In this episode, CJ sits down with Dr. Julie Gurner, the author behind the Substack Ultra Successful, to explore how top CEOs, CFOs, and entrepreneurs manage their ambition, goals, and self-talk. They examine if being hard on yourself necessary for success and Dr. Gurner shares helpful reframes that can be used to overcome negative self-talk. The conversation delves into the concept of “haunting agitation,” a term she uses to describe the hunger and ambition driving high performers. Building on this, she introduces the idea of empirical guardrails to keep one’s ambition in check. Dr. Gurner also breaks down the difference between “motivated” individuals and those who go “all in,” explaining how full commitment can lead to exponential growth. They touch on the surprising power of seemingly “boring” and discuss what the “build in public” movement gets wrong. Lastly, they talk about the art of saying no to opportunities that, while tempting, may distract you from your core focus. Tune in for expert advice on channeling your drive toward meaningful success.

If you're looking for an ERP head to NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

—

SPONSORS:

Mercury is the fintech ambitious companies use for banking and all their financial workflows. With a powerful bank account at the center of their operations, companies can make better financial decisions and ensure that every dollar spent aligns with company priorities. That's why over 100K startups choose Mercury to confidently run all their financial operations with the precision, control, and focus they need to operate at their best. Learn more at mercury.com.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust®; Members FDIC.

NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than 38,000 thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅ NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics and get a customized KPI checklist.

Maxio is the only billing and financial operations platform that was purpose built for B2B SaaS. They're helping SaaS finance teams automate billing and revenue recognition, manage collections and payments, and put together investor grade reporting packages. 🚀 Request a demo at www.maxio.com/runthenumbers for 10% off your first year.

Leapfin is accounting automation software that automatically prepares and posts reliable journal entries. High-growth businesses like Reddit, Canva, and Seat Geek choose Leapfin to eliminate manual tasks, accelerate month-end close, and enable accounting leaders to provide faster insights to help their companies grow. To automatically standardize your revenue data with measurable business impact, check out leapfin.com today.

Planful is a financial performance management platform designed to streamline financial tasks for businesses. It helps with budgeting, closing the books, and financial reporting, all on a cloud-based platform. By improving the efficiency and accuracy of these processes, Planful allows businesses to make better financial decisions. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.

—

FOLLOW US ON X:

@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

@DrGurner (Dr. Julie Gurner)

SUBSTACK:

mostlymetrics.com (Mostly metrics)

drgurner.substack.com (Ultra Successful)

—

TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:56) Sponsor - Mercury | NetSuite(05:28) Overcoming Negative Self-Talk(08:51) Reframing Fear as Excitement(13:26) Haunting Agitation(16:59) Sponsor - Maxio | Leapfin | Planful(20:06) Being in Your Business Versus on Your Business(23:58) The Impact of Haunting Agitation on Relationships(26:51) Moving Goal Posts and Setting up Metrics(30:52) Hitting the Goal Versus the Feeling of Forward Momentum(32:09) Alan Greenberg’s PSDs and What That Means(35:15) The Motivated Versus the All-in(41:02) Hangups for Motivated People(43:02) The Sunk Cost Fallacy(45:23) The Worst-Case Scenario Question(48:02) “Protecting Downside” Versus Having a Plan B(49:12) The Rewards of Going All-in(52:02) The Strategic Advantage of Boring(55:48) What the “Build in Public” Movement Gets Wrong(57:13) The Art of Saying No to Good Opportunities(59:28) Overcoming People Pleasing(01:02:03) Wrap

Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Haunting Agitation: Channeling Ambition for Ultra Success with Dr. Julie Gurner

Run the Numbers