The Motivational Firewood® Podcast!

No, not THOSE check!!!  ($$$) --- BIGGEST LESSON that I ever learned...while chopping wood. See those cracks? Those are 'checks'. When the wood has been given enough time to dry (very important part of the process), that is the log literally telling you: "HIT ME HERE!!" If you try to split fresh-cut logs, you will often wind up with a dull thud...while all the bones of your arms rattle...and...

What Comes After Your Decision? It's always great when you recognize something in your life that may not be perfect...yet. If you're ambitious enough, you'll make a decision. Some people stop there. proudly trumpeting: "I've decided that i want to improve my life!" Sadly, too many people run out of gas...right there. Great. Wonderful. Delightful. You made a decision. Good for you. The REAL WINNERS...

I'm a guy who really needs to follow recipes. I've proven it in all areas of my life, ha ha. That's not to say I don't add little 'personal touches' here and there for flavor...but I am at my best when i take what other people have already created (with proven results) and using that as my foundation. How about YOU? In today's episode, I talk about why it is so important that I do *not* make Cocon...

Blinders and Boundaries... Why do racehorses wear blinders? To keep them focused on what is ahead, versus what is to the side or behind them. Their sole job is to get to that finish line with nobody else blocking their view or distracting them. Same for us, if we know our goals and understand WHY we desire to achieve them...and choose to minimize distractions and rabbit holes on our way. A powerfu...

Do you realize how important that person in your mirror...truly is? As you make your way up the mountain toward whatever your goals may look like, feel like, sound like (even smell like)...are you surrounding yourself with the best people? Being guided by your own Values and Integrity which will serve you in the long run?  Do you know the difference between Real Sunshine and Fake Neon? When y...

Keep Climbing, Keep Acclimating!  --- Imagine what a climber learns about how to handle every step up Mt. Everest (or any challenge), and how s/he acclimates to the conditions, the physical (mental and emotional) toll along the way. We grow tougher, smarter and more resilient as we grind out the journey. Imagine how that person would be horribly ill-prepared if a helicopter brought them to wi...

Got GUT-PUNCHED recently...seriously, it was a big one. I was on a radio show, as a guest, sharing a story I've shared many times. I was talking about 'the moment' that led to me rising from the ashes of my radio career and the end of my first marriage, and a financial situation that was 'beyond bankruptcy'. It was at a golf driving range, in August 2003, on a hot and humid afternoon...smacking a...

Too many people choose snapshots from their lives to show who they really are. Sorry...life is a long-haul performance...and you need to play your part, every day.  Your Words and Actions tell us everything we need to know about you, so please act in accordance to the image you wish to portray. 

Odds are...you don't. But, does that mean you should chuck your current life/career in the dumpster? Not at all... Here are my thoughts on something powerful that speaker Mark Sanborn shared recently: "Try to love what you do on the way to doing what you love."  So many people get hung up on 'finding their passion' these days, and often chasing that elusive dragon. But here's the thing: We ca...

Are the Gurus Trying to Make YOU Do a Triple-Lindy?  I'm in the Personal Development industry...and it drives ME crazy. Throngs of audience members getting swept up in the "Change Your Life Today" hysteria! The thumping music, the lasers, the fog machines...and the special 'scarcity' of "this deal goes away after today". Honestly, it makes me want to barf.  In today's episode, I share MY...

There's an old saying which states: "If at first you don't succeed, try try again." I recently learned that there is another verrrrrry important component to that phrase, which can really help you step it up, bring it home...and reach success with greater intention.

Steve Gamlin: Special Guest Zach Babcock of Underdog Empowerment   In this episode, Zach and I discuss:   - why we need to Take Action and Make Things Happen  - the Power of Re-Purposing everything you create  - why Zach's twin boys love making Vision Boards  - the biggest 'gifts' from his 5 years in prison  - what he did when the world laughed at his dreams  - h...

Special Guest: Rhonda Y. Williams (Creating Stress-Free Leadership) It was such a joy to share this conversation with Rhonda.   Did 2020 cause stress in your life? Or your career? Are YOU a leader?  I bet you are...somewhere in your life. Here are some of the topics we touched upon: How great leaders can put the pins back into grenades What leaders can do to set the best examples in 2021...

Special Guest: Emma-Jane Taylor (The Girl Going Nowhere?) When she was 15, Emma-Jane Taylor was labeled a delinquent and referred to as 'a girl going nowhere'. Years of abuse piled on, and took her life down some dark pathways...until she rediscovered something which brought her joy.  And she dedicated her life to creating a series of companies which inspire her...and help others! In this con...

Steve Gamlin: Special Guest Julie Rose  Julie Rose is the founder of Garden Forever Tarot. She is all about the energy that is all around us.   In this conversation, we discussed:  - why gardening is so important to her  - the way our energy is like a boomerang  - the dangers of 'being like everyone else'  - the power of paying compliments   - how making a dog's...

What is Your 'Happiness' Investment? As I was researching my new book, I stumbled across a reminder of how much it costs to make me happy...and WHY my wife Tina gladly keeps investing it, over and over. What makes YOU happy? Second part of that question: WHY does it make you happy? Are you making the investment on a regular basis?

It's not easy.  I get it. For every candle on your birthday cake, there may be a voice or a memory (reminder from that year, as to WHY you are not more successful, more confident, more...whatever. And let's face it: 2020 has not made your journey any easier. Believe me...I live with the same pressures, plot-twists and put-downs (from my own head for much of my life). But here's the cool thing...

What do you do when your life falls apart: Physically, Mentally, Emotionally and Spiritually? Laura Nutt was prepared for 'the end'...and then she was saved. Matter of fact, she was never supposed to be here in the first place. How do you come back from this? You look over your shoulder and use your experience to help others. When you are 'lost in your own life', things can get dark, but there is...

When it's time to turn the clocks back one hour, it's an OPPORTUNITY for a do-over, to take 60 minutes of this year called 2020...and do something better with it. How could YOU make best use of this Do-Over? What could you do? What could you learn? What could you say? Who could you impact in a positive way?

Special Guest: Karen Lynn of 'Fulfilled and Fabulous After 50'!  It has been such a joy to observe, and cheer on, Karen's coaching career. She's now at a place where she won't be for long...literally and figuratively? Why do I say this? Because she is on the move, onward and upward...and north-, south-, east- and west-ward. She is the founder of Fulfilled and Fabulous After 50 ...and she is L...

Jason Holzer overcame tragedy at a young age to build a life of meaning, sharing his story and giving back. As a speaker, a best-selling author, a coach (and so much more), he has dedicated himself to empowering others and helping his clients and audiences to understand: * the importance of creating Win:Win relationships * seeing the light, and going all the way through that tunnel * how your mind...

“If you don’t contribute, don’t complain” (Frank Sonnenberg) Saw this quote earlier today on Facebook. It screamed at me. My first thoughts were about elections, when so many people say “You don’t have a right to complain if you don’t vote”. I believe there is truth in that. But it goes so much deeper. Every single day, there are people complaining about things over which they, as individuals, hav...

The Power of a Picture! Do you realize that September includes 'Save Your Photos' Month? That's right...and I am old enough to remember the days before digital cameras and hard-drives...when you had one shot to capture the moment, not 50 in 30 seconds, while wearing a filter that gave us dog ears. The closest we got was a sarcastic sibling who have us the 'two-fingered bunny-ear salute" behind our...

What do you do when you’re an entrepreneur or business professional in the midst of a pandemic, you’re feeling unfocused and disconnected and there’s no end in sight? My guest is an expert at guiding her clients with her 3 Cs, a very important A word...and we share a very important rule for successful Zoom calls... Toni Navy is a Business Strategist, Speaker and #1 Best Selling Author. She runs a...

Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road? Who can YOU help today? Was on my way home, down a winding back road, and saw this little dude trying to make its way across. We see people in need daily. Sometimes we stop...sometimes we don't. Sometimes we WANT to help...sometimes we won't. If you can, at least once per day (learned this from my grandfather), leave at least one situation better than you found i...