All It Takes Is A Goal

I used to introduce myself as a "late bloomer" on hundreds of podcast episodes. It sounded casual, even humble. But here's what I was really saying: "I should have learned this earlier. Smarter people figured this out years before I did. I'm behind." That broken soundtrack has been quietly wreaking havoc in my life for years. In this episode, I'm exposing one of the most dangerous phrases you might be saying right now and showing y...

Why do some people totally bomb when a conversation really counts? In this episode, therapist and author Jason VanRuler breaks down the five communication types that explain how we connect, where we fail, and why we keep repeating the same patterns. From Peacemakers who avoid conflict to Sparks who struggle to go deep, Jason reveals how childhood shaped your communication style and what happens when stress makes the real you show u...

You're a pro at seeing what went wrong, why it went wrong, and exactly what it will cost if it goes wrong again. If you love a good post mortem and naturally think in terms of evidence and precedent rather than optimism and possibility, you might be an Analyst. In this episode, I'm breaking down the third procrastination profile from my new book Procrastination Proof. Analysts excel at reviewing data and learning from results but g...

If you'd rather jump in without reading the instructions, if paperwork feels like it's slowing you down, if your first inclination is ACTION! ACTION! ACTION!, this episode is for you. I'm breaking down the hustler procrastination profile from my new book, Procrastination Proof. Hustlers excel at taking consistent action and turning thoughts into momentum faster than anyone else in the room. You thrive in the montage part of the mov...

If you have the most detailed, amazing plans but you're always waiting until everything is perfect to get started, this episode is for you. I'm breaking down the second of four procrastination profiles: the Perfectionist. You excel at creating detailed roadmaps and speak spreadsheet fluently, but you get stuck moving from planning to execution. The plan feels safe. The first real step does not. You're going to change the world just...

Do you have a thousand ideas and don't know what to do with them? This episode is for you. I'm breaking down the first of four procrastination profiles: the Dreamer. Dreamers excel at envisioning breakthrough possibilities but get stuck translating vision into actionable plans. You love a blank whiteboard, thrive at kickoff meetings when anything is possible, and can rattle off 10 new ideas before anyone else thinks of one. But her...

Nobody wakes up wanting an average life. We all want remarkable marriages, careers, and relationships. But how do you actually build that? After 15 years of helping over a million people and testing hundreds of ideas, I discovered it comes down to four permissions: permission to dream, permission to plan, permission to do, and permission to review. In this episode, I'm breaking down the DPDR system from my new book "Procrastination...

What if I told you there's one word that can solve procrastination instantly? A word you haven't thought about in years, but one that used to mean everything to you. In this episode, I'm sharing insights from my new book, Procrastination Proof, and revealing why permission is the pathway out of procrastination and into a remarkable life. Remember the permission slip from childhood? That magical piece of paper that unlocked field tr...

A creative director once drew something on a napkin that completely changed how I saw my own limitations. His name was Ted, and he showed me why I was so unhappy at 26, stuck in my fifth job in six years, and dangerously close to needing a sixth. The illustration he drew explained why it's so difficult to create something remarkable when you're trapped inside such a small, constricted world. In this episode, I'm sharing that story ...

Ask 100,000 people why they procrastinate and you'll get five common answers: task, time, history, fear, and ego. Maybe the project feels overwhelming. Maybe you don't have enough time. Maybe procrastination paid off in college when you still got an A on that all-nighter paper. Maybe you're afraid it won't be perfect, or maybe your ego says "I shouldn't have to do this." All valid reasons, right? Wrong. There's actually only one tr...

I spent two years preparing to write my first book. You know what finally got it done? Writing one terrible page on a Tuesday afternoon in a Burger King. For years, I sang Colin Hay's "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin" hundreds of times while stuck in Nashville traffic, living in complete quicksand. Then in 2013, I started my own company and lost all my support systems overnight. I had one employee, and that employee was terrible....

What happens when two guys who've known each other for 13 years sit down to talk about the weird journey of chasing dreams? In this conversation with comedian John Crist, we get into the stuff nobody talks about: the Excel spreadsheet he keeps of every show he's ever done (including whether he got a standing ovation), why he still sleeps in his car at gas stations with his handgun in the cup holder, and the one joke about the Confe...

This is the grand finale of our five episode arc about soundtracks, and today I'm pulling three random cards from my original Soundtracks deck to break down what they mean and how they can help you. We're talking about why starting is exciting but finishing is where the magic happens (spoiler: 92% of New Year's resolutions fail because everyone starts but only 8% finish), why feeling uncomfortable is actually a good sign that you'r...

Trying to have a conversation with your teenager? You ask how their day was and get "fine." You ask who was at the party and get "no one." You ask what they're doing and get "nothing." Sound familiar? In this episode, I'm sharing three powerful soundtracks from our Parents and Teens card deck that will help you start real conversations with your teenager. These aren't hypothetical parenting tips. I raised two teenagers, and these a...

Being an entrepreneur is challenging, which is why you need the right mindset soundtracks. In this episode, I'm sharing three powerful soundtracks from my entrepreneur card deck that will help you build and scale your business. You'll discover why relationships get you the first opportunity but skills get you the second (and why you need both), how to balance the optimism required for dreaming with the realism needed for planning, ...

Welcome to part two of our five part series on soundtracks! This episode is specifically for parents with kids. I'm pulling three random soundtracks from our Parents with Kids card deck and breaking down why they matter. You'll discover why you can fast forward childhood but you can't rewind it (and what that means for decisions like when to give your kid a phone), why tired beats regretful (a soundtrack my daughter taught me when ...

What if three simple phrases could transform your relationship? In this episode, I'm kicking off a brand new five part series on soundtracks by diving into the couples deck. I'm pulling three cards at random and breaking down why these soundtracks matter for your marriage or relationship. You'll discover why every good relationship costs the same exact thing (hint: it's not money), why you should never, ever ask your spouse to be y...

81% of people work after dinner, drowning in back to back Zoom meetings where they doodle under the table, only to do real work at night. Sound familiar? In this episode, I sit down with Juliet Funt, author and consultant who helps companies turn scrap time into steel, transforming low value work into high purpose, innovative time. We dive into the signs of toxic culture, why anxious deference to the CEO is a red flag, and how to s...

Patrick Lencioni built a multimillion-dollar business, sold 10 million books, and became one of the most influential leadership voices in the world. But here's what you might not know: he never had a five-year plan, turned down opportunities to scale, and prioritized loving his work over maximizing revenue. In this episode, Pat shares the behind-the-scenes story of building The Table Group, why he kept his team at just 15 full-time...