Podcast Summary
The Russell Brunson Show
Episode: Aligning Your Will With The Marketplace
Date: October 31, 2017
Host: Russell Brunson
Episode Overview
In this episode, Russell Brunson takes listeners beyond conventional marketing tactics and into the heart of what drives lasting business (and personal) success: the power of aligning your will—not only with higher principles but with the reality of your marketplace. Drawing on a recent meaningful meeting with a senior church leader, Russell explores how spiritual concepts parallel entrepreneurial wisdom. He delivers an engaging, story-packed reflection on humility, listening, and letting the market—not your ego—be your ultimate guide.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Life Updates and Personal Stories (00:00–05:10)
- Russell starts by sharing a personal, lighthearted story about installing trampolines and spending time with family.
- He jokes about not being able to grow a "cool" beard like the Dollar Beard Club guys, despite researching their business growth and off-boarding processes.
- Tone: Chatty, warm, and self-deprecating.
2. Meeting with a Church Leader and God’s Will (05:11–07:32)
- Russell recounts a significant experience meeting one of the Twelve Apostles in his church, which led to deep self-reflection.
- He acknowledges not sharing every detail but focuses on a relevant insight for both faith and business.
- Key Insight:
- Rather than imposing one’s beliefs, a person should strive to understand what God believes and "bend" their will accordingly.
- Quote:
“My job as a human here is not to try to convince God that, like, no, no, no, no, you're wrong... My goal is to look at what he believes on the topic and then bend my will towards that...”
(Russell Brunson, 06:38)
3. Drawing Parallels: God’s Will and the Market’s Will (07:33–13:18)
- Russell transitions to comparing the obedience to God’s will with how entrepreneurs should approach the marketplace.
- Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of pushing their ideas too hard, ignoring or resisting what the market truly wants.
- Quote:
“The market in this situation is kind of like God... the market doesn't care who you are... The market is what it is. You put your thing out there and it will tell you.”
(Russell Brunson, 08:58)
- Quote:
4. The Only Market Opinion That Matters (13:19–15:35)
- The ONLY way to gauge if a product will succeed is if people are willing to pay for it—not what friends, surveys, or even mentors think.
- Quote:
"I let the market decide. I create the thing the best I know how... and then I send some traffic to it, and I let the market vote. And I don't let the market vote through quizzes or surveys or things like that... The only thing that I care about is people that actually pull their wallet out of their pocket and swipe a credit card. That is how the market votes."
(Russell Brunson, 13:32)
- Quote:
- He shows off his ClickFunnels wallet sticker as a playful nod to the connection between product and profit.
5. The Fatal Mistake: Forcing Your Will on the Market (15:36–17:48)
- Russell warns against becoming too attached to personal ideas and trying to "jam" them into the market.
- Entrepreneurs who ignore feedback often "struggle" or experience years, even decades, without real success.
- Quote:
"The market doesn’t care about you. All the market wants is what it wants."
(Russell Brunson, 16:40)
6. The Path to Business Breakthrough: Alignment (17:49–19:44)
- Success comes from finding out what people want, how much they’ll pay, and aligning your offerings accordingly.
- References his foundational principle from Expert Secrets:
“Find a hot market, ask them what they want, and then give it to them. It does not say, find a hot market, decide what you think would be awesome to create, and then jam it down their throats.”
(Russell Brunson, 18:09)
- References his foundational principle from Expert Secrets:
7. Closing Reflections and Universal Application (19:45–20:58)
- Russell underscores that whether or not you believe in God, or in a product’s value, that doesn’t change the objective reality—the truth is what it is.
- Quote:
“Whether you believe in him or not, he's still there... whether you believe [your offer] will sell or not, it doesn't really matter. It's what the market believes.”
(Russell Brunson, 19:54)
- Quote:
- Offers a quick recap: The world and the market reward those who observe, listen, and align.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "You gotta figure out what [the market] wants, and then you align your will with that."
(Russell Brunson, 16:56) - "The market votes with their credit card."
(Russell Brunson, 13:40) - "If you fight against that, you struggle... If you do that, you become rich."
(Russell Brunson, 16:44)
Key Timestamps
- 00:00–05:10 | Family stories, beards, setting the episode’s tone
- 05:11–07:32 | Insights from meeting a church apostle: “bending” your will
- 07:33–13:18 | The parallel: Bending to God’s will and the market’s will
- 13:19–15:35 | How the market REALLY votes: not by opinion, but by purchase
- 15:36–17:48 | The struggles of forcing ideas on the market
- 17:49–19:44 | The business breakthrough of alignment (“Expert Secrets” principle)
- 19:45–20:58 | Final thoughts: Reality trumps belief—align and succeed
Takeaways
- Success—in business and beyond—demands humility and a willingness to listen.
- Don’t try to "teach" the market or dictate your will to it. Instead, observe, test, and adapt based on real-world feedback.
- True entrepreneurs don’t fall in love with their products—they fall in love with serving what people want and need.
This episode is a motivational and philosophical guide for entrepreneurs and creators—reminding us that real influence and profit come when we authentically align with the truth of our audience and the world around us.
