Rob Dube (00:21):
Hello, everyone. My name is Rob Dube and I am here with Gino Wickman. Gino, good to see you.
Gino Wickman (00:29):
Hello, Rob.
Rob Dube (00:31):
You are going to queue us up for this episode because it's one of our special ones.
Gino Wickman (00:37):
Yes, it is. So for those that are new to this topic, we call this a coffee shop conversation. And where this stemmed from is that for decades, Rob and I have been meeting in a coffee shop a few times a year and having some of the most amazing conversations. And once we launched a podcast, just had an idea that, hey, maybe we should have some coffee shop conversations, and if there was only a camera on us back then with the amazing stuff we talked about or the fun stuff we talked about. Now there's a camera on us. It's just we're going to record one of our coffee shop conversations. The way it works is neither one of us have any idea what the other one's going to bring up, just like in the coffee shop. And you're going to go first today. Each time we just decide who's going to go first and I have no idea what you're about to bring up. And then I'll go next. And we get through as many topics as we can, which is typically about two.
Rob Dube (01:31):
Okay, perfect. Well, today I wanted to talk about Discipline number nine, put everything in one place. And what was coming up for me was we were having a conversation and you brought out a yellow piece of paper from four years ago and I thought, "What the hell, where did that come from? That's from his yellow legal pad." So that got me going. I know we've talked about this yellow legal pad in the past, and you always say, people make fun of me for my yellow legal pad because that's your one place, which we love. We love that. But I think there's more going on and I really want to uncover it.
(02:14):
And the reason I want to is I've had some interactions with some people that have some pretty great, what I'll call organizational systems, how they're able to reference certain information pretty quickly. And in both cases it's not electronic and yours isn't, either. And it's just got me fascinated and I think the listeners will learn something from this, which is why I'm bringing it up. So I'm going to queue you up on a few things. First of all, I know you have the one pad that you walk, you carry around like you're writing on now, but then I've seen in your briefcase what seems to be like 20 or 30 more yellow legal pads.
Gino Wickman (02:56):
20 or 30.
Rob Dube (02:57):
Had to say it for effect. I don't know, maybe it's 10, I don't know. It's at least 10. Come on.
Gino Wickman (03:02):
No.
Rob Dube (03:02):
Five. Okay, whatever. And you've had this knack for bringing out pages from these legal pads that date back many, many years when you need to reference something. And so that got me curious about how do you file all this stuff and know how to reference it. So I think there's something to learn here and I'm looking forward to learning it for myself.
Gino Wickman (03:26):
Yeah, I love it. So I'm writing so many notes right now. It's so good. So I want to start with this really important context. Okay. So what I'm about to share can be done on paper or can be done with technology. So everything I'm about to say, I am simply going to say how I do it, which is all on paper, and just know that everything I'm saying can be applied to technology. And I would suggest to you if this was 1901, I'd be a fucking genius, because there was no technology. And so this is all of my teaching, being very obsessive about time management. This is all my teaching, but again, it's being done on paper as it would've been done in 1901. And again, doesn't mean it can't be done going forward, and many do it on paper still, but just be aware of that, okay? Because I also want to be careful that everyone running on technology doesn't shift to paper.
(04:32):
Although a funny little story real quick is in our Shine meeting, I ran another Shine meeting. I do about once a month. This week we had a member show up and he pulls out a spiral notebook and he said, "I finally have committed to my one place." And the love he had for how he's running his life on that spiral notebook was incredible. The other point I would say is a lot of people use a journal for their one place. And so when I talk about paper, I'm working from a legal pad, and of the thousands of pages of legal pad I've written on in the last however many decades, 99.9, don't survive, end up in the garbage, and the very small percentage survive and get filed. So the point there is when you see somebody doing this from a journal, it's much more acceptable than all these loose legal pad pages which come off and seem to be very disorganized, but it's really organized. Okay, so let's start there. So there's the context. Does that genuinely makes sense? You tracking with that?
Rob Dube (05:47):
Yes.
Gino Wickman (05:48):
So the legal pad piece of paper I pulled out for you because you asked me to take a picture of it and send it to you was a very important document from somebody who coached you and I. And I have this very strong soul level belief, and you can research this, I call it caveman consulting for what that's worth. But it is primal for us to write, and I believe in the psychology and the power of writing because all the study shows when we write, we retain more. And there's something about me seeing my handwritten notes that brings me back to that moment. And when it's typed out in a document, it's just a black and white, similar boring thing that has no emotion to it. So I need to bring that into this moment. And so now to go back to that document, what I have is I just have a file for 10 Disciplines.
(06:52):
So there's a 10 Disciplines file. That's what you're seeing in my bag. There's only about three files in there, just so you know. But there's also a file for every talk that I have coming up. And so there's typically about three files in there for a talk. There's not much in there, but it's as I prepare for my talks leading up to them. But I have a 10 Disciplines file, which is your and my business. And in that file is probably 20 pages, and some are Word documents and some are handwritten notes. And that's where that particular document was. So this is a person that coached you and I on our relationship and showed us how to have a much better partnership. And to me that's gold.
(07:30):
And ironically, I had a very similar situation with my partner Don, with EOS Worldwide. Someone coached us as well, and I had two pages of notes regarding his and my relationship. And so what happens is I will go back to those notes from time to time, probably four times a year. I'll look at those notes that I have in there. And it just brings me back. For instance, you and I, when we started this company, we came up with our five to 10 guiding principles and kind of our deal. And so that document's in there, that's on a Word document, but these are things that are really, really important, like the top 10 or 20 documents for our business. And so that's how I do it.
Rob Dube (08:09):
How do you decide when it's file worthy of all the notes?
Gino Wickman (08:13):
It's just really simple. So again, a thousand pages, whatever it is, 1/10 of 1% make it. It's my decision. And it's tough sometimes because yes, I could keep a hundred of those pages, but then I'd have to carry around a truck to carry all that stuff. So it's just being discerning.
Rob Dube (08:33):
Do you err on not keeping it?
Gino Wickman (08:35):
No. I err on the side of throwing it away.
Rob Dube (08:37):
That's what I ...
Gino Wickman (08:38):
Yeah. It's got to be really important. It's got to have some serious meaning.
Rob Dube (08:44):
Is there a file cabinet that you keep?
Gino Wickman (08:46):
There's definitely a file cabinet I keep, but that's for other stuff. For what you and I are talking about, it sits in my bag. It's in my bag.
Rob Dube (08:55):
That's always in your bag.
Gino Wickman (08:56):
Always in my bag. The 10 Disciplines file.
Rob Dube (08:58):
Interesting.
Gino Wickman (08:59):
It's always in my bag.
Rob Dube (09:01):
I better watch out.
Gino Wickman (09:01):
You better watch out. That's it.
Rob Dube (09:01):
He's got the files, his bag with him. Oh, no.
Gino Wickman (09:02):
Your permanent record.
Rob Dube (09:04):
He's pulling out the file.
Gino Wickman (09:05):
Your permanent record, Rob.
Rob Dube (09:06):
[inaudible 00:09:07]
Gino Wickman (09:07):
I have your permanent always with me.
Rob Dube (09:11):
Okay. Mystery solved. Thank you, Gino.
Gino Wickman (09:13):
You got it. And then let me just look at what I wrote. I want to make sure I said everything there. So here's how I did this one today. I have no idea what my topic is, and I was going to wait until this second to decide what my topic is and see what comes through me. So I may have to sit here for a second or an hour, I'm not sure how long, but I'm just going to see what comes to me to talk to you about today in the coffee shop.
(09:48):
Why do you want to do this at this moment in your life? Because you've gone through a really interesting four years of soul searching, and I'm just curious what motivates you at this moment in your life to go forward and make the impact that we're about to make? Just really curious. That's just what's coming up for me.
Rob Dube (10:12):
It feels right and it's fun. That's the basic. I mean, that's what I look at every day. I mean, that's why we've made this evolution where we're going to replace me as visionary because I can feel what isn't giving me energy, where I'm not doing my best work, and I can feel where I am. And I believe there's value there and I enjoy it. And I think to myself, what a gift to have sort of a nuts and bolts business for many years. It's just a copier business. Multifunction printers, deal with corporations. They have RFPs. They want better pricing. You try to serve them well.
(10:56):
You have service people, you have all kinds of people that are working in your company and you get to know all these different personalities and what makes them tick and how can you build an organization where they actually want to wake up and come in and do good work and enjoy it and love the company. And I was very passionate about that for many years. And then through organizations that our peer group in nature, like Yo and others, tug boats, a good example, small giants, getting to know my peers and realizing, man, you're messed up. Me too.
(11:37):
And then coming to a point where the evolution of just this business, you and I always joke, we started this business because when I interviewed you for the back of the EOS Life special edition audio book interview, I was like, "These 10 Disciplines are amazing. I think it would be amazing to bring these to my peers," and talking to you about doing that. And you were going to do that anyway. So we decided to connect, after you vetted out other potential partners. It was just going to be a video, a series of videos that people could go on and buy. And those are there, by the way. You could go on, you could buy them. They're very well produced. We spent a boatload of money on them, and time and energy. Very well done, I have to say.
(12:32):
But what we found is that people wanted a more intimate way of learning, a more live setting. And so we created that and then we created a mastermind where we take this work to a whole nother level and we do individual coaching in the 10 Disciplines, the VIP coaching, because people wanted to take the 10 Disciplines deeper, et cetera. This whole evolution, I mean, who, I couldn't have even predicted it, but every step of the way, I just had an open heart and an open mind to what was possible and just letting it go.
(13:06):
And I think to myself now, I could have never imagined, I could have never planned for any of this and how grateful I am, I'm 55 years old, that I get to do this type of work. And the reason I'm sharing this entire story with you, the listeners, is because you never truly know where you're going. You don't know your path. You think and you want to know so badly. But I speak from experience. There is such joy in fully letting go and letting things unfold. And I said it in a previous episode, and I'll say it again, always with proper effort. Always with proper effort, you want to give your all to whatever it is you're doing and do it well.
Gino Wickman (13:53):
That might be the longest I've ever heard you talk. So it was heaven.
Rob Dube (13:57):
Sorry.
Gino Wickman (13:58):
No, don't apologize because you're always asking questions. So honest to God, that might be the longest riff I've heard you have. What I'm realizing, though, in this conversation, because there's something called the mirror. The mirror is whenever we're feeling something about someone, it is a direct reflection of how we're feeling. And so it's like an issue you're having. It's your issue. It's always you. You're looking in a mirror. And so when you're accusing somebody of something or feeling a way about something or whatever that is, it's you. And so it's a direct reflection. And I think I'm asking you that question to ask me that question. And I freaking love your answer because it's describing where we are with this business. We're going through a major, I don't want to call it a restructuring. I like calling it hitting the reset button.
(14:58):
So we've had this amazing three to four year run. We've created some amazing content product services, and I think we're going through this revolutionary period now. So it's evolution, revolution, evolution, revolution. That's how companies really grow. And so we're coming out of the last evolution. Now we're going through this revolution and readying ourselves for the next evolution, if I said that right. So call that what you want to call that. But it's like I literally feel this uneasiness stirring in me about this topic because I think I am trying to come to grips with where we are. And I'm trying to understand where you are and to maybe learn something for how you are handling it. Because where we're now heading is we've got these amazing products and services, the self-study, the group coaching, the mastermind, the podcast, the book, and we've replaced you as integrator.
(15:53):
We're about to replace you as visionary. And at the end of the year, all of a sudden we're going to have these products and services, a visionary and integrator at the helm of this organization. And then you and I are going to be in our sweet spots. I'm just going to play my part in our amazing mastermind and I'm going to do these podcasts and I'm going to do talks where it makes sense. And then I'm excited for you because the role is so different now for you where you're going to be in your sweet spot doing the magic that you do for this organization. And I think I'm realizing it's a little jarring and scary for me with where we are. And I mean, I feel the sensation. It's in my stomach. And so maybe this is just good therapy. Does that prompt anything for you?
Rob Dube (16:42):
I just think when I'm not pushing, and as you used to say, holding on so tight and you'd clench your fist to show me what you were witnessing within me. And it's funny now as I've learned that from you and all the many other things that I've done to just let go and just notice as I reflect, so I have facts. Hard times, the right thing always showed up. It was always for a reason. I know you've all heard that a million times, "Always for a reason." I know it doesn't take the sting out of it. I get it. I don't want it to happen either. But when it does, I realize now I have a history. The right thing shows up when it needs to show up. I mean, something happened today that was, we had a great win today. And I was just thinking yesterday, it was like, wow, we could use a great win. I got a text today. We got a big win. I mean, I'm just saying the right thing shows up at the right time.
Gino Wickman (17:45):
Yeah. What prompts, maybe the last thought for me on this is then with all of that I just described, it's like then what brings me back and just completely calms my whole central nervous system is why we're doing this. The passion, the purpose, the cause, the reason we're doing this. And that's to free the souls of a million driven entrepreneurs. And when I see that so clearly, and I see that as a 10 year goal, it's like, and I do believe we're just going to evolve toward that goal as long as we keep our eye on that end game that we're working toward. And so thank you for that answer. That was great. And I loved hearing you talk for more than 30 seconds and to get you to stop asking freaking questions for a little while. So that was beautiful, beautiful.
Rob Dube (18:35):
I'll just say last thing. Every night at the end of my meditation, I look up to the sky and I say, "One million entrepreneurs freeing their True Selves," and I let my hands go free and I put them in a big heart, and I bring my hands down to my heart, and I just feel that. I just feel what that feels like.
Gino Wickman (18:56):
Awesome, awesome.
Rob Dube (18:57):
So we'll see you all million entrepreneurs freeing your True Selves.
Gino Wickman (19:02):
Thanks, brother.
Rob Dube (19:03):
Thanks for asking, and thanks to all of you as always for joining us. We'll see you next time. In the meantime, stay focused and much love.
Gino Wickman (19:14):
Thank you for listening in today. We truly appreciate you taking the time to spend with us, and please tune in for the next episode. Until then, if you'd like to see where you are on your True Self journey, go to ShedandShinePodcast.com to take the True Self assessment and receive personalized guidance. If you're all ready to begin your inner world journey with Rob and myself, please join us for the next round of the 10 Disciplines group coaching program. We wish you all the best in freeing your True Self, stay focused and much love.
