Why Your Best Ideas Come When You Stop Trying So Hard

Jul 31, 2025

In a spontaneous session, insights unfold when effort is relaxed. Treating exercise like a job ensures commitment and fosters discipline. 'Pre-selling' your time helps protect hours for what truly matters. Embrace unstructured brainstorming and discover how creativity thrives sans rigid schedules. Sometimes, stepping back leads to the breakthrough moments we all crave.

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ANECDOTE

Coaching Call About Nothing

Scott calls his weekly group a "coaching call about nothing" where no one knows the agenda.
Everyone gets exactly what they need simply by showing up and being open.

ADVICE

Exercise As Your Job

Treat exercise like your job to enforce commitment and consistency.
Knowing you're "getting paid" makes you show up and do the work.

ADVICE

Pre-Sell Your Time

"Pre-sell" your time by valuing it at your hourly rate before protecting it.
Buying back your time this way makes you serious about guarding space for what matters most.

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Daily Boost Podcast Show Notes

Why Your Best Ideas Come When You Stop Trying So Hard

July 31, 2025 | Episode 5149

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Scott takes you behind the scenes of his Face Your Passion Inner Circle call in this spontaneous, unscripted episode. Fresh off a powerful coaching session, he shares game-changing insights about treating exercise like your job, "pre-selling" your time for what matters, and why brainstorming isn't what you think it is.

This isn't your typical structured podcast—it's raw coaching wisdom that'll shift how you think about productivity, focus, and getting what you want in life. Sometimes the best insights come when you least expect them.

Featured Story

Scott opens up about his "coaching call about nothing"—a weekly session where nobody knows what'll happen, but everyone gets exactly what they need. Inspired by Jerry Seinfeld's approach, this unstructured format creates space for breakthrough moments.

The magic happens when you show up without a predetermined agenda and let authentic connection and spontaneous wisdom flow. It's proof that sometimes the most powerful results come from embracing the unexpected rather than forcing a plan.

Important Points

Exercise becomes non-negotiable when you treat it like your job—if you know you're getting paid, you'll show up and do the work.

"Pre-selling your time" means buying back hours for yourself at your hourly rate, making you serious about protecting that space for what matters most.

Brainstorming is unfocused time for capturing ideas throughout the day, while organization is focused energy work that requires your full attention and higher energy levels.

Memorable Quotes

"You don't even know what you're gonna get out of it today, but you know you want to show up because every time you do, you get exactly what you needed that day."

"Point yourself in the right direction. Do the things you know you're supposed to be doing and let things happen."

"The more you put the time in, the more you realize the stuff was going to happen anyway. Why didn't I do that sooner?"

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Schedule exercise like a job commitment—treat it as paid time that you must show up for, no matter what.

Calculate your hourly rate and "buy back" time for yourself by blocking calendar space, then protect that investment like you would any business expense.

Capture brainstorming ideas throughout your day during unfocused activities, then use high-energy focused time to organize and connect those ideas on paper.

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