Habits 2 Goals: The Habit Factor® Podcast with Martin Grunburg

"If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster." ~Clint Eastwood Humans love guarantees. Yet, when it comes to goal achievement, finding a guarantee is nearly impossible. Goal achievement is far less about guarantees and much more about probabilities. Nobody is guaranteed to achieve the life of their dreams. They are, however, FAR more likely to achieve such a life by aiming for clear goals and ideals. I...

Why do we construct so many obstacles in our lives? Have you constructed anything lately? Constructs are anything that you create—manufacture—within your life. The "interesting" thing is that even our thoughts are constructs; that is a very important awareness. Last week, we reviewed the concept that the best way for anyone to get out of a hole is to stop digging. The "digging" is our habitual beh...

"The first law of holes: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging." Are you in a hole? A hole is simply a metaphor for a situation or circumstance you'd prefer not to be in. There is an old adage, sometimes referred to as the "first law of holes," which states: " If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging ." Too much debt? Out of shape or overweight? Poor relationships? Drinking too much alc...

"By immersing yourself into a new, different, and challenging environments, the last thing you'll be able to do is feel depressed or sorry for yourself." MG invites Jen back on to discuss this week's Mind-Bullet, "Immersion." By definition, to immerse yourself means to involve yourself deeply into a particular activity or interest. In a recent interview with a fitness expert who had suffered a lot...

"Unhappiness is tied to a feeling of not being in control. By establishing small wins each day you not only feel happier, you move you closer to your goals!" MG invites Jen back on H2G to discuss this week's Mind-Bullet, "Small Wins", a different spin on the importance of self-efficacy, the ability to produce a desired result. Coming off last weeks episode, "Intentionality" we know humans are goal...

"Intentionality is your superpower, and the best news is, you're already great at using it!" When was the last time you went shopping? When was the last time you got a haircut? When was the last time you ate some food? That fact is, you're already an incredible, purposeful, deliberate, goal-driven machine. You use your intentionality every day, all day long. Getting your hair cut wasn't an acciden...

"Like painted kites, those days and nights they went flyin' by." ~Frank Sinatra (Summer Wind) Building off last week's episode, "Bridging the Gap," this week, we review a force that makes progress possible: TIME! Some view time like the flow of a river. Brian Tracy uses the analogy of a delivery truck backing up to deliver 24 fresh hours each new day. MG loves Sinatra's imagery of days "flyin' by...

"When the student is ready, the lessons and teachers will appear." Approximately four years after presenting to IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management), James B., who witnessed The Habit Factor® presentation, finally decided to listen to the audio book.  FOUR. YEARS. LATER. Afterward, he was excited to put habit alignment and the free habits-to-goals tracking sheet to work. He shared this story...

"While every day can't be the best day ever, your best day is almost always right around the corner. Realizing it, though, depends upon how well you navigate your worst days." Gurus everywhere promote silly claims like, "HOW YOU CAN HAVE YOUR BEST DAY EVER, EVERY DAY" Here's the bad news: You can't have your best day ever, every day . The good news: Your best day ever is almost always awaiting you...

"To break the inertia: S.T.A.R.T.! Simple Today Actions Repeated & Tracked" It's inevitable: We are ALL trending toward zero. Laziness. Stillness. Eventually, even nothingness. However, that's a consideration that doesn't have to be depressing or debilitating; rather, it can be useful. The great mathematician, physicist, and philosopher Blaise Pascal put it this way: "Man is equally incapable of s...

"The longest journey begins with a single step." ~Lao Tzu The Ocho—Season 8—is here, and we follow up last week's episode, "Try Slow," with this week's offering, "The Incremental." This episode was inspired by an illustration MG saw on Facebook: A man, struggling, on his tippy-toes, arms outstretched, attempting to reach the first rung of a ladder—yet the very first step was too far away. It's tou...

"Slow is smooth and smooth is fast." The Ocho—Season 8—is here, and along with it, our first episode: Try Slow. A sign in MG's neighborhood cautions drivers to slow down. Yet the more he passes the sign, the more meaning the message has: "TRY SLOW." Try slow to be more efficient and effective. Try slow to be healthier. Try slow to concentrate and focus better. Try slow to remember things. Try slow...

"If you cannot be happy unloading a dishwasher, you cannot be happy." Today's episode is all about real happiness. Happiness involves a couple major ingredients: choice and gratitude. Consider for moment all the incredible "things" that must take place for you to be unloading your dishwasher. You can begin with the obvious: Unloading a dishwasher likely means you have eyes, hands, fingers, and arm...

"The roots create the fruits; the fruits reveal the seeds." In today's episode, we invite Jen Grant back on the program to discuss our Mind-Bullet: The Fruit! What do ALL fruits have in common? Correct. Seeds! While we should probably be more focused on the process (our habits/the roots) that creates the fruits (money, car, big home, etc.), it turns out that focusing on the fruits reveals somethin...

"Discipline is a habit: cultivate it." "No man is free who cannot command himself." Pythagoras If you are not in control of yourself (your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors), you will never know true freedom. In today's episode, MG shares how, for many years, he grappled with what appeared to be conflicting primary values: freedom and family. Upon further reflection, he made the realization that t...

"At birth, you have only instincts, no habits." How many beliefs are you born with? How many habits are you born with? In today's episode, MG revisits the concept of Tabula rasa— blank slate—to help us recognize and challenge any limiting beliefs and habits that may be keeping us stuck. It's important to know that we've acquired these limiting thought and behavior habits. They weren't ours since b...

How often do you judge your own judgment? We often tell our kids, "Use good judgment!" Yet, when it comes to our own judgment, we tend to forget the advice. In this week's episode, MG invites Jen Grant to co-host as they explore the significance judgement plays in our life. When is judgment valuable? When is judgment harmful? If we ruminate in the negative feelings judgment may bring, it can be ha...

“Everything is hard before it is easy." ~Goethe Why do humans possess a subconscious mind? In season two, we covered the subconscious mind relative to the " Super-Conscious ". In today's episode, we wonder why the subconscious mind exists. As science is about studying "things" that can be measured and observed, some scientists may even argue the subconscious mind or even the "mind" itself, does no...

“It doesn't matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." ~Confucius Some days are better than others. Sometimes you're on track and sometimes you are not. A way to ensure you keep moving forward, despite setbacks, is to begin tracking your habits.  By tracking your habits, you reinforce both your intention and commitment. So, when setbacks happen, you're able to get back on track more qui...

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." ~Dalai Lama Kindness is a habit (and trait) that is learnable and strengthened with practice. In Season 5, episode 50 the " Kindness " topic was previously explored. In this episode, MG expounds on the subject, citing his experience tracking "TKT" ("The Kind Thing"), a habit he's had fun working on. MG gives credit for the idea to a fellow entrep...

“Success is nothing other than a feeling. Some people feel 'successful' after taking their dog on a walk. Others feel like a failure if they don't get 1,000 likes on Instagram." What is success, really? Part of understanding success is knowing how you define it— that is, what are you aiming to achieve? Having said that, there's a great argument to be made that success isn't something to be achieve...

“During the darkest days of the Model 3 program, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting." @elonmusk As much as rejection sucks, often, the further removed from it we become, the more it seems like a blessing. After a rejection, two narratives may emerge. One takes us toward a direction of doom—a...

“What if hell was the experience of meeting the person you could have become the moment before you die, and heaven was the same experience because you fulfilled your potential —or came close?" Today’s Mind Bullet challenges us to reimagine a new and different concept of heaven and hell. MG's always recommending imagination exercises, so this one grabbed his attention. Consider the best version of...

“If you had a $10 million racehorse, how would you treat it?" Today's Mind Bullet exposes a basic truth about you and your place in the world. Each of us has been given a $10 million racehorse, and that very gift begs us to ask this simple question: "How are you going to treat this expensive thoroughbred?" Quick contemplation should lead you to one answer: VERY WELL. In other words, you'll ensure...

“Balance is key. Balance good, karate good. Everything good. Balance bad; better pack up, go home.” ~Mr. Miyagi (Karate Kid) Today’s Mind Bullet explores the monster concept of BALANCE. Balance may be one of the most misunderstood life principles, yet it is a master key to an effective life. Thus, Mr. Miyagi nailed it when he said, "Balance bad; better pack up and go home. Understand?" The first c...