Today's Challenge

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is method, and I have one for almost everything I do. You want to know how I pick up dog poop without getting it on my hands? I can show you. You want to load a dishwasher a little too full? I can show you that, too. Methods are not my problem, because my mechanical brain is pretty good at coming up with what it thinks is the best approach. My problem is motivating myself after I’ve figured out the method. I mentioned, in episode “86 - Prototype,” that my brain likes to focus on solving the problem. I want to know if I can succeed at building the proof of concept. This podcast has been a valuable lesson in continuing down a path, as was mentioned in yesterday's episode, “157 - Vacillate.” I have come up with a method for producing episodes, but I’ve lost the steam for actually posting them. Yesterday, I investigated some ways to shorten the process of editing audio, and that sparked my method engine. I guess the moral of this episode is just to reinforce that your method is part of the 1% inspiration. That just leaves 99% perspiration to go.

Today’s concrete challenge is to make yourself do something you've been resisting. I'm going to finish editing the episode I was working on yesterday and post it. What will you use your 99% perspiration to do?

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will put in the work today.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who sees it through.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is vacillate. Yesterday, I was thinking through episode “146 - Reform” while I was out on a walk, and I realized my issue with constant reform or change. It turns into vacillation, which is essentially indecisiveness. If I wanted to get home on my walk, I had to pick a direction and stick with it. The same is true for your life. When you want to get somewhere, you have to decide on a path and move forward gradually. Do you want a better job? There are a thousand different ways to achieve that goal, and you’re welcome to explore them all. What you’ll find, though, is that you’re stuck in the same job you have now or state of unemployment if you vacillate between options. Today you’re convinced that you need to get a Master’s degree, tomorrow you think you just need to spend a year apprenticing, and the next day you’re back to believing that you won’t succeed unless you get that Master’s degree. Maybe we should all take Cousin Eddie’s tack and hold out for a management position.

Today’s concrete challenge is to make a decision. Stop vacillating and just choose. Write down your choice to make it official, and share it with a loved one for a little accountability.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will choose.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who picks and sticks.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is warm. I want you to picture someone that you know well. This person makes you feel at ease when you’re around them. You feel like a more genuine version of yourself, like you can let your guard down and tell them anything. Now picture someone that you would consider cool. This person is interesting, and you’d like to get to know them better. However, you’re not sure how to approach them. You feel like there’s a good possibility that you’d end up feeling silly for trying to hold a conversation with them. So far, we’ve focused on our perception of others, but we, too, have one of these effects on people around us. They either feel our warmth or disinterest. I think the word cool is telling. As a young person, you probably wanted to be considered cool, but are you okay now with making others feel distant and ignored? I would love to be perceived as a warm person who makes people around me feel relaxed and cared for. Can you tell me how to get there?

Today’s concrete challenge is to smile at someone around you and ask if you can get them anything. Note that this practice comes from a place of confidence. You are not trying to get the cool person to like you. You are the warm person radiating an invitation of service.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will smile and ask.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who is warm.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is permission. Dr. John Gottman, in his book The Seven Principles of Making Marriage Work, outlines what he calls the Four Horsemen of marital conflict. They are criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling, and they’re most common in relationships where trust is thin. One of the best ways to destroy trust is by keeping your partner in the dark in decision-making. I know the cool phrase is, “Ask forgiveness, not permission,” but I’ve found that’s a pretty terrible approach to marriage. It may work in relationships that can be burned to “move fast and break things.” However, in your long term relationships, I recommend that you focus on respecting the other person’s input and choose to seek permission first.

Today’s concrete challenge is to make a short list of three conversation topics for your partner. Ask them to do the same. Collaborate on any decision-making so that you both can feel good about the future, while maintaining trust in your relationship.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will ask permission, not forgiveness.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who works to enhance my relationships.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is maturity. Have you ever met someone that was mature for their age? What qualities make someone appear to be mature? Maybe it’s their calm presence, or maybe they give insightful comments in conversation. Whatever it is that makes someone seem mature, you know it when you see it. This leads me to wonder if we can increase our social maturity, and I think I’ve identified one of the best ways to take a giant leap forward without waiting on age to teach you this lesson. If you want to be and appear more mature around others, offer encouragement. Immature people are constantly seeking approval, whether it's by posting selfies or putting other people down. Let’s do the opposite, and build others up. You will gain the respect of people who can tell what you’re doing, and they’re ultimately the people you’ll want to be around.

Today’s concrete challenge is to offer one encouragement. Maybe you know someone who’s going through a hard time, or maybe you just want to say “hey” to a friend and tell them they’re awesome. Don’t be surprised if people start to see you as an encouraging and mature person just because you’re intentional about encouraging them.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will encourage you.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who is mature.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is mistake, and we’re giving it a break. Mistakes often don’t feel good in the moment, but they can lead to discoveries and progress. Back in 2007, I was sitting on the toilet, and I heard a bird outside that sounded like it was saying an English word. This mistake in comprehension led me to wonder what a world would be like where bird songs were actually windows into their secret lives. I worked with a friend to sketch out images of turkeys in jogging suits, cranes drinking lattes, and robins dressed as cheerleaders. All those delightful designs came from a moment of mistake. I’ll admit that many mistakes don’t produce this much fruit, such as breaking a dish or stubbing your toe, but we can always look for the upside of mistakes. This is actually part of Carol Dweck’s growth mindset. According to Wikipedia, “Individuals with a ‘growth’ mindset are more likely to continue working hard despite setbacks.” When you experience a mistake today, ask yourself if there are any possibilities hiding behind the frustration.

Today’s concrete challenge is to start out trying to draw a perfect line on a page. You’ll probably find that it’s nigh impossible to freehand a perfectly straight line, but I want you to take 30 seconds to stare at your line. What does your mistake look like? Add to your line to make it into whatever it reminds you of. You might find that you can make art from your mistakes.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will start with a line.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who transforms mistakes.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is acceptance. Have you ever been in a situation where your brain was screaming, “What’s going on?! This shouldn’t be happening!”? I remember, as a teenager, riding down the Interstate with a friend when traffic slowed to a crawl. It was summer, and my little Nissan truck’s A/C just couldn’t keep up with the heat. I looked over at my friend, and he was obviously exasperated. He announced, “I shouldn’t be sweating right now!” Ha, there was nothing we could do about it. It was a moment of cognitive dissonance, where reality didn’t meet his expectations. You’ve probably experienced lots of moments like that, because much of life is beyond our control. I like how the beginning of the Serenity Prayer addresses this tight rope of change and acceptance. It says, 

“God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.”

In times of cognitive dissonance, we have a choice. We can try to do something about it, or we can accept it. My friend couldn’t have made the A/C any colder, but he could have gotten out and walked to somewhere cooler. However, wisdom would suggest that stepping out of the car would be dangerous and ultimately counterproductive. His only available serenity-promoting lane was acceptance, but so many times we take the off-ramp toward anger in frustrating situations. Instead, let’s stay on the path of serenity by changing the things we can and accepting when a change is beyond our control. Rely on your increasing wisdom to know the difference.

Today’s concrete challenge is to write down one possible change in your life and one thing you need to accept. These could be in your relationships, profession, thoughts, or any other area of your life.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will write one change and one acceptance.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who has wisdom.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

References:

The Serenity Prayer and Twelve Step Recovery

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is healthy. I’m sure you could list a dozen things that you’ve heard are healthy for you, but how can you know for sure? For now, you have a couple of options. First, you could try it yourself to see if it makes a difference in the way that you feel. As we discussed in episode “17 - Medication,” you’ll want to take any medications or supplements in a consistent way in order to give them a chance to build up in your body correctly, and be sure to consult your doctor if you have any concerns about whether you should start a regimen. Alternatively, you could rely on the research of others. Dr. Laurie Santos does a great job in her podcast, The Happiness Lab, and in her course, The Science of Well-Being, promoting research-proven practices that boost happiness and fulfillment. You may or may not be surprised to find that most of them are things that people have been doing for millenia, like savoring the moment, meditation, and exercise. I have a feeling that future generations will have health insights that make them look back at us and think, “They had no idea what was going on inside their bodies,” but I’d be surprised if humans ever get away from the basic practices that give us long-term satisfaction and health. What basic health practices do you need to dedicate yourself to?

Today’s concrete challenge is to write one healthy habit that you commit yourself to. While you’re choosing, remember to make your goal small enough that it’s attainable but big enough that it keeps you stretching.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will dedicate my attention to one health goal.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who keeps it simple.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is transform. Lest I bury the lede, here it is: If you’re alive, you’re in a state of change, being constantly transformed for better or worse. One time, I asked my Facebook community whether they agreed that our bodies are the average of all the actions we choose, whether nutritionally, educationally, physically, etc. I got some immediate push back from a few friends that were considering people with debilitating disabilities, and I felt like an idiot because I was working in a disability-related field at the time. I believe their point was that some people don’t have the ability to choose to go to the gym, whether due to a mental or physical disability. While this is a valid reason that we’re not fully the product of our choices, we do have some control in this life. We can choose to reach out or self-isolate. We can choose what we will put into our bodies. We can choose to be sedentary or move. There are exceptions to each of these, but that’s life. The only guarantee is death, so let’s transform ourselves in order to enjoy the ride.

Today’s concrete challenge is to choose one action that will leave your body and mind more healthy, fit, or knowledgeable. It could be as simple as eating a nutritious snack, stretching, doing a few jumping jacks, or asking a friend an open-ended question. 

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will transform myself in one positive way.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who lives intentionally.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is platform. I have hope of building a software platform someday. It’s a dream born from reading Tim O’Reilly’s book, WTF?: What’s the Future and Why It’s Up To Us. In that dream, I saw people using technology to encourage each other toward fulfilling goals, even if it was completing one run. It turns out that Brigitte Granger had almost the exact same vision and founded Supporti in 2016, an app where you can pair with another person, commit to a goal, and check in with the other person for the benefit of both. I have not found the right people yet to carry my software platform idea forward, but on the journey I have enjoyed podcasting as a platform for my voice. I’ve tried blogging a few times, but I lost interest in each blog topic. I don’t know why podcasting creates the right conditions for me to continue, but I love having an outlet to share my life experiences. I am not unique, though. You have as much to teach as I do. That goes back to my idea for the software platform. Everyone has a voice and gift to share, just like Stephen Covey predicted. Another discovery on the road to success has been the platform that each day provides. Think back to episodes 62 and 135 that mention the film, Groundhog Day. We all have the daily opportunity to build an ideal existence, based in small improvements to our daily routine. In the software sense of the word, a day is the ultimate platform. You can build almost anything on it. What will you do with your platform?

Today’s concrete challenge is to choose one daily activity to start or enhance. What calls to you as needing more investment? Write it down and make small moves each day.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will write down a daily action that needs more attention.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who builds.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

References:

WTF?: What's the Future and Why It's Up to Us by Tim O'Reilly

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations