ActionPodcast

We're funny old things, human beings. All too often we give up if something doesn't work. Or we don't get the success or results we'd dreamed of straight away. We often have such a 'right way' belief about how things should be done, we don't stop to consider alternative ways of reaching and achieving our desired end result. In today's podcast, Paul and Gina share ways you can act more creatively around securing job interviews, writing CVs, even creating an attractive advert for renting out your apartment (as Gina is doing right now). It's called A/B Testing. It's normally associated with online marketing. By testing two different versions of an email you can see which one get the best response. You just keep doing this A/B test to hone your email and get the best response. But why just limit this to online marketing? You can use this for so much more! Listen to the podcast and find out how you can test your way to success.

All too often we find ourselves rushing so fast to our next task or goal that we can often miss the experience of the journey. Paul talks to Gina about her latest mission to relocate to the South of France. Although there are lots of things to think about and organise, it's really important, at times like this, to take a moment and really recognise the journey you are on. If you were to ask yourself, what are you enjoying right now about your journey would you be able to list 2 or 3 things? Listen to the show and find out more

Do you ever feel that you could do better when connecting with other people? Maybe it's making a connection with someone new, or rekindling an old relationship that's lapsed. Often the fear of how someone else will react to our attempts to reach out to them can hold us back. Everyone gets a little nervous to some degree or another when they need to take that first step. It's our expectation of how we are going to be perceived that puts us off. Try thinking about what you can do for them, instead of why you need them. Boost them up by explaining you really what their help, because you respect them and would appreciate some direction from them. It might not be the perfect moment for them, so make sure you check that up front. It will take the pressure off them telling you they are busy right now, and maybe scheduling some time with you later. Try to find a common connection that you can both share and relate to. Avoid anything that is one sided. For lots more ideas listen to the podcast. If you have any other suggestions on how to connect with people more confidently, let us know!

Are you suffering from post holidays blues? Getting back into the swing of things can seem such a hardship! Have you been hit with the "sensible shovel"?  :-) Are you feeling regret or even resentment of things you aren't allowed anymore, Are you feeling the struggle of returning to using some self control? a lot of goals or resolutions often are focused on what we can no longer have. This is going to make things a lot hard for you. By focusing on the lack, what you can't have, you can expect a real up hill battle. The Simple Solution Be more motivated by focusing on what it is that you do want, or put it another way, what will you gain? For example, instead of thinking about the weight you need to lose. Think about the delicious, nutritious and fulfilling foods you can eat. Because that change in your perspective suddenly gives you something to look forward to, rather than mourning the lost of the things you can't have. Listen to this podcast for lots more ideas to get you make on track and enjoying whatever it is you are working towards.

Happy 2013! We hope you had a deliciously indulgent (but not too indulgent) holidays and are optimistic about the year ahead. Turning the calendar to 2013 got us thinking about the number 13. It can be a frightful number for some so we thought we take a different point of view and in this podcast Paul and Chris give your 13 ideas to create, attract and manufacture greater "luck" in the upcoming 12 months. These ideas may surprise you and at the least, we hope they inspire you to keep taking action and regular steps towards living the life you've dreamed of. It's also a good reminder that ordinary things done consistently creates extraordinary results. So here's to an 'out-of-the-ordinary' and very rewarding new year ahead. Leave us a comment and let us know which of the 13 ideas you will put into action first...

There are dozens of ways to kick start a new year with greater focus, purpose and enthusiasm for the year ahead.  Spending time to reprioritise, set goals or new year resolutions, plan experiences can - and should - be very liberating and energising. However, our experience shows that the BEST way to make sure your plans become reality, is to aim to build momentum quickly. To kick start in January with consistent action, no matter how small. In this podcast, Paul and Chris discuss specific ideas and tools to not only allow you to start the year running but also to open up your mind, and get in the right mindset for thinking creatively, clearly and purposefully. The holiday time is the perfect time to carve out quiet time for some honestly reflection on your previous year and step back from the day-to-day grind, to reboot your inner computer and allow yourself to dream again. Here are a few tools to get you started...   MindMaps wheel-of-life  

Have you been feeling a bit "bah humbug!" about Christmas or the festive season? For many people this has become a dreaded time of year. Increasingly the spirit of the season has been taken over by commercialism and competition, but there could be other more personal reasons why this time of year drags you down. And whilst it might feel like there is comfort to be had in rejecting all things jolly, it is almost impossible to avoid it entirely - so it might be worth reframing the situation (for your own health & wellbeing at least!) Bah Humbug vs Joy of Christmas Whether you've struggled through the holiday season for the last few years or the last few decades, it is worth exploring how you feel about it. Paul & Sam reflect on the causes of their own BAH HUMBUG feelings, and discuss how we can choose to reclaim the joy of Christmas or the festive season and the meaning it perhaps once held for us. Loss, grief, conflict, distance, financial worries and a whole host of other things can impact on the pressure of this time of year, and whilst we often can't change those circumstances - we can choose whether we let them mute (or spoil) our attitudes and how we feel about a time that is much more suited to gratitude, love & joy. We wish you a happy & healthy festive season, wherever you are!

You might not realise it, but the ongoing effects of bullying or a painful experience could be influencing how you behave today even if the situation was long-since resolved, or happened decades ago. Because when we react to something in the present, the strength of our reaction can be influenced by something that happened to us previously - like echoes of the past. This podcast was inspired by Tamworth Grice, who left us a wonderful voicemail describing a recent experience where she was able to uncover what was driving the emotional intensity behind her response to a situation - the ongoing effects of childhood bullying - and diffuse it! We've all had experiences of hurt & difficulty: whether it was a childhood experience, an embarrassing situation, being bullied or some other painful moment. Particularly (but not exclusively) when they happen early on in our lives, these distressing events can have an ongoing impact on us that we may not be aware of. Echoes of the past can shape our beliefs, influence our decisions & add to the level of emotion we feel when we have a new experience that is somehow similar or unconsciously triggers our unresolved feelings about a previous hurt. When we start to become aware that our reactions are out of proportion to the particular situation we're facing, or when we are confused about how we are feeling/reacting, we can start to explore what might be behind the emotional intensity in order to understand it, reduce the impact it has on us and be able to move on. Join Paul & Sam as they discuss some of the ways in which they have reframed some of their painful past experiences, including the 5 Whys of Exploration that worked so well for Tamworth!   Bullying is a serious and widespread problem that can occur in any context in which human beings interact with each other. If you are experiencing bullying of any form, there are many organisations available for support - including Bullying UK and Stop Bullying (US).

If your year didn't turn out as well as you hoped it would, it's time for honest reflection and make time for your personal "year in review". At this time of year many people end up disappointed and perhaps disillusioned as to where it went wrong. But rather than looking back with regret you owe it to yourself to look back with curiousity to actively seek the lessons that you can take into your next 12 months. In this podcast, Paul and Chris give practical steps to make sure you review with the right attitude, mindset and desire to learn, and outline these 5 perspectives to investigate from. Clarity Whether you set specific goals at the start of the year or not, the quality of your actions are constantly influenced by the amount of clarity you current have on how to achieve what you want. On reflection, we often discover that we weren't nearly as clear as we thought we were - or needed to be - in order to get what we hoped for. Confidence To what extent did you have the certainty and confidence to take the steps that were needed to achieve your outcomes, or to overcome the barriers in your way? Listen to Paul and Chris discuss the factors that shape your confidence as it relates to going after your goals. Competence A close cousin of confidence, your competence (skills, knowledge and talent) to get things done, to have crucial conversations, rise to the challenges and be resilient to setbacks all play a major role in your results from the past year. If you fell short in some areas, to what extend were you playing with less than a full tank of competence? Commitment & Consistency Do you give up too easily or make it hard to succeed with habits of self-sabatoging your progress? That is more common than you many think and might have been a toxic behaviour that you need to rid yourself of going forward. Coaching or Mentoring As Paul mentions, sometimes it can be uncomfortable to ask for help but having an external guide to keep you on track can make all the difference. Yet often those closest to us don't provide the support we need. Perhaps your 'inner circle' of friends, mentors or coaches were a mismatch to what you needed most and this is an area to address. Listen to this podcast multiple times as you take an honest look back on the past year and start build positive momentum to make the next 12 months even more rewarding, fulfilling and successful.

We all know how important first impressions are when meeting someone or in a job interview. But have you every realised how much first impressions affect you each and every day. What is your first impression of the day ahead? What do you normally feel the first thing in the morning in a typical week? Do you just go through the motions with no thoughts in particular? Or do you tend to get quickly drawn into thoughts of stress, worry or discontent? There's no doubt that our thoughts shape our emotions and feelings so if you want to feel differently in the morning - and about the mornings - then you need to change your thoughts. In this podcast Gina and Chris discuss practical tips and strategies for setting your day up for success by choose to create healthy, happy and positive first impressions to make you more resourceful and resilient for whatever the day throws at you. Let us know what you do to start the day and how you create your own first impressions.  

Do you realise you are leading by example, but is it a good example? During recent workshops, Chris challenged some leaders to really think about what kind of examples they were setting. They were effectively always leading by example, but was it a good example or not? It's not just about the example you are setting for others, but more importantly for yourself. For some it might be going to the gym. For others it could be when they are face with a difficult challenge at work, or an uncomfortable conversation that needs to be had. By setting an example for yourself, it allows you to naturally and honestly set the example for others. Whenever you find yourself being stuck, ask yourself, what would a would class leader do in this situation? We are always leading by example. Check your own Facebook feed, scrolling back through your own status updates, what kind of an example are you setting for others? Paul talks about how previously his own twitter feed mentioned more about Apple products than it did about personal development! Maybe you've experience a child that has mimicked you (sometimes with a little embarrassment!) it's because you have been setting an example, they have just followed your lead. Is the example you're setting the one you'd like to be known for? Where could you be a bit more mindful on what sort of example you are setting not just for others but your yourself? Have a good hard look in the mirror, whatever that mirror might be: Your Facebook status updates Your Twitter feed The emails you send The conversations you have with your friends and family Start making a list of things you would like to be discussing, or activities you'd like to be known for doing/talking about with your friends. For example, how would you describe the day you've just had? What would you like that description to be like? Positive and engaging? Or whiny and negative? How would you prefer that sound when you are talking it through with friends? By trying to be that person, you're taking the right steps to actually becoming that person.

By going without the food, that we all know is bad for us, for a short time both Gina and Paul noticed something very interesting. When they sampled the food they thought they craved before they were able to feel the negative effects much more profoundly. Both Gina and Paul have had some recent success with their eating habits and have been able to shed a few pounds. But their new diets helped them reflect on what else they were consuming in their lives that was effectively just garbage. But it's not just food that seems to make a dent in your physically wellbeing, but the news we read, the relationships we have all have a dramatic effect. By just going without something that you believe is bad for you, for just a week, when you try it again the results seem almost magnified. Their motivation was reduce, their mood was affected and their energy levels were lower. Going without something for a short period of time could be just the thing you need to help you recognise just how unhealthy it is for you!  The old computer adage of GIGO (Garbage in = Garbage Out). Even if you "fall off the wagon" once in a while, making sure to get back on track as soon as you can. Re-starting, getting back in to the routine is crucial.   In fact deliberately having a break from being "good" can make you savour what you do. It will also help you notice the difference. You'll find it easier to notice what is good for you, and the effects of having something bad can have on you. What garbage are you putting into your life?  

Every now and again we seem to get less out of the effort we put in. It happens with our health and fitness, in relationships and in careers. Is this natural? Normal? Does it happen more than you like? In this podcast Paul and Chris discuss how to recognise a plateau, what happens when they show up, plus provide three solid strategies for overcoming plateaus in any context. 1. Refresh Sometimes just a bit of variety, fun and mixing it up can be enough to challenge your status quo and motivate you to the next level of progress or fulfillment. 2. Re-engage It's easy to get stuck in a rut at times and lose sight of why you're there in the first place. Feelings of overwhelm by the amount of work to be done, burdened by the responsibilities, and perhaps even experiencing hopelessness that things will improve. In this case it can be very helpful to step back and reconnect with what you really want and why you want it. Paul and Chris share exactly how to do this. 3. Re-evaluate As creatures of habits we will quickly fall into a regular pattern or regular approach to trying to achieve what we want. We hit the same machines at the gym, manage a project in the same process or deal with our partners in the same way. However, those habits may be the exact reason why you're experiencing the plateau in the first place. Re-evaluating your approach, your process and your usual way of doing things can shed new light on your challenge and give you alternatives you hadn't thought of before. Listen to this podcast now and join the conversation with a comment below or on our Facebook page.

Everyone's experience of how to achieve goals most effectively is going to vary, and be to some degree unique. Given the same mountain to climb, we'd likely all take slightly different paths up, require different amounts of preparation and approach it at different speeds. And the way we approach the big goals, challenges or mountains we set ourselves is no exception. So as Sam tackled what would seem to be a mountain of a project recently, it is unsurprising that she & Paul both approach big projects with a totally different plan of attack! No matter how many self development books you read, podcasts you listen to or even coaches you have, only you can really decide what works best for you when it comes to how to achieve goals effectively. When you set yourself a challenge, or decide you want to work towards something really important to you, how do you tackle the mountain of effort required? When we commit to something we are passionate about or really believe in it, there is likely to be a significant amount of work required to reach the point where it is fully possible and real - climbing the side of the mountain. It is only once we're at the top that we recognise just how far we've come, can admire the view, and see the route down the other side to our new self and new success. It is important to recognise that we'll all have our own approaches, and we'll each find certain methods that work best for us - there is no right or wrong approach, only what is effective for you! Join Paul & Sam as they share the very different ways they tend to tackle the mountain, and explore what route you take when you've set yourself a big challenge. Are you the type of person that likes to focus on one big project at a time, or lots of little ones? Do you go full steam ahead at the start of the project but lose speed as you reach the end or do you plod along at a steady pace and then go all manic as you reach the end? Discovering how to achieve goals most effectively for you needs to start with a good deal of awareness and exploration as you tackle your mountain, which can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster ride - as Paul & Sam explored in podcast a few years ago: http://www.actionpodcast.com/2009/04/lifes-rollercoaster-ride-767/ We'd love to hear about the type of approach you tend to take, and what metaphoric mountain(s) you are currently tackling - so please leave us a comment below, or visit us at Facebook. And we've set a challenge for Chris & Gina to create a sister-podcast exploring their own unique approaches too!   Our popular "80 Tips for Everyday Action" is now available on Amazon Kindle, download your copy instantly to your Kindle, or the Kindle app on iPhone/iPad & Android. To get a sneak peak at Sam's most recent mountain-climbing results, and who the programme currently under pilot is aimed at, visit HurdlesHappen.

For many of us, the words 'freedom' and 'structure' are at opposite ends of the spectrum - two opposing concepts that can never co-exist. But as Chris and Gina have discovered in their own lives, having a balance of both freedom and structure is essential if we want to live creative and productive lives. Which do you prefer? More structure, rules and boundaries in your daily live to keep you productive and progressing? Or, does that feel like you're caged in, restricted and wanting to break out to absolute freedom? The key is to get clear on what you really want to achieve or have completed by the end of the day, then deciding how boundaries might help you, or where free-thinking approach will get you there faster. In this podcast, Chris and Gina share their secrets and provide great real-world examples that can help you make the right decision to find the right balance between freedom and structure. Leave us a comment to let us know how you manage around freedom and structure to get more done and take more action that matters.