UNCHURCHED #334 - Be an Imposter??? - Salt Strong Fishing

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Transcript4 lines

[00:00]
A
There's fishing. It's in my soul.
[00:05]
B
Welcome to the Salt Strong podcast, disrupting fishing entertainment as you know it. Prepare to laugh, prepare to get to know fishing legends in a whole new and unfiltered way. And on occasion, you might even learn a thing or two about fishing. Here's your host, Joe Simons.
[00:23]
C
Like diamonds. Be an imposter. What the heck is Joe saying here on Saltstrong? Unchurched. Be an imposter. What is going on? Hey, everybody. Joe Simons, like diamonds. I am the real Joe Simons, not an imposter. And if you're wondering about the title, it is not an error. It really is the truth. And I. I've been keeping a journal, if you will. It's. I guess it's not technically a journal because it's not necessarily stuff I'm dealing with. I. I do a lot of writing in the mornings, but one of the things I've been writing down, essentially just a notebook, are things that I'm going to pass on to my kids. It might even turn into, like, a little small book. A lot of the unchurched episodes come from things I write down in this book. And so what I try to do is anytime I get an idea or a big idea or something that really has a big impact on my life, I'll write it down in this journal, notebook, whatever you want to call it. And one of them I just wrote down was, be an imposter. And here's why. What I mean by that is, be the smallest person in the biggest room. I'll repeat that. Be the smallest person in the biggest room. If you could think about it in real estate, like they always say, don't be the most expensive house in the entire neighborhood. Meaning don't be the biggest thing in a small pond. Don't be the big fish in a small pond. And there's nothing wrong with that. There are a lot of people who have done very well and they're very comfortable. Heck, I'm more comfortable being a bigger fish in a small pond. But the biggest gains in my life, the biggest growth spurts in my life, the most, I would say I've just grown as a person. And the most learning that I've ever had in my life has been when I've been the smallest person in the biggest room. I'll just start off with one story. I joined this mastermind group called the War Room. And the War Room was a hundred people from all over the world. And these were all founders. And this was right when Luke and I had started Saltstrong, and the only reason I got in, because I shouldn't have even got in, was because I knew the guy who created the whole thing. I wasn't real close with him, but we had a relationship and we knew each other and he knew that I had done some cool stuff in the past. But Saltstrong was unproven. We were actually losing money. It was, you know, just doing a couple hundred thousand dollars a year and we had to plop down. It was $25,000 to join this group. So 25k to get in, essentially, to get in this room with a hundred other CEOs. And we are the smallest fish by far in a pretty big pond, meaning you got people who are 8, 9 figure a year businesses. And I'm sure they didn't even like being at the table with us. Like, who are these imposters? Essentially, I learned more in that year was the best $25,000 I ever spent. Learned so much and valuable contacts, people I still keep in touch with today. And that was, you know, 11 years ago when we did that. And I got to tell you, I still remember vividly what I had for breakfast. The very, very first meeting that we were going to. Luke and I had flown in. It was out in California and San Diego area. And I remember where I was, I was so stinking nervous. And I had this big bowl of oatmeal, wanted to give me something with some energy and a ton of these real fresh raisins and just loaded it up with fruit and of course with some sugar as well. But I remember it so well. And I remember, like looking around, it was out in this little veranda. It's amazing what you can remember when you're under stress and when you're. When like everything is just amped up. And I was just so amped up, so nervous. And I remember walking in, I remember where I sat once Again, this is 11 years ago. I can't remember what I had for, you know, dinner two nights ago, but I remember this. Just every single small piece of it. And. And I just remember feeling like I didn't fit in. I remember feeling like, man, I am an imposter here because I honestly, I was. I wasn't supposed to be there. You had to be doing at least 3 million to put in perspective of revenue to get in at the time. And we were doing like to 300,000. So like, we were missing. We were missing a zero at the end of the number. And yet we, for the grace of God, thank goodness I knew the person and told a good enough story that gave us a chance, and I added value. We were doing some unique things at Salt Strong that no one had done before. And so I was able to give back to that community, which was cool. I didn't. That very first one, I'll tell you that those first three days, I was just. I was just taking it all in. And once again, I learned so much. And looking back, that was one of those pivotal things. I'm so glad I did it. I was so nervous, but I grew so much. I learned so much, and I truly was an imposter that got elevated because other people there. And this is true for anything I know, I got people listening that are in churches and giving back there. And I'm not trying to say you should leave your church if it's small, but at some point, try to get into a bigger church, right where you're impacting a lot of people. And if you're not and you don't want to leave, then find ways to grow it. I love the story. I don't remember what church this was, but a pastor got up there and in front of his congregation and says, guys, I've been just urged by God that we need to grow this church no matter what it takes. And I got an idea, but I need your help. And he's like, you guys with me. We want to grow this church. It was not full. It would be one thing if you got 110% capacity and there's literally no more room for anyone to walk in because we got this church, and all those pews there in the back are empty. Let's double this thing. Let's double and pack it out where we have people who are standing in the back. Do we believe in God? Are we trying to save more people here? And everyone's like, yeah, everyone's getting pumped up. He's like, all right, repeat after me and raise your right hand. Repeat after me and raise your right hand. I. And then repeat your name. Joe Simons promise to bring a friend next Sunday to church, and if I don't, I cannot show up. And guess what happened that next Sunday, everyone in there brought a friend, with the exception of a few, and they doubled the size of their church. Some people brought multiple friends, but that was all it took, you know, just one week, literally doubling the size of a church. And I share that with you to say, hey, don't just give up and say, oh, I can't ever be the biggest person in the small pond, because that Is okay, that can be a time of your life. But I will share. Just like if you were into tennis, There was a time I was really into tennis and I had a group that I was surrounded by and I was the best player at the time and it's really tough to get better. It's really tough to grow at tennis or golf or anything if you're the absolute best player in your group. I ended up joining briefly another group with some older guys, meaning, you know, I was 12 or so at the time and went and joined some 14 to 15 year olds who were just wiping me all over the court. And man, that was how I got better. That was how I really learned. I went to a Tennis Camp, Elise McCrae College there in North Carolina, Carolina, for, for a summer. My buddy Richard and man, we, I still remember this, this one guy because we thought we were good. We were good in our own little circle there in Winter Haven, Florida. And we get to leave McCrae and this one dude there. Actually, there's two of them, but the one guy in particular, I, I, I couldn't even win a set off this guy. I mean, he was just so good. He was my age and, and I got so determined and so good because I now was an imposter, right? I came in there thinking I was the man and I found myself not being the biggest fish anymore. And even though I didn't love it at the time, man, that was exactly what I needed and that was how I got really good. People listening are in bands, right? You cannot become a great musician. You can't become great at, no matter what you're trying to play, whether it's your vocal cords and you're the lead singer or guitar, drums, whatever. If you're in, in a band of 100% newbies and no one knows how to play, you try to get around other people who are better than you, right? That is how you elevate yourself and you learn and you get shortcuts, et cetera. It is the same in business. It's the same as a house mom. It doesn't have to just be a job or a hobby. It could literally be anything you can imagine. You get around people who have done it before, who have done it better than you, who are, maybe I would say, someone you look up to, etc. I just, looking back, all these times that I've had these big growth spurts have been when I have essentially become an imposter and have put myself in bigger rooms that I'm used to and to the point, it made me nervous and usually made me a little bit uncomfortable. And that's good. That is how we grow. The times that I have, I'm not going to say gone backwards, but at times where I have not grown and just kind of become complacent have been those times when I look around, all of a sudden I was like, oh man, I am the bigger fish here in this smaller pond. I need to go jump into another pond for a little bit. And me personally, I think all of us, we find that comfort zone. And I still like to be. It's the same reason I like to live in Winter Haven, Florida and not New York City or Atlanta where we were. I don't mind those places. I enjoyed my time there and I had a lot of growth there. But I still, my comfort area is still being in a smaller city, if you will. But there are times, especially when I do feel complacent or I just feel like I haven't grown or just feel like I need something new. I need something to refresh me. Man, there's something about even just traveling to a new city or to a bigger city. There's a lot of energy and a lot of new stuff. So that would be my challenge to you. If you feel like you haven't grown in a while, in whatever you're doing, whether it's band, church, business, you know, being the best stay at home mom, whatever it might be, or just best grandparent, parent, sibling, anything, try to put yourself in some uncomfortable situations. Become an imposter. There is nothing wrong with that. And I'm not saying to become an imposter in any sense of a negative fashion, but you know what I mean with that meaning. Don't always have to be the biggest fish in the small pond. Don't feel like you always have to be perfect. There are some times in your life when you need nothing more than to be the smallest person in the biggest room. Become an imposter and feel that pressure of, man, I don't belong here. And that's normally when you're going to have that breakout. That's normally when you're going to have some sort of amazing growth opportunity or maybe even just that right person that you meet that sees something in you that maybe they used to have. You just never know what's going to happen. AKA that's when the magic happens. So I hope this helps. This one just kind of hit me this morning because I was writing it down. I was like, I got to get on the, on the old microphone. And and share this one. So hope it helps pass it along to someone else. Don't forget to subscribe and if you can leave me a review, it helps Big time. This this podcast is I think has always been ad free and I purposely, I just, I hate when ads keep interrupting podcasts that I listen to when I'm doing my walk. So you know, we're not charging anything for it, but it would help me out tremendously. It helps it get found more, gets more eyeballs, et cetera. If you guys will subscribe and of course leaving a review, especially if it's a five star review, those help out big time. So I appreciate you so much. Otherwise I will talk to you on the next episode.
[13:18]
A
From the days ago Find us on the water if there was a way day it's been said my papa he wrote the book on catching big reds and 20 pound snook I wish I knew all the things he knew today for he's the reason why we are this way and he put fish in our souls to stay. Sam.

Summary4 min read

Salt Strong Fishing Podcast: UNCHURCHED #334 - Be an Imposter???

Host: Joe Simonds
Date: August 16, 2026
Episode Description:
In this "Unchurched" episode, Joe Simonds shares personal stories and insights about growth, discomfort, and the surprising power of becoming an "imposter"—putting yourself in situations where you’re not the biggest fish in the pond—in order to experience true personal and professional development.

Episode Theme Overview

This episode explores the concept of intentionally becoming an "imposter" by seeking out environments where you feel challenged and outmatched. Joe uses personal anecdotes to illustrate how stepping into rooms where you’re the least experienced or successful can lead to the most significant growth. The episode urges listeners from all walks—business, faith, personal life—to resist the comfort of being the expert and instead embrace the discomfort of being the newcomer.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin of the "Be an Imposter" Insight

Journaling and Life Lessons:
- Joe shares that many Unchurched episodes come from a personal notebook intended for his kids, where he writes impactful life lessons.
- One recent entry that resonated: "Be an imposter." What does he mean by that?

2. Defining “Being an Imposter”

Core Principle:
- “Be the smallest person in the biggest room.” (01:06)
- Joe elaborates: Don’t always aim to be the biggest fish in a small pond.
- Growth comes from being uncomfortable, from being among people more experienced or accomplished than yourself.

3. Personal Story: The Mastermind “War Room”

Vivid Anecdote:
- Early in Salt Strong, Joe and his brother joined an elite mastermind group, War Room, despite not meeting all the official qualifications.
- They paid $25,000 to join a group of 100 founders with much larger businesses. Joe felt out of place, anxious, and like an “imposter.”
- Tangible Benefits:
  - “I learned more in that year—was the best $25,000 I ever spent.” (04:55)
  - The group provided invaluable knowledge and contacts, leading to huge personal and business growth.
- Lasting Memory:
  - Joe recalls minute details of that nerve-wracking first meeting, “I still remember vividly what I had for breakfast... I can’t remember what I had for dinner two nights ago, but I remember this.” (06:04)
- Lesson:
  - It’s when feeling out of place, like an imposter, that the greatest breakthroughs occur.

4. Application in Other Life Areas

Church Example:
- Joe shares a story of a pastor who motivated his congregation to double in size in one week by challenging each member to bring a friend, showing the power of intentional growth and pushing out of a comfort zone.
Sports Analogy:
- In tennis, Joe improved only when he played against older, better kids. “That was how I got better. That was how I really learned.” (09:45)
Music & Beyond:
- Similar principles apply whether learning music, leading a family, or advancing in any skill—growth happens when surrounded by those ahead of you.

5. The Importance of Discomfort and Continuous Growth

Notable Reflection:
- Joe emphasizes that every major growth spurt in his life occurred when he was “the smallest person in the biggest room.”
- Conversely, complacency sets in when he’s become “the bigger fish in the smaller pond.”
- Intentionally seeking new, uncomfortable situations “is how we grow.” (11:33)

6. Universal Challenge

Encouragement:
- Joe challenges listeners to break out of comfort zones:
  - “Whether it’s band, church, business, being the best stay-at-home mom, or just a good grandparent—try to put yourself in some uncomfortable situations. Become an imposter.” (12:06)
- Clarification:
  - Not “imposter” in a negative or deceptive sense, but by bravely seeking out bigger ponds.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On personal growth:
- “The biggest gains in my life...have been when I’ve been the smallest person in the biggest room.” (03:17)
On discomfort and memory:
- “I can’t remember what I had for dinner two nights ago, but I remember this [first War Room meeting], just every single small piece of it.” (06:15)
On the universal application:
- “You cannot become a great musician...if you’re in a band of 100% newbies...try to get around other people who are better than you. That is how you elevate yourself.” (10:45)
Challenge:
- “Don’t always have to be the biggest fish in the small pond. There are some times in your life when you need nothing more than to be the smallest person in the biggest room.” (12:40)
Final Encouragement:
- “Become an imposter and feel that pressure of, ‘Man, I don’t belong here.’ And that’s normally when you’re going to have that breakout.” (12:48)
- “That’s when the magic happens.” (12:58)

Important Segment Timestamps

[01:06] – Introduction of the “be an imposter” lesson
[03:17] – Explaining “be the smallest person in the biggest room”
[04:55] – Story of joining the “War Room” mastermind group
[06:04] – Vivid memory under stress
[09:45] – On tennis and learning from better players
[10:45] – Music analogy: growth through better bands
[11:33] – Reflection on comfort zones vs. growth
[12:06] – Universal encouragement and practical challenge
[12:48] – “That’s when the magic happens.”

Key Takeaway

Growth comes from discomfort. To truly elevate yourself in any area—whether business, faith, sports, music, or family—seek out environments where you feel like an “imposter.” Become the smallest person in the biggest room. That’s where the magic and the real breakthroughs happen.

If this episode inspired you, share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review to help Salt Strong reach more listeners.

Loading summary

Transcript4 lines

[00:00]
A
There's fishing. It's in my soul.
[00:05]
B
Welcome to the Salt Strong podcast, disrupting fishing entertainment as you know it. Prepare to laugh, prepare to get to know fishing legends in a whole new and unfiltered way. And on occasion, you might even learn a thing or two about fishing. Here's your host, Joe Simons.
[00:23]
C
Like diamonds. Be an imposter. What the heck is Joe saying here on Saltstrong? Unchurched. Be an imposter. What is going on? Hey, everybody. Joe Simons, like diamonds. I am the real Joe Simons, not an imposter. And if you're wondering about the title, it is not an error. It really is the truth. And I. I've been keeping a journal, if you will. It's. I guess it's not technically a journal because it's not necessarily stuff I'm dealing with. I. I do a lot of writing in the mornings, but one of the things I've been writing down, essentially just a notebook, are things that I'm going to pass on to my kids. It might even turn into, like, a little small book. A lot of the unchurched episodes come from things I write down in this book. And so what I try to do is anytime I get an idea or a big idea or something that really has a big impact on my life, I'll write it down in this journal, notebook, whatever you want to call it. And one of them I just wrote down was, be an imposter. And here's why. What I mean by that is, be the smallest person in the biggest room. I'll repeat that. Be the smallest person in the biggest room. If you could think about it in real estate, like they always say, don't be the most expensive house in the entire neighborhood. Meaning don't be the biggest thing in a small pond. Don't be the big fish in a small pond. And there's nothing wrong with that. There are a lot of people who have done very well and they're very comfortable. Heck, I'm more comfortable being a bigger fish in a small pond. But the biggest gains in my life, the biggest growth spurts in my life, the most, I would say I've just grown as a person. And the most learning that I've ever had in my life has been when I've been the smallest person in the biggest room. I'll just start off with one story. I joined this mastermind group called the War Room. And the War Room was a hundred people from all over the world. And these were all founders. And this was right when Luke and I had started Saltstrong, and the only reason I got in, because I shouldn't have even got in, was because I knew the guy who created the whole thing. I wasn't real close with him, but we had a relationship and we knew each other and he knew that I had done some cool stuff in the past. But Saltstrong was unproven. We were actually losing money. It was, you know, just doing a couple hundred thousand dollars a year and we had to plop down. It was $25,000 to join this group. So 25k to get in, essentially, to get in this room with a hundred other CEOs. And we are the smallest fish by far in a pretty big pond, meaning you got people who are 8, 9 figure a year businesses. And I'm sure they didn't even like being at the table with us. Like, who are these imposters? Essentially, I learned more in that year was the best $25,000 I ever spent. Learned so much and valuable contacts, people I still keep in touch with today. And that was, you know, 11 years ago when we did that. And I got to tell you, I still remember vividly what I had for breakfast. The very, very first meeting that we were going to. Luke and I had flown in. It was out in California and San Diego area. And I remember where I was, I was so stinking nervous. And I had this big bowl of oatmeal, wanted to give me something with some energy and a ton of these real fresh raisins and just loaded it up with fruit and of course with some sugar as well. But I remember it so well. And I remember, like looking around, it was out in this little veranda. It's amazing what you can remember when you're under stress and when you're. When like everything is just amped up. And I was just so amped up, so nervous. And I remember walking in, I remember where I sat once Again, this is 11 years ago. I can't remember what I had for, you know, dinner two nights ago, but I remember this. Just every single small piece of it. And. And I just remember feeling like I didn't fit in. I remember feeling like, man, I am an imposter here because I honestly, I was. I wasn't supposed to be there. You had to be doing at least 3 million to put in perspective of revenue to get in at the time. And we were doing like to 300,000. So like, we were missing. We were missing a zero at the end of the number. And yet we, for the grace of God, thank goodness I knew the person and told a good enough story that gave us a chance, and I added value. We were doing some unique things at Salt Strong that no one had done before. And so I was able to give back to that community, which was cool. I didn't. That very first one, I'll tell you that those first three days, I was just. I was just taking it all in. And once again, I learned so much. And looking back, that was one of those pivotal things. I'm so glad I did it. I was so nervous, but I grew so much. I learned so much, and I truly was an imposter that got elevated because other people there. And this is true for anything I know, I got people listening that are in churches and giving back there. And I'm not trying to say you should leave your church if it's small, but at some point, try to get into a bigger church, right where you're impacting a lot of people. And if you're not and you don't want to leave, then find ways to grow it. I love the story. I don't remember what church this was, but a pastor got up there and in front of his congregation and says, guys, I've been just urged by God that we need to grow this church no matter what it takes. And I got an idea, but I need your help. And he's like, you guys with me. We want to grow this church. It was not full. It would be one thing if you got 110% capacity and there's literally no more room for anyone to walk in because we got this church, and all those pews there in the back are empty. Let's double this thing. Let's double and pack it out where we have people who are standing in the back. Do we believe in God? Are we trying to save more people here? And everyone's like, yeah, everyone's getting pumped up. He's like, all right, repeat after me and raise your right hand. Repeat after me and raise your right hand. I. And then repeat your name. Joe Simons promise to bring a friend next Sunday to church, and if I don't, I cannot show up. And guess what happened that next Sunday, everyone in there brought a friend, with the exception of a few, and they doubled the size of their church. Some people brought multiple friends, but that was all it took, you know, just one week, literally doubling the size of a church. And I share that with you to say, hey, don't just give up and say, oh, I can't ever be the biggest person in the small pond, because that Is okay, that can be a time of your life. But I will share. Just like if you were into tennis, There was a time I was really into tennis and I had a group that I was surrounded by and I was the best player at the time and it's really tough to get better. It's really tough to grow at tennis or golf or anything if you're the absolute best player in your group. I ended up joining briefly another group with some older guys, meaning, you know, I was 12 or so at the time and went and joined some 14 to 15 year olds who were just wiping me all over the court. And man, that was how I got better. That was how I really learned. I went to a Tennis Camp, Elise McCrae College there in North Carolina, Carolina, for, for a summer. My buddy Richard and man, we, I still remember this, this one guy because we thought we were good. We were good in our own little circle there in Winter Haven, Florida. And we get to leave McCrae and this one dude there. Actually, there's two of them, but the one guy in particular, I, I, I couldn't even win a set off this guy. I mean, he was just so good. He was my age and, and I got so determined and so good because I now was an imposter, right? I came in there thinking I was the man and I found myself not being the biggest fish anymore. And even though I didn't love it at the time, man, that was exactly what I needed and that was how I got really good. People listening are in bands, right? You cannot become a great musician. You can't become great at, no matter what you're trying to play, whether it's your vocal cords and you're the lead singer or guitar, drums, whatever. If you're in, in a band of 100% newbies and no one knows how to play, you try to get around other people who are better than you, right? That is how you elevate yourself and you learn and you get shortcuts, et cetera. It is the same in business. It's the same as a house mom. It doesn't have to just be a job or a hobby. It could literally be anything you can imagine. You get around people who have done it before, who have done it better than you, who are, maybe I would say, someone you look up to, etc. I just, looking back, all these times that I've had these big growth spurts have been when I have essentially become an imposter and have put myself in bigger rooms that I'm used to and to the point, it made me nervous and usually made me a little bit uncomfortable. And that's good. That is how we grow. The times that I have, I'm not going to say gone backwards, but at times where I have not grown and just kind of become complacent have been those times when I look around, all of a sudden I was like, oh man, I am the bigger fish here in this smaller pond. I need to go jump into another pond for a little bit. And me personally, I think all of us, we find that comfort zone. And I still like to be. It's the same reason I like to live in Winter Haven, Florida and not New York City or Atlanta where we were. I don't mind those places. I enjoyed my time there and I had a lot of growth there. But I still, my comfort area is still being in a smaller city, if you will. But there are times, especially when I do feel complacent or I just feel like I haven't grown or just feel like I need something new. I need something to refresh me. Man, there's something about even just traveling to a new city or to a bigger city. There's a lot of energy and a lot of new stuff. So that would be my challenge to you. If you feel like you haven't grown in a while, in whatever you're doing, whether it's band, church, business, you know, being the best stay at home mom, whatever it might be, or just best grandparent, parent, sibling, anything, try to put yourself in some uncomfortable situations. Become an imposter. There is nothing wrong with that. And I'm not saying to become an imposter in any sense of a negative fashion, but you know what I mean with that meaning. Don't always have to be the biggest fish in the small pond. Don't feel like you always have to be perfect. There are some times in your life when you need nothing more than to be the smallest person in the biggest room. Become an imposter and feel that pressure of, man, I don't belong here. And that's normally when you're going to have that breakout. That's normally when you're going to have some sort of amazing growth opportunity or maybe even just that right person that you meet that sees something in you that maybe they used to have. You just never know what's going to happen. AKA that's when the magic happens. So I hope this helps. This one just kind of hit me this morning because I was writing it down. I was like, I got to get on the, on the old microphone. And and share this one. So hope it helps pass it along to someone else. Don't forget to subscribe and if you can leave me a review, it helps Big time. This this podcast is I think has always been ad free and I purposely, I just, I hate when ads keep interrupting podcasts that I listen to when I'm doing my walk. So you know, we're not charging anything for it, but it would help me out tremendously. It helps it get found more, gets more eyeballs, et cetera. If you guys will subscribe and of course leaving a review, especially if it's a five star review, those help out big time. So I appreciate you so much. Otherwise I will talk to you on the next episode.
[13:18]
A
From the days ago Find us on the water if there was a way day it's been said my papa he wrote the book on catching big reds and 20 pound snook I wish I knew all the things he knew today for he's the reason why we are this way and he put fish in our souls to stay. Sam.