Goal Setting & Achievement Podcast: Business|productivity

[[:encoded, "At first glance, you may feel you have nothing to fear. You may be in a highly successful business, or you may be weathering a storm that is tough but under control. The truth is, though, we all fear something, and fear in any form is what holds us back from reaching new heights. If you want to do more, be more, have more, and achieve more than you are currently, then it is time to assess what is holding you back and find ways to lean into that fear, so it dissolves into success.\n\nSome of the most intense professions around the world – especially positions held by first responders – set an incredible example for what it looks like to face fears and run headlong toward a problem. Think about a police officer; when they hear gun shots, they run toward the sound looking to engage with the source. Consider firefighters also; they run toward the fire to put it out as quickly as possible. The same is true of snow ski experts; to be a great skier, you have to lean forward, which is incredibly cou

[[:encoded, "Amira Alvarez is the Founder & CEO of The Unstoppable Woman, a global coaching company helping entrepreneurs, empire builders, and rising stars in all fields achieve their goals and dreams faster than they ever believed possible. As a member of the “quantum leap” club – going from barely making 6-figures to $700k in one year, then on to 7-figures the next – Amira is armed with the exact mindset shifts and tactical strategies that are required for business owners to get out of their own way, live life on their own terms, and master the art of achieving any goal they set their mind to.\n \nHere are some questions I asked Amira that you will benefit from by listening to her interview:\n1.\tTell me about a mindset shift you’ve experienced during your career, specifically one that enabled you to do something with your business that had a significant impact on your business and life?\n2.\tWhen you say that you can achieve your goals faster than you ever thought possible, what does that mean ex

[[:encoded, "If you really think about it, life is pretty short. You are born, you go to school, you move out… then comes a career, you sell the business, and then you are into the retirement years. Pretty soon, you are reminiscing about the beginning and the journey that followed… but what will you say? Will you be happy with your decisions through life, or will you feel like you missed the boat on what you could have really accomplished? Will you feel good about the choices you made?\n\nAs a successful business owner, you have no doubt made some good decisions… but have you really done everything that you want to do? When you retire or are in a financial independence situation, will you look back and think to yourself ‘I did everything that I wanted to do’, or will you look back and think to yourself ‘wow, I could have done SO much more’? In light of this question, we are exploring five tips for living a life with no regrets. Being the person who you REALLY want to be, might be scary or difficult at t

[[:encoded, "Many people suffer from accountability apprehension. They feel that opening themselves up to scrutiny from others will leave them vulnerable, and – sometimes – even worry that this window into their successes and failures can hold them back in any business or workplace. While this may have been true years ago, the fact is that today’s culture is one that is obsessed with personal growth, and looks favorably on individuals that take intentional measures to become better, more productive, more positive versions of themselves.\n\nJoseph Folkman, a behavioral statistician and a contributor to Forbes, says, “Personal accountability is a critical step toward improving leadership. When people are accountable for their own decisions, work, and results, the effectiveness of an organization can greatly increase.”\n\nHe conducted a study of 40,000 leaders and found incredible insights into the role accountability plays in the lives of highly successful and incredibly impactful leaders. If it works for

[[:encoded, "One of the most important tasks you as a business owner will undertake is getting employees to buy into your vision for the company and take ownership over their roles. An uninspired workforce can tank a company’s productivity and financial growth faster than almost anything else. \n\nThe people you hire to be the hands and faces of your company are out there every day representing you – they are either happily showcasing all the wonderful things about your company, or they are bringing it down with poor attitudes or a lack of enthusiasm. \n\nSo how do you inspire greatness in those that work for you? How do you promote a company vibe of inclusion, ownership and high morale?\n\nGive Them Unhindered Opportunities to Do Things Their Way\n\nNo two people are alike. We all approach problem solving and communication with a unique perspective and set of skills. When you require employees to only do things your way, you run the risk of potentially hindering them from doing their best work. You also

[[:encoded, "If you have ever struggled to find success, or had a difficult time moving into the next level in your business or in your personal life, it could be due to limiting beliefs or perspectives that are putting a lid on your potential. In some cases, these beliefs could be mindsets you are not even aware of! \n\nOur beliefs are like guiding lights that lead us and guide our decision-making process. How we view ourselves and the world around us determines how we react to both good and bad situations. In certain cases, our beliefs about what we deserve and what we are capable of can propel us to incredible heights. However, if our beliefs about ourselves put our abilities in a box, we can stunt our own growth and cause ourselves to miss opportunities we were qualified for. \n\nHow You Speak to Yourself Matters\n\nThere is both death and life in the power of the tongue. The words we speak to others can either bring them up or tear them down. This is something everyone knows and widely accepts – but

[[:encoded, "Do you multi-task? Do you know that those who multi-task are not as effective or as efficient as those who focus their efforts on one task at a time? It’s true. When you divide your efforts and your thoughts among different and differing tasks, you are doing a disservice to yourself and to the tasks you’re attempting to finish. \n\nWhen you’re focused, you are honing in on the completion of one task. Focus helps you give all your attention to the project in front of you. Focus also helps you complete more projects rather than having multiple projects in various stages of completion. You will feel better, happier and more motivated to work on the next task when you can cross one off your current to-do list. \n\nLet’s explore five benefits that focus will bring to your work and your life. \n\n1.\tYour stress levels will plummet. When you’re focusing on more than one task at a time you will feel overwhelmed. Lack of focus makes you feel as though you have too much to do and not enough time to d

[[:encoded, "“Don’t communicate to be understood; rather, communicate so as not to be misunderstood” said Dr. John Lund, a well-known author and researcher in the field of human relationships – specifically in the area of communication. This subtle distinction is incredibly important, because it puts the responsibility of understanding on the shoulders of the communicator, not the audience. If you want to communicate with your team and your clients in a way that gets the results you want, you must speak with them in a way that they receive information best, and anticipate their thoughts and needs before you ever enter into a conversation with them.\n\nMost people enter into a conversation that you are about to have with them wondering:\n\n•\tWhat do they want from me?\n•\tHow long is this going to take?\n•\tDo I care about what they are saying to me?\n•\tHow is what they are saying going to help or benefit me?\n\nIf you are speaking with employees, they may also be thinking:\n\n•\tAm I in trouble; have I

[[:encoded, "Putting in a full, productive workday is sometimes easier said than done. Despite the best of intentions, some days can just seem to get away from you – turning into emergency response days or employee management days that – although necessary to keep things running smoothly – nevertheless take away from the precious time you have available to complete what is on your to-do list. \n\nUnmanaged distractions can slowly chip away at your ability to focus on necessary, high payoff activities that move your business toward success. In some cases, those distractions can actually lead to calculation errors or financial errors that cost you big time in the long run. If you find yourself continually interrupted by people or your own thoughts, it can also take a toll on your overall attitude and even your mental state at the office. The bottom line is: if you always feel unsettled and anxious about getting interrupted, it will keep you from doing your best work. \n\nSo, how can you reduce distractions

[[:encoded, "Homeless. Addicted. Alone. Ron Worley hit rock bottom, but climbed his way back and into money, a successful business, and fulfillment. Ron went from a homeless addict to self-made business owner, launching 11 businesses and 4 retail locations through developing his own code. He refused to accept circumstance, taking himself from a man on a path to death to living a world-changing reality. Ron is the author of Ditches to Riches and he is going to share some real-life lessons that hopefully will inspire you to go to your next level of success – and we all have a next level.\n\nHere are some questions I asked Ron that you will benefit from by listening to his interview:\n\n1.\tWhat were the circumstances that led you to homelessness?\n2.\tWhat was your journey like from a homeless addict to self-made millionaire and how can anyone take the steps you took to help their business be even more successful? \n3.\tWhat specifically made you change your circumstances from a homeless addict?\n4.\tWhat

[[:encoded, "Sean Castrina is a serial entrepreneur, having started more than 20 companies over the last 20 years, and still seeks to launch a new venture annually. He is an investor, teacher, and highly-sought-after speaker who communicates with humor and a bluntness that engages and captures his audience. He is the author of 8 Unbreakable Rules for Business Startup Success, The Greatest Entrepreneur in the World, and the World’s Greatest Business Plan.\n \nHere are some questions I asked Sean Castrina that you will benefit from by listening to his interview:\n\n1.\tGive us some background on how you got started on your entrepreneurial journey?\n2.\tYou talk about Mindset as only one piece of the success puzzle. First, let’s talk about the importance of mindset and then what are the other pieces?\n3.\tWhat are the qualities that separate the most successful people from others?\n4.\tWhat advice do you have for those who have a business but are not growing or not growing at the pace they would like?\n5.\t

[[:encoded, "Sticking to your goals is not always easy. It can be very tempting to give up and stay where you are… but this is not what you really want for yourself! Part of setting worthwhile goals and sticking to them is that this process allows you to grow as a person. If you give up and go back to the way you were before, then you are not going to have the peace of mind and confidence that comes from KNOWING that you can achieve your true potential in life!\n\nMaybe your goals are business related, or maybe they are personal. Regardless of what they are, they MUST be important to you…so why give up on them? Life is what you make of it, and achieving goals is one way to shape your life on YOUR terms. Your dreams are something that nobody can take from you, which is why sticking to them is SO important!\n\nThe 6 tips for helping you to stick to your goals that I’m about to review with you are simple to understand, and they can help you with even the most complex goals that might be in your game plan! \

[[:encoded, "Perry Marshall is one of the most sought-after and expensive business strategists in the world. Endorsed in FORBES and INC Magazine, he’s guided clients like FanDuel and InfusionSoft from startup to hundreds of millions of dollars. \n\nPerry has helped tens of thousands of small companies become big companies by applying advanced 80/20 to online advertising. \n\nHis newest book, Detox, Declutter, Dominate: How to Excel by Elimination, is for business owners who are overworked, overwhelmed, and struggling to keep up with their ever-growing to-do list. I’m sure he will have some great insight for us today.\n\nHere are some questions I asked Perry that you will benefit from by listening to his interview:\n\n1.\tYou wrote a book, 80/20 Sales & Marketing, the definitive guide to working less & making more. I’m curious, what are your thoughts around 80/20 as it relates to the current business environment? \n\n2.\tWhat are the 80/20 principles you feel represent the greatest opportunity

[[:encoded, "Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of a work goal can be difficult. Motivation is high in the beginning of a project, and then seems to taper off as time goes on. However, there are techniques that can be employed to be able to stay on course. Being results-driven provides a clear path of the direction you need to go in order to achieve them. Let’s explore 8 techniques to help you stay focused on getting the results you want.\n\n1. Proper Planning for Results\nCreate a detailed action plan for achieving the results you desire before you lose focus. Planning your daily, weekly and monthly objectives around the end results, makes you more efficient and productive. This means writing down exactly what you want to achieve and the means to get there. Make sure the results, and the plan to get there, are specific and include weekly or monthly targets. Then your daily tasks, such as phone calls, emails, and projects should center around the results.\n\n2. Perform a SWOT Analysis\nPart

[[:encoded, "Running a business is a lot like a Nascar race. There are large amounts of sustained momentum coupled with dedicated adjustment or growth times. In a race, the efficiency of the pit crew can often make or break a driver’s race position, and those team members have their processes down to split seconds of perfectly timed precision. Likewise, businesses often have areas within their own workflow that need to be executed with efficient action, otherwise they run the risk of causing slowdowns and missing big opportunities.\n\n“Well-oiled or finely tuned, a business must work and keep working for both owners and consumers alike. Unfortunately, inefficiency is a reality. It comes in a variety of flavors that can cost businesses up to 30 percent of their revenue each year. Inefficiency can pop up in many places. You might find redundant processes, important but hard-to-find information, or out-of-date procedures.” Source: Entrepreneur.com\n\nSo, how do you identify areas in your business that need

[[:encoded, "What if we’ve been given the wrong operating instructions? What if everything you have been taught about how to set and achieve a goal is wrong? This is precisely what behavioral change expert, Adele Spraggon, suggests and she can prove it. Drawing on the most recent findings in brain research along with inspiring stories of breakthroughs and triumphs from her clients, Adele will talk about how almost any obstacle can be overcome with the right operating instructions. Adele is the award-winning author of the book Shift: 4 Steps to Personal Empowerment.\n\nHere are some questions I asked Adele that you will benefit from by listening to her answers:\n\nPossible Questions \n1.\tIn your work as a change expert, you suggest that the traditional approaches to goal setting run contrary to the latest findings in brain research. Please explain this.\n2.\tHow do these findings change the way we are taught to set and achieve our goals? \n3.\tWhat problems do you see amongst your clients when they use a

[[:encoded, "Originally thought to have been popularized by a man named Cal Newport, time blocking is simply the practice of holding space in each day for your top priorities, and then filling in the gaps around those time blocks with other important tasks or events until your days are filled.\n\nWhile how this plays out is likely different for everyone, the principle of carving out time to do the activities you need to do and achieve your goals. How do you intent to spend your time is what matters. \n\nIf the end goal of time blocking is increased productivity and decreased stress, then developing a commitment to living life (or at least carrying out your workday) in a structured series of segments is well worth the potential gains. If you are interested in learning to effectively time block your days, be sure to take the following 3 aspects of effective time management into consideration:\n\n1. Identify recurring tasks or events and streamline those in your calendar\n\nWhen you are able to identify rec

[[:encoded, "Nick Saban (who you might know from him being the American football coach at the University of Alabama since 2007) said, “When you invest your time, you make a goal and a decision of something that you want to accomplish. Whether it's, make good grades in school, be a good athlete, be a good person, go down and do some community service and help somebody who's in need, or whatever it is you choose to do, you're investing your time in that.” \n\nThe key element there is investment. We can’t ever hope to achieve something worthwhile if we don’t believe it is possible - if we are not emotionally invested in its success. If we don’t believe in our ability to figure something out, or to find success, then no one else will either! We can either be our own worst enemy or the best cheerleader we’ve ever had. But not at the same time. We are, at any given time, either tearing down our dreams and goals, or building them up. \n\nWhat You Believe Will Likely Come to Pass\n\nIn order to tr

[[:encoded, "Interview with Matt Grandos – Author of Motivate the Unmotivated: A Proven System for Sustainable Motivation \n\nOver the last decade, Matt Grandos has tested, developed and helped thousands of others implement an effective and easy to duplicate system that will help you build an unbreakable foundation for your life as well as motivate even the most unmotivated individuals in your life.\nThese techniques have been taught and implemented in organizations of all industries and sizes. From Google Headquarters and Twitter to the United States Airforce and professional organizations all around the world. \n Using these concepts Matt has been able to do the following:\n•\tBuild his first $1,000,000 business by the age of 25\n•\tTravel all over the world teaching top executives how to build an unbreakable foundation and sustainably motivate others. \n•\tSee continued success for thousands of individuals who have applied these systems to their lives and businesses.\n\nMatt is also the author of, M

[[:encoded, "The concept of goal setting is nothing new for those in business. Touted by everyone from Tony Robbins to Oprah as being a necessary part of a high-functioning life, setting an intention and then doing what it takes to reach it is a necessary skill that everyone believes is important. But how many of us actually set goals that take us where we want to go and then arrive there?\n\nOne study says that as few as eight percent of people set goals that they later achieve. The study focused on New Year’s resolutions, but it nevertheless paints a shocking picture of how we as a society tend to flippantly set goals without ever having a true intention of fulfilling those dreams and plans. \n\nSo, what did the elite eight percent do to set themselves apart from their peers? \n\n1. They Began with The Big Picture in Mind\n\nPeople that consistently achieve their goals spend time considering what steps are necessary to get across the finish line. That means looking at all the little, tedious steps (htt