Shatter Boundaries: Harnessing the Brain for Growth with John Assaraf

[00:00] I think something that makes me well suited to be a nurse is my empathy. Growing up with a big family, I think I've always kind of been a caregiver. When you care give, you get to know the family and the patient and you get really close. And Rasmussen University, they did a very, very good job of giving us the resources that we need. So just being able to apply the knowledge that I've retained to my daily life has been so amazing. Learn more at rasmussen.edu. [00:30] I have been with Rasmussen University since 2013, all virtual. All of my professors throughout the entire journey have been nothing but supportive of making me reach my dreams. Rasmussen professors, they want to see you grow so that you can be what you went to school to be. I'm so thankful for Rasmussen University for being able to make it so easy and seamless. Rasmussen University, find your seat and start now at rasmussen.edu. [01:01] You're listening to Mick Unplugged, hosted by the one and only Mick Hunt. This is where purpose meets power and stories spark transformation. Mick takes you beyond the motivation and into meaning. [01:13] helping you discover your because and becoming unstoppable. I'm Rudy Rush and trust me, you're in the right place. Let's get unplugged. [01:28] Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Mick Unplugged. And you know me and I'm all about leadership.

[01:34] There are leaders who chase success, and then there are leaders like today's guest that engineer it. [01:39] Today, you're hearing from a man who built neuroscience into a roadmap. [01:43] He built multiple multi-million dollar companies and helped millions break free from the limits that they thought were permanent. Get ready for a call on strategy, a masterclass on development, and a serious conversation with my good friend, Mr. John Asirath. John, how are you doing today, brother? Nick, I'm doing great. Wonderful to be with you and all of the people that are here. [02:05] listening or watching us today. I'm the honored one, brother. I've been a huge follower of you for a while. I started out following you on LinkedIn, then became a subscriber to some of the things you were doing on your website. I have a couple of your books, which I didn't say in the opener, but also just a bestselling author. New York Times, two-time bestselling author as well. Just again, huge fan. Want to give you your flowers while we're here together. Thank you. [02:35] than your why, right? Like if I were to ask you what your why is, probably tell me your spouse, your children, but there's a reason that they're your why. And I call that your because. And so I'd love for John, man, like today, because your because probably changes time to time. Today, what is your because? What is your purpose to continue to give like you give, bro? Well, first and foremost, my why or because are not my kids or my wife.

[03:05] If you're watching or listening upstairs, it's not because of you. [03:09] Edit that out because it's holiday season. Listen, my because as to why I do what I do is I believe that our creator gave me some gifts and many, many, many blessings that I have unveiled over decades. A, I refuse to so-called die, meet with God, and he or she asking me, what did you do with those gifts that I gave you while I put you on that beautiful blue planet of mine? [03:39] to go squandered my life and time that you gave me. [03:43] That's my biggest why and because too. [03:48] I don't want to sit in my rocking chair if I'm alive and I'm in my mid-60s now, my 70s and 80s and 90s, and reflect back and feel regret. [03:59] Hmm. [04:01] One of my friends before he died, Jim Rohn, very wonderful philosopher and brilliant man, you know, at dinner one night, he quoted one of his famous quotes. And he said in life, you'll either pay the price of discipline or you will pay the price of regret. He says discipline weighs ounces, regret weighs tons. And I've had so many. [04:21] many people in my environment over the decades that got to their 60s, 70s, and even 80s. [04:27] and they had so many regrets and the common denominator is why didn't I when I could have and I can now I'm fortunately healthy happy able capable I've been

[04:42] blessed with the ability to take some complex stuff and make it [04:46] easier for people to understand because I like it easy. Yeah. And, [04:50] I feel it's my duty to. It's my reason for being. Yeah. And in doing so, I receive the gifts of sharing and loving and caring that gives my life purpose and meaning. And with purpose and meaning, I could have impact. With impact, I can have a little bit of positive influence. [05:08] With a bit of positive influence, I can make people's lives a little bit better and the environment better and animals and trees and the planet. So I'm using my life in, and I have this written down, in as many ways as I can so that I feel, not you, you think, I feel I have not squandered life. Bro, that is so deep. Yeah, I thought about it a lot. [05:38] You teach a principle where you said something that made me stop in my tracks, literally. And I went to my office and just started writing. You said... [05:49] that nothing changes until the identity changes. And I sat there and I was like, wow, a lot of times people, including myself, we get stuck in talking about change. But what you did was actually make me introspect on change. [06:06] What needed to change? And so you started talking about the identity and I've always wanted to ask you. And so I'm selfishly asking this question for any of the listeners or viewers. If you want to know the answer to this too, this is a selfish question from Mick. Talk to us about what you mean by that. Like I know because I follow you.

[06:26] But talk about why that is so critically important as like the first step of change. So... [06:31] We will never [06:32] ever, ever outperform our hidden self-image of ourselves. So, [06:39] There's the you that I want people watching or listening to see. There's the me that my wife and kids see. And then there's the me that I see with all my fears and insecurities and fetishes and anything else that I have. So my own identity of how I see me will determine what I do. It'll determine how I think. It'll determine what I expect. It'll determine, you know, [07:05] I behave consistently. [07:08] You know, without enormous amounts of willpower. And so that's kind of like the identity piece. And the question becomes, were you born with that identity or did you develop an identity? And the answer is, well, I developed my beliefs. I developed my fears. I developed my confidence and certainty or lack thereof. My self-image, self-worth, self-esteem, right? These are all part of identity. [07:38] school, my experiences, the meaning I gave things, that formulated this identity. And then I behave in alignment with that identity. And if I'm out of alignment, I have something called cognitive dissonance that happens in my brain, and it realizes that I'm out of character. And then I will self-sabotage or procrastinate my way back into the character and the results that I believe I deserve. And so the question becomes,

[08:06] You know, when we see somebody else that maybe is achieving something we're not. [08:12] and they're doing things we wish we could do. Question is, can I develop the identity that they have so that I behave like they do? Can I take action in spite of feeling afraid? Can I [08:25] I overcome obstacles and be bigger than the obstacle. [08:30] You know, say the obstacle being bigger than me. And the answer is yes, I can practice a new identity no differently than a basketball player practices free throws. And with practice, we create permanent patterns. Permanent patterns create what we do automatically. It's called automaticity in the neuroscience world I come from. [08:54] And so can I practice character traits so I become more like that? Can I practice like a Hollywood actor practices a role until he becomes the damn role? We can't tell that they're acting on TV or in their movies. [09:09] Well, can I practice a role that aligns more with the things I want to do, be, have, and experience, so that that becomes the new default me? That's growth. So caterpillars. [09:24] become butterflies through the metamorphosis. Why can't I metamorphosize into the character, the identity, the person since [09:34] Every brain functionally works the same since every brain operationally works the same. It's the software that is the identity. I can upgrade my software no differently than I can upgrade my phone software. No different than I can upgrade my car's software. So I am not my software. And identity is part of software. Beliefs are software.

[10:04] Thank you. [10:05] that triggers the fear circuit. So, I am not... [10:10] my identity. [10:11] but I do have one. And so an upgraded level of being a, [10:18] is aligning my identity with, [10:22] with the person I want to become now. And then practicing that on a day-by-day basis, which means I have to learn how to regulate my focus because my focus wants to be my old self. I have to learn how to regulate my emotions because when I'm becoming something different, something new, something better, something grander, there's going to be resistance. And that means that fear might creep in. [10:52] That might mean that self-doubt creeps in. That might mean that uncertainty creeps in, self-doubt creeps in. And those are all perfectly normal emotions in a transition phase. Yeah, yeah. Now, we haven't been taught how to manage focus. We haven't been taught how to manage emotions. And that's like saying, I have a beautiful million-dollar car in my driveway, but I haven't been taught how to drive it. [11:22] billion dollar brain and we've never been taught the user's manual to get it out of park and into drive and use it properly. And this has been the foundation of the work I've done for 45 years now.

[11:36] is studying the neuromechanics, you know, to how do I use my brain a little bit better. [11:42] Yeah. And then how do I use that to be healthier, happier, to contribute more, to experience more, to love more, to give more, to receive more so I have a fuller life? [11:52] Yeah. [11:53] So that's engineering success, as you mentioned before. Yes, sir. And I want to do this for the viewers and listeners, too. The reason I started following you, John, was because I believed in something that you said. I'm just... [12:07] not the neuroscience person that you are. That's all right. So when you have the evidence to support something I've always believed, I was like, John is my guy. So for everybody that's watching, everyone that's listening, I'm going to make a statement, then I'm going to let John take the statement from there. [12:21] John, you've. [12:22] Shortly after I enrolled at Rasmussen, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was like a bomb had just been dropped in my life. I reached out to Rasmussen. They immediately were like, Rosa, take what time you need. You can come back when you're ready. We are cancer-free today, and I'm just so grateful for Rasmussen, for all of their support throughout my journey, and for my own village. Rasmussen University. Find your seat and start now at rasmussen.edu. [12:52] You've proven. [12:53] We were talking about the brain just now. You've proven that the human brain, the animal brain, [12:58] is wired to keep us safe, not successful. Yeah. When you said that, I was like, I've been telling people this for years. Like,

[13:06] And success is defined by however you want to quantify success. There's moments of success. There could be a portfolio of success. Whatever you call success, it's because you went to a different level than where you naturally were. Because neuroscience says the brain is wired to keep you safe, not successful. Go ahead, John. Yeah, so... [13:28] Like I said earlier, [13:30] From a pure factual perspective, we know the brain, the hardware, every brain looks like every brain, right? So the hardware looks the same. Every operating system in the brain, it works pretty much like every gas car or electrical car, you know, works the same functionally. And the brain operates on the hierarchy of first and foremost importance, right? Let's say 150, 200 million years of human evolution, survival first, right? [14:00] safety and survival. Second priority of the brain is avoidance of pain or discomfort. Third priority of the brain is conservation of glucose or energy to make sure that you can [14:13] fight a saber-toothed tiger, you know, or run away from danger. And then the fourth priority of the brain is, [14:19] pleasure so we don't move to the pleasure circuit in the brain until survival and safety [14:26] and avoidance of pain or discomfort is met, minimizing the use of glucose or energy. And our brain uses about 20 to 25% of all calories. And so it's an energy miser. Your brain produces less than

[14:39] 20 watts or 5 watts of power, which is what's in your fridge, but it operates at such high intensity of efficiency that it can do all those things. [14:49] in milliseconds. So let's say I want to achieve something new. I have this big goal, a big dream. The brain goes through this in nanoseconds, right? Can you get hurt doing this? [15:01] Can you die? Yes, no. No. Okay, next block. Can you get mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially hurt? Yes, no. If any one of those is a yes, brakes go on, right? Brakes go on in a nanosecond. [15:14] cortisol is released in the, you know, through the brain to be high, high alert because it's a threat state. So high alert, heart rate pumps, you know, and blood is flowing to be able to get to the muscles in case you need to run away or fight. [15:27] Anger may pop in for protection, which is one of the core emotions. But let's say that there is a chance that I'm going to fail. [15:35] Mm-hmm. [15:36] in the pursuit of what I want to do, whether I want to lose weight, whether I want to go and ask that guy or that girl what his or her name is, or I want to ask my boss for a raise, or I want to move up the chain of command in my company and I want to climb the corporate ladder, so to speak, or I want to go raise $10 million for my business venture. If there's a chance of failure or there's a chance of being embarrassed, ashamed, ridiculed, judged, rejected, abandoned, unloved, hurt somehow,

[16:06] automatically, not because there's something wrong with our brain. It's there to fulfill its priorities. [16:13] safety and avoidance of real or imagined pain or discomfort first. Behind me, you're going to see I've got Frankie's monster over there. Yeah. But I also have... [16:24] Einstein over here. These represent the two parts of our brain called the left and right prefrontal cortex. So Einstein can create the idea of what we want to do. It could come up with, you know, how am I going to do this? Whose help am I going to need? What are my strategies? What are my tactics? What's the payoff? What's the benefit? Visualize it. Oh my God, this feels so good. I'm going to do it. High five everybody. I'm ready to go. [16:54] Don't you remember last time you tried to do that? You failed and you lost some money. You were embarrassed the last time you spoke up. You were rejected. So there's a potential danger here. So Einstein can dream it. Frankie's monster is there to protect you just in case. [17:13] Here's the problem. [17:14] Einstein's doing what Einstein's supposed to do. Imagination's greater than knowledge, right? Let me imagine, let me come up with how and why and it's possible, or let me come up with ways to make it happen. But the protective side of our brain does the job beautifully and perfectly each time in the form of circuits and neuromodulators or neurochemicals to be able to keep us safe, secure, avoidance of pain, real or imagined. Yeah. So here's the problem.

[17:42] We kind of have this one foot on the gas, but we have one foot on the brake because this part of our brain is just trying to protect us. Now, here's the problem. It's not the problem with imagination or coming up with plans and commitments. It's not the problem that this part of the brain is trying to protect you. The problem is most people have never been taught what to do when I feel afraid, what to do when I'm, you know, what are you afraid of? [18:09] Well, I'm afraid of being embarrassed. Okay, if you're embarrassed, what does it mean? Well, it means maybe I'm not smart enough. Maybe I'm not good enough. Maybe, you know, I made mistakes. Great. Well, what does that mean? Where did you get that? Oh, when I was a kid in school and I got up, you know, to give an answer, I gave the wrong answer. A few of the guys or the gals laughed at me and said, ha ha, you're such an idiot. So that's what you're moving away from. [18:35] is judgment. You're moving away from maybe the reality that you are that little kid who isn't smart enough, good enough, worthy enough. Good. Let's address that. Because until we address that, you're not moving forward. So there's nothing wrong with the emotions. The emotions are beautiful. Eight core emotions we've been given for protection or for soothing comfort, you know, or for feeling [19:05] And the problem is we just have not been taught how to navigate this incredible, incredible systems that our creator blessed us with. So we're dealing with ignorance is my biggest enemy, not knowing. Ignorance and something that you often talk about, those inner narratives. What are some other inner narratives that...

[19:29] people can dispel or how you help people because you also know, [19:33] have a group of people that you'll coach or that you'll work with one-on-one or companies that can bring you in like what are some inner narratives that you help people overcome well there's there's usually four things that hold people back and they're buckets so let's say bucket number one is going to be fear and there's 50 different types of fear that hold us back so one of them is called disappointment avoidance so let's say i uh commit to uh [20:01] X, Y, or Z. My health, my relationship, my business, my job. If there's a risk that I'm going to disappoint myself or somebody else, again, red flag goes up. Neurochemicals deactivate the motivational circuit in the brain and we procrastinate and self-sabotage and we repeat patterns to keep us safe. So fear is a big one, even though there's nothing wrong with the fear circuit, but what triggers it is different in everybody. Yeah. Right. So for some people, [20:31] is right behind you right now, or it's slithering from 20 feet away from you. It's 10 feet long, 250 pounds, and it is moving fast. And you'll recognize it's a python and you know, it's going to try and get around your body to squeeze the air and life out of you and maybe kill you. Some people, as I said that they're already squirming because just the word snake activated circuits in the brain, the released cortisol into their blood flow, causing the feeling. Other people like it

[21:01] me at all. I get my phone out and I just take a selfie. Yeah. Right. So it's not the snake. Part one. Part two is... [21:07] limiting beliefs. I have beliefs that are limiting me. I'm white. I'm black. I live in this part of the world. I live in that part of the world. I'm divorced. I'm 65. I'm 85. I'm 22. Whatever the narrative is, as you mentioned before, is based on the beliefs that we have. [21:25] And the question I ask is, when you were born, did you have those beliefs? When you were born, did you have those fears? Zero and zero. And so you developed what your belief system is. I'm good enough. I'm not good enough. I'm just the right age. I'm too old. You know, it's really hard to advance in my company. Whatever it is that we believe we create. Why? [21:55] with beliefs. And it actually causes your brain not to see things that are in opposition of what you believe. It causes us not to see what's right there. Why? Because our brain doesn't want the contradiction. So we have limiting beliefs. So let's say, you know, I have a limiting belief, X, Y, or Z. So anybody that's watching or listening, give yourself a limiting belief right now. What is one limiting belief you have? I'm going to give you a little trick. [22:25] I'm too young, I'm too old, I'm not enough of this, I'm too much of that, it's not the right time, I don't have enough of this, I don't have enough of that because. What if we just change the narrative? In the past, I used to believe that, and now I'm choosing to believe and create the positive belief. I'm choosing to believe I'm just the right age. I'm choosing to believe there's more than enough opportunities. I'm choosing to believe that there's more enough money, more than enough time, more than enough people, more than enough. Your brain all of a sudden opens up, okay? Like...

[22:52] camera opens up, you know, from single, you know, monofocus lens to wide angle lens, your brain all of a sudden opens up and you start to see things that are in alignment with the new belief. So belief is nothing more than a reinforced neural pattern in the brain. But then reinforced neural pattern in the brain is like the lens and the programming that sees the outer world. So that's why we, you know, we often say we don't see what there is to see. We see what we believe [23:22] see. So that's number two. And then, [23:26] We talked a little bit about this earlier. So now we have limiting beliefs can be holding you back. Fears could be holding you back. Identity or self-image can be holding you back. [23:35] Mm-hmm. [23:36] And if I don't believe that I'm worthy of achieving this, [23:40] or that I'm good enough or smart enough to achieve this or deserving enough because of my low self image when I won't achieve it. And we always rise to the level of those three things. And then the fourth one is if we tie what I'm about to share with you with what we talked about earlier, we do more to avoid pain or discomfort than we do to gain pleasure. If I don't have the knowledge and skill [24:07] of how to achieve x y or z and i said i don't have the knowledge and skill how to get in shape to stay in shape i don't have the knowledge of skills of how to have a great relationship and keep it i don't have the knowledge and skills of how to advance my career i don't have the knowledge of skills how to grow my business i don't have the knowledge of skills how to raise my i don't have the knowledge skills to achieve the vision goal i have when we don't have the knowledge and skill our brain goes into a state of uncertainty now for a brain that likes and creates

[24:37] state of doubt creates fear. A state of fear deactivates the very circus we need to take action. So it's neuromechanical, right? So when I don't have certainty, then I'm going to move into a state of repeating the pattern that I have certainty around. And even if I don't want more of the same result, there's something in neuroscience that we teach called the law of secondary gain, [25:07] of secondary gain says, even though I may not get what I [25:11] want, my primary gain. The secondary gain I get is the release of dopamine, feel-good neurochemical, for keeping myself safe. And that's why we repeat patterns that we don't want to repeat, because our brain is creating the correlation between repeat this pattern and at least you feel safe. Because you feel safe in either the misery, the result you want, the weight you have, the relationship you have, the income you have, because at least it's the devil you know. [25:41] masterclass, John. [25:42] We get to talk to the guru of neuroscience here. You always have, these are the words of Mick and Mick only. [25:48] And I mean this in a very charming way. You always have so much going on. [25:53] that you're doing because you're making impact. [25:56] And I wholeheartedly know that the things that you get involved with, the things that you do, your mission is to always make impact. [26:03] So what are some of the things that you have going on now? Like the floor is yours. Like open us up to the world of John Asenrath really quick.

[26:10] Menards is your one-stop shop for all your summer essentials. Whether you're stocking up on everyone's favorite snacks, making a patio perfect for entertaining family and friends, or getting ready to gather around the grill, Menards has everything you need for your get-togethers all summer long. [26:27] Save big money now at Minari. [26:29] Plus, don't forget to check out our weekly flyer on Menards.com for all the great deals happening now. Save big money at Menards. Right now, for the last, you know, 10 years, we've been doing enormous amounts of research in the neuroscience and neuropsychology fields on understanding... [26:48] you know, how the brain adapts, how the brain changes, how the brain shifts from I can't to I can, from, you know, from lack of motivation to, you know, more than enough motivation, you know, from fear to fuel for success, from limiting beliefs to empowering epic stories. [27:05] And we've been building for the last year an entire neuro fitness ecosystem and platform where we can will be able to starting. [27:15] beginning of next year, do a neuro fitness assessment on everybody who wants to do a neuro fitness assessment. And we'll have a free neuro fitness assessment. [27:24] And then it'll tell us which of your seven core neuromuscles is strong or weak. [27:30] So, for example, your emotional regulation and stress management neuromuscle, is it strong or weak? Is it controlling you or are you controlling it? It will have baselines. Your decision-making process.

[27:44] abilities and your critical thinking abilities, are they strong or weak? And here's what we know, just like the body has seven core physical muscles, right? You can [27:55] walk or hike or do Pilates or yoga or lift weights, and you can strengthen your muscles, whether it's your chest muscles or your back muscles, you can strengthen the muscles. You can strengthen your leg muscles so, you know, you have a little bit more self-control and strength. Why not strengthen your core neuromuscles? Why not educate people on, A, what are these neuromuscles that I have? And then if they're weak, why not give them inner sizes, neurofitness, [28:25] stronger. So we've developed an entire ecosystem to be able to do assessments, tie it into [28:32] performance, behavior, and help people get stronger mentally, emotionally. That'll obviously affect them physically so they can get stronger in health, wealth, relationships, career, business, finances from the inside out. So we've designed and developed the platform already. Right now, we just started raising $10 million from investors to be able to put the, the, um, [28:58] entire platform out to the world. So for example, we've already trained 37 AI coaches to be able to coach individuals after a personalized plan is created for them at a fraction of what would it cost you to have an A or a real coach, which might be $250 a session. What if we can give you unlimited access to 37 different AI coaches that are world-class coaches and world-class at every

[29:28] that you can have access to 24-7 every day of the week. What if we can create programs customized for you to help you overcome any of your specific limitations with inner sizes to strengthen your mind, with programs to say, here's step one, here's step two, here's step three, go do those. We'll track it, we'll measure it, we'll iterate it, and you'll be able to [29:51] accelerate what if we could attach it to your aura ring or your watch and we added biometrics what if we just had one ecosystem [30:00] For mental and emotional fitness training. So you can get better. And as you got better, you achieve more, have more, be more. Well, we've already developed the platform. We're launching it in 58 languages in January. And we're at a world-renowned expert to teach live. So think Peloton for your mind. We've built it. [30:21] And so now I'm raising $10 million like right now. [30:25] And we're doing a crowdfunding for the first $1.25 million. And people are investing $1,000, $2,000, $5,000. We have a couple of people that have already invested $100,000 because they believe in it to their members of our programs now. [30:55] go for their mental and emotional fitness training. And it doesn't matter if you're a beginner, intermediate, advanced, or pro-level athlete, or if you're a kindergartner, we will have what you need to use this $100 billion brain of yours, smarter, faster, better, and for a fraction of the cost of what's happening right now with our damaged health care. We have a sick care system, not a health care system. So we are making a dent to help people with a variety of different

[31:25] this powerful, biggest pharmacy in the world is between our ears. And every word we use elicits any motion and neural circuitry. Why not deliberately use your own brain to help you shatter limitations, get rid of whatever's been holding you back for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 years, and let's use your brain better to help you. [31:45] That's what I'm working on now. [31:46] That's been a 10-year vision that I've had. We finally have the technology to be able to do it. Do it. [31:54] I can't wait. I want to be a supporter. [31:56] I will make sure that in the show notes and the descriptions, I'll start posting links to everything on social. I want everyone to get around this and rally with this because it's going to impact. It's going to change lives and it's going to help us as humans be better humans. And so, John, I appreciate you for that. Thank you. I have a goal of unlocking and unleashing a billion minds in the next 10 years or less. Let's do it. I'm supporting it. [32:21] Thank you. I'm supporting it. I need to accept and I appreciate it. Yes, sir. So, John, I'm going to get you out of here on my I call it my quick five. So rapid fire. I have questions. What's one belief about success that you had in your 20s that you now know was completely wrong? It's not about money. [32:41] there's [32:44] Listen, I grew up, my father's a cab driver. [32:48] My mother worked in local like Kmart, Walmart department store, and there was never enough money at the end of the month.

[32:55] They were always struggling and I thought, okay, if I just make money, money, money, I'll be successful. And then I made a lot of money in my early 20s and I got ulcerative colitis. And then I had to focus on getting healthy because that was really more important. [33:11] Yeah. [33:12] It's not about money. It's really, you know, like success is really about finding what gives you the balance for you, the harmony for you. And sometimes, you know, um, [33:23] You know, you have to sacrifice things of a lower value for things of a higher value. [33:29] And I will not sacrifice my health ever again. Love it. Love it. Second question. What's one daily habit that looks small on the outside, but can really transform someone on the inside? [33:59] Thank you. [33:59] And things I want to do, have achieved. But then every day I read the story of my life. So I have the story that I wrote out with the beliefs, the habits, the results. And every day. [34:15] It's sitting here on my desk. There's one upstairs. There's one of my briefcases. [34:19] there's one everywhere so that i can prime my brain with the new story so i fire and wire my brain

[34:28] to the level of the identity and vision and goals and results that I want every single day for five minutes. Love it. Love it. Speaking of every single day for five minutes, are you... [34:43] Coffee, tea, water. First liquid of the day. [34:47] Well, water first, one glass of water when I wake up, followed by a double or triple espresso. And then a lot of times I'll have... [34:55] iced tea during the day. But right now in my Be Kind mug, I have water. I knew that. That's why I put all three of those. I didn't know you had water in there, but I knew you were an advocate of all three. So that's why I asked where'd you go to first. All right. So what a lot of people don't know about my buddy, John, [35:10] is he is a connoisseur of hot peppers and hot sauces. So, John, what is the hottest thing you have ever seen? [35:20] eat it. Oh, when I started getting on this hot sauce kick, probably about [35:26] I don't know, 15 years ago. [35:28] I tried a whole ghost pepper. [35:32] And I ended up, [35:34] in the bathroom for [35:35] a couple of hours actually pulling my car over on the side of the road and expunging the ghost pepper. It was so hot. It was beyond. So I still eat a little bit of ghost pepper, but not a whole one at a time. [35:51] But the Trinidad Scorpion is also just brutal. I could have little bits of it. And I love hot sauces. I'm a zero on the spice meter. I barely like pepper. Just ground pepper, black pepper. I barely like it.

[36:06] All right, John, last question. I'm getting you out of here on this. You talk about, you know, your book for 2025, 2026, 20 years from now. [36:15] When John Assaraf's name is said, what's the one emotion that you want your name to trigger in people? People feel... [36:21] The love that I shared with my, just how I showed up and shared selflessly. I love it. I love it, John. I love you too, brother, man. I love you too, man. Appreciate you more than you'll ever know. Like I said, I'm going to put links to all of your things in the show notes. So the books, we didn't even talk about the amazing books, but we'll do that in part two. How about that? That'd be great. I love it. Definitely links to your site. [36:45] how people can help with the crowdfunding and be a part of what you have going on. And like I said, corporations that are out here listening and watching, individuals that are listening and watching. John has accountability coaching mentor programs that I think all of you should at least look at. Bring them in, hire them as a speaker for your event. He [37:03] is [37:04] One, he's going to bring it. You've heard the episode today. I mean, he delivers a masterclass every time he's in front of you. And here's what separates John, and I'm going to say this, these are the words of Mick and Mick only. He genuinely cares. Thank you. He genuinely cares. John, I appreciate you, brother. Thank you, Mick. Appreciate you too. And [37:23] It was so much fun. You got it. And to all the viewers and listeners, remember, your because is your superpower. Go Unleash It. [37:31] That's another powerful conversation on Mick Unplugged. If this episode moved you, and I'm sure it did, follow the show wherever you listen. Share it with someone who needs that spark. And leave a review so more people can find their because. I'm Rudy Rush, and until next time, stay driven, stay focused, and stay unplugged.

[37:58] 16 years ago, I started working as a CNA in the hospital. I loved it. On the day I decided to enroll in the nursing program at Rasmussen University, it was afternoon, my 35th birthday. I was hanging out with a friend, and they just questioned me what I was going to do with this next chapter of my life. I immediately said, I want to go to nursing school. So I actually had contact information from an advisor at Rasmussen, contacted her, and actually ended up starting like three weeks later. My name is Cherish Adams, and I'm a Rasmussen University graduate. Learn more at rasmussen.edu. [38:27] you