June 2023 – Dan Greer

Get out there and take ACTION!

Posted on June 26, 2023April 23, 2024 by dan_adm

Get out there and take action

Taking an inch of action now will propel you closer to your goal than a mile of mere intervention ever could!

It’s about time we took action. How often have we heard this phrase? I’ve heard it countless times. So why do we struggle to heed it? I can’t pinpoint how long it took me to finally take the initiative and build my house. Or why I remained in the same job for another year or two, despite knowing I needed a change. Sure, dedication to our work is commendable, but was I truly benefiting anyone by staying in a job I no longer found fulfilling?

Throughout my life, these are the challenges I’ve grappled with continuously. I’d wager that if you delve a bit deeper, you’ll discover similar struggles within yourself. Today, our focus will be on initiating action and putting an end to procrastination.

There are seven straightforward steps. Determine the factors that are restraining your progress.

What’s impeding your ability to take action at this moment? Is it concerns about loved ones, fear of loss, or a lack of confidence? Pinpoint the obstacle and confront it directly. Only then will you be empowered to take decisive action.

Engage in prayer!

This might not align with your beliefs, but let me share that when I increased my prayer practice and surrendered to God, I experienced a profound influx of knowledge and, above all, peace. I vividly recall counseling someone on prayer once. They expressed, “Dan, I’m hesitant to pray because then everyone will know I’m a Christian!” Is that necessarily negative? It depends on who you aspire to be. I desire for everyone I encounter to recognize my steadfast Christian faith and commitment to living a righteous life. What I conveyed to him was this: “You can pray anywhere, anytime, and no one needs to be aware unless you choose to share. Whether your eyes are open or closed, whether you’re driving, conversing, sitting, standing, or lying down—it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you dedicate time to communicating with God.”

Pay attention and act decisively.

Listening serves as the initial step towards taking action and embracing substantial risks that can ultimately yield significant rewards. Tune in to your inner sentiments and instincts. If you sense the urge to reach out to someone, don’t hesitate to make that call promptly.

If your intuition prompts you to halt eating, then cease without delay. However, if you contemplate more daring actions, ensure you exercise caution and consider all safety measures thoroughly. Listen attentively and respond promptly.

Avoid prolonged deliberation over minor choices.

My rule of thumb is simple: if a decision won’t have a significant impact on my life in five years, I don’t dwell on it. Instead, I make a choice and move forward. What does this principle entail? When someone asks me where to dine, I suggest it without hesitation. If they inquire about a deadline, I provide a specific time.

Even when invited for lunch, I propose a concrete plan for the following day. These minor decisions won’t significantly alter my trajectory over time. However, decisions like starting a business, purchasing additional property, or acquiring a new vehicle are significant and warrant thorough consideration and research.

For immense risks, expect substantial rewards.

Have you ever tied the knot? Started a family? Have you purchased a home or a car? Pursued higher education or embarked on a career path? Each of these endeavors carries considerable risks, but they also offer immense rewards. Life-changing events necessitate a willingness to take risks. You cannot anticipate transformative shifts if you persist in the status quo.

To effect genuine change in your life, you must venture beyond your comfort zone. So, the next time an opportunity arises, scale that mountain, ask that special someone out—just leap.

Stop seeking approval.

Seeking permission, even from yourself, inhibits growth. It harkens back to childhood, when you had to ask for approval for every little thing. “Dad, can I have this candy bar?” Well, if you want the candy bar, just buy it! Who cares? Cease seeking validation from others before taking that leap of faith and advancing to the next level. I recall consulting a trusted advisor about whether I was ready to start a business.

Their response was, “I would hate to lose you, so I would say you can do anything as long as you don’t leave. Lol.” I was essentially asking for permission to take a risk. I was waiting for the perfect moment to take that next step. Now, don’t misunderstand me—I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t communicate with your spouse or partner. That’s crucial. If you missed it, refer back to the section on prayer. That’s about communicating with the most important person in your life—at least in my life.

Failure is not an endpoint!

Thomas Edison encapsulated it perfectly when he said, “I did not fail once; I just found 10,000 ways not to create a lightbulb!” I’m not suggesting that you won’t encounter setbacks; rather, it’s essential not to perceive them as failures. Instead, view them as valuable learning opportunities. Admittedly, some of these “learning experiences” may come at a significant cost, but remember, money is just a transient aspect of life.

You entered this world without a penny, and you’ll depart it in the same manner. The crucial point is to acknowledge that mistakes are inevitable; however, don’t allow them to plunge you into despair. Maintain your composure and press forward. Taking risks entails encountering numerous learning experiences—it’s an inherent aspect of the journey. So, don’t let the fear of failure deter you from taking action today.

In a world brimming with individuals, aim to belong to the 1%. Be among those who proactively seize opportunities and take decisive action, rather than remaining among the 99% confined to mundane 8–5 jobs, loathing every moment. Start today and implement the necessary changes to enhance your life. Remember, time is the ultimate currency. While your time on this planet is finite, the potential to accumulate wealth is boundless.

Enhance your faith-led leadership journey with God First Life Next. Explore empowering insights at “Encouragement in Daily Life: Small Acts, Big Effects” Let faith guide your leadership. Click for purposeful living at GodFirstLifeNext.org.

Getting in the right state to make GREAT decisions.

Posted on June 19, 2023April 23, 2024 by dan_adm

Getting in the Right State to Make Great Decisions

I got to see Tony Robbins speak at a live event for five hours! It was great. I took lots of notes—more than 50 pages in just four days. There’s so much I learned, but it would take forever to tell you everything.

I want to talk about one important thing. Before you decide anything, you need to get into a positive mindset.

If you’re fine with making simple choices and feeling lazy, then go ahead and keep sitting in your chair without any motivation.

But if you want to learn how to make really smart decisions with confidence, then keep reading this.

Now, turn up the volume and pick a super fun and fast song that you really like. Something like “Shake” by Mercy Me. Then, the first step is to stand up.

Stand up now. Shake your whole body. Why wait? Just do it! Seriously, shake your body.

Now that you’ve done that, jump a little. Jump higher, and keep jumping like you’re a kid at a trampoline park without any fear!

Stop looking at others; just jump. Now that you’ve done that, there’s one more thing I want you to do.

I know you might be wondering what people think. You might feel silly and think everyone’s watching. BUT WHO CARES?

If you want to make really smart decisions, you have to do things that others won’t.

Make a noise that makes you happy. Now make it louder. Even louder.

Did you do it? If not, you won’t feel the full impact. Now jump up and down again, like a kid playing in a mud puddle. Are you doing it?

Now, make that happy noise again. Louder. Even louder this time. Okay, sit down. Now, make some noise while you’re sitting. Move around like you did when you were standing up. Do it so much that you feel like standing up again.

Okay, now spend 10 minutes getting that task done. Make those important decisions you were struggling with earlier. I know what you’re thinking: there’s no way I’m doing what Dan just suggested.

Here’s the deal: It’s completely your choice whether you do it or not. But if you give it a try and it works, what have you lost? Maybe just looking a bit silly and making awesome decisions.

I have a rule in my life that I learned from Russell Brunson: if you don’t know him, search for him. I listen and do everything that successful people, who own a helicopter and have strong stage presence, tell me to do.

If it works for Tony Robbins, it can work for you. If it works for me, it can work for you too.

The important thing is to believe that it will work. You need to get yourself in the right state—mentally, physically, and emotionally—before making any decisions, or else you won’t make really good ones.

At best, they’ll be just okay. Let me ask you something: Would you marry someone who’s just okay? absolutely not! You want someone amazing, not just average.

If we wouldn’t marry someone who’s just okay, why should we make decisions that are only okay? Ever since I learned this from Tony directly at a live event, I use it every single day. When I’m getting ready to teach a course, I apply it.

When I’m ready to write something, I do it. When we’re ready to buy another business, I do it. When I’m ready to go home and see my family, I do it.

Because if I’m not there for them, then I’m not living my happiest life. We only have one life, and we can decide how we want to live it. We can settle for just okay, or we can aim for excellence.

It’s up to us. Just like it’s up to us who we marry, where we work, and what we do.

Now it’s your turn to choose: Do you want to live a mediocre life, or do you want to live an extraordinary one? Personally, I’m giving it my all and living each day to the fullest.

There’s one more thing I really need to share with you. Are you ready? It’s pretty awesome.

Life is what we decide it to be. We can choose to be without money, lacking, busy, tired, hungry, thirsty, or unsatisfied.

Alternatively,

We can choose to feel happy, content, rich, fit, loyal, and in love. It’s completely up to us. And we decide that every day when we wake up.

One more thing to ask you quickly: Have you ever felt like you care about your partner, but maybe not in love with them anymore?

I think many of us have felt that way at some point in our relationships.

I’ve felt that way before. (I’m sure Jenna has too in the past. I haven’t always been the best husband and father. I’ve made mistakes. I’m grateful she’s forgiving.)

Can you think of something that used to be adorable but now bothers you?

It’s a decision. When you were in love, those things didn’t annoy you. They were actually cute things they did. But now that your feelings have changed, they’re not cute anymore. So, what can we do to make things better?

Decide right now to change how you feel. Do whatever you need to do to get into a good mood and stay there.

And when you begin to feel less happy, you have to choose to change how you feel. Not how others feel, but yourself.

Guess what? Once you change how you feel, the people around you will start to change too!

So, here’s to changing how we feel so we can always make really smart decisions.

Enhance your faith-led leadership journey with God First Life Next. Explore empowering insights at “Embracing God’s Big Plans for Your Life“. Let faith guide your leadership. Click for purposeful living at GodFirstLifeNext.org.

Getting out of Your Comfort Zone

Posted on June 12, 2023April 23, 2024 by dan_adm

Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

“You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.”—Roy T. Bennett

When did you last purposely step out of your comfort zone? For me, it’s almost every day. Not always in big ways, like the first podcast I did, the first newsletter I made, or the first person I hired.

Some days it’s just about trying a new recipe for dinner, using a different pen, or wearing different shoes. You get the idea.

Every day, I deliberately do things that push me out of my comfort zone. You might wonder, why would you do that, Dan? What’s the point of making yourself uncomfortable?

The truth is, when you step out of your comfort zone, you’re helping yourself grow. And when you do it intentionally, you get to decide where you grow.

Think about it. If you want to improve at public speaking, the best thing you can do is get on other platforms, get interviewed, or join a group like Toastmasters and speak to a crowd.

If you want to improve and meet new clients, you could begin by saying “hi” or “how are you today?” to strangers in the store, on the street, or in a restaurant. Next time you eat out, try telling the waiter a bit about yourself. Practice introducing yourself to strangers.

If you don’t act on purpose, you might end up feeling uncomfortable in a way you don’t like. In any case, God has a way of nudging us out of our comfort zone from time to time.

I often get asked, “Dan, why do you keep pushing your comfort zone?”

My answer is straightforward. I push beyond my comfort zone because I want to grow. I enjoy making progress and moving forward. The best way to do that is by challenging yourself.

Here are some tips to help you step out of your comfort zone:

Make a list of something you’d like to achieve in the next year. This is helpful because if you don’t know what you want, it’s hard to start moving in the right direction.

Here are some ideas: talk to strangers, start a podcast, go live on Facebook or IGTV, talk to people of the opposite sex, create great presentations, speak in front of lots of people, and more.

Begin with something easy. If you want to speak in front of people, don’t start with a big event. For example, if you’ve never spoken in front of a group, don’t plan a massive event and make yourself the main speaker.

Begin with a small group, like 2–5 people, having drinks. Then, try speaking to a small and friendly group in a local organization, such as a Grange meeting. Next, give a presentation to children, like at your local school or to a group of 4-H kids. After that, organize your event and invite a small group of around 10–25 people. Then, speak at someone else’s event for their group. Finally, gradually speak in front of larger and larger groups until you feel comfortable with it.

Don’t wait; start today. One of our biggest problems as people is that we let fear control what we do.

When we’re scared to make a video and share it, we often delay it until we say, “Oh well, I guess we’re not supposed to make that video.” Instead of that, just do it right away.

When I started recording videos on my phone, it was scary! I mean, I was terrified. It was so difficult to press the record button. And after I recorded a few, it was even harder to share them.

After I shared them, I started getting feedback. Some friends commented on the videos, encouraging me to keep sharing knowledge. Now, a year later, I’m comfortable making those videos, and I don’t hesitate to post them. I’d encourage everyone to follow my YouTube channel.

Talk about your difficulties. It’s hard to admit where we struggle. For some reason, we’re wired to believe that others don’t have the same struggles as us.

We might believe that our older brother has everything figured out, but the truth is, we rely on each other for support. When you talk about your struggles, it helps clear your mind so you can focus on moving forward.

I remember after we built our house, my brother, who’s a skilled diesel mechanic, told me how much he admired my ability to design and build things. It’s a skill he didn’t have but wished he did.

So, what did we do? We began by teaming up to build a tack room in his barn. I led the project, making sure he understood everything.

We sat together and planned the room, made a list of what we needed, got the materials, and began building. He was uncomfortable the whole time and nervous until he could see the end. Then we knew he could do it.

You won’t believe what happened next. He called and said, “Hey, I need to build a deck and stairs for my back porch. I have the plans drawn up. Could you come and check them out?”

He got a lot more confident by trying something new once, so he was ready for more! When you talk about what’s hard for you, it’s easier for others to support you.

If you never talk about your struggles, how will anyone know what you need?

Before and after photos and comparisons. I used to not believe in these. Until one day, my wife secretly took a picture of our messy craft area before we started organizing it.

Then she took another picture after we finished the project, with all the workstations built and everything organized.

Wow, we made such a big difference in just a few days. It’s amazing to have something to compare, so you can see how much better you’ve become by stepping out of your comfort zone.

Those before and after comparisons encourage you to keep stepping out again and again. When I look back at the first videos, I shot a year ago compared to now, what a difference! I’ve learned where to look, when to shoot, about lighting, and so much more.

Never compare yourself to anyone except the person you were yesterday!

Get an accountability partner or join a group. When someone else knows your plan, they can help you stay on track.

A good idea is to schedule a weekly Zoom call with a group, so you can all help each other stay accountable for your goals.

This one scares a lot of people.

But if you handle it right, it’s not a bad thing at all. In our group, we never judge.

If someone doesn’t meet their goals for a week for stepping out of their comfort zone, we all ask what we can do to help, or we simply give them support by reminding them of how far they’ve come and that they can do it because they’ve done so much more in the past.

Hopefully, these tips will help you take uncomfortable action very soon. Let me know if you want to join our accountability group. I’d be happy to chat and see if you’d be a good fit for us.

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Give Memories, Not Things

Posted on June 5, 2023April 23, 2024 by dan_adm

Give memories, not things.

With the arrival of our first son, Christmas took on a whole new level of extravagance.

At first, our movie nights were epic, with shelves stacked high. But soon, the living room turned into a toy wonderland where laughter and imagination roamed freely, creating a new kind of family adventure every day.

Not long ago, we took a sweeping glance through our home and discovered a treasure trove of trinkets, bursting from every nook and cranny. From basement to attic, our abode has become a captivating labyrinth of forgotten wonders.

We realized our kids liked adventures more than things. So, we decided to give them cool experiences instead. We wanted to create awesome memories that would inspire them and help them grow.

Here’s what made a difference for us: We began going on more family trips. Every year, we set aside at least two whole weeks just to create unforgettable memories together.

Initially, our expedition into the realm of fun began with a cascade of amusement parks eagerly marked on the children’s must-visit list. Naturally, we explored several, each offering its own flavor of excitement.

Yet, amidst the thrills and spills, Universal Studios emerged as the ultimate favorite, captivating us so much that we impulsively snagged season tickets for a year. It was a deal so irresistible, with the annual passes costing less than what we’d normally spend for a single day’s adventure. With our entry secured, our focus shifted from meticulous planning to simply relishing the joy of togetherness, letting spontaneity guide our escapades.

The pinnacle of our travel adventures thus far remains our week-long escapade to a quaint beach house nestled just north of San Diego. Picture this: six glorious days spent on what felt like our very own private slice of paradise, all for a steal at less than $200 per night. No itineraries, no agendas—just pure, unadulterated spontaneity leading the way to some of the most cherished memories we’ve ever created.

Our culinary escapades took us to Ocean Beach, where we indulged in mouthwatering delights at our beloved burger joint, Hodad’s. But the real magic happened on the shoreline, where we immersed ourselves in the ocean’s embrace multiple times a day, even daring to ride the waves with surfing lessons. Between moments of exhilarating adventure, we reveled in the simple pleasures: lounging, games, and savoring homemade feasts lovingly prepared throughout our stay. It was a week when time seemed to stand still, and every moment was a testament to the beauty of living in the present.

We had an amazing time on our trip to a beach house near San Diego. It only cost us $200 a night, and we spent six wonderful days enjoying the peaceful beach all to ourselves.

Instead of making strict plans, we decided to go with the flow and see where our adventures took us. We had so much fun, filled with laughter and joy.

We couldn’t resist trying out Hodad’s, a famous burger place in Ocean Beach, where the food was delicious. But the highlight of our trip was learning to surf in the ocean. It was thrilling to ride the waves and feel the sun shining down on us.

Each day was like a new adventure, whether we were splashing in the ocean, playing games under the sunny sky, or enjoying homemade meals together. It was a simple but perfect getaway, where we savored every moment without worrying about time.

Those days in the beach house felt like a dream, where time seemed to stand still and all that mattered was the happiness we shared.

The holiday season brought about a remarkable shift in our family’s traditions this year. Rather than focusing solely on material gifts, we decided to have a heart-to-heart with the kids, presenting them with a choice between tangible presents and the priceless gift of shared experiences.

To our delight, their response was nothing short of heartwarming. Despite the allure of shiny gadgets and toys, each child expressed a desire for modest gifts, valued at less than $20 each, and a resounding eagerness to continue building cherished memories together as a family.

Our memories are our most prized possessions, worth more to us than any material wealth imaginable. It dawned on us that our children would soon spread their wings and venture out into the world, leaving our nest behind. In hindsight, we recognized the selfishness of our relentless pursuit of memory-making, but to our children, those moments were priceless treasures.

Their laughter, their smiles, the sparkle in their eyes—each memory is crafted with love and shared experiences. As we reflect on the past, we can’t help but eagerly anticipate the memories that lie ahead, waiting to be woven into the tapestry of our family’s journey.

Costa Rica, Alaska, Hawaii, the Florida Keys, and New York City—who knows where our next adventure will take us? The world is our playground, brimming with endless possibilities waiting to be explored. Each destination holds the promise of new experiences, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable memories. With wanderlust fueling our spirits, we eagerly await the next chapter in our journey, ready to embrace whatever the world has in store for us.

Enhance your faith-led leadership journey with God First Life Next. Explore empowering insights at “Embracing the Season of Giving” Let faith guide your leadership. Click for purposeful living at GodFirstLifeNext.org.

Month: June 2023