But this guy had something I didn’t have, and something I didn’t even realize I didn’t have. Rick had discovered a secret that many will never discover. Many will never master. Many will never know.  This secret that he possessed sealed the deal for him.

Now, I had some things that should have had the ladies lining up to date me.  1994 teal green Geo Storm, paid for in cash…all $4,400 of it that I paid for myself!  I got this money from my job as a Subway sandwich artist.  Sexy right?!  I mean, you can see that green apron I was wearing as I slid your sandwich down the line, perfectly placing your cold cut trio meats onto your hand-crafted bread. I could even add chips, drinks and a cookie to your meal, making your day!

What girls wouldn’t want some of this guy?

Don’t forget, when I was away from Subway, I was in the gym. That’s right.  I was pumping iron, getting my biceps to bulge and triceps to pop. My newfound muscles plus these dashing dimples in combination with the teal Geo Storm and green apron…come on, ladies!  Anyone? Hello?

One day, I finally mustered up the courage to do it. The moment of truth. I was going to ask her to be mine, hoping she would say yes.  We were “great friends” so of course she would take it to the next level. She always called on me as a “friend” when she needed a ride somewhere, needed to cry on my shoulder, or needed to talk.  When she needed me, I was there.

But she didn’t want me.

When I asked. I was rejected with those all so famous words, many of us have heard.

“Matt,” she said. “We are such great friends! How about we just stay friends?”

Then, she hopped in his car.  His beautiful car. His sexy car. His red race car.  She drove off with him. Leaving me, my Geo Storm, my Subway apron, my muscles and dimples in the dust.

Sitting in the living room reminiscing with Rick’s parents, I laughed with them.  The woman in Rick’s family photo, his wife, was not that infamous girl from high school.  After he drove off with her, their relationship lasted only a short time, and they both went on to meet and pursue other people.

I then realized the secret that Rick possessed.  I realized the thing he had that I hadn’t. I realized he cracked the code of…

Confidence.

Growing up, I lacked confidence for many reasons.  Confidence was a word I never knew. It was a strength and asset I never had. It was a muscle I never flexed. Any confidence I ever had was taken from me, beaten and bullied out of me, to the point where I had none.

Today I am confident. I am certain, I am secure. I am these things because I realized that confidence is a muscle.  It must be trained. It must be built.  To build it up, you must first break it down. I realized that all the beatings and bullying, heartbreaks and heartaches, all the ways I was broken and broken down was so that I could be restored and built back up, thus creating and developing my confidence.

I was recently on the Confidence Mastery podcast with Natalie Bailey.

The moment I met her, I felt like I met my long-lost sister.  We recorded our podcast while she sat in her home, close to the sunny shores of Mallorca, Spain.

Natalie was born in Britain and now lives in Spain. She shares her story of overcoming massive adversity and deciding to change her story, pursue her passion and help others unlock their confidence. She kicks ass with people, kicks ass in the gym, and kicks ass in business where she develops real estate, speaks, coaches and runs a private entrepreneur’s mastermind. Natalie’s Gold Star coaching program shows how much she possesses a heart of gold and purpose to build others up and pour into people.

Click here to listen to our episode or watch our episode video posted at the top of this page. On the podcast we talk about:

• Spain and our passion for it.
• The power of belonging to a like-minded community and mastermind group.
• Throwing and hosting once in a lifetime events.
• How getting bullied, getting fired and getting rejected has built and unleashed my confidence, tenacity and pursuit of serving others.
• And…..much more!

Natalie, thank you for reminding us that the confidence many of us thought we never had was just growing, building inside of us, and waiting to be unleashed. 

Before you go, please remember this:

💙I love you.

😀I believe in you.

👍You’ve got this.

🔥Go get it.

Life, leadership and business is a journey. Don’t take this journey alone. Let’s take it together. Click here to start your journey with me today . I will be alongside of you every step of the way.