Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
I went to a movie and was so inspired I found myself researching “augers for trucks”…

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #116 and I am Aaron Havens.

This weekend I watched Twister 2.  The truck used to chase down tornados had a couple augers that would dig down into the ground to keep it in place.  Talk about cool.  I was super intrigued by this.  The Hollywood vehicle is based off of an actual vehicle that does something very similar.  Obviously, when chasing a tornado… securing to the ground during 200+ mph winds, could prove to be a super brilliant approach.

Time to dig in my friends.  The storms are coming. 
Time to lock it in. 
Time to get resolute.
Time to plant our feet firmly to push back the storms that come our way today.
So what if the winds are strong.
So what if the hail comes.
So what if the rain is pouring. 

Today is our day to persist. 

Ray Kroc: "Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.”

Our lack of connections.  Our lack of education.  Our lack of talent.  Our lack of getting a big break will be made up for by persistence.  When the world around us is shape shifting and changing their minds and pivoting… we will remain resolute on the thing we know to be true in our life.  We will park our storm chaser truck, drill down the augers and refuse to move.  This is why the other company will fall short, the competition will dwindle and the competition will fall behind.  When, within ourselves, we will determine to stay the course… we will remain while others dissipate. 

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep: Whew… this was a good one.  A great reminder.  Where are you dropping anchor, digging in the augers and resolute on persisting?  Give me an example of where you’ve become resolute.  

Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
What does boiling water have to do with me?

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #115 and I am Aaron Havens.

Physics can tell an proven truth.  Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degree Fahrenheit at sea level.  A specific amount of heat will give specific results.  When it comes to leadership, leading, challenging others or yourself… let’s use this metaphor to glean some specific leadership lessons. 

Boiling water needs measured pressure.  Leading a team with measured expectations that are constant is important.  Setting clear expectation, fostering growth, giving good feedback is important.  Applying too much pressure will boil the pot over and eventually evaporate it.  Not applying enough pressure will never get the pot boiling.

Boiling water needs the right environment.  Just as water boils at a lower temperature at hight altitudes because of reduced atmospheric pressure, the culture we create will result in optimal performances.  A supportive, trust-filled environment lowers the "pressure" required for individuals to excel. Do you and the people around you feel safe in leading and taking risks?

My friends, may we be people that cares for ourselves and the people we are surrounded with.  Everyone has different thresholds and motivators.  Recognizing the boiling point of the people around us in important.  Are we a safe place of balance that provide appropriate challenge and support?  What used to work in our lives and in the live of the people around us might need to adapt over time.  Let’s put in the work to know ourselves and know those around us so we can all feel safe and encouraged as we do our thing to make the world a better place!

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for the weekend edition of the Growth Instigator Hotline.  Seriously.  Please do!  For today… after the beep I’d like to know… do we feel like our life is a constant boiling pot?  Are you a self motivator or do you need constant pressure to perform at your best?

Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
What do you do when the math just doesn’t add up?

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #114 and I am Aaron Havens.

What do you do when your E+T doesn’t equal R?
What???!!! You don’t know what those mean?  Haha.
Well I just made them up.  So…

Effort+Time=Results
What do you do when you Effort + Time doesn’t produce the Results you desire

May I summarize and synthesis an example?
In one of the companies I co-lead we have about 60K in outstanding invoices due to us.  Work is done.  Workers are paid.  No expenses on this money.  As soon as checks come in they go to the + column in our books.

Yet yesterday I worked 17.5 hours and returned to an empty mailbox.  No checks… and might I say… our business bank account is dangerously low.

So.  What do you do when you Effort and Time doesn’t produce results?

Today I’ve reached out to a few business savvy people in my life and I’m ready to throw a punch at today.  My goal for today is to see cash in the bank so we have a bit more wiggle room.  And you know what?  If that doesn’t happen, I know I will have pushed the needle as far as I can and the sun will still come up tomorrow.  It will all work out and be good.

Enough with my vulnerability.  What about you?
After all the “E” effort in your days.
Letting “T” maturate and saturate.
What “R” result are you seeing?  And if it’s not the desired “R”… how are you responding to equation?

Here’s what you do.  Make a fist, do what you know, trust your success plan and GO FOR IT.  Tomorrow will come no matter what.  Do what you can today and trust the results.  I know when results are positive I’m thankful… I don’t say “look at how awesome I am”.  So, when the results are negative don’t you dare say “look how much I suck”.  You,.. and me… my friends have got this.  Stick with it, keep putting in the E, let T do it’s thing and trust the R’s!

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep:  What can you do today to put in E (effort) and can you be content and centered regardless of the R’s (results)?  I’d love to hear you unpack this one!…

Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
If you can focus on getting serious about this one thing, then today, tomorrow and next week WILL be better.

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #113 and I am Aaron Havens.

Do a quick google search for how many times we make decisions each day and your mind will be blown.  Now a lot of the decisions we make are somewhat happening on the subconscious level and are products of making up our minds in the past.  So the decision of “should I wear clothes today?” Or “do I feel like going to use a bathroom this morning?” Or “is breathing an option?” Are somewhat built into our rhythms.  Try skipping those and see what happens.  Yeah, those were good decisions that we keep repeating and are probably serving us well. 

Typically humans are pretty bad at making decisions.  And if you’re anything like me you think you can beat the system and take shortcuts or the rules don’t apply to you.  Hows that working out for you?  Decision shape our careers, directly impact our lives our relationships, health and so on.  They can either give us a great night sleep or compound into nightmares.  

Seth Godin has a short webinar on LinkedIn where he asks 3 questions:

Are you making the change you seek with the decisions your making?
-Does what you do, how you spend your time, adding positive change to your life?

Are your decisions holding you back?
-Are your decisions gaining momentum towards or against where you want to be?

Are you attached to the chips being used against you?
-Are your painfully attached and unwilling to change?

My friends.  We have all made some great decisions and some pretty bad decisions in our lives.  The worst thing we can do is go through our days not thinking and pausing and asking some deeper questions.  Are you stuck in a whirlwind of just reacting to the decisions you face day in and day out… or, are you spending time to run your decisions through a simple grid that can result in better results.  If you’re stuck in a downward spiral of bad decisions build on bad decisions you can stop the cycle today.  It might take a few bold moves or detaching your personal feelings.  Starting today, you can turn the ship towards a better direction.  The question is, are you willing to pause, think and slow down you decisions long enough to evaluate the outcomes and make the adjustments needed?

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep:

Where have you seen (either positive or negative) decisions compound and add up to big results?  Are you happy with those results or is it time to start making small adjustments?

Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
Congrats on your MBA!

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #112 and I am Aaron Havens.

You my friends have street cred!
You have a Masters in Business Administration or 2 or 3 or 4!

Now for those of you that actually have a diploma that reads MBA, this is not a knock on you, in fact, that is very impressive! For everyone else, what you're doing has compounded. Your street credit is huge! Don't let the resistance of negative self doubt creep in.  If you and I were to have coffee, I could ask a couple key questions and you would begin to talk in detail about things that you have learned in life. You my friend are street smart. And you, my friend might actually be booksmart as well!

One of the craziest things about the clients I coach or the teams I consult with is that they typically know what to do already. All I need to do is ask really good pointed questions and have a big view as to where they're at and where they're going. Something about making little mistakes along the way, or getting overloaded, takes our confidence away. As a Growth instigator, it gives me great joy to instigate growth and watch watch a thought process take place…lights turn on and the wheels begin to spin. I love being part of the process of watching new things develop, or common things get unstuck!

Where are you stuck because you don't have the confidence you need? If you were too write down everything you have learned in life you would have a book. You would have what could probably add up to 10 MBA’s.  Yep!  That’s you.  

Don’t let anything get in your way.  If you need to stop and take a few minutes to make a list of things that you've learned, things that you know, or things that you were good at go for it. And I bet each one of those topics would have categories and sub categories and points and sub points. Your age, your experience, your personality your education your smart is just what you need.  don't let anyone take that from you. Lead and go for it my friends!

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep: my friend asked me yesterday, where am I about to throw in the towel. I ask you the same. Where are you about to throw in the towel? And why? 

Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
If you’re going to go down… go down swinging.

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #111 and I am Aaron Havens.

If you love yourself you’ll search for the song “Swingin’” by Thad Cockrell and give it a listen.  I know, you just started to this call and why would you hang up.  For real.  It’s worth listening to and hanging up.

If you’re still listening, I don’t apologize for having you call back.  
Isn’t that song good?

Where in your life were you ready to thrown in the towel?
Where in your life should you abandon all worry or fear or track record and 
GO FOR IT!

Thad Cockrell had been performing as a professional musician since 2001.
In 2020 he called his producer and agent and said he was done.

That same year Jimmy Fallon from the tonight show heard the song “Swingin’” while in a hardware store during the COVID pandemic.  A week later… yeah, Thad performed live on the Tonight show and took off.

Chorus Lyrics:
If I'm gonna go down, I wanna go down swinging
I wanna go down hard with all of my heart
If I'm gonna go down, I wanna go down swinging

Somewhere near the end of the song:
Give it a chance
Give it a chance to fail

Are you letting it rest, maturate, the story unfold.  What you’re doing might take time.  Days and weeks and months longer that you thought.  It is worth it!  If you’re running after what give you interest, then what do you have to loose?  I’m mean it was bold enough that you decided to use your only minutes today doing that thing you’re doing.  SO, why swing soft?  Why give it your HALF attempt?  Why hold up?  Why hold back anything?  Punch today in the face.  Smile doing it and put your back into it.  Let the world know you came to play.  Let us hear the reverberation of what you’re doing today.  Even if the impact you make is all internal, a believe in yourself, then that is victory enough!

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep:  Are you nearing throwing in the towel, or are you holding back anything?  Where are you punching at half strength… why is that… are you willing to look silly giving it one more massive attempt?

Growth Instigators Hotline

970.306.6432

Was it a blitz or a barrage?

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #110 and I am Aaron Havens.

If you’re on track with when these daily topics drop, then it’s Friday!

As you look back on the last 5-7 days, does it feel like a blitz (you can’t believe the week is over) or a barrage (you didn’t think you would make it to today)!

If your week was a pretty smooth sailing blitz, then I’m happy for you. 

Personally.  This has been a barrage of a week.  So many hours worked and I’ve had to push back a ton of resistance.  What do you do, or how do you speak to yourself when the week has left you licking your wounds?  When lets say it’s been less than optimal.

A very real question is this… If you’ve had a crazy hard week, is that the actual thing that proves you’re successful?  That you “won”?  I mean, did you give up on Monday?  Tuesday?  Did you stop fighting on Wednesday?  Did you throw in the towel on Thursday?  Booker T. Washington says it this way,  "You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals.”  If this week was filled with obstacles, then look at your accomplishments to make it to today.  YES!!!  That’s it.  Any other person may have quit if they had to live your week or walk in your shoes.  Not you.  Nope.  You’re a fighter.  You’re tenacious.  Wow, what you’re doing and how you’re living is super impressive.  I wish I could Venmo you money right now to go get yourself some special treat.  Treat yo’self! 

Helen Keller would put it this way "Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

Yep that’s you.  You overcame this week.  Obviously I don’t know specifics.  Well, for a handful of you I actually do know specifics about your life and your week.  You’ve left messages and hearing your process outloud has been a treat.  I’m honored to walk with you in this way.  Thank you for being vulnerable and allowing me to be a small part of that.  So yeah, what you’re going through is only what you can go through.  Your “suffering” or “obstacles” are the road you must travel.  The good news is this… you’re not alone.  You’ve made it this far.  You are doing a great job

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep, what was the hardest part of your week?  Are you able to give yourself permission, maybe look at it through a different lens and recognize you did that!  You did it!  Good job!  No barrage yourself with positive reminders!

Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
Tick Tock.  Tick Tock.  Tick Tock. 

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #109 and I am Aaron Havens.

Let’s talk about time today.  
Yep.  This second.  The one that just past us by.  
And the one that is about to happen. 

How did you spend it?  
How will you spend it? 

What you do with your time is the difference maker for the future. 

And for the sake of making these 3 minutes of conversation worth your time let me get really specific.  

When was the last time you were running out of time?  It was a time crunch.  Some decision needed to be made.  Some bid needed to be submitted.  Some paper needed turned in.  Some competition is on the horizon.  Some conversation needed to happen.  

You put it off long enough and your “go” time was nearing.  

Warning.  At the end of this message I’m going to give you a shot to go for it.  I will ask a last minute question that I would like an answer for.  You’ll be pressed for time and the beep will come quicker than you thought.  You’ll debate with yourself on if you’ll leave a message or not.  However my friends… I bet you’ll push back resistance and go for it.  Take as long as you need to collect your thoughts and go for it.  Don’t hang up until after your message to me.

What do you do when you run out of time?

Most people panic.  Some people suck their thumbs.  The most crazy among us shine and thrive under panicked pressure. 

What do YOU do?  Does your heart race?  Does your self-doubt kick in?  Does your kicking against the system rise up?  When pressed into a corner what is your MO?

Here are two bonus leadership nuggets that might help when it’s GO time:

1) Eisenhower Matrix:

Do- Do it now 

Decide- Select a time to do it

Delegate- Who can do it for you

Delete- Element it 

2)Take four deep breathes. Believe in yourself and go for it. 

What you’re doing is worth it.  And when it’s time to make a decision or to speak up, believe in your gut and go for it!

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep I want to here from you.  What do you do when you’re backed in the corner and the world is waiting for your response.  You’ve put it off long enough and its’ go time.  What do you do?  Leave me a message  in 3… 2….

Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
What makes you go hmmmm….

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #108 and I am Aaron Havens.

What makes you go hmmm?!
What peaks your interest?
Maybe that is what you should run down!

At the core we are so unique.  I have an acquaintance that is BIG time into Starwars, and Comics, and Pokemon and etc.

Yeah, just the fact that I can say etc.  say I’m just not interested. 

I’m not knocking these types of things… they just have never made me go hmmmm.  I will probably never run these down.

However, I’m a nerd in my own way.  Anyone heard of Canva?  It’s an incredible tool that makes creating sharp looking documents or presentation… so easy to use.  Would you like a pro tip?  If you visit my LinkedIn, you’ll see daily I post the Growth Instigator topic.  It’s a sharp looking document.  Daily I am on Canva.  I like design.  A lot.  I bet my nerd Starwars friend has never logged into Canva.  The point?… 

You are so unique and life is so short, please spend more time on the things that make you go hmmm.  If something is interesting to you… research it.  Spend your free minutes of the day YouTubing or Instagramming that thing.  Start a support group.  Who knows how your life might pivot if that thing that makes you go hmmm ends up being the thing that gives you life.  I have a good/bad habit of being All In on things.  There is one condition though.  For me to be All In I have to be interested.  On the table today, is a job offer where I could make a significant amount of money.  Guess what though.  Very little about the industry is making me go hmmm.  I just can’t see me faking it till I make it.  It would probably feel like clocking in and clocking out to me.  The money would be nice… what I would be doing would not be.  So, it’s probably a no for me on this one.  

One of the things that does give me life, makes me go hmmm, is instigating growth in people, places and things.  This is why over the last few years I’ve spent more and more time coaching and consulting people and organizations.  I’m super intrigued and come alive doing these things.  

So my friends.  What makes you go hmmm.
What peaks your interest?
Pay attention, that might be your next thing!

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep, would you be willing to make a list of 10 things that make you go hmmm.  They could be big or small.  And would you be willing to tell me one of those things that you’ll begin to chase down?  After the beep… lets hear it. 

Growth Instigators Hotline
970.306.6432
Big fat liar. 

Thank you for calling GIH where we instigate growth one call at a time where we utilize antiquated technology to deliver 3-minute leadership lessons every day of the week!  This is message #107 and I am Aaron Havens.

Ok.  To be clear, I’m not calling you a big fat liar.  I am a big fat liar.  Well kinda.

If you listened to the Hotline message yesterday I talked about how our work van was stuck in the mud and we had to call in a big rig tow truck to get it out.

Well, thats actually not what happened.  You see the night before, I had to leave the van stuck in the mud after dark at the job site.  All night long I worried about it being stuck as I tried to come up with solutions.  I woke up the next morning and decided that a tow truck was the only option.  And because I knew the day was going to be crazy long, I recorded the hotline before leaving the house and started talking with tow companies.  I thought, maybe if I go to the job site in the daylight I can see another solution instead of spending $400.  And as a hail mary, I got in the van, and somehow… I’ll say a miracle from God, the thing actually backed out of the mud and onto the concrete.  For real, I’m not sure how that was possible.  So no tow truck was needed.  So does that make me a liar?

Maybe today is a day for you to give it one last try.  Defy logic. 

George Bernard Shaw: "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

Maybe today is a day for your to be unreasonable.

The mud had dried overnight just enough for the van to back out.  

What situation might have changed in your life overnight without you knowing about it.  Are you willing to give it one more try, to go for it again?

You’ve got this.  Maybe it’s worth mustering up what it takes and throwing all you’ve got at that obstacle today. 

Let’s get creative.  Let’s become unreasonable.  Let’s look for a different way.  And as Michal Rosen says: We're going on a bear hunt.  “We’re going to catch a big one. What a beautiful day! We're not scared. followed by (while crossing the obstacles): We can't go over it. We can't go under it. Oh no!
 We've got to go through it!”

Thanks for calling in today.  Tune in tomorrow for a fresh new topic!  After the beep, have all your efforts been thwarted?  What is one area in your life that you are simply stuck… don’t know what to do?  Let me know if you’d like to talk it out.  I’d love to hear about it after the beep.