Hey, hey! It is Friday, and that means it’s time for Friday Bullpen Sessions. Are you ready to kick 2020 to the curb? I hope so because today, I am going to talk about something we all want in our career for the new year: a breakthrough.

How was your 2020? Most people I talk to say it was a pretty weird year. That rings true to me, too. As someone who loves to get out of the house and be around people to get my best work done, I felt frustrated when coffeeshops closed here in Colorado. 

Though there are days when I’m still struggling with the feeling of losing freedom, 2020 has also been a year when I experienced big wins. In today’s episode, I’m going to tell you how I was able to achieve success in the middle of a global pandemic. I hope that we can all use this experience as a launchpad into 2021. Once you learn how these wins happen, you can definitely up your game and boost your career to the next level.

Let’s dive into how you can achieve breakthroughs and how you can begin applying what I learned in your career today.

Creating a Breakthrough in the Time of Health Crisis

The infection rates and death toll associated with the pandemic made many of us feel isolated, uncertain, and vulnerable. I definitely felt those emotions.  But, I guarantee you that there are some wins from the last  365 days that you just haven’t realized yet. I’m going to share a couple of my personal wins and I hope that they could inspire you to acknowledge yours, too. 

The first big win I had last 2020 in was my coaching business. I officially removed myself from health insurance advising, which I have done for the last 17 years. I built the complete game coaching program for brokers, insurance advisors, and partners in the industry to help them grow a brand, create a crystal clear brand message, and build the omnipresence they need today to grab all of the attention of their prospects. Do yourself a favor and check out the Complete Game Mastermind now and start filling out that application so you’ll learn more on how it’s done.

Overthinking causes paralysis, and overcoming the fears I have was another win for me. I have always wanted perfection. If you were like me, you know the feeling of not wanting to do anything unless you know you’re the best at it. You understand how frustrating it can be waiting on the sideline and watching others grow, knowing deep inside that you can do it — but the fear of failure is crippling you. Last year taught me that failing is the only way to learn. I want you to absolutely embrace failure. As scary as the messy imperfect action might be, it is the only way you can win.

The other lesson I learned was to stop caring about the judgment of others. My whole life, I was afraid of what other people said or thought about me. This fear started in my professional baseball career when I was so worried about what the scouts or my coaches were saying. Unsurprisingly, my business career was no different. Now, I’m just in a place where I don’t care what other people think. It’s a very freeing mindset.

So what made these wins possible? What made me get over my resistance to leaving the health industry where I worked for almost two decades? What helped me reach that confidence that whatever content I put out there is okay because it comes directly from my heart? What helped me break through amidst all of these fears and worries?

Mindset. I know that it’s hard to get the right mindset — particularly at a time when everything seems so unsure. Surprises — especially the ones we do not like — are lurking around the corner. It’s extremely difficult to grow when stability takes top priority during a time filled with uncertainty. But knowing that you’ll learn and grow through consistent action every day — and doing it from a place of peace — will definitely help you make it possible. Think about that sense of freedom you’ll have in knowing that you’re doing what you love and what you’re supposed to do. That is priceless and you owe it yourself.

I urge you to step into your passion and find what you love doing. Stop worrying about what anybody is going to say to you or about you, whether it’s your boss, your colleagues, or your family. That’s how you’ll create opportunities. That’s how you’ll have your own breakthrough.

The Right Mindset + Right Investment = Success

l would like you to reflect on your goals this 2021. What do you want for yourself? What’s your dream for your career? If your answer is to be the most successful version of yourself, that’s a great start. We just learned about how the right mindset can propel your success, so let’s talk about how we can maximize it to reach your goals in life.

First: Invest in yourself. It sounds cliché, but investing in yourself will help you attain the win that you have always wanted. An investment could be of money, of time, or of effort. I suggest you start by asking yourself these questions: 

Does it give me time back?

Does it allow me to be consistent?

Lastly, does this investment allow me to become omnipresent?

If the type of investment that you’re thinking of passes these three, then I’m all in. And let me tell you, if it worked for me, I’m sure that it will work for you too.

The Four T’s of Investment

The choice of where to invest will ultimately be yours. In my experience, there are specific things that are worth your money, time, and effort. I call them the four Ts: Technology, Team, Tribe, and Teachers. By investing in them, I am sure you can blow 2021 out of the water. 

Investment Tip #1: Technology

If your goal is to start a business this 2021, you might want to look at investing in Dropbox, Google, G Suite, Adobe Premiere Pro, and other software programs.  These online apps and tools, together with social media, could definitely help you grow your business. Since I’m in the coaching industry, I record my podcasts at StreamYard, which was immensely helpful since I can put it up on YouTube, LinkedIn, wherever. Doing so allows my content to be consistent, makes me present everywhere, and gives me time to focus on other things that help me grow professionally and as a person.

Investment Tip #2: Team

A great team helps your business run like a well-oiled machine. In my coaching business, I’ve got an executive assistant who acts as my COO and serves as the brains behind the scenes. I have somebody who edits my podcast, and another person who works on SEO optimization around my content. I’ve also got Steve and his fabulous team at Agency Annex working on the website.

If you have a team, think about investing in training and coaching them. If you don’t have the right team members, make the appropriate changes. If you don’t have enough team members, invest the money, and go hire them. An exceptional team is going to allow you to buy back time, stay consistent, be everywhere at all times. Trust me, you can’t do everything by yourself. 

Investment Tip #3: Tribe

The old adage that you are the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time is absolutely true. Back in October, I signed up for a men’s experience with a buddy of mine, Kyle Depiesse. If you’re a male business professional, do yourself a favor and go check out Kyle’s Beyond Experience. It’s fun, and you’ll get to meet amazing people. 

Becoming part of this group reminded me that complacency is the enemy of action. I think we could all benefit from having a crowd of people telling us that we cannot just stand there and give up. As difficult as it may be, I encourage you to let go of childhood friends who are not helping you rise and who may be dragging you down. Take the time, make the effort, and surround yourself with the right people — a tribe of high achievers who are going to force you to play bigger and better. 

Investment Tip #4: Teachers

Who are you looking to this year to help you grow? Who are you seeking knowledge from? Who are you going to learn from so you can become a master of your craft? One of the biggest mistakes I made last year was thinking that I don’t need a mentor. I decided that 2020 should be about taking action and left my Mastermind for five months. 

I don’t want you to make the same mistake I did, so I urge you to find a coach or a teacher who will push you to be accountable for your actions. Though they come with costs, these people have the expertise, the knowledge, and the experience to keep you on track for achieving great things in life.

Why You Should Listen to This Episode Right Now…

Guys, I highly urge you to do the same things that I did and make 2021 an awesome year. You have the right mindset. You are capable of breakthrough success — and if you want it so badly, it is going to take an investment from you. That investment is effort, time, and most likely money as well. It does take money to make money. 

Today is January 1. Take a little time to sit down and think about which of the four T’s makes the most sense to invest in: Will it be technology, team, tribe, or teachers? Nothing is really stopping you from creating a breakthrough except for your actions, your attitude, and your mindset. I want you to have new breakthroughs because when clarity and confidence collide, action happens.

Before I go, I want to tell you a little bit about my new coaching program: The Broker Branding Academy! This Academy is for insurance professionals who are focused on HYPER GROWTH! If you want to blow your 2021 sales out of the water, you MUST have a personal brand. Your prospects are buying you — not the logon on your business card. I’ve designed the Broker Branding Academy to teach you, step-by-step, EXACTLY what I’ve done to build a personal brand my prospects and clients KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST. It took me six years … but we’ll get you there in four months! Ready to enroll? Click here!  

Hey man, thanks for taking the time to read this Friday Bullpen Session post. If you are enjoying this content please do me a favor. Go over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe, and give it a five-star rating. If you know anybody in your family or personal life — your friends or colleagues —that you think needs help in finding and creating their own breakthrough, please share this Bullpen Sessions post with them and tag me, @andy_neary, with a screenshot of your greatest takeaway on Instagram! I’d be extremely grateful if you did. Again, your goal is to make 2021 a great year, my man. Let’s go kick together. 

Let’s make this year awesome. Until next time, folks!

Andy Neary Signature

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