Pat Flynn is one of our friends, mentors, and heroes, and we’re thrilled to share this podcast with you. In fact, we recorded a quick video introduction when we were together last weekend at his Course Creation Workshop, so check it out to get a feel for who we are! (Eric’s Life Architecture program is on the glass behind us, on sticky notes!)
Pat mainly coaches entrepreneurs, and while we know not everyone at LearnDoBecome falls into that category, the principles we discuss in this podcast apply to ALL of us.
In addition, we’ve found that most people we meet are curious as to how Eric and I do what we do. How do we work from home? How have we created a schedule that enables us to put family first, while still growing professionally? What goes on behind the scenes?
Pat has been a huge inspiration for us. He’s a father, husband, and entrepreneur whose story has inspired millions. But things didn’t start out easily. He was let go from his architectural firm (his dream career) in 2008, and in the midst of overcoming some really difficult struggles, he designed a new path for his life and made that challenge into a massive pivot point.
Come listen in to hear more of his story and learn how we can architect our lives and careers in a family-centered way. (Just click “play” above!)
Here are some highlights:
- After losing his job as an architect, Pat began creating an online resource for people studying for the architectural exam. His mindset? “I can do this. I can take information I know and share it with people, even though I’m not an expert and didn’t go to school for this.” This mindset created a huge ripple effect.
- Pat thought architecture was his path in life. It was the ladder he’d “climbed so high.” But he realized, “You know what? There are other ladders out there for me.”
- When we keep an open mindset, it allows us to use create “pivot points” out of catastrophes. Like in the movie, Back to the Future–a few minor changes in the past changed everything. We can’t go into a time machine to change things from the past to rewrite where we are now. But we can rewrite the story that is coming to us.
- No matter what it is that we want to do, others have done it before and can show us how to do it better, faster, and more safely. Be willing to share your journey while you’re still in the middle of it. Early on, Pat would call himself the “crash test dummy for online business” because he would try something out and share how it went–whether it was a failure or a success. Being in the trenches alongside others gives your story power and makes it relatable. People are drawn to “real people.”
How can you better serve others? I always say that your earnings are a by-product of how well you serve others. And even if you aren’t selling anything, your life fulfillment is a by-product of how well you serve others.
Pat Flynn
- Most people tend to live life day-by-day, or maybe plan a week ahead. But if you’re living that way, how do you know where to say yes? Eric will ask people, “What do you want to do?” and then push for specifics. Because clarity in your goals will open doors. If people know someone or something that could help you get there, they are much more likely to share when they have details. (Listen to the podcast for more examples….)
- Creating a plan is key, as long as you know what your options are. One of the most unfair question we ask our kids is, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” How do they know what their options are? Another question we could ask would be, “What are you interested in trying next?”
- Pat intentionally chooses to make his work something that brings the family together. Here’s a fun 3-min video where he took his son on a fun adventure in Philadelphia after an unexpected flight cancellation:
Doesn’t this just show Pat’s heart? He took adversity and hardship and turned it into a relationship-building opportunity. We have so much to learn from that!
Pat’s Decision-Making Guide (The “Airport Test”)
Maybe you know you don’t have to sacrifice family to have professional success, but you still end up saying yes to an opportunity without thinking about the ramifications. Or maybe you turn an opportunity down, but still feel like you’re missing out. We want to pursue our goals in a family-centered way…but how can we feel joy in opting out of less valuable activities? Pat has a great exercise to help with this!
Imagine you’re waiting at the airport for a delayed flight. You run into an old friend and feel thrilled that you will have the time to catch up with them. As you are sitting down to talk, they ask you, “How’s life? How are you doing?”
You respond, “Life is AWESOME right now. It’s never been better.”
The trick here is to ask yourself what would support that statement. What would need to be happening in your life at that moment in order for you to be able to confidently say that life was awesome?
As a bonus…take out a sheet of paper and fold it into four quadrants. Write at the top of each section one of the most important aspects of your life. Ex: Family, Finances, Career, Health, Music.
Under each category, list what you’d like to be true five years from now. What things will support you confidently saying your life is awesome?
Keep this in front of you. Pat uses his list every time he has a decision to make. He asks, “Does this fit into my plan?” If not, it’s an easy no. And if it does, he’s even more excited to be able to say yes.
Related Resources
Pat Flynn has so many great resources to share! Here are some of our favorites (books and courses are affiliate links):
- Will It Fly? by Pat Flynn
- SwitchPod (his Kickstarter handheld tripod)
- Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
- Smart Passive Income website
His courses (paid & free):
- Smart from Scratch
- Power-Up Podcasting
- 123 Affiliate Marketing
- Build Your Own Brand (free)
- Will It Fly? Companion Course (free)
- Superfans Companion Course (free)
And if you’re interested in more, you can find all his courses here!
Whether you’re new to LearnDoBecome or a long-time follower, we’d love to have you join our free class! We’ll help you finally stop drowning in piles–whether those piles are mental or physical. Come sign up here!
Charlotte Plott says
In 2014, I was following Pat and I did the “Airplane Test”!
I developed my podcast and loved interviewing small business owners.
“Biz Stories Shared”
Pat is awesome, and you two are awesome.
I am a pancreatic cancer survivor. Today I am thinking I might do Pat’s Airplane Test again, and see if I can find the answer to my question “What am I supposed to do now God?”
Thanks for all you do.
Charlotte
April Perry says
Excited for you, Charlotte! Thrilled that you’re growing and making awesome things happen. 🙂
Jessica Jackson says
This is such a great episode!! I have also followed Pat Flynn for years but this conversation inspired me on a whole new level!