We recently connected with Mike Kitko and have shared our conversation below.

Mike, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?

I am a Marine Veteran and a recovered Fortune 500 Executive Leader. After a long, successful run in corporate, in 2016 I was fired from my 2nd executive level position in 20 months. I was 300lbs, suicidal, and had a toxic relationship with alcohol. My home was full of physical, mental, and emotional abuse. There was nothing good in my life.

When I pulled the barrel of the gun out of my mouth because I didn’t have the courage to pull the trigger, I realized that everything I had ever learned about life led me to that point. That’s when I decided to hit the reset and start over.

I found a mentor who I was able to lean on and confide in, and he helped me see that I was carrying around painful beliefs about life such as life is hard, making money needs to be hard, you need to sacrifice my happiness and health for my career, marriage is hard, and self-sacrifice is honorable. Once I identified those toxic beliefs I was able create different and choose a new life. I hit pause on alcohol, began to put my health back together, and decided to start a business instead of looking for another job.

My wife Angie fought hard against the changes I was making and attacked harder than ever. I filed for divorce. We had threatened divorce many times over the years and it became a meaningless threat. But when I filed Angie knew that I would no longer bend to her will or remain in the toxic codependent life we created together. She was buried in pharmaceutical addiction as well, and the divorce filing shook her to her core. That day after I filed for divorce we went to a 12 step program for the first time and began the journey of putting our lives back together.

Today we have a flourishing personal and professional development business (helping others stay on track in their lives and businesses), a healthy and happy family, and the marriage of our dreams.

The harder you fall, the higher you bounce.

Mike, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

During my time in the United States Marine Corps and in my corporate roles, the only things I was passionate about were building higher performing people and high performing teams. During my time in corporate I had an Executive Coach, and he helped me understand myself at a deeper level. For the first time I didn’t feel alone. He was super helpful in increasing my self-awareness and success. The wheels fell off of my career when I ceased taking care of myself in any capacity, and I allowed myself to get swallowed up in my career.

When I began my reset I hired another coach, and having that support system in my life was a key ingredient in seeing life and my talents more clearly, and he helped me see through and beyond all of my worry, doubt, and fear.

Once I had my bearings, I decided to build a personal and professional development business to help business owners create more wealth, success, and happiness in their lives and businesses. I help them create success without the stress that we consider a normal part of the success journey. I’ve worked with business owners and professionals around the world to help them live the most fulfilling life possible, and to not get swallowed up by their businesses.

My favorite clients are the ones who have a lot, have achieved a lot, but aren’t enjoying the journey. I’ve been dubbed the Business Buddha because of my ability to help people utilize their natural talents, make an impact in their unique way, and discover abundant levels of inner peace, love, and joy.

The most powerful testimony I’ve received is when one of my clients told his peers that working with me helped him feel the happiest he’s ever been. Another said simply “My life is better with Mike Kitko in it.” Most people have never felt unconditional love, acceptance, and support before. The clear mission of my business is to make the world a more loving place. We do that by helping people fall head-over-heels in love with their lives.

The signature event in my business is my 2-day Inner Game of Wealth Intensive workshop, and my signature program is my Inner Circle Mastermind where we connect, learn together, and support each other unconditionally. No one in my groups ever needs to feel alone again.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

My father taught me that you had to work hard for a living, people who didn’t work hard were lazy, and that making money was hard. My father loved me dearly, but he was wrong.

We are each born with innate gifts and talents, but most people either don’t understand themselves at a deep enough level to identify them. These innate talents constitutes your authentic genius. We’re all geniuses in some form or fashion. When I didn’t understand myself and my talents, I thought that because certain things were easy for me they were easy for everyone.

I have always been a powerful speaker. I can move emotion in a room, and can inspire people to choose and create new circumstances. I have also always possessed the talents to spot the very best in someone, and help them see themselves at a higher level. This is how I create high performing people and teams.

When we identify and utilize our innate natural talents for the benefit of others instead of just for the benefit of ourselves, life rewards us emotionally and financially. Through using our genius we create fulfillment and material wealth because we are in support of life and not working against it, and we are not using our best for selfish means.

The reason someone would have to work hard for money is that they are not harvesting the best of what they have to offer. Maybe they are performing a task just to survive, or maybe they do not feel talented so they settle for whatever will create income. This is when life becomes hard, you end up working hard, and money becomes a problem in your life.

When you utilize your most natural talents, you never need to work again.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My entire life has been about resilience. The reason I was fired twice is because when I commit I don’t give up. I might – and did – get fired, but I will never quit.

After my collapse and reset I tried to get back into corporate. I was runner up on 4-5 executive level job interviews. I got the message that my corporate journey was over, and it was time to build something myself. I secretly always wanted my own business. The reason I always found the way into the executive leadership ranks is because I don’t enjoy being a subordinate. I’ve always been a leader, and in every company I’ve ever worked for I’d ascend and end up in a leadership role.

When I finally decided to close the chapter on corporate and build a business, I went all-in. I’m not saying I worked tirelessly or endlessly, because I didn’t. I’m not a hustle-whore or a grind-guru. I left that life behind when I left corporate. When I say I went all-in I mean I made a full mental and emotional commitment to myself that I would be successful. I’ve found that any time I commit to something, I succeed. If I a have fractured focus, that lack of commitment leads to lack of success. At the end of my corporate days I was fighting battles at work and even more aggressive battles at home. My focus was fractured. I couldn’t commit to be successful at either.

When I decided to launch my business I was willing to part ways with anyone or anything in my life – including my family – if they continued to fight against my direction. This is when my life became drama-free. When people know that you are focused and are willing to part ways with them if they get between you and your commitment, they tend to stop fighting.

Since my life at home is now peaceful, drama-free, and conflict-free, I can focus on carrying out my mission and objectives. I am resilient, and when I commit, I win.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.innerwealthglobal.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mike_kitko/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikekitko
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekitko/
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikekitko?lang=en

Image Credits
Corey Boyles Photography