Better Than a To-Do List I'm sure you have a lot to do. If you use a To-Do list, I'd like to pass on advice that will make your days much more fun. LOSE your "To-Do List." Replace it with a" Did I Do It List."   To-Do Lists make you an employee of your checkmarks. They cause more stress the longer they get. A "Did I Do It List" assumes you know what must be done. Instead of chasing, you are checking to make sure you did it. An un-focused path produces additional tasks to fill your day....

Comfort Zone Holding You Back I was sitting at the dining room table of a friend. We had been solving the problems of the world in an hours-long conversation when she asked, "What are you talking about on tomorrow's podcast?" When I told her that I hadn't thought about it yet, she said,  "Why don't you talk about why people don't take big chances and stay in their comfort zone for their entire life?" My mind did an instant review of my life and all the areas I had stumbled on before...

Productivity Secrets You Should Do I have a saying - “Next year begins THIS year. Next month begins THIS month. Next week begins THIS week.” If you want to stay on track, accomplish your goals, and enjoy life more - you MUST take control of your calendar. It’s easier than you think: 1) Life will come at you FAST! Be sure to schedule any significant and can’t miss life events at least one year in advance. Put it on the calendar and block it out. You can always change your mind. 2) Hold...

Motivational Teaching Method Mrs. Etheridge was a 5th-grade teacher at Westgate Elementary in Manassas, Virginia. She had a special knack for motivating her most free-spirited student. Now, I wouldn't be honest if I were to you, I remember how she tamed a young boy who saw the world as a place to explore - mostly between the lines. But I will say that when you begin teaching and motivating others to reach their full potential, you quickly find ways to get them out of their own way, fire...

Your Goal Setting Purpose? I've always believed goal setting is the heartbeat of our lives.  Goal setting is one of the most powerful tools you have to create your best life. My question to you is… do you know what your best life is supposed to be? I came upon my belief not from a book or a guru but from a realization I had many years ago. I found I was happy when I was chasing something bigger than myself that was also in alignment with how I felt on the inside. I was unhappy when I was...

Before Your Life Got in The Way Can you remember when you filled your thoughts with dreams and ambitions? That’s how most of us live our early lives - until the real world splits into two distinct periods: 1) BEFORE life gets in the way. Anything IS possible. It’s a beautiful time when you run as fast as possible toward your goals, even if your parents disagree. 2) AFTER life gets in the way. Anything WAS possible. Life is good, but it’s not what you expected. Your parents would have...

It’s Time To Explore I’ve spent the last couple of days saying things like — “What do you do when you are doing you, and your purpose is to find your purpose?” Now, I realize that something so simple is also something most people will ignore.  I also realized that for some people, as soon they begin reading and realize they’ve already heard it, tune out and open the next email.  That’s unfortunate. Studies have long ago proven that repetition is the Mother of all skills. Yes, it takes...

Somebody Needs You Right Now When I was a teenager, I was a weekend moviegoer. It was the age of Rocky, Star Wars, and Jaws. Besides, with only three channels on television, getting out of the house was the top item on my to-do list. As a kid with big dreams, I quickly slipped into the fantasy world of films and let my mind run for a couple of hours. By the film's end, I was always excited to get on with life and become like the folks I watched in movies. That's when life got in the...

Stop Procrastination With One Question Are you a member of the Procrastination Club?  Procrastination is the intentional and habitual postponement of an essential task that you should be doing.  Is that what you are doing? In my view, three things could be happening if you procrastinate - It may be possible that you are not procrastinating at all? Instead, you may be forcing yourself to do something that you don't need to do anyway. The other possibility is that it simply doesn't mean...

What Do Successful People Do? If you study people who have succeeded in any area of their life, you will find they have much in common.  Not only do they follow a set of rules, but they also follow those rules no matter how much life gets in the way. What are those rules? The person who has the strongest "Why" wins. The person who shows up wins. The person who shows up on time wins. The person who is most persistent wins. The person show never assumes wins. The person who is the best...

Don't Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste A few years ago, the world changed when we were introduced to the coronavirus. It was as if we were racing down the Interstate at 85 miles per hour, slammed on our breaks, and directed off the nearest exit on an undefined detour. It all seemed to happen in an instant. The pandemic caused real pain and loss for some and fear and stress for others. Still, as surreal as it was, it wasn't long before most people began to notice the craziness of our previous...

Get What You Want In the last few years, people have become increasingly popular for sharing every little aspect of their lives with others. But, when it comes to getting what you want, keeping your plans to yourself is a powerful tool. Independence has just passed, and when I arrived at my desk on Monday, I had two client messages that made me smile. The first said, "I decided to spend my weekend practicing what I do in private so that I will be praised in public."  That's something I've...

Increase Momentum in Your Life Have you ever found yourself stalled? A few years ago, I had big plans, but nothing was moving forward. Other people didn't seem to get the memo that I was on a mission, yet nobody was there to help. We've all been in situations where nobody will return your call. Your email gets ghosted. You can't get support or commitment for your future world-saving plans. That's what happened to me, and I decided to create my momentum. I called it my "Momentum Freight...

Increasing Productivity I have a question for you. What is your ONE most important activity?   What is the ONE core activity that makes everything else okay? 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...

Improving Your Financial Situation Most people say money is their top concern when it comes to improving their lives. Tony Robbins said, “Making money won’t solve all your problems - but at least you will arrive at your problems in style.” Making more money, no matter how little, will solve most of your problems. It is also the magic juice that will fuel your dreams.  If you want enough money to create the life of your dreams: 1) KNOW what kind of life you desire. Be realistic about how much...

Supercharge Your Self-Esteem Do you have goals and dreams? If so, Confidence and Self-esteem will play a significant role.  Confidence is feeling good about your worth or abilities and self-respect. Self-esteem is a feeling of self-assurance—an appreciation for your abilities or qualities. Confidence and Self-esteem can be developed over time, and you gain them through experience.  Yes, it's possible to fake it until you make it. It's better to jump in head first. Everything you do today is...

The Magic of Anticipation It's fascinating how children effortlessly balance living in the present with eagerly anticipating the next exciting event. Perhaps it's time we all rediscover this simple yet powerful approach. Remember those special events from your childhood that filled you with such excitement that you could barely contain it? The ones that kept you buzzing all day and even stole your sleep at night.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to bring back that feeling?  The trick to harness the...

Give Up Dreams to Get Dreams John Lennon was famous for saying, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."  Over the years, I've found that folks tend to ACT and DO what serves them best. And they do it while dreaming and planning for something else. It's an exhausting way to live. You can set yourself free by making a simple decision. If you want something different, do it now!  If you can't get yourself to do it, consider that it may not be as important to you as you...

Are Your Friends Holding You Back? The success and happiness that you have in your life is a direct result of something your Mom was always asking - Who are your friends? If they are positive, you will be positive. Are they negative? You will be negative. If they have money, you will have money. Are they broke?  You get my point. Your life will inevitably mirror those closest to you. But remember, you have the power to choose who these people are. Choose wisely, and you'll be on the path to...

Success at The Highest Level No matter what your goals in life are, you are likely striving to be the best at something. Whether it's the best Mom or Dad, excelling in your career, or winning at the game or sport of your choice. Being the best always comes down to: 1) Do what you love and are good at naturally. You'll have the edge over others. Stay in your wheelhouse. 2) Commit your focus to mastery. Being a Jack-of-all-trades will not work. Specialists always win over generalists. 3) Spend...

Hierarchy of Your Needs Your best life is built sequentially, one level at a time. Forget the elevator. Climb all the stairs to the top, and you’ll have lasting success. In 1954, Abraham Maslow released Motivation and Personality. His Hierarchy of needs theory is all about climbing to the top. Maslow suggested that to reach your full potential: 1) You must provide for your physiological needs. Food, clothing, shelter, money, and more.   2) You must feel safe. Personally, emotionally,...

10 Questions That Will Change You Long ago, I realized that life is nothing more than a giant scavenger hunt. Yes, life is full of questions, and it’s long enough for you to figure out all the essential answers. And the winners are the people who figure out the solution you seek. Here are a few that I use regularly to get me thinking: 1) What do you want to do? 2) What do you want to have? 3) Where do you want to go? 4) What contribution do you want to make? 5) What do you want to become? 6)...

4 Simple Questions To Find Your Passion If I could help you figure out your passion and purpose with four simple questions — would you answer them? Let's get right to it. I think your mind is about to explode! 1) What can I spend my time doing that causes me to lose track of myself and time? 2) What sort of activities do I spend money to participate in? 3) What areas of my life do I fear judgment? 4) What makes my heart race? Answering those four questions is like looking into a mirror and...

Daily Awareness Diary Over the last few months, you’ve heard me mention my prompted Daily Awareness Diary and the fantastic results it’s getting for my Face Your Passion coaching members.  I thought I would share the template we’re using. Before I begin, I want you to understand that this process is about becoming aware of your present life and using that awareness to have more passion and purpose. The prompted format is intended to produce consistent information you can mine later to learn...