The Unicorn Within: Lana Schulenburg’s Journey of Grit and Grace

Ever Forward: Michael Rebelo on Escaping the Traditional Employee Playbook

At 17 years old, Michael Rebelo’s mom sat him down for a talk he thought was "the end of the line"—but instead of a reprimand, she handed him a lesson in financial illiteracy that would spark a 216-unit real estate empire by age 20. In this episode, Michael shares how he stopped trying to master every skill and started mastering the "fellowship" of his network to accelerate his growth. This is a masterclass in the "Ever Forward" mindset—a commitment to never looking back and always building yourself better and bigger than you were yesterday. Key Takeaways: • The Power of a "Why": How the mission to retire his mother turned Michael’s "darkest hour" into a massive comeback. • The Starfish Strategy: Why making a difference for a single investor is the ultimate win-win-win. • Leveraging the Griffin: Why protective, disciplined leadership is the secret to guarding your values and your legacy. • Escaping the Playbook: How to stop being a "highly paid cog" and start building an economic engine that works for you.  Tools & Weapons Mentioned • The Fellowship Army: Leveraging a high-level network to find the right answers instantly. • The Internet Database: Using modern tools (ChatGPT, Google, etc.) to self-teach like a modern-day Lincoln. • The Starfish Mindset: A guiding story for choosing impact over ego in business. • Sem-paf-franc (Ever Forward): The Portuguese philosophy of relentless forward momentum.  Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435893/fan_mail/new] About Gold Dragon Investments: At Gold Dragon Investments, our mission is to bring joy to others by helping them win the game of investing. Helping every client become the hero of their financial journey. We believe that wealth is a tool, but joy is the ultimate outcome.  Through meaningful partnerships, we strive to empower our investors to create freedom, and build lasting legacies of purpose, fulfillment, and wealth.  Join Us on the Adventure: * Website: https://golddragoninvestments.com [https://golddragoninvestments.com/] * Schedule a Call [https://link.golddragoninvestments.com/widget/bookings/gold15]

The Unicorn Within: Lana Schulenburg’s Journey of Grit and Grace

What happens when you lose your ability to walk just as your career is taking off? In this episode, Lana Schulenberg takes us inside the high-stakes world of competitive equestrian show jumping and the surprising "magic" of pageantry.  Lana shares her "darkest hour" story—a bad riding accident that left her stagnant and questioning her Olympic dreams—and the mindset shift that allowed her to turn an injury into a resource for growth.  We explore how she manages an elite schedule, riding 50+ times a week, while building a mentorship platform for the next generation. Key Takeaways: • The "Make It Happen" Plaque: Why your hunger for a goal dictates its reality. • The Discipline of the Arena: How riding 50+ times a week builds Olympic-level resilience. • The Fellowship of Mentors: The role of family and elite coaches in navigating burnout. • The Unicorn Mindset: Embracing the "magic" within to stay majestic yet humble under pressure.  Tools & Weapons: • Elite Discipline: A training routine involving riding 50+ times a week to match Olympic standards. • Youth Mentorship: Leveraging the guidance of mentors like Alicia Burton to organize thoughts and prepare for high-level competition. • Nature and Paddock Time: Using the "back paddock" as a grounded resource to rethink thoughts and solve problems when the world feels overwhelming.  Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435893/fan_mail/new] About Gold Dragon Investments: At Gold Dragon Investments, our mission is to bring joy to others by helping them win the game of investing. Helping every client become the hero of their financial journey. We believe that wealth is a tool, but joy is the ultimate outcome.  Through meaningful partnerships, we strive to empower our investors to create freedom, and build lasting legacies of purpose, fulfillment, and wealth.  Join Us on the Adventure: * Website: https://golddragoninvestments.com [https://golddragoninvestments.com/] * Schedule a Call [https://link.golddragoninvestments.com/widget/bookings/gold15]

The "You First" Method: Angie Mays on Curing Depression and Self-Doubt

For 25 years, Angie Mays lived in the cycle of severe depression, relying on increased medication, and sacrificing herself to constant burnout and narcissistic relationships.  She learned the hard way that the only path to true self-mastery wasn't a pill—it was mastering her mindset and learning to put herself first. In this incredibly human and values-driven conversation, Angie walks us through her darkest hour, detailing the physical and emotional exhaustion caused by overworking and suppressing her feelings with alcohol.  She explains the profound realization that her thoughts were creating her reality (CBT), the shift from reacting to responding, and why practicing mindset is like going to the gym—requiring constant, inner work.  This raw episode is dedicated to anyone tired of the endless grind who is ready to cancel the negative thoughts, find their inner strength, and build a life of alignment and joy. Key Takeaways (What You'll Hear): • How reaching the highest dose of medication forced Angie to look for a non-chemical cure for her depression. • The psychological tools (CBT) she used to break the cycle of negative thoughts, feelings, and actions. • Why constantly saying "yes" to 12-hour shifts and forgiving abusive partners showed a complete lack of self-worth. • The life-changing mindset shift from reacting to responding, which helps her handle stress without reverting to shouting or tantrums. • Why putting your children first can still lead to exhaustion and burnout if you don't first put on your own "oxygen mask". • The importance of treating mindset like exercise in the gym—requiring constant, small efforts to keep your mind fit. • Why her life changed completely once she committed to her "You First" method, even attracting a partner who mirrors that self-respect. Tools & Weapons: • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): The foundational framework for understanding how thoughts lead to feelings, which dictate actions. • The Mindset Muscle: The analogy that working on your inner mindset is like going to the gym—it requires constant, repetitive inner work, even when you don't see immediate results. • Respond vs. React: Learning to pause and evaluate a situation instead of shouting or having a tantrum when a problem arises. • Gratitude & Positive Energy: Recognizing that where energy goes, energy flows, and choosing positivity eliminates the "heavy" feeling that negativity creates. • Find Your Phoenix: The idea of recognizing your own power to be reborn and empowered through self-mastery. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435893/fan_mail/new] About Gold Dragon Investments: At Gold Dragon Investments, our mission is to bring joy to others by helping them win the game of investing. Helping every client become the hero of their financial journey. We believe that wealth is a tool, but joy is the ultimate outcome.  Through meaningful partnerships, we strive to empower our investors to create freedom, and build lasting legacies of purpose, fulfillment, and wealth.  Join Us on the Adventure: * Website: https://golddragoninvestments.com [https://golddragoninvestments.com/] * Schedule a Call [https://link.golddragoninvestments.com/widget/bookings/gold15]

A Medevac Pilot’s Code: Jon King on The 4 F’s of Freedom

Jon King spent years flying Blackhawks into hostile territory to save lives, but his hardest battle didn’t happen in a cockpit—it happened in his own home. From the adrenaline of 300 combat missions to the quiet struggle of "The 22," Jon’s journey is a testament to the power of showing up, even when you want to quit,. In this episode of Dragon’s Gold, Justin sits down with Jon to discuss his transition from military service to entrepreneurship. Jon shares the profound leadership lesson he learned from being put in charge of a refrigerator, his unique "Table Analogy" that destroys the scarcity mindset, and the "4 Fs" framework he uses to filter out life’s noise. Takeaways: • The Fridge Philosophy: Why mastering the smallest, simplest tasks builds the trust required for the biggest missions. • The Table Analogy: A powerful mental model for understanding abundance and creating win-win scenarios in business and life. • The 4 F’s: If it doesn't affect your family, your future, or your finances, don't worry about it.  • The Phoenix Mindset: How to burn down the old versions of yourself to rise stronger from the ashes. Tools & Weapons: • Poem: "If—" by Rudyard Kipling (Keeping your head when all about you are losing theirs). • Tech Tools: ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, & OpenAI (Leveraging tech to buy back time for family). • Mantra: "The 4 Fs": Family, Future, Finances. If it doesn't fit, don't worry about it. • Mantra: "If we all do a little, it lightens the load for all". • Mantra: "Gone but not forgotten". Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435893/fan_mail/new] About Gold Dragon Investments: At Gold Dragon Investments, our mission is to bring joy to others by helping them win the game of investing. Helping every client become the hero of their financial journey. We believe that wealth is a tool, but joy is the ultimate outcome.  Through meaningful partnerships, we strive to empower our investors to create freedom, and build lasting legacies of purpose, fulfillment, and wealth.  Join Us on the Adventure: * Website: https://golddragoninvestments.com [https://golddragoninvestments.com/] * Schedule a Call [https://link.golddragoninvestments.com/widget/bookings/gold15]

The "60 For Me" Framework: Bill Hoopes on Strategic Selfishness and Avoiding Burnout

Episode Summary: At 15 years of service, Bill Hoopes was just five years away from a guaranteed Navy pension. He was a Chief Petty Officer making $90k a year with a clear path to retirement. Then, he did the unthinkable: he handed in his papers and walked away with nothing but his freedom. In this episode of Dragon’s Gold, Bill joins Justin Mills to discuss the high cost of "golden handcuffs" and the resilience required to rebuild from scratch. From failing his Chief Petty Officer exam six times before finally passing, to navigating bankruptcy and a $50k pay cut as a teacher, Bill’s story is a masterclass in grit. He reveals why "sticking your toe in" is the most dangerous way to take a risk and shares his "60 for Me" framework—a strategic approach to self-care that prevents you from "moving positive in the wrong direction." Key Takeaways: • The 7th Try: Why failure is just data until you decide to quit. • Burning the Boats: How to make high-stakes decisions when comfort is the enemy. • The "60 for Me" Rule: Why taking one hour a day for yourself is the ultimate productivity hack. • Breaking Generational Curses: Transforming trauma into a drive for greatness. What You'll Learn: • How to build resilience when you fail (again and again). • The real cost of comfort and "golden handcuffs." • How to reclaim 60 minutes a day to change your life. Tools & Weapons: • The Bible (Corinthians 9.24): Run the race in a way to win. • Social Media Time Capsules: Using posts to hold your future self accountable. • The OODA Loop: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. • Leading Her Game: Bill’s book on raising high-performing female athletes. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435893/fan_mail/new] About Gold Dragon Investments: At Gold Dragon Investments, our mission is to bring joy to others by helping them win the game of investing. Helping every client become the hero of their financial journey. We believe that wealth is a tool, but joy is the ultimate outcome.  Through meaningful partnerships, we strive to empower our investors to create freedom, and build lasting legacies of purpose, fulfillment, and wealth.  Join Us on the Adventure: * Website: https://golddragoninvestments.com [https://golddragoninvestments.com/] * Schedule a Call [https://link.golddragoninvestments.com/widget/bookings/gold15]