On Self-Reliance (Episode 215)

Today’s guest is John Jantsch, author and entrepreneur that specializes in marketing for small businesses. He is on the show today to discuss his new book The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur. He and Charlie discuss the inspiration for his book, including transcendentalist authors of the romantic period. John shares some of his favorite sections from the book, and they discuss how you can use this book to start conversations with others. 

Key Takeaways:

[3:40] - John talks about the pivot he made to the subject matter of this book, versus his five other books that focus on marketing. His other books were more “how to” books, and his new book seeks to tackle the “why to” and how to be more self-reliant as a human being. 

[7:05] - John and Charlie talk about some of the challenges entrepreneurs face, often in a short amount of time. As entrepreneurs you take on nearly all the responsibilities of a corporate business, but by yourself. 

[8:05] - One of the first pillars of self-reliance is resilience, which includes getting out there every day, but also the ability to reframe what has happened and learn from it. The other pillars include trust, courage, curiosity, mindfulness, nonjudgement, and gratitude. It is important to be intentional about applying these pillars. 

[10:10] - How we show up and how we respond are two things that entrepreneurs can truly control. 

[12:40] - John and Charlie talk about the pay off of practicing things like mindset and self-reliance. This can help you slow down and focus on doing less, but being really intentional about the things that matter. 

[15:12] - They talk about some of the counter-cultural ideas that are present now, and how John drew inspiration from some of the transcendentalist literature of the 1800’s. The protagonist was someone who was true to themselves.

[16:35] - John shares some of his favorite parts of his new book, and his process of compiling passages, his own words, and challenges for readers. He shares a passage from the book about being enough in any moment. 

[21:05] - One of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs is comparing themselves to others. Being able to embrace the idea that you are enough now will take you further. This is especially important for people building small businesses.

[23:12] - With self-reliance, you get to decide what is enough for you, in your business ventures and in your life. With that, it is now easier than ever to compare ourselves to others.

[26:15] - John shares some other influential writers and main themes of his book, especially how other people’s opinions are usually born out of their own fears. 

[30:50] - A practice of gratitude is important to establish. Charlie and John talk about the neuroscience of gratitude, and how our theories and practices inform what we see in the world. You also have to be grateful for the small things that add up to the sum of what’s being created.

[34:45] - John talks about the particular challenges of writing this book, including the challenges of writing short versus writing long, and all the literature he had to curate to finish the book. 

[39:10] - A lot of online entrepreneurs struggle with the idea of overnight success; that’s not always the same path for everyone. The quotes and content of John’s book provide hope and permission to move at your own best. 

[43:25] - John talks about the pillar of nonjudgement, and how this was a learning point for him writing the book. Practicing nonjudgement also makes practicing patience much easier. 

[46:45] - John’s challenge for listeners is to explore and establish one or two mindfulness practices to keep you grounded in your priorities. 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Productive Flourishing

Start Finishing, by Charlie Gilkey

Clean Email

Duct Tape Marketing

John’s Website

The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur, by John Jantsch

Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson

Seasons of the Entrepreneur Blog Post