Jon Acuff, a New York Times bestselling author and dynamic speaker, dives into the nuances of sustainable success. He discusses the evolution of parenting, emphasizing timing and modeling behaviors for strong family bonds. Acuff also highlights how extraordinary leadership relies on consistency and unconventional methods. Additionally, he shares personal productivity tips, advocating for self-awareness and clear communication to enhance effectiveness. His humorous insights encourage listeners to embrace their potential and foster meaningful relationships.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Long-Term Kindness in Parenting
Give kindness early to children and allow years to practice it into adulthood.
Avoid teaching tough lessons with hardship; instead, model values consistently over time.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Financial Lessons Through Safety
Provide children with safe, reliable resources instead of hardship-based lessons.
Discuss financial values openly and avoid perpetuating scarcity myths through tough conditions.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Being Interruptible for Family
Make yourself interruptible for a small group of important people, especially family.
Prioritize rare requests from family by clearing your schedule to honor their time.
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Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
Steven Pressfield
In 'The War of Art', Steven Pressfield identifies the internal force of 'Resistance' that hinders creative endeavors. The book is divided into three sections: 'Resistance: Defining the Enemy', 'Combating Resistance: Turning Pro', and a final section that discusses the role of the muses and the battle between the Self and the Ego. Pressfield provides practical advice on recognizing and overcoming resistance, emphasizing the importance of professionalism, discipline, and continuous work in achieving creative success.
The writing life
Annie Dillard
In 'The Writing Life', Annie Dillard offers a candid and insightful look into the life of a writer. The book is a series of essays that delve into the struggles, triumphs, and philosophical dilemmas faced by writers. Dillard shares her own experiences, from the isolation and discipline required for writing to the emotional and intellectual challenges of capturing the world in words. She discusses the importance of courage in the editing process, the need for writers to follow their ideas to their limits, and the inevitable gap between the writer's vision and the finished product. The book is both a personal memoir and a guide for aspiring writers, filled with metaphors, anecdotes, and reflections on the nature of writing and creativity[1][4][5].
The Inner Game of Tennis
Timothy Gallwey
This book, first published in 1974, focuses on the 'Inner Game' played within the mind of the player, against obstacles such as self-doubt, nervousness, and lapses in concentration. Gallwey introduces the concept of two selves: Self 1, the thinking brain that analyzes and judges, and Self 2, the 'feeling and doing' brain that can master skills naturally if not interfered with by Self 1. The book provides strategies for achieving 'relaxed concentration' and overcoming internal mental and emotional obstacles, making it relevant not only to tennis but also to other areas of life such as music, writing, work, and personal relationships.
All It Takes Is a Goal
Jon Acuff
Jon Acuff's "All It Takes Is a Goal" provides a practical and insightful approach to goal setting, emphasizing the importance of setting the right goals and developing strategies to achieve them. Acuff challenges readers to move beyond vague aspirations and create specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. He offers a step-by-step process for defining goals, breaking them down into manageable steps, and staying motivated throughout the process. The book also addresses common obstacles to goal achievement, such as procrastination and self-doubt, providing readers with tools and techniques to overcome these challenges. It's a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their goal-setting skills and achieve their aspirations.
Soundtracks
The Surprising Solution to Overthinking
Jon Acuff
In 'Soundtracks,' Jon Acuff explores how overthinking hinders our potential and offers a proven plan to change overthinking from a problem into a superpower. The book introduces the concept of 'soundtracks' as the repetitive thoughts that shape our perceptions. Acuff provides practical strategies, such as creating personalized playlists of empowering soundtracks and using daily affirmations, to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. He emphasizes the importance of controlling our thoughts and gathering evidence to support positive thinking. The book is based on a study involving 10,000 participants and offers tools to help readers rewire their thought processes and achieve their goals.
Finish
Give Yourself the Gift of Done
Jon Acuff
In 'Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done', Jon Acuff addresses the common struggle of not completing what one starts. He identifies perfectionism as the primary barrier to achieving goals and provides counterintuitive strategies to overcome it. Acuff suggests cutting goals in half to make them more achievable, eliminating secret rules that hinder progress, and emphasizing the importance of having fun in the process, which he argues can increase success by 43%. The book offers insights and practical advice on managing perfectionist tendencies, avoiding procrastination, and maintaining a focus on completion rather than perfection[1][3][4].
Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including his most recent, All It Takes Is a Goal: The 3-Step Plan to Ditch Regret and Tap Into Your Massive Potential.
Published in more than twenty languages, his work is both critically acclaimed and adored by readers. When he’s not writing, Acuff can be found on a stage, as one of INC’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He’s spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges and companies around the world including FedEx, Nissan, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Chick-fil-A, Nokia and Comedy Central. Known for his insights wrapped in humor, Acuff shared the stage with an American Icon when he opened up for Dolly Parton at the Ryman Auditorium.
For over 20 years he’s also helped some of the biggest brands tell their story, including The Home Depot, Bose, and Staples. His fresh perspective on life has given him the opportunity to write for Reader’s Digest, Fast Company, The Harvard Business Review and Time Magazine.
He lives outside of Nashville, TN with his wife Jenny and two teenage daughters.
A Few Quotes From This Episode
“If you want a kind 16-year-old, give a six-year-old kindness and then 10 years to practice.”
“Another thing I’m thinking about is how do I be interruptible for a small number of people. I’m highly interruptible for three people: my wife, and my two daughters.”
“I’m learning to hold two opposite thoughts at once: one is that you’re doing better than you think, and the other is that you’re more capable than you realize.”
About The International Leadership Association (ILA)
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Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott J. Allen, Ph.D. 
