All You Need is ONE Goal

Let me start by saying that goal setting is powerful, and you should be doing it - but there is a good chance that you are overdoing it.

It's human nature to set goals; you do it daily without thinking. That's why it's so powerful. It's also why it's so easy to set so many goals that you can never get any of them done. 

Let me define how I see goals.

No matter what distracts me, I've come to think of goals in two ways:

1) Legacy Goals that I will spend my entire life achieving.

2) Living Goals that will propel me to my Legacy Goals.

I didn't think this way for much of my life, but one day, I accepted that no matter what I was chasing, it was the "who I would become in my life and how do I get there" thoughts constantly rolling around in my head. 

My internal ScottLOGIC told me that if I'm thinking about something anyway, I might think about it purposefully.

Also, since I've never met anybody happy to pursue daily activities that didn't lead to something bigger, I knew that everything should always lead to something bigger. Anything else will eventually break your spirit - and that should never happen.

As you set yourself up for a life of satisfaction, no matter how much life gets in the way, think of "Legacy Goals" as the top of a pyramid built on a foundation of "Living Goals." 

"You must build up your life action by action, and be content if each one achieves its goal as far as possible — Marcus Aurelius.

Your mission is to focus on daily "Living Goals" that are designed and intended for you closer to your "Legacy Goals," 

Stoic philosophy also says —

The culmination of human endeavor or end is "happiness" or "flourishing." 

For some, the idea of a single "Legacy Goal" may seem impossible. After all-

How can you possibly know who you will become after an entire lifetime of living?

How is it even possible that you can reach a goal you can't define?

How is it possible to stay focused on one goal your entire life?

Frankly, understanding how that works is something we don't need to worry about today. It's been debated, analyzed, and tweaked for eons. There's no need to overthink; only accept.

Your legacy will define itself if you live a happy and flourishing life. Someday, you will arrive at the person you are meant to be - and be glad for it.

One goal is all it takes. Everything else is a step on the journey.

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Why Slow is Fast and Fast is Slow.

I was riding my Harley-Davidson Road King a few days ago when my mind suddenly thought -

“The Chinese Philosophical concept of Yin and yang describes how opposite or contrary forces may be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world.”

What? What? Huh?

It happened right before the Daytona Speedway and got me thinking about the advice I give my clients about slowing down. It goes like this -

“You must slow down to get what you want.”

Advice like that is why I get the big bucks for what I do. No, not really. I get paid because nobody believes me, and it’s up to me to prove it.

Let’s go riding.

Whenever I’m cruising on my motorcycle, I love it fast and loud, making me smile. That’s the Yin of riding a bike, but you can only go fast and loud for so long before the light turns red in front of you or blue behind you.  

Occasionally, the place you are speeding toward gets congested, and you have no choice but to slow down. But when you are a high-performance machine designed to go fast, slowing down can be challenging - especially on a 900-pound Harley. 

That’s where the Zin of riding a motorcycle comes into play.

Slowing down is the opposite of fast, yet it can yield the same result - if you know what you are doing.

Whether it’s your life or a motorcycle, success requires precision control. If you get it right and trust yourself and your machine, you will continue to make progress. 

On a motorcycle…

1) Slow down but keep moving. Never stop.

2) Rev your engine so that you always have power to your wheels.

3) Since the motorcycle wants to go faster, pull the clutch into the friction zone between nothing and everything while putting your foot on the rear brake.

What?

Slow down? Rev your engine? Hit the brakes?

Yes. That combination virtually assures that you keep moving forward in any situation, in full control, until it’s time to open it up again.

That same thing happens in life.

You can’t run full out all the time, and sometimes you must stop. You keep moving forward for everything else in between, no matter how slow you go.

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Expectations in Love And Everything

When I first met my wife, Joi, I knew we would be married and live happily ever after. But there was a problem. Joi didn’t see it that way - at least not right away.

If life has taught me anything, almost nobody is on the same page when they first meet. We might be in the same book but not on the same page. 

In the early weeks of our relationship, I was in full-on action mode and on a mission to achieve my goal as quickly as possible. I was also frustrated since Joi didn’t share my urgency. She was enjoying our relationship and in no hurry. One day, I decided to take action -

I dragged myself out of bed at 4:30 AM, drove 30 minutes, and waited for Joi to arrive at the gym. I met her when she stepped out of her car, nearly scaring her to death, and said,

“I love you. What do I have to do to catch you? We should…” 

Stopped by a kiss, she said, “We’ll know in about 6 months. Let’s enjoy the ride.”

It wasn’t the answer I sought, but Joi had given me something even more powerful. She gave me an expectation; I knew her rules and how to play the game, and I knew she was right. 

All romantic, friendship, or professional relationships follow the same path. There is an initial spark, a period of trust-building, and commitment. In time, the relationship grows stronger or will fade. Time will tell.

That’s how it works and how it went for us. Exactly 6 months later, I asked Joi to marry me, and she said yes.

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Exploring Your Possibilities

What do I want to be when I grow up? 

The first time you ask yourself that question is when you are very young - if you ever asked it at all. Frankly, somebody else usually asks you, and you probably don't have an answer, so you just take off running with this thing called life. 

And then it happens —

Forty or fifty years later, people start asking themselves that question again after a family and career. The smart ones in the crowd don’t wait either; they question who they are right now. It can be a scary time.

If you are looking for a change in your life, here are a few things to understand—

You can't move forward by hanging on to what you have. Remember, you get more of what you focus on in your life. If you focus on what you are giving up, you'll get more. Instead, you must focus on the unknown future and look for clues about what you will do.

I call the process "Exploring Your Possibilities.

Imagine if anything is possible and there is no limitation or consequence. There is no commitment required, and money doesn't matter. Time has no impact. None of that matters because once you stumble upon what you want, you will have arrived, and everything will be forever different.

How do you make this happen?

The secret is to put the brake on what you are doing while you seek new adventures. It will take time to find a good fit, so you'll have to ensure you stay in your old ways. Please don’t do it, no matter how comfortable it may feel, to get back in your comfort zone.

Pump the brakes. Hold the space you've created. Explore your possibilities, and let life unfold in front of you. It may take time to happen. Then again, maybe it won't.

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Wouldn't it be great if you received the gift of a wonderful life this year?  

What if you could have lots of free time, less stress, more money, and great relationships?  

In my years of coaching folks all over the world, I've learned a few things about lifestyle design:

1) It all begins when you become aware of what you want and accept that it's up to you.

2) It would be best to believe your dreams could be real as soon as you start living them.

3) You are the Boss of you, so there's no reason for a delay. Stop planning and start doing.

Forget wishing, hoping, and dreaming. Start with little bits of happiness and work toward living your dream daily. Time will take care of everything else.

Living a wonderful life is entirely up to you. Be aware of the desired change; believe it can be yours, and start living it now.  

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Happy Thanksgiving!

These days, most folks don't remember what Thanksgiving is all about - other than big sales all over Amazon.

The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving after a successful harvest in October 1621. The feast lasted three days. The federal holiday began in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving."  

Thanksgiving is about being grateful. I think a statement from Stoic Philosopher Epictetus is fitting, 

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."

Today and every day, let's make it "Thanks-Living" day.

Eat well, nap, watch football, and embrace your family and friends.  

Joi and I are thankful that you allow us into your life.

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With a new year almost upon us, it’s time to crank up those 2025 goals.

One of the most natural methods of achieving success is to stick to tried and true. That doesn’t mean you can’t move toward something more meaningful. It means that you forgo new knowledge and skills and leverage what you already understand.

No-brainer success assumes:

1) You already have experience and wisdom. You will learn any new skill if, and only if needed.  

2) You will choose the path of least resistance. The goal is to get the results you want in the fastest period. No distractions. No zig-zagging. 

3) Overthinking burns too many brain calories. If you are confused and stuck, accept that you may need to reevaluate your plan. Do it fast.

Human nature will compel you to clutter your success journey with distraction. Seek the direct route to the results you want. It’s a no-brainer.

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Have you ever found yourself stuck in the middle?

I was speaking with a client who was trying to be everything to everybody. His business was not growing. His life was not happy. He couldn’t seem to find a way to make progress.  

That’s when I said…

“My friend, you are stuck in the middle. Nothing good happens when you are in the middle.”

In business and life, it’s okay to have a low expectation and be surrounded by like-minded folks. 

It’s also okay to reach for your dreams, have high expectations, and expect that of others.

What happens if you’re in the middle?

When low and high expectations combine, confusion is the result. Mediocrity overtakes quality.

Frustration will be your daily friend.

The choice is yours. If I were you, I would make the decision never to get stuck in the middle.

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Your best life is built sequentially, one level at a time. Forget the elevator, climb all the stairs to the top, and you’ll have lasting success.

In 1954, Abraham Maslow released Motivation and Personality. His Hierarchy of needs theory is all about climbing to the top.

Maslow suggested that to reach your full potential:

1) You must provide for your physiological needs: food, clothing, shelter, money, and more.  

2) You must feel safe. Personally, emotionally, financially, with health and well-being, and against accidents and illness.

3) Socially you need to feel a sense of loving and belonging. 

4) Esteem and the desire for acceptance, respect, and value by others is your next step. Maslow said, “What a man can be, he must be.” Self-actualization requires mastery of your previous needs.

5) Self-transcendence removes you from ego and begins your focus on the greater good.

Your best life is built sequentially one level at a time.

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Do you remember what it was like to be in 1st grade?

It was a time when everybody lavished you with encouragement for being YOU - and because you finished your art project without eating the glue.

Those were beautiful times. But you may have noticed things have changed since you were okay to take a nap in the middle of class. You grew up.

Yes, growing into an adult brings many mentors your way. They do their best to motivate and inspire you. But you know in your heart that they can only do so much. It's up to you to drive yourself in the direction of your dreams. That's called adulting.

I say it's time to PYOTB, my friend!  

YOU are your own BEST Cheerleader. Don't sit around waiting for somebody to make you feel good. Pat yourself on the butt. Scream, "I done GOOD!"  

It's going to be the best day ever!

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Today, you are going to have opportunities to communicate.  

Here’s how to create conversations that connect:

1) Meet folks where they are. Please pay attention to how their day is going. Step into their NOW.

2) Establishing something in common. “Wow! Has this day been crazy for you too?”

3) Establish an undeniable truth. “I promise it’s going to get crazier with the holidays coming.” 

4) Move the conversation toward an idea that everybody can agree on. “Holidays are coming

fast. We should get ahead of it and do some planning.”  

5) Bring a new idea into the conversation. “I have a system that will work for both of us. Do you want to see it?”  

You will always get more of what you want when your communication moves toward a common goal.

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