“I started testing the idea of self-discipline as a young boy in that I’d consciously choose to focus on doing the things that others wouldn’t as a sort of test to see how the results turned out over time.”

Interview by Mike Sullivan of Sully’s Blog

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Rory Vaden is the co-founder of Southwestern Consulting, a motivational speaker, author, and Self-Discipline Strategist who relates profound truths coupled with humorous anecdotes empowering professionals to conquer their fears and take immediate action in their businesses and their lives. As a motivational speaker he has shared the stage with John Maxwell and conducted special programs for both Dave Ramsey and Zig Ziglar’s companies. His insights on overcoming procrastination, creative avoidance and personal setbacks have been shared on Oprah radio with Dr. Oz and shared in SUCCESS Magazine. His pragmatic advice has been field tested by thousands of professionals from all different industries and he has personally coached clients such as the former #1 Keller Williams Real Estate Agent Worldwide.

Southwestern Consulting was founded 4 years ago and has about 2 dozen employees.  The firm generates about $3.5 million dollars in revenue per year.    Rory’s “Take the Stairs” program emphasizes his message that “Success Means Doing Things You Don’t Want To Do.” The “Take the Stairs” programs are tailored for specific audiences from corporate leadership to sales as well social media.  Rory’s client list includes Stanley-Smith Barney, Raymour &Flanigan, Trane, and Bank of America and more.

MO:
“Take the Stairs” is a good analogy to doing things that will benefit you but might not be as desirable as the alternatives.  Is this a lesson from your childhood or something you developed later in life?  Is their more to its meaning than what I have described?

Rory:
When I was 5 years old my mother started me in martial arts and by age 10 I had become the youngest black belt in CO…to ever get beaten up by a girl. Studying self-discipline has been a part of my entire life due to my time practicing Kung-Fu and also from my family’s guidance. I started testing the idea of self-discipline as a young boy in that I’d consciously choose to focus on doing the things that others wouldn’t as a sort of test to see how the results turned out over time. It worked 100% of the time. Later, after my MBA, and in coaching top professionals from around the country I developed the term “The Pain Paradox”.

The Pain Paradox is that most people avoid challenging things in search for an easier lifestyle. The paradox though, is that by avoiding difficult tasks we naturally produce mediocre results. And even worse, if you make indulgent decisions based on short term feelings and emotions then you produce negative results. The negative consequences of making the easy decision on the front end compounds over time to a much larger negative long term impact. Think of spending on credit or food selection as examples. So by attempting to avoid the difficult, we in fact produce difficult circumstances that we must live with.

Vice versa, when you choose intentionally to pay the price on the front end (such as working out, avoiding temptation, saving money, eating healthy, working hard, etc) it always produces a much more desirable situation later that is much easier to live with. So a price is paid either way, but because of the compounding nature of our choices it is cheaper to pay the price today rather than putting it off to tomorrow. Which is why I tell people that “success is never owned, it is only rented; and the rent is due every day.”

MO:
How does the program work?  What do you bring to corporations and audiences around the world that hear your message?

Rory:
The #1 thing I bring to corporations and audiences around the world is an immediate change in behavior. There is a noticeable difference in the actions of the people who hear me that results from me having been there. Directly, there is of course the change that some people will literally walk right out of the room and take the stairs when they wouldn’t have before – but that’s just the metaphor. More importantly they will go back to their offices and homes and “Take the Stairs” in their lives. A large portion of the audience will make intentional decisions to not procrastinate, to focus on critical priorities, and to work harder and faster than they were before. The activity I’m promoting doesn’t matter; it’s the mindset of how you approach the activity that is crucial. In that way, I’m just an outside 3^rd party voice who can come in and echo whatever message leadership wants to convey, except that I’m in a unique position to objectively challenge the audience to take challenging action because I’m unbiased with no vested interest. The new insight and mental constructs I share with the audience enables them to see how it is in their best long term interest to take the action that might otherwise be perceived as “difficult.”

MO:
I imagine some of the people from the audiences you speak to reach out with you to share their stories.  What are some of the results experienced or messages you have received as a result of your programs?

Rory:
Most recently a car dealership attended one of my public programs and sold 26 cars the weekend after, 10 on Monday, and had 5 appointments lined up for Tuesday. I get messages all the time that are months after I’ve been into see them from companies like Raymour & Flanigan who said the entire company still talks about having a “Take the Stairs” mindset every day and doing whatever it takes. There is a woman named Anna from AFLAC who sent me a note a while back that she and her husband have applied the methodology to their finances to start getting out of debt, they take specific time each week to focus on their relationship, and she has increased the number of sales calls she is making. Hundreds of people send me pictures and notes too of course  about all the times they take the stairs in airports, malls, and sporting events.

MO:
Looking back on your childhood, you were raised by a single mother in a trailer park and have since attained Magna Cum Laude degrees and an MBA from the University of Denver. You’re a record holder for the world’s oldest direct sales organization, The Southwestern Company.  You are just 27 years old.  How did you manage to overcome life’s obstacles and achieve all you have at such a young age?

Rory:
Actually, I’m 28 years old. J My mother re-married my sparring partner from Kung-Fu when I was 10 and they have both been a huge part of my life and teaching me discipline. Particularly my dad has taught me so much about patience which is very closely related to perspective which is the crux of making disciplined decisions. As I mentioned, discipline was a test for me that I was applying to all different situations that seemed to work out. As far as me “overcoming life’s obstacles” I can’t really take credit for that. I have incredible family that lifts me up, we’ve had amazing friends who supported us when we couldn’t, I’ve had phenomenal mentorship from teachers and colleagues, and God has used those people to remove obstacles for me. God shows up if you meet him halfway; it takes discipline to do that.

MO:
You’re also a first degree black belt.  Is that a result of  your existing discipline  is your discipline a result of your Martial Arts training?

Rory:
Shao-lin Kung-Fu had a heavy influence on teaching me discipline. It was one of 4 pillars that the art was built upon. The black-belt, just like any other accolades any of us have achieved, is simply a bi-product of self-discipline.

MO:
As a two time world champion of public speaking finalist for Toastmasters International, you clearly have a knack for speaking to people, a skill essential to successful public speakers.  Is this a gift you were born with or a skill you worked hard to develop?  What recommendations do you have for others looking to improve their public speaking skills?

Rory:
Like most people I’ve been blessed with a pre-disposition to be good at certain things. My road to the world championship however was the result of extraordinary discipline. I spoke 304 times for free over a period of 18 months, spent thousands of hours watching film, read dozens of books, and focused my efforts so intensely that it was the single driving force in my life at that time. Other people looking to improve their speaking skills should join Toastmasters. It is one of the most amazing organizations in the world – both in the people it is made up of and in what it accomplishes in others.