Million Dollar Days

If You Lost It All Tomorrow, What Would You Do Next?

• Robby Choucair and George Passas • Season 1 • Episode 104

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What would a billionaire actually do if they woke up at zero, without their name, money, or network? We start there and pull the thread through pivots, ego, and the kind of decisions that either compound or cap your growth. It’s a raw, practical conversation from the trenches of construction, creative services, and scaling a business when the scoreboard isn’t moving fast enough.

We unpack the pivot-versus-persist dilemma with clear signals: are others winning in your category right now, or is the market structurally capped? Are your systems tightening, win rates rising, cycle times shrinking, and margins holding? What external shifts—tech, regulation, demand—change the math? Then we get honest about ego. From $40M jobs melting down over $20K claims to “winning” a client argument and losing the account, we show how pride becomes a hidden tax on profits. Process beats posture: set scope boundaries, price change decisions, and keep rooms calm so deals close and relationships last.

We also talk about quitting a steady salary, not with heroics but with truth. Sometimes the fire to build is bigger than the fear of missing a paycheck. Sometimes misery is the push. Either way, the play is the same: most decisions aren’t permanent, speed beats rumination, and you can reverse a call faster than you can recover from months of indecision. To make big choices, we lean on a simple framework: do/don’t and get/don’t-get. Map the consequences now and later, draw the flow, and act. If it’s wrong, you’ll know soon enough and adjust.

Finally, we tie it to daily habits that actually move the needle: early deep-work windows before the world interrupts, a midday training block to reset energy, and pre-deciding clothes and priorities to remove friction. This isn’t hustle theater. It’s an operating system that protects focus, speeds execution, and keeps you playing offense.

If this hits, tap follow, subscribe on YouTube for new drops, and share it with a friend who’s wrestling with a pivot or a high-stakes call. Your review helps more builders and operators find the show—and keeps us shipping the conversations you ask for next.

Robby:

You know, uh George, I keep having this thought. I was driving into work today. This morning. And I was thinking to myself. I was read uh I was listening to a book called um JD JD? JD Rockefeller? You don't know? The rich guy. It's 38 letters to his son. So he wrote 38 letters to his son and then become a book.

George:

Yeah, I like that.

Robby:

Yeah.

George:

I like the concept so far.

Robby:

And someone was saying, uh if you're a if you're a dad or a son, you should read this book. It's great. So I started listening to it and uh I was just listening to I'm trying to understand the lessons he's trying to pass on to his son. I'll give you the exact name. Um you should buy it right now. You you listening to this. Not me. You should buy it too. Uh it's called The 38 Letters from JD Rockefeller to His Son. Perspectives, ideology, and wisdom. Okay. And it's quite quite interesting. Like some of the stuff he's trying to share with him about perspective and life and controlling your luck. And um yeah, I thought it was quite cool. And I was thinking to myself this morning as I was listening to it, and I was like arguably one of the richest people to ever exist. I think they said if they tried to calculate with inflation, like he would have been a uh multi-billionaire in uh 1800 or something. Yeah. When it was like that was like a lot of money. And I was thinking, okay, cool, like what would this guy do if he was alive now? You know what I mean? Like, what would he do? He wouldn't be on his way to work to go and reply to some emails like I'm about to do, first thing. He's not gonna do that. He wouldn't, his actions would not be the same as mine. So I was like, that's interesting. What would he do though?

George:

Yeah, I was I I had this conversation with I think my old man actually the other day, or someone. I mentioned it to him. Like, do you think that person would do this if they went broke tomorrow or if they were here now? Would they do the same thing that I'm doing right now? What would be their game plan?

Robby:

Who were he's hanging about?

George:

I can't remember. That was just, I think it was in passing, maybe just like a generic multi or worth the hundreds of millions of dollars. What would they do?

unknown:

Yeah.

George:

I guarantee you they wouldn't be like, let's go open up another office in Hawthorne and start selling renovations. You know?

Robby:

You don't reckon they'd do that?

George:

No, no.

Robby:

So what do you think what do you think they would do?

George:

Uh I they'd have to leverage their connections that they've made over the years, that's for sure. Yeah. And friendships and all that sort of stuff. Either start doing another deal of some sort and going down that path, I think. Because they would get a wealth of experience. Uh fuck if I know. It depends what industry they're in, I suppose. But let's just use building, for example, if they were a hotshot developer and doing a lot of projects and whatnot, then it'd be a matter of raising capital or finding the project, raising capital and then executing on delivery and going again. And putting together deals that are worth tens of millions, hundreds of millions of dollars, as opposed to going, all right, well, let's go build a two-story office building first because we just went broke from you know $500 million. That's what I'm saying.

Robby:

Yeah, someone went broke from $500 million, their first project would not be three townhouses.

George:

No, that's exactly right. So what would that move be? But then, you know, that whole time they've been in that space, they would have accumulated some serious power plays, like a power base worth of people that they could lean on and go, right, boys, this job fucked up. I've had to close the books, but I've had this, this, and this cookie. Let's go and have a chat.

Robby:

No, but I say, okay. I think that you take that person and drop them in a place they don't know anyone.

George:

Yeah, in another country or another state or something like that?

Robby:

Another so Grand Cardone did the Yeah, billion, undercover billionaire.

George:

Yeah.

Robby:

Where they go and they drop you somewhere and you can't use your name, you can't use your name, you can't use your contacts, you can't use your money. Yeah, and you need to go and build a business. Right? So what would they do? Like you can't use your name, contacts, or reputation. Money. What are you doing? What's that person gonna do? They I get almost guarantee they're still not doing the same thing. If Elon Musk went broke, he would not start running ads for people. He wouldn't. He would not go and consult. I might hire him. I'd hire him. He wouldn't. Yeah, he wouldn't go and start building the clients. Yeah. Or what do you?

George:

I can't answer the question. Neither can I. I can't.

Robby:

Um but speaking of answering questions, I've got a list of questions, George. Fantastic.

George:

But maybe if we ever pass if we ever get to meet them, like maybe that's the question to ask. Oh, call him right now. I think that's a good question to ask, though. You know, if you went back to zero, but I just fucking hate. If I asked the question, it would be to someone of the extent like a one-on-one, not in like a group forum. Why? Because I feel they'd give me the same generic bullshit answer. You know, something that I would know, whatever it might be.

Robby:

What is it?

George:

Fucking work hard, go do this. I would speak to this person, I'd speak to this person. No bloke, no, no, specific. Who are you going to first? Like, what are you looking at? What area? What time of the day? Like, tell me, what would you do? Or mix it up and say, okay, well, this is us, this is where we're at. What would you do if you were in my position, not having, not being you, not having the condition, not having the contacts you have, not having the XYZ that you have? What would you do then? Right? This is my situation, this is my scenario. How do I because obviously what I'm doing now isn't going to make me worth half a billion. So where's the disconnect that I'm not seeing or the things that I'm not doing? Am I in the wrong space? Am I doing the wrong thing? Am I thinking about the wrong product? Do you ever think you're in the wrong space? Sometimes. Sometimes in the sense of, you know, patiently aggressive, not happening quick enough as much as I would like it. Like as I said, we were on the verge, or we still are, on the verge of winning quite a significant project, like um over $12 million on a single project. And like, okay, that's great, next level, but it's still not 50. It's still not 150 or 500. And even if I won another three of those, it's still not in that stratosphere. So what do you need? Like, where's the line where you go, cool, now we're doing this much, this much, this much?

Robby:

Yeah.

George:

You know, is enough enough? Like, what is your enough? At what point is it, yeah, you could you're doing this, this, then this. I I don't know. That's the other thing you've got to answer. Because someone will look at that, go, wow, if I'd made $12 million in my lifetime, I'd be happy. If I won $12 million worth of work in a lifetime of business, I'd be happy. Uh, and then other people look at it and go, it's pocket change.

Robby:

Okay, well, that's actually a perfect question or perfect segue into the question, which was sent in, which was how do you know when it's time to pivot versus pushing through a challenging business phase? Yeah, really good question. That's a great question. How do you know?

George:

Because I feel that that's happened to me a couple of times in business, not just once. What do you mean? As in the most recent was COVID, being that we had significant losses during that time and everything that happened, and I considered shutting the business down, not from uh going broke, but just like, is this worth it? Like I've just done all that.

Robby:

So I I think every business owner faces that question at some stage.

George:

All the time.

Robby:

Yeah.

George:

You know what I mean?

Robby:

I've thought it twice since we started recording.

George:

Okay. Well, I just had I just brokered a deal on another project just recently like this week. Um, but when I say brokered a deal, it was to walk away from a significant amount of money for both parties and for it not to go legal and battle. And I look at that and go, okay, well, that's a significant chunk of money that I'm not going to receive now. Like, was that venture worth it? Was the lesson worth it? Was the me doing this again for the next five to ten years, is that going to be worth it if this is the shit you're going to be dealing with once every four years? Do you know what I mean? And it's like, well, what's the point? I may as well go work for someone, have that security of making half a mil a year and done and dusted. So I think the reason you push through that, well, the reason I push through it is I always feel that there is a better day tomorrow. And I still see that it can happen. And I still see that the processes, the systems, everything we've got going on is is there and able to work. I was speaking with a superintendent today, who is, for those of you that don't know, he's the per he's a person that would like oversee a project for a client. So he would manage the builder, payments, uh, review of payments, RFIs, all that sort of shit. So consultant. Consultants to a client managing the building process. And I was speaking to him and he goes, he goes, You wouldn't believe, George, the shit that I go through sometimes. He goes, We're talking on a job worth $30 to $40 million, and they're at the final day, all right, and the builder and the client are arguing over $20,000.

Robby:

Did you say $40 million?

George:

Yeah, because 20, like $20 to 30 million, you're just tens of millions of dollars. And they're arguing over $20,000 on a final claim. And he goes, I've seen it go to shit. Like people swearing at each other, yelling at each other, fuck you, this is like going nuts on a four, you know, $30 million project, $20,000. They're arguing over. And I'm like, man, that's fucked. Like, how that is that's massive ego in the room. Massive ego. Do you know what I mean? To sit there and go, this, this, this, like, no, you give me that $20,000, like $20,000? Depending regardless of who's wrong or who's right. Okay. Hey, you know what? Fuck it. Bygons be bygones. We've just delivered a $40 million job. I'm going to sit here and argue with you over $20,000. It's just stupid. As a as a ratio of what that money is, like it's at that point, it's just principle, like it's an ego. They're just trying to go, no, you're going to give me that $20 grand. We did the work, you've got to do it. And whilst I may agree with that, maybe the developer's thinking, well, hang on, you cost me this, this, this, and this. I'm only asking for 20K. Fuck yeah, I'll go for 50 now or 100 or whatever it might be. And he goes, he just sees it. He's seeing it a lot from that client side and builder side because he's that man in the middle. He goes, all the project, he goes, and this was an interesting thing. He goes, honestly, George, out of all the projects that I do, he reckons 10% of the projects, the client and the div and the builder actually have a dinner at the end of the job to celebrate. 10. 10%. Of all the jobs he does, he reckons only 10% of the people actually go out for dinner and go and celebrate the delivery of the project. I thought, 10%. I'm like, fuck me, that is that is low. That is non-existent. You deliver you're doing all these projects, and at the very end, only 10% of your clients actually come together amicably and say, hey, let's go for dinner. What a great achievement. Or let's do something, whatever it might be. I don't know. Whatever they want to do.

Robby:

Why do you think that is?

George:

Look, it's probably because it's a stress, a high stress, high stake space with construction, with money. Like money's flowing in and out all the time, and it never stops until the end of the job. Um, they've got, you know, developers will have settlements potentially if they're building apartments or whatever it might be, or townhouses, so they've got to settle. They don't get money until they get the occupancy permit. The builder doesn't get paid until all these defects are done, and it's just that constant flow in, flow out of shit going on on the on the job. And, you know, not many people are built to deal with that. And I think that's what happens. This same person I broke at a deal with, like they were the previous builder they had, they went to court. Do you know what I mean? And it's like they're just punching on. And I'm I'm just again, I let my ego out of it. Okay, it's not about that. It's about this, this, this, and this. This is what we agreed to, this is what we're happy with. You're happy to do it, cool. And I even said to him, funny enough, I said, actually, I'm reopening negotiations. And he goes, Hell, what's that? I go, We're going out for dinner. And he goes, and you're paying. So I said, We're going somewhere nice and it's on you. And he goes, Absolutely, George, no worries. You're a gentleman. So we went out and look, happy, happily to do it. Like I don't, I've got no grudges here.

unknown:

Yeah.

Robby:

Happy to go out for dinner for them on their cost.

George:

Hey. I'd be happy for that too. Hey, after what they've what I've given back, it's a fucking cheap meal, trust me. Okay. But what I'm saying is I look at it from a number of perspectives. It's the lesson. It's the you know, okay. Because I haven't gone through guns blazing, what's to say these guys don't give me another job next year? Do you want a job though? I would do it, yeah. Oh, you would? Yes. They they still paid. And they're still paying. There's still money that they're like, I'm not, I haven't lost. When I say I haven't made what I was in uh forecasted to make, but I haven't lost. And we did another project, did very well out of it. We're doing this one, didn't do so well. All right, you take some hits along the way, too. Now, had I gone in there, fuck you, this is what I accept. You don't take it, that's fine. Here's my solicitor, speak to him. This is the last conversation we're having. You can do that too. All right, but then it goes on for another 24 months. All right, and you're gonna spend that money that you were gonna potentially get on fees, and then everyone loses. So, yeah, now potentially, who knows? They'll call me up and say, hey George, we've got this project here, we'd love you to do it. Do you want to price it up? Absolutely, boys, no worries. Let's have a chat. Maybe I increase my price a little bit more because I know they might be difficult to deal with, or um, trying to make up a loss or whatever it might be. Ultimately, you'd be assessed on you're only as good as your last project and your last dealing, but it is what it is. So I think coming back to the question, I think you really got to look at the future and go, well, what's what's the probability of growth? Like, are you the barrier? Are you bouncing in the same spot? Do you need to get better? Is the industry or the space that you're in just it's capped? That's how much money you can make, that's all you're gonna move on. What's the barrier? What's the entry here?

Robby:

And so how what would be your thing to know that you need to look if you're consistently losing, is it you or is it the space?

George:

I don't know. Is it no good? Like you gotta you gotta self-awareness is a very hard thing to teach.

Robby:

Yeah, it's a hard question to answer without context.

George:

Yeah. Yeah, I can only go off my previous experience, but I I see it as you know, are other people in that space killing it? Are they crushing it? And sometimes it's like, okay, when was I another a while ago? It's like if this if you were making $150 million in net profit, and someone says to you, Oh, there's this is gonna cost you $50 grand to fix or for this to go away, uh you'd be like, like, don't talk to me. Don't talk to me. I've just made $150. You're talking about $50,000? I just made $150. I I spent that much money on dinner last night. And it's like, it's all relative, but I kind of often look at it like that and say, okay, well, I'm just not worth enough from a monetary point of view yet. Because if I was, all those problems aren't problems, they're just like little expenses here and there, but you wouldn't get stress about it. But when you're not, when you're making $80,000 a year and something costs you $50, it's a huge thing. Like people lose their mind over shit like that.

Robby:

Yeah.

George:

I agree. So what about coming? Well, on that, how would you look at that?

Robby:

I think you've got to relay back to what the goal is. Like what's you know?

George:

Yeah, that's a great point. What are you trying to achieve? And are you closer to it?

Robby:

Yeah, and have you gotten closer in this period? Like what's changed? Okay, cool. You're not you know, look at the last evaluate the last whatever period it is, 12 months, six months, three months, and say, what's changed in that time that's allowed me to or has there been something stopping me that I've like, what have I come to learn from this? You know what I mean? Is there any new information that's come to light? Uh what's going to allow me to and then there's external factors too, man. Like you know, if you're in a printing business, like if you print newspapers and then you're like, should I pivot? Well, fucking, yeah.

George:

Now shit, you just figure that out.

Robby:

Um but yeah, I guess you just gotta there's there's it's a hard question to answer without context, but you gotta factor in external uh elements.

George:

Yeah, it has to you have to.

Robby:

Yeah. You know what I mean? We sell solar panels, but there's no sun where I live. Yeah. It's like you're probably in the wrong business. You know what I mean? But if you sell solar panels in Perth, uh I think you're in the right business. You know, I was uh just touching on that ego thing that you were mentioning as well. Uh I share a really good I want to share a really good lesson. Something that kind of just came to light for me. Some time ago, I was uh working what I've learned is in the design space, and and anyone who's like an architect or something like that can probably really relate to this. And you might be able to as well, in the sense of you work pretty closely with architects. But in the uh design space, so when something has an element of creative to it, people are very hard to please, extremely difficult to please. Uh they change their minds a lot. Oh no, you know, I thought it was gonna look like this, and blah, blah, blah. Um they change their mind a lot. And where we see this is content, uh, websites, you know, uh things where it's subjective. Yes, right? It's like you can you and I can both see the same thing and you can like it, and I cannot like it. Uh initially in the early stages of business, whenever we would do a website, I found out we were spending way too much time. Right? And then changes were getting made and blah, blah. And it was like, hey man, like we did not agree to this from the start, and it was like kind of blown way out of the scope of works. So we, you know, over time we started to tighten our processes, tighten our scope of works. Um and just got better at it.

George:

Yeah, lessons you had to learn the hard way, I guess, as well.

Robby:

Yeah. But so then here's this lesson. So we tightened our scope of works, tightened our processes, and I had a client who we were building a website for. And we'd already built them a website, so we're building the second website, different website. And they came back to us and they were like, yeah, cool, we want to build a website for this now. And we're like, okay, cool, yeah, cool. Like they obviously like the first one. Let's proceed. And we go through the process, and then about 70% into the completion, they come back to us and they're like, oh, you know what? We want to change this, this, this, this, and that. Like they want to change a lot. It's like, imagine, you know, you've started to lay the foundation and someone wants to change a floor plan. And you're like, dude, we've we've poured the concrete. And like, but can we? You're like, yeah, we can. We'll rip up the concrete, but you you're gonna pay for it. Right? So I had the exact same thing. So I was like, yeah, we can do that, but if like someone's gonna pay for all this work that's been done. Like, I'm not just gonna go and do all this work again. Yeah, that's not how this works. And we went back there, and then they started disagreeing, whatever. And then by this point, I tied in our processes really well. And I was like, look, this is our process, this is what we do. I asked you here if you're happy with it. You replied to me an email on this date, you've replied on the Zoom call on here, it's all recorded. I saw it at 12 13 p.m. You said this. And I thought, ha. Gotcha, gotcha. Hey, when I say I thought gotcha, I thought, man, I am the man. Yeah. Like, look at this, look at me. Yeah, you know what I mean? Anyway, so they got defensive. Um, and I just thought, hey, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna be taken for a ride here. And they got defensive, and then um they chose to they said, okay, cool, we're gonna consider other options. I said, like what? They're like, well, what's it gonna cost us to get a website built? Like to start from scratch again. I told them, and they said, okay, cool, um, we're gonna consider other options, and they went somewhere else. Yeah, and at the time, I was like, fuck them. Whatever, I don't care. Like, you know what I mean? I'm not gonna get freaking taken for a ride. But looking back now, that was all ego. Who won? I didn't win. Yeah, I lost money. They didn't win, but they changed their mind. There's nothing I can do about that.

George:

Yeah, okay. But in the same token, there's this there is a like a level of accountability too from her from their end. Yeah, yeah, but it was like you'd done all the right things differently, yeah. Maybe in the sense of not being so aggressive because you've proven in the sense you've proven them wrong.

Robby:

Yeah, yes, that was the mistake. That's what it was, yeah. And no one would be proven.

George:

That's right. Don't ever say no.

Robby:

Yeah, and it was kind of like, oh, you made us look stupid, okay, we're going somewhere else. Yeah, that's right. Um, yeah, but it was like at the time, I thought I had nailed it and I thought I won. But looking back now, from a business aspect, I didn't win. Yeah, I lost revenue. Lost a job. Yeah. Didn't get to deliver, probably lost a future referral.

unknown:

Yeah.

Robby:

So it's like, who won really?

George:

Yeah. So even then, in that instance, yeah, it's an opportunity to then look at the process again and see when that does come up, or or maybe having that conversation. I had a client meeting today. We've just signed up a project, and they asked me a great question. They're like, Oh, can we come on site whenever we want? And I'm like, Well, thanks for asking that. That's really great of you to ask that. And the answer is no. And we went through the process and why and all this sort of stuff, and they understood and they were perfectly fine. But in the past, I never had those conversations, and it resulted in them coming on site and it goes, hang on, you can't do this. I told you this, this, this, and this. And then it would end up in an argument or disagreement or embarrassment or whatever it might be or an issue. And as a result of having those conversations, at least now there's that understanding and going, okay, cool. We feel better, we're okay with it, we understand the process. So, yeah, again, in that instance, I think it's a matter of really helping them understand everything. And maybe you can use that as an example the next time you sign something up. Say, listen, your opinions are different. You're, I can only go off what the information you tell me of what you want. You've given me examples of what you like. This is what we're gonna do, this is what we're gonna build. If you change your mind at these stages, because people have before, I'm not saying you will, but people have before, it it pretty much dismisses all the work we've done, which I've I have to pay my people for, right? And then we're gonna have to start again. So there's a fair cost associated when you change your mind here to scrap everything. It's not just let's delete the last couple of things.

Robby:

Yeah, the thing that happens there. You'll lose a sale? No, like there's that element. Yeah, there's also the element of uh a lack of decision making. They're like, wait, hold on. You told me once I make this decision, it's kind of set in stone, right? Like, have you ever tried to get someone to like I'm assuming with what you do, a handover would be it's like that. Well, wait, wait, let me walk through again.

George:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Robby:

And it's like, come on, man.

George:

Like that, I've had that process before. It's like, no, it's one. Yeah, it's once again. Come on, yeah, like not 43. Yeah, because I've had that before. They're like, oh, come through and do one thing, and then they go, Oh, hang on, we've got more here too, and we've got more here too. I'm like, no, no, no, no, it's one list, it's not 43. So, yes. And then they take nine weeks to get back to you, and then you're like, this now.

Robby:

Do you get what I'm saying? Yeah, without a doubt. Yeah. Without a doubt. Um, but yeah, that was a very that was a lesson that I recently just in my own way of processing things, I'd come to kind of yeah.

George:

I heard it, it was funny, I heard a quote on that today. It's like ego, ego will cost you a lot of money in business. You've got to get rid of ego as as far as practicable uh in your business decisions because it'll just kill it. It'll honestly kill. There's no right or wrong because it is just the job, it is the deal. That's what's important. You know, I know you follow the football really closely and an adamant Carlton supporter, and you know everything that happens at the club all the time. President. So, yeah. So recently the the deal, so the trade period has just finished with the AFL, and Hawthorne and Essendon were trying to broker a deal for Zach Merritt, who's the Essendon captain at the moment. Yeah. And I was in the group chat with some mates and saying, I go, Essendon, in my opinion, have fucked up here because they didn't let go of their ego in the sense of this is our captain, he's a contracted player, he needs to stay here. We he's a valued, like he needs, he's a part of a vital cog of the machine, like he needs to be here, blah, blah, blah. Zach Merritt had come out that week saying, I want to leave Essendon, I nominate Hawthorne. His manager came out saying, Zach wants to be at Hawthorne next year. That is the instructions I've got. And now it's about us brokering the deal to make that happen. The deal didn't go through. Very public, very open forum. Hawthorne put forward a deal. It got rejected straight away. Then they put forward another deal, which I think was three first-round picks and a player. And that was, in their eyes, a very generous, and in many people's eyes, a very generous deal for a 30-year-old midfielder. Because they're just, they're trying to, they're premiership windows now. So they want to bring in some experience rather than youth. And Essendon's on the other end of the spectrum. They're at the bottom of the ladder. They've got fuck all. Like they need to bring youth in and rebuild and get those wins back on the board. But I think they let their ego get in the way of making this deal happen. And as a result of that, they've now got a player who doesn't want to be there, who is going to be forced to play there. Is he going to be captain next year? Probably not. Is he going to be trying as hard as he wants or a can? I don't know. Like it's going to be an awkward conversation when he goes back there. Also, they've just shot themselves in the foot as far as getting three first-round picks. Now, yes, they were a little bit later in the period. I think there was one, 16, and 22. Sorry, 10, 16, and 22 picks, uh, plus a player. And that whole deal has fallen to shit. All because no, he's our captain and he's a contracted player and he has to stay here. And he, we're not, we're standing strong. We're a strong company, we're a strong club, we do as we say, you know, and plus we hate Hawthorne. I seem pretty bothered by this. I couldn't give it, like, I couldn't give a shit. I whether he joined or not. I'm just looking at it from that perspective. But then you could say as well, because I think I think the deal was they wanted four first-round players for Zach Merritt from Hawthorne, plus a player or some shit. And Hawthorne's like, we're not gonna, we're not gonna burn the ships to get one player. This is the best deal. And it was, I think it was a pretty fair and reasonable deal. Like you look at other deals done in the past, less got more. And they were they were quite generous, and they just weren't willing as well. Like, maybe from their perspective, they'll that maybe there was ego there too. So no, no, he's not worth that much. This is what we're willing to give you. It could have been that level of it too. So, yeah, in that instance, ego got in the way of a collaboration and getting a deal done, which would have benefited both clubs. Is that an individual's ego? You reckon? Uh yeah, it could have been driven by that for sure. For sure. Like the stance by, say, the president or the coach of Essendon, it could have been from there for sure. For sure. We could have said, no, this is what we're doing. These are your instructions. They've got to give us absolutely everything they have, or we're not making a deal. Who knows?

Robby:

Who makes those decisions?

George:

There's list managers, as in people will come in and say, Well, this is what we have available to us, this is what we'll give you. But I'm sure there's influence by the coach, presidents maybe, but definitely the coach would be the main one of the main guys because he's got to work with the list. He'll say, Hey, I want a midfielder, I want a backman, make it happen. These are the players you got. So, yeah, in that instance, ego got in the way and the deal didn't get done. I think every other deal pretty much got made during that trade period, and this was one of the most significant ones that didn't get made. And yeah, I think it was a massive failure, particularly on Essendon's behalf, but also even for Zach Merritt now. He's come out publicly, said he wants to go to Hawthorne, he doesn't want to be at Essendon. He's been there for 12 years, had no success in 12 fucking years, and he wanted to go finish his career, hopefully winning a premiership, at least playing finals. And now he's got to go back with the tail between his legs. Am I the captain next year? I don't know. So that'll be interesting to see. And imagine, imagine if definitely not. What? Yeah, you wouldn't think so, but then they don't have really any other calibre player that can step up and be a proper captain at that club. Who knows? Uh the funny thing will be is if Hawthorne win the premiership next year, which I don't think they will, but if they did, then how would Zach Merritt feel about that? Like he would be absolutely livid. I'm sure he is livid now, he'd be shitty. And then what? Essendon win the wooden spoon? He'd be spewing. And then next year he's 31. So what's his value in the market now? So say Hawthorne said, yeah, okay, we'll take him now. Now we're going to give you three fourth round picks. And our shittest player, yeah. And then Essendon, yeah, okay, we'll take it. Anyway, this is an example a recent example of ego that I saw get in the way of progress and collaboration.

Robby:

Alright, next question. How did you overcome the fear of leaving a steady salary to become a business owner? That's a good question.

George:

Yeah, really good. Um Do you want to go first?

Robby:

Yeah, of course. Sure. For me, it was um it wasn't it I didn't overcome the fear. I was scared doing it. Well I guess I just did it anyway. But um the biggest thing for me was I was miserable. Yeah, like I hated what I was doing anyway. And I was like, I I you know, like I'm slowly drowning. Let me just drown fast. Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean? Like, fuck it, like this is it was eating away at me slowly, like you know what I mean? I was not happy and I was like, man, let me just fucking roll the dice and you know, I always um I always think that like yeah, JD Rockefeller that guy's dead, dude. Gone, had did, whatever, like gone, gone and it's like, yes, okay, he built that generational wealth that the rest of his family they're still around, are they the Rockefellers here? Um he built the generational wealth that he's but like he's dead, you know what I mean? He had to make decisions and gambles, and there's you know particular things he talks about, the acquisition of businesses, and it's like one day I'm gonna be dead. Dead AF, and I'm not gonna matter to any and it's like even now, like an Oh okay, cool, you're gonna matter to your kids, and then uh a little bit to your kids' kids, but your kids, kids, kids probably won't know your name.

George:

That's right. Your great great grandparents.

Robby:

Who's yeah? Do you know do you know your grandfather's father's name? Um no. George. Hey, George. Was it really?

George:

Probably Greg's name of your kids, George.

Robby:

Oh everyone, George? Or George. Every boy, top George. And girl, Georgia. Georgina. Yeah, yeah. Um do you know what I mean? Like, and that's uh that's what I always tend to like anytime I I because it is it is a scary decision. Like it's not you know what I mean? The feeling of knowing, like, oh fuck. Like if I don't make money here, I'm like there's no there's no fallback. That's right. Um not eating tonight. Yeah, but you know what? That also does something to you.

George:

Gotta get done.

Robby:

Yeah. It's on you. That also lights a fire under your bum, and all of a sudden you're like, hey, let's go. You know what I mean? And I feel like that that fire that you get lit under your bum is worth everything. Well, even if you don't make the money, yeah, it's worth the fucking experience. Because you will come to realise that you can do way more than you initially realized you you had done. Yeah. You know what I mean? Or you will see yourself like all of a sudden you turn into the fucking greatest salesman in the world. And it's like I think a salary is it's handcuffs. It's a it's a cushion, man. That's what it is. It's a cushion. You know what I mean? And you just gotta decide in life who do you want to be? Like, do you want to be the person that took the that sat on the cushion and played it safe?

George:

And yeah, I've seen that. I've seen it a lot. All right with friends, with parents, with a lot of people.

Robby:

Yeah, people that won't. I was having a conversation with someone today, and they're like, they're trying to employ, and they're like, I'm I'm speaking to other people and they tell me how much they hate what they're doing at their current role, and I'll say, cool, I come here and I'll you know, we'll offer you more money, more time, more, and then they're like just just because they're used to working at this fucking, yeah, it's like it's too much change. And it's like if you're thinking of going from your own comp oh working for someone now to your own company, there's people who won't even change companies into another company, you know what I mean? Um I don't know about you, but I can safely say like arguably one of the greatest learning experiences I've ever been on.

George:

Oh, massive, dude. You know what I mean? Huge, huge. One of us will teach you a lot about yourself, man. Oh, dude. So much about yourself, so much. Uh and I especially I think if you get punched in the face a bit too, and see how you really handle pressure. You know what I mean? I think that's a really great lesson. The uh I can tell my part now.

Robby:

Yeah, go for it.

George:

I think for myself it wasn't a matter of fear. I think the I think the excitement of success was greater than my fear. If that makes sense.

Robby:

So you had no fear.

George:

I can't say no fear, but it wasn't on my like I don't recall thinking, oh shit, where am I gonna make hundred grand from this year or this or whatever? I don't remember thinking that. I just went in and had the jobs and kept working and kept trying hard and refining the process. And I I kind of just always backed myself. And look, here's I love this saying about confidence. Confidence isn't the lack of self-doubt. Confidence is being willing to try even though you doubt yourself. And I felt that that was very much me. I was confident, like not because I was I doubted, like I had no doubt whatsoever that this was gonna work. It's just like, no, no, I'm still willing to try, I'm still willing to give it a crack. And yeah, even today, like I you take a hit and like, cool, it's just money, man. Like, we'll make a lot more of it. Let's just go out and focus on the positives, not the negatives. Now we're gonna focus on where we're making money, where we're gonna bring it in, how we're gonna go about it, the deals we're gonna make, and just keep moving from strength to strength and just making difficult calls. Like, you know, I've had to make a few difficult calls in my business recent times, and as bad as you think it is in your head at the time, when you make it and when you do it, it's like, all right, cool, that was the right move. Let's move on. What's the next thing that we're gonna do? And I I think um yeah, I I really feel that for myself. I didn't have that fear, I just had that that real self-belief that it was gonna work. But also if it didn't, I suppose you always have the fallback, don't you? If you had to, if marketing became obsolete and the only paid job in the world was to be a mechanic, like you've got that. You could do it. You are a qualified mechanic. I was never gonna be a mechanic. Ah, you do it. It's the only job, you can't do anything else. All other jobs are non-existent. Like we're going overseas, we're not overseas, we're going into space, we have to leave the planet, and the only available jobs are mechanics. You'd be like, all right, we don't need marketing, we're not selling shit. I just need someone to fix my face shit.

Robby:

Let's say uh in that example, like marketing becomes obsolete, let's say AI takes it over.

George:

Yeah.

Robby:

Right. Um, I would just go get a job.

George:

Yeah, that's what I mean. There's a fallback. It may not be a mechanic, yes. Yes, there is a fallback. And I always I kind of felt that I knew I could always step back into commercial construction and make a good wicket and do what I needed to do within the business um to make a living, to make money. So I did have that level of plan B, if that makes sense, but I never really considered it. Yeah, neither did I. Like even today, I don't have to it's so far behind. But yeah, me either. I don't this this is working. And if it doesn't work, I'll find something else and I'll do something else. Like for me, I don't I don't see myself ever working for someone ever again.

Robby:

Why?

George:

I've uh become a custom I'm good at what I do and I've become accustomed to this way of life now. I don't want to go and someone tell me, hey, do this. Oh, hey, you're good at what you do. Yeah.

Robby:

What's that gonna be with it? So it's someone who works for someone not good at what they do?

George:

No, well, I'm good at business in that regard. Yeah, so someone's quickly business. So anyone who works for anyone is not good at business? No, they're duds. I've checked them all. I've checked them all, every single one of them. No, um, I like I enjoy it too. I kind of enjoy the thrill of the chase, of the win. Like I love winning.

Robby:

Um people who are working with someone else are not winning? Then don't, they're not winning in my no, my employees win.

George:

My employees win. I want to make them, I want everyone to win. I said that the other day. You know, we had a team meeting and I said, look, my role, I want you guys to win. That's what I'm gonna be focusing on. Because if you guys win, the company wins. I win, everyone wins. Like, so let's make that happen. I've seen a good positive change in a few people too. Um, most of the team, actually. Just from having these conversations and this mindset shift and change and getting everyone on the same page, you know. I think that'll be really powerful shit. Um, but yeah, I just don't I don't have an urge. I don't feel like I would would would want to go back and do that for anyone.

Robby:

Yeah, I don't think anyone sits there. Like I feel like getting a job. Yeah, I can't wait to go back. I can't wait. I'm on to um nine to five. I can't wait to apply for annual leave again. Um so that's your answer, that's your your final answer. Lock it in.

George:

Lock it in, Eddie.

Robby:

Lock it in. You don't want to call a friend?

George:

No, don't have friends.

Robby:

Um do you have a framework for making high stakes business decisions? Like a process? Yeah, like a how do you so if you have to make a big decision, what are the things you factor in? I I'm this is what I I'm paraphrasing now, but this is what I how I understand it. Like what's your you gotta make a big decision right now. What are the things you take into account? Like what's okay, here's a better what's the last really big decision you made without giving away too much? Or what's already been a really big decision you had to make in your business?

George:

I can't say without giving anything away. You can. Structure changes to the business. Structural changes to the business.

Robby:

Yeah, like in the in the internal Yeah, internal. Internal structure changes to the business. So the way the business is structured.

George:

Yep. Um how you do how you'll be operating moving forward.

Robby:

Yeah.

George:

So you have to make a big decision. Yes. Okay, and that's recent, like within two weeks.

Robby:

Yeah, of course. And so what were the things you factored in to making this decision?

George:

Like what were the the first thing would be the immediate consequence of the decision. Yep. Because it's a big decision. So it's generally when you make that call, okay, this is what we're doing, there is a consequence, good or bad. So there was the immediate consequence of it. And then also forecasting.

Robby:

Can consequences be positive?

George:

I'm pretty sure it can, yes. There are good consequences. Like a consequence, it's it's like a thing that happens after an action. In sequence.

Robby:

Yeah.

George:

Does that make sense?

Robby:

Yeah. Sequence, because there's the word sequence. Con sequence means row. Yeah. And con is Greek for forward. Yep. No, it's not. It is. Everything's forward. Everything's Greek. Yeah, Greek. I believe you. Yeah. I believed you. You were very confident, confident in the way you said that. Well, confidence is not uh self-doubt.

George:

Confidence is the lack of being willing to try, even though you doubt yourself. Um sounds like you listen to million dollar days, which people could subscribe to by clicking a link. Hey, side topic. Just let's go side sideways. Yeah. Um, we had a target. We have a target. Well, you have a target trying to kill a fly.

Robby:

I got it.

George:

Good. Better know who's boss. At a target of a thousand followers, uh thousand followers, subscribers on YouTube. Do you remember what we had? Where we were at? Yeah, of course. And where we're at now?

Robby:

Are you checking? Uh I did check it just before.

George:

Oh, did you? Excellent.

Robby:

So we haven't grown by the amount required. No, but we're gonna have a pretty massive last week. Uh we did, we'd had a good, decent boost. So we went from, I think it was 452 the last episode. We're now on 469.

George:

Nice. Yeah, so thanks for joining us. Appreciate it. Very, very great. So, back to what we were talking about. Yeah. I think there's an immediate consequence to big decisions, whether it's going to be good or bad. So I think about that. And then I think also about the future. Well, where's this going to lead to in the next month, three months, next quarter, the next six months, the next year? And backing myself. Like the decision has to be made. You have to make the decision. Back it. Like, what's the worst that can happen? You fuck up, all right, cool, go back, change it. I think indecisions are really bad thing in business and in life. Make a fucking call. When you pre every time I've ever procrastinated on something, it hasn't worked out in a positive way, most of the time.

Robby:

So you've never had the feeling of fuck, like I didn't decide too quickly.

George:

No, I I don't have buyer's remorse. I never like I'll go do shit. I'm like, yeah, let's do it. I don't I'd try's remorse. Yeah, like as in if you buy a fucking boat and then you're like, oh shit, why did I do that? You know, I'll just be like, no, it's buy the boat. Uh why do you think it'll fuck sort it out? You're gonna buy a boat? Uh I'll I'll want to one day. Yeah.

Robby:

I saw you had the jet ski at the front floor. Yeah, I just got it serviced. So to I had it there so I could sound funny. I was sitting with someone at the cafe, yeah, and I was like, how ironic the jet ski on a hot day. I'm not saying I was like ironic. It's like maybe he's getting a service. And I was like, on the first hot day, what are the odds? Like, come on.

George:

Well, they had it for a couple days. Uh, it normally takes them a day, but they're just late with it, so I went and picked it up this morning.

Robby:

Fair enough.

George:

Yeah, so uh yeah, I don't I don't get buyers remorse, but in the same token, I make a decision, back it. It is what it is, and then if I have to change it, I'll change it. I just don't feel that anything is just nothing's ever really completely definite. Yeah, that's uh you know what I mean. So I don't stress about it. Like you go broke, it's not definite. I'm not broke for the rest of my life. Very few decisions you make are permanent. Yeah, that's the thing. I think you've actually I think that's an original an OG quote by you.

Robby:

No, it's not, it's it's no by me. You said it on the podcast. Yeah, there you go. Easy. I heard that from you, but what a life. Um, yeah, no permanent, no very few decisions you make in life are permanent. Cutting your arm off is permanent. Yes, um, it's like rowing back.

George:

All right, but yeah, if I had to cut it off to save my body, well that'd be cool. Well, it is what it is. Let's go. Give me a trade sour.

Robby:

Yeah, most things you do are not permanent, you can always reverse it. Like someone was asking me about buying a house and they're like, I don't know, man, is this the right area? Blah, blah, blah. Are we gonna pay too much? I'm like, dude, like, seriously, like that difference that you I'll I'll pay you that to stop talking to me right now. Like exactly. Like just the indecision is killing you more than go ahead. Yeah, like who cares? I don't know. What if we don't want to live here in a few years? I'm like, sell the fucking house. Yeah, like you know what I mean. Or rent it out. Who cares? What if I make a loss? Go make more money. Yeah, like who cares? You know, exactly. You're gonna die. Gonna die.

George:

It is, it's full on. It's gonna die. I I think as I said, a lot of these lessons I learned even just through the consequence of being in business. I've learned these lessons sometimes, you know, and it helps me in my personal life too. If I have to make a decision that outside of work, like I've got to be friends with this person or not, I'll fucking make it. Are you gonna stop seeing him more often or less often or whatever it might be? What's the what do you need to do? Just make a call, man. Like sorry, man, I made a mistake. Like if you have to put your tail between your like ego. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the ego thing. Hey, dude, sorry. I made a mistake. I thought your shit was affecting me in a negative way. I haven't been the best for the best of friends, but I made a mistake. Hope you can forgive me. I can never forgive you. Okay, I understand. I appreciate your point of view. I did the wrong thing. If you feel that way, that's fine. But if you ever want to come back and talk to me, my door's open. I employ friends. I employ family. I will fire all of them tomorrow. All of them. Tomorrow. And before this episode is. Before the episode. But I'll do that not because I hate you. I'll do that because if I believe it's the best thing for the business and it's the direction I need to go in, or you're not performing like you used to, or you're whatever, not fulfilling your role to the obligate to the company, then that's what I'll do. And I don't do that out of math. Like, I I know some people might see me and think, oh, you're so you know, portrayed to be a hard ass and you're, you know, ruthless in business or whatever it might be. I'm actually quite an empathetic person. Like I don't like doing that stuff. There is no joy from me going, hey Robbie, we've had to fire this bloke. How good? Do you want to watch? Get your camera out.

Robby:

Sure. Watch this. Start recording.

George:

Like, I don't do that, it's not about that for me. It's no, no, well, this person has a family, they've got a life, they've got this, they've got this. But aside from all that, is this the best decision I need to make for the business? Yes, it is. Okay, then it needs to be made. And they're the sorts of things that I get from they're the sort of lessons I've learned since being in business, that's for sure.

Robby:

Um, yeah, I think I think the the fact that you know most decisions are not permanent is a big, big yeah, thing that helps you make well that I use that helps me make bigger decisions. Another thing is like I'm I'm big on just weighing everything up. Like, let me digest it, let me weigh it up. What's gonna happen if I do so have you heard the here's a good framework. This is actually a really good framework. Uh the what's gonna happen if I do it, what's gonna happen if I don't do it, what's not gonna happen if I do it, and what's not gonna happen if I don't do it.

George:

Yeah, right.

Robby:

So it's like do do, not not.

George:

Not not, yeah.

Robby:

Do don't don't do. Yeah, yeah. What then yeah, so what's gonna I'll repeat that for everyone listening. Uh so if I was to do this thing, like you're weighing up a decision, it's what's gonna happen if I do it? Like what are the outcomes gonna be? So if I do the thing, what's going to happen? Yeah, if I don't do the thing, what's going to happen? If I what's the upset of it? If I do not do the thing. Wait, hold on.

George:

I just said sorry, bro. Why don't you give an example? It's eight. I think I think that'll help you with a description. So give an example of making a decision. What's the decision you want to make? Hiring someone. Okay. So you're about to put on a GM. That's your decision. We were speaking about that the other day. Real senior person. Let's use that as an example. What's the concept? What's what happens when you put them on?

Robby:

Hold on. I am so I've lost my framework completely here. It's I know I can draw it out.

George:

Yeah.

Robby:

I feel like I explained it perfectly the first time.

George:

First time I've lost it now. Yeah, can we rewatch?

Robby:

Can you yeah, can you just guys hit rewind real quick? Just let it go. You don't have to lose your train of thought with me. Let's progress. It's yeah, it's basically effectively what are the outcomes of each one of those? Four different outcomes. Yeah, there's four different outcomes, and it's like, what do I get if I do it? What do I get if I don't do it? Yeah, what do I don't get if I do it, and what do I not get if I don't do it? That's right. Um, and laying that out and then just you know, breaking each one down and diving into it and then working out okay, cool. Like these are the poor outcomes. You know what I really love, dude? I love flow charts.

George:

Yeah. I like that whole aspect. I I'm a I'm I'm a visual person, but I'm also a logical person. So that to me is a really logical process to break down the decision.

Robby:

You just think about every option, and it's like that's really and then you usually find there's like one of two options, you know what I mean, or like maybe two options that you can decide. And like, all right, cool, like like that's that's what's gonna happen here. What's gonna happen? Which one's more important to me? Oh, I'm gonna do that.

George:

Yeah.

Robby:

And I'll just go with it and whatever. Worst case scenario, we'll say that this was a bad decision, and I'll tell the story on a podcast. That's it.

George:

Make like own it. It's you, dude. Like it's you. People are afraid of what other people might think. They're afraid of you know looking bad or looking stupid or whatever it might be. You need to just, again, it's all ego. You gotta get that shit out of your head, out of your mind, and and fuck what anyone else thinks, says, does. It's irrelevant. The decision that matters is the decision you make at the time. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Make that decision. And then when things change in the future, make another decision. And when things change in the future, make another decision. Stop going back and forth and sweating all the small stuff, all big stuff, but just move when it happens. And I honestly think that that's been a key contributor to my success over the years is my ability to do things, like to commit to it and do it. Because other people are sitting there thinking about it, I'm going out and doing it. That's what I feel.

Robby:

Moving quickly.

George:

Yeah. Speed matters, man. Speed, that's another thing I've learnt in business. Speed is really important on how you how you progress with things.

unknown:

All right.

Robby:

Do you want to do one more?

George:

I think we need to.

Robby:

We need to, it's a must.

George:

It's a must.

Robby:

Um liking this conversation.

George:

And thanks for sending in your questions, by the way, guys. Really good question so far. Hopefully the last one's a good question because if it's not, I'm fucking walking out. Walking out of this, you can finish it yourself. Pressure's on for this person.

Robby:

What daily habits have had the biggest impact on your success?

George:

Uh, can I do recently, not overall? Sure. I I think not I think I've noticed a really good positive impact on my business. Was that business or just success in general? I don't know. Would it regardless? I'm gonna apply it to both. I'm gonna apply it to both. Honestly, is getting up early, just getting up and working out on a regular basis. I think that to me over the last 12 months has had a profound impact.

Robby:

Have you started working out again?

George:

Yeah, yeah. Oh, you've gone back to the gym? Yeah, I've been back once since we last spoke, but yes, and I might funny enough, my PT Jordan, got to give you a buzz, messaged me like two nights ago uh to join back up again, um, to start training again, which I really want to do. Uh, long story short, I think that's been over the last 12 months really impactful because I've looked better and I've felt better. Uh, even that time when we went during the day to the gym, like at two o'clock, like I felt great when I got back. And it's funny. Yeah, it's funny because I've there's been times when I've I go to work, I go to the gym during work hours, yet I've been more productive as a result of me going to the gym during work hours. You're thinking, fuck, I can't afford to spend an hour now stopping what I'm doing. But then I'd come back to work and I'd just be just lit, just bang, let's go. Really motivated. And and the the consequence of just feeling, I I love that I felt stronger than I had felt in a really long time. And again, starting to look better, clothes fitting better, a whole range of things. And I still want to take that again to that next level and and just be in the best shape of my life, not just stronger or feeling a bit better. I want to be no best shape of my life. If we're going to be preaching that we're high performers and we're all this and that in our business, well, I want to be that in real life too. So I reckon that's been one of the recent habits uh to success is just starting to look, and you know, I'm over the hill now, I'm 40. 41, fuck. So I've got to be mindful of that too. You know, I'm not 25 anymore. I'm not as as fit and agile as I was back then, but I want to be. Why not be stronger? Why not be fitter? I can be, it's just a number. So physical training weights. Yeah, physical training weights. I didn't do too much cardio, although about three, four weeks ago I went for a run for the first time in years just with my son. That was cool. I've never loved running, never been a huge fan of being softwood airports. Yeah, so there's some freaks out there that love it. They don't love it. You don't reckon? No, they think they love it. I think they like people. Well, Goggins says he hates running like with a passion. He goes, but I do it at 5 a.m. because it's the first because I fucking hate it. So he goes, I'd do it first thing in the morning. I'll go for like 10k run.

Robby:

I I can run, I hate it.

George:

Yeah, uh, absolutely hate it.

Robby:

And um, yeah, it's like uh it's like chalk mint.

George:

Come on, no one likes chock mint. Come on, man. When I go to the movies, and I know you love going to the movies. When I go to the movies, my go-to choc top is chalk mint. That's disgusting. Come on, man. I'm gonna end this episode. Um hang on, you've got to ask the question first. No, yeah, you gotta answer, sorry, not ask.

Robby:

Um yeah, I don't think anyone really likes chock mint. I don't think anyone really likes running. I don't think anyone really likes Marcha. Okay, I think it's all fake. What's Marcha? You know, see? See? Most people do that. Isn't that that green shit?

George:

Yeah. How funny you've said that. Right. Because I was out yesterday, I went, I took Sim, or Sim took me to lunch, whatever. Went out for lunch with him. Yeah. And he goes, Oh, have you ever had Marcha? And I'm like, what, the coffee and chocolate? He goes, No dickhead, not mocker. It's like matcha, that green thing. I said, Bro, I've never even fucking heard of that. What is it? And he goes, Oh, he goes, I can't. He goes, You're so uh you live under a fucking rock, George.

Robby:

How the hell do you not know what matcha is? Right.

George:

I don't even know what it is. Like and Google it. Wait, hold on, hold on. What is it? It's a drink.

Robby:

Are you never you never tried it? No. Alright, we're gonna go get one after this.

George:

Okay. What, just the cafe?

Robby:

Yeah. Yeah, right.

George:

Let's do it.

Robby:

Um if it's what what do I don't like it? Well, we're gonna find it. There's a consequence. There is consequence. It's a consequence with it. Well, nice. Make your decision.

George:

Matcha drink?

Robby:

Anyway, while you do that, I'll answer the question. What was the question? Organic habits. Organic tea. Um you can give me organic tea now.

George:

Yeah. Why did you ask that question? Oh, no one likes it. Yeah. And we're gonna go get it now, you and me.

Robby:

I personally think it's a horrible drink. Um, you know, and people are like, this is so much better than coffee. It's like, no, it's not. Jesus. Stop it.

George:

Um I'm upset. Daily habits. Yeah. What habits you do you want to talk about your recent daily habits?

Robby:

Yeah, I so I've been getting into the office like super early. What time? Um uh it varies. Like I think average.

George:

Um, five. Yeah. That's early, man. If you to be here five, you're up at four at least, I would have thought. Yeah, four four twenty, four thirty. Yeah. Do you have showers and stuff in the morning before you come to work?

Robby:

Only if like today I did because I wasn't going to the gym today because I had a full day. Yeah. Um, but yesterday I didn't. Do you know what I mean? So it's just depends on what I've got on today. Usually I've got my bag packed and I can get up, brush my teeth, wash my face, grab my bag and go.

George:

Yeah, it's like a five-minute process. Yeah.

Robby:

Do you know what I mean? Jump straight in the car and I'm half and I'll usually make a coffee at home as well. Do you get your clothes ready the night before? Yeah.

George:

Yeah, me too.

Robby:

If I'm gonna if I'm gonna get up and go, like, why would I lose half an hour in the morning?

George:

Yeah, just deciding what to wear. Yeah. People say, and I heard someone saying that, like a real high performance coach was saying he goes, he goes, all the high performers I know have their stuff ready. It's just one less decision they have to make throughout the day. Let me grab my stuff and go. Yeah. I'll do it every morning. Like before I go, before I go to bed or before I put the kids to bed, I grab my clothes that I'm gonna wear tomorrow. So I make the decision then, okay, I'm gonna wear a shirt, I'm gonna wear a suit. I wear the same thing every day. Rebock pumps, like what am I doing?

Robby:

I've got like these shorts, uh shirts. Um you ever have rebock pumps back in the day? No, I know the ones be on, spir on. That was before time to be alive. I was born. Yeah, I'm 41. Um, yeah, I think that's been that's been a big one.

George:

Yeah. Getting up super early. Uh, and then training in the middle of the day. But it's not just the super early. Can you walk people through the process? Why do you do why do you come to work at the time?

Robby:

Because then I I can just come in. Like you, every time you come in, my door's closed.

George:

My door's closed. Yeah, still never working. I'll knock in on the door and say, Oh, you can never work and do that.

Robby:

But I feel like uninterrupted if I interrupt. Uninterrupted doing like stuff that there's there's certain elements of what we do where it's like, hey, like don't no one talk to me for three hours. Like, I'm gonna be so deep in this that if you take my train of thought elsewhere, I'm gonna come back and I'm gonna forget where I was, yeah, because there's like 37 moving parts and I'm trying to work this piece of code to get it to do this thing and transfer this bit of data.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Robby:

And yeah, I mean still not.

George:

Yeah, I hate it when that happens too. Like when you're in a like deep work and then, hey, can you highlight this piece of paper for me? I'm like, fuck, don't talk to me. Yeah, yes. And I think I personally I'm the same. I love the morning session when I I'm normally in between 6 and 6.30 most of the time, thereabouts, and I find that you know, that hour and a half of no one calling me, I get a lot of work done. So I quite like it because my phone doesn't blow up, people aren't emailing me, it's just me doing what I need to do or what I want to do, and then the rest of the day begins.

Robby:

Yeah, dude, like literally this morning I got in and I was I got in and I carried out a few tasks and then I scripted content. Yeah, and then I was recording at like seven.

George:

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Robby:

So it's yeah, and I was like, cool, let me bang this out before everyone starts coming in and like you know, got in, boom, it's like the YouTube's done for the week. Yeah, that's sorted. Um, yeah, I I think that's been blocking time. I I guess you could call it it's almost like time blocking, but I'm just blocking out a time in my day where no one disturbs me. And I've even started doing it on weekends now. Not I don't get up, yeah. Like, not in the sense of, but it's like I'll get up and work from five to ten.

George:

Do you find now that because you've been getting up so early, your body clock is sort of adjusting to that a bit too? No.

Robby:

Or do you still I've never ever in my whole life had my body clock adjust.

George:

Yeah, right. Yeah, ever, ever. So you could you could tomorrow if you wanted to, you could sleep till six, till ten. Or ten. Fuck, I was gonna say one pm or something. Hey, do you love that shit? Sleeping till like one or something.

Robby:

Uh that's one, I've been awake for eight hours.

George:

What?

Robby:

At one, I've been awake for eight hours.

George:

Yeah, that now I'm just saying, could you go just sleep till 12, like till lunchtime? Just stay in bed till lunchtime.

Robby:

Yeah, like so. For example, on Saturday, the one that just passed Saturday night, yeah. I was quite tired. I went to bed at like 11, and I woke up at 10 the next morning. It's like significant sleep. Yeah, I was great sleep, got like a 95% recovery. I was pumped. Um, but yeah, I can do that, I can still.

George:

Are you tired now when you go home at nighttime? Me. Having getting having gotten up at 4 a.m. I I went to bed pretty early yesterday. Yeah, but I mean, do you feel that that's the case? Because I do. Because I wake up early. Like my I'm my body, I will wake up between 5 and 5.30 without the alarm.

Robby:

Yeah, never, ever, ever had that happen to me.

George:

It's only ever since because I go to bed early though, I find. If I get if I go to bed at nine, like without I don't even need my alarm to go off. I'll be up. Dude, I was in bed at nine, yes. And I'm small and I sleep like almost immediately. I don't know if it's a mental thing too, like you're mentally tired as well as I don't, it's not physical, unless it you know had a really hard workout or something. But it's I find the mental aspect of it, it makes me tired. So yeah, aside from the you getting up, coming in, pumping out some work in the morning, some core uninterrupted work, you've then also, as a result of that, made time to go to the gym too.

Robby:

Yeah, well, I still work in the afternoon. Yeah, that's okay. You still work you end up pumping out. You're like, you're doing someone, I think someone messaged me on Slack and they're like, and it was like 7 p.m. and I replied, and they're like, dude, don't you start early? And I'm like, yeah, but I also have a window in the middle of the day that I kind of disappear for. Yeah. Like a 90-minute window. Um, but I feel like that helps me work till later. Yeah, yeah, like I just feel better. I feel better, yeah. Yeah, I feel better. Um I can work for longer, and I the energy doesn't kind of crash.

George:

I think it's a great thing, like especially as a um as a what's it called, spring chicken, because you're young, right? Young spring chicken, full of energy and testosterone, unlike me. Uh, but although what I'm getting to, what I'm getting at, is like even the fact that you don't have obligations outside of what you're doing right now, like a you don't have kids or a partner right now, I think it's such a great thing to have that ability to go, I'm gonna work till 9 pm tonight, and just be able to do that. I think that's a huge um a huge advantage over competition or someone that has that at the moment. Um, but not do it any doing it because you want to, not because you have to.

Robby:

You know, I'll tell you, I'll tell you what I found. Yeah, I mean you'll live in it. I would um not be productive, be that productive. Yeah, like for example, like I I like I try and now, I try and not stay here past seven.

George:

Yeah. But even that's a lot though. Four to seven or five to seven, sorry, five a.m. to seven p.m. like it's a big day. Yeah, with a two-hour yeah, you got your couple of hours on whatever you want to see.

Robby:

Yeah, so it's like a 12-hour day, it's not significant, I guess.

George:

Yeah, it's still the same sort of thing.

Robby:

Yeah, it's like it's just structured differently.

George:

Yeah, I agree with that too, though, because you do get to a point where you hit a brick wall.

Robby:

Yeah, it's like sitting here that isn't working.

George:

Yeah.

Robby:

We're not there's no output, no productive output anyway. Like my output's dropped ridiculously, and it's like, you know what? Probably better after going home and go to bed or go and do something else that I like.

George:

You playing video games still?

Robby:

Do I? I bought a Nintendo Switch recently.

George:

Oh, the new one? Yeah, yeah. Bought that too for my son. Did you? I haven't played it yet though. But I started playing the first Nintendo or the previous Switch, because he's got he had that too, and I put that downstairs. I just started playing it for a little while. It was cool. Like I didn't, it was funny. I played it on a couple of weekends, but before you know it, man, like two, three hours goes. Yeah, like fuck all I've done today is just think about what it does to your brain. Yeah, but no, not that. It's I just hate the laziness aspect of it. Like, I go, fuck, I haven't actually although I enjoyed it, it's like I haven't done anything product. I don't feel like I've done anything productive with my day with my life or anything. So um, but you know, if you enjoy it, that's not a bad thing either. Maybe just sometimes you need that to unwind.

Robby:

Yeah, also maybe you don't do it for nine hours again, you know, like do it for an hour, yeah, and then go do something else.

George:

Yeah, go mow the lawn. Fantastic. Well, great episode. Great episode. As always, um, thanks for joining us. We really love having you here and having the conversation. Hey, hey, thanks for everyone that sent through a question. I think there were a lot more as well, but they were sort of the four favorites that we got through over the last few weeks. So thanks for sending them through. We are trying to build our YouTube subscription base, so we would love it. If you're watching this on YouTube, definitely click the subscribe button and the bell to get all the alerts for all the new episodes that come up. And if you're not listening to this on YouTube and you're on Spotify, what's the other one? Apple Podcasts. Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Google Podcasts, um, Bing Podcasts, Bing, and uh ChatGPT Podcasts. If you're on those platforms, also subscribe. Uh, we would love it because we can bring you more content each and every week. And we had a goal of reaching a thousand subscribers by Christmas. So we're a little while off. We did get some good ground there for those 10 or so plus people that signed up. Thank you very much. 17, yeah. 17. Wow. More than I thought. Let's go again. Let's get another 17. Thank you so much. Also, this podcast is brought to you by our sponsor. Thank you to our sponsor, being the 2025 Builders Summit, coming to you live and in person in Melbourne and Perth. So if you haven't registered for the Builders Summit yet, you can do so by going to really any of our social media pages, website, builderelite.com.au, and registering for a free or paid ticket. Going to be talking about how we're going to scale your business and some core systems you can incorporate to really set you up for 2026. My good friend, Mr. Robert, will be there too, talking all things AI and marketing, taking your business to the next level. We'd love to see you there. And we hope to see you there. It's going to be the last one for 25. And going to Perth for the first time. And it's linked in the description. Oh, thank you. There you go. Even more reason to subscribe. And we're doing it for free. For nothing. You just got to give us some of your time. And we'll blow your mind. Be worth your time. It will. Absolutely. Every penny of it. Thank you so much for joining us, guys. Pleasure as always. And we will see you next week. Thanks, everyone.

Robby:

See ya.

Contributor

George Passas

Host
Contributor

Robby Choucair

Host