This is an episode of Crush It Mondays.  Each week, I’ll bring to you an inspiring message, habit, or contemplation to get your week off to a powerful start.  In this week’s episode, I want to talk about excuses.

Excuses can show up in several forms.  Procrastination is one of the main ways excuses show up.  We give a reason as to why we can do that thing later.  And for some things, procrastination is just a hop, skip, and a jump to never getting that thing done.  Other forms of excuses show up as a reason to let yourself off the hook.  The challenge is figuring out when you actually SHOULD listen to your excuse because your body is telling you something, and when your excuses are a form of procrastination, laziness, or even fear of failure, losing time, or not knowing how to get started.

First, let's talk about big picture excuses- excuses that we make to avoid bigger life changes.

Figure Out What's Really Holding You Back

Here are some common excuses I hear or that I've caught myself saying. Try to decode what you are really saying instead.  Here are a few examples.

• I'm too old to start (I hear this a lot with mountain biking... NOT true! My dad started in his 60s.  My father-in-law is in his 70s and mountain bikes!).
  • You're really saying "I'm afraid I'll get hurt." Hire a coach, take babysteps, realize that you are looking at worst-case scenarios and it's probably not true.
• I don't know how to do it.
  • You're really saying: I don't know how to do it right now.  I'm afraid that I won't be able to figure it out.  I'm afraid I'll waste my time trying to learn if it doesn't work out.  I don't want to spend the time.  Meet the internet.  You can learn how to do pretty much everything if you're willing to put in the time
• It's too cold, hot, I'm too sleepy, I have to much to do... excuses not to exercise.  What are you really worried about?  Are you tired, stressed, burnt out, or injured?  Those are times you might need a break.  You probably are really saying that you don't want to be uncomfortable.
• I have already spent years in school or in my career dedicated to this path. I can't change now.
  • You're really saying that it is hard to start over and you're afraid of the sunk cost of time and money, but you can always change.  You  also might be avoiding discomfort, temporary loss of identity, fear of not knowing what to do next, but you can almost always change.  Change is hard and it takes work, but it's worth it.
• I don't have time
  • You're really saying you won't make time. You might have to cut something else out, but if it's important you always have time.

Some of the excuses I just mentioned are for bigger picture things.  But what about smaller things too?  I am the worst about procrastinating with writing: blog posts, articles, books.  I also have been known to procrastinate getting out on my bike, meditation, going to the gym, cleaning the garage, listing stuff on craigslist.

What should you do to be stronger than your excuses?

The Hardest Part is Getting Started

First, identify that you are in fact making an excuse. Just being aware that you are doing it helps, and try to figure out what the real issue is in the first place.  The hardest part for most people is simply getting started.  In chemistry, physics, or even an electrical impulse in the body, there is the activation energy, that is, a minimum quantity of energy required to

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

Julia Murray is an Olympian Skier in ski cross, a silver medalist at World Championships, a registered Holistic Nutritionist, a Roubxe certified plant-based chef, a Main Street Vegan Educator, Owner of HOoked on Plants, Cofounder of 80/20 plants and an all-around awesome human.  Julia has spent 4 years going all-in on the vegan and plant-based lifestyle. If you're plant-curious and wondering about making small or big changes in your diet, definitely sign up for her program on 8020plants.com where you'll get one on one coaching, videos, and recipes on how to make a slow transition, and even room for indulgent foods.

Julia is an inspiring and awesome person AND check out Whistler VegFest next year!

Check out 80/20 Plants and use code "Sonya20"

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• her rise to the Olympic dream
• making transitions in your life
• supplements Julia likes
• how to switch to a whole-foods plant-based diet
• tips for starting new businesses
• creating recipes and becoming a chef
• how to deal with negative criticism as a vegan

Listen Now

 

 

 

Resources

• Hooked On Plants
• Get on board with 80/20 Plants
• Main Street Vegan Academy
• Resources Julia mentioned in the show(scroll down)
• Why Vegan? by Julia

Inside Tracker: Take a Selfie from the Inside

Use Code: CHEERSSONYA for $200 OFF the Ultimate Test 

Inside Tracker is a company that uses bloodwork to assess biomarkers, blood analysis, athletic performance, and nutrition software to optimize fitness and longevity.  Founded in 2009, the Boston company first started working with professional athletes who wanted to see what their biomarkers, hormone and mineral profiles looked like during their training and how they could use nutrition and lifestyle to improve.  They measure over 30 biomarkers and recommend food and supplements to optimize thinks like your energy, cognition, endurance, heart health, and more. I started working with Inside Tracker in 2017.  I liked it because their ranges for your biomarkers change based on your goals. I also think it’s important to have baseline and also recurrent bloodwork as you age and also simply as an athlete.

Listen to the Episode with Jonathan Levitt from Inside Tracker

 

Support the Show

If you would like to support the growth of my show, I’d love your contribution on.

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

This is an episode of Crush It Mondays.  Each week, I’ll bring to you an inspiring message, habit, or contemplation to get your week off to a powerful start.  In this week’s episode, I want to talk about how not to choke.  My research was primarily around different sports, but these tips can be applied to say, a meeting you're preparing for, test-taking, or any situation that challenges you.

Self-talk, the awareness around our perceptions, and mindfulness are woven into the main narrative of this podcast. The stories we tell ourselves and the words that we use affect our perception. Self-talk is an internal stimulus and drives our confidence in everything that we do. It especially effects the outcome of how we perform and even how much fun we have in challenging situations or conditions where we need to optimally perform.  Our inner experience effects the quality of our outer experience.

What to do:

Here are some techniques I like to keep your eye on crushing it instead of letting that constricted, nervous feeling take over.  Use this in sports, business, relationships- anywhere you are being challenged.

• Develop contextual awareness around your negative self-talk. When are you doing it, what circumstances cause it?
• Practice reworking your thoughts and rewiring your brain.  Replace negative thoughts with productive ones.  Even journaling daily will help.
• Focus on execution, not outcome.  Don't think about winning the game or the race, think about what you'll do to perform your best. Don't think of the test result, think of the work you put in to know your stuff.  Don't think about getting the promotion, think about communicating everything you've done well.  You catch my drift
• Positive Visualization:  For days or weeks leading up to your event, imagine what not only what success looks like, but try to imagine how it'll feel when you are doing everything perfectly for your execution.  You can even use negative visualization- how will you deal with potential hiccups? If this gives you anxiety, don't spend too much time on the negative parts.
• View stress as a positive, especially with stereotypical "nerve-wracking situations."  Instead of saying "I'm so nervous" or "I'm stressed", tell yourself that you're excited and you're amped.  Kelly McGonigal PhD has written a whole book on research surrounding how and why this works, and techniques you can use called The Upside of Stress.
• Pick a mantra.  Mantras can be really powerful.  Pick on that makes you feel good. Mantra: I got this.  I'm unstoppable. I'm confident. I'm ready.
• Relax: breath, routine

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Reggie Miller's tips on choking and performing under pressure.

First let me say, there is no such thing as “choking”, we all have at some point come up short at the biggest moments in our athletic endeavor.. But here’s how I approach pressure moments..

1. Act like you’ve been there. There’s a reason why you got up 3 hours earlier to get to the gym or football field or on a trail. Practice makes good, not perfect.. The more time you spend doing what you love, the less pressure it will feel like..

2

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

Competition can be a driving force behind everything we do.  But what if the competition was with yourself and even with your bad habits? Jake Thompson, founder of the company Compete Every Day is on a mission to work with organizations and individuals to teach how they can develop accountability, mental resilience, and leadership skills in order to make bigger impacts in their careers and in their life.  It’s through his experience and research that he’s discovered how people who harness a competitive mindset against themselves can reach their goals, commit to action over motivation, and step into the leader they were created to be.  I loved having Jake on the show because we are both so passionate about how mindset molds resilience, mental toughness, happiness, and drive.

I really enjoyed talking with Jake because he is incredibly inspiring, humble, and passionate. I think you'll enjoy him too! Jake is a busy and multi-faceted guy.  He is a speaker, podcast host of his show, Cultivate a Winning Mindset, Chief Encouragement Officer of his tshirt company Compete Every Day, Author of a new book coming out soon, and more!

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• being in competition with yourself
• the problem with comparing yourself to others and how to stop
• the line between self-compassion & acceptance vs. hard work and drive
• growth mindset and identity
• the language to use around identity
• reinventing yourself

Listen Now

 

 

Resources

• Visit CompeteEveryDay.com
• Jake's Speaking Website
• Follow Jake on Instagram as well as Compete Every Day
• Book Mentioned: A Million Miles in 1000 years by Don Miller
• Book Mentioned: Mindset by Carol Dweck
• Listen to his Podcast

Inside Tracker: Take a Selfie from the Inside

Use Code: CHEERSSONYA for $200 OFF the Ultimate Test 

Inside Tracker is a company that uses bloodwork to assess biomarkers, blood analysis, athletic performance, and nutrition software to optimize fitness and longevity.  Founded in 2009, the Boston company first started working with professional athletes who wanted to see what their biomarkers, hormone and mineral profiles looked like during their training and how they could use nutrition and lifestyle to improve.  They measure over 30 biomarkers and recommend food and supplements to optimize thinks like your energy, cognition, endurance, heart health, and more. I started working with Inside Tracker in 2017.  I liked it because their ranges for your biomarkers change based on your goals. I also think it’s important to have baseline and also recurrent bloodwork as you age and also simply as an athlete.

Listen to the Episode with Jonathan Levitt from Inside Tracker

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

This is an episode of Crush It Mondays.  Each week, I’ll bring to you an inspiring message, habit, or contemplation to get your week off to a powerful start.  In this week’s episode, I want to talk about an interesting story and experience I had.

I was having dinner with a friend the other night and we got to talking about finding your purpose or finding your passion.  There's a lot of talk and maybe even pressure about "finding your purpose..." like if you don't find it, then you'll never be "fulfilled."  I've talked about the happiness horizon (you know, when you say I'll be happy when...) in another Crush It Mondays that I've linked in the show notes.   First, putting off contentment or feeling fulfilled when you find your purpose is not a good way to go and frankly, it's a myth.  I'm incredibly fortunate to have worked my way into a career that allows me to do things I'm passionate about. I would say I have found my purpose and work towards it every day, but I still have the same feelings like everyone else, struggling with "I'll be happy when..." or trying to feel content or feeling like what I am doing is still not enough.  We also search for the feeling of arrival, and while there may be fleeting moments of it, it's not a permanent feeling.  So finding your purpose is not analogous to contentment or fulfillment. I will say that it certainly helps and I'm thankful I get to put energy into the projects of my choosing, but I think that this societal pressure of searching for your big purpose and that you should be doing that all the time or doing it for your work has been blown way out of context.

So what do you do if you feel like you don't know your purpose or know your why and have low-level stress associated with it? What should you search for instead of trying to find this huge purpose?  My interpretation of the obsession with purpose is that we want to live a life that has meaning to us.  But having meaning can be really simple and you don't have to find your why with your work. I do think it is good to find elements of your work that bring you joy. Yes!  Even if we aren't talking about work, we feel good when we can find joy, concentration without distraction, and feel like we did our best at something.  Maybe even helping someone or having a human connection associated with what you're doing is part of it.  For me, I feel content when I look at those elements instead of this huge undertaking of living my purpose.  Maybe your purpose is how you live your life and living by your values.

Yes!  Maybe we can redefine this conversation.  I think it's good to think big picture with what you want to do in your life and have a direction to go, but you don't have to define the exact details of that direction. Chances are they will change over time anyway.  How about doing one thing each day that makes you feel good or do one thing each day that you are proud of?  I can tell you that if you slow down enough to do that and then reflect back on your day asking yourself, "What was the best thing I did today?" It'll help you feel more content.

Another point I want to make is that the things you're doing that bring purpose, why, contentment, or meaning probably will shift over time. You will change and the things that make you feel good might change too.  Another thing is that it doesn't have to be externally focused.  Maybe your purpose today, this week, this year, or this decade is getting to know yourself better.  There is nothing wrong with it or selfish about that.  Maybe your purpose is to be the be

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

Joanna Zeiger has accomplished a lot so far in her life.  She's an Olympian, World Champion Triathlete in the 70.3 discipline, has her Phd, and is the author of the book The Champion Mindset: An Athletes Guide to Mental Toughness.  Her athletic career alone is pretty impressive - she raced as a professional triathlete from 1998-2010. She placed 4th in the triathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and won the 2008 Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Through her company, Race Ready Coaching, Joanna trains endurance athletes to reach their personal best and instills in them the importance of having fun even when they are training hard. She also offers mental skills training individually and through her Champion Mindset course on trainingpeaks.com linked in the shownotes.

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• defining mental toughness
• components of mental toughness and the Sisu Quiz
• how to improve your self-esteem
• the right way to approach goal-setting
• using both positive and negative visualization
• how to get more confidence
• dealing with injury

Listen Now

 

 

Resources

• Get Joanna Zeiger's Book: The Champion Mindset
• Take the Sisu Quiz
• Joanna's course: Champion Mindset Course on TrainingPeaks
• Visit Joanna on her website
• Check out the study mentioned in the show. "Mental toughness latent profiles in endurance athletes"

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Support the Show

If you would like to support the growth of my show, I’d love your contribution on.  Patreon.  The current production of this free show is primarily supported out of my own pocket and a small portion is covered through the donations on Patreon. With my Patreon page, you can donate directly to the show which will help me cover the costs and help it grow! Even 4 bucks a month- the cost of one coffee per month helps a LOT! Thanks, I really appreciate your support!

        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Don't Miss an Episode: Subscribe!

 

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

Katie Arnold has taken "a million steps on a crooked path" to get her to here.  She is the 2018 Leadville 100 Trail Running Champion at 46 years old and is the author of the incredible book and memoir, Running Home.  She is also a contributing editor and former managing editor at Outside Magazine. She is the creator of a monthly column for Outside called “Raising Rippers” and it's all about raising adventurous kids. 

Katie's foray into ultra-running didn't happen until her 40s.  In fact, her first marathon was "by accident" while interviewing Dean Karnazes for an Outside Magazine article. She ran next to him with her audio recorder as she interviewed him.  Not only is Katie now an elite ultra-runner, but she has many accolades including Leadville 100, 2018 Jemez Mountains 50 Mile, 2014 TransRockies 3-Day Trail Run, Jemez Mountains 50K, the Mount Taylor 50K. She has also won the Angel Fire 100k twice and set the course record.

Her writing extends past her book and Outside Magazine.  She has appeared in The New York Times, ESPN the Magazine, Marie Claire, Runner’s World, Elle, and Men's Journal, among many others.

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• Working for Outside Magazines from the 90s to the present day
• losing her father and impending, all-encompassing grief
• Value of time, especially when it becomes knowingly shortened
• insight into dealing with grief
• difference between fear and anxiety
• some of her views on raising adventurous children
• running for joy versus external validation of competition
• smile and flow mantra
• the legacy she wants to leave behind

Listen Now

 

 

Resources

• Get Katie Arnold's book: Running Home
• Katie and all of her articles at Outside Online
• Her most popular column on Outside: Don't Let Sports Hijack Your Life
• Follow Katie on Twitter
• Follow Katie on Facebook 

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Support the Show

If you would like to support the growth of my show, I’d love your contribution on.  Patreon.  The current production of this free show is primarily supported out of my own pocket and a small portion is covered through the donations on Patreon. With my Patreon page, you can donate directly to the show which will help me cover the costs and help it grow! Even 4 bucks a month- the cost of one coffee per month helps a LOT! Thanks, I really appreciate your support!

       

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

I'm really excited about today's guest, David Roche. I feel like he is a kindred spirit, especially after reading his awesome book, the Happy Runner that he co-authored with his wife (who is also an incredible human), Megan Roche.  Author is just one of the hats that David wears.  He started his own coaching company in 2013 called SWAP - Some Work, All Play where he and Megan coach some of the top trail runners and obstacle course athletes in the world.  Their coaching speaks for itself with over 17 US National Championships won, athlete appearances on Team USA 14 Times, Spartan World Champions, and more.   David is also well accomplished as a runner as a two-time national champion, a three-time member of Team USA, and was Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year in 2014.  He also is a writer for Trail Runner Magazine.  If that's not enough, he is also a former lawyer. 

David and Megan's book really resonated with me because it's about being a happy athlete. We talked about important topics like sport as a celebration instead of a measuring stick of how good of a person you are, we talked about having a healthy relationship with results, we talked about how to have more self-acceptance, and even contemplating mortality.  I think you'll get a lot out of this podcast feel like you're walking, running, or riding away with your cup and your heart more full.

 

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• removing pressure with authenticity (as a writer and an athlete)
• getting away from looking at achievement as a benchmark for success
• Imposter syndrome
• how to cultivate more self-acceptance
• Dissociating with results
• how to view competition in a healthy way
• positive affirmations and mantras to help you enjoy the process more
• viewing the human as a whole when it comes to coaching
• why training more hours won't necessarily make you faster
• fun stories about some of the athletes he coaches

Listen Now

 

 

Resources

• SWAP Running Website
• Follow David on Twitter
• Follow David and ADDIEDOG on Instagram
• Get the book: The Happy Runner

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Support the Show

If you would like to support the growth of my show, I’d love your contribution on.  Patreon.  The current production of this free show is primarily supported out of my own pocket and a small portion is covered through the donations on Patreon. With my Patreon page, you can donate directly to the show which will help me cover the costs and help it grow! Even 4 bucks a month- the cost of one coffee per month helps a LOT! Thanks, I really appreciate your support!

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

Since 1992, Joline Godfrey has been a pioneer in the movement to increase financial intelligence among young people. Developer of a unique developmental approach to financial education, Godfrey's introduction of the financial apprenticeship stage of life has given parents and community leaders revolutionary tools for becoming better money mentors for kids.

My husband, Matt is the CEO of Latitude Financial and is ranked in the top 1% in the world of financial planners so I wanted to include him! 

Sign up for my newsletter for notifications of new episodes! 

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• Background as clinic social worker and how she got into the financial industry
• Her work with female entrepreneurs and talking about money with girls
• How female entrepreneurship evolved
• Raising Financially Fit Kids Books
• Defining Human Capital
• Currency of self-worth and success isn't just a dollar value
• What age to start talking to kids about money
• When to start revealing your assets/salary to your kids
• Different types of spenders and savers
• The Power of Listening
• Why letting people fail/suffer the consequences (financially) is important 
• Kids in their 20s living at home
• How to manage allowance

Listen Now

 

 

 

 

 

Resources

• Get Joline Godfrey's book: Raising Financially Fit Kids
• Joline Godfrey's Website

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Support the Show

If you would like to support the growth of my show, I’d love your contribution on.  Patreon.  The current production of this free show is primarily supported out of my own pocket and a small portion is covered through the donations on Patreon. With my Patreon page, you can donate directly to the show which will help me cover the costs and help it grow! Even 4 bucks a month- the cost of one coffee per month helps a LOT! Thanks, I really appreciate your support!

        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Don't Miss an Episode: Subscribe!

 

                                                 

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

This is an episode of Crush It Mondays.  Each week, I’ll bring to you an inspiring message, habit, or contemplation to get your week off to a powerful start.  In this week’s episode, I want to talk about an interesting story and experience I had.

Check out the previous episode about The Four Agreements.

https://www.sonyalooney.com/the-four-agreements/

Give Back to the Show

  Listen Now

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.