Navigating Life's Steepest Challenges

Have you ever stood at the base of a mountain of personal and professional challenges, unsure how to start your ascent? That's where the incredible story of HR Huntsman comes in, as he joins me, Chris Anderson, in a candid conversation about harnessing a success mindset to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape. HR unveils his transformative journey from a turbulent childhood to becoming a beacon for business leaders, breaking down how a conscious shift in mindset can be your most powerful tool in overcoming obstacles. This episode is an intimate exploration of the inner workings of success—where courage meets perseverance, and where confronting your demons can lead to unparalleled growth.

Picture the entrepreneurial journey as a grueling marathon, fraught with twists, turns and the occasional stumble. This is the vivid reality we dissect through compelling anecdotes and the wisdom of a Vietnam POW's survival philosophy. We tackle the pitfalls of toxic positivity and underscore the merit of resilient optimism. It's not just about bouncing back after a hit; it's about understanding the delicate balance between hopefulness and the stark truths of life. If you're seeking a blueprint to build a robust success mindset—one that equips you to write your own narrative of triumph in the face of adversity—then tune in to this episode. Prepare to be galvanized by the strategies and insights that will redefine your path to success.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the Elevate Media Podcast with your host, Chris Anderson. In this show, Chris and his guests will share their knowledge and experience on how to go from zero to successful entrepreneur. They have built their businesses from scratch and are now ready to give back to those who are just starting. Let's get ready to learn, grow and elevate our businesses. And now your host, Chris Anderson.

Speaker 2: 0:24

Welcome back to another recording of the Elevate Media Podcast. I am Chris Anderson, your host, and today we're going to get into a really important topic. You know I say that with a lot of our recordings, but this one is true to that as well. It's about cultivating a success mindset. Mindset is super important to have if you're starting out your business, if you're early on in your business and you're trying to get to the next level, because things are going to go wrong, things are going to go good, and having just that success mindset is going to really lead you through a lot of things. So we brought in an expert to talk just on that HR Huntsman. He's going to dive into it. He has loads of expertise. We could have an whole episode on what he's done, who he's helped and how he's done it, but we're going to save that for you to do a little bit of your own research going forward, and we want to dive into this topic. So, hr, welcome to the Elevate Media Podcast.

Speaker 3: 1:16

Chris, it's a pleasure to be here. Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 2: 1:19

Absolutely so excited to dive into this. Tell me why you know for you the cultivation of a success mindset is so important.

Speaker 3: 1:29

Yeah, let's back up a second. Calling me an expert is a bit of a stretch. The way that I've developed this and I work with business leaders every day of my life came out of my childhood, which was really dysfunctional and painful, and I grew up in an alcoholic, abusive, angry home. And early on, what I began to realize, chris and this is going to begin to answer your question on mindset is I realized that if I was going to climb my way out of this deal, it was going to have to be because I chose to do so. I was going to have to decide.

Speaker 3: 2:10

Now this is, I'm near 60.

Speaker 3: 2:12

I'm looking back and adding verbiage I could not have, you know, spoken to when I was a kid or a teenager, but I began to realize that my only way forward to any kind of healthy life was going to be to think my way out of this and change the patterns and behaviors that were being handed to me and create some new things. And my brothers, for whatever reason, weren't able to do it. They continued down the path of addiction and pain and abuse, and two of my three younger brothers are deceased because of their lifestyle choices. And I just made up my mind and that's a key phrase that I made up my mind that I was going to do something different. I didn't know exactly what that was, I just knew I didn't know what I had, and so that began the journey to what I get to do now, working with business leaders all around the nation. We're at the Counseling Center for 25 years with my nonprofit. I've had a lot of understanding and impact and watching people who just decided not to change their mind. So for all of us here listening today, the decision to change your mind about who you are and where you're going and what you're doing is key and critical component to this.

Speaker 2: 3:29

Yeah, and I think it is true. So why is it sometimes so hard to change your mind? You talk about the addiction and how it can wreak havoc. Why didn't they just change their mind? There's something that is missing, or was it just uneducated on being able to change your mind? What do you see in regards to that?

Speaker 3: 3:54

Honestly, chris, if I could answer the deepest level of that question, we would change the world forever. Right? How do some people able to either flip a switch or fight their way out or decide to quit smoking or improve their marriage and some people don't? Gosh, I wish I had the deepest answer to that, but we can begin talking about the fact that you do have to get to some root issues. It's not just about the cigarette, right. It's not just about the grind or the hustle. I'm just going to start a business.

Speaker 3: 4:31

We have to understand motivations of why we have to wrestle with dark drivers of imposter syndrome or insecurity, and it's not. Why am I drink? It's not that I'm drinking, it's why am I drinking? Like what am I covering up? Yeah, and so all those kinds of questions around mindset it's not that I'm gambling is why is it I am I give? What's it? What am I attempting to fix or solve or escape? Yeah, when it comes to those, you know, negative behaviors, those are the kinds of questions we need to really have the guts to wrestle with, and a lot of people don't have the guts to wrestle with that deeper stuff.

Speaker 2: 5:06

Yeah, it's true, and you so. Before I started business, I was an athletic trainer and so in that industry, you know, we see a lot of things where there being an injury or something would happen and we would just go immediately ice, because that's what we had, you know, been brought up for, right or XYZ. But he got to the point where I was like why, why are we doing that? Does that actually solve the problem? Or maybe they had a reoccurring chronic thing that just happens over and over and over and it was just, basically, we're just bandating the, the pain and and trying to help them get through. But, you know, finally, shifting, that is like what is the issue?

Speaker 2: 5:44

Same with pharmaceuticals in with medical. Like what is the underlying problem? Right, the root cause, like you mentioned, of physical ailments, mental ailments, you know, emotional, spiritual. We all have different things that we drag along, that's right. So what's the? What is it? Because and I love that, because I think a lot of times, especially with social media, we only see the superficial Sod, you know, and we share that, as you know, a lot of times only on social media. So, like, what are those root issues that we can start healing and overcoming and coming through, do to improve and put our minds in a better perspective.

Speaker 3: 6:21

For sure. And then I mean we can switch that conversation and talk about entrepreneurship or business leadership, and so those same principles apply. I'm talking to these CEOs or entrepreneurs, or why do you want to run a small business? Yeah, you know what's. What's the driver there? Is it just because you think the glitz and the glamour of owning your business? And well, there's a lot of freaking hard work and you're gonna be your head against a wall and deal with the transitioning labor market and you know interest rates and economy and recession, and you better figure out quickly why you want to do this and Make, make that something pretty noble and powerful, or you're gonna be in for a lot of pain.

Speaker 2: 7:06

Yeah, yeah and yeah. And that's, I think, again, why I think this conversation will be so important. Because a lot of people listen to, listening to this. Are, you know, thinking about starting their own business? Or they've got a side house and you're trying to get to go full-time and the behind you know we have to have is is so important. And you know, obviously, once you can figure out those root issues and you start taking the steps to grow through that, that helps some, but we still have to. You saw the cultivate that right, we saw to create that success mindset. So let's talk hypothetically. Someone listening to this yeah, you know, I know these are my roots. You know, I know this is why I do this and why I act this way. I'm working on those. Sure, what can they do? Also, in the, in the same I'm frame, you start to build and cultivate a more successful mindset and I get first. What is a successful mindset? Look like a.

Speaker 3: 8:03

A successful mindset is going to be one that is marked by resiliency and grit and an ability to overcome challenges and setbacks, while consistently putting one foot in front of the other towards whatever that goal is. And, chris, that's why having that goal is so important. I do this particular talk. I've climbed mountains I've done rainy or eight times and Kilimanjaro and so I developed a talk around how, my, how, mountain climbing is like building a business you could say building a life and one of my key points is climb with a summit in mind. So when you're high up on the slopes of a rain year or Kilimanjaro, there are times you don't want to take that next step, and if that's all you thought about was that next step, chris, you'd stop. But if you have a picture of the summit in mind and what that looks like, that can help propel you.

Speaker 3: 8:58

So you talked about this success mindset. You have to start with whatever your summit is. And that's again getting back to the why, and I don't want to beat a dead horse, but the entrepreneurs that I know they're successful are the ones that have a picture, a clear picture of a preferred future out there, and so today's steps, hard or easy, are in that direction. So when this hard step comes, I have to face my imposter syndrome. I have to deal with a bank loan going sour or key employees are leaving or there's turnover in the marketplace or whatever it is, and you get punched in the face having that resiliency and that determination to say in spite of this, I'm taking my next step toward that dream of the future.

Speaker 2: 9:47

And I think that's Chris, you know your mountain climber, hiking up those, and I kind of made a reference. I've never done that. What I've done is marathon running. So I always you know I always do that picture like, hey, you got to think about the end. Like, think about cross that thing, think about that feeling you're going to have accomplishing that if it's your first time or if it's your turn, like that it's drilling. At the end you always have a little bit more and so, like, when you start to cramp, when you start, you know shaved, when you just start to say this is a stupid idea, like remember where you do or headed and why, yeah, take that and helps, take that next step. You know, yeah, yeah, because it's not easy, it's not going to be easy. But if you understand and know and have that, that just that desire within you to get to that, that destination, for for the reason that you have in your mind, I think you're going to see that you can overcome a lot more and you, you sank.

Speaker 3: 10:49

Yeah. So I believe grit is at or near the core of a, you know, an overcoming mindset or success mindset. Grit or resiliency whatever word you want to use is right there. That determination, that the understanding I'm going to face setbacks, I'm going to get kicked in the gut. It's going to happen to all of your listeners that are entrepreneurs or business startups. There's going to be days where you get sucker punched by one thing or another and to determine right now, when that happens, you're going to pick yourself up off the mat and try something new. So that's going to be.

Speaker 3: 11:25

The second part is the ability to pivot, to be flexible to in the pursuit of that finish line. We'll use your metaphor and the pursuit of that finish line, my course may vary more than I thought it may change. Now. The marathon course doesn't change, but the course to that particular finish line as an entrepreneur, it's going to change. It's going to be different than you thought and you're going to have to be a different person. You thought so the willingness to learn and grow. So if you combine those two things A gritty, resiliency mindset with a dedication to open minded, growth, those two things are what I found, both in my own life and all the successful leaders that I work with.

Speaker 2: 12:16

Yeah, it is so true because you know the marathon. Yeah, the the path is set out like you're gonna get there. I don't know any marathons are just straight lines and so you're gonna have to take turns, you're gonna have to. You got to move over for someone who's in front of you, going slow or stopping and Jumping over potholes or avoiding potholes. You're gonna have to walk. Sometimes, probably, when you did, I think you're gonna have to because whatever comes up, you cramp up, so you have to at least walk like so so the means of you finishing that race might look different. You're like I'm gonna run the whole thing. You know I'm gonna get there. Pr best time, right?

Speaker 2: 12:49

No, sometimes it just doesn't happen because of things outside your control. For the most part, I tell you respond to it. Are you just gonna quit, give up and go home, reagan, just keep moving forward. You know I've had my every muscle, my leg, start cramping up with 10 miles Left in the rate. Well, this is gonna be fun and so you know you have to that, like you said, you have to be able to give it and shift a little bit. You know I had a stretch more, had to stop and walk more, but I was gonna finish, yeah, by whatever pain it was and not, that's part of it, you know. And and then you know, once you achieve that goal, okay, what's the next one and how are you and how can we do better. And it, you know, kind of going back, I'm having that vision of like where you wanted to go or what you want to accomplish. You know, had a A guest on not too long ago.

Speaker 2: 13:43

I who wrote a book, the seven secrets of the Sultan, or the Sultan seven secrets sorry, jeff, I butchered that title, but it was all about Like in this, you know, depending on what you think or what I like, visualization, like feeling, like seeing where you're wanting to go and having the feelings, like feeling the emotional tie to it Of you know, the, the success or the ability to help someone, like just what that Like wells up inside you and actually feeling that in the moments of those, those visit visualization type things can help you as you're going along and getting those tight spots, you can retrade that feeling. When you create those feelings, it can really shift your perspective, even in those, those hard moments. I don't know if you're you know what your thoughts are on having that feeling tied with the vision in the moment, like all together, oh, I 100% believe that.

Speaker 3: 14:37

In fact, there's all kinds of psychological studies that that prove this to be true. When they study the brain about someone encountering something physically and then they'll have them hooked up to an EKG machine or an EEG machine and they'll think about that. It's almost the exact same brain wave pattern. So you know the feelings that we have when we encounter the thing, when we reach the summit or cross the finish line, and then you're lying in bed later that week thinking about it. It's almost exactly the same.

Speaker 3: 15:09

That's why vision visualization works so well with athletes, right and dancers, and absolutely I have many of my clients do this, meaning I will have them write out, speak out, talk about what that's going to feel like, why they want that. You know they want that vacation home in Mexico. Tell me why. Explain to me what that's going to feel like. I'll have them say what are you doing when you're successful? Not not telling what success is. What are you doing when you feel successful? I play with my grandkids, I'm drinking, am I Thai? I'm surfing in Hawaii? Tell me about that. So linking that finish line or that Alpine summit to the rigorous behavior of entrepreneurship helps move them forward. You're absolutely right.

Speaker 2: 16:01

Yeah, and it's. And, like you can be from whatever you know, wherever in life, believe in whatever you want to believe. I think it is true. You know what we think about, you know comes about. You can either think about the positive and have those positive feelings or you can have the opposite and it'll take you that way and I think that changes. It changes how we respond to things, which changes our, our actions, which changes you know, the response of you, know the other person or the environment you're in. So I think it's such a crucial part in, and you know, creating that, that success and whatever that looks like is different for people. But so what are some things besides that that people can do to strengthen that success of line set to continue to just, I mean, the store of the coming right, you're gonna get hit. So what you're doing to strengthen that, that mindset of having success?

Speaker 3: 16:57

So one of the things that I learned and that I teach is the Stockdale paradox. Have you heard of the Stockdale paradox?

Speaker 2: 17:04

I'm not real familiar. I've heard it, but not familiar. Yeah.

Speaker 3: 17:07

So James Stockdale. He was the highest ranking prisoner of war in Vietnam and was there to Henry Hilton for a while I believe he was an admiral and he developed this train of thinking that helped him not only survive the you know, being a POW, but he later he went on to write books and give lectures and and I found this to be true in my own life and I share his story along with this principle and it's this combination of no-transcript being ruthless with the difficulty and challenge in front of you, you face that difficulty. When he was asked who doesn't make it, it's the optimists, he said the optimists are the ones that did not make it. And so what I want your listeners to understand when we're talking about this positive mindset, there is this thing called toxic positivity, this positivity that is not undergirded by a resiliency, by a dedication to face the hard challenges. And I want your listeners to understand that by just saying you know today is going to be a great day and everything is going to be good, and that's not going to be helpful for you, that's not going to gird up and give you a muscularity to deal with the difficulties that come with running sorry, running a small business.

Speaker 3: 18:25

So this paradox, this understanding that things are tough, they're challenging, and then he said this is my favorite thing, he said but this is going to be the defining moment of my life. So that combination, chris, of facing the hard issues head on, eyes wide open, figuring out how to solve this problem, fix the labor shortage, whatever change your leadership, get over your imposter syndrome, read more books, while also saying this challenge right here is going to make me stronger. It's not happening to me, it's happening for me. Figure out what the four is. That's a key right there. To figure out what the four is, because the minute you become a victim of your problems, you're done.

Speaker 2: 19:15

Oh, yeah, yeah, 100%, and I think that's a great reminder. So thank you for bringing that up. That toxic positivity is just as bad. You know not having access to the mindset at all. And so, yeah, the perspective of how you take it on the chin right, because things just happen, things that are unfortunate, things that are bad, and those are real, that's all real.

Speaker 2: 19:42

Like, things suck sometimes and that's okay, but what is this doing for me? Like, how is this helping me grow? What doors is open? What time is it giving me back? Like, if you lose a client or something like that, what is the negative actually going to be a positive? And so, being aware and being open to that opportunity because a lot of times at least, what I've seen is when those bad things happen, we go, oh, this is bad and we focus on the bad. So when we get switched, like you said, what is this working for me? Like, what is this going to be doing for me? When we change and we look, or something Red is coming from that moment, then we don't miss the opportunity. That's there. We don't miss the learning lesson. We don't miss, you know, the connection with someone new. We're looking out for something instead of just dwelling and focusing on the unfortunate circumstance itself.

Speaker 3: 20:42

Yeah, and let's make a behavior out of this and not just a hypothetical yeah. When I work with my clients on these things right here, I will take these moments and I will ask them to actually write narratives, write stories about what they're going to learn from this. So they're going to be speaking from the future back to the now and they're going to be telling me how this is making them better. So it's not just this is happening for me. I want you to describe and paint me a picture of the better future of you, the better version of you, because of this thing. Now, let's be real. Let's be real. None of us likes being kicked in the gut. None of us likes it. So I don't want any of your you know listeners to think, oh, he got punched in the face and he said, yay, this is happening for me.

Speaker 2: 21:28

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 21:29

No, there's going to be a reaction time of holy crap, I didn't see that coming. Man, that hurt. Holy moly, my eyes are open, my nose is bloody. Losing that client, whatever it is, it's after the initial reaction piece. Now is where the mindset thing comes in. So we're all gonna take a step back. Eyes are watering, nose is bloody. Once we take the step back, chris, it's at that point. At that point is where the success mindset people differentiate from the victim mindset people. Now, at that point, they've both gone through the same thing.

Speaker 3: 22:06

The success mindset person now says okay, what's the lesson I'm taking from this? And again, I have my clients actually write it out. What I learned is to approach that differently. Now, going forward, I'm gonna do this and what it brought up in me is I'm not as patient as I could be or I can communicate better or whatever it is. Here's what I own. That's a huge key to a success mindset is. Here's what I'm accountable for in that whole thing. The victim mindset people they blame everybody else, right? So that's mindset people. What I own is a lot of that. And how write it down? Write it out, how you're gonna get better, incredibly powerful.

Speaker 2: 22:45

Yeah, and that's huge and very powerful. And it kind of reminds me like, yeah, like when you get a punch in the chin, it's not like oh yeah, it has been great, awesome, like you know, some crazy fetish was there, whatever. But like it reminds me, like you know, the movie Rocky, or like even Avengers in-game with Captain America. They're both, they both get, you know, just throttle at times and they're both on the ground just laying there. Right, they didn't immediately hop back in and say, oh yeah, you know, I can do this all day, although he does sometimes say that, like, whether truly gonna be, it's a moment, right, they're down for a little bit, yeah, and there's either reflection or there's, you know, a thought, or there's just that pause of, okay, this just happened. Right, I'm getting bombarded here. Right, what am I gonna do next? Am I just gonna lay here and it be done?

Speaker 2: 23:39

But in both of those situations they get back up. Yeah, you know, and it's not even always a hop back up. It's a struggle and it's a painful get back up, but they get back up and they go at it again. Right, you know, no matter what the outcome might be, you know they, they, it could. It might not get better, but they still get back up Right and you know they're not playing that victim kind of mindset.

Speaker 3: 24:04

I like to refer to the Rocky movies. There it's interesting. I think one of the things that resonates so deeply with the Rocky movies is how he really writes in there, the wrestling with the fear of failure. You know, in each of the Rocky movies he's really challenged with the imposter syndrome Do I belong, can I, can I find an Apollo Creed or a Mr T club or laying, and he, I'm afraid. What do you want me to say? I'm afraid. Yeah, the realization of having the guts to say that out loud, just powerful. You know, facing building a business or facing these challenges and dealing with some of those fears and insecurities is, is a powerful step.

Speaker 2: 24:48

Yeah, it's huge, and I think that's why it's so important, cause, you know, I hear a lot of people just be positive. Just be positive. It's like well, I mean, you can have your moment like of non-positive right, like, allow it to be a real thing, like. But something I found, at least that and I've grown and learned along the way, is you know how how quick can I rebound from it? You know, do I let it just continually drag me for days and days and days, basically having that victim mindset, or do I? Do I accept it? Okay, this is what happened, this sucks, this hurts, this is unfortunate, like it's not ideal. Okay, what am I going to do? I'm going to learn. And what's that gap, right, the the moment of impact to when you're back in it, I think it can look different for the situation, for the person, as long as you don't let it continually just drag you through the mud.

Speaker 3: 25:40

Right, I have a great story for this. I was at a conference and the slate was up on stage being interviewed, and it turns out she was the first combat aviator for the Marine Corps so now a retired Lieutenant Colonel at this time and but the first combat. So she flew in one of the golf wars. And so, fascinating interview on stage. And she comes off stage and we have a break and I went up to her I'm an Air Force veteran, she's a Marine veteran there, walk up to her and I just asked her a few questions what it's like to be a fighter pilot. And then I asked just one of the dumbest questions ever. I said so when you're flying into combat, were you afraid? And she says oh hey, sean, who's terrified? Absolutely I was afraid. And she says sometimes I got so afraid that I wet my pants and we just laughed at it. So what'd you do? Then, chris, listen to this. She said I flew into combat with wet pants. I'm like that is the greatest metaphor ever.

Speaker 2: 26:39

Yep.

Speaker 3: 26:40

The business owners and entrepreneurs. We all face fear, fear of failure. That's the biggest one, I guess. Yeah, and those that are willing to fly into combat with wet pants, man, those are the ones that win the day.

Speaker 2: 26:56

Yeah, that's beautiful, that's awesome. Isn't that just the greatest story? It's so true. So too, Like yeah, you just gotta deal with it and you can move forward. That's so good.

Speaker 3: 27:07

As opposed to the ones who don't want to acknowledge it. They're afraid. You know that toxic positivity, everything's good. We're gonna crush the mark here. We're gonna blow up, we're gonna five acts. We're gonna stop, just stop.

Speaker 2: 27:21

Or at least you'd like that be like hey, we didn't actually hit it, that sucks, and continue to try to do it. You know like yeah, that's right. You know how the transparency in the real is and you know it's sometimes hard, right, cause all you see, all such immediate from people is is their highlight real, so costly?

Speaker 3: 27:36

That's right.

Speaker 2: 27:37

And they. Hopefully we're starting to lean a little bit more to the transparency with fall businesses because of that, because they were just tired of just seeing perfection, quote, unquote perfection, right, but you know, age, this has been a fantastic conversation. I think just so much that people listening can start to think about implement and change so they can have and build that success mindset, and so I really appreciate it. Appreciate your time today and sharing this. Now. People want to connect with you more, find out more about you, what you do. Where would be the best place for them to do that?

Speaker 3: 28:13

Sure, you can always go to our website, yourleadersedgecom. You can find me on LinkedIn the easiest way. I'm an old fashioned dude, I'm old school. Just email me HR at yourleadersedgecom and I'd be happy to chat with you.

Speaker 2: 28:28

Awesome. Yeah, so everyone, make sure you get connected with them. Just continue to learn and grow and see what happens. But H again, thanks so much for being on the Elevate Media Podcast today.

Speaker 3: 28:39

Chris, I appreciate the invitation. Thank you, my friend.

Speaker 1: 28:42

Thank you for listening to the Elevate Media Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. See you in the next episode.