Episode 1286

Podcast 1286: No Brain Picking: 26 Invaluable Perspectives Independent Consultants Need for Satisfaction, Success, and Profitability by Kevin W. McCarthy

By Greg Voisen·January 13, 2026

Business & Entrepreneurship Leadership Personal Development

Inside Personal Growth

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Show Notes

In a recent episode of the Inside Personal Growth podcast, host Greg Voisin sat down with a long-time friend and legendary leadership expert, Kevin W. McCarthy. Kevin is the "Professor of On-Purpose," the man who pioneered the purpose-driven business movement long before it was a corporate buzzword.

Now, he’s back with a provocative new book that every independent consultant needs to read: No Brain Picking: 26 Invaluable Perspectives Independent Consultants Need for Satisfaction, Success, and Profitability.

The "Dopamine Hit" vs. The "Dollar Dilemma"

As consultants, we are wired to help. We love solving problems and hearing, "Wow, that’s a great idea!" Kevin calls this the Dopamine Hit. It feels great for about five minutes.

The problem? You can’t pay your mortgage with a dopamine hit.

"I went to so many lunches that all I was doing was getting fat and broke," Kevin shared during the interview.

Many consultants struggle because they are at the top of their expertise but at the bottom of their business competency. They view themselves as consultants who happen to have a business, rather than business owners who happen to provide consulting services.

From Tools to Transformation

One of the most powerful metaphors in Kevin’s book is: Don’t sell the nail gun when the client needs a roof.

Consultants often get obsessed with their "nail guns"—their certifications, their proprietary frameworks, and their methodologies (like DISC or StrengthsFinder). But a client doesn’t care about your tool; they care that their house is leaking.

To move from being a "commodity" to a "high-value partner," Kevin suggests a shift in focus:

✦The Expertise Competency: What you know.
✦The Business Competency: How you price, market, and protect your time.
✦The Leadership Competency: Your ability to guide a client to a solution they can’t see.
✦The Purpose Competency: The "Why" that fuels everything else.

Protecting Your Intellectual Assets

Kevin’s message isn’t about being stingy; it’s about being professional. By setting boundaries—saying "No" to brain picking—you actually increase your value in the eyes of the right clients. When you value your own time, they will too.