In this episode of Time Tested Mastery: Life Lessons Sell, Mark Dolan pulls back the curtain on a piece of his story he doesn’t often talk about: what it really means to be battle-tested in life and in business.

Drawing from decades of rebuilding after addiction, childhood trauma, business setbacks, and market shifts, Mark breaks down why adversity isn’t a detour from your success—it’s the path to it. Using insights pulled from an AI exercise about his own life, plus wisdom from Scott Peck’s The Road Less Traveled and mentor Jim Rohn, Mark shows you how to stop wishing things were easier and start becoming stronger.

If you’re in real estate or sales and feel like you’re pushing through “hard soil” right now—rejection, changing markets, personal struggles—this episode will help you reframe the fight and embrace the battle in front of you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why everyone faces adversity—and why comparing stories doesn’t help.

• How to turn setbacks, rejection, and challenges into an actual competitive advantage.

• The mindset shift that makes difficulty stop feeling like a punishment and start feeling like progress.

• Why in sales, you are the product—and why that means you must rebuild yourself every year.

• The daily question to ask when you don’t like where you are.

Listen in if you’re ready to stop wishing for less problems and start building more skills, more resilience, and more courage for the next battle in your career.

At the MIT Museum in Boston, Mark Dolan delivers his Blu Talks keynote: “Blinded by the Obvious.”

A foggy 2 a.m. commute, two deer, and one kind supervisor (“Have you considered slowing down?”) reveal three time-tested principles that rebuilt Mark’s life, leadership, and career:

1️⃣ Solutions are simple (not easy).
2️⃣ Seek experienced, kind advisors.
3️⃣ Be willing to change your behavior and thinking.

Mark ties a near-disaster on the highway to overcoming addiction, embracing mentorship, and building a purpose-driven career—proving that when you slow down, you finally see what’s been right in front of you all along.

Professionals in sales, real estate, and leadership who are ready to trade excuses for self-mastery—and anyone seeking growth through humility, guidance, and action.

• “Slow down to speed up” — the mindset that prevents repeated mistakes

• How to spot when your own thinking is the problem

• Why mentors shorten the path from struggle to progress

• How simple truths, applied consistently, create real change

• From survival to service: the habits that last a lifetime

Mark Dolan is the founder of Time Tested Mastery—a mentor, speaker, and real estate leader with 40+ years of hands-on experience.
He teaches timeless principles that outlast tactics and help ordinary people live extraordinary lives.

Learn more at www.TimeTestedMastery.com

00:00 Cold open — “Two deer in two weeks”
01:21 Welcome to Blu Talks (Boston)
01:46 “Blinded by the Obvious” — the core message
03:04 The Big Bear commute & the fog
04:57 Impact #1 — ignoring the obvious
06:25 Impact #2 — the thousand-dollar lesson
06:43 Leo’s advice: “Have you considered slowing down?”
07:22 The three principles (simple, advisors, change)
08:17 From trauma to truth: choosing willingness
08:46 Sobriety and the 12-step solution
09:52 From problems to purpose — meeting mentor Tim Wood
10:37 Personal development that compounds
11:07 Call to action: slow down, learn, and lead

“The solution to your problems is surprisingly simple.”
“Have you considered slowing down?”
“Don’t ask what’s wrong with the world—ask what you’re willing to change.”

If this message resonates, like, subscribe, and share with someone who’s ready to stop running past the obvious.
For coaching, keynotes, and Time Tested Mastery workshops, visit TimeTestedMastery.com.

Grief touches every part of life—including real estate.
In this powerful episode of Time Tested Mastery: Life Lessons Sell, we explore how real estate professionals can walk with empathy, emotional intelligence, and genuine care when clients are navigating loss.

Whether it’s a death in the family, a divorce, or a major life transition, clients bring their grief to the table. And how you show up in those moments defines more than the transaction—it defines the relationship.

You’ll learn:

• How to recognize the signs of grief in clients and respond with empathy.

• Why emotional intelligence is a critical skill in real estate today.

• Practical ways to communicate with compassion while still guiding clients forward.

• The role of grief education in building stronger client care and long-term trust.

• Stories and strategies that remind us: support and relationships come before sales.

This conversation blends professional insight with human connection—because the best agents know real estate isn’t just about houses, it’s about people.

Keywords: grief, real estate, empathy, support, loss, communication, relationships, emotional intelligence, client care, grief education