Habits 2 Goals: The Habit Factor® Podcast With Martin Grunburg | Goal Achievement, Productivity & Success Simplified

“It is the same with people as it is with riding a bike. Only when moving can one comfortably maintain one’s balance." ~Albert Einstein "Set peace of mind as your highest goal and organize your life around it.” ~Brian Tracy Last week we talked about the timeless concept of wisdom. Today, on this in-between-seasons Mind Bullet Monday episode, we continue our exploration of values with a foray into balance. Like wisdom, balance is a value of utmost importance. It's critical to note that balance is not a static state, but rather a continuous process.  Think about a tightrope walker. At any one moment in time, if you took a snapshot the walker would appear off balance, tenuous, leaning this way and that. Balance is maintained and regained with slight adjustments. It's the same with our lives. There are times we feel off-balance, depressed, angry, or unsettled. Regaining our equilibrium is a dynamic process, making slight adjustments here and there to set us right again. It's OK to find yourself off balance at tim

“Wisdom is equal measure experience plus reflection." ~Aristotle "In seeking wisdom, the first step is silence; the second, listening; the third, remembering; the fourth, practicing; the fifth, teaching others.” ~Solomon Ibn Gabirol Philosophers, including the Stoics, are among the few to really ponder wisdom, which makes sense if you think about the true meaning of the word "philosophy"— love of wisdom. A few seasons back we discussed the importance of having a philosophy. The value of wisdom is tightly integrated to your own personal philosophy.  Wisdom is unique in its timelessness. As a principle it is unchanging, unwavering. Think of the Golden Rule: Treat others as you want to be treated. It was true thousands of years ago and it's true today. Think of patience and kindness. They are always going to be representative of maturity and character. Knowledge, on the other hand, is ever-changing. We learned there were nine planets in our solar system, but then Pluto got demoted. Knowledge shifts, and it's les

“There are two things you should never worry about. Those things you can control and those things you can't control." According to the National Institute of Health: “Belief in one's ability to exert control over the environment and to produce desired results is essential for an individual's well-being. It has been repeatedly argued that the perception of control is not only desirable, but it is likely a psychological and biological necessity." Having some control over our surroundings is essential to our well being! This begs the question, what do I control? Better yet, what do I think I control? In a world full of people and situations we can't control, where should I put my time, attention and energy?  Too many of us waste a great deal of energy on politics, sports, and our opinions. We carry these judgements, opinions and emotions from our past and they greatly weigh us down. When we direct our energy toward those things we can control — our health, thoughts, attitude, behavior, we can actually become "enl

“Done is better than perfect.”  "If we commit ourselves to the successful completion of a task, then we personify excellence." - Halik "Whatever it takes to finish things, finish. You will learn more from a glorious failure than you ever will from something you never finished." -Neil Gaiman Getting started on your goal achievement journey is the crucial first step, one we recently covered. However, today's topic is all about Finishing! If starting is the most important step (and it is), finishing is a very, very close second. Often we find fear-based excuses are what keep us from both, starting and finishing. Consider energy and its two major forms: kinetic and potential. It's the completion of your goal which shifts its energy state from the realm of potential energy to kinetic energy. Think about an amazing book, until it is actually finished, it is only potential energy and once it is published it becomes kinetic and begins to set the world on fire! Using the acronym S.T.A.R.T. (Simple Today Actions Repeat

“What gets measured gets improved.”  ~Peter Drucker When it comes to achieving your goals, the importance of tracking cannot be stressed enough. (Check out this Season 2 episode, Why Tracking Is Important.) To put it simply, the people who track are serious about goal achievement. So, if you're not tracking, you just do not want it badly enough! Tracking reinforces your intention. When you track, you are demonstrating and reaffirming your intention about what it is you really want. Think about our good buddy Ben Franklin, who tracked his habits to develop his desired 13 virtues. Fast forward to today, we have the example of the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo, where rock climber Alex Honnold attempts to conquer the first free solo climb of El Capitan's 900-meter vertical rock face at Yosemite. Guess what Alex did during his preparation? Via journaling, he tracked his training and progress, reinforcing his intention. Another example: The author and speaker Jack Daly (a guest on this podcast) tracks ever

“I am a great believer in luck, and I find that the harder I work, the more I have of it.” ~Thomas Jefferson “I found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more of it, take more chances, be more active, show up more often.” ~Brian Tracy This in-between season episode of Habits2Goals brings us a Mind Bullet Monday focused on luck! When you think of luck, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Some people feel they're "lucky," while others insist they're just "unlucky." It stands to reason though that having the mindset that favorable events and opportunities are coming your way certainly can't hurt! Teena Seelig's great Ted Talk on luck discusses the idea that increasing luck often involves the addition of some risk factor — emotional, spiritual, financial and more. Taking more risks it appears allows for opportunities and chance to work in our favor. Every time you take a greater and greater risk, it allows your "luck sails" to catch more wind —opportunities according to Teena. The point is, even

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” ~Mark Twain "What is not started today is never finished tomorrow." ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe  "Action is the real measure of intelligence." ~Napoleon Hill On a Magnificent Mind-Bullet Monday "tweener" episode, we connect to discuss a topic massive in its breadth, but often never given enough consideration: Starting. Getting started. Start! Begin! Of course, everyone knows you have to start to achieve anything. But knowing and doing are two separate things. We can't complete something we've never begun. Taking that first step is often the one thing keeping you from achieving your goals! Continuing on your goal's journey actually gets easier, over time, when you take advantage of the remarkable gift of HABIT! But you can't craft supportive habits if you don't get started. So, use  S.T.A.R.T. as an acronym: Simple Today Actions that are Repeated and Tracked. What are the habits that are going to be repeated from one day to the next that are going to fuel your

“Fear = False Evidence Appearing Real.” ~Zig Ziglar This in-between season ("tweener") episode addresses a topic we've danced around in the past but never fully explored: Fear. Fear can cripple our growth, stopping us from pursuing our goals. Coming at this topic from a few different angles. What is the antidote to fear? Courage! But how do you develop and strengthen courage? Courage is (you guessed it) a habit! The first step includes ACTION. When we become fearful we contract; there's less and less action, we begin to doubt ourselves, which feeds the fear— and a vicious cycle ensues. Action fuels motivation, not the other way around. Action feeds courage.  Listen in to hear how to take action in the face of fear and how pressure fits into the picture. Enjoy the episode! *** New listeners: By texting the word "HABITS" to the mobile phone number "33444" you will instantly receive your "hack"/habit tracker/habit development template, or you can download it here: thehabitfactor.com/templates. Feel free to share

“I hope, therefore, that some my descendants shall follow this example [tracking habits] and reap the benefits.” ~Ben Franklin As season 5 of Habits2Goals comes to an end, we introduce a new format: Once-a-week Mind Bullets that will serve to tide you over until season 6 officially begins! We hope this keeps you fired up as you head toward your goals! If you're wondering what Cue, Routine, Reward is, think about rats in a maze. There's a cue (piece of cheese/placed into a maze), a routine (running through the maze), and finally a reward (eating the cheese).  Popularized on the web and via many books many people think this is HOW one develops a habit. And it sounds logical — until you realize that in terms of intentional habit development, [C,R,R] is BACKWARDS looking. This is not a forward-thinking methodology. Rather, The Habit Factor methodology teaches P.A.R.R.: Plan, Act, Record, Reassess, which takes advantage of our innate human ability to use INTENTION, to PLAN our actions. PARR reminds us that RECORDI

"Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right." ~Henry Ford On this Frequently Asked Friday we ask the seemingly ominous-sounding question: Is it too late? Too late for what? Too late to achieve our goals... too late to realize our ideal future. Just as the great Henry Ford proffered in the quote above, it may depend on what you think.  At 50, Ray Croc started the McDonalds juggernaut. Colonel Sanders was in his mid-60s when he sold his famed recipe and the KFC franchise was launched. The founder of Wal-Mart was 44 when he opened his first store. The examples go on and on. The stories echo the same themes: Failure, rejection, success. It may sound cliched, but it's important to realize that if it's been done before, we can do it too! Even if it hasn't been done before, we can do it! Recall the episode, Anyone Can Do It! Listen in to be inspired to fight through repeated failure and rejection, become the person you are meant to be, and understand that it's never too late to go after your goals! Enjoy t

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible ” ~Dalai Lama On a special Mind Bullet Wednesday episode of Habits2Goals, we address a subject that infiltrates every aspect of our lives: Kindness. Be kind. It costs nothing. It's always possible. Tuning into kindness invokes echoes of karma: When we are kind, there's a great chance that energy is coming back our way. When we're unkind, that energy is coming around too — often much more quickly.  And there's another aspect to kindness. When you are kind to others — complimenting, encouraging — it INSPIRES them. Kindness is empowering to others and boosts their energy. The effect of kindness on others sends ripples of inspiration through the world, and with attention and awareness, we can cultivate kindness as — you guessed it — a HABIT! Listen in for more on the power of kindness to change your life and the live of others, and how HABIT and PARR can inform this positive energy. Enjoy the episode! *** New listeners: By texting the word "HABITS" to the mobile p

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; Mastering yourself is true power.” ~Lao Tzu We begin our week with a Magnificent Mind Bullet Monday that explores a simple yet important concept: In here. Look within. It's important to read books, listen to podcasts, take classes, learn and seek knowledge "out there," but all that input is more valuable when it's brought into a strong internal foundation. Do we have a good understanding of ourselves "in here"? Do we know what our values are "in here"? What is the vision? What is the mission? All of this knowledge is "in here." Understanding who you are, both strengths and weaknesses, is critical. Your beliefs. Your values. Your mission. (The Habit XP Planner offers these types of exercises and serves as a tool to fortify yourself.)  Need the answer? It's in here! Listen in for advice on meditating, sitting quietly and getting to know yourself on a foundational level, and how the more you work "in here," the more v

"All men's natures are alike. It's their habits that carry them far apart." ~Confucius Today's Frequently Asked Friday throws it back to the basics when discussing a fundamental part of the Habit Factor's methodology: What is Habit Alignment? At its simplest, Habit Alignment is the realization that identifying the core, recurring behaviors -- the positive habits -- that support your goal is the quickest way to achieve that goal. When it comes to goal achievement, The Habit Factor says focus LESS on the To-Do list and focus MORE on the habits that will help you achieve your goal.  Habit Alignment identifies the few, most important behaviors to intentionally craft into habits to support your goal. Want to write a book? What are the habits that will support this goal? (Hint: It's not just about writing, it's about overall wellness.) It's all reinforced by the process of tracking! PARR: Plan, Act, Record, Reassess. When you consider habit alignment, the big "a ha moment" is the recognition that our goal requires

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” ~Aristotle This Wednesday we feature a special Mind Bullet episode that explores a topic that has fascinated some of the greatest minds of all time: Virtue. But this isn't about being "virtuous" or better than other people. Throwing it way back, 2,000 years ago the Stoics came to the conclusion that the development of one's virtue -- one's self -- is the highest good.  Taking it from another angle, where does a virtue come from? As the Aristotle quote above teaches, virtue is a habit. No discussion of virtue is complete without talking about Ben Franklin, whose famed quest to develop and habitualize virtues led him to say, "I hope, therefore, that my descendants will follow this example and reap the benefits.” The most rewarding exercise in his life was crafting and

"Anyone can do it.” ~Bob (AKA: The Rock) A simple and powerful Mind Bullet begins our week: Anyone Can Do It!  Taking inspiration from The Rock and Kevin Hart's comedy "Central Intelligence," we examine a throwaway line from The Rock's character, Bob Stone.  Kevin Hart's character, Calvin Joyner, is flabbergasted by Bob's transformation from overweight high schooler to muscular and fit adult. "How did you do it?" Calvin asks. Modestly, Bob says it really wasn't much — he just did one thing: Work out six hours a day for 20 years. "Anyone can do it," he adds.  Yes, anyone COULD do it. Anyone CAN do it. But does anyone actually do it? Remember, if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. And the "it" is highly personal. Anyone CAN challenge themselves, everyone COULD complete their challenge, but DO we?  Listen in for inspiration on identifying what YOUR next challenge is, whether it's physical, mental, or social, and how The Habit Factor and PARR can turn you into someone who DID IT! Enjoy the episode!

"Habit: A shackle for the free." ~Ambrose Bierce On a special Frequently Asked Friday (recorded outside), we ponder a question essential to life: What binds you?  Sitting outside at a bayside park soaking in the sunshine, pondering the idea of what truly binds us— what holds us back, MG looked down to see a small metal clamp, like a hiker's clamp. Foreshadowing: It is a binding tool, a shackle! Consider what it is that really holds us back? Is it ourselves? Or, is it the force of habit— our repetitive thought and behavior habits? The interesting thing is with some awareness and intention we are FREE to choose new, positive habits and use the very same force (habit) that binds us to set us free!  By directing the force of habit, we can set our sails and guide us toward our goals and a positive future. Listen in to hear about a unique, insightful experience that crystallizes the idea of being bound by our habits. Enjoy the episode! *** New listeners: By texting the word "HABITS" to the mobile phone number "3344

"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you."  On this special Mind Bullet Wednesday episode of Habits2Goals, we ponder the idea of challenge and change.  Taking inspiration from the quote above, MG shares his own new challenge journey and how it is bringing forth change in his life. Ending a mediation one day in early January, he found himself in need of a new physical challenge, and it came to him from out of the blue: "You're going to do 15 burpees a day for the month of January." (What's a burpee, you ask? Check this out! And (it goes w/out saying) don't try any new exercises without talking to your doctor!) Remember, "All life is an experiment." This experiment quickly grew and changed, offering incredible insights and changes. After all, if we don't create our own challenges, life will do it for us! Listen in to hear more about this new physical challenge and how it is yielding both physical and mental benefits -- and how Habit and PARR come into play. Enjoy the episode! *** New listeners: By te

"If one advances confidently in the direction of [their] dreams, and endeavors to live the life which [they have] imagined, [they] will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." -Henry David Thoreau We start the week with a magnificent Mind Bullet Monday that addresses a topic we've never fully explored: idealization. What does idealization mean to you? The pursuit of a goal is idealization in action!  In the process of pursuing our ideals and goals CONFIDENTLY, we find things falling into place in the present.  People all too often build boundaries to idealization. It's hard to think about ideals in the midst of real-life relationship, career or financial problems. But in fact idealization is the only way to begin the quest for something better. Listen in for more on how idealization can help improve each category in your life (mind, body, spirit, social) and how taking the time intentionally to create ideals can become a moving target of success. Enjoy the episode! *** New listeners: By texting the w

"The bend in the road is not the end in the road unless you fail to make the turn.” This Frequently Asked Friday takes it back to the basics: What are the common mistakes people make when going after their goals?  Behold the Dirty Dozen — perhaps the top 12 mistakes we make when it comes to goal-setting. What happens when we set goals and don't achieve them? We're less likely to set more goals! Conversely, when we set goals and DO achieve them, we are much more likely to go out and set and achieve even more goals!  So it's critical to set yourself up for success and avoid some common mistakes. From talking about your goals, relying on a to-do list, and focusing on the outcome, to NOT anticipating setbacks — and much more — listen in for tips on an optimum environment for goal achievement, and how aligning Habits via PARR will help. Enjoy the episode! ***** New listeners: By texting the word "HABITS" to the mobile phone number "33444" you will instantly receive your "hack"/habit tracker/habit development templ

"I don't count my sit-ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count." ~ Muhammad Ali This special Mind Bullet Wednesday episode discusses a simple yet powerful concept: Counting. Mentally or physically fatigued? Talk yourself into a little bit more.  It may not seem like a BIG idea, but counting is a an under rated tool that can yield huge benefits and help you breakthrough, both physically and mentally. At the gym, when you're trying to talk yourself into another set, you can tell yourself "just do three more," or "just do five more." And when you reach that small goal you can sell yourself on more and more. We often sell ourselves way short of what we're capable of! It's not just a tool for exercise; it's a helpful as a productivity method. Challenge yourself to focus on one task for 30 minutes, distraction-free. Can you do 10 more minutes? 20? Counting helps you not just raise the bar; it helps you get started and pushes you into your second (or third, or eighth