Don't be Afraid to Dream

Standing Stronger Podcast Season 3, Episode 2. Faith Dance. That's right baby, it keeps getting better. My name is Shannon. And I'm Little Shannon. And I'm Faith. Oh, we have a twist. Yeah. Yeah, so we both have the same name, then we have Faith and it just messes it all up. We have a podcasting virgin in the house. Uh-oh, watch out. They finally let me on here. Yes. She's no longer just editing. She gets a voice. It's going to be awesome. It's going to be great. And from now on, I think we have to change the podcasting name from Standing Stronger to Two Old People and Faith. I'm not old, you're old. Old guy, hot lady, and Faith. Yeah, that is very true because she's super hot.

Here's the great thing about having Faith on our team and having Faith coming into these podcasts is she brings a fresh perspective. We're talking about our goals and achieving goals from a state where we're already pretty well established, where Faith is coming into it from where am I, who am I, what am I going to do? I know that I want to be better than average, but how do I get there? And when I say better than average, I know that I don't want to get a master's degree and a doctorate and a PhD. I want to build a business, run a business, make my own life, determine my own future, and all that good stuff.

So I think it's going to be fun to kind of talk about that and dissect that a little bit. Yeah, I agree. I think it's already been interesting just in the year that we've had Faith as a part of our team just to see her mind and where it's going and how it's turning and seeing all of the changes and the expectations in her own mind. Like you just said, the ups and downs of like, where am I going? What am I doing? But it's not just for her because you're well-established, you know what I mean, in our business and what you're doing and what you want to do. But I'm still, I'm kind of like, I'm like the teenager of this group.

You're like the grandpa because you're like the ancient, like I know all this stuff and I continue to learn. And Faith would be... Old saggy balls with a five-year plan. It's like a marker is needed there. And, you know, Faith is just starting. So she's like the baby like coming up into her dreams. And then I'm like the teenager. It's like, well, I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing or how I'm supposed to be doing it. But she's motivating me because I want to do good with her and for her and be an example. But I also want to follow your wisdom and your guidance. So I think it kind of adds something to everybody. Yeah, it's going to be fun. So no one knows who Faith is.

I mean, we do, but no one else does. So why don't you introduce yourself, Faith? Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you're awesome. Well, I'm Faith. I met Shannon, little Shannon, because she was my cheerleading coach. That's right. I'm married to a cheerleading coach. It's so awesome. Go ahead. Sorry. So, yeah, one day I needed a job. And now here I am with them. And just trying to figure out what I want to do. But thank God I have them because if I didn't, I would probably be, like, failing college or something. Well, I mean, you know, working with us is much better than going to college, obviously. Oh, for sure. So kind of what is your mindset right now?

Kind of explain to us what is it like for you right now in terms of trying to figure out where you're going, what you're doing? Like kind of walk us through some of the things that are, you know, makes you nervous and some of your things that make you excited. You know, things of that nature. Okay. So basically what you said in your last podcast is, like, you knew you wanted to run a business. You wanted to be in control of your life. You just didn't know what to do. So that's pretty much where I'm at. Basically just trying to brand myself on social media and such. What's your Instagram? At Faith Campbell. Go follow me.

But what's probably, like, what makes me nervous is, you know, stepping out of my comfort zone and, like, being my real self on social media. Because I feel like through high school, like, no one does that. Like, everyone's doing what they think people want to see. When now it's kind of like I'm switching over to sharing what I really feel and, like, what I'm really trying to be. And it's, like, my thought process is are people going to be like, oh, that's not Faith. Like, she was never like that in high school. Like, she's trying to be this, trying to be that. But it's like, yeah, I am. Like, I'm trying to be better. I'm not trying to be, like, a different person.

I'm trying to be a better me. So I feel like that's kind of what makes me most nervous is thinking about what other people are going to think of what I'm doing, which is totally not important. But it's just always there. And, you know, it's called imposter syndrome, one. And, two, even Jesus in his hometown, he was just a carpenter. That makes sense if you let that sink in for a second. People knew him as the carpenter. And people knew me as a screw-off that ruined his chances at playing in the NBA. People knew Shannon as the best girl ever. People knew Faith as, you know, whatever they knew you as.

So that's where we got to realize that we can't focus on what they think because, you know what, they don't know what we're becoming and what we are. The people that knew me 20 years ago have no clue who the person I am now. So if they come on here and say, who are you to be giving people advice on how to be successful, you are a screw-up, yeah, I did screw up in high school. I did make a couple mistakes. But guess what? I'm now more successful than 98% of America. So it's one of those things where we all have that. I still have that. I still have the imposter syndrome and care about what people think.

But we have to get over that and just go for it because if we live our lives on what everyone else thinks, we'll never accomplish anything. Does that make sense? Right. Not everyone is as open-minded and, like, you know, you guys are the ones who taught me you can do anything, literally. Like anything you think of, you can do it if you try. And I feel like— What's the quote? What the mind of a man can believe— Conceive. Conceive and— And believe it can achieve. That's right. Who said that? I don't remember. Napoleon Hill. I put her on the spot. No, I think, you know, nobody else is going to understand what your dream is because they're not you.

And I had to learn from big Shannon how to dream because I didn't know how to dream. Because I'm very real, and I still am, so he's the dreamer and I'm the realist. He calls me the dream killer a lot of times. But we balance each other out in our relationship, our business, things like that. But it's hard to be a dreamer and see that you can do something for yourself. When you've been raised in an atmosphere, and you were raised the same as me in a blue-collar family, like you get out of school, you go to college, and you go work for somebody the rest of your life.

Or you don't even get to go to college because you didn't come from a family with money, so you now have to go right into the workforce and work for somebody else the rest of your life. And that was just ingrained in us. And I was a very hard worker, still am, but for the longest time I just would buy into what any physician that I was working with, you know, whatever they were trying to achieve, I just took hold of their model and just drove it home. And so I was such a great employee. You, big Shannon, horrible employee. Worst employee ever. Never went to work on time, hates rules, does not like following them. Like I'm a rule follower, like what are the rules?

Let's implement them and go to work and just drive home and make these other people all this money and success stories. But I wasn't reaping the benefits of that. I mean, I did well, but, you know, for not having a college education and things like that, I worked my way up through, you know, the realms of things. But I think we're so ingrained in that to where when you finally are like, okay, you're allowed to dream. You're allowed to say I can do anything. Because if you remember when you were little, when somebody asks you what you wanted to do, like, I mean, Mackenzie wants to be a mermaid right now. You know what I mean? And we tell her, like, that's great, Mackenzie.

Not that I want her to be a mermaid, like a Weeki Wachee forever, but like if that makes her heart truly happy one day to go be a mermaid at Weeki Wachee, and who am I to kill that dream for her? And if you can take care of yourself and support yourself, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.

And so I think for especially at Faith's age, I feel like at our age, people have already been in the workforce long enough or did not succeed at college and threw away money or succeeded at college, threw the money away because they're not using that degree in anything, and they've gone back and switched or changed up, or they're just in the mundane, like living for the weekend, to where at our age, they see like, man, I wish I could do what you guys did. I wish I could just have the balls to be like, oh, you just had a baby and she's four weeks old and you're quitting your job. That sounds like a great plan, you know, like go and do it. That's an amazing plan.

Now, we didn't know what we were going to do, but we made it work, you know, but you had to put in the hard work for it. Whereas, you know, Faith, her friends are seeing like, what are you doing? Like, people can't do that. And the people that can do it, you know, they're our age. Or they're special. They're not like me and you. Right. But everyone was like us before they became special. Right. Like, that's the thing that people don't take into consideration. Like, you're not just born and you have money and you're famous. Like, they worked towards it. And a lot of very, very successful people came from nothing.

So like, I mean, I don't come from like a lot of money and all this special stuff, but I come from a good family and a good place. So why not? Like, why can't I do it? Exactly. Why not you? But you also struggle with that same thing both of us had too with our own families because of the mindset of where your families were at. Like, Faith, why aren't you in college? Right. I mean, like, my parents will support me in whatever I do. But, like, when I'm in this middle place where I'm like, okay, I know I want to do something big, but what is it? And they don't see me because I'm thinking about it every day, but they don't know that.

They don't know that I'm actually, like, thinking about what I want to do and working towards finding that. They just see me still living at home, going to work every day, not going to school. So they're like, you need to do something to get somewhere. And I'm like, okay, I am, but you just don't see it. Like, they want me in college, but, you know, I'm not interested in a profession that I need to go to college for. So there's no reason for me to go waste my money and then decide on something else. Right. And you could decide later on that you do want to go to college or something, but you would know what you want to go to college for. So then you're actually taking classes and applying.

And that's where I believe, you know, I don't think college is for everyone, but I feel like if you're going to go to college and you know what you want to do, why not? But I just have never understood the mindset of just going to school and, like, I'll figure it out. Like, I don't understand that. Like, what's the point? Like, you are wasting so much time and money if you don't know what you want to do. And then you get this degree that you're not even going to use, you know, side tangent. But, you know. Right. And it's one of those things. When I was building my business, just like your parents say those things because they love you and they want the best for you.

And my mom and dad always were praying for you, son. We are praying for you. One day. We are praying that one day you are going to find the job that finally suits you. We're praying for you. And I would always tell them, well, you can stop praying because I know what I'm going to do. I just am not there yet. And they just didn't get it. And even today, my dad's best friend came to the house that we live in now, and he's like, man, I wish your dad could see this. He always said, you know, those computers will never make you any money. And it's not because my dad didn't love me. It's not because my dad didn't think I could achieve greatness.

It's because my dad comes from a family where every single person in his family works in a factory. Or, yeah, every. I mean, I really can't even think of anyone that doesn't work in a factory that worked in a factory. My dad broke the mold and became a truck driver. And there's nothing wrong with all of those things. The only thing I would say that's wrong with those things is people in that type of community have a very limited mindset on what's possible for them. They think this is our family. This is what we come from. This is what we do. And that's what we were taught was this is what we do. Our family, we're workers. That's what we do. We don't own businesses.

That's for other type of people, not for us. And it's not that my dad didn't think I could achieve greatness. Like I said, it was just that's what he was taught. That's what he taught me. That's what he was expected. I just seen that there's more than factories and driving truck. And I say all that with the most sincere respect because guess what? I worked in a factory as I was building this. I drove a truck while I was building this. So there's nothing wrong with those professions. I just had a vision, you know, outside of those things. And that's really the problem when we try to achieve greatness is people can't see it. And it's kind of like the iceberg.

If you've ever seen an image of an iceberg, all you see of the iceberg is the very tip. So 85%, 90% of the iceberg is underneath the water. You can't see it. So just like you were saying, what your parents are seeing is just the tip of that iceberg. They see you going to work and doing nothing. They don't see all the work and the structure because the iceberg is grand and huge and, you know, unbreakable because of what's underneath it, all of the stuff you cannot see. So that's what you're saying holds so much truth is they just can't see the work that you're putting in, the books that you're reading. You may not be going to college, but guess what? You're learning.

You're reading the right books, hanging out with the right people, all of those things. So I started rambling and forgot what I was talking about. Well, and I think we all do this no matter who you are, but when you don't see everything that's going into the whole plan and what's happening, you create your own vision of what you think is happening. Like you said, they think I just go to work and then I'm just lollygagging and they don't understand what's in my mind and what I'm doing to achieve it because they're not with me all the time.

And whether you share that with them or not, but even our own family members, you know, like they saw me go to work at a job and you were at home, you know, working, but in their eyes, I was supporting you. They didn't know that you made money when you stayed home because you don't talk about that. I mean, we are very open about money and stuff like that. One of her family members was like, you know, we understand what it's like to live off of a single income. And at the time, I was making like $1,000 a day. Well, it was like, what do you mean? I don't understand. I mean, it totally took me back because I didn't understand.

In my whole reason, it was a big story, but my whole reason of being at work was because I couldn't for so many years because I was sick. Like I couldn't function in a working atmosphere. So for me to go to work because I wasn't in a mindset of this where we are now. So it was, I want to go back to work because that was achieving to me. I was successful at what I did in those walls. But so for me, I went back to work not because we needed money at that time. It was because I could. But they just saw it was, oh, Shannon, you know, had to go to work to support you.

And, you know, we understand like he's trying to build his business, but we really wish he'd go get a job, you know, and I was like, oh, my God, what? When that conversation took place, we both were like, what just happened? We don't even know this story that everybody's fabricated because it's the furthest from the truth. But people create their whole this whole scenario for you. And it's not even truthful. But those same people impact you because then it's like, well, they don't believe in me. You start to feed off of the negative vibes. You know what I mean? And then it just it's such a spiraling thing.

So I feel like, you know, you also have to remember when you're dreaming, it's all about you and what you want out of this dream, not what other people are going to gain from it, that whether they believe in you or not, you're the one that has to put in the work. You're the one that has to fulfill the purpose and the dream to make it happen. So, you know, we've we learned a long time ago, like haters will be your motivators, but they don't always have to be your haters either. You know, you just have to remember, make your list, make your goals and achieve what you're doing, no matter what someone else is. So I forget who said this, but it's so true.

People when you when you go for your dreams doubted me. I did it and if you want to do it I can now teach you but you will have to put in work because I didn't just get here because of whatever. You know I had to this is what I had to do. This is the plan and the model that I had to follow to get me here. So that's the other thing too I think is people then say like oh well Faith can do it, I can do it. But they don't realize like yeah because you weren't you're not up till two o'clock in the morning finishing out your project list and you know making these plans and you're studying or whatever needs to happen to make that happen.

But you know it's like people don't understand with the dream you have to have a plan of action to achieve it because that dream then becomes reality. It's no longer a dream because then it's real. You know? That's true and you know when you accomplish your dreams, when you do big things it takes a lot of work and what really frustrates me the most, these words frustrate me probably the most when people say it, you're so lucky. And they're as you know I'm lucky because I came from nothing. I literally came from nothing, broke twice, was on food stamps twice, built a big business, lost the business, then built another business out of it.

Now we own two different businesses and it's one of those things where I was not lucky. Like in the grand scheme of things I was not lucky at all. Through this all I you know I lost everything. My dad died when he was 49. My wife had to have brain surgery. We had a two-year-old son that I had to take care of plus my wife. We were blessed enough to have her sister help us. You know all of these things that piled on while we were building this business. I suffered with major depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. I attempted suicide.

There's so much underneath of that iceberg where people see the tip of where I'm finally successful and they don't understand the structure that's underneath it and all the hard work that it took to get here. And here's the great thing about it because it's the truth. Like what she said, well if Faith can do it, I can do it. If I can do it, you can do it. However, it's one of those things where you have to realize it takes the work. It takes the time. It takes the commitment. It takes consistency. All of those things have to get done in order to achieve greatness. But especially in today's day and age you can pretty much accomplish anything. I was talking to someone.

I'm not going to call him out, but they were trying to convince me that I need to go to college. Even if I just want a business, I have to go to college. And I was like, no, I don't think so. Like, you know, my boss, this is where he came from and like look how successful he is. And he told me, well, he's a different breed. He's a different kind of person. I'm like, he didn't even finish high school. He learned himself. He read books. He watched videos. He listened to podcasts. He did whatever he needed to do to learn what he needed to learn to be where he needs to be. And that's what he told me. And I was like, OK, like it's not a different breed. We're all human. It's just a mindset.

Yeah, I am a different breed. Partially correct because I don't know any. I really truly do not know anyone like him. However, I think that was a nice way of saying like, well, that's because he can do it, Faith. Like you're going to need the college education. Right. You know what I mean? That was like that backhand comment of like, well, I know you and you're going to need that certificate to hold value to your dream. You know what I mean? Like and that's that to me is a misconception. Like we meet business owners all the time outside of, again, those professions, doctors, lawyers, people need that certification, nurses, you know what I mean?

Like they need that certificate that obviously that schooling and teachings and stuff. But people that are truly in business, like I would love to actually look up the study and see like how many business owners truly don't even have a business degree because in small businesses that we work with, I truly don't. I've never walked in one of their facilities and seen, you know, outside of the doctors, a big, you know, plaque with their master's degree in business in the sense of, well, they needed that. Well, you actually know one. I do? Yeah, Andy. I just found that out yesterday. Has a master's in business. But he's a realtor. Right. Right. So like, again, he didn't.

He owns his own brokerage. Yeah, but he didn't need that master's degree to be a broker. Yeah. With all that being said, and just to say, I don't I don't hate college. I just think it's not necessary for people that don't want to be doctors, lawyers and things like that if they don't know what they're going to do. However, this is what I think college and I was talking to Andy about this. This is what I think college is good for. Number one, it's good for the experience and learning how to accomplish tasks and get tasks done in a timely manner. And then and then the biggest thing or one of the biggest things is the experience.

And then the third, which is the most value to most people, is the connections. Those are the reasons why you go to college. You don't go to college for to learn how to do a job unless you're a doctor or lawyer or something like that, because generally what happens, people don't do what they go to college for. But the reason why you'd want to hire a college person or want to work with a college person is, you know, that they're organized and structured because you can't get through college without organization and structure. So I think those are important things for college. And I say no one should go to college.

But if you don't know what you're doing or what you're going to do with your life, sometimes getting real life experience is just as valuable. And then doing what I did and start learning yourself. Right. And all those things are valuable. But to people who want to go to college and can succeed, like, obviously I can succeed. But if that's not what I want to do, then I'm not going to do very well at it. Like I hate school and like I did go to college my first semester and hated it. So why would I go back and waste my money until I know exactly what I'm going to be doing? And I probably still won't go. Right. Well, that's how I was. I hated school. It just wasn't for me.

And when I say learning myself, I mean, I keep learning like it's like, yeah, Mr. Educated, you're learning yourself. But, you know, everything I know, I taught myself and I taught myself through books, through podcasts, through audio, through well, back in the day tapes and then and then eventually YouTube University. So I do have a degree. It's just from YouTube, YouTube University. Yeah, it's just one of those things where in today's day and age, I don't think you go to college to learn to do what you want to do. You go to college for the experience and the connections, unless you're going to be a doctor or lawyer. Why would I go to college if I have you guys? Yeah, connections now.

So I just think a couple of things that are important for anybody that is dreaming or has dreams. So that's pretty much everybody. There's got to been some point in your life that you have thought we have friends that work in the workforce that just say like, man, I wish I could just start a business like this is what I would do. And we get to listen to that dream and then just go like, I mean, we've even talked about like, all right, so we're going to take Standing Stronger Productions and I'm going to I'm opening up a design company. I'm opening up a lawn company. I'm opening up.

I mean, all these different things, because these people will come and work for me and make me really rich, but they won't go do it for themselves because it's a risk is. And I get that because I definitely was there years ago. But I also think that you have to remember that this life is so short. And if you could just try, I think it would just shock people and what you actually can achieve. Here's what I want to ask you if you're listening to this. Do you love what you're doing? If you won the lottery right now, would you continue doing what you are doing? For most of you, I know the answer. No, you wouldn't. You would change what you're doing if you suddenly got $10 million.

For me, you want to know what the answer is? What do you think the answer is, Faith? Would I change what I'm doing? No, you'd probably just use the money to make it better. That's exactly what I would do. I would not change what I'm doing. I love what I do. Yeah, I would agree with that. I think we would just hire more people to keep growing, to take loads off your plate because obviously that takes money to pay people and the fear of what can you pay people and stuff like that. So I know you would do all of that. Right, and it's funny though, based on that, people have the fear of getting into business, building their own business, taking that risk.

And then it's crazy how your fears change because then it goes to how many people can I pay? How much overhead can I handle? And those become the fears. And then I really can't wait until I get past those fears and on to President of the United States, you still have insecurities and fears that run, they're just different than ours. Right. And I think, you know, everybody's fear is different, but while you were just saying that made me kind of think, you know, people are so afraid to do something that makes them happy. But they'll go and work for someone else and then become a slave to debt to buy things that make them happy.

But then they hate what they have to do to pay for those things every day. So they live for the weekend and it's just such a vicious cycle. Like you're so, you're not afraid to be a slave where you're at to pay for the things that you think make you happy. But what would truly make you happy for doing for yourself, you're too afraid to do. Right. That's kind of crazy. You know, it's kind of crazy when you say slave for the weekend. When I was working my nine to five at the office, like once I stopped working, like obviously I was like looking forward to the weekend, like every week when I was working there. Stopped working there and I was only coming here and I'm like, oh yeah, it's Friday.

And I'm like, I can't even look forward to the weekend because my whole week is like the weekend. I'm like, what do I even have to look forward to? Well, you know what we do now? Because we still, we do work throughout the week, but I look forward to the weekend because then the rest of my friends are off work and I have people to hang out with because during the week I'm running, I'm doing my stuff, but they're, you know, they're not all home. It's not like we have beach days every day, you know what I mean? Things like that. But yeah, I mean, I still work here. Like, don't get me wrong, but it's just, it's not the same. Yeah. Cause you're, you're happy doing what you're doing.

You're not miserable. Like, oh, I don't want to be there. Because we're awesome. Yeah. And the last thing I wanted to kind of touch base on is the people that you surround yourself with. That actually. You're the average of the five people you hang around with the most. Right. But I think I can remember a conversation and I don't, I don't know if I had it with Faith. That's, I'm sorry, I'm saying I remember the conversation. I remember, I just don't remember who it was with. If it was Faith or her mom. But when Faith first started with us, Shannon did, Shannon was so afraid to lose control of anything in our business. So for him, it was like, I mean, I guess we could hire her.

How are we going to pay her? How are we going to, you know, all these things. But I saw a bigger side to that. And I was like, you know what? Like, it wasn't like Faith and I like talked all the time. Like she cheered for me and I saw leadership on the mat. I saw a side of her that I was like, man, she's really going to do something really amazing one day when she can see it herself. And either Faith or her mom had said, I just don't see what she sees. Like either Faith had said that to her mom and her mom told me that or Faith said that to me. I just wish I saw in myself what you see in me. And I'm like, one day you will.

And it's interesting now to start seeing that unravel because she's now starting to believe in herself. You know, then I saw her believe in herself in the realm of the environment she was in. But if you can take that context and just open it up, open that realm up and say like, let's remove those walls and boundaries and apply it to the world. When you truly can look at yourself how other people that believe in you, see you, then you're like, man, I can just soar to the top. And so I kind of like starting to see that unraveling now. So I think it's really important to make sure you surround yourself. You have a mentor. You know, I feel like I'm lacking that right now.

I've had that in the past. I need to kind of find that again. What's that lady's name? That you're reading a book? Oh, Rachel Hollis. Yeah, Rachel Hollis. We actually met Rachel. I don't know if you remember me. You should. Big tall guy with a girl's name. Anyway, you should be my wife's mentor. I'm just calling that out. I think I'm going to make that happen. Yeah, but I don't want to pay my mentor. Like I'm Faith's mentor for free. I want a free mentor. I just told Scott that this morning. And he was like, oh, you know Shannon? I'm like, oh, yeah, like they're great. I wouldn't be who I am today without them. And I just told him that. Oh, that's awesome.

And that makes us feel good because we want to see you achieve. We want to see, you know, I want to see my sister achieve. I want to see, you know, there's so many things that people talk to us about. And they're like, man, I just want to do this one day. I'm not ready yet. I'm going to be there. But when it happens, it just is so great. Philosophy to live by. You can have anything in life you want if you just help enough other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar. I missed out on that one. He's a good one. He's a good one. But anyways, we're going to wrap this up. So Faith, thank you so much for joining us.

You're going to hear from her again because we're going to track her success and what she's doing and where she's going and battles and struggles and trials because we all go through them. And she's going to help you, our audience, get through your hurdles as well. And if the podcast is late, it's because Faith didn't edit it. Not true. I wait for them to give it to me to edit. All right. So any last words of advice? People your age thinking about doing great things and are scared? Just forget about everyone else because once you do it, you realize the haters don't say anything. You don't hear them. You only hear the motivators that you have.

So it's really like you think it's bad, but it's not once you actually do it. Awesome. So that is awesome. We're going to wrap this up. Just so you know, what we're going to say is I'm going to say, hopefully we'll see you and you two are going to say on the beaches of the world. She does edit. I edit this. All right. You guys ready? So hopefully we'll see you on the beaches of the world. Yeah. Because every day is a new day. And everything's going your way. Because you want to make it last forever.