Jon Acuff's Blog, page 40

The Joey and Rachel trick for knowing when you’re chasing the wrong idea.

How do you pick the right goal to work on?

That’s a really common question because the reality is that most of us have more than one thing we want to do.

We have health goals and financial goals and business goals and writing goals.

Our wish lists are so packed with possibility that it feels overwhelming.

How do you know if you’re working on the wrong thing? Here’s one way:

If an idea ever gets to the “Joey is in love with Rachel” stage, it’s time to quit.

After years of superb writing, the show Friends was out of gas. There was nothing left in the tank. In a desperate Hail Mary, they made Joey, played by Matt Leblanc, fall in love with Rachel, played by Jennifer Anniston.

This was a garbage plotline.

For years, Joey’s character was established as a player, a shallow, silly man prone to date only the most vapid of characters. Now suddenly, he was deeply and sincerely in love with Rachel. It made no sense and was a terrible turn for a show running out of ideas.

If your dream ever takes a turn and you do the equivalent of making Joey date Rachel, beware. If you’ve built your company on customer service and then decide to undercut it all to save money, beware. If your book is wonderfully researched but then you phone in the conclusion because you’re exhausted, beware. If one cheat day on your diet turns into 4 cheat days, beware.

A little Joey and Rachel can creep into all our goals.

Ross and Rachel 4-eva.

P.S. If you want to supercharge your goals, don’t miss the last 30 Days of Hustle Challenge of 2016. Sign up today.

The post The Joey and Rachel trick for knowing when you’re chasing the wrong idea. appeared first on Jon Acuff.

The 1 lie busyness tries to get all of us to believe

If you’re a human in the year 2016, you’re busy.

It’s a fact.

I guarantee no one is reading this blog post right now thinking, “Busy? Ha! After I read this pearl of wisdom from Jon I have nothing else to do this week. I’m going back to bed until Monday!”

Not all busyness is created equal, of course. Some of us fill our days working, investing in our loved ones, and spending time on our passions. Others pour hours into sending out Candy Crush invites on Facebook, researching third string running backs for our fantasy drafts, and capturing our tenth Rattata on Pokemon Go (whatever that is). But regardless of what you do with your time, you probably feel like you don’t have enough.

After hearing this sentiment time and again, I realized there’s a lie that busyness tries to get all of us to believe, and it’s this:

You can only start something important if you have a lot of time to work on it.

The problem is, it’s just not true.

Big projects get accomplished one goal at a time.

Books get written one paragraph at a time.

Ten pounds are dropped one workout (or one better meal choice) at a time.

New businesses are started one action step at a time.

Just because you have a dream that seems big or important, doesn’t mean you need a slow season in life to tackle it. That’s what busyness wants you to believe, because if you buy into that lie you’ll never start it.

That’s why I created the QUICK ACCESS level of the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge for this launch. It’s designed specifically for people who are in a busy season of life, but are determined not to let that keep them from achieving their dreams.

Here’s what you get in the QUICK ACCESS level of the 30 Days of Hustle:

• The 30 Days of Hustle PDF workbook with ideas, encouragement, and challenges once a day for 30 days.

• The 30 Days of Hustle Videos. One new video each day for 30 days. Don’t worry, the videos are usually only 3-4 minutes long.

• The 30 Days of Hustle Checklist to print out and chart your progress.

• And daily email reminders to keep you inspired, focused, and on point.

The Workbook and Checklist are yours to keep forever. And since I know you’re busy and may not be able to go through the Challenge in 30 days, you get double the access time for the videos: a full 60 days.

Listen, if you’ve got time to be a part of a community, you should look into the PREMIER ACCESS level. It not only comes with a private Facebook community, but also my “Amplify your Results” video and a special “Make it Through the Middle” webinar.

And if you want everything that the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge has to offer, the ALL ACCESS level gives you unprecedented access to me through a secret Periscope account as well as other features you won’t find anywhere else.

But as a busy person, I’m guessing the QUICK ACCESS level sounds right to you? It’s the most affordable tier, and you’ll get the same workbook and videos that 3,500 others have received in previous launches of the Challenge to help them achieve their goals.

OH, AND TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY, THE EARLY BIRD PRICE MEANS IT’S 45% OFF!

“Life is short” is an overused cliché, sure, but it’s also true. You WILL regret the goals you didn’t strive to achieve because you were too busy to make time for them. That’s why I created the QUICK ACCESS level of the Challenge. You owe it to yourself to make a little bit of time for these dreams, and the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge is a proven plan that will help you make the most of those pockets of time you can give to making them come true.

JOIN TODAY – The 30 Days of Hustle Challenge QUICK ACCESS level (45% off ends Friday at midnight).

Hope to see you on the inside, we’ve got great stuff to do together!

The post The 1 lie busyness tries to get all of us to believe appeared first on Jon Acuff.

Want to build something awesome? Find your 0.1%.

Roughly 100,000 people will see this.

About 22,000 of those people will open it via email or read it via the blog.

About 750 of those people will click on the link to learn more about the 30 Days of Hustle.

About 100 of those people will sign up for my 30 Day Video Course that helps with goal setting.

That means, out of 100,000 people, 100 will respond or 0.1%.

When we think about our businesses, we dream about reaching everyone. When you ask a young author, “Who is your book for?” they often reply, “Everyone!” We tend to think biggest is best and 0.1% feels a bit like a failure.

I think it’s perfect.

What you are creating is not for everyone.

What you are creating is for a very small amount of people, but when you find the right ones, they will LOVE what you are going to do.

The masses like things, your tribe will love things.

The masses like things, your tribe will love things.
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They will know they are special. They will speak the same language you do and laugh at your weirdo sense of humor and go on the same adventures you do.

Your 0.1% will chase dreams right alongside you.

Rick Theule is part of my 0.1%. How do I know? Because after he did the first round of the 30 Days of Hustle, he signed up for the All Access Coaching round. He’s up for anything and believes that his dream will only get better through deliberate practice. When he signed up, my assistant Ashley immediately texted me and said, “Rick is in!” We both cheered because the bat signal had worked! Rick was along for the ride.

He’s my people.

Marni Arnold is too.

David Mike is as well.

Don’t get down if you can’t reach everybody. I can’t either.

But you’re not supposed to.

Stop trying to make 100% of people support your dream, find a few who do and give them 100%.

Stop trying to make 100% of people support your dream, find a few who do and give them 100%.
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And, if you’re part of my 0.1%, don’t miss the last 30 Days of Hustle of the year. The lowest price ends in less than 72 hours. If you’ve got a goal you want to work on, like growing a business, getting in shape or writing a book, join the party.

It won’t be the same without you.

The post Want to build something awesome? Find your 0.1%. appeared first on Jon Acuff.

How to increase your odds of success by 27% this September!

The end of the summer is bittersweet, isn’t it?

On the minus side, you’ve got less days at the pool, less vacation, less beach, less fireworks and more homework.

On the plus side, you’ve got Trapper Keepers.

Seriously, how fresh was the Trapper Keeper back in the day? Did anything in your life ever work as hard for you as the velcro on your butterfly or tiger Trapper Keeper?

As much as I miss summer though, I absolutely love September.

People often call it “The first New Year” because if you approach it the right way you can use the momentum of back to school to knock out a lot of goals and resolutions.

Here’s what I believe:

I believe you’ve got some awesome things yet to do this year.

I believe any goals you’ve given up on in 2016 can be rekindled and realized.

I believe that no matter how bad or how great this year has been for you, it’s about to get incredibly awesome.

The reason I believe those things is because I’ve already taken over 3,500 people through the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge since the beginning of this year, and I know it works.

How do I know? Earlier this year a researcher from the University of Memphis studied people who did 30 Days of Hustle and his data revealed a pretty amazing stat:

People who go through the 30 Days of Hustle have a 27% better chance of hitting their goals than other goal programs.

How awesome is that?

I loved seeing that data because it backed up what I’ve found to be true as I’ve taken people like you through the course. It works. People are accomplishing awesome things through the power of focus and community they get in the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge.

And here’s the best news yet: For the first time ever we’re offering the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge at three different access levels, so you can find the one that perfectly fits your schedule and needs.

QUICK ACCESS

This level comes with the beautifully designed 30 Days of Hustle PDF workbook, 30 videos for 30 days of step-by-step goal setting, a checklist to chart your progress through the Challenge, and daily email reminders to keep you inspired and focused.

It’s perfect for the busy person who doesn’t have much time to add anything else into their life.

PREMIER ACCESS

This level comes with everything in QUICK ACCESS plus access to a private Facebook community, a brand new “Amplify Your Results” video I just recorded to help you make the most of the Challenge, and a “Make it Through the Middle” webinar that will help you fight through the dip as you work your way through the Challenge.

Want a supportive community of hundreds of people from around the world who will cheer you on? Pick this one!

ALL ACCESS

This level gets you everything in the PREMIER ACCESS level plus an All Access Periscope account where I will provide personal guidance throughout the challenge. You’ll also get an additional All Access Q&A webinar AND a free, huge 2017 NeuYear Wall Calendar.

This is an unprecedented level of bonuses and access, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to connect with some of you on this ALL ACCESS level.

—

I’ve made it easier than ever to connect to the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge in a way that works for you. Now, it’s up to you.

Early Bird Pricing on all levels expires Friday night. You don’t want to miss it.

You’ve got some awesome things to do this year. Let me help you do them (and have fun doing it) with my proven plan that has already helped so many like you.

Sign up now: The 30 Days of Hustle Challenge

I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do with the rest of 2016.

The post How to increase your odds of success by 27% this September! appeared first on Jon Acuff.

The sign on the front door on the island in the sea.

Last week, I took this picture of a sign on a front door in Martha’s Vineyard.

“Gone sailing, back @ 4PM.” How magical is that?

How much whimsy is contained in such a small piece of paper?

How long did someone dream about saying that?

How many months or years did a small business owner work on a goal until it finally happened?

How long did they push and strive until, on a weekday where most people are unhappy at jobs, they’re out sailing?

We all have a sign like that in our lives.

Mine said “Gone writing,” but I didn’t hang it up for years.

Maybe your sign says, “Gone painting” or “Gone building a business” or “Gone getting in shape” or “Gone writing a book.”

That’s all a goal is, a simple sign we hope to hang on the front door of our life someday.

What’s yours?

Do you already know it? Is there one clear, bright idea you just can’t deny any longer? Or are there too many all at once, your goals tangled up on top of each other until it feels impossible to actually start one?

I ask because this year I met 3,500 people who wrote new signs. They decluttered houses and started businesses and wrote books and recorded albums and lost weight and did a thousand other things. Not overnight, but through a 30-day process I call “The 30 Days of Hustle.”

I don’t know what the sign on your front door will say, but I know you need to make one.

Goals we refuse to chase don’t disappear. They become ghosts that haunt our quiet moments.

Goals we refuse to chase don’t disappear. They become ghosts that haunt our quiet moments.
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If you’re ready, or even just a little bit curious, don’t miss the last 30 Days of Hustle of 2016. It starts in a few weeks.

We’re going to write some new signs for some new doors.

Sign up for the wait list right here.

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What this bar in Allentown, PA taught me (and maybe you).

There are two ways to experience momentum:

1. Create it.

2. Ride it.

In the first approach, you try to get a cold car cranked in the dead of winter. You start from scratch, banging together two rocks in hope that one will cause a spark. You find the heaviest stone and hurl it in the deepest pond to make the biggest wave.

This way is very difficult. It’s not impossible, by any means, but it takes a lot of time and effort. An example of this approach is when new authors tell me they want to blow up the marketing for their book. I have a number of ideas and eagerly ask when their book is coming out. They usually say, “In two weeks!” or even worse, “It came out last month.”

The worst time to start selling a book (or anything for that matter) is when you need someone to buy the book. The earlier you start the conversation the better because creating momentum takes time.

Why did my first book pre-sale 12,000 copies? Not because I’m handsome, though clearly that’s a factor (people get lost in these mahogany eyes). My book pre-sold because for two years I wrote a free blog in order to build momentum for a book that covered the same exact subject.

Creating momentum is hard.

You know what’s a lot easier? Riding momentum.

Which brings us back to that bar. On a street in Allentown, PA, I took a photo of this sign:

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

You can do all the work of trying to create momentum or you can recognize a tsunami that is already in motion and grab the biggest surfboard you can find.

Let’s breakdown how smart the bar was:

1. They have lures to attract all the characters people are collecting.

2. They offer drink specials for teams.

3. They have a special night for each of the three main teams. (People join teams in the game.)

4. You get a free appetizer if you catch Pikachu, Charizard or Gyrado. (How weird was that sentence?)

5. There are trainers available Sunday – Thursday.

We’re not talking about a game that’s been out for years or even months. This wave is fresh and this bar caught it perfectly.

If you have a hard time recognizing momentum shifts, I’ll give you a hint about a huge one that happens in three weeks.

It’s called September.

That month is often called, “The first New Year.”

Why?

Because the nationwide momentum of back to school gives people like you and I a chance to crush our goals.

I can’t understate how big this moment is. Every commercial, department store, and parent is pushing the same direction.

New beginning! New start! New opportunities!

Most people are going to miss it.

Most people don’t treat September like January.

Most people think resolutions are only for January.

Most people won’t kickstart their fall.

Being most people is boring though.

Most people think resolutions are only for January. Don’t be most people.
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If you’re ready to ride the wave of September, join me for the 30 Days of Hustle video challenge. It’s a step by step course that helps you knock out your goals. And this is the last one of the year. It starts in a few weeks and you can sign up for the wait list right here.

Momentum is simple.

You either create it or you ride it.

If you’re ready to grab a surfboard and catch this wave, sign up today.

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3 ways to boost your goals using the momentum of a new school year

It happens at the end of every summer.

Kids everywhere get a fresh start whether they like it or not (usually not) in the form of going back to school.

Remember that feeling? You were 95% sure you didn’t want summer vacation to end, but there was always a small part of you that was excited for the coming school year.

New clothes. New classes. New haircut. New teachers.

It was a reset button that you might not have wanted, but you knew you needed. A fresh start that marked another year of growth and an opportunity to be better.

If you’re headed back to school this month, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I hope you’re excited about it, and I hope you make the most of the challenges ahead of you.

But what about the rest of us? We have to wait for our chance at a fresh start when New Year’s Day rolls around, right?

Wrong.

That’s why I’m hosting a free webinar next week called Back To Cool: 3 Ways to Boost Your Goals Using the Momentum of a New School Year.

It’s happening live on Wednesday, August 10th at 7pm CT, and it’s free to attend when you register here.

I believe these last few months of 2016 can be your best months of 2016.

I believe your dreams are too important to sit on the shelf unrealized until the ball drops in Times Square.

I believe students shouldn’t be the only ones who get a fresh start after the summer, and if you join me next Wednesday night I’ll tell you how you can get a fresh start too.

(And if you can’t make the live webinar, I’ll be sending out a replay link to everyone who registered for the event so they can watch it later. Sign up here to watch live or to receive the replay link.)

Hope you join me next week!

P.S. – That thing you always wanted to do? It wants you to sign up for this webinar.

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If someone calls you a sellout, do this …

If someone ever calls you a sellout for making money from your dream, ask them how long they’ve been refusing a paycheck at work.

Ask them if every two weeks they march into HR and hand back their salary.

Ask them if they cancelled their direct deposit because being financially compensated cheapened their job somehow.

Ask them if they refused their raise last year.

Ask them if they shot blocked their bonus like an angry Mutombo.

Ask them if they turned a cold shoulder to an unexpected sales commission in the hope of keeping their craft pure.

Or just ignore them all together and go back to doing work you care about.

Your choice really.

Getting paid for your art means you get to keep making art. Sellout is a compliment.

Getting paid for your art means you get to keep making art. Sellout is a compliment.
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P.S. The last 30 Days of Hustle Challenge of 2016 kicks off in a few weeks. Want to start a business? Want to lose a few pounds? Want to write a book? Sign up for the early bird list to make sure you get the best price!

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Want to feel better about criticism? Change this word.

I’m embarrassed it took me this long to figure this out.

This is perhaps the simplest idea I’ve ever had about criticism.

When you read it, you will immediately think, “Duh, that’s so obvious. It’s a good thing your grey hair makes you look smart.”

I agree, this idea is going to be very simple. Here it is:

If you want to feel better about the criticism you receive, change the word “review” to “opinion.”

These two words have very different implications, but the waters have been muddied.

A few years ago, Amazon created “Customer reviews” for each product. I love this feature and use it every time I shop. The problem is that the word “review” has a lot of baggage.

Historically speaking, a review was made by someone educated. A movie critic wrote a review. A book critic wrote a review. A newspaper editor wrote a review. Normal folks, like you and I, wrote opinion pieces or letters to the editor.

The word “review” might not have been hallowed, but it did carry weight. On Amazon, when you see the “Editorial review” section, you know that Publisher’s Weekly thought long and hard about the review they gave a book. They spent decades building a reputation and by putting their name on a product have indicated that something significant has occurred.

Then you scroll down a few inches, see “Customer reviews,” and assume the same thing about those reviews as you did the editorial.

Imagine if the label was, “Customer opinions” instead? Would you read it differently? Would you make purchase decisions because of the opinions of strangers? Would an opinion sway you less than a review? I think it would.

Instead of thinking, “Oh no, someone has reviewed what I created and their words must be the final say,” you’d have an easier time saying, “That’s just one person’s opinion.”

Even if you don’t write a book, the belief in the authority of strangers has permeated every part of the Internet. People leaving comments on your blog, responses to your tweets or feedback on your Facebook wall carries more weight than it should.

When you pick a restaurant because a stranger you’ve never met gave you an opinion online, something interesting has happened. Maybe Bill134 hates sushi and gave that sushi restaurant a bad review because they refused to serve a grown man chicken fingers. (I hate going to dinner with Bill134.) That’s not Bill134’s review of the restaurant, that’s Bill134’s opinion.

Criticism is an opinion, not a review.

If you want to get better at handling criticism, call it what it is, an opinion.

If you want to get better at handling criticism, call it what it is, an opinion.
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Some will be bad. Some will be good. Either way, they’re just opinions.

P.S. Want to love what you do for a living? Read this.

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How long will your dream take? (100 words)

Your dream is taking too long.

It’s slow and tedious.

Prettier people online are having faster results, bigger wins and they always know the right place to look during a selfie.

Why is your goal taking so long?

Better yet, how long should it take to happen?

Well, I studied journalism in college for four years.

I spent fifteen years writing for corporate America.

All told, it took me 19 years to become a full time writer.

If your dream only takes 15 years to happen, you’re killing me by four.

Don’t sweat the pace.

Fast dreams are fake dreams.

Don’t sweat the pace of what you’re working on. Fast dreams are fake dreams.
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p.s. If you want a simple way to knock out your goals 15 minutes at a time, I dare you to Do Summer with me. The free challenge ends tonight, sign up today.

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