Quiet The Noise, and Reclaim Your Focus! -w/Zig Ziglar

**🎙️ Podcast Show Notes:

If you’re a shop owner or leader trying to set real goals for 2026, you’ve probably noticed something. Every time you turn on the news, it feels like the sky is falling… Inflation… Layoffs… Global tensions… Doom & Gloom on repeat. That constant noise can wear you down fast and make big goals feel risky or even pointless.

In this week’s episode of the Mind Wrench Podcast, we cut through that fog with some straight-talk wisdom and a powerful audio clip from Zig Ziglar. The big message is simple but freeing: what’s going on between your ears matters more than what’s blasting from the TV or your phone.

The media makes money on fear, not hope. That doesn’t mean you ignore reality, but it does mean you stop letting worst-case headlines run your life. One of the first steps is subtraction. Turn down the voices that drain your energy so you can hear your own priorities again. When your mind gets quieter, your goals get clearer.

Zig Ziglar reminds us that real security doesn’t come from the economy or a company name on your shirt. It comes from being valuable. Honest people who work hard, keep learning, and show up consistently always have options. Even in rough markets, top performers land on their feet because their skills travel with them.

We also dive into the power of self-talk. What you say about yourself shapes how you act. When you claim an identity like “I keep my word” or “I’m disciplined,” your daily choices start lining up with that belief. Small habits, done daily, quietly build big results.

3 Key Takeaways

• Control your inputs: Less negative noise means more focus on goals that actually matter.
• Build portable value: Skills, effort, and character protect you better than headlines ever will.
• Let identity lead action: Say who you are, then back it up with small daily habits.

2026 will bring uncertainty, that’s a given. But when you protect your mindset and act with intention, your shop, your leadership, and your future get a lot stronger!

Zig Ziglar - Excelling in the New Millennium Part 1

Link to YouTube: https://youtu.be/IvtroU1Ep7w?si=th2iSlJNXEkbRlPy

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Chapters

• 0:00 From Doomscrolling To Goal Setting
• 1:10 Welcome, Subscribe, And Quotes
• 2:10 Media Incentives And Negativity Bias
• 3:20 Turn Off The News, Choose Focus
• 4:39 Zig Ziglar On Inner Control
• 9:07 Coaching As A Competitive Edge
• 12:20 Performance Over Circumstance
• 16:10 Self-Talk, Qualities, And Habits

Transcript

Rick: 0:00

Now with all this doom and gloom coverage, it becomes really difficult to feel confident about setting new goals for yourself, your business, your finances, or your family, doesn't it? So how do we find the strength to plan for brighter futures when the media constantly seems to push the ideas that our world is on the edge? I recently listened to this old Zig Ziglar recording, and Zig, always the master storyteller, hits the nail in the head when it comes to this and points out the real truth of what goes on outside of our own minds, isn't nearly as important as what goes on inside our minds.

SPEAKER_01: 1:09

Hey, what's up everybody?

Rick: 1:10

Welcome to the Minute Minute Podcast. Thanks so much for stopping in. If you're a returning listener and haven't done so already, please take a minute and click the follow or subscribe button and then rate and review the show. When you rate and review the show, the algorithms for Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and all the other platforms will see that it's valuable and show it to more people that have never seen it before. And hopefully it can help them too. I would really, really, really appreciate your help sharing this word with your friends and family as well. And if you're a brand new listener, welcome. I hope you find something of value here that helps you in your personal or professional life as well. Please make sure to click the subscribe or follow button so you never miss another episode. If you've been listening to the show for a while, or been on the receiving end of my daily quote of the day emails, or maybe just catch my posts on Facebook or LinkedIn, you know I'm all about the quotes, right? If you'd like to start receiving my quote of the day emails, there's a link in the show notes to sign up. It's free and you can unsubscribe at any time. Hey, I know it's right before the holidays, and everyone is trying to focus on their upcoming activities, time off work, and some much needed, well-deserved rest and relaxation during that last week to ten days of the year, right? Hey, me too. All right, I feel the same way. At the same time, uh as we've seen in past years, most of us are also thinking about New Year's and a chance for a fresh start, a clean slate, you know, making changes, setting some new goals. Hey, I'm right there with you. Now it's clear to all of us since the last election, regardless of personal political views or voting choices or no voting at all, the mainstream media has excelled at spreading fear and uncertainty among those who tune in on a daily basis. They work hard to keep us watching their news channels, often making inaccurate or overblown predictions about upcoming disasters and urging constant caution, right? Railly reminded to check in with the news, the next news report, at four, then five, then six, followed by the world news at seven, and hey, more updates at ten and then eleven. And of course, the morning broadcast starts again at five AM. Now with all this doom and gloom coverage, it becomes really difficult to feel confident about setting new goals for yourself, your business, your finances, or your family, doesn't it? So how do we find the strength to plan for brighter futures? When the media constantly seems to push the ideas that our world is on the edge, be it financial crisis, civil unrest, world war, or even Armageddon. Well, I call bullshit on all of that. In fact, I stopped watching the news back about five years ago, as it did not serve me nor motivate me to expand myself or my dreams. In fact, quite the opposite. Now I'm not suggesting that we ignore reality or bury our heads in the sand. It's important to stay aware of what's happening in the world around you. Still, keep these two points in mind, okay? Number one, our minds are naturally inclined to focus on negativity, and the news media knows this. Number two, news outlets earn massive amounts of revenue from advertisers, and the longer we watch or listen, the more money they make. Now, if you want to reduce anxiety in your life, consider turning off the news for a more positive mindset throughout the day and some faith in your future. Turn off the news. Want to make better use of your valuable time by being creative, productive, and happy? Again, turn off the news. I recently listened to this old Zig Ziggler recording, and Zig, always the master storyteller, hits the nail on the head when it comes to this and points out the real truth of what goes on outside of our own minds, isn't nearly as important as what goes on inside our minds. Here's Zig.

SPEAKER_00: 4:57

My dad died when I was five. There were eight kids at home when he died. Part of the depression, she had a fifth grade education. I don't need to tell you that we had it kind of tough, but fortunately, my mother was very wise. We had always food on the table, a roof over our head, and clothes to wear. But you know, I noticed something else in those depression years. Yes, City, Mississippi. There were some folks that wore nice clothes in the toughest economy of this country had ever seen. There were some folks who drove nice cars in that tough economy. Some lived in nice houses. Why, some took nice trips and some even played golf at the country club. You know what I've noticed in every decade of my life since then? There are a lot of people who don't pay any attention to the economy. As you know, the media has accurately predicted 28 of the last two recessions. So we just don't pay any attention to them. We had every chance to join the last recession, but we had a meeting at our company, we voted it was unanimous, we weren't going to join. That was all there was to it. And sure enough, we didn't.

Rick: 6:07

If you're looking for a competitive edge for your business or a more effective jumpstart to your personal development, I'll make your first step super simple. It is a fact that an incredible number of the most successful business owners, nearly half of the Fortune 500 companies, top-earning professional athletes, entertainers, and industry leaders like Microsoft's Bill Gates, former President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and Salesforce Mark Benioff, all have one thing in common. They all have at least one coach, and some have several, that they work with on a consistent basis. Someone that helps guide, mentor, and support them, challenge them, help them set and achieve goals that move them forward, and then hold them accountable to follow through, driving personal and professional growth. Working with a coach has many substantial benefits. Just for an example, 80% of coaching clients report improved self-esteem or self-confidence thanks to coaching. 99% of individuals and companies that hire a coach report being very satisfied, and 96% would do it again. If deep down you know it's time to make those improvements in your business, your personal life that you've kicked down the road year after year, if you're tired of knowing there's a better version of you waiting to shine, but unsure of how to bring that version to light. If you're tired of wanting to enjoy a more successful business, but not sure how to start, and if you don't want to go another 12 months without better results, but you don't want to go it alone, then take the first step. It's super simple. Sometimes talking to the right person can make all the difference. Go to www.rixlover.com slash contact, and I'll set you up with a free consultation call with me to see if one-on-one coaching is right for you.

SPEAKER_00: 7:47

Now it's a mental decision. You see, what I've noticed in every decade of my life, and I've seen some times so wonderful that you could almost reach up and pull the money down off trees. I've seen it so tough that the rate of interest was 18% and inflation was 21%. And during the toughest times of all, there were some people who were literally getting rich. Why? They understood something. Not what happens out there, it's what happens in here. And we can definitely, emphatically and positively do something about what's going on in here. You're what you are and where you are. Because of what's going into your mind, you change what you are and where you are by changing what goes into your mind. When you choose to put in the positive, then things are gonna happen. And the economy out there is not gonna have an impact on you. And you might say, well, now wait a minute, Zig, my company just recently downsized and uh they let a couple of thousand of us go, had nothing to do with me. Or my company went bankrupt, or the boss's son and daughter came home and I was uh out of my job. What do you do like that? Well, suppose your company does go belly up. Let me give you an absurd example. Hypothetically speaking, let me ask you what do you think would happen if the LA Lakers were to go bankrupt? Now it can't happen, they won't let it. And they're not about to, they're making a ton of money as it is. But suppose they did go bankrupt. How many of you honestly believe there's a pretty fair chance that Kobe Bright and Shaquille O'Neal might be able to get a job somewhere else? Can I see your hands, please? I'm serious now. You think they'd be able to get an employment somewhere else? Well, let me ask you a question. Would they get another job because they were with the LA Lakers, or would they get another job because they performed for the LA Lakers? What do you think? All right. Now let's say XYZ Company, the company you work with, goes out of business. Will you get another job because you work for XYZ Company or because you performed for XYZ Company? What do you think? Performed. Absolutely. Now, who's responsible for your performance? All right, so in other words, that employment security is from within. You see, people with these qualities are going to be open and available faster than any other group of people if your company goes completely bankrupt. Even a youngster who's never had a job before with the right attitude, but let's say in your particular case that uh the only job available in your locality uh is in an industry that you have no experience. Now, let me ask you a question. If you had somebody that did this every day, if you're the boss, would you give them a pretty strong recommendation? Absolutely, sure you would. So what you would do is you'd take this letter of recommendation and you would go to the new company that you're applying a job for, and they'll say, What is your experience? And if you had zero experience in that particular industry, I just saw where one CEO of one major company going into an entirely different industry as CEO, what's his experience there? That's what I want to talk to you about right now. You can see in the well, I've had uh 35 years experience in being honest. My boss says I'm intelligent, he's right there in writing. I'm a goal-setting individual, I'm well organized, I accept responsibility, I make the commitment, I'm caring, I'm a good student, I learn, I work hard, I put it all together. I mean, it'd go right down the list, and then you simply say, and you know, sir, I believe with all my heart that this is the experience that your company needs. I can make a huge contribution, and best of all, I'm available to start immediately. This is the kind of personnel you want to add to your company. Personnel that are assets, not liabilities. I believe, folks, with all my heart that we have infinitely more control than we ever dreamed that we did. We've got the qualities, and it's those qualities that really will make the difference. Now, what I want to say now is what I'm talking about all the way through. When you develop these qualities, and that's my subject at this moment, when you develop those qualities, and how do you develop them? By reading, by listening, by learning, and by claiming them. I want to share with you a little story that happened to an individual who did exactly what I'm talking about right now. In 1992, I did a seminar in Montgomery, Alabama. 1990, I'm sorry. October of 1992, I was in Birmingham, Alabama, and did basically the same seminar. When it was over, a gentleman came up to me and he said, Mr. Ziggler, I was in Montgomery when you started talking about uh what I'm talking about right now, those qualities and claiming those qualities, talking to yourself. Most important conversation you'll ever have is the conversation you have with yourself. Most important opinion you have is the opinion you have of yourself. Now, I'm not talking about building a super inflated ego. You know, conceit's a weird disease. It makes everybody sick except the one that's got it. That's not what I'm talking about. But the confidence that coming that you know you're an honest producer. Well, I was back in uh I was in Birmingham. This gentleman came up to me when the seminar was over, and he said, Mr. Ziggler, I was in Montgomery. You did not have the self-talk cards that you now put in your tapes, so I hadn't I wrote my own out. He did what I've been trying to get you to do, write them down. He said, and for the last three years, every morning and every night, I've gotten in front of that mirror, look myself in the eye, and say, I'm an honest, intelligent, golden rated, go right down the list. I said, Well, what happened? He said, Well, first of all, my income's up over 500%. 300% last year alone. Now the man sells real estate. How many of you remember where the real estate market was in 1990, 1991, and 1992? It was in the pits, wasn't it? Went up over 500%. But he said, Let me tell you what I think is the most exciting part about it. First night I got in front of that mirror, looked myself in the eye, started claiming all of these qualities, and I was doing real good until I got to the one that said, and I am always punctual. He said, Mr. Ziegler, in my lifetime, I never told a bigger lie than that one. He said it was so absurd, so hilarious, that I literally fell down on and started, I started laughing. He said, I must have lasted 15, 20, 30 seconds. He said, It was hilarious. How on earth could I say I'm always punctual when I wasn't? But he said, you know, an interesting and fascinating thing happened to me when I said I'm always punctual and I got through laughing. He said, I realized why I was late. He said, I was late more times in Montgomery, Alabama of any student that ever graduated from high school. I was late for breakfast, lunch, dinner, church, late for appointments, late for everything. And I realized why I was late. He said, I was late because I planned to be late. Then he said, when it hit me, why did I plan to be late? It was a life-changing thought. Because he said, I realized who I was and what I was. I was thoughtless, inconsiderate, egocentric, non-caring about anybody else. What I was really saying is, look, my time is very valuable. You really don't have anything to do. You get there and patiently wait for me. If I got there on time, I might have to wait for you, and I'm too important for that. He said, Mr. Ziggler, it was the most humbling experience of my life. And he said, that happened to me on the first time I did this. And he said, I've never been late for anything since. Oh, my incomes up dramatically, but let me tell you what's exciting. My relationship with my wife, knowing when I say, honey, I'm going to be home in time for dinner, I'm going to be there. When I say to my son, I will be at the soccer match, he knows I'm going to be there. When I say to my daughter, Yes, I'll be there for graduation, she knows I'm going to be there on time. He said it's the most revolutionary single thing that has ever happened in my life.

Rick: 16:44

Well, I hope you enjoyed that little nugget of truth from Zig Ziggler. And more importantly, I truly hope it gave you a better perspective of what's really available to you in your life if you just quiet the outside noise and work on your inside game. That complete talk, Zig Ziggler Excelling in the New Millennium Part One, can be found on YouTube. I'll leave a link to it in the show notes. And I really want to wish you all a very joyful, happy holiday season, and look forward to our next year of growth together. That's all I had for you today. Thanks again for tuning in. I really appreciate your support, and I hope you have a great week. I can always be reached at www.ricksilover.com, where you can find all my social media links, podcast episodes, blog posts, and much more.