Empowering Personal Growth: Jonathan Thoms' Journey Through Discipline, Leadership, and Neuroencoding for Veterans

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to your Thoughts, your Reality with Michael Cole, the podcast that shines a compassionate light on the journey of veterans battling through life's challenges.

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<v Speaker 1>Michael is a dual elite certified neuro encoding specialist in coaching and keynote training presentations dedicated to guiding military veterans as they navigate the intricate pathways of post-deployment life.

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<v Speaker 1>Join him as we delve into the profound realm of neuro encoding science, empowering these Hello, hello, hello everybody.

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<v Speaker 1>Society forging a new path forward.

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<v Speaker 2>Hello, hello, hello everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>So today I have a very special guest.

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<v Speaker 2>I've been trying to get this guy on for a while and we made it happen.

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<v Speaker 2>So, super excited.

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<v Speaker 2>We have Jonathan Thomas.

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<v Speaker 2>We're going to call him JT because that's how everybody knows him, so aka JT.

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<v Speaker 2>Awesome.

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<v Speaker 2>He's a US Marine Reservist veteran.

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<v Speaker 2>He is a two-star, dual elite certified neuron coding specialist.

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<v Speaker 2>He equips and empowers high achievers to break through the top 5% in their field using neuron coding.

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<v Speaker 2>So you know, jonathan, we're super excited to have you on here.

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<v Speaker 2>And why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, well, first, michael, thank you for having me.

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<v Speaker 3>I greatly appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, I am a former Marine reservist.

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<v Speaker 3>I was the guy that grew up in a broken household.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, parents unfortunately didn't get along and somewhat were also irresponsible.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, in hindsight I mean, we were homeless at some points and you know, unfortunately my mom was also in an abusive relationship as well.

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<v Speaker 3>My escape because unfortunately I was irresponsible myself, so I didn't care about my grades as long as I had enough to pass and to continue to play sports, because that's the only reason I stayed in school, got it and girls.

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<v Speaker 3>So when it was time, yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>So at the end it was like, okay, you know, friends are going off to college and different things.

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<v Speaker 3>I said, well, I'm going into the Marine Corps because it's my escape from the environment that I was in.

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<v Speaker 3>But I wasn't sure if I was going to like the Corps, so that's why I went reservist.

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<v Speaker 3>Of course I loved it.

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<v Speaker 3>The Brotherhood I'm still actually really good friends with one of my guys from boot camp.

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<v Speaker 3>This is like 35 plus years later, we're still like best friends out of Philly.

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<v Speaker 3>So, yeah, and I have a special place in my heart for special first responders and military families, school teachers.

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<v Speaker 3>So I'm honored to be here and to be able to touch some lives.

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<v Speaker 2>Awesome man.

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<v Speaker 2>I love it.

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<v Speaker 2>I absolutely love it.

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<v Speaker 2>So tell us a little bit about your journey, specifically from the Marines.

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<v Speaker 2>Maybe a little bit about transition, you know, and some of the challenges you faced there and what brought you into your own code and the life that you know you have now absolutely so going back in time.

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<v Speaker 3>But, uh, you know, came back from uh, boot camp and then the mos school, so that was all about it, about a year total.

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<v Speaker 3>And if it was not for the marine corps, michael, you and I would not be sitting here today, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean it totally changed my life.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, when I came home, you know, it was like yes, ma'am, no ma'am.

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<v Speaker 3>To my mom it wasn't like okay, mom, yes, mom was like ma'am, you know, and she's in tears Like where's my baby?

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<v Speaker 3>You know, baby was damaged when he left.

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<v Speaker 3>He came back a man and, uh, because of those disciplines that were instilled in me, you know, my life is in order, my home is in order, my finances are in order, my relationships are in order, so it's all thanks to the Marine Corps.

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<v Speaker 3>So when I came home it was a tough transition because I came back to that environment and I was really fortunate.

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<v Speaker 3>So I walked into a retail establishment with my best friend at the time and they said well, all we got left is a cart position that's full-time.

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<v Speaker 3>I was looking for anything full-time.

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<v Speaker 3>I was like I'll take it.

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<v Speaker 3>They're like, yeah, but you're overqualified.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm like, okay, I'm just over a year out of high school and then I went to bootcamp in an MOS school.

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<v Speaker 3>How am I overqualified for pushing some shopping carts?

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<v Speaker 3>So I was like you know what, I'll take it anyway, I'll make it my own and I can tell you, 30 plus years later, that organization and the gift of the Marine Corps and I'll give you a little bit of a reason background why.

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<v Speaker 3>I've lived and worked in Sweden for five years, saudi Arabia for three years and Malaysia for three years, and then I bounced around the US as well, all with this organization LA, seattle, the Washington DC, baltimore area and then, of course, my home, philadelphia and Chicago.

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<v Speaker 3>So what happened thanks to the core and that transition is I was able to find new friends, a new circle of friends, because the folks, when I came back, people are still doing the same thing, and I was able to get out of the house because the home was still broken.

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<v Speaker 3>So I was able to get myself out of that environment and get myself around people that were going in a direction that I wanted to go into and, thanks to the core, I transitioned.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I got moved into the store from outside and pushing shopping carts into the warehouse, and I had my mind right.

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<v Speaker 3>So I asked and transferred to the receiving department unloading trucks.

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<v Speaker 3>Now I know nothing about forklifts.

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<v Speaker 3>A couple of weeks go by, they literally came to me and say, hey, would you be interested in being the receiving manager?

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<v Speaker 3>I'm like I don't know nothing about.

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<v Speaker 3>So they didn't drop the damn forklift.

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<v Speaker 3>But okay, they went through and fired a whole bunch of people.

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<v Speaker 3>There was some theft going on.

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<v Speaker 3>Maybe six months go by, hey, would you mind being interested in being the warehouse manager?

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<v Speaker 3>And that's where I made my pivot, because the warehouse was in disarray.

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<v Speaker 3>Michael, there's things that happen today in this organization globally that I started there back in Philadelphia 35 plus years ago 1986, 87 to be exact.

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<v Speaker 3>Simple things like in Marine Corps from bootcamp the lights go on, you jump out of the bunk and what do you do?

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<v Speaker 3>You stand on line.

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<v Speaker 3>The lights go on, you jump out of the bunk and what do you do?

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<v Speaker 3>You stand on line.

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<v Speaker 3>What did I do?

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<v Speaker 3>I created lines on the floor for pallets, so they're all up under the racking.

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<v Speaker 3>I just literally got a bunch of king tip markers so that all the pallets would be straight.

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<v Speaker 2>So really quick, jt.

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<v Speaker 2>You know I really want people to understand where he's going with this.

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<v Speaker 2>So he's literally talking about his transition.

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<v Speaker 2>That was a little bit difficult, right, and we'll talk more about it, obviously, but he's how he used these skills and this is one of those main things that I talk about.

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<v Speaker 2>How do you use the skills from the military and transition that and use them for real life and that's your business, that's employment, and they're looking, employers are looking for this, it's having that plan coming out and the transition.

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<v Speaker 2>So please continue.

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<v Speaker 2>I just want to make a point.

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<v Speaker 2>So people were following the story that's coming out here because it's really awesome.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh yeah, and it's very valid.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, you know, in the core we call them Irish pennants.

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<v Speaker 3>You got a thread hanging things like that.

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<v Speaker 3>So for us it was pallets with plastic hanging, you know the shrink wrap.

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<v Speaker 3>I would call them Irish pennants.

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<v Speaker 3>I was like, hey, pull down that pallet, get those Irish pennants off of there.

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<v Speaker 3>I literally kept the warehouse clean, neat and orderly.

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<v Speaker 3>Guys didn't have anything to do.

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<v Speaker 3>Pull out the pallets, start sweeping under the pallets.

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<v Speaker 3>These are the things that they taught us in the Marine Corps.

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<v Speaker 3>There's no standing around Grab a broom Do something, and those are the things that I started to do in the warehouse Fast forward.

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<v Speaker 3>You know it was the only retail organization.

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<v Speaker 3>It was the first location in the US at the time.

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<v Speaker 3>It's an international company.

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<v Speaker 3>So they start coming through and visiting and they're like wow, look at this.

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<v Speaker 3>The warehouse became the highlight of the visits for a freaking retail store.

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<v Speaker 3>That's awesome To the point that they took me and sent me to France to like we need to have you come to France and like look at what's going on there, Cause we're expanding in France and the places were in disarray.

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<v Speaker 3>And I just took those same basics lines on the floor.

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<v Speaker 3>You know crap hanging from the you know it should be two inches off the rack, the front end of the pallet hanging two inches, like why is that six inches?

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<v Speaker 3>And almost fallen in.

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<v Speaker 3>You know those kinds of things, basics from the Marine Corps.

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<v Speaker 3>And then the discipline, discipline, discipline.

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<v Speaker 3>So if you're transitioning home and part and you know, you'll see one of the things we all realize when we come home, it's like we went back in time, like people are still doing the same shit they were doing before and it's like either we fall into that or we've got to make a pivot, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>So we've got to make that decision ourselves.

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<v Speaker 3>Do we want?

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<v Speaker 3>We want to fit in, because I miss them, I love them, they're family, they're my old friends.

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<v Speaker 3>But when you start to feel like that they're pulling you back and something's holding you back inside, we've got to create the space and really start to figure out what it is.

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<v Speaker 3>That.

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<v Speaker 3>What do I want?

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<v Speaker 3>Because when you start to figure that out, things magnetize.

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<v Speaker 3>They'll come to you.

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<v Speaker 3>They really do.

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<v Speaker 3>And there's something a mentor of mine used to say, and that is luck is attracted to action.

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<v Speaker 3>So if you take action, luck will appear.

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<v Speaker 3>And then you'll start to see things differently as well.

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<v Speaker 3>You'll start to realize when you're having a conversation with someone oh, you know what?

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<v Speaker 3>What they're talking about is exactly the direction I'm trying to go into, and then latch on to that person Say, hey, you know what, can I give you my number and we can maybe connect again later in the future.

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<v Speaker 3>I really enjoyed our conversation.

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<v Speaker 3>Just really simple, basic.

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<v Speaker 3>And then follow up 24 hours later, 48 hours later you know if it's a text or a call just reach out and say, hey, just following up, thanks, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>And then find those commonalities in those conversations when you initially meet someone, because we all have something that's in common that can then also anchor that relationship a little bit.

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<v Speaker 2>Fantastic.

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<v Speaker 2>Those are some fantastic tips.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you, jake, appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 2>So question and I'm not sure I know the answer to this so are you literally?

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<v Speaker 2>I know you just changed and you're doing your new business full time?

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<v Speaker 2>Were you with the same company this entire time?

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<v Speaker 2>I?

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<v Speaker 2>Was when you were in San Francisco and everything.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I was so from 1985 until, yeah, two years ago.

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<v Speaker 2>Wow.

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<v Speaker 3>I know we were trying to connect to San.

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<v Speaker 2>Francisco and that's fantastic.

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<v Speaker 2>I was kind of getting that, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't just saying the wrong thing.

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<v Speaker 2>That's fantastic.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know what it's leadership?

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<v Speaker 2>It's leadership dedication and that's why you progressed right, because you brought that leadership from the military that you learned.

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<v Speaker 2>And people I'm going to ask did people buck the system or did they follow because of the leadership?

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<v Speaker 3>I would say that they followed and I think the key is leadership.

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<v Speaker 3>But the leadership, you know, leadership can mean so many things to so many people because for some, you know, leadership might be barking at people and it's like, ok, you'll get what you want short term, long term, they're you'll get what you want short term or long term, they're not going to follow you.

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<v Speaker 3>I, honestly, I really truly believe leadership comes from your heart.

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<v Speaker 3>Treat the person with respect, how you want to be treated.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, and I'll take it to this point where the dating game because I'm in the dating game, I've got daughters I treat women the way I want my daughters to be treated the same thing in the leadership.

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<v Speaker 3>If it's your spouse, your partner, that's that employee and you're the manager, how would you want them to be treated?

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<v Speaker 3>Treat them the same way, because that's someone's daughter, that's someone's wife, that's someone's daughter, that's someone's wife, that's someone's brother, that's someone's son.

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<v Speaker 3>Treat them the way that you would want to be treated or you would want them to be treated within your life.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think that's true leadership, because when you put the people first, the results will come.

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<v Speaker 3>It's about the people, the processes and then, you know, the rest falls right into place.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely, and I think also, when people see that leadership and that connection, that love, if you will, for what you do and for the people around you, they want to be more involved in that and they want to be that person even more so, and so they generally will start to do the same.

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<v Speaker 2>So awesome man, absolutely fantastic.

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<v Speaker 2>So let's move around a little bit.

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<v Speaker 2>So, with the top achievers that you work, with that top 5%, what are some of the neuro encoding strategies and or just basic strategies to help veterans especially, and their families, of course, get further, faster.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, what are some of the key things you see that veterans will be impacted by and can move forward from?

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<v Speaker 3>I would say the first thing is they have to know what it is they want.

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<v Speaker 3>So you can have an idea, but it's literally strategizing with your spouse or your partner, if you have that relationship going on.

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<v Speaker 3>What is it that you want together as a couple?

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<v Speaker 3>And then, what do you want as individuals?

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<v Speaker 3>And then being able to build a platform, moving forward and then also putting safety nets in place, because the reality is, you know I don't want to go morbid, but you know people leave every day, going to work or to the corner store and they don't come home.

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<v Speaker 3>Shit happens in life car accidents and everything else.

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<v Speaker 3>Also, build the safety nets in place so that you're both taken care of in that journey with life.

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<v Speaker 3>But the key is what is it that you want?

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<v Speaker 3>And then build that plan together and then put those things in place, Like you know.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, are the people that are around us serving us and what is it that we want?

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<v Speaker 3>Are they holding us back?

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<v Speaker 3>Is our environment serving us or is it holding us back?

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<v Speaker 2>And that's huge, that is absolutely huge.

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<v Speaker 2>So, you know, something that I found is you know, sometimes as you progress in life, you outgrow the people around you.

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<v Speaker 2>It doesn't mean they can't still be in your life, but find the people that bring you up or lift you up, that make you want to be better, because they will and you'll do the same for them, and that's the people you want to surround yourself with.

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<v Speaker 2>So I love that you bring that up, man, so true.

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<v Speaker 2>So, as far as you know, again that top 5%, let's kind of dive back into that.

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<v Speaker 2>I love the safety net thing as well.

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<v Speaker 2>That very valid, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>You just literally never know and then you say what, what happened, what do I do now?

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<v Speaker 2>So it's awesome that you brought that up.

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<v Speaker 2>So, for that top 5%, what are some tips, what are some strategies that you give them?

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<v Speaker 2>If you will, let's get a sneak peek, shall we?

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<v Speaker 2>Sure, I'll let you some tips, some things that you give them, and potentially even throw some neuro encoding, if you will.

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<v Speaker 3>Absolutely so.

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<v Speaker 3>A couple of the folks I work with are actually family businesses where they have a franchise with multiple locations, and so it's literally have the family business meetings, like they.

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<v Speaker 3>They're so busy in the hamster wheel, running the business day to day, that the business is running them that they've got to be able to step back and become owners instead of being the ones that are in the business as employees.

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<v Speaker 3>So really making that coming together and deciding what do we want with our business Great, we're making money, but we're employees too.

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<v Speaker 3>How do we pull away from being employees and grow the business beyond that?

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<v Speaker 3>And that's really I think it's important that families have those meetings themselves.

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<v Speaker 3>So have the family meeting, have the business meeting yeah, that's really important.

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<v Speaker 2>That communication is so important to really know where everybody stands and strengths and weaknesses and how they can support each other.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it's super important.

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<v Speaker 3>Yep, and then the key you know the difference between the 95% and the 5% is really it's discipline.

00:16:10.907 --> 00:16:16.493
<v Speaker 3>But discipline is really it's habits that become the discipline.

00:16:16.493 --> 00:16:20.011
<v Speaker 3>So it's really find those steps, those little things that you do that are easy habits to build, and then stack the discipline.

00:16:20.011 --> 00:16:24.249
<v Speaker 3>So it's really find those steps, those little things that you do that are easy habits to build, and then stack the habits.

00:16:24.249 --> 00:16:27.761
<v Speaker 3>When you start stacking the habits, those habits become disciplines.

00:16:27.761 --> 00:16:37.024
<v Speaker 3>So discipline can be a scary word but if you pivot and call it a habit that's easier to manage and build on, Absolutely.

00:16:37.686 --> 00:16:40.230
<v Speaker 2>So can you give us some examples of those habits?

00:16:40.230 --> 00:16:46.971
<v Speaker 2>Let's talk and, if we can, good and bad, right, because everybody has good and bad habits, but we want to really stack on the good ones.

00:16:46.971 --> 00:16:51.270
<v Speaker 2>So can you give a little some examples, just to kind of bring that into reality for people?

00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:54.990
<v Speaker 3>Absolutely so, and this is where neuro encoding comes in.

00:16:54.990 --> 00:17:00.533
<v Speaker 3>So great, great question, so a good and a bad could be.

00:17:00.533 --> 00:17:07.644
<v Speaker 3>Great question, so a good and a bad could be.

00:17:07.644 --> 00:17:07.963
<v Speaker 3>Um, so I'm a.

00:17:07.963 --> 00:17:08.384
<v Speaker 3>I'm a big fan.

00:17:08.384 --> 00:17:10.868
<v Speaker 3>I grew up for years loving oreo cookies, but it's a bad habit.

00:17:10.868 --> 00:17:16.651
<v Speaker 3>So what do I do when I go through the grocery store, whether it's the jojo's at trader joe's or the oreos in a regular supermarket?

00:17:16.651 --> 00:17:18.638
<v Speaker 3>I walk, I walk by.

00:17:18.679 --> 00:17:24.709
<v Speaker 3>Well, first I don't even go down those aisles anymore because I'm usually on the perimeter and the fresh stuff, the fruits and vegetables and stuff, but.

00:17:24.709 --> 00:17:34.352
<v Speaker 3>But you know, when I'm with folks and the kids and I'm going up and down the aisles, they're there and it's like, oh, my favorite, I haven't had those in a long time.

00:17:34.352 --> 00:18:04.219
<v Speaker 3>As soon as you see them and you like have that craving, or you're like oh, that's, catch yourself, like oh, no, and then celebrate that you caught yourself, even if you put them in the cart and you're at the checkout and you're still in the back of your mind like, ah, stop, look up, do a 360 to break the pattern, the thought pattern, and celebrate and then just take them and put them on the rack Like oh, you know what, change my mind, just so breaking the pattern.

00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:05.623
<v Speaker 2>So I got to tell you a story.

00:18:05.623 --> 00:18:08.971
<v Speaker 2>This literally just brought this up literally yesterday.

00:18:08.971 --> 00:18:12.615
<v Speaker 2>I'm walking through the store and I need to get to the meat aisle, right.

00:18:12.615 --> 00:18:15.902
<v Speaker 2>And I'm walking I'm like, okay, I wasn't familiar with the store, different store.

00:18:15.902 --> 00:18:22.307
<v Speaker 2>I was going hey, I should just go down there, and it was totally the sweets aisle, right, Hadn't eaten today.

00:18:22.307 --> 00:18:22.767
<v Speaker 2>It's just like.

00:18:22.767 --> 00:18:42.922
<v Speaker 2>You know, no, I literally in the Neuroencoding Institute we call it assitude and it's where you literally shake your ass and you smile and you release all the good endorphins and all those things we celebrate, right, I literally did that in the middle of the store, walking to the next aisle.

00:18:42.922 --> 00:18:43.662
<v Speaker 2>I'm sorry it just came up.

00:18:43.662 --> 00:18:45.202
<v Speaker 2>Man, Jonathan, thank you for bringing that back.

00:18:45.202 --> 00:18:47.483
<v Speaker 2>See, it's still making me smile.

00:18:48.423 --> 00:18:49.064
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I mean it's.

00:18:49.064 --> 00:18:54.227
<v Speaker 3>Another one is, you know, because you'll get the negative thoughts.

00:18:54.227 --> 00:19:01.230
<v Speaker 3>That can happen, and the key is no matter whether it's you or myself, we still have those negative things that creep in.

00:19:01.230 --> 00:19:10.713
<v Speaker 3>The trick is that we're going to catch ourselves sooner and flip it, and that's one of the things with the 5% as well is, okay, I have a negative thought comes in.

00:19:10.834 --> 00:19:13.434
<v Speaker 3>It might be about uncertainty or self-esteem.

00:19:13.434 --> 00:19:27.304
<v Speaker 3>It's like I catch myself in the moment and then I like, oh, and I have a shelf over here and I immediately go devil, I got to put you in the box on the shelf.

00:19:27.304 --> 00:19:30.256
<v Speaker 3>And I say that to myself, so I stand up and I literally stand up and do a 360 because it breaks the thought pattern.

00:19:30.256 --> 00:19:37.267
<v Speaker 3>But then I point to the shelf and there's a box there and I say, devil, I got to put you on the shelf, in the box, because that's my way of identifying.

00:19:37.267 --> 00:19:44.756
<v Speaker 3>Like, oh, I caught myself and I acknowledge it and then I need to put you over there, out of the way, out of my thoughts.

00:19:44.756 --> 00:19:57.088
<v Speaker 3>And that's a pivot that is a great tool for folks as well to use is catch yourself and like, say okay, it could be an imaginary shelf but put it on the shelf like a shelf on the elephant type deal, you know.

00:19:57.750 --> 00:19:58.573
<v Speaker 2>Absolutely love that man.

00:19:58.573 --> 00:20:01.928
<v Speaker 2>So I'm going to go back just a little bit.

00:20:01.928 --> 00:20:04.986
<v Speaker 2>This is always a little bit of a tricky answer and everybody has different answers for it.

00:20:04.986 --> 00:20:07.228
<v Speaker 2>I want to pick your brain.

00:20:07.228 --> 00:20:09.987
<v Speaker 2>How do you catch yourself?

00:20:09.987 --> 00:20:17.291
<v Speaker 2>Because we're so patterned right, we're so used to just doing, how do you catch yourself?

00:20:17.291 --> 00:20:19.721
<v Speaker 2>How do you know, oh shit, I was thinking the wrong thought in the language.

00:20:19.721 --> 00:20:20.342
<v Speaker 2>Or how do you catch yourself?

00:20:20.342 --> 00:20:25.347
<v Speaker 2>How do you know, oh shit, I'm doing the wrong thing in the language, or whatever the case may be, but how do you catch yourself so that you can do these tools?

00:20:26.148 --> 00:20:26.789
<v Speaker 3>It's programming.

00:20:26.789 --> 00:20:50.415
<v Speaker 3>So some people do the five o'clock club, some do a six o'clock club, I do somewhere between five and seven, but my first 30 minutes every day, no matter what, is my journal, and so what I literally do is the front cover inside and the front page inside are my goals for the year and my I am statement Like what am I about?

00:20:50.415 --> 00:20:51.641
<v Speaker 3>Who am I about?

00:20:51.641 --> 00:20:56.969
<v Speaker 3>And I literally read those every day because what happens is subconsciously throughout the day.

00:20:56.969 --> 00:21:04.520
<v Speaker 3>Because I read them every day subconsciously throughout the day.

00:21:04.520 --> 00:21:11.554
<v Speaker 3>Because I read them every day subconsciously, my brain will be triggering me to think about those things and do actions and have thoughts that are moving me towards those goals.

00:21:11.554 --> 00:21:23.961
<v Speaker 3>So that's really the key is you have to know what it is that you want, write it down and then read it every day to yourself and then subconsciously you're programming yourself to move in that direction.

00:21:23.961 --> 00:21:25.083
<v Speaker 3>That's fantastic.

00:21:25.083 --> 00:21:25.661
<v Speaker 3>I love that.

00:21:28.067 --> 00:21:30.134
<v Speaker 2>And we're talking about, you know, stacking good and bad, right.

00:21:30.134 --> 00:21:36.231
<v Speaker 2>So let's go back to, if we can, the stacking part and thank you for sharing your tips.

00:21:36.231 --> 00:21:43.939
<v Speaker 2>What are some other stackings that examples of them, of the good things that we should be stacking Every?

00:21:43.979 --> 00:21:44.078
<v Speaker 3>day.

00:21:44.204 --> 00:22:03.732
<v Speaker 3>So every day, I actually go through my contacts in my phone, so literally from A to Z, and I always, every day, either text or call someone that's in my contacts in my phone, so literally from A to Z, and I always, every day, either text or call someone that's in my contacts, and this could be a family, it could be a friend, it could be someone I haven't talked to for a couple of years, but it's a practice that I started this year with the new year.

00:22:03.732 --> 00:22:09.516
<v Speaker 3>As part of my goals is continuing to expand and deepen my relationships.

00:22:09.516 --> 00:22:20.112
<v Speaker 3>So and I have a couple of key, like my siblings, because we've always had some challenges growing up in different houses, so our perspective on the world is totally different, so that has created friction for us.

00:22:20.112 --> 00:22:26.573
<v Speaker 3>So I always make a point to get closer with my sister, closer with my brother, and that's happened throughout this year, which is beautiful.

00:22:26.573 --> 00:22:28.830
<v Speaker 3>We've been closer now than since we were kids.

00:22:28.830 --> 00:22:30.476
<v Speaker 3>So that's one.

00:22:30.476 --> 00:22:35.008
<v Speaker 3>But literally, who are the people that are important to you?

00:22:35.008 --> 00:22:37.132
<v Speaker 3>Reach out to them and nurture those relationships.

00:22:38.915 --> 00:22:40.038
<v Speaker 2>Love it, absolutely love it.

00:22:40.038 --> 00:22:43.772
<v Speaker 2>So um other other things that you can stack.

00:22:43.772 --> 00:22:45.637
<v Speaker 2>I mean just little victories throughout the day.

00:22:46.005 --> 00:22:47.008
<v Speaker 3>Oh, please, this guy.

00:22:47.008 --> 00:22:49.073
<v Speaker 3>You know it's got an alarm on it.

00:22:49.073 --> 00:22:53.069
<v Speaker 3>You can put a thousand different alarms on here, so you know if it's.

00:22:53.069 --> 00:23:11.913
<v Speaker 3>You know people have jobs and things and so they maybe can't do certain things, but at 12 o'clock, if you know that you go to lunch every day at 12 o'clock, so 12.05, set your alarm so that it reminds you to drink water, reminds you to you know, did you have your protein for the day?

00:23:11.913 --> 00:23:14.674
<v Speaker 3>You know, whatever it is, that's your focus.

00:23:14.674 --> 00:23:26.741
<v Speaker 3>Put those reminders in your phone two, three, four, five times a day throughout the day, so that way these are triggers that help you build your habits and those habits become disciplines.

00:23:26.741 --> 00:23:28.343
<v Speaker 3>That moves you further, faster.

00:23:30.505 --> 00:23:30.945
<v Speaker 2>Awesome.

00:23:30.945 --> 00:23:32.088
<v Speaker 2>I absolutely love it.

00:23:32.088 --> 00:23:39.295
<v Speaker 2>So with and our phones are always in our hands, use them, stop scrolling and set alarms for good stuff, yep.

00:23:39.295 --> 00:23:58.819
<v Speaker 2>So, as far as you know families and obviously it's important to you and I'm feeling that you know, truly, I'm feeling it so with neuroencoding, do you have, do you share that with your families, or your family and family members, I should say, do you go through things with them?

00:23:59.545 --> 00:23:59.726
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

00:23:59.726 --> 00:24:02.674
<v Speaker 3>So I have a rule, and everyone's different.

00:24:02.674 --> 00:24:14.231
<v Speaker 3>But my rule is that I don't coach or mentor anyone in my immediate family Right that does not say I don't do it Right, that does not say I don't do it.

00:24:14.231 --> 00:24:15.594
<v Speaker 3>Or subliminal.

00:24:15.594 --> 00:24:21.039
<v Speaker 3>So like with my daughters especially, you know, like you know, I will do things subliminally.

00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:34.609
<v Speaker 3>In that sense it's like you know we might be out driving or something, and you know one of my big things my daughters will probably even tell you this if they ask you like, what does your dad say about cemeteries?

00:24:34.609 --> 00:24:40.000
<v Speaker 3>Because when we drive past a cemetery, one of the things I've anchored into them is that's not just a cemetery with dead bodies, that's also dead dreams.

00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:44.632
<v Speaker 3>No, the cure for cancer is probably laying in a cemetery somewhere.

00:24:44.632 --> 00:25:02.984
<v Speaker 3>Because someone didn't feel that they had the you know, they didn't have the self-esteem or they had self-doubt, where something was holding them back from pursuing a dream, and that dream could have been something that could have led to a Nobel Prize in literature or anything.

00:25:02.984 --> 00:25:13.665
<v Speaker 3>So if you've got a yearning in your heart, follow the yearning, because there's too many things that are like buried People die with their dreams.

00:25:14.027 --> 00:25:16.071
<v Speaker 3>And a quick 30 second or one minute story.

00:25:16.071 --> 00:25:45.490
<v Speaker 3>My dad passed away some years ago in the hospital and it was a dark evening in the hospital and there was a hospice nurse sitting in the corner I didn't even know she was there, cause it was like it was a dark room walked in and my dad's just like he's already more or less gone and he would fall asleep and then wake up with his eyes open and he'd start like he's weak but he's like he would pull at his the gown that he was on and then that would happen for a couple of seconds and he'd like pass out and then he'd wake up again and do the same thing.

00:25:45.490 --> 00:25:47.936
<v Speaker 3>And you know, my heart's like breaking.

00:25:47.936 --> 00:25:54.148
<v Speaker 3>And all of a sudden I hear the voice in the corner and it was the nurse.

00:25:54.148 --> 00:25:55.412
<v Speaker 3>I didn't know she was there.

00:25:55.432 --> 00:25:57.877
<v Speaker 3>She said he's not ready to go, he has unfinished business.

00:25:57.877 --> 00:26:05.374
<v Speaker 3>Do not leave your state of life today breathing.

00:26:05.374 --> 00:26:15.248
<v Speaker 3>If you have unfinished business, do what it takes in your life so that you can leave with unfinished business, and that that's a huge.

00:26:15.248 --> 00:26:18.817
<v Speaker 3>You know, I learned a lot of things from my dad's mistakes in his life.

00:26:18.817 --> 00:26:24.556
<v Speaker 3>That was something he gave me in his last hours that I live by is.

00:26:24.556 --> 00:26:28.509
<v Speaker 3>I'm going out of here with, with, with, no business left behind.

00:26:28.528 --> 00:26:30.051
<v Speaker 2>I love it man.

00:26:30.051 --> 00:26:34.699
<v Speaker 2>I absolutely love it, and that's that's inspiring, you know, and that's the way we should live life.

00:26:34.699 --> 00:26:38.993
<v Speaker 2>Yep, live with passion and go out with the gas tank empty man.

00:26:38.993 --> 00:26:45.653
<v Speaker 2>Yep, absolutely, because you can't take it with you and if you do, you're not serving the rest of the world, that's for sure.

00:26:45.653 --> 00:26:46.394
<v Speaker 2>That's right.

00:26:46.394 --> 00:26:47.637
<v Speaker 2>Love it, man.

00:26:47.978 --> 00:26:49.558
<v Speaker 2>Hey, so we're getting close to the end of the show.

00:26:49.558 --> 00:26:53.760
<v Speaker 2>I know we didn't even really go through the questions or whatever.

00:26:53.760 --> 00:26:58.666
<v Speaker 2>We just had a conversation, which is what I love about this show, you know so.

00:26:58.666 --> 00:27:09.476
<v Speaker 2>So, if you can before before, I ask you this on the top right hand corner, blue QR code everybody it's for and that it goes to empower performance strategies dot com.

00:27:09.476 --> 00:27:13.872
<v Speaker 2>If you're listening on the podcast forums later Again, empowerperformancestrategiescom.

00:27:13.872 --> 00:27:24.154
<v Speaker 2>There are veterans resources, there are books I've written, there are the podcasts of past and, of course, will be future.

00:27:24.154 --> 00:27:29.251
<v Speaker 2>And you know, there's the Facebook groups for veterans and their families.

00:27:29.251 --> 00:27:31.917
<v Speaker 2>Separately, of course, you can join them together.

00:27:31.917 --> 00:27:36.459
<v Speaker 2>We don't care, but we just thought it was important to create those communities so you can be involved.

00:27:36.825 --> 00:27:38.893
<v Speaker 1>So please use those resources, please, please, please.

00:27:39.424 --> 00:27:46.289
<v Speaker 2>So, jt, give us three tips to get veterans and their families further vaccinated.

00:27:47.053 --> 00:27:47.433
<v Speaker 3>You got it.

00:27:47.905 --> 00:28:11.121
<v Speaker 3>So the first one is to control your thoughts, and that means whatever comes into your eyes, like be aware, everything that you see, that you hear, those influence you and influence your thoughts, and then your thoughts influence your feelings and then your feelings determine what you do or don't do and, in turn, your actions or inaction determines what you have in your life.

00:28:11.662 --> 00:28:16.073
<v Speaker 3>So and it all starts right here, with your thoughts, and that input comes here and here.

00:28:16.073 --> 00:28:19.669
<v Speaker 3>So that's one control your control, your thoughts and your inputs.

00:28:19.669 --> 00:28:22.959
<v Speaker 3>The second one is um build your tribe.

00:28:22.959 --> 00:28:27.969
<v Speaker 3>You surround yourself with the people that that are serving you and that you serve.

00:28:27.969 --> 00:28:45.914
<v Speaker 3>And then the last one is surround yourself so that you know that you are loving people and that you're loved, because we all matter, and the only way you can do that is to surround yourself to extend love and to be loved.

00:28:45.914 --> 00:28:49.131
<v Speaker 3>And then you know that you matter, and that is the most important thing in the world.

00:28:49.131 --> 00:28:52.844
<v Speaker 3>You know that you matter, you matter and that is the most important thing in the world you know that you matter.

00:28:52.864 --> 00:28:53.065
<v Speaker 2>You matter.

00:28:53.065 --> 00:28:57.992
<v Speaker 2>Love it, man, absolutely love it, and I think everybody needs to feel that.

00:28:57.992 --> 00:29:02.074
<v Speaker 2>Just take a second and really just feel that that's.

00:29:02.074 --> 00:29:03.217
<v Speaker 2>That's fantastic.

00:29:03.217 --> 00:29:05.371
<v Speaker 2>Jt, how do people reach you?

00:29:06.326 --> 00:29:27.251
<v Speaker 3>They can reach me at the little there there, JonathanJonesombscom, and if they go to the site, I believe it's being tinkered with now, but if they go to the site, I think it's still up and they can actually pick up a goal setting, a free goal setting course five steps to set your goals.

00:29:27.251 --> 00:29:32.297
<v Speaker 3>It's more geared towards new years, but we're at the mid-year point.

00:29:32.297 --> 00:29:40.218
<v Speaker 3>There's no reason that you can't go now and finish 2024 strong, and that's really important.

00:29:40.218 --> 00:29:42.868
<v Speaker 3>There's nothing that says you have to wait till January 1st to set new goals.

00:29:46.615 --> 00:29:49.367
<v Speaker 2>How much further are you going to be if you start now instead of waiting right?

00:29:49.367 --> 00:29:50.269
<v Speaker 2>Exactly.

00:29:50.651 --> 00:30:03.352
<v Speaker 3>And Michael, I just want to also thank you so much for the opportunity today and the great job that you do touching lives, especially the military lives and the first responders, so just continue to do what you do and know that you're greatly appreciated.

00:30:04.012 --> 00:30:04.595
<v Speaker 2>I love you, brother.

00:30:04.595 --> 00:30:05.698
<v Speaker 2>Thank you so much, truly.

00:30:05.698 --> 00:30:08.093
<v Speaker 2>That means the world it really does.

00:30:08.093 --> 00:30:12.957
<v Speaker 2>Thank you, and on that note, everybody, we're out of here.

00:30:16.286 --> 00:30:22.664
<v Speaker 1>Thank you for joining us on another insightful journey of your Thoughts your Reality podcast with your host, michael Cole.

00:30:22.664 --> 00:30:26.375
<v Speaker 1>We hope the conversation sparked some thoughts that resonate with you.

00:30:26.375 --> 00:30:32.932
<v Speaker 1>To dive deeper into empowering your thoughts and enhancing your reality, visit empowerperformancestrategiescom.

00:30:32.932 --> 00:30:37.957
<v Speaker 1>Remember your thoughts shape your reality, so make them count.

00:30:37.957 --> 00:30:42.997
<v Speaker 1>Until next time, stay inspired and keep creating the reality you desire.

00:30:42.997 --> 00:30:44.750
<v Speaker 1>Catch you on the next episode.