We recently had the chance to connect with Phillip Lawrence & Vonrich Aguba and have shared our conversation below.
Phillip & Vonrich, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What a great question! I’m most proud of building two things, first is building up myself and others. Every time we can contribute to students, clients, friends, family, and myself, and see the intended outcome manifested I feel proud. Most of that comes from doing what I can to edify their spirit and offer a hand along the journey. When I was in a season of perceiving total defeat in my life, there were a few people who reached out and pulled me forward. I’m eternally grateful so every chance I get to pay that forward, I feel proud. Second thing that I’m most proud of building, is this business with that same intent to support and positively impact others.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Shift Training is focused on positively impacting the quality of human interaction. How we connect with ourselves and relate with other people greatly influences our experience of life. We aim to add value in these areas through leveraging knowledge from several fields of health and wellness, or more succinctly holistic health. Our services currently include 1:1 Coaching, Workshops, Events, and Consulting.
Our goal is to see more people doing better for themselves and their community. It’s a large goal and we can’t do it alone, so we’re always looking to partner and work with others who are aiming to add similar value in the world.
As of late we have been recording new podcast episodes and preparing to share the new season. We want to include as many people as possible in navigating the question of “How can we improve our connection with others?” and would love to welcome guests and do Q&A.
Also very recently, we have become a proud promotional partner with 1st Phorm, one of our favorite sports nutrition brands for years. Their goals are very aligned, just moving towards them from an adjacent lane. So we’re super excited to share more about them and what they have to offer as well. We’ll include a link for anyone with physical health or fitness goals.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
There are lots of long nuanced answers however, let’s go with some simple and straight forward ones. Loss of sense of safety, losing sense of self, too much win / lose instead of win / win, lack of consideration or consent, poor listening skills, and being unable to sit with one another to find a path forward together.
To restore where restoration is possible, embark on the path of repair. If you search Google or your favorite AI tool you’ll see plenty of information on this.
I’ll list the main steps: Acknowledge and communicate, take responsibility and apologize, start rebuilding trust and connection, find ways to move forward together, and seek professional support where needed.
There is an analogy that comes to mind. a long version, and a short version. Short version is, connection includes uploading and downloading on both sides, exchanging of something that works for both. The agreement about what that should look like or how it should work must be honored, or else the exchange and connection will end. Repair is the only process that provides an opportunity for connection to be restored, not time alone. I think that’s important for people to understand.
When did you last change your mind about something important?
The last time I changed my mind about something important was about 6 months ago, and again a year ago. I regularly evaluate the course I’m on and the vehicle I’m using on that path. Several years ago I heard something from Tom Bilyeu that really resonated with me which is “Strong beliefs, loosely held” which he credits someone else for saying but for me it stuck. By the time I heard it, I had already experienced the value of transformation in my life which was largely influenced by my willingness to change and update my values and belief systems. This led to changes in the way I felt, thought, and behaved, which changed my life for the better.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
A cultural value I believe should be protected is the right to progress and grow through life. I feel that it’s a natural law at least on this planet that living things grow at some point, they may sustain, then they wither, and eventually pass. If in our time as living beings follows that and our growth adds to the growth and progress of others as well, then great. When a season is over, did we leave things better than we found them? Well that’s fantastic, so I think the ability to do that should be protected.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing?
I almost always regret not giving my best. The best might be different day to day, but knowing when I held some gas in the tank or seeds that could have been used means I may have missed a grand opportunity. I learned growing up as an athlete to push it, and in college to do what was required, however I had a different experience in my early 20s that taught me not offering my best delays my success. What I wanted was right on the other side of short term discomfort. Everyone, including the person who could award me what I was aiming for expected me to get it. I stopped prematurely because I doubted that things would work out or that I’d learn something valuable. I held back and delayed what was still meant for me. Later it worked out but the pain of that lesson, taught me an invaluable lesson. So I do what I can, when I can, the best way I can, and do not short change my efforts. If something doesn’t work out I learn, but I don’t quit before the lesson or process is complete. So here we are in the process of trying to build something, Shift Training.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shiftownyourlife.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiftownyourlife/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiftownyourlife/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtoTumvq0u0yTqVI_pG_Ag
- Other: Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-training-podcast/id1620926815
1st Phorm: https://1stphorm.sjv.io/7aZNDO
Image Credits
Headshot provided by: Sharisse Rowan Photography
