Join the Movement: Transforming Lives with Love and Leadership with Michael Fabber
Join Jim Burgoon and Michael Fabber as they explore creating impactful movements, mental health advocacy, and personal growth in Grace and the Grind.
Michael Fabber, founder of Unleash You Now, shares his profound journey from personal turmoil to becoming a catalyst for positive change in the lives of others. At the heart of his mission is the belief that creating movements, rather than merely selling products, fosters deeper connections and wider impact. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of empowering those who empower others, aiming to uplift a billion lives through collective action and love. Fabber reflects on the emotional struggles he faced following the loss of loved ones to suicide and how this pain propelled him to dedicate his life to mental health advocacy. Listeners are encouraged to recognize their worth and the significance of making their lives meaningful, while also learning about the resources available through the Joseph Patrick Fabber Memorial Foundation for mental health support.
Michael Fabber's journey from personal tragedy to impactful leadership highlights the profound effect of community and connection in times of crisis. As he opens up about his experiences with loss, including the suicides of loved ones, Fabber emphasizes the importance of mental health awareness and support. His foundation, the Joseph Patrick Fabber Memorial Foundation, exemplifies his commitment to providing free mental health services to those in need, illustrating a compassionate response to the pain he has witnessed. Fabber's mission is rooted in the belief that by empowering individuals, we can create a ripple effect that reaches far beyond ourselves, ultimately aiming to improve the lives of billions.
The dialogue extends beyond personal anecdotes, offering listeners valuable insights into the nature of leadership and movement-building. Fabber contrasts the traditional product-based business model with the concept of creating movements that resonate with people on a deeper level. He asserts that true movements are built around collective goals and shared values, fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose. This approach not only enhances engagement but also drives meaningful change, as individuals are inspired to join causes that align with their passions and beliefs. Fabber's reflections challenge listeners to consider how they can integrate these principles into their own lives and work, urging them to prioritize connection over transactions.
As the conversation unfolds, Fabber candidly discusses his ongoing journey of healing and the complexities of navigating emotions. He acknowledges that while progress is made, the journey is never fully complete, with new layers of understanding emerging over time. This honesty fosters a sense of relatability, encouraging listeners to embrace their own struggles and view them as part of a greater narrative of growth and resilience. Fabber's insights serve as a powerful reminder that leadership is not about perfection but about authenticity, compassion, and the willingness to support others. This episode is a testament to the transformative power of community and the vital role each individual plays in fostering a culture of love, support, and meaningful connection.
Takeaways:
- Creating movements is about building connections and rallying people around a shared purpose.
- True impact comes from empowering those who empower others, creating a ripple effect.
- The journey of healing is ongoing, with new layers of emotions to process.
- Leadership is not about position; it's about being chosen by the people you serve.
- To make life worth living, focus on love, purpose, and the people around you.
- Ego can hinder true leadership; it's essential to prioritize community over self-interest.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Welcome to Grace and the grind, the podcast where we dive deep into the journeys of heart centered and purpose driven leaders and entrepreneurs. We're here to equip and encourage you on your journey. So let's get started and find the grace within the grind.
This is Grace in the grind, and now your host, Jim Burgoon.
Michael Faber:Today on grace in the Grind, I have Michael Faber, founder of unleash you, now a mentor of mine. I'm so grateful that he has wanted to come on the podcast to share and let's have this great conversation. Welcome today. Michael.
:What's up, brother? Thanks for having me, man. It's an honor. I was excited when you asked. I was hoping that you would. I would get an invite to be here with you.
Michael Faber: finished the unleash you now:First and foremost, you do a lot.
Honestly, I was actually surprised hearing a lot of the stuff you do with your focus being movement makers and things like that unleash you tell the audience and let us know from your point of view, what is it that you do, and then how are you really making impact out there?
:What do I do is I really go around and just find dope souls, and I try to bring them in together. The. In a roundabout way, that's what we do. Our big thing is to create massive impact, right? Like we always. We say we want to impact a billion people.
A bunch of people say that we got more finite on it.
We want to impact a billion people, because we believe that if we can impact a billion people's ripple effect will then lead to as many people as on the earth, right? Because they say, preach one is ten, that would make 10 billion, which is now there's. That's more than people on earth.
So be able to impact everyone's life. Raise your energy closer to the vibration of love.
And that means that they would be taken away from self interest, behavior, and suicide, which our ultimate goals, to end that. But we do that through helping those that empower others, right? So we empower those that are empowering other people. We impact the impactors, right?
And some of the things we learned along the way in business, because that's what was originally the area in which we were in, is movement based businesses last longer, create greater impact, and create greater income than product based businesses. So we try to, or we do show people how to do that. And also we have a community known as the family. Some people refer to it as a mastermind.
Just amazing souls doing amazing things on earth. Some of the best people I've ever encountered altogether. And that's really what I absolutely love.
And I help people with messaging, crafting messaging that sells and bring people closer to you.
Michael Faber:Awesome. And I will say, as a member of the family, it is definitely a amazing group of people. I'm very excited to be part.
Let's start, let's start diving into some of this. One of the things is creating movements versus product based. What does it really mean to, like, creative movement?
Cause I know there's a lot of people that talk about making impact, but you really do that in the terms of movement. What does that look like?
:Right. The movement is for a greater cause and a futuristic goal.
So I think to have a movement, a true movement, there has to be a futuristic goal and something for the greater good. What's funny is if you do some research, every president for the last like hundred plus years, they had only two things in common.
The one that won for all. But like, two of them was they had a futuristic slogan, right.
And they spoke at a lower education level than the people they were running against, right? Which meant there was. Right? Which meant there was something we could rally behind and be like, yes, we want that, let's go.
And they were easier to understand and that meant more people can comprehend and that meant more people can either agree or disagree. And that was the only two things supposedly they had in common that research showed.
So movement people want to be part of something that's bigger than them. A movement is people can feel part and connected to a movement. People want to support that.
When it's a product, it's only if it's, if this thing serves me, then I want it. If it doesn't serve me, I don't want it. If it's a movement. Some movements don't even about me.
But I want to help, I want to support, I want to be part. Right. And that, so when you do that, you're creating the opportunity for people to join you rather than buy from you.
Michael Faber:I think that's powerful. Like that statement alone, that's, I do hashtags, wisdom bomb all the time.
And I think that would be one I would pull out, you know, create something for people to join you. And I think that's super powerful. So then that brings some other questions here as I take notes and think about some of this.
How did you come to the place of saying, hey, I want to devote my life to creating movements? How did that come about for you.
: cidal maniac and disappeared.: ntry and took his own life in:So there's numerous times this has impacted my life, but when my boy Matt Carter passed, it really hit me because I created this whole, like, false privato, right, this image that I thought I was not to the world, or maybe to them too, but to myself. And when this all happened, that kind of shattered, and no longer did I have to deal with that.
I had to deal with everything I stuffed down in my life, which was pretty much everything, because I came from the world where men, we were not hurt. We might be angry, but we were not hurt. So I spent most of my life just angry and never dealing with anything that hurt me. So it all erupted.
I became, like I said, maniac. I was into pills and different drugs and booze and on the Lewis beach with a gun in my mouth. My gun wouldn't go off.
After that, I heard a personal growth tape where the guy said, you're out there somewhere. You just need to go find yourself. And I was like, oh, my God, I'm out there, right? Michael Faber.
So I started looking behind every tree and in every bush and every. Under every rock like this literally had a missing personal report for me. So it was a good time.
Ended up in Mobile, Alabama, which I'm sure there's some really nice parts I just wasn't. And remember something a basketball coach once told me. He said, did anyone breathe easier because you existed?
And for 30 years, my life, the answer was no.
And I started thinking about all the people I lost in my life, and I couldn't tell you a single one of them, what their bank account was when they died of or their worth. And I was like, if I die, like, I've done nothing. Sure. At that point, we had some successful businesses, did some great deals, made some money.
I did nice cars and big houses, all that good shit that mean nothing. I think it really made me go, I need to do something bigger than myself. I need to help people. That's where the whole movement idea came from.
We started. I didn't know what it was then, but I. That's how it all started. And I understood in business that how businesses run. So I was like, hold up this.
And this connects. So we can. So then it was the movement thinking.
Michael Faber:Dude, that's powerful on it. And I relate to a lot of that with the emotion stuffing and stuff like that, because that's something I'm actually dealing with.
And so with that awakening, with that breakthrough of, hey, I want to be able to make an impact. I want to invite others. I want to help people. I have to deal with these emotions, things like that.
Do you find that in the hundreds, if not thousands, of people that you've impacted already that you still struggle with some of those old emotions, or have you conquered most of them? Like, where are you in that journey?
:I don't know if you ever truly conquer them. I don't know.
I think, like, when it comes to healing, that's why I always shy away from the healing conversation, because I disagree with a lot of healers, and I feel like they know better than me. So I'm like, eh, and with you.
Michael Faber:On some of that, and I feel.
:Like there's, like, layers to this man.
Michael Faber:Yeah.
:And it's like you can get through a layer of the processing, but you're gonna find another layer. And I think there's. I think. And it. I think there's some painting, some interior battle that will. A pizza bit will always be there.
Like, people of me will always miss my brother and be hurt that he's not here and that he can't experience this moment. Like, a piece of me will always feel a certain way that my dad didn't get me to see. Get to see me do something good with my life.
I died when I was still a troublemaker and in court all the time. So, like, I think there's a piece of that. And then I didn't get to have the conversation with my dad.
Like, thank you for teaching me what I was like to be a man, even though I did not like that way. All right, thank you. Thank you for grabbing my back. Still. Thanks for my brother having my back. Like, I never get to have those conversations.
I've written letters, right, and burnt them. I have acted like a conversation out loud.
Michael Faber:Right.
:And talk. I talk to them often. I don't know if they listen or not, but I definitely talk to them. They're probably like, Mike, shut up.
But, so I don't know when you're going through that, if there's really, like, the finish line. I think there comes a point when you realize, like, it was worth it, though. I think that.
Michael Faber:I love that explanation. And I'm like, I really agree with you. I don't agree with half the people that are self proclaimed healers out there either.
So this is why we connect a lot, because I think we're on the same page on a lot of different areas.
But then this brings up a great conversation because there's a lot of people that struggle, a lot of people that go through this, and there are layers. Like, every time you feel like you've gained strength or healing, you find another layer.
So then how does Michael, in his balance of life, healing movements and stuff, how do you keep moving forward without letting these things control you?
:One. Everything I try to do in my life, I'm like, I make it worth it, right?
I talk about worth it a lot because, like, dude, if you, if we do nothing or if we do everything, if we change the whole world or we don't even change our house, we're going to have things in life, trials, tribulations. We're going to have. We're going to lose people we love, right? One way or another.
Like, there is going to be heartbreak and heartache, and it's just, is it worth it? The chances of every year you're in business, there's a greater chance you'll be out of business. Like, that's the odds, right?
We know what game we're playing, so it's not, oh, my God, how do I keep us in business? How do I keep it? That's the wrong thought process. It's, how do I make that?
I know at this point, at some point, this ends either by me closing my eyes and not open them or by it closing, right. Like, I know this ends. Make it worth it. How is it going to be worth it? That's one. The second thing is I'm really occupied with present future.
I don't go past much, right? I always say I have a gypsy soul. They say when you slow down, it all catches up to you, right? That's the soul of a gypsy, right.
That's why gypsies are always on the move. I was like, that's why I'm always on the move, man. It's, if you slow down, it all catches up to you, so don't slow down.
I'm very focused on my purpose. I'm very focused on my passion. I'm very focused on the ones I love.
And if I maintain that moving towards loving them better, that would create better relationships. Following my passion stronger and living in purpose longer, then I'm moving forward movement, and it's less time to look back, to get stuck in those.
Those ruts of being like, poor me. Why this happened. All those things where you're not going to find an answer that's really wise.
Michael Faber:That's really great wisdom, especially when you said, I'm occupied with the present and the future. I think, and just increasing that love. And I think something I really appreciate about you is that when you say you love people, you generally do.
Like, you don't find that often. And I find that, like, refreshing, like in our space and in the entrepreneur space, it's refreshing when you have somebody who cares.
Do you find that you just naturally care about people or did you find that your experiences has helped you care about people more?
:I would say a degree of both. Right? I think we all, as humans care some. I thought it was like when, like people like, okay, let me thinks, liar.
I'm as big class clown as there is, but still, I care what my mom thinks. I care what my daughter thinks. I care what my people think. Like, I'll be a jerk after the people outside of our space.
But if you're in my community, I want to hear it. Do you think I'm doing something and being insensitive or an ass clown or let me know. I hope you can curse in this thing.
I'll try not to anymore, but I hope you can. You're going to do a lot of bleeping for that one sense. But to a degree, I think naturally we do.
But also I think after you experience some things and like, it's when you're in the arena, right? I always use the arena metaphor because men feel easier to relate to this. When you're in the arena and you know what the arena does, right?
The butt whoopings. You're going to get like that g rated, that thing, the butt whoopings. You're going to get the scars that are going to come from it.
Beat downs and all that stuff, like the tears, blood, the sweat, you know it. And when you see someone else in that arena, it's like respect, man. Because I know, I know some of the. I know some, I don't know all of it.
I don't know the way you know it, but I know of it. I've experienced, too. So I think from that it made me go respect. And you got someone that understands a little bit and I'll be there.
Michael Faber:That's really good. So then what are in all of this? As you love, as you grow in love, as you gain, if you have lead with courage, what makes you fearful?
What gives you that pause?
:Two things. One, how that came to the top of my mind one to make sure I'm not coming from a place of ego.
Michael Faber:Okay.
:And especially, like, the bad ego, like, the disregard, the betterment of everyone for something of yourself. Right? Like, that ego. I want to always check that. All right.
And my biggest fear is letting down the people that love me and care about me and support me. That's my biggest fear.
Michael Faber:So I think that that's something that really stands out with you, and it's, you're so focused on people. And again, this is. It's a great, refreshing whole thing because there's so many people that are self focused, that are self.
So then I start really asking the questions, like, how do I get to be like you? What are some things, like, what are some things you had to get rid of to be, like, fully committed to this?
I know there's been some sacrifices along the way. So what are some things that you were like that had to go?
:A lot of it was interior. We talked about ego in the last question, and a lot of ego had to go. Like, I had to be okay with whatever they thought.
Whatever my look makes you think, right? Like, I look like a homeless person now, so I have to be okay with that. And I think part of why I did it was so I would be like that.
I would sit in it and be okay with it. Like, why I stopped wearing three piece suits. Cause I was like, I don't want you to think, like, my outfit is the best thing about me.
And also, it reminds me, don't let your outfit be the best thing about you.
So I think one of the biggest things was to drop was the ego, because a lot of programming is protect yourself, fend for yourself, get yourself there, get to the result, and it's all about me. I spent a lot of my life about that. And then I always use a Fred Hampton speech. He said, I climbed to the top of the mountain.
I got to the castle at the top of the mountain. I was in that castle, hanging out in the castle with the people in the castle.
I looked out the window, and I saw my people in the valley, and their problems were in the valley. Their pressure was in the valley, and their stress was in the valley.
Their fight was in the valley, and I was in the castle, and I had to leave that castle and go back down the mountain into the valley because that's where my people were. Because sitting in the castle by yourself sucks. All right?
So now we were going to climb this mountain together and kick that fate king out their throne, not because we don't like them just because it's our throne, right? And I always think of that speech when it comes to ego, and I'm like, what good is this? Winning alone.
Michael Faber:That's powerful. What good is this? Winning alone? And I think that's really the definition of a true leader. Everybody wants to be the leader. Few people are a leader.
And you really can tell the old chinese proverb that says, if you're walking in a direction, look behind you, nobody following you, you're not a leader. It's like, people have to follow you. That guy has to jump in the trenches and pull the people with them. And I think that's amazing.
And so then it really comes into this place of you're talking. I think this is something that really hit me, hit me in all the feels, man. Like it says, don't let your exterior be the best thing about you.
And then you followed up with the story and saying, hey, let's pull our people to go take care of the king. Get that false king there. And so with that being said, was that something in that struggle?
Was that something that you fought hard to learn because you had to unlearn a lot of things, like the three peat suits and the things, and then gain this humility of, I don't want to be this. I want to be this. So that's identity.
So, have you found it very difficult to forge an identity or actually shift your identity from what it was to what it is now?
:Earlier on, 100%. During the process, it was much harder because I was much more in it. Now I'm just me.
But at the beginning, it's trying, of course, because there's times you want to be like, bro, come on, stop talking like that. Right? And then, hell, there's times I'm human, right? So there's times, hell, we were at the event together.
There was times where someone would say something. I'd be like, what the. What's wrong with you? We don't do that here. So I'm human. I have those moments I have to remember. Cause above all.
So if I put myself above that because something I feel about something, then I put myself above the cause. And that means I didn't love my people enough or care about my people enough not to force my will.
And the big thing about leadership that people don't get to talk about enough and we don't bring up enough is that position of leadership can be picked. But a leader the people pick. Mm hmm. All right? And it's like you said, if you're walking, you look, fine. You know, it's there.
The people didn't pick you, right? All right, so then you have to be at the level and the caliber that the people pick, that's your job. That's your inner work, right?
That's your responsibility. So my responsibility every day is to become the man my people pick. And it's not over now because some are like, yeah, Mike, let's go.
That's not when it's ending. That's the beginning of you actually having to show up and be a leader. Because before they.
When there's no one there, like, you're ending, no one's watching. Like, no one cares. All right? Like, when it's. When people care, that's when it's officially started, not when it's over.
Every day I have a notepad on my side of my bed, man. It's be a better son, be a better father, be a better friend, be a better man, be a better leader of five things. That's my to do list every day.
My job.
Michael Faber:I love that.
And I was actually, what's interesting, I was going to, my next question is going to be like, what were some of those things that says, these are the things I do to be a winner and those five things doing every day? I'm like, wow, that kind of just hits it, man. Like, those are all I be winners. There was one time, not one time, one of my core values.
And I tell this that whether it be with my kids, my wife, the people I lead, the people I coach, I just want to be a leader worth following. That's, that's been my mantra for two decades in leadership now. So I want to be a leader worth following. And then I ask myself, would I follow me?
And I'm pretty critical. Like, I can. I'm pretty hard on myself. Would I follow? So I appreciate what you're saying. So, you know what's so interesting?
And I'm probably going to have to have you on another episode, too, because I like to keep these episodes between 30, 40 minutes, and we're already at almost 30. And I'm like, man, this is such a good conversation. I'm like, wow.
And so then I want to ask you this is, you mentioned earlier, like, with your brother and the story about, like, with my wife has suicidal tendencies. We almost lost her in summer. And you started a foundation.
:Tell.
Michael Faber:Tell the audience a little bit more about that foundation, also how we can connect with it and support that foundation. I would like to be able to throw that in the show notes as well.
:Oh, thank you. I appreciate that, brother. Look, the foundation is Joseph Patrick Faber Memorial foundation, standing on my brother.
The foundation is to provide mental health services to the people for no charge, everything. We have psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, we have Igala, we have groups. Igala's at chronic assistant therapy. We have groups.
We have community days. We have clothes and food out throughout the year, you name it. We're trying to figure out every way we can to serve.
We dress up as Sanhedrin for Christmas and go to children's hospitals. Right? Whatever we can do to serve, make life better, make life easier for people.
It's funny, it started off as helping veterans and it's evolved to where, like, we have three year olds to 90 year olds, do all kinds of stuff, right? And my mom did an amazing job. I would have taken the credit that my mom did an amazing job building this and creating this and that.
It was very easy for me to step in and just be like, hey, look how cool it is. Anything you want to do to support, we appreciate it. Spreading the word, asking that question, that's huge. Free mental health evals.
Like, literally anything you're going through, we're here. I would say not so much my regular cell phone number, not some b's, Google number, not the mob phone that I don't have.
Like, my cell phone number is public, right. Because I'm like, if you're going through something, you are not alone.
And that's the point of the foundation is to some people now, they have options, they have resources. So that's Joseph Patrick for Memorial foundation.
Michael Faber:And how do we reach that? Is there a website we can go to?
:Yeah, you can go to jpf.com. whereas there are some of the resources that we do and ways to get ahold of us.
Michael Faber:Awesome. So I'm definitely going to put that in the show notes.
And guys, we're going to make sure that we, as you listen to this, if this is something that moves in your heart, mental health, suicide prevention, really consider prayerfully consider making donations in any which way you can, whether it be financial, get the word out, things like that. Because this is an incredible move.
And from the movement maker himself and for you guys who have listened or have been listening to some of the episodes, the show mental health is very near and dear to my heart. My wife will be on a further episode later in the future about more talk about our journeys and struggles with that.
So as we land some planes here, what is, I like to ask, what is something you want to leave with the audience that says, hey, if you get anything, I've said anything that I want to give you, this would be the thing you need to take away.
:I always go back to a simple man, simple, foundational piece. You are worth it. Make your life worth. That's powered your life worth it. Simple.
Michael Faber:You're worth it. Make your life worth it. What's funny, that in the last episode, I just had a conversation with somebody and she actually said something very similar.
She said, you're worth it. Go all in. And I was, there's been a theme of a lot of this and it's been very powerful.
going to the unleash you now:I was there in person, my wife and I, so we had a great time. How do we get a hold of you, get connected with you so that way people can draw from your wisdom.
:Awesome, brother. I appreciate that. Again, thank you for having me on. You do a great job. I do a bunch of these and you made this very smooth for me.
So you made it very easy, at least for me. Hopefully it was good, but you made it very easy. The you can find me Michael Faber pretty much on end. They were the coach.
Mike Faber on I'm on all social medias. You find us on under unleash you now as well. Someone there will be able to get you to me or tell you where to go or find it. I really just say try it.
Go to an event and try it. See what it's like. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy yourself and you'll see a whole new, like Aladdin. It's a whole new world.
Michael Faber:I like that it's Aladdin. And to the listeners, for somebody who is a regular event attender I've been to, I love events, love attending them.
This is probably one of my favorite events that I've ever attended.
ss you're now live, Movemaker:Michael, thank you so much to being on, being part of this conversation.
And as to the audience, just make sure you download the show notes because all the links that we talked about, all the things will be in there, as well as a transcript of today's episode. Michael, thank you for being with me.
:Thank you, brother. It's my pleasure.
Jim Burgoon:This has been grace in the grind. Whether you're a christian leader looking for guidance or an entrepreneur seeking inspiration, it's Jim's passion to equip and encourage you.
Make sure to check out Jim's solo episodes, where he shares practical leadership insights grounded in a biblical perspective. We hope you've enjoyed the show. If you did, make sure to, like, rate and review, and we'll be back soon.
But in the meantime, find us on social media leadwithJim. And you can also hit the website at www.leadwithjim.com. take care of yourself and we'll see you next time on Grace in the Grindenne.
