WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode 00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:04.259 of Vision Pros Live. I'm your host and coach, 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:07.179 Fletcher Ellings. And today on the show, we're 00:00:07.179 --> 00:00:11.519 talking with author, speaker, Dr. Cynthia Benson 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:15.720 Mercer. And she also has the title of a human 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:19.600 capital strategist, which is new to me, might 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:23.260 be new to you. So Dr. Cynthia, welcome to the 00:00:23.260 --> 00:00:25.280 show. It's so good to be here, Fletcher. Thank 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:27.769 you for having me. Yeah. So let's dive right 00:00:27.769 --> 00:00:29.949 into it. Well, actually, before we dive right 00:00:29.949 --> 00:00:32.649 into it, start us off with a win. We, you know, 00:00:32.689 --> 00:00:35.750 there's a lot of upset and suffering in the world. 00:00:36.149 --> 00:00:38.429 It's easy to focus on what's not going well. 00:00:38.490 --> 00:00:40.649 And sometimes we forget that things are going 00:00:40.649 --> 00:00:43.350 well. So give us something that feels good, either 00:00:43.350 --> 00:00:48.320 professionally or personally. Thinking about 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:50.179 that this morning, one of the things that I've 00:00:50.179 --> 00:00:52.600 been working really hard on and the person listening 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:55.119 that is the entrepreneur, the solopreneur will 00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:57.939 appreciate this is really getting my branding 00:00:57.939 --> 00:01:02.799 and my messaging down to simplify. So often you 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:05.659 can do so many things. And so it's like, but 00:01:05.659 --> 00:01:07.359 what's the thing? What's the one thing you're 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:10.260 doing? And I feel like I'm finally making some 00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:13.560 traction is that people are starting to understand 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:17.519 who I am, what I do, what I can offer. And then 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:19.579 I feel like I'm adding more value. Right. Because 00:01:19.579 --> 00:01:23.010 because there's I felt a little bit. living in 00:01:23.010 --> 00:01:25.849 two worlds for a while. So I feel like my branding 00:01:25.849 --> 00:01:28.390 is starting to really make sense. I connected 00:01:28.390 --> 00:01:30.810 with a couple of folks on LinkedIn recently that, 00:01:30.810 --> 00:01:33.829 you know, have 10 times my followership. And 00:01:33.829 --> 00:01:35.769 I feel like that's a sign that, you know, I'm 00:01:35.769 --> 00:01:38.709 building some credibility. So as a solopreneur, 00:01:38.769 --> 00:01:42.790 that feels really good. Right on. So if I was 00:01:42.790 --> 00:01:44.489 to recap what you're saying, you're getting clarity 00:01:44.489 --> 00:01:46.969 on branding and messaging. Is that accurate? 00:01:47.230 --> 00:01:50.209 Absolutely. Yes. And that feels really good, 00:01:50.250 --> 00:01:53.379 doesn't it? It does. It really does. And it takes 00:01:53.379 --> 00:01:56.569 time. I mean. And I don't know how long you've 00:01:56.569 --> 00:01:58.090 been doing this, but I've been in this space 00:01:58.090 --> 00:02:00.629 for a while. And I'm telling you, it takes time 00:02:00.629 --> 00:02:03.950 to hone that through a lot of trial and error. 00:02:04.090 --> 00:02:06.829 Yeah, it does. It does. I've only been in the 00:02:06.829 --> 00:02:09.449 solo space for about two years after a long, 00:02:09.550 --> 00:02:12.449 long time in the corporate world where that was 00:02:12.449 --> 00:02:15.490 done for me. Right. You work for brands. And 00:02:15.490 --> 00:02:18.430 so it's a very different situation when you're 00:02:18.430 --> 00:02:20.530 trying to create your own. So, yeah, take some 00:02:20.530 --> 00:02:22.030 time. And I feel like we're having some wins. 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:26.719 Yeah, right on. Glad to hear it. So human capital 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:29.460 strategist, that's, you know, that's, that's 00:02:29.460 --> 00:02:32.900 new to me. So educate me. Okay. Yeah, absolutely. 00:02:33.340 --> 00:02:35.860 You know, it's a big fancy word, right? But at 00:02:35.860 --> 00:02:40.259 the end of the day, I do two things. I help women 00:02:40.259 --> 00:02:44.860 in particular, ambitious professional women overcome. 00:02:45.789 --> 00:02:48.370 career restlessness because a lot of research 00:02:48.370 --> 00:02:51.650 that I've conducted has suggested that women 00:02:51.650 --> 00:02:55.090 reach points of restlessness or stuck or stagnant. 00:02:55.090 --> 00:02:57.789 And I do that through helping them self -actualize 00:02:57.789 --> 00:03:00.770 and remove the barriers to getting ahead and 00:03:00.770 --> 00:03:04.330 aspiring. And the other side of that is I help 00:03:04.330 --> 00:03:09.189 organizations and leaders to avoid the hidden 00:03:09.189 --> 00:03:12.900 risks associated with their people. and their 00:03:12.900 --> 00:03:15.479 people strategy. So for me, it's working both 00:03:15.479 --> 00:03:17.979 sides of the equation and it's all about talent. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:22.020 So specifically I work with women and men, but 00:03:22.020 --> 00:03:24.379 a lot of women who are really sort of getting 00:03:24.379 --> 00:03:26.439 in their own way. And then I help the leaders, 00:03:26.539 --> 00:03:29.759 men and women to remove the barriers so that 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:32.860 they can create a space for talent to flourish 00:03:32.860 --> 00:03:36.240 and their bottom line to see the, see the results. 00:03:37.979 --> 00:03:42.300 Cool. A couple of things you said in there. I 00:03:42.300 --> 00:03:44.580 want to bring a spotlight to, okay? The reason 00:03:44.580 --> 00:03:48.500 I'm doing this is because some of the language 00:03:48.500 --> 00:03:54.860 that we use is ambiguous. And I want people out 00:03:54.860 --> 00:03:59.479 there who might be your ideal client to really 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:03.080 hear this. So when we talk about restlessness, 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:07.259 and by the way, let's just say this, it's okay 00:04:07.259 --> 00:04:12.439 to be restless. Yes. Yes. Right? Yeah. Because 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:15.460 help me understand, like, what might be a positive 00:04:15.460 --> 00:04:18.160 thing that comes out of being restless? Yeah. 00:04:18.220 --> 00:04:22.699 So I think about restlessness as there's a knocking 00:04:22.699 --> 00:04:26.180 at the door. Right. It's a signal that you're 00:04:26.180 --> 00:04:30.500 growing and you're you're ready to do more. I've 00:04:30.500 --> 00:04:33.589 been there. A few times, I would tell you over 00:04:33.589 --> 00:04:37.350 my career, you know, it's that I have more to 00:04:37.350 --> 00:04:39.790 give. I have more talent to offer. I have more 00:04:39.790 --> 00:04:42.029 to bring to the world than what my current circumstance 00:04:42.029 --> 00:04:45.430 allows. And so it's not an indictment of the 00:04:45.430 --> 00:04:48.850 boss, the company, the job, the situation. It's 00:04:48.850 --> 00:04:53.529 more of a reflection of you've graduated. Yes. 00:04:54.250 --> 00:04:57.069 I like that. Thanks for putting it so succinctly 00:04:57.069 --> 00:05:00.269 and and framing it so positively, because when 00:05:00.269 --> 00:05:03.449 somebody feels restless, it could be like, what's 00:05:03.449 --> 00:05:07.089 wrong with me? Right. And it's nothing wrong 00:05:07.089 --> 00:05:10.189 with you. Like it may be signaling you that you're 00:05:10.189 --> 00:05:12.589 ready for the next thing, the next evolution. 00:05:12.689 --> 00:05:17.089 Right. Exactly. So I love that. Then you said 00:05:17.089 --> 00:05:20.589 some a phrase that that many of us use, especially 00:05:20.589 --> 00:05:23.069 people in this industry, like I help people get. 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:27.339 out of their own way so what i want to invite 00:05:27.339 --> 00:05:31.540 you to to address is what does it look like if 00:05:31.540 --> 00:05:34.939 somebody has this notion of like maybe i'm in 00:05:34.939 --> 00:05:37.120 my own way i'm not sure because how do i know 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:41.540 like what are some telltale signs of somebody 00:05:41.540 --> 00:05:45.480 getting in their own way right i'll tell you 00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:47.199 it relates back to what we just talked about 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:50.639 one of the biggest signals is you're stuck and 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:52.899 you see it as a detriment you're stuck and you 00:05:52.899 --> 00:05:55.980 don't know how to get unstuck right so when i 00:05:55.980 --> 00:05:58.980 don't know how to get unstuck there's more that 00:05:58.980 --> 00:06:02.220 we need to unpack there when i feel restless 00:06:02.220 --> 00:06:04.500 in this calling but i don't know what to do with 00:06:04.500 --> 00:06:07.699 that i was on a coaching call with a with a person 00:06:07.699 --> 00:06:11.860 earlier today and they're so concerned about 00:06:11.860 --> 00:06:15.300 what the alternative could bring negatively well 00:06:15.300 --> 00:06:18.550 what if it's worse What if it's not? What if 00:06:18.550 --> 00:06:21.569 it's volatile? And three months later, I'm let 00:06:21.569 --> 00:06:25.449 go. What if? Right. And and so it's sort of like, 00:06:25.509 --> 00:06:28.829 let's pause for a moment. What if it's amazing? 00:06:29.829 --> 00:06:32.610 What if it's the best thing that ever happened 00:06:32.610 --> 00:06:35.490 to you? What if it opens doors for so much more? 00:06:35.589 --> 00:06:38.250 So some of the times we get in our own way because 00:06:38.250 --> 00:06:42.769 fear and other times. And this this client had 00:06:42.769 --> 00:06:48.339 the same this other reaction as well is. while 00:06:48.339 --> 00:06:51.519 they can on one hand say, I know I'm ready, I've 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:54.000 done all these things, they then self -doubt 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:57.220 and they say, well, I mean, I think I'm ready. 00:06:57.500 --> 00:07:00.740 I think I could do that, but I haven't really. 00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:02.939 So there's so much self -doubt. And the first 00:07:02.939 --> 00:07:05.439 thing is, how do we change the narrative and 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:09.019 create your highlight reel, right? What is your 00:07:09.019 --> 00:07:11.480 highlight reel that everybody else is seeing 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:13.620 that you're not necessarily owning and showing 00:07:13.620 --> 00:07:18.319 up with? Yeah. Thanks for saying all of that. 00:07:18.420 --> 00:07:22.100 That last piece especially. What if we began 00:07:22.100 --> 00:07:25.439 to focus on the highlight reel? Because when 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:32.220 we use that phrase, getting in my own way, and 00:07:32.220 --> 00:07:34.579 then you started talking about doubt and fear. 00:07:35.019 --> 00:07:39.180 I love getting curious and I love defining words 00:07:39.180 --> 00:07:42.879 and everything. I want to get curious. What is, 00:07:42.899 --> 00:07:44.939 what's at the core of doubt? What's at the center 00:07:44.939 --> 00:07:47.959 of doubt? What's at the core of that fear? What's, 00:07:47.959 --> 00:07:52.000 what is my concern? And a hundred percent of 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:54.240 the time, what it always is, is there's a story, 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:57.819 right? There's a story that's fear -based or 00:07:57.819 --> 00:08:01.560 doubt -based. That story for me, and I'll just 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:04.779 talk for myself, for me, the story is what's 00:08:04.779 --> 00:08:08.680 always getting in my way, right? And so I love 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:10.720 what you just said. Hey, let's change the narrative. 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:14.240 In other words, let's change the story. And you 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:18.279 specifically said, let's start focusing on the 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:21.480 highlight reel of what might be possible if we 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:25.300 took action, right? Right, right. And that automatically 00:08:25.300 --> 00:08:28.040 is whenever I start focusing on the highlight 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:32.580 reel, man, that changes the chemistry in my body. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.639 Yeah. It puts me into a place of being ready 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:38.559 to take new actions. Is that accurate? 1000%. 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:41.080 And one of the frameworks I... just rolled out 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:43.480 within the last 90 days is the seven minute pivot 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:46.960 and the person listening can absolutely adopt 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:50.960 this today right it basically is seven minutes 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:53.820 that's all it takes it's not meditation it's 00:08:53.820 --> 00:08:57.179 not um it's not your daily devotional because 00:08:57.179 --> 00:09:00.460 this it can be additive to those things but it's 00:09:00.460 --> 00:09:03.240 put seven minutes on the clock get out a piece 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:07.379 of paper and a pen what feeling in this moment 00:09:08.090 --> 00:09:12.149 is holding me back from this aspiration right 00:09:12.149 --> 00:09:15.289 but what's what's important about it in the seven 00:09:15.289 --> 00:09:17.710 minutes is oftentimes fletcher to your point 00:09:17.710 --> 00:09:20.929 we start with well i'm afraid and we leave it 00:09:20.929 --> 00:09:24.889 at that yes but the seven minute pivot prompts 00:09:24.889 --> 00:09:30.289 you to say why three times minimum why because 00:09:30.289 --> 00:09:33.570 when we ask ourselves why at least three times 00:09:33.570 --> 00:09:36.110 and we're honest and vulnerable and open right 00:09:36.730 --> 00:09:38.750 We start to get under the thing that's under 00:09:38.750 --> 00:09:41.830 the thing. And then we realize, well, it's that 00:09:41.830 --> 00:09:46.289 time I was rejected. It was when I failed on 00:09:46.289 --> 00:09:50.090 that similar situation. It was, I didn't like 00:09:50.090 --> 00:09:53.269 the way that felt, right? And then the point 00:09:53.269 --> 00:09:56.570 of the seven minute pivot is you choose one small 00:09:56.570 --> 00:10:01.250 thing, small, that you can do today to slightly 00:10:01.250 --> 00:10:05.049 change your course. Just to slightly change your 00:10:05.049 --> 00:10:08.080 course. And to your point, when we do that every 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:13.980 day, 2 ,555 minutes in a year, imagine the different 00:10:13.980 --> 00:10:17.039 destination that you end up, right? The most 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:19.340 important thing is you're picking an action that's 00:10:19.340 --> 00:10:22.639 doable, that's actionable, and that you're not 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:25.299 trying to solve the entire equation in seven 00:10:25.299 --> 00:10:28.559 minutes. Yes. But you can get a long way in seven 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:31.700 minutes because neurologically, right, we're 00:10:31.700 --> 00:10:35.070 focused, there's clarity. If we don't love sitting 00:10:35.070 --> 00:10:38.929 in that feeling, there's an end in sight. Right. 00:10:39.029 --> 00:10:40.769 There's only it's only seven minutes I have to 00:10:40.769 --> 00:10:43.830 sit there. And if we tend to dwell on things, 00:10:43.970 --> 00:10:46.529 we have seven minutes to sort of get through 00:10:46.529 --> 00:10:48.789 the process and pick a pick an action. Right. 00:10:48.809 --> 00:10:52.330 So it moves us into out of our heads, onto paper 00:10:52.330 --> 00:10:56.809 and then move forward. Yeah. So I signed up for 00:10:56.809 --> 00:10:59.820 your seven minute. uh pivot on your website um 00:10:59.820 --> 00:11:01.960 earlier today so i'm thank you for getting that 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:04.139 yeah yeah and you gave me the nutshell version 00:11:04.139 --> 00:11:07.419 of it um for those of you listening and or watching 00:11:07.419 --> 00:11:10.779 this go to her website sign up for the seven 00:11:10.779 --> 00:11:13.799 minute pivot because this is such a valuable 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:18.639 practice it really is i love the um the part 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:22.039 of it of getting curious about the why and then 00:11:22.039 --> 00:11:25.039 going the next level why and then the next level 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:29.889 why Oh, that's so beneficial. And it's such a 00:11:29.889 --> 00:11:32.330 great practice. And by the way, it's a practice. 00:11:32.669 --> 00:11:35.570 Yes. It might feel cumbersome at first. It might 00:11:35.570 --> 00:11:39.409 feel awkward. It might even feel really uncomfortable. 00:11:40.529 --> 00:11:44.210 But that's because you're digging, right? That's 00:11:44.210 --> 00:11:46.610 right. You're digging and you're having to look 00:11:46.610 --> 00:11:50.789 at stuff that you don't want to look at. That's 00:11:50.789 --> 00:11:52.879 right. But that's going to get you to the place 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:54.620 of being able to take that new action. So sign 00:11:54.620 --> 00:11:57.360 up for seven minute pivot. This is it's going 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:00.500 to provide value. It sounds simple. It is simple. 00:12:00.740 --> 00:12:03.759 And it's going to unload a ton of value for you. 00:12:03.820 --> 00:12:08.600 So thanks for sharing that. So absolutely. This 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:12.679 show is called Vision Pros. So we're always curious. 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:16.600 What is your vision? Share it with us, please. 00:12:16.740 --> 00:12:21.690 Yeah, my vision is to create. a place an environment 00:12:21.690 --> 00:12:26.750 where every person is able to unleash and actualize 00:12:26.750 --> 00:12:30.490 their full potential and get paid to do it right 00:12:30.490 --> 00:12:34.950 and get paid to do it um because what an amazing 00:12:34.950 --> 00:12:38.289 what an amazing universe we would live in right 00:12:38.289 --> 00:12:41.870 if everybody really so here's the thing every 00:12:41.870 --> 00:12:45.470 single human being has talent every single human 00:12:45.470 --> 00:12:48.649 being has the question is talent for what and 00:12:48.649 --> 00:12:54.629 so often We chase the shiny object that may not 00:12:54.629 --> 00:12:57.129 be a great fit for us. And like I like to say, 00:12:57.169 --> 00:12:59.269 like a beautiful pair of shoes that lures you 00:12:59.269 --> 00:13:03.029 in. If they don't fit, the blisters and the discomfort 00:13:03.029 --> 00:13:06.889 are real. So for the person listening that says, 00:13:07.070 --> 00:13:09.629 you know, I'm launching this new business and 00:13:09.629 --> 00:13:14.509 it's my passion. Awesome. Like do that. If you're 00:13:14.509 --> 00:13:17.539 moving in a lane that just feels. out of alignment 00:13:17.539 --> 00:13:20.440 that you're having to steer really hard to keep 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:24.039 things going down the track it's likely that 00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:26.700 it's not coming from a place of your core gifts 00:13:26.700 --> 00:13:28.720 and talents and it's not bringing you that level 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:32.919 of joy so i i want every person who i interact 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:37.080 with in the grocery store in the at the gas station 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:41.159 on the podcast to feel seen feel significant 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:43.440 and know that they have such tremendous talent 00:13:44.220 --> 00:13:46.740 Go find the thing that allows you to do that. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:52.299 Yes. And I like that you just gave a variety 00:13:52.299 --> 00:13:58.039 of occupations because it's not, you know, that 00:13:58.039 --> 00:14:00.299 thing for everybody. It's not going to be the 00:14:00.299 --> 00:14:02.440 same thing. And it's not going to be like I'm 00:14:02.440 --> 00:14:04.139 going to be the rock star. I'm going to be the 00:14:04.139 --> 00:14:07.200 president. I'm going to be the top of that. You 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:10.440 know, there's a my wife and I watched a movie 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:14.289 sometime last year ago. I wish I could recall 00:14:14.289 --> 00:14:18.029 the name. It was something like something to 00:14:18.029 --> 00:14:21.669 do with happiness. And it was a Japanese or maybe 00:14:21.669 --> 00:14:24.269 it was Korean movie, but I can't remember which. 00:14:24.350 --> 00:14:28.330 But it was about a gentleman who cleaned toilets. 00:14:28.649 --> 00:14:33.289 Yeah. Public toilets. And I think it was in Japan. 00:14:33.809 --> 00:14:37.309 And this whole movie was about him cleaning these 00:14:37.309 --> 00:14:39.990 toilets. And what was most people think, like, 00:14:39.990 --> 00:14:43.820 what a terrible job. But this guy. It was his 00:14:43.820 --> 00:14:46.700 passion. Like he was the best toilet cleaner 00:14:46.700 --> 00:14:50.840 ever. Yes. He took it so seriously. Exactly. 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:54.860 Right. And, and it was just such a beautiful 00:14:54.860 --> 00:14:57.740 thing to watch. It was a beautiful artistic movie 00:14:57.740 --> 00:15:01.220 and I highly recommend it. But it, right. We 00:15:01.220 --> 00:15:04.200 don't know what that talent is and we don't know 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:06.399 what your passion or your draw is. That's right. 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:10.179 Get curious about it. Right. Get curious. And 00:15:10.179 --> 00:15:12.500 I was going to give you the example that I've 00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:15.820 watched housekeepers when I was in hospitality 00:15:15.820 --> 00:15:18.840 or when I was in health care that will mop themselves 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:24.799 out of a room and just lit up, right? They know 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:28.519 that that room is clean, sparkling, disinfected. 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:31.100 It has their signature on it and it feels so 00:15:31.100 --> 00:15:34.620 good, right? So find the curiosity. I'll give 00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:38.009 you a very quick framework. yeah to get curious 00:15:38.009 --> 00:15:42.070 right so for the person listening i use the aces 00:15:42.070 --> 00:15:45.309 model it it helps me keep track of the four things 00:15:45.309 --> 00:15:50.009 when you're executing in an area of talent your 00:15:50.009 --> 00:15:54.250 natural dna it's affirming so it feels good when 00:15:54.250 --> 00:15:57.149 you're doing it it's not the thing you can do 00:15:57.149 --> 00:15:59.629 it's the thing that when you do it at the end 00:15:59.629 --> 00:16:01.350 of the day you're like that was a really great 00:16:01.350 --> 00:16:04.750 day right i i solved a big problem i got to be 00:16:04.750 --> 00:16:08.679 creative I coach somebody. I landed a big deal. 00:16:08.740 --> 00:16:10.840 Whatever it is, it feels really, really good. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:14.159 So it's affirming. The other thing is it's consistent. 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:18.399 I always do it. It's always affirming and I always 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:21.039 do it. I can't help myself. It's just how I show 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:26.340 up. It's spontaneous. So if the person that walks 00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:29.100 into a chaotic room and goes, wow, if they had 00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:31.279 changed the way the stanchions are and added 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:34.120 one person, this would be so much more organized. 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:37.000 versus the person that just assumes the chaos, 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:42.360 right? And you do it with excellence. People 00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:45.779 seek you out for this thing because you're known 00:16:45.779 --> 00:16:48.559 for delivering with excellence. And you deliver 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:51.340 with excellence all the time. Again, it's all 00:16:51.340 --> 00:16:53.720 four things together. It's always affirming. 00:16:53.740 --> 00:16:55.659 It's always consistent. It's always spontaneous. 00:16:55.899 --> 00:16:58.220 And I always deliver with excellence. That's 00:16:58.220 --> 00:17:00.799 when you know it's a talent. So it's an easy 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:04.230 little curious self -assessment. So good. Thanks 00:17:04.230 --> 00:17:06.930 for sharing. So I'm just going to repeat this 00:17:06.930 --> 00:17:09.250 because I'm a big believer in repetition. Yeah. 00:17:09.369 --> 00:17:14.630 So it's always affirming. It's what was the second 00:17:14.630 --> 00:17:20.869 one? Consistent. Sorry. Consistent. Always. And 00:17:20.869 --> 00:17:23.390 it can be always spontaneous and always excellent. 00:17:23.969 --> 00:17:26.630 Yes. And I think I spelled aces. I inverted the 00:17:26.630 --> 00:17:28.730 E and the S. So it does spell aces when you put 00:17:28.730 --> 00:17:30.710 the acronym in the right order. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 00:17:30.710 --> 00:17:33.789 OK. So, yeah. Aces versus bases. Right. Yes. 00:17:33.890 --> 00:17:38.490 OK. Got it. Yeah. So good. And so, yes, we again 00:17:38.490 --> 00:17:42.009 get curious about what does feel good. What brings 00:17:42.009 --> 00:17:46.769 you that reward of feeling like a pride. Right. 00:17:48.109 --> 00:17:50.450 Again, and it could be it could be anything and 00:17:50.450 --> 00:17:52.589 there's no. One of the biggest misconceptions 00:17:52.589 --> 00:17:56.549 in our country is that we all have to be superstars. 00:17:56.690 --> 00:17:59.329 Right. And there's a lot of ways of living life, 00:17:59.509 --> 00:18:03.410 right? Well, at the end of the day, we just want 00:18:03.410 --> 00:18:06.809 to feel good. Yes, absolutely. And so find that 00:18:06.809 --> 00:18:10.769 thing that feels good to you and then become 00:18:10.769 --> 00:18:13.809 the person that excels at it, right? That's right. 00:18:14.130 --> 00:18:16.960 That's right. You move into the law of attraction 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:20.380 versus chasing. And I think as an entrepreneur 00:18:20.380 --> 00:18:24.019 now, one of the biggest things I had to learn 00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:26.420 when I moved from a corporate environment into 00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:31.200 running my own business is I was out chasing. 00:18:31.819 --> 00:18:34.319 Chasing, chasing, chasing. And what I what I 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:36.720 learned in those quiet moments and in my seven 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:40.039 minute pivot is when I can settle into what am 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:43.160 I really here to do? What is my true talent, 00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:46.680 my true purpose? Right. Which are aligned. Now, 00:18:46.740 --> 00:18:49.720 all of a sudden, I'm attracting because people 00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:52.940 want to show up for the talent that you have 00:18:52.940 --> 00:18:54.759 to offer and that you can give them. They're 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:57.240 attracted to that. You don't have to chase it 00:18:57.240 --> 00:19:00.559 if you're living into your natural gifts. And 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:03.980 so it's it's a win on both sides of that equation. 00:19:04.700 --> 00:19:07.359 Yeah. Yeah. Really, really good. Yeah. Because 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:09.039 it's easy to get caught up in the chase. Right. 00:19:09.140 --> 00:19:11.259 Sure. Absolutely. Especially when you're new 00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:13.720 and you're like, I need to get some deals so 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:16.880 that I can pay the bills. And then you get into 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.019 that and then you're accepting anything and everything. 00:19:19.059 --> 00:19:21.180 And suddenly you're like, this doesn't feel as 00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:24.119 this doesn't feel as good as I was hoping it 00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:28.150 would. Doing all of these myriad of things and 00:19:28.150 --> 00:19:31.230 you're not staying in the lane that really allows 00:19:31.230 --> 00:19:36.529 you to excel. Exponential success versus, you 00:19:36.529 --> 00:19:40.569 know, slight adjustments of getting better. Yeah. 00:19:40.690 --> 00:19:43.710 Yeah. Good. Good differentiation there. Last 00:19:43.710 --> 00:19:45.890 question for you, because we're coming up against 00:19:45.890 --> 00:19:49.230 our time here. If there's something you would. 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:54.819 want our listeners to take away from you, from 00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:57.799 your experience of this transition into kind 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:00.640 of working for yourself or building your brand? 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:05.559 What would that be? So I'll offer two things. 00:20:06.740 --> 00:20:10.960 One to the individual and one as a leader or 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:13.519 entrepreneur, someone who's building a business 00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:17.009 that affects more than just themselves. The first 00:20:17.009 --> 00:20:19.650 thing I would offer to you based on a lot of 00:20:19.650 --> 00:20:22.809 research is start working on your future today. 00:20:23.289 --> 00:20:26.990 And what I mean by that is even if you are sitting 00:20:26.990 --> 00:20:30.650 in the perfect time of your life, the business 00:20:30.650 --> 00:20:33.349 is going well. You love what you're doing. Things 00:20:33.349 --> 00:20:39.200 are awesome. What is your next? And how are you 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:42.259 still always working toward your future today? 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:44.579 Do your day job with excellence, but always know 00:20:44.579 --> 00:20:48.920 what's next and build upon that. Because that's 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.799 how we make certain that, you know, life's messy. 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:54.339 Sometimes what we think is going to happen falls 00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:56.880 through the cracks, right? And if you've not 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:59.660 been, and I say this specifically to women and 00:20:59.660 --> 00:21:01.720 people of color, because they tend to put their 00:21:01.720 --> 00:21:03.839 head down, work hard and wait to get tapped. 00:21:04.900 --> 00:21:07.990 Some men as well. But I want to steal a page 00:21:07.990 --> 00:21:10.690 out of most men's playbook, which is they're 00:21:10.690 --> 00:21:12.190 looking up, they're looking forward and they're 00:21:12.190 --> 00:21:16.390 moving forward. So if that isn't you, start working 00:21:16.390 --> 00:21:19.630 on your future today. And for those that the 00:21:19.630 --> 00:21:21.930 person that is listening, that is building a 00:21:21.930 --> 00:21:24.289 team, that is building an organization with other 00:21:24.289 --> 00:21:28.230 people, that ACEs model applies to every single 00:21:28.230 --> 00:21:31.980 person in your human capital portfolio. So when 00:21:31.980 --> 00:21:36.119 you surround yourself with individuals that can't 00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:38.980 help themselves but show up leaning into their 00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:41.559 talent because they are so well placed in the 00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:45.740 role, it is a force multiplier. You will do so 00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:48.960 much more with so many fewer people and they'll 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:52.380 have joy doing it. So drink your own champagne, 00:21:52.619 --> 00:21:56.880 as I like to say, but also apply that to the 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:58.799 people that you are surrounding yourself with 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:01.380 as you're building out your business. Yeah, great 00:22:01.380 --> 00:22:05.220 advice. Thank you for that. Before we wrap up, 00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:08.799 you've got a new book coming out in February, 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:12.720 but it is available currently for presale. Tell 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.900 us the name of the book, where to get it. And 00:22:14.900 --> 00:22:19.180 also, please share with us your web domain. So 00:22:19.180 --> 00:22:21.460 if there are people listening and they want to 00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:24.000 connect with you or or get some of your books. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:26.240 Share that information with us, please. Thank 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:28.140 you, Fletcher. Thank you for that. So the website 00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:31.900 is Cynthia Benson Mercer dot com. You know, it'll 00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:34.099 be in the show notes because my last name's unique 00:22:34.099 --> 00:22:38.200 spelling. You can get my new book, which is coming 00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:41.099 out, as you mentioned, February 3rd, 26, but 00:22:41.099 --> 00:22:43.200 it's available right now with a whole lot of 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:46.180 bonuses. It's called Human Capital Investment 00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:50.519 Strategy, Six Steps to Cultivate Potential and. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:54.299 yields competitive advantage. So for anyone who 00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:57.200 is running a business or in a leadership position, 00:22:57.400 --> 00:23:00.380 I highly recommend it. And there's a lot of free 00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:03.539 resources as well on the website, CynthiaBensonMercer 00:23:03.539 --> 00:23:07.380 .com. My social handle is Dr. Cynthia Benson 00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:11.680 Mercer. So on all of the socials, LinkedIn, YouTube. 00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:16.960 et cetera. So Instagram would love to support 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.619 those who are looking for a leadership meeting, 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:22.740 an executive coach, or a human capital strategist, 00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:25.059 since we've now defined what that means. Right 00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:28.579 on. Very good. Very good. So thank you so much 00:23:28.579 --> 00:23:31.019 for your time. Appreciate you being on the show 00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:35.299 and wishing you all the best going forward. Thank 00:23:35.299 --> 00:23:38.230 you. Thank you. Yeah, and now you know what it's 00:23:38.230 --> 00:23:39.910 time to do. It's time to get out there, be a 00:23:39.910 --> 00:23:41.809 source of kindness, be a source of contribution. 00:23:41.910 --> 00:23:44.829 You do have something to offer this world, and 00:23:44.829 --> 00:23:46.829 I believe in you. Thank you for being here today. 00:23:47.009 --> 00:23:48.769 I'm really happy that you tuned in to Vision 00:23:48.769 --> 00:23:51.410 Pros Live. I'm looking forward to seeing your 00:23:51.410 --> 00:23:54.210 reactions as these episodes continue to move 00:23:54.210 --> 00:23:56.150 forward. This is going to get more and more fun. 00:23:56.170 --> 00:23:58.029 We'll have more and more engagement as well. 00:23:58.049 --> 00:23:59.970 We'll invite people to participate in the show. 00:24:00.109 --> 00:24:02.150 And thank you for giving us your time and attention. 00:24:02.430 --> 00:24:05.069 Have an excellent time building out your vision 00:24:05.069 --> 00:24:06.450 and becoming a vision pro yourself.