Discipline Beats Skill in Driving Success
The biggest gap in performance isn’t skill. It’s discipline. Skills can always be learned. But attitude and discipline? That’s what drives everything else. #DisciplineWins #StartupHiring #Startups #HighPerformance #SuccessMindset https://t.co/VoajaF1Dkv
Effort Matters only when Targeted and Sustainable
Not an accurate description. I originally wrote this in 2006 before I had real $ (it's in my first book, pubbed 2007), and I still stand by it. I'm not saying don't try; I'm saying try to be surgical. Effort...
Smart Focus, Systems, and Boundaries Drive Best Tax Season
I just wrapped up my 10th tax season in business, and my first as a CPA. And let me tell you… this was, by far, my best season yet. Not because I worked more. But because I worked smarter. With a full-time job,...
Turn Harsh Reviews Into Growth Opportunities
Author colleagues, let’s talk negative reviews. No matter where you are in your author journey, you will or have already gotten horrible reviews. Not just ones that rip your book to shreds but also you as a person - I’ve...
Gamify Tasks: Small Ideas Turn Work Light
This is how small ideas create big shifts. Instead of staring at your screen, you’re playing Mario while your code writes itself. It sounds fun, but it’s really about making work feel lighter.
Recovery First, Then Work: Schedule for Success
If you want to work harder, schedule in time to recover first, then schedule in time to work.
Believe You're Asleep, Unlock Limitless Possibilities
If you can convince yourself that you’re asleep, you can convince yourself that you can do anything. #motivation #dad
Act Now, Scared and Broke, because Others Need You
Sometimes I remember right now someone is in a hospital bed wishing they could do half of what you do. So do it scared. Do it broke. Do it fast. Just do it.
Solve Harder Problems Now, Enjoy an Easier Life Later
When you start something new, it is hard work. To do the hard work, you must have grit, patience, discipline and optimism. Over time, you become stronger and better at doing the hard stuff. If you want an easier life, work on solving...
Great Lives Are Built on Intentional Daily Choices
Giving is a choice. Honesty is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Forgiveness is a choice. Spoken words is a choice. Teaching others is a choice. Respecting others is a choice. Showing gratitude is a choice. Remarkable people work hard to make better choices.
Social Media Overuse Isn’t a True Addiction
“Someone who checks Instagram too often or finds it hard to put down TikTok almost certainly has an unhealthy habit. Calling it an addiction equates that behavior with the compulsive, life-destroying patterns seen in substance use disorders.” https://t.co/auzxyJ5RuV
True Debate Survives Only Over Dinner With Friends
Sharing the "Think" section from this weeks release of "Think, Laugh, Cry" below... THINK Once a month, three of us sit down to dinner. We eat well. We drink a little. And then we argue. Not argue the way social media argues. Not...
Pause to Let Clarity Catch Up
Leave with this --> Sometimes the smartest move is to hit pause and let clarity catch up.
AI‑crafted Naming System Streamlines Google Drive Organization
📂 Does organizing your Google Drive end up at the bottom of the to-do list? 🤖 Ask AI to create a file naming system you can actually stick with. 🗂️ It's one of the most powerful ways to save time long-term. https://t.co/GDB21nrz89
Challenge Inherited Beliefs; Decide What Truly Matters
So much of what we believe is the residue of someone else's thinking. Pause and question things for a moment. Is this really how it has to be? Is this really what you want?
Post‑COVID Memory Span May Shrink to 5±2
You’ve heard the “7 ± 2” rule probably -- we can keep about 7 things in mind, like 7 digits of a phone number. Post-COVID, I wonder whether the new rule is “5 ± 2.” What do you think? https://t.co/kk4URv2dtm
Physicians' Two‑Year Tenure Reveals Systemic Design Flaw
Physicians who graduated in the past six years stay at their first job for about two years on average. They join for financial security. They leave because of culture and leadership. That pattern is not a failure of individual physicians....
Practice Makes Permanent, Not Perfect
You’re familiar with the expression, “Practice makes perfect.” No, not necessarily, but practice does make permanent. #keynotespeaker #presentationskills #growthmindset
Clear Mental Clutter with GTD’s Simple Five-Step System
Feeling mentally cluttered? Try the GTD methodology: 👉 Capture everything. 👉 Clarify what it means 👉 PARA organize it 👉 Review it 👉 Do it.
Every Day Offers Value: Happiness, Experience, Lessons, Memories
Never regret a day in your life. Good days give happiness, bad days give experiences, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories. —Professor Richard Feynman https://t.co/lPvxcGzsWI
Arrogance, Zero‑sum Thinking, and Entitlement Hinder Growth
Nvidia CEO: “you cannot show me a task that is beneath me.” The enemy of continuous growth is arrogance, a zero sum mindset and sense of entitlement. https://t.co/DpugJBDmtO
Famous Writers Began As
Every author you love was once an unpublished writer who had no idea if their story was good enough. They faced the same self-doubt, the same fear of rejection, the same moments of wanting to give up. Here are 5 stories from...
Vent, Observe, Understand: Your Inner Voice Needs Attention
Don’t stockpile your complaints internally 😪 let yourself complain and then notice what you complain about, notice how often you complain —your inner self wants your attention and your feedback.
Compounding Rewards Persistence, Not Brilliance, over Time
Buffett admits it plainly: if he'd died at 60 like his father, you'd never have heard of him. He wasn't smarter at 60 than at 30. He just kept showing up. Compounding doesn't reward genius. It rewards whoever stays in the game longest.
Focus on Today’s Tiny Slice of Purpose
Advice that can change your life: Thin slice your purpose. What is my purpose today? Just practice that a week, two weeks, a month. What is the thing that matters to me that has meaning and it’s a little bit bigger...
Swap Skinny Goals for Fit Looks, Transform Habits
Everything changes when you stop trying to get skinny and you start trying to look fit in any outfit that you wear. When your goal goes from “losing weight” to “building a physique,” your approach changes, your standards change, and...
True Strength: Forgetting Both Victories and Defeats
One of the greatest talents psychologically is the power to forget both your wins and your losses.
Discipline Improves When You Stop Questioning Your Will
You know what fixed my discipline? Not giving myself a second to think about whether I WANT to do it or not.
Believe in Untapped Potential: Coaching Unlocks Hidden Ability
One of my favorite passages from one of my favorite books, Coaching for Performance by Sir John Whitmore: “Unless you believe that people possess more ability than they are currently expressing, you will not be able to help them express it.” This...
From Freedom Seeker to Self‑Imposed Taskmaster
I started this for freedom… now I need permission from my own to-do list to relax. 😂 Somehow, I became the strictest boss I’ve ever had.
Relaxation Alone Isn’t Enough; Oscillation Between Tension and Release Heals
"Just relax." The worst advice in somatic therapy. Your nervous system learns from oscillation. It rebuilds in this space between tension, and release. Activation, and rest. Try it right now: clench your jaw for 5 seconds. Now exhale and slowwwly let go. Feel that...
Surround Yourself with Relentless Performers; Raise Your Bar
One of the only ways to learn "what it takes" is to spend as much time as possible around someone relentless. It'll reset your bar, and make you realize how little you're actually doing relative to a high-performer. Then, it's...
Old Spending Habits Follow You, No Matter the Salary
I noticed something uncomfortable: Some of the spending habits I had when I was making $10.71/hr were still showing up when I was making $100K+ a year. Different income. Same patterns. Same BS. 🗣️🗣️😅
Three‑person Triangle Teams Boost Revenue per Employee
In terms of team size, both revenue per team member and revenue per employee increase until you hit 3 members, after which point the former plateaus and the latter declines. We observe that 3-member "triangle teams" - composed of a...
Embrace Humility,
Be humble and kind. You could be wrong. Be forgiving. You also make mistakes. Be honest. Character is a door opener. Be generous. Givers sleep better at night. Be grateful. Luck seeks the thankful. Be courageous. Fight for your happiness. Be yourself, always. You will be...
Consistent Practice Separates Successful Founders From Others
I’ve raised millions and spent years building companies....This one practice consistently separates successful founders from the rest👇
Suffering Exists Only in Memory, Not Present Moment
"You cannot suffer the past or future because they do not exist. What you are suffering is your memory and your imagination." ~Sadhguru I like reading quotes like this because they remind us to bring our mind back...
Examine Your Beliefs: 8 Lies, 8 Truths
RT @JoeContrera Do your beliefs serve only you, or do they serve all of humanity? Do your beliefs benefit only you, or do they benefit the whole of the world? Here are 8 lies and 8 truths that will help you...
Guard Your Energy, Multiply Your Happiness Tenfold
A rule that will 10x your happiness: protect your energy. You can't build at a high level if you're operating at a low energy state.
Make Returning to Habits Easy to Stay Consistent
Falling off your habit isn’t the problem. Not coming back is. If you can make your return simple and easy, you can stick with anything over time. #habits #consistency #startagain #selfdiscipline #buildhabits https://t.co/6sYopcjlDh
Pain Guides Evolution: Embrace Growth Over Comfort
Realizing that we innately want to evolve--and that the other stuff we are going after, while nice, won't sustain our happiness--has helped me focus on my goals of evolving and contributing to evolution in my own infinitely small way. While...
Find Inner Peace by Balancing Self‑Growth and Service
Inner peace comes from examining yourself, accepting yourself+ working on areas of weakness while using your strengths and gifts to help you contribute to the greater good. 💛 #ThursdayMorning #ThursdayThoughts #InnerPeace #Mindfulness #MindBody https://t.co/4a2EySI4nU
Your Mindset, Not Opportunity, Limits Career Growth
This hits uncomfortably close to home. I’ve spent 20 years climbing the ladder and only recently started questioning whether it’s the ‘right wall.’ The idea that the real constraint isn’t opportunity but mindset is both empowering & a little unsettling....
Integrity Proves Its Worth When Everything Goes Wrong
Integrity isn’t tested when things are easy. It’s tested when everything goes wrong. Anton Gunn and I break it down. #Leadership #Sales https://t.co/dvQ5MIiTvd
Your Limiting Stories, Not Truths, Dictate Your Choices
I want you to read these slowly and notice what comes up: "I can't let people know I'm struggling. It's a sign of weakness." "I don't know enough, have enough, or am enough for the thing I actually want." "It's okay to make...
Open‑mindedness Cuts Conspiracy Belief; Threat Increases It
Some people argue that keeping an open-mind makes it easier to believe in conspiracy theories. But we found the exact oppposite in our newest paper. Open-mindedness was the strongest predictor of *rejecting* conspiracy theories in a sample of 46,745 participants around the...
Relentless Hiring Standards Preserve Culture and Excellence
🚨🚨NEW EPISODE DROP Sally Kornbluth, President of MIT🚨🚨 "If you take a lick of the lollipop of mediocrity, you will suck forever." I love this. She was talking about how MIT sustains excellence after 150+ years. And it applies to founders and CEOs...
Morning Gratitude Practice Transforms Your Life
You become what you practice. So practice appreciation and gratitude each morning and watch your life start to change.
Choose Growth‑Focused Environments and Give Your Best
Give your best wherever you are. Curiosity. Collaboration. Learning. Vulnerability. And when you can, choose environments where you believe in the work and can grow. #Kaihan #Outthinker #Leadership #CareerGrowth https://t.co/w46ztqyEtV
Powerful Mind Trick Every Pilot Should Know
This Mind Trick Is So Powerful - Captains Speaking Podcast, episode 27 #aviation #airplane #pilot #mentourpilot #captainsspeaking