There are countless situations in life where we face a crossroads: we put in the little extra effort to do our best, or we accept the effort we've put in already and move on.In this episode, we discuss the importance of always going the extra mile. I also argue why it's much more like a foot than a mile. If you've done your best work to that point, the extra effort on its own isn't the hard part. The challenge is the discipline and consistency required to do this day in and day out.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Reputations take years to build and moments to tarnish. A bad first impression can lead to a negative reputation following you around, even if your interactions with everyone else is positive.Navigating life is challenging enough without having to fight uphill because someone heard we were unpleasant. Taking a little extra effort to be prepared, and aiming to bring positive energy to unplanned interactions can go a long way in opening more doors and providing more opportunities.This week, we dig into why first impressions are important and how to ensure we leave a good one.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Being intentional about how we spend our time allows us to gain more control over our most previous resource. If we fail to do this, we can find ourselves spinning our wheels in life and moving in a direction that we never envisioned for ourself.This week, we talk about the importance of being more intentional and cover some basic principles for incorporating this practice. From starting small with daily intentions, to zooming out and looking at how we spend our months and years, these strategies will help you accomplish more of what you want in the future.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

If you want to truly be the best at something, if you want to reach the top percentile in any field, you must be willing to make great sacrifices and ignore all other distractions. Thinking you can achieve greatness without the work ethic required is ignorant, and a source of stress and delusion for many.In this episode, we explore the competitiveness and drive of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Conor McGregor. We discuss the level of granular detail required to be great, and how it's okay to not want those things.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

The concept of a "tribe of mentors" has been discussed by several people, including Tim Ferris who wrote a book of the same name. Traditional mentorship works well for those fortunate enough to establish those relationships.A modern approach that is more accessible for many is building a personal "board of advisors," close friends and acquaintances from your network who have knowledge of specific subjects and will give you honest feedback. Building this collective group can allow you to leverage a large amount of expertise and a diverse array of viewpoints, and this may prove more useful than having one singular mentor.In this episode we discuss the characteristics of this circle and how best to build one over time.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Work, life balance is discussed often now, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Balance is important, and we can't burn the candle at both ends over long periods of time expecting a positive result.The problem is, people confuse two very different situations when it comes to balance. Balance should be achieved over a long time horizon in all areas of life. Balance cannot be achieved in every situation, all the time. If you want to achieve anything meaningful, there will be times in your life where balance goes out the window.You need to understand and accept this if you want to be successful. You also need to get friends, family, and loved ones on the same page.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Explorers of old used to gather crews and garner support from financial backers with a very loose promise of success. The journeys commenced without a specific destination in mind. If you were to get in your car now and fire up Google maps, you can plug in a specific address or even a specific GPS coordinate to navigate to. The destination is known, although the journey may change based on traffic patterns or missed exits. The journeys of old did not have this specificity.Some planning in life is necessary. You must have a general sense of what you want to do and where you want to go. Failure to plan in any capacity is foolish; it leaves you susceptible to being swept away by the currents of life. We must set a plan in motion and be biased towards action to make progress.But so much unhappiness and anxiety comes from over-planning, from too much rigidity. When things don't go our way, which is bound to happen, we must adjust our plans accordingly. If we keep working towards a reality that no longer exists, we will be left stressed and unfulfilled. Success in life often boils down to striking a balance between the two.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Our mental state, and our subconscious thoughts, influence our physical reality more than we may realize. The stories we tell ourselves and the thoughts we have influence our life experiences, for better or worse.Various studies over the years have shown that our opinions of others can be influenced by something as simple as the temperature of the drink we have in our hands. In this episode, we explore some sayings from John C. Maxwell and some studies from Dr. Ellen Langer to support this notion.Dr. Ellen Langer on Rich Roll: LINKAs always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

I recently had the pleasure of taking a trip to visit my best friend and his family on the west coast. I had been planning to visit him out there since he moved but, as often happens, life got in the way. We had seen each other in our hometown over the holidays and in other settings, but it was important to me to make that trip.Maintaining friendships and relationships takes conscious effort. That said, it is always worth it. Time flies as we get older, and it's easy for years to pass by before we see the people we care about.My challenge to you this week is to make that effort, to visit a friend, to send a message, to make a call. Do your small part to maintain these relationships because, as we age, they're really all we have.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Oftentimes when we are pursuing a goal or achievement it seems as if that goal keeps getting further and further away. It can be frustrating to put all our efforts into something, only to see that goal elude us.This occurs because the result is the one thing that we often can't control. By focusing on an outcome that we can't guarantee, we are destined for disappointment. Focus instead on the process, on why we pursued that thing in the first place.Additionally, sometimes it makes more sense to pivot than to stay on the path we're on. If we only focus on the outcome, we won't be aware of these pivots points and often won't realize they are a better fit for us. So stay aware, focus on the process, and detach your emotions from an end-result that you can't control. As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Just like the assumptions we discussed last week, our background and our experiences shape what we believe we are capable of in the future. We often put ourselves in a box and limit our achievement without realizing that we're even doing it.It's important to gain awareness of these limiting beliefs and where they originate. From there, we can alter them and chart a new path to the future. Additionally, we need to find supportive communities that will empower us on this journey.If everyone around us is holding us back, we will have a much harder time achieving our potential. Finding those who push us to be better will help us finally overcome our limiting beliefs.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

The way we view the world is influenced by our background, our journey, our experiences, and the people we interact with regularly. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that our opinions and perspectives are based on these factors.In order to mature and grow, we must regularly question these assumptions. We must look at life through a different lens. We must seek out information we disagree with, and try to understand the perspectives of others.This is especially important in the politicized, polarized landscape we face now.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

I believe that adaptability is one of the most useful skills we can cultivate and develop as human beings. No matter how much we prepare and plan, life has too many variables for things to go our way. Your plans will be ruined on a daily basis, and the ability to adapt and change course will rapidly set you apart from your peers.We can learn much from stoicism, but its most important lesson is to accept life as it comes. The longer we delay in accepting our new reality, the longer it will take us to continue making progress. Learning to fill that space, to adjust and act, separates the doers from everyone else.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

We've now talked about how to start your 2024 off right when it comes to goals and habits, but one other simple practice has helped me drastically. In our work spaces and our homes, we naturally accumulate clutter over the years. As we organize and file, this clutter adds up. What seems out of sight is not quite out of mind.This clutter occupies mental bandwidth that is better spent solving problems and moving forward. By taking some intentional time to declutter, get rid of what you don't need, and reorganize, you can lift this mental weight off your shoulders and go into this year with a clear head.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

As we embark on the new year, there are three practices that will aid you in achieving your goals and resolutions. Each of these is something I've incorporated in my own life and in my clients' lives to great effect. Without them, you are more likely to fall short of what you ultimately want to achieve.If you want 2024 to be your year, then I highly recommend listening to this week's episode and internalizing its lessons.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

I used to (and sometimes still do) get incredibly frustrated by people who just mail it in on a daily basis in life. The people who show up to work mad at the world, not put together, who couldn't care less about how they interact with people. These individuals go through life contributing very little and causing problems for everyone around them.What I came to realize is that these people are actually a gift. Aside from the inconvenience of dealing with them in a professional setting, they are making it easier and easier to stand out from the crowd.If there are a growing number of people who don't care, who don't put in effort, imagine how easy it is to stand out? If you can show up and consistently work hard, opportunities will present themselves to you. Stay the course, do the work, and good things will happen!As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

I recently shared a story in my newsletter about an interaction I had with one of my closest friends in college. I asked him how his day was going and his response floored me:"I only have good days and great days."Ever since, I've tried to embody this positivity in how I live my life. When someone asks how your day is going, the ripple effect of breaking from the norm and responding in a positive way can be massive. Not only will your quality of life improve, but the lives of those around you will also.In this episode we also discuss Mo Gawdat's book Solve for Happy and how the simple equation for happiness can change how you think about life.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Pivot points are moments in our professional career where we change course to something related or, often, something completely different. They come about due to dissatisfaction with our job, our daily routine, or realizing that there is no path to growth for us where we are.This episode digs into how to recognize pivots, two kinds of pivots, and how to assess our strengths and passions to take a leap of faith into a potentially rewarding new career.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

When I started my own journey of personal development, I was confused by the sheer volume of information and struggled to incorporate the techniques I learned. Thinking of things in terms of a 3-step framework made a big difference:Phase I is about mapping and learning the available techniques. You keep what works, and throw out what doesn't.Phase II is about implementing mechanics and fitting the techniques that work into your new routine.Phase III is the long road to mastery that we never truly reach. It's also where we reflect and make adjustments as needed.This podcast is all about this framework and explores each phase in-depth.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com

Being busy is seen as a badge of honor in modern society. For high-achievers, we think that any time spent not working is time wasted. We feel like we need to pack our calendar to the brim in order to make progress and get ahead.In this episode, I propose a new way of thinking about "busyness." If we instead look at the opportunity cost associated with saying yes to certain things, it will make us more cautious with what we add to our calendar in the future.As always, thanks for tuning in!Take my new goal-setting course HEREEmail me: justin@trainedwright.comInstagram: @trainedwrightThreads: @trainedwrightTwitter: @trainedwrightMy website: trainedwright.comSubscribe to my newsletter: pages.trainedwright.com