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Your INTENTIONS Don’t Count If You Never ACT (S5) S40:E1 Saturday · Inspirations for Your Life

0:23
Well there, hello everyone, and welcome to the
0:25
ever-popular Inspirations for Your Life show.
0:27
It is so great to be with you
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today.
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It is Saturday, September 26, 2026.
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What does that mean?
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That means we're on a brand new master
0:36
topic.
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On Saturdays, we start a brand new master
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topic.
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We start on Saturday, we roll all the
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way through the week, and we finish up
0:41
on a Friday.
0:43
So without further ado, guys, we'll get started
0:44
in a minute.
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But I want to take the opportunity to
0:46
say thank you.
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If you've been here coming your first time,
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I want to say thank you and welcome.
0:51
If you've been here one time, five, 10,
0:52
100, or more, I'd like to say thank
0:54
you and welcome.
0:54
But I'd also like to say those very
0:56
important words, welcome back.
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I really appreciate people that enjoy the quality
1:00
and content of the information that I produce
1:02
out here.
1:03
So I do say thank you to all
1:05
of you for coming back and choosing to
1:07
make this part of your daily life.
1:09
If you're thirsty, if you're hungry, feel free
1:10
to go grab something.
1:11
I have some Aro water here with some
1:12
lemon, mmm, delicious.
1:16
All right, guys, don't forget to check out
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BelieveMeAchieved.com for, of course, more of my
1:21
amazing, inspiring creations.
1:23
All right, let's get this show kicked off.
1:26
So hello, everyone, and welcome again to another
1:29
great episode of the ever-popular Inspirations for
1:32
Your Life show.
1:34
I'm your host, John C.
1:36
Morley.
1:37
I'm a serial entrepreneur, engineer, marketing specialist, video
1:40
producer, podcast host, coach, keynote speaker, graduate student
1:46
at Montclair State University, a passionate lifelong learner,
1:49
and so grateful now to be a published
1:51
author.
1:52
Our weekly master topic, friends, is Your Actions
1:56
Are Telling the Truth About You.
1:58
This is season five, and this is, yes,
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I can't believe that we are all the
2:05
way, and this is show number 40.
2:09
That is where we're at, and it is
2:12
episode number one.
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I'll get into what that is in a
2:15
second.
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Today's episode is Intentions Don't Count If You
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Never Act.
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Intentions matter, ladies and gentlemen, because they give
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us direction in life, but intentions alone don't
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create results.
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At some point, we have to move from
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thinking, planning, and talking into actually doing.
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Today, I'm closing that gap with 30 powerful
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points I hope that will put you on
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the road to understanding and victory.
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So let's get started, all right?
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Number one, good intentions don't automatically create good
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results.
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You can genuinely want something positive, but wanting
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it doesn't make it happen.
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Results require movement.
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Intention points you toward the destination.
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Action starts getting you there.
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So it doesn't happen one, two, three, right?
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But it can happen with some practice.
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I think that's an important thing for a
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lot of us to understand that it does
3:12
take a little bit of practice, right?
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Number two, saying you'll do something isn't the
3:17
same as actually doing it.
3:18
We've all said, I'll get to that later
3:21
tomorrow.
3:23
But saying something can give us a false
3:26
feeling of accomplishment.
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Your words describe the commitment.
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Your actions, they're the ones that actually fulfill
3:32
it, or they write the ticket on that.
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So I think that's an important thing for
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us to definitely be aware of in life.
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Number three, your calendar reveals what you're actually
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prioritizing.
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Look at where your time really goes.
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Your calendar often gives you a more accurate
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picture of your priorities than your intention do.
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Important things need space in your life.
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Number four, stop giving yourself credit for plans
4:00
you haven't started.
4:02
Planning can feel productive, but don't confuse deciding
4:06
with doing.
4:07
Give yourself credit when you take a meaningful
4:11
step forward.
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I think that's an important thing.
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And a lot of people, they don't give
4:16
themselves credit.
4:17
Why?
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I think it's because they're aiming for perfection.
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I think that can be a very big
4:26
problem.
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Number five, an idea without action remains just
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an idea.
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You can have incredible ideas, but nobody benefits
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if it never leaves your mind.
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Write something, build something, make the call, give
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your idea a chance to get some legs
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and become real in life.
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And let it impact not just yourself, but
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other people.
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I think that's pretty cool when you can
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do stuff like that.
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So definitely do that.
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Number six, your intentions cannot do the work
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for you.
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Your intentions are good, but your intentions can't
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make the call, complete the assignment, have the
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conversation, or finish the project.
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Eventually, you have to participate in producing the
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actual outcome.
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Number seven, starting imperfectly beats planning endlessly.
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Your first attempt probably won't be perfect.
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And that's OK.
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You can impose something you've started.
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You can improve something that doesn't exist.
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Number eight, stop confusing preparation with progress.
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Preparation is valuable until it becomes a hiding
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place.
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I know.
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When I was starting to write my book,
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I was procrastinating for quite a few weeks.
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I said, OK, enough's enough.
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I need to start writing the book now.
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Research planning and organizing should eventually lead to
5:40
execution, but not more delayed action.
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Ask yourself, am I preparing to move or
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preparing so I don't have to move?
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I think a lot of people will keep
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doing something over and over again.
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And sometimes they'll purposely not finish something.
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You know why?
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Because they don't want to get started.
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And getting started can seem challenging for a
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lot of people.
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But I can tell you that it's the
6:08
key.
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I know it sounds scary, guys.
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It definitely is scary, but it's necessary.
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And we have to practice getting comfortable being
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uncomfortable.
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Number nine, the smallest action can break procrastination.
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Make the first step smaller.
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Open the document.
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Write the first paragraph.
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You know, I think these are all important
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things for us to understand.
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Send the email.
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Walk for 10 minutes.
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Small movements can create powerful momentum.
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They get us to feel good, but they
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make us want to do more stuff.
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I think that's an important thing for us
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to actually think about.
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That they want to get us to do
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more stuff.
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Number 10, your habits reveal more than your
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promises ever will.
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Promises tell us what you intend to do.
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Habits reveal what you repeatedly do.
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If your habits consistently contradict your goals, something
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has to change.
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Or you're going to be doing like Einstein
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said, insanity.
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Doing the same thing over and over again,
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expecting different results.
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That's insanity.
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Number 11, what you repeatedly do becomes your
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real standard.
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See, your standard isn't only what you say
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you expect.
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It's also what you repeatedly accept from yourself.
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Repeated behavior eventually becomes normal behavior.
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Stop waiting to feel completely ready.
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Sometimes readiness comes after starting.
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You don't need every answer before taking the
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first responsible step.
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You can learn while moving forward.
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Number 13, action creates information planning cannot ever
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provide.
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Number 13, you can research and predict, but
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action gives you real feedback.
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Once you begin, you discover what works, what
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doesn't, and what needs to change in your
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life.
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I think that's a real key.
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Number 14, you learn more after starting.
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Experience teaches lessons theory can't always provide.
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Starting exposes questions you didn't know you need
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to ask.
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That's part of growth, guys.
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Number 15, make today's behavior match tomorrow's goal.
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I think that's another important one that a
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lot of people, you know, that they miss
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that concept.
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They miss like what that even means.
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Ask yourself, what can I do today that
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supports where I want to be tomorrow?
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Your future is influenced by ordinary decisions repeated
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consistently.
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You might say, well, gee, what is that
8:57
little thing going to do for me?
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It's going to be one step to get
9:00
you closer, okay?
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I think that's an important thing that, I
9:12
think the most important thing for you to
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realize is that you have to take these
9:16
steps, okay?
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You have to take them.
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If you don't take them, you're never going
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to go anywhere.
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You're just going to be like constantly going
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nowhere and going in circles, all right?
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Just the truth.
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Think about that for a minute.
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What does that mean to you?
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Have you thought about it that way?
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I mean, have you really thought about it
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or no?
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Right?
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That's the real question I want to ask.
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And if you haven't thought about it, why
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not?
10:08
Why not think about it?
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Number 16, stop announcing everything you're going to
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do.
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I've learned this a long time ago.
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You don't need to impress anybody, okay?
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What you need to do is basically do
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it.
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Not put a show on that you're going
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to do it.
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Just do it.
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You don't need to tell everyone, their mother,
10:32
their brother, and their relatives your plan.
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Sometimes talking about the goal gives us satisfaction
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before we've actually earned it.
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Save some energy for the execution.
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But again, when you do something, your mind
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and body see that, hey, you do what
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you say you're going to do.
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That's important.
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And that's a big key, guys.
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A key for us to understand, all right?
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A key that maybe people don't understand right
11:06
away.
11:13
That's important, guys.
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A very important thing that most people don't
11:18
really understand.
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And I think that means something for a
11:27
lot of people.
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But then a lot of people don't think
11:29
about that, right?
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They don't think about what that's going to
11:31
mean or, you know, what that's going to
11:33
do for them.
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And I think that can cause, I'm going
11:40
to say challenges for people.
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And you might say to me, John, you
11:50
know, I don't really know where that's going.
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Where is it really going?
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Where?
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Could confuse you, right?
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So stop waiting to feel completely ready, number
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12.
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Sometimes readiness comes after starting.
12:13
You don't need every answer before taking the
12:16
first responsible step.
12:17
You can learn while you're moving forward.
12:19
Number 13, action creates information.
12:21
Planning cannot provide.
12:23
As I said, you can research and predict.
12:25
But action gives you real feedback.
12:27
Once you begin, you discover what works, what
12:32
doesn't, and what needs to change.
12:34
Number 14, you learn more after starting.
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Experience teaches lessons.
12:39
Theory can't always provide.
12:42
Starting exposes questions you didn't know you needed
12:44
to ask.
12:45
That's part of growth.
12:47
Number 15, make today's behavior match tomorrow's goals.
12:50
And ask yourself, what can I do today
12:52
that supports where I want to be tomorrow?
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Think about that.
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16 is stop announcing everything that you're going
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to do.
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Just do it.
13:07
Number 17, let the completed work speak for
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you.
13:10
Instead of explaining 24-7, just do it.
13:14
Number 18, excitement at the beginning is a
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commitment, guys.
13:18
New things are exciting.
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Commitment becomes visible when the novelty disappears.
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What happens after the excitement fades tells you
13:26
how serious you really are.
13:29
Number 19, motivation can disappear while responsibility remains.
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You're not going to feel motivated every day.
13:37
But responsibilities don't disappear because our feelings changed.
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That's about discipline, right?
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Discipline.
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Discipline is something a lot of people spend
13:49
hours to figure out.
13:51
Days, months, even years.
13:53
But then you know what happens?
13:54
They actually don't get any further.
13:56
And it's because of their belief system.
14:00
That's the reason.
14:02
So do what matters even when the feeling
14:05
changes.
14:05
Number 20, our feelings will fluctuate.
14:08
Purposes give us something steadier to return to,
14:11
to be grounded upon.
14:13
Remember why something mattered when you committed to
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it.
14:17
Take the next responsible steps.
14:19
Number 21, your future is influenced by what
14:21
you repeatedly practice.
14:23
What are you practicing every day?
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Focusing on discipline, avoidance, learning, procrastination.
14:28
Every repetition strengthens something.
14:32
Choose carefully what you're strengthening.
14:35
But you may be strengthening something you don't
14:36
want to strengthen.
14:38
Like AKA procrastination, right?
14:42
Nobody does that.
14:45
Number 22, small actions become evidence that you're
14:49
serious.
14:50
Doesn't have to be a grandiose thing.
14:53
You don't need a giant accomplishment every day.
14:57
A small, complete action says I showed up.
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I moved forward.
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I kept my commitment.
15:02
Those actions accumulate over time.
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Pretty special, isn't it?
15:12
Over time.
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I think that's something that a lot of
15:16
people, like they just don't get it.
15:25
Something to think about.
15:32
But you can and you should.
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Number 23, stop negotiating with commitments you already
15:41
made with yourself.
15:42
Have you ever decided to do something and
15:44
then spend an hour convincing yourself?
15:46
Yeah, I'm not going to do that.
15:49
If the commitment still matters to you, stop
15:52
reopening the decision every few minutes.
15:54
Like why are you trying to talk yourself
15:57
out of something that actually could help you?
16:00
Like that's really the question that I want
16:04
to know.
16:05
Number 24, give important goals a place on
16:10
your schedule.
16:12
Okay, if something really matters, make room for
16:17
it.
16:18
You may need to adjust your schedule.
16:20
But putting the work on your calendar makes
16:22
your intention tangible.
16:25
A commitment you're going to go forth on.
16:28
Okay.
16:31
Number 25, please remove one excuse you repeatedly
16:36
use.
16:37
It usually starts with I'm not, I'm not,
16:39
I'm not.
16:40
I don't want to hear the rest of
16:41
it.
16:42
Change it to I am.
16:44
Real obstacles exist, guys.
16:46
And we shouldn't pretend otherwise.
16:49
But we also recognize the excuses that we
16:52
recycle over and over.
16:53
I'm not that, I'm not this, I'm not
16:54
that.
16:54
You just stop that.
16:56
And then it becomes like an autopilot, right?
16:57
Identify one and ask what action would make
17:01
that excuse less powerful.
17:03
That's the most important thing that I can
17:05
tell you.
17:08
Number 26, turn one intention into a measurable
17:13
action today.
17:15
Whoa, that's a real interesting thought.
17:20
When we get measurable actions, it's like we
17:23
want to do more in our life.
17:26
Okay, we want to do more in our
17:28
life.
17:31
So turn the one action into a measurable
17:34
action today.
17:35
26, don't say I'm going to work on
17:39
my book.
17:42
Say I'm going to write 500 words.
17:46
Don't say I need to work.
17:48
You're going to connect with three new people.
17:51
Measurement turns the vague tension to action.
17:54
Studying.
17:56
Don't say I'm just going to study.
17:58
I'm going to study at least one of
18:02
my chapters.
18:03
Either my slides or my in-class notes.
18:08
That's what you do.
18:10
Number 27, don't wait for perfect conditions.
18:12
They're never going to exist.
18:14
Perfect conditions rarely arrive.
18:17
There will always be another reason to wait.
18:19
Determine what you generally need now.
18:22
Use what you currently have and begin.
18:24
Okay, I want to learn how to cook.
18:26
I cook or I bake.
18:28
Okay, no, I want to, I'm going to
18:31
make a cake or I'm going to make
18:33
cookies, right?
18:35
My first story, that's how I did it.
18:38
Maybe, you know, I'm working on something for
18:40
my not-for-profit.
18:41
Not, I think I'm going to create a
18:43
video.
18:44
That's wonderful.
18:45
I'm going to create a video that gets
18:48
engagement.
18:50
That's how it works.
18:52
That's how it works, guys.
18:54
You create engagement.
18:56
Recently, you guys know I've been doing a
18:57
day in the life with John.
18:58
I've been realizing that it's been great, but
19:00
I need to make it more engaging.
19:01
So, I decided I need to make it
19:03
more punchier.
19:05
In a sense, I've got to put more
19:07
hooks when I start.
19:09
I don't start anymore like, hey, it's John
19:11
C.
19:11
Morley.
19:11
It's a day in life.
19:12
I don't do it anymore.
19:12
I get right into the point.
19:14
And then a lot of times I'll just
19:15
stop and then I'll get to the next
19:16
point.
19:17
I'll say, we'll cover that later.
19:19
Number 27, don't you dare wait for perfect
19:22
conditions.
19:22
Perfect conditions, I said, they rarely arrive.
19:24
So, don't wait for them, okay?
19:27
Determine it now.
19:28
I want to make sure that's clear to
19:29
you.
19:29
Number 28, consistency gives intentions credibility.
19:34
Anybody can make a declaration once, right?
19:37
Consistency creates evidence.
19:40
When your actions repeatedly support your intentions, people,
19:44
including you, can begin trusting those intentions.
19:47
I think when we start to trust ourselves,
19:50
guess what?
19:51
Other people start to trust us too.
19:56
Hmm, pretty interesting.
20:01
Trust yourself, others will trust you too.
20:04
Number 29, become someone whose actions support their
20:09
words.
20:10
This goes beyond just productivity.
20:13
It's about getting yourself in alignment.
20:17
When you say something matters, your behavior should
20:19
increasingly demonstrate that it matters.
20:22
If you just say, gee, I'm going to
20:24
say it matters, but you don't do anything,
20:25
what's the point of saying it matters?
20:28
Number 30, guys.
20:30
If it matters enough to say, make it
20:33
matter enough to do.
20:34
Let me say that again.
20:35
If it matters enough to say, make it
20:38
a matter enough to do.
20:40
If it matters enough to say, make it
20:41
a matter enough to do.
20:43
And that's where I would like to leave
20:46
you today.
20:48
Think about one thing you've been talking about
20:52
doing.
20:53
Maybe you've talked about it for a week,
20:56
months.
20:57
Or maybe even several years.
21:00
First of all, what is that?
21:02
Is it exercise?
21:04
Is it eating differently?
21:06
Is it getting an education in some topic
21:10
or area?
21:12
Is it, you know, connecting with your neighbors,
21:17
building some friendships, a relationship?
21:21
What is it?
21:24
Maybe it's a financial goal.
21:26
What is it?
21:27
You can't just say, I want to make
21:30
money.
21:30
That's nice.
21:32
You could say, I want to have an
21:35
abundant amount of money.
21:36
But think about what you're going to do
21:38
with the money, not just you're going to
21:39
have it.
21:40
And what's one action you could take today
21:44
or tomorrow, depending on when you're watching this.
21:47
Not someday, today.
21:50
I'll let you say tomorrow, because I get
21:52
it might be nighttime when you're watching it.
21:53
But at least you're going to take it
21:55
either tonight or tomorrow.
21:57
Because intention can identify your destination, but they
22:02
can't walk the road for you.
22:04
This week is about closing the distance between
22:06
what we say and what we actually do.
22:09
We're going to examine changing our minds, the
22:12
promises we make to ourselves, ego, success, integrity,
22:18
when nobody is watching.
22:20
And ultimately, how we create a life where
22:23
our actions match the person we say we
22:26
want to become.
22:27
So here's your challenge, ladies and gentlemen.
22:30
Choose one intention that's been sitting in your
22:33
mind.
22:34
Give it an action.
22:35
Give that action a measurement.
22:38
Give it a place on your calendar.
22:41
Then do it.
22:43
You don't have to transform your entire life
22:46
today.
22:47
Take one meaningful step and prove to yourself
22:50
that this intention deserves more than words.
22:52
Your actions are creating evidence about what matters
22:56
to you.
22:57
Make sure that evidence tells the story you
22:59
actually want your life.
23:03
I think that's an important thing for us
23:06
to realize.
23:07
You might say, John, this sounds great.
23:08
I'll get to it next week.
23:10
No, because you're never going to do it,
23:12
right?
23:13
You might say, well, I don't know how
23:13
to do that.
23:16
Find a way that you can measure it.
23:20
Maybe it's losing weight.
23:23
You can measure your weight, right?
23:25
Maybe it's health.
23:27
You can measure how you feel.
23:28
Right?
23:30
Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't know who
23:31
I am by now, I am John C.
23:33
Morley.
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I'm a serial entrepreneur, engineer, author, and so
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much more.
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And this has been another amazing episode of
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the ever-popular Inspirations for Your Life show.
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I take this moment to thank you so
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very much for joining me.
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Remember, ladies and gentlemen, your intentions may tell
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the world what you hope to accomplish.
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Your intentions may tell the world or share
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with the world what you hope to accomplish.
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But, here's the but, your actions are what
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begin turning those hopes into something real.
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Let me see if I can make this
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a little easier.
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Let's take cooking, right?
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I like cooking.
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So we'll do something with popcorn.
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So your intentions are to put the popcorn
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into the air popper, okay?
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But it's never going to pop unless you
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turn it on, right?
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So you could think about becoming successful, but
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if you don't take a step, a baby
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step, it doesn't have to be a big
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step.
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You're not going anywhere.
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So remember, your intentions may tell the world
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what you hope to accomplish.
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But your actions are the key to what
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begins turning those hopes into something real.
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Think of it another way.
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You can get in your car and you
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can think about going somewhere, but the wheels
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aren't going to turn until your car is
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on, until you take the ignition, put it
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in drive, and you put your foot down
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on the gas or the electric, whatever it
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is.
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I think that's an important thing.
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But you got to take that step, guys.
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I can't do it for you.
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Can't do it for you.
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I know you guys want to take it
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because you're here.
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The question is, how badly do you want
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it?
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Am I just something you're doing between, you
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know, chores?
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Or do you really want to change your
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life?
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So if that is the case, if this
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is not just some entertainment you're watching between,
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you know, popcorn, dinner, or dessert, I want
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to ask you right now, are you going
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to take this step?
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If you are, your life will change.
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Is it going to change overnight?
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No.
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Give it 36 or 90 days.
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Keep doing those things, right?
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A good example I can share with you
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is SEO, which we do for a lot
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of clients and including ourselves.
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You don't grow overnight in SEO.
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You grow cumulatively over time by taking small
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steps.
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Right?
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You don't need to post 10 million pages
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a day.
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Posting one or two pages a week, depending
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on what your niche is, can greatly help
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you to get better rankings in Google, better
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traction.
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So the first step, ladies and gentlemen, is
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to get out there.
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Okay?
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You got to know what you're going to
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measure, number two.
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Okay?
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So you know what it's going to be.
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Number three, you got to take that next
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meaningful step.
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So you got to get out there.
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Got to know what you're going to measure
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so you can measure it and take the
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step.
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And then you need to keep adapting if
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you're not where you want to be.
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My friends, keep learning.
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Keep growing.
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Keep becoming the person whose actions support the
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life you and everyone else says they want
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to be.
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It's one thing to say it, but it's
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another to actually do it.
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Are you ready to take that step?
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Are you ready to take these words from
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your mouth and put them into action?
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I don't know.
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Are you ready to do that?
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If you are, your life will start to
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change.
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If you're saying, John, this sounds nice.
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I want to keep talking about it, but
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not doing anything.
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It's not going to change.
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Have yourself a great rest of your day
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or evening.
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Be sure to check out BelieveMeAchieve.com for
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more of my amazing, of course, inspiring creations.
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I will see you on another show real
27:55
soon.
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Be well, everyone.