Scott Perry's Blog, page 2
January 14, 2024
7 Catalyst Questions
It’s challenging to set goals that are clear and specific and create a plan to achieve them in less time, with greater certainty, and less risk.1
Here are seven questions I ask clients to help establish where they are, where they want to be, and what’s in their way so we can create a success plan to close the gap efficiently and effortlessly.
What’s your primary life or business goal right now? The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. What’s your one and only main thing?
What’s your definition of success in that endeavor? Any path will get you there if you don’t know where you’re going. Where do you want to be?
What’s missing, broken, or needs work? What problem are you solving? Getting what you want is about problem-solving and making decisions better.2
What do you need help with? Where do you seek clarity, direction, or insight? What got you where you are won’t get you where you want to be. What’s missing, broken, or needs work?
What’s the consequence of continuing to just keep doing what you’re doing? You’ve got to change to change.3 What’s at stake if you don’t change? What’s the cost of time, money, or well-being?
What have you done so far to try to resolve your biggest challenges? Often, the most significant success force multiplier is to stop doing what doesn’t work.4 What do you know doesn’t work?
What resources or assets can you leverage to get clearer and closer to what you want? No one wins alone.5 Who do you know that can help? What do you already possess that you could better leverage?
Answering these questions helps you objectively define what’s now, what’s next, and what matters. This makes establishing the necessary essential steps easier, making closing the gap effortless.
If you want to share your responses with me and get some help getting clear and closer to what you want in life and business, click here now.
1, Sustainable Goal Setting & Achievement
2. Decide Which Future to Kill
3. You’ve Got To Change To Change
4. What’s On Your Stop-Doing List?
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
If what you just read resonated, please share it with a friend.
January 11, 2024
Go Small
Making progress in your pursuit of better living while you make a bigger difference in the second half of life requires making decisions and taking action.
Of course, it helps to make deliberate decisions (ones that are weighed and considered) and to take action with intention and integrity.
It also helps if you acknowledge and accept that decisions are not outcomes.1
And work on the next necessary “smallest viable step” that gets you closer to your goal of better living through making a bigger difference and living your legacy.
Define your next smallest viable step.
“Well-being is realized by small steps.”—Zeno
It should be specific, measurable, and scheduled.
The point is to take the right (AKA “necessary and essential”) steps at the right time and in the right order.
For instance, if you decide the difference only you can make would be most effectively delivered as a coaching program. What are the essential steps?
Reasoning from first principles,2 you decide that what’s required is an offer, an audience, and a sales strategy.
You define a problem you can help others solve (or an aspiration you can help them achieve) and develop a signature approach that gets a measurable result in a specified time.
Then, you find an audience that shares your values and needs, the difference only you can make to enhance their lives.
Finally, you develop a simple sales success strategy that connects your offer with those who would benefit.
Along the way, you pay attention to obstacles and opportunities you couldn’t have predicted and adjust as needed.
Every day, you weigh your options, choose what appears to move you the farthest and fastest into the possibility you imagine, take that step, and repeat until it becomes a habit.
Then, choose the next smallest viable step.
Put another way, set a goal, establish your strategy, and define a tactic you can execute daily until your goal is reached or the deadline is met.
Rinse and repeat.
Progress in any worthwhile endeavor is made through daily deliberate steps into a more fulfilling future more often than giant leaps of faith.
Do the Work
What’s the smallest viable step you’re taking into possibility today?
Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.
This article is the republished seventh of nine lessons from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters3 or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon,4 or access the entire course for free.5
January 9, 2024
Decide Which Future to Kill
What are decisions for?
Reasoning from first principles,1 it might be a good idea to start with what a decision is.
“Decision” comes from the Latin decidere,2 the roots of de (off) and caedere (kill).
To decide is, therefore, to kill off.
Kill off what?
Well, for one thing, when you make and act on a decision, you are killing off the status quo of what’s now.
I’d assert that when you decide, you are deciding on one course of action over one or more alternative possibilities.
So when you decide and act on one future possibility, you are, by definition, killing off other possible futures.
Back then, to the original question, what are decisions for?
Based on the etymology, decisions are for stepping into possible futures while simultaneously killing off others.
Suddenly, decision-making seems like serious business (not that we need to take it or ourselves too seriously).
I say all this knowing that since you will both create and kill possible futures, you might think about what future you want (and which you don’t).
You should also think about who you are and clarify who you are becoming.3
“First tell yourself what kind of person you want to be, then do what you have to do.”—Epictetus
So, I’m asking, what do you want?4
And who do you want to become?
More specifically, what do you really want, and who do you really want to be?
The decisions you make can get you closer to what you want.
OR take you further away from what you want.
Decisions inform what emerges.5
Do the Work
Ready to make a decision?
What do you really, really want, and who do you really want to be?
How will you be more decisive and make better decisions by noticing and naming6 what’s happening and navigating a better way forward?7
Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.
This article is the republished sixth of nine lessons from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters8 or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon.9
3 Becoming
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
If what you just read resonated, please share it with a friend.
January 7, 2024
Play Your Game
Life is inherently fraught.
A life worth living begins with doing work worth doing—the work you were meant to do.
The only thing worse than trying and failing at the game of life is trying and failing at someone else’s game.
And anything worth doing should be done full out and with passion.
“You should not vacillate.”—The Bhagavad Gita
By the way, if you are fortunate enough to have already discerned and are delivering your passion. Huzzah!
Much of what we wish to become resides in who we already are (and have always been).
Celebrate and share your good fortune.
Passion begets passion.
Many of us have been told, “Find your passion.” But have you been shown how to find your passion?
Where does passion reside?
As with purpose, the answers are contradictory. Is passion “out there” for you to discover and exploit? Or is it inside you to be excavated and employed?
I wonder if it’s neither? Or perhaps both?
Perhaps passion is also a “both-and” situation.
What if passion naturally occurs from doing the work right before you right now with full and mindful presence?
What if passion isn’t a finite but a renewable resource? Maybe passion arises from engaging in your everyday routines and relationships with passion.
Maybe passion resides where wisdom lives—in the execution of knowledge.
After all, learning that does not lead to action is useless.
Do the Work
What if, just for today, you stopped treating both purpose and passion like destinations?
What if, just for today, you treated them like regenerative resources that grow as you employ them in all your endeavors?
What if, just for today, you practiced passion (and purpose) from the inside out?
How might that change everything?
Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.
This article is the republished third lesson from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters1 or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon.2
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
If what you just read resonated, please share it with a friend.
January 4, 2024
The Unpursuit of Happiness
Why does the pursuit of happiness create so much misery?
Because happiness isn’t a place. It can’t be pursued.
Pursuing happiness is fruitless and can only result in frustration and emptiness.
So, does happiness matter?
Of course, we need to understand what it is (and what it means).
Happiness is actually a naturally occurring SIDE EFFECT of worthwhile pursuits.
Happiness simply happens when you connect, collaborate, and create with integrity and intention for its own sake (and the sake of others).
Happiness, then, signals that we are finding fulfillment and forging meaning from our life situation (and even suffering).
“It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly but happily than to live an imitation of somebody’s life with perfection and sorrow.”—The Bhagavad Gita
What if, just for today, you let go of the empty pursuit of happiness and instead let it ensue from doing something that aligns with who you really are, what you’re really good at, and where you really belong?
This “unpursuit of happiness” cultivates something even more powerful—joy.
Happiness is usually associated with delight (surprise) and pleasure. It’s typically singular and selfish.
Happiness is a “victory” or an accomplishment associated with having good luck or good fortune shine upon you.
Joy is more sustainable, especially when shared with those you care about.
Joy is a journey that encourages awe, wonder, gratitude, and generosity.
Do the Work
How might the unpursuit of happiness invite more joy into your life?
More≠ Closer 1
Make a list of where the undisciplined pursuit of more is actually getting you further rather than getting closer to what you really want.
What’s your plan for avoiding chasing more going forward so you can focus on closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be?
Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.
This article is the republished fourth lesson from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters2 or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon,3 or access the entire course for free.4
4.The Art of Encore Living Course
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
If what you just read resonated, please share it with a friend.
The Unprusiuit of Happiness
Why does the pursuit of happiness create so much misery?
Because happiness isn’t a place. It can’t be pursued.
Pursuing happiness is fruitless and can only result in frustration and emptiness.
So, does happiness matter?
Of course, we need to understand what it is (and what it means).
Happiness is actually a naturally occurring SIDE EFFECT of worthwhile pursuits.
Happiness simply happens when you connect, collaborate, and create with integrity and intention for its own sake (and the sake of others).
Happiness, then, signals that we are finding fulfillment and forging meaning from our life situation (and even suffering).
“It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly but happily than to live an imitation of somebody’s life with perfection and sorrow.”—The Bhagavad Gita
What if, just for today, you let go of the empty pursuit of happiness and instead let it ensue from doing something that aligns with who you really are, what you’re really good at, and where you really belong?
This “unpursuit of happiness” cultivates something even more powerful—joy.
Happiness is usually associated with delight (surprise) and pleasure. It’s typically singular and selfish.
Happiness is a “victory” or an accomplishment associated with having good luck or good fortune shine upon you.
Joy is more sustainable, especially when shared with those you care about.
Joy is a journey that encourages awe, wonder, gratitude, and generosity.
Do the Work
How might the unpursuit of happiness invite more joy into your life?
More≠ Closer 1
Make a list of where the undisciplined pursuit of more is actually getting you further rather than getting closer to what you really want.
What’s your plan for avoiding chasing more going forward so you can focus on closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be?
Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.
This article is the republished third lesson from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters2 or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon.3
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
If what you just read resonated, please share it with a friend.
January 1, 2024
Why You Don't Achieve Your Goals
The enemy of goal achievement is priorities.
What? Aren’t priorities a good thing?
No. Priorities are a trap.
Until the early 1900s, there was no such thing as priorities. Although the word priority has been part of the English vocabulary since the 1400s, it has ALWAYS been used in the singular until recently.
So, here’s the thing. You can only have one priority. Only ONE thing can come first.
Once that one thing is achieved, you can put it on a maintenance plan and choose your next priority, but if you have more than one priority, then nothing is a priority.
“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”—Stephen Covey
The Barbell Strategy, Reasoning From First Principles, and Systems Thinking are just a few principles I use and share with clients to close the gap between desire and destination.
If you want to learn more, email I’M READY to me.1
I’ll send you free resources to help you set and achieve goals that help you get from where you are to where you want to be in life more efficiently and effectively.
What’s your main thing right now? What can you give up to recover more time, attention, money, and effort to reallocate toward achieving your priority?
How can you put things that are necessary but not the priority on a minimum effective dose while you keep the main thing the main thing?
1. Contact me
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
If what you just read resonated, please share it with a friend.
December 31, 2023
Define Your Game
Why is your purpose (AKA “the difference only you can make”) so elusive?
Where do you find your life’s next vocation?
“Look to your dharma.”—The Bhagavad Gita
Dharma is an ancient Sanskrit word that defies easy translation.
It is often translated as one’s sacred role, calling, or duty—in other words, one’s vocation.
But, as the story of the Gita reveals, defining, embracing, and living your life’s purpose is fraught.
What do I mean by “fraught?”
Embracing and executing the difference only you can make to leave a legacy of meaning and impact is laden with responsibility and rewards in equal measure.
In other words, “it’s complicated.”
A big part of the challenge is the misconceptions about where your calling resides.
Maybe you’ve been told that your purpose is “out there,” and you need to go find it. Or perhaps you were told it’s “inside,” and you need to excavate it?
Here’s the thing. Purpose isn’t a destination to be discovered or an asset to be mined. Discovering the difference only you can make is a process. It’s a journey.
To cultivate purpose, define an endeavor to do on purpose. Engage in that work for a purpose and with purpose. That is how you determine the difference only you can make now.
Finally, do that thing with and for people you care about.
Here’s an overview of the 3-step approach we use in Creative on Purpose’s programs to help clients define the difference only they can make and stop feeling lost, overwhelmed, or empty so they can start thriving in an endeavor that matters.
The first step is to identify who you really are. What are your core values? What’s your vision of a world worth working toward? What are your guiding principles?
The second step is to define what you’re good at. What hard skills did you learn in school and on the job that light you up? And what about the soft skills of connection, communication, collaboration, and creativity you’ve been honing since you exited the womb?
The third and final step is to determine where you belong. Where is that? You belong with people who share your values and need your talents to enhance their lives.
Do the Work
What happens if you take a few minutes to dial in who you really are, what you’re really good at, and where you really belong?1 How might that change everything?
Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.
This article is the republished first lesson from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters2 or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon.3
______
1. How to Define the Difference Only You Can Make
2. More Encore Articles
3. The Art of Encore Living
December 28, 2023
The Ground Rules
This guide is designed to help you define the difference only you can make so you can craft it into a meaningful endeavor done with and for people you care about so you can live your legacy.1
However, while you pursue what you want on your terms without compromising on the content of your character, there are a few ground rules.
“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.”—Epictetus
Agency is as intoxicating as it is elusive.
What do I mean by “agency?”
Agency is about taking ownership of and responsibility for what is and is not within your control—what is within your purview and what you have authority2 over.
When the breaks go your way, it’s easy to believe it’s due to your intelligence and planning.
When things go awry, it’s easy to blame others or fate.
The truth is, very little is within your control, but at the same time, you do control everything required to maintain your sense of well-being and prosperity.
You ultimately control only two things.
You determine how you choose to perceive yourself, others, and your situation.
You also control what you decide to do next.
Everything else is beyond your control.
Your body is subject to disease, decline, and (ultimately) death.
The attitude and behavior of others are for them to decide, not you.
And there are forces far more powerful than you at work in life’s social, political, economic, cultural, and geographical arenas.
However, many things beyond your absolute control are within your influence.
You can eat well and exercise to promote a healthy body.
You can adopt a compassionate posture toward others that encourages them to engage in their goodness.
And you can choose your battles and leverage your assets to persuade results that enhance the prospects for all.
Agency is then less about what is and is outside your control, but rather your willingness to take responsibility for your decisions3 and actions.
Accepting agency’s invitation doesn’t guarantee the outcomes we desire. Instead, it provides us with a much more valuable gift.
The ability to find fulfillment and meaning in the journey.
Do the Work
Where in your life have you ignored or abdicated your agency over how you see, think about, decide, plan, and take action?
How can you reclaim your power in those situations?
Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.
This article is the republished first lesson from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters4 or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon.5
1 What It Means to Live Your Legacy
3 How to Make Decisions Better
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
If what you just read resonated, please share it with a friend.
December 26, 2023
The Most Important Conversation You’ll Ever Have
The most important conversation you ever have is the one you have with yourself on your deathbed.
That moment is a reckoning—when you answer, “What meaning did my life have?”
After all, your life’s meaning is derived from what you did while it was yours to do something with.
However, you can’t know when that conversation will happen or even if you will get to have it.
What to do?
It’s better to have that conversation sooner rather than later.
“Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what is left and live it properly.”—Marcus Aurelius
Maybe suggesting that you imagine a conversation with your dying self lands as morbid? That’s partly intentional, a bit of “empathetic antagonism.”
I want to get under your skin to encourage you to have this difficult conversation now so you don’t have a regretful one later.
If today was your dying day, what would you celebrate? What would you regret?
What strengths would you embrace more fully?
What self-limiting beliefs would you erase more completely?
Do the Work
Make a list of both celebrations and regrets, strengths and limitations.
Now, what can you do right now to begin making your list of regrets shorter? How might you erase limitations?
What can you do to make your list of your celebrations longer? How might you better embrace your strengths?
Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.
This article is the republished first lesson from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters2 or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon.3
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
If what you just read resonated, please share it with a friend.
