Jon Acuff's Blog, page 44

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!

The post I dare you not to take this “C word” into 2016. appeared first on Jon Acuff.

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.

The post 3 reasons to give someone a book this Christmas. appeared first on Jon Acuff.

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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Dear perfect Elf on the Shelf parents, an open letter.

Dear perfect Elf on the Shelf people,

stop it.

Seriously, quit it.

You’re making the rest of us parents look horrible.

It’s only December 8th and do you know what our Elf did last night? I’ll show you:

That’s right. He’s in a freezer. Why? Because when our Elf on the Shelf iPhone “hide the elf” alarm went off, we were out of ideas. Let’s pause for a second. That’s right, we had to set a freaking alarm to remind ourselves to hide this thing. We are the worst parents.

Dear perfect Elf on the Shelf parents, please stop making us look horrible.
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So Jenny and I decided, “Let’s put him in the freezer. That’s a thing. We’ll make him hold a popsicle. That’s whimsical or something. Whatever.”

I think he’s sitting on a loaf of bread or maybe some ham. I don’t know. I don’t care. The day before that I made him sit on a bunch of copies of Do Over. (Product placement!) The day before that he hid in a jar. Why? Because jars are easy for me to open. Don’t judge me. You don’t know my life.

Then I get online and see photos of your elf. You’ve built a trapeze with the elf hanging from the roof of your house with some sort of homemade jet pack. The day after that he’s driven your car into the front yard and left some clever message spelled out with Skittles. You’re making the rest of us parents, who hide the elf in the Christmas tree 9 times in December, look bad. Plus, you’re not showing all of your elf days online, just the greatest hits. (That’s the photographic equivalent of putting the song “Christmas Shoes” on repeat.)

And don’t tell me you got that photo in one take. You didn’t. You took at least 10 photos of that scene, I guarantee it. You tried 5 filters before you found the perfect one.

Do you understand what that means? We’ve become Elf on the Shelf paparazzi. You also never show the after photo. The one where there are ants all over your counter because you left a trail of powdered sugar footprints when the Elf had a powdered sugar snowball fight with a teddy bear named “Prickles.”

I think next year Jenny and I are going to have to move houses because we’ve run out of ideas. This is our 8th year. If this is your first, I totally give you a free pass. Have at it. But if you and your spouse are holding brainstorming meetings in November for elf planning, we’ve got a problem.

If you hold brainstorming meetings in November for elf planning, we’ve got a problem.
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It’s exhausting.

Please stop,

Jon

p.s. If this is you, please sign this petition by forwarding this or sharing it on Facebook or tweeting it or doing anything you can to get it into the hands of perfect Elf on the Shelf people. They must be told.

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“Why not me?” might be the most powerful question you ask in 2016.

In 2007, I started a blog. A coworker named Ryan Sweet told me I should and I thought, “Why not me?”

In 2008, I gave my first paid speech at a small conference in Oklahoma. I was terrified but I thought, “Why not me?”

In 2010, I published my first book. Fear told me I was unqualified, but I thought, “Why not me?”

After sleepwalking through my 20s, asking those three words in my 30s woke me up and launched on a crazy fun rollercoaster ride.

It’s not easy to ask that question. Although it sounds simple, it usually feels dangerous the first or thousandth time you do it. “Why not me?” isn’t just a question. It’s an invitation. It’s a slingshot. It’s a fuse.

“Why not me?” isn’t just a question. It’s an invitation. It’s a slingshot. It’s a fuse.
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Last year, I asked 10,000 people that question. They answered and lost weight. They wrote books. They started businesses. They went on more dates. They accomplished a thousand different resolutions while the rest of the world was giving up by the third week of January.

I’ve invited you to join the 30 Days of Hustle this week. The early bird registration price of only $30 ends tonight. Maybe you haven’t done it because you don’t have the time or you don’t have a perfect thing you want to work on or you feel unqualified. Maybe you’re suspicious of any email that has a big green sign up button like this one.

I don’t blame you for feeling that way one bit. I feel that way some days too. That’s why I need community. That’s why I need plans. That’s why I need encouragement. That’s why I created the 30 Days of Hustle to begin with.

Maybe this year you’ll join this rowdy group of hustlers who dare to turn dreaming into doing. We’ve definitely got room for one more pirate on this ship.

I hope you do. (And in the next 12 hours, because it’s the cheapest way to join the party.)

But if you don’t, please promise me you’ll still ask that question. Promise me you’ll still say those words. Promise me you’ll start the year with that simple idea:

“Why not me?”

P.S. If you ask that question and get even a little bit curious about the 30 Days of Hustle, watch this.

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Results are more fun than resolutions.

In a few weeks I turn 40. When I was 20 I thought that age meant you were half dead. I distinctly remember thinking, “Whoa, people in their 40s are super old! I hope they get enough calcium for their brittle, brittle bones.” Now that I’m almost 40, I’ve completely changed how I think about that age. If Jay-Z can do 40, so can Jon!

I’ve also changed how I think about resolutions. In four decades on the planet, save for the times I’ve jumped in the air, I’ve learned something simple. Results are more fun than resolutions, but you don’t get the first without the second.

Results are more fun than resolutions, but you don’t get the first without the second.
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If you’re having a hard time coming up with a resolution, here are 37 resolutions you could pick from:

1. Be able to do 50 pushups in a row.

2. Complete all my tax returns on time.

3. Give my notice at my corporate job to make a living on my passion.

4. Launch a new blog.

5. Make at least one connection in the industry I want to break into.

6. Get my house clean enough for company and keep it there.

7. Write a Bible study based on an idea I’ve had for a long time.

8. Cut out all soft drinks and lose five pounds.

9. Start an LLC and start raising finances for it.

10. Try juicing.

11. Complete all the paperwork necessary to become a foster parent.

12. Sell several art pieces and secure a booth at a local boutique.

13. Lose eight pounds.

14. Submit a short story to a magazine.

15. Practice piano 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

16. Focus each day on worrying less.

17. Prep and finish three furniture pieces.

18. Do one extra nice thing for my spouse every day.

19. Walk 10,000 steps five days a week and work out three days a week.

20. Learn about and start a new eating plan.

21. Spend more time marketing my business.

22. Wake up earlier and spend more time reading.

23. Keep a daily journal the entire month.

24. Do a random act of kindness for someone each day.

25. Write chapter one of my new book.

26. Ask my wife on more dates.

27. Write at least one new song.

28. Clean my house and get rid of as much junk as possible.

29. Focus on saving money for a plane ticket to Europe.

30. Be in bed before midnight every night.

31. Create a new online course for my blog.

32. Lose ten pounds.

33. Host my first webinar.

34. Launch and market my first video game.

35. Get accepted to the World Race.

36. Set up an Etsy shop and sell my first painting.

37. Be kinder to myself and think more positive thoughts for a month.

You know what the best part about this list of resolutions is?

Those aren’t resolutions. Those are results from some of the folks who went through 30 Days of Hustle last year. Every single item on that list is something that someone accomplished during the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge last year. There were 10,000 people who went through the program and the results they had were awesome.

So, if you’re ready to trade resolutions for results, join the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge.

(And remember, the Early Bird Window closes at midnight PT tomorrow. Don’t miss it!)

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The Top 9 Questions About the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge

The response to the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge so far has been amazing!

Over 600 of you have already signed up to be a part of the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge next month for the 50% off Early Bird registration rate!

Remember, in 3 days it goes away (midnight on Friday), so don’t miss out – register now!

I’ve also received a bunch of great questions, so I thought I’d share a few of the best ones to let you know a little bit more about the challenge.

Question #1 – I’d like to go through the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge, but January is a tough month for me. Can I go through it in February?

Of course you can go through it in February. The Challenge is set up so that you’ll get the full 8000-word workbook before the challenge begins, and then daily emails throughout January. You can read through the emails when you get them, or set them aside for February, that’s up to you.

You do need to register this month though, because the only two windows to sign up for the challenge are now through Friday (half-priced at $30) or Dec. 28 – Jan. 1(full-priced at $60).

Question #2 – Is it true that your wife Jenny will be a part of the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge material?

Yes, 100% true! We’ve talked about doing a book someday, and that still might happen, but for now we’re really enjoying being able to share ideas on video. Jenny will definitely be a part of the videos, and honestly, that alone is worth the price of admission. Jenny is awesome!

Question #3 – I went through 30 Days of Hustle the last time you did it and loved it, but it is worth going through again?

Definitely! Even if the Challenge was exactly the same I still believe it would help you crush your goal and start 2016 in an awesome way.

That being said, there’s a lot that’s new this time around. I’ve updated the workbook, I’ve added a brand new video for each day of the Challenge, and there’s a new community going through it this time. Honestly, I think you’re going to love it even more this time around!

Question #4 – Are you really giving away a falcon as a bonus for signing up for the challenge?

There’s nothing I’d love more than to give everyone the gift of falconry, but alas, bonus falcons would be a logistical nightmare. (side note: “Bonus Falcons” is a fantastic band name, feel free to use it.)

I am giving away a Bonus PDF to everyone who registers for the Challenge. While not as prone to hunt prey as a falcon, it will offer you more help as you pursue your dreams.

It’s called Living Loud in a World Full of Haters, and it features my best ideas on chasing your dream in a critical world. Everyone who signs up for the Early Bird rate gets it FREE!

Question #5 – Is it worth doing the Challenge if I can’t decide what it is I should hustle on?

I’ll flip that back on you and say that the people who need the challenge the most are the ones who can’t decide what to hustle on. One of fear’s most powerful tactics is to paralyze you into doing nothing by telling you you have to be 100% sure about your next step. The thing is, that’s a lie.

Through the material and the community that comes with 30DOH, we’ll help you figure out what to hustle on. Because in the end it’s not about choosing something and hoping you made the “right choice,” it’s about taking action and making progress in the face of fear.

Question #6 – Can my “hustle” be anything? What if I want my hustle to be ‘eating more queso’?

First off, yes, your hustle can be anything. We’ll talk more about that on Day 1 of the Challenge.

Second off, I do not recommend ‘eating more queso’ as a hustle if you are already eating a lot of queso. Take it from the 2008 version of Jon Acuff, it’s not a great idea.

Question #7 – I loved your “Hustle Has Seasons” video because I’m definitely in a busy season right now. Is it worth going through the Challenge if the thing I want to hustle on is relatively small?

Absolutely! It’s easy to diminish “small” dreams when we think they don’t stack up to what others are doing, but I can tell you from experience that some of the people who have gotten the most out of 30DOH in the past had what you might call “small” dreams.

From spending 15 minutes of focused time with family members, to cutting out one soda per day, to reading more fiction, I have seen many people achieve their “small” goals in 30DOH and not only find satisfaction in it, but also use the momentum to achieve bigger goals down the road as well.

Question #8 – Will the challenge connect me with helpful people? They say social media makes it easy to make connections, but it’s never been easy for me.

Everyone needs community to accomplish their goals, which is why my favorite part of the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge is the private Facebook community. You’ll be joined by hundreds of other people just like you who are daring to hustle on their goals and be more this year than they were last year.

If you join the Challenge and get plugged in to the group, I guarantee you’ll find a helpful community that’s eager to help you succeed.

Question #9 – Will you be opening up another “surprise” Early Bird window at Christmas?

Nope, when I say that this window is the last chance to join the Challenge for $30, I mean it.

You’ve got less than 3 days to grab the Early Bird rate, so don’t miss it!

Have any other questions I missed?

Ask them in the comments and I’ll try to answer some of them!

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3 things every successful goal demands.

Last year, I helped 10,000 people work on their goals. The people who were successful at their New Year’s Resolutions relied on 3 things:

Clarity – They had a focused sense of what they were trying to accomplish.
Consistency – They did the grind of stacking small wins on top of small wins day after day.
Community – On the days they didn’t feel like hustling, they leaned on friends.

The secret to accomplishing anything isn’t a secret. It takes clarity, consistency and community.
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Those 3 things are simple, but sometimes they’re hard to find. That’s why I created the 30 Days of Hustle.

I’ve mentioned it over the last month on my blog and teased it in my recent 3 Rules of Hustle video series, and it’s finally here: Early Bird registration for the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge is live!

Here’s the deal: this January I’m launching the best version of the 30 Days of Hustle Challenge that I’ve ever done.

There are daily emails, an 8000-word PDF, a new video each day for 30 days, the 30DOH worksheet, access to the private Facebook group, and other fun surprises. It’s going to give you the best shot of crushing your resolutions for 2016.

Full price registration will be open the last week of December for $60, but this week only you can register for half price. That’s right: from now until midnight PT on Friday, registration is only $30.

If you’re looking for the best way to make sure you have an awesome start to 2016, do what 10,000 other people did last year and go through The 30 Days of Hustle Challenge. (And don’t do it alone! It’s a great challenge to do with a friend, so share the link with your friends and challenge them to do it with you!)

Can’t wait to see the awesome things you accomplish!

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

PS…The Early Bird price goes away Friday at Midnight PT and registration will be closed for a few weeks until it opens again at full price ($60) the last week of December, so don’t miss this offer!

PPS…Yes, you’re dream is worth way more than $1/day, but for this week I wanted to make the Challenge accessible to as many people as possible. I hope you’ll join me!

PPPS…So many additional thoughts! I put together a 30 song playlist pulled from the most eclectic, motivational collection of music. I can’t wait to share fun things like that with you in January!

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4 ways to get paid more and have more fun at whatever you do.

The message at the heart of what I shared at the 15 Do Over fall tour events was this: there are 4 things you need to focus on if you want to get good at what you do for a living (or if you want to change what you do for a living).

Focus on these 4 things, and you’ll be better equipped to handle any changes you face and have a whole lot more fun along the way. My theory is simple: If you’re going to spend 40-60 hours a week for 40-60 years of your life working, you might as well enjoy it.

If you’re going to work 40 hours a week for 40 years of your life, you might as well enjoy it.
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I know many of you weren’t able to make it out to a live event this fall to hear more about what those 4 things are, so I’m excited to announce that Thursday, December 3 at 7pm CT, I’m hosting a live Do Over Webinar.

Who is this free webinar for?

It’s for 9 types of people.

1. If you think trading 50 weeks of drudgery for 2 weeks of vacation every year is bad math, this webinar is for you.

2. If you want to make sure your career is recession proof, this webinar is for you.

3. If you have a dream that you just can’t shake but you’re not sure where to start, this webinar is for you.

4. If you want to win at work, this webinar is for you.

5. If you want to make a few small changes that over time will make a big difference, this webinar is for you.

6. If you’re wondering if you’re too old for a Do Over, you’re probably not, and this webinar is for you.

7. If you think there’s something wrong with spending 40 hours a week for the next 40 years doing something you hate, this webinar is for you.

8. If you want 2016 to be way better than 2015, this webinar is for you.

9. If you wanted to check out the Do Over tour but couldn’t make it to an event, this webinar is for you.

Register for this free event here: Jon Acuff Webinar on 12/03/15. (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.)

Hope to see you there!

Jon

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