Daily Boost - Clarity for Life and Work

I have a question for you. What is your ONE most important activity?  What is the ONE core activity that makes everything else fine? What is the ONE core activity that if you don’t do causes everything to fall apart? In Brian Tracy’s book Eat The Big Frog First he recognized that many people focus on anything but the most critical activity in their life. They are usually surprised when things fall apart. Is it showing up for work on time or doing a great job at work? Could it be your unflinching attention to your family? Does your business have ONE activity that causes people to buy from you? When you focus on your ONE most important activity - and do it first - everything else gets easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the years, I've witnessed dozens of people set themselves up for failure by following seemingly wise advice - "When you set a goal, make it public and tell everybody you know so that they can support you." In my experience, that hasn't worked so well - especially on long-term goals. The reason is that anybody outside of my close relationships doesn't know me well enough to understand why I'm doing what I'm doing. That makes it challenging to provide support in meaningful ways, difficult for me to accept it, and unneeded pressure on everybody. It doesn't take too much thinking to realize the best accountability relationship needs to be based on respect and a sincere connection to have the most impact. That means there is no need to crowd-source accountability when you only need two people to keep you on track. The first partner is the one you listen to the most - YOU! Accepting responsibility for your accountability is the most powerful skill own. But since you are the Boss of YOU and don't always listen to yourself, you need somebody else that you trust, respect, and is willing to call you out on your stuff. Once they agree, let them do their job. Getting what you want begins and ends with you, but having an accountability partner is a great way to keep you on track in the messy middle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get the new Operation Reinvention Show at MotivationToMove.com Everything we do is guided by what we think is logical in our minds. I call my way of thinking Scott LOGIC. Is it common sense? Is it experience-based? Is it how I choose to live? Yes. But mostly, it is an endless list of thoughts that make my day better. Here are a few that will no doubt do the same for you. Life is long enough. But not for everybody. Recognize the difference. Life goes quickly unless you are bored. Stay busy. Life passes slowly when you are going fishing tomorrow.  Some people are too serious. Others are not serious enough. You get to choose who you are. Standing in another person's shoes before opening your mouth a best. The reward for hard work is more work. The reward for being lazy is more lazy. When you turn your phone off, it won't ring. Most things in life should be in moderation. Excess is good now and then.   It takes a fraction of the time to read a good book than to write a book. That makes reading a book a good investment of your time. People who read more earn more. People who don't read don't understand why. Saying "I don't care" means you do care. Do you know what that is? Everything you experience is filtered through what you hold as the truth. Make sure you are correct in your thoughts.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The older I get, the more I fiddle with small things that drive me crazy but keep me busy. And I do it with the full knowledge it’s not the best use of my time, below my pay grade, and distracting from big stuff I should be doing. Over the years, I’ve noticed almost everybody I know does the same thing. I’ve also learned it doesn’t have to do with procrastination as much as getting a quick win and a short-term payoff. Yes, the reward for more significant projects is getting what you want, but check off your list of little stuff is distractingly intoxicating. It makes you feel good all day but keeps you awake a night.  The solution is to think bigger. As I work through my day, I focus on the biggest, broadest, and most important mission in my life. Is it family? Is it your health? Do you want to make more money? Is it time to give back more? When you have a grand picture painted in your mind, your mission becomes your focus, and you will do whatever it takes to move closer to that vision. That’s why - “I work on BIG things I love, not SMALL things that drive me crazy.” The small stuff is going to get done. If not, it probably doesn’t matter. Big stuff does matter. Imagine the impact you will have on your life and the world by focusing on big? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People miss one challenge when they decide to pursue the “get what I want life” of their dreams. It’s going to be difficult. That’s the bad news. The good news is that once you accept difficulty, everything else gets easier. Over the years, I’ve noticed deciding to change creates two pressure points. The first is the circumstances that drive you to do something different. It could be people or situations. Frustration or boredom. Even good-old-fashion fear of missing out. In any case, something has to change. The second pressure point is the future that is in front of you. It could be people or situations. Frustration or boredom. Even good-old-fashion fear of missing out. In any case, something has to change. Did I say the same thing? Yes, and it isn’t a typo. Although the particulars may be different, the same feeling is there. You are being pushed away from your past and pulled closer to your goals at the same time. Getting closer should make things easier. The actual feeling is driving 100 MPH toward a great abyss that has formed in front of you. Best of all, it is all self-inflicted. In times of transformation, life can seem at its most brutal and complicated. Once you accept there is difficulty on both sides of the abyss, you will also realize that your change has begun. There is only one thing to do. Remember when you were racing 100 MPH toward your dreams? Very soon, the time will come when you will reach a point of no return. When that happens, mash the accelerator to the floor, and start racing into your future. My late Mother-in-Law would say to me, “Scott, sometimes you have to slam the door behind shut and ram the door in front of you open. Get your butt moving, and everything will work out fine.” I have to say; those are some sage words from a wise lady. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Call me crazy, but I've always believed life should be simple - and there's no better way than to follow an uncomplicated structure in everything you do. I call it MAPSS. Motivation. Everything begins with the motivation that comes from the inside out. Know your "WHY," get excited, and get moving. Accountability. The next step is to put benchmarks in place that allow you to keep track of your progress, providing more motivation. Planning. Plan your work, work your plan. Never begin until you know at least your first and second steps. Systemization. Routines and rituals will make staying on your path easy. Lock in your process and repeat it unit you get what you want. Sustainability. You build momentum in life by stacking accomplishment upon accomplishment. Never build a house of cards. Make sure you set yourself up for the long haul. It’s easier to get what you want when you follow a map. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With everything going on in the world these days, it isn’t easy to make good decisions. Being a former fat guy living in a relatively thin body, I learned a life lesson I still use every day that helps. As a kid, going out to eat was a special occasion. One weekend my parents introduced me to the concept of an all-you-can-eat steak house! I knew that I would be living in my Husky pants from that day forward until I found a solution. Years later, I did. In the beginning, I adopted a philosophy when it came to choosing food of “Stop. Think. Order.” If that didn’t work, I employed my advanced version, “Stop. Think. Think again. Order.” Years later, I streamlined my thinking to “Stop. Think. Think again. Act.” I began using it for everything I do. One day I mentioned my newfound thinking to my Mom. She said, “That’s kind of like listening before you speak and thinking before you act? That sounds like something I may have said.” I’ll never admit it. Stop. Think. Think Again. Act. Today is going to be awesome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have dreams of what you want for the future? Have you ever wondered your inner voice will lead you in the right direction? These four questions will help sort out everything for you: 1) What is it? Do you understand exactly what you want? 2) How does it work? How will you go about reaching your goal? What will likely be the outcome? 3) Can you do it? Is your plan reasonable? Do you have the time, skills, money? 4) Are you sure? If you are willing to put in the effort, are you confident you can achieve your goal? Why hold yourself back from turning your dreams into reality? All you need is a little clarity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that happy people view the world differently? They don't wear rose-colored glasses. They have a better way: 1) Happy people accept that life brings problems.  2) Happy people recognize that problems are a privilege that comes with being alive. 3) Happy people get frustrated but don't give up. Problems are normal. 4) Happy people accept responsibility for solving problems. 5) Happy people deal with anything life throws at them, get a good night's sleep, and do it all over again. I wonder? If you view problems with a positive attitude - was there ever a problem? That'll get you thinking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Productivity is a big deal for any high-performance person in today's fast-paced world. Almost everybody's life revolves around how much they can squeeze into their calendar. Something I don't agree with at all. I was chatting with a client recently when he commented that I must be swamped. He wondered how I kept up with everything I had to do. I decided to share my calendar with him and asked, "So, what do you see?" "Well, I see that you only have three appointments on most days. That surprises me." Yes. I average three appointments per day—none on Friday through Monday. So I asked him where he thought I put my focus? On my scheduled appointments, or in the space in-between? "I assume that you focus on your appointments, but that leaves a lot of time in your day. What am I missing?" The answer is that I focus on the unscheduled time on my calendar. My goal is to create entire days with no scheduled appointments. I want to own the space between interactions with others. I consider it an "Invisible Appointment" I make with myself to use as I wish. It is also the most valued time that I own. That's the thing about time — Time is your most valuable asset. It should never be allocated to anything other than what is most important in your life. Yes, you will still honor your obligations. Yes, you will still make time for friends and family. Yes, you will get stuff done. But something else will happen. When you choose to value the space between schedule time, you enter the world where the most creative, productive, and highest performing people live. It is a place where they focus on their contributions to the world and stay undistracted from day-to-day activities. People who make and keep "Invisible Appointments" with themselves are the difference makers around us. They're not chasing the crowd. They are leading the way. Schedule less and you’ll get more - that’s a promise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices