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Dec 12

Ryan Avery: 12 Photos for 12/12

By Ryan Avery Motivation 4 Comments

Several of us are getting together to go through all of our photos this year and selecting twelve photos that highlight the best, worst, happiest, saddest, coolest, most adventurous, or most terrifying moments of our year! Here are my #12x12x12 and looking forward to seeing yours! Remember to use the #12x12x12 on social media so we can see your 12 photos!

Photo 1 – Completing the 2013-2014 North American Tour: I learned so many lessons, met so many fantastic people and visited 50 cities in North America with my wife! We lived in hotels for half the year and it was more than difficult to pack for three months at a time but it was worth every minute! Thank you to everyone who came to one of our workshops. Remember, don’t wait for things to happen, make things happen!

Photo 2 – Taking my family to Alaska: The thing I look forward to is spoiling the people who have taken care of me! My mom and dad have always wanted to go to Alaska and after Chelsea and I got on our feet this year we decided to take our family on a 7-Day cruise to say thank you for all they have done for us! We laughed, ate way too much cruise food, went whale watching, played cards and took home a life-time full of memories! I can’t wait to take them on another trip soon!

Photo 3 – Starting the 31 Days of Kindness Challenge with you: This was for sure a highlight of my year! One day I posted this idea on my personal Facebook page and 48 hours later I had over 500 people sign up and jump onboard. We shared photos with our #31DaysofKindess hashtag and together we did more good than most people do in a lifetime! We will do this again next year and make it even bigger, better and spread kindness around the world together! Thank you to everyone who joined in this year!

Photo 4 – The World Record Attempt with Speaker Leader Champion: With the help of 60+ day-of-event volunteers, family and friends all over the world, 16 local and global organizations and partners like McGraw-Hill and CSU, we came together to do something BIG! Our goal was to sign and sell 5,000 books in 12 hours. We sold 1,300 in nine hours. Although we did not reach the goal this time, we raised money for a good cause, showed the world what happens when people come together and helped more than 1,000 people be better leaders! We will break this world record one day and thank you to everyone who supported this attempt, we could not have done it without you! Always go for your BIG dreams, they are worth it and no one benefits from us being average! Even if you don’t make it on your first try, you learn, you get better and you try again!

Photo 5 – Getting our puppy: I mean look at this photo! Sugar (our dog) and Chelsea (my wife) bring so much joy to my life. I will have to say they have made it even harder for me to work from home now that I get stare downs like this! Sugar has been such a joy in our lives (she is even sitting right next to me as I type this article) and thank you mom and dad for saving her life and sending her our way!

Photo 6 – 17 speeches in 17 days in China: Thanks to D85 and D89 this was at the top of my speaking experience this year! It started out with me planning to give four speeches in China and two weeks before I arrived in China we had book events with Speaker Leader Champion, corporate speeches and even more trainings. When I found out it was 17 speeches in 17 days I thought, “Let’s do this!” They treated us so well, we experienced culture, tasted delicious foods and meet so many amazing people! We can’t wait to be back soon!

Photo 7 – Becoming Toastmaster of the Year in my home District (7): This award means a lot to me! District 7 has done so much for me over the years and they are like a second family! When they asked to do a group photo, I thought, “It’s time to beat Ellen’s tweet and make our own!” This one got about 400+ likes so we were only off by only a couple million! Thank you D7 for all you do and have done for me!

Photo 8 – Scuba diving with one year old whales: One of my hosts and meeting planners asked what I would like to do while I was in town and I usually look for places to scuba dive. Well, they gave me the best gift as they took me to a “Sea World” type place and let me scuba dive with whales in one of their aquariums. They gave me a full scuba tank and let me stay in as long as I wanted! It was an experience I will always remember!

Photo 9 – Becoming an approved Vistage Speaker: When I speak at Vistage groups I feel like it is where I am supposed to be! They are all professionals who have businesses and are looking for ways to improve themselves, their customers and their employees! I teach leaders how to use the power of storytelling to sell and motivate others. I am looking forward to speaking to several Vistage groups around the world, starting with four in January 2015! They are a great group of leaders and Garth… if you are reading this… thank you for taking the chance on me, I could’t have done it without you!

Photo 10 – 5th Honeymoon in Thailand: Chelsea and I received advice when we got married to take a honeymoon every year and I think that is some of the best marriage advice we received! This year we explored Thailand and sat on the beach, went scuba diving, played with baby monkeys and relaxed as we reflected on our relationship! If you are married, start planning to take a honeymoon every year to rejuvenate your relationship and reflect on what you like and how you want to improve it moving forward!

Photo 11 – Walking into the Convention Center I am speaking at and seeing myself on the billboard: I start walking to the venue where I am about to speak and look up and there I am! This was one of those “Oh, wow, I am a real speaker!” feelings and I had such a smile on my face I felt like I was an avid football fan and someone told me I just won Super Bowl tickets! Thank you Tim for making this happen and thank you to everyone who came out that night!

Photo 12 – Seeing my book sitting on my nightstand: Without Jeremey Donovan as my co-author, McGraw-Hill as our publisher and my awesome literary agent Jackie, this book would not have been possible! Writing a book was one of the most mentally exhausting challenges of my life with edits, re-writes, edits and more re-writes! Did I mention re-writes? But it was worth it as we created a resource that helps leaders become more influential leaders and succeed at work through the power of public speaking! I am so proud of this book. It has hit #1 on Amazon, been translated into four languages so far and I enjoy receiving emails from readers. But this photo was the one that stopped me in my tracks one night as I was getting ready for bed after a long trip back home I walked into my bedroom to find my book next to my nightstand! It was one of those moments where you get caught off-guard and no one knows why you are smiling other than you! For me, this photo says so much! Thank you to everyone who supports this book, learns from it and shares it with others! Please keep speaking and using your voice to make a difference! Our voices are the most powerful tools on the planet and if we learn how to master the art of communication, we can make a big impact while we are here!

This was a fun exercise and a great way to reflect on your year. I hope you too take the #12x12x12 challenge with us. I am looking forward to seeing your photos! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Dec 10

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The 12 Photo Challenge on 12/12

By Ryan Avery Motivation 2 Comments

Where has 2014 gone? I still can remember partying like it was 1999 as we shot off fire-works on the street in my hometown neighborhood in Houston, TX and thinking how crazy the world would be in ten years! Well, it is 15 years later and here we are!

So what better way to remember this year than taking a night and looking at all of your photos from 2014. All of them!

But here is the challenge! Go through all your photos and remember all your ups and downs, twists and turns, and lessons you learned along the way. Choose twelve photos that stand out for you the most–twelve photos that depict your year!

Pick these twelve photos and share them with us on Facebook on 12/12. Include the following information when you share your blog article or photo album:

NAME: 12 photos for 12/12
(Example: Ryan Avery: 12 photos for 12/12)

Here is text for the album or blog description:
Several of us are getting together to go through all of our photos this year and selecting twelve photos that highlight the best, worst, happiest, saddest, coolest, adventurous, or most terrifying moments of our year!

Here is the hashtag for the album and photos:
When sharing your photos or article on social media use: #12x12x12 so we can all follow each other and see what others post. Tell us about your year’s greatest lessons, stories, insights, sorrows, and triumphs! Let’s see how we can portray our year using twelve photos from the past twelve months!

I am looking forward to seeing your albums and seeing what photos you pick for 2014! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Dec 08

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3 Ways to Expand Your Comfort Zone Today

By Ryan Avery Family & Personal Life No Comments

Whether introverted or extraverted, we can all expand our comfort zone. Here are three ways to expand your comfort zone starting today:

1) Walk into a store and try something on you can’t afford. I did this last week with a Dolce and Gabbana jacket. Wow! It made me feel uncomfortable. The jacket was priced more than my first car! You could tell that all the store clerks knew I was not going to buy it. Go into any Gucci, Tiffany’s, even a Lamborghini dealership and try it out! It will boost your confidence all while expanding your comfort zone.

2) Talk to someone to whom you would never usually speak. Perhaps a homeless person on the street, or someone who has a different sexual orientation, skin color, gender, or race than you! We will all benefit the more all of us get along and become comfortable with each other.

3) Say yes to something that you’ve never tried. Go skydiving or bungee jumping. Go to a new restaurant. Order a different drink at an unfamiliar bar! Say Yes, and see what adventures await you!

Expand your comfort zone because the more comfortable you are the more confident you will feel. I challenge you to try one of these things today and see how big your comfort zone becomes. I bet it will expand by at least 20 feet! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Dec 03

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2014 Holiday Special for Toastmasters

By Ryan Avery Motivation 2 Comments

Happy Holidays to my Toastmasters family! What a year this has been and I am so excited to be starting my fourth year as a Toastmaster in 2015!

Highlights of my 2014 Toastmasters Year

Earned my first DTM
Toastmaster of the Year for District 7
Gave speeches in 12 Districts including the US, Canada and China!
Completed the 2013-2014 North America Tour
Attended the International Convention in Kuala Lumpur
Helped Start Competitive Speakers Clubs Around The World
Co-authored the #1 Best-Selling book on Amazon, Speaker Leader Champion, that shows you the power of Toastmasters and what it can do for our careers

Because you have supported me so much this year, I wanted to put together a special promotion for my Toastmaster family! This discount is for Toastmasters and $5 of each sale will go to support the MFA Grant; where Chelsea and I pay the first year of membership dues to those who are 18-25 and cannot afford joining.

Your Toastmaster Holiday Special Package is Perfect For:

Toastmaster Clubs
Club Members
Aspiring Speakers
Family and Friends
And of course yourself!

I hope you take advantage of this offer as it will help us support more young people to be able to join Toastmaster clubs around the world! In addition, the package will show you how to be a better speaker and leader and show you how you can use your voice to make a difference in 2015!

I hope you have an amazing Holiday Season! Let’s keep making things happen for Toastmasters and our fellow members around the world. Let’s keep growing as speakers, leaders and champions and let’s always remember to…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.S. I only have a limited amount of these so first come first serve.
GET ALL THREE PRODUCTS: ONLY $49.00 + FREE SHIPPING (US ONLY)
OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 5^th
(or while supplies last).

– Or –

Signed Book: $29.00 each
Two-CD Set: $29.00 each
Push Past it DVD: $29.00 each

What do you get in this package?

BOOK: Signed copy of Speaker Leader Champion: Succeed at Work Through The Power of Public Speaking

After reading this book filled with 90+ speaking strategies, you will understand how to:

1) Gain the speaking edge and how to develop/deliver engaging stories
2) Use humor, body language and stories like a champ
3) Manage fear and anxiety while speaking

* PLUS: You get the transcripts from 12 World Championships speeches and inside tips from 12 World Champions on how to be an influential speaker!
______________________________________________________

CD SET: The Averys’ Strategies: 30+ secrets, insights and tips for winning the World Championship of Public Speaking

In this two-hour, two-cd set, you will uncover:

1) Key components in delivering a World Championship Speech!
2) How to keep your audience engaged with your every word!
3) How to deal with nerves and feel confident on stage!
4) What it takes to practice like a champion vs. how most people practice!
______________________________________________________

DVD: Push Past It: The evolution of a competitive speech

In this one-hour DVD, you will learn what it means to:

1) Have your wife as your coach and get your loved ones on board with your big dreams!
2) What it’s like to have another World Champion as your mentor and what they can teach you!
3) What goes into making a six minute winning speech!
4) Why you (yes, you) should compete in the International contest!

______________________________________________________

GET ALL THREE PRODUCTS: ONLY $49.00 + FREE SHIPPING (US ONLY)
OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 5^th

(or while supplies last).

– Or –

Signed Book: $29.00 each
Two-CD Set: $29.00 each
Push Past it DVD: $29.00 each

Dec 01

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9 Reasons Why You Haven’t Accomplished That Goal of Yours

By Ryan Avery Motivation One Comment

So you have this goal! Well, kind of. You have this idea that you have for a goal or something that sounds really cool, but you haven’t accomplished it yet nor have you even told anyone about it because you are afraid that if you do, it might come true or you will fail along the way!

Look, no one benefits from us being average. So, step it up! It is time for you to go after that BIG dream or lofty goal of yours. Wouldn’t you rather fight for something you love doing than die doing something you hate?

We need you to accomplish your goals. We’ll all benefit. It is selfish of you not to go for it because the world is better when your story, your message, your ideas, products or services are shared!

So, if you are making excuses about why you can’t accomplish your goals I am here to tell you that there are nine reasons why you really haven’t accomplished them:

1) You don’t even know what you want. Your goal needs to be SMART. Make it very clear that you know exactly what you want. It is easier to get to a destination if you know where you are going rather than hoping you stumble across it along the way!

2) You haven’t written it down. If you are afraid to write it down, how are you going to get your body to do it? And you can’t just write it down; you need to post it up where you read it everyday!

3) You haven’t told people. Let people help you get to where you want to go. No successful person has ever accomplished anything of value without the help from others. People love to help other people. It is in our nature. They just need to be asked and informed about what it is you want to accomplish.

4) You have not committed to making your goal a priority. Goals have to be a daily priority. You have to stop saying things like “tomorrow” or “when I get this, I will then do XYZ.” Make it a priority!

5) You are afraid of failing. Failure sucks. It really does. It is embarrassing, it is hard, it makes me want to pull my hair out at times. But anytime I fail (which seems to be more often than I would like these days) I remind myself that I am creating a better story. The more failures you have, the better story you have. People love stories, so fail and fail often!

6) You are afraid of succeeding. I am not going to lie. This has been one of the things that has stopped me from accomplishing my dreams more than anything. I like my life and my lifestyle. To pursue your dream means changing your lifestyle. It can be scary. But, we can’t let who we are meant to be hold us back. We should focus on what value we can bring and how many others we can lift up along the way!

7) You think you don’t have the right resources. This is BS! Sorry, but if you are reading this right now that means you have access to the internet and that is the greatest resource of all time. You have the right resources; you just might not know how to use them correctly to get what you want!

8) You don’t know anyone else doing what you want to do. It isn’t easy being a trailblazer, to venture down a path that has never been walked upon. It isn’t easy creating something when you don’t know if it will work or if people will accept it. However, it is worth it because all the things we have were once created by someone like you starting down a new trail!

9) You haven’t started. My favorite quote from Jim Rohn is “You do not have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great!” Too many people procrastinate. They don’t get anything done because they are afraid to get started. Start already. You are not supposed to know how to do it, you are supposed to know what you want to do. Learn along the way!

Go and accomplish those goals of yours! The world needs you to! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Nov 28

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If you want to be the best…

By Ryan Avery World Records No Comments

This article will be short and sweet! If you want to be the best, then all you need to know is this: the only competition is you! You can’t be the best by comparing or holding yourself to other people’s standards. If you want to be the best you need to do your best!

What are you doing today that will make you the best at what you do and remind yourself you have the potential to be number one in your desired category? Stop competing against others and start competing against yourself! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Nov 26

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3 Ways to Make a Thanksgiving Toast People Will Remember

By Ryan Avery Motivation One Comment

It’s time for the holidays and being a true Toastmaster I had to give you three ways to make a Thanksgiving toast people will remember! If you want to make an impression on those you are spending time with this holiday season try one of these three ideas:

1) Share a time your family (or those you are eating with) helped you this year: Most likely people around you have helped you accomplish something in your life this year! Let them know how much you appreciate them and what you learned along the way as they supported you! Relive an up or down moment but make sure to end with a positive story or inspirational thought that will leave everyone happy and thankful that you are in their life!

2) Put a note under everyone’s chair: Before everyone comes over, you can write a letter of thanks to each person who is coming over for dinner. Tape it under their chair if they have assigned seats or pass them out at dinner, but ask them to read it when they get home! Make a short toast to give thanks and remind them why they mean so much to you.

3) Initiate A “One Word” Toast: Start by sharing the power of one word and let everyone go around the room to say in one word what are they thankful for (some people will say things like family, health, love, house, kids or friends). Take photos throughout the night and remember their one word. The next morning in a subject line write their one word and then attach the photos with a message that says, “Me, too!”

Happy Thanksgiving Todayers! I am so thankful I have you in my life. You give me an outlet to share my voice, you have helped me learn so much along the way, and have truly made me into the speaker I am today! I would not be here without all of you, and I am so lucky to be able to do what I do! If I can remind you to do one thing today and forever it would always be…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

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Nov 24

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: HOW TO WRITE YOUR BESTSELLING BOOK IN 2015

By Ryan Avery Motivation No Comments

Nov 21

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7 Ways to Stop Procrastinating Starting Tomorrow

By Ryan Avery Leadership, Motivation, Productivity No Comments

Procrastination is one of the biggest challenges leaders can face. I know the first step for me in getting over my procrastination addiction is finding ways to not let the pressure of the deadline motivate me. So what can we do about it?

Here are Seven Ways to Stop Procrastinating Starting Tomorrow:

1) Make a list: Write down all the things you need to get done on a piece of paper, on your computer notepad, cell phone, or anywhere you look on a regular basis.

2) Break it up: Let’s say you have 19 things to get done on your to-do list. Pick three to accomplish each day. Not 19! Three tasks, that’s it! If you have one really large task, break it up into even smaller components. For example, if you need to create a proposal for a new client, break it up into (a) research the company for one hour (b) write the proposal for three hours (c) spend one hour proofreading and seeing what else you need to add before sending it off to the client. Get three things done each day that are the most important. If you accomplish those, then move on to more! This will help you feel accomplished and train your brain to get more done.

3) Ask yourself what happens if you don’t get it done: What are the consequences if you procrastinate doing what you have planned? Will you be more stressed? Will you have to ditch your friends or family? Loss of sleep? What do you lose if you wait till the very end to get it done?

4) Ask yourself what happens if you do get it done: On the flip side, what do you get if you do it now? More time? More money? More experiences with your kids and family or friends? More opportunity to accomplish more? Knowing what you’ll get will help motivate you to get it done early!

5) Eliminate temptations: The best way to stop procrastinating is to get rid of the time wasters: social media, your cell phone, and people coming in and out of your office asking you questions. When I have tasks I need to do, my wifi is off, my phone is not in my office, and my door is shut. If you are being interrupted every ten minutes, it is hard to get anything done!

6) Get someone to hold you accountable: Let others know what you want to get done and by when. We seldom like to let those we love and like down, so if you tell them what you plan to do and by when, they will motivate you to get it done. You can also add a little more pressure by saying to the person, “and if I don’t get it done a week before my deadline, I will give you $20 cash!”

7) Reward Yourself: After every three things I accomplish each day, I reward myself. I either go for a walk, get a drink with my friends or watch a show with my wife. Don’t wait for the big reward at the end; reward yourself every step of the way!

Procrastination can be your worst enemy. It is definitely a habit worth breaking! Try incorporating one of these into your daily routine and see how much better you feel and how much more you accomplish in an everyday work situation! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan Avery

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Nov 18

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Ryan Avery’s Videos

By Ryan Avery Motivation, Videos One Comment

Here you can watch several of Ryan Avery’s full keynotes and trainings in a variety of industry settings. Below Ryan illustrates his flexibility when working with you and your team, his ability to relate to his audience and his value to all in attendance.

WATCH: Ryan Avery Training Reel
Ryan Avery has trained leaders on every continent in the world. Ryan has proven experience in captivating diverse audiences that range in age, size and industry. Watch now what value Ryan Avery brings to this team of leaders at Diageo’s World Class Business Training Day and the refreshing, proven and valuable content he delivers every time!

WATCH: Ryan Avery’s Keynote Speaker’s Reel
Get the taste of what it’s like to have Ryan Avery as your keynote speaker and what his audience members say after they hear him speak. When you are looking for the keynote speaker to wow your audience, to motivate your audience and to educate your audience in the most refreshing, proven and valuable way, Ryan Avery is the speaker you are looking for!

WATCH: EXECUTIVE KEYNOTE – Vistage International VES
Ryan Avery delivers his Go from A to THE keynote at the Denver Vistage Executive Summit in front of 300 CEOs and their Key Executives. Ryan Speaks to 40+ Vistage groups and events throughout the year with his average rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 in content and delivery.

WATCH: LARGE AUDIENCE KEYNOTE – Uponor User Conference
Ryan Avery delivers the opening keynote at Uponor’s User Conference at the Las Vegas Bellagio hotel in front of 1,000 leaders. Ryan spoke for 35 minutes instead of 60 minutes as to get the conference back on track with time. Ryan is flexible, professional and the easiest speaker you will ever work with.

WATCH: COLLEGE KEYNOTE – IACURH Conference
Ryan Avery delivers the custom keynote for IACURH’s annual conference titled, “This is Our Time” as it was the theme of the conference. Ryan spoke, inspired and educated more than 300 college students and he ended his talk with a rousing standing “O” ovation!

WATCH: NON-PROFIT KEYNOTE – Vancouver District 96 Conference
Ryan Avery delivers the opening keynote for the D96 Conference in Vancouver, Canada in front of 200+ Toastmasters. Ryan has spoken to over 30 Toastmaster Districts around the world and has helped start 8 clubs in four countries since 2012.

WATCH: World Record Video
Ryan Avery and his wife, Chelsea Avery, recently set the World Record for being the Youngest Couple to Professionally Speak on All Seven Continents. They were a combined age of 29 years, 8 months and 12 days. They accomplished this by professionally speaking in seven continents in seven months, with their last training in Antarctica on November 28, 2015.

Nov 17

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Chelsea’s China Quotes

By Ryan Avery Motivation 2 Comments

To keep the “quote” tradition alive I wanted to show you that Chelsea is the same in China as she is the United States! Here are 10 quotes from Chelsea during our trip across the Pacific!

“I got you a cookie… but then I ate it!”
* In relation to her walking 25 feet to get me a cookie but it looking “too good” on the long walk back to our table that she had to eat it!

“Here help me hide these!”
* In relation to her grabbing seven cookies at another event and asking me to put some in my bag so people didn’t notice how many she took!

(I think Chelsea may or may not have a cookie problem).

“You need to do something with your hair and face!”
* In relation to me about to go on stage to speak in front of 500 people

“You are a cow! Fine, I will try it!”
* Me putting butter on my 3rd croissant I ate for breakfast

“No! I watch too many crime shows and I would know how to cover it up!”
* In relation to me saying, “That would be so sad if you accidentally killed me!”

“So… I got fries!”
* In relation to me asking what she got for breakfast

“Ok, I will stay awake for your presentation. I just got my second wind!”
* In relation to her being tired! Just curious… was there ever an option that she could sleep in the front row while I was speaking?

“Ahh, that kid kind of makes me want to have a kid…nope! Nope… never mind!”
* In relation to seeing this adorable little kid walk by us and as Chelsea said that, the boy sneezed on her

“They should test movies on me!”
* In relation to her watching a commercial and it making her cry

“I felt like I was just in a cologne ad!”
* In relation to being crammed in a tiny elevator with 10 Italian guys and a man’s hairy chest pressed up against Chelsea’s face while she stood in the middle

Remember to start your own quote book with your family, friends and loved ones. You can use those quotes in your speeches later and they make for good memories when you go back and read through them! Enjoy the start to your week and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

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