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🎙️ Episode 274 – “From Stuck to Purpose: Dean Taylor on the Ripple Effect of Gratitude”
In this deeply inspiring episode of the Derate The Hate podcast, host Wilk Wilkinson welcomes Dean Taylor—speaker, mindset mentor, and purpose-driven leader—for a heartfelt conversation that challenges us all to stop settling for mediocrity and start living with intentionality.
🚧 Feeling Stuck? You’re Not Alone.
Dean spent decades leading in the healthcare space while feeling a quiet frustration many professionals know too well. What changed? The untimely death of his father—along with a long-buried dream—ignited in Dean a mission to build a life rooted in faith, purpose, and legacy.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
🔁 The ripple effect of practicing daily gratitude
🧠 How the Miracle Morning can reset your mindset
💪 Why personal accountability is a game-changer
🔥 Reconnecting with dreams you once shelved
🛠️ Simple tools to begin your transformation today
🛤️ Whether you’re a working dad, a mid-career professional, or someone at a crossroads, Dean’s story proves it’s never too late to change your trajectory.
🌟 Resources & Links
🔗 DeanTaylorOfficial.com
📸 Instagram – @deantaylorofficial
💼 LinkedIn – Dean Taylor
✨ “Gratitude isn't just a feeling — it's a foundation for the life you want to build.” – Dean Taylor
🎧 Hit play, share this with a friend, and let’s keep bettering the world by bettering ourselves.
🗣️ Join the Movement
Tired of the outrage? Let’s build something better. Start small. Serve big.
💥𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙩 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡𝙨.𝙤𝙧𝙜
🎧 Listen, share, and get involved at DerateTheHate.com
The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!
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Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!
*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.
Transcript is AI generated and may contain errors
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:12:08
Wilk Wilkinson
Many of us know what it's like to have dreams unrealized, hopes unfulfilled. And wonder if we could have done something different. Dean Taylor knows that story, and he took action.
00:00:12:08 - 00:00:38:17
Dean Taylor
Right before he passed away. A few months before that happened, we were there getting his house ready for sale, and he had this dream of having his own business. He was worked on drilling rigs most of his life and, had this desire to do small engine repair, did some training. And I remember him studying and taking tests and he got this little engine that he would take apart and put back together and do that many, many times.
00:00:38:19 - 00:01:05:04
Dean Taylor
This is when I was younger, but I don't remember why that business never took off for him. But, but I remember being so excited that he was doing this kind of pursuing this dream. And then here we were, you know, in 2018, cleaning out his garage. And I ran across those old manuals and that little engine sitting in the corner while I were throwing all this stuff away.
00:01:05:04 - 00:01:12:15
Wilk Wilkinson
Another important DTH conversation you do not want to miss. Let's roll that intro.
00:01:12:15 - 00:02:01:08
Wilk Wilkinson
Welcome back, my friends, for the Derate The Hate podcast. I'm your host, Wilk Wilkinson, your blue collar sage calming outrage and helping to navigate a world divided by fog. And those who would spread that fear, outrage and grievance. The D Rate the Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels, America's largest grassroots cross partisan organization working towards civic renewal.
00:02:01:10 - 00:02:28:14
Wilk Wilkinson
This podcast amplifies the mission that we share to foster a more respectful and united America where civic friendship thrives even when we disagree. Each week, through the power of story, conversation, and connection with incredible guests, we work to build bridges instead of barriers, not to change minds on the issues, but to change how we see one another when we differ.
00:02:28:16 - 00:02:52:23
Wilk Wilkinson
Because friends, it really is about bettering the world one attitude at a time. We did not create the hate, but together we can Derate The Hate. So be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share it with a friend and visit Braver angels.org to learn how you can get involved in the movement to bridge the partisan divide.
00:02:53:01 - 00:03:01:19
Wilk Wilkinson
Friends, I am so incredibly grateful that you have joined me for another powerful Derate The Hate episode. So let's get to it.
00:03:02:01 - 00:03:35:20
Wilk Wilkinson
My guest this week is Dean Taylor, a man who knows what it feels like to be stuck. Successful on paper but unfulfilled inside. But instead of staying in that space, Dean took bold, faith driven action to rediscover his purpose. Inspired by the legacy of his late father. Now, with nearly 30 years of leadership in health care and a deeply personal journey of transformation, Dean's on a mission to help others break free from the mediocrity and live lives of true abundance.
00:03:35:22 - 00:04:03:11
Wilk Wilkinson
In this episode, we talk about the power of personal accountability, the transformative practice of daily gratitude, and how routines like the Miracle Morning can radically shift your mindset. Whether you're a working father, a mid-career professional, or someone just seeking more out of life. This conversation is packed with actionable wisdom to help you reignite your dreams and strengthen your relationships.
00:04:03:13 - 00:04:11:09
Wilk Wilkinson
Starting from the inside out. This one's from the heart, my friend. So let's jump into it with my friend Dean Taylor. Here we go.
00:04:11:09 - 00:04:17:05
Wilk Wilkinson
Dean Taylor, thank you so much for joining me here on the Derate The Hate podcast. It is,
00:04:17:05 - 00:04:19:05
Wilk Wilkinson
great to see you today, man.
00:04:19:07 - 00:04:22:21
Dean Taylor
Thank you. Wilk. It's a real honor to be here. Appreciate the opportunity to be,
00:04:22:21 - 00:04:24:20
Dean Taylor
on your show today.
00:04:24:20 - 00:04:26:22
Wilk Wilkinson
I am so grateful to,
00:04:26:22 - 00:04:29:07
Wilk Wilkinson
to have this conversation with you today. Dean.
00:04:29:07 - 00:04:36:14
Wilk Wilkinson
it's one of these things. The Derate The Hate podcast started several years ago with me having this idea that
00:04:36:14 - 00:04:39:18
Wilk Wilkinson
bettering the world one attitude at a time.
00:04:39:18 - 00:04:42:21
Wilk Wilkinson
Two of the main principles for me and doing that,
00:04:42:21 - 00:04:46:01
Wilk Wilkinson
was, was gratitude and personal accountability.
00:04:46:01 - 00:04:46:13
Wilk Wilkinson
And,
00:04:46:13 - 00:04:48:10
Wilk Wilkinson
when you reached out Dean and and
00:04:48:10 - 00:04:54:16
Wilk Wilkinson
I saw that that's the language that you speak in, in the in the things that you do it. You talk
00:04:54:16 - 00:05:02:22
Wilk Wilkinson
a lot about faith, purpose, gratitude, and how we as individuals can do these great things with our lives. And,
00:05:02:22 - 00:05:05:00
Wilk Wilkinson
so I saw you were speaking my language.
00:05:05:02 - 00:05:09:16
Wilk Wilkinson
I knew I wanted to have a conversation. So, again, Dean, grateful that you're here today.
00:05:09:18 - 00:05:16:21
Dean Taylor
Absolutely. Yeah. Thank you again. Appreciate the opportunity and look forward to our conversation today. I'm sure it will be very,
00:05:16:21 - 00:05:23:12
Dean Taylor
good to just for me to be a part of this show as well. So I'm super, super excited.
00:05:23:12 - 00:05:25:06
Wilk Wilkinson
So, Dean, so let's start with,
00:05:25:06 - 00:05:26:02
Wilk Wilkinson
you,
00:05:26:02 - 00:05:30:06
Wilk Wilkinson
when when doing a little bit of reading about you and trying to figure out,
00:05:30:06 - 00:05:35:18
Wilk Wilkinson
what it is that you do, what your, your, your thing was,
00:05:35:18 - 00:05:44:05
Wilk Wilkinson
I saw that you talked about, you felt stuck in your career, and, and and you just didn't see,
00:05:44:05 - 00:05:46:15
Wilk Wilkinson
kind of where you fit in the whole,
00:05:46:15 - 00:05:50:19
Wilk Wilkinson
picture and didn't really understand what your purpose was.
00:05:50:21 - 00:06:05:09
Wilk Wilkinson
So. So let's start there in in how you started to realize that, that gratitude and personal accountability, we're going to be a thing that would ultimately change your life.
00:06:05:11 - 00:06:06:05
Dean Taylor
Yeah. So
00:06:06:05 - 00:06:28:07
Dean Taylor
I've had success in my life. I and it wasn't that I wasn't grateful for what I had done in my life, I, I felt but I think what got me really on this path of, of discovery is I, I started thinking about and I'll just share a quick story and I right before we started recording,
00:06:28:07 - 00:06:34:20
Dean Taylor
my dad passed away in 2018 and part of the right before he passed away a few months before that happened.
00:06:34:20 - 00:06:44:09
Dean Taylor
We were there getting his house ready for sale, and he had this dream of having his own business. He was worked on drilling rigs most of his life, and,
00:06:44:09 - 00:06:58:10
Dean Taylor
I had this desire to do small engine repair, did some training. And I remember him studying and taking tests, and he got this little engine that he would take apart and put back together and did that many, many times.
00:06:58:11 - 00:07:03:16
Dean Taylor
This is when I was younger, but I don't remember why that business never took off for him. But,
00:07:03:16 - 00:07:11:15
Dean Taylor
but I remember being so excited that he was doing this kind of pursuing this dream. And then here we were,
00:07:11:15 - 00:07:13:21
Dean Taylor
in 2018,
00:07:13:21 - 00:07:21:05
Dean Taylor
cleaning out his garage. And I ran across those old manuals and that little engine sitting in the corner while
00:07:21:05 - 00:07:28:20
Dean Taylor
we were throwing all this stuff away, and, and I just I just thought, oh, I'm throwing my dad's dreams, literally.
00:07:28:20 - 00:07:50:02
Dean Taylor
I thought, like, I was throwing them in the trash. And it just kind of maybe stop and think for a second about, well, what am I doing? Am I am I really pursuing this, my passion or what is that for me? And so it just it was just one of those pivotal moments of my life that just really got me thinking.
00:07:50:04 - 00:07:54:10
Dean Taylor
And I, I read the book The Miracle Morning. Some people may have,
00:07:54:10 - 00:07:57:08
Dean Taylor
read that book. Have you heard about that book?
00:07:57:08 - 00:08:03:04
Dean Taylor
And that was one of the other one of those anchor moment, pivotal point points in my life,
00:08:03:04 - 00:08:14:09
Dean Taylor
reading the book and then actually beginning to do the routine and, and the just waking up every morning with a little with more purpose in my day and more intention.
00:08:14:09 - 00:08:25:20
Dean Taylor
And I was being very intentional about my own growth. So that was the beginning of this stirring in my soul of of change and wanting to really uncover
00:08:25:20 - 00:08:37:15
Dean Taylor
what my purpose and passion for was and what I was going to do. And and I and I and I thought about that. I was thinking,
00:08:37:15 - 00:08:41:09
Dean Taylor
I, I've done I've had a successful career.
00:08:41:09 - 00:09:03:02
Dean Taylor
I worked in as a newborn ICU nurse. I got into health care, IT administration, really grateful for all these great experiences. But maybe you can call it a midlife crisis. I'm 56, just turned 56 in April, and this was a few years ago. I was doing all this work and personal development work and thinking about
00:09:03:02 - 00:09:05:17
Dean Taylor
what is it that I'm leaving for my kids behind.
00:09:05:17 - 00:09:08:16
Dean Taylor
And if my kids were looking at me,
00:09:08:16 - 00:09:26:12
Dean Taylor
would they what what legacy am I leaving, not just in terms of finances or anything like that, but I thought, what is the legacy I'm leaving for them in terms of their own beliefs about accomplishing what they want in life and so that was just all those things were kind of going through my mind.
00:09:26:12 - 00:09:42:16
Dean Taylor
And that's kind of what got me really thinking and working and journaling and anyway, it's just been a process over the last, gosh, I'd say,
00:09:42:16 - 00:10:01:04
Dean Taylor
3 or 4 years at least, where I've really been very intentional about my life and what I'm doing and what I want to accomplish. And I've realized that my these dreams that I held on when I had when I was little are and what I wasn't going to do in life.
00:10:01:04 - 00:10:02:19
Dean Taylor
That and so that stuff,
00:10:02:19 - 00:10:05:14
Dean Taylor
I I'm not going to do that now. But,
00:10:05:14 - 00:10:14:18
Dean Taylor
I realized that it's never too it was always too late to stop your dreams, stop dreaming. But it's never too early to start dreaming again.
00:10:14:20 - 00:10:16:05
Wilk Wilkinson
That's right, that's right.
00:10:16:05 - 00:10:22:14
Wilk Wilkinson
No. The. Well. Well, first, and I want to unpack that a little bit, Dean.
00:10:22:14 - 00:10:24:04
Wilk Wilkinson
But,
00:10:24:04 - 00:10:27:10
Wilk Wilkinson
first let me thank you for for sharing the story about your dad.
00:10:27:10 - 00:10:28:09
Wilk Wilkinson
Because,
00:10:28:09 - 00:10:43:11
Wilk Wilkinson
that the the idea of of his dream ending up kind of dying on the vine and staying in the corner of the garage, only to be found at the end of his life.
00:10:43:11 - 00:10:52:09
Wilk Wilkinson
I mean, it's it's a heartbreaking story, but it's heartwarming in a way, because of what it ultimately ended up doing for you. Now, this
00:10:52:09 - 00:10:54:23
Wilk Wilkinson
it makes me think of a phrase,
00:10:54:23 - 00:10:57:09
Wilk Wilkinson
when is the best time to plant an apple tree?
00:10:57:11 - 00:10:59:11
Wilk Wilkinson
40 years ago, right? Yeah.
00:10:59:11 - 00:11:02:19
Wilk Wilkinson
when is the when is the second best time? Today.
00:11:02:19 - 00:11:05:23
Wilk Wilkinson
it's it's one of these things where,
00:11:05:23 - 00:11:20:13
Wilk Wilkinson
we can't go back and undo what we missed doing in the past. But if it's our passion, if it's what we really want, then start today. Start today and make something happen.
00:11:20:15 - 00:11:21:00
Wilk Wilkinson
I,
00:11:21:00 - 00:11:24:02
Wilk Wilkinson
I, I've recently been,
00:11:24:02 - 00:11:37:12
Wilk Wilkinson
fortunate enough when you talk about passion and you talk about purpose and and talk about that legacy, Dean, that you want to leave for your children, what is it that you want them to take away? And,
00:11:37:12 - 00:11:39:07
Wilk Wilkinson
I appreciate you.
00:11:39:07 - 00:11:40:16
Wilk Wilkinson
separating that from
00:11:40:16 - 00:11:41:23
Wilk Wilkinson
the money or whatever.
00:11:42:02 - 00:12:03:18
Wilk Wilkinson
inheritance is whatever it is. Right? What is it that you want your children to learn? And I'm talking to the listeners here. What is it that you want the deed or what is it that you want your children to take away from your life? What is that example that you want to set for them and show them?
00:12:03:18 - 00:12:04:07
Wilk Wilkinson
And,
00:12:04:07 - 00:12:27:04
Wilk Wilkinson
I think, well, one of the best ways we can do that is through storytelling. And the story of your father is just absolutely beautiful, Dean. Because it can it can. So many people can take so many things away from that. And and I think so many people can relate to that and have things in their life that if they look at them and examine them, it really puts things into perspective.
00:12:27:06 - 00:12:27:15
Wilk Wilkinson
I,
00:12:27:15 - 00:12:36:03
Wilk Wilkinson
I recently and by the time this episode comes out, Dean and I told you a little bit about this before, before we started recording, but as soon as
00:12:36:03 - 00:12:39:05
Wilk Wilkinson
by the time this episode comes out, I will have taken this,
00:12:39:05 - 00:12:39:15
Wilk Wilkinson
seated
00:12:39:15 - 00:12:45:20
Wilk Wilkinson
on the staff at Braver Angels as the new director of of media Systems and operations.
00:12:45:22 - 00:12:54:16
Wilk Wilkinson
And when we think about passion and we think about purpose and how we can make a difference and leave a legacy for our children,
00:12:54:16 - 00:13:07:00
Wilk Wilkinson
for me, that is become depolarization work and mindset work and and how do we show people their is a better way to to live? How
00:13:07:00 - 00:13:12:11
Wilk Wilkinson
and a big part of that for me too, just like you, is the gratitude and personal accountability.
00:13:12:11 - 00:13:28:02
Wilk Wilkinson
So when we talk about the miracle morning, I know gratitude is a big part of that, especially for you. So let's start to unpack that miracle morning thing and how that works for you. Dean.
00:13:28:03 - 00:13:34:18
Dean Taylor
Yeah, I, I, I read the book and I first started off with thinking, oh, I'm just doing all the
00:13:34:18 - 00:13:52:19
Dean Taylor
people that may not be familiar. There's the there's the savers routine. S is for silence. Could be meditation. It could be for me. It's prayer. I'm a man of faith. And so that's my silence in the morning is my my morning prayers.
00:13:52:21 - 00:13:55:09
Dean Taylor
And then there's affirmations,
00:13:55:09 - 00:14:12:13
Dean Taylor
visualization, exercise reading and scribing or journaling. That's the six savers. I thought, I'm just going to pick a couple of those things and start doing them. And so I did that. And after a couple of days I'm like, whoa, something's shifting inside of me here. And then I thought, well, why am I?
00:14:12:13 - 00:14:22:10
Dean Taylor
Why am I shortchanging myself or not doing all of these things? So after a week, I started doing all six of those savers.
00:14:22:10 - 00:14:24:14
Dean Taylor
And it doesn't have,
00:14:24:14 - 00:14:33:17
Dean Taylor
some mornings it's it's pretty quick. It can expend maybe ten minutes. Other times if I got a little more time, maybe a half an hour. But somewhere in that range, I just spend time.
00:14:33:19 - 00:14:57:13
Dean Taylor
But doing waking up a little bit earlier and just doing something, just starting my day with real intention. And I just know that I began to notice, I just felt so different. I felt more confident. I felt like I had when I went into encountered things during my day. I could think back on this morning routine, and when I went to bed at night, I always thought I.
00:14:57:15 - 00:15:05:14
Dean Taylor
I did something today, even if I didn't feel like I did something meaningful. But I know I always started off my day that way, even,
00:15:05:14 - 00:15:10:11
Dean Taylor
so that was the beginning for me to and this change and I
00:15:10:11 - 00:15:15:00
Dean Taylor
since then done a lot of other things to develop myself,
00:15:15:00 - 00:15:15:11
Dean Taylor
reading
00:15:15:11 - 00:15:25:02
Dean Taylor
and implementing things that I've read. And you talked about mindset and I just discovered how important the, the words we say to ourselves.
00:15:25:02 - 00:15:25:09
Dean Taylor
And,
00:15:25:09 - 00:15:50:17
Dean Taylor
there's so much dialog and conversation that happens in our, our in our minds and, and and not all of it's positive. And I've just learned that I. I quickly realized how many things I was saying about myself that wasn't really helping me to move forward like I wanted to in life. And so I'm I'm very careful now about the words I say about myself.
00:15:50:19 - 00:15:54:08
Wilk Wilkinson
No, that's right. And that's hugely important. I mean, I
00:15:54:08 - 00:15:55:03
Wilk Wilkinson
think that's
00:15:55:03 - 00:16:02:03
Wilk Wilkinson
a topic that cannot be overstated because we don't see nearly as many things. I mean, even people like,
00:16:02:03 - 00:16:03:21
Wilk Wilkinson
me or people who have,
00:16:03:21 - 00:16:09:19
Wilk Wilkinson
several conversations a day, we don't say nearly as many things to other people as we say to ourselves.
00:16:09:21 - 00:16:27:02
Wilk Wilkinson
And and the way we think about ourselves, the way we talk to ourselves, it it is, is so vitally important. And this takes me into another thing that I know that you've you've brought up before, Dean, is,
00:16:27:02 - 00:16:35:09
Wilk Wilkinson
I talk about personal accountability and I know that you that's a part of your thing too, is is personal accountability.
00:16:35:09 - 00:16:40:17
Wilk Wilkinson
And then when I think about that and, and I see you've talked about,
00:16:40:17 - 00:16:47:09
Wilk Wilkinson
we can't really truly be what we need to be for other people if we aren't that for ourselves.
00:16:47:09 - 00:16:50:12
Wilk Wilkinson
I've had several conversations with a friend of mine,
00:16:50:12 - 00:16:53:04
Wilk Wilkinson
Reggie Wilson, who talks about,
00:16:53:04 - 00:16:53:11
Wilk Wilkinson
We
00:16:53:11 - 00:17:23:08
Wilk Wilkinson
can't provide for others if our cup is, is already empty. And the only way we can fill our cup is by treating ourselves the way that we need to, to be treated to, to be fulfilled. So talk a little bit about that Dean, in, in the idea that, that we really can't be for anybody else unless we are that for ourselves, to start with and how personal accountability plays into that.
00:17:23:10 - 00:17:27:02
Dean Taylor
I love this, and I would say,
00:17:27:02 - 00:17:32:02
Dean Taylor
when you were talking about and mentioning that the first thing that came to my mind was,
00:17:32:02 - 00:17:57:16
Dean Taylor
a story that I, it might that I say I, that I, I changed so they change the story. But the way I view that event in my life is very different is it's a simple thing, but I, I, years ago, I was working for a lawn care company, and I got a ticket for the this lady claim that I made an illegal lane change, and I kind of ran her off the road.
00:17:57:16 - 00:17:58:13
Dean Taylor
And,
00:17:58:13 - 00:18:00:14
Dean Taylor
anyway, I tried to,
00:18:00:14 - 00:18:02:00
Dean Taylor
fight it and say, oh, no,
00:18:02:00 - 00:18:06:09
Dean Taylor
she wasn't paying attention and whatever.
00:18:06:09 - 00:18:17:02
Dean Taylor
Because the in my what I remember there would have been two, two lanes and, and I thought I was going back to help her because I saw her actually leave the road, and I stopped and I backed up, and I went to make sure she was okay.
00:18:17:02 - 00:18:27:09
Dean Taylor
And so I've always had like, the kind of this victim story that I, I was there and I she told a better story than me and I end up getting the ticket.
00:18:27:11 - 00:18:28:02
Wilk Wilkinson
Okay.
00:18:28:04 - 00:18:43:09
Dean Taylor
In my accountable story of that is what I, go back and actually look, there was actually only one lane. And so I thought the I must just not have seen her. I probably didn't really look and notice. And and so
00:18:43:09 - 00:18:55:03
Dean Taylor
my point in sharing this story is what I learned from that story and other things in my life is that I'm always 100% accountable for everything that happens to me.
00:18:55:05 - 00:19:00:10
Dean Taylor
I mean, even if it's something that turned out, negative or,
00:19:00:10 - 00:19:16:16
Dean Taylor
someone did something to me that I didn't ask for, whatever it would be, I'm always accountable. And when I what I mean by that is I have learned that I when I take responsibility for how I respond to that action, whatever it is, that's my accountability part.
00:19:16:16 - 00:19:32:10
Dean Taylor
Like I. I can I can make this story and play this victim role, or I can just say I'm not choosing to go down that path. I'm not going to react this way. I'm going to respond in a different way, in a way that helps me to,
00:19:32:10 - 00:19:35:22
Dean Taylor
be happy. And that and just live with,
00:19:35:22 - 00:19:40:19
Dean Taylor
with clarity is the only way I can really think to say that.
00:19:40:20 - 00:19:41:05
Dean Taylor
Right?
00:19:41:11 - 00:19:49:15
Wilk Wilkinson
Right. Yeah. Viktor Frankl called it the the ultimate freedom, right? The ability to choose our response,
00:19:49:15 - 00:19:57:14
Wilk Wilkinson
in situations that are outside of our control. And, and when I think about personal accountability, then I always go back to the idea that,
00:19:57:14 - 00:20:00:19
Wilk Wilkinson
in every situation that we are in,
00:20:00:19 - 00:20:04:01
Wilk Wilkinson
there are always going to be things that are outside of our control.
00:20:04:01 - 00:20:13:05
Wilk Wilkinson
Always, always. And when we play through those things in our mind or even,
00:20:13:05 - 00:20:31:11
Wilk Wilkinson
while we're working through those things, the one thing that we always have is the ability to choose our response. Stephen Covey talked about it a lot in in the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People too. Responsibility, ability to choose. Our response.
00:20:31:11 - 00:20:34:08
Wilk Wilkinson
I've worked with drivers now for several years, Dean.
00:20:34:08 - 00:20:34:20
Wilk Wilkinson
And,
00:20:34:20 - 00:20:36:22
Wilk Wilkinson
you bring up that that story,
00:20:36:22 - 00:20:52:13
Wilk Wilkinson
about. Well, I was a driver and I worked with with drivers now for several years in transportation for 26 years. And one thing that I always go back to in coaching or when I'm driving myself or when I'm looking at,
00:20:52:13 - 00:21:09:04
Wilk Wilkinson
when I'm investigating an accident or whatever the case may be, I always go back to that whole thing of what was happening, what was within my control or within that driver's control,
00:21:09:04 - 00:21:12:06
Wilk Wilkinson
how did they respond to it?
00:21:12:06 - 00:21:12:11
Wilk Wilkinson
there's
00:21:12:11 - 00:21:17:16
Wilk Wilkinson
like I said, there's always going to be things outside of our control. And
00:21:17:16 - 00:21:20:08
Wilk Wilkinson
you brought up the word clarity and
00:21:20:08 - 00:21:21:14
Wilk Wilkinson
oftentimes,
00:21:21:14 - 00:21:30:15
Wilk Wilkinson
you were recalling the, the accident and saying you thought there was two lanes, but it wasn't until later you realized there was just one lane.
00:21:30:15 - 00:22:04:21
Wilk Wilkinson
And it kind of changed the picture. When we find ourselves in that victim mentality, Dean, we often don't see all the different variables. We, we, we become blinded to many of the different things that actually happened. That moment of clarity comes when you admit that maybe I was the one at fault. Maybe I need to look at this from all different perspectives and see, was there something that I could have done differently?
00:22:04:21 - 00:22:39:00
Wilk Wilkinson
the, the, the thing that I think about in, in that situation, we can just keep on going on the traffic topic and then relate it to so many other things in life. Is when we realize, okay, the the root cause of what happened very well may not have been my fault, but is there anything in that sequence of events that I could have done differently that maybe could have made the situation not turn out as bad as it did?
00:22:39:02 - 00:23:04:06
Wilk Wilkinson
Once we realize that that moment of clarity comes and says, I could have done something different to change the outcome of this, if nothing else, for me, inside, here, inside my heart, or inside my mind, and walked away from this learning something better than just feeling like a victim. Dive into that a little bit for me, Dean.
00:23:04:08 - 00:23:32:21
Dean Taylor
Yeah, I, I when you were one thing, I would say that I that helped me shift my mindset and start thinking, we've talked a little bit about this, but I wanted to bring this up as one of the things that really kind of began to shift my mind from a mindset of, of limitation, was the practice of gratitude and being able to see things and in a different way.
00:23:33:02 - 00:24:02:09
Dean Taylor
And I think gratitude is such a key to shifting our minds from seeing all the things that we lack and, and, and living in a state of, of fear and feeling anxious, to think kind of what you're talking about, seeing things differently from a different, totally different mindset than what could be a better outcome here versus this role.
00:24:02:11 - 00:24:11:17
Dean Taylor
We often play or I find myself off and playing is I'm a victim of my circumstance. I'm a victim of my upbringing. I'm a victim.
00:24:11:17 - 00:24:13:02
Dean Taylor
all these things that,
00:24:13:02 - 00:24:28:15
Dean Taylor
that and I've often said to myself. And so gratitude has become a daily practice and not just, thinking, thankful thoughts, although I think that's definitely a start.
00:24:28:16 - 00:24:31:07
Dean Taylor
I, I, I've developed,
00:24:31:07 - 00:25:00:16
Dean Taylor
a habit of writing down things I'm actually thankful for. And then why am I thankful for those things? What feelings do I feel about those things that I remember? What was the appreciation that I feel for them? And then I think kind of a higher, probably the highest level of gratitude we can live by is, is how we give and the in being being generous and trying to think of something I could do each day that would be I.
00:25:00:20 - 00:25:29:00
Dean Taylor
How can I give more than maybe someone might expect out of me that day? It doesn't have to be a big thing now. So that that that's helped me. I, I know I'm not perfect every day doing that, but I try to make that a daily habit. And but I definitely can sense and feel. I feel the difference when I don't practice the gratitude in my daily life and like, absolutely, when something's happening one day and like, what did my missing?
00:25:29:00 - 00:25:35:20
Dean Taylor
Oh yeah, I didn't, I didn't I didn't think about I didn't do this practice today writing down things. So anyway, it's,
00:25:35:20 - 00:25:38:21
Dean Taylor
I, I kind of ramble there a little bit from what we were talking about, but,
00:25:38:21 - 00:26:07:21
Dean Taylor
I just when you were saying that, I thought that that for me was has been such a foundational part of being able to change my mind and how I view life situations, how I respond to things, and also how I, view myself and the kind of things I we talked about a little bit about how the things I will, will say about myself or don't say about myself anymore.
00:26:07:23 - 00:26:37:11
Wilk Wilkinson
Sure. Well, and I think that's, that's hugely important in when we think about how do we start our day. And I know your morning routine is a hugely important part of, of what you do. And I think starting that with gratitude or gratitude journaling, I was just having a conversation with somebody today about that and the importance of that, because they were talking about the anxiety they feel and the things that that are happening around them that they have, let's say they have a bit of an inability to deal with.
00:26:37:13 - 00:26:42:23
Wilk Wilkinson
And I said, well, what's your morning routine like, what do you do at the beginning of the day? Because sometimes
00:26:42:23 - 00:26:43:14
Wilk Wilkinson
it used to be,
00:26:43:14 - 00:26:45:18
Wilk Wilkinson
breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
00:26:45:18 - 00:27:12:19
Wilk Wilkinson
I think there's a lot of debate about that nowadays. And I think that's a just debate. But I will tell you, when it comes to mindset and personal accountability and, and how we are going to interact with people, and which is what I want to wrap this up with, is, is how this whole thing has started to to play out for you, Dean, and in your interpersonal relationships and, and the things that you
00:27:12:19 - 00:27:21:14
Wilk Wilkinson
have you do now, but but starting your day the right way and how vitally important,
00:27:21:14 - 00:27:38:21
Wilk Wilkinson
just starting the day off with the right mindset is for that. Let's let's take that here to kind of bring this whole thing full circle, because I know starting your day with gratitude is, is is much better than starting your day with a big, healthy, robust breakfast.
00:27:38:21 - 00:28:12:04
Wilk Wilkinson
Right. But it's it's starting your day with gratitude changes the way that you start to see things, just as you said, right? Starts to change the way that you are able to interact with others, and how you then deal with those things that are outside of your control and and just the way that it makes you feel. Let's rounded out there, Dean, and, and talk about how this, this shift that you made over the last three or 4 or 5, six years has now,
00:28:12:04 - 00:28:20:17
Wilk Wilkinson
changed into a life of living with purpose and, and, and a more a a life of abundance, let's just say.
00:28:20:17 - 00:28:23:05
Wilk Wilkinson
And how that works for you and,
00:28:23:05 - 00:28:28:14
Wilk Wilkinson
why you think it's so important that others start to think about making that same kind of change?
00:28:28:16 - 00:28:35:21
Dean Taylor
Yeah, I think in terms of relationships, like it's it's impacted relationships,
00:28:35:21 - 00:28:40:16
Dean Taylor
with my wife, which is, for me, my most important relationship here,
00:28:40:16 - 00:28:41:08
Dean Taylor
on earth.
00:28:41:08 - 00:28:51:10
Dean Taylor
And I'll, I'll share one thing that I, we just had our anniversary back in May. On May 29th. It was our 32nd anniversary. And
00:28:51:10 - 00:28:52:10
Dean Taylor
so last.
00:28:52:10 - 00:28:53:17
Wilk Wilkinson
Year. And this one.
00:28:53:17 - 00:29:17:10
Dean Taylor
Thank you. Yeah. So I had this thought last year, I thought I'm going to she was actually with me when I bought it, but I bought a journal at the Barnes and Noble bookstore and she, she thought I was just buying it for myself, but I was actually I was buying it for her. And I spent the this past year writing something that I appreciated or admired or was grateful for her that day.
00:29:17:12 - 00:29:22:17
Dean Taylor
So I did that for a year and I gave that to her on our anniversary, this, this last May.
00:29:22:19 - 00:29:23:18
Wilk Wilkinson
Beautiful.
00:29:23:20 - 00:30:02:15
Dean Taylor
So my point is, sharing that story was there's. Relationships in my life are so is is the fact of that relationship and giving her that. Well that was a wonderful gift the the change that occurred in me and how I see when I was very intentional about how I was seeing her every day and the things that she did, that the ripple effect of that relationship and the growth of that relationship began, I feel like affected all other relationships in my life, whether that be with my children, my grandchildren,
00:30:02:15 - 00:30:04:09
Dean Taylor
at work,
00:30:04:09 - 00:30:15:22
Dean Taylor
and, and the way that I interact with people, the level of confidence I have when I am in myself, when I
00:30:16:00 - 00:30:29:21
Dean Taylor
talk with people the way that that I know and previous to this transformation of my life, I would have encountered situations at work where I would have just. Held back and
00:30:29:21 - 00:30:30:05
Dean Taylor
not
00:30:30:05 - 00:30:42:05
Dean Taylor
shared something that I think that could have been important. I just there's just so many things like that in my life that I know that my, my life is, I am I'm just a different person.
00:30:42:05 - 00:30:46:04
Dean Taylor
I the way I present myself, the way I show up and
00:30:46:04 - 00:31:03:21
Dean Taylor
in life in general, in all aspects of my life is completely transformed because of the intentionality I've had about my own developing myself and and growth and practicing and, and the way that I, the way that I view situations,
00:31:03:21 - 00:31:11:18
Dean Taylor
being being grateful and saying, well and being in a state of curiosity will, well, why am I behind this person in line today?
00:31:11:18 - 00:31:34:20
Dean Taylor
Is there something here? Is there a reason that I'm actually here today? Is or is this there's so many things like that. I've just discovered that. Just the way that I every day and just seeing things, it's just helped me to be more positive about every other aspect of my life.
00:31:34:20 - 00:31:37:04
Wilk Wilkinson
it's hugely important Dean, how
00:31:37:04 - 00:31:45:13
Wilk Wilkinson
we how we feel about ourselves. What we put out into the world is what comes back to us. And and whether it be,
00:31:45:13 - 00:31:45:21
Wilk Wilkinson
just
00:31:45:21 - 00:31:49:23
Wilk Wilkinson
that clarity that we find in understanding that,
00:31:49:23 - 00:31:57:04
Wilk Wilkinson
we we may not have dealt with a situation in the right way, so we might need to rethink it.
00:31:57:05 - 00:32:00:23
Wilk Wilkinson
Certainty often stands in the way of clarity. And,
00:32:00:23 - 00:32:18:13
Wilk Wilkinson
and this conversation has been wonderful. I'm grateful for you, Dean, and the work that you're doing. And and I would love for the listeners to, to learn more about you. So, the the website again is, is Dean Taylor official.com. Is that correct?
00:32:18:15 - 00:32:20:12
Dean Taylor
That is correct. Yes.
00:32:20:14 - 00:32:26:13
Wilk Wilkinson
Dean Taylor official.com. They can find out more about the work that you're doing. Dean and and
00:32:26:13 - 00:32:30:15
Wilk Wilkinson
just the the stories that you've told here today. Dean
00:32:30:15 - 00:32:43:01
Wilk Wilkinson
are just they're heartwarming. They mean a lot. There's lessons in them that people can take away actionable items that that mean so much. And, and how we interact with the world and and,
00:32:43:01 - 00:32:44:17
Wilk Wilkinson
I I'm thank you so much.
00:32:44:17 - 00:32:46:14
Wilk Wilkinson
I'm grateful for you, Dean.
00:32:46:16 - 00:32:48:17
Dean Taylor
Likewise. So grateful to be a part of,
00:32:48:17 - 00:32:59:16
Dean Taylor
your great show and loved the work you're doing. And you're you're blessing lives exactly as you say, one one attitude at a time. So great. Great job. I love it.
00:32:59:18 - 00:33:00:18
Wilk Wilkinson
Thank you so much.
00:33:00:18 - 00:33:30:14
Wilk Wilkinson
Friends, I want to thank you so much for tuning in. And if there's anything in this episode that provided exceptional value to you, please make sure to hit that share button. If you haven't done so already, please be sure to subscribe to get the Derate The Hate podcast sent to your email inbox every week. We really are better together, so please take a moment to visit Braver angels.org and consider joining the movement towards civic renewal and bridging our political divides.
00:33:30:16 - 00:33:53:22
Wilk Wilkinson
This is Wilk wrapping up for the week saying get out there. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you've got. And remember it's up to you to make every day the day that you want it to be. With that, my friends, I'm going to back on out of here and we will catch you next week. Take care.
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