Welcome to Mindful Monday!

This week, we focus on building a $4.3B company from nothing, dealing with fear, Charlie Munger, my complicated past with goal setting, and some wise words from Anu Atluru. And... CLICK HERE to read our USA Today Best-Selling book, The Score That Matters.

#631: Bert Bean & Sam Kaufman - Obsession, Grit, & Growth Mindset

​Bert Bean is the CEO of Insight Global. Sam Kaufman is the CRO. They both started as entry-level recruiters (almost) 20 years ago and have been promoted to the very top of their organization. What once was a small recruiting shop has been built into a $4.3B industry-leading talent and technical services firm. We discuss why they are winning while most of their competitors are losing, the benefit of being obsessed, voluntary hardship, living by your values, Nolan Ryan, growing internationally, why the world has gone soft, and so much more. You can also WATCH our (in-person) conversation on YouTube.

Be Not Afraid

Fear defines us. Not by its presence, but by how we respond to it. There is no magic cure for fear. But there is an antidote: rules. Rules are not shackles. They are the foundation of order. They define the boundaries that allow us to function, ensuring fairness and predictability. CLICK HERE to read more.

Charlie Munger Commencement Address

“I'm not entitled to have an opinion on a subject unless I can say the arguments against my position better than the people who do than the people who are supporting." CLICK HERE to watch it.

Do You Set Goals?

I have struggled with goal setting for most of my life, not because I couldn't set them, but because I've had a complicated relationship with what goals do to our psychology. When I was younger, my dad had us write down big, ambitious, long-term goals. I still have some of those handwritten notes. Some of them came true. So a reasonable question is: Did they happen because I wrote them down? Or because I did the work to make them a reality? CLICK HERE to read my latest Substack post.

Wise Words...

"Creation isn’t just about output. It’s a process of becoming. The best work shapes the maker as much as the audience. A founder builds a startup to prove they can. A writer wrestles an idea into clarity. You don’t just create heavy things. You become someone who can." -- Anu Atluru​

Thank you for reading. Mindful Monday is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support it is to order our book, The Score That Matters. If you've already read it, I'd love for you to CLICK THIS LINK and write a review.

Ryan Hawk Author: The Score That Matters, Welcome to Management, & The Pursuit of Excellence​ Host: The Learning Leader Show​