The Output Habit: Recent Episodes
Mark Robinson
Follow the journey of a recovering procrastinator and over-thinker as he learns to create content that serves other people.
Sometimes we prepare ourselves for that big moment, we do everything right…and then we blow it. Many of us know what it’s like to choke under pressure. It never feels good. But there are always lessons to be learned through every experience. In this episode, I reflect on a disappointing performance at the Frontline OCR and share some thoughts on how to process failure and how to use the opportunity to become stronger going forward.
Heading into my race last weekend, I felt a weird mix of emotions. On one hand, it felt like I was playing with house money. I was grateful just to be able to participate because it looked like I might not even be able to race two months ago. On the other hand, I felt like there was extra pressure to make the most of this race because I don’t know when or if I’ll be able to compete like this again. This experience gave me the opportunity to reflect on the temporary nature of this life: nothing lasts forever. Sooner or later there will be a final race. And when it’s all over, I will want to look back and know that I made the most of every opportunity.
This is part 2 from my last episode, “The Disconnect,” about why we don’t follow through on things we know we should do. Ironically, I recorded this episode over 2 months ago, right before my son was born prematurely and transferred to the NICU. Yes, I need to give myself some grace because this has been a life-altering experience, but I also know that I had many opportunities to finalize and publish this episode sooner and I simply didn’t follow through. However, I’m looking forward to getting back into a rhythm again and bringing you new episodes on a more regular basis.
The other day I was asked by a friend: “Why can’t I do the things I know I ought to do?”At some point or another, we’ve all experienced the disconnect between knowing what we should do and actually doing it.Some people seem to have a harder time closing that gap and following through than others. Why is that?Every person and situation is unique, but in this episode, I contend that the primary root of this issue is a lack of belief.
As scary as it may be to start something new, one of the few comforting thoughts you can always fall back on is: “I’m still new at this.” A lot of mistakes can be smoothed over because you’re still considered a novice. But at some point, the expectation is to graduate to intermediate and advanced. Being willing to start something new and go through the process of being a beginner is noble. Staying a beginner forever is not. At some point, you need to level up.
After The Abominable Snow Race 2024, Nate Duisterhof and I broke it down on the way home. We got his perspective as a first-timer and talked about how we can use difficult challenges like these OCR events to prepare us for the real trials that life will throw at us.
In this pre-race episode, I’m joined by special guest: Nathan Duisterhof. We rode down to the Abominable Snow Race together and talked about our hopes, expectations, and mindsets heading into the event. It was interesting to get the perspective of Nate who was not only doing his first winter OCR, but his first ever obstacle course race! Not exactly where most people start when they first get into this sport. What leads a person to make such a drastic shift like that? Listen in to our conversation and find out! :)
It’s been two and a half years since I started making content and posting it regularly on social media. Seems like a good time to look back and reflect on what sparked that change in the first place.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to do less overthinking and taking more action. In the process, I’ve learned about the value of “just starting” and learning what I need along the way. While that’s helped me to break some of my overthinking tendencies, I’ve realized that I need to be more intentional about how I’m going to grow and develop once I’ve begun. Without a plan to get a little bit better each day, I’m going to stay stuck at my current level. It’s OK to be a beginner when you’re just starting something new, but it’s not good to remain a novice indefinitely.
When you’re trying to make something happen or make a change, it’s usually not the big issues that get in your way…it’s all the little things that slow you down.
Everyone is a consumer. We all eat, drink, buy things, read, watch, listen, and, of course, scroll social media. But the idea is to become someone who doesn’t just spend their lives consuming. Hopefully we strive to produce, to contribute, to leave a legacy. Of course, we never stop consuming; it’s part of life. But if we want our lives to be a net positive to those around us instead of a drain, we eventually need to increase the ratio of our production to our consumption.
It’s one thing to be artistic and make things that you like. It’s another thing to be creative and thoughtful, and make things that serve other people. But how do I know if I am the only one who likes what I’m making? How do I know when I’ve gotten good enough at my craft that my creative abilities can actually add value to other people? My answer: keep making stuff, put yourself out there, and when people start asking you to make stuff for them, you’ll know you’re on the right track.
People often say that “comparison is the thief of joy”. And I know what they’re trying to say. But comparison isn’t the problem. Noticing the differences between people (or between myself and others) is unavoidable. The question is: How will I respond? Will I allow it to breed discontentment and envy? Or is there a more productive way to use this information?
The day before a race always has me a little on edge. Recording a podcast and sharing my pre-race thoughts has become something of a tradition (and therapy) for me. In this episode, I talk about my expectations for the race and what kind of thoughts I’m dealing with as I get ready to take on an event that I’ve never competed in before.
Everything always comes back to “Why?” Unless there’s a clear answer to the question, “Why am I doing this?” then it’s only a matter of time before we fizzle out. Asking myself, “What’s at stake?” is just another way of getting at the “Why?” By creating a sense of urgency in terms of what I stand to gain or lose, it renews my focus and helps me connect the daily grind with the big picture.
It didn’t happen overnight, but by taking one step at a time and being content with slow progress, I’ve now reached 100 episodes of the Output Habit podcast. They haven’t been perfect or polished, but I’ve learned a lot about myself, about communication, and building brand. Time to take a look back and see how far we’ve come in the past two years.
Earlier this year, I had the honor and privilege of being a guest on the Ontentional Podcast with Nathan Finet and his friend & cohost, Scott. They were interested in asking me about everything I have going on (creating content, running a business, leading a ministry, raising a family, and competing as an OCR athlete), why I do it, and how I pull it off.I really appreciated the questions they asked and the conversation that was sparked. So, I thought it would be worth sharing (with permission) in this episode of the Output Habit podcast. Hope you enjoy.To follow Nathan and see how he is applying principles of personal growth and content creation in his own life, give the Ontentional podcast a listen: https://open.spotify.com/show/0r4cblul0GglqpI4iGQxDt?si=tR10V4nBRh2ba3YhIXo3ogOr subscribe to his YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@Ontentional?si=JduiBlk7lbu5yU2POr follow him on Instagram: @nathan_finet
At some point, most of us realize we need to make a change. Perhaps it’s a small change, perhaps it revolutionary. It could involve our health, our job, a relationship. Whatever the case, all change involves sacrifice: giving up something familiar now, for something more valuable later. But even when we admit a problem with the status quo or identify a better way of doing things, making the switch is rarely easy. It requires patience with the process and perspective that I hope to provide in this episode of The Output Habit Podcast.
On the 4th of July, many of us in the United States are thinking about and celebrating freedom. But there is some disagreement today about what it means to be a “free country”. What exactly should we be free to do? What should we not be allowed to do? What sort of freedom were our forefathers fighting for?
In this episode, we weigh into this discussion of freedom and distinguish between liberty and license. One of these is true freedom, but the other is a counterfeit.
I recently heard comedian, Michael Jr., say that if you only focus on questions like “What do you want to do when you grow up?” then the alarm clock will always be waking you up in the morning. But if you can answer the question, “Who do you want to serve?” then you’ll be waking up the alarm clock! What we do has much more purpose and meaning when we identify how we’re going to make a difference in the lives of other people.
In this episode of the Output Habit Podcast, we welcome Gabe Seymour of Pest Patrol PDX back on to the show to talk about what it means to "assume the center".
According to Gabe, if you are not assuming the center in your industry, then someone else is. Join us as we talk about why this is so important, not only to how we build our brands and conduct ourselves in business, but in every aspect of our lives.
To see more of what Gabe is doing to revolutionize the pest control industry, check him out on LinkedIn (as "Gabe Seymour"), on Youtube (@pestpatrol6499), and on Instagram (@pestpatrolpdx).
In this special, post-race episode, I recap my first appearance in the Frontline OCR. As I drove home and reflected on the event, I had to come to grips with some disappointment while also acknowledging that I still had a lot to be proud of. I realized that few things in life are all good or all bad; they’re usually a mixed bag. The important thing is to remember to celebrate the positives and learn from the negatives.
On my way to the Frontline OCR, I recorded an episode about “hype”. Have I played up this event too much in my content? In my own mind? Tune in to hear the verdict.
Not everyone is a good fit for the product you’re trying to sell or the position you’re trying to fill. The sooner salespeople and recruiters start recognizing that fact, start treating people like individuals, and start using discernment to evaluate where their solution is a fit (and where it isn’t!), the better it will be for their business and their brand. Trying to pound square pegs into round holes is a huge waste of time & energy and it doesn’t love your neighbor because you’re only focused on what you want rather than what is best for others.
If we really put ourselves out there (if we say what we really think, highlight what we’re good at, get honest about our shortcomings, etc.) some people will love us and some people will hate us. We don’t need to be intentionally abrasive or confrontational. Simply articulating who we are and what we stand for is enough to draw both friends and enemies.Many of us hold back because we don’t want to be hated. But in the process, we miss out on the opportunity to connect with those who would have loved us for who we really are.
Everyone owns something. Some people own commodities, real estate, stocks, bonds, businesses, intellectual property, etc. But everyone owns their skills and experience. Taking ownership of one’s skills means knowing the value you have to offer. Even an “employee” can see themselves as an “owner” when they know what they have to bring to the table and how much it’s worth to other companies. Employees also own the decision of how they will develop their skills, how they will add to their experience, and where they will apply them. Will they offer their abilities to Company A? Company B? Or will they start their own company and use their skills to build that? When we take ownership (i.e. “responsibility”) over what we have, suddenly we become aware of the vast opportunity in front of us.
Procrastination is personal. We each have our own reasons for why we might choose to put things off. Sometimes we’d rather do something else, so we put off the task we should be doing. Sometimes we’re unsure how to proceed, so we pause and wait for inspiration to strike. Some of us are perfectionists, so we delay completing projects to avoid facing the fact that we’re not as talented as we want to be. Whatever our reasons for procrastinating, if we want to quit this bad habit we need to take a good, hard look in the mirror. For me, I realized that I had to get brutally honest with myself, identify my fear, and face it. It doesn’t feel good at first. But once you accept an unpleasant reality, it frees you up to take the necessary steps to change.
My old tagline had been “Everything is Service.” And I still believe that sentiment to be true. But I’ve come to see the phrase “Put Yourself Out There” as a better reflection of what The Output Habit is really about. So in this episode, I break down what this new slogan means to me and my brand, and what kind of guidelines I use as I put myself out there through my content.
When I teach my fitness class at the juvenile detention center, I’m continually reminding the teens that discipline is freedom. And discipline is simply the ability to choose something better than my immediate, reactionary desire. So whether we develop discipline through physical fitness, reading good books, spiritual practices, or any other good habit, it will serve us well in just about every other aspect of life. If we can get ourselves to do hard things in one area, that’s a skill that can carry over to other areas as well. Once we develop the capacity to choose the long-term good over the short-term comfort, we now have options. Thus, we have more freedom because we’re no longer confined by our knee-jerk reactions.
I’ve found that I (and others) have a tendency to get caught up fixing the “wrong” thing. When we face an issue that’s out of our comfort zone or difficult for us to wrap our heads around, we sometimes respond by re-doubling our efforts in a different, unrelated area. We will, perhaps, focus on some project that’s more in our wheelhouse, but doesn’t address the main challenge we’re facing.It can be easy to just spend our energy on the things that already make sense to us rather than take the time to work through things that make us uncomfortable. We can feel like we’re making progress, but really we’re just ignoring the issue.In this episode, I share an example of how I’ve been guilty of this and how I’m working to develop better self-awareness.
What gets you up in the morning? What gets you fired up for the day? Why are some people excited to get going every morning while others can barely drag themselves out of bed? The difference is drive. People with purpose feel driven to do what it takes to accomplish something that’s bigger than themselves. Living a purposeful life is much more challenging, but also more meaningful and fulfilling. In this episode, I share a few of the things that get me out of bed each morning.
When working on creative projects, it’s sometimes a challenge to say when they’re really done. It’s always possible to add one more thing or make one more edit; you can almost always make it “better” somehow. At what point do you take your hands off and say, “OK, that’s enough”? In this episode, I share a few thoughts I’ve had on this topic recently.
Some people don’t like to set goals because they’re afraid of falling short. “What if I set a goal and don’t hit it? I’ll feel like a failure.” If we take an all-or-nothing approach to goal-setting, then we’re misunderstanding what goals are for. They are tools meant to help us make progress in a direction we already want to go. Your goals should serve you, not the other way around. You are not a slave to your goals. If you set a goal to lose 10 lbs in a month and you only lose 7 lbs are you a failure? Or are you better off than the person who set no goal and lost 0 lbs? Furthermore, did you learn anything from that experience? Are you now in a position to set a better goal? Do you perhaps have a better chance of hitting your goal the next time around? Learn from your failures and you will be successful. Let your failures define you, and they will.
It’s been almost a month since my disappointing performance at the Abominable Snow Race. In this episode of the Output Habit Podcast, I talk about what I’ve been doing to move on from that setback so that I can focus on the positives going forward.
Sometimes life doesn’t go the way you hoped it would. Sometimes those setbacks are minor…other times they’re quite significant. My race last weekend didn’t turn out the way I thought or hoped it would. And while it wasn’t on the same level as losing a job or losing a loved one, it still stung and it has still been a challenge to process. Furthermore, the principles for dealing with disappointments are, in principle, the same whether we would consider them “big” or “small”. This means I have both the opportunity to practice those principles in a moment like this, as well as an opportunity to share those principles with you as I apply them in real time by recording this post-race episode. I hope you find it helpful.
I came into my last race with high hopes and expectations. In this special race edition of The Output Habit Podcast, I talk about how to handle the pressure of trying to meet the expectations that we put on ourselves or the expectations we perceive from others.
A lot of people talk about the importance of “adding value to others”. And it is an important topic whether you want to be successful in business, ministry, media, politics, relationships, etc. We were put on this earth to serve other people. That’s why I say that everything ultimately boils down to service. But everyone is different. Therefore, if someone is going to add the most value to others (i.e. serve people the best they can), then they need to identify and maximize the particular value that they have to offer. It is when we are serving others out of our unique strengths and gifts that we are able to add the most value to them and enjoy the most success in life.
So, you want to be an entrepreneur? Seems to be a trendy thing these days. In many ways, I think that’s a good thing. But being an entrepreneur is more about solving problems for people than it is owning your own business, being your own boss, getting rich, or getting free. But which problem(s) should you be working to solve? It’s nearly impossible for someone else to answer that question for you, but in this episode of the Output Habit podcast I give a few ideas to think about for anyone who is on that journey of self-discovery.
It’s one thing to set a goal. It’s another thing to make a plan to make that goal a reality. In this episode, I talk about how I set a goal, reverse engineer it to figure out what it takes to meet that goal, count the cost to see if I’m willing or able to do what’s required, and then make a plan to give myself the best opportunity to succeed.
We all have “off” days. We can’t be at our best all the time. But just because I’m not able to give my best some days, doesn’t mean I have nothing to give. It’s still better to do something on those “off” days and be content with a little progress than to start skipping entire days and developing an “all or nothing” mindset.
Getting your head right is just as important, if not more important, then getting your body ready to compete. My guest on this episode is Ryan Teigen, a performance coach with a master’s degree in sports psychology. I had a great time getting to know Ryan as we talked about running, mental preparation for training and competition, as well as the hustle that is required when you run your own business.For more information about Ryan’s coaching business or to follow the thoughts he shares on his blog, check out perseveranceperformance.com
This episode is clearly influenced by Darren Doane. Listening to his podcast helped me understand and embrace the “punk rock” mindset when creating my content. It helped me realize that both content-creation and running a small business are disruptive by nature. Both reject the status quo & gatekeepers. Both involve independence. And both require thick skin. So if I sometimes come across with a bit of an edge, it’s not because I’m trying to be be disrespectful or rebellious. It’s because I’ve accepted the fact that I’m in a fight. And if I want to build a business that is going to support my family, I need to take that seriously.
My apologies for taking so long to get this episode out. In the coming year, I plan to be more disciplined and professional with my podcast. I’m also hoping to get my family more involved in the content-creation business. Stay tuned to see how that progresses.
Do you know why you’re doing what you’re doing? Do other people? Whether in my family, in my business, or in my ministry, I want to be clear about WHY we do what we do. That’s where all the meaning and purpose lies. Whenever I feel like I’m drifting off course, my first step is to get back to communicating and reinforcing the “Why”.
Some athletes are known for having a “screw loose”. They seem to relish the nasty or painful aspects of their sport and throw their bodies around with little regard for their safety or physical well-being. There’s something wrong with those people. But just because an athlete embraces adversity or gets excited about a challenge, it doesn’t put him in the same category. You don’t have to be crazy to recognize that going through difficulty has the potential to make you stronger and develop your character. The best athletes and teammates I’ve ever observed are the ones who are able to approach adversity with positivity and enthusiasm. Those are the guys you want on your team on those tough conditioning days. Their attitude lifts everyone’s spirits and helps the team rise to the occasion. There’s nothing crazy about that at all. And this discipline of maintaining a positive outlook while going through something hard is even more valuable in everyday life, but I noticed it takes extra effort to transfer this mentality from the sports field to the home or the office. It doesn’t just happen by itself.
The maxim of “document, don’t create” really helped me get started in creating content. It took the pressure off to be “creative” so I could just focus on being real. But at some point, I started to doubt myself. I realize that I do a lot of the same things every day. Now I see that as a good thing because I’m trying to be consistent and build good habits. But does that get boring for anyone watching the content I put out? You need some repetition to get a message across, but how much is too much? That’s what I try to figure out in today’s episode.
When you hit a dead end, sometimes the best way forward is to go back to the beginning and start fresh. As I seek to find my as a content creator, I sometimes find that I have drifted a bit into the weeds. When that happens, I find it’s best to return to my roots and think through where I was trying go and why I started in the first place.
I’ve become a big believer in the value of taking action. Better to just start, make some mistakes, and learn by doing than to overthink everything and never get going. However, not all action leads to progress. When we start doing something new, we’re usually not very good at it. Without a commitment (and a process) for getting better, we can very easily stay mediocre, even if we’re technically “doing something” every day.
I’ve realized that I have been avoiding talking about some of the negative experiences on my content-creation journey. And there are probably various reasons for that: pride, embarrassment, wanting to stay optimistic & upbeat, not wanting people to feel sorry for me, etc. But I’ve also realized that if I’m going to stay true to my values of authenticity, transparency, and honesty, then I need to find an appropriate way to communicate about both my successes and failures. This is going to be a challenge for me, but I believe it’s also going to make me a better story teller.
Building a brand is all about communication. A lot of that has to do with what you say: communicating who you are and what you’re about. But, as anyone with a decent marriage will tell you, communication is a two-way street. Thus, any successful relationship (whether a friendship or a business partnership) requires a trust that is only possible through listening.
My guest for this episode of The Output Habit Podcast is Forrest Dawkins. Forrest is a fellow businessman, fitness enthusiast, and disciple of Christ. We set aside some time to talk about supplements, coaching, fitness, social medial, the 75 Hard challenge, and the importance of developing consistency in our lives.
Forrest is an independent health coach with Optavia and you can follow or contact him through his Facebook page to learn more (just search "Forrest Dawkins" on Facebook).
Whenever we start thinking that something is beneath us, we’d better watch out. Not only might we be exhibiting a type of pride that leads to destruction, but may also be in danger of missing out on opportunities that we have wrongly prejudged.
We often keep our gifts, talents, and creativity to ourselves because we think it’s “not good enough”. But where do we get that idea? Who says it’s not good enough? How good does it have to be so that it’s “enough”? Usually what we mean is that it’s not as good as something or someone else. But does that really mean it’s not good enough to bless someone else? That it doesn’t have value? What you have will never be perfect, and it may never even be as good as you want it to be, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start using it (today!) to serve others.
I started the Output Habit Podcast about a year ago. It was right around the time I started refining my training to focus specifically on obstacle course racing. In this episode, I talk about some of the lessons that I’ve learned throughout that process and how they relate to other areas of life outside of athletics.
In this pre-race episode, I talk about the two ditches we want to stay out of when it comes to work or training: laziness and burnout. It’s good to work hard. Sometimes we’re too easy on ourselves and stop short of the greatness we’re capable of. Our laziness causes us to miss out on what we could have accomplished, the good we could have produced, or the difference we could have made. It’s also good to rest, reflect, and enjoy the fruit of our labor. Sometimes we push ourselves beyond our capacity as if we think we’re super-human when we’re not. And when our own limitations catch up with us, it’s not pretty. At that point, we’re no longer any good to anyone. So long-term effectiveness involves a healthy rhythm that includes a strong work ethic combined with rest, self-awareness, and humility.
Quantity or quality? When it comes to marketing and brand-building, it’s ideally both! But when time is limited, quantity needs to have priority and perfectionism needs to be discarded. Keeping the steady flow of communication about the brand (who I am, what I’m doing, and what I’m about) is more important than taking a lot of extra time to make sure everything is polished.
Sometimes we get so worried and worked up about a situation that we make it much worse in our head than it is in real life. We can put ourselves through through 100x more hardship in our own minds than our bodies will ever have to endure. I was guilty of this type of inflation last weekend. The difficulty I had imagined for myself going into my race was far greater than what I actually had to deal with. It was good practice, though, as I learn how to anticipate potential obstacles without psyching myself out.
“Success” can be a very subjective word. It often means different things to different people. A lot of it comes down to your expectations. I try to find that sweet spot where realism and idealism meet - given what I am capable of at this point, what is the best possible result that I could expect? At the same time, the risks need to be weighed against the possible rewards. If I push myself as hard as I possibly can, what do I stand to gain? What do I stand to lose? In this episode, I think through these issues as I head into my race and consider how they may be applied to other areas of life as well.
In this episode, I continue on the theme of priorities from the last episode. Because we were not created to be single-faceted beings, only doing one thing every day throughout our lives, we have the responsibility of managing multiple aspects of life: faith, family, finances, health, hobbies, etc. As a result, we all have to make choices between multiple good options like: spend time with my family or work on something that will feed/support my family. Properly ordering and integrating this priorities is essential to living life well.
My business is supposed to support my family, not the other way around. That’s always worth noting because the business will always take whatever time and effort I can give. It’s important to keep my priorities straight and always remember who and what is supposed to come first in my life.
In this episode of the Output Habit Podcast, I give another update on how my TikTok project is going, how I’m using LinkedIn to document the process, and I share an unexpected retail story that left me feeling encouraged.
After one week into my Tik Tok experiment, I document the results so far and share some of my initial observations.
When I had Darren Doane on the podcast, he was kind enough to offer some very specific advice tailored to my personal business context. In this episode of the Output Habit Podcast, I talk about the first steps that I’ve taken to apply that advice and my initial thoughts as I make these adjustments.
In this episode, I take some time to reflect back on my interview with Darren Doane and think a little deeper about a couple of the things he said. The emergence of parallel economies that we see happening in the world right now presents some interesting opportunities for those who are paying attention and are prepared to communicate who they are and what they value.
I'm excited to share this special episode of the Output Habit Podcast with you! My guest this week was Darren Doane of the Doane Creative Agency and he shares about how he is starting to pivot again in his business. For the past 3 years he has been teaching himself how social media and brand building work and has become one of the most thoughtful people in the world on these topics. Now he is evaluating how to best capitalize on what he has learned so far and shares some of his early observations right here on the Output Habit Podcast. To hear more about his "punk rock" background as a film maker and get more context for his outlook on the world, you can check out any of the podcast links below:
Doanecast Ep 1 "Don't Let Your Content Be Precious": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flashback-episode-1-dont-let-your-content-be-precious/id1451774190?i=1000524823077
182 News Ep 42 "Darren Doane Interview": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrnwG7gAehI
Life On Target Ep 30 "Build Strong Brands Through Hustle and Persistence": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-strong-brands-through-hustle-and-persistence/id1596485782?i=1000564158262
You can also follow Darren on social media: Instagram - @doanecreativeofficial TikTok - @doaneit LinkedIn - Darren Doane
To follow how I'm taking Darren's concepts and applying them in my own business, you can follow me at: Instagram - @outputhabit TikTok - @outputhabitxs Facebook Page - Output Habit LinkedIn - Mark Robinson
And you can also check out my retail website here (any purchases on this site support our family business): www.amway.com/myshop/outputhabit
You can always DM me with any questions or email at TheOutputHabit@gmail.com
Thanks for listening!
With the amount of low-hanging fruit in the world we live in today, from inexpensive technology to social media platforms to direct sales opportunities, it has never been easier to build a business and build a brand that can make a significant impact for the Kingdom of God.
The recent birth of my 6th child gave me the occasion to reflect on our family philosophy and link it to my recently shared mission statement. It all connects!
The fourth and final episode in this mini-series is about measures. If our mission statement answers the question, “Where are we going?” then our measures answer the question of “Are we there yet?” Or at the very least, the measures tell us if we’re getting closer. In this episode, I break down the 6 measures I have identified that tell me if I am making progress toward my own personal mission statement. I hope this series has been helpful to you in bringing clarity to where you’re trying to go in life and how you’re going to get there.
There may be more than one way to get from point A to point B. But it is our values that will determine which route we take. Do we want the fastest way? Do we want the safest way? Do we want the most scenic route? Identifying those things that are most important to us will not only help us set a good destination, it will also make sure we are taking the path that makes the most sense.
This is part 2 of my mini-series on writing a personal mission statement. In the last episode, I identified what I believe to be my mission in life - what I’m supposed to accomplish. Today, I dive into the strategy that I see as being the most effective in accomplishing that mission.
I just finished my personal mission statement! In this episode, I reveal what I came up with and explain my thought process behind it. I hope it helps you to gain more clarity about your own purpose in life and what you want to accomplish with the time you’ve been given.
It’s true that words without action are meaningless. But words still play a vital role in bridging the gap between ideas and action. By sharing our thoughts out loud and writing our goals down, we can bring way more clarity and intentionality to those dreams and ideas than if we just let them stay in our heads.
Trust is essential for any meaningful relationship, which includes business. Traditionally, businesses develop trust by establishing themselves and their brand. I this has typically been an expensive process, involving a physical storefront or ad space or both. But as more opportunities become available, and the barriers to entry are coming down, how does someone establish themselves with credibility? How do they demonstrate that they have skin in the game and when so little capital is needed to get started these days?
A conversation that started out as a former student and me simply catching up, turned into an interesting discussion about how brands develop customer loyalty. This is why I try to just document everything (when possible).
In this episode, I have a surprise conversation with Darren Doane of the Doane Creative Agency. He invited me to hop on his Instagram live on the spot and we spent the next 20 minutes talking about counseling, Amway, brand building, and blue-collar hustle.
This was a lot of fun for me as Darren’s podcast inspired everything I’ve been doing with content this past year (including my own podcast!). I hope you enjoy!
I would encourage everyone to check out what Darren is doing with his company by following him on LinkedIn, Instagram (@doanecreativeofficial), TikTok (@doaneit), and checking out his podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-doane-cast/id1451774190
In this episode, I reflect on how my race went and share my thoughts on the importance of “game-specific” training. No matter what your goals are in life, you need to be clear on what you want, what you’ll need to overcome to get there, and how can you tailor your preparation to the obstacles you’ll face along the way.
In this episode, I talk about how I manage negative thoughts as I mentally prepare before The Abominable Snow Race!
Treating others the way we want to be treated is always the right way to operate, whether it’s in business, in ministry, or any other kind of interpersonal relationship. When I think about how much I have appreciated the willingness of others to create content and put themselves out there so that I can learn and benefit from them, it just makes sense to me that I would learn to do the same.
For a long time, I’ve believed that the “growth” zone exists between the “comfort” zone and the “danger” zone. Thus, I continue to push myself, take calculated risks, and find new challenges that stretch me. However, while it may be good to get out of one’s comfort zone on a regular basis, growth can’t happen if you’re injured or dead. So, a lot of wisdom and thoughtfulness is still required in this process. But when you find that sweet spot, that edge of what is safe and comfortable, a lot of cool things happen. Of course, everyone needs to find “their edge”. We’re all that a different spot in life, and what may be comfortable for one person is actually dangerous for another. So be wise. Become self-aware. Figure out where you’re at and find ways to grow your capacity.
This episode documents the first live conversation I've ever had with Gabe Seymour of "Pest Patrol" in Portland, OR. We came across each other's content over social media and recognized that we were both striving to follow Darren Doane's example in building our brands. After following each other's posts for a few months, we thought it would be worthwhile to hit the record button and get better acquainted. We have both been blessed and encouraged by each other's content and pursuit of excellence. It was a blast getting to know each other better and hearing more of the other's story. Hope you enjoy! You can follow Gabe Seymour on LinkedIn or Instagram (@pestpatrolpdx). Don't forget to check out the "Pest Patrol" YouTube channel for tips on controlling pests at your house and if you're in the Portland area, check out their website to get a quote on pest control services: www.pestpatrolpdx.com.
On this episode, Shane Laufman joins me again to talk about content creation, crypto currency, NFTs, teaching brand-building principles to young athletes, and much more! Lots going on in this one so strap in!
While it’s good to put out a lot of content and get better by taking action, it’s also important to be thoughtful and intentional. In this episode, I take some time to think through how I want to focus my content and my brand while trying to keep up consistent output.
We all have to deal with uncomfortable things at times. Life has a way of coming at us when we least expect it. By choosing to get out of our comfort zones on a regular basis, we are better prepared for when life thrusts us into a situation that is neither pleasant nor comfortable.
With ownership comes complications. When things break down or when something doesn’t turn out right, if it’s your business, your family, or your project, then you’re responsible for fixing it. Many people don’t want that responsibility. But those who are willing to take on ownership, and the challenges that come with it, are the ones who are going to be in position to make the most difference in the world.
In this episode, I look back at what I’ve learned about business and content creation in 2021 and talk about what I’m planning for 2022.
In the last episode, I talked about inspiring people instead of trying to motivate them. But what do consequences look like in the inspirational model? How should a leader address negative behavior or recognize positive behavior if he or she is trying to avoid the “carrot & stick” approach?
How do you get people to do what you want them to do? You can try motivating them with punishments and/or rewards (the “stick & carrot” approach). Or you can strive to inspire by casting vision, setting expectations, and giving options. The latter takes more effort and finesse, but overall I think it’s healthier and more effective.
Lately, I have been having more ideas for content than I have time to execute. This presents me with the problem of having to make decisions and choose: What is going to be the best use of my time? Which projects are going to be the most beneficial? Which projects will have to be put on the back burner? And then there’s the realization that some ideas may never get to see the light of day. It can be draining because making decisions requires extra effort and energy. But I would rather have this problem than the alternative.
My special guest for this episode is my brother, Brett. As a personal trainer, coach, and athlete in his own right, Brett has developed habits in his life to get results for himself and for his clients. It was fun to hear how he’s gotten to this point in his life and see how he has been applying success principles that anyone use. You can follow Brett on Instagram here: @sonofpsychology and College Park Athletic Club here: @coach.pc. The StrongFirst article he referenced about the body’s energy systems can be found here: https://www.strongfirst.com/understanding-why-less-is-more-with-anti-glycolytic-training/
I’m finding that there seems to be a line, a ratio if you will, when it comes to adding value to others and advertising your products & services. My theory is that people don’t mind you advertising what you have to sell as long as you are giving people plenty of value. It lets them know that you care about them and want to help rather than only concerned about making a sale.
While it’s true that being an entrepreneur involves overcoming a lot of challenges (we don’t use terms like “hustle” and “grind” for nothing), there are also rewards along the way. In this episode, I share a couple of moments from the past week that lifted my spirits and fueled my drive to keep pressing forward.
On this episode of The Output Habit Podcast, I interview Shane Laufman of Flying Fox Gear. We had a great conversation about adding value to others, serving their interests above your own, and building belief and confidence. Business owners don’t always have to compete. Sometimes they can collaborate! Check out flyingfoxgear.com to see how Shane’s company is supporting businesses in the area of e-commerce.
We live in an age of incredible opportunity. We have more options available to us than perhaps at any time in history. I’m finding that relying on my life experience has been helpful in figuring out how to leverage and make sense of these opportunities. A good idea, in theory, doesn’t become useful until I figure out how to express it in a way that’s consistent with who I am.
It seems that every entrepreneur has to deal with slumps, times when it seems like things aren’t going right. How do we keep discouragement from slowing us down in times like these? In this episode, I talk myself through one of those times of discouragement.
Sometimes people don’t appreciate what you’re trying to do. Sometimes they completely misunderstand or misrepresent you. On this episode, I share a personal story of how this recently happened with me and a friend, and how I am processing it.
We all get unfavorable feedback on our work. Rarely is anything we do appreciated as much as we think it should be. So what do we do about it? Stay focused on two things: 1.) What do I know? 2.) What can I control?
Loving sacrificially involves being willing to serve others without expecting anything in return from them. But does that mean we are entirely without self-interest when we serve? Jesus said that in order to gain your life you must lose it. So when we give of ourselves for others, should we not expect to receive some kind of blessing in return?
“Justice” seems like a loaded term these days. We live in a world where evil exists and we’re all capable of it. What kind of rules and structures are necessary for us to be free to exercise power to serve while still restricting people from abusing their power?
There’s a lot of talk about “power” these days, usually in a negative context. We can all agree that using power to oppress others is a bad thing. But is that the only way to use power? Is it possible to use power to bless others? What would that look like? What should that look like?
We are all multi-faceted. None of us are defined by just one aspect of our lives. What we do in one area affects all the others. I have found that by learning how to communicate who I am through content, it has helped me to become more integrated as a person so that the different components of my life are able to complement one another instead of interfere with one another.
Creating content that communicates shouldn’t just work one way. The goal is to form relationships. In this episode, I think through how to make it easy for people to connect with me after they interact with my content.
How much time and effort should we put into making ourselves look presentable? Where is the balance between conveying the quality of your service and outright vanity? I know I need to continually check my own heart and keep asking: “How does the effort I’m putting in translate to serving others?”
Many of us remember exactly where we were 20 years ago on this date and the impact the events of 9/11/2001 had on us. Many responded to a call to serve. Even more of us were inspired by the stories of courage and honor that came out of that day. Both those who sacrificed and those who told their stories served us as a nation. We ought to be grateful for all of it and also be grateful for whatever unique gift we can use to add value to others.
You don’t have to be a business owner to benefit from thinking like one. If you work to understand the needs and wants of your employer, you will become more valuable to him or her and increase your potential to advance in your career. Likewise, if you work to understand the needs and wants of your employees, you will attract and retain quality workers at a better rate.
Ultimately, we were made to do stuff. Thinking and gaining knowledge has its place, but it only gets you so far. To really learn and grow as humans, we need to take action, make mistakes, make corrections, and then do it again…and again…and again. It’s practice that makes “perfect,” not theorizing.
We sometimes have a hard time talking about ourselves, especially if we value humility. But if we are going to embrace the unique gifts we each have and use them to serve people, we need to find a way to let others know about them.
In this episode, I continue sharing my thoughts on what it was like to film a commercial. From a creative standpoint, it’s thrilling to see something through. However, sharing what you’ve made with others is the real test of resolve and character.
Have you ever had an idea to do something but didn’t follow through because you were afraid that it might fail or afraid of what others might think? In this episode of the Output Habit podcast, I wrestle with these fears in real time.
“Don’t be such a show off!” Have you ever heard that one before? We know pride goes before a fall, but is it ever OK to show off your abilities? Is it possible that “showing off” is sometimes a helpful thing to do?
You never know how people are going to take it when you try to serve them. They might not appreciate it. They might not understand what you’re doing. They might question your motives. So what do you do? Do you withhold your service from others out of fear? Or do you go ahead and do it anyway?
Do our hobbies serve others in any way? Should they? If everything is supposed to be about service, how should we think about the time we spend on our hobbies?
The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is a valuable skill. It will change the way you see the world and interact with other people.
All of life is played by the same rules: love your neighbor as yourself, put others before yourself, humble yourself to be great, etc. These same rules hold true whether you are parenting, serving customers, or sharing your faith.
From family, to business, to ministry, to politics, everything is meant to be about serving others. Output is all about taking what we consume and using it to produce things that will benefit others.
The only way to do anything great is to get started…even if it doesn’t look great at first.