Welcome one and all to the URG on the Go podcast. I'm your host, dj Harrington, better known as the Cardiologist. This podcast is heard every week from coast to coast. We're here in the United States, but we are blessed to have over 387 regular listeners in the European and Australian markets. I want to thank all of our listeners for telling your friends about the fastest growing recycling industry podcast, a true voice of the industry, where recyclers listen to other recyclers to grow their business and improve their bottom line. And our special guest for today's episode is Richard Flint, and we have known each other. He has spoken at URG. Don Porter, when he knew that Richard was going to be on this episode, was so excited. So, richard, if you'd be kind enough, could you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself and then let's start this episode, because it's a treasure to have you on today's podcast.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you, dj. You have no idea how excited I am to be back with the URG family, especially through this podcast. I've been on the International Lecture Circuit for 35 years and when I started this, dj, I started it with one major thought law in my life of what I wanted for people, and that is I want people to understand that if you want to grow and improve, you have to do it by creating a positive presence that is present when you're not present. And it's one of the reasons I like the title of your podcast on the go because everybody's on the go and what I found out over the years not everybody understands where they're going.
Speaker 1:So let me ask this of you If you had an opportunity to share with the URG people, what is some concept that we could do? We take a break every nine minutes or so, so what could you share with our listeners until break time?
Speaker 2:Well, dj, one of the things I've learned over my 35 years of working with companies, corporations, with individuals, with leaders, is that everybody wants to improve. But so many people either don't understand what that means because they're trapped in their circle of repetitive behavior, or when they think about improving, then there is that fear that goes with it and they start playing the what if game. What I learned many years ago was that for any life to improve and for any company to improve, they got to be willing to bring three A's into their environment. A number one is they have to be willing to look with honest eyes and see where they need to adapt. Because if you don't see where you need to adapt, then what do you do? You continue down the path that you've always been on, and one of the things that COVID did a couple of years ago was that COVID made it impossible, if you wanted to grow, to not be willing to look at your company from honest eyes and see where you need to adapt. And that means you have to be willing to open up to change, and I have found that there are so many business owners that change is one of the most frightening words that you can put in front of them. And the biggest reason that people fear change is that it interrupts their comfortable routine. But if you don't change, you can't improve.
Speaker 2:It's a fascinating study when you study two words change and improvement, those in language, those two words are the same word. The difference in it is where they enter, because change is an emotion. And when you start talking to people about change, then what are you doing? You're coming in through their emotions. And when a human lives from their emotions up, they restrict themselves, they limit themselves and they're not willing really to open their life, to take an honest look at their organization. So many times I've talked with leaders of companies and owners of companies and we've sat there and they talk about wanting to improve. So my question is to them well, what do you need to face? What is it within your organization that needs to be addressed? And rather than fighting what you need to address, you open yourself and you're willing to adapt. Because until you're willing to adapt, there is no improvement, there's just verbiage, there's just conversations, and in those conversations nothing is going to happen.
Speaker 2:And then the second aid is that you have to be willing. After you're willing to adapt, you must be willing to adjust. I'll tell you something it's easier for people to look at adapting than it is to adjust, because adjustment is where you now have to take action. And you've looked at where you need to adapt and now what you have to do. You have to take those areas and you have to be willing to adjust those areas, because if you're not willing to adjust them, no matter how much you know and how much you feel about wanting to adapt, you're not going to do it, because adjusting is when you take the action that takes you beyond what you've been. And so once I adjust and once I adapt, then my third A is I have to align. I have to look at my company, I have to see where we need to adapt. I have to have that understanding, that program, that process to adjust. And then, when I understand those, then I've got to take that and I've got to bring it inside my organization and I've got to align the organization around the newness that we need to experience.
Speaker 2:And there's another thing, dj, that people don't understand about change. Change is a process and that process to institute change and take it from change to improvement has three parts to it. Part number one is you have to have an ending. You ever sit around and listen to people and when they talk about their business, they talk about yesterday, they talk about what their business has been, but they don't talk about where their company is right now. And an ending is where I let go Now. I hope the listeners will pay close attention to me here when I talk about this.
Speaker 2:Yesterday is a reference library, not a room to live in. You can't live in yesterday and have any kind of improvement. And in yesterday you have two sets of file cabinets that you use. One set of file cabinets is filled with files that are about your disappointments, it's about your doubts, it's about where you think you've failed, and, drawer after drawer, it's filled with all of the negative things that you keep hanging on to. And as long as I hang on to the negative, you know what I'm hanging on to my doubt, I'm hanging on to my worry, I'm hanging on to my uncertainty. And when doubt, worry and uncertainty come together, what they do is they paralyze you. And when you're paralyzed, the tendency is that you sit there and you stare, you don't focus, and then there's another set of filing cabinets that's filled with all of your successes. It's everything that you've done, that you're proud of. It's everything that's taken your company from where you've been to where you are, and that file cabinet is filled with energy positive energy. It's filled with excitement. It's filled with things that you can step back into and know. You know I've done it before and I can do it again Now.
Speaker 2:The challenge when you live in the file cabinets of your doubt, your worry and your uncertainty, what you do is you are living from yesterday to today. And when you live from yesterday to today, you're not living creatively, you're not looking for ways to improve. What you're doing is you're allowing yesterday to bring you all the things you've used that's created your reasons, your excuses, your justifications, and you know where you need to adapt, you know the adjustments you need to make. But when that set of files where everything is about your doubt, your worry and your uncertainty is in place, it doesn't allow you to see beyond the moment that you're in. So many times, when I deal with leaders and I deal with companies, the thing I see is that they exist. They don't live. They exist in moments and in moments.
Speaker 1:Yeah, richard, what I wanted to ask you. Can we you go to a part where you can take a break because we need to do a commercial. But right now is I'm taking my notes here about yesterday and the file draws and adapt, adjust and align. Give us a thought and then tell me when it's okay to take a break.
Speaker 2:Okay, let me make, let me make one last thought. Then let's take a break. Okay, yes, okay, DJ, when you're living from yesterday to today, you're trapped because you've shut off the creative part of your mind. But when I'm living in that file cabinet of my successes, I'm living from today to tomorrow and I've opened my mind, I've given my mind freedom to be creative, and I know we need to take a break. So when we come back, let's pick up with that.
Speaker 1:Fantastic Folks, you keep listening. We'll be right back with the great Richard Flint that will teach all of us how to be present when you're not present to be present. We'll be right back.
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Speaker 1:Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to the you are G on the go podcast with our special guest today of Richard Flint. I want to remind all our listeners to download and listen. You're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, google Play, stitcher, iheart Media, amazon or wherever you get your podcast. And right before our break, richard, you were talking about yesterday and today, so can I just go right on back where we had left off.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're talking about the two sets of file cabinets that you have. One set of file cabinets are all of the negatives that you've dealt with in your life and those negatives create an aura or a process where you live in doubt, you live in worry, you live in certainty. So any decision you try to make, you have negative questions about it. And then you have those file cabinets of success when, when you're living in that file cabinet of success, you're guided by your belief in yourself, you're guided by the trust that you have in yourself, you're guided by the faith that you have in yourself. That I can't concede. I can't succeed in my life, and this is a constant battle that people have. So in that process of change, we have to have an ending, we have to let go. And if you want to do something interesting, just listen to how many people, when they talk about business or life, they talk about yesterday. And since COVID hit us a couple of years ago, the reflection time, the time of talking about yesterday, has increased.
Speaker 2:And if I get lost in yesterday and I'm not willing to let go, then what am I doing? I'm hanging on. And as long as I'm hanging on, then I cannot. I cannot open myself to the improvements that I need to make. And then the second step in accepting change is a time of regrouping. This is where you got to get honest with yourself.
Speaker 2:You know, I used to work on a very, very, very large church staff and one of the things I learned because I ran the counseling division of the church and I learned this most people want honesty as long as it's not honest. Most people want honesty as long as it's not honest. And I had this guy tell me not long ago I'd really love you to come and work with my company. We need help, and but I know enough about you that if you come here, you're going to want to talk to me, and I'm not sure I want that, because you're going to want me to be honest and then listen to these words. I've not listened to what I know I need to do and if I got real honest, I am the major point of conflict in this company. You see, anything that is an improvement starts with leadership getting honest and that's not easy for a lot of people and in that regrouping time, what you're going to do is you're going to. You're going to alone, by yourself, you're going to sit there and you're going to take an honest look at your company and you're going to say this is where we need to adapt. And if we don't adapt, this is what's going to happen. But if we do adapt, here's what's going to happen. And I know that when I adapt, I'm going to have to make adjustments. And if I don't make those adjustments and all I do is talk about them, then we remain the same. But if I make those adjustments, I know that I can help my company become better. I know that I can help my company become stronger. I know that I can bring a new set of energy to my people, because most of the people in my company want to grow.
Speaker 2:But until we are willing to take an honest look, we're willing to adapt, to adjust and align through looking at what we're not doing, making the adjustments and then aligning the company with these new adjustments. And then, once I have adjusted and aligned, comes the third process and the change. And that is beginning anew. And it's not new beginnings, because most new beginnings are just a rehash of what you've already done. But it's about beginning anew, where I take a different look at my company. I have a different commitment and, folks, there's a difference between commitment and commitment with conviction. Commitment can just be something I say, but when I have that commitment with conviction, then I'm willing to take those steps forward.
Speaker 2:And you know, it comes down to the fact that there are only two foundations that you can live with in your life. If you can find a different foundation for your life, please share it with me, because in all my years of research I haven't found it. There's one foundation that is built in that doubt, that worry and that uncertainty. Have you ever found this crew in your life? When you doubt, you also worry, because doubt and worry travel together and did. When doubt and worry come together, they bring their third person in, and that's uncertainty.
Speaker 2:I get asked all the time today what if you were to define our society in one word?
Speaker 2:What word would you use to define our society? And my word would be uncertainty, because I think that people today, they're living in that area of doubt, that area of worry, that area of uncertainty, and they know what they need to do, but they're fearful of doing it. And the biggest thing that causes that fear of Doing what you need to do is the fear of the unknown. I Mean it's hard to plan today, folks, because you're just not sure what to do. And that not being sure, I've seen people today probably some of you that have been positive and in your business You've always been willing to take a risk. But all the sudden, now in your business you live with uncertainty and there is that fear that goes with that, and that's where you start playing the what if game. You know what if right, and if I live with what, if I'm paralyzed, you know why there's no answer to a what if question. There is no answer to a what if question except another what if question.
Speaker 1:Folks your listens to the great Richard Flint. Do me a favor, hang tight. Will be right back after the short message.
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Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners. I want to thank all of you for being on the podcast, letting your friends know. Remember to like, review and share everywhere we always welcome. Please leave a message on the you are G hotline. The number is 706 409 5603 and if you would like to hear another industry expert like Richard Flint, who's been at you are G many times he's a very gifted teacher of leaders and people that I know you'd want to know more about Richard just dial the 706 409 5603 and Don Porter and myself will do our very best to get that person on. Richard, before we go any further, would you be kind of? How can our listeners get a hold of you?
Speaker 2:Well, dj, there's a couple of ways. My website is Richard Flint calm, just Richard plant calm. That's my website, and on there are a lot of the exciting things we're doing, like our small group retreats and some of the other things that we're involved in. Or there's another website that I'd like to challenge your people to look at. It's called success house calm oh dot co. And it contains the something I've just released, and that's five years of research. Or, as a leader, what do you have to do today to get your company back positioned for growth? And, dj, I'll open it up to this. If there are any questions that people have that they'd like to ask me. My email is real simple. It's Richard at Richard Flint calm, and If I've raised questions within you, you email me. No one reads my emails except me, and I do answer every email that is sent me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, richard, I know that the ones that are listening, and, like me, I've been taking notes about challenges of yesterday and today. And you can't succeed in life Unless you know what's happening in the ending. But adopt, adjust and align right then. And there some of these listeners are saying all right now, how do I get a hold of Richard so that I could be present at my business when I'm not present? And that's a true present. So if, if we had a parting shot, say the next seven to eight minutes, what would you say to our you are G listeners.
Speaker 2:DJ. For the last Basically five years of my life, I have spent researching and putting together an eight module 16 week program. That what I've done is I've taken all of the challenges that I see in business and I put together these eight modules and they're in a order that will bring you the clarity, the calmness and the confidence To be able to take your company forward. Most companies today are struggling and Maybe they're still making money. But just because you're making money doesn't mean that you're successful, because if you make money today, it doesn't guarantee you're going to make money tomorrow. So you have to have a process. A process and these eight modules are designed To get you out of your own way, to clear the clutter, to clear the garbage, to clear the limitations. And Let me just show you why this is important. Because our module number one is about laying the foundation and and it goes back to those two foundations that one foundation of doubt, worry and uncertainty and that second foundation of belief, trust and faith. And how do you build that solid foundation of belief, trust and faith? I'm going to tell you the majority and I'm talking about over 90% of people, business owners today live without worry and uncertainty, and it's why they're struggling, it's why there's not a lot of energy and motivation within their company, it's why things seem to be going in a circle. And then module number two talks about how are we going, then, to implement this process of belief, trust and faith and to our company. Because if you don't have that, and every day you're dealing with doubt, worry and uncertainty, you're stressed out. There is a new epidemic in this country today, and I'm seeing it, I'm hearing it, people are calling me, they want to talk about it, and that new epidemic is being tired, it's being fatigued, it's being worn down, because society and business is demanding that you adapt, you adjust and that you make that alignment. It's demanding it, but yet it's challenging to do so. What's happening is just increasing the stress level in people. So in this module we're going to talk about how, not to eliminate stress, but to turn stress from something that's wearing you out to something that's empowering you.
Speaker 2:And then the third module deals with the house you live in. Every one of us live in a house with four rooms business, family, social and personal. And what's happening today? Because of all the stress in the business room, it's affecting the other rooms of your life. Now. Here's the most important thing you're going to learn in module three Stop trying to balance your life. You'll never be able to balance your life. Balancing a human life is impossible, but what we can find is we can find a place of harmony, because these rooms have to work together. Business room is your number one room of mental stress. Family number one room of emotional stress. Your social room is your playroom, but people don't know how to play anymore. And then your personal room is where you go to get back your creative spirit.
Speaker 2:And then we're going to talk about in module four. We're going to talk about the challenges in the business room and I'm going to show you the top challenges that you're being faced with today and how can you work through these and not let them control you, but you control the effect that they're having on you. And then module five, which is actually my favorite module keeping the functional from becoming dysfunctional. How do I make sure that my company does not become dysfunctional? And, folks, there are four things that make the company dysfunctional Inconsistencies, disorganization, non-partnership, people and tired leadership. Those four things are keeping companies today from becoming functional and they're making a company dysfunctional. So we're going to walk through these and show you how to not let these four become the process for the environment of your company. And then module number six we're going to take you very, very deep into the world of change and turn change into improvement, and I'm going to show you how to eliminate the word change from your vocabulary, where you won't want to use it anymore. But what you want is, everything will be about the world of improvement. And then module number eight is creating that mindset, and that mindset is what do I need to do to create that positive presence that has presence when I'm not present? Now here's what you need to know about this eight module program.
Speaker 2:It's by invitation only, because if it's something you're interested in, you would go to successhouseco and there's a video there you can watch and then schedule a 30 minute phone call with me, just you and I, and let me ask you some questions about your business. You know what, for every 10 people that call me, I turn away six or seven of them. You know why? Because they're not ready for this. And this is why this is by invitation only, because this is not for the faint of heart. This is for those of you who are really serious about wanting to get the stress off of you, wanting to not be so tired, not be so fatigued and not be wrestling with uncertainty, and so do a 30 minute phone call with me. I mean, what do you have to lose?
Speaker 2:Because what I'm going to do is I'm going to ask you some questions that are going to make you have to look deep within yourself and within your company and then, if I think you're ready, I will use, I will issue you an invitation to come up, become a part of the success house Co Program journey challenge. But if you're not ready, if you're okay with where your company is right now, then stay there. But if you're tired of being tired, being petite, living in a world of uncertainty, I will promise you something this is probably the most challenging, most in depth, most revealing and insightful program you would ever go through. And then what happens is you know, you listen to the module one week and then the second week you have some support material, but every Friday we have a call and we talk about what's happened that week. We talk about the module that you're listening to, we talk about the lessons you're learning, we talk about where you're being challenged and together I will help you.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to leave you alone. I mean, I'm going to walk beside you, and you'll also find that I can be one of the toughest people you've ever had in your life, because, if you want this, I know this process Success House will do it for you. So I'm going to be with you, I'm going to be your friend, I'm going to be your mentor, but I'm also going to be one that's not going to take any excuses, any reasons or any justifications, because together we will take you to a place in your business where you've never been before Successhouseco. Schedule a call with me and let's see what we can find together. I'm serious. What do you have to lose? In a 30-minute call with me? You're going to get some insights you probably have never had.
Speaker 2:And, dj, of all the things I've written over my life and its multitudes, I've never been as excited as I am with this, because of the fact I know the people that have gone through this have revolutionized not only their life but their business. I know the value of this, but it all starts with your successhouseco. Look at the video, look at the call with me and then let's see where we can go from there. I'm excited, dj. I am excited about this.
Speaker 1:Richard, I thank you very much for being on the podcast and all of our listeners. I'm going to endorse Richard Flint and I hope you go to successhouseco Until next time. We'll see you on the URG podcast on the go.