Podcast Summary: Win With Paid Ads™ Episode #81 - "How To Not Compare Yourself To Everyone Else: Ads Edition"

Host: Ashley Brock
Release Date: August 14, 2025
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes

Introduction

In Episode #81 of the Win With Paid Ads™ Podcast, host Ashley Brock delves into the critical topic of maintaining focus in the competitive landscape of paid advertising. Titled “How To Not Compare Yourself To Everyone Else: Ads Edition”, Ashley emphasizes the importance of avoiding distractions and comparisons to optimize advertising strategies for business growth.

1. The Blinders Analogy: Staying Focused

Ashley begins the episode with a compelling analogy comparing business owners to racehorses that wear blinders. These blinders are not a sign of weakness but a strategic tool to maintain focus.

• Key Insight: “Racehorses wear blinders to stay focused, avoid panic, and not be distracted by the other horses.” (02:15)

Purpose of Blinders:

• Protection of Focus: By limiting peripheral vision, racehorses and business owners can concentrate on their path without being sidetracked by external stimuli.
• Enhancing Productivity: Focused attention leads to faster and more efficient progress towards business goals.

2. Five Reasons to Put on Your Blinders

Ashley outlines five distinct reasons why entrepreneurs should adopt the blinder mindset to enhance their advertising effectiveness.

2.1. Blocking Negativity

• Description: Negative emotions and external discouragement can significantly impede decision-making and cognitive functions.
• Supporting Evidence: “A Harvard study found that negative emotions reduce your cognitive ability and decision-making accuracy by up to 30%.” (12:30)
• Actionable Advice: Identify and filter out negative influences to maintain momentum and positivity in your business endeavors.

2.2. Ignoring Competitors

• Description: Constantly monitoring competitors can lead to unnecessary self-doubt and distraction.
• Notable Quote: “Every minute that you spend watching your competitors is a minute that you're wasting not sharpening your own edge.” (25:45)
• Actionable Advice: Focus on your unique strategies and strengths instead of getting bogged down by what others are doing.

2.3. Protecting Mind Space

• Description: Overconsumption of information from multiple sources can lead to confusion and reduced productivity.
• Supporting Evidence: “A University of London study found that multitasking and having multiple sources of information actually drops your IQ by up to 10 points.” (45:10)
• Actionable Advice: Limit your intake to a few trusted sources and prioritize implementation over excessive learning.

2.4. Saying No to Opportunities

• Description: Learning to decline opportunities that do not align with your core mission is essential for sustained success.
• Notable Quote: “When you say yes to the wrong thing, you're saying no to your calling.” (55:30)
• Actionable Advice: Evaluate opportunities based on their alignment with your business goals and long-term vision.

2.5. Achieving Faster Results Through Focus

• Description: Concentrated effort on a single aspect of your advertising strategy leads to mastery and quicker outcomes.
• Supporting Evidence: “Focused work leads to 400% increased productivity than distracted or multitask work.” (50:20)
• Actionable Advice: Dedicate your resources to mastering one advertising component before expanding to others.

3. Strategies for Maintaining Focus in Advertising

Ashley provides practical strategies to help entrepreneurs implement the blinder mindset effectively.

3.1. Define Your “For” and “Not For” Audience

• Strategy: Clearly articulate who your products or services are for and who they are not for to attract the right clientele.

3.2. Limit Information Intake

• Strategy: Choose a few key mentors or sources of information and commit to learning from them deeply rather than spreading yourself too thin.

3.3. Master One Advertising Campaign at a Time

• Strategy: Start with a single ad campaign, perfect it, and then incrementally expand to additional campaigns once you have a strong foundation.

3.4. Prioritize Opportunities Based on Alignment

• Strategy: Assess each opportunity for how well it aligns with your business objectives before committing resources.

4. Supporting Evidence and Studies

Throughout the episode, Ashley backs her advice with research and studies to underscore the importance of focus and the detrimental effects of distraction.

• Harvard Study on Negativity: Highlights the impact of negative emotions on cognitive functions. (12:30)
• University of London Study on Multitasking: Demonstrates how information overload can decrease intellectual performance. (45:10)
• Psychology Today Study on Social Comparison: Links social comparison with increased anxiety and reduced self-confidence, affecting business momentum. (35:50)

5. Notable Quotes

• “You don't need more strategies. You need less distractions.” (05:10)
• “If you wouldn’t take business advice from someone, don’t let their opinions take up rent in your mind.” (20:05)
• “Clarity comes from implementation, not always just more information.” (38:15)
• “Focus isn't just discipline. It is truly your fastest path to mastery.” (52:00)

6. Call to Action: Win With Paid Ads Challenge

At the conclusion of the episode, Ashley invites listeners to join the Win With Paid Ads Challenge, a five-day intensive program designed to enhance advertising strategies.

• Program Breakdown:

  • Day 1: Messaging – Crafting compelling messages.
  • Day 2: Setting – Choosing the right platforms (Google Ads, YouTube, Meta, TikTok).
  • Day 3: Targeting – Reaching the exact right audience.
  • Day 4: Testing – Optimizing and improving ad performance.
  • Day 5: Scaling and Profiting – Maximizing returns and scaling ad spend effectively.

• Enrollment Information: Listen for details or visit ashleybrock.com/Challenge.

• Notable Encouragement: “If you have a business and you're not advertising it, that should be not one of the things you don't do.” (58:40)

Conclusion

Episode #81 of Win With Paid Ads™ Podcast by Ashley Brock serves as a valuable guide for entrepreneurs aiming to refine their advertising strategies by eliminating distractions and avoiding the pitfalls of comparison. Through the metaphor of racehorses wearing blinders, Ashley effectively illustrates the necessity of maintaining unwavering focus to achieve business success. By implementing the strategies discussed, business owners can enhance their advertising effectiveness, leading to faster and more substantial growth.

Join the Win With Paid Ads Challenge to deepen your advertising expertise and connect with like-minded entrepreneurs striving for excellence!