For the past two years, Meshell Zwicker and I have been doing a 3-day retreat at my home in Forestville, CA. The retreat is called “The Next Highest Version”. We call my home Compassion Ranch. This weekend we had our 12th Next Highest Version Experience. The work we do is deep and personal. We only work with four people per event. They arrive on Thursday evening and stay in my home until Sunday Morning. The work is divided into four parts:

Step 1. Reveal: What is the pattern of thinking and feeling that has woven into your life, between the ages of birth and ten years old and is unconsciously determining the direction of your life? What we are exploring is the big pattern, the one that has become a winning formula. It’s the pattern that got us to where we are today, but it’s not the pattern that will take us to the Next level. It’s the pattern that holds us back from experiencing ourselves at the next highest version of ourselves.

This is tough work because it requires a level of honesty and humility to look at ourselves and our behavior that is like a barnacle attached to a ship. In order to scrape the hull, it needs to be dry docked so it can be examined with care so you can realize just how much drag this barnacle is creating in our life.

Step 2. Remove: Once the pattern is revealed and named, it’s now time to remove it. We use a variety of tools and modalities to do this work. Because the patterns are deeply woven into the fabric of our DNA, it requires an enormous amount of courage and willingness to let it go. But when you stop and examine exactly how this pattern is holding you back, plus the damage it is slowly doing to your life and the people around you, you discover the strength to remove it.

Step 3. Release: Once the pattern has been removed, it’s now time to release it. The process of releasing is deeply understanding that you were not born with this pattern, it’s a belief that was developed to assure your survival. But you’re no longer in a place where you’re just trying to survive, it no longer your pursuit, you want to experience significance, so you release it.

Step 4. Replace: Once the space has been created, you now have a choice: What new pattern do you want to weave into your life? This pattern is called your Next Highest Version.

Reveal – Remove – Release – Replace

This is courageous work: it requires a commitment to deeply examine the truth, look it squarely in the face and deal with it.

I like to compare it to my Kokoro experience. Which was the civilian version of the Navy Seal Hell week, but instead of pushing the boundaries of your physical and mental strength, you’re pushing the boundaries of your emotional well-being.

Because we only work with four people at a time, there is no place to hide, therefore what we can achieve in three days is equivalent to what may take you ten years to do on your own.

So why we have been so successful with this work?

We only work with people who we know, and know us. We offer the experience to our Brovance Members, which is my quarterly mastermind group that I’ve been leading for eight years.

They trust me. They know that I am there to guide them they know it is safe to work with me. Creating a safe place for people I care about to to their work is a significant part of my life today. I have worked very hard for the past eight years to build a tribe of people who trust me. So far half of my tribe have made the journey to Compassion Ranch. I love this model of coaching. I encourage other coaches and tribal leaders to consider this type of model.

In my video blog, Creating, Growing and Leading a Referral Tribe, I share the mindsets and strategies to be a tribal leader.

My definition of a Tribal Leader is a person who creates the space for their members to fully realize their potential.

As I reflect on this weekend and our group of new Next Highest Version graduates, I’m filled with a sense of gratitude and destiny.

In June 2006, I had one of those phone calls that you never forget….

I was talking with my friend Dean Jackson, and he said to me, “Its never been a better time in history to be Joe Stumpf.”

Intrigued, I said, “Tell me more.” “Joe, you love to create content and teach it… and then create more content and teach it. Youre a content creating machine! With the Internet and blogging, you have the perfect vehicle to drive your unique genius.”

In that moment, something deep within me came to life – something that felt clear, and true, and inspiring. What a gift! He spoke the right words at the right time, and they came from the right person. (Thank you, Dean!)

Two months later, on August 6, 2006, I launched my blog: Joe’s Journal. Every day, I wrote and posted something authentic, raw, and inspired. As I found my voice and gained some traction, the numbers of views and followers soared.

It was so fulfilling to be building and contributing to a community of like-minded people! The process made me feel sharper, more energized, and more compelled to stay at the top of my game.

Ten months later, my business partner approached me with a new idea. He had noticed the energy and momentum of Joe’s Journal and suggested we create a corporate blog for By Referral Only – and merge the two into one. I agreed. It seemed like a great idea – let’s bring that energy and momentum to our business!

Fast-forward a year… my passion and energy were fading fast. My heart just wasnt into blogging anymore.

Why? What happened?

It took me a while to realize that Joe’s Journal had been fueled by a drive to express my voice, my style, and my ideas – without reservation. My blog was an expression and reflection of my unique genius. But, when I tried to merge my raw, authentic voice with a corporate brand, it felt weak and watered down.

So, I explored new ways to share my unique genius – and I began to thrive again. Since 2007, I have:

• Written 20 books. See amazon.
• Became the oldest guy at 54 to survive the civilian version of the Navy Seal Hell Week. Read my book Willing Warrior.
• Created 78 training programs
• Conducted 1600+ one-on-one coaching sessions
• Created the Daily Inspired Actions e-mail
• Developed the CBROC Certification Program
• Established the Daily Joe Instagram account @JoeStumpf
• Developed a 3-day event “The Next Highest Version” that I host at my Compassion Ranch
• Envisioned and assembled the BroVance community of 150 high-caliber agents and lenders who support each other and work with me to achieve bigger, bolder, more conscious
• Became the 20 Fittest Man in the World at Crossfit at the age of 60.
• Launched our most recent creation: Fast Pass Coaching and Accountability.
• Next month we launch my Video Blog Creating Growing Leading A Referral Tribe.
• In October 2108 we are opening: Joe Stumpf’s Coaching Academy. This is where you learn to coach and build a coaching business.

Every one of these ventures has been deeply fulfilling. They came from an inspired, energized place, and felt like authentic expressions of my unique genius. I’m excited to share with you my thoughts, ideas and insights for many years to come. Off we go.