The Three Month Vacation Podcast
Sean D'Souza
Sean D'Souza made two vows when he started up Psychotactics back in 2002. The first was that he'd always get paid in advance and the second was that work wouldn't control his life. He decided to take three months off every year. But how do you take three months off, without affecting your business and profits? Do you buy into the myth of "outsourcing everything and working just a few hours a week?" Not really. Instead, you structure your business in a way that enables you to work hard and then take three months off every single year. And Sean walks his talk. Since 2004, he's taken three months off every year (except in 2005, when there was a medical emergency). This podcast isn't about the easy life. It's not some magic trick about working less. Instead with this podcast you learn how to really enjoy your work, enjoy your vacation time and yes, get paid in advance.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 25, 2019 • 29min
Stories of Failure (Filos Moments)
You know how you're told to make lemonade when life hands you lemons? Well, what do you do with overripe bananas? You make Filos! This episode is about the times when we should have given up because the failure seemed so great. But they are also stories that show you what happens when you persist. You'll enjoy these stories about 5000bc and Psychotactics. And it's all about failure, and how things turned out on the other side. Read the transcript here: Failure Through Different Lenses.
May 18, 2019 • 17min
How To Overcome the Impostor Syndrome (By Understanding The Psychology of How it Works)
Many, if not most of us, have already experienced what it seems like to be a fraud in our mind. Still we can't seem to shake the impostor syndrome. But what if we understood how the psychology works? Find out the twin factors ramming into you and me, and how we can avoid feeling like we're not worthy. Click here to read: How To Overcome The Impostor Syndrome
May 14, 2019 • 15min
How to De-Stress with the "Second-Last-Minute Deadline"
Most of us have probably said something to the effect of "If it weren't for the deadline, I'd get nothing done". Yet, for many of us, a deadline is crushing, if not crippling. We scramble at the last minute and wish there were a better way to get things done on time. We could fool ourselves by having an earlier deadline but that doesn't seem to work either. But have you tried the "second-last-minute-deadline"? And how do you use it to get things done not just well before time but also a lot better? Read more here: How To De-Stress With The Second Last Minute Deadline
May 4, 2019 • 28min
The Magic of Set Up: Why Some Courses Are Better Than Others
What makes some courses vastly better than others? The answer lies not in the content, or the instruction, but rather in the set up. But why is setup so crucial? Setup becomes vital because it gets rid of clients that don't follow instructions and gives you the cream of the crop. You get clients that follow through and therefore get better results. The more consistent the results, the less you have to market your course. But the question is: how do you set up a course?Let's find out. The Magic Of Set Up: Why Some Courses Are Better Than Other
Apr 27, 2019 • 24min
How to Accelerate Client Learning (And The Suprising Power of Fun) Part 2
Fun seems obvious as a concept. But "fun in learning" almost seems like a bit of a paradox. What is "fun" and how can you find it, let alone use it when you're teaching a skill? Let's take a bit of a deep dive into intimidation and find how fun can save the day—yes, yet again. How To Accelerate Learning
Apr 20, 2019 • 36min
How to Accelerate Client Learning (Using Spaced Repetition) Part 1
Why do we get upset with ourselves when we forget information? Surely we should be able to remember at least 30-40% of a book. But it seems to slide through our brain like semolina in a sieve. Yet, there is a way to remember things—and there's also a big reason to forget. Find out why forgetting is just as important as retaining facts. Find out exactly how to go about it in this episode on memory. How to Accelerate Client Learning
Apr 13, 2019 • 10min
How To Use Contrast To Create Your Uniqueness In Seconds
If you were asked: What is the uniqueness of this podcast, would you be able to answer the question? The chances are that you might state one of the features, but not what makes it truly unique. —What do you have to do to make the uniqueness come to life? —And how do you get clients to pass on that uniqueness? Find out in this case study on our own podcast. How To Use Contrast To Create Your Uniqueness In Seconds
Apr 5, 2019 • 18min
How to Stop "Perfectionist” Clients From Sabotaging Their Own Success
It's not unusual for clients to say they're perfectionists. This means they take more time, spend more effort and they sound like the ideal client on your course. But as perfectionists know fully well, they're often jeopardising their own success, because all the extra work isn't dramatically improving their work. —How, then should you make them pay attention to what's important? —How can you help them gain the confidence and the skill? If you want your clients to be really skilled, here are three concrete steps to get them away from circling and into results. How to Stop "Perfectionist” Clients From Sabotaging Their Own Success
Mar 29, 2019 • 33min
How do you incentivise clients to finish a course?
Most courses have huge dropout rates. And yet, that's not the case for some teachers and trainers. What makes some courses so dramatically different? The slightly surprising answer is that the course material itself can doom the course. If that makes no sense, follow along, because there's a method to this madness. Find out how to create a scenario where clients never want to leave.
Mar 22, 2019 • 8min
How to Validate Your Uniqueness with Testimonials
Let's say you come up with what you believe is a great uniqueness for your product or service. How would you know if it's great or not? The answer is deceptively simple: every client needs to echo your uniqueness over and over again. But how are you supposed to hear that echo? Interestingly that echo is located in the testimonial. But not just anywhere in the testimonial, but in one really interesting area. Listen to find out and then do the same for your products and services as well. How to Validate Your Uniqueness
