How To Be Awesome At Everything

Every year around my birthday I’m like, ok, what’s the secret unlock at this age?  Like what have I learned and what I am doing that makes the biggest difference in my life? This year, that skill that I’ve unlocked in myself this ability to turn what feels like the worst thing, into the best thing. In a very practical and realistic way. So aside from anything really really sad in life, this strategy allows you to get out of thinking and saying how much this sucks or is unfair or is the worst thing that could happen.  And flipping it to- how could this become the best thing? I’m going to fully explain it because once you set yourself up like this - it’s crazy how you can see the same situations completely differently. It’s saying to yourself, this sucks, and it’s not at all what I wanted.  But, how could it actually be the best thing? You have to listen to this full episode - it’s 20 minutes or so that will change the way you react when things go sideways. Things that are awful - like getting fired or someone breaking up with you or you don’t get the promotion or don’t get into the college or high school that you wanted.  You sprain your ankle and can’t workout for 3 months and it’s your favorite thing.. This is what we know for sure… Bad things happen. People dont know how to cope. And they allow one bad thing to snowball into more. THIS IS THE UNLOCK! Bad things suck. The only thing worse is letting one bad thing ruin many good things. One bad thing happens and the way you operate afterwards is what more bad things happen. Because really… things aren’t good or bad- they just are. It's becoming anti fragile as we go. People often dont know how to cope with bad stuff. Thats how you end up with this weird spiral with more bad things happening. People dont know how to manage their emotions so they just react. The more I try to create space between how I feel and what I do, the more I've been able to control my outcomes in situations. It’s a superpower, I’m telling you.  The next time something in your life sucks, ask yourself, how can this actually be the best thing ever?

• Improved Quality of Work: When you dedicate your full attention to a single project, you can dive deeper into the details and nuances. This focused effort often leads to higher-quality results. For instance, a writer working on a novel without distractions is more likely to produce a well-crafted manuscript compared to if they were juggling multiple writing projects.

• Faster Completion Time: By concentrating on one task, you minimize the time lost to context-switching. For example, a software developer who focuses solely on debugging a specific piece of code can resolve issues faster than if they were constantly shifting between debugging and feature development.

• Enhanced Problem-Solving: Monotasking allows you to immerse yourself fully in a problem, which often leads to more creative and effective solutions. Consider an architect working on a building design; uninterrupted focus enables them to explore innovative solutions and address potential issues more thoroughly.

• Reduced Stress and Burnout: Handling multiple tasks simultaneously can be overwhelming and lead to stress. Monotasking reduces this strain by simplifying your workload. For instance, a project manager who tackles one project at a time can manage deadlines and expectations more effectively, reducing the risk of burnout.

• Increased Mastery and Expertise: Focusing on a single project allows you to gain deeper expertise and mastery in that area. For example, a researcher concentrating on one scientific study can develop a more nuanced understanding and contribute more significant findings than if they were dividing their attention among several studies.

• “The only way to achieve extraordinary results is to focus on one thing at a time and become obsessed with it.”

• “Your ability to focus on one thing for an extended period of time is directly correlated with your success.”

  “Success comes from the ability to concentrate your energy and efforts on a single goal until it’s achieved.”

• Defining Moments: Moments that stand out in our lives are often characterized by their emotional intensity. They break from routine and are memorable.

• Four Key Elements: To create powerful moments, focus on these elements:

• Elevation: Moments that rise above the ordinary and create a sense of wonder or excitement.
• Insight: Moments that lead to a profound realization or understanding.
• Pride: Moments that highlight achievements and strengths, often marking milestones.
• Connection: Moments that deepen relationships and foster a sense of belonging.

• Elevate Ordinary Experiences: Inject elements of surprise, excitement, or novelty into routine activities. This could mean adding unexpected touches, celebrating small wins, or introducing fun elements to everyday tasks.

• Break the Script: Deviate from the norm to create memorable experiences. By breaking away from routine and introducing something unique or unexpected, you can make an ordinary moment stand out. Break the script - this is doing something that defies the expectation in the moment. 

  To create more peaks! It can’t happen so often that it becomes the normal 

• The Power of Small Moments: Even small, intentional actions can create meaningful moments, like personalized gestures or thoughtful acknowledgments.

• Celebrations: celebrating milestones can help create lasting positive memories and reinforce values.

• Designing Moments for Others: Think about how you can intentionally craft moments that will impact others positively, whether in personal relationships or in professional settings.

• The Role of Storytelling: Crafting moments often involves effective storytelling, whether in personal experiences or in shaping the culture of an organization.

• Leveraging Moments for Growth: Use impactful moments as opportunities for learning and growth, both personally and within organizations.

• Focus on Peaks: Identify and amplify the high points of an experience. Whether it's a significant achievement or a joyful event, emphasizing these peak moments helps make them more memorable.

• Create Moments of Pride: Highlight achievements and milestones to foster a sense of pride. Celebrating successes, no matter how small, can turn an ordinary occasion into a meaningful one.

• Foster Connection: Strengthen relationships by creating moments that deepen connections. This can be achieved through meaningful interactions, shared experiences, or personalized gestures.

• Use Rituals and Traditions: Establishing rituals or traditions can transform routine events into special moments. These practices provide structure and meaning, enhancing the significance of ordinary experiences.

• Design for Emotional Impact: Consider the emotional journey of the moment and aim to design experiences that resonate deeply. Whether it's through storytelling, thoughtful gestures, or creating a sense of awe, focusing on emotional impact can elevate ordinary moments.

   

How to plan for these moments!! 

Calendar out your life and picture yourself doing the things!  What would make it more special?

ASK your people and listen! 

By applying these strategies, you can transform everyday activities into memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression.

The goal of this episode is to get you thinking about planning more newness in your life.  New experiences and adventures. Because we know- If you don’t put stuff on your calendar that you really want to do - life will take over. Work will happen, chores will be there and before you know it, we’re running life in reactive mode. All of the other life stuff will fill in anyway.  Today we are focusing on planning things ahead of time that feel exciting and that you can do with your favorite people on the planet. We’re going through lots of ideas and getting rid of any hurdles you might have in your way as we go. Let’s map it all out then all we have to do is follow the script.

Braindump things you’d love to do!  See who wants to do it with you!  figure out what’s stopping you and what are you believing that isnt actually true?  Ideas of what to do!  *Get a group together for a cooking class followed by dinner with wine pairing

*Visit a local farm and book an apple picking experience

Find a local path and plan a hike

*Go camping for the weekend at a local spot

Take a photography workshop class with friends

*Set-up a volunteering event to help people in need in your area

*Plan a day or weekend filled with local museums and art galleries

*Learn to kayak at a local river

*Road trip to a nearby city and plan shops and cafes to visit

*Plan a day long bike ride with a fun stop for lunch

*Plan a ride in a hot air balloon

*Get a group to go indoor rock climbing

*Book a rental cabin for the weekend

*Take the train on an adventure

*Run a non-profit project with a friend

*Learn a new skill

*Take a new class with family and friends. 

I realized I wanted to have a few key things that I say to my kids all the time, that they will remember their whole lives.  You know how special it is when someone says, oh growing up my mom always told me this… or my dad made sure I knew this…  Parenting can be overwhelming and a lot just keeping up with the day-to-day. I sat down last week to write out the things that I’ve learned along the way that I think are the most important to help them be confident and strong and kind and grow up to be really awesome people. My goal in this podcast episode is to you give you lots of ideas of things to say to your kids over and over so it really sinks in. Here we go!  15 Awesome Messages To Say To Our Kids Constantly... 1 Make decisions and pursue passions based on what feels best to you. You define what success means to you.  2. Comparing yourself to other people will always steal your joy.  3 If you never speak unkindly of people, you never have to worry about it coming back to you. 4. The best way to make good decisions is to not put yourself in a bad situations. 5. Call me the second something goes sideways - I’ve got your back always. 6 Follow the rules and always be kind, but also live boldly and push limits.  7 Embrace all of your emotions and don’t label any as good or bad.  8 The more you fail, the more you are trying. Collect as many fails as you can and learn the lessons along the way.  9 Never say a word about your body that you wouldn’t say to your best friend about hers.  10 Give full effort to everything you do.  11 Family first, always take care of each other.  12 Don’t let little things that don’t matter in the big picture, get you too upset.  13 Make it your mission to be the one that helps someone who needs it.  Sit by someone who is alone, volunteer and dedicate time to others.  (The way to never feel entitled and see how most of the world lives)  14 You can become good at literally anything you want to be - you just have to be willing to work hard for it. Hard work, consistently can get you anywhere you want.  15 You are so incredibly loved 🤍🤍