Success from Failure

Are you not going after what you want, because you’re afraid to fail?

I think this sums up a lot of the procrastination I’ve put myself through, and I have a good feeling I’m not alone.

What if we adjusted our thought process on failure? What if we realized that failures were more powerful and influential on our future success than anything else we can do? Would we feel differently? Would we pursue our dreams with a different vigor?

If you’re delaying your dream, I want to try to help you today. You’ll never get to where you want without embracing the failures. I’m a content producer. And I haven’t produced any meaningful content in almost a year. And I’ll never get any better at producing content without…obviously…producing content.

One realization that has helped me recently is understanding the statistic that in just 1 day in 2021, more content is produced than in the entirety of the 1940s. That’s unbelievable! And it’s freeing. It’s freeing to know that what I produce isn’t going to change the world. But it may help someone, and it will definitely help me to get better at my craft.

So there’s really no down side to doing what I love…which is writing…and trying to help people. And the only way I learn is by succeeding or failing. And the only way I succeed and fail is to do.

So you and I are just going to start doing the things that get us closer to where we want to be in life. Deal?

Robert Schuller asked, “what would you attempt to do if you knew you wouldn’t fail?” The fear of failure is crippling. The acceptance that failure is part of success is freeing.

There are a lot of things we would try, but we don’t because we’re afraid we’ll fail. But if you’re learning from trying, it’s not failing. If you’re progressing because you learn from every new failure, you will succeed.

Continual success is a result of continual failing and learning. Failure is one of the greatest teachers in life.

So let’s decide that the fear of failure is no longer going to keep us from trying!

We’ll learn together and grow together.

Hope you have the best week…I’ll talk to you soon!

-AB

Hope and Kindness

I keep thinking we need a restored hope in human interaction.

It’s so easy to see the negativity in our culture, and react to the point where we conclude that human beings don’t care about anyone else but themselves.

But if you seek the good nature in others, you find some amazing truths about how we should be treating one another.

It’s usually found in difficult situations: natural disasters / caring for the homeless / helping the sick / etc.

But I think if we start to see the good in people in our everyday interactions, we have the opportunity to not only enrich our own lives, but project that energy into the people we come in contact with (and especially strangers).

As the saying goes, no man is an island. You are the product of your environment and the people you do life with.

I’m focusing on positivity and believing in the good nature of human beings. It’s a broken world with broken people, but I think we’re all looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. The light that we can provide for each other.

You never know what just one intentionally positive moment can have on someone else’s life. There’s plenty of room and time and space for these micro-moments to happen. Just be open to the idea.

If you have a story to share about small good deeds, I always love to hear them. Comment or shoot me a message.

God bless,

-ABB

A Simple Formula

There seems to be a really easy formula for success. The thing is, everybody already knows what it is. There is no secret to it. It’s just execution. And maybe people are inherently lazy and not focused or driven. And that’s why the cream always rises to the top.

So here’s the recipe that everyone already knows:

1) Find something that you’re passionate about. It should be something you’d do even if you never made a dime doing it.

2) Learn the craft. Read about it…watch videos about it…digest from the experts.

3) Practice every day…until you become the expert you were reading about in step 2.

4) Work your face off (but it’s ok…it won’t feel like work because it’s your passion, remember?)

If you’re an artist, learn the business side of your art. If you’re a businessperson, learn the art of how people work.

That was simple right? And we all know this is easy in theory. It’s the rest of the stuff that’s hard. Being a person of action and execution and self-awareness.

Ok, so there’s a few places where this easy 4 step process goes awry:

First, you have the people that never truly follow their passion. Maybe they never had the opportunities to dream…but the mundane and the “normal” become acceptable.

Second, you have those that were passionate about something that they never had the innate skill set to do. My passion could always have been to play power forward for the Lakers. But as a 5’9” relatively nonathletic person, that was a limiting factor. I can work my entire life and have amazing passion for basketball, and it’s not going to happen for me.

Third, you have the group of people that is the most frustrating. It’s the ones that know their passion and know what they need to do to accomplish their dreams, they just don’t execute. Every day goes by in regret. Maybe it’s not worth the effort, or maybe settling is the answer.

So, what do we do?

Maybe life is ok following the status quo?

For me, this keeps me up at night. I want more. Maybe you do too.

Find some like-minded people that want what you want. Be willing to put in the work for the life you want to live. Maybe don’t listen to Mom’s short-sided opinions…idk.

But we know the formula. We know what needs to be done. What would happen if we for once just followed through?

It’s a journey…I’m learning and taking it with you.

God Bless,

-X

It's Just a Post

For far too long, I’ve dreaded writing here because I was worried that I didn’t have anything profound or important to say. I’ve allowed the intimidating thoughts in my head cripple my ability to put words to real use.

I kinda think I’m moving past that now.

I think I’m finally realizing that the only way to really improve and make something worthwhile is to just keep doing it. It’s not going to be pretty…it’s not going to be the most polished piece of work. But it’s something, and I think that’s really important.

That being said, I’m just writing a post. I’m performing the practice out loud, for you to see the process. Maybe we’ll all look back in 10 years, and say, “man he has come a long way!” Or maybe it’s so insignificant at this point that no one would dare dig that far back.

It’s an important distinction for me. It’s content. It’s practice. It’s perfecting my craft. Maybe I’ll be a great writer. Or maybe not. Either way, I want to give it a chance to be something.

And nothing never creates something.

I’m not even editing this post. It’s just a post. Stop making it a bigger deal than it actually is.

Stop making your art or creativity or outlet bigger than it should be.

Just keep working at it consistently, and you will get better. Maybe not all-time great…but better every time.

Here’s to the dreamers! But know that dreamers have to be doers or the dream remains stuck inside the nothingness of your imagination. Dreams are much more fun actualized and realized.

God Bless…let’s do this thing! :)

-X

What's With The Attitude?

I’m here to make some changes to my attitude. I think this is very important, so if any of this resonates, let’s make some updates and refreshes to our attitude to improve our lives.

Your attitude isn’t everything…but it’s important enough to ride in the front seat of the car of your life. Maybe not the driver…but at least riding shotgun.

I believe there are a few distinct ways to make our attitudes our greatest asset…not a hindrance or barrier, that perhaps we’ve let it be for entirely too long. Let’s take a look…

1. We need to take responsibility for our attitude. It’s not genetic or set in stone…it’s a personal choice. We have to decide that our attitudes are not a byproduct of our circumstances or outside ourselves…it always comes from within.

2. We need to evaluate our present attitude. Let’s make the decision now…if our attitudes aren’t as good as they should be, let’s take that responsibility and start to make some shifts. The key will be to look at yourself objectively and with some keen sense of self-awareness, and to separate yourself from your attitude.

3. We need to develop the desire to change. Most people desire improvement, but resist change. When improving our attitudes, we need to be ready for both. Change is never easy, and it requires a good amount of energy and perseverance. Cultivate the desire for change as a part of your daily routine.

4. We change our attitude by changing our thoughts. Your mind has some pretty incredible powers. What holds your attention holds your actions. This is why your attitude is within your control, because you do have the ability to control your thoughts. I love the saying,

   “you are not what you think you are, but what you think…you are.”

5. We need to develop good habits about our attitude. A lot of what we do every day comes from habitual behaviors. Over the course of time, we have developed a way of approaching life. If your attitude has been less than stellar, it’s time to make some changes to those behaviors. The good news is habits aren’t instincts, so it may take some time…but it’s subject to change.

So, if we take some personal responsibility for our attitudes…recognizing that it can change how we live…then we can make our attitudes our greatest asset. And then, watch how it affects our daily interactions and the projection of our success.

Here’s to you!

God bless,

-ABB

Pivots

What are pivotal moments made of? Is it one decision, or a group of them combined to actually make a difference for change? Sometimes I wonder how far I need to be pushed to make a pivotal decision.

Truth is: I’m really hoping I’ve been pushed far enough to make some changes professionally. The pivot is always in place, it’s just a matter of deciding to move that other leg. It’s a basketball reference, and the one that populates in my head when I think of pivoting my life and my career. Take what you’ve been given and move the other step.

Part of the shift is this piece right here…putting thoughts into place and documenting the journey. The other part is much more complex, and I’m looking forward to putting in the work and chasing after what I feel that I was always called to do.

Some days will be the rambling of a mind that’s searching for potential and purpose. Other days will be a record of the highs and lows that come along with building out a business and a brand.

The pivot has been a long time coming. And it’s just the first one in a long-tail game that I want to play for the rest of my life.

It’s Monday…let’s go get it!

-ABB

The Power of Passion

Passion is the motivation you need to write the next sentence…

Passion is the key to making hard work not feel like hard work…

Passion is the launching pad for greatness…

Passion is the stuff dreams are made of…

Passion holds the light at the end of the tunnel…

Passion is the difference between an average day and a meaningful day…

Passion cannot be vanquished for the elite performer…

Passion will not relent…

Passion encourages the best in each of us…

Passion is defined as a strong and barely controllable emotion…

Passion needs to be in the driver’s seat of your life…

Passion is not a hobby…

Passion can only be summoned by you…and can only be squashed by you…

Passion always requires courage to chase…

Passion enables us to overcome obstacles…

Passion shapes our existence…

Passion is energy…

Passion is love…

Dare to imagine what a life filled with passion looks like…dare to imagine the possibilities…dare to dream out loud, and to live with passion…to live your passion.

…Sometimes we need to define something before we live it…

God Bless,

-ABB

Comparing Notes

Yesterday, I encouraged you to own your dream…not the dreams of others. One of the real challenges in ownership is the tendency for comparison.

We look at other people chasing and pursuing their dreams, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring our own hopes and dreams with others…especially in today’s social environment online.

I think that an important thing to realize is that everyone wants to be successful…but success has very different meanings to every individual. I think the best definition for success is doing the best you can with what you have, wherever you decide to start.

Success needs to be on your own terms. Your dream to get to that version of success will always need to be your own. I think that God has called you to be you, but He’s never called you to be someone else.

When we compare our success with others, we often short-side what God has planned for us. More time worrying about what Jim the Neighbor is accomplishing is taking away time from you pursuing what you’ve been put on Earth to do.

Be inspired by others…but allow it to shape your own unique path. There has never and never will be another you! That means that dream in your heart is completely and utterly unique. Chasing someone else’s version of it will derail or hamper that uniqueness.

“Find out what it is you want and go after it as if your life depends on it…because it does!” - Brene Brown

God Bless!

-ABB

Whose Dream Is It?

Your dreams are pretty powerful…but only if you allow them to be. That’s why I want to do a small series of posts on really going after what you’ve always been dreaming about.

Unfortunately all too often there are certain factors that keep us from following or pursuing our dreams. The first of these is the dreams of someone else.

Hopefully, you were raised in a home that dreaming was encouraged, and nurtured and cultivated as your own. But this is often not the case. Parents are living out their dreams through their children…or realism is far outweighing the opportunity to chase after the dreams of our young people.

In these formative years, people lose touch with their emerging identity (who they are and what they desire to do) and they adopt the desires of someone else’s heart. This is most often to gain approval, or because there are just a perceived lack of options.

If you’re able to dig yourself out of someone else’s dream, there is one vital aspect I need you to do for me: I need you to own it! Quit trying to please the person that has talked you out of pursuing your passion! You’ll never be able to achieve a dream that you don’t own!

So quit wishing…and quit waiting…let’s work on our dreams together! No more excuses…like:

“Dreams don’t come true for ordinary people”

“If the dream isn’t big, it isn’t worth pursuing”

“Now is not the right time to pursue my dream”

So I need you to drop the facade…bet on yourself…and lead your life instead of just accepting it the way it is…

Your dream is not your parents dream…it’s yours. You may succeed if no one else believes in you, but you’ll never succeed if you don’t believe in yourself.

So all this to say: when the dream is right for the person, and the person is right for the dream…it’s pretty unstoppable.

Go chase your dreams!

God Bless,

ABB

It's On The Leader (a.k.a. It's Your Fault)

I've had the great opportunity to work with managers and leaders over the years that run the full gamut of competency and ability.  And one thing that I know about leading...it's difficult.  People are challenging.  It's much easier to pass the blame or pass the buck than to take charge and take responsibility.  

But if there's one aspect that I believe holds leaders back from their full potential...it's that they don't understand that it's always the leader's fault.  

If there is an employee or team member that is complacent or unhappy, it's your fault.  If there are complaining guests, it's your fault.  If you can't come in on budget, it's your fault.  Do you see the theme here?

So...here's where we separate the great leaders from the mediocre ones...

Great leaders embrace the responsibility, and make it their mission to find opportunities in the problems.

Mediocre and bad leaders take the responsibility personally...or they get offended...or just simply ignore the problems.

Being a manager is appointed.  But being a great leader is a decision to accept the challenge that "everything rises and falls on leadership."  

Oh, and also an important side note...let your team take the glory...you take the criticism.  And then watch what happens to the team that you lead!

God Bless,

-ABB