You're Building Your Life Backwards

October 21, 2025 | Episode 5207

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Smart people are doing it backwards right now.

Even people who studied this exact thing in college are forgetting the basics. They're chasing respect before they can pay rent. They're demanding acceptance while their life's falling apart.

Scott breaks down why 2025 has been so damn hard and what Abraham Maslow figured out in 1954 that still works today. No shortcuts. No hacks. Just the sequential steps you actually need to climb.

Spoiler: You can't skip steps just because you're 21 and think the world is different now.

Featured Story

Scott's been having the same conversation over and over the past few weeks with successful people who've somehow forgotten what they learned in college.

They're college-educated. They know Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. But when Scott reminds them what they studied at university, they go, "Oh yeah, I forgot about it."

Here's the thing that keeps coming up: people are trying to build the top floors before they've laid the foundation. They want self-actualization and respect while they can't feed themselves or feel safe.

Scott calls it building without a peaceful base. And in a year as hard as 2025 has been—politically, financially, with AI throwing monkey wrenches everywhere—more people are doing this than ever.

Even his son-in-law thinks he has to fix his entire hurricane-damaged house by himself when he's surrounded by a church community ready to help. Sometimes the basics are right in front of you.

Important Points

Your best life is built sequentially, one level at a time—forget the elevator, you've got to climb the steps to the top.

If you can't feed yourself, feel safe, or maintain good relationships, you're not ready to help others or reach your full potential yet.

Humans figured out how to build this whole world without AI, and things that have worked forever still work today—don't get distracted.

Memorable Quotes

"What a man can be, he must be. You feel it inside your bones."

"I don't think you have to wait to become the person you're meant to be. I think you were put on this planet as that person."

"If you can't feed yourself, if you don't have good relationships, if you're not happy, how could you possibly go out and help other people?"

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Take inventory of where you are in Maslow's five levels—physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

Build your peaceful base first by handling the basics like shelter, money, relationships, and feeling safe before chasing bigger goals.

Stop demanding respect and acceptance from others until you've mastered the previous levels—what you can be, you must be, but in the right order.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your Secret to Setting Powerful Goals

October 21, 2025 | Episode 5206

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Forget goal-setting frameworks and Reddit productivity lists.

Scott's got a better approach, and it starts with his daughter's flooded house, $15,000 in ruined flooring, and a couple stuck in purgatory for two and a half years.

This isn't your typical goal-setting episode. It's about making decisions when you're sitting on the fence getting splinters in your ass. And yes, Scott sneaks in a bagel sandwich story while his wife babysits grandchild number five.

Three simple steps. One powerful mindset shift. Zero excuses.

Featured Story

Scott's daughter and son-in-law have been living in a construction zone for two and a half years after hurricane damage wrecked their home.

Water leaking. Mold growing. Fifteen grand down the drain on flooring that failed.

But here's the kicker: they each thought the other wanted to stay. She thought he'd never move. He thought she wanted to fix it up and keep it forever.

Both miserable. Neither talking about it.

Scott walks into this mess, has separate conversations with each of them, and realizes they're both stuck in the same hell for completely different reasons. The solution? A conversation that night and three decision-making steps that work for any goal you're avoiding.

Important Points

Big goals should scare you a little, but if you think you can do them, that's exactly what you need to go after.

Being stuck on the fence trying to figure stuff out is more disabling than making the wrong decision and adjusting later.

The "how" will always take care of itself once you commit to the "what"—you'll figure it out, you always do.

Memorable Quotes

"Have you been in a position before where you're on the fence, getting splinters in your ass? Cause you can't figure stuff out."

"First comes the what. The what's always there. I don't go with why first. I always go with what first."

"About 90% of your goals are not really goals anyway. They're just kind of fixing up life."

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Decide exactly what you want and when you want to get it—if you can't do that, you won't even get off the starting line.

Decide when you're going to start and when you're actually going to finish, and finish means finished, not "a few more things to tie up."

Decide how you'll begin and maintain momentum, then trust that the how will take care of itself once you commit to the what.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Is How Happy People Think

October 17, 2025 | Episode 5205

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Ever wonder why some people seem happy no matter what life throws at them?

It's not rose-colored glasses. It's not pretending problems don't exist. Happy people have a completely different way of looking at the world, and you can learn it in about seven minutes.

Scott breaks down the five ways happy people think differently, starting with one truth that'll change everything: if you're alive, you have problems. The real question is what you do with them.

Featured Story

Scott gets real about his own happiness journey, including the day he quit drinking because it was "making me fat and stupid."

He also admits his biggest frustration as a podcast host. Spoiler: it involves you not listening to episodes he worked hard on.

But here's the twist. Even that frustration doesn't make him unhappy. Because he's figured out the secret happy people know about problems, action, and what it really means to shake things up.

This isn't your typical motivation talk. It's coffee shop wisdom that actually works.

Important Points

Happy people don't pretend problems don't exist—they accept that being alive means dealing with challenges every single day.

Getting frustrated is normal, but happy people know frustration means they're actually living and shaking things up instead of staying stuck.

You don't have to solve every problem out there, just the important ones, then get a great night's sleep and do it all over again.

Memorable Quotes

"I promise you this. When you die, you will have no problems."

"Dealing with problems is a privilege of being alive."

"Nothing will make you happier than moving. And you can start that right now."

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Accept that you're alive and problems come with the territory—stop fighting reality and start working with it.

Stand up and shake things up even when you're unhappy, because movement creates happiness, not the other way around.

Take responsibility for solving your important problems, let the rest go, and repeat tomorrow because that's the real reward.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get More Done Scripting Your Life

Date: October 15, 2025 | Episode: 5204

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

What if the boring, scripted life you've been avoiding is exactly what gives you freedom?

Scott tackles the biggest lie we tell ourselves - that structure kills spontaneity. Spoiler: it's the opposite.

From planning spontaneous Saturdays with his wife to stacking back-to-back calls at 6:45 AM, he reveals why the most exciting lives are built on predictable routines. You're already a goal-seeking machine. Time to use it right.

Featured Story

Scott's wife isn't spontaneous. At all.

If he wants a fun Saturday, he has to announce it in advance. "Honey, we're having a spontaneous Saturday." She needs to plan for it.

It sounds wacky. He fights it every step of the way.

But here's the thing - she's onto something. Her scripted approach means less stress and more control. Scott learned this the hard way after years of resisting structure.

Now? He knows his Monday schedule two weeks out. When the dermatologist asks what time works, his answer is simple: "Anything. I know my Monday."

Important Points

Your eyes are goal-seeking machines that naturally take you wherever you point your attention, which is why billion-dollar companies fight for your focus every single day.

Structure doesn't kill freedom - it creates it. The minute you script your life is the minute you control it instead of letting everyone else control it for you.

Process beats outcome goals every time. Focusing on daily habits and systems keeps you moving forward even when the big goal feels impossible or hits a plateau.

Memorable Quotes

"The minute you get some structure in your life is the minute you get all the freedom you want."

"You are a goal setting machine. Whatever direction you point your attention is where you're going to go."

"When I do it for myself, for what I want to do, I'll stick to it all day long."

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Script your day in advance. Know what you're doing and when you're doing it so you can actually control your time instead of reacting to everyone else's agenda.

Focus on the process, not just the end goal. Get excited about the daily habits that move you forward rather than obsessing over the finish line that's still months away.

Be flexible on your terms. Structure doesn't mean rigid - it means you know what you're doing well enough to adjust when life happens without losing control completely.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Common Sense Rules You Can't Avoid

October 15, 2025 | Episode 5203

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

What if life came with rules you could just accept and move on?

Scott dives into eight unavoidable truths that successful people need to hear. These aren't the kind of rules you break or bend. They're the ones that make life easier once you stop fighting them.

From passion to frustration to that big picture you keep losing sight of, this episode cuts through the noise. You'll walk away knowing exactly which battles aren't worth fighting.

Featured Story

Picture this: Scott's sitting at his favorite coffee shop on Beach Street in Daytona, enjoying a perfect latte on a beautiful day. He's done with work. Life is good.

Then it hits him.

He hasn't recorded the podcast yet. The very one you're listening to right now.

So he hops on his motorcycle and rides all the way back home to hit record. And the irony? He's about to talk about life's unavoidable rules and the speed limits we all face. Sometimes you want to relax at a coffee shop. Sometimes life has other plans.

Important Points

Following your passion doesn't guarantee immediate money, but it guarantees happiness while you figure out the money part.

The road ahead will get rough, then smooth, then rough again—and that's true whether you take the easy path or the hard one.

You're never going to eliminate frustration, but you can choose to be frustrated and excited at the same time.

Memorable Quotes

"Nothing will ever happen until you move from daydreaming into daily action."

"Whatever path you thought you would travel, it's going to change."

"Once you understand this, here's what happens. Suddenly all this stuff just kind of takes less precedence in your life."

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Accept that your calling is just the first step, not the complete plan—five years from now, you'll wonder how you got there, but you'll love it.

Check your speed limit regularly and pace yourself—hustle culture isn't always what it's cracked up to be, but neither is sitting around doing nothing.

Focus on where you want to look instead of getting buried in daily frustrations—they're both always going to be there anyway.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Gets in the Way of Your Productivity?

October 14, 2025 | Episode 5202

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Ever feel like you just want to get your work done so you can hit the beach?

Scott's broadcasting from sunny Daytona Beach with a reality check about productivity that'll make you rethink everything. Forget the fancy software and complicated systems. Most people are spending more time managing their productivity tools than actually being productive.

Here's the truth: productivity isn't what you think it is. And once you understand what's really getting in your way, you'll finally stop beating your head against the wall.

Featured Story

Scott was researching productivity software to help his clients when he stumbled into a rabbit hole of apps designed to manage schedules, habits, and tasks. These programs were so complex they'd reschedule your entire day if you missed one thing.

Plot twist: The young professionals using them were spending more time managing the software than actually getting things done.

That's when Scott said "hell no" and walked away. Growing up in the 70s with a landline and an 18-foot cord taught him something valuable. He keeps his phone in another room while working because he knows what happens if it's within reach.

The lesson? Don't fall into the marketing trap. Sometimes the old-school approach wins.

Important Points

Productivity is two words: Product and Activity. Is your activity actually creating the outcome you want?

Most people have no awareness of what's really hindering their goals. They know something's wrong but won't look under the hood.

The more you want in life is on the other side of doing less. Stop doing 50 steps when it only takes five.

Memorable Quotes

"Simple is the ultimate form of sophistication. Those people complicating things? They're not very sophisticated, are they?"

"You will beat your head against the wall until you get tired of doing it. And one day you'll say, that's it. I'm done."

"More is on the other side of less. The more you want is on the other side of doing less."

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Define your product. What outcome are you actually trying to create with your activity? If you're not getting it, change your actions.

Get brutally aware. Stop and ask what's really in your way or what you're doing instead of moving forward.

Know your philosophy. Why are you doing all this stuff? What's the reason you're getting out of bed? Don't know? Then why are you doing it?

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Questions That Improve Self-Confidence

October 13, 2025 | Episode 5201

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Ever notice how confident you are until you're not?

Scott's been "training" for his annual physical like it's the Olympics. More cardio, cleaner eating, the works. His wife called him out on it. And yeah, he admits it—that white coat syndrome is real.

But here's the thing about confidence. It's not about swagger you can buy at the store. It's about knowing exactly what you're stepping into and having a simple way to validate it.

Scott shares four questions from "The Three Minute Rule" that'll change how you approach anything scary. From breaking boards to asking for that raise.

Featured Story

Scott got his black belt at 33 years old. Walking into that dojo for the first time? People in pajamas making strange noises.

But the real terror? Breaking boards.

It's just a one-inch pine board. Nothing dramatic. But that first punch through changes everything. Suddenly you want two boards. Then four. Can I use my elbow? What about a kick?

That's the moment confidence shifts. From "I can't do this" to "give me more."

Scott reveals what happens in your brain when you master that first scary thing—and why the next level always brings a new devil.

Important Points

Confidence lives at your current level until you step up—then everything feels scary again and you need a new toolkit.

The four validation questions work for anything from breaking boards to breaking through your mundane routines.

Wisdom isn't being chicken—it's knowing which boards to break and which ones to walk away from.

Memorable Quotes

"Swagger is expensive. You can't buy it at the store. It's hard to get."

"New level, new devil. Every time you step up to a new level, things get a little bit, it throws you out of your confidence zone."

"If you can't answer 'are you sure?,' how are you going to be confident?"

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Ask yourself what it is and how it works—if you can't explain it, your confidence is built on air.

Validate you can actually do it with the time, skill, and resources you have right now.

Answer "are you sure?" honestly—this question separates real confidence from empty motivation.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Steps For Transformational Change

October 10, 2025 | Episode 5200

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Everyone says they hate change, but here's the thing: what you really want is transformation.

You know that feeling when you're comfortably miserable? Life's not perfect, but at least it's familiar. You want something different, but you're stuck somewhere between "I should do something" and "I'm actually doing it."

Scott breaks down the five stages every transformation goes through and shows you exactly where you're stuck. Because once you know where you are in the process, you can finally move forward.

Featured Story

Picture this: Scott's wife is in the closet having a full-blown change crisis.

One outfit on. Look in the mirror. Change it. Repeat.

It's funny, but it's also exactly what we all do with bigger life decisions. We keep trying on different versions of what we want, never quite committing to walking out the door. Scott shares why his approach isn't about change coaching or life coachy stuff - it's about one thing: getting you from where you are to where you actually want to be. And why knowing the difference between change and transformation changes everything.

Important Points

You're not afraid of transformation itself - you're afraid of not knowing the exact roadmap to get there.

Most people stay stuck in contemplation for years (maybe decades) because they lack two things: a specific outcome and clear next steps.

Maintenance is the stage everyone forgets about, which is why you end up back where you started five years later.

Memorable Quotes

"I'm not a change coach. I'm interested in one thing. What do you want? And can I transform you to get it?"

"It's like, I'm comfortably miserable, but at least I'm comfortable, right?"

"If you know what you want to do and you don't know the exact steps in between, how could you possibly be determined to get there?"

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Get crystal clear on the specific transformation you want - not just "something different," but exactly what that looks like.

Build your roadmap with actual next steps, because determination without direction keeps you spinning in place.

Plan for maintenance from day one, or you'll be right back here in five years doing this all over again.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Stop Emotional Triggers Before They Control You

October 9, 2025 | Episode 5199

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

You know that moment when your mouth moves faster than your brain?

When you say exactly what you promised yourself you wouldn't say? We've all been there. Scott breaks down the frustrating reality of emotional triggers and why trying to shut them down completely is the wrong approach.

Here's the thing: You're emotional. I'm emotional. We all are.

The trick isn't becoming some cold, disconnected robot. It's learning to catch yourself earlier in the process. Scott shares his simple three-step method that anyone can use, starting right where you are today.

Featured Story

After 20 years of doing this podcast, Scott got an email from Eda, a listener born in 2005.

She's been listening since 2021 and thanked him for helping her into adulthood. She almost qualified as a "boost baby" - those second-generation listeners whose parents rocked them to sleep with Scott's voice in their ears

The timing hit Scott hard. Twenty years shakes him too.

It also reminded him why this topic matters so much. Whether you're just entering adulthood or you've been around the block a few times, emotional triggers affect everyone. Every age. Every stage of life. And the wine-fueled conversations with your spouse where you say that thing you swore you wouldn't say? Yeah, those too.

Important Points

Your emotional habits trigger your actions before you can do anything about them - that's the most frustrating part.

You can't control emotions by shutting them down, and the day you're not affected by emotions, you're probably not someone worth hanging around.

Training yourself to interrupt the pattern works, but it takes stumbling through the middle stages before you finally catch yourself in time.

Memorable Quotes

"I get paid to put my foot in my mouth."

"The day that you're not affected by emotions, I'm not sure I want to be your friend."

"By the way, these techniques do not work under the influence of wine. They just don't."

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Step 1: Catch yourself after you've done it - notice what happened and promise yourself you'll catch it sooner next time.

Step 2: Catch yourself in the middle of it - even if you still finish saying what you didn't want to say, you're interrupting the pattern and breaking it.

Step 3: Catch yourself before you act and stop it - this is the goal, and it happens when you finally see your lips moving but nothing comes out.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daily Boost Podcast Show Notes

Happiness: What Makes JOY Last Longer Than Happiness?

October 8, 2025 | Episode 5198

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Scott gave up chasing happiness years ago.

Plot twist: He's happier for it. After almost 20 years and over 5,000 episodes, he's learned that joy sticks around longer than happiness ever did. It's less fleeting, more reliable, and way more real.

In this episode, Scott shares five ideas that have been posted on his office wall for years. He doesn't even remember when he put them there. But they're still relevant because they work. These aren't fluffy positive vibes—this is the honest truth about what actually makes life feel good when you're stuck, frustrated, or wondering why success isn't bringing the satisfaction you expected.

Featured Story

Picture this: Scott's looking at his office wall during a recording session.

There are five handwritten reminders staring back at him. They've been there for years. He has no idea when he posted them, which tells you something—these aren't trendy mantras. They're the real deal.

As he's about to hit 20 years of daily podcasting, he realizes these five ideas are exactly why he's still showing up. They're also why his clients in their 40s and 50s—successful people who should be happy but aren't quite there—finally start feeling something shift. It's not about motivation. It's about getting brutally honest with yourself about what you're doing with your time and who you're doing it for.

Important Points

Gratitude isn't just nice—it's the foundation for getting more of what you want. If you can't appreciate what you have, why would you get anything else?

Your actions tell the truth your words won't. Look at what you actually do every day, not what you say you'll do or wish you were doing.

Serving others strategically changes your life faster than chasing your own happiness. When you make someone else feel great today, everything shifts for you too.

Memorable Quotes

"You change when you wear yourself out. And the truth is, if you are stuck and you can't figure stuff out, there's some things you have to do and you have to figure it out, but there's a big stack. I'm going to guess 50, 60% of what you think you need to do that doesn't need to be done at all."

"Remember, the person you are today is not who you will be tomorrow. In fact, the decision you make today may scare you to death. But as you start moving forward tomorrow and the next week and the next month and the next year, you'll become that person who is fully capable of transforming into whatever you want to do."

"This is not the toxic positivity. Come on guys. You can do it. Be happy. Let's go. Rah, rah, rah. Love that stuff. But man, if that's not working for you, we got to get real, don't we?"

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Pause today and write down three things you're grateful for—even if life feels hard right now. Don't tell anyone you're doing it. Just do it and watch what compounds over time.

Review everyone you'll interact with today and decide in advance how you want to make them feel. Serve first. Tell someone you're proud of them and watch what happens.

Pull out your calendar and block time for yourself—not for tasks, but for your dreams. Own your time or everyone else will own it for you.

Connect With Me

Search for The Daily Boost on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Email: [email protected]

Main Website: https://motivationtomove.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailyboostpodcast

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/motivationtomove

Facebook Group: https://dailyboostpodcast.com/facebook

Possible Titles (Ranked by Effectiveness)

podcast, Scott, mindfulness, motivation, inspiration, happiness, personal development, mental health, joy, self-improvement, positivity, life lessons, personal growth, resilience, life advice, emotional well-being, happiness vs joy, authentic living, meaningful life, happiness tips

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices