Navigating the Highs and Rising Above the Lows with Erick Rheam

·56 min·5 clips

Erick Rheam's wife told him 'I deserve better,' his dad said 'get out,' and his job suspended him—all in one year.

The episode begins with host Grant Bolden introducing the topic of mental and emotional rollercoasters faced by speakers and entrepreneurs. Guest Erick Rheam, a frequent contributor, joins to discuss his framework for rising above chaos. Rheam recounts his personal low point in 2005, detailing three 'gut punches': his wife expressing disappointment, a physical altercation with his father leading to a six-month silence, and a suspension from his job for leadership issues. He traces part of his turmoil back to his military service in Bosnia during Operation Joint Endeavor, where he witnessed genocide and later recognized similar darkness within himself. During his suspension, Rheam spent days in a coffee shop in Niwot, Colorado, where he identified his inner critic as 'The Beast' and realized he lacked significance and purpose. He then developed five principles to overcome chaos. The first is embracing your spiritual journey by finding your 'why,' illustrated by a story about his father quitting marathon running after losing his purpose. The second is taming the beast through daily structure, involving seven elements like priorities and clarity. The third is becoming an encourager through sacrifice of time, money, and ego, exemplified by a story of a stranger named Mackie in New York City. The fourth is igniting your influence by focusing on key measurements of success, demonstrated by coaching his daughter in softball to focus solely on getting on base, which led to a grand slam. The fifth is mastering human dynamics by being a guide, not a hero, in others' stories. Rheam concludes by advising listeners to write down what a meaningful life looks like and to seek peace by applying these principles. Bolden promotes Rheam's book and podcast, 'Rise Above Chaos,' and encourages listeners to explore The Speaker Lab's resources.

As heard by us

A grounded conversation about why, pressure, and the inner critic that shows up when things start working.

Grant Bolden and Eric Rehm spend the episode on the mental and emotional highs and lows that come with speaking and entrepreneurship, circling back to why with unusual persistence.

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Why you'd press play

When your why feels fuzzy, this one helps you steady the day.

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