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Speech Transcript

Unknown Speaker 0:01
We are conscious. And if you really want to learn how to level up your life, you should be listening to the time to shine today podcast with my friend Scott Ferguson.

Unknown Speaker 0:11
Hey, time to shine today podcast varsity squad. It’s Scott Ferguson. And I had a fantastic opportunity to sit down with Chris Baker, my friend who really has a passion to change the mindset of young adults. And also really leave people after he meets them with a positive vibe. So sit back, relax, freak out your notebook. And listen to the knowledge nuggets that my friend Chris Baker is about to drop on you. Let’s level up.

Unknown Speaker 0:54
Hey, time to shine squatted Scott Ferguson, and I am super super For happy, stoked and privileged to bring out my friend, Chris Baker, he is just wait to hear what he has to drop. I bet it out all his websites, I bet it out everything that that’s about Chris and you guys are going to pick up some solid, solid solid knowledge nuggets. But he was born and raised in England and moved to Orlando, Florida in 2011, where it became a leader with the Walt Disney Company. Well, he’s a certified coach and trainer in addition to being a human behavior consultant in disc, which I’ve taken that test a few times and in his mission to develop future leaders that can help change our world. Chris, thank you so much for coming on. Please introduce yourself to our squad. But first, what is your favorite color and why?

Unknown Speaker 1:47
Well, hey, thanks for inviting me on. It’s pleasure to be on my favorite color is blue. And why? Because I am originally from Leicester in England and my football team A soccer team that you know it is a play in royal blue. So blue is my color.

Unknown Speaker 2:06
And we live in Florida. I mean, no matter where you live in Florida, you’re no more than 63 miles from them big blue ocean on either side, right? Yeah, blue, blue and red kind of run with me. I can be red sometimes. But blue is the blue is mine as well. I think both of our shirts dictate that right? Yeah. So tell us a little bit about your origin story where you start I know you said in Leicester, England, but tell us a little bit about the story transitioning maybe to the states and then building your company.

Unknown Speaker 2:33
Yeah, sure. So so in in the UK are really early sort of age after I left school at 17. I bounced around a few careers and didn’t really know what I wanted to do and sort of found myself in 1989 in the retail automotive industry. So that was a car salesman, stayed in there for 20 years and rose through the ranks to become General Manager of car dealerships, and in that time, had a lot of sales training from people like General Motors. And other manufacturers and really sort of developed my passion for delivering customer service at that point and helping develop other people into into roles. And it’s funny because when I talk about car sales and customer service people go without those two things don’t go together at that time and so and anyway so then then I needed a break so I actually went to work on a cruise ship for four and a half months traveling the world. And just as a break from, from from the grind and the constant pressure of the castells industry. I was there I met a lady that became my wife and she was American. So that’s what brought me over to America and then down to to Florida. So when I when I came to Florida, I knew that I wanted to work for Disney because again Customer service is my and my passion and Disney is got that reputation for being the you know, the best That customer service. So, started with them and became a leader very shortly after that, and again, then really worked on my developing people in my passion for developing people and helping to promote people were occurred and just coach and mentor them, did some work with Disney Institute, where we worked with with outside companies on how to develop internally, but also develop your business. And that led me to when I was approaching 50 years of age to really sort of appraise my life and say, What do I want to do with my life for the next 1520 years, and that’s where I really got into self development and personal growth. So became a certified coach, teacher and Trainer with the john Maxwell team. I took my disc certification with personality insights A year later, and really then started to to promote myself as a coach and a mentor and trainer which is what led me to set up my My business and it really is where I am now just wanting to help people and help people be the best they can be. Let’s dig a little bit deeper into that transition from being in the retail car sales. I’m a I’m a realtor for 21 years so and kind of on that rung of the ladder with the car salesman and attorney, you know, where

Unknown Speaker 5:21
we’re at that bottom of the barrel, no one wants to really talk to us. But tell us that tell the squad, that aha moment that you had, from wanting to transition, I understand you say you came up on 50 years of age and you really want to move into that personal development. But was there something that triggered you Was it a health crisis? Or more time with the wife or what what really came up because I know that jobs you mentioned with Disney and retail car, so isn’t that that’s gotta be really pulling you away a little bit for family?

Unknown Speaker 5:52
Yeah. And and it was, it was really that right? So in 2015 my actually my rent my mom Reach ended. I started Okay, sorry. That’s okay. That’s okay. But that was really the aha moment for me to be honest because you know, at that point I was 49 years old and and it was what have I done with my life right because yeah work has been successful but it’s taken me away from from private life so private lives to be honest was a mess. And so you know that people talk about work life balance and there is there is no such thing as work life balance, but what there should be is focus on work when you’re at work and focus on life when you’re at home, right on the home thing, and I found that my my attention and always really been on work. And then when I wasn’t at work, it was just okay, well, let’s have a release and the family sort of came third, right and now not good. And so my my realization was like, Who am I really right? What What am I about what am I What am I wanting to do with my life? And actually at that time, or after that time I was doing some work at Disney with actually facilitated Simon Sinek book the Find your why. And so he was doing that with a lot of teams at Disney and I was like, I need to do this for myself. Right so so I did that and that was the realization of who I am Who am I deep down what really means that means more to me and what do I want to do with my life? And it’s more about the impact that I want to have on other people rather than rather than what am I doing myself so that switch about moving to help other people rather than concentrating on me and Zig Ziglar quote, where if you give everybody everybody what they want, you’ll get everything you want. Sure, and that’s that was really the switch and the realization that I came so

Unknown Speaker 7:46
right I love that Zig Ziglar quote and hasira the time to shine today Squire railways week pulled from a gentleman named Bob Berg. I don’t know if you’ve ever read the go giver, but I strongly recommend it but he’s always says that your true worth is determined by how much you’ve given value that Once you take in payment and you just said the same thing with six sigma that’s, that’s awesome. I’m curious. Chris, what what did you score on the disk? What was your high and low

Unknown Speaker 8:10
on a CD? Are you okay? Yeah on the CD so so my mother see is my really the the sort of the calculating side of things so wanted to dot the i’s and cross the T’s and then the D is a go getter. Let’s just get on into it. Perfect

Unknown Speaker 8:25
car salesman.

Unknown Speaker 8:26
Yeah, exactly. And, and more of the, again, the leadership side of things, right, because I want things to be right. But I want people to get on and do it. I don’t want people just to sit back and wait, right, right, then nothing happens. So So that’s, that’s where I score. But as you know, on the fisc, if you’ve done it, we’re all a blend of all four of those certification styles and on different days in different situations. It will it will fluctuate and change. Sure, and it’s really for me that the realization of that was more understanding where I am but also being able to recognize where other people are. So I can change the delivery of the message, okay, so that other people receive it, right. And that’s the key thing is we’re not asking people to or not expecting people to change or change the message. It’s changed the delivery so that you can connect with other people.

Unknown Speaker 9:16
So you’re not cookie cutter. So you’re not just trying to put the same thing over and say, here’s a script and using that’s one thing I love about john Maxwell system, that’s fantastic and stuff that you pull up and learn for so along along those lines, then you’re meeting somebody for the first time. How do you start to build a relationship with that person, meaning a potential client or prospect, if you will.

Unknown Speaker 9:43
So So most of the time is is is spent listening. All right, which again, is something that I work with Coach and train people in any sales environments, whether it’s real estate, car sales, whatever, is that we’ve got two ears and one mouth, we should use them in that proportion. So so it’s really is trying to get to know the person that you’re talking to. And you do that by asking a question and shutting up and listening. You’re absolutely listening for though, so it’s also listening to understand whereas what most people do is they listen to respond. Alright, so so they’ll ask you a question and the other person is starting to talk and while they started talking automatically they’re formulating their response so actually they’re not really listening

Unknown Speaker 10:27
right so they’ll miss the key things that I coach I coach people on this now that you know in Disney and in other areas, so listen to understand rather than listen to respond, you hear that squad listen to understand instead of listen to respond and I got to say that I fall falling prey to that I think everybody has I I am I’m so ready to get out my my two cents to where it actually can scribble the conversation and Instead of like keeping it going with the flow because really no one really cares what you are saying too much until they can trust you as a coach. I mean, I have, you know, some of my listeners out there and I coach them and that’s one thing My mother told me the exact same thing it was two ears one mouth for a reason Shut the hell up.

Unknown Speaker 11:18
Listen, hey, aches. The other thing with that as well, Scott is that people don’t remember what you say. But they always remember how you made them feel awesome. So that the the feelings the emotions is the important thing. Sure. You know, when you’ve been in a meeting, or you’ve been to a conference by the time like two hours ago and you’ve probably forgotten 50% of what what you were told or the next day, maybe 75% is gone. or service. Remember how they made you feel? And so that’s the other key thing, you know, by listening and being actively active in that listen in and showing people that you care goes far, far more than what you actually say.

Unknown Speaker 11:57
Excellent. So moving into this

Unknown Speaker 12:00
The career that you moved into with helping people level up their life, give us a fail or a worst moments are really big learning experience, something that was really challenging for you, and how you overcame it.

Unknown Speaker 12:16
So? Well, that’s a good question. I think the the biggest challenge, I think is, is actually remembering that it’s not about you, it’s about them. So, so a lot of people, I think, will will sort of prejudge what they think the situation is, without actually understanding what the situation is for the person who’s trying to help. And as strong, as you know, everybody is everybody’s going through something. You don’t know what’s going on in their life. They’re all going through something. And, you know, as a coach and a trainer, I would say, yeah, this is the problem I’m trying to solve and this is what I’m doing. But if people don’t realize they’ve got that problem if you To create that connection. Sure. So, so again, that’s where I think the the understanding of how do I, how do I communicate that so it resonates with people? How do I help people to say, to understand that actually, they come to the realization that they have got this problem? Sure. And and what does that problem mean if it goes unchecked? And then how can I help guide them to a solution? So that that, I think, was the biggest realization because I thought, Well, hey, I’ve got Disney experience. I’ve got UK experience, I’ve got Maxwell certification, and just everybody’s gonna want me to coach them, right? Wrong. You know, when you need to help people understand or to listen to them so you can understand what their problem is, and then provide a solution to that problem. So it’s about that transformation from where they are to where they want to be. That’s excellent. Most people if we’re honest about it, don’t know where they want to be right. And if you don’t know where you go in, you’re not going to know when you get there. Sure. That’s that’s the challenge and you know, have I overcome it yet? Not hundred percent to be honest because it’s it’s it’s it’s honing that skill and honing that that

Unknown Speaker 14:11
that technique. I don’t think we ever will like it and I’ve learned and maybe you can concur this as the it’s a lot of it comes with the power of the questions that you’re asking you dig maybe Does that make sense?

Unknown Speaker 14:25
Yeah, absolutely. Okay. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 14:27
good deal. Yeah, that’s what I found out because everybody comes from different they might have abandonment or they might have lost a loved one it’s just really you really need to dig and that’s what I love about you know, your profession and what I do as well as we get to dig a little bit and and we only we can do it is ask the question. Yeah, it’s funny. One of my most listened to podcasts was asking powerful questions of yourself, not even of other people, because you will dictate your progression and leveling up by you know, the powerful questions you ask yourself. That’s excellent. Excellent stuff. Chris. Let me ask something if you were to go back then to the 21 or 22 year old Chris Baker, maybe wrote a letter or maybe went back in time, what would you tell? Tell Chris

Unknown Speaker 15:14
full, and I would tell him to dream big to believe in your dreams, to to understand who you are and why you know what your values are and stick to those. What is important to you what makes you feel alive. Okay, and then follow that. And don’t listen to people that tell you you’re not capable that you’re not good enough, right? That is too risky that you might fail.

Unknown Speaker 15:41
Harris, you fail forward. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 15:46
So you made this transition it you know, around 50 years old, what is the one big thing then you want to accomplish? before you’re done?

Unknown Speaker 15:58
What am I what I really want to have accomplishes is, is changing the mindset of our young adults is helping them to to realize that they can achieve whatever they want to achieve if they’re prepared to put the work in, and their desire and their passion is strong enough. So sort of 13 to 18 year olds, right that are in an education system and in a system where we’re not taught how to think we’re taught what to think. We’re not taught to think about achieving things. We’re just taught to get a safe job or a career and to be honest, there is no safe job or safe career anymore.

Unknown Speaker 16:36
Even in our environment. Right now. We’re finding out real quick. Exactly right.

Unknown Speaker 16:39
So and at that age, they are asked to make some some major decisions that will dictate the path their life takes, whether it’s going into college, you know, what college degree do they do, or going into the career, what career do they do? They follow. And so, I want to help educate those. So that so that it gives them that that deeper understanding of who they are and what they want to do, and give them the leadership skills. So that when they go into college or they go into the workplace, they’re already got that foot up the ladder, that will will make them a viable and valuable employee. Right. So this is where you will benefit from it as well. Right? That really is what I want to do is give every every young adult the the ability to choose their future and to understand why that’s important. So it’s basically maximizing their potential, all that software. So that’s fantastic. Yes, fantastic. And we’ll dig a little bit into that a little bit later in the show.

Unknown Speaker 17:42
So Chris, what’s your definition of a life well lived?

Unknown Speaker 17:48
A life well lived. It’s it’s no regrets. Right for stop and buy, but but it’s its fulfillment. So it’s knowing that you made a difference. And fulfilment is different to success and happiness right? A lot of people will see that and they they look and they say, well I’m financially financially stable or whatever that doesn’t mean you’ve got a life well lived, right? That means you got money in the bank. Sure, but but a life well lived is fulfillment and satisfaction, knowing that you give them back to others and that you give them more to help other people.

Unknown Speaker 18:24
Love that. Be yourself as you’re, you’re a go giver, you need to write it down. You need to read the book, The go giver by Bob Berg, he’s a he’s actually a neighbor here in Jupiter, but they sent I don’t know probably 20 million copies of the thing. It’s It’s It’s a life changing book. And it’s written in a business parable. So it’s not like oh, you need to do this, this. It’s about this guy who needs to close out a sale. And it’s amazing. You got to read it. It’s fantastic. So it’s been in the coaching business, when you’re starting to work with somebody is there any Good question that you wish people would ask you but never do.

Unknown Speaker 19:06
And destiny has to be coaching Chris, it could be anything in life. And

Unknown Speaker 19:12
they would ask me

Unknown Speaker 19:17
I don’t I don’t know that the I don’t know that there is a question that I would want them to ask me necessarily as a question more than I would want them to ask themselves. And here’s a question that that I see I’ve got in my book, and I use it all the time now, is that are you happy living up to the average limitations imposed on you by other people? Or are you ready to rise to the greater expectations of yours? Love it, right. That’s a question I want them to ask themselves. Right. And I would ask them, and I think if, if I wanted them to ask me, I probably would ask them to ask me the similar question, right. Sure. So so what what was it that took what like you asked earlier What was that aha moment that moved me from where I was to where I want to be. And you know what happened? I realized that that was okay at 50 When most people think that is too late, right?

Unknown Speaker 20:11
Right, right now that’s it. I’m like, right up there almost 50 years old and it’s an it’s like, I’m more excited now probably like you were as well. Moving forward, then. Then you were ever doing whatever you were doing it. That’s amazing. So let’s take your cell phone out of an equation. What are the three things and it can be people places or things that could be a noun? Three things you can’t live without?

Unknown Speaker 20:40
Three things.

Unknown Speaker 20:44
So he said, here’s one that’s this a big thing that again is a realization that has been fairly recent realization is forgiveness.

Unknown Speaker 20:54
For all never been no one’s ever said that. Okay, I love it. Okay.

Unknown Speaker 21:00
And the reason being is that we’ve all got things that we that we harbor onto that we may be, we think we’ve compartmentalized right or lots of way. But actually we, we all that does inside of us, it eats us up eventually, we have to forgive and go, and that could be forgiving other people, it could be forgiving yourself. Sure. Right. So forgiveness is something and it’s going to be an ongoing thing, because it’s always going to return. You’ve got to keep remembering to do it. Forgiveness is one thing. And I think conversation is actually another right the end. And what I mean by that is, and it’s interesting, you say, forget your cell phone because cell phones I think, the killer of conversation, because we sort of get too used to texting or social media or whatever in that conversation in connection with people that the interaction is not in a lot of people. Okay. You only have to say when you’re in restaurants or coffee shops or whatever and people sat at the table all night on their phones. together. And it’s not just people, people never let the youngsters in the millennial population, it really is everybody. And so so called the conversation the art of conversation is again something else. And I think the the other the other thing is continual learning. I would say that since 2016 17, to now I’ve read more books, and listen to more books on Audible than then that I’ve listened to in the first 5051 years of my life. Yeah, I listen to audible or read books every day. Sure, you know, and I’ll actually read the same book like multiple times now because, you know, there’s always something that you can pull out of it. So, and these books, I’m not talking about fiction books, I’m talking about books that you can learn self development and personal growth books.

Unknown Speaker 22:54
So that would be the other thing. What’s your go to book?

Unknown Speaker 22:58
I’ve got several at the moment. In the 12 week year by Brian P. Moran is one that I’m listening to for the second time in a week at the moment. And Simon Sinek the infinite game is a really amazing book. It’s his latest book. And then there’s a there’s another book by john Maxwell which is called today matters to me matters. Because today’s the only day you can actually make a difference.

Unknown Speaker 23:24
Absolutely. Can’t do anything to yesterday and tomorrow isn’t Hey, man, hear me today. So what’s going on right now be mindful. Love it. So we’re gonna move into our leveling up lightning round. I’m gonna ask you four or five questions and don’t expand. I just want you to say something in five to seven seconds. That’s it. Okay. Ready? Here we go. What’s the best leveling up advice you’ve ever received?

Unknown Speaker 23:55
yourself.

Unknown Speaker 23:56
Love it. share one of your personal habits to contribute To Your Success,

Unknown Speaker 24:02
reading

Unknown Speaker 24:03
profit other than your own website and of course time to shine today calm, it’s my plug. Please recommend to us an internet resource that you go to to level up your life.

Unknown Speaker 24:17
I’m a member of empowered living community Mewtwo Okay,

Unknown Speaker 24:21
excellent, favorite charity or organization that you support.

Unknown Speaker 24:25
Second Harvest Foodbank.

Unknown Speaker 24:27
Love it. That’s strong in the best decade of music 6070s 80s or 90s 80s for height. Love to love it. So before we sign off, and can you please tell us how to find you?

Unknown Speaker 24:44
Yeah, sure. I’m on pretty much all social media platforms. So Facebook, and I Chris Baker and my business he called release your unconscious and also have a private Facebook group called leadership excellence with Chris Baker. Okay. On Instagram Chris Baker oh are you on LinkedIn again Chris Baker Liu and then my website Chris dash j dash baker.com.

Unknown Speaker 25:11
Okay, all of all that in the show notes Everybody, please visit all of them and tell us you you wrote 10 steps to freedom book.

Unknown Speaker 25:19
Yes, that’s on Amazon 10 says freedom is available on Amazon in paperback or in on Kindle.

Unknown Speaker 25:27
Okay. And then like can you tell us a little bit about the acorns? Two oaks leadership program that should be launching here

Unknown Speaker 25:35
Yes, i equals to us leadership academies is again is really expanding on what I was saying earlier I want to take the the acorns which is the 13 to 18 year olds and turn them into like trees right so that’s that’s taken a potential and turning it into you know, really rock solid. peasants passive and, and so the Academy is really going to be aimed The 13 to 18 year olds plus their parents, or their parents or guardians, because through what I know if I just worked with the youth, but their parents don’t buy into it, that the connection goes, so what the youth and their parents to grow through this program together. So it’s going to be a series of two to three hour workshops that align, then go into an eight week online program. And my idea is that it will actually be free for the youth and their parents because I’m going to be going to businesses to sponsor it. Okay, so the businesses will benefit because their employees in that future employees will be learning leadership skills, which will make them better employees, and therefore, the youth and their parents can go through this program. And then you know, they’ll be an ongoing membership membership program for them to continue learning and growing in the future months and years.

Unknown Speaker 26:54
And I love that it’s like with acorns, there’s it there’s a gestation period. That has to happen before it turns into an oak and part of the gestation well you just mentioned like if you haven’t one acorn there’s millions of acorns on acorn tree but one falls in the ground. It’s like it still has to be watered fertilized for that to grow didn’t open you get in the parents involved is part of that, which is fantastic. So thank you for sharing that last thing. Leave us with one last Knowledge Nugget that you want our listener in our squad to walk away with please.

Unknown Speaker 27:29
I think I’ll take something that is in the the 12 week here. And and it’s you have two lives is the life that you’re living or the life that you’re capable of living. whichever you choose is up to you. Right and I believe we are all capable of living a lot, a lot more fulfilling life than we are now. And we should be growing every single day. Right I’m

Unknown Speaker 27:57
flying to this journey

Unknown Speaker 27:59
right there.

Unknown Speaker 28:00
Right now meaning growing all the time. And so that’s it. That’s the question. Do you want to live the life you live in? Or do you want to live the life you’re capable of?

Unknown Speaker 28:08
That’s, that’s strong. That’s awesome. So squad you just had about 25 solid knowledge nuggets dropped on you from my friend Chris Baker. And I picked up kind of like, people don’t remember what you say, but how you made them feel. You know, listen, to understand not to respond. And then when you leave somebody or you you meet somebody, know that you’ve made a difference in I know that is Christian may have been rocking the mic here. I know that he’s made a difference in my life. He seems humble. He seems hungry. He’s leveling up his health. He’s leveling up as well. And you’re part of our squad now, Chris. So thanks so much for coming on. I really appreciate him very grateful.

Unknown Speaker 28:52
Yeah, I’m humbled to be part of this club. So I look forward to growing with you.

Unknown Speaker 28:56
Awesome. Thanks, Chris. We’ll see ya. Thanks. Hey, thanks so much for listening to this episode of time to shine today podcast. Proudly brought to you by Southern Nugent real estate real estate excellence, who can be reached at 561-249-7266 and online at www dot Sutter in nugent.com. If you’re a business owner or professional who would like to be interviewed on time to shine today, please visit time to shine today.com slash guest. If you liked this episode, please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, I Heart Radio or wherever you get your podcast. There’s a link in the show notes for our website. Also there you will see a recommended resources. We hope that you will support our show by supporting them. If you like what you’ve been listening to, it’d be great if you could just give us a five star rating until your friends have subscribed while you’re at it. I’m your host Scott Ferguson. And until next time, let’s level up. It’s our time to shine.

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