by Kirby Hasseman
It’s a great time of year to adjust the thermostat. One of my favorite concepts I have heard recently has to do with a thermostat. It seems appropriate now as the temperatures fall in Ohio…but it’s not THAT kind of thermostat. It’s a personal thermostat. Ed Mylett says that each of us has a personal thermostat. It is set to a certain “temperature” that is determined by what we think we are worth. So if we think we deserve a 75 degree life, we tend to keep our thermostat set at 75 degrees. The good news is, if we fall on hard times (and our temperature drops) we will work hard to get that temperature back up. The bad news is, if things start going really good (and the heat starts to rise), we will likely start to cool things down. This is when we find ourselves outside of our comfort zone…we naturally want to get back there. So how do we “fix our thermostat?” Mylett says there are two ways. Change Who You Hang Around With: Jim Rohn said that you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. It’s true. So if you want to increase your thermostat in life, spend time with those that are at a higher temperature. If you are regularly with 100 degree people, you will find yourself being more comfortable raising your heat. Change Your Actions: I love this one because it’s totally in your control. You just have to get over the voice in your own head. So if you normally think 10 sales calls is the max you can do in a day, make it a goal to do 100. Maybe that seems absurd. But if you can increase your activity level and show yourself you can do it, it can help you tell yourself a new story. If you continually do things that people at a higher temperature do, you will soon see your thermostat begin to change. So what is the area in your life that you want to change the thermostat? Where do you want to change? Start looking at the people in these areas that you can spend time with and the actions you can take to push you to the next level. Now is a great time to join thousands of people that are looking to increase the setting on their thermostat! Join our VIP newsletter here. We send one email per week to give you all of the content we create in once place.
by Kirby Hasseman
I was talking to an employee of a local retail establishment several years ago. She was a nice woman, and she had some fairly strong opinions about how a local festival event should be run. She was singing a normal refrain in these types of conversations. Sing it with me: “They should…” “They should make the hours longer.” “They should promote it more.” “They should have more food.” “They should have more dates.” Ironically, I had just come from a meeting about this event. So after about 5 minutes of listening patiently I said, “I am a part of ‘THEY.” We are starting a group called ‘WE.’ And ‘YOU’ are welcome to be a part of it.” She didn’t understand at first. So I explained that this group was not an exclusive club. It wasn’t happening in a dark secret room. It was a gathering of unpaid volunteers that could use some help. She could become “they.” I have never talked to her again. That’s how it works so often. There are those that have lots of loud suggestions. And there are those that “do.” She was a nice person and had some interesting ideas. But the moment someone mentioned that she might have to execute on them, she went missing. The problem with the word “they” is it is victim thinking. If we can blame someone else, then it can’t be our fault. If someone is holding is back, it’s not worth trying. And if we don’t try, we can’t fail. But the moment we join the fight, it might not work. So it’s easier to blame. It’s easier to wait for “they” to fix it. Here’s the thing…”they” are not going to fix your situation, your community or your life. And here’s the other thing…it’s not their job. It’s yours. Here’s a question to ask instead: “What can I do?” In almost any area, you can do something to improve a situation. Whether it’s your community, your fitness, your career or your relationships, you have the ability to do something. Figure out a way to decrease the distance between “I can” and “I do.” And stop blaming “they.” It’s up to you. Make sure you never miss an update. Sign up for our VIP newsletter today!
by Kirby Hasseman
We live in an amazing time. Regardless of what dream you want to chase, you have access to unlimited information about the topic. You can find articles, podcasts and videos explaining just about any topic under the sun. You just need to “google it.” *Want to fix the plumbing on your sink? You can find a great video on youtube. *Want to be a better parent? The internet is filled with articles and blogs on the topic. *Need to get in better shape? Find an event to train for, and the training plan, right online. In addition, the internet has broken down walls allowing just about anyone to into spaces that were, in the past, blocked off. If you want to create a video series, start a podcast or even write a book, you don’t need anyone else’s permission. You just need to have the courage and moxy to DO it. Like I said, we live in an amazing time. So what are you doing with it? Are you scouring the web for articles, videos, and podcasts about the topic you are passionate about? Are you looking for events to attend that will help you grow and understand more on your topic? Do you work to find books to help you grow? If not, you have to ask yourself, what’s holding you back? It’s not the technology. The barriers to entry and information have been taken down. You can find the information, the people, and the software you need. But are you willing to invest? Are you willing to invest the time to learn? Are you will to spend the time to grow? 5 years from now you will be same person you are today, except for the people you meet and the books you read. What are you doing today to be a better you tomorrow? Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter today. It’s a little investment and it costs nothing. We put together our posts in one email each week. Sign up here.
by Kirby Hasseman
When you are beginning a new project (in any phase of your life), you need to learn a lot. There is likely new terminology, procedures, new relationships, and more. You will also need to plan. What are the next steps? What might they look like? How many steps will there be? Are there books I should read or videos I should watch? It can be overwhelming.
The problem with many projects in life is they get “stuck” in the learning phase. We go from being totally excited about the opportunity, to being frozen. We don’t know what we don’t know. And as we learn more about the project, we can become paralyzed with the fear that we don’t know enough.
At some point you need to take action.
In my experience, most endeavors don’t fail because the participants don’t know enough. They fail because those involved don’t take enough action.
Here’s a harsh secret: most of your goals will take more activity than you anticipate. If you think it will take two weeks, it will likely take 3 or 4. It’s hard to estimate when you don’t know. So the sooner you start the better. And, if you take the wrong action, you will learn quickly! Then, with that new knowledge, you can take new action to move the project in the right direction.
That’s right. You will actually learn more (in many cases) by taking action.
What often holds us back is plain old fear. It’s natural. No one wants to look stupid or to fail. So here is my rule of thumb. If I find myself feeling fear, it’s a hint to me that I am on the right track. Your brain is trying to keep you comfortable. And as we have discussed before, your goal is usually just on the other side of comfort.
So if you are stuck on a new project because you feel you are not ready, it might be time to lean into the fear.
Take the next right step. Then navigate the next step from there.
If you want a next step from here, then sign up for our VIP list! You can do that here. We send out a weekly email to catch you up on all of the content from each week!
by Kirby Hasseman
In today’s business culture, you hear the word “hustle” a lot. You also hear words like “grind, and 24/7, and 10X.” If you are working toward a goal (and following content to inspire you) you have probably heard these terms to the point of exhaustion. I think they are over-used because so many people want overnight success. As I have said before, we want microwave results…but success is more of a crockpot. As a culture, we often want the rewards of hard work, before we put in the steps. I talk about that a bit here. That being said, “the hustle” can “grind” you down. If you are constantly running toward a goal (and you throw life in there too) you can get worn down. Yes, I would tell you that you have to spend time outside of your comfort zone to be successful. You do. But everyone once in a while it is important to re-charge and re-focus. A good night’s sleep (or even two) can not only change your attitude (and it can), it can also help you think creatively, deal better with stress and give you more energy. All of those are critical if you are chasing a big dream. In his book, Brain Rules, author John Medina explains how sleep affects brain function. In essence, a good night sleep helps your brain work better. He explains in his book that, if you normally get 7-8 hours sleep and you cut that back to 4 hours, the next day your brain function will decrease by up to 40%! If you repeat that a second night, the overall brain function drops by another 40%. That’s a huge impact on your ability to deal with life and stress. Refuel and recharge…then you can get back to the hustle. It’s time to sign up! Become our VIP by signing up here. We send out one email per week detailing all of the content we create. Sign up here.
