In this episode of The Best Dam Podcast, Jill sits down with Craig Cooke, the founder of C-Squared Professional Consulting and author of Business Kung Fu, to discuss his transition from a 26-year career as a digital marketing CEO to a mentor and Doctor of Chinese Energetic Medicine. From his early days as a 10-year-old dishwasher in his mother’s restaurant to leading an agency to the Inc. 5000 list five years in a row, Craig shares how he found his "divine potential" through the intersection of high-level business strategy and ancient wellness practices.

Craig explores the vital role of "energetic hygiene" for leaders, explaining how maintaining a calm, centered presence allows an entire team to perform better during the "unpleasant surprises" of the professional world. With a focus on balancing intense ambition with personal well-being, this episode highlights the importance of being a "disciple of yourself" and the dedication required to lead with clarity and purpose.

DISCUSSION

1. The"Disciple" in Discipline: Craig redefines discipline as being a "disciple in yourself"—a dedicated and devoted student of your own evolution and God-given potential.
2. Energetic Hygiene for Leaders: An exploration of how Chinese Energetic Medicine (Qigong) helps leaders stay calm amidst chaos, providing a sense of security and confidence for their teams.
3. From SWOT to SCOT: Craig explains his "SCOT" framework, where internal "weaknesses" are reframed as "challenges" to be met and overcome through a growth mindset.
4. The Price of Success: Reflecting on his 2014 "aha moment," Craig describes how rapid business growth led to a "foggy brain" and a diabetes diagnosis, prompting a total lifestyle shift to prioritize self-care.
5. Service to Self: A deep dive into the philosophy that one must be of service to themselves—through proper sleep, nutrition, and energy work—to effectively be of service to others for a lifetime.
6. The Physics of Business: Craig discusses how everything is "information expressed as energy" and how principles of quantum mechanics, like entanglement, apply to both healing and professional leadership.

LEARN MORE

C -Squared Professional Consulting: Offering business mentorship, advisory, and executive coaching services focused on empowering others to reach their potential. https://www.csquaredpro.com/

• Business Kung Fu: Craig’s book and mindset training program designed to help entrepreneurs find balance and peak performance.
• Energetic Practices: Online courses and live 12-week programs exploring Medical Qigong and energetic cultivation for professionals.

KEYWORDS

Craig Cooke, Business Kung Fu, C-Squared Professional Consulting, Qigong, Energetic Medicine, The Best Dam Podcast, Boulder City Chamber of Commerce Podcast Interview

#CraigCooke #C-Squared #BusinessKungFu #Qigong #Leadership #Mindset #TheBestDamPodcast #BoulderCityChamberofCommerce #Podcast interview 

Podcast Transcript:

Jill: All right. We're very excited to be able to visit with Mr. Craig Cooke. Thank you so much for being willing to visit with us today. I know you are quite the celebrity in the entrepreneurial space and so thank you for being willing to visit with us on the best damn podcast.

Craig: Well, thank you, Jill. I'm happy to be here.

Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

Jill: So I have, I have entered into the realm of business, Kung Fu.

Thank you for sharing your book, and, but there's so much more to who Craig Cooke is. And so I wanna talk a little bit more about your business as a mentor, author, speaker. And the name of your business is called C Squared Professional Consulting.

Craig: Yes.

Jill: And from what I understand, and in looking at your biography, you have had many different opportunities in businesses over the years. But tell me a little bit more about C Squared.

Craig: Yeah, so this is a new chapter in my life. started in 2023 after I sold my company, which we'll probably talk about in a little bit.

But, in 2023, I just started to think about, what am I gonna do now in this new chapter of life? I just can't sit around and do nothing. That's just not me. And, just to find a purpose for me moving forward, essentially to, inspire to create things that inspire and empower others to help them reach their, what I like to call divine potential.

And there's a whole number of things that contribute to that. So, like my book, business Kung Fu that you mentioned. But then, as far as my, Consulting, and I'm really starting to reframe it as business mentorship. And under that label are three services, which I define as consulting, advisory and executive coaching services.

So, there are different nuanced, approaches to each of those. So, depending upon what an individual needs, it's to offer one or a combination of those. And it's, at the end of the day, it's all to be of service and to be helpful.

Jill: Right. I love it. And I would imagine something, what inspired you to get into that in the first place?

What was it that kickstarted that whole thought process of wanting to see others be better?

Craig: Well, I've always been, very, very into a big fan of personal development myself, for a number of reasons for a long time. and I found that one of the greatest joys. I had in running my company is helping my team members, my employees grow and help lead them into not only the professional growth, but some personal aspects too.

And as I watched them blossom in their role, in their position in the company, it just brought a great deal of fulfillment for me. A lot of joy actually. It is one of the greatest joys in running my business. So I. Figured. now in this new chapter, I like to create things that brings me joy and I like to help develop people that brings me joy and I have all this expertise, knowledge, wisdom, from 26 years of running a company.

So I should share that and derive fulfillment through the things that I enjoy.

Jill: I love that. And so grateful for people like you. So tell me a little bit more about energetic practices. I know you serve as a doctor of Chinese energetic medicine. Can you please tell me what that means?

Craig: Sure, sure.

That sounds a little out there. Like what is that and. It can be, although there's a lot more, openness and receptivity to things like this these days. But essentially, the more popular term is Qigong. I studied what's called medical Qigong. There's three branches of Qigong.

Historically, it's, there's Marshall Medical and Spiritual. I'm actually versed in all three. But I, I've been practicing actually for 10 years.

Jill: Wow.

Craig: But shortly after I sold my company, I enrolled in a doctorate program for Chinese energetic medicine. and I graduated about a year and a half ago, from that.

And there's a lot to that. But essentially in my executive coaching branch service offering that I mentioned earlier, that's where these energetic practices come in and it's all about really, becoming. a better version of yourself by conducting what I call energetic hygiene.

Jill: Hmm.

Craig: And we all have a lot of things that we carry with us that distract us, get impede our performance.

And there's a lot to this, so it depends on how deep you want to go. But essentially as a summary, I work with the energetic anatomy to help clear blockages, disturbances, Things that impede the flow of energy. And by doing so, when we clear our energetic anatomy, we become more calm, centered, balanced.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: By being more calm, centered, and balanced, we're able to make better decisions. 'cause we have clarity of mind. Clarity of thinking. Also, as we're leading a team, we're able to stay calm amidst the chaos. 'cause the world of business, the professional world has all kinds of unpleasant surprises.

Can't come at us. and how you handle those in front of your team matters a lot. If someone's going to lose control, spin out and just lose themselves. Team members get scared and then they don't perform to the best of their abilities.

Jill: Right.

Craig: But if a leader's able to. Stay calm, centered, focused, and then lead the team into problem solving and taking action.

They feel confident and secure. Cause it, there's this, there's a safety like, oh,

things are gonna be okay.

He or she has got it under control. Let me just do what I'm supposed to do. And it matters a lot. It matters a lot in personal, just your overall personal wellbeing, but then also your performance as a professional and leader.

Jill: So as you're describing that, I am immediately thinking of a, a flight attendant. So I'm in the air. It gets a little bit turbulent. You look to that flight attendant, if they seem calm, cool, and collected, and like this is just everyday happenstance for them. I'm thinking, okay, we got this, and I'll look to them.

If they start panicking, okay, then I will start panicking. Right? So much like you described.

Craig: That's a great analogy. I like that. I'm gonna have to borrow that. I like that one.

Jill: You're welcome to my fears. Go for it. So I know that you have, described a little bit about an aha moment that you've had in this work and such great work, and I would imagine the work that you're doing, there's probably aha moments every day.

But, is there something that really resides with you, settles with you, and that you draw back on that why you got started?

Craig: Are you, in the Chinese energetic medicine or.

Jill: In either, I would imagine there's probably some in both, but, I would imagine those that are taking your courses that have listened to you speak, they probably have had an aha moment from listening to you.

I mean Gotcha. Do you get that feedback?

Craig: Yeah. Yeah. I see. Yeah. Yeah. So there's a lot of, great feedback I get and transformations people go through. I would say my aha moment was, right around, I'd say 2014. And I was, in the midst of a rapid growth spurt in my company.

It was the second year in a row that we were on the Inc 5,000 list of fastest growing private companies

Jill: Yeah.

Craig: In the United States and, a lot of great success. Bigger clients, bigger budgets, growing team, all great, right? But with that comes all these. Compounding pressures, responsibilities and obligations to the team members. to clients, contending with, vendor issues, juggling family life.

And, I just found that I lost myself, who I normally was cause normally historically been very calm, able to take a lot of stress and pressure, but it was getting to be a lot. and I noticed, I was just, didn't feel myself. I felt out of balance, just off-centered and I was getting irritated really quickly, frustrated easily.

And I even, lost it, at times, which isn't me, but it's another side of me if I, if it gets to be too much. Right. And, and when I say lost it, just like, just yelling, just inappropriate. Actions and behavior as a leader just uncalled for, right? I just started to, and my health, just, my overall health, was lacking too.

And that's a whole other story that perhaps we'll get into. and then a friend of mine happened to, Refer me to this medical Qigong practitioner and cause he hadn't, seen him. He said, Hey, you should go see this guy. He’s, really interesting, had a great experience. And I looked him up and I said, oh, he does Qigong.

How interesting cause I actually have exposure to Qigong when I was younger, when I started studying Chinese Kung Fu and there was the Marshall Qigong and I learned Marshall Qigong. it's different. It's just for a different. context. I never met anyone who did the healing work, the medical work.

So I, I was intrigued and it just so happened that he was just down the street from me, from my office, less than five minutes. Which was interesting because if he was like further away, I'd have been like, oh, cool, but I don't have time.

Jill:  Mm-hmm. Right.

Craig:  Because that's super busy. But he was so close, I was like, wow, amazing.

All right, I'll go check it out. So I did, had a really great experience. his name's Russ Anderson. I'm very close, with him, still to this day. And I started going to 'em about once a month for six months and after six months, he was conducting the medical qigong work on me.

I found myself much more calm and, a state of balance feeling centered like myself again. and it was quite amazing. And then at that time, he's, it was funny that the timing of it all, he asked me, Hey, you wanna learn how to do this work? And I said, absolutely. Without hesitation.

So in January in 2015. I started studying under him and, while I was running my company, and by getting into the practice and doing my own personal energy cultivation and energetic hygiene like I talked about, it just helped me maintain, which enabled me to perform at higher levels and attain even higher levels of success.

So we ended up being on the Inc 5,000 list, five years in a row, and at the same time getting best places to work four years in a row.

Jill: I noted that in your awards section.

Craig: Oh, thank you. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then eventually being able to even successfully, sell my company, have a successful exit.

So yeah, I contribute, the Qigong practice, a great deal to me being able to perform to higher levels. But it was all in that period of 2014, that aha moment that going back to your question Is that experience. From the, that first session over the course of the six months and just getting back to myself, my, my true self again.

Jill: I'm sure your staff was appreciative of Qigong as well.

Craig: Yeah. It's funny because it, it was totally under the radar even when I started training and learning it. taking on the practice, I didn't tell anybody, especially back then. That was like, gosh, oh, 2014, wow, time is flying. It's almost,

Jill: 12 years.

Craig: Yeah. 12 years. Yeah. Oh my God.

Jill: That's crazy.

Craig: That is crazy. but yeah, I would, had it, kept it under the radar. I didn't tell anybody. And then I had staff members telling me like, like six months later, like, Hey. You sure are more calm these days, and I would just like laugh to myself. Oh, thanks.

Jill: Yeah, like you have this secret weapon, right?

Craig: Yeah.

Jill: Technically you did

Craig: I did. I did. I did. Yeah. But yeah, there was multiple staff members that had actually made it a point to mention it to me, which I appreciated.

Jill: I would imagine much like you are then a convert to Qigong. I am a convert to business kung fu and you can see all my sticky notes.

Craig: Wow. Look at that. That's great.

Jill: But as you were mentioning, find our balance and come back to center. I mean, that's one of your quotes I loved. It's one of the ones I've saved. I can absolutely understand and see the value and the importance, and especially as you are successful, we normally attribute this, awareness, this mind wake up, this awakening to hitting rock bottom and then all of a sudden needing to come, the rise out of the ashes.

You are in the top of it all. When all of this. Finally came, kind of came to light for you. So I love hearing that you don't have to hit rock bottom to finally realize, okay, I gotta take care of myself.

Craig: Yeah. Yeah. And that's a great point. 'cause yes, very, it is a common story where people hit rock bottom and that's when they go through their transformation.

But it does, that is a path that is a way and something that happens quite a bit. But yeah, you don't have to, you can be doing quite well actually, but. Even though you're doing quite well, there's other aspects where you're not. or you can find yourself in a situation where like my or I just wasn't myself and I just needed to go through that transformation.

So yeah, there's different paths.

Jill: So now you have these skills, you have this experience, you have this, Breadth of all of the different, opportunities you can provide. So how do you generally work with people? Is it only on site? I would imagine that you have the ability to work with them with technology now, today and in multiple facets.

Craig: Yes. so there's a number of different things that I'm doing here and, in a number of different ways. There's the one-on-one work that I can do with people, and that's as far as like the business mentorship that I mentioned. And, that one-on-one work could be in person or over zoom or, online like we are today.

And that could be all just strictly business, advisory, consulting, coaching, et cetera, et cetera. when it comes to the energetic practices, I have a number of clients that come to see me in person for the energy work. I have someone coming in a couple hours actually. and, I've been doing that for 10 years, the one-on-one work.

But at the beginning of this year, I decided I wanted to just broaden my reach and increase my impact. So I decided to just start going one to many. So I started teaching at the beginning of this year. So I have online courses. I conduct live online, like 12 week programs, which, and then continuing students that.

Then, it gets into eight week programs. I also have some prerecorded. offerings so that people could just like self-directed, they can do it on their own pace.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: That are, there are like a taste of Qigong I call it. So it's just a Okay. A more condensed sample in a way that's a great entry point, for people to just

Jill: Right.

Craig: stick their toes in the water

Jill: Right.

Craig: A little bit. but, the live programs, as I mentioned, and then also workshops, I've done some, workshops in person at companies. And also I had my own, workshop I did back in November, a full day workshop, with about 40 people in attendance and went really well.

And so I'm planning on doing more workshops like that also in person. So it's, it is a combination of one-on-one and one to many and either, virtual. Online format or in person or a combination of,

Jill: Well, I would imagine, knowing the magnetism, the energy that you feel from just being in a room with people that have these abilities and connectivity.

I would imagine that is absolutely the end all be all, but to know that you have access to these other practices or the ability to still connect with individuals, can you see that in the next, over the next five years? I would imagine that there's probably gonna be even more of that. We have so much need.

Craig: Yes. and that's exactly why, because there's so much need. Everything. Definitely. No, no big surprise. Everyone's already talked about it, but how the world has changed in the past six years now.

Tremendously changed and, there's a lot of different pressures and there's a lot of anxiety that people are feeling, confusion, which helps, breed anxiety, not knowing.

You know what the future holds?

Creates that nervousness and anxiety, and that's actually probably one of the most common things, if not the most common thing that I see. When people come to see me on one-on-one for the energy work. I work with a lot of professionals. I see different types of people in different age groups, male, female, different professions, but a lot of professional people is mostly the people that come to me.

And I'd say anxiety is the most common. struggle and, it's only gonna increase. look at where we're at with AI and the big question mark there, am I gonna lose my job? is my job gonna be around in three years, two years, five years? Do I need to learn how to do something different?

There's just so many questions and there's just so much going on in society and all the division and all the craziness. there's just a lot of mental and emotional. Issues that are arising, that there's just creating a much stronger need for this type of work. And also a, another way to just establish connection and community, like how you mentioned, being around other people.

And yeah. Feeling that energy and so forth. So yeah, there's gonna be a greater need moving forward.

Jill: We have a phenomenal facility here in town called Linda Wellness, and we just did a ribbon cutting there. We did a lunch and learn there. One of my favorite places in town to be.

She gave me the opportunity to play with the sound bowls. Oh, cool. And, she does sound bath there and it is incredible to me. She has this massive bowl that you can stand in and then she plays the rim. To feel that coming through your body and the top of my head. Just that vibration.

Craig: Yeah.

Jill: It was so intense and I think, Yes, I am so grateful that there are people like you that can talk us through some of these things that can help us understand and try to deal with the fear of the unknown. But I absolutely can imagine that those that are with you and, have the ability to work with you directly, that has got to really, intensify and increase their learning and their, awakening because.

They're gonna feel that energy that, man, if I can feel it just standing in a bowl, I can only imagine what it is when you really get deep and start talking about it more.

Craig: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. A hundred percent. And that's very cool that you've had that experience. sound healing is fantastic.

it's a really great way to experience the vibration and the way I like to state things is that everything is information expressed as energy vibrating at various frequencies. Okay, and there's some notable scientists like Tesla. If you wanna know the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy frequency vibration, you, there's a lot of, more scientific based minds that, say these types of things.

So if you want to take the woo out of it and to be more like a logical mind, a lot of this stuff, it really operates on principles that are very. I can say similar, but I say it is based on quantum mechanics.

And I even just like the healing work that I do, I can do it remotely. and I'm, the way I do it remotely is through zoom, which sounds pretty strange, but it's quantum ana mechanics.

It's the principle of entanglement.

Jill: Oh yeah.

Craig: Yeah. There's the two particles and regardless of how they separate as far as distance. they still have that connection.

And how one changes and it impacts the other. That's how it works. It's as simple as that. It's quantum mechanics. everything information expresses energy vibrating at different frequencies and with doing the energy work, There's different states within the person's physical body, the energy body, their spirit body, the three bodies, and from a Chinese, energy medicine perspective. and how the qi the energy flows and if certain states, like say the organ systems, if there's, an excess condition or a deficient condition, or is it imbalance?

And there's all these different emotions that are associated with each of the organs. for example, I mentioned, anxiety, right?

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: How so many people are suffering from anxiety. Well, that energy of anxiety, gets stored and resides in the heart. the heart center. So if someone's suffering from nervousness, discontent, anxiety, and even if it like leads up to panic attacks, I'll work on the heart.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Heart center and it's sending vibration 'cause of the vibration. Helps break apart those energetic clusters that create that blockages and impedes the flow of energy and then gets filled with light, which strengthens and tonifies that particular organ so then it can get back into balance.

Jill: Yeah.

Craig: At the end of the day, we all, our body always wants to seek a state of homeostasis, of balance. So that's the idea. just to be in balance. Hence my quote, get back to center and that state of balance.

Jill: I am very spiritual, but I am also, very realistic and understand the science and love the educational, academic side of it.

And again, that balance is what in my mind, allows me to deal with my daily life. Yeah. But, yeah, the vibration really, I really definitely saw a difference. And then some of the tapping mechanisms.

Craig: Oh yeah. Tapping.

Jill: Yeah. Yeah. Great. A daughter of special needs and some coping mechanisms that she was taught early on.

Craig: Oh, great.

Jill: And just some of those that touch.

Craig: Yes. Yeah. Tapping is great point. Tapping is a, we call it. Yeah. That's a, and essentially that's based on, all the different acupuncture points,

Jill: Right

Craig: That and the work. When you think of Qigong, like we've been talking about

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: And doing the medical Qigong work from, on someone that's like QA mission therapy.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: It's essentially acupuncture without the needles.

Jill: I'm all for that.

Craig: Yeah, yeah, right. People are like, well, that's great 'cause no needles needed.

Jill: Yeah.

Craig: And it is actually the precursor to acupuncture. It was, it's thousands and thousands of years old. So that was the original way and then the needles came in for a specific reason.

But essentially that's what it's like. But the point tapping is really good. As you're tapping different parts of the body, you're hitting these different, yeah. On the face.

Jill: Yeah.

Craig: There's the emotional freedom technique, I think is a term that a lot of people use.

Essentially, it's ancient Chinese Point tapping.

Jill: I love it. Grateful for it. And, really glad that you speak so much to balance, because I do feel like we need balance in all things and very important and I need to know a little bit more about Craig. So you tell me a little bit more about you and the fact that I would like to know what was your very first job?

Craig: Okay, so I started working at the age of 10 washing dishes. In my mom's restaurant, she had a small re yeah, she had a small restaurant, about I think 14, 15 tables. And, I was raised by a single mom and yeah, 10 years old. Yeah. I wasn't washing dishes every night. Probably about two, two to three nights a week.

But that was my first job, washing dishes and some of that, as the dishwasher, you have to clean the bathrooms too, which

Jill: Yeah, I do. Having worked for family businesses all my life. Yes, I totally understand that. To get out there and clean those public restrooms that

Craig: Yeah. Yeah.

Jill: This dusting at a marina, if you can even Oh,

Craig: contemplate.

Okay.

Jill: So, been there, done that, but I would imagine you probably learned a lot from watching your mom as an entrepreneur.

Craig: Yes, absolutely. That's really instilled the entrepreneurial spirit in me.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: She worked extremely hard. Restaurant business is tough.

Jill: Oh.

Craig: And, you're working on the holidays.

Weekends and, but you, major holidays, you're working too long hours, it's tough work. But I enjoyed it. I would never have changed a thing. I really enjoyed it. at 13 I became a busboy and at 16 a waiter and, it was fun. It was a fun experience. And, she also had, my parents also had a fire sprinkler company.

They're split up, but yeah, our family's interesting. A little complicated, but yeah. and it was so a construction company and it was small also. But I started working there too, I think when I was 16.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So I'd work at both places, kind of interchangeably, so I would, I'd be in, in the shop cutting and fabricating pipe, heavy sprinkler pipe and sometimes out in the field.

but mostly in the shop. And that was hard work.

Jill: No, I can imagine.

Craig: Yeah. yeah. So just, that strong work, work ethic

Jill: Mm

Craig: Was really instilled in me. Yeah, it's interesting 'cause even, yeah, 10 years old washing dishes, I didn't mind. I just, 'cause I spent a lot of time by myself and so when I was washing dishes, I was around other people.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: In the kitchen. It was kind of fun. I didn't mind, even though those dishes, after a while your back starts hurting and it is super busy and.

Jill: And your fingers become pruny.

Craig: Yeah, yeah, exactly. And it's super late at night. But I didn't mind because I was like, oh, I'm around people.

And it was kind of fun.

Jill: That's awesome.

Craig: Especially when I became a busboy and then a waiter, then it was even more fun.

Yeah.

Jill: Yes. Yeah. You're a people person. So what's something people may not know about Craig Cooke?

Craig: Hmm. Yeah. that's a good question. Yeah. I actually like chick flicks.

Jill: Oh, that's awesome.

Craig: Like, hallmark movies.

Jill: I know them well. Yes.

Craig: Yeah. I think they're great. Yeah. And then, movies, like the romantic comedies. Yeah. They're fun. They're fun.

Jill: So that's awesome. So you need to get in touch with your sensitive side, and so that's where you can, zone out and just relax and watch and you always know the end of the story. Which is great.

Craig: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. and like you said, it's good to, balance things out, as opposed to Craig, like the kung fu guy, right?

Jill: Yeah.

Craig: I love kung fu movies, but that's a whole other opposite end of the spectrum, right? So,

Jill: Right.

Craig: It's a nice, nice balance.

Jill: Again, see, I think the moral of the story today is balance. That's awesome. Yeah. And so what books do you read? What's the book you're reading right now?

Craig: Well, these days, I'm still doing a lot of study around, Chinese energetic medicine, the medical Qigong.

So there's a number of books, that I have actually in the doctorate program. I was a part of the gentleman that ran that, Dr. Jerry Allen Johnson. He's a prolific author. He is written probably over 30 books. on medical Qigong. Wow. and martial arts. And, so I have, I don't know, probably 10 of his books.

So I'm always kind of,just actually today doing some additional training. I just opened up one of the workbooks to, to, to start working on a new, Set of exercises. so I'm spending a lot of time doing that, especially 'cause I'm teaching, I have to make sure right. That I'm even reviewing the material that I already know 'cause

Jill: Right.

Craig: There's just so much. And then continuing to advance my progress. So that's what I've been spending most of my time on, on today. But as far as like past, books, yeah, I like a lot of different types of books, whether it's, History or spiritual based books and business books too, there's always like, from a business perspective, good to

Great. I think it's an old book. Oh. But,

Jill: Oh,absolutely.

Craig: Yeah. Yeah. that's a great book. Also, I think another classic, which still applies today is, permission Based Marketing by Seth Godin.

Jill: Yeah.

Craig: That's a quick read, but, Yeah, very just still applies today. That's probably 20 years old or something like that.

Now

Jill: I need to actually pull that one back out. I have not seen that one. It's on my shelf. I loved it. I am a Seth follower, so I need to pull that one back out. So thanks for bringing that one up.

Craig: Yeah.

Jill: My other all time favorite that I talk about all the time, people are probably sick of hearing about it, was the gap in the game.

Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy.

Craig: Oh, I'm not familiar with that one.

Jill: Oh my gosh, you gotta read it. It's so right up your alley. You would love it. The gap in the game, measuring the success and not trying to measure the what you have lost or what you have not accomplished. Ah. Oh man. You will love it. I guarantee it.

But let's talk about your book.

Craig: Okay.

Jill: Okay, so page 25, I even have the page number memorized because I love, love, love this. And I'm gonna, actually, can I read your paragraph for a minute?

Craig: Sure, sure, sure.

Jill: When I see the word discipline, I derive a deeper meaning out of it. I see disciple when I separate. In and move it to the right.

For me, it means to be a disciple in yourself. A disciple is dedicated and a devoted student. It's it is wonderful to be your own disciple, to be dedicated and devoted, to live in a disciplined manner, to continuously evolve and fulfill your God-given potential. Oh my gosh. I read that and I'm like, okay, it's even highlighted.

This is something I will continually to refer to because that paragraph just kind of sums it all up, and I'd never taken, I never separated discipline and disciple. I mean, that was just like an aha moment for me. So thank you for that.

Craig: Oh, thank you so much. I really appreciate that. Yeah. When you're reading it, sometimes it, it is been a while since I looked at my book at times, and then I hear, you reading it, I'm like.

Hey, that sounds pretty good. I did write it, so it should sound like, good. And I didn't use AI by the way either. This is just all my mind and, but I thank you very much. I really appreciate that. And that goes into what we were talking about earlier in the conversation towards the beginning of when I mentioned, personal development.

I was, a big fan of that for a very long time. And that's what I'm essentially, talking about to be a disciple. In yourself, to evolve, to develop yourself, to become the best version of yourself, to be better than you were the day before.

Jill: Yeah.

Craig: that's using that discipline to be a disciple for yourself.

Jill: Yes. I love it. That was awesome. And you just mentioned ai. let's, I've got a question for you in regards to. Here's another great sentence. Having an open mind and actively listening is great, but it's even better to apply critical thinking skills by asking how and why in order to gain a true understanding of the purpose behind what you learned.

Do you believe, are we still teaching critical thinking if we're leaning so into ai, how do we get people to understand the value and the importance of listening, getting to the critical thought process, and then creating solutions or then having a dialogue?

Craig: Yeah. So, few things there, right? So critical thinking I think has been lost.

Quite a long time ago actually. I mean, we have ai, which is creating the challenges that you just mentioned, but I would say even say 20 years ago, 15 years ago, with the way media has evolved and how it just slams perspectives down our throat,

Jill: Right.

Craig And like mind control. and just these headlines and fragments of information that come at us.

And the impression it gives, it has, in my opinion, it is created these habits with people to just absorb that and not think,

Jill: Hmm,

Craig: And to suddenly form a viewpoint without thinking about it. Just because of there's this an attraction to say a certain channel, certain view on the surface, and then this like feedback loop reinforcement, and all of a sudden there's no real critical thinking being applied.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: It's just more brainwashing. So I think the media is, highly responsible for a loss of critical thinking. I noticed that in the workplace a bit when, certain topics would come up. It is just interesting. And now with ai Yes. Compounding 'cause now AI is doing the thinking for us and creates a whole other level of challenge because it can, we can be getting trained to have a lazy mind.

Jill: Right.

Craig: AI just do all the work.

Jill: Yeah, we're being spoonfed at a buffet versus, hunting and gathering and cooking our own food, right?

Craig: Yes.

Jill: I love that

Craig: Analogy. Very good analogy. Yeah.

Jill: I have an app on my phone, called Smart News, and it provides me with the headlines from multiple news sources, so all the national news sources, but also KNPR and well, NPR.

As well as BBC and even some Middle Eastern countries. Mm-hmm. That, that some of their news sources to hear that same title or that same headline, but in different perspectives by different news outlets. And like you said, one leans this way, one leans that way. But to get just, I just tell me the information.

I wanna be smart enough to figure that out. My, on my own. I don't, I'm tired of being told I'm dumb or being led to think that I'm dumb, that I can't figure that out. So I was really grateful to find that app, so

Craig: That's cool.

Jill: Yes, I agree with your statement. so I'm gonna, I'm flipping through my favorites.

Okay.

Craig: Okay.

Jill: SWAT to Scott.

Craig: Yes.

Jill: Love, love, love. The idea of weaknesses are not, they are challenges.

Craig: Mm-hmm. Yes. and the main reason is because of, it's just a framing up of mindset. Having the proper mindset, because when you have a challenge, naturally, you just feel compelled to overcome that challenge.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: To meet that challenge head on and to overcome it. But if it's like, oh, weakness. Yeah. It's kinda like we were just talking about with the impression and the mind control. If you just. Do your own language, you have your own language patterns, and if you ship those, you can just really improve upon your, yourself.

So if you're using a model that uses, traditionally swat, strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, weaknesses, and then, oh yeah, weakness. I'm weak in this, I'm weak in that. Well, that's just an opportunity, actually an internal opportunity. it's a challenge. Something that you can overcome, right?

Because you should overcome, that doesn't need to be a weakness ongoing. You can overcome that. So yeah, it's mindset essentially. My book at its core is a mindset book.

Jill: Absolutely. No, I absolutely agree, and that's why I think why I picked up on so many of these one-liner quotes because, you can train your mind the whole disciple, concept in creating that discipline.

Really, like you said, it is a mind training book. Okay, here's another favorite service to self so you can be of service to others for a lifetime.

Craig: That's a big one.

Jill: Yeah. I mean, duh.

Craig: Yeah. Yeah. And, this is a lesson I learned the hard way. so going back to that time period, 2014 or so, 2015, I started training Qigong and I started feeling better.

There was this aspect of health that I just wasn't feeling good either, which compounded the problem 'cause everything's connected. If you're in poor physical health, it's gonna affect your mind and your thoughts and your emotions, your spirit, in a sense. So long story short, in 2017 I was diagnosed with, diabetes and I.

I was really surprised, but not because my parents had it and I was, I just was surprised that it, I came down with it so soon. But it started to all make sense, like, oh, that's why I have a foggy brain. Oh, that's why. Mm-hmm. I was so tired, in the afternoon. Oh, that's why after dinner at night, I crash on the couch.

Not even, it would just suddenly happen. things that, I never had to contend with and it was affecting my performance as well. 'cause when I started my company, I was in super great, physical health from all the martial arts and strength training that I did, and then all of a sudden, 10 years later was at the opposite end of the spectrum.

And by just giving my all to the business and being of service to everyone else but myself. I came down with this condition of diabetes, which then impacted my performance in being able to perform to my best of my ability. Mm-hmm. The circle to bring value to others.

Yeah, that's right. I was on a downward spiraling, path and when my doctor told me again, I was surprised.

She did say that, that it was good that I had started the Qigong practice 'cause my numbers would've been worse.

Jill: Oh

Craig: Yeah, yeah. So that, that, that was good. But the diabetes condition is something, it's like a war. You have to fight on all fronts, like land, air, and sea.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: So I, knew what that condition could lead to, and I was like, all right, I gotta make a change and I gotta prioritize my own self-care.

So I started, I made a big lifestyle change and I started being of service to myself.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: The Qigong practice was a part of that and I was making the time to do that, but I had to do more. So,and the only way I could really do that was, waking up extra early. And I started waking up at like,4:20 AM Nothing significant about that.

Just it was, because I needed to drive to the gym. It was like a half hour away 'cause it was like a wellness center where my doctor was at in gym, training center trainers and all that stuff. Anyways, so incorporated strength training started working on getting better sleep. Better hydration steps, better diet, or higher protein, flipped it 'cause I just was eating wrong.

All these different things that I had to make a switch and I was actually able to reverse that condition of diabetes a hundred percent naturally.

Jill: That's amazing.

Craig: Yeah. Thank you. I actually just saw my doctor yesterday, again, and got my latest, lab report and, yeah, still the A1C is still normal, which is great.

The A1C is the number, the most important number that you look at for blood glucose levels.

Jill: I That is so impressive, and I can only imagine, finding that balance in center absolutely. Has to heal some of those conditions within our system, right?

Craig: Yes.

Jill: So those internal organs do, are reflective of what's happening up here and the balance you're finding.

Craig: Yes. That's very astute of you because, so going back to like a Chinese energetic medicine perspective. There's what's called chen affects, Q and chi affects jing, meaning chen is our spirit. You think our spirits on like our heart and mind connection, our thoughts and our emotions. There's another aspect of spirit, but let's just

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig:  Keep it simple. Spirit affects qi, which is energy, so the spirit affects the energetic matrix. That's all around us and within us. And then the qi affects Jing. Jing is physical matter, so our physical tissues. So our spirit, our thoughts and emotions affects the energetic. Layer, which over time manipulates our physical tissues.

So if we're, if we are experiencing stress and pressure and, maybe there's frustration and irritation through certain, relationships and continuous interactions on a daily basis over a long period of time, eventually, that, those thoughts and emotions affects the energy, which then eventually affects those physical tissues and it can manifest as some sort of ailment or disease condition.

And it could go the other direction too. If someone has trauma from say, like a car accident and there's this, physical stuff that can affect the energetic, layer.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: Which can then affect the spirit. so it goes both directions. Actually.

Jill: I wish they would do more energetic hygiene slash energetic work in hospitals.

Can you imagine?

Craig: Oh, yeah, it'd be big. And actually I've gone to hospitals with, for like family members

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: And worked on them while they're in the hospitals. yeah. Yeah. it's, it is interesting. It is, it's an interesting environment. the hospital, environment. It's not conducive to a comp, comprehensive healing approach, I feel.

Jill: I agree.

Craig: Look at the food you get served. Mm-hmm. It's often. It's really poor nutrition.

Jill: Look at the energy that unfortunately you feel from staff. And I would love for them to be, practicing energetic hygiene before they touch your loved one. I think that would make all the difference in the world.

Craig: Yeah. Yeah. A hundred percent. A hundred percent. 'cause it's, it matters. It's,Just like,if you're in a restaurant and people are like angry, the chef's angry, the waiters, the busboy, the servers, they're all angry and they're bringing your food to you. All that energy's in that food you

Jill:  Mm-hmm.

Craig: So same thing at the hospital. Yeah. If there's, people taking care of you and they're, they're doing vitals and doing IVs and, Okay. it all transfers. Yeah. Energy is flowing and it, and through interactions, it's, there's always an exchange. So you're a hundred percent correct.

There's a lot of, opportunities for improvement in the hospital system.

Jill: They need a, they need to do a scot instead of a swap.

Craig: They do. They do.

Jill: Last one. My favorite one, well actually I have many favorites, but I do like this one. Nothing detracts from the spirit, like fear. Mm. Oh man. That one was an intense one that, I think in so many aspects, whether it's fear of an unknown, fear of, how you take your next steps for improvement, for growing your business, for, interacting with,an angry client and dealing with conflict.

Any confrontations, not anyone's favorite, but just all of those factors and,trying to keep that spirit about you. that's a tough one.

Craig: It is a tough one. It fear paralyzes us. It just stops us in our tracks. And it's potentially the greatest enemy that we face. fear in different levels of fear in, different situational context, from my staff when I was running my company.

One thing that you touched upon that I noticed the fear of having an uncomfortable conversation

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: With either another team member or the client. When the client, I had a digital marketing agency, right? The clients needed to give us certain things, and if they didn't give it to us, it really made it challenging for us to do our job.

Jill: Right.

Craig: And something like a project delay that, they caused 'cause they're, they were four weeks late and giving us what we needed. Right. But yet we were still such to deliver on time. Right. Well, that was uncom, or they asked for a lot more work than what they paid for.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: That was like, that was classic.

So having the, Being comfortable with having an uncomfortable conversation was, quite challenging for a lot of people. 'cause there was this fear, the fear of that.

Jill: Yeah.

Craig: And hesitation. And every time that got delayed, the more pain it produced.

Jill: Right,

Craig: Right. Yeah. fear gets in our way so much and the energy of fear that resides in the kidneys.

And the kidneys is responsible for our drive, our motivation, to move forward in life. Fear para, I said it paralyzes us and stops us in our track tracks. it's, the kidneys. it's that forward movement, the drive, the motivation, our vitality. Interesting. Yeah. It's all in the kidneys.

Jill: So that makes a lot of sense. Then when you're dehydrated and you feel lethargic and like, Ugh, I just don't wanna do anything. I would imagine that, yeah, that probably has something to do with that organ.

Craig: A hundred percent. They're very good because the kidneys are associated with water.

Jill: Hmm.

Craig: Even the color is blue.

Jill: Oh,

Craig: The color blues associated with, the kidneys. And it's a water element associated with the kidneys, and a lot of people suffer from, kidney depletion because of all the, the grinding work, long hours, stress, and a lot of people have a deficient kidney.

Jill: Mm-hmm.

Craig: Yeah,

Jill: I, that must be my issue.

I'm gonna blame it on that. So I have so enjoyed our conversation. Thank you so much for producing such a, a marvelous. Piece and a tool that I will use in my life. I want to make sure that our listeners are going to, the show notes and learning more because I really wanna talk more and I want them to go to and learn more about the five elements of success or the five elements of entrepreneurship.

And I love that interchangeability between success and entrepreneurship.

I mean, amazing stuff. Great. I loved the visuals and the charts and things that you've created. It just absolutely was like my mind map. So thank you for getting it outta my head and putting it in paper. I really appreciated it.

And so you've been an absolute joy. Thank you for adding to my life. Thank you for adding to those that listen, and I really appreciate you.

Craig: Thank you, Jill. I really enjoyed this discussion. Thank you so much for all that feedback and this is exactly why I am. I'm doing what I'm doing. Thank you so much.

Jill: You're welcome. Have a super day.

Craig: You too.