Habits 2 Goals: The Habit Factor® Podcast with Martin Grunburg

“The only way ‘it’ gets better for you is when you get better. Better isn’t something you wish for, it’s something you become.” ~ Jim Rohn

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

Ironically, change is one of the great constants of life.

Since the environment is constantly changing; relationships, careers, technology, etc., the same thought and behavior habits that once served us, may begin to make us feel stuck.

Thus, one of the best ways to stay ahead of constant change is to set worthwhile personal goals.

Peter Drucker put it this way, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Translation: Pursue worthwhile goals and ideals!

In this episode, we cover two types of goals. Long-term personal transformation goals – these are the type of goals that force you to develop new habits and skills.

The other type of goal is relatively simple, an adventure/travel type of goal; say a trip to Paris.

Each are often labeled “goals” and each are very different.

For an adventure/travel goal, one only needs two resources: time and money. The probability of achieving that goal is likely upwards of 95%.

There are also long-term, personal transformation goals. These are the type of goals that require you to develop new habits and skills.

Long-term, personal transformation goals force one to metamorphose; to become something new and different by forming new habits (and skills).

Thus, the Latin root of habit is "habitus," which means "condition and/or character."

The habits one develops shapes their character.

Who they become often has an effect on what they can achieve.

Enjoy the show!

Oops! Sounds like you missed it!?

Don’t miss our next cohort starting 10/3/23!

Check it out here: The 28-Day Breakthrough!

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“Critical thinking is the art of analyzing information to separate fact from opinion.” ~ Carl Sagan

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

It’s no wonder people scoff at personal development.

Often “GooRoos” will say ridiculous, silly, and dichotomous things like:

“There are no good habits.”

“Competition is stupid.”

The following is a statement that inspired this episode. It’s kinda hard to read.

It came in an email and it stopped me in my tracks.

"When I think of a truly successful person, I think of someone who can authentically say, ‘I cherished every moment of my existence.’”

Once I read that, I knew I had to discuss critical thinking.

Can you ‘authentically cherish’ the moment your child becomes ill or a loved one passes away?

Can you authentically cherish the moment your home burns to the ground?

Authentically CHERISH every moment? Come on.

Oh, and if you don’t, I guess you’re not a success!?

I queried my AI buddy “BARD” Google’s AI “experiment.” I figured I’d ask him/her/it, “Bard, can you see any issues with this statement?”

Bard’s response was funny and a bit heavy-handed, ending with this:

Finally, the statement is a bit of a cop-out. It implies that if we are not happy with our lives, it is our own fault because we are not cherishing every moment. This is not always the case. Sometimes, we face challenges that are beyond our control. We may lose loved ones, get sick, or experience financial hardship. These are not things that we can cherish, but they are still part of life.

The best part is this analysis is that it led me down a road that covers some key aspects of my work.

A definition of success, one that I pondered for years before publishing in pre-2010 was developed after much critical thinking.

Success is creating your ideal future.

Then, there is P.A.R.R.

P.A.R.R. is a positive habit-building framework for humans. It helps them to create and align habits to their most important goals.

While the world of behavioral science continues to promote Cue, Routine, and Reward as a framework for habit development, basic critical thinking had me wondering:

Isn’t C.R.R. based on the study of rodents?

Don’t humans possess the innate capacities of choice, intention, and reflection?

Even today’s “gold-standard” behavior models CBT and TTM while helpful present challenges of their own when exposed to critical thinking.

* Where is the bi-directionality?

* Where is the environmental influence on our behaviors and feelings?

* Don’t humans think predominately in terms of personal narratives/stories?

* Where is that represented?

* Can these models be simplified?

* How is energy – the flow of energy – represented?

* Does human behavior really operate like a business or flow diagram?

* Doesn’t energy flow, relative to our behaviors reverberate/vibrate?

* Aren’t emotions and feelings, over the long haul, less important to one’s goal pursuits or personal transformation? How is that represented?

* Can emotions and feelings, in the moment, be more important and, over time, less important? What would that look like?

Critical thinking begins with positing and arguing the opposite:

Must one authentically cherish every moment of their life to be a success?

Nonsense.

Enjoy the show!

Oops! Sounds like you missed it!?

Don’t miss our next cohort starting 10/3/23!

Check it out here: The 28-Day Breakthrough!

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“The philosopher’s product is his life.” ~Neitzche

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

This episode is a follow-up to last week’s show MIRACLES!

In response to a few comments, I do what I can to set the record straight: I was simply practicing what I was talking about.

The understanding that the real miracle is to walk on Earth, not water.

Hence, practicality lies in its practice!

I was practicing what I was preaching and teaching.

The real value of any philosophy lies in its practicality.

Is there a way to reaffirm one’s practice?

Yes. Track it!

How should you track it?

Follow the P.A.R.R. methodology.

PLAN. ACT. RECORD. & REASSESS.

Cue, routine, and reward as a habit development framework was developed based on the study of rodents.

You are human.

You can, and should, use your innate capacities of choice, intention, and reflection.

“But”, you insist, “Tracking is difficult and you’ve tried it before and you end up skipping days and fall off track…” (more excuses)

Do you want to practice or give up?

Since life is a one-day-at-a-time phenomenon, the fact that you can track one day suggests you can track MOST days.

Nobody creates their ideal future any faster than one day at a time.

And, nobody is perfect.

This is why P.A.R.R. was developed.

It helps people stay on track particularly after they miss a day or a week or even a month!

What is simple, is useful.

What is useful is practical.

Time to begin practicing P.A.R.R.

By doing so, the ancillary benefit is you WILL develop discipline.

How does that work?

Nobody is born disciplined: Discipline is a habit. (Repeat).

See the free habits-to-goals tracking sheet below to begin the process.

Enjoy the show!

Update:

HERE WE GO!!!

Check it out here: The 28-Day Breakthrough! Starts tomorrow 8/8/23! Final day to sign up - may be sold out.

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new." ~ Socrates

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

In less than a week this Maven cohort kicks off… The 28-Day Breakthrough!

There are approximately 6 spots available.

Be more productive than ever before in 28 days, or your money back! 110% money-back guarantee! No breakthrough – I pay you!*

Visit: https://maven.com/thehabitfactor/the28daybreakthrough to learn more!

Enjoy the show!

Update:

HERE WE GO!!! Whooohooo! Very excited about next week’s small-group coaching cohort (which is practically free!)

A few spots are still available! The 28-Day Breakthrough! begins 8/8/23!

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“The greatest miracle is the ordinary.” ~Henry David Throreau

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were more miracles in your life?

Recently, a woman approached me to explain that a miracle was supposed to happen to her in a few days.

“Uh… this is it.” I replied, “This (life) is the miracle. It’s all a freakin’ miracle!”

Apparently, Rumi proclaimed, “The greatest miracle is that we are awake and alive.”

Einstein reportedly said: “Miracles happen every day, change your perception of what a miracle is and you'll see them everywhere.”

Now, from the great Persian philosopher and the brilliant physicist to Insane Clown Posse (band). Yes, ICP! 😀 🤡 👇

I lean on ICP’s brilliance and their fantastic song “Miracles” for some additional inspiration and backup (a few lyrics)…

If magic is all we've ever knownThen it's easy to miss what really goes onBut I've seen miracles in every wayAnd I see miracles every day

Oceans spanning beyond my sightAnd a million stars way above 'em at nightWe don't have to be high to look in the skyAnd know that's a miracle opened wide

Look at the mountains, trees, the seven seasAnd everything chilling underwater, pleaseHot lava, snow, rain and fogLong neck giraffes, and pet cats and dogs

The real challenge is that we’ve been desensitized.

We’re swimming in miracles.

Like the proverbial fish in water who do not know what water is.

“If anything is a miracle, everything is a miracle.” Einstein supposedly observed.

It doesn’t matter who observed it.

It’s the orientation and the awakening that matters.

EVERYTHING IS A MIRACLE. (Repeat).

The question is, “How does one reorient themselves to this magical awareness and disposition?

Here’s how:

AWARENESS.

SERVICE.

GRATITUDE.

MEDITATION.

&

A LOT OF PRACTICE.

Yes, cultivating these habits by tracking them can help!

Be sure to follow P.A.R.R. 🙌

It’s difficult to notice and appreciate any miracle when you’re angry, bitter, jealous, frustrated, and/or ungrateful.

Or, with your face buried in your phone.

In fact, it’s arguably impossible.

Take a moment to look up! 👆 Look around.

Did you notice that butterfly?

“When you change the way you look at things,” Wayne Dyer use to say, “The things you look at change.”

Enjoy the show!

Update:

HERE WE GO!!! Whooohooo! Very excited about next week’s small-group coaching cohort (which is practically free!)

A few spots still available! The 28-Day Breakthrough! begins 8/8/23!

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“Sometimes the best way to find inspiration is to ask an important question.”

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

In this episode, Jen and I discuss the significance of motivation and inspiration and their relationship to goal achievement.

Inspiration tends to be intrinsic, while motivation can be both intrinsic and extrinsic.

Both inspiration and motivation are powerful assets for goal achievement. Each has its place and neither is “better” than the other.

Wayne Dyer used to suggest that inspiration was a calling from the spirit within.

He would often say, “If you want to be inspired, be an inspiration.”

How can you apply these ideas to your goals?

Consider the person who doesn’t feel inspired to get fit yet, they know they must. They could change their environment, hire a fitness coach, and get a gym membership (external motivation).

Motivation is both the carrot and the stick.

Typically, it’s the desire to avoid pain that provides the greatest motivation.

Both motivation and inspiration are tools that can serve us in our quest to achieve our most important goals.

Understanding the difference helps you to know how and when to leverage each.

Enjoy the show!

Update:

You’re invited! The next, live small-group coaching cohort, The 28-Day Breakthrough! begins 8/8/23!

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“The very best heroes and philosophers are dead.” ~Friedrich Nietzsche

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

The best heroes and philosophers are dead?!

What does that mean?

I thought I’d ask my AI buddies, ChatGPT and BARD to see if they knew.

Unfortunately, their interpretations weren’t convincing; they were too literal.

Neither offered the insight I suspected was behind the statement.

In short, both AI “experiments” had a similar, weak response:

“Nietzsche is suggesting that the greatest heroes and philosophers are those who have already lived and died. He argues that these individuals have already made their mark on the world and that we can learn from their example.”

I believed the statement meant something else.

Perhaps it was my own philosophical leanings (Exhibit A: Habits 2 Goals), that drove me to keep searching.

I slept on this riddle for a while.

Finally, the answer occurred to me.

Have you ever heard the advice:

If you truly admire or love a hero (a movie star, athlete, musician, author, etc), you should never meet them.

In short, humans are fallible.

They are prone to contradictions, errors, and mistakes. They can even offend people, but only when they are alive.

It’s the dead heroes and philosophers who cannot err.

Thus…

The very best heroes and philosophers are dead.

Enjoy the show!

Update:

Join our next Live Cohort is 8/8/23. Subscribe to be in the know.

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“Personal development exists on a spectrum. It’s a gift that allows you to become the person you could by using your intelligence, intention and effort.”

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

“He (or she) is on the spectrum.” A phrase that is probably overused these days.

BTW: If it’s a spectrum, then everyone is on it.

In this episode, we carry the idea of “The spectrum” and apply it to our personal development and potentiality.

If intelligence is goal-directed behavior, then improving one’s wellness (over time) is a terrific use of their intelligence.

Is it possible to consider your health on a spectrum from 1 - 10?

How would you rate it?

What about your finances or your professional career?

Is it possible to improve your score in any wellness category over time?

Arguably, it’s mandatory.

How do you know where to start your personal development journey?

The answer is often found by identifying your greatest challenge – the lowest score – in each of the eight, essential categories

Enjoy the show!

Update:

Our next Live Cohort is 8/8/23. Subscribe to be in the know.

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“Life is like a dew drop, on a blade of grass, in the morning sun.” ~Zen Proverb

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

Deepak Chopra said it like this, “Life is a lucid dream.”

How well can you recall yesterday?

How about sharing a story from your childhood?

The painting below has hung in my stairway for nearly twenty-five years. It’s a photograph from our wedding in Baja, Mexico. It has a Monet-type filter applied to it.

The original image is a beautiful, crisp photo taken by a professional photographer.

Yet, for nearly twenty-five years, the image has looked like this, intentionally blurry.

Why?

Where have the young newlyweds gone? Where did the 25 years go?

As we approach our 25th anniversary, the effect is fitting.

The wedding seems like it happened both yesterday and a lifetime ago.

The effect perfectly captures the ephemerality of life.

This moment is already gone.

No matter how old you are, your life is nearly over.

It’s just a matter of time…

…and time is illusory.

Even if you live to be 200 years old, your life will be over quickly.

This isn’t meant to be depressing.

Rather, it’s meant to stoke your appreciation for the moment — this moment.

The time will never be “right.”

This moment is a gift — it’s the “present” — that enables you to move in the direction of your goals and ideals.

Get after it.

Enjoy the show!

Check out my latest book, recently awarded “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” by the International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android

“Zen is laughter, laughter Zen.”

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

How is Zen like laughter? ☝️

Many people think Zen is a philosophy.

Philosophies are ideas.

The answer can be found in this great quote by Zen master T.D. Suzuki, “Zen has nothing to do with ideas.”

How much thinking do you do when you laugh?

Have you considered all the amazing benefits of laughter?

Here is a short list:

* Reduces stress and anxiety.

* Boosts the immune system.

* Helps to relieve pain.

* Improves cardiovascular health.

* Strengthens social bonds.

* Improves mood and outlook on life.

* Improves cognitive function.

* Helps with recovery from illness.

* Increases creativity.

If laughter and non-thinking are healthy. What is the cost of too much thinking or overthinking?

How much anxiety and pain is created from too much thought?

Isn’t it true that anxiety and most pains are created by thought?

These quotes remind us to be careful of our thoughts; to be cautious of our perpetual cleverness — aware of our overthinking and all the stories we create!

Ultimately, it’s the practice of Zen that attempts to free us from our mind.

Perhaps, the very best way to do that is with a good laugh! 😂

Enjoy the show!

Check out my latest book, recently awarded “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation” by the International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

→ Check out, EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY my latest book.

Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goals

It’s time to make your goals “Automatic!”:

https://automaticgoals.com

Feedspot’s “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”

New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

Subscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android