Another flight
Another flight, another what am I doing moment. What is going on with me? Is there something mentally wrong?
Yes, I will (btw, I am typing with only my right hand as my neighbor is a tall dude and his elbow are in my rib cage) be the first to acknowledge I need help. I know my purpose and my passion for building a Multi-Million Dollar business. Do you want to do the same?
Most of the pieces I write, including five books, nobody reads. I want to help many of you with my stories, but if I can’t get others to read my content, I might as well give up being a writer.
I should realize that I want to be a full-time podcaster at this juncture. But do people download my episodes?
Let me say, yes, a few people do read my stuff and download the podcast. Don’t worry. There is an eventual point. We are not there yet.
Today I am flying to Baltimore, Maryland, for the day job. My mind and tummy want crabcakes. It’s the small things in life to make work tolerable.
My wife, Ann, is my spiritual guru. She helped guide me to finding my faith. She is also responsible for changing my mindset regarding my travel. Let me ask you a question. Are you happy with the job you do? I will say that I am not. My wife has infused a mantra into me when I feel sorry for myself. “I get to…” is the phrase. It can be “I get to travel to a new place.” I get to coach and train new people.” Understanding where I am going?
Today is no different. I get to travel to the east coast. Sure it is on a Saturday, but I get to eat crabcakes tonight for dinner, hopefully.
Let me try and find a point to help serve you.
In my opinion, we all have a purpose while we are spending time on this planet. What is your goal? Are you doing a job that gets you out of bed each day? Would you do this job for less money? What is a dream that you want to make a reality?
You and I are not guaranteed tomorrow. Let me be honest here and a bit morbid. The plane I am sitting in could lose its battle with gravity. Picking up what I am throwing down? I will ask you again. What is it you would rather do starting now? Yes, now!
This week, two events reshaped my life and made a massive impact on how I will make a change in my business.
Before I go into the two events, I want to talk to you about my so-called business briefly. An excellent book called “The One Thing” by Gary Keller. The premise of the book is all about just focusing on one thing. For example, my business is called “Blending The Family,” and the one thing I focus on is a podcast. The podcast offers me a platform to not just talk to experts in their fields, but I can talk about my books or even when and where I am doing a talk. My purpose is to make the podcast (my one thing) a full-time money-driving business.
Does the One Thing concept make sense?
The first event was along the lines of my podcast. I am not comfortable with video. However, I did a video podcast with my friend Freddy. The topic, and there will be more of these, was “Why Are We Friends?” I watched a video with author Simon Sinek about the topic of why are our friends our friends? Freddy was super kind to be the first. Even with a very ugly cold sore on my lip, I felt that we not only showed why we are friends, but my hope is to spark your conversations with your friends on why you two are friends. Because of this experience, I now want to do more videos.
The second event was binge-watching a show on Netflix. I am not a big TV watcher. I enjoy watching documentaries because they can be educational. Plus, hockey is essentially the only thing I view. The show I stumbled upon is David Lettermen’s talk show. Lettermen asks excellent questions. His command of the English language makes me want to be a better human. Letterman has inspired me to keep moving forward with my low-budget podcast. I love learning about people and what drives them. When guests come on my podcast and are open, it makes for great conversation. Maybe I can one day create a good enough show to inspire others as much as Letterman does that to me.
My thought is that Letterman is living his purpose.
As the plane is hurling above 35,000 feet (give or take), my thought of “I get to train people on a new product, my motivation for you and I is about a means to an end.
If you are not happy with the day job, I will not tell you to quit. Instead, I will have you think about creating an “Exit Strategy?” What are small steps that you can do each day to get you walking out of a day job and into the reason to get up each day without an alarm?
· You could post a blog or even a micro-blog (less than 500 words) on a topic you want to share.
· Use Tik Tok to share a cooking tip.
· Are you using LinkedIn to spotlight your knowledge of leadership?
I genuinely hate sitting in an airplane on a Saturday, headed to do work. What can I do to produce content that I hope will serve others? I write. I write in the plane. Is there a movie I would rather watch? Honestly, no.
As I am writing this, I am waiting for a delivery. I’m not talking about a standard type delivery like dog food (actually, our dog Otis is getting a delivery of dog food and treats today), but my new book “My Dad’s Advice At 5:04 AM” is set to come out and I am getting the physical proof copy of the book. I mention this for two reasons. First, it is part of my exit strategy from the day job. The second is part of my purpose.
The ultimate daily schedule for me goes a little like this (what is yours?):
The previous night have the coffee ready to go.
5:30 AM; get up (yes, without an alarm).
5:45 AM pour a big cup of coffee and walk downstairs to my office. Have Echo Dot play meditation music.
Read “The Daily Stoic” by Ryan Holiday.
Write in one of my three journals (yes, three). The first is a journal I write about why I am grateful for Ann’s wife. Once that journal is completed and finished, I will gift it to her. The second journal is where I write three (sometimes more) of what I am grateful for. The third is a journal where I do a brain dump. What are the thoughts I need to get onto paper?
I am ready for my second cup of coffee. Thank you, and I drink my coffee black if you are still reading this.
My goal is to have the writing done by 6:50 AM MT because I want to hear DJ Buhler with his breakfast beats on Sirius XM channel 33.
We only have one car, so I would take my wife to work by 8 AM. After dropping her off, our dog Otis and I go to the dog park. He plays, and I walk. The dog park is my happy place. My anxiety is nonexistent at the dog park.
We can at times spend two hours at the park.
Are you now wanting to figure out your schedule? Instead, wouldn’t you set your schedule vs. someone else doing it for you? Did I mention I am traveling on a Saturday? But, hold on, I get to.
We are getting near to where the tray table and seats need to be in an upright position. I do feel there is something mentally wrong with me. I say that for the sake that I have made many poor decisions regarding my career. Are you like me and want to be your own boss? Let me pose a couple of questions to you.
· Why do we attend a job that makes us so unhappy?
· What makes us keep looking and applying for the same type of job that we do not enjoy?
Here is my want for you. Please Grab a pen and paper. Write down these three questions and answer them in a quiet place. When you are done, please let me know when you answer them by emailing me at tommy@blendingthefamily.com
· What is your purpose?
· What is the schedule you want to create?
I am off to find some crabcakes; I should say, I get to look for crabcakes.
Tommy Maloney is the Executive producer and host of the podcast Blending The Family, where you can find Apple Podcasts, Iheart Radio, Spotify, and Stitcher Radio.
Tommy has spoken at TEDx, Ignite Fort Collins, and Keynote Speaker at the Everything Dad Convention. He even has won speaking awards through Toastmasters International.
The author of the book “25 Tips For Divorced Dads.” “Why not you, Why Not Me” and His new book, “My Dad’s Advice At 5:04 AM,” are coming out in November 2021. He has written for magazines: The Good Men Project, Modern Gladiator, and Nurture Magazine. Plus, he has been a guest writer.
Tommy enjoys a good red blend while writing or hiding from the family. A dad to Betsy, Becca, Connor, and Duke (RIP), Otis. A husband to Ann.
