Daily Boost Motivation and Coaching

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