Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Brad Lea On Why Authenticity Is Key - Dropping Bombs

Episode Date: November 22, 2021

Brad Lea is an entrepreneur, speaker and a leading authority on web-based training. He is also the host of the podcast "Dropping Bombs with Brad Lea". He joins Chris Van Vliet at the Blue Wire Studios in Las Vegas to talk about his path to success, why you need to be true to yourself, the difference between being a salesperson and being a closer, the best investment he's ever made, what he's learned developing training courses for Grant Cardone, Damon John, Tony Robbins and others. For more information about Brad Lea visit http://droppingbombs.com If you enjoyed this episode, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests. For more information about CVV and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com Follow CVV on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All systems are going. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Van Bleas! Well, how the heck are you, my friends? Welcome back to another audio adventure on the podcast known as Insight. I'm CVV, Chris Van Fleet. Thank you so much for being back with us on this one. Although, if it is your first time here, make sure you hit subscribe so you don't miss out on anything that we have coming up.

Some big, big guess as we round out 2021. and head in to 2022. And while you're subscribing to podcasts, you will for sure want to subscribe to Bradley's podcast called Dropping Bombs. And that's exactly what he was doing during this conversation. He was dropping bombs.

That's really just what he does in general. There's so many nuggets of knowledge in here about decision-making, being true to yourself, taking the next step in your career, and just life knowledge in general. By the way, this was the first interview that we recorded in person at the brand new Blue Wire Studios at the Wind Las Vegas. And I just posted a behind the scenes tour of what the studio looks like on my YouTube channel.

So I'm sure you're subscribed to the YouTube channel. So head on over to YouTube and check it out and let me know what you think. On social media, you can find Brad at The Real Bradley. You can find me at Chris Van Vleet. And Pete Stavros is our fan of the week. He writes, great podcast. Love listening to Chris Van Fleet. He's a great interviewer,

and his episodes truly provide great insight into the lives and careers of his guests, especially wrestlers. One of my favorite long-form interview shows out there. Well, I appreciate that, Pete. Thank you so much. And we are just getting started with these interviews with wrestlers,

actors, comedians, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, you name it. We're just getting started. I read one review on every episode of the show. So if you have an iPhone, click on the podcast app, the purple one there, if you haven't seen it. Scroll down to write a review and leave a few words on there. And we will shout you out for free. Okay, let's dive right into this.

Ladies and gentlemen, Bradley. This is our first episode of Insight inside the brand new Blue Wire Studios. So Bradley, welcome. I am honored to be the first. Well, you live in Vegas, so I'm like, you know, you might as well come by and let's do this thing. Absolutely. I'm the first of many, many to come.

A lot of kick-ass people are going to be setting right here. Right here, but starting with you. Starting with me. You've got your own podcast studio. I always tell people, man, look down when you see those footprints. That's because I've been there, done that. You were just full of wisdom. Wisdom.

Wisdom is a good word for it. Wisdom? Yes. What else could you possibly call it? Oh, I don't know. Experience. I guess you've got a lot of that as well. But sometimes good experience and bad experience combined wisdom. What I think is so fascinating about you is you've become a brand. You've gone just beyond Bradley, the entrepreneur. You are now Bradley like the social media brand, I feel like. Really?

Where did that, when did that switch happen? I don't know, but I appreciate it. It's true, though. Really? Why do you say that? Just look at your Instagram page. Your Instagram, you want to talk about wisdom and value. That's what your Instagram page is full on. Well, thank you. I, I, thank you. It's not that I'm trying to do it.

You know, my team, I have someone follow me with a camera all day. Right. Because I believe authenticity is, is key. So I don't try to think about what to say. I just say, look, film me doing. me, being me, talking to employees, talking to customers, you know, answering people's questions, and just film it all, and then grab some and stick a couple up a day. But this is what I'm talking about. When did that begin for you? That began, I would say,

three to four years ago. And you were just like, let's, let's start recording. Let's just start recording everything. You know, it's funny because it actually was like two years ago, You know, four years ago is when I started trying to say, okay, let me build a, build a account, right? And so I used to think to myself, what can I say? What should I say? And I would try to think up something clever or, you know, let me think, man, what do people want to see? And then it got to a point where I'm like, dude, this is stupid. Because I got to sit here and put so much time into thinking about what to say.

what do I think people need to hear and, you know, I just got tired of it. So I just got tired of it, right? Right. And I told my guy, it wasn't him at the time, I told my guy, listen, I'm not going to think anymore. I said, from now on, just get here at 8 o'clock, turn on the camera and roll it the whole day. If I'm in a meeting, follow me in the meeting. If I take a phone call, record the phone call. Yeah.

And so we just started filming me being me. And then we started chopping that up. And that's really when people started to, you know, come. So it's funny because I was trying to get people to come and nobody came. And then I said, fuck it. I said, screw it. That's fine. I said, screw it.

And I said, look, I'm just going to do me. And that's really when people came. So if somebody's out there, listen, trying to build a brand or build an account like that, I would say, do you, be you, film it, and then put that out there. This is that whole idea of instead of trying to create, you're just documenting all the time. Yeah. Were you beginning to do this with a goal in mind?

Well, not necessarily other than I already know the power of a personal brand. Yeah. I've watched several of my clients and buddies do it. Grant Cardone, you know, big, big name trainers, Tony Robbins and people. I've seen their personal brand. I've seen their accounts translate into massive opportunities and deals. But I didn't do it necessarily because of that, although that was a factor. I did it because my goal is to get the information from the people who have it to the people who need it.

Because I believe people fail and don't get very far as because they don't have the right information. Everybody else wants to say, you know, nobody wants to work these days. Everybody's lazy. Millennials are lazy. They're not lazy, dude. You've got to know what you're doing. If you knew better, you'd do better. So I just want to make sure people know the shit I went through and the things that I've observed

so they can avoid the same shit I had to deal with. But I think the problem with social media is we only see the finished product. We only see Bradley now in 2021. And we don't see where you were 20 years ago or 25 years ago. So who's Bradley today and who were you 20 years ago? Well, today I'm a little more convinced, a little more confident, a little more valuable than I was before. Before I was lost, a little naive, searching for the way. You know what I mean?

I didn't really like myself too much. I didn't even know too like myself. I was a little more insecure. But I was still the same person. You know, I wanted to, you know, make an impact, just didn't know how. Searching, I guess. And now I'm kind of still doing the same thing, but having a little more fun doing it. Sure.

I want a portfolio of companies, so I like to, you know, start new companies. I'm a true entrepreneur. The word entrepreneur literally means someone taking larger than normal financial risk. That's all. So, so I don't, I don't, I don't value, it's not a good thing, but it's true. I don't really value money. Like, money's like to me, money's like a monopoly. You know, it's like you can get more.

Like, you know, get it. use it, don't blow it, use it. And I'm not afraid to go back to zero. I'm not afraid just to go back where I started from because where I started from isn't that bad. Do you feel like if someone took all your money away from you today, you'd be able to be back to where you're at in three, five, whatever, 10 years? Three months, maybe six months.

Three months? Yeah, yeah. Now I know the formula. What's the formula? Just relationships. Yeah. Would you say that's the most important thing? Absolutely.

Relationships are the new currency. It's the new economy. Relationships. It's, you know, how many people know you? Most people say it's not what you know. It's who you know. Yeah. It's more who knows you.

Mm. You know, who knows of you? Who knows about you? Like, again, why am I in this beautiful studio getting interviewed? Well, we know each other because we were introduced from somebody. But at the end of the day, it's because you know me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. Yeah.

And now you know me. That's right. Who was the person early on in your career that saw something in you or really mentored you and really helped you get to that next level? I wish I had a bunch of answers for that because when people say who was your mentor, I literally learn from everybody. And so to me, a mentor is someone that puts their arm around you and says, come on, young man, let me teach you the way.

Nobody did that. Still nobody does that. Are you doing that for anybody? Well, yeah, I try to. Yeah, that's my Instagram page. That's my social media. I'm virtually mentoring people. But you don't have someone that you're saying,

come here, come under my wing, I will teach you how to do this. Well, it depends. Yes, I have and yes, I do when it comes to certain things. But I don't, I don't call it mentoring. Because to me, mentoring is free. You know what I'm saying? So I mentor people on social media because, you know,

there's information, get it. But to spend my time, helping someone build something, normally I'm going to want to be paid for that. So in that I don't because I don't coach. I don't have coaching programs or anything. You know, how much it scares people when you say something like, yeah, I don't care about money, money's nothing, it doesn't mean anything to me. You know, that scares a lot of people.

Yeah, but that's not what I said. I don't value money. We don't value. Yeah, I care about it. I like, trust me. Big difference. I preach it. Yeah, I mean, a lot of people are, money's not important.

Yes, money's very important. you know money doesn't mean everything well dude it means a lot so i mean don't get me wrong oh i focus on it and daily and i want way more than i have and i and i spend days every day focused on how to drive more of it so i don't mean i don't care about it i mean i don't value it meaning most people will get money in the bank and they'll hold on to that money because they're so afraid of being broke that they're that they're very cautious and careful and but believe it or not in entrepreneurial world, that costs people. Because what happens?

We start a business. We get it going. It takes a little time. We remember what it's like being broke. We finally start to get a little success. We finally start to get a little money. And then we hold on to that money because we don't want to be broke again. What I'm saying is I don't value the money.

I use money because I realize it's a tool. And if you aren't using it, what's it worth? So like if I was walking up to you, I notice you're building a birdhouse and you're using a butter knife to try and get it all done. And I notice a big old shed filled with all the kick-ass power tools you need right there. And I'm like, what are you doing? I'm building a birdhouse. Well, why don't you use the tools? And you say, no, I'm saving those.

Like saving them for what? Yeah. So I do value. I don't want people to think I say money's not important. money is very important. You can be more of who you are. You have opportunity. You have freedom. You can help. You can make a bigger impact. You can save lives. So it's the opposite of not caring about it. I do care about it. I just don't value it. In other words, it's not what makes you cool. Why do you think some people are scared of money? Well, I believe because we're taught, we're taught to be scared of the money. You know what I mean? It's the root of all evil after all, isn't it? And, you know, subconsciously, sometimes, you know, subconsciously, sometimes. we also believe that you're going to have to be a bad person because, you know, everybody's going to want it, want it, and then you're going to have to say no. And then, you know, subconsciously, most people, believe it or not, they don't value themselves. Not interesting.

And they're not even aware of it. But they spend years procrastinating, lying, cheating, all the shit we've all done. And over time, it's all required. recorded in the subconscious. So at some point, we don't believe we're worth more money, which is why we'll never get it. You'll never outperform your own self-image. So people have to have a better self-image of themselves to get better things for themselves.

I just feel like there's going to be a lot of people that I go, well, that's really easy for you, Brad. You've got lots of money. It's okay for you to have that type of attitude about money. When there's a whole bunch of people that are living paycheck to paycheck. And like you said, they're like holding on to it because they're so scared to lose it. Yeah, or they don't know how to get it. That's another thing.

Like, I can teach anybody how to do three to 500 grand just a year, easy. In sales? In life. But coincidentally, sales will be a part of it. Why? Because pretty much anyone that's successful doing anything is selling something. I feel like you're selling every day of your life. Well, we are.

But sales related jobs. are the highest paid professions in the world. But I could teach you how to sell clothes and persuade people, teach you personal branding, teach you marketing, and you can go work for another company and make seven figures a year. You can go start your own company and make seven figures a year, or I'll give you a job at one of my companies,

and you'll make seven figures a year. So the question is, why don't people do that? Well, they don't have the right information. And then they want to convince themselves that you're full of shit. You're just saying that. You're just trying to get my money.

This isn't real. Even if you show them 50 people ahead of you that you've already done it with, dude, there's a scam. This is a scam. And this whole podcasting thing, dude, this is bullshit, dude. Why would you podcast anyway? That's a waste of time. I tell people all the time, the best thing about podcasting is anyone can do it.

And the worst thing about podcasting is anyone can do it. Do you think it's worth doing? I think it's absolutely worth doing, but you need to ask yourself a question before you get into it. You need to ask yourself, why am I getting into this? If you're starting a podcast just because you want to hang around with your friends and ask questions, I think that's one thing. That's great. But if you want to get into it to try to make it a source of income, I think that's a completely

different thing. What do you think? Is it a waste of time? Well, of course not. But I don't agree with what you just said. You don't have to know why. Get a couple microphones and start talking and you'll grow and develop and evolve. And if you're consistent and passionate and you like it, I'll bet you it ends up somewhere.

But more importantly, how easy is it to start a podcast? So easy. How come more people don't? I think that a lot of people look at it. Like the barrier of entry is, well, I need to buy equipment. No, they're going to completely agree. You don't. You don't need this.

I know. I always tell people, all you need to do is just hit record. Yeah, you don't need this. So you're right. People make excuses about the equipment, the money, and all the excuses in the world. But it boils down to, they're worried about what other people are going to think and say about their podcast. Well, I can't get the big names on my podcast.

Well, I don't have much to say, who am I? Yeah. Why would anyone listen to my shit? That's what they're saying because they don't value themselves. And that's the problem with most people. They don't value their own opinion so they're looking for validation from others. And when they think, I'll start a podcast, well, no one's going to listen to it. What if I look stupid?

What if all my friends? What if I can't get any guests? Just do it, man. And also then people will put in that. the time they will put in the effort and then they'll be like 12 downloads and they'll go well nobody listened i was right no no no you got to be consistent you got stick at it like dude listen to joe rogan's podcast way back of the day no one was listening to that shit no one was listening to joe rogan episode 316 yeah so i mean at the end of the day it's like it's like now look what if what if he

would have said the same thing right it'd still be doing fine with the ufc and what have you but and comedy and everything else. Yeah. Yeah. So, so when I started my podcast, dude, I just said, look, I got a lot of people coming and going with some good information. And my whole mission is to get the knowledge from the people who have it to the people who need it. So I would be, it would be

a shame if I didn't grab a couple microphones and at least get them to talk for a little bit while they were there filming their content in my other studios. Right. So I just said, look, I'm going to get one. I said, let me get two microphones, set them down and just invite them to set. And so they just started setting. And a couple of the sessions,

we're going by and someone was like, dude, man, you guys were dropping bombs. And I went, that's a good name. So I went, look, sure enough, dropping bombs was available. So I bought dropping bombs.com and called it dropping bombs and then just started doing more of it, more of it. The first four episodes I did, it wasn't dropping bombs. It was just me shooting the shit. So again, at the end of the day, why do I say all that? Most people won't do it, even though it's easy to do.

I would suggest you do. Would you? Absolutely. But yet no one will. Why? It's easy for them to say. See, that's the problem. Life is easy.

Most people think it's hard. And most people will agree that it's hard. But I do not agree that. That it's hard. I did an episode recently where I just said, like, what are you waiting for? Like so many people want to do these great things or just want to do anything. And they're sitting there right on the end of a, they're about to do it. And they go, well, that's for somebody else.

Or I don't have the time. I don't have the money. They just come up with a million excuses. Why not to do it? Yeah. What's the worst job you've ever had? The worst job I ever had was the best job I ever had. It was fighting forest fires, or at least I.

Where? In Oregon. It was when I was instructed to get a real job. And so I went out and applied and got the job and thought I was going to fight forest fires. Turns out I showed up and they wanted me to grab a bag of water, big backpack filled with water and squirt stunk. from the smoldering stumps because the firefighters were actually in the front fighting the fire. And I was a dipshit in the back with a piss bag. I was called a piss bag operator.

I was picturing myself showing up with like a flannel shirt and a frickin' axe and a wolf by my side, saving eagle legs and shit. And I, you know, looking all cool. But it was hard labor, hard labor. I was up and down mountains getting poked in the eye with sticks. Breathing up soot. It was terrible. and I got a little patch of poison oak.

And I told the dude, I'm not going to be able to make it. I got a little poison oak. He ripped off his shirt and said, dude, it's part of the job. And he was covered in poison oak. And I said, you expect me to have poison oak? And he goes, absolutely, bro. Everybody up here gets poison oak. It's just part of the job.

I said, I quit. So that was the worst job I ever had, but it's also the best job I ever had because that's what taught me. Hard work is not the answer. Hard work is not the answer. The people that work the hardest nine times out of ten are the poorest. Go look at all the hard workers out there. They're the ones busting their ass coming home with blisters.

They're not the ones making all the money. Who's making all the money? The people that they're working for. And by the way, someone had to sell that job. So I quit, went home, opened the newspaper, and saw an ad for sales, went in and got a job in sales, and made four times the money I was making up there. With no poison out. I got to wear a suit. They gave me a free car to drive.

Is that a car dealership? Yeah. my first job selling cars. It was unbelievable. And I'm like, dude, this is where it's at. Like, I can't believe it. These guys want me to have a trans am. These guys want me to have poison oak.

I'm making four times the money easy. My back didn't hurt. I wasn't getting poked in the eye. It was unbelievable. So that was the worst job, but the best job. Because if I didn't get that job, I may not have appreciated the sales so much. What was the first thing you learned,

the biggest thing you learned in sales, that kind of was like that light ball moment for you where you went, oh, I'm going to be really good at this. Well, I was pretty good automatically, I think, just because I was outgoing and interested and curious and empathetic. So I asked a lot of questions because I was interested in finding out, you know, what they're looking for and what they have currently. And I was excited and enthusiastic and enthusiasm sells.

So I was automatically pretty good just by my own personality. At six years old, I sold candy bars door to door for my first grade school. And most people were just, you know, buying onesy-to-sey. So I finally said, man, I got to come up with some sort of script. So I put the candy bar box behind my backs and I said, do you know the phone number to a good roof repairman? I said, what? And I said, because when you taste one of these, you're going to go through the roof. And they started buying box after box after box.

I sold out the whole entire school. That's great. Other kids that couldn't sell all their candy bars, they gave them to me. And so I didn't realize that I had. had a talent for sales at that age. I just, you know, know that I was kicking everyone's ass and I felt good because everyone was like, wow, you're good. But after that, you know, I didn't know. Then I got the hard job. Then I got the sales job and I was already pretty naturally good. And then I think to answer your question, what's the first thing I learned? I think I learned how to actively listen.

You know what I mean? Most people don't actively listen. Give me, give me, me a good example of that? Well, normally, like when I used to teach sales, I'd bring out a quarter, a dime, and a nickel, and I'd tell somebody, now listen, pay attention. Bob's mom has three kids. The first one is Nicholas, and I'd hold up the nickel. I'd say the second one is Demetrius, not hold up the dime, then I'd hold up the quarter and say, what's the third one's name? And they'll never get it. Quarterless, quarter main, they'll guess and guess, and then some people like, well, you didn't say. I said, yes, I did, listen again.

And I'd have to go two or three times saying Bob's mom has three kids. And then they go, Bob, after the third or fourth time, I can do that shit the first time. Because I'm not just listening. I'm actively listening. What are you really saying? I'm just looking. That's what most people say, especially at a car lot. Yeah.

They want to block you. Yeah. I'm just looking. I hear I'm just looking to buy a car. Now, your difference is massive. I'm just looking. Oh. I'll be over here.

They're all bummed that they're just looking. But if you heard, I'm just looking to buy a car. Now you get excited. Like, awesome, dude. This is good news. So is that the difference between a salesperson and a closer? No. In my opinion, a closer comes when the customer says no.

And then gets a no to a yes. A salesperson doesn't make you a closer. If they didn't say no, you didn't close them. You didn't close the deal unless they said no at some point. So if someone will use the car lot example, if someone comes in, they're just looking, you're starting to sell them, they say no, where does it go from there? Well, now you better get a closer or become one. Okay, how do you become a closer?

And you get them to go from a no to a yes, right? And the way you do that is, first of all, you have to identify and isolate the objection because most people are lying to you anyway. their reason for not buying is usually bullshit. So you have to identify and isolate the actual real objection. Now, you do that by creating a hypothetical solution to the problem. So, like, give me your objection. I just don't have the time right now.

Okay, so, like, hypothetically, if you had the time, would you stay and buy this product? It's just, it's a little bit more than I want to spend. See, now you just jump to a more valid reason. So I just keep doing that until I find the real reason. Because you have to have the real objection before you can close it. You can't close a false objection. So you identify and isolate the objection by creating a hypothetical solution. And because it's hypothetical, you have unlimited power.

You could literally say, because my dog died. Well, if your dog came back to life, would you buy this right now? And if the answer is yes, because that's really the objection, you know what you'd say? What'd you'd say? You'd say, well, yeah, because that is the reason you're not buying. Yeah. How often did you get the, I got to check with my wife? All the time.

And what's the, how do you come back to that? Same way. You first of all, validate and identify and isolate it to make sure it's real. You don't just assume it's real. So you got to get your wife. Yeah. So if your wife was here and she told you to pull the trigger, would you move forward right now? That's up to her, really.

Yeah. But you see what I'm saying? Yeah, I see. Because if the answer was yes, I would move forward, well, then that is the reason. Okay, now, step two, you've got to solve that. You have to solve the problem using logic. You leverage obvious gain and then use intelligence and common sense. So if your wife's not here, what might be a solution to that?

I don't know. Use just common sense. If your wife's not here, but she needs to be, what would be a solution? Let's get your wife there. There's a lot. Right. See what I'm saying? Yeah.

Suggest that. Now, a lot of times they go, okay, let's go get her. Or, hey, she's not available. She's at work. Can she take a FaceTime? Yeah. Hey, let me ask you a question. If we could get the car and go get her, just take her on the block.

Would that help? And then you just use common sense and solve the problem, if you can, every deal is not closable. So you can't always close everybody, no matter what. But the method, just like MMA, you know, you get a black belt fighting a white belt. I'm telling you, usually the black belt will win because of experience. So experience, if I'm teaching you to close, is going to be number one, identify and isolate the objection. When someone says how, create hypothetical solutions.

If that hypothetical solution causes them to go from a no to a yes, that's step one, because you move them from a no to a yes. Right. And then step two is solve the problem using logic, LOGIC, leverage obvious game. Yeah, you got to leverage obvious game. gain, what's the obvious gain of you getting my product or service? You leverage that obvious gain. Dude, you want to make more money, don't you? Sure. You want your kids to quit shit in the bed, don't you? That's the obvious gain. And then intelligence and common sense is solving the problem why you won't move forward. So whatever your reason was, once I've identified and isolated it, so validated it,

well, now just use common sense and solve it. And you'll close twice as many as you ever have, just by using that method. So how did you go from sales? to sales training. Well, I got really good, and then I started running teams and running the business. It wasn't my business. I worked for other people. And I got good at grabbing people out of Burger Kings and turning them into badasses. Like literally out of a Burger King?

Oh, I snatch people out of Burger King windows all the time, not literally out the window. But like anybody that was cool. But you'd be like, you have some charisma. I think you could be a great salesperson or whatever. But, you know, usually I'd say, how'd you like to make 10 times more money than you're making right now? now. They'd be like how? I'd say, don't worry about it. Would you be interested in making a lot of money? You want to make more money? You're tired of this bullshit? They go, yeah, I say, if I can come see me tomorrow. They're like, who do we have to kill? Yeah, and again, a lot of people

just didn't know how to do it. But as soon as I taught them, you know, within three or four months, they were making $10,000, $20,000 a month. So you could teach us. You could teach us to anybody? Sure. Wow. And then that's the thing, though. The program I'm coming out with in 2022 is I'm going to teach them how and I'm going to give them the job. Then there's going to be no excuse from anybody. Like if you ain't making $300,000 a year, you're not really living yet. You're surviving. And not that you can't get there, but again, life begins at about $300,000.

You need some discretionary income. You need some room. Otherwise, you're just in the rat race. If you're making money, you pay your bills, make money, pay your bills. There's never anything left over. You're not going on vacations. You can't enjoy life. all, are you living or are you just surviving?

So when someone says, well, I don't know how to make three, 300,000, 500,000. Dude, I can show anyone how to do it. Well, people are like, yeah, you just trying to sell me a course. So guess what I decided? Well, how about I give you the job, too? I'll give you the job on top of. How many people are you going to hire? Thousands.

Wow. What? Thousand. I guess we'll have to have you back on next year to talk about. Dude, it's an unlimited field sales. Yeah. I mean, what it boils down to it, I'm going to teach them to fucking sales. I'm going to teach him some fucking confidence

and then I'm going to give them a job at one of my companies that sells shit. It seems easy enough. It is easy enough. Everybody else wants to make it difficult. Like it's not difficult. Like if somebody wants to make three to 500 grand, they're going to have to sell something.

Usually nine times out of 10, at least what I've learned. Usually anyone that's successful is selling something. Like a lot of people say, LeBron James isn't selling anything. The fuck he isn't. Hey, LeBron James, why do you think they pay him so much money?

To play basketball? No, to sell tickets, to sell jerseys, to sell popcorn. He's a salesman. Everybody's a salesman technically. So the difference between good ones and bad ones, the bad ones don't know they're doing it. Or they don't even know to do it. But you're doing it. You're doing it with your kids.

You're doing it with your family. You're selling on, you know, going to a certain restaurant, getting your way. I mean, you're selling anyway. Are you good at it? It's the question. Now, what if you were never trained, but every day, you went into the UFC cage. UFC, you know, with black belts.

And then you just keep getting your ass kick, not understanding why. Well, how about go, go learn to fight? Right. You don't even know you're fighting. Just keep getting your ass kick. Yeah. So mix it all together.

And I think pretty much anybody can make $300,000 to $500,000 a year. Yes, there's going to be some sales involved. Yes, there's going to be work involved. Yes, you have to learn and study. Yes, it'll be uncomfortable. But the question is, is do you want to do it or not? Because, again, a lot of people raise their hand do, but they're not willing to do the work. I tell them, take off the jersey and, you know, get out the game.

But if you, if you're wearing the jersey and you want in the game, you just don't know how to get in the game, you don't know what to do. I'm going to teach you. I'm going to teach everybody. What's usually the breaking point for people that don't want to do it anymore? Discipline. What do you mean? Like, there's probably people that want to earn the money and then they realize how hard it is. It's not that hard.

It's not. Maybe it's just what they, maybe they don't think they're cut out for it or maybe they don't think they can do it. Usually the breaking point is they don't value themselves and they worry about other people's judgment. That's the key. That's the main thing. I think a lot of people are worried to leave the job they have right now. A lot of people are scared. Yes.

Yes. Now think about this logically, though. Why would you be worried about leaving something you don't want? Security, I think, is the answer to most people. What do you mean? Do you want what you got? The answer is no. Right.

And you're afraid to let it go to reach for what you want. Yes. Does that make any sense? Well, but I got a really good 401K. And like they give me three weeks vacation. Well, that's rationalizing.

Yeah. Yeah, but that's not, but that's not. Like in other words, if you have a soccer ball in your hand and you can only carry one ball at a time and you want a football, but you won't let go let go with a soccer ball and you can't figure out why you can't get the football.

Well, dude, let go with a soccer ball. You have to be willing to let go of what you want or what you have to get what you want. See, if you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice. So you're automatically fucking yourself, screwing yourself. Do we bleep these out?

No, that's the internet. You're going to bleep that when you put that on your social media, right? I don't know. Well, we believe. No. Okay. Well, I don't again, because if my cussing offends you, you probably won't be around much anyway. But, but dude, most people are so afraid to let go of what they have that they don't ever get what they want.

And again, it's not rocket science. You have to understand, dude, if you're not happy where you are, then you can't be afraid of losing it. Like, you live in a shitty apartment. You want a better house, but you're not willing to go get another house because what if, What if you'd lose your apartment? Well, dude, who cares? Yeah. You seem pretty fearless with all this.

When was the last time you were scared of something? Well, what's the worst that can happen? I love that. I agree with you. Well, that's the thing. But most people don't answer that question all the way. What is the worst thing that can happen? I think that most people will say, I could die.

That's right. Yeah. Are you going to die quitting your job? No. Are you going to die asking that person out? No. Are you going to die asking for the sale? Are you going to die asking for the help?

Are you going to die if your podcast doesn't make it? it dropping balls. No. You don't die. That's when you become cautious. Other than that, dude, what's the big deal? Have you been broke before? See, I've been broke before and it's not that bad. It's not that bad. Guess what? There's just more opportunity, more learning opportunities. Get it again. I'm not afraid to go to zero. I'm not afraid to lose. See, failure is part of the formula and everybody's trying to avoid it. Like, it doesn't make any sense. Right. What are you, what are you afraid of? Well, I think everyone thinks that success is like a straight line from here to there. It's not. No, no, definitely. Not at all. There's a bunch of failure along the way.

There's a bunch of things that look like they might be successes that are not successes. 100%. So what was the last thing that you were scared of? You know, I'm afraid of things like physical things. Like one time there was three dudes getting ready to freaking kill me or kick my ass at least. recently? Recently? When I say to the day, it could have been 10 years ago. But I'm afraid of like, you know, that. I'm afraid to get my ass kicked.

Even though you're friends with Michael Chandler? I'm afraid of, well, he ain't around me all the time. I'm afraid of going to prison. I'm afraid of, every time you file your taxes, you're like, maybe. Yeah, like somebody said the other day, hey, you want to sponsor this thing. The vets get to jump out of airplanes. and you guys, you and your whole team can come and jump out of airplanes. And I said, y'all sponsor the thing.

And he's, oh, great, man, when do you want to jump? I said, I'm not jumping. He says, what are you talking about? Well, do, why would I jump out of a perfectly good airplane? Well, dude, it's a rush. I don't need a rush like that. I've done it a few times. It's pretty bad out.

But there's a chance that I die. Is there not? Sure. That's it. Don't need to hear no more. There's also a chance you die when you drove over here. Hey, not a good one. Well,

again, that's rationalizing. Dude, I'm never going to purposely jump out of an airplane. Now, if the plane was going down and the dude was throwing out parachutes, I'd be jumping. But I'm not jumping out of one that's going to land perfectly fine. Would you just down the strip here jump off the stratosphere? The sky jump? No. It's a rush.

I did a last time I was here. It's amazing. I have no interest in that. I'm glad. you did, though. How was it? It was amazing. I made a TikTok about it if you want to check it out. I would. Do you have a TikTok channel? I do. What is it called?

It's just my name. Dude, I got a final. Chris. Dot Van Fleet. Are you showing them all the kick-ass shit you do? Yeah. All right. Unlike you, I will jump out of planes and I will bungee jump. Dude, you got balls of steel. I guess.

I have higher self-preservation instincts than that. I think for me it's the idea of how could I be scared of something that I've never done before. So I'm going to swim with an alligator. I'm going to jump off a bridge, bungee jump off a bridge. And if I don't like it after I've done it, I can go, yeah, well, that wasn't for me. I know, but I don't have to. Like, I don't have to suck a dick to know they make for me. I guess that? I don't want to jump out of a freck an airplane, period. I'm not going to make you. Yeah. Well, like, again, like my self-preservation instinct is way too high. Like, like, I could die. I ain't doing it. Not just for the thrill of it. Now, again, if I needed to do it, if I had to

If I had to swim with an alligator to save my family or to save your life, even your life. You would do that for me? I would do it if I have to. I'm not a pussy. But again, I also, in my opinion, to me it's common sense. Like, why? Like, if you don't want a haircut, dude, stay out to barbershop. Fair enough.

Those are barbershops and I don't want a haircut. What's the best advice that you've ever been given? To not worry about other people's opinion? Because at the end of the day, that's what it boils down to. If we were alone on this earth, would you be swimming with alligators? No. No. You're right.

You'd be avoiding those motherfuckers, or you'd be doing something completely different. But the point being is the reason we fear and do everything we do is generally for the fear of judgment. It's why we do things sometimes, too, but it's usually why we don't do things. We fear the unknown. You know why I think that is? Because we were created by the unknown. Well, now I'm interested if you were on this earth alone. What would you be doing?

If I was on the earth alone, well, there'd be nothing to do because everything would be nothing. So I guess I'd just be, you know, staring at the sky waiting to die. That'd be the end of it. Yeah. But you know what I mean by people are afraid of the unknown? Yes, we're created by it. Think we don't know how we got it. Well, if there's a dark room and I say to you, go into that dark room, you're like, hell no, why?

I don't know what's in there. But if you turned on the light and it was just an empty room, you have no fear of walking in that room, which proves we're afraid of the unknown. I'm wondering, why is that? Well, I think it's because we're created by the unknown. Do you know how you were created? Nobody knows for sure. Nobody knows for sure. I mean, are you talking about what my mom and dad were doing?

No. Bigger than that. the unknown. Right. Yeah. The unknown. People are afraid of the unknown. Yeah.

Do you think this is maybe a simulation? No. Like the Matrix? It would be cool if it was. Who knows? If it were. But I don't think it is. I don't know.

Can't be. And if it is, it's a badass program. Not bad. If someone after this conversation is going to go check out dropping bombs and they want to start with an episode, that's going to go, all right, this is what Bradley is all about. Which episodes should they start with?

You know, that's hard to say. It's funny that you say that too because someone said, you know, hey, I listened to your podcast the other day and I'm thinking, which one? Because it depends on which one you hear whether you're a fan or not. But I would say, you know, depends. I think all of them, that's Brad, because I'm the same in all of them. And I think depending on what your issues are or what you're looking at, looking for will determine like you know if you lack in confidence uh ed my let and myself did a couple

of them that are just gold like gold a lot of people hit us up for those ed's a great guy you know ed my let yeah of course yeah like that was a badass one so good um tomorrow morning i got grant cardone um you know if you want to make money and get attention and and and learn that like yeah that's gonna be a great one but i did one with him that was pretty good daman john excuse me um believe it or not one of my favorites, I think it's episode 72. And it's the guy that I hired to just do fix-it shit around my building, which is my partner Jason's friend, Johnny. I won't say his last name, but Johnny.

And Johnny, three years ago, or, no, two years ago, I put him on the podcast when I just started it because I didn't, I didn't have anybody to put on. Yeah. And he lived on a back porch of somebody's house and he was struggling. that was my favorite episode. Oh, wow. Yeah.

I love that. Dude, 72. Okay. Not only will you laugh your ass off. Yeah. You'll learn a lot. See, that's the thing. Most people are like, you know, well, he's broke and he doesn't do anything.

What would he be able to teach us? Dude, you can learn something from anybody if you're listening, if you're, if you're wanting to learn. And that's where it boils down to success. If you want to change what you're getting, you have to change what you're doing. Agree? Absolutely. So keep doing the same thing. You're going to keep getting the same thing.

the same results. Right. So if you, if you, if you, if you want to change what you're getting, you got to change what you're doing. Everyone says, I agree. That makes sense. Yep. If you want to change what you're doing, you have to change your beliefs because your belief system is why you do what you do. So in order to change your beliefs, there's only one way to change your beliefs. Do you know what it is? Get rid of your limiting beliefs? Nope. Get new information. See what I'm saying? Yeah. What you believe today will never change. until you get new information. So if you know this, you just ask yourself a question,

am I happy where I'm at? No. Okay, well, you got to change what you're doing? Change what you're getting? So what do I got to do? I got to change my beliefs. How do I change my beliefs? There's only one way.

I got to get new information. What new information? Exactly. Start hunting. Start seeking information intentionally on a daily basis, on a daily basis. It's called reading a book. It's called listening to a podcast. It's called asking somebody some questions.

It's called read a biography. you know, go, go study some history. Whatever it is you're trying to figure out, you need to seek new information on a regular basis. If you just seek new information starting right now every single day, 90 days from now, dude, you'll believe different and new shit, and your life will be changing right before your eyes. And that's so powerful.

Reading bio is a huge one. I did that so much in college. I wanted to be a broadcaster. I was in school to be a broadcaster. I didn't quite know what the path was to get there. Anyone when they were on TV, I would jot down their name. I would go over to my computer when we didn't have smart phones. I would go to my computer, type their name in and look at their bio.

They'd be like, oh, I'm doing that thing. And if I'm doing that thing that they're doing, maybe I can get the thing that they've got. New information, folks. That's the key. And again, it's simple stuff, folks. Life is not hard. You ask somebody, dude, you ever heard life is hard? They'll say, of course, 100 times, thousand times.

Do you believe it? Yeah, life's pretty hard. Dude, life's not hard at all. We make it hard. We do the same thing with success. We do the same thing with sales. We do the same thing with anything. It's not that difficult.

You take the most skilled individual at what they're doing and you ask them, was it hard to get here? Oh, yeah, lots of hours of work and practice. I'll bet you anything. If you want to do that, go do what they did. Is that hard? No, it's right there. Now, is it uncomfortable? Yes.

Sure. Is it lots of work? Yes. But it's not hard. It's like it's not hard to get freaking in shape. Google six-pack abs and watch all the videos and everybody's got enough information out there, but why hasn't everybody got apps? Because they choose not to.

They choose to avoid the work, avoid the discomfort. And that's the craziest thing about life, dude. It's almost like a dichotomy. If you want comfort, believe it or not, seek discomfort. You know what I'm saying? I know exactly what you're saying. And people don't understand. I was like, that's, that's, that's, that's kind of opposite.

Right. If you want more, you got to give more. What? Yeah, I want more. So I got to give more. If I give more, I'll have less. No, bitch. If you give more, you'll actually get more.

And then if you want more, you got to give even more. It's a simple thing. People say, how do I double my, my revenue? Do more than you're doing today. Get better at doing what you do. And then scale. That's how simple. Do more, get better scale.

What's that mean? do more than you're doing today, get better at what you're doing, practice, get better, and then scale, which is just basically leveraging technology and people. It's not really difficult to do. It's just we make it difficult with our limiting beliefs, like you said, our doubt and our fear of being judged. I know this isn't dropping bombs, but you've dropped so many bombs in here today. Pretty good episode one here live in the Blue Wire Studio.

Thank you. Thank you. I end every interview with the same question because I start and end every day with gratitude. So what are three things in your life that you're grateful for? You know, health, family, love, capability. You can keep going. I love it. You know, again, I mean, to me, I'm just, I'm grateful when I open my eyes in the morning because I get another day. Yeah. And I know it's going to be a good day. The question is how good is it going to be? and instantly when I do that, my whole perspective shifts to optimism and possibilities.

And I think, again, I mean, I smile and have fun. I have fun no matter what I do. You can ask Neb. I mean, like, a lot of people are with something like, dude, do you ever stress? No, I don't stress. What's there to stress about? Well, what if this happens and what if that happens? Dude, if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

What's the point? Like, dude, if a frog had wings, it wouldn't thump its ass when it hopped. Like, what's your point? If. And nine times out of ten, that shit doesn't happen anyway. Do you know that? Did you know that 72% of statistics are made up on the spot? Did you know that?

I always say something like 63% of statistics are made up. Yeah. And 10 out of seven people don't understand fractions. So don't listen to everything you hear, bro. Brad, it's been an honor. pleasure. Thank you so much for coming by. Dude, you need to come on dropping bombs. I'll be there in two weeks where you'll get some actual listeners.

Let's do it. Thank you so much, brother. That pleasure. Appreciate it. Well, there we go. That's one of four interviews that we recorded on our last trip to Las Vegas in the brand new and pretty awesome Blue Wire Studios at the Wind Las Vegas. Check out the behind the scenes tour on my YouTube channel.

Actually, heading back out there in a few days, to record even more interviews. I'm still living in Los Angeles, but the plan is to be doing these interviews in person in Las Vegas about every two weeks or so. Big thank you to Brad for joining us and being our first guest inside the studio.

Thank you to you, as always, for being with us. Share this episode with a friend who's a fan of Brad or just with somebody who you know will be inspired by everything he was saying here. Snap a screenshot, tag us on social media. Brad is at the, The Real Bradley, and I'm at Chris Van Vleet.

And we'll wrap this up with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, who famously said, believe you can, and you're halfway there. Be great. Be grateful. We'll see you on the next one for some more insight. The Hammer Alley podcast, an 80s flashback mockumentary. Back in the 80s, there were a thousand bands trying to make it in the world of rock, but there was one band. that had it all.

Hammer Alley. Whatever happened to Hammer Alley? How did they go from top of the rock? I'm looking for a music video. They're a band from 1987. Hammer Alley. Ever heard of them? To Rock Bottom.

Dude, I was born in 1987. I can't believe he's doing this. Hammer Alley. Follow and listen on your favorite platform.