Success 2.0

As of this podcast, there are officially 1,123,455 books that claim have found the secret to joy and satisfaction (not true at all – I made this up, but I’m certain it’s a big number). Chances are that you, like me and most overachievers, have read a few of these titles hoping to find a simple set of strategies that leads to instant success.   We’re all searching for our purpose, the meaning of life, and the key to happiness. The “self-improvement” industry (books/videos/seminars/courses/etc.) continues to grow rapidly and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.    But, what if we already know the secret to a fulfilling life, but we (you, me and most of the people we know) are just choosing to ignore the truth?   In today’s podcast, I’ll explore the idea that the best way to feel happy and content is to donate more of our resources (specifically time and money) to those who are less fortunate. In addition, I’ll introduce simple tactics for prioritizing this behavior and making charitable giving a habit.

Many years ago, I served as the chairman of the stewardship (group tasked with asking for money) committee at my church. Shortly after I took the position, I was given a list of our members and what they donated annually.   I noticed that there were numerous families who donated very little and yet lived in huge homes, drove expensive cars and went on extravagant vacations.     I then looked at my own giving and realized I wasn’t significantly more generous than many of these individuals. I wondered if this was the norm throughout the country or if our church was simply less charitable than everyone else.   After a little research, I realized that the majority of people in the U.S. give a very small percentage (around 2%) of their annual income to non-profit organizations. In addition, only 25% of Americans volunteer their time.   In today’s podcast, I look at the giving habits of most Americans and discuss why we struggle to share our resources with those who are less fortunate. In addition, I’ll e

I assumed we would be able to celebrate the accomplishment for months, if not years.   One of my first clients had just hit a “milestone” revenue target that we had been working towards for almost 18 months. It was the type of accomplishment that would transform the business leading to a great bottom line, healthy cash flow and a strong balance sheet.   Minutes after we exchanged the obligatory “high-five”, the next thing you know, the achievement was fading in my client’s rearview mirror and he was on to the next objective.   The goal that was once thought to be life changing was now just a number on a piece of paper.   As a fellow overachiever, this story is probably all too familiar. It’s easy to get caught up in the belief that you will feel successful “as soon as” you make partner, win the award, buy the big house, hit a revenue target, etc.   But, as you know by now, this “feeling” rarely lasts very long.   In today’s podcast, I talk about the struggle to find satisfaction with the classic defini

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!” -Stuart Smalley  Positive affirmation is great! In some cases it can even help with those negative thoughts creeping around in your brain. But is that the only tactic that can help you deal with your negative thoughts? Other strategies that work similarly to positive affirmation are:   Journaling Reading Staying busy All of these strategies do one thing; they fight the negative thoughts. In the last few years I have found that fighting the negative thoughts only masks the unwelcomed ideas and that whatever you resist, persists. Negative thoughts keep us from becoming the best, content, version of ourselves. This is a very important issue to unravel in order to maximize our happiness in our life.  Do you find yourself living the “what if” lifestyle? Do you go back into the past and regret something? Do you move your mindset into the future and anticipate that something will go bad? Trying to live in the current moment is the best thing

Besides your work week, think about all the other things that take up your schedule. What activities do you take part in? What commitments do you have that suck up all the available time you have- time which could be spent on things you actually care about? The reality is that if you're a high achiever, you will be tempted to  say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. However, being a "Yes Man/Woman" eventually leads you to frustration because you stop doing the things that you actually prioritize. The simple truth is this: there's an enormous difference between your interests and your commitments. On this episode, we reflect on what those differences are and how you can come to absolve yourself of responsibilities that take away from you achieving what you really want to do!

"To live this life. To live it with wholeness and gratitude and trust. In the pain and the glory. In the mess and the grace. In the sacred and the desperation. This is the stuff of which real superheros are born." -Jeannette LeBlanc The chances are that if you find an entrepreneur on the street and ask his or her advice on what is the most important thing to have in order to be successful, chances are this person will return your question with some form of the word “resilience”. Whether you’re venturing on a tech start-up from your garage, operating a construction business, or work in some form of consulting, the odds are that things won’t go smoothly for you-that’s where the true entrepreneurs are born. Resilience or “grit” as it’s referred to by some, is the ability to look past the misfortunes and mistakes that come along with building a business. It’s the insight to keep moving when life punches you in the chin. It’s resilience that keeps someone from giving up on their idea because that person has so muc

In this episode: The importance of putting in time in a relationship How in the worst of times, our relationships become our rocks The fruitfulness in expressing appreciation for your relationships Sometimes unexpected events occur, and it feels like the ground is shaking. If the ground beneath us trembles just enough, we fall to our feet. When we are in this state, how are we to be caught, so that we might rise from the ground again? It is our relationships that catch us like a safety net when we fall. This truth is reflected in Dr. Greg Sipes' wise words, "Life is only about relationships."  Sometimes, you won't know the value of your contacts, friends, family and others until tragedy strikes. Before that happens, it's worth giving your appreciation and time into those whom you love. In this podcast, we reflect on our relationships and how important they are in our lives.  

Think back to when you were at a major crossroads in your life. Whether you were 22, 30, 45 or so on, you had to decide to pursue one path over another: learning in the field or in the classroom. When I think about my career and how much I’ve learned over the years, I realize that it’s what I learned in the School of Hard Knocks that has been the best classroom I could ever have encountered. Why? Two things: the utter pain of failure and the utter joy of acquiring a new skill. Failure and skill acquisition are two keys to success. In this discussion, I argue that the best way to achieve both are through the experience you obtain while working.  

In this episode: A moment where I caught myself moaning/groaning about travel and bitching about weather  Why marketing is built to make you feel inadequate The power of writing a thank you note How to craft a thank you note and who to send it to   Other than Amazon, how often is it that you receive something in the mail that isn't marketing, a bill, a newspaper, or some form of advertisement?  In today's age, a gesture as simple as a 'Thank You' is not only a rarity, it's virtually nonexistent. Yet, I continually find that people are elated when they open a hand-written letter that someone took the time to mail. It's so simple that it's amazing people don't do it more. So, the question is, what can you do with a hand-written note? Here are a few ideas... Lay out a letter to be sent out at the end of the week and make a deadline to send it out to someone Follow up after getting someone's business card  Reach out to someone you've not spoken with in awhile Tell a friend why you appreciate them Give a client

“Give me a place to stand, and a lever long enough, and I will move the world.” –Archimedes The other day I was scrolling through my Twitter account, and saw this quote. Usually, my instinct is to scoot past these graphics, but in this case I was caught in my tracks. As someone who could have a graduate degree in wasting money on “self-improvement” products, I feel uniquely qualified to speak on the subject. I could throw out countless examples of books, apps, software programs, seminars, eBook downloads, podcasts, tapes, CDs, videos, conferences, and webinars that ultimately led to a big goose-egg of value. After this much experience with testing products, I’ve been able to identify a simple strategy for making your hours more effective. This week, I’ll be covering the key to leveraging your time with incredible focus. Originally, I wanted to use the term productivity but the truth is leverage is the key word to focus on. “How do I get more done without putting in more hours?” We’ll cover that here today. En

Everything seems to be better “as soon as.”   We were wired at an early age to get good grades and do we well in sports. We were told that life’s goal is to achieve--and we assume that with enough accomplishments we’d be happy.  However, if, like me,  you’re waiting for the “as soon as” to be today, then, you probably aren’t satisfied. How can I best live in the moment and be grateful for what I’ve been given? How do I enjoy this journey called life? In this podcast, I talk about recognizing the “as soon as”  game to be a part of who I am and to stop expecting something more “as soon as…”

I seem to have a tendency to get stuck in my own universe. If my stress levels are high, my little bubble limits my perspective to my own woes. Sometimes, this bubble is burst when I’m temporarily exposed to the outside world and I realize that my life is not nearly as sad or stressful as I think it is in my head. Unfortunately, this feeling can also be short-term and I can just as easily get back into my bubble. So, what are some ways we can stay mindful and full of perspective as often as we can? In this podcast, I’m going to talk about why we get stressed out and how helping others is so effective in reducing stress. You’ll learn how you can best help others in your day-to-day schedule to reduce your own stress.

In the spring of 1997, I was hired by the global accounting and consulting firm, Arthur Andersen. Less than a couple of hours into my first day, I was led to a small office and handed my first laptop – the magnificent, all powerful IBM ThinkPad. This amazing machine allowed me to work anywhere I could find a place to sit. In addition, it provided me with the ability to work from home in case I didn’t get everything completed at the office. It’s ironic that almost 20 years to the day, I now find myself advising my clients to leave their laptops at the office. In today’s podcast, I’ll talk about the difference between activity and achievement. You’ll learn why being able to work all the time is hurting your productivity and what you can do about it.

In this episode, you'll discover: How do you know which books to choose? The myth of the overnight success self-help book Books I've found interesting, awesome books gifted, and other recommendations from over the years What to do to get the most out of your book choices How do you find the right book for you? Let me begin by saying that I understand there's a possibility that I'm a little bit of a nerd. When it comes to my friends, I'll gift books rather than clothes, boos, or gift cards around the holidays. I get kind of giddy when I walk into a Barnes & Noble bookstore. And, every once in awhile I'll take a Saturday afternoon to sit in a local Starbucks to catch up on my reading. Yup. Nerd. The truth is, with Amazon (especially Amazon Prime) getting access to great books is easier and cheaper than ever before. However, the difficulty lies within choosing the right book.  Based on zero data other than conversations from over the years, I'd say the average American reads maybe one non-fiction book a ye

In this episode, you'll discover: How you can take advantage of all the resources available to you Why conferences work How to decide which conference you should attend What you should expect to get out of attending a conference This week's episode: If you're like me, you're more likely to pay attention to something when you've had to do a little work for it. So what happens when we can be voracious readers because of the quick solutions from Amazon or Audible? What happens when iTunes hosts hundreds of thousands of podcasts yearning for our listens? What happens when we're bombarded with videos, conferences, or free giveaways from coaches and mentors?  The answer...you're required to enhance your ability to discern what deserves your time, or else risk being on a wild goose chase.  In this week's episode, we discuss how we're all wired to appreciate things on a higher level when we have to work for it, how information has quickly become a commodity, and what you need to do to be confident in investing in y

In this episode, you'll discover: Terrific examples of quitting The #1 reason why people quit their pursuits How world-class performers use visualization to move past hurdles How to develop an insanely passionate "why" that will lead to goal achievement Find your personal "why" As you focus your sights on a life or career goal, it's absolutely pivotal to connect it with a powerful "why". By finding the why when we decide to do something, we're saying internally that this goal means a ton to us. We're saying that we have a sincere personal connection to the challenge we want to overcome.  It's inevitable that along the way things aren't going to go our way. In fact, we should use the notion that things WILL be hard at times in pursuit of our goal. This can serve as another as a reason for us to be very intentional with our pursuits.  In today's episode, we dive into something I've seen hundreds of times through my 13 years as an executive coach- the "AHA" moment of when clients see their "why". To this day,

In this episode, you'll discover: The $1,000 Transcendental Meditation Teacher 90's Information vs. Today's information Free advice vs. paid advice Why we discount information How to make a mental switch when you want true commitment   In this episode, CJ covers buying your information versus getting it for free. Why do we take some information more seriously than others, and does it have an affect on our emotional well-being when we're trying to improve ourselves?​​​​​​​​   

In this episode, you'll discover: "Roger" with $500k salary but is still looking for answers The Comparison Game How our antique version of success drives you insane (and what to do about it) 3 steps to overcome "the chase" "There it is!" Here's a piece of advice I wish someone had given to me long ago. It would have saved years of stress, anxiety, and possibly head hair had I known about this trick. Next time you catch yourself comparing to someone else, just say, "there it is".  "There it is" is a reminder that when we catch ourselves comparing to another person, we are being 100% normal. After we break our train of thought, we recognize that we're doing this thing that makes us unhappy, and we return back to what we were doing. As crazy as it sounds, you'll start to see yourself comparing to others less and less.  This powerful mantra is so important that I still have to use it constantly. If each day we wake up and choose to use a car rather ride a horse and buggy, we're making that decision because the

In this episode, you'll discover: A ridiculous commercial from over the weekend that promised overnight success A 3-day workshop that involved hugging...and kind of worked What if self-help products told the truth? How to leverage your experiences to make radical changes in your life A request from you, the listener, to hold me accountable   "Will this work for me?" That's the question running through my brain every time a new "self-improvement" product flashes across the TV. Especially in those first moments as I'm watching the 6-pack abs or veggie concoction in a blender, I'm wondering if this is finally the answer to my problems. It seems that over the years I've continuously reached for something to work. Something new. Something interesting. Something that's finally going to turn the corner on my life to give me the rock-hard abs, the million-dollar home, or the ability to travel the world on a moment's notice. I've attended the webinars that seemed to last forever with little concrete takeaways. I've

In this episode, you'll discover: Signs that you're playing in "The Comparison Game" How to reduce the urge to compare your situation to others The strategy to begin to feel content AND keep a winning edge If you walk into a room and immediately size up others, you're likely an unknowing participant in something called, "The Comparison Game". Especially, with workaholics and business professional types, we tend to be critical of others, but it's root is from being critical of ourselves. We promise ourselves that we'll feel better, "As soon as...", but that day never comes. So, how can you begin to remedy it? The answer is surprisingly simple.