#47 - Being Authentic with Mike Doyle

In this episode of the Morning Upgrade podcast I talk with Mike Doyle about goal setting, being authentic, happiness and more. 

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Transcript

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Ryan 

Hey guys, it's Ryan real quick. So my mission with the Morning Upgrade blog and podcast is to raise the awareness of morning routines and personal development. And I now have two products that are also helped me with this mission. The first product helps you start a 20 minute morning routine. And the second product is a book that outlines how to use personal development to upgrade your life and business. You can get full details on both products over at morning upgrade.com. Thanks for letting me share. And now on to the show.

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 are you?

Mike  

I'm good. How are you?

Ryan 

Excellent. Best Ever. Yes. Let's talk about or I should say let's start off with telling everyone who you are, what you do for a living, and what some of your hobbies are.

Mike  

Yeah, my name is Mike Doyle. I live in Raleigh, North Carolina, and do three things. One of them that actually gets paid for is doing animation for a living. It's called drive at comm eight, zero, and two explainer videos and Instagram stickers, logo animations, and the fun things I do. I have a webcomic called daily bread. You can check it on Instagram, it's your daily bread. And I just do daily drawings and take a picture and put it up. And it could be funny, as usually pretty funny because I'm pretty funny. At a podcast with the late 90s punk scene called this was a scene you can check that out. And for hobbies lately, I've been running, I'm doing a challenge my buddy to run every day for 90 days, one to five miles. I just bought a bike yesterday, Kona, something should probably know that since I spent like $1,000 on the bike. And I just said I just got that. So I'm gonna start writing. Other than that, I love going and collecting Vinyl. And my non-healthy hobbies are going out on the town and drinking bourbon and hanging with my friends and getting craft beer.

Ryan 

It's relationship building, though. So exactly. It's that's important. The one to five miles is interesting. I think I would, I would lean heavily towards the one mile. But yeah, you do.

Mike  

You do especially today since it's kind of I'm literally when this is done. I'm jetting out the door to try to go for three, but it's kind of raining. So you're like I can get away with one?

Ryan  

Yeah, you'll have the option of flexibility. The three things you do are the podcast and the comic, the comic Instagram account, and then obviously Dr. AD, it's all focused around creativity, is that something you've always had? Or is that is it like a muscle something that you've made stronger over the years?

Mike 

I've always had it the first time I recognize that when I was I was a little kid, I had Nintendo Power, and a notepad in front of me and a pencil or a pencil and I was watching TV and I just randomly drew Roger Rabbit, which was a video game at the time. And I drew the like, I don't watch them verbatim is the right word. But it looked exactly like the comic and or the picture. And I had never taken any art lessons. So it's always been just kind of instilled in me to be able to create and then I was in a band for a long time. So I was writing songs. And then like drawing and graphic design. So it was it just always came really naturally to me. And then the technical side to learning programs. And using them that's been a gift. Because you can't get anything done if you if you know how to animate frame by frame. But if you can't animate with After Effects, which is very technically robust, then you're kind of screwed. So I've been lucky to be able to learn technology as well.

Ryan  

I find the creative aspect of things very fascinating. I don't I don't have that. And I remember I remember this kid I went to high school with and he was just an insane drawer like the sketches he would come up with. And I was like, how is he doing that? You know, it just fascinates me.

Mike  

Well, it's kind of hard sometimes because you see people like that, but they can't translate that over to software. And then they're screwed. So unless they find it really nice that they can draw and illustrate make a living off of that majority of the time you got to make a digital because you got to do it for a client. What's the hardest thing about your business? The fun part. And the worst part is running by myself. So I've got to wear all hats. So I'm every department in one person. And structuring my day can be a little difficult because the creative side wants me to just create things all the time. But then the business side is no you can't do that because it's not guaranteed you're going to get new business. So I have to balance that but I never have this regimen of Monday through Friday, I do this 9 am to 5 pm. It's I kind of sometimes I do things on the fly. And that can be stressful at all if I don't have a project. But if I have a project then I am regimented and I have deadlines. I get it done. And I'm just focused but you just constantly want to make cool things. And that can just get in the way. And so then like today, I've just been kind of putzing around after a sales meeting.

Ryan 

At least you're honest, you know,

Mike 

oh, that's honest. Sometimes I just like, You know what, man, I'm gonna go and just drive and get coffee and drive around in my jeep for an hour and listen to a podcast because I can do that. And I don't care.

Ryan  

Yeah, you need to have that downtime too. But I hear you're saying though, that that's like the E Myth revisited. You know, the concept of someone goes into business for themselves, because they're good at x. But they don't actually work on the business. Like you're talking to the creative side and the business side. So they focus mostly on the creative side, forgetting that there's the whole business side, that needs to happen as well. But it sounds like you're aware of that. So that's a good thing.

Mike  

Oh, totally. I've read so many business books on success and structure and taken sales courses. So I've done a pretty balanced between the creative side and the business side. But yeah, I completely understand that you know, the pie, the pie maker shouldn't be making the pies.

Ryan  

Do you have any habits that you lean on for either your business or your personal growth?

Mike 

I know you sent me that question. I was trying to think about it. I think some habits will be as simple as if it's let's say it's sales. If someone reaches out to me, and I'm going to follow up by habit is just put it into my calendar a week or so out and stay up to date with that. And if it's like a big lead, then I put in Trello. I don't know if that's a habit. But that's just kind of a routine. I don't know like I don't I probably do. I think one of the questions you have is what I do in the morning, I don't know if you want to if that falls in line with this.

Ryan  

That is a habit. That's a routine. It's a habit that I've created for myself, I break it out because I want my guests to share like they sometimes have other habits besides a morning routine that we can all learn from. But let's talk about your morning routine. What does that look like?

Mike  

Yeah, that one's more structured. So I always make my bed and I read that and I think anyone listening to a podcast like this has heard that but there is something about Fung Shui. I completely believe that if your place looks untidy, then you feel untidy. And if you feel it is tidy, then you feel put together and you feel like you're accomplishing something. First thing, I get up, I make my bed right away, I chug water because someone told me to do that. Like Nene Williams is a really famous skateboarder who was insanely in shape. He does that as well. And then sometimes they kind of change but the guarantee one makes my bed, do that drinking water. And then I started doing the Five Minute Journal, which is sure you've all heard about this. But it's the three things you're grateful for three things that will make your day great. And then the like one last question is, I am and you just answer that. And then at the end of the night, you finish it with three things that happen great today, and how could it make today better?

Ryan  

I use the five-minute journal is you do both the morning and the night.

Mike 

I try the morning one guaranteed if I'm going to do it, and then sometimes the night I get a little lost because I may have had a few bourbons and I just put myself to bed or I pass out on my couch if it's like a Friday and Saturday hanging out with some friends that I wake up in the morning. So sometimes I'll wake up in the morning and do the night part before I get into the daypart which I think might be a little current counterintuitive to the science that that book has. But another before that us there was the habit, big habit to have. And I know this is only like it's just a short episode. But giving myself a penalty is a habit of mine. If I have a goal, I end up I'm just kind of procrastinating I'll always set myself a date, and then I'll give myself a penalty for not accomplishing it. And I'll include someone in that Pouncy Oh, yeah. So within that, I have a couple of years ago, I quit drinking for five months because of that. I've also completed two miles a day for 365 days in 2018. I've got a book published by myself within a week because I was procrastinating it and I put it online I was like, hey, if I don't get this done, oh my buddy, Nick Berry, 200 bucks, and I tagged him and he's like, Well, this is great. And I've never paid anybody for the penalty cuz I always get it done that. So that's also happening with the 90-day thing I'm doing right now.

Ryan  

Was he trying to self-sabotage you when he knew $200 was on the line?

Mike  

Now, I mean, he's a great dude. He's just a buddy of mine that I've known just through business and networking and entrepreneur groups. And he was just like, cool, man. But the reason I chose him is that he's a ballbuster and he routes you on at the end. I was like I owe no money to Nick Berry. He's like, I'm happy that you don't.

Ryan  

So, let’s go on the flip side of that. I like the idea of penalizing yourself when you don't meet your goals. How do you celebrate your wins?

Mike 

By getting my goals done. The pure fact that I accomplished that is is the reward to me. I don't ever give myself an oh, I'll go get a massage or because I think pretty much the majority of my time is giving myself room rewards just for accomplishing the day I'm like well, I got I was I stayed on till three o'clock today. I'm going to go out and do whatever I want. So I have enough of those But the penalty thing is, I find it rewarding to not have to succumb to the penalty, I guess. And you build accountability into it. So by posting online and then bringing someone else into it, that's a key partly I'm part of a mastermind, we have the same thing we have accountability built-in. And so people are, you know, making sure that the group is making sure everyone's meeting their goals. So the accountability is huge.

Ryan  

Oh, yeah. Anything, anytime I've had to get something done, accountability is the number one factor of getting it done. If I do something on my own, I can do it. But the moment I get someone else involved, it always just triggers me. Because there's a part of me too, that has this. Look at me, look at me, I did this. Like, it's almost like a little kid just trying to prove themselves to their parent, I guess. Like, I'll notice that. And if I'm in a CrossFit workout, anytime that coach is walking over to me, I'm gonna be less tired and start kicking more ass because I want to be like, Hey, good job. 

Mike

That's true. Yeah, something about that. 

Ryan

Yes, I can relate to that. Catch it too, man. It's funny. Would you do like, I know I'm doing this, but 41 years old, and I need someone to tell me good job Please be proud of me? I hate I need your acceptance. In your opinion, let's talk about life. And the meaning of life. In your opinion, what is the meaning of life?

Mike 

The meaning of life to me is everyone has a metaphorical blank room. And you could paint it however you want to. So I did this thing a couple of years ago, called landmark you ever heard of this? I have not. Landmark. It's a three-day weekend. Immersion where there's a leader like a forum leader, it sounds culty. And people think it's cool, too. It's not it really isn't. It's just you sitting in a room. They give their philosophy on life. And you sit there and people come upon a mic and they're like, I'm stuck. And they said these people are billionaires and broke. And they and you have no idea who they are. And you sit there and you listen to them talk and you kind of reflect on your own stuff. Like yeah, but they make you kind of call people that you've been stuck on and be like, Hey, man, I remember that one time I did this. Well, I'm sorry. And it actually helped me get over my divorce. When I did that. The one thing they said at the end, they're like, life is empty and meaningless. But it's empty and meaningless, that it's empty, meaningless. Meaning, it's basically saying you could do whatever you want. And everyone thinks that you have to follow these rules, but there are no rules, which is the most freeing thing. And there they're like not saying there's no religion, and there's not spirituality, they're just like, in this time or in, you guys are making this way too complicated. So everyone has their own room, paint whatever color you want, and then paint over it and paint over it again and paint over it again and just have fun. Basically, it's a three-day event. It's called the landmark. 

Ryan

You said, yeah, landmark?

Mike  

It’s a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 13-hour session and you get breaks here and there for lunch. And just because sitting in a two and a half-hour lecture, it just you get it gets draining, but you're so you get really energized by the time Sunday comes around that places like popping off, people are so excited. the shyest person in the room is now talkative, crazy because they're just realizing stuff about themselves. People think it's really cool for you because they don't have marketing. And the marketing is then to bring people in and be like, You should bring a friend in. You're like, alright, I get it. But they're like, but we don't spend money on marketing. So this is how we get more people to do this. And we are a profitable business. But at the same time, we're getting people over their crap. I was like, Yeah, I pay for things that get me over my crap. Like, sure. I'll bring someone in. And then they'll email you and say, Hey, do you wanna do this? You're like, no, no. Okay. That's where it stopped being the where people are like, Oh, they're, they're in your face. And like, Well, yeah, they're a business. But if you just tell them, yeah, I don't want to do that. They're like, Alright, cool. We'll just hit you up next time, another email if you want to do another seminar. Okay.

Ryan  

That’s cool. Never heard of it. So the key takeaway here for myself and the audience, something pretty neat.

Mike  

I highly recommend it. I think it was like 600 bucks for the forum. And then once you do that, it was 200, some 50 bucks for the advanced course. And I don't know they're doing them right now. But I got so much out of it.

Ryan  

I got one more question for you. And then we're gonna wrap up by you sharing how everyone can learn more about you. Or if they want to reach out and say, Hello. Let's talk about happiness. Like how do you make yourself happy? What's your definition approach to happiness?

Mike  

I tried to go back to the core of it that what I've learned or have read is that you're always happy and use complicated to make yourself unhappy. And I've learned that buying things don't do it. It's I love hanging out with friends. I love talking to people. I love sharing the things that I do, but I really love creating things and I love making people laugh. And I love making myself laugh. Like that's where I find a lot of happiness. When you put it on someone else to be your crutch for being happy. I think that that is not I know what it's like to be with someone in the makes you happy, like being with a loved one or a significant other, but you're putting too much weight because they go away, then you're the complete opposite of happy you're crushed and sad for X amount of time. So I think it's like you just have to find out that you're already good. And when things go crappy, it's you just treated as well. This is I have to learn something from this and not be like, oh, I can't go on anymore. Like I can't, is to crashing I can't survive. You only have x amount of time this rock man. So it's don't overcomplicate it, and when things get stressful, just check out for a minute and just be like, I don't feel like doing this. Because you have like right now I'm 41 I maybe have another six decades left off. I'm lucky. So why am I gonna make it? Why am I gonna make my life suck?

Ryan 

Very wise words. There are a lot of gems in there. I'm trying to remember them all my brains having a hard time remembering but like overcomplicating, I think that's what a lot of people do. Especially crafting their lives around the opinion of others. And just choosing to be happy and, and also just loving yourself. You know? Think that's like the starting points being okay with who you are and loving yourself.

Mike  

Yeah, I don't I don't I never understood what I understand the idea of that. I've never heard people say I've loved myself and I've never found what that is. I've never got it. Like I'm cool hanging out by myself. And I don't hate myself as a person. But sometimes you wake up you're like, Man, I just need to lose that 10 pounds. I look like crap. And I think that's not really loving yourself and some people's like, No, you look at the mirror and you see that but you don't see like, no, it's clear as day in front of me like I need to run. This shirt is very tight on me. I don't like the way that looks. I think it's it's like it's accepting yourself. It's okay with who you are. But also being okay with wanting to improve yourself as well. So and think it's okay with being alone and you're okay with being alone and enjoying yourself. Join your company. That's my view of it.

Ryan  

I think that you nail that.  We will end it on that note. So cool, Mike. Well, I enjoyed the conversation. What's the best way people connect with you if they want to learn more?

Mike  

Three ways. One, go to drive at comm eight zero to see the explainer videos. And we typically work with companies who can't define have struggled to find what they do. And I could do it in 60 seconds, then you could check out my webcomic it's Daily Bread, you could check out yourdailybread.com. And I have this new thing called a checklist couple, which I have five books that I've done, but I always want to make them interactive. And this is a mix of sweet and really messed up things that couples can do to start a conversation and see where they land on their thoughts on answering that question. And the 90s Punk podcast this was the scene it started off focus strictly on New Jersey, just the New Jersey late 90s punk scene and then I've advanced from that and talked to bands like you found glory farside sunny day real estate seaweeds Sam I Am knapsack less than Jake just goes on and on. So you can go to that website and check that out. And also have a daily bread podcast where I just talk by myself about my life and just get really raw. So that's another way to check it out.

Ryan 

Awesome. Producing a lot of content. Love it. Well. Thanks, Mike. And thanks to everyone for listening. 

Mike

Thanks to you, man.

Ryan  

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