EnterpriseZone.cc Connecting Global Leaders
Determination that his grandchildren, and future generations will grow up in a better world encourages Richard Friesen to train others to find better solutions.
What’s your story?
I was a shy philosophy major whose friend had a trading firm and dropped me into the biggest futures pit in the world on my first day. Needless to say I was way over my head. I was told by my trainer that I was the worst trainee he had ever had. I persisted and eventually built a successful options and futures trading firm. But the path was obstructed by my own mindset that needed to change.
What excites you most about your industry?
It is all about money. For traders, investors and entrepreneurs, our money mindset can sabotage our efforts. How we think about money, how beliefs were absorbed from our family, how our current culture has distorted our view of money all contribute to being out of rapport with our financial success.
What drives you in business to push beyond what other people consider normal?
I am driven to contribute to a great world for my grandchildren and future generations. I see my grandkids come home from school burdened with guilt about the environment, inequality and justice. We have major issues as noted, but the solutions are about the symptoms, and not the causes. Can I help clarify the causes and invite others to better solutions?
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
The most useful skill has been a journey of my own self-awareness. This has been more helpful than my B.A. in Philosophy or my M.A. in Psychology and Masters Certification in NLP. Without real time self-awareness, my academic work is simply a tool in the tool box. My gift of my own real time awareness with my students and clients is an invitation for them to safely discover and create new models that serve them better.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
The best advice I have received is not “Follow your heart” or “Live your passion” but to become aware of the movie I am creating for myself. What is the context, beliefs and behaviors I am operating under right now? The best advice is the invitation to agency in my life.
Who inspires you?
Who inspires me? That is easy! My six grandchildren. I look at their joyful eager faces and want a world that is better than mine. I fear for them as we are making cultural changes that have the potential to undermine the foundations of happiness.
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
With both my students and private clients I have always believed that once we work through the internal struggles, trauma, pain and anger, the sun will shine and they will step into the success they want. However, most of my clients are very good at the struggle, but not prepared to own the success that they really want. As a result, they get close and fall back, or when achieved they self-sabotage.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
With what I have learned about myself, and the confidence I have gained everything would change. I spent so much of my early life not appreciating my skills or worthiness. I was so afraid of making a mistake and being wrong. I would own my own courage and do what I felt was right.
How do you unwind?
I unwind with a session of morning stretches and a run. That starts my day with a fresh mindset. But there is nothing better than playing “monster” with my grandkids who beg me to be the monster then slay me in all sorts of creative ways!
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your business?
My two most successful businesses were driven by an economic and cultural tidal wave. I could make mistakes and the wave would drive me forward. My struggles have been creating a business that did not map to the needs or the time. I have learned that building the big machine and then turning it on is very risky. I now know to start small and test, test, test.
Everyone in business should read this book:
“The Book of Not Knowing” by Peter Ralston.
This book is a challenge because it is asking us to let go of certainty which is a safety anchor, but also a success anchor.
Shameless plug for your business:
If you find yourself repeating the same errors, filtering out critical information, making impulsive decisions, are afraid to pull the trigger, then we should talk. Do your big dreams also create a fear of failure? Does every event trigger an emotional reaction? Let’s have a creative conversation!
How can people connect with you?
rich@mindmuscles.com
Social Media Links?
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/friesen/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TraderPsych
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindmusclesfortraders/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmdpfcGdBZyibUU5k7xxM2A/videos
