We’re almost halfway through the year, are you struggling to reach your goals? That’s a good thing, here’s why.
We hear a lot these days about how things should be easy. Great example: minimum wage should be a living wage. I don’t know about you but there was a time in my life where I worked three jobs and my wife worked two…5 jobs between us…to make a ‘living wage.’ There was nothing easy about it, but we did get one very valuable thing from it.
I’ve always been blessed to know that the best things in life cost you the most, and not always in money. Having to work hard for anything gives us a greater appreciation for the value of that thing. That’s one reason I’m so fond of saying your employees will never love your business the way you do, they haven’t lived the struggle.
It’s also one reason I make it challenging to get into my business and life coaching practice. I don’t want to convince anyone that they need help, I want them to know they need it!
So be thankful for the struggles. They give you an opportunity to demonstrate greatness and they make the reward that much sweeter!
If you are having difficulty reaching your goals for 2019, or maybe you haven’t even set any goals yet, I can help! DM me or send an email to thom@thomrigsby.com to see if you have what it takes to enter the program!
Are you waiting for ___ (fill in your own blank here) to be successful? Well STOP waiting and start working!
I hear it all the time, an aspiring business owner will give me the run-down of everything they have to get figured out before they can launch their business. The vast majority of the list is spot on, then they come…I call them the boulders!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgiXzgSwiv4
The boulders are completely unreasonable, logical fallacy arguments against launching. For example, trying to build a process or a system that will “work at scale” when you haven’t found the first customer yet. Trying to negotiate bulk pricing to bring raw materials down 1-2%…these are just excuses to stay warm and cozy in your comfort zone!
The truth is that you already have everything you need to start! You are uniquely gifted, and talented, and placed to make this a reality! YOU, and ONLY YOU are the one that will make it work?
Others may have the idea, the resources, the leads or connections…but YOU, oh your unique combination of time, talents, and resources will make you a success…IF
…IF you will take the first step! All those questions you’ve been trying to answer, and the things you think you need before you can begin…the answers will become clear (or unnecessary) once you begin moving!
Finding and doing YOUR work that matters is difficult, as it should be. But you have everything you need to make it a reality! Just START!
If you’d like help finding your unique work that matters, DM me here or visit the website to schedule your no-cost, no-obligation conference.
Do you ever feel like giving up? I do…and here’s how I keep going.
Some days are better than others. You wake up with all the energy and excitement you need to power the week! Then other days…not so much. Why the difference? Frankly, there are lots of reasons from the physiological to psychological to the weather…but today I want to address the REAL underlying reasons why you want to give up.
Have you ever seen the movie 300? Did you know it’s based on the true story of King Leonidas and the Battle of Thermopoly? How did Leonidas get somewhere around 300 men to fight to the death against a Persian army of almost a million troops? And why didn’t they want to quit?
I’ve been fascinated by stories like this most of my life all leading me to ask the same question…why didn’t they give up? Why not just quit and live to fight another day? I’ve found that the answer for all of them, and for you, is remarkably simple…
You have to know your why!
I can’t tell you how many aspiring business owners I’ve faced across the business coaching table and asked this question and received confused looks in return. They don’t know why they want to start a business (or they assume making money is the only legit answer!).
So why do you do what you’re about to do today? Whether it’s going to work at a job, going to school, working on a side gig or side hustle, or unlocking the doors to your own business…why are you doing that?
And now for today’s golden nugget…Once you know your why, that ‘big picture’ destination you’re working toward, the little day-to-day don’t matter as much, and you can blow right past them without a second thought. If you’re why is to win the world series, does swinging and missing at this pitch make a difference? Does getting one out for trying to steal second make a difference? Does losing today’s game make a difference? Sure, some of these individual fails hurt in the moment, but do they change your big picture why?
Don’t get so wrapped up in this day, this hour, this minute…that you lose sight of this outcome!
If you need help finding your why, I can help. Send me a DM or schedule a no cost, no obligation introductory call on my website (link in bio), I’m happy to help!
What fun, exciting, or great thing are you missing out on because you are afraid of failing? Stop missing out!
Fear serves a great purpose for us…it is our mind telling our body to pay attention and it kept us alive for many generations! But when you accept fear for what it is, and why it exists, overcoming it gets easier.
All fear is rooted in uncertainty and serves to help us avoid pain. The only way to reduce or remove fear is by reducing uncertainty by 1) studying the situation or 2) just do it.
I was talking with a coaching client yesterday who kept adding tasks in between now and THE critical task in his journey to success. He was avoiding the fear!
There’s at least one other tactic you can use right away to reduce fear…but you’re going to have to check out the podcast for that one (link in bio)!
Just remember, regardless of what you’re afraid of, it is impossible to demonstrate courage in the absence of fear! If you’re afraid, be courageous and be a winner!
What do you think about this quote from Tom Brokaw? Is it easier to make a buck than a difference?
I look at this and think “Transactional versus Relational”… and relationships are hard, thus, making a difference is hard. Okay…how about an example.
Here in the south, we have the Publix grocery store chain. They do lots of “little things” right but one of the most visible is that they offer to take your groceries to the car for you. Nah, it’s more than that…they assume they are going to unless you tell them no…and they don’t allow tipping!
So why is that important? Because any one of the millions of grocers in the US will execute a transaction with you, Publix wants to make a difference!
In my business coaching practice, I often talk with business owners and leaders who are too focused on making a buck and they miss the opportunity to make a difference! Frequently this is rooted in a cash flow problem but more often than not, they just aren’t thinking about it. Why should they worry about it? Why should YOU worry about it?
Publix is far from the cheapest option. Their location closest to our house, in fact, two of their locations here are across the street from a WalMart…and yet they are always hoppin’! Why? Because they make a difference!
Spend some time today thinking about how to put your customer first, what that will look like for you, and how you can make a difference in THEIR day! Leave a comment below and let us know how you’re going to do it!
It’s a saying you hear all the time…at least I do…and it makes my skin crawl!
All week we’ve been talking about how to get stuff done and be more EFFECTIVE if your pursuits so you have the time to enjoy the benefits of being an entrepreneur. But even entrepreneurs say this all the time…and it’s all I can do to maintain my composure and not fly off the handle with them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8rXrwjkMYE
The truth of the matter is that your time is the most expensive resource you have available to spend and discounting or being dismissive of it’s value hurts you in the long run. Be SUPER PROTECTIVE of your time! Don’t waste it and don’t let anyone else waste it either! Don’t be afraid to interrupt an unproductive meeting, ask to adjourn until everyone is prepared! I GUARANTEE next time everyone will come prepared!
Do you ever feel like your business, or maybe your life, are out of your control? You know, it’s more like they are happening TO you rather than FOR you? Then this post is for you!
I know I’ve definitely felt this way from time to time and for me it feels like I’m in a western, riding on the run-away stagecoach. The team is barreling ahead at full gallop and the reins are no where to be found! I’m just holding on trying to keep from being thrown from the wagon to what would surely be my death on the rocky ground below.
Maybe the visualization is different for you but chances are pretty good that you’ve felt this way too. So whom do you hold accountable for this situation? Yourself or someone else? (stick with me here…)
I choose to hold myself responsible…here’s why.
If you blame someone else for your circumstances then you must accept that you are equally dependent upon them for any good circumstances that may come along or for rescuing you from your present funk.
On the other hand, if YOU accept responsibility for where you are, you can now take steps to CHANGE where you are! YOU can…you are in control just by making one simple change.
So the next time you catch yourself pining for better times, take these steps:
1) Get really clear on the outcome you are pursuing. Be able to speak it out loud anytime you’re asked what you do. This needs to become your guidestone, the point that you are always trying to get to, because, when you have this in place, all the other decisions in your business or life become much easier to make!
2) What is the one thing you need to do today to get back on track? Don’t over-think this. The great news is you don’t have to go all the way back to the beginning to get back on course, you just have to make a turn toward the outcome from where you are today! Figure this out before you do anything else, then do ‘the thing’ right away! Now, speaking of going back to the beginning…
3) Step back through your decision making to find the pivotal decision that led you here. The goal here is to recognize the decision so if it appears again, you can make a better one. Don’t spend time trying to justify it or blame someone else for it. It’s kind of like making a wrong turn on a trip. We’re not looking to blame, find fault or justification…we just don’t want to make it again.
If you could use help with any of these steps or you’re interested in helping your whole company find their alignment toward your guidestone, I’d love to help. I’d be happy to have a no-cost, no-obligation chat to see if we are a good fit to work together. Follow the link in my profile or call right now! 844-234-8466
Are you making the choice to win today…or just gonna sit back and let whatever happens…happen?
Just like our quote on Monday from MJ, you have to expect to win. Sounds a little like hubris or arrogance, right? But here’s the thing, if you don’t expect to win, then what are your expectations? That you’ll stumble into a happy little accident?
Now I know many people believe that they are not in control of their day, of their outcomes, and consequently their life. What do YOU believe?
The reality is that while we may have limited control over the circumstances presented to us each day (maybe), you do have 100% control over how you CHOOSE to respond to them.
And as our quote of the day from Tony Robbins points out, “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” Every choice you make, everyone, write one letter in the story of your life. Make sure you are writing the story you want to read!
Have a great Friday, rest & rejuvenate over the weekend and I’ll be back on Monday with more!
So why, exactly, are you comparing yourself and your life to someone else? Do you REALLY want THEIR life?
It’s pretty easy for us to look at someone else’s results and say, “Yeah, I want that!” But that’s only part of the story. You don’t know the in’s and out’s that it took for them to get there. You don’t know what they gave up to have what they have. But most importantly, YOU’RE NOT THEM! What motivated them to reach for this goal may not even be on your radar!
When you compare yourself to others you tend to compare the most negative version of yourself against an idealized version of them. When you do that, of course you’re going to come out on the short end of the stick!
But why are you worried about them in the first place? Why don’t you come up with your own idealized outcome and start working toward that! The great thing about the world we live in today is that you can literally dream up just about anything and make it your reality! Heck, Elon Musk wants to live on Mars… so he’s working on it! Will he achieve it? Who knows…and who cares! If he finds his joy doing his art trying to get to Mars, he’ll be a happy guy.
So what is YOUR Big Hairy Audacious Goal? What’s that one thing that you want more than anything and you’re reluctant to share with anyone else? That’s your BHAG, and if you have a need for comparison, compare yourself today to yourself yesterday and the progress you’ve made toward that BHAG!
Yep, that’s right… I know why you haven’t started yet…and so do you!
You’ve convinced yourself that you’re doing the “responsible” thing by studying, gathering more information, and making sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. Oh, and you just found another book or YouTube video about it that you need to read, then watch, then study the differences to figure out … I can’t even finish typing that sentence!
The reality is you’re afraid, but not afraid of failure. No, we all fail, every day. Sometimes in big, spectacular way but more often in small almost insignificant ways that have a funny way of training us!
No, you’re not afraid of failure… you’re afraid of the perceived ego shot that would go along with failure! PRIDE is keeping you from stepping out and playing your role in the universe! PRIDE!
“But Thom, you don’t understand…I have a lot to lose if I get this wrong.” I’m sure you do! In fact, that’s EXACTLY WHY you NEED to step out. Do it! Don’t jump in the baby end of the pool, hit that deep water that will challenge you. (Because it’s that challenge that makes the whole thing worth it…but that’s for another day!)
Stop letting your pride deprive the rest of us of the art your unique set of talents and gifts are intended to create! Your being selfish…stop it! Stop asking “What else do I need?” and start asking “What if I did!”
When you’re ready to get off the bench and make great things happen, DM me. I will help!
PS – Today’s quote comes to us from none other than THE @JockoWillink, “Stop researching every aspect of it and reading all about it and debating the pros and cons of it…Start doing it”
