Beyond the Scalpel: From Neurosurgery to Entrepreneurship with Jessa Carter

FN Intro/Outro: Welcome to the Freedom Nation podcast with Jeff Kikel. On this show, Jeff shares his expertise in financial and retirement planning from a different perspective. Planning for Your Freedom Day, which is the first day that you wake up and have enough income or assets and do not have to go to work that day. Learn how to calculate what you need, how to generate income sources, and listen to interviews from others who've done it themselves. Get ready to experience your own Freedom Day.

Hey, everybody, welcome to the Freedom Nation podcast. It is another episode of our Podapalooza here, I guess I'm doing about 12 interviews in one day, and have a wonderful, wonderful guest on Jessica Carter. She is a former neurosurgeon, and freed herself from that world and freed her mind to do a lot of things, especially in in what she does today. So Jessica, welcome to the show today.

Thank you. Thank you for having me, Jeff. I'm super excited to be here. Yeah. And

We get folks, you're gonna hear a lot of stuff that's very common to what I say her and I kind of play in the same field, and really excited to hear her story suggest, so why don't we kick off with your story,

Play in the same same sandbox? So does I agree. So my my story, my journey, I worked in neurosurgery for 10 years. But it was about six years into that, that I woke up one day after working 60 to 80 hours a week for six years, I woke up one day, and I suggested What the heck are you doing? This isn't life This isn't living. There was this underlying, I think this resonates for so many people, there was this underlying sense of there had to be more to life than I was currently experiencing. And there was just this silent internal lying that like that something was missing. Yeah. And it was, it was nothing tangible. It was just for the longest time, it just felt like something was missing in my life.

Well, and I think, you know, for, for all the people out there that are saying, Oh, well, you know, if I had to just be in, you know, if I'd have been a brain surgeon, I had all my in I'd have all the money in the world, everything would be perfect. And I think what you're saying is, it doesn't matter what you do if you're not, if you're not fulfilled in what you're doing. Yeah,

Well, you know, I've been thinking a lot about that, you know, those those if then statements I and you know, the thing is, is is what happens so many times when it comes to to success is people you know really see the outside looking in, like I'm from the outside looking in, it's very easy to to put on the facade, that everything is peachy, right. And I did a great job of it for a very long time, I had a beautiful town hall and luxury car in the driveway, you know, the prestigious career with the letters behind my name and all the things right. And, you know, and a six figure salary. And so you know, so everyone would think that you know that everything is perfect. And from the outside looking in, it would appear as such. But what was what what was really happening behind the scenes is, you know, I had I had lost a significant other, and my finances were in the dump. And despite that six figure salary, I was living paycheck to paycheck. And and what I thought was the answer was more money. Yeah. And, and finally, I made a lateral move that took those 60 to 80 hour work weeks, I went from that to only working 14 days a month to having two weeks off every month, who doesn't want that and making almost twice the money. So again, sounds perfect. And then a few months later, I find myself living paycheck to paycheck again. And I have to take a hard honest look in the mirror and be like something's wrong. Yeah.

Yeah. So what was that inflection point for you? What changed things?

You know, I think I think that some of it was was just the fact that the biggest thing that gave me I think the space to have the realization was the time. Yeah. Because I think when you're, you know, when you're in that 60 to 80 Hour Work Week, and you're just constantly in the hamster wheel and you're going through the motions and you're living the same like the day and the day out. It's such a repetitive pattern, that there's nothing to disrupt the pattern. So at least by making that lateral move, and having those two weeks off every month. What it did was it created time and space in my life where previously I had none. And so I was at least doing things that I hadn't done before. I was like, I was doing yoga like, almost every day on my weeks off, or if I wasn't doing yoga, I was I was working out or I was biking outdoors, or I was traveling or taking dance classes. So it was really sort of this soul searching and finding myself again and getting to know myself again, like, Who Who am I outside of the J. OB have the title of the career? Who am I? And what do I actually enjoy? Like, because now all of a sudden, I had time to enjoy things again. Yeah.

Totally new concept.

Nothing other than work, I'm sorry.

For me, I always said that the best thing that ever happened was COVID. Because it made me actually slow down and realize that there was a world outside of the 60 hour work week I was having, you know, where I would come to work at six in the morning and go home. And I was working half days, six to six. So you know, I mean, and then coming home, and working for a couple hours. So same thing, it's just sometimes giving yourself that space, to think I think is huge. So you're a neurosurgeon. What kind of what was that transition for you away from you? You went from 6080 hour weeks to shorter time period, more money, but then you've kind of transitioned from there. So what's that look like?

Yeah, so I, after that transition, I, I gave myself a year like it for a long time, I had this dream of being an entrepreneur, even though I had no idea what I was going to do what I was supposed to bring to the world or anything like that I just but I but of course, I dreamed of being an entrepreneur. And, and thank goodness, I didn't do it any sooner because because what I realized is, is everything that I did on my journey up to that place of becoming an entrepreneur, was what prepared me to, to be able to persevere. And things get hard. Because if I hadn't become the person I had become by that point, when things got hard, it would have been very easy to turn back to that that safety blanket of you know, of the six figure, you know, guaranteed six figure salary. And when I say six figures, I was a Neurosurgical Physician Assistant for 10 years, not a neurosurgeon, because most neurosurgeons are seven figures beyond but saying same difference, but but the transition for me was, was because I had hit that wall financially. And I had the time and space to have the awareness of okay, clearly, there's a problem here to take that hard, honest look in the mirror, and be like, Okay, I'm making more money. And I'm still living paycheck to paycheck, and what is what is really underneath this, and what is really going on here. And so I started focusing on abundance and my yoga practice. And I ended up with this three day training, which I had never been to a seminar, I had never been to any sort of training like that. And I was sitting in the audience at that event, and plain as day, whatever, whatever that voice is that higher voice whether you consider it your higher self, or the universe, or girl, or whomever, whoever the voice is for you. It was just Jesse, you're supposed to be on that stage. So here I am in the audience at this event. And I just plain as day Jesse, you're supposed to be on that stage. And it was it was so crystal clear that I couldn't ignore it. It was so loud that I thought someone was standing behind me and I'm looking around and I'm like, What are you talking to me because I am not the girl. So wanted to be seen or heard. And so part of my journey to even being able to speak and share my message and share my story and share my journey like that was part of my journey was really doing the work in order to be able to serve the world with my message and my story and my work and all of this wisdom that I had inside that I couldn't open my mouth and speak about. So that was where it started was Jesse you're supposed to be on that stage. And then what what evolved was, you know, was really, my, my deepest pain was the money was seeking greater wealth and success and it and hitting these walls. And once I started doing personal growth and investing in myself, you know, I could see it, I was starting to see it and to step into that possibility. I was like, okay, but I still was getting stuck. And I still wasn't where I wanted to be despite investing in myself with some of the best out there in the world. Right. And, and, and I thought, well, you know, what, what is the disconnect? And because of my background in neuroscience, that's when I was guided to to the deeper aspects of the mind. And so my first book ended up being the peaceful millionaire that was the that was really the work that I was guided to do, I was guided to help people with what was that deepest pain point for me in a way that no one else in the industry does. And so my work is is mind and Money Mastery. And so the peaceful Millionaire is mind money and soul wisdom, I'll be writing the peaceful multimillionaire this year, and the subsequent book will be the peaceful billionaire.

Love it, love it. So lots of stuff in your life and I love your path. I mean, I just, you know, once again, I think, I think the world or what you're doing because it's, it's, there's so many people that whether they're a neurosurgeon or a neuro PA, whatever, there's so many people out there that are just kind of ambling along through life, and not really living their their greatest life. And it sounds like you've you've come along that path and, and really got yourself out of what was was taking you down that the other path that that point. Yeah.

It's, it's, it's remarkable, when you start to, to step outside of what is considered normal, and what is considered, you know, safe, and, and you step into a world of these other opportunities. And it's just a whole different there, there's so much opportunity in the world and, and people. The thing is, is, we were talking about this at my event, right is, is, you know, oftentimes what happens is, you know, opportunities will start to show up when you're ready for them. Yeah, but the thing is, is like there were many opportunities that showed up before you were ready, you just didn't really see them. And you forget about them. Because what happens is when you're when you're not ready or open to receive the opportunity, sometimes opportunities show up. But what happens is you say no, yeah. And then you and then you forget about that opportunity. And you say like, Oh no, nothing, no opportunity, you know, no opportunity. Does that ever happen for me? Well, it does. But you missed an opportunity. You said no to an opportunity you didn't even see as an opportunity. And so then you file it away and you forget about it, and you say oh no, that opportunity doesn't ever happen to me. But opportunity, you know really shows up when you're ready. And also there's always the is don't wait for opportunity. Go out there and create it.

I love that. Love it. Well, let's transition to the Fast Five questions. Now. You're ready. Alright, number one, wake up in the morning businesses God you have 500 bucks in your pocket laptop computer, place to live food and clothing. What are you going to do first?

What am I gonna do do first? Build a build a funnel and get some and get some ads driving traffic to my signature talk.

I love it. I love it. Yeah, that's and you could probably do that with 500 bucks. Pretty easy. At that point, you get some bodies.

You know, I get it. You know? Yeah, just traffic in the door. I

love it. I love it. What's the biggest business mistake you've ever made?

I think I think the biggest mistake was was diving in and attempting to navigate myself early on, okay, rather than investing in in one on one mentorship with with, you know, with the right person to to actually you know, helped me build it and grow.

Yeah. Yeah, you ended up spending more money ambling around not really finding your way it's sometimes finding somebody who who's been down the path and spend all that money before is not a bad thing to have.

Absolutely yeah. That was that was the biggest difference was was really starting to invest at a at a higher level. And realizing the point when I was ready to transition from you know, group coaching and mentorship into like, private one on one video shit. Yeah.

Awesome. What's a good book that you'd recommend for our audience?

And it be my own book?

I absolutely. I have no problem with that. self promotion is a good thing.

Shameless self promotion. The peaceful millionaire that my firt my first book, I found out recently from a client that like a Tony Robbins coach said that Tony Robbins was recommending my book brilliant

So that's an endorsement if I've ever heard one Dang it, right?

My face when When, when, like, like, it was like, literally my client was sitting on an airplane holding a copy of my book because he had gotten a signed copy of my book from an event that I was speaking at. And he's on the plane and the woman behind him, taps him on the shoulder and was like, Hey, can I take a photo of the cover of that book? He says, reason being is I'm a Tony Robbins coach, and I've been recommending that we read the peaceful millionaire and I just

Okay. That is awesome. I love that. What's a good tool that you use in your business that you might recommend to others?

You know, this is gonna sound really, really funny. But I feel like so many entrepreneurs now are working remotely. And if you have any sort of Alexa device, like leverage your Alexa device, I I literally have Alexa, remind me of things that it's her voice just comes on. And it's just like, oh, okay, yeah,

It's fine.

My assistant in my own Yeah,

Mine I've got set to an Australian woman and she sounds she's a little saucy little winch sometimes. But but other than that, no, I actually I set up and this is something I talked to people about a course that I teach actually set my Alexa up to have a morning routine for me. So I just when I when I'm getting ready for work, I just say, Alexa, start my day. And then she starts running through my schedule. I'm in the financial business. So you know what's going on in the markets at that time. I have it. John Lee Dumas is a good friend of mine. And so he's got a morning ritual thing that he does, it's like three minutes. And then I play my startup, or basically what I call my wrestling song, you know, in my arena song, play that every morning as I'm walking out of the room just sets my mind straight. I'm ready to go. But yeah, use it.

Yeah, I mean, like I said, it's just, it's so simple. And it's there. And so I just, you know, use it because it especially if I get into like a creative zone, if I'm, if I'm in a space where I'm creating, I'll like get in the zone and kind of miss out. One of the other tools that that has just really, really changed. The game for me is even when I'm in that hyper focus zone, like computer actually tells me every hour on the hour, like it's one o'clock, it's two o'clock. And, and so I started to listen for that. And because a lot of times if I you know, if I'm not with clients, and I'm just working, I have music playing. Yeah. So when I get those hourly reminders, I have like a 15 minute window, within that hour reminder, I get up and I'll just dance to a song, get up in front of the mirror. And like, you know, lift my legs and just just get up and move around. And then when I sit back down, I just go right back into that laser focus. But my energy stays up and it just, I focus on my car

Just and it breaks the routine for you too, because it's just too easy to just sit there all day, especially if you're by yourself. It's too easy to just sit there all day. So that's that's brilliant. All right, last last question. What is your definition of freedom?

Well, as someone leading a freedom revolution, I feel like I better I better have a profound answer for you. And my definition of freedom is, is living with peace and possibility in my mind, passion and joy and my spirit and health and vitality in my body. With the financial freedom to that gives me the opportunity to work because I choose to not because I have to. And the time freedom to to be anywhere I choose to be with whomever I choose to be with but also to have a greater capacity to contribute to making the world a better place for

I love it. What a great answer but a great drop the mic. You said it was coming and dropped the mic as awesome. suggests if somebody is interested in learning a little bit more about you and what you do what's the best place to get a hold of you?

The best place to get a hold of me I would I would love to get over people I have the opportunity to spend a little bit more time gain some actual wisdom and pearls and really walk away with you know, some some tangible diamonds and pearls as I call, as I call them. So I have a free training that I love to give as a gift. It's a how to 10x your earning power and live the life of your dreams without working harder budgeting or saving. And you can you can join that and get to know me more and hang out with me for free by going to the peaceful billionaire.com/masterclass The peaceful billionaire.com/masterclass.

So you're just jump into that next book already?

Well, actually, I share that part of my story in the training, but there's reason behind it.

Yep, absolutely. I love it. Well, Jessica, thank you so much for being on the show today. You're just such a pleasant guest to have I love your message and keep on the path, my friend, both trying to get people to that point, our own unique ways, but more more alike than different in that process. Absolutely,

Absolutely.

Thank you so much. And folks, make sure you reach out to her. And here's what I would say, if her message resonates with anybody that's in your world. First off like this, so that we know you're out there, subscribe to the channel, and then share this show with somebody that is in your life that you feel like really needs to know that. So thanks a lot. We do these shows twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays for you. So make sure that you are watching out for them and we will see you back here the very next time.

FN Intro/Outro: Thank you for listening to the Freedom Nation podcast. You can find us on Apple podcasts and all the major channels wherever you're listening. Please subscribe to the channel and leave a rating and review. If you have friends and family that could benefit from their own Freedom Day. Please share with them. Finally, join freedom nation by following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.