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“I learned to focus on my daily habits and routines instead of relying on motivation.”
Sir Darren Jacklin (ROC), a seasoned entrepreneur and mentor, brings over two decades of experience to the table in training and developing individuals worldwide. With a footprint across four continents, he has personally impacted over a million people across 50 countries.
His expertise lies in guiding entrepreneurs and business owners toward measurable strategies that enhance income, dismantle obstacles, and monetize passion.
His insights on the power of making requests and cultivating meaningful relationships offer a glimpse into his unique approach to success.
Whether you’re seeking inspiration for personal growth or strategies for professional success, Sir Darren Jacklin’s journey promises to captivate and motivate. Explore more as he shares his secrets to a life of purpose, impact, and continual growth.
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Table of Contents
What steps have you taken to continue growing throughout your career journey into leadership?
Sir Darren Jacklin: I’m a firm believer that people stop growing when they stay comfortable for too long. The key to being a good leader is becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.
In an effort to stay sharp, I’ve pushed myself to take on various challenges, each centered around a different theme each year.
This year, for example, I’ve chosen to focus on mergers and acquisitions. I’ve always had an interest in the subject but never dedicated myself to exploring it more deeply. As I gain knowledge, I’ve discovered it’s easier to acquire revenue than to create revenue.
Rather, it’s all about creating powerful teams and teamwork. Once in a position of leadership, your roles and responsibilities will likely change. It also becomes necessary for you to have foundational knowledge and understanding.
However, you must have the ability to transfer the knowledge to someone else in a way that they can then apply it in practice. My mindset has expanded from simply having a vision on an individual level to creating a global vision through teams.
What did your proudest and darkest moments teach you?
Sir Darren Jacklin: I think most of us remember individual moments more than we do throughout the day. I embrace this pattern and have learned to make detailed records of life’s most important moments by taking lots of pictures, jotting down interesting quotes and thoughts, and sharing inspirational messages via social media.
My proudest moment taught me humility and perseverance. I learned to focus on my daily habits and routines instead of relying on motivation. We’ve all experienced the urge to give up. To overcome this, I’ve realized that it’s vital to practice discipline and consistently follow personal best practices and routines. Having a roadmap and a strategic plan ensures you don’t feel lost, even during moments of low motivation.
It’s also necessary to overcome self-doubt and any negative mind chatter or internal dialogue. If you let it win, you will undoubtedly fall into self-sabotage. Through my darkest moments, I learned how to protect money and multiply it.
When my very survival was at stake, I released the notion that someone was coming to my rescue and accepted that it was entirely up to me to change my situation.
Another huge takeaway from this experience was gratitude. I learned to be grateful for every moment because there is always someone out there in a situation far worse. You think your life is extraordinarily difficult, but compared to what? It’s all a matter of perception.
What piece of advice do you wish you had when you were younger?
Sir Darren Jacklin: Anything you want or need in life is likely to come from connections outside of yourself. The things you want will come to you if you learn how to make powerful requests from other people. As human beings, we are all in a network of conversations.
I mentioned before that I used to be terrified of talking to other people. Back when I owed money to the bank and other creditors, my fear of interactions was so deep that I would completely avoid their calls. I was afraid because I couldn’t fathom how to repay them.
However, when I fi nally mustered the courage to reach out, I was surprised to learn that the situation was not nearly as scary as I’d made it out to be in my own head. Simply communicating made a significant difference.
Don’t let fear create unnecessary stress—deal with it proactively, having faith that things will work out better if you speak up and ask for help.
What core values do you aspire to live by?
Sir Darren Jacklin: Aside from the values already mentioned, I have five personal core values that make up the foundation of who I am.
• Integrity: Without integrity, nothing works. When things are out of balance in my life, I pause and consider the areas where I might be out of integrity. I repeat this process on a daily basis until the problem is fixed. It’s not comfortable, it’s not selective, and it’s never mastered—but it works.
• Humility: It’s about being low profile and high impact. More people will be interested in you and your story when you’re not boastful.
• Gratitude: My days start and end with this value. Practicing gratitude is a daily discipline that can completely alter a person’s mindset. Gratitude helps me find a balance between the pleasure and the pain that comes as a result of achieving a goal. Most people want to achieve something, but many often choose the path of least resistance and instant gratification.
It’s better to accept both the challenge and the reward equally as part of the journey. When you meet someone successful, it’s pretty easy to tell whether they’ve endured challenges, failures, and adversity or whether their growth is fake.
It comes across in their language, tone of voice, and body language. More importantly, it shows through their gratitude.
• Love: This is the ultimate act of acceptance. Whitney Houston said it best—“Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.”
• Appreciation: What gets rewarded, gets repeated. I’ve found that many people will work harder for acknowledgment and recognition than they will for a paycheck.
Employees often stick with low-paying jobs so long as their work is recognized because appreciation builds belief and confidence. I read this list of core values every day because I want to become a person who embodies them as best I can.
Why do you do what you do? What gives your life meaning and purpose?
Sir Darren Jacklin: I find an abundance of joy and fulfillment in expanding people’s mindsets or visions. Training and helping others become better at business has given my life purpose. Years ago, I was taught that the secret to living is giving. I’ve had the opportunity to influence many people throughout my life.
I’ve been privileged to have had conversations with people in passing and on an airplane, helping some advance financially and sending others to seminars to improve their relationships. I’ve also successfully recommended deserving individuals for promotion and facilitated introductions to create more business.
My motivation stems from the profound satisfaction I derive from assisting others in their journey towards growth and success.
Witnessing individuals thrive through the opportunities I’ve helped create fills me with tremendous gratification. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. To reap the rewards, one must invest fully and in advance. I have done both, so I feel like the luckiest guy in the world every day
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How do you keep yourself physically healthy?
Sir Darren Jacklin: You can have all the success and money in the world, but without your health, you have nothing. Your health is your biggest asset—worth everything. Your health is your wealth. You have to find what works for you—what you can stay consistent with and commit to. For me, it’s a winning combination of technology, community, nutrition, and activity.
Hiking is definitely my go-to form of exercise, and I average over 100 kilometers, or 60 miles, per week. I also love using my rebounder for high-intensity cardio. My Apple Watch is a constant motivator, turning fitness into a fun competition between me and the little screen on my wrist.
The way I see it, by the time the end of the day rolls around, either I’m going to beat the watch, or the watch is going to beat me. Somebody is going to win, and seldom do I lose. On the rare occasions when I don’t win, I motivate myself to go out and do whatever it takes to meet the desired target for the day. After all, if you can’t measure it, you can’t track it.
If you gather the right data, you’ll know the right decisions to make moving forward. I’m able to stay inspired from within by creating and gamifying competitions with myself as well as using technology to measure results. Lately, my focus has been on increasing caloric expenditure each week. I’ve also found that a support team is an important component in achieving success in this area.
Whether you recruit an expert smoothie maker or simply ask a friend for camaraderie and emotional support, I encourage everyone to seek out a support team. Who would have thought that I—the kid who was overlooked in gym class and ridiculed for not being athletic—would now be leading the pack in advanced hiking excursions every week?
This fitness journey has changed my mindset to excel in an area in which I never have before. I am now taking my health very seriously; I’m also taking care of my teeth and eyes for the first time.
How do you build your skill set?
Sir Darren Jacklin: Many years ago, I made a commitment to myself that I would read at least ten pages a day. Some days I read more, but ten pages is a very achievable number most of the time. It’s easy to do but also easy not to do. I’ve built up my skill set by making this a daily habit. This ten-page commitment leads to 3,650 pages a year, which is equivalent to reading twelve to fifteen books.
Over time, this powerful habit can compound and lead to massive results. Imagine reading the bestselling books about a specific industry for three years. You’d gain a massive competitive edge and likely dominate the field.
This is how small habits and daily routines can lead to competitive strategies. I also listen to audiobooks while driving, sitting on planes, or during much of my downtime. The average person in a major city commutes about 500 hours per year.
This equals to approximately a year of university education. Consider turning your car, bus, or train ride into a mobile university. I’ve also found it necessary to find mentors, to be a part of mastermind groups, and to discover other forms of collective intelligence. Autobiographies and educational videos, particularly those on success and growth, help me stay sharp.
Also, every Friday, I focus my energies on all topics relating to building wealth. “Wealth Day” is structured into my calendar because I believe in dedicating time to the things you want in life. I also believe it’s necessary to be a part of a tribe of like-minded people. If you’re the dumbest person in a group of people, then you’ve got the most to learn.
This is the biggest gift of all, so don’t be shy to ask for help or advice. Then, when you’re in a place to do so, be sure to give back. Seek to restore the value proposition equilibrium so that everyone wins.
Overall, it’s about constantly pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone and never giving yourself permission to remain complacent. You’re either growing or you’re dying.
How have you developed your cultural intelligence and your ability to get along with people who are very different from you?
Sir Darren Jacklin: Experiencing the world firsthand through travel has given me a more complete understanding of the infinite ways people choose to live. When I travel, I often veer off the beaten path—I’ve learned that doing so leads to more authentic, real experiences.
Living locally, even for just a few days, has taught me more about different cultures and countries than any other form of learning. My relationship with Tatiana has also shaped my view of the world and all the people in it. She’s helped fill in many of the gaps in my cultural awareness that
I had had for most of my life. Additionally, I make a conscious eff ort to listen to a variety of music from all over the globe.
How have you picked yourself up in times of adversity? What gives you the resilience to get through?
Sir Darren Jacklin: Habits and routines give me the strength to push through the lows in life. If you abide by non-negotiable habits and routines, then peaks and valleys have less power over your emotions. Gratitude is also incredibly important.
Investing your energy in negativity and complaints makes it much harder to channel positive energy. An appreciative mindset works like a magnet, drawing in more of the good this world has to offer. I’ve also discovered ways to rekindle my energy in times of adversity.
When I’m not feeling like myself, I wander into the woods and sit by the water for a while. This peaceful setting provides me with time to think and a space for creativity and reflection.
I always leave in a much better mood, with new answers and perspectives and a greater passion for whatever it is I’m doing. That being said, there are times when all these practices combined are simply not enough to pull me out of a low in life. In these situations, I turn to my tribe for help.
These are people who share my values, strive for similar goals, and live with integrity. Seek out those who think the way you do.
Ideally, this “Life Team” will provide you with the best support, help you navigate through tough times, be generous with their time, talents, and treasures, and ensure that your mindset is one of abundance.
What do you do to improve your brand and reputation?
Sir Darren Jacklin: Relationship equity is a cornerstone of my approach to business and personal life. I do my best to keep others in mind as much as possible to create opportunities for greater relationships—both in terms of quantity and quality.
My day-to-day reality involves expanding network connections via constant interaction on social media or in person. I make a conscious effort to show appreciation, reaching out to those from my past, many of whom others might not think to reconnect with.
Tatiana and I are famously known for phoning our friends, family, and loved ones each year to sing them an off -tune birthday song, ending with, “We hope you live to be a hundred, many years from now!”
For several of these people, our call is one of the few things they have to look forward to on their birthday. I improve my brand and reputation by making myself memorable and making a difference in the lives of others.
How do you envision your ideal legacy?
Sir Darren Jacklin: I would like my legacy to be less about me and more about the meaningful, positive impact I’ve had on the world. I think problem-solving is my planetary assignment.
As I get older, I’m also seeing the value in developing timeless solutions to problems.
My plan is to stay curious about life and continue searching for ways to influence and inspire new generations.
Are you a part of a high-performing team?
Sir Darren Jacklin: I surround myself with a group of high-performing team members who together help keep my world in order.
I’ve got a team of financial gurus, bookkeepers, and accountants, as well as ultra-high net worth individuals who provide me with advice on business and life.
This group of people essentially forms what strategist Tony Jeary likes to call a “Life Team”. In his book RESULTS, Faster! he explains that life team members help you extend your ability to get things done, make better decisions, and do more of what you love.
We all need support throughout our lives, so I encourage everyone to seek out the right people who will look out for you in the right ways.
Do you have a favorite book? Why does it speak to you?
Sir Darren Jacklin: Dr. Stephen Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” has been one of the most influential books of my life.
These core habits taught me how to live and work so that I could have an extraordinary quality of life. Dr. Covey was one of the first people in my life to definitively cause a paradigm shift that truly changed the way my mind works.
It wasn’t until later, when I was in Benin, West Africa, that I experienced a concept from this book in real-time. I was a passenger in a car when a tire went flat. Without hesitation, the driver hopped out and started cutting grass from a nearby field.
He then fixed the tire by stuffing it with the clippings, and we continued on our way. What I found to be an exceptional act of innovation was, for him, a simple solution based on common logic. Watching this driver’s everyday fix forever changed my mindset.
I have Dr. Covey to thank for bringing my awareness to our human tendency to carry around underlying assumptions and helping me experience what it feels like to break free from them.
What is your two-minute, top tip of practical advice that others would find really useful?
Sir Darren Jacklin: Make a habit of asking yourself the following two questions:
- Where am I not requesting in my life?
- Who do I become if I don’t make requests? Like I said before, everything you want in life comes from your external world.
Here is my biggest piece of advice: have the awareness to know when it’s time to make a request, the courage to ask, and the wisdom to know what to ask for.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Sir Darren Jacklin for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Sir Darren Jacklin or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
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