Start with Small Steps

13 Systems Not Goals - Use systems to make progress in life. In this episode, we’re talking about how to achieve your goals by focusing on building a system instead of just having a goal. By breaking your goals down into smaller steps and creating a repeatable and flexible system around them, you’re more likely to succeed in the long run. And don’t forget to celebrate those small wins along the way! We’ll also touch on how to adjust your system as you go to make it more fun and beneficial for you. So, let’s get started on building a better system for achieving your goals! https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2334 https://jamesclear.com/goals-systems How Ben Mulholland lost weight and learned the Piano- https://www.process.st/systems-vs-goals/ Scott Adams How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big on Systems https://www.scottadamssays.com/2013/11/18/goals-vs-systems/ Flavio Rump On Systems https://medium.com/@flaviorump/systems-vs-goals-a67fcd937370 Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

12 - Stop Perfectionism and Finish Today we’re talking about a book that’s going to help you get things done! It’s called Finish by Jon Accuff, and it’s all about breaking free from the need for perfection and learning to enjoy the process of achieving your goals. We’ll cover tips like cutting your goals in half or giving yourself more time, making your goals fun, and using data to overcome your own negative self-talk. When you finish strong and crush a goal, it’s a powerful feeling that will motivate you to keep going and make everything else easier. So let’s dive in and learn how to give ourselves the gift of done! https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2318 https://acuff.me/books/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2017/10/03/how-to-finish-what-you-started-according-to-jon-acuff/ Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

Summary I’ll be discussing the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. This book focuses on how to influence people by showing them what they want and seeing things from their point of view. It emphasizes the importance of genuine kindness and listening, rather than manipulation or using information for personal gain. The book advises against criticizing others or complaining about them, and instead encourages sharing sincere appreciation for them. It also suggests becoming genuinely interested in other people, smiling at them, and remembering their names. By being a good listener and encouraging people to talk about themselves, you can build lasting friendships and avoid arguments. The book also discusses the importance of showing respect for other people’s viewpoints, and avoiding blunt or cruel language. It encourages finding common ground with others, and trying to understand their desires and perspectives. By doing so, you can build bridges and work together to achieve common goals. Overall, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” emphasizes the importance of genuine human connections, and the value of seeing things from other people’s points of view. It’s a reminder that by being kind and respectful, we can achieve great things together. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2305 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qvUYtwASqY Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

10 - Talent is Better Than Passion I discuss the book “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”. The author, Cal Newport, argues that passion isn’t something you just follow blindly, but it’s a byproduct of acquiring mastery and developing rare and valuable skills. What does that mean exactly? Well, it means that instead of constantly chasing after your passions, you should focus on becoming so good at what you do that you can’t be ignored. Newport calls this the “craftsman mindset” and it involves honing your skills and working towards self-determination. But how do you get there? Newport emphasizes the importance of taking little bets and developing a plan to accelerate your skills. By focusing on autonomy, competence, and relatedness in your job, you can achieve success and fulfillment in your career or personal life. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2305 https://www.calnewport.com/books/so-good/ https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_the_puzzle_of_motivation/reading-list Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

9 - The Serenity Prayer Today, we're going to talk about something that affects all of us - how to deal with life's problems when they come our way. Now, I know it can be tough, but don't worry, we've got some great tips and techniques to help you out. First up, we're going to introduce you to the Serenity Prayer. This powerful prayer involves accepting the things we cannot change, changing the things we can, and having the wisdom to know the difference. We'll share how this prayer helped one of our speakers as a child growing up in a chaotic situation, and we'll also share other examples of similar wisdom throughout history. Then, we'll delve into different techniques to reframe problems and make them solvable. You'll learn about the elevator problem and how it was transformed into a solution by adding mirrors and elevator music to distract people while they wait. We'll also discuss using the five whys technique to get to the root problem and reframe it into a solvable one. The goal is to generate more options for solving the problem. Now, it's important to distinguish between what is possible and what is not possible. We'll encourage you to put every problem you encounter into one of two buckets: things you can solve and things you can't. For the things you can't solve, we'll suggest finding things you can solve about it. We'll also discuss the importance of understanding your motivations and how you can use the five whys technique to bolster your motivation and dig deeper to reframe the problem. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2297 https://hbr.org/2017/01/are-you-solving-the-right-problems https://leadingbd.com/2016/05/the-five-whys-of-purpose https://alexchiri.com/2018/12/02/accept-gravity-and-let-go-of-your-anchors https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_5W.htm Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

8 - Pychological Halloweenism for Goals We explore the intriguing concept of pretending to be someone else to gain new perspectives and achieve goals. Did you know that research indicates that imagining how someone else would feel or act in a given situation can influence our perception and behavior in that situation? It’s a fascinating idea that we’ll be diving into today. But that’s not all! We’ll also be discussing how play-acting can be beneficial for individuals struggling with shame, abuse, and chronic rheumatoid arthritis. By stepping into the shoes of someone else, individuals can gain new insights into their situations and achieve their goals. We’ll be sharing some personal rules and guidelines that you can use to achieve your goals and find an alter ego that can provide encouragement and support. And let’s not forget the importance of pretending to have fun, just like in the famous quote from Batman Begins: “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.” https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2286 https://digest.bps.org.uk/2019/11/20/simply-imagining-other-people-can-change-our-own-sense-of-self/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4749277/ https://www.bustle.com/p/acting-out-a-character-can-change-your-brain-a-new-study-says-it-helps-explain-why-this-kind-of-therapy-works-16966396 https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2018/04/03/power-posing-is-back-amy-cuddy-successfully-refutes-criticism  Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

7 - Plan Your Possible Lives Today we are talking about designing your life based on your talents and values. We all know that life can be unpredictable, and sometimes we find ourselves falling into things or lucking into opportunities. But what if we took a more intentional approach? That’s where assessments like StrengthsFinder 2.0 come in. By identifying your unique talents and strengths, you can start to design a life that plays to those strengths and brings you joy. Of course, it’s not just about identifying your talents - it’s also important to think about what you value most in life. Maybe you value creativity, flexibility, or community. Whatever it is, keeping those values in mind as you design your life can help ensure that you’re living in alignment with your true self. Then we discuss the book Designing Your Life. But here’s the thing - designing your life isn’t a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process that requires experimentation and adaptation. That’s why we encourage you to try out small changes in your life and see what works best for you. Maybe it’s trying out a new hobby or taking a class in something you’re interested in. Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things. So, if you’re feeling stuck or unsure about your life’s path, we hope this episode has given you some inspiration and motivation to take control of your destiny. Remember - you have the power to design a life that’s joyful, fulfilling, and uniquely yours. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2278 https://store.gallup.com/c/en-us/assessments https://designingyour.life/ https://www.outsideonline.com/2373876/three-steps-happiness Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

Show Notes 6 - Challenge The Rider and The Elephant I review “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath. It’s all about understanding how our brains work when it comes to creating new habits and making changes in our lives. The authors break it down into two parts: the emotional elephant and the rational rider. We dive into the different steps the book recommends for bringing these two parts of our brain together. We talk about finding the feeling, shrinking the change, growing your people, directing the rider, scripting the critical moves, and pointing to the destination. But that’s not all! We also explore how to shape the path by tweaking the environment, building habits, and rallying the herd. I share personal tips and examples of how to apply these principles to achieve your personal goals. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2264 https://www.happinesshypothesis.com/ https://heathbrothers.com/books/switch/ Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

5 - Prevent Mistakes and Look Upstream I talk about the book “Upstream” by Dan Heath. It’s all about taking a proactive approach to avoid mistakes and achieve your goals. Instead of just reacting to problems downstream, the book suggests a pre-mortem strategy that involves identifying likely mistakes ahead of time, involving all stakeholders in the discussion, and making it difficult to fail. But that’s not all. Heath also warns against over-preparing and rewarding failure and recommends building a system that tolerates errors. By following these principles, individuals and organizations can anticipate and prevent problems before they occur, ultimately leading to greater success and productivity. So if you’re tired of constantly putting out fires and want to get ahead of potential issues, this episode is for you. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2255 Poka-Yoke https://kanbanize.com/lean-management/improvement/what-is-poka-yoke Upstream by Dan Heath https://heathbrothers.com/books/upstream/ https://www.entreleadership.com/blog/podcasts/dan-heath-upstream Moral Hazards https://www.lemonade.com/insuropedia/dictionary/moral-hazard/ Over Preparation https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-stop-over-preparing-actually-get-things-done-ncna810126 Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

4 - Use Personality Tests to Achieve Goals In this episode, we’re diving into the fascinating world of personality tests. We all have unique personalities, motivations, and ways of working, but have you ever stopped to think about what makes you tick? Well, today’s article explores how personality tests like the Four Tendencies and the Enneagram can give us valuable insights into our inner workings. We’ll be discussing the importance of knowing ourselves and matching our goals to our schedules, taking into account whether we’re larks or owls. We’ll also touch upon the concept of chronotypes and how they can impact our ability to achieve our goals. Personality tests can be informative and help us pick apart our personalities to find what triggers work for us. By understanding our tendencies, we can set up situations that make it more likely for us to achieve our aims, make better decisions, meet deadlines, and engage more deeply with others. So, whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, a Type A or a Type B personality, this episode is for you. After all, the ultimate goal is to learn more about ourselves and use that knowledge to succeed. https://gretchenrubin.com/books/the-four-tendencies/intro/ https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions https://www.truity.com/test/enneagram-personality-test https://www.bbc.com/news/health-25777978 https://www.bulletproof.com/sleep/sleep-hacks/sleep-chronotype-circadian-rhythm/ Links https://startwithsmallsteps.com/why-small-steps/ Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com