From “Behind Zero” to Playing a Bigger Game: How to Stop Letting Your Past Define Your Future with Markus Kaulius

What if the very experiences you’ve been trying to leave behind are actually the things that qualify you to play a bigger game? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with Markus Kaulius, a multi-exit entrepreneur, investor, author, and longtime student of personal development, to unpack the beliefs, habits, health, and faith that have shaped the man he is today. Markus grew up poor, in a broken family, and describes himself as starting “behind zero”—but instead of seeing that history as baggage, he learned to recognize it as the source of his work ethic, resilience, and ability to connect with people. We dig into why we so often write successful people off by assuming they were simply born that way, and how doing that protects us from having to challenge our own beliefs, identity, and assumptions.

Then we go much deeper. Markus shares the system he uses to create the life he wants: identifying the habits that support that life, putting those systems in place, and trusting them long enough to work. We explore why health should come first if you want to give your best to your family and your work, why faith is about more than religion and can include having genuine faith in your own purpose, and what happened when Markus hit one of the lowest points of his entrepreneurial life during COVID. After his business dropped 70% in a single month, he found himself leading from fear and holding an all-hands meeting that made him realize he had become the leader he never wanted to be. What happened next completely changed the trajectory of his company. This conversation is ultimately about learning to see obstacles differently, moving from scarcity to abundance, and realizing that you may be much closer to playing the bigger game you were designed for than you think.

Highlights

(01:29) – From growing up poor and broken to becoming a multi-exit entrepreneur
Markus opens up about growing up financially, emotionally, and spiritually disadvantaged—and why he now considers that difficult background one of the greatest advantages he was given.

(06:41) – Why we write successful people off—and what that protects us from
We unpack the psychology behind assuming someone’s success came easily, and how dismissing their story allows us to avoid challenging our own beliefs, identity, and potential.

(09:41) – Finding the “younger version” of yourself who is still stuck in limiting beliefs
Markus explains who he is really trying to reach when he speaks and coaches: the younger version of himself who believed he couldn’t succeed because of his circumstances.

(12:45) – Why the right mentor isn’t necessarily the “best” mentor
Markus shares a powerful perspective on personal development: if someone’s voice resonates with you and challenges you to take action, keep listening. If it doesn’t, find another voice.

(15:45) – The habit system behind Markus’s success
Instead of relying on discipline, Markus explains how he identifies the habits required to create the life he wants, puts systems in place, and then trusts the process instead of constantly looking for immediate results.

(18:26) – Why your health might need to come before your business and family
Markus challenges the idea that putting your health first is selfish and explains how starting his day with his body and energy actually allows him to show up better for his work, family, and relationships.

(22:04) – Faith in yourself, faith in your purpose, and faith in something bigger
We explore what happens when you genuinely believe you were put here for a bigger purpose—and how that belief can completely change the way you approach your daily decisions.

(27:24) – The COVID moment that forced Markus to confront his own limiting beliefs
Markus takes us inside one of the darkest periods of his entrepreneurial journey, when his business dropped 70% in a month and fear about the future began affecting the way he led his team.

(29:53) – The all-hands meeting that made him realize he had become the worst version of himself as a leader
He shares the uncomfortable moment when he saw fear in his employees’ faces and realized that his own panic and scarcity mindset were spreading throughout the organization.

(32:13) – The obstacle isn’t necessarily blocking you—it may be preparing you
Inspired by Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way, Markus describes the breakthrough that helped him see his biggest challenges as the very things capable of making him stronger and more qualified.

(33:23) – “I’m not a benchwarmer”: The mindset shift that changed everything
During prayer and meditation, Markus had a realization that snapped him out of his victim mindset: he wasn’t meant to sit on the sidelines. He was meant to get back in the starting lineup.

(34:34) – How one mindset shift created a new business opportunity within 24 hours
Markus brought his executives together, changed the energy in the room, and asked a simple question: who needed warehouse space? Within 24 hours, the company had its first new contract—and momentum began building again.

(37:59) – Rewriting the story of your own life
I reflect Markus’s COVID experience back to him as a story, connecting the external crisis to the internal patterns he had carried since childhood and the moment he chose to recommit to his purpose.

(43:35) – Why your life doesn’t have to be perfect for the system to work
We talk about the reality that personal transformation isn’t something you “finish.” New obstacles will always appear, but having a framework for reconnecting with yourself, your purpose, your health, and your faith can help you navigate whatever comes next.

(45:25) – The message Markus wants you to take action on today
Markus closes with a challenge: if something in this conversation resonated with you, don’t dismiss it. Take action, become a better version of yourself tomorrow, and recognize that the world only gets one version of you.