Jon Acuff's Blog

Week 19 of FinishYear is over! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in May, we’ve been sharing a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List. (Except last Sunday when I was traveling and totally dropped the ball!)

Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:

1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
We’re on the cusp of rolling out some really awesome announcements about the next Quitter Conference. I can’t share them yet, but I have no doubt that this third Quitter Conference is going to be the best one we’ve done. And I’m writing a ton of new material for it, based on some things I’ve learned about chasing a dream in the last 90 days. Plus, last week we announced that there’s a money back guarantee! I feel like I knocked this goal out this week. (If you want to join us on September 21-22, sign up today!)

2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
I have 40 pages left of Imagine: How Creativity Works. I missed my goal of finishing it in April, but feel like I can get back on track this week.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! And I’ve already scheduled to go to the gym on Monday, Thursday and Friday with my workout friend. I probably need to add some definition to my next exercise goal in order to replace this one.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Manuscript is due June 1. Last week I wrote the introduction and it’s going to shape the entire flow of the book. I’m really happy with it and feel good about this goal.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. I wasn’t at my desk all last week but that’s not a great excuse. This goal is my least successful one thus far.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I’m in chapter 25!

That’s how I did.

How was your week?

What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?

Fear always tells you two things about time:

1. It’s too late.

2. Do it later.

The first destroys you with regret.

The second delays you with laziness.

They’re both lies.

Wage war against them.

Right now is the best time to get started because it’s the only time we’re guaranteed to have.

This is a picture I took of my alarm clock two weeks ago in Indianapolis.

I wasn’t there to work out for the Colts, but that’s a pretty good assumption.

I spoke in Grant County, Indiana on a Friday night. Then rode 95 miles back to Indianapolis and checked into the hotel at 12:30AM. Roughly 3 hours later I was up for a flight to San Antonio.

Before I took my dream job, I didn’t expect so many 4 AM alarm clocks. I bought into the myth that when you find your passion or calling or dream, things will be easy. Life will flow like a gentle river of fresca, passing banks of candy cane grass. La. La. La.

I was wrong. Here’s the truth:

(more…)

Week 17 of FinishYear is over! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in April, we’ve been sharing a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.

Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:

1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
We added five amazing things to the Quitter Conference this week. We’ll announce them in the weeks to come, but I can’t believe some of the pieces that are falling into place for this event. We’re headed to another sell out, don’t miss your chance to go, sign up today!

2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
Didn’t do a ton of reading this week. I’m in the middle of writing another book, so I’m jumping through a dozen or so that I’m quoting from. I have just a day left to finish my fourth book Imagine: How Creativity Works. I’ll be cranking away on that one in the next 24 hours.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I ran yesterday and my time was 2:07:16. (My app said 2:03:36, but I think the official race time was unfortunately more accurate.) Either way, I hit my goal and beat my previous time of 2:16:10. Next up I think I’m going to start training with my buddy Stephen Brewster at the gym.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Manuscript is due June 1. Right now I’m in the process of expanding the outline and clearing out all the fake books I keep trying to write. (My first drafts are usually the books I think I “should” write, not the books I really want to write.)

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. This is my least productive goal right now.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I’m in chapter 24!

That’s how I did.

How was your week?

What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?

Week 16 of FinishYear is done and done! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in April, we’ve been sharing a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.

Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:

1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
We announced this week that we’re holding the next Quitter Conference in Nashville on September 21-22! This goal is back on and you will not believe some of the surprises we’re rolling out for this conference. The last one sold out, if you’ve got a dream you want to jump start, make sure you sign up.

2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
I might do a longer review later, but if not, definitely check out, Imagine: How Creativity Works. It’s my fourth book and I am loving it.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
The half marathon is next Saturday! I ran this week and am feeling inspired by my little sister Molly. She just ran a full marathon in Madrid, Spain!

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Time to jump back on this one. I have a solid outline now and have some momentum.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. Having a hard time being consistent with this one.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Still going strong on this one.

That’s how I did.

How was your week?

What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?

Week 15 of FinishYear is over! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in April, we’ve been sharing a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.

Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:

1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
I’ll be updating this one on April 17!

2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
I’m in the middle of book number 4 right now, Imagine: How Creativity Works. I’m meeting with my friends Chris and Austin on Tuesday morning for breakfast to review the chapters we read. Knowing I made a commitment to those guys has really helped me stay on track.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Ran only two times this week, so that’s about a C-. I’m headed to California this week and will need to figure out where to run when I’m there or race day is going to be tough.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
One more week of heavy travel and then I’ll jump back on this one. I can write blog posts in 30 minute chunks here and there but have a hard time getting into the flow of writing the book without a lot of running room.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards, but I have four people that I need to write one to this week. Two people I spoke for at events and two of my team members.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Continuing to knock this one out. Wrote two times this week.

That’s how I did.

How was your week?

What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?

We usually think the distance between ordinary and extraordinary is a thousand miles.

When we survey where we currently stand and where we’d like to land, the journey feels massive.

The gulf between who we are and who we want to be seems impossible.

The distance between what is and what could be seems overwhelming.

It’s not though. It’s a lot smaller than you think.

And two cups of yogurt reminded me of that recently.

(more…)

Week 14 of FinishYear is over! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in April, we’ve been sharing e a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.

Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:

1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
I’ll be updating this one on April 16!

2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
I’m reading book number 4 right now, Imagine: How Creativity Works and it is awesome! Best of all, I’m reading it with 2 friends so I have some accountability.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Ran three times this week, including an 11 mile run yesterday. I averaged 9:33 which would put me at my goal, but my left knee started hurting at mile 10. We’ll see how race day goes!

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Didn’t get a whole lot done on the book this week because of vacation and the next two weeks will be tough. I’m speaking 6 times this week and then going to California for four days the week after that. I have an idea on finding some writing time though, I’ll let you know if it works.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards, second week in a row.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I’m in Proverbs 22. Slow and steady. Slow and steady.

That’s my week.

How was your week?

What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?

Week 13 of FinishYear is done! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in March, we’ve been sharing e a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.

Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:

1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
More info on this goal is coming April 16!

2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
I started book number 4. I’m still working through Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son, but I went ahead and started another book. I realized Nouwen wasn’t the type of author you could fly through as part of a list.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Ran three times this week. We’re going to Disney this week, so I’ll have to do most of my runs on the back half of the week.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
I have a deadline for the manuscript now. It’s due June 1! That will be here before I know it, so I’m starting to really crank up the hustle on this one.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards written this week, but I’m pretty sure I smiled more at people. So maybe that counts somehow.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I’m in Proverbs 21. Can’t believe I’m two-thirds done with this one!

That’s my week.

How was your week?

What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?

Every dreamer is afraid that the world doesn’t really need whatever it is they are working on.

I’m afraid of that right now as I write my book.

The fear is that your dream will prove to be about as necessary to the world as the items in the Sky Mall catalog. (Does anyone need a showerhead that has a built-in neon light to change the color of the water? No, no they don’t.)

But let me give you a quick response to this fear that has helped me continue marching through the project I’m engaged in right now.

Does the world need your dream?

Maybe. Maybe not. But that doesn’t matter yet. Why?

Because you need it.

The book you’re writing is extremely critical to you.

The dream you’re growing is wildly necessary for you.

The question of whether the world needs it is moot. You need it. To do it. To complete it. To wrestle the demon of doubt and know that you made it through.

“Does the world need your dream?” is the wrong question to ask first. The right question is “Do I need this dream?” And if the answer is “yes,” and it should be if you’re working on the right thing, then keep working.