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My Takeaway of the Year!

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Heading into 2024, we must ensure that our mindset, heartset, and handset are aligned with the future we want to manifest for ourselves if we want to achieve our greatest goals. Without these three components working in harmony, it can be even more challenging to get to where we want to be in the future. Here are six different strategies to achieve more growth this year and get even closer to our true potential.

Work to shorten the distance between action and the outcomes we want or better

While we don’t have the capability of understanding or knowing the instant result that happens from our actions, we do have the ability to close the distance between our actions and the outcomes we desire. Seeing the progress that we’re making, good or bad, is nearly impossible, so we must utilize two tools in order to stay on the right track. The first of these is wisdom, which we get from surrounding ourselves with the right people and the right ideas, as long as we listen and ask for help. The second tool to shorten that distance is to have faith that there’s something bigger than us that is omniscient, all-powerful, and all-knowing that loves us, protects us, and promotes us even more than our own family members.

Be careful what we say, because we are always listening

We need to take an intentional approach with what we say, think, do, and believe in order to build a healthy mindset over time. Negative self-talk is something that we are all confronted with, but we must take a positive approach and “cancel” the negative repetitive thoughts that we have or the negative things that we repeatedly tell ourselves. We have to be very aware of whether the actions, thoughts, and beliefs we have are in alignment with where we want to be or better. If they are not, we must make adjustments to the phrases we’re telling ourselves and shift toward a positive perspective.

Today’s impressions are tomorrow’s expressions

Our repetitive behavior creates neural pathways, which makes it even more important to pay attention to our current perspective. Since the language and words we use for ourselves today can have an impact on our tomorrow, we must emphasize repetitive positivity and not negativity. On the conscious level, we need to build a habit machine to control our conscious nature as human beings to effectuate a more positive trajectory. When we combine positive thought with positive action, we are much more likely to achieve our goals.

Focus in on getting closer to our own potential

Happiness is not an end result, it comes from the enjoyment of the consistent, persistent pursuit of our potential. When we focus on taking care of ourselves first and getting as close to our potential as possible, we are also positioning ourselves to better take care of the people around us. We can’t give to others what we don’t have for ourselves, so prioritizing ourselves empowers us to serve others with the most skills, knowledge, and resources possible.

Forgiveness is one of the most powerful tools we possess

People are almost always well-meaning when they give us advice, so we should never hold their advice against them if it is not aligned with what we want for ourselves. This is especially true for the closest people to us who give us advice, such as our parents. By utilizing forgiveness as a reflection of the love we have for those people, we can remain appreciative of their efforts, even if we do not agree with their advice.

Surrender to the past and have faith in the future

We can unknowingly create resistance for ourselves as we pursue our goals when we attach our emotions to specific outcomes in the past or expected outcomes in the future. Instead, we must first surrender to the past because it’s infinite and we give meaning to the past, which should be aligned with where we want to be or better. We must also surrender to the future by increasing or expanding our self-image, because our self-image is not something we can out-achieve. Having faith reduces the resistance that’s caused by not knowing the progress that we’re making each day and not understanding the outcomes that occur, allowing us to continue on our pursuit.

6 Ways to Balance Your Personal and Professional Life

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Many of us know Rob Dyrdek, entrepreneur, media magnate, and founder and CEO of Dyrdek Machine, as one of the most productive people in Hollywood, but there are many layers to his approach to life. Here are six strategies that Rob utilizes to strike the right balance between his personal and professional life, while achieving his greatest goals and staying connected to happiness.

Focus in to find happiness

Chasing a bunch of different dreams and ideas all at once may sound fun, but that approach will never yield the results we desire. When we do not have clarity about what we want in life, it becomes hard to focus in on what it takes to get it. Taking the time to think about what we want, as well as who can help us (and who we can help) in order to achieve it, should be a part of our everyday routine.

We can reverse-engineer the outcomes we desire

By taking an intentional approach with our personal and professional goals, we greatly increase our probability of achieving them. Connecting the dots backward from a desired outcome allows us to consider the steps we need to take from beginning to end, as well as the milestones we need to hit along the way. This way, we can set ourselves on the right path towards our goal and stay on that path.

Simplicity leads to consistency

When we make plans that are too complex or detailed, we are unknowingly creating more resistance for ourselves. Our plan of action must be clear and we should always have an understanding of what we’re doing now in alignment with the future we desire, as well as what we’re doing next. A plan with simple steps allows us to get into a flow and build consistency, which leads to greater momentum towards what we want.

Measuring and tracking how we’re feeling is helpful

Knowing our baseline or starting point is an essential part of tracking our progress as we pursue our goals. Having a system that allows us to measure and track things such as our emotions helps us to identify patterns that would otherwise go unnoticed. From there, we can make adjustments to our actions and habits to ensure that we are acting in ways that are aligned with how we want to feel.

Perfection isn’t achievable

We can never set ourselves up to have the “perfect life” and attempting to do so is likely to drive us crazy. Instead, we should strive to find a healthy balance between our personal and professional pursuits. One idea that can help is looking at how we are investing our time and the return we get on that investment. If there are areas in our lives where we are investing a lot of time and energy but not receiving results, we can choose to invest those resources in areas where we do receive the results we want.

Our body and mind need to work together

Without a strong mind/body connection, we are limiting our ability to get close to our true potential. This makes it imperative for us to institute practices that strengthen this connection, whether it is exercise, yoga, meditation, or some other practice. When our mind and body are working together instead of working at odds with each other, it makes everything in our lives easier.

Navigating Life’s Challenges with Gratitude

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Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools in the world because it allows us to find the light, love, and lessons in everything and everyone. Whether we are looking at the past, present, or future, viewing events and people with a lens of gratitude is key to ensuring a positive outlook on life. Here are four strategies that anyone can use to tap into gratitude daily, as well as lead a happier and more fulfilling life.

Gratitude Should Be an Everyday Practice

One of the easiest ways to change our lives is to say thank you every night and morning. This simple act can help us to cultivate a positive perspective on life by helping us to focus on the things we’re more grateful for, but many of us fail to do it consistently. Having a consistent practice each day, such as keeping a gratitude journal or saying thank you, helps gratitude to become a part of our subconscious and unconscious self.

Being Thankful Makes Our Past Brighter

We should not only be paying attention to what we’re grateful for in the present. By focusing on the positive aspects of our past experiences, we can avoid creating unnecessary resistance and obstacles for ourselves in our current path. Gratitude allows us to give beneficial meanings to our past experiences, influencing our future in a positive direction.

Gratitude For The Future is Faith

We must also have faith that what is occurring today, which immediately becomes the past, is going to be protecting and promoting us, leading us to a better future than we could conceive. When we don’t have the faith that we’re being led to a better situation than we were before, we can start moving in the wrong trajectory and unknowingly creating resistance between us and what we want. Having faith empowers us to deal with any voids, shortages and obstacles that we experience along the way.

Forgiveness and Accountability Are Other Powerful Tools

In order to help us get to where we want to be or better, we must also utilize forgiveness and accountability in conjunction with gratitude. For the times we get caught up in the needs of our ego, such as the need to be right or the need to be offended, practicing forgiveness is key to moving on. When we also take accountability for learning from the situations or circumstances that we experience, we ensure that we are progressing and getting closer to our true potential.

5 Tips for Building a Lasting Community

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When connecting with others, open-ended questions serve as a gateway to identifying whether someone is receptive to our ideas, business, or our services. This is the first step to building a community that is grounded in mutual support and value exchange, which is essential for any brand. Here are five strategies that can be used in conjunction with open-ended questions, to help us build a lasting community.

Open-ended questions help us to identify the right people

There is no better way to figure out whether someone has an open mind, open heart, and open hands than by asking them open-ended questions. There is a large total addressable community (TAC) and we can identify the right people for our community if we ask the right questions. Once we’ve identified the people who fit in our community, we can start to transition their interest to join.

There is nothing more powerful than a community

With a community that is willing and readily able to help each other (or who know other people who can help), we can generate lasting loyalty. When people combine forces in their efforts, they can leverage the situational knowledge of others and avoid paying the “dummy taxes” that others have. That added momentum can make all of the difference when building or growing a business. A community of open minds, hearts, and hands that will help each other, as well as buy from us and sell for us, will set any brand up for lasting success.

Figure out what people do and do not like

We can only determine how we can provide value for someone if we understand what they’re currently doing today, as well as what they do and do not like about it. Open-ended questions are the best tool for us to help make these determinations. By being more interested than interesting and learning how we can best provide value for others, we position ourselves to be of service in ways that make an impact on their business or personal life.

Don’t waste time on a closed mind

Another benefit of asking open-ended questions is it helps us to determine whether someone has a closed mind at that time. It takes infinitely more energy to re-engineer a closed mind than it does to share a vision with an open mind, so asking questions can help us to avoid spending that energy on the wrong people. It is important to understand that this could be a timing issue as well, as few people have a closed mind all the time. We may need to let time pass before we try again to figure out whether someone has an open or closed mind.

Be humble enough to learn

When we ask open-ended questions of others, we need to prepare ourselves to hear things that might not be easy for us to take in. We need to avoid letting our ego get in the way when we ask questions and do our best to learn, with intention and attention. We cannot let the need to be right, superior, or offended get in the way of accepting the input of others and using it to continually build our community.

Old School Strategies in a Digital World | How Krispy Kreme Brands Itself

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Krispy Kreme is among the world’s most beloved brands, and a big part of what keeps that love going is the company’s ingenious marketing. Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme’s Global Chief Brand Officer, ensures Krispy Kreme’s unwavering commitment to the timeless charm of its donuts, which strikes a chord with modern consumers. Here are four marketing insights that Dave divulges which set Krispy Kreme apart from its competitors and foster the profound love that sustains the brand.

The world needs retro more than ever

In today’s rapidly evolving world of technology and social media, brands often lose the analog touch of authenticity. Now, that personal touch is exactly what people want and need to see. Krispy Kreme has stayed true to its retro roots, showing customers the entire manufacturing process from the time of mixing the dough to the finished product. The transparency of the handmade process is old school, and their authenticity shines through, which has allowed Krispy Kreme to remain the “OG donut brand” after all these years.

Remain flexible

At Krispy Kreme, the marketing pace is quick. A lot of activity is being done on a small budget and in a small time frame. This requires a lot of flexibility. After measuring the success of marketing campaigns and figuring out what worked or what didn’t, Krispy Kreme strives to constantly improve and it is this approach we must adopt. It’s important to understand that we don’t always have everything figured out. Constant evaluation, tinkering, and moving forward is essential to keep our company’s marketing thriving.

Know the role that your products play in your consumers’ life

Krispy Kreme donuts are often a highlight of someone’s day, giving them a much-needed dose of happiness. In an era where pure generosity is hard to find, Krispy Kreme has a role to play and they understand it clearly. From giving away masses of free donuts to healthcare workers during the pandemic to always allowing customers to sample fresh donuts, generosity is at the heart of the company. When you innately understand the role that you play in your customers’ lives, you can adapt your approach to keep those emotional connections strong.

Brand longevity relies on love

In addition to all the regular metrics to measure brand performance, Krispy Kreme looks at love for the brand. Love is a measure of intimacy, which will carry a brand over time. Only looking at hard statistics can cause us to lose sight of the intensity of adoration, which is essential to create the strongest supporters that will engage with and talk about our brand. Love for Krispy Kreme is also indicative of its “something special.” Measuring brand love is a way to make sure our marketers are maintaining that distinct, intangible component and depth of care that keep people coming back.

My Personal and Professional Blueprint to Happiness

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If we want to get to where we want to be or better personally and professionally, we need to understand how we make our decisions, why we make our decisions, and how to make them quickly aligned with our goals. When we use pragmatic tools to enhance our decision-making each and every day, we can get closer to reaching our true potential. Here are five strategic practices to utilize everyday to find happiness and fulfillment, as you pursue your dreams and goals.

Know your “what”

The first step of strategic decision-making is to determine and balance what we want personally and professionally, along with what we want to give and receive. How we give weight to these four different realms relies on the external factors that are out of our control, from the weather to the current economic state, and the meaning we give to the defining moments of our past. We cannot make a decision that is aligned with where we want to be or better unless we can find the light, the love, and the lessons in our failures, setbacks, and mistakes. This will take us from a state of nothingness to a mathematical possibility of achieving our goals.

Know your “who”

We can make a possibility into a probability by knowing who we can help and who can help us to get the “what” that we’ve identified. The easiest way to get to where we want to be is to ask someone who is already there for directions or to help others to get where they want to go. By doing so, we also create a community of people who will help each other, accelerating everyone toward success. We build a community that will buy from us and sell for us for life – a key component of all the most successful companies.

Know your “how”

After knowing our “what” and “who,” we need to know how to actually accomplish the tasks required for us to achieve our goals, which is dependent on time. Our days are filled with activities that are planned and unplanned, both paid and unpaid. We first must figure out our non-negotiable activities, such as getting enough sleep, our health, and spending quality time with family. The remaining time can be filled with activities that we want and will accelerate us on the trajectory of where we want to be. We can also quantitatively measure our progress with time. If we find ourselves spending less time engaging in bad behaviors everyday, we know we are making progress. By studying time, we go from a probability of success to a perspective of productivity.

Know your “now”

There is nothing more statistically successful than doing something now. If we know how to prioritize, do what we need to do now, and know what we need to do next, we find the antidote to procrastination and feeling overwhelmed. We shift our paradigm to one of abundance, feeling excited for the plentiful opportunities before us. Prioritization creates our materialization and monetization. It constructs our reality.

Apply your “why”

Most people live in a world of “I want people to think I am” instead of “I am.” They search for more, not realizing that it’s something they already have. We must make decisions as if “I am” and question what we are doing to interfere with it. This requires having a source of faith that is bigger than us and loves us more than our mom. Our fear of the past and future is simply interfering with our connection to this source. Instead of resisting our fear, we must simply stop, identify what ego-based consciousness we are applying to it, and reconnect with our source of faith. When we remember “I am,” we will live in spirit, lessen resistance, and make the right decisions that promote and protect us to enjoy the consistent pursuit of our potential.

Discovering Your Inner Genius with Bob Proctor

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A legend in the personal development space, Bob Proctor was renowned for his remarkable personal transformation and dedicated his life to empowering others to follow suit. He proved that when we visualize our dreams and commit to action, the boundless possibilities of life become tangible realities within our grasp. Here are four invaluable pieces of wisdom from Bob Proctor that hold the key to unlocking our inner potential and reshaping the trajectory of our life.

Only we can change our life

There is only one person capable of changing our life: us. Our subconscious is like the Earth. It doesn’t care what we plant, but it will return what we plant, whether those seeds are good or bad. We have the ability to change what we input into ourselves, allowing us to alter our subconscious and the results we see in the world. Other people can help us come to this realization, but the work to change our lives must come from the inside.

We must analyze our beliefs to change them

Our beliefs dictate how we perceive the world around us, which will influence the trajectory of our lives for better or for worse. We must truly and whole-heartedly believe in our success in order to achieve them. Lingering thoughts of uncertainty will halt our goals from taking root in our subconscious and prevent us from making the changes we desire. In order to shift our beliefs to support our goals, we must reevaluate them. By simply assessing the beliefs we currently hold about a situation, our beliefs about the situation can change.

We have genius inside us

We are trained to live through our senses, gathering information through what we can see, touch, feel, hear, and taste. We live externally, oftentimes failing to consider the inner environment of our mind. We must find a way to consciously alter the paradigm of our subconscious to unleash the genius inside of us. This process requires ceaseless repetition. Perfect practice makes us perfect. By remaining consistent, we will program our subconscious and improve our results.

If we can hold it our head, we can hold it in our hand

We have the imagination to help us get out of the “box” which prevents us from reaching our full potential. If we can build the image, we can manifest it. Bob had many pieces of wisdom to pass on, but one of the most impactful is this: There is more to life than we are experiencing. We can have whatever we want, but we have to earn it. All we have to do is wake up, and then there is no end to what we are capable of doing.

The Secrets of Great Leadership & Teamwork

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Although Pro Football Hall of Famer Champ Bailey and entrepreneurial superstar Gary Vaynerchuck have excelled in different pursuits, they both share profound insights into teamwork and leadership that will boost our progress and allow us to create an even greater impact. In a world filled with challenges, the values of gratitude, teamwork, authenticity, and mentorship offer a powerful framework for individuals to navigate life’s obstacles and be their best on and off the field. Here are four strategies that Champ and Gary shared which will help you to be the best leader and teammate possible.

Take a step back and put things in perspective

Obstacles and adversity inevitably find us no matter who we are, but we must be able to take a step back and remind ourselves of the blessings we have. Gary Vaynerchuck puts his challenges into perspective with gratitude, guilt, and the ability to scare himself. No matter how bad the situation, he’ll think of the worst case scenario, as it puts his current circumstances into perspective. While fear may not be the tact for everyone, the overarching practice of gratitude always prevails. Gratitude will help us see our circumstances more clearly and positively.

You can have one great player, but he won’t change the game

Teamwork is everything, in football and in life. Growing up with his brothers, Champ Bailey learned the value of working together and sharing early on. In football, this same lesson holds true. Success is reliant on all 11 players on the field – no one can do anything by themselves. Good teammates must listen, appreciate each others’ strengths, and trust one another, whether in sports or in business. No matter the endeavor, striving to be a connected team where everyone feels valued will help everyone to achieve their goals.

Be as genuine as possible

Building lasting relationships that are authentic and not transactional is vital in business, sports, and life. In order to create those lasting connections, we must be our most genuine selves. It is important not to step out of ourselves just to please others, as everyone involved in the relationship will soon realize it has no authentic foundation. When we are genuine and honest, we must accept that people will either gravitate toward us or not. Having the fortitude to believe in ourselves and trust in our values is what empowers us to attract the right people and build genuine relationships that support us along our journey.

Be the person who wants to teach and give back

Sharing the knowledge we have acquired along the way is a pursuit that will benefit others as well as ourselves. When we are able to teach something, it confirms that we’ve truly learned the information. Giving our knowledge away to others creates an environment where everyone learns from each other to succeed jointly. In addition to providing people who are younger or less experienced with the tools they need to succeed, we must open the door to learn from them too. When we choose to be the person who doesn’t keep their secrets to themselves, we can help everyone around us flourish.

Transforming Beliefs for Abundance and Growth

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Our minds hold immense power over-reaching our potential and building the future we want. The beliefs we hold about ourselves, others, and the circumstances in our lives can either propel us toward success or hold us back from achieving our goals. It is up to us to shift our perspective. Here are four ideas that will help transform how we see our lives and better align our efforts with our greatest desires.

What effectuates our future is today

What we do today propels us toward the outcomes we will see in the future, but what we do today in the trajectory of our future often relies on the beliefs we attach to the past. Attaching the wrong beliefs to the past will set us up for failure in the present (and future). Our negative or false beliefs stemming from our prior failures, obstacles, mistakes, and even successes, make us unable to effectuate productive measures today in the trajectory of what we want in the future or better. We must shift our negative beliefs of the past to make sure what we do today is constructive.

 Identify your fears of the past

Identifying what we are afraid of and what ego-based consciousness we are applying to it will allow us to release the fear that holds us back. What we are prescribing to our fear could be resentment, guilt, superiority, or the need to be right, but whatever it is, identifying it will help us move forward. Instead of trying to resist, go around, or manipulate the fear, we should simply stop and breathe. Resisting only wastes our energy and creates more interference in our lives. Raising our awareness to our fears and sitting with them will help clear the interference and make it easier to handle them if they pop up again.

Shift your perspective to being worthy

In a world of abundance, there is no “more,” there is only “I am.” Each of us are already healthy, wealthy, and worthy, but we interfere with our potential when we focus on what we don’t have or feel like we don’t deserve the things we do have in our life. When we don’t feel worthy, we tend to see the undesired circumstances, events, and people that come about as punishment. However, when we feel worthy, we understand that we are protected and promoted by the “pain”. We learn vital lessons, see positives, and even find open doors for better things to occur in our lives. We must shift our viewpoint to being worthy in order to stop viewing ourselves as a victim and fulfill our true potential.

Forgiveness heals everything

Practicing forgiveness will change our lives. If a person is causing us pain, we can choose to find the light, the love, and the lessons in that pain and forgive them, which will heal the dis-ease almost instantaneously. We should never allow that person and the pain they cause to negatively impact us. In order to have forgiveness for ourselves, we also must have faith, as well. When we have faith that we are just interfering with our potential, we can forgive ourselves and repair our confidence and self-image. Practicing forgiveness for ourselves and others will heal all and put us at ease, which makes manifesting what we desire in our lives occur more rapidly and accurately.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

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Accepting that our future is in our own hands and we are accountable to create it is an essential part of a growth mindset. There is transformative power in our thoughts, beliefs, and actions to drive us forward, as long as we maintain alignment with our goals and values. Here are four key insights and strategies to navigate life’s challenges and advance toward the future we desire.

We have control of our mindset

We have control of our mindset in relation to how we feel and what we do. This is because our beliefs are the control center of our mindset – they are indicative of what we feel, which then governs what we do, say, and think every day. One way to shift our beliefs is to change the meaning we give to the past, spinning challenges and “failures” into positive learning experiences. Finding the light, the love, and the lessons in the past fuels our trajectory toward what we want or better in the future, and by adjusting our beliefs, we can influence our mind to achieve our goals.

Practice time and forgiveness to be at ease

Time and forgiveness are the two interrelated elements that are essential to living at ease. Within the man-made 24-hour construct, time is finite. As a result, it is the only mechanism that we can utilize to measure if we are diminishing our fear, anxiety, and dis-ease. In addition, when we inevitably waste our time with things that put us at dis-ease, we can heal by practicing forgiveness – forgiving ourselves and forgiving others. Utilizing time and forgiveness in the correct way puts us at ease, rather than causing interference between us and our source of inspiration.

Get out of your comfort zone

There are three zones of comfort: the comfort zone, the learning zone, and the anxiety zone. In order to get out of our comfort zone, we first must determine what activities are within it and explore what else we can learn to continue to grow and enter the learning zone. In this zone, we may experience pain, but it is not an indicator to stop; it’s an indicator that we have knowledge to acquire. As we learn from voids, shortages, and successes, we expand our comfort level and confidence. The anxiety zone, on the other hand, is constricting. We must identify our fears and evaluate what ego-based consciousness is at the root of it. Then, we can work to confront and end those fears. As we continue to push ourselves, the learning zone will become our new comfort zone, and our anxiety zone will become our new learning zone.

The meaning of life is whatever meaning you give it

We are a bag of beliefs, which determines the significance that we perceive and place on our lives. Because this significance comes from the internal rather than external, only we can give our lives meaning. Therefore, we must consider what meaning we want to give the events that unfold. We can choose to live in a world of not enough, where we feel like a victim unable to control our own lives. We can choose to live in a world of just enough, where we constantly trade, negotiate, and compete to get what we want. Or, we can choose to live in a world of abundance, where there is enough of everything for everyone and we are masters of our own lives. We can give our lives the meaning that will best set us up for happiness and success.

MESSAGE DAVID