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Daily Boost — Motivation and Personal Growth — Education
Daily Boost — Motivation and Personal Growth

The Daily Boost is a weekday personal growth podcast for adults who live in the real world and want real results.

Welcome to the School of Scott!

About 10 minutes a day. No canned content, no recycled material — host Scott Smith and his practical way of understanding how life, business, and the world actually work.

Some days he’ll pump you up. Some days he’ll make you think. Some days you’ll love him. Some days you’ll wonder why you listened. Every day, you’ll know exactly what they call him: the nicest renegade you’ll ever meet.

Smile. Nod. Change everything. That’s the code.

If you played by the rules. If you built a good life — career, business, relationships. If you decided you want more. The Daily Boost is your show.

Topics include personal growth, motivation, purpose, decisions, work, money, relationships, time, and keeping your head straight when things get complicated.

20 years. 5,000+ episodes. 130+ million downloads worldwide.

Every day, the School of Scott is in session with a new episode that stands on its own. It’s always real, and occasionally pretty funny — because if you can’t laugh, what’s the point?

Copyright: © Copyright 2024 • Motivation To Move, LLC • All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Latest Episodes:

Are Good Intentions Enough? Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

Are Good Intentions Enough?

Do you get out of bed every day, plant your feet on the ground, and start getting things done?

Do you do it with intention?

If you take a minute, you’ll notice the happiest, most successful, and content people live a life of intention. But having an intention is not a magical force reserved for the special few. It implies little more than what you plan to bring about in your life - something I was about to do.

In the months after meeting my future wife, I realized an intention was emerging in my mind. With every passing day, that intention transformed into a goal. Soon, I had a plan along with a timeline. I became obsessed and was on a mission to succeed.

I had, as they say, “Good intentions.”

But more than good intentions is needed to get what you want. In my case, I knew where I was heading; Joi was only beginning to understand what was on my mind. That’s when she asked -

“So, Mr. Smith. What are your intentions, exactly?”

Without missing a beat, I said -

“My intentions are simple. I will do everything possible to get you to fall in love, marry me, and spend the rest of our lives together.”

Her jaw dropped. She smiled, took a sip of wine, and said -

“Well, we’ll keep going and see what happens.”

What? We’ll see how things go! I already know where this is going. Why do we need to wait? I know my intention, and I’m to get it!

Of course, I didn’t say any of that to her.

Yes, getting what you want in life requires knowing your intentions. The next step is to transform them into goals and actions. But you and your dreams are not living on an isolated island. If others are involved, you must let them know what you have on your mind.

But, because you said your intention, does that mean you will get what you want?

No. It means that you now have a partner in your quest. Your intentions are about to merge, and if all goes well, your actions will create success for everybody.

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Automatically Motivate Yourself Apr 03, 2024

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Automatically Motivate Yourself

Over the years, I’ve learned there is one trait responsible for holding people back. While it lives at the front of your mind and affects everything you do, it is also invisible.

You are too vague in your vision.

When most people build a successful life, they often do so with a lack of clarity or precise vision of their future. They have a vague idea. The Universe kicks in gear, an opportunity arrives, and life is good and satisfying—until it’s not.

A day will come when you desire something more. You may find yourself stuck behind an obstacle of indecision and frustration. Confused, lacking direction, fearful, and seeking the motivation that will drive you forward. It will feel as if there is a cloudy haze over your future with no clear path to success—and no motivation to go for it.

But there is no need to worry.

Another day will dawn. You will realize that a general and non-specific approach to your future is not the fuel that will power you. Being too vague doesn’t build a vision.

A time will come when you choose to be specific in your wants, needs, and desires. You will seek absolute clarity and turn your head away from anything that doesn’t provide a clear path. It may take time, but you will discover your first step. When you do, magic will happen.

On the day that you define what you want, vagueness will disappear. Your new focus will create excitement and will manifest into automatic motivation. You will move toward your new experience.

If you want something different in life, clearly and precisely express what that means to you. When you do, you will strike gold in time and be off and running on your new adventure automatically.

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Are You Focused on The Wrong Things? Apr 02, 2024

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Are You Focused on The Wrong Things?

Have you ever found yourself setting out on a big mission yet not being able to define what you want?

When I was a young man, I trained in journalism as part of my broadcast career. Radio stations would send me to the local town meetings and political events. Anything newsworthy. My job was to write a story and deliver it on the air, and I thought I was doing a great job - until my boss called me into his office. He wanted to know why I wasn't getting to the critical part of the story faster. He said I was distracting from what was important.

In my mind, I was doing no such thing.

I told the story how it sounded best in my mind, but nobody was listening long enough to hear what I had to say. All these years later, I've learned the "I want to get more out of life" crowd does the same thing.

Recently, I spoke with a client when I realized she was very good at shifting to the unimportant—finding more time, learning more, and getting more advice. Even cleaning the garage was more important. In the middle of her wandering story, I stopped her,

"Why are you avoiding what is most important to you? Cut to the chase, say what you want, and go do it."

Her response came with a few tears.

"I thought I was talking about what is most important. Now I realize I'm telling myself a story that is comforting and sounds good to in my mind."

She is burying the lead in journalistic terms, busying herself with secondary details, and growing frustrated.

How does this relate to improving your life?

Do you say, "I can't focus?" Nope. You are focusing on the wrong things.

Do you say, "I can't get myself moving?" Truth? You are moving - in the wrong direction.

Do you say, "I don't have enough money?" Wrong again. What you need is more money!

If something is important to you, give it the honor, respect, and focus it deserves. Lose the drama, get to the point, and start getting what you want right now.

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One Thing Turns Dreams Into Reality Apr 01, 2024

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One Thing Turns Dreams Into Reality

Do you have long-held dreams and goals that require little motivation to get yourself moving?

Laura and I have worked together for over a decade on various projects. Her latest was a move from a long-time career into something she was in which she was more passionate. After several months, her dream transformed into a goal. The roadmap was in place. Action was the only thing needed to turn dreams into reality, and nothing happened.

Months passed by with little or no action. Life seemed to always get in the way of Laura's dreams. When I asked what was going on, she said,

"Oh… I don't know. I always seem to have something more important on my mind."

That's common, and what John Lennon meant when he said, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."

Over the years, people tend to ACT and DO what serves them best. All while dreaming and planning what they want. It's an exhausting way to live, but you can set yourself free by asking yourself a simple question -

"How bad do I want it?"

Truthfully, answering that question will do one of two things. It will propel you into action or have no impact at all. If you find yourself motivated and moving, all is well. If not, you have another question to ask -

"If I don't want it that bad, should I drop it and move on?"

Everybody has ideas and dreams that enter their mind throughout their lives. The important tend to cause automatic forward action. Your life transforms, and everything begins to go in a new direction.

For the others, you may want to consider that it's not as important to you as you thought. The best thing is to get your ego out of the way, scratch it off your list, and make room for something that excites you. When you do, incredible new opportunities that have been hiding from you for years will enter your life.

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Remove Your Fear of Change Mar 29, 2024

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Remove Your Fear of Change

I woke up this morning with the realization that a life-changing event was looming in my future. I needed to wrap my head around the mindset adjustments I would need to make before changing my mind and running the other way.

All of us have made decisions that, if we did, would change our world overnight.

Are you heading off to school for the first time? Are you getting married after being single forever? Could it be accepting a new job in a strange town?

It doesn't matter how excited you are. It doesn't matter how well you have justified your upcoming change. It doesn't matter how adventurous your spirit is. Life-changing decisions can feel like you’re launching on a mission to mars without your space suit.

But there's one thing I know for sure -

Life is all about getting from where you are today to where you will be tomorrow. It's the transformation from what you have to what you could have that excites growth in our lives.

So, what is that uncomfortable feeling that you have in your gut?

Every one of us views ourselves as who we are on the inside—our identity. Since life is real and the future is not realized, feeling apprehensive is a natural response.

What you need is a "Transitional Identity" to get you from today to tomorrow.

"I've always been a hometown person, and now I'm learning to become a citizen of the world."

"I've always been single, but I'm becoming the best relationship person I can be. My future spouse deserves that."

"I've never climbed this high on the corporate ladder; now I'm becoming the leader everybody deserves."

Transitional Identities are a simple way to ease the fear of the unknown—even if it's self-inflicted.

As your future becomes more accurate, your Transitional Identity will transition you into a new life, and you will become a new you.

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Calculating Your Success Mar 28, 2024

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Calculating Your Success

You have big dreams, and you've set your goals. Filled with excitement and setting your fears aside, you are off and running toward your success, but it's more complicated than you thought it would be.

What's going on?

That was the question on my client's mind when I stopped by for a visit. His new business was growing but slower than expected, and he was beginning to wonder if his dreams would come true. Stress was high, and time and money were running out.

Having seen these situations before, I decided to walk him through three questions that, while they would have been better answered before starting the business, there was still time.

My first question was, "How long will it take you to learn the skills required to succeed? Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, anything and everything needed to run a successful business. Everything takes time, and you need to be able to survive the learning time.

Next, I wanted to know how long he would churn and work at the goal. Was he committed for as long as it takes, or was there a set deadline? Building momentum in anything can be exhausting. How long can you keep going?

I saved the most important question for last.

How long will it take until you burn through your resources? Cash, credit lines, free rent on your building, favors from friends and family? Knowing the answer to that question can be humbling and scary, but it can also set you free.

After several hours of our learn, churn, and burn conversation, he could pinpoint exactly how long they had to reach their goal. With a definite timeline, the entire team focused their energy on the minimal viable actions that would achieve success and fit their schedule. Within months, they reached their goal and have enjoyed a successful business.

Whether you own a business or not, any worthwhile project has a far better chance of success when you are realistic about the process before you get started.

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Identify Opportunities From Obstacles Mar 27, 2024

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Identify Opportunities From Obstacles

When you boil it down, all the activities that keep you busy every day lead to one destination—happiness.

It doesn't take a scientist to figure out that none of us are chasing misery.

But what happens when you have too many options and keep choosing those that throw you off course?

My dog, Levi, and I have had a standing appointment with Mindy for years. She's a dog agility world champion and knows a thing or two about training champions. She's also very good at teaching us to negotiate a field of obstacles successfully while running as fast as we can.

When we begin to run a course, we aim to complete it as fast as possible with no mistakes. Follow the numbers from lowest to highest correctly, and everything will end well.

But life gets in the way, even in dog agility.

Mindy is an expert at setting traps designed to distract and pull us off course. Since a dog can't read numbers, I must discriminate between the correct and the false path. The wrong choice will cause us to go off course and not reach our goal.

If you live an active, growth-oriented life, you will encounter distractions. Many are placed in front of you by well-meaning people. They look like opportunities. In reality, they are obstacles that will cause you to veer off course—potentially for years.

You will go off course if you take a job that is not aligned with your goals.

If you negotiate a deal on a new home that leaves you underwater, you are off course from the start.

If you enter into a relationship that doesn't match your values, you will have no numbers to follow.

Setting well-defined goals is the first step in knowing the difference between opportunities and obstacles. It is a skill that will serve you well.

Everybody heads down the wrong path from time to time. It takes time to recover. The fewer times you do that, the faster you reach your goals.

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Life Changes When You Are Most Tired Mar 26, 2024

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Life Changes When You Are Most Tired

Many have said, "Life is a marathon, not a sprint."

But what happens when you find yourself doing both at the same time?

If you've been living on this planet for any length of time, you've figured out life is a long game made of day-to-day sprints.

If you want a big bank balance, you make small deposits over time.

If you want to lose weight, you make small reductions over time.

If you want to get a promotion at your job, you do well every day.

The challenge happens when you have yet to define the marathon you are running. A lack of a specific goal can only lead to daily activity that may or may not get you to your destination. If that happens to you, you may feel worn out, frustrated, and wondering when things will turn around.

There's good news. That kind of thinking means that you are on the right track to success.

Certain stamina is required to reach any goal, and society today celebrates one's ability to put in the hard work no matter what.

There's only one problem.

If it's not working for you, it's not sustainable behavior. Sooner or later, you will decide to make a change - usually abruptly.

Here's the truth: you will change when you wear yourself out.

Reluctant, fearful, or hard-headed, you will put up with a less-than-satisfying life path for so long.

When you've had enough, even if the timing is not perfect, you will change when you wear yourself out.

You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it.

So, what's the fix?

The marathon we call life will continue until it doesn't, and there are three things you can do to make it better.

The first is to define your destination with clarity.

Next, match your daily activity with your goals.

Finally, accept that if things don't go your way, you're going to change directions anyway.

You will change when you wear yourself out.

Just skip the bad stuff, adjust, and get to the good stuff right now. There's no need to wait.

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Recovering When You Feel Lost Mar 25, 2024

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Recovering When You Feel Lost

When life gets in the way, it can be challenging to know what to do next. No matter how motivated you are to achieve your goal.

Thinking like a Pilot can save the day when that happens.

A few years ago, I was a 150-hour pilot. I was flying a Cessna 172 to pick up my daughter for a weekend visit from the University of Florida—a trip I've made a dozen times. It had been an uneventful flight, then, about 15 minutes from landing, it happened…

Maybe it was the heat of the day or the drone of the engine. In any case, I had the sensation that I had no idea where I was. I could see the airport in front of me, so I was aware of the situation. But I had no idea how to get to where I wanted to go. It was a terrifying feeling.

Knowing I had to call the Tower in minutes, I turned to my training and followed three rules that any pilot knows will get them back on track.

The first is to continue to fly the airplane and stay safe. That may sound simple, but how many times have you wanted to cover your eyes and hide when things got challenging?

The second is to break through your confusion and figure out where you are on your journey. If you can keep yourself stable, you'll have time to snap out of any momentary rough spot and get focused.

The third rule is to communicate with people who can help. With only a few minutes before entering the airspace illegally, I called Tower and said,

"I'm a low-hour pilot, a little South of the field, and I am confused. There's no emergency, but I could use some guidance."

That simple commutation gave Air Traffic Control everything they needed. In minutes, they lined me up on the runway, and I impressed them with a perfect landing.

"Not a bad landing for a lost pilot," they said.

All I could do was laugh and be grateful.

Sure, my ego took a hit. But I learned a lesson, picked up my daughter, and had a great flight home.

Aviate. Navigate. Communicate. It'll get you there every time.

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A Different Way of Planning Mar 22, 2024

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A Different Way of Planning

I was on the phone with a client this morning when he said, ”I don’t know why I have such a hard time planning my day-to-day stuff. I want my day to be easier!”

I get it. Everybody does. And to make that happen, you need a mindset shift.

First to consider is that non-stop and continuous planning of every task every day is exhausting. It only adds another level of stress to your day.

Instead, planning should be done occasionally with a broader focus on the short, medium, and long term. The goal is NOT to spend your life planning. It is creating containers where you plan to do your work or play.

Once you have your containers, you load them with goals and tasks and get them done. When things require adjustments, make another plan.

Make your plan and work your plan. Don’t keep changing things. That’s how you get what you want.

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