How to Have Bigger Business Breakthroughs Without Working Harder (Classic)

It might seem counterintuitive, but your next big business breakthrough might happen when you stop trying so hard to force it! In this throwback episode, Chris and I are sharing the questions, habits, and strategies that help us create bigger opportunities, stay connected to our dreams, and keep moving forward when business gets challenging. We talk about leveraging relationships to grow your business, why stepping away from work can actually lead to your best ideas, and how to turn a frustrating day around before it derails your momentum. If you've been feeling stuck, stressed, or disconnected from the bigger vision you're working toward, this conversation will help you find your spark again and make your next move with more clarity and confidence. Check out our Sponsors: Shopify - Launch your business before Black Friday, go to http://shopify.com/happy to start your free trial. Monarch Money - Get your first year of Monarch Core for half off at http://Monarch.com with code EYH. Northwest Registered Agent - Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/EarnFree and start using free resources to build something amazing. Fabric - Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at http://meetfabric.com/EARN. Meetfabric.com/EARN. Quince - Find the fall pieces you’ll reach for most at Quince. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns and when Quince asked how you heard about them, let them know it was here on Earn Your Happy. Gloss Genius - Run a business that takes appointments? Use code HAPPY at https://glossgenius.com/earnyourhappy for 50% off your first two months of a premium plan. Faire - Sign up today and get 50% off your first wholesale order, up to $100 at https://faire.com/happy50. Terms may apply. Life at the Speed of Play - Go to http://getmarksbook.com/earn to get two copies for the price of one—one for you and one for a friend. In This Episode, You Will Learn How to identify the one thing you should focus on to create the biggest impact in your business. How to leverage strategic partnerships to unlock opportunities you couldn't create on your own. Why taking a break from work could lead to your next big business breakthrough. How to stay motivated and connected to your biggest dreams when the day-to-day feels overwhelming. Simple ways to shift your energy, regain clarity, and make better decisions when things aren't going your way. How to stop letting one difficult moment ruin an otherwise successful day. RESOURCES Learn how to turn podcast guesting into massive sales, ⁠⁠save your spot for the free live training HERE⁠⁠! Make your own ⁠Million Dollar Media Kit HERE! Try glōci for 40% off your first order with code HAPPY at checkout - head to getgloci.com FOLLOW Follow me: @loriharder Follow glōci: @getgloci

• 0:01Speaker 00

  Okay, whenever I'm traveling, I love to skip like the main mall of the town. And I like to hunt down all of those little shops on the corner where the locals love to go, where all the good stuff is. So candles made by local people, a sweatshirt with the town's name on it, hot sauce made 20 minutes away, and the owner knows everybody's name. And I've also been on the other side of that shelf because I built a product from scratch. And I'll never forget the first independent store who believed in it enough to put it on their shelves. Big box stores sell stuff, but small shops tell a story about people. So if you own one of those shops, you need to know about FAIRE.

• 0:43Speaker 00

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• 1:27Speaker 00

  This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Ready to launch your business before Black Friday? Go to Shopify.com/happy to start your free trial. Monarch Money, Monarch breaks the debt cycle, turning that endless gloom into a plan with an end date. Use code EYH at monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50. Northwest Registered Agent, Northwest gives you access to thousands of free guides, tools, and attorney drafted documents to help you run your business with confidence. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/earnfree and start using free resources to build something amazing. Indeed, spend less time searching and more time actually interviewing candidates who check all your boxes.

• 2:10Speaker 00

  They're giving Earn Your Happy a $75 sponsored job credit. Go to Indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Life at the Speed of Play, Mark is offering our listeners two books for the price of one. Go to GetMark'sBook.com/earn. Sequencing, sequencing.com is offering our listeners up to 10% off your full genome test plus free shipping. Go to sequencing.com and use promo code EARN for 10% off. I actually count creativity as wake surfing and surfing and sports and things like that. Anything that makes me feel creative and playful, I tap into this whole other side

• 2:55Speaker 00

  that I think opens me up to hear what God has planned for me, for my business.

• 3:00Speaker 01

  You've got endorphins going. The good feelings lead to better ideas and more energy. And that leads to bigger breakthroughs in your business.

• 3:14Speaker 01

  And we're back.

• 3:15Speaker 00

  With another episode of He Said, She Said.

• 3:18Speaker 01

  For today's episode, we thought it'd be kind of fun. You guys, we did this once before and you guys, oh my God, I love that episode. I feel like I'm getting to know you and learning at the same time. And so we're going to do one of these fun episodes where we ask each other questions. And literally like what state of the union, what makes you happy, what doesn't, whatever. We've got a few good questions. Lori's got some for me. I've got some for her. And it's kind of a fun way for us to check in with each other live on the call. While you guys do some learning and while you learn more about us. So Lori, I've got the first one for you.

• 3:45Speaker 00

  Okay, great.

• 3:45Speaker 01

  Ready for this? So if you were only allowed to do one thing in your business personally, and everything else, every other thing in your business that has to be done, had to be, you know, hired out, delegated out, farmed out, what is the one thing you would own in your business?

• 4:04Speaker 00

  Oh, I just had three pop in my head.

• 4:08Speaker 01

  That's what makes it tough.

• 4:09Speaker 00

  I think I would want to own, oh, one is hard, Chris.

• 4:14Speaker 01

  I know.

• 4:15Speaker 00

  But I think it would have to be partnerships because that is my main skillset is really connecting with people. So how I could get glossy out there through major connections and partnerships.

• 4:25Speaker 01

  Give an example, because like people with companies, they're like, okay, that sounds cool. But what is a partnership? Give me an example.

• 4:30Speaker 00

  For example, we have a friend who we were just talking to who has a water company right now. And because we are friends, I'm able to be like, wait, how could my company help your company? And how could we really do something fun together, like a really cool marketing move? That would be really beneficial and fun for the customer, but also just really great for both businesses. And like sit and jam on that.

• 4:55Speaker 01

  Yep. Love it. All right. Team one up for me, babe.

• 4:58Speaker 00

  Okay. What is something you're really proud of right now? Personal, business, and what's really going on?

• 5:05Speaker 01

  This is easy. My fitness. When I had my shoulder and bicep surgery, I committed to being the exception. Right? Like I was going to come back faster and better than anybody else would from this type of thing.

• 5:15Speaker 00

  Can we just, can I please just add for anybody, like you were pretty down when it happened, like, like so.

• 5:22Speaker 01

  It felt worse in a moment.

• 5:23Speaker 00

  Oh my God, he just thought that this was it for him.

• 5:25Speaker 01

  Yep. And so I committed, I was going to be the exception. And then because I couldn't do anything with my upper body, I got really heavy in the leg days. And that started to change the entire lower half of my body, my core and everything. And then I'd like became addicted to them in a fun way. And then my, you know, shout out to Matt Zanis, my physical therapist and personal trainer, Matt Zanis. He has made my PT and my workouts so fun that now my upper body is changing in ways I've never seen before. And so I'm just like dialed in, going to the gym as much as I can, working with him as much as I can. And I'm having a blast doing it. Now, fitness has always been a huge part of our life, but those of you that found us, let's say after 2020, that means that you didn't see the 2016, 17, 18, 19

• 6:10Speaker 01

  versions where like it was a different level of fit for me. So nonetheless, it feels really exciting to be getting back there, to see the changes happening at a really fast pace and just to have something that I look forward to doing every single day, regardless of how the day goes.

• 6:26Speaker 00

  Yeah, I think 2020 on for a few years really kicked our asses.

• 6:29Speaker 01

  Yeah, I mean, COVID did for everybody, but then I lost my dad that year and then all the moving and every, all the other challenges, you know, there's a rough little stretch there.

• 6:37Speaker 00

  Yeah, but shout out to Matt Zanis for this bod.

• 6:41Speaker 01

  Yes. All right. So let me find one for you. Let me look at my little questions here.

• 6:49Speaker 01

  Ah, I love this one. What do you wish you did more of in life? Maybe something that you don't make enough time for right now, and maybe you'll make more time for it in the future.

• 6:58Speaker 00

  I am such a creative. So that could be writing, that could be pottery, that could be activities. So I actually count creativity as like wake surfing and surfing and doing different sports and things like that where your brain just like really has to be focused on something and you get to just play. And so I think like anything that makes me feel creative and playful, I tap into this whole other side. That's very, it's just ease. Like when I get into that, I get into ease, which I think then opens me up to hear

• 7:36Speaker 00

  like what God has planned for me, for my business. I believe that I get to a place where my networking comes easier, where people connect to me easier, where all of a sudden like miracles happen. I'm not even kidding you. Someone will text me, I have an investor intro for you. Like this just happened yesterday. And I feel like it's because I'm just really trying to not be attached right now, as challenging as that is. Trust me, I'm going back and forth. One minute I'm extremely stressed, the next I'm like, you gotta just go for a walk. Like you gotta figure this out and you gotta go get into that ease. So that's something else I want to point out, you guys. Sometimes when you're doing a good job of some stuff, it may not feel like it, but if you can even get into that momentarily, like my walks make me feel that way.

• 8:20Speaker 00

  I kind of want to go to the beach today just to like go and journal and be creative and write so that I can go get into that energy. But that's definitely something that I want to make more time for is creativity.

• 8:33Speaker 01

  I love that. I like wake surf Lori. I'm loving pickleball Lori, like the times where

• 8:38Speaker 00

  So fun.

• 8:38Speaker 01

  you're concentrating on the creative activity so much that you can't think about anything else. And then you've got endorphins going. And then, you know, before you know it, the good feelings lead to better ideas and more energy. And that leads to bigger breakthroughs in your business.

• 8:53Speaker 00

  Yeah, you guys, if I've learned something more stress, stressing about things and thinking that that's going to help.

• 8:59Speaker 01

  Won't fix it.

• 8:59Speaker 00

  Absolutely doesn't fix it. It gets you into this energy that's like a very lack energy. And you're not thinking creatively. You're not.

• 9:08Speaker 01

  Staring at your laptop because it's quote unquote, a workday.

• 9:11Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 9:11Speaker 01

  When you're in that situation, actually doesn't fix it. And I know it's counterintuitive. You're like, I should be sitting here solving this problem. In some cases, yes. But in many cases, what you should be doing is getting your ass away from the table and going somewhere that makes you feel inspired and creative for the rest of the afternoon and putting yourself in a better, different state.

• 9:30Speaker 00

  Yeah, or go book a lunch with someone who's a little ahead of you or who understands. Who understands the struggle that you are in and I promise you, you're going to feel 90% better after you go talk to somebody who has some answers for you.

• 9:44Speaker 01

  I love that. All right. T one up for me, babe.

• 9:46Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 9:46Speaker 01

  What you got coming?

• 9:48Speaker 00

  What do you do that keeps you in touch with your dreams? Because without it, everything just feels like work for no purpose.

• 9:53Speaker 01

  Hmm. Interesting. Let's see here. What do I do that keeps me in touch with my dreams? So first of all, you nailed it when you said, if you're not staying in touch with your dreams, everything just feels like work and work is not fun. Work just feels like labor. And so you have to be doing it like, I'm doing this, making a scary call because I'm in touch with my dreams. I'm having this scary meeting because I'm in touch with this dream. I'm doing this awkward thing or this monotonous thing because I'm in touch with my dreams and I know where it's getting me. Cause when you know what the payoff is, when you can see it, feel it, touch it, like when it's very present in your mind, it feels worth it. If not, it just feels like chores. Uh, okay. So what do I do? Well, yesterday we did it. Be like, all right, time for like a little fun dream session on our walk. Let's go through a scenario and then we'll make up these fun scenarios. Okay. We sell glossy for this amount of money.

• 10:38Speaker 01

  What's the first thing we do? What's the second thing we do? Okay. When Frollo sells for this, what's the first thing we do? What's the thing? And then we extrapolate, okay, here's how the money compounds over time and look at how big this gets. And like, it's fun to play out the scenarios. What's the first thing you'd buy? Would you buy anything? Would you do anything? So that's a fun way to do it. We're always good active dreamers. Another thing that I do really well, I think, is I fill myself with positive propaganda non-stop. I always have. I'm really good at this. Whether it is, right now I'm reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind again in the mornings. And I'm also listening to Matthew McConaughey's book, Green Lights for like, I don't know, the 10th time, you know, where he's out there chasing down his dreams and look at the big life that it turned out and doing it his

• 11:21Speaker 01

  way. And then the podcasts I listen to are very positive and reinforce how big of results people can get. Only like books and podcasts from founders who have already hit it really, really, really big. Because then it makes it so tangible to hear all their war stories and advice. And, you know, you're looking at someone like, oh, wow, you were once on the same path as me. And so that makes it very tangible. So a combination of being really good at positive propaganda and um, also just dreaming aloud with you, I think is what works for me. How do you handle bad days? Days where it feels like all your meetings didn't give you the results that you wanted, uh, where things are unraveling,

• 12:04Speaker 01

  you're not going your way. You think, oh, great. I hope this one thing's working out. And all of a sudden you're like, this isn't working out. How do you handle bad days? Like strategically?

• 12:12Speaker 00

  Okay. I mean, there's multiple ways I handle bad days. I kind of had a rough week. I'm not going to lie. I had a great week along with a rough week. Some days were great. A couple were real tough. And I would say that I go into each meeting trying to stay as positive as possible and trying to remember that I am the leader and that leaders don't get to not lead. And so with everything that I do and that I was saying, I was very careful to be like, you're still a leader. And I think really tapping into that remembrance actually helps as much as you also hate it in the moment. I'm like, okay, well, it's your job to turn something that feels negative around and to lead. And

• 12:58Speaker 00

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• 13:40Speaker 00

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• 14:23Speaker 00

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  agreements, bylaws, and thousands of guides at no cost. No upsells and they never sell your data. Don't pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for what you can get from Northwest for free. Visit NorthwestRegisteredAgent.com/earnfree and start using free resources to build something amazing. Get more with Northwest Registered Agent at NorthwestRegisteredAgent.com/earnfree. So number one, when I'm having a bad day, I try to remember I'm still a leader. Number two, I remind myself, and you're so good at reminding me this, that it's okay that

• 17:11Speaker 00

  it sucks and it's okay to like have a bad day and it's okay to feel all of the things. And so I'm like, okay, this sucks. Let's go for a walk. Like, let's go figure it out. Let's get it out. For me, I'm very verbal. So a lot of days I want to verbalize it, but sometimes Chris, I've noticed lately, I'm just kind of like, I don't even want to talk about it. I kind of want to just go for a walk and I want to do our gratitudes and I want to do our three wins and find what was a win for the day. And a lot of times, you guys, sometimes you just need to like let the day pass and let the emotions that really rose with whatever happened subside. So I'll just like go about the day, say a lot of prayers, go for the walks, talk if I need to, and then try to do my best to

• 17:53Speaker 00

  get a good night's sleep. If I'm having a bad day or a rough week, I do my best to not drink at all because I don't want anything or eat bad food, like eat things that are super sugary or crappy foods, even though I really want comfort foods because they just amplify your emotions the next day or that day. So I try to do my best to try to stay as healthy as possible, get some good sleep because the next day I guarantee you're going to feel very different about it. And that's also what I remember. I'm a leader and tomorrow this is going to feel very, very different. It's okay to feel all the feels. That's an absolutely normal human experience and reaction. But I know tomorrow I'm going to have some strength to make a better decision.

• 18:34Speaker 01

  I love what you said. Instead of talking about it and rehashing it, instead you want to talk about other things that'll shift your energy.

• 18:43Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 18:43Speaker 01

  And the only thing I wanted to add, and I know this was your question, but I just wanted to add something here to start to wrap this up. I don't actually believe that there is such a thing as bad days. I believe that there's bad moments in good days. I believe that sometimes you can have lots of bad moments in good days. But there's not a single day that I've actually gone to bed. And if I'm objectively looking at it, where the whole day was bad, ever. It was a good day because you were alive and you got to experience life and you had wins. There's not a single day when we play three wins, no matter how quote unquote, the bad the day was, where we don't find three wins. You're like, wait, this was a win. Wait, this went my way. Wait, I forgot this happened. And so I actually don't believe there's bad days. I believe there's some good days where lots of bad things happen, but how you classify it matters. Well, guys, hopefully you like

• 19:28Speaker 01

  this format. Uh, just like last time, let us know what you think. We love, you know, checking in with each other in the moment. Uh, it's kind of fun because it's like being on one of our walks. Lori and I like to ask each other lots of questions, learn about each other in the moment, and then you get to listen in, but hopefully you also learn from it.

• 19:43Speaker 00

  I'm so grateful for you and we'll see you next week.