2-Per-Specht-ives

What has got 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast host Joshua Specht “almost ready to swear”? It has to do with him and co-host David Specht talking about getting people to commit. Have you committed to the goal you set last week? Why or why not? Let the father and son duo dive into how a commitment is merely a decision that above all else, you're going to stay the course. Your generational lesson: Commitment doesn't mean having everything figured out, it's knowing you can't stay where you are now, so you decide to take the next step. “Commitment” is a promise, a sequence of choices to act on something for yourself, or someone else, and not stray from it. How do people hype up their promise one day and then lose motivation almost the next? Failure happens because a new commitment seems easily attainable. The problem is when that commitment requires you to continue the process. If you want to commit, you have to build yourself up, it doesn't mean doing it right away. Car salespeople are taught to not let the customer leave the lot, and seize upon their impulse to commit. But, if that car gets repossessed then it's a failure of the salesperson because he/she shouldn't have sold you the car knowing you don't have the finances for it. When helping someone commit, realize it's about them. You have to meet them where they are and mitigate as many negatives as possible…but having the right mindset is essential. Helping someone navigate commitment means letting them know that life change is not easy, you are going to be with that person every step of the way, but not letting them commit until he/she is ready. Communicate your commitment and goal to the important people in your life so they can hold you accountable. And, you have to be okay with being called on your failings and failure to follow through.  But know that when you take a stand based on a commitment, you will lose certain people in your life. And, that is okay, but if they can't support you then they get limited access to you and your life.

Ring in the New Year with the 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast! You father and son hosts, David and Joshua Specht, talk about how to show up differently in 2022 versus 2021. The pair rip apart the notion of a New Year's Resolution and discuss how to rebuild it in the form of a goal that can inspire you to better yourself and those depending on you. Your generational lesson: A resolution is nothing more than a wish. Set a goal instead because it has a backbone with a deadline and necessary milestones. Resolutions suck. That's probably why we never achieve them. But why? Because resolutions are vague. So, change your New Year's Resolutions into goals. A goal has effective steps on how to reach them. Break it down into a deadline with benchmarks to hit along the way. Change your environment to hit the goal, not change yourself to achieve the resolution. You can have the same goal as last year, but the vehicles to get there may have changed since last year. For example: We cannot count on our society returning to the way things were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses change their goals and pivot to accomplish it. That means having to supplement your pay by developing new revenue streams. Make sure your goals have an impact on your family. It applies good pressure by creating a sense of responsibility to not let them down. If you show up for people or a cause bigger than yourself, you'll succeed more often than not. Here are some action steps to achieve that New Year's Goal: Have a goal that you physically write down. Set a deadline and put them on/in your calendar. Break your goal down into as many small tasks. Know that a goal takes time and is not a straight line. Recognize it's all about progress.

This week's 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast hosts, David and Joshua Specht, ask, “What the Health?” and tackle the vaccine issue. The father and son duo don't answer whether you should or shouldn't get the COVID-19 vaccination, but they look at it from the underlying health issue to see how the right health decisions can help you no matter where you stand on getting the shot. Your generational lesson: If you couple a healthy lifestyle with the vaccine or not getting the vaccine, the outcomes will be better than if you don't put the proper nutrition in your body.  Your Gen. X Advice: There is no medical solution to a lack of health. You can't medicate yourself to health.  Your Gen. Z Advice: You need to make a decision about the future of your health, and/or remind yourself of your motivation to stay healthy. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that health matters now more than it ever has. The lack of health is shutting down businesses and keep kids out of school. This entire pandemic can be overcome, but something else will come along if we don't prioritize health as a society. Underlying health issues are crucial when it comes to dealing with COVID, and there are issues you can control. For example, David started a program with his wife and the pair lost 180 lbs. combined.  Whether you get the vaccine or not, overall healthiness sets you up to deal with and come back from diseases like COVID-19 more quickly. That is why we need to do everything possible so that our bodies can withstand this disease, to the best of its ability.  People who take care of themselves, do things that boost their immune system. A lot of the adverse effects of COVID coincides with an unhealthy lifestyle.  You can do that by finding a community that holds you accountable and offers support for you to make healthy decisions. Be open and honest about your choices. And you need to have the strength to stay committed to your health — that means making the harder, more expensive choices that positively impact your health.

This week's 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast sees father and son hosts, David and Joshua Specht, coaching you on how not to be paralyzed by making a decision.  Any big decision in your life will cause discomfort and tension as well as sacrifices, but growth and progress doesn't happen without making a decision. David and Josh will share their stories about major decisions in their lives to help you take that leap. Your generational lesson: Make a decision with what you want to be in mind, don't go into a decision without a purpose. Then act on that decision.  Your Gen. X Advice: You have to make the decision AND THEN take the action that leads you into your purpose. It takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to go against the grain.  Your Gen. Z Advice: At the end of the day, decisions are on you. Whether you're a young adult trying to figure things out or a grown adult changing your life, you have to make tough, unexpected decisions.   Josh made major decisions in his early life — he decided not to attend college without a goal. He then decided to enter the workforce and head up a cell phone and electronics repair business, before deciding to learn how to manage a newspaper. Although the further he gets along from graduating high school, he moves further away from actually going to college. But after running a business for four years, he learned more than he would have getting a business degree from a college. In the end, he's incredibly thankful he chose this path, because he saw so many people go into college because they felt forced to, without a purpose, and washed out. Now, they're where he was after high school. For David, his generation was expected to go to college. Most of his peers would get a degree, work decades for a large company, then retire. He learned early on in his college career that he wasn't a fit for college and to avoid his father's wrath, he then decided to join the Air Force.  Those lessons taught him skills he would need in the workforce and gave him a platform to enter the workforce, where he would later decide to start and lead his own businesses. His second decision came when his health suffered. He chose to eat food he couldn't stand at first, but over time that food became more tolerable until he liked all those foods he hated. He then lost well over 100 lbs, got off medicine, and took control of his life.  Learn more about their motivations and tips for deciding how to make your own Decision.

Do you have a friend who is constantly consumed with drama and wants your advice but ignores it? Do you have an employee who asks 1 million questions about their job, but never has a solution?  Then you, my friend, have an Ask Hole.  In this week's 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast, David and Joshua Specht apply their generational knowledge to help you deal with Ask Hole friends and coworkers. Your generational lesson: It's okay to ask questions, but Ask Holes who constantly ask and don't heed advice require straight forwardness on your answer, limited access to you and your bandwidth, training and assessment, and possibly even termination. Your Gen. X Advice: You can't have Ask Holes that require micromanaging in your business because then you will never scale beyond your current situation. Your Gen. Z Advice: To help the Ask Hole who constantly asks questions for every minor detail, you have to put it back on them and ask, “What would you do?”  Trying to legitimately help an Ask Hole and having your advice ignored, or even seeing them do the exact opposite, is infuriating. Here are steps to avoid the frustration that comes with Ask Holes: Shut it down — If the Ask Hole doesn't take your advice, you have to shut them down. You gave your best input and if they don't acknowledge it, then you have to save your mental brain power. Be straightforward without being rude — If the Ask Hole won't heed your advice, you have to tell them not to waste your time by repeatedly asking the same question and not accepting your answer. Are they really an Ask Hole? — Every business has some specific things to it that requires knowledge, so it takes seven interactions to assess whether they really don't know or are an Ask Hole. Train your people — Tell the Ask Hole you don't need questions, you need solutions. You're not asking them to have all the answers, but they need to exhaust all other options and be open to your solution before asking. Are you an Ask Hole? — If you're the Ask Hole, you need to step back, take the time to think things through, and trust yourself to have the confidence to solve problems. It's okay to ask questions, but at some point you need to start building your own knowledge and creating your own solutions.

This episode of the 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast has father and son hosts, David and Joshua Specht, crossing the generational divide to discuss the importance of creating a positive work environment. The pair dive into how work environments affect morale and productivity, how to change your environment for the better, and even what that means in a post COVID-19 pandemic world. Your generational lesson: You can change your environment by finding out what is important to you, creating daily routines, removing obstacles, and being consistent in effort. Your Gen. X Advice: Setting an environment isn't a switch you flip, it's a process. And, understand that process can change over time. Your Gen. Z Advice: Create a routine, because your routine is what creates your attitude. By creating a routine in your environment, it helps to make that environment more welcoming. Your environment around you has an affect on not only your morale and productivity but the people around you or in your workplace. That can mean what you have on your shelves in your office and seeing weeds growing around the building outside to atmosphere like sounds and smells permeating your business. People get stuck in their own environment and that can limit your progress, and the more you're in the same environment, the less you notice the flaws. You should want to have an environment that creates a sense of momentum, that gives the impression that things are happening. Changing your workplace environment is about being strategic to give that sense of forward momentum.

The 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast talks about crawling down from the pedestal in this week's episode. Your father and son hosts, David and Joshua Specht, give you tips on how to take your blinders off when it comes to admiring others.  Your generational lesson: Not putting people on a pedestal means you prioritize yourself, avoid feeling lied to if that person falters, and don't develop resentment or negativity by comparing yourself to them. Your Gen. X Advice: Because so much is expected of the person on a pedestal, it creates pressure to stay there. It causes leadership to keep secrets because they don't want their image to suffer. Your Gen. Z Advice: Putting people on a pedestal creates a conflict of self interest to where you're setting the bar for other people and not setting it for yourself. We have all found someone we admire so much that we start to feel he or she can do no wrong. Maybe it's a person in a position of authority, someone we see who can help us, or just a person we enjoy being around. But you need to keep that person off the pedestal.  By recognizing the imperfections of a person you look up to, you can avoid feeling lied to when they make a mistake, the urge to ignore previously valuable advice from them, intimidated by their success, or resentful of their achievements. In that spirit, here are some tips for taking off the blinders for Pedestal People: Remind yourself that people are human and flawed. They're not going to meet all of your expectations. Don't think someone has all the answers. Do your own research and figure things out for yourself. Remember that the difference between the person at the bottom and the top of the pedestal is experience. Recognize that people on a pedestal have an agenda...and you do too by engaging with them. To the people on the pedestal — don't be a jerk to those people who look up to you, don't abuse your influence, and don't believe you know more than someone not in your lane.

Why do bad things happen to good people?  This week's episode of the 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast sees hosts David and Joshua Specht explore why tragedy strikes and how to cope afterwards. The father and son duo don't go as far as telling anyone how to feel when tragedy happens, but they ask you to take a second to look at the “how”.  Your generational lesson: Bad things happen to both good and bad people, but there are a multitude of factors in both the faith and spiritual realms that affect why they happen. Your Gen. X Advice: I believe in sowing and reaping but I don't believe everything bad that happens is a result of sin and a result of God. We want to have free will but we want God to take it away from the people who could harm us.  Your Gen. Z Advice: Life is a series of hills and valleys. When we're in a valley, we feel like we need to get out right now, but maybe that's not the plan. Growth happens in the valley, so working through it can be more beneficial in the long run.  We live in a world where violence, disease, natural disasters and unexplained tragedy is part of the deal. Rain falls on the just and unjust. Even the apostles who walked with Jesus all suffered and had painful deaths.  Bad things don't happen because God is an angry God, but if we are created in God's image, there are other emotions to God than the popular image of a loving God.  This is why God created ways for you to endure — the idea that peace goes beyond all understanding. You may be suffering now, and you can feel however you need to feel in that moment. You can need time to work on pulling yourself out of that situation, but so many people go into a cocoon or check out because of bad things happening to them. Don't let tragedy derail you from your purpose in life.

The times, they are a-changin' in this week's 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast. Father and son duo David and Joshua Specht share their thoughts on how technology has changed the business world. While it evolves almost daily, they dive into how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of technology to conduct day-to-day business. Your generational lesson: Technological advances have changed core elements of a business — marketing, customer service, and sales to name a few — but the main tenets of those elements remain the same.  Your Gen. X Advice: Many people have avoided technological changes, so there's still a need for people to engage with customers and clients in a face-to-face way. It's about doing it in an efficient, effective way.  Your Gen. Z Advice: While technology makes doing business easier and quicker, there's a drawback to using technology to conduct your business — it can make your people lazy, or give a way for the customer to avoid doing business with you.  The COVID-19 pandemic opened up the business world to be able to engage with the public digitally. Video meetings are viable because it allows users to see each other. To market to your customer, then you need to think about Facebook Live video because it catches the eye and appeals to people by instant gratification to see reactions in real time.  So, the point of marketing is to gain a spotlight on whatever you're promoting...but technology has changed how you do it.  Another area where technology has impacted businesses is customer service. The same rules apply when dealing with customers, but how you offer customer service is different. Chatting with a customer allows input, but the business keeps customers' emotions at bay while forming a well-thought-out answer. Technological advances have changed the method of how results are delivered in a business. For example, sales were done away from the office. But sales are based on relationships, and relationship-building has changed to where that can be built electronically.   It still takes multiple touches, 7-14 in fact, for the customer to buy. But technology has compressed a timeline into days that would normally take weeks.

What to do when you are frustrated by others' reactions This week's 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast talks about frustration in growth and development. Father and son hosts David and Joshua Specht bring a generational perspective on the friction caused by making changes to improve your business or personal life, which generates frustration for you and/or the people around you. Your generational lesson: If you want to enact change on something you're excited about or have strong opinions about, but it's not being received, recognize it's because the audience is wrong, you're bad at explaining it to them, or you're already trying to change too much. Your Gen. X Advice: The older you get, the more you have to work at taking risks. When you're 50-plus, opportunities are diminishing and the desire for security is important, so you need to deal with the frustration caused by your own internal conflict. Your Gen. Z Advice: Sometimes, your same message needs to be relayed to employees from someone else. If you're preaching the same idea or multiple changes, having a different voice offer the vision can cause your employees to not get frustrated. If you've ever brought in an idea to improve your business or life, and that same enthusiasm is met with blank stares, it takes the wind out of you. Now, you're frustrated that others don't share your vision. Realize that you are running a story in your head, and it doesn't always gel with another person's story. When your enthusiasm falls flat, it's hurtful to you but others are oblivious to the effect because they don't share your experience. If you're a leader and you're exposed to something you know is beneficial for your company, then it's your job to sell it to everyone but also hold them accountable until they truly “get it”. Take as second to acknowledge there's frustration on both sides: For you when your employees don't see the big picture, and on your people's side because they're frustrated by having to change.  To force it through, it means you have to be more frustrated than your employees because you have to be persistent in driving that change. However, don't always be changing. Whatever you're inspired by at the moment can't keep causing you to change because that makes you inconsistent.

The 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast gets spooky in the current age of communication by shining a light on ghosting and trolls.  Hosts David and Joshua Specht dive into the uncomfortable side of texting and social media today, and figure out the how, why and next steps to get over these 21st Century irritations. Your generational lesson: We are all going to have messages ghosted and get trolled by someone on social media, it's up to us to be intentional in following up on important messages and our responses, if any, to the trolls.  Your Gen. X Advice: Ghosting is a priority thing — if a text was sent and didn't answer, that person is busy. If it's important and you need an answer, you need to follow up. Your Gen. Z Advice: As we encounter trolls, we need to ask ourselves if there's any truth in whatever they're saying. And, we can't go on the offensive and let our mad get our money. We've all been ghosted — have someone quit responding to your texts or calls. In fact, it goes way back to avoiding a phone call thanks to caller id or ignoring messages left on answering machines, but it wasn't so rampant. Now, there are more options and  ways to ghost people. Realize that ghosting is a priority thing. With texts, you know people received the text because their phones are glued to them. But if a text was sent and unanswered, give that person the grace that he/she is busy and missed it, or is too focused on their current task to respond. If you call or send a text/email and don't get a response — don't assume that person never got it or it's being ignored. It's up to you to follow up with another text or phone call if you need a response on something important. Social media has created a wave of trolls — social media users who can attack your character with no repercussions — and we often have to be the bigger person and ignore it.  As we encounter trolls, we need to ask ourselves if there's any truth in whatever they're saying. We also have to ask if these types of comments physically affect our daily lives, because if they're not, then we need to let it go. However, one company has proved that we can make being snarky a part of our business brand. Wendy's has proved how their humorous trolling of other commenters and competitors on social media can go viral and give free publicity.

The 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast echoes The Rock by telling everyone to “Know your role!” Hosts David and Joshua Specht break down how we all have various roles to play across our lives and the needs within the most important ones. Your generational lesson: We all have a role to play, and those roles are varied across our lives. Even if you only have one role, you need to break it down as you transition from work to church to your private life.  Your Gen. X Advice: When you know what your role is every day, you're not competing to compare with one another. Marriage is not a competition, your wife should be on your team. Your Gen. Z Advice: If your current role isn't moving that business forward, maybe it's time to change the role or establish what your role can be.  The two most important areas to know your roles are work and marriage. In business, no matter what business you're in, you have to figure out what role you play. If your current role isn't moving that business forward, maybe it's time to change the role or establish what your role can be.  People are going to look to whoever is above them. So, leaders need to know what their role is and embrace it. As a leader, you have to work twice as hard to dispel the belief that the person in charge “doesn't do anything”.  In relationships, communicate what you think your role is and don't assume your partner knows what his/her role is coming into the relationship. And, roles change and evolve throughout marriage, which makes communication even more crucial. When you know what your role is every day, you're not competing to compare what you did. Marriage is not a competition, your wife should be a part of your team. It's a different world for couples today than it was for Generation X. Grace needs to be given for younger couples because their early years of parenting are not our early years of parenting. You can advise, but not direct.

The 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast has reached double digits! In this episode, hosts David and Joshua Specht talk about growing where you are. The father and son duo explore the benefits of expanding your worldview and growing your mindset, in addition to having the bravery and awareness to seize opportunities.  Your generational lesson: As you strive to make yourself, your town, or your business a bigger, better version, realize that you're already the bigger, better version to someone else. That doesn't mean being complacent, but being content with what you have.  Your Gen. X Advice: If you have a vision for growth, you have to be willing to be misunderstood, step out, take hits, and see your vision come to pass.  Your Gen. Z Advice: The size of your problems are relevant to the magnitude of where you're currently at in life. We can all get closed minded with our immediate area, social circle, and own day-to-day lives. Sometimes it helps to just go out and realize there's a world beyond our issues. Expanding your view shows the world is so much bigger than you realize and your problems are small. If you think you have big problems, then go to a bigger place — your problem is huge to you, but the bigger picture shows your problem is relevant to the magnitude of where you're living. So, how do you change that mindset and view? You have to think bigger to find and  take advantage of those opportunities.  You can't ever expect a small town to have big city opportunities. The small towns that are growing took the opportunity to change their mindset, be strategic and form partnerships with neighboring cities. You have to make the decision to grow and take a leadership role to affect that change. And, there will be pushback. It takes people with intestinal fortitude to step out against that push back. You have to be willing to be misunderstood to step out, take those hits, and see your vision come to pass.

Change is uncomfortable, especially when it comes to culture. The latest episode of the 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast has Hosts David and Joshua Specht talking about the changing of cultural norms. Your generational lesson: What's socially acceptable depends on culture, stages of lie, social circles, and media. All of these things impact what “normal” is. Your Gen. X Advice: Honor the place you're in. For example: If you're a drinker and you're in an environment that looks down on alcohol, it's best to not push back against those people who don't drink.  Your Gen. Z Advice: It's about respect. Recognize what's socially acceptable for one group/generation, and even if you don't agree with that, be agreeable so long as it's not affecting each other. Back in the day, you would meet someone, decide if you like them, get married and have a kid together. Nowadays, you meet someone, have a kid, then decide if you like them. Another change is that smoking and having a drink at work used to be completely acceptable. Now, smoking is banned in almost all buildings and bars are only allowed in restaurants. So, how does the culture change? How do norms shift? The information age has changed rules and how kids make decisions. A parent telling their child, “Because I say so”, isn't enough for that kid to base a decision on anymore. That's because they already have so much access to a wealth of information. This change has forced generations to try and meet in the middle. Parents need to try and see their kids' perspective, and vice versa. Other factors to consider include culture — What's socially acceptable depends on where you are in your life and what your circle is. Pop culture also impacts our values and how we define normal.

You know the saying behind good intentions. In this episode of the 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast, your Hosts David and Joshua Specht will talk about how follow through will prevent paving a certain road with them. Your generational lesson: Achieve your goals with follow through by having a system, prioritizing, setting boundaries, communicating your goals, and finding an accountability partner. Your Gen. X Advice: When someone else is in play and passes on the responsibility to you, then you are the lead when it comes to follow through. Your Gen. Z Advice: Follow through is key for growth, and juggling priorities is where follow through can falter. It happens to all of us: We get an idea and are on fire to see it realized, then an obstacle gets in the way. In that moment is when follow through is essential to seeing our dreams become a reality.  So how do we push through resistance and follow through on the goals we have set for ourselves? Develop a system — Whether it's making your bed or starting a new business, you have to develop a plan to keep those promises to yourself. Keeping that promise will give you momentum in other areas in your life. Prioritize — A dozen things will pop up and distract you from your goal, so overcome them by figuring out your priorities and setting up your time around those priorities. Set boundaries — Distractions and interruptions are numerous these days due to constant, instantaneous connections. So, put your phone on “do not disturb” and set a timer for 30 minutes to maximize efficiency. Communicate — When it comes to follow through, you cannot over communicate. You cannot communicate too early or too often if there are others expecting you to lead. Find accountability — You need someone who will push you when things are hard or you try to avoid follow through. Having someone who understands your goals and holds you accountable to achieving them is crucial.

Just the phrase “social media” evokes different reactions. Social media is a virtual world individually cultivated by and for each of us that wants us to stay engaged with as much as possible.  The 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast sees Hosts David and Joshua Specht talk about whether the various platforms that make up social media has actually made us unsocial.  Your generational lesson: Social media is suitable for any age group, so long as you are aware of how you use it and are using it in a healthy way. Your Gen. X Advice: Be aware that more often than not, what people put out on social media is not real life. Your Gen. Z Advice: Know what you use your social media platform for and how that can affect others. Dave was an early adopter of social media. He says it can be beneficial for staying connected with one another, but also negative and uses political conspiracy theories being shared as an example. Josh says social media is like being a pet owner — depending on how you approach and treat social media determines whether it will be a “bad dog” or a “good dog”.  He says staying on social media to interact and stay in touch with friends and family is a good thing. Taking it to politicize people or grow your own influence is a negative use of platforms. Dave encourages you to be intentional about how you consume social media. Understand that you're not getting the whole picture of what makes up real life — what you see is getting filtered through the poster's profile and the platform's algorithm tailored to confirm your beliefs.  Josh believes social media has now turned into presenting a positive image to seek approval while hiding your flaws and mistakes. Then, there are people who use social media for ridicule and bullying. Both agree that it is a tool and encourage social media users to treat it like real life — don't use it to say or do something that you wouldn't say or do in real life. 

Did you know that you are the sum total of the five people you are around the most? This week's 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast sees David and Joshua Specht discuss whether it's beneficial to have friends that span generations, and how you can deal with changing friendships. Your generational lesson: You need friends across a variety of age groups to get different, more well-rounded views on life. Your Gen. X Advice: Iron sharpens iron, so we need an inner circle of people who make us better and a larger circle of friends we can enjoy spending time with. Your Gen. Z Advice: Like-minded people tend to hang out with each other, so be prepared for your friendships to change as your priorities change. In high school, we all tend to have a small circle of close friends our same age and with similar life experiences. But as you get into the real world, you're exposed to multiple generations.  So how do you navigate that and what value can be found in those? We can all learn something from each other as we go along life's journey. Being enlightened to each other's views can make you a more well-rounded person. Josh says you need friends across a variety of age groups. He believes in having a small group of friends because friendship is one thing, having real relationships with your friends are another.  Dave notes that friendships spanning age gaps aren't a problem, but perception can be — people younger than you will believe your age means you have your life together, but older generations are composed of people who are still a work in progress. No matter the age, both note that friendships are seasonal as life and priorities change. Friends who were close to you in high school tend to fall away due to different priorities and life's twists and turns.  Josh advises that it can be scary as friendships change, but you need to be okay with the ones you have, enjoy them, and know it's okay that those relationships can change.

Does appearance matter in business? The 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast sees Hosts David and Joshua Specht give a multi-generation approach to whether leniency in dress and appearance standards is a good thing. Your generational lesson: The care you take and effort you put into your appearance affects how you show up for work. Your Gen. X Advice: You have to make a conscious decision of what you want your appearance to be based upon your goals.  Your Gen. Z Advice: It is your decision about your appearance, and once set in that appearance then you can't turn defensive when judged by others beliefs on appearance. No matter whether you're a jeans guy or a khakis guy, it's clear that appearance standards have been relaxed. Even a decade ago, a job applicant with blue hair or an arm sleeve of tattoos would have been laughed out of the building.  Even Dave's standards have adapted. For years, he dressed in khakis, a polo or button up shirt, and casual dress shoes. During COVID-19 lockdown, those standards dropped to shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. Now, there's a medium balance between jeans, sneakers and a long sleeve shirt.  Josh argues that this effort to find your own standard is important because appearance has a huge impact on you as a person. Our appearance affects us emotionally and mentally because not taking that time to invest in your appearance has an element of not caring about yourself. The pair highlight the fact that everyone judges others. In business, sometimes your age and that appearance can create a judgement against you, or for you.  For example, if you have a “baby face” then that can mean you're judged negatively on your experience and/or skill. Or an older person who dresses more casual can create approachability to the younger workforce coming through businesses now. That is why they say it's crucial to dress for the situation — look at where you work, what you're doing that day, and who you're seeing In the world of business, in order to build relationships and be taken seriously, you want others to view you as a step above in professionalism.

The 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast Hosts David and Joshua Specht take you to church.  The father and son ask, “Is church still church if it's in your living room?” When churches adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by hosting virtual services, the congregation shifted to online services over physical ones. Dave and Josh examine whether churches need to change their offerings or find a way to attract their congregation back to campus. Your generational lesson: Church is meant to reach and teach. Whatever the method is, it's just an avenue to accomplish the mission and the community is what makes the difference in your congregation. Your Gen. X Advice: We have an obligation to pass on what we believe and why we believe it. With the current generation receiving more information than ever before, we need a community to counteract the outside world that doesn't share your beliefs. Your Gen. Z Advice: Church shouldn't be a congregation, it should be a community. The congregation keeps the lights on, but it's the community that grows the people. Once you reach that mindset, that's when the walls come down and you will embrace the capacity of what the church can do. Change in the Church is nothing new, David points out how it shifted to focusing on small groups and contemporary services in the early 2000's. But when the Church went virtual, David said it created a discipline issue for the believer where inconvenience can override the calling to attend in-person.  Josh adds that he doesn't see it ever going back to how it was. The many different ways to reach a congregation means the Church has to get out of its “always been done this way” rut. That doesn't mean propping up a camera to stream the standard service and calling it online ministry. Josh muses that In order for a young believer to grow, they have to be more worried about surrounding themselves with a community of Christians, even if that's via online, instead of four walls.

The 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast has a case of the Mondays.   Your hosts David and Joshua Specht vent about spending their Monday adapting and overcoming a challenge to their day job. The father and son duo use this episode to discuss having their bad day fuel motivation for new beginnings. Your generational lesson: Never let your mad get your money. Having an emotional reaction as a leader can lead to more problems. Your Gen. X Advice: Don't expect others to understand (that means even your partner). You may be on a journey together — whether in work or life — but others may not feel the negative as hard as you do. Your Gen. Z Advice: You're allowed to have a bad day and throw yourself a pity party every now then. Then you have to pick up all the pieces, because people are counting on you. David discusses how when we fail, we do want to throw in the towel. He has seen people who don't own their business up and quit. However, he says real leaders have that moment and then they snap out of it. You have a greater responsibility — you have to see the big picture the entire time. When things go wrong, Josh says you can have an emotional reaction. But people who depend on you need to see you doing what it takes to get things done. David adds that you don't have to be perfect in your leadership, but you need to be involved and recognize where you can help. He says just being there gives everyone a sense of calm. Josh notes that when things go wrong, your first reaction is to do anything to stabilize it. And even though you do a lot in that process, you can't feel any accomplishment until you get it back to normal. But he points out that it's not about the instant gratitude of getting something fixed, it's about the learning process.  So, while it's okay to not be okay, it's not okay to stay that way. Once you get through the crisis, give yourself grace to take a break and get yourself together before stepping up to solve problems. Always remember that you're a leader and how you react will affect the volatility of the situation.

It's episode 2 of the 2 Per-Specht-Ives Podcast, with your hosts David and Joshua Specht. The father and son duo talk about the importance of health. Dave is a health coach who helps others achieve their potential through nutrition. As a Type I diabetic, Josh has to be more intentional about his health choices. The pair each discuss generational views and actions when it comes to living healthy. Your generational lesson: When it comes to health, mindset is everything, have something to work towards, have built-in accountability, and have an environment that supports your goals. Your Gen. X Advice: David advises the younger generation that while your body is operating at its most efficient that if you make small changes to work towards the better version of yourself, as you mature your body will keep up instead of hold you back.  Your Gen. Z Advice: Josh tells the older generation already seeing side effects of not making healthy choices, make the small changes to positively affect your health with goal of leading by example. David says the majority of health is in the kitchen, meaning what you put in your body affects how it functions. While that wasn't always his mindset — in his younger days, he wanted it fried with cheese and bacon added — but passing the 40-year-old threshold, the dominos started falling in his health that caused him to change. Josh said while his generation is more health conscious, many pick and choose, and often choose the unhealthy option because of convenience. He says, “The microwave generation grew up on the microwave”. He adds that being younger means there's a subconscious decision to eat whatever they want.  David says it's about routine. He notes how he was held accountable and checked during his service in the U.S. Air Force and once he left, he added 50 lbs. because his routine changed and there was no accountability.  He says working towards a goal is crucial. Need-to isn't the same as want-to. He has seen people who had open heart surgery want to change because the “why” was really strong during that crisis, but they backslid later because that motivation waned.  Josh said that accountability plays a key role in health transformations. David concurrs, saying that people who don't support your decisions will either pull you back into your old lifestyle, or you will have to cut them loose. Josh gives the alternative that you have to figure out how to remove that unhealthy thing you share with your group of friends. Finally, both add balance and focus are key. They conclude that doing everything in moderation and consciously staying on your health journey and acknowledging the process leads to success.

In this episode of the 2 Per-Specht-ives Podcast, it's spring time and that can mean only one thing: Yard work.  Co-host Joshua Specht needed a lawnmower and spent a pretty penny on it, which got him thinking about purchases that are an investment. His Co-host and father, David Specht, notes that no matter age, there are major purchases at every stage in life that are required or you decide need to be made.  Your generational lesson: Don't blow extra income on things you don't need. Try to find areas where you can invest or improve your life for the future. Your Gen. X Advice: Immature people do what makes them happy today and mature people plan for what makes them happy tomorrow.  Your Gen. Z Advice: Survive off the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches now, so the lobster and steak dinners will taste so much better in the future. Spring 2021 also means that it's tax season and economic stimulus time. That gave Josh the opportunity to make the investment upfront, but be reimbursed by tax returns or the COVID-19 economic stimulus payments that are going out to millions of Americans. With the economic stimulus, David says many people who have been able to work during the COVID-19 pandemic have been buying niceties and not necessities.  He said in his younger days, he and his peers were all about blowing extra income. Now that he's older, he wants to hold that money longer. For example, the 2020 economic stimulus was spent over the course of six months.  That experience caused him to ask that you take a step back and look at what you can do with that money to invest in your future. Josh points out that if it's not a necessity, it's about turning that money into a gain. For example, he was told that the best strategy with a stimulus you have but don't need is to invest in an IRA.  Dave says his generation views Josh's generation as having a safety net in their parents, meaning the consequences of spending money are lessened. Josh adds that if your parents are paying for anything, there's always a tension there and argues that those who can use extra money to pay off debt or make a move to get out on their own is a wise move. Finally, Dave notes that's why he advises you to find places where you can invest and buy things that will be of benefit beyond the now.

The goal of the David A. Specht show has always been helping listeners grow and evolve. And, sometimes that means even the podcast itself is changing. Welcome to the next level with a different perspective and new voice. David is being joined by his son, Joshua.  Together, the two will offer differing viewpoints on timeless lessons ranging from leadership to health and life in general, with the goal of finding a common ground. With David firmly in Generation X and Josh a burgeoning Gen Z'er, this generation gap between the hosts allows for exploration of a lot of grey areas between traditionally black and white issues. The goal of this podcast has also evolved to instill confidence in you, no matter where you are in your life. Whether you're starting your career or approaching retirement age, David and Josh will help you gain experience and the principles to live life with the confidence you need to be successful. David went from being the young guy to the old guy in the office and doesn't know when it happened. He hopes to prove his age group with their experienced perspective can still bring their hard earned wisdom to the table but be open enough to see that the “how” is different.  Josh is part of an age group that is trying to figure out where they are in the world. His generation isn't focused on college and has more of an entrepreneurial mindset, which he has experienced having been in the business world for almost 10 years. He points out that many people his age believe they don't need college but don't have any alternative set up. As someone who wanted to own his own business instead of going to college, Josh made sure to start working on a career out of high school. David adds that those who want to be entrepreneurs need to understand the need for an endgame result for that passion they want to follow. Josh notes that his generation often falls short because it is a “microwave generation” that has had a lot of things done for them already. It creates an attitude where no one wants to try things because they all haven't had that experience.  He adds that being able to say “I can do this myself” gives you purpose. David notes that it's about the small wins and building your self confidence. He says if we're not building on small victories then we feel defeated. But building on successes allows us to go into things with the expectation that we can do it.

Leaders are readers and readers are leaders. It is time for this month's “Dave's Book Club” where I share interviews, lessons, and analysis from personal development and leadership authors.  Today, I am interviewing my long-time friend, mentor, and now first-time author, Tom Hammel. His book, "The Life You are Meant to Lead" is available for order on Amazon.  I talk with Tom about overcoming a rough upbringing, the process of transforming Tom's life, and how he learned to lead others along the path of self leadership. Show Notes: David: People only see you where you are now and have no idea how far you came. Tell the listener who you are. Tom: I grew up in the central valley of northern California in the town of Stockton. For the most part, it had the highest murder rate per capita in all of California. I grew up independent and had to make ends meet. I had to learn how to talk to people, manipulate and survive.  I started doing drugs in elementary school, got really into partying all through junior high school, dealing and selling drugs. Around the age of 14, I had a direct encounter with Jesus and it changed the direction of my life. It didn't change my past, I brought all that knowledge of who I was. While my life took a transformation, my knowledge and experience stayed with me and when I started to minister to other people, I brought that knowledge of pain, disappointment and fear to the table and made it really relatable to people. David: There may be someone listening who had a difficult past. Can you talk about what it took to lead that life that you saw God had for you? Tom: It takes some self discipline, and it's hard. It's a mindset shift of saying “I'm not going to be ruled or controlled by my past and the people around me.” It meant a mindset shift of seeing the world differently and taking the courageous step of pursuing a different identity. It takes reading books, changing the people you are around, changing what you put into my mind. David: Who inspired you and continues to inspire you?  Tom: I've been hungry to develop as a person so there's a long list. It's like climbing a mountain. My spiritual transformation was a 1-moment awakening, this journey of transforming has been progressive where new possibilities arise and new influences come into my life. There's so many voices in my life, I've been diligent to always have a mentor. My epiphany moment came one Sunday when I put on the Golf Channel. As Tiger Woods was hitting the ball, the commentators mentioned his swing coach and I realized the No. 1 golfer in the world wasn't in competition with everyone else, he was in competition with himself and his development. I realized I'm not the top in any area of my life and needed coaches. David: You're 20 years into this journey and you feel like you need to share what you're doing. Walk us through the vision and implementation of your vision. Tom: I was leading a large convention and I'm challenging people to change their lives and as I was walking the stage, I noticed a guy I didn't recognize anymore — it was me. I had allowed so many things in my life to get out of whack, I was so busy in the grind I wasn't taking care of myself. I felt like a hypocrite because I was failing to lead my own self. I started with my health, I lost 80 lbs., and in the process of leading myself, I realized there's not a lot of self-leadership. I realized we've got to do some things to awaken the possibility and set others on a journey to lead themselves. David: I have seen so many people using the pandemic as an excuse to not do things, so self leadership is needed now more than ever. So, let's talk about resources that are available in the form of books and their value. Tom: I love books. I try to mix it up a lot as far as what and who I'm reading. My current all-time favorite book is “The Atomic Habit” by James Clear. It's simple to understand and profound that these daily habits in my life determine my destiny. We're about to embark on Season 4 and that is tied to another project you're going to launch. Can you give us a hint about Season 4? Tom: I wrote a book, “The Life You're Meant to Lead” and it will come out in the fourth quarter of 2020. The book is about unpacking areas where we take the steps to lead ourselves and take responsibility and being intentional. Season 4 is about unpacking those things I didn't have enough room to unpack in the book. The podcast is going to be about the application of that book, seeing it come alive.

In this week's episode, I am honored to have my wife, Tina, as my guest. She has been my partner in my health journey and I wanted Tina to give you a different voice on that journey. She will give you a new perspective on what our health journey looks like.  Me: What were the things that flipped the switch on our health journey? Tina: A little over 2.5 years ago, we were not in our best health. We were going down a road that didn't look good for us. We loved to eat and I loved to cook. I am a diabetic and was on four shots per day. It's very expensive to not have your health. Me: I hear you loud and clear on our reality then, but why did you embark on a journey with Optavia?  Tina: I have been down this road many times in my life and I have tried different opportunities. I watched friends take this journey and thought knowing someone on this journey personally would help me. Me: I wasn't 100% supportive of this journey at first, was I? Tina: No, I had just finished a different program where I was allergic to the products and couldn't do it. So, you saw it as just more money wasted. Me: I saw it as another box in the mail that would be a waste of money. Then, I decided to join you in this journey. When I did that, what was going through your mind? Tina: I was excited we were doing it together, but knew you didn't eat vegetables. I figured it would be impossible. Me: It's always good to have an accountability partner but if they're in the same boat you're in, it can be a stumbling block because they will justify poor choices. So, give me the first few months of the journey? Tina: I reached out to my coach prior to starting and she asked me to go all in for 30 days. She told me we would be successful and you agreed because you said, “I can do anything for 30 days”, and that “Whatever you put in front of me, I will eat”. The food wasn't that great, but after two weeks you need to get rid of the junk in your system and change your taste buds. We saw results immediately. We went through detox for 10 days, but once we got through that and your body had good stuff, we felt great. I think I was excited that by the third week, people noticed the change and you noticed a change and that kept us going.  Within two months, I was off shots. To get off medicine you were told you would need the rest of your life was a huge “why” for me. To feel that good and not need medicine, kept us motivated to go further. Me: For anyone embarking on a health journey, when you go by a mirror every day, you won't see the changes. That's why it's important for other people to notice the weight loss. There were ups and downs, talk about how it felt to do the journey with me that as a man I tend to lose weight faster. Tina: At first it was tough because I am competitive and if I can't win, I don't play. There were times where I thought it wasn't worth it. But my coach helped me understand that women's bodies are different and work different than men, and I needed to focus on myself.  Me: Tina lost 60 lbs. and became a health coach. We live in Louisiana, which has a culture based around its rich cooking. This journey was counter to our circle of friends. So, tell me about the value of our health community? Tina: You're not alone. You have people around you that helps keep your focus and drive going strong. You have to make your “why” bigger than your “want”.  Me: There is a positive energy in this community. They have struggled the same way we have. When you are given a gift like this, it begins to open your entire life to other possibilities. How has your perspective changed in the freedom created by taking control of your health? Tina: It has opened a lot of areas in our lives. I have the freedom to do what I need to do. I got comfortable last year because I had never been this small, but now I've recommitted to reach my original goal weight.  Me: Is food addiction a real thing and do you struggle with it? Tina: It is very real and I struggle a lot. I was an emotional eater, it was a given growing up. We were all about food and we made every gathering about food. It is a habit that needs to be transformed. Because of our community, I was able to change my mindset and look for different avenues when I'm stressed, happy, or bored. Now, I shop instead of shoving french fries in my face. Me: I would add that when you do stumble or make a choice, knowing that you have a proven method and structure is what gets us back on track. In the health world, there are a lot of before and after pictures. Tell me about the middle. Tell me about how moving from before to after feels like. Tina: Women's eyes go straight to the problem spots. I've been encouraged to do a before and after each week and realize that this is a journey, not a sprint. And you have 52 pictures for each week, you will see a difference. Me: If somebody hears this story and is thinking about starting their health journey, what would you say to them? Tina: I ask everyone to give me 30 days to go all in and do all of it. Almost all of them don't need the 30 days. Me: I encourage you to take a hard look at where you're at. Let's make 2021 the best year for your health and life.

There is a natural tension between your current reality and your goal. If you move forward to the goal, that tension gets less and less, which should encourage you to take actions that move you towards your goal.  So, how do you create that tension in your journey? Creating Structural Tension Find your current reality. Dare to dream.  Keep your “Why” in front of you.  Be prepared to move your goal. Structural tension can help you realize your dreams faster. It doesn't matter what you are trying to improve, keeping that tension is key to achieving your goals. The first step to achieving this is by looking at your current reality. That means taking stock of where you are right now. When was the last time you got on a scale? When was the last time you looked at your finances?  For the longest time, I refused to open up the bank statement because I just didn't want to know. But guess what? A lot of times it's not as bad as you think it is. We often concoct a vision in our heads that is far worse than our reality. Put it on paper, break it down, and make it real because you can't go where you want to be until you know where you are. The second step towards Structural Tension is to dream and set goals. This is about figuring out where you want to end up. Maybe it's a number on the scale or having your debt paid off.  But a dream without a goal never happens. The people who realize their dreams are the ones who set benchmarks and attacked them. Don't be scared to set a BHAG — Big Hairy Audacious Goal. Those are things you never thought would be attainable in your wildest dreams. If you can accomplish a BHAG, it teaches you that you can accomplish other goals you thought were outside the realm of possibility.  The third step to creating Structural Tension is to always keep your goal in front of you. Your “Why” needs to be visible for those times when discouragement and temptation comes. Life is not a straight line, it's got hills and valleys. As you embrace the idea of structural tension, remember your “Why: so that you can give yourself grace and overcome pitfalls. Lastly, you can maintain Structural Tension by being prepared to move your goal. When you achieve your original goal more easily than you imagined, change it.  For example, my initial goal was to drop my weight to 250 lbs. and when I got there, I knew I could do better. So, I moved the goal posts to 210. The tension came back into play and I began to work towards that goal. Now my goal has moved again from losing weight to fitness and overall health.  As we enter this new year, I encourage you to begin the journey again. Life is not a sprint, it's a marathon full of obstacles. But as long as you have that structural tension, you will make progress and attain those goals you placed in front of yourself.  

Your best days don't have to be behind you, they can be ahead of you. At the time of recording, we're in the week between Christmas and New Year's, which is a time of the year where we prepare for the start of an upcoming year and reflect on the blessings of the past year.  I want to share with you my story and I hope it causes you to look at the new year as a new opportunity. In 2018, I lost 120 lbs. That's not the story, that's just a chapter. My story begins when I started to say “Yes” to my health.  How I Took Control of My Health A plan to eat six small meals a day and drink half our bodyweight in water. A health coach who held us accountable.  We had a community supporting us by pulling in the same direction we are.  The education for long term health because diets only get you to a certain point, it requires learning what health looks like for you. In April 2018, I was 320 lbs. and I was happy. I ate what I wanted to eat and took a whole plethora of pills to medicate myself to perceived health. Then I watched friends of ours lose weight and keep it off, which is when we went on this health journey. When I started my health journey, I was just on a diet that I had started with my wife.  It was never the same. I'm not here to sell you a program or convince you to do what I did. I'm here to tell you that it is possible for you to take control of your health and contend in this area of your life, even if you've failed multiple times. I was the Atkins Diet king. I could go on that program once a year and drop 40 lbs. I would always quit and end up back to worse than I was before.  I made a commitment to my wife, Tina, that whatever she put in front of me I would eat. I am a picky eater but I made a choice to treat food differently than I ever had before. My brain was getting acclimated, but we didn't have all the tools we needed to be successful. In April 2018, I leaned into this program and lost 120 lbs. in less than 10 months.  My goal was 250 lbs. and within four months, I was there. In six months, I hit my BMI weight. And, I have been in that range ever since because during the health journey process I made habits that still serve me well today.  I really want to encourage you to say, “This is the year I take control of my health.” I want you to be the year you do something, the year that put tools in place, get a community around you, get a health coach, educate yourself in healthy habits, and get that traction in your life.  As we enter 2021, don't set another resolution — set a goal, put a plan to that goal, and put action to that plan for the long haul.

Leaders are readers and readers are leaders. Welcome to a new segment on this podcast journey called “Dave's Book Club” where I share interviews, lessons, and analysis from personal development and leadership authors.  Our first episode in this segment features a previous interview with Bob Burg, author of the “Go-Giver”.  In today's day and age, this book has more relevance than it ever has. When I read it, my entire perspective on what I did was changed. I had always been in benefits-driven sales, but this took it to another level. In this interview, you'll hear Bob explain how the “Go-Giver” is keyed on shifting focus from getting to giving — which is defined as providing value to others — because it can be a rewarding, financially profitable way to live. David Specht: The book is in a parable format featuring a character who is a go-getter in sales but keeps failing. Is being a “go-getter” a bad thing? Bob Berg: Being a go-getter is a great thing because they take action. We know you can have the greatest ideas and sincerest intentions, but unless action is put into the mix, nothing happens. Dave: In your book you mention the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success. Law No. 1 is value, tell us what that is. Bob: True worth is what you give in value versus what you take in payment. That sounds counterproductive, but we have to understand price and value. Price is a dollar amount, value is the relative worth or desirability of the product to the end user. Money is simply the echo to the value. Dave: We have to provide before we ask. There's so many people out there giving great service for no compensation with the hopes that people will see the value and be willing to pay for a higher level. Bob: When you can give away some value so people get to know who you are and trust you, then you just have to make sure it's spectacular. And, then make sure when they do pay for a service that it's even better. This is just a sample of the discussion, which also includes taking lessons from “The Go-Giver” and applying it to social media, how to identify your value and communicate it to others, and a deep dive into the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success and how we can apply this in our lives. You can get Bob's book, “The Go-Giver”, HERE.

Gratitude: The quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful. At the time of recording this podcast, we just finished Thanksgiving, and one of my favorite things about the month of November is that social media blows up with 30 Days of Thankfulness. Being thankful for the goodness you already have in your life is healthy. I want to challenge you to be more grateful in your life. And, that starts by starting your day with gratitude. How to Increase Gratitude As Your Day Begins Start your day by waking up and thinking about all the things you're grateful for, even if it's just waking up. Think about why you're grateful before you pick up any device or turn anything on — it prevents you from being distracted out of your gratitude. Write down why you're grateful. Whether it's a notepad, journal or scrap paper, jot down why you're grateful. Do it for 15 minutes each morning, and don't take the weekends off. That allows time for your brain to wake up and let it penetrate your entire day. Find things that augment feelings of gratitude. Incorporate scriptures if you're a person of faith, if you're not then think about quotes and advice that strengthen your mindset of gratitude. What you do in the morning sets the template for your day. And, our morning routines really shape our day as we prepare to move ourselves forward.  That is why it is crucial to take the time first thing in the morning to start your day with gratitude.  When the challenges of life come flooding in over the course of your day, that's when it's important you started your day with gratitude. By starting your day with gratitude, you're lading up with the positives so that when bad things happen, you can balance the negative with the positive.  Today, I started my day trying to be thankful. I woke up as the sun was coming up, and I began to think about all the blessings in my life — my grandson brings joy in my life, I have a beautiful home to live in, and I am thankful for my salvation in Jesus Christ. Fastforward and my wife tells me our neighbor texted us that our trash is strewn all over the road and I have to begin my day picking up garbage. Then I began my commute and I hit a pothole that caused me to spill coffee all over myself. In that moment, my gratitude got tested. I thought, “Really? I'm going to follow cleaning up trash by getting coffee all over my clothes?” But then I remembered what I was grateful for. My gratitude balanced out those negative things. My experience goes to show that negative thoughts never lead to a positive life. So, I ask you to test me— spend 15 minutes being grateful before you start your day and see how it turns out. 

“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.” — Theodore Roosevelt We all have people in our life that we want to help. And, sometimes we find that helping those people causes nothing but frustration. Maybe in your life it's a spouse, child, friend, or even coworker who you can give a different perspective about their life and actions to, but you're met with the glass-eyed, blank stare. And, your advice, your help falls on deaf ears. Luckily, a process to help you when helping others exists. It's called Intrinsic Validation, and is a core element of the book “Today I Being a New Life” by Dave Blanchard. The Process of Helping Others Recognize that everyone has a wall of resistance. Step into their world. Ask empathetic questions. Recognize when the time is right to offer advice. Be prepared to begin the process over. We all have unhealthy habits of thinking, and sometimes it takes an outsider to point that out to us. So, try the following steps to help others along their, and your, journey: Recognize that everyone has a wall of resistance. Their resistance could be towards a change that causes disruption in their daily lives, even if they know what your offering is better for them. It may be to protect themselves after being hurt in the past, or it may have to do with comfort. Step into their world. You have to put aside what you think and begin to see things from their perspective. In order to bring down their wall of resistance, that person has to feel safe and understood. Try to connect with them and make them feel safe and understood, that you're not trying to fix them. But I can tell you that as a health coach, when that person feels safe and is ready to make a change, that is the most rewarding part of my job. Ask empathetic questions. A key question is, “Tell me more about that”. Then you have to listen to understand. Don't listen to answer or try to solve the problem, this is not the time for that.  You have to recognize when the time is right to offer advice. Look for nonverbal cues to make sure they are comfortable and their walls are down. When their walls are down, then you can say, “If I was in your shoes, I would…”  Be prepared to take several steps back. If they're not ready, then you will have to go back into intrinsic validation mode. As a health coach, I have to assess whether someone has a strong enough reason to work toward. In my life, I took my health back because my grandson was my reason why I had to work toward being an active grandfather.  Intrinsic Validation has a major effect on you — it changes you to have empathy. But it also cna be incredibly rewarding: The amount of satisfaction you have as the confidant, guide, or helper in this journey is through the roof.  If you have people in your life who you want to help but are frustrating you by not receiving your advice, just know that you can work to get to the place where their wall comes down and they will accept your help.

John C. Maxwell, author and leadership expert, defines leadership as influence. In this episode, I will show you that leaders aren't always born and go through how you can improve your skills in the area of your life where you are viewed as a leader.   Three Takeaways on Leadership: You don't have to be perfect, leadership is a process. Leadership requires education and there are various methods to gaining it.   Lead yourself first, before you try to lead others.   You are a leader, there are people looking to you for leadership. And, there are plenty of opportunities to allow people to pour into you to make you a better leader.    The first lesson to learn about leadership is that you don't have to be perfect at leadership. Becoming a great leader is a continual process — you never arrive at the destination. No matter how long you are a leader, whether it's years at a business or just for a temporary project, you need to take it seriously and invest in the journey.   Leadership requires education. Podcasts, books, seminars are all available and will help hone your skills. Learn from past experiences and improve incrementally. I learned many lessons during my time in the Air Force and I look back to see how I don't want to do things as I did in my past.   Lastly, lead yourself first. My friend Tom Hammell tells the story of standing on stage and teaching up and coming leaders on how to lead when he saw himself on screen and didn't recognize who he was. He saw how bad his health had fallen and felt like an imposter in that he didn't deserve to lead others if he couldn't lead himself. He took ownership of his health and improved his confidence and ability to lead.    Once you get control of your life in one area, you find it easier to lead other areas of your life. When we go through life and be intentional in things, we can lead ourselves well. For example, I was the host of a podcast and after two years of getting no traction, my team and I decided to quit. I circled the wagons into what I knew and got inside my own head. But a couple of years ago, after getting control of my health I was awakened to help others.    I reached out to Tom and sought help on how to lead others in a right way. He told me, “You have to be good at being No. 2 before you position yourself as a leader.” He helped me realize that if I could help him avoid the pitfalls I had experienced, it would do wonders for my own leadership. Since that time, I have helped him produce his podcast by diving back into my experience and leading him from behind the scene. Being a servant leader who watches someone else do something and succeed prepares you for when it's your turn to take the lead. All that is to say leadership principles don't change, but methods and applications do. I am a different person today then who I was when I first started leading others. The good news is that we can all be leaders all the way through our lives' journeys.

In this week's episode, David explains why habits matter. Habits are often talked about in a negative context, but he reveals that establishing positive habits can help you. Three Ways Habits Help You: They can take your conscious mind out of routines, freeing you up to focus on what's important. They can be set up to trigger your mind into a mode of productivity. They can bring a sense of accomplishment. While habits are usually referenced in a negative light because there's a focus on avoiding doing the wrong things, being intentional about setting good habits will lead you in the right direction. By setting up healthy habits, it takes your conscious mind out of routines. The mind wants to automate as much as possible, so if you develop the right habits then your mind can trust the basics are handled and concentrate on the things that matter. Positive habits can trigger productivity. Doing something as simple as drinking coffee every day right before work can trigger your brain to be in a mode to complete a project. When you recognize these triggers, you can consciously set them up as habits to create a desired end result. Set up a habit that brings a sense of accomplishment. Taking the time to make your bed every morning shows that you made something happen, that you do have control over something.  That habit of accomplishment also allows you to start your day with gratitude. The modern world is filled with so many outside stimuli that can get in the way of how you start your day, but don't pick up the cell phone until you get that sense of accomplishment and gratitude so you can have interactions that enhance your day. A habit of beginning your day with accomplishment will overflow into your interactions throughout your day, and you will begin finding things to be grateful for.  Atomic Habits by James Clear notes that building habits is not as simple as doing something for 21 days. It's creating that positive reinforcement to train your brain to recognize what your trigger is, and that causes you to do something then you get rewarded. Create a different reaction for your trigger and a new reward. Breaking these cycles causes your brain to lean into the new habit you've established instead of following the old one.  Idle time can cause your brain to wander and get in a place that hurts your productivity. Building the right routines into your daily life means you're not fighting yourself and the environment around you. 

In this episode, David touches on the subject of finding a coach for any area of your life. He explains there are 3 basic coaching scenarios, each with their own advantages. 

The David A. Specht Show is back and David starts with an exercise for listeners. He asks them to visualize the "5 years down the road" version of themselves. Once listeners capture that images, he challenges them to partner with that person to become that person. He also offers steps to take while on the journey to the best version of ourselves.

The are opportunities all around us. And, like bubbles, they can disappear quickly. In this episode, David explains the "Opportunity Bubble" and gives three steps on how see and seize these bubbles when they appear.

Redeem your time to take advantage of your unique ability and share it with the world. David shows you how in this episode.

With all the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, David offers hope and suggests others do the same

As we kick off a new year, many people are looking to get their finances in order. After all, finances rank as high as health when it comes to resolutions. David breaks down the necessity of budgeting, planning and getting started being serious about money.

In this Facebook Live edition of the podcast, David talks about his hip replacement surgery, the benefits of losing 125 pound before going "under the knife," and how choosing a goal or a word for the year is better than a resolution.

In today's episode, David unpacks the need to end things in our lives that aren't serving us. Whether it is a relationship, employee, business, or habit, we must recognize those things that need to end and take practical steps to move on.

Anyone who has attempted anything great has always faced criticism. But, what if that criticism is from friends, family, or your own mind? David awakens listeners to these critics and how to "lower their volume" to win in the long run.

Have you ever had a week where everything seemed to go wrong? Was "Murphy's Law" in full effect in your life? David had a week like that, but gleaned the truth behind the statement, "The Obstacle is the Way." Our breakthrough is usually just on the other side of the obstacle, but few want to go that way.

Going after your goals shouldn't come at the expense of your relationships. David explains that authentically caring about people will do more for personal success than just about anything.

Have you ever been "ghosted?" Perhaps, you have "ghosted" someone? What does that do to your credibility and reputation? What seems like harmless avoidance could be very detrimental in the long-term.

David is a self-admitted procrastinator. He often says he will get something done, "someday." However, he has learned through his health journey that if he moves from "somday" to "today," he creates positive habits that can be executed everyday.

It's Back to school season, which means back to structure for many. It is also a time where many work on their health, personal development, education, etc. However, many people give up before they break through simply because they have reasonable expectations. David addresses this short-term thinking and offers action steps toward long-term success.

Even though there may be "no new ideas in the world," application of those ideas have definitely changed. David dispels myths about some processed foods, new methods of education, and social media. He offers practical steps on how to embrace innovation without losing your sanity.

David interviews his long-time friend Sean Green about his health journey, which ran through the local gym. As Sean contends for his health, other areas of his life have been affected, in a good way.

David welcomes his first interview guest, Tom Hammel. Tom is a pastor, leadership trainer, just to name a few of his callings. Tom share the story of his own health journey and the awakening that took place along the way. Today, Tom is helping people lead themselves to success.

Most folks don't take the time to think about the future version of themselves. In this episode, David talks about leading from the future, and acting in the now to set and attain personal goals.

Have you ever noticed how the gym parking lot is full on January 2nd and not-so-full about 30 days after that? Many folks start a life change with the how, what, or when. David explains that starting with "Why" is the key to sticking to a plan.