Daily Boost — Motivation and Coaching

When my wife and I were first married, it wasn’t long before I learned that waking up at 5:45 AM, and every step after that, seemed to be programmed into her DNA - and I was not too fond of it.Over the years, I had grown to dislike mornings. Mostly because I found myself doing one of two things; the hustle and bustle of the daily grind or what the self-help gurus were telling me I “should” be doing with my mornings.Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. My wife, on the other hand, doesn’t do that. Unlike most folks in the world that are caught up in the drama of life, she operates with a “figure out what works, keep doing it, never think about it again” mindset. If I’m being honest, as a widely creative, spontaneous, and go-for-it kind of guy, Joi’s mindless persistence drives me crazy. But, since there is no way to change her ways, I have no choice but to find my way.Besides, as a guy who has worked with tens of thousands of successful people, I’ve seen the same behavior so many times there is no denying that a simple and constantly repeating morning routine is where success is born. After all, the early bird gets the worm!But that still leaves us to figure out what our routine should be? For me, that boiled down to one simple question—What’s the most important thing I can do that will make everything else possible?Now, I’ve found when I ask a question like that, the answer comes flying at me like a brick falling off a roof and hitting me right in the forehead - and it happens fast. I may not like the answer, but sometimes the truth hurts.If you want to lose weight and get in shape, the most important thing is to exercise.If you want to make money, your most important thing might be to invest.If you want to write a book, your most important thing is to write.In my case, I have legacy dreams for myself, my family, my business, and you. To make that happen, the most important thing I can do is write in the morning. Once I made that decision I…Wake up, get out of bed, shower, and dress, eat a quick breakfast, sit at my desk, and write for the next three hours. No distractions. No questions asked. So, how do I get everything else done?Frankly, once you take care of what is most important to you, there isn’t much else. Still, when the time comes, I ask myself what the next most important thing that will make everything else possible - and do it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a person who always does things the same way or prefers to change things up at every chance?If you’re lucky, you are both.Traditions are the secret sauce behind the emotional connection we feel at this time of year. Family get-togethers, office gatherings, crazy shopping crowds?Yes. I know we’re in a pandemic, and not everything is as it used to be - but it is in our minds. The traditions make our lives unique and are always present, never forgotten, and form the fabric of our lives. They are very human, and they are essential.But let’s get back to my earlier comment that “traditions make our lives special.”The fact is, somebody has to make the tradition. Is that you?My wife and I were walking in the neighborhood and noticed that Janice was almost finished with her Christmas decorations. I stopped and said—“Wow. That looks like a lot of work!”“Yes, it is. But I love it, and it’s my tradition,” she said.“Well, thank you for making Christmas for the rest of us.”She didn’t know what to say, but she understood what I was meant.Whether it’s Christmas, New Year, or any other time of the year, traditions are the same as habits and rituals. They make our lives more fulfilling. But always remember, somebody has to make the tradition so that all of our worlds are a better place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My mind is constantly searching for a simple, three-step process for anything that will help me get what I want, and that usually comes down to something I talk about a lot; making a decision. I speak about decision-making much of my day because it’s the most dynamic tool you have in your personal development tool kit. It should be easy —Almost everything you will ever want to do in life has already been done. The solution to getting what you want should be based on logic and proven steps. In other words, figure out what works and do it. But, as much as we can all agree that it should be easy, using logic to get what we want doesn’t have much to do with being a human—that’s where emotions and a more phycological approach come into play. “Come on, let’s just do what we know works?” You say.“No. I’m not feeling it. Let’s go with the flow and figure it out?”Logical vs emotional thinking is an epic battle that could be told by Stephen Spielberg in a blockbuster movie. Oh, wait, it always is!Let’s take a side trip to the movies and prove my point.The Hero has a problem in a movie, and something has to change, but they don’t know what to do? Professionally speaking, they are an emotional mess, no matter how real it may be.Then, in a movie, their situation suddenly thrust them into taking action to solve their problem. Logic kicks in, and they get busy fixing life.But, in a movie, life gets in the way, their actions are not working, and their emotions take over. It seems that all is lost, but never fear.Before any good movie ends, our Hero figures out precisely what needs to be done. One. Two. Three. Victory is at hand. Somebody, please roll the credits.What’s the lesson in the story we are writing?Everything that you want to do has already been figured out. Your job is to set your emotions aside, go into logic mode, and take the fewest steps possible to reach your dream. They’re no need to wait. Hero’s don’t wait. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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're only stuck until you decide not to be stuck. Once you make that decision, you're 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? I bet that you already know that. 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

I can’t remember her name, but I can tell you she was not a happy person. It was a hot, hazy, and humid Virginia day when I arrived for a class reunion. As I stepped toward the check-in table, a friend of more than thirty years locked eyes with me, broke into tears, and screamed—“Oh Scott… can you help me? I’m not happy!” Next, she bolted out of her seat, ran around the table, and hugged me… and hugged me… and hugged me… and hugged me. This is not the first time this has happened, and being a professional, I knew what I was going to say, “Of course I’ll help, just let me get settled, and we’ll talk later”. Frankly, I was buying time to figure out why somebody I have never known not to be happy was not happy. What had changed?Nothing!My friend found herself a full-fledged member of The Always Club, as in “I always wanted to be thin and in shape… I always wanted to find my purpose in life… I always wanted to make more money… I always…I was a member of The Always Club myself, along with about a gazillion other folks collectively trying to figure out life’s secrets. Who knew it would take most of us thirty years of post-high school living to realize we’ve never done what we have always wanted to do? If that sounds familiar, it’s not your fault, and it’s more common than the common cold. But unlike the common cold, you can’t just sit around and wait seven days for it to go away, or you’ll remain a member of The Always Club for the rest of your life. So what did I say to my friend?“What you have always wanted is not something you have been denied. It hasn’t disappeared or passed you by, and somebody else didn’t take it. You have been happily living your life, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just remember, your “always wanted” is alive and well, living in your future, just waiting for you to go after it.”And she hugged me… and hugged me… and hugged me.So what are you waiting for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving, I found myself finishing leftover candy and bit into a Jolly Rancher - a recipe for disaster for anybody with a mouth full of dental work. As you might have predicted, it wasn't long before I was at the dentist. I don't like dentists much. Maybe it was because as a kid, our family dentist was Dr. PAIN… uh… Dr. Payne. Still, there I was with the sound of drilling and suction filling the room, along with the occasional mumbled answer coming from my mouth, answering important questions like, "What have you been up to lately?" Then tell me not to move my mouth.Seriously? Is that a skill they teach at dentist school? Wait until your patient can't speak and ask them a question? That's like me asking my young kids a question at the dinner table and telling them not to chew with their mouths open?But that's life. Sometimes life doesn't make sense, even though I would argue that things are good almost always, which is why we notice it when they are not. And boy does happen a lot this time of year. Then again, it happens a lot every time of the year. I'm writing today's note as most of us roll through the holiday season. I think it's good to keep two things in mind:Life is fully capable of getting in the way any time of the year, and it will. No matter how crazy, it should never be unexpected. By the way, that includes the self-inflicted part that is so common. I don’t want to hear any why me, why it, why now? As we say in the south, “It is what it is!”Besides, since life getting in the way stuff comes in all varieties, we don't have the right to enjoy the good stuff if we're always complaining about the bad stuff.Next, no matter how much life gets in your way during the holiday seasons, most of us seem to find a way to make it unique for ourselves and others. So, if you're going the extra mile to make magic, you don't get to enjoy the compliment and smiles on the faces of others if you complain about how hard you worked to make it happen.Of course, if you've made it this far into today's message, you might be saying, "Sure I can! I'm fully capable of complaining about my suffering as long as I'm happy in the end. Besides, that's who I am!”I only have one comment.Sure you are. But why not skip the grumpy part and enjoy the fun part?And you can do that all year long! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past few years, there has been a trend in business toward an open, communicative, friendly, and supportive environment. While I believe that’s the way it should be, there has also been confusion amongst everybody in the company and customers.Who’s in charge? Who’s the leader? Where are we heading?Without a strong vision applied to the entire momentum of the company, there will be no momentum. And while ideas percolate from everybody involved, somebody needs to gather them into a vision that everybody can understand, believe in, and work toward every day.I spend much of my time consulting business owners who are running face-first into this issue, as well as employees who are experiencing it from the other side. Here’s where the first link in the chain breaks.Yes. Employees want to feel heard, valued, part of the team. And they love it when their bosses are part of their tribe and work to create an environment that makes them all feel respected and equal. But… the boss is still the boss.Speaking of the boss—Anybody who runs a company wants to be part of the company tribe, feel like one of the team, and get into the trenches to help everybody succeed. But… the boss is still the boss.This dynamic will always be present since there will always be a divide between the leader and those being led. The solution is to look at it differently by remembering—Everybody on your team is a member of the tribe, and everybody has a job. That includes the boss. But there is a difference. Yes, employees may love it when their leader is also one of them, but they also need that person to cast a vision, move the team forward, and help them achieve their dreams. In other words, when all are equal, yet everybody respects their different roles, your culture gets stronger, your momentum increases, and everybody gets more success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the Universe whispering to you and nudging you to move in a specific direction? Before I go on, I need to admit that I am certainly not an expert in the Universe or it works in our life. The magic of gravity is enough to blow my mind, and the only Secret I know is that you are the only one in charge of getting what you want in your life.But what if you know that Universe is speaking to you? Calling you, compelling you to get off the sofa and do what you say you want to do? But you still won’t do it?Many years ago, I was in the habit of listening to those voices whispering inside my head and following whatever I thought it said for me to do. Eventually, after many false starts, I realized that the messages were not black or white. There didn’t seem to be any particular order, and they were almost always out of context with my life. In other words, blindly following my feelings often ended with me not getting what I wanted, and whatever I wanted to get away from became stronger in my life.One night at about 3 AM, a thought popped into my head—“Maybe I’m not supposed to do what I’m hearing? Maybe I’m stuck in my thinking, and the Universe is giving me more of what I’m focused on?You get what you focus on. That’s a basic rule of life. It just made sense to me that whatever I was focused on would linger in my brain until I questioned it from a different angle - whether I wanted to your not. That’s when I started flipping the script and created my 180 Degree Rule.Now, when a thought pops into my head and convinces me of the direction I’m supposed to run with all my enthusiasm, I pause and ask—“What if it really means I’m supposed to move away instead of forward?”With that new way of thinking, everything changed. It didn’t get easier and sometimes took time to choose a path. Still, questioning the context of the Universal wisdom as it applied to my current life and experience allowed me to avoid dead ends and frustration. And another thing happened…My life became more balanced and calm by going into “trust but verify” mode. Instead of chasing dreams of what might be a reality, I focused on adjusting my reality to be more like the vision I held in my heart.When the Universe speaks to you, it doesn’t always include context and directions. Take a minute to decide if you’re supposed to move toward or away, and clarity will emerge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 on 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?"Now, 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 re-heating them. She had purchased a small turnkey 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? Not really. YOU make you happy. Do what you do. We can always have pizza next weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was on the phone with a client that was in a bit of a rut with her Real Estate business. It had been a good year, yet she found herself coasting and feeling like nobody wanted anything to do with her. “What should I do? I know I can do more? I don’t know what to do?”I think most people feel like that from time to time. When that happens to be me, I always remember two things:“What you practice in private you will be praised for in public.”“The fortune is in the follow-up.”While that sounds good, the reality is that you will be spending a lot of time alone with your thoughts and discipline, building your future while everybody else is living and having fun.And follow up? What do I say? Who am I going to call? What if they don’t want to hear from me?Word for word, that’s what my client said. My advice was simple:“You need to stay focused on how YOU do things so that you are prepared to show up and impress, and that’s the practice part.Next, you need to start “Making The Five.” “Making the five?”Yes. You need to connect with five people every day, no matter what gets in the way.“So you’re telling me I need to make sales calls?” she said.No. I’m telling you to make a relationship call. I’m telling you to reach out and check in with folks to be cool.I’m telling you to call your kids, clients, spouse, boss — anybody you can think of and see how they’re doing.“Oh. I can do that, and I like to do that. But what about making more sales?”Don’t worry about that. Just connect with five people every day. Do it as if there is nothing more important and nothing to gain.With that, she told me she trusted me and would start making her calls to reach the goal of three more home sales before the end of the year - only two months away.Today, as I write, I received this text message:“Hey Scott, good news.. that showing I had after our coaching call the other day… We are under contract and closing before the end of the year, and also it was a multiple offer bid that we won :-)”Wow! You are rolling, girl! Congrats! That’s 4? Right? Yes! Isn’t that amazing? I thought I had nothing going on, LOL!Yes. YOU are amazing, and YOU have it going on. All those other folks were waiting for you to show up, you did, and it’s working. Practice in private and make the five. I promise it will change your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices