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Author: Mike Watts

Destruction

About five years ago, I read a book called, The 4th Turning. In the book, the authors discuss how the world operates in cycles. Similar to the yearly cycle of the seasons. Each cycle lasts 80-90 years in the book, and each season lasts 20 years approximately. You can either read the book or look up the 4th Turning on youtube. There are some great videos.

We are currently in the winter cycle, which started in 2008 and will last until around 2030, approx.

The winter cycle is all about the destruction of our current systems and beliefs. Our businesses, structures, ideas, politics, and pretty much everything we have known over the last 60 years is collapsing and will need to be rebuilt. And we will have the opportunity to rebuild it better than the previous cycle. The world is going through this together.

We are watching the destruction roll out from one industry to the next. If you think about what has happened since 2008, can you imagine what will happen in the next nine years? Eye-opening, disturbing, and exciting at the same time.

The collapse of many institutions and companies will happen unless we bail them out. But do bailouts fix the issue?

Bailouts add another band-aid to the broken leg.

Our society has a broken leg. We keep adding band-aids to it, thinking we are fixing it. Adding band-aids doesn’t allow the leg to heal and correct itself.

For example, in the United States, the narrative has been we are unable to provide health care for everyone. How are we going to pay for it?

We printed over $6,000,000,000,000 (trillion) in the past year and a half.

Look at that number. It is a giant band-aid, and we have a massive broken leg. With this figure, we could have easily provided healthcare.

Our society is at a turning point we have never seen before in my lifetime. Granted, I am only 38 years old.

It can be overwhelming for me when I look at the global scale, so what can I do?

That has been a question I have been asking myself over the past year, and there has been one consistent answer coming to me.

Get my house in order while I keep moving forward.

My house includes health, finances, family, relationships, mindset, community, emotions, and beliefs.

Before I can reach out and help other communities or support someone else, I have to get my shit in order. If my stuff isn’t in order and I try to help other people. I am the one with the broken leg. Make sense?

Daily, there is little I have control over. But I can control those things listed above.

As this destruction happens around the world, it is hard to watch and witness. It is excruciating to watch people be so cruel to each other.

Insecurity, unhealed trauma, inability to love my neighbors, and desire to be loved are what I am referring to about getting my house in order. These lead to the belief I am better than someone who doesn’t look or act like me.

As a cisgender man in this society, emotions and vulnerability are weaknesses. Remember, we are the ones that are fighting the lions for the food in the woods and bringing it back to the community.

As men, until we come to grips with the damage we have done, this destruction will continue and might even wipe out the planet.

I know that isn’t an uplifting perspective. It isn’t supposed to be.

Destruction is nasty, unkind, and cruel.

There is a different way, a different path, but it won’t begin until we can look ourselves in the mirror and honor where we are at this moment. Once we honor it, we have to start the healing.

Once we begin the healing, the world will start to heal.

Men without our healing, the world will not survive.

The destruction will win.

My desire is we make it through this wintertime and be able to see the spring.

Love ya.

Watts

How a Great Friend Taught a Lesson of Patience

I recently learned a very important lesson from a good friend of mine, Manny, who’s been going through some big transformations in his life. He just started a new job and came to some realizations about health, nutrition, money, and the importance of where we put our values. He was like, “Man, when it comes to food, nutrition, sugar, what they’re putting in the food, and GMOs—did you know they do this, this, and this?” And I said, “Manny, you know I’ve been talking to you about this stuff for like 8 years, right?” Because I started my business in 2009, so food and nutrition have been a focus for 8 years. And he said, “I know!” But it had just now hit him.

And I thought that was such a great life lesson—for me and for anyone else out there whose mission is to help people live a better life, whether that’s your business, career, job, or what you do on the side—you never know when it’s going to hit somebody, when information that you’ve been sharing and putting out into the world is actually going to resonate with another person. Because it might take 8 years.

It was such a great reminder to me to keep going, to keep doing what I’m doing, to keep building our business the way that we’re building it, to keep learning new skills because you never know when they might come into play. I listen to a podcast called Icon Athlete, a group of Crossfit Coaches in Park City, Utah, and they were talking about how long it takes to become an expert in that world, which was another great reminder that it really can take a while for people to change their perspective on the world. It was very informative to me and encouraged me to keep moving forward because people are listening, they will eventually be affected by your message, and we need more good being put out in the world because goodness does spread. My friend Manny was in a world that was very negative, and now he’s creating something more positive for himself in all areas of his life.

So keep consistent in your mission and promotion, keep on doing your thing – because you never know when your message might hit.

3 Ways To Stop Running Out Of Time

Do you ever feel like there’s not enough time?

I’m sure we’ve all felt like this on a weekly, if not daily, basis.  The familiar feeling of running out of time to complete all you had in mind for that day, along with a never-ending to-do list. We need to start realizing there will always be something that needs to get done, there will always be one more unchecked box.  We don’t have control over time but can control how we approach it.  The difference lies in our attitude towards this race against time. We need to start creating the space and the time for what and who is actually important to us.  In order to stop running out of time, we must learn to master it.

Below I’m sharing my 3 tricks for igniting this change:

  1. Change your relationship with time.  You can start doing this by immediately stopping the negative talk. Anything along the lines of “I don’t have enough time,” “I’m screwed,” “I’m swamped,” is no longer part of your vocabulary.  Stop programming the idea that there isn’t enough time in a day – this will only hinder you by increasing stress and overwhelm.
  2. Be intentional with your time.  Recognize which of the experiences throughout your day are truly important, the ones that give you the feeling of purpose and happiness.  Learn to fully enjoy the 5 minutes you have with your kid before she goes to school.  Slow down just enough to really be present in the moments that matter.
  3. Cut yourself some slack. We can’t do it all, it’s as simple as that.  Taking care of yourself and prioritizing your health and happiness is more important than the items on your to-do list.  You will receive no benefits from running yourself into the ground.  Give yourself a break, go with the flow and stop pushing yourself.

Check out the resources below if you’re wanting to hear more on this topic! What is your experience with time? Let me know in the comments!

Resources:

 

The Ultimate Guide to Money

I recently did a podcast series all about money. Today I’d like to break it all down with the goal to provide clarity on your relationship with money and move you in a more positive, understanding direction when it comes to your finances.

What Is Your Money Story?

We all have one. Your money story is about your beliefs, feelings, view and relationship surrounding money.  The best place to begin when identifying your money story is to take a look at your upbringing. Typically, our parents relationship with money often shapes our initial views and beliefs.  Think about it, what did you hear growing up – ‘money doesn’t grow on trees,’ ‘money isn’t everything,’ ‘ you must spend money to make money,’ the list goes on.  Was there debt or was money never a problem? Think about how you were raised around this topic and which beliefs you have carried with you into adulthood.  One part of my money story is a belief I inherited from my dad which resulted in less than ideal spending habits.  Once I went off to college I quickly went into debt, now this was simply my own spending as my parents paid for my tuition. I spent money as if I were making money, with the mentality that I’d make up for it later. The result was about $120,000 of debt once I graduated – not so great.  This belief was what I was brought up with and is quite different from the way I live my life now. I was able to check my attitude and money mindset, make some changes and evolve my money story.  I now have check-in’s on a monthly basis regarding how I currently feel about my money situation, asking myself – what is my money story today?  Now ask yourself, what parts of my money story would I  like to change?

How Do You Want To View Money?

My view on money in the past versus the present could not be more different. In the past, I would make it and then promptly spend it. One turning point in my money story was when I transitioned from working a 9-5 into becoming an entrepreneur. I am now more about investing, looking for things that add value and simplifying. Which is a stark contrast to my previous views on money where I had an issue with constantly consuming, accumulating unnecessary items and overspending.  I was able to change my view on money and shift my mindset into an attitude of allowing money to work for me.  Part of this is also gaining clarity on how we view debt.  We will all experience debt at some point in our lives whether it’s student loans, a mortgage or something as small as a cell phone. It’s important when diving into your money story, to acknowledge any fear or anxiety surrounding money – and this typically comes up when we think of debt.  Reflect on your past and present views of money, what shifts would you like to make?

How Do You Handle Your Money?

A vital part of being on top of your finances is keeping track.  No matter if you work a 9-5 with one income stream or run your own business with multiple, it’s important to be aware!  Once you start tracking the ins and outs of your income including expenses, debt, taxes and more, you will gain clarity surrounding your flow of money.  This will also help you to stay accountable, hold yourself responsible and ensure you’re clear on your full financial picture.  Do you currently keep track of your finances?  What can you improve on?

What Is Your Money Mindset?

The last step is to think about your goals and what you have in mind for your future.  What is your current reality and what do you have to do to reach your goal. Or better yet – who do you have to become to reach that goal?  You may require a shift in mindset, a change in habit or a re-wiring of your money beliefs. A perfect resource for uncovering this is Kate’s book, Money: A Love Story and her accompanying course, the Money Love Course.  Creating more abundance is possible and those seemingly unreachable goals are achievable – it usually only requires a simple adjustment.

Once you’ve fully reflected on the questions above, you need to create a game plan for moving forward.  This could be setting up the business you have right now to be completely sustainable or starting a side business you love.  Ready to take real action?  Check out the resources below and make the change now!

Resources:

TheFreedomFamily.net
MoneyLoveCourse.com
SustainableSuccessWorkshop.com
Kate’s book, Money: A Love Story
Project Life’s Money Series: Episodes 061 – 066
Smart Passive Income
Entrepreneur on Fire

Simple Strategies To Boost Motivation

How do you stay motivated when you’re not feeling it?

We all have off days where we just don’t have the motivation to get stuff done. Sometimes this is okay and we can take the day, other times (especially as an entrepreneur) we need to find a way out of this rut and back to work.

My strategies to refocus and boost my motivation consist of stepping away from work, stop trying to force it and taking a break.  My methods for these breaks are activities that change my mental state, get me pumped up and make me feel inspired. A few of my go-to’s are:

  • Getting outside
  • Working out
  • Changing locations
  • Watching motivational content from people such as GaryVee

All of these help to eliminate distraction, refresh my mind and refocus my energy. When I’m lacking motivation it’s important for me to weed out the unnecessary thoughts, step away from distractions such as social media and simplify the direction I want my renewed ambition to go.  

When I do go back to work I choose the top three objectives I need to get done and put all my focus on completing those. One resource that helped me to hone in on how to guide my focus is Deep Work by Cal Newport.  Check out Project Life’s Episode 060 all about the process of Deep Work and how it goes beyond the idea of focus into simplifying other aspects of your life.

In order to continuously function happily in our business and life, we need to constantly regenerate that motivation and excitement.  Realize the importance of recharging and prioritize your self care in order to take these necessary breaks.  Let’s be honest, when you force your work, you often don’t produce the best results because it’s not exactly coming naturally.

So next time you’re feeling stuck, try the following strategies:
  • Stop forcing yourself to work when you’re simply not feeling it
  • Cut yourself enough slack to take a break and walk away
  • Choose an activity or action that makes you feel pumped up, inspired and helps restore your internal balance
  • When you return to work, choose your top three tasks to place your focus

The activities or actions you choose will be different for everyone, what are some of yours?

How To Start Making Quick Decisions

Today I’d like to share my thoughts on the value behind making decisions quickly.  

This past month, Kate and I had to move out of our current home much sooner than expected. We were put in a situation where we needed to find a new home in a short period of time and do a complete move.  Within a few days we went into action, made those important decisions and found a new place to live.  We made the decision quickly with confidence, signed the lease and moved onto the next big thing.

[Hear more about our move and decision making process! Check out Episode 040: Quick Decisions on Project Life with Mike Watts]

To some people, this situation sounds stressful and something that would take them tons of time.  We don’t exactly think that way. What would have happened if we stressed, went back and forth multiple times, mulled over the details that each home had to offer?  The result probably wouldn’t have been that much different.

Here’s my quick how to guide on making quick decisions:

  1. Recognize that decision fatigue is a real thing and it will stop everyone in their tracks. If you don’t commit to making the decision quickly from the start, it will slow you down. 
  2. Be okay with the possibility that you might make the wrong decision.  Even with a poor decision comes the silver lining of personal growth and development. You grow when you make a decision, especially if you have to go back and fix it.  Spending your time dwelling on a single decision for days, weeks or months on end will keep you stuck in one place with no room to grow. 
  3. Have perspective.  Whatever your decision is regarding, always keep the bigger picture in mind. Life is not meant to be spent in a perpetual state of limbo, there are more important things to focus your energy on. 
  4. Look forward. Focus on what is ahead and take action! Action is what keeps us moving forward and it’s the only way we can evolve.


What is your process for making decisions? Let me know in the comments below!

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