Daily Boost — Motivation and Coaching

Is The Spotlight Shining on YOU?A funny thing happens when we graduate from High School and enter the real world; dreams change. When my Son was in his early 20's, he announced that he was heading to Los Angles to pursue his dream of becoming a Rock Star. He would be a singer in a rock and roll band, and he was on a mission to achieve his goal. When I heard his idea, I had a question -"What happens if you become a member of the band instead?"He had a perplexed look on his face. I'm not sure if he was angry or confused. It seemed that the concept of playing any other role never occurred to him. I continued."Would you be okay with that? Are you willing to do what it takes to rise to the top? And if you don't get what you want, will you be happy settling something different?"That's when he said, "No. I wouldn't be happy. I'm a Rock Star, and that's what I'm going to do.”The following day he began his journey and chased his dreams for a few years. While he had success and enjoyed his Rock Star status, something else began to emerge. He discovered a new passion that fit him like a glove. He started to dabble in graphic design and music promotions and soon found himself loving being in a more supportive role. He wasn't on stage; he was playing in the band. But there was no doubt he was a star in his new world. His life was different than he thought it would be, but he found his day-to-day experience to be a much better fit.You will always get what you want if you are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. But you might be surprised when you find your real passion along the way.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the Great Pandemic Pause, most folks found themselves in a simpler world. With a few exceptions, everything was slower. There was more time in the day. The rush of what used to be our day-to-day seemed distant. Is that such a bad thing?When the storm passes, as we reignite our lives, why not consider lessons from a few smart people of the past."Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." ~ Leonardo da Vinci"Life is simple, but we insist on making it complicated." ~ Confucius"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook." ~ William James"Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough." ~ Charles WarnerI like it simple. Simple works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So you’ve decided it’s time to make a change. Good for you. Making the decision is the most challenging thing you can do.Now, how do you figure out how to make it work?In most situations, you can get clarity by taking an inventory of where you are and where you are heading. There are three areas of focus:1) Do the math. What is the cost of your change? Can you do it now? Do you need to save some cash? How much will you need to complete your transition?2) Factor in the timing? Are you able to begin today? Do you need a few months to prepare? When will you be ready?3) Consider the distraction. Will starting fast rock the boat and destabilize your current life? Will staying where you are cause more challenges? How will you reduce stress?The results you get from those questions will give you a good idea about your future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you striving for something different?I have a client who, after years of poor eating habits, had gained over 100 pounds. She decided to get healthy - and had no idea where to begin.My advice was simple.If your mind is telling you something you are doing is NOT who you are - give up what you are NOT.In her case, not exercising was making her somebody she didn’t want to be. Going to the gym wasn’t top of mind; it was just the first choice in the path to becoming herself. Are you not making enough money? Give up what is keeping you busy and try something new.Are you spending too much time with activities that are keeping you, NOT you? Please give it up and do things that feel you like.Be who you are, not who you are not. So simple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The quality of your life is a direct result of your relationships. Whether it's a personal, professional, or business relationship. There are three ways to play the relationship game. 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) The correct way is to merge your skills, passions, and individuality. That creates 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

Are you find yourself needing to get more done? You might consider creating more productivity.The first rule of being more productive is deciding what is important to you. The second rule is to take control of your day. A few simple adjustments can change everything:1) Say, “Yes” to yourself before you say it to others. Meetings, phone calls, casual conversations. If that doesn’t work, say “No” to anything not currently on your list. 2) Control where you focus your attention. Including incoming communication like email and social media. Avoid being recruited onto someone else’s To-Do list.3) No matter how much control you gain, interruptions are always around. You may as well expect, plan, and allow time for them.4) Only schedule 50% of your schedule. That will allow time for the unexpected. If nothing shows up, stay focused on what you need to complete.5) Multi-tasking is a myth. If possible, finish one task before the next. You cross the finish line sooner. What happens next? EVERYTHING! Keep moving forward, and you’ll get everything you want. 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 was entering the workforce, we would often find time to catch up on weekends. He was trying to navigate the business world while balancing his life. He had an exceptionally fact-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 get everything done. I writing 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 of mind to look beyond the obvious solution. Then, I had a few questions -You say you have accounted for everything. How much time did you allocate for eating lunch or running down the coffee shop today?How many times did you visit the restroom, and how long did it take?On your commute, how much time did you spend 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.What my son had discovered is 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 - which makes everything else is the real optional thing in life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 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

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

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 friends' 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 of yourself and are willing to take a chance and go for the gold, that's what makes 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