This Will Make You Confident And Optimistic

I was wrapping a bandana around my face in a dusty rural town in the southern part Oaxaca, Mexico.I had never driven an ATV before, but I was about to.I didn't know how to shift gears, work the throttle, or position my weight.I didn't know how much torque would buck me over and I didn't know how much I'd be able to see through the dust.

I got on and fired it up anyway.

There's something cool that happens in these moments--when you don't know what to expect.You get the chance to conquer something.You get the chance to conquer fear or weakness or whatever it is inside you that holds you back from living the life you want.

I hit the gas and figured it out.

In fact, I figured it out pretty fast--faster than I thought.I hit the trails with a few friends and tore up some dust in the woods for the first time.It was such a small win--but that didn't matter. It was another thing I conquered.It wasn't the ATV that I had mastered, it was that part of myself.I had conquered that odd voice that says "don't," "you can't," and "something bad will happen."

I beat it one more time.

And when you have lots of small wins, bigger wins seem more possible.And when you have a few bigger wins, even bigger ones seem more possible.It's the consistent conquering of that inner voice that starts to lead to the thought pattern of confidence and optimism.

2 Minute Action

What's something you've always wanted to do but haven't made the time to make it happen?I'm not saying you have to plan your whole trip to kayak New Zealand right this second, but in 2 minutes you could text a few accountabilibuddies to help you set a timeline and a budget and make something happen.It doesn't have to be a million dollars and it doesn't have to be on the other side of the planet.It just has to be enough to feel like it's outside of your comfort zone.Oh, and FYI:People who set a date and a budget are over 80% more likely to actually follow through with their goals.You can send an email, a text, or make a phone call in 2 minutes.Start small.And then keep going.Nothing bad will happen.I promise.

Did you really sign up for this?

I wrote a whole blog post and then deleted it. Why?It was terrible. It was another post about those small, incremental improvements.I feel like I'm losing momentum, like I'm losing traction, or like what I'm doing isn't making impact.It's so easy to feel this way.It's also embarrassing to admit it. I'm the motivation and productivity guy from Medium! I have all the answers! Duh!But you signed up for the truth!You signed up for the unadulterated, raw, bare-naked, (mostly un-edited,) before-Medium version of my content.As a perfectionist, it's hard to look at this post and say it's not ugly. I mean, it doesn't feel like the others. It doesn't feel like the best post I've ever written.And if it's not always the best post I've ever written, what's the point? Right?The truth is that the critic in the back of my head is important, even if it's unreasonable.It's a strength that points out inefficiencies, deficits, and imperfections that must be fixed. In fact, it's one reason I'm valuable in the marketplace!Let me explain . . .It's a strength that points out inefficiencies, deficits, and imperfections that must be fixed. In fact, it's one reason I'm valuable in the marketplace!But let's be clear about that voice: it's only useful if it's useful.What I mean is; if it increases motivation, great. If it demoralizes or subdues, ignore it.Fear and criticism should be given attention but NO power.Analyzing is useful. Ruminating is not.Is this what you signed up for?

2 Minute Action

Hit reply and let me know. Do you feel like you're getting what you signed up for?What did you expect when you signed up? If it takes more than 2 minutes, it's your fault. :)One easy way for me to tell if this is going well is to watch how many of you join my new, private Facebook Group.You're all invited, and I'd love to see you there. :)