Welcome to the Join Up Dots business coaching podcast interview with Jimmy Burgess
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Introducing Jimmy Burgess
Jimmy Burgess is our guest today ready to be interviewed on the Join Up Dots business coaching podcast.
He is the author of the book What Just Happened? How to Bounce Back in Life So You Can Do More, Have More, and Be More.
Being an eternal optimist, he has overcome many difficulties in his business and personal life which would have stopped others in their tracks.
Financial difficulties which he quite openly describes as extreme, physical difficulties, and of course like many of us have experienced over the years the one thing that generally suffers when we are under stress like this…..relationship issues too
But it certainly hasn’t always been doom and gloom for Jimmy, as he has enjoyed his share of business success including building three different companies that have achieved revenues in excess of a million dollars.
How The Dots Joined Up For Jimmy
So with all these ups and downs and to coin a phrase which I’m not sure I should use but it sounds right being an expert in “Bouncebackability”, Jimmy Burgess has taken all these life lessons, and within the pages of his book teaches us how to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones in seven steps.
He is an entrepreneur with the best kind of outlook on life, which isn’t a surprise as he is married to his beautiful wife Tasha for sixteen years and has three kids including teenage daughters Libby and Logan, and a six year old son Fisher.
Well let’s bring onto the show to start joining up dots, as we discuss the words of Steve Jobs with the one and only Jimmy Burgess.
Show Highlights
During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Jimmy Burgess such as:
How his life is surrounded by Floridians in long white socks and black sandals….and that’s not a good look at all!
How the speed of his success created an ego that almost destroyed him!
How a lack of self belief is the shackles that hold so many of us back from the life we deserve!
And lastly……..
He shares a hot off the press business that he is just launching and has a mass of value for all of us!
How To Connect With Jimmy Burgess
Return To The Top Of Jimmy Burgess
If you enjoyed this episode of Join Up Dots then why not listen to some of our favourite podcast episodes such as Dave Sanderson, Jason Freeman or the amazing Stephen Warley
Or if you prefer just pop over to our podcast archive for thousands of amazing episodes to choose from.
Audio Transcription Of Jimmy Burgess 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 [0:26]
Hello, everybody, how are we? How are we? Oh, we doing all right, Episode 36. I don’t know why my voice is going like this. But I’m gonna drop that now. I’m got a great guest on today. He is a Floridian. He’s out in Florida, the home of the mouse. And he’s the author of the book, what just happened, how to bounce back in life so you can do more, have more and be more. Being an eternal optimist. He has overcome many difficulties in his business and personal life, which would have stopped others in their tracks, financial difficulties, which he quite openly describes as extreme physical difficulties. And of course, like many of us who have experienced over the years stress and problems, the one thing that generally suffers when we’re under this kind of stress, relationship issues, too. But it certainly hasn’t always been doom and gloom as he has enjoyed the show business success, including building three different companies that have achieved revenues in excess of a million dollars. So we’ve always ups and downs and to coin a phrase, which I’m not sure I should use. But it sounds right. Being an expert in bounce back ability. He has taken all these life lessons and within the pages of his book teaches us how to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones in seven steps. He’s been married to his beautiful wife Tasha for 16 years and has three kids, including teenage daughters, Libyan Logan, and a six year old Sam Fisher. So now it’s time to welcome to the show and start Join Up Dots. The one and only bounce back ability Master, Mr. Jimmy Burgess. How are you today? Jimmy?
Jimmy Burgess [1:56]
I’m great, David. Thanks for having me.
David Ralph [1:58]
Now it’s absolutely Alright. So I were talking on Skype. But I believe that you are in Florida, the home of the mouse?
Jimmy Burgess [2:09]
Yes, actually, I am. And it’s it’s a, it’s a little different in this area than most areas right now. You know, the weather’s great, and the beaches are great. And I’d encourage anybody to come visit Florida if they haven’t ever done that before. come back and visit again.
David Ralph [2:25]
And if you want to see large people in white socks,
Jimmy Burgess [2:30]
and black sandals, yeah, it’s either sandals, sandals and socks, or Yes, you nailed it.
David Ralph [2:36]
Yeah. Why did why did I do bad? They must know, but they do not look good.
Jimmy Burgess [2:41]
And it always typically a cup is accompanied by shorts, where the belt loop is above the belly button. Also, if you ever noticed that I noticed
David Ralph [2:50]
it. But I wish I didn’t notice it. I’ll be honest.
Jimmy Burgess [2:53]
No, no,
David Ralph [2:55]
it’s not a not a good. Not a good look. It really isn’t. It really isn’t you You Had you ever had a hell of a history of one year?
Unknown Speaker [3:02]
So it’s been a ride?
David Ralph [3:05]
Yeah, it has been a ride it has it hasn’t been an enjoyable ride, or or do you look back on on certain bits and go, I wouldn’t be where I am now, without the sort of the dark and the light? Or has it just been sort of enjoyable all the way through.
Jimmy Burgess [3:18]
That would obviously there are times when it’s difficult. But you know, what I found that really is is that growth and comfort typically don’t exist together. It’s kind of hard for that to happen. But what a ride, I mean, you know, and what’s amazing is, is when you begin to look back, or when as you put it begin to join up the dots, you begin to see that some of the things that I thought were the worst things that could ever happen to me turned out to be some of the best things that actually shaped me and brought me to a place now where I’m better in all areas of my life. So it’s hard to look back with any anything that I would change really, obviously, just some stupid mistakes you make, you know, one
David Ralph [3:59]
stupid mistake.
Jimmy Burgess [4:01]
We all have those, don’t we? You know, I’m not going to go back to the college days or anything. But you know, from a business perspective, you know, you get to a point and, you know, here’s here’s what happened to me really is is you get to a point where you begin to have some success, and especially if it changes quickly. And you go from you know, we’re in my case, I went from a situation where I was in a job that I left and I begin to kind of focus on the needs of other people, which really meant a change for me, I left a job where I had an annual salary going out on my own. And within a year, that annual salary became a monthly income. Within two years, it became an average by weekly income. And when those things happen so fast, you kind of lose your calibration, I and I was very guilty of that. I mean, I I begin to make decisions based on my pride and my ego, it just changed, I begin to act like somebody I wasn’t because I thought was bulletproof. And when you do that, I made decisions, one after the other, it just made no sense. But I thought it was all about me. And when you do that, typically it ends in a rough way. And it did for me a financial meltdown, you know, we go from what should have been a blessing that should have carried my family and Carrey and given us the ability to be set for life to I just keep making those bad decisions, the economy changes, and I end up I mean, I’ll never forget the day it was May 4 2009. I’m sitting in a federal courthouse, getting ready to have to claim bankruptcy with less than $500 to my name. And I’m sitting there and I’m thinking what, what is What in the world? Have you done? How could you put your family in this position? How could you let your ego change you to a point where you’ve made decisions that have literally taken something that was a blessing and made it a curse. And now here I was 35 years old, having to completely start over financially. And you know, when you make those two decisions, it just infects everything. But we were able to and in a way that I just I didn’t realise it I just had, it took me three years, David to really go through that. And just that tailspin, it doesn’t happen overnight. And I remember a few months before I was going to have to claim that bankruptcy would basically meant I was starting over. And I just realised I can’t keep doing this. I woke up every morning worried about and and concerned about things that I couldn’t control. And I finally got back off my heels from playing defence and began to move to my toes and play office and focus on other people and how I could help them again. And that led to being able to bounce back financially, in a way that I didn’t think poss was possible, I started a new company just a few months after bankruptcy that did extremely well. And but it wasn’t just that it was not just the financial it was the relationships, it was the health IT WAS everything in my life bounced back. And that thing that I went, it actually took me going through and losing everything that my could buy, in order to have and appreciate all the things that money couldn’t buy.
David Ralph [7:04]
So if you go back to corporate land, so he was in corporate America, and he was was that the natural progression, like most of us, we go through college university, and when we think we must get a job, did you have this of dreams to go off on your own while you were there? Or was there a point in corporate land when you suddenly people? Now I’m going to leave there? And I’m going to create my own company and my own future? was it was it a natural thing?
Jimmy Burgess [7:33]
You know, for me, it was it was it was always there. And I have friends of mine that they had a situation or they were let down in their in their job or their corporate position to where they just said, you know, enough is enough. For me in that corporate position. The main thing that made me make the change was the dream. It always been there. You know, I believe dreams can lay dormant for years, but they never die minded law. And laying dormant for years, I had been told, you know, because of the amount of business that I was bringing into this corporate job that at the end of the year, I was going to be taken care of financially. Well, the end of the year comes and I sat around and waited on this, you know, and expecting this well, it just didn’t come and I just remember thinking in my head, am I going to sit here and wait on somebody to tell me what I’m worth for the rest of my life? And how old were you at this point? I was 32 years old. Okay. And, you know, it was a situation where, you know, I had, I had been in corporate life since leaving University for a number of years. And I just always had these dreams. And I always felt like there was that opportunity. But I never, never took action. You know what I mean? I just talked about it. And when I finally began to focus on the needs and what other people wanted, and took action about it, everything changed pretty quick,
David Ralph [8:59]
didn’t change. You know, my my point was, I was in corporate land for many, many years. And I realised that one person could dictate my happiness. And I was doing a job and enjoying it. And I had a lovely manager and everything was going well. He left for a very good job up in London, and this new manager came in, and I won’t tell you about names. But if you’re listening, you know who you are. And why you were a pig, an absolute pig. And my life just turned on its head. And I’d been doing a job for sort of 1015 years. I knew inside out if anybody came up to me. could you do this? Yes, no problem at all. And it just flowed naturally. And to be honest, if I look back on it, I was probably losing my mojo. Anyway, it was, it was too comfortable, I could just sort of do it with my eyes closed. But right one person came in and suddenly started telling me how to do the job that I knew better than anyone else. I don’t know if it was ego, I don’t know, it was just resentment or being told. But that was the moment for me. Not that I was wanting to focus in on other people and provide value like you did, which was a great thing to do. I just thought to myself, it’s time to make a move, because that person can control my happiness. And I’m better off out of my own striving in the world, creating a path. But it may not go right. But I haven’t got anyone telling me that I’m doing it wrong. Does that make sense?
Jimmy Burgess [10:30]
It absolutely does. And now, you know, when when I’m sure when that new person came in? You know, you were just you were bitter a little bit. You were angry a little bit. But now looking back, I mean, look where you are now, you know, it was because of that almost it almost had to get to that point where you had to make a change, and you knew you had to make a change for you to act on it. Absolutely. That’s why I think I think sometimes we’ve used things that happen to us or around does, we view them with a short term view rather than a long term lens. And it really makes a difference when you realise those things. Because typically, the best growth I’ve ever that I have in my life is during difficult times. And so, you know, sometimes I think that we want these easy lives and, and it just you just don’t grow if you settle in, and you get used to doing things a certain way.
David Ralph [11:28]
But so many people out there, don’t strive to change today, they will do every day doing a job that I hate working with people by hate, just trying to get through to Friday, when I can go down and have a few drinks with people they hate to go down that vicious circle all the time. And you You must say to them, you know, why are you here?
Unknown Speaker [11:49]
you moan all the
David Ralph [11:50]
time about being in this job? Why are you here? But I still don’t shake themselves up to do anything about it. So do you have to be like a special person? Or do you just have to have I have had enough at that moment in your life to make that decision of movement?
Jimmy Burgess [12:06]
I think you just I think everybody has that opportunity. I think that sometimes, you know, I mean, it’s kind of one of these things that you know, when when someone’s pregnant, the baby’s going to come sooner or later. It’s not a matter of if it’s when and I think some people just it’s it’s harder for them to make that move. They’re either they’re fearful, I think the biggest thing is, is that people aren’t around other people that are doing things. You know, I can’t imagine your perspective how it’s changed by doing this podcast and the people you’re talking to, you know, I remember, I remember when I left that job, the first lunch meeting I had with somebody that was making over a million dollars a year, I just had never really been around people like that. And I walked away from it and I went, this is just a normal guy. He’s not any different than me. And then all the sudden you begin to look around the room. And there are people that are striving to be good instead of spinning up your whole day. In a in a workplace where everybody’s bitter, where everybody’s just trying to get through the day, when you connect with people that are doing things, you know, I think you almost sometimes have to see before you can be. And so you know, my encouragement would be if there’s somebody out there that’s like, I just hate my job, I hate my life. Get around people that love it. Their job, if you don’t, when I first started looking for him, they weren’t around me to be perfectly frank, I didn’t have anybody that I could go spend time with. So what I did is I actually began to read biographies of people that had huge achievements in their life that had made impact in the world. It didn’t even really matter to me what they did, if it was in relation to what I was doing, I just wanted to know what they were thinking, you know, what was it that push them? And when you do that, it prompts those things, and you begin to notice things around you. You just hadn’t been noticing before.
David Ralph [13:57]
Is it this, this shows obviously about yourself, but you’re touching on so many points that I feel a strong vibe towards. But it is It’s like putting new glasses on. And you don’t realise, you know, I I worked. I went in every day and did my work. And I came home and I looked after the family and all that kind of stuff. Now I’m doing this. I can’t wait for the morning to start. Right.
Jimmy Burgess [14:26]
But you don’t need an alarm clock. Yeah,
David Ralph [14:28]
the fact that I get to speak to people day in day out now. And on the great scheme of things. It’s probably easy work. I put a microphone on. They put a microphone on we have a little chat and we record and I out to the world. No, was it a lot of preparation towards it? Yes. Was there a lot of fear that it wasn’t going to work? You bet you there was couldn’t have done with people around me that was doing a the same thing? Yeah, absolutely. I did exactly the same thing as you, I surrounded myself mentally with people who were doing what I wanted to do. Now, I already know them by email, I only know them by dropping a few lines on Facebook. But once I started to connect with these people, I realised that you were saying, they’re no different than me, bear just on a different timeline and life started earlier on the path that I want to do. And I’m not creating anything world famous. If you’re listening out there, guys, there are other podcasts, and you can listen to 1000 a million of them, I don’t know how many there are out there. So it’s not a new thing. But you need to have a passion to follow your own intuition and your and your own skill, talent, passion, whatever you’re going to call it, just to be as good as you can in your field. And if you are and you’re providing value to people, then as Jimmy is saying, and all the guests are saying, you’re going to get it back tenfold. And most importantly, you’re going to enjoy yourself while you’re doing it.
Jimmy Burgess [16:00]
Love it, I I’ll be honest, I
There used to be a time when I was at work at my job, that I would look at the clock to say, okay, there’s a big difference in sitting at a job and saying, I’ve got I’ve got four more hours to five o’clock. And I get out of here, too. I’ll give you an example. The other night, I’m sitting in my office, and it’s 1030 at night and I’m thinking I’ve got to get some sleep, I’ve gotta leave here in the next hour and a half. I hate to but I’ve got to get some sleep so I can get back at it in the morning. That’s a big difference. It’s a difference in everything. And here’s the thing that happens to is, we’re not just talking about your work, when you get excited about life, everything changes, you you, you begin to become magnetic to other people that are excited about life. You know, when I went through my financial struggle, you know, the I don’t know if everybody realise this, but the opposite of big at ease his disease. When I was when I was here a financial struggling here to lose, I didn’t know literally, yeah. And so when you’re losing financially, millions of dollars, and you’re losing everything that you had worked for, you’re not at ease, that’s the last thing you are and it manifests, it just did with me where I ended up losing my voice for three months, and 36 years old, being at a at a at a world renowned voice clinic and Nashville, Tennessee at Vanderbilt voice clinic. And they’re telling me that they saw a a maxima, throat and I’m like what in the world, you know is going on here. But the whole key is, is when you get excited about life, it affects everything, you know, it makes me want to be a better husband, be a better father, it makes me want to physically be in a condition that I can, I can be as capable as possible to carry out the tasks that I feel I’ve been given to share a message of hope to everybody I come into contact with born when those things happen. It is just it’s when life really is what it’s supposed to be because I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum. It’s not like I’m, you know, some, you know, Hocus Pocus guy that’s always had good things. When you talk to somebody that’s been on both ends of the spectrum. And I believe with all my heart that it was it all starts
David Ralph [18:18]
with my attitude. So going back to kid time, little Jimmy, will you that type of person, even back then were you always a bounce back ability kind of child.
Jimmy Burgess [18:33]
Absolutely. You know, I mean, it wasn’t that my situation was bad or different. But I remember, you know it, at nine years old, my parents get divorced, everything that I thought was crazy, you know, kind of falls apart. And I just remember. And listen, I just remember coming to a point at a pretty young age that you know what, I’ve got parents, both parents that love me. But at some point, if if, if I’m going to make my dreams come true, I’m going to make it in the world. It’s all me. And And so yeah, you know, what, what would have been? You know, what would a lot of people just dwell on and it sets them back and they never get past some of the bitterness. I just remember at a young age, deciding that, you know, I’m going to face struggles like this, I got two choices, I can either get better and get better. And I have never ever regretted regretted when I’ve chosen to get better. And so I think there’s probably people listening that can look back. And there’s something in the past. This may have been Tim 20 years ago that happened to him that they just haven’t gotten past. And what I finally had to do was is it was in everything I’ve ever done is I was had to draw a line in the sand and say, You know what, I can’t change a thing about my past. But I’ve got complete control over my future. And I’m going to stop today. And I’m not going to continue to let my past control my future, which it was doing to a certain extent, and in a lot of people’s lives. A bad relationship or something that happened 1020 years ago is still affecting them today, there comes a point where you’ve just got to cut it out and just begin to focus on your future instead of dwelling on your past what
David Ralph [20:14]
is always about yourself, ultimately, isn’t it?
Jimmy Burgess [20:17]
Yeah, it
David Ralph [20:18]
is even the relationship was, you know, the crappiest one you could ever had. Ultimately you played your part in being crap.
Jimmy Burgess [20:27]
Yeah. And that’s, that’s funny, you mentioned that because what I found when I was when I was putting everything together, we began to look back and I began to formulate the book is that that’s the number that’s the first thing you’ve got to do is it knit and take responsibility for your part, and whatever happened? Now listen, I had partners, business partners that did things to me, that, that I had no control over, there was nothing I could do. And, and but when I look and I dug deeper, I had to take responsibility for the fact that I saw red flags, that they could do these kind of things. But I still brought them in partner, so I allowed them to get into a position to harm me. You know, I’ve got a I’ve got
David Ralph [21:06]
Jimmy,
Jimmy Burgess [21:08]
you know, I think that I was I was motivated by the fact that I got my ego at a point where, listen, I’m making this kind of money. You know, I just I just made decisions that I wouldn’t normally make, because of the amount of possible financial gain, to be perfectly honest, I’ll let greed make decisions rather than taking the time and figured out that you know, that there are always opportunities, and some of them just aren’t for us, you know, and there’s always another opportunity. And so, you know, I had to had to grow up to a certain level, and realise, like we were talking about earlier that I’m going to end up being the people I spend the most time with. And that’s a scary thought sometimes, you know, if if the five people you know, the old Jim Rome, you know, you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with, I found that to be so true. Because in times that I was struggling, when I looked around at who are spending the most time with they were struggling to Yes. And typically with the same things I was struggling with. So when you begin to focus and spend time with those people that are doing the things you want to do, it’s just a natural progression, that you’re going to end up becoming the people you spend time with.
David Ralph [22:22]
Because I actually sacked a lot of my friends, I realised that when I was going out for a few beers and stuff, and I’m a family man. So it didn’t happen very often. But I had a group of friends that I knew from when I was 1617 1819. And we’ve sort of like grown up together. And it got to a point where we’d see each other, you know, weddings and funerals basically. Right and on occasions, and I realised that they didn’t actually bring anything to me. Now, it’s all right, you can have friends that you know, don’t bring anything to the table, you just enjoy their company. But I actually realised that by us holding me back somehow, because I was always the person guy, come on, we can do this, we can do that. Why don’t we do this, it’d be brilliant. It’d be fun. And baby, the ones that can’t really do this, I can’t really do that. So because of that sort of negative approach, we didn’t actually do anything. And I sat there one day, and I thought, I’m going to suck them and I sent emails to them. And some of them I did face to face that I could see. And I actually said to them, I don’t think our relationship is going anymore. It was great when we were younger, but things moved on, if you would like to make a meet up and have a drink and stuff and find let me know. And if you don’t just don’t respond to this. And I ended up with like four really good close friends, I can really rely and trust. And they know who I am and what I’m aiming to achieve. And when we are out. And I’m going on one of my little passionate rants, which I can do quite easily, but they let me go with it. And they don’t sort of go Oh, here he goes again, or, you know, a dress or white for him. And I think but what I did, and I didn’t realise I was doing it at a time. But I have actually ended up with five, five, you know, four to five people that I surround myself with, you got to do that.
Jimmy Burgess [24:10]
You really have to do that. Because here’s here’s the bottom line, it’s not even just that they don’t bring it to the table. But typically, sometimes they’re the ones that can hurt the most because, you know, people can be unsupportive. But a lot of what we’ve come to realise is there are a lot of people out there that because they’re not willing to do the sacrifices and pay the price that we pay, to get to where we want to be or to have the vision for the future that we have. They’d rather tear you down, then lift you up, because it gives them the ability in their insecurity to feel better about not doing what they what they’re doing. here’s, here’s what’s kind of neat day when I was young, my dad used to take us out lived around the coast, and we would go out and catch blue crabs, these crabs that we would have a crab will with, he would take my brother and couple of my friends, we would go out into this shallow water area that Todd would drift to the boat, he would cut the boat off and drift across, he would put one of these tin washtub, if you’ve ever seen him they are bad as long as your arm across, we would float it behind the boat. And he would he would point the crabs out my friends and I would go dip the crabs and we would put them into that wash tub that was floating tied behind the boat. Well, it didn’t take long in this area, we would feel that all the way to the top. And I would go to my dad and I would say dad, we need to put the top on this one day there describes all they’ve got to do is just part of the side and they just fall out to safety. He said no son, just watch him, we really don’t have to. So I’m sitting back there watching this. And finally one of these crabs realise I’m getting out of here we’re about to get this is crazy. And so he begins to crawl to the side. And just as he’s about to go over to the side, one of the other Crabs is in that mass, reaches up with his pitchers, grabs him and pulls him back down to the mass and that crab against the shake and do all this stuff. And but he won’t let go. As a matter of fact, we would boil the crabs, and when we would dump the crabs out to begin to crack them to eat them. Yeah, that that crab would actually hold on to the death of that other crab. The problem is, is that a lot of times we don’t even realise it, but we’ve got people around us that they would rather pull us down back into a mess, so that they don’t feel bad about their situation, rather than lift us up and help us get back to safety. You just can’t function when you’ve got people around you like that, and get to the level that you’re wanting to get to. It’s just it really is difficult, unless you have those people that are lifting you up and helping you move forward.
David Ralph [26:31]
One of what about family events, that the ones that love, you know, a lot of time, I know that people that I speak to say to me, my family don’t really understand what I’m aiming to do. So it’s not that they’re not supportive, it’s not that they want to hold them back, they just don’t really understand the passion of that person’s got. And because it’s not in their, their timeline of life, especially parents, because parents, you know, come from a generation where they would have gone out and got a job and did it for 40 years. And that was it. But now with our generation, and we’ve got the chance of the internet and, and making Connexions globally, right. parents and family sometimes have a difficulty supporting that person, but it’s not because they don’t love them, they just don’t want them to fail. Or suppose
Jimmy Burgess [27:24]
I tell you what it was for me, and I want to be very blunt, because there’s some people that need to hear this part of it for me was is that I had started things before and never finished them. And so I had not given proof that I would follow through it things completely changed. When I finally followed through. You see, what I found, for me at least, and I found for coaching clients of mine is is that they always talked about things. And you know, it’s almost the it’s almost the sky is falling, you know, kind of thing Chicken Little you know, mean, you it’s up point, you gotta quit talking and start acting. And here’s the thing is, is when you have a vision and you have action, people follow it. So when when you have passion, and when you speak and act in a passionate way that that begins to win people over. When you started and said I want to try this, that’s totally different than saying I’m going to do this. Yes. And so, you know, there’s there’s a, it’s understandable. I mean, looking back now understand why my wife, you know, who was completely supportive. But why she would question it. But see, here’s what’s happened now is is, you know, after me having, you know, a couple of really good runs and falling back once. When I begin do things now when I told my wife, I was writing a book. And you got to understand I mean it well, you can hear it in my I don’t I’m not the typical published author, you know what I mean? It’s not a, and that’s what’s amazing what what you were talking about was happened these days is is that literally I was I’ve always been a storyteller. But I’ve never been a writer. And so when I told my wife, I was gonna write a book. She’s like, Oh, that’s, that’s that’s a great idea. But she, you know, she’s, what she’s learned is, is that when I say something, and I say I’m going to that now I’ve gotten some equity built up, where she understands that I’m serious. Yeah. 10 years ago, in our marriage, when I would say, Oh, I’m thinking about doing this. I don’t know if you want to do that. It would be the response because I it was a total different mindset. So I just think sometimes you got to start acting before you start talking. And you can hear
David Ralph [29:38]
me You can stop. Michie no money at all. Now, can you? That’s, that’s the thing that I want people to know out there, the only thing is going to cost you to make momentum in your life is time, you might have to get up early in the morning, or work in the evenings after, after work, whatever. But actually, you can do a minute things just by lifting your laptop and putting your computer on. And it really doesn’t cost you anything, then what you’re probably paying for already with your broadband connexion and whatever.
Jimmy Burgess [30:12]
Yeah, here’s what it’s what’s excited. They when I tell people this, I believe area you ask you ask about is it just the few the chosen that have that ability to excel in life. And here’s the bottom line is, is I believe every single one of us has something that nobody ever had to teach us how to do. Nobody ever had to teach you how to have a conversation with someone the way that we You and I are talking now, it was natural. That was a natural gift that you had now you can increase it and get better at it. But but that’s something that you naturally, you enjoy communicating, it’s evident, you can hear your voice, nobody ever had to teach you that that’s your gift. Everybody has something that when things when if they drifted their mind to what they would love to do or where they thought about doing. That’s where your purpose typically lies. And what I found is is what’s great about today, and what you’re saying is, is that you want to know how to how to make your dream a reality and how to monetize your dream, how to take your dream to a point where it can be a full time living, all you gotta do is go on YouTube or Google and just punch it how to make money doing whatever it is for you. The world is at your fingertips, there is so much free trading out there.
David Ralph [31:28]
So you know, I don’t know about Jimmy, somebody sitting out there. You know, I can say to loads of people watch your talent, and they will go, Oh, I haven’t got a talent. So how do people find that one thing that they can enjoy? make money on and provide value to the world? How can they find that thing?
Jimmy Burgess [31:50]
I would say what is it that you just you do on your off top? do you have? Do you love having a garden? Do you love playing golf? Do you love spending time with your family? Do you love internet? You know, understanding marketing? Do you love encouraging other people? What is it that if you think of it this way, and this is I just had this conversation with one of my coaching clients? What is it? Because they were trying to figure out, you know, well, I’m not really sure. And here’s what I had to do the exercise I have do, I said, here’s what I want you to do is I want you to tell me your ideal day. If you if money was no object, and you were going to do something today, what would it be? What would you love to do today or tomorrow, where you’d be so excited to wake up in the morning. And what I found is, is whatever that is that somewhere in that is where you’re supposed to be, you know, I believe that every single one of us is got something inside us that we’ve been given that we’re supposed to do. And in reality, it’s our job to find it and then take action on it. And so if if you aren’t sure, think of what your ideal day would involve? Who would be around? Who would you encourage? Here’s something else is Who would you help. Because when you begin to focus on not just I would love to go do this, you know, who is it that if you were able to help those people, or teach somebody how to do that, that it would just get your juices flowing? Once you find that it’s not going to it may not be immediate. It’s a process, but you’re heading in the direction of finding out what it is for you. It’s all God isn’t it, it’s all intuition. I’m going to play the Jobs Beach now, which is the theme of the show, and I play literally every show. So all the listeners out there, I do apologise. But hey, it’s my show. So I can do what I want.
David Ralph [33:45]
But I’m going to click this because I have a theory about this. And I’ve said this on numerous speeches. But when Steve Jobs is talking about going with your gut intuition and go with destiny and commerce, we’re going to hear, actually, if all of us sit there and just think back over our lives of the things that we enjoy the most. That is the path we should be on. And that is where our talent is exactly as you’re saying. So every single one of us really knows our path, we just don’t give ourselves chance to reflect and look back on the things that we suddenly realised that when we was doing it, it didn’t feel like work, we was just in the zone. So I’m just going to play this speech. And then I’d like to get your your spin on that.
Steve Jobs [34:30]
Right. So 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 leaves you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
David Ralph [35:06]
is amazing, isn’t it? I’ve listened to that vision every day. And I remember the first time that was ever given to me on a bit of scrappy paper. And I read it just because I had five minutes. And as soon as I finished it, I read it again. And a lot of the speech I can’t really remember, it was just that bit there that really struck a chord with me. And it has struck a chord with so many people because when I started getting this show together, and I, I sort of sent out the sort of requests for getting guests on, literally every single person came back. And when I noticed beach you’re talking about, I’ve got it pinned on my fridge, I’ve got it right and but it’s just out there, isn’t it, it’s out there for all of us to look and it is I I would love to know if when he was jotting it down, whether he was you know, watching Telly at the same time and just doing sort of hand or wherever he realised what impact he was going to have on the world doing that.
Jimmy Burgess [36:02]
I, you know, I think that, what’s great about that, and what’s great about the internet, now, as you know, the way we connected, you just found a video that I shot with a $60 camera, thousands of miles away from you. And my storey resonated with you. I think we all have a storey. You know, I mean, there’s every something’s happened in each of our lives to bring us to where we are. And I believe if you’re facing a struggle, also, and you’re not sure of how to get out of it, you have to kind of focus on why you need to get out of it, who needs to see you overcome whatever it is you’re facing. And there’s a reason you’re there, like Steve Jobs mentions, everything connects once you look backwards. And I can now look back and see that the financial strain that I went through the situation with my health, you know, the strains, relationship wise, it has really brought me to this place where everything is kind of falling into place. And all of these thoughts of starting to make sense. And I think everybody can do that. If they’ll simply do as he said, and begin to look back and see the especially the struggles you went through what did you learn from those, that now you could help someone else come through?
David Ralph [37:22]
What was your biggest struggle? If you look back over everything that you’ve spoken about? And you in the sort of the ego taking control the financial difficulties, finding your path, all that kind of stuff? Is there one dot that really is the central doc to your life?
Jimmy Burgess [37:39]
Well, there’s one thing and it, you know, that was that was to the good tabs answer the bad, which was self belief, and believing that, that I could do what I felt I was created to do. Believing that I was good enough. At times, when I went through the financial struggle, it was believing that maybe because I had acted and made some of the decisions that I made and done some of the things that I did that maybe I deserved it. You know, that struggle. And when I finally switched back to believing that you know what? I remember Les Brown, if you’ve ever heard the big booming voice of the motivational speaker Les Brown about him, he is tremendous. He is he he came on. And I was and I knew when I was in this, you know, just this. I was just living in this pool of negativity where I was just, you know, when I was going through everything that I had to change that I began to flood my mind with positivity again. I remember in particular, it was like it, he came over that big booming voice and he said your struggle has not come to stay, it’s come to pass. Man, David, it was like somebody It was like, boom, it just hit me right in my soul. And all of a sudden, I realised that you know what? Spring always comes after winter. And, you know, so when I’ve been in times of difficulty, when I finally flipped the switch, and I changed my belief system, to the fact that, you know, I began to concentrated on my future instead of the mess I was in. And I began to believe that tomorrow was going to be better than today. No matter how good things were going or how bad things were going. As long as I had that belief that things were going to get better. Everything else just that was my that’s my.if I’m in a time of trouble. If I can focus on the fact that Yeah, I’m struggling right now. But I can guarantee you, I’m going to do things today, to where I’m not going to be struggling tomorrow and that things are going to be better that hope in the future is so vitally important. So for me, it’s just it’s really middle, it’s middle for me.
David Ralph [39:38]
Do you, um, I don’t really try to touch on this subject. Because I know so many people think it’s a bit whoo, whoo. But do you believe in the law of attraction?
Jimmy Burgess [39:49]
Yeah, I do. With one caveat. I believe that I believe that the opportunities come to motion, it’s attracted to me. In other words, you can’t just you know, when you when you go through the secret programme, and those those things that I think so many people, you know, it influenced so many people, when you realise that you can’t just think things into existence, you can begin to think and begin to take action. And I just believe that we live in a world where there is cause and effect. And so you know, if I believe that I can do something and I begin to take actions towards it. everything falls into place, there’s no doubt. And I believe with the here’s, here’s the here’s how I would make a synopsis of the law of attraction is sometimes I think all the opportunities are around us, but we just don’t notice them. But when we begin to focus on them, we begin to notice them. I’ll give you a perfect example. My wife gets a white Buick rendezvous car, an SUV type car, maybe six months ago, I never even knew what that was. I’d never seen him before. never noticed him. The day after she gets it. I’m driving down the road road. And I see this white doing rendezvous coming towards me. I said, Oh, well, there’s my wife coming in her new car. It wasn’t her all of a sudden around the corner, and there’s another white Buick rendezvous. And then there’s another one and none of them are her. And I’m thinking to myself, you know, what are the world? I mean, were those what was just because my wife kind of white Buick rendezvous, that everybody got one, are they there the whole time, but my consciousness was not focused on those white pure grounded views. You see, I think sometimes what we what happens is, is when we begin to focus on certain things, a lot of times they’ve been there all along, we just did see, yeah, we just didn’t see those opportunities.
David Ralph [41:37]
I was caught at the pregnant women situation where when, when my wife was pregnant, all I saw was pregnant women everywhere, right. And as soon as she had the baby, I never saw pregnant women, I just saw people with babies. And that’s right just keeps on sort of moving on, as you say your focus is on that on that area.
Jimmy Burgess [41:56]
So think of it this way, if if your focus is on that, everything that happens to me is bad. You know, I believe the things that we focus on expand. So consequently, we begin to look for things to in our that our subconscious, our subconscious mind to make that truth. You know what I mean? Whereas if you think of the days that you wake up, and for whatever reason, it just starts off good. And you’re like, this is my day, everything’s going my way. Now, all of a sudden, you begin to notice and realise all of those things around you throughout that day, that they come and verify what you believe. Yes, yeah. And so I just think a lot of it with with the law of attraction is is our consciousness of what’s available to us. I think everything we need is all around us. Yeah, we live in such a world of abundance. But are you tapping into that? Or are you focusing on what you don’t have rather than all the things that you do have? I think the thing that the book
David Ralph [43:01]
that moved me on certainly to create my own path was the you know, is incredibly old now that thinking Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Right. And I kept seeing that kept on seeing it. And I’d go on a website, and somebody mentioned it, and I’d say and, and I must have been saying it for about three years, before I finally thought, Oh, I’m going to buy this. And that was the thing that when I started reading it, I thought to myself, my God is there, there is a plan to it. And it all ties to action. If you sit on your backside watching Telly every night, all you’re going to get is a sore backside and socialise from watching the telly. But if you actually take action on a daily basis, you know, I’ve had some things happened to me recently. Which kind of blow my mind, really. And I kind of think well How the hell did that happen? But of course, it happened because I’m doing stuff, which is as affected something and that’s affected something and he’s moved on cause and effect, like you say, but if I wasn’t doing that Windows, and they are, you know, amazing things, amazing things. And I think to myself, just little old me Why is this happening to me? Why am I talking to Jimmy Burgess, as you say thousands of miles away? Because it led from something I did something I did something I did. And from Jimmy Burgess, it will move on to something else. And you know, you could literally change your world can you just one.at a time really, but you’ve got to stop pushing against those dots.
Jimmy Burgess [44:32]
And let me tell you something, this is not something that this is not something that you and I have just figured out. I used to this all the time. And so I haven’t memorised I think about this, you know, as far as the things that we think about is what what becomes, you know, Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman Emperor, thousands of years ago said a man’s life is what his thoughts make of it. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, a man is what he thinks about all day long. Norman Vincent peel that said the law of success simply says if you think in negative terms, you’ll get negative results. But if you think in positive terms, you’ll get positive results. And and even you can go back even further thousands of years, my favourite book puts it this way is a man thinks in his heart, so he shall be. So this is not something that’s new, this isn’t something that you and I are just floating out there that we’ve come across. This has been around throughout history. Come on,
David Ralph [45:25]
ourselves go off we
Jimmy Burgess [45:27]
know. Right. Right, exactly. But that’s what’s great about it is, that’s what’s great about it is, is it that law of success, in my opinion, that law of success that we’re talking about, that what you think about you become and what you focus on, it begins to expand. It’s not some Hocus Pocus, out there kind of thing. It’s something that it’s really yourself creating those situations and understanding that they’re around you,
David Ralph [45:56]
yeah, you, you have something, you have an idea pops into your head, and you think that would be good. I’ve got no idea how to do that in any shape, or form. And you can either let it float out of your mind, or you can think about it, and you think about it, and days will pass and weeks will pass and you still can’t think how you can possibly do that. And then you’ll be eating your dinner and just about the sausage in your mouth. And bang. I know how I can start that. And it’s because you’ve been thinking, thinking thinking, but ultimately those solutions come to you. And it’s It is incredible, really what you can achieve, just by thinking about it. Because I believe there’s two types of kind of genius, I suppose. There’s the ones who can create stuff that’s never been created before. And so they’ve never seen it, they’ve never touched it, they’ve never experienced it. But they can come up with that idea which can change the world like, you know, Henry Ford in the car, for example. And then there’s the other people who can see something, you know how to improve upon it. And the only way they can do either of those things is by actually thinking about the problem. Is it saying right, it seems simple. You know, I’m not saying to all the listeners out there, but you’re going to suddenly come up with some life changing world dominating, you know, concept, just by sitting there on the train each morning, having a think to yourself, but I do promise you, if you’ve got something that’s on your mind, or something that you want to do, and you don’t know how to do it, you’ve got more chance of doing it, but actually thinking it through.
Jimmy Burgess [47:36]
Absolutely. And and here’s the thing, when things really began to change is when you move from saying, I don’t know how to do that, too, I’m going to figure out how to do that, what’s that change happens? Wow, then things began to change. I’ll give you a hint. And this is not some big secret. But literally, this was the key to me, having, you know, a seven figure income at one time, you know, is if you figure out a problem that a lot of people have, and find a solution. Everything else people will be begging to, to give you money. So if you’re in a situation where you’re looking around, and you know that there’s a large group of people that are looking for whatever it is, and you provide that, and you provide it in a way that they feel good about it, and that it helps them, you know, just just do that and everything else, you’ll be amazed at how things will change. I spent so much time focusing on myself and what I get out of the deal. And and when I did that, it was a it was a very small place to be, if that makes sense. Once I began to focus on the needs of others, and really I just I wasn’t even thinking about the money. I was just excited because people were excited about me giving them some something they’ve been looking for. When that happens. Boy, people are excited to do business with you. It’s not even about business, people become friends rather than rather than business associates. You know, they begin there’s a difference between helping someone and giving them something that they need or want, then selling somebody something because people are
David Ralph [49:22]
drunk compassionately. Ah,
Jimmy Burgess [49:24]
yeah. I mean, who, who doesn’t love passion? And and I mean, who doesn’t love being around people that are excited? You know, I love the way Brendan Bouchard says to as far as changing your focus, there’s really two types of people. They’re the people that when you go in a room there, they’re like, here I am. And then he says, but the people that really make an impact are the ones that when they enter a room, they say, Oh, there you are. That’s a total different mindset,
David Ralph [49:53]
which we know as far as Jimmy, which one are you?
Jimmy Burgess [49:56]
I am I am the person that Oh, there you are. Italy, that’s who I strive to be. And at times when I’ve had my most success, that’s who I am. The times when I’m trying to, you know, blow my own horn. And oh, look at me. It’s it’s just, it’s just not a who wants to be around that you know what I mean? Who wants to be around the guy that all he does, is talk about himself. I want to be around the guy that’s like, Wow, that’s really interesting. Tell me more about that. I would, you know, tell me more about how you know, I love people’s storeys. I think that’s what’s the driving force behind you putting together this podcast is that you love the storeys, you love to be able to bring other people’s triumphs and struggles, and that other people that are listening right now that can relate to and say, You know what? I can, I’m that guy. I’m that guy that has been there were everything around, he was whirling around. And if he could do it, because if he could do I could see similarities between me and that I could do it. Well, that’s, that’s impactful. That makes all the difference?
David Ralph [51:07]
I think that’s absolutely true. I think, you know, I keep on saying the same thing, because there isn’t that much you can say on these subjects, really, other than do some things of you know, not just Nigeria, just do it, you know, and Richard Branson says, must he say, screw it, just do it.
Jimmy Burgess [51:26]
Right, right. And it’s funny that you brought that up. That’s, that’s the subtitle of my book book is you know, how to how to bounce back in life. So you can do more, because it all starts with doing more, you know, no one ever got hurt by working harder. And nothing worse ever happens by working harder. But and you know, the towel kind of it first, it’s about money. It’s not even about money. If you do more, you have the ability to have more, and then you can be more, you know, what money gives you the ability to do, which is tremendous is is all of a sudden you become the there’s a big difference, because I’ve been on both sides of my life, and being the beneficiary and being the benefactor. Wow, is it exciting when you see somebody that’s, that needs help, and you can give it to them. And the times when, you know when I was playing small and, and limiting myself and, and basically just focused on myself, I didn’t even notice the opportunities to make a difference in other people’s lives, when I was really focused on other people. And I had the opportunities. And that’s, that’s what it’s all about. I mean, you know, I’ll just tell you from experience, when you’re in a position where you’re doing more, and you end up being more, in other words, being more of who you were created to be being a better husband, being a better father, being a better friend, being a better person that makes an impact and encourages and inspires other people. That’s what it’s all about. Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about this money, I can tell you, it will come and it will go. But the people that I have been able to, to to hear their storeys, and they’ve shaped my life. That’s who I remember, that’s the things I remember those times with my kids, there’s times with those people that, you know, you just look back, I mean, we can all look back, there was a time, you know, you can look back and that one that one night, that special date, when you realised that you were that you were sitting across the table from the person that you were meant to spend the rest of your life with, you know, those moments that just really made an impact. That’s what it’s all about. And if you’re going to have more of those moments, you got to be doing what it is that you were created to do to find that passion so that you’re excited about it. And then those people will just be drawn to you that you can make an impact on.
David Ralph [53:58]
Do you know, do you mean, I know me too a thing called the Sermon on the mic. When I hand over to presenting, and I get you to talk about I’m not going to do it.
Unknown Speaker [54:07]
So sorry, I just have to go. No, that’s fine. That’s
David Ralph [54:10]
absolutely what it’s about that that is the message that these episodes are all about. And hopefully you will, you know, convey across the globe to whatever areas somebody has got their headphones in. And they’re listening to us to talk today. But I just before I let you go, I’m very interested. I know you’ve got a big project coming up soon, but you’ve been working towards, would you be willing to just share with the audience what’s going on in your life at the moment, which is, I know we were talking about before recording, but you’re so excited about?
Jimmy Burgess [54:42]
Yeah, it’s great. And thank you for the opportunity to share this, you know, the book really is my storey. It is a very quick 85 at less than 90 page read. And basically it is my storey of, of changing my life and beginning to make made a lot of money lost it all the lessons I learned through that and how to bounce back. So if anybody’s in a struggle, or has if they aren’t in a struggle, chances are if you’re going to be in one at some point, it’s just my storey. And here’s what’s exciting about it is is is that the idea that that things aren’t going to change and aren’t going to get better is just not true. I can tell you things, whenever you’re in the middle of a struggle, now, they come to pass, they haven’t come to stay. And there are steps that I’ve discovered on how to come through that. And that’s what we share in the book. What’s great about it is this week we’re launching the book, they can get it on Kindle, you know, and I know that your show is heard around the world, you know, you can find the book on Amazon, and you know, any of the Amazon Europe, European distribution centres or in the United States or in Canada. But here’s what’s good about it this week, we are launching the book, and we are working on giving tonnes of bonuses for people, we just want to add value. Because I’m leave that that comes back, you know, tenfold. And so here’s what we’re doing, if you purchase the book this week, and you email me, and my email address is Jimmy at do more, have more, be more calm Jimmy at have more, do more, have more be more calm. We got some great bonuses for you. You know the what we’ve got this week is is the audio book will not be released for a few more weeks will email you a copy of the audio book free, we will also we’re going to be available and we’re going to be scheduling for the next month, free 45 minute coaching sessions where I can talk with someone. And if they’re having trouble figuring out what their passion is, or they’re not sure on the direction they want to do. Or they just like to talk and they want to get around somebody that’s positive. I’m doing free 45 minute coaching sessions for anyone that buys the book this week. They just email me at that Jimmy, do more, have more be more calm. And we’ll give them that bonuses. Well on top of that I know a guest that you’ve had combined Zika Constable, who’s a good friend of mine, he and I are going to do a webinar next week for anyone that buys a book this week on how to monetize your dream we’re going to share with commodity storey my storey what we did, we’re going to answer questions as long as there are questions out there. And that’s going to be free if they purchase the book this week. So I’m really excited to be able to give those bonuses and during this launch week, and I hope people take advantage of that. And I can’t wait to hear from some people. Well,
David Ralph [57:28]
why would you know, why would you know, we’ve all those bonuses. And even if there wasn’t any bonuses, I’m sure that the content is worth worth, you know, thousands in itself, because he’s not just content is thrown out there. His content has been built by experience. And that’s hard to buy.
Jimmy Burgess [57:45]
I tell people, I’m not a professor, what you read in my book, and what you hear from me is not theory. This isn’t something that I think might work. These are things that I know that I know, because I’ve lived them. And so what you find in the book is I’m very troubled parent about the struggles I had. Because I believe that when we’re transparent, and people just find, you know, they just see that you’re real, you know what I mean? They can find in them that you know that maybe the struggle they’re going through is not as bad as I thought. And hopefully it inspires people to just get up and like you say Just do it. Just do what you do whatever you’re supposed to do, just do it.
David Ralph [58:24]
Screw it, just do it.
Jimmy Burgess [58:27]
Right, like There we go.
David Ralph [58:28]
Well, Jimmy, it’s been an absolute pleasure. It’s just coming up to an hour now. So um, I hope we haven’t overrun the content you provided and the passion and enthusiasm as actually Sean out, you know, if there is anyone out there listening, and I know there are thousands of people listening out there, but please drop us a line or fill out the comment sheet on the bottom of the website to tell us you know your feelings about this episode, because I think that Jimmy is an absolute powerhouse. And he’s an authentic powerhouse. So he deserves all the success he gets. And really next time you got something to tell us come back because Jimmy there’s always dots to join up. And by Join Up Dots, you can always build your future. Thank you very much.
Jimmy Burgess [59:13]
Thank you, David.
Outro [59:15]
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.