choosing yourself

What do you get when you cross a Polish who can do math with an Asian who is allergic to alcohol? You’ll find out soon enough when you watch a very, special backstage episode Phil and I recorded off the cuff after fueling up on some margaritas.

I happened to be in Phil’s neck of the woods giving a shin kicking development training workshop on Friday. So Phil and I decided to huddle up at our Milwaukee hub (Phil’s coworking office at Hudson Lounge in the Third Ward) to record our first ever in-person backstage episode to recap the first 25 episodes of The SHUT UP Show!

Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)Listen to the show (coming soon)

Share Some SHUT UP Love:

We are not the authority in anything. We are guinea pigs and this show is an experiment. @BerniXiong on #shutupshow (click to tweet)

We all have feedback to give. We all have insight that someone needs. @PhilGerb on #shutupshow (click to tweet)

Fun Facts:

Berni and Phil do the robot dance right before every episode goes LIVE ON AIR
None of the questions are contrived. They are asked off the cuff to keep the conversation real and raw.
Phil may or may not have been twerking before this special backstage episode went LIVE
Berni really has Asian Flush, which means she “experiences flushes or blotches as a result of an accumulation of acetaldehyde, a metabolic byproduct of the catabolic metabolism of alcohol” (via Wikipedia)

Defining SHUT UP Moment:

Berni nixed a weight management coaching project the week she was about to launch it to the public because it was excruciating work. Even though she had clients lined up and a clear plan to monetize as a newly certified weight management specialist, she decided to instead pursue what she truly enjoyed. That’s when Berni shut up and chose to go all-in with The SHUT UP Show, a project that has no guarantee of monetization, because she’s having the time of her life.

Phil recently got his ass kicked by his accountability coach only days before he was about to launch a new project. His coach helped him to realize the project was not in alignment with his core values. After 3 hours of crying and reflection, Phil decided to follow his heart, instead of leading with the prospect of making a ton of money, and completely derailed his original plan to stay true to his values.

SHUT UP Tips (Highlights from First 25):

I told people to shut up a long time ago and decided now, as my life is changing and I want to start a family, is the time to shut up myself. – Scott Ginsberg

Don’t be afraid to look stupid. Get over it. It’s just a part of being an entrepreneur. You’re going to do things that don’t work. Lean Startup: fail fast, learn, regroup, retrench, relaunch. – Catherine Morgan

If you try to play this game on an island, you’re not going to succeed. If you think you have your little baby–your idea–and you’re almost afraid to show people because you’re afraid they’re going to tell you the truth that maybe its an ugly baby. You need the flip side too; you need good people to be honest with you. – Greg Hartle

If you don’t come up with ideas every day, after 2 weeks your idea muscle will atrophy. – James Altucher

Do what you love in the service of those who love what you do. – Steve Farber

The day it really hit me I realized this is my life and it is my one and only. There are no encores. There are no redos. I don’t get another one. This is it. When you recognize this is not your practice life. This is all you have. Everything changes when you really get that because your choices become more urgent and that fear of “Am I gonna make it?” is much less relevant. – AJ Leon

Special Thanks to Guests from Our First 25:

Scott Ginsberg – Scott Ginsberg on Shutting Up and Not Giving a Shit – Episode 2
Bryson Andres – Bryson Andres on Becoming Discovered by Playing From the Heart – Episode 4
Amy Clover – Amy Clover Moves Us to Be Strong Inside Out – Episode 7
Srini Rao – Srini Rao Teaches Us About the Art of Being Unmistakable – Episode 8
John Haydon – John Haydon Helps us Flip Our Middle Finger to Fear and Doubt – Episode 9
AJ Leon – AJ Leon Helps Us Define Our Moments So They Don’t Define Us – Episode 10
Greg Hartle – Greg Hartle Teaches Us How to Succeed Starting From Scratch – Episode 11
James Altucher – James Altucher Takes Us From Broke to Choosing Yourself – Episode 13
Dat Phan – Death, Sex and Fear: What the Hell Dat Phan? – Episode 15
Craig Price – Craig Price Gives Us a Reality Check & Lots of Laughs – Episode 16
Susan Baroncini-Moe – Susan Baroncini-Moe Breaks World Records & Runs a Profitable Business in Blue Jeans – Episode 18
Jia Jiang – From Foe to Friend: Jia Jiang’s Love Story with Rejection – Episode 19
Catherine Morgan – Catherine Morgan Helps Us Get from Point A to Point B – Episode 20
Steve Farber – Steve Farber On Being More You & Infusing Your Voice with Work You Do – Episode 21
Matthew Kimberley – Matthew Kimberley Helps Us Get a Grip & More Clients – Episode 22
Paul Jarvis – How to Be Whole-Assed & Awesome at Online Business Like Paul Jarvis – Episode 23
Bob Burg – Go-Givers Have More Fun (and Make More Money) with Bob Burg – Episode 24
Chris Brogan – Love in the Time of the Owner with Chris Brogan – Episode 25

Find Berni & Phil:

I first learned about James Altucher nearly half a year ago in an interview he did with Srini on BlogcastFM. Shortly after, I heard him interview with my cousin Chris Brogan. Then, again on another podcast. At the time, I had only been a loyal listener of three podcasts. “What are the odds?” I thought to myself. Let’s just say if I wasn’t already crazy about James, I could respect the fact that he knew how to show up everywhere and, while he was there, he definitely disrupted your thinking.

I knew I eventually wanted to interview James for The Shut Up Show because I find him to be one of the most prolific thought leaders of our time. But I put that idea in my back pocket and didn’t mention anything to Phil because our show was still brand-spanking new. About a week later, Phil nonchalantly texted me with the news that James Altucher had agreed to be on our show. Was I in a little disbelief? Hell yeah. For one, I didn’t know Phil knew of James. Secondly, our show was still in its infancy. This guy is crazy busy and he said yes to us?

The shock wore off after recalling something I read in the first chapter of James’ new book Choose Yourself. He said that everything had changed for him when he realized no one was going to help him succeed and, if he was going to thrive, he’d have to choose himself because the stakes were too high not to. As he later reveals in this episode, “I wouldn’t have said yes to hanging out if i didn’t think I would have fun.” This is yet another inspiring interview and Phil and I feel so blessed we got to be behind the microphone with James this time around. Watch and listen as we discuss massive failures and the genesis of Choosing Yourself.

Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)

Listen to the podcast

Share Some Shut Up Love –> If you don’t come up with ideas every day, after 2 weeks your idea muscle will atrophy. @jaltucher via @_theshutupshow

Fun Facts:

After graduating, James landed his first job in the IT department at HBO.
James co-founded over 20 companies since the early 1990s.
James has gone broke more than once, losing millions every time.
James has published 11 books.
Jame is a frequent contributing writer for Techcrunch, The Huffington Post and Financial Times to name a few.
James uses a waiter pad to write up at least 10 ideas a day.
James self-published a book he titled Choose Yourself, which hit number one on Wall Street Journal’s bestseller list [at the time of the recording] beating out every publisher that would have rejected him.

Defining Shut Up Moment:

I used to think that if I was successful, I would feel fulfilled. I wouldn’t feel empty anymore. I’m finished. It’s done. I would then stop doing everything that helped me to improve and be successful. Then, the universe would slap me down and I would lose everything. This would happen again and again. I’d find myself on the floor broke again asking, “Did I not learn anything?” It was always very painful. I realized, then, what I had to do was continue to keep the daily practice. You have to keep the water in the well to never fully experience the emptiness because you never stop being afraid. – James Altucher

Shut Up Tips:

I started hanging out around positive people and became grateful for abundance every day whether or not I saw it. Every time I didn’t follow this, I would fail and go broke again. – James

Physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually I focus on being healthy every day. I try not to focus on anyone else around me and that’s what has helped. Doing so has directly related to financial success for me. – James

You always want to be preaching to the choir. – James

I never believe I have to do things. – James

A goal or purpose implies this mystical “there” where I have to be. I’m here right now. I focus on where I am now and how I can be best for myself right now. – James

I’ve made most money in life not on any business or investments. I think for most successful people it would be odd if they actually told you where they had most of their financial success. It would be things that were totally unexpected. – James

We’re all capable of coming up with great ideas to change the world, but the most important thing is to change yourself. – James

I singlehandedly saved the global economy because my chocolates helped NYSE traders take more risks. It’s not bragging if it’s true. – James

Being anxious about finding your purpose has never worked for anybody. No one person has ever found one purpose and died with that one purpose. – James

People are afraid of things that are external to them from global warming or war to going broke or your health not being good. My advice is always the same. Build your foundation. You can’t build a house until the foundation is built first. – James

A beacon guides ships on a cloudy night safely to its shores. The beacon has no idea what ships it’s helping. Its only job is to make sure the light turns on and the windows are clean so the light shines freely. That’s really the way you get through fear. You build the beacon inside yourself because then you’re the first person you’re helping and then the beacon shines out to everybody else. – James

James Recommends:

James holds a weekly Q&A session on twitter every Thursday from 3:30pm to 4:30pm Eastern Time.

James will pay you back if you buy his new book Choose Yourself.

Find James:

JamesAltucher.com – The Altucher Confidential blog

Tweet with James