Peter Voogd: The Entrepreneurs Blueprint To Massive Success

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Full Transcription Of Peter Voogd Interview

Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. Join Up Dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK, David Ralph.

David Ralph [0:25]
Yes, hello there, everybody and welcome to another episode of Join Up Dots The inspiration or conversation or motivation or chat pod hour, but really kickstart your day. And whether you listen to us first thing in the morning, or just driving home from your community really does give you the blueprint to take control of your life like our guest has today. Now our guest is one of those guys that you kind of look at his backstory and you think, why not me? what what what’s different about him to myself, and I hopefully by the end of the conversation, your thing Well, not that much difference. It’s definitely he’s made decisions. He’s made choices. And he’s driven. He’s live in the direction that he wants. Now he started his first business when he was 15 and found himself like so many people broke, stressed and discouraged by the age of 22. He tried to be successful, and it didn’t work. So he gave up and decided but a life of success wasn’t for him. Well, let me tell you that the truth was far from that statement. In fact, by the age of 23, just one year later, he turned that feeling of failure into the first shoots of success as he made his birth six bigger income now three and a half years later, his earnings were over 1 million. It found the formula that worked for him, and so took the same formula and applied it in another industry. Now despite the challenge of lacking training or experience, he became the fastest manager to reach 1 million in annual sales in the company 60 plus year history, but let the six figure income because he felt his magnitude of mission growing yet inside him that is more than life. Now he’s since trained close to 5000 entrepreneurs and sales professionals, and is labelled the leading authority but entrepreneurs and stars in his own TV show called the entrepreneurial grind on the whatever it takes network is bounded. The game changes Academy runs one of the top podcasts on iTunes, titled The young entrepreneurial lifestyle. And he’s the author of the 27 time international bestseller, six months to six figures. Now, he strongly believes the more people you help to succeed, the more successful you become the old Ziggler thing. So what was it about the entrepreneurial lifestyle? But so appeal to him at such an early age? And does he see those first seven years as the catalyst to his future success, or just a series of mistakes not to repeat? Well, let’s find out as we bring onto the show and start joining up dots with the one and only Mr. Peter Voogd. How are you Peter?

Peter Voogd [2:53]
I am great, David, thanks for the great introduction. I’m excited to be here and energised as always

David Ralph [2:58]
was that the longest intro youve ever had, because I must admit I was halfway through it. And I was thinking, Blimey, by the time I finished Yes, he would have earned another million.

Peter Voogd [3:08]
It was great. I mean, I would love to wake up and just hear that introduction that would start my day off, right? Give me the confidence I need.

David Ralph [3:15]
Do you need competency because you seem a guy that really is, you know, rocking and rolling. As soon as I press Hello to you, and we came connected on Skype, it was quite obvious, but he was a man that believes in saying hello to the world in a positive way every morning. I can’t say that you you would need a confidence boost. Do you

Peter Voogd [3:35]
mean you’d be surprised now I’m working on it, and I’ve realised how important it is. So I’ve really been strategic about developing confidence and being around confident people, but I definitely haven’t always had that. So it’s something I’ve kind of developed over time. And it’s actually part of the blueprint that I’ve seen as as crucial to succeed. If you don’t have confidence, you’re always gonna find a way to lose, right? So you got to have that confidence.

David Ralph [3:57]
So let’s just sort of describe your life. For people that don’t know Peter vote now, anybody that does you’re all over the internet. I started Googling your name you’re not hard to find. But the people that don’t know you, how old are you now? Where do you live and what is a kind of normal day in your life?

Peter Voogd [4:16]
I am almost 30. And I live in San Diego, which is I was from Seattle, I’m from the Bay Area moved up to Seattle went to school in Oregon. I’ve been all over the West Coast, but now I’m in San Diego and absolutely loving it. I’m very blessed David to be able to do what I love and be able to travel and, and spread the movement of my book and speaking. And it definitely wasn’t always like this, but I’m very blessed to be doing what I’m doing so I can get in detail of when it wasn’t like this. Right? But I’ve really I’ve the last couple years I’ve purposely and strategically designed my business around my lifestyle. I think a lot of people design their lifestyle around their business and they find that their business starts running them. They got into business for flexibility and to have freedom but they end up having the opposite. So I really was strategic by doing it the wrong way first. So I’m blessed. I’m excited travelled quite a bit I, I tried to get out of the state and country once or twice a month. So I, I have a pretty good lifestyle. But I’m very fortunate. And I don’t take that for granted.

David Ralph [5:21]
Now you’re in San Diego. And for anyone who listens to this show, it seems to be one of those entrepreneurial hubs. And I talked about this a lot from the United Kingdom, this side of the pond, it seems to be there. If I speak to somebody, they’re either in San Diego diver in Boulder auto in Florida. Now is that is that just because being an entrepreneur, somebody taking control of their own life, you’re not really going to move to Alaska, you’re going to move to where it’s sunny and nice everyday Is that how it kind of works and how you’ve all ended up there.

Peter Voogd [5:53]
I mean, I think it’s very entrepreneur focus, and I think it’s such a laid back lifestyle that people do enjoy All the different options they have. And there’s a lot of great people, great attitudes, people loving life. And you find that there’s a lot of other people that have the flexibility you have. And they’re not kind of caught up in the rat race. I go to LA, often for masterminds and speaking, and it’s just, it’s a little more fast paced there in New York City. So I like the San Diego area and the outskirts in Florida, I’ve been to as well because it’s more of a soft market where people are really excited, passionate, and just appreciating life. So I definitely feel like that’s a part of it, David.

David Ralph [6:30]
So if we take you back in time, like we like to do on Join Up Dots, obviously, as you already alluded, and the intro alluded to, it wasn’t always success. You were somebody like so many of us that quite honestly didn’t know their path didn’t know the strengths they had and the talents that they could use to maximum effect, where you simply doing a job when you first left college or university or school, whatever was it just simply get a job and then see how it panned out. After that

Peter Voogd [7:01]
close well luckily so I had a business when I was 15 eBay business, right buy and sell and did really well, because so many people around me were getting normal jobs and so many of my friends were getting average jobs. It almost like it was the norm and I felt weird and I felt like an outcast not wanting to get a normal job. So I eventually succumb to mediocrity and said, Okay, I’ll try a normal job. And of course, that was a toughest time I’ve had because I realised that so i got i didn’t get forced but I felt like I just had to try the the average route getting a nine to five so I got a job making 75 an hour at a casino availing it really was getting to me that they were telling me how much I was worth and no matter how much value I added, no matter what I did to help the company no matter how many customers I helped, I still got paid the same. So it’s very frustrating to me. So I lasted about three months, and I had a choice to make where I didn’t want to work for somebody else or build someone else’s dream I wanted to do Design my life and future. So I went to college and got a job in direct sales. And that kind of is what really shifted my mindset. Because in sales, David, as you know, you can create the income you want. It’s based on your potential. It’s based on your work ethic. You have to be self motivated. But that was the shot I wanted was I wanted a job where I could create what I wanted based on who I was. Does that make sense? So that’s really what my first taste of entrepreneurship was, besides my eBay business,

David Ralph [8:25]
well, it makes total sense. But what I’m interested in is at that time with all your friends getting quote, unquote, normal jobs, how did you separate yourself because peer pressure is is all powerful, isn’t it? And if people are normally migrating in a certain way, it takes a strong character to go off in a slightly different direction.

Peter Voogd [8:44]
Exactly. And to be honest, I saw most of them not being able to afford what they wanted to do most had money problems. I and I’m just going to be very blunt. I saw a lot of people I grew up with even my parents, friends and other people complaining about their job complaining about their boss, not Unable to go on vacation can’t couldn’t stand what they did, they woke up and didn’t like what they were doing. So I just didn’t want to take that route. So I wanted to be different because I wanted a different lifestyle afterwards. So that’s the main thing is I realised that yes, they all settled, a lot of them settled for normal jobs. But I saw they weren’t happy. And I heard the quote, job stands for just over broke. And I was like, wow, that’s very true. So I read a book, I life and it was Rich Dad, Poor Dad. And that totally shifted my perspective on really what it takes to create the ideal lifestyle versus taking what’s given like most people do. So I just, I wanted to be different.

David Ralph [9:37]
Now, I wanted to be different and I think every entrepreneur or you know, all my shows on entrepreneurial, it’s just people doing different things that we’ve had adventures. We’ve had explorers, we’ve had musicians, and literally to a man and a woman. There’s that thing in your stomach, isn’t it but you feel that you don’t quite fit in. You need to do things your own way. Did you always have that even Before you were 15, when you was a small child, did you feel that you were slightly different from the rest of the kids?

Peter Voogd [10:06]
Yeah, 100% you could talk to all my teachers and say the same thing. What is wrong with this kid, he’s too hyper. He’s too. He’s not like everybody his want to be. box. So for me, it’s an interesting David, in school, you’re taught to fit in and follow directions and kind of stay the course and be like everybody else. And that’s what I did. But it just it really ate at me to where people would always label me as different or add, add. And the reality is in entrepreneurship, it’s the exact opposite. The more you stand out, and the more you’re different, the more successful you become. So it’s almost like entrepreneurship is the total opposite of school, which is why I fell in love with it at a younger age, because I saw that I had a lot of potential to be my own person and be authentic versus fit into what other people assume I should be.

David Ralph [10:49]
So so moving on to that sort of journey towards success. One of the key things that comes out on all my shows really, is you’ve got to I suppose yourself, you’ve got to be happy before you start moving towards success. We all kind of think from the outside as view, you get success that makes you happy. But actually, you’ve got to be comfortable in yourself to make those decisions to move forward. Can you see that point of view?

Peter Voogd [11:15]
Oh, 100%. I mean, I know people that they have all the money in the world and they have the outside material things and the success but they’re not really congruent authentic to who they are, they still have some issues, so they’re not happy. So no matter what the money is, no matter what the businesses if you’re not, I think success comes from the inside out, as you just said, and I’ve felt that there was a time in my life where I was focused on money when I was younger. And I remember if I just had this nice BMW in this dream car that I wanted, I would be so happy if I had this much money in the bank. And I remember sitting on my friends deck probably in 2009 or 10. And I had the car that I worked my way up to get and I had a good bank account and the reality Was I was like, wow, this is this it, I really focus more on progress and what motivated me was progressing towards my goals and helping people and adding value versus the material thing. So I realised it was a lot more about who you were than what you got or what you were doing.

David Ralph [12:15]
That’s the hard thing, isn’t it in the journey where you have a goal of what you want, and the majority of us will start with materialistic things, cars, houses, bank accounts and stuff, and you get there and you look at your bank account and his squilliam pound or whatever is in there. And you just feel the same as when you didn’t have any money and you think, hang on, something’s gone wrong. How am I achieved or base but it’s still left me in that same position.

Peter Voogd [12:41]
Hmm. Yeah, you have to develop yourself along the way. You have to make sure that you’re developing your skills, developing your integrity, adding more value continuously. I think the humans biggest motivation, David is is progress. And I see a lot of people that have the same job 10 or 15 years and they say well, I have 15 years. experience and the reality is No, they don’t they have one year of experience repeated 15 times. And they wonder why they’re complacent. You have to continue pushing the envelope and getting uncomfortable and reaching out to people playing the game at a higher level than you. So you can not only raise your standards, but expect more from yourself. And I think what helped me is not to compare myself to others anymore. And I started comparing myself to who I was the day before, and who I was last week to continue improving. And when you build that momentum, that’s what’s motivating to me personally.

David Ralph [13:32]
So that was that’s a key thing that really started you on your your road, you’re 22 years old, you’re broke, you’re stressed and you’re discouraged. And most people at that point would get, oh, it’s never going to work. It’s too hard. I’m going to stop, but you change. It was remarkable. Within a year. You basically turned it all around.

Peter Voogd [13:52]
Now it’s actually five and a half months where I was making that’s the title of my book six months to six figures. It was from when I was broken, struggling and Living in a one bedroom apartment with no furniture, I was able to create a six figure income within five and a half months from being broke because of the things obviously I’ve realised now years later what it was. At that time, I didn’t know exactly how I did it. I just did it. But now I have it into a framework kind of

David Ralph [14:17]
that makes sense. Well, no, it makes a total framework, but was it it was a framework now that you look at and we bought

Peter Voogd [14:25]
and it was it wasn’t as strategic as the steps I look back that I took I realised now. It was something that was needed and it’s very proven now to where I’ve done it in three different industries the same steps to make six figures. I’ve helped a lot of other people but in the moment, David, I didn’t know exactly that that would work.

David Ralph [14:44]
That makes sense. Yeah, it does. But how do you have to believe but you you broke your bottom level and within five and a half moms because I just that’s that’s so rapid, isn’t it that’s so rapid and you see it tomorrow. I’m again with people just churning away the year after year after year after year, we bought a belief in the world and not getting it. And you stumbled across this framework that when you look back on you kind of went, Wow, this is powerful. I can replicate this into other industries. Now, was it was it lucky? Did you stumble across it? Or was it something that was quite obvious, but you just didn’t know it at the time?

Peter Voogd [15:22]
Yeah, I think it was right in front of my face, but I didn’t realise it and it’s a part of luck being in the right place at the right time. But for me, it was a couple decisions where when I was stressed and struggling, I I kept hearing you need to reach out to people that are more successful you I realised that most people I was hanging out with David were okay with mediocrity, and they were struggling as well. So the quote that really changed my life when I was sitting in my apartment. I had heard it at a seminar or on an audio or video and it was if you really want to become a millionaire, who do you talk to? And the answer is billionaires because you’ll get there a lot faster. That really put a light bulb like because I didn’t have enough money to go into the drive thru of Wendy’s to get food. That’s how bad it was. And I realised that almost everyone else I was talking to and the company was also struggling. So I said, I need to make a decision to change. I can’t live like this and I got so fed up that I made, the biggest key is to make a definite decision to make the entrepreneur thing work. Because if you have 1% doubt you’re out. So most people take that doubt. And for me, when you ask if I believed in myself, I didn’t. But I started reaching, I made a list of the top five people in my company that already had the results I wanted. And I scheduled time to talk with them. So I reached out to people playing the game at a higher level and I elevated my circle of influence. And that’s what helped me take it to the next level because they actually had belief in me. And I had to believe in the belief they had in me until my belief actually caught up.

David Ralph [16:51]
So So yeah, if you’d gone straight to billionaires reaching out to billionaires, would that have been a jump too far did you actually have to Go to people that you know, but we’re a step ahead, first of all, and been working.

Peter Voogd [17:05]
Yeah, I mean, to be honest, I don’t know if I could get ahold of any billionaires back then you know what I mean to where I think it was just a figure of speech that made me think, Wow, if I want to do well in this company and make six figures, like a lot of people that are in the company, I need to talk to people that are already doing it. I think a lot of people they’re struggling, talk to other people who are struggling, what the hell are they what are they going to tell you? Oh, it’s okay. Keep struggling me. And this is part of life. No, it’s not. Life’s too short to struggle consistently. So when I started reaching out to those people, I cut my learning curve in half. They told me what to do, what not to do, how to get there. A lot of people are banging their head against the wall trying to figure things out. Why are you doing that? You don’t need to figure it out. People have already figured it out, talk to them, and they’ll help you get there way faster.

David Ralph [17:49]
So So is this the first step for all the listeners out there, and they’ve got a dream, they’ve got aspirations to do something, should they try to find somebody that’s already Doing it and basically say to them, would you coach me? Would you mentor me? Would you be able to answer a couple of questions? Is that the first step?

Peter Voogd [18:08]
Second, first step is absolute clarity. People need to get clear on who they are, and who they’re not, and who they need to get to the levels they need to get to. So first step really is clarity on what your strengths are, who you are, is what you’re doing intentional and strategic to where you can scale your business or build a business that obviously creates flexibility for you have to understand and get clear on if that’s the right opportunity for you. Most people jump into things because they see that shiny ball, like all this is the next thing. But then six months or a year, they’re switching jobs and they switch jobs more than they it’s they do it so fast. So you got to get clear on who you are, what your strengths are, and really what your values are. And then after that, that’s when you reach out to the people playing the game at a higher level and you really evaluate your circle of influence. Like how are those people around you? affecting your mindset and your beliefs and your standards, and how are they making you feel because a lot of people don’t realise how much of an influence people around them have on them? I’m sure you do, but most people don’t.

David Ralph [19:10]
Oh, I absolutely know. I’m so fortunate that I’m literally surrounded by people like yourself, Peter on a daily basis, you know that there’s no way that you can let your game drop when I’m having conversations with people like you. But the question really, for the listeners, again, was, yeah, total clarity is all right to say once you’ve got it, but they’re really hard questions to answer, aren’t they, but people that are in jobs or in situations that they’ve just kind of got into somehow to be able to have that clarity of what they want and what strengths they can bring. That’s difficult.

Peter Voogd [19:48]
Oh, it is. And I agree. I have, I mean, 2030 people a week, reach out David and ask, I’m in corporate America, I want to get out and start my own business. I go, okay, what’s the date that you’re going to stop doing it? Well, I don’t have what you need to have a date, I think a date makes it real. And most people will set it, I help set them for six months to a year they put a date on the calendar when they’re done. That gives them enough time. And as time decreases, intensity increases, and you’re going to find a way to make it happen if you give yourself an ultimatum and you really sell yourself on why you want to build a business and become an entrepreneur versus build someone else’s dream. So you gotta have that date to make it real, I think is the first step. I actually put in my I got that question a lot, David. So I put in my book, the exact script, I use a couple of different scripts. I used to reach out to people that are at a higher level, but I also give the script that I sent my 10 closest influential people that knew me about what my strengths were, what my weaknesses were, what do they think I’m the best at how have I added the most value to them? And that gave me so much clarity you would not believe so I can try and attach that script to you so you could attach to the show notes if you want. Yeah,

David Ralph [20:57]
absolutely. But I like that. When time decreases intensity increases, because that that does drive you on, doesn’t it? And yes, it will be stressful because you’ve set this target. But it becomes something that is it’s on your mind all the time, isn’t it instead of our watch Telly tonight that can wait, you know that he’s going to get closer and closer and closer. It is a key thing to actually write it down or is it just a key thing to have it in your head?

Peter Voogd [21:28]
Oh, yeah, you got to write it down. I mean, I have a one page productivity planner that I I make sure I have my top five goals. I have my my top five values. I have the two or three most important habits that I need to accomplish that I need to develop to get to that goal. And then I have a vision for the next six months to a year for my life in business. And I look at that daily. It’s so crucial to look at your goals and look at your reasons daily. So you want to let here’s the key. You want to let your vision guide you not your current circumstances or your feelings. My People let them feelings guide them. And if you do what you feel like you’re not going to do very much so you got to let your standards and your vision guide every choice you make not your current reality, if that makes sense.

David Ralph [22:11]
Yeah, well what does your mom and dad think about you saying their son so forward thinking and moving everything?

Peter Voogd [22:19]
I mean, they’re proud and they realised that I was different A long time ago and and I think the best thing I think for them is that I’m, I’ve always been independent and took care of myself, never asked them for money, never asked them the best thing I did is lead by example. I think so to answer your question. I mean, I think they’re proud that I am happy Most of all, and I’m loving what I’m doing. And I’m obviously using my talents and gifts for a bigger purpose that that’s beyond myself to help people that were in my situation to help younger people and things like that. So so they’re proud and excited.

David Ralph [22:52]
Yeah, no, you should be absolutely there. But one of the things that so many people struggle with is creating a path that that their parents would be happy for. And you see it time and time again that people end up doing what their dad did. Because they thought that’s the way to go forward. Well as sort of a feast these spirit comparisons with your family with your mom and dad and your siblings if you’ve got any alleppey. are you all going through it as an in the same way?

Peter Voogd [23:20]
Yeah, this is a subject you don’t want to get me started on? I’ll go off on this one. Yeah, most people are living their parents dreams because their parents? Yeah, I mean, well, I don’t know if we should talk about that fully. But so for me, my mom did want me to start kind of with the nine to five and the minimum wage job because she said that’s what most people do. And I kept saying, Mom, I don’t want to be like most people. Most people struggle and don’t like what they do. I want to do my own thing. And I think what changed for me and to answer your question, yes, a lot of my family is doing the normal route, but a lot of them on both sides are doing the entrepreneur thing too. So I was very, very lucky. My mom’s in real estate. She’s always been her own boss. And I was very lucky to have that to see she could create her own income based on her potential. And my dad was an entrepreneur as well, where he had his his construction company and always had people working for them. So I would say I’m blessed to have that. But I’ve also had a lot of good my family that do do the normal route. Nothing wrong with that. But I was torn in between. But once I realised that that was something that I truly believed in David, that I could build a future that I was proud of from entrepreneurship. I didn’t really care what people thought I did it anyways, and they eventually caught on and saw it was the best thing for me. I think a lot of people asked me when I ran a sales team, how do I make my mom proud? Or how do I help my brother or sister they’re not motivated? How do I help my mom or my uncle? The best way to help other people is live your best life. That’s the best way to do it. You can’t change people you can lead by example. And I think if you live an inspiring life, you love what you’re doing. You’re helping people and you’re doing what you’re really passionate about, but also what you get results. Doing, that’s the best thing you could do to inspire others. Would you agree? I totally

David Ralph [25:03]
agree. And I’m gonna play some words that really will take us to the next stage of our conversation. And these are words that Jim Carrey said recently,

Jim Carrey [25:11]
my father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.

David Ralph [25:38]
Is that the message that we should get out to the world now Peter, for the kids coming out of the education system, but it’s their chance, but they’re only on this planet ones go for it.

Peter Voogd [25:49]
Definitely, there’s no better time in human history to create the life and dreams and vision that you you want. And there’s no better avenues right now then then our society entrepreneur Worship the internet. There’s so much global excitement going on a lot of people wanting to help. There’s a lot of online offline stuff going on with mastermind groups and different seminars and books out, there is no better time. But people have to have other people believing in them, they have to see examples around they have to have the guidance to know it’s possible. If someone didn’t believe in me, I never would have been where I am now. So if you don’t have that person, it’s your job to go find it. Because I really think the only security people have these days is the security having themself and the confidence in their ability to make things happen. You can’t find security in jobs anymore. It just doesn’t exist. So that’s a very important lesson. If you’re going to fail, you might as well fail something you love doing. So failure is a big part of success.

David Ralph [26:46]
And well absolutely is so so when I asked that question about people living the route that their parents went, you win. Don’t get me started. I could feel there was more than an annoyance That that subject and you could go on forever in a day, is it something that annoys you? But you see so many people living other people’s lives?

Peter Voogd [27:09]
Oh, definitely. And parents are preaching what worked 15 years ago, not now, you can’t do that. And a lot of parents, and I’m just being very blunt, a lot of parents aren’t doing the best job. And the reality is, they didn’t reach their goals. So they’re going to put their limitations on people they know and their kids, when you can’t do that. So the best thing a parent can do is let the kid be open and teach them how to earn success, teach them how to earn a living, and teach them how to play to their strengths, and not their weaknesses, and to really build their own dreams because I think the only limitations people have are what’s in their mind and what they’ve placed there other people have placed there. So yes, that’s very annoying to me, because I know that there is a lot of parents when the kid wants to do something that they truly love and they know they can be good at. But the parents are sitting there like, be careful. I wouldn’t do that. You got to be safe. Think about this. You got to be secure, just because that’s how they go. Grew up? And I don’t think that’s fair, to be honest.

David Ralph [28:02]
Well, I don’t think so at all. And one of the legacies I’m trying to leave with my kids is the fact that, you know, it’s up to them, get off your backside. And if you want something bad enough, you can literally do anything. And as she was saying, the opportunities we’ve got nowadays, with the ability to create pretty much on a shoestring using the internet is phenomenal, isn’t it?

Peter Voogd [28:27]
It’s unbelievable. It’s never it’s never been like this ever, ever before in the last 50 years, in the last couple years, it’s unbelievable. But people have to decide two things, really what they want, and then they have to decide what they’re willing to give up to get what they want. You see a lot of kids I think these days, that they want praise, and they want rewards for doing what’s expected of them. I asked the vice president of the LA clippers, he’s a friend of mine asked him what’s the biggest difference and the really successful people in the majority, he said, they just do the unrequired work. So what I would tell young people that are looking To really make a name for themselves and build a legacy and do what they love is, are you willing to do the unrequired? Work? Are you willing to stand on the weekends when your friends are out partying? Even if you’re 3540? Or 50? Are you willing to learn from someone that’s 25 years old that’s been there? Or are you going to stay stuck in your ways? Are you willing to sacrifice some things to build a great future for your family? And I think if people understand what they have to give up to get what they want, that’ll make it easier for them to understand the sacrifice. Entrepreneurship is not easy. It’s not easy, David, but it’s worth it. The bigger the goals, the bigger the challenges, right?

David Ralph [29:35]
Absolutely. And the bigger the goals, the less competition, which is the amazing thing as well.

Peter Voogd [29:40]
Exactly. And if becoming an entrepreneur was easy, everyone would be doing it and it wouldn’t be worth much right. The moment you pursue entrepreneurship, obstacles will show up because they’re going to be there to test your character and faith to see if you’re really serious about it. You got to focus on the rewards on the other side of the struggle. And what I used to do is visualise how good it was. Going to feel being my own boss controlling my own schedule and inspiring others versus other people telling me what I was worth. And when I can leave and when I have to show up, I focus so much on the end result that it got me through the toughest times. Chaos is guaranteed.

David Ralph [30:16]
Yeah, no, I agree with that. I when I started this show now the show is sort of self fulfilled in many ways, and it’s moving forward at his own pace. But at the beginning, when it was just a slog to push it, I had this vision of where my life was going to be. And it was so fully formed. I felt like I was it was already there. I was just going to catch up to it. And no matter how hard I worked or how hard it seemed, it was never going to occur. It would it would, so we were people starting anything. So many of them will struggle with that, but they will go Oh, that’s a bit whoo whoo. I need to have tangible results. I need to have have something actually proven to me beforehand. But it’s not true is it is in the mind the mind is the most powerful tool that anyone’s got to actually create what they want in life.

Peter Voogd [31:10]
Yeah, you have to see it before you can make it happen. Anything you can see in your mind that you can visualise, you can make happen. So people try to get it before they see it. And there’s always some inconvenience when they’re stressed out, like, why am I not having this? Right? I’ve been working like I was working 60 to 80 hours a week, David and I was getting no results. So I thought I should just work even harder, right? That’s people’s work harder, not the answer. It’s not about working harder or smarter. It’s about working right. Right.

David Ralph [31:39]
Well, what I realised waiting that then because because most people would go work smarter.

Peter Voogd [31:44]
Yeah, working smarter is great. But working right there’s there’s 10,000 ways to achieve a result. But there’s one optimal way. So your job is to figure that out. And sometimes you have to tell yourself, I will be discipline instead of working all the time. will be disciplined instead of working all the time. I talked to Gary Vaynerchuk. You know how it is? And absolutely, he’s awesome. And he’s, luckily took a liking to me and mentored me quite a bit the last couple years personally and he’s I asked him, you get up early, right? And you start early and you work late, he goes, No, I just maximise the hours I do work. He said, most people are trying to work extra, they wake up at four or 5am. And they go to bed at nine or 10. They miss their family stuff, but they don’t even they’re not even productive as they could be in the eight hours they work. So the first thing you got to do is make sure you’re working the optimal way you can during the day, and be disciplined. So you don’t have to work 24 seven and I learned that from him like that’s pretty powerful. Because I admit, when I work 910 11 hour days, I could have got the same stuff done in six, right? If I was as productive and focused and intentional as possible. So that’s what I mean, just making sure that you have the right people on your team. You have a team that plays to your strengths and you have people that complement your weaknesses. Were Everybody has a strength and if you can find people that have your weaknesses as their strengths and get them on your team oh man it’s it’s it’s amazing when you have leverage how quick you can build a business.

David Ralph [33:11]
So So let’s take you back on to this this formula because we we touched on the first two and I know the listeners will be scribbling away on their pad speaking, tell me tell me what the next one is. So we, we’ve done clarity, we’ve done reach out to people who are around the curve there in front of you so that you can get their experience, what would be the next thing that they should write on their pad as they’re listening to this.

Peter Voogd [33:35]
So the next thing is they have to have a, so everyone has an account inside them, called the confidence account. And everything up to that point in their life has been accomplished or lack of accomplishments based on that account. So your next key is you have to elevate your confidence account and add to it. So here’s the scary thing. David’s every single thing you do, you’re either helping or hurting your confidence, there’s no in between. So a lot of people think the small decisions don’t matter. That’s all that matters. So after you get clarity on who you are and what you want, and you write it down and look at it daily, and then you shift your circle of influence finding the right people, then you have to consistently build your confidence account. Right? So there’s a lot of things to do that my favourite are one the choices you make, really the choices you make make you so people have to understand that in the moment, it’s choosing growth, they have to make the tougher decision in the moment, should I eat the fries? Or should I get a salad? Should I wake up early? Or should I hit my alarm clock? Should I read this book? Or should I watch TV? Should I reach out to this person playing the game at a higher level? Or should I call my friend that’s going to lower my standards? And it’s those decisions in the moment that creates or rips down their future? So that’s the first thing is that choices. Second is understanding challenges are a good thing I think and entrepreneurship failures. The only thing guaranteed, right, successful people see failure differently than the majority So you need to stay loyal to yourself through failure. And instead of taking it personally use it to sharpen your perspective and strengthen your commitments. Most entrepreneurs that are new or beat themselves up and and they feel like failure is a bad thing when in actuality that makes you tougher, it makes you gain sharper perspective and it gives you a competitive advantage but you gotta leverage failure to even greater success. A lot of my failure when use the right way added a lot of hunger and desire to me as well. Um, the third thing after you have to understand challenges are a good thing is consistency really builds a lot of confidence, right? Have you ever had it where you’re rocking and rolling, you’re making income, you’re loving what you’re doing, and then all sudden, like something kills your momentum. And you don’t have consistency anymore. People have that start and stop process. And I think lack of consistency is that big stealer of dreams and goals. So you got to stay consistent. And how you do that is you take the advice from the people that you reached out to that are playing the game at a higher level and you ask them how they were concerned. So you can use what they’ve done and shorten your learning curve. Another is your identity. I think you have to develop an identity with yourself that whatever you say your actions follow, one of the biggest confidence boosters is doing what you say you’re going to do when you know you should do it, whether you feel like it or not, right? There’s nothing that hurts confidence than someone telling you you’re going to do. They’re going to do something and then not following through. I mean, not only do you lose respect subconsciously, from people around you, but you lose confidence in yourself. When you know, like a lot of people to be honest, when they say they’re going to do something, David, they know they’re not going to do it. They just know it. You think that people who do get the 5000 people plus I’ve trained a lot of them. I’ve realised I had to teach and I really made it a point to teach the power of integrity and the power of your word. But yeah, most people when they’re growing up, why do you eat your vegetables? when you’re younger? Your parents, why did you have to go to school, your parents when most kids turn 18 all the accountability is gone. I could do whatever I want and The reality is you have to create your own accountability based on your identity and your word to yourself and to other people. So yes, I do believe that I’ve seen it with my own eyes that most people just talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, and don’t back it up.

David Ralph [37:12]
So So how did you get that accountability when obviously, you were 15, and you were sort of rocking and rolling, doing your own thing?

Peter Voogd [37:20]
Well, I mentors really played a big role, they would kick me in the butt and I didn’t realise how important it was until I was 2122. And I had to face who I really was. And I had to dig deep into why I was struggling. How come I had all this money I had saved go go down the drain. How did I get to this situation where I’m 22 and I can’t even afford a taco. I had to reflect David and say what the heck happened? And I realised that I was just talking a lot about what I was going to do, but I never actually backed it up. And I realised I just wanted to stop. I wanted to stop that it gives me chills thinking about it. mean and I saw another thing that really helped me I’m getting into the my past company. I saw Lot of people, when I first got to the company talk about they’re going to do a million in the year they’re going to do this. They talked about their goals, then they talked about their last year goals and if they hit them or not, and 98% of them didn’t hit their goals last year, but they’re like, Oh, this year, it’s going to be different. How is it going to be different? Usually, the best way to predict your next six months of results is your past six months of results, right? So I did not want to be just another leader that just talked a lot and did not follow through. So I wanted to be that one person that actually next year when I was sitting in that room, I was the one that said my goal was this, and I hit this. And I wanted to be known for someone that was hitting their goals that had integrity to follow through on their word, and just having the awareness that I wanted to do that gave me a lot of confidence.

David Ralph [38:43]
Because Because I I got told this stat and I don’t know if it’s true, Peter, but it sounds true. But only 1% of the people who have ever been on this planet have left their mark on the planet. They’ve created something they’ve invented something 99% of the people We’ll just come and go. And after their their family die, they kind of gone if they say you die twice, once when you die, and then once when the last person who knew you personally dies, that’s it, you’ve gone. Did you think that’s that’s a true stat? And is that something that terrifies you? Or do you find it positive, but you’re aiming to be one of those 1%?

Peter Voogd [39:23]
Yeah, I will be one of the 1% I’m doing everything I can daily to make sure that happens. And that’s what my book is about. I want to shift my culture with the book that I wrote and help our society and really move our generation forward. But yes, I fully believe that I might even think it’s less than 1%, to be honest. But I think the 99% that didn’t leave a mark. We’re not associating with anyone else who left the mark. So it was okay not to leave a mark. Why not? A lot of our society has low standards of being average. So why would you not want to be average when everyone around us average? Let’s all just have an average party, right? So if you if they’re around other people that were leaving marks, they would want to leave marks and Want to be building a legacy with their names. So that’s the key is getting around other people that are building legacies that are creating businesses that change lives to creating businesses that solve problems, and build something that’s bigger than yourself. If you’re around people to do that, you will as well they say, if you’re around five millionaires, you’ll eventually be the sixth. You hang out with five intelligent people, you’ll eventually be the sixth, you hang out with five, top podcasters you’ll eventually be the six but if you hang out with five broke people, what do you think’s going to happen? What do you hang out with five idiots? What do you think’s gonna happen? Right? It’s inevitable. So that’s a sad stat and I’m doing everything I can and I know you are as well David to change that. But if people understood how powerful they really, really were, it would be a whole different ballgame. So someone I mean, there’s

David Ralph [40:48]
so what scares you then Peter, because the fears are in everyone. Everyone wakes up and thinks, Oh, this is too much for me to deal with. Obviously, you’re going full pelt on the interview which is marvellous, but Those dark moments when you’re laying in bed and you’ve got something that you’re planning, do you ever think to yourself, oh god, I don’t I can do this.

Peter Voogd [41:08]
Of course, it’s every day, I’m always fighting those fears. But as you spark your mind, and as you reach out to the people that are doing everything they can to lower their feels, fears, your fears lesson. So as you get results, and as you prepare more for this game of life in business, your fear goes down. So I have a ritual that I do when I’m feeling fearful, right? I not only do I feel the fear and do it anyways, but I always have a ritual where it’s like, Okay, I’m going to ask myself what I’m grateful for. I’m going to focus on what I’m excited about. I’m going to write down my past accomplishments that I’m proud of. And I’m going to write down the top five results that I want this month. And as I write those things down, and I shift my whatever you focus on multiplies, so I shift my focus from what I’m fearing to what I’m excited about. What I’m grateful I think gratitude is the best way to get away from fear. Because there’s people praying for the things you take for granted right now. So people that are taking things for granted, there’s people in the world that are praying to have those things that you’re like, Yeah, whatever. I forgot I even have these things. So I think when I’m fearful, I just I get grateful, pretty quick. And it really shifts my focus.

David Ralph [42:21]
So you haven’t had anything that has been a game changer for you as in you look at it and think No, absolutely. But that terrifies me. I’m not gonna do it.

Peter Voogd [42:31]
Yeah, there’s a couple mean, writing a book was like that. That was very scary. And speaking in front of three or 4000 people, I have yet to speak in front of a couple thousand people that terrifies me. But I think the only way to get rid of it is two things one massive preparation to just doing it. So I think it’s how habits define us right habits define who we are and how we live our life. So if you have a habit of doing things you fear, it will not actually lower your fear and make it easier next time. I think the problem is people are used to quitting or giving up. So next time something gets hard. It’s okay to give up or quit. So it becomes the norm for them. So yes, I have fears I mean, I mean, if we can get off the personal growth I have fears of skydiving and I probably will never skydive.

Unknown Speaker [43:20]
To be honest, have you skydiving yet?

David Ralph [43:23]
I know. I it’s funny. In the last interview, I was talking to a lady and she says that she’s terrified of doing it. I don’t understand why anyone wants to jump out of an aeroplane they always land. And if I don’t, you’re gonna die. I’m sorry, you’re gone. So just be an immediacy until the little light goes ding and then get up and get off.

Peter Voogd [43:43]
Definitely. And I agree. I definitely agree. Another thing too, that I think is huge is as far as fear goes, You can’t let your confidence waver based on your current situations, right. A lot of people based on their income. That’s how their confidence is and the result is, you can’t do that don’t let money define you, your self worth has nothing to do with your finances. So whether you have a negative bank, so my confidence and fear was way high when I was broke, and then when I made more money and started getting lower, that’s not the way it should be. Your confidence shouldn’t waver. If anything, your confidence needs to increase. You need to make smarter decisions when you’re stressed. So you’re motivated to never feel that stress again. Right? I have something I talked about my book that’s, I think, would be smart to talk about. It’s one minute but it’s called the decision train David and one of the biggest confidence boosters is deciding what you’re going to do. And following through on it regardless of how you feel, I think 95% of our society right now. They do what they feel like if they don’t feel like working out they don’t do it. If they don’t feel like facing their fears. They don’t do it. If they don’t feel like reading a book, they don’t do it. And then they make a decision not to and they feel stressed or lose confidence after the 5% that are living the life of their dreams and loving what they’re doing. They base everything off this Citing so they make a decision, then they act. And then how do you feel after So with these podcasts, David, I’m guessing you haven’t always felt like doing the podcast. But when you make a decision to do it, you follow through on your word. How do you usually feel after you do it? I think

David Ralph [45:16]
you’ve hit the nail on the head best, more often than not, especially if I’ve been busy all day, and I’m recording in the 80s. And the last thing I want to do is come up and do these shows. But as soon as you start recording, you feel inspired. And then afterwards Yeah, it’s like a vocalise gym membership. I suppose you hear people that are really tired, but I still go to the gym in the afternoon and I go, Oh, I feel better because of it. And you do you feel better because of it.

Peter Voogd [45:42]
So get addicted to doing what you shouldn’t what you feel at the end of every feeling is usually nothing. But the end of every principle, and standard is a promise. So for me, I don’t I mean, some people always tell me I don’t feel like working out either no one does, who feels like working out or running two miles but The feeling you got to get addicted to that feeling of accomplishment or the feeling of following through on your word more than your current emotions, right. So I think that’s a huge key if people just start making so if you’re listening to this podcast, this amazing podcast, make some decisions after this podcast of what you’re going to do this week that you’ve been putting off, what are you going to start doing that you haven’t done? What are you going to stop doing that’s currently hurting your progress? And what are you going to continue doing that’s been serving you? Well, if you make a decision, a definite decision to wake up tomorrow morning, an hour earlier than you have and work on yourself and look at your goals. What do you feel like it or not, that that’ll give you the confidence needed to take the next step? Because no matter how many bad decisions you’ve made, and you know this, David, you’re always one decision away from the right one. So I tell entrepreneurs that are like, I’ve been doing all the wrong things. I’ve been doing this, I’ve been wasting money, I haven’t been investing myself. That’s fine. Just your next decision, make the right one. And you’ll be good and keep doing that. So it’s just a All steps.

David Ralph [47:01]
I’m going to play the theme of the show now. And these are the words that Steve Jobs said over 10 years ago, and are as relevant today as they were when he first said them. This is Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs [47:12]
Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference to buy into those paid 100%.

David Ralph [47:52]
What where’s the power in those words to you what he talks about? Doubt intuition, karma, trust faith. What we’re is the key words for you in that

Peter Voogd [48:02]
I think trusting your gut is something that’s important to me. And number two is knowing things will work out. If you’re not settling and you’re giving your best. I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from Steve Jobs is to invest your past experience and struggle into your future success and preparation. Don’t look at your past to look at your goals or standards because you may not have had the ones you want and but look to your past as motivation to create a brighter future. Yeah, the Steve Jobs is a visionary. I’ve looked up to him for quite some time and, and every time I walk by an apple store, to be honest, David, I just think of how much of a difference he made to where he’s, he’s long gone, obviously, bless him, but his his legacy still lives on. And that’s very inspiring to me.

David Ralph [48:51]
I heard a Steve Jobs fact yesterday, but I thought, really, I didn’t know this, but he was actually credited as a producer. Toy Story, the first film never knew that.

Peter Voogd [49:03]
Oh, wow, that’s cool. I know he was part of Pixar. Right? He owned that company. So so it was funny. We he owned it. Oh, go ahead.

David Ralph [49:12]
No, it would be empires wouldn’t have been here without Steve Jobs. Amazing. That’s

Peter Voogd [49:18]
That’s really funny. I didn’t know. Yeah, my one of my mentors. When I used to say I was busy like I have a lot going on. He goes, Steve Jobs is running Pixar and apple. What are you talking about you going on? I’m like, Oh, you’re right. Shoot. Maybe I’m just making excuses. Funny.

David Ralph [49:30]
So So what is the big.in your life on that on that timeline that he talks about when you look back over your life to the point where you are now coming up? 30 years old? What What was the dot that really started it moving in the right direction? Boy?

Peter Voogd [49:45]
That’s it. That’s a good question. Um, I think it was understanding the importance of who you’re becoming and building a legacy over currency. I don’t know if it was one thing, but it was understanding who I was. was becoming was the most important aspect of my entire life, not what I got not my result, not the company I was in, not what I was doing, but who I was becoming. And I think understanding that if you’re content and happy with who you are, and you express that authentically, understanding legacy legacy is more important than currency. And that really changed the game for me. And of course, my life’s not where I really want it yet. It’s still progressing. But I’ve learned to enjoy the journey. And I’ve learned that greatness and building a legacy takes time.

David Ralph [50:33]
And how did you learn about Bo? Was it a book? Was it a conversation with somebody?

Peter Voogd [50:39]
Yeah, it was a conversation with with Gary Vaynerchuk. It was understanding that everyone I respected and looked up to was focused on something bigger than themselves. They were all on purpose and off themselves. Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Ilan Musk, Steve Jobs. Richard Branson. Tony Robbins, there. purpose and they’re off themselves. I don’t feel like working out Who cares? I don’t feel like writing this book, who cares? It’s not about you. It’s about the people, you’re going to help that need your guidance. So that’s really what it was. It was a mix between Congress. It was hearing it multiple times, David, it was hearing it from Gary Vaynerchuk and from Eric Thomas and reading about Richard Branson, because I’m thinking when I’m 22, what the heck else do you want? You have 100 million dollars. You’re a billionaire. What are you doing? Why you working? Right. But then I had a mentor that was a multimillionaire that said, No, it’s about creating something that Outlast you and really living your dreams based on not only what you believe is possible, but also what can help others. So it’s just a mix of hearing it from my mentors from different books and from studying successful people that I respected and looked up to. I realised they had that in common.

David Ralph [51:50]
So now I’m living it. Well. Yeah, you absolutely. Oh, and you can see it’s coming out of every pore. The passion is amazing. So just before we send you back in time, On the Sermon on the Mount to have a one on one with your younger self, where is the dreams now? Is it just to help more and more people? Is it to gain more more money? Is it to simplify your life? what you’re aiming for?

Peter Voogd [52:14]
Yeah, good question. Well, I want to be the number one authority and leading authority for entrepreneurs, especially for younger entrepreneurs that really want to build businesses that matter. So I want to create the number one Academy in the world. And number one networking opportunity in the world for younger entrepreneurs, that want to develop themselves and network with other like minded people. And I want to give them the chance they might not have, where they’re from or from their parents or from their school so they can be successful. I want to be the person that shifts our culture forward and improve the stats of entrepreneurship and really helps people see what’s possible for them. So my goal is really I don’t want to go win a Nobel Peace Prize as well. I know Eric Thomas, he motivated me because he wants to win a Nobel Peace Prize. And I said, that sounds really Really, it’s not that it’s the material of winning that it’s just the fact that you’ve done something to really change the world and move our culture forward, excites me. So I want to be that person. And number one person people go to, to give belief in themselves to network with the right people to have the blueprint to build a business that matters. That’s my goal.

David Ralph [53:20]
I’m not going to wish you luck, because I don’t think you need luck. I think you are on the path to that. So I just salute you and say, it’s lovely to have spoken to you before you get your Nobel award. So that that’s going to happen, as is time travel. And this is the part when we send you back in time to have a one on one with your younger self. And if you could go back in time and speak to the young Peter, what age would you choose and what advice would you give when I’m gonna play the female when it fade you up? This is the Sermon on the mic.

Unknown Speaker [53:55]
Here we go with the best beer This show.

Peter Voogd [54:14]
Hello, I’m talking to the 18 year old Peter. And here’s what I want to tell you. More important than ambition and drive. And energy is integrity, patience and intention. I really would encourage you to stay congruent to who you are at all times and to not compete with anyone except the person you were yesterday. Don’t get so wrapped up in comparing yourself to others, but focus on the unique qualities and think about what makes you different. So don’t try to be the majority always lead the majority. Think about what makes you different, not what makes you the same. Ask yourself these questions and understand the whole point. Business is creating raving fans. And to add more value to your audience and those people that need your guidance than anybody else, your clients, customers, and anyone that you come across, you want to make sure you’re treating them like the most important person in the world and add value to them. Don’t expect or ask for anything for at least a year, add as much value as you can. I would I would tell you that every couple of months I would, I would increase these three things, these three things and I would downplay these three. So every three months, what I would challenge you to do from here on in the rest of your life, is delegate everything that others can do better than you everything that drains your energy and get rid of the relationships that go nowhere or people that don’t fully believe in who you are and what you stand for. And I would increase everything you permanently love. Everything that produces growth in your life and business and everything that grows your confidence. I really want you to think about what could you do The rest of your life that would keep you fascinated and engaged and motivated. And you need to make sure that that not only can scale so it’s not attached to your time, but it’s something that can Outlast you for hundreds of years after, as well create as much significance in less amounts of time to everybody you come in contact with as possible. I would focus on helping you build more and run less, care more, carry less. You don’t need to have as much stuff focus on who you’re becoming more than material things and accomplishing things. It’s not about the trophies. It’s not about the awards or the rewards. It’s not about what others think about you. It’s about are you becoming the best version of yourself. possible, win more, work less, live more, regret less and most importantly, make sure you’re staying true to who you are at all times. And never, ever forget where you came from families number one, and I’m excited to experience this journey with you. That’s what I’d say,

David Ralph [57:08]
Peter, how can our audience connect with you, sir?

Peter Voogd [57:12]
Um, I have Twitter. It’s Peter voogd 23. I love Twitter. I’m on Twitter a lot. So I’m a Twitter feed. So if you don’t have Twitter get on it. They can also what I’ll do for your audience, they can email me at business at real VIP success, calm. And I also have a podcast, young entrepreneur, lifestyle, calm. And then if they want to apply to my Academy, it’s invite only and they have to apply to it. But I definitely feel like you have some hungry and some very ambitious people that want to take maybe their life or their business or their influence to the next level. And they can access that at game changers movement calm. And to be honest, David, I want to recognise you for doing what you’re doing and staying consistent and really playing your part to shift our culture. I respect you at a very high level and I love the legacy you’re building as well. So keep it up, man.

David Ralph [57:59]
Thank you, sir. Thank You so much and thank you so much for spending time with us today. joining those dots Please come back again when you have more dots to join up because I do believe that by joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to build our futures. peterburg Thank you so much.

Peter Voogd [58:15]
My pleasure, David, thanks as well and I had a great time.

Outro [58:20]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you are wants to become. So he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to Join Up dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on Join Up Dots.