Podcast Summary
Small successes lead to constant motivation: Motivation may not be the key to success, but rather, achieving small successes can fuel continuous motivation. Eliminate distractions and focus on personal commitments to make the most of your time.
Learning from this episode of Young and Profiting Podcast is that motivation may not be the key to success, but rather, small successes can lead to constant motivation. Jeff Haden, the author, speaker, and ghostwriter of over 60 nonfiction books, shares his career journey from his beginnings in print manufacturing to becoming one of the most prominent ghostwriters in the world. He also discusses his book, The Motivation Myth, which challenges the common belief that motivation leads to success and instead suggests that achieving small successes can fuel continuous motivation. Jeff also provides valuable time management hacks, including cutting out three things from your life, making a personal commitment, and eliminating a friend. Overall, this episode offers practical advice for finding motivation and making time for what truly matters in your life.
Embracing new experiences can lead to personal growth: Embracing the unknown and stepping out of comfort zones can lead to unexpected opportunities and personal growth. Don't let fear hold you back from pursuing your dreams.
Being open to new experiences and stepping out of comfort zones, even without a clear plan, can lead to unexpected opportunities and personal growth. The speaker's desire to become a writer started as a whim, but with the support of his wife and a series of small steps, he turned it into a successful career. This mindset of focusing on pleasing customers and continuously improving allowed him to build a strong foundation for his writing business. It's essential not to let fear of change or perceived investments in previous careers hold us back from pursuing our dreams. Instead, embracing the discomfort of learning something new can lead to new experiences and unexpected success.
From Reluctant Writer to Published Author: Building a writing career demands persistence, adaptability, and a unique writing style. Marketing oneself and establishing a platform are crucial steps. Confidence and determination are key in pitching to publishers.
Building a writing career requires persistence and adaptability. The speaker shares how his initial reluctance to write for an audience other than himself held him back, as he believed no one would be interested in his work. However, with encouragement from his wife and the realization that building a platform and marketing oneself were essential, he began to write under his own name and even ghostwrite for publications like Inc. This experience helped him establish a reputation and eventually led him to write and publish his own book. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of having a unique writing style and the ability to market oneself to publishers. Despite initial reservations, the speaker's aggressive approach to pitching his book to publishing houses resulted in 14 meetings, demonstrating the importance of confidence and determination in the writing industry.
Building a strong foundation pays off in the long run: Preparing extensively and earning a good reputation makes the selling process easier and more successful. Building a solid foundation takes effort but is essential for long-term success.
Building a strong foundation of work and reputation beforehand can make the process of selling or pitching yourself much smoother and more successful. The speaker shared an experience of going through a publishing process, where they had prepared extensively and expected to do most of the convincing. However, they were surprised to find that publishers were eager to work with them and tried to convince them instead. This experience showed that when you have put in the hard work and earned a good reputation, the selling process becomes more about finding the right fit rather than convincing someone to take a chance on you. Additionally, the speaker noted that in situations where the foundation is not yet strong, selling can be more challenging and may require a different approach, such as relationship selling. Overall, the lesson is that there is no shortcut to success, and the effort put into building a solid foundation will pay off in the long run.
Offer free work to build client base and gain experience: Starting out, offer free work to gain experience, build relationships, and establish a reputation, but remember it's not a long-term solution and eventually charge fair rates.
Starting out in a new field or business can be challenging, especially when trying to build a client base or gain experience. One effective strategy is to offer to work for free or at a reduced rate initially, as this can help convince potential clients to take a chance on you. This approach not only allows you to gain valuable experience and feedback, but also helps you build relationships and establish a reputation. However, it's important to remember that this isn't a long-term solution, and eventually, you'll need to start charging fair rates for your work. Additionally, starting a new project or business often comes with unexpected challenges and learning experiences, making it essential to be adaptable and willing to put in the effort to learn and grow.
Managing investments effectively with Yahoo Finance: Using Yahoo Finance, investors can link accounts, access research, customize charts, analyze financial statements, and make informed decisions. Support from loved ones can also play a crucial role in financial success.
Having a unified view of your financial situation can make managing your investments easier and more effective. The speaker shares his experience of using Yahoo Finance to link up all his investment accounts, access research, customize charts, and analyze financial statements. He emphasizes that whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, Yahoo Finance provides the tools and data you need in one place. Moreover, the speaker discusses the importance of having someone who believes in you and encourages you to pursue your goals. He shares how his wife's support played a significant role in his decision to transition from a stable job to entrepreneurship. Research also suggests that the impact of a partner's conscientiousness on career potential and earnings is substantial. The speaker's experience validates this, as he found that his understanding of the audience as a businessperson gave him an edge in writing about management, leadership, and business. In summary, having the right tools, data, and support can make a significant difference in managing your finances and pursuing your career goals.
Leveraging diverse experiences for a competitive edge: Combining experiences in different fields and consistently pursuing passions can lead to unique value, greater fulfillment, and a competitive edge in career changes or new ventures.
Having diverse experiences and skills, even if they seem unrelated, can be a significant advantage when making a career change or starting a new venture. The speaker shared how they gained a competitive edge by combining their experiences in different fields and weaving them into their new path. This approach not only helped them distinguish themselves from others but also brought a unique perspective and value to their work. Moreover, the speaker emphasized the importance of starting and being consistent in pursuing a passion or skill, even if it feels daunting at first. They shared how focusing on the end goal can be discouraging, and instead, one should focus on making progress and improving in small steps. They also mentioned how having multiple passions and interests can lead to greater fulfillment and happiness in life. Lastly, the speaker shared their experience of starting a side hustle while working a full-time job and how it eventually led to entrepreneurship. They encouraged everyone to pursue their passions and skills, regardless of societal stigmas, and to trust the process and keep working hard towards their goals.
Focus on small wins and the process towards achieving them: Break down larger goals into smaller steps, focus on daily progress, and celebrate small wins to maintain motivation and prevent feelings of defeat.
Focusing on small wins and the process towards achieving them is more effective for motivation than fixating on a distant, large goal. According to Jeff, effort comes before motivation, and the virtuous cycle of effort, achievement, fulfillment, happiness, and motivation can lead to continuous improvement. Instead of focusing solely on the end result, it's essential to break down larger goals into smaller, manageable steps and focus on making progress towards them daily. This approach not only keeps motivation high but also prevents feelings of demotivation and defeat caused by comparing oneself to the big goal. By focusing on the process and celebrating small wins, one can create a self-sustaining cycle of improvement and growth.
Fueling motivation from within: Motivation comes from within, achieved through small wins and consistent effort, focusing on the journey, and cultivating an internal mindset of satisfaction and accomplishment.
Motivation comes from within and is fueled by small wins and consistent effort, rather than external sources or a single, overwhelming inspiration. The process of setting and achieving goals is more effective when broken down into manageable tasks, focusing on the journey rather than the destination. Internal motivation is a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that arises when we complete a task or make progress towards a goal. This feeling drives us to continue working towards our objectives and can be a powerful source of motivation. It's essential to remember that motivation is not an external force that can be handed to us, but rather an internal one that we must cultivate through our actions and mindset.
Exploring new interests and evolving goals: Successful people continuously learn and adapt, expanding their goals and skills to avoid burnout and increase chances of success
Successful people, whether they're musicians, athletes, or professionals, don't usually achieve their goals based on a singular, unchanging vision. Instead, they are driven by an internal desire to improve and learn new skills. For example, Venus Williams, a tennis champion, was encouraged by her father to explore various interests beyond tennis, which helped her become a better player and avoid burnout. Successful people often evolve and expand their goals as they gain experience and discover new passions. They don't view their goals as immutable, but rather as something that can change and grow with them. Additionally, most successful people have faced numerous failures and setbacks before achieving their goals, demonstrating the importance of resilience and a willingness to try new things.
Continuously building skills leads to unexpected opportunities and growth: Focus on developing skills and foundation to discover new possibilities, save time and resources with powerful hiring platforms, and reduce distractions to make time for new goals.
Setting and achieving goals involves a process of growth and expansion, rather than just having a fixed idea and letting it slip away. For entrepreneurs, this means continuously building skills and mastering new areas, which can lead to unexpected opportunities and growth for their business. Regarding hiring, using a powerful platform like Indeed can save time and resources by attracting and interviewing qualified candidates in one place. The speaker shared his personal experience of starting a small podcast side hustle that grew into a full-service marketing and podcast agency. He emphasized the importance of focusing on developing skills and foundation before expanding, as it allows for discovering new possibilities. To make time for new goals amidst distractions, the speaker suggested reducing distractions, setting aside dedicated time each day, and staying committed to the process.
Redefine me time for growth: Instead of passive activities, use me time for learning, growing, and expanding skills for long-term benefits.
Redefining what you consider as "me time" can significantly impact your personal growth and development. Instead of viewing me time as passive activities like watching Netflix or vegging out, consider it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and expand your skills. By doing so, you can turn your me time into productive time that has the potential to positively change your life. This may require sacrificing some leisure time in the short term, but the benefits can be long-lasting. Additionally, the 2-week rule can help you commit to new challenges and stick with them despite initial difficulties. Remember, the first few weeks may be tough, but with persistence and dedication, you'll start to see progress and improvement.
Plan for personal time like work projects: Effectively manage time by prioritizing and protecting personal commitments and activities, and consider cutting unnecessary ones for greater overall satisfaction and productivity.
Effective time management involves not only scheduling work time but also prioritizing and protecting non-work time. This means actively planning for personal commitments and activities, just as you would for work projects. By doing so, you'll ensure that your time is spent intentionally and fulfillingly, leading to greater overall satisfaction and productivity. Additionally, consider cutting unnecessary personal commitments and expenses that don't contribute to your professional or personal growth. Remember, your time and energy are valuable, so use them wisely.
Assessing the impact of tools, relationships, and side hustles: Evaluate if tools, relationships, and side hustles add value or drain energy. Focus on past successes for self-confidence.
Not every tool or commitment in our lives adds value or generates positive energy. It's essential to assess the impact of tools, relationships, and side hustles on our time and energy. If they don't make us better or drain our energy, they might be impediments. Self-talk plays a crucial role in staying motivated and confident. Instead of focusing on empty affirmations, draw strength from past successes and remind yourself that you've faced challenges before and overcome them. This mindset shift can help you tackle new challenges with renewed energy and determination.
Setting Meaningful Goals for Personal and Professional Growth: Setting seemingly insignificant goals can lead to profound mindset shifts and increased ability to tackle challenges, both personally and professionally. Find ways to blend personal interests with professional goals for added fulfillment and satisfaction.
Setting and achieving meaningful goals, even if they seem insignificant or meaningless at first, can have a profound impact on our mindset and ability to persevere through challenges. The speaker shares his experience of completing 100,000 push-ups as a seemingly meaningless goal, but one that helped him develop a powerful self-talk message. He learned that with time and effort, he could accomplish anything. This mindset shift helped him tackle difficult tasks in various areas of his life, both personally and professionally. He encourages setting goals with multiple layers, as this increases the likelihood of working hard and staying committed. By finding ways to blend personal interests with professional goals, we can experience a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction on multiple levels. Ultimately, the key to profiting in life, as defined by the speaker, is to make our goals meaningful and multifaceted, allowing us to work hard and persevere through challenges with a positive mindset.
Find fulfillment in your career by merging passions and seeking multiple sources of revenue: Focus on merging passions with work, make small victories, celebrate them, and be willing to make sacrifices for career success
Finding motivation and success in your career doesn't necessarily come from focusing on what you'll get out of a job or goal, but rather from identifying and pursuing the meaningful and fulfilling aspects of it. Jeff Goins, a contributing editor at Ink magazine and author, emphasizes the importance of merging passions and looking for multiple sources of revenue and fulfillment. He also shares his perspective on motivation, which is that it comes after starting a project and is fueled by the pride and success you feel from the work you've already done. To achieve success, focus on making small victories and celebrating them, and be willing to make sacrifices and cut out activities that don't serve your goals. You can learn more about Jeff and his work on Ink magazine and LinkedIn.
Setting boundaries, evaluating relationships, and cutting costs for effective time management: Effectively manage time by setting boundaries, saying no to non-essential commitments, cutting unnecessary expenses, and assessing relationships to save time, money, and mental energy. Celebrate small wins along the way.
Effective time management involves setting boundaries, saying no to non-essential commitments, and cutting out unnecessary expenses. Another important aspect is evaluating relationships and considering letting go of those that drain your energy. Remember, it's crucial to enjoy the process and celebrate small wins along the way. Learning to say no, cutting costs, and assessing relationships can help save time, money, and mental energy. Don't forget to savor the journey and celebrate achievements, no matter how small. Find me on social media, @yapwithHala on Instagram or LinkedIn. And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform. Stay productive! This is Hala, signing off.
