Doing Stuff Daily

Today, an introduction to the future with the next three months of the podcast focusing on the intentional success. Success is No Accident So Stop Waiting For It to Just Happen. I firmly believe what Ashton Kutcher said. “I believe that opportunity look a lot like hard work.” The next 20 podcasts will give you 20 actionable steps that will make you a success in life.  You want to be successful. Sure. Everybody wants to be successful. There’s not a person in the world that wakes up every morning striving to be average. Average takes no work at all. That’s kind of sad because average means typical, common, ordinary. In more mathematical terms, if there were 10 people picking apples and 1 person picked 9 baskets, 4 picked 6 baskets, 3 picked 4 baskets, 1 picked 3 baskets and 1 picked 2 baskets, that’s 50 baskets. The average is easy to figure out. 50/10=5. The average is 5. Mediocre. Middle of the pack. Average. If you want to be average, you don’t need to listen to podcasts. You don’t need books that help you

I went to the optometrist a month or so ago and came away with not one but two prescriptions for eyewear. Please understand… I have been wearing glasses since I was 5 years old.  I just turned 60 in July and have graduated from 1 to 2 pair of glasses. WHAT A PAIN IT IS! Not to mention the cost of 2 pair, which is twice the cost of one pair… Why did I do it? I WANT TO SEE CLEARLY WHEREVER I AM! I have this regular pair of glasses that are progressive. There’s a difference when I look through the top, through the middle and through the bottom of the lens. In the old days, they’d be known as tri-focal lens. Mom had them. I blame her. These are great for driving, hiking, being outdoors even watching TV from a certain distance, which I recommend. BUT, they suck when I’m reading or on the computer. Close work that requires different focus. My second pair is the same prescription (believe-it-or-not) but different in that the area of the 3 focal points gets different real estate on the lens. Why do I go through this…

I went to the woods because I needed to. A good friend of ours bought some property in the mountains. 38 acres or so with nothing on it. Well nothing manmade. Lots of trees, deadwood, completely undeveloped. He started by building a shed and needed help putting it together. Lots of help. My wife, daughter and I went up to lend a hand. On my way up there in the Jeep, ahead of the girls, I get a phone call. It’s my friend. He’d forgotten to grab his 3½” deck screws. I was miles away from a Home depot, Lowes or even an Ace Hardware store. However, I did find a Bomgaar’s, a store I never heard of before but was listed by Google as a hardware store. I got the screws for him. He’d also called a friend to get screws to my daughter who was coming up later in the day. Plan B, in case I was too far into the trip to find his solution. Now, here’s a man who knows what he wants. He also knows how to go about getting there. He does, sometimes, get hung up on the details, but figures it out and keeps going. I’m not a carpen

The story is told of a young man who wanted desperately to become a success in business. He sought out a mentor to teach him the secrets of success and became aware on a retired businessman living a very comfortable life on the coast. He approached this man and presented his case. The old man refused to mentor him and walked away. Every day, the young man would seek him out as he went for coffee or even a walk along the beach. The young man persisted to the point of true annoyance, bordering on stalking and disturbance. Finally, the old man consented. “Meet me here on the beach tomorrow morning at 6:00am. Don’t be late or I won’t help you at all.” The next morning the old man went to the beach for his morning walk and the young man was waiting there for him, dressed in a suit and ready to learn the secrets of being a successful businessman. The old man grabbed him by the collar and began pulling him out into the water. The young man resisted but the older man had caught him by surprise and was dragged into th

Every Personcan Accomplish Personal Greatness by Living the Achiever’s Journey My daughter was invited to join few friends to participate in a Spartan Race. Mileage plus obstacles. This was a Sprint category, only 3-5 miles. She did it and loved it. Without hesitation she signed up for the Spartan Beast… 12-14 miles, altitude, mud, water, walls, ropes, everything. On Saturday, August 18, her and her three teammates started this race by wading chest high across a lake in the rain in 50-degree weather. Just before that, on August 10, I went for a walk. A hike, actually. It was a hike I had planned to do twice before. The first time was about 8 years ago and the person going with me decided not to go. So, I decided not to go as well. Kinda lame quitting so easily. It didn’t sit well with me, quitting so easily. The next time was 3 years ago in September. There were three of us and the timing couldn’t have been worse. About 3 miles in, the worst weather hit us out of nowhere. We had no rain gear. Cold and soaking

I was asked to submit a review of the Full Focus Planner after using it for 1 year. Here's what they asked and here's how I responded. Before you started using the Full Focus Planner, what did your day look like? How did you stay organized and keep your goals and tasks on track?  “Before I started using the Full Focus Planner my day was productive but not consistent. I would lose track of the more important tasks when those urgent items would creep into your schedule. Losing small blocks of time each day can add up to several hours of unproductive time each week. Describe how the Full Focus Planner has increased your productivity? “The Full Focus Planner has increased my productivity by organizing my daily big 3 tasks. Linking them to my mid and long-term goals has dramatically improved my daily workload to reflect results that I know are 3-6 months in front of me.” If you have an example, what’s the biggest goal the Full Focus Planner has helped you achieve? “The biggest goal the Full Focus Planner has helpe

My wife is not the best of traveling companions. When we fly, I always get the middle seat. As soon as we sit down, my wife gets out her Bose headphones and plugs them into her iPhone and opens an audio file I had made for her… a 10-minute prayer in first person female voice with music in the background. She goes to her happy place until we’re safely in the air. She also holds my hand…tightly…in a vise-like grip that cuts off circulation to my hand. While she’s doing that, and just before takeoff, I intentionally shift in my seat, sitting a little more upright, close my eyes and begin what I call the Transformation Equation. The world around me can be screaming babies, disgruntled salesmen, hyper-busy professionals or a high school baseball team heading home from a tournament. It doesn’t matter. I can deal with all of it in a calm, non-reactive manner. (Stewardesses love me) TheTransformation Equation is a simple technique you can learn right now and begin to practice almost immediately. The first part of the

Michael Hudson is Founder & Principal of Big Idea Guru, LLC Michael helps expertise entrepreneurs build sustainable business that leverage their knowledge, skills, and experience to serve their tribes. He is the author of Public Speaker Secrets: 52 Proven Ways to Increase Your Impact Every Time You Speak, host of the Get Your Message Heard podcast, and a frequent guest on business and communication related podcasts. Michael shares his indespencable morning routine with me along with some insights on calendar use to stay ahead of daily activity. Highlights and mentions include... App... Headspace App Insight Timer 32oz. of water 4 daily journal questions Daily physical activity Adjustments depending on schedules, etc. Calendar... Google!(?) App... ScheduleOnce App... Doodle.com App... Todoist Michael's "eventual" tweetable... Everbody needs a morning routine because it will lower their stress and increase their impact every single day. Connect with Michael here... https://www.facebook.com/DrMichaelHudso

That is correct. You heard it right.  I am a Toastmaster Rookie. Toastmasters has been described to me as Boy Scouts for Aspiring Speakers. 98% will never make a dime as a speaking but they’re there anyway. This is why I went, and this is why I’m staying.   I firmly believe that you cannot get better at anything unless you practice, practice, practice. Well, that’s exactly what I’m doing… 5-7 minutes at a time.   Your potential Toastmaster’s experience will be more fun, less awkward and, more importantly, opportunistic by having some guidelines going in.   I wanted to get better at speaking in front of a live audience because I hadn’t done it in over 10 years. I needed an audience, a venue, a place to hone my craft. I found all of that at a toastmaster’s meeting.   I have a good friend down in the Las Vegas area that had been involved in toastmasters in the past. For him, it’s an on again-off again relationship. He didn’t speak highly of the experience, but he didn’t run it into the ground either.  He assure

I am convinced beyond all doubt that if you take care of your evening, the next morning and the next day will be better than it ever has been. Every person should end their day this way because a great day tomorrow depends on it. Your evenings are not the end of one day, as much as they are the beginning of the next day. 8pm is your cue turn off the electronics, get your list of 3 nailed down and retire on your time. You may have rather mundane mornings. You just don’t get great starts to the day. Most people, and I’m talking about productive people, start their day one of two ways. The first way is the Terminator Approach.  Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger standing at the shattered 3rdfloor window of SkyNet, holding that massive Gatling Gun type weapon that shoots hundreds of bullets at the blink of an eye. He’s shooting everywhere. Shells are flying. He’s not aiming, just shooting, scaring everybody. He achieved his objective but expended a lot of time, effort and ammo to do it. Then there’s the Jason Bourne

What’s the first thing you do every morning… I mean EVERY morning? I have no doubt whatsoever that the first thing to go through your mind every morning should have nothing to do with getting to the bathroom. Every person should start their day this way because you owe it to yourself to get the best start possible. Your mornings should be sacred, but you treat them like a sacrilege. If that’s the case, you need to hack your own morning into a better existence with positive input, personal expression and a proactive kick in the butt. Mornings suck for most people and I’m going to tell you why. Every morning over 95% of the population try to get every last second of sleep as they possibly can before tackling the day ahead. You are one of two types of morning people. First, the Type-A Person.You plan your mornings down to the minute, knowing how long it takes you to pop in your contacts, dress, eat and get out the door. Or, you’re the Non-Type-A Person.You just move in the general direction of what you know you

On July 1st of this year, Canada turned 151 years old. Three days later, the United States celebrated its 242nd. In the middle of that, I celebrated the 31st anniversary of my 29th birthday. I turned 60. I don’t know anyone who liked to turn 60. In January I was at the 60th birthday party of a very good friend of mine. He received a present from another friend who was 73… one of those gag gifts, like a senior citizen survival kit & every item in it was black and depressing. Yes, we all laughed but guess who was next in line to get that gift? In theory, 60 is the age-marker when people start to lose their hair…  In theory, 60 is the age-marker when gray hair really starts to set in. You get the idea... because it’s just theory. The pain of turning 60 is not that you’re turning 60. It’s the realization of what you may or may not have accomplished up until that point. What are your regrets? Is it too late? Author, Bronnie Ware spent several years as a palliative care nurse with people in the last 12 weeks of

Today, the 5-minute morning that will revolutionize the rest of your day. Do this for 5 minutes every morning & it will dramatically improve how you function throughout your day. Control your own morning and you will own the rest of the day.  I firmly believe that you cannot have a great day without a great beginning to that day. Great days don’t start to happen late afternoon.  By then, it’s too late. By taking 5 minutes every morning to focus, your day will be smoother, less stressful and, most of all, make you the most pleasant person to those around you throughout the day.   Grab a copy of the book "Conquer What's Next" available now. Bill McConnell is the content creator and author of the book, not to mention this podcast.   amzn.to/2HBZ6s8    Websites:https://DoingStuffDaily.com  https://BillMcConnell.me    Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wmcmcconnell    Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/DoingStuffDaily    Twitter:https://twitter.com/DoingStuffDaily    Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/bill

I'm on vacation in New Brunswick Canada, spending time with my wife and her parents.  Family means everything, but you have to let mean everything. This short podcast is all about family connection.  I mention a video that is destined to be family gold over time.  Less than one minute in length, it is my wife's sister and their parents being who they have always been.  Some things never change.  This is good. The video can be viewed on the website. Family laughing together is priceless, even after all these years. See the video here. Bill's book "Conquer What's Next" is available now. Bill McConnell is the content creator and author of the book.    amzn.to/2HBZ6s8    Websites:https://DoingStuffDaily.com  https://billmcconnell.me Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wmcmcconnell  Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/DoingStuffDaily  Twitter:https://twitter.com/DoingStuffDaily  Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/billmcconnell  Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+WilliamMcConnellDSD LinkedIn: https://www.linke

I've been having really weird dreams lately and I want to counteract the bummer mornings I'm having because of it. Two quotes from the book “As a Man Thinketh.” “A man can only rise, conquer, and achieve by lifting up his thoughts.”  James Allen “He who has conquered doubts and fears has conquered failure.”  James Allen "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”  Proverbs 23:7 KJV Learn to counteract the weird with positive thinking and good mental input. Link to my latest book  amzn.to/2HBZ6s8    Websites:https://DoingStuffDaily.com  https://BillMcConnell.me    Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wmcmcconnell    Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/DoingStuffDaily    Twitter:https://twitter.com/DoingStuffDaily    Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/billmcconnell    Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+WilliamMcConnellDSD   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-mcconnell-5b96aa80/

One of my screen saver pictures is an acronym of the word S.T.U.F.F. Here it is: S. Shape Your Day T. Take a Deep Breath U. Undo, Unwind, Let Go F. Fail Forward F. Find Peace These 5 things are what I try to fit into every day. Weekday. Weekend. Listen to the podcast for more detail. Have a great week. P.S. There's also a caveat at the end about my daughter and her Spartan Race T-shirt. Stay in touch Grab a copy of the book. amzn.to/2HBZ6s8    Websites:https://DoingStuffDaily.com  https://BillMcConnell.me    Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wmcmcconnell  Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/DoingStuffDaily  Twitter:https://twitter.com/DoingStuffDaily  Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/billmcconnell  Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+WilliamMcConnellDSD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-mcconnell-5b96aa80/

I've been getting out of the haibt of sticking to my own morning routine. This is someting I strongly believe in. Or do I? Shouldn't you be doing what you say you believe? I mean, if you say you beleive it, shouldn't the people around you see that in your daily life? Do the things you say you believe. To know and not to do is not to know. Content associated with the book "Conquer What's Next" available May 18, 2018. Bill McConnell is the content creator and author of the book.    Grab a copy of "Conquer What's Next" here.   Websites:https://DoingStuffDaily.com  https://BillMcConnell.me    Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wmcmcconnell  Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/DoingStuffDaily  Twitter:https://twitter.com/DoingStuffDaily  Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/billmcconnell  Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+WilliamMcConnellDSD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-mcconnell-5b96aa80/

Fear has a way of creeping into your gut and growing.   The easiest way to get rid of the fear is to become a dangler.  A dangler is a person who chooses to sit comfortably on the side of pool and leisurely dip ther feet in the pool.   Danglers are safe, comfortable and idle.  Fear has no reason to grow in a dangler. Doers are the ones who get in line and climb the ladders to the 10-meter tower.  Doers are the ones who realize fear grows the higher they climb and the closer they get to the edge.  Doers are the ones who get weak in the knees but choose to keep on standing.  Doers are the ones who jump, make big splashes, risk getting hurt and then do it again. Doers have fear and they face it, challenge it and overcome it. Danglers... well, danglers dangle.  They spectate.  They talk about the others and how well or poorly they jumped.  They can't talk about their own jump because they never did. This story is outlined in the book "Conquer What's Next."  Grab a copy at amzn.to/2HBZ6s8

It sound like the nuns had an incident while doing their laundry.  That's not where we're going with this.  Wrong habit. This is where we talk about habits you once were firmly committed to but somehow they just slowly slipped away.  Hey, it happens. Here's a 3-step process to reinstate them into our daily life. Re-establish Your Why Renew your commitment and re-write your habit Re-engage the daily habit with a vengence Use the Seinfled Calendar Method Doing the right thing daily compounds over time. John Maxwell What daily habit has been slipping away from you?  What are you going to do about it? "Conquer What's Next"  the book... amzn.to/2HBZ6s8    Websites:https://DoingStuffDaily.com  https://BillMcConnell.me    Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wmcmcconnell    Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/DoingStuffDaily    Twitter:https://twitter.com/DoingStuffDaily    Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/billmcconnell    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-mcconnell-5b96aa80/

Huge thanks to Mike Kim for this nugget of pure giving wisdom.  I snagged it from his Facebook Post. Check out what Mike Kim actually does at MikeKim.com Simple notes today. My book comes out May 18.  If you want to pre-order your copy of "Conquer What's Next" go here.