StepDad Success

Comparing yourself to others is a natural tendency that allows you to measure where you are in a specific area of your life. However, comparison does not encourage production. We’ll discuss how production comes from within as you challenge and compete against yourself.

Finally, we’ll talk about the importance of setting targets and connecting with your “why” to give you powerful motivation to produce.

POINT #1: Comparison and Competition Do Not Create Production

* It is normal to compare yourself to others to see where you are in a specific area of your life.

* Comparison with others does not allow you to produce results within yourself.

* Although competition against others may give you an edge, it doesn’t actually produce results.

* Production comes from within and occurs when you are challenging and competing with yourself.

POINT #2: Production is Your Responsibility

* WThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

If you improve as a stepdad, your kids will benefit—and that’s the mission of Stepdad Success. We’ll discuss the value of passing down your wisdom to help your kids learn how to live a better life.

Finally, we’ll talk about how sharing the Stepdad Success message with other stepdads will help to raise an entire generation of leaders.

POINT #1: Improve for Your Kids

* If you improve as a stepdad, your kids will reap the rewards.

* If children have a negative role model or no role model at all, they will not be set up well for adulthood.

* Having a positive role model helps kids to learn positive behaviors that stay with them throughout their lives.

POINT #2: Your Kids Are the Future

* Even though your stepkids aren’t your biological children, you should treat them as though they are.

* You need to form a bond with your stepkids that goes beyond everyday transactional interacThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

As a stepdad of three children, Grant Belcher of the Sunshine Coast in Australia knew that his role was to show his kids the possibilities for their lives. He’ll discuss how his kids reacted to him becoming their stepdad and his philosophy of treating his stepkids as his own. He’ll talk about how he developed an emotional connection to his kids and learned to put their needs first.

Finally, Grant will talk about the benefits of helping his kids to better understand themselves and showing them different “models” for how to live.

POINT #1: Establish a Friendship

* Grant owns and operates several aquatic centers on the Sunshine Coast of Australia and met his wife while coaching her kids in swimming.

* When Grant and his future wife were dating, they waited several months to tell her children that they were involved.

* Although the kids were very excited about the relationship and Grant loved them as his own, Grant maThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

Everyone experiences challenges now and then, but effectively dealing with these “storms” is key to achieving your goals. We’ll discuss the negative impact of stopping and waiting for a storm to come—or creating a storm of your own.

Finally, we’ll talk about the importance of preventing storms from dragging you off course and staying focused on the blue skies ahead.

POINT #1: Don’t Create Your Own Storms

* When things are going well in your life, it can be tempting to stop moving forward while you wait for a storm to come.

* Although occasional storms are an inevitable part of life, negative thoughts and behaviors will cause storms to blow in more frequently.

* Negativity can lead you to creating your own storms.

POINT #2: Storms Affect All Areas of Life

* In Body, storms may show up as disease, injury and sickness.

* In Being, storms may show up as a poor spiritual connectThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

Have you ever gotten stuck in a difficult situation because you forgot to ask a simple question? It happens to everyone, especially when dealing with busy schedules and competing priorities. We’ll discuss how asking simple questions can help you to avoid problems and improve your life.

Finally, we’ll talk about how avoiding complexity and focusing on simplicity can help you to expand.

POINT #1: Asking Simple Questions Can Help You Avoid Problems

* It’s normal to want to take control in your life, but you must be sure you are asking simple questions—especially when your actions affect others.

* Before booking a family trip, for example, a simple question would be to ask your family if they want to go to the chosen destination and if your proposed date suits them.

* In this example, taking the time to ask a simple question would save you from making a costly mistake or having a tension-filled trip.

POThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

Being the example is a foundational principle in life— and although many people try to make themselves look good, few do the work required to be good. We’ll discuss what it means to be the example for your kids and why modeling positive behaviors is so important.

Finally, we’ll talk about how you can be the example in every area of your life and pass good actions and words to your kids.

POINT #1: Leadership Means Being the Example

* To be a leader, you must be the example you want others to follow.

* Being the example means constantly learning and refining your skills, having a great attitude about life and always moving forward.

POINT #2: Your Kids Need You to Be the Example

* Your kids are always watching and (like it or not) they will do what you do and say what you say.

* Your kids learn from your positive and negative behaviors.

* As a stepdad, it is your job to be theThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

When you talk to your children, are they really hearing you and understanding your message? Or, are they just listening? We’ll discuss why speaking to children can be challenging and what you can do to make sure they are understanding what you’re saying.

We’ll also talk about how asking questions can help you to ensure that you and your children are on the same page.

POINT #1: Communication Gaps Create Challenges when Speaking to Kids

* Because you are older than your kids, you have a larger vocabulary and more refined language skills.

* Sometimes, adults naturally use words and phrases that children don’t understand.

* If you don’t stop to explain things to your children, this language and vocabulary gap will cause your children to listen without truly understanding you.

POINT #2: Kids Need to Understand the Lesson

* If your kids are just listening and not hearing, they will miss tThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

Life is always changing, and Luke Perisin, a stepdad of one and a father of one from southern California, learned to adapt. He’ll discuss how he adjusted his plans and goals after meeting his wife and becoming a dad. After years of being a “lifelong bachelor,” Luke also learned to adopt a different attitude to help him relate better to his wife and children.

Finally, Luke will talk about how striving for patience and calm helped him to become a better father and husband.

POINT #1: You Must Adapt Your Plans to Life Changes

* Luke has worked as an emergency services professional for 25 years and is also a musician/actor/writer.

* He had a goal of working in labor management and collective bargaining for the actors’ union after his retirement. However, after meeting his wife and stepson and having a child of his own, his needed a new plan.

* Because Luke is a proactive and aggressive person, it was a shock to be in aThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

If you’re like most people, you have a ton of responsibilities. And guess what? It’s OK—and even beneficial—to spoil yourself. We’ll discuss how scheduling time and allowing yourself to indulge creates self-worth.

Finally, we’ll talk about how shifting your perspective can help you overcome perceived financial limitations and time constraints that may be causing you to deny yourself.

POINT #1: Sometimes You Have to Spoil Yourself

* It’s important to schedule time to allow yourself to indulge in activities you enjoy.

* When you hold back and deny yourself enjoyment, you are living in scarcity mode.

* Giving yourself the things that you desire reinforces self-worth.

POINT #2: Ask Better Questions So You Can Say “Yes” to Yourself

* If you can’t afford to spend time or money on yourself, you need to make changes.

* Instead of saying, “I can’t afford that,” you need to say, “HowThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com

The news and entertainment content you consume can affect your mindset, values and interactions with others. We’ll discuss the impact of negative content and how positive content can inspire and motivate you.

Finally, we’ll talk about how you can choose the content that is right for you and your family.

POINT #1: Most News Content is Negative

* As a society, we’re trained to react to bad news and news outlets take advantage of that by reporting negative news to make more money.

* Some news content includes “propaganda” that can promote negative values and program your response to life events and family.

POINT #2: You Need to Look at Your Content-Consumption Habits

* It is important for you to understand how you and your family are consuming and reacting to content, especially news.

* It is not healthy or productive for you and your family to be consuming negative content all the timThe six moves that make a stepkid choose you: www.stepdadsuccess.com