Overcoming Fear, Processing Failure, and Why Having a Plan B Holds You Back with Matt Higgins

#105: Serial entrepreneur Matt Higgins joins Chris discuss how people can stop getting held back from their full potential. They talk about why a backup plan might be what's holding them back. They also lay out a framework to get over reservations, understand your motivations, overcome fears, process failures and handle crises.

Matt Higgins (@mhiggins) is a successful businessman and author. He is currently the Co-founder/CEO of RSE Ventures, but previously was the youngest press secretary in New York during 9/11, Executive Vice President of the New York Jets, Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins, a guest shark on Shark Tank, and an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School. His book is Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential.

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Selected Links From The Episode

Join the ATH Membership

Matt Higgins: Linkedin | Instagram | Twitter

Book: Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential

Wharton Research Article: The Downside of Making a Backup Plan – and What to Do About It

Full Show Notes

Introduction to Matt Higgins (00:00)

What sets this story apart from other business books (02:08)

Common obstacles that hold people back (04:16)

Identifying roadblocks (05:54)

“Face Everything” (08:27)

Creating change in the workplace environment (11:31)

Identifying your pathway forward (13:24)

Opportunity cost decision-making and getting buy-in (15:55)

Processing decisions and why it matters (21:09)

The difference between having a plan B and knowing plan B is out there (26:14)

Chris’s valuable membership vision (29:12)

How much commitment is needed to “burn your boat” (30:35)

Consolidating gains (31:48)

Acceptance and growth (35:42)

Focusing on your strengths (36:28)

Processing failures through persistence (38:57)

Never give up (42:10)

Moving forward as a paranoid risk-taker (48:20)

Framework for setting goals (49:38)

Dealing with crises (51:11)

Settling vs. pursuing (54:10)

Publicly committing to plan A: ATH membership (54:55)

Where to find Matt Higgins online (59:11)

Connect with Chris

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