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Hey friend,
This newsletter is a way to stay in touch with readers, updating you on what I’m up to (and hearing about what’s going on in your world).
I recently got back from a series of gigs in Florida and Chicago, where I was able to connect with some of you who came out for the various events at which I was speaking. Thanks! Always great to see you. If I’m in your area for an upcoming trip, give me a shout, and let’s try to meet!
Speaking of travel, I tend to think of life as a journey these days far more than a destination. If I could summarize what I believe about almost everything in life, it would be this:
Clarity comes with action.
This is harder than it sounds. Do I quit my job or not? Do we make that big move or stay here another year? Do I take the risk, letting go of my fears of what I want, or is that selfish? How do you know what the next step is? The wisest people I’ve met have all said the same thing: You don’t. You may have an intuition, a sense of what should be. But there is no absolute clarity. Fear is always strongest before the first step.
As I wrote in a popular post on Medium, “When your calling seems vague and unclear, you’re on the right track.” We all want to be told “this is the way; go do this.” But life doesn’t work that way. If you’re feeling lost and directionless, the good news is that this means you are in the midst of an incredible story called your life.
When we embrace the mystery of life and start taking action, we will soon see others follow in our footsteps. This is all leadership is: the willingness to take the first step. You don’t need to be the best or the smartest or even the most unique. You just need to go first—like this random guy on a park bench who started belting out Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” and got an entire park to sing along. All he did was start singing. Maybe you and I can do the same.
The truth is we don’t need a lot of people to pay attention. We don’t need the whole world to listen to our message. We just need to find a tribe of true fans, a group much smaller than we think it needs to be. In a recent interview with Brian Clark on his podcast “7-figure Small,” I shared how I thought I needed millions of fans to make an impact when it turns out, I only needed a hundred. When we get clear on what we really want, we realize we don’t need much to get there. This is the gift of intention.
Speaking of which, my “100-person project” is going great so far. I’m still looking for a few more people who want to go deeper, whether that’s helping grow an online audience, start a message-based business, or publish a book. Let me know if you have some idea brewing that you think might be a good fit. Meanwhile, I'll be sharing a few upcoming projects including registration for a writing program I’m teaching later this month.
Oh, and speaking of books, my first ghostwriting project (authored by Grant Baldwin) comes out next week. If you have aspirations of speaking for income or impact, you’re not going to want to miss this one. The Successful Speaker comes out February 18. Check it out here.
Best,
Jeff
P.S. If you do pre-order The Successful Speaker, Grant has a ton of free bonuses for you, including a free copy of the audiobook.
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