Breaking Through Mental Barriers

The toughest battles we face aren't always visible. Those mornings when the weight of responsibility feels crushing, when your mind races with everything that needs addressing, and the safety of your bed seems like the only refuge, this episode dives deep into that universal yet rarely discussed experience.

We open up about the profound mental challenges entrepreneurs face, particularly when overwhelmed by mounting responsibilities. Drawing on personal experiences, we explore how the psychological burden of leadership can sometimes feel paralyzing; yet, acknowledging these struggles becomes the first step toward overcoming them.

The conversation reveals a powerful insight: "Problems delayed is problems intensified." We discuss how avoidance behaviors, while tempting in the moment, ultimately create greater challenges. Yet when we finally confront what we've been avoiding, it's rarely as overwhelming as our minds imagined. Through real-world examples, including how leveraging tools like AI transformed a five-day project into just half a day of focused work, we demonstrate practical approaches to breaking through mental barriers.

Beyond productivity tactics, we delve into the deeper philosophical questions surrounding the balance between work and life. The discussion touches on the concept of "Memento Mori" (remember you will die) and how maintaining perspective on mortality helps prioritize what truly matters. We examine how success itself can trigger impostor syndrome, as exemplified through the surprising discomfort that came with purchasing a luxury car and feeling somehow undeserving of that visible success marker.

Whether you're a business owner struggling with isolation, a professional dealing with overwhelming workloads, or anyone who's ever felt mental resistance to tackling difficult tasks, this raw, honest conversation offers both comfort in knowing you're not alone and practical wisdom to move forward when everything in you wants to stay still.

Chapters

• 0:00 Morning Resistance: Facing Difficult Days
• 3:32 Tackling Avoidance and Procrastination
• 8:02 Using AI to Transform Productivity
• 15:22 Taking Responsibility Without Blame
• 25:10 Building a Winning Team
• 37:23 The Importance of Team Connection
• 46:52 Life Perspective: Memento Mori
• 55:40 Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
• 1:06:03 Freedom of Expression and Social Pressure
• 1:12:22 Builders Summit Event Announcement

Transcript

George: 0:01

Have you ever had days where Start again, start again Because I moved the mic? Yeah, me too. Have you ever had days where you don't want to get out of bed from a perspective of not usually you're tired, but just because you're weighed down, like, oh, I can't face the day?

Robby: 0:16

What's the difference Between being weighed down and tired?

George: 0:21

Tired is you're just tired, like you just want to sleep, like you're in your good spot, like I'm talking, there's shit going on and you don't want to get out of bed because then you've got to face the day.

Robby: 0:30

Yeah.

George: 0:31

Have you ever had days like that?

Robby: 0:33

Yes, yeah, heaps. I also have days where I know how much is on the next day and I know that there's so much work and I'm freaking out about how I'm going to get it all like get on top of it all yeah, and I can't sleep that night. Yes, and then the next day I'm cooked because of it. And it's like catch 22. Yeah, Like I'm trying to catch up on sleep so I can get more shit done tomorrow. But I can't catch up on sleep because I'm stressing out.

George: 1:02

Yes, I know exactly. I know that exact feeling and I had it the other day, I had it this week. I feel like I've had it for the last six months, but I haven't. But yeah, I had it this week. Man Just heaps going on. Then, on top of that, you get people calling in sick or something's coming up, and then you're like God, how do you manage all this all at the same time?

Robby: 1:22

Yeah, and then someone wants something silly and they're like I need a new mouse. And then you're like, get the fuck out, get out you throw your mouse at them. Because I don't care about any of that. Now, like that's number problem 397. Yeah, they've got 396. More bigger problems yeah, exactly, bigger ones too.

George: 1:41

And it happened to me this week or yeah, it was this week and I was in bed and I was just like, fuck, I've got to get up, I've got to do this, oh god, I've got to do that. And it was just running through my mind as I was getting up and then, like, had a bit of a epiphany not an epiphany, but it was like like, what are you gonna do? Just gonna stay in bed all day? Get the fuck up. You got shit to do, like, and that that was actually what got me out of bed.

George: 2:00

It wasn't like me being in bed for that prolonged period of time wasn't making any of that go away, like no one else was going to do it. I had to get up and do it. It's like fucking, get up, get it done. And I did. I got up, I got ready, got to the car, got to the office and I got stuck into it. And you know, sometimes the obstacle is the way, like, get into it, get stuck into it and just got to do what you got to do. There's things you control, there's things that you can't control, and that's what I found with that day, you know, and it doesn't make it less stressful, like I still got heaps on. But yeah, just that quick shift in focus definitely helped me to get through that.

Robby: 2:40

Do you ever feel like you avoid things thinking?

George: 2:44

they're going to go away?

Robby: 2:46

I think so.

George: 2:47

If I'm going to be completely honest.

Robby: 2:49

If I just duck this a few times, hopefully they won't ask you.

George: 2:52

Yeah, it's like problems delayed is problems intensified you know, and it's like that's what I feel, that I do that from time to time, not always, but from time to time. And the funny thing is, when I actually bite the bullet and do it, it's never as bad as you make it out to be in your head, that's for sure. I've had to do this massive. I've got some key people away at the moment. Normally I would be hand-passing that shit to them and say, hey, do this, that's your job, not mine. They're not here because they're overseas on annual leave and all that sort of stuff, and people are away and all that sort of jazz. And I had to do it like there was no avoiding it. This task had to be done. And funny thing was this task that I had to do it was an application. I won't go into big dull because it'll be boring for everyone, but had I done it myself, as in unassisted with ai, let's call it so chat, chatgpt this application probably would have taken me, I reckon, a good solid five days worth of work. Like solid work. I just thought at the time I'm just going to chuck this into ChatGPT, see what it can do for me.

George: 3:57

Long story short, it got me what is going to take me. I was forecasting it at four to five days. I was able to do in half a day Still solid work. Don't talk to me for four hours, four or five hours. I was just sitting there working. I got about 85% of what I was doing done. Then I had to wait for some external reports to come in from other people For the work that I needed to do. I got it all done within about 85%. This is something, mind you, that there was a level of avoidance from it for me because I had so much to do, so many other things to do because short-staffed and that time and we're coming into completion on jobs, so just so much happening everywhere. And it wasn't until I got stuck into it that it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be in the end, and also the fact that I utilize tools at my disposal to make it a bit easier as well.

Robby: 4:47

I think sometimes, like a really big task can be the thing where it's like I do this, I will not be hungry. I'm like I have to eat lunch. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah, to not start the thing that I don't want to start. I will like do anything else.

George: 5:08

It's like cram studying Like even in high school or uni, if any of you ever went. It's like you wait to the last hour to do that.

George: 5:14

I don't know, it's just again. It's like delaying the inevitable. It's like you're going to have to do it. It's like a biological thing where humans try to consume the least amount of energy to preserve their energy in case they get attacked by a saber-toothed tiger. There must be that element in our programming, in our subconscious, that says hey, don't do this, it's dangerous, it could kill you, and you just put it off until the very moment that you have to fucking start running for your life. There could be that element of it, for sure.

Robby: 5:45

Yeah, and it usually ends up being worse because you left at the last minute.

George: 5:49

That's right, that's right, that's right.

Robby: 5:52

Yeah, I do that a lot.

George: 5:54

And then it's like a last minute thing.

Robby: 5:55

And then it's like, man, I should have started this. I should have had this ready to go three days ago.

George: 6:00

Yeah, that's right, and for me it's been a matter of like realizing that. I think that's important, realizing that you are doing, that, you have that what's the word? Habit in place, and then trying to put things in place so it doesn't happen. Now I've got my team coming back, some of the team coming back. Probably in another three, four weeks, say three weeks we should have the majority of the team back again and a couple of projects handed over, which is great. Then the next thing for me will be right. I don't want to be in this position again. I've had to put some stuff and strategies and systems in place now to make sure that doesn't happen and to make sure that each and every person is pulling their weight in their area to make sure that these things don't happen, to make my life easier as well, because ultimately, that's what I do. That's what I want to do. I don't want to be doing those day-to-day operations. Yeah.

Robby: 6:53

So hold on. Are you happy to dive into?

George: 6:55

that a little bit? Yeah, absolutely. So I've had to do a lot of the groundwork when it comes to even ordering.

Robby: 7:02

What's the thing you didn't do that you wish you had done? That wouldn't have put you in that position.

George: 7:07

I started earlier, for sure, as in the task, a lot of the tasks, doing a lot of those tasks earlier.

Robby: 7:14

Hindsight's a fucking beautiful thing, yeah absolutely, absolutely.

George: 7:16

There's that element of it. There's the element of some of these tasks that I was doing, or some of these problems that were coming up, were going to cost money, or are going to cost money, and not a little bit either. So again, it's like me avoiding it is oh, I'm not paying for that today. I'll pay for it tomorrow. I'll pay for it tomorrow. I'll pay for it tomorrow.

Robby: 7:39

It's Tuesday, george's problem.

George: 7:41

Exactly, exactly right, exactly right, anyway. So again I got stuck into it because I have to. Now it's at the point where I can't let it go any more days and it's like, okay, well, I'm smart, I know what I'm doing, I'm really good at what I do and I'm able to look at the problem now because I got stuck into it and reduce the severity of it and maybe even make the expense go away of it. And maybe even make the expense go away because again, I'm going to workshop it in a way that will help me and help everyone involved in that process as well. So, yeah, it's just a matter of trying to put that into place. But also, the reason the problems came up is because I see there was a failure in some of the systems that we had within the business. Some employees didn't do what they should have done, which resulted many months later in a problem.

George: 8:29

I was like, why did that happen? Honestly, I was frothing, I was shitty when I found out these two things that were going to cost a significant amount of money to fix. I'm like why the fuck did that happen? Why? It makes me question a whole range of things. It wasn't just like blaming, you know, blame, playing below the line, like I wanted to blame. I actually wanted to be angry at someone. I wanted to blame people, but I know that that's not the right thing to do and I know that's not going to serve me best in this situation and in future ones, but I wanted to. There was an element of me like just wanted to call them up Like you're a fucking idiot, why did you do that? That is amateur shit and now we're paying for it. Anyway, I had to take that step back and really remove myself and not think like that. I was like well, this happened, it's my fault that this happened.

George: 9:15

Because of these reasons, I went into okay, I didn't give them the proper systems. I didn't have a checklist there for them to make sure the checklist of when they ordered that material or that product was the right product. I didn't have the checklist in place to make sure hold points and measurements were made before they did the task. There was things there and I was like, okay, this is good, because now I can start workshopping this in the future and putting things in place to say, before you order the bricks, make sure they're the right fucking color bricks, because I don't want to have 50 000 bricks on site that are the wrong color, and then I don't want to put those bricks up on the wall, and then I have to pull the wall down, or whatever the problem is no, no, actually.

George: 9:52

Well, it was, it was a similar scenario not bricks, but a facade something a facade was the wrong color, ordered in the wrong color, the cladding, yeah cladding. It was the wrong color and we tried, not tried. The intent was that, oh, she'll be right. I think everyone was going to be like, yeah, look, we'll make it work, it's fine. But then, when third-party people started to complain and it started to spiral, then it's like, well, now we've got a problem, we've got to fix this. But again, the problem should never have occurred in the first place.

George: 10:21

It was a simple lack of something that happened. I'm like, okay, well, that's my fault, because this, this, this, this, this, this, why? Because if it's my fault, then I can control. If I blame everyone else and justify everyone else's actions, then I'm giving them, or that thing, the power, and it's not going to help me fix the problem in the future, that's for sure. So there was a level of frustration, definitely, with that and there's definitely a level of accountability for myself. But I didn't also want to and this is the other thing too I don't want it to be just like oh no, don't worry, it's my fault, you didn't fuck up, it's my fault. I should have done this, because there has to be a level of accountability on that person too, or those group of people too. It's not one person there has to be, don't you think? Or do you think that Do you think I've got the right mindset when it comes to that?

Robby: 11:10

Yeah, I don't think you should. I've you know. That was like one of the first things they teach you in personal development. It's like take responsibility, blah blah. It's like okay, but there has to be an element of a fuck you.

George: 11:22

You were wrong too, but there has to be an element of a fuck you. You were wrong too.

Robby: 11:24

Yeah, Because that person also has. Hey, you have got some level of responsibility for this as well. Like I can turn around and say, yeah, but I hired you, blah blah blah. But at the end of the day, like if I hired you based on a set of skills you represented were correct and then you've gone and not thought this through, I don't have a way to control that, dude. That's it, Do you know?

George: 11:44

what I mean yeah.

Robby: 11:45

And yes, can I, because this was my thing. I had this. I would hire people they would fail at the role. And then I'd be like it's my fault, yeah, my fault, I haven't made it easy enough for them. And then someone sat me down and said, hey, like you shouldn't if they're not, if they can't do the basic shit, like they're not the right person for the role. Do you know what I mean? Like the problem there isn't a processes problem, it's they are. What was the incompetent? Yeah, Sure, Incompetent, that's.

George: 12:25

Yeah, sure, incompetent, yeah, but then that's where your responsibility is. There again, you should fire them. So, yeah, that's right, that's exactly right, and that's how I'd see it too. It's like okay, if you fucked up, you've got to take responsibility. The responsibility is you're no longer employed here, like, if you're not it's as simple as that. You no longer are employed here. It's as simple as that. And look, it wasn't as catastrophic as what I'm making it out to be. It's an annoyance, more than anything else, and you've just got to put in effort, like everything, to get it done and get it resolved. And in this instance, it's not something that I would dismiss someone over either. I can understand the mistake happening. It's just a bit careless, more than anything else.

Robby: 13:06

Yeah, and then, look, you got to factor in everything that person has done as well. Oh, without a doubt.

George: 13:12

Without a doubt, especially for Because then it's like if it's a one-off thing and it's like dude, like A wake up, without a doubt.

George: 13:29

And then do you. Because then I start also thinking it's like, it's funny, like all that, not self-doubt, it's, the confidence starts to, starts to chip away. Yeah, like, chip away, yeah, that's probably the best way. It's like, okay, do I have the best team? It's like I start really going deep and this isn't me having a crack at anyone in my organization, I've got a great team. I want to go that deep, though, and say, well, okay, if I'm trying to win the grand final this year, do I have the best team? Is that my goal? Am I trying to win every game? Yes, I am. I'm trying to win every game.

George: 13:59

I don't want to go out and employ the cheapest person or the person. I'm going to pay the least and expect the most. I'm going to pay superstars to deliver the project. That's probably why I have such a high expectation, because I've got such a great team. I don't expect silly mistakes like this to happen. When I see it happening across the board, I'm like, guys, we're better than this. Why are you dropping the ball? It's okay to have a bad game, but overall, we need to be winning across the board and things need to happen in order for that to happen, and that's where I think the coach, the person at the head of the table, really needs to step up and look at it subjectively. Feelings aside, personalities aside, friendships, whatever it is at work, do I have the best team to help me deliver on this aspect of whatever you're doing in business?

Robby: 14:43

Do you give your team much of your time?

George: 14:46

Yeah, I would. Yes, yeah, probably. I haven't proactively given it to them in the sense that I haven't gone up to them and said, hey, let's go have a catch-up, let's do our KPI meeting. That's purely been a consequence of what I've been going through over the last six months because we've been delivering some high-end projects. We've pumped out the work as much as I'm saying we've been busy, we've done a lot of work. I've delivered millions of dollars worth of projects now in six months and it's like wow, I can't believe. I walked through with one of the developers today and it was all positive. We're talking and it's like man, you've done a good job. I said I know I'm actually quite proud of everything we've done here. Despite all the headaches, despite everything, this project has come up fantastic. That's the fist pump moment that you're after, when you walk away from it and go okay, we've actually done a pretty good job here, pretty happy with this, sorry what was your question again About giving your team time?

George: 15:43

Oh, yes, the time. Sorry, what was your question again About giving your team time? Oh, yes, the time, because I've been so tied up in that I haven't probably proactively sat with them as much as I would like, and I think that's important, even from the perspective of and we said it the other day like doing pizza on a Friday night or doing more team bonding things. I want to do a fair bit more of that because I think that's important too. I don't want it to just all be nine to five, work like animals, go home, see you next week. I do want there to be an element of people enjoying coming to work.

Robby: 16:10

Yeah, I think it's twofold there, like in the sense of there is the. This is what I find. You get stuff out of a monoline. Yeah, like when you sit down with a monoline and you're like, hey, like you know with a monoline and you're like, hey, like you know how's the, and like I tell them sometimes, hey, like we'll talk, uh, or when we do our team catch ups and say no, no, shop talk, like I'm going to ask you what your'll go.

George: 16:44

You're not like talking. Oh yeah, yeah, like no more, I'll only talk about myself, right, um, but there's that element.

Robby: 16:51

So, like you, you take them, you know, and it's like and, and yes, I do think you should do more of that, like when you sit down with them, just you and them. I think you will learn more that way than anything else, like the other one's good for morale? Yes, of course you know, but it's actually very powerful because then people get to understand people for who they are and you will see things you hadn't otherwise seen about people. You know what I mean yeah absolutely Like.

Robby: 17:26

you might notice any friction between particular individuals, which can happen.

George: 17:33

I think it's bound to happen.

Robby: 17:34

Oh yeah, you have so many different personalities Like.

George: 17:36

It's silly to think everyone's always yeah, exactly, and nor do they need to be. Definitely they need to respect and have that level of demeanor when they're at work. But you don't have to hang out on the weekends, you don't have to, you know? Hey, good morning. How are you? Give them a hug and high five? Hey, good morning. How are you? Excellent, how was your weekend? Yeah, it was really good. Thanks for asking, that's it.

Robby: 18:07

Like you don't have to be best friends, but yeah, you got to show a level of respect when you're in the office and just with anyone in general. Yeah, but I think it gives you the environment to notice what you wouldn't otherwise. Yeah, Especially because you're like you spend a lot of time in your office on your own Do you know what I mean? But I guess half your team's not here anyway.

George: 18:19

Yeah, that's what I mean, because we're not thin, we're not spread out thin, but because I've got people out and about and doing stuff. Yeah, you're right, there's people that aren't in the office.

Robby: 18:29

You should do one Friday a month, everyone 2 o'clock. We're going to have lunch, yeah.

George: 18:33

Do you know what I mean? Call?

Robby: 18:34

it early, get in that morning. You're going to be on site at 6.30, but then at 2 o'clock meet me here and then lunch and you kick a clock off from there. Yeah, you know what I mean and we sit down and we have a lunch together, everyone.

George: 18:45

Yeah, I'll do it probably in the next month or so because, as well as a bit of a celebration for completing a couple of projects that we've done, so that's a good milestone.

George: 18:53

And the other thing, which I was part of this group that we're talking, I like the idea of having short wins along the way and having milestones on projects, for example. So like sprints I was going to call them. So when we get to, say, a stage of a project, let's just call it the base stage, okay, go out and celebrate that we got to that stage. And then when we get to the frame stage, we'll go out and celebrate that we got to the frame stage. When you get to whatever different stages you want in the project, have those milestones that you get to celebrate as a team, as a group, and it kind of breaks up the project into smaller bits rather than one massive thing, because a lot of our projects go for anywhere between 12 to 15 months, so they're quite a long thing and it can often feel like you're running a marathon and you're never stopping. So I think it'd be great to break it up like that and then have those team get-togethers at each sprint or each stage of the job.

Robby: 19:48

Yeah, Even just having a cycle like monthly.

George: 19:53

Yeah, that's right, you know time-based yeah. Yeah, definitely something you're going to do.

Robby: 19:58

Yeah, I think you need to do it. I think you should do it ASAP. Yeah, I think you've been saying you're going to do it for quite some time.

George: 20:05

Yeah, I think so. But, as I said, I've just been, I had no time to breathe. That's how I felt and this is what I'm saying. It's probably been an accumulation of me having that moment in bed. And you know, I stand up in front of crowds and I say I'm a high, true, I'm also very aware that things can bring me down too and things can get to me. So I've got to be mindful of that, because that can also affect home life, and when I say home, it could be the actual house, but also relationship with friends or other extended family and whatnot. But I think my greatest skill in that regard is being aware of it but also being able to step and rise above it when it happens to. Is that the first time it's ever happened to you? No, no, do you know? Honestly, I got glimpses of how I felt during COVID.

Robby: 20:57

Was it like.

George: 20:59

Like during COVID the peak of it for us like where I remember being in bed going oh, I just do not want to go to work, like I don't want to go face what I have to face today. I know it's going to be a disaster. You know, I didn't want to get up and I felt an element of that over the last couple of weeks, just from having Just so much on.

George: 21:18

Yeah, so many things on. And then it's like you. It's like you also. They didn't feel like wins each day. I didn't feel like I was getting the wins on the board. I felt like I was just getting through the day because it's like this would happen on this day, like you need to do this. Well, this is going to happen and this is gonna happen. Like fuck, like what else do you want? Like what else could happen? And then it just got to the point where I just laugh at it when something bad happens or a problem comes up. That's cool. So it does build a level of resilience too, I think, because I look at these things and I go I've done it. I've done it again. I've gone through all those most difficult things that we're talking about. I've gone through them and we've come out the other end and we've done really well. Cool, you'll be right. So there's that aspect knowing that it's always going to be okay.

Robby: 22:06

Yeah, that's the worst feeling, though I'm the worst at that. I'll do like I'll have like a thing, and then I won't sleep, and then I'll be like I'm going to get up early tomorrow and go in and get it all done, and then I'll wake up and it's like 8.30.

George: 22:27

I'll get all this shit done and I'll just sit on the couch. I'm like, oh, I'm tired, I'm tired. Yeah, that's hard, it is hard.

Robby: 22:34

Yeah, it is hard. It's hard to stop and start again. Yeah, If you keep going, you can keep going. But when you stop for like three hours and then you're like all right, let me get back.

George: 22:44

I feel that I have to come back here to keep going. If I do at work, yeah, if I stay at home, I just don't think I'll get it done.

Robby: 22:55

Yeah, If you have a good setup it helps.

George: 22:58

Yeah, you mentioned that the other day. Yeah, it definitely helps, and I don't have it at the moment at home.

Robby: 23:02

Yeah.

George: 23:03

I've got a spare room which I may turn into a home office, but it's like I live so close to the office too, it's like just come here, but yeah, I'll see I still might set that up.

Robby: 23:13

Yeah, there's an element of like okay, need to sit down and bang something out quickly, and it's like you can like you can sit down properly, bang something out quickly, and it's like you can like you can sit down properly. Or it's like, hey, I'm gonna sit down and plan the family holiday. It's like where do you do that? I want to sit around a desk. I'm gonna sit down and plan this out properly. It's like having the ability to do that. Do you know what I mean? Or I want to learn a new skill, like having the ability to sit somewhere properly, not on the couch and watch a youtube video, but sit somewhere properly and be able to consume it. I think it's cool. Recommend is what I'm trying to say.

George: 23:49

Yeah. So I mean, I've just discussed my experience with that and again, I still think I've got a pretty positive outcome when it comes to dealing with the problems and issues. Because I'm a doer, I feel like I'll just get it done. I'm not going to. I don't waste too much time feeling sorry for myself, if that makes sense. You know I don't sit there going oh, poor me, poor me. As much as I wanted to just stay in bed at that moment, I still got my mind flipped, flipped really quick and I said no, no, get up, dude, no one else is doing this for you. No one's feeling sorry for you. Also, it was like do you talk about it with what with any with other people?

George: 24:22

no, why, not, I'm talking to you about it and everyone listening, and everyone listening. This is why I held it in, I helped it inside, I pushed it down, and so I could bring it out right now.

Robby: 24:31

So if we didn't have a podcast, you probably wouldn't talk about it um, it's funny you mentioned that.

George: 24:36

Yeah I, I've never been the type why, I don't know what. I don't know. Maybe, uh, I don't think it's a pride thing, it's just mean, it's more like no look, I've got it, it's me, it's on me, it's always on.

Robby: 24:49

Me that sounds like a pride thing yeah, I know.

George: 24:51

Yeah, yeah, and maybe not a pride, sorry, an embarrassment thing. It's never been like I'm ashamed or I don't, I don't feel comfortable to. I think it's been more like I'll get it, like I'll do, it's okay.

Robby: 25:03

Yeah, but so don't you think it would be like you can do anything?

George: 25:06

Who can I speak to? Honestly, you're probably one of the only people I'd speak to about it yeah but you didn't call me. Yeah, you'd be right. It's like I wake up early. I'm not upset.

Robby: 25:14

You're like, you're all right, and then I'm in a rut, because sometimes it feels like this I think you're three weeks straight Like hey, I don't feel like I'm getting anything fucking done. This hole's getting bigger. Yeah, like, and I don't know like this list just keeps growing.

George: 25:32

Yeah, I really think that's going to be. That's powerful shit, Especially.

Robby: 25:36

I feel that it's-.

George: 25:37

What's powerful shit. I feel that it I wouldn't want to necessarily speak to my wife about it or a friend that can't relate. You know that maybe has a nine to five or, like a lot of people, I don't think I'd be able to have that conversation.

Robby: 25:56

I think one of the biggest factors of communicating with someone is you want to feel understood. Yeah, without a doubt. And if you're talking to someone and they're like, yeah, yeah, my boss tells me off, and you're like, oh, fuck it, you don't get it, yeah, yeah.

George: 26:08

Yeah, so, yes, there's few people that I would speak to about it because I don't feel that I'd be able to open it. They'd be able to give me the right advice, but also, sometimes you just need someone to listen to. Sometimes it's not advice. Yeah, you'd want someone to listen to.

Robby: 26:21

Sometimes it's not advice. Yeah, exactly, Just need to unload and say that was sick, thanks.

George: 26:26

Yeah, yeah and I think there's a skill with that too to be able to be a good listener, and to sit there and just like tell me what it is I'm not here to fix.

George: 26:36

I find that that works really well with. I think, as men, our biggest thing is like get a problem, how do I fix it? How do I fix it? What do I need to do to fix this? Sometimes you just need to listen. I think that can be a really good skill, especially if you're in a relationship and your partner or your wife they often don't want you to fix shit, they just want you to listen.

Robby: 26:57

Yeah, they're trying to connect with you.

George: 26:58

Yeah, that's it. You just sit there, hey, sometimes when. Hey, sometimes when you're like, you give them the logical answer yeah, so hey, just do it like this and stop being a fucking idiot. It's like thanks for solving all my problems. I didn't want that.

Robby: 27:11

But yeah, sometimes the logical answer is not the way that's it.

George: 27:15

That's it. But yes, I think that's a powerful thing. If you do have someone that you can talk to, definitely reach out to them, because it's probably going to help you. It's probably going to help you and I think, yes, there was an element of that that would help me too, for sure, but you didn't do it, I didn't do it. I didn't do it. Maybe my pride got in my way, do?

Robby: 27:32

you reckon that's what it is.

George: 27:34

No, I just, I, just, I just. I was probably distracted by what I needed to do. I was just focused on that. I'm still there now. Don't get me wrong, I've still got heaps to do. The second we walked in here my phone started blowing up and it was a couple of important phone calls that I had to take, and I haven't checked my phone now, but there's probably going to be missed calls on it. There's probably going to be things that I need to action when we get out of this room for the job. But again, it's like what do I do now so that next time this doesn't happen? Is it different? Is it like putting people in place to have those problems for me, which I think there is an element of that too? There's definitely an element of that yeah you know and like.

George: 28:20

so I'm doing this task now. So we're getting there's this thing called for those of you that don't know an occupancy permit. Whenever you get home, whenever you build a home, you have to get an occupancy permit. That process is much more involved when you're doing an apartment complex, because there's a lot more forms, statements, compliance certificates, a whole range of things. Now I want to be in the position not, I want to be, but I want to give that to people in my team Say, hey, your problem, fix it. This is your baby. I do not want to see, I do not need to be involved in this process. I don't need to call the contractors, I don't need to call the consultants, I don't need to write the letters. You do it. That whole aspect alone. If I had someone in my team doing that, that's a big thing off my plate it's huge, particularly for an apartment job for a home.

George: 29:07

It's not as complicated still a bit of effort, but not as complicated. But I want to be able to give that to someone so I know next time it's not done and start the process early, not in the 11th hour. Get everything ready from day one. You're on top of it. Yes, great, uh. There's a level of that that I want to be bringing into my next lot of projects that are coming up.

Robby: 29:31

I think it's huge to be able to have people on your team that can solve those problems.

George: 29:34

Yes, it is.

Robby: 29:36

I had someone come to me before and he's like this is not working. And I was like dude, something about a social media account. And I was like work it out. He's like I don't know how. I was like what would you do if you were at home? Like what would you do if I wasn't here? What would you do? And he's like I'd do this. I said, go do that. I could have sold it for him. I knew exactly what it was. But I'm like go do that fucking thing, because you're going Stop bombarding me during the day.

George: 30:04

Yeah.

Robby: 30:04

Like. You know what I mean Get shit done, Work it out.

George: 30:07

You very much come to me with solutions, not problems.

Robby: 30:09

No, don't come to me, do you? Know, what I mean, like don't come to me, period. Yeah, that's why you get a job. If I needed someone to come to me, I'd hire someone less competent that I'd solve all their problems for.

George: 30:19

Yeah that I'm like oh really, what if I gave you a million dollars right now? What if I gave you all the chocolate in the world? What if I gave you all of these things that you want so desperately? Could you do it? Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, okay, then you can do it All. Right, it's a matter of motivation, yeah.

Robby: 30:37

I don't want to.

George: 30:38

Yeah, you don't want to do it, you can do it you don't want to, but yeah, without a doubt there's a huge element of that. I think we're pretty sure we've mentioned this before. Terry Crews before he became famous and hit the big time in the acting scene, he used to have this mentality when he was, I think, he was a security guard somewhere and he would walk in on his first night shift or whatever it would be, and he goes like how would I do this job if I was getting paid a million dollars a year? This is a guy being a security guard, probably making 11 bucks an hour. He's like what would I do, how would I go about my task, everything I'm doing here, if I was getting paid a million dollars to do this job? And then he's like cool, let's have a look at it.

George: 31:21

So he'd rock up on site, he'd do his checks. He'd make sure his flashlight has got batteries. He'd have a spare set of batteries. He would make sure all the cameras are pointed in the right direction. He would report any suspicious behavior. He would report the cars that drove by more than once or twice or whatever it might be, even though it might be nothing. He would just look at everything and how he could elevate that role, even though he was getting $11 an hour, as if he was getting a million dollars a year to do that job, and by him doing that and having that mindset he was solving problems. He was much more alert and also responsive and competent that it didn't take long for him to then elevate to the next level.

Robby: 32:05

Yeah, but I think it takes a particular type of individual. Without a doubt, because you know what the average employee response would be to that? I'm not getting paid a lot.

George: 32:13

Yeah, exactly, but I'm not.

George: 32:15

And then it's like no, that's why you're not, that's why you're not, and I think you're bang on with it. And that's why I wanted to bring something like that up, Because if you are that person, think differently, Start to think bigger. I've been doing this for 10 years now. I realized this the other day. I've achieved a lot in 10 years. I've had a lot of wins. I've had a lot of losses. It's like okay, I feel that I've been doing this for a really long time, but what's the next 10 years going to look like? It'll go by quick. It's going to go by quick. If I was that good over life I've become that good since 10 years how much better am I going to be in the next 10?

George: 32:51

You might think about losses and hardships that you're having at the moment and challenges and all this sort of shit, but if you've become better as a result of those things and now moving forward, you're going to become even better. It's just a game and you haven't lost. You haven't lost. As long as you keep going, you're not going to lose. I don't see there being a losing point in this game. Even if you do lose everything, you go bankrupt. Most billionaires and multimillionaires. They've gone broke two, three times. They've lost it all. They've risked it all, but they've lost it all. Then they've gone again and learned from those mistakes and then keep going, kept having that belief. I have a huge level of belief as well in my own abilities.

Robby: 33:34

Do you think it impacts you when you hold everything in?

George: 33:38

Oh yeah, I think it would for me. I've become better at it, though I reckon my last two three years as in not holding it in, oh okay, yeah.

George: 33:45

So over the last two, three years as in not holding it in, oh okay, yeah. So over the last two, three years, doing a lot of the personal development stuff helped and, uh, the business journeys and and trainings and everything I've done, and even training other people that's funny. It was like when I train other people, it's like I'm just talking to myself. Anyway, you know, hey, this is what you need to be doing when you're coaching? When I'm coaching, I feel like I'm just coaching myself.

Robby: 34:08

Anyway yeah, it's all coaching yourself, coach, yeah. So yeah, that's one of the best. I used to say shit, I'm not, I speak like coaching people and I used to say something I'd be like fuck one second yeah, coin that, yeah, yeah, so there's.

George: 34:25

I feel that I've definitely become better at it, because that was probably one of my weaknesses is that I had that very much it's stereotypical but masculine mindset that I'm the man, I'll do it whatever, where the world, the weight of the world on my shoulders, do you think it's still? There's probably an element of it there still. Yeah, for sure, for sure. And cause, I suppose there's a level of vulnerability and weakness in it To speak. Yeah, not that there's anything wrong with that, I'm just saying there is that level there.

Robby: 34:54

No, no, you're just saying that it's something that you battle with.

George: 34:58

Yeah, I think yeah, without a doubt, without, a doubt. I do feel that I still hold my own things in rather than having that conversation with someone or something about something.

Robby: 35:07

Sorry, yeah, so what? What do you think the overall impact is that on your, on your life? You know what I mean. Like, um, like I'm a big believer of you need to have some kind of outlet, right? Uh, whatever, it is like some people go and scream their head off, some people go and run as fast as they can, some people go and lift really heavy weights and like point where you're exerting you know what I mean. I think you need to have a way to let things out, otherwise they fester in your body, I feel that I've had that a lot over the years.

George: 35:46

What that festering thing where it just sits there.

Robby: 35:50

And then it shows up, but it shows up as something else. I believe, and it shows up elsewhere in your life, yeah, and it shows up like, uh fuck my, my arm is sore, or uh, I've got a sore back, or all of a sudden I've got this fucking rash, or you know you're breaking out, or you're losing hair, or you look like you're 70 when you're 35.

George: 36:09

But it can even be a breakdown in other elements of your life, like it could be your relationships. It can be like we see each other pretty much every day. You could be like man, I don't like George as much anymore. Maybe I change as a person because of that internal bullshit festering. Whatever I've got going on, you're like oh, george isn't as funny as he used to be. George isn't as good at podcasting as he used to be.

Robby: 36:33

Yeah, step it up.

George: 36:34

Yeah, try it, step it up, try it. That's why I'm speaking to you about it now, so I can become better. So, yeah, I do believe that that is a negative thing to have.

Robby: 36:45

So let's say that that was happening. That's not, that's a consequence. You know what I mean. Like the other person won't just think that you would have had to drop the ball. Like imagine Nicole turns around and says you know, he used to come home happy and now he doesn't anymore. Nicole hasn't done anything wrong. He's stopped coming home happy.

George: 37:03

Correct? Do you know what I mean? Correct? And that's the same thing. Like what I said during COVID, I used to come home thinking I was okay. But I would come home and I was just so mentally drained and exhausted from everything that I was doing that my kids didn't see the best version of me. Not that I was bad, and I say this a lot. It's like I wasn't bad. I wasn't a bad dad, I wasn't a that shit. I just wasn't the best. I just wasn't that person that I know I am and who I want to be around and what I want people to be attracted to.

Robby: 37:34

So that had consequences and so how would you know like hindsight's a beautiful thing it is, you might look back at this one day and say, fuck, I was in the same slump.

George: 37:45

Yes.

Robby: 37:47

I had no idea.

George: 37:47

I didn't know you were doing.

Robby: 37:48

COVID yeah, so how do you know?

George: 37:52

you're not there now. I know I'm not there now because of, well, because I've gone through that experience previously.

Robby: 38:05

Just because you've been to hell twice, it doesn't mean you're not in hell the second time.

George: 38:10

Look, you're always going to have that. Let's call it hell, as you're saying. That's always going to be there. There's going to be that element of that there. I can walk through hell now and it's not going to affect me as much.

Robby: 38:20

As much, but still.

George: 38:22

Well, I'm only human, I'm still getting better at it too. But then the third time I walk through and the fourth time and the fifth time, and then soon hell's going to look like heaven anyway. You know what I mean. So there is that element. I don't think I'll ever be that person that I was back then and again, not bad. I don't think I'll ever be like that, ever again. Because I still have that enough. I have enough self-awareness to realize when I'm starting to slump. And I felt that I I have enough self-awareness to realize when I'm starting to slump. I have felt that the last say, two weeks, more so Because I mentioned to you, I won't say, wait a minute, but I have felt that in the last couple of weeks and it's like all right, how do I bring myself out of this? What do I need to do? And it's funny, you said what's the release? And I look at it and I go. Okay, I haven't gone to the gym for six weeks because I had a hernia operation and I'm still. They say I can't go for a while, but anyway, that used. That wasn't. There was an element of release doing that. I don't think that for me.

George: 39:17

I felt so much better after. I worked out like, oh, that's good, that's all I needed. So I didn't have that. But something happened on the weekend yeah, last weekend, saturday and it was a nice sunny day winter day, but it was a nice sunny day and I was driving. I just had music on, sunroof was open and I was driving. I just bought a new car and I felt like this is cool, I just relaxed. I actually felt a bit of relief.

George: 39:45

You know how sometimes you feel weighed down. I just enjoy that. I've always enjoyed just cruising and going for a drive, listening to music, whatever it might be, and just being alone. In all honesty, sometimes I don't mind that too. I did feel that bit of relief there. I came home and said it to my wife. I said you know what I feel so much better just having gone for a drive for half an hour 45 minutes and coming back and feeling really good. Why, why, maybe it's, I don't know. It's a connection from when I was younger. I used to do that. I used to like drive. I still do. I enjoy driving.

Robby: 40:20

You don't do anything for yourself. Yeah, you're probably right.

George: 40:26

We don't hang out outside of here, probably right Ever know we don't hang out outside of here? Probably right Ever. Do you want to? We should, we should 100%. No, we went for dinner the other day, yeah.

Robby: 40:36

Yeah, that was the worst two of us ever had in my life.

George: 40:41

We were knocked off so bad and it was recommended too.

Robby: 40:44

Yeah, like this is, you got to get this. It was recommended and it was recommended too.

George: 40:46

Yeah, like this, is you got to get this? It was recommended. It was recommended. No, you're completely right, and it's yeah.

Robby: 40:51

I reckon you don't do enough and I get it Like you got kids, you got a wife, you got family. But I don't want that to be excuses too.

George: 40:59

It's not excuses. That's good that I've got those things. Do you know what I mean?

Robby: 41:04

And it's more of a um, uh. There's a level of you have responsibilities, like it's not, like you can't just drop. I can drop everything tomorrow and yeah.

George: 41:12

I could call you up. Yeah, exactly Right, I could do it.

Robby: 41:15

Yeah, you can't do that. Yeah, which is completely unsaid. But also you can go and tuck your kids into bed at night. Yeah, I can't do that.

George: 41:23

Yeah, you're bang on, and even more so. Like it's funny you say that because it's like I've got a from uni. I've got five close friends that I'm still friends with today. It's been 20, over 20 years, whatever it is.

Robby: 41:33

And Define close friends, because someone said this to me the other day and I said what's a close friend? And they said someone you can call up and just talk absolute. And I was like I've got one.

George: 41:45

No, well then, if that's the definition, then I've got five. Maybe four, but five. There was a group of us and we've just always remained close and we actually we try to go out every month at least, and it's been I reckon like March was the last time we went out and we've got a group chat and we always talk like we talk in there, we send messages and all that sort of stuff. I'm like, hey, let's go out, like I've recently, actually, as far as the last week and a half, two weeks, I've been the one that getting in the chat, oh, let's go, let's go out and meet up and do something and actually get out, cause I've probably subconsciously felt the need to go out and do something. And a couple of them haven't been responsive either. Maybe they've got shit going on. I actually called one of them the other day because I hadn't spoken to him, I hadn't heard him in the group chat, nothing, and I'm still going to follow him up. But it's like you're completely right, there has to be an element of you doing things for you. Without a doubt, I went out last night. Okay, I'm quite simple. I feel too. I don't feel like I, without a doubt, I went out last night. I'm quite simple. I feel too. I don't feel like I need a lot.

George: 42:54

I went out for dinner. It was my son's birthday yesterday. I went out for dinner with my sister-in-law, my brother-in-law, nicole, and the kids. I had a really good time out. For me, that was a bit of a release. I said it to them. I said, guys, why do we wait for fucking events like a birthday or some shit to go out? We should do this more often and have that thing. I don't know. Sometimes to me I feel like I make it an excuse, as in I've got these two projects that I'm trying to finish. When I finish that, then I'll enjoy myself, then I'll do team stuff, then I'll do these things.

George: 43:31

That's the worst, and I think that's where I've been the last three months more. So I won't say six months, because I've had my whole team here, but I'd say the last two to three months I've felt in that trap where I haven't done much outside of work. I haven't. It's always just been work. It's always been go, go, go, go go and I'm like when this job's finished, we'll be cool after that. We'll be cool after that. But the thing is, and the trap that I've realized, is there's always something else. There's always the next job, there's always the next challenge, there's always the next hurdle.

Robby: 44:02

Dude, you said this to me. You're like you died right now. Your inbox would be full tomorrow morning. Yeah, yeah, I mean, and it would. Yeah, unless I set up a thing like an automation.

Robby: 44:12

Do it I didn't close my emails, um, but do you know what I mean? Like it's like that stuff's never gonna go away. Yeah, I, I'll share a story. Someone told me this the day I called someone and they called me back and they're like hey, man, I just had the most emotional dinner I've ever had. And I was like what they're like? I had the most emotional dinner I've ever had in my life and I was like where'd you go? He's like I went to a Korean barbecue place man. They got free Wagyu barbecue place man, they got free wagyu, blah, blah.

Robby: 44:48

I was like was it like you're in love? Like you said, free wagyu, like unlimited. Oh, you can eat and there's as much wagyu as you want. Yeah, and he's like it was freaking great. I was like was it emotional? Like I love the wagyu, like what's the? And he goes. Nah, they caught up with a friend, uh, a couple, and uh, they've known him for quite some years because I'm perfectly normal, he's a wife that were overseas and the wife was getting something done at the hospital in Malaysia. Okay, and the husband I'm pretty sure her husband might be partner, but not life partner was waiting and he saw a thing that said get a comprehensive check blah blah

Robby: 45:22

blah. This is a true story. It happened on Sunday. Yeah, right, yeah, get a comprehensive check, blah, blah, blah. And he thought you know, I'm in my 50s? Might as well, like I'm here, I'm waiting. Might as well, go get this check. So he goes I think it was a few hundred bucks or whatever and he goes and gets this check. They find a few things that are out of whack. They run a. This guy had no, zero symptoms, life was normal, he was. He just purchased a caravan ready to do a lap around and show you Stage four lung cancer, six months to live, completely rocked his whole. Dude, normal guy. I said no, like none, no symptoms, like nothing Like. This is a guy who would go to the beach and would swim out to the, to the pole and everyone would be like, hey, man, get him Do you know what I mean.

Robby: 46:08

Like just a normal dude, didn't have any bad habits. He used to smoke when he was younger but stopped ages ago, doesn't drink, you know, exercises and kicked in the teeth at 50. And it's like that could happen to anyone at any point in time. Dude, like from you know, and it's like fuck these emails. Yes, yes, you know what I mean. Like for what? Yeah, like for what, yeah, like I get it. And I'm not saying anyone like you need to reply to emails, but like. But there's an element of like to what. To what detriment? Do you know what I mean? Like, what's the fucking trade-off got to be here? Yeah, at what point do you turn around and say you know what? Like, what would have to happen for you to turn around and say this wasn't worth it?

George: 46:59

Yeah, are you asking the question?

Robby: 47:00

Yeah, I'm just fucking yelling. That would have to be. Get what I'm saying.

George: 47:05

Touch wood, If that happened tomorrow I'd be like fuck, is that what I've just traded? Yeah, Powerful shit.

Robby: 47:12

Yeah, but I'd also sit there. It's going to be a sick story when I tell them how I fucking bounced back. Ah, yeah, that's it.

George: 47:18

Yeah, but like it's guy and I was like, fuck, like yeah, yeah, I had it the other day. A friend, his partner, the same thing. She copped it out of nowhere. They and these guys are like they're healthy, they travel, they're fit, like they're fucking everything. Yeah, you hear the stories. Now she's shaped her head, she's fucking going through the treatments.

George: 47:42

I'm like, damn, that's fucking, that's hard man, that's sad. And I've got. Look, I've got coin and this helps me too. This is like what I'm saying. I've grown a lot through the PD space and just as a person.

George: 47:56

But I've got a coin on my desk. I literally picked it up today. It literally sits there on my desk because I can see it every day. It says Memento Mori, memento Vivere and Memento mori you're going to die. There's one side of the coin that says you're going to die. I'm like, yeah, I'm going to fucking die one day. This is not going to happen. It's inevitable, it's going to happen Unless AI can download my subconscious and upload it into the next one. I'm gone, and then on the other side it says memento vivere, which means you're going to live. Because you are going to live too. All right, death is coming, but there's also a life before that too, however long or short it's going to be, there is life there, and I think that's a good reminder to yourself that you know you are going to die one day.

George: 48:41

Just understand what's important Be grateful. Practicing gratitude's a massive thing. Like I look at the problems I've got and this is again the reframe that helped me get through. This moment was all right. Yes, these are challenging, but, man, I asked for this. This is good, life is good, and that even happens in the way I talk to people. All right, someone will call me up, because I get heaps of calls hey, how you going? Excellent, what a life. How good is it? I've got all these problems. I get to have all these problems.

George: 49:11

I say shit like that to people that I hardly even know Contractors, suppliers, people that I do know really well. What a life it is. How lucky are you. You get to be working every single day and working hard. What a life. Because that self-talk changes so much, so much. Because, if you were always like fuck, because that self-talk changes so much, so much Because if you were always like fuck, how you going? Yeah, all right, what are you doing? If you're always that guy, if you're always that person. Man, you've got one foot in the grave. Do you ever catch yourself being like that? Not as much as I used to, so sometimes.

Robby: 49:40

Yeah, sometimes.

George: 49:42

I think it's human nature Again. We're programmed to be negative. I think it's hard, like it's hard to always be positive. Yeah, you're hardwired, yeah, we're programmed as a survival mechanism, but yeah, I think so. I don't want to sit here and say that I don't, and like I'm not David Goggins or anything like that, where I sit there and say, you know, carry the boats and shit.

Robby: 50:02

Someone messaged me the other day like stay hard. Thanks, dave.

George: 50:07

You're the fucking softest bloke. Hey, shut the fuck up.

Robby: 50:13

You know who you are. You know exactly who you are. I was thinking about this. If we're thinking about the same person, that's fucking amazing. That's so good, we'll talk offline.

George: 50:23

Yeah, so that whole thing is so true, dude, so fucking true. And it's, this is man. This has been good. This chat now. This is a sick chat. This is a sick chat. This is a chat I needed. I'm going to go home and fucking push up.

Robby: 50:37

This episode's never going to air. It's not. This was just a chat between me and you. Yeah, I'll send you a bill. Thanks, I'll pay it, do you?

George: 50:43

take Amix Always. Good, that's all we take. Sorry, be offended if you didn't. So yeah, man, that's how I know I'm better. That's how I know I'm not bogged down. That's how I know that, regardless of everything I'm going through, regardless of the pressures, it's like I have a level of gratitude for it too. I have a level of gratitude for it.

Robby: 51:09

So there's no? I think there is no, not doing it Like you're going to do hard things, but it's like how do you what, what are the things, what are the elements that you can do to help you? You don't come out of the battle without scars. Yes, what do I do to make sure I come out the minimum amount of scars as possible?

George: 51:24

Yeah.

Robby: 51:24

Because one of these scars might fuck me up. Yeah.

George: 51:25

And I agree, scars as possible, because one of these scars might fuck me up. Yeah, and I agree, and I think for me it's you hit the nail on the head and you've seen it as an observation is I don't do enough for myself. I try to do everything for everyone else, more so I'll do things for other people than like I say. It's a bit of a joke, but I'm like I wear, I wear a g-shock so my wife can wear a Rolex. Yeah, I've said that to her and she's like oh, don't say that. I was like no, it's cool, man, I'm fine, you wear that. I'm happy with this. This is cool.

Robby: 51:54

But so there's an element of, but why not?

George: 51:58

I have a Rolex and you have a Rolex. I can do both I can. I could go out tomorrow and buy one. I'm not going to, but I could Don't do it. That's it.

George: 52:07

I did something else silly anyway, and this was another little thing that I was going to talk to you about we touched on it a little bit having imposter syndrome, and I've never really felt that I've had imposter syndrome. Do you know what I mean? I've never really felt like I don't deserve this or I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't have this. I've kind of maybe it's a level of arrogance, I don't know potentially, no, no, I deserve this. I've worked hard. This is mine. I'm doing it and for the first time ever, I felt it.

George: 52:37

And I recently bought a new car, and it was an expensive car. I bought a Porsche. Congratulations, thank you. And yeah, you came with me. We drove around and you asked me how do you feel? And in the moment I was like, yeah, it feels all right, I guess. But there was an element of me going, fuck, I shouldn't have this car. I feel like I shouldn't be seen in this car. I feel like I shouldn't tell people but why I should be celebrating that. I feel like I shouldn't tell people but why. I should be celebrating that I've worked hard for it. I should be celebrating the accomplishments and all that sort of stuff. There should be an element of that too. But I felt like the word's not ashamed, what's the word? It's deserving. I don't know. Is that what I'm trying to say? It was odd.

Robby: 53:27

What was odd about it? Who were you worried, might see?

George: 53:30

you no one specifically Like it was more a me thing, it wasn't anyone else, but it's like no, but it's always someone else.

Robby: 53:41

Because if you were driving that car in Germany and you didn't know anyone around, you wouldn't have felt that way.

George: 53:45

Yeah, potentially you didn't know anyone around you wouldn't have felt that way.

Robby: 53:49

yeah, potentially it's not mine either though you're saying if I hired one, what if you bought it, whatever? In boarding for a laugh. Well, you're on holiday just for a laugh.

George: 53:54

What a life, what a life you know what I mean yeah, yeah, no, I do know what you're saying.

Robby: 53:59

I don't know what you're saying but so it's usually an element of what we think. Someone might think about us or like you might pull up and see another Porsche owner Could be that and feel like oh man like I don't when there's a lack of yes, yes, yes yes, Do you? I'm just, I'm spitballing you. No, no, that's fine. Do you know what I mean?

George: 54:17

But like Look, there's probably an element of me also in my profession and what I do. It's like we've said this would I ever rock up to see a client? Okay, I'm going to see a potential client tomorrow.

Robby: 54:29

This is actually happening, have we said this on the podcast. We've had this conversation about this.

George: 54:32

Yes, I can't remember. Okay, but yeah, tomorrow. Okay, so I'm going to see an actual client tomorrow, a potential client, looking at pricing a job for him, done some intermediate work for him and giving him some advice and all that sort of stuff, and I'm actually going to meet him face to face for the next day. Now if I rocked up in the Porsche or rocked up in a Ranger like what message is that portraying to that person? And I'm like, would I? So I think about that and I'm like is it the right thing to be rocking up in a Porsche or a Ranger in that instance? And automatically my mind would go no, no, don't take the Porsche. That's silly.

Robby: 55:06

Yeah, I think it depends who you're talking to.

George: 55:09

Yeah, without a doubt, I don't know this person well enough to make a judgment call on that Because, yeah, you're right, if I go and see my client in Turak and pull up to his $20 million home, he'd be like, oh, that's not, he goes. When did you get the upgraded sound system and all that I just bought?

Robby: 55:29

one for my daughter, bought one for my butler.

George: 55:34

Yeah, but it's all relative, isn't it? It's all relative, but I mean and again, what's the brand that you're trying to portray? How are you trying to put yourself out there? I think that would have a consequence to it too but so what's the element of imposter? Builders don't have cars like that gives a fuck, exactly. But that's the element of it, isn't it? So are you not that type of builder?

Robby: 55:59

I don't know well, so no builder has one no, I wouldn't say that at all okay, so what then? What is it? Are you? Do you identify so strongly as a builder that you're like bro, if I don't have a hammer on me, do you know what?

George: 56:10

I mean If I don't have a drill nearby.

Robby: 56:11

I feel lost.

George: 56:12

Yeah, there could be an element of that, but I've never been that way inclined with that hammer. But yes, there could be an element of that.

Robby: 56:20

So you think you're.

George: 56:22

But it could be, I still. So this isn't just to be to clarify this isn't my car. I bought it for my wife. I don't actually drive a car, but I still have a. I still drive a Land Rover, which is a very nice car and almost very similar in price brand new, you know and I don't feel any different or odd in that. So what's the difference? It's the badge. It's the badge. Yeah, I think it is the badge, for sure.

Robby: 56:44

But it's what the badge represents. Yeah, so what do you feel like having that badge represents that you feel like is not in alignment with what you're doing Usually, when people talk about imposter syndrome right, and Jimmy Carr said this on some podcast and he goes imposter syndrome is a wonderful thing. You should aim to have it every 18 months, because anytime you're going into a new space, you should feel like you don't belong because you haven't been there before.

George: 57:09

Yeah, and I think that's what the I think that's what I'm feeling, like what you're saying. I feel that that space and part of me to make because I think we said it. No, we definitely did say a while ago, I said I was in a position where I could start to look at a vehicle like that, but I wasn't going to do it because it wasn't the right thing for me. At the time, when I bought this car, it was very spontaneous. It wasn't planned, we weren't going out there to go, oh, let's go get this car. I hadn't planned it for six months, I hadn't done my research and looked at colors and shit like that, stars aligned and went out and got it.

George: 57:40

But I think there was definitely an element of me going well, I've kind of been a bit too comfortable. So maybe excuse me, maybe this was an element of me. Okay, let's start pushing, let's start going harder. You know you've got this thing to pardon the pun to drive you or to push you, to force you to elevate and to go that next level. Because I mean, going to the Porsche Center in Melbourne was a fantastic experience and you're looking at all the vehicles in there and it's like wow that's half a million dollars.

George: 58:12

Yeah, it's Collingwood Smith Street. Yeah, smith Street. I think it's Smith Street, isn't it?

Robby: 58:18

Is it a wide road like four lanes? Yeah, yeah.

George: 58:25

No, victoria lanes, yeah, yeah, no, victoria strides, victoria, okay, that's close, borderline city, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah so. But you go in, there's cars that are worth eight, nine hundred thousand dollars in there and it's like, wow, okay, that's the next level. And you're seeing guys that walk in there and custom building cars and doing this and doing that, and turbos this and v8s that, and sunroof and speakers and leather from the back of humpback whales and all that sort of jazz that I think it's Porsche, it has to be. So, yeah, there's so many levels to it, but for me, at that level, the vehicle that we purchased I was like all right, this is a big deal for me. I've got to really step up my game. I've got to start doing things differently, I've got to start playing a bigger game. And I think there was that element there for me too, because sometimes I do feel that and I've said this previously that when things start to get a bit comfortable, I'll be like oh, it's lay back a bit, let's just chill out, take a rest. You've worked hard.

Robby: 59:17

It's human nature, yeah, and that's what I don't want to do.

George: 59:20

I don't want to be that person again, ever again. I've done that and that hurt me a lot, especially, as I said, during COVID. I was before COVID. I was killing it dude Like we were making money, had money in the bank. I was arrogant as fuck.

George: 59:32

Like the best builder, Like I was, although we were really good at what we did. I just I had holes in my bucket that I didn't know were there, and it wasn't until things got a bit hard that those holes exploded. So, yeah, I think there was an element of that me purchasing that vehicle for my wife and or for us, whatever. But yeah, but when, going back again to what I was saying, I was driving on the weekend and I had that moment. There was a moment there where I was like, wow, this is cool, Listening to some music driving the car. It was a nice sunny day and I was like you know what, Well done, Good on you. I felt a sense of accomplishment and happiness and just all right, this is the next level, let's go again.

Robby: 1:00:21

Did you feel the feeling you didn't know you'd get after going to Vegas and racing those cars?

George: 1:00:28

Yeah, good question, good question. Um, I felt, yeah, it felt different, like you know how we were saying oh, after we roast those cars, we're like, oh, what's the big deal? You said that, yeah, I know. I said that, yes, that's right, it didn't feel like a big deal. Nah, it is a big deal. I think there's a level of significance to it. Behind it. It's not necessarily the badge. It's like what it represents to get to that stage.

Robby: 1:00:57

Is it a? I have a Porsche now, Not in the sense of like, don't touch me. Yeah, I'm like that now with a pod, me too.

George: 1:01:05

Me too.

Robby: 1:01:06

It's more in the sense of like cool, this is a benchmark, a checkpoint, like a marker. I don't know what the fuck I'm looking for here. I think benchmark's the right word. Yeah, it's kind of like cool, we surpassed a level. We've entered a new realm.

George: 1:01:19

You know what the fuck I'm looking for here. I think benchmark's the right word.

Robby: 1:01:22

Yeah, it's kind of like a cool. We surpassed a level, we've entered a new realm, you know what I mean. And it's like cool, like people at this level, because I'm sure if you went and bought a Bentley tomorrow, you'd probably have that feeling more. Yeah, maybe, I don't know, I'm just a bit blown away.

George: 1:01:43

No, but you're right. You're right. And look, when I look at that, there's still levels to it too. As we said, there's levels to everything, because you can still go buy a half a million dollar car. You can still go buy an $800,000 car.

Robby: 1:01:55

Yeah.

George: 1:01:58

There's definitely levels to it and it's like, well, if I now go out and really crush it and kill it and make all this money on all these projects and then I do go buy a Lambo or whatever the hell, I buy a $500,000 car, is it again? Oh shit, I probably shouldn't do that. I'm a builder. Builders shouldn't be driving cars like this. Everyone's going to think I'm ripping them off or I'm a drug dealer, or you know what's that image going to portray for the business. Is it going to affect me winning more business? Because people are going to go nah, he's too expensive, don't, don't work with him. Or will they look at it and go wow, what a successful person, an entrepreneur and business owner. He's definitely the type of person I want to be doing business with.

Robby: 1:02:32

I think they'll say both.

George: 1:02:33

I think they'll say both too. I don't think it's avoidable. Yeah, yeah, and that's fine, it's we're in. As a country, we're very much like that. The tall poppy syndrome, oh, massive, yeah, and we noticed that in Australia. Did I tell you the other day I haven't told you this when I went to the airport about the hat? Oh, I did, cool, yeah.

George: 1:02:56

So for context, guys, when we're in the States, me and Robbie were wearing our Million Dollar Days hat repping as we do every day. Every day, someone would say to at least to one of us. So much, yeah, at least to one of us, if not multiple times a day. Hey, man, love the hat, love the hat. Where do you get it from? Where can I get one? Like, people were asking us where to get the hat from. That was celebrating a million dollar days. That's sick. Like how do we, like you, make a million dollar days? You're making bank guys like you guys killing it, you're crushing it and it and it's like this is our podcast, like really. And people were asking genuine questions about it.

George: 1:03:28

And then I bumped into a guy for the first time at the airport in Sydney. It was in Sydney, coming back home and the guy was wearing my Million Dollar Days hat and he's like hey, love the hat, man, and he's the guy that it. I was like, oh thanks, man, go to podcast, check it out. Just search up Million Dollar Days in iTunes and you'll see us there he goes oh yeah, that's cool man, I'll check it out. Hey, if you're listening, bro, welcome to the show. Welcome to the show. You just got a free plug. You got a free plug. Well done, jamal. It was 100% Jamal.

Robby: 1:04:06

No one would let Jamal work at the airport Says the blood that gets pulled over every fucking time we go out. It's good I'm a dangerous guy. What if I'm going to blow shit up? You better check every fucking time he's going to blow up. You don't know me Metaphorically and yeah, metaphorically.

George: 1:04:19

Is that why your vest is puffy? Yeah, is that why you're the bestest puppy.

Robby: 1:04:22

Yeah so.

George: 1:04:25

I can hide shit. So yeah, that goes to show the mentality, because we've worn that hat so often and not once in Australia have we ever. Really well, not once.

Robby: 1:04:34

So do you think you'd be more comfortable driving a Porsche in the US?

George: 1:04:36

Perhaps, perhaps From what I've seen and heard, other international business people say the same thing where they go to the States and they'll drive that same car and they see that as a level of accomplishment. Hey man, well done. What did you do to get there? People celebrate that more so the success than they do here, and I kind of envy that a little bit.

Robby: 1:04:58

I also think America has a level of delusion Just from everything that's been happening lately, like they are doing some cook shit at the moment, and it's like, everyone's like yeah, you know, you were saying you and you're like, I always have you guys are not in a good spot there, um, but you take the good with the bad right the same way. We do that here. Australia is not really. We're doing some cook shit.

George: 1:05:22

Yeah, without a doubt we are.

Robby: 1:05:23

Yeah, like the footy player who had a homophobic slur.

George: 1:05:28

Oh yeah, you said that the other day.

Robby: 1:05:30

That was fucking shit Sent him to pride management school. Oh man, Pride management training or something that is so fucked up yeah and it's like come on, guys, we're way too far to one side. Do you know what I mean?

George: 1:05:41

You can't do that. What would you do in that instance if you were the footballer Me? Because he probably just turned around as a bloke would on the footy field and said, yeah, nice mouth guard, homo. Like maybe he said some shit like that. Do you know what I mean? It was probably something as just innocent as that, like a slide of the tongue, and then they club made it out as in oh, he came to us because he was concerned.

Robby: 1:06:05

Yeah self-reported?

George: 1:06:06

Yeah, self-reported. That's all an image bullshit thing. He did not go to them and say oh, by the way, I may have called this person a homo because of his rainbow mouth guard.

Robby: 1:06:15

Do you know what I mean? You've never done that.

George: 1:06:18

I'd go out of my way to do that.

Robby: 1:06:20

Self-report.

George: 1:06:21

No.

Robby: 1:06:25

Call people home. Just try and find someone with a rainbow mouth guard.

George: 1:06:30

There's both sides to that. Yeah, I think though I think you said it, sam Newman he's like, as you said, we're so far left that if you say anything against any of those groups, people, races, anything, whatever it might be, it's like all of a sudden you're branded as homophobic, racist, whatever it might be, and it's just a joke. That's ridiculous to be down that way, to be going down that path and he wasn't joking, no, he wasn't. I'm just saying to say you've got to go to some what did you call it? Pride something.

Robby: 1:06:59

I think it was like pride management school or pride program. The. I think it was like pride management school or pride program. Does that the fact?

George: 1:07:04

that that exists, the fact that that exists as a joke. And I promise you, if I was an AFL footballer, I'd tell him to go shove it. I wouldn't do that, I'd come out on so and then you go oh well, we'll delist you. Okay, cool, I don't want beliefs, maybe.

Robby: 1:07:21

But that's how. Everything that is controlled, hollywood's like that. Everything that is controlled, you can't say anything bad in Hollywood. You can't go around and say I don't like pink hair. Yeah, or I don't like Jews or anything. You wouldn't get completely shut down.

George: 1:07:34

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Robby: 1:07:34

This is very much the same. They have full control of something Like that. Guy is probably going to do what he wants to make his money. Yeah, well, I suppose that's the thing I'm going to shut my mouth here, because they've got full control of me.

George: 1:07:45

Yeah, what else is exactly right? You don't do that. If I don't do it I'm going to get fucked. Don't make half a million a year, yeah.

Robby: 1:07:52

Go lay bricks.

George: 1:07:53

Probably make half a million dollars a year laying bricks anyway at the moment. Good job, bricklayers.

Robby: 1:07:58

Brick, that's it. Yeah, how good that's. Two very different worlds that are both headed too far on one spectrum and there's probably levels of stress there too.

George: 1:08:10

I'm sure he felt stressed in that moment because now he's going to get scrutinized and probably branded in a way that's not reflective of his beliefs, just because he said something Do you know what I mean? Like that, it might have been a slip of the tongue. Hey, maybe and we don't know this he genuinely meant it. Maybe he hated him, maybe he genuinely feels that way. Who knows what?

Robby: 1:08:33

Was it West Coast? I can't remember.

George: 1:08:36

Regardless whoever it was. Maybe he feels that way, but is he not allowed? Like we say, we live in a free country. Do we Like free speech? Do we? Yeah, exactly no, we don't Exactly. Country. Do we Like free speech? Do we yeah, exactly no, we don't Exactly. You have to conform to some 40 players can't say anything, yeah. Yeah, it's a show. It's not like UFC.

Robby: 1:08:52

UFC go to town.

George: 1:08:52

Yeah, ufc don't hold back.

Robby: 1:08:54

Yeah.

George: 1:08:59

I love that about chat. I'm going to go home and I just feel good. I feel good. Guys, what a life. Memento mori, Remember you're going to die?

Robby: 1:09:09

Do you want to tell people about an upcoming?

George: 1:09:11

event I do. I do because I think, in order for you guys to get the absolute most out of this, you need to come to the Builders Summit. We're holding the Builders Summit again for the first time in over 12 months. It's one of my favorite events. It was the very first event that I ever did that you were at that, we all. We've done almost every event together since People message me about this.

George: 1:09:35

Yeah, it's one of the best. I think it's one of the best trainings out there for builders and trade professionals, especially if you want to be successful and go down that path and win. Win the game, because it's not always going to be easy, but it will be worth it, especially if you have the right processes, systems, procedures and people in your corner, and that's what I want to do. All these experiences and everything we just spoke about today are real life things that we now go out and teach you how to manage, because I promise you, if you are in business any business you're going to have these days You're going to have moments like we've just discussed today.

Robby: 1:10:11

I'm going to put you on the spot here. Are you doing a giveaway?

George: 1:10:14

A giveaway? Yeah, why not, if someone?

Robby: 1:10:18

No no.

George: 1:10:20

Get there.

Robby: 1:10:20

When Not a? Send us a message.

George: 1:10:24

Oh, not like free tickets or anything like that.

Robby: 1:10:26

No, no, no, no Like for the whole event.

George: 1:10:27

Oh, without a doubt. Without a doubt, yeah, okay, fuck off. I'm going to give away something sick to the value of something sick. I'm going to give away I don't even know what, though. Okay, and a spitball, you're going gonna get Makita tool set.

Robby: 1:10:46

Makita.

George: 1:10:48

I like Makita which do you have a brand of tools that you like, of course, which one? Milwaukee, milwaukee, alright. I don't look like a Milwaukee guy nah, you definitely look like a Milwaukee guy. What do you think deal that's for the game? Hey, I'm gonna send you to Pride Management.

Robby: 1:11:02

Yeah, don't do that Sorry. Sorry man Apologize.

George: 1:11:06

We're going to give away something sick. You're going to want to be there.

Robby: 1:11:08

Dan, from the next four episodes You're going to want to be there.

George: 1:11:11

Robbie's put me on the spot now, but I'm going to go to Bunnings.

Robby: 1:11:13

Yeah, buy something sick.

George: 1:11:18

Some sort of there, the tickets that you will-.

Robby: 1:11:21

Will be given away to someone attending on the day, so how much does it cost them to get a ticket?

George: 1:11:26

Cost them nothing. So there's free tickets. You want to come here and be there. This is what we want to make the game easy to win. We always say these sayings, but I do. I want to make the game easy to win for you guys to be there. So this is an absolute free event. Now, when I say free, we all know it's not free. You do need to give up something. You need to give up your time, you need to give up your effort and you have to show up on the day. There is a level of commitment that you are going to need to invest. Also, landing page We'll put it in the show notes, in the comments, in anything below that you can click on Everywhere. Everywhere.

Robby: 1:11:56

It's going to be everywhere and if all else fails If you touch your screen at this point, you're probably going to If all else fails, go to our website builderelitecomau, and you'll be able to navigate your way to a ticket. Yeah, there's pop-ups. It's linked in the banner on the top of the website.

George: 1:12:25

Everything's there. Everything's there. But the important thing is we want to use this platform not just to help or not just to discuss great things that we're doing in business and in life, but we want to use it as a platform to help people too. And you get to come and see me, and Robbie goes deep on branding and marketing. He's been at every single event and, honestly, like crushes it every single time. Every people, every person that walks out of that room, they're just shaking our hands and thanking us and going that was amazing. I never knew that before I walked in. And that's our goal. It's a good day. It is, it's a great day. They're fun too. We don't make it boring. I'm not you and talking to you for eight hours.

Robby: 1:13:02

It's an interactive, it's an immersive experience and that's what we wanted and you get to connect with some of the greatest minds in the industry in the room as well. You know people who are looking to get better. We spoke about how business, you know, can be lonely and sometimes you feel like you don't have those people to connect with. And who better than to connect with than people that are doing exactly what you're trying to do? So, working in the same space, doing the same sort of thing, same wins, same struggles you know what I mean. It's it's the perfect room.

George: 1:13:29

It's so. You couldn't have said it any better. It is so true, so true, yeah, so get there, guys. It's oh dates September, the 2nd of September. It's going to be at Bell's Hotel in Melbourne the 2nd of September, and then we're travelling south, no north. We're going north to Sydney. We're going north to Sydney on the 4th of September, in Parramatta, at Club Parramatta Great venue. Checked it out a couple of weeks ago, a few weeks ago and that's where we're going to do it, that's where the magic's going to happen Melbourne and Sydney, second and fourth of September. So it's not too far away, but definitely register and get there, because it's going to be a great experience for you.

Robby: 1:14:09

Yeah, all the links below. Otherwise guys, thank you for listening.

George: 1:14:13

Thank you so much.

Robby: 1:14:14

Don't forget to subscribe to the channel and share this with your mother. Boom, thanks guys, thanks everyone.