Having a Spirit of Excellence: The Missing Key to Success & Overcoming Laziness Podcast Episode 17

Natural Living Family Podcast, Episode 17
Having A Spirit of Excellence – The Missing Key to Success & Overcoming Laziness

The contents of this presentation are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This presentation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

 

Prelude [0:00 – 0:56]

Dr. Z: I would say I was not raised in an environment where excellence was something that was really—

Mama Z: The standard.

Dr. Z: Yes. And you were. And so, when we got married, that created somewhat of a friction, because—we should probably bring the argument here, how we make the bed.

Mama Z: Oh yea. I’m totally all over it, because a spirit of excellence is caught, not taught. And so, I would say to him, “Listen, you do a lot of things in your life with excellence. But making the bed, that is not one of them. Let’s do the same kind of excellence that you have in every other area. Let’s bring it right to making that bed.”

Hospital corners, my grandma would take quarters and she would bounce them on them. And if they didn’t bounce—because she was a nurse—then we did them over again. So, we had perfect hospital corners.

 

[0:57 – 1:31] Intro

Dr. Z: Hi! Dr. Z. here.

Mama Z: And Mama Z. And welcome to episode 17 of The Natural Living Family podcast.

Dr. Z: Each week we invite you to our home to talk about how you can master the art and science of natural living. And we share the same tips our family uses every day to enjoy an abundant life. And you’re going to love today’s talk.

Mama Z: So, come on in and get comfortable. After all, you’re one of the family, our natural living family!

Dr. Z: But before we dive into all the fun today, we’re excited to share a special note about today’s sponsor.

 

[1:32 – 1:52] Sponsor Spotlight: Thrive Market

Mama Z: As a special gift to our natural living family podcast listeners, Thrive Market is giving you twenty-five percent off your first order.

Dr. Z: Plus, a free thirty-day trial. Simply go to NaturalLivingFamilypodcast.com to find the special link so you can redeem this deal on the show notes from today’s episode.

 

[1:53 – 3:41] Diffuser Reveal: Get ‘Er Done Blend

Dr. Z: Well, hey there, everybody! Welcome to the show.

Mama Z: Today, we are going to talk about something that’s so important to us.

Dr. Z: What’s that?

Mama Z: Having a spirit of excellence.

Dr. Z: Yes.

Mama Z: The missing key to success in overcoming laziness.

Dr. Z: But before we do, you have a diffuser going.

Mama Z: What is in the diffuser today? Well, just because of that, I wanted to make sure that I shared one of my “get ‘er done blends” for the diffuser. So, on this one, I do break the rules. I know you’re supposed to have four to six drops of essential diffuser, but I have eight. And so, I have two peppermint, two orange, two vetiver, and two frankincense. And we are all about focus and determination. And this is a great blend to use.

Dr. Z: Yea, well, hey, that’s a good point of clarification. The amount of drops that you use in the essential oil depend on the water reservoir. So, the water reservoir that we have is a big one. I actually think it’s 200 milliliters. So, if you have a smaller reservoir, a little water tank, a hundred milliliters, you really only want like five or six drops at the most.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: If you have a bigger one, you could double it. So, ha! You’re within the rules.

Mama Z: Well, and some of the other blends, that the oils are stronger or whatever, then I’ll only do four. But most of the time I do six. But this is such an important recipe. And this is one of the ones that we use. Like if we need to get everything done, and we have a trip coming up, or whatever, it just really helps you focus and be motivated and positive. So, it helps you think thoroughly through everything and get her done.

Dr. Z: Get it done!

 

[3:42 – 6:10] The Essential Oils Diet Book Has Launched!!

So, thank you, first off. Today is what, May 13. It’s a week after our book published, The Essential Oils Diet. Thousands of copies have sold. We’ve been on dozens of podcasts, radio. Oh, should we tell them? This week we’re scheduled to be on The 700 Club.

Mama Z: Yes.

Dr. Z: Stay tuned. Actually, make sure to go to NaturalLivingFamily.com. Or actually, go to NaturalLivingFamilypodcast.com, because we’re on the podcast here. Sign up for our newsletter, and you will know. You’ll get a replay link. Like this is a big deal for us.

Mama Z: It is.

Dr. Z: You know, no offense to the other big TV shows. Like no offense to Dr. Oz or the doctors on Good Morning America and The TODAY Show. I mean those are all very special for their own reasons. But for us, being on the 700 Club is really the culmination of our ministry.

Mama Z: It’s our people.

Dr. Z: It’s our people. It is the center of Christian media.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: And we know that the ability for us to reach the masses has to be done through the church. We get that. And we’re really trying to help transform the church. And I really appreciate Pat Robertson. I appreciate Laurie Johnson, his health reporter. I appreciate what The 700 Club has done, because they really focus on health, y’all. They have a health newsletter that they send a couple of times a week. I mean they really have a health tab on their website. Not many ministries focus on health.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: And so, for them to be so open to our work is a blessing. And if you didn’t, actually go to CBN, Christian Broadcasting Network, and type up essential oils, or our last name, Zielinski.

Mama Z: How do you even spell that?

Dr. Z: Yea, they’ve got to go online. It’s too intimidating.

Mama Z: Z-i-e-l-i-n-s-k-i.

Dr. Z: So, type and search, because last year CBN did a report. It was so cool. They actually went to our home. They went to our home, and after being here for half the day, they ended up featuring like two and half minutes. It was kind of fun, right? So, check out the segment on CBN. And so, this is big news for us, y’all. So, keep the news out. A lot more radio and TV and media on the way.

So first, thank you. And thank you for buying the book. If you haven’t, please do. Order the book at EssentialOilsDiet.com. We have tons of bonuses and videos and things that will help you get the most out of the book.

 

[6:11 – 7:48] The Reviews Are in!

But we’re not talking about the book today. We’re going to transition. And we’ve really focused this last month on everything from gluten-free living to biochemical individuality, why eating a certain way affects you versus me differently. And so, really just review episodes 14, 15, and 16. They’re really, really special and important to help you with your health.

But we’re shifting gears a little bit. And we’re going to talk about a subject that’s very near and dear to our heart. But even before we do, I want to thank y’all again for your comments and your reviews. You’re really blessing us. With over 200 reviews on iTunes right alone, and we’re at like what, a 4.9 average star rating, which is really sweet. It really touches my heart.

Mama Z: Yes.

Dr. Z: So, thank you for that. I have one that I wanted to read out from Mary Bear, 1971. So, I think she’s dating herself a little bit. I love these names on iTunes or whatever. “I loved the podcast,” she says, “and how real and transparent you two are. I love how you bring your faith into everything. It’s very inspiring! God is truly using you two for His greater purpose! And you’re not afraid to bring Him to the conversation. Most people in your situation would not,” Mary says. “Thank you for all that you do, and congratulations on the podcast!”

Mama Z: Awesome!

Dr. Z: Thank you, Mary! I really appreciate that. And so, please, leave a review. Leave a comment. We’d love to give you a shout out.

Mama Z: Yes. We might even read it online.

Dr. Z: I know there are lots. There are lots. I’m choosing them.

 

[7:49 – 12:31] How the Zs Define Excellence

So, you know, Sabrina, to kind of set the stage here, we were actually just chatting a little bit before the YouTube and Facebook crew on video.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: I was not raised in a spirit of excellence. And I would say I was not raised in an environment where excellence was something that was really

Mama Z: The standard.

Dr. Z: Right. And you were. And so, when we got married, that created somewhat of a friction, because—we should probably bring the argument here, how we make the bed.

Mama Z: Oh yea. I’m totally all over it, because, see, a spirit of excellence is caught, not taught. And so, I would say to him, “Listen, you do a lot of things in your life with excellence. But making the bed, that is not one of them. Let’s do the same kind of excellence that you have in every other area. Let’s bring it right to making that bed.” Hospital corners—My grandma would take quarters, and she would bounce them on them. And if they didn’t bounce, because she was a nurse, then we did them over again, so we had perfect hospital corners.

There are times where he will get in the bed, and I will literally watch him kick his feet like he’s doing a hundred yard dash in the pool. And then there are other times that he doesn’t. So, sometimes the hospital corners are still intact. Other times they are not. So, I know it can be done. I know it can be done. And so, anyway, I’ve encouraged him to take that spirit of excellence even to making the bed.

Dr. Z: Okay, let’s distill this back just a step, or peel this back, I should say, because I’m not in a position where I really want to strive for excellence when it comes to making the bed.

Mama Z: But do you remember one of the times I was on a business trip? This was when we had probably been married maybe a year, okay? And so, you were really proud of yourself because you made the bed really good, and you took a picture of it, and you sent it to me. Like, “I made the bed good today!” And then my mom said, “Do you think he just took a picture of it like after you made it? And then is he going to send you the same one each day?”

Dr. Z: No.

Mama Z: She was like, “Let’s keep it and see if he sends you another one.”

Dr. Z: That’s how it looked on the outside. But how about the inside? You see, here’s the thing, though. What you don’t understand is you’re a little OCD, though.

Mama Z: I’m organized.

Dr. Z: No, OCD.

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah!

Dr. Z: See, what I’m talking about; well, first define excellence.

Mama Z: Okay. So, the definition of excellence, according to the dictionary, is “the quality of being outstanding or extremely good.” Some of the synonyms are distinction, high quality, brilliance, greatness, caliber, worth, or value.

Dr. Z: But one thing you didn’t say was perfectionism. And this is something I want to clarify. Excellence is one thing. Being bound to that yoke of perfectionism is another.

Mama Z: I’m talking about holding a high standard.

Dr. Z: Yes, and the thing is, though, I’ve found that there has to be balance.

Mama Z: You take all the balance out because of the way you make the bed?

Dr. Z: Yes, I’m balancing my way. I will say, I would argue all day long, you should actually talk about this, bed bugs, moisture, sweat, you need to air out your bed.

Mama Z: I wash the sheets weekly. I have a whole protocol on how I do these things.

Dr. Z: See, we argue about this, because I don’t think making the bed is the healthiest thing for you. I don’t, the way you do. And see, you need to recognize, too, you sleep on top of the sheets, so you don’t mess up the bed.

Mama Z: I don’t need to sleep under the sheets.

Dr. Z: And guess what? You’ve given that perfectionism to the kids, because you’ve drilled it in them. They don’t want to mess up their bed, so they sleep on top of the comforter. That’s not good.

Mama Z: Yea, but they actually have special little blankets and stuff like that. And whoever designed bunk beds should be literally tied up.

Dr. Z: No, be nice. Bunk beds are great. I love bunk beds.

Mama Z: Because bunk beds are not made to be made.

Dr. Z: No, exactly.

Mama Z: They are the hardest things to make.

Dr. Z: Beds aren’t made to be made. Beds are made to be slept in.

Mama Z: No. Like once we unstack those beds, it will be so much easier for the kids to be able to go on both sides and do it.

Dr. Z: See, here’s the thing. I have a standard of excellence in the things that are really, really, really important in life. Sabrina has the standard of excellence.

Mama Z: The household is my responsibility.

Dr. Z: Yes.

Mama Z: And so, I hold a high standard on everything. And, you know, when I was growing up

Dr. Z: How about deadlines? How about being on time?

Mama Z: That’s one thing

Dr. Z: Oh, okay.

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah!

 

[12:32 – 19:52] The Spirit of Excellence in Business

Dr. Z: Anyway, transition. So, here’s the thing. I want to tell you about a little bit of a story, real life story. The last year and half ago, our essential oils master class was coming out, the first time anything like this has ever been done; and I mean legit, no one has ever done this before; an online step-by-step master class that people could watch for free, and then, of course, you could buy it.

If you want to check it out, you can go to EssentialOilsforAbundantLiving.com. Or just go to our website, NaturalLivingFamily.com. We have banners and opportunities for you to look and check it out. Really, really nice; super high production.

That was the other thing we did, too. A spirit of excellence—we hired a video crew. We invested a ton of money into this. This was not iPhone quality. This was not Zoom or Skype quality. This was legit video quality. And again, nothing like this has ever been done before in our little space. And giving it away was never done before. Having it in high quality has never been done before, and creating a core master class.

Now, there have been aromatherapy schools online teaching, all that stuff. Why are we saying this? Because we put everything into this. I mean, I maxed out two credit cards to put into this. This was a huge investment for us, emotionally, spiritually, physically, the time and energy we did.

And this was at a place like we didn’t have an abundance of money, you know. We have a small team. We’re growing as a business. And this was when things started to explode, like a half million people a month visiting our website. And everyone is asking us, “Teach us, teach us, teach us.” Everyone, “Teach us how to use oils.” So, that’s what we did.

Well, we went to print, because so many people wanted books and DVDs. And if you don’t know, books and DVDs are uber expensive. They are. And so, we ended up selling, I forget, like two thousand copies of the print package. And we were trying to be wise with our money. So, we took orders first. And then we took the money from the orders to place our print order from the print guy. I had a choice. Put up a hundred thousand dollars up front, and then have a bunch of inventory, which we don’t have room in our basement for this stuff.

Mama Z: We really don’t.

Dr. Z: Or, do what a lot of people do, which is, “Hey, give us a month to ship it.” And that’s what did. People were so gracious, by the way. Some people waited six weeks, because they live in Australia or Canada, and it took forever. Well, we printed out 2,000 copies; 1,500 or 2,000, I forget.

And guess what? On our safety and chemistry guidebook, there were some significant errors in the book, like enough where it was a big deal. It wasn’t a typo. It wasn’t a comma versus a period. It was wrong information. And I saw it, and my heart dropped. And I’m like, “Oh man; he got the wrong file.” And I had a choice to make. What do you do? Do we reprint it for an $8,000 bill, which I did not have? Or, do we send them out with incorrect information?

And I don’t know about you, but this was right after Christmas time. This was in January for us. And I don’t about you, but we love watching Elf, Will Ferrell. We love watching the Elf movie. And guess what happened? The part of the movie—And I’m going to quote it here—Walter Hobbs, Elf’s dad, said this. Let me set the stage here. Remember when Walter at the very beginning of the movie, Elf, Sabrina?

Mama Z: Oh yea. He was working for the book publisher. And they had made a children’s book.

Dr. Z: About a puppy and a pigeon.

Mama Z: Yep. And then they realized that they forgot the back page or something.

Dr. Z: They forgot a page of the book. And they printed the book, right? And what did the print guy tell them? The print guy was like, “Well, what do you want me to do? Do you want to go to print? Do you want to send this out to the publisher?” Remember? Like this is going to be a huge deal. Do you want to reprint all these books? And here’s what Walter said: “No, I want to take a 30,000-dollar bath so some kid understands what happened to a stupid puppy and a pigeon.” He goes, “Yea, print the books.”

Mama Z: Without the back page.

Dr. Z: With missing a page in the book. That quote haunted me. When I was tempted, and I will be true to you, I was tempted to say, “You know what? I don’t have the money for this. I can’t afford $8,000 to reprint all of these chemistry and guidebooks for people,” knowing that there was something incorrect in it. But you know what? God didn’t let me go. And that little small voice said, “You have a spirit of excellence. You’re not going to skimp. Trust Me.”

And you know what? I did it in faith. And we reprinted. And guess what? It took an extra week. Also, too, it took an extra week to print. It cost $8,000. We recycled all of those, whatever, 1,500 or 2,000 books that we printed out. And no one is the wiser. We made $8,000 less.

But actually we didn’t, because that event exploded. And I believe God blessed us in a huge way. Since then, more than 450,000, almost 500,000, almost a half a million people have watched this master class. And so, you know, the Bible says in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, or love the other. He will be devoted to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

So, in that position and in that moment, I had a moment of weakness, super stressed out. And that was also going back to episodes, whatever it was, two or three, we talked about me working forty hours straight without breaking.

Mama Z: Sleeping in my closet, on the floor.

Dr. Z: Yea, I fell asleep. This was a really, really stressful season of our life. You know, we were just trying to make ends meet, too. We have a family of six. And we’re trying to help people and minister to people, and make money and live. And I’m so grateful for the movie Elf. I’m so grateful that God used that quote. I’ll never forget. “Why don’t I take a bath so a kid can read a stupid book about a puppy and a pigeon?” Like, no way. So, what we’re trying to challenge you to do is whatever the cost, have a spirit of excellence.

So, Sabrina, read the verse there on the spirit of excellence. Let’s set the stage here, because you have a spirit of excellence in every area of your life. It will pay off. I just shared with you a little story about how it helped us. It really paid off financially. It really did. And when you have that spirit of excellence in every area of life, even making beds, even being on time and making deadlines, my dear.

Mama Z: I make most deadlines.

Dr. Z: I will make a deadline and be on time to a place versus make my bed. And maybe that’s one reason why I’m on time, because I’m not making my bed. But anyway, so tell us about a spirit of excellence for a minute.

 

[19:53 – 34:28] Excellence vs. Perfectionism

Mama Z: Daniel 6:3—“Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was with him. And the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”

Dr. Z: So, the first time you hear about the spirit of excellence is through Daniel. And if you haven’t read the book of Daniel, especially chapter 6. And because he had that spirit of excellence, and we see that with Joseph, too, how Joseph and Daniel being foreigners in these heathen countries, God advanced to being second or third or whatever in command. I mean they were given favor above anyone else that was local and was native to that culture.

You know, second book of Timothy, chapter 2, Paul says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the truth.” To me, that really exemplifies the spirit of excellence, doing our best as workers for God, whether it’s our job, whether it’s how we manage our household, our health, and every area. But if we do our best, there is no shame. Essentially what this is saying is live a life of no regrets.

And the key is in Colossians. And Paul says it twice in the same chapter. It’s as if we needed to be reminded, just a couple of verses apart from each other. “But do things as if you do them for the Lord,” Colossians 3:17: “Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father though Him.” And then just a couple of verses later, Colossians 3:23: “And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ.”

Mama Z: And one of the things you mentioned, and I think it’s important, and I was going to bring this up in my little book of quotes and stuff that I use to motivate me, is if you have done your best, then there’s nothing to worry about, if you’re always doing your best.

Dr. Z: And you know what? When Isaiah cried, because he got 92 percent on his spelling test a couple of months, ago. Isaiah is our straight A student. Isaiah is like me. School is really easy for him. And for me, again, out of all the kids, he’s the one that is closest to me right now. I don’t know about Bella. Bella can go either way, because she’s only two.

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah!

Dr. Z: A lot of the things, like Sabrina, she excelled in a lot of other areas. School was something she really had to work at. For me, I did not have to work at school.

Mama Z: I had to work at it. But I did get A’s.

Dr. Z: Yea.

Mama Z: But I really had to work at it.

Dr. Z: I didn’t have to work at it, because it was easy. And so, when Isaiah got a 92 percent, he started crying. I’m like, “Why are you crying, dude? You got an A.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: And the thing is he was starting to fall into this perfectionism trap. And we want to caution you. You do your best and leave the results to God. And that was a great learning experience for our little baby. You know, he’s seven, my baby. He’s my boy, seven years old. I’m like, “Look, buddy. You do your best.”

And the same thing when, especially Elijah, who’s now six. Elijah, he struck out at baseball. We were playing backyard baseball. And I gave him five tries instead of three, and he still struck out. And he started almost crying. I’m like, “Buddy, it’s alright. You know, you strike out sometimes.” And the next time he got at bat, he got a home run. But it was those moments where you do your best, and you leave the results to God. We need to remember that as adults.

Mama Z: Right. Well, it’s important to start teaching your kids that at a young age, you know. And I start that with jobs, because that was one of the things that my parents did, was they held a high standard. They held a high standard for jobs. And my dad would say, “If you’re going to do a bad job, you’re going to do it again. You’re going to do it over and over again until it’s right.” So, you know, learn this the first time. Do it right with a high standard, and you’re not going to have to repeat yourself.

And so, you know, when it comes to swivel sweeping the floor, or filling up your water bottle before you put it back in the frig, or putting your dishes in the sink, because I’ll say, “What does mommy say?” And they’ll say, “You are not our maid.”

Dr. Z: Hah, hah, hah! She’s like, “I’m not your maid.” I love it.

Mama Z: But they have to learn that now, because I want them, it’s so much to the fact that. Now, Esther will go, “Mom, I made your latte for you.” You know, I make a matcha latte in the morning. And she’s like, “Oh, today is a really good one, too,” you know. And then she goes, “I tested it just to make sure.” And so, you know, she has fun with that. But that’s because I’ve shown them. And because we do a routine in what we do at the house, they know what comes next. And they are comfortable in that. So, then they do it even better each time.

So, at first, there was laundry all over the floor. I don’t do laundry all over the floor. It needs to make it. I was like, “How do you think it makes it back in your closet, you know? Does it just magically appear? No, you need to walk it down to the washing machine and throw it in. And so, you know, it’s about making that bed, tucking in those corners, all of that stuff. Just doing that in your regular life, and having them pick that stuff up. It’s caught, not taught.

Dr. Z: The Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, “So, whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” And this is something that we all need to hear. And I think that this is something that we all need to remind ourselves with, weekly if not daily. What are you eating? What are you drinking? What are you thinking? What are you watching? What are you doing? Because if it’s not for the glory of God, and if it’s not to satisfy the Holy Spirit, it’s going to satisfy our flesh. And that’s where people get in trouble.

And that’s why diets fail. And that’s why people gain weight. This is why people get divorced. This is why you get fired from your job. By the way, I’ve been fired from two jobs. I’ve learned my lesson about having a spirit of excellence in that. And so, it’s about having standards for every aspect of your life. And this is key. Never, ever give up. Never compromise. It will always pay off.

And going back to Daniel, such a great example in the Bible, you know Daniel decided not to compromise. He had a choice. He could have eaten the king’s sweet breads. And he could have eaten all the unclean meats that were commanded against by God in the Tanakh. But he said no. Daniel said, “I’m going to stick true to what God told me to do.”

And then the Eunuch told him, “Look, okay, I’m let you do this for a couple of weeks. I’ll let you eat your vegetables and fruits and stuff. But if you’re sick looking, and if you’re not doing good, my head is on the chopping block here. I’m going to make you eat this other food.” So, Daniel is like, “Okay, test me.” And then after the two or three weeks, guess what? The dude was ripped. He was in good shape. He wasn’t eating the junk that everyone else was eating. His skin was glowing. He looked great. And so, that’s about never compromising, because you will receive benefits.

And the Bible says, Jesus, our Savior and Lord, says in Matthew: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” And Paul in Galatians: “And let us not grow weary in doing good.” You quote this all the time, Sabrina. “For in due season, we will reap. And we do not give up. So then as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” We reap what we sow.

Mama Z: Absolutely. And when I was in tenth grade, I remember our teacher had four questions that he put on the board. And it was, “What is the meaning of life? What’s the first great lesson of life? The only thing that lasts forever? And the most important thing for everyone to know? And I still remember that to this day. And he’s like, “All of these questions are answered in all of your reading.”

And we read all kinds of different things. But the bottom line was all of the people that were successful and were doing things for the country and all of the different things that we had learned, they all never gave up. They never gave up. And that was the first great lesson of life.

Dr. Z: So, if you need a little motivation, here’s a verse that has really been just a cornerstone for the book, The Healing Power of Essential Oils, as well as The Essential Oils Diet. It’s quoted in both of our books, because it’s about transformation. Romans 12, verse 1: “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship.” And he talks about being renewed, and having a renewal of mind to be transformed.

And that’s what we’re trying to talk about here. We’re trying to talk about and give you the motivation like we have. It’s something I had to learn. It was a transition for me. I didn’t have this transformation renewal of the mind mindset when I became a Christian when I was 23. I literally took the easy way out during college. I didn’t take the classes that were challenging. I was enrolled in the business college. I got a C. I almost failed my economics class. I just skirted my way through a C. I was like, “Forget this. Business isn’t for me.” And then I took the easy way out.

Mama Z: I never knew that. I would have never guessed that. I went to college and literally told them, “I’m not paying for any class I already paid for in high school.” And they were like, “Well, for business, you need to take business math.” I said, “No. I’m going to take calculus.”

Dr. Z: Yea, they were glad. Hah, hah, hah!

Mama Z: But they said, “You can’t. You have to pass basic math.” I said, “If I can pass calculus, then basic math is nothing. But I’m not paying for something that I already had in high school. I’m ready for the next level.” And I would tutor the engineers that were in the class. And so, I took calculus for fun. But you know, I was like, “I’ve already done that. I want to get on to the next thing, whatever that is.” I never knew that you had purposefully

Dr. Z: That’s why I took English. I mean I’m a pretty good writer. And that’s my gift.

Mama Z: Yea.

Dr. Z: I did my first book when I was seven years old. I won an award–“Stan the Tiger.” It was all about Stan overcoming his fear of fire. And he helped save his little friend. And he had to jump through the fire ring.

Actually, I should bring that out of the archives. That will probably be a kid’s bestseller. So, I love writing. I loved reading. I loved mythology. I loved all the classics. And I was in the honors college, but I dove into, and I purposefully. And this is one thing, too. I purposefully did my research. And you could say I hacked my way. I found out which teachers were easy and which ones weren’t. I did my research. I talked to other students. And I really took the easy way out. I graduated with just under a 4.0. And I did not accomplish really what God would have me accomplish.

So, when I’m 29 years old, we talked about this before. We quit our job. We moved down to Georgia to become a chiropractor and go through chiropractic college. That was when I was finally forced and challenged. And because I took the easy way out, we had six months. They call it pre-DC, pre doctor of chiropractic work. I had to basically convert my bachelor of arts into a bachelor of science. And then I got my doctorate. And so, that was challenging, to take biology for the first time ever, biochemistry for the first time ever, and all of these classes.

Mama Z: Boy, I loved chemistry. I actually was in the honors college, too. But I made chemistry like an honors course, like by doing extra research.

Dr. Z: Not in my world.

Mama Z: Oh my gosh! Hah, hah, hah!

Dr. Z: But you know what the thing was? One thing that was an under-arching theme in my world was fear. It really was. It was fear of failure. And one tip for everyone listening right now—if you’re battling the spirit of excellence, maybe I should say battling and not fulfilling that spirit of excellence, are you afraid of failing?

Like our children, we’re like, “Don’t worry. You will fall down. But we’ll help you get up. And don’t worry, you will get sometimes Bs and Cs. You might fail a test or two. But it’s okay. You will strike out. But get up again.

Mama Z: Well, and I think, too, you know, I remember coaching a girl for pageants. And she would not invite any of her friends to the pageant, because she didn’t want to have the chance of possibly losing (in her mind losing, because you always gain experience in whatever you do). And she didn’t want to have to answer to those people then on Monday morning at school. And I think, you know, we have to put ourselves out there if we’re going to strive to be a more excellent self than we are today, tomorrow.

Dr. Z: Yep.

Mama Z: It’s important. And I remember when I worked for the Saginaw Spirit hockey team. I was the very first hire of the team. And we wanted to nail down our goals, our values, and what we stood for. And we jotted all these things down, because we carried them on a little card in our pocket. And it boiled down to committed to excellence. And it came to us. And you really have to be committed to excellence. And that really is in every area of your life.

Dr. Z: So, in addition to fear, there’s also one common pitfall that people struggle with as they pursue their hopes and dreams. And this pitfall prevents most people from being successful in what they’re trying to do, whether it’s work, sports, hobbies, health, whatever. But before we talk about that, a word from our sponsor.

 

[34:29 – 35:09] Sponsor Spotlight: Thrive Market

Dr. Z: There’s nothing like hearing the doorbell of the delivery person, letting you know that a Thrive Market package has landed on our doorstep. It’s like Christmas time every time we get a package.

Mama Z: Yes. From ingredients to snacks, it’s so awesome. And the kids go nuts.

Dr. Z: We love Thrive Market, the convenience, the price, and just the movement, because we know that every dollar spent goes towards a more sustainable, healthy, natural world. So, if you haven’t joined, what are you waiting for? You’re going to absolutely love it.

 

[35:10 – 42:57] The Pitfall that Holds Most People Back

Dr. Z: So, what is this common pitfall that all of us have to overcome? It is the one thing that holds most people back. It’s like a ball and chain.

Mama Z: Laziness.

Dr. Z: What’s your story? It’s the infamous vacuum cleaner story. Bottom line, hard work gets the job done.

Mama Z: It does. So, okay, of course, you know we had to do our jobs, and they were done right, or we had to do them over again. But my dad had us vacuum the floor. And, you know, we would vacuum it all over the place first. And then he would have us go up and down one way and line up the lines, and then go the opposite way and line up the lines.

Dr. Z: Criss-cross?

Mama Z: Kind of. It almost looked like you had just mowed the lawn. And we had to do that on the lawn, too. But we had to do it that way, and we had to do it the other way.

And forever I thought it was just because he was weird that we had to do it. But then my grandma made me do it. And they did it because they wanted us to be able to have a level of excellence to it. And they wanted us not to take the short way out and just go here, here, here, here, and kick any last bit of stuff under the table type thing. They wanted to see the lines. They wanted to see the lines to make sure we got every area of the room.

Dr. Z: Your dad’s mom?

Mama Z: My dad’s mom.

Dr. Z: So, your grandma.

Mama Z: My grandma.

Dr. Z: Passed it to your dad.

Mama Z: And passed it to me.

Dr. Z: And now our poor kids are getting it.

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah!

Dr. Z: See the legacy. That’s what this is about, hard work.

Mama Z: My second sister, she was the youngest. And look, I remember, oh yea, when my sister, Samantha, go the vacuum cleaner speech. And she had to do it in her room, you know. And I was like, yes, because she finally made it to the point where she was going to hold this level of excellence with that area. Well, then my sister Veronica came into play. And they were tired by that time.

Dr. Z: Your mom and dad were tired.

Mama Z: Yea.

Dr. Z: They were a little bit older.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: Sabrina tuckered them out, by the way. She was a handful. You’ve got to talk about that. You were a handful. Your mom told me.

Mama Z: So, anyway, I go into my sister’s room. And she looks at me and she goes, “The vacuum cleaner speech, yes!” And then he was easier on her. She just had to get it all cleaned up, you know. She didn’t have to do the lines.

Dr. Z: Maybe that’s why she ended up the way she is, poor girl. No, she is a great girl.

Mama Z: She’s a five.

Dr. Z: Well, she, actually out of everyone, it took her a little longer to find her way. But she’s doing great. Veronica, if you’re listening, we love you.

Mama Z: But she did have to do the lines. But it was only on her room that she had to do the lines.

Dr. Z: Her room was a pig sty, though. She was a messy girl.

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah! Well, hopefully that’s changed now that she’s married and has a new house and all that stuff.

Dr. Z: She’s not as obsessive about hospital corners like you are. See, you give an inch and you’ll take a mile.

Mama Z: But remember, I’ll never forget when I worked for the Saginaw Spirit hockey team, Dick Arbor, and I love this man to pieces. And he said something profound: “The enemy of great is good.”

Dr. Z: Yep.

Mama Z: And if that is the common theme that you’re working with in your head, then you’re always going to strive to do better, to be able to put your best forth all the time. And if you think about in life, you always have had to step that up. You know, in grade school you didn’t have to do as much as you had to do in junior high, which prepared you then for high school, and then college, and then your professional life.

And college students are like, “Man, I’ve really got it bad.” And I’m thinking, “Wait until you get to your professional days. You’re going to be stretched and grown.” And if you allow yourself to be stretched and grown, then you are going to become better each and every day, if you allow it.

Dr. Z: Now the enemy of great is good is a great reminder, it’s a great reminder. Great, I’ve got a lot of greats here. The enemy of great is good is a fantastic reminder to say yes and no to certain things. And the problem that a lot of people have is too many options, especially now. So, if you have a really, really good option, whether it’s a girlfriend or boyfriend you’re dating, whether it’s a job opportunity, whether it’s the home, whatever; if you have a good option, you might be tempted to take it. But is it great?

Mama Z: That’s right.

Dr. Z: Is it God’s best for you?

Mama Z: Right. Because, you know, I was engaged once before you. And the thing was—

Dr. Z: He just couldn’t handle you. Hah, hah, hah! You have a lot of sass, capital S. There are not a lot of guys that can handle your sass.

Mama Z: Listen, though.

Dr. Z: Bless my heart! Hah, hah, hah!

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah! So, I remember I finally committed it to the Lord. And I’m like, “God, if this is not your will, let it be done.” And within two weeks it was. And this relationship had lasted many years. So, you know, always make sure that you check it against what God has, and pray. That’s especially like what we do with whatever the project is. We ask God to open doors that no man can open and shut the wrong doors. And also, acknowledge God, and we know that He will guide our path. And so, I think it’s important to take that same approach when you’re going and doing different things within your life as well.

Dr. Z: You know, for myself and my story, I wasn’t raised in that environment. And so, I’m going to talk about that in just a minute. We’re going to be giving some tips on how we’ve overcome laziness. But I want you to know, I relate. I relate to, dare I say, most people.

I think your mom and dad, I think your grandparents, Sabrina, I think you are part of a minority. I think looking statistically at the people that live through working middle class environments, working in the inner city and rural environments, I think most people would struggle to relate to having a Ph.D chemist as a father. And like both of your grandparents were extremely accomplished. Most people don’t have that as a legacy.

And so, that’s one of the wonderful things about when we combined and why I truly see now more than ever why you are God’s perfect gift for me, and how you’ve been able to wife me and how I’ve been able to help husband you. I think we’ve really been able to help balance each other out.

Mama Z: So, have you gotten rid of some of my sass? Hah, hah, hah!

Dr. Z: I don’t know. Chris is over here listening, audio/video guy. Hey, Chris! Should I answer this one?

Chris: Yea, I’m not getting involved in this, buddy. You’re on your own.

Dr. Z: Hah, Hah! Anyway, Lord help me with Sabrina’s sass.

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah!

Dr. Z: But I get it. That’s something that I can relate to. I can relate to the obstacle of not having an example of creating this. But you know what? And I’ll cover this in just a minute. My example became my Heavenly Father.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: And that’s where regardless, and I could hear, “Well I don’t have a dad like Sabrina’s. I don’t have a grandpa like Sabrina.” Well, I didn’t either. But, you know, my dad loved me. My dad was a hard-working man. But he was not a Ph.D. chemist. And he never really pushed himself. And I applaud my dad, because my grandfather, that’s a whole another story. Maybe we should talk about that in a minute here.

 

[42:58 – 48:11] Regret: the Ultimate Product of Fear

My grandfather enlisted himself. He didn’t get recruited. But he enlisted in the navy. And that was back in the day if you didn’t go to war you were not a man. This was World War 2. They call it “the greatest generation.” And my grandpa Chester, I loved him dearly. Grandpa told my grandma just about I think eight or nine months after they got married, “Hey, I just enlisted.” And, you know, my grandma’s heart just dropped. And soon thereafter she became pregnant. My Uncle Ed was in the Army. My grandpa’s friends, he was like the only guy.

Mama Z: And he was like one of five boys, too.

Dr. Z: No, my dad was one of five boys. My grandpa wasn’t one of five. So, my grandpa went to the Navy. But because my grandpa was so talented, he was a great athlete, he ended up playing baseball. And that was his job in the Navy. Like he was entertainment in World War 2. He was in Hawaii. So, he spent most of his time—he never considered himself a veteran. He spent most of his time in the Navy playing baseball with people like Ted Williams and some of the greats of all time.

And so, grandpa got recruited. He got noticed from some of the top major league ball agents out there and recruiters. And he got two—I think it was the L.A. Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals at the time. He got two offers to be a professional baseball player.

But he ended up saying no because at the time you didn’t make a lot of money in the farm leagues. And there was no guarantee that you were going to make the big leagues. So, grandpa, being from where he was in Detroit, ended up working at the local tire plant. And as respectfully as I could say this, to honor my grandpa because I loved him dearly, he lived the rest of his life in regret. He never played baseball with my dad and his four brothers. My grandpa had five boys. And he didn’t really do sports with them.

And I’ll never forget, I’ll never forget, being a young boy, watching TV with grandpa, and I don’t know what it was. I forget what it was. It was not like he watched baseball a lot. It’s not like he talked about it ever. He got out this box. It was kind of dusty in his closet. And he was like, “Here, I want to show you something.” And I remember my grandma peaking through the doorway, seeing my grandma in the kitchen. She started tearing up. And then my grandpa opened up the box, and he shared everything with me.

It was the first time he talked openly about this in like fifty years. And he showed me the pictures of him with all the professional baseball players, the contract that he didn’t sign from—I forget who it was—either the Dodgers or the Cardinals. And he showed me all this stuff. And I remember my uncles, they never knew it. My dad never knew this stuff.

You see, my grandpa was a hardworking man. But there was something, there was that fear. It was really that fear that prevented him from taking that step of doing something because he had a son. He had a young boy. He was married. He didn’t take that chance. But he lived his life in regret. And so that was passed on to my dad. And that was passed on to me.

And so, I was never pushed to have that spirit of excellence. And you have to have a reckless abandon. You have to not let fear overcome you. But fear defined my life.

Mama Z: Well, and I’ll tell you. It’s interesting, because my dad, he could have played in the minor leagues. And he gave it up for my mom. And they were just starting. Sports was also his background. And he knew that sports helped make him be the person that he was. And so, growing up, we actually had a home plate that we played in the backyard. And if we got ten home runs over the neighbor’s yard, we would get this. If we got twenty, we would get this.

And I remember if you feared the ball, because we were three girls. One of those big red bats, with big balls at first to start out with before we got to the little ones. And he would actually pitch it to hit you with the ball. It’s like you’re not going to fear that ball. You’re not going to fear that ball. So, he would rip it right at you. And if you flinched—

Dr. Z: He would hit you again?

Mama Z: He would hit you.

Dr. Z: That would be called child abuse today.

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah!

Dr. Z: Don’t arrest Sabrina’s dad, if you’re [inaudible] listening.

Mama Z: It taught you not to flinch. He’s, “Do not fear. Go right for it.”

Dr. Z: Yep. It doesn’t really hurt that bad. It stings a little bit.

Mama Z: Right. I mean, you know, this isn’t a ninety-plus an hour pitch coming in going to whack you.

Dr. Z: It was a whiffle ball.

Mama Z: I mean it was a whiffle ball. But, I mean, that taught us. Not only did it teach us that you work hard, you get rewards; after this you get this and this. I think we got an ice cream cone after twenty home runs over the neighbors. But it taught us not to fear. And I think that’s really important going forward.

 

[48:12 – 51:42] What Does the Bible Say about Laziness?

Dr. Z: So, two pitfalls. We’ve discussed fear and laziness. A couple of things about laziness that I’ll let the Bible speak for itself at this point. The book of Proverbs, especially, is really, really clear when it comes to hard work and doing what it takes to get the job done. Proverbs 24:

“So, I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense. And behold, it was overgrown with thorns. The ground was covered with nettles, and the stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it. I looked and received instruction. ‘Just a little sleep, just a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,’ and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”

And Paul says in 2 Thessalonians, “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command,’ Paul says. ‘If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” So, this is something, too, for a lot of the freeloaders out there. And, you know, it’s really easy to criticize welfare. It’s easy to say there are people on food stamps and people taking advantage of the situation. Yes, I know there are people that are really trying to milk the system. And at this point, according to the Bible, they don’t even deserve to eat.

We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about the people that really have a heart to work. And this is something where we need to give them a little bit of grace. So, whether it’s a panhandler on the side of the road, or someone receiving welfare assistance, hey think twice before we judge. But if someone is willing to work, and if they just can’t, that’s completely different. But you still need to be willing to work and put in the time.

Mama Z: I did see where it said something about rest in there and resting. And I remember when we first got married.

Dr. Z: There is rest. There’s the Sabbath.

Mama Z: Well, I get that. But I remember when we first got married, you told me, “I like to sleep.”

Dr. Z: I do like to sleep.

Mama Z: And so, I had to quote Proverbs where it said, “Love not sleep,” because I was not used to that. We got up early; you know, “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” I remember my grandparents saying that like a billion times. And so, I remember quoting that Scripture a bunch of times to you when we were first married.

Dr. Z: Yea.

Mama Z: And now you do make the most of your day. And you don’t sleep extra.

Dr. Z: No. I actually kind of struggled with that. I would sleep in until like 10, 11, 12 o’clock. But also, I had a really wild schedule, too, working at restaurants and bars and things. Like that’s the other thing. You’ve got to get on a schedule, too.

Mama Z: Yes, that is a huge part.

Dr. Z: Proverbs 13: “The soul of a sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” And going back to Thessalonians, Paul finishes his thought and says, “For we hear that some of you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to do their work quietly and to earn your own living.”

See, that’s the other thing, how are we keeping our day? Are we just busybodies on social media, looking at everyone else, being voyeurs, being regretful of what we didn’t do and should do, being envious of other people’s lives? Like there’s an element where you know what? We’ve just got to get it done. So, that’s why I really appreciate you having the get it done diffuser blend.

Mama Z: Yea.

 

[51:43 – 56:45] How to Maximize Your Time

Dr. Z: And to wrap up today’s show, we have a couple of things we want to share with you. Well first, our natural living family tip is going to be all about living a life with no regrets. I’ll cover that in just a minute.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: But let’s talk about overcoming laziness, because I’m going to challenge you. You might not call it lazy, but it is for some people listening. And for me, I had to come up with the fact that, you know what, sleeping in until noon, I’m struggling with laziness here. I’ve got to like crucify this thing on the cross.

Mama Z: And I even want to call it, not how to overcome laziness, but how to be committed to excellence.

Dr. Z: How to be committed to excellence, but put laziness to rest. Like we need to hang laziness on the cross, because it’s a sin. And some people right now are struggling with that. They really are. It’s whether you just don’t want to get up. Like what do you think fast food is? For most people, fast food is for the lazy person. Most conveniences that we have are to satisfy that fleshly

Mama Z: I want it now.

Dr. Z: Yes! And like people are sitting down all the day. And it’s like, “I’m tired; I don’t want to do the work;” or not exercising, not spending those extra few minutes with your kids, not doing what it takes to get your job well done. You know, how many of us are just getting by? Whenever your boss sees you at work, you work like really hard. And then the boss turns away, you’re at the water cooler talking about the game. Like that’s laziness. Like we need to have that spirit of excellence.

That’s another thing, too, for Christians. This is something that really convicted me. My mentor, Enoch, always said this: “You’re on the clock to work. You’re not on the clock to preach. So, if you call yourself a Christian, you’re stealing if you’re using money that you’re getting paid by an employer to do a job to ‘preach the Gospel or do God’s work.”

You do God’s work on your own time. You do God’s work on lunch time. You do God’s work after work. Or, you do what we do and start a business where you can do God’s work on a podcast and have a website. And that’s been the biggest blessing of what we do.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: We do God’s work, and we’re getting paid for it. And even if we don’t get paid for it, we’re still doing it. But that’s the mentality.

Mama Z: Right. And this is one thing, and nobody taught me this, but I guess because of just the way that I was brought up. You know, I worked for the Register of Deeds during college. And I microfilmed documents for the Register of Deeds. So, I microfilmed mortgages and warranty deeds and all kinds of different things.

And they had me do a project where I had to do all these books, and they had like years and years and years for me to catch up. So, like every day I would try to push more pages through. And I remember when I got over a thousand pages microfilmed in one day.

Dr. Z: That’s a lot.

Mama Z: Yea. And in the dark room I guess the red light didn’t work, so, we actually had to process our film in the absolute darkness, which was a challenge. But down in this little microfilm room, there was the microfilm machine, the processor, and a boom box, and a broom.

And so, I thought, you know what? I’m going to maximize this time. Like I don’t get paid for listening to the top forty. But I can enrich myself. So, I listened to Norman Vincent Peale and “The Power of Positive Thinking,” “How to Argue and Win Every Time” by Jerry Spence, like every single self-help book that they had. If not, the radio would have just been playing.

Dr. Z: “How to Argue and Win Every Time”?

Mama Z: Am I winning? Hah, hah, hah.

Dr. Z: I should have known that. You didn’t tell me that.

Mama Z: Oh yes.

Dr. Z: I should have got you investigated. They should have done “How to Back Down from an Argument.”

Mama Z: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Every single one in the self-help aisle, every one that offered a tape. Because back then it was just cassette tapes. They hadn’t done the whole CD thing yet. So, that came later. So, I rented every single tape that they had. Now it would be like MP3s or stuff like that. I don’t even know if the library even has that stuff anymore.

Dr. Z: That’s called iTunes. Hah, hah, hah!

Mama Z: Hah, hah, hah!

Dr. Z: Or stream on YouTube.

Mama Z: But just self-help, because, you know, a lot of times you see at work people are listening to stuff while they’re working. But listening to that, because if the radio was going to be on anyway. But then when I would process stuff, you had to watch the film go through. But then you had to watch the film once it was processed go through another machine.

So, while I would watch it go through, I would do abs. I would literally do an ab workout while I would do it, because I could stand and watch and do standing abs while I watched it go through the thing. I was going to have to stand there for five minutes anyway and do it. And like maximizing your time.

I’m sure as you are looking at some of the tips that I have for you, and you’re looking at your day, you can carve out stuff where you can multi-task. And do things so that you’re thinking smarter, not harder, when it comes to a lot of the things of the tips that I’m going to give you.

 

[56:46 – 1:04:58] Natural Living Tips: Daily Steps to a Life of Excellence

Dr. Z: Yep. So, here’s a thought. It’s a habit.

Mama Z: Yes.

Dr. Z: We need to form a habit of excellence.

Mama Z: A good habit, yes.

Dr. Z: And on average, it takes sixty-six days to form a habit. And that is proven by research. So, start now and consider what can you do today to start good, excellent habits.

Mama Z: Right.

Dr. Z: That could be a number of different things. So, what are some tips of how to?

Mama Z: Okay, so, number one: write lists. Break down tasks even into smaller parts on your list so that things can be less overwhelming and you can cross more things off your list.

Dr. Z: Good. Micro victories.

Mama Z: Micro victories, yes. So, number two: exercise early in the day. You’ll get more energy throughout the day. And it will force you to go to bed earlier, which will naturally drive you to get up earlier. And again, the cycle will continue.

Number three: Have intentions for your life. Set a vision, have an intention, but allow room for God to grow it. God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than ours. So, I think you mentioned in another podcast, you know, what if you had a vision born? And you had like a Mustang convertible, and God wanted to give you a Ferrari. You know, really give God the space to be able to grow your vision into what He sees for us, because He sees the big picture. Just like being up in an airplane, looking down. I see from here to wherever, and it’s like a totally different view. Well, so does God according to your life.

Dr. Z: We have a whole episode on that. So, check the archives.

Mama Z: Yes, absolutely. So, number four: motivation. Know your why, and let that be your driving force. But also, focus on the positives and the benefits of doing the things that you’re doing as well, because you have your driving force.

Number five: Put your head down and plug away one thing at a time. I think sometimes it’s so easy to look at the whole big picture and get overwhelmed, like I mentioned with the writing of the list. But sometimes you just have to put your head down and just start plowing through it so that you can start knocking things off of that list.

Number six: Make an affirmation, quote, or Scripture book. We did talk about that in a previous podcast. But I have one here. And on the front of it, what does it say?

Dr. Z: “A messy bed is okay.”

Mama Z: No, it did not say that.

Dr. Z: Hah, hah, hah.

Mama Z: It said, “There are no shortcuts.” Because, folks, no matter if I had to break those things up on the list, they’re all still on the list. There are no shortcuts. It’s getting it done.

Number seven: visualization. The night before you go to bed, go through the next day’s organization, what you’re going to do, how you’re going to go through it, the tasks that you are going to be focused on, so that you know what you are doing. We’ve always talked about the five P’s. My favorite pastor talked about the five P’s: “Proper planning prevents poor performance.”

And also, another one to throw in there that he would say is: “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall never be broken.” Now we might have our schedules set and all those things. But things do happen within the day. We have lots of different projects that we’re working on. So, also allow the flexibility, just like we allow God, to really share and communicate with us on how we need to grow our intentions and our visions also when it comes to our schedule as well.

Number eight, and this is one of the key things, my grandpa used to say this: “Choose things that represent you.” The people that you surround yourself with will ultimately help change and mold who you are. And you need to surround yourself with like-minded people and successful people who hold a high standard, because when you do that, then both of you grow. Just like the Bible talks about, “Iron sharpens iron.” We need to be able to sharpen each other and help each other grow in the ways that God has called us in.

Dr. Z: So, these are tips, many of which have been passed down from generation to generation to generation in Sabrina’s family. What I want to share really briefly is, in a sense, not only having the spirit of excellence, but it’s about overcoming fear, overcoming laziness, overcoming any obstacle that gets in the way.

I’m coming from a very organic, true grass-roots understanding of this, because I am getting this directly from the Bible. And I got this directly from the Holy Spirit, and not in some super spiritual way that people misunderstand. Like this is one of those real-life transformational stories. The Bible says, if Jesus is your Lord, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. And God will give you a new heart, take out heart of stone, and put in a heart of flesh. He will put a new spirit in you.

So, the one word that comes to mind is conviction. And I was significantly and forever convicted that I needed to change my ways. But it wasn’t left there. God just didn’t leave me on a cliff. He reminded me and He showed me in the Bible, like Philippians 4:13, that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And God let me know in the book of Jeremiah that He has a plan and purpose for me.

Mama Z: Amen!

Dr. Z: And so, for me, for those of you who don’t have that legacy, that spirit of excellence that Sabrina was raised with, and if you could relate to my story, then I’m going to ask you to go to your Heavenly Father as the example. Read the Bible. Go through your brother, our brother, Daniel, thousands of years ago as an example. We do have brothers and sisters in Christ that go all the way back to Adam and Eve that are our examples, the prophets, Esther, Ruth, the great men and women of old, the hall of faith that we hear about in Hebrews. These are our examples of people how they overcame.

And so, if you have not been given that legacy, it’s time for you to start. And you can stop the cycle, whatever cycle it is, you can change and you can do what God has for you to do. And just know this, the world will never be what the world needs to be until we all step up and be what we are called to be by God.

Mama Z: Amen!

Dr. Z: The world will always be at a disadvantage. The world will always be handicapped. The world will be always be unable to feed and love and grow in the way that it can. So, to me, that’s my conviction. I only have so many years on this planet. And I’m going to do my best. And so, yes, you can; you can do it. And it is your destiny to have a spirit of excellence in whatever it is that you’re called by God to do.

Mama Z: Amen!

Mama Z: And to wrap up today’s show, we have a natural living tip for you.

Dr. Z: So, to help you on your journey to having a spirit of excellence, I encourage you to commit to a life of living with no regrets. Realize that you can never take back yesterday. But you can always shape today and tomorrow into whatever God has for you.

Listen to that still small voice. Don’t ignore the Holy Spirit. And when God nudges your heart, and you know when it’s God, because He doesn’t scream at you like the Devil does; when God nudges at your heart over and over and over again, you listen. You be obedient. The more you follow and more that you obey, the clearer God’s voice becomes. The danger is when you ignore. And soon you become numb. The next thing you know, you tune out the Holy Spirit completely. So, listen to God’s voice. Commit to a life of no regrets. And just expect great things to happen.

Mama Z: Amen!

 

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[1:05:41- end] Episode WrapUp

Dr. Z: Well, everyone, thank you for listening today. We hoped you enjoyed the show. And as a reminder, you can find all the Natural Living Family podcast episodes, show notes, and transcripts on NaturalLivingFamilypodcast.com. While on our website, don’t forget to sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter, which includes a personal invite to join our private Facebook group, so you can connect with Mama Z one on one. And you can meet thousands of other natural living lovers just like you.

And don’t forget, you can subscribe to our podcasts. Please do, and leave a review. We love hearing what you have to say. Well, Dr. Z here.

Mama Z: And Mama Z.

Dr. Z: And our hope and prayer are that you and your family truly experience the abundant life. God bless y’all!

Mama Z: God bless you!

Dr. Z: Bye bye!

Mama Z: Bye bye!