Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: This was up, y'all. This was up. This is Derek Wells. Why not you? And I am joined by my man, Mister Phil Januszewski, who's a chemistry teacher. Listen, I don't believe y'all ever met a chemistry teacher like Phil, but you guys gonna be. You guys gonna be engulfed in some. Some energy, some passion, some enthusiasm, man. My man is kicking off some good vibes. And one of the things I love about Phil is that he's a giver.
He just. He loves helping people, and I think that's why he's a speaker.
I think that's why he's a coach. Helping other educators break through those beliefs, those challenges, those barriers that sometimes we just. We experience from burnout, whether it's just being overwhelmed with our workload, expectations that we put on ourselves, but we're taking it on. He's helping those people. I guarantee he could help you as well, because we're going to get into some transformation tips, strategies in ways that we've actually used to implement as we both coach and help other people break through these beliefs to get to a place where they need to be. Hey, let's not delay any longer. Let's get it filled. Hey, ladies and gentlemen, this is your host, Dee Wells. Derek Wells. But why not you? And I am. I got a special guest with me today, Phil J. Also, hold up. I want to get this last day correct.
Genus is the last name, dude. He's all about positive growth. He's doing some speaking.
He's an educator. I mean, you don't see too many science, uh, chemistry type teachers like, we gonna meet today, but Phil is off the chart. He's bringing the energy, especially with this group coaching with, you know, educators as well. That's one of his passions. And, man, I just want to welcome you to the show, man. I appreciate you coming on.
[00:02:00] Speaker B: Well, Derek, thank you. Your kindness is fully received and appreciated. Grateful to be here. I know you're a good human, and I'm grateful our paths crossed. So I'm excited to have a conversation, brother. Let's get to it.
[00:02:11] Speaker A: Absolutely. Absolutely. Now, I was like, typically, I start the.
I start each episode off with some kind of quote or something that kind of resonates with me, but also in your genre, as far as education.
But is there anything that typically stands out, like, any quote that or philosophy that you actually live by?
[00:02:37] Speaker B: Hmm. Well, it's funny as a father, something I quote and say a lot, which is funny because I stole it from a slipknot song, which I don't I don't know if that's very empowering to people or not, but I like to say that the only way is all the way. And I say that to my kids, like as Janiszewski's, we're going to do something. We're going to do something right and to the best of our ability. And that's always something that I stand by and something I try to promote and show to my children, to my students that anything I'm doing, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability. So I don't know. I don't know if that kicks it off well or not, but that's a.
[00:03:16] Speaker A: Quote that comes up, because, I mean, you just think about that. I mean, now you're setting expectation.
You set in a high expectation not just to become or just not to be complacent, but to always strive just to be a little better the next day. And I think that's so important, especially, like, in this day and age. But I mean, just so many people are influenced by other people that they don't even know. And it's crazy.
[00:03:44] Speaker B: Yeah. And it can be overwhelming, too, when we see people doing so great. And I think that our brain forgets that those people became great at what they did because of years of experience and practice and failures. And I think sometimes we can get overwhelmed to the point where, wow, I'll never be as good as that. So I'm not even going to try or start. So I agree, when we try something, we have to be okay with the fact that when something's new, we're not going to be amazing at it. But those reps, those experiences are going to allow us to get better. And eventually, maybe we could be as great as prevalent, as well known, whatever you want to look at it as. As those people that maybe you look up to or that inspire you or at least impact you in some way.
[00:04:30] Speaker A: Right? And, you know, it's wild. I was, last week, I was actually reading, I was just, you know, going through my morning devotional, came across this passage from Jeremiah, and he talked about, how can you, if you can't run with the footman, how can you compete with the horses?
And I was like, man, how, how true is that? Like, just when you, when you think about that, you're not even prepared to actually compete at a higher level however you want to. And you think you might, you might, you think you might be ready to get in the game, come off the sideline to start competing, but you haven't got those reps here, like you were talking about you. You don't even know. You don't even have the basic fundamentals mastered yet to actually get to compete.
[00:05:14] Speaker B: Yeah, you got to take. You got to walk before you can run. Right. You got to have. You have to take those steps. And I think a lot of times, people want the final outcome, and they. And then when they get into it, they realize, wow, this is going to be a lot of work to get there. But if you can find a place, I mean, it's cliche online, right? Everybody says it. But if you can find a way to enjoy the process, you really can get better. And also, like, be grateful for the reps you are doing right now. And I love that personal growth has been something that's always been natural for me that I've been interested in. But when I became a youth speaker on accident with my best bud in 2013 just kind of accidentally happened. Derek, it's not like you wake up. I don't think. You just go, you know what? I'm going to be a motivational speaker. And if you tell people that, they probably think you're crazy, like, why you? But we accidentally fell into it. But Matt and I said, like, after a couple months of a couple gigs and speaking, like, hey, we. Everything we talk about, we cannot be hypocrites. We have to live by what we're preaching. You know, practice what you preach. And because of that, without me realizing it, it held me accountable over and over again. Like, is this decision I'm making in alignment with what I'm trying to suggest to teens to help them live a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life? And if it's not, then this is probably a choice I should not be making. Because of that, it forced me to consistently dive into personal development. So all these accidents that started happening and holding me accountable was exponentially making my life personally better and better. And then in return, it allowed me to give even more to other people. So it was like, what a weird, accidental thing. But I know, to go back to it, I really started enjoying the process of just personal development. How can I make myself better? And even though I wasn't great and it wasn't at that spot, I enjoyed trying to get there. And because of that, if you can enjoy the process, you can get great at anything.
[00:07:26] Speaker A: Jeff. Absolutely. Huh. So what, like, when you look back just on your life, what was, like, the childhood part, like, that actually led you to becoming a teacher?
[00:07:37] Speaker B: Yeah. You know, I grew up in a very supportive family, and I was born into a life that was, I'm lucky that I was born into we middle class family. My parents both worked. They were loving. We were never ever rich and had amazing, crazy, huge things, but we were never without. So I always had a stable, safe life. So I think because of that, I showed up to school in, in a good place and I enjoyed learning. I always connected with my teachers. I don't think I've ever had a teacher where I was like, oh, I can't stand them. I would never speak to them again. I felt like I always connected with them. And I enjoyed talking to people older than me, people that were so much wiser than me. That's just the natural thing. I think I'm naturally curious. So all this to say, Derek, is that the education system was, was a really good experience for me. Now, I'll tell you that I never thought of being a teacher in my head until I was 17 years old. So I grew up in the food network era and I love cooking. To this day, I cook and bake constantly for my family. It's one of my favorite healthy outlets and I love to create. But I was going to go to culinary school, get classically trained. So by, from 15 years old, I was working in restaurants, learning how the restaurants worked, learning how to cook different foods, worked on the line. And by 17, I realized that I loved cooking and giving to my family and like, watching my friends enjoy it. But I actually didn't enjoy the business side of things like, hey, you got to get this food out good and fast and hurry up. So I realized at 17 that a career in cooking was not for me. And luckily I had an amazing chemistry teacher that I was really comfortable with. And I told him, mister B. I said, hey, man, I am in trouble. I'm 17. I thought I was going to go to culinary school. I have everything mapped out. And I realized I don't want anything to do with that industry. And I have no idea what to do now. Next year is senior year. I have to start making decisions if I'm thinking about college. And he was so great. He knew me better than he knew my, I knew myself. He said, well, you really like school. That's obvious. You like being here. And I said, absolutely. I love being here. I like talking to you, my teachers, I love seeing the students. I like being around the lay days and, and then, and he's like, okay, so you like school. He's like, you seem to really like science. And I said, I do. I, every time I take a science class, I think it's interesting.
It makes sense. And he's like, have you ever thought about being in this environment for your entire career? You could be a science teacher, and you could be in my position. You could be getting people excited and maybe planting a seed. And I swear it was like a lightning bolt or a light bulb. I was like, oh, my gosh, this is exactly what I've been put on this earth to do, to teach others to be an educator and try to energize them, to get excited about learning. And that was it. From there, it was like, boom. Nonstop. Everything I needed to do to be a teacher. 22 years old, I was teaching full time, and I have been since 2005.
[00:11:04] Speaker A: That's crazy. And you said something key in there, just. Just being able to be self aware, right. Because it was something that you had a desire to do initially, but at one point, you just kind of discover, this isn't really what I want to do. And that's one of the things that I love. Like, just kind of teaching on and helping people break through is the self awareness piece, like, just finding what it is that you really love to do that and then just kind of go for that. That's.
That's great. But also having a teacher to actually point that out to you as well, right?
[00:11:38] Speaker B: Yes. And I think, too, I can't give myself all the credit either. Right. I had guidance counselors, teachers, and parents that were like, hey, if you want to cook well, get your rear end in a kitchen and start working, you know, learning. And I remember my parents said, especially if you work in a couple different restaurants, you're going to start to see the things you do and don't like. And maybe one day you'll be able to put that together for if you own your own restaurant.
[00:12:04] Speaker A: Right.
[00:12:04] Speaker B: And what they were really saying, too, is you also start to see if you even like this. And.
[00:12:09] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:12:09] Speaker B: I always tell my students that if there's a way for you to simply get your foot in the door in the arena of what you're thinking about doing, like, say you want to be a dentist. You can't be a dentist at 16 years old, but you could volunteer and work at a dental office, and you could just get a vibe of the energy to see if you even like that environment. You might hear drilling going on and people moaning, and you'd be like, no way. This is not for me. But I said, but if you can know that, and now and in a young age, that opens up your mind instead of maybe I know what I'm going to do. Maybe you'll open up your mind to other things because maybe this isn't the right fit, I said, or maybe it'll just solidify, oh, I love this environment, or, oh, my gosh, being a dentist is awful, but being a dental hygienist is super cool. Your hours are more flexible, you don't need as much school, you still make good money, said you just never know. Put yourself in that environment. And so because my parents gave me that gift and encouraged me, I try to do that with all my students. Like, don't just sit around and think how great it's going to be. Every job is a job at the end of the day. Like, there's, there's tough things about anything. Get out there and experience, it's going to pay off.
[00:13:22] Speaker A: Absolutely. Huh.
Now, do you think that was kind of like a hard transition for you just to make like this personally knowing that, okay, this is something that I want to do, but now I feel like I'm really going in this direction. Did you feel like you were letting yourself down at any point or.
[00:13:39] Speaker B: Yeah, I love the way you asked that because I don't think I've ever thought about that. But that is a really important point, right? You start telling yourself a story of what you are over those years. I'm a chef. That's what I'm going to be. That. So I did feel like that was a part of my identity. And when I finally realized that it wasn't, I think that's why I leaned on my teacher, Mister B. I felt safe with him. I felt like he wouldn't judge me and he wasn't my parents, though. My parents would have been totally cool. Maybe even relieved. Like, oh, my gosh, thank God you're not going to the restaurant industry. That's a nightmare, you know, but, but I leaned on Mister B, and he processed that with me, like, hey, it's, you're 17.
No one said you had to be a chef. You know, like, so you're right, though. Maybe without being comfortable and having that guidance, maybe I would have bottled that and just kept going forward without real and, you know, and maybe gone to culinary school and gotten into a job that I already knew from the start I wasn't going to really enjoy. That's, that's a really great question. So again, I can't take credit for that. Thank goodness for good role models in my life.
[00:14:51] Speaker A: Absolutely. Huh. Cause I, you know, I just remember when I was, you know, when I graduated high school and I attended a junior college and even at that point, I was. I think the main reason why I ended up going to the junior college is cause many of my friends went there, and plus we wanted to play football, but I really had no idea of what I really wanted to pursue and do with my life at that time.
And it's weird, because I actually had a teacher as well while attending this junior college where he was. It was an english class. I remember it vividly. It's like he said, okay, we're about to do something a little different. I want everybody in the class to identify something that you would like to do. And we're gonna whether it. So it was a business, some kind of business, and we're gonna write a business plan for this. For this business endeavor. And so mine was to open up a restaurant.
[00:15:49] Speaker B: Did you ever open up a restaurant?
[00:15:50] Speaker A: I did open up a restaurant. I did open. I did not open. And so back then, I think had I had, like, structure or just a positive environment to actually help me feel the fire and help me, there's no telling what would have happened. But I think it's crucial, like, just to have the people around you to actually elevate your. Whatever dream that it. I mean, that you have, because opening up a restaurant is not hard to do when you think about, I mean, especially, so many people have done it in the past and doing it on a daily basis, but we just put those beliefs in our mind that, oh, man, it's going to be so much work, and all we really see right in front of us is the end result of somebody else succeeding, but not there. Not the daily grind.
[00:16:35] Speaker B: Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, it is. It's funny what our brain thinks something's going to be, and then what it really is when you do it. That could be good or bad, but we really aren't that great predictors, greater predictors of something in the future, of how it's going to feel for us. And as you know, in anything, some days you feel better about things, and some days you don't. I mean, we every day to day is also different. That's just how humans are. So it is complex, and it's hard to ask a 17 year old, like, hey, if you want to go to college, you got to apply now, and you have to have an idea of what you want to do. That's a really complex question to ask a young mind. Uh, but yet we do it all the time. Every year, we do the same thing.
[00:17:18] Speaker A: So we do, we do. It's causing me to reflect right now, we're with the kids in our family. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, do you think, like, what you're doing right now is, is coming more naturally for you, you know, with, with teaching and educating or is this something that you feel like you had to work hard at? Initially?
[00:17:41] Speaker B: Yeah. I would say that being a teacher for me has always been very natural because of the random experiences I've had growing up because I love to entertain people. One of my favorite things is to make people smile, energize or laugh. So I was involved with a lot of leadership groups in high school. I was involved in Boy Scouts until 8th grade, which does a lot of leadership and public speaking development. I was involved in high school and something called a variety show where you would, it's like karaoke, Derek, but with a live band behind you and, like, 20 students doing a choreographed dance. It's like a rock show. And I remember my sister did it and thinking, I want to be on that stage. I want a microphone, even though I don't have a good voice, but I'm like, I want to sing and dance. Like, this is so cool. And because of those four years and, like, these adults coach you, I feel when you said that, you said it really quick. People, like, slow it down, drag it out, be a little bit more. But by doing that, you started to, as I became 1415, 1617 and starting to see how you could control the crowd's emotions and that. It was probably an ego thing, too, Derek. But I love the rush of trying to get a crowd to, like, hush and then laugh and from that, and I was also in a band. I'm a drummer, so I was in a punk band. We played shows. Like, I just like attention and I love to make people feel a certain way. So that, like, skill I developed allowed me to be very comfortable with myself when I was in front of groups. So when I had my first classes, I was never, like, the insecure teacher that was scared of them. I was super excited to be with them. And it was, I think it was a good thing for me because they saw my genuine excitement. I, like, am excited to see you. And it really dropped a lot of emotional walls that probably some kids put up. So I would say that have I become a better teacher in the last 19 years? Absolutely. But as far as enthusiasm and, and, like, being comfortable in front of everybody, I've, that's always been a natural thing because I developed that at a young age. So I'm a way better teacher now than I was 19 years ago, but still the same energy. Still my same approach of, like, love first, human first.
[00:20:09] Speaker A: Now, do you think that actually allows the students and this people that you come in contact with just to lower their wall a little bit and just connect with you on a genuine level because you're coming out with so much authenticity and energy and connecting with people, that tends to decompress a little bit.
[00:20:32] Speaker B: I agree. Thank you. And that is my total intention.
I want to come forward to my students. I mean, I am very transparent about my flaws, too, my weaknesses. I want them to know that I'm not trying to portray this image of perfection and dominance, but that we are here together to learn together as a family. We have different personalities, different life experiences and expectations, and that it's okay for us to talk about that and also sometimes have the hard conversations. You know, I. Some students push back and ask, like, why are we learning this? Is this valuable? And I know some teachers really get uncomfortable with that, you know, but I say, okay, well, then let's. Let's talk about why this could be valuable. First of all, why do you think it wouldn't be? And, you know, and we go through all that, but I think that I'm okay with them asking the hard questions. And when they see that, I think yet again, it drops their walls more like, all right, this guy is for real. If we have a serious question, we don't have to bottle it up and be angry and this is so dumb and a waste of time. I can ask him and we can genuinely talk about it to figure it out. And sometimes, you know, we, we won't agree. But to go back to your first question again, I do think leading with that authentic approach, I'm. I'm grateful to be with you. It's for real. I'm excited. I'm energized. I like my job. I already am giving you the benefit of the doubt that I like you. I think they pick up on that right of way, and because of that, it gives them a chance to actually give the class a chance. And that's how I am when I speak to my audiences, whether it's to 2000 high schoolers, when I do a youth assembly at a high school, or when I'm, you know, in front of 500 adults at a conference, I want them to know, like, I'm genuinely happy to be here, genuinely happy to serve you and try to bring you some value that can make your life better. And I think within a couple minutes, I think people can pick up on that.
[00:22:36] Speaker A: That's good. That's good. Especially I know just with you talking about some of the students, when you say, well, why is this kind of. Why is this beneficial? Or why I don't think, I don't see any value in this, but being in a place where you can actually talk to them, where now you actually having them confront their own ideology of why they think something won't work out or why this isn't valuable. And it's really amazing how sometimes that stuff could be associated with, like, a past trauma or, or trigger or something that somebody else might have said to them. And all they're doing is recycling this, this thought when it has no bearing on their life. They don't even know what they're saying. But sometimes that's just how life is.
[00:23:24] Speaker B: Yeah. And I would say that young, I mean, adults do this, too, but young adults definitely have patterns. And I know that some of my students wait for me to steal their trust, right? Like, they'll give me the benefit of the doubt, but they're always like, one eye on me. Like, is this guy for real? And then I'm like, well, a whole semester of 18 weeks went by and I still haven't, you know, challenged my trust with you. It's kind of like, when are you going to. When are you going to let me in, man? You know? Like, I. I'm here for you, and I'm like, but eventually I am going to screw up. So I've had those talks with students, too, you know, like, I'm like, I feel like you're still not believing this. I'm like, but it's been about three months. I'm a pretty good liar if I've been doing this act for three months, you know, I'm like, I'm telling you, you're really talented at this. You have a lot of great ideas. If you want to dive further into this, you have a great opportunity. And if you don't, that's okay, too. You don't have to love chemistry or physics. But again, they're always like, is this guy for real? You know? And then finally, by the end of the year when I haven't screwed up too bad. Most of them are like, your class was actually pretty cool. It was nice having you, you know, and from a teenager, that's a really big compliment you can get even a, you know, this was pretty cool, I.
[00:24:50] Speaker A: Guess, you know, absolutely.
[00:24:52] Speaker B: Some of the kids are great. They're like, this is the best class ever. But, you know, that's far. And few, not most teenagers are even comfortable enough to say that right.
[00:25:02] Speaker A: So how would you. How would you actually, like, describe your. Your. Your teaching style? Is it. You think it's, like, more hands on or just kind of.
[00:25:11] Speaker B: Yeah, I love that question. So, some days, you would see my classroom, and it would look very traditional, Derek. It would look. And we're doing a PowerPoint and taking notes. But what I love to do, especially because it's science, is I like to have them do a lab before they really understand it. So, a lot of times, students, because they're so focused on following the recipe, the directions, they're not really thinking about the science. So what I have them do is they say, okay, let's follow the directions. Let's do this lab, and let's experience and see it fully, knowing you have no idea what's really going on. You're just taking data. I said, but then after the lab, let's go through the science and learn what we were actually seeing. And then let's go back to the lab that you've already gotten data, and let's replay it in our brain and then actually see, like, oh, okay. That's what was happening. So I like to actually do the labs first physically, before they really know what's going on. And then finally, a couple days later, we actually, like, do the lab write up. And I find for my students, it helps them a lot, because if I teach in the front and then they do the lab, they're still so focused on not screwing up that they're not making room in their brain to actually think about what we're actually seeing. They just. They just don't want to get an f, you know, so they're driven to, I just need to do this so that the experiment works, but so I give them the time, like, all right, make sure the experiment does, uh, doesn't screw up. Follow the directions and get it down, and then we'll go back to it. So, that is my personal style. I'm also very, uh, high energy. We like to have fun. We have music on. I want them to feel excited and connected other, but I also want them to learn.
[00:27:08] Speaker A: That's pretty cool, having music in there. That just. That just. Oh, man, that. That brings you down to this, like, a natural state right there. You're not all stressed out and tense. It is more relaxing.
[00:27:20] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. I'm all about it. Whenever students walk into my room, I almost always have music playing in the background just to set an energy. Yeah. You know, depending on the week and the. The feel of the building, sometimes it's pretty calm. Sometimes it's crazy high Friday energy, but I do want them to. I like to try to set an energy before class even starts without them even realizing it so that hopefully they're warmed up and ready to go.
[00:27:48] Speaker A: Right.
Almost.
For whatever reason. When you started talking about lab, I was. I was just kind of thinking of, like, an assessment because, you know, you just have to take an assessment to kind of know where you are and, you know.
You know, just. There's just so many benefits to an assessment because just lets you know your strengths, your weaknesses, that kind of stuff. But now you have this lab, though, and now you got other students who are starting to work together on these projects, and that's. I mean, that's definitely one way we can identify somebody's strengths and weaknesses. Like, how are they. How are they engaging with this other person? Are they. Are they. Are they leading or are they following?
Are they looking for shortcuts? Or they just.
They gonna follow this by the t?
[00:28:43] Speaker B: You know, it's so funny you bring that up, too, because it's almost a disservice that we aren't better at. And maybe giving it a grade would be bad anyways, but, like, that we couldn't give them better.
At least from me as a teacher, I don't do a good enough job of giving them that feedback of the strengths I'm seeing of them in lab.
[00:29:05] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:29:06] Speaker B: You know, but I. And some. And a lot of times, those skills, them knowing that what they're strong with and also what they could work on is probably more beneficial than the actual chemistry they're learning. Because the chemistry that they could learn again and read over it. But the experiences they're getting with, like, are they a leader, a follower? Are they out of the box thinking and a problem solver, though? Those skills are great to practice, and they do. How much do we focus on that? In my chem class? That's a great point. I could do a better job of that, but I like that. Thinking about that.
Yeah, man. Do you remember, like, lab groups sometimes they were awful.
Awful. Like, nobody was doing anything and you were the only person, and then sometimes you had an amazing lab partner, and you had, like, this synergy. They're like, all right, I'm following the directions. You write it down, you look at the next step, and you're like, whoa, this is the lab ever. But it wasn't easy because the topic was easier. It was because your group, like, it worked. It was great.
[00:30:12] Speaker A: Absolutely.
That's some game changing stuff right there.
[00:30:16] Speaker B: For adults, too, right? Like, you know, some people you work with, it's just, this is going to flow. We have different skills that coming together. We're just unstoppable.
[00:30:26] Speaker A: Right? Absolutely.
So I just kind of want to, like, going, like, more into, like, the speaking and coaching part. Like, what, what do you feel like, I guess changed in your life that made you feel like, you know what? I got a message to share. I need to start encouraging some people and uplifting them. Jeff?
[00:30:45] Speaker B: Yeah. So as far as for me, speaking solo with my company called positive growth lounge, I really felt called right around the 2020 mark when the pandemic hit, and that I saw a lot of great humans that typically were pretty happy, healthy, really, really struggling even more so. And it really opened my eyes to, before the pandemic, how many people, when things were just going pretty normal, how many of them were really struggling with their life already? And then I started reflecting back, like, well, what is it about me that keeps me happy and energized? What is it about me that keeps me resilient? And even when I can be negative, I can have bad days for sure. But, like, what is it about me that consistently tries to make the best possible output even in a situation that's not great or unfortunate? I really started diving in and self reflecting on the things I do. And then I got into, like, is this backed by science, or am I just, like, freakishly lucky? And I did. I went into positive psychology and started digging around on the things I do and found that I kind of just accidentally was lucky enough to have these skills that allow me to be this way. And then I said, how can I not try to help other adults get these straightforward skills that can not only, like, get them out of the survival phase, but get to the point where they're thriving and giving more to the world in their own unique way and gifts? And I'm like, how could I not do that? Because if I can not only help people but make the world better, this is like, I have to do this. So in 2020, I started thinking about it, and about a year and a half ago, I really got serious, like, no, I want to do this. I want to start reaching out to places empowering adults. I like to say that I love to pour into givers, anyone who is in a position or job where they give.
It's pretty easy sometimes to accidentally burn out because we give too much to others and not take care of ourselves. So I help them go back upstream. How can I take better care of myself so that then I can give even more to the world like I want to. So I try to break that perspective shift, that it's not selfish to take control of your life so that you can give even more to the world. And I think, Derek, I know that's how we. Our paths crossed. We knew a mutual giver that loves to bring value to the world and help others. And she was like, oh, you two, this is a no brainer. You should meet, right? It's like, givers. We get it. We want to help, and we get connected with each other organically and naturally. So if we can create more people like that on our team, I mean, we can. We can change the world one human life at a time. And that's. That's how I got into it. With me speaking to adults specifically.
[00:33:40] Speaker A: Yeah. You know, it's amazing because I love that story because I felt like I was the same way where in 2022, I was like, you know, I have to. I have to do something. Cause, I mean, God has put something on my heart to give back. And, you know, you. Here I am. I went to school. I went to Fuller seminary and got my master's in intercultural study, and I finished that in 2019, and I was like, man, what am I going to do with this? And so at first, you know, while I'm going through my classes, I already knew it was some type of evangelism. But not all evangelism comes from the pulpit. You know, there's different ways we're sharing. We're sharing a positive message to inspire and elevate other people. And I was like, what? What can I do? And so at that time, I ended up joining John Maxwell's organization in 2022, June 2022, and became a certified team leader. And I know one of the things he always says is that we can't grow others unless we grow ourselves. And it just kind of goes back to the whole personal development that you mentioned earlier and investing yourself, growing yourself, and that way you have more to actually give to somebody when it comes time to connect and to share with somebody. So, man, it's.
The journey is something that I couldn't drawn out for myself. But every day is the learning experience, Jeff.
[00:35:16] Speaker B: I love that. And when we all start to realize, the more we better ourselves, the more we can help others or serve others in any way, it takes that tone of being selfish, I think off of us, and not in a cop out way, but a genuine way by me growing myself. You know, like you said, grow yourself to grow others. I don't think there's anything selfish about that, though accidentally, people can interpret it that way. Because if I come from a state of giving and love and serving others, how can I not better myself so that I can serve them even better? And I love how you put that. I think John Maxwell's approaches, well said and super appropriate. Yes. Keep growing yourself so you can grow others even better, more efficiently, more in a greater scale, whatever it is.
[00:36:08] Speaker A: I love that.
So when you're meeting people, you know, you know, these clients of yours and potential clients, and you start talking with them, what are some of the expectations that, that you actually have from them? Just from the beginning, just to, okay, this is something that we're actually going to start working on. So I'm just kind of letting you know it might be some work, right?
[00:36:31] Speaker B: Yes, yes, I do. I try to start. I try to start gently with everybody and figure out, like, where are you at? And I try to do that in a fun way. I like to say, like, if you were an ice cream flavor right now, you know, what would you be? Would you be vanilla, rocky road, hazed and confused, neapolitan? A little bit. Everything. And it's a goofy way, but it really gets them start thinking like, hey, where am I right now? And I said, because we have to know where we're starting. And then we go into, if you're this ice cream flavor and someone's this one, how does that make you feel? So, for example, Derek, if you were feeling Rocky road and just like, oh, it's been a. It's been a year, man. And I'm feeling like Scooper man. Like, hey, everything is great. Like, we ask that, how do you feel when you see someone? Are you happy for them? Are you jealous or angry at them? Do you find them annoying? And we do it vice versa. Hey, if you scooper man people, if you see someone rocky road, are you annoyed by them? Are you like, oh, now I have to help them, but I try to get them to start thinking about where you're at impacts how you look at other people. And can we shift that perspective that if someone's doing better than us, that we can be happy for them and not, like angry or jealous. And then once we get into that, they start to open up a little bit. This is where we're at. Okay, now that we know where we're at, let's start doing the work and building and we dig into. I love to get them to dig into their ers, the things that they do in their life.
[00:38:04] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:05] Speaker B: That just fill them up. Are they a teacher, a father, a lifter, an exerciser, a baker? Whatever it is, I'm just doing the ones that I think are for me. But once we start building that into our life and taking better care of ourselves with some structure, and I have them do that, like, how structured is your life? Is it building in the things that really matter to you? Or is it filled up by what other people have been putting in there? Once we take control of that, then I say, this isn't selfish, this is empowering. Because once you show up to life personally and professionally feeling full, now you have mental space to give to see. Hey, I saw my buddy Derek at work. You know what I know he loves, I don't know, blah, blah, blah. I'm going to. I'm going to go figure out how to get that to him on Friday for a little, you know, I don't know, maybe you love a certain song. I'm going to play it when he walks in or. Everybody has their own unique gifts where they can tune into people in different ways. Derek, for me, my. My example is always food. Like, oh, I know, Derek loves carrot cake. I'm going to bring him a fat carrot cake muffin I made. Just put it on his desk. But when we are not just surviving and we're closer to thriving, that's when we can do the beautiful stuff. That's when we can help grow others, because we grew ourselves, as you eloquently put earlier. So that's when I'm talking with my future potential clients. That's why I tell them, like, we're gonna build them up so that they can not only give more to the world, but to themselves as well. And all in the same 24 hours day, that everybody's living. Like, we can get more done, but feel less exhausted doing it. There's a way to do it. I'm gonna help you get there. So I love doing it, man.
[00:39:51] Speaker A: And one thing that you, man, just, it made me think about it. Almost kind of took it back to, like, self awareness and then being able to be in a position to actually give and be excited for other people when they do receive something right. Because there's so many. There's so many times I just remember that back in the day where I was like, dude, I can't stand that this person got this. How come I didn't get that right?
And it's like, almost like the jealousy or the enviness of other people receiving, but you just don't know that journey. You don't know if they've gone through to actually get what they have, but also being in a place nowadays just to express gratitude, because so often people just express gratitude when they receive instead of just being thankful for what they currently have and then not knowing. Okay, this is the vision that I have for myself. Let me just be thankful for what I have, but then thankful for what I'm going to get down the road. But being able to express that same gratitude for other people who are received and be genuinely happy for them, it just.
That's hard to do in the beginning, but you just have to learn to do it. And I know one of the things that helped me along the way was just being in a place where I could just stand in the mirror and tell myself, I love myself, I love myself. I love myself a certain amount of times. And then all of a sudden, okay, now you start feeling worthy, you start feeling valuable to yourself, and now you can share that same love and excitement for other people. It's the small things that work, but it's something that you have to do.
[00:41:33] Speaker B: Yes. And I mean, and if anyone tries to argue that Derek, like, positive psych, like, science research backs all that up, too. When you sit in, your feelings of what you're grateful for, for what you have right now, it rewires your brain because our BR. Our bodies have been built to take whatever you have and feel normal eventually. So no matter how much good stuff you have around you, it's natural, human body, natural, scientifically natural, to just eventually feel this is normal, blah. But when you go back to gratitude, it rewires your brain to remind you that, wait, this is really good. And you get that dopamine rush and feel that all of a sudden, it was so easy to forget about, but now you feel grateful for it again, and it is. It, like, restarts your body's hedonic cycle of just seeing this is normal, whatever. Now I need more where really it allows you to not necessarily feel like you need more, or if you got more, then, wow, it would be icing on the cake. But I really, really don't need much more.
[00:42:43] Speaker A: Right. And I know this is going to sound pretty silly, but were you actually able to get to a place?
Because nobody likes playing, nobody likes paying bills, but when you could get. But when you get to a point where you're just like, dude, I'm thankful for having the money to pay this bill.
It's a different perspective. It's a different kind of mind shift.
[00:43:05] Speaker B: Hmm. That's so well said. I got to work on that, because I don't know if I feel grateful for that always.
[00:43:13] Speaker A: Jeff.
[00:43:13] Speaker B: It's so true, though. You know, for me, it's a simple, like, being a teacher, I get. I get ten weeks off in the summer, and me, like, just going grocery shopping and, like, not being in a super big hurry because I have the time in the summer letting people ahead of me, having more, like, time for conversation. Like, I do catch myself, like. Like, how lucky am I that I. I have this time and the money to grocery shop and buy for my family and not be stressed. And, you know, it's just so many people don't get what I get. Also, being a father, how many fathers get ten weeks off with their children in the summer like that? That is a very small percentage of humans.
[00:43:57] Speaker A: It is.
[00:43:57] Speaker B: And I try not to. Even though, you know, you're. You have kids, you sometimes can get annoyed by them and they're annoyed by you. But, like, seriously, how. How many fathers can have that much personal time with their children at such young ages, too? Like, it's. It is overwhelming and emotional to think about, like, wow, I am. I hit the lotto with being able to have that time with my kids that so many people could never do just because of the career they're in. It's just not impossible. It's not crazy.
[00:44:30] Speaker A: That is. Man, that's.
That's phenomenal when you think about it. That is so when you. When you. When you're meeting with clients and they actually share, because, I mean, like you said, you got to find out, like, where they are just mentally and what's going on in their lives. Like, what are some of the challenges are, you know, that you're actually helping them overcome or some of their main.
[00:44:57] Speaker B: So I think, like, for my positive growth lounge, like, teacher membership, I think they come in because they're ready to change. So I would say that there's not much resistance with that. But when I go, like, say, I'm going to speak to an entire staff of teachers or I'm going to speak to an entire group of nurses for a hospital, you know, some of them may not want to see me even that day. Right. They're. They're not looking for this. So what I really try to do is lead by example of things that, experiences that I've had so that I make sure they know that I'm never talking down to them, but I'm talking level with them. So when I'm talking about, like, can you make changes in your daily schedule to fit in some of the good things. And I said, and then I try to combat it with, I know some of you are thinking, you have no idea what my life is like, and my schedule is like. And then I tell them, let me just. Let me tell you what's going on in my life so that you're aware of some of the things I'm like. I have a wife. I have two children. I'm an educator. I run two speaking businesses. Okay.
Currently, my father isn't well, and I'm a part time caretaker for my parents. You know, I. So I go through all the little things, and I said, no, I'm not here to tell you how important I am, how busy I am, or valuable, but I do want to let you know that I have many different roles in my life, probably like you do, and some of them that are in situations that are, like, why, you know, no one wants to be in the position where anyone needs a caretaker. We want everyone to be healthy, but. But that's not how life is, right? So I try to let them see the human side of me that I want you to know that I'm not expecting you to have a schedule like I do today, but I also want you to know that some days in my life, I feel like, man, how am I going to make this all work, too? And by, again, that authentic human side, I hope that it slowly opens up a little bit for them, and they think, all right, I'll listen to this guy with a weird haircut for a little bit. I'll give him. I'll give him a chance. And hopefully, by the end, through the exercises we do, the vulnerability and the humor I like to throw in there. Like, they feel good.
They felt like a little bit of weight, and then hopefully they feel a little bit stronger. Like, I can take control of a small part. Even if it's right after work for 30 minutes every day, I can make that my time and slowly build off of that. So that's at least my approach.
[00:47:39] Speaker A: Yeah. Wow, that's good. You got to be real with people in order to connect with them.
[00:47:44] Speaker B: Yeah, well, if you're not relatable, Derek. Right. Like, if I'm like, you know, guys, I just got off my yacht, and, man, I'm so sunburned, you know, like, wow, what's. What's this guy doing? How does this relate to me? You know, I I want to make sure that. And as soon as I'm not relatable, right, then that means I'm talking to the wrong people, right? Like, if you can't relate and you haven't been where they're at, but just a few steps ahead, then it's really not your right audience to help because people are going to be like, you're so far ahead with what you're doing. This has nothing to do with me. You don't understand my life. You know.
[00:48:27] Speaker A: That. Yahweh, that's a good one. Because last thing, what they want to do is hear from some arrogant person telling how great their life is.
[00:48:36] Speaker B: And I bet. I bet at first because I'm loud and boisterous and I'm, like, chatty. I'm sure I can come off that way.
[00:48:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:48:46] Speaker B: First impression. So that's why, like, I always try to lead in with, like, a story. Nothing that's, like, heart wrenching or anything, but I just want them to know, like, I'm. I'm a human that's fairly similar to them.
[00:48:59] Speaker A: Right.
[00:48:59] Speaker B: And. And then I'm coming here to, again, just like with my students, I'm here to serve. I'm not here to direct, be in control and dominate. I'm, like, literally here to try to make your life a little bit better today. That's right. And as soon as that gets through, hopefully, you know, no matter what, some people won't like you, Derek. But the majority of the people I find are willing to open up and listen and then take something away.
[00:49:28] Speaker A: That's good. That's good. I like that.
Do you ever find out that or just think that some of the. I guess sometimes when you're coaching somebody, especially like in a group session, that it can almost become like a counseling session, or do you try to stay away from the counseling and just focus more? I go to coaching.
[00:49:50] Speaker B: Yeah, it is. I think it's a natural, like, gray area. And when people feel comfortable with you, they share more. Absolutely. So I think there's a time and place for both, but I do more of the. I understand you, I hear you, I feel you. But I'm also not trying to tell them what to do with those emotions. And then I say from that, what is in our control to try to make not only this situation, but our life a little bit better. And I find that transition allows us to get back to the structure and coaching and goals. Like, if this is something that's making you unhappy.
[00:50:36] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:50:37] Speaker B: You know, like, is there anything in our control that can help make the situation slightly better, or is this just something, you know, that's really heavy and maybe you should talk to someone, you know, that's more qualified than me. I mean, I'm definitely not a therapist, you know, and I would never want someone to think I'm trying to be, you know?
[00:50:57] Speaker A: Right. Uh huh. Yeah, I totally get it.
[00:51:01] Speaker B: Yeah. Don't you feel like there's such a gray area, though, with, when you're coaching, like, how can you not be personally, like, you know, people personally because they share their goals and dreams and struggles. I think that naturally happens in conversation.
[00:51:17] Speaker A: It does, yeah, I know. And I think, um. So it's like, you really have to be clear or just, you don't have to, like, specify it to them, but just, like, in your own, in your mind, as far as, you know, my main objective right now, because you have this, this place, and you said you want to be here at a certain time frame. Let me help you get from a to whatever it may be, C or D, and we're about to work on the solution to actually help you get there. That's what B and C is about to be about. And so here we go. Let's drop this plan. Let's get to going.
[00:51:51] Speaker B: Yeah. Let's build the stepping stones, for sure.
[00:51:55] Speaker A: And I know, like, just how powerful the mind really is, where a lot of times, sometimes people, it's almost like the beliefs or the opinions of others or just the past can really impact the decisions they make today.
Especially when they focus so much on that stuff, it prevents them from being present. And it's almost like the body is just constantly being reminded. Every time you bring this scenario up from the past, you just keep going back and back, and it's like, how long do you want to be in this place?
[00:52:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:52:33] Speaker A: So here we go. Now let's create this outstanding vision for your life that you might want to have for yourself. And now we have a place, and now what you need to do is start feeling the emotions that are associated with once you actually achieve. And let's go after that.
[00:52:49] Speaker B: Yeah. And I think, too, that's why coaching is so valuable. I think people are in a state of, like, repetition sometimes without even realizing it, and just someone from the outside pointing that out, like, hey, this. This you're hanging on to might be holding you back from what is going to make you maybe so much happier. But, like, can we get out of this rhythm, take a new step, and from there empower ourselves so we can get there? Yeah, that's a beautiful thing. But I think because we're so busy, we're creatures of habit, sometimes we don't even realize we're stuck.
[00:53:21] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:53:23] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:53:26] Speaker A: But before I, before I let you go, man, I have to. I have to find out, like, when it comes to, like, especially, like, this phase of your life and what you have going on, I mean, you got, you got family, you have, you know, the wife, the kids, the parents, educating you, doing a lot of coaching and speaking, like, how would you, how would you define success at this stage of your life or during this season of your life?
[00:53:57] Speaker B: Yeah, that's so funny. Cause I try to think about that, too, when I'm, like, describing that to my children. But for me, I think that success for a person and for me personally, success is defined by, can I live in a way where my basic needs are met and I'm to the point where I can be comfortable, like, not, not so worried, where, like, how am I going to, how am I going to survive to get food on the table and live in our home? So I think that success is, once I meet that level where I can take a breath, things are calm enough, and then I can give what I have left to the world in some way, bring some value or joy or love to the world. If I can do that, then I think I'm pretty darn successful at the end of the day.
[00:54:52] Speaker A: Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
[00:54:55] Speaker B: All right. I like that.
[00:54:56] Speaker A: That's what I'm talking about.
[00:55:00] Speaker B: That one resonated with Derek. I like that.
[00:55:03] Speaker A: Yeah.
What are, like, some, some parting words? Like, what would you like? Anybody who wants to, like having a, a specific challenge in their life, or they want to be at a certain place, they have the ideas, they have the dreams, but for whatever reason, they're just kind of stuck in a place of, I don't know what to do next. How would you actually encourage that person just to share some words before we go? Brian?
[00:55:32] Speaker B: Yeah. If you're ever feeling stuck, I think some of the greatest ways to get unstuck is to have new experiences. So whether that's going volunteer somewhere and give to help people less fortunate or to meet some new people similar in your area or completely different, I think when you meet new people or have new experiences, it just shifts the way you look at your life in the world. And sometimes that, that, I think, I believe that stirs up creativity. And from creativity, we become better problem solvers. So a lot of times when we're stuck, we just feel like we can't solve the problem of what's next. And by having new experiences or meeting new people, I think that'll stir up the creativity to allow you to figure out what's my next little jump? So I would, I would say that, and then if I say you're to the point where you're, you're stuck because you're just so exhausted or so just barely making it, then I want us to shift the perspective of, I can't be selfish at all right now because I have so much else going on. I want you to build in time to make sure you fill your day a little bit with the things that truly lift you up, whether that's music or creation or family or cooking, whatever it is, build it in just a little bit. Start taking those little wins and trying to figure out ways to build it in more and more, and you're going to find that you're going to be less and less stuck the more you're creating an intentional life.
[00:57:14] Speaker A: Ooh, that's good right there.
That intentional life. That's it.
[00:57:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:57:20] Speaker A: Yeah. That's it.
Yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Mister Phil J. Janizzewski.
[00:57:31] Speaker B: Got it.
[00:57:32] Speaker A: Hey, Phil, real quick, where, where can, um, where, where can people follow you?
[00:57:37] Speaker B: Oh, thank you for asking. Yeah. If there's any way I can bring value or serve anybody who's listening right now, I'm always down to jump on a call. If you just google search my name, Phil Januszewski, you'll probably find me pop up, no problem. But all my social media handles are Janizzewski and my website's Ww dot phil janousewski.com. so anything like that, you'll be able to connect. Message me, and I'd love to connect any type of givers. Good humans out there trying to make the world a better place are the people I'd like to be around. Derek. So come on by and I'm going.
[00:58:11] Speaker A: To have your links in the, in the profile as well, so people can actually definitely reach out to you, man. What an awesome show.
[00:58:19] Speaker B: Oh, thank you, Derek. I love your energy, man. You're, you're not only like, full of great ideas and wisdom, but you, obviously, you're a, you're a student of life as well. You're, I can tell you just love learning from others and I'm, I'm the same way. So some of the things you said and reiterated today have really hit to the heart. I appreciate your time and you wanting to do this to serve others as well. It's, it's an honor to be in your presence and anyone who listens.
[00:58:45] Speaker A: Absolutely. Thank you so much, man. Thank you.
[00:58:49] Speaker B: Thanks, Derek.
[00:58:50] Speaker A: What did I tell y'all? What did I tell y'all, you were not gonna meet a chemistry teacher like Phil.
My man brought it. The energy, the passion, the love. And you could tell he's a giver. Like I said, we talked about some experimenting, trying different things out. We talked about positive growth. We talked about just giving, encouraging gratitude. All these things are essential to be just to become that person that you absolutely need to be. But stepping out of that comfort zone and transforming into the person that you were created to be, it takes work. It's not easy. We've all been there. We're all going through it. We all continue to learn.
It's your turn. It's your turn. Turn it on. Turn on that fire. Allow us to ignite you. We got you. We gonna keep it coming. Absolutely. I'm gonna continue to bring on some powerful people that you can actually resonate with.
But, you know, we're in that season of transforming to be the person that God created us to be. Why not you? Why not you? Meantime, y'all have a blessed week. And remember, we cannot become what we need if we remain where we are. God bless.
