There are endless distractions that are constantly taking us away from the things we try to accomplish. Some are innocent, like when your kids need help with a school project. Others are more frustrating, like a job that constantly cuts into your personal time. Regardless of what the distraction is, it makes moving forward with your goals harder. That’s why in this episode, I’m teaching you how to overcome four of the most common things that get in the way of progress: interruptions, overwhelmin...
Aug 22, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 87
The number one thing a mentor can give you is cheat codes. That phrase may sound too good to be true, but it isn’t. Great mentors have great cheat codes, and cheat codes make accomplishing your goal a lot easier. In Part 2 of this special micro-series, we’re wrapping up our conversation on establishing and maintaining a thriving mentor relationship. I’ll share the questions to ask your mentors, what to do if you’re having a hard time finding a mentor where you live, and most importantly, how to ...
Aug 15, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 86
Mentors are like time machines. They’ve been to the future you want, and if you ask them, they’ll tell you how to get there too. In this special two-part micro-series, we’re talking about how to find a mentor, how to maximize the relationship, and how to marry your goals with their expertise. Tune in to learn about the qualities every mentor needs, your responsibilities in the relationship, how to ask a potential mentor to partner with you, and so much more. By the end of this episode, you’ll jo...
Aug 08, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 85
Welcome to our final week of Summer School! This week, we’re talking about what I think is the best job in the world, public speaking. I know some of you shuddered just thinking about getting on a stage to talk to people, but before you freak out, hear me out. You may not have any aspiration to be a professional public speaker (but if you do, you’re going to LOVE this episode), but there will be times in life when you have to communicate your ideas to a group of people. That could be in a team m...
Aug 01, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 84
Welcome to Week 3 of the Summer School series! This week we’re talking about the five steps I use to write New York Times Bestselling Books. We’ll discuss the common pitfalls most aspiring authors make, the paradoxes of self-publishing, the exact process I use to create my drafts, and so much more! If you want to write a book, you’re going to love this episode. Summer School Series: Week 1: 8 wicked easy ways to charge more for your side hustle Week 2: 5 stupid simple steps to jumpstart a health...
Jul 25, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 83
People constantly come up to me and say, “Wow, Jon, you are so tall and fit…how do you do it?” OK, that hasn't happened yet, but I've started doing CrossFit and I'm pretty sure that exercise makes you taller so we'll see. What people do know about me is that I’m a goal nerd and avid runner that’s crushed a lot of my fitness-related goals. That’s why in week 2 of our special Summer School series I’m going to teach you a few easy ways you can live a healthier life and reach any health goal you hav...
Jul 18, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 82
Class is in session! Welcome to week one of my special Summer School series. I 'm constantly asked about four different types of goals: side hustles, health, writing and speaking. So, for the next 4 weeks I am going to answer 1 question for each of these topics! Up first, side hustles! Why? Because roughly 90% of the entrepreneurs I interact with don’t charge enough money for what they do. Of that 90%, the majority of them are not just undercharging, they’re grossly undercharging. I would argue ...
Jul 11, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 81
Can people actually change their minds? Why does anyone do anything? And what do genies (yes, like the wish-granting-guys-that-live-in-lamps) have to do with it? David McRaney is an author, journalist, lecturer, and the creator of the blog You Are Not So Smart, which became an internationally bestselling book, later followed by You Are Now Less Dumb. David currently hosts the popular You Are Not So Smart podcast and speaks internationally about irrational thinking and delusion. He joins me for a...
Jul 04, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 80
So many of the messages we receive in the world try to convince us that success is the key to happiness. But what if that's backward? America's Life Coach, Valorie Burton, argues that happiness is actually the key to the success we crave, and she's got the research to back it up. Valorie is a bestselling author of 13 books, podcast host, and the founder of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute (CaPP). She's served clients all over the world through her speaking, coaching, and writing. S...
Jun 27, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 79
Anyone who has decided to turn their hobby or passion into a career eventually comes to the the realization that what they love doing isn’t just about having fun anymore. That means you have to learn how to excel at it and monetize it, or as Dustin Nickerson would say, “Everyone likes to drive the car, but somebody has to work on it, right?” Dustin is an author, podcaster, and professional comedian who performs in over 300 shows a year. He’s appeared on Comedy Central, Hulu, Fox, and Netflix alo...
Jun 20, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 78
Whether we admit it or not, we all have something to say. We all have dreams. We’re all trying to build something, achieve something, or communicate something, so why do we constantly sell ourselves short? Why is being honest about what we want and going for it so hard? Julie Solomon sees this happen every day. Julie is a business coach, speaker, host of the top-rated The Influencer Podcast, and author. She’s spent over a decade helping people align their purpose with their vision to find out wh...
Jun 13, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 77
According to psychologists, we make nearly 35,000 decisions in a day. Some are nearly unconscious and automatic, but others have the power to shape our lives. That can feel like a lot of pressure, especially if you’re in a position of leadership. That’s why Mark Miller is on a mission to take the stress out of making choices - no matter how big or small. Mark Miller is a business leader, best-selling author, and longtime Chick-Fil-A employee. Mark started his Chick-fil-A career working as an hou...
Jun 06, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 76
We’ve all daydreamed about quitting our 9-5 to pursue our dream job - opening a beachside bookstore, launching a clothing line, buying a bed and breakfast in New England - but what does it actually take to leave your job and make a plan to move forward? Tim Schurrer knows because he did it not that long ago. Tim was the right hand to Donald Miller for almost a decade as COO of StoryBrand and previously worked at TOMS Shoes and at Apple. When he realized he had dreams to become an author, he even...
May 30, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 75
How do you transition from hobby to full-time side hustle? Nobody knows that better than my guest Joshua Becker. Joshua is the author of "Things That Matter: Overcoming Distractions to Pursue a More Meaningful Life,” the bestselling author of "The More of Less", "The Minimalist Home", and the founder of Becoming Minimalist. He joins me for a conversation about leaving his job to pursue writing, the hard truths every side hustler needs to hear, and ways to make your entrepreneurial journey smooth...
May 23, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 74
We all have a version of ourselves we want to be, but can we actually become the ideal version of ourselves? And is that really necessary? Over the course of his nearly 40-year career, world-renowned executive coach and New York Times bestselling author Marshall Goldsmith has sold millions of copies of his books and coached more than 200 CEOs and their teams. He deeply understands how certain behavioral changes can help you avoid pitfalls on the way to successful careers and lives. He joins me f...
May 16, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 73
The only thing that never changes is how much things are always changing. So how do you navigate constant transitions and still reach your goals? Adam Contos is the former Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director of RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. He’s also a former SWAT team commander, Marine, two-time college dropout, and author. He’s rebuilt his life and his career from the ground up time multiple times and his experience has left him with a lifetime of wisdom on personal growth and leadership. He joins...
May 09, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 72
How do you tackle the goals that feel totally insurmountable? Things like ending world hunger, putting a stop to trafficking, or saving an endangered species? This week’s guest understands how intimidating it can be, but that hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his goal of providing clean water to everyone - as in literally every single person on the planet. Scott Harrison spent almost 10 years as a nightclub promoter in New York City before leaving to volunteer on a hospital ship off the coast of ...
May 02, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Being a leader, entrepreneur, spouse, parent, or high-achieving person isn’t always easy. Difficult tasks, difficult conversations, and difficult decisions are ever-present, so how do we navigate them with both efficiency and positivity? Capping a 25-year career as the Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of Business Development, Scott Jeffrey Miller currently serves as FranklinCovey’s senior advisor on thought leadership. Scott also hosts On Leadership with Scott Miller, the wor...
Apr 25, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 70
What’s it like being a teenager today? What’s up with Gen Z’s meme obsession? How do you motivate a teenager to have goals? As a parent, I’ve asked myself all these questions, so I decided to ask them to someone who might be able to answer, a real-life teenager, my 18-year-old daughter, L.E. Acuff. L.E. is a senior in high school preparing for her freshman year of college. She’s also a brilliant, trumpet-playing, swim star, and co-author of a book we wrote together. She joined me for a very spec...
Apr 18, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 69
In 1999, Tiffany Taylor accidentally stood up Leon Chen for a date (she was ice skating at the mall with a friend). As an apology, she baked and delivered a batch of warm cookies, and the concept of warm cookie delivery was born. Shortly afterward, the pair launched Tiff’s Treats with just $20 and a big dream during their sophomore year at the University of Texas. Since then, the founders have married and their business has grown to include 68 stores and more than 1700 employees. Co-founder and ...
Apr 11, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Why is it hard to think of the right thing to say in a meeting? Or to be interesting on a date? Why are you intimated by the blank page as a writer? Because your idea bank is empty. Reading changes that. It fills up your idea bank, and that’s why I want you to be able to read 100+ books in a year. Does that sound impossible? I promise, it’s not. I’ve done it before and there are some very simple steps you can use to make it a lot easier. Whether your goal is 10 books or 100 books this year, I’ll...
Apr 04, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 67
So, you started a business or a side hustle with an amazing vision. It fulfills you and it serves others. You dreamt it would give you plenty of time and money so that you could live the way you please. However, the reality is that you’re not making enough, you’re working your tail off, and your soul is being diminished in the process. If that’s you, my guest, Mike Michalowicz, the author of the wicked popular "Profit First," would say you’re in entrepreneurial poverty, but he’s here to change t...
Mar 28, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 66
We all want to do good in the world. We want to be good friends, good parents, good employees, and good leaders, but what would happen if we took it all one step farther? What if you went beyond good in every goal you set for yourself? Stephen J. Anderson is an internationally known business strategist, entrepreneur, author, and speaker. He's founded more than a dozen growing and diversifying businesses, and he's a big part of the reason I got to open for Dolly Parton at the Ryman Auditorium. He...
Mar 21, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Your brain is powerful, but it’s limited. Sometimes it’s able to tell you exactly what you feel, how you can respond to a challenge, or how you can create ideas. Other times, it can’t. Enter Annie Murphy Paul, an acclaimed science writer whose book The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain is a New York Times Editors' Choice and a Washington Post Best Nonfiction Book of 2021. She believes that we’re using our heads too much and missing the cues the rest of our bodies are giving ...
Mar 14, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Leaving a legacy doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strategy, intentionality, and in Bob Goff’s case, seemingly endless generosity. Bob Goff is a recovering lawyer, New York Times bestselling author, Disneyland office resident, and Chief Balloon Inflator of his nonprofit organization, Love Does. He’s also been a friend of mine for about a decade. It only takes about 13 seconds with Bob to feel more motivated, so after a whole episode with him, you’ll be ready to dream bigger than you ever have...
Mar 07, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Why do some leaders effortlessly earn trust and create environments where we thrive while others come off as sterile and struggle to create a welcoming space? Bestselling author, Vanessa Van Edwards, says it’s because some people have naturally high charisma, or a harmonious blend of warmth and competence, and others have to work to cultivate charisma. Vanessa is the author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding With People, her TED Talk has over 54 million views, and she’s spent nearly 17 year...
Feb 28, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Money isn’t bad… right? Derrick Kinney knows money has the power to create amazing opportunities and experiences for you and the people you care about. So why do so many of us struggle to embrace big financial goals or the desire to acquire more money? Derrick believes if you’re not making the money you deserve and you’re not making the impact on the world you want to make, you have the power to change that. He joins me in this episode of All it Takes is a Goal to teach you how you can leverage ...
Feb 21, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 61
How do I get my spouse/significant other to understand and support the big dream I’m chasing?” This is the most asked question my wife Jenny and I get, so after a substantial amount of begging and pleading, I was able to convince her to join me in this very special Valentine’s Day episode. We share everything 20 years of marriage has taught us about how you and your partner can be a team while you create and pursue projects together. Listen to our conversation to learn about how to balance the “...
Feb 14, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 60
We live in a culture that’s obsessed with living regret-free, but if we’re honest, we all have them. Collectively, it’s the most common negative emotion we experience, so why do we struggle to deal with it so much? That question led New York Times bestselling author, Daniel H. Pink, to ask 16,000 people in 105 countries about their regrets. He found that this negative emotion has the potential to be used in a powerful and positive way. He joins me in this episode for a conversation about how dea...
Feb 07, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Dave Hollis is a New York Times best-selling author, host of the popular Rise Together podcast, a keynote speaker, and a business coach on GrowthDay. He’s also a father, the taller half of the Jon & Dave Show, and a good friend of mine. In this special episode, Dave joins me for a conversation about facing fears, creating a new normal, dealing with haters, and his up close and personal experiences with Airbud (yes, the dunking/spiking/touchdown scoring dog). If a few of life’s curveballs hav...
Jan 31, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 58
