Being Self-Reliant with John Jantsch

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Every year, hundreds of thousands of people set out to become an entrepreneur. While we hear about the major success stories, we don’t hear much about the failure that these business owners have had to go through. My guest today knows the importance of being self-reliant in business. His new book speaks to the heart and soul of entrepreneurs. 

My guest today is John Jantsch, the author of Duct Tape Marketing. His latest book, The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur, features 366 daily meditations to help inspire and motivate business owners. He writes for the 95% of small business owners who are in between major success and failure. 

Writing His Book

John Jantsch is known for his books Duct Tape Marketing. His newest book is a departure from his usual topics. 

Listen at 4:00 to hear his inspirations for this change in subject matter. About 10 years ago, Peter Drucker put together a book of daily motivation. He decided he wanted to do something similar. Instead of talking about “how” to do something, he wanted to create a book on “why” you should do something. John’s goal is to shift people’s mindset on the road to success. 

The Importance of Being Self-Reliant

There are many things in the world conspiring against us. Family, friends, daily struggles. These can all pose major challenges in our efforts for success. Being self-reliant is important, and you have to trust yourself to be able to follow your dreams without fear.

At 6:30, John speaks about the importance of taking your own path. If you are constantly listening to internal and external voices, you will never do what you truly want to. Instead of thinking about how people view you, it is vital that you step outside of these thoughts.

Four Seasons of Inspiration

Several years ago, John wrote a blog post about his own journey as an entrepreneur. He says that every time he takes a different path, he views it as starting over again. At 9:50, he speaks about how this view inspired him to break his book up into four seasons. This metaphor allowed him to organize many of the readings thathe found. 

Using Classic Literature

Many motivational books are filled with inspiring quotes about success. Self-Reliant Entrepreneur instead has quotes from classic literature of the 1850s to 1890s. John says this was done intentionally.

Listen at 11:45 where he discusses his love of literature from this time period. This time is considered to be one of the first counter-culture periods in America. Much of the writing shows protagonists who are forced to be self-reliant. To John, this literature offers a perfect way to motivate those who wish to be self-reliant today. 

An Excerpt from His Book

What can you expect to find in Self-Reliant Entrepreneur? Listen at 16:05 for an excerpt from the book, which covers Henry David Thorough’s Walden. On each day’s entry, John gives a short excerpt, his thoughts, and a challenge or question of the day. The idea is for readers to use the book as part of their regular routine, and to ponder the question in their daily actions/goals. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my interview with John, where we discuss some of our favorite quotes. 

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