The View From The Top With Aaron Walker

Businessman and Life Coach – Aaron Walker

Here’s what you’ll learn about The View From The Top:

– Why you should view your mastermind as a long-term investment.

– How the “Man In The Middle” exercise can help mastermind members reach breakthroughs — FAST.

– How to find the RIGHT combination of personalities for your mastermind.

– The biggest warning sign that says your mastermind is doomed

Aaron’s Website:

ViewFromTheTop.com – Coaching, masterminds, and resources to improve your business, personal and spiritual life.

ViewFromTheTop.com/Book – Pre-order Aaron Walker’s book, View From The Top: Living A Life Of Significance AND Receive 2 AMAZING BONUS OFFERS Directly to your Inbox, including: “The Mastermind Blueprint” and “Exclusive Access to Expert Video Interviews”.

Transcript: Download

Video Transcription provided by GMR Transcription Services.

Jamie Masters:	Welcome to Eventual Millionaire. I'm Jamie Masters and I'm so excited to have Aaron Walker back on the show. He's an amazing friend, coach, he runs ViewFromtheTop.com and he has a brand new book coming out called The View from the Top. What a surprise. He also has a mastermind blueprint because he's been in a mastermind group with Dave Ramsey forever. So, he's the guy to learn about it. Thanks so much for coming on the show today. 

Aaron Walker:	Hey, Jamie. Thanks for having me back on, ma'am. What a pleasure.

Jamie Masters:	And I love supporting people. Especially, I know how crazy it is with the book. I'm going to say this at the beginning instead of the end for everyone. To go to ViewFromtheTop.com, tell us what you get so that everybody gets it.

Aaron Walker:	Well, it's pretty cool. We wrote another book called The Mastermind Blueprint, because as you said earlier I've been in mastermind groups now for two decades. People ask me all the time; hey, how do you do this? So, we wrote a book called The Mastermind Blueprint. My COO, Tom Schwab and I got together and we wrote the book and we?re going to give you a copy of that. Also, when you order the book at viewfromthetop.com/book, along with view interviews; I was privileged recently to interview some fantastic people, mutual friends of yours and mine: Pat Flynn, John Lee Dumas, Ray Edwards, Dan Miller, and Lee Cockerill.

	And so, what an amazing group of guys, and there are some real nuggets in those interviews, but I'm going to give away the book, and I'm going to give away the interviews with the purchase of my book, so there you go.

Jamie Masters:	So, when I write a book I'm going to write another book. Did you give them away? So, we don't do one thing; we do double and give it away.

Aaron Walker:	We're winners and we've got to stay busy, right?

Jamie Masters:	Yeah, no kidding. So, tell me about mastermind groups. I want to get into mastermind groups because you know; me and Pat Flynn have been in a mastermind group for six plus years now. Gosh, it's weird when you can't remember. I'm sure that's a problem for you, too when it's been so long. Give us some tips on the mastermind side of things because I get asked this question all the time. How do we make it more long-term?
Aaron Walker:	Well, that's the thing. Dave invited me to join his group years ago. You know he was on one radio station at the time. He inquired that if I would buy advertising from him. He gave me advertising to try him. A couple of years later he came back to me and he said; I hope that the advertising has worked out. I said that it's done amazing. He said; listen, I want you to join my mastermind group. I said join your what? He said; join my mastermind group.

	Jamie at that time, it was years ago, I'd never heard of mastermind groups, so I reluctantly did it. I went to his office and there were these amazing guys sitting around this table. I didn't know any of them and then a bunch of our mutual friends that you and I have now were in there at the time. We got to know each other and just over the years it's been a sounding board. There are trusted advisors that you can go in. They don't have anything to gain or lose as a result of what they tell you and they tell you the truth.

	It's been challenging at times. It's like I didn't want to hear that, but they make you better. I tell people if you want to feel warm and fuzzy go buy yourself a puppy. If you want to grow and do better, get in a mastermind group where they'll call you out, challenge you, encourage you, edify you, but oftentimes they'll pin you up in the corner and say listen; you've got to quit doing that or you've got to do more of this.  

I've just loved the long-term benefits of those relationships. They're always sharing either technology or they're sharing resources or introductions. We read constantly. We're ready hundreds of books and it's just been a personal development, growth, and business growth like I've never experienced.

Jamie Masters:	I love it, especially because they do say stuff. Like we had to talk behind your back day; each group member gets to talk behind their back on a day that they can't show up. I had to take a couple of deep breaths and be like; okay, I don't know what they're going to say, right because it is one of those things where they trust you so much, they're known you so long; I care for them so much. Of course I want to tell them the stuff that's hard and I want to hear the stuff that's hard, too no matter how uncomfortable it is. 

	So, we've just implementing that. What's your structure specifically? Like; how long do you show up for? When do you guys show up? What do you do during it? 

Aaron Walker:	Well, we've transitioned from there. We met for about 10 or 12 years and then we went out and started some of our own groups. So, now I facilitate eight groups weekly. I have 80 men from all over the world that I facilitate these groups eight times a week. We have a very, very strong structure, but I don't want it to be so structured that we can't set that stuff aside for really important things that are going in guy's lives. 

	They may come in and have a relationship problem or a financial problem that we need to deal with, so it's all hands on deck, right' For the most part there's an accountability tool. There are 10 things that we fill out every Saturday. It keeps it top of mind, things that are really important in your life that we want to rank ourselves one to ten so that we're paying attention.

	The other thing that we do is called Man in the Middle, where you'll come to the hot seat and the focus is on you. If it's you, Jamie, you come together and we say; hey, what are three questions? We post in the Facebook prior to the meeting so the guys have time to think about it and then we'll go to a theme. We have themes every single month like authenticity or how is making your business bigger making your life better? Themes every month; we have a book that coincides with the theme, so we're constantly reading each and every week. 

	We're constantly encouraging each other to be givers, not takers because where there's a room of takers you know nobody wants to be around, but where there's a room of givers, you're constantly introducing people. You're constantly encouraging on the side. We encourage people to get together. Jamie, we have guys' now forming partnerships. We've got guys going into business with each other from across the country. They've met through these mastermind groups and they're crushing it.

	We have guys doubling, tripling their business. We have guys that have been struggling in their families and now they're better dads, better husbands, and better people in their community. It's just amazing to see the life transformation that is going on in the lives of these guys. As a result of that, their families are better. Their businesses are better, and they're better employers.

	And so, that's kind of the structure that we've set up. We also do what's called All Hands ISI, where all of the groups come together every month in a zoom video conference and I invite guests and we do interviews. John Ruhlin was just our guest last Thursday, with the book Giftology and he shared with our group. Every single month I bring in an expert and then twice a year I rent a place here in Nashville called Evans Mill and at my expense I host everybody. 

So, they fly in from all over the world and we spent two and-a-half days twice a year doing this amazing mastermind meet-up, and you're talking about a game-changer, you're talking about life being changed. If you get 60 or 70 guys in one place over two and-a-half days and the magic happens. It's just amazing. 

Jamie Masters:	It's so funny because it's so similar to one of them that I run, right? Even my retreat is two and-a-half days. It's funny that we have that in -

Aaron Walker:	Well, it works you know three days you their interest and less than that it's like give me more. So, we've figured it out, haven't we? 

Jamie Masters:	Exactly. We're predictable. Awesome.

Aaron Walker:	We know what works.

Jamie Masters:	That's amazing. How do you feel like you keep the energy up, especially because you know there are ebbs and flows in businesses, right? I love hearing about the crazy wins, so we do wins in our groups every week. It's like; okay, what was the one, because we focus on problems a little bit too much. So, how do you keep the momentum up though, when busy entrepreneurs are just like; I have another call or whatever it is because this is a question that comes up over and over and over again. Masterminds sort of go; well -

Aaron Walker:	Yeah. Well, you've got to keep the energy up and you know our attendance to our groups is about 95 plus percent every week. There's always somebody that has to travel or somebody is sick or not feeling well, but what we do is we do focus on the positive things, right? The thing that we do the most is we prioritize our priorities. You see everybody is always trying to get work/life balance. There's no such thing. You can't do that. Balance by definition means equal on both sides. Well, it doesn't need to be equal on both sides. 

	What we need to do is focus our effort and energy on things that matter. We put the big rocks in first and I even talk about that in my book. That's the title; Put the big rocks in first. That way you can work everything else in and around it if you have time, but if not you're devoting your energy to the things that matter.

Jamie Masters:	What do you suggest for - let's say one of the guys in the mastermind is just having a rough time; you're like okay, you can do it, you can do it - and every week it's sort of a; you can do it kind of guy. What do you give for somebody like that?

Aaron Walker:	Well, here's the thing. We can't do that. We can't sustain that long-term. There are natural things that happen in our lives. We would be kidding ourselves if we're amped up all the time. We're always on go; you just can't. You and I even talked about it pre-interview here. You know you get tired. I mean honestly everybody gets tired. We've got to rest. We've got to encourage one another. 

We've got to challenge each other, but let's be real. Let's be authentic and let's just say I'm having a bad week. The truth is I've screwed up this week. I've not done well. Don't make it the pattern of your life, though. That's why we try to say; it's okay to pause. It's okay to get tired. I've done that a number of times and even between businesses - I've owned 12 businesses now - and even between those I take breaks. I'm like; I've got to rejuvenate. Robin and I are about to leave for a four-day trip. I'm going to cut everything off. I'm going dark. I'll probably leave my phone at home and I'm not going to get it out because I need to rest.

You need to re-energize. You need to build back up. We've got to have a sigh bus. We've got to take a rest. So, let's not be fake, right? That's what I tell everybody. Let's be authentic. Let's just say; hey, time out for a minute. I'm tired. What can I do to rejuvenate? Then when you're authentic and you're genuine you let the veil down. You invite the scrutiny of other people and they say; all right, man. Listen, you've been in this position - 

I'll give you a story real quick. I was in a dark spot years ago. I mean I was low. I was in like the ditch. I don't know, Jamie if you've ever been there, but we've all had times where we just couldn't pull ourselves out. So, Saturday morning I get a phone call from one of our mastermind members, James Ryals is his name, he's a speaker and travels all over the world. He said; Aaron, I've got a word for you. I said; okay, this is going to be good. I couldn't wait. What is it?

He said; you're worrying us to death and we're so tired of hearing what you're saying. I'm like; James, I don't even know what to say and I started laughing. Well, he didn't laugh. I sat there and I said; well, I'm sorry. He said; listen, man it says in the book of Isiah to take the chains from around your neck and move on. It is time you're moving on. Let's go, baby. We've got to go. I'll see you. I've got to go, and he hung up. 

I was so mad. Jamie, I was so frustrated. I said; he messed up my whole Saturday and then I thought. I said; you know, I've been investing 10 years with this guy every single week. He loves me enough to tell me the truth. The next Wednesday I went in Dave's office in the conference room, I looked at him and I walked across the room and I think he thought I was going to hit him.

Jamie Masters:	Yeah, exactly.

Aaron Walker:	I walked up to him and I grabbed him and I hugged him. I said; James, I love you, man. Thank you for loving me. I appreciate that. Jamie, it changed my life. I mean I did a 180 and I said; where would I have been without that guy calling me out? I turned and I told Robin. I said; we've got to get moving, and we did. And then we went and opened another business and we went forward, but we've got to have people like that. Just be authentic. Be genuine. Be real. Be transparent. 

You can't do that with everybody, right but you can do it with your mastermind group. Just go in there and be genuine. Things are going to be fine.

Jamie Masters:	So, how would you suggest somebody do that for other people? Let's say they're in a mastermind group and they see one of their - this has happened to me and I'm sure this has happened to you too - you're on the opposite side and you see someone and you're like; I just want to slap them around a little bit, right? Like; what can we do? What do you do to do that in a way that they'll hug you after and not slap you or punch you?

Aaron Walker:	Yeah, well here's the thing. You've got to have empathy. It's something that we're missing today and we need empathy for other people. The other thing is, Jamie - and you've known me for a long time - you've got to genuinely care. If you don't genuinely care you'll be found out soon. Adam Grant wrote the book Givers and Takers, and you're one or the other. 

	I want to be the giver. I want to be the guy when I come in the room that lights the room up and brings energy. It brings positive; it's not a naysayer and everything is gossip and everything is bad and gloom and doom. Nobody wants to be around that because you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. And so, I want to be that guy, but I want to be equally genuine. I want to go and say; Jamie, listen its okay. It's okay to be where you're at, right? Show empathy. 

	Don't let them stay there, though. You see, that's the thing. Week after week if they're there call them aside first. Don't call them out in front of the group. Call them aside and say; hey, let's have a talk, Billy. Tell me what's going on. Spend some time with him. You see, really people don't care what you have to say until they know how much you care. People only remember how you make them feel. And so, you've got to show that person you genuinely are interested for the benefit and the welfare for themselves and their family.

	Once they know, you've got permission to say anything. Now, that's earned. You can't go right out of the gate to somebody that you haven't earned the right to say that. For example, because we've known each other so long, I could come up and have a constructive criticism, right? I could come up and say; Jamie, you know I've watched your show over and over and over. Why don't you consider this? But if I come up and say right out of the gate and I don't even know you; hey, man your show is this or that. You're like; dude, who are you?

Jamie Masters:	It's like; oops, gone. See you later. Yep.

Aaron Walker:	You've got to earn that and you can't do that short-term. You can't get in these masterminds. I get so tickled. People get in masterminds for 90 days and they go; well, I haven't gotten anything out of it. I'm going; are you serious? I've been in these for 20 years. It takes time to develop those relationships and that rapport with people, so go at it from the long-term and not the short-term. Quit thinking about next Friday and next month and even a year from now. Think long-term of how your life is going to be better as a result of surrounding yourself with those trusted advisors.

Jamie Masters:	It's the relationship. I think that's the thing that is so important that a lot of people then are - I've seen a lot of people create masterminds for like six months at a time - and they're like; I feel like I got all of the information I needed. I'm like; it's not the information that we need. It's the connection and being able to be vulnerable with somebody that knows what you're going through because unfortunately that's really, really rare. It's that that takes time. What's so difficult is like you said. Everybody is looking for a quick hit, like; oh, what am I getting out of this? What am I getting?

Aaron Walker:	Yeah. Jamie, I'll tell you another thing that you said that was really viable is the longevity of the relationship. Let me tell you why. If you don't know the history you can't help people make a decision. You can throw something out on the table and for some people the right answer may be A, but for you, because of your history and your family and your relationships and your past business experiences, C is the best answer. Well, you can't get to C unless you spend time getting to know people, right?

	You see, my history is that I've owned a dozen businesses in 40 years now. Well, people know that I get to a certain point and I start losing interest because I'm a creator/developer. I'm not a maintainer/manager. Well, if somebody else didn't know that, they would say; you can't sell that business because no amount of money would keep me there if there's not a challenge. People that are around me all the time know that. They know that's my history. They know that's Big A's heart, but when people come into the group with no history at all, they said; man you need to do this. 

	Well, you can't tell me that because you haven't been around for the past 38 years. And so, I'm just saying; get in these groups and stay. I hope your group with Pat and the rest of them lasts until Jesus comes back. I hope it lasts forever. The reason is because your life will go to another level, right and you've got to start over and you've got to go through that dance again. 

	Get in a group now. Whoever you are watching this, get in a group, make sure it's the right group, spend the time necessary getting to know the people with the same core values; people of character, people that are honest, have high moral values. Lock arms and go to heights you've never been.

Jamie Masters:	I adore this; especially it's funny because just the other week I was on the hot seat for ours and they're like; that's a pattern. Look, the patterns are back again. I'm like; oh, I have issues with time. So they're like; oh, you did it again. I trust them because they've seen me for so long. Even coaching, when you coach somebody for a really, really long time you know what they'll do and you know what they're already thinking comparatively. 
	I feel like unfortunately in the world we live in its more about - at least what entrepreneurs are told online - oh, go buy this thing and then this pivotal thing and then this, right and everything shifts this quick hit and we bounce around and bounce around and you don't create those relationships that are imperative, what I think, for your true business success because you don't have those people that actually understand.

Aaron Walker:	Jamie, real quickly I want to tell this story. I enjoy telling this because it really emphasizes the value of these relationships. I was raised very, very poor and you know that story. You've heard it and I won't go back over that, but my dad never made over $15,000.00 in his life and he died in 2006 and so he didn't have a lot of tangible possessions, but I stood at the casket and I greeted the persons that were paying their condolences for six and-a-half hours. It was an hour and-a-half wait to get in. The line was out into the parking lot for six and-a-half hours.

	Let me you tell you this; people stood there with tears in their eyes from 15 years old to 75 years old. They said; your dad was there for me when I needed this; your dad helped me do this; your dad was always an encourager; your dad edified me. He lifted me up. He took me here; he did that; he loaned me this. Not one person - listen, you all - not one person in six and-a-half hours mentioned a single possession that my dad owned. It was all about the relationship, yet we spend 95 percent of our time getting more stuff that nobody cares anything about. 

	Your biggest asset on the planet is your relationships. Please go out there and start forging new relationships. Be genuine. Be authentic and pour into the lives of other people. You'll be twice as successful financially if you'll do that and significantly, all simultaneously. You don't have to pick. It's not one or the other. Just devote a lot of energy and effort in being meaningful and purposeful and taking other people to heights they've never been. You'll lay in bed at night and you'll say; I've given it all I've got today and life is good. That's what you'll feel.

Jamie Masters:	I love you. Your energy is amazing because that's the thing; you just said that and I went, that's what I want at my funeral. I'm sure a lot of people listening want that also because that is sort of the point, right? That's what we're all told. Think of yourself on your deathbed and what you want to have actually happen. Let me ask you this, though because I don't know that there's a line but I don't know what to do when it comes to giving and over-giving.
	I have this imperative need to help everyone on the planet. It makes it a little difficult because the energy that I have and the massive amounts of people that I want to help, so how do you mitigate that piece of over-giving and/or trying to help but maybe at the expense of yourself?

Aaron Walker:	Yeah, I think you've got to budget your resources as well as you do your time as well as you do your money. Do for a few what you wish you could do for everybody. Here's the thing; if you strategically can sit down and articulate a plan, a written plan - and we have one now; we're recording this in May and I know through December what I'm going to be doing every day - we have a written plan. We have the themes, the books, the people we're going to interview; we have the conferences we're going to do, the courses we're going to create, the books we're going to read, everything.

	I know, and we budget and allocate time, effort, and energy to do those things. Well, you can't do any more than that, right? You can't replicate yourself you know. You can't just say; hey, there's two of me, so yes. I struggle with that too because I, like you, I want to help everybody. Well, you can't. You physically don't have the bandwidth, but if you are not doing all you could do, then you're not being a good steward over what you've been entrusted, so sit down, have great peace with the fact that you're doing all you can do. 

	I want to say this; it's not in this world outside of our families. Listen, for me family is number one. That's got to be first and foremost. That's putting the big rocks in. For me its faith, then it's family, and then its business. If you get those misaligned you're going to have problems long-term, so I'm just telling you right now, if you don't have the priorities in the correct prioritization order, you're going to have trouble.

	So, you've got to sit down to do it intentionally. Robin and I have lived our life proactively, not reactively. I wrote a document called "What do I want?" Most people don't know what they want, right? It's give me bigger, better, shinier, faster, and then when they get it, it's kind of like the dog that caught the car. It doesn't know what to do with it. Then you find that it doesn't scratch that itch like you thought it was going to. Listen, there are much, much more purposeful and meaningful things in life today than just having a little bit more money.

	Money is good. I love to make money. I want to make more money, but I don't want money to own me. I want to own the money. I don't live to work. I work so I can live. I don't want money to be my god. I want it to be a tool, because that's what it is. You can help so many more people.  

	I don't say; sell all you've got and give it to the poor and move to 
Africa. Listen, people with no money can't help people financially. I want you to make money, but I want you to prioritize it and get it in the right order. When you do that, then you own the money. The money doesn't own you. 

Jamie Masters:	A thousand times yes on that. What happens, though if you're not clear? You've been through a lot of transitions, right? You've had 12 businesses and a lot of transitions. I'm sure there are some unclear points because we've been talking lately on the show about goal-setting and visioning and that sort of stuff and that's amazing and extremely important, but what happens if you're still up in the air and you don't know what you want or you're not 100 percent sure? How do you get that clarity?

Aaron Walker:	Well, this is from me because you know this from past interviews; I'm a person of faith, and so prayer for me is vital. I pray. I read scripture. I read the bible, and then I go to trusted advisors. When those three things coincide and they align I fire the gun and ride the bullet. It's time to go. Listen, you've got to get the boat out of the harbor. It's a lot easier to navigate once you're in open waters. 

	What's so hard is coming out of the gate. I mean you're in the dock and you're tied up and you're like; man, just launch. We can move this thing, right? A huge ship with a small rudder can be steered, but if it's sitting still it's getting it out of the gate. Listen, so what? What if it's not exactly the way you had designed it? 

	When I started coaching I had no intention whatsoever of doing the mastermind groups, but I saw the need so I developed the mastermind groups. I did interviews on podcasts, filled them up, filled them up, and filled them up; I kept filling up groups. Then we started the community and then I wrote the book because I can't facilitate but so many groups, right? And so, it wasn't initially planned to have what's going on now. It's just that I've been obedient to follow where I saw the need.

	So, you may devise a plan, but it may radically change in 12 months. That's okay. I'd rather have the plan and try to implement it and deviate from it and pivot than to not have a plan. People, you've got to have a plan. If it's not written down, you've got a dream. You don't have a plan. You've got to execute on it each and every day. 

	Brian Moran wrote The 12 Week Year. If you haven't read that book - I don't get a quarter for it; I need to call Brian - he owes me a bunch of money because I sell this book all the time. This book is amazing because it helps you focus on the task every single day. Procrastination is our worst enemy. Hey, I'll get it next week, next quarter, next year, and then you get to the end and you haven't done it yet, but The 12 Week Year says; hey, you've got to do it right now, today. Tomorrow is not acceptable.

	When you do that, Jamie you can multiply that three and four times annually what you normally would do with an annual plan. Get focused. Be an inch wide and a mile deep. Quit shooting with a shotgun. Shoot with a rifle. Get lasered in and man, when you do that, oh my goodness, the clarify you get is amazing. 

	And ask a lot of questions. I ask a million questions, right because you only have one filter. You only have one lens. You can only see it one way, but when you have trusted advisors around you, you've got 10 or 12 different perspectives. You don't know what you don't know. That's another reason to get in the mastermind group. It keeps you in the center of the road. They're guardrails; they're your board of advisors. They can help you go to that next level and get clarity.

Jamie Masters:	How, especially when you're getting information from trusted advisors, as there are actually 10 to 12. If they say all different things - because this happened to me - every millionaire I interviewed was like; let me help you. They didn't have the background like we were talking. They had no idea. They were just coming and giving me advice from what they think I needed even they had no idea about my business. 

	And then I started going; I can't take all of this information in and figure out what the thing is to do. So, how do you take all that information in and move forward?

Aaron Walker:	Well, it goes back to what we said earlier. You need to be listening to people you trust that have a background on you. You need to be listening to people who have done that, been there, done that. You can't be listening - you don't take financial advice from a broke person, right? It's the same way in business. I listen to people that are proven, people that have great character, and people that have my best interests at heart, people that are listening to try to help you rather than stopping and fulfilling what they want to do.

	You know I tell everybody all the time; listen, people don't listen well. I want to be around people that listen. Most people are waiting their turn to talk and I'm like; hey, listen. You're not hearing what I'm saying. That's the reason I choose my inner circle very carefully. Man, I have chosen very, very carefully the people that I'm around because I know they're proven. I know these guys. So, if people are giving you that advice, shake your head, say thank you very much and move on to the people that you do trust. 

	You don't need that many trusted advisors. A dozen or 18 people that you really count on that know you, have your best interests at heart, those are the people that you need to be asking, not somebody that doesn't know you or know your children's name or know anything about your history or where you come from. I don't even ask those people. No disrespect, but I don't ask those people because they don't know me, right.

Jamie Masters:	Yes, it's just information that's not totally aligned with who you are. 

Aaron Walker:	It's a bunch of noise.

Jamie Masters:	We need to filter like all crazy, so the 10 to 12, do they typically say the same thing though, because that's the other piece. If you've got a 50/50 split and you're like; well, that's not helpful. How do you still make the decision?

Aaron Walker:	Well, I make the decision based on what gives me energy, right because if it doesn't give you energy you're not going to do it long-term. The other thing is if you don't have a purpose - people say; oh, you've got to have passion - passion burns out. It's kind of like an exhaustible resource, but purpose - let me give you an example. I know you have children, but if there are two buildings and they're 100 stories high and there's a board across it and I say; Jamie, for $10.00 I want you to walk across this board. You're like; no way. No amount of money.

	But, if I put one of your kids on top of that building and set the building on fire, now we have a bigger purpose. Now, no amount of money will keep you from going across, right? It's the same way in business. You see, if it's just about the money you're going to fizzle out. You're not going to stay there long, but if you have a bigger purpose - not just passion - but a bigger purpose, nothing can stop you.

	Jamie, I can't wait to get up in the morning. Literally, like when I lay down at night I'm tired. I'm given out, I'm spent because I give it all I've got, but I can't wait to get up because I'm helping ordinary men became extraordinary. When you see life change and you see men becoming better husbands and better dads, and you see men prioritizing their priorities and they're cutting out the light and they're going home and they're being with their family, and they're an amazing husband, they're an amazing dad; when you see that it's like give me some more men.

	It's like that's my passion. It's my purpose. It gives me meaning and that's what you've got to have in what you're doing. If you don't, you're not going to last. Nobody will, so to answer your question, listen, hear all the information, make your best decision, act, because for me not acting is worse. I'd rather it not work out and have tried it than I'd have never have tried it. I couldn't lay in bed at night and think; would it have worked? That would kill me because it may be the next Apple or whatever. It may be that next thing, but at least you know.

	I used to tell my daughters when they were growing up. They'd say; I'm afraid it may not work out. I'd say; listen, the failure is in not trying, not in not succeeding, right? I don't even believe in failure. I think you either learn or you succeed. Take the things that didn't work, turn them, do a 180 pivot and implement. Don't let the naysayers keep you back, either. Listen, that's more noise than anybody needs to hear.

	You need to get that champion team around you that's going to take you to that height you want to go.

Jamie Masters:	So, when we're talking about purpose, especially since you've had 12 businesses, has your purpose changed throughout each one and how do we know which is our main purpose or do we have to have a main purpose?

Aaron Walker:	Well yeah, I think there's a common thread in helping other people. I'm big on being a giver because I think it's about the relationship to go back on our conversation earlier. I think that's one of the key things is the relationship. The thing is that a lot of people that are looking for satisfaction out of the job, the satisfaction may come as a result of the resources and not the occupation. 

A lot of people are looking for this fulfillment out of their occupation. I just challenge you to think that - as I just said - maybe the fulfillment comes out of using the resources to do something that's amazing, not just for your family but for the community. And so, I think it does change. I had it really confused early on. I went from no money to selling out at 27 in a Fortune 500 company. I was reading my own press clippings. I was like; Big A is the man. 

That about got me in trouble. Seriously, that humility thing kicked in a few years later with a massive failure and then when I had the wreck in 2001 - you can go back and listen to my story for those that haven't - but I ran over and killed a pedestrian in 2001. It wasn't my fault, but the guy walked out in front of me and I ran over him and killed him. My life changed radically that day. It wasn't about the money. I started feeling guilty. I said; if that had been me that got killed that day what would my legacy have been? 

Here's what it would have been: poor kid from Nashville, Tennessee makes some money, retires at 27 years old and nobody cares. That's my legacy. Now, I want my legacy to be; hey, my life was better as a result of having known that guy. When you have that purpose, it doesn't matter if you're selling a widget or you're providing a service, if you are reaching outward and you're giving and you're helping and you're taking people to heights, that can be in any service industry. 

That can be in any sales; giving more than the customer requires or asks for, doing endorsements, helping people; when you change your perspective and it's a mindset shift, when it shifts and changes you'd better look out because success and significance is coming your way I promise. But when you hold the cards close to your vest and you don't show and you don't share nobody wants to be around you because all you care about is yourself.

I had a guy call me the other day and he said; hey, I want to join your mastermind, but I feel like I need to tell you I want to do exactly what you're doing. I said; praise the Lord. Come on. I'll teach you everything I'm doing. I'll walk you step-by-step and he couldn't believe it. He said; you're kidding me. I said, no. I'll show you all I've learned, what I'm doing to promote, and he is blown away, but as a result of that, he's doing that, our whole mastermind group is doing that; everybody is succeeding as a result of looking out. Guys, you've got to focus outward on other people and not yourself. 

Jamie Masters:	We can all collaborate and change way more of the world when we work together than when we hold everything close to the vest. That brings up ego, right? So, sometimes though when you're in that space, you A; aren't so great at receiving or being receptive to those pivotal moments, so how can we know if our ego is even in check or not in check, right? Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.

Aaron Walker:	Well, here's the thing. This is a painful exercise, so anybody watching this, like don't do this unless you want - my brother told me one time; he said other people see you differently than you see yourself. And that was like I got hit by a boat paddle in the face. It was like; golly, I didn't even think about that. 

So, there are 10 questions that I've got written out and I go to people and I give them these in written form. I say; I want you to rank me. They're like; what? I want you to be gut-level honest. I want you to tell me how you see me treating Robin, my kids, how you see me treating people in the community. Do I carry myself with an arrogant walk? Do I help people? Do you see me being empathetic? Am I humble? How do you see me? Well, don't do that unless you want some surprises. 

Jamie Masters:	Because you're like; oh, crap. Okay.

Aaron Walker:	When you do that, and guys that are doing it, they email me all the time and they say it's life-transformational. I had no idea I was handling myself that way. I had no idea the community saw me that way. I had no idea. Give it to dozens of people that know you and then you compare notes and you'll see a common thread. Well, this is the way people are seeing me. 

	Here's the thing; people say, well that's just the way I am. Well, you need to change because nobody likes you. You can change your behavior. You can't change your personality. There are things that we can do in personal development to hone our skills, right? We need to be that guy that is willing to be moldable and pliable. We need to change. 

	I don't care how old you are. Well, that's just the way I am. Well, I'm 56 years old and I am looking forward to changing. I want to change. Times change. I don't want to be that old guy that's just - hey, just listen.

Jamie Masters:	Can I introduce you to my father, because my father says that all the time. 

Aaron Walker:	Get your daddy to call View From the Top and we'll get him straightened out. 

Jamie Masters:	I'd sign him up if he'd do it. 

Aaron Walker:	You can't do that. I'm just telling you that you can't do that and to always be willing to hear constructive criticism from everybody else. It will make your business better, your family better, your family will appreciate it because you're listening to them. You know what? What they say matters. You need to be listening to your family and to your colleagues and peers. 

Jamie Masters:	So, what do you do when you take all that information because sometimes it's just somebody's perception where they were like; oh, well you know, so how do we really mitigate what is true for yourself and what is said? I get the pattern thing, but it seems difficult to do especially when it's painful.

Aaron Walker:	Well, here's the thing; you need to be genuine to yourself. You need to live the life that you were created to live and I get that. You want to be authentic and you want to be genuine and you want to be different. I get all that, but it goes back to the common theme, the pattern. If you're seeing a pattern of; hey, you know Jamie is arrogant, Jamie is arrogant.

Jamie Masters:	I see that, yeah. 

Aaron Walker:	Maybe I need to evaluate that. I hire coaches all the time for everything. I hire coaches to help me understand why I do what I do and I hire social media coaches and I want to get better. The only way I can get better is to listen to other people. 

	Now, do I change everything? No, I'm not going to change everything. A lot of people tell me; Big A, you're so direct. I'll always be direct. That's just my personality, but maybe I've had to tame down and temper the way I deliver it, right? I used to say stuff and my wife would go; why did you do that? I'm like; well, they needed to hear it. She said; you don't have to do it that way. Robin has helped me more than anybody.

Jamie Masters:	It's always the wife, right?

Aaron Walker:	But she's right; she's right, and so I did. I had to start tempering a little bit of what I was saying. I had to be a little more compassionate. I had to be a little more empathetic and I had to listen and they say; Jamie, maybe you should consider this, right? I just made this observation. It used to be like a hammer and I'd hit you, but now I've had to learn. That comes with some experience. All I'm saying is that you can't change your life to suit everybody, but you can look at all the data and say; hey, I need to maybe make some adjustments.

Jamie Masters:	Do you have to be all in on them also, because like let's say your wife said; hey, you're being too direct and you're like, so? You would never be open enough to receive that information to make any changes if you didn't actually care about the receptivity of them, right? 

Aaron Walker:	Yeah.

Jamie Masters:	I was telling this to people last night, really amazing, successful people and they're just like; yeah, I don't like dealing with employees. I don't like birthday things. I'm like; you can't really - even when you fake it, it's not good, right? So, people that feel that way, like for you you're like; oh, I'm just direct, what made you actually make the changes for them and not for you to actually work on getting better at that?

Aaron Walker:	Well, here's the thing. I don't adjust for everybody. You know there's a certain core group of people that I do life with; my inner circle, my wife, my kids, my grandkids; you now I can't go out here and please the world and I'm not going to make an attempt to do that, right? I can have influence on certain people, but you and I both are kind of thought leaders in this industry and we would drive ourselves nuts if I was trying to tailor my personality and everything I said to everybody.

	Here's the other thing. Let me just say this, too because I think this is important. Your level of influence is directly proportionate to your level of conflict. So, if you don't have some sense of contrast you can't have any influence. If you're straddling the fence you're going to impact nobody. So, I think your core values have to be aligned. You have to look for exactly what you want to accomplish in life. You have to be receptive, but if there is no contrast whatsoever in your life you're having no influence on anybody. 

	So, just think about that. Your level of influence is directly proportionate to your level of contrast, but you don't want to be a jerk as a result of it, right? There are a lot of those out there and you've got to be careful with that, but I'm big on taking a stand. I'll take a stand in a minute. I'll stand alone in a minute, and that's okay if my core values line up with that or if my faith lines up for that. It's like; hey, I don't agree with you. Well, okay then we'll agree to disagree and that's okay.

	I'm not talking about those things. I'm not going to alter to everybody's whim. I'm not going to do that, but when you've got people that love you, that have invested in you and that are around you, you need to pay attention to those people. I believe in being a servant leader. A lot of people take that as being a doormat and that's not what I mean. The person that means more to me than anybody on earth is my wife. And so, everybody else's opinion pales in comparison to Robin because I signed up to be her husband. We celebrate 37 years next month. I'm fired up.

	What I'm saying is that she's priority to me and then my children and then my grandchildren and then my business and then those relationships. What I'm saying is that if you've got that in perspective it's easier to make the decision because you have prioritized the people in your life that you want to be that servant leader to.

Jamie Masters:	Hmm, so if she makes a suggestion to you, you even just take that even better let alone just because it's her or let alone just because it's a good thing to do.

Aaron Walker:	Absolutely.

Jamie Masters:	That makes a lot of sense. Before we get to the last question I want to mention one quick thing because that contrast thing I think is really important. With my clients I'm a very opinionated person, but I apparently don't share a lot of it online in general. I'm like; nope, I don't like this. I don't like that, and I will be very apparent with my clients on what I like versus what I don't like. They're like; you need to say that more. You need to share that stuff. I haven't been because it wasn't a thing, but it's funny that you're saying that and how important it is.
Aaron Walker:	Well, you look at many of the thought leaders that we have as mutual friends. There's a big percentage of people that don't like their presentation, they don't like their content, but they're making a huge impact. We could name names, but we won't. It's not necessary, but what I'm saying is that I think it's not what you say; it's how you say it that's important. If you're trying to be argumentative for argumentative sake that's one thing, but if you're disagreeing for resolution, that's another.

	And so, if you're basing what you think to get a resolution or to get people to see your view, your vantage point, I think that's good, but oftentimes I'll see something and I'll want to jab. I'm like; baby here it comes. I'm fixing to knock you out. Well, I don't need to post that, but if there's something out there that needs maybe my opinion or I want to share my opinion I think it's your delivery. It's your presentation.

	It's the same with Robin. Our personalities are so different. I could go in and hammer Robin like I'm talking right now that I do some guys, and it would kill Robin. It would destroy her, but when we sit in our sunroom and I say; honey, listen. Let's talk about this. Let's get it out there. Let's just talk through it. It's a much different delivery. I'm saying the same thing, but that's being wise. I don't want to sleep on the couch, right? We've got to respect each other. Our personalities are different. 

	It's the same way in the workplace, right? The disc profile is really important because it teaches you how to communicate with other people.

Jamie Masters:	Ooh, what's your disc? 

Aaron Walker:	High D.

Jamie Masters:	Oh, my goodness. Just High D and that's it? 

Aaron Walker:	You've got to turn it over to see the graph. It goes so far over, but I've had to learn to temper that. That's what I'm saying. I'm still High D, but it's just that I'm a little slower about the way I say it, but always argue if you will for resolution and not to win.

Jamie Masters:	I'm so that way, so it's funny because I feel like this information that I'm very opinionated over will help people and that's why they're like; you need to tell people this because I have data. I research the hell out of this stuff and it probably should come out and help people in general. I just don't want to be that person that's click-baiting, do you know what I mean because I don't think that that's good either. I don't ever want to be that person. And so I think I resist instead of just going and saying things that matter to me. Does that make sense?

Aaron Walker:	It just gives a little pre-emptive strike and say; hey, this is Jamie's opinion. This is some data that supports it, right and this is the way I view it, but if you go in there hammering people they're going to turn you off. They're not going to listen to you. Again, it's all in the way you deliver it.

Jamie Masters:	Yeah. I agree 1,000 percent. We just did one on how most conferences kind of suck because people will just go because they think; oh, this will be - and they spend so much money - their clients or potential clients or people that they could hire or whatever or influencers aren't there. I'm like; I don't understand it at all, but it is what it is. I just feel like the educational piece we need to make sure we're giving the information that really makes a huge difference.

	So, I love mastermind groups in general, so make sure everybody goes to viewfromthetop.com/book so you can get the mastermind blueprint. I'm assuming that it will go through the structure and how you should actually do it. I love that you self-pay mastermind groups and tell everybody how to do it also. I love that. I think it's free information. Everybody should start their own. Sometimes it's harder to do it on your own than it is to do a paid group just because it's a lot of work to put these things together. 

Aaron Walker:	It's a lot of work, but it's worth it.

Jamie Masters:	The change is 1,000 times worth it. I say I get paid in gold for testimonials. Testimonials are my main gold piece because then you know you're changing the world you know? So, I'm going to ask you the last question and then of course we'll talk about the book and where to get it and where to find you on social, too because you're also awesome on that. 

	So, what's one action listeners can take this week to help move them forward towards their goal of $1 million?

Aaron Walker:	Well, let me tell you what's huge. I'm going to use you as an example because about two or three years ago I did this to you and I do it every day to people I trust and believe in. I'll do a 30 second endorsement, a video and I'll say; hey, Jamie Eventual Millionaire is unbelievable. Your show is amazing. I just want to tell you how much I enjoyed being your guest et cetera, et cetera. It's 30 seconds and I do it before people ask for it. You'll want to get some real, real traction for things that you do for people. Do something really good for them and positive that helps them. 

	You've quickly emailed me back and you go; oh my goodness, this is amazing. Thank you.

Jamie Masters:	It made my day, yeah. 

Aaron Walker:	Well, what I'm saying is that if you want to make an impression, an indelible impression on people that you really believe in - now, don't blow smoke; don't go out there and do it to everybody - I'm talking about people you really believe in and you really trust. Get comfortable in front of the camera. Do a 30 second video endorsement. The conversion rate, the acceptance, the unbelievable thank-you - the other day you and I have a mutual friend; it was his birthday. There were 186 posts that said happy birthday to this person. There was one video. Whose video do you think it was?

Jamie Masters:	It's got to be yours. You're a smart man. 

Aaron Walker:	Listen, video is huge. I can't even being to tell you. We answer emails with them. We invite people with them. We do endorsements with them. Do a little one on your phone and text it to them. They'll watch it over and over and over. They won't read your email that many times, but if you want to go out today to start towards your million and you start doing video it will change your life. 

Jamie Masters:	I have a follow-up question. Do you batch them and that way you send a bunch at once? Or do you do them like - how do you mitigate it? That's a lot of video if you're doing that for that many people. 

Aaron Walker:	We do that every day. It's every day. It's just part of my day and I do it every day for people that I believe in. And so, it's the same way with your phone. It takes 10 or 15 seconds to do it. There's no editing. You hit text, send it to them, send it to their email, do it to their email. It is amazing. 

	You know what's funny though? I'll tell this and maybe one out of 10 do it and you're missing the boat. I'm just telling you it works huge. Go out there today and it will get you on your path to your million. 

Jamie Masters:	I love it. Everybody listening pick one person because if we don't take action at all that's just horrible. One person that you can do this for literally will take you like a minute to finish and then you'll actually take the action and see the result and be like; wow, Aaron is amazing. 

So, tell us where we can find more about the book, what else we get on the book just so that way everybody knows, and tell us what the premise of the book is, too so everybody actually besides the mastermind blueprint which I know they already want because we talked about that. Tell us the premise of the book and how it will help people.

Aaron Walker:	Yeah, well here's the thing; it helps you understand how to dismiss things in your life that are no longer relevant. I'll talk about bitterness, overcoming hurdles; I'll talk about putting the big rocks in first. I talk about choosing wisely the people that are around you. I talk a lot about mastermind groups and how they can help you and how you too can live that life of success and significance.

	You can find me at ViewFromtheTop.com. All social media is there. I would love for you to pre-order the book or buy the book. Go do it now. Get the free mastermind blueprint book. Get all five of the endorsements and the videos of the people that have so graciously accepted me to interview. There are nuggets in there that you won't believe, so it's amazing.

	Jamie, I've enjoyed it today. Thank you for having me on. 

Jamie Masters:	Thank you so much for being here. If anybody actually sends the videos to the influencer or the person that impacted them, then tell Aaron and thank him like on Twitter or Facebook. Just thank him because it's amazing and it will change everything. Thanks so much for coming on the show today, Aaron. I really appreciate it. 

Aaron Walker:	Thanks, Jamie. We'll see you.

Tags: Aaron Walker, business goals, business tools, entrepreneur podcast, how to be a leader, jaime masters, Mastermind Group, millionaire entrepreneurs, millionaire habits, strategic goals, top entrepreneurs

Categories: All, Business, Featured Millionaire Interview, Mastermind, Millionaire Interviews, Personal Development

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