I’ve had a dream for years, but I allowed busyness, fear and other excuses to get in my way. Then I stumbled across Jon Acuff’s blog, and I read about Finish Years and Quitters. I was intrigued, so I kept reading the blog, then I bought Jon’s book. A Quitter and a Finisher at the same time?  Impossible, right? But being a Quitter isn’t just about quitting a job. According to Jon, being a Quitter is about being “someone who quits average. People who refuse to accept common and instead dare to live out the talents and gifts they’ve been given.”

It was scary but I did it. Thanks in part to the motivation I received from Jon’s posts and from reading Quitter, I decided to quit normal and finish a dream. I also learned a few things in the process:

1. I must make time for my dream. My kids are going to get sick, my husband will sometimes work late, the phone will ring and I still need to find time to make dinner and do laundry. It’s easy to stay busy, but nobody is going to make the time for my dream except me. This may mean leaving laundry unfolded (which I usually do anyways), staying up 30 minutes late, or getting out of bed 40 minutes early.

2. I’m not entitled to dream time. While it’s important to make time to dream, it’s just as important to remember that working on a dream is a privilege, not a right. It is not okay to grow impatient with other people when they “interrupt” dream time or to leave basic needs unmet because of pursuing a dream.

3. I need to work on my dream when it’s easy and when it’s hard. Working on my dream at Starbucks for an evening while my husband watches our kids is easy. Opening my laptop and getting to work after a long day is tough, but I will never finish a dream if I don’t work on it during difficult times. No dream worth fulfilling will always be easy.

4. I can’t let fear paralyze me. If I stopped working on my dream every time I felt fearful, I would never have met my goal. I learned that I have to push through the fear of failure, rejection, and ridicule if I’m going to see my dream come to fruition.

5. Support and accountability are immensely helpful. I told a few trusted people about my dream. The encouragement I received, and the natural accountability that occurred when people asked how things were progressing with my dream, helped me to push through the difficult times and keep on working. When in-person encouragement isn’t  available, online support can also help tremendously.

6. Any progress is still progress, no matter how little.  If I had ten minutes to work on my dream, that’s ten minutes better than nothing. Instead of berating myself over not making more progress, or getting off track of my goals and then trying to catch up, I just picked up where I’d left off as soon as I could and went from there. Giving myself the freedom to make slow progress helped me to keep going, even when I couldn’t contribute much time to my dream.

Jon wrote a great article about how to build a finish list. The work isn’t always easy, but the payoff is immeasurable. What will you do to become a Finishing Quitter this year?

“I can’t believe it’s already October!”

“It will be Christmas before you know it!”

“Where did the year go?”

Get it out of your system. The truth is that year was not dramatically shorter or faster than any other. But last January we said it would be different.

Hundreds of us committed to #FinishYear, a mission to chase our dreams and goals with ferocity and curiosity. We had hope and bright eyes and gumption. (That’s an old timey word, google it.) And then we woke up in October and said, “Where did the year go?”

What happened?

1. We put too many goals on our finish list.

2. We overcomplicated the things we wanted to do.

3. We added goals to our list that we didn’t deeply care about.

4. We made fuzzy goals.

5. We didn’t adapt as our year changed.

I was guilty of all five of those.

Six goals was too many for me to really pursue at the same time.

I should have known at the very beginning I would have a hard, complicated time updating my goals each Sunday. I try to stay offline on Sundays, travel a bunch and didn’t feel great about the idea of scheduling my Sunday updates ahead of time. (I dropped the ball on that commitment to you guys. Sorry about that.)

I never cared about my goal of emptying a box of thank you cards.

I wasn’t specific enough in my goals. (More on that in the weeks to come.)

I didn’t update my goals as I completed some and the year offered me a different landscape than I had first imagined in January.

So now what?

We’ve got 92 days til’ 13.

Get your finish list back out.

Cut the whole list down to one thing. (Unless you’ve already made significant progress on multiple goals.)

Pick a day and time you’ll work on that goal at least once a week for the next 12 weeks.

That’s it.

My goal?

Only spend 5 hours every week on email. That tiny voice of distraction is stealing so much of my time right now. I’m taking forever to email people back and using it as a great excuse to avoid doing the things that matter.

The year isn’t over yet. Don’t let 2012 go out without a fight.

We’ve got 92 days til’ 13.

Use them wisely.

Question:
What is the one thing you are going to work on for the next 92 days?

For the last 8 months 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.
This week I announced a special 7AM session we’re having on Saturday morning. And I announced that we’re having a fellow Quitter design the stage as a way to celebrate someone’s dream of being a set designer. The conference sold out, but you can watch it live on Friday night online. Sign up for the broadcast!

2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
Finished the book “18 minutes.” I’ve started a new one about the difference between an insight and an idea.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! Good week. Crossed over half a million in “fuel” on my Nike fuelband. I’ll review the product in the months to come.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
This week I get the book back from the second round of edits with the editor!

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
No cards. This surprises no one.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished!

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?

For the last 8 months 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.
The awesome was huge this week. I announced 4 amazing speakers who will be joining us at this year’s Quitter Conference for the first time. We’re almost sold out and I’m getting really excited about how fun this one is going to be! (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.
Almost done with the latest book I’m reading, which is called “18 minutes.”

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! Good week on this front. I went to the gym 3 times and ran 3 times.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
I turned in the rest of the book! That means I’ve turned in two rounds of edits and we’re closing in on a completed manuscript!

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
No cards. This is not surprising.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished!

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 31 of FinishYear is done! July is sneaking to a close. (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

For the last 8 months 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.
In addition to creating a video about 10 reasons you shouldn’t come to the Quitter Conference I also worked with the team to get the final details ready for a big announcement tomorrow and this Wednesday. I am thrilled about what we’ve worked out for this conference. More details tomorrow! (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’m on track for this one!

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I ran three times this week and am debating whether I’ll run the Nashville half marathon next year.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
I turned 160 pages back to the editor last week. The plan this week is to go through a round of edits on chapters 6-8! Almost done with this one.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
No cards. This one continues to haunt me.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished!

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 all made resolutions and goals and promises in January. And then, in what feels like the blink of an eye, December will sneak up on us and make us wonder, “Where did the year go?”

Today, though, I want us to pause and realize we’ve got 5 months left in the year. We’ve got more than 150 days left to hustle and work and laugh and play at the things that matter to us.

It’s a new month. A new chance to dust back off something that was important in January, but got lost in the bustle of March. And, as you do, I want to show you a photo that inspired me to look at August in a new way.

It’s a basketball card I found in a box of my old stuff in the attic.

In the photo Gary Payton is firing off an amazing pass.

Do you see the joy?

Do you see the aggression?

Do you see the passion?

Do you see the drive?

This is how I want to play. This is how I want you to play.

Unbridled, unfettered, unaware that anyone’s watching.

If I could make this into a poster I would.

It’s a new month. Whatever you’re working on, whatever you’re dreaming on, play like Gary Payton played basketball in this photo.

Jump into August like it’s January, and then laugh at December when it tries to sneak up on you.

Week 29 of FinishYear is done! July is sneaking to a close. (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in July, 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.
Last week’s Quitter Conference came in the form of a live chat we did to talk about dream chasing. We had more than 700 people on the chat, which was a blast. Can’t wait to do the real thing at the conference as hundreds of people from all over the country get to cheer each other on.  (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.
Moving right along on this one. I’m reading through a lot of books as I work on goal number 4.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I went to the gym twice this week and ran two times as well.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
I meet with the editor all day tomorrow! I need to cut about 25 pages of content, but I’d always rather cut than have to add.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
One card. Not a great showing, but it’s still forward motion.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished! Wasn’t writing through Mark too but now I might give that a rest. I’m just curious about doing a different approach to that book of the Bible.

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?

Teaching My Son How Not To Be a Quitter

If you have ever listened to Dave Ramsey, you probably have heard him talk about changing your family tree. While I thought I knew what that meant, it finally made sense this year.

For the last ten years, I have worked in a job that has not only made me miserable but has negatively affected the rest of my life. Everyday, I thought about quitting, but I didn’t know what I could do or what I was even qualified to do.

I made excuse after excuse. Until the summer of last year, I finally took action on my dreams. I self-published an eBook and put it out to the world, expecting to be rich and famous within a few months. You know how that worked out, right?

I gave up on my dreams after no one bought the book. I was broken, until the beginning of this year. I have followed Jon’s blog, and I started reading about Finish Year. That was the wake-up call I needed!

I refocused, recommitted and went to work. Since then, I have guest posted on seven blogs,and  I have done eight interviews. I’m booked to speak at eight events all over the country.

After figuring out how to truly connect with people, I have now sold over 25,000 copies of my eBooks. And when it was all said and done, I signed a publishing contract, fulfilling a life-long dream to have my 86-year-old grandfather hold one of my books in his hand.

There were some many times I thought about quitting my day job and working at Mc Donald’s, just to get away. But I kept remembering the words from Jon’s book Quitter where he tells us right away not to quit!

Now I want to ensure that I change my family tree and my son will not have to struggle like I did, like my father did. I don’t want him to be a quitter, but I want him to pursue his dreams and not look back.

That’s why I’m taking him to the Quitter Conference with me. I want him to learn first-hand from an author who has changed my life. I hope you’ll join me in changing your family tree too. I hope to see you there!

Question:
How are you changing you family tree?

Week 28 of FinishYear is over! Can you believe we beyond the half way point for the year? (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in July, 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’ve got four surprise speakers who will be coming to the conference! We were able to get four of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met to come share some really powerful ideas about dream chasing. Can’t wait  (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.
Right now I’m reading “The Creative Habit” and I dig it. I feel good about this goal.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I started running with two new folks in my neighborhood this week. They are a lot faster than me and it’s been awesome having people that will push me beyond my comfort zone. I ran three times this week.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
This week I am gathering the remaining ideas I have in preparation for the meeting with the editor on Monday, July 23. I built an “idea catcher” and this is essentially me emptying it to see what is worth developing and what idea doesn’t need to be added to the book. The manuscript is already done so I’ll be hyper selective about adding new ideas.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Four cards! I wrote four cards! Great week for this one. Granted, that makes four cards in the last 10 weeks or so.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished! Didn’t do anything on this one this week. I’m trying to write the book of Mark, but it’s slow going.

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 27 of FinishYear is over! Sorry I missed last week! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in July, 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.
This week I announced that anyone who attends the conference is going to get a copy of my new e-book, “101 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Published My First Book.” I want to make sure that I spend the next two months finding as many awesome, helpful things I can give attendees. We also secured three other speakers for the conference. I can’t wait to tell you about them! (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.
Last week I finished Michael Hyatt’s great new book, Platform. I learned a ton. This goal is going well.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! Not a great week as far as working out goes. It was approximately 800 degrees in Nashville and I didn’t run much.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
We scheduled a meeting with the editor. This one is about to be wrapped up!

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. This one might need to be set loose.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished! I’m working on the book of Mark but didn’t do much 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?

Week 25 of FinishYear is over! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)

On every Sunday in June, 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.
This week I started work on what might be the coolest thing I’ve ever worked on. It’s an idea geared at helping Quitter Conference attendees. Can’t release details yet, but in July we’ll be announcing a wave of awesomeness for the conference. Stay tuned! (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.
Last week I finished reading “Ten Steps Ahead: What Separates Successful Business Visionaries from the Rest of Us.” It was brilliant and I recommend it!

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! Not a great week as far as working out goes. We’re at the beach right now and I didn’t work out much.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
The editor has the book right now. I’m gathering proof, finding research to back up the ideas I’m sharing in the book. This one is still on track.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. This one is about to get kicked to the curb.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished! I’m working on the book of Mark right now.

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?

On every Sunday in June, 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.
There were two really cool things that happened this week. First, I talked to one of the three greatest speakers I’ve ever seen. He might be joining us at the Quitter Conference. I should know in the next few days whether he’ll be able to come present. The second thing is that I think I figured out how to give every attendee something that is absolutely crazy. It’s a pretty wild idea but if we can pull it off, it’s going to be awesome. Details soon! (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.
Still reading The Art of Possibility, but spent the week finishing Stephen Pressfield’s new book, Turning Pro. I loved it!

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I ran a few times this week but did not make it to the gym to work out with weights.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Right now I’m gathering more ideas to put in the book once the editor sends me back his thoughts. This one is on track.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. Again.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Finished! It took more than 6 months, but I did it. I hand wrote the entire book of Proverbs. I’m going to do the same thing with the book of Mark and am already in chapter 2.

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?

On every Sunday in June, 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.
This week I worked on brand new, never before seen content for the Quitter Conference. I’ve learned a lot about chasing a dream in the last year from the thousands of people I’ve interacted with on this journey. I can’t wait to share new content at this conference! (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.
Still reading The Art of Possibility, and I’m digging it.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I need to formalize my next goal. I was in LA this week so I was only able to hit the gym once with my workout partner. I did run and do pushups a few times this week though.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
I turned 88,000 words into the editor last Friday. The first part of this process is done. He’ll edit it and we’ll meet together to discuss the flow of the book. It’s an incredibly fascinating process and it blew me away the last time I did it. I’ll share more about it at the Quitter Conference this year.

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

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I’m in chapter 30!

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?

On every Sunday in June, 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.
Huge week of huge awesomeness. I announced last Tuesday that Seryn, one of the best bands I’ve ever seen preform live, is playing a private concert at the Quitter Conference! How crazy is that? Plus, I also announced we’ll be doing a writer’s workshop after the conference is over. We’re headed to another sell out too! (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 started a new book, The Art of Possibility, and I’ve enjoyed it so far. That’t my sixth book of the year. On pace.

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I hit the gym twice this week with my workout partner and ran three times.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
I’m 75,000 words into the new book. It’s due in a few days. The finish line is in sight.

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

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Only a few chapters left.

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?

On every Sunday in May, 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.
On Tuesday I will be announcing something insane about the Quitter Conference. It will be awesome and will honestly be one of the most amazing things you experience all year. Still can’t believe this is happening. Can’t wait to tell you on Tuesday. (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.
And just like that, I’m back on schedule. This week I finished, “Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior.” That makes 5 books in 5 months!

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I hit the gym twice this week with my workout partner and have started a new exercise plan.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
I’m 51,000 words into the new book. It’s due in a few days. Hustling 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. I need to take some when I travel.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I’m in chapter 29!

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?

On every Sunday in May, 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.
This is the longest window of time we’ve had to plan a Quitter Conference and things are really starting to come together. We added three new sessions and I’ll be sharing from my new book too. There are new Saturday sessions I’ll be announcing soon and working on those this week definitely helped make the conference awesome for people who attend. (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 just finished my fourth book of the year, Imagine: How Creativity Works. It was awesome! I’ll be quoting from it for months to come. The next book I am reading is called “Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior.”

3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Done! I’m working on a new physical goal. I worked out 5 days this last week and feel good about this one.

4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Working like a crazy person on this one right now. I just came up with the framework for the entire thing so the pieces are starting to come together.

5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Zero cards. Bombing this one.

6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I’m in chapter 26!

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?

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?

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.

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:

You will work harder at something you love than something you like.

You will work harder than you have ever worked when you start chasing a dream.

You will hustle and grind and sweat and push and pull.

You will get up earlier and go to bed later. But that’s OK.

Joy is an incredible alarm clock.

It will wake you up and keep you up and pick you up and gently pull you through a thousand rejections along the way.

If your goal is to work less, keep the day job you have. Do something you like. Settle into life like a long winter’s nap and coast on through to your 80s.

But if you want to dream. If you want to live out some unique talent you’ve been given to steward during your time on this planet, set the alarm for 4 AM.

Get going.

Get up.

Question:
What is your dream job?

P.S. If you want to meet hundreds of other people who are hustling on their dream and can help you with yours, sign up for the Quitter Conference!

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?

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?

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?

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.

I got the one on the left one morning at a restaurant. You’re supposed to put a handful of granola on top of the yogurt. But, even so, the cup was literally only half full. In their defense, there were a lot of people in line, things were hectic, and it’s just one cup of yogurt.

The cup of yogurt on the right was from a hotel I stayed at that same weekend. I had low expectations for the hotel yogurt. They’re not a restaurant. They’re first and foremost a place to sleep and not a place to eat. And yet, the cup was full.

The difference between the two cups is maybe two inches. Perhaps only a single extra scoop of yogurt. But those two inches made the difference.

When we see people we admire, we tend to assume they arrived at the platform they’re on via catapults. They cleared a million miles of life experience in a single bound and probably don’t even have any cavities.

That’s not true.

They got to where they are the same way you will. Inch by inch. Step by step. Yogurt scoop by extraordinary yogurt scoop.

A single action might not seem like much today. But whether you’re eating yogurt or trying to publish your first book, it can make all the difference.

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?

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?