My Advice For Your Focus Over The Next 10 Years - a podcast by Russell Brunson

On this episode I answer a really cool question from Rachel Pedersen about what I would do over the next 10 years if I were to start over.

On this episode Russell talks about now that he’s 40, what he would do differently if he was still 30. Here are some of the awesome things to listen for in this episode:

• Find out why Russell compares the journey of a funnel to the journey of parenthood.
• See what Russell’s favorite thing to do in his business is, and why he says he wishes it worked more like a “one night stand” for him.
• And find out what other marketer’s journey he is jealous of, and wishes he would have done things more like them.

So listen here to find out what advice would give himself, if he were still 30.

---Transcript---

What’s up, everybody? This is Russell Brunson, welcome back to the Marketing Secrets podcast. Since last we hung out I’ve had a birthday. I’m now 40, I’m an old, old, old, not that old, but I’m an older man than I was last time we hung out. I’m excited to be here. And one of my super favorite people on this earth asked me a question, so today’s episode is going to be me answering that question. So with that said, let’s queue up the theme song and we’ll come back here in a few seconds.

Alright so, some of you guys know one of my favorite people in this whole funnel hacking community is Rachel Pederson, and she voxed me this morning and asked me a question that I thought was really good. So I’m going to respond to her through podcast, because that’s how I work. You can respond to one person, or you can respond through podcast and respond to a whole bunch of people. So hopefully this helps everybody. Rachel, you’re amazing, thanks for the question. Here we go.

Rachel: So now that you’re 40, if you could go back to 30 year old you, what would you tell yourself? I’m 30 and I’m kind of excited because I have a decade, a decade, can I surpass what you’ve done in 10 years? No, probably not. But at the same time I’d love to give it a try. What would you tell me at 30 versus, what would you tell you at 30 if you could go back in time?

Russell: Alright, so to answer your question Rachel and everybody who’s listening in, it’s interesting because we used to go through different phases right. So the way I answer this may be just because of the phase I’m in right now. In fact, it’s interesting, when my dad turned 60 I remember we celebrated up at, I think the trailers that my parents have and my mom sat down and she had $10 for each decade he was alive, so gave him $60 and each $10 she would give him, he would talk about that decade of his life. You know, from 0 to 10, 10 to 20, 20 to 30, each of the different phases.

And I still remember the thing that was the most profound to me was he said, the favorite decade he had so far was the one where he was like 40 to 50 which is when he was coaching me and my brothers in wrestling. He said, that was of all the decades, his favorite. And I was like, interesting, because I thought my favorite decade would be the one where I’m in the arena, when I was actually wrestling or doing my thing.

So that was kind of interesting just to hear that. And then it’s also interesting, last week going to Tony Robbins, he had his 60^th birthday party and we had a chance to go there and see a reflection on his life and what he did. I don’t know if I told you guys or not, but he raised $18 million for OUR at his birthday party, which was so cool. Anyway, it’s been kind of a fun time to reflect.

And looking back now it’s like, okay I’m 40. I’ve got the next decade until I’m 50 and then one til 60. I’ve got 2 more decades to be where Tony’s at. It’s like, what do I want to do the same? What do I want to do different? What are all the things?

And it’s interesting because I would say the last 10 years, specifically the last 5 for me have been this grind to create and to make, to build Clickfunnels and to write three books and to do all the things that we’re doing. And I think there’s a season for all entrepreneurs where that’s what you do, where you’re in the thick of it. And for me, that’s been the season I’ve been in for the last, you know, more than a decade now, is in the grind and the hustle and all those kind of things.

And as I’m transitioning now to 40s and this next decade or whatever, the reflective period, it’s interesting because I’m trying to think more strategically and start thinking about what are the things that I actually enjoy the most?

It was interesting, I’ve had a chance this year, quite a few times to hang out with Jenna Kutcher and Jenna was really good at like, or is really good at saying, “This is what I want my life to look like.” And then building all the things around that. And I think I was always kind of afraid of that because I was like, “No, if I do that I’m not going to be able to have the impact and serve as many people as I want and all these things. Instead I need to, I gotta be the guy, I gotta build the things. I gotta build the empire, or the dynasty or whatever.”

But it’s interesting, two weeks ago I was hanging out with Jenna and we’re sitting there, and she was there with her and her team, her small team of people, and you know, they just won the KBB launch, outsold everybody by 2 to 1 or more, just killed it. She has this podcast that’s killing it, and she spends tons of time at home with her kid and with her husband and traveling.

And it’s interesting, as I look through the lens, I envy what she has now because she’s been able to do it at a huge level, without sacrificing all the other things around her. And I asked her about that a little bit. I’m like, ‘How have you done that?” and what was interesting is she told me, she said, “For me, I value the most is freedom. I could have got an office and I could have got staff, but then it would have felt like I had to go into the office and I had to do all these things.” It was just interesting because she was able to do similar to what I’ve been trying to do, but I thought to be able to do it I had to have all these things, the office, and the staff and the people.

And looking back now, I’m like, what are the things that I actually enjoy the most? And I think this has been a theme for me for the last, probably 6 months or so, maybe a year. Just looking at what are the things I enjoy the most, because now that I’m in this role in the business I’ve been doing a lot of the things that I don’t enjoy as much. I’m trying to transition out and shift things around. And I keep thinking like, let’s say this Clickfunnels journey for me was done, what would I do next?

I really think what I would do next, I would look at what is my super power in the business, the thing that I get excited by and geek out on, the thing that I love the most? And it’s the funnel piece. I love brainstorming the funnel, designing it, creating it, optimizing it, all the things. But I don’t like, I’m not good at after the funnel is life. I’m not good at long term customer support and maintenance and driving traffic. All those things are not really my strong suit. I get excited by the art of it, but then not the long term maintenance of it.

And so it’s like, for me, that’s my favorite part. So it’s like, could I have the same impact I’m having now, maybe even a bigger level, where I just do that piece of it? And we were joking, this is probably inappropriate, so cover the ears of your children if they are listening to the podcast right now. But we were joking how it’s the same thing with, oh man, I don’t know if I should be going down this road. But here we are. Like being a parent right, there’s one piece of your parenting journey that is pure amazingness, it doesn’t last long, depending on who you are, it’s a few minutes to maybe an hour of 100% enjoyment in the parenting.

And then that moment is over and then you transition to the rest of it. Where now it’s like, we have to go through 9 months of pregnancy, then we have to give birth, then we have to feed the baby and help it, then teach it how to walk and how to talk and how to go to school. And then they become teenagers and they start hating you for the most ridiculous reasons like the fact that you feed them every day and you help them, and your only goal is to make them survive this life and not be bad people. And they hate you for it. Yes, you can tell I have teenagers now.  I’m starting to feel that phase of it, you know what I mean?

So it’s all the different, it’s all the things right. You have this one piece of pure enjoyment followed by 18 years of effort and struggle and trial and hardships. That’s not true, there are definitely peaks of happiness in between. But it’s like, it’s hard. There’s that one piece of having a kid that’s the best.

And I was talking about in business, it’s the same thing. That  is building the funnels. Like, ah we built a funnel and it’s this amazing experience. And then it’s like, then it’s over and it’s like now we gotta care for the baby and we gotta do customer support and we’ve got to maintain it, we’ve got to drive traffic, and we gotta make sure it’s legally compliant, and we gotta.. And the longer you run the more updates you gotta make, and you gotta create more ads, and it’s all these things are just, I don’t necessarily love that part of it.

But some people do, right. John Parkes in my team, he, that’s the best part for him. He, for him the most exciting thing is not building the funnel, it’s some hands in the funnel, it converts, I get to go drive traffic. That’s where he gets his, the best part for him. That’s, I’m trying to do this whole episode without saying words that would offend little kids. I have too many young listeners now. You guys know what I’m talking about right? First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. So it’s like, it’s that piece of it.

But everyone that piece is different right. Everyone enjoys different parts of it. I guess that also is a metaphor that relates, anyway, I won’t keep grinding on that metaphor. But you know what I’m saying. 

So for me, I’m looking at this next chapter of my life, I’m like, is there a way that I could come in and just do the parts I love the most and not have to do all the other things? And it’s hard. When I’m the business owner I’m responsible for so many things, where it’s like, I think for so long in my life I needed the ego of like, I want to be the business owner, I need to be the CEO, I need to be the boss. I don’t know if that’s necessarily what the next decade I want to do. I would rather come into companies and be like, “Okay, let me do my magic trick. I’m going to have my one night stand, then I’m out. And I’m going to hand it back to you guys, and you’re in charge now of raising the baby and making sure it turns into a good human being.”

But I’m, should we call this episode the One Night Stand Marketing? That’s horrible. But that’s kind of what it is, like figuring out what is the one piece in a very ethical, moral, good way, that you love and then going to companies and just applying your art there, and then not having to worry about the other things that take away the excitement and the happiness and the thrill for you.

So I would say, for my advice, looking back now is there is definitely a season where all of us have to grind and hustle and learn the skill set. I spent the last decade mastering my art, and now I know that I’m good at it. And I think the next decade is going to be less of me trying to build huge companies, and more of me using my skill set to come in and do my piece of it and then leave.

So how is that going to look? I don’t know yet. I have ideas, and those things will hopefully start being seen over the next couple of years. But I think for all you guys, I would say the same kind of thing, don’t stress so much about making your weaknesses become strengths, instead double down on your strengths, become really good at them and then go figure out where you can apply your strengths for the most leverage. Coming into somebody and saying, “Hey, I’m really good at traffic. Let me do the traffic for you, I want to be a partner in this thing.” Or “I’m really good at the funnel.” Or “I’m really good at copywriting.”

I had this copywriter who at the time was one of the best copywriters ever, this is when our company was kind of struggling, and I offered him, I said, “I’ll give you 20% of my company if you write copy for me for free.” Not for free, I said, “I’d pay you per project, but it’s not going to be your high end thing, but basically cost so that you can survive, and 20% of the company.” And he told me no. He told me no.

I messaged him the other day, “Just so you know, if you had said yes to that deal, your monthly paycheck would be…” and I told him and he was like, throwing up in his mouth. But he had the opportunity right, to take his skill set, the super power that he had and apply it something where he could have just written and went back to bed and I would have done the rest of the stuff, I would have built the funnels, I would have done the stuff, and he would have gotten paid insane amounts for the rest of his life.

There are some people who are the best in the world at support, some people are the best in the world at whatever. So I think for me it’s like spend the next whatever, 3 to 5, 10 years becoming the best in the world at your thing. Wherever you’re standing at, straight from there, become the best there. Then after that’s done, then go and take that super power and apply it to other places.

I think right now for most of you guys you’re in your testing ground where you’re learning this stuff or you’re doing it for the very first time, so it’s like, become the best in the world at that. Become the best podcast editor, become the best support person, become the best traffic, the best Facebook, best designer, best whatever it is, the piece that you love the most, and just spend the next year, two years geeking out and becoming the best in the world at it, and then take that skill set and go plug it into opportunities where you can come in and do your magic power and step back out. And you’re not tied down to the long term, all the other pieces of it.

You know, you can tie in and get equity, tie in and get royalties or whatever that thing might be, but it gives you the ability to stay 100% focused on what you love and not have to get tied down in the parts that you don’t love. Man, I wish that I would have done that earlier, because I’m not going to lie, the last 10 years have been a lot. I’m worn out and I’m tired. But it was also my training ground to be able to become the best in the world at what I do now .Now I can go and I can ask or I can get those kind of deals as often as I want.

Anyway, that’s all I got. I hope that helps. It maybe, it was funny, we were watching Billy Madison the other day, my wife and I. It was on tv somewhere. So maybe it’s like Billy Madison when he gives the answer at the end it’s like, “Nowhere in any of your incoherent babbling did you come even close to a rational thought. The audience is all now dumber from having heard this.” So maybe that’s how you guys feel right now. If so, I apologize. But if not, hopefully you got some value.

But I think the biggest thing again, is wherever you’re at now, don’t dabble, become the best in the world at it. Spend this next season doing that, and then from there you’ve got a super power you can plug in, and you can amplify other people’s super powers. And that’s when you have a chance to go in, get out, do your one night stand, do the thing you love the most, and then profit from it for the long term.

Alright, that’s all I got to say. I’m about to go film the Dotcom Secrets new sales video and then we’re doing, like 5 hours from now we’re doing the Expert Secrets sales video, and then in 9 hours from now we’re doing the Traffic Secrets sales video, all 3 book funnels are being redone, it’s exciting, it’s fun, and that’s where we’re at. Appreciate you all, thanks for everything and we’ll talk to you soon. Bye everybody.

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