» Personal Development

The Science Of Going Big

JT — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:38:12 +0000

We see people do it all the time. We watch them in the movies, buy tickets to see their
shows, read about them in magazines…even watch them on TV (Super Bowl, anyone?)…

These people–who not only have the vision to think big, but the audacity to PLAY
big–are the champions of life. The difference between dreamers and doers is that
dreams sit on the couch and watch while the doers sit in the lap of luxury and conquer
the world.

It is one thing to watch and admire the champions of life; its an entirely different thing
to work at becoming one. It is easy to admire from afar and think, “Yeah…but that’s them.
I don’t have the time/money/assets/people/etc in my life to do what they do.”

But that’s a lie and you know it.

You have everything you need right now to accomplish anything you want. But it takes
belief. It takes commitment. And it takes work.

It takes blocking out the people rolling their eyes, laughing at your ideas, telling you
it can’t be done. It takes what it takes. And you have everything you need right now
to make it happen.

The difference between thinking big and going big is in the actions. Take the action
today and everyday.

GO BIG. Today.
~JT

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Lunar Eclipses and Once-In-A-Lifetime Moments

JT — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:47:52 +0000

December 20, 2010 was a day that many of us will remember if we took the time to experience an amazing phenomenon. Not only was it the Winter Solstice, but there was a total lunar eclipse; the last time a total lunar eclipse happened on the Winter Solstice was 1638…372 years ago! If you love looking at the night sky like I do, you’ll appreciate the footage I shot with my not-so-high-tech video camera. Staying up late to take this event in reminded me of the importance of taking time out of a bust life to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime moments that slip past us almost undetected. Enjoy!

~JT

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Watch what you say…it might influence someone

JT — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:35:12 +0000

Last night, my “baby” sister Kim (she’s 27 but younger than me!) had her first baby, a handsome little boy. He came into the world healthy, weighing in at 8 pounds, 9 ounces. Kim and her husband, Lance, have not yet decided on a name for him, but he’s magnificent either way.

I texted one of my brothers, who lives out of state, to tell him the great news. Unbeknownst to me his number changed and had been reassigned to someone else. I had inadvertently sent my text message to a total stranger! Here’s how the exchange went:

Me: “Hey, bro! Kimber had the baby! 8lbs 9oz…”

The response: “U must have the wrong number. Don’t know a kimber. Sorry bout that. But congrats”

Me (embarrassed and a little confused): “Sorry!”

At this point, you might assume the conversation ended. And for all intents and purposes it should have. But after a slight delay, and a bit of surprise on my end, here was the next text to come to my phone:

“Np. Congrats on the baby”

For some reason, that response struck chord with me. Not sure why, but it felt like genuine congratulations coming from the stranger on the other end of the line. It wasn’t so much what he or she said, but how the message was received.

I went on to explain my confusion, how I assumed he or she had the former cell number of my brother, and that we were celebrating the birth of our sister’s first baby. Rather than responding with “buzz off” or nothing at all, the final response was:

“Cool”

Now, I tell you this story because often in life, we overlook or underestimate the impact we have on others. We rarely consider the influence our words, or even something as simple as a brief response, can have on another person.

Too often in our busy lives we lose sight of just how important a simple gesture like holding the door open for someone, or saying “thank you”, or a pleasant smile can alter the other person’s day.

My electronic pen pal probably never will know how he or she lifted my already-high spirits. Or how by simply responding to let me know I had the wrong number made it possible to share the beautiful news of our family joy with my brother. It was, after all, Monday night; there was a football game on and other things far more important than responding to an errant text message.

But not to my mysterious pen pal.

He or she took the time to respond. Took the time to have a simple, seemingly unimportant conversation with me. And perhaps as you read this, you may think, “big deal!”. But to me it IS a big deal. Because I appreciate how hectic the pace of life can be, and how the seemingly never-ending gush of emails and text messages can intrude at times when you just want to relax and unplug.

I also appreciate how a simple ‘congrats’ on the other end of a wayward text message can feel pretty good.

Thank you, whoever you are. I appreciate your simple gesture of kindness.

And welcome to the world, my handsome little nephew!
~JT

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Are You Slippin’ On The Way Up The Mountain Of Success?

JT — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:27:28 +0000

Sometimes in business, life…and mountain biking, we have to make adjustments to get to the top of the hill. Entrepreneurs, leaders, and high-achievers know what I’m talking about. Making small adjustment–gradual tweaks–can make a huge difference in your performance. Check out this video to learn the 3 things that help me get to the top of any hill.

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You Deserve Credit For That…

JT — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 04:22:42 +0000

No matter where you are in life, no matter what your background or upbringing might be, you have endured a lot. You are more resilient, more flexible and tougher than you think. If you are like a lot of high-achievers, you probably don’t give yourself enough credit for the things you do well, and probably don’t account for your strengths or your victories as much as you should. Check out this video and learn a major point of entrepreneur leadership: taking credit for your victories. Take stock of your strengths, outsource your weaknesses, and build momentum off the reality that you are stronger and tougher than those who dare not to endeavor.

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What Is Your Story?

JT — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 21:26:56 +0000

What is your vision? What is your dream? What is your message to the world? If you are an entrepreneur, coach, leader, innovator or someone who wants to influence the world you must make your message known to the world. Right now, the world needs more heroes, and there has never been a better time in our world’s history to make a profound difference. Watch this video and see what I mean!

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Remembering Yeager

JT — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:20:12 +0000

March 11, 2009 is a day I will never forget. It was the day I said goodbye to one of the greatest friends I have ever known.

His name was Yeager, named after the famous test pilot. In 1996, I was in a community college, working my ass off to get into a major university with the hopes of becoming a U.S. Navy fighter pilot. Back then, I had dreams of becoming a Blue Angel, then going to test pilot school and eventually off to NASA to fly the space shuttle.

Then fate stepped in.

I saw Yeager in a holding pen at PetSmart. I was there to buy fish food and filters for the tank. He was all alone, the last of a litter of mutts who had been carelessly tossed into a dumpster by a breeder who’s prized black lab had met up with a springer spaniel. In that person’s eyes, those puppies were a waste.

A kind soul collected the starving and terrified pups and brought them to an animal shelter. The puppies were herded off lovingly to PetSmart, in the hopes that someone with a heart and a place in their life for true friendship would take them in. I was not looking for a new pet that day. I was certainly not looking for a dog. I was renting a townhome and my landlord nearly freaked when he found out I had fish. But, I walked over to the holding pen to see why this one puppy, the last of his brothers and sisters, was still there, waiting for someone to show up and be his pal.

I picked him up, and rather than licking my face excitedly, or peeing all over me like all the other puppies, Yeager plopped his head on my shoulder and almost fell asleep. I could feel his warm puppy breath on my neck and wondered what he was thinking. The initial thought of having a little buddy was kinda cool, but I just knew my landlord would freak, so I put him back, and walked out of the store.

I had about a 25-minute drive home, and could not shake my thoughts of Yeager. When I got home, I called my landlord and chuckled a nervous request to bring an untrained puppy into his newly-renovated townhome. I thought, if anything, hopefully he’d just hang up on me.

The next thing I knew I was racing down the freeway for PetSmart, shifting gears and changing lanes as if in a Hollywood high-speed pursuit. My landlord’s words echoed in my ear, “No problem…just sign an agreement and pay a pet deposit…” You’ve got to be kidding me. I screeched into he parking lot and ran in the store with the keys still in the ignition. I saw him there, waiting. I signed the papers and took him home.

The next thirteen years were years of total friendship. When I struggled through college, Yeager was there. He didn’t care that I failed Calculus II. Twice. He loved me when I gained acceptance into flight school. He traveled with me from coast to coast. He held vigil over me when I came within tenths of a point of realizing me dream of becoming a fighter pilot, only to fall short. He celebrated with me when I eventually graduated with my Navy Wings of Gold. He waited patiently while I deployed to Afghanistan. He waited for me and protected my wife and daughter when I deployed for my third war, this time on the ground in Iraq.

When I made the decision to pursue my dream of entrepreneurship, he loved me unconditionally. When I fell flat on my face, he loved me. When I had literally thousands of phones slammed in my ear with the harsh words of rejection, he loved me. When I was in the pit, scared and doubting myself, he loved me. When I staged my comeback, he was there with his undying love.

And though I vowed I would do anything for Yeager, I couldn’t stop him from getting sick and losing weight. I spent dollar after dollar trying to find out why my best friend, the one who had always been there for me, and always fought like a brave to protect me, wasn’t fighting to live anymore.

I had the toughest decision of my life one year ago today.

I sat on the floor of the veterinarian’s office, Yeager in my arms. The doctor was amazing. She told me I was about to give Yeager the greatest gift a human could give, aside from the gift of a good life; the gift of a peaceful passing. She gave him the injection, and I could feel him slip away. His breath slowly dissipated, as I remembered what it felt like on my neck 13 years before. He was so peaceful, so serene, so free.

His pain was finally gone, but mine was monumental. I sobbed like a little boy for days. Losing Yeager was tough, and at times I felt paralyzed with grief. It was only through the love of my wife Mia and my kids Callie and Max (and some pretty great human friends) that I soon began to smile again.

My daughter Callie still talks about Yeager to this day. I still see him in pictures on my screen saver. And every now and then, if I’m at peace, he’ll drop by in my dreams. I always wake up feeling stronger when Yeager drops by. I’m hoping he comes tonight, because I really, really miss him.

I am so grateful to have had my incredible friendship with Yeager. It spanned 13 years; nearly a third of my life and almost all of his. We had lots of fun together, conquered challenges together, but most of all really loved each other.

I am grateful to the breeder who ignored true magic when he tossed Yeager and his siblings into that dumpster. I am grateful to my landlord for giving me permission to take Yeager in. I am grateful to all the veterinarians, caregivers, petsitters, family, friends and other dogs who helped make Yeager happy and comfortable when I could not.

My prayer for you is that you, too, feel the love and friendship I experienced with Yeager. Undying, unchanging, nonjudgmental, and everlasting. No matter who you have in your life that loves you like that, hug them today and express your gratitude for their being in your life.

Thank you, Yeager, for being my best buddy ever. I sure do miss you.

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Welcome To The World Max!

Leadership Lessons From Observing Tiger Woods

JT — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:46:41 +0000

Tiger Woods made a public statement on his website that he would be taking an ‘indefinite break’ from golf to attend to his family in the wake of recent news of infidelity and marital turmoil.

“After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.”

In so doing Woods made a profound statement about his character as well.

You see, no matter your opinion of Tiger Woods, he is a leader. He is a leader in sport, a leader in business and a leader in life.

In golf, he dominates his sport so much so that the PGA Tour is ‘concerned’ about the absence of Tiger and what it will mean to the Tour’s ratings. The Tour cited a marked decline in ratings while Tiger was away rehabbing a major knee injury in 2008.

And few can argue his dominance of his sport. Earlier in 2009, Tiger became the first athlete ever to surpass the $1 billion mark in earnings. In any sport. By any athlete. Ever.

Make no mistake about it; if Tiger wanted to “push this all behind him” and “block it out”, he could. He is the most mentally tough athlete I have ever seen. But this is about life. This is about family. This is about taking care of priorities.

The thing I was most taken by was Tiger’s brutal honesty and humble request for forgiveness. This simple, yet elegant act is so rare these days, particularly amongst elite athletes and celebrities (or politicians) who often seem to carry themselves with an aloof attitude toward personal responsibility.

Leadership starts with personal responsibility. The toughest decisions in leadership occur when a leader is forced to put their ego aside and make an unpopular choice.

Tiger certainly created a tough situation for himself through his actions, yet instead of hiding behind some nebulous statement, or dancing around creative language and double-talk, Woods came out and asked for forgiveness:
“I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I’ve done, but I want to do my best to try. “

Tiger demonstrated the leadership principle of personal responsibility, even in the face of public humiliation. He showed his vulnerability, his human side.

People need to know that, as a leader, you are human. That you thinks and feel as a human, not a pre-programmed robot. To inspire people to follow you, they have to know that you lead with your intellect, your skills, and your soul. Tiger demonstrated that today with his statement.

It may be easy for the mediocre mind to balk at Tiger’s statement, claiming “he should have apologized” or he “should have begged for forgiveness”, but how often do we admit when we are wrong? How often do we apologize for hurting others, or asking for forgiveness in the wake of a personal transgression?

I am not here to defend Tiger’s actions, but I am in strong support of pointing out the lessons to be learned from his very public fall from grace. It is easy to point fingers, judge, and crucify someone else (particularly a public figure) when they screw up.

Leadership is not about making all the right decisions all the time, but it is about recognizing one’s shortcomings and taking responsibility for them.

And that is what Tiger did. Love him or not, Tiger is a champion, and a leader.

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Leadership Lessons From David Goggins

JT — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:01:16 +0000

“The only easy day was yesterday…”

It’s the U.S. Navy SEAL way of life. It is posted in their training facility in Coronado, California and is truest definition of their training I have ever seen.

If I could write in explicit detail what it takes to become a SEAL, you’d quit reading before you got to the end of my essay. It is that brutal.

David Goggins is a U.S. Navy SEAL, and he makes the training, work schedule and lifestyle of this elite commando unit look like a warm-up exercise.

I first heard Goggins speak on a conference call several months ago. I was taken by the blend of humility and intensity, sacrifice and dedication to something he “hates” and his unbelievable threshold for pain and endurance.

I say “unbelievable” and immediately show my cards. Goggins is not like everyone else. He is not even like every other SEAL. Goggins is special. Goggins doesn’t just have “another gear” to help him accomplish his remarkable tasks, he has a whole different mindset universe.

David Goggins is not only a U.S. Navy SEAL, he is also an ultra-marathoner. A typical marathon is 26.2 miles (Goggins will run twice that in a typical week). An ultra-marathon can be 100 miles or more.

100+ miles, run all at once. Without stopping. With. Out. Stopping.

Here is the part that is ASTOUNDING about David Goggins, and why I consider him one of my teachers. In Goggins’ own words, he “hates running”. He gets up at 3:30 every morning (can you do that?) and goes for a 15 mile (or longer) run. Then he bikes to work (a modest 25 minute bike ride). Then puts in a full day of kicking ass and taking names (he’s a SEAL).

Then he takes a break.

At lunch, he’ll go for a “short” 3-5 mile run. Kicks more ass, takes more names. Then he bikes home. Then he does another short run. But he “hates” it.

What the HELL is going on here?

David is committed. He does what he “hates” because he is committed to the Special Ops Warrior Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money for children of soldiers killed in combat.

More on why David Goggins is one of my teachers.

He lost some valued members of his team in a mission in Afghanistan. He could have mourned (which I’m sure he did), said it wasn’t fair, asked why they had to die, and used their deaths as an excuse to be mediocre.

But instead he Googled “10 hardest things to do” and did it. And “hates” it.

Leadership is often times about doing what we don’t want to do. It is about enduring pain, sacrificing personal comfort, and going all-out when we feel we have nothing left to give.

It’s also about dedicating oneself to a cause bigger than ourselves.

To this day, when I feel like “it’s not worth it”, or the comfortable blanket of procrastination snuggles tight around my mind, I remember Goggins getting out from under his blankets at 3:30 and doing the thing he “hates”.

Come to think of it, I might hate running more than him, but he has inspired me to get back into it.

David Goggins is a true leader and inspiration. I hope he has the same impact on you, and your business!

Go to www.DavidGoggins.com and see what I mean. Read his amazing story and tell me if you agree that Goggins is a true leader.

Go Big,
~JT

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Thank You, Jim Rohn

JT — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:17:00 +0000

Today the world lost a treasure of a man in Mr. Jim Rohn, who lost his 18-month battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis.

When the concept of personal growth was introduced to me, I scoffed at it. I thought is was silly, contrived, and reserved for desperate people who needed a “guru” to tell them how to think and how to live.

But once I dropped my arrogant nearsightedness, and actually began working on myself, I felt the transformation start to take hold. In fact, one of the first teachers I really connected with was Jim Rohn.

One of my favorite Jim Rohn quotes is, “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.” What a beautiful and relieving message. This was the concept that allowed me to start really thinking about shedding the shackles of employment, and start looking to entrepreneurship as the vehicle with which I would realize my dreams.

I used to listen to Jim Rohn in my car on the way home from work when I was still on active duty in San Diego, California. If you have ever lived in San Diego, you know the traffic can be atrocious. I heard Mr. Rohn refer to a car as a “rolling university”, whereby the time “wasted” in traffic could be used to expand one’s mind

What a concept.

On one particular drive, creeping along at a snail’s pace with hundreds of angry drivers all around me, Jim soothed me, and gave me one of the greatest lessons I have ever learned. “Set a goal to become a millionaire for what it makes of you to achieve it.”

WOW!

I was on fire! I loved that quote so much I was roaring with enthusiasm in my car! People were looking at me like I was on drugs, but it didn’t matter because all the stress of striving for my lofty dreams were lifted.

Right then I KNEW my success was assured. Right then I KNEW I couldn’t fail IF that message stayed ingrained in my mind.

My friends, I could go on for ever on Jim Rohn’s effect on me. You will no doubt see tons of tributes to Jim on lots of different people’s blogs, websites and video channels and I encourage you to read as many as you can.

It is rare that a person can have as profound an effect on humanity as Jim Rohn has. Get Jim Rohn’s wisdom and influence in YOUR life. Visit the Jim Rohn Tribute Site here. I promise it will change who you are, and catapult you closer to your dreams

Thank you, Mr. Rohn. I am a better person for having learned from your wisdom.

Jim Rohn, September 17, 1930 – December 5, 2009
~JT

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