Creating Confidence with Heather Monahan - #155: What Questions You NEED To Ask Yourself With Marc Champagne, Co-Founder of Kyō

Episode Date: October 12, 2021

In This Episode You Will Learn About:  Mental fitness and preventative health practices  The power of taking time for reflection, and how you can ask yourself the right questions  Collaboration strategies to maximize your success, WITHOUT paying for advertising  How to keep going, even when you don’t know what that looks like Resources: Website: www.behindthehuman.com Pre Order Personal Socrates   Listen to Behind The Human  Instagram: @behindthehuman LinkedIn: Marc Champagne Review this podcast on Apple Podcast using this LINK and when you DM me the screen shot, I buy you my $299 video course as a thank you!  To pre-order Overcome Your Villains NOW and get the bonus bundle click here: https://overcomeyourvillains.com Show Notes: We NEED to start asking the right questions... and at the right time! Mental fitness practices combined with preventative health exercises are vital to developing our confidence and maintaining it daily. Take some time for reflection, and uncover the success you’ve been searching for!   About The Guest: Marc Champagne is the brillant host of the top 50 ranked podcast, Behind The Human, and the Co-founder of the journaling app Kyō, which reached over 86 million people, without ANY paid advertising! Marc has studied mental fitness practices for over a decade and is well known for his work consulting with dozens of top rated digital journals and wellness companies. Mark’s first book, Personal Socrates, published in October 2021, explores the pointed questions that stimulate our mental fitness and teach us how to direct our internal narrative to work FOR US instead of against us. Join us this week to discover the power of your questions!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If it wasn't for these practices and tools that I know I have access to, that's what gave me the one second I needed to make a different decision. I saw the power of questions of my own life and others, but they literally can save a life. So that's what fuels me every day is that no matter where you're at in your journey, we can all leverage a well-timed question. It's going to be different for all of us, but something will land and resonate and provide hopefully some clarity on where we want to be or what we desire. For me, it's just to put out this content so that people can land there when they need it. I'm on this journey with me. Each week when you join me, we are going to chase down our goals. Overcome adversity and set you up for a better tomorrow.

I'm ready for my close-up. Hi, and welcome back. I'm so excited. You're back here with me today. And I'm so excited for you to meet my new friend, Mark Champagne. He unpacked the mental fitness practices and reflective questions shaping the lives of some of the most successful and brilliant thinkers in the world. He is the host of the top 50 ranked podcast behind the human and co-founded the journaling app, K-Y-O, which ended up reaching over 86 million people without any paid advertising. I can't wait to get into that mark. All within the first two years of launch, he has studied mental fitness practices for over a decade and has consulted for top-rated digital journals and wellness companies. Mark's first book, Personal Socrates, publishing October

2021, explores the pointed questions that stimulate our mental fitness and teach us how to direct our internal narrative to work for us instead of against us. I love this, Mark. I'm so excited you're here. So am I. Thanks for having me, Heather. Oh my gosh, my pleasure. All right, so let's get into me. These are some massive numbers. 86 million. Can you take us back and give us the backstory of Where was Mark coming from? How did you get there and how did we end up here? Absolutely. I mean, somewhat similar to your story. I spent a good chunk of time in corporate America and I was in brand management at the very end, you know, running brand strategies for pharmaceuticals and $100 million kind of brand budgets and the marketing and the teams all linked

to that. But I, throughout that time in that industry, I always had a reflective practice or, more specifically a journaling practice in the early mornings. And it started when I was in sales, like straight out of university. There was a whole group of us that were hired. Everyone went in the same sales training. I thought to myself, I'm like, I've got to do something different because we're all going through essentially four weeks of the same training. So what can I do?

And at the time, the solution or the answer was I got up a bit earlier and just started reading. And at that time, it was reading blog posts. And I think they were out of like Darren Hardy and Success Magazine. and just things like that, right? And then you start seeing trends or practices that keep coming up over and over again. And I started kind of pulling on the thread. And what landed for me was this whole idea of taking a few minutes in the morning to do a little bit of reflection.

And at the time, because I was traveling quite a bit, I was doing this digitally in a word processor because there were really no apps at that stage. And I just kept doing that. Wait, Mark, what year is this? Well, this is 12 years ago. Okay. Yeah, 12 years ago that when it when it all started, really. And it's, you know, since, since evolved, I started using Apple nodes and I got out of word processors and then there were journaling apps that fired up.

It was a consistent practice through, you know, trying to change companies and interviewing with different companies and processing, you know, when that works or when it didn't work or dealing, you know, pumping myself up before presenting a giant brand plan in front of the, you know, the CEO to get that approved. Like, you was leveraging all this stuff in my. my day to day. But there was always this itch or this frustration with the tools that I was using to do because I would take that knowledge in the morning and it started to evolve and it was podcast. It started to read books. But I was coming out of these short kind of blog posts and I

would copy the questions that I was hearing from the authors or the host being interviewed, especially on podcasts because I found this was so frustrating. The host would be interviewing the guests. They'd be talking about their story and some sort of traumatic event would happen, right? The explosion would happen. And then they said, then I, then I asked myself, what did I, you know, what did I want to do? What did I want for my life or something like that? And everything changed and it went into the trajectory. And I remember thinking, hold on. There's got to be more to that question. Like, I mean, that just changed your whole life. So I would write that question down every time I would hear them on, on different shows and through different mediums. And then I would reflect on it,

next morning in relation to where my life was at. But it was so disconnected because I'm copying and pasting into all these different apps and eventually got to the point where I think I would regret not trying to create a solution. And I'm not a developer. I'm a marketing guy. I have a business degree. I don't know any developers. I had my brother-in-law who was running.

He had his own IT company. I mean, that is not a developer. And we both joke about that today. But it was the closest to some sort of technology. experience. I was happy in my job. There was no, you know, there wasn't, it wasn't an event where I couldn't stand going in, but there was this feeling of potential regret of not trying the idea. So we started working on it. And that's what Keo was, the journaling app. And I was working for a Japanese company at that time. So Keo is the Japanese word for today. I had just come back

from Tokyo for a conference. And I remember the experience of walking from my hotel, which was busy and crazy on the streets of Tokyo, but then walking through a temple on the way to the conference hall and everything just like, slowing down. So when we started thinking about this journaling app, we thought, you know, what about that experience that you can find that calm or that pause no matter where you're at in the world? And that's what Keel represented was this, at the time, it was one of the first guided journaling apps because the headspace and calm, like the meditation apps were starting to take off. So people were starting to be open to that method.

But there was nothing on the reflection front that took people through a guided path of some sort. And in this case, through questions, which was how I was doing it. And that didn't feel like, oh, you're talking about the 12-year-old girl writing her diary about the boy at school, which is nothing wrong with that. But no, I'm talking about questions that are changing people's lives and helping you. through the hardest and the most exciting periods of your life. So that was, that was Keio. Wow. You know, the one thing that jumped out at me when you were just explaining that

and thank you for sharing that story, number one, how similar your and my story is different but so similar. It's crazy. I just came and believe it. And then also, I also wonder how many other people are, there's got to be millions of people like us that were in these corporate jobs, traveling like maniacs on that rat race and having these breakthrough moments. It's unbelievable.

So the one thing I noticed is that you saw a problem in the marketplace and knew, okay, this is an issue. I see it. We've all been there, right? So many times in our lives that, oh, I see this is broken or this should be fixed. But you also saw that you weren't qualified. You didn't have the tools. However, you still moved forward and did it.

How did you get yourself to push through? Because I believe that's so many people see the problem. They know they can solve it. But then they say, oh, I'm not qualified. and I don't have the money. Well, and it's, it's funny you say that because I'll never forget, whenever I made the announcement that I was leaving the company, you know, people were coming into my office and chatting. And you could feel it and see it on their face that they almost wanted to say like, I have an idea too, you know? And I just, I just, I knew these people really

well. I worked with them across multiple companies. And I just remember that feeling. And so I started reflecting on it. And I think what it was, again, there was this, this feeling of potential regret not trying it. And I was at the point, too, where things were going really well. I was on the typical corporate track. I think the next move for me really was, I'm in Canada, and I was in Montreal where most of those companies are located, was, you know, go to Europe and do another global type position or Switzerland or something, which would have been super cool, obviously. But I chatted with my brother-in-law, who again had some sort of IT-related experience. I said, here's the frustration. He was the entrepreneur because he's always been in that space. I said,

would you be interested in exploring this space and seeing if we can do something in? And similar to your story, I mean, just, you know, when you wrote your first book, like just super naive to what it takes to create, you know, write a book, to create an app. It had zero, zero knowledge. So we tested it. I mean, I remember I was at a big creativity conference in Montreal. And my brother-in-law came to you. I said, I was there for the pharma company. But I was also meeting with all these people.

We're just pitching this concept in a modernized fashion, right? As you can see, like I'm not sitting here on top of a mountain in a road meditating, a normal guy. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but that was the stereotype with anything wellness in that space, right? You're a monk or something meditating. And here I was pitching this to create. creative directors and all these different people in different industries at this conference.

And people were really lighting up with the idea. And my brother-in-law, he had that existing company, had a designer on the team. So he was mocking things up and changing things as we were talking to people and we're reacting real time. And eventually we sat down and never forget, because Martha Stewart was one of the guests with Snoop Dog at this conference. They had just partnered with their weed ventures. And they walked by.

And we always say it was Martha and Snoop Dog that inspired this. But my brother and I said, why don't you come on full time? You can partner with me on my existing business. I can help a little bit on the marketing side of that company. But 80% of my time would be spent essentially creating this new business, this new wellness company under the same umbrella and launch it. There was an element of, okay, I'm not just jumping ship from the company. And I knew enough just running these big.

brand plans that you really had to put together a solid plan to make this work, right? And that was where I felt comfortable. We'd outsource the development and figure all that stuff out, which that's not cheap. Which is, yeah, it's not cheap. But thankfully, you know, I mean, we put in some personal savings into this, but we also had that other company that the idea, at least, was to help fund the new one, essentially. And then, you know, in a perfect world, we'd build that one up and then either, you know, sell the other company or hire someone else to run it because we were really passionate about this mental fitness space. I mean, it didn't turn out that way. Within the first two years of reaching all of those people with the app, I'd say largely do because of the marketing

strategy and all the collaborations and the brands and whatnot that we had. Starting the year with a wardrobe refresh, Quince has you covered with Luxe Essentials that feel effortless and look polished. They're perfect for layering, mixing, and building a wardrobe that last. Their versatile styles make it easy to reach for them day after day. Quince has all the staples covered from soft Mongolian cashmere sweaters that feel like designer pieces without the markup to 100% silk tops and skirts for easy dressing up to perfectly cut denim for everyday wear. Their wardrobe essentials are crafted to last season after season. Their Italian wool coats are real standouts. They're beautifully tailored soft to the touch and built to carry you through

years of wear, not just one season. The quality shows in every detail, the stitching, the fit, the fabrics. Every piece is thoughtfully designed to be your new wardrobe essential. And like everything from quince, each piece is made from premium materials and ethical trusted factories that are priced far below what other luxury brands charge. I can't tell you how much I am loving my new cashmere sweater. It's a staple for sure, and I can't wait to give one to my best friend for her birthday this year. It is timeless, gorgeous, and the softest thing I've ever touched. Which quince pieces are you interested in? I mean, from the bags to the denim, to the sweaters, to the jackets, they're all incredible luxury high-end products without the high-end price. Refresh your wardrobe

with quince. Don't wait. Go to quince.com slash confidence for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com slash confidence to get free shipping and 365-day returns. Quince.com slash confidence. When you want more, start your business with Northwest Registered Agent and get access to thousands of free guides, tools, and legal forms to help you launch and protect your business. All in one place. Build your complete business identity with Northwest today.

Northwest Registered Agents has been helping small business owners and entrepreneurs launch and grow businesses for nearly 30 years. They are the largest registered agent and LLC service in the U.S. with over 1,500 corporate guides, real people who know your local laws and can help you in your business every step of the way. Build your business identity fast with Northwest Registered Agent and get access to thousands of free resources, forms, and step-by-step guides without even creating an account. Sign up for a free account to begin managing your business hub with lawyer drafted operating agreements bylaws, resolutions, membership, certificates, bills of sale, and more, all at no cost. Northwest is your one-stop business resource.

Learn how to build a professional website, what annual filings your business needs to stay in good standing, and simple explanations of complicated business laws. With Northwest privacy is automatic. They never sell your data, and all services are handled in-house. Because privacy, by default, is their pledge to all customers. Don't wait. your privacy, build your brand, and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Visit northwest registered agent.com slash confidence free and start building something amazing. Get more with Northwest Registered Agent at www. northwesternigestedagent.com slash confidence free. If your anxiety, depression, or ADHD are more than a rough patch, you don't need just another

meditation app. Tachiatry makes it easy to see a psychiatrist online using your insurance in days. Tachiatry is 100% online psychiatry practice that provides comprehensive evaluations, diagnoses, and ongoing medication management for conditions like ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, insomnia, and more. Unlike therapy-only apps, tachyotry is psychiatry. That means you're seeing a medical provider who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication when it's appropriate. All their 600 plus clinicians are in network with major insurers so you can use your existing insurance instead of paying monthly subscriptions or out of network fees. You'll meet with an experienced licensed psychiatrist who takes

the time to understand what's going on, builds a personalized treatment plan, and can prescribe medication when it's right for you. Your care stays consistent and evidence-based. Head to tachiatry. com slash confidence and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. That's talkiatry.com slash confidence to get matched in minutes. Pause for a minute on that because you're kind of like glazing over 86 million downloads. Can you dive a little bit more into what made that work? So it's a bit of a mysterious recipe because at the time as well, Apple, well, still to this day, I think.

I mean, it's really hard to get on Apple's radar. And what was happening at that time, we had a very Apple-ish-looking app. I mean, design-wise, we spent a lot of effort and money in making sure it looked really good

and it worked as well. And eventually, I'll never forget, we had a small team of five. I was in Toronto. Then there were a few people in U.S. in Dubai and UK and scattered around. But we were all in Toronto

for our first team meeting, essentially. And we had the Apple dashboard up. And I think this was maybe a couple weeks after launch. And prior to launch, probably about six to eight months before we even launched, I was meeting with a ton of different people and interviewing them. And at the time, it was a written platform or a blog and then it eventually turned into a podcast. But I was interviewing all these people, kind of similar to what I know your mentality of reaching for the top, essentially. I was interviewing like Kevin Rose, the biggest technologist at the time.

And Adam Grant was part of the app providing his questions on workplace feedback. And we had Claude Silver from VaynerMedia in there. And it was also my book, by the way. So I'm excited that's continued. But just reaching out to those people. And again, they're the experts in their space and bringing those prompts in the app and making it work. So I think Apple was seeing that. And they started featuring the app all around the world.

Oh, so you really don't know like the one thing that made that happen. but that was your tipping point. That's every entrepreneur's dream. Congratulations. Yeah, it was, thank you. It was unreal because we were sitting in that room in Toronto, the first team meeting. And at the time, you know, we're looking at the Apple dashboard. And there was this giant spike.

And it said that we had 1.2 million app store impressions coming out of Saudi Arabia. What? You know, no one lived in Saudi Arabia. There was no connections there. But for whatever reason, whoever the editors are in that store, or in charge of that region of the world, picked it up as a new app we love. And then it just started to snowball, Australia, US.

I mean, I think it was probably 130 or 120 countries at the end. And we're hitting all these different lists. And it just kept racking up and racking up. And then had the podcast running so people were sharing it as well. And yeah, I mean, it was almost surreal or unbelievable because most apps don't get any visibility. there's hundreds of thousands, if not more, in the store. And even though those are media impressions, so essentially people walking by the magazine stand,

they looked at it, didn't necessarily pick the magazine up. At the end, we still had about a community of over 200,000 people using the app as well that we hadn't paid for. We hadn't paid, like other than me interviewing people and traveling around a bit, there was no media buys or press releases or anything like that that was sparking that level of traction. That's amazing. Oh my gosh, that makes me so hopeful. So how do you go from 86 million downloads to No More App? Yeah, that's the toughest part and that's the arc of the journey essentially. And again, in that same location in Toronto, this time by myself,

I was sitting, it was a co-working space looking at that number now on the Apple dashboard. 86.9 million people in the next step I'm about to hit delete from App Store. And those were the by far the darkest moments of my life because at that time I had left that job, right? That was a well-paying, great track. All those people that I thought about those faces again where people are like, me too. I have an idea like that. Good on you for doing it. Now I'm, you know, failing essentially. You know, what would they think? What would our investors or advisors think, my family, and the worst part was just the extreme stress, financial stress of keeping this going to mental stress at home. My now five-year-old, I guess he would have been one or two.

I just always wondered, is he picking up on any of this stress? Of course he is. They always are. I felt the same. It's terrified. It's the worst feeling because you know you're not able to fix it in that moment and you know it's impacting them. Yes. It's obviously the, the last thing that you want. So, you know, there was a combination of things that that happened. I mean, ultimately, what happened was, you know, the app was working and people were coming in. But, I mean, we were not app developers. So we were figuring this stuff out as best as possible. We built something to solve my problem, which seemed to be attractive to others, but not necessarily from a business model perspective. So the business model, which was a subscription model to,

you know, more premium content, wasn't working. as planned. Probably we would have got it to a place of working. But at that point, you know, being a year and a half or two years in and having already invested a good chunk of change, we weren't naive to the fact that we weren't going to solve that next iteration in one shot. And it wasn't going to cost what we're being quoted. It's probably going to be 10 times that. And the worst thing, we don't know how long it's actually going to take to get it to a point. You know, it's not like I've submitted the first draft of the manuscript. We're working on the book.

It's coming out this day. Like this was, I don't know when the app is going to come out to the point where we've reached that mark where people come in and they actually stay in and subscribe, for example. And, you know, my brother-in-law was the same thing. He had two kids at home, you know, within the ages of, I think, three and six at that time. So, you know, we weren't, like, we had families that we had to consider as well. weren't just, you know, college kids essentially in a dorm room, right? So the decision was made to, you know what, we can't fund this anymore. We're going to have to delete this. I obviously worked as hard as possible. So my brother-in-law continued on in his other business because that was the

other thing. We were now taking a business that was profitable and doing well before we started this and we're really putting that business in jeopardy because it was funding a lot of this. So he continued on there. And I was left probably, the worst state of mind at that point because I no longer had my backup plan, which was to go back to that industry that I had left because it didn't feel right anymore. What felt right was to continue down this idea of preventative health and mental fitness that was just lighting me up, but it happened to be that one product we created, you know, didn't work out, but how do I continue? And that's when it got really, really dark because there was no plan.

for the first time in my life. And I was so jaded and fogged with that fear and anxiety that it was almost nearly impossible to think clearly until finally, I don't know what it was. It's probably a combination of just really doing everything impossible to be in the present moment and not get wrapped into that internal narrative. But I remembered, I've interviewed at least 200 people on the podcast and for the app and they're asking a very different set of questions. They're not asking the questions that are,

that I'm asking that are driving me into the ground, they're asking, what do you want for your life? What's next? How can I learn from this? And asking questions that will bring back the hope and the drive and whatnot. And that's when things flipped. And that's when I realized, you know what, I need to somehow continue this path of questions

and show that this stuff is all accessible to any of us. And that's what led into the next path, which has been writing this book for the last couple of years. Oh my gosh. I so relate to your story, Mark. It's so crazy. And I, my heart needs for you because I know how hard those dark days were. And for everyone listening that's going through those tough times and trying to figure out that's the work, that's the grind. That's when you have to stay. Like, don't give up. And what you said, Mark, it was lighting you up. You knew that there was something here. And I so, I get what you're saying. Because we were so conditioned from corporate America. And this. This is the path you're supposed to be on. This is what success looks like. But when you actually taste and feel and connect with something that's bigger and more meaningful, but you don't know how to build it yet.

Yes. Trusting and keep going. And you did. And now because you kept going, you have a new book coming out. Yes, I do. Thank you. It's, you know, it just feels here it is. I just got a physical copy of it yesterday, which feels very surreal.

Did you cry? I cried when I first tell. my book. It felt like it was, it felt like it was coming, but my five-year-old was there as well, and he just started asking the most ridiculous questions, right? You know, we're all the pictures and all these things. It was so, it was super cute. But it just feels so aligned because it's, it's just the work that I've been really, I mean, I'm obsessed with questions because, again, you just heard, I mean, essentially questions saved me. And I've interviewed people where literally, I remember, I'll never forget this. It was a young guy, I think it was maybe 20, 21,

right before the interview sat down and his eyes were bloodshot and he just didn't look well. And I asked, you know, Ryan, are you sure you want to do this interview? Like you seem like you're off or there's something up. And it's like, no, I absolutely need to do this because last night I checked myself into the suicide ward of the hospital. And if it wasn't for these tools and like journaling and meditate and these practices and tools that I know I have access to, that's. what gave me the one second I needed to make a different decision. You know, and that's what

happened to me too. And, you know, my mouth dropped. And he said, no, so we have to do this interview. And I was changed at that point seeing, you know, I saw the power of questions of my own life and others, but they literally can save a life. So that, you know, that's what fuels me. Every day is that no matter where you're at in your journey, we can all leverage a well-timed question. It's going to be different for all of us. But something will. land and resonate and provide hopefully some clarity on where we want to be or what we desire. We can help kind of clear out whatever's looping in our heads. So for me, it's just to put out this content so that people can land there when they need it.

So what is personal Socrates? What does that even mean? Yeah. Well, so this was where a good friend of mine that it turns out to be the founder and owner of Baron Fink who's publishing this book. When I started talking about the idea, he, brought up personal Socrates because Socrates are the Socratic method. Most people know very high level, including myself, is, oh, Socrates is the guy that asks questions. There's a flow of questions.

It's like question after question after question. And that's essentially the extent of what I knew, but who Socrates was. And I realized, though, that through the study of questions and how I was using the practice and as well as others, everyone's going through this flow of you ask one big question, like what do I want for my life, that then leads to the next question and the next question after that. And it's just being curious and continuing down that line of question until you're past the surface level and you're at the core of what you're trying to discover. So the Socratic method, I mean, has been around for thousands of years, but it's it's been around for thousands of years. So it's hard to relate in modern times. So that's what this book is. It's a book of profiles of people

that anyone would know, like Kobe Bryant, Maya Angelou and Jane Austin, people that I've done the research on and then their stories inspired the prompts in the profiles. And then there are people that I've interviewed like Neveen Jane or James Clear, Ryan Holiday and so forth following the same format. And the idea is that when someone opens up the book, there are two to four page profiles. They're intended to either be your mental fitness in the morning, to take 10 minutes to just slow down and reflect or upgrade the questions and the practices that you're currently doing. Because the idea is that you open the book and you look and follow your intuition. There might be something there like a loaded question like, who am I, for example, or something

from like Picasso, what is my art reflecting back, which is a bit of a parallel on the work that you're doing. What is that reflecting back in your life right now in your journey? And just slowing down to think about that so you can live a little bit more intentionally. and essentially design the life that you want. So it's all through the narrative of other people so that you can relate to different jobs and different stories and different industries,

but it all comes back to the questions. And that's why it's called Personal Socrates questions that will upgrade your life from legends and world-class performers. Is this a practice that you're still disciplined about today in your life? 100%. Yeah, every morning there's a consistent in my life, What happens within that time, which is usually between 40 minutes and an hour, varies.

But there's always an element of reflection, whether it's journaling, just like I've been doing for the last 12 years, or taking a walk and thinking about a question or some sort of breath work, like something to prime and calm my mind as well, those two things. And then there's exercise to top it off. And I just try to mix it in with with the routine. Like as my coffee is brewing, I mean, it's ironic that Ryan Holiday's in the book and that he had such a huge impact in how it's structured because his book, the Daily Stoic, leans against my coffee machine. And I read one passage every morning to just kind of reset my own mind to wait a second. Like the stuff that I might be thinking about or looping on, like this stuff has happened over and over again. And people have dealt with it and

handled it. And I think it just gives you the pause, right? Or like to steal something. of your terminology, it allows you to pump the brakes, right? Pump the brakes and change the perspective. And then now you're starting the day, owning the day, because you've done this, right? It's not your phone, your email, or some sort of message that's starting your day. Like, you're starting the day in a positive, typically positive and primed way. It's so powerful. And I love this idea of asking ourselves the question, right? Because for me, for 14 years, I wasn't asking that. question. I was just doing the thing. Like I was on the wheel just, I was just going forward, but I wasn't, and that really, even in my life, I have to, when I think back to it, I'll never

forget I had a mentor say to me, you need to pick your head up from this day-to-day grind that you're on for a minute and think what it is that you really want in life, Heather. And that conversation, which is really around what you're saying here, which what questions might ask myself, I wasn't asking myself questions. I'm sure I was asking everybody else in my team questions and whatever, but I never stopped to thoughtfully apply that back to my life. So that, that's really, really powerful. Oh, thank you. I mean, it's, I'm just following what I'm hearing from 10 years ago, essentially, and just, it's just staying down that path and hearing the questions that others are asking and trying to apply them within my own life. And it happened for

the book, too, just to write, I had to follow those practices to write the book. I'll never forget. I mean, I remember one day I was, it was a full writing day. And I just felt stuck. I mean, I wasn't sure where I was going. All the regular self-doubt stuff, right? All the regular self-doubt stuff that was coming up. And I remembered an interview that I had conducted with Cal Fussman, who. I love Cal.

He's so great, right? So Cal, I mean, legendary interviewer and writer for Esquire and whatnot and just someone that puts you on the edge of your seat when you're listening to him speak. And he left me with this thought. of, he said, you know, out of all the things I've written, I've never started the article or the story or the book with a blank screen. If I didn't know what to say, I would go to sleep and I would write down a question on a notebook saying, what do I want to say? And then he'd go to sleep and he would wake up and the first thing you would do is pick up that notebook and answer the question.

And so I did that as well, you know, and I went to sleep and what do I want to say. And I mean, I don't remember what the answer was, but it started the writing. process, right? And just, again, it gives, instead of pushing, flow through the process, pause, especially when you go to sleep, but your mind is working on this as you're sleeping and then you wake up, refresh, and you can start. It's just one question, right? We can use this for anything, whether it's presenting a project or a keynote or whatever. It works for any situation. And that's where I'm obsessed. Yeah, exactly. That is so powerful and it's not something that I believe a lot of people are talking about because this is the first time I'm having this

conversation in this podcast. In two years, this hasn't come up. So I definitely think it's unique and different. Mark, where can people get the book? How can people get a hold of you? Yeah, I'm pretty accessible. I mean, the personal website is is behind thehuman.com. And then you'll, you'll find the social handles and everything there at Behind the Human. The book is available on Amazon, and it's also available directly from Barron Fig. So it's barrenfig.com. And you'll see a books page there. I'm excited. I mean, shoot me messages if you're picking up the book or if you have questions that have changed your life. I mean, I'd love to hear what's working for all of you listening because, as you can probably tell, I'm slightly obsessed with really good quality

questions. Oh my gosh. And I'm so glad that you are because this is something that now I am going to be implementing in my life is asking myself questions and making that part of my journey. So thank you for teaching all of us and thank you for writing personal Socrates. Thank you. Until next week. Thank you, Mark. Keep creating confidence and I'll catch you next week. Come on this journey with me.