TL;DR: Why would anyone tape their goals to the fridge, embrace ambitions that make them sick to their stomach or give their employees’ children $5k to travel before they settle down? Find out as Saskatchewan-born author and entrepreneur Garnet Morris talks to Phil Rose about his journey from a 300-pound-plus chain smoker to a 71-year-old who’s not ready to give up doing hard things on purpose. Learn about why he still swears by having a coach, how values underpin success (even in the family), and how the ‘sword of discernment’ helps you to choose who you have in your life. Co-author of 17 Runs: The Unbeaten Path to Unlock Life’s True Potential, he also talks about his functional medicine clinic, which keeps other entrepreneurs with similar struggles on their toes, and one transformative but everyday generosity everyone can afford. Full Show Notes: What transforms a 300-pound-plus chain smoker sweating through Toronto’s airport into a 71-year-old who hasn’t given up on getting the hard stuff done? The same thing that builds a successful business: relentlessness. Listen as our host Phil, talks with Saskatchewan-born entrepreneur Garnet Morris about the wake-up call he couldn’t ignore. An entrepreneur, insurance veteran, and co-author of 17 Runs: The Unbeaten Path to Unlock Life’s True Potential, he shares a refreshingly candid account of what transformation feels like in real life. Garnet takes us on a journey through the businesses he’s built and lost, quitting smoking, losing weight, and, to today, running a functional medicine clinic to help fellow entrepreneurs stay healthy enough to keep going. It’s living proof that success is inseparable from staying coachable, generous and honest – at any age. Join us as we discover: • Why your goals should be taped to the fridge (and make you sick to your stomach). • The intriguing reason he gives his employees’ children a plane ticket and $5k to travel alone before settling down. • Why business and personal success comes down to a ‘to be’ list as much as a ‘to do’ list. • Why it’s impossible to be too old or successful to benefit from coaching. • The personal story behind the book and his training partnership with co-author Olivia Chadwick. • How to use the ‘sword of discernment’ in deciding who has a place in your life. • What Garnet would tell his younger self about doing hard things sooner. One of the most memorable threads running through this episode is Garnet’s habit of pointing out something genuinely admirable in almost everyone he meets – hotel staff, baristas or strangers with no expectation of anything in return. We love the idea that these small, repeatable acts of generosity quietly change the way people see themselves and how he sees the world. There are so many real-life takeaways from this episode, but the one we find most affirming is that business, personal and professional success relies on seeing everything as a whole. 🎧 You'll love listening to this episode as much as we loved recording it. Remember to like and subscribe to get the word out to others and drop us a comment too. We'd love to hear what you think. ♻️ Feel good about sharing this podcast with someone who'll find it helpful; that would mean so much to us and them. More about Garnet Garnet Morris is a Saskatchewan-born entrepreneur with over 40 years in insurance, marketing, and finance. He founded The Targeted Strategies Group (TTSG), built a premium finance company, owns and operates small-town hotels, and opened a functional medicine clinic to help fellow entrepreneurs stay healthy as they age. He's a longtime member of Strategic Coach and, alongside Olivia Chadwick, co-authored 17 Runs: The Unbeaten Path to Unlock Life's True Potential (2025). A new book focused on goal-setting and persistence is due for release in December. He now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his wife. Website: 17runs.com Key nuggets to listen out for: “To what problem are you a solution? And how can you solve that problem better than anyone?” “You don't wake up proud of what you do know — you wake up terrified by what you don't.” “A goal that's just in your mind isn't a goal — that's just a wish.” “Half of the people in the world are not going to like you, no matter how hard you try.” “Don't wait till you're forty to start figuring this out. This is not that complicated.” Coaching questions for listeners: 1. What is one goal you've kept in your head that you'd be willing to tape to the fridge this week? 2. Who is your coach right now, and where are you assuming you no longer need one? 3. Which values would you refuse to compromise on, and do the people closest to you share them? 4. Who in your life only takes, and who passes it forward? What would using your own ‘sword of discernment’ change? 5. What is one hard thing you've been putting off, and what would doing it today look like? 6. Who could you notice and genuinely compliment today, with no expectation of anything in return? Resources: Garnet Morris & Olivia Chadwick – 17 Runs: The Unbeaten Path to Unlock Life's True Potential Garnet Morris – new book on goal-setting and persistence (forthcoming, December) Thich Nhat Hanh – Teachings on Love Dalai Lama – How to See Yourself as You Truly Are Jim Collins – Good to Great Marshall Goldsmith – What Got You Here Won't Get You There Learn More: Visit the Ignium website: https://www.igniumconsult.com Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank: https://www.igniumconsult.com/the-spark-tank
