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Don’t Be An Action Figure…Be Action!

The following is an excerpt from my new book, Conquer the Entrepreneur’s Kryptonite:

Action is the only thing that makes ideas happen. Not dreaming or wishing. Not talking or contemplating. Action!

Generally I’m not a proponent of doing something just to do it. I’m more the natural planning type. But I can also easily fall into the trap of analysis paralysis—the process by which planning overtakes any and all action, leading to the death and destruction of an idea or project. Too much planning will kill ideas, just as not having a plan will.

The trick is that our pursuits to achieve lofty goals quickly become bogged down by reality. Sure, it’s great to sit back and dream about owning a business, driving a nice car, and experiencing all the perks that come with being the boss. It’s fun to think about how your brilliant idea will improve the world or save lives. But at some point you have to move out of the dreaming phase and into the doing. Again, action makes things happen.

We cannot totally control the future, but we can accomplish some pretty amazing things if we plan, focus, and act on them.
– Deb Ingino, StrengthLeader.com

When we get to the work of making it happen, we soon realize what hard work it is. And hard work isn’t always fun. Passion will take you a long way, but you’re going to need more than passion. You’re going to need a plan.

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40 Before 40 July Update

My birthday is on the 8th of January, so I’ll be posting my 40 Before 40 updates on the 8th of each month. Here’s the July update:

The year is half over and so is my year-long journey to turn 40. The past month has been a blur as I completed my book (Conquer the Entrepreneur’s Kryptonite) and started shipping it to my biggest fans. In fact, I haven’t done much of anything on my list because the book was such a big item. Time to ramp up my efforts and put some bigger numbers on the board before the next update.

For the original list and more info about each item, go to WoosleyCoaching.com/40

Wildcards No More!

I started this effort with five wildcards so that I would have some flexibility to discover new adventures along the way. Since my last post, I’ve decided the fourth of the five wildcards:

  • 39) Wildcard #4: Headline a Conference

    • I’ve attended a lot of conferences over the past few years. I’ve even spoken at a few. But now I have the opportunity to share the stage with some great friends at a place that is very special to me and my recent history. Mark your calendars for October 11th and plan to be in Franklin, TN. Details coming soon!

Newly Completed

  • 14) Publish first book

    • June 13th – That was the day I submitted the final version to the printer. What an amazing and strange moment…almost exactly three years since I first outlined the book, it was finished. Get your copy of Conquering the Entrepreneur’s Kryptonite: Simple Strategic Planning for You and Your Business today at Amazon.com and check out the book website, ConquerYourKryptonite.com.

  • 2) Father/Son Event

    • July 5th – Our planned father-son trip to Missouri to visit my parents and grandparents fell through, so we had to find something else to do over the holiday weekend. Since the trip is re-scheduled for a few weeks from now, we decided keep it simple and go see Man of Steel and pig out on sushi (and we did, including some with Pop Rocks on it). It was a great guys-only day with my little buddy!

Completed

  • 36) Wildcard #1: Attempt a Half Marathon

    • May 19th – I really wanted to do a full blog post just about the half marathon (I probably will soon), but I let the book take priority. But lets focus on the goal, and the key word is “attempt” so I completed the goal at the start of the race. Then I conquered the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in just over two hours and forty minutes. I may not be fast, but I beat my 2:45:00 bonus goal!

    After the Half Marathon
    Jessica Brown, Jody Berkey, Steve Berkey and me after the race

  • 18) Finish office

    • May 12th – The office is done! In a frenzied weekend, I finished all of the painting, hanging blinds and curtains, and moved in the basic furniture (including some of the goodies I got at IKEA!). There are still some finishing touches to make in terms of decorating and organizing, but the office is functional and I love working in my own space. It was perfect for finishing up the book.My Home Office

  • 13) Visit Congress or AL Legislature

    • April 24th – It took a few months of rescheduling but I finally got to Montgomery! It was quite an experience seeing how government works (or doesn’t, depending on the day and the topic). Such an honor to represent my city and school system, as well as all of the public school systems in Alabama. Met with several legislators and was even recognized from the floor of the House!

  • 26) Complete first 5K race

    • March 9th – The Gator Hustle 5K in 33:36 minutes.

  • 32) Complete a fast

    • March 30th – No soft drinks for 40 days before Easter.

Making Meaningful Progress

  • 1) Daddy/Daughter Getaway

    • This one is frustratingly still incomplete. Plans keep changing, but you have to stay flexible. We will have our special time together at some point soon!

  • 4) Get gloves and play catch with Anna and Ian

    • Another lost opportunity due to the work on the book. Now that it’s completed, I’m intentionally spending more time with the family. And if it every stops raining, we’ll throw the ball around again.

  • 7) Start recycling

    • Plastic, newspaper and aluminum cans bins are STILL full and overflowing, but I did teach the kids how to crush cans, so we did find some room!

  • 11) Read the entire Bible

    • I’ve read my Bible every day this year, but the past month has been a struggle with late nights to finish the book combined with the Psalms, which I’ve always found harder to read through. I’m nearing the end of the Psalms, on page 644 of the 1339 pages in my Bible. That’s 48.1% completed. I’m behind, but there are some faster books coming up again soon.

  • 12) 12 Dates with My Wife

    • Had another great date night with Heather, celebrating the launch of the book (well, that was my excuse!). Just a nice dinner out and real time together. That’s 5 of 12 dates, but I’m hoping to exceed 12 by a considerable margin!

  • 15) Produce 10 products (ebooks, audio programs, etc.)

    • Two down and ten to go! The physical book is done, as well as the Kindle version (both are available on Amazon.com). The audiobook is being recorded, so that will make three by the end of the month. Seven more…but I have hundreds of ideas!

  • 21) Consistently wake up between 5-6 am

    • Hmmm, I’m regressing pretty badly here. I think I had one day where I was up before 6 am, and that was because of a charity bike ride that started early. Ugh, I’m not a morning person (unless you count working past midnight!).

  • 24) Make 100 blog posts

    • This post makes 20 since the beginning of the year…once again the book is my excuse. It’s totally worth it to have the book finished and selling well!

  • 25) Ride a Century (100 mile single bike event)

    • I’m scheduled to ride the JDRF Nashville charity ride in September (WoosleyCoaching.com/jdrf. Sadly, plans to ride the Hotter’N Hell 100 ride fell through. Time to get serious about training!

  • 27) Drive a race car

    • No change. Still waiting for new dates to be scheduled at the local track.

  • 28) Complete second Spartan race

    • No change. Last month I said that the Spartan Race didn’t seem like that big of a deal anymore. But I’ve been sitting on my behind the last month working on the book. I better get to sweating again or it’s going to kill me!

  • 31) BMI 25 or less

    • Started the year at about 27, and after getting down to 25.2, I’m now up to 25.4. Not a huge gain, but definitely a move in the wrong direction. I think some summertime physical training will melt the pounds away, and I only need to lose 2.5 to get there.

  • 33) Record 2M steps in 2013

    • June was my worst month so far. All that sitting and working on the book! I’m now 17 days behind pace to hit two million steps. I have to start recording my steps daily again…it makes a huge difference! But the book is done and I’m ready to step it up. Through yesterday I’ve completed 986,279 steps.

  • 35) Ride over 1200 miles

    • I had zero miles on my last update, so that makes the 46 I’m adding to the total look better. However, that was all in one day and I had planned to do 75. Book, again. But worth it! Time to get back on the bike. Only 294.12 miles logged so far, but hundreds more training miles before the Century in September.

  • 38) Wildcard #3: Make My Military Shadowbox

    • No change. Do I even need to mention the book anymore?

No Update to Report (Yet!)

  • 3) Teach Ian to ride a bike
  • 5) Host a party
  • 6) Have a getaway weekend with Heather
  • 8) Have a family service project
  • 9) Visit a museum or attend a symphony/play/opera
  • 10) Family Vacation
  • 16) Conduct group coaching course
  • 17) Conduct first STRATOP
  • 19) Establish LLC
  • 20) Start a podcast
  • 22) Teach a community class (other than FPU)
  • 23) Join/Start Local Mastermind/Networking Group
  • 29) Attend a NASCAR event
  • 30) Take a firearms safety class
  • 34) Complete the Manitou Springs Incline
  • 37) Wildcard #2: Send Letter to My Address in England
  • 39) Wildcard #4
  • 40) Wildcard #5

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40 Before 40 June Update

My birthday is on the 8th of January, so I’ll be posting my 40 Before 40 updates on the 8th of each month. Here’s the June update:

There are seven months until I turn 40, but the last five have been amazing! This list has forced me to be active and proactive! Read on to see my progress through June 8th as I rush toward the halfway point next month.

For the original list and more info about each item, go to WoosleyCoaching.com/40

Newly Completed

  • 36) Wildcard #1: Attempt a Half Marathon

    • May 19th – I really wanted to do a full blog post just about the half marathon (I probably will soon), but I let the book take priority. But lets focus on the goal, and the key word is “attempt” so I completed the goal at the start of the race. Then I conquered the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in just over two hours and forty minutes. I may not be fast, but I beat my 2:45:00 bonus goal!

    After the Half Marathon
    Jessica Brown, Jody Berkey, Steve Berkey and me after the race

  • 18) Finish office

    • May 12th – The office is done! In a frenzied weekend, I finished all of the painting, hanging blinds and curtains, and moved in the basic furniture (including some of the goodies I got at IKEA!). There are still some finishing touches to make in terms of decorating and organizing, but the office is functional and I love working in my own space. It was perfect for finishing up the book.My Home Office

Completed

  • 13) Visit Congress or AL Legislature

    • April 24th – It took a few months of rescheduling but I finally got to Montgomery! It was quite an experience seeing how government works (or doesn’t, depending on the day and the topic). Such an honor to represent my city and school system, as well as all of the public school systems in Alabama. Met with several legislators and was even recognized from the floor of the House!

  • 26) Complete first 5K race

    • March 9th – The Gator Hustle 5K in 33:36 minutes.

  • 32) Complete a fast

    • March 30th – No soft drinks for 40 days before Easter.

Making Meaningful Progress

  • 1) Daddy/Daughter Getaway

    • Plans were in place to visit Atlanta next weekend, but that may have to change. Anna hasn’t been feeling well and we may have to take a more local trip or some kind of alternative getaway. Hope to move this to completed in July’s update.

  • 4) Get gloves and play catch with Anna and Ian

    • It’s summertime! I took the kids to a Mobile Baybears game but we didn’t break out the gloves. But the weather is perfect to toss the ball around now.

  • 7) Start recycling

    • Plastic, newspaper and aluminum cans bins are STILL full and overflowing, but I did teach the kids how to crush cans, so we did find some room!

  • 11) Read the entire Bible

    • I’ve almost finished with Job moving into the dreaded Psalms. I’m on page 544 of the 1339 pages in my Bible. That’s 40.6% completed, but I’ve fallen to four days behind according to the guide in the back of my book–not far enough to worry about finishing the year on time.

  • 12) 12 Dates with My Wife

    • Nothing to report here. Just haven’t been home a lot the past month, and when I was the plague was being passed around (I was missing enough to miss it!). June needs a date or two!

  • 14) Publish first book

    • I cannot even estimate the number of hours I’ve worked in the last two weeks to finish this book (and the lack of progress on most of the other goals). It was only a small bit of writing, but a lot of editing and page formatting, as well as promotion and preparation. However, as I write this, there’s a physical proof copy of my book making its way to my home! The book is virtually finished and after a few minor edits, will enter full production. Get your copy of Conquering the Entrepreneur’s Kryptonite: Simple Strategic Planning for You and Your Business today by pre-ordering before Jun 14th. Full details at ConquerYourKryptonite.com. This will move to complete in just a few days!

  • 15) Produce 10 products (ebooks, audio programs, etc.)

    • The book is the anchor product and everything else will fit in it’s gravitational field. I’m really looking forward to working on the new stuff!

  • 21) Consistently wake up between 5-6 am

    • May kicked my butt. Only four days before 6 am, and three of those were related to travel for the half marathon (Delta doesn’t care if I oversleep). The rest of the month I fell back into late night habits while working on the book. Time to re-start or re-evaluate this one, but I believe I can get back at it.

  • 24) Make 100 blog posts

    • This post makes 18 since the beginning of the year…the book completely took over all priority! If I was at my computer, I was at work or working on the book. But I have some great content lined up for the near future, especially some excerpts from the book.

  • 25) Ride a Century (100 mile single bike event)

    • I’m scheduled to ride the JDRF Nashville charity ride in September (WoosleyCoaching.com/jdrf, and planning to conquer the century mark in August at the flatter Hotter’N Hell 100 ride in Wichita Falls, TX (where I used to live). But today I have the North Alabama Bike MS ride in June for 75 miles (more hills!).

  • 27) Drive a race car

    • No change. Still waiting for new dates to be scheduled at the local track.

  • 28) Complete second Spartan race

    • No change. With everything else I have going on, the Spartan Race doesn’t seem like that big of a deal anymore. It’ll be fun, but I may not say that halfway through.

  • 31) BMI 25 or less

    • Started the year at about 27, and last month I was at 25.2! Now I’m at 25.3, so staying steady (though I bet I was under immediately after the half marathon!). In related news, I had to buy new jeans and they were two sizes smaller in the waist. I’m glad my belt doesn’t have to work so hard anymore!

  • 33) Record 2M steps in 2013

    • May was interesting. I set a new personal record at the half marathon, posting 28,521 steps. The next day wasn’t bad at 6,748. Then I took some time to recover and then I spent all my time working on the book and haven’t posted a day over 4,000 since. Ugh. Why did this happen? I stopped recording my steps daily, so I didn’t realize just how bad it had gotten. I’m still on track for the year, though. Through yesterday I’ve completed 874,654 steps, but I’m now only 4 days ahead of schedule (25 last month).

  • 35) Ride over 1200 miles

    • Zero miles since my last update. That makes me sad. But the half marathon took priority, then the book. At least I have a long ride today to get back into it. I can add about 75 more after today, but for now I’m still at 247.67 miles logged. The goal is still in reach with the riding season just getting going.

  • 38) Wildcard #3: Make My Military Shadowbox

    • No change. Purchased a great looking shadowbox frame at IKEA…just need to gather my medals and insignia and get to work on it.

No Update to Report (Yet!)

  • 2) Father/Son Event
  • 3) Teach Ian to ride a bike
  • 5) Host a party
  • 6) Have a getaway weekend with Heather
  • 8) Have a family service project
  • 9) Visit a museum or attend a symphony/play/opera
  • 10) Family Vacation
  • 16) Conduct group coaching course
  • 17) Conduct first STRATOP
  • 19) Establish LLC
  • 20) Start a podcast
  • 22) Teach a community class (other than FPU)
  • 23) Join/Start Local Mastermind/Networking Group
  • 29) Attend a NASCAR event
  • 30) Take a firearms safety class
  • 34) Complete the Manitou Springs Incline
  • 37) Wildcard #2: Send Letter to My Address in England
  • 39) Wildcard #4
  • 40) Wildcard #5

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I’m Not Selling a Book

A few days ago I launched an Indiegogo crowd sourcing campaign to manage pre-orders of my new book, Conquer the Entrepreneur’s Kryptonite. I think I hit the button to make it live around midnight, and I had my first sale before 1:30 am. I finally went to bed very tired, but very excited about the possibility that my book could sell more copies than I ever imagined.

The next day after working with my clients, I made the 450 mile drive home from Georgia. While driving I realized that I’m not really selling a book. Sure, it’s going to be a bound collection of about 35,000 words on about 200 pages. It’s a book. But it’s so much more!

It’s the opportunity to help people change their lives! It’s about inspiring someone to take their dreams and give them legs using the planning process I use for my own business. If I can get people to understand the things that are holding them back and causing them to fail, then I can be a part of helping them move forward and find success.

I’m not selling a book. I’m selling hope. I’m selling a new and better future. I’m selling potential for a better life.

That should be a lot easier to sell than just another book. Because this is more than just another book.

Please check it out and consider starting a new journey. I’d love to be a part of it!

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