Story Signals

Inspiring interviews and lessons learned on living with purpose, clarity, and meaning

Matt Frazier of No Meat Athlete talks about our habits, goal-setting, and being an entrepreneur

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Matt Frazier is the founder of No Meat Athlete, a thriving online community focusing on vegan, plant-based nutrition, and the athletes who are fueled by plants. You may think a vegan athlete site is a strange combination of interests, and five years ago, you’d be right!

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The story begins when Matt was in grad school, and began transitioning in to a vegan lifestyle. At the same time, Matt was running marathons, and saw a lack of advice for vegan athletes. Like many good entrepreneurs, Matt scratched his own itch, and began sharing his findings and experiments at NoMeatAthlete.com. The site grew as more and more people who had arrived at the same crossroads in their journey, and were delighted to find someone was writing and sharing information about vegan fitness!

What you’ll learn

  • Don’t be afraid of a narrow niche! We discuss the crossroads strategy, and how people will find their way to the topic you’re building authority in. Who ever thought of plant-based fitness sites?
  • Be intentional with your time. If there is something you really want to do, whether the dream is something you already do and want to do more of (like read), or a something you don’t currently participate in (learning an instrument, starting a blog).
  • Create value vs consuming content. This is a huge lesson for all of us. I would challenge you to begin creating valuable content instead of just consuming the content everyone else is putting out. You have a unique perspective and gift on a particular topic, I know it! Share it with others, even just your friends and family. Of course we’re not saying all content consumption is bad, but if all you’re doing is taking in, without giving some out, it leaves the world without your unique voice on a subject. Please share it with us!

There are so many other great questions and story lines we follow and wrestle with in this interview, and I know you’ll enjoy the lessons from this episode.

Listen here

Great Quotes

Matt-Frazier-imageIf you’re not ruthless about cutting away stuff that doesn’t matter, it will take over your life.

Pick one habit a day that really matters to you, and do it for 10 minutes. You can build on 10 minutes.

I think we all have something our soul really yearns for, and we should do more of those things.

Consuming content is so much easier than creating, but creating is so much more important.

Resources

Where to connect

Help Story Signals hit iTunes New & Noteworthy!

Want to help Story Signals hit the front page of iTunes podcasts? Here are 3 quick ways to help.

  1. If you think Story Signals is deserving, leave a 5 star rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Click here for iTunes, and click “View in iTunes” – “Reviews & Ratings” – “Write a Review” (see the screenshots). For Stitcher, click here. 
  2. Subscribe and download the Story Signals podcast! You’ll get each episode delivered the best way for you, whether through iTunes, Stitcher, Downcast, or something else. Here’s the ultimate list of resources to get started.
  3. Share with a friend! I would be very appreciate of your recommendations to family, friends, and social networks. If you mention me, @MattRagland, or @StorySignals on Twitter, I’ll be sure and retweet the share! Just share StorySignals.com – StorySignals.com/itunes – StorySignals.com/stitcher.

Brett Henley talks about creative alignment, connection, and great work

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Our guest on Story Signals this week is Brett Henley, who gave this very wry description of himself;

I’m a writer with a long track record of doing everything except writing

One of the things that draws you toward Brett right away is his honesty and ability to cut to the truth of the matter, even when it applies to himself. Brett had several good pieces of advice to share with us in this interview, here are just a few of the things that stood out to me.

  • Why the creative process is supposed to be a struggle.
  • How we can apply the routines of other people in the context of our own life.
  • Why we need to give up on creating the perfect entrepreneur, author, designer, etc.
  • The importance of cultivating personal grace.
  • Why Brett thinks our age of disruption is nearing disruption itself.
  • What the difference is between bookends and rigid brakes.
  • Why our work can’t only be purposeful to us, but be driven by a purpose meaningful to others.
  • What it takes to be compelling, not just build the facade of being compelling.

6672_300Brett and his wife Amber run an independent publishing company called We Craft Stories. They’re currently wrapping up their first major project, Little Girl and the Hill, which describes the dangers of chasing perfection. 

I know you are going to hear great stuff from Brett in this episode, I was furiously writing notes during our chat, and couldn’t wait to come back and edit just so I could hear it again. Enjoy!

Listen Here

Where to Connect with Brett

Resources

Help Story Signals hit iTunes New & Noteworthy!

Want to help Story Signals hit the front page of iTunes podcasts? Here are 3 quick ways to help.

  1. If you think Story Signals is deserving, leave a 5 star rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Click here for iTunes, and click “View in iTunes” – “Reviews & Ratings” – “Write a Review” (see the screenshots). For Stitcher, click here. 
  2. Subscribe and download the Story Signals podcast! You’ll get each episode delivered the best way for you, whether through iTunes, Stitcher, Downcast, or something else. Here’s the ultimate list of resources to get started.
  3. Share with a friend! I would be very appreciate of your recommendations to family, friends, and social networks. If you mention me, @MattRagland, or @StorySignals on Twitter, I’ll be sure and retweet the share! Just share StorySignals.com – StorySignals.com/itunes – StorySignals.com/stitcher.

What I Didn’t Believe About Being an Entrepreneur

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In August 2014, I began to think of myself as a true entrepreneur.

The feeling lasted a couple of weeks. Then began the roller coaster ride of struggle, success, self-doubt, and high-fives.

Let me be clear, this isn’t a “what I wish I knew seven months ago” type of post, because many entrepreneurs have been very open and honest about the struggles and challenges of startups. I simply didn’t believe them.

Since I graduated the University of Florida in December 2006 until August 2014, I had been employed for all but 12 hours of that span. When I switched jobs from startup sports marketer and coach to summer camp assistant director, I spent the night with my old roommate, hitched a ride from Atlanta to Asheville, and was right back in the saddle. For 6.5 years, I had never missed a paycheck.

In fact, I was ready to be on my own. A steady informational diet of Seth Godin, Pat Flynn, Jason Fried, Eric Ries, Joel & Leo, and Gary Vaynerchuk had built the mindset that I was ready to strike out on my own, build a business, and be location independent. I was tired of being told all five W’s and the H:

  • What to do
  • When to do it
  • Where to do it
  • Who to do it for
  • Why I/we do it
  • How to do it

Sound familiar? The whole live-anywhere-do-anything entrepreneur ethos was ripe for the taking, and I was going to take it.

The story since then? Simply days of hard work, great experiences, cussing at myself in the woods, depression, elation, flexibility, demands, and patience.

I didn’t believe I would be just as pressed for time, meeting the needs and demands of clients. I was location-independent, but not time-independent.

I didn’t believe I would need to work part-time, and feel the embarassment of telling people at parties that while I’m an entreprenuer, I also sling cardboard for UPS.

I didn’t believe I would suddenly try to abandon my startup hopes and look for a job, placing my self-worth in someone else’s hands, wanting them to tell me I was good enough, smart enough to work for them.

I didn’t believe I would mentally rely on the affirmation of other people, or be jealous of their success.

I didn’t believe I would take so long to figure what I should concentrate on, and be so willing to jump at any opportunity. I’ve called myself a web developer, writer, brand manager, social media marketer, artist, podcaster, and growth hacker. Which doesn’t include my “legitimate” side jobs at UPS, substitute teaching, and Lyft.

I didn’t think I’d be running through the woods cussing myself out for being selfish and lazy, then laying awake at night thinking about client projects.

I didn’t think I’d be so tentative and desperate in pricing, and willing to price my talent so low, and then work really hard.

I didn’t think adjusting my buying habits would be so difficult, since I had convinced myself I was “above” such consumerism and worldliness. If you asked me now, I could rattle off list of things I want to possess.

Finally, I didn’t think the mental challenges of building a business and getting work done would be as daunting as they are.

What I do know now is very similar to other lessons I’ve learned in my life. Most lessons need to be learned personally, in the struggle and success of the arena. We cannot sit in the stands and only read about what those daring greatly are doing, their tactics and advice. Of course, doing so is immeasurably helpful, but as Mike Tyson famously said,

Everyone has a plan until they get punched

I’ve been getting punched, but now I’m punching back. There’s no substitute for getting the in the ring and seeing what you’re made of. Train hard, do your research, and have people in your corner, but eventually you’ll need to step in to the arena and dare greatly.

I believe that with my whole heart.

Did this resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories. Please leave a comment below, or connect on Twitter. And yes, I drew the picture, impressed?

Episode 7: How the Resistance Attacks, and How to Fight Back

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In this week’s episode, I talk about the Resistance, a destructive and distracting force keeping you from your best work and most meaningful story.  This may be the most important episode so far, and I pull back the curtain on how the resistance attacks, how you can learn more about it, and actionable ways to fight back. Let’s get started!

The Resistance and How to Fight Back

The Resistance 101

5 ways the resistance attacks in our personal and creative lives

  1. Mindlessness
  2. Busy Work
  3. Self-Improvement
  4. Self-Doubt
  5. Shadow Careers

The Resistance Essential Reading

5 books to help you know your enemy in a deeper way

  1. The War of Art – by Steven Pressfield
  2. The Screwtape Letters – by CS Lewis
  3. Bird by Bird – by Anne Lamotte
  4. Linchpin – by Seth Godin
  5. Daring Greatly – by Brene Brown

To Resist the Resistance

5 actions to take in your daily story

  1. Start practicing and working.
  2. Be accountable and put down stakes.
  3. Talk back to yourself.
  4. Raise a ruckus!
  5. Daring greatly and showing your work.

Listen Here

Additional Resources

Win a Resistance Master Books!

I’m giving away a book to some lucky listener this week! Here’s how to win.

Leave a comment on this page letting everyone know an action that you’re taking this week to fight the Resistance in your own life. After the week is over, I’ll draw a name, and the winner will get to choose one of the five books listed in this week’s episode!

Help Story Signals hit iTunes New & Noteworthy!

Want to help Story Signals hit the front page of iTunes podcasts? Here are 3 quick ways to help.

  1. If you think Story Signals is deserving, leave a 5 star rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Click here for iTunes, and click “View in iTunes” – “Reviews & Ratings” – “Write a Review” (see the screenshots). For Stitcher, click here. 
  2. Subscribe and download the Story Signals podcast! You’ll get each episode delivered the best way for you, whether through iTunes, Stitcher, Downcast, or something else. Here’s the ultimate list of resources to get started.
  3. Share with a friend! I would be very appreciate of your recommendations to family, friends, and social networks. If you mention me, @MattRagland, or @StorySignals on Twitter, I’ll be sure and retweet the share! Just share StorySignals.com – StorySignals.com/itunes – StorySignals.com/stitcher.

Episode 6: Jeff Sanders shares the secret of the 5am Miracle

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Our guest this week on Story Signals is Jeff Sanders, host of the 5am Miracle podcast! This is my first time interviewing a fellow podcaster, and Jeff’s attention to detail and ease on the mic was evident, in fact he saved the interview in a big way (more on that later).

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Jeff’s podcast is dedicated to helping you dominate your day before breakfast, by giving listeners (and readers) actionable advice to living with intention and positive energy. In this interview, you’ll learn the value of an early morning and how it can help kickstart your day with greater focus and confidence.

Here’s a great quote Jeff shared with us:

Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity – Albert Einstein

How You Can Find Simplicity in Clutter

I asked Jeff how he returns to simplicity when life feels out of control, and he said there were three simple actions he took in the morning, before any type of work. He calls them his “Back to Basics” re-boot.

  1. Get a good night’s sleep – this starts with going to bed as soon as possible the night before.
  2. Eat a healthy meal – a good breakfast or smoothie to start your day.
  3. Exercise – a run, workout, bike ride, hike, or walk around the neighborhood.

Do these three actions sound simple and redundant? Yes and Yes! As Jeff was describing them to me, I was simultaneously nodding my head and kicking myself over how easily I can get knocked off track from the starting with the basics! Whenever you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, make a concentrated effort to focus on getting back to basics for a few days. It will help!

How Jeff Saved the Interview

We were about 20 minutes in to the show, and I looked over to check on the recording levels.

They were flat. As in not recording…

I was so upset with myself, and spent the last 20 seconds of Jeff’s response thinking about how I was going to tell him. I even muted my end and vented to my wife for a few seconds on my stupidity. When Jeff finished, I broke the news. He paused (to what I felt like was dramatic effect), and then said, “Well Matt, it’s ok, because I have been recording on my end”. What a pro! What feelings of relief!

So once again, thanks to Jeff for being a pro, and always remember to record your interviews.

I know you’re going to enjoy this interview, go ahead and listen below, or even better yet, subscribe and get each episode delivered to your smartphone or desktop!

Resources

Jeff and I talked about a lot of books, services, and apps during the interview, and he gave me a couple others after we stopped recording (for real this time).

Where to Find Jeff

Help Story Signals hit iTunes New & Noteworthy!

Want to help Story Signals hit the front page of iTunes podcasts? Here are 3 quick ways to help.

  1. If you think Story Signals is deserving, leave a 5 star rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Click here for iTunes, and click “View in iTunes” – “Reviews & Ratings” – “Write a Review” (see the screenshots). For Stitcher, click here. 
  2. Subscribe and download the Story Signals podcast! You’ll get each episode delivered the best way for you, whether through iTunes, Stitcher, Downcast, or something else. Here’s the ultimate list of resources to get started.
  3. Share with a friend! I would be very appreciate of your recommendations to family, friends, and social networks. If you mention me, @MattRagland, or @StorySignals on Twitter, I’ll be sure and retweet the share! Just share StorySignals.com – StorySignals.com/itunes – StorySignals.com/stitcher.

Episode 5: Jedd Rose of Topo Designs teaches us about simplicity and an integrated experience

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Jedd Rose is the founder and lead designer at Topo Designs, an outdoor and lifestyle brand based in Colorado. I’ve been admiring Topo products for a while, and really enjoyed getting know the mind behind the mission.

topo-designs

One striking aspect of Topo Designs’ gear is the retro styling the founders grew up with in the 60’s and 70’s. Jedd and Mark also draw a lot of inspiration from simple Japanese design and craftsmanship, consistently seeking to make a product that integrates with the environment. Adding features is no longer an issue these days, a thousand options lay at your feet. The challenge is making a product and living a life that focuses on the essential elements.

Here’s my favorite quote from our talk…

We want Topo gear to do exactly what is needed in your outdoor adventures, but nothing more. The pack should be a integrated in to the experience, and not conquer it. In a way, we want the gear to get out of the way and allow the outdoorsman to take in the majesty of the outdoors without fussing with his pack.

I think about how often I try and trade up again and again for the latest and greatest, thinking the gear with more bells and whistles will improve my performance or experience. Obviously there’s a baseline of tech which helps, but I think mentally we stuck on the hamster wheel of “if I had this tool things would be better”. The value of continually upgrading isn’t always worth the energy, and I certainly believe the returns diminish quite rapidly after hitting the baseline.

Topo tries to follow this process and mindset of simplicity and experience in the outdoors and in life. Jedd summed up their ethos with this quote:

Think canoe vs. motorboat. We’re the canoe. Handmade, artistic, and gliding smoothly along the water, connected to the environment.

I know you’re going to enjoy this interview, go ahead and listen below, or even better yet, subscribe and get each episode delivered to your smartphone or desktop!

Where to find Jedd

Other Resources

Help Story Signals hit iTunes New & Noteworthy!

Want to help Story Signals hit the front page of iTunes podcasts? Here are 3 quick ways to help.

  1. If you think Story Signals is deserving, leave a 5 star rating on iTunes. Click here, and click “View in iTunes” – “Reviews & Ratings” – “Write a Review” (see the screenshots)
  2. Subscribe and download the Story Signals podcast! You’ll get each episode delivered the best way for you, whether through iTunes, Downcast, AttennaPod, or something else. Here’s the ultimate list of resources to get started.
  3. Share with a friend! I would be very appreciate of your recommendations to family, friends, and social networks. If you mention me, Matt Ragland, or Story Signals on Twitter, I’ll be sure and retweet the share! Just share StorySignals.com or StorySignals.com/itunes.

Know Thine Enemy: 5 Ways the Resistance Attacks

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As people actively engaged in creative work, we are aware of the force which attempts to distract us at any cost. Steven Pressfield calls this force The Resistance, Seth Godin termed it The Lizard Brain, and Brene Brown pictures a little gremlin. In all of its forms, the Resistance is one of the most destructive forces in our world, and has robbed us of countless works of art, acts of kindness, and basic happiness.

In my own work, I’ve noticed five ways the Resistance attacks us in our work and personal life. Whether the day’s calling is to write, record, or engage, the Resistance is lying in wait to patiently offer up displacement activities. In order to know thine enemy, you must know how they work.

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Mindless

This type of distraction is the low-hanging fruit of the Resistance. Stupid distractions are the kind where nothing constructive is being done or learned. They include all types of social media, web browsing, video games, personal emails, pleasure reading, and more. The encouraging part of stupid distractions is how quickly you can realize what you’re doing is stupid, and get yourself back on track. When you’re creating art, browsing through Facebook’s news feed or diving in to the black hole of Reddit is stupid. Mentally pull yourself back and keep working.

Busy Work

This is where the Resistance begins to deploy better tactics. Busy work can include activities such as cleaning the house, doing the dishes, work-related emails and administrative tasks, giving the dog a bath, updating your calendar, and so on. The deception and brilliance used by the Resistance is that all of these tasks have an important place in your life. But that place is not when you should be working. I only ever volunteer to sweep or do the dishes when I should be working instead. Do the work, then the dishes. Not the other way around (click to tweet that).

Self-Improvement

As you continue to deflect the attacks of the Resistance, progress will remain difficult, because the attacks will continue to improve. The siren song of self-improvement is a powerful track for creatives, because it’s part of the reason we are able to do what we do. We know there is value in reading that book or blog post, listening to that podcast or signing up for that class. But when we delay or diminish our creative output in the name of self-improvement, it’s a lie and an excuse. I would argue that even exercise, for all of its benefits on energy, productivity, and brain function, is still the work of the Resistance when it detracts from your work.

Self-Doubt

One of the final stands of the Resistance is blatant and brutal self-doubt. Take heart, because the little gremlin is getting desperate. You begin to hear and feel like you’re not good enough, smart enough, creative enough, well connected enough, funny enough, generally not enough to do what you’ve been called to do. And none of it’s true. When I begin to hear the little gremlin spew self-doubt, I try to think of Marianne Williamson’s wonderful quote from A Return to Love:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”

Shadow

The shadow career is relatively quiet and content type of Resistance. This patient type of attack was also coined by Pressfield, who describes the shadow career as the addiction we nurture instead of the work we are passionate about. Perhaps you are passionate about writing, but too addicted to money or status to downgrade your car, apartment, and clothes and start writing in earnest. The change doesn’t need to be that drastic, but if you’re passionate about a type of work or art, then start doing something about it and stop talking about it.

The Resistance loves to have us talk incessantly about our hobbies and interests but never do anything about them, no matter the interest. We engage in displacement activities and shadow careers because they give us some type of fulfillment, but in the end they slowly and steadily rob us of our true calling.

The Next Step

There’s one last trick to understanding the temptation of these attacks. None of these activities are inherently bad. Social media receives a bad rap sometimes, but it’s an incredible way to connect and build a platform. Of course you should keep a clean home (and happy spouse) and exercise. But those activities shouldn’t displace your calling. When the time has come to work, you shouldn’t decide now is the time to mow the grass. It’s time to do the work. Mow the grass when it’s time to mow the grass. Exercise when it’s time to exercise, and here’s a mind-bender… don’t write when it’s time to exercise!

What lies at the center is discipline. The discipline to do what is important now. The Resistance wants you to be undisciplined, unhappy, and unfulfilled.

Overcoming the Resistance isn’t easy, or beaten once and rid of it for life. The Resistance is patient, and has eternity to come back when we are complacent, cocky, or desperate. However, once we understand the little gremlin’s tactics, we have an advantage. We can recognize the attacks, and respond accordingly. Spend this week recognizing the attacks, and make a conscious choice to do the work. Next week, I’ll share the five tactics I’ve used to fight back, and keep my best work at the forefront. Keep fighting everyone, the world needs it.

Icon designed by Angela Dinh  for The Noun Project

Story Signals Episode 4: Mike Rohde teaches us about creativity, conflict, and opportunity

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Mike Rohde is one talented guy. Author of the best selling Sketchnote Handbook, illustrator of ReWork, Remote, The $100 Startup, and The Little Book of Talent, and these are just his side projects! Mike is a designer at heart, and the iterations of his career taught him the value of being adaptable and a willingness to embrace change.

Win a copy of The Sketchnote Handbook!

Mike is giving away a copy of his book to a Story Signals listener! To be eligible, go over to the Story Signals Facebook page, then like and share Mike’s post. It will look like this:

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The interview goes live on February 17th, and will close on February 21st. We will announce the winner on February 22nd on the Facebook page.

I first heard about Mike through his illustrations for ReWork (one of my top business books), and loved his approach to visual note-taking and creative thinking. When The Sketchnote Handbook came out, I pre-ordered it and absorbed all the lessons Mike and his fellow sketchnoters had for me. Mike’s approach has improved my own creative process beyond just note-taking, leaking in to design, user experience, process flow, and general art. At the core, sketchnotes have allowed me to tap in to my artistic side, which had mostly lain dormant since childhood.

Here are a couple examples of Mike’s process and work. I hope they encourage you to get out a pen and paper and begin sketching!

Mike & The Sketchnote Process

Storyline Conference Sketchnotes

Memorable Quotes

“The best thing you can you can learn in school is how to learn! The principles of learning remain the same, regardless of the medium”

“As a designer, a lot of times you can arrive at a solution by limiting yourself”

“How do I accept this journey I’m on, and make the best of it, and see the value and lessons of it, so you’re ready when someone else runs in to a similar situation”

Click to subscribe on iTunes

Listen to the Interview

Where to find Mike

Resources

Help Story Signals hit iTunes New & Noteworthy!

Want to help Story Signals hit the front page of iTunes podcasts? Here are 2 quick ways to help, and they all point to the same place.

  1. If you think Story Signals is deserving, leave a 5 star rating on iTunes. Click here, and click “View in iTunes” – “Reviews & Ratings” – “Write a Review” (see the screenshots)
  2. Share with a friend! I would be very appreciate of your recommendations to family, friends, and social networks. If you mention me, Matt Ragland, or Story Signals on Twitter, I’ll be sure and retweet the share! Just share StorySignals.com or StorySignals.com/itunes.

Story Signals Episode 3: Jia Jiang teaches us about overcoming the fear of rejection

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Jia-WebJia Jiang is a blogger, speaker, and soon-to-be-author, focusing on overcoming fear and rejection. His talks at TED and World Domination Summit have been viewed over 100,000 times, and his blog FearBuster.com helps people overcome their fear of rejection every single day.

Click to subscribe on iTunes

I saw Jia speak at Storyline Conference in Nashville, and knew I wanted to have him on the show. Fear is definitely something we all struggle with, and fear of rejection especially! When we take a risk, we are putting our ego on the line, and people can reject us. The question becomes “are you secure enough to absorb rejection?”

The biggest takeaway from Jia’s story is how he believes a fear of rejection closes us off from what the world has to offer. Here’s the quote:

“I felt rejection was so scary, but then people started saying yes. I realized if I started opening myself up to the world, the world would open itself to me”

Another interesting aspect we talk about is the physical and psychological effect of fear. Did you know that when you begin to experience anxiety (fear) on perceived rejection, your body begins to react as if the rejection has already taken place! In fact, research has shown that our rejection and pain receptors share neurocognitive substrates, simply meaning they’re linked in important ways.

Throughout his 100 Days of Rejection, Jia realized that people were not out to reject him. In fact, many people wanted to join in for the adventure! This was the case when Jia asked Jackie to make the Olympic Rings using Krispy Kreme donuts. What happened next was a little bit more than he expected!

Not only did Jackie want to come along in the adventure, she got back in touch with Jia nine days later to let him know she had perfected the design!

Stories like this exist everywhere, we simply need to be willing to open ourselves up to the world, so the world can open itself up to us!

Jia’s favorite quote is from the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. In the scene, Will Smith’s character has just told his young son that the dream of playing pro basketball isn’t very realistic. His son quickly loses interest in the shoot-around, and Dad realizes he’s made a mistake. He tells his son,

Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something, not even me. You gotta dream, you gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.

Now, maybe we can’t all play pro sports, but there are dreams within all of us that we’ve been told can’t work. I find the naysayers are usually attacking from a sense of regret over their own dreams left unrealized. So they try and keep you down. Don’t let them. You want something, go get it. Period.

Listen to the Interview

Where to find Jia

Jia’s Speaking

Other Resources

Help Story Signals hit iTunes New & Noteworthy!

Want to help Story Signals hit the front page of iTunes podcasts? Here are 2 quick ways to help, and they all point to the same place.

  1. If you think Story Signals is deserving, leave a 5 star rating on iTunes. Click here, and click “View in iTunes” – “Reviews & Ratings” – “Write a Review” (see the screenshots)
  2. Share with a friend! I would be very appreciate of your recommendations to family, friends, and social networks. If you mention me, Matt Ragland, or Story Signals on Twitter, I’ll be sure and retweet the share! Just share StorySignals.com or StorySignals.com/itunes.

What if We are the People We’ve been Waiting for?

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icon_9704In the past few months, I’ve reached to many well known speakers, writers, entrepreneurs; for two reasons.

1. Ask to help and/or assist

Whether I believed I could help with a website, blog, conference, or social media, I presented a few options and in many cases my offer was accepted.

2. I wanted to be in their club

More than a guest post, volunteer position, or even a job, I basically wanted to be in their club. The cool kids, the world-changers, the minimalists, the adventurers, and so on. I spent too much creative time thinking when I would receive the email or phone call saying I was in.

Sadly, I was still waiting to be picked.

In October, I was at Donald Miller’s Storyline Conference, and he was speaking about struggle and transformation. Donald had just moved to Nashville, and honestly he was a person I hoped would invite me into his club of cool guys and world-changers. I had a feeling (which I wasn’t paying attention to) I wouldn’t join his club, and then the thought struck me.

What if I’m the person I’ve been waiting for?

The thought was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. What if I’m the change, the leader, the one who helps people grow, develop, and make a difference? Instead of waiting to be picked, I plant my own stake in the ground and begin building, connecting, and helping others?

Story Signals is a public action towards picking myself. I’ve loved podcasts for a few years, and look up to podcasters like Pat Flynn, John Lee Dumas, Jeff Sanders, Cliff Ravenscraft, and others. Again, I hoped one day I would go to New Media Expo, high-five everyone, and talk about the cool stuff we’re doing. For me it’s hard to separate the affirmation of others  as a measuring stick for my work, and my meaning.

The decision to be the person you’ve been waiting for isn’t an egotistical choice, far from it! You are actually deciding to be who you really are, one action at a time. I’ve found it’s more egotistical to wait for someone to pick you! In the mindset of waiting to be picked, you’re in a constant fight of trying to measure up to someone else’s expectations, and consequently the qualifications of those you’re competing with. I can’t count how many times I looked at another person and thought “I’m better at what they’re doing than they are, why did they get picked?”

My experience since Storyline has also led me to try and figure out how to become that person, which has been wrought with frustration and shiny-object syndrome. Despite this, I believe I know how to change. The decision and resulting actions are possibly the most rewarding and challenging I’ve ever faced. Here’s the result of my findings.

Step 1: Decide what you’re going to do

Step 2: Start doing it

Step 3: Keep doing it

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Instead of trying to find the perfect match and be the perfect person, just start doing one of the things you really care about. Whatever IT is, IT won’t be perfect. Neither are you, your marriage, your kids, or the weather. I was and still am terrified the first few episodes of Story Signals will flop. That listeners will hear the sound quality, lack of cool music, filled pauses, and go somewhere else, laughing at me. But that doesn’t matter right now. What matters is shipping, putting my work on the line and continuing to grind. Because I can’t wait for someone to call me and tell me it’s good enough.

In the end, you must make a choice. Stop waiting for someone cool to call you up and invite you in to their secret club. It’s not going to happen. You are the person you’ve been waiting for.

So start acting like it.

P.S. – After writing this, I will email it to my list, post to social media, and promote it for several days. Each day, I will hope it goes viral, is retweeted by a cool person with lots of followers, and otherwise give me the satisfaction of being picked. This is natural, but I think the key is to not be consumed by the affirmation of others. You’re enough, and you’ll need to be reminded every day. You can be the person you’ve been waiting for.

Images designed by Ahmed Sagarwala  and Simple Icons for the Noun Project