What’s up, everyone! 👋🏻

The other day, a prospect hit me with this question:

“Is this surfer-bearded-dude thing just an act to stand out, or is it the real you?”

It’s a hard one to answer because there’s no “act.” There’s just one me. Love me, or leave me.

That authenticity is MY personal superpower. It was shaped from life experiences and battling for four years in the hospital and dealing with the repercussions twenty-five-plus years later. Chronic illness taught me a lot; a gift and a curse.

But I choose to focus on the gift.

The gift teaches me (and continues to teach me) the power of:

1. Not giving a f*ck. I’ve already been through hell, and let me tell you: hell is harder and worse than missing quota or losing a job. When you truly understand that the hardest things are behind you and aren’t so bad, fear loses its grip.
2. Operating with urgency. Time is finite, and opportunities are limited. Knowing you don’t have forever drives you to act boldly and make every moment count.

I don’t care if people think I look “homeless” when my beard is partially grown out. I don’t care if people think it’s “weird” how many Clase Azul bottles I have in the background of my office, or if I’m not dressed professionally or to their standards.

To me? I’m just me. And after you come close enough to death once or twice, you auto-opt into allowing yourself to just BE.

And guess what—mindset fuels success. Not just in life, but in sales or work in general. And by my standards? I’d say I’ve been pretty damn successful by just being me.

So, no. This is not an act. It’s a revolution for myself, but if you take nothing else from this, remember: you’ve got one shot at this life. Don’t waste it worrying about what others think or fearing failure.

Bet on yourself, and I’ll be rooting you on right there, too.

— SL