Chris Bello

04/03/2023

I’m finishing up Day 80/75 of 75 Hard today.

Yup, I wanted to be that guy who did 5 extra days than I needed to.

I’m training myself to consistently do more than is required.

I have always thought myself to be pretty self-disclipined and motivated.

And I’ve always thought I’ve been in pretty good shape.

But there’s nothing like a before and after picture to really humble you!

Compared to when I started, I’m way stronger, leaner, faster, etc.

I am better than my previous self.

And I’m only going to get better.

For the last 80 days, I have:
-Completed two 45-minute workouts a day (with one being outside in rain, snow, freezing temperatures, etc.)
-Finished 1 gallon of water a day
-Had 0 cheat meals, candies, ice cream, etc. (not even a bite of organic dark chocolate)
-Have not had a single drop of alcohol
-Read 10+ pages a day
-Taken a progress picture every day

I’m more determined than ever before to chase my ideal and best self.

And I can see myself being one of the “crazy” people to do this to every year, if not multiple times a year.

I finally stopped making excuses about why I hadn’t done 75 Hard yet, and I’m glad I did it.

If you’re on the fence like I was, don’t lie to yourself. If you haven’t done it, don’t pretend like you already do ”most of it.”

I had fooled myself to believe I did enough to “pretty much have done it.”

Before doing this program:
-I had never worked out 2 times a day consistently
- I had never actually finished drinking a gallon of water a day
-And I definitely had never worked out in 2 degree weather before intentionally.

But now I have!

I have done tons of hard things that my previous self avoided.

And that’s exactly the point of it.

04/03/2023

Can’t go wrong with mountains + sunset 🏔️🌅

24/01/2023

It was cold and snowy the other day.

The park I jog at often was completely empty.

It was pretty satisfying to get my outdoor workout done knowing that most people wouldn’t do this.

And to be honest, not long ago I was one of those people.

The slightest inconvenience would result in me changing plans or choosing something more comfortable.

I’d be one of those people to take a rest day or just go to the gym when the weather wasn’t ideal.

I also really used to hate getting wet from the rain (and especially having wet shoes).

If I’m being honest, I’m still not a fan of getting wet, but I’ve run in the rain a few times as well recently.

I’m getting more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

And as we know - growth happens when there’s discomfort.

“To be successful, you must be willing to do the things today others won’t do in order to have the things tomorrow others won’t have.” -Les Brown

27/12/2022

Spontaneous visit to the White Sands National Park on our way home from El Paso.

I’ll always be a sucker for amazing views and nature.

08/12/2022

Fitness is seriously such a powerful foundation to build upon.

I am so grateful to have started early.

My parents signed me up for a personal training session at the YMCA when I was just 13 years old.

I immediately got hooked.

I began to scour the internet for healthy foods and diets.

I religiously followed workouts on bodybuilding.com.

I would do push-ups and sit ups all the time in my room.

Fitness helped me harness the power of self-discipline.

I worked out when I didn't feel like working out, and I began to cut back on unhealthy foods and desserts, as tempting as they would be.

I remember the pain of being a twig in middle school.

I had a crush on a girl in my neighborhood. She invited a few neighborhood friends to hang out at her pool, and I remember being so self-conscious about being a weakling that I kept my shirt on.

Getting in shape literally changed me, not just physically, but mentally.

I began to feel better about myself and improved my self-esteem.

This discipline has become part of my identity in all that I do.

It's why I still wake up at 6am when I don't really have to, and why I haven't missed recording a podcast episode since I started mine in 2017.

While I have had my fair share of both wins and losses, one thing is for damn sure: I am consistent and continue to show up.

It has simply become a part of who I am.

The point of this post is that if you feel like you're not where you want to be and you don't consistently exercise, I would challenge you to start there.

As you see a positive transformation in your physical body, you will not only feel better overall, but you will believe that you truly have the power to change ANY area of your life.

16/11/2022

Is the thought of working 20 hours a week a pipe dream? It's not for Chris. He's what you might call a ""real estate connector" or a ""virtual real estate agent."" By taking his incessant need to optimize through systems & processes and combining it with his love for building relationships with people, he's managed to build an authentic brand that people love (and makes him a healthy living.) If you're looking for tactical ways to get back your mental energy & time freedom, this episode is for you. Listen in.

Mentioned in this episode:
Chris' Entrepreneur Motivation Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/entrepreneur-motivation-podcast/id1299874118
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Connect with Chris at ChrisBello.com
Calendly.com for scheduling
Zapier.com
Aweber.com
Mailchimp.com

➨Subscribe to the Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/gkGhAnYN

11/11/2022

"He who has a big enough why can bear almost any how."

I've shared on a few calls recently that I feel I've been playing small.

I've been comfortable.

I've been too casual with how I approach my goals.

But it's time to refocus on my WHY!

I want my wife and I to frequently go on the most amazing trips, fly first class, stay in the best hotels.

I want us to be able to buy all the fancy stuff at farmer's markets.

I want us to be able to cover random surgeries or costs that pop up for less fortunate family members or friends without having to think about it twice.

We are a team, but I have to do my part.

I have a much higher sense of urgency.

I want to be able to reflect back on each day knowing that I did every damn thing I could to make progress towards our goals and dream life.

I don't want to just survive; I want to THRIVE.

Getting married as well as attending a recent business conference has helped remind me of my "why" and that success is my duty, obligation, and responsibility.

I did not wake up today to be mediocre, and you didn't either!

What's your why?

📷 by

05/11/2022

The Arete Syndicate event did not disappoint! So good to see so many familiar faces and meet more amazing people. The energy in this room was insane. ⚡️

30/10/2022

Marry the girl of my dreams: ✅

📷 by

06/10/2022

Out in the field and looking at properties for investors!🕵🏼‍♂️🏠

20/08/2022

🎮 Level 32 🎮⁣⁣
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Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes as always. ⁣⁣
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This has been a year of getting more clarity on what the heck I want to achieve in the next 3-5 years. ⁣⁣
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I love helping people, but know I can do more than just help ~20 people a year buy and sell houses. ⁣⁣
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I'm ready for the next level. ⁣⁣
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This has also been a year of connecting with pretty incredible people that are doing huge things. ⁣⁣
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Naturally, leveling up my circle has forced me to think bigger and get more serious with my activities. ⁣⁣
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I'm manifesting opportunities, connections, and abundance by setting intentions and taking daily action. ⁣⁣
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Sure, I hope this is my "best year yet," but I also realize we have to show up fully every single day. ⁣⁣
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We should make every day our best day. ⁣⁣
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Anyway, here's a photo from a photoshoot I've been milking for a year now, lol. ⁣⁣
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I might be due for some new professional photos soon... ⁣⁣
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📷 by ⁣
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05/08/2022

DJ Willingham turned his hobby into a hustle.

For him, his shoe obsession started with his parents giving him fresh Jordans as a little kid.

That passion for shoes never quite went away.

He started to buy shoes, flip them, and collect them.

DJ ended up becoming the "shoe plug" that people would go to.

He'd snag a new pair of shoes for himself, and get a "finder's fee" for grabbing an extra pair for someone who also wanted the same new pair of shoes that were released.

Through hard work and dedication, DJ turned his passion into a revenue-generating business. He's grown his YouTube channel to 234K+ subscribers, has landed sponsorship deals, and he has even consulted for some major shoe brands such as Nike and Adidas.

DJ loves shoes and real estate, and is starting to dive more into real estate. He has a few Airbnbs and is about to close on his 4th property.

His story really is proof that you can make money doing what you truly love.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oX2PDQ
Apple: https://apple.co/3P8QFCM
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3BFzJAD

DJ Willingham has been a sneakerhead his whole life and also loves real estate. The best part? He figured out how to make a living doing both the things he l...

02/08/2022

Ryan Soptak has quite an inspiring story.

Right before the pandemic, he was a bouncer removing people from a nightclub.
Now he's running a 7-figure business.

But it didn't just happen in a few years like you might initially think.

He had been taking action consistently, trying things out, and showing up over and over and over again.

Ryan also had his fair share of failures as every successful business owner likely has.

I always get super fired up having these types of conversations with people at a high level.

Like he says in this episode, "who knew?" Who could have known he would have come so far and grown so seemingly fast?

Anything is possible, and that's the message I want to hammer home here.

Thank you Ryan for your time and for sharing your story.

Listen to our convo here:
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Jn9eSc
Apple: https://apple.co/3Bx31Bi
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cYaO0X

Ryan Soptak shares his story of going from bouncer to 7-figure business owner in this episode. He also talks about how it didn't just happen in "2 years" as ...

29/07/2022

Chances are that you're not "too busy."

It's much more likely that you're just not making what you say you want to do a priority.

As Michael Montgomery shares in our recent conversation, it's about finding time and STICKING TO IT like a professional athlete would stick to a practice.

You won't magically find motivation while sitting on the couch watching Saturday TV shows.

You must be intentional about consistently spending time in the areas you'd like to improve.

Michael is the co-founder of Renzo Real Estate and founder of Rev Real Estate School, where he helps real estate agents grow and close more deals overall.

Be sure to tune into this one and give him a follow as well.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3cM2lh6
Apple: https://apple.co/3oBkctN
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3vpgUNZ

Michael Montgomery is a co-founder a real estate brokerage and is the founder of Rev Real Estate school, where he helps his real estate agent clients grow an...

25/07/2022

This was a great conversation as expected!

My buddy Conor Kearns is a real estate investor, flipper, AirBNB SuperHost, and commercial investment agent.

He built up a 7-figure rental portfolio while working full-time in medical sales, hitting financial independence at 27 through real estate.

He's continuing to build out his portfolio and capitalize on expansion opportunities within the Houston market.

In this conversation, we touch on the importance of investing in yourself, as it truly has the best ROI.

Through taking action and learning from mistakes, he's hit some amazing milestones, and I know he's just getting started.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/nextsCOFl8o
Apple: https://apple.co/3PJtIXX
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OALLhC

Investing in yourself is so critical. In this conversation, I chat with my friend Conor Kearns, who has continued to stretch to the next level by getting jus...

19/07/2022

Did you know healthcare inflation is getting out of control?

I definitely didn't until this conversation with Mike Patton.

He compared the current system to having body work done after an automobile accident.

Shops know they can get away with charging more since insurance companies are footing the bill.

Oftentimes, you can get better care for less if you simply know WHERE to go.

We also dive a bit into some resources entrepreneurs can check out to learn about their insurance options.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Oi6FS8
Apple: https://apple.co/3PEPbjY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3uYwCzA

Mike Patton is on a mission to solve the healthcare inflation problem. Costs are getting out of hand and many people are becoming "functionally uninsured." I...

15/07/2022

Believe it or not, many people are afraid of success....

They fear not knowing how they would handle it or sustain it if they achieved their dreams and desires.

Check out my conversation with Austin Linney... it will help you "chase your edges" and push yourself to see what is really possible.

As he mentioned in our chat, he's been chasing his edges all year.

And you know what?

He still hasn't found them!

It reminds me of that awesome quote about fear:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."

Stop playing small.

Chase your edges.

Push past what you are comfortable with or think is "enough."

And listen to this episode.

I'll drop the link in the comments below.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3PslDpN
Apple: https://apple.co/3cfCa29
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3O6lWp7

A lot of people are afraid of success... and they therefore play too small.My conversation with Austin Linney will help you think bigger, take more action, a...

06/07/2022

If you hate the process and just want the result, it's going to be much more difficult to get to where you want to go.

You have to learn to love THE PROCESS.

Imagine two people working for a similar outcome:
-Person A LOVES the process and the work he or she does.
-Person B HATES what they do and just wants the result.

Who do you think is going to have a better chance of success?

The one who actually loves the process (person A).

Usain Bolt once said that "The work is behind the scenes. Competition is the easy part."

From the outside looking in, it might appear that Usain was just naturally talented, had longer legs than the competition, or whatever else "armchair quarterbacks" say.

What many people DID NOT see was all the work that went on behind the scenes that resulted in his success.

Learning to love that work is what separates people who are great from those who are average at best.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3tO32MH
Apple: https://apple.co/3xK3We4
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3HFHuHR

Most people just notice the outcomes or results of successful people.Little do they know that the real success happens during the process when nobody sees yo...

28/06/2022

In case the thumbnail isn't creating enough curiosity to "sell the click," how about this:

Leland David Redfield and his wife, Sarah, run a 7-figure a year business with just 3 people.

Do I have your attention now? 🧐

I actually recently met Leland through a guys' night dinner that a mutual friend set up.

We've had the chance to connect a few times since then and he's dropped so much knowledge each time.

A huge takeaway in this episode is that simple works... you don't need fancy or complex systems.

Sarah offers free yoga content on YouTube.

They drive their traffic to a yoga freebie in exchange for an email address.

Next, they simply offer premium yoga content to a % of their email subscribers who want more.

The YouTube channel is at 1.54M subscribers and growing.

When I asked him at dinner what her channel was, it turned out that I was already subscribed (I have definitely done my fair share of free yoga videos on YouTube).

But anyway, instead of me typing out the whole story, I recorded our conversation and uploaded it to YouTube as well as my podcast.

I highly recommend that you check it out.

By the way, Leland helps others build and scale YouTube businesses as well, so if you are interested in working with him, there's info to connect with him in the show notes as well.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Oq4woz
Apple: https://apple.co/3nnLW4q
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3njI4l0

Leland Redfield shares the power of recurring revenue through a membership offer.He and his wife run a 7-figure a year membership business. He also enjoys he...

27/06/2022

Do you have a money printer?

And by that, I mean a way of producing predictable and consistent income?

The best way to do this is to level up your skills.

You may have heard the quote that "your business can only grow to the extent that you do."

If you aren't actively and intentionally leveling up your skills, network, and opportunities, you'll remain stuck at the level you are currently on.

When you go all in on increasing your skills, you'll notice that more opportunities present themselves.

These opportunities were likely there all along, but you just weren't ready to observe or act upon them.

Your connections will strengthen.

Your confidence will go up.

Your conversion rates will improve.

You will be able to more predictably create income and opportunities in your life.

It's no surprise that if you do something for a long enough period of time, you will get better at it.

For example, if someone needs real estate help and reaches out to me, I know I can help.

I've done it a ton of times.

I'm not going to be nervous or wonder how to overcome objections like I was when I talked to my first potential client.

After doing it enough times, I know the 5-7 objections or questions I get the most.
And I know how to answer them.

Because of this experience and competence, I now have the confidence to know that if someone really does need help, I can help them.

That kind of confidence only comes with doing the reps for a long enough period of time.

I have created a "money printer" in a way because my skills can never be taken from me.

Put me in front of anyone needing help with real estate and I know the conversation to have.

I've practiced and improved my use of tonality.

I can mirror the other person's pace and vibe to align with their personality type.

The hours and hours of talking to prospects, converting them to clients, negotiating transactions, and solving problems for others has paid off.

This is what I mean by a having a "money printer."

Do you have something like this in your life?

A skillset that can't be taken away from you?

If not, it might be time to focus on creating something like this in your life.

And if so, continue to fine-tune the details and make little improvements over time.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3xVv0Zh
Apple: https://apple.co/3HvPsD0
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OdLUry

Do you have a money printer?A skillset or asset that can literally print money for you on demand?If not, you need one.

17/06/2022

Ask and you shall receive.

In a recent email I sent out, I shared a story of how asking really works wonders.

I was at the gym and thinking "hmm, I want more real estate listings."

As I thought to the "how" I could make that happen, I thought of how an attorney friend of mine has sent me two properties that turned into successful closings.

I figured I'd send over an email just to check in and see if he needed help selling any properties.

After all, I'd run a few comps showing sold properties near a few properties that he needed a number on.

The email simply asked if he needed help selling any properties and that I'm still active in Houston despite physically living in Denver.

I included links to my listings as proof that I'm actually doing it.

Two days later, I got a response saying that he did have a property he needed help selling.

He asked me to send over a Listing Agreement.

No joke!

If this isn't a perfect example of "ask and you shall receive," then I don't know what is.

The takeaway is to always ask... but it's best if you add value in advance.

Gary V calls this "jab, jab, jab, right hook."

Each "jab" is adding value. You add value enough times, you get the opportunity to "hook," which is the ask.

You can't make a hook without doing a few jabs or it's less effective.

Nobody likes when you ask for stuff and never give anything in return.

It has to be a reciprocal thing (give and take somewhat equally).

If there's something you want, a change you want to make, a client you want to land.... add value to them, and then simply ask.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3mQ3eH2
Apple: https://apple.co/3b1oZBq
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3xquRvs

How do you get what you want? Sometimes, all you have to do is simply ask.

16/06/2022

In 2022 and beyond, you NEED video.

It's pretty much required.

That's what Mike Cuevas and I talk about in a recent conversation.

Gone are the days where you can expect to grow on social media and build rapport through memes alone.

People do business with people they know, like, and trust, and you do that either in person or through video.

The nice thing about video is that you can build trust with others at scale.

If you've ever met someone whose videos you've watched or podcasts you've listened to, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

You feel like you already know the person, even if you're meeting them for the first time in real life.

So if you're afraid of making videos or speaking into a camera, it's time to face that fear in order to level up (and to stay relevant overall).

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3MxIjmR
Apple: https://apple.co/3xCAFDh
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3aQmbXK

Video marketing is becoming a requirement to stay relevant. It's a new baseline. If you're not consistently creating videos in your business, you will be lef...

13/06/2022

Answering every phone call is a waste of time.... change my mind!

I've been studying what successful people do by reading their books, listening to their podcasts, and modeling them overall.

Many people I look up to hardly answer phone calls throughout the day, if at all.

In fact, they often keep their phones on "Do Not Disturb" or on "silent" 24/7.

Obviously, they still take calls from time to time, but it's on a schedule and calendar basis, not just as calls come in.

They're not stopping what they're doing mid-task to answer every phone call.

If you do this, you will never get into a state of flow.

Those who answer every phone call are reacting to one thing after another and putting out fire after fire (many of which are imaginary fires, by the way).

You need some sort of scheduling system to operate at a higher level.

I shared a tool that I use with a personal trainer recently, and he texted me to thank me for introducing him to the digital calendar concept.

It's saved him a ton of time already and he's seeing the benefits of having one link that can allow people to schedule training sessions with him.

Check out the full episode to learn how to accomplish more with less phone calls.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3mlqCw3
Apple: https://apple.co/3NoPChW
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3xmYEGl

Here's a few scheduling hacks to maintain or grow your business WITHOUT having to answer any phone calls (for real).Recommended resource (Calendly): https://...

06/06/2022

Focus on your money making activities (MMA).

A member of my business coaching group I'm in shared that he knows he can hit his annual income goals if he just were to focus on his MMA activities.

We often know what we SHOULD do, but we like to come up with creative ways to procrastinate.

We can think of all sorts of things we'd rather do than to ask previous clients for referrals or to lead generate ("maybe I should do another load of laundry" or "I think I'll reorganize my office" -- sound familiar?).

What could we accomplish if we just focused all our effort on our MMA activities?

We would no doubt hit new levels and records in our lives and businesses.

If you are creatively procrastinating right now, this message is for you!

Focus on those MMA activities that move the needle and stop spending time and energy on things that won't get you closer to your goals.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3NGJBNh
Apple: https://apple.co/3wYfgD1
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3lTBfGe

Focus on your MMA, or your money making activities.We often know WHAT we need to do, but we just need to carve out the time to do it. ...

03/06/2022

The internet is so cool.

We can connect with people across the world so quickly and effectively to share stories and knowledge.

I heard Kyle Seagraves share his story on a podcast while throwing the ball for my dog.

I decided to send him a DM to see if he'd be interested in jumping on my podcast.

A few weeks later, we were chatting via Zoom and talking shop.

Kyle's story resonated with me a ton. He got started as a loan originator and was quickly seeing financial success.

While he made more money than he had ever made before, he felt more depressed than ever, as well.

He realized that "turning up the treadmill" and just doing more was not going to make him happier.

So he took a step back to rethink how he could better align his business with the things he loves to do (such as content creation).

He started focusing on YouTube heavily in his third year, and he now does that entirely.

He's built an ideal business for himself and has grown a YouTube channel to 120,000+ subscribers, where he's able to help home buyers but in a different capacity and at a much larger scale.

Having these types of conversations with business owners and others doing what you want to do is so crucial for leveling up and thinking bigger.

This is exactly why I'm not only helping real estate clients, but also working to build my online presence.

I've been doing some online coaching and I hope to eventually turn that into fully digital products where I can help more and more people without just putting in more of my own time.

Check out our conversation and let me know what your key takeaway is!

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3zfmhlU
Apple: https://apple.co/3M7FWa4
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3NUe2zJ

In this episode, Kyle Seagraves shares his story of hitting 6-figures and actually being incredibly burned out.He decided to redesign his business, focusing ...

02/06/2022

Do you struggle with self-confidence or imposter syndrome?

Join the club... Everyone does!

This was also confirmed on a call led by a multi-millionaire for a business group I'm part of yesterday.

He mentioned how it will look like these things don't affect some people, but they’re just reaaaally good at overcoming those feelings.

The key to improving your confidence is to become COMPETENT.

And to become competent, you have to put in your "10,000 hours."

You have to become so damn good at what you do that people can't help but take notice.

And this doesn't just magically happen overnight.

You suck at the beginning.

And then you suck less each time.

Ask any investor how their first few flips went.

I'm sure most lost money or barely broke even.

Ask any real estate agent how their first few transactions went.

I'm sure there a few pi**ed off clients and possibly damaged friendships.

It's how it goes!

But there comes a point where you've put in enough time and effort into your craft to truly master it.

You become competent.

You run into situations and scenarios you've been in before.

And you therefore know how to handle them because you've built the solutions into your process (after royally screwing up the first few times).

So you become CONFIDENT in your approach BECAUSE OF your competence and experience.

If you're doubting yourself or your abilities, you likely need to do more work to prove to yourself you can do it.

And when you see results after putting in enough work, your confidence WILL increase.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3MXXN4r
Apple: https://apple.co/3wOB9Ga
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3a2n66Z

Competence leads to confidence.To become competent, we have to put in enough time and effort.

31/05/2022

Please enjoy this funny thumbnail my assistant created. 🤣

The point of this post is that everything stacks.

By itself, a single brick doesn't really look like much.

You can step over it, walk around it, probably even kick it without really hurting your foot much.

But as you stack one brick after another for YEARS (and by stacking bricks I mean stacking skills and lessons), amazing things start to happen.

You start to BUILD something that is actually a formidable force.

You start to visibly see the results of the work you've been doing and may even be surprised at how much you have achieved.

This is what happens when we stack bricks.

As you try new things and fail, you learn lessons.

Your first website or podcast episode may suck.

But do it enough times and you'll see improvement.

Content is a perfect example of stacking bricks.

By itself, a single podcast episode or YouTube video can often feel like it's not doing anything or seeing momentum.

But if you look at a combined body of work after staying consistent, things look completely different.

A personal example is my own podcast.

I have a few episodes with less than 1000 downloads, and I have a few with over 15,000 downloads.

I have "stacked" over 360 episodes now and have been consistently growing my audience.

Stacking bricks works.

So continue to stack those bricks and show up consistently.

You'll be amazed at what you can create!

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Npf3PR
Apple: https://apple.co/3LDLGbu
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3wHy3SU

Everything we do stacks. If we look at an individual brick, it seems pretty insignificant and like it can't do much.But if we stack a ton of them, we can cre...