Earn The Right To Live Your Dreams

How EXCUSES and DREAMS are Connected While we don't often realize it, these two things are directly connected in our lives every single day.  When we say this out loud, it makes complete sense. Yet we get so caught up in our daily lives that we don't even consider this fact. Here is the reality. Every person on the planet has moments of clarity when they see things they would love to achieve in their lives.  The problem is that people don't tend to act on them. Why? Because deep down we don't believe we can achieve them.  So we subconsciously find "reasonable" excuses that allow us to settle.  This is when dreams slowly start to disappear without us even knowing it. Losing your ability to dream is alone an outcome worthy of fighting to avoid.  However, there is another consequence when you make excuses.  In the place of dreams comes disappointment that impacts every aspect of our life. But the cool thing is that you DO NOT have to accept this!  Instead, you can commit to building up your ability to dream so

INCREDIBLE. That is the way I currently feel about my life. But it honestly hasn't always been this way. It has taken consistent investments to get to this point. As a part of what I do, I constantly strive to find the next level in my life. I see it as my job to identify unique strategies to help others create lives they love. This is exactly why I place a premium on my growth routine. It is one of the single most important things I do every single day. Why? Because it brings me the following benefits: Sets the tone right for my days Allows me to hone my skill sets Cultivates confidence via follow through Ability to control mindset And much more (outlined in this episode!) However, I have learned that not all investments are created equal.  Honestly, there are some that pay MUCH larger dividends than others. The Big 3 Investments Do you want to know the 3 DAILY investments that have transformed my life more than others?  I am going to tell you here and I hope it piques your interest enough to listen to t

I Was Definitely Nervous I had prepared for my TEDx Talk for months. From the moment I found out I had been accepted to give one, I had prepared for the opportunity. For the first month, I dove into creating a crazy profound topic that would impact people. And once that was in place, I practiced every single day on my delivery. Then I arrived in Hilliard for the event for rehearsal and felt some nerves coming on. As I watched the other speakers, I realized I was definitely a little nervous. There is no doubt that this showed in my practice talk as I lost my place at one point in the talk. I left realizing I needed to adjust. Transformational Shift: How I Changed My Approach Leaving the facility, I stopped and went through my normal "emotion interrupt process." This is when I realized my focus was all wrong. My problem was that I was worried too much about what the talk would mean for me. Through a series of situations, I shifted my mindset back to focusing on giving and growing. Getting back to my two top c

Uncomfortable sparks potential. This is not a concept that I always understood. Certainly not in the way that I outline it in this podcast episode. The reality is that most people avoid uncomfortable at all costs in our society. Why? We are taught that things should come easily and instantly. I have to admit that I fall into this category at times. In fact, this is exactly what I was doing recently with my health and fitness. First, there were injuries that held me up from working out. Next, I got lazy with my diet and put on about 5 extra pounds. Finally, I justified it and settled for less than acceptable results. The Turning Point Lucky for me, I had a trip to California where I stayed with a coach who is in GREAT shape.  He asked me to go for a run in the morning and pushed the pace hard. But the coolest thing happened in the process. I realized that I did not like the gap in my fitness level and made a decision to do something about it. Now I am back on track! In this episode, I outline how you can use

Why not you? This is the question you should ask yourself every single day if you don't have a life you absolutely love. The truth is that you are capable of far more than you realize.  In fact, you could realize all of your goals and dreams if you just lived to potential. So, why is it that 97% of all people never make this happen?  Well, the reality is that we are battling against the current each day to make this happen. Top Reasons for 'Why We Don't Achieve Great Things' Status quo environment around us (influences) Crazy clutter of living (distractions) Our lazy habits (counterproductive decisions) Lack of belief in ourselves (limiting thoughts) Do you want more in your life?  If so, then commit to changing your focus.  Narrow in on people who have overcome these challenges to achieve extraordinary things. In this episode, I talk about three people who will help you realize that you are capable of MUCH more. Three Reasons to Believe in 'Why Not You?' Approach Elizabeth Smart (Kidnapped when 9 - Now

Focus. It is one of my the most powerful tools that we have as human beings. Yet most people have no idea how to use it. Allow me to set the tone first. Have you ever been frustrated in your life? Have you ever had emotions that you don't like? Of course you have...you are human after all! Whenever you have these emotions, it is because you have chosen negative thoughts and this is our bodies response to them. Most of us do this unconsciously every single day. We focus on things we don't have, what we are not enough of, and what we don't get and it causes us to feel like crap. The crazy thing is that we often focus on these negative things when we have all kinds of great things around us. The truth is that we could have focused on these good things at any moment and made our lives better. This episode is dedicated to help you do this exact thing. We want to help you focus on abundance so you have attract more of what you want in your life. The key lies in learning to shift your focus. Here are four steps yo

Have you ever wondered how some people manage to achieve MASSIVE success in their lives? You know, the people like Lebron James, Oprah Winfrey, and Kyle Snyder. It has to be talent, right? Well, that certainly plays a role as these people certainly have gifts that impact performance. But this is not the main factor. Not even close considering all kinds of talented people never come close to living to potential. Is it their work ethic? This is something that no doubt has an influence as these individuals work REALLY hard. However, the truth is that hard work is not enough. There are all kinds of people that work hard and spin their wheels. They don't achieve the results they desire. So, what is the key ingredient you ask? It is all about their habits. The most successful people on the planet are great at doing the little things! And not just occasionally...every single day over extended periods of time. This episode outlines four simple steps you can take to be just like the world's top performers.  Follow t

Crayons. 200,000 of them. Can you imagine being able to send that amount to kids in need across the world as an 11-year old in 5th grade? It is staggering to think about! Yet this is exactly what Bethany Kuster has done with her Color for Kids organization.  She has created a movement designed to provide art supplies to kids in need. What type of impact have they been able to make?  Well, to date they have provided the following coloring materials to kids across the world. 200,012 Crayons 39,006 Markers 47,214 Colored Pencils 844 Construction Paper Packs 1,601 Glue sticks 1,276 Bottles of Paint 1,260 Watercolor Paint Sets 1,552 Paint Brushes 1,042 Drawing Paper Packs 4,974 Coloring Books In this podcast episode, we talk about Bethany's passion for coloring.  We also talk about why she decided to create Color for Kids. There is so much passion for making a difference in this episode.  I was inspired by the message from this 11-year old leader.  I believe you will too! For more resources on transforming y

"If you have a big goal, it will not come easily or instantly. Instead, it will often be rooted in disappointment and frustration. But if you keep pushing for it, eventually there will come a time when the thing you want just sneaks up on you.  This moment will be worth it so earn it!" One of the goals I have been passionate about for years is giving a TEDx talk.  It has just been something that really intrigued me since I became aware of the conference. So, I did what I now tell thousands of people do when they want something.  I wrote this goal down for 6 months and started to take action. But despite my efforts, nothing happened.  Well, I shouldn't say nothing because I proceeded to be rejected 5 times straight by TEDx conference planners. It was frustrating.  It came to a point where I momentarily doubted the effectiveness of goals.  How could I be working the process and not get results? Yet through these frustrations, I kept writing down my goal.  And I kept my eye out for opportunities to bring it to f

Uncertainty.  It is one of the single biggest things that stop most people from achieving great things.  Yet most people don't even know why they are stuck in their lives. Having worked with thousands of people in a performance capacity, here is how it plays out.  People get excited about pursuing something they are passionate about and plan to take action. Seems like this would be a definite recipe for success, right?  Unfortunately, this is often not the case.  Why?  Because people are not comfortable with the uncertainty that eventually comes with BIG aspirations. I have seen it time and time again.  When uncertainty comes, good people back off because they have associated it with "bad" things such as failure, disappointment, and being overwhelmed.  As a result, they quit and go back to comfortable. If you want to achieve awesome things that charge your life, you must learn to flip the script on this process.  It is critical that you learn to undress the element of uncertainty so you can pursue the thing

Are you constantly looking for lessons to elevate your life?  Sure you are!  This is exactly why this is the perfect podcast for you!  Why exactly?  Because it features the best lessons from the most downloaded episodes of all-time for the ETR podcast. How did I get these lessons?  Well, first off I interviewed over 40 people achieving EXTRAORDINARY things over the past year.  The interviews included Olympic Champions, billionaires, NCAA Champion coaches, uber successful entrepreneurs, international speakers, bestselling authors, and a variety of other unique performers. From these individuals, I was able to learn what some of the most effective people on the planet are doing to get results.  This was a crash course in how to be AWESOME in your life! On top of this, I was able to sit back and watch the episodes that listeners were most drawn to.  After more than 40,000+ downloads, there was a top five that emerged that included the following five individuals and lessons. Lesson #1 (episode 11): "You MUST P

Have you ever met a person that absolutely blows you away that you love being around?  You know...the type that you immediately know are special because of the way they carry themselves. This is the way that I felt when interviewing the legendary 87-year old McMurry University coach Bev Ball.  She just radiates an ENERGY that is contagious! As we sat down in her office, I was immediately drawn to all the unique pictures and honors which displayed the impact of her career. Then we started to talk and I felt comfortable.  I quickly learned that this was just Bev.  She exudes a love that immediately makes you feel at home when around her. In this episode, we cover a variety of topics designed to help anyone go out and live a great life. Here are a few of the highlights: How to stay ENERGIZED regardless of your age The importance of LOVING what you do Learning to LOVE others and leave a legacy The role of investing in yourself each day The biggest thing I took from the interview was the importance of love.  H

Have you ever had the urge to want to go out and be extraordinary in your life? I believe that most people at least have moments where they are passionate about having their life stand for something unique. The problem is that most people allow these moments to pass without acting on them. They allow their inspiration to pass without a second thought. I was recently on a flight to Dallas, Texas for a couple of talks when I had what I call a "moment of clarity." These are moments where you have INTENSE energy around an idea that just makes sense. Another way I describe it is having an overwhelming urge in your body to want to do something. My moment of clarity came while I was listening to music. It was crystal clear. I had a STRONG urge to want to go out and be EXTRAordinary in the key areas of my life. I realized I am nowhere near my potential when it comes to this pursuit. I started taking notes like crazy with the thoughts that came about this topic so I would not lose them. What I came up with are 4 bas

Have you ever launched a new idea or product and been disappointed with the response to it? If you are anything like most people, then the response is a resounding "yes!" The problem is that most people have the wrong expectation leading into their launch. Because they expect things to come easily, they are often set up to fall short of expectations without even knowing it. The cool thing is that you can avoid this pitfall by making a small shift in your psychology. Rather than expecting instant, you MUST instead learn to "OWN your interest rate." What exactly does this mean? Well, simply put this encompasses you expecting to have to go out and create ENERGY around your brand. This is a small shift that can equal MASSIVE results. This episode outlines the following four specific steps you can take to start owning your interest rate. Make interest your individual responsibility Create a vision that inspires you Incorporate ENERGY in all messaging Give people a reason to care If you enjoy this episode, then

If you are lucky, you have had someone unique step into your life at some point and make it MUCH better.  I can certainly say this was the case for me as an athlete. In my 20+ years as an athlete, I was blessed to have a variety of solid coaches that left an imprint on me.  But one stood out that completely transformed my mindset and life. The interesting thing is that we did not call him coach.  He said to call him Ron so we did that.  This was different than any other coach I ever had.  He did not need us to call him coach because we knew exact who the leader was in the room. We did things completely differently.  We trained in really weird ways.  We were encouraged to be grateful and have fun.  We ended up achieving extraordinary things as a team. In this episode, I sit down with my former coach Ron and talk about his philosophy on coaching and how he tried to make a difference in his career.  Enthusiasm and elevated expectations were two themes that fired me up! If you enjoy the episode, please be sure to

Confidence is one of those things that every proactive person on the planet wants more of in their life.  The interesting thing is that most people think it is something that is out of their control. However, this common belief is simply not true.  The reality is that you can earn more confidence if you create the right habits in your life. This episode outlines four steps you can take to elevate your mindset in key areas of your life. Pick Your Perspective Point:The first step is owning the fact that you can cultivate confidence and other skill sets with your actions. Be Intentional With Growth:The second step involves investing in a growth system that keeps your mind actively focused on the right things while building your skill sets. Take Daily Steps Towards Goals:The third step involves doing something intentional each day to close the gap on the things that matter to you most so you can build momentum. Eliminate the Picture of Perfect:The final step involves eliminating your perception that you need t

Have you ever had the urge to tone down your expectations because you were worried about not fitting in? Or just wanted to adjust your personality to not attract attention? If so, you are not alone. Why? Because from the time you were little, it was likely that you were encouraged to fit in by the people around you. The problem here is that toning down your approach to fit in will never allow you to be unique. In fact, it pretty much guarantees that you will never live to your full potential. This episode discusses some of the reasons why you should embrace being “weird” in your life. If you are resistant to this idea, then consider the fact that Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, and Ellen DeGeneres have all been criticized for being different. It is time to change the way you see things so you can create an approach that allows you to stand out. Be “weird” in a really good way so you can build a life that is memorable. If you enjoy the episode, please be sure to share it with friends so we can help them reach their

It seems like there is so much negativity in our society today.  We are bombarded with messages that tend to pull us away from a mindset that would allow us to achieve our goals. Yet I say this and know that it is not entirely true.  Well, at least not about the part about the messages pulling us away from our goals. The truth is that we ultimately choose our response to EVERYTHING in our environment.  If we have a negative attitude, it is because we have chosen the wrong response to the environment around us. The cool thing is that we can change this NOW if we learn to focus on the right things.  This episode outlines 5 steps you can take to say positive in a negative world.  Take steps TODAY and close the gap on the life you want! If you enjoy the episode, please be sure to share it with friends so we can help them reach their full potential and make the world a MUCH cooler place!  Also, be sure to get a copy of my new "Make Your Mark" book on Amazon. 

It is that time of year where we are considering how we want our lives to be different. The New Year tends to bring an optimism about change. The problem is that we often don't create the right mindset to get different.  Simply put, we do not put enough emotion behind our intentions. As I reflected on 2016, I thought about all the things that happened that I was truly grateful for.  This is something that is so important to do because it creates a proactive mindset. However, I did not stop here.  Instead, I tried something different.  I asked myself, "what are things I am tired of in my life that I WILL NOT allow in 2017?" I came up with three different things: laziness, fear, and being close.  Listen to exactly what these things were for me and how you can use this process to make 2017 AWESOME! If you enjoy the episode, please be sure to share it with friends so we can help them reach their full potential and make the world a MUCH cooler place!  Also, be sure to get a copy of my new "Make Your Mark" book on

I was ready to give up.  I was the #1 wrestler in the country and I was considering losing and just going home. I used to be a little ashamed to admit this, but then I realized that this was a story that people connected with on a personal level.  Why?  Because everyone has failed at some point in their life and considered giving up. I was fortunate that I had an amazing coach that stepped into my life and encouraged me to not to quit.  He just asked me to fight and said that I would be glad I did some day. It turns out he was right.  That is one of the greatest lessons that I have ever learned in my life.  When something matters, you don't give up on it. My hope is that this episode can lift somebody up as they go through a difficult time in their life.  Or that it inspires someone to be a person who helps others keep fighting to earn the right to live their dreams. Or better yet, both. If you enjoy the episode, please be sure to share it with friends so we can help them reach their full potential and make t