Transcript for Jeremy Anderson Interview on the Beyond Speaking Podcast
Jeremy shares his journey of overcoming personal and professional challenges, discusses the importance of mental, physical, and spiritual health, and explains his philosophy of "Next Level Living." He delves into topics like occupational integrity, the impact of mindset on success, and how to maintain performance in the face of adversity. Jeremy also emphasizes the significance of operating without needing external validation and striving for continuous improvement in all aspects of life.
Podcast Episode · Beyond Speaking · Aril 23, 2024 · 23m
Jeremy: Some people's performance is tied to the praise. They're like, hey, I'm gonna show you how amazing I am as long as I get the credit. And I'm not saying that they shouldn't get the credit, right? You should get credit, you should get praise, you should get accolades, trophies, awards, you should get recognized for the great work that you do. But I believe that it is a problem and a challenge and an opportunity to grow when someone says, you know what, I'm only doing this because of the credit, because of the praise.
But if I can help individuals get to a point where they say, I do an amazing job and I operate at the highest level and nobody has to watch me. And I don't do it for the craze predator accolades. I do it because that's who I am. And I help individuals get to that part. That's the sweet spot when they say, you know what, I'm going to just be phenomenal because I woke up like this.
Intro: Welcome to the Beyond Speaking podcast from Premiere Speaker's Bureau, featuring in-depth conversations with the world's most in-demand keynote speaker.
Brian: Hi, I'm Brian Lord, your host of the Beyond Speaking Podcast. Our guest today is Jeremy Anderson. Jeremy's got an incredible story of overcoming obstacles, a lot of personal difficulties, which you'll get into, but also somebody with this big corporate background in sales, marketing, investments, insurance, and leadership as well. And you know, he's able to craft that into what he calls next level living. He’s somebody that really connects well with audiences, has a great story and great takeaways. So, Jeremy, thank you so much for being on the podcast.
Jeremy: Thanks for having me.
Brian: Yeah, yeah, I'm glad you're here in studio, and I'm glad you fit into the chair. That's the most important thing. I know we are talking about mental fitness, physical fitness. You know, when you get into those things, which to you is more important, mental or physical?
Jeremy: I would probably say, I got the big three: physical, mental, and spiritual. Just to be flat out honest with you. So when I have my regimen in the morning, some people might do yoga, some people might meditate. I read, I pray, and then I work out. So I work on my heart, my mind, then I work on my body. But they're all equally important to me.
But the most important one is physical in a sense, because, you know, you need to live your life, right? You like you could not be here. You could have cancer, right? I'm going to a funeral for a friend of mine tomorrow. So it's like life happens. So for me, definitely the mental, but also the physical, but also the spiritual. So yeah, they're all in there together. Yeah, usually I prioritize all of them, I say that.
Brian: Absolutely. So I'm curious now, which came first for you? Well like which is the easiest one, the one you started off with, and it was really easy to be consistent with that? And which was the hardest one, and how did you deal with that?
Jeremy: I would probably say the physical was the easiest. That kind of just something I look forward to because you can kinda see the results. Then the spiritual. But I would probably say over the last four years it was more mental, more emotional, right? More seeing, having conversations, interviewing people, understanding the battle of the mind, the depression, anxiety.
So I begin to put a lot more focus into my mental health, making sure I'm in the best position so I can be the best husband, the best father, the best CEO, executive, the best speaker, the best trainer, the best mentor for others. So I began to put a lot of focus on my mental health as much as my spiritual, emotional, and my physical.
Brian: Well I know mental health has been a really big thing, and that's not always what you're booked for the most. But you know, you're saying four years, that's kind of the coveted time period here. What steps did you take to be more mentally strong or mentally healthy?
Jeremy: Though organizations and companies don't book me specifically for that, I weave that in all of my presentations. Because in order for you to experience peak performance and really go to the next level, you're gonna overcome a lot of challenges. And when we talk about occupational integrity later, I'll break it down to you like the importance of it. But for me, in the mind and how much people struggle with it, it's real critical for me.
So years ago, as I began to look at my own journey and I realized like, man, I'm in the funk, like man, I'm in the weird place. And because I'm so passionate, because I'm so upbeat, as I begin to sit down and talk to my counselor, I realize, like, this is depression. Like this is weird. Like I can be depressed. I'm a motivational speaker. Like I'm traveling the world, you know, speaking, speaking, doing my thing.
But I realized, like, man, there is something on the inside of me that needs nurturing, they need help as well. And I need a safe space because I'm the go-to in my family. I'm the go-to with our four companies. Like I'm the automatic go-to with all of my peers, all of my entrepreneur friends that's having issues, challenges with their marriage. I'm the first call that they make.
And so it's just like, man, who motivates the motivator? Who can be strong for those who are the strongest? And so for me, I realized I had to set boundaries. Like we talked about before, Do Not Disturb. I've got my assistant that kind of screens everything. And so I really practice that mindfulness to, okay, how do I feel in this moment? You know, where's the gratitude? Right? What am I excited about? What did I learn today? What am I looking forward to tomorrow? What am I grateful for? And then really taking the time to breathe and just kind of pace myself.
Brian: Yeah, that's interesting. So just kind of going back to set the table for those who are watching, listening here. You have a remarkable story of overcoming obstacles and difficulties. Can you kind of lay that out for us?
Jeremy: Yeah, the 60-second version.
Brian: It can be 120 seconds.
Jeremy: All right, there we go. So my mom had me very young, right? Was born in Dallas, Texas. She was a 16-year-old, teen mom. So I grew up instantly in poverty. Years for myself of drug and alcohol abuse, a diagnosis of ADHD. So I had a hard time sitting still and learning in school. I was getting kicked out of school, fighting, a lot of anger, a lot of rage. Biological father wasn't there, made a bunch of wrong, bad decisions. I went to three different schools for the ninth grade. Like I know all about failure, right?
And I finally came across a group of educators that really connected with me. And I saw the humanity in them and I realized, man, they were fighting through some really rough things. Like one of my teachers was diagnosed with cancer, but she still showed up. Another teacher was going through divorce. I'm seeing her every day dealing with heartbreak. Another teacher had just buried her husband. Another one that went through a triple bypass surgery, came back to school before the doctors even approved them because she missed us so much.
So when I'm looking at these educators, I'm like, you don't have to be here. Like maybe I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Like maybe there is a plan for my life. Maybe there is something special about me. So that alone, when I saw the humanity in them, I went all in and I began to apply myself. And I am smart. I just wasn't applying myself, right? And I end up catching up with my right grade, took summer school, took night school, graduated from high school on time as a part of the student government. I went to college, got a bachelor's, master's degree, began to write books, travel to speak, and the rest is history.
So I went through a lot of that. And that was in my adolescent years. And then in adulthood, I've experienced and grown a lot from marriage, sickness, losing babies, and a lot of the trauma that adults go through. It's like, how do you manage companies and businesses? How do you still show up to be your absolute best and perform at the highest level while your world's caving in around you?
So it's been quite a bit that I've been able to overcome over the years. And so now when I grab that microphone or I had that countryman on, and I'm speaking. I'm able to let them know like, I get it. I see you. And I know it hurts, but it's possible and you can get through it.
Brian: Yeah, that's awesome. I mean that that is something where people can really identify with even if people coming from different backgrounds or whatever it may be, that everybody has those personal heartaches that they have to go through.
Jeremy: Absolutely. But a lot of people unfortunately don't share it. I've heard a lot of people tell me like they feel that my superpower is that I'm really vulnerable, and I share things that the average person probably wouldn't share. Cause you know, it's like Instagram. You only put your best mail out. You don't if you eat a bowl of cereal, you don't post that. But if it's a nice avocado with the egg white and the toast, you post. That's a cute picture, right?
But I tend to show the real. I feel like that's what really helps me to connect with the audience. When they can see my heart, they can see the real me and it's like, man, he's being vulnerable with me right now. And that's where you build connection, that's when you build trust and that's when transformation takes place.
Brian: Yeah. Where did you get the courage to be able to share those things?
Jeremy: I don't know. Good question. I want to be just real and honest and add the most value. And honestly, I feel like it's a conviction. You know, it's a conviction. It's me humbling myself and me saying, you know what, I'm less concerned about what you think about me. I'm more concerned about you getting that breakthrough, you realizing it's okay.
And then I realized the more I shared, the more people could connect with me. And the more people felt seen, and the more people felt understood. And now they like, Well, if you and your wife went through all of this while you're building these companies, these businesses, you went through all of this when you were young, surely I can get through what I'm going through. So I took the focus off of me and began to put it on them.
Brian: So you had a whole lot of pathways. So you got high school, college, masters, everything else. You have a lot of pathways. What made you decide to go into business?
Jeremy: So it kind of evolved. It was purely an accident. As I got all my degrees and started working, I was working for Mutual Omaha Insurance and Investment in the corporate space of enterprise rental cars, doing really great there, moving up into management. And so as I began to work with a lot of these major companies and grow and excel and experience a lot of success, like it was, it was really good.
And I began to get at the same time speaking engagements. Hey Jeremy, we would love to have you come speak. Hey, we would love to have you come to our company, our organization to speak and share your story. And it kind of just grew from there.
And it got to a point, because I try to operate with integrity in everything I do. It got to a point where I said, man, my speaking on the side is starting to compete morally with my day-to-day work. And I realized like I feel guilty taking a paycheck from them, knowing I'm only giving 60%. I'm getting the job done, right? But I know I can give more.
But I realized my heart wasn't there. My heart was inspiring the people. So that's when I made the transition. And my wife, she took the leap of faith too. She was like, I'm quitting my job. I was like, Did you pray about that? She was like, I'm going all in. And she worked for the government. She worked for a NASA defense contractor. She had a great salary. I was like, Your healthcare benefits for that'll take care of, you know, your salary will take care of the car note and mortgage. She said, Nope. You quit your job, I quit my job too.
And we kind of took off from there. And then from there we began the first business, the first company was the Jeremy Anderson Group, speaking, consulting. Then we had an educational sector to it.
Then as we began to generate a lot of different revenue, I had a buddy of mine that was like a major one of my mentors, like a major trucking fleet. But he's big time. He thinks he's small. He's got like sixteen hundred trucks. That's big he's comparing himself to like Pinski with like eighty thousand. So we started a trucking company, next level trucking and logistics. And so we started buying a bunch of 18 wielders, hired a director of operations. And so from the resources that we got from speaking, we began to diversify to make different investments and it kind of grew from there.
Brian: That's awesome. That's great. So where did the idea for Next Level come from?
Jeremy: I remember I found myself in my second year speaking, and I've been doing this for 14 years now. So what's the numbers, like 2010? So like 2012. I was just like watching one of my messages and I said, I mentioned Next Level all the time. Right? It was just because well, I really feared listening and watching myself speak. But I said, as a speaker, to perfect your craft, you know, you gotta watch yourself. It's like a sports person reviewing the tape, right? You watch the game, okay, I missed this tackle. I could do something different here.
So as I began to watch my presentation, I said, man, I use Next Level a lot. And then it just flowed out one time, and I was like, I'm gonna show you all how to experience Next Level living. And it's like a light bulb click. I made some T-shirts, and it kind of just became a thing.
And so Next Level Living is the constant pursuit to be everything that we've been called and created to be. It's as simple as that. It's the constant pursuit. Nobody ever arrives, Brian. As successful as you are, there's always another level. It's a little bit more you can do. It's more you can accomplish. It's more you can achieve and attain.
So when I talk about Next Level Living, it's just like, man, it's the constant pursuit to be everything that we've been called to be. And so many people leave a little bit on the table. I'm like, no, go get all of it. And you have that inside you. And so that's kind of where it began to grow and evolve.
Brian: So what's somebody if somebody does want to get started on that pathway? What's something they can start doing tomorrow to get that next level of living going?
Jeremy: So for years I began to challenge them. I began to challenge people to experience next level living. But it wasn't until I created the framework occupational integrity, which shows them the actual path. So it's really a series of self-discovery questions, right? You gotta ask yourself, like, do an audit of your life. Like, am I really doing a good job? Like, can I do more? Do I even believe I can have more?
I talk to some people who want to be speakers, they're like, is it really possible for me to be a six-figure speaker? I'm like, a six-figure speaker? You could do that in a quarter and then a month. Like, you know what I'm saying? But they're just like, they struggle with belief systems, right?
And I talk to people that like, you I'm I talked to one chef, right? He prepares meals for my family. Like whenever we have friends in town, it's a phenomenal job. And I said, man, you can open up your own restaurant. His food is literally, Brian, the best food I've ever had in my life. He's like, you think I can have my own restaurant? And I'm like, dude, like, you know, and his family's wealthy. I'm like, they would be your first investor. Yeah, yeah. But people struggle with mindset.
And so when you talk about next level living, the first question you gotta ask yourself is, what am I doing on the inside to make sure I'm in the best position? Like, do I really believe this is possible? And then you begin to make the moves and transitions from there. But a lot of people question, like, is it really possible for them? So it starts with the belief system.
Before you go to achieve Next Level Living, do you believe you can have it? Do you believe you deserve it? Do you believe it's possible for you? The way I'm wired is if I look at someone that's successful, I'm thinking like, man, you're human just like me. In the morning time, you have to brush your teeth, right? Like you're not some special person where you don't have to comb your hair and shower. We all have insecurities. We all have feelings. We all have emotions. If it's possible for you, it's possible for me. I'm just wired like that. And so I try to help other people deal with that.
But the National Science Foundation dropped an article a few years ago. I read it, it changed my life. It said that the average adult has between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day. 80% of those thoughts are negative, and 95% of those thoughts are repetitive. So to imagine that the average adult human, just to say in America, 80% of their thoughts are negative, and 95% of them are repetitive.
So these are things we've been telling ourselves for years. And so people struggle on the forefront of next level living because they're like, is that even possible? So some of the work I do, you got to break that old mindset. You got to change that stinking thinking and really believe what's possible for you.
Brian: Yeah, I mean 'cause that is that that big first step is just changing. What are some of the results you've seen from people, maybe just a couple examples when they've changed that thinking?
Jeremy: Absolutely. I've had superintendents that have completely turned districts around because they've been there with imposter syndrome. And they feel like I was a great principal, but I'm not fit to be in this position. I'm like, you're absolutely fit to be in this position. Everybody else sees you, the school board sees you, that they're very picky, there's a lot of politics, but you don't see it.
I've had people that have risen and become number one salespersons within their organization. I've got one gentleman named Brian Thomas. He worked for Kia and he was the number one salesperson two years in a row just from him just showing up. But when I first talked to him, you know, he's like a street guy, just like, you know, just kind of doing his thing.
And I said, hey, you've got something special. You've got a heart, you've got charisma, you've got passion. Don't try to sell these people. Just bring out your personality, just connect with them, build with them, and add value. Don't try to sell them what you want to sell them. You actually have a heart that sells them what they need. And so now, but I helped this mindset to say, hey, all these guys have been here six, seven, eight years, that's cool. But you're special.
So I've been able to work with so many people over the years to help them with that mindset. First they gotta believe it's possible. Once they believe, okay, okay, this is possible, it's like now we have to put that work in. And what are the different things and questions we have to ask ourselves as we're pursuing that every day?
Brian: I know accountability is one of the really big things. How can people show accountability, keep accountability?
Jeremy: So I would say that kind of goes to the first question of occupational integrity. If I can break that down. So when I created the term occupational integrity, the first question you have to ask yourself is: Do I do my job efficiently and effectively without anybody having to watch me and micromanage? That's not like the bottom floor, the basic level of occupational integrity. The first question you ask yourself.
The second question is, do I do my job efficiently and effectively at the highest level? There are some people, Brian, that can show up and do a job and do a good job at it. But they're talented, but they're not giving it their all. They're just skilled and talented. But it's like, do you do your job efficiently and effectively at the highest level without having to be watched or micromanaged?
The third question you ask yourself: do you do your job efficiently and effectively at the highest level without you having to be watched or monitored? And you don't need credit. You don't need praise. You don't need the accolades. That's a whole nother level there.
And so a lot of people struggle with that because some people's performance is tied to the praise. They're like, hey, I'm going to show you how amazing I am as long as I get the credit. And I'm not saying that they shouldn't get the credit, right? You should get credit. You should get praise. You should get accolades, trophies, awards. You should get recognized for the great work that you do.
But I believe that it is a problem and a challenge and an opportunity to grow when someone says, you know what, I'm only doing this because of the credit, because of the praise. But if I can help individuals get to a point where they say, I do an amazing job and I operate at the highest level and nobody has to watch me, and I don't do it for the courage, predator accolades, I do it because that's who I am.
And I help individuals get to that part. That's the sweet spot. When they say, you know what, I'm gonna just be phenomenal because I woke up like this. I don't have to be coerced. I don't have to be persuaded. I don't have to get the recognition. I'm gonna show up and do an amazing job. And I remember having a conversation on the phone with one of our employees. I have this thing called he heard of H&M.
Brian: Okay, yeah. Well there you go. So we have teenagers, so we gotta be in the mall sometime.
Jeremy: Right, not the mall, not the store. Okay. I'll set you up. So the H&M I'm talking about is the heart and mind. So with all of our employees, I only work with our COO and our executives, but every blue moon, I'll connect with our team members. And I had a conversation one day, virtually one of our team members, Stevon, he was really struggling. And we had a H&M conversation. His heart was in a good place. We talked for five minutes, he's in a good place.
Then I'd say, okay, let's talk about your mind, mindset. How you doing? And I noticed some gaps there. And I said, Hey, let me ask you a question. If I would have told you I need to hit these numbers here, and it, but if you hit these numbers, you would get 10% of everything that was generated from it. Would you have put forth more effort? Would you have given it more energy? Would you have had more drive? He said yes, but not because I'm motivated by money, I would have just been incentivized. I said, That's motivated by money.
And then it spilled on my mouth. I said, I need everyone within our organization to operate with occupational integrity. I shouldn't have to coerce you or say I'll give you a bonus if you hear certain numbers. I just want you to be phenomenal because that's who you are. And so those are the questions that you have to ask yourself on that journey.
And then you go even deeper. It's like, okay, do you do your job at the highest level efficiently and effectively? Nobody has to watch you, nobody has to micromanage you. You don't need praise and accolades, but can you do it in the face of adversity? In the midst of challenges, in the midst of the storm. There are some people, and you know this to be true, they operate at a very high level as long as everything in their life is perfect. You know, as long as the situations are amazing.
But what makes Tom Brady great is when he dislocated his shoulder and they're down twenty-eight points and they come back to win the Super Bowl. What makes Kobe Bryant great? Well, he tore his Achilles and still limped to the free throw line to hit those shots to help the Lakers win the game, knowing that he was going to have season-ending surgery. What made Michael Jordan great is because he had the flu. But he still dropped like 50 points.
And so that's what separates the good from the great, the exceptional, the iconic are those that says in the face of adversity, in the face of storms, because there are some people within the organizations, they're like, hey, I'm going to operate a high level as long as the protocol is on point, as long as everything is how I want it, as long as my management. But when they roll out something new and when they change something within their policy, it raves them, or if they're having challenges in their marriage or their health, it throws them off their game. And we're not expecting people to be perfect, but we are asking for a perfect F.
Brian: Yeah, I know you talked about having an eleven year old daughter and that sort of thing. Now what all do you teach her in terms of, is she like she's like next level living? Because the kids don't listen to us sometimes.
Jeremy: Yeah, for sure. So fun thing about me is if we go to a restaurant and it's really bad service, you know, I'll give them twenty percent, whether the service is good or not. You get thirty, forty percent if you blow our minds, right? So my daughter, she she takes after me, she says, Daddy, that person was average. I'm like, my god, I'm creating a monster here. But that's what she said, she's average.
And if you come into my house and you say “always grateful,” she's gonna shout back, “never settle.” That's like our mantra to life. Always grateful. We're grateful for everything we have. But we'll never settle. Not if we can achieve more, not if we can experience more, not if we can attain more. Right?
We have a foundation in South Africa. We feed a thousand children every single week. Awesome. And so like warm meals, thank you. And we have the packages that they can bring home with their family. So some friends of mine at college are like, Jeremy, that's amazing. I'm like, yeah, but if you do numbers, we feed about fifty thousand people a year. That's great. But Tony Robbins speeds millions, right? And so the way I'm wired, I'm like, hey, if he can do it, I can do it. I'm gonna work towards that. So I'm inspired to see what Tony is doing. Does that make sense?
And so that's something I'm instilling in my children. Like always grateful, but never settle. So when she's on the soccer field or she's taking tennis lessons and she's like, I'm like, babe, you're good, but you're celebrating. And the game isn't over. Yeah, always grateful, never settle, right? And so I'm constantly challenging my daughter.
Now, Jackson, he's five. The simplest things get him excited. So he's not the example jewel, I'm drilling it on him.
Brian: Yeah, he's always excited, always grateful.
Jeremy: He did it, he’s gonna have ice cream? No. Yogurt? No. Cantaloupe? Yes. Let's go. He's like, let's go. He starts hot. And then he lands.
Brian: He starts high. That's a negotiator right there. He probably wouldn't have been happy with the cantaloupe.
Jeremy: Cantaloupe as the first. For sure. But he was just shooting the shot, just in case they said yes to ice cream or yogurt. But when he says cantaloupe or watermelon and grapes, how do you say no to fruit?
Brian: I know. That's kids. Yeah, thank goodness for Costco selling fruit. Our kids eat awesome.
Jeremy: Amen.
Brian: Well, Jeremy, thank you so much for coming on, for sharing about you know leadership, about occupational integrity, next level, all that. So thank you for coming on.
Jeremy: Great. Well, thank you.
Brian: So for those who are watching or listening, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review. Also check out Jeremy Anderson at premierespeakers.com. Again, Jeremy, thanks so much for coming on.
Jeremy: Absolutely, man. This is great. Thank you.
Outro: Thank you for joining us for the Beyond Speaking Podcast. To learn more about today's guests, visit PremiereSpeakers.com. Make sure to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen.
