Major congratulations to our very own ActionPodcast Ironman Chris!

He’s been able to motivate himself to take part in Ironman Cozumel and came in with an incredible time of 13 hours. An amazing achievement. You might not want to do a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride followed by a 42.2km run (phew!) but there is probably one goal in your life you’d like to create.

Any creation outside of your comfort zone requires a few key principles of discipline, courage, persistence and perhaps an extra special meaning that gives you a deeper level of determination. Whether that’s to go after your dream job, your ideal partner or even an Ironman triathlon.

Listen to Chris and Gina discuss “the difference that makes all the difference”.

What is the point of making new year’s resolutions, intentions, or ambitions for you?

Are they to achieve something important? To acquire new accolades? Or simply to gain material things that add to the joy of life?

As an avid goal setter for 10 years now (…in fact, the date of my first entry in the notebook where I write my goals is January 2, 2002. Exactly ten years ago), I’ve set my share of grand ambitions and planned for smaller pleasures.

I’ve covered the range from traveling to far away places, experiencing some of the world’s most fascinating events, and learning new skills to advance my career, health, finances and relationships.

When I look back on my list, there is a strong theme of ‘accomplishment’. I wanted to accomplish things and experience stuff and by-and-large, I did just that.

Yet along my journey my perspective has changed.

I’m in a much different place in my life now than I was ten years ago, let alone 3 years ago when I was a marketing career man working 50-60hrs a week while trying to do it all. However, I’m still as ambitious as ever and my list of goals continues to grow.

But I’ve realised there is a more important purpose to my plans.

I believe there is a very important ingredient to successfully achieving your dreams that is usually forgotten and often unknown. And that is this:

We don’t set goals for what they give us, we set goals in order to become the person we need to become in order to live the life that we want.

You might want to read that statement again.

Who do you need to become this year to achieve your goals?

• A person of stronger faith and conviction for what you believe in?
• A person of deeper courage to face your challenges and succeed?
• A person with a bigger purpose and daily motivation to blast through any setbacks and barriers?
• A person that inspires others to raise their standards?
• A leader by example and a person of your word?

For all of your exciting or scary plans for the year ahead, I encourage you to add this dimension to your plan of attack.

If you haven’t written down your goals for 2012 yet, then do so this week.

And along side those goals, try to identify who you would need to become in order for that to become a reality. What part of your inborn courage, strength, love, compassion, resiliency, enthusiasm, creativity and ambition needs to shine? What elements of your personality need to drive your decisions and actions? What inside of you needs to determine your daily behaviour?

Who will you become in 2012?

Leave us a comment and share how you would like to grow this year. How can we help you?

We talk about the comments we received from our listeners always make our day, so when we get them we really are delighted.

Also what podcast topics or blog posts have made us as ActionPodcast coaches sit up and really take on board what some one the others have said. Even though we talk about personal development all the time, and coach clients, we still find there are things we can learn from the other coaches.

Looking forward to the year ahead we reveal what we wish for in 2012.

*NEW* We now have a free App in the Android Market Place and the Apple App Store. The app lets you listen to podcasts directly without having to download them on to your PC or Mac first. You can get access to all the latest podcasts, the top ten, recent articles, all our twitter feeds and a lot more! Just go to the App Store on your phone or tablet and search for “ActionPodcast” all one word. Or just click the buttons below.

ActionPodcast App now available from:

With just one week to go the festive period is already in full swing. Now is your change to blow everything that you’ve worked so hard for over the last year……..

Well of course that’s what everyone is saying to each other to justify the over eating, drinking, late nights and everything that comes with the holiday.

Now at ActionPodcast, we certainly don’t want you to think we are total kill-joys, but it would be great if you recognised that you do have a choice.

During this podcast Paul and Chris give some amazing tips that make it really easy to have a fantastic Christmas, without the repercussions.

*NEW* We now have a free App in the Android Market Place and the Apple App Store. The app lets you listen to podcasts directly without having to download them on to your PC or Mac first. You can get access to all the latest podcasts, the top ten, recent articles, all our twitter feeds and a lot more! Just go to the App Store on your phone or tablet and search for “ActionPodcast” all one word. Or just click the buttons below.

ActionPodcast App now available from:

It may be arbitrary but the turn of a new year is a perfect opportunity to set a plan for what you want to experience, create, have and do over the next 12 months.

Part of what spurns us on to thinking about our future is the middle of December to early January, for most, is a time where we have time less time at work and spend more time with friends and family. This end of year cycle is a perfect catalyst for reconnecting with what matters most.

But knowing what matters (or what you want to achieve) and making it so are wildly different things.

Having spent a huge portion of my adult life investigating what makes the difference between ‘those who achieve what they want’ and ‘those who try but don’t, or don’t really try at all’, I’ve learnt that 99% of the time it comes down to five factors.

Five factors that are within your control.

1. Clarity

It’s near impossible to succeed when you don’t know what success looks like for you. Most people — not a general statement but a quantifiable one from surveying hundreds of people — have a loose, or vague, or ill-defined outcome they are working so hard for. Check this with yourself: What are you currently working so hard for, putting in lots of time and energy? Do you know what specifically you want to have or feel when you’re done?

Pick one goal or dream or intention you want in your life in 2012 and spend focused time on getting clear and specific on what that final outcome looks like, feels like or does for you.

Clarity is an essential starting point.

2. Conviction and Motivation

Let’s face it, with all the demands in our lives today it is incredibly challenging to stay on track with what you want and not get pulled in dozens of directions from distractions and other people’s requests. That’s life! And it’s your job to keep your most important things front and centre in your life.

Yet even when it’s on our to do list we still need conviction to put in the day-to-day investment – sometimes baby steps and other times giant leaps of faith – to keep working at it.

For your main goals in 2012, strengthen your motivation to make consistent progress. Get clear on WHY you want to do this. Summarise all the benefits you — and those around you — will gain from achieving this goal and reflect on that list on a very regular basis.

3. A plan for inaction

If you’re clear and inspired to take action you still need a plan to get it done. However, you also need to prepare how you’ll respond when things don’t go your way, when you get sidetracked or disillusioned at your results along the way. How will you respond to setbacks? How will you get yourself out of a rut of frustration, procrastination or overwhelm?

Successful goal achievement is not just about taking action but it’s mostly about how to overcome the hurdles along the way.

Here are three sentences worth completing when you sit down and design your action steps:

If I get frustrated with lack of progress, in order to keep going or find a better way I will….

If I find days or weeks passing by without taking any action towards my goals, I can get back on track by….

If I’m really stuck and not sure where to begin, or am overwhelmed by everything I need to do, I can ease my way forward by…

4. Habits of Success

As Aristotle noted long, long ago, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit”. Our day-to-day behaviour is largely driven by our habits.

Habits of behaviour, thoughts and feelings. For example, do you have habits that build physical health or erode it? What is your ritual the first moment you turn on your computer at the start of the day – productive work or guilty pleasures?

Your success in the next year is a direct reflection of the balance sheet of your habits — those that serve you in achieving your goals and those that prevent you from getting closer to them.

What habits will you need to create for your big goals? Which habits do you need to eliminate in order to make consistent (and enjoyable) steps towards living the life you want?

5. Be open and seek support from others

You’re not always going to have the answers, the willpower or the energy necessary to take action. No great things are achieved in isolation.

Collaborate with others on solving the problems in your way. Find a quick tip via Google. Get a coach or mentor to help you to navigate to your end destination. Join a like-minded online community to gain ideas and a network of enthusiastic supporters.

For all of your goals, identify a Top 3 list of people, tools or resources you can tap into when you’re stuck or when you simply start to feel your motivation fade. Nip it in the bud and get back on track!

This is where the magic happens. If you fail to address these Big Five you’re likely headed for a year of missed opportunity, frustration or regret. So give yourself the gift of spending quality time thinking – and writing – through all of these. It’s a wonderful way to kick start your year with optimism and vibrancy.

You’ll be hearing a lot more from ActionPodcast on these points in 2012 and we look forward to helping you achieve fun and rewarding success throughout the year.

No Regrets...

This is a time of the year when our thoughts turn reflective as we look back at the year we’ve had.

Can you say there’s nothing you regret?

Chris and Sam reckon it’s not too late to turn things around – whether it is something that didn’t happen or something that didn’t turn out as you’d hoped. Pick one thing you’d like to either resolve or at least progress a little, before the year is out. (We help out with some relationship examples). The more emotionally charged the better!

A baby step could see you dissolving a regret, freeing up some emotional energy or creating a stronger foundation to move forward from in 2012.

Make a real difference to this year and your relationships this week!

Do you find yourself taking care of a lot of fairly small, quite inconsequential things when there is a really big issue that trying to get your attention?

A difficult conversation, situation or an old issue that knocks your confidence?

We all do it at times and in this podcast, Chris and Paul discuss WHY this happens and more importantly, what you can DO to face the ‘elephant in your room’ with greater ease, confident and success than you’re currently imagining.

We’d love to hear your experiene on how you’ve been able to overcome those big challenging situations so please leave a comment on this page.

Wiki Entry:-

“Elephant in the room” is an English metaphorical idiom for an obvious truth that is being ignored or goes unaddressed. The idiomatic expression also applies to an obvious problem or risk no one wants to discuss.^[1]

Learning to recognise your successes so far can really help change your perspective on your current situation. By acknowledging the good things that you have achieved recently will make a dramatic difference because moving forward from a great place is far easier than trying to escape a negative rut that you may believe you are in.

These often unpleasant and uncomfortable parts of our life can attract a lot of our attention. They can absorb a lot of our energy and take us away from other things that are more rewarding, important and fulfilling.

Perhaps recently you’ve been spending an extraordinary amount of your time on a problem.

How can you tell if it’s just a symptom you’ve been focusing on?

But what if the attention you’re giving it is misguided?

What if your energy is being wasted?

What if the solution you’re after can’t be found where you’re looking.

What if the problem you see isn’t the problem after all?

One of the great skills of excellent problem solvers is being able to properly identify, and put their focus on, the RIGHT PROBLEM.

More specifically, it’s the ability to separate the symptoms from the cause.

I’m talking about being skilled at identifying the ROOT PROBLEM (or the root of the problem).

When you can identify the root of the issue – the source of all the troublesome symptoms that are showing up – you set yourself up for quicker, easier and more effective solutions.

How can you tell if it’s just a symptom you’ve been focusing on?

One clue is that symptoms often show up as the behaviour. For example, you do something that you’re not pleased with (….like skipping exercise or eating junk), or a colleague is regularly irritable or late for meetings.

What you see is the behaviour yet the root cause of the bad behaviour is usually underlying emotions or thoughts such as fear, anxiety, or habit that’s developed over time to name just a few.

A second clue is the problem keeps recurring. This means something that never seems to be resolved such as a body ache that won’t go away, or an ongoing argument with your spouse. If it is a recurring issue, you’ve likely been addressing the symptoms, not the root.

The next time you find yourself needing to deal with a problem, approach it with a different perspective than you have in the past. Or if you’re currently in the middle of a troubling situation, try to separate the symptoms from the root cause.

Get curious on whether what you THINK is the problem, is the real problem.

Question whether there is something more fundamental underlying the behaviour that you witness.

The more you do this to begin with, the greater your skill will become at developing lasting solutions in less time with less effort.

And then you’ll have more energy to put into the things that really matter and fulfill you.

Do you have a problem you’re currently facing? How has this changed your approach. How can we help you identify a new solution? Leave us a comment and let us know.

What’s harder is seeing the obstacles that lie within us.

In this podcast, Chris and Paul discuss one of the things we do that can delay our progress and ultimately, our success. We’re all guilty at times and this podcast can help you see it – and eliminate it – quickly, so you can experience the success you deserve, sooner than you would otherwise.

In this podcast Paul and Chris discuss their simple strategies for maximising the use of their time, with emphasis on the process of planning. If you are looking to improve your effectiveness, get more done or simply live less stressful days, one of these tips might just be the breakthrough you are seeking.

Let us know which tip you’d like to try and any questions you’d like us to answer by leaving a comment below.

Recently Paul challenged Chris and Sam to record a 1 minute video each day. As this wasn’t something we do frequently, it was a great way for us to test the waters and see what resistance our inner voice can come up with (Note from Paul: “sometimes I like to think of it as my inner ‘jerk’!”).

It’s truly amazing how resistant you can become to trying something new, and yet once you actually get into the swing of it, you begin to wonder why as it seems so simple and natural.

During this podcast Paul and Chris talk about some of the ways you can challenge yourself, and if you listen right to the very end, you can also challenge the presenters themselves!

Both of these positions can be thought of as emotional states that we ‘go to’ in certain circumstances.

The person I was speaking with recognised that he had been behaving somewhat selfishly in his relationship with his family.

I posed the question: Was being selfish in that situation a bad thing?

With a moment of reflection he felt it wasn’t. As he explained the context, I agreed.

It wasn’t bad, but was it good?

There is no doubt that acting selfishly – at times – serves a purpose.

It allows us to create boundaries around us when others are too demanding of our time or attention (think: a busy office environment where it’s hard to focus). It enables us to return to what is most important to us. It can also provide us with valuable time away from a sticky situation and give us the space to reflect and come up with better answers to the problems.

And yet, I would argue that being selfish is not sustainable. It does not lead to sustainable happiness, fulfilment and rewarding relationships.

We all go there at times, but how often do you do it? And how long do you spend there? Do you pass the point where even you feel it isn’t helpful?

The more people I have the privilege of helping and coaching, and the more I discover in this field of personal growth and development, the more I see that we humans rarely give ourselves enough credit of the control we have over our emotional state.

We have an innate skill to make a shift. We have the power to do that quickly. We have the ability to choose and decide how we respond to any situation.

Are there times where you have been a little bit too selfish lately?

Or perhaps, looking at it from another angle, how could your life benefit from being more selfless? More giving of your time, your attention, your presence, your love or your laughter.

Who do you know that would really really appreciate some of your generosity right now?

Who could you be more compassionate to this week? A friend? A partner? A stranger?

Who could you be more forgiving to before the end of this year?

You may find that being more selfless in one area is just the remedy you need to reduce your indulgence in being selfish in other parts of your life.

It’s a skill we all have.

And we should always remember that the more we practice, the stronger the skill becomes, enabling us to be more of the person we want to be.

Leave a comment and let us know how you’ve been able to make that shift and what you or others gained from it. We’d love to hear from you and your experience can help others.

Unable to complete tasks due to outside forces?

Chris and Gina discuss ways in which we invite distractions (often without realising it) into our lives and the impact this has personally and professionally.

Find out how you can acknowledge your distractions and take practical steps to minimise their impact.

The one question that stood out for me provided a simple but profound insight into how I should approach my life now, to prevent me from having the same regret after experiencing more than 80% of my life.

The question was this: When you look back on the life that you’ve lived, what is your greatest regret?

What do YOU think was the #1 answer across the large survey?

I posed this question to a group of business executives I was training this week. After a few days of helping this group to get clearer on their priorities and to reconnect with what they value most, their guesses were perfectly reasonable.

“Didn’t spend enough time with the ones they loved?” one suggested. A logical thought from a 21st century executive.

“Didn’t do what they were passionate about?” another chimed in. Close but not exactly.

“Worked too hard and didn’t stop to enjoy life?” a third pondered. Nope.

According to this research, the number 1 regret – the greatest regret – of those who have lived a lot of life was…

“Not taking more risks.”

That really got me thinking about how I should start living.

I trusted the research and I trusted that made a lot of sense.

And I didn’t want to have the same answer when I get called by a researcher in 2051.

So, what lessons can we take and how can we avoid having the same regret?

Here is what I did and what you can do too:

1.    Trust that you can handle it.

The risk is rarely in the action but rather in our perception of what might happen afterwards to us. Our imagination spins wild tales of embarrasment, misfortune and utter catastrophe.

But we are greater than our problems. We can handle any short-term setback that might arise while we are pursuing something that really matters to us, following our dreams and opening our heart.

2.    Make sure you’re ‘What If…” scenarios genuinely consider both sides

What if I fail?  Hmmm….what if I succeed?

What if they laugh at me? Hmmm….what if they love me?

What if I hate it?  Hmmm….what if I adore it….and if not, I can always do something else…

What if I get too scared?  Hmmm….what if I find I have more courage, determination, persistence and passion than I thought I did

Our instinct is to protect and keep us safe. Follow point number 1 and allow yourself to imagine What If scenarios that light you up and ignite your fire to face the risk with courage and optimism.

3.    Embrace going beyond your comfort zone

The main reason we humans stay so ‘risk-free’ in our comfort zone is because we think that beyond safety and comfort lurks the Panic Zone.

But we forget the times in the past where we have gone outside our comfort zone and discovered the real zone – the Growth Zone.

This is just beyond your Comfort Zone and well before any panic. The Growth Zone is where the thrill of life happens, where fears disappear and your true joy and fulfillment is experienced.

Embracing the combination of these 3 points will make you realize that the ‘risks’ we perceive are often just a mirage.

That in fact, when you push on in spite of perceived risks and fears and tension and anxiety….it is very, very likely that you’ll suddenly realize that it wasn’t nearly as scary as you made it out to be.

You’ll question why you took so long. You’ll feel disappointment you didn’t take those steps much earlier.

You’ll marvel at how much easier (even when uncomfortable) it was compared to what you expected.

Yet, at the same time you’ll feel the immense boost in confidence and pride that you did it.

You will feel the weight lifted from your shoulders and within your heart.

You will embrace the new opportunities and experiences that are in front of you.

You will feel liberated.

And you will not regret it.

You might even smile when the researcher calls you and you get to tell her what a wonderful life you’ve had and the adventures you still intend to create.

How have you managed to take risks? How did you feel afterwards? What lessons can you learn from the times you stepped out of your comfort zone where everything worked out just fine? How can you apply this insight to your current life?

We’d love to hear from you and for you to share with other readers.

The 4 R’s of Perseverance are:

1.   Reconnect

2.   Realistic

3.   Resourcefulness

4.  Reignite momentum

In a recent blog post, Chris suggests it is worth reviewing your ‘current life’ twice a year, particularly to take an honest look at which parts are sending you warnings that something isn’t right – and that you might be ignoring!

Join Sam and Chris as they explore some of the ways to spot warning signs using Sam’s real-life experiences as an example, and how even the smallest changes can make a significant difference in helping you turn things around.

P.S. Since recording this, Sam has taken her two actions and really believes it is worth taking action before the warning signs become less subtle!

Put this technique into practice immediately and you’ll find your barriers are no longer as high or as strong, and taking action becomes a whole lot easier.

We’d love to hear how this works for you and if you have alternative versions that other ActionPodcast listeners would benefit from as well. Leave a comment on this podcast!

I’d suggest it’s a good practice to review your ‘current life’ at least twice per year.

To stop and check in with yourself.

To take an honest look at which parts of your current life are giving you warnings that something isn’t right, yet you’re not heeding those warnings. Some examples could be:

• Your body is asking for a detox yet you continue to eat everything & anything.
• Your bank account is smaller but you continue to live larger.
• You’re feeling detached from your friends and miss them, however, when given the choice you default to more time at the office.
• You are constantly expressing that you “don’t have the time to…” do what’s important although you always seem to have time to do what’s unimportant or unfulfilling.

Of course, the warnings don’t mean you’re doomed to failure.

But warnings are warnings and they do serve a purpose.

The main purpose is to signal to you that something must change. Something within you or about you must change OR you’ll likely experience even more warnings and deeper pain in the near future.

But remember it’s not all bad either.

There are ALWAYS parts of your life that are examples of how to do it right. Sometimes you might need to look a little harder—if you’re out of practice—to find inspiring examples that demonstrate your unique strengths, your creative flair or your compassion for others.

If you feel like you’ve been running at a million miles per hour recently and spinning a bit out of control, give yourself the gift of some reflective time and answer the following questions:

1. What recent experience in my life did I really enjoy? Could be travel, a project, a special night with a special someone.
2. How could I use that recent experience as an inspiring example to create more joy and happiness in my life right now?
3. What could I do to create a similarly rewarding experience in the next 6 weeks?
4. What ‘warning signals’ have been showing up recently?
5. Which one(s) are the most important for me to resolve before I allow more time to pass?
6. What action can I take this week to change my behaviour and/or resolve the issue?
7. What are the first two action steps I WILL take to build momentum and make sure it’s a happy ending?

Spend 10 minutes answering these questions in your notepad or on your computer. Don’t just passively sit and think about them. Put pen to paper or fingers to keys.

You’ll be glad you did.

And you’ll be inspired by your inner strength to turn your warnings into examples, and renew your enthusiasm for creating the life that you want.

Listen to this podcast and download our free ebook for even more tips and tricks to boost your daily energy.

All done in an attempt to get the smaller, mundane (or urgent) things off your plate so you can settle down into your day and finally get to the important stuff.

It’s a strategy most of us use on a regular basis – but for most of us, it’s flawed. And usually painfully so.

While this approach often feels like the best thing to do, how often do you actually get to the most important items? Chances are, it’s rare and often at a cost.

The time cost of sacrificing our evenings with family or friends because you need to work a bit later as more little things came up during the day and you didn’t finish what you wanted to.

The attention cost of being distracted with other people’s demands or urgent problems which never allow you to be fully engaged and focused when you finally get the space to do the really valuable things.

The energy cost of being tired, drained or completely exhausted by the time you get to what matters most, causing you to put it off to another day.

And all these costs add up to a dramatic reduction in your productivity and performance.

So what is the alternative?

It’s a standard approach of the top performers, a key strategy of the world’s most productive leaders…and a simple enough idea that everyone can do.

For a rapid boost in your personal performance do the “first things first”.

Popularised in many books, including Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy and Be Excellent at Anything by Tony Swartz and Jean Gomes, the ‘first’ is the task, project, or issue that has the highest value and impact for you. This could be related to your professional or personal life.

How you define highest value and impact will be unique to you and will vary from week to week but there will always be one, two or three items that deserve the greatest care since they will give you (and your team or family) the biggest return.

At work, it’s often the things that require the most thinking time and full engagement for you to properly work through it.

Commonly, it’s the items that will give you the greatest long-term rewards and success, and doesn’t have short-term urgencies.

Usually, these will be the items you consistently neglect….since you “never have time to do what’s important”.

Hmmm…sound familiar?

Doing it “first” means to proactively and decisively commit to the first 30, 60 or 90 minutes of your day to focusing on nothing but the most important things.

Write a few pages of your book. Develop a long-term strategy for growing your business this year. Spend time on the looming performance appraisal of your key team members. Make that appointment or call an out-of-touch friend. Exercise.

Don’t turn your computer on if you don’t have to and certainly don’t open your email.

Complete focus.

How productive would that be?

How invigorating would that be?

How rewarding and fulfilling would that be?

If this is a scary thought for you, start small. Try it out just one day this week. Tell others you’re only available after a certain time.

I’m sure you’ll quickly notice the benefits you get and will be encouraged to do this more often and for longer periods.

Are you willing to give it a try? Are you willing to add more value, create more enjoyment and experience a boost in your performance?

Let us know how this worked for you and share other ideas to boost your performance.

After this you’ll now have more energy to put towards the most important things in your life.

Leave a comment and let us know what you discovered by following this exercise and putting the strategy in place.

In this podcast, Chris and Sam discuss a simple, practical and very effective strategy to quickly regain confidence and make you feel like a superstar before being in the spotlight. They provide two proven ways to achieve this…and it takes less than five minutes!

Leave us a comment and let us know how this works for you and what situation you’d like to have more confidence next time.

Does watching this video make you wonder if the creator was peeping in through your windows watching how you navigate through the day?

Well, if you’re laughing or feeling a bit uncomfortable at how much you relate to the above comments, then perhaps it’s time to really take a look at your procrastinating skills in a new light.

Being a procrastinator is not a genetic trait nor a unresolvable habit, it’s simply a result of flawed thinking and instant judgement. It’s not YOU that’s the problem, it’s just your pattern of thinking in the moment.

Ask these simple questions…and answer them with brutal and loving honesty…to shed a new light on your core issue and begin to feel more empowered to make a change.

Step 1: Think of something specific that you’re procrastinating on this week.

Step 2: What is it about this task/project that makes you uncomfortable about taking action?

Step 3: Why is that uncomfortable?

Step 4: Why is (your answer to step 3) uncomfortable?

Step 5: Why is (your answer to step 4) uncomfortable?

Step 6: Why is (your answer to step 5) uncomfortable?

Step 7: Imagine the task/project is now done. What would the ‘you of the future’ say to yourself right now?

Step 8: What small thing can you do, that will take less than 20 minutes, to break the ice, make progress and start to feel in control of the situation?

If you answered those questions openly and honestly, you now know what to do.

Not just providing a ‘positive thinking’ theory, they guide you through a specific set of actions and provide a simple framework for you to take on a transformational 30 day challenge to eliminate a key stress or frustration from your life.

Listen to the podcast and leave a comment to let us know you’re taking the challenge and how we can help you to succeed.

Chris and Gina discuss three simple steps to honestly re-evaluate your dedication level and how you can make committing to a project or goal something fun instead of a chore.

We live in a time of incredible opportunities, limitless access to ideas, and convenience all around us.

It’s also a time with a lack of security, constant and rapid change, and seemingly unavoidable distractions pulling us in multiple directions at all times.

So within this paradoxical storm it’s easy to fall into the trap of seeing or feeling a wall of barriers in front of you, blocking your path to your ultimate success and fulfilment.

However, the reality is there is one factor that rises above all others that prevents you from getting all you desire.

This one factor is the single biggest factor that prevents your progress.

This one factor erodes your confidence and creates paralysing procrastination and frustration, making your dreams seem painfully further away than before.

This factor alone increasingly causes more and more people to ‘play small’ in their life and end up looking back with regret and disappointment – in themselves.

The single biggest factor stopping you is you’re not doing what you really want to do

I don’t just mean the big picture of you not doing the job or work that you’re really passionate about. For many people that is a big part of it but mostly – and most painfully – this shows up on a daily basis in the little things: not following through on your promise to yourself to get to the gym in the morning, not spending needless hours on your computer or email rather than enjoying time with family, not facing the uncomfortable feelings and having the necessary conversation with your boss.

When you consistently fail to act on your thoughts of what you want to do it’s like digging a deeper and deeper hole that becomes too overwhelming to climb out of.

Yet at the same time, when you face this issue head on, when you get really honest with yourself, you’ll realise it’s not as scary as you make it out to be.

You will experience a rush of renewed enthusiasm with just a little bit of action against this.

You will accelerate your learning and be able to quickly adjust your approach to achieve your results faster.

And, perhaps most importantly you will feel more pride in yourself, more belief in your abilities, and an expansion in your internal drive to do more and more.

So when is now a good time to start doing that thing that you really, really want to?

Start with just one thing in your life. Pick one area, one topic that is driving you crazy with frustration or annoyance in yourself. You’ve wasted enough time getting emotionally twisted inside, it’s time to unravel that feeling and get back to your best self.

You have two choices on how to approach this:

Block off all the time you need to blitz it and get in all done in one fell swoop.

Or commit yourself to at least one action everyday for the next 5 days. Then you can re-evaluate the issue at that point and remap your strategy to get it done.

But also remember this: you really, really want to do this. So don’t make it feel like a heavy chore or burdensome work. Come from a place of joy, enthusiasm, creativity, fun, gratitude or whatever place will best serve you.

Remind yourself that you ARE doing what you want to do. Remind yourself of the greater good this is doing for you and for those affected by you.

Make yourself feel good in the process and you’ll feel great when it’s done.

If it’s not something that will be ‘completed’ but is an ongoing habit for you (e.g. exercising regularly, reading more books, spending quality time with your partner) then make sure you start to consistently reinforce the pleasure you get from doing it.

Take note of how you feel before, after and during this process.

By following these suggestions not only will you make progress on this one area in your life, but you will build momentum to keep going and ultimately be living life as you really want to.

Please leave a comment and share how this factor has stopped you and what you’ve done to break through that barrier. Big or small we’d like to know, and your fellow readers will appreciate your input.

These questions can help build your confidence that you can do it and start you on the path to feeling great about your new opportunity.

When we started ActionPodcast in 2008 we didn’t know what it would lead to, we didn’t know if it would resonate with you, we didn’t know how long it would last. So we just got started, took small steps, and watched as it unfolded.

But we knew with absolute certainty that we needed to share our messages.

And today we achieved a major milestone of our 100,000th podcast download, now listened to by people in over 25 countries.

Our experiences as coaches — in helping people find their passions, breakthrough fears and old habits, reconnect with their authentic purpose, create compelling goals and dreams for their future – has taught us many lessons about generating confidence, pride and conviction to keep moving forward. And it’s given universal insights into how to successfully navigate through change.

Our experiences in our own lives – four different people with four very different backgrounds, challenges, achievements and disappointments – has reminded us time and time again, that you can ALWAYS change your destiny. Your past provides lessons but it doesn’t determine or limit your future.

So in blending our unique perspectives with our shared purpose in helping you to continuously move forward and create a future of happiness and success, we continued to take small steps of everyday action.

Slowly but surely people like you were thanking us for the little boost, the extra insight and the profound a-ha! moment that we helped them discover. Small steps towards exciting futures.

Your fellow blog reader let us know that they know longer feel overwhelmed or stressed by what used to cause so much anxiety. Small steps towards more calm.

Podcast listeners said thank you for easing their pain in times of deep loss. Small steps with gratitude and acceptance.

Readers of our eBook shared their excitement of trying – and succeeding with – one of the 80 tips, tricks and perspectives shifts. Small steps for more energy and enthusiasm.

Our clients challenged us on “Why small steps? I need to move fast, I want more, now!” We encouraged them to start with small steps for easy wins and to overcome recurring setbacks. Small steps to build momentum.

So today we’d like to turn the table and thank YOU for your ongoing support of us, for your feedback and enthusiasm you’ve given us, for the gratitude we have for all our listeners and readers, for the exciting future you’ve encouraged us to move towards.

We send you 100,000 thank you’s and look forward to our next 100,000.

Don’t get us wrong, small steps aren’t always the only solution.

But they often are the starting point.

They reference the book :59 seconds by Richard Wiseman

Yes, it’s that important.

It’s a concept you’ve probably never considered, but the payoff is huge.

Which thoughts and words?

The most expensive words you’ll ever utter are the excuses you use to rationalise not doing the things you know need to be done.

But guess what? You probably have just a few (instead of dozens) different and recurring excuses you repeatedly use to get out of doing what needs to be done. If you make a shift and eliminate those, you’ll experience a tremendous boost in progress and happiness.

The bad news? You might not be aware of these thoughts and words in the moment because they seem so natural, so appropriate and so accurate and rational for what you feel. Yet, when you stop and reflect on them you’ll see them for what they are – just excuses that give you permission to stay in your comfort zone.

What’s more, you’ve probably been nurturing these excuses for so many years that they’ve become ingrained in your psyche and happen in a flash — stopping you in your tracks, and shutting down your growth without you even noticing what’s happened.

Understand this: These thoughts and words are preventing you from getting what you want.

Said another way: these are the excuses that are keeping you from your dreams; that create chronic internal conflicts (which pull your heart, head and gut in three different directions); that shatter your confidence and self-esteem; that train you to play smaller than you are capable of; that zap your energy and optimism for your life.

Yes, it’s true, these little thoughts and words are that costly and dangerous.

The good news? Once you see – and accept – these words for what they are, they lose their power over you and you stop thinking away your success. Which means you achieve and become much more when these thoughts disappear.

So, what should you do about this?

Do not to place judgement on yourself. Simply start your log with “I’m noticing that I usually/often/sometimes…“

Awareness is always the starting point so I strongly encourage you to start making notes, keeping a log of the excuses (…you may find you’ve been calling them ‘reasons’…) you use for not doing what you know you should do. Take regular notes, or put it in your journal, or create a ‘draft’ email you can quickly open and jot them down, whatever works for you to capture the thought in the moment. But don’t try to be perfect, just start doing it and adapt as you go.

Stop the cycle of excuses and take this small action now – don’t put this off – do this for yourself.  This is too important to delay.

Another key point is not to place judgement on yourself. Simply start your log with “I’m noticing that I usually/often/sometimes…” Just capture what you notice on reflection and reject the temptation to rationalise your rationalisation of these thoughts.

Over time, and possibly quite quickly, you’ll realise you have your own personal ‘choice excuses’.

Why do you set an early alarm and hit snooze for an hour?

Why do you bring your workout clothes to work but never make it to the gym?

Why do you not pick up the phone and ask for the sale instead of hiding behind the safety curtain of email?

Why don’t you tell your partner how you really feel when he/she does that?

Your excuses will be personal to you, but they here are some thought starters to help you recognise them:

• If I don’t check my email one more time before going to bed…
• I can’t start ______ until I am totally organised…
• I can’t start saving until I make more money because….
• I’ve done enough today already…
• I need to be more prepared before I…
• Only when things calm down at work can I….
• I know this food won’t help me achieve my health goals but I deserve it because…
• I never have enough time to….
• I’m too tired to do this now, I’ll do it tomorrow when I feel better…
• My relationship will improve when they….
• And so on…

You don’t need a list that long, and you’ll quickly realise there are 3 or 4 excuses that come up the most often.

The next step, once you’ve identified your ‘choice excuses’, is to remain highly sceptical of their truthfulness and to challenge your automatic response to them. You now recognise them as excuses that prevent you from making real progress. You now are able to loosen their grip on your behaviour. YOU now have the power to make better decisions and take more purposeful action that will lead you closer to your dreams.

So the next time they surface, flip these excuses of why you can’t into reasons of why you MUST take action now if you are going to achieve the success you desire.

Leave a comment below to share what you learned from this and what excuses you now see are holding you back. We’d love to hear from you.

Show me the video!

If you want 2011 to be a year you can be proud of, then make sure you don’t miss this video – as it will only be available until midnight Fri 25th February (UK time)!

I want to watch it right now! I understand the free training presentation will be taken down at midnight on Fri 25, & I don’t want to miss out!

In this variation from the usual podcasts, Chris and Sam share why they are so excited about this never-presented-before content that has been created for you. After 2 years and over 80,000 downloads (plus blog posts too), we know it’s time to expand what we do and bring you even more insights, tools and value to help you achieve all you want to in 2011.

It’s free. It’s powerful.

It’s the turning point you’ve been seeking.

We look forward to having you join us for this incredibly powerful presentation!

One-tenth of 2011 is now gone. How was it for you?

Are you off to a flying start like an Olympic sprinter? Are you really making an effort to do what you want to do? Having more fun, checking off your to-do list with a steady flow of energy and optimism?

Or are you still stuck in the starting blocks? Putting off what really matters to you or perhaps waiting for some issues to clear before starting on your goals for the year? Maybe just postponing real action until you ‘feel more motivated’?

What you do, and how you behave in the first 1/10^th of the year can create massive momentum for the remaining 90% — both positive and encouraging momentum to continue to build on, and sluggish downward-spiral momentum that’s often hard to break away from.

Either way, the past has passed, and what’s done is done. The great news is there is still 90% of the year remaining!  So if you’re not off to an inspiring start, use today as your new beginning and promise yourself not to waste another minute!

It just comes down to the decisions we make right now: do I want more out of this year than last? How would I feel this time next year if I don’t try harder now? I will accept responsibility for my own success and happiness and make sure to take the actions necessary to making this a successful, happy, fun and exciting year and finally take control of living the life I want.

If you’re not sure where to get started, stay tuned for an exciting announcement from ActionPodcast.

This year at ActionPodcast, we have made the same promise – we are going to walk more of our walk and make the most of the next 90%, here’s our commitment: to do more to help you create extreme positive momentum in your life; encourage and inspire you to stay on track and on target for your ambitions and dreams; continue to help you get back up and dust yourself off whenever you fall down and life gets overwhelming.

And of course, there are loads of new helpful blog posts and insightful podcasts on our website to make sure you stay on path for taking everyday action in order to create a year you can really be proud of.  We’ll do it together.

Decide today to do one thing, just one small action right now, that will move you closer to what you want, and soon you’ll be doing more and more things that accelerate your success.

Leave a comment to let us know how your first 10% has been – good or bad – and how you’re going to make the next 10% even better.

Do you often find yourself saying yes to an increased workload, when you should be saying “No”? Are you working evenings and weekends leaving no time for FUN, or hobbies or relaxing with your family and loved ones? How about asking for longer deadlines, or factoring in more realistic time schedules for your work? Covering Tip #25 from our book 80 Tips, Tricks and Perspective Shifts for Everyday Action, Gina and Chris share their own experiences of being overwhelmed and the repercussions of taking on more than they can chew. And how by committing to less, and incorporating more FUN into their lives, they are actually achieving more.

Join Chris and Sam as they discuss Tip #1 from the ActionPodcast eBook – 80 Tips, Tricks & Perspective Shifts for Everyday Action – and find out how this can help even the most adamant non-morning-person! Whether it is a quick physical burst, a calm mental focus or a dietary delight, you’ll discover how one simple change (or a combination of them) will transform your whole day and leave you feeling great.

And if you want to know more about Sam’s Awesome Vegan Smoothie (inspired by Chris!), here’s how you can create one yourself:

Makes roughly 1 pint of smoothie. You’ll ideally need to have a good quality blender, although if you leave out the cacao nibs then it’s not quite so important.

3 Large bananas

1-2 handfuls of pre-washed baby spinach

A generous sprinkling of ground almonds

A light sprinkling of raw cacao nibs (if you like some crunch)

Cold water (enough to thin to taste)

You can use whole or chopped nuts, of whichever type you like, but ground ones are easier on the blender and I love almonds!

Peel & break up the bananas and drop them into the blender. Add the ground almonds, and (optional) cacao nibs, top with the baby spinach leaves, and then add water (a few hundred ml should be enough, but you can vary the thickness of the smoothie with the water). Make sure the water is cold, as warm smoothie isn’t nearly as nice!

Blend just enough for there to be no remaining banana chunks, and for the clunking of the cacao nibs to have lessened. Don’t over-blend, as the bananas can become goopy. Pour it out into a pint glass, and enjoy! It might look bizarre, but I find it delicious – and it leaves me feeling fab all day!

There’s an infinite amount of variation you can apply to this (different fruit, nuts, supplements etc), so just get creative and find something that works for you!

It’s a simple question: “How will this year be different for you?” Or perhaps more accurately stated, “How will you make this year different than last year?” Our societies and technologies today give us a gazillion things we can choose to do and pay attention to. What will you choose to do?

Of course, the answer will be different for all of us, but there are some universal ideas that can guide each of us. Borrowing from Brendon Burchard, here are four thoughts to take with you on your 2011 journey.

1. Bring the holiday spirit through the year

The holidays for most of us, represent a time of reconnecting with things and people that matter most to us, of sharing laughter with friends and family, of putting down the blackberry and iPad and just being present with our loved ones. It’s a time where we show appreciation at levels that is rarely seen or felt at other times of the year.

This year, in 2011, how can you show, and just ‘be’ at, new levels of appreciation for those you want in your life? How can you engage with them in more meaningful ways? And what will that do for the level of fulfilment you get from your relationships? How much of that will flow over to other parts of your life? I suggest probably even more than you think at this moment.

2. Build on your greatest lessons from last year

What were your 5 big lessons from 2010 in the person you are, your relationships, your business, your career, your health and vitality for everyday living? What did you learn from your struggles? What were your big successes and what difference did you make?

For this year to be different, you’ve got to think differently, and believe differently. You need a vision bigger than you are right now. You need to dare to shake things up a little, have bigger, bolder thoughts on what is possible. You need to be willing to leave your baggage behind, to shed your doubts and to carry forward in spite of your fears. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the taking of action in the face of your fear. For a more guided process of discovering your lessons from last year, read this previous post from ActionPodcast.

3. Make this a year of action and creation

Whatever your areas of interest, work, and hobbies are, place extra focus and attention on taking more action. Choose small steps over procrastination. Choose big steps to bust through your barriers. Always choose some sort of action instead of over analysis and worry. Place extra value on being effective and efficient rather than being perfect. Operating from a place of ‘creation’ is also an idea worth considering. By that I mean decide what things you’d like to create this year, for example, an even more fun and loving relationship with your spouse, a fantastic close-knit team at work, a healthy and fit new body. Adopting a mindset of ‘creation’ often brings with it more curiousity, fun, playfulness, joy, trial and error, than just treating everything like a chore on your to-do list. You enjoy the process more when trying new things and don’t worry so much if things don’t go exactly as planned.

How would your days and weeks be different if you showed up in a state of curiousity, fun, playfulness and joy more often? If you took more action and learned to love the process of creation?

4. Really, fully, completely LIVE this year

How you show up every day, week and month is ALWAYS your choice. Even when life has got you down, you can choose to stay down and wallow in self-pity, or you can choose to dust yourself off and move on. So this year, decide to be fully alive, to show up on more days with positivity, a healthy dose of friendliness and healthy energy, with more vibrancy and presence, showing more heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for what, and who, you have in your life.

How amazing would you feel if you just decided to be like that each morning? How would your life be different? And, how would that change the lives of those around you?

Make yourself proud. Make it special for those around you. Make 2011 bigger, bolder and more beautiful. Make it one to remember.

Leave a comment and let us know what you will do differently to make this a better year for you and those in your life.

All I want for Christmas is for you to have a wonderful time and celebrate your festive socks off.

Spend time with friends, family or even if you are working, have an amazing time.

If I did have just one wish though it would be to have you tell your friends and family about Action Podcast and have them listen to one of our podcasts or browse through our blog posts. Let them know there is a free ebook ready and waiting for them too!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

By carefully identifying if you are switching or truly multitasking you can make an informed decision on whether to focus on an important task until it’s completed or to continue really multitasking in its true sense.

Chris and Paul take another tip from the new ActionPodcast eBook and discover a few home truths when it comes to multitasking.

Of all the self-growth practices, perhaps none is more vital than taking the best lessons from the past and using them to design your future.

So as we come of the end of yet another year, here are eight simple yet extremely powerful questions to ensure you capture the most empowering learning from the past year and use those insights and discoveries to propel you into an even more rewarding 2011.

But first, a word of caution and suggestion:  the answers to these questions can be life changing and should not be taken lightly. These questions should not be casually scanned over, with passive thoughts and weak conclusions. These questions are meant to be actively explored, investigated and participated in.  That said, let’s go for it!

Think back to this time last year. Where were you? Who were you spending time with? What were the stresses and joys in your life? What was the theme and major events of your winter, spring, summer and autumn? Where were you hoping you’d be today? Spend 5-10 minutes reminding yourself of what you experienced, created and contributed in 2010.

Take out your notepad or journal and write your answers to the questions below in some detail. Got your pen in hand? Great, here we go…

1. What did you love about your 2010? What were the special moments? What were your most significant achievements? What did you do that you didn’t think you could?

2. How does that make you feel on reflection? Happy? Proud? What are the emotions you remember from those moments? What do you feel as you relive those experiences?

3. What would you like to duplicate in 2011? Which activities, adventures, projects or events would you like to repeat? What would you like to create or share even more of? Where, or with whom, do you want to ensure you spend your time?

4. What did you hate about your 2010? What were you disappointed in? What were your biggest challenges? Where did you struggle the most or under-achieve versus your expectations?

5. What do you not want to happen again in 2011? Put emphasis and focus on things that you can control or can influence instead of unnecessarily worrying about things beyond your power.

6. What did you learn by going through these experiences? Despite the challenges or painful times, what did you learn, how were these experiences incredibly valuable or how did they positively serve you?

7. What decisions did you make in 2010 that were empowering for you? What were some of the most important decisions of the year for you?

8. With that insight, what decisions will you make in 2011 as a result, to make it an extra rewarding and fulfilling year? Building off your insights from the previous questions, what will you continue to do, where do you need to get extra help, what will you stop doing?

If you haven’t written your answers down yet, I really encourage you to do so this week. Set aside 30 minutes to really immerse yourself in this experience. You might just uncover the key to making 2011 an amazing year.

What special lessons are you going to take into 2011? Please leave a comment below, we’d love to hear what you learned from these questions.

Chris and Sam cover how to identify your own pet peeves and how to turn the situation around convert problem into a solution and often how to even stop it becoming a recurring frustation.

If you think something should take 45 mins then setting an alarm for that time not only keeps you on track but also serves as a reminder that you need to focus on what you are doing. It’s also great for making sure you take breaks that will actually add to your motivation rather than hinder it.

Chris and Gina reveal many other tips to help you make a conscious effort to keeping on track and on time.

Chris and Gina cover the subject of walking your talk. Tip number 54 in our eBook. By not following up with what you have promised can really put a strain on your own self confidence. Where as if you stay true to your commitment you’ll feel more empowered.

Uncertainty in whether their surgery will allow them to walk normally again, uncertainty in where their next pay cheque is coming from, uncertainty on whether their role will be eliminated in the corporate reorganisation.

How much uncertainty you can handle has a dramatic impact on the quality of your days, weeks, and life. There are a few powerful distinctions that you need to make to survive times when you don’t know the outcome or how things will get resolved.

Myth: Uncertainty causes anxiety

Fact: Uncertainty is part of life, how you respond (think, feel) is a choice

When we think safety, security and stability are necessary for our happiness, and get anxious and fearful when they aren’t guaranteed in our current situation, we must realise that we can ALWAYS choose how we respond.

Some things we can’t control. But what we always control are our attitudes, thoughts and which resources and people we draw on to keep us moving forward and our heads held high.

For example, two people get made redundant from the same jobs in the same company. One person freaks out, convinced they will never find anything else in this ‘bad economy’. The other person quickly updates their CV (resume) and starts making contacts in their network, confident in their abilities and looking to gain an even better job. Same ‘job uncertainty’, very different choice of response.

Myth: Uncertainty is a bad thing

Fact: Good and bad depends on your perspective and what you choose to focus on

If you’re going through a tough time, and are worried about the outcome, remember there are always two sides to any situation.

If you feed your fears with all the negative possibilities, it definitely will seem like a very bad situation. But when you seek out the positive, you will always find it – the good is always there when you look for it.

This could be new opportunities that you hadn’t considered before, new skills you’re going to learn as you solve the problem, new lessons you’ll learn that will dramatically, and positively, impact your decisions going forward.

A case in point – someone very close to me recently found out they were a victim of an investment fraud and lost a considerable amount of their life savings. Their immediate response was “I’ll guess I’ll have to create more value in my business to earn that all back as soon as I can”. No panic, no depression, no anger, no ‘why me…’

They chose a powerful path to not only to focus on earning back that loss, but it challenged them to think bigger and wider on how this will spur them on to growing their business in whole new ways.  Sure they were in shock and saddened by this very ruthless crime but they chose not to dwell in that negative state and quickly shifted their energy to build empowering momentum for a profitable future.

Myth: Uncertainty must be tamed

Fact: The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the amount of uncertainty you can handle

When you accept that life is one big bundle of uncertainties, and quit trying endlessly to prevent events outside your control, you open up to the wonders of learning, growing and an abundance of happiness that is always there for you.

The next time you are hit with a situation leaving you uncertain about the outcome, make sure you stop and review how you are responding. And more importantly, decide how you would really like to respond…then choose wisely on what happens next.

How do you handle uncertain times? What strategies or experiences have you had that worked really well for you? Leave a comment to let us and the other readers know. We’d love to hear from you and you might just change someone’s life in the process.

We all have times when the going gets tough, it’s all a part of the ups an downs of life. If you feel you are going through, or are about to, a period in your life that could be a bit of a burden, then this podcast is for you. Packed full of tips, tricks and ideas you might like to try yourself.

• Learn how to reduce the burden of long distance and frequent traveling
• Develop how to take a break, even when work is demanding a lot of your time
• How to cope with over indulgence, either self imposed or as a result of a host’s hospitality
• Techniques on how to stick to what you know is good for you
• Dealing with repetitive tasks

Find out your own ways to relieve the pressure and then let us know what works for you!

(As mentioned in the podcast here is he photo of Chris at the Pyramids!)

It’s no surprise that a common theme amongst books today is ‘Leadership in Tough Times’.  It’s an interesting topic, and one that applies to the business world as much as it does to our own personal lives.

How do you respond in tough times, when life presents a ‘major problem’? Do you get angry and look to lay blame on others? Do you freeze like a deer in headlights, convincing yourself you don’t know what to do next? Maybe you seek shelter from the storm by running to a friend, the fridge or some other pleasure-seeking distraction? Do you just cover your head and hope it will go away?

Or do you behave in a way that empowers you? That enables you to rise to the challenge and accept responsibility for making a change? Have you developed emotional fortitude to confidently face the tough times and strengthen your willpower to overcome the odds?

On reflection, I realise I have developed a few core beliefs that help me to keep calm and determined when things get shaky, leaving extra reserves of emotional strength to lead myself and others towards better times.

1. There is no problem I can’t handle

I have a belief that God won’t give me a problem that I can’t handle. Regardless of how ferocious, colossal or down-right nasty the problem is, I trust that I will be able to handle it.

It doesn’t mean I will know the answer or enjoy dealing with it, or not freak out along the way. But rather, I have faith that my capacity – and the capacity within each one of us – to take on enormous challenges is always greater than we think it is. I will use my strengths, my creativity and my resourcefulness to find the solution and make it so. One bad problem does not overrule all the good I have in my life, and keeping it in perspective really helps.

Tough times won’t destroy you. You can handle it, and I know you will.

2. The bigger the problem, the more I will grow

As a powerful complement to that first belief, I know that when a problem lands, it’s just another occasion where I am going to be challenged to grow. It’s an opportunity to learn more about myself, my compassion and my abilities. The bigger the challenge the more I will have to dig deeper into my convictions, to use resources I forgot I had, to work on strengthening my will, my faith and take my next step forward.

I understand and recognise that it will teach me important lessons (including painful ones I don’t want to face) and cause me to come out on the other side a better, stronger man for the experience.

This isn’t a belief or perspective I’ve always had: it’s one that surfaced a few years ago and serves me very well to keep a level head and spend more time focusing on finding a solution, than dwelling in the pain of the problem. Pain is a part of life, suffering is a choice.

It sounds odd, but now on some level when a big problem arises, I actually get a little excited to see what I’m going to learn and how I’m going to grow from this. This has totally shifted my approach and empowers me like nothing before.

That’s not blind optimism; it’s a truth that is always there for you to see as soon as you decide to be open and look for it.

3. Leaders are made in tough times

It’s easy to be a leader when things are going well. Profits rising? What an outstanding CEO! Back-to-back championships? The captain and the coach are the greatest of all time! Yet, the true test of a leader is when things turn for the worst. Can she remain focused yet flexible to still achieve her goals? Can he rally the troops to not lose confidence and inspire them to dig deeper, work harder and become closer as a team?

I see tough times as a calling for me to step up and become the leader I am meant to be.

When the going gets tough, you need to believe, not doubt; to create, not destroy; to bond not separate; to step up and  defy the odds, set a new standard for yourself and those around you.

Having all these empowering beliefs, does not exempt me from misfortune and periods of immense pain. So when stuff happens I simply remind myself that ‘this too shall pass’.

All pain is temporary. Yes, the sun will rise again and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Despite all your best intentions, keen desire and self-belief, sometimes you just can’t fix the situation. But hold on to the knowing that tough times won’t last forever. You CAN handle this, and the experience WILL enable you to become more of who you are meant to be.

How might these ideas help you to respond differently in the future? Leave a comment to share how you used to respond in tough times, or what you find works best for you in coping with big challenges. Other readers, and I, will appreciate hearing from you.

In this podcast, Gina and Chris discuss ways to make sure you do keep a healthy balance of taking care of yourself, while still being strong, supportive and available for your friends and colleagues.

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post! You’ll also be the first to receive a copy of our new e-Book.

In this podcast, Sam and Chris discuss three levels of listening and offer practical tips to ensure you not only listen well but remain engaged and interested in your conversations.

This topic was inspired by the recent request from a listener, and our answering podcast – The Dance of a Social Butterfly.

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post! You’ll also be the first to receive a copy of our new e-Book.

In this podcast, Sam and Chris explore the emotional impact of falling behind and simple shifts you can make to minimise the impact and quickly get back on track.

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post! You’ll also be the first to receive a copy of our new e-Book.

When is the last time you reviewed your communication with your fellow workers?

More specifically do you take control and manage up the communication between you and your manager?

During this podcast Chris and Paul talk about how you can actively work smarter and not harder.

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post! You’ll also be the first to receive a copy of our new e-Book.

Yet, how often do you follow your own advice to others?

Do you find yourself telling colleagues they should leave the office on time and get home to more important things while you stick around just a bit longer to write ‘just one more email’?

Have you told a particularly stressed friend that they really ought to take a break and treat themselves to an afternoon at a spa or R&R in the local park, while your common stress-busting strategy is to just keep fighting through it?

Do you and your partner often discuss how great it would be to take in more of the cultural treats and opportunities that your area of the country offers, only to see another six months pass without actually doing anything about it?

Perhaps these examples don’t exactly resonate with you…but I’m sure there are other situations that you have clearly and boldy, with respect and genuine care for another’s well-being, given someone sound advice. Yet, you yourself haven’t gotten around to acting on the same advice or made the time to take care of what’s important to you.

“Do as I say, not as I do” was a popular mantra of a former teacher of mine. Why is it easier to confidently give advice but not have the depth of conviction that we should also follow such solid advice? Why is it easier to tell others what is good for them, while we continue to practice bad habits that are counter-productive in our own life, and the complete opposite of our own words of wisdom.

Actually, a more important question would be “What is a great piece of advice you’ve given recently, that would also help you, but you haven’t taken action in your own life?” Something to ponder for sure.

The point is not to dwell on all the reasons and excuses you haven’t acted, but rather to challenge you to begin walking your talk more consistently. Step up and take on your own advice. Be a shining example for those around you. If your insights are helpful to others, wouldn’t acting on that direction yourself be even better for both of you?

Next time you want to give some advice, look in the mirror first and challenge yourself to do the same. It’s time you benefited as much as your friends from your thoughtful words of wisdom.

Leave a comment to let us know what advice of yours you’ve been avoiding, and what action you might take from reading this post. You’ll help others take action as well.

Sam's Doodle Beetle (C) 2010

Chris and Sam explore why learning from the best isn’t cheating, and Chris explains that there are key elements common to all successful achievement regardless of the type of activity you are wanting to excel at. Mixing in a pinch of every-day-action, and a bit of fun!

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post! You’ll also be the first to receive a copy of our new e-Book.

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post!

I’ve learned that we – the average, everyday person – are capable of changing our lives in numerous ways, dramatic ways (!) and faster than most might believe. Many people are wanting or hoping to improve their situation in some way: to lose weight, save more money, develop more meaningful relationships, take on more interesting or engaging hobbies, travel more, give back more, and the list goes on. Many just want to feel alive again.

So what is stopping us and what can we do about?  In our world today, it is so easy to get overwhelmed with all the choices and distractions that surround us continuously. Information overload is a new problem of the 21st century. The subsequent setback is that overwhelm usually leads to inaction. Our brain gets flooded with ideas, reasons, excuses and worries – clouding our best intentions and completely confusing us on what to do next.

This in turn kills our momentum and blocks our progress. Over time, lack of motivation sets in and it’s a slow, steady decline into a less than totally-fulfilled life of ‘same-old, same-old’ mixed in with regrets of what could have been. Before we know it, we have settled for ‘our lot in life’ and forget to imagine anything more for ourselves. This naturally leads to frustration and guilt about the gap between where we expected we’d be and where we actually are in our lives.

In my quest to understand the difference between those that do and those that don’t, and through all the “success strategies” and “inspirational stories”, the “best advice” and “insider secrets”, there is one success tip that stands above all the rest and never fails. One that the world’s greatest do consistently, and where those just starting their journey always begin.

When in doubt, take baby steps.

Nothing will build momentum more directly. Nothing will get you climbing the life ladder faster. Nothing will start to rebuild your confidence sooner.

When in doubt, take baby steps.

When you feel frustrated that you’re behind on your progress, just do one thing, no matter how small or inconsequential it may seem at the time, towards the direction of your goal. When you’re afraid at the mountain you’ve got to climb, just focus on taking the first step. When you’re stressed you won’t be able to do it perfectly, start by taking your best shot and adjust as you go, but just start.

When in doubt, take baby steps.

Baby steps may feel insignificant at first, but they are always better than standing still. Baby steps may feel too slow, but you will quickly gain momentum. Baby steps may feel too weak for your massive dreams, but they give you immeasurable strength to keep moving.

Take baby steps, and you stop doubting.

Stop doubting and you start believing (again).

Start believing, and you start moving forward.

Start moving forward, and you begin moving faster.

The only way to achieve what is important to you, to create a fulfilling life, and to live life on your terms, is to continue moving forward. Press on when the odds are against you, keep walking when the road gets rough and soon you’ll be looking back at the miles you’ve travelled, one baby step at a time.

When you think it’s too late to change, it isn’t, it’s simply time to take the first step, a baby step, and before you know it, you’ll be exactly where you want to be, taking giant strides once again, and watching your life become as fulfilling as you know it is meant to be.

What baby steps can you take right now? What is one action that you can do today to get unstuck? Leave a comment to let us know how this thought helped you and you will inspire other readers to do the same!

The show on NBC isn’t available to people outside of the USA, so you can view the first episode directly from breakthroughwithtonyrobbins.com

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post!

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post!

Our society seems to relentlessly push us to want more and need more. “Do more with less” is a common mantra in today’s businesses, cutbacks in staff means to continue on the path of ‘getting ahead’ you simply need to put your head down, nose to the grindstone and work harder. All in the name of more. However, there is another side.

If you surveyed a group of people, and asked them for one word that describes success, they will come up with terms such as (examples in brackets):

• Progress (taking steps towards, see/feel improvement)
• Achieve (promotion, salary rise, award)
• Gain (knowledge, skills, health)
• Grow (confidence, talents, relationships)
• Acquire (insights, partnerships, tools)

Any of those terms could apply to your health, finances, spirituality, business or career, and relationships. “If it’s not growing, it’s dying” as the saying goes.

All of those points are true, accurate, and an important part of any success equation. But there is an equally important, equally powerful yet commonly overlooked part of the success equation.

Often, on our road to our own success, we reach a point where not only do we need to continue to acquire, but we also need to let go.

The flip side of the terms listed above are all incredibly important for you to continue on your journey to fulfilment and satisfaction:

• Release
• Relinquish
• Let go
• Leave
• Die

You got to where you are by all your actions, attitudes, beliefs and values you’ve adopted over the years. However, to get to where you want to go and be in your life, sometimes (…more than you realise) you need to let some things die.

For example, beliefs that no longer serve you, habits that hold you back, relationships that prevent your progress.

By embracing the ‘letting go’ side of success and deciding what you no longer need to hold on to in order to achieve your ambitions and desires, you will be liberated.

Take the following 3-minute audit now and decide what you should let go of today, in order to truly fulfil your potential, achieve your goals, or simply make a bit more progress every day.

Think of one area of your life where you are striving for more success than you are currently experiencing. Here are seven questions to help you to take action now:

• What is holding you back from making more progress, quicker progress, easier progress?
• What are your beliefs about what it takes to make the progress you want?
• Are all those beliefs true? Are you sure?
• What are your daily habits that might feel good or helpful in some way but don’t fully allow you to make the progress you want?
• What is more important to you—making progress towards your goals, or staying where you are?
• What is more risky for your long term success and fulfilment—moving forward despite the fear or feelings of discomfort, or staying trapped in your comfort zone?
• What is one thing you no longer need to have (extra plate of food?), do (constantly multi-task?), or be (a worrier?) in order to achieve your outcome?

Answer those questions now and it will become clear what you need to leave behind in order to really achieve the level of success you desire…and the success you deserve.

Leave a comment below to let us know what you’d like to let go, or where you’d like some additional suggestions on how to make this part of the success equation work for you.

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post!

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post!

Research shows that people that are stressed and overwhelmed spend less than 25% of their time on things that are fulfilling to them. This can be at work and at home and at play. Are you being distracted from the important? Under demand from other people’s requests? Under delusion that the majority of your time on certain tasks is the best or fastest way to achieve your desired outcome? Of course, we all spend time in these phases, and indeed we need to spend time on the not-so-urgent-or-important duties during our days and weeks.

But every once in a while we need to take a step back. When is the last time you stopped? Took stock of where your time and attention is going, and should go? What is working for you (i.e. when are you at your best, where are you most productive and/or fulfilled, how are you managing your time and attention, where are you not coping as well as you’d like to)?

By the way, this doesn’t need to be a deep, soul-searching exercise. It can be a simple health check or audit of what’s happening right now in your life and what you could do to improve and increase your happiness or zest for life, work, family, friends, community, spirituality, and so on.

It’s a simple exercise of looking back on recent times and asking yourself the questions above. In just a few minutes of honest reflection your 20/20 hindsight will provide great foresight on how to easily and effortlessly take steps towards improvement and progress.

Do this without harsh judgment or beating yourself up for things that aren’t quite where you want them to be, just the process of this simple task will take you that much closer to everything you want to achieve. Even if you’ve struggled for a while or know you’ve procrastinated on making a change – that’s life, you’re human just like me. So if your initial reaction is self-blame or doubt, change it instead to one of gratitude that you care enough about yourself and are willing to live life more on your terms. Take the time to stop, acknowledge where you’d like to improve, and simply turn your attention to helpful and easy ways to take immediate steps in the right direction.

Here’s a simple guide (and secret of highly productive and consistent producers of excellence) on how and when to do this:

One minute per day: Before you lay your head on your pillow, reflect on the day and ask, ‘What was great about today?’ How can I make tomorrow even better?’ Be specific in your answers. Simple, easy, wonderfully rewarding.

One hour per week: Schedule and commit to one hour per week to reflect back on the previous week. How did you do? Did you complete what you wanted to? Did you get the outcomes you were hoping for? What can you do differently to effectively and efficiently manage your days/time/attention/energy this upcoming week? What are your priorities and outcomes for next week? Personally, I find first thing Saturday morning a great time to do this.

One day per quarter: Schedule and commit to one full day every three months to reflect back on the previous 90 days. Where have you seen great results and progress? What are the trends in how or where you under-delivered against your expectations? What can you start doing, or better yet, what will you commit to changing during the next 90 days. Be sure to look at all major areas of your life: health & vitality, finances & wealth creation, relationships with your partner & friends (separate out your partner from other friends or family), hobbies & interests, spirituality & community. You can also expand this to include your relevant professional categories. Make it a fun exercise and engage others in the hindsight and foresight exercise where appropriate. One full day might seem like a lot…but how much will you gain over the next 90 days from a 6-8 hour investment in planning ahead. (Hint: far more than you can imagine!). Personally, the last Friday or Saturday of March, June, September, December are great triggers to remind me to do this. You can also use the first day of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.

One weekend per year: A lot can happen in your life (and a lot can be delayed) in a year so it — and living the life that you want and deserve (!) — demands quality reflection and projection forward. Schedule and commit to two days at the end of the year to reflect on your previous goals and desires for the past year, the victories and defeats, the joys and sorrows. Where are you versus where you expected to be? What is going to make the next year different? Who are you becoming? How can you change or grow to become the person you want to be? What 20/20 hindsight can you use as foresight for an extraordinary year ahead? How much could you set yourself on an exciting and rewarding path with two full days of stopping, reflecting and planning ahead? (Hint: far more than you can imagine!)

20/20 hindsight is always there. So is your ability to reflect on these insights and turn them into powerful and empowering foresight for designing and living the life you’ve always imagined.

Start treating yourself to this gift today.

Chris

During my experience, I found myself on several occasions that I had to “check-in” with myself. I was finding that whilst the pain came in waves, sometimes I would be so busy shouting and screaming that I’d occasionally not notice that the pain has actually subsided! It got me thinking what else am I, or other people, trying to cope with that’s actually is no longer true.

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post!

Chris and Paul work though some of the tricks people use to make them think they have more time than they really do, and how to ultimately stop being late for everything!

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post!

Our minds are much like our homes.  They both get cluttered. They fill up with bits and bobs we no longer want or need. Both benefit from a regular cleaning out of stuff that we collected for one reason, and are holding onto out of habit, neglect, or just delusion it’s still the right thing to do.

Getting rid of old habits, procrastination or negative emotions, and replacing them with a fresh perspective and renewed optimism, is a great way to re-energise yourself and put a bounce in your step.

Here are simple suggestions to spring clean your life and mind.

Mind

Most clutter of the mind comes from a) losing sight of what is most important b) trying to mentally juggle too much. If you find yourself distracted on a regular basis and doing lots of things but not getting much accomplished, take a 30 to 60-minute time out to reset your inner compass on what is most important to you.

Action: Reflect on your goals for the year or what outcomes you really want to create in your life for the next week or month. Eliminate or delegate anything that isn’t a top priority.

Action: If you find your mind overloaded with too many things to remember, start each day with a pen and paper. Our brains are incredibly powerful, but very poor at organisation. Get back to basics and once you see all the items on paper you can make better choices on where to put your focus, attention and appreciation.

Relationships

What relationship have you neglected the past few months? Give it a polish and freshen the air around it. Is it a friendship you’ve gone too long without being in touch? A partner you haven’t spent enough positive and loving time with? Don’t worry if it’s been too long, now is the time to revive it and they will greatly appreciate the gesture.

Action: Decide to get in touch or make extra special plans to add shine to your relationship once again.

Emotions

What negative emotion have you been clinging to for too long now? What fear, stress, anxiety, worry, frustration, hatred is no longer serving you? We adopt these emotions because in some way they helped us. Perhaps to protect us from an illusion of greater pain ahead. But time has passed and it’s no longer contributing to your life and is likely contaminating it.

Action: Choose one negative emotion that is polluting your mind and body and decide to let it go. Replace that with something positive and make more room for happiness.

We’d love to hear your additional tips and ideas for spring cleaning your mind and body. Please leave a comment to share with other readers, and let us know what you will do to freshen up this spring.

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post!

The let down can be very painful and frustrating, sometimes even “devastating”. Or so it seems in the moment.

Religious views aside, one my more comforting quotes is “God’s delays are not God’s denials” (or the universe’s delays are not the universe’s denials). I was thinking of this today as I just learned my much anticipated business trip to Australia has been ‘postponed’ — that’s corporate speak for ‘probably ain’t gonna happen’.

It was something I had been preparing for for months, a week long training program with great inspirational speakers lined up, fantastic venues overlooking Sydney Harbour and a bonus few days on the end to relax on the beach. Even had numerous early morning and late night calls from Europe to Australia to convince the potential attendees of the value of the week and final got them on board just last week. So the let down of this lastest decision has been hard to take.

But delays are not denials, I tell myself.

Holding on to this thought doesn’t change the situation but it does significantly alter my emotions around the event. I could choose to dwell and indulge in ‘pain and suffering’ from the change of plans (…as so many of us do choose as default), or I can choose to believe that change happens for a reason. That this just means the experience I was looking forward to will be even better when it actually happens; it’s simply delayed, not denied.

When’s the last time you decided to suffer through change? Or stay frustrated when something was cancelled? How could you respond to future ‘delays not denials’. Our ability to manage our emotions in these moments is a gift we all have, and a choice we all make.

Choose wisely. Choose well.

Leave a comment to share with others…how do you cope with ‘delays’

By the time we reach adulthhood, we’re trained to follow the annual calendar of set times to celebrate: New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, your birthday or anniversary, and perhaps one or two other unique situations or occasions in the calendar. We also celebrate victories and milestones like a new job, a new home, a favourite sports team win, or a great performance at our child’s piano recital.

The point is that nearly all celebration is due to an event. An experience, a moment in time, and a reflection of time passing.  Something outside of us. It’s an event that is so exciting or significant, it just feels good to celebrate.

So what if we created more celebration — more spontaneous celebration — in our lives, just because we can. What would you celebrate? How would you celebrate?

And what if we turned that equation around and said, “It feels good to celebrate, so I’m going to create an event that will be exciting (and fun) and significant (and have meaningful impact). I’m not going to wait for something else to happen, I’m just going to do it because I want to.”

Here are some thought starters to help you on your way to more spontaneous celebration for you and those around you. Even better is that each one can be done for free or very little cost.

Celebrate the people in your life

• For five consecutive days leave your partner or children a little note telling them how much they mean to you. Try to do it in 10 words or less, tell them a little thing they do that lights you up or warms your heart, tell them how much you appreciate their support, tell them something wonderful you often think about them but haven’t actually said it before. Five days, fifty words…you’ll be amazed at what you’ll get back in return for that little gesture.
• The same can work wonders for your work colleagues, especially if you manage a team. Leave hand-written notes on their desk, or send them a card about how much you value their contribution and recognise their good work. Be specific and mention exactly what they did or are doing that you appreciate.

Celebrate your experiences

• You’ve probably got dozens of great photos buried in your hard drive or in an old shoe box. Photo of your family, your travels, special occasions that remind you of magical moments in your life…but only if you see them! Don’t worry if they’re not professional looking or perfectly shot, just pick one or two that make you smile and send them off to the printer to get enlarged and framed. Printing via the internet will cost you less than £1 and a frame will cost you about £10. £11 spent once, to make you smile everyday for the rest of your life.

Celebrate your self

• Take a few minutes at the end of each day this week, and make a note to yourself. Acknowledge the progress you made, the success you had and the magic moments this week. Sometimes the smaller the better — it serves to remind you of the little things and little steps of progress you’re making to enjoy the life that you’re creating. This is extra powerful if you’re in a time of struggle right now. Don’t wait for all things to be better to celebrate, decide what IS going well, no matter how small, and celebrate that with a laugh, a smile or a spontaneous dance in the dark. Whatever works for you, but be spontaneous and free.

So I’ve decided that I’m going to go out with friends tonight for some live Irish music and I’ll be sure to spontaneously dance with the famous blond woman in the black dress.

Please leave a comment and let us know >>

• What would you like to spontaneously celebrate?
• And how will you do that?

However, within a few more weeks he had cut his time for that same distance in half and was now middle of the pack. He used to be afraid of the water and now loves to swim and compete in the sport. When asked of his advice to someone who was taking on a new challenge, his words were as simple as they were profound, “Persistence is key and the reward is freedom”.

What is true behind these words is what you gain freedom from. Not usually a lifetime of riches and independence, but more precisely, freedom from your worries, fears, concerns, anxiety, depression, doubts, low self-esteem or whatever mental and emotional weight you were putting on yourself. When that weight is lifted, and you have a breakthrough — such as acknowledging the fact that you can do it — it is often astounding how insignificant your old thoughts of doubt and worry really were. It’s shocking how much those negative thoughts and feelings really tied you down and delayed your success.

So whatever challenge you’re currently facing and trying to bust through, remember persistence is the key to your freedom — the ultimate reward we all deserve. Realise that when you have that success, you will look back and wonder why you chose to indulge in those negative thoughts and emotions for so long. So why not leave those thoughts behind right now? Let go and be free.

What are you currently facing where persistence will help you? What would you like to be free of? And what reward is waiting for you?

Leave us a comment as we’d love to hear from you.

Until then,

Chris

How is it that millions of people want something that is important to them, is absolutely possible to achieve, will provide tremendous benefits and rewards, yet they fail so miserably at getting what they want?

Here are three key reasons why New Year’s resolutions don’t work:

1) Most resolutions are made in response to something negative. Lose weight, get out of debt, stop smoking. They are based on a habit or situation someone wants to change or end. While these are valid things to change, it’s really hard to build momentum by ending something negative. It requires focus on something you don’t want.

2) Most people don’t understand what it takes to truly create lasting change or results. Resolutions and goal are just words, but results require action – and usually consistent and massive action. Most people want something big to change yet don’t get crystal clear on what action will be required, what new information or knowledge they need, what new skills they need or what old habits must be broken that will hold them back. Trying harder is never the solution, trying different is.

3) Most people don’t establish the right environment of support for the goal. After bolding claiming to themselves and their friends what they will do, most people try (or suffer) in private to make the change. Combined with points 1 and 2 above, without effective influence, support, collaboration it can be a daunting challenge that can quickly lose momentum.

2010 doesn’t have to be this way for you. Here’s a quick solution for your resolutions:

1) Describe a compelling outcome you really want. Rather than losing 20 lbs, turn it to the positive: I want to be a vibrant and healthy 120lbs so I can play with my children for hours, wear that slinky dress and have more energy to give to my partner.

2) Write down exactly WHAT you want, and describe in detail WHY that is important. When you get really connected to the WHY, that’s when the energy, enthusiasm and excitement builds. Then detail the HOW, the specific steps and actions you need to take. Complete it with a measurable timeframe. Most importantly, review your top goals daily, and all goals monthly to keep you on track.

3) Create an empowering environment around you. Supportive friends, daily reminders posted on your wall or mirror, throw away all junk food, de-clutter your home to give you more focus. If those goals are really compelling, you will do whatever it takes to ensure you make consistent progress towards your goals.

If you’re not already subscribed to Action Podcast, you can do so on the right side of this page. You’ll receive weekly inspiration, insights and motivation to keep you going from four experienced coaches. That’s another way to keep you on track, on purpose and energized throughout the entire process.

Best wishes for a successful and rewarding 2010!

We would love to celebrate our special birthday with a few of your comments and reviews via the iTunes store.

Please take a few minutes to log in to iTunes and register your customer rating and a customer review.

Action Podcast on iTunes

Thanks you so much in advance – we look forward to reading your reviews soon!

Paul, Sam, Gina and Chris
The Action Podcast Team

All these questions and more are answered in this podcast with Chris and Paul.

In this podcast, Chris and Paul discuss how to simply break the cycle of worry in any situation and find a better approach.

After listening to the podcast and trying the suggestions, please leave a comment and let us know how it worked for you. We’d love to hear from you!

I received a tweet this week which quoted a young girl. This young girl is battling cancer and going through chemotherapy. She told her parents “”Everything will be OK in the end; If it’s not OK, it is not the end”. She also says her mum worries too much.

There are so many ways to view that statement and so I choose to see the reminder that we always have the power to choose the meaning in any situation. Yet, so often we forget that we have that choice.

Take, for example, something in your life right now that you are worried about, big or small. You’re uncertain about the outcome, or you’re expecting a painful experience, or you’re simply not getting the results you want and don’t see a way to change it.

Think about the specific element, the tip of the pin, the little nugget that has you really worried.

How often you do indulge in that state of worry?
How long do you choose to indulge in that state of worry?
What are you really worried about in that situation?
Does the specific element — that ‘tip of the pin’ — honestly warrant and deserve that frequency and duration of emotional worry?

So often we get trapped in our own self-induced fog of worry that we can’t see anyway out of it (…or that it could even be anything but something to worry about). We build up a huge story in our minds about the terrible outcomes that will inevitably arrive and conveniently ignore the fact that we always have the power to choose the meaning we give something, or someone. We expend a lot of energy on the ‘worry’ part of the situation, rather than choosing to spend our energy on the ‘wonderment’ and ‘gratitude’ of the situation.

If you find yourself in a consistent state of worry about some element in your life, remember that it’s not the end. Only when you release the worry, see the situation as it is (and not worse than it is), and choose a more heartfelt, empowering meaning, will the situation be OK.

If it’s not OK; it’s not the end. And you always have the power to make it OK.

“I’m not being listened to! They aren’t hearing me! Why am I so misunderstood?”

Having to constantly repeat ourselves is not the only option! Join Chris and Sam as they explore the differences between hearing and listening, how it affects our communication when we feel like we aren’t being listened to, and what we can start doing to improve the effectiveness of our speaking and listening straight away.

The first decision is making the big decision, such as, “I’m going to get healthier”, “I’m going to spend less so I can save more”, “I’m really going to work on getting more customers”. Those are examples of the broader, or macro, decisions to address some area of your life. These are the kind of decisions that people are very good at proclaiming on New Year’s Eve as a resolution for the coming 12 months. Yet, the reason most people don’t get the results that they want, is that they are poor at consistently making the little daily decisions, or micro decisions, that really lead to the results they want.

And here’s why: most people make decisions based on who they are now, the skills they now have or the beliefs they now hold.

But if you’re a person who is aching for change and really wanting to get different results (e.g. more health, more wealth, more happiness, etc), you can’t make decisions based on who you are now.

The best advice I’ve ever received is this: make decisions as if you were the person you want to become.

Consider this example, you want to be healthier by going to the gym in the morning 4 days a week. You want it really badly but you struggle sometimes to get out of bed. You’re alarm goes off at 6am, you wake up and decide to lay there for another 15 minutes. At 6:15 you decide you need some more rest since you have a big day ahead of you and you can go to the gym tomorrow. That’s just not going to get you to your goal is it?

However, if you begin to make decisions as if you were a healthy active person, then you would begin to get out of bed as soon as the alarm went off and head to the gym regardless of how tired or unmotivated you actually felt in that moment. Act as if you were motivated. Act as if you loved going to the gym. And if you continued to make that decision on a consistent basis, and took that action on a regular basis, you’d soon become more healthy.

I recognise this can be easier said than done so contact one of the Action Coaches and listen to our motivational podcasts to learn some very simple and very effective techniques to make better decisions and consistently take the action you need in order to become the person you want to become.

Fear not, my friend. There is a better strategy to find that motivation, and more precisely, to discover your ultimate motivation.

There are four dimensions to motivation as illustrated in the graphic on the right. Let me explain.

4 dimensions of motivation

External motivation comes from things or people outside of you, such as your family, your boss, and the economy. Are you going through med school because your parents want you to be a doctor? Are you motivated to save money because there is a recession?

Internal motivation comes from within you, when you are inspired to do what you want to do and go after things that are important to you. You exercise because it makes you feel healthy and vibrant, you apply for that job because you like the challenge and growth opportunities.

Push motivation is often doing things because you have to, and if you don’t you’re likely to feel some sort of pain. You stop smoking because your doctor says you’re lungs will stop working, you work extra hours because your boss needs that report done. It’s as if someone (likely yourself) is pushing you from behind. Think of your daily To-Do list! Most of that is likely a ‘push’ to get stuff done.

Pull motivation is usually from doing things because you not only want to but also because you are inspired to. You are literally pulled into that compelling future, like a magnet drawing you towards a really exciting experience, result or achievement. Think about your bigger aspirations like having a beautiful family life, or traveling to new countries to explore and learn about different cultures.

Ok, I get it Chris, so what’s the secret for my ultimate motivation?! (I hear you say…)

Well, we all are influenced by those four dimensions but genuine, heartfelt, from-the-gut, powerful, inspirational, and lasting motivation will always come from the Internal-Pull quadrant of motivation. When you can generate a vision for what you want in your future – be it related to your health, relationships, financial, career, spirituality, or any big or small aspect of your life – you will find motivation to take action comes swiftly and effortlessly. And THAT is the Ultimate Motivation. The other quadrants will happen as a fact of life. But if you want to grab hold of your life and create the life you’ve always wanted, you have to focus on the Internal-Pull type of motivation with a compelling vision and plan, and stop waiting for someone else to poke you into action.

Ok, I get it Chris, sounds exciting! But how do I do that?! (I hope you say…)

You don’t have to DO anything differently, you just need to THINK differently about the situation. Ask yourself these simple questions and through those answers you can uncover a deeper, more meaningful, longer lasting and inspiring motivation to keep you marching forward towards your dreams.

• What good feelings, outcomes, results will I gain from this situation/experience?
• What bad feelings, thoughts, outcomes will I eliminate from this situation/experience and what will benefits will that bring to my life?

Write down your answers (don’t just think them). Read them out loud daily with full emotion and passion and soon you’ll find you are automatically taking the actions you need to stay on track and inspired.

Leave us a comment and let us know how this works for you.

We are very excited to announce that today, Friday 17 April 2009, Action Podcast enjoyed its 5000th download!

To celebrate, we are offering our listeners a fantastic, motivational offer –  4 FREE telephone coaching sessions with an Action Podcast Coach of your choice!

To make sure you are in with a chance of winning, simply post a comment in the box below, or post an iTunes review, telling us what you most enjoy about actionpodcast.com. On 15 May 2009, we will randomly select one entrant as our 5000th download winner.

So don’t delay! Here’s your chance to get help in turning your life around.
Post a comment below now, or submit a review on iTunes

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The 4 free coaching sessions will last 45 minutes and must be taken between Monday 20 April and Wednesday 30 September 2009. They will be by phone (if you live in the UK) or by Skype. Due to the global nature of this offer, there are certain restrictions to the time of day that these sessions will be available. The winner will have 7 days to accept their prize or it will be re-drawn and awarded to another listener.

Post your comment now – and make 2009 a year to remember. Good luck!

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wheel-of-life

What you do in the first 20 minutes can set you up for a great day…or an unfulfilled day. Are you aware of your morning habits?

In this podcast Paul and Chris discuss how to create powerful morning habits and ways to overcome the negative habits that you no longer want. Both of which can have a dramatic influence on your daily success.

What lessons can we take from this extreme episode?

Calling this a miracle does not give enough credit to the pilot and crew. This was purely a case of hundreds of hours of training, preparation, quick decision and ok, a bit of luck with a calm river with no water traffic on the makeshift landing strip.  When something this unexpected happens, you don’t have time to go through your usual pace of planning, analysis, identifying and evaluation options, decide to take action, and execute. Of course, all that did happen but in an extraordinarily short time frame given the size of the situation and the implications. While pilots understand their machines can fail, even the best of the best will tell you they never expect it will happen to them.

While investigators try to find out what went wrong, they are also looking at what went right. And so many are pointing to pilot Chesley B. Sullenberger III and how he controlled the situation. This is a fantastic reminder of how to overcome unexpected events that bring tremendous challenge to your life:

Manage your state. It is understandable that people can become overwhelmed with negative emotions when facing an extreme challenge such as a in-flight emergency….or a sudden illness, an unexpected financial challenge, or an unforeseen job loss. Yet progress and success come most rapidly from managing to turn or keep your state with empowering emotions and thoughts that give you focus, confidence and determination to make the right decisions. The greater the challenge, the greater the importance of managing your state.

Focus on what you can control. When a pilot’s equipment fails, his ‘mechanic controls’ can be eliminated or he’s left with limited tools of the aircraft. It would be unthinkable for the pilot to sit and complain about what’s not working or spend any time worrying about the problem. He must immediately turn to the solutions and use all his mental skills to remain calm, focused and determined. The most successful people tend to spend 5% of their time on the problem and 95% on the solution. Regardless of the tragedy or challenge in your life, your way out is to understand what you can control and turn those resources into the solution that you most desire. And with a bit of persistence, you will be successful.

Ask for help. While the pilot is truly the one to steer the plane, he needed total support from his crew and air traffic control. The result would have been totally different if Mr. Sullenberger tried to figure it out all himself or was ‘too embarrassed’ to seek help. His crew are additional resources to implement the solution and the air traffic control provides a different perspective to help guide him to success. Like in life, success comes from getting the right help at the right time. A life coach is an ideal partner providing a different perspective, additional resources and much needed encouragement to propel you out of a challenge and on to the landing strip you need to continue a happy, healthy and wise way forward.

Contact one of our Action Coaches today to find out how we can help you create miracles in your life.

So here’s a thought….what would you do differently if you new that this year will also fly by faster than you thought, faster than you want? How long would you put off doing what you want to do? How long would you be willing to wait for happiness? How long would you sit in your comfort zone longing for more adventure and excitement in your life? Of course, time doesn’t slow down but our lives continually seem to speed up and let’s face it, 2009 will go by just as fast as all the recent years.

Now turn those previous questions around and take control of your 2009 destiny. How quickly can you start doing what you want to do? Today! What can you do right now to feel happy? Anything!  When can you stretch your comfort zone to embrace a new challenge or opportunity to learn, grow and contribute? Right now!

There is no doubt that you can make 2009 your best year ever. But it’s not going to happen by accident. You can have  awesome goals,  grand plans and lots of lists. Yet without consistent action, your dreams remain just dreams and another year passes by leaving you wanting more. Only action leads to results. And consistent action in the direction of your dreams leads to positive results that inspire you to keep going.

Action Points

Here are a few starter points for having an incredible 2009. Put these into action and not only enjoy the months ahead, but possibly have your best year ever.

1. Get clear on what worked and what didn’t.  Reflecting back on the lessons learned from the previous year can help you to clearly identify common obstacles (physical and mental) that prevented progress as well as understanding where you really excel and find great happiness.

2. Set new goals that excite you. Often goal setting can seem like a creation of another long ‘to do’ list. It’s important to make a distinction between stuff you want to do and goals that excite you. You will still do the stuff you want to do but identifying a handful of bigger, bolder goals that get your internal juices flowing and make you want to jump out of bed in the mornings brings an entirely different and energetic perspective on your year ahead.

3. Create an action plan. Here is where the dream starts to feel real. Your goals from point 2 give you clarity on the ultimate outcome you want. Your action plan should then break down that outcome into smaller steps to guide you along the way. The best action plan for a year will be structured into quarterly, monthly, weekly then daily plans. Consistently daily action is your fastest route to goal achievement.

4. Take action and adjust. A good thought to keep in mind is that every action you take is either moving you in the direction of your goal, or away from your goal. Sometimes you just need to do things that aren’t aligned to your goals and that’s ok…as long as you’re aware of it. When you see yourself getting off track you simply need to make an adjustment, try a different approach and remain focused on your ultimate goal.

5. Be accountable. Even when you have brilliant goals that really excite you and massive motivation to take action, sometimes life challenges us to remain on track. Holding yourself accountable for consistent action can be tough at times, which is where a life coach can really make a difference. A coach will help you develop the strategies necessary to get the results you want. Contact any one of the Action Coaches on this site for the added support and boost to make 2009 your best year ever.

In this podcast, Paul and Chris discuss the real power behind willpower and explain fastest way to overcome the lack of willpower in any situation.

Sort of.

Your heart says you’re committed and your mind knows you want to, but are you really, truly and honestly committed? And this doesn’t just apply to decisions you make at an empowering seminar. How many times have you proclaimed (even if it’s just to yourself) that you are committed to change and yet you somehow don’t follow through to the extent you wanted to nor the depth you “committed” to?

The funny thing about commitment is that commitment is not a noun, it is a verb. Commitment is not a statement or a conviction, commitment is ACTION! The old adage of ‘actions speak louder than words’ is no more true than it is with commitment.

When you proclaim that you are committed to change, you’re really just saying “I really want to change”. True commitment shows up in continuous action until you get the results you desire.

So the next time you say you’re committed, realise that the proof is in the action.

Action Points

Identify an area of your life where you recently have made a statement of commitment yet are not getting the result you want, and ask yourself:

1. What did I commit to?
2. What actions have I taken that move me closer to my outcome?
3. What additional actions could I take to move me even more close to my outcome?

And the next thing to do is of course….TAKE ACTION!

Rather than struggle to the point of frustration and disappointment, become more aware of the type of motivation you are seeking. Clarity always leads to power and once you get clear on what it is you want, and why you want it you’ll be able to generate the deep internal drive to propel you to success.

In this Action Podcast, Paul and Chris discuss how to find your motivation, and how to keep it to ensure you get the results you want.

With a little forethought from you – and support from your coach – you can still have a great time, without spending the New Year trying to repair the damage.

So by this New Year you will already be working towards the new you that you promised yourself last year!