The 5 AM Miracle with Jeff Sanders: Healthy Habits • Personal Development • Rockin' Productivity!

Aren't milestones miraculous? In this week's episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast I discuss how to live to 100 in more ways than one. I share a few tips on actually living for 100 years or more AND I reflect back on 100 episodes of this podcast. #100miracles ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Jeff Sanders Download the Script Here you have access to the script that I use to record each episode. This is not a complete word-for-word transcript, though it does provide you with a detailed account of what I do to produce every episode of this podcast. Download the script. Resources Mentioned in the Show * Healthy at 100 [book by John Robbins] * #100miracles [share this episode on Twitter] * The Art of Manliness [blog by Brett McKay] * Wisdom Meets Passion: An Interview with Dan Miller [episode #015] * Record Shattering Health & Fitness: An Interview with Rich Roll [episode #021] * The Master of Getting Things Done: An Interview with David Allen [episode #072] * The 5 AM Miracle is Going Pro . . . I Just Signed a Book Contract [blog post] * The 5 AM Miracle Community on Facebook [Join Today!] * 2015 Podcast Awards [nominated in the Best Produced category] * My Unlikely Story of Ditching Meat for a Raw Vegan Diet [episode #052] * More Progress with Less Effort [episode #075] * Cocaine, Caffeine, and 420: How Drugs Affect Your Productivity [episode #095] *

David Allen is well-known for his GTD (Getting Things Done) system. Much of that system involves the process of closing open loops in order to achieve improved mental clarity and focus, as well as a dramatic increase in productivity. By the way, I interviewed David Allen on my podcast. If you haven't heard that episode yet, listen to it here. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Compfight

We all know the feeling, but what can you do when it happens? In this week's episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast I discuss how to stay alive when you're drowning in too much work. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: geishaboy500 via Compfight cc Download the Script Here you have access to the script that I use to record each episode. This is not a complete word-for-word transcript, though it does provide you with a detailed account of what I do to produce every episode of this podcast. Download the script. Resources Mentioned in the Show * Focus@Will [productivity music based on neuroscience] * 7 Intoxicating Reasons to Drink Green Smoothies [one of my most popular articles] * Forget Annual Goal Setting and Do This Instead [episode #079] * The Weekly Review Checklist: Never Forget Anything Again [episode #038] * Equilibrium Zero: Cut the Clutter in Every Area of Life [episode #040] Next Week On the podcast next week I will be discussing how to live to 100 and reflecting on the journey of how I got this podcast all the way to 100 episodes, 100 Monday mornings in a row. ← Previous Episode Next Episode →

Pablo Picasso would not have liked The 5 AM Miracle. He was a late riser, typically finding himself crawling out of bed near noon. He also did his best work from 3:00 pm until 10:00 pm, not bright and early like I do. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Compfight

Productivity and creativity are really meant to work together. This week's episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast features an interview with Marly McMillen, a podcaster, food blogger, and conference creator. We dive into Marly’s journey from a corporate executive into blogging about food, as well as how she is able to produce a vast amount of creative work. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Marly McMillen Download the Script Here you have access to the script that I use to record each episode. This is not a complete word-for-word transcript, though it does provide you with a detailed account of what I do to produce every episode of this podcast. Download the script. Resources Mentioned in the Show * Namely Marly [Marly's blog] * The Chopped Podcast [Marly's show] * Chopped Con [Marly's conference] * 7 Habits of Highly Effective People [book by Steven Covey] * The Artist's Way [book by Julia Cameron] * On Air with Ella Podcast [hosted by Ella] * Smart Passive Income Podcast [hosted by Pat Flynn] * The Good Life Project Podcast [hosted by Jonathan Fields] * Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin Podcast [hosted by . . . Alec Baldwin] * Social Media Marketing Podcast [hosted by Michael Stelzner] Next Week On the podcast next week I will be discussing overwhelm and how to get caught up when you're buried in work. ← Previous Episode Next Episode →

Enthusiasm is a springboard to fulfillment and high achievement. With it, you have the power to catapult yourself into success through the wild pursuit of your own curiosity. Without it, your life and work become nothing more than a daily drudgery — a mediocre effort towards an outcome that has no personal value. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: marc kjerland, Well-Bred Kannan (WBK Photography), isado, Shan Sheehan, xlordashx, and brianfagan via Compfight cc In other words, enthusiasm matters a great deal. Charles Kingsley, the late historian, novelist, and priest, said that “We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.” I agree. In fact, having something to be enthusiastic about sits at the core of daily productivity and long-term goal achievement. What it Means to Truly be Enthusiastic Being enthusiastic is more than simply being energized (or caffeinated) — it's a state of authenticity where you deeply care about your work. As it's defined, enthusiasm is “intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.” To truly be enthusiastic, you must be eager, curious, and passionate. Enthusiasm cannot be faked and no one can make you to exude this powerful emotion. It comes from within and it drives you towards a destination you really want to reach. When you have something to be enthusiastic about, you have a reason to do work that others do not. In turn, you overcome challenges that don't even feel like challenges. You push yourself because it doesn't feel like pushing. You fight because it feels great to fight. And you achieve greatness because you're working with the flow of your natural skills and interests, instead of attempting to crawl upstream. Since enthusiasm really is a genuine eagerness about your work, you don't have to exert extraordinary effort to gain extraorindary results. It really just comes naturally to you. The Difference Maker There is one key distinction about enthusiasm that I want to clarify. Enthusiasm is not necessarily an emotion that only applies to your life's greatest passions like painting a mural, playing baseball, or drinking margaritas. Enthusiasm can actually be a state of being. You can be enthusiastic about everything. Yes, literally everything. That might sound far fetched, but think of it this way. Do you know someone who is always excited about what they are doing? It doesn't seem to matter if they are on the beach during vacation, sitting through another meeting at the office,

It is graduation season and many people are about to make some major life decisions. In this week's episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast I discuss graduation do overs and offer a few tips on how take your life in a new direction without knowing how everything will turn out. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: digitonin via Compfight cc Download the Script Here you have access to the script that I use to record each episode. This is not a complete word-for-word transcript, though it does provide you with a detailed account of what I do to produce every episode of this podcast. Download the script. Resources Mentioned in the Show * Graduated and Clueless [free download of my eBook + audiobook] * Graduated and Clueless: How to Live with Purpose After College [episode #32] * 7 Life Planning Strategies That Really Work [includes the “When Life Works List”] * Interview with Sean Stephenson [episode #89] * Do Over [book by Jon Acuff] 7 Steps to Your Graduation Do Over * Find some alone time. * Take a Self-Inventory to determine what kind of a do over you need today. * Make a list of all the amazing things that are in your life today. * Make a list of all the things that bug you about your life. * Make your Grand Goals list that includes ALL of the super adventures you want to embark on. * Choose ONE grand goal you want to achieve and ONE annoying problem you want to solve. * Make a plan to tackle that ONE grand goal and to eliminate that ONE annoying problem. Next Week On the podcast next week I will be interviewing podcaster, food blogger, and conference creator, Marly McMillen. Marly and I will be talking about meshing productivity with creativity both in the online world and in person through live events. ← Previous Episode Next Episode →

As exciting as it is to wake up every morning, bright and early, ready to dominate your day, not every day begins that way. In fact, for some people no two days are alike and their 5 AM Miracle never truly comes to fruition. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Compfight

Rich Roll is an inspiration for his athletic pursuits, but he also has a ridiculously healthy diet. This week's episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast features an interview with Rich Roll, and we discuss his new book, The Plantpower Way. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Rich Roll  Download the Script Here you have access to the script that I use to record each episode. This is not a complete word-for-word transcript, though it does provide you with a detailed account of what I do to produce every episode of this podcast. Download the script. Resources Mentioned in the Show * The Superhero Stance [Psychology Today] * My previous interview with Rich Roll on The 5 AM Miracle Podcast [episode #21] * Rich Roll [his website] * The Plantpower Way [book by Rich Roll and Julie Piatt] * Get the Bonuses for The Plantpower Way [buy a copy and upload your receipt] * Finding Ultra [book by Rich Roll] * Dirty Dozen Conventional Produce [EWG – Environmental Working Group] * “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” [Hippocrates, Greek Physician] Next Week On the podcast next week I will be discussing your graduation do-over. You have the chance to begin again and make it work. I'll discuss a new way to approach the next chapter of your life. ← Previous Episode Next Episode →

Altering your environment is one of the most effective strategies to bring out the best in yourself. In fact, in a previous blog series I listed environment as the 2nd most essential element of productivity. As it turns out, your environment dramatically affects your creativity as well. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Nanagyei via Compfight cc I'm not a paid professional graphic designer, artist, or brilliant visionary (though I do get the occasional compliment on this website). Thankfully, you and I don't have to be naturally gifted to bring a little color to our lives. Let's shine some light on your color choices, especially those that improve your ability to get things done with a creative flare. Choices, Choices, Choices My wife, Tessa, and I bought our first house a few weeks ago and I have spent a huge amount of time painting (mostly because the previous owners made a few ridiculous choices). I took this picture of Tessa at Home Depot about a month before we officially bought our house. Talk about daunting! I couldn't believe the number of choices we had available to us. The process of choosing just the right colors for each room was nothing short of an Olympic event. Combining personal preferences with “expert” opinions made the job even more challenging than I originally anticipated. We are officially moving out of our apartment and into the new house this Sunday, so I can't yet say with certainty that the colors we chose are ideal. But, we did compare quite a few options and the walls are already painted. So, in order to avoid going insane with perfectionism, I'm considering this a completed project. I will have more pictures up once we move into the house so you can see the finished product with all of our stuff. *FYI – The colors below are much richer and brighter than they appear in these little pictures. For our master bedroom we ditched the previously pink walls and went with Behr's Cream Puff. It's a great soft color for a bedroom. My wife picked out this color, so my official opinion is that this is the absolute best color ever. This room is not intended for productivity or creativity and I wouldn't recommend this color too highly for a home office or work space. I posted a picture of our kitchen o...

Today just happens to be April 20th, or 420. I thought it would be ideal timing in this week's episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast to discuss drugs. Specifically, I will dive into how drugs affect your productivity and a few ways you can make conscious decisions about the role of drugs in your working life. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Damian Gadal via Compfight cc Download the Script Here you have access to the script that I use to record each episode. This is not a complete word-for-word transcript, though it does provide you with a detailed account of what I do to produce every episode of this podcast. Download the script. Resources Mentioned in the Show * Podcast Awards [Radio Lab won Best Produced so we'll try again next year!] * 1Password [simple and comprehensive password manager] * The Meaning of 420 [from the Huffington Post] * The Great Caffeine Debacle [part 1] * The Great Caffeine Debacle [part 2] Your Drug Use Self-Assessment Here are 10 questions to ask yourself about where you stand today with drugs, and the role drugs play in your daily life. * What drugs are you currently taking? This includes everything I mentioned in today's episode, from caffeine and man-made food, to cocaine and ecstasy. * How do the drugs you’re taking affect your ability to accomplish your goals on a daily basis? * Do you ever feel out of control when you consume your drugs? * Do you consciously take your drugs or has it become a mindless habit? * Is your health at risk because of the drugs you take? * Is anyone in your life negatively affected by the drugs you take? * If you could stop taking your drugs today, would you? * Do you think it’s reasonable to classify yourself as an addict? * Do you have a plan or boundaries in place to monitor the quantity of drugs you consume? * If you could start over today, what drugs would be a part of your life, if any? Next Week On the podcast next week I will be interviewing Rich Roll, author of the new book,

Doesn't it suck to get rejected? Well, maybe not. This week's episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast features my interview with Jia Jiang, author of the new book, Rejection Proof. Jia has quite a unique story and his approach to getting rejected is one you will definitely want to hear. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Jia Jiang Download the Script Here you have access to the script that I use to record each episode. This is not a complete word-for-word transcript, though it does provide you with a detailed account of what I do to produce every episode of this podcast. Download the script. Resources Mentioned in the Show * Do Over [book by Jon Acuff] * Jia Jiang [his website] * Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection [book] * 100 Days of Rejection Therapy [Jia's famous video series] * Jia @ TEDx Austin [Jia's talk about rejection] * World Domination Summit [conference in Portland, OR] * Rejection Gym [Jia's course on rejection] Next Week On the podcast next week I will be discussing something a little experimental. Next Monday just happens to be April 20th, or 420. So, I thought it would be ideal timing to discuss the wondrous world of drugs and your productivity. This should be fun! ← Previous Episode Next Episode →

Last month I attended The 5 Choices book tour event here in Nashville, hosted by the author, Kory Kogon. It was a fascinating presentation and I took pages (and pages) of notes. Today I'll share my top 5 insights. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Kory Kogon 5 Lessons in Productivity I interviewed Kory on my podcast back in episode 82 and we discussed her book in detail. Be sure to listen to that episode and buy the book to dive in fully. #1: You Need a Measuring Stick Kory was quick to define our discussion, which is ultimately about productivity, a set of numbers, measures, and outcomes. Regardless of what we do each day, we are all seeking to do things where we can verify our progress. Productivity doesn't mean very much if we can't look back on what we've done and be able to analyze the end results. If you have specific goals you are trying to achieve, you also need a specific plan to measure the work you do along the way. #2: You Have 3 Problems to Tackle Right Away Nearly all work in the 21st century requires more brain cells than ever before. The challenge is to use our savvy brains to overcome three distinct problems simply to get to the work that matters: (1) We have more decisions to make than ever before, (2) Our attention is under constant attack, and (3) We have a serious energy crisis. First, thanks largely to massive technological innovations, we have endless choices about what to do, when to do it, and how to go about it. It is then imperative that we train ourselves how to make smarter decisions faster and faster. Secondly, adrenaline and dopamine are drugs and we are addicted. Email pings, text message dings, and phone call rings all add up to distractions and a serious lack of attention to our work. Reigning in the chaos is only possible when you develop the most important skill of the 21st century: focus. Finally, we all need more energy. With it, we are unstoppable. Without it, we can't even concentrate on the TV shows we've been dying to watch. Without an intentional concentration on boosting and sustaining your daily energy, you will waste an incredible amount of time, even if you feel like you're getting stuff done. #3: Your Job is Less About Doing and More About Thinking...

Ready for a huge dose of inspiration? This week's episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast features an interview with Jeffrey Binney, a comedian, actor, and now documentary filmmaker. We discuss his new film, Once is Enough, a story that follows Jeffrey’s own weight loss and ultramarathon aspirations. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Photo Credit: Jeffrey Binney Download the Script Here you have access to the script that I use to record each episode. This is not a complete word-for-word transcript, though it does provide you with a detailed account of what I do to produce every episode of this podcast. Download the script. Resources Mentioned in the Show * Join The 5 AM Miracle Community [on Facebook] * Jeffrey Binney [his website] * Once is Enough [Jeffrey's documentary film] * @JeffreyBinney [Jeffrey on Twitter] * @JeffreyBinney [Jeffrey on Instagram] * Leadville [100-mile mountain ultramarathon] * Finding Ultra [amazing book by Rich Roll] * The North Face 50-Mile Endurance Challenge [San Francisco, CA] * Never Wipe Your A** with a Squirrel [book by Jason Robillard] Next Week Next week on the podcast I will be interviewing Jia Jiang, author of the new book, Rejection Proof. Jia is famous for creating a YouTube sensation he called the 100 Days...

This is the third article in the series: How to Make Time for Your Side Hustle. Read the other articles here. Calling all weekend warriors! It can be tough to make time for your side hustle, like starting a new business or pursuing ambitious fitness endeavors. When compared to the rest of your grand life goals, side personal projects can easily be pushed aside and left for dead. ← Previous Episode Next Episode → Yep, this is my brand new house! Two days ago my wife Tessa and I closed on our first house! I took that picture above an hour after closing and I spent the next hour running through the halls of Home Depot imagining all of the amazing projects we were about to start. Between this blog, my podcast, my other new podcast, coaching, product development, and writing my new book I have been able to squeeze in just enough time for negotiating real estate contracts and family meetings to bring this house project to life. With a busy life it's not always obvious how you can pull this off, but the answers are always there. Sometimes you just have to dig a little. Hobbies and High-Achievers For high-achievers, productivity junkies, or ambitious Type-As, it may seem like an impossible feat to make time for hobbies, side projects, or non-urgent and fun tasks. In fact, most of the time those projects only happen when someone (cough, your spouse, cough) forces you to stop working and start dreaming. Making time for that family camping trip, the weekly foreign language tutor, or the new home-buying extravaganza can seem trivial when compared with your high-brow 25-year plans. The funny thing is that hobbies are an essential part of life. Fun shouldn't be reserved for a random happy-hour or a once-a-month trip to the park. Now, I wouldn't necessarily call buying a house a hobby, but it does fall into the category of the non-urgent projects that can easily be postponed for yet another year. We all have these projects in our lives. If you're anything like me, you have a closet somewhere in your house that is calling your name. Buried deep in that closet is a dusty instrument you haven't picked up in years,