Why should we have a routine?Action Items of the week: #1 Think about who you want to be vs what you want to do and #2 Come up your routine around the PPP.
For the past year I have been working to get my P2 Pilots license for paragliding. There are so many parallels between paragliding and leadership and one hit me hard this week when my coach says, “When you jump off this cliff, if you don’t give 100% you will hurt yourself!”
Running full speed ahead off a mountain when your entire body is screaming NO but your mind is saying YES is a wild thing! We have taken all the precautions, steps and have we have our contingency plan in place. But why can it be so hard to jump, when we know it is safe?
What really happens if we don’t give 100% when we are going for our goals? Where are we not giving 100% and is it hurting us? Where is one place we can step up to give 100% this week? Watch how you start to fly when you give 100%!
I got to speak 12 times in Australia for the first time and had a blast! Here are 12 photos with 12 reminders from my 12 days in the Outback!
Photo #1: Our first ever international speech together!
Note: Australia was the first part of our
Reminder: There is power in partnerships!
Photo #2: Dancing after a long day of work
Note: This photo is embarrassing but also makes me smile. One of the best parts of being a speaker is being able to meet the people and hang out with the people that you spoke to that day. The members of D17 were so welcoming, generous and kind that we had to dress up in their “Gold Rush” theme and join them on the dance floor!
Reminder: Dance your heart out every now and again!
Photo #3: Having offices around the world
Note: One of my favorite things about being an entrepreneur is that you can work from anywhere around the world. We had the complete pleasure of having Bill and Debbie take us around the Swan Valley in Perth to show us wineries, breweries, coffee shops and more, all while I snuck in some emails and enjoyed the view!
Reminder: Sometimes you get more done when you are out of your traditional office.
Photo #4: Meeting a fellow BIG dreamer
Note: This man is walking from Perth to Sydney (more than 5,000 KM) to raise awareness for heart disease! He had a BIG dream and decided to go after it. I love meeting people like this! The world needs more people to go after their BIG dreams!
Reminder: He literally embodies the saying, “A journey of 1,000 miles (or 5,000 KM) begins with a single step!”
Photo #5: Feeding kangaroos for the first time
Note: I have officially decided if any zoo around the world is looking for foster parents of a tamed kangaroo, we will be glad to take them! Now I understand the wild ones can be a bit of a pest but these kangaroos were born in captivity and were so freaking cute I almost put one in my pocket to take home!
Reminder: Take time to visit local attractions the next time you are in a different city.
Photo #6: Eating Kangaroos
Note: Oh Australia! I just love how you eat your own national animal. Not only do you eat kangaroo, you feed the meat to your cats and dogs!
Reminder: We say “Don’t mess with Texas” where I am from… but maybe we should start saying “Don’t mess with Australia!”
Photo #7: Missing our puppy
Note: We have been gone for more than three weeks and we are really missing our puppy. Our friends who have been taking care of her while we are gone keep sending us photos (Thank you Allison and Alison) and this one melted my heart!
Reminder: Treat your pets well.
Photo #8: Trying Vegemite
Note: Not my favorite! I am not going to lie… I miss a good ole’ PB&J right about now!
Reminder: Try the local favorites at least once! It is part of the adventure!
Photo #9: Dreaming BIG with C.Y. O’Connor
Note: We had our first successful webinar with the Map to Dreaming BIG team and were inspired by the story of C.Y. O’Connor. His ability to take an idea and make it real, even when others (most) doubted him is inspiring!
Reminder: Go after your BIG dreams! The world needs you!
Photo #10: Getting to feel like a rockstar
Note: After I got done speaking at Technology Park, the meeting planner asked if I could sign one of the posters so they could frame it and hang it up in the office. I am not going to lie Emma… you made me feel like a rockstar and thank you for being an A+ event coordinator!
Reminder: Enjoy the moments in life that make your heart beat fast and when your smile reaches your ears.
Photo #11: The SUPER PIT in Kalgoorlie
Note: 220 stories below the ground this can be considered as the Grand Canyon of Australia; one of the largest gold mines in the world! Fascinating to see and learn more about and to understand the history of what made this town so great!
Reminder: You have to dig deep to find gold!
Photo #12: My first professional speech in Australia
Note: Thank you so much Technology Park for inviting me to speak and work with your entrepreneurs and leaders. They had a 300+ audience fill the room. I got the opportunity to share with leaders the power of storytelling and what it can do for their business, teams and families!
Reminder: When you work hard to do work you love, it doesn’t feel like work!
Remember to stop waiting for things to happen and make things happen! Thank you again to the members of D17 for making this a life-time memory and we can’t wait to be back in the Outback soon! As always…
Dream BIG,
Ryan
This week I celebrate my 28th birthday. Along the way I have experienced loss, joy, friendship, family, love, hate, disgust, accomplishment and gratitude.
I have loved and been loved. I have hurt and been hurt. I have spoken up when I should have and I have remained silent when I shouldn’t have! Inspired by my wife’s article, I thought I would share the 28 things I know for sure at 28:
You are the only one who is in control of how you feel.
Everyone has leadership potential but only a select few harness it.
The most powerful weapon on the planet is your voice and the most powerful ammo are your actions.
A marriage will work when you communicate often and remain intimate with your best friend.
The bigger the dream, the bigger the reward!
“Many people die at 25 but don’t get buried until they are 75.” – Ben Franklin
“If you are not having fun you are not doing it right.” – Jay Nodine
Do what you can while you can.
90% of the problems you have are 100% related to how well you communicate!
Don’t let one thing, ruin the whole thing.
Success is a feeling, not a destination.
Success is not about looking good, it’s about doing good.
It’s very easy to learn, its very difficult to do.
Those who are really good at what they do, really care about what they do.
“It’s not about living forever, it’s about creating something that will.” – Chuck Palahniuk
Who you were is not who you have to be.
How you practice is how you play.
You can’t make more money until you know how to manage the money you already have.
Giving 10% of your income will help feed your soul.
Before anyone else is going to believe you, you have to believe you.
An awesome way to make your business successful, is to make your family successful first.
It’s the dreamers who take action that change our world.
At your age, what is one thing that you know for sure? Comment below and share this article with others if you agree with one of the above. Let’s learn from one another and see what advice we can get from others! Thanks for reading and as always…
Dream BIG,
Ryan
You know that person who, when you ask them, “What do you do?” they ramble on for five minutes? Please don’t be that person!
Here is how you can create an 8-second elevator pitch they will remember, they will like, and that will give them clarity on what you do.
Plug in this formula:
I work with… (who)
Who want to/are looking to… (do what)
By… (how)
For example:
I work with high-level executives
Who want to win high-stake presentations
By teaching them the strategies I used to win the World Championship of Public Speaking
My wife’s elevator pitch is:
I work with wives
Who want to have a good relationship with their spouse
By sharing stories, strategies, and insights on my blog at thenewwifestyle.com
What’s yours?
People remember things that are simple! The simpler you make it, the better chance you have they will remember you and what you do! Use this formula the next time someone asks you, “What do you do?” and see the response you get and the conversation that begins! As always…
Dream BIG,
Ryan
P.S. We are going to share how you can take this formula to the next level with the members of The Map to Dreaming BIG.
Hey Todayers, I have been evaluating how my core values tie in with what I am doing and what readers want in my writing. My number one core value is to produce quality.
Readers are looking for simple success strategies they can use to make a significant impact in their personal or professional lives. With that said, I am going to be moving my articles from Monday, Wednesday and Friday… to Mondays.
Here is my reasoning and what we all should consider when creating content:
Choose quality over quantity: I want to keep producing quality. I can tell from the way my schedule has been growing that I have been creating content to create content rather than to share strategies of high quality. Lately, I have caught myself saying things like, “Well, I just need to get an article out” or “Let me think of something creative to write, so I can get more followers” rather than taking time to do more research, learn about my readers/industry, and give you the best content. I am not saying I have not produced quality. In fact, I am proud of what I have done with this blog. What I am saying is that I have begun catching myself thinking about wavering with my core value, and I don’t want to go down that route. I want to keep producing quality content while managing my time, my growing schedule, and my upcoming opportunities.
Write in hopes it will stick: There is a lot of content out there. I want to make sure I don’t give you too much, but rather give you content you can immediately take, use, and implement.
Be the leading resource for readers: I have heard from a few people that I can overwhelm you with blog updates or content. I want to be seen as a leading resource for you, not as a spammer whom you gloss over when my email lands in your inbox with a new article.
Give time to building your brand: I am making some big changes in the next few months. I have hired a brand strategist, a videographer, and a photographer. I keep reaching out to my long-time followers and clients who are helping me identify the value I bring and lining it up with what I want to do. This takes time, and I want to get it right!
Listen to your statistics: My views on Mondays are almost double the views as my other days. When I sent out my questionnaire for last year to my readers, the most popular day was Monday when I asked, “What day do you want to read blog articles?”
Identify the purpose of your blog: The purpose of my blog is to share with my readers what I am doing and what I have learned along the way. I want to use this space as an opportunity to share stories and strategies that teach success principles and to connect you with leaders who offer advice that will change your life!
That is why I am moving to Mondays. I hope you stay with me! I hope my content continues to add value to your life. Together, we can continue to grow to be stronger leaders, better speakers, and accomplish our
Dream BIG,
Ryan
You can start a speech a variety of ways, but please, pretty please, never start a speech by saying something like, “Hi, thanks so much for having me today, it is an honor to be with you… blah… blah… blah!”
What a waste of time!
Remember that more than 90% of people don’t change their first impression about you. If you come out doing something boring and generic in those first few seconds, you will be remembered as being boring and generic!
Begin your speech by talking about one or all three of the following:
Talk about the Culture: What do you find fascinating about their culture? What art, music, or fashion have you experienced while in town that you really appreciate?
Talk about the Cuisine: What local restaurant did you just eat at that your audience will know and love? What food did you try and not like, but are glad you tried it? What food do you want to get more of and wish you had in your town?
Talk about the Contributions: What has the organization or city given back to the community or world? What inventions, stories, people, or leaders have come from there? What contributions have they given, and why are you happy they made them? How has it helped you in your life?
While speaking in China for example, I started off my speeches saying, “Hello, how are you doing today?” in Mandarine (Culture). Then I went into talking about eating jelly fish and cow stomach (Cuisine) for the first time after we visited the Great Wall (Contributions).
This technique helps you build trust with an audience, gets you to explore their world and shows them you care about what they have done! Start your next speech using one or all three of these things. You will capture their attention, their minds and more importantly their hearts! As always…
Dream BIG,
Ryan
I went to a couple of events last week and collected a bakers’ dozen worth of business cards. After the event, I sat down and responded personally to everyone whom I had met and connected with him or her online.
When I started emailing a few, I caught A BIG mistake people make with their business cards! The BIG mistake people make is when they put their “given” name rather than the name they want to be called, or the one they used when they introduced themselves. For example:
Susan, who really goes by Sue!
William, who really goes by Bill!
Jonathan, who really goes by his middle name, Jake!
Felecia, who really likes to be called Fay!
Don’t put a name on there that you don’t introduce yourself as, or you don’t want to be called! Also, if you are one of those people who say, “Oh, it doesn’t matter which one you call me, I go by Susan or Sue,” please pick one!
This happened to me a few years ago when I used to go by my last name, Avery. I had Ryan on my business card, but introduced myself as Avery.
I didn’t know how much I really confused people until this moment sitting down at my computer looking at four business cards with names of people who introduced themselves differently.
Having a different name on your card is very confusing for the person on the receiving end. It can make the person who is reaching out to you second guess themselves. They might look at the card and think, “I could have sworn she said her name was “X”, or “Well, if that is what he goes by, how do you think he spells it?”
Don’t let the first impression you give to people confuse them!
What do you want people to call you? Put that on your business card. I know, I know, you have a professional side that you are trying to portray, but remember, people don’t do business with business professionals; they do business with people!
We want to know the real you!
So, if you want to be called Sue, Bill, Jake, Fay – or anything else – let us know what your friends call you, because in business the more friends you have the more business opportunities you have!
Some of you need to reprint your business cards, today! As always…
Dream BIG,
Ryan
A friend recently asked, “Ryan, how do you quickly build trust with people you don’t know?” No solid relationship can survive without trust. The faster you build trust, the faster you can build your relationship.
Trust is good for business, marriage, and friendships. Here are five ways you can quickly build trust with people you don’t know:
Brene Brown It: It’s time to be more vulnerable. Don’t feel like you have to know all the answers, look good, feel good and be good all the time. We are human. Show and share your vulnerabilities with the other person. As Brene reminds us, we see being vulnerable as a weakness when we do it, but as courageous when someone else does it. Be more vulnerable.
Oprah Winfrey It: Stop talking and start asking more questions. Get the other person to open up and get to the point. Ask open-ended questions to elicit answers other than “yes”, “no”, and “maybe”. The more you can get someone else to open up and talk, the more comfortable you will make them feel. This will ultimately lead them to trust you sooner. Ask more questions!
JK Rowling It: Who has a better fail story then the Wizarding author herself? I love her story, and so do millions of people around the world! We love to see people succeed who struggled at one point in their life. The bigger the struggle, the more we care about them and applaud their success. Share your failures and struggles before your successes and see the window of trust widen!
Brendon Burchard It: Every time I watch something of Brendon’s I learn something. Every time! I remember the first thing I watched from him. He taught me something in the first five minutes. I thought, “Wow, this guy is amazing!” I bought his books, I follow him, and I can’t wait to attend one of his seminars. Teach them something right off the bat that will help improve their lives and they will trust you even more.
The more quickly you build trust with someone, the bigger opportunity you have to make a difference in this world! Work hard to build and maintain your trust with everyone around you! As always…
Dream BIG,
Ryan
I sometimes go through my day thinking, “If I only had XYZ, it would make my life so much easier!” But when I stop and think about the access I have to things, people, and technology I realize my thinking is off. Instead of thinking, “If I only had XYZ” I need to do a better job thinking, “What can I do with XYZ?”
First, I can do a better job being grateful for the things I do have. To do that I need to be aware of the things in my life which make me happy and present me with opportunities.
Here are five ways to be more grateful in your everyday life:
Redefine your statement: When you find yourself saying, “If I only had XYZ, it would be so much easier!” try rewording the statement to be more positive and show gratitude for the things you already do have. Instead, say “What can I do with what I have, now?”
Give thanks for your senses at night: I used to do this before I went to bed every night. I would go through all of my senses one by one and think about everything that I smelled that day, everything I tasted, felt, saw, and heard. It made me appreciate the simple things more and to be aware of what I was experiencing in the now.
Make a list: This was the best thing I did recently. Write down everything that makes you happy and everything you have for which you are grateful. There will be negative things, but if you are reading this right now, then you might be surprised how many positive things will show up on your list.
Volunteer once a month: My friends and I are doing this every month this year. We started with the food bank and planting trees in our community. This month we are volunteering with American Veterans. Volunteering will give you a greater outlook on life. Remind yourself that you do have a lot of things in life for which you can be thankful.
Remind yourself of the greats: Most of the greats out there – the ones we talk about, remember and admire – all struggled at the beginning. In fact, the bigger the struggle, the more we tend to like them and feel good about their success. Be thankful you get to work hard, are going though tough times, or don’t have everything you want right now; one day it will make for a better story that will relate to more people and ultimately inspire others to do the same!
Those of us who can improve our awareness of the things we have, let’s start today! Let’s make a list, reframe our mindset, volunteer, or think about the greats that came before us! Enjoy this awesome day, and as always…
Dream BIG,
Ryan
What makes a great story? If you are not familiar with the Hero’s Journey I would recommend you familiarizing yourself with it. Once you learn how to tell a great story, you can inspire, influence, and motivate people to take action.
As we know, people buy stories, share stories, like stories, and remember stories. So as a leader, why wouldn’t you want to be a good storyteller? Here are three things that make a great story:
A challenge: The harder you have to work to obtain your goal, the better the story you will have.
A fight: The stronger the contrast you can create between the person, idea or thing your “hero” is up against, the better story you will have.
A feeling: The more opportunities you give your audience to feel happy, sad, fearful, disgusted, surprised and angry, the more connected your audience will be to your story.
Think about all the great stories you have ever heard, watched, or read. All incorporate these three things. Start looking for them. Consider the world’s great stories and how those stories made you feel, what fight the heroes were up against, and what they tried to accomplish!
So the next time you are faced with an everyday challenge, fight or experience major feelings, know you are creating a solid life story for yourself! As always…
Dream BIG,
Ryan
