DREAM THINK DO | Motivation, Encouragement & Strategy

This week is a deep dive into 3 things I've learned from doing 250 episodes of DREAM THINK DO. These keys might seem counterintuitive. They are: 1.) Embrace Comparison, 2.) Be a Novice and 3.) March Through the Mess. We'll dig into what each of them mean… the stories and strategies (and science too) behind them… AND how they can help us make 2020 our best year yet! Also, I want to say THANK YOU for being with my on this DREAM THINK DO journey. Whether this is your first DTD episode or your 250th… I'm so glad we're in this together! Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: Episodes Mitch Mentions: BRING YOUR AWESOME! with Neil Pasricha. - Episode 247 Beating the Comparison Trap - Episode 183 Overcoming Comparison with Good Morning America's Sara Haines - Episode 32 The Four Tenents for Yoga and for Life with James Miller - Episode 248 PTG - Post Traumatic Growth - Episode 172 More Info on the episode: In this episode, we talk through 3 key things I've learned from doing 250 episodes of DREAM THINK DO. MAJOR THEMES: Embrace Comparison Become a Novice March through the Mess EMBRACE COMPARISON: Obviously, a comparison is something we have to be VERY careful with. Great thinkers have warned us about it since the dawn of time: [Tweet ""Comparison is the thief of joy." - Theodore Rosevelt"] [Tweet ""Never compare your beginning to someone else's middle. Comparison is poison." - Jon Acuff"] [Tweet ""Personality begins where comparison leaves off. Be unique. Be memorable. Be confident. Be proud." - Shannon Alder"] So you might wonder why I would ever say… "Embrace Comparison." But this idea was sparked when I interviewed Neil Pasricha - for DTD Episode 247 - "Bring Your awesome!" He had 6 best selling books and two of those books have spent 100 weeks on the NYT bestseller list! Amazing. Before I hit "record" for our interview, we got to talk for a bit. As we were chatting I congratulated him about the success of his books and I asked him what it felt like to have an NYT Best Selling book. Without skipping a beat, he said, "Do you know what happens the minute you get an NYT best selling book?" I said, "What?" He said, "You start to see all the people who have TWO NYT best selling books, and you start to feel pressure to get your second!" We wound up talking about how he shakes that feeling off… and just keeps doing his thing. BUT he confessed that's something he really had to watch out for. That was a powerful moment and I really appreciated his transparency. It's something I NEVER have to deal with… ha! Just kidding… of course. In fact, we dove into this subject in depth in episode 183. For me, negative comparison can creep up… as I interview people who have done amazing things!!! Especially if those achievements involve things I aspire to do too! I can feel it sneaking up and it threatens to steal the job of having a great conversation with an awesome person. So I need to look to evolutionary psychology for a little awareness… so I can keep things healthy. As you probably know… "evolutionary psychology" is the theoretical approach in the social and natural sciences that examines psychological structure from a modern evolutionary perspective. It seeks to identify which human psychological traits might actually be evolved adaptations - that is, the functional products of natural selection or sexual selection. In this episode, we'll talk about "Upward" and "Downward" comparison and how to stay on the helpful side of going "tribal!" One of the best ways I can do that is by asking questions like: How can I be learning from this person? What are they doing that I want to do? How can I be helping this person? These simple but powerful questions help to direct my thinking towards healthy comparison and help me to be fully present and enjoy connecting with ...

Give the gift of "Intentional Listening." That's right! This week we're doing a deep dive into the subject of giving one of the best… most sought after… most coveted gifts a person can give. It's the gift of being fully present and listening intently. I know… I know… it's almost too simple. But in our busy world… I think we can all agree that feeling like someone is truly listening is a rare thing. All the distractions… pings… bings… and alerts… can keep us from being fully engaged. So, at this time of year… when everyone is looking for that PERFECT gift… I thought it would be good to review some simple but powerful strategies to help you listen more effectively! Listen To The Podcast: Click here to download the DREAM THINK DO "Listening Cheat Sheet." MORE INFO: So… I think we can admit that we're all guilty of not listening at times in our lives. We tune people (even the important ones… sometimes) out when we're trying to concentrate on something we're doing, while we're binging on Netflix, while we're being bombarded by all the pinging, dinging and ringing distractions… or when we're exhausted at the end of a long day. Listening can impact us at home and… of course… at work too. Recently, The Harvard Business Review reported on a story involving the top executives of a large manufacturer based in Chicago. These execs were asked to reflect on the role listening has played within their work. Then those same leaders participated in a seminar on intentional listening. After being exposed to some specific listening strategies (like what we're covering in this episode), the participants shared some epiphanies and "light bulb" moments around listening: "Frankly, I had never thought of listening as an important subject by itself. But now that I am aware of it, I think that perhaps 80% of my work depends on my listening to someone, or on someone else listening to me." "I've been thinking back about things that have gone wrong over the past couple of years, and I suddenly realized that many of the troubles have resulted from someone not hearing something, or getting it in a distorted way." "It's interesting to me that we have considered so many facets of communication in the company, but have inadvertently overlooked listening. I've about decided that it's the most important link in the company's communications, and it's obviously also the weakest one." Can you relate? It's true. Listening is critical to our relationships and to our business success. Again… the good news is that listening is a skill just like speaking, writing, typing or learning to play tennis (or pickleball… cuz… yeah… it's fun to say "pickleball!"). That means we can learn to be better listeners and we can unlearn some of the bad habits we've all developed. And that's why we're digging into this crucial topic today… especially around the holidays. We're going to talk about HOW you can listen more effectively and intentionally. So you can give it as a gift to the important people in your life! Quick Episode Summary: 0:20 What to expect today! 2:50 Mitch's favorite weird gifts 6:00 The best gift to give 7:50 What everyone truly wants 9:44 Mitch's free gift to you 10:30 Who has been a good listener to you? 11:52 What body language does to listening 19:03 Limiting distractions 20:14 How to show someone you're listening 21:28 The big FU questions 25:28 What do you want to work on? 25:45 What's coming up next Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

My guest this week is James Miller. James is the creator of Adamantine Yoga. He's also one of the most innovative thinkers I've ever met. James has been bringing his unique thinking and approach to the world of yoga… and I believe… he's on the verge of a huge breakthrough. We'll talk about that more in the episode. Plus, I can tell you he's already pulled off at least one miracle… and that's getting ME to practice yoga… and I've actually been loving it. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: Adamantine Yoga: www.adamantineyoga.com MORE INFORMATION: James came to yoga after being a Marine. When he started, he would be the first to tell you that he could do 30 pull-ups and 100 pushups but he couldn't touch his toes. Now… he's one of the most flexible people I've ever met, and at 48 years old he's in the best shape of his life. Since I turn 50 next year… and I've said that is one of my goals is to be in the best shape of my life in my 50th year and beyond, so James and his approach really grabbed my attention. Apparently… I'm a little late to the game with yoga. A recent study found that over 20 million Americans practice yoga on a regular basis and that continues to grow each year. Plus, I hear from a number of you that you practice it and I know you love it. So we'll be talking about some of the strengths of yoga and some of the big misperceptions and big questions too. BUT... whether you have ever practiced yoga or not… I think you'll benefit from hearing about James' outlook on life and the 4 tenets his school is based upon. Those tenets are: Integrity Non-violence Surrender Gratitude We'll talk about why they matter to the school, to the practice of yoga and… most importantly… how they build on each other to help us to live a better life. I want to hear from YOU! What stood out to you from this conversation? And… tell me about YOUR experiences with yoga. What are some of the things YOU have learned so far? I can't wait to hear from YOU! Comment below and let me know. Quick Episode Summary: 0:02 What to expect today 1:54 Who is James Miller? 4:18 How and why James started doing yoga 8:08 When James started to understand yoga 11:23 The push back James endured 13:18 How James is reforming the yoga space 16:15 The four tenets of yoga 20:44 What makes James a great teacher 23:47 The spiritual side of yoga 27:47 How James is taking his message to the world 30:26 The best way to learn yoga 31:16 How to learn more about James Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

Today my guest is Neil Pasricha. He thinks, writes, and speaks about intentional living. Neil is the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including The Book of Awesome and The Happiness Equation. These two books have spent over 200 weeks on bestseller lists and have sold over 1,000,000 copies. He also hosts the award-winning podcast 3 Books where he's on a fifteen-year journey to uncover the thousand most formative books in the world. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: Neil's Book: You Are Awesome: How to Navigate Change, Wrestle with Failure, and Live an Intentional Life Neil's Blog: 1000awesomethings.com Neil's Site: www.neil.blog Neil's Social Media: Connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook @neilpasricha MORE OF THE STORY: Neil has degrees from Queen's University and Harvard Business School, but he will also be the first to tell you that he "almost" got fired from his first job at Procter and Gamble and his first franchise went down in flames. But he rose up like a phoenix with an amazing story… and now he's got his best selling books, his fascinating podcast, his blog with millions of hits… and he has one of the most viewed talks on TED.com. In fact, his TEDx talk, "The 3 A's of Awesome", is ranked as the ninth most inspiring TEDx talk with over 3 million views. In total, he has sold over 1 million books. His books and his TED talks are all based on Pasricha's popular blog called "1000 Awesome Things." He's won three Webby Awards and PC Magazine listed it as one of the top blogs in the world. Most importantly… he lives in Toronto with his awesome wife Leslie and their three sons. In our conversation, we'll talk about strategies to help you with becoming more resilient, becoming failure-proof and being less anxious and more awesome. Quick Episode Summary: 0:02 What to expect today! 2:42 Welcome Neil to the show 3:28 What inspired Neil's new book 4:11 The true definition of awesome 5:54 Neil childhood 8:53 Practicing positivity 12:27 Why anxiety rates are climbing 14:09 The one thing Neal wants the world to know 17:49 Intermittent fasting technology 20:43 Neil's own hardest advice to take 24:34 Why you should aim small 27:31 Neil's failed TED Talk 30:09 Mitch's biggest takeaways Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

Today I'm getting you a strategy that will boost your confidence in 2 minutes. That's right. It's a simple step you can take to increase your feelings of confidence, well-being and focus! It's a concept straight out of the growing field of study known as "Micro-Resilience." These tools enable you to create "positive psychological changes which lead to more energy, engagement and joy in the face of life's challenges. And who doesn't want more energy, engagement, and joy in their lives? So let's get to this! Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: DREAM THINK DO Episode 172: Post Traumatic Growth - www.mitchmatthews.com/172 BOOK SUGGESTION: Micro-Resilience: Minor Shifts for Major Boosts in Focus, Drive and Energy by Bonnie St. John RESEARCH: Cuddy, A. J. C., Schultz, S. J., & Fosse, N. E. (April 01, 2018). P-Curving a More Comprehensive Body of Research on Postural Feedback Reveals Clear Evidential Value for Power-Posing Effects: Reply to Simmons and Simonsohn (2017). Psychological Science, 29, 4, 656-666. MORE ABOUT THE EPISODE: We're talking about "Micro-Resilience" and "Power Poses" in this episode. Since we're all about helping you to dream bigger, think better and do more of what you were put on the planet to do… I'm always looking to experiment with ways to increase our resilience. Some strategies lend themselves to what's called, "Pre-Traumatic Growth" by Bonnie St. John in her book, "Micro-Resilience: Minor Shifts for Major Boosts in Focus, Drive, and Energy." These are positive psychological changes that lead to more energy, engagement, and joy in the face of life's challenges. And who doesn't want more energy, engagement, and joy in their lives? Specifically… who doesn't need a quick boost of energy and confidence when we're heading into a potentially stressful situation: Maybe it was a situation at work: Getting ready for a presentation Going into a difficult conversation Prepping for a job interview Or maybe it was a DREAM THINK DO Scenario: Walking into a NEW class you've always wanted to take and finally signed up Pitching your IDEA to that person who might be able to help you make it happen Finally asking her THAT question In this QUICK DTD episode, we're going to talk about something that's been labeled "Power Poses." It's a technique in which people stand in a way that a "powerful" or "assertive" might stand or hold themselves. By doing so, some researchers have found these "poses" actually increases a sense of confidence and focus. The idea of "Power Posing" was first named and described in a paper by Dana Carney, Amy Cuddy, and Andy Yap in the journal, Psychological Science. In their initial research, Carney, Cuddy, and Yap asserted that "High-Power Poses" produced an increase in testosterone (which causes an increased sense of confidence and focus) and a decrease in cortisol (which tends to reduce a sense of anxiety). These researchers have continued to produce studies and books on the subject. Now, I'll be the first to admit that some of their underlying science has been disputed. And some researchers really push back on this concept. BUT… that's where our "experiment" will come in. I want you to give it a try. I can tell you that since I don't have an easy way to check my own testosterone or cortisol, I'm not 100% sure my rates change in the slightest. BUT I can tell you that I've been utilizing the "Power Poses" for the last year or more… and it's made a difference. And even though some researchers might poo this and/or consider it a placebo effect… I can tell you that I've benefited from it significantly. So, I wanted to share it with you! In this episode, I'll walk you through some specifics and scenarios… then I want you to try it out. Comment below and let me know what you think! Real deal… hocus pocus… or something in between? I can't wait to hear from YOU! Comment below and let me know!

This week our guest is Mitch Matthews. I know… I know. You might be saying, "But you're the host. So how does that work?" Well, one of my coaching clients wants to have her own podcast someday. So I let her interview me as an "experiment," and she did such an incredible job… I wanted to share the conversation with you. We'll call this episode "20 [really good] questions with Mitch Matthews." We dive into questions around breaking through fear, how I got into the speaking/coaching business, when I started dreaming (this one might surprise you) and how I freaked out my parents when I was a kid (which might help you with your kids, too!). Listen To The Podcast: Okay… so we're taking a little different approach to this episode and here's the back story. You guys know that I'm a success coach and I work with people one-on-one to help them get clear on their goals and dreams… and then help them to build a plan to walk it out. As we do that… my client and I work to create experiences and challenges along the way to help them experience versions of their dream. This process often allows them to "take their dream for a test drive," and see if they actually enjoy it. Recently… one of my coaching clients… an incredible person named Cheri Judd... mentioned that she thought about doing a podcast someday. She's got a great heart… she's awesome at asking questions… and she's naturally curious… so it seemed like a great fit. And since we're always looking for ways to experiment with dreams… I volunteered to be a guest… and I had her interview me as if she would for her future podcast. So… yeah… we did it as an experiment. What's really cool was… she was awesome. She asked some great questions and it was really fun. Plus, she got me to think about some things and tell some stories… I've never told on DREAM THINK DO… or ANY podcast I've ever been on. Originally… the idea was just to do the recording for practice… so we didn't really concentrate on sound quality or a big fancy intro. We just kept it really simple. BUT it was a great interview. We celebrated and it really confirmed that she was on to something because she really enjoyed the experience too. Well… in the past few weeks… as we're getting closer and closer to the mile marker of episode 250… a number of you suggested that I turn the mic on myself and have someone interview ME on DREAM THINK DO. And that got me thinking about Cheri's interview. It was so fun and she did such a great job, I thought that might be perfect! Plus… I think this will be really encouraging for Cheri to have the world hear her facilitate an interview too. I think it will fuel that fire. Plus, you guys can let her know that she really is good at this. Now… again… we didn't focus on sound quality… so it's not up to our normal standards on that front… but as long as you can put up with that… I think you'll really enjoy the conversation. And my hope is… that as you hear a little more of my story… it'll inspire you to push through some fears… because as you'll hear… I had a LOT of them… I hope it will help you think about some of your own dreams and goals… AND… to be grateful for the people who have helped you along the way! So let's get to this… Quick Episode Summary: 0:02 What to expect today! 3:40 Mitch's background 6:47 What Mitch learned from his first job 14:07 What Mitch went to college for 15:44 Mitch's love for England 19:02 How Mitch discovered his passions 22:43 When Mitch started chasing his dreams 25:42 The meaning behind the podcast name 26:19 Mitch's life right out of college 30:11 How Mitch followed God's clues 40:49 How Mitch generated leads 43:51 What keeps Mitch motivated 49:44 Mitch's biggest takeaways Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

My guest today is David Osborn. David is a best selling author, successful entrepreneur and real estate investor based in Austin, Texas. He's going to bring 3 keys to building a millionaire mindset as well as breaking free from a scarcity mindset! Now… Dream Think Doer... I know you'll appreciate David's story because although he's wildly successful NOW, he wasn't just handed all of this. He had to work at it. In fact, at the age of 26, he was broke, unemployed and he was fresh off a low-budget trip around the world. But he got intentional and things started to change… big time. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: www.tribeofmillionaires.com www.gobundance.com www.facebook.com/gobundance At 26, David decided to test his entrepreneurial theories… as well as lean on the wisdom and values he'd learned from his parents and from his global travels He started to partner with his mom (who was a real estate agent) and he started to experiment with real estate sales. It wasn't a good fit initially, but David started to be intentional about who he was spending time with and who he was learning from. Within 10 years, he was running one of the top real estate brokerages in the world. Since then… he's gone on to help launch over 50 companies. I was introduced to David by my friend and past DREAM THINK DO guest Rock Thomas. You probably remember Rock from episode 219 (www.mitchmatthews.com/219) He brought pure gold. So when he suggested having David on the show… I was all in. Although I've been impressed with his achievements… the more I dug into his story, I've been blown away by how everyone talks about him. They've said that he's a BEAST at getting things done and being passionate and fully present wherever he goes. So THAT got me curious. I wanted to get in his head to hear about his strategies for dreaming bigger, thinking better and doing more! Plus… I have to say I really respect that with all of his business achievements, David points to his marriage to his talented wife, Traci, and their 3 awesome kiddos as his biggest priority and greatest accomplishment. I am totally on board with that! He's living the DREAM THINK DO life… and it's going to be a great interview! Be sure to leave your comments below. I want to hear from YOU! Quick Episode Summary: 0.02 What to expect today 1.05 The opportunity you don't want to miss 2:55 Meet Davi6:11 What drives David 7:23 When David got into real estate 13:12 How to become Superman in your business 18:14 Being purposeful 19:00 Setting and achieving goals 26:00 Putting yourself in a position to win 28:59 How to connect with David 29:17 Mitch's biggest takeaways Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

My guest is David Hauser. David's a serial entrepreneur and the author of "Unstoppable: 4 Steps to Transform Your Life." He's perhaps best known for co-founding and managing notable tech startups like Grasshopper and Chargify. (BTW… Grasshopper sold to Citrix for $170M in 2015) David is known as a true optimizer. In the last few years, he's taken his approach to business (constant and intentional trial and error) and applied it to his health. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: David's book:www.unstoppablebook.com Today, David has shifted his optimization focus to health & fitness, sharing his journey of personal transformation in "Unstoppable." In the book, David documents the radical shifts he made in diet and exercise, as well as what he learned from taking nearly every test imaginable (blood tests, stool tests, sleep tests, DNA tests, etc.). David and the book have been featured in the New York Times, FastCompany, Business Insider, Forbes and CNN… just to name a few. He's now on a mission to bust long-standing myths around fad dieting, trendy workouts, and quick fixes, specifically calling out the health sacrifices that entrepreneurs are likely to make while pursuing lofty business goals. "Unstoppable" is a testament to the power of micro-adjustments in driving huge, lasting changes for a healthier, more successful life. In fact, Sumo.com's founder, Noah Kagen said: [Tweet ""That he doesn't know anyone who has spent more time, money or effort on health optimization than David Hauser. Now we're going to be able to learn from his findings.""] Today we're going to talk about some of the most important lessons he's learned along the way, as well as dig into specific lifestyle changes we can ALL make to achieve optimal health. Quick Episode Summary: 0:02 What to expect today 3:18 Welcome, David to the show! 3:40 Why David became passionate about health 6:36 How to get a better night sleep 9:12 Preparing for a good night sleep 12:34 The best thing to do to lose weight 15:34 Eating whole foods 17:56 How the body is designed to consume things 18:45 The blood test we should take every year 22:53 Wisdom of the week 23:23 Mitch's biggest takeaways Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

Today my guest is Jess Ekstrom. Jess is the founder and CEO of "Headbands of Hope," which is a company she started as a junior at North Carolina State University. For every headband Jess sells... a headband is given to a child with cancer. Today, "Headbands of Hope" is in over 2,000 stores across the United States and Canada. Plus, Jess has been featured on the TODAY Show and Good Morning America, as well as in Forbes, Seventeen, Vanity Fair, and People Magazine. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: www.chasingthebrightside.com Jess on Instagram Jess on Facebook Jess on Twitter MORE ABOUT JESS: Jess will be quick to say her biggest accomplishment has been donating hundreds of thousands of headbands reaching every children's hospital in the United States and across 15 countries. Jess has a new book coming out early next month called, "Chasing the Bright Side" and we talk about that. You're going to want to grab a copy for yourself… and grab a few for your friends too. Oh… and I have to mention two more things that'll make you love Jess even more: ONE… She launched her entrepreneurial endeavors at 12… when she auctioned off all of her toys on eBay. And… TWO... Jess currently lives in an Airstream with her husband Jake… and their dog Ollie. Let us know what stood out to you from the interview by leaving a comment below! I can't wait to hear from YOU! Quick Episode Summary: 0:02 What to expect today 1:31 Welcome, Jess! 4:38 The beginning of Jess's entrepreneurial journey 9:00 The power of giving back 10:45 How Jess got branded with no budget 13:35 The biggest struggle Jess had to overcome 18:48 What most entrepreneurs have in common 20:59 Why Jess wrote her book 22:43 Jess's favorite chapter in her book 25:10 The thing that doesn't come naturally to Jess 29:00 How to connect with Jess 29:42 Wisdom of the week 31:04 Mitch's biggest takeaways Listen to Mitch Mattews Top Podcast here

3 Keys to Beating a Mid-Career Slump My guest is Antonio Neves. Antonio is an expert on Career Success and he's an internationally recognized speaker, coach and author. He's become a great friend over the years and one of the things I've learned about him is that he helps successful people to become even more successful. He helps them to take things to the next level and break out of those slumps and plateaus that can happen to the best of us. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: Antonio's website: www.theantonioneves.com Antonio's books on Amazon: Click here MORE ABOUT ANTONIO & THE EPISODE: You can read Antonio's unique and powerful career advice on Inc.com, Entrepreneur.com, and TheMuse.com… to name just a few. Plus, his two most recent books are a "one-two punch of raw career wisdom." Antonio's also an award-winning journalist. In fact, he worked in the television industry for over 10 years in New York City as a business correspondent, host, and producer with top networks including NBC, PBS, BET Networks and Nickelodeon. Antonio earned a master's degree from Columbia University and now lives with his beautiful family in Los Angeles, California. He's been on DREAM THINK DO twice and you can go back and check those episodes too: Episode 004: www.mitchmatthews.com/004 Episode 077: www.mitchmatthews.com/077 "True 'Allies' provide 'good friction.' They hold you accountable and support you in doing what you say you're going to do!" - Antonio Neves Here's some of what we talk about: The BIG question: "How do you know you're in a mid-career slump?" You just do "good enough" work Getting promoted seems more like a burden than a reward You've stopped building relationships You've stopped taking action on your ideas You've stopped learning The BIGGER and MORE IMPORTANT question: "What can we do about it?" Start learning again Regularly finish something Surround yourself with allies Quick Episode Summary: 0.02 What to expect today! 1:18 The opportunity you don't want to miss 1:48 Get to know Antonio Neves 3:47 How Mitch and Antonio met 6:21 The professional journey 7:59 What Mitch loves about Antonio's writing 11:08 Learning how to never settle 13:15 The importance of learning 15:49 How to work your way out of a slump 19:13 Breakthrough comes in small steps 21:13 Finishing something for you 25:04 The importance of community 27:22 What happens when we support others 29:06 Wisdom of the week 32:25 Mitch's biggest takeaways