[#038] My First Billion: the hardest week in a while

This has been one of the most mentally and emotionally challenging weeks of my life.

Some of the conversations I've had to have. Some of the decisions I've had to make.

And here's what's wild…

This morning during my devotional time, the scripture was James 1:2-4.

"Consider it all joy... because the testing of your faith produces perseverance."

I didn't pick that scripture, it picked me and it was right on time.

The scripture is powerful in itself, in just the English translation…

However, when you decode it based on its original Greek, it's even more powerful.

Allow me to nerd out for just a moment and explain my point:

"Consider it pure joy,” the word is hēgeomai, an accounting term.

It means to reckon, to calculate deliberately.

James isn't asking you to feel joy when trials hit…

He's asking you to make a settled mental judgment about what the trial is producing.

Joy here is a conclusion, not an emotion.

And "whenever" (not "if") assumes trials are coming. The question is only how you'll classify them when they arrive.

"Testing" is dokimion, the word used for assaying metal, proving genuineness by fire.

The trial isn't punishment; it's verification.

The Bible says that after 40 days of fasting, Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tested.

What it produces is hypomonē, usually translated "perseverance," but it's literally "remaining under"...

The capacity to stay under weight without collapsing or escaping.

Not passive endurance, but load-bearing strength.

Then verse 4 is the pivot that’s easy to miss…

"Let perseverance finish its work."

That's a warning against short-circuiting the process.

You can abort a trial early. Numb it, escape it, resent it, and forfeit what it was building.

This is those challenging seasons that we just want to end and we try to rush through them.

When I’m training with my health coaches, and it’s painful, I speed up the reps to get through it.

They always slow me down, because in the pain of those controlled reps…

The muscle is built and endurance is created, so my push-up count has increased.

The end goal is teleios: mature, complete, fully formed.

James's logic is that there's a version of you that only gets built under pressure, and the only way to lose is to cut the process short.

"Complete" is holoklēros. "Whole in all its parts." Nothing missing or broken off.

It was used for a sacrificial animal with no defect, or a body with every limb intact and functioning.

Then "not lacking anything" closes the loop by stating it negatively no gaps, no deficiencies.

"Lacking nothing" isn't about circumstances.

You can lack money, comfort and answers.

It's about the person you're becoming having no missing pieces.

The irony James sets up is that the seasons where you lack the most externally are the ones producing a you that lacks nothing internally.

James is saying trials are how God completes the unfinished parts of you.

Every person has underdeveloped areas…

Patience that's never been stretched, faith that's never been leaned on, character that's only theoretical because it's never been tested.

A trial finds the specific gap and forces development there.

That's why he says let perseverance finish its work.

The trial you're in is likely targeting a part of you that couldn't be built any other way.

The Human Side of CEO

Having to make certain moves and make certain decisions ain't comfortable.

Sometimes it has you second-guessing yourself. Well... me. I can't speak for nobody else.

I caught myself thinking at times…

"Man, I don't like having to do some of this. Maybe I'm not cut out for CEO."

But that's not weakness, that's the human side.

I remember Jesus saying…

“Father, if it's your will, take this cup of suffering away from me. However, not my will but your will must be done.”

This is exactly how it goes. The Pressure is the process.

It’s to build you, not break you.

It's not always sexy, but it's Necessary.

Now, with all that said…

It wasn't all heavy.

We ran the first version of a brand new workshop I built:

The 7 Big Marketing Mistakes Keeping Coaches and Consultants From Getting Daily Qualified Leads.

Did you make it? I may do an encore, if you’d like? Hit reply and lmk.

It was well received, and now we're looking at how to optimize it from here.

We onboarded some dope new clients this week.

Our marketing is continuing to bring in more of our ideal clients.

And overall, as a company, we're leaner and stronger than ever.

One Of The Best Parts of My Week

My second oldest son, MJ, turns 13 this weekend.

Since this is a milestone year for him…

I reached out to all the brothers who have sown into him over his life…

And had them each shoot a quick video giving him a piece of wisdom as he continues to grow and mature.

We ended up with about 29 videos.

We're getting it edited into one piece he can revisit as a reference for the rest of his life.

When I was his age, I didn't have the life he has.

I didn't have a father or many positive male role models.

MJ has them in abundance and I love that for him.

The Takeaway

Growth ain't always comfortable.

It rarely is (from my experience).

The book of James says the pressure produces perseverance.

So I'm not just grateful for what God is building through me…

I'm grateful for what the process is building in me.

Tell those you love that you love them.

Marquel

P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are 2 ways we can help you grow your coaching or consulting business 2 or 3x this year:

1) Binge my best trainings on getting leads, enrolling clients, scaling businesses and helping clients win for free on YouTube.

2) For the fastest & simplest path to get consistent, qualified Leads that convert into high-ticket clients, go here.

Start from the beginning → Issue 001

Read what happened next → Issue 038