Christan Hiscock is on a personal mission to transform the conversations in the business world — from chasing success to focusing on fulfillment. He is the co-founder and CEO of Kardia — a financial services industry — and 14 other successful companies! He has successfully built a heart-centered business approach instead of a traditional, dry and formal one.
Christan believes that any work should touch something larger than yourself to bring about a shift in perspectives. He encourages leaders and team members to fully utilize their natural talents by being in alignment with their core values and personality. He aims at creating a massive impact by serving the people who are a part of his companies and thereby expanding that service to their communities and people globally.
Listen in here:
Subscribe: Apple | Google Play | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify | AmazonIn this episode you’ll learn:
- What Christan does
- Christan journey with entrepreneurship
- The financial services industry and origin of Kardia
- The heart-centered business approach
- About strategic philanthropy
- Treating people right — employees and clients both
- A leader’s vision and the team members’ alignment
- Shifting from one career to another smoothly, not abruptly
- Moving from being successful to becoming fulfilled first
- What makes Christan feel fulfilled — what’s his calling?
- Saying “YES”, rather than “NO”
- Becoming the best version of yourself
- Setting intentions and acting on them
- “I want this, or better.” just be open
- Christan’s past journey — overcoming self-sabotage
- Good opportunities, goals and vision
- You matter!
Resources Mentioned:
Christan’s website
Christan’s Company
Software Generated Transcription:
Dan
Christan, welcome to the Meaning Movement Podcast. I’m so excited to have you here with us.
Christan
Awesome. Well, thank you for having me on the show.
Dan
The question I like to begin with is how do you begin to talk about the work that you do in the world?
Christan
Awesome. I love that question because I think it sparks us to think about what we’re actually doing out there, not just as necessary tangibles. And I think for myself, my focus is trying to create models of building what we call heart-centered businesses. Another line of that is doing good and making money at the same time. I believe there’s massive impact that needs to be created in multiple different industries. And so my company, Kardia, we started off in the financial services industry, but then very soon we started moving into multiple industries because we found that what we are doing is more about how we build businesses than it was about the actual business itself. So we really look at that heart-centered approach. How do we serve the people that we are part of the company? But then also how do we serve the communities and the people globally? So we have things in finance, real estate. We own a little chocolate business, but all of them are how we operate. So it’s pretty fun that way.
Dan
I love it. I love it. I’d love to just kind of rewind a little bit into like how did Cardia come to be and have you always been an entrepreneur? Tell me some of the origin story here.
Christan
I love it. So I would consider myself probably an entrepreneur always since I was like a kid, I just always was fascinated by business and the opportunity to make a difference. I remember when I was really young, my mom got involved with the network marketing business as a lot of people get involved in business, I think in this day and age. But I was twelve years old, 13 years old, and I went to a conference that my mom was at for that network marketing business. And I saw people on stage just talking about the big dream, the big vision, the changing the planet, changing people’s lives. And it just totally inspired me to realize how this whole thing called business we could use as a transformational tool. And so I was always excited about that part of it and growing up. So I think it’s been filled with me since I was a kid.
Dan
Yeah. And so what were some of the steps? I mean, what were some of your first entrepreneurial endeavors?
Christan
I love it. So one of the ones I first did was an actual little vending machine business. Not like an actual machine, though. It was like a box that you’d put into little shops or in mechanic shops. It was by trust. They had to put their dollar in there and they’d grab a chocolate bar or a bag of chips or something like that. So I would be running around with my parents, driving me around to go pick that stuff up, which was pretty funny and ripping around to do that. That was pretty big. And then I was a coach. So I actually started not necessarily direct entrepreneurship, but I was coaching basketball at a local middle school and really got that spark of just working with people, organizing, and we would take teams to different countries. It was pretty powerful, actually.
Wow.
Christan
But in that because people saw my people skills and how I like to communicate. I got offered to be in the financial services industry. I recruited at 21, and that was really my big forte into the whole business world and marketing world because I all of a sudden that 21 actually became a licensed financial adviser. And so it was cool, though, because that impacts of it. I was literally able to sit down with families, educate, teach things that they didn’t even know. And it was like it directly impacted their lives. Like, I remember having a client crying at a table because it’s like we were able to help them go from the red to the black and literally two appointments. And so it sparked that excitement that we could actually do something out there with the knowledge that we get.
Dan
Yes, I love it. You don’t strike me as like a financial services guy. I have I shouldn’t say we, but when I think financial services, I think of suits and ties and stuffy and straight and very formal, and you communicate much more, I don’t know, maybe heart forward, I guess, to use some of your language. But yeah, that just really strikes me, putting you into that framework. When you were recruited, was it because you didn’t fit the mold or because you somewhat fit the mold and also didn’t fit the mold, or how do you think of it?
Christan
I think I was very fortunate. I was mentored by a lady named Marielle who was really looking at it was that heart side of it. She was a very big family person. She was big in the Church community. She was big in the community. She really liked helping people. And she just happened to find that the financial industry was a way for her to do that. And so when I was recruited through that channel, it was more about how I just loved working with people. And right from the beginning, and I’ve been in the industry for over a decade now, it wasn’t about just being the numbers and it wasn’t about what you just described. It’s very much the traditional industry. Right. It has nothing to do with heart. It’s all about I look at it as people trying to position themselves as better than and smarter them because they’re a financial professional and they look down on a lot of people. Whereas our approach was always, how do we sit out at that kitchen table or in that office and that person sitting in front of them. How can we just make it normal for them that they’re not financially secure?
Christan
In North America, the average person is not financially secure. Right. And it’s a big majority because 90 something percent of people in both north, the Canada and the States are financially not well. So if you look at that, our job was to not try to become better than them, but realize, hey, we’re like you, but we just got some information that allowed us to change our life, and we want to help you do it. So I think that was definitely it doesn’t fit the mold. And I think that’s what a heart-centered business is. We’re talking finance, but now we’ve moved into a bunch of other types of industry. It’s about treating people like they deserve to be treated, that they matter, that their stories matter, and it’s becoming where they’re at.
Dan
Yeah, I love that. It’s very cool. I think that my own life, my own finances. I know that it’s true that you can look where someone’s money is going and then see what they care about and where their heart is. I can see how you get into someone’s balance book and then can lead to a lot of other deeper questions about what they care about, what they’re passionate about, what they want to do with their lives and what they want to see happen in the world. Do you find that to be true? Totally.
Christan
Yeah. And I saw a lot in the early stages of where they want to support what they’re giving money to, whether that was their kids, the people around them. A lot of times people were financially in a bad shape because the amount that they were giving too. Right. And how much they were supporting things, and then there was other people that weren’t it was just materialism. It was just they bought a bunch of stuff. Those weren’t necessarily the people that I love to work with. I love the people that had a purpose behind what they’re doing. But in the financial, what it was is that was in the beginning stage of my business and career just meeting a bunch of people. But over time, what I realized is that what you just described is like, oh, I look at that, and it’s like not normal for financial services. That’s like, it in a lot of industries. Right. There’s a lot of this idea that we started in finance. Now we’re heavy in real estate. We just launched an Ecotech business that’s focusing on technologies that can help with the environment and the people and food security.
Christan
But all of those are like, how do we approach it differently? It’s not about how do we become a nonprofit? Because I think a lot of people go down that path. Right. Like, okay, let’s do nonprofit work, because I want to make a difference on the planet. But I can make money and build a business and also do well and by the planet. And I think those combined is very powerful. And we’re able to do a lot of cool things from that. Treating people right, the communities right, and building some cool companies with that methodology.
Dan
I love it. And I wholeheartedly agree with you. I think that business changes the world. As important as nonprofits are, it’s business that drives policy and drives global change. So if you’re talking about impact beyond just one very particular or small community, you have to think in terms of business. And I think that it’s the businesses, like what you’re doing that are combining some sort of impact and some sort of good that they’re doing like a mission behind the numbers. Those are the companies. Those are the leaders that are going to help us build the next iteration of humanity I really believe.
Christan
What’s amazing, and I think so I believe in this terminology, which I actually learned by one of my early mentors. It was called strategic philanthropy. So it’s looking at, we are a business for profit. How do we partner with other nonprofits or other charities that need capital, need exposure to be able to work, and then also as your own business how do you want to give to those charities and nonprofits? But how do you within your own workings and how you run your company also are just treating people well, right. That’s that component of treat your employees. That’s a form of a non profit per se. I honestly believe it makes you more profitable, but it’s an easy way to draw the line. It’s like give your team benefits, not be so stringent on what their vacations are, support them with extra education. Things like that are like people company looks as an expense I look at as an actual investment into the future of one – our communities, but two – also our businesses in the way that we’re able to do something. So I think those two things are important.
Dan
Yeah. That is not just external outside the business, but also internal in the business. I often talked with people about meaning, purpose, impact, all these different things. And people talk about dream jobs. And there are four categories I invite people to think about is the product, like, what’s the end product of what they’re doing? The process, like, what’s the process? The day to day of the creating, whatever it is, the day in, day out, the people that you’re doing it with, and then the profit, which is how does it benefit you? And you just said it’s like, it’s not just as a business. You’re not just looking at your product, the product, the impact that the business is making in the world, but also internally on the team and that team environment, that team culture, which is really fantastic. Unfortunately, it feels like in my experience, I have background in nonprofits as well. As a youth pastor for years back in the day, but so often nonprofits, these organizations that are built around a very good mission inside, internally aren’t able to have, for whatever reason, lack of resources, I think, is a major part of it.
Dan
But don’t have, like a really solid culture or internal organization, it can be pretty unhealthy. I think that sometimes people often get really confused about this because they’re like, I’m at a job, I love what the product is, what this company is doing, but the internal culture or the pay or all those other P’s don’t align with that end product totally. I love that you’re inviting people to look at all of those together, not just about the end product.
Christan
And you also have to think for some of those companies, it’s like we can’t rest on the idea that what we’re doing as a company is good. So you should sacrifice your own personal money, fulfillment, time, respect for yourself by being here. Because we’re doing something good, it needs to be like, yeah, we’re doing something good, but because we’re doing something good, we also know that there’s a wholeness, there’s fluidity and everything that we’re doing. And so if we wanted to make an impact, like, say, on some of the agricultural stuff that we do, if you want to make stuff to help with food securities in different countries, that it’s hard during Hurricane seasons or during COVID, well, that’s great work. But if I’m not treating my people like they are part of a mission that matters, and we’re treating them that their stories and their families and their security in other areas matter, too. We’re disconnecting things, and you’re not going to build something sustainable, especially in our culture. Now people are fed up with just working for somebody else’s dream, somebody else’s vision. And it’s about, how do I get the team members that are on my team to not buy into my vision?
Christan
How can I make sure that the vision that we’re going towards is actually part of their core values and the things that drive them to be fulfilled? And if it’s not, guess what? I would encourage team members all the time. What one of our businesses, what other companies can you be involved with that you get that fulfillment out of? And we find that team members come to us and say, this is the stuff that drives me. This is what fulfills me. My role could look, if I had this role at the company, I would have all those things, and we’ve instantly worked with them to get that, because that’s what people’s internal fulfillment is what really matters towards the big vision of what you have as well.
Dan
I love that. I love that one, that you’re doing that as a leader. And so I just want to give you a standing ovation because we need more leaders bringing their people along, helping their people go to the places that they want to go. But then two, I think for listeners, I think there’s something really powerful in that because often listeners hit play on the show because they’re thinking about career change or impact or whatever, and there’s something that’s not working and they’re trying to figure it out. And the default is like, I’m just going to quit my job and go pursue art or I’m going to quit my job and do whatever. But I think there’s so much opportunity, even in especially it’s easy to think in terms of like a 180 degree change, like I was in this industry, and I want to go to that industry. But what I love, even as you’re talking about with some of your employees, it doesn’t mean you need to quit your job just because what you’re doing right now isn’t in perfect alignment. But what’s the next Lane over or two clicks over from where you are?
Dan
What are the other internal opportunities within the organization that you’re already a part of that can help you do more work that matters without having to totally abandon ship?
Christan
Yeah, I look at it as this. I think it’s a statement that I can leave with a lot of people and they rest with is success is meaningless without fulfillment. So why I say that is success is this external viewpoint of where we are at in life. Other people tell us, you’re a successful entrepreneur, you’re a successful employee or successful this or that. But at the end of the day, that doesn’t make you happy or it doesn’t make you that you’re actually the best version of yourself doing the best that you can be doing because people are successful at things, but they’re miserable. So that whole fulfillment piece is what we got to measurement. So I love what you’re saying. It’s not about doing 180s. It doesn’t mean, hey, I’m an employee and I’m miserable, so I should go become a self employed person, because that doesn’t make that you’re not going to be miserable doing that, too. And I think if we look in the idea, like, what drives me? What is the fulfillment metric for me? What is the stuff that actually makes me feel like I’m being the best version of myself?
Christan
Because also as a Disclaimer, fulfillment doesn’t mean that you’re happy all the time. It just means that, you know, you’re on the right path and sometimes things are hard and you’re going through challenges and growth. But, you know, I’m doing this to become the best version of me. And people think that might be selfish, but it’s not. I honestly wholeheartedly believe that if we’re pursuing fulfillment in our lives, we are doing the right by everybody around us, and it doesn’t mean it looks good, but it’s the right thing. So I think that’s something I think people can think about when it comes to their work, their businesses, the way they employ. People ask that question, ask them like, are you feeling fulfilled in the work that you’re doing and then help them maybe guide them to what fulfillment means for them? Right? So I think that’s something that’s important for both.
Dan
I love that question, and I’m going to take that to some of my team members personally. So thank you for that. It comes up, but just to address it, like dead on, I often ask, are you having fun? Is it great? But even just to say, are you fulfilled in the work that you’re doing? I think it’s a really great way into the conversation. So connect the dots here, from being a financial planner and having one on one conversations to starting Kardia and all these ventures that you have kind of under that umbrella. Like, how did you go from you just doing your thing to really growing a whole entity?
Christan
Thank you for that. I love that question. And I think for me, I did a lot of stuff when I was younger. Then I got recruited in the financial industry. Like I mentioned, became a financial advisor and what we call like knee cap to kneecap, face to face with one on one people. And I was good at it. I did well, I won awards, I did all that stuff. But what I realized through that process is that me I know for my fulfillment, it’s a massive impact that I want to create. And so I don’t want to speak one to one. I want to inspire generations of people. And so for that, that was my calling. I don’t say when I’m playing big, that’s my journey. Someone else is playing big as being that one on one advisor, and they love that nurturing of one off relationship, and they’re going to help 100 people create financial independence for themselves, and that’s big for them. And I love that because that’s their fulfillment. But for me, I knew it wasn’t mine. And so I had to decide, what am I going to be doing? And because I love business, I kept on getting opportunities to get involved with business development options and other networking stuff.
Christan
And so I started to do that. And over the years, I just found that niche. And it’s like, hey, what is it that drives me and gives me the most fulfillment? And every time I look at it, it was like when I was coaching basketball and I was inspiring those kids to believe that they can go do something on the court. But in their lives when I was working at a restaurant and I was inspiring people to believe that, hey, your job as a server isn’t just a server. You’re actually having an opportunity to impact somebody’s life that you go serve in your life. And so I just realized I want to do that and create that culture in businesses. And so about four and a half years ago, five years ago, I was kind of out of the financial industry for the most part, because I was doing more business development stuff and a bunch of coaching. I was helping authors and coaches get their messages out there and doing the last up I was introduced to somebody that was in the financial industry again. And I got brainstormed about how do we change the entire financial industry so that people don’t think it’s just a stuffy thing that’s unapproachable and they needed to have this thing.
Christan
And that’s where this word Kardia came up, because my business partner at that time, actually, him and his wife found it, and it was the Greek word for heart. So we said, oh, we want to build a heart-centered financial services business so that people can feel like it’s approachable, that we can make a difference. And we want to inspire advisors. So we had a mortgage brokerage, financial advising, investment advising, credit solutions, general insurance, the whole gamut we built. But through that process, for me again, it became, I love this. It’s one industry, but these models were talking how we hire people, how we are engaging with our communities. It’s bigger than just this industry. And so that’s when we started peeling off into other stuff. And now we have a real estate portfolio that’s quite big. We’re working on some big development projects. We’re literally working with governments and big corporations in places like BVI and Antigua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, and the US, obviously, as well. And then it’s moving into this technology space. What’s going to make the really big impact on the planet. People talk about climate change or food security.
Christan
Well, then we’re bringing our connections to do our what we call Kardia Ecotech, which is my business partners, Carolyn Guyardo and Al and both of them, we’re building the teams around, bringing technologies to countries and communities to help with sustainability all around. And so all of that, it came to like, what you’re asking is, how did it all happen? I think it’s just me setting the intention that I want to do massive things and this allowing the things to happen and saying yes rather than saying no and realizing that it’s way bigger than me. Right. This business Kardia when I’m going, I don’t think it’s like my thing. We’ve created a movement of people realizing that what we’re trying to do is bigger than ourselves, and we want it to last forever.
Dan
Wow. I love that so much. And it’s just so inspiring just to see your trajectory. And so thank you for kind of peeling back. Peeling back the curtain. Yeah, a little bit there on that. I’m curious for you, what is the question here? So let me just tell you how I interpret everything, everything that you just shared. Every step along my path, I have to become a new person in order to do the next thing right. And when you step into the next role, you step into the next industry you start the next entity, you take on more responsibilities. And some of it, I think, is mindset. I know you mentioned the word intention, which I think I want to hear more of your thoughts on that. That’s a side note. But to back to this question, I want to know how you think about your own personal development. I don’t know the change that’s required for you to do the things that you’re doing is that question.
Christan
I love it. Yeah. So for me, what I look at is for my focus, and I think for most people, fulfillment journey is about becoming the best version of yourself. It’s about your character, who you are as a person, what you’re really called to be. And so I think when we think of that, I don’t have all the answers to that. Right. It strips away any of this idea that I know everything or I’m the best person to do any job or any role or anything, and it doesn’t disclaim that I have value. It just means I’m constantly wanting to grow. And so if I’m listening to someone that’s an eight year old person in a middle school somewhere and they come up with a cool idea, I don’t think, oh, I’m older than this person. So I have any better skill set around what he’s saying than he does, because who knows? I’ve been around some pretty smart eight year olds. Right. And it’s like also different industries. I might be in the eco tech space, but someone that’s selling a course on how to do something in a house, they may look at what I’m doing and say, oh, what have you thought of this?
Christan
And so for me, it’s constantly wanting to realize that for me to be the best version of myself, I got to learn. And that means I got to not think that I’m the best at something. Right. And I think in this whole world of, like, be the expert, be the person, sell yourself as like that. I think it’s ruined a lot of people because I think it gets people this competitive nature trying to one up people when it’s like there’s enough business in any industry to go around. The problem is you’re fighting over this one thing and wasting all the other clients that are around the corner as example, if we use clients. So I think that’s the biggest thing about being the best version of ourselves is being constantly wanting to learn and never getting into this ego that you’re better than anybody else because you’re just simply not.
Dan
I love that. I love that. That’s so fantastic. I just hear so much humility in that a call to remain humble, which is really important. I want to circle back to that word intention. What does that word mean to you? And even just to get really practical for listeners, I would love to hear directives. If you have any of like, how do you set an intention, how do you pursue an intention? And maybe even like, could we workshop this? Could we give some homework?
Christan
Yeah. I love that. Intention is a big part of, I think, what’s driven to a lot of the opportunities I’ve had in my life. Right. I think it’s because it’s like looking at, what is it that I want to accomplish? How do I want to show up? Who do I want to be? What’s the best scenario? An intention from my side is like looking at, hey, I want to grow, I want to make an impact with my company, or I want to make this connection. So I’m setting the intention that I am open and ready for the opportunities that come my way, and I’m going to say yes to them because I think a lot of times people are not about whether the opportunities are there. It’s actually that we’ve just say no to it based on the way that we show up by the attitudes that we have, those type of things. So give you an example, as a tangible last year, earlier last year. So kind of end of 2020, moving into 2021, one of my biggest intentions for the year was I want to really start working and being in the rooms with real massive change makers, people that want to make a difference on the planet.
Christan
Like, I have a really cool community, I’ve networked with some cool people, but it’s like, I want to get, what’s the next level of that for me, right? And so I was sharing this with one of my Mastermind groups, and I had said they’re like, well, what does that mean? Who would be a person you would meet? And for me, I’ve never really ever idolized somebody. I’ve never like, look up, because I have this whole idea that we all have brilliance, right? But I said I’m like, But Tangibly, pound for pound, probably who I’d want to meet would be probably Richard Branson. Sir Richard Branson, because he has 40 plus companies. He’s massive philanthropists now, right? Like, one of the best of all of them. He’s just totally building it, and I just love what he’s created. And so on that Mastermind call that day, setting the intention, the guy was like, oh, I know somebody has been on Necker Island. I’ll connect you with them. So I get off the call, I connected this guy, me and him get along really well, become friends. His name is Adam Anderson. And throughout the Mastermind, guess what?
Christan
Before the end of the year, I’m literally on Necker Island with Richard Branson, with Astro, who is like a cool guy that runs X, which is Google’s moonshot company, and a bunch of other powerful, cool leaders. And I’m there one of 30 people that’s part of this whole thing called Disruption for good. And so why I said it’s like it was an intention, but I also fully believe that anything can happen. And so just setting the intention, set the path that I’m saying yes to the opportunities. And I met with Adam, I connected with him. And that’s now led to some massive things. I brought my business partner Carolyn on that trip as well as my communications person. And now since just in the last four months, since what’s happened from being there is crazy, that’s led us to talking to the governments and working with BBI and doing all this stuff. And that’s intention. And so for somebody, that intention may be something big like that, working in that field, it might be, hey, I’m able to turn this year the red that I’ve been living in in my personal life to the black from the financial side of it.
Christan
So I’m not negative and positive. And then listening to someone that says, hey, I got this cool idea for something. Hey, can you help me with this and be open to say yes.
Dan
I love that I’ve had Adam on the podcast as well. And so make sure to link up to that episode in the show notes. He’s just such an inspirational guy.
Christan
Oh, he’s amazing. We become good buddies now.
Dan
Yeah, he’s so amazing. But, yeah, I love that it’s one part setting the intention second part, like making it known, like talking about it, which is like a part of one thing to say. I don’t know live in a big house. You have a big house for my family someday. But then what are you going to do? How are you actualizing that? How are you bringing that into fruition? What are the steps that you’re taking? I think that there’s got to be that connection piece there.
Christan
Yeah. I think it’s being open to the amazingness I think whether people call it universe, whether that’s God, however you describe it in your own personal world. But I think it’s about being open for these great things to happen. I’ll give another example on the personal story of just being able to say yes. So for me, my friends, people in my world know that I wanted to have a family. Right. I love I want to be in a relationship that I just like this person. I adore and want to build a relationship as everybody probably does. But it’s like it’s something I’ve talked about and shared. I’ve been in different relationships and not been that earlier this year, I was just chatting. I was single. I was living where I live now. And my friends were just saying, hey, Christan, I know you’d be such a good father, such a good husband one day or such a good guy. Have you ever thought of doing online dating? Right. And so from my mind, I’m like, my intention is I’m going to find this amazing woman that I’m going to build a life with and have a family.
Christan
And it’s like but I’ve never gone on online dating because I was like, I told them I’m like, probably not. I probably wouldn’t do it. But then the next day I’m sitting there and I’m like, why am I saying no to something? My intention in life is to find that dream, that person. And so guess what? I made a little profile within two months. I literally found the woman of my dreams. And we’re getting married in July. And it was this whole continent. It was quick four months. We were dating for four months and engaged within four months because it’s like we just both knew. But it was really cool because I wasn’t saying no. I have this intention. I know what I want.
Dan
Oh, that’s so good.
Christan
And something from outside of my world that I never thought of someone else said, and I just didn’t say no to it. I was like, why not? And I think we miss out on things because we say no too much.
Dan
I love that. It is such a great example for one. Again, Congrats.
Christan
Thank you.
Dan
So awesome. But literally I got goosebumps hearing that because it is such a tangible example. Just earlier today, I was on a phone call with a friend, and he was talking about just some things going on personally in his life. And I challenged him to consider going to therapy. There’s some big things. He was really resistant to it, and it was a really good conversation. But I wish that I’d had this conversation with you before that conversation, because what you just said, I think, is really what he needs to hear, which is that is he willing to say yes to the outcome that could bring we don’t know. We don’t know if therapy is going to help him. I think it will. But like, but is that end outcome? If he’s interested in doing whatever it takes to get to that end outcome of being a better version of himself, then it’s an easy yes. And I think that’s just a really powerful and it’s like, thank you for that. Yeah.
Christan
Being open to saying yes to things. And it’s also about being willing to set an intention, actually setting it. I think people are scared to think it because they might be disappointed. So they don’t even let their brains say, this is what I want. Right? And then if you do that, then it’s like one of the cool things I’ve learned to learn in the years, too, is like, don’t limit even that. So everything I ever will do now, I’ve learned this from somebody as well. It says, or better, I want this or better. So in an example of my relationship, for example, it’s like, I meet her, she’s living a dream person. Amazing. Guess what? I meet her family, and instantly we’re like the best. I’m good friends with their brother now. We’re like doing trips, and I’m learning it’s, like, even better. And so I think that’s in the business world, too. It’s like you do it. You just say yes to an opportunity, and all of a sudden it’s like, should I fly here? It’s maybe inconvenience. It’s covid time right now. For me. It was one of my examples when I went over to Antigua recently, and I was just like, but I was like, for me, I’m like, okay, it makes sense.
Christan
I should go, right? I’ll just be protected, do this proper stuff. And so I got there, and all of a sudden it opened up the door to this whole nother world that I never even thought was possible. And so it’s about being open, learning, growing, and just setting big intentions for your life. And big is the operative word because it’s big for you.
Dan
Right.
Christan
You don’t need to do my don’t live my life. Live your life. Be excited about your journey.
Dan
I love it. I love it. Two related questions that I want to get your input on, because I know you’ve done this so well. I feel like you’re a great resource. For me, this is just me trying to download Christan into my life and into my thinking, because it is so much about thinking, like the way you think creates your world, right?
Christan
Oh, yeah.
Dan
But one of them is how do you think about the self sabotage or allowing yourself, I guess, to have those big dreams, to really have them? Because I don’t know. I feel like there’s times when things are really good that it’s really easy to self sabotage, to make bad things happen. Right. Or to feel like at some low level, I don’t deserve this. And because of that, you do something to screw up, screw it up. Maybe you don’t know if you deserve to have a good relationship, so then you get scared, and for whatever reason, that falls apart. I’m curious if you have any experience with working with that self sabotage or other people, and I just want to get some of your input on that. Yeah.
Christan
I think if anyone tells you that they don’t work with self sabotage or impostor syndrome, they’re not human, right?
Dan
Yeah.
Christan
I think it’s such a big part of our journey because we’re constantly, like, by nature, our internal, our subconscious is trying to keep us safe. Right. And it’s mind. It’s safety is just like the known where you’re at. And so you’re always pushing up against that. So I think two things I’ll say, one, in this moment right now, you have the ability, whether it’s going to happen or not, but to wipe out all of the past stories and lies that you’ve told yourself. You have that ability not saying it’s going to happen, but I know that it’s happened in my life and it can’t happen in your life because I know it’s possible that in a flick it could all dissipate and it could be gone and you can focus on your future like it is possible not saying it’s going to. So my second thing is why I would say that it could be that easy, right? You just accept it. I’m going to accomplish something big and I’m going to go through hard things, but I’m going to push through and you move on for other times where it’s a lot harder. Maybe that’s not going to be the story.
Christan
Work with people. I have multiple mindset, coaches, people that therapists that I’ve gone to, because we are, again, to that whole thing I said before, we’re not the smartest person on the planet, which means other people know the way. That why I do certain things better than even why I do know it. And so to get that insight, there’s a lot of talk therapy like they talk about, but there’s a lot of actually more not talk therapy. It’s just energetic stuff that happens, which I’ve worked with some incredible people. Colette Streicher from the Map Institute is one of those Fia Lynn who runs an awesome organization, and we work with them on a regular basis. Those two constantly trying to improve, to break away those barriers. Because once you get to the next level, there’s like another level of fear or impostor syndrome that comes up. Right. And even me being on this podcast with you right now, Dan, is a direct relation to working with this one lady that I was working with because she challenged me. She said, Christan, why are you not sharing your story and sharing your wisdom that you have got?
Christan
And for me, the answer was, I was always worried about being that person that people thought was that cocky, telling a story. You watch the influencer online with their Lambos and their cars and all that stuff. And I just never wanted to be perceived as that, because I’m like, that’s not who I am. So guess what that did. It stopped me from doing anything good for the right reasons, which is what I had. So this last year, it’s not been that. I’ve been doing podcasts. I’ve been writing tons of articles and just, you know what? That’s not why I genuinely want to have people live a fulfilled life. And so how do I do that? Share the story, share my lose, my losses. There’s been many share my wins, and then dialogue this so other people can maybe wake up and do that as well.
Dan
I love that. That’s so good. Thank you. Thank you for that. And I hear that the challenge to take seriously, that self sabotage that we need others to help, call it out, help us level up.
Christan
Yeah. That world wants you in the dark, because when you’re in the dark is where you’re attacked and you’re taken up. Right. Like, if you’re in the light, if in the bright, that is where you’re allowed to be seen, which means you’re allowed to be supported, loved, appreciated, honored for who you are. If you go into that dark room. You got nothing to help you and all you’ve got is all that self doubt attacking you. So just turn the light on, get into the public world and just be in the light.
Dan
I love that. So good. How do you think about balancing saying yes with being over committed and spreading yourself too thin?
Christan
Yeah, that’s a great thing. And I’ve done that before a lot.
Dan
Right. Like, I think you which is why. Right.
Christan
So we’ve been involved with even in the business world, personal life over commitment. I think what it is, as much as we do need to say yes, we also need to be able to know how to maybe time things out or prioritize things. I think it’s also getting a very clear focus of what you’re wanting to accomplish. It’s also I think a big thing, I think, which allows you to start creating one, you need that values like what are your values? Because I hope you make a lot of decisions on things you do and do not do. But then what’s your vision? What’s your goal for say that time period or what you’re trying to accomplish in the big scale? It’s like for us, we’re really moving right now from a company standpoint, I’m really moving into the direction that it’s like we’re going to do and develop big portfolios deal with the big government development projects and partnerships. That’s the realm. So we get opportunities all the time for this other stuff. That’s great. And work. We have a property right now that months ago I probably would have kept because it’s a good cash flow property.
Christan
It’s good opportunity, but it doesn’t match that big goal that I have. So guess what? It’s an instant decision now. Let’s sell it or let’s not take that property on. So I think having knowing what you’re going towards, I think helps because then it’s like you’re not flinkering in the personal life. It’s also important I have a very big value that like I said, I love spending time with my fiance. I love spending time with the family. I’ve really switched this last year from being just a hundred. We used to work 1416 plus hour days non stop, no time off. And I’ve shifted even before I met my fiance because I knew I wanted fluidity in my life. I wanted this whole thing. And so the next two months I’m not traveling. As an example, I’ve been asked to go to Costa Rica, to the States several times all over, and normally I’d be flying all over. But now it’s like, you know what? I want to spend time with my fiance. We’re planning a wedding. All those opportunities are not in alignment with what my core thing is right now. So they’re easy for me to say no to.
Christan
So I think that’s maybe a little bit I talked a lot about that, but I think it’s just clarity on where you’re wanting to go so you can filter off some of this stuff.
Dan
Yeah, that’s super helpful. It really helps balance out. You know, you’re not saying yes to everything. You’re saying yes to the right things that are in line with where you’re
Christan
And be ruthless with it, too. So I think a lot of it you kind of like, you compromise things. For example, I said, I’m not traveling in January and February. It’s like in this time, I’ve literally been invited to go to amazing trips. I got to go meet something for an organization, for space, for Humanity. I would have met some awesome people. It’s always going to be there, though. I think the whole concept of, like, I can’t just keep on living, it’s just a line. I’m not traveling this time. So any cool event that comes up, I’m not doing it right because I made that commitment. And it’s not me saying no to that. It’s actually me saying yes to the bigger vision that I have.
Dan
Oh, that’s so good. I love that. It’s not you say no to that. It’s you saying yes to the bigger things. So good. So good. Well, just as we move towards wrapping up, one question I want to get your input on is like, if there’s a message that we could right now send to the entire world, let’s say we could put a Billboard on the moon. What would you put on that Billboard?
Christan
I think I would have one of two things that I’d put. But I think for everybody, if the whole world is going to see it, it’d be a simple two word Billboard. And it would say, you matter. And I deeply mean that for people. I think a lot of times we get stuck in this world that we think that our ideas don’t matter, we don’t matter. Our contribution doesn’t matter. And I think people forget that what you do in everything you do matters. And so it’s like whether you’re that single mom sitting there starting your first little business and trying to going through and thinking everything is out against me, you matter and what you’re doing matters. And you’re inspiring that child of yours to say that you can push through things, whether you’re a multiple billionaire running this massive company and all that stuff, like what that person does matters. And I think we genuinely deeply got to remember that our actions have positives and negative outcomes. Right, and that we have to be able to own that. And so I think if we think about that more, I think we would value ourselves a little bit more.
Christan
We’d put some more onus in our own decisions and our brilliance. And we’d also be willing to learn and grow more because we realize, hey, if I matter now, how much more would it matter? How much more benefit can I give to my own life if I learn a little bit more or grow a little bit more. You matter.
Dan
I love it. I love it. That’s a great answer. I feel like you and I could go on indefinitely because I feel like we’ve only just scratched the surface, but this is just such a electric conversation for me. Just so many things that I’m myself working on and I feel really challenged and motivated to continue my own personal journey by this conversation. So first, just thank you for this because I know my listeners will really feel challenged and called to more and I know I have felt that way myself.
Christan
Thank you. Thank you.
Dan
But if people are really resonating with you and what you’re up to, do you have any specific call to action you’d like to offer? People want to follow along?
Christan
Yeah, I’d love it. So I’m working. Like I said, I was inspired to get involved more this year and throughout this new year. That’s here. And so my website, we’re going to be starting to put a lot more articles and write ups and links to podcasts like this great one that I’ve been on. So Christanhiscock.com, it’s C H and an a n on Christane. So christanhiscock.com is a good spot as well as my company. If you’re following that, it’s. Hello Kardia with a ‘k’ hello and then kardia.com. Those are good. All my social links and stuff like that are on there and something to look out for as you’re following me is that I’m in the midst of writing a book that we’re looking to get published and working with them. We’re negotiating and talking with different publishers and stuff and the title is the road to fulfillment. Why the pursuit of success will destroy your life. I love it. I’m excited to launch that this year. Sometime at the end of next year, early sorry, end of this year, early 2023, because we’re doing a big thing around it. So stay tuned for that because I think it’s going to be I love it.
Dan
I’ll make sure to link up to all those show notes for everybody.
Christan
Perfect.
Dan
Thank you so much, Christan. This has been just so fun. Really appreciate having you on the show.
Christan
Thank you so much. I appreciate you and everything that you’re doing. Thanks, everybody.
