Main Topics:
* The importance of entrance into others’ worlds and cultivating deep presence
* Identity development and aligning goals with who you are becoming
* The role of standards and the nervous system in sustainable high performance
* Overcoming judgment and embracing vulnerability for a deeper connection
* Practical strategies: 6-week cycles for experimentation and growth

In this episode:
* Dr. Mark shares his origin story of loss and how it has shaped his mission to serve others.
* The power of entering another's world and creating deep presence using non-judgmental awareness.
* How to set intentional focus and use breathing techniques to anchor presence.
* Frameworks for managing grief, judgment, and self-worth through identity and core worth.
* The significance of aligning standards with your identity for lasting change.
* The science behind the nervous system and its influence on certainty, comfort, and burnout.
* Actionable tools: 7-day sprints, habit stacking, and the importance of reflection cycles.
* The meaning of wealth as responsibility and the pursuit of freedom and lightness over heavy burdens.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to the conversation and Dr. Mark Matthews' background
02:09 - Mark’s origin story of loss and resilience
05:02 - The impact of losing a parent at a young age on decision-making and growth
09:19 - The universal human gap and the obsession with closing it
13:10 - Framework for helping others: Entering their world with presence
16:38 - The importance of non-judgment and acceptance in connection
19:02 - The role of presence in facilitating change and growth
23:45 - How setting intentions guides meaningful interactions
27:53 - The significance of focus and eliminating distractions
32:25 - Judgment as the biggest obstacle to presence and connection
36:45 - The roots of the human need to judge and seeking certainty
40:41 - Suspending judgment and expanding beliefs through presence
44:21 - The connection between exposure, authenticity, and spiritual safety
48:55 - Cultivating non-judgmental self-worth and its impact on leadership
54:55 - The biblical sequence of loving God and loving others: The importance of sequence
60:48 - The power of being versus doing and integrating presence in personal growth
66:55 - The "Rest Work" equation: Rest as a state of being, not doing
73:34 - The concept of core worth and its influence on motivation and contribution
78:45 - Kobe Bryant’s story: Unconditional love and intrinsic worth-based achievement
87:07 - The dangers of over-reliance on AI for strategy versus being
90:37 - Developing discernment through reflection cycles and experimentation
98:42 - Overcoming inaction in creatives through data and risk-taking
108:15 - The role of identity, standards, and the nervous system in high performance
114:39 - The three levers: identity, standards, and nervous system regulation
121:13 - The 7-day sprint framework to embed growth and discipline
126:02 - Building responsibility, wealth, and freedom without burden
131:26 - Closing thoughts on the power of deep thinking and intentional growth

Resources & Links:
* Face My Fear on Instagram - https://instagram.com/facemyfear
* Jonathan David Ray on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jonathandavidray/

Brandon gave me my first-ever podcast guest spot, and I still love having him on now, months later. We talked about founder dependency, hustle culture, what it actually costs you to bring your best to work and your leftovers home, and why the people who push back hardest on investing in themselves usually have a value problem, not a price problem.

Brandon also brought some amazing leadership frameworks. Clouds and dirt. Sometimes you need to be up in the vision. Sometimes you just need to get down in it and do the work. Knowing which day it is matters a lot. 

If you are building a business and you feel like it cannot run without you, this one is for you.

Now live on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Comment PODCAST and I'll send you the link.

Guest Brandon Smith | New Vision Projects / Trade Up Coaching Instagram: @buildwithbsmith | @newvisionprojects LinkedIn: Brandon Smith

DM Brandon "scale" on Instagram if you own a trades or home service business and want support growing it.

Host I'm Jonathan David Ray, a business coach for creative entrepreneurs and founder of Acadia OS. I help creatives build businesses optimized for money, margin, and meaning. www.acadiaos.com

Connect with me:

• Instagram: @jonathandavidray
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandavidray/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jonathandavidray

If you're a creative professional who's tired of being talented and stuck, shoot me a DM for a free strategy call. walk away with the next 2-3 things you need to focus on. Shoot me a DM on socials to schedule.

Chapters:

This podcast celebrates creative professionals doing the work. Videographers, photographers, musicians, coaches, designers, and builders of all kinds. We're going to talk about what it actually looks like to run a business as a creative. The struggles, the lessons, the things you've had to overcome, and what keeps you inspired when it gets hard.

Joseph Ibarra is the perfect person to kick this off. He's a videographer, founder of Porchlight Productions in Atlanta, and one of the most thoughtful people I've talked to about what it means to build a creative business without losing yourself in it. We met not too long ago and I knew immediately I wanted to get him on here.

We talked about niching down, flat rate pricing, why your close rate tells you everything about your prices, and what AI video actually does and doesn't do for your business. But honestly, the best stuff came at the end when we started talking about what wealth really means when you're a creative with a family and a faith and a life you're trying to protect.

If you've ever felt like your business was eating you alive, this one's for you.

Joseph's got a line I'm still thinking about: they know their story. They just don't know their ICP's story.

Guest - Joseph Ibarra | Porchlight Productions porchlight.productions | @im.joey.joe

Host - I'm Jonathan David Ray, a business coach for creative entrepreneurs and founder of Acadia OS. I help creatives build businesses optimized for money, margin, and meaning. acadiaos.com | @jonathandavidray