How to find clarity and courage to say no to shiny objects

Shiny Objects Steal Your Best From You

Shiny objects are simply dressed up distractions, designed to sabotage you and your success. They often arrive in your inbox appearing as “good” opportunities sent by sincere people.

Unfortunately, pursuing them demands a hefty price tag—measured in dollars and hours. If you’re not careful, they’ll suck you in. You’ll emerge months or years later bankrupt of energy and enthusiasm. They’ll rob you of your best ideas and leave you footing the bill.

In today’s podcast episode I share how to say no to these distractions.

(Listen to this episode via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher)

Clarity Steers You Away From Shiny Objects

Can anyone resist shiny objects? After all, their “pull” is so strong. Besides distractions are a common coping mechanism we use when we feel overwhelmed with life. No wonder why so many of us crave them.

A life of distraction will never produce a life of meaning.

Free Deeper Path BookIf you want your time to count then you must count your time. You must wake up to the fact that life is too short to chase shiny objects for too long.

Over a decade ago, I sought out distractions on a regular basis. Truth be told, I used them to numb my pain. Thankfully, I woke up to the fact that numbing my pain was also numbing my potential.

At that same time, I met a man named Chet Scott who helped me break free from my addiction to shiny objects. He showed me a process in which I authored my OPUS.

O = Over-arching Vision

P = Purpose

U = Unifying Strategies

S = Scorecard for Significance

I took that Deeper Path and put pen to paper. I emerged with clarity for the first time in my life. (Read my OPUS by clicking the image.)

opus

Courage Helps You Say No to Shiny Objects

To this day, my OPUS guides me toward clarity and away from shiny objects. I refer to it on a daily basis—after all we each make 35,000 decisions a day. Unless we have a built-in filter we’ll burn out.

Want to author your OPUS? I think it’s the best tool to find the clarity and courage to say NO to shiny objects. The Deeper Path will open you up to a new way and a new world. I bought you a FREE copy and I’ve included the Purpose Assessment with each order. All I ask is that you cover a small fee for shipping and handling.

All the details are here, but we only have a limited supply. Grab your FREE copy today and discover how to say no to the shiny objects.

Free Deeper Path Book

 

Episode 80 – How to become a thought leader and certify people on your own content

Could you be earning more influence, impact, & income?

If you’re a content creator (speaker, blogger, authors, podcaster, etc.) and you’re not certifying people to speak, coach, and train on your content, then you could be leaving massive amounts of influence, impact, and income on the table.

Over the past 5 years we’ve issued well over 100 certifications for our 3 teams: Your Secret Name, The Deeper Path, and Dream Job Coaches. The crazy thing is, we’ve never publicly promoted our teams. 

Instead, people who went through our coaching programs and experienced massive life change asked us to be certified. They wanted to create life-change in others through their own speaking, coaching, and training.

(Listen via itunes, audioboom, stitcher, or click on the pic below.)

 

One of the Best Decisions We Ever Made

I had reservations at first. The issues centered around ego, control, and fear. Family members even advised me against it. But then, I woke up and realized the massive benefits for the team members and our mission—Igniting Souls. Today looking back, it’s one of the best decisions we ever made.

In this episode, I share: How to Become a Thought Leader and Certify People on your own Content. I share the quick backstory below.

And for the first time ever, during the next 7 days we’re taking applications for new team members. If you’re interested in learning more, please watch this 2 minute video here. After you do, you can then check out whichever team you’re interested in applying for: Your Secret Name, The Deeper Path, Dream Job Coaches. Here’s just a few of our team members.

Should you Certify People Your Own Content?

I get it. As content creators, we’re often scared to “let go” of our message. It’s our baby after all.  Will people represent our message well? Will they take care of it?  Six years ago issues of ego, fear, and control kept me from ever considering it.

But then I woke up and I’m so glad I did. On the podcast and below I share more about the story and process. However, here’s 7 quick reasons to help make the decision easier.

C Coaches: You don’t have enough hours in a day to help all the people that need it.

E Empowerment: Your message won’t reach its potential if you protect it.

R – R.O.I. : Your team increases their impact and income AND yours.

T – Trainers: You can’t train all the people who need your content.

I – Influence: Your influence will grow as you grow your team.

F – Focus: You can only do a few things well and you have more content to create.

Y – Yawp: Your need barbaric YAWPERS that make the message even better.

How it All Happened

Almost 6 years ago Your Secret Name—my fourth book—released in September, 2010. In a matter of weeks we realized this book was special without much of our own doing. The book touched on an issue common to many adults and teens alike—identity. I blended my story overcoming self-injury with the reader’s journey of discovering who they were created to be.

My friend Gabe created an interactive website that combined free tools with support from our growing community. My friend Josh produced a beautiful book trailer, and we began getting emails from people of various backgrounds and struggles. They told us about their newfound freedom and how they discovered a connection with their Creator, their community, and their core.

Stories of victory over suicidal thoughts, depression, prostitution, workaholism, anorexia, and low self-esteem poured in. We continued sharing the message as best we could, but we’d clearly reached our capacity. Back then my day job brought its own set of challenges and commitments. And although I entertained thoughts of jumping into my dream job full-time, book sales alone didn’t come close to paying the bills.

Then it happened. I received an email from Desiree Arney, a stranger in New Jersey touched by the message. Long story short, after a couple chats David and I asked her to join our “team.”

The word team was a bit presumptuous. Although we wanted to change the world, we didn’t have a plan, a platform, or a paycheck. We figured passion was enough so we kept moving forward. A few months later we decided to have a conference and over one hundred people showed up. Toward the end of the conference we blocked off an open mic time for participants to share their thoughts about the day.

The stories of transformation people shared blew us away. Feeling momentum and divine favor, we created the Your Secret Name Team. Clearly we needed a way to multiply our impact and fund our efforts. I knew I couldn’t accept every gig, and although I felt a little guilty turning down some opportunities, my family and day job took precedence.

In no time we added a dozen members from all over the world, including Europe and New Zealand. Additional team members trickled in, and our impact and income increased slowly but steadily.

Benefits of Passive Impact

Even better than the passive income was the passive impact.

I remember one chilly Ohio afternoon playing with my three children on the living room floor. I think Isabel won out with her game choice—sleeping giant. Our stomachs were full from a scrumptious Sunday lunch and the wood in the fireplace crackled and popped. Snowflakes fell softly outside and my wife and I smiled at each other as we tried to keep up with three active kids.

Later that evening I checked our Secret Name Facebook group. Thrilled to read the posts, I learned how that weekend three separate team members had conducted Your Secret Name events in their own cities.

I smiled. While I enjoyed my loved ones in the comfort of my home, our passive impact business was igniting. Our team was communicating this message of hope to people who needed healing. It hasn’t stopped since.

 Want to Join our Team of World Changers?

What about you? Do you want a business or ministry in a box? Do you want to join a Team of World Changers and increase your influence, impact, and income?

For the first time ever, during the next 7 days we’re taking applications for new team members. If you’re interested in learning more, please watch this 2 minute video here. After you do, you can then check out whichever team you’re interested in applying for: Your Secret Name, The Deeper Path, Dream Job Coaches.

Here are just a few of our team members. I’d love to read your application and see if we’re a good fit. It’s time to Ignite Souls.