First Things

Stress is inevitable. A stress barrier can be a great inhibitor to establishing a habit of assertiveness.  Stress walks in and out of our lives on a regular basis. And it can easily walk all over us unless we take action. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to minimize and cope with stress. […] The post #032 – Stress Barrier (Assertiveness Pt 3) [Podcast] appeared first on First Things .

What exactly is assertiveness?  What is the difference between assertiveness vs aggressiveness?  What about passivity or being passive-aggressive? Many people believe that assertive and aggressive behavior means the same thing. The first step in managing difficult people at work is to clear up this confusion.  What is the difference in assertiveness vs aggressiveness? Click to […] The post #031 –...

For most of my life, I wasn't assertive enough at work (I'm usually assertive enough in my personal life, but even there, I'm not always assertive enough). I was scared to death to speak in public. I'd often allow others to walk all over me, often ending in disastrous work situations. I was usually willing […] The post #030 – Assertiveness Pt 1: Introduction [Podcast] appeared first on First Thing...

Timothy Moser is the host of the ACE Productivity podcast as well as blogging on his AceProductivity.com site.  Timothy has been a long supporter of my show, and has tremendous insights on experimenting in life. I find the idea of experimenting with life not only fun, but essential for true productivity.  I recently caught up […] The post #029 – Timothy Moser Interview: Your Life an Experiment [Po...

We have spent over two months talking about the issue of procrastination.  Now, let's hear from the man who wrote the book!  Neil Fiore is interviewed in this episode. This is an older interview of Neil's, and in it he covers many of the fundamental ideas of the Now Habit and overcoming procrastination. Click to […] The post #028 – Neil Fiore Interview (The Now Habit Pt 11) [Podcast] appeared firs...

What about dealing with procrastinators?  It is one thing to learn how to personally overcome procrastination. But how do we handle living in a world dominated by procrastination? By knowing the techniques to overcome procrastination, you are already at a huge advantage in dealing with procrastinators. A key idea is to not be a "dictator" […] The post #027 – Dealing with Procrastinators (The Now H...

We have covered all of the major techniques for overcoming procrastination. But now … what about dealing with setbacks? What should we do with failure in this area? Does that mean we are hopeless to overcome procrastination? Not at all!!  All it means is that you have let procrastination become an "8 line highway" in […] The post #026 – Dealing with Setbacks (The Now Habit Pt 9) [Podcast] appeared...

Basketball intrigues me … especially when the player shoots free throws.  Have you ever seen this craziness?  People waving signs, pictures, big heads … just in an attempt to distract the player.  Yet the great players seem to enter a new dimension … a flow state … and not even see the distractions. Have your ever lost yourself […] The post #025 – Working in the Flow State (The Now Habit Pt 8) [Po...

We've talked about guilt-free play to overcome procrastination.  We've talked about a "reverse calendar" to overcome procrastination.  How do we merge these two ideas together for an overall strategy to deal with procrastination? The answer provided in the Now Habit is to use the "Unschedule."  This is an innovative use of calendar planning that provides […] The post #024 – The UNschedule (The Now...

Many of us face roadblocks.  How do we overcome blocks to action?  How can we get unstuck when we feel overwhelmed with a task and procrastination is a natural response to the stress? In this episode, we look at various roadblocks that tempt us toward procrastination, as well as tools to help in overcoming blocks.  […] The post #023 – Overcoming Blocks (The Now Habit Pt 6) [Podcast] appeared first...

Do you have guilt-free play? Or do you see your life more as if it is "on hold" until you accomplish something? In this episode, we look at what I consider one of the most exciting topics that Neil Fiore covers in The Now Habit.  That is, some of us think we are so busy we […] The post #022 – Guilt-Free Play (The Now Habit Pt 5) [Podcast] appeared first on First Things .

We continue our discussion on procrastination by discussing the issue of how to talk to yourself. Want to know what a person really believes and feels? Listen to what they talk about. Our speech reveals our deepest beliefs. Can we use this to our advantage to overcome procrastination? In short … YES.  But, it isn't […] The post #021 – How to Talk to Yourself (The Now Habit Pt 4) [Podcast] appeared...

We discuss the issue of how we procrastinate. By identifying the source of our problem, we were able to break the big job of "getting organized" into less threatening, bite-sized pieces. With the Now Habit tools, we are able to replace self-criticism, become productive, and have fun in life. Many of us use our performance […] The post #020 – How We Procrastinate (The Now Habit Pt 3) [Podcast] appe...

Have you ever thought about why we procrastinate? What is behind this? What is the motivation? Is it just a matter about us being lazy … or is there something more than that happening? Many of us use our performance as "mirrors".  Instead of them being an expression of who we are … an expression […] The post #019 – Why We Procrastinate (The Now Habit Pt 2) [Podcast] appeared first on First Things...

Defining procrastination properly is a vital step to overcome it.  Procrastination is a habit you develop to cope with anxiety about starting or completing a task. … tasks that are boring or overwhelming. We begin a multi-week study on procrastination, inspired by The Now Habit by Neil Fiore.  Your first step toward breaking the procrastination […] The post #018 – The Now Habit Pt 1: Defining Proc...

I challenge you … "double dog dare you" as we say in the good old Southern USA … to take one day this week and make a break from your technology. Will you accept my challenge? We're all addicted to tech. After long work days with eyes glued to glowing computer screens, dazed workers across […] The post #017 – My Challenge to You: Unplugging from Technology [Podcast] appeared first on First Things...

We normally look at life as a series of crises.  But to see your life as a journey could be a catalyst for breakthrough productivity.  Your NOW moment is the ARENA to know your potential and happiness. In all the roads of your life, in all the pathways you find yourself walking on … not […] The post #016 – Seeing Your Life as a Journey [Podcast] appeared first on First Things .

At its most basic level, mentoring helps because it guarantees a person that there is someone who cares about them … that they aren't alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges. The 2013 study "The Role of Risk: Mentoring Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with Varying Risk Profiles," examined mentoring program relationships, experiences and benefits for […] The post #015 – Mentor Wanted: The Men...

The lost art of listening … some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. Recently, I was talking to someone who was not very present in the conversation. Even though she would nod and say "Yeah" the whole time we communicated, her follow-up comments would reveal she wasn't […] The post #014 – The Lost Art of Listening [Podcast] appeared firs...

Statistical studies have derailed more people's productivity than anything else I know. I am a statistician. So, I say this statement very carefully.   How do we properly process statistical studies?  How can we ensure that we don't make one of the biggest mistakes made with statistical studies … assuming that correlation proves causality? Click […] The post #013 – Ice Cream Causes Divorce: How St...

Perfectionism is a particular expression of the fear of failure.  By setting up unrealistic expectations, people can set themselves up for great stress in their lives. It isn't necessarily bad  to have high standards. Having goals helps you achieve things in life. BUT when these goals are either unachievable or only achievable at great cost, […] The post #012 – Paralysis by Analysis: Perfectionism...

In this episode, I want to thank all my listeners by covering some feedback I've gotten over the last few weeks. In particular, I want to cover some of the tools I use that help me, some things about corn (it will make more sense once you listen!), and my thoughts on ADHD. Click to […] The post #011 – Listener Feedback: Tools, Corn, and ADHD [Podcast] appeared first on First Things .

What do the following people have in common?  Abraham Lincoln, Steve Jobs, Michael Jordan, Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins, and J.K. Rowling.  If you say, "famous people" … well, that is only partially right.  These are also people who have experienced some of the greatest failures in life. Do you struggle with the fear of failure? […] The post #010 – Overcoming Fear of Failure: Escaping the Performan...

No is a word we have dreaded since we were babies.  Two simple letters that have great power if used wisely.  So, why do so many of us have a hard time learning to say no? We are surrounded by a world that loves to criticize us, to manipulate us, to control us.  How can […] The post #009 – Just Say No: Freedom from Criticism, Manipulation, Conflict, and Guilt [Podcast] appeared first on First Thin...

Ever feel stuck in life?  Perhaps you might feel that you have no traction in your life, that you are just spinning your wheels.  Or perhaps you see negative emotions which dominate your life, and quickly react to the smallest of incidents. In this episode of First Things, we dive into the issue of feeling […] The post #008 – Stuck: Emotional Health by Unthawing Frozen Emotions and Moving Forward...