In This Episode You’ll Learn:
- The benefits of seeking professional help when needed
- How to rank well on Google
- The importance of getting curious and asking questions
Saying No
Brendan has a hard time saying no. This is a problem many entrepreneurs face when starting out on their business endeavors — something that needs to be talked about more.
”Nobody really talks about [the importance of saying no] at the beginning. Eventually you need to say no to stuff and you have to start pruning.”
Spending the majority of his career saying yes to every opportunity that was thrown his way, Brendan became over-committed and unable to do his best work. He now attributes his success to finding a healthy level of fear, gratitude and stewardship.
Brendan explains that although it feels as though being nice and accepting offers is advantageous, you’ll be doing a disservice to yourself, your project and your business. Stay focused on the task at hand and don’t over-promise.
Finding Value in Your Accomplishments
Brendan challenges the idea that bigger is always better. Most people want to grow successful businesses and make an impact, but Brendan believes this looks different for everyone.
You do not need to have lots of money or freedom to live a successful life. If you’re unhappy with your life, Brendan says it’s your responsibility to change it. However, he acknowledges that this can be harder than it seems.
“The uncertainty of change is harder than this terribleness that I know.”
Seeking Help
Brendan knows the benefits of having someone with an unbiased opinion help you through the dark or tough times in life.
He strongly believes that seeing a counselor was the best thing he ever did and allowed him to tackle his problems — personal and professional — head on.
”Going to a professional is a courageous act — it is an act of vulnerability, but it is not an act that should elicit any sort of shame.”
Getting Curious About SEO
Although Brendan is incredibly wise on what it takes mentally to run a successful business, he also knows a lot about how to rank well online and says SEO is only as hard as you make it. In fact, it can be as simple as finding your goal and choosing the best path to take.
He shares what he focuses on the most is simply the “IAM Framework”:
- Intent
- Asset
- Medium
If you want to rank well on Google, Brendan explains that you have to pick a topic and stick with it. Google ranks pages more than it ranks websites. The success of a page relies on the strength and the clarity of the website.
For the best ranking possible, Brendan shares one more piece of advice:
“Find out the languages people are using when they Google stuff, and then make sure that what you want to talk about matches that intent.”
Learn More:
Also Mentioned In This Episode:
- SEO for the Rest of Us
- Directive
- Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday
- The Regret Minimization Framework
- Entrepreneurial Leap by Gino Wickman
- The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
