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All successful people have made up their minds to win long before they experience their first victory. In this episode, a rebroadcast of our most popular message ever, Brian discusses the power of a made-up mind and shares inspiring stories from his own life and the lives of people who’ve defied the odds. Brian also examines the two questions to consider when you want to make up your mind to live the life you’ve always dreamed of.

YOU WILL LEARN:

• Five benefits of harnessing the power of a made-up mind.
• How to turn negative feedback into life lessons.
• The importance of making a decision, no matter how big or small.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

“Man’s Search for Meaning,” by Viktor Frankl

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“Inside all books of success and all stories of victories, there are chapters of failure.” – Brian Buffini

“Even though you may stop for a while, when your mind is made up you never, ever give up.” – Brian Buffini

“If you’re giving up, your mind is not made up.” – Brian Buffini

“A human being whose mind is made up is a force of nature in this world.” – Brian Buffini

“I have made up my mind. And I have been blessed in my life as a result of it. But I did not do it by myself.” – Brian Buffini

Itsagoodlife.com

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To kick off 2026, Brian welcomes back one of the show’s most popular guests: Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit and Supercommunicators. Together, they unpack why January is such a powerful moment to change, why most New Year’s resolutions fail and how to create habits that last.  

Then two also discuss the importance of personal, high-touch communications and why, in an age of increasing AI, it’s more important than ever.  Charles breaks down the three main types of conversations — practical, emotional and social — and how to recognize each type and then pivot when needed.   

Brian also gets insights and tips on how to lean into his two chosen “words of the year” to create impactful results.   

YOU WILL LEARN: 

• How small steps and rewards can lead to habits that produce lasting habits.   
• Why personalized human communication is still important, even as AI advances in our world.  
• How to “super communicate” by matching practical, emotional and social conversations with the situation at hand.  

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  

• Buffini Coaching Live
• The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg 
• Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg 

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: 

“There's something about beginnings that give us additional motivation, that give us additional commitment, that give us oftentimes additional time and dedication.” — Charles Duhigg  

“When I set those little goals…that’s the science of small wins…that’s going to make  it easier and easier for those goals to become habits and to become automatic.” —  Charles Duhigg  

“Every habit has three components: a cue, a routine, and a reward.” — Charles Duhigg  

“Instead of setting a New Year’s resolution that’s a goal, set one that’s a plan.” — Charles Duhigg 

“You can not only change any habit you want—you can create any habit you want.” — Charles Duhigg 

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Do you want to smash your new year goals in the next 12 months? In this episode, Brian shares how a Formula 1 strategy will give you a powerful start, help you build momentum and get you on track to come out on top this year.   

YOU WILL LEARN:

·     The power of the formation lap.

·     Why winners start from the front.

·     The magic of written goals.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Free business consultation

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“If you want to win, you’ve got to start off right.” – Brian Buffini

“When you get a quick win, it grows your confidence.” – Brian Buffini

“You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar

“Check off your goals as you achieve them.” – Brian Buffini

“Once I got exposed to the magic of goal writing, everything changed.” – Brian Buffini

Itsagoodlife.com

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In this moving and intimate episode of It’s a Good Life, Anna Buffini, Brian Buffini’s daughter and the company’s new social media manager, interviews her father about an array of topics. The two cover how to start the new year off right, best practices on goal setting, and the power of perseverance when times are tough.  

Anna also shares the lessons she learned from years of competing as a top-ranked dressage athlete and the peace she feels as that chapter closes.  

And Brian previews the upcoming Buffini Coaching Live, a free virtual event ton Jan. 22, that will feature inspirational leaders including Dr. Henry Cloud, Ken Coleman and Jon Acuff.  

YOU WILL LEARN: 

• How to start the year off with motivation and momentum  
• How to keep showing up through the “middle season” when the work is high and the results feel slow. 
• How even setting a small goal can get you started on the right path to achieving bigger ones.   

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  

Buffini Coaching Live - Register Today

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: 

“A bad plan executed violently beats the perfect plan never done.” – Brian Buffini 

“You know, we're promised in this country life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And to me, the pursuit of those resolutions is what happiness is.” — Brian Buffini 

“We all want to control everything. But the one thing you can do is control your attitude for this day. You can control your effort for this day.” 

“One thing I do when I'm feeling that negativity pull me down, will no matter what, list 10 things I'm grateful for.” — Brian Buffini  

“If I was to say probably the strongest thing I've done as a on my own journey, just as a man, not as a husband, father, or businessman, is become unattached to things.” — Brian Buffini  

itsagoodlife.com

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Do you want to fulfill your innate potential but don’t know where to start? In this episode, bestselling author and speaker Jon Acuff outlines a fresh new approach to goals and teaches how you can ditch regret, tap into your full potential and achieve in every area of your life.      

YOU WILL LEARN:

·     How examining your past can help you set future goals.

·     Why turning goals into games encourages motivation. 

·     Which goal fuels will guarantee sustainable success.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

“All It Takes is a Goal,” by Jon Acuff

Free business consultation

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“It's a good life when the vision of what you know you're capable of and who you were meant to be overlaps with how you're spending your Tuesday.” – Jon Acuff

“The only thing easier in the world than doing a goal is not doing a goal.” – Jon Acuff

“If you tap into the desire, you'll run through a wall. If you don't have the desire, you won't do the smallest task.” – Jon Acuff

“Mastery requires peaks and plateaus.” – Brian Buffini

“You have to bring your own hype. Motivation isn't a checkbox, it's a practice.” – Jon Acuff

itsagoodlife.com

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Ken Coleman, the bestselling author and a key radio personality for Dave Ramsey’s Ramsey Solutions, is known for his deep and insightful interviews with hundreds of major personalities including political figures, sports icons and titans of business.  In this podcast episode of It’s a Good Life, host Brian Buffini turns the tables and asks Ken questions about how he became known as one of the country’s top interviewers. 

Ken shares insights into how to ask questions that don’t just skim over a topic but get to the heart of what matters to the interviewee. He details how you can use these strategies in your own life to strengthen your own communications with others. He also describes how to use practical ways with your ears, eyes, face and body to relay honesty and interest to others that allow them to feel seen and heard.  

YOU WILL LEARN: 

•  How to ask questions that will go to the heart of a matter and deliver deeper insights.  
• Why background research is key before you have an important conversation with them.   
• How to use your ears, eyes, face, and body to understand others and show your commitment to them.  

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 

Buffini Coaching Live

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE 

“We need to understand that questions are the keys to unlocking any door we need to walk through.” — Ken Coleman 

“My goal in every interview is to get someone to say, ‘I’ve never been asked that before’ or ‘I’ve never shared this before.’” — Ken Coleman 

“Listen with your ears for tone, with your eyes for body language, with your face to mirror engagement, and with your body to show respect.” — Ken Coleman 

“I'm going to listen with my eyes. And this is probably as important as the ears. I'm watching body language. I'm watching an uncomfortable shift or I'm watching the shoulders drop.” — Ken Coleman 

“Confidence isn’t pre-loaded — it’s the consequence of a good conversation.” — Ken Coleman 

itsagoodlife.com

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The Christmas season is all about giving to others, but the spirit of giving shouldn’t just be for the holidays - it should be for life! In this episode, Brian explains why the principle of giving is so important year-round and shares his top tips for doing it the right way.

YOU WILL LEARN:

·     How to find joy in giving.

·     How to give of yourself.

·     How to give of your natural gifts and abilities.  

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Free Business Consultation

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“Nothing in my life brings me more joy than giving.” – Brian Buffini

“The joy is in the giving itself. The goal is to be a blessing to others.” – Brian Buffini

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

“It's not always the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it.” – Brian Buffini

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” – Maya Angelou

itsagoodlife.com

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During the holidays, it’s very easy to get caught up in chaos and consumerism. In this special episode, Brian shares how to tap into the real spirit of Christmas and look forward to the year ahead with faith, confidence and peace of mind.

YOU WILL LEARN:

• The ghosts of Christmas past.
• The lessons of Christmas present.
• The blessings of Christmas future.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Buffini Coaching Live

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“The real gift of Christmas is the gift of you.” – Brian Buffini

“Don't go it alone.” – Brian Buffini

“It's impossible to shine a light to someone else's path without lighting up your own.” – Brian Buffini

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” – Maya Angelou

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction of knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” – John Wooden

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Feeling stuck is an unavoidable part of the human condition. In this episode, bestselling author Adam Alter shares why almost everyone feels stuck in some way, how it can be a feature of progress and what to do to get unstuck and thrive when it matters most. 

YOU WILL LEARN:

·     The goal gradient hypothesis.

·     The dynamic of perfectionism.

·      The concept of simplification.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 Adam Alter

“Anatomy of a Breakthrough,” by Adam Alter

“The Power of Habit,” by Charles Duhigg

“The Tipping Point,” by Malcolm Gladwell

The Shawshank Redemption

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“Stuckness is inevitable.” – Adam Alter

“There is no success story … that doesn't involve multiple, repeated periods of stuckness.” – Adam Alter

“Another way of thinking of perfectionism that's not as binary, that's more continuous, is excellence or mastery.” – Adam Alter

“Excellence can be redefined across time.” – Adam Alter

“Excellence is doing the best you can with what you have in the timeframe allowed.” – Brian Buffini

itsagoodlife.com

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In this episode of It’s a Good Life, host Brian Buffini talks with bestselling author and keynote speaker Jon Acuff on how using a framework of “5 Cs” can help you break through burnout and reignite your purpose. Jon shares how discomfort is actually a good thing and the only true way to know you are headed towards meaningful change.   

He also shares how leaders who want to succeed must learn to recognize the value of making mistakes and trying again, as well as asking for help.  

Lastly, Jon previews his upcoming book Procrastination Proof: Never Get Stuck Again and explains why procrastination isn’t a character flaw but a coping strategy. He offers tips on how you can recognize and replace it with better tools and habits so you never get stuck again. 

YOU WILL LEARN: 

• The 5 Cs (clarity, courage, community, consistency, and coaching) that Jon uses to build a remarkable year. 
• Why many who feel burnout are actually bored and what they can do to change that.  
• Why it's important to celebrate achieving your goals and then move onto setting new ones.   

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  

• Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking (Overcome Toxic Thought Patterns and Take Control of Your Mindset) by Jon Acuff 
• Procrastination Proof: Never Get Stuck Again by Jon Acuff 

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: 

“How do I have an amazing or remarkable year — clarity, courage, community, consistency, and, of course, coaching.” — Jon Acuff 

“The only way to know you're outside your comfort zone is if you're uncomfortable. That’s the sign you’re actually headed in the right direction.” — Jon Acuff 

“I’m realizing there’s no leadership playbook where you always know the right move. You’re going to blow it. And you learn.” — Jon Acuff 

“If you’ve achieved the big goals you set years ago — great. Celebrate it. But now it’s time for a new scorecard.” — Jon Acuff  

“High performers tend to be hyper-specific about career goals but casual about relationship goals, and that doesn’t work. — Jon Acuff 

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