Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like? Did you have any particular experiences/stories that shaped your adult life?

I was born in South-Western Ontario, Canada, and was diagnosed with a learning disability in grade 3 that put me in a special school. It was an awful experience and I stopped going to school when I was 12 years old. By 15 I had officially dropped out and never went back. From there, I started traveling internationally as a teenager and have spent my entire adult life as an ex-pat exploring different countries and cultures. I am very proud of myself for peacefully removing myself from an abusive system at such a young age, it was the best decision I ever made.

What is something you wish you would’ve realized earlier in your life?

In the book Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, that I mentioned earlier, she describes the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset. This was one of the most powerful things I had ever heard and actually explained many things from my childhood and allowed me to forgive myself for so many things. Reading her book was a giant pivot for me and a realization of the best way to move forward.

What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?

Mostly the rise of socialism in Western countries. It saddens me to see people openly attacking the free market and entrepreneurs. I think one of the most important things in understanding humanity is to understand how we are motivated. If you promise everything in the world for free and always make it someone else’s responsibility to pay for it, then we are in trouble. Government is never the solution, it is always the problem as it is based on force. Let’s look at voluntary solutions to the challenges around us, not theft and the threat of violence from the state.

Tell me about one of the darker periods you’ve experienced in life. How you came out of it and what you learned from it?

I am not someone who has ever suffered from depression, dark thoughts, or anything like this. I always focus on living my life in an honest and ethical manner based on natural law, “do all you say you will do, and do not encroach on others or their property”.

Because personal responsibility is such a massive tenament in my life I am a very confident and positive person. I believe that a lot of difficult times can come for people when they don’t take responsibility for their actions and for their life. Society, the way it is now, has a huge emphasis on a victim mentality and actively encourages people to compete on who can be the largest victim.

Here is my advice on overcoming dark periods in your life, get up and exercise, take lots of vitamin D, eat a ton of vegetables and high-quality proteins with omega-rich fats, then sleep 8-9 hours a night. Add to that a belief that everything is within your control and some positive reinforcement that you can handle any situation and most people will be fine.

What is one thing that you do that you feel has been the biggest contributor to your success so far?

Reading more books than anyone else I have ever met in my life. Reading with purpose, reading for pleasure, reading to explore, reading things over and over again until the message shapes who you are. If you want to make more money in your career, or you want to be happier, have better relationships, connect more with your spouse or children, you want to be respected by your peers and make a difference in the world, then read more. There is nothing that will have a bigger impact on your life than books.

What is your morning routine?

I am not an early riser. I have always focused better when the rest of the world is sleeping. I do some of my best thinking at 2 am when the house is still. These days while I am in Brazil I am waking up at about 9:30 am. I spend my first 30 minutes of the day reading the updates from my industry and seeing any changes in immigration or tax law. Then I take an hour of private 1-on-1 lessons for Spanish. After this, I clear my inbox from client emails and I jump on calls with the lawyers or accountants who I am working with. Late afternoon is usually spent being interviewed on other programs or recording content for my podcast The Expat Money Show. After dinner, it is conference calls to Asia or Australia to speak on behalf of my clients for immigration issues or structuring business deals in this part of the world. Late-night I spend some time speaking with my wife then reading for a few hours before bed. I work 7 days a week and most of my days at the moment are all pretty similar, lots of phone calls, lots of interviews, lots of reading.

What habit or behavior that you have pursued for a few years has most improved your life?

Just understanding that things take a lot of time to accomplish. I always stay upbeat and happy. I am enjoying my life and my work and I understand that there will always be a lot of mistakes when I start a new project. I don’t blame myself or get down because of this, it is part of the learning process, and I accept that.

What are your strategies for being productive and using your time most efficiently?

I have a massive amount of drive because I have set huge goals for myself. I am goal-oriented but break things down into manageable chunks. For example, 2 years ago when I decided I wanted to be fluent in Spanish, I didn’t concentrate on the massive undertaking in front of me. I instead researched how many hours of study does it typically take to become fluent. In the case of Spanish, it is 600 hours of study, therefore if I study 2 hours a day that is 14 hours a week that is 600 hours in roughly 42 weeks. By just focusing on something manageable I was able to accomplish my goals in short order, add to that I do not even have to think about studying anymore, it is just a normal piece of my life, every single day.

What book(s) have influenced your life the most? Why?

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie,
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R.Covey,
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill,
Mindset by Carol S. Dweck.

These are some of the fundamental books that shaped me as a human being, all I have read multiple times, in some cases over 20 times. Saying all of this, I do read on average 100 to 120 books a year and have done for decades so there are many influential books in my library.

Do you have any quotes you live by or think of often?

“It all works out in the end, and if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end.” This quote has done me well as I have traveled to over 100 countries. Travel is tough and requires an amazing amount of faith in yourself and a belief that everything will be fine.