The Two-Minute Monday Motivation Podcast

A few years ago we developed a large solar project for a mega church in Maryland. The project was equivalent to powering more than 225 homes, which was a massive undertaking for a nonprofit.  On a foggy, overcast day the pastor of this church, who was also a pilot, flew into our corporate offices in Ohio to meet with the development team.  Upon greeting the Pastor, I asked what it was like to fly a plane in the clouds when you can’t see anything? After all, flying blind must be frightening, right? I was genuinely curious.His response was simple, but something I will never forget. He looked at me and matter of factly said, “I fly by instrumentation, not by sight.”  This was a simple straight forward response, but after a brief pause I responded, “That sounds like a metaphor for faith.”It is these seemingly innocuous moments that sometimes have the biggest impact on our life. This happened years ago, but I still think about it to this day.Big moves in life are life flying in the clouds. The path isn’t always clear and your direction is going to be met with uncertainty. Whether you are changing careers, schools, or starting a business.Going into it is important that you know that not everyone will agree with you and not everyone will see it. That is why you must have faith.Faith starts with a belief. An unquestionable belief in yourself, belief in your ideas, belief in your business . . . A belief that even if things don’t work out as you expected they will still work out how they are intended.Set your sights on the destination and follow your gut to get there. It won’t be easy. You will experience some turbulence, but that is when you need to keep going the most.You must know that most people won’t do that. Most people won’t believe in themselves. They will stop as soon as it gets uncomfortable.It is during the inevitably turbulent and uncertain times where you must have faith. You must stay the course, follow your true north, and pursue your purpose with relentless effort. If you do these things, you will make it to your destination. That is the point where others will believe too, but it all started with having faith in your own abilities.

This past week I was at a solar conference in Boston.  I was talking to a friend at the show that is absolutely crushing it.  Someone I admire for many reasons.  He is an excellent father, he is on top of his industry, he knows everyone, and more importantly, everyone knows him.However, he doesn’t feel successful in the traditional sense of having a lot of money.  The unfortunate truth is that most people define success by the amount of money in their bank account instead of the amount of lives they touch.I personally know a lot of wealthy people that I would never want to emulate.  It is not hard to name people that are “successful” only in the context that they have a lot of money.  People like Bernie Madoff or Jeffery Epstein for instance.  If you google either of their names the first description that comes up is “American Financier”, but if you keep reading I am sure you would agree they were not the embodiment of what it means to be successful even though they had more money than they could spend.  This is because they lacked purpose.When I was thinking about going to work on my own I had the pleasure of speaking with a self-made billionaire who was interviewing me for a 1099 position at a company he invested in.  Although we have never met, he left a profound impression on me because he wanted to know more about me as a father and husband than me as a businessman.  Here is what he said to me during our short conversation, “I am a firm believer that no success outside of the home can make up for failure inside the home.”This struck me hard.  I know people who retired from Costco, the church, or are teachers, System Analysts, Accountants, and RN’s that are not considered by most standards to be “wealthy”, but they are people I admire and believe are successful.Like the guy in the beginning of the story, they were all great family men and women.  I define each of them as successful not because of how much money they did or didn’t make, but rather, how much they give.I think it is time we reframe our perspective on success.  Success and financial independence do not have to be mutually inclusive.  Success is really defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.  This week I encourage you to define your purpose.  When you start achieving something you believe in . . . that my friend, is true success.As always, remember that you are limitless.

Let’s face it, we all know people who always seem to have an excuse for everything.  The truth is that many of us are settling in life, whether it’s your job, your relationships, your abilities . . . There are too many people settling for less than they deserve or are capable of doing. They aren’t happy about it, but they make excuses for themselves so it seems all right.One thing I do not tolerate in my life are excuses. Not for myself or from anyone else.  Today is President’s Day so I thought it would be fitting to have a quote from George Washington who said, “99% of failures come from people who make excuses.”I love this quote because the way I see it there are only two things in life, reasons or results, and results don’t lie. It look me years to train myself that there is never a perfect time to start a business. Yet, it is easy to make excuses for yourself. Here are a few that I had that may sound familiar to you: “I’ll do it when I have enough money, when my kids are out of college, when my house is paid off, when I turn 55 . . . ” In order to get out of this thought loop I had to change my perspective about failure. It wasn’t easy even though the evidence was all around me.For example, at IGS we started a combined heat and power business and ended up with a very successful solar business. Looking back I don’t consider it a failure of CHP. We were able to pivot and adapt to the market. We didn’t make excuses. We used information to keep learning and moving forward. Simply put, we made our success.Enerflo is the same way. It didn’t start as solar software platform. It started as something else, but evolved into what it is today. I am sure it would have been easy for the founders to throw in the towel, but the one-percenters don’t make excuses. They make progress.You see, failure is not an option because the ones who are determined gather information and pivot to make the best of their circumstances.  CAUTION:  You still need to put in the work. No one else is going to do it for you, and there is no easy button.I suggest you start your journey by prioritizing how you spend your time.  By making the important things priorities you won’t need excuses because the critical things get done. The flip side of that is that anything that isn’t a priority doesn’t need an excuse for not getting done because it wasn’t important from the beginning.  So this week reflect on this simple question, what are you doing to better your circumstances? As always, remember that you are limitless.

Jerry Maguire had the famous line, “You complete me.”It turns out this notion of a “soulmate” originated from ancient Greek mythology. Plato surmised that there used to be a “super race” of androgynous humans that were comprised of both male and female in one person. These humans originally had four arms, four legs, and two heads. They were extremely smart and physically strong. Fearing their growing power, Zeus split them into two separate parts with his lightening bolt.Separated from one another, each half could never be perfect without the other causing them to search desperately for their other half. Hence the term, soulmate.I had never heard this story before, but it lead me to this quote from psychologist Eugene Kennedy, who said, “There would be no need for love if perfection were possible. Love arises from our imperfection, from our being different and always in need of the forgiveness, encouragement, and that missing half of ourselves that we are searching for, as the Greek myth tells us, in order to complete ourselves.”I think this is an amazing summary of what it means to love and be loved. No one is perfect, but there is something special about finding someone that can embrace your imperfections. Someone that forgives, encourages, and allows us to be who we are without judgement.  This Valentine’s Day, whether you are single, in a relationship, or have been married for decades, make sure that you both forgive and encourage. Be certain that you recognize and celebrate differences because no one is perfect. However, if and when you find that right person, together you can get a little closer to being complete.

One of the cultural tenants at Enerflo is “different by design”, and there is no better advice for an entrepreneur.  Going with the crowd will get you no further than the crowd, but being different makes you stand alone.  It makes you unforgettable.It is uncomfortable forging your own path, being different.  That is why most people don’t do it.To innovate you must be willing to ask questions, challenge the current way of doing things, and look at problems differently.  It does not mean that you have to be different just for the sake of being different.  That is not necessarily a good strategy either.Coco Chanel said, “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”  Think about that for a minute.  Being irreplaceable is the hallmark of a long-standing brand.  However, as you contemplate this statement from Chanel, recall that she is known for her timeless designs and little black dress.  Hardly “different”.The point?  Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.  Chanel wasn’t famous for shocking, outlandish fashion designs.  That would be different for the sake of being different.  I believe that in order to make it as an entrepreneur you need to be willing to take risks and fail.  To succeed you need a product or service that adds value.  When you put those things together, then that in itself makes you different by design.  

These days I often get the question, “Why would you leave a stable, high-paying job to work for yourself at a scrappy start-up?”    When I made the decision, I knew that not everyone would agree with it. I knew that not everyone would see it, and that is ok. I have always said, “I see it because I believe it”. In this case I see the path forward, and I believe Enerflo is and will be the dominant residential solar sales platform.    Regardless, the next question that inevitably follows is, “What if you fail?”    Well . . . former first lady, Rosalynn Carter, once said, “You must accept that you might fail; then if you do your best and still don’t win, at least you can be satisfied that you’ve tried. If you don’t accept failure as a possibility, you don’t set high goals, you don’t branch out, you don’t try, you don’t take the risk.”    When I met the co-founders of Enerflo I knew I wanted to be a part of the business they created. I don’t believe in chance, but I do believe the there are opportunities all around us and we have the choice as to whether we pursue them or not.      I saw an opportunity in a product that fit a need, a product that my existing business partners wanted, a product that adds value to the residential solar space, and a product that can help customers achieve energy independence by lowering the cost of solar energy.     After looking at the core tenants of the company, I knew I had made the right decision.    I am “different by design". When people try to go through the wall, I go over it.      I want to “build audaciously”. When people question why, I ask why not. Jeff Bezos started an online book store and now he is building rockets.    I care about “partner success”. Their success is correlated directly to the success of our business.     I want to work with the “rare elite”. There is a saying that if you are the smartest person in the room then you need to find a new room.    Lastly, I want to have a “profound impact”. Above all, I believe everyone should have access to affordable green energy.    At Enerflo we have lofty goals. Goals that can change the world, and the satisfaction of trying to change the world outweighs the possibility of failing along the way. After all, if not us, then who?    So this week ask yourself, are you accepting that you might fail? If not, then you are not dreaming big enough.     

Last week I ran the Houston half marathon with my brother. I never considered myself to be a runner, but in 2020 I ran the half marathon with the explicit goal of finishing fast enough to get in the first starting corral, which is reserved for “elite” runners, for the following year.In 2020 I reached my goal by a mere two seconds, yet I was disappointed.I was disappointed even though I reached my goal while I was suffering from a severe herniated disc in my back that made it extremely difficult to do simple tasks like put on my shoes or sit down.So you would think in light of that I would be happy I hit my goal, right? Wrong!I was disappointed because I was unprepared in 2020. I was unprepared with both the distance and nutrition on race day.  Even though I hit my goal, I didn't reach my potential.  Last year the event was virtual because of COVID, but I found out my time from 2020 was no longer good enough for the first corral in 2022.  Good. Now with my back healed I had a second chance to put my best foot forward. It was time to get prepared.This year I showed up ready. I was disciplined with my training, ran every other day for months, didn’t miss a workout, and was more confident in my nutrition regimen for longer runs.Not beating my 2020 time didn’t feel like an option. Not placing into the first corral for the 2023 race didn’t seem reasonable.That led me to the quote from William Arthur Ward: “The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.”The discipline I had in all areas of my training allowed me to beat my 2020 time, and crush my 2022 goal. I finished 12th in my age group of more than 200 athletes during the warmup 5k before the half marathon (top 5% of nearly 4,000), and overcame my errors from 2020 to finish the half marathon strong in 2022.  Like Jocko Willink says, “through discipline comes freedom”. If you want to reach your 2022 goals . . . if you want to attain excellence, find discipline. Otherwise, you will find yourself disappointed.

I believe that giving anything less than your best is a waste of time. I also believe that you need to know where you add value and focus in that area.When I started at IGS Solar we had the goal of taking as much friction out of the solar process between sales, installation and the customer as possible. Simply put, we wanted to be the easiest leasing partner for solar in existence. As a result, we didn’t worry about all the things on the periphery. We remained laser focused on the 90% of standard deals, and pledged to transact on those better than anyone else in the industry.The proof is in the results. In just a few years we amassed ~20,000 customers and deployed more than $600M and 150MW of residential solar.Looking back on our journey lead me to this quote that I found from a speech Martin Luther King Jr. gave to a group of high school students in 1967. He said, “Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”Even though we were the little guy on the block when we started IGS Solar, my mantra has always been one of continuous improvement, one of getting a little better every day.Every single day I ask myself, “How did you improve today?” I am always striving to be a better father, husband, business owner, friend, colleague, etc., and I never take a day off from this mission.So as you look at your business or life, ask yourself one simple question. Are you the best you can be? If not, maybe you have some changes to make.

January 3, 2022Did you know that 80% of people give up on their New Year's resolution by the second week of February? In fact, research conducted by Strava using 800 million user-logged activities predicts that the day most people are likely to give up is January 19 (aka “Quitter’s Day”).The problem is that most people set goals that are too vague like, “I want to be happier”. What does that mean? What does happiness look like for you? What are you going to do to get it? Be specific. Write it down.Zig Ziglar said, “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”Here are a few tips for you when setting you goals for 2022.✔️ If you want to accomplish your goal makes sure it is SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time bound. ✔️ Pin new desired actions that will help you make progress towards your goal to an existing habit. This will make it easier to stay on track.✔️ Aim high. It is better to aim too high and miss than to aim to low and hit.✔️ Write it down. This is an important part of the process to make your goal a reality and hold yourself accountable.  Let’s face it, change is hard. It has been said that in order to change, the pain of doing nothing needs to be greater than the discomfort of the change.So find a goal worth changing for and take the New Year by storm!

December 13, 2021When is the last time you were uncomfortable?As humans we seek comfort. I remember being at kid and always wanting to eat the same thing. Specifically, I always got the hamburger with ketchup. I am sure that any parent can relate that kids don’t like to try new things, which seems to be the explanation for why so many kids smother everything in ketchup. It’s familiar. It’s safe. Trying something new could be risky, and our instincts tell us to avoid risk.  But it’s wrong.In order to live fully, you must be willing to step out of your comfort zone into the unknown.  Here are a few suggestions for stepping into the unknown:Start small. Try something new. Take strategic calculated risks to stack small wins, gain momentum, and boost your confidence.Next time you face a challenge, don’t run from it. Embrace it. There is no better thrill than taking on a difficult task and overcoming a challenge to make progress.Don’t listen to the naysayers. You are going to have others around you that are trying to pull you back into your safety zone. They will tell you all the reasons why you shouldn’t do something. Don’t listen. It isn’t that they always have ill intentions, but rather, they are fearful and maybe even jealous that you are trying to move forward in life.Monitor your inner dialog. What are you telling yourself? Are you procrastinating, making excuses, thinking about giving up? Keep a reminder nearby of the reason you started to help you stay committed.So next time you want to stay comfortable, try eating your meal without ketchup. Growing pains don’t stop when you become an adult, and it is time to see what you will become if you allow yourself to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.