Researcher Interviewed 21 Millionaires. What He Learned Might Surprise You
Brandon Pipkin, MBA from 黑料传送门
It鈥檚 a noble pursuit to continually seek knowledge and understanding, especially of a challenging subject.聽We all have our favorite topics, but what about those elusive ones that draw us in and interrogate us? Brandon Pipkin found his subject鈥攁nd it changed his life. As he fought for success he found a truth that he simply had to share.
Brandon would tell you he鈥檚 鈥渘othing special.鈥� He would also divulge that once he understood his commonness, he started to see his intended path.
鈥淢y mom raised four of us on her own in poor circumstances. I vowed that would not be my story, that I was going to be rich and successful. When that didn鈥檛 happen like I expected, I kept researching success, trying to find the secret sauce somewhere,鈥� Brandon said. It was an obsession with the topic of success that propelled him into writing his first book. An excerpt from that book summarizes his journey best:
When he鈥檚 not researching human behavior, Brandon travels to lead trainings and speak to a variety of audiences. He鈥檚 earned many accolades as a trainer/speaker.
鈥淓very time I鈥檓 in the classroom, I don鈥檛 even think about work鈥攖hat doesn鈥檛 cross my mind, and I don鈥檛 have to put effort into getting excited. It鈥檚 where I鈥檓 meant to be, and that鈥檚 the key to making trainings meaningful and doing them well. I think I鈥檝e been given an ability to meet people where they are, expand their horizons by challenging their thinking, and support them in their first steps into a personal journey of growth.鈥�
Taking one of the commonalities that Brandon shares in the millionaires book鈥攃ourse correction鈥攚e asked if he has to course correct when training. He had to think, then realized, 鈥淚 think that may happen subconsciously! Every audience is different, and I would shudder to think that I gave the same training to each group. There鈥檚 constant course correction鈥攕ometimes within the first 30 seconds. Energy changes are big. I can sometimes get a read on the energy before everyone is in [the room].鈥�
An alternative title for Brandon, and one he has chosen for himself, is social researcher. 鈥淚鈥檓 fascinated with human behavior and the drive to improve the human condition,鈥� he explained. Brandon isn鈥檛 marketing a system or selling a trend. He鈥檚 telling the stories of human successes鈥攁s they unfold, in a very truthful manner.
鈥淢y passion in life is to know how any group of people find success. Plus, I have an innate desire to add to the world鈥檚 knowledge.鈥澛�
By diversifying his research, his findings become universal in nature. We pressed him to pull back the curtain and tell us what鈥檚 next in his research and writing.
鈥淚 want to continue to share success stories with people. Right now, I鈥檓 halfway through with the next book, featuring 21 Olympic athletes. I鈥檝e also thought about collecting the success behind cancer survivors and golden anniversary couples, those聽 married 50 years or more.鈥�
So what does one learn from the process of writing a book? 鈥淭hings happen at their own pace. I had to get comfortable with the enormous amount of time that it took to interview, review, transcribe, and finally write my findings from 21 interviews. I spent months just listening to the recorded interviews on my way to and from work each day. Truth has no agenda, and my goal was to tell the story that was there鈥攆rom the mouths of the millionaires.鈥�
What鈥檚 interesting is that the story Brandon tells in 21 Questions for 21 Millionaires is not the message he intended to write. His original plan was to use these millionaires' stories to illustrate to a sentiment from Robert Allen he has long embraced: A person鈥檚 passion is inextricably tied to financial compensation. Brandon still feels this is a strong idea, but it was glaringly clear that it was not an absolute supported by the millionaires.
Another well-known businessman that Brandon identifies with is Steven Covey. 鈥淐ovey hadn鈥檛 achieved anything amazingly successful, but he researched greatly,鈥� Brandon explained. 鈥淪o it was the confluence of Allen鈥檚 idea and Covey鈥檚 work that pointed me toward this path. It was just very clear to me鈥攊t made sense. I knew I had to do it.鈥澛犅�
When you read Brandon鈥檚 book, you鈥檒l take note of the importance of following your gut.
鈥�Work creates opportunities.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 my message: It鈥檚 up front in the book for good reason. When I was younger, I didn鈥檛 get it. I didn鈥檛 understand the full importance of putting your nose to the grindstone, showing up every day鈥攅ven if you haven鈥檛 yet found your passion鈥攁nd doing the best work you can.鈥澛�
In front of a room, you鈥檇 likely hear him say something like this (and it just happens to be a great closing for this story):
