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

Your level of happiness will influence everything from your health to your income and seemingly everything else in between, including relationships and even career success, yet few take the time to learn and understand this important subject.As a prelude to the Happiness Webinar Martin is hosting on 4/28/16 (6:30pm) PST, Martin discusses many of the influencing factors that contribute to one's level of happiness throughout their lifetime.Register here for the Happiness Webinar!It was Buddha who reportedly said, "There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way." In a similar vein, Abe Lincoln once commented, "People are just about as happy as they make their minds up to be."It's clear, though, that happiness can often be far more than just a choice — there may be at least a dozen other contributing factors from relationships to control, expectations, and even our ability to accept events and how much "hope" we have in our lives. All of these can influence how we might feel from one moment to the next. The k

"Really, what moved me to write this is, what does it take to exist within a well-lived life?"Eric Kaufmann has coached and counseled executives since 1999. He has identified common themes and patterns that underlie what he's identified as "Leadership as a Hero's Journey." The essential four traits that he's written extensively about include:1) FOCUS2) COURAGE3) GRIT4) FAITH"Focus is what am I creating... what I create is somewhat related to my focus and somewhat related to 'stuff'..." In this engaging interview, Martin and Eric discuss the philosophy that underlies much of Eric's thinking and writing these days—particularly the four virtues as outlined in his book. The two kick things off as they exchange some fun anecdotes about family life with two daughters of the same ages (13 and 15).Eric's book is being re-released by a new publisher under a slightly different name, "The Four Virtues of a Leader." In this episode, Eric covers:How he defines a HEROThe three things each hero is called to doWho a hero rea

Nobody has more than twenty-four hours, yet some people get far ahead of others."If everyone requires eight hours of sleep to be healthy and most of us have jobs that require at least eight hours of work, it's what you do with the 'other' eight that will make all the difference for your future..."  Martin kicks off this episode sharing an observation Napoleon Hill made decades ago— how you use your "other" eight hours of your 24 hours will be make all the difference in your future results and paves the way for your "success"!How are you using the "other" eight?If success is creating your ideal future, then what you study, the skills and habits you develop in those other eight hours become essential to help you craft your ideal future.Sadly, it appears most people waste those other eight hours on frivolous activities. Certainly, we all need rest and recreation but those other eight hours are the key — the path to a brighter, better future.What would happen if you devoted just 15 minutes (of the other eight) co

"It's crazy... so many habit apps allow you to track bad habits. Please, please, do not ever track BAD HABITS you're just putting attention and focus on what you do NOT want!""To eliminate a bad habit replace it with a good one." Martin begins this episode by sharing how the environment is the first line of defense (or maybe even offense) when trying to kill a BAD Habit. Modifying your environment helps you to remove the common triggers and allows you to create impediments to executing the behavior you are trying to avoid.Next, Martin shares a famous quote by a Dutch Renaissance Theologian, Desiderius Erasmus who said, "A nail is driven out by a nail, habit is replaced by a habit." Replacement is the key to elimination, NOT just removing the bad behavior... "that creates a vacuum!"Finally, the listener is encouraged to revisit a prior episode "3 Bad Habit Busting Tips" and in that episode— as here, Martin revisits the "3 Ments" when it comes to killing a bad habit; environment, replacement and finally experim

"Don't just talk about your service, break it down. What kindsof problems will you be solving at the end of the day? Can youstart to give away answers so people can test drive how you thinkand how you solve a problem?"According to Jeremy Pound, his journey to becoming co-founder ofJuicyResults, as well as a well-known creative entrepreneur withinthe South Florida community, is easily traced to his enrollment (asa high school sophomore) in a brand-new Art magnet school thatopened in a nearby neighborhood."I went from being very disinterested in school to all of asudden...WOW!"Jeremy credits much of his current success to his incredibleteachers and the environment that fostered his current "I can doanything" mentality.Today, Jeremy is a sought-after Internet marketing strategist; hehelps clients who typically have annual revenues between $1 millionand $10 million and employs a dedicated sales staff.In this episode, Jeremy discusses:    His earlier rock star dreams    What his grunge band taught him about dreami

"There is a HUGE difference between being interested versus being committed to an outcome or goal. For most people, if they are being honest with themselves, they are only interested..."  Martin kicks off this episode with a personal realization and a confession. Realizing that earlier in the prior month he said to himself, "I'm going to run 35 miles this month."So, what was the problem?Well, that was ALL it was... just talk! There was NO PLAN and there was really no action. It was a "nice to have" but certainly not a commitment! To be committed— truly committed is the first step for goals that are meaningful.Talking about a goal or even having a vision of achieving a goal is worth very little without backing it up with sincere commitment.So, how do you know what you have sincere commitment? Easy. — Is there a PLAN?— Is there consistent action? Have the core behaviors/habits been identified?— Are you TRACKING these behaviors? If you are not tracking your progress you are not serious about your goal.— Be sure

"In life, goals are not optional." #thehabitfactor"The first thing goals do is give you direction. Direction provides a sense of purpose, and purpose leads to funny things like happiness and contentment." This show kicks off with Martin sharing a story about a woman who approached him after a workshop simply to say, "Thank you! I used to HATE the idea of goals!" She was frustrated! She really disliked the thought of goals because it reminded her of a nagging husband who insisted she set some goals that included "losing weight."This lady was so relieved to learn that by using The Habit Factor process, she could place her attention and focus on just a few, recurring behaviors (habits) instead of the goal itself.Then, Martin reviews The Habit Factor's P.A.R.R. methodology and how it stacks up against the popularized Cue, Routine, Reward method. He shares how the P.A.R.R. methodology is forward looking while Cue Routine Reward is  oriented toward assessing previous behaviors. Cue, Routine, Reward doesn't take int

"If we're focused, confident and relaxed we have a much better opportunity to execute what we want...""We know that our behaviors and our habits lead to our results..." A former pro golfer, Rick earned his doctorate in Applied Sports Psychology. He is the author of Golf: The Ultimate Mind Game and is former editor of Golf Tips magazine.A high school football injury directed Rick toward the sport of golf, and what he's learned since has truly been life-altering.In a competitive playoff for the right to join his college golf team as a walk-on, as he describes it, he "choked" under pressure. It was that "failure" that became a formative life experience and sent Rick toward the study of peak performance strategies.Today Rick is a sought-after peak-performance coach who trains aspiring professionals and helps corporate executives apply his many strategies and insights on peak performance, leadership and teamwork.In this episode, Rick shares:How to re-write your story to serve your ambitionsPhysiological influences

If happiness is, in large part, tied to the quality of our relationships, this episode is a MUST Listen..."This is how and where the championships are won and the bridges are built..."  Unfortunately, most people grow up believing that independence is the highest form of maturity.Martin shares some of his personal experience and the big, ah-ha in reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Dr. Stephen Covey points out that it is interdependence and not independence that is the highest form a maturity.Further, Covey shares that the most troubled relationships tend to break down, whether it's a team, company or in a personal setting, when the FIRST THREE HABITS (he calls, "the personal victory") are not first honored and addressed. Those habits are: Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put First Things First!In fact, it's those first three habits that build the foundation and help to foster a strong, capable and long-lasting, interdependent relationship.Check it out now.... hear and share this Mind Bu

"All men's natures are alike — it's their habits that carry them far apart." ~Confucius "It makes no small difference to be habituated this way or that way from childhood; rather, it makes ALL the difference." ~Aristotle This show kicks off with Martin suggesting that this should have been the very first Frequently Asked Friday episode. Then he shares how it's nearly impossible to truly encapsulate ALL there is to understand about The Habit Factor in just a few minutes. Martin reviews the foundation and the philosophy upon which The Habit Factor is built. He discusses how so many of the great minds throughout history, such as Aristotle, Confucius and even Benjamin Franklin, have arrived at a very similar conclusion regarding HABIT. Martin then shares an important "discovery" from Think & Grow Rich. In fact, it's something that was left out of Think & Grow Rich: The Law of Cosmic Habit Force (prior episode -link) Then he touches on an important idea about goal achievement and "success" that, according

After selling his company for millions at age 26, Jon Carder briefly retires to surf the South Pacific. It turns out to be a very short "retirement" that lasts only about 3 weeks...“I think doing a business for money is absolutely the wrong motivation and will actually lead to a lot of challenges. “The only thing you have to do to be successful is to be better than just about everyone else at just one thing. It's simple but it's not easy." ~Jon CarderAt just 26, Jon Carder was featured on the cover of Fortune Small Business magazine (link) wearing just board shorts and holding a surfboard as the sun set with the title, "Time to Sell?" He had just sold his company for millions and was ready to "retire" and surf.But Jon Carder isn't your typical Southern California surf rat. He's also been featured in Business Insider and dozens of other publications and is an active member of the Entrepreneurs Organization and a mentor with The Founders Institute. He has founded several multi-million-dollar companies, and alon

"There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way." ~Buddhist ProverbWhile happiness, as the Buddhist proverb goes, can and should be a choice (most often) there is no doubt our present circumstances and events have great influence upon our current level of happiness. In fact, what happens more often than not is that we will assign and craft stories about events (in the present) and then layer on our own subjective and speculative implications (stories) about how that event will influence our future. Interestingly, these future stories (that WE are always, habitually creating at will) in turn than influence our present level of happiness.The question becomes, do we have the power to change the story, our attention and focus?Martin touches on the R.A.S.; the Reticular Activation System, a part of the brain helps selectively guide our focus, to see and find those things that we are seeking OR patterns we've seen in the past. "We tend to see what we put our focus upon... If that future story or image projectio

“You can't build a reputation telling people what you are going to do!” ~Henry FordIt's a commonly accepted practice after all... tell everyone about your goals so you are accountable and extra motivated to push forward, right?Well  surprise - surprise! It turns out that announcing your goals is one of the biggest drains of energy and it often proves to diminish your chances of success as you strive to achieve your goal.Martin discusses his personal experience with this concept and how he noted his energy was best expended NOT in talking about his goals but in the act of getting busy to accomplish them— forging the habits that will accelerate the goals achievement.Martin then shares a related TED talk by Derek Sivers (link below) and some of the science Derek cites that contradicts the often promoted "tell everyone" tactic.Check out this week's F.A.F. and learn how keeping your trap shut is likely to put you on the fast track to goal achievement!If you still want to tell someone... Martin discusses exactly wh

“Companies see that there is so much value that comes from doing good in the community and it adds so much business value as well." “And I realized that through my many zigs and the zags I picked up experiences that really helped me to grow as a consultant." ~Frank ScarpaciFrank Scarpaci, a sought-after B corp and corporate social responsibility consultant, reviews a vast array of benefits related to becoming a "B" corporation (short for a "Benefit" corporation), a new type of corporation that puts social, community and environmental causes and stakeholders at equal value with corporate profits.Today, certified "B" corps span 47 countries and more than 130 industries and encompasses a growing community of more than 1,600 businesses!In this episode, Frank recounts his unique experience and the journey that led to him to becoming a leader in the space and a well-known consultant for aspiring businesses looking to become B corp certified.Frank shares many smart insights in this episode, including:How the B corp

"Humans are justifying creatures... we'll craft a story and then we'll dig-in and get behind it. The exercise is, I think, to challenge our story recognizing that is our nature."While many people may be naturally gifted when it comes to interpersonal skills, others struggle in the area and it often holds them back and expends a lot of time and energy.What most people fail to recognize is that arguments are often rooted in the simple truth that nobody wants to be thought of as stupid or dumb and therefore will do whatever they can to position themselves as "right" and justify their actions, no matter what they might have been.Consider this truth and how it might be useful when understanding and relating to friends, family and others better— to help avoid unnecessary arguments.Whether it's as mundane as not doing the dishes or as horrible as murder one tends to justify their actions. And, it's important to note that people will as fiercely defend their non-actions as their their actions!"People will either show

After searching for nearly 20 years Napoleon Hill finally declares he's discovered the missing link— the secret that he unintentionally left out of his bestselling classic, "Think & Grow Rich".It appears that The Law of Cosmic Habit Force is only something Napoleon Hill could have discovered after writing Think & Grow Rich and hearing from many that, "it didn't work" and wasn't making them rich.A distraught Napoleon was confounded as he heard this sort of feedback repeatedly. Even though it worked for many, his 16 principles fell short for a number of other readers.“WHAT was missing!?” Well, Mr. Hill pondered that question long and hard, and, as he explained it, he found himself meditating upon this “missing link” FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS!So, what was missing!?Well, it’s almost unfair to tell you/share it ; ). Consider that Napoleon Hill spent 20 years of his life formulating this success philosophy and authoring Think & Grow Rich, then another 20 years trying to figure out what the “MISSING LINK” was

“The primary mark has to work in black and white and it has to be as simple as possible" “That logo was talking to me... and it was talking to everyone..." ~Thom McElroy, Co-Founder VolcomThom McElroy covers a ton of ground in this special interview (recorded live from his ultra-modern, beachfront crib in Laguna Beach ; ).He speaks candidly about his early days, being a "grom" growing up in Huntington Beach, as a graphic design major at SDSU, and yes, the creation of the Volcom logo and all the graphics that rallied the "YAE" Youth Against Establishment".The interview covers his inspirations and thoughts on logo and design, the rise and early struggle of the rebellious surf, skate and snowboard company Volcom.Thom pulls no punches and sharesThe crazy story that led him to SDSU— it's surf related!Growing up in Huntington beachHow his life pivots toward art and graphic design How he defines successHis most important habitsThe birth and evolution of the Volcom logo His design influencesThe essence of a great log

"Are you bigger than your problems?" T. Harv Eker Martin kicks off this show about CONTROL with a quote he's heard T. Harv Eker say many times regarding a technique people can use to solve their problems. The first thing they can ask themselves is, "Who is bigger? Me or the problem?"Martin then carries the idea of "control" further, where control influences other facets of our lives...Consider winning and losing? When one "controls" the environment they certainly have a better chance at winning, don't they? Hence, competitive environments are designed to be neutral and there are even referees to ensure an environment of fairness. We all tend to recognize the idea of the "home field" advantage. Further, psychologists now concur that a sense of control increases one's level of happiness. If you're unhappy perhaps you should investigate your level of control related to various aspects of your life (home, family, work, etc)."Ask yourself, "Is there anything I can do to change the environment (control) to increase

"Are habits better than goals?"This is a semi-crazy meme that Martin wrote about last week (here). In this episode, Martin elaborates on the idea that these are equal and complementary components when it comes to goal achievement. Then he shares a bit of a surprise— just how far back this realization actually dates.The short story is that goals properly set (with significant motivation to achieve them) illuminate the ideal behaviors/habits one needs to foster. And, using The Habit Factor's method of habit development, P.A.R.R. (Plan, Act, Record & Reassess) one is able to develop habits more quickly. Then, Martin shares a quick example and reviews a little "Goal Setting Theory" and a man named Edwin Locke (you likely know him via his SMART goals system).Enjoy the episode ; )Quick note of thanks and request: If these short episodes are helpful and provide value please share a review on itunes to help others find the show! SubscribeDon't miss a single episode. Subscribe to the podcast to get each episode se

“Intention is one of those things that can go either way— you can have negative intention or you can have positive intention and that means you are in alignment... " “It's all about how YOU respond to them..."  ~Coach Rich Phillips Coach Rich Phillips is a Former Head Show Trainer at SeaWorld, a Bestselling Author. Speaker & Business CoachRegardless of where you may stand on the current controversy regarding killer whales in captivity, you're asked to suspend your judgement (for now) and simply listen to Coach Rich's incredible journey. In fact, should their captivity come to an end, it would make his undeniably unique experience even more special—including the amazing lessons he's learned from training and riding these unique, intelligent and powerful creatures. In this episode Martin & Rich discuss:His crazy story — how a wrong number started it allHis evolution (and hazing) via a "Fishhouse"The first time he slides into the tank as a backup trainer with the 14,000 lb creature The value and types of