How To Start Your Side Hustle Every day I spend time on the phone with excited folks who know they are close to getting what they want. They can't figure out how to get their hands on it.   Let's start with: 1) Anything you want in this world is owned or controlled by somebody else. 2) If you want their help, you will have to get their attention. It always comes down to three things. In this order: 1) What problem are they having? No, it may not relate to you. It doesn't matter. If you can help, you will get their attention. 2) What's your solution? How can you fix it? When can you fix it? You'll know when you are close when you see the excitement in their eyes. 3) What's your offer? What must they do to get you to help? What do you want?   It's simple. Address another person's problems with a robust solution and an offer they can't refuse. That's a real win-win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Succeed With Your Best Talents No matter your goals in life, there is a good chance you are striving to be the best at something. Whether it’s the best Mom or Dad, excelling in your career, or winning at the game or sport of your choice. Being the best always comes down to: 1) Do what you love and are good at naturally. You’ll have the edge over others. Stay in your wheelhouse. 2) Commit your focus toward mastery. Being a Jack-of-all-trades won’t work. Specialists always win over generalists. 3) Spend more time doing than learning. There’s a big difference between knowledge and wisdom. Experience is what matters.  4) Hire a Coach. When you’re at the top of your game, working with your Coach will take you from second place to first. 5) Keep going until you get what you want. Never stop and never make excuses.  It was your idea to pursue your path. Enjoy the privilege of being able to make that choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Stop Burnout Now Steven Covey called it sharpening the saw. If you take a break to sharpen the blade, you will always cut more wood. The same applies to life. My formula for stopping burnout is Ritual, Rest, Rejuvenate, Reactivate, Repeat 1) Success comes when you perform ritual actions every day. Figure out what works and do it. 2) Running full-out all the time is not sustainable. You must stop and rest. 3) Resting allows your body and mind to rejuvenate and become strong again. 4) When you are ready, it's time to reactive into action mode. 5) Repeat until you get what you want. It's easier to cut more wood when you take a break to sharpen your saw. A walk in the park on a busy day counts too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Live Your Greatness With the craziness of life, are you having difficulty breaking through to the greatness that is YOU? What does greatness take? 1) Imagination. Your ability to form images, ideas, and sensations in your mind. Without help from anything or anybody. Use yours. Trust yours.   2) Enthusiasm. Living life with the excitement of feeling is PASSION. Only involve yourself in activities that you are enthusiastic. 3) Persistence. Life is long. Things take time. Learn to love being doggedly persistent. It will serve you well. 4) Faith. Have faith in yourself. Live your life in complete trust and confidence in someone or something. Imagination. Enthusiasm. Persistence. Faith. That's living. Imagine how good it could be with a bit of Gratitude? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living Your Purpose Every Day There's an incredible idea floating within your mind. It will soon demand your attention.   "Is this all there is? Am I destined for something bigger?" You are. Here's how to discover your path: 1) Accept WHO you are on the inside by reviewing your past choices. The good ones are a clue. Do more of them. 2) Accept WHAT you do when you are doing you. It's not a thing; it's a feeling. 3) Accept WHEN when you want to begin living. Now is a good time. 4) Accept WHERE you are in your life. You CAN get there from here, as long as you know where HERE is. Accepting real purpose is usually revealed by your daily actions. If you don't like the direction you are heading, it's time to try a new one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Choosing To Be Positive in The Way We live in a world that can sometimes feel overwhelmingly negative, making it seemingly impossible to be and feel positive. Please don’t fall for it. Overall, the world has always consisted of billions of people choosing from a 50/50 split of negative and positive options. Since everything in the Universe is balanced, it makes sense that half of our choices are negative and the ofter half positive. It’s also why everybody can choose — but there’s a secret. People who are not growing and thriving will almost always take the easy way out and let negativity fill the gap. That’s why gossip and negative people are everywhere. Most people want to take the easy way. On the other hand, people who decide to grow automatically choose a positive path, are happier, and eventually don’t even recognize negativity. The trick to being a positive person in a negative world is choosing your path in life and taking action toward it. As soon as you do, the negative doesn’t matter, and life gets good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Balancing Every Minute of Your Day If you’ve ever felt like your life is a balancing act of activities that fill your day — to get everything done so you can be happy, here’s another way to think about it. When I began my career, I was in radio. Initially, I thought my job was to step into the studio and play whatever music I thought would make me and my audience happy. But before my shift began, my Boss introduced me to the ‘Format Clock.’ A Format Clock was a clock face drawn on a piece of paper divided up like pieces of a pie into sections. Starting at the top of the hour and spinning a complete circle, each segment told me what to do. My Boss explained it like this. There are some songs that people love, and we play a lot. We want to introduce new songs to our audience, and there are old songs that people want to hear again. Your job is to rotate through each category so our listeners are always happy. Later in life, I realized that our day-to-day activities are very similar. There are some things we love to do more than others. There are new things that arrive in our life that excite us. There are traditions, rituals, and memories of the past that make us feel happy. Your goal for any particular day is to rotate through the things that you happy and productive, moving closer to your destination, and allowing you to live with a content state of mind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Focusing on Your Twenty Percent If you’re like many folks, you have so much on your plate that it’s challenging to keep up— forget about moving closer to your goal. There’s good news; you are not alone. Everyone lives according to the 80/20 rule that almost everybody has heard about. The Pareto Principle means that 80% of outcomes result from 20% of all causes for any event. However, to get what you want in life, there is a slight twist to the equation that says, 80% of the things you focus on in life have nothing to do with what you ultimately want. They are simply the busyness of life. 20% of the things your focus on in your life have everything to do with getting what you want and will yield the most significant return for your efforts. When you eliminate, delegate, or ignore the 80% and hyper-focus on the 20%, the math changes, and suddenly you are living your best life 100% of the time. Focusing on your best 20% changes everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Define. Refine. Execute It is part of our human experience to constantly feel lost as we ramble through our day - feeling more like we are, bumbling and stumbling than moving toward our purpose in life.  Living a meaningful life is about knowing where you are heading while dodging the millions of others who are drifting. If you're not careful, you'll get caught up in their aimless journey.  The first and every thought in your mind should always be defined and definite—the overall life purpose and the minor purposes that lead to your overall goal.  Getting what you want in life also requires constant refinement of the goal you seek. The best tool to use for this task is the wisdom that you have acquired through years of experience. Your wisdom will allow you to cautiously and effectively move closer to your defined goal. The final step also differentiates between those who don't find their way and those who do—execution of your plan in the direction of your destination. Your consistent execution of the action is the way to your success. As you walk through your day today, define, refine, and consistently execute to get what you want. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forget Improvement. Go For a New Opportunity. Have you ever wondered how much easier things would be if you didn’t have to think so much? What if the future or your past didn’t matter? Imagine if you didn’t worry about the possessions, success, or drama of others. What would happen if you believed that YOU were in control?   Now you are starting to think like a Stoic Philosopher. Stoicism is about paring down and simplifying. They eliminate unproductive traits that define the majority of the population. One of the most common is turning obstacles upside down, creating opportunities, and seeing them as teachable moments. For a Stoic, every bad thing becomes a new source of good.   Marcus Aurelius said it this way,  “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in your way becomes the way.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Power Is Sworn Enemy When will you get to do what you want to do?  More people than you know lose sleep over that question. If that sounds like something you have experienced, you’re not alone.  Almost everybody begins their journey when a thought pops into their mind. Then, day-to-day life keeps them busy, and they spend frustrating months fixin’ to get ready. You know, starting to prepare… so you can begin to do… so you can do… and say you did.  If that doesn’t work, you summon your friend, Will Power.  Will is not a person, but more like a kind of friend that you don’t know why you keep letting into your life. Will’s job description should read -- to force you to do things you say you want to do but can’t get yourself to do. They are a bit slacker, live rent-free in your mind, say they want to help, and never deliver on their promise. When you give up, Will leaves. The good news is, there’s no need to force yourself to do anything. Achieving your biggest goals in life has nothing to do with Will Power. Instead, shift your mindset -  “To act at your discretion without constraint.”  That’s the definition of Free Will, Will Powers, good cousin.  Use your Free Will to harness your excitement and choose the path of least resistance. Start making the slightest changes in your life. Those steps will lead to big results sooner than you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big. Awesome. Motivating. Mission. Do you still dream of what you will be when you grow up?   Do those visions keep popping into your head?   If that’s the case, what’s your BIG, AWESOME, MOTIVATING MISSION? BAM! What dreams excite you and give you a feeling of happiness? BAM! What scares you - and excites you? BAM! What makes you smile and say, “If I could only get myself to…” BAM! Take a few minutes and figure out your BAM! Then stand up, take a step, and repeat! Keep going until you get what you want. Oh - there’s no need to wait. Now would be a good time to start. :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Your Morning Routine Working? You hear a lot about using morning rituals to get more done. But what if you could use your mornings to get more done for YOU? In the fast-face world, we live in today, there seem to be two groups when it comes to how to use mornings—personal and productivity. Once folks remove themselves from the craziness of jumping out of bed, taking care of the kids, and hitting the drive-through, they choose one of the two.  But what if there was a third group that was more satisfying? Before I go on, I must admit that I didn't use to be a morning person and didn't like getting up early. I even quit my first couple of jobs as a morning radio host so I could sleep.  Later in my career, I would hit my desk at 5 AM and pound through my to-do list as fast as possible. I must have been saying, "I…MUST… GET… IT… DONE!" That didn't work well because I didn't see the purpose of getting out of bed early if it was only to work. I spent my mornings reading and meditating for a few years before heading to the gym. I got in better shape, but my bank balance was less, and my future goals were seemingly unreachable. Then, one day out of pure frustration and sporting a brand-new I don't give a heck attitude, I asked myself a question that changed everything - "What's the first thing I should do tomorrow morning that, if I do, will allow me to live a life of my design?" I didn't ask about work or what was on my to-do list. It had nothing to do with getting more done or getting in better shape. I focused on the lifestyle I wanted to live - and it was life-changing. In the years since I made that decision, I've started my days doing the most important thing I deem required to live the life of my choosing, and I've been happier for it. I've also come across dozens of morning do-gooders who are getting everything done except what they dream of doing, and when they realize it's not their fault, everything changes. They get caught up in the buzz of life, and everyone does. But you start making real progress the minute you focus on YOU before anything else. When you focus on what is important to you, you get what is important to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get Committed to Your Goal Woody Allen said, "Half of success is showing up."  I've thought about that quote many times over the years. There was something about its logic that didn't match up with my day-to-day experience.  Don't get me wrong, no matter what you want to do in your life, showing up is the first step in getting it. But I've shown up many times and went home without the prize I so much wanted. I've also seen others convinced they'll advance toward their goals if they show up. Instead, they end up disappointed with their results. So, if showing up is getting you halfway, what's the other half? It's knowledge, work ethic, communication, and people skills. And let's not forget your ability to commit to doing whatever it takes to get what you want. Some people don't show up, and some don't commit. Many do show up. Why don't they succeed? I remember the words spoken by my Paster moments before my wedding to my first wife, Sheryl. I was a 20-year-old kid, and he asked, "Do you know what makes a marriage work?" Without much thought, I said, "It's a 50/50 thing. It'll work as long as we show up for each other." His response resonates with me to this day. "Success in anything is 100/100 thing. You always show up and commit to giving it 100% of your effort - and so does everybody else." So, yes. Showing up will get you halfway to your goal. But if you want to go all the way, you must commit to 100% and do whatever it takes to get what you want.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Best Quitters Win Has anybody ever told you, "It's good to be a quitter?" Probably Not. That's why it's so important today that you pay attention today. Being a good quitter isn't an excuse. It should never be an option for making things easier. Instead, quitting is a wise choice. You choose to quit when your progress has you going around in circles or has stopped. That's when things get interesting. Once you are committed to an important idea, it can be challenging to allow yourself to quit. Stuck in a lousy job, terrible relationship, destructive behavior? That may not be wise. Your internal sense of "Identity" will compel you to hold on to the very end. Listen closely when your inner voice begins to sound a warning. There's no need to wait for the inevitable. Trust your gut. If you must, go through the fire and change your direction fast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multitasking is Slow You Down Wouldn’t it be great if you could create more time in your day without giving anything up?   The secret is how you prioritize the projects that are already on your plate. That requires a simple understanding: 1) Working on multiple products simultaneously only delays completing all the projects. 2) When you complete a product, not only is it off your plate, it begins producing your expected results. It also frees up time to move on to your next project. The next time that you are trying to find more time ask - “What can I finish right now that will give me more time tomorrow - and every day after that?” Working on multiple projects simultaneously only delays the completion of all projects. Pick one. You will love how you have so much more time in your day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ignoring Everything Except Important Are you the kind of person always running around putting out fires - fires you set?  I think it is time that we take away your matches and lighter fluid. If your life is non-stop drama, stress, and craziness, there is a good chance that YOU are the cause. There is also a good chance you won’t see it that way. Living with your hair on fire will keep you so busy you will spend years wondering why you can’t get what you want. When you stop doing anything that results in more craziness, you will find that life is pretty quiet. That’s when good stuff begins to happen. It’s a truth.   It’s a truth. You are 100% in charge of any action you choose. Choose good ones. It makes life more fun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Single Change That Changes Everything Last year I made a decision that changed everything about my life.  I wondered -  "What single change can I make - a change that would automatically and positivity disrupt everything in my life and put me in a better place?" If you don't know exactly how to get where you want, you will recognize success when you see it.   Goals are cool. You should use them. Sometimes, you must follow your gut, go with the flow, and figure things out along the way. What single change can YOU make that would automatically and positively disrupt everything in your life and leave you in a better place? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop Learning Start Doing Have you ever felt as if something was holding you back?   You might be spending too much time learning. The challenge begins when your mind gets confused. Since it can’t tell the difference between perception and reality, learning feels like doing. You might be getting more intelligent, but you are not moving forward. Here are some simple truths: 1) Learning new skills is fun and is required for a better life. 2) Learning alone will not produce results. 3) You don’t have to learn everything—you already have enough to start. When 90% of your time is used for moving forward actions, you will make massive progress. It’s time to get moving.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why You Must Live Your Best Life Now A few years ago, I heard that Super Markets were considering changing expiration dates on food. They replaced it with "Best if Used By."  Maybe you should treat your life the same? I've long known that everything has an expiration date. Nothing goes on forever. Everything will come to an end. What's good may become not so-good.  What's bad may become great.  Life will be born; life will die.  This incredible ebb and flow is just the way of the Universe. Change in life is inevitable and always lurking around the corner. To me, making the best of what you've been given - right now - makes a lot of sense. What's your "Best if Used By" date? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Live Like a Happy Person Did you know that happy people are regular people that look at the world differently? They don't wear rose-colored glasses either.  They have a better way: 1) They realize that if you are alive, you will have problems.  2) They accept that dealing with problems is a privilege of being alive. 3) They don't get frustrated. They know problems mean you are shaking up life and living. 4) Happy people accept responsibility for solving problems. They never run from them. 5) A good day for a happy person is dealing with everything life can throw at you. Getting a great night's sleep and doing it all over again is the reward. By the way - It's amazing how this kind of attitude seems to make most problems never show up in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Ask For What You Want Have you ever noticed how nobody gets to the point these days?  It seems like everybody is beating around the bush instead of asking for what they want. I have news for you.  People can't read your mind. If you want something, you will have to ask for it. But it's not all about you. Before I continue, I have a warning. Be careful what you ask for, just in case you get it. Be specific to avoid confusion. Be on guard for creative answers that are not precisely what you want. Now, a three-step formula to making it happen: 1) Come right out and ask for what you want. 2) Tell them how helping YOU will benefit THEM. 3) Tell them what to do next. New opportunities are about to come rushing into your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Out of The Box Thinking Doesn't Always Work Getting things done in today's crazy world is complex.  While most techniques are still very valid - the rules have changed for just about everything.  Does that mean you must get out of your box and think differently? Maybe, but there are other choices: You can stay IN your box and keep using the thoughts and actions that have served you. That’s good, but you'll also be out on anything that requires fresh thinking. You can toss out the old entirely and step OUT of your box where everything is new. That sounds scary. The better choice might just be to get rid of your box.  When you think about it, most of what makes today's progress so exciting is that almost everything you need to improve your life is built on your past. Staying IN your comfort zone while you expand to things OUT of your comfort zone is a winning solution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Only Reason You Have a Job If you've been looking for a quick way to success - this will do it! I was watching Restaurant Impossible when Robert asked, "When did you last get paid? Why do you have a business?” His answer? No matter what you do, you're only doing it for money. Don't believe me? What would you do if you didn't have to work? I guarantee it would be different. Here are three kick-starting questions: 1) What exactly do you want from your business or your Job, and what should it provide you? When you know, you can set goals to achieve them. 2) What is the minimum necessary to achieve your goal? Keep it simple, and know when you succeed. 3) What is the fastest and easiest path to get it done? Hint? Focus your activity on the next step in front of you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building Your Bridge to Your Purpose Changing something about your life is pretty straightforward.  Figure out what you want and change it. Are you done laughing? Most folks fall on the way to their dreams because they don't move, move at the wrong time, or move too fast. That's why it's time to build your bridge once you know what you want. Here's how: 1) Fortify your current foundation. Save money, pay bills, and do whatever it takes to build a firm and peaceful base. 2) Begin constructing the foundation for your new life. Go to school, network, research, and plan. Do everything in your power to ensure your success with no regret. 3) When you're ready, leave your past behind, cut off the old, and begin living your new life. Be patient. Wait until you are at least 70% ready to succeed before you cross to the other side.   Success arrives when you move from a strong TODAY to a stronger TOMORROW. Don't leap too soon, but don't delay, either. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Easily Change Your Identity Have you allowed yourself to become the person you are on the inside?  We all make decisions that change our life trajectory without much thought. That can lead to feelings of being lost on you your life path. Maybe it's time to create a new way of seeing yourself. Using a Transitional Identity is a great way to feel confident when you can't believe in your future.  The trick is to focus on the smaller steps to your destination. That will allow you to move away from who you are, yet not jump to who you want to be in one big step.  "I'm running a successful small business and laying the foundation for my empire. All I have to do is keep moving." "I'm a great student. Very soon, I will be a great teacher to others. All I have to do is keep moving." "I'm incredible at losing 1 pound at a time. Soon I'll hit my goal and weigh 100 pounds less. All I have to do is keep moving." Transitional Identities are temporary and ever-changing. They are helpful when destinations are hard to see before you take your first step. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Purposeful Living Through Values An immense frustration for most folks is feeling like other people are getting in the way. That will stop the very instant you begin to live according to your Values as you work toward your Goals: Here's a simple recipe for enjoying every minute of the day: 1) Know, understand, and practice living your values. While it's difficult, you will feel happier and in control. 2) Be sure only to set Goals that allow you to practice your Values along the way. Doing otherwise is not being who you are. 3) Prepare for a shock wave from people who wonder why you won't do things their way. And get ready for the peace of mind you will begin to feel. Self-directing your life according to your innermost thoughts is the ultimate power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living Your Average Perfect Day How would you feel if every day, on average, was as you wanted?  It's time to make your dreams come true and create your "Average Perfect Day."  Here's how it works: 1) Find a quiet spot and write a detailed description of your perfect day. Let your fantasies flow onto paper until you've mapped out morning until night. 2) Focus on your daily experiences, not material goods. In other words, if you want a sports car, focus on how you feel in the driver's seat.  3) Fight the urge to judge. The goal is to slow down, tap into your core, and get excited about what's possible.  There is one last rule that you must follow. There are no limitations and no consequences. Let yourself be free to dream. You are going to be surprised how many start coming true. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finding Your Purpose Do you know your purpose in life?  What a great feeling!  But what if you know your purpose but can't get yourself to take action toward your goal?  No, you're not procrastinating. It could be that you're just busy with minute-by-minute life.  If you want to change, try this: 1) Slow down and get real. Running faster will only distract you from your purpose even further. Be brave and accept what you want.  2) Forget any limitations floating around in your mind. After all, they'll probably not be good ones anyway. Toss out fear of consequences for your actions too. 3) Accept where you are in your life today. Start there and move forward. Put one foot in front of the other, pointing toward your dreams.  Stand up, take a step, and repeat! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Build Connections With Desire Not a day passes by without someone asking, "How do I get another person to help me get what I want?" Persuading others is one of the keys to getting what you want - and here's the big secret; it's NOT about you! Most folks tell others what to do. That's rarely building a real connection. You'll get what you want faster by focusing on how you can tap into the desire of others and help them get what they want. A more practical solution is to show them what needs to be done to reach their desire.  It gets more powerful. Why not offer to help them reach their goal? Could you do it for them? That's how you genuinely tap into desire. When you follow this approach, you will make friends prove your value and are much more likely to have your favor returned. Do good first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham’s Hierarchy of Needs Your best life is built sequentially, one level at a time. Forget the elevator. Climb all the stairs to the top, and you’ll have lasting success. In 1954, Abraham Maslow released Motivation and Personality. His Hierarchy of needs theory is all about climbing to the top. Maslow suggested that to reach your full potential: 1) You must provide for your physiological needs. Food, clothing, shelter, money, and more.  2) You must feel safe. Personally, emotionally, financially, health and well-being, and against accidents and illness. 3) Socially, you need to feel love and belonging.  4) Esteem and the desire for acceptance, respect, and value by others is your next step. Self-actualization requires mastery of your previous needs. Maslow said, “What a man can be, he must be.” 5) Self-transcendence removes you from your ego and begins your focus on the greater good. Your best life is built sequentially, one level at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Steps to Succeed at Anything Setting Goals is the most potent method of getting what you want. It is the power of your mind - activated. Here’s how: 1) Decide what you want and when you want to get it. 2) Decide when you will start and when you will finish. 3) Decide how you will begin and maintain your momentum. Then you must get to work. Limit anything and anybody that has a distracting influence on you. You must get to work. Commit to overcoming any obstacle that gets in your way. You must get to work. The path is long. Start like a sprinter and end like a marathon runner. You must get to work. The only thing stopping you from getting what you want is not you. It is everything that you allow to get in your way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eliminate Your Limitations What if your life had no limitations and no consequences? What if you could do anything you wanted without anything holding you back? Here’s the truth. Personal limitations and consequences are helpful. Think of them as guard rails alongside a curvy mountain road. They keep you safe while you are on your journey.  What if you find playing it too safe and holding yourself back from your dreams? Another way is to consider it part of your internal belief and value system. You may need to expand through different experiences.  In other words - Take baby steps until you gain confidence and believe anything is possible. Then prove it yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are You The Monkey in The Middle? Have you ever found yourself stuck in the middle? I was speaking with a client trying to be everything to everybody. His business was not growing. His life was not happy. He couldn’t seem to find a way to make progress.   That’s when I said… “My friend, you are stuck in the middle. Nothing good happens when you are in the middle.” In business and life, having low expectations and being surrounded by like-minded folks is okay.  It’s also okay to reach for your dreams, has high expectations, and expect that of others. What happens if you’re in the middle? When low and high expectations combine, confusion is the result. Mediocrity overtakes quality. Frustration will be your daily friend. The choice is yours. If I were you, I would make the decision never to get stuck in the middle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inspiring Advice From Grand Master American Taekwondo Grand Master H.U. Lee gave volumes of advice during his life of service. In my view, his best was also his shortest: “Today Not Possible. Tomorrow Possible.” Today is a new day. Yesterday prepared you for today. If today doesn’t go as planned - you always have tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Steps to Successful Goal Setting It’s time for a Goal-Setting refresher. Goals work like this: 1) State precisely WHAT you want. 2) State WHY you want it. 3) Imagine how you will feel when you reach your goal. 4) Plan the steps you will take. 5) Take continuous action. 6) Measure your progress. 7) Be flexible in your approach.   8) Celebrate and repeat. Success comes to people who set goals. Be one of those people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conversation Starters That Make People Like You Today you are going to have opportunities to communicate.   Here’s how to create conversations that connect: 1) Meet folks where they are. Pay attention to how their day is going. Step into their NOW. 2) Establishing something in common. “Wow! Has this day been crazy for you too?” 3) Establish an undeniable truth. “I promise it will get crazier with the holidays coming.”  4) Move toward an idea that everybody can agree with. “Summer is coming fast. We should get ahead of it and do some planning.”   5) Bring a new idea into the conversation. “I have a system that will work for both of us. Do you want to see it?”   You will always get more of what you want when communication moves toward a common goal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Problems With Others? Maybe it's YOU! One of my hobbies is running my Australian Shepard, Levi, in agility competitions.  When people see us run, their first comment is almost always - "I love how your dog knows where to go. How did you teach him to follow the numbers on the course?" I always smile. No. Levi does not follow numbers. He relies on me, his Handler, to tell him where to go. He will go off course and be eliminated if I don't communicate my intention. In the agility world, we say, "Every dog has a Handler problem."  I've noticed the same thing in the human world. If you think you are being tripped up by someone else, double-check to see if they have a Handler problem. Know what you want and where you want to go, and effectively communicate your goals. You will be amazed at how almost everybody will follow the numbers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Figure Out Anything With 4 Questions Do you ever have difficulty making decisions?   In the next 60 seconds, you can harness the most potent and easy-to-use decision-making tool I have ever found. Forget the old "Pro and Con" list your Mom and Dad taught you. It's time for a new approach. The next time you find yourself challenged, use Quantum Linguistics. Ask yourself these four simple questions to solve your problem: What would happen if I DID? What would happen if I DIDN'T? What wouldn't happen if I DID? What wouldn't happen if I DIDN'T? Unusual clarity is around the corner.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever find yourself answering the phone, responding to an email, or posting to Social Media before your brain fully engages? If you’re like me, you can’t count the number of times you put your foot or your fingers in your mouth and regretted it.  So what’s the fix? I worked with a client a few minutes ago in the same situation, and his response was brilliant! STOP.  He stopped in his tracks and didn’t respond at all. THINK. He pondered how he felt and why he was about to make a mistake. What was driving it? THINK AGAIN. As part of his process, he wrote down his feelings, what action he should take, and when he would take it. ACT. The entire process took place within a few minutes. He slept on it and responded with a short email the next day. The result was no added drama and continued positive momentum. I like to think of this as a ‘Recipe For Me’ that I create in advance and utilize for consistent results. Once I know something works, I must check my recipe, and life is good. Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you wish you could find a mentor to help you? Every mentor I’ve ever had made sure that I possessed three characteristics for success before they agreed to work with me. Would you pass their test? 1) Do you have a burning desire to achieve your goals? 2) Are you a coachable person and prepared to accept the wisdom and guidance of others? 3) Are you willing to undertake all actions to achieve your success? If the shoe were on the other foot, you would want those traits in someone asking for your help - right? Talk your walk. Walk your talk. That’s a great life. Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I spend most of my days finding ways to keep tens of thousands of people worldwide motivated and moving - and that always comes down to a strategy for mindset. Here are a few things you can do - today! 1) Remind Yourself of Your Gratefulness Who or what are you most grateful to have in your life? Sometime today, pause, close your eyes, and fill your mind with the people and things that make your life good. Remember, reminding yourself of why you are grateful makes you unstoppable. 2) Your Actions Reveal Your Purpose What will make you feel like you are living your true self? Three items that move you closer to who you are are hidden in your to-do list. What are they? Focusing on fulfilling actions means that you are living your purpose. 3) Strategize THEIR Feelings in Advance You can make someone feel great today. Who will that be? Take a moment and review the people you will interact with today. How do you want to make them feel? When you make others feel good, you feel good too. 4) What CAN You Do? Choose a challenge that has stuck and ask, what can I do? List three challenges that have you stuck and ask what can I do? Then, do it. Nothing can stop you when you ask what can I do? 5) Hold Space For Your Dreams Since today may get busy, what space are you holding for yourself? The space between your appointments today belongs to you. How will you use it to make your dreams come true? When you hold space for your dreams, your dreams always come true. If you feel like a challenge, turn these into rules and affirmations to live your life. Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the years, I have produced over 12,000 podcasts, and every one began with the written word. Even though that makes my mouth and fingers my most exercised body parts, it has also given me many opportunities to learn to keep my words flowing. Like most people, you have sat before a blank screen, praying for inspiration. It could be writer's block, procrastination, or maybe you stayed up late watching Netflix. In any case, there's a simple solution to always having a starting point. Any project I need to wrap my head around begins by capturing the ideas that flow into my mind throughout the day. Even turning the radio off on a 20-minute drive can provide a treasure-trove of useable nuggets.  Next, I tuck those ideas away safely without organizing, editing, or re-writing. I just grab the thoughts, jot a note or record a memo, put them away, and let them simmer. When I'm ready to get to work, I take 15 minutes the day before to review my creative genius list, toss out what is not relevant, create a simple outline, and walk away knowing I am ready to begin. The next day, I can't wait to sit in front of a blank screen and let the magic start flowing from my figure tips with complete ease. Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It happens to all of us. We're going about our day, hot on the trail of checking off items on our never-ending To-Do list. Then, we discover that we didn't get everything done before time ran out.  When my son entered the workforce, we often found time to catch up on weekends. He was trying to navigate the business world while balancing his life. He had an exceptionally fast-paced job and had become a productivity ninja. He was proud of his color-coded To-Do list and calendar, but he had a problem - "Dad, no matter how organized I am, I still can't finish everything. I write everything down, and I'm working through it, and I still run out of time. What am I not doing right?" My first thought was how happy I was that he had the clarity to look beyond the obvious solution. Then, I had a few questions - You say you have accounted for everything. How much time did you spend eating lunch or running down the coffee shop today? How often did you visit the restroom, and how long did it take? How much time did you spend on your commute at the traffic lights? I stopped. "What does that have to do with my getting my work done?" he asked. Nothing, but you still have to get that stuff done. And thanks for making my point. My son had discovered what I call "Non-Ops" — the non-optional things of life.  Non-Ops are a never-ending string of activities that require our attention. They never go away and suck up time without you even knowing. If you don't account for the basics of life, you'll never get to the big stuff of life. After all, you can only go so long without eating, drinking, or sleeping - making everything else the real optional things in life. Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A client asked me, "What do you pay attention to most of the day to keep yourself on track?"  I said,  "I pay attention to MY agenda first. When I cross paths with the agendas of others, it doesn't have to be my way or the highway, but I must continue to live the life I desire and get the results I want without delay and distraction. The truth is, I want us both to do that." As long as you know what you want in life, getting it is a matter of moving forward daily and staying on track. Since every person you meet is on their path, you will always find yourself with the opportunity to willingly or unwillingly be pulled into their agenda. If you do, you detour yourself from your dreams. Take control of your agenda before somebody does it for you.  Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would you like to be happy every day of the week?  Maybe it's time to start thinking like a happy person. There's no magic to being happy; rose-colored glasses are not required. Just start looking at your day-to-day life the way a happy person does. Give this a try: 1) Accept that being alive means you will run into occasional challenges. 2) Realize that dealing with challenges is a privilege of being alive. 3) Welcome frustration. It only means adjustments are required. Figure out what to change and make it happen. 4) Accept responsibility for solving your challenges and fix them immediately. Don't delay the inevitable. 5) Dealing with everything life throws at you is easier when you get a great night's sleep. Have another great day tomorrow. You can borrow my daily recipe if you would like— Wake up, refreshed. Have a great day. Sleep like a baby. Repeat. Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you spend any time listening to me, it won’t take long before you hear me screaming from the top of the mountains to ignore the agenda and propaganda-filled world we live in and focus on yourself.  Here’s the truth... Nobody is thinking about you and what you do. That means you need to pay attention to yourself because everybody else is busy with themselves. Some folks find that way of thinking difficult because society makes you believe you must do what everybody else does to be successful. But lets think about that for a minute. Is everybody more successful than you, or is everybody in the same boat? If you are being honest, you know the answer.  So, who is more successful than you? It’s those crazy people that are out in front leading the masses. You know, the ones who paid attention to what they wanted, ignored what others thought, took action, and convinced everybody else to support them on their mission. Here’s another truth… Like they say, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” But never forget, when you think about yourself first, you’ll have more time to think about others too.  Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have an admission.  I'm a bit lazy. Yes, I also like to work harder than most people. Still, I'm lazy when doing things I don't want to be doing. It's been said that when you do what you love, you will never work another day. Frankly, I've found it to be quite the opposite. I love what I do, but it is challenging and takes time and effort.  Still, I'm lazy. I want everything to be easy, and I want it now. I don't think I'm different than anybody else. I'm lazy. Yes, I'm driven. I'm also lazy. I think I made my point. And if you know me well, you may think he's not THAT lazy.  Oh yes, I am… While it may take a long time to master the skill required to make things easy for myself, I'm only willing to go through the hard work if it allows me to be lazy - someday. And do you know what the coolest thing is about being lazy? Not only does your initial hard work allows you to be lazy, it makes what you do look easy to others. Too bad for them. I guess they were sleeping or binging Netflix when you were working so hard to make it look easy and be lazy. Here's today's life lesson. It's good to be lazy as long as you are willing to do the work required to allow yourself to be lazy - someday. Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I was a baby DJ in broadcast school, I spent a lot of time learning the rules of journalism. While that subject fills books, almost everything we needed to know was - Who? What? When? Where? Why? If you know that information, you can tell a complete story. Years later, I re-arranged the formula for personal growth. Every time I set goals and consider a different direction, I ask - What? Why? When? Where? Who?  Occasionally I need to ask HOW I will accomplish my goal - but that usually takes care of itself. Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9 Success Principles You Need You may have heard that you will elevate your station in life to the degree that you elevate yourself. Personal Development is how you do that. Here are some easy ideas to move you forward: 1) Acknowledge that all emotions come from within you. 2) Seek out someone you respect. Use them to stay honest. 3) Recognize there is life after failure. 4) Read purposefully. Apply your knowledge. 5) Challenge yourself to be brutally honest. 6) Reflect on what you spend the most time on. 7) Remind yourself: you weren’t meant to procrastinate. 8) Put the phone away. Be present. 9) Remind yourself that time is your most precious resource. Can you imagine how much you can change in your life when you live by those principles? Get the Daily Boost Commercial-Free at https://dailyboostpremium.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop Letting Your Emotions Sabotage Your Life Do you ever feel emotionally triggered and tossed off track for the entire day? You are an emotional person. When emotions keep you from logically navigating your day, problems begin. How do you control being triggered? 1) Identify what triggers a response you want or don’t want to experience.   2) Decide how you want to feel when triggered. Make a plan to respond. 3) The next time you are triggered, recognize what is happening and execute your plan. Identify. Decide. Respond.  The more you catch what emotionally triggers you, the more control will have over how you feel. That is true power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Motivational Laws You Shouldn’t Break Specific actions, thoughts, and feelings have revealed themselves to be the truth.  If you want to better yourself, here are my Top 10: 10) Purpose And Passion Come From Clarity of Thought. 9) Purpose And Passion Begin With Acceptance. 8) Faith and Courage Power Transformation. 7) The Secret Lies Within You. 6) Some Doors Must Close Before Others Open. 5) Strong Values Create Strong Passions. 4) Goals Are The Heartbeat of Your Life. 3) Emotions + Logic = Change. 2) Momentum Is The Result of Planning. 1) Everything Happens When Something Happens. The path to all success is well-worn. Follow the path that others have blazed. Your dreams are waiting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Bad Do You Want to Live Your Dreams? Do you ever feel stuck? Is there something you want but don’t know HOW to get it? Worse - everybody is giving you the same advice?   What’s your WHY?” Getting what you want is simpler than that. You will always get what you want when you want it bad enough. Do you want to be happier? How bad do you want it? Do you want more money? How bad do you want it? Do you want better relationships? How bad do you want it? Nothing can stop you when you want it bad enough. You will always find the way. Don’t believe me? I guess you don’t want it bad enough - yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live Longer Being an Optimistic Realist Are you an "Optimist" or a "Realist" who is optimistic? It makes a difference.   Studies have shown that Optimists don't live as long and Optimistic Realists. Why? Being blindly optimistic today can lead to massive disappointment and stress. There is too much noise in the world trying to bring you down. When you choose to be an optimistic Realist, you look at the world with a much clearer lens. Occasionally you will be surprised by an outcome. You will rarely be disappointed.   I think it's better to be surprised occasionally than constantly worried. How about you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creating Your Perfect Day - Every Day. What if every day was perfect for the rest of your life? Your subconscious mind is a beautiful thing. You can use its power to design your life exactly how you imagine. Here’s how: 1) Write down an event-by-event vision of your perfect day. Yes, it’s a fantasy - for now. 2) There are no rules. No limitations. No consequences. Be honest about what you want. Don’t be shy. 3) Believe it can be yours! You deserve it. If you follow these steps, your subconscious mind seeks to make your dreams come true. All it needs is a partner willing to take action. Do that, and you’ll create an extraordinary life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are You Missing Your Future? Have you noticed how everybody is running so fast these days? Are they living in the moment? Are they dwelling on the past? Are they dreaming of the future - and waiting for it to arrive? Any human would experience a combination of all three every day. That's normal as long as it doesn't get in the way of living. A decade and a half ago, my first wife passed away from Cancer. She was 46 and too young to die. I was too young to be a widower. My children are too young to lose their Mom.   While challenging, our family had an unconventional outlook on life - and death. Our goal was to make it the best death ever. Sadly, we achieved that goal. It was the strangest accomplishment any of us had ever experienced. After she passed, my daughter, Carlyn, wrote a poem that resonates to this day - Soon we'll all find our way. Soon we'll know what. Makes us who we are. Soon we'll wake up. Today, we can appreciate. Soon we'll know that. Tomorrow we'll be better. Soon we'll trust that everything's okay. That the past is gone. Can't hold us back. Soon we'll smile about today. Soon will come too soon. Don't let it slip away. Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future. Don't let it slip away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billionaire Habits You Can Steal Whatever you get in life is a result of your daily habits. What is a habit? According to the dictionary, it is a settled or regular tendency or practice. It is also, especially, one that is hard to give up. Good habits or bad - they are hard to give up. If that's the case, you may as well choose good habits. In a survey of 233 self-made millionaires, here's what they did that lower-income earners didn't - Get up early, read a LOT, and spend 15 - 30 minutes each day on focused thinking. Good habits, done daily, create success. Make exercise a priority, spend time with people that inspire them, and pursue their own goals. Settled habits create settled success. Get enough sleep, have multiple incomes, and avoid time-wasters. If you're not getting the desired results, there is a high likelihood that you're not giving up your current habits. Until you establish new habits, little will change. When you do, everything will change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Success Follows Intention An epidemic infecting dreamers worldwide is nothing more than a dream buster. Living a happy life, enjoying amazing relationships, and making more money? It seems that everyone has intention. Some intentions are good. Some intentions are bad. In any case, moving from having intentions to succeed requires two steps: 1) Intention becomes actionable when you DECIDE to follow through on your intention. If not, nothing will happen. When you do, move on to the next step. 2) Once you’ve DECIDED to follow through on your intention, ACTION is required. What kind? Actions that form a direct path to your anticipated outcome. Become the kind of person that knows what you want, decides to do it, and follows through until you get it. That’s how you become unstoppable! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Focus and Achieve Your Goals I was speaking with a young man who was doing something familiar. He was living in two realities: 1) He had finished school; one reality was pursuing his dream career.  2) While he worked toward his dream, he earned a job certification to pay the bills. During our conversation, he said something that got my attention. “I’m hoping I can get a good job supporting my dream.” My ears perked up. Years of Coaching allow me to hear de-focused and dream-erasing thoughts loud and clear.  Yes, everybody needs to pay their bills. However, what you focus on is what you get. When the certainty of earning income becomes your focus, dreams disappear. What you focus on is what you get. Most folks don’t notice their dreams are gone for twenty years. What you focus on is what you get. Focus your mind and actions on turning your dreams into reality. Whatever you do to earn a living falls into the category of necessary and temporary.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Change Your Life in 30 Days or Less Only a silly person thinks you can change everything about your life in 30 days - right? Call me silly, but everything I've ever done was rooted in a 30-day sprint - even if I didn’t know it. Here's how you do it: 1) Set what Napoleon Hill calls a Major Definite Purpose or a Big Ass Goal. 2) Stop negative self-talk. Others may throw sticks and stones; don't throw them at yourself. 3) List all the reasons you CAN be successful. Make it a long list. 4) Decide that you will do whatever it takes to reach your goal. For the next 30 days, nothing will stop you. The impossible becomes possible when you are focused, willing to take massive imperfect action, and won't take no for an answer. By the way… When you seek or follow your purpose in life, your life will become one big non-stop happiness sprint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Permission is Not Required For Happiness You do not need permission to live life according to your terms. Researching your direction and path is smart. It’s okay to ask for advice and guidance. It’s even okay to persuade others to take the journey with you. You don’t need permission to be yourself and live your life.   You don’t need a big storyline.   You don’t need approval from anyone else.   You can start whenever you choose. Here’s a secret that will help you adjust your mindset - Most folks don’t care about you. They’re too busy thinking about themselves. If that’s the case, it sure seems silly to ask for permission - right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Setting Boundaries and Expectations Imagine how your life would improve if everybody understood what to expect. Expectations are powerful. You get to decide how you approach the world. Pay attention to these three questions: 1) What do you expect of yourself?  2) What do you expect of others? Clearly, understand what you expect of others. That allows you to avoid surprises - and toxic relationships. 3) What do others expect of you? When you let others know what they can expect of you - and walk your talk - you are living with integrity. Your life will always be more comfortable when you know what to expect of yourself and others.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unavoidable Stages of Competence When I was young, stupid, and wondering when I would understand life, I often turned to Zig Ziglar for a road map.  Zig's Stages of Competence was what I needed: 1) Stage One is where we begin. We are "Unconscious Incompetent." We don't know what we don't know. 2) Stage Two is called "Conscious Incompetent." I spent a lot of time there. I used to say, "I have no idea what I'm doing - but at least I admit it." 3) Stage Three is "Unconscious Competent." People who have no idea how good they are.  4) Stage Four is "Conscious Competent." That is your goal. To know what you are doing - and OWN it!  Most people continue to another level that some call "Conscious Competence." The ability to recognize and develop Unconscious Competence in others. You will become who you were meant to be when you learn how to get there, do the work, and recognize your achievement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Purpose Based Goals Are you a goal-setter?  Goals are the heartbeat of your life. Without Goals, life tends a meander with no real direction.  Goals are GOOD. But what happens when you miss your Goal?  Yes, you might want to give up, but it’s not the end of the world.  Missing a deadline doesn't always mean you missed your Goal.  Missing a Goal only means that you are using a particular result to define achievement. You might consider using outcome-based goal setting when your Goal doesn't need a specific "How" or "When."  In other words, you'll get there when you get there. Better yet, always make sure that your goals are fueling your purpose. When you do that, time doesn’t matter anymore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life Changing Questions I'll keep it quick today. Besides, you'll be busy thinking after you read these questions. (Now would be a good time to pull out your journal and make a few notes.) 1) What do I want to do? 2) What do I want to have? 3) Where do I want to go? 4) What contribution do I want to make? 5) What do I want to become? 6) What do I want to learn? 7) Who do I want to spend my time with? 8) How much money do I want to earn, save, and invest? 9) How much time do I want off? 10) What will I do to create optimum health? Your mind is now officially in a different place. Enjoy the ride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Create More Time in Your Day How would you like more time in your day - or at least to feel that way? I hope to enjoy a fantastic weekend that will feel like a month. Like a vacation as a child that seemed to last forever.  Wouldn't it be cool to capture that feeling every day? It is possible to enjoy your own time machine when you understand that time is relative. Your perception of time will determine how you experience your day.  Try this: 1) Embrace anticipation. Focus your excitement on what is to come instead of what is in the past. 2) Slow down. Being busy for the sake of being busy will make time seem to pass quickly. So will life. 3) Introduced LOTS of sensory input for your mind to ponder. Complex thoughts, colorful visuals, and even music will make it seem like your day is never-ending. You may not be able to stop the world from spinning faster and faster. That doesn’t mean you have to participate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behavior Hacks That Change Everything Your mind is the most powerful super-computer ever created. Here are a few ways to hack it and transform your life. 1) Start using a "Good Enough" approach. Perfectionism is doing nothing to move you forward. 2) Use your ONE mind to do ONE thing. Multitasking is splitting your focus and energy. It's also delaying your success. 3) Let go of control. Some things are not up to you. Figure out what they are and move on. 4) Say NO to anything that does not directly support your Goals. Do what you KNOW will get you what you want. Don't do something in hopes of getting what you want. 5) Hang out with supportive, positive, and nurturing people. Let toxic people create their own group. 6) Be willing not to be liked. If you avoid making folks unhappy, you're not moving toward your dreams. 7) Focus on the story of YOU. Minimize social media and television. When you do, you also minimize the influence others have on you. Notice how most hacks are simply relying on yourself first.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mindset Shifts for a Better Life "On your last day on earth, the person you became will meet the person you could have become." — Anonymous You're smart. You're not going to let that happen to you - right?  Here are seven mindset shifts to make sure you are living on purpose right now - 1) Live a good lifestyle. Eat good stuff and exercise. 2) Think long-term. Find your groove and stick with it. 3) Play BIG. Small thinking is not why you were born. 4) Be responsible. No more excuses. That’s the only way to be happy. 5) Learn to be more flexible. Stop being hard-headed. Go with the flow to get what you want. 6) Embrace hard work. There is no Magic Bullet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You Don't Need Failure For Success Have you ever wondered how to succeed in a long-term Goal?  Without endless nights of crying yourself to sleep? It won't help to remind you that everything is hard before it gets easy. Or that if it were easy, everybody would do it - right? Try this: 1) Know what you want. Easy peasy. 2) Find a Coach and train, train, train. Get a real Coach. Counting on Google to help you master your new skill is not a good plan. 3) Trust your training while you practice, practice, practice. You'll get better. I promise. 4) Commit to continuing until you reach your Goal - no matter what. Yes, it will be hard. Then again, you'll soon be one of those lucky people are blessed with a life others envy. Finally - Be sure to trust your most important Coach - YOU! Listen to your gut, what is calling you, and keep moving forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Big Do You Dream? How big do you dream? I hope it's not tiny. That would be a bummer. Dreaming big is not really what you think. Please don't feel like you must save the world or be a Rock Star. Making millions of dollars doesn't always fit into that category, either. Don't believe me?  Why are so few folks unable to do that? Living a stress-free life, spending time with family, or doing an excellent job for your employer is pretty big - right? Dreaming big is about imagining something important to YOU - not anybody else.  When you dream big, it becomes easy to set goals and take action to live your dream life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get What You Want… FAST! Would you like a shortcut to getting anything you want in life? Would you like to get there quicker, faster, and easier? Since you're a mover and a shaker, you know the value of using goals in your day-to-day life. Goals are those magical gems that give you the power to turn your dreams into reality. Here's the simple secret to achieving massive success with your goals. Commit yourself ONLY to take action that moves you closer to your goal. Period. Stay focused, say "No," and slice and dice the day to create motion in the direction of your choice. Keep going until you get there.  Once you succeed, keep perfecting your actions until they run on autopilot.   Your next great adventure can wait until you complete your current journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Others See Your Greatness  Whether in business, having a job, going to school, or living your life, your ability to present well will supercharge your success. Here are five tips I use every day: 1) Understand that most folk only expect you to wow them. They are not expecting bad. You shouldn't either. 2) Join the conversation THEY already have inside their head, not the one YOU are having. 3) You'll move faster if you drop the small talk and dig into the meat of your communication. You can fill in additional information later. 4) The sooner you get people to suspend disbelief and engage with you, the sooner you will succeed. 5) Stop overkill. Find the first best place to take your exit and bring your meeting to an end. You're going to be amazed at how well this works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Do You Procrastinate? Are you a member of the Procrastination Club? If so, you participate in one of the most popular groups ever devised. Everybody joins eventually. So, what is procrastination? "The intentional and habitual postponement of an important task that you should do now." Is it possible that you are not procrastinating?  Maybe you're just forcing yourself to do something you don't need or want to do anyway? Maybe you're getting caught up in the caught up? Making busy, keeping up with the Jones? There's so much you can do today. How many are you procrastinating, and how many should you toss off your list? Remember… When you do what fuels your soul you’ll never procrastinate again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop Letting Others Control You This morning I received an email from a member I haven't heard from in years. Many years. He wanted to update me on his life. This kind of thing happens all the time. Folks jump into the Personal Development game and hang out for a while. Eventually, they disappear. I never worry about it because it means they must put what they've learned in place. In his note, he thanked me for giving him a nugget that turned that was the catalyst he needed to begin his journey. I said. "If you don't take control of yourself, somebody else will take control of it for you." I wonder? Is it scarier and more frustrating to have somebody else pulling your strings - or pulling them yourself? You already know the answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Primary Morning Focus I love the quiet, peaceful mornings, but I'm not too fond of mornings happening so early. Still, the focus, creativity, and feeling of momentum that comes with getting up before the chickens have such value that I needed getting up a bit easier. My solution is to drop the complicated and establish a simple routine.  I begin by deciding the area I'm currently prioritizing and choosing a "first thing" task to move me closer to my goal. Next, I set myself up for success the night before. Depending on my task, I make notes, organize my desk, and get my gym clothes ready - whatever it takes to prepare. Finally, when I wake up, I get licked by the dogs, take care of my personal needs, read something inspirational for five minutes or less, and start my day. No distractions. No email, social media, or news. Just start. My goal is to make my primary focus the first thing I do in the morning before life gets in the way. It works like a charm. There's a reason the Marines do more before 9 AM than everybody else. Now it's your turn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get Yourself to Take Action People often ask what steps are needed to increase productivity and get more done. That’s easy. It always comes down to understanding how the action moves you forward. Like any good story, life IS a story. All actions have a beginning, middle, and end. Anything else is stumbling along - which is easy to do if you’re not paying attention. Here’s how you sum up actions in three steps: The beginning is “Access Actions,” which determine the steps needed to get your project moving. The middle is about momentum and achievement. “Advancing Actions” move you toward benchmarks and help you monitor your progress, and make iterations and adjustments. “Achievement Actions” are those steps required to complete your project with no loose ends. Taking action. It’s not about getting things done so you can work more. It’s about getting things done so you can play more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diagnosing How To Help Others Have you ever felt the desire to help others? Do you want to help them figure things out? Make more money? Recover from a bad experience?  Maybe you want to make a difference in the world yourself. I’ve always believed that our power to help others is a side benefit of being ourselves - and having a structure to follow - 1) A person in need desires an outcome. It makes no sense to offer advice until we know what they seek. That puts us on the same page. 2) Next, find out their problems, actions, and results. Then, relate them to what you have found works.  3) Now that you’ve heard their struggle, you can make specific recommendations to move their life positively. Helping others is a lot like being a Doctor. Listen. Examine. Prescribe. Take action. Follow up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happiness Walks For years, I've built a reputation for being a guy that never misses a chance for a good conversation. Sometimes I head out the door for a good old-fashion "Talkabout" - an ode to Crocodile Dundee's "Walkabout." I'm not sure when it began, but since exploring life's possibilities is a core value, I know why; there is no better way to learn something new than striking up a random conversation with another human.  But there are rules: 1) You must be focused on exploring and open to following whatever direction the conversation goes. No judgment. No challenging.  2) Your mouth should be open as little as possible. Everything you say should focus on learning more from the person in front of you. 3) No matter what you hear, remember that you checked your ego; you are here to listen and learn. When you feel the need to make it about you, it's time to move on to the next conversion. Maybe I should start calling them "Listenabouts." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's Your Life Vision? Do you have an image of what you would like your life to be - except when life gets in the way? There's no doubt that daily life events have a funny way of distracting us from reaching goals. It's just too easy to put them on the back burner. That's why you need to become the keeper of your vision. Every day thousands of opportunities will arrive on your path and detour you from what you want. That's why it's up to you to guard your vision by asking a simple question -  Will this opportunity move me closer to the lifestyle I desire or further away? Simple. Know YOUR vision. Defend YOUR vision. Live YOUR Vision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living a Curated Life Sometimes I wonder if it’s possible to live an authentic life that looks the same from the inside and outside. In other words, can you walk your talk and have everybody understand what you are saying?  My wife and I visited St. Augustine a few weeks ago and spent several hours in the Lightner Museum. On the surface, it was an interesting collection of stuff that didn’t seem to go together - except that it did. Like all good museums and lives, it was well curated. Our day-to-day lives are much the same—a collection of experiences and things we understand but others may not. We may also feel fear over expressing ourselves. We may not even believe it’s possible. Then again, you’re already doing it anyway - right? Another fear we have is what others will think about the crazy lives we’ve built - which can hold us back too. That’s why it’s time to curate your life. When you walk into the Lightner Museum, it is a collection of collections. Each individual is unique, with nothing to do with others on display. However, when you curate all the crazy collections into one group, magic happens. It’s the same as what with your life. Accept who you are on the inside and curate your collation of dreams and desires into a personal experience that makes sense to you - then present it to the world and watch what happens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So, What Do You Do? Two people came into a restaurant and walked up to the bar. While it sounds like the setup for a joke, what's about to happen is much more serious. My friend and New York Times Best Selling Author, Joel Comm, has a favorite question for times like these - So, What Do You Do? Asking that simple question can propel hours of conversation - as proven by my client. While attending an event, she was standing at a bar when the gentleman next to her asked, "So what do you do?" Her quick response was to say, "Anything I want!" Obviously, her answer caused question marks to rise from her new friend's ears as curiosity rose. Frankly, my client's answer wasn't the defacto narrative she had spewed for years. She's nearing an early retirement, and her next phase is unclear. Still, she knew one thing— she wasn't going to talk about the past-- and that scared her to death. She was also fearful of what others will think, say, and do about her response. She should not have been. Asking, "So, what do you do" is an excellent door-openers that allow us to not talk about ourselves and express interest in others - something everybody loves. It's also an opportunity for you to give an honest answer that will likely stimulate the imagination of the person you are speaking to. Talk about a great conversation starter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Practice Makes Greatness It’s been said that Practice makes perfect.  That might be true if you were able to practice perfectly. If that were the case, why would you need to practice? Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent.   Practice bad thinking, and you will get all the bad thoughts you could ever want. Practice makes permanent. Practice bad manners and are sure to get better at being rude. Practice makes permanent. Practice bad relationship skills, and you are guaranteed to miss out on the best life has to offer. Practice makes permanent. It is always that way, it will never change, and you can harness its power. Practice being positive, forward-thinking, and believing that life is good. That’s what you will get. Practice being a good person that is always thinking of others. You will find yourself surrounded by good people. Practice being present, respectful, and loving in your relationships. You will never be alone. Yes, practice makes permanent, but it also makes for greatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your Happiness Equation Is there a magic formula for happiness? Yes. It comes down to how you look at the world. Most folks do one of two things: 1) They view everything from an emotional place. When life is good, everything is excellent. When things go wrong, life is terrible. Remaining stuck in the emotional zone is like writing a letter in the sand with a rising tide; it will never stick around long enough to make you happy. 2) Others view the world from a black-and-white and logical perspective. But life is not always logical. Using your analytical brain for everything is like painting a wall black and expecting a rainbow of colors. I’ve found the best way is to naturally ride the highs and lows of emotions, tap into logic to navigate what crosses our path, and get back to the fun of emotions as soon as possible. Emotion + Logic + Emotion = Happiness. First and foremost, humans are emotional creatures that will not change. But logic allows us to sort through our feelings and make the best decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raising Your Self-Confidence I got off the phone with a client who told me I insulted her with a comment on a recent call. I said, “Your self-confidence is low, and that’s okay. Everybody has low self-confidence - even if they walk with a swagger that says otherwise.” It turns out she had spent the entire day thinking about my comment. She didn’t realize that I was only referring to a moment in time along her journey.  We had a short conversation and sorted things out. Afterward, I sent this - No matter how long you live, how much you succeed, or how much swagger you have in your walk, there will always be someplace where you feel like the underdog. It’s the same way for everybody. As soon as you take the next step, your self-confidence is forever boosted - until the next step arrives. The process will continue throughout your life. If you want unstoppable self-confidence, get used to feeling uncomfortable and taking action anyway.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if everything you did today came with no limitations and good consequences?   What could you do with your life? Limitations can be helpful. Staying within speed limits keeps you from getting tickets. That's good. Limiting yourself to a job that doesn't serve you? That's bad.  Fear of change usually creates limitations. Or is it the fear of harmful consequences?  What would happen if all consequences were good?  Asking someone on a date may cause fear and hold you back. That all goes away the instant you hear, "Yes!" Reach for the good! Roll through your day believing that you are ten feet tall and bulletproof. Anything is possible! The Universe might prove you right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a simple formula that you can apply to get what you want, enjoy the process, and ensure that it will last for a lifetime. 1) Get clarity. You must clearly define what you want. When you don’t know your path, you will drift with frustration. 2) Accurate Thinking. Assume that you are not getting the correct information. Double-check and confirm. Then move forward. The more accurate your understanding of your plan, the more comfortable and quicker it will be to get there. 3) Leverage. You may think that you can do all the heavy lifting yourself, and you can see in the beginning. But why? You’ll get there faster if you find a way to leverage every action for maximum results. Don’t go it alone. 4) Systemization. Create ritualized actions that move you closer to what you want. Once there, automate those actions. Your purpose required an operating system to stay focused and on track. Get what you want to be using CALLS to action: Clarity. Accurate Thinking. Leverage. Systemization.   Life is about to get much more relaxed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a child, I remember heading out the door for a day in an endless adventure. It usually concluded with a game of Hide-And-Seek.   Those days seemed to last forever. These days, most of us are still running until the sun goes down. But there's so much to do that we rarely have time to ponder the bigger picture. Remember- You will always find time for your most important tasks. You will eat, sleep, pay bills, feed the dog, and take care of your children - no matter how crazy life gets. When life gets crazy, and you scream, "Something has to GIVE…" it's usually your dreams for the future that get put off. Steven Covey reminded us how important it is to focus on what's important as much as possible. Make sure you put yourself on the list too. Then, when life goes off the rails, fix it as soon as possible, get back to what's essential, and keep moving. Not all dreams come true, but the important ones always seem to come your way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm sure you have a lot to do. If you use a To-Do list, I'd like to pass on advice to make your days much more fun. LOSE your "To-Do List." Replace it with a" Did I Do It List."  To-Do Lists make you a slave to the checkmark. They cause more stress the longer they get.  A" Did I Do It List" assumes you know what must be done. Instead of chasing, you are checking to make sure you did it.  An un-focused path produces additional tasks to fill your day. Using a "Did I Do It List" will focus you on your goals and create quick results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you remember what it was like to be in 1st grade? It was when everybody lavished you with encouragement for being YOU - and because you finished your art project without eating the glue. Those were beautiful times. But you may have noticed things have changed since you were okay to take a nap in the middle of class. You grew up. Yes, growing into an adult brings many mentors your way. They do their best to motivate and inspire you. But you know in your heart that they can only do so much. It's up to you to drive yourself in the direction of your dreams. That's called adulting. I say it's time to PYOTB, my friend!   YOU are your own BEST Cheerleader. Don't sit around waiting for somebody to make you feel good. Pat yourself on the butt. Scream, "I done GOOD!"   It's going to be the best day ever! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mapping Your Success Wouldn’t it be great if you had a plan to help you get what you want?  What you need is M.A.P.S. - a system that gets thinking out of the way and focuses on actions in four areas: Motivation - Everything begins with motivation and knowing ‘WHY’ you set your goals. Stay motivated. Accountability: Being accountable and accepting responsibility for your results will empower your success. Saying, ‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me’ is a great way to get started. Planning: Plan your work, work you plan. It’s simple. If you can’t plan it, you won’t be able to do it. Systemization: The first steps of any worthy goal are difficult. As you get more comfortable with your process, lock in the actions and repeat them until you get what you want. Sustainability: Everything takes longer than you think. Momentum is built in life by stacking your accomplishments sequentially. Make sure you set yourself up for the long haul. The freedom you desire rests on a stable and repeatable foundation. Motivation, Accountability, Planning, Systemization, and Sustainability.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have a saying - “Next year begins THIS year. Next month begins THIS month. Next week begins THIS week.” If you want to stay on track, accomplish your goals, and enjoy life more - you MUST take control of your calendar. It’s easier than you think: 1) Life will come at you FAST! Schedule any significant and can’t-miss life event at least one year in advance. Put it on the calendar and block it out. You can always change your mind. 2) Hold your space. Decide in advance what you will be doing with your days. When will you work on projects? When will you see clients? When will you have fun?  3) Never end one week without locking in your schedule for the next - and stick to it.  Focus, my friend. Focus. The future is always brighter when your day-to-day focus fulfills your goals this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turn Obstacles Into Opportunity Have you ever wondered how much easier things would be if you didn’t have to think so much? What if the future or your past didn’t matter? Imagine if you didn’t worry about the possessions, success, or drama of others? What would happen if you believed that YOU were in control?  Now you are starting to think like a Stoic Philosopher. Stoicism is about paring down and simplifying. They eliminate unproductive traits that define the majority of the population. One of the most common is turning obstacles upside down, creating opportunities, and seeing them as teachable moments. For a Stoic, every bad thing becomes a new source of good.  Marcus Aurelius said it this way,  “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in your way becomes the way.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listening to Yourself First Growing up, I was an energetic, enthusiastic, and excitable child. I never let a day go by without challenging something - usually with my mouth. Thanks to those responsible for turning me into a good person, I learned a valuable lesson when they said- “Listen twice as much as you speak. You have two ears and one mouth for a reason.” You’ve heard that before, and in today’s fast-paced world, knowing when to put a zipper on your lips is critical. But I’ve also learned to take that advice to a new level to get what I want. I call it going “Dark.” When you go “Dark,” you have chosen to listen to others less. Yes, you are still listening, caring, and interacting with those around you. You’ve decided to listen to yourself twice as much instead. The world we live in today makes it seem as though it’s impossible to get what you want without others. There are endless hours of interacting, Googling, ZOOMing, Texting, and more. It’s as if we’ve lost permission to think and do for ourselves. We can’t move forward without the social approval of those around us when the exact opposite is true. Something extraordinary happens when you give yourself space to listen to yourself more. Your creative mind and talents flourish—your positive energy rebounds. You feel more present and find more meaning in your life. Going “Dark” makes your life brighter, and good stuff happens. When you take the time to slip away into your own space, you develop into the person you were meant to be.  Removing yourself from the buzz of the world gives you a new kind of energy. And you do it without anybody’s permission or without anybody knowing.  When you emerge, everybody will notice that you are different. They will listen when you speak, seek your advice, and be attracted to you in a new way.  Who knew that listening twice as much as you speak works even better when you listen to yourself twice as much as you listen to others? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hungry Pilots, Hot Donuts, And Your Goals Have you noticed that airplanes fly crooked? It makes you wonder how the Pilot ever gets where they want to go. Hmm… they must have a great goal!  Here’s what happens when you set a goal or fly an airplane. In an airplane heading to a destination, winds will do their best to blow you off course. That’s why pilots turn their aircraft into the wind. They call it Wind Correction. The same thing happens when you set a Goal. While you may prefer a straight path, you will likely run into winds that will blow you off course. Your spouse disagrees with your plans. Your boss demands more hours. Your kids, friends, and responsibilities keep you further away from your dreams. I think it’s time to start thinking like a hungry pilot who sets their flight plan to a distant city with a Kristy Kreme donut store that is just about to turn in the ‘Hot Donuts’ sign. What’s the lesson? Keep an eye on your final destination. Always set goals that factor in winds that will blow you off your course. Make minor corrections until you get where you’re heading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Create More Time Wouldn’t it be great if you could create more time in your day without giving anything up?  The secret is how you prioritize the projects that are already on your plate. That requires a simple understanding: 1) Working on multiple products at the same time only delays the completion of all the projects. 2) When you complete a product not only is it off your plate, it begins producing your expecting results. It also frees up time to move on to your next project. The next time that you are trying to find more time ask - “What can I finish right now that will give me more time tomorrow - and every day after that?” You are going to love how you have so much more time in your day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Face Your Passion: Building Your Bridge Changing something about your life is pretty straightforward.  Figure out what you want and change it. Are you done laughing? Most folks fall on the way to their dreams because they don't move, move at the wrong time, or move too fast. That's why, once you know what you want, it's time to build your bridge. Here’s how: 1) Fortify your current foundation. Save money, pay bills, do whatever it takes to create a firm and peaceful base to build. 2) Begin constructing the foundation for your new life. Go to school, network, research, and plan. Do everything in your power to assure your success with no regret. 3) When you're ready, leave your past behind, cut off the old, and begin living your new life. Be patient. Wait until you are at least 70% ready to succeed before you cross to the other side.   Success arrives when you move from a strong TODAY to a stronger TOMORROW. Don’t leap too soon, but don’t delay either. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winston Churchill’s Steps For Change As we get into the New Year, I've noticed that people are getting back to their old ways. That's okay. It's a journey. But what is that journey? Winston Churchill said, "To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to have changed often."  And it helps if you understand the stages of change: 1) Pre-Contemplation. You may intend to take action but are unaware that your behavior is the problem.  2) Contemplation. You recognize the problem and start to debate the pros and cons of your actions. 3) Preparation. You intend to take action soon. You may even begin small steps. 4) Action. The process of making the specific changes required to create your new life begins. 5) Maintenance. Sustain your efforts for at least six months. You will likely achieve a life-long transformation. 6) Termination. You have zero temptation and are sure you will not return to your old unhealthy habits. Winston Churchill said something else - "For myself, I am an optimist — it does not seem to be much use being anything else." Daily Click For myself, I am an optimist — it does not seem to be much use being anything else, said Winston Churchill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wisdom Starter Thoughts Everything you do is guided by what you think is logical in your mind. Just like everything I do is directed by my Scott LOGIC. Is it common sense? Is it experience-based? Is it how you choose to live? Yes. But mostly, it is the filter in your mind at work. Here are a few of my filters: Life is long enough. But not for everybody. Life goes quickly. But not if you're bored. Life passes slowly when you are fishing. Some people are too serious. Others are not serious enough. Both disagree with the other. You must stand in another person's shoes to understand how they see you. The reward for hard work is a chance to work more. The reward for laziness is a chance to be lazy more. Turning off your phone means it won't ring. Most things in life should be in moderation. Excess is good now and then.   It takes a fraction of the time to read a good book as it does to write one. That makes reading a book a good investment of your time. People who read more good books earn more money. People who don't read don't understand why others earn more. Saying "I don't care" means you do - at least about something. Everything you experience is filtered through what you hold as the truth. Choose what you hold carefully. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life in Default Mode There is a myth floating around that life is more fun when you are spontaneous. That’s true, but not all the time. Happiness and success are most common among folks who live in a Default Mode.  In other words, they figure out what works for them and keep doing it. Living in Default Mode makes life predictable for you and everybody around you. It limits decision-making and establishes continuity. It’s a behavior that reduces stress and improves happiness. Living your life in Default Mode is the fastest way to reaching your goals - your way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Get Lazy Success I have an admission to make.  I'm a bit lazy. Yes, I also like to work harder than most people. Still, I'm lazy when doing things I don't want to be doing. It's been said that when you do what you love to do, you will never work another day in your life. Frankly, I've found it to be quite the opposite. What I do is difficult and takes a lot of time and effort.  But I enjoy it?  Still, I'm lazy. I want everything to be easy, and I want it now. I don't think I'm different than anybody else. I'm lazy. I'm driven. I'm lazy. I think I made my point. And if you know me well, you may be thinking; he's not that lazy.  Oh yes, I am… While it may take a long time to master the skill required to make things easy for myself, I'm only willing to go through the hard work if it allows me to be lazy - eventually. And do you know what the coolest thing is about being lazy? Your initial hard work allows you to be lazy and makes what you do look easy to others. Too bad for them. I guess they were sleeping and binging Netflix when you were preparing to make it look easy and be lazy. Here's today's life lesson. It's good to be lazy, as long as you are willing to do the work required to allow you to be lazy - someday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ritualistic Success Steven Covey called it sharpening the saw. If you take a break to sharpen the blade, you will always cut more wood. The same applies to life. My formula is Ritual, Rest, Rejuvenate, Reactivate. Repeat: 1) Success comes when you perform ritual actions every day. Figure out what works and do it. 2) Running full-out all the time is not sustainable. You must stop and rest. 3) Resting allows your body and mind to rejuvenate and become healthy again. 4) When you are ready, it's time to reactivate into action mode. 5) Repeat until you get what you want. It's easier to cut more wood when you take a break to sharpen your saw. A walk in the park on a busy day counts too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You Deserve to Say YES to Yourself Do you ever wish you had a less complicated life?  Even if your job and life are overcomplicated out of necessity, like launching a rocket or performing brain surgery, you can still simplify everything. How do you do it? The fact is, the actions you are taking in your life and your job are probably not causing the overwhelm. It's the people and the results that are causing you to feel that way. The easier way to under-complicate is to begin saying "No" to the arbitrary and unattainable demands of others and focus exclusively on the results you want.  Here are a couple of ideas: 1) Practice the law of "Good Enough." Perfectionism is over-rated. It will waste years of productive time that you could use to enjoy life. Set your own standards and rise to them. 2) Get good at saying "No." Make that two-letter word your default answer for everything. And remember, sometimes, saying nothing at all gets the same result. 3) Keep in mind that the only thing you must do in life is taking a BREATH. Everything else is optional and self-inflicted.  Leonardo da Vinci said," Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."  Why not show everybody how sophisticated you are? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Steps to Change Your Life Creating a difference in your life is a non-stop process that requires simple actions to help you get what you want. And it is, after all, about getting what you want and keeping what you love. You’ll always go through these steps: 1) Decide. Everything begins with your decision to head off in a new direction. While sometimes you may feel like you’ve made a decision, if you’re not moving, you haven’t. 2) Define. Aimless wandering is fun when that’s what you’ve decided to do. Otherwise, it’s frustrating, exhausting, and takes place more than you think. When you define your path, you get to walk your path. 3) Deploy. As dull as the advice may be, putting your plan into action is the only way for you to get what you want. If you don’t deploy, you don’t get it. 4) Defend. After working so hard to get what you want, you can guarantee that something or somebody will try to take away your results. That’s not good or bad. That’s life. When you find what you love, be sure to defend it so you never lose it. Simple. I like simple Simple works! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Questions To Ask Before You Begin Everybody has dreams. Daydreams, dreams while you sleep, and dreams of what you wish for the future. I’ve always believed that dreams are goals you have nurtured to become real in your life.  But how do you know if the voice speaking to your heart will lead you in the right direction? Brant Pinvidic’s book, The 3-Minute Rule, has four questions that will help: 1) What is it? Do you understand exactly what you want?  2) How does it work? How will you go about reaching your goal? What will likely be the outcome? 3) Can you do it? Is your plan reasonable? Do you have the time, skills, money?  4) Are you sure? If you are willing to put in the effort, are you confident you can achieve your goal? Use these when something is holding you back. I promise. The clarity you are seeking is around the corner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morning Routines That Work For You You hear a lot about using morning rituals to get more done. But what if you could use your mornings to get more done for YOU? In the fast-face world, we live in today; there seem to be two groups when it comes to how to use mornings—personal and productive. Once folks remove themselves from the craziness of jumping out of bed, taking care of the kids, and hitting the drive-through, they choose one of the two.  But what if there was a third group that was more satisfying? Before I go on, I need to admit that I didn't use to be a morning person and didn't like getting up early at all. I even quit my first couple of jobs as a morning radio host so I could sleep.  Later in my career, I would hit my desk at 5 AM and pound through my to-do list as fast as possible. I must have been saying, "I…MUST… GET… IT… DONE!" That didn't work well because I didn't see the purpose of getting out of bed early if it was only to work. For a few years, I spent my mornings reading and meditating before heading off to the gym. I got in better shape, but my bank balance was less, and my future goals were seemingly unreachable. Then, one day out of pure frustration and sporting a brand-new I don't give a heck attitude, I asked myself a question that changed everything - "What's the first thing I should do tomorrow morning that, if I do, will allow me to live a life of my design?" Notice that I didn't ask about work or what was on my to-do list. It didn't have anything to do with getting more done or getting in better shape. I focused on the lifestyle I wanted to live - and it was life-changing. In the years since I made that decision, I've started my days doing the most important thing I deem required to live the life of my choosing, and I've been happier for it. I've also come across dozens of morning do-gooders who are getting everything done, except what they dream of doing, and when they realize it's not their fault, everything changes. They got caught up in the buzz of life, and everyone does. But, the minute you choose to focus on YOU before anything else is when you start making real progress. When you focus on what is important to you, you get what is important to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t Break Your Success Chain I’ll never forget the day a friend called and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse - and I didn’t. Rob was an event promotor who had snagged the chance to book an up-and-coming comedian named Jerry Seinfeld into a local venue. He needed somebody to warm up the audience and introduce Jerry. I was all in when he agreed to cover my drink tab and let me hang out with Jerry before the show. It was 1986, and Jerry’s television series about nothing was still in development. I know that because it’s what we talked about before the show. As he munched on veggies and sipped sparkling water, I’ll never forget how focused he was on getting what he wanted. Tired and worn out from living on the road, I asked how he managed to keep going. He said — “I know exactly what I want. I’m a comedian, so I have to be funny. The only way to be funny is to write funny jokes. The only way to write funny jokes is to write every day. So, I write every day and put a big red “X” on the calendar. Eventually, there is a chain of X’s on the calendar. My goal is not to break the chain.”  Then, in a very Seinfeld way, he screamed, “Don’t break the chain! That’s how you get what.” Over the years, I’ve read that others have had the same conversation with Jerry. I’m guessing it was a rule of success that he practiced and shared often. I’m happy he shared it with me. As we begin 2023, pick an action and do it every day until you get so good people notice. And, whatever you do, “Don’t break the chain!” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are Smart Goals The Secret? I'm a big fan of setting big-ass goals. Dreaming BIG is my natural state - which is why S.M.A.R.T. goals are not all that smart. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound. While it may seem like a good plan, I can't wrap my head around not setting goals because they don't seem achievable or realistic. Excuse me? Since when did big- goals seem achievable and realistic?   If that were true, you would already be doing them. Anytime you are moving from dreaming into doing, you will be living in the land of crazy and scary. If you hold yourself to what is achievable and realistic, you might as well keep doing what you're doing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your Rules of Success If you study people who have had success in any area of their life, you will find they have much in common.  Not only do they follow a set of rules, but they also follow those rules no matter how much life gets in the way. What are those rules? The person who has the strongest "Why" wins. The person who shows up wins. The person who shows up on time wins. The person who is most persistent wins. The person show never assumes wins. The person who is the best at what they do wins. The person who plans and documents their journey and interactions wins. The person who never gives up total control to others wins. The person who acceptances responsibility for themselves wins. The person who serves the most wins. The person who is grateful for everything wins. The actions you take automatically become the life you experience. It's essential to be mindful of where you are heading.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are You Choosing a Word For The Year? Around this time every year, people begin to declare to me the WORD they have chosen to guide their life for the following year.  I like words - especially when combined with wisdom and a few wisecracks - but that might be just me.  Still, I'm always amazed at how excited people get and how much they believe their WORD will guide them into the next year. I'm jealous. I need a WORD, too - and that's where the trouble begins. I can't imagine choosing a single word to represent 365 days of getting after it. However, having a WORD is an emotional trigger and fires neurons in your brain to keep you moving, so why can't my WORD be several WORDS? Just like magic - they arrived… Simple. Sophisticated. Focused. Automated. Delegated. Deleted. Ritualistic.  It's a little Stoic, a little Tao, and a lot of Scott LOGIC - it works for me. If you could use an emotional supercharger, choose a WORD… or WORDS for the year… and see how the next year ROCKS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rules For a Happy Life 300 BC, political life was driving people crazy. To calm the masses, several schools of philosophy popped up. Stoicism still resonates powerfully today. 1. Don't enslave yourself to annoying people. 2. Choose reasonable expectations. 3. Pre-meditate those expectations. 4. You are a mind that is operating a bag of chemicals you call a body. 5. Stop pretending you know that things are bad. 6. You were put here to reason, so use it already. 7. Life is NOT too short. 8. Feel your emotions like a Stoic would. They are your power. 9. Anger is a choice. 10. When it comes down to it, we are dogs tied to the back of a cart. Sound wisdom never goes out of style. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Strangest Secret Earl Nightingale created one of the great motivational works of history. “The Strangest Secret” began as a tool to motivate his insurance company sales force. It is now a motivational standard. What is the Strangest Secret? 1) You become what you think. 2) You must pay the price. 3) We must control our thoughts. 4) Cut away all limitations of the mind. 5) Set a clearly defined goal.  6) Act promptly when your path is clear. 7) Save at least 10% of every dollar. What do you want more than anything else? Commit today to do more than you must to get it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Giving Up What You Are Not Are you striving for something different and confused about where to begin? I have a client who, after years of poor eating habits, had become over 100 pounds overweight. She decided to get healthy. She also had no idea how. My advice was simple. If your mind is telling you something you are doing is NOT who you are - just give up what you are NOT. In her case, she knew lousy food because she had been eating it for years. She gave it up.  She didn’t have time to go to the gym. She gave up what was stopping her. Too many activities were stealing the time she needed to heal herself. She gave them up. The small things that you DON'T DO make ALL the difference to your life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Accepting Your Passion No matter what activities you do in life, the goal of every road you travel should lead to happiness. After all, we don’t pursue ambitions, so we can be unhappy - right? With that in mind, your journey will be more pleasant and the outcome more predictable if you: 1) Begin by accepting WHO you are right now. It’s okay to desire change, but you begin where you are today. 2) Clearly understand WHAT you are doing when you are authentically being YOU. The core of who you are is not likely to change. More likely, you are seeking to get back to your real self. 3) Decide when you will start living your passion day-to-day. There’s no need to wait. It begins the instant you choose. Accepting your passion and deciding to make it a day-to-day reality will make today the best day of your life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Make The Year About Experience Happy New Year… almost. As we begin a brand new year, I have a question for you - What experiences will you have this year? Life is more fun when you choose a conscious experience. That requires planning, awareness, and setting expectations. As you set and achieve your goals, be sure to pay attention to your focus. While you take action, dial in your direction and create the authentic experience, you desire. It’s your choice, after all.  Jumping to the destination and skipping the experience of getting there takes all the fun out of your journey. Savor every step you took in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's Your Big Ass Goal for 2023? A new year is about to begin, and you may be setting goals. Is it time for a refresher? 1) Goals should be more significant than where you are today. They should stretch you to reach another level. Items on your To-Do list are not goals. 2) Goals should be timely. While you may have many goals, only a few can demand your attention at any one time. Attempting to focus on too many goals simultaneously slows progress.  3) Big goals begin with decisive clarity and continue with strong commitment. One more thing. Be specific about your goals, how you describe them, and WHY you want to achieve them. You'll be far more likely to get what you want. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christmas Day, Every Day The season is filled with excitement, wonder, and stress. Our tribe comes together and reminds each other it's time to celebrate. This is the most spiritual time of year. I find a calmness in Christmas Eve that allows me to soak in the true meaning of Christmas... If I give it a chance. And... on Christmas Day I always get lots of gifts. But my favorite gift - is the gift of dreaming. As a child, I used to imagine what Christmas would bring... and I still do.... and you should too. The best part is - nobody has to give you anything, and you can still dream. And dreaming is the very beginning of the Law of Attraction. When you dream, you are beginning a journey to a new reality. Dream everyday -It's good for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Secret to Doing What You Love Have you ever heard anyone say, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life?” You’ll work harder than you ever have - but you will LOVE every minute of it. Most people never have that experience because they miss the one thing they must do to live on their terms. “If you want to do what makes your heart sing, you have to do what makes the bell ring!” Yes. Making the bell ring means making money. After all, you must fund your fun - right? Have you ever been inside a Harley-Davidson dealership when a new motorcycle sells? They ring a bell. Not only because somebody’s dream is fulfilled but because somebody is about to be paid. When my son, Austin, was a young man, all he wanted to do was be a singer in a rock and roll band. He chased his dream for years - between paychecks. When he made the bell ring, he could fund more of his goal. I help many clients build income streams to align with their dreams. While they are eager to do what makes their hearts sing, I know my first goal must be to make the bell ring. It’s a fact of life. If you don’t have the income to support your dreams, dreams stay dreams. Does that scare you?  It shouldn’t. That’s what you have been doing your entire life. The difference is you’ve been funding what you don’t want instead of what you do. Say it loud, and say it proud - “If you want to do what makes your heart sing, you have to do what makes the bell ring!” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Setting The Stage For 2023 With a new year almost upon us, it’s time to crank up those 2023 goals. One of the most natural methods of achieving success is to stick to tried and true. That doesn’t mean you can’t move toward something more meaningful. You forgo new knowledge and skill and leverage what you already understand. No-brainer success assumes: 1) You already have experience and wisdom. You will learn any new skill if, and only if needed.   2) You will choose the path of least resistance. The goal is to get the results you want in the fastest period. No distractions. No zig-zagging.  3) Overthinking burns too many brain calories. If you find yourself confused and stuck, accept that you may need to reevaluate your plan. Do it fast. Human nature will compel you to clutter your success journey with distraction. Seek the direct route to the results you want. It’s a no-brainer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Committed to Your Goals in 2023 Woody Allen said, "Half of success is showing up."  I've thought about that quote many times over the years. There was something about its logic that didn't match up with my day-to-day experience.  Don't get me wrong, no matter what you want to do in your life, showing up is the first step in getting it. But I've shown up many times and ended up going home with the prize that I so much wanted. I've also seen others convinced that they'll advance toward their goals if they show up. Instead, they end up disappointed with their results. So, if showing up is getting you halfway, what's the other half? It's knowledge, work ethic, and communication, and people skills. And let's not forget your ability to commit to doing whatever it takes to get what you want. Some people don't show up, and some don't commit. Many do show up. Why don't they succeed? I remember the words spoken by my Paster moments before my wedding to my first wife, Sheryl. I was a 20-year-old kid, and he asked, "Do you know what makes a marriage work?" Without much thought, I said, "It's a 50/50 thing. As long as we show up for each other, it'll work." His response resonates with me to this day. "Success in anything is 100/100 thing. You show up and commit to giving it 100% of your effort all the time - and so does everybody else." So, yes. Showing up will get you halfway to your goal. But if you want to go all the way, you must commit to 100% and doing whatever it takes to get what you want.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Power of ONE Idea Are you the kind of person who is searching high and low for anything that will make you happy, get you married, bring in more money, or allow yourself to ignore the crazy world we live in today?  If I may, it’s time that stop searching and do this - Accept that ONE good idea, ONE good realization, or ONE good action can and will change your life instantly.  Before I continue, I'm not saying to focus on ONE thing as you'll find in Gary Keller's book. Nope. The ONE thing I'm talking about comes way before that. It has nothing to do with productivity, and it has everything to do with mindset and being specific. You don’t have to listen to me, but I’ll give you a pat on the back it you at least consider it.  You see, everything gets easier when you develop, understand and trust that ONE idea combined with day-to-day committed action will lead you to your dreams. And that's not 16-hour, hair on fire, run as fast as you can, bend all the rules, shatter relationships, and get what you want at all cost days. No. It's the exact opposite. When you buy into the mindset that ONE idea can and will change anything, you give yourself personal kick in the butt that launches you in a mindful and disciplined approach to find that ONE idea… or things… that you need. After that, steady plodding is all it takes.  Hmm… where did I hear before? Another I hear came from Zig Ziglar. He said, "Most of us are walking generalities. What you need to be is a meaningful specific." Owning a ONE idea mindset makes you and your journey meaningful. All you have to do is specifically target the actions required to get what you want every day, and the rest will take care of itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gift of Making a Decision As we approach the most spiritual time of year, I find more and more of my thoughts are focused on what my future will bring. But instead of drafting a list of goals, my mind seems to settle into a different place— What if I could give myself a gift that would instantly give me what I want? What if I don't have to chase my dreams and start living them instead? What if there was nothing in my way - ever? While that way of thinking may seem out of touch in today's world, it's not. It happens every day for millions of people worldwide, and it can happen for you too. Here's a simple truth— Everything changes instantly and, very likely, forever when you make a decision.  If you hate your job and decide to quit, everything changes. Everything changes instantly if you decide you need some space for yourself, turn your phone off, and take a walk in the woods. If you decide to say "Yes" to yourself and "No" to others more often, you experience change. I could go on forever, but I don't need to. If you've been alive for any length of time, you understand that you are only stuck until you decide not to be stuck. Once you make that decision, you are moving again. That's life. Is it easy? Are the limitations? Are there consequences?  Maybe, but many of them are good!  The point is that any directional change in your life is possible the instant you decide to recalculate the path you are walking. So this year, why not give yourself the gift of considering the possibility that the only thing standing in your way is you? If that's the case, why not get out of your way and just do what you say you want to do? Yes, I know you may not know what to do? Yes, I know you may not know how to do it? Yes, I know you may wonder how your life will be? All of that is true.  But you know that you want something different? Do you know what's not working? Do you know what you don't want in your life? That should be all the motivation you need to go for your dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Be More Positive Have you ever logged into your Facebook account and said, “Huh?” To yourself? Last night, I checked in at our https://dailyboostpodcast./facebook page, and there was a question. It was short, sweet, and made me pause… “Hi, Scott. How do you stay so positive all the time?” Now, I don’t think I’m positive ALL the time… but because of a choice I’ve made, I get there pretty fast. My reply was - “I believe that being positive is a choice and decision you make, and the commitment to being that way all the time.” I know we’re in a busy time of the year. It may be challenging to stay positive. Just remember… it’s your choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One Goal is All it Takes Let me start by saying that goal setting is powerful, and you should be doing it - but there is a good chance that you are overdoing it. It's human nature to set goals, and you do it daily without thinking. That's why it's so powerful. It's also why it's so easy to set so many goals that you can never get any of them done.  Let me define how I see goals. No matter what distracts me, I've come to think of goals in two ways: 1) Legacy Goals that I will spend my entire life achieving. 2) Living Goals that will propel me to my Legacy Goals. I didn't think this way for much of my life, but one day, I accepted that no matter what I was chasing, it was the "who I would become in my life and how do I get there" thoughts that were constantly rolling around in my head.  My internal ScottLOGIC told me that if I'm thinking about something anyway, I might as well think about it purposefully. Also, since I've never met anybody happy to pursue daily activities that didn't lead to something bigger, I knew that everything should always lead to something bigger. Anything else will eventually break your spirit - and that should never happen. As you set yourself up for a life of satisfaction, no matter how much life gets in the way, think of "Legacy Goals" as the top of a pyramid built on a foundation of "Living Goals."  "You must build up your life action by action, and be content if each one achieves its goal as far as possible — Marcus Aurelius. Your mission is to focus on daily "Living Goals" that are designed and intended for you closer to your "Legacy Goals,"  Stoic philosophy also says — The culmination of human endeavor or end is "happiness" or "flourishing."  For some, the idea of a single "Legacy Goal" may seem impossible. After all- How can you possibly know who you will become after an entire lifetime of living? How is it even possible that you can reach a goal you can't define? How is it possible to stay focused on one goal your entire life? Frankly, understanding how that works is something we don't need to worry about today. It's been debated, analyzed, and tweaked for eons. There's no need to overthink; only accept. If you live a happy and flourishing life, your Legacy will define itself. Someday, you will arrive at the person you are meant to be - and be happy for it. One goal is all it takes. Everything else is a step on the journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slow is Fast. Fast is Slow. I was riding my Harley-Davidson Road King a few days ago when my mind suddenly thought - “The Chinese Philosophical concept of Yin and yang describes how opposite or contrary forces may be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world.” What? What? Huh? It happened right in front of the Daytona Speedway and got me thinking about the advice I give my clients about slowing down. It goes like this - “You must slow down to get what you want.” Advice like that is why I get the big bucks for what I do. No, not really. I get paid because nobody believes me, and it’s up to me to prove it. Let’s go riding. Whenever I’m cruising on my motorcycle, I love it fast and loud, and it makes me smile. That’s the Yin of riding a bike, but you can only go fast and loud for so long before the light turns red in front of you or blue behind you.   Occasionally the place you were speeding toward gets congested, and you have no choice but to slow down. But when you are a high-performance machine designed to go fast, slowing down can be challenging - especially on an 800-pound Harley.  That’s where the Zin of riding a motorcycle comes into play. Slowing down is the opposite of fast, yet it can yield the same result - if you know what you are doing. Whether it’s your life or a motorcycle, success requires precision control. If you get it right and trust yourself and your machine, you will continue to make progress.  On a motorcycle… 1) Slow down but keep moving. Never stop. 2) Rev your engine so that you always have power to your wheels. 3) Since the motorcycle wants to go faster, pull the clutch into the friction zone between nothing and everything while putting your foot on the rear brake. What? Slow down? Rev your engine? Hit the brakes? Yes. That combination virtually assures that you keep moving forward in any situation, in full control, until it’s time to open it up again. That same thing happens in life. You can’t run full out all the time, and sometimes you must stop. You keep moving forward for everything else in between, no matter how slow you go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Advice For Better Relationships When I first met my wife, Joi, I knew we would be married and live happily ever after. But there was a problem. Joi didn’t see it that way - at least not right away. If life has taught me anything, it’s that almost nobody is on the same page when they first meet. We might be in the same book but not on the same page.  In the early weeks of our relationship, I was in full-on action mode, and I was on a mission to achieve my goal as quickly as possible. I was also getting frustrated since Joi didn’t seem to share my urgency. She was enjoying our relationship and in no hurry. One day, I decided to take action - I dragged myself out of bed at 4:30 AM, drove 30 minutes, and waited for Joi to arrive at the gym. I met her when she stepped out of her car, nearly scaring her to death, and said, “I love you. What do I have to do to catch you? We should…”  Stopped by a kiss, she said, “We’ll know in about 6 months. Let’s enjoy the ride.” It wasn’t the answer I was looking for, but Joi had given me something even more powerful. She gave me an expectation, I knew her rules, how to play the game, and that she was right.  All relationships, romantic, friendship, or professional, follow the same path. There is an initial spark, a period of trust-building, and finally, commitment. In time, the relationship grows stronger or will fade. Time will tell. That’s how it works and how it went for us. Exactly 6 months later, to this day, I asked Joi to marry me, and she said yes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trick is The Click If there is anything we learn in life, there is always something to figure out. You would think after a lifetime of figuring things out; we wouldn’t need to do it anymore. But every day, another mystery pops up. It can feel like you are on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon looking for a shortcut to the North Rim.  Since showing up and going for it every day always serves up challenges. But experience teaches us to trust that something will click. The answer we are seeking will arrive - if we’re patient. Sometimes it will click in our minds in a big way. Others will slip in unnoticed. In any case, the trick is the click. When it happens, life is good.  We’ve all had clicks in life. It’s a millisecond in time when you figure out a math problem as a child. It’s when you realize that too many french fries, even though they are a vegetable, aren’t good for you. Later in life, it happens when you learn to put your car keys in the same place so that you can find them the next morning. The click is when everything makes sense, you get it, you figure something out, and you know what to do next. The click is also where you make decisions and momentum is established. It is where dreams become a reality, and you determine your destiny. Those clicks; are pretty powerful. Whatever you seek in life, refining your ability to focus on your outcome is key. When you allow space for the clicks that unlocks your path, you get there faster.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exploring Your Possibilities What do I want to be when I grow up?  The first time you ask yourself that question is when you are very young - if you ever asked it at all. Frankly, somebody else usually asks you, and you probably didn't have an answer and just took off running with this thing called life.  And then it happens — Forty or fifty years later, people start asking themselves that question again after a family and career. The smart ones in the crowd don’t wait either; they begin to question who they are right now. It can be a scary time. If you are looking for a change in your life, here are a few things to understand— You can't move forward by hanging on to what you have. Remember, you get more of what you focus on in your life. If you're focusing on what you are giving up, you'll get more of that. Instead, you must direct your focus to the unknown future and look for clues about what you will do. I call the process "Exploring Your Possibilities. Imagine if anything is possible and there is no limitation or consequence. There is no commitment required, and money doesn't matter. Time has no impact. None of that matters because, once you stumble upon what you want, you will have arrived, and everything will be forever different. How do you make this happen? The secret is to put the breaks on what you are doing while you seek new adventures. It will take time to find a good fit, so you'll have to ensure that you don't slide back into your old ways. No matter how comfortable it may feel to get back in your comfort zone, don't do it. Pump the brakes. Hold the space you've created. Explore your possibilities, and let life unfold in front of you. It may not happen overnight. Then again, maybe it will. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Your Life is Repeating Itself My friend Louis Gates introduced me to his 9-Year Life Cycle to understand how we progress through life.   Cycles begin at birth and advance every 9 years and go like this: Year 1: You decide what you want and start asking for it.   Year 2: As the pieces come together, you narrow your focus. Year 3: The resources you need begin to arrive.   Year 4: You find yourself moving toward your purpose in life. Year 5: re-evaluation begins. Toss out what you don’t need and keep what works. Year 6: Your focus intensifies, and you work with the resources you’ve decided will benefit you. Year 7: You take stock in things that no longer serve you. Year 8: Clearing the clutter begins. It’s almost time to start the next cycle. Year 9: You explore and decide what you want to do in the next cycle. Look back on your life and notice how your 9-Year Lifecycle is always in play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s Your Personal Ideology? There’s a lot of talk about “ideology” these days, and it’s usually not in a good way.  But what about YOUR ideology?  Do you know who you are? Before I go on, ideology is simply a creed, culture, dogma, outlook, philosophy, theory, or view. And let’s not forget ideas, principles, and tenants. At the end of the day, an ideology is what you stand for in this world. And, if you do it well, it’s also how other people know what you stand for in this world. It’s also up to you to decide that for yourself. After all… If you don’t know who you are and tell the world, the world will decide who you are and tell you who to be. That’s why I have a living document that establishes who I am, what I believe, and serves as a foundation of growth and change as I live and evolve. I call it my “Who I Am” document. It’s all mine, and I share who I am through my actions. How do you see yourself? How do others see you? How do you act in situations? What do you believe? What kind of people do you hang out with? What are the rules you follow for YOU? This list is endless and should be. After all, you are a complicated and ever-changing person.  Can I make you a promise? It’s easy these days to seek sources outside of yourself to find out who you are on the inside. It’s also easy to let the agenda of others infiltrate your thinking and pull you down a path that isn’t who you are meant to be in this life. The very instant that you sit down and document who you are and want to be, nothing else will matter. And the more dedicated you are to documenting YOU… the more you will get to be YOU. How do you do it? That’s easy too. Just ask yourself who you are in every area of your life, document your answer, and live it daily. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do You Act Like a Happy Person? If you were to ask my wife if I was always a happy and positive person, she would likely say, "Hmm… it's complicated… but yes." As a proud high-maintenance man who has never met a conversation, I didn't want to see how deep we could go. I would have to agree. It isn't straightforward. But the answer is yes. I'm happy every day of the week. Not because I was born that way. Nope. As my Italian friends would say, "I had a good learning." Many years ago, right after high school and just after entering the adult world, I realized that life was complicated and that it wasn't going to change. I also had another learning… I noticed that no matter how difficult things were, some people I met were happy as they embraced the suck. I wanted to be one of them. I wanted to be the person that didn't need rose-colored glasses to be satisfied. That meant I needed to think like them… Can you accept that merely being alive means you will run into occasional challenges? Can you realize that dealing with challenges is a privilege that comes with being alive? Will you welcome frustration and be satisfied that it only means you are moving forward? Are you able to accept responsibility for solving your challenges?  Do you have a "bring it" mindset for everything life throws at you? Finally - Are you expecting to get a great night's sleep, no matter what happened today or will happen tomorrow? That's how happy people think.  That's how you should think too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Different Look at Time Management  In my entire life, I've always found it interesting that there never seems to be enough time in the day. Still, most days, everything seems to get done. If it doesn't, the world didn't end, and I survived to check off another item from my to-do list tomorrow. I know I'm not the first human on the planet to face the problem of time, but I think I'm one of those smartypants who have figured out how our time works in real life. And it was 180 degrees from what I felt that time was all about. Pay attention now. How you look at time is about to change. First, when you run as fast as possible to get things done, time moves quicker, and less gets done. Even worse, with every minute filled, there is never enough time to do the things that make your heart sing. If you're like me, that will eventually lead you to sabotage your list so you can do something fun for yourself. It's a never-ending cycle. On the other hand, when you slow down, hold space for yourself, and focus on results relevant to your goals, time slows down, and you get more done. Not only that, you magically find yourself with lots of free time that you need to fill. Finally, a chance to read a book, binge on Netflix or hang out with family and friends. The choice is yours. Of course, if you've ever studied Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity, this sounds familiar. As he determined—time is relative. In other words, the rate at which time passes depends on your frame of reference.  So, what is your frame of reference? In our case, I'm not asking whether you are moving fast or slow; I want to know if you are focused on the essential things in life that matter to you. Everything else disappears when you do, times slow down, and you enjoy your day like you were born to do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being Positive, Practical, and Peaceful I must admit that I get in trouble because some of the Scott logic that comes out of my mouth doesn’t sit well with many folks these days - and they let me know.  One of the biggest comments… “You seem like such a positive guy, and then it’s like something clicks in your head and goes negative and ruins my day.”  While I don’t think I ever go negative, I’ve heard that many times.  Here’s the thing… It would be easy for me to get caught in the feel-good trap of chasing positivity - if only for being positive. But I’m not interested in that. I am interested in the results. For me, that is a peaceful, content, joyful, and meaningful life. If you’ve been alive for over a couple of decades, you know all of that is found lurking in the truth. That’s why I consider myself a practical positive guy, and you should too.  I believe an optimistic attitude is power in life; I also think that you can never be truly happy until you are willing to dig deep into the not-so-positive challenges in life. Until you do that, you’ll you blocked. That’s why you’ll always hear me cover both sides. Frankly, I’m not interested in what we can and will do in our lives. I’m interested in the millions of interactions, decisions, and feelings we encounter daily that become the life we will have lived someday. Stephen Fry said, “sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Almost everything that freaks folks out begins with words from others and yourself. Keep that in mind because…  When you choose to be positive and practical and ground yourself in the truth, you will become at peace with everything around you - including yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daring Yourself To Live Your Dreams “Please! Can somebody stop the world? I want to get off!” Okay. Just for you, I pressed the magic button, and the world stopped.  Whatcha gonna do now? If you don’t have an answer, there’s no need to freak out. It’s common for people to get slowed down, and think about what their life could be like, and I have no idea. But let’s say you are one of the few who decide the time has come to turn directly into the challenge. Many years ago, I adopted a philosophy that became the driver that would change everything. I decided I would always turn face-first into any challenge that stood between me and my dreams. Yes, I would face my passion head-on and do whatever it takes to make it real.  Do you know what happened next? I tripped, stumbled, and fell into a pile of my own crumbled dreams. That’s when I realized that deciding to face your passion was only the beginning. Before you can face your passion and live your dreams, a few more things must be faced first. You must face your stress. You must face your relationships. You must face your health, finances, and spiritual beliefs. You must face your friendships, the clothing you wear, what you eat, and what you dream. Yes, living the “I know there must be more lifestyle” is freakishly simple and no big deal; you do whatever you want whenever you choose to do it. But it doesn’t take long to realize that getting whenever you want requires that you face a few things first. It’s simple. As scary as it may feel, no matter how much you don’t want to do it, everything becomes possible when you deal with all the stuff in your life and take control.  So, the next time you find yourself trying to figure out what’s stopping you from living your dreams, there might be a few things that you want to handle first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do Leftovers Make Happiness? When I began training and competing with my dog in agility, I made a rookie dog trainer mistake. I wasn't consistent, and my dog was getting confused. One day, my trainer said, "For a dog, one time means all the time. Every time you let them do something new, they're just going to keep doing it." Now, as silly as it sounds, that came to mind a couple of weeks ago when my wife, a creature of routine and habit, did the same thing. We were invited to attend Thanksgiving with family, and Joi's training kicked in instantly— "I like going to their home, but what about leftovers? I like leftovers?" As a guy who has experienced Joi's "No eating out at the restaurant until all the leftovers are gone" rule, I knew this was a big issue. But, like a good husband, I got out of the way and let her figure it out. A couple of weeks later, after enjoying a nice day, I watched as Joi carried her share of leftovers to the car, thinking to myself, "Good. She got her leftovers." Boy, was I wrong— Joi came home from the gym the following day, headed for the kitchen, and started cooking - LEFTOVERS! She wasn't reheating them. She had purchased a small turkey and all the ingredients she needed to keep with her routine for the weekend. At that moment, I couldn't control the look on my face. "What? I like leftovers, and I look forward to it. It's what I do, and it makes me happy." Like a good husband, I didn't say a word. My only thought was, I guess we're not having pizza tonight. Do leftovers make you happy? Maybe. YOU make you happy. Do what you do. You can always have pizza next weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Success With No Will Power Required When will you get yourself to do what you say you want to do?  More people than you know lose sleep over that question. If that sounds like something you have experienced, you’re not alone.  Almost everybody begins their journey when a thought pops into their mind. Then, day-to-day life keeps them busy, and they spend frustrating months fixin’ to get ready. You know, starting to prepare… so you can begin to do… so you can do… and say you did.  If that doesn’t work, you summon your friend, Will Power.  Will is not a person, but more like a kind of friend that you don’t know why you keep letting into your life. They are a bit of a slacker, live rent-free in your mind, say they want to help, and never deliver on their promise. Will’s job description should read -- to force you to do things you say you want to do but can’t get yourself to do. When you give up, Will leaves. The good news is, there’s no need to force yourself to do anything. Achieving your biggest goals in life has nothing to do with Will Power. Instead, shift your mindset -  “To act at your discretion without constraint.”  That’s the definition of Free Will, Will Powers, good cousin.  Use your Free Will to harness your excitement and choose the path of least resistance. Start making the slightest changes in your life. Those steps will lead to big results sooner than you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Somebody Need You Right Now When I was a teenager, I was a weekend moviegoer, and it was the age of Rocky, Star Wars, and Jaws. Besides, with only three channels on television, getting out of the house was the top item on my to-do list. As a kid with big dreams, it was easy for me to slip into the fantasy world of films and let my mind run for a couple of hours. By the end of the film, I was always excited to get on with life and become like the folks I watched in movies. That’s when life got in the way. Like many young folks, I graduated high school, charged into the world, and waited for Somebody else to lift me into my dreams. Well, things didn’t work out the way I expected. That’s when my mother-in-law gave me some very useful advice that I needed to hear — “You know, right now, Somebody needs what you have to offer, but because you’re sitting around the house, they don’t even know you exist. Get out there and let them know you are here.” I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve said to myself — “Somebody out there needs what I have to offer. My job is to find them and let them know I’m here.” It’s the same for you. If Somebody needs what you have to offer, your job is to find them and save their day. That’s how you write and star in your own life movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wisdom of Gratitude I woke up this morning with an incredible zest to expand my feeling of gratefulness. Well, there is not so much to expand as to recognize all the things that I am grateful for but haven’t thought about lately. That’s the thing about living in a fast-paced world where our daily activities, big and small, fly by and are quickly forgotten. It’s always been that way. There is nothing new in the world. That got me thinking about one of my favorite quotes — “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” —Robert Brault As a no-regrets kind of guy, I admit to sometimes not living in gratitude. Thankfully, the wisdom of others is always making sure I remember what is important— Here are a few of my favorites. “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.”—Frank A. Clark “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” —Eckhart Tolle “Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.” —Estonian Proverb “Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.”—William Faulkner “Enough is a feast.”—Buddhist Proverb “When you are grateful, fear disappears, and abundance appears.”—Anthony Robbins “When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.”—Vietnamese Proverb “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”—William Arthur Ward “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue but the parent of all the other virtues.”—Cicero “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”—Robert Brault Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be The Change You Wish To See People have always sought change for themselves, their life, or the world.  There is a constant truth if you want to change; you must change before anything else changes. Many intelligent folks agree - Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Leo Tolstoy, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” What about Albert Einstein?   “The world, as we have created, is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” Do you want to change something about today, tomorrow, or the future? You must change before anything else changes. Have you learned lessons from past experiences? You have already changed, and your future is better for it. Rumi said, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” If tomorrow you want to be better than today and Yesterday, something has to change. That something is you. If you want to make more money, serve more. Do you want to be happier? If you want this life to be well-lived, something has to change today. That something is you. What if you want everything about your life to be perfect? Listen to Winston Churchill. “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” It’s so simple.   You Must Change Before Anything Else Changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Freedom Formula - Choice and Means Every time I walk into the gym, I pump myself up to exercise my body and have somebody else exercise my brain.  This morning I found myself in a conversation when Ron asked me a question… “Since you’re a Coach, tell me if I’m right. Your most important goal is always to have freedom in your life - right?” You should have seen his face when I said, ‘Nope.’  Don’t get me wrong, I’m an American, and freedom rings in my bones - but there is a cost to getting that freedom, which makes life fun. I went on to tell Ron that, after a lot of experience, I have settled on two driving forces: the ability to choose and the means to make it happen.  I believe true freedom comes from choosing the path that makes you a better and happier person AND makes the world a little better because of your choice. I also believe that having a true choice almost always comes down to having the means to make it happen. Whether it be skill, friends, or money, without the means, you have a minimal choice. Choice + Means = Freedom. That’s a winning formula no matter where you are in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Instant Gratification is The Secret to Success Russ, from North Carolina, is asking for help with an instant gratification issue. He wrote- So many people want everything now, thanks to modern technology. Educating people is becoming more difficult because they are looking for instant gratification. If their empty void is not filled quickly enough, they get easily frustrated and give up. Please do a podcast on converting from instant gratification to goal-driven. My take on this is probably not what Russ is expecting because instant gratification drives people to get what they want.  Let me apply a little Scott Logic… First, there is not one person on the planet who doesn’t want what they want right now. No matter how satisfying hard work is, nobody in their right mind willingly puts off getting what they want. That’s not how humans are wired. While I know it can be frustrating, business people, governments, and great communicators figured out a long time ago that everybody wants what they want now. That’s never going to change.  But I have a different take… ‘I want my cake and to eat it too’ - and there’s nothing you can do about it! In other words, I want little bits of instant gratification to enjoy while working toward my BIG ASS goals. That’s what they call motivation! So does everybody else. It’s widely known that humans have an attention span that’s less than a goldfish - but as long as I’m willing to keep dropping food into the tank, I can keep their attention. BIG ASS goals are driven by little bits of reward along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ugly Sweaters Make Good Conversation With the arrival of ugly sweaters and too much egg nog, the holiday season is upon us, which means that you may find yourself involved in more conversations with more people than you do at any other time of the year.  To make sure you enjoy every conversation you have, I want you to remember two things… First, unless you live under a rock, you will find yourself in the middle of a calorie and alcohol-induced conversation that, as Dave Ramsey would say, 'That's stupid!' When you find yourself in that situation, keep those two words in mind, keep your mouth shut, smile, change the subject, and take a walk outside. Never let anybody else ruin your day. Now that we have the negative out of the way, let's talk about being the most fun and interesting person at any event you attend. If you do nothing else, remember that everybody is listening "WIIFM' broadcasting live in their mind. All anybody cares about is 'What's in it for ME?' The secret to starting or participating in a conversation that will make you a communications expert is to never make it about you and always make it about who you are speaking with. When you do, magic happens… When you make OTHERS the most interesting person in the room, YOU become the most interesting person. So, take a breath, enjoy the season, and see if you can learn a little bit about every person you meet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where Did Your Motivation Go? Today is the day I use my Perfect Week Planner to figure out where I will spend my time next week. And, like every week, I have the same realization… Where the heck did my week go? And now, with the weekend in sight, my mind moves to riding the motorcycle mode and all best are off. Oh well, Monday is coming - right?  More on that in a minute. Wait, Scott!  How the heck are we going to stay focused, progress toward our goals, and get important stuff done if we run out of juice before the week is over?  Why does that Monday motivation that has my hair on fire run out before I get everything done?  Okay, let’s cover two things: 1) Motivation is a finite resource that will fade. On average, your brain runs out of motivational calories after about 48 hours of focused work. It would help if you had a recharge. 2) God willing, no matter how much you don’t get done this week, there is always the next week in your future. Yes, another Monday is coming. What doesn’t get done this week will get done next week. A long time ago, Tony Robbins said, ‘Most people overestimate what they can do in a week and underestimate what they can do in a year.’  Keep your eyes on the prize that is driving you. Your goal should be to reach your stated outcome, no matter what gets in the way or how long it takes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why You Don’t Need a WHY A while back and friend and I were chewing the fat about getting what we wanted out of life. It’s a common topic among my friends and should be among yours. It makes sense; what you focus on is what you get - right? As we talked, I realized that as I’ve bumbled and stumbled my way through a very colorful life, I’ve also stumbled upon a simple idea… Getting what you want in life requires that you know what you want in life. But what happens when you have no idea how the best things arrived in your life? I get that kind of thinking blows away the theory of WHY most of us talk about. Yes, your WHY is why is going to get you through the tough times of life. Sometimes it’s the only thing that will. But in my world, I’ve learned something else… Sometimes, the most happiness we find in life comes when we’re entirely unaware of WHY we are doing whatever we are doing. Huh? And I can’t tell you how often my wife has asked, “Why are you doing that?” My answer is usually, I’m not sure. I guess it needed to be done. So, as I sit here listening to ‘Girl Named Toms’ new Christmas album, I can’t help but wonder what magic you are missing out on because you are spending too much time seeking a mystical WHY instead of honoring the choices you have already made in your life. My Scott Logic tells me that when you explore the possibilities when they arrive in your life, without thinking about it, and go with the flow, you will be happier - even though you might not admit it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scared, Excited, or Something Else  A few days ago, I stumbled into a conversation with a young man working behind the counter at a store I visited. It didn't take long before we knew a lot about each other. He was a student at Emory Riddle Aeronautics University here in Daytona Beach. I run into a lot of those kids. Being a pilot myself, we instantly bonded. Then he asked a question that caused me to pause… The Daytona/Port Orange area population is very diverse - with more than a few retired. Since I'm a guy with a bit of gray hair, a couple of wrinkles, and seemingly lots of free time on my hands, he asked… "Are you retired?" I shot back, "Not yet - in a couple of years!” What he said next stopped me in my tracks. "Does that scare you or excite you?" I have to say. I don't get stuck with words very often. But after a few seconds, I said - "Neither! I love what I do and how my life is going, and I am thrilled about tomorrow more than today!"  That's when he said, "I hope I'm that way when I get older - not to say you're old. Always remember - When you do what makes your heart sing, life gets better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creating Your Wonderful Life With the holiday season on its way, wouldn't it be great if you received the gift of the wonderful life of your dreams?  What if you could have lots of free time, less stress, more money, and great relationships?  In my years of coaching folks all over the world, I've learned a few things about lifestyle design: 1) Everything begins when you become aware of what you want and accept that it's up to you to get it. 2) If you believe your dream can be real as soon as you start living it - it will be. 3) You are the Boss of you, so there's no reason for a delay. Stop planning and start doing. Forget wishing, hoping, and dreaming. Start with little bits of happiness and work toward living your dream every day.  Most people are drifting in the winds of life. True happiness arrives when you start driving through life. Living your wonderful life is entirely up to you. Be aware of the change you desire; believe it can be yours, and start living it now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are You Stuck in The Middle?  Have you ever found yourself stuck in the middle? I was speaking with a client trying to be everything to everybody. His business was not growing. His life was not happy. He couldn’t seem to find a way to make progress.  That’s when I said… “My friend, you are stuck in the middle. Nothing good happens when you are in the middle.” In business and life, having low expectations and being surrounded by like-minded folks is okay.  It’s also okay to reach for your dreams, have high expectations, and expect that of others. What happens if you’re in the middle? When low and high expectations combine, confusion is the result. Mediocrity overtakes quality. Frustration will be your daily friend. The choice is yours. If I were you, I would make the decision never to get stuck in the middle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fake it Until You Make It (Really?) Have you allowed yourself to become the person you are on the inside?   We all make decisions that change our life trajectory without much thought. That can lead to feelings of being lost on you your life path. Maybe it's time to create a new way of seeing yourself. Using a Transitional Identity is a great way to feel confident when you can't believe in your future.   The trick is to focus on the smaller steps to your destination. That will allow you to move away from who you are, yet not jump to who you want to be in one big step.   "I'm running a successful small business and laying the foundation for my empire. All I have to do is keep moving." "I'm a great student. Very soon, I will be a great teacher to others. All I have to do is keep moving." "I'm incredible at losing 1 pound at a time. Soon I'll hit my goal and lose 100 pounds. All I have to do is keep moving." Transitional Identities are temporary and ever-changing. They are helpful when destinations are hard to see before you take your first step. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Promote. Prevent. Protect. Every day I hear from folks living in a state of suspended animation. The light at the end of the tunnel is unclear. Life has paused.  In times like these, three items should be on the to-do list of every individual or business owner: 1) Promote yourself or your business. It’s time to go on the offensive and seek opportunities to move you in a positive direction. 2) Have a prevention focus. The game of life is played in two directions. Go on defense to avoid losses and downside risk. 3) Protect what is important. Decide what you must have in your life and protect it. Everything else is negotiable. Choose the battles you fight, and you will win more than you lose. You don’t need to wait to see how the story ends. Write your own story and make sure it has a happy ending. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You Can Always Find a Way When life gets in the way, do you get frustrated about being blocked?  I used to be that way. Something changed. I learned long ago that getting blocked would be an everyday occurrence. And, the bigger my goals, the more blocks would arrive. I could live with endless frustrations - or find a better way.  It came down to this: 1) Blocks have nothing to do with who I am. They could be self-inflicted or caused by others, but they still have nothing to do with me.  2) If you want something, there is always a way to get it. Always… always… always. You may not like the path. Your ego may get in the way. It may scare you. There is always a way. The next time frustration gets in your way, blow it off and keep moving. There is always a way to get what you want. Find it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Law of Large Numbers Do you ever get out of bed and wonder when you will achieve your desired success? Better yet, what if it was predictable and up to you? Here’s how it works. Take action toward your dreams once a week, and you will see results. Do it for a year, and the “Law of Averages” will tell you what to expect - but it’s wrong. Limited action over an extended period is no more accurate than flipping a coin 10 times and believing you’ve spotted a trend. You haven’t. The sample is too small. On the other hand, taking action every day for a year raises your sample from 52 to 365. That’s where the “Law of Large Numbers” illuminates what is giving you the best results - and becoming very predictable. It’s all about numbers. The more action you take, the more predictable your success will become. You can take that to the bank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Framework For More Energy Steven Covey called it sharpening the saw. If you take a break to sharpen the blade, you will always cut more wood. The same applies to life. My formula is Ritual, Rest, Rejuvenate, Reactivate, Repeat: 1) Ritual: Success comes when you perform ritual actions every day. Figure out what works and do it. 2) Rest: Running full-out all the time is not sustainable. You must stop and rest. 3) Rejuvenate: Resting allows your body and mind to rejuvenate and become active again. 4) Reactivate: When you are ready, it's time to reactivate into action mode. 5) Repeat: Keep going until you get what you want. You'll always be more productive when you take a break to sharpen your saw. A walk in the park on a busy day counts too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Achieve Your Most Ambitious Goals  Have you ever wondered how the most successful people in the world get that way? Could it be their timing is right?   Do they "know" somebody?  Luck? That's it. They get lucky! Maybe, but I think there is more to it. Every person I've ever known who achieved remarkable success did three things: 1) They recognized what they wanted and envisioned themselves living that life. 2) At some point, they commit and go all in. Their dream IS going to happen. There is no "Plan B."  3) They practice never-ending flexibility and perseverance no matter what gets in the way. They keep going until they get what they want. Yes, it seems that you must pay the price for living the life of your dreams - and it's not money. It's YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What You Need to Feel Safe and Happy Success in life happens on top of a solid foundation of basic needs.  In 1954, Abraham Maslow released Motivation and Personality. He expanded on his Hierarchy of Needs theory. Maslow suggested that to reach your full potential: 1) You must provide for your physiological needs. Food, clothing, shelter, money, and more.   2) You must feel safe. Personally, emotionally, financially, health and well-being, and against accidents and illness. 3) Socially, you need to feel a sense of loving and belonging.  4) Esteem and the desire for acceptance, respect, and value by others is your next step. Maslow said, “What a man can be, he must be.” Self-actualization requires mastery of your previous needs. 6) Self-transcendence removes you from your ego and begins your focus on the greater good. Your best life is built on a sturdy foundation. Make sure you can eat, pay your bills, feel safe, and have friends. Then you can change the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Better Connect With Others Every day I spend time on the phone with excited folks who know they are close to getting what they want. They can't figure out how to get their hands on it.   Let's start with the following: 1) Anything you want in this world is owned or controlled by somebody else. 2) If you want their help, you must get their attention. It always comes down to three things. In this order: 1) What problem are they having? No, it may not relate to you. It doesn't matter. If you can help, you will get their attention. 2) What's your solution? How can you fix it? When can you fix it? You'll know when you are close when you see the excitement in their eyes. 3) What's your offer? What must they do to get you to help? What do you want?   It's simple. Address another person's problems with a robust solution and an offer they can't refuse. That's a real win-win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your happiness begins today Do you ever wake up in the morning and jump straight into your To-Do list and forget about what you want? With so much on our plates, it can be easy to lose track of the big picture and lose track of where you were heading.  That’s why we always do our Homework on Monday. It’s a powerful way to ‘Overlay’ what is essential in your life while you get the day-to-day stuff done. Here’s how I do it: 1) Check in with the ‘Roles’ and ‘Goals’ you have in your life. Do you like what you have or need to make a change? Decide the ‘next’ action that you will take this week. 2) ‘Hold Space’ on your calendar to move your ‘Roles and Goals’ in the direction of your dreams. Don’t let day-to-day challenges through you off track. 3) No matter how busy you get, review your homework throughout the week. Focus on your future. Remember -  Tomorrow’s happiness is built on a foundation of today’s focus. Don’t lose track of that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Make Your Own Motivation As a child, I wondered why I couldn't always have my way. Mom and Dad were so mean! I couldn't wait to grow up, move out, and experience being an adult. Everything would be different - or so I thought. After stepping into the adult world, it didn't take long to realize that not much had changed. It turns out it wasn't my parents. It was life turning down my requests. Life was getting in the way. What was even worse was that I was getting in my way. I've joked over the years that if I'm the Boss of me, why don't I do what I say? Eventually, I realized having a big ass goal, being on a mission, and most importantly, motivation on demand was the solution. Motivation is a powerful, if not fleeting, tool that we all need. But we need to understand how our minds generate motivation: 1) Your physiology dictates your feelings. The easiest way to break free of a slump is to stand up, take a step, and REPEAT. Movement wakes your body up, guides your emotions, and makes anything feel possible. 2) Focus fuels your fire. If you're feeling unmotivated, you are also drifting in the wind with no direction. Shifting your thoughts in a positive direction and toward what excites you will break you out and get you moving. 3) The words you say create the emotions you feel. Negative self-talk will drag you, and everybody else, down. When you make the words, you say to yourself, internally and externally, positive and uplifting, everything changes. Words matter more than you think. You're human. Your brain isn't wired to stay motivated all the time unless you are willing to give it a helping hand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helping Others in 3 Steps Have you ever felt the desire to help others? Do you want to help them figure things out? Make more money? Recover from a bad experience?  Maybe you want to make a difference in the world yourself. I’ve always believed that our power to help others is a side benefit of being ourselves - and having a structure to follow - 1) A person in need desires an outcome. It makes no sense to offer advice until we know what they are seeking. That puts us on the same page. 2) Next, find out the problems they have, the actions taken, and what was the result. Then, relate them to what you have found works.  3) Now that you’ve heard their struggle, you can make specific recommendations that will move their life in a positive direction. Helping others is a lot like being a Doctor. Listen. Examine. Prescribe. Take action. Follow up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Must-Have Life Habits Motivating yourself to reach your goals is a never-ending process that kicks into high gear this time of year. Most folks have a long list of new routines and habits they want to put into place - it may be too long. Many years ago, I decided to control my mornings by establishing actions that I would take upon waking. While I had great intentions, I found myself floundering and eventually losing focus.  Why? I realized that the habits I was trying to establish had no real meaning other than checking them off my list. Instead of feeling motivated and inspired, I felt bogged down. I decide to make things simple. These days, I only establish minimum viable habits in my life. In other words, I only commit to the minimum number of behaviors that deliver the results I desire. Anything more is excessive, distracting, and frustrating. Life is much simpler when you keep it simple. A wise person would spend time on the fewest number of actions that provide the most significant results.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 Thing You Must Do For Success Steve Harvey is a funny guy. He's also a wise man.  You may have seen his video teaching the one thing you must do if you want to be successful.  You must jump. If you want to be successful, you must jump into your dreams, take a leap of faith, and go for it. Often, we stand on the cliff of life and watch others fly by, enjoying the life you desire. They jumped, their parachute opened, and life is good. You must jump. When you finally decide to jump, your parachute will not open right away. You will get bumped and bruised, but eventually, your parachute will open. You must jump. If you don't jump, your parachute will never open. Is today the day you jump? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Reach Goals - 3 Steps Goal Setting There are so many choices in front of us every day. Each has the power to determine when and whether you will achieve your goals. Once you know the outcome you desire, these questions will help: 1) What CAN you do today that will lead directly and quickly to achieving your goal? 2) What SHOULD you do today that will lead directly and quickly to achieving your goal? 3) What MUST you do today that will lead directly and quickly to achieving your goal? It’s simple.  Make your next action the one that gets the result you want as fast as possible. Everything else can wait. I dare you to try it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Reduce My Stress Levels Unless you are living in a cave, you may have more Stress and less Hope in your life today than you did a short time ago. Pandemics can do that. So can life. Over the years, I’ve learned that Stress is usually a result of fear. Feeling Stress of never getting off the hamster wheel. Feeling Stress and fear from uncertainty.  Feeling Stress from a lack of adequate information.  It doesn’t matter where your fear originates. The solution is re-framing your mindset to see things as they are. When you do that, you can see things that can be.  Having a re-frame mindset will allow you to create Hope, Reduce Stress, and become unstoppable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop Procrastination The Easy Way Are you a member of the Procrastination Club?   Procrastination is the intentional and systematic postponement of an essential task.   Is that what you are doing? Even if you are putting things off, is it possible that you are not procrastinating? You may force yourself to do something you don't need or want to do.   Yes, you must complete tasks to get ahead in life. That's being responsible.  However, if your list of un-done keeps getting longer, it might be time to ask yourself a question - Is what you are procrastinating on essential? Do you need to do it at all? It's not always procrastination. If something is essential, you always get it done - right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Always Say The Right Thing  How much better would your day be if you always knew what surprises were lurking around the corner? While you can’t predict everything, you can prepare for most things using “How Do I Feel Strategy Sessions.” Here’s how it works: 1) Once a month, take a few minutes and review what’s going on in your life. Your job. Your vacations. Your relationships. Your goal is to recognize what is likely to require your attention. 2) As you form your list, think through every possible scenario and expected outcome. Imagine what may happen and craft a plan for handling it in your favor. 3) When the situation arrives, remember how you decided to handle it and stay in control. Using a pre-planned response is a great way never to be surprised again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Stay Motivated Automatically Have you ever wondered why some things and not others motivate you? The Evolving Science of Motivation has your answer. In a nutshell, motivation is complicated and layered. You have felt it many times if you didn’t already know that. But it all begins with four kinds of motivation: 1) Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of you. You do it because you are compelled to - usually by someone else. 2) Intrinsic motivation is done for internal and personal reasons. This can be called your WHY. 3) Introjected motivation is similar. The difference is that if something is not done, you feel guilty.  4) Identified motivation is when you know something needs to be done but have not decided to do it yet. What kind do you have?   All of them. All types of motivation can be in play at any time. They can also overlap. However, when you discover your Intrinsic motivation - your WHY- you will find the momentum you are seeking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop Embarrassing Yourself Now Have you ever caught yourself doing or saying something you swore you would never do?  You have been TRIGGERED! It can be frustrating when you set the rules and don't follow them. Sometimes you put your foot in your mouth. Sometimes you put the pizza in your mouth. In any case, your emotional habits are triggering your actions before you can do anything about them. Controlling behaviors that have been on auto-pilot for years takes: 1) Catching yourself after the fact. Notice your mistake and see it coming sooner next time. 2) Catching yourself being triggered as it's happening. You're getting better. 3) Catch yourself before you act and stop it. That's the goal. Emotional Triggers can throw you off track from your goals. Pay attention to your behaviors and make minor adjustments until you get what you want. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happiness Magic Formula Is there a magic formula for happiness? Yes. It comes down to how you look at the world. Most folks do one of two things: 1) They view everything from an emotional place. When life is good, everything is excellent. When things go wrong, life is terrible. Remaining stuck in the emotional zone is like writing a letter in the sand with a rising tide; it will never stick around long enough to make you happy. 2) Others view the world from a black-and-white and logical perspective. Using your analytical brain for everything is like painting a wall black and expecting a rainbow of colors. But life is not always rational. I’ve found the best way is to naturally ride the highs and lows of emotions, tap into logic to navigate what crosses our path, and get back to the fun of emotions as soon as possible. Emotion + Logic + Emotion = Happiness. First and foremost, humans are emotional creatures that will not change. But logic allows us to sort through our feelings and make the best decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Path to Greatness With the craziness of life, are you having difficulty breaking through to the greatness that is YOU? What does greatness take? 1) Imagination. Your ability to form images, ideas, and sensations in your mind. Without help from anything or anybody. Use yours. Trust yours.   2) Enthusiasm. Living life with the excitement of feeling is PASSION. Only involve yourself in activities that you are enthusiastic about. 3) Persistence. Life is long. Things take time. Learn to love being doggedly persistent. It will serve you well. 4) Faith. Have faith in yourself. Live your life in complete trust and confidence in someone or something. Imagination. Enthusiasm. Persistence. Faith. That's living. Imagine how good it could be with a bit of Gratitude. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Wisdom is Your Superpower There are lots of folks in the world who are seeking change in their life. They usually say - “I want something entirely new! I’m tired of how things have been! I want to start over!” Please don’t do it!  Change doesn’t mean getting a do-over. It’s more of an iteration or course correction. Starting at the beginning has two problems: 1) It has taken you a long time to earn the wisdom and momentum you already have. Giving it up will mean losing your most potent tool.  2) All your knowledge will make it impossible to erase and start over anyway. You are too wise for that. The solution is to leverage your wisdom and use it as a foundation for everything you seek in the future. Build on your knowledge base using intent, focus, and direction.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Requirements of a Good Relationship Every day we navigate the world - which usually involves other people. Depending on how you process relationships, that can be good or bad. The quality of life is dependent on the quality of relationships. It makes sense that we follow four steps to making them great: 1) Curiosity - Everybody is curious about the people they meet. The more curious they are about you, the better. If you want to meet great people, be engaging. 2) Enlightenment - Once curiosity peaks, interest will be to grow. People want to know more about you. 3) Commitment - With more knowledge, connections deepen. 4) Action - Once you reach commitment, people become open and willing to join your world. Whether personal or business, all relationships evolve on the same path. Allow time for things to unfold.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Create a Morning Routine Every successful person has a morning routine. The use it to ground themselves before the day gets in the way.  There are many morning routines you can follow, but you should make sure that - 1) Morning time is sacred. It is your first and only priority. 2) It should be purposeful. Your actions should support your needs. 3) Be consistent and ritualistic. Create peace. What kind of routines work for most? 1) Wake up on your time. 2) Hydrate, eat well and move. 3) Read, write, or meditate. Keep it motivational and inspirational. Once you have yourself grounded for the day, jump in and take on your most important task. That will make everything else that day easy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Things You Should Do Everyday For Success I have a question for you. What is your ONE most important activity?   What is the ONE core activity that, if you do, everything else is fine? What is the ONE core activity that, if you don’t do, causes everything to fall apart? Many people focus on anything but the most critical activity in their life. They are usually surprised when things fall apart. Is it showing up for work on time or doing a great job at work? Could it be your unflinching attention to your family? Does your business have ONE activity that causes people to buy from you? When you focus on your ONE most important activity - everything else will take care of itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to get Unstuck and Find New Opportunity Do you sometimes feel stuck and overwhelmed? Feeling as if there is nothing you can do? It happens to everybody. You are not alone. However, people who break free understand three things: 1) Everything in life is temporary. Good or bad, nothing last forever. 2) No matter how stuck you feel, there is always more opportunity. More than one person could ever take advantage of in a lifetime. 3) Even though you don’t feel it, successful people start shaking trees until the fruit falls to the ground. There is always fruit. It will always fall. You’ll never feel stuck again as long as you know the world has more of whoever you want just waiting for you to go for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Be a Good Leader - It's Simple Is your hair on fire for success?   There's a phrase that sums up what it takes to get whatever you seek.   "The faster the leader's speed, the faster the pack's speed." It's a simple truth; success likes speed. It's very sexy and desirable to others. Knowing your goals and taking massive imperfect action always speed up success.   Why? People get caught up in the belief their leaders cast. When you crank up your energy and urgency, others feel your passion and support your mission. Whatever your dreams, it is time for you to fire up your inner supercharger and get ready for the ride of your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What To Do If You're In A Rut - Nothing? I live by a mantra that says - "Almost everything in day-to-day life should be routine. Consistent. Predictable. Between the lines. Boring. But, occasionally, it's good to get out of the box, a little on edge, a bit scared, and excited." The truth is, you need both. There is also another truth. Most things that make you happy and successful are pretty mundane — taking care of your home, paying bills on time, spending time with family. Consistent routines focused on what's important are how you achieve success.  Have fun and stick to what feels comfortable is working for you. After all, it's not a rut; it's a routine.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Influence Yourself Did you know that the power of Influence is ruling your day? Your subconscious mind is listing. Opinions are formed. Actions begin. It usually happens without your awareness. The dictionary definition of Influence is; the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc. The degree of success you have in life results from who influences you. How you influence others. The Influence you have on yourself. Pay attention and choose the Influence that is good for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to be Happy and Excited Every Day I love how kids live in the moment while also getting excited about the next fun thing. Maybe it’s time we all begin acting like kids again. Since you were young, special events excited you enough that sheer anticipation would drive you all day and keep you up at night. Would you like that back in your life?  The trick to harnessing the power of anticipation is to keep a steady stream of exciting moments in your future. I call this the Anticipation Engine.  Keep two things to keep in mind: 1) Your energy is dependent on getting excited about your future. Keep your list long. 2) Once an event passes, your excitement will disappear. Enjoy the current moment. Don’t rush ahead, but always have something fun coming next. Living a life of anticipation always gives a natural energy boost. If your life is bland - schedule something fun and get excited again.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are Your Goals YOUR Goals? Are you feeling excited to be alive today? It might be an excellent opportunity to become an intentional goal setter. Goals are the heartbeat of your life.  You will always enjoy pursuing goals that align with the most significant Values. They are tangible expressions of your Values. There's nothing more satisfying. Goals are also automatic. Others will set them for you if you don't set them for yourself. If you're not enjoying your life, you haven't set meaningful goals. It's simple. Decide what you want. Set a Goal. Create a plan. Set a deadline. Get to work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three Big Success Principles Where do you begin when you want success?   What's your first step?   Over 2000 years ago, the philosophy of Stoicism led the way in creating success. Their lessons still apply today: 1) Clarity. You must see where you are heading. Anything less, and you will spend more time figuring things out than moving forward. 2) Clear The Clutter. Once you know where you are heading, you'll need to make space. Finish old projects, pay off debt, and organize the garage. Adding more stuff to your stuff will only create frustration. 3) Action. Focused action will get you anywhere fast. However, since activity creates activity, any movement will yield results.   Know what you want and create the space to bring it into your life. That's the perfect time to take massive imperfect action and get what you want. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends Holding You Back The success and happiness that you have in your life is a direct result of something your Mom was always asking - Who are your friends? If they are positive, you will be positive. Are they negative? You will be negative. If they have money, you will have money. Are they broke?  You get my point. Your life will become exactly like the people that are closest to you. Choose wisely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turning Obstacles Into Opportunity Have you ever wondered how much easier things would be if you didn’t have to think so much? What if the future or your past didn’t matter? Imagine if you didn’t worry about the possessions, success, or drama of others. What would happen if you believed that YOU were in control?  Now you are starting to think like a Stoic Philosopher. Stoicism is about paring down and simplifying. They eliminate unproductive traits that define the majority of the population. One of the most common is turning obstacles upside down, creating opportunities, and seeing them as teachable moments. For a Stoic, every bad thing becomes a new source of good.  Marcus Aurelius said it this way,  “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in your way becomes the way.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get Things Done (GTD) I’m a fan of David Allen’s Getting Things Done. His book spawned an entire industry. It also causes a lot of stress. A few years ago, David was speaking at a conference, and folks asked how he managed to get things done: 1) Nothing gets done until I process everything. No cheating.   2) I process everything into a single “trusted” place when I have time. Some folks use a journal. Others use software or an app.  3) I review my potential work weekly and decide if I still need to do it. Nothing added to your list is more important than tasks already there. Processing everything together will reveal the best path. Stay focused, my friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Specific, Time-based, Goals It’s the time of the year when people want more success in their life and start setting goals. Frankly, it doesn’t matter if you achieve your goal. The mere act of setting a goal will drive you closer to what you want - but you need to be careful: 1) Goals should be painfully specific. I say “painfully” because most people find difficulty in choosing a particular outcome. They don’t want to limit their options. But isn’t that why you set goals? 2) Goals should be outcome-based and not time-oriented. Keep working toward your goal until you reach it, not when your self-imposed time limit runs out.  3) Long-term goals should not be a variation of your short-term goals. If you want to make a million dollars a year, setting a goal to increase your income by 100k a year may make sense. In reality, your mindset is ten percent of what you need, and it will take you ten times longer to reach your goal. There’s no need to achieve one goal before going for another. Decide what you want and get it today. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Year-End Success Hacks (Part Two) Yesterday we spent a few minutes on practical ways to succeed in the future.  Here are a few actions that will provide a HUGE advantage over almost everybody. Oh, you may not like these no-brainer daily practices - but they will make you a peak performer: 1) Eat right. 67% of the population eats fast food daily. 60% are obese. Simply eating a better diet will deliver an energetic and mindset boost. 2) Exercise. 77% of the population does not exercise beyond daily duties. 100% of top performers exercise. Which do you want to be? 3) Sleep lots. You need 8-10 hours of sleep per night. The average is now less than 6 hours. You’ll have more energy than 60% of the population by going to bed a little earlier. 4) Be careful with alcohol—77% of adults drink - 50% regularly. One glass of wine will stop real progress. More than that, you’ll be less productive the next day. People who do that for a lifetime have no chance of reaching their dreams. Being more “Gooder than Badder” on these items will give you an advantage over 70.25% of the population. Who said you could never catch a break?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Year-End Success Hacks (Part One) As we move toward the end of the year, how about a bit of motivational tough love?  Before I get going - No matter what you desire in the future, remember that life and business are about solving problems. The bigger your dreams, the bigger your problems. If you want what nobody else has, you need to solve problems nobody else will. So, how do you begin with a bang? 1) Decide what you want in the future. Be specific. Anything less is what ordinary people do. 2) Decide to pay the price of your success. You’ve heard it before, and it’s true. Short-term pain leads to long-term gain. The future value of your life depends on the current value of your effort. 3) Own your goals. You don’t need to ask permission from anybody. You don’t even need to say a word. Put your head down and get to work. 4) Since you’ve decided what you want. Don’t accept your excuses.  When it’s time to get to work - 5) Start your day early. Do what is important to you before the day begins. 6) Set your focus and starting point. Pick the first task, finish it, and move on to the next. Keep going until you get what you want.  7) Hold space for what is essential for you. 8) Develop the habit of deep work. Two hours of uninterrupted work per day will change your life. 9) Don’t get caught up believing you need networking, joint ventures, collaborations, and partnerships. Yes, you need some - but not many. Trust yourself and start creating. Let everybody else catch up. 10) Apply never-ending massive imperfect action. Don’t worry about the mess. You can clean it up later. Tomorrow we’ll chat about how to gain a HUGE advantage while accelerating your success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Success at The Highest Level No matter your life goals, there is a good chance you are striving to be the best at something. Whether it’s the best Mom or Dad, excelling in your career, or winning at the game or sport of your choice. Being the best always comes down to: 1) Do what you love and are good at naturally. You’ll have the edge over others. Stay in your wheelhouse. 2) Commit your focus toward mastery. Being a Jack-of-all-trades won’t work. Specialists always win over generalists. 3) Spend more time doing than learning. There’s a big difference between knowledge and wisdom. Experience is what matters.  4) Hire a Coach. When you’re at the top of your game, working with your Coach will take you from second place to first. 5) Keep going until you get what you want. Never stop, and never make excuses.  It was your idea to pursue your path. Enjoy the privilege of being able to make that choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do Anything for 30 Days Call me crazy, but everything I've ever done had its roots in a 30-day sprint - and it's a long time.   A week is easy, crossing several weekends and life events will make it seem like forever.   Here’s how you do it: 1) Set what Napoleon Hill calls a Major Definite Purpose, otherwise known as a big-ass goal. 2) Stop that silly negative self-talk. Others may throw sticks and stones; don't throw them at yourself. 3) Start thinking of all the reasons you CAN be successful. Make a list.   4) Decide that you will do whatever it takes to reach your goal for the next 30 days. Nothing will stop you. Decide that you will do whatever it takes to reach your goal for the next 30 days - and you will. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Day Another Chance Is it me, or does living life these days make you feel like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day?  When it comes to working toward goals, that can be a tremendous asset. It's also something that will break you free when things don't feel like they are going your way. Everybody has ups and downs. Up days are lots of fun. Down days make you want to crawl under a rock. But like the movie, with the right mindset, you always get another chance to try again. How would you feel if every day was a chance to tweak, adjust, flex, or reinvent your approach to living? What if everything got more comfortable as you built your knowledge of what works best for you? How empowered would you feel if you knew that every day was a do-over day? As long as the sun rises and the sun sets, it doesn't matter if you succeed or fail the previous day. Today is always a new day for making your dreams come true. That'll make you get out of bed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Operation Reinvention Without a Plan Last year I made a decision that changed everything about my life. And no, when I began "Operation Reinvention," I didn't have much of a plan. I wouldn't say I was winging it, but sometimes you have no idea what kind of plan you need. What I did have was a mindset.  I wondered -  "What single change can I make - a change that would automatically and positivity disrupt everything in my life and put me in a better place?" I followed that with… "I don't know what it's going to be, but it's not going to be that!" While I didn't know exactly how to get there - or even that 'there' was, I knew I would recognize it when I saw it.  Goals are cool. You should use them. Sometimes, you must follow your gut, go with the flow, and figure things out along the way.  What change can YOU make that would automatically, and positively disrupt everything in your life and leave you in a better place? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courage to Be Yourself It's incredible how many people say they want to be their authentic selves yet are waiting for permission to begin. Here's the truth: 1) You are already yourself. If you want something different - do it. 2) Nobody is going to give you permission. They are too busy waiting for it themselves. 3) Everything changes the minute you take your first step. I want to save you lots of time and frustration.   YES. You have permission to be yourself.   Let me know if you need me to write you a note. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courage to Be Yourself It's incredible how many people say they want to be their authentic selves yet are waiting for permission to begin. Here's the truth: 1) You are already yourself. If you want something different - do it. 2) Nobody is going to give you permission. They are too busy waiting for it themselves. 3) Everything changes the minute you take your first step. I want to save you lots of time and frustration.   YES. You have permission to be yourself.   Let me know if you need me to write you a note. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Instant Better Communication What if three words could allow you to communicate better and reach your goals faster?  Here’s how to stay on track no matter who wants to pull you off course: 1) When others ask to help them reach their goals, it’s time to agree and defer. For example, say, “Yes, I can help, AND let’s talk about it later when I finish what I’m doing. Watch how folks leave you alone. 2) Inserting the word ‘Yet’ into any conversation will allow you to stay positive and keep your momentum. For instance, saying “Not yet. I’ll let you know when I’m ready” will do wonders. Success and happiness arrive when you stay focused and on track chasing your goals. Prioritize yourself and defer to others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn. Churn. Burn. Earn.  I was chatting with a friend about his business a few years ago. He owned a struggling martial arts school and was crafting a master plan to grow in the coming year.  Based on my that every worthy goal requires learning, churning, burning, and earning - I had four questions: 1) How long do you think it will take to LEARN what it takes to succeed? 2) How long are you CHURN away while you work to reach your goal? 3) Do you have resources to BURN? How long will your money last while you move forward?   4) When will you EARN your reward for your hard work?   Be prepared before you begin. Consider those questions before you start. The journey may be longer than you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Success People Know This Mark Cuban is a pretty successful guy with some good advice: “Work like someone is working 24 hours a day to take it away from you.  “It’s not the dreaming; it’s the doing. If you spend your time dreaming, you will never grant yourself the opportunity to see what you are capable of accomplishing.” “It doesn’t matter if the glass is half-empty or half-full. All that matters is that you are the one pouring the water.” “Wherever I see people doing something the way it’s always been done, the way it’s supposed to be done, following the same old trends, well, that’s a big red flag to me to go look elsewhere.” “Every no gets closer to a yes. “No’s” are part of your story. If you keep working hard, they will lead to many “Yeses,” which often become better opportunities.” Good stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Focus on What’s Important. Ignore The Rest. Are you the kind of person always running around putting out fires - fires you set? I think it is time that we take away your matches and lighter fluid. For the remainder of the year, keep these tips in mind: 1) If your life is non-stop drama, stress, and craziness, there is a good chance that YOU are the cause. There is also a good chance you won’t see it that way. 2) Living with your hair on fire will keep you so busy you will spend years wondering why you can’t get what you want. 3) When you STOP doing anything that results in more craziness, you will find that life is pretty quiet. That’s when good stuff begins to happen. It’s a Universal truth.   You are 100% in charge of every action you choose - or not. Choose good ones. It makes life more fun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proven Success Mindset Have you ever wondered how the most successful people in the world get that way? Could it be their timing is right?  Do they "know" somebody?  Luck? That's it. They get lucky! Maybe, but I think there is more to it. Every person I've ever known who achieved remarkable success did three things: 1) They recognized what they wanted and envisioned themselves living that life. 2) At some point, they commit and go all in. Their dream IS going to happen. There is no "Plan B."  3) They practice never-ending flexibility and perseverance no matter what gets in the way. They keep going until they get what they want. Yes, it seems that you must pay the price for living the life of your dreams - and it's not money. It's YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live Your Passion Starting Now Are you aware of your passion?  If not, I have a question for you - What do you do when you are doing YOU?   Why spend your days searching your mind to figure out your purpose when you are most likely living it daily? When you take a minute to inventory how you spend your time, you will see what you enjoy doing. Do you read, write, exercise, or work?   How about walking, talking, playing, fighting, laughing, or watching television?   Do you quilt, garden, volunteer, or socialize?   Passion in life is not about finding something to do. It's about noticing what you do naturally - and doing more of it.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Focusing on Positive Self-Talk I've been listening to clients tell me the story of their life. I can't help but wonder why they keep beating around the bush. In journalistic terms, these folks are burying the lead. Instead of getting to the point, they begin with secondary details. How does this relate to improving your life? Many say, "I can't focus on anything." No. You are focusing on the wrong things. Sometimes I hear, "I can't get myself get moving." Truth? You are moving - in the wrong direction. They may say, "I don't have enough money!" No. You need more money. Don't get caught up in the unimportant yet dramatic parts of life. Focus on the cause of your challenges. The results will change automatically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Somebody Needs You  When I was a teenager, I was a weekend moviegoer, and it was the age of Rocky, Star Wars, and Jaws. Besides, with only three channels on television, getting out of the house was the top item on my to-do list. As a kid with big dreams, it was easy for me to slip into the fantasy world of films and let my mind run for a couple of hours. By the end of the film, I was always excited to get on with life and become like the folks I watched in movies. That’s when life got in the way. Like many young folks, I graduated high school, charged into the world, and waited for Somebody else to lift me into my dreams. Well, things didn’t work out the way I expected. That’s when my mother-in-law gave me some very useful advice that I needed to hear — “You know, right now, Somebody needs what you have to offer, but because you’re sitting around the house, they don’t even know you exist. Get out there and let them know you are here.” I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve said to myself — “Somebody out there needs what I have to offer. My job is to find them and let them know I’m here.” It’s the same for you. If Somebody needs what you have to offer, your job is to find them and save their day. That’s how you write and star in your own life movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why You Should Skake Up Your Good Life Growth and change are what most people strive for in their life. It’s what drives you before you create your amazing life. It’s also what drives you to step up to the next level. In the last 16 years, I’ve spent producing the Daily Boost podcast, I’ve had the chance to speak to thousands of people. All of them were in various stages of change, and most had the goal of being happy.  But, there is an issue that keeps popping up. As people go about living and enjoying the life they’ve built, the natural desire for more growth kicks in, and they find themselves driving harder—usually without thinking about it. It could be about passion, but most times, it’s about making more money. One day, I talked with a friend about living a good life and how hard people work to mess up a good thing. That’s when he asked a great question - ”When life is good, why would you do something else only to make more money?” It’s not to say making more money is not a very good thing. It’s just important to make sure that you focus on what is right in front of you and remain balanced and happy as you grow. The happiest people in the world already know that.  Because a powerful force drives humans to grow at any cost, sometimes that costs them in ways they never see coming—both good and bad.  Enjoy what you have and grow to make things better. That’s a recipe for success, no matter how you see it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Success Lessons From a Dog We all live in a competitive world that makes getting what we want a challenge. If you've ever found yourself missing out because somebody else beats you to the punch, there may be a simple reason. I've always been a competitive person. Once I set my mind to accomplishing a goal, I will always do whatever is required to win. Still, I've often tripped on my way to winning by others who wanted the same thing but had a different approach. When I decided to enter the world of dog agility competitions, a new friend reminded me of an essential mindset. My friend's name is Jaxon. He's a great competitor and is incredibly consistent in his performance. Every time my dog, Levi, and I compete against Jaxon, we know it's going to be our game to lose. It's not because he's faster, more talented, or works harder. He's slower, a little clumsy, and prefers play over work. He never gets serious or stuffy. Win or lose; he always has a reason to celebrate - usually by taking a nap. On the other hand, Levi has flashier moves, runs faster, and wins lots of blue ribbons before he takes his nap. He also crashes and burns more often, leaving Jaxon with the prize - but not always. Jaxon is consistent, not fast, and doesn't care. Levi is fast and can be consistent if he, WE care. That's a little thing called discipline. Consistency in practice and performance is required to do anything at a high level. Without discipline, you will always lose to the one who has it. However, when you require consistency in yourself and are willing to take a chance and go for the gold, that's what makes you a champion. Both are happy dogs and enjoy the game. That makes them both winners. Levi is the champion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Change When You Wear Yourself Out Many have said, "Life is a marathon, not a sprint."  But what happens when you find yourself doing both at the same time?  If you've been living on this planet for any length of time, you've figured out life is a long game made of day-to-day sprints.  If you want a big bank balance, you make small deposits over time. If you want to lose weight, you make small reductions over time. If you want to get a promotion at your job, you do well every day.  The challenge happens when you have not defined the marathon you are running. A lack of a specific goal can only lead to daily activity that may or may not get you to your destination. If that is happening to you, you may feel worn out, frustrated, and wondering when things will turn around.  There's good news. That kind of thinking means that you are on the right track to success. Certain stamina is required to reach any goal. And society today celebrates your ability to put in the hard work no matter what.  There's only one problem.  If it's not working for you, it's not sustainable behavior. Sooner or later, you will decide to make a change - usually abruptly. Here's the truth; you will change when you wear yourself out.  Reluctant, fearful, or hard-headed, you will only put up with a less than satisfying path in life for only so long. Eventually, when you wear yourself out. When you've had enough, even if the timing is not perfect, you will change when you wear yourself out.  You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it.  So, what's the fix? The marathon we call life will continue until it doesn't, and there are three things you can do to make it better. The first is to define your destination with clarity.  Next, match your daily activity with your goals. Finally, accept that if things don't go your way, you're going to change directions anyway.  You will change when you wear yourself out. You may well skip the bad stuff, make an adjustment, and get to the good stuff right now. There's no need to wait. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Make Your Life Feel Longer I want to live forever! Well, that’s what I used to say when I was a kid. As I passed a few birthdays and dealt with life’s challenges, I started thinking differently with a realization — My life, all of our lives are spent learning and figuring things out. While it can be tiring, it’s also what pours energy and meaning into our days. As we age, our knowledge deepens, our day-to-day get less attractive, and we lose our youthful drive. But Scott doesn’t do that. I’m way too stubborn. So what have I learned from being such a hard head dedicated to living a life experience like no other? The first thing is to slow down. That means breaking free from all those dull and automatic behaviors that are not serving you. Moving as fast as you can through hundreds of activities won’t get you anywhere. Eventually, you’ll realize that a slow, more focused approach is more effective. The next thing to do is study and learn as much as possible, and your perception of time will feel longer. And perception is reality. This works because as we get older, we know more, so life is easier. But, it’s the act of learning something new that creates stackable memories that make your life fill full, vibrate, and exciting. Finally, fire up your Anticipation Engine by taking the time to create 6 to 12 event horizons per year. In other words, schedule something in the future that gets you excited and never stops. Having positive anticipation in your life is a driving factor in living a happy life. Slow down, study, and anticipate. It turns out that living a long and happy life only requires that you think and act like a child. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why a Boring Life is a Great Life I live by a mantra that says - “Almost everything in my day-to-day life should be routine. Consistent. Predictable. Between the lines. Boring. But, occasionally, it’s good to get out of the box, a little on edge, a bit scared, and a lot excited.” The truth is, you need both. There is also another truth. Most things that make you happy and successful are pretty mundane. Improving and enjoying your home… Paying bills, investing, and saving… Spending time with family… Yes, regular life is a boring life. But it’s your consistent routines that are focused on what’s essential that allows you to have incredible highs in your life too! Have fun and stick to what feels comfortable and works for you.  After all, most things that make you happy and successful are mundane. It’s not a rut; it’s your comfort zone.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Your Real Purpose is Waiting For You? There's an idea floating within your mind. Soon it will demand your attention.  Is this all there is?  Am I destined for something bigger? Your real purpose will arrive in your life when you: 1) Accept WHO you are and have always been. You are beautiful just the way you are. 2) Accept WHAT you do when you are doing you. Life is far more enjoyable when you spend most of your time in your comfort zone - and step out occasionally. 3) Accept WHEN when you want to start living in the moment. Now is a good time. 4) Accept WHERE you are in your life. As long as you know where you are, you can go anywhere. Accepting your real purpose is revealed by daily actions. If you want to go in a new direction, change what you do. Start today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prioritize Yourself First 'If you spend any time listening to me at all, it won’t take long before you hear me screaming from the tops of the mountains to ignore the agenda and propaganda-filled world we live in and focus on yourself.  Here’s the truth... Nobody is thinking about you and what you do. That means that you need to pay attention to yourself because nobody else will. Some folks find that way of thinking difficult because society would make you believe that you must do what everybody else is doing to be successful.  Let’s think about that for a minute. Is everybody more successful than you or is everybody pretty much in the same boat as you? You know the answer. So, who is more successful than you? It’s the people that are out in front leading the masses. You know, the ones who paid attention to what they wanted, thought it through, and convinced everybody else to support them on their mission. Here’s another truth… When you think about yourself first, you’ll have time to think about others too. Like they say, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who is Influencing You?  Did you know that the power of Influence is ruling your day? Your subconscious mind is listing. Opinions are formed. Actions begin. It usually happens without your awareness. The dictionary definition of Influence is; the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc.. The degree of success you have in life results from who influences you. How you influence others. The Influence you have on yourself. Pay attention and choose the influence that is good for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keep What You Have and Get What You Want If you’re going to drive across a bridge, it’s best if there is a solid foundation on both sides.  The same happens when you cross a metaphorical bridge to the next chapter in your life. Having a solid foundation on both sides is the goal.   But what happens when you get stuck in your foundation before you cross?  It’s common for folks to build such a solid foundation in their current life that it becomes difficult to move forward. If you’re happy, the bills are paid, and everything is okay - what’s the incentive to shake things up? You are stuck in your comfort zone. Well - Because the only way to live the life you’ve always wanted is to believe in your WHY - and take your first step as soon as you can see the other side. Yes, it can be scary. Then again, staying where you are for the rest of your life is scary too. Keep what you have and get what you want. That’s the goal.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Life Used to Be Like Can you remember when you filled your thoughts with dreams and ambitions?   That’s how most of us live our early lives - until the real world splits into two distinct periods: 1) BEFORE life gets in the way. Anything IS possible. It’s a beautiful time when you run as fast as you can toward your goals. Even if your parents disagree. 2) AFTER life gets in the way. Anything WAS possible. Life is good, but it’s not what you expected. Your parents would have said, “I told you so.” What if it was possible to remember what you wanted and why you wanted it? What if you could stand on a foundation of wisdom and experience and combine what you have now with what you want?   That would be a great new life, wouldn’t it? Wait. It is possible.   You must remember what you wanted all those years ago and start running after it again.  Run fast. You’ve waited long enough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clutter-Free Living Now that 2022 is well underway, it's time to get busy making room for all the success you will have this year. The simple fact is that you will never have time to get ahead when you live a chaotic life: work clutter, home clutter, and emotional clutter. Something will always get in the way.  Here's how you can get control: 1) Schedule a time and begin tossing out the old. It may take months. Don't stop until it's gone. I promise you will know when that day arrives. 2) Fight the urge to reverse your purge once you are free. Keep your life lean, mean, and agile. You will love the freedom. 3) Enjoy your new life of less clutter and more meaning. Spend your time accomplishing the goals that will give you the life you've always wanted. Moving toward your goals should be your top priority. That is only possible when you have room to maneuver.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More Productive One Week at a Time What if you could maintain never-ending momentum while you work toward your goals? No matter how long it took? The 'MTM Rolling 7' is the solution you need to get the life you've always said you wanted.   It works like this: 1) Set your short-term and long-term goals.   2) Decide what past achievements you enjoy and that you want to defend. Many current successes must be maintained while you pursue your new adventures. 3) Decide what future goals you are ready to 'activate' and achieve. 4) Next week begins this week. On Thursday of this week, make your plan for how you will defend, activate, and create your dream life next week. Spend the next few days thinking about your plan. You'll amaze yourself at how you begin making progress one week at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Getting What You Desire Not a day passes by without someone asking, "How do I get another person to help me get what I want?" Persuading others is one of the keys to getting what you want in life - and here's a big secret; it's NOT about you! You'll get what you want faster by focusing on how you can help others solve their problem - and "Ladder of Desire." This is how it works: 1) Most folks lecture others. That's a low level of communication and rarely builds a real connection. 2) A more practical solution is to show others the way and explain how to solve their problem.  3) The most powerful is offering to take care of their dilemma. That is the top rung of the 'Ladder of Desire.' Everybody wants their problems to disappear. Make that happen, and you'll be a Hero! When you follow this approach, you make friends, prove your value, and are more likely to have your favor returned. Do good first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Faster Goal Achievement I need to pass along a way to achieve your goals faster than you thought possible. If you are ready for success to arrive, here are three simple rules to help you realize your dreams: 1) Play to your strength. Do what is comfortable for you. 2) Only commit to activities that will lead you to your goal. 3) Never let a day pass without reminding yourself of your strengths. Consciously direct your focus. You can reach your goals faster when you avoid distractions stranding everybody else in place. Focus. Do. Focus again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Replace Your To-Do List I'm sure you have a lot to do. If you use a To-Do list, I'd like to pass on advice that will make your days much more fun. LOSE your "To-Do List." Replace it with a" Did I Do It List."   To-Do Lists make you a slave to the checkmark. They cause more stress the longer they get.   A" Did I Do It List" assumes you know what must be done. Instead of chasing, you are checking to make sure you did it.   An un-focused path produces additional tasks to fill your day. A "Did I Do It List" will focus on your goals and create quick results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Too Many Choices Paralysis Do you have too many choices in your life? Is it confusing and making you feel distressed? In 2005, Barry Schwartz wrote Paradox of Choice and challenged traditional thinking. He said the way to maximum freedom in your life was to minimize choice.   Too many choices are not a good thing and can create paralysis. Not to mention, no matter what you choose, you'll always wonder if you could have done better. Distractions are your enemy, and focus is your friend: Here's how to free up your life: 1) Limit your choices. Narrow your list to items you have already experienced. Having every option won't serve you. 2) Be sure to permit yourself to try other possibilities IF needed - but only after you've vetted your first. 3) Stay in your lane and keep it simple.  Too many choices are part of modern life. If you can't make a decision - shorten your list of options to what is important. Ignore everything else. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4-Step Success System Wouldn’t it be great to have a plan to help you get what you want?   What you need is M.A.P.S. - a system that gets thinking out of the way and focuses on actions in four areas: Motivation - Everything begins with motivation and knowing ‘WHY’ you set your goals. Stay motivated. Accountability: Being accountable and accepting responsibility for your results will empower your success. Saying, ‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me’ is a great way to get started. Planning: Plan your work. Work you plan. It’s simple. If you can’t plan it, you won’t be able to do it. Systemization: The first steps of any worthy goal are difficult. As you get more comfortable with your process, lock in the actions and repeat them until you get what you want. Sustainability: Everything takes longer than you think. Momentum is built in life by stacking your accomplishments sequentially. Make sure you set yourself up for the long haul. The freedom you desire rests on a stable and repeatable foundation. Motivation, Accountability, Planning, Systemization, and Sustainability.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taming Your Crazy Life Are you finding yourself distracted and unfocused?  If you look around, there is an epidemic of craziness. It's so bad even the squirrels have started chasing shiny objects.  Imagine if they had a Facebook account like you? If you're ready to stop the insanity, remember this: 1) Getting caught up… in the caught up… will catch up with you when you least expect it. Can you feel it coming? 2) While it doesn't feel like it, the pre-crazy world you miss still exists. Nothing has changed. Turn off the phone, internet, and TV for 24 hours, and it will magically re-appear. 3) You will be far happier and progress more when you step off the spinning wheel of life. A slower, more methodical, and ritualized approach is the way. Play the long game.  Putting an end to the craziness in life is like ripping off a Band-Aid. Do it fast, and your life will get better instantly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Be Your Own Cheerleader Do you remember what it was like to be in 1st grade? It was a time when everybody lavished you with encouragement for being YOU - and because you finished your art project without eating the glue. Those were beautiful times. But you may have noticed things have changed since you were okay to take a nap in the middle of class. You grew up. Yes, growing into an adult brings many mentors your way. They do their best to motivate and inspire you. But you know in your heart that they can only do so much. It's up to you to drive yourself in the direction of your dreams. That's called adulting. I say it's time to PYOTB, my friend!   YOU are your own BEST Cheerleader. Don't sit around waiting for somebody to make you feel good. Pat yourself on the butt. Scream, "I done GOOD!"   It's going to be the best day ever! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Focus and Inspiration Without Resistance Does this happen to you? A great idea pops into your head. Your heart fills with excitement. Nothing can stop you - except that you feel stuck in quicksand. The more you fight, the deeper you sink. It seems that the only way out is to give up on your dream - again. Let’s not do that this time. Feeling inspired to make a change in your life is terrific. It can also be scary. Think of it as survival. Your mind is wired to survive. That means avoiding anything bad and seeking everything good. Until you know for sure, everything is bad. Resistance is the automatic result. When you are ready to act on your inspiration, focus on the good coming and do your best to ignore anything that feels like quicksand.   You could say, “It’s about resisting your resistance.”   Inspiration Without Resistance. That’s how you live the life you’ve always wanted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stress-Free Weekly Productivity I have a saying - “Next year begins THIS year. Next month begins THIS month. Next week begins THIS week.” If you want to stay on track, accomplish your goals, and enjoy life more - you MUST take control of your calendar. It’s easier than you think: 1) Life will come at you FAST! Be sure to schedule any significant and can’t miss life events at least one year in advance. Put it on the calendar and block it out. You can always change your mind. 2) Hold your space. Decide in advance what you will be doing with your days. When will you work on projects? When will you see clients? When will you have fun?  3) Never end one week without locking in your schedule for the next - and stick to it.  The future is always brighter when your day-to-day focus fulfills your goals this week. Focus, my friend. Focus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Best Kind of Relationship The quality of your life is a direct result of your relationships. Tony Robbins said that.  There are three ways to play the relationship game, whether it's a personal, professional, or business relationship. There is only one way to win. 1) All relationships begin with two independent individuals. If you remain independent, you will never connect. 2) Some relationships become co-dependent. Developing this kind of relationship means losing individuality. Isn't that what attracted you in the first place? 3) Combining your skills, passions, and identity is the best way. The result will be an interdependent relationship.  The strength of an individual. The power of a team. It doesn't get any better than that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being a Good Quitter Has anybody ever said to you, "it's good to be a quitter?” Probably Not. That’s why it’s so important today that you pay attention today. Being a good quitter isn’t an excuse. It should never be an option for making things easier. Instead, quitting is a wise choice. You choose to quit when your progress has you going around in circles or has stopped. That's when things get interesting. Once you are committed to an idea that is important to you, it can be difficult to allow yourself to quit. Stuck in a lousy job, terrible relationship, destructive behavior? Your internal sense of "Identity" will compel you to hold to the very end. That may not be wise. Listen closely when your inner voice begins to sound a warning. There's no need to wait for the inevitable. Trust your gut and change your direction fast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simple Question For Success It's the world's simplest recipe for success; Stand up, take a step, REPEAT!   A member wrote asking how to best use such simple advice: 1) Stop whatever you are doing. Find a place where nobody will interrupt you for at least 5-minutes. 2) Focus on YOU. 3) Ask, "How is my life going?" Open your mind and let your thoughts flow to the different roles of your life. Bring them into focus. 4) For areas going well, continue your momentum. For areas of concern, ask," What CAN I do to make it better?" 5) Immediately take action based on your answers. Never stop. 5-minutes a day is all it takes to stay on track. Check in with yourself. Adjust. Keep moving.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Multiply Your Time Wouldn’t it be great if you could create more time in your day without giving anything up?   The secret is how you prioritize the projects already on your plate. That requires a simple understanding: 1) Working on multiple products simultaneously only delays completing all the projects. 2) When you complete a product, not only is it off your plate, it begins producing your expecting results. It also frees up time to move on to your next project. The next time that you are trying to find more time, ask - “What can I finish right now that will give me more time tomorrow - and every day after that?” You will love how you have so much more time in your day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Live Joyfully No Matter What Would you like to be happy every day of the week? Maybe it's time to start thinking like a happy person? There's no magic to being happier. Rose-colored glasses are not required. Just start looking at your day-to-day life the way a happy person does. Give this a try: 1) Accept that merely being alive means you will run into occasional challenges. 2) Realize that dealing with challenges is a privilege that comes with being alive. 3) Welcome frustration. That means that you are not satisfied and are beginning to make adjustments. 4) Accept responsibility for solving your challenges. Run forward and fix them as soon as possible. 5) Deal with everything that life throws at you. Get a great night's sleep. Have another great day tomorrow. It's amazing how that kind of mindset makes most challenges never show up in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Common Characteristics of Highly Successful People Do you wish you could find a mentor to help you along the way? Every mentor I’ve ever had has made a point of validating that I possessed three characteristics for success.   Would you pass their test? 1) Do you have a burning desire to achieve your goal? 2) Are you a coachable person and prepared to accept the wisdom and guidance of others? 3) Are you willing to undertake all actions to achieve your success? Wouldn’t you want this in someone that was asking for your help?   Talk your walk. Walk your talk. That’s a great life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Practice Makes Greatness It’s been said that Practice makes perfect.  That might be true if you were able to practice perfectly. If that were the case, why would you need to practice? Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent.  Practice bad thinking, and you will get all the bad thoughts you could ever want. Practice makes permanent. Practice bad manners and are sure to get better at being rude. Practice makes permanent. Practice bad relationship skills, and you are guaranteed to miss out on the best life has to offer. Practice makes permanent. It is always that way, it will never change, and you can harness its power. Practice being positive, forward-thinking, and believing that life is good. That’s what you will get. Practice being a good person that is always thinking of others. You will find yourself surrounded by good people. Practice being present, respectful, and loving in your relationships. You will never be alone. Yes, practice makes permanent, but it also makes for greatness. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life Altering Questions A long time ago, it occurred to me that life is nothing more than a giant scavenger hunt. Yes, life is full of questions, and it’s long enough for you to figure out all the essential answers. And the winners are the people who figure out the solution for what you are seeking. Here are a few that I use on a regular basis to get me thinking: 1) What do you want to do? 2) What do you want to have? 3) Where do you want to go? 4) What contribution do you want to make? 5) What do you want to become? 6) What do you want to learn? 7) Who do you want to spend your time with? 8) How much money do you want to earn, save, and invest? 9) How much time do you want off? 10) What will you do to create optimum health? I’ll repeat it. Life is full of questions, and it’s long enough for you to figure out all the essential answers. It’s time to get busy. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It doesn’t matter what you do. You will know when you have succeeded when the lovers and the haters all come out to play at the same time. Focus on the lovers. -- My Friends are Jealous of My Success Have you ever had a crazy day that has you putting out fires and wondering when it will be time to go home? And, did I mention, you were doing what you love and want to be doing - successfully? Why is it that life gets crazier when things go well? There’s a simple answer. No matter what you do, when enough people begin paying attention to you, your life will change. Some folks will love you. Some will hate you.  Others won’t have an opinion but will say something anyway.  Many will be jealous. Lots will be proud.  It doesn’t matter what you do. You will know when you have succeeded when the lovers and the haters all come out to play at the same time. Focus on the lovers. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Superman lives for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. You’re pretty super too! What's driving you? -- Do You Have a ‘Who I Am’ Statement? Do you have a roadmap for who you are and how you operate in the world?  You need a ‘Who I am’ document. Who I am - is not a mission statement. Who I am - is not a list of affirmations. Who I am - is not a value statement Who I am is a personal cheat sheet that reminds you why you do what you do. How do you see yourself? How do others see you? How do you act in situations? When life gets in the way, you can always turn to your pre-determined ‘Who I am’ for the corrective actions to take. Remember - Inconsistency in behavior will whittle away at your soul.   Consistency will strengthen you and makes you happy. It’s time to be like Superman. His ‘Who I am' is Truth, Justice, and the American Way. What’s yours? -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get what you want by using CALLS to action: Clarity. Accurate Thinking. Leverage. Systemization. Life is about to get much more relaxed. -- Taking Action in Your Life Easily There is a simple formula that you can apply to get what you want, enjoy the process, and ensure that it will last for a lifetime. 1) Get clarity. You must clearly define what you want. When you don’t know what path you are heading, you will drift with frustration. 2) Accurate Thinking. Assume that you are not getting the correct information. Double check and confirm. Then move forward. The more accurate your understanding of your plan, the more comfortable and quicker it will be to get there. 3) Leverage. You may think that you can do all the heavy lifting yourself, and you can see in the beginning. But why? You’ll get there faster if you find a way to leverage every action for maximum results. Don’t go it alone. 4) Systemization. Create ritualized actions that move you closer to what you want. Once there, automate those actions. Your purpose required an operating system to stay focused and on track. Get what you want to be using CALLS to action: Clarity. Accurate Thinking. Leverage. Systemization.   Life is about to get much more relaxed. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Success comes to people who set goals. Be one of those people. -- The Secret to Setting The Right Goals Since we're in the middle of the year and vacations will end soon, it's time for a Goal-Setting refresher to be ready to go when you are done playing. Here's how you can set and accomplish any goal: 1) State precisely WHAT you want. 2) State WHY you want it. 3) Imagine how you will feel when you reach your goal. 4) Plan the initial steps you will take. 5) Launch into massive imperfect action. 6) Measure your progress. 7) Be flexible in your approach.  8) Celebrate and repeat. Success comes to people who set goals. Be one of those people. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Success arrives when you move from a solid TODAY to a stronger TOMORROW. Don't leap too soon, but don't delay either. -- Courage to Face Your Passion Changing something about your life is pretty straightforward.  Figure out what you want and change it. Are you done laughing? Most folks fall on the way to their dreams because they don't move, move at the wrong time, or move too fast. That's why it's time to build your bridge once you know what you want. Here's how: 1) Fortify your current foundation. Save money, pay bills, and do whatever it takes to create a firm and peaceful base to build. 2) Begin constructing the foundation for your new life. Go to school, network, research, and plan. Do everything in your power to assure your success with no regret. 3) When you're ready, leave your past behind, cut off the old, and begin living your new life. Be patient. Wait until you are at least 70% ready to succeed before you cross to the other side.  Success arrives when you move from a solid TODAY to a stronger TOMORROW. Don't leap too soon, but don't delay either.-- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You will always get more of what you want when your communication moves toward a common goal. -- How to Improve Your Communication Skills Today Today you are going to have opportunities to communicate.  Here’s how to create conversations that connect: 1) Meet folks where they are. Please pay attention to how their day is going. Step into their NOW. 2) Establishing something in common. “Wow! Has this day been crazy for you too?” 3) Establish an undeniable truth. “I promise it’s going to get crazier with the holidays coming.”  4) Move the conversation toward an idea that everybody can agree on. “Holidays are coming fast. We should get ahead of it and do some planning.”  5) Bring a new idea into the conversation. “I have a system that will work for both of us. Do you want to see it?”  You will always get more of what you want when your communication moves toward a common goal. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you feeling stuck? Ask yourself, WHAT CAN I DO? The honest answer will pop into your head. Then - stand up, take a step, REPEAT! -- One Question When You Are Stuck I have a favorite question;" What Can I Do?" I ask it when I'm unsure about the following action. It always delivers.  Getting what you want in life sometimes includes random and vague goal setting - something that is not likely to help you make progress. What you need is to be targeted and specific.  But what do you do when targeted and specific isn't coming to mind? Ask yourself - "What Can I Do?" Sometimes the answer is not what you want to hear. Then again, when you are stopped in your tracks - it can't hurt. What's next? Stand up, take a step, and REPEAT! You'll find your way. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Chance to Succeed Is it me, or does living life these days make you feel like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day?  When it comes to working toward goals, that can be a tremendous asset. It's also something that will break you free when things don't feel like they are going your way. Everybody has ups and downs. Up days are lots of fun. Down days make you want to crawl under a rock. But like the movie, with the right mindset, you always get another chance to try again. How would you feel if every day was a chance to tweak, adjust, flex, or reinvent your approach to living? What if everything got more comfortable as you built your knowledge of what works best for you? How empowered would you feel if you knew that every day was a do-over day? As long as the sun rises and the sun sets, it doesn't matter if you succeed or fail the previous day. Today is always a new day for making your dreams come true. That'll make you get out of bed. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every characteristic of life is essential. When you balance them into synchronicity, your Happiness rises, and you become the person you were meant to be.  -- You Don't Find Happiness. You Create It. If you've struggled to stay on track every day, your happiness creation skill is out of balance. Before I go on, let me say that happiness creation is more than a slogan; it is not automatically activated upon birth.  Rising into your Happiness is a personal choice. It is a decision followed by discipline to become a complete person instead of a narrowly focused human stumbling through life. It is a power that arrives when you realize that the sum is better than the parts. It's not about your health, relationships, or how much money you make. It's not about your spiritual beliefs, values, or your integrity. It's not about how you treat your children, spouse, or friends. Happiness is about all of them. It is about mastering every aspect of your life into one thing called YOU. And the best part is - you can do that every day. Every characteristic of your life is essential. When you balance them with focused synchronicity, your Happiness rises, and you become the person you were meant to be.  -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The view from the top is always beautiful - even if your legs hurt getting there. It’s also less crowded; start. Be different. Start climbing now! -- How to Become a Thought Leader Have you ever received an email that scrambled your brain, made you scratch your head, and got you thinking more than most days - about thinking. I had been working with a client to fine-tune her leadership skills. Things were going well, others noticed, and people outside of her immediate circle were beginning to reach out. She was excited, feeling accomplished, and had an idea - “I like this leadership thing, but I was thinking about becoming a “Thought Leader.” How do you think I can get started?” The response was instant, honest, compassionate, and, being candid, a little snarky, “Maybe you can spend more time thinking about what you want to think lead?” We laughed at our shared Captain Obvious moment, but the truth hit home. The thing that turns textbook leaders into legendary leaders is their willingness to think. They think about what is essential, how they will impact others, what legacy will they leave, and most importantly - Great leaders check in with themselves regularly to understand how they feel about every topic in their life. It’s not a point of view. It’s not an opinion. It’s who they are at their core and how they show up in the world. And it happens before they ever meet you. Becoming a “Thought Leader” is the same process as becoming any leader - with a narrower focus. In other words, decide what you want to lead on, think about it more than anyone else, walk your walk, and share your thoughts. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The view from the top is always beautiful - even if your legs hurt getting there. It’s also less crowded; start. Be different. Start climbing now! -- Steps for Success in Life I remember standing in a parking lot in the Great Smokey Mountains surrounded by tourists and the smell of hot engines. We were about to hike to the Clingmans’ Dome observation tower - 6,644 feet above sea level. There is a sign at the beginning of the trail that warns hikers that the hike is considered strenuous, the average person will take 30-minutes to complete, and there are places to take a break along the way. While reading the sign, two conversions caught my attention - A couple that had driven hours to get there said, “They say it might be foggy at the top. Let’s not and say we did.” Then my wife said, “I think we should do it non-stop and in half the time. Let’s go!” With that, we headed up the hill with our thighs burning. We passed hundreds of hikers giving up on the trailside benches; even more, had turned back as they hiked through the fog, but we kept going. As we closed in on our goal of 15-minutes, we broke through the final layer of fog and found a beautiful day and a 100-mile view in all directions waiting for us when we arrived. That’s the thing about setting big goals and going for them. Even if you can’t see the outcome from your starting point, your goals and mission will carry you to your vision. Yes, your legs might hurt, but when you get there, you’ll find the journey up the mountain and the view from the top are always worth your effort. It’s also less crowded since most people never even start.-- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Focus fuels your fire. That's why that call it being FIRED UP! I like you when you're FIRED UP! -- How to Stay Motivated All The Time I wondered why I couldn't always have my way as a child. Mom and Dad were so mean! I couldn't wait to grow up, move out, and experience being an adult. Everything would be different - or so I thought. After stepping into the adult world, it didn't take long to realize that not much had changed. It turns out it wasn't my parents. It was a life turning down my requests. Life was getting in the way. What was even worse was that I was getting in my way. I've joked over the years that if I'm the Boss of me, why don't I do what I say? Eventually, I realized having a big ass goal, being on a mission, and most importantly, motivation on demand was the solution. Motivation is a powerful, if not fleeting, tool we all need. But we need to understand how our minds generate motivation: 1) Your physiology dictates your feelings. Movement wakes your body up, guides your emotions, and makes anything feel possible. The easiest way to break free of a slump is to stand up, take a step, and REPEAT. 2) Focus fuels your fire. If you are unmotivated, you are drifting in the wind with no direction. Shifting your thoughts in a positive direction and toward what excites you will break you out and get you moving. 3) The words you say create the emotions you feel. Negative self-talk will drag you, and everybody else, down. Everything changes when you make the words you say to yourself, internally and externally, positive and uplifting. Words matter more than you think. You're human. Your brain isn't wired to stay always motivated unless you are willing to give it a helping hand. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Minor stuff is going to get done. If not, it probably doesn’t matter. Big stuff does matter. Imagine the impact you will have when you focus on big? -- How to Get Your Brain to Focus The older I get, the more I realize I’m fiddling with small things that drive me crazy but keep me busy. And I do it with the full knowledge it’s not the best use of my time, below my pay grade, and distracting from big stuff I should be doing.  Over the years, I’ve noticed almost everybody I know does the same thing. I’ve also learned it doesn’t have to do with procrastination as much as getting a quick win and a short-term payoff. Yes, the reward for more significant projects is getting what you want, but checking off your list of little stuff is distractingly intoxicating. It makes you feel good all day but keeps you awake a night.   The solution is to think bigger. As I work through my day, I focus on the biggest, broadest, and most important mission in my life. Is it family? Is it your health? Do you want to make more money? Is it time to give back more? When you have a great picture painted in your mind, your mission becomes your focus, and you will do whatever it takes to move closer to that vision. That’s why - “I work on BIG things I love, not SMALL things that drive me crazy.” Imagine your impact on your life and the world by focusing on big? The small stuff is going to get done. If not, it probably doesn’t matter. Big stuff does matter. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you make your primary focus the first do you do in the morning, the rest of the day is more fun. You do like having fun - right? -- Productive Morning Routine I love the quiet peacefulness of mornings, but I'm not too fond that mornings happen so early. Still, the focus, creativity, and feeling of momentum that comes with getting up before the chickens have such value that I needed to make getting up a bit easier. My solution is to drop the complicated and establish a simple routine.  I begin by deciding the area I'm currently prioritizing and choosing a "first thing" task to move me closer to my goal. Next, I set myself up for success the night before. Depending on my task, I make notes, organize my desk, and get my gym clothes ready - whatever it takes to prepare. Finally, when I wake up, I get licked by the dogs, take care of my personal needs, read something inspirational for five minutes or less, and start my day. No distractions. No email, social media, or news. Just start. My goal is to make my primary focus the first thing I do in the morning before life gets in the way. It works like a charm. There's a reason the Marines do more before 9 AM than everybody else. Now it's your turn. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once you've accomplished your goal, stop messing around and move on. The more you poke around, the better your chance of doing more harm than good. -- Stop Trying to Be Perfect How much is good enough? I received an email from an MTMer who changed careers to become a Surgical Assistant. He did it at an age when most folks start thinking about retirement. Mike shared a useful saying he's heard many times in the operating room. He said," The evil of good enough is better." Once you've accomplished your goal, stop messing around and move on. The more you poke around, the better your chance of doing more harm than good. A simple concept. I like simple. Simple works. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are today's opportunities moving you closer to your goal - or further away? -- The Secret to Setting The Right Goals Some goals happen quickly. Others take longer. A lot longer. How can you keep your goals alive while you make them a reality? 1) Stop falling for someone else's goals. Everybody has something they want to achieve. It's not bad. It could be helpful. In any case, it is a distraction. Know what you want and why you want it. 2) Once you listen to yourself, be sure to commit to your plan and never, ever, ever give up. 3) While you progress, be alert when others insert their goals into your life. They are tricky little things. They'll distract you without you even knowing. As you move along, always keep this question in your mind— "Is this an opportunity that will move me closer to my goal or further away?" There is only one answer that will improve your life.  -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life is much simpler when you keep it simple. A wise person would spend time on the fewest number of actions that provide the most significant results.  -- Easy Good Habits Motivating yourself to reach your goals is a never-ending process that kicks into high gear several times a year. Most folks have a list of new routines and habits they want to put into place - but it may be too long. Many years ago, I decided to control my mornings by establishing actions I would take upon waking. While I had great intentions, I found myself floundering and eventually losing focus.  Why? I realized that the habits I was trying to establish had no real meaning other than checking them off my list. Instead of feeling motivated and inspired, I felt bogged down. I decide to make things simple. These days, I establish minimum viable habits in my life. In other words, I only commit to the minimum number of behaviors that deliver the desired results. And they are important to me. Anything more is excessive, distracting, and frustrating. Life is much simpler when you keep it simple. A wise person would spend time on the fewest number of actions that provide the most significant results.  -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Collect. Compile. Create. You'll never sit in front of a blank screen again. -- How to Be More Creative at Work Over the years, I have personally produced over 10,000 podcasts, and of them begin with the written word. Even though that makes my mouth and fingers my most exercised body parts, it has also given me many opportunities to learn to keep my words flowing. Like most people, you may have found yourself sitting in front of a blank screen, praying for inspiration. It could be writer's block, procrastination, or maybe you stayed up late watching Netflix. In any case, there's a simple solution to always having a starting point. Any project I need to wrap my head around begins by capturing the ideas that flow into my mind throughout the day. Even turning the radio off on a 20-minute drive can provide a treasure-trove of useable nuggets.  Next, I tuck those ideas away in a safe place, with no organizing, editing, or re-writing. I grab the thoughts out of the air, jot a note or record a memo, put them away, and let them simmer. When I'm ready to get to work, I take 15 minutes the day before to review my creative genius list, toss out what is not relevant, create a simple outline, and walk away knowing I am ready to begin. The next day, I can't wait to sit in front of a blank screen and let the magic start flowing from my figure tips with complete ease.-- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the messages that are floating around in your mind. They are trying to get your attention. -- Universal messages. Hear Them Now. I’m not sure how you feel about the Universe and how things work in the world, but does the Universe speak to you? I can’t tell you if the ‘Universe’ stands alone or if ‘God’ created the ‘Universe’ and runs the show. That’s above my pay grade.  What I can say is this.  We live and breathe every day in a world that is ganging up on us and trying to get our attention. The question is, are you listening? While there are many ways people seek to receive messages of guidance as we make life decisions, my favorite has always been events that occur in triplicate. If something happens three times, I pay attention. Call me hard-headed, distracted, or set in my ways, but life has taught me that wisdom tends to come in whispers - usually when our thoughts are screaming in our head and drowning out our dreams. Now, let me be clear... A friend calling three times to go out on the town doesn’t count in my book. Snoozing your alarm clock three times isn’t a message from the Universe that you should sleep in more. The grocery store being out of your favorite chips three times is not a sign that you should go on a diet.  All that is what they call the “stuff that happens while you’re alive.” So what counts?  1) Seemingly random situations and people that happen in quick succession or at the same time.  2) They are different in their approach and appearance, yet each delivers a similar message. At first, it may seem disconnected, but in relation to the other messages, you begin to notice. 3) The message you receive is likely something that has been on your mind, keeping you awake a night, and speaks to you. Even though you may not immediately recognize its impact, you find yourself slightly redirected in your search for answers. Your path altered. While this is undoubtedly only my description of how I know it when the Universe is ganging up on me, I have learned to allow space for a message to arrive. Whether I realize the impact or not, I have also learned that it always motivates my decisions, choices, and future actions. In other words, things change with little effort. My journey is about breaking from the status quo, exploring the possibilities of life, and going with the flow. I bet the Universe is ganging up on your right now - if you’ll only pay attention. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the book you would write about yourself isn’t who you are, you can start making changes today. That’s how you get a happy ending. -- Does Your Life Have a Happy Ending If you could write a book about the person you have become today, would it have a happy ending? A good portion of my day is interacting with clients around the world. They are usually upbeat, open to problem-solving, and seeking my advice to help them. Or, as they would say, “help me get out of my way and get my act together. That’s where writing a book comes to mind and a good question from me - “Okay. Before we begin, if you were to write a book about yourself in the future, would it have a happy ending?” Their answer is always, ”Yes! That’s why I’m here today.” My next question is, “If you were to write your book today, what would the answer be?” “Hmm… I would say average. Not great. Not bad. Certainly not a book anybody would read.” As the conversation continues, I make these points: 1) All of us get in our own way. That’s how we learn. And we all have our act together until we recognize that we want another act. That’s called growth. 2) People who live an average life almost always spend more time chasing squirrels and shiny objects than focusing on actions that create the consistent results they want. It's an exhausting way to live. 3) People who live successfully think more like business people. They implement actions that get results, are sustainable, and grow the economics of the business. In other words, they figure out what works and keep doing it. There is no drifting in the wind. Make your own way, figure out what works, and do it again. Simple. Speaking of simple… If the book you would write about yourself isn’t who you are, you can start making changes today. That’s how you get a happy ending. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the book you would write about yourself isn’t who you are, you can start making changes today. That’s how you get a happy ending. -- Stop Living Somebody Else's Dreams All I have ever wanted to do is have fun, impact people in a mostly positive way, make them laugh, have a great family and friends, make some money, and not take life too seriously.  Simple enough.  But in the over-complicated and widely distracting monkey-see-monkey-do world we live in, it's easy to get what you want and still end up with a superficially satisfying life. In fact, I would suggest such a life is easy to achieve and perfect for anybody willing to get out of bed and join the world.  Life is averagely good.  But what if your inner voice is screaming, "there MUST be MORE?" Well, there is more. But only if you create it. That may scare you, but it won't if you realize and accept one thing - Someone else has created every single experience you have in your day-to-day life.  Somebody else imagined building the city you call home.  Somebody else imagined designing the car you drive.  Somebody else imagined the phone in your pocket.  That fact is, somebody else woke up and decided to turn their dreams into reality - so that you could live your life inside of their dreams. While that may be fine, maybe it's time that you let others do the same with your dreams? After all, if they can do it, you can do it - right? While there is more I can and will cover on this topic, there are three items that a fully actualized adult can do to create any reality of their choosing: 1) Understand that all success begins with internally motivated actions. You get to decide what you want and you can lead the way. The only permission required is yours. 2) The level of happiness and success you attain in life is determined by your ability to mine your thoughts, reveal your inner desires, accept them as your truth, and hold yourself accountable for creating what is essential to you in your life.  3) Every day, you should take time to discern what is important and likely to have a profound effect on your success, survival, and well-being. Then, narrow the focus to what is absolutely necessary and extremely important; essential. When you dedicate daily focus to building such a strong level of inner understanding, you will instantly begin creating your new world - and others can start living inside YOUR dreams. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You will become who you were meant to be when you learn how to get there, do the work, and recognize your achievement. -- Levels of Competence When I was young, stupid, and wondering when I would understand life, I often turned to my friend, Larry, for a road map. He always seemed to have what I needed - until the day he passed the torch. He knew I needed more. That’s when he introduced me to Zig Ziglar’s States of Competence: 1) Stage One is where we begin. We are “Unconscious Incompetent.” We don’t know what we don’t know. Yup. 2) Stage Two is called “Conscious Incompetent.” I spent a lot of time there. I used to say, “I have no idea what I’m doing - but at least I admit it.” 3) Stage Three is “Unconscious Competent.” I see that in my work. People who have no idea how good they are. 4) Stage Four is “Conscious Competent.” That was my goal. I wanted to know what I was doing - and KNOW it!  Most people continue to another level some call “Conscious competence of unconscious competence.” The ability to recognize and develop Unconscious Competence in others. You will become who you were meant to be when you learn how to get there, do the work, and recognize your achievement. -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Removing blocks takes nothing more than commitment and action. That’s called passion. Nothing can stand in the way of your passion. -- Understanding and Eliminating Frustration When life gets in the way, do you get frustrated about being blocked?   I learned a long time ago that getting blocked is an everyday occurrence. The bigger my goals, the more blocks would arrive. I could either live with endless frustrations or find a better way. It came down to understanding: 1) Blocks have nothing to do with who you are. Self-inflicted or caused by others, they still have nothing to do with you as a person.  2) If you want something, there is always a way to get it. Always. You may not like the path. Your ego may get in the way. It may scare you. There is still a way to get what you want. 3) Removing blocks from your life takes nothing more than commitment and action. That’s called passion. No block can stand up to passion.  The next time frustration gets in your way, blow it off and keep moving. There is always a way to get what you want -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The actions you take automatically become the life you experience. It's essential to be mindful of where you are heading.  -- What Successful People Do If you study people who have had success in any area of their life, you will find they have much in common.  Not only do they follow a set of rules, but they also follow those rules no matter how much life gets in the way. What are those rules? The person who has the strongest "Why" wins. The person who shows up wins. The person who shows up on time wins. The person who is most persistent wins. The person show never assumes wins. The person who is the best at what they do wins. The person who plans and documents their journey and interactions wins. The person who never gives up total control to others wins. The person who acceptances responsibility for themselves wins. The person who serves the most wins. The person who is grateful for everything wins. The actions you take automatically become the life you experience. It's essential to be mindful of where you are heading.  -- Download the Perfect Week Planner Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session Join our Facebook Group Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's the ONE Thing you can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary? -- Live a Simple Life Even if Your is Complicated Way back in 2005, when Motivation To Move began, I found myself focused on creating the world's simplest success recipe when I said, "Stand up. Take a step. REPEAT!" My way of thinking told me that everything else would take care of itself if that's all I did. It has proven me correct again and again. But, say that you get yourself moving and are having challenges maintaining forward momentum? In The One Thing, Gary Keller writes, "Success is sequential, not simultaneous." In other words, it's not about doing everything at one time. It's about having one success at a time.  When you Stand up, take a step, and repeat, you are already guaranteed to have more success than the average human. But the magic happens when you define your focus. Gary Keller also has a suggestion that will help. Ask yourself one question… "What's the ONE Thing you can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?" Yes. It is a simple question, and you may attempt to complicate your answer. Please don't do it. Take the time to find an absolute simple focus. The reward for your persistence in simple will be massive progress and satisfaction.-- -- Download the Perfect Week Planner at https://perfectweekplanner.com Join our Facebook Group at https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook Book a 60-Minute Coaching Session at https://go.motivationtomove.com/book-your-60-minute-coaching-session Visit our Content Hub to find more resources at https://motivationtomove.com Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anything can and will change in an instant. Knowing that grants you immense power over your destiny - especially if it's self-inflicted with you in control. -- Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste A few years ago, the world changed when we were introduced to CorinaVirus. It was as if we were racing down the Interstate at 85 miles-per-hour, slammed on our breaks, and directed off the nearest exit on an undefined detour. It all seemed to happen in an instant. The pandemic caused real pain and loss for some. Fear and stress for others. Still, as surreal as it was, it wasn't long before most people began to notice the craziness of our previous lives replaced with a 'new normal' - one that felt more like a 'new nothing.'  Much to our surprise, life slowed to a crawl, schedules changed, and we found contentment by not chasing every shiny object that life presented. The pandemic pause caused people to reevaluate life from the inside out. While it happens all the time, this time, we noticed it. How often have you found yourself in an impossible situation that ended with one action?  You paid off debt, quit a job, and said goodbye to a bad relationship? How often have you decided to try something new, and the past instantly disappeared? Did you decide to move into a new home, start your own business, or return to school? How often have the worst pains and biggest joys been the catalyst for an exciting new beginning? A death, wedding, or the birth of a new child? While some situations in life are unpredictable, the lessons learned and wisdom gleamed remind us that anything can and will change instantly. Knowing that grants you immense power over your destiny - especially if it's self-inflicted and you are in control. -- Join our Facebook Group at https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook Download the Perfect Week Planner at https://perfectweekplanner.com Visit our content hub to find more resources at https://motivationtomove.com Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can do whatever you want with your life; you don't need anybody's permission or approval to make it happen. Your destiny is 100% up to you. -- Getting What You Want In the last few years, people have become increasingly popular for sharing every little aspect of their lives with others. But, when it comes to getting what you want in life, keeping your plans to yourself is a powerful tool. Memorial Day has just passed, and when I arrived at my desk on Tuesday, I had two client messages that made me smile. The first said, "I decided to spend my weekend practicing what I do in private so that I will be praised in public." That's something I've said and done many times. The second client told me they had completed a new project over the weekend and headed in a new direction. When I mentioned they had never said a word to me about it, they said, "I know. I'm learning that nobody needs to know what I'm doing to do. I'll do it, and they can catch up." My heart smiled as I witnessed three powerful tools impact my client's lives: 1) Practice privately until you are ready to share with the world. Nobody needs to know how you got so good at what you do. 2) There's no need to tell anybody what you will do. Just do it and then let them know what you've done later. 3) It's easier to get things done when everybody else is busy doing something else and isn't poking their nose in your business. Long holiday weekends and summer vacations are a great place to begin. -- Join our Facebook Group at https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook Download the Perfect Week Planner at https://perfectweekplanner.com Visit our content hub to find more resources at https://motivationtomove.com Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everything good begins with YOU. There's no need to wait for others. Create your momentum, and others won't be able to stay away. -- Have you ever found yourself stalled? I had big plans a few years ago, and nothing was moving forward. Other people didn't seem to get the memo that I was on a mission when I said nothing.  We've all been in situations where nobody will return your call. Your email gets ghosted. You can't seem to get support or commitment for your future, world-saving plans. That's what happened to me and caused me to decide to create my momentum. I called it my "Momentum Freight Train."  My first use of my new mindset was to get my future wife to take our relationship more seriously. Everything was going great - but not fast enough for me. So, before our next date, I said to myself - "I'm not going to wait for permission. I'm going to build my life, no matter what. If she doesn't join me, I'll ride my momentum to someone who will." It's important to understand that creating your momentum is not negative thinking. On the contrary, it's attractive energy that people notice - and she did. I was off and running with my commitment, and it didn't take long for Joi and others to realize they better get on board before my train left the station. Everything good begins with YOU. There's no need to wait for others. Create your momentum, and others won't be able to stay away. -- Join our Facebook Group at https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook Download the Perfect Week Planner at https://perfectweekplanner.com Visit our content hub to find more resources at https://motivationtomove.com Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"What’s your ONE most important activity for today? Brian Tracy says, “Eat the BIG frog first!” Yummy!" -- Increase Work Productivity I have a question for you. What is your ONE most important activity?   What is the ONE core activity that makes everything else okay? What is the ONE core activity that, if you don’t do, causes everything to fall apart? In Brian Tracy’s book Eat The Big Frog First, he recognized that many people focus on anything but the most critical activity in their life. They are usually surprised when things fall apart. Is it showing up for work on time or doing a great job at work? Could it be your unflinching attention to your family? Does your business have ONE activity that causes people to buy from you? When you focus on your ONE most important activity - and do it first - everything else gets easier. -- Join our Facebook Group at https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook Download the Perfect Week Planner at https://perfectweekplanner.com Visit our content hub to find more resources at https://motivationtomove.com Like the show? Please leave us a review - even one sentence helps grow the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever had a crazy day that has you putting out fires and wondering when it will be time to go home? And, did I mention, you were doing what you love and want to be doing - successfully? Why is it that life gets crazier when things go well? There’s a simple answer. No matter what you do, when enough people begin paying attention to you, your life will change. Some folks will love you. Some will hate you.   Others won’t have an opinion but will say something anyway.   Many will be jealous. Lots will be proud.  It doesn’t matter what you do. You will know when you have succeeded when the lovers and the haters all come out to play at the same time. Focus on the lovers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unless you live in a cave, effective communication is something you need to master to get what you want in life. Have you ever been in a conversation and felt you were not being heard? It's time to step around to their side of the table and see things from their point of view. Everybody has a different way of hearing and processing conversation. If you consider altering your style to match how THEY communicate, you will arrive on the same page. Some people consider this to be giving up control. It's not.   When others can understand what you are saying, you gain control. It's no different from traveling to a foreign country and speaking their language.   You don't need to change the content of your message. You only need to adjust how you deliver your message to be effective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that happy people are regular people that look at the world differently? They don't wear rose-colored glasses either. They have a better way: 1) They realize that if you are alive, you will have problems.  2) They accept that dealing with problems is a privilege of being alive. 3) They don't get frustrated. They know problems mean you are shaking up life and living. 4) Happy people accept responsibility for solving problems. They never run from them. 5) A good day for a happy person is dealing with everything life can throw at you. Getting a great night's sleep and doing it again is the reward. By the way - It's amazing how this kind of attitude seems to make most problems never show up in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My wife and I were having dinner this weekend. She finally asked, “Are you going to tell me about what you’re doing for the summer? I want to help.” I said, “I won’t need your help. I need your support.” She had a puzzled look. I don’t blame her. But, I am locked in on my goal - and that needs two things: 1) The ability to filter out what doesn’t matter and prioritize what does. 2) Accept 100% responsibility for reaching the goal. As they say, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” Anything less will remove you from control. If you miss either one, you’ll find many well-meaning people offering help. The problem? The suggestions they make will be different from how you imagined your journey. As soon as that happens, you have pulled off your path. You need support. If you are setting off on a life-transforming goal, it’s okay to accept the support of others. Remember, your most important supporter is YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter your goals in life, there is a good chance you are striving to be the best at something. Whether it’s the best Mom or Dad, excelling in your career, or winning at the game or sport of your choice. Being the best always comes down to: 1) Do what you love and are good at naturally. You’ll have the edge over others. Stay in your wheelhouse. 2) Commit your focus toward mastery. Being a Jack-of-all-trades won’t work. Specialists always win over generalists. 3) Spend more time doing than learning. There’s a big difference between knowledge and wisdom. Experience is what matters.  4) Hire a Coach. When you’re at the top of your game, working with your Coach will take you from second place to first. 5) Keep going until you get what you want. Never stop and never make excuses.  It was your idea to pursue your path. Enjoy the privilege of being able to make that choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every day I spend time on the phone with excited folks who know they are close to getting what they want. They can't figure out how to get their hands on it.   Let's start with: 1) Anything you want in this world is owned or controlled by somebody else. 2) If you want their help, you will have to get their attention. It always comes down to three things. In this order: 1) What problem are they having? No, it may not relate to you. It doesn't matter. If you can help, you will get their attention. 2) What's your solution? How can you fix it? When can you fix it? You'll know when you are close when you see the excitement in their eyes. 3) What's your offer? What must they do to get you to help? What do you want?   It's simple. Address another person's problems with a robust solution and an offer they can't refuse. That's a real win-win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steven Covey called it sharpening the saw. If you take a break to sharpen the blade, you will always cut more wood. The same applies to life. My formula for stopping burnout is Ritual, Rest, Rejuvenate, Reactivate, Repeat 1) Success comes when you perform ritual actions every day. Figure out what works and do it. 2) Running full-out all the time is not sustainable. You must stop and rest. 3) Resting allows your body and mind to rejuvenate and become strong again. 4) When you are ready, it's time to reactive into action mode. 5) Repeat until you get what you want. It's easier to cut more wood when you take a break to sharpen your saw. A walk in the park on a busy day counts too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if every day was perfect for the rest of your life?   If you build it, they will come! Your subconscious mind is a beautiful thing. You can engage its power to create your Average Perfect Day.   Here’s how: 1) Write down a clear, event-by-event vision of your perfect day. Yes, it’s a bit of a fantasy - for now. 2) There are no rules. No limitations. No consequences. Don’t be shy. Be honest about what you want. 3) Believe it can be yours. You deserve it. You must believe it is possible. If you follow these steps, your subconscious mind seeks ways to make your dreams come true. All it needs is a partner willing to take action. Do that, and you’ll create an extraordinary life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the craziness of life, are you having difficulty breaking through to the greatness that is YOU? What does greatness take? 1) Imagination. Your ability to form images, ideas, and sensations in your mind. Without help from anything or anybody. Use yours. Trust yours.  2) Enthusiasm. Living life with the excitement of feeling is PASSION. Only involve yourself in activities that you are enthusiastic. 3) Persistence. Life is long. Things take time. Learn to love being doggedly persistent. It will serve you well. 4) Faith. Have faith in yourself. Live your life in complete trust and confidence in someone or something. Imagination. Enthusiasm. Persistence. Faith. That's living. Imagine how good it could be with a bit of Gratitude? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's an incredible idea floating within your mind. It will soon demand your attention.  "Is this all there is? Am I destined for something bigger?" You are. Here's how to discover your path: 1) Accept WHO you are on the inside by reviewing your past choices. The good ones are a clue. Do more of them. 2) Accept WHAT you do when you are doing you. It's not a thing; it's a feeling. 3) Accept WHEN when you want to begin living. Now is a good time. 4) Accept WHERE you are in your life. You CAN get there from here, as long as you know where HERE is. Accepting real purpose is usually revealed by your daily actions. If you don't like the direction you are heading, it's time to try a new one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not a day passes by without someone asking, "How do I get another person to help me get what I want?" Persuading others is one of the keys to getting what you want in life - and here's a big secret; it's NOT about you! You'll get what you want faster by focusing on how you can help others solve their problem - and "Ladder of Desire." This is how it works: 1) Most folks lecture others. That's a low level of communication and rarely builds a real connection. 2) A more practical solution is showing others how and explaining how to solve their problem.  3) The most powerful is to offer to take care of their dilemma for them. That is the top rung of the 'Ladder of Desire.' Everybody wants their problems to disappear. Make that happen, and you'll be a Hero! When you follow this approach, you make friends, prove your value, and are more likely to have your favor returned. Do good first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I feel the need to pass along a way to achieve your goals faster than you thought possible. If you are ready for success to arrive, here are three simple rules to help you realize your dreams: 1) Play to your strength. Do what is comfortable for you. 2) Only commit to activities that will lead you to your goal. 3) Never let a day pass without reminding yourself of your strengths. Consciously direct your focus. You can reach your goals faster when you avoid the distractions that are stranding everybody else in place. Focus. Do. Focus again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm sure you have a lot to do. If you use a To-Do list, I'd like to pass on advice that will make your days much more fun. LOSE your "To-Do List." Replace it with a" Did I Do It List."   To-Do Lists make you an employee of your checkmarks. They cause more stress the longer they get.   A "Did I Do It List" assumes you know what must be done. Instead of chasing, you are checking to make sure you did it.   An un-focused path produces additional tasks to fill your day. Using a "Did I Do It List" will focus you on your goals and create quick results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Personal growth is a journey. It can be a lot of work. It’s also more fun to follow the rules of ‘Natural Law.’ 1) The Law of Vibration states that thoughts are things. They are one of the most potent forms of energy. Pay attention to your thoughts. What you think about, you bring about. 2) According to the Law of Polarity, nothing exists without an opposite. Love. Hate. Hot. Cold. Yin. Yang. Opposites are different forms of the same thing. Embrace them. 3) The Law of Rhythm states life is a pendulum. What swings left must swing right.   4) Every effect must have a cause; every cause must have an effect. That’s the Law of Cause and Effect. Everything in life is perpetual and never-ending. You can speed your success by understanding how these always present forces are at work in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was sitting at the dining room table of a friend. We had been solving the problems of the world in an hours-long conversation when she asked, "What are you talking about on tomorrow's podcast?" When I told her that I hadn't thought about it yet, she said,  "Why don't you talk about why people don't take big chances and stay in their comfort zone for their entire life?" My mind did an instant review of my life and all the areas I had stumbled on before getting out of my way. I also remembered conversations with clients over the years on life's leaps. Before I could say anything, she said,  "I know what it is. People get so comfortable with what they've built, and they don't want to chance losing it. Their money, their home, they wonder what their family will say?" Is there anything else? "Yes. Everybody gets scared and freezes. I'm like that, but I've learned to push through fear and go for it - as long as I'm mostly sure I won't lose what I've built." We talked a bit more about what it takes to make the changes you want in life and came to three conclusions- You can do anything when you have a growth mindset and believe that anything is possible. Holding on too tightly to what you have sends the wrong energetic message. When you are willing to expand - you will. Next, as a human, you will never be comfortable gambling on the very thing that allows you to dream. The solid foundation that takes care of your personal needs is why you desire to self-activate. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs taught us that. Your foundation must remain while you expand. Finally, fear will always be present when beginning a new adventure. The cure is knowledge. When you know what you have, see your path forward, and have prepared as much as possible for your journey, you will find yourself willing to go for it. Anything is possible when you protect your foundation, respect the challenge, and honor the dreams whispering to your soul. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have a saying - “Next year begins THIS year. Next month begins THIS month. Next week begins THIS week.” If you want to stay on track, accomplish your goals, and enjoy life more - you MUST take control of your calendar. It’s easier than you think: 1) Life will come at you FAST! Be sure to schedule any significant and can’t miss life events at least one year in advance. Put it on the calendar and block it out. You can always change your mind. 2) Hold your space. Decide in advance what you will be doing with your days. When will you work on projects? When will you see clients? When will you have fun?  3) Never end one week without locking in your schedule for the next - and stick to it.  When your day-to-day focus fulfills your goals this week, the future is always brighter. Focus, my friend. Focus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mrs. Etheridge was a 5th-grade teacher at Westgate Elementary in Manassas, Virginia. She had a special knack for motivating her most free-spirited student. Now, I wouldn't be honest if I were to you, I remember how she tamed a young boy who saw the world as a place to explore - mostly between the lines. But I will say that when you begin teaching and motivating others to reach their full potential, you quickly find ways to get them out of the own way, fire them up, and enjoy more success. When you first begin, meet others where they are and establish a frame for what is to come. That will get their attention. Next, strengthen the foundation by reminding them of what they already know and its impact on their life. The introduction of new knowledge arrives when they are open to receiving it. But since stacking new knowledge on top of old is like chasing shiny objects and forgetting everything you've already learned, integrating the new with the old is where you put it all together. Adding an exciting twist, something they didn't see coming as a bonus, and using it as a catalyst that paints a picture in their mind of the benefit of using the new knowledge in their lives. Finally, give your students homework in the form of a challenge, compassionately hold them accountable the next time you see them, and repeat. Everybody is driven by something different. When you structure teaching into a motivational flow that is relatable, repeatable, and re-framable, you create more excitement as you go and lives change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you remember when you filled your thoughts with dreams and ambitions?  That’s how most of us live our early lives - until the real world splits into two distinct periods: 1) BEFORE life gets in the way. Anything IS possible. It’s a beautiful time when you run as fast as possible toward your goals. Even if your parents disagree. 2) AFTER life gets in the way. Anything WAS possible. Life is good, but it’s not what you expected. Your parents would have said, “I told you so.” What if it was possible to remember what you wanted and why? What if you could stand on a foundation of wisdom and experience and combine what you have now with what you want?  That would be a brand new life, wouldn’t it? Wait. It is possible.  All you have to do is remember what you wanted all those years ago and start running after it again.  Run fast. You’ve waited long enough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before I begin, I want to define what I mean by doing nothing. I don’t see doing ‘nothing’ as something unproductive. Instead, I see ‘nothing’ as a protected personal space that lies between your thoughts and your actions.  It is a place that provides a contemplation and planning opportunity before launching into massive and focused action design to reach your outcome and achievement of your goal. It is a holding space where inspiration, desperation, motivation, even intimidation, bubble up into your consciousness and await your next action. Instead of moving your thoughts immediately into action mode or never moving at all, both of which cause unnecessary drama, you purposefully quarantine your thoughts until you are assured in your success plan or decide to take a new direction. Doing nothing looks like this: 1) All thoughts and potential actions arrive in your mind and are held for evaluation. 2) Unless based on a previous decision and cleared for instant action, you always take the time to ensure that your actions will lead you to your vision. 3) If you don’t know the absolute end-game of your journey, you are still on another path. Don’t take a step until you know where you are one your new path. In the end, doing nothing is a place in your mind where you choose your path, direct your actions, and create your legacy. It is a place of personal respect that is built into you and will allow you to have the most significant impact on yourself and the world around you. I don’t know about you, but I get a lot of good thinking time when I’m doing nothing. That time is priceless. If doing something takes you off track, you might be better off doing nothing - at least for a little while. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've been listening to clients tell me the story of their life. I can't help but wonder why they keep beating around the bush. In journalistic terms, these folks are burying the lead. Instead of getting to the point, they begin with secondary details. How does this relate to improving your life? Many say, "I can't focus on anything." No. You are focusing on the wrong things. Sometimes I hear, "I can't get myself get moving." Truth? You are moving - in the wrong direction. They may say, "I don't have enough money!" No. You need more money. Don't get caught up in the unimportant yet dramatic parts of life. Focus on the cause of your challenges. The results will change automatically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creating a difference in your life requires simple actions. It’s all about getting what you want and keeping what you love. 1) Decide - Everything begins with your decision to transform. 2) Define - Aimless wondering is no fun. Defining your path will get you there. 3) Deploy - Putting your plan into action is the only way to make progress. 4) Defend - Your goal should be to make life better. When you find what you love - defend it so you never lose it. Simple. I like simple Simple works! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if everything you did today came with no limitations and no consequences?   What could you do with your life? Limitations can be helpful. Staying within speed limits keeps you from getting speeding tickets. That's good. Are you limiting yourself to a job that doesn't serve you? That isn't good.  Fear of change usually creates limitations. Or is it the fear of bad consequences?  What would happen if all consequences were good?  Asking someone on a date may cause fear and hold you back. That all goes away the instant you hear, "Yes!" Reach for the good! Roll through your day believing that you are ten feet tall and bulletproof. Anything is possible! The Universe might prove you right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a child, I wondered why I couldn't always have my way. Mom and Dad were so mean! I couldn't wait to grow up, move out, and experience being an adult. Everything would be different - or so I thought. After stepping into the adult world, it didn't take long to realize that not much had changed. It turns out it wasn't my parents. It was life turning down my requests. Life was getting in the way. What was even worse was that I was getting in my way. I've joked over the years that if I'm the Boss of me, so why don't I do what I say? Eventually, I realized having a big ass goal, being on a mission, and most importantly, motivation on demand was the solution. Motivation is a powerful, if not fleeting, tool that we all need. But we need to understand one of the simplest ways our minds generate motivation: 1) Your physiology dictates your feelings. The easiest way to break free of a slump is to stand up, take a step, and REPEAT. Movement wakes your body up, guides your emotions, and makes anything feel possible. 2) Focus fuels your fire. If you're feeling unmotivated, you are also drifting in the wind with no direction. Shifting your thoughts in a positive direction and toward what excites you will break you out and get you moving. 3) The words you say create the emotions you feel. Negative self-talk will drag you, and everybody else, down. When you make the words, you say to yourself, internally and externally, positive and uplifting, everything changes. Words matter more than you think. You're human. Your brain isn't wired to stay motivated all the time unless you are willing to give it a helping hand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that happy people are regular people that look at the world differently? They don't wear rose-colored glasses either. They have a better way: 1) They realize that if you are alive, you will have problems.  2) They accept that dealing with problems is a privilege of being alive. 3) They don't get frustrated. They know problems mean you are shaking up life and living. 4) Happy people accept responsibility for solving problems. They never run from them. 5) A good day for a happy person is dealing with everything life can throw at you. Getting a great night's sleep and doing it all over again is the reward. By the way - It's amazing how this kind of attitude seems to make most problems never show up in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I think it’s time we stop seeking more productivity. It’s too much work! I prefer being more efficient and effective.  Here are a couple of ideas that will help: 1) Say “No” to meetings if possible. If you must, keep them short and sweet. 2) Delay paying attention to incoming communication. It’s nothing more than somebody else’s to-do list. Do your stuff first. 3) Daily interruptions will never go away. You may as well expect and plan for them. 4) Never schedule more than 50% of your day. That will give you more time for things that pop up. 5) No more multi-tasking. Finish one task before the next.  The fastest way to be more productive is to make your To-Do list as short as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The success and happiness that you have in your life is a direct result of something your Mom was always asking - Who are your friends? If they are positive, you will be positive. Are they negative? You will be negative. If they have money, you will have money. Are they broke?   You get my point. Your life will become exactly like the people that are closest to you. Choose wisely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever found yourself stuck in the middle? I was speaking with a client who was trying to be everything to everybody. His business was not growing. His life was not happy. He couldn’t seem to find a way to make progress.   That’s when I said… “My friend, you are stuck in the middle. Nothing good happens when you are in the middle.” In business and life, it’s okay to have low expectations and surround by like-minded folks.  It’s also okay to reach for your dreams, have high expectations, and expect that of others. What happens if you’re in the middle? When low and high expectations combine, confusion is the result. Mediocrity overtakes quality. Frustration will be your daily friend. The choice is yours. If I were you, I would make the decision never to get stuck in the middle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Setting Goals is the most powerful method of getting what you want. It is the power of mind activation. Here’s how: 1) Decide what you want and when you want to get it. 2) Decide when you will start and when you will finish. 3) Decide how you will begin and maintain your momentum. Then you must get to work. Limit anything and anybody that has a distracting influence on you. You must get to work. Commit to overcoming any obstacle that gets in your way. You must get to work. The path is long. Start like a sprinter and end like a marathon runner. You must get to work. The only thing stopping you from getting what you want is not you. It is everything that you allow to get in your way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Not Possible. Tomorrow Possible. American Taekwondo Grand Master H.U. Lee gave volumes of advice during his life of service. In my view, his best was also his shortest: “Today Not Possible. Tomorrow Possible.” Today is a new day. Yesterday prepared you for today. If today doesn’t go as planned - you always have tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever have difficulty making decisions?  In the next 60 seconds, you can harness the most potent and easy-to-use decision-making tool I have ever found. Forget the old "Pro and Con" list your Mom and Dad taught you. It's time for a new approach. The next time you find yourself challenged, use Quantum Linguistics. Ask yourself these 4 simple questions to solve your problem: What would happen if I DID? What would happen if I DIDN'T? What wouldn't happen if I DID? What wouldn't happen if I DIDN'T? Unusual clarity is around the corner.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your best life is built sequentially, one level at a time. Forget the elevator; climb all the stairs to the top, and have lasting success. In 1954, Abraham Maslow released Motivation and Personality. His Hierarchy of needs theory is all about climbing to the top. Maslow suggested that to reach your full potential: 1) You must provide for your physiological needs. Food, clothing, shelter, money, and more.  2) You must feel safe. Personally, emotionally, financially, health and well-being, and against accidents and illness. 3) Socially, you need to feel loving and belonging.  4) Esteem and the desire for acceptance, respect, and value by others is your next step. Maslow said, “What a man can be, he must be.” Self-actualization requires mastery of your previous needs. 5) Self-transcendence removes you from ego and begins your focus on the greater good. Your best life is built sequentially, one level at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wouldn’t it be great to start your week with a positive attitude and be in total control?  I’m a guy who likes little airplanes. I’ll never forget the first time my instructor commanded me to blow off a great landing. He wanted me to GO AROUND and try again. Over the years, I’ve learned that the same thing happens in life. In day-to-day life, you can bet that somebody or something will mess up with your plans.  Pilots handle it this way: 1) Hit the gas and apply full power to the engine. 2) Pull the nose of the aircraft up and climb. 3) Adjust settings until you have positive control and try again. When something gets in your way today, MOVE into action. Pull your chin up and establish a positive attitude. Try again until you get what you want. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a truth in life; nothing happens until something happens.  Life happens when you take massive imperfect action and move closer to your goal. But how do you begin when your to-do list is a mile long? There's a simple equation: Start + Next = Results. Once you get moving, the trick is to focus on the to-do item that is the best use of your time. The one that will move you closer to your goal right now.  After completing that task, move to the next and now the most critical item on your list. Make sure the activity moves you closer to your goal. Otherwise, you are burning daylight and missing out on the life of your dreams.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have too many choices in your life?  In 2005, Barry Schwartz wrote The Paradox of Choice. It challenged the traditional thinking that the way to maximum freedom is to maximize choice.  Too many choices are not necessarily a good thing. They can create paralysis. No matter what you choose, you'll always wonder if you could have done better. Here's my advice to you: 1) Limit choices. Narrow your list to items you have already experienced. Having every option won't serve you. 2) Be sure to permit yourself to try other possibilities IF needed - but only after you've vetted your first. 3) Stay in your lane and keep things simple.  Too many choices are part of modern life. If you can't decide, shorten your list of what is essential.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's such a simple question that it causes people to get a blank look in their eyes. A few years ago, I visited friends who lived and worked on the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Yes, people live there - thousands of them. The drive into town is too far to commute - but that was okay with my friends. They had recently switched careers, packed up, and moved to become Park Rangers. They were right where they wanted to be. It was late in the day when we settled into the guest room of their home and headed to the dinner table. I had been driving all day and was feeling a little fidgety. "So, what do you guys do for fun around here?" He looked at me like the fast-paced city slicker I was and said,  "I've been having fun all day - even at work." I didn't get it - yet. It turns out that his life change taught him that having fun is a sneaky little thing. Fun likes to show up when you are not paying attention and in the moment, whether wasting time or working.  In my career, I've asked people what they do for fun many times - They are either in a materialistic chase for something our society has told us is fun. Or... They have forgotten that what they do naturally when they are not paying attention, can be more satisfying than they think. And, there it is. When you stop looking down the road for fun that you think will be more fun, you'll realize that you are already having a good time.  No chasing required. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you striving for something different but don’t know where to begin? I have a client who is 100 pounds overweight and decided to get healthy. She had no idea how. My advice was simple. If your mind is telling you something you are doing is NOT who you are - it’s time to make an easy change: If you know lousy food is NOT who you are - give it up. If your lack of exercise is NOT who are you - give it up. If lack of focus is NOT who you are - give it up. Give up anything that is NOT who you feel you are on the inside. You’ll like what remains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many have said, "Life is a marathon, not a sprint."  But what happens when you find yourself doing both at the same time?  If you've been living on this planet for any time, you've figured out life is a long game made of day-to-day sprints.  If you want a big bank balance, you make small deposits over time. If you want to lose weight, you make small reductions over time. If you want to get a promotion at your job, you do well every day.  The challenge happens when you have not defined the marathon you are running. A lack of a specific goal can only lead to daily activity that may or may not get you to your destination. If that happens to you, you may feel worn out, frustrated, and wondering when things will turn around.  There's good news. That kind of thinking means that you are on the right track to success. Certain stamina is required to reach any goal. And society today celebrates your ability to put in the hard work no matter what.  There's only one problem.  If it's not working for you, it's not sustainable behavior. Sooner or later, you will decide to make a change - usually abruptly. Here's the truth; you will change when you wear yourself out.  Reluctant, fearful, or hard-headed, you will only put up with a less than satisfying path in life for only so long. Eventually, when you wear yourself out. When you've had enough, even if the timing is not perfect, you will change when you wear yourself out.  You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it.  So, what's the fix? The marathon we call life will continue until it doesn't, and there are three things you can do to make it better. The first is to define your destination with clarity.  Next, match your daily activity with your goals. Finally, accept that if things don't go your way, you will change directions anyway.  You will change when you wear yourself out. You may well skip the bad stuff, make an adjustment, and get to the good stuff right now. There's no need to wait. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I was a teenager, I was a weekend moviegoer, and it was the age of Rocky, Star Wars, and Jaws. Besides, with only three channels on television, getting out of the house was the top item on my to-do list. As a kid with big dreams, it was easy for me to slip into the fantasy world of films and let my mind run for a couple of hours. By the end of the film, I was always excited to get on with life and become like the folks I watched in movies. That’s when life got in the way. Like many young folks, I graduated high school, charged into the world, and waited for Somebody else to lift me into my dreams. Well, things didn’t work out the way I expected. That’s when my mother-in-law gave me some very useful advice that I needed to hear — “You know, right now, Somebody needs what you have to offer, but because you’re sitting around the house, they don’t even know you exist. Get out there and let them know you are here.” I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve said to myself — “Somebody out there needs what I have to offer. My job is to find them and let them know I’m here.” It’s the same for you. If Somebody needs what you have to offer, your job is to find them and save their day. That’s how you write and star in your own life movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a roadmap for who you are and how you operate in the world?  If not, you need a ‘Who Am I’ document. Who Am I is not a mission statement. Who Am I is not a list of affirmations. Who Am I is not a value statement Who Am I is a personal cheat sheet that reminds you who you are and why you do what you do. How do you see yourself? How do others see you? How do you act in situations? When life gets in the way, you can always turn to your pre-determined ‘Who Am I,’ and you’ll always know how to respond. Remember - Inconsistency in behavior will whittle away at your soul. Consistency will make you stronger, less stressed, and happier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wouldn’t it be great if you had a plan to help you get what you want?  What you need is M.A.P.S. - a system that gets thinking out of the way and focuses on actions in four areas: Motivation: Everything begins with motivation and knowing ‘WHY’ you set your goals. Stay motivated. Accountability: Being accountable and accepting responsibility for your results will empower your success. ‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me’ is a great way to get started. Planning: Plan your work and work you plan. It’s simple. If you can’t plan it, you won’t be able to do it. Systemization: The first steps of any worthy goal are difficult. As you get more comfortable with your process, lock in the actions and repeat them until you get what you want. Sustainability: Everything takes longer than you think. Make sure you set yourself up for the long haul. Momentum is built by stacking your accomplishments sequentially. The freedom you desire rests on a stable and repeatable foundation of Motivation, Accountability, Planning, Systemization, and Sustainability.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has anybody ever said to you, "it's good to be a quitter?" Probably Not. But it turns out to be very good advice. Being a good quitter isn't an excuse. It should never be an option for making things easier. Instead, quitting is a wise choice. You choose to leave when your progress has stopped and you are going around in circles. That's when things get interesting. Once you are committed to an important idea, it can be challenging to allow yourself to quit. Are you stuck in a lousy job, terrible relationship, or destructive behavior? Your internal sense of "Identity" is always going to compel you to hold to the very end. That may not be wise. Listen closely when your inner voice begins to sound a warning. There's no need to wait for the inevitable. Trust your gut and change your direction fast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wouldn’t it be great if you could create more time in your day without giving anything up?  The secret is how you prioritize the projects that are already on your plate. That requires a simple understanding: 1) Working on multiple projects simultaneously only delays the completion of all the projects. 2) When you complete a project, not only is it off your plate, it begins producing your expecting results sooner. It also frees up time to work on your next project. The next time that you are trying to find more time, ask - “What can I finish right now that will give me more time tomorrow - and every day after that?” You will love how you have so much more time in your day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would you like to be happy every day of the week?  Maybe it's time to start thinking like a happy person? There's no magic to being happy, and rose-colored glasses are not required. Just start looking at your day-to-day life the way a happy person does. Give this a try: 1) Accept that being alive means you will run into occasional challenges. 2) Realize that dealing with challenges is a privilege of being alive. 3) Welcome frustration. It only means adjustments are required. Figure what to change and make it happen. 4) Accept responsibility for solving your challenges and fix them as soon as possible. Don't delay the inevitable. 5) Dealing with everything that life throws at you is easier when you get a great night's sleep. Have another great day tomorrow. You can borrow my daily recipe if you would like— Wake up, refreshed. Have a great day. Sleep like a baby. Repeat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you wish you could find a mentor to help you along the way? Every mentor I’ve ever had has made sure that I possessed three characteristics for success before they agreed to work with me. Would you pass their test? 1) Do you have a burning desire to achieve your goals? 2) Are you a coachable person and prepared to accept the wisdom and guidance of others? 3) Do you have the willingness to undertake all actions to achieve your success? If the shoe were on the other foot, you would want those traits in someone that was asking for your help - right? Walk your talk. Talk your walk. That’s a great life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a member of the Procrastination Club?  Procrastination is the intentional and habitual postponement of an essential task that you should be doing.  Is that what you are doing?  In my view, two things could be happening if you procrastinate - It may be possible that you are not procrastinating at all? Instead, you may be forcing yourself to do something that you don't need to do anyway. The other possibility is that it simply doesn't mean enough to you to start the process. Or, said another way, other things mean more to you. Yes, you must complete some tasks. That's called being a responsible person. But if your list keeps getting longer, it's time to ask yourself a question - Is it important enough to me to get it done?  If not, you know why you are procrastinating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I woke up this morning with an incredible zest to expand my feeling of gratefulness. Well, there is not so much to expand as to recognize all the things that I am grateful for but haven’t thought about lately. That’s the thing about living in a fast-paced world where our daily activities, big and small, fly by and are quickly forgotten. It’s always been that way. There is nothing new in the world. That got me thinking about one of my favorite quotes — “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” —Robert Brault As a no regrets kind of guy, I admit to sometimes not living in gratitude. Thankfully, the wisdom of others is always making sure I remember what is important— Here are a few of my favorites. “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.”—Frank A. Clark “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” —Eckhart Tolle “Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.” —Estonian Proverb “Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.”—William Faulkner “Enough is a feast.”—Buddhist Proverb “When you are grateful, fear disappears, and abundance appears.”—Anthony Robbins “When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.”—Vietnamese Proverb “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”—William Arthur Ward “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue but the parent of all the other virtues.”—Cicero “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”—Robert Brault Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creating a difference in your life is a non-stop process that requires simple actions to help you get what you want. And it is, after all, about getting what you want and keeping what you love. You’ll always go through these steps: 1) Decide. Everything begins with your decision to head off in a new direction. While sometimes you may feel like you’ve made a decision, if you’re not moving, you haven’t. 2) Define. Aimless wandering is fun when that’s what you’ve decided to do. Otherwise, it’s frustrating, exhausting, and takes place more than you think. When you define your path, you get to walk your path. 3) Deploy. As dull as the advice may be, putting your plan into action is the only way for you to get what you want. If you don’t deploy, you don’t get it. 4) Defend. After working so hard to get what you want, you can guarantee that something or somebody will try to take away your results. That’s not good or bad. That’s life. When you find what you love, be sure to defend it so you never lose it. Simple. I like simple. Simple works! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I want to become the person I am meant to be. That’s something that I hear daily in my life from people all over the world. Frankly, beyond living a joyful life, I can’t think of anything more important than growing to become who you know you are on the inside. Most people tend to work in different areas of their life. All will say that family and friends are the most important, but they tend to focus on their career and legacy - especially after the kids move out. But here is a problem… For many years, most people, including myself, tended to get lost in developing specific areas of their lives while others were on hold. While outwardly successful, they wouldn’t be on the phone with me if everything was going perfectly. It’s not, it’s hit or miss, and that is causing sleepless nights. A solution is an ALL-IN approach to living. Over time, I’ve developed the solid belief that whatever you deem as your ultimate best use of your life will only happen after you have evolved every area of your life - and do it every day. Focusing on your business and achieving success at the highest levels only happens when the other areas of your life are balanced. Raising your children to be the best can only happen when the other areas of your life balance. Developing your spiritual being will only happen at a deeply satisfying level when all other areas of your life are balanced. In other words, you will only achieve your personal best when your body, mind, relationships, and finances are working in synchronicity to support your journey: any other strategy is hit or miss.  The goal is simple. Every day you should do something to develop, maintain, and grow every critical area of your life. It doesn’t have to be big, but it does have to happen. No, things won’t be perfect every day, but it’s incredible how all those imperfect days add up to a pretty good life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've always believed goal setting is the heartbeat of our lives.  Goal setting is one of the most powerful tools you have to create your best life. My question to you is… do you know what your best life is supposed to be? I came upon my belief not from a book or a guru but from a realization I had many years ago. I found I was happy when I was chasing something bigger than myself that was also in alignment with how I felt on the inside. I was unhappy when I was checking items off my list and not honoring my true self. After years of pondering, I concluded that a purposeful outcome would eliminate frustration and boredom and generate excitement and enthusiasm.  That leads me to the two definitions of goals: 1) The end toward which effort is directed. 2) An area or object toward which players in various games attempt to advance a ball or puck and usually through or into which it must go to score points. Most people treat goals like the number two, a To-Do list with a short-term outlook. People who focus on the first definition are long-term thinkers. But what's the real difference? What "end" do you place your focus on? Heartbeat goal-setters know there are many "ends" before the ultimate termination point we call goal achievement. That's what excites and drives them. They purposely focus on that 'end.' Everything else is a step in the journey that is only needed to get to their pre-determined outcome. Heartbeat goal setting. It's purposeful goal setting that ignites a fire in your belly, gives you a mission, and makes you happy. Everything else is an item on your To-Do list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the years the most popular question I get from the MOVERS around here is - “How do I find my purpose and face my passion?” If I were to expand on that question, it would be - “What can I do today to find my purpose and overcome the fear of living my passion?” In other words, it’s one thing to find it; it’s another thing to get yourself to do it. Today we’ll focus on finding it. In my quest to always be passionately living, I always turn to a 5-step process for discovering and facing your passion. It has never failed me. 1) Explore the possibilities that are available to you. The more, the better. Many things will interest you, and you should be willing to allow them into your life.  2) Pay attention to what gets and keep your attention. Don’t fight the feeling. Just follow the urge to explore. 3) Deep dive into the things that are shoving themselves into your life and immersing yourself. 4) When you find yourself fascinated and nearly obsessed, even if it makes no sense at all, you are heading a new path. Don’t be surprised if it is nothing you’ve ever considered before. The formula is simple: Exploration + Fascination = Facing Your Passion While there can be several strategic steps within the steps above, the more significant challenge is to allow yourself to follow what you find.  Once you find it, be sure you live it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People have always sought change for themselves, their life, or the world. If you want to change something about your life, there is a constant truth; you must change before anything else changes. Many smart folks agree - Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Leo Tolstoy, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” What about Albert Einstein?  “The world, as we have created, is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” Do you want to change something about today, tomorrow, or the future? You must change before anything else changes. Have you learned lessons from past experiences? You have already changed, and your future is better for it. Rumi said, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” If tomorrow you want to be better than today and yesterday, something has to change. That something is you. If you want to make more money, serve more, and be happier next year, something has to change this year. That something is you. If you want this life to be well-lived, something has to change today. That something is you. What if you want everything about your life to be perfect? Listen to Winston Churchill. “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” It’s so simple.  You must change before anything else changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices