I’ve always been a goal setter. As a swimmer growing up I set goal times every season. I’ve been through the process more times than I can remember and it was always the same. But when I tried to apply those same skills to other areas of my life post college I could never get the same results.
It turns out I was missing some important pieces that make all the difference. Goal setting is just the beginning. It’s goal achieving that counts. Continue Reading »
Where do you start when you want to build an awesome life? What’s the first thing you should do? What’s the key to building a solid launch pad? I could argue a number of different starting points, but one in particular sticks out as crucial to me. One thing in particular is the linchpin of your future.
Money. It’s simple. It’s measurable. And whether you like it or not, money touches every aspect of your life. Manage it poorly and you’ll be a slave to it (or lack of it). Learn to manage it wisely and it will take you anywhere you desire.
And as you start to look around you’ll notice that people who are good at managing money are also good at managing their lives. It’s not a coincidence.
So how do you make the most of your money? One simple philosophy: live debt-free*.
I was watching TV recently and there was a show on called Million Dollar Outdoor Spaces. It was basically a tour of millionaires who have turned their homes into some sort of awesome resort. One guy had 4 separate pools complete with a lazy river, swim up bar, and 40′ water slide. Another had a full size basketball court flanked by a two story fitness center. These spaces were incredible!
I can’t help but imagine what my dream resort home would be like (it would definitely include a lazy river by the way). It’s a fun thing to daydream about.
But sooner or later my daydreams start to turn back to reality.
How could I ever afford this? How could I ever create that much income? I’m so very far away from that it’s absurd to even consider.
I know I always tell myself that I can do anything, but that just seems crazy. The gap between where I am now and where I want to be is just so great – it’s disheartening at times.
I think most of us get this far. We’ve all felt like this.
Readers are leaders, who doesn’t know that? It was the mantra of educators and public service commercials throughout my entire childhood.
But I hated to read. I “read” when I had to at school. Jane Eyre, The Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter – I hated it! What good is this ever going to do me?
Is this really the reading that makes leaders?
In my humble opinion, no. Not even close (and I’m not just saying that because I couldn’t pass a simple quiz on any of them).
The reading that makes leaders does so because it changes their lives. It shapes them. It gives them new ideas and helps them learn from the paths of others.
The bad news is I was in my mid twenties before I discovered this type of reading. The good news is that is plenty early for it to radically change my life.
And that’s exactly what it has done. After reading over a hundred books in the last few years, here are five that literally changed my life for the better.
Last week I didn’t work a single hour on Life Stoked. My usual schedule of an hour or two a day was replaced with, well, to be honest I don’t know. I went to work on Monday morning, and came home Friday night.
And not in a “wow that week really flew by” sort of way. It didn’t. I felt it. Every. Single. Day.
It was a mental battle. I had no motivation.
To understand where I’m coming from, you should know that this project, Life Stoked, is my most favorite passion these days. I love pushing myself to live a life I’m excited about, and I love sharing that with you.
And when I don’t spend time building Life Stoked, it bums me out.
And it’s not that I didn’t want to spend time working it. I did. I thought about it every day. But I just couldn’t. Something was missing.
A couple of weeks ago the South by Southwest music festival was in town. Everywhere you went there were bands performing. Rap groups, country bands, bluegrass, rock, it was all here.
To get to play at this event is a big deal for most bands. It’s an opportunity to make some new fans and win some new friends. It’s a chance to build your audience.
But what if you don’t get invited? What if your growing band is left on the outside watching other up and coming groups explode through this opportunity?
Maybe it’s just not your time. After all, next year South by Southwest will be back, and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be among the performers.
Wouldn’t that be awesome?
But there’s something else you can do.
