Million Dollar Mornings with Brad Lea
Brad Lea’s career is a study on how revolutionaries use their genius to take ideas learned in one arena and translate them into an outside-of-the-box invention. As author of “The Real Deal,” and his new book “The Hard Way: Lessons I Learned The Hard Way So You Don’t Have To,” Lea’s work has guided entrepreneurs and sales professionals to new heights of productivity through modeling and systemic analysis. As Founder and CEO of LightSpeed VT, he has developed an innovative delivery of targeted online training systems that use state-of-the-art technology and learning science. His contributions combine his decades of experience in previously unimagined ways to enlighten multiple industries.
“GET THE KNOWLEDGE FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.”
Brad Lea: The information is out there in the world. I want to live in a more successful world. I don’t want to have someone say, “Good luck” when you’re going to start a business. You shouldn’t need luck. It should just be automatic. The only way to do that in my mind––to live in a world that’s more successful––is to make sure everyone has the right information to win and succeed.
I developed a technology that allows me to deliver, track and measure content education. That is what has made me quite successful financially. I just made it my mission. It started when I helped a guy go from minimum wage who was struggling through life with his family. I taught him how to sell, taught him how to close. He started making a lot of money and I watched his whole life transform. It just got me hooked when I started to help other people, then I just made it my mission.
DEVELOPING TOUGH SKIN
Brad Lea: When I was a younger fella, about six or seven years old, I used to somewhat lie to all my friends in the neighborhood. Told them my dad owned Disneyland, pretended we were rich when we weren’t and it backfired. I thought it would make everybody like me, allow me to fit in and be cool. In reality, it backfired, nobody liked me and I was very uncool. So ultimately I learned very early to be yourself because ultimately when you try to be something you’re not, it always crashes. So fortunately at an early age, I just learned that if someone doesn’t like you, that’s not necessarily your problem.
You have to understand no matter what you say or what you do, someone’s not going to like it. If you can just understand that regardless of what you say or do, someone’s not going to like it––well, then you have to choose who you are going to make happy. Since you can’t make either party happy all the time, you might as well just focus on yourself.
I just say what I believe and say what I feel. I know I have strong ethics and good morals. So, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. I just kind of tell you like it is, and hopefully you like it, but if you don’t, then I apologize in advance.
WHAT IS DISCIPLINE?
Brad Lea: I’m working on being more systematized as opposed to compulsive. Ultimately, I believe discipline is simply a choice. Like, if you’re going to start working out every day and you’re not very disciplined, so you procrastinate and you don’t go, you’re cheating yourself. You’re lying to yourself, which hurts your self-esteem, your self-worth.
When I take away all the complications, what is discipline? It’s a choice. It’s a choice to honor your commitment to do what you say you’re going to do.
I created these six steps that I follow. I realized that everyone deserves a second chance, regardless of what you did. I tell people to forgive themselves. If I want to change what I’m getting, I have to change what I’m doing. If I want to change what I’m doing, I have to change what I believe. The only way to change what you believe is to get new information. Every day I just seek new information.
ONE’S PERSPECTIVE OF THEIR WORTH
Brad Lea: As far as entrepreneurial endeavors, you have to have belief in your own ability. I don’t think it matters who says you can’t do something––as long as you’re not the person saying it. I’ve found that a lot of people are limited by their own self-belief and their own self-worth.
I’ve learned a long time ago to develop my confidence in my self-worth and in my self-love, but I think it’s, a key factor in becoming successful in whatever you’re trying to accomplish, you have to believe in yourself. You have to know that you’re just as valuable as everybody else. A lot of times people won’t make a move because they fear what other people might think. And they don’t want to look stupid. They don’t want to fail, but in reality, the biggest, most professional and successful people on earth are the ones that failed the most. Isn’t that crazy? Not only that, but anyone who’s ultimately successful has failed more times than everyone else.
For example, Michael Jordan has failed more times at basketball than I have. He’s a bigger failure at basketball collectively than I am. Why? Well, because he’s played so many times and he’s failed so many times, but that’s what makes him the best. Tiger Woods has failed at golf more than I have. Do you see what I’m saying? People avoid failure because they’re worried about other people’s opinions. They’re worried about other people’s judgment. When in reality, you should be worried about your own judgment and you should stop worrying about what other people think; you should just go for it, believe in yourself and go for it.
MILLION DOLLAR MORNINGS
Brad Lea: Gratitude it allows me to have the right mindset. Then I focus on health, relationships, money and seeking new information in my mind.
The million-dollar mornings, just waking up with the gratitude that you have more than a million dollars in value just by waking up.
Whatever positive affirmation or compliment you can give somebody that will build those relationships, I believe that is what is important. Nowadays, relationships are the new economy. No one is a self-made millionaire. There’s no such thing. Somebody was involved in you becoming successful.
Interview by Tricia Love Vargas
