Jonathan “sprinkles” elements of wisdom and humor to create a learning environment that is light-hearted yet purpose-filled. In his talks, Jonathan provides the “wow” that audience members want and the substance that meeting planners value.
Jonathan’s techniques and teaching style come from experience. Having faced many of the same personal, financial, and organizational challenges his audiences have endured, Jonathan “gets it.” He knows what looks good on paper versus what really works in the real world. Because he has been there, he speaks to the intangibles that finally connect the dots between theory and implementation. He uses elements of his personal journey from failure and embarrassment to becoming a successful entrepreneur to remind his audiences to aim high and reject excuses.
My Definition Of Success | My definition of success has changed significantly. In my younger years, I believed that in order to be successful, one had to have lots of signs of success such as money, expensive vehicles, and a huge house. You had to have all the newest clothes. You had to “look rich.” Now, after having met millionaires and multi-millionaires, I have learned that the wealthiest people often go to significant measures to not look wealthy. They want to blend in so people don’t treat them any differently. That ruined my image of success completely.
I now have a simple definition of success: finding God’s will for your life and doing it. There is no greater level of fulfillment to be had than knowing that you are living the Ultimate Purpose for your life. I have tried it the other way—it doesn’t work nearly as well. Regardless of your financial status, you can be very successful as long as you learn how to “bloom where you’re planted.”
I Am Driven By | Love. I love what I do. I love the people I do it with. I am irrationally passionate about helping people achieve their breakthrough in life and reconnect with themselves. People cannot live higher than their thoughts. If I can teach people to love and value themselves, they want more for themselves and end up achieving more in their lives.
My Highlights | Having become a mentor to so many entrepreneurs and speakers has been the highlight of my career. For many years, I never thought I had anything of value that people would want to hear. I worked hard at my craft (and still do). Now, people look to me to help them take their brands to the next level. That’s a big honor.
The Difference Between Good And Great | Persistence. The difference is that good gets tired, but great never quits. There is always a point in which people who are not fully committed will stop. Those who are great have great work ethics and great reasons to outwork their competitors.
A Key Talent | I am a passionate student. Not a day goes by when I am not reading or watching a video about something that will make me better. I learned long ago that everything you want to learn is in a book somewhere. Someone, somewhere has already figured it out. Combine that with YouTube’s vast library of content, you can even tap into the world’s greatest minds for free.
The Characteristics Of Success | The three habits that create rapid growth are: Reading, Writing, and Rehearsing. Reading educational material expands your mentality and shows you new definitions of what’s possible. Writing daily, even for 10 minutes, helps you get clear about your stance on topics. It also gives you a historical reference that you can look back at years later to see how you have evolved over time. Rehearsing is the habit that causes you to become a master at your craft. You do best what you do most. Don’t practice until you get it right; practice until you can’t get it wrong.
Principles I Live By | There are many. One that is central to everyone’s life is integrity—doing what you said you would do. Be on time. Be nice to people, even when they can’t do anything for you. Don’t get into gossip. The more people feel they can respect you, the more they will be able to trust you.
Critical Skills I Develop | Customer service has changed my approach to business and life. I realize all business, regardless of the industry, is customer service. Learning people and how to earn their trust has become the focal point of my business. It makes it fun to wake up and ask yourself, “How can I really make someone’s day today?”
How I Use My Mind | I always begin with the mindset “It Can Be Done.” As long as that remains the outcome, figuring out how is just a matter of time. I don’t expect to have all the answers. I don’t expect to never fail. I believe it can be done, but I may have to bump my head a few times or hire someone else to show me how before I figure out how to do it myself. And that’s okay. Always believing in the end result turns setbacks into stepping stones.
Lessons I Have Learnt | The biggest lesson I’ve learned is the power of faith. I believe doubt is natural and faith is unnatural. Doubt is based on our abilities and knowledge. Faith is based on something much bigger than us interceding in our lives. We know what we can and can’t do on our own. When we get to the end of our natural capacity, faith has to kick in. Learning to trust that everything will work out and keep working when the evidence doesn’t look favorable requires strong faith. Believing that the end will be better than the beginning requires strong faith. Learning to trust the process and tune out others requires strong faith. This is a skill. It requires development and maturity to fully access its power. But those who do become unstoppable.
