The High School Swimmers Who Were Willing To Brave The First Day Of Practice (65 Degrees)

A few weeks ago I started coaching the Steeple Station Stingrays Swim Team again. This is my 12th summer season as a head coach (10th with this team). I’m working with 170 swimmers ages 4-18. You can read more about our Swim Team here.

One thing I love about coaching the Steeple Station Stingrays (try saying that 10x fast) is working with our teenage swimmers. It’s not just about stroke technique with these swimmers. It’s about life skills. And one life skill I try to teach and model is goal setting. How to set personal goals and team goals. How to set short term goals and long term goals. How to achieve goals and objectives. Goal setting. Goal setting. Goal setting!

A principle that helps many swimmers with goal setting is what we call High Intention Low Attachment. It’s simple, but powerful. Here it is in a nutshell.

Middle School Swimmers Who Were Willing To Brave The First Day Of Practice (65 Degrees)

High Intention. This is the “how to set goals” part of the equation. Set your goals with the highest intention of accomplishing them. Goals should stretch you. They should be just out of your reach and cause you push yourself.

Low Attachment. This is the “secret weapon” in goal setting. Low attachment means if you do not accomplish your goal, it doesn’t ruin your day, week, month, or year. Are you bummed? Yes. Would you have rather achieve your goal than not? Of course! But you don’t let it get you too down. You don’t get stuck. You acknowledge your disappointment. You even embrace it. But you are not so attached to your goal that it keeps you from living it forward.

Swim team creates an awesome environment for teaching high intention low attachment goal setting. Most swimmers compete in four or five events during a swim meet. The best swimmers set goals for each event and have every intention of accomplishing those goals (i.e. high intention). If they miss the mark in an event, they can’t let it ruin the rest of their swim meet. If they do, they might miss out on their best swim of the night.

So instead, they have to acknowledge and even embrace the fact that they didn’t accomplish their goal. Yet they must also quickly let go of what they didn’t accomplish (i.e. low attachment) and start preparing for their next event (i.e. high intention again). This gives them their best shot at accomplishing the goal they set for that event.

High Intention Low Attachment. Definitely a key to success in goal setting!

Question: How do you (or can you) use the principle of high intention low attachment in your goal setting?

The post High Intention Low Attachment in Goal Setting appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

Let me explain…

As a keynote speaker I’m on stage quite a bit. When you’re on stage speaking, you can insert your foot into your mouth from time to time. That’s exactly what happened to me recently.

I didn’t intend to stick my foot into my mouth. I didn’t even know I did it. I made an innocent comment that wasn’t offensive to 99 percent of the audience. But it was quite hurtful to at least one person. How do I know? She told me.

The details aren’t necessary. Again, it was an innocent comment made in passing. But after she explained how the comment impacted her, I knew I had made a mistake and needed to seek forgiveness. I also knew I needed to express gratitude to her for having the guts to say something.

Here’s what I learned about how to say thank you even when it hurts.

Lean Into The Issue. The best approach to dealing with any issue, whether it’s major or minor, is to lean into what the person is saying by listening. Really listening.

Don’t Define Your Position, But Instead Explain It If… After listening intently to the person’s concern, if you believe you have been misunderstood, don’t defined yourself. Instead, explain yourself. Say something like: “Thank you for sharing your concern. I’m sorry what I said was unclear. What I was trying to say was…” This statement is not defensive. Nor does it put the blame on the other person. It simply allows you to explain your original intent.

Don’t Explain Your Position, But Instead Apologize If… After listening intently to the person’s concern, if you realize what you said was offensive, don’t defined or explain. Apologize. In fact, don’t just apologize. Seek forgiveness. Say something like: “Thank you for sharing your concern. And please forgive me. I did not mean to offend you, but I clearly see that what I said was offensive.” Notice there is no defending or explaining in this statement; there is only 100 percent ownership of the mistake.

We receive a gift whenever someone lets us know we have offended him or her. Whatever the situation, we should embrace an attitude of gratitude and know how to say thank you even if it hurts.

Question: How do you say thank you when it hurts?

The post How To Say Thank You (Even When It Hurts) appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

When you hear the phrase work hard play hard, what comes to mind?

Does work hard play hard mean dragging yourself through the week slaving away at a J-O-B you hate so that during the weekend you can play hard at what you love? As the song says: “Everybody working for the weekend!”

Or does work hard play hard make more of a statement about doing work you love? As James Michener says: “The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both.”

 Work Hard Play Hard. Where do you stand?

Recently I received an email from a teacher in a school that hires me for keynote presentations. As an added bonus, I also speak to several classes throughout the day. This short email from Rod is one of the best emails I’ve received this year:

 Hi Kent,

Have you seen this TED video? Dr. Botta shared it with us today. I think you should take a look at it. It says exactly what you say to the students in my classes each year. 

I thought of you the entire time I watched it.

Rod

The email itself is such a great compliment. Then I watched the video below and Rob’s compliment went from great to spectacular! I love the fact that this positive message is being caught by the next generation. As this video demonstrates, when you love what you do for work, there really is no distinction between work and play. Work hard play hard are one in the same.

Question: Work hard play hard. Where do you stand?

The post Work Hard Play Hard – Where Do You Stand? appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

Speak It Forward – May 2013 Alumni

As with most events, evaluations are asked from participants. I’m happy to say, each time we host this event, the evaluations get better and better.

Additionally, many participants go above and beyond the evaluation and share their appreciation through thank you letters, thank you notes, and thank you gifts. The extra step to say “thank you” is always appreciated.

I’d like to share one thank you letter I received. It’s not to toot my own horn or indicate this thank you note was better than anyone else’s. I’m sharing it because it’s a good example of how to write a thank you letter. Here are three quick thoughts about how to write a thank you letter that comes from the note below.

How to Write a Thank You Letter

Here’s the thank you letter:

Kent,

I want you to know that I have learned so much from you. I am the son of a factory worker and just a few years ago I didn’t have an entrepreneurial bone in my body. You have played a huge part in helping me on my journey towards entrepreneurialism, including the work I have been doing for the past two years. Thank you so much for being an awesome teacher and family man!

Tony

Here are the three quick thoughts from this short thank you note that will help each of us know better how to write a thank you letter:

• Share Your Specific Story. Tony shares a meaningful part of his story in this thank you note. This short story gives insight, context, and depth to his appreciation.
• Share Your Specific Appreciation. Tony focuses on two specifics that are meaningful to me. He states that what I have taught has helped him grow. Even more, he compliments me on being a family man. Whether Tony realizes it or not, his compliment touches two roles that I highly value…that of being a family man and that of being a coach. He could of just said something like, “Thanks for a great conference and for being a good guy.” Instead, he got specific and that meant a lot!
• Share a Specific Gift. Tony included a gift with his thank you letter. Receiving gifts is not one of my primary love languages. Don’t get me wrong, I like receiving gifts. But positive words of encouragement and recognition are more meaningful to me than gifts. So why did this gift mean so much? Because Tony got insider information. He asked my wife, Kathy, what kind of gift I would enjoy. In other words, Tony’s gift wasn’t just a gift. It was a specific gift based on specific insider information. The fact that he took this extra step was meaningful to me.

Let me be clear. I received some great thank you notes and gifts after the Speak It Forward Boot Camp. Each was special and unique. The reason I highlighted this thank you note is because it so clearly highlighted three important ideas for how to write a thank you letter.

Thanks Tony. I’m learning from you too!

Question: What means the most to you when receiving a thank you letter?

The post How To Write A Thank You Letter appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

Yet if you want to build your brand and develop your platform, few things are more powerful than writing a book and getting it published. Not only will it add passive income to your business, it will also help you focus your message.

Again, it all sounds so good. But if it’s so good, why do so many people who want to write a book and get it published never end up doing so? Does any of the following sound a little like your writing journey…

 Does This Describe You?

• I believe there is a book inside of me, but how can I know for sure?
• Are there steps for how to write a book? If so, I have no idea what they are or how to get started.
• I’m writing my book right now, but the further along I get, the more unsure I become. I’m stuck!
• I’m finished writing. Now what? I don’t know how to publish a book. Should I try traditional publishing? Self publishing? Kindle publishing? The options are overwhelming!
• How do I market my book? Are there creative ways to make money and develop passive income even if I’m not a best-selling author?

Andy Traub and Kent Julian Team Up!

My buddy Andy Traub and I consider ourselves successful authors even though we are not even close to being best-selling authors. Here’s why:

• I’ve produced approximately $125,000 in profit from one book and am on my way to doing more than that with another book.
• In less than 90 days Andy netted $21,000 from his first self published ebook.

Yet Andy and I haven’t always considered ourselves successful authors. Each of us were once stuck in one or more of the following scenarios. See if you can relate.

• You have a message you want to share with the world, but you don’t know how to write a book.
• You have your book, but you don’t know how to get it out there. You don’t know how to use live events or even create your own events to market and sell your books. You also don’t know how to create a self publishing, media-enriched experience that allows potential buyers to know just how dynamic your message is.
• More than anything, you want to discover creative ways to make money with your book even though you are not be a best-selling author yet. You want to add passive income to your bank account while spreading a message you believe in.

That’s why we are hosting Write It Forward LIVE!

Write It Forward LIVE (August 9-10, 2013)

Write It Forward LIVE is NOT just a “concept” conference. It’s also NOT just an “ideas” conference. It’s a start-to-finish, step-by-step writers conference that teaches SYSTEMS for writing your book, getting your book published, and selling your book. Bottom line, it’s a writing conference designed to transform your thinking not only about how to write a book, but about how to publish and sell your book!

Go here to find out more

The post How to Write a Book, Get It Published, and Start Making Money Now appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

Do you want to break into the ranks of successful entrepreneurs? Have you ever wondered what it takes to be self-employed? Here are 12 questions to ask yourself before deciding to pursue self employment. If you cannot answer in the affirmative to most of these questions, there is a good chance you will struggle making it into the ranks of successful entrepreneurs.

12 Questions Successful Entrepreneurs Ask Themselves BEFORE Pursuing Self Employment

Envision It Forward: Do you set goals and plan ahead?

Not Negative: Do you have an optimistic outlook? Do you see problems as headaches or as opportunities looking for solutions?

Time: Do you have enough time to launch a business? Is your runway long enough?

Responsibility: Are you willing to take 100 percent responsibility for your life and work? 

Embrace Change: Are you flexible enough to adapt to changing conditions and circumstances? As Keith Parsons says, “To join the ranks of successful entrepreneurs, you must be bamboo, not oak.”

Passion for What You Do: Do you have a high level of confidence in what you are doing? Do you really believe in it? Will you enjoy this work in five years? Ten years? Twenty years?

Run at Decisions and Problems: Do you run at decision and problems or do you run away from them? 

Economics 101: Do you have a basic understanding of budgeting and finances? Are you a good money manager? 

Networking: Do you get along well with all kinds of people? Are you relationally proactive? Are you a server or a taker? Can you receive advise from others? Do you SEEK OUT advice from people you respect?

Education: Are you a constant learner? Are you a reader? Do you listen to personal-development audio programs? Are you willing to significantly invest in your growth and development?

Unafraid of Sales: Can you sell yourself, your ideas, and your products and services? You don’t have to be a phenomenal sales person to be in the ranks of successful entrepreneurs, but you cannot be afraid of sales.

Risk: Are you willing to risk your own capital in your venture? I’m not talking about betting the farm, but will you put your money where your mouth is?

Question: Which of these questions do you think is most important for entrepreneurs? Would you add any questions that should be asked before pursuing self employment?

The post 12 Questions Successful Entrepreneurs Ask Themselves BEFORE Pursuing Self Employment appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

Question: What keeps you from being amazing?

 * Thanks to Erin Shaw for sharing this artwork with me.

The post Maya Angelou Quotes – One of Her Best appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

This short motivational video holds a clue…

This is one of my all-time favorite videos posted on the Live It Forward blog. For one, recording it was a walk down memory lane as I reflected back on how particular my kids were about getting their pencils sharpened just right. Additionally, I believe this is the first video my son edited for the website.

But the primary reason this is one of my all-time favorite videos is because the message is so clear. What’s more, “STOP Sharpening Your Pencil” is one of the most critical success factors for relationships, for work, and for leadership. Bottom line, it shapes our success stories!

One of the Most Important Critical Success Factors — Don’t Wait for Perfection

Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.  —Robert Schuller

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.  —Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have to wait for perfection before living it forward into success. In fact, the act of living it forward is often what brings about success.

This means you don’t have to get stuck ruminating on what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. Instead, stop sharpening your pencil and just get busy doing something.

Yes, there’s a time to think and plan. But there also comes a time when you have to say: “Good enough is good enough; it’s time to start moving!” Moving forward is one of those critical success factors you’ll never quite understand unless you actually do it. But once you actually do it, you’ll start to realize why movement is so important to your success.

So why not make today a “STOP Sharpening Your Pencil” day? Get moving in the direction of your success and make the rest of your life the best of your life!

Questions:

• How have you gotten stuck sharpening your pencil?
• How did you get unstuck?
• What other critical success factors are important to you?

The post STOP Sharpening Your Pencil – One of the Most Critical Success Factors in Life appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

How do you answer the question what is marketing? To me, the definition of marketing is not primarily selling. The definition of marketing is serving and sharing first, selling second. Therefore, ABM is a good marketing approach IF it focuses on serving and sharing first, selling second. And notice…this IF is big and bold!

These two critical success factors of marketing—serving and sharing—are what makes the sale possible. What’s more, learning to authentically serve and share before the sale occurs, or even whether the sale occurs, never comes back to you empty. In other word, the critical success factors of serving and sharing are just that…CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS. Serving and sharing with no strings attached is not just a slick sales strategy. Serving and sharing are keys to success for doing business. They are also the best ways to guarantee your success in anything you do.

When you serve and share with no strings attached, you:

• Become a better person
• Become a better business person
• Impact the lives of others and make a real difference
• Somehow end up making more money

What is marketing? It’s not just ABM. It’s ABS! It’s Always Be Serving.

Questions to help you create a better marketing strategy: 

• What is marketing to you?
• How does serving and sharing play a role in your marketing mix?
• What challenges keep you from serving and sharing before selling?

The post What Is Marketing – The Critical Success Factors of Serving and Sharing appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.

Truthfully, I’m not too keen of the phrase “motivational speaker.” The image of Matt Foley, the character Chris Farley played on SNL, flashes before my eyes every time I hear “motivational speaker.” That’s why if you ask about the speaking I do, you probably won’t hear “motivational speaker” emerge from my lips. You might hear “keynote speaker,” “professional speaker,” or even “missional speaker.” “Motivational speaker”…not likely.

But today I’m admitting to being a motivational speaker. What’s more, I’m asking for your help.

As you know, the more you pour yourself into something, the more intentional you become. That’s why I have moved away from being a speaker who speaks on a lot of different topics and have narrowed my focus. I have intentionally zeroed in on specific expertise I am passionate about and gifted in so I can add more value to the organizations I serve. This means my speaker brand needs to reflect this reality and that’s why I am asking for your help.

The website that markets my speaking services (www.KentJulian.com) is being updated. Below are two headers we are considering. They are very similar; there is just a slight difference in the second one. Would you vote for the one you think best represents the new brand? In order to cast your vote intelligently, here is a quick snapshot of what the KentJulian.com brand represents (as well as insight on how it differs from the Live It Forward brand).

Focus:

• How to create a culture within your organization of continuous performance improvement

Expertise:

• Professional Development and High Performance
• Multi-Generational Workforces with an emphasis on GenY

Ideal Audiences: 

• Youth—student leaders and those involved in career-oriented organizations such as FBLA, DECA, FCCLA, SkillsUSA, etc.

“I speak to student leaders about how to continuously improve as leaders so that they can show up and shine today in their schools and tomorrow in their futures.”

• Young Professionals—ages 25-35

“I speak to young professionals about the importance of continuous personal and professional improvement so that they are prepared to show up and shine every time opportunities knocks.

• Leaders and Managers—who work with young professionals

“I speak to leaders who work with young professionals about how to create cultures of continuous performance improvement so that their team members know how to show up and shine every day.

How KentJulian.com differs from LiveItForward.com:

• LiveItForward.com serves individuals and entrepreneurs. It helps people discover their Vocational Calling and pursue work that fits their calling.
• KentJulian.com serves companies and organizations. It helps organizations strengthen their workforce and improve team performance.

Now that you have a clear picture of what KentJulian.com is all about, please vote! Vote by putting a #1 or #2 in the comment section below. If you’d like to share additionally ideas or ask questions, feel free to do that as well. 

Website Header #1

Website Header #2

 * Logo and header designed by Kent Julian’s graphic designer of choice – J.S. Creative Design 

The post Yes, I Am A Motivational Speaker! (A Cry For Help Even Though I Don’t Live in a Van Down by the River) appeared first on Live It Forward | Lead Your Life Into Your A Bigger Story | Keys To Success | Kent Julian.