There’s so much discussion about the struggle for folks to find work, to get a job. And beyond that how can we expect to find something we truly love to do that will also pay the bills?

In the process of planning The New Man Life online training which starts next week, I clarified the mindset — the way to view the world — that can make a huge difference.

But first, let’s highlight the mindset that is holding so many back. Ask yourself, does this sound familiar?

“I need to GET a job.”

“I need to GET money.”

“I need to GET customers/clients.”

The problem with this approach — the “getting” approach — is that it’s focus is solely on one thing. You getting something.

People — you and me and everyone else — pay for what they value. And most importantly, we are compensated when we provide that value.

But the opposite is true when we are taking or getting. Go ahead and read that last sentence again. I’ll wait.

So what if?

What if instead of looking to GET paid for being told what to do we looked for ways to PROVIDE value?

Hmmm.

Then the next question is…

How do we provide value?

We provide value when we…

— Solve a problem or provide a solution to a problem

— Save someone (or an organization) time, energy or money

When we’re solely focused on “getting” for ourselves then we’re listening for orders. It’s the voice that yells…

“Just tell me what to do!”

In that mindset we’re not listening for opportunities — for problems to solve, for time/energy/money to save.

We’re not aware of the squeaky wheels that need grease. We’re not aware of the opportunities masquerading as complaints from others.

So let’s define your professional value.

Spend some time listening. What are the problems out there that need solutions? How could you help someone (or an organization) save more time, energy and/or money?

How could the solutions to these challenges overlap with something you enjoy doing?

Beyond that, how could these solutions be meaningful and truly beneficial to others besides yourself?

This is the path to providing true value. And it may be easier to do than simply finding orders to follow.

Think of it this way. There are two guys competing for the same gig. One guy is waiting to be told what to do. The other is taking the initiative, finding opportunities to improve a situation.

Which one would you hire?

And when things get lean again — and they will — the guy who provides true value won’t be waiting to ‘get’ something. His trained awareness will find a way to provide it.

And people pay for what they truly value.

The New Man Life is Closing Doors Soon

As I mentioned, The New Man Life online training is starting next week and we’ll be discussing topics like this as well as…

– Avoiding life’s traps

– Getting out of ruts

– Relationships that hold you back or propel you forward

– Mindsets that define The New Man

– Practices and tips that actually work

Each week we’ll explore a topic in full and then open it up for group Q&A.

I’ll answer your questions live.

If you can’t make the call, they’ll be recorded.

And the best part is you can pick your price for the course.

Repeat — you can pick your price.

Click here to learn more about The New Man Life — it starts next Tuesday September 20th.

Talk soon,

Tripp

PS Again, the course starts next Tuesday on 9/20/11. Click here to register for The New Man Life.

Sounds strange, but sometimes it’s hard to tell when something is good or bad for us.

Consider this — there are two types of burns in your life.

The Good Burn — You’re at the gym. You’re working out. You’re pushing your edge. It’s uncomfortable. It’s difficult. It’s challenging. You’re huffing and puffing. You’re convinced that your lung is going to fall out of your mouth. It doesn’t.

AND in some ways it feels good. Afterwards there’s a smile. A sense of satisfaction. “I did it!” Even if you’re tired there’s greater energy. The tired is a “good” tired. You sleep better after The Good Burn.

The Good Burn is about growth.

It’s burning through the stuff that’s holding you back and making way for a greater possibility. The Good Burn brings confidence. The Good Burn expands your capacity to deal with intensity.

The Bad Burn — You’re working the grill. You space out. There’s a sizzling sound — your flesh is being torched. You lose skin and perhaps worse, dinner is delayed.

You are weakened. You lose money treating the burn. You are in pain long after the initial event. You continue to drain energy tending to this burn, working to help it heal. You stress. You beat yourself up. You lose sleep from The Bad Burn.

The Bad Burn takes away from who you are. The Good Burn contributes.

So what are The Good Burns in your life? What activities, what relationships challenge you to be a happier, more fulfilled version of you?

What are The Bad Burns in your life? What activities or relationships drain you and take away from who you really are?

Get to know what qualifies as The Good Burn for you. Be willing to take the heat from time to time.

Identify The Bad Burns and swiftly eliminate whomever or whatever they are from your life.

Tripp

PS If you’re not sure *how* to eliminate The Bad Burns in your life and want to orient your life around The Good Stuff then CLICK HERE to fill out a coaching questionnaire.

Podcast: Download

Do you feel you need to make a major life change but you don’t know what to do?

Are you scared to commit because you may fail or waste a lot of time and energy?

And what would it be like to ditch work to become a professional athlete?

This time we’re talking with Dan McLaughlin of The Dan Plan. He’s committed to practicing golf 10,000 hours over the next six years to become a PGA pro.

That’s six hours a day, six days a week for the next six years!

Listen as he discusses some ways that you can navigate the bumpy road of committing to a change.

In this interview:

• What is The Dan Plan?
• Does talent matter?
• What to do when there are no safe bets
• Wanting to make a change but not knowing what to do
• Does passion make a difference?
• One thing you can do everyday to change your life
• What separates the amateurs from the pros
• What’s driving you?

About Dan McLaughlin and The Dan Plan

WHAT IS THE DAN PLAN?

It’s a project in transformation. An experiment in potential and possibilities. Through 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice,” Dan, who currently has minimal golf experience, plans on becoming a professional golfer. But the plan isn’t really about golf: through this process, Dan hopes to prove to himself and others that it’s never too late to start a new pursuit in life.

WHO IS DAN?

Dan is an average man by most standards. He’s a 30-year-old commercial photographer with no previous experience as a competitive athlete, nor is he in particularly good physical condition. Dan is slightly under average height and weight, has never played a full 18 holes of golf, and has only been to a driving range a handful of times. He’s not even sure if he’s a left-or right-handed golfer. Dan currently resides in Portland, Oregon.

WHY?

Through his journey Dan hopes to inspire others to start exploring the possibilities life affords them. Though his isn’t an easy endeavor and is quite possibly impossible, if it inspires even one person to quit their day job and find happiness in their own plan, then the Dan Plan is a success.

THE DETAILS

On April 5th, 2010, Dan quit his day job as a commercial photographer and began The Dan Plan. Logging in 30-plus hours a week he will hit the 10,000 hour milestone by November of 2015. During this time, Dan plans to develop his skills through deliberate practice, eventually winning amateur events and obtaining his PGA Tour card through a successful appearance in the PGA Tour’s Qualifying School, or “Q-School”.

THE THEORY

Talent has little to do with success. According to research conducted by Dr. K. Anders Ericsson, Professor of Psychology at Florida State University, “Elite performers engage in ‘deliberate practice’–an effortful activity designed to improve target performance.” Dr. Ericsson’s studies, made popular through Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers and Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated, have found that in order to excel in a field, roughly 10,000 hours of “stretching yourself beyond what you can currently do” is required. “I think you’re the right astronaut for this mission,” Dr. Ericsson said about The Dan Plan.

Click here to visit Dan’s site.