The Output Habit

In this episode of the Output Habit Podcast, we welcome Gabe Seymour of Pest Patrol PDX back on to the show to talk about what it means to "assume the center". According to Gabe, if you are not assuming the center in your industry, then someone else is. Join us as we talk about why this is so important, not only to how we build our brands and conduct ourselves in business, but in every aspect of o...

In this special, post-race episode, I recap my first appearance in the Frontline OCR. As I drove home and reflected on the event, I had to come to grips with some disappointment while also acknowledging that I still had a lot to be proud of. I realized that few things in life are all good or all bad; they’re usually a mixed bag. The important thing is to remember to celebrate the positives and lea...

On my way to the Frontline OCR, I recorded an episode about “hype”. Have I played up this event too much in my content? In my own mind? Tune in to hear the verdict.

Not everyone is a good fit for the product you’re trying to sell or the position you’re trying to fill. The sooner salespeople and recruiters start recognizing that fact, start treating people like individuals, and start using discernment to evaluate where their solution is a fit (and where it isn’t!), the better it will be for their business and their brand. Trying to pound square pegs into round...

If we really put ourselves out there (if we say what we really think, highlight what we’re good at, get honest about our shortcomings, etc.) some people will love us and some people will hate us. We don’t need to be intentionally abrasive or confrontational. Simply articulating who we are and what we stand for is enough to draw both friends and enemies. Many of us hold back because we don’t want t...

Everyone owns something. Some people own commodities, real estate, stocks, bonds, businesses, intellectual property, etc. But everyone owns their skills and experience. Taking ownership of one’s skills means knowing the value you have to offer. Even an “employee” can see themselves as an “owner” when they know what they have to bring to the table and how much it’s worth to other companies. Employe...

Procrastination is personal. We each have our own reasons for why we might choose to put things off. Sometimes we’d rather do something else, so we put off the task we should be doing. Sometimes we’re unsure how to proceed, so we pause and wait for inspiration to strike. Some of us are perfectionists, so we delay completing projects to avoid facing the fact that we’re not as talented as we want to...

My old tagline had been “Everything is Service.” And I still believe that sentiment to be true. But I’ve come to see the phrase “Put Yourself Out There” as a better reflection of what The Output Habit is really about. So in this episode, I break down what this new slogan means to me and my brand, and what kind of guidelines I use as I put myself out there through my content.

When I teach my fitness class at the juvenile detention center, I’m continually reminding the teens that discipline is freedom. And discipline is simply the ability to choose something better than my immediate, reactionary desire. So whether we develop discipline through physical fitness, reading good books, spiritual practices, or any other good habit, it will serve us well in just about every ot...

I’ve found that I (and others) have a tendency to get caught up fixing the “wrong” thing. When we face an issue that’s out of our comfort zone or difficult for us to wrap our heads around, we sometimes respond by re-doubling our efforts in a different, unrelated area. We will, perhaps, focus on some project that’s more in our wheelhouse, but doesn’t address the main challenge we’re facing. It can...

What gets you up in the morning? What gets you fired up for the day? Why are some people excited to get going every morning while others can barely drag themselves out of bed? The difference is drive. People with purpose feel driven to do what it takes to accomplish something that’s bigger than themselves. Living a purposeful life is much more challenging, but also more meaningful and fulfilling....

When working on creative projects, it’s sometimes a challenge to say when they’re really done. It’s always possible to add one more thing or make one more edit; you can almost always make it “better” somehow. At what point do you take your hands off and say, “OK, that’s enough”? In this episode, I share a few thoughts I’ve had on this topic recently.

Some people don’t like to set goals because they’re afraid of falling short. “What if I set a goal and don’t hit it? I’ll feel like a failure.” If we take an all-or-nothing approach to goal-setting, then we’re misunderstanding what goals are for. They are tools meant to help us make progress in a direction we already want to go. Your goals should serve you, not the other way around. You are not a...

It’s been almost a month since my disappointing performance at the Abominable Snow Race. In this episode of the Output Habit Podcast, I talk about what I’ve been doing to move on from that setback so that I can focus on the positives going forward.

Sometimes life doesn’t go the way you hoped it would. Sometimes those setbacks are minor…other times they’re quite significant. My race last weekend didn’t turn out the way I thought or hoped it would. And while it wasn’t on the same level as losing a job or losing a loved one, it still stung and it has still been a challenge to process. Furthermore, the principles for dealing with disappointments...

I came into my last race with high hopes and expectations. In this special race edition of The Output Habit Podcast, I talk about how to handle the pressure of trying to meet the expectations that we put on ourselves or the expectations we perceive from others.

A lot of people talk about the importance of “adding value to others”. And it is an important topic whether you want to be successful in business, ministry, media, politics, relationships, etc. We were put on this earth to serve other people. That’s why I say that everything ultimately boils down to service. But everyone is different. Therefore, if someone is going to add the most value to others...

So, you want to be an entrepreneur? Seems to be a trendy thing these days. In many ways, I think that’s a good thing. But being an entrepreneur is more about solving problems for people than it is owning your own business, being your own boss, getting rich, or getting free. But which problem(s) should you be working to solve? It’s nearly impossible for someone else to answer that question for you,...

It’s one thing to set a goal. It’s another thing to make a plan to make that goal a reality. In this episode, I talk about how I set a goal, reverse engineer it to figure out what it takes to meet that goal, count the cost to see if I’m willing or able to do what’s required, and then make a plan to give myself the best opportunity to succeed.

We all have “off” days. We can’t be at our best all the time. But just because I’m not able to give my best some days, doesn’t mean I have nothing to give. It’s still better to do something on those “off” days and be content with a little progress than to start skipping entire days and developing an “all or nothing” mindset.

Getting your head right is just as important, if not more important, then getting your body ready to compete. My guest on this episode is Ryan Teigen, a performance coach with a master’s degree in sports psychology. I had a great time getting to know Ryan as we talked about running, mental preparation for training and competition, as well as the hustle that is required when you run your own busine...

This episode is clearly influenced by Darren Doane. Listening to his podcast helped me understand and embrace the “punk rock” mindset when creating my content. It helped me realize that both content-creation and running a small business are disruptive by nature. Both reject the status quo & gatekeepers. Both involve independence. And both require thick skin. So if I sometimes come across with a bi...

My apologies for taking so long to get this episode out. In the coming year, I plan to be more disciplined and professional with my podcast. I’m also hoping to get my family more involved in the content-creation business. Stay tuned to see how that progresses.

Do you know why you’re doing what you’re doing? Do other people? Whether in my family, in my business, or in my ministry, I want to be clear about WHY we do what we do. That’s where all the meaning and purpose lies. Whenever I feel like I’m drifting off course, my first step is to get back to communicating and reinforcing the “Why”.

Some athletes are known for having a “screw loose”. They seem to relish the nasty or painful aspects of their sport and throw their bodies around with little regard for their safety or physical well-being. There’s something wrong with those people. But just because an athlete embraces adversity or gets excited about a challenge, it doesn’t put him in the same category. You don’t have to be crazy t...