Self-Performance Strategies Podcast

Welcome to the SPS Podcast.

Episode 53 Performance Origins Deep Dive with Torrey Dawley.

Torry is the owner of Sandpaper Studio, a brand strategy and design studio built on the Solopreneur business model.

In this deep dive, we discuss his performance journey, and how he has been a solopreneur for 17+ years.

His goal now is to help other solopreneurs thrive in the complex landscape of online business.

Check out his links here:

Torrey Dawley Twitter: Torrey Dawley

Website: http://solobusinessbuilder.com

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST

Welcome to the SPS Podcast

“There is no such thing as life in-between.”

- Pat Riley

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes... but no plans.”

- Peter Drucker

Before creating a coaching business I flipped-flopped a lot.

Back in 2016, I had this idea to be a coach. I had no idea what to do. I only knew that I enjoyed helping people overcome barriers.

From 2016 to 2021 I did a lot of things but try to coach people:

I started a YouTube channel and posted over 200 videos.

Started Amazon FBA with two friends selling tea accessories.

I moved careers, took bigger leadership roles and kept putting my hand up for promotions and projects. I spent $10k of my own money to become a certified Project Manager. I was also planning to complete the PMP certification.

Then I discovered Twitter in early 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

By the end of that year, I had 5k followers. I sold a guide about how to use Stoicism tactically. Then for a short period, I was helping people with Twitter growth and doing some affiliate marketing.

Oh, yeah, I also built a leadership program which didn’t sell well at all.

5 years had passed and I had spent no time building a coaching offer or business.

I had spent a lot of time flip-flopping over what next “thing” could work for me.

In 2021, I left my 6-figure corporate role to give the online business game a go.

Was I coaching?

No.

But I was making a few grand selling guides and affiliate marketing.

Was my plan to start asking people if they wanted coaching?

No.

My plan was to build a mini-program with a coaching upsell.

F**k me.

Looking back now, I can tell I liked making things complicated.

I was losing money during the first 6 months of my solopreneur journey. My runway of cash was getting low. I felt stressed and thought I might have to return to a corporate job.

Then in the summer of 2021, I did something crazy.

I asked people who followed me on Twitter if they wanted performance coaching.

Guess what?

People said YES.

Over the last 18 months since that happened, I have been focused on my coaching offer.

I committed to making it work.

I committed to creating a coaching business.

And it has changed my life.

I stopped flip-flopping from one idea to the next.

I started doing what I was meant to be doing.

But here’s the thing…

I noticed a common trend as I started coaching other business owners and leaders.

There’s a lot of flip-flopping going on in the world.

I was not the only person who had this bad habit.

And I was also able to clearly understand the damage flip-flopping does to a business and a life. Personal experience included.

Simply put: Flip-flopping with your business goals is a surefire way to kill your business gains.

Here are 6 reasons why you need to break this habit if you want to make real progress in your business:

1. It wastes time and resources:

It’s like driving with your foot on the gas and brake pedal.

Instead of making progress, you go nowhere.

You spend weeks or months working on one strategy, only to abandon it for something else.

This falls into the dumb sh*t category. I’ve been there. Clients who hire me have been there.

Don’t do it.

2. It makes you less productive:

You’re chasing after the latest shiny object or fad.

This makes you less productive because you’re not focused on achieving anything specific. You jump from one thing to the next without real purpose or direction.

Did anyone fall down a crypto hole and lose months of progress in their business?

Is anyone currently falling down an AI or ChatGPT hole and losing momentum?

90% of this is pure distraction and it’s killing your performance.

3. It damages your reputation:

Your customers or clients become confused by your direction.

They lose confidence in your ability to deliver on your commitments.

This will damage your reputation and make it harder for you to win new business.

I went from offering a Stoic guide to a leadership program to performance coaching in 6 months.

It takes time for the market to see and understand your offer or product.

Changing it all the time slows down your income.

4. It leads to burnout:

Flip-flopping is the precursor to being overwhelmed and frustrated.

You work on multiple projects at the same time. You pursue too many opportunities at once. This 100% leads to burnout.

It hurts your health and well-being.

My clients read this newsletter and I know they would agree they all had too much going on when they first hired me.

Not all of them were doing massive flip-flops with goals.

But they were flip-flopping and not committing to key pillars in their life and business.

Without specific goals, you will head toward burnout.

5. It leads to missed opportunities:

You are so focused on chasing after the latest shiny object that you overlook opportunities right in front of you.

You also miss out on the magic of compounding.

You start doing something, get good at something and then you stack wins.

It’s how success works.

Flip-flopping stops this from happening.

6. It undermines your confidence:

You begin to doubt your ability to achieve anything.

This hurts your motivation and enthusiasm. You become hesitant to set new goals. You stop pursuing new opportunities because you’re afraid of failing again.

If you look at any successful business or solopreneur they have a core message and mission they have been crafting for years.

You don’t get that kind of confidence from shifting gears every few months.

My confidence has been at rock bottom a few times over the last two to three years on my business journey.

But I can tell you it happened because of flip-flopping and a lack of commitment to high-value activities.

Conclusion:

Flip-flopping with your business goals is a bad habit that kills your business gains.

If you want to make real progress in your business, you need to set clear goals and stick to them.

When you do this, you’ll be able to achieve your goals and make real progress in your business.

Don’t be the hungry guy at the restaurant who changes his order before his food arrives. Then complains he’s starving.

When you’re flip-flopping, it’s all on you.

Trust me I know.

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST

Welcome to the SPS Podcast

“If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favourable.”

― Seneca

A deadly trap to be in is... Maintenance mode.

You're the Captain of your ship and the mechanic.

Your role as El Capitan is to chart your ship to new destinations and ensure your engine gets you there.

But often, once your ship hits the open sea, you become a full-time mechanic and hide in the engine room.

The heat of the engines makes you feel like you’re working hard. Constantly fixing the pressure of one pipe to help another work. You spend long hours each day toiling away.

You’re in maintenance mode.

After days at sea, you think you must be near your destination. You pop up to the bridge to find out you’re not moving in any specific direction.

Frustrating.

You think of all those long hours.

You think of all the “fires” you put out.

You ask yourself: “Why is this happening? The engine is ticking over, the pressure in the pipes is good, and I’m working hard.”

Well…

You forgot to be the Captain of your ship and give your crew (you) new directions.

You didn’t navigate your way to a port.

You got stuck churning away deep in your engine room.

Low-value busy work and dumb sh*t have overrun your calendar.

I have done this working in corporate.

I have done this working in my business.

It’s easy to do...

Especially if your ship has already visited some rewarding ports.

You think to yourself, if I maintain the status quo, I will continue to hit bigger and better ports and results.

But you and I know that’s not how success or navigating a ship works.

You need to select a destination.

You need to go after bigger cargo hauls.

You need to chart out your milestones and goals.

But how do you break out of maintenance mode?

How do you stop sailing in circles and make meaningful progress?

Well, I’ve got some good news for you:

As this newsletter’s Captain and lead mechanic, I can tell you getting out of maintenance mode is possible.

1) Stop doing dumb sh*t:

I know, I know. I say this all the time. But hear me out. You’re doing dumb sh*t, haha

If you’re stuck in maintenance mode, it’s because you’re doing a lot of things that aren’t moving your business forward.

You’re wasting time and energy on things that don’t matter, and it’s holding you back.

Simple to say but not easy to rectify.

Take a hard look at your business and figure out what’s important.

What tasks and projects are high-vale and high-$$$?

What is moving you toward your goals?

Then cut out the busy work and focus on the important stuff.

You can’t sail your ship to success without doing this.

2) Define what success looks like for you:

Insert platitude: If you don’t know what success looks like, how will you know when you’ve achieved it?

It’s common sense.

But do you know what you want your success to look like?

I am 100% sure if you’re in maintenance mode, you don’t. That’s why it’s crucial to define what success means to you.

And here’s the thing...

Success doesn’t look the same for everyone.

Success is making a certain amount of money for some business owners I work with.

For others, it means a certain amount of free time to spend with their family.

Take time to think about what success looks like for you.

Be specific and concrete. Write it down. And then, once you’ve defined it, you can start sailing your ship toward it.

3) Use emotional triggers to motivate yourself:

Let’s face it running a business is hard.

There will be days when you don’t feel like doing anything.

That’s where emotional triggers come in.

An emotional trigger is something that motivates you on a deep level. It makes you want to get up and take action. Even when you don’t feel like it.

Similar to your big WHY in life.

For example, if you want to spend more time with your family.

Your emotional trigger might be the thought of missing your daughter’s soccer game because you were stuck at work doing low-value dumb sh*t.

That thought should motivate you to prioritize your high-value tasks and drop the busy work.

You work to live, not live to work.

4) Jolt the system with unconventional actions:

Sometimes, the best way to get out of maintenance mode is to do something unconventional.

Something counterintuitive to the norm.

This might mean taking a week off from work to recharge your batteries. Or it might mean saying no to a big client not aligned with your values.

The point is...

You should be willing to take unconventional actions to break free from maintenance mode.

Don’t be afraid to try something new and different. Because doing the same sh*t over and over again got you here. And here is no fun.

Pick a random and new destination and sail your ship toward it.

Conclusion:

Maintenance mode sucks.

It's all hard work and few results.

But getting out of maintenance mode is possible.

It requires you to start telling yourself the truth. Stop doing dumb shit. And take unconventional actions.

It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

Raise your anchor.

Chart a new course.

And sail your ship away from maintenance mode.

You got this Captain.

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST

 Welcome to the SPS Podcast.

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset.”

― Richie Norton

How I got off track and how a reset saved my week.

Something I am hyper-aware of as a solopreneur...

When your positive habits and success systems break down, you break down. Anytime I have a bad week, I can point to a few systems being out of sync.

Protect them as if your life and business depend on them.

Because they do.

Over the last week, my daily walks weren’t so daily, my morning meditation didn’t happen like clockwork, and my journal went missing for a few days.

The results?

By Thursday, I felt tired, frustrated, and overwhelmed.

Luckily, on Friday, I hit all my habits. Saturday and Sunday both became reset days. I started Monday morning with purpose and direction.

But all my struggles happened because my core habits slipped out of sync.

It started last weekend when I visited my parents.

I let one habit slip. Then two. Then four days passed and my days looked different from what they usually do.

Last Monday should have been a reset day.

However, it took until Thursday to see how my habits had unravelled.

I am not a robot.

You are not a robot.

This will happen to all of us.

But the more you close the gap between your good and bad days, the more you will improve your standards and win in your life and business.

But wait, I hear you say: How did you do a reset? What’s your process?

Take 30 minutes and go through these 4 steps and you will reset yourself.

1) The Check-In

Pull out your journal and ask:

• What habits are you not doing?

• What dumb sh*t are you doing?

• What emotions are driving your actions?

Take 10 minutes, brain dump, and get specific.

Without awareness, it’s impossible to reset.

2) Remove dumb sh*t and realign to your core pillars:

The reason you need a reset is:

• You lack energy and focus

• You feel overwhelmed and frustrated

• You’re not doing high-value habits

Review your notes and highlight what you can drop.

The goal is to focus on hitting your core habits.

Create space for yourself:

Prioritize your high-value activities.

• Family time

• Positive habits

• Recharge and relax

While removing the dumb sh*t taking over your schedule. Scale back all the activities you can. Be RUTHLESS.

Also, remember to be grateful for your struggles. They’re teaching you lessons.

3) Big domino habit:

Have a reliable go-to system you use to kickstart your days.

• Going for a walk

• Going to the gym

• Meditation and journaling

Whatever it is, you know when you do it increases your chance of having a good day.

My morning domino habit/system is to:

• Drink a pint of water

• Meditate for 20 minutes

• Then journal for 10 minutes

• Write out all the dumb sh*t I want to avoid that day

It works well for me.

4) Structure provides freedom:

You need a reset because chaos has entered your life.

Chaos hates a good plan

Chaos hates organization

Chaos hates you taking control mentally

Once you have performed steps 1 to 3 you have completed a mental detox.

Now you build a plan.

Pick 3 Big Rocks for the week:

Don’t go crazy and think you can complete a massive project.

You are bouncing back from a dip. The goal is to hit 3 high-value and high-dollar activities. While removing 80-90% of low-value sh*t.

Like recovering from a sports injury.

Ease yourself back into it.

Conclusion:

This is how you do a reset.

 Obviously, you will have to test-learn-adapt as you go. Find the right domino habit. Become ruthless at removing dumb sh*t activities.

A lack of systems may get you into a mess. So, to reset, use a system to get back on track.

Simple.

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST

Welcome to the SPS Podcast

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."

– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

From drifting through life to saving business owners 20 hours a week

In my first decade as an adult, I was lost. I was rudderless. Being dragged from thing to thing by life.

I did go to university.

I did move from Ireland to the North of England. 

But those were events in my life. Not a coordinated plan to succeed. It took me four years to complete a three-year business degree program.

I lacked motivation and conviction.

I lacked the ability to get sh*t done.

I drifted around several retail management jobs in my 20s. Fell into the trap of living for the weekend. Woke up at 29 frustrated and broke.

I decided to shake things up and go to Canada.

I moved there months after my 30th birthday.

This move provided me with purpose. I wanted to stay in Canada. But I had to prove myself valuable to an employer to secure a longer visa.

For the first time, my focus was narrowed to a target.

Get the right job and get good at that job.

Which I did. I found a job that allowed me to stay in Canada. I became one of the top managers in the region.

The lessons from that time impacted me.

The equation of targets + effort stuck with me.

Over the next 8 years, I was promoted 9 times. Two years ago I started my coaching business. In early 2022 I made enough money to know my solopreneur journey was viable and scalable.

I discovered a system that helped me save a lot of time allowing me to get sh*t done.

I had testimonials from clients showing me the system works for other people.

I want to share that system with you.

The system is pulled from the steps of my PRO-Accelerator Program. Here in this newsletter, I have split it into two parts.

Your Foundations and Your Actions.

Let’s dive into it.

How to save 20 hours a week in your business without productivity hacks, fancy calendars, or time management.

PART ONE:

The 4 Foundational Steps.

1) Define what success is for you:

You can’t save time if you don’t know what you want.

How do you want to spend your days? Who do you want to work with? What type of work do you want to do.

Get specific.

2) Get clear on 3 key pillars for your business:

You now know what you want.

Let’s build pillars to help you get there. These are the projects and targets needed to succeed. Narrow these down to 3 BIG levers.

These are the areas you will pour your energy into.

3) Select daily/weekly/monthly milestones for each pillar: 

These are your goals and targets.

You can only define your actions by completing steps 1 and 2. Too many business owners start at this step. Then wonder why they get lost and frustrated.

Build your pillars and know your milestones.

4) Get clear on the high-value and high-$$$ activities:

These are the activities that fuel you and your business.

Without steps 1 to 3 completed you have no idea what is high-$$$ in your business. You won’t know what is high-value or what is low-value.

You might be making money now but could you be getting in the way of making more.

Are you wasting hours doing sh*t you shouldn’t be doing?

PART TWO

The 7 Practical Actions:

Now we get into the actions that will save 20 working hours weekly.

With a few key strategies, you can streamline your business and free up valuable time to focus on what you want.

1) Cut the dumb shit:

Let's start with the basics.

Doing less dumb shit is how you make progress in life. The same goes for your business.

Take a hard look at your daily tasks and ask yourself:

What's essential?

What can you eliminate?

Be ruthless.

Scott one of my clients did this and dropped one of his businesses. Allowing him to focus entirely on the key pillars he had called out.

2) Do/Drop/Delegate:

Keep trimming the fat.

If you’re not doing it and it doesn’t need done. Drop it.

If it still needs done but you shouldn’t be doing it. Delegate it.

If you have to do it and it’s high-value or high-$$$. Keep doing it

Simple.

3) Do what you’re good at:

As a solopreneur, you wear many hats.

But because you can do everything doesn't mean you should. Focus on your strengths. Start each day with what you’re good at.

This frees up time because you hit your key pillars first and early each day.

It also gives you an energy rush of dopamine.

Let’s F**king Gooo...as the kids say.

4) NEVER multitask:

Switching between tasks takes time and mental energy.

Instead of constantly shifting gears, batch your tasks. Set aside specific times of the day for certain activities.

Multitasking is dumb sh*t and wastes hours of your week.

5) Say no:

If it’s not under your key pillars.

If it’s not high-value or high-$$$

You say NO to it.

When you say no to low-priority tasks and distractions, you create space for the things that truly matter.

Don't be afraid to set boundaries and say NO.

6) Focus sprints:

You only have 4 to 6 hours of high cognitive energy each day.

Set your day up around three Big Rocks. Each rock taking about 90 minutes to complete. Then sprint to finish all that work in the first 6 hours of the day.

Create an effective daily rhythm.

Get sh*t done in less time.

7) Protect your energy:

Energy management is always more important than time management.

Make sure you:

• Get good sleep

• Reduce alcohol

• Take daily walks

• Eat healthy food

• Drink lots of water

• Remove coffee after 1pm

• Meditate and journal daily

The right energy + the right work = deep flow.

Tap into it every day and see your results explode.

Conclusion:

As a business owner, I've seen firsthand the power of streamlining your activities and freeing up time.

By following the steps above you can save 20 working hours a week.
Now go save that time in your business.

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST

Welcome to the SPS Podcast.

Episode 48 Performance Origins Deep Dive with Steve-On-Speed

Steve retired at 35 and is financially and location-free. His mission now it to millions become financially free. He provides insights daily on Twitter to 240k followers. 

In this deep dive, we discuss his performance journey, and how he became financially free.

Check out his links here:

Steve-On-Speed Twitter: @SteveOnSpeed

Website: https://millionairehabits.us/

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST

Let’s talk about Jim Rohn punching me in the gut.

Welcome to the SPS Podcast.

“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.”

— Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn punched me in the gut.

When I started my personal development journey I fell into watching...reading...listening to the BIG gurus.

Tony Robins

Darren Hardy

Robin Sharma

Brendon Bouchard 

They all had a solid message. 

Sharma’s and Bouchard’s books helped me get going. I bought their online programs. I even paid for a VIP ticket to a live event in Vancouver in 2016 by Brendon Brouchard.

Randomly in their emails a name would often come up…Jim Rohn.

They would talk about his quotes. Both Darren Hardy and Tony Robins called him out as a mentor. 

I knew this was a thread I wanted to pull on.

Who was this Jim Rohn and why was he so special?

For those who don’t know he was an author and motivational speaker. 

But you knew that…right!?

I searched his name on Google. 

A bunch of videos popped up. So I slid over to Youtube and started watching. After a few videos the algorithm pushed a two-hour seminar by him into my feed. 

I clicked on it and was immediately sucked in.

His presence and humour were electric. 

I opened my journal and started taking notes. Two hours went by in a flash.

But Jim kept punching me in the gut.

He kept zinging me with his one-liners.

They made me feel hope. Made me feel regret. But they also made me laugh out loud many times. 

He was blunt but empathetic.

I am not sure how he did it.

He said things that sounded obvious.

You could even call them platitudes.

But the way he presented the information hit me deep in my core. I was moved to take action because of his words. 

It’s been roughly 10 years since I watched his seminar.

To this day many of his one-liners still impact me.

In this newsletter I want to revisit 6 quotes from that seminar.

Why?

Because much has changed in my life over the last 10 years.

I want to reflect upon them in the context of being a coach and business owner today.

Here are 6 lessons pulled from that Jim Rohn seminar…revisited.

Quote one: “Either you run the day or the day runs you.”

This is one of the most important concepts you need to understand as a business owner.

Plan your days in a way that works for you. Schedule in your BIG Rocks and high-$$$ work. Make time for your health.

Otherwise the day will run you into the ground.

Your high-value work in your business won’t get done.

Quote two: “If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree.”

This one still makes me laugh. 

Most people do act like trees. They keep repeating the same actions and getting frustrated. They let the seasons come and go without moving. 

As a business owner I understand that time moves fast.

Our offers need updating. Competition comes into the market. Teams need to be upskilled or replaced. 

You can’t wait around and expect things to change.

You have to act. 

Quote three: “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”

I am living this quote right now.

Growing a business. Learning how to tell stories and write with more punch. Improving my fitness and mental strength.

Life puts challenges in front of you.

But as a business owner those challenges are like standing in front of a burst fire hydrant.

Constantly getting hit with information. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Because I know all of this will make me stronger.

Playing life in hard mode makes it easier in the end. 

Quote four: “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.”

In the past 18 months I have made over 6 figures with my business. 

And I have spent a decent amount of money on support. From 1-1 experts to communities and masterminds. They have all been a massive help.

Self-education has changed my thinking and made me more money.

To win in life and business you need to be a lifelong learner.

Quote five: “Motivation alone is not enough. If you have an idiot and you motivate him, now you have a motivated idiot.”

I love this one because it highlights the shallow content in the performance and productivity space.

10x your 5x to 2x your monring routine. 18 things to do before 6am. These 6 habits will help you disappear for 6 months and return dangerous.

All that absolute motivational garbage.

Content like this is cheap dopamine and doesn’t teach you anything substantial.

As a business owner it’s essential to make sure your inputs are at a high level. Motivation alone doesn’t work. You need foundations and systems.

That’s why you love reading this newsletter, haha.

Quote six: “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”

All success comes from committing to a bigger and better future.

Once you have the courage to 100% commit you instantly change your life direction. Your actions transform because you choose a different future.

Running a business puts you in front of endless opportunities.

Some of these opportunities can take you places you didn’t want to go.

But you can shape your next steps. Reduce a lot of overwhelm and frustration by getting specific with your direction.

Trust me...this works.

Youtube Jim Rohn seminar

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST

Welcome to the SPS Podcast.

My life changed when I learned this skill:

Self-performance.

I realized I had productivity and performance completely backwards...

I was young, arrogant, and thought I could bulldoze my way to success.

I was wrong.

Here are the 7 lies I used to tell myself about self-performance:


1 - ⌚️ I need to work 12 hr days:

WRONG

Performance is about the results you deliver. Not the time spent working.

All your tasks should be broken down into milestones and have deadlines.

Because you only have the brainpower to do deep-focused work for 4-6 hours max daily.


2 - 📱 I need to check my notifications:

WRONG

Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram notifications are NOT important.

Avoid checking your phone. Your Emails. Your social media before you do focus work.

Give yourself a 5-minute screen break before starting work.

Why?

Because it works.


3 - 🤹🏻‍♂️ I am good at multitasking:

WRONG

You're not. Multitasking DOES NOT EXIST.

When you switch tasks it takes up to 15 minutes to get back into the flow.

95% of the world spends all day never getting into the flow.

You need to become part of the 5% QUICKLY.


4 - 🥱 I can work well tired:

WRONG

You might feel like you are doing the work. But your output will be garbage.

Often you will have to redo the work you do when tired.

Burnout is real. When you feel your productivity drop you should stop.

Take a break and recharge.


5 - 🚨 I do urgent tasks first:

WRONG

Your tasks are only urgent because you never prioritize them.

Urgent tasks are rarely important. You should always start your day with work that moves your business or life forward.

You have the rest of the day to do "urgent" tasks.


6 - ⏳ I don't have time:

WRONG

You do have time.

You just have a calendar full of pointless or low-value tasks.

If you want to be productive you have to manage your energy and time.

Set essential tasks in your calendar and build your schedule around them.


7 - 🥸 I love saying YES:

WRONG

You love feeling important.

You either can't say No. Or subconsciously want to be overwhelmed because of the unresolved need to feel busy and important.

STOP IT.

Set boundaries. Learn how to say NO so you can say YES to what really matters.


As the wise Steven Pressfield says:

“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands resistance.”

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

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Big love,
ST

Welcome to the SPS Podcast.

Episode 45 Performance Origins Deep Dive with Dr. Corey Wilks.

Dr. Corey Wilks is a Psychologist & Coach helping creators reach their potential. He provides insights on human flourishing and fulfillment, life design, content creation, and online business. 

In this deep dive, we discuss his performance journey, and how he became a coach. We also get deep into what a good coaching program looks like. 

Check out his links here:

Dr. Corey Wilks Twitter: @CoreyWilksPsyD

Website: https://coreywilkspsyd.com

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST

“Pain + reflection = progress.”
- Ray Dalio

I had the pain, but I didn’t have the refection.

We all have pain. We all go through sh*t. But many of us repeat the same sh*t over and over again. We often ask: Why me? Why is this happening again?

Well, no reflection = repeated pain.

I am no different. Mistakes, missteps, f**k ups, self-sabotaging actions. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

Now, I could tell a story about how I overcame my party years in my 20s, or how moving to Canada 12 years ago gave me a ton of perspective, or some insight from the last 5 years.

But I want to focus on discussing the habit that has helped me leap forward mentally, emotionally, and physically over the last 18 months.

I can honestly say going deep with this habit has changed my life. What is this habit?

Journaling.

Really, journaling, Steve? Not hot yoga, cold showers, or eating raw liver, just journaling?

Yup journaling. The most powerful habit. If you do it right. And there is a right way to do it.

But first, let me tell a story; you like my stories, right?

I look back at my journals from 2013 and 2014, and it’s like reading a random mess of ideas, goals, emotional dumping and rage journaling. While this can be a useful and necessary part of journaling, the lack of structure made journaling a chore.

Something I felt like I had to do because the gurus told me to do it.

I would look at my journal and beat myself up mentally for not using it. I would open it up, write the date, stare at a blank page, or write some nonsensical scribbles.

Then things changed.

Yes, only in 2021 and going deeper in 2022 did I start to master and deeply connect with the power of journaling. Now, I have always had a journal on the go, but I used to put everything into one journal. Emotions, business stuff, ideas, and my attempts at daily gratitude.

From 2016 to the end of 2021, I filled three journals with ideas and tracking my business; in just 2022, I’ve filled two, just with ideas and emotional work.

What was the big shift?

I created a journaling system. I call it the Tactical Journal system. It’s not complex at all. I separated my emotional and ideas journal from my daily productivity and business journal.

One journal for work and one journal for fun.

And it has worked. I’ve never journaled more. I track my business daily. And I track myself daily. With my business/productivity journal, I set my week up on Sunday, spending about an hour doing that and then glance at it for about 5 minutes each day.

With my emotional, ideas, or you could say ‘fun’ journal, I spend about 20–30 minutes minimum writing in it daily.

I do it for at least 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening.

Doing it like this has removed the friction from journaling, as I now have specific journals for specific parts of my life. Over the last year, I have been healthier mentally, emotionally, and physically, and have made more money online than ever before.

The secret to your next success is hidden in the pages of your journal.

Okay, you have your separate journals, but how to use them effectively Self-reflection is key to improving performance. But most people have no idea how to do it effectively.

Reflection is a powerful mechanism. It helps you take experiences and translate them into learning.

But most people don’t take reflection seriously. If you want a leg up, pay attention, take notes and start taking it seriously.

Why do you want to self-audit? So you can see:

- Your bottlenecks

- Your current direction

- What you don’t want

- A clear path forward

To improve in life, you need to remove anything stopping you from daily deep work and growth.

You need frameworks to help you audit yourself.

The easiest self-audit technique. Write out everything on your mind. Positive, negative, neutral, anything you are thinking about. Write until you stop; you need to get it all out.

Because most of it is noise.

Use this audit to remove anything draining or distracting you. Ruthlessly go through your mental dump list and drop anything that is not serving you. Projects, people, environments, and stuff.

Close those loops

You are creating bottlenecks by not self-auditing. What is still blocking you? What are you struggling with? What can’t you drop or delegate? Get clear on whether the bottleneck is an internal or external issue.

You can’t fix it if you don’t call it out.

99% of fears are irrational. What fears are distracting you, stopping you from taking action? Write out the fear; write out what’s the worst that could happen.

Then write out how you can overcome it; bust that fear.

Get into the habit of asking yourself weekly audit and reflection questions. Here are the 8 I use:

1. The main struggle I faced last week?

2. If I was advising a friend, what would I say to overcome this struggle?

3. If I don’t take action this week, what will be the outcome?

4. Two things I learned about myself or others?

5. A decision that could have made last week better?

6. What stood out as the BIG win?

7. What ideas sparked something in me?

8. Accomplishments, KPIs and targets hit?

I used to just track 3 wins each day and plan the next morning.

1. What’s the biggest bottleneck to achieving each of my current goals?

2. Why aren’t I working on that bottleneck?

Stephen links:

Get your Free Pattern//Breaker WorkBook:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/patternbreaker

Download the Pattern//Breaker Workbook + Email Coaching to Rebuild Identity & Take Focused Action in Under 90 Days

✅ Get clarity on your hidden resistance (with AI-powered prompts)
✅ Build a 90-day plan grounded in identity, not hustle
✅ Shift from “knowing” to “doing” in one afternoon

Visit the website:

https://www.stephentimoney.com/

Follow me here:

Twitter

LinkedIn

Big love,
ST