The Three Month Vacation Podcast
Sean D'Souza
Sean D'Souza made two vows when he started up Psychotactics back in 2002. The first was that he'd always get paid in advance and the second was that work wouldn't control his life. He decided to take three months off every year. But how do you take three months off, without affecting your business and profits? Do you buy into the myth of "outsourcing everything and working just a few hours a week?" Not really. Instead, you structure your business in a way that enables you to work hard and then take three months off every single year. And Sean walks his talk. Since 2004, he's taken three months off every year (except in 2005, when there was a medical emergency). This podcast isn't about the easy life. It's not some magic trick about working less. Instead with this podcast you learn how to really enjoy your work, enjoy your vacation time and yes, get paid in advance.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 22, 2023 • 20min
How to create a stunningly good opening story for Zoom (without having to write it yourself)
One of the biggest problems when starting up a speech is that you have to find something that captures the attention of the audience. Instead, what we often get is a round of introductions, blah, blah etc. All of which causes the audience to get restless. How do you get the attention of the audience instantly? Better still, how do you do it with a story that has already gotten a great response? Let's find out.
Jul 15, 2023 • 23min
How to re-oxygenate sales instantly (with little or no effort at all).
When we want to increase our sales, we search for new methods. However, that search is often quite unnecessary. What's needed instead is a tiny bit of common sense. With little or no effort, you can change the way the client perceives you and your company. Re-oxygenation isn't that hard. Check out this episode! You can also listen to: Why Restricting The Numbers Of Sales Increased Profits (And Will Give You More Downtime)
Jul 8, 2023 • 20min
Stories from the South of Spain
After three months of staying put in New Zealand, we finally made a long trip. Long in terms of distance, as well as duration. For the past three years, most of our travel has been within New Zealand and a week in Fiji. However, the month-long vacation is what brings out all the stories. And here are some stories from Spain! More travel stories: Bumpity-Bump Travel Stories
Jul 1, 2023 • 11min
How I used Chat GPT (and YouTube) to create a flawless transcript
Often enough your client may need a transcript for a long video or workshop. Not everyone needs or wants a transcript, and it does cost a lot to produce transcripts for everything. In the past we've had AI driven transcripts, but they too have been untidy and it requires a lot of tidying up. However, Chat GPT is different. Learn how to use Chat GPT and YouTube to create a superb, accurate and very context-driven transcript for just about anything. More on Chat GPT Will AI And ChatGPT Replace You As A Writer?
Jun 23, 2023 • 27min
Balanced Feedback: Why People Want Endless Amounts of it
All of us cringe at the thought of getting feedback. Yet, we all need feedback to improve. There are formulas for feedback but they don't work as well as they should. However, this method of balance is tricky. We can't praise people all the time, and we can't say what we really think. Is there a way out? Yes, there is, if you use this method of balance by Randall Stutman from Admired Leadership. His method works so well, you could give feedback all day and people will ask for more. More on Feedback: Listen or Read Why Clients Shy Away From Giving Feedback Despite Liking Your Products and Services
Jun 16, 2023 • 15min
How To Write a Non-Icky Blurb When Describing Your Achievements
There are times when you need to introduce yourself, such as for a personal website, social media profile, or professional bio. That's where you and I often get stuck. We were told not to keep praising ourselves, and yet, without listing our achievements, how are we supposed to create an aura of expertise? The answer is simpler than you think. All you need to do is add a touch of surprise, and your blurb becomes super cool. Find out how in this episode. Next recommended podcast: How to avoid embarrassing time overruns when making presentations?
Jun 10, 2023 • 23min
Why We Struggle With Writing Well (And How Your Brain is Trying to Drive You Crazy)
When we start writing, we know we're hopeless. However, in time, we all get to the stage where we're average. What does it take to become outstanding and then an absolute maestro in writing? The answer doesn't lie in "practice, practice, practice". Instead, it's something as mundane as a combination of "structure" and "confidence". But even as you try to get better, your brain won't let you progress. Why does all of this happen, and how do you get out of this rut? Let's find out in this episode. Next Step: Can you create expertise through article writing? Here is how: A mini-booklet that helps you quickly improve your article-writing
Jun 3, 2023 • 25min
Why Business Philosophy Creates a Uniqueness Factor (Even When Clients Don't Know You At All)
What if you ran into clients that have never heard of you? And what if they've never heard of your products or services? Would they still buy from you? It seems highly implausible, even impossible that you'd get a client interested. And yet, the reality can be remarkably different. A business philosophy can turn a client around and make them interested in you, after hearing just a single line. Let's find out how. Next Step: Here are three fun podcasts Psychotactics Philosophy The Crazy Philosophy Of Psychotactics (And Why It May Help You In Your Business)The Philosophy of Psychotactics—Part 2
May 27, 2023 • 21min
How to Systematically Generate a Uniqueness (Even If You've Struggled With It Before)
It's more than likely that you've tried to create uniqueness before. Yet, it seems a bit of a pain, because it sounds so trite. Well, how about we look at uniqueness from a "construction" point of view. Instead of just trying to dream up the uniqueness, how about we look at it with "guardrails" so that we hit the target every time? Let's give it a shot because one—or two of these methods—will certainly work for you. More on Uniqueness: Why Being Contrarian Creates A Stunning Uniqueness Factor In Business
May 20, 2023 • 24min
Why Clients Behave "Irrationally" and Buy Your Products (Even When They Already Have Enough).
When a client buys a product, what goes through their mind? Often you'll notice they have a similar product, so why do they buy again? There are four reasons why your client (and you and I) keep searching for products. And no matter how saturated the market seems, clients will keep searching. This is good news for you, because if you give them what they want, they'll keep coming back. It seems irrational, but it's perfectly rational. Let's find out why this irrational behaviour exists. Once you finish listening to the podcast: Listen or read—Selling Strategies: How To Sell Without Selling In A Crazy Online Market
