#133 - Keeping Calm During Business Stress with Mike Sudermann

In this episode of the Morning Upgrade podcast I talk with Mike Sudermann about his morning routine, keeping calm during business stress, surrounding yourself with the right people, creating a roadmap for life  and more.

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Announcer

Welcome to the Morning upgrade podcast with Ryan cote, where we feature casual conversations with entrepreneurs about personal development and growth.

Ryan

Hey, Mike, welcome to the Morning upgrade podcast. How's your day going?

Mike  

So great, Ryan, thanks for having me on your show. Yeah,

Ryan  

I'm excited. We're fellow mastermind brothers. So I'm excited to have you on and talk a little bit about personal development and maybe some business, let's kick this off, like I do every show. Tell my audience of mourning upgraders and who you are, what you do for a living, and then something that you're grateful for at the present moment?

Mike  

Sure. My name is Mike Suderman. I specialize in helping senior leaders like C suite hire top tier talent very quickly without sacrificing quality. And so basically, people always say, in a mesa, what are you a headhunter? Not saying, Yes, I am. I'm a headhunter. But it's really more than that, it's, you know, we're really trying to help our senior leaders bring on that talent that is very difficult to find, they struggle to find it so that's basically what I do. And when, or something I'm grateful for, quite frankly, is calmness. And I know that might sound unusual. But in business and in life, I mean, if you have a really solid roadmap, where you're going and how you're gonna get there, and I kind of equate it to, like flying an airplane and being instrument rated. I mean, if you can fly an airplane, through thunderstorms and clouds and over a body of water, using instruments, you know where you're going, you have a calmness about you, you know how to address various challenges, because you trust the instruments, and it gives you peace of mind. And that's where I am right now with life and business. I've got my instrument rating, and I'm, I'm just flying along. And it's, it feels good to not be in an anxious, jittery day to day. I mean, it's just nice to have calmness. So that's why I'm very poor.

Ryan  

That's a good thing. That's a good word. And sometimes, sometimes not always like that in business. I know it wasn't always like that for you, too. So what we're going to get back to is that maybe you can give us some tips on how you brought calmness to your life, because I think that most people are overwhelmed. So it might be nice to hear some of your tips on that. Well, let's hear, let's first go to your morning routine. How do you start your days?

Mike  

It's a fluid process, Ryan, I used to not have this process. But in the last 18 months or so it really started to change things around quite a bit. And I think a lot of that is, you know, we'll talk about it. But a lot of it also affects the calmness I have in my life right now. But my day starts with reading, I typically read about 10 or 15 minutes in the morning, I try for many, many years, I get up and the first thing you know, we all do this, we go straight to our phones, right? What's going on? What's the news, what's your talent or whatever, I work hard not to go straight to the phone. So I'll pick up one of my books that I'm reading, and I'll read for 10 or 15 minutes. After I do that, I will and I've kind of woken up a little bit, I go into a three by 100. And what I mean by that is I do 100 Push Ups, 100 crunches and 100 air squats. It takes me about, I don't know, three or four minutes. I've gotten to a point now where I can pretty much knock everything out in one fell swoop. So I'll do that. And then I have some coffee. And along the way, my dog and my two Golden Retrievers are hanging out with me. So I gotta let them out, you know, let them do their thing in the backyard or whatever. And that's typically the morning and then I'll have some coffee and take my youngest to school and I'm ready to go. So that's a typical routine of at least 30 minutes, maybe 30, 40 at the most. So yeah. Yeah. So you

Ryan  

read every morning. I know the answer to this because we're just talking but what book are you reading right now?

Mike  

So I'm reading a wonderful book written by an author of the name Napoleon Hill. He wrote thinking about growing rich. The book I'm reading right now is called Outwitting the Devil. And it is a game changer. You're the one that recommended it to me so for your audience to know where I got the idea it was from Ryan so you guys know Ryan's podcast. I blame myself for it, but it's probably one of the best books I've read in quite some time and I'm a learned reader. Historically, I have had challenges with dyslexia and for the first probably 45 years of my life I really disliked reading being quite a bit and appalling. I've just embraced the challenges I have with reading. And I've gotten better and better and better. And I also have adult attention deficit disorder. So the book has to be really, really good. And you know, I mentioned what I do on my morning routine, I didn't say I read for an hour, I said, I read for like 15 minutes, because that's about all I can do before I start to wander with other ideas, and so forth. So it's a great book, it's not a difficult read, it really has a strong focus on how to, you know, I've known about this for many, many, many years as owning a variety of businesses, but your subconscious will set your course. So Napoleon Hill, I don't want to summarize the book as that because it's not that he talks a lot about how to, you can achieve whatever you set your mind on. But you know, there's some processes you have to go through. It's really great, but Outwitting the Devil is quite good. I'll remind you

Ryan  

one of my takeaways from Book Two, and then we'll go to the calmness tips you have. One of the takeaways I have in the book is that he talks about not becoming a drifter, it's very easy to settle into what's comfortable and what's easy. And then you're just drifting along with no goals, no real purpose behind your daily actions. And it's easy because that's easy to do. And he talks about, like, just constantly trying to combat that self sabotage of becoming a drifter. And that was really, like, five years ago.

Mike  

Oh, my gosh, I wish I would have read that. I mean, I wish the book was around even 20 years, or 30 years ago, but it wasn't ever published. That concept of drifting, I'm thinking I was reading the book, and I was thinking about, sounds good to belabor it. But over the holiday weekend, we went mountain skiing and my 20 year old brought his best friend, who was a valedictorian in high school, got a college scholarship, and he, for a variety of reasons, lost the scholarship. And now he's drifting. And I was reading all of the book about drifting and what occurs and why it occurs. And at the end of the day, my son's friend has lost focus, and he doesn't have a plan. And he is self sabotaging and making up a gazillion excuses as to why he can't do this. Can't do that, and yada, yada, yada. And I'm reading this chapter on what a drifter is. And I'm like, Oh, my gosh, this is what we all know, many, many people and ourselves might have been caught up in not having a plan and executing on it. And so, yeah, it's very powerful information. Gotta get in the book, got it. Got to get the book. Well, I told him about the need to read, I need him to read the book. I've given people books before. And I give them with great intention, and, and, you know, generosity. And I've also discovered that just getting given a book, I mean, it's just, I've never had anyone come to me and say, Hey, man, I read that book, like three days. And you know, it's fantastic. No one's ever done that. They got you motivated enough to get the book yourself. Yeah. So

Ryan  

alright, let's talk about your confidence. I know you haven't always had that. And now you do. So why do you think you have it now? Are there any takeaways for my audience that they can implement on their own day to day?

Mike  

Sure, I really have to believe. And I've always been this way. I've always been a planner, I've always tried to focus as much as I can. I've always believed, as I mentioned earlier, that your subconscious, your subconscious, your brain subconsciously, can't discern the difference between what is real and what is just a thought in most respects. And in the book winning, Outwitting the Devil, they talked about mind over matter. We've all heard that mind over matter, mind over matter, but I really believe that the calmness that I'm experiencing nowadays and yes, to your point, it has not always been that way on is I've finally taken control of my life and across the board as much as I possibly can. I'm reminded, I'll step away from that thought for a second. I'm reminded of a couple things that I learned as a very young child that I didn't appreciate when I was in my 30s. My dad always used to say, Mike, you can only control 90 days at a time, 90 days. Now, that was in the that was 3040 years ago, or longer when my dad used to say that my brother and I and I were ironically, there's a an author by the name of Brian Moran, who wrote a book called the 12 week year, my dad was talking about 90 days at a time, 3040 years ago, to make a lot of sense, you can only control about 90 days at a time, so quit worrying about all that crap that's going on in your family, your life, your kids, your brothers, your sisters, all that stuff, you can't do anything about it in six months. Okay? Do what you can manage what you can manage right now for 90 days. That's a big, big piece of it. The other part for me is taking back control of my time, being very, very intentional. All kinds of people around the world that achieve amazing things in their lives, they create things, they make things, they achieve things, we all get 24 hours, no one, no one's getting more hours, we're all getting the same amount of time. So be intentional, with your time. And the last thing that's really helped me again, I'll repeat this is having a roadmap for leaving, or focusing rather on what I'm trying to achieve. And having those instruments having that roadmap and sticking to itiveness. To achieve it. There are a lot of people that might call you crazy, they think you're crazy to do whatever or I mean, you know, Ryan, you're you and a couple businesses, I own a couple businesses. I mean, there are always going to be naysayers. We have to be convinced, and whatever you're pursuing that it's what you want to achieve, you got to set your mind to it, but you got to create a game plan and you got it, you gotta do it one step at a time. You can't, you know, eat the pizza in, in one bite at the we've always heard the saying you had to eat an elephant, one bite at a time, you got to just one foot after the other and pursue it and you're going to have obstacles, you're going to have roadblocks, you're going to be defeated sometimes, but you just got to be convicted. I'm reminded of Thomas Edison. And I can't remember where I read it. I'm pretty sure it went in there, it might have been in the book, but it took him 10,000 attempts to figure out light and the light pole. And say most people give up after 10 or 15 tries, they just give up. So you have to persevere. So those are things that I think are really critical. The last thing I'll wrap up with which I believe I'm 100% convicted, I believe in this 100% You got to surround yourself with five people that make you better? Well, we've heard it if you're in business, most people have heard that you're the average of the five people you surround yourself with, you don't necessarily have to hang out with them. And if you hang out with them, that's fine. But you got to hang out with five people that are going to make you better if you're the average of those five. And I think that's super important to be able to just remember it, and I don't want to go too long on this. But I have two kids, I have a 20 year old and 15 year old and my 20 year old in high school hung out with these really five great kids and some of them have gone different ways. And he's shedding some and hanging out and replacing them with five, two or three other stronger people and he's got a really good group, my 15 year old is learning the consequences and what needs to be, you know how to, you know, encircle herself with five very strong people that make her better, and be the average of those five. So I think it's super important. But from a calmness standpoint, having a game plan is controlling your time being intentional, focusing, and just enjoying the journey. You know, it's not the destination where we're going, but it's a journey and journeys have you drive from Florida to California, it's, it's Yeah, on the map. It's one shot and you know, by being in my curve or this and that, but once you get on the road, you don't know what kind of obstacles you're gonna run into. Enjoy the journey. Life's short and short.

Ryan  

And then you know, all this stuff that you figured out they were just talking on. I don't think it's talking about I don't think it's nice. It's no surprise that, you know, your business had a great year last year. And so I don't think there's. I don't think that's a coincidence. I think it's all kind of tied together. And I think what you share there the last five minutes or so there's a lot a lot of gems to pull from there. So everyone listening might want to rewind, listen to the last five minutes again and take some notes. Thanks, Mike.

Mike

Sure, happy to help. Enjoy. So

Ryan  

we're at the end of our time, but I want to ask you this one question, wrap it up, I like to ask about the meaning of life, through your lens, and through your experience thus far on planet Earth. What is the meaning of life?

Mike  

Well, I just said it a second ago. I mean, you got to, you got to enjoy the journey, not the destination, it's the journey. And I also really believe you need to give to get, I just think that's super important. So many people are worried about what they're getting. And they forget that giving can be as simple as opening the door for somebody walking in, in a restaurant, or I was in a grocery store the other day, and this lady, I was looking at some and this lady asked me if I could help her get some off the shelf because I was a foot and a half taller. And she was, it was not a big deal, of course, but I mean, you know, it's just kind of random acts of kindness, give. There are many, many ways, I'm not saying you gotta go out and give somebody a couple 1000 bucks for charity, or whatever I'm talking about just little, little stuff. It is very, very important. But even more importantly, it's think we spend so much time and energy in life trying to make money or get somewhere or achieve something or, you know, have material objects or go on these major vacations or do whatever we do. Right, but lowdown, it goes fast. Enjoy the journey, you're gonna have obstacles. When I graduated from college, my dad gave me a book by Dr. Seuss. Oh, the places you'll go. And it talks about the journey that somebody makes throughout his or her career in their life, and you got to slow down and just enjoy. I mean, we're all reminded by things that have happened in the NFL the last few weeks and everything else. I mean, enjoy. Life is short.

Ryan  

That's the last few years especially I've been just trying to figure out the perfect balance. And I don't think I'll ever figure it out exactly. But just trying to like go down the path of working hard and doing well, but also having fun enjoying my life. And so and bringing my family along, we all try to have fun road trips and things like that. Because if you're not intentional about it, at least based on my experiences, it's very easy to go into work mode all the time. And for you know, 30 years pass, you're like, wait, shoot, you know, and so it just takes a lot of intentionality and being present for me, in my experience.

Mike  

Yeah, I mean, it's, we've all heard it, especially those of us that own businesses that when you're on your deathbed, no one says, Well, I wish I would have worked an extra 20 hours a week. I mean, no one ever says that. But you know, when you're in the middle of it, and you're trying to run companies and, and even if you're not running a company, and you're working in a corporate role really doesn't matter. But you just got to, you know, most of us in this world are not doing brain surgery, right? We are number crunching or selling cars or doing something and it's not life or death. And for those who your listeners might be who are physicians or working in life or death situations, the first responders of the world and so forth. I applaud you and we all appreciate your efforts. But it's even everyone just has to slow down long enough to be appreciative. And I'm reminded and I'll wrap up real quick by saying that over the holidays, a couple of my family members were super sick over Thanksgiving and and we had a very non conventional Thanksgiving because we were all sick and I just I told my whole family said we need to be grateful for living in the United States and having modern medicine and having the wherewithal and health insurance to be able to get medications and do what we need to do to manage through the obstacles. So we need to slow down, take a deep breath and just be thankful.

Ryan  

I think a good way to end this interview and I will say I do feel calmer after talking to you. So you know this last 20 minutes or so.

Mike

Call me anytime

Ryan  

you feel like I just meditated. Like if someone wants to connect with you, where should we send them?

Mike  

They can feel free to call me. You can put my number on our I'll just tell you it's 336-404-4610 if they want to call and talk about their career or position or whatever, they can also visit my A, my firm's website at WWW dot ascent select.com. It's a s, c e and t select.com. Happy I tucked in and I'll talk to anybody. I mean, I'm happy to help anyone again. Perfect. Thanks, Mike. Thank you. Enjoyed it. Thanks, Ryan. Have an awesome day.

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