Jon Acuff's Blog, page 43

Beyond New Year’s Resolutions, 3 ways to crush your goals all year long.

It’s easy to make New Year’s Resolutions.

The Internet is chocked full of motivational statements to push you along.

You get new running shoes for Christmas.

You shake your fist at your scale.

You swear to your manuscript that this is the year it will be completed.

And then January 1st comes and goes and the stickiness of the year sets in.

The buzz wears off.

Usually by mid January our momentum starts to drag a little. A day off from the goal turns into two days turns into three. All the motivational Abraham Lincoln quotes plastered on top of photos of lions on Instagram can’t help us. (My favorite one is where the big lion is looking at the baby lion and it says that thing about how believing in your dreams empowers visions of destiny something something something positive words something. You know that one? It’s the best.)

How do we move beyond New Year’s Resolutions? How do we crush our goals all year long?

That’s the question I’ll be addressing in a free webinar next Wednesday night, January 27 at 7PM Central.

There are 3 things that can help you hustle on your goals all year long.

They’re simple, they’re unexpected and dare I say, they’re even fun.

Don’t miss this free event next week.

Sign up here!

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If you have time to binge watch TV, you have time to hustle.

Everyone I know is busy.

We have too many emails, too many meetings and too many commitments.

I haven’t met anyone in the last 5 years who said, “I just have too much free time.”

We are all too busy.

But just as we gripe about our bloated calendars, we discuss the TV shows we are watching.

Not just watching, binge watching.

That used to be a bad word. In the 80s, “binge” had a negative reputation indicating something unhealthy.

The word binge was whispered about people who had no self-control. “Did you hear about Tim and the Rolos? It’s just terrible. He binged on the whole bag like they were peanuts. But they’re not. They’re chewy caramels covered in milk chocolate. Dark if you’re fancy and think you’re better than everyone. He binged!”

Now, that word is a product benefit used to sell shows and movies and cable sign ups.

I’m OK with that. I like TV. I love Netflix. It’s one of my favorite apps on my iPhone.

What I’m not OK with is us pretending we’re busy and then binge watching things.

Please stop telling me you’re too busy to hustle on a dream and then tell me about how you binge watched Making a Murderer.

If you’ve got time to binge watch Making a Murderer you’ve got time to work on a dream.
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When our words betray our actions, we miss the simple truth about time:

1. You have more time than you think.

2. You make time for things that matter.

Time is funny that way. If we really want to find it, we usually can.

You don’t get to use both B words in your life. You can’t say you’re too busy and at the same time give in to the binge.

It’s one or the other.

Watch a show. Watch a thousand shows, just don’t tell me you’re too busy to hustle on your dreams.

There’s always enough time for the things we care about.

There’s always enough time for the things we care about.
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The best gift you can give yourself in January.

If it took you 7 years to gain some extra weight it will take longer than 7 days to lose it.

If it took you 24 months to go into debt it will take longer than 24 days to get out of it.

If it took you 10 years to fill your garage with clutter, it will take you longer than 10 minutes to clean it.

This January, when it takes too long to accomplish your resolutions, make sure you give yourself something important – time.

Slow results are still results.

Slow progress is still progress.

Slow progress is still progress.
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Slow change is still change.

Don’t beat yourself up when the clock or calendar refuses to change fast enough for you.

Great things take great time.

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The man in the street with the midnight vacuum cleaner.

I wasn’t expecting to see him there in the crosswalk.

I thought I was mistaken at first. Who walks down the street with a vacuum cleaner in the middle of the night?

I took a picture of him to make sure I wasn’t just seeing things. The photo looks like I’ve captured some sort of blurry suburban bigfoot.

I thought about that guy for months because deep down I knew what he was doing.

He was working. He was walking to a bus stop for his night shift job. Or he was walking home from his second shift job to steal a few hours of sleep before his next job started.

You don’t carry a vacuum cleaner because it’s fun, easy or glamorous. Dogs in baby carriages is definitely a thing now but I’ve yet to see someone else accessorizing their look with a Hoover.

I don’t even like carrying my vacuum cleaner in our house because it’s just tall enough that I have to do this weird T-Rex arm motion to make sure it’s elevated 6 inches off the ground as I walk.

No, that guy was carrying it because he was hustling. He was not giving up. He was charging into the night to keep a commitment. Maybe to a family safe at home asleep. Maybe to a mother he was taking care of. Maybe to a dream he promised to fulfill years ago.

Most people don’t hustle. Don’t be most people in 2016.
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You might not carry a vacuum in the middle of the night this year, but you’ll have a chance to hustle.

You’ll have a chance to do the little things no one else wants to do.

You’ll have a chance to get back up, whether from failure or just an alarm clock that refuses to give you even 9 more minutes of snooze.

I know you will because I’ve already connected with hundreds of you in the new 30 Days of Hustle private community.

It’s full of people just like you who don’t quit. Who do the unsexy, unseen, unglamorous work that every big dream always requires of all of us.

Today is the last day to join the challenge. It closes tonight at midnight Pacific. I’ve talked about it a lot this week, but I’m about to stop. If you want in, sign up today because this is your last shot.

Grab the vacuum this year. Hit the streets. Join the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge and head into the night or the morning or whatever time it is that you need to get your hustle in gear. There are 30 videos, a workbook and a wildly supportive community waiting for you.

Here’s to a year of hustle!

P.S. If you sign up for the 30 Days of Hustle and don’t love it, I’ll give you all your money back. Don’t wait until Saturday and wonder, “What if?” Sign up before midnight today!

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30 ways to kick start 2016!

It’s New Year’s Eve!

Is it me or is that holiday never quite as fun as you think it’s going to be?

In the movies, everyone is always at a crazy party, kissing people with balloons and streamers and fireworks.

That has never been my experience. Maybe I’m just lame.

New Year’s Eve parties are 100% cooler in your head and the movies than they are in real life.

New Year’s Eve parties are 100% cooler in your head and the movies than they are in real life.
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But I do get excited about December 31st because it means we are on the edge of a brand new year. You’ve got a clean slate! There are 12 fresh months headed your way.

If you want to have an awesome New Year, do as many of the following things as you can:

1. Pick a goal.

2. Find your why.

3. Get your how.

4. Make it fun or it won’t get done.

5. Win with when.

6. Make where a priority.

7. Fight for community.

8. Create a vision of where you’re headed or you won’t start.

9. Cut your goal in half. Half? Yes, half.

10. Find your triggers.

11. Use the two most powerful words to overcome obstacles.

12. Grab data as fast as you can.

13. Find a who ahead of you.

14. Build a personal library.

15. Mark your progress or you’ll never know you’re making any.

16. Make your way through the dip, when it feels time to quit.

17. Get a big soundtrack for your big adventure.

18. Admit that balloons fly higher without anchors.

19. Reach new heights with new tools.

20. Batch! Batch! Batch!

21. Rest or burn out. The choice is yours.

22. Give up perfect.

23. Think of hustle as a lifestyle, not an Axe body spray.

24. Drag your excuses into the bright light of truth.

25. Turn the whole thing into a game.

26. Look into tomorrow if you want to change today.

27. Be grateful.

28. Forget a watchman, go set a timer.

29. Use the power of habits.

30. Be brave enough to brag.

Why did I pick those specific 30? Because for 18 months I’ve been working on something called the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge. I took 10,000 people through this 30 Day Challenge and those are the titles of the lessons I teach.

I turned each one of those into a new video and the next round starts January 4th.

Registration ends on Friday, January 1st at midnight Pacific. (You can sign up right here!)

It’s only $60 and if you don’t love it, if your 2016 isn’t awesome as a result of joining my crazy fun community of hustlers, I’ll give you all your dollars back.

The best part, by the way, is the community. There’s something really fun about getting plugged into a group of 1800 people working on dreams just like you.

Either way though, tomorrow’s the last day to sign up.

If you join, awesome! You’ll get all 30 of the videos mentioned above, a special workbook, a checklist, access to the private community and other fun prizes. (Here’s a quick video about the challenge!)

If you don’t sign up, no problem. Get a goal, get a community and get hustling. (Use that list of 30 actions as a starting point.)

The 30 Days of Hustle isn’t for everyone, but the need to hustle is.

Here’s to a big 2016!

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It’s only too late if you’re dead.

The New Year is upon us but so is an old fear.

It’s too late!

You missed your chance. It will take too long. Your ship has already sailed. You’re too old! The window is closed. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Why bother?

The doubt parade has no balloons but it does come with plenty of words.

And it starts a lot earlier than you think.

I met a 23-year-old in Kansas City this fall who told me he already peaked. He used to have a dream job and now he didn’t. It was too late for him to do something else.

He was 23.

This fear is persistent.

When it hits you in 2016, when the shine of a New Year’s Resolution wears off in February and you worry that you don’t have time to become the person you’ve always wanted to be, remember this:

It’s only too late if you’re dead.

If you’re not, you’ve still got time.

If you’re still breathing, there’s still time to change your life.

If you’re still breathing, there’s still time to change your life.
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How do I know?

Because a 72-year-old joined the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge.

He’s going to use the challenge to learn piano.

The week he signed up he ran a 10K on Saturday and a 5K on Sunday.

He’s 72.

What’s your excuse?

Because it can’t be that it’s too late, because that one’s a lie.

Whether you’re 25 or 45 or 72, it’s never too late.

I can’t wait to hustle with my new friend this January.

Don’t miss your chance to join me, him and 1700 other people who are done with excuses. You might always have a chance to change your life, but your shot at the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge (with 30 awesome videos that teach you how to hit your goals) ends Friday, January 1 at midnight Pacific.

Sign up today!

Don’t listen to fear.

It’s never too late.

The post It’s only too late if you’re dead. appeared first on Jon Acuff.

I dare you not to take this “C word” into 2016.

Last month I wrote about the 3 things you need to give yourself the best shot at accomplishing your goals:

Clarity – A focused sense of what you’re trying to accomplish.
Consistency – The grind of stacking small wins on top of small wins, day after day.
Community – Leaning on friends when you don’t feel like hustling.

Those are great c words, but there’s one that is straight poison and social media unfortunately serves it up by the gallon.

I’m talking about comparison.

I don’t know about you, but every January I need to remind myself that comparison leads to arrogance or shame, but never happiness.

Comparing yourself to others leads to arrogance or shame, but never happiness.
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Arrogance tells you that you’re better, fills you with pride, and sets you up for a nasty fall.

Shame tells you that you’re the worst, fills you with discouragement, and sets you up to quit.

Neither thing leads you one step closer to your goal, because at the end of the day, comparing your journey to somebody else’s is the best way to miss out on having an awesome 2016.

Comparing your journey to somebody else’s is the best way to miss out on having an awesome 2016.
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We all need clarity, consistency, and community as we kick off 2016, and we all need to avoid comparing our goals and our progress to others. That’s why I’m taking people through the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge. I’ve mentioned it over the last two months on my blog, and next week it finally kicks off!

As a member of the challenge, you’ll get:

Membership in the private Facebook community
An 8,000 word workbook with day by day hustle steps
30 brand new videos I recorded specifically for this challenge
The 30DOH worksheet
Daily email reminders for the length of the challenge.

The PDF workbook helps you maintain clarity as you hustle on your goals. The daily emails and videos help you consistently achieve those small wins you need to make progress. And the encouraging private Facebook group gives you the community you need to stay encouraged.

Registration is only $60 and is only open until midnight CT on Friday. On Saturday the doors close.

To reserve your spot (or for more info), click that green button.

I took 10,000 people through 30 Days of Hustle last year, and the things they accomplished were awesome (here are a few of the things they achieved). It’s also a great challenge to do with a friend, so share the link with your friends and challenge them to do it with you!

If you’re looking for the best way to make sure you have an awesome start to 2016, join the 1600 people who have already signed up and take the challenge.

Together, we’re going to crush 2016!

For more info or to register, click here: Jon Acuff’s 30 Days of Hustle Challenge

P.S. The second most toxic C word is “Criticism.” Fear of haters wrecks many a goal. That’s why I put together a new resource called “Living Loud in a World Full of Haters.” You get it for free when you join the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge!

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16 minutes to an awesome 2016

According to a University of Scranton study, 38% of people say they “absolutely never make New Year’s Resolutions.”

Why is that? Are those 38% completely satisfied with everything in their life? Are they at the perfect job and the perfect weight, enjoying the perfect marriage to the perfect spouse in the perfect house, all while rocking hair that is always perfectly on fleek? (I looked up that last part on Google so I’d sound relevant.)

Do people refuse to make resolutions because their lives are already perfect?

Probably not.

Chances are, there are changes they’d like to see in their lives, they’re just sick of making New Year’s resolutions. And since that same study said 92% of all resolutions fail, maybe you are too.

If you’re in that 38% of folks who have given up on resolutions, or if you ARE planning on making changes in 2016, I’ve got an idea for you. If you give me 16 minutes of your time, I’ll give you 5 tips to help you win at resolutions all year long.

On Wednesday night, December 30th, I’m hosting my last free webinar of the year. It’s called 5 Simple Ways to Win at New Year’s Resolutions, and it will be exactly sixteen minutes long. Not fifteen minutes. Not seventeen minutes. Sixteen minutes.

Whether you’ve sworn off resolutions forever, or you’ve already got your 2016 resolution list finished, I know it’s going to help you make 2016 more awesome.

It starts at 7:00pm CT, so if you show up at 7:17pm, it will already be over. (A replay will be available the next day for those who can’t be there live, but you must be registered to have replay access.)

Here’s the link to register: Jon Acuff’s 5 Ways To Win at Resolutions Webinar – 12/30/15.

In summary, it’s free, it’s super short and it’s going to be fun.

I dare you to spend 16 minutes working on a better 2016.

Want an awesome new year? Start by making awesome New Year’s Resolutions.
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Hope to see you there!

Jon

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3 reasons to give someone a book this Christmas.

Do you know when I realized I was an adult?

When I got luggage for Christmas and was excited.

I got a new suitcase and was thrilled/depressed. I was thrilled because it had a tri-fold department that would keep my shirts from getting wrinkled when I flew. I was depressed because I cared whether shirts got wrinkled.

I like luggage and was glad to get that gift, but do you know what makes an even better present?

A book.

Do you know why? You’re about to because here comes a list of reasons:

1. Books are passports.

When you give someone a book, you give them much more than just a collection of ink and paper. You give them a passport to a different world. You give them the keys to a whole new kingdom. You give them an invitation to a new way of looking at things. A tie is just a tie. A blender is just a blender. A book is never just a book. When Brian Jones gave me “Orbiting the Giant Hairball” in 1999 he gave me a survival kit for the corporate world I was about to enter. I never forgot it and to this day I still give copies of the book to other people.

A book is never just a collection of paper and ink. A book is a passport.
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2. Books are personal.

I used to think “it’s the thought that counts” was just a phrase grandmothers said to make you feel better about the terrible homemade gifts they got from grandchildren who were bad at glitter infused crafts. Now I know it’s true. When you give someone a book, it’s always personal. It always has thought behind it. In a sea of 3 million possibilities you picked out one book for one friend. It’s especially personal if it’s a book you already read and loved.

3. Books are for now and later.

My favorite thing about books is that they tend to find you at the exact moment you need them most. Have you ever had that experience? A friend gives you a book and you don’t read it right away. You read a few pages but it doesn’t hit you. So you put it on a shelf and forget it even exists. Later that month or year, something in your life changes and the book almost jumps off the shelf. You pick it up a second time and it’s like it was written just for you. When you give someone a book, it’s like you’ve given them a time capsule to open later.

Books have a funny way of finding you when you need them the most.
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I think about books as gifts because I’ve written some that didn’t make good gifts. If you gave someone my book, “Quitter,” it felt like you were saying, “Hey, here’s a book about quitting a terrible job, like the one you have. Loser.” You couldn’t give that one to people.

Do Over is just the opposite. It’s a book about learning to love your job. It’s funny and personal and helpful. It makes a great gift for:

A stay at home mom curious about doing something new. Parents Magazine named it the “Mom must read of the month.”

Someone in their 20s who wants a guide to navigating the ever changing world of careers.

A military member about to transition into or out of the armed services. (You talk about a big Do Over

, entering civilian life is a gigantic transition.)

Anyone who wants to add more meaning (and fun) to a job. We’re all going to spend 40-60 hours of each week for 40-60 years of our lives working, shouldn’t we invest in them?

In summary, Do Over is a bright, yellow surfboard for anyone surfing the career waves.

Give a friend, a family member or yourself a copy this Christmas.

But regardless of which book you buy this year, I challenge you to buy one for one friend.

Books are big gifts that look small on the outside.

Give big.

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The complete list of things that smell better than Christmas Trees.

The complete list of things that smell better than Christmas Trees.

1. Nothing

That’s right, nothing.

Nothing smells better than Christmas Trees.

If you don’t like the smell of Christmas Trees I bet you like unfrosted pop tarts too.
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Apple pie? Nope.

Fresh cut grass? Not even close.

Clean laundry? You’re kidding me.

Smells that remind you of chores aren’t amazing.

Neither is any smell that is supposed to mimic the beach. Call it “night time seashore,” “Ocean Escape,” “Craig goes to the sea.” I don’t care what the name is, beach themed smells never deliver.

But Christmas Trees always deliver the goods.

You light a candle that smells like a Christmas Tree and you’re no longer a stressed out mom bouncing between 19 different Christmas commitments with two screaming kids and a runny nose that just won’t quit outside of Cleveland, Ohio. One smell of that candle and you’re on the coast of Maine at Christmas time, carrying back your fresh cut tree through knee deep snow on a horse drawn carriage.

 

That’s the #1 reason you should buy a Hope Candle from Thistle Farms today.

The #2 reason? Your candle will help women escape trafficking, prostitution and addiction.

#3? Because Thistle Farms has been helping women for 18 years and has such high quality products that Whole Foods carries them.

#4? Seriously? You still need reasons? The Maine thing didn’t do it? Because it’s awesome to help people and if we sell 5,000 candles we can get them a new candle making machine. If they can make more candles, they can create more jobs, which will help get women off the waiting list for the two year residential rehab program Thistle Farms offers.

Christmas Trees smell fantastic and that’s what this candle smells like.

Buy one today for yourself.

Buy one as a gift!

We’ve sold about 2,500 and I don’t want you to miss this chance to be part of something fun.

Buy one here!

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