There weren’t many dry eyes in the audience today at the eXp Shareholders Summit, being held in Orlando. That means Ed Mylett did his job – and did it very well.
Mylett, an entrepreneur, best-selling author (“The Power of One More”), performance coach and podcast host, took the stage to give the keynote.
Mylett promised his captivated audience of eXp agents and shareholders that in one hour, he would tell a story about the power of self determination — a story that would prove transformative.
It was a tall order, but not for this world-renown entrepreneur and performance coach.
“I Am the Son of an Alcoholic and a Drug Addict’
The tears Ed elicited weren’t just over the bittersweet tale about Ed’s father – an alcoholic who made life hell for himself and his family before getting sober. The tears were also of joy, recognition, gratitude, worry, self-doubt – all the mixed emotions people grapple with before they can make the decision to change.
“I want this to be a life transformative hour. I feel at home at eXp because I built this exact model: Building people and teams. What I am not is some superstar person. We make heroes of leaders. The downside is that these people are no different than you,’’ Ed said.
“I am the son of an alcoholic and drug addict who grew up with no confidence … My dad eventually became sober. Someone helped my dad. Someone stepped forward to help him. The ripple effect of helping that human being is important. Just helping just one person,’’ Ed said.
Make the Decision to Live Like You Were Born to Do Something Special
The full impact of Ed’s engaging narrative was like riding a roller-coaster. That’s because Ed all but told people they have two choices: To live your life like you’re riding a merry-go-round or ride that roller coaster.
“I didn’t want to live life seeing the same people, the same places, thinking the same thoughts every day. I wanted to live like I was on a roller-coaster, where the ups and downs let you know you’re alive. Yeah, baby!” he said.
This is how Ed, after marrying his kindergarten sweetheart, promised her the world but soon fell into some pretty wretched times. His car was repossessed, the electric and water turned off. So what did he do? He bought a “fake” Mercedes and used it to ride to success.
“If you can survive the temporary pain, on the other side, you get to meet another version of yourself,’’ he said.
“I’m well read, but I’m not particularly bright. I coach some of the top athletes, top entrepreneurs in the world. I’m the son of a drug addict and an alcoholic who had to send my mother and sisters upstairs when my dad came home drunk.
“I developed a responsibility that you have to respond to what life gives you. You have the ability to respond to adversity in your life,’’ he said.
Do Not Let Anyone Take Away Your Dreams
Ed told the audience that a down market or adversity will drive many people from real estate. But there are lessons to be learned from those who see nothing but victory, and won’t settle for anything less.
He played a clip of the golf champion Curtis Strange interviewing a young Tiger Woods at his first pro tournament. Tiger said he expected to put together four good rounds and, on the final day, expected to win. Curtis Strange mocked Tiger, saying it was cocky to think he would beat seasoned veterans.
“Why go to a tournament if you’re not trying to win? Like I tell my dad: Second sucks and third is even worse. I want to win. That’s just my nature,’’ Tiger said.
For 20 years afterward, Tiger showed everyone what a championship mindset is, Ed said. Tiger is what a “transitional character” is – the person who refuses to accept “No,” and who changes the fate of himself and his family and future generations.
Winning Is More Fun Than Having Fun
The crescendo of Ed’s talk was the story of how his son, Maximus, turned from an uncoordinated child who was terrible at baseball and basketball, and so, the father-son took up golf. He came in last at every tournament, and no matter what, Ed tried to quell his own competitive juices to simply share time with his son.
Until … another father at a golf tournament decided to downgrade Max’s chances. On that day, Ed decided it was time to help his son go from having fun to winning – doing nothing more than changing his mindset.
Max went from down 11 shots to winning the tournament. “He had the same swing, he was the same person. All he did was change his mindset,’’ Ed said, adding: “And after he gets over that final putt and dunks it, he’s running around the green saying ‘You’re right, Dad! Winning is way more fun than fun!”
Ed added that his son is in college on a golf scholarship and got a hole-in-one during a national tournament.
Heaven Is Waiting
The tears really started to flow when Ed reached the end of his hour. He pivoted from his son to his father, bridging the generations with a final anecdote about the power to change – the power to be the person you wanted or needed to be.
When his father succumbed to cancer after eight years of treatment, Ed said his father had kept going just so he could see his wife one more day, see his grandkids.
“My dad said he didn’t suffer through the treatment. He said, ‘You will only have the power and blessing of having one more day’ when you’re close to that final day.
“That’s what you have to ask yourself: Who do you want to be in that one more day? I know human beings can change. I watched my father do it. He was an alcoholic who got sober and then helped others get sober,’’ Ed said.
Getting to heaven, he realized as his father was dying, was where you get to see yourself in the mirror.
“It’s where you know you maxed out your life. You took that roller coaster ride, dude! Hell is where you meet a stranger, the person who was scared, afraid, who didn’t strive to not care what people say or be afraid of success,’’ he said.
“You were born to do something incredible in your life. It’s not over. Now is the time to tell yourself: ‘I’m going to go write some new chapters.’”
Ed Mylett had a room full of believers tearing up at the message. It was urgent and it was heard.
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Missed the eXp Shareholder Summit this year? Be sure to register for EXPCON, being held Oct. 2-5 in Las Vegas, where you can attend valuable keynotes and talks like this one.
