Confidence isn't something you wait for. It's something you build through action, one small step at a time.

Most people think they need confidence before they can take action. But what if it actually works the other way around?

In this episode of The Expert Method, Ian Gatzke sits down with Dr. Christiane Schroeter to explore how small, intentional actions can build real confidence, help us overcome perfectionism, and create meaningful personal growth.

Christiane shares her Petite Practice philosophy: the idea that small steps, repeated consistently, can lead to bold results. Drawing from her experience as a professor and her work helping people become comfortable with discomfort, she explains why confidence comes from doing the things that challenge us, not waiting until those things feel easy.

They also explore the perfectionism trap that keeps people from putting their work into the world, why personal transformation requires more than checking boxes, and how understanding your own story can help you discover the unique value you have to offer.

You don't need to transform your entire life overnight.

You need to take the next small step, follow through, and prove to yourself that you're capable of more than you thought.

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Dr. Schroeter’s Links:
- Website: https://doctorchristiane.com
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/christianeschroeter
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctor.christiane
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doctor.christiane
- YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@doctor.christiane

Dr. Schroeter’s Books:
https://doctorchristiane.com/books

===============
Download the Program Execution System Toolkit:
https://implementgpts.com/pestoolkit

===============
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-gatzke/
- Schedule Free Blueprinting Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/implement-ai-blueprinting

===============
Highlights:
0:00 Episode Highlight
1:01 Stop Checking Boxes
5:34 Growth Requires Discomfort
8:22 Start With a Petite Practice
12:23 Confidence Comes From Repetition
15:44 You Don’t Have to Be Perfect
17:38 Escape the Perfectionism Spiral
22:34 Growth Changes Who You Are
25:52 Find Your Superpower in Your Roots
30:47 Turn Your Mess Into a Message

Waiting until you feel confident might be the very thing keeping you stuck.

Most people think confidence has to come before action. But what if confidence is something you build by taking action, making mistakes, and learning along the way?

In this episode of The Expert Method, Ian Gatzke sits down with coach Willie Blake to explore why we hesitate, how our relationship with failure shapes our behavior, and what it actually takes to move forward when we don't feel ready.

Willie shares the story of starting his coaching business while working at Walmart, including the first year when he had zero clients and hosted a weekly mastermind that nobody attended. Instead of walking away, he pressed record anyway.

That experience opens up a deeper conversation about building belief in yourself before anyone else does, why small consistent actions matter more than waiting for the perfect moment, and how to break overwhelming goals into steps you can actually take.

They also explore the psychological side of getting stuck: how past experiences shape our beliefs, why fear can persist even when we know exactly what to do, and why moving forward sometimes requires more than another strategy or productivity system.

If you've ever known what you needed to do but struggled to get yourself to follow through, this conversation offers a different way to think about confidence, failure, and taking action.

As Willie puts it: "You're not behind. You're just still in park."

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Willie’s Links:
- Website: https://coachwillieblake.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willieblake-light
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillieBlake.Light
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willieblake_light
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@willieblake_light
- YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DyslexicAchieversHub

Breaking Free: The 12 Chains That Hold Us Back (and How to Shatter Them):
https://coachwillieblake.com/breakfree

The Dyslexic Achiever’s Blueprint:
https://coachwillieblake.com/freegift

===============
Download the Program Execution System Toolkit:
https://implementgpts.com/pestoolkit

===============
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-gatzke/
- Schedule Free Blueprinting Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/implement-ai-blueprinting

===============
Highlights:
0:00 Episode Highlight
1:45 Confidence Comes After Action
4:38 Is Failure Even Real?
10:51 When Nobody Shows Up
14:18 You Only Fail When You Quit
16:17 Want Something Bigger Than Yourself
19:52 Build Belief One Step at a Time
25:22 Make the Next Step Smaller
33:04 Do It Before You Feel Confident
35:28 Find the Root of the Fear
45:49 Episode Takeaway

Blockchain has been surrounded by hype for years. But beyond Bitcoin, cryptocurrency speculation, and NFTs, what problems does the technology actually solve?

In this episode of The Expert Method, Ian Gatzke sits down with blockchain attorney and author Eric Guthrie to explore the practical applications of blockchain technology, where it creates real value, and where entrepreneurs are building solutions in search of problems.

Eric breaks down how blockchain works in simple terms, then walks through real-world applications ranging from supply chain tracking and international payments to financial accessibility and business infrastructure.

They also explore why so many blockchain startups struggle, what separates legitimate applications from speculative projects, and how emerging technologies like AI could influence blockchain's future.

Whether you're an entrepreneur looking for new opportunities or simply someone trying to understand the technology beyond the headlines, this conversation offers a practical look at what blockchain can actually do.

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Eric’s Links:
- Website: https://ericguthrie.com
- Website: https://www.blockchainordie.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericlanceguthrie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/BetterMEBetterWE/100063648477166
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettermebetterwe
- X: https://x.com/BetterMe4We

Eric’s Books:
https://ericguthrie.com/#mybooks

===============
Download the Program Execution System Toolkit:
https://implementgpts.com/pestoolkit

===============
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-gatzke/
- Schedule Free Blueprinting Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/implement-ai-blueprinting

===============
Highlights:
0:00 Episode Highlight
1:46 How Blockchain Actually Works
7:33 Where Blockchain Creates Value
12:30 Tokens vs. Blockchains
17:32 What’s Slowing Adoption
23:27 Start With the Problem
25:53 Eliminate the Middlemen
29:56 What Blockchain Could Become
37:00 Understand and Love Each Other
38:17 Episode Takeaway

You can be completely confident in your expertise and still freeze when it's time to perform.

Whether you're giving an important presentation, pitching investors, or speaking in front of an audience, knowing your material doesn't necessarily stop the nerves from taking over. So if confidence isn't the problem, what is?

In this episode of The Expert Method, Ian Gatzke sits down with Dr. David Lee Fish to explore the psychology of performance anxiety, why even experienced professionals struggle under pressure, and how to perform at your best without needing to eliminate nervousness.

Drawing from his experience as a musician, educator, and performance anxiety specialist, Dr. Fish explains why the brain interprets certain performance situations as threats and why trying to reason your way out of anxiety often doesn't work.

The goal isn't to never feel nervous again. It's to develop the ability to stay focused, trust your expertise, and do what you came to do, even when the nerves show up.

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Dr. Fish’s Links:
- Website: https://riseupeight.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidleefish
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rise-Up-Eight/61584704705649
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riseupeight8
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@riseupeight
- YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@riseupeight

The 5-Day STAGE FRIGHT Solution:
https://www.amazon.com/5-Day-STAGE-FRIGHT-Solution-ebook/dp/B0793X93T4

===============
Download the Program Execution System Toolkit:
https://implementgpts.com/pestoolkit

===============
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-gatzke
- Schedule Free Blueprinting Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/implement-ai-blueprinting

===============
Highlights:
0:00 Episode Highlight
1:28 Why Confident People Still Get Nervous
2:00 The Formula for Performance Anxiety
8:42 Your Brain Is Reacting to a Threat
11:01 Why You Can’t Think Your Way Out
13:40 Stop Trying to Eliminate the Nerves
15:56 Only Go Straight
22:32 Train Your Attention Like a Skill
26:07 Stop Fighting Your Thoughts
30:56 The READ Method
35:16 Confidence Comes From Expertise
40:12 You’re Perfectly Human
40:52 Episode Takeaway

Most people spend their lives trying to figure out what they're meant to do without ever stopping to ask a more fundamental question: Who am I?

We often define ourselves by our careers, relationships, accomplishments, and the expectations of others. But what if those things have very little to do with who we actually are?

In this episode of The Expert Method, Ian Gatzke sits down with author and coach LaTonya Renee Flood to explore the relationship between identity, purpose, faith, and the work we're called to do.

LaTonya shares a personal story about a childhood experience that shaped how she showed up in the world for nearly 30 years, and how confronting the beliefs she had carried since that moment helped her begin living with greater confidence and intention.

Together, they explore how to separate your identity from the roles you play, recognize the gifts and abilities that come naturally to you, and identify the problems you may be uniquely positioned to solve.

They also discuss the role of faith in discovering your purpose, how to move beyond people-pleasing and the need for external validation, and why becoming who you're meant to be sometimes requires letting go of relationships and expectations that no longer fit.

If you've ever felt uncertain about your direction in life, struggled to understand what you're meant to contribute, or felt held back by other people's opinions, this conversation offers a different place to start.

Before you can know what you're meant to do, you have to understand who you are.

===============
LaTonya’s Links:
- Website: https://latonyareneeflood.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latonya-renee-flood-11641519b
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theLaTonyaRenee
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latonyareneeflood
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@latonyareneeflood
- YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KingdomBudgetWhisperer

I Found My Light - Now Go Find Yours: A Journal To Heal And Return To God's Truth:
https://www.amazon.com/Found-My-Light-Journal-Return/dp/B0FR1WJ2DS

===============
Download the Program Execution System Toolkit:
https://implementgpts.com/pestoolkit

===============
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-gatzke/
- Schedule Free Blueprinting Call:
https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/implement-ai-blueprinting

===============
Highlights:
0:00 Episode Highlight
1:13 You Are More Than Your Roles
4:33 Serve Instead of Chase
6:50 Ask the Creator Who You Are
13:47 See Yourself Through God’s Lens
15:46 The Lies That Shape Your Identity
20:30 Faith Comes Before Certainty
23:00 Find Your Gifts
25:11 Follow What Frustrates You
27:20 Know What You’re Called to Do
32:06 Growth Changes Your Relationships
34:28 Stop Seeking Validation
39:08 Good Thing or God Thing?
41:41 You Are More Than Enough
41:51 Episode Takeaway

We have more access to information than ever before. Books, podcasts, courses, and now AI can give us almost anything we want to know in seconds. But more information doesn’t necessarily make us sharper. According to Arnold Beekes, the brain itself needs to be trained.

In this conversation, Arnold introduces his approach to becoming a “brain athlete” and his framework for working with what he describes as our three brains: the head, heart, and gut. We explore why the thinking mind can become so dominant, how curiosity and intuition can get drowned out, and what it looks like when those different parts of ourselves begin working together.

Arnold also shares practical ways to begin training your brain: becoming kinder to yourself, helping other people, following your curiosity, and creating something from what you learn. We also get into the growing role of AI and the risk of outsourcing more and more of our thinking to technology.

At the center of the conversation is a simple idea: if you don’t use your brain, you lose it.

And Arnold’s final message is even simpler: think for yourself.

===============
Arnold’s Links:
- Website: https://www.brainathletes.club
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnoldbeekes
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arnold.beekes
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arnold.beekes
- X: https://x.com/ArnoldBeekes
- YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ArnoldBeekes

Between the Ears Podcast:
https://www.podpage.com/between-the-ears-podcast

The Adventures of Alfred Mor:
https://braingym.fitness/the-adventures-of-alfred-mor-2

===============
Download the Program Execution System Toolkit:
https://implementgpts.com/pestoolkit

===============
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-gatzke/
- Schedule Free Blueprinting Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/implement-ai-blueprinting

===============
Highlights:
0:00 Episode Highlight
1:51 You Have Three Brains
4:15 Use Your Brain or Lose It
8:31 AI Can Weaken Your Thinking
9:30 Unlock More of Your Potential
13:32 Learn to Hear Your Heart Brain
21:05 Train Your Brain With Gratitude
24:32 Your Gut Brain Creates Courage
29:33 How to Start Brain Training
33:46 Be Curious, Then Create
37:02 Everything Is Connected
40:23 Think for Yourself
42:02 Episode Takeaway

Most of us think we’re consciously choosing how we live. But underneath our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are beliefs we may not even know we have—and those beliefs can quietly shape the patterns we repeat for years.

In this episode of The Expert Method, Ian sits down with Robert White, one of the pioneers of the personal growth and transformational training industry, to explore what it actually takes to become aware of those patterns and change them.

Robert shares how growing up in poverty and an abusive environment created an early purpose that drove much of his success: “I’ll never be poor again.” That fuel helped him build companies, create wealth, and achieve many of the external markers of success—but eventually forced him to confront a deeper question: what happens when achievement still doesn’t produce joy or fulfillment?

Robert White has worked directly with more than one million people across four continents through organizations including Lifespring and ARC International. He is the author of Living An ExtraOrdinary Life and has spent decades studying leadership, personal growth, human potential, and transformational change.

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Robert’s Links:
- Website: https://extraordinarypeople.com
- Website: https://www.therobertwhite.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.white1
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extraordinaryrob
- YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/aspenrobert

Living An ExtraOrdinary Life: Unlocking Your Potential for Success, Joy and Fulfillment:
https://www.amazon.com/Living-ExtraOrdinary-Life-Unlocking-Fulfillment-ebook/dp/B0GCFWFXCL

===============
Download the Program Execution System Toolkit:
https://implementgpts.com/pestoolkit

===============
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-gatzke/
- Schedule Free Blueprinting Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/implement-ai-blueprinting

===============
Highlights:
0:00 Episode Highlight
1:39 Hardship Creates a Choice
4:01 When Anger Drives Success
7:44 Success Without Fulfillment
14:31 The Four Levels of Purpose
20:06 How Beliefs Shape Behavior
27:43 You Need an Outside Voice
30:12 Tell the Truth About Reality
32:34 Feel What You Feel
38:19 Find the Key Log
43:20 Learn to Trust Yourself
52:50 Wake Up
54:19 Episode Takeaway

Freedom is often framed as having more options, fewer constraints, and the ability to do whatever you want. Daryl Dittmer sees it differently: sometimes the road has to get narrower before your life becomes more free.

In this conversation, Daryl and Ian explore what happens when you deliberately narrow your focus around the habits, behaviors, relationships, and work that actually move your life forward. They talk about why discipline creates freedom, why recurring obstacles often contain lessons we have been avoiding, and why progress sometimes comes less from adding something new and more from removing the things that are holding you back.

They also dig into the value of simply putting your head down and doing the work in front of you, the role humility plays in becoming more teachable, how experience changes your relationship with adversity, and why a strong enough “why” can keep you moving when things inevitably get difficult.

Daryl also shares his perspective on mentors, self-accountability, toxic relationships, learning through mistakes, and the responsibility each of us has to make something of the potential already inside us.

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Daryl’s Links:
- Website: https://www.daryldittmer.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daryl-dittmer-734205294
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Daryl-Dittmer-Coach/100095169161814
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daryl_dittmer
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@daryldittmercoach
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SHOWUPPodcast-DD

Daryl’s Books:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CKJ2YBX2/allbooks

===============
Download the Program Execution System Toolkit:
https://implementgpts.com/pestoolkit

===============
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-gatzke/
- Schedule Free Blueprinting Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/implement-ai-blueprinting

===============
Highlights:
0:00 Episode Highlight
1:45 Narrow the Road to Freedom
4:40 Discipline Creates Freedom
6:42 Let Your Why Carry You
12:16 Stop Avoiding the Lesson
14:47 Do What’s in Front of You
17:51 Remove the Toxins
20:41 Set Better Boundaries
25:12 Learn Through Experience
28:09 Stop Beating Yourself Up
32:49 Humility Makes You Teachable
35:56 Use What You’ve Learned to Serve
38:51 You’re Standing on a Whale
40:04 Episode Takeaway