1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: What's the difference between goals and dreams? For one eight 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: hundred Got Junk founder and CEO Brian Scrutemore, there isn't one. 3 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: After entering the hyper competitive world of entrepreneurship, Brian was disillusioned. 4 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 1: He couldn't help but compare himself to his new peers 5 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: who had bigger, more successful businesses. So struggling to stay 6 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: motivated or excited about the future, Brian turned to his imagination. 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: Debating whether or not to just pack it in and 8 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: give up. Brian started painting a picture he wrote feverishly, 9 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: detailing everything he could possibly hope for his companies and 10 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: his life to become. And the possibilities excited him, but 11 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: they also scared him a little. But according to Brian, 12 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: that's how you know that you're on the right track. 13 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: My name is doctor Amantha Immer. I'm an organizational psychologist 14 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: and the founder of behavioral science consultancy Inventium, and this 15 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,199 Speaker 1: is how I work a show about how to help 16 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: you do your best work. On today's My Favorite Tip episode, 17 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: we go back to an interview from the past and 18 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: I pick out my favorite tip from the interview. In 19 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: today's show, I speak with Brian and he shares one 20 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: of the fundamental strategies that's really helped him in business, 21 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:29,960 Speaker 1: called Painted Picture. 22 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 2: I was about seven or eight years into my business. 23 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 2: I had created a million dollar junk removal business. It 24 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 2: was called the Rubbish Boys at the time, and I 25 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: wanted to grow it into something bigger, and I joined 26 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 2: the Entrepreneur Organization and I started comparing myself to others, 27 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: which was a terrible thing to do. And I saw 28 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: these people had much bigger, better businesses than I did. 29 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 2: And I hadn't finished high school, hadn't finished college. And 30 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 2: I thought, oh, can I actually do this? Can I 31 00:01:58,040 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 2: build this business? Do I want to do I have 32 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 2: the money? And do I even have a good idea? 33 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: So I was in a negative space and I went 34 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: and sat on my parents dock at their summer cottage, 35 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 2: and I pulled out a sheet of paper and I 36 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 2: started writing out feverishly what my future would look like 37 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 2: and just dreaming up possibilities. I said, we'd be in 38 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 2: the top thirty metros in North America by the end 39 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 2: of two thousand and three, we'd be the FedEx A 40 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 2: Junker Moval, We'd be on the Oprah Winfrey Show. And 41 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 2: I started writing out this vision of what the future 42 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: would look like five years down the road in two 43 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 2: thousand and three, And when I took that sheet of 44 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 2: paper and read it over at the end, I was like, Wow. 45 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 2: I went from absolute depression to feeling excited and energized 46 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 2: about a future that I could see in my brain 47 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: that I decided to put into writing to share with others. 48 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 2: And when I got out and started to share it 49 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: with others, that was the key point. That was where 50 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: the real power behind this painted picture visioning process started 51 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 2: for me. Was I realized there were people in one 52 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 2: of two camps. Ryan's nuts, he's smoking some hope dope, 53 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 2: there's no way he can be on Oprah and grow 54 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 2: this thirty city business, or the rest of the people 55 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 2: who said, wow, this is compelling and exciting. I don't 56 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 2: know how we're going to get there, but I want 57 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 2: to be a part of it. And they stuck around, 58 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 2: and you know, some of those people are still here 59 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 2: today and we've built an incredible We've got a six 60 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 2: hundred million dollar business, which back then was a million 61 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 2: dollar business and was just an idea of something bigger 62 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 2: and better that we could build together. So it's really 63 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 2: just imagining the future, putting it and writing, and off 64 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 2: we go to share it with people. And you know, 65 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 2: if any of your listeners want a painted picture to 66 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 2: get a sense of what it's like, they can go 67 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: to my Instagram or LinkedIn and message me and just 68 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 2: say can I see your painted picture? And I'll send 69 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: one over as an example. But it's been a powerful, 70 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: powerful process, and we do it with every brand. Every 71 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: five years we've got a new painted picture, and it 72 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: never tells us how to at where we're going. It 73 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 2: just says, here's what it looks like, here's why we're 74 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 2: doing what we're doing, and what the whole picture. It's 75 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 2: like someone envisioning going on a trip. You know, if 76 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 2: I asked you where would you go tomorrow? If money 77 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 2: wasn't an object, you'd probably have some pretty cool vacation 78 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 2: that you'd read out to me of what you have 79 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 2: that you could see in your mind and who would 80 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 2: be there and what you're drinking and all that sort 81 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 2: of stuff. And it's that same process, but doing it 82 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 2: with your business or doing it with your life. 83 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: How do you remove like just the natural obstacles and 84 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: fears and barriers that your brain wants to put up 85 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: like when you you know, when you ask yourself, where 86 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: do I want to be in five years? Like what 87 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: are the questions that you're asking yourself to get over 88 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: the part of your brain that's like, well, that's ridiculous. 89 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: I'm not going to be on Oprah. 90 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 2: That's crazy. Well, I mean a couple of things. One is, 91 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 2: I believe if your idea isn't a little bit ridiculous 92 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 2: and make you a little nervous, you're you're not dreaming 93 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 2: big enough. If you can get your life's work done 94 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 2: in a lifetime, you're not dreaming big enough. And so 95 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: I think it's it's got to be a little bit 96 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 2: edgy and a little bit kind of out there. And 97 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 2: you know, mine was Oprah because I thought Oprah was 98 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: one of the most amazing leaders and visionaries in the 99 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: world and having a great impact on the world. And 100 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 2: I wanted to meet her and give her a big hug, 101 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 2: which I got to do. And it wasn't as much 102 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 2: being on the show as it was meeting her and 103 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 2: getting to connect with her and spend some time. So 104 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 2: everyone has a gift, and everyone comes to this world 105 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 2: with some possibility that they might not have tapped into 106 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 2: yet and I think it's just dreaming big but knowing. 107 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 2: You know, for me, it's getting rid of the fear 108 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 2: of well, what if I fail? To me, it's I 109 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 2: don't think about how to get there. I just think 110 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 2: about where do I Where am I going to go? 111 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 2: And then I start to figure out the how after 112 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 2: I've written it down, after I've committed to something. You know, 113 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 2: we wanted to be on the Ellen Degenerous Show, and 114 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 2: you know we made that happen twice and it wasn't easy, 115 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 2: but I remember it was. You write it down, it 116 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 2: creates some fear. It makes you feel a little sick 117 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 2: because you're like, how are you going to make that happen? 118 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 2: We failed the first you know, twenty or thirty times 119 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 2: we tried to. 120 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:20,119 Speaker 1: Make it happen. 121 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 2: But eventually, if it's important, you follow through and you 122 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,799 Speaker 2: find a way, and you find someone that can connect 123 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 2: you and make it happen. And it doesn't have to 124 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 2: be something big. It can just be big to you. 125 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 2: But dreaming big and committing to it and then not 126 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 2: worrying about the how until you've written it down. 127 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:41,359 Speaker 1: If you would like to listen to the rest of 128 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: my chat with Brian, you can check out a link 129 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: to the full episode in the show notes. If you're 130 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,559 Speaker 1: looking for more tips to improve the way that you work, 131 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 1: I write a short fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool 132 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: things that I've discovered that helped me work better, ranging 133 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: from software and gadgets that I'm loving truly interesting research findings. 134 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: You can sign up for that at howiwork dot com. 135 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: That's how I work dot co. How I Work is 136 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: produced by Inventim with production support from dead Set Studios, 137 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: and thank you to Matt Nimba, who does the audio 138 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: mix for every episode and makes everything sound so much 139 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: better than it would have otherwise. See you next time.