Becoming More with Dianna Kokoszka

Your Money Has a Thermostat. Here’s How to Raise It: Becoming More Book Club, Ep 1

Your money has a thermostat, and Dianna Kokoszka shows you how to raise it. This is Session 1 of the Becoming More Book Club, recorded live with Dianna and the club, and from today the club is the Becoming More podcast: one session every Thursday, a chapter at a time. Before the club opens Chapter 1, Dianna lays the foundation for the whole book. You will hear why your soul yearns for more, why you need a to-be list and not just a to-do list, what her mentor John Maxwell means by "give up to go up", how the running parachute of fears and limits holds you back, and why, if you don't know where the money will go, you will sabotage it. The Q&A covers what a personal growth plan looks like, why leaders simplify, and the question every grower asks: am I enough, or should I become more? Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sS9kD5zpTpg About the Becoming More Book Club Dianna Kokoszka wrote Becoming More as a guide book and workbook, built to be read, worked through and lived, not left on a shelf. In early 2026 she led a live book club through it, one section a week, teaching for part of each session and then masterminding with the members around the chapter. Those sessions now air here every Thursday at 2 PM Central. Read along, do the exercises, and bring a friend: everything you need to run the same club with your own group is in the free kit below. What You'll Hear 0:00 Preview: your financial thermostat 0:23 Why are you in this book club? 6:06 Do you have a to-be list? 9:37 Become who you've never been 11:02 Give up to go up 11:55 The running parachute 14:28 Shadows and light 19:26 Your financial thermostat 21:48 Why Dianna wrote Becoming More 26:39 Your 7 AM and 7 PM alarm 27:28 The 14 Mindsets assessment 31:02 Q&A: a personal growth plan 37:15 Am I enough, or should I become more? 41:52 Homework for Chapter 1 43:26 Write your end-of-year letter Lines Worth Rewinding "See, I bet we all have a to-do list yet. Do you, do you have a to-be list?" Dianna Kokoszka "If you want to achieve what you've never achieved before you have to become the person that you've never been before." Dianna Kokoszka "As John Maxwell, my mentor says, you have to give up to go up." Dianna Kokoszka "If you do not know where the money will go, you're going to sabotage yourself." Dianna Kokoszka "Our business grows to the extent that we do." Dianna Kokoszka "It takes a smart person to simplify things." Dianna Kokoszka "Stagnant water stinks. So we got to keep stirring up the pot and growing." Dianna Kokoszka Try It This Week Write your to-be list: a description of the person you have decided to become this year, next to your to-do list. Name one thing you are willing to give up to go up: scarcity thinking, a limiting belief, or a habit that keeps you where you are. Decide where the money will go. Dianna's way in: decide how much you want to give this year, then what it costs you to live, and work backwards. Set two alarms. Dianna's 7 AM alarm asks, "What will you do today to add value to others?" and her 7 PM alarm asks, "What did you do today to add value to others?" Write your own. Write a letter dated the end of the year, as though it has already been a fabulous year, full of feeling and vivid detail. Do the page 33 exercise before Chapter 1: things I would like to be different in my life, in five areas: personal, business, relationship, physical and spiritual. Dianna also invites everyone in the club to take the 14 Mindsets assessment at 14mindsets.com. It shows the seven mindsets that liberate you and the seven that limit you, so you know where you are starting from. Run Your Own Book Club Gather your friends, family or team and read Becoming More together. The free Book Club kit has the guide, an 8-meeting reading plan, and discussion questions for every chapter. Get it at book.diannak.com/bookclub . Everyone in your club needs their own copy of the book, so each person can write in it and do the exercises. Next Week: Chapter 1, Embracing Different Thursday, October 29 at 2 PM Central, the club opens Chapter 1, Embracing Different: what you will embrace, and what you will do differently, in the choices you make. Bring your page 33 list. Follow Becoming More YouTube: @BecomingMoreDiannaK Instagram: @dianna.kokoszka Facebook: facebook.com/diannakokoszka LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diannakokoszka The book: book.diannak.com More from Dianna: diannakokoszka.com Who are you going to become more for? Listen to Session 1, write your to-be list, then share this episode with the friend you want in your club. BE BOLD.

The Chuck E. Cheese Lesson Every Boss Needs: Jeff Kuhn

Some leaders build businesses that depend on them for everything. Others build teams that make the business thrive. Leadership coach Jeff Kuhn, creator of the Take 5 Leadership System™, joins Dianna Kokoszka to show how to build the second kind. You will hear the three questions Jeff asks a struggling business, how a Chuck E. Cheese manager nicknamed "the Terminator" learned to coach, why five minutes a week with each person is enough to keep a team on course, a checkout lesson Jeff heard about Trader Joe's that every leader can use, and what Jeff calls righteous termination: setting expectations so clearly that nobody is ever surprised. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_mS4PT6r5Qc About Jeff Kuhn Jeff Kuhn is a Baltimore-based leadership strategist, executive coach and speaker, and the founder of B'More Brands. He started his career inside the Chuck E. Cheese costume and went on to lead sales and retail teams for Tesla, Vivint Smart Home and Keller Williams. His Take 5 Leadership System helps leaders Enlist people aligned with their values, Empower them to succeed, and Exceed goals through one 5-minute conversation a week. He hosts BMore Daily, a free accountability call every weekday morning, tells a dad joke every single day, and is a member of Dianna K.'s Inner Circle. What You'll Hear 0:00 How to Build a Team That Runs Without You: Jeff Kuhn and the Take 5 Leadership System 2:38 3 Questions to Fix a Struggling Business: Clear Goals, Clear Roles and Weekly Team Meetings 7:27 5-Minute One-on-Ones and Employee Feedback: How the Take 5 Conversation Works 8:12 Talented People but No Team? Hiring for Mission, Values and Culture Fit 11:13 Why Leaders Won't Let Go: Delegation, Trust and How to Scale a Business 14:09 Ego, Work Ethic and Firing Too Fast: The One Minute Manager Lesson 16:41 Team Goals and Accountability: Every Role Is a Cog in the Machine 18:49 Do Systems Make Better Leaders? Chick-fil-A and Trader Joe's Customer Experience 23:27 Results or People? Righteous Termination and Setting Clear Expectations 28:34 Stop Being the Superman Leader: Babysitting Employees, Burnout and the Strength of the Pack 31:11 Free Daily Accountability Call (BMore Daily) and Jeff's Chuck E. Cheese Start 34:32 Closing: Dianna K.'s Inner Circle and Why Becoming More Is a Necessity Lines Worth Rewinding "Well, do you have five minutes?" Jeff Kuhn "Well, if they thought like you, they'd have your job, for heaven's sakes." Dianna Kokoszka "You don't have to fire them all the time. You can coach them." Jeff Kuhn, recalling a mentor's advice "A lot of people called it an upsell. Dad called it adding value." Dianna Kokoszka "Somebody needs to watch out for Chuck E. Cheese... And that's the leader's job." Jeff Kuhn "Sometimes the leader becomes the ceiling instead of the floor." Dianna Kokoszka Try It This Week Rate your business from one to five on three questions: How clear are our goals? How well does the team know them? How often do we meet about them? Then ask what would take you from a three to a four. Put five minutes on the calendar with each direct report. Review the goal, name one thing they did right, redirect privately where needed, and ask how you can help. Read your mission statement to your next candidate and ask how it feels. List the expectations for one role and check that they appear in the job description, the interview, orientation, training and your weekly conversation. Hand one task you are still holding onto to the person you hired to do it. A note on the data: Gallup found that 31 percent of U.S. employees were engaged at work in the first half of 2026, unchanged from 2025, and 18 percent were actively disengaged. Jeff's weekly 5-minute conversation gives each person the attention and feedback that keep a team moving. With National Boss's Day on Friday, October 16, it also makes a great gift from any boss: five focused minutes a week. Join Jeff's Free BMore Daily Call Every weekday morning, Jeff leads a 15-minute coaching moment on one topic from the Take 5 system, then participants break into small rooms for an accountability check-in on the goal they set the day before. It is free to join. Register at bmoredaily.com for the Zoom link. To talk about coaching, training or a workshop for your leaders, book a call at jeffkuhn.com . Grow With Dianna K.'s Inner Circle Jeff has been part of Dianna K.'s Inner Circle for about two years. It is a year of mentorship with Dianna for leaders who want to build dynamic, cohesive teams, with live sessions twice a month alongside thought leaders who are her mentors and friends. Learn more and apply at diannak.com/mentorship . Tell Dianna What You Want More Of The three-minute Becoming More survey at diannak.com/survey shapes what Dianna teaches next and comes with a free chapter of her book, Chapter 18 on energy. Connect With Jeff Kuhn Website: jeffkuhn.com Free daily call: bmoredaily.com YouTube: @JeffKuhn LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeff-kuhn-speaker-trainer-coach Instagram: @jeffrey_kuhn TikTok: @jeff_kuhn Facebook: facebook.com/jeffreykuhn Follow Becoming More YouTube: @BecomingMoreDiannaK Instagram: @dianna.kokoszka Facebook: facebook.com/diannakokoszka LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diannakokoszka More from Dianna: diannakokoszka.com Who on your team gets five minutes with you this week? Watch the full conversation, then share it with a leader who is ready to build a team that runs without them. BE BOLD.

Why Successful Women Drift From Themselves: Anna Gibbs

What do you do when the life you built still looks great, yet it no longer fits? Executive leadership coach Anna Gibbs joins Dianna Kokoszka to talk about her new book, Getting Back to You: A Woman's Guide to Reclaiming Clarity, Alignment, and Self-Trust. You will hear the signs that you have drifted from who you are, why overwhelm so often turns into guilt, why "drifting is still movement," and how to recalibrate when you are successful but not fulfilled. Anna shares how she gave herself permission to grow, where clarity really comes from, and what changed for her while writing the book. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6qjADHf7frY About Anna Gibbs Anna Gibbs is an executive leadership coach, business strategist, keynote speaker, and host of the Monday Morning Mojo podcast, with more than 30 years of experience leading people and businesses. In 14 years with Keller Williams she served as CEO and later General Manager and grew one market center from 43 to more than 250 agents. She has coached for 16 years and is a fellow John Maxwell Team coach. Getting Back to You was released September 18, 2026, together with a companion guidebook, and it helps accomplished women reconnect with their values and lead with clarity and self-trust. What You'll Hear 0:00 Intro: Anna Gibbs and Getting Back to You 2:01 Signs You've Drifted From Who You Are: Overwhelm, Guilt and Misalignment 4:42 Identity Starts as a Safety Issue: Why Leaders Hide How They Feel (Lonely at the Top) 6:44 Choosing Your Life vs. Managing It: Identity Drift Is Still Movement 9:41 Your Environment Shapes Your Identity: Mega Camp, Blue Zones and Your Inner Circle 13:37 Successful but Not Fulfilled: Recalibrate and Realign 15:28 Permission to Grow: You Don't Owe Anyone the Old Version of You 17:27 Leave Something Good to Go to Something Greater: Hustle Culture and Pushing Through 19:45 Servant Leadership, Boundaries, Self-Neglect and Where Clarity Comes From 24:25 Living the Book: The Long Exhale, the Companion Guidebook and the Alignment Assessment 27:52 Who Anna Was Before the Book vs. After: Writing It in Five Months 31:55 Where to Get Getting Back to You + Closing Lines Worth Rewinding "What might be an identity issue starts as a safety issue." Anna Gibbs "Drifting is still movement." Anna Gibbs "You can't always read the label when you're in the jar." Anna Gibbs "You can be successful and not be fulfilled." Dianna Kokoszka "Leave something good to go to something greater. It doesn't make what you left bad. It just means you're ready for something different." Anna Gibbs "I think clarity is something that becomes available to you when you take the time to ask the right questions." Anna Gibbs Try It This Week Notice the signs. List what used to come easily and now feels hard, and what used to inspire you and now drains you. That list is information, and it points to where you are ready to realign. Name your core values, beyond your strengths and talents. Then check one decision this week against them. Give yourself permission to grow. Write one sentence that finishes "The version of me I am ready to become..." Set one boundary from a full cup. Great leaders give generously and keep enough for themselves. Ask yourself the right questions, then listen. Clarity shows up when you make room for it. A note on the data: Anna's story matches what Gallup found. From 2022 to 2025, an average of 29 percent of women in leadership roles reported burnout, compared with 19 percent of men, even while women were more engaged at work. In this episode Anna explains why what looks like burnout can be a deeper misalignment, and how to come back from it. Get the Book Getting Back to You is available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle, along with the companion guidebook. Find both, plus Anna's alignment assessment, workshops, and retreats, at gettingbacktoyoubook.com . Tell Dianna What You Want More Of The three-minute Becoming More survey at diannak.com/survey shapes what Dianna teaches next and comes with a free chapter of her book, Chapter 18 on energy. Connect With Anna Gibbs Book: gettingbacktoyoubook.com Coaching: coachannagibbs.com Podcast: Monday Morning Mojo Instagram: @coachannagibbs LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/coachannagibbs Facebook: facebook.com/coachannagibbs Follow Becoming More YouTube: @BecomingMoreDiannaK Instagram: @dianna.kokoszka Facebook: facebook.com/diannakokoszka LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diannakokoszka More from Dianna: diannakokoszka.com Where in your life are you ready to get back to you? Watch the full conversation, then share it with a woman who has built a beautiful life and is ready to feel as good as it looks. BE BOLD.

How to Change Your Identity: Dr. Shane Kokoszka (Part 3)

Why Stress Makes Learning Harder: Dr. Shane Kokoszka (Part 2)

Part 2 of 3 with Dr. Shane Kokoszka, DC. If you have ever read the same page five times and still could not make it stick, this episode explains why. Dianna Kokoszka and her son, a Doctor of Chiropractic with more than two decades in practice, dig into why stress makes learning harder, why listening calms a stressed client, how the stories you repeat wire your brain, and the daily practices that bring you back to a calm state where change comes faster. They close with Be, Do, Have, from Dianna's book. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/if2I7EeRvoY Previously, in Part 1: the three states your nervous system runs in, box breathing, and why your brain can rewire at any age. Watch Part 1 About Dr. Shane Kokoszka, DC Dr. Shane Kokoszka, DC, is a Doctor of Chiropractic and acupuncturist who founded Health Restoration Inc., a multidisciplinary longevity and wellness clinic in Arvada, Colorado, in the Denver metro area. He has practiced for more than twenty years. He is also Dianna's son, and this three-part series grew out of the 20-week book club they ran together on Becoming More. What You'll Hear 0:00 Intro: Part 2 of 3, and why so many people accept stress as normal 1:29 Stress equals survival: why fight or flight slows learning 3:16 Listen first: the "make me feel important" sign, and the calm state in plain English 6:20 Real or made-up stories: your brain wires whatever you repeat 7:52 Speak it out loud: x-rays, pain, mindset, and talking to your steering wheel 11:13 Gratitude: finding 10 good things in the people around you 13:33 No microwave fixes: box breathing, resistance touch, and movement 14:29 Everything is temporary: hard seasons and complimenting five people a day 17:35 Deep-seated beliefs: back it down and name what you see 19:47 Hippocampus and prefrontal cortex: why stress makes you spiral 21:12 Goals and Be, Do, Have: become the person first 26:08 The supplements Shane mentions (full list and disclaimer below) Lines Worth Rewinding "Stress equals survival. So, are you surviving or are you thriving?" "I've read this thing like five times. Why can't I get this in my head? It's because you're in fight or flight." "Medical terms do two things simultaneously. They first communicate nothing, and job security for me." "The brain cannot be in gratitude and in negativity at the same time." Dianna Kokoszka "We can't change other people. We can only change the perception of others." "People grow into the conversations you create around them." Dianna Kokoszka "Basically you have to become the person who can attain whatever it is you want to have." Try It This Week Before your next listing appointment, ask what is going on and let them finish. Shane's first move with every patient is a lesson made famous by Mary Kay Ash: everyone wears a sign that says "Make me feel important." Pick the person who bothers you most and find 10 good things about them. If you can only find two, start with two. Compliment five people a day, tastefully and respectfully. When a belief feels too big, back it down: take a walk and name what you see, "tree, cloud, leaf, rock," then build one positive thought on top. Supplements Shane Mentioned Near the end of the episode Shane names the nutritional support he talks about for stress and energy, and he offered to share the list. Here it is, exactly as named on the show: MitoCORE by Ortho Molecular Products (spelled M-I-T-O C-O-R-E on the show) Omega-3 fatty acids L-theanine PharmaGABA Phosphatidylserine Taurine Inositol Please read this first. Nothing here is a prescription or a recommendation to take anything. As Dianna and Shane both say on the show, this is a conversation to have with your healthcare professional before you start any supplement. Any affiliation between Shane and these products is unverified, so this page includes no purchase or affiliate links. Part 2 of 3 Part 1 is live: How to Rewire Your Brain at Any Age: Dr. Shane Kokoszka (Part 1) Part 3 airs Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central on the Becoming More YouTube channel and right here on the podcast feed: identity, thought addiction, and goals as vehicles for transformation. Watch Part 3 Grow in the Right Room Dianna built the Inner Circle for people who want to become more and want a community that speaks belief into them until they have their own. See how it works at diannak.com/mentorship . Then tell Dianna what you want more of. The three-minute survey at diannak.com/survey shapes what she teaches next and comes with a free chapter of Becoming More, Chapter 18 on energy. Connect With Dr. Shane Kokoszka Health Restoration Inc.: health-colorado.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shane-kokoszka-32a16b1a Instagram: @healthrestorationinc Facebook: facebook.com/healthrestorationinc Follow Becoming More YouTube: @BecomingMoreDiannaK Instagram: @dianna.kokoszka Facebook: facebook.com/diannakokoszka LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diannakokoszka The Becoming More book, source of Be, Do, Have: book.diannak.com More from Dianna: diannakokoszka.com More on stress: How to Stop Being Stressed All the Time with Shane, and Dianna's 5-5-5 Rule for Stress Which story have you been repeating this week? Write the new one on a sticky note, say it out loud on your drive, and send this episode to someone who needs a calmer day. BE BOLD.

How to Rewire Your Brain at Any Age: Dr. Shane Kokoszka (Part 1)

Part 1 of 3 with Dr. Shane Kokoszka, DC. Dianna Kokoszka's son is a Doctor of Chiropractic with more than two decades in practice, and after the two of them ran a book club on her book Becoming More, readers asked for the deeper science. This is it. In the first of three conversations, Shane maps the three states your nervous system can be in, explains why a stressed brain struggles to learn anything new, leads a box-breathing exercise you can do along with him, and makes the case that your brain can rewire at any age. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4JqdhjYztuQ About Dr. Shane Kokoszka, DC Dr. Shane Kokoszka, DC, is a Doctor of Chiropractic and chiropractic rehabilitation specialist who founded Health Restoration Inc., a multidisciplinary longevity and wellness clinic in Arvada, Colorado, in the Denver metro area. Licensed in Colorado and in practice for more than twenty years, he built the clinic around a blended model of chiropractic care, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, massage therapy, functional wellness, and newer device-based therapies. Patients describe a doctor who takes time to explain what is happening in the body. This is his third appearance on Becoming More, after 2025 conversations on stress and on metabolism. What You'll Hear 0:18 Intro: the book club that started this series, and why you can't get to better until you get to different 2:26 The polyvagal chart: freeze, fight or flight, or social engagement 2:55 The vagus nerve, your second brain, and the caveman brain in 2026 4:46 Fight or flight versus freeze: dissociation, and why pain thresholds go up 6:27 Survival mode in real estate: piling up work to avoid feeling 8:09 Prefrontal cortex offline: cortisol, neuroplasticity, and neural pruning 9:45 How to get out of fight or flight: engage the vagus nerve, real versus imagined 11:48 Box breathing: in for 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4 (do it with him) 13:00 Dianna's bee trick: 19 prolotherapy shots and choosing to be the hero 14:26 86 billion neurons: fire together, wire together, and the kinesin glue 17:28 Rewire your brain at any age: repetition, affirmations, winner or loser 20:25 Inner Circle: you become who you hang out with, and a preview of Part 2 Lines Worth Rewinding "There's no difference between how our brains worked then and how our brains work now." "You're so stressed out that how is your brain supposed to change to learn a new habit? That's where the challenge lies." "The brain doesn't know the difference between something real going on in your life right now and something imagined." "Your future is shaped by the habits you repeat, not the goals you set." "Your brain doesn't discern good from bad, up from down, positive from negative. It just says, you said glue this together. I'm going to glue it together." "We become like the people we hang out with." Dianna Kokoszka Try the Box Breathing Feet flat on the floor, hands on the desk, eyes closed. Breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, breathe out for four, and stay empty for four. Repeat three or four times. Notice whether you feel an urgent need to breathe on the empty hold; that urgency is fight or flight trying to kick back in, and as it fades your nervous system is settling. A 2023 Stanford trial found that five minutes a day of this pattern improved mood over a month, and that a long-exhale pattern tested even stronger. Small evidence, zero cost, and it fits in the car before an appointment. Part 1 of 3 Part 2 airs Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central on the Becoming More YouTube channel and right here on the podcast feed: stress, and the polyvagal state of social engagement. Watch Part 2 Part 3 airs Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central: identity, thought addiction, and goals as vehicles for transformation. Watch Part 3 Choose the Room You Grow In Dianna started the Inner Circle for the exact problem this episode names: people who want to become great need people around them who challenge them, teach them, and speak abundance. See how it works at diannak.com/mentorship . Then tell Dianna what you want more of. The three-minute survey at diannak.com/survey shapes what she teaches next and comes with a free chapter of Becoming More, Chapter 18 on energy. Connect With Dr. Shane Kokoszka Health Restoration Inc.: health-colorado.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shane-kokoszka-32a16b1a Instagram: @healthrestorationinc Facebook: facebook.com/healthrestorationinc Follow Becoming More YouTube: @BecomingMoreDiannaK Instagram: @dianna.kokoszka Facebook: facebook.com/diannakokoszka LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diannakokoszka The Becoming More book: book.diannak.com More from Dianna: diannakokoszka.com Shane's earlier episodes: How to Stop Being Stressed All the Time and The Truth About Losing Weight Which state are you in right now: freeze, fight or flight, or social engagement? Name it, take one box breath, and send this episode to the person you want in your room. BE BOLD.

2,500 Champions, One Daily Habit: Don Yaeger

Don Yaeger spent thirty years interviewing 2,500 of the best winners of his generation and asked every one of them the same question: name the habit in your daily routine that made you better than other people. He kept the answers in notebooks. Then he counted them. On this episode of Becoming More, he gives Dianna Kokoszka the number one answer — and then spends the rest of the hour showing his work. There is a reason this conversation goes deeper than most guest interviews. Don was Dianna's business coach. As he puts it on tape, "suddenly my job was to coach the coach." About Don Yaeger Don Yaeger is a 13-time New York Times bestselling author, a longtime Associate Editor at Sports Illustrated (1996–2008), a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, a Publisher of Forbes Books, and the host of the Corporate Competitor Podcast, where Fortune 500 leaders trace their leadership back to what sport taught them. He wrote "A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring" with UCLA coach John Wooden, "Never Die Easy" with Walter Payton, "Teammate" with World Series catcher David Ross, plus "Great Teams" and "Greatness: The 16 Characteristics of True Champions." He is one of five Maxwell Leadership Thought Leaders, and he still files a weekly leadership column for Chief Executive. His reporting has taken him to Baghdad, Afghanistan, China and Damascus, and his office holds Shaq's shoe, Heisman trophies, and a jersey Walter Payton gave him. What You'll Hear The single question Don asked 2,500 champions — and the 16 habits that came back most often The number one answer: the best believe success is available to them, but failure leaves a mark What Michael Jordan told him about owning a loss, and the afternoon Don became the sixth man ever to score on him at Jordan's own camp "You haven't taught until they have learned" — casting vision, and guarding your inner circle John Wooden's monthly love letters to his wife, and the 863 letters Don has now written to his own Coach Wooden's three-column assignment: 15 names, one question each Living with the Walter Payton family, the Warrick Dunn book he is proudest of, and the books that became movies The two places most storytellers fail — and how to fix both Becoming a sponge: learning from Simon Sinek, from Mother Teresa, and from Delta CEO Ed Bastian How a leader watches their own game film, and why feedback is the breakfast of champions "Who's Coaching Your Kid?" — the Sports Illustrated investigation that moved 30 states to require background checks for youth coaches What Don wants the story of his life to say Lines Worth Rewinding "The best believe success is available to them, but failure leaves a mark. They hate to lose more than they love to win." "A loss is not a failure until you make an excuse." — Michael Jordan, as told to Don Yaeger "And last Friday she opened letter number 863." "Are they going where I want to go?" — John Wooden's question for every name on your list "People listen differently when they think you care about them." "If you ask me long after I'm gone what I will be most proud of, it will be what I believe those two will do one day." Get Don's New Book "The Business of Storytelling: Inspire Action, Build Trust, and Drive Results Through Story" (Forbes Books) releases September 15, 2026. Order it from Don here: The Business of Storytelling . Simon Sinek's line on the cover calls Don one of the greatest storytellers of all time, and Dianna ordered two cases of it months before release day. Reading this before September 15? It is on pre-order now, and pre-ordering makes you a Founding Member of The Circle of Storytellers . Then Go Deeper With Dianna Don is teaching a session for Dianna's Inner Circle in 2027 — a small group where members get to bring him their own questions. If the 15-name exercise landed, that is exactly what the Inner Circle is: choosing the room you grow in. See how it works at diannak.com/mentorship . Connect With Don Yaeger Website: donyaeger.com Corporate Competitor Podcast: donyaeger.com/corporate-competitor-podcast LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/donyaeger Instagram: @donyaeger Facebook: facebook.com/donyaeger X: @DonYaeger Follow Becoming More YouTube: @BecomingMoreDiannaK Instagram: @dianna.kokoszka Facebook: facebook.com/diannakokoszka LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diannakokoszka The Becoming More book: book.diannak.com More from Dianna: diannakokoszka.com If this one earned a rewind, share it with the person you would put in your first column. BE BOLD.

100,000 Agents Quit in 2025. The Skill That Keeps You In

The week this episode airs, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.71%, its highest reading in more than a year (Freddie Mac, September 3). The Wall Street Journal reported in May that roughly 100,000 Realtors left the business in 2025, and NAR's membership count fell to 1,439,163 by June 2026. Dianna Kokoszka has seen this market before. In 2008, Mary Tennant, then president of Keller Williams Realty International, asked her to write a program that would keep agents in the business. More than 150,000 agents went through it, and many say it saved their careers. This solo episode is her 2026 version of that call. Her argument is simple and she makes it from every angle: being licensed does not make you valuable in real estate. Skill does. The market pays for knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to say it; for negotiation, pricing, and difficult conversations; and for helping people make a confident decision when the information they used to need an agent for is already on their phone. Dianna walks through why motivation is unreliable and a ritual is reliable, why mastery lives in the boring middle, why confidence is preparation rather than personality, and how the Be, Do, Have, Give model reverses the "when I have more leads, I'll prospect" trap. She closes with five questions every agent should answer honestly this week, and one instruction: develop the skills before desperation sets in, because development works best before the pipeline is empty. In this episode The 2008 program that kept 150,000 agents in the business, and why 2026 is different again The skills that are now mandatory: what to say, how to say it, when to say it, negotiation, pricing, difficult conversations "The market is changing, and so am I": passing through the gateway of different Motivation versus ritual, and why your first appointment of the day is with yourself The first-hour test: does it create business or consume information? Mastery lives in the boring middle: the tortoise, the hare, and the gap between effort and reward where agents quit Confidence as one of the four energies of success, and why sellers can feel whether you believe the price Rehearse the conversation 50, 60, 75 times; master each objection ten ways; let silence do the heavy lifting Where an agent's value moved: from information to judgment, strategy, negotiation, and human connection Be, Do, Have, Give: start with who you are becoming Five questions: can you create business, turn a lead into dialogue, handle a no, ask great questions, and earn enough trust? Don't wait until you're desperate to build the skill Timestamps 0:00 Cold open: your license is not the asset 0:25 Intro: the 2008 market and the program that saved 150,000 agents 1:35 Being licensed isn't enough: skill makes you valuable 3:23 The market is changing and so am I: growth mindset 5:20 Motivation is unreliable, consistency builds your business 6:18 Your morning ritual and the first hour of your day 9:33 Mastery lives in the boring middle 11:52 The gap between effort and reward is where agents quit 13:05 Clients feel your confidence, and confidence comes from preparation 17:39 Sales is changing: where did your value move to? 20:21 Be, Do, Have, Give: start with being 22:19 Are your skills strong enough for where real estate is going? 24:11 Don't wait until you're desperate: build your skills now Quotes from this episode "Being licensed will not automatically make you someone that's valuable in real estate. Skill makes you valuable." "Motivation is unreliable. A ritual is reliable." "Mastery lives in the boring middle. It's not the highs and lows, it's the consistency." "Confidence is not a personality. Confidence comes from preparation." "Develop them now, because development works best before desperation sets in." Links Sales Mastery Momentum, Dianna's weekly Tuesday class on the scripts, dialogues, objection handling, and mindset in this episode: diannak.com/scripts Three-minute survey with a free gift, Chapter 18 "Energy" from Becoming More: diannak.com/survey The book, Becoming More: book.diannak.com Ask Dianna, the Tuesday live: diannak.com/ask Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/R78s-g95rCg Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@BecomingMoreDiannaK Full show notes, FAQ, and transcript: diannakokoszka.com Sources mentioned in the notes Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, September 3, 2026 (30-year fixed 6.71%) The Wall Street Journal, "Real-Estate Agents Are Quitting the Slow Housing Market," May 29, 2026 National Association of Realtors membership report, June 2026 Dianna Kokoszka is the former CEO of KW MAPS Coaching, the creator of BOLD, the author of Becoming More, and the host of Becoming More with Dianna Kokoszka. Find her on Instagram and TikTok at @dianna.kokoszka and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/diannakokoszka. If this episode helped, subscribe and share it with an agent who needs to hear it this week. And always become more. BE BOLD, Dianna

Why You Must "Do It Messy" to Become More | Dianna Kokoszka & Mackenzie Shelton

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go further, bring others along." In this episode of Becoming More, Dianna Kokoszka sits down with Inner Circle member Mackenzie Shelton, owner of the Prairie and Pine Real Estate Group. Mackenzie pulls back the curtain on the "rocky starts" of team ownership, including the bold move of buying out a business partner just two months before giving birth. They dive deep into the transition from a successful solo agent to a "Coaching Leader" who focuses on significance over just success. Key Topics Discussed: ☑️ The Power of Surrender: Why spirit-led living and letting go of control is the secret to peace in real estate. ☑️ The "Avatar" Strategy: The one piece of advice from Mackenzie’s coach that changed her hiring forever. ☑️ Risk & Writing: Mackenzie shares her new journey into authorship with Maxwell Leadership. ☑️ The Garden Metaphor: Why business growth is exactly like planting seeds, you don't see the progress immediately, but the work is happening underground. ☑️ Do It Messy: Mackenzie’s advice for agents stuck in their own heads. Connect with Host Dianna Kokoszka: Website: https://diannak.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianna.kokoszka/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannakokoszka The Book: https://a.co/d/hQIpouq Merch & Growth Shop: https://dynamicgrowthcollective.com/shop Connect with Guest Mackenzie Shelton: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mackenzieleeshelton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DixPYh4Z8/ YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@RootsandRoofs TikTok: @mahogany_acres_mama Timestamps 00:00 – Spirit-Led Living: Finding peace in an uncontrollable industry. 01:05 – Introduction: Meet Mackenzie Shelton of Prairie and Pine. 02:30 – The 11-Year Journey: Navigating Nebraska and Iowa real estate. 03:15 – The Rocky Start: Buying out a partner while postpartum. 05:36 – Why Most Teams Fail: Leverage vs. Leadership. 07:54 – Identifying Your Leadership Style: Why Mackenzie chooses "Coaching." 10:11 – The "Perfect Avatar": The #1 tip for building a team. 12:33 – Surrendering Control: Moving from "Bully" to Leader. 14:49 – Taking the Big Risk: Mackenzie’s journey to becoming an author. 17:12 – The Reality of Growth: It’s not a linear path. 19:32 – The Garden Metaphor: Consistency, Watering, and Sunlight. 22:13 – Do it Messy: Mackenzie’s advice. #BecomingMore #DiannaKokoszka #MackenzieShelton #RealEstateLeadership #MaxwellLeadership #Implementation #Mindset #TeamBuilding #DoItMessy

Stop Informing, Start Persuading: The Sales Psychology That Built an Empire

In this special "From the Vault" episode of Becoming More, we travel back to 1997 for a legendary conversation between Dianna Kokoszka and Howard Brinton (Star Power Club). Before she was a CEO and a global leadership icon, Dianna was a ferocious real estate agent who sold 104 homes in her very first year. How? She didn't rely on luck; she relied on physics, logic, and a mastery of scripts that are just as lethal today as they were decades ago. Dianna breaks down the specific dialogues she used to win For Sale By Owners (FSBOs), defend her commission, and move clients from "thinking about it" to signing the contract. If you are in sales, real estate, or leadership, this is a masterclass in persuasion. In this episode, you will learn: ☑️ The "Cue Ball" Strategy: How to set up your questions so the client has to give you the answer you want. ☑️ Informative vs. Persuasive: Why giving too much information kills the sale (and how to fix it). ☑️ The "Gut Gauge": How to ask the tough questions that get to the heart of the objection. ☑️ Systematizing Success: Applying the E-Myth philosophy to scale from a salesperson to a business owner. ☑️ The "Position Contract": How to hire and empower a team that actually works. Timestamps: [ 00:00:50 ] Intro: Howard Brinton introduces Dianna Kokoszka (104 homes in year one). [ 00:02:57 ] The McDonald’s Theory: Why realtors fail and franchises succeed. [ 00:14:50 ] The "Cue Ball" Logic: Never ask a question unless you know where the answer leads. [ 00:16:37 ] The FSBO Script: The difference between a "Problem" presentation and a "Solution" presentation. [ 00:21:21 ] Defending the Commission: The "Overtime" Analogy (Work 2 days, get paid for 1). [ 00:25:42 ] The Logic Trap: The "Pawn Shop" vs. "Auction" metaphor for pricing. [ 00:40:22 ] Stop Informing, Start Persuading: Why "features and benefits" kill the sale. [ 00:50:52 ] The Takeaway Close: "I'd rather turn you down now than let you down later." [ 01:13:28 ] The Guest Pass: How to protect your commission when buyers visit open houses without you. Additional Resources: Master the Scripts (Coaching Blitz): https://dynamicgrowthcollective.com/c... Join the Free Q&A: https://diannak.com Follow Dianna: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianna.koko... YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BecomingMore... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannakokoszka LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannak/ #RealEstateCoaching #SalesMastery #RealtorTips #OldSchoolSales #BecomingMorePodcast #DiannaKokoszka #SalesScripts #RealEstateAgent #MillionaireMindset #Throwback