Oct. 22, 2025

S3 EP03 Turning NEC Fear into Focus and Trade Success with Ruben Young

S3 EP03 Turning NEC Fear into Focus and Trade Success with Ruben Young

10 years in the trade. Still not certified. Not because of skills but because of fear. In this episode, we sit down with Ruben Young, Host of The Young Electrician Podcast, to unpack why thousands of electricians delay getting certified and how that fear is costing them everything from income to confidence. Raised on the streets of LA, Ruben didn’t get certified until year 10. Not because he lacked skill, but because of one thing most electricians don’t talk about: Confidence. This isn’t just...

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Season 3

10 years in the trade. Still not certified. Not because of skills but because of fear.

In this episode, we sit down with Ruben Young, Host of The Young Electrician Podcast, to unpack why thousands of electricians delay getting certified and how that fear is costing them everything from income to confidence.

Raised on the streets of LA, Ruben didn’t get certified until year 10. Not because he lacked skill, but because of one thing most electricians don’t talk about: Confidence.

This isn’t just a tips and tricks episode. It’s a real-deal story of fighting through limiting beliefs, addiction, jail time, and coming out on the other side to help others escape the same mental traps. Ruben’s now helping electricians walk out of fear and into their certification with confidence by walking with them.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

  • Why so many 10+ year electricians still aren’t certified (and what that’s really costing them)
  • How to study without overwhelm (and how 15 minutes can change your future)
  • The one habit that fixes your life more than any study guide
  • Why discipline in one area of life always leaks into the rest

Whether you're 2 years in or 20, if you’ve ever said “I’ll get to it later,” this episode is for you!


⚡️Featured Guest:

Ruben Young, Host of The Young Electrician Podcast

For Electricians trying to pass the Journeyman exam, C10 exam or just grow in their field. I hope to provide a place to help electricians of all levels grow into their full potential, both in mindset and knowledge.

http://www.youtube.com/@theyoungelectrician

https://www.instagram.com/the_youngelectrician


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⚡️Jump into the Million Dollar Electrician Community and connect with real business-minded sparkies! 


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#ElectricianPodcast #JourneymanPrep #GetCertified #NECCodeBook #TradesmenTalk #BlueCollarLeadership #MillionDollarElectrician #ElectricianMindset #TradeSuccess #NECCode #RubenYoung #MillionDollarElectrician

00:00 - Cold Open: Why Caring Matters

00:35 - Show Intro And Guest Welcome

02:16 - Why Ruben Started Helping Electricians

04:34 - Certification Paths: CA, NY, And BC

07:22 - Contractor vs Journeyman Exams

10:05 - Test Strategies And Study Methods

13:38 - Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

16:15 - Time Management Through Better Questions

19:15 - Building Habits And Accountability

22:00 - Structuring A Study Plan That Works

25:10 - Demystifying The NEC Codebook

28:24 - Tabbing, Tools, And Test-Day Realities

31:04 - Ruben’s Backstory And Turning Point

36:20 - Finding The Trades And A New Path

39:32 - Reframing The Value Of The Trades

42:08 - Decide Your Future And Start Small

45:08 - Study Groups, Confidence, And Community

47:34 - How To Reach Ruben And Closing

WEBVTT

00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.000
You know, we live in a culture that I can give a rip.

00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:03.520
Nobody cares about anybody else.

00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:06.639
We like to pretend, we like to make our little posts or whatever.

00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:08.880
Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.

00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:11.599
And I think um people are what make the difference.

00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:18.480
Somebody's gonna say something to you, somebody's gonna write something, somebody's gonna mention something, and that is going to change the course of somebody's life.

00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:20.320
When I was younger, I never thought I'd own a car.

00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:22.079
I never thought I had I was gonna sell drugs.

00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:23.760
You know, if I drove a car, it's because I stole it.

00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:25.199
That's what I thought I could do in life.

00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:27.120
Decide what you want to do in your future.

00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:28.800
What kind of life do you want?

00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:29.839
Don't limit yourself.

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.039
Get rid of those cats.

00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:31.679
It doesn't matter.

00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:32.960
If you fail, that's a different thing.

00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:35.679
At least you tried, at least you learned something, at least you moved ahead.

00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:47.600
Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the Million Dollar Electrician Podcast, where we help home service pros like you supercharge your business and spark up those sales.

00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:55.840
I'm Joseph Witani, and together with my co-host Clay New Meyer, we're here to share the secrets that have helped electricians sell over a million dollars in a single service band.

00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.479
Now it's time for sales.

00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:00.880
It's time for sale.

00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:06.239
It's time to become a million-dollar electrician.

00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:10.799
Hello, hello, hello.

00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:11.519
Welcome back.

00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:17.280
Season three of the Million Dollar Electrician Podcast, and today's a super special episode.

00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:20.799
Our podcast producer Tony did something incredible.

00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:27.840
One day at a team meeting, she brought up this list of the top podcasters for electricians on the planet.

00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:32.640
And our guest today, Ruben Young, was one of them with the Young Electrician Podcast.

00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:33.840
Welcome, Ruben.

00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:35.040
What's up, guys?

00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:36.480
Thank you guys for having me.

00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:37.760
Such a pleasure, man.

00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:39.200
Welcome back for you.

00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:45.439
Yeah, Ruben's done something pretty remarkable and a little bit different than what we do here.

00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:51.760
Ruben's really focused on some of the pains that he felt in becoming an electrician and becoming a contractor.

00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:55.359
And we wanted to deep dive on that and everything in between today.

00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:59.439
I imagine there's going to be some rough around the edges, blue-collar chat.

00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:03.280
We're probably going to dive deep into some topics that many of us are familiar with.

00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:04.400
Some of us won't be.

00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:07.439
If it makes you uncomfortable, I apologize in advance.

00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:10.960
But I promise a ton of great takeaways from these chats.

00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:16.560
Ruben, tell me about why you decided to go on this movement, brother.

00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:30.319
Oh, so the reason why I started the podcast, the YouTube channel, and just everything I'm doing with trying to help electricians get certified and move up in their career is that here in California, you get certified after you do four years in the trade.

00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:34.879
So you do 8,000 hours, get your general certification, move on with your life.

00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:37.439
I didn't get certified until my 10th year.

00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:40.960
And the only reason is because of my lack of confidence.

00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:47.280
You know, I would give excuses, you know, it's kind of expensive to take courses, I don't have the time, right?

00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:50.639
You know, I you don't really need it because I'm already like in a forming position.

00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:52.800
But the reality was I was just intimidated.

00:02:53.039 --> 00:03:04.319
And uh over the years I noticed that you work on the field and you learn to install stuff and you learn a bit of code, but um, it's not really encouraged to study the NEC.

00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:13.599
So by the time I got to the point where I was supposed to take the exam, I was so intimidated by the NEC that I just shied away from it.

00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:25.439
And I noticed that a lot of the guys that I worked with, uh journey, uh not journeymen, but uh foreman, lead men, great electricians, I'm talking about 10, 20 years in the trade, weren't certified.

00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:28.879
And a lot of them weren't getting paid what they needed to get paid.

00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:43.280
And we were perpetuating this uh this uh this idea of not needing to be certified, but in reality we're just intimidated because you know we can install stuff, but we can't, we don't know how to navigate the code book.

00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:47.360
And that's a ton of electricians, I think, all around, especially here in California.

00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:57.120
And um I didn't know anything, I'll I'll make it, I'll try to shorten this up, but I didn't even know how to fill out the paperwork to become a like to take the exam.

00:03:57.360 --> 00:03:58.560
So that's where it started.

00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:04.639
I had to scour the internet, figure it out, go to multiple social security offices trying to get my work history.

00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:14.400
And then I realized, like, man, like nothing is on the internet telling somebody how to get certified, how to fill out their paperwork, how to get their hours, what can you apply into?

00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:15.439
Do you need schooling?

00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:16.639
Do you not need schooling?

00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:18.240
Uh, what kind of schooling do you need?

00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:19.279
How much schooling do you need?

00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:20.399
How many work hours do you need?

00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:21.439
So I was like, screw it.

00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:25.279
I'm just gonna put together a couple YouTube videos doing that.

00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:30.480
And it kind of started there, showing people how to get how to uh apply for the exam.

00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:35.360
And then it moved into trying to just build up people's confidence so that they can take the exam.

00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:37.439
So that's a good answer.

00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:41.199
Is this something that it that is a problem outside of California too?

00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:51.439
Yeah, so I'm in New York and I can tell you that a lot of times you'll find people in your very similar situation where they justify to themselves why they don't need it.

00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:59.600
And as a result, they end up being stuck in where they're at until they realize they can't do anything else and they have to get through the glass ceiling.

00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:01.600
And then people will start pushing for it.

00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:03.199
You'll either have really two directions.

00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:06.560
Some people are like, I want to become a master so I can start my business.

00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:10.160
And as a direct result, it's well, then I need to do these steps.

00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:15.759
But unless you're saying I'm going to direct my own company, there's a lot of people who are like, Well, I don't need the certification.

00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:17.120
I'm not going to run my own company anyway.

00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:17.920
I don't need the license.

00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:19.279
I'm going to work for someone.

00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:25.920
And then they go with the logic of, well, I'll go right to work rather than go to college and then to work.

00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:33.199
Do you do you have to go to college or what is what is the what is the process to become an electrician?

00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:40.160
And is there a journeyman certification in New York, or is it just a master's and a what does that look like?

00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:47.120
So um I went directly for my master's, and in order to do so, in order to get your license in New York, you need a couple different requirements.

00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:56.800
At the time, it was either you needed to prove 11 years of WA2 experience, which already is a lot, because for someone who's off the books or someone who's that's a lot to prove, right?

00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:07.600
And otherwise, the other way you can do it is you can get two years of trade school and then two years of college, and that also applies, and then the that subtracts from that 11.

00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.639
So that you only need you know a different amount.

00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:12.160
So that's the route I took.

00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:20.000
I ended up going to trade school, then went to college to get my associates, and then from there, you know, I already been working since I was 14, so I had some W-2 experience.

00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:24.079
That way I was able to get my license to like think 23 or 24.

00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:26.000
Yeah, right around there.

00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:29.759
Wow, working since you're 14, that's a whole nother topic.

00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:35.519
That was good.

00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:42.639
Yeah, and in BC, of course, I'm north of the border, and every province, they're not states here, they're provinces, but they're all a bit different too.

00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:49.600
Although I think our trade authority has done pretty decent at at least letting you know what the steps are.

00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:53.920
Um, for us, it was four years of uh theoretical education.

00:06:54.000 --> 00:07:00.959
You had to do 10 weeks every year, so 40 weeks in total to become a journeyman, uh, red seal status, they call it here.

00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:10.399
And then to become to become the master electrician, at least in BC, when I took it, you needed 1,500 journeyman hours on top of that.

00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:11.040
Okay.

00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:16.399
And then each level of apprenticeship, I think you had to have 1,500, 2,000 hours as well.

00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:22.240
So by time you're done, you had to have the 10,000 hours basically to become a contractor.

00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:35.600
But something you said, Ruben, I thought was interesting in our in our chat uh before the interview here is that did you did you tell me the contractor's test was actually easier than than your journeyman's test for you guys?

00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:39.120
The contractor's test in California is a joke.

00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:41.040
I'm just gonna, it's just a joke.

00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:42.399
It's not words.

00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:42.720
Wow.

00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:54.240
Um it's in my opinion, I think if you have a journeyman license, you shouldn't even have to take the trade side because it's written kind of like um it's written like a homeowner was gonna do it, like somebody who worked on their home.

00:07:54.319 --> 00:08:08.399
Because there's a section in the application where if you like buy and sell your own houses or you've worked on your own home for like, you know, the equivalence of four years or something like that, 8,000 hours, you could become a contractor, which is kind of cool, whatever.

00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:10.240
I you know, it's a good way in.

00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:16.079
But taking the exam, like some people do fail it because it's uh it's not it's not based out of the NEC really.

00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:30.480
It's I don't know, it's just worded in such a weird way, like like a you were explaining to a homeowner, and um it doesn't add any value to if you could pass the electrical side of that, it adds no value to how you can install or perform your work.

00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:35.919
The only side that is beneficial, I think, is the business and law side, because there's two exams here.

00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:44.480
And um yeah, so so it's it's one I I passed it like in I think both tests in like 40 minutes each.

00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:47.519
And I still had like three hours left or something, and I was like, I'm leaving.

00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.120
If I failed, I don't I can't sit here.

00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:50.320
This is boring.

00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:54.399
But yeah, I think I think it's a joke, but I'm not gonna get on that soapbox.

00:08:54.720 --> 00:09:04.320
When anytime you finish a test fast, I don't know if you experience it, but I know like if I'm given three hours and I finish it in 40 minutes, my first thought is, oh, I messed something up, everyone's still working.

00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:06.960
Did you like go through that mindset when it was happening?

00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:10.000
I went through the exam three times, both of them.

00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:14.960
All the questions, and I'm like, dude, like if I got this wrong, then I I just I don't know what I'm talking about.

00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:16.639
I just need to go back and study again.

00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:19.840
And I was the the journeyman exam, though, it's four hours out here.

00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.080
And uh I finished that one from after doing like schooling and stuff in about three hours.

00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:29.840
So I had an hour left, and I used every single minute of that hour to try to make sure I passed it.

00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:34.639
But the contractor's exam, it was just such a it was such an easy exam.

00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:45.840
And some of the questions, it's like, I don't know if I got that right, because you asked me in such a weird way that, you know, there's no no amount of time's gonna of reading this question is gonna make me realize if I got it right or not.

00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:48.240
It's just such a weird phrasing.

00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:50.159
I'm with you there.

00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:51.039
Yeah.

00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:51.600
Yeah.

00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:56.320
Our teacher, uh, we had a great fourth year teacher that prepared us for our journeyman's exam.

00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:59.279
I think it was four hours too, I believe, that we had to write it.

00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:03.200
Um, but he broke it down into three three different types of questions.

00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:05.120
I don't know if you guys experienced this too.

00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:08.399
He said there's noems, there's find thems, and there's solve them.

00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:19.840
And as a strategy, he just taught us rip through the entire test and answer all the know-ems because you know you got those and put a check beside it because you're gonna do a count on that later.

00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:26.080
Then go to the findems because if you can find it, then you're pretty confident that that thing is right.

00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:30.320
Then he said, then do the solve them.

00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:39.679
So actually, when I did my exam, I might not have a lot of fans for this, but there was an apartment calc that I literally just went, uh, BCA, BCA.

00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:47.200
I answered about five questions on it because I already knew I passed the test from the knowums and the solve them, or at least noems and the find them.

00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:47.919
Yeah.

00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:51.279
Have you guys heard of a strategy like that, or did you follow something similar?

00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:52.559
Yeah, I hear that.

00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:56.720
It's like they say you should go through the exam like three times, doing kind of that same process.

00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:03.519
I didn't do that because the way my mind works, but I um but yeah, I I think that's a good that is a good method.

00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:05.600
Awesome.

00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:09.679
So you've got a following from all over the place, not just California.

00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:13.840
That there's guys tuning in to are you on YouTube too, Ruben?

00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:15.279
Uh yeah, yeah.

00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:16.240
Yeah, I got some.

00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:18.639
Yeah, Instagram, Look, TikTok, YouTube.

00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:19.679
I'm on the TikTok.

00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:23.759
Uh, that's a good question.

00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:26.080
I've no I should know that since I have a podcast.

00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:26.879
I have no clue.

00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:33.360
It's uh definitely in the United States, definitely in America, somewhere around there, right?

00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:35.279
North, South.

00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:36.799
Um, I'm not sure.

00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:38.639
Definitely, definitely in the United States.

00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:45.200
Um, a lot of the guys that reach out to me are either in Texas or in California, and I think it's because maybe the exams are really similar.

00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:47.039
That's what I'm kind of picking up on.

00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:51.279
Uh so people that reach out to me, mostly California and Texas.

00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:53.759
Awesome, man.

00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:54.399
That's really good.

00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:56.320
Well, I'm glad that you get to help so many people.

00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:05.840
And so your focus is uh really getting people through that same anxiety that you faced and trying to get them through this test and get their uh legitimate licensing.

00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:06.799
Is that fair?

00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:07.840
Yep.

00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:08.320
Yep.

00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:12.320
Mostly uh mostly working on people's confidence in it, yeah.

00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:18.480
Yeah, I was just gonna say, what do you think is the biggest challenge that you encounter when you're helping people with this?

00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:21.519
Uh there just people's limiting beliefs, they're excuses.

00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:31.519
We, you know, I'm so glad that I went through what I went through in my in my life in many different areas because I I I understand what their thought process is, so I could kind of walk with them out of it.

00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:36.320
Um, but it it is working through those those limiting beliefs.

00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:40.720
I don't have time, I don't have the money, I don't, you know, I don't, I'm not smart enough.

00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:42.639
And it's like none of these things are true.

00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:44.399
None of the none of these things are true.

00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:46.480
Like you you you are smarter.

00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:48.960
You can be smart enough, you can learn how to study.

00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:52.399
Uh, you can make the time, you can budget and save the money.

00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:56.639
You know, you can do these things, but working through those limiting beliefs, I think, is a the biggest issue.

00:12:56.960 --> 00:13:05.840
So yeah, I was simply saying I agree with you 100% because it's often that the thing that holds someone back isn't their physical skills or their ability of doing the thing.

00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:11.039
It's the fact that they don't believe they can do the thing and therefore they don't even start.

00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:15.759
So I feel like the coolest thing you're doing right now is you're almost you're the ignition.

00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:19.039
You're the spark that allows the first piston to turn.

00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:21.120
And I think that's really, really cool.

00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:22.320
Yeah, thank you.

00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:24.240
Yeah, mechanic analogy.

00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.600
Bringing in mechanics today, all right.

00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:28.799
I know nothing about it.

00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:34.960
When someone tells yeah, when someone tells you Ruben they don't have time, then how do you answer to that?

00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:37.519
You just say you do, or you just call their bluff?

00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:38.559
What do you do to help them?

00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:40.399
Yeah, call them that excuse.

00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:46.000
Um I like to let people answer their own questions, man.

00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:47.360
I because uh I heard it.

00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:52.320
Well, I was I took a life coaching course and uh because I wanted to know how to like work with people.

00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:58.960
And uh one of the things the guy said that I think was really powerful is that um questions are more powerful than answers.

00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:09.519
If I ask you a question and you and I could lead you to an answer, that's gonna be way more impactful in your life because you came to that conclusion than if I just told you what to do.

00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:12.399
So what I do is I I talk to them about their schedule.

00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:13.759
I got a guy like that right now.

00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:17.120
He's uh he's working 10 hour days, he got three kids.

00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:19.679
Uh he's working sometimes nights, sometimes days.

00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:24.159
I was like, I would have quit, but I'm not, you know, I would have left.

00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:30.720
But um uh, you know, so I asked him, I said, what would some possible solutions be for you in your situation, right?

00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:35.279
Because obviously it's just a big, huge wall for him, and and he can't get past it, right?

00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:37.679
And I think we get trapped in our minds like that sometimes.

00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:40.960
So having somebody on the outside ask you, like, well, what are some of the possible solutions?

00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:54.240
And he was like, Well, I was thinking that that's what we think about a lot of things that we're not gonna do or we don't do, but he says, I was thinking about uh asking my boss uh just for a 40-hour work week and a set schedule so I could study at night.

00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:55.440
And I said, Okay, cool.

00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:56.720
When are you gonna do that?

00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.919
And he's like, uh I guess I can do it on Friday.

00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:01.600
I said, okay, cool, I'm gonna mark that down.

00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:02.879
We're gonna do that on Friday.

00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:07.840
Um, but I I try to walk them through because I don't know your life, I don't know where you're at.

00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:11.360
I have solutions that will work for me, but I don't have solutions that will work for you.

00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:18.240
So what I try to do is I try to make it really personal to where you it is something that will work for you, if that if that makes sense.

00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:24.080
So if somebody says, I don't have time, I'll be like, oh well, hey, let's look at your schedule.

00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:25.600
Like, let's look at your last week.

00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.759
What times do you think you could have made?

00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:32.320
Or what what changes can you have made to get 15 minutes in for two days a week?

00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:33.919
I start them off really slow too.

00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:37.039
I don't say, hey, you gotta study an hour a day, five days a week.

00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.120
It's like, hey man, can you do 15 minutes?

00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:48.480
Because uh one thing I came to realize is like if you go to the gym for uh let's say you don't work out, you got a little scrawny arms and stuff, uh, you go to the gyms for uh, you know, 30 minutes, right?

00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:51.039
You're just lifting weights for 30 minutes, two days a week.

00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:57.759
It doesn't seem like much, you're not a bodybuilder, you're not winning any competitions, but after a few weeks, you're gonna see your improvement.

00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:12.240
If you sit down for 15 minutes a day for two days, three days a week, and you start going to the NEC and just answering prep questions, some pre-questions offline, um, you're going to see improvement and you're going to build your confidence in that.

00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:15.919
And that's really what I try to work with with these guys.

00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:19.919
Yeah, it's massive.

00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.840
That compounding returns, right?

00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:23.519
Just a little bit every day.

00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:30.399
You know, the other thing that's interesting that you said, and I've found is especially with the gym thing, such a great example.

00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:40.000
Even if you won't commit to 45, 30 minutes, usually if you get through the first five, you're like, uh, well, I'm here.

00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:42.720
So I'll do the full work anyway.

00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:45.600
And I think the same would happen with the code.

00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:46.000
Sure.

00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:48.320
Maybe it's just 15 minutes booked.

00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:51.759
But if you're really getting into it and you're in a role, do you stop there?

00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:54.000
Or now that you're in it, do you keep going?

00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:54.879
Yeah.

00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:55.919
Yeah, you keep going.

00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:56.480
That's the thing.

00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:57.600
I'm tricking them into it.

00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:01.039
Like I did that like 30 minutes, I'm gonna sit down after work and study.

00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:05.279
And when you're not when you're not finding the answers, you're discouraged, right?

00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:08.400
So in the beginning, you're not gonna want to sit there for another 30 minutes or whatever.

00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:10.559
But after you start finding answers, you get a little confident.

00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:12.640
It's like, hey, like I'm I'm pretty smart.

00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:17.839
Uh that that 15 minutes turns to 30, turns into 45, turns into hour, turns into two hours.

00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:27.119
And yeah, just like you're saying, my wife has this thing where she puts on uh gym clothes because then it'll like, even if she's not gonna go to the gym, it will put her in the mindset of going to the gym.

00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:29.359
And the next thing you know, we're going to the gym.

00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:30.799
So it works.

00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:36.319
You just got you got to do something to get that set you up to put you in motion.

00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:40.000
And sometimes it's just showing up, opening up the code book.

00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:46.960
You know, I think the really cool part about that is almost as if you're convincing yourself to establish a habit without realizing you're doing it.

00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:51.839
Because if you do something long enough, it almost feels uncomfortable to do.

00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:57.920
So, like, as an example, um, Friday will mark 19 weeks of working out five days a week in the morning.

00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:04.400
And I love that because not because of anything really crazy, but it's just I feel uncomfortable not doing it now.

00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:07.039
When originally first started, I was like, this is ridiculous.

00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:08.960
I'm up at five, I was like, it's I'm tired.

00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:12.559
But now I'm like, if I didn't get it in in the morning, I'm like, my whole day feels off.

00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:18.400
So I can only imagine if someone's practicing their code and they're like, this feels super uncomfortable, I don't want to do it.

00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:22.559
Three, four, five, six, seven weeks in, they're like, it's time to study.

00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:23.359
Where are we going?

00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:24.880
This is what time it is now.

00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:26.160
Yeah.

00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:28.319
And it builds a structure for the rest of your life.

00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:37.920
Because if you don't have the discipline to sit down and study and take an exam that you're supposed to for your job, what other areas of your life are you cutting corners in and you know not showing up for it?

00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:41.519
And it's like, you know, it's kind of that Jordan Peterson thing of making your bed.

00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:42.559
It's like you do one thing.

00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:43.920
Just start doing one thing.

00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:50.240
And then it's if you look at somebody that starts working on their health, then next thing you know they're working on their finances.

00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.880
And next thing you know they're working on the way that they dress.

00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:58.799
And it's like start start starting to take discipline in one area, it's gonna it's gonna affect your whole life.

00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:04.559
And if you're undisciplined in in you know the main areas of your life, it's gonna in fact affect the rest of your life.

00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:07.039
I have a question for you, if you don't mind.

00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:14.799
What are your thoughts when it comes to actually tracking your your progress, like physically like writing down the amount of time you put into something?

00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:18.160
Because my personal belief is that what gets measured gets managed.

00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:27.920
So if you were to say, like, I want to do 15 minutes a day, do you have like almost like a checklist where you click off on it, where like I did it, I did it, I did it, or you start logging the time you do it so you can see the progress?

00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:30.400
Is that anything that you you support?

00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:32.640
Uh I have it, but I will now.

00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.839
That sounds really good.

00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:34.880
Thank you.

00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:36.799
And put that in my course.

00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:42.079
Um so what I do is I meet with the guys every week and we talk, the guys that I track with.

00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:44.559
And um I have them decide.

00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:48.799
I have this little PDF printout that I give all the guys that that work with me.

00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:58.079
And what that does is they they decide what they're studying, when they're studying, where they're studying, and uh, and how long they're studying.

00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:01.920
Um, so that they know on Wednesdays at you know 3 p.m.

00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:05.039
once I'm home, I'm sitting down for 30 minutes to study.

00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:08.720
And so they actually, they're they're pre-deciding when they're going to do it.

00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:11.200
So they could remove all the distractions out of the way.

00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:13.359
They have they have time to plan around it.

00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:18.880
And so by the end of the week, you know, they'll be like, yeah, I was able to do it, or I wasn't able to hit it.

00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:21.119
And um, that's pretty much what I'm there.

00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:25.359
I should make some sort of a checklist where they could, that'll be kind of you see it, that'll be good.

00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.680
But that's what I what I've been doing so far.

00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:28.720
Awesome.

00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:29.759
I love that.

00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:38.240
You have uh uh sort of a signature method, a game plan, a game changing plan for studying.

00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:41.279
Are you willing to share a bit about that, Ruben, on this podcast?

00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:43.359
Uh they gotta pay for that, and I'm just playing.

00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:44.240
Yeah, I'll share that.

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:47.519
Um so that's uh behind the paywall.

00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:52.160
Uh I'm gonna I'm gonna blank out every fifth word.

00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:54.000
Uh that no, I'm just playing.

00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:57.359
Um so yeah, it's basically what I was saying.

00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:06.880
So it it's it's a mixture of what I had to do to get certified, and what um what uh is written in the Atomic Habits uh book.

00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:09.440
So it is this pre-planning.

00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:13.599
I remember when I read the Atomic Habit, I was like, man, I wish I had this like four years ago.

00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:16.480
I wish I had this book when I was gonna get certified.

00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:24.319
Um But it is it basically is you deciding one main thing is you're picking your test date.

00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:25.440
I'll just tell you what's on it, dude.

00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:26.640
You're picking your test date.

00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:32.240
You you guys are like, oh, I'm gonna sign up for uh the I'm gonna sign up for a prep course.

00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.519
I'm like, cool, when's your date?

00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:34.480
And he's like, I don't have a date.

00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:36.480
I'm like, oh, you know, when are you gonna pick a date?

00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:38.880
He's like, well, I haven't sent in the paperwork yet.

00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:44.000
It's like, well, okay, you're bit a card above uh before the horse in this one, buddy.

00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:45.680
Like, you know, sign up for the course.

00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:50.480
Do the first thing first because taking a I mean sign up for the exam, because taking a course isn't gonna help you.

00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:52.319
Taking a course, you're gonna forget everything.

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:53.599
Sign up for the exam.

00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:57.119
So at the top, it's uh when's your test date?

00:21:57.440 --> 00:22:01.599
Right after that, it is um uh what are you gonna study?

00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:03.039
Don't just send a test date.

00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:03.759
What are you gonna study?

00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:05.519
Is it do you have a prep book you want to go through?

00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:07.279
Do you have a course you want to take?

00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:10.000
What is what do you decide what you're gonna do?

00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:16.160
Don't don't just have these big ideas and hope some somebody's gonna come and do them for you, or they're just gonna appear out of nowhere.

00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:17.759
Decide what you're gonna do.

00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:20.000
And then it's working through the kind of the details.

00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:23.920
Okay, so I'm gonna study for the next three months, you know, up until my test date.

00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:25.839
All right, what day are you gonna study?

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:29.039
Pick a couple of days, two, three days out of the week.

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.720
What time of the day are you gonna study?

00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:31.119
Right?

00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.960
Um, is it gonna be in the morning before work?

00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:34.079
Is it gonna be after work?

00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:35.279
Where are you gonna study at?

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.480
I'm gonna study at home.

00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:43.039
Okay, you get home and then you know, uh, you forgot you didn't get groceries or the kids are going crazy.

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:45.440
Um, whatever might be happening in your house.

00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:46.480
I can't study at home.

00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:49.359
So I want people to really think through where are you gonna study?

00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:50.880
Are you gonna I'm gonna study at lunch?

00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:55.279
Okay, all the guys want to come and show you memes in your car and you can't talk, or your boss is calling you, right?

00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:57.359
Like, okay, so okay, so it's not your car.

00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:58.559
Where are you gonna study?

00:22:58.640 --> 00:22:59.440
Is it a coffee shop?

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.160
Is it a library?

00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:01.119
Is it your living room?

00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:01.839
Be specific.

00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:02.799
Where are you gonna study?

00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:05.680
And then grab your study material and make sure it's there.

00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:11.279
I would come home, I'm not even joking, I would come home ready to study on the days of the study for my journaling exam.

00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:15.759
And I would not, it'd be like five seconds of looking around and not seeing my prep book.

00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:17.039
Eh, I'll study tomorrow.

00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:17.920
I'll study later.

00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:20.000
And just give up like that.

00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:23.200
So it's like set yourself up to succeed.

00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:25.279
Put your study, put all your stuff there.

00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:29.759
Pre-prepare, prepare to pass this exam.

00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:32.079
Um, and then I have a section on obstacles.

00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:34.559
It's like, okay, what are some of the obstacles that are gonna be in your way?

00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:40.799
Because I really want them to take a couple of weeks, maybe two, three weeks of trying this out and really refining, because you you're not gonna know.

00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:43.119
I'm gonna study at my dining room table and you can't.

00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:44.079
I'm gonna study at work.

00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:44.720
You can't.

00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:50.960
So I want people to work through this and figure out where I can study and really start taking ownership of their lives.

00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:52.960
Oh, I can't study because it's crazy at my house.

00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:54.160
Okay, well, figure it out.

00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.279
Where are you gonna study?

00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:55.839
You know?

00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:02.880
Um, and then uh I got one for like a couple weeks in where they fill out, and it's kind of like, okay, well, how did that go?

00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:03.440
You know?

00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:04.960
Um, were you able to study?

00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:08.400
What were some of the what are some of the things you didn't plan for that got in your way?

00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:11.680
And it's really just a worksheet to make you think.

00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:14.640
Yeah, no, I love this.

00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:15.839
Super proactive.

00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:21.279
In fact, it reminds me of something a journeyman once told me, which was uh the six Ps.

00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:24.720
Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance.

00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:25.359
Yep.

00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:30.400
And that was drilled into our heads when we were learning the trade out there in the field, right?

00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:41.920
So it sounds like you're taking those similar skill sets to achieve great work and putting that great work skill set into your studying, into yourself, yeah, which is so important.

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:44.559
And I just don't think people spend enough time on this.

00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:52.640
So are you seeing any parallels to our own training and how people succeed or the best successes they're born here?

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:55.680
It reminds me very much the same things.

00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:58.559
We're deciding it's price change day.

00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:02.079
We're deciding it's time to present options every time.

00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:08.960
We're deciding I'm gonna collect a 50% deposit going forward because I'm tired of fighting for cash and capital.

00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:18.960
These people that make these decisions have the outcomes, or at least here's what I always say, and I love this, and I'll say it till the cows come home.

00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:20.960
At least you'll have a result.

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.079
Yep.

00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:26.079
It might not be everything you hoped for, but at least you'll know, like you said.

00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:34.160
Maybe you learn that hey, at the dining room table isn't gonna work because that's where the birds hang out in the cage and the damn things won't shut up when I'm setting it.

00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:35.039
Yep.

00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:37.839
My daughter has birds, that's why that's relevant.

00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:42.480
Sorry, guys, to bring birds into this, but super, super important strategies.

00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:44.160
I appreciate you sharing that, man.

00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:44.960
Yeah.

00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:47.359
You mentioned a bit of a club.

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:54.319
Um, it's I don't think it's a course, but you have sort of a group of people that meet and you work at as a group, Ruben.

00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:54.880
Is that right?

00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:57.680
Yeah, so it's a it's a study group.

00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:05.119
I uh I I'm not somebody who teaches journeyman prep because I think that information is out there.

00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:13.200
Maybe one day, I don't know, when I when I uh rise to the ranks, but I don't think people need a need another journeyman prep course.

00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:23.200
I I think people need um more of camaraderie with other people and somebody working side by side with them.

00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:30.960
Because if you're like if you're ready to go, like if you're you're you're a gung ho and you know you're gonna get certified, um, go go take an go go take a prep course.

00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:31.359
You're good.

00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:33.359
Don't no you don't need you don't need me.

00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:35.759
Go take a prep course, it's not that hard.

00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:47.759
But for all the guys that are slipping through the cracks, that kind of they need that motivation, they need that push, they need that somebody, they're not gonna do it, but if somebody does it with them to start walking with them, uh kind of like the training wheels, that's what it's for.

00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:54.160
So it's a journeyman prep group where we meet together one hour a week and we go through prep questions.

00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:56.720
I teach a breakdown of the NEC.

00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:02.799
I teach different ways to find answers, and and you know, we work through formulas together and stuff.

00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:17.920
But really, it is to come together and work through answers, and then I can explain to them, you know, why they found the answer, why they didn't find the answer, to give them give them that confidence in themselves that that it's not impossible to navigate this code book.

00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:20.400
That's awesome.

00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:24.240
So, like the accountability piece, real strength there.

00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:27.279
Ruben, I think we talked a bit about this before the interview.

00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:30.079
I want I want you to help clear this up for me.

00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:32.000
I I was like this at one point, Joe.

00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:32.720
You're probably like this.

00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:34.640
Ruben, I know you were like this too.

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:44.559
If you look at the NEC or code book, if you're Canadian CEC and you just see alphabet soup, what do you say to that person that just doesn't freaking get?

00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:48.559
You know, you understand what it's supposed to be, but you just don't see it.

00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:56.400
Um well, first man, I I blame our industries for uh kind of the habits in our industries for that.

00:27:56.559 --> 00:28:02.559
If you work five, 10, 15 years in the trade and you can't navigate the code book, that's not your fault necessarily.

00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:13.359
Because I mean, you get to a job site and somebody just tells you, you know, um, you know, this is how you install conduit, this is a strapping, this is how you know far down you dig to put your conduit in this location.

00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:16.559
Uh but second, I I start them off at the beginning, man.

00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:17.680
What is DNE C?

00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:26.079
It's it's uh it is it is a uh introduction or table of contents, introduction, uh nine chapters or definition.

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:34.160
Nine chapter, it's basically nine chapters, and then the annex, and then the and then the um uh table of context and then the annex, I'm messing that up.

00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:36.000
But it's basically nine chapters.

00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:44.960
I start them off there table of contents, um annex at the bottom, and you got nine chapters, and I focus on that.

00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:50.880
So, what we look for when I'm working with someone like that, look, it's not that big when you look at it that it's just nine chapters.

00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:58.799
If you realize that it's just nine chapters, and each chapter is specific to something, and then we can work from there.

00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:12.640
So whenever we're answering questions with the table of contents or the uh subject indexing, I'm having them not just and I don't want I don't want to just see that you can you can show your work on subject indexing.

00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:14.000
What chapter is that in?

00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:15.680
I want to know what chapter that's in.

00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:16.319
Why?

00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:19.200
Because that's gonna familiarize you with the chapters.

00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:23.359
And you're gonna you're gonna know, like, oh, that's in uh wiring methods and material.

00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:24.400
I know that.

00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:25.920
What that what's that gonna do?

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:32.559
That's gonna solidify in your mind the structure of the NEC of these nine chapters.

00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:39.200
I try to make it as simple as possible for them because if when I took the exam, I didn't even know the table of contents was there.

00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:47.119
I'm gonna be honest, this is how I'm the guy that like you have to put me in the ring and I need to get punched a few times before I realize I'm gonna listen to you why I should dodge.

00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:47.440
Yep.

00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:48.559
I'm I'm serious, dude.

00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:50.640
Like, I I think it's for my upbringing, dude.

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:55.599
I dropped out of high school and you know, did all kinds of other stuff and I got my GED in prison.

00:29:55.759 --> 00:30:02.240
And I, you know, 22 years old getting into the trade, I felt like I was uh I was behind in life in every single area of my life.

00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:03.680
Felt like everybody else was ahead of me.

00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:07.519
So I would skip steps to, you know, as fast as I could to catch up.

00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:09.359
And the same thing with getting certified.

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:14.079
Like I, okay, subject indexing, crack that book open, go to the back, look for the answer.

00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:21.119
And it wasn't until I was talking to Sergio Cortez from Surge Electrical Training that he was like, oh dude, like table of contents.

00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:22.079
And I was like, wait, what?

00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:24.880
And I was like, I didn't even know these pages existed.

00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:29.519
So like I did it a hard way, you know, getting certified.

00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:43.200
But if we see just the basic structure from the table of contents, these nine chapters, annex, tables, definitions, and we just break it down from there, it's no longer alphabet.

00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:47.119
So I got a question for you, if you don't mind.

00:30:47.440 --> 00:30:50.000
So what are your thoughts on physically tabbing it out?

00:30:50.160 --> 00:31:08.559
And what I mean by that is um something I found was really, really helpful for me was you can actually buy NEC tabs where you can look for specific things and you can literally insert it into the page and be like, this one is about generators, this one is about grounding and bonding, this one is about like it gives you different levels, but almost like the subsections of them.

00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:11.920
So your NEC code book looks like it's completely tabbed out.

00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:18.880
But the reason I thought that was so helpful was because at least I knew what I was looking for and I started getting familiar with where it was.

00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:21.119
What are your thoughts on using those?

00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:23.759
That's exactly what I did, and that's what I like to tell people to do.

00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:33.920
But I think it's person by person because for one person, the way their mind works is like for me, and I think you, you're like, man, I know exactly kind of how deep in the code book the fiction is because I'm so used to the tab.

00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:39.759
But for somebody else, the way their mind works is that uh that tab just becomes a handicap for them.

00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:42.000
And you know, all of our minds work different.

00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:51.039
For for somebody's mind, that can't that that's just gonna make them struggle on the test because they're not thinking in the same uh perspective that we are.

00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:52.960
They're thinking like, man, I don't have my tabs.

00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:55.039
It's in you know I don't know where it in these things are for them.

00:31:55.119 --> 00:31:56.559
It's better to not have the tabs.

00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:58.640
So I I guess it's like person by person.

00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:00.160
Fair enough.

00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:02.640
I was just curious because I think it definitely helped me.

00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:04.079
And I didn't help me too.

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:06.000
Something that helps your clients as well.

00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:11.039
Here they didn't let us have tabs, they give us a fresh code book for the exam.

00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:14.000
Oh, they give us that too for study purposes.

00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:15.440
They they give us fresh study.

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.880
Yeah.

00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:23.440
You mentioned uh doing the GED in prison and kind of figuring things out the hard way first.

00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:23.920
Yeah.

00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:28.559
Let's talk about that for a minute because I know a lot of our listeners shared that as well as other guests.

00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:33.039
I mean, um, dark, dark pasts and and bright futures, man.

00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:37.839
That's uh that's a common trend here in our trade and in the service industry.

00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:43.519
So what what do you think uh had you on the wrong path and what changed for you, Ruben?

00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:50.000
I'm always so curious that kind of threw you in this direction or want to now help people uh avoid that kind of shit.

00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:53.519
I think I could, I could, you know, 20 uh hindsight's 2020.

00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:56.079
I think I could look back at my life and kind of figure a couple of things out.

00:32:56.240 --> 00:33:00.400
And you know, my my I think for starters, my dad passed away when I was six, right?

00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:01.359
He was in prison before that.

00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:03.519
He was out for like a year, then he passed away.

00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:12.160
And I think during the time where I probably needed some deep therapy, some deep therapy, it was just uh life kind of just continued as it was.

00:33:12.319 --> 00:33:22.559
And, you know, I was just kind of left with these these heavy problems, um, these adult problems that I was trying to figure out while trying to go into go to school and socialize and do stuff like that.

00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:25.279
So uh I kind of just gave up on stuff.

00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:31.200
And by the time I was 11, 12, I just started smoking weed, doing coke, and just thug life in it in LA.

00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:38.319
Um and I I literally had the mentality that I wasn't gonna most likely live to be 18.

00:33:38.400 --> 00:33:42.160
I mean, I'm getting shot at, I'm getting jumped, where some crazy stuff is happening.

00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:48.000
And uh I uh I moved to Orange County when I was 16.

00:33:48.720 --> 00:33:51.200
Right right at the crux of my madness.

00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:53.920
And um I felt kind of some relief.

00:33:54.000 --> 00:34:00.960
I lived with my aunt, got my first job, dropped out of dropped out of school again because I was like, shoot this, I gotta work, and uh got my first job.

00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:03.599
And I think that started to change my perspective.

00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:19.599
But um I ended up you know getting on some heavier drugs while I was out there because you know, I mean, even while doing good, you know, like if you don't have the proper structure, you could do good for a little while, but you're it's not gonna last because you don't know why you're doing good.

00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:21.679
You don't have the proper foundation to do good.

00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:24.000
So I didn't have those foundational things.

00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:27.440
I just had the outward appearance of doing well for a little while.

00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:32.719
Uh end up going to prison and um from there ended up becoming a Christian.

00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:33.840
Not necessarily in prison.

00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:43.280
I don't want to get into the whole story because it is a long story, but being struggled on drugs, really just wanting to clean my life up, about 17 years old, just bunch of drugs.

00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:45.519
And uh wanted to clean my life up.

00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:50.400
Uh somebody gave me a Bible, some people evangelized to me, and I would try to read it, but I couldn't understand it.

00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:55.760
And I remember just thinking, like, all right, God, like if you're real, let me go to jail, but don't let me go for longer than like six months to a year, right?

00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:58.639
I'm not crazy six months to a year.

00:34:58.880 --> 00:35:04.400
Um, because like I want to get sober and I want to see if I could read this book and I want to see if you're real.

00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:10.719
And then um I ended up going to jail and was facing nine years and like four strikes, so it wasn't really what I asked for.

00:35:10.960 --> 00:35:19.920
But um, I ended up getting a plea bargain the first time I was in and ended up doing nine months, which was right in the middle of that six months to a year.

00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:21.519
So, you know, thanks me to God.

00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:23.599
After that, I know, crazy.

00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:25.760
So yeah, I think he was answering.

00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:30.480
But a lot of crazy stuff happened and then uh ended up messing up again and going back to prison.

00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:35.280
I didn't learn my lesson, and that's really what kind of changed my life.

00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:39.039
Like I met a lot of guys in there that really wanted to pour into my life.

00:35:39.280 --> 00:35:46.400
I really hunkered down on my education, my self-development, reading the Bible.

00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:48.079
And it's a weird thing, man.

00:35:48.159 --> 00:36:00.400
I don't know, I don't know if you guys want to leave this in here or not, but you know, I when I violated my parole from after I got out the first time, I had a joint suspension, which means if you go back to jail, if you mess up, you go back to jail for a set amount of time.

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:01.840
And that time was supposed to be 10 years.

00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:03.519
That was it was supposed to be 10 years.

00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:03.920
Wow.

00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.199
Yeah.

00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:06.960
I uh yeah.

00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:14.960
So I was sitting in the jail cell a day before um I was supposed to uh get sentenced, right?

00:36:15.519 --> 00:36:23.280
And I'm laying on my bunk and I'm praying, and then yeah, you guys, I don't know if you guys want to keep this in or not, but it's just this is just what happened.

00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:24.800
It kind of set me on the course.

00:36:24.880 --> 00:36:30.480
Yeah, is you know, I was praying and I just felt like God saying, like, look, man, I can let you out if you're on a drug program tomorrow because I violated for drugs.

00:36:30.719 --> 00:36:31.920
He says, but you're not gonna know me.

00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:34.719
Because if you trust me and you want to know me, then you're gonna go to prison tomorrow.

00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:37.039
And uh, but I promise I'll know you, you'll know me.

00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:39.920
You know, that's basically what I it wasn't some crazy voice in the sky.

00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:41.440
That's just what I felt inside.

00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:44.000
And I was like, okay, I want that.

00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:47.280
I'm tired of being a drug addict, I'm tired of being a loser, I'm tired of just my life.

00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:49.280
Like, you know, I can't do it on my own.

00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:52.559
So I says, all right, God, like, let's let's do it.

00:36:52.719 --> 00:36:59.119
And the next day, the judge that was supposed to be there, um, something happened and it was delayed.

00:36:59.280 --> 00:37:03.119
And then they brought another judge in that was a substitute, super cool dude.

00:37:03.280 --> 00:37:06.880
And he looked at my file, they were trying to give me like seven years, ten years, eight years.

00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:08.639
They were just going up and down with all these numbers.

00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:10.079
And then he was like, you know what, man?

00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:11.519
He's like, You don't seem like a bad guy.

00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:12.559
He's, you know, young kid.

00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:15.280
He's like, I'm gonna give you uh three years, the minimum.

00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:19.039
And uh he was like, just, you know, try to do good and stay out of trouble.

00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:24.159
And I think to myself, like, what if that first judge, like I asked God to let me out, you know, the next day.

00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:27.199
And then that first judge would have came and he would have let me out on a drug program.

00:37:27.280 --> 00:37:29.440
Because the judge told me, he's like, I could let you on a drug program.

00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:30.880
He says, but I don't do drug programs.

00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:32.800
This is the substitute judge.

00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:36.239
And he's like, I don't do drug programs, so you're gonna go to prison for three years.

00:37:36.400 --> 00:37:40.639
And uh I was I think to myself, sometimes, what if I would have been like, nah, God, I'm cool, I don't want to go to prison.

00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:41.519
I don't I don't care.

00:37:41.679 --> 00:37:44.880
And that first judge would have showed up and I would have got out.

00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:51.599
But that moment is what led me on the course of like really taking my own life seriously.

00:37:51.840 --> 00:37:57.280
Like if I have an opportunity to know God, if I have an opportunity to do what's good, then I want to I want to seize that.

00:37:57.440 --> 00:38:03.440
And it was a little bit of a journey in there, trying to figure no longer live that thug life and be a Christian, right?

00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:11.039
And I had some some weird uh stories in there that led me to really hunkering down on the new course of my life.

00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:24.000
And when I got out of prison, the first you have to go to a uh what's called a PAC meeting or a PAT meeting, I can't remember what it's called, but they give you resources for like getting your ID, getting a job, or just regular things to get back on your feet.

00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:34.320
And there was a guy there that um wasn't invited, he just he invited himself when he heard about it, and he was a recruiter for a trade school, and he wanted to give an opportunity to guys getting out of prison to become electricians.

00:38:34.480 --> 00:38:38.400
They had a lot of programs, but he was focused on electricians for people getting out of prison.

00:38:38.559 --> 00:38:54.800
And me and a couple of guys that were um super cool dudes, his name was Ryan, he worked for Intercoast College, and um me and like maybe three other guys that got out of prison at the same time all went to school together, we're in the same class, all started electrical at the same time.

00:38:55.119 --> 00:38:58.480
And um, and that's kind of where it started.

00:38:58.559 --> 00:39:04.079
And I think too, I want to say this for some of the guys that have a record or have a past that are electricians.

00:39:04.320 --> 00:39:10.960
One of the things that held me back too is that I thought that electrical was my I didn't I didn't think I had an option.

00:39:11.280 --> 00:39:15.599
X-Falon, strikes, uh not a great education.

00:39:15.920 --> 00:39:19.039
Um, I didn't think I could do anything else besides construction.

00:39:19.199 --> 00:39:23.760
So it didn't allow me to see how great of an opportunity I had as electrician.

00:39:23.920 --> 00:39:28.800
I thought this is where you put all the guys that are screw-ups and can't, you know, focus in class.

00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:38.400
Um, and I think that's what they teach in a lot of schools, like, hey man, you better get your education, or else you're gonna be, you know, cleaning, uh, you know, unclogging toilets or something, you know, doing some trade.

00:39:38.639 --> 00:39:42.480
And honestly, dude, electrical is a great trade.

00:39:42.639 --> 00:39:44.719
The trades are a great place to be.

00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:51.280
And it's you're not just an installer, you're not just uh somebody that couldn't make it in college.

00:39:51.440 --> 00:39:54.800
Like we do something great for everyone.

00:39:54.960 --> 00:39:57.519
And we're able to make a lot of money, we're able to excel.

00:39:57.599 --> 00:39:58.880
You don't have to be an installer.

00:39:58.960 --> 00:40:01.199
You could be a foreman, you could be a project manager.

00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:04.239
Like there's no limit to what you could do.

00:40:04.400 --> 00:40:07.519
I remember sitting in a foreman's meeting one day.

00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:15.280
Um, it was a not a meeting, it was a foreman course that I was taking for a big company, and thinking, like, man, like four years ago, I was in prison.

00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:17.280
I was in prison four years ago.

00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:21.920
Like, how the heck am I at this table with all these guys who probably aren't screw-ups?

00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:23.519
Everybody looks well put together.

00:40:23.760 --> 00:40:25.840
I just got off parole a year ago.

00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:27.679
Like, how the heck did I get here?

00:40:27.840 --> 00:40:36.400
So if you are, you know, you do have a past, just know like this isn't your only option, but this is a great option if you're if you're in the trades.

00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:38.960
No, thank you for sharing, man.

00:40:39.119 --> 00:40:41.199
Um, it's a touching story.

00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:47.519
Uh I don't talk about it very often, but uh I turned 19 in a in a youth correctional facility.

00:40:47.679 --> 00:40:48.480
I get it.

00:40:48.639 --> 00:40:51.679
Um, I didn't go back for me.

00:40:52.239 --> 00:41:05.199
Being super squirrely and pretty ADHD guy, something about, you know, even the nightly lockdown, having to go to bed at the same time, having nothing but a little radio built into the wall and a book on the shelf to read.

00:41:05.360 --> 00:41:11.519
Um, just 75 cents a day was the best you could make, despite all the chores you did.

00:41:11.760 --> 00:41:17.199
All of that to me for the time I was in was just like, my God.

00:41:17.840 --> 00:41:28.480
And when I got out, I was it was like an elastic band that had been pulled back for the entire time I was in there, just getting ready, getting ready, getting ready to launch.

00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:30.800
And I don't think I got everything right.

00:41:30.880 --> 00:41:37.760
Uh in fact, I know I didn't, but the the one thing I got right, uh uh, you know, thanks as well.

00:41:37.840 --> 00:41:45.519
Here is like I didn't go back, but that's actually I don't talk about this often, especially not in the recordings.

00:41:45.599 --> 00:41:50.239
I talk about it with Joe sometimes, but I have a recurring nightmare, maybe you get this one too.

00:41:50.400 --> 00:41:58.079
And it's that everything I've worked for happens about once a month, and I get a four-year um charge of some sort.

00:41:58.159 --> 00:42:04.480
It varies what the dream is, but it's just like sorry, cuffs are on, throwing away the key for four years.

00:42:06.239 --> 00:42:09.280
Absolutely cripples me every time I have that dream.

00:42:09.360 --> 00:42:14.000
I wake up, it's an off day or a couple days because we work so hard for this.

00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:14.559
Yeah.

00:42:14.800 --> 00:42:17.599
But I also think that that's you know, part of the karma.

00:42:17.679 --> 00:42:20.960
And hey, I did things to deserve being put away.

00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:29.599
Um, something that's interesting about this is I'm always kind of thinking about analyzing, you know, what's the difference?

00:42:30.480 --> 00:42:32.320
What's that event?

00:42:32.559 --> 00:42:42.559
What's that one thing that could just push someone over that edge like it pushed me, or like it finally pushed you, or like it pushed Joe to succeed in your things?

00:42:42.800 --> 00:42:43.840
That's a deep question.

00:42:43.920 --> 00:42:46.880
But while we're on the topic, do you do you ever think about that?

00:42:47.119 --> 00:42:48.559
What do you think that thing is?

00:42:48.639 --> 00:42:55.280
What's that catalyst to finally being enough and just like, okay, I'm I'm for the good forevermore?

00:42:56.000 --> 00:43:01.199
Um my answer would be uh either God or other people.

00:43:01.519 --> 00:43:03.280
So I think God orchestrates everything.

00:43:03.360 --> 00:43:04.000
That's just it.

00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:06.000
But he gives us all opportunity.

00:43:06.480 --> 00:43:08.480
So it's um it's other people.

00:43:08.559 --> 00:43:10.800
I mean, you read a book and it changed your life, somebody wrote that.

00:43:10.880 --> 00:43:14.079
You hear a podcast and it changed your life, somebody speaking.

00:43:14.320 --> 00:43:19.920
Um, somebody stops in the street because you're some strung out teenager and they want to talk to you and give you some advice.

00:43:20.159 --> 00:43:21.760
That's that's a person.

00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:22.639
It's us.

00:43:22.800 --> 00:43:26.960
It's it's you talking to somebody that messages you, you know, you making time for somebody.

00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:36.880
Some young kid that's you know, maybe talks a little too much in his messages, and you're, you know, a little obnoxious, but you know, he's trying and he wants to know like how how do I get into the electrical trade?

00:43:36.960 --> 00:43:38.480
He still got two years of high school left.

00:43:38.559 --> 00:43:43.119
It's like taking time to talk to these people because uh you know, we live in a culture that uh couldn't give a rip.

00:43:43.840 --> 00:43:45.519
Nobody cares about anybody else.

00:43:45.679 --> 00:43:51.119
Uh, we like to pretend, we like to, you know, you know, make our little posts or whatever.

00:43:51.280 --> 00:43:56.719
Uh, but uh nobody cares, you know, because the person that cares, you you said it in our conversation the other day.

00:43:56.880 --> 00:44:00.880
Um you know, nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.

00:44:01.039 --> 00:44:05.920
And I think um you people are what make the difference.

00:44:06.079 --> 00:44:18.639
Somebody's gonna say something to you, somebody's gonna write something, somebody's gonna mention something, and that is going to change the course of somebody's life because up until a certain point, maybe everything has been pointing them to one direction.

00:44:18.719 --> 00:44:20.480
When I was younger, I never thought I'd own a car.

00:44:20.559 --> 00:44:26.159
I never thought I had, I was gonna sell drugs, and I was, you know, if I drove a car, it's because I stole it.

00:44:26.320 --> 00:44:27.440
That was my mentality.

00:44:27.599 --> 00:44:28.960
It wasn't because I was cool.

00:44:29.119 --> 00:44:30.800
That's what I thought I could do in life.

00:44:30.960 --> 00:44:33.760
I never thought I was the kind of person that could have a job.

00:44:33.840 --> 00:44:36.960
I was never thought I was the type of person that could own a car.

00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:40.880
That was what I was taught by example from my surroundings.

00:44:41.199 --> 00:44:46.320
So somebody taking the time to talk to me or multiple people is what changed my life.

00:44:46.400 --> 00:44:48.639
And that's what I think changes people's lives.

00:44:49.039 --> 00:44:52.800
If that's true, then uh this matters what we're doing right here.

00:44:53.039 --> 00:45:02.719
Is there another message, something you haven't said yet, that you'd want the electricians that follow us, uh hear us if they're relating to your story or having some trouble?

00:45:02.800 --> 00:45:05.039
Uh, what would you want to tell them, Ruben?

00:45:05.760 --> 00:45:08.639
Um, man, decide, decide what you want to do, man.

00:45:08.719 --> 00:45:12.000
You you can uh your podcast is awesome, guys.

00:45:12.159 --> 00:45:19.440
You guys tell people how to you know start and run their service businesses, and uh that's great.

00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:23.920
Um decide what you want to do in your future, I would say to people.

00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:25.599
Like, where do you want to be in five years?

00:45:25.679 --> 00:45:26.320
It's a weird question.

00:45:26.480 --> 00:45:27.039
I always hated it.

00:45:27.119 --> 00:45:28.079
Where do you want to be in five years?

00:45:28.159 --> 00:45:28.880
But it makes sense to me now.

00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:31.199
Like, what kind of life do you want?

00:45:31.360 --> 00:45:33.519
Do you want to be a project manager manager?

00:45:33.679 --> 00:45:34.639
Don't limit yourself.

00:45:34.719 --> 00:45:36.719
Don't say, oh, I can't be a project manager.

00:45:36.880 --> 00:45:38.000
Get rid of those cats.

00:45:38.079 --> 00:45:38.719
It doesn't matter.

00:45:38.880 --> 00:45:40.239
If you fail, that's a different thing.

00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:42.960
At least you tried, at least you learned something, at least you moved ahead.

00:45:43.679 --> 00:45:45.360
What do you want to be?

00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:47.920
Do you want to be a certified journeyman?

00:45:48.320 --> 00:45:49.920
Then take the steps to be that.

00:45:50.079 --> 00:45:51.039
Start preparing.

00:45:51.199 --> 00:45:57.760
Even if it's 15 minutes a week, you sit down like uh somebody that wants to make their service industry, uh service company better.

00:45:57.920 --> 00:46:03.119
Listening to this podcast, take 15, 20 minutes a week, one day, decide what day it is.

00:46:03.280 --> 00:46:07.920
Sit down and then start researching whatever that topic was that you heard in this podcast.

00:46:08.079 --> 00:46:09.119
One day a week.

00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:11.280
Is it figuring out your sales structure?

00:46:11.440 --> 00:46:18.800
Is it uh figuring out your, you know, who your target audience is, or that really good episode you guys did with the guy on the email marketing?

00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:24.400
I have a newsletter now, so I don't know if I sent it to you guys, but it's called Plug Into the NEC.

00:46:24.559 --> 00:46:28.480
It's really hard to find, but it's on my website because I don't have a domain for that one yet.

00:46:28.639 --> 00:46:31.039
But uh, I started a newsletter because of that.

00:46:31.119 --> 00:46:33.840
I took some time and I sat down and I said, I'm gonna start this.

00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:43.360
I I like to write, I'm not the greatest at it, but I was like, I'm gonna, I this means something to me to reconnect code book with work job site experience.

00:46:43.519 --> 00:46:49.119
So at the end of your, you know, your training, you can get certified and you're not intimidated by the NEC.

00:46:49.519 --> 00:46:56.320
But take some time, 20 minutes a day, once a week, and start moving yourself forward in the direction that you want to go.

00:46:56.480 --> 00:47:01.360
And I guarantee, just like working out a couple times a week, you're gonna see improvement.

00:47:01.599 --> 00:47:04.960
And I guarantee I will challenge somebody to prove me wrong.

00:47:05.280 --> 00:47:06.719
Absolutely love that, man.

00:47:07.280 --> 00:47:11.119
Yeah, it brings to light um how important this is.

00:47:11.360 --> 00:47:23.119
And I think that even employers with employees that are working for you out in the field could benefit from being part of a study group, uh doing some technical training, uh, brushing up on that code, knowing their stuff.

00:47:23.280 --> 00:47:28.159
And uh I could see the value in even that for from the business side and the service side of this.

00:47:28.320 --> 00:47:32.000
So uh I want to thank you, Ruben, uh, big time for coming here.

00:47:32.159 --> 00:47:34.559
And uh would love to drop in.

00:47:34.639 --> 00:47:39.440
We'd also love for people to know how to reach out to you if they wanted to find you anywhere.

00:47:39.599 --> 00:47:47.840
Um, can you share a bit of information about the best way to find you, best way to chat with you if they're interested in any of uh your groups or services or podcasts?

00:47:48.159 --> 00:47:51.039
Yeah, I should have this stuff uh like noted somewhere.

00:47:51.119 --> 00:47:54.239
Um so the podcast is the Young Electrician Podcast.

00:47:54.320 --> 00:47:55.440
You can find it anywhere.

00:47:55.599 --> 00:47:57.280
Also, Young Electrician YouTube.

00:47:57.920 --> 00:48:02.480
Uh, I think my Instagram is the underscore young electrician.

00:48:02.719 --> 00:48:07.840
And I think my TikTok is uh the Young Electrician Pod.

00:48:08.639 --> 00:48:14.159
Just Google Young Electrician, the Young Electrician, and I'll my pretty face will pop up somewhere.

00:48:14.320 --> 00:48:26.719
Uh also if you if you if none of those things work because I don't know any of my handles or the names of any of the things I do, then uh just uh you can email me at the youngelectrician pod uh at gmail.gov.

00:48:27.199 --> 00:48:28.719
And we'll link you up below.

00:48:28.800 --> 00:48:30.000
Uh thank you guys so much.

00:48:30.239 --> 00:48:32.320
Joe, any further questions for Mr.

00:48:32.400 --> 00:48:33.519
Young here today?

00:48:33.840 --> 00:48:45.920
Not any questions, but I'd also just like to make like I'd like to thank you because a lot of times people don't recognize the impact they have on others until they're looking back at it and seeing the things that are done.

00:48:46.239 --> 00:48:53.280
And I want to say that it means a lot to me knowing that you're trying to help electricians because that's what I want to do too.

00:48:53.440 --> 00:48:56.800
I want to work with electricians because I feel like everyone just skips over us.

00:48:56.960 --> 00:49:00.559
If you're not in HVAC, you're not in plumbing, we don't matter.

00:49:00.880 --> 00:49:06.800
So from one person who loves electricians to another person who loves electricians, just thank you for what you do, man.

00:49:06.960 --> 00:49:07.599
Really appreciate you.

00:49:07.840 --> 00:49:08.480
Appreciate that.

00:49:08.639 --> 00:49:09.360
Appreciate that, man.

00:49:09.440 --> 00:49:10.159
Thank you guys too.

00:49:10.239 --> 00:49:11.679
I appreciate what you guys do.

00:49:12.480 --> 00:49:14.079
And I do want you guys on the podcast.

00:49:14.480 --> 00:49:15.119
Both of you guys.

00:49:15.840 --> 00:49:16.320
Thank you.

00:49:16.639 --> 00:49:18.960
We gotta set that up with your project.

00:49:19.199 --> 00:49:22.559
You guys should set that up though, because you guys are way better at scheduling.

00:49:24.159 --> 00:49:26.719
And you guys should fill out that intake form.

00:49:28.000 --> 00:49:30.400
Your guys' intake form, very soul searching.

00:49:30.559 --> 00:49:32.079
I learned a lot about myself.

00:49:32.320 --> 00:49:34.639
Yeah, yeah, it's deep.

00:49:34.800 --> 00:49:35.360
It's deep.

00:49:35.440 --> 00:49:37.679
We try to uh try to bridge the story too.

00:49:37.760 --> 00:49:39.360
I think that's really important, right?

00:49:39.840 --> 00:49:49.119
Um, something we talked about, or you mentioned even is that person and their message, but it's also their story and how you relate to that person, I think, is a big part of it.

00:49:49.280 --> 00:49:53.440
Because without the relation, without the story, it's not really human, is it?

00:49:53.840 --> 00:49:58.800
Um, so thanks for for being transparent and sharing the deep stuff with us, man.

00:49:58.880 --> 00:50:06.800
Uh, I think that is where a lot of change comes from, is first uh again just understanding, hey, who am I listening to right now?

00:50:06.960 --> 00:50:09.199
And how could they help from their experience?

00:50:09.280 --> 00:50:11.679
And and that's how we're helping electricians every day.

00:50:11.840 --> 00:50:13.599
So uh thank you guys again.

00:50:13.760 --> 00:50:18.559
We'll finish the recording here now and uh and uh talk to you again here soon, Ruben.

00:50:18.960 --> 00:50:20.000
Looking forward to it, my friend.