All It Takes Is A Goal - podcast cover

All It Takes Is A Goal

Jon Acuff acuff.me
Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including his most recent, All it Takes is a Goal.


Published in dozens of languages, his work is both critically acclaimed and adored by readers. When he's not writing, Acuff can be found on a stage, as one of INC's Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He's spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges and companies around the world including FedEx, Range Rover, Microsoft, Chick-fil-A, and Comedy Central. Known for his insights wrapped in humor, Acuff shared the stage with an American Icon when he opened up for Dolly Parton at the Ryman Auditorium.


Jon lives outside of Nashville, TN with his wife Jenny and two daughters.


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Episodes

ATG 117: Turn Your Passion Project into a Profit Powerhouse: Business Growth Secrets with Donald Miller

Are you looking to start your side hustle or level up into a thriving business? In this episode, join me as I interview business expert Donald Miller about the secrets to turning your passion project into a profitable powerhouse. We cover everything from economic goals and marketing tactics to leadership skills specifically tailored for entrepreneurs. Listen in, take notes, and learn the strategies you need to crush your business growth goals! Donald began his dream business in 2010. Despite ini...

Mar 20, 202354 minSeason 1Ep. 117

ATG 116: Dunk Like an NBA Pro - Secrets to Success with David Nurse

Ready to dunk like an NBA player? In this episode, I talk to former NBA player turned coach and author, David Nurse, about his secrets for success. Join us as we explore backup plans, a “why not me” mindset, and tools to overcome rejection and develop habits for success. In This Episode: Buy a copy of David’s book, Breakthrough ! Check out David's podcast The David Nurse Show Find David on his website and on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @davidnursenba Sign up for the Guaranteed Goals Communit...

Mar 13, 202344 minSeason 1Ep. 116

ATG 115: 24 ingredients of a good goal (Part 2)

In our last episode , I introduced the first 12 items that make a successful goal. The wait is over! This week I want to share with you the second half of the recipe for a great goal. These are green flags in your goal journey. If the majority of this list is true for your goal, you are probably on the right track. And if it's not, it is more than okay to revise those goals. It's never too late to change direction or start over. I hope this episode encourages you on your way to achieving your go...

Mar 06, 202336 minSeason 1Ep. 115

ATG 114: 24 Ingredients for a Wildly Successful Goal (Part 1)

Have you ever felt overwhelmed thinking about how to make a goal work? I used to be so confused by what separated good, successful goals from goals that might not work. This week, I sat down and made a list of what I think are 24 things any fantastic goal needs. I didn't want to overwhelm you, so I only put 12 in this episode. You'll have to wait until next week to find out the other 12. But let me tell you, if you have the majority of these ingredients for your goal, odds are it's worth pursuin...

Feb 27, 202332 minSeason 1Ep. 114

ATG 113: 5 Ways to Make Your Goals Work For You

I bet when many people think about goals, they think about the Do stage. I want to share with you an important but often-forgotten step to success. In today’s episode, I talk about the Review stage of your goals. We need to review our goals because we want to see if our goals are working for us. Why is this important? Well, who would want to work on a goal that isn’t worth their time or effort? I definitely wouldn’t. That’s why the review stage is so important to achieving goals that actually ma...

Feb 20, 202327 minSeason 1Ep. 113

ATG 112: This 1 action separates goal finishers from goal starters!

Do you ever feel stuck when it comes time to actually put your goals into motion? Planning and prepping can be fun for many of us, but then comes the hardest part – doing. This week, I share how I crush the DO stage of the goals process. It’s my favorite tip for putting action behind your plans or words. Don't let your goals sit on the shelf. It is time to DO. In This Episode: Check out last week's episode on Plan: 2 Secrets to Simplify All Your Goals! Listen to my episode about Dream: Two Words...

Feb 13, 202324 minSeason 1Ep. 112

ATG 111: 2 Secrets to Simplify All Your Goals!

Planning can be the hardest part of starting a new goal. I don’t know about you, but I often get overwhelmed with questions about when, where, why, and how my goals will be achieved. Or I have 100 goals and don’t know which one to actually start. In today’s episode, I am going to give you the two secrets to successfully planning your goals. It is simpler than we make it! Don’t waste time on unnecessary questions or goals that aren’t worthwhile. Listen in to learn the simple key to goal picking a...

Feb 06, 202324 minSeason 1Ep. 111

ATG 110: Two Words That Will Set Any Goal Up for Success

For years, I used the “Goldilocks” method when I started new goals - nothing too big, nothing too small. Needless to say, it never got me where I really wanted to be. Then I finally discovered that I was doing the dreaming phase of goals all wrong. I learned that at this critical stage of planning goals, there are two words that are like rocket fuel for your goal. These two words will give your goal the oomph it needs to actually get off the ground and keep you moving forward when challenges ari...

Jan 30, 202325 minSeason 1Ep. 110

ATG 109: Break through the 4 Most Dangerous Places Goals Get Stuck!

In episode 107 of All it Takes is a Goal, we discussed the four simple stages of goals. They’re uncomplicated and easy to replicate. But if they’re so simple and work so well, why doesn’t everyone use them? Why haven’t we all achieved our goals yet? In this episode, we’re going to discuss four different types of goal getters, where each type gets stuck, and how you can break through plateaus when you arrive at one. If you didn’t catch episode 107, no worries! You can jump in here. Tune in to lea...

Jan 23, 202326 minSeason 1Ep. 109

ATG 108: A Formal Invitation To the Best Year of Your Life

This week on All it Takes is a Goal, I’m sharing a story about a castle, a third-grade teacher, and YOU! This is a story about how to stop putting off your dreams and how to get started on them. Most importantly, it’s about how to stick with them day in and day out until you’ve finally succeeded in the goals that are most important to you. This story changed my life, and I think it will change yours too. It might even make 2023 your best year. Tune in for your invitation to my party of possibili...

Jan 16, 202315 minSeason 1Ep. 108

ATG 107: 4 words that will help you accomplish ANY goal!

I’ve been studying goals for 12 years. I’ve helped more than 100,000 people achieve their goals; I’ve conducted research studies about goals; I’ve written books about goals; I’ve given keynote speeches about goals. It's safe to say, I am OBSESSED about goals. In this episode, I’m distilling everything I’ve learned over the last decade about achieving goals into 4 simple words. These 4 words are not magical, but when used correctly and in the right order, something magical happens. Whether you wa...

Jan 09, 202333 minSeason 1Ep. 107

ATG 106: Can this goal nerd achieve all 70 of his 2023 goals? (GOAL REVIEW)

Happy New Year! I love this time of year. As a “Goal Nerd” it’s kind of like my super bowl. That’s why I’m kicking off 2023 with a giant list of all the goals I’m trying to accomplish this year. If any of my goals sound like something you want to do too, use them as inspiration for yours! I’ll also share a few ways you and I can work on our goals TOGETHER this year! As always, at the end of this year, I’ll do a status report on how I did with all my goals. Tune in to the episode for some encoura...

Jan 02, 202349 minSeason 1Ep. 106

ATG 105: Which 2022 goals did I bomb? Which did I crush? Let's talk! (GOAL REVIEW)

At the end of 2021, I recorded a podcast episode where I shared all the goals I wanted to pursue in 2022. There were 38 goals that I wanted to accomplish. In this episode, I’m doing a review of how I did on all of them. I’ll tell you which ones I crushed, which ones I miserably failed at, and which ones I retired after a while because they were just plain silly. In the next episode, I’ll share all of my 2023 goals, so we can do it all again next year. Tune in for insight on why some goals were m...

Dec 26, 202233 minSeason 1Ep. 105

ATG 104: The 24 dragons that will try to sabotage your goals (and 3 ways to slay them all)

If you're about to start a new goal in 2023, there are 24 obstacles that are about to try to sabotage you. I’ve worked with over 100,000 people on their goals, studied goals, and hustled on my own goals for over a decade now, and I’ve watched these 24 obstacles trip people up over and over again. They’ve certainly gotten to me before, and I bet they’ve gotten you a time or two as well. Luckily, these dragons can be vanquished. I’ve got three ways you can see your goal through to the end, no matt...

Dec 19, 202227 minSeason 1Ep. 104

ATG 103: The 7 best books I read in 2022

I love lists, especially “best of” lists at the end of the year. if you share your best moments list, best restaurants for queso list, or best trails for a run list, and I’m so there. In this episode, I’m sharing the seven best books I read in 2022. They range from biographies to mysteries and cover topics from money to creativity to the life of King David. No matter the genre, each of these books taught me something that made 2022 a little better. Tune into the episode, and make sure to add the...

Dec 12, 202236 minSeason 1Ep. 103

ATG 102: This is what your kids actually think about you: My eye-opening conversation with Dr. Meg Meeker

Being a parent means a lot of things. It can be joyful, fun, and one of life’s greatest blessings. It can also be challenging, overwhelming, and just plain hard. No matter what season of parenting you’re in, my guest Dr. Meg Meeker has some awesome encouragement for you. Dr. Meg Meeker is a pediatrician who has practiced child and adolescent medicine for 33 years and is the author of six best-selling books. She is also a nationally acclaimed speaker on parenting issues and serves on the Advisory...

Dec 05, 202252 minSeason 1Ep. 102

ATG 101: How to *literally* make the world a brighter place: My conversation with Becca Stevens

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve probably seen that around this time of year, I always talk about an amazing organization called Thistle Farms, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving women survivors of abuse, trafficking, and addiction. I’m thrilled to have their founder and President, Becca Stevens, join me for this special episode. Becca is a speaker, justice entrepreneur, author, and priest. She has been named a CNN Hero, a White House Champion of Change, and holds five ...

Nov 28, 202248 minSeason 1Ep. 101

ATG 100: 5 Soundtracks to Make You Feel Brave

Happy 100th episode of All it Takes is a Goal! In this very special episode, we’re wrapping up a three-part series about how to practice bravery. So far we’ve discussed the 3 Keys to Mastering Bravery, 4 Tools for Your Bravery Toolbox, and today we’ll be covering 5 Soundtracks to Make You Feel Brave. A soundtrack is my phrase for a repetitive thought, and they have the power to hold you back or slingshot you toward your goals. Fear is especially good at keeping you stuck, so I’m sharing the 5 so...

Nov 21, 202224 minSeason 1Ep. 100

ATG 99: 4 Tools You Need in Your Bravery Toolbox!

Welcome to Week 2 of a three-part series on bravery! Last week, we covered the three keys you need to master bravery. This week we’re talking about four tools that will help you along the way. Why? Because trying to do anything without the right tools is overwhelming, frustrating, and sometimes impossible (imagine trying to build an IKEA bookshelf without screws - that could wreck even the most loving of marriages). Tune in for the tools that will make practicing bravery so much easier it just m...

Nov 14, 202222 minSeason 1Ep. 99

ATG 98: 3 Simple Ways to Be Braver in the Next 7 Days

In this episode, I’m kicking off a three-part series about bravery. Why bravery? Why not creativity, character, wisdom, or hustle? I chose bravery because every goal you want to achieve is on the other side of a brave decision. Luckily, bravery is as learnable as tying your shoes. Tune in to learn why bravery is so crucial to accomplishing what matters to you and ways you can implement it in your life immediately! In This Episode: Catch up on the rest of the Bravery series: 4 Tools You Need in Y...

Nov 07, 202226 minSeason 1Ep. 98

ATG 97: The #1 Way to Boost Your Leadership Skills with Leadership and Relationship Expert Dr. Karyn Gordon

There are so many ways to develop leadership skills, but according to Dr. Karyn Gordon, there’s one strength that consistently outperforms all others: emotional intelligence. Dr. Karyn Gordon was told she probably wouldn’t graduate high school due to a learning disability. Now she’s a leadership and relationship expert, TED Talk speaker, entrepreneur, bestselling author, and CEO of DK Leadership, a global leadership coaching company whose purpose is developing great leaders at work and at home (...

Oct 31, 202258 minSeason 1Ep. 97

ATG 96: How to spark creativity when you feel like there’s none left - my interview with innovation expert Jeremy Utley

Creativity and innovation are commonly viewed as fleeting moments of inspiration that must be grand, life-altering, and totally new. No wonder they can feel so intimidating. But what if they were actually muscles that could be stretched and grown slowly over time with practice? In this episode Director of Executive Education at Stanford’s acclaimed Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (aka the d.school), Jeremy Utley is here to teach you how to do that. Jeremy is a self-proclaimed “recovering MBA,...

Oct 24, 20221 hr 1 minSeason 1Ep. 96

ATG 95: Finite Schedules, Infinite Possibilities: The Time-Management Episode with Laura Vanderkam

We all have a finite number of hours in the week (168 to be exact), and oftentimes it doesn’t feel like enough for everything we want to do. But what if there was a way to fit all the most important things into your schedule? What if you could actually pursue all the personal and professional goals you have and have them live in harmony? Laura Vanderkam is a time-management expert and author of the new book, Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. She’s a...

Oct 17, 202251 minSeason 1Ep. 95

ATG 94: Get Disciplined About Your Discipline - My Conversation with Ryan Holiday

The people that struggle most with discipline aren't always Netflix-obsessed couch lovers. A lot of times, it's very successful, high-achieving individuals that have a hard time with it…but why? Ryan Holiday would explain that it’s those people who have a tendency to be overly-disciplined causing them to risk things like health, happiness, and relationships. Ryan is the bestselling author of many books including Trust Me, I’m Lying , The Obstacle Is the Way , Ego Is the Enemy, and his latest boo...

Oct 10, 20221 hr 3 minSeason 1Ep. 94

ATG 93: Unlock Your Genius: How to love and excel at your work with Patrick Lencioni

Why do some people seem to effortlessly thrive at their work while some of us feel like we’re constantly just trying to make it through the week? Patrick Lencioni would tell you that it’s because some of us are excelling in our area of genius, while others of us are trying to tap into strengths we don’t have or don’t enjoy. Patrick is one of the founders of The Table Group and is the pioneer of the organizational health movement. He is the author of 12 books, which have sold over 7 million copie...

Oct 03, 202257 minSeason 1Ep. 93

ATG 92: The Unexpected Gift of Rejection - My wildly hopeful conversation with Nona Jones

Is it really possible to change the future or do our pasts dictate who we are destined to become? Nona Jones would tell you that the future is yours to shape, no matter the circumstances you come from. She had the sort of childhood no one expects good things to come from, so she flipped the script on the world. Nona is now an international speaker, preacher, author, and the head of global faith-based partnerships at Facebook. She is a graduate of the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program and ...

Sep 26, 202239 minSeason 1Ep. 92

ATG 91: 3 Signs of Imposter Syndrome

Right now, I’m at the beginning of a three-year writing process for my next book that’s all about bravery. Why bravery? Because after nearly 50 years I discovered that every win, every triumph, and every victory in my life happened in the moments I chose to weather the storms caused by my fears. Every goal you want to achieve is on the other side of a brave decision. That’s why this week we’re talking about a fear that keeps a lot of people from ever starting their dreams: imposter syndrome. We’...

Sep 19, 202230 minSeason 1Ep. 91

ATG 90: Curate and Crank Up Your New Playlist with my two favorite authors (my daughters!)

TikToks and Instagram reels go viral when they have the right soundtrack. Your thoughts are the same way. The loudest, catchiest, most played thoughts are the ones that shape the way we view ourselves, the actions we take, and the results that come from those actions. But what if the thoughts we listen to the most are broken soundtracks? What if the loudest thoughts we have about ourselves aren’t even true? As adults, we’ve all picked up bad soundtracks along the way, but the students in our liv...

Sep 12, 202241 minSeason 1Ep. 90

ATG 89: Life is an emergency; live accordingly - my awe-inspiring conversation with Eric “ET” Thomas

Have you ever felt like you’ve hit a wall in your life? Like you don’t know exactly what you want to do, but you know what you’re doing isn’t it? Eric Thomas grew up in a world that was against him from the start in a lot of ways. At a young age, he found himself homeless and living with no real direction until he realized he had to make a change. Today, he’s known as ET “The Hip Hop Preacher,” and is a world-renowned speaker, educator, pastor, and audible.com Audie Awards Finalist. He’s taken t...

Sep 05, 20221 hr 16 minSeason 1Ep. 89

ATG 88: Overcome Resistance and Embrace Restraint: The secret formula to achieving your dreams with THE Steven Pressfield

Why is following a dream so hard sometimes? You know what you want, and you know what you need to do to achieve it, so why hasn’t it happened yet? I’m thrilled to have my long-time mentor, Steven Pressfield, join me for an episode all about doing the thing we all want - to live out our dreams. Steven is the bestselling author of countless screenplays, novels, and nonfiction books, including Gates of Fire, Turning Pro, and one of my all-time favorites, The War of Art. In this episode, we talk abo...

Aug 29, 20221 hr 5 minSeason 1Ep. 88
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