Three ways to learn something

1) School of Hard Knocks – Expensive.  Takes a long time.  Hurts.

2) Through the experience of others – Cheaper.  Faster.  Easier.

3) By teaching and sharing with other people – You get clarity and deeper understanding when you have to organize it and communicate it to others.

What is one skill you must learn extremely well to take you to the top?…to where you want to go?

HOW are you learning it? 

1, 2, or 3? 

2 and 3? 

The person nobody sees

You build your character during the moments nobody will ever see – and it holds up your identity.

Private standards eventually become public results. 

Keeping small promises to yourself strengthens you for larger accomplishments.

When it’s go time, the person that people see is the flowering of the person they don’t.

Notice things that are important to others

Some people value this, and some value that.

When you notice what matters to people and acknowledge it, provide it, or ask them about it, you are speaking their language.

They will like talking to you about that and look forward to seeing you again.

Take an interest.

Make it hard to do bad things, and easy to do good things.

Set up your environment so it is hard to do bad things.  

It’s hard to eat bad food if it is not in the house.  It is hard to spend time on social media if you delete the apps.  It is hard to wear clothes that don’t look good on you if you get rid of them.  It is hard to be on a screen at night if you don’t bring them into the bedroom.

Set up your environment so it is easy to do good things.

It’s easy to workout in the morning if you lay your workout clothes out on the floor and have your workout plan written down.  It is easy to eat well if there is good food in the house.  It is easy to read good stuff when it’s the only thing on your nightstand.  It’s easy to monitor your weight if the scale is front and center in your bathroom.  It’s easy to call people you love when you set reminders.  

Preparation outperforms willpower.

Set up your environment for the person you want to be.

Imperfect like the rest of us.

Sometimes we really look up to someone, and are crushed when we find out they are not perfect.

This has happened to me.  Has it happened to you?

Don’t expect your heroes, idols, and teachers to be perfect.

Admire and learn from what they do best, and don’t expect perfection in all areas.

Adventure Deficit Disorder

What is the most exciting thing you did this year?

If I ask you that question on New Year’s Eve will it be the same answer?

Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome is when you are doing something you have never done before or when you are in a room with people that you don’t feel you belong with.

“This is not me,” you say.  

Maybe it’s not – YET.  

I have felt this way many times in business, socially, and in sports.

Do it, and do it again, and you start to feel it is you.

Feeling like you don’t belong, aren’t ready, or aren’t worthy is normal when you are becoming more.

That’s how you grow.

Take Responsibility

No blaming.  No “poor me”.  

Take responsibility.

For all of it.

That’s how you take control of your life.

The dance between expectations and reality

If we have low expectations, we will accomplish little and put up with much that we should not.

If our expectations are too high, we set ourselves up for disappointment when reality doesn’t meet them.

Always do your best.  Always have high expectations.

But there are times when lowering your expectations can lower frustration and disappointment, and increase your happiness and satisfaction.

There is no point in creating mental suffering from your own misplaced expectations.

Don’t win the race to the bottom.

The problem with the race to the bottom is that you might win.

When things start getting ugly, take the high road.