VIDEO: Write the future.
Indeed.
Get Out. Get Moving. Start.
Action always beats intention.
A dream you don’t have to fight for isn’t a dream—it’s a nap. One changes your afternoon. The other changes your world. Keep fighting.
1 easy way to spot arrogance.
After the first Quitter Conference people gave me some feedback I really didn’t want to hear.
Via emails, tweets and conversations, a number of people said something that surprised me:
I wish I’d been ready for the high highs and low lows …
(Today’s guest post is from Bryan Allain, the founder of Killer Tribes, a business he started two years ago that helps bloggers and creatives build communities around the things that move them. He still has a day job, but he’s well on his way to becoming a Quitter.)
I’ve had the conversation in my head at least 500 times before.
I tell my boss that I’m leaving the company, and once he’s over the initial shock he asks me which competitor I’m going to work for. “None of them,” I say proudly, “I’ll be working on my business full time.” Then I walk back to my tiny cubicle, scream “I’m a Quitter!” like William Wallace, and sprint out to my car stripping off my khakis and collared shirt on the way until I’m driving home wearing nothing but underwear and a huge smile.
Will it actually happen like that? I hope to find out soon. I’m not a Quitter yet, but after years of hustling I’m getting close. I asked Jon if I could write a quick guest post about the things I’ve learned along the way in hopes of helping you on your journey, so here goes.
3 Things I’ve Learned About Being A Quitter
Sunday Summary – Week 29 FinishYear
Spent the weekend in Atlanta with some friends. TIme for a FinishYear update!
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
(This is a guest post from Kimanzi Constable. You can read his blog “Tales of Work,” or follow him on Twitter @KimanziC. I asked him to write this because I loved how he’s living out the idea that big dreams are always multi-generational.)
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?
VIDEO: Unbelievable video.
What happens when a group of talented artists, developers and flat out geniuses combine the XBox Kinect technology with live music, animations, and a big screen slapped against a warehouse in New Zealand?
This.
(My favorite part might be the wonderment on the faces of the folks who are in the crowd experiencing it.)
Watch.
Live Chat and Dave Ramsey show today!
Today I’ll be on the radio with Dave Ramsey at 2:35PM Central today! (You can listen right here.)
Right after that we’ll be doing a live text chat from 3:00PM Central.
If you’ve got questions about chasing a dream, working toward a dream job, the Quitter Conference or being awesome at breakdancing, make sure you join us.
The chat will be held at quitterconference.com!
See you in a little while!
Jon
Failure isn’t the best teacher.
I recently joined Pinterest. (You can follow me here)
And the other day I saw a picture that said, “Failure is the best way to learn.”
That is ridiculous.
10 years was enough for me.
I suppose I could have titled this “I got fired from the carnival” because that’s covered in this two minute video too.
But “10 years was enough for me,” is closer to the heart of this because that’s how long I spent doing work I didn’t feel called to do.
Maybe you’re in college and you don’t want to wait 10 years to learn that lesson. Or maybe you’re in your 40s and coming to grips with the idea that 20 years is enough for you.
Regardless of where you are right now, we all come to an “enough” point. And when I hit mine and realized life could be a lot different, I wrote a book
I think you should come to the next one.
The video gives you a little picture of why:
Sunday Summary – Week 28 FinishYear
I’m writing today from Franklin, TN, about to head out to the neighborhood pool with the whole family.
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
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?