Daily Boost — Motivation and Personal Growth

Traditions Are Happiness

Are you a person who always does things the same way or prefers to change things at every chance?

If you're lucky, you are both.

Traditions are the secret sauce behind our emotional connection at this time of year. Family get-togethers, office gatherings, crazy shopping crowds?

The traditions make our lives unique and are always present, never forgotten, and form the fabric of our lives. They are very human, and they are essential.

But let's return to my earlier comment that "traditions make our lives special."

The fact is, somebody has to make the tradition. 

Is that you?

My wife and I were walking in the neighborhood and noticed Janice was almost finished with her Christmas decorations. I stopped and said—

"Wow. That looks like a lot of work!"

"Yes, it is. But I love it, and it's my tradition," she said.

"Well, thank you for making Christmas great for the rest of us."

Whether Christmas, New Year's, or any other time, traditions are the same as habits and rituals. They make our lives more fulfilling. But always remember, somebody has to make the tradition so that our worlds are better.

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Escaping Your Past 

My mind is constantly searching for a simple process for anything that will help me get what I want, and that usually comes down to something I talk about a lot: making a decision. 

I speak about decision-making much of my day because it’s the most dynamic tool in your personal growth tool kit. 

It should be easy —

Almost everything you will ever want to do in life has already been done. The solution to getting what you wish to should be based on logic and proven steps. In other words, figure out what works and do it. 

But, as much as we can all agree that it should be easy, using logic to get what we want doesn’t have much to do with being a human—that’s where emotions and a more psychological approach come into play. 

“Come on, let’s just do what we know works?” You say.

“No. I’m not feeling it. Let’s go with the flow and figure it out?”

Logical vs emotional thinking is an epic battle that Stephen Spielberg could tell in a blockbuster movie. Oh, wait, it always is!

Let’s take a side trip to the movies and prove my point.

The Hero has a problem in a movie, and something has to change, but they don’t know what to do. Professionally speaking, they are an emotional mess, no matter how real it may be.

Then, in a movie, their situation suddenly thrust them into taking action to solve their problem. Logic kicks in, and they get busy fixing life.

But, in a movie, life gets in the way, their actions are not working, and their emotions take over. It seems that all is lost, but never fear.

Before any good movie ends, our Hero figures out precisely what needs to be done. One. Two. Three. Victory is at hand. Somebody, please roll the credits.

What’s the lesson in the story we are writing?

Everything that you want to do has already been figured out. Your job is to set your emotions aside, go into logical mode, and take the fewest steps possible to reach your dream. They’re no need to wait. Heros, don’t wait.

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The Gift of YOU

As we approach the most spiritual time of year, I find more and more of my thoughts are focused on what my future will bring. But instead of drafting a list of goals, my mind seems to settle into a different place—

What if I could give myself a gift that instantly gives me what I want?

What if I don't have to chase my dreams and start living them instead?

What if there was nothing in my way - ever?

While that way of thinking may seem out of touch today, it's not. It happens daily for millions of people worldwide and can happen to you, too.

Here's a simple truth—

Everything changes instantly and, very likely, forever when you decide. 

If you hate your job and decide to quit, everything changes.

Everything changes instantly if you decide you need space for yourself, turn your phone off, and walk in the woods.

If you say "Yes" to yourself and "No" to others more often, you experience change.

I could go on forever, but I don't need to. If you've been alive for any time, you understand that you're only stuck until you decide not to be stuck. Once you make that decision, you're moving again. That's life.

Is it easy? Are there limitations? Are there consequences? 

Maybe, but many of them are good! 

The point is that any directional change in your life is possible when you decide to recalculate your path.

So this year, why not give yourself the gift of considering the possibility that the only thing standing in your way is you? I bet that you already know that. If that's the case, why not get out of your way and do what you say you want to do?

Yes, I know you may not know what to do.

Yes, I know you may not know how to do it.

Yes, I know you may wonder how your life will be.

All of that is true. 

But you know that you want something different?

Do you know what's not working?

Do you know what you don't want in your life?

That should be all the motivation you need to go for your dreams.

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Happy and DON’T Know it?

I can’t remember her name, but I can tell you she was not a happy person.  

I arrived for a class reunion on a hot, hazy, and humid Virginia day. As I stepped toward the check-in table, a friend of more than thirty years locked eyes with me, broke into tears, and screamed—

“Oh, Scott… can you help me?” 

Next, she bolted out of her seat, ran around the table, and hugged me… and hugged me… and hugged me… and hugged me.  

This is not the first time this has happened, and as a professional, I knew what I would say, “Of course I’ll help. Just let me get settled.“ 

Frankly, I was buying time to figure out why somebody I have never known not to be happy was acting unhappy. 

What had changed?

Nothing.

My friend found herself a full-fledged member of The Always Club, as in “I always wanted to be thin and in shape… I always wanted to find my purpose in life… I always wanted to make more money… I always…

I was a member of The Always Club, along with about a gazillion other folks trying to figure out life’s secrets. Who knew it would take most of us thirty years of post-high school living to realize we’d never done what we had always wanted to do? 

If that sounds familiar, it’s not your fault, and it’s more common than the common cold. But unlike the common cold, you can’t wait seven days for it to go away, or you’ll remain a member of The Always Club for the rest of your life.  

So what did I say to my friend?

“What you have always wanted is not something you have been denied. It hasn’t disappeared or passed you by; somebody else didn’t take it. You have been living happily, and nothing is wrong with that. Remember, your “always wanted” is alive and well, living in your future, just waiting for you to go after it.”

And she hugged me… and hugged me… and hugged me.

So what are you waiting for?

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What Do You Want For Christmas?

Last year, sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving, I found myself finishing leftover candy and biting into a Jolly Rancher - a recipe for disaster for anybody with a mouth full of dental work. 

As you might have predicted, it wasn't long before I was at the dentist. I don't like dentists much. Maybe it was because, as a kid, our family dentist was Dr. PAIN… uh… Dr. Payne. Still, there I was with the sound of drilling and suction filling the room, along with the occasional mumbled answer coming from my mouth, answering important questions like, "What have you been up to lately?" Then tell me not to move my mouth.

Seriously? 

Is that a skill they teach at dental school? 

Please wait until your patient can't speak and ask them a question. 

That's like me asking my young kids a question at the dinner table and telling them not to chew with their mouths open.

But that's life. 

Sometimes, life doesn't make sense, even though I would argue that things are always good, which is why we notice it when they are not. And boy, it does happen a lot this time of year. Then again, it happens a lot every time of the year. 

I'm writing today as most of us roll through the holiday season. I think it's good to keep two things in mind:

Life can get in the way any time of the year, and it will. 

No matter how crazy, it should never be unexpected. By the way, that includes the self-inflicted part that is so common. I don't want to hear anybody say why me, why it, why now? 

As we say in the South, "It is what it is!"

Besides, since life is getting in the way, stuff comes in all varieties, and we don't have the right to enjoy the good stuff if we're always complaining about the bad stuff.

Next, no matter how much life gets in your way during the holidays, most of us seem to find a way to make it unique for ourselves and others. So, if you're going the extra mile to make magic, you don't get to enjoy the compliments and smiles on the faces of others if you complain about how hard you worked to make it happen.

Of course, if you've made it this far into today's message, you might be saying, 

"Sure I can! I'm fully capable of complaining about my suffering and being happy. Besides, that's who I am!"

Sure you are. But why not skip the grumpy part and enjoy the fun part?

And you can do that all year long!

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How to Live an ALL IN Life

I want to become the person I am meant to be.

That’s something that I hear daily in my life from people all over the world. Frankly, beyond living a joyful life, I can’t think of anything more important than growing to become who you know you are.

Most people tend to work in different areas of their life. All will say that family and friends are the most important, but they tend to focus on their career and legacy - especially after the kids move out. But here is a problem…

For many years, most people, including myself, tended to get lost in developing specific areas of their lives while others were on hold. While outwardly successful, they wouldn’t be on the phone with me if everything was going perfectly. It’s not; it’s hit or miss, causing sleepless nights.

A solution is an ALL-IN approach to living.

Over time, I’ve developed the solid belief that whatever you deem as the ultimate best use of your life will only happen after you have evolved every area of your life - and do it every day.

Focusing on your business and achieving success at the highest levels only happens when the other areas of your life are balanced.

Raising your children to be the best can only happen when the other areas of your life are balanced.

Developing your spiritual being will only happen at a profoundly satisfying level when all other areas of your life are balanced.

In other words, you will only achieve your personal best when your body, mind, relationships, and finances are working in synchronicity to support your journey; any other strategy is hit or miss. 

The goal is simple.

You should do something daily to develop, maintain, and grow in every critical area of your life. It doesn’t have to be big, but it does have to happen. No, things won’t be perfect every day, but it’s incredible how all those imperfect days add up to a pretty good life.

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From Scarcity To Abundance

I will let it rip and admit that I have a personality trait that doesn’t always serve me. Well, maybe I have several? Still, there is a big one that I’m always working to eliminate.

I’m a thinker, and I like to ponder ideas, take my time, and know my path before I get to it.

I’m also a guy who locks in on what works and holds on like a Pit Bull with a Ribeye—holding on tends to favor iteration but gets in the way of a more significant change.

Now, it’s entirely possible that you would see those traits as good. After all, it’s the rituals of life that make life good. You’re right. Still…

Going for big stuff takes commitment and a bit of confidence, risk tolerance, and maybe a couple of glasses of wine. You might also have to release your safety blanket because it could hold you back. It all comes down to scarcity.

A few days ago, I reached out to clients and asked -

“How do you define scarcity?”

Predictably, most described it as not having enough of what they wanted. They also described abundance as having more of what they wanted. 

That’s when I twisted their minds by asking -

“Is it possible that holding on to what you have keeps you from getting more? In other words, you fear you’ll end up with less?”

Their answers were all yes.

“What if the only requirement for getting what you want is to let go of what you have now? What if your path to success opens up the minute you release?”

I didn’t need to wait for an answer. 

They instantly transformed their mindset and realized it was time to step up. It may not happen overnight, but it is going to happen.

I live in a never-ending world of fascination and expansion that drives me to do more. While I may take my time, I understand the only way to serve more is to expect more and stop hanging on to what I have.

You too?

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It's Time to Get Off The Fence

Okay, I'm feeling a little bit lazy today, so I will cut to the chase and bestow upon you the secret to success you've been seeking. 

Success requires that you do the hard work. 

It doesn't take a scientist to figure out that if you want more, you will have to do something to get it. Still, we live in a world that makes it seem like it should be easier, and it's not. Success takes a lot of hard work - even if you don't see it.

Successful YouTubers make it look easy - after thousands of hours of trial and error.

Musicians seemingly live their dream - after years of living in a tour bus and making pennies.

Even people who do nothing but accept the generosity of society to make their way are working hard at a life you would never want.

It doesn't matter what you want, good or bad, prosperous or not, happy or sad; it will take a lot of work to accomplish it. If you have a choice, and you do, why wouldn't you choose to work hard to bring goodness into your life?

You become interested in making a change. The problem is interest is only the beginning, and you never get beyond your fascination.

You decide what change you want to create and work hard to get it. Then, life gets in the way, and you stop. 

What's missing?

Commitment. Life doesn't guarantee it, but you tend to get what you want when you commit and go all in on your mission. That's just how it works.

I'm interested in many things and work hard at making magic happen in my life, the lives of my family and friends, and even yours. Only a solid commitment to how I spend my decades on this planet allows that to happen. Whatever you do - get committed, and you'll see how things change.

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Universe Whispering In Your Ear

Does the Universe whisper to you?

Before I go on, you need to know that I can go pretty deep into the world of woo-woo in my beliefs. Still, the real-world dude in me makes me realize that while it may be fun to ride a unicorn to the coffee shop, I haven’t yet been able to request one from Uber. 

You may believe that your life is already planned for you or that you can ask for what you to manifest. In any case, you can’t deny that something is whispering directions to you all day long.

Are you listening?

While there are many ways people seek to receive messages of guidance as we make life decisions, my favorite has always been events that occur in triplicate. If something happens three times, I pay attention.

Call me hard-headed, distracted, or set in my ways, but life has taught me that wisdom tends to come in whispers - usually when our thoughts are screaming in our heads and drowning out our dreams.

Now, let me be clear...

A friend calling three times to go out on the town doesn’t count in my book.

Snoozing your alarm clock three times isn’t a message from the Universe that you should sleep in more.

The grocery store being out of your favorite chips three times is not a sign that you should go on a diet. 

All that is what they call the “stuff that happens while you’re alive.”

So what counts? 

If I were to describe messages that resonate with me, it would be…

1) Seemingly random situations and people that happen in quick succession or at the same time. 

2) They are different in their approach and appearance, yet each delivers a similar message. At first, it may seem disconnected, but about the other messages, you begin to notice

3) Your message has likely been on your mind, keeping you awake and speaking to you all night. Even though you may not immediately recognize its impact, you find yourself slightly redirected in your search for answers. Your path altered.

While this is only my description of how I know it when the Universe is ganging up on me, I have learned to allow space for a message to arrive. Whether I realize the impact or not, it always motivates my decisions, choices, and future actions. In other words, things change with little effort.

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Empowering Emotional Triggers

I love it when we miraculously put together the perfect day, and life decides to get in the way. 

Well, it's not life, and maybe I don't love it, but occasionally, something or someone will cross your path get in your way.

I don't know anybody who doesn't get hit smack in the face with a situation that triggers a feeling deep inside their soul, stirs emotion, and results in a reaction or response that makes you say, "Why did I say that?"

Of course, we are emotional creatures, so it makes sense that robust emotional responses are a thing for most of us. Still, common sense will tell you it doesn't always serve us. It gets even worse when people sedate their emotions to protect themselves. Not only do they miss great opportunities, but when they are triggered, it becomes an 8.0 earthquake.

So, how do you deal with it?

The way I handle it is to understand that triggers usually happen when I least expect them. Still, my ScottLOGIC tells me that once I experience the trigger and learn the lesson, a little discipline in my actions tends to smooth things out the next time. 

Here's what happens.

When I get triggered, a feeling emerges inside of me. Like me, the problem is that most folks jump from a feeling to an emotional response before their mouth knows what's happening. A better way is to recognize the feeling, pause, review the emotional dialog running in your mind, and then allow your thoughts to become your words. 

Life improves when you have the discipline to recognize what you've learned from a previous trigger, audit your reactions, and deliver your response. Strangely, it becomes as if you were never triggered at all.

Look, we live in a world filled with shoot-from-the-hip opportunities, many of them purposely put in front of us to get a response. Please don't fall for it. Keep your mind on how you want to experience and see the world. You'll be amazed how all the drama goes away.

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