Love it. Teach it. Live it.

Foreign.

Welcome to beyond you'd why Podcast, where we go beyond just talking about your why and actually help you discover and then live your why. You see, we believe that knowing your why, that driving force behind every decision you make and every action you take, is the essential first step to really knowing yourself. It allows you to move forward faster and have a bigger impact. If you're already a fan of the show, then you know that every week we talk about one of the nine whys and then we introduce you to somebody with that why so you can see how their why has played out in their life. This show will be more powerful for you if you've already discovered your why. If you still need to do that, head over to why institute.com and discover your why today. It'll only take you about five minutes. Now let's meet today's guest.

If you're a regular listener, you know that every week we talk about one of the nine whys and then we bring on somebody with that why so you can see how their why has played out in their life. So today we're going to be talking about the why of challenge. So if this is your why, then you live outside the box. You do not believe in the norm or following rules or drawing inside the lines. It is far more natural for you to rebel against the stereotypical or classical way of doing things. You aggressively seek unique ways of approaching the world and finding solutions that no one else has considered. You like to create and innovate, especially in game changing ways. You have eccentric friends, an eclectic taste and a large variety of both. You may have diverse interests with little in common with each other. As an entrepreneur, you prefer to create a new market versus serve an existing market. You love to be different, think differently and challenge virtually anyone or anything that is too rote or conventional. People with your why often accomplish amazing feats. When you say you want to change the world, you actually mean it. Pushing the envelope comes naturally to you. So today I've got a great example of this. Her name is Melanie Aik. She is the founder of Everyday Leaders Professional Coaching and Consulting. She is a certified John Maxwell Team Leadership Coach, speaker and trainer. She is certified why Institute Professional Helping Others Discover Their Own why. She is a podcast host of Everyday Leaders 50 in 50, a best selling author, motivational speaker and executive coach who challenges her clients to dream beyond their own status quo and limiting beliefs to create better, strategic ways to contribute to changing the world. What she knows is that when you start with why, what you do has more impact. Melanie, welcome to the podcast.

Gosh, Gary, thank you so much. And first of all, I have to apologize because people are probably going, oh, my gosh. And that truly is me. Everything you just described, people that know me, that have worked with me say, yep, that's her.

Well, I wish. I wish all of you could see my screen, because I'm looking at Melanie, and she's got a y hat on. She's got everyday leaders in the background. You got a lot going on on the screen here, Melanie.

Oh, my gosh. It's just, you know, when you believe what you believe and you live into that and you step into that, sometimes it does feel uncomfortable because you're like, wow, I really feel my purpose. And there's a lot of people that haven't discovered that yet. And I. And your heart just kind of says, as a challenger, I go, I need to help you get there. Because life is so much better on the other side. When you discover what you're designed for. Oh, my goodness, the floodgates open and you have a whole new life.

Oh, that's awesome. Well, Melanie, take us through now. Where were you born? Where are you now? And then take us kind of through your history. And how did you get into coaching?

Well, I was. I'm in Indianapolis, Indiana, right now. I was born in Orlando, so home of Mickey Mouse. And my family was faith based. So my great grandparents had established an evangelistic center and really the first documented nursing home here in Indianapolis. And so we quickly kind of migrated to Indy and became a part of that. My mom was a nurse, and so my father passed away when I was five. And that just kind of led me to be really connected to my father's family. And so I traveled around the country with my grandparents as song evangelists. So every summer, you know, kids were playing with their friends. I was off at these church camps getting to know people. And right when I figured out my why, I was like, that totally makes sense why I love to do that. I wasn't afraid to learn and meet new people and learn about new experiences and what it did for me. It gave me so much confidence in the world. And so I also grew up in a time in the 70s where Disney was exploding. And so I really connected to that. And I thought, before I go to college, I really want to go to Walt Disney World, and I want to work not as an intern. I want to go down and learn what Disney does and how it happens. Why are they the place that everybody says, when I win an award, I'm going to Disney World, Right. And so I took that on and went down for the summer and just really went through the traditions, classes and all the things that you know about in search of excellence from the Disney design to be able to take that with me into college and then where I wanted to establish a career. And so that really put the framework for me on being in a service industry, being a servant leader and understanding, you know, no matter what I was going to do, I wanted to show up to serve. And so that's just kind of what's happened. I went, got through school, worked at a bank, and then started into the medical industry as an opportunity. And I'll share this story with you later, but how I got into the medical industry was really kind of a funny story. And. But that just led me into continuing my confidence and building in media and marketing and challenging people to think differently, every job that I took. And so it got me recognized as kind of that odd fit, right? Oh, well, we have a special job, and we know that you'll probably be the one to do that and be able to create it. So we need you on this team. And I always thought, why can't I get the next promotion? Why don't I have that office? And it's because I never fit in that world. I never fit into, okay, go and take these classes, and then you can get certified for this. And then you can just fit here for 30 years and get the gold watch. I'm like, that doesn't fit me. Why doesn't it. Why doesn't that kind of a career path make sense? And, you know, every assessment that I took my whole life said, you should be a teacher, you should be a teacher. And my stepfather, all of his family are teachers. And I really respect that profession. But I thought, I can't go somewhere every single day for eight hours a day just to have the summers off, because that's my gift. I'm like, I can't do that. What I discovered is in every career, banking to fundraising to nonprofit to medical, and being in device sales and then in leadership. Everything that I did was teaching others. Everything that I did that I was pulled into was to design programs to then educate behaviors and. And influence the teams. So they were right. I was a teacher.

Just people to get outside their box.

I had to do it my way. Right?

Yes. So that's. And it's been really amazing to kind of understand now my why and go, yeah, I get it now. It's not a. Well, I want. I wonder, you know, if I would have Done things differently, if things would have been differently, because it was how I was supposed to show up.

So you went off to college, got into banking, got into teaching, and then how did you get into coaching?

So this is really great. So every company that I've been with, I've had teams that I've tried to help. Right. Change their behavior. And so a lot of the times it was in sales training or a leadership role to be able to create these environments. And so it was a natural progression for me. As my mom would say, when you were little, you always had all the older kids on the street corner, and you were pointing their fingers, finger, you know, you need to do it this way. And you were always telling them what. How they should be in line and organizing them. So I always saw those leadership qualities in you. And so that's what happened in every job. I would just kind of elevate to being the one that was challenging the teams to do things differently and better. And so as I started to, you know, hit my 50 mark, right, I was turning 50, and I thought, gosh, my company has challenged me so much, and yet they always ask me, what value do you have? The upper, you know, the. The senior leadership? And it really just began to irk me. It just drove a knife into my heart. Like, do you not see how I show up? I'm going to show you what I can do. And so as I started to. To really start assessing my own value, I found the John Maxwell team. And. And what I understood was I had forgotten to really invest in my own personal development. Gary. I had done so many things successfully, and I had forgotten about myself. So as this journey started, I just immediately I was challenged to say, I can do this. I can learn these laws. I can learn how to be a coach. And from there, I just leaned in full force and said, wow, I already have these skill sets. Now I can kind of change what I do, how I do it, and really serve a bigger population. And that's when the idea for the podcast, the Everyday Leaders platform, and everything else started to just evolve. And then I met you and Dan, and things started to continue to be crystal clear, right? It's that building block that I always tell people, right? It's when the student is ready, the teacher appears. And so as we go through our life and we. We learn that we're equipping ourselves to become better in whatever it is our passion is, man, we can just continue to get crystal clear about our purpose. That just adds so much significant value to you in the momentum that you can carry through your life. And that's where I am now. That's what's happening.

So what was it like for you when you discovered that your why was to challenge the status quo and think differently?

It was kind of like a relief, right? It was a relief because I thought, yeah, I get it. I totally understand that I'm not supposed to fit into the box. I was looking for the box. Maybe I should do my own, you know, I should do a new resume. And maybe that's not speaking to the right people. Maybe I'm supposed to connect to these other people that are going to influence me, to give me bigger opportunities. And then I thought, no, I have a platform. I know who I am. Stay focused in what your mission is. Because what you're doing, if you reflect back on this, my goodness, my. My whole mantra. Last year I had an event, Gary. It was Everyday Leaders Change the World. That was my 2020 campaign, right? And so as I looked at this and I said, yeah, I'm a challenger. And I really do think that I can change the world because my clients get to a point where they also believe in their gifts. And so this all makes sense to me. It's the process of believing in yourself so that you really have that power to equip yourself and others. So as a coach, I. I just am stepping into the 100% value of loving what I do every day.

So when you think about having to create and create structure, how does somebody that doesn't really like structure create structure?

Well, okay, so this book, I'm going to hold it up for those of you that can't see this, but the 15 invaluable laws of growth. This is a book that, when I went through the John Maxwell team, John said, okay, take this and start studying this as a mastermind. And so I did. As a challenge, right? Every time somebody challenges me, I go, okay, I'm up for it. So he said, do these 15 chapters in this way and start these mastermind groups. And I thought, I don't know how to do that. I'll start it. So the first thing I did, Gary, at my table at the certification event, I said, okay, I want everybody's emails, and I'm going to start doing these trainings on Zoom every single week. And so 50% of the people they signed up, they wrote their name down. The other people said, you can't do that on Zoom. You're supposed to do that live. You. You can't do that that way. That's not the way these masterminds work, they said, but that's the way I'm going to do it.

So here's the thing. Since March 22, 2017, every single week, I have literally led consistently. Right? That was the challenge how to create consistency in the structure. So I know that that was a gap. I know that structure is a gap for me. And so I try to create challenges for myself that are going to help me add value to me and my clients. And that way I keep myself accountable to that structure. It's the only way that works for me.

And you figured out your own way to create structure that'll fit your the way you think.

Exactly, exactly. The other challenge that John gave me was back September 2019, and it was he does a minute with Maxwell. And as a mentor, you know, you're constantly like, how do I connect? What is he going to tell me today? So I listened to this challenge and he said, if you want to learn something new, you should take the Proverbs challenge. So I'm a person of faith and I thought, okay, well, I don't think I've ever really read 1 through 31. I'll, I'll try this. So again, I put it out to my group and I said, hey, if anybody wants to join me, let's start the Proverbs Challenge and we'll do it in October. So 2019, October 1st. We started the challenge October 31st. We finished, we celebrated, and everybody said, let's continue. This is amazing what we're learning. So Today, today is February 2nd. We have spent 492 days doing our morning devotional at 7:30am Eastern. And it's created the consistency, the clarity, the challenge, you know, and, and now from that we have these little challenges every single day to say, what are we learning and how are we going to apply these challenges to our life? So again, it's taking something that you know is already there and a better way. Right. That's my how.

Yeah.

And really try to inspire people to think differently. Like, you don't have to be in this box. Do it your own way. You don't have to copy anybody else. Just do what fills your soul. And for me, I've got to have that accountability of structure. So those are a couple of examples of what I've tried to do, and it really fulfills me.

Oh, wow. So tell us a little bit about everyday leaders. What is that?

Everyday leaders. It just fills my soul. You know, as I was turning 50, I thought there was something that I needed to do. Who influenced me right when I was born, my grandparents. They were 50 years old. They impacted my life so significantly. And I thought to be able to celebrate and leave that legacy, to do something bigger in the world, to really change the world, I wanted to develop a platform so that I could celebrate everyday people, not celebrity everyday people, people that were surviving cancer, people that were finding their own journeys, and really have them be able to share with me in a safe environment things that they've learned. And that was the whole idea around this. And. And so my birthday is the second week in January. And so I say, well, God gave me those 50 weeks after my birthday to create something in my 50th year. And that came the 50 and 50. So. So I everyday leaders. And then we had 50 guests in 50 weeks. And then I wanted to have events after every single year so that we can do a reflection and a recap. So that's what's going on in from that. It's become, you know, again, just the podcast, the coaching, the consulting, the media consulting, that's. That's come from that, because of my challenge, right? Making people realize that they can do this too. And so helping to multiply what I believe. And then when they hear their gifts, there's something special about interviewing people. And the audio version, right, when you listen, you say, oh, my goodness, I really do believe in my gifts. And. And I've had so many people that have come on the podcast that have never shared a story like that before or never really believed in their process. Some of them, Gary, have been. They've turned into professional coaches. They have decided to do health counseling, things that are amazing, that have really helped them, you know, gravitate to their why. So I just. It fills me up, and I love it.

While we take a moment to give our guest a quick break, I hope you're hearing how important it is to know your why. If you're ready to put an end to your frustration and unlock the code to your personal and business success, then after the show, make sure to head to yinstant2.com and discover your why. Today, it only takes about five minutes. Let's get back to the show.

So tell us about your ideal client. Who do you. Who are you looking for to help? What kinds of people do you feel most comfortable that you can have the biggest impact with?

Oh, my gosh. So I had a client the other day, this perfect example. He says, I'm really successful. I'm surrounded by millionaires, and I have so many ideas, and I've Run all. I have seven businesses, and I have 25 things that I could talk about right now that I could deliver to people and to help them. And so having that, having the design, they have the structure, they see where they'd like to go. They see that nobody else has helped them, because, you know, their inner circle is all successful people. Successful people sometimes don't know how to share what they've learned. They just do it, right? Maybe they are challengers or they're better ways. It just comes from within. And so to maybe to teach that that's not their gift. And so my. These are exactly my clients that say, I know exactly how I want to get there. As long as I see it, I just don't know the steps. And so for me, you know, I think part of my gift in this challenge is we don't have to go linear, right? We're not going to do it like anybody else. We're going to figure out what really drives you. Is it podcasting? Is it blogging? Is it communicating on forums? Is it creating panels? Is it just doing community building? And so I really take my clients through the process of getting to know what they believe, why they're so passionate about their industry or what they want to create, and we design an entire platform for them. And I'm telling you, when I give them their why assessment and they get that first, everything is clear how we're going to communicate, what their mission statement's going to be. And then it just reduces the time that they have to figure out, like, well, I don't know. I'm not sure they get very clear so that they can be more consistent in their messaging and branding, and then we can build it faster.

So what have you noticed when you were coaching before, utilizing the why and now starting with their why, how is that different?

Oh, my gosh, it's night and day, Gary. I can just tell you it's night and day. A lot of my clients were going through different courses that I had designed, right. Because I was, again, unclear about the why. And so for me to help coach them is asking questions and really guiding them through the process. As a coach, sometimes we listen. We do a lot of listening and less guidance. Now I feel like what I can do, what I can deliver to them is there is a very predictable process when you understand the why first, and then you put your how and your what together based on your passion and your mission for your life. It's just like the light bulbs come on, and so we can design things a lot Faster. And if your gifts are media, if your gifts are writing, if your gifts are, you know, developing community, then we can really structure how you need to be coached so much more effectively. And that's what's happened. That is just clearly what's happened. And. And my clients love it. So.

And how does that help you as far as the language you use in communicating with them?

Oh, my goodness. You know, I think for a lot of times, as a challenger, right, You. You can change the narrative so many times in your mind, and you go, well, if I just put it this way, somebody will get it, or if I just change this statement or I'll rewrite this. Right? You do a promotion. Gosh, I didn't get. A lot of people respond to that. Maybe I should just change all this wording, or maybe it's the colors. And so what I know now is the clarity behind. I know that my. I'm a challenge, and I. How I do that is a better way. And what I deliver is because I want to contribute to the world. And when I know that everything that I speak on, those three components are in everything that I deliver. And so, absolutely, as Simon says, you speak to that part of the brain that matters, because you do care about what you're communicating. And so the response that you get from your clients, from people that are paying attention to say, I believe that, too. And so that's just been as crystal clear for me and has changed. Hasn't. Hasn't made me change any more narrative anymore. It's, this is what I know. This is what I deliver. This is what I can help you with. And there you go. Bingo. It has just been. I don't know, it's been a game changer, Gary. And that's why I'm so excited to share this, because I really feel it, and I've experienced it, and I'm being asked to speak about it all over now. And people are excited once I present the information because they have also changed their narrative.

See, I love that, because every coach and consultant and guru talks about the power of why, right? You got to know your why. You got to know your why. You got to know your why. And that all sounds wonderful. It's like, you got to find your passion. Yeah, that sounds great, but, well, how do I do it? And until you know how to do it, until you can help someone discover their why, it's just talk and it's hope. Boy, I sure hope we get somewhere. I hope we get to it. And if everything is going to be based on that, well, then you better get it right. And so you're. You now have the ability to do that and not only do it accurately, but you can do it quickly, right? And so it just gets you to what you really want to be doing much faster, don't you think?

Much faster. My husband took his Y.

And so that was interesting because, you know, as a spouse, we've been married for 30 years, and I say, great, I can't wait for you to take your why assessment. So he took it in his wise trust. His wise trust. So understanding how he develops relationships as a boy of nine children, the only boy, eight sisters, you know, and. And saying he's always shown up to establish trust, trusting relationships, he has that red flag that comes on to say, I don't trust this. And so when you look back over the 30 years, and I go, it totally, I get it. And his how is mastery, right? He's my AV guy. Anything that happens, he and I have created this. This company together. Because what he believes is that he can master the technique to be able to deliver better ways and make sense out of things for clients. So. And that's why, really, we say our marriage has worked so well because we really come at this and we respect each other's differences, but we have so much value to bring to each other in a group, in a company. So it's been really fun to, you know, dissect people even before they take it. You say, I wonder if you're this now, right? So people that have taken disc assessments and Colby and I think of all these behavioral assessments, this is so different. This is so different than just a behavioral assessment, because this is your core, how you naturally show up. And then all those other things really complement, like, okay, I might be a dominant behavior, but it's because I challenge the status quo. And because now I'm going to be able to, you know, to bring you that dominance or that. That really force to be reckoned with or an influencer or somebody that's more cautious, right? And so it's really interesting when you start to put these values together, how it works out, and it starts to just all be like this. This purpose puzzle is what I'm calling it. And I love it.

I love it. You're speaking my language, obviously. And one of the ways that I like to talk about it is that, you know, there's some great ass or like, you were just talking about, but those are how you take action and not so much why you take action. And that's really the Difference. If you start with your why, then how you take action will make a lot more sense to you. The other assessments will be more valuable to you if you look at them from the perspective of their why. From of your why. And is that what you're talking about? Is that what you're seeing as well?

Gosh, yes. In fact, in the first chapter of the 15 laws of growth, you'll love this. So Sunday night I had a class and all of the people in my class had taken the why. And so they said, okay, there are gaps in our life, gaps in personal development that John talks about. And I'm going to open the book here real quick because it's so great. They said, what if we were to design a puzzle around these gaps of growth based on what we know of our whys? So I had a better way person. I had a make sense person person. And who was the other one? Oh, a simplified person. Right. And so. So these are the laws, Gary. And I want you to think about this. This is just so great. We have the assumption gap. I assume that I will automatically grow. And so we thought, I wonder what, why? That could be the knowledge gap. I know I don't know how to grow, right. So thinking about making sense, the timing gap, it's not the right time to begin. So I think about better way.

That's what I think.

The mistake gap. I'm afraid of making mistakes.

Trust the right way.

Trust the right way. Exactly. The perfection gap. I have to find the best way before I start. Could be challenge.

Or better way or make sense or better way. The inspiration gap. I don't feel like doing it right. The comparison gap. Others are better than I am. And then the expectation gap. I thought it would be easier than this.

So I mean, something that's been so close to me for so many years and I go, yeah, it totally started to be really crystal clear that everything that we do is based on our own growth and beliefs. And so all you could take all these programs, personal development and leadership books and pull them in together and say, if you know your why, all these other things start to really just compound your, your ability to reach your potential in life. And so that's why I am just on fire about this. Gary, I love it.

You've been such an advocate and such an evangelist and bringing the why, how and what to the world, the why operating system. And it's really been great to see you speak my language. Like I said, every time I hear you say something or I see something, you've written it's like, well, I would have said that.

It'S so fun. You know, I think, as Simon has said, when you believe what you really do, when it's your core, you're not trying to compare or show up as someone else. And I met Simon in 2016. So I was getting ready to do some international training for a big medical company that I was working with. And it was the first time that I was going to Europe to train 95 people. I didn't know how to speak any language but English.

But I had joined the John Maxwell team, and I got two tickets to live to lead. It's his big event that he does every year in Atlanta. And so I said to Joe, we should drive to Atlanta. We have these tickets, and Simon's going to be a part of this. Dan, Cathy, Liz Wiseman and John, and. And so we could go to the event and then I could just go to the international terminal and fly over to the Netherlands. And so he agreed. He goes, let's go. So Simon was one of the presenters and he talked to us about Start with why. Right. The Golden Circle. And so when I got over to. To see Simon, I had him sign my book. And I told him, I said, you know, I. I've been over to Germany once, and I had to find something to open up the training. I didn't know how to speak any other language than English. And I was just a little bit intimidated. And I thought, what a great way to be able to have them understand they're going from a distributor rep to a direct rep. And what does that mean for our us as a company and how do we need them to think? And so I said, I found your YouTube on Start with why and it was translated in German. So that's how I kicked off our training. Start with why? And he said, that's really cool.

And so it was, you know, it was just, again, finding ways. You know, you always have designers and people that are really structured right way, people that are on your teams that say, you can't do that. And I say, yes, I can, because it's going to influence their behavior. They're going to remember this when they walk away. And isn't that what we want them to do?

Love it. I almost think of the why of challenge as more of the why of why not, Right?

Exactly.

Because you're like, well, why not do it this way? Why do I have to follow what everybody else says and does? I'm going to do my own way.

Exactly. You know, it's know the Rules, but then know why they exist and, and then you don't want to, you don't want to be the one that actually breaks all the rules, although I sometimes do.

But you want to bring value, right? It's like, if this rule is established, how can we make this better so that we can actually have momentum through it? Because a lot of companies, industries I've been in banking and fundraising and nonprofit and medical. You know, there are so many established guidelines you have to follow because these are regulated industries. However, some people just sit there and say, well, we come in at 8 and we leave at 5 and we check all these boxes and then we raise this money and we have these goals and this is what we do. And I go, yeah, but what if we could double that? What if we did one thing that would influence and inspire the results to be so much more impactful? And what if people actually cared about what they were doing? And so that's why I love Simon. I love the message that he delivered. And I connected to him years ago and thought, you believe what I believe and I get it. So I have been a just a big force of, yes, I agree, I teach it, I love it, and I live it.

And now you can actually do it. Now you can really help someone actually discover their why.

Yes, and I love it. I tell people I have it on my website, you know, get your why assessment, take the class. I have them every other Sunday night and I teach a two hour course from, you know, the Y certification courses that we're able to teach. And I've had them filled up every class and people just go, I get it now, I get it. And it's such a relief to see it on their face. I had an attorney in my class last time, you know, her wise trust, obviously, for a lot of reasons. And then she struggled with, well, how do I do what I do and then what do I bring to the world? And so it was so fun to kind of work through the process with a group of people to say, well, I see you as this and you're in a big room and you create better ways for people. And so it's just working through that. You know, what you say is, you know about 85% of what you do and how you do it after you leave a course like that. And then you really begin to kind of fine tune and play with it and say, yeah, this may not fit me exactly, exactly. But what I do know is what I was taught the rest of it. Yeah, I understand how I do what I do. And now I start to get it. It starts to become really clear. And that's when people call back and say, huh, now I can tell people why they need to understand me. And I'm not afraid, right? I believe what this did for me. It gave me the power to believe my why. And so, so I just get notes every day. Funny, I had someone that tested as clarify, right? He, I sent him his assessment the other day and he hadn't taken it. And I thought, well, did he get it? Did he get it? So I reached out and I said, hey, did you get your assessment? And I got this five paragraph response.

And he said, yes, I'm clarify now it's starting to become clear to me because. And all these things, and I was laughing so hard because it's exactly the examples that you gave me when I went through the certification is yes, those are the kind of people that give you the response, not just a yes or a no, it's I want to help you understand and make sure it's clear why I believe this now. And that's exactly what happened. And I thought, oh, I can't wait for him to go through the course.

You know, that's how all of the whys were developed. And is that I, in listening to people, what I didn't do was change the wording that they use. So like if you and I were having a conversation, you went out to lunch and you said you had a hamburger and you said, I said, how's your hamburger, Melanie? You said, well, this hamburger sucks. It's terrible. And I said it sounds like you don't like it. And you'd say, no, that's not what I said. I said it sucks. And so unless I use the words you use, then you don't believe that I hear you. And so all of what you, what we teach is all from what people actually said and not my changing it to synthesize it or to filter it. It's exactly what people said. So that's why what you're seeing is exactly that.

It's so great, it is so true. And when you start to use it, it is just like if you learn to count, you know that the eight goes after seven and then the nine comes after eight. I was saying the other day, it's about the order of things, right? We only have nine numbers in our society and we have 26 letters. Yet when you change the order of all of those things, you know, we all have a different phone number. Nobody has the same phone number yet. It's the order of things that. That take place. So just like this, we say your why has to come from first. If it doesn't, you just, you're so. You're so confused your whole life. And, and that's how I. I don't know. I'm not the make sense, I'm the contribute. But I think there's a lot of makes sense in me because I see how it's a. It is a puzzle. And when you figure that out, you just become super clear in your life. And that's what's happened to me. And I was really intentional and I was ready for that change. I was ready for that next step to be able to put this in everything else that I deliver for myself and my clients. And it has just changed my focus. And so I'm just, I'm elated and I'm so glad to be able to share this with you today.

That's awesome. So, Melanie, let's last question for you. What's been the best piece of advice you've ever gotten? Or what's the best piece of advice you've ever given?

Oh, my goodness, I love this question.

The best piece of advice that I've ever gotten was to meet people where they are.

You know, that's been a big lesson because I think for so many things that we do in our life, we have expectations. Especially me as a challenger. You know, I think I really see people and I see their potential. And I think, gosh, if you could just do these things, man, you could just push your limits. You could become who you see yourself. And then I realized there's a lot of people that don't believe in themselves yet. They haven't reached that. That area in life where they, they have value for themselves or that. That it's important for them. It's not the right time. Like we talked about those gaps. And so I realized that there's just a certain population of people that I can help and connect to. And those are the people that believe what I believe. They're ready for challenges and to change the things that they do in better ways so that they can contribute. That's who I connect to. And everything else I have to just say, you're right. It is when the student is ready, the teacher appears and to just meet people where they are. So that has helped me be able to serve clients and my whole life in a bigger way. And so I don't get caught up in that, like, oh, I need to have all this business, right? It's like, I just get laser focused on what I'm doing and really kind of change that game and create that space in a different, in a different way, in the same industry. And so. But it's been great advice for me. Right.

So if somebody's listening to this and they say, wow, I'd love to connect with Melanie. I'd love to have her work with me. I'd love to learn more about her. What's the best way for people to connect with you?

I'll go to my website. It's everyday leaders.com.

Awesome. And they'll see you there. That's great. And so your podcast is probably everywhere.

It's everywhere. Anywhere that you can download a podcast. It's on my website. You can come to the Devotionals every morning. There's a link on there. You can come in at 7:30am Eastern. You can join us any day, every day. Like I said, not just Mondays or Tuesdays, it's every day because that's what Everyday Leaders do. We challenge ourselves every day to be consistent.

I love that. Well, I know for a fact you and I are going to be in contact with each other a lot over the years. So thank you for coming on. Thanks for taking the time to be on the podcast today.

Oh, Gary, thank you. It has been an honor and a pleasure and I'm so glad that we're connected this way. It's just, it's going to be fantastic. So thank you for doing this and establishing the Y Institute for all of us. It has, it's been life changing.

Awesome. It warms my heart. Thank you so much. Have a great day.

You too.

While we take a moment to give our guest a quick break, I hope you're hearing how important it is to know your why. If you're ready to put an end to your frustration and unlock the code to your personal and business success, then after the show, make sure to head to whyinstitute.com and discover your why. Today it only takes about five minutes. Let's get back to the show.

It's time for a new segment that we featured last time. And this segment is called Guess the why. And so this is where we guess the why of successful people or celebrities or musicians. So this time we're going to talk about the why of Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift, what do you guys think? Her why is? I have a sense of what I think it is. I believe that Taylor Swift's why is is trust. To create relationships based upon trust. Because she shares her personal stories through her music to connect with other people. And let them know they aren't alone. She wants to contribute to the greater good that way, but she does it in a way where she shares personal and intimate stories where her trust has been broken, where she's been let down, where somebody's broken up with her or cheated on her or something like that. And that's one of the qualities that you'll see with somebody who has the why of trust. Something happened in their past where they learned how valuable trust is and how hurtful it is to have their trust broken. So that's what I think her why is. You let us know what you think Taylor Swift's why is, and if you know her, have her get in touch with me so we can actually figure out what it is. And so thank you for listening. If you have not yet discovered your why and you can do so@yinstitute.com and use the code PODCAST50. It'll give you 50% off, half off when you discover your why. If you love the beyond you'd why podcast, please don't forget to subscribe below and leave us a review and rating on whatever platform you're using, because that will help us reach our goal of impacting 1 billion people and helping them discover, make decisions and live their why. Have a great week. Thank you.

I really hope you enjoyed today's episode and that through today's guest, you heard how important it is to know your why and how impactful it can be in your life and the lives of those around you. Be sure to head over to whyinstitute.com and discover your why today. Remember, the more you know about yourself, the more you'll know about others. I'm Dr. Gary Sanchez and I'll see you on the next episode.