Habits 2 Goals: The Habit Factor® Podcast With Martin Grunburg | Goal Achievement, Productivity & Success Simplified

"Today is the eight day of the month. Tomorrow is the 13th." ~Zen Koan Skills vs. habits. Habits vs. skills. What's the difference? Bound by language, experts in behavioral science tend to struggle as they attempt to delineate the two. (See Zen koan above).   MG suggests these scientists are missing the most important aspect of their relationship: How similar habits and skills are! There are many favorable reasons to regard habits and skills as nearly identical.   First, it helps to remove the predominately negative connotation that habits carry. Skills are rarely, if ever, thought of as "bad" or negative. Second, it reinforces how POSITIVE HABIT BUILDING FOLLOWS THE SAME PROCESS AS SKILL BUILDING. This is precisely what The Habit Factor's P.A.R.R. method has taught since 2010.   When it comes to developing good habits, the same sort of desire, effort, and practice is required that skills demand. Which underscores how ineffective "The Habit Loop" is when it comes to intentional habit building. Further, b

"Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things they are transformed." ~Thich Naht Hanh In a universe comprised of energy, it's impossible to extract negativity. So, what is it's value? It turns out, negativity has tremendous value. Within medicine for instance, a negative Covid-19 test is very positive. Science experiments with negative results bring the scientist closer to a correct solution. Negativity can be problematic in relationships. Most humans tend to gravitate toward positive, kind and loving relationships. Even though people who are negative may be smarter or funnier, they are often cynical and pessimistic. Too much negativity leads one toward isolation and loneliness. With a little awareness and effort, like tracking new positive habits, a negative personality can become more positive. Enjoy the show! More "tweener" episodes are on the way. Stay subscribed, and be sure to check out the new YouTube Channel. Grab your H2G ALL-TIME Top Download PDF! https://podcast.thehabitfactor.com/habits-to-

"Genius is the infinite capacity for taking pains." ~Thomas Carlyle Pain is something everyone can relate to. Pain hurts. Yet, what happens when we pursue a goal and along the way, encounter pain? Should we just quit? Another definition of pain is "careful effort; great care or trouble." Pain is often a requirement for growth and learning. And, pain is a key, leading indicator that one is on the path toward something meaningful and worthwhile. Hence, Carlyle's great quote above. Your goal may be getting more fit, or writing the next great novel. Rest assured, tremendous pain stands between you and the desired outcome! Strangely, it was a tweet that inspired this episode. The man behind the tweet insisted that it was a high tolerance for pain that keeps people stuck; in undesirable jobs, relationships, etc. The truth is, it's more likely the opposite. Chances are good that they believe making any change will be more painful than staying where they are. Unfortunately, the desire for stasis—to remain uncha

"The successful person is just the average person, focused." Why are deadlines important? Deadlines create pressure. Pressure creates focus and concentration, which are essential components of productivity and creativity. The accordion method, much like the whimsical musical instrument, works by creating pressure and then releasing it. The accordion is a terrific model for how anyone can intentionally use pressure to be more focused and productive. The challenge for many people is that they don't appreciate the value of pressure, largely because it creates discomfort. Thus, few people impose deadlines on themselves. Many believe life is already too pressure-riddled—adding more pressure would be too stressful. The interesting thing is that, without controls and constraints, such as deadlines, human energy is boundless and unfocused. That doesn't mean you never get tired; it means you're not directing your energy with focus and concentration upon a goal or target. Goals, targets, and milestones create pressure

"So many Goo-Roos preach the idea that you should just focus on your strengths. The reason it's called 'Personal Development' is it involves both—improving your weaknesses and capitalizing on strengths." "Shouldn't people just focus on what they are good at?" Someone asked MG this question when he recommended tracking fitness habits even if fitness isn't someone's strength.  It's crucial to point out that The Habit Factor® methodology is both a specific process to develop habits by following P.A.R.R., and a general framework that allows the user to identify their goal along with the supportive habits that will help them achieve that goal. The Habit Factor® allows the end-user to decide upon any habit to track. If they only want to track their strengths, they can. However, since traits like discipline, focus, and concentration are habits that can be cultivated—and they help to foster other habits—they are foundational. Similarly, habits related to fitness and wellness are not only foundational because they imp

"Effort is the special ingredient that helps one to develop discipline. P.A.R.R. is the process that reduces the effort." Effort, as a concept, is so significant that it's part of the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path. While there are very few things we can control directly, our effort is one of them. In a post-game press conference, pursuing his 4th NBA title, Steph Curry reminded the press, "The one thing I can control is my effort." What makes the topic interesting is that it's the desire to be lazy—to put in less effort— that often sparks innovation and creativity. Exhibit A, B, and C: The lawn mower, automobile, and blender. While laziness may inspire creativity and innovation, it's putting in the cliched 110% effort toward our passions and goals that helps to assure their realization. The guaranteed formula for success is to do both: Work smart and hard. Further, it's important to know that energy can constrain effort. A sick person can't give maximum effort compared to when they're well.  Most importantly,

"An essential ingredient to scheduling and habit building is experimenting." MG and Jen discuss this week's all important topic: How to use scheduling to best cultivate habits. In short, the day and time you choose to cultivate a habit largely depends upon the habit itself. If the habit is creative, such as "writing" you may want to set aside the times of day you are most creative. If the habit is exercise related, than you'll want to identify the best times and days you'll have the time and energy. By following P.A.R.R. (Plan, Act, Record & Reassess), and identifying the "targets" days (and times), you'll have a plan to cultivate each habit. Further, P.A.R.R. is flexible enough and allows you the ability to skip "target days" and/or continue to experiment with different times and days in subsequent four-week tracking periods. Most importantly scheduling simply reaffirms one's intention to cultivate the habit. However, it's only via the daily tracking data that one can assess and experiment. Enjoy the epi

"A ritual is simply a series of habits." MG and Jen discuss a particularly interesting relationship between habits and rituals that is rarely, if ever, talked about. Consider the times you have sudden insight; driving, showering, napping, sleeping, jogging, or lifting weights. Performing habits tends to trigger creative insight, perhaps due to the brain wave frequency in which habit operates—the Alpha and Theta levels. By definintion, habits require little or no conscious thought. This simple aspect is what frees up one's mind to allocate resources elsewhere—a space that allows the subconsicious to help solve problems that the conscious mind had been working on previously. Enjoy the episode! More "tweener" episodes are on the way. Stay subscribed and be sure to checkout the new YouTube Channel. Grab your H2G ALL-TIME Top Download PDF! https://podcast.thehabitfactor.com/habits-to-goals-best-practices-pdf/ Enjoy! Note: The very best way to get up to speed on The Habit Factor's world-famous methodology i

"Be quick, but don't hurry." ~Coach Wooden Festina Lente: Augustus, the Roman emperor, thought so much of the adage that its symbol ended up on an ancient Roman coin—a dolphin wrapped around an anchor. What is Festina Lente? Festina Lente is the wise and powerful reminder that our time is precious and limited. Thus, it's imperative to move (and live) with a sense of urgency while at the same time remaining balanced and calm. Legendary basketball coach John Wooden, who likely rephrased the sentiment, used to tell his players, "Be quick, but don't hurry." Quickness is essential, but hurrying and losing our balance is a waste of time and resources. Thus, we must move with urgency while retaining our poise and balance. The beauty is this: Festina Lente could be the motto for The Habit Factor®, as it parallels its philosophy to a tee. The Habit Factor® methodology demands users identify a key essential outcome in their life (creating urgency). Still, it clearly demonstrates that the path to a goal is via the int

"How well you load the dishes determines the quality of the wash." Once again, we revisit the dishwasher in this episode, "The Dishwasher 2." The idea of proper dishwasher loading calls to mind the GIGO concept. GIGO simply means Garbage In, Garbage Out. GIGO originated in the programming world, and the idea applies to many other aspects of our lives. Consider your fitness level relative to your exercise and diet: Garbage In, Garbage Out. Many famous scientists, spiritualists, and philosophers contend that the same concept applies to the quality of your thinking and your life's results: Garbage In, Garbage Out. Learn how the basic, everyday task of loading the dishwasher can be your path to enlightenment! Enjoy! More "tweener" episodes are on the way. Stay subscribed and be sure to checkout the new YouTube Channel. Grab your H2G ALL-TIME Top Download PDF! https://podcast.thehabitfactor.com/habits-to-goals-best-practices-pdf/ Enjoy! Note: The very best way to get up to speed on The Habit Factor's worl

"It costs $0.00 to become a master of habit and skill development. Understanding how to cultivate habitstrength™ is your first key." ~Grunburg Forgive the swearing! For 12-plus years, Martin has taught and preached that habit development for humans has little to do with Cue, Routine, Reward – aka the "Habit-Loop" – and much more to do with intention, action, and reflection. The "Habit Loop" concept originated after a study of rodents. Unfortunately, the well-intended "Habit-Loop" advice has proliferated all over the internet, yet it provides HUMANS with very little understanding of how to intentionally build habits. Humans possess three powerful, innate capacities: CHOICE, INTENTION, and REFLECTION. By following The Habit Factor's PARR methodology – Plan, Act, Record, and Reassess – one can easily develop habitstrength over time.  Once you understand habitstrength, you can – and should – apply PARR to develop any habits or skills that align with your most important goals! Enjoy! More "tweener" episodes are

"Golf is a game of inches and the most important are the six inches between your ears." ~Arnold Palmer Much like golf, LIFE is often a game of inches. It's the "six inches" betwen our ears that we tell ourselves all sorts of stories. Stories about ourselves and the world at large. These stories tend to reveal themselves in our decisions, actions and results. At any given moment, one could be telling themselves an infinite number of stories. Yet, most of us aren't too discerning about which ones consume our attention. Almost all breakthroughs in goal achievment and personal tranformation, including habit change, begin with a new and different story. Further, the listerner is challenged to listen to which stories they 'play' habitually (on autopilot), and how those stories have impacted their life. More "tweener" episodes are on the way. Stay subscribed and be sure to checkout the new YouTube Channel. Grab your H2G ALL-TIME Top Download PDF! https://podcast.thehabitfactor.com/habits-to-goals-best-practice

"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is now." ~Confucius How happy would you be if nothing changed over the next ten years? How would you like to develop physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, spiritually, financially, professionally? Who is responsible for those changes? This quick-hitter H2G "tweener" episode will have you appreciating that NOW is the best time to plant the seeds to help make your ten-year goals a reality. The years are going to pass by anyway. Only you can identify who you'd like to be, where you'd like to go and, what you'd like to become. More "tweener" episodes are on the way. Stay subscribed and be sure to checkout the new YouTube Channel. Grab your H2G ALL-TIME Top Download PDF! https://podcast.thehabitfactor.com/habits-to-goals-best-practices-pdf/ Enjoy! Note: The very best way to get up to speed on The Habit Factor's world-famous methodology is to check-out AUTOMATIC GOALS! just $27, promotional pricing! Enjoy the episode! It's

"450+ episodes which presents to any new listener the 'Choice Paradox'—more becomes less." As we wrap up Season 8—the Ocho— we want to highlight H2G's most popular and essential episodes OF ALL-TIME. Each grouped into a handful of important categories; Mindset (6), Success (6), Self/Relationships (6), Habits (8), Goals (6), Most Popular (15) and Interviews (7)! Seven important categories and 50+ episodes and that IS whittling it down! ; ) Enjoy! Note: The very best way to get up to speed on The Habit Factor's world-famous methodology is to check-out AUTOMATIC GOALS! just $27, promotional pricing! Enjoy the episode! It's time to make your goals "Automatic!" https://automaticgoals.com **** Feedspot's "Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021" New listeners visit to get your free template and get up to speed immediately on the world-famoust habit factor process! thehabitfactor.com/templates. Feel free to share the episode and leave a review on iTunes! Grab your FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) righ

"Nobody likes burpess until they love burpees." Without getting too metaphysical, it's important to realize LIFE is simply a one-day-at-a-time "event". Thus, the importance of cultivating the habit of exercise, which helps to optimize one's emotional and physical wellness from one day to the next. MG was contemplating why he enjoyed burpees so much. The answer suprised him. He thought he exercised to stay fit, but that is really the secondary benefit. The primary benefit; exercising "tunes" one's emotions for the day favorably. The exercise habit has at least three benefits: 1) It primes one's emotions 2) It provides self-efficacy and, 3) It provides an easy "WIN" for the day, regardless of how the rest of the day shapes up. Approaching each day with a better emotional disposition, due to the habit of exercise is the real benefit of working out. Enjoy the episode! It's time to make your goals "Automatic!" https://automaticgoals.com **** Feedspot's "Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021" New listener

"I must've interviewed 50 business people that summer...they all had a common theme—GOALS!"~Jack Daly H2G welcomes back the legendary business sales coach and icon, Jack Daly. Jack's releasing his 10th book, Life By Design. The 15-time Ironman competitor has also completed 100 marathons in 50 states and on seven continents. He achieves his goals and lives life to the fullest by following his own Life by Design techniques. As a 13-year-old caddie at a country club, he was both curious and intentional. Comparing the lifestyle of his hardworking father to the men at the country club, who golfed on weekdays, Jack was curious to learn what they did differently. By the end of the summer, almost all the members knew the young caddie. The payoff for Jack was enormous: He tripped upon a process that he's been living for decades and now shares in his latest book. At 73, Jack still employs these practices each and every day. Jack DESIGNS his life with intention—and tracks all the activities and habits that are import

"Habit: A shackle for the free."~Ambrose Bierce In 2009, MG was tasked with developing a logo for The Habit Factor® app. The vision of the infinity symbol was one that he couldn't escape.  He proceeded to integrate the infinity symbol as the cross-beam within the letter "H". The reason for the infinity symbol? The more he reflected upon habit, the more the idea of universal patterns came to mind. MG shared these ideas when he was invited to present at TEDx in the United Arab Emerits, back in 2011. It turns out habit patterns are everywhere and for good reason. Energy has a tendency toward pattern and rhythm. That means even our human energy—our behavior—forms into patterns (for better or worse). Think of how you drive to work, brush your teeth and even the meals you eat. The only important distinction MG was intent on sharing; unlike other creatures, humans have the capacity to establish new habits patterns and even break others, at will. Thus, the infinity symbol within the logo had to be broken, symbolizing

"Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such."~Henry Miller What's the main difference between "successful" people and "failures"? Arguably, it's that they've simply compiled more daily "wins" over their lifetime than loses. It's actually a bit more nuanced than that, as any given day may provides critical defining "moments". What's an example of a critical defining moment? Let's say someone or something disappoints you. Now you're angry and frustrated. How are you going to respond? Each moment presents a bifurcation point; an opportunity to stay on the path or, to fall off the path. In short, "successful" people stay on "the path" from one moment to the next, more often than not. How do they do that? To stay on The PATH (prior episode), they respond rather than react! When problems arise, expectations are dashed, in short, when "sh*t happens", "successful" people choose to respond better;  more positively, most of the time. It's the "unsuccessful"—the ones that react emo

"If work expands to fill the time allotted, then you can count on 'stuff'  expanding to fill the space allotted." Aristotle once observed, "Nature abhors a vacuum." This week, MG combines A's brilliant observation with Cyrile Northcote Parkinson's "law," known as "Parkinson's Law" — "Work expands to fill the time allotted." The resultant corollary: "Stuff expands to fill the space allotted." To illustrate his point, MG shares a couple of quick stories from his home: "The Drawer of Death" and the "Closet of Death." While nobody actually died in either, these spaces are consummed with "STUFF"! They are filled with everything, and yet, whenever you go looking for something, you can't find it. The reason for sharing this? YOUR MIND is the drawer and closet—your mind is SPACE to be filled. While keeping an 'empty' mind is a noble pursuit, it's impossible for extended periods of time. Even the awareness of possessing an empty mind, paradoxically, produces a thought, which proves it cannot be empty! The beauty is,

"Give someone just 30 seconds, and if they're being honest, they can tell you the one or two skills that, when crafted to excellence, could change their life." Last week's episode, How Can I Use This?, was all about the 3 R's—being Responsible, Resourceful, and Resilient. This week, MG explores a concept he learned when training for his first Ironman: limiters. The Ironman is a triathlon comprised of three separate skills (in order): Swimming, Cycling, and Running. In Going Long!, a great book that was recommended to MG, the author advises focusing most of your training time on your key limiter—that is, the one weakness likely to hold you back or most significantly impact your finish. For MG, the limiter was obvious right away: running! Accordingly, he spent 80% of his training time trying to improve his running technique—his limiter. By doing this, he became a better runner, and the conditioning the running provided became a nice overlap effect for the other two events, swimming and cycling. You can