Ever feel like your team is checking boxes but missing the point?

If people on your team are asking “why are we doing this again?”, you’re likely facing a silent killer of culture and momentum: purpose drift. In this episode, Dave Garrison returns to unpack how organizations unintentionally disconnect from their deeper purpose and how to fix it before it costs you your people, productivity, and performance.

In Part 2 of the Buy-In Blockers Takeover Series, George Bryant welcomes back leadership expert and bestselling author Dave Garrison to tackle one of the biggest hidden challenges in business: purpose drift.

When teams lose connection to the “why” behind their work, even the best strategies can fall flat. Dave breaks down how to identify when purpose drift is creeping in, why it’s so dangerous, and the simple tools leaders can use to bring purpose back to the forefront.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What “purpose drift” is and how it quietly erodes team performance.
• How to reconnect your team to purpose in just 3 questions.
• Why purpose must be co-created, not just declared.
• The subtle signs of disengagement and how to respond.
• The power of modeling purpose in daily decisions.
  

Key Takeaways:
✔️Purpose drift happens when people lose sight of the “why” behind their work.
✔️Co-creating purpose drives deeper engagement than top-down declarations.
✔️Purpose must be repeated and modeled daily to stay alive.
✔️Ask: “How is our work making a difference?” to bring clarity and buy-in.
✔️Use 4-6 word phrases to clarify your company’s living, breathing purpose.

Timestamps & Highlights:
[00:00] – Intro to Part 2: Facing the “purpose drift” blocker
[01:28] – What buy-in really looks like and why it’s rare
[03:00] – Four major blockers to buy-in explained
[04:00] – Defining purpose drift and how it shows up in teams
[06:00] – Signs your team has disconnected from the bigger picture
[08:00] – The cost of unclear or forgotten purpose
[09:30] – The power of co-creating and repeating compelling purpose
[10:45] – 3 powerful questions to ask your team
[12:08] – Outro from George + how to get Dave’s resources

Connect with Dave Garrison:
Book: The Buy-In Advantage
Website:GarrisonGrowth.com
LinkedIn: Dave Garrison
Email: engage@garrisongrowth.com

Your Challenge This Week:
Shoot Dave a message on LinkedIn with the words “Leadership Sprint” and your podcast takeaway to get free access to a special training!

• Reflect with your team using Dave’s 3 questions and start the conversation around your living purpose.
• Share your biggest insight from this episode on Instagram and tag @itsgeorgebryant for a chance to be featured.

Join The Alliance – The Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community for entrepreneurs who scale with trust and connection.

Apply for 1:1 Coaching – Ready to lead with clarity and culture? Let’s build your business from the inside out.

Live Retreats – Get in the room where transformation and momentum happen. See all upcoming events at mindofgeorge.com/retreat

What if the key to your next level wasn’t doing more, but getting radically clear on who you’re doing it for?

In this powerful episode, George sits down with podcast strategist and business coach Traci DeForge to unpack the most overlooked reasons people stay stuck and how clarity, energy, and aligned intention create momentum that scales.

Traci DeForge brings decades of experience in media, content creation, and business strategy to this high-value conversation. Together, she and George explore the deeper purpose behind podcasting, the energetic foundation of marketing, and the clarity needed to build a sustainable brand with impact.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why most podcasters struggle and how to fix it
• The critical importance of clarity in messaging
• How to create content that converts without selling
• Why podcasting is an “energy exchange,” not a megaphone
• The business blueprint for building brand trust and momentum

Key Takeaways:
✔️Clarity attracts, confusion repels. Your podcast isn’t for everyone, and that’s the point.
✔️Podcasting works best as a relationship-building strategy, not a broadcast platform.
✔️Every episode should deliver value and direction, whether or not there’s a pitch.
✔️Treat your podcast like a pillar of your business, not an accessory.
✔️Energy matters: your tone, intention, and delivery shape how your content lands.

Timestamps & Highlights:
[00:00] – Intro and George on how Traci shows up with full presence
[03:26] – Traci shares the most common podcasting trap
[08:49] – Energy exchange vs. content creation: what really builds trust
[13:17] – Podcasting as a business strategy, not just a platform
[19:45] – Clarifying who your podcast is really for
[24:01] – Why podcasters quit too early (and what it costs them)
[29:33] – What consistency actually means in your brand
[34:08] – Podcasting + brand building: how they intertwine
[41:02] – Monetization models that don’t rely on ads or downloads
[46:27] – Final lessons: presence, preparation, and purpose
[53:11] – What Traci sees as the future of podcasting
[59:34] – George’s wrap-up and action challenge

Connect with Traci DeForge
Founder of Produce Your Podcast™ | Podcast Strategist

Website: https://www.produceyourpodcast.com
Personal Instagram: @tracideforge
Instagram: @produceyourpodcast
YouTube: @produceyourpodcast
TikTok: @ProduceYourPodcast

Your Challenge This Week:
What landed most for you in this episode?

• Share your favorite insight and tag us on Instagram @itsgeorgebryant
• Leave a review to help others discover the show
• Share this episode with one person who’s starting or scaling a podcast

Join The Alliance – The Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community for entrepreneurs who scale with trust and connection.

Apply for 1:1 Coaching – Ready to build your business with sustainability, impact, and ease? Apply here

Live Events – Get in the room where long-term success is built: mindofgeorge.com/retreat/

If your team ever says “yes” in the meeting and then silently drifts back to business as usual, this episode is your wake-up call.

George hands the mic to leadership expert and bestselling author Dave Garrison to launch a powerful new 5-part series on what’s really killing your momentum: the lack of buy-in.

In this kickoff to the Buy-In Blockers series takeover, Dave Garrison introduces the core difference between surface-level agreement and true buy-in. This episode lays the foundation for understanding how culture, not compliance, drives execution, performance, and leadership longevity. Dave unpacks the cost of disconnection and introduces the four biggest blockers that silently sabotage your team’s follow-through.

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, managing a small team, or scaling into leadership, this episode gives you the language, lens, and tools to spot what’s keeping your projects stuck and how to change it.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What true buy-in actually means (and why most leaders confuse it with agreement)
• Why people say “yes” in meetings but don’t follow through
• How poor culture silently sabotages performance
• An overview of the four buy-in blockers
• Why purpose, connection, and conversation are non-negotiables for execution
  

Key Takeaways:
✔️ Buy-in isn’t about agreement, it’s about aligned commitment and shared ownership
✔️ Compliance drains energy and erodes team trust over time
✔️ 50% of employees are disengaged and the cost shows up in missed targets and low morale
✔️ Culture beats strategy when it comes to actual execution
✔️ The four major blockers to buy-in are:

1. Purpose Drift – losing sight of why the work matters
2. Blind Tasks – doing the work without context or alignment
3. Lone Wolf Leadership – operating in isolation
4. One-Way Communication – broadcasting instead of dialoguing
   

Timestamps & Highlights:
[0:00] – George introduces Dave and the Buy-In Blockers series
[1:36] – Dave explains what buy-in actually looks like
[3:05] – The cost of low buy-in: disengaged teams, missed goals, and resentment
[5:00] – Culture vs. strategy: why you can’t “fix” execution without alignment
[6:42] – What buy-in looks like in healthy, high-performing teams
[8:30] – Buy-in doesn’t require fancy tools—it requires intention
[9:14] – Introduction to the 4 buy-in blockers that crush execution
[11:30] – Teaser for the next episode on Purpose Drift
[12:45] – George’s closing message and call to connect with Dave

Connect with Dave Garrison:
Book: The Buy-In Advantage
Website:GarrisonGrowth.com
LinkedIn: Dave Garrison
Email: engage@garrisongrowth.com
Join the Leadership Sprint: DM “Leadership Sprint” to Dave on LinkedIn for exclusive access

Your Challenge This Week:
Share this episode with your leadership team, mastermind group, or anyone who’s felt the sting of projects that stall. Then head over to George’s Instagram, @itsgeorgebryant and tell us: Which buy-in blocker have you seen most in your world? Let’s elevate leadership together.

Join The Alliance – The Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community for entrepreneurs who scale with trust and connection.

Apply for 1:1 Coaching – Ready to lead from alignment and build a team that follows through? Apply for 1:1 coaching with George.

Live Events – Get in the room where long-term success is built. mindofgeorge.com/retreat/

What if the thing holding you back in business… is the very thing you think is making you successful?

In this soul-expanding episode, George sits down with entrepreneur and mission-driven mogul Markus Kaulius to explore how chasing significance, followers, and financial milestones can become traps that disconnect you from purpose.

George and Markus unpack the shadow side of success and how to return to authenticity when growth begins to feel hollow. Markus shares the gritty truth behind building a nine-figure business, navigating burnout, and discovering that real impact requires a shift from ego-driven results to legacy-driven missions.

If you’re feeling unfulfilled despite checking all the “success” boxes, this is your wake-up call.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why chasing vanity metrics and business milestones can cost you your mission
• The identity crisis that comes when your external success isn’t aligned with your internal purpose
• How to dismantle the addiction to productivity, hustle, and control
• A framework for rediscovering who you really are, without sacrificing results
• What it takes to build sustainable success rooted in truth, not ego
  

Key Takeaways:
✔️“If you lose yourself building the mission, it wasn’t the right mission.”
✔️Success without fulfillment is a recipe for collapse, both mentally and spiritually.
✔️Your next level of business won’t come from more tactics. It will come from more truth.
✔️Burnout is not a badge of honor, it’s a signal that your alignment is off.
✔️You can scale without suffering… but only if your identity is untethered from your income.

Timestamps & Highlights:
[00:00] – The hidden cost of chasing external success
[08:40] – Markus on losing himself in his own business
[15:15] – Redefining success when the old definition stops working
[22:00] – Letting go of productivity addiction
[30:05] – Living from truth vs. living for applause
[37:50] – Facing the fear of losing your “business identity”
[45:30] – Building alignment with your nervous system
[54:00] – Surrender, silence, and the new form of leadership
[1:02:10] – Living the mission, not just marketing it
[1:11:20] – Final takeaways: impact that outlives you

Connect with Markus Kaulius
Instagram: @markuskaulius
Website: markuskaulius.com
Facebook: Markus Kaulius
LinkedIn: Markus K.
Play a Bigger Game

Your Challenge This Week:
If this episode hits you in the gut, in the best way possible, share it on Instagram and tag us @itsgeorgebryant and @markuskaulius. Let us know what truth landed most.

The Alliance – Join our Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community and build your business through trust, not trends. Join here.

1:1 Coaching – Ready to grow a purpose-driven business with sustainability and integrity? Apply for coaching with George. Apply now.

Live Events – Want to get in the room where elevation happens? Check out upcoming events and retreats at mindofgeorge.com/retreat

Have you ever felt stuck like you’re doing “all the right things” but getting nowhere?

In this soul-level solo episode, George breaks down why effort isn’t enough… unless it’s intentional, consistent, and rooted in who you want to become.

This is one of those quick-hit replays worth revisiting anytime you lose momentum or start feeling behind.

This re-run episode is a reminder that life responds to effort, but only the right kind. George shares hard-earned insights about behavior, identity, and how small consistent choices lead to exponential growth.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why effort alone doesn’t guarantee results
• How to align your daily actions with long-term vision
• The power of keeping promises to yourself
• The true role of community in personal success

Key Takeaways:
✔️Effort must be intentional and aligned with your future self to yield true results.
✔️Your daily behaviors shape your identity, so honor your promises, even when they’re small.
✔️Success isn’t about complexity; it’s about consistency over intensity.
✔️Surround yourself with others chasing their dreams, momentum is contagious.
✔️Don’t confuse reaction with action. Real progress comes from proactive alignment.

Timestamps & Highlights:
[00:00] – Chocolate chip pancakes, reel inspiration & the heart of the message
[01:42] – Why awareness is the actual finish line
[02:45] – The “seed before you weed” model for planting effort
[04:20] – Step 1: Intentional planning & vivid vision work
[06:50] – Step 2: Keeping promises to yourself (Wedge of Expectations model)
[09:10] – Step 3: Community and accountability over isolation
[11:30] – How the Alliance supports intentional action and identity shifts
[13:00] – Closing: Love, pancakes, and choosing the inputs that move you forward

Your Challenge This Week:
What seed are YOU planting today? DM George or tag him with your “Effort Shift” moment. Let’s elevate together.
→ Follow @itsgeorgebryant or join the conversation using #TheMindOfGeorgeShow

The Alliance – The Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community for entrepreneurs who scale with trust and connection.

Apply for 1:1 Coaching – Ready to build your business with sustainability, impact, and ease? Apply now

Live Retreats – Get in the room where transformation happens. Find upcoming events: mindofgeorge.com/retreat

What if your greatest strength is the very thing you’ve been taught to hide?

In today’s powerful conversation, George sits down with Dr. Brent Ridge to explore what it really means to be visible, not just in business, but in life. This episode isn’t about playing a role. It’s about owning your identity, amplifying your impact, and letting authenticity lead the way.

Dr. Brent Ridge, physician, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Beekman 1802, joins George for a vulnerable and energizing conversation about showing up with your full self. From boardrooms to barnyards, Brent shares the lessons he’s learned about leadership, identity, partnerships, and purpose. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how to lead with integrity, embrace your story, and build something lasting from the inside out.

This episode is a masterclass in courage, creativity, and conscious entrepreneurship.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

• Why visibility is a form of service
• How to integrate identity into your business without losing yourself
• The real cost of not telling your truth
• How to honor both structure and soul in leadership
• Why longevity requires a deeper foundation than just success
  

Key Takeaways:
✔️Visibility without vulnerability leads to burnout.
✔️Storytelling builds connection but only if it’s authentic.
✔️Your brand is your mirror. Lead with alignment, not performance.
✔️Great partnerships are rooted in clarity, not compromise.
✔️Seasons of reinvention are necessary for sustained relevance.

Timestamps & Highlights:
[00:00] – Opening thoughts & the invitation to be fully seen
[06:30] – Brent’s path from medicine to Beekman 1802
[12:45] – Leading a brand rooted in kindness
[17:20] – Navigating identity, visibility & leadership
[25:50] – When partnership becomes the business superpower
[33:15] – Reinvention as a path to longevity
[40:05] – The hidden cost of suppressing your truth
[47:10] – Being present vs. being productive
[53:50] – Words of wisdom for anyone afraid to be seen

Connect with Dr. Brent Ridge

• Co-founder of Beekman 1802
• Follow Brent on Instagram:@joshandbrent
• Facebook: Beekman 1802
• TikTok: @beekman1802
• YouTube: @joshandbrentbeekman

Your Challenge This Week:
If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs permission to be seen for who they really are.

Tag @itsgeorgebryant and @joshandbrent to continue the conversation.

The Alliance – Join our community of purpose-driven entrepreneurs scaling with connection over chaos.

1:1 Coaching – Ready to build a business rooted in who you are, not just what you do? Apply now.

Live Retreats – Get in the room where transformation happens. Find upcoming events: mindofgeorge.com/retreat

What if the blind spots holding you back in business and life could be revealed by the people who know you best?

In this powerful solo episode, George shares the exact 360-degree feedback exercise that transformed his personal growth and business clarity and how you can do the same in under an hour.

This episode is not just a reflection, it’s a tool you can use immediately. George breaks down the five transformative questions that flipped how he sees himself, his patterns, and his leadership. You’ll learn how to gather meaningful feedback from trusted people in your life, process that feedback into growth-aligned action, and design a personal development roadmap rooted in truth, clarity, and accountability.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, team leader, or human who craves deeper alignment, this is one of those rare episodes that can truly change everything when you apply it.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The exact 360-degree feedback process George uses with private clients and executive teams.
• How to select the right people to give you feedback (and avoid the wrong ones).
• 5 powerful questions to uncover your strengths, patterns, and blind spots.
• How to process the feedback into meaningful, measurable growth.
• George’s own reflections, challenges, and personal breakthroughs from doing this exercise himself.

Key Takeaways:
✔️Feedback is a growth accelerant when framed with trust and received with humility.
✔️Your blind spots, when uncovered, become your biggest opportunities for expansion.
✔️Having others reflect your truth back to you is a gift, even when it’s uncomfortable.
✔️Self-awareness and external perception must meet for true transformation to occur.
✔️Growth isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing the right things with clarity and alignment.

Timestamps & Highlights:
[00:00] – Why this feedback exercise changed George’s life (and his team’s)
[02:36] – Context: planning retreats from Barbados to Tucson
[04:58] – The 360 Feedback Guide: what it is and why it works
[07:30] – Who to ask and how to structure the request
[10:15] – The 5 feedback questions
[14:05] – How to reflect on your feedback using four summary buckets
[17:33] – George shares his own blind spots and hardest truths
[22:40] – The surprising feedback that deeply encouraged him
[26:21] – The 5 core patterns George is working on in 2026
[34:18] – Why external feedback is a personal growth mirror
[36:47] – Your invitation to do this exercise (and why it matters)

Your Challenge This Week:
Ready to grow in ways that matter? Choose 2-3 trusted people in your life, send them the 5 feedback questions, and be open to what comes. Then DM George on Instagram and let him know you did it, he’d love to hear how it goes.

• Join the conversation on IG: @itsgeorgebryant

Want to grow with people who give you real feedback and cheer you on? Join The Alliance: the Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community for heart-led entrepreneurs.

Ready for a deeper level of personal coaching and alignment? Apply now for 1:1 Coaching with George.

Prefer to get in the room? Check out George’s upcoming live events and retreats to accelerate your growth journey.

If you’ve ever felt like life hit you in the back of the head with a two-by-four, whether from a failed business, divorce, or the collapse of a dream, this episode is your roadmap for rising again.

Former NFL player Marques Ogden lost millions, went bankrupt, became a custodian earning $8.25/hour… and then rebuilt a life working with Fortune 100 companies. In this raw and powerful conversation, Marques shares how discipline, not motivation, became the foundation of his comeback, and how you can do the same.

From trash-covered rock bottom to multimillion-dollar stages, Marques walks us through how radical responsibility, discipline, and authenticity can change your life.

Whether you’re stuck in shame or struggling to find your footing, this is your permission slip to rise.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What separates a fixed, growth, and “victory” mindset and why only one truly sustains a comeback
• How Marques went from bankruptcy to working with 85+ Fortune 500 companies
• Why self-discipline trumps motivation, and how to develop it
• The difference between authenticity and perfection
• A three-question framework to begin your own 90-day comeback today

Key Takeaways:
✔️Discipline is doing what you don’t want to do to get the results you crave.
✔️Stop waiting to feel motivated, show up anyway.
✔️Rock bottom is not a death sentence; it’s a wake-up call.
✔️Authenticity means being true to your evolution, not who you used to be.
✔️If you want a comeback, start by answering: Who am I? Why am I here? What’s my aligned purpose?
✔️True resilience isn’t avoiding pain, it’s choosing to keep moving through it.
✔️Comparison kills originality, be a lighthouse, not a copycat.

Timestamps & Highlights:
[00:00] – Opening Quote: Discipline over everything
[03:38] – Introduction to Marques Ogden and his NFL to janitor comeback
[07:22] – The rock bottom moment on a trash-covered loading dock
[11:09] – On radical ownership without self-shame
[15:25] – Navigating divorce, loss, and rebuilding from zero
[17:59] – Building a “Victory Mindset”
[22:04] – Why comebacks don’t happen on your timeline
[25:46] – From embarrassment to inspiration: sharing your story
[30:07] – Defining authenticity in a copycat world
[36:22] – The 3 questions to start your 90-day comeback
[42:20] – How to know you’re on the right track (resistance vs. resilience)
[45:29] – A powerful prayer and reflection on character
[47:49] – Tattoo wisdom: “Discipline over dedication”

Connect with Marques Ogden:

• Website: www.marquesogden.com
• Instagram: @marquesogden
• Facebook: Marques Ogden Speaker
• Youtube: @marquesogden695
• LinkedIn: Marques Odgen

Your Challenge This Week:
Loved this episode? DM George your biggest takeaway or share this episode on Instagram and tag @itsgeorgebryant and @marquesogden to continue the conversation.

Join The Alliance – The Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community for entrepreneurs who scale with trust and connection.

Apply for 1:1 Coaching – Ready to build your business with sustainability, impact, and ease?Apply here.

Live Events – Get in the room where long-term success is built: mindofgeorge.com/retreat/