple areas of life simultaneously. She encourages listeners to question societal norms and expectations and consider alternative paths that may be better suited to their goals and aspirations.

Jodie shares a phrase her father told her, "knowledge instills confidence, confidence instills enthusiasm, and enthusiasm sells cars and vans." She applies this concept to her own business, emphasizing the importance of confidence and enthusiasm in selling social media management services. She also discusses the role of personal confidence in entrepreneurship and the need to overcome the fear of failure and rejection.

The conversation then delves into the different traits and qualities required for entrepreneurship. Jodie believes that mental toughness and a willingness to constantly reframe challenges are essential for success in entrepreneurship. She acknowledges that not everyone may have these traits initially, but they can be developed over time with experience and a willingness to learn from others.

Jodie also discusses the fear of success and how it can hold people back from reaching their full potential. She believes that many individuals are scared of the responsibilities and changes that come with success, as well as the potential rejection from others. This fear can lead to self-sabotage and prevent individuals from taking the necessary steps to achieve their goals.

The conversation then turns to Jodie's experience of selling her agency and the freedom it provided her. She explains that the financial aspect of the sale was not the most significant factor for her. Instead, it was the freedom from being constantly tapped on the shoulder and the ability to pursue other interests, such as powerlifting and traveling. Jodie emphasizes the importance of finding the right balance between work and lifestyle and designing a business that supports one's desired lifestyle.

The discussion then shifts to the topic of starting a social media marketing agency. Jodie acknowledges that it is a popular business idea, but she believes that it can still be a viable option if one chooses to niche down and specialize in a specific platform or industry. She also discusses the challenges of running an agency, such as scaling headcount and managing client relationships.

Jodie then shares her experience of transitioning from an agency to a software company. She explains that the main difference between the two is the front-end loading in software development. In an agency, one can sell a service before delivering it, but in software, the product must be built before it can be sold. She also discusses the different pricing models and client relationships in software compared to an agency.

The conversation continues with a discussion of the different games one can play in business. Jodie identifies four games: the artist game, the lifestyle game, the performance game, and the build it and sell it game. She explains that each game has its own goals and motivations, and individuals can choose which game aligns with their values and aspirations. She also introduces the concept of an artist performance game, which combines elements of both artistry and performance.

The conversation continues with a question about how winning the lottery would change one's life. The guest suggests that if winning the lottery would significantly change one's life, it may indicate that the person is not currently living their dream life. She explains that a key aspect of being a high performer or achieving world-class status in a particular area is the ability to subtract and remove things that are not essential or fulfilling.

The guest introduces the concept of addition bias, which is the tendency to add more things when faced with a problem or challenge. She gives examples such as hiring more people, adding reports, or creating new products. However, she argues that the solution is often to subtract rather than add. By removing activities or commitments that are not fulfilling or do not contribute to one's goals, individuals can create space for more meaningful pursuits.

To help listeners identify what to subtract from their lives, the guest suggests performing a personal audit. She describes a simple exercise involving a blank piece of paper divided into four sections: start, stop, more, and less. The focus should be on the stop and less sections, identifying activities or habits that are not aligned with one's goals or values. By removing these, individuals can free up time and energy to focus on the things that truly matter.

The guest emphasizes the importance of identifying patterns in one's past achievements and successes. By examining the methods and strategies used to achieve these goals, individuals can develop their own personal success system. She shares her own success system, which involves setting intentions, seeking advice from those who have achieved similar goals, finding a method, and breaking it down into daily actions.

The host shares his own experience with following a personal success system, particularly in relation to starting and growing businesses. He highlights the importance of taking scrappy action and not getting caught up in overthinking or perfectionism. He also discusses the value of having a team to execute certain tasks, allowing him to focus on his strengths as a visionary.

The conversation then shifts to the topic of social media platforms and the host's approach to using them. The guest acknowledges that social media is not necessarily the problem, but rather other activities such as courses and sponsorships that may be taking up time and energy. She encourages the host to continue using social media platforms but to consider subtracting other activities that are not as fulfilling or aligned with his goals.

The guest suggests that the desire to add more and grow a business may stem from societal expectations and the belief that bigger is always better. She advises the host to question whether his desire for growth is truly aligned with his own values and aspirations, rather than being influenced by external factors.

The guest shares her own experience with the temptation to pursue growth and the pressure to do things "properly." She discusses how she made the decision to cancel a live cohort course and instead offer it as a passive product, freeing up more time for herself. She reflects on the initial fear and uncertainty but ultimately feels that it was the right decision.

The conversation continues with the guest encouraging listeners to examine their own personal success systems and identify patterns in their past achievements. By understanding what has worked in the past, individuals can replicate those strategies and methods to achieve future goals. She also emphasizes the importance of knowing oneself and choosing who to surround oneself with, as these factors can greatly influence one's motivation and aspirations.

Jodie continues by discussing the importance of finding one's own motivation and success factors. She shares an example of a friend who created a leaderboard to motivate himself in his business. However, Jodie realized that this approach didn't work for her because her main motivating factor was different. She emphasizes the need to understand what truly motivates oneself and to align goals and actions accordingly.

The conversation then shifts to the concept of the default mode network, which is the brain's way of processing information when not actively thinking. Jodie shares examples of how successful individuals, such as Thomas Edison and Julia Cameron, used their default mode network to come up with creative ideas and solutions. She also discusses her own approach of using the default mode network during her workout sessions to allow her mind to work on work-related tasks in the background.

Jodie introduces her framework of profession, obsession, and decompression, which helps her maintain a balance between work and personal life. She explains that profession refers to the main work that generates income, obsession is a serious hobby or interest that one wants to excel in, and decompression is the time for relaxation and rejuvenation. By categorizing activities into these three areas, Jodie is able to focus on each aspect without multitasking and allowing her default mode network to work effectively.

The conversation then delves into the topic of productive relationships. Jodie shares her experience of using user manuals in her personal and professional relationships. These user manuals outline each person's communication style, preferences, and values, allowing for better understanding and collaboration. She also emphasizes the importance of empathy and avoiding unnecessary drama in relationships.

The host asks Jodie about the characteristics of an ideal team member. Jodie highlights the importance of ownership and closing loops, where team members take responsibility for their tasks and follow through to completion. She also values individuals who have a long-term perspective and are focused on the bigger picture.

The conversation concludes with a discussion on effective communication and standing out in emails. Jodie shares that she appreciates emails that show effort and research, such as specific questions that have been tried to be answered through Google. She also mentions the importance of being impressive and going above and beyond in emails to catch the recipient's attention.