Habits 2 Goals: The Habit Factor® Podcast With Martin Grunburg | Goal Achievement, Productivity & Success Simplified

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not a single act, but a habit.” ~ Aristotle "Ill habits gather by unseen degrees. As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~ Ovid Today's Mind-Bullet Monday has us pondering the idea: We pay rent not once a month, but in actuality every day. We like to think we pay our rent or mortgage once a month but the truth is we pay it every single day, simply divided by the days in a month. In the same way, excellence doesn't come to us all at once. The price of excellence is paid every day, and the currency is habit. Somewhere along the line we started looking for shortcuts. Going to the gym only when we feel like it. Waking up when we feel like it. Putting in the work sometimes. But ultimately these shortcuts backfire. Build the discipline -- build the habit. This is where excellence lies: Excellence lies in paying the rent every day. How can we shift our mindset to be willing to pay our rent every day? MG reminds us of a little something he likes to call P.A.R.R

Today's FAF (Frequently Asked Friday): "How can I be happy in a world gone crazy?" Pollution, war, moral bankruptcy, atrocities that go beyond our comprehension -- we're living in a world full of challenges, and it's easy to become overwhelmed and depressed. But we have lives to lead and children to raise, so how can we find a semblance of peace and happiness amid all the chaos? MG addresses this question by reaffirming Buddha's observation... that bringing light to any darkness is the answer. Being sad, down, and empathetic are normal reactions to the problems in the world -- but these emotions aren't helpful to the problem or, perhaps more importantly, yourself. A quote often attributed to Buddha says: "Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of that candle cannot be shortened." How can you make the decision -- the choice -- to be happy? How can you choose to be the light in spite of the darkness? Enjoy the episode! Feel free to share and leave a review on iTunes and be sure to su

"My most important habit is looking at my own behavior — I've developed the habit of observing my own habits." ~Tim Ortiz Entertainment industry entrepreneur Tim Ortiz is in the business of making dreams come true and memories that last a lifetime. As the founder/owner of Event Vibe -- which handles bookings, ticketing, promotion and all aspects of nightlife events -- Tim knows that even in a glamorous industry, hard work and the daily grind pay off. But Tim also knows that balance in life for entrepreneurs -- whose work is all-consuming -- is key to true success. At around minute 38 in this episode, MG and Tim get into a deep and fascinating discussion about HABIT as it relates to success. An early enthusiast of The Habit Factor, Tim details how the Habit Factor methodology altered his perspective and how he began to view his world and his habits altogether differently. Tune in to hear how Tim uses habit to achieve balance in life — and how he lifts himself up when the daily grind gets him down. In typical "

“No man is free who cannot command himself.” ~ Epictetus “Through discipline comes freedom.” ~ Aristotle Today's Mind-Bullet Monday is a little risqué -- and risky: You may know someone who is a comfort w***e... perhaps, intimately! (Google at your own risk!) Building on previous episodes that center around the concepts of controls and constraints, MG revisits the idea that we are selling out our long-term goals for instant gratification. There's nothing wrong with comfort; we all seek it, crave it and deserve it. But we need to do the hard stuff too. How can you tell if you've become one yourself? MG suggests your results will speak for themselves. Is your health where you'd like it? How about your weight? Your work success? Are your goals being met? Oscillation is key -- adding controls and constraints to our lives, mixed in with the comfort we seek, creates a healthy balance. Remember, Habit works both ways: The stronger the comfort habit becomes, the more you threaten your true goals. Nip it in the bud! A

Today's FAF (Frequently Asked Friday): "What's the best way to schedule your calendar?" While this is a very personal process, MG shares a few tips and philosophies, which, of course, incorporate the magic of habit to boost efficiency. Many businesses and entrepreneurs use the concept of Theme Days (e.g. marketing on Wednesdays) or creating "chunks" of time to dedicate towards a project. However you dedicate your time, the key ideas are RHYTHM and PATTERN -- the overlay of rhythm and pattern work to reinforce habit. The more rhythm and pattern in your calendar, the more efficient and effective you will be. Hmmm, sounds like Habit Alignment!  How do YOU prioritize your schedule toward building a recurring behavior mechanism that sets you up for success? Tune in to the episode and start learning how to create rhythm and pattern in your calendar! Enjoy the episode! Feel free to share and leave a review on iTunes! BOOKS/Resources: The Habit Factor (Audible!) The Habit Factor® Book (Amazon Kindle) The Success Prin

"How you start your day is arguably the single-most important determining factor in how you live your day... and how you live your day is how you live your life!" ~Hal Elrod Hal Elrod is on a mission to elevate the consciousness of humanity, one morning at a time. Hal is the author of The Miracle Morning -- which has been translated into 27 languages, has over 2,000 five-star Amazon reviews and is practiced daily by over 500,000 people in 70+ countries. In simplest terms, the Miracle Morning is a transformative 6-step morning routine based on the best habits Hal could find in books, in others and himself. But Hal’s story is not a simple and straightforward success tale. Hal grew up in a small mountain town near Yosemite, where he got his first taste of entrepreneurialism as a 15-year-old mobile DJ. He discovered his sales and people skills at 19 working for Cutco Cutlery. But a promising career – and his life – nearly ended forever after 20-year-old Hal was hit head-on by a drunk driver at 70 miles per hour.

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Viktor E. Frankl Today's Mind-Bullet Monday centers around the concept of — when faced with a heated, fearful or difficult situation — the human "fight or flight" response is triggered. But MG suggests we take a harder look at the "OR" in "fight or flight." Is it really a case of either/or? MG recounts some recent experiences: 1. Two grown adults in a disagreement. One points a finger at the other, who says, "Don't you point at me!" Then the pointee later does some finger pointing of his own. Fight? 2. A golf course misunderstanding leads to heated exchange of words, the destruction of an innocent ball wash -- and the dramatic marching exit of the offended party. Flight? Fight or Flight? How about a third option? How about instead of fighting or fleeing we pull our "stuff" together and move on? Look, we all lose our cool from time to time. But MG proposes we ge

Today's FAF (Frequently Asked Friday): "How can I feel less overwhelmed?" In this crazy world of stimulus, demand, distraction and stress, too many of us are living a diminished quality of life by simple being overwhelmed. MG addresses this question from a few different angles, but the main bullet point is this: If at any point we feel overwhelmed, it simply means we don't know what our Number One Priority is. Think of a Days of Our Lives-style timer with sands flowing through an hourglass: No matter how much sand there is, only one grain can flow through at a time. So how can you learn to diminish your overwhelm and free your mind along with your time? 1. Prioritize: Your first step is to make a list and identify your top priority -- multitasking only leads to more overwhelm. 2. Lose Your Habit Shackles: Next, understand that HABIT is at play. If you are feeling overwhelmed, know that you are bound by your habits. Your habits should be serving you! Here's a great quote (look for it as a future Mind Bullet Mo

"Who can't become more than they are today?" ~David Katz David Katz grew up on a small island off Vancouver, British Columbia, where he became acutely aware of just what was washing up on the beach. A lifelong entrepreneur – beginning as a 12-year-old landscaper for hire – Katz always saw opportunities where others saw problems. He joined his entrepreneurial and spiritual callings to create The Plastic Bank, whose ambitious goal is to make plastic waste a currency that transcends poverty while stopping the flow of plastic into our oceans. How did such a paradigm-shifting idea take hold? As Katz put it, "We were living in the future of a possibility that didn’t exist – we had to invite people into that possibility." In true entrepreneurial fashion, Katz encountered one obstacle after another. So just what made him think he could tackle a challenge as big as saving the planet? Katz believes we are all a culmination of all the decisions we’ve ever made and experiences we’ve ever had. How his successes and failur

"The starting point of all achievement is desire!" ~Napoleon Hill In this episode MG suggests that there is a very simple way to know if you REALLY WANT IT (your goal) BADLY ENOUGH. It's an extremely simple litmus test. A similar message was covered in a prior episode, "What do you really want?" When you want something badly enough you'll always find a way. In fact, one of MG's favorite sayings is "Where there is a will, there is a way!" Therefore, desire and determination take precedent over the "how". The "how" comes when one is determined/totally committed to achieving their goal! So, how will you know if you really want to achieve your goal as badly as you think? The simple answer is right here! Enjoy! **NEW** Ask MG YOUR toughest question WITHIN A REVIEW ON iTunes... Chances are very good that it'll be answered on a forthcoming episode! Feel free to share and leave a review on iTunes!  The New HabitXP Planner! Grab your FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh Enjoy the episode!

Chances are good that you are exactly where you are because that is where you want to be..." Quick question: "What do you think is your biggest limiter as you strive to be more successful?" If "all learning is remembering" (Plato) than the listener is guided back to a prior episode, "Learning Mastery". While cleaning his garage, MG ran across one of his favorite old books and is struck by a particular passage within the personal development classic, The Magic of Thinking BIG! (David J. Schwartz) Here's the passage: "Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches or pounds or college degrees, or family background; they are measured by the size of their thinking. How big we think determines the size of our accomplishments."  ~David J. Schwartz So, how BIG are you thinking these days? The size of your thinking (and related belief) must be the over-arching limiter. Consider how difficult it is for your achievements to outgrow your thinking! Your vision and what you believe you are capable of must b

"These are two industries (gaming & advertising), let's face it, that are dependent upon changing your behavior; they have to specialize in mind-control..." ~Nir Eyal Nir Eyal seems to be wired for creativity and, as he describes it, lives at the intersection of psychology and technology. Nir has a storied and successful background in technology startups (as a founding entrepreneur) and has emerged from both the gaming and advertising space with a keen interest in the various ideas (and ingredients) that help to make products/apps successful— to make them stick and become habit forming. As Nir put it, "Let's face it, these are two industries (advertising and gaming) that are dependent upon changing our behaviors." By having a "front-row seat" within each of these industries, Nir continued to search and understand just what components helped to formulate habit-forming products and services. So, when he couldn't find that answer/book, he decided it was time to write it. Hence, his bestseller, Hooked, was bo

"A man's mind may be likened to a garden which may be intelligently cultivated..." The beginning of personal transformation begins with "right" thinking. For this Mind-Bullet Monday, MG revisits James Allen's classic, "As a Man Thinketh" and specifically points to the phrase, "nothing can come from corn but corn". "Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results. This is but saying that nothing can come from corn but corn, nothing from nettles but nettles. Men understand this law in the natural world, and work with it; but few understand it in the mental and moral world (though its operation there is just as simple and undeviating), and they, therefore, do not co-operate with it." How often do we pay lip service to the idea of "positive thinking" without understanding the idea is rooted upon this very concept. How much bad can come from thinking good and positive thoughts? Earl Nightingale used to liken our minds to a massive earth mover and sug

  Today's FAF (Frequently Asked Friday) "What's the best way to form (or build) a good habit?" MG tackles this question by dispelling some very popular misinformation on the internet mostly directed at something known within psychology as the "habit loop" or, Cue, Routine, Reward. Cue, Routine, Reward does little, if anything, as a process or methodology to help someone to develop a good, positive habit and here are just a few reasons why: Cue, Routine, Reward is: 1) Based upon tests with lab animals; mice and rats NOT humans 2) Involves little, if any, PLANNING on how to develop the good behavior (habit)! 3) It lacks any planning mechanism. Cue, Routine, Reward doesn't allow for the establishment of "targets". For instance, are you going to "Read" every day or just 3 times a week? And, when you read, are you reading for 10 pages or 20 minutes? 4) Cue, Routine, Reward provides NO instruction or recommendation about the recording or, TRACKING of their behavior. 5) Lacking any "tracking/recording" mechanism, Cu

"Success is loving yourself authentically and living from that space..." ~Bing Bush Jr. What hasn't Bing Bush Jr. done? Attorney, entrepreneur and horse-racing aficionado just for starters.  MG kicks off this interview with the statement, "If they were teaching life clinics, Bing Bush Jr. would be a master instructor." Growing up in Kentucky, Bing developed a lifelong love for horses. Upon visiting his sister in San Diego, he also fell in love with the ocean and the Southern California lifestyle. Bing's legal work was essential in helping a client who'd tragically lost a son in a trucking accident to win a substantial judgement (the largest of its kind at the time). Later, that same client would assist Bing in his effort to raise the funds needed to being his new Abbondanza Racing group.  @AbbondanzaRacing In typical Habits 2 Goals style, the subjects covered in this interview include dealing with difficult days, defining success, habits, goals and, as the title suggests, "how to be (become) the real you." Bi

"Truly I tell you," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown." Luke 4:24 Variations include: "Only in his own home and hometown is a prophet without honor." "I tell you this," Jesus added, "prophets are never welcomed in their hometown. Think about the term "prophet" perhaps as just another word for teacher or maybe even thought-leader. The key idea is that as you begin to transform and grow yourself and your skills and develop your own ideas the place to win acceptance is not likely to be your friends, associates or even family. Why is that? Well, one reason is they may have a difficult time reconciling who you are today with who you once were. Your family and friends might regard you as that same troubled teenager or twenty something party goer instead of an industry-wide recognized Ph.D. The beauty is, ultimately it doesn't matter as their acceptance of your creativity and work should not be your main goal anyway. While they may not understand or champion your work, it isn't personal --it's ju

"Our energy flows where our attention goes..." Today's FAF (Frequently Asked Friday) is: "How can I overcome challenges of the past to focus on a bright future?" MG runs through five paradigm shifting mindsets —a recipe— for anyone to get over an unfortunate past situation and get back on track! Tips/Steps: 1) Meaning: What is the meaning your currently giving the situation? Can you spin it from defeating to empowering? 2) Time: Consider just how fluid/dynamic life is, specifically how quickly time moves and this helps you to realize and guide your metamorphosis! 3) Focus: Our focus determines how we feel. Direct your focus toward "things" bigger than you and away from yourself! How can you be of service to others? 4) HabitStrength!: Knowing that even discipline is a habit empowers you to realize that anything that is difficult now can and will become easier overtime with effort and practice. 5) Results!: Assess results continuously using the feedback not to beat yourself up but to inspire you. Scientists don

"You can recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity." ~Dr. Richard Feynman “I am lazy and anti-authoritarian. I have a short attention span, a shorter memory, and no intellect. I am devoid of marketable skills and I despise routine. I have never held a job for longer than two months and, in the entire history of the United States government, I am one of five people (at most) to have been fired from a civil service job. Fortunately, these are ideal qualifications for an entrepreneur. ” Fred Gratzon It seems as though Fred Gratzon has lived several amazing lives. Ask him how it's happened and to where the credit ought to go, he's quick to reference one thing; Transcendental Meditation. In 1979 with no money, no business experience, and no knowledge whatsoever of how to make ice cream Fred founded, The Great Midwestern Ice Cream Company. 1984, it was judged by People Magazine as “the best ice cream in America”. Fred had signed a non-compete clause with the investors of Great Midwestern Ice Cream which forbade

"All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone." ~Blaise Pascal How over-stimulated are you? Most people don't know and here's how to find out, just try to meditate. Blaise Pascal wasn't being overly dramatic with his above statement. It's hard to be creative or productive when you are overstimulated. MG suggests that for every minute you mediate you'll  get ten minutes back, much like what happens when you take time to proactively plan. Stillness, silence and emptiness (nothingness) is THE source of not just us but the solutions we seek.  Too many people listening will just shake their head, "Yep, I know, I should meditate." But in their head, they're telling themselves they don't have the time." Don't know how? There is a discussion around that as well! Enjoy the episode! Feel free to share and leave a review on iTunes!  Thanks for your help in selecting our Season IV Cover art! The Success Principles (Jack Canfield) Getting Things Done! (Allen's Great Book!) TRELLO! Enjoy and

"Pressure like habit is neither good nor bad. It's a neutral, super-natural force. Pressure may  be the greatest creative force in the universe." This episode begins where the last FAF (Frequently Asked Friday) left off. After covering why he wrote The Habit Factor® the discussion here carries onward to the subject of pressure with TPP, (The Pressure Paradox™). After The Habit Factor was published there was pressure (so to speak) to better understand how our environment, in particular, pressure influences our behaviors and habits. In fact, the basic laws of physics related to Pressure; for instance, P = F/A has significant application to our personal productivity, performance and even our peace of mind. That's right, discover how pressure is a requirement for peace of mind. Enjoy the episode! Feel free to share and leave a review on iTunes!  Thanks for your help in selecting our Season IV Cover art! The Success Principles (Jack Canfield) Getting Things Done! (Allen's Great Book!) TRELLO! Enjoy and share! Tha