Podcasts about fanatical

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Manziel is still an idiot, and does Lebron come home AGAIN? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talk about varied - we go from a ‘posh banana' Brazilian carnival in a bottle Nicola experienced at a vibrantly fun perfume pop-up in Liberty, to an extraordinary, burning, bloodied rose Suzy's entranced by (don't worry - it's not as scary as it sounds!)We're also featuring two incredibly inspirational women on this week's show - one who's created her own fragrance brand to reflect a life lived in scent and adventure, and another who's bringing the playfulness back into perfumery by allowing you (and your friends) to attend a blending workshop via Zoom - to create your own fragrance with her stunning and easy-to-use accords. A whole group of the #fragfam (Suzy, Nicola, Jo, Alice du Parcq, Amanda Carr, Thomas & Hayden attended a Zoom, and we were HUGELY impressed, plus love the scents we blended!)Amidst all of that there's talk of a naughty Toy Boy who's back in town, and Suzy finds two exquisite (and very affordable) iris-forward fragrances for a listener.Plus: get the second issue of On The Scent magazine which has just been published and is already flying out again! Order online here:https://www.onthescentmedia.com/on-the-scent-magazineNow, on with the show, and let's jump in…We discuss:Granado Yes, Nós Temos Banana!The Brazilian brand has taken over Liberty's historic Atrium for the whole of July with a huge banana pop-up! Do see it in-person if you can. They say: ‘Evoking the tropical vibrance of Brazil in olfactive form, Yes, Nós Temos Banana! eau de parfum from Granado is an invigorating addition to any fragrance collection.Anchored by a classic, woody base of sandalwood and cedar, this fragrance combines vibrant notes of banana and peach blossom with the romantic delicacy of fig and iris, while highlighting banana leaf as the protagonist of the creation - spritz onto skin for a breath of escapism.'L'Entropiste Ensang Noir[From Sainte Cellier] ‘This rose is on fire… Ensang Noir is an extraordinarily pungent rose perfume, sanguineous red petals stained with black ink, rusted at the bleeding edges. A scent of temptation, danger and the ritualistic fumes of burnt love. Fanatical, obsessive. Skin becomes an altar for this most plush and smoky offering.'Top Notes: aldehydes, blackcurrant, coriander, cucumberHeart Notes: red rose, magnolia, peonyBase Notes: incense, birch, opoponax, patchouli, vetiver, caramelMoschino ToyBoy 2‘Moschino's celebrated fragrance for him is back! This time, the new TOY BOY 2 will take you on a sensory journey that opens with a spicy spark and closes with an amber caress.Toy boy 2 comes alive with an explosion of intriguing nutmeg and sparkling ginger and sets out on a quest to start a journey of lively and ironic charm, to escape from the daily greyness by retracing distant but ever-present emotions. It wraps you in a warm embrace of intense coffee, while akigalawood adds a bold touch. As the adventure continues, it leaves behind a soft trail of myrrh and vetiver, comforting you and promising even more surprises.'Top notessaffron accord, nutmeg Indonesia, fresh gingerHeart notescoffee extract, cedarwood, akigalawoodBase notescistus concrete, vetiver oul, myrrh resinoidLiz Astor Fragrances‘Three perfumes, three chapters of a life lived through fragrance.From an English garden to distant horizons and star-filled nights — each captures a moment in Liz Astor's journey: where she began, where she wandered, and what she became.'HETHERSETT‘Hethersett is a return to origin — a chypre–fruity fragrance that feels like sunlight through orchard branches and summer gardens in full bloom. Each breath reveals the early whispers of creativity: petals, citrus, and memory intertwined. Bright, romantic, rooted — the scent of home becoming art.Olfactory Notes Orange • Citron • Jasmine • Magnolia • Orange Blossom • Saffron • Cedarwood • MuskFrom £40 for 7.5ml8.7°S 118.3°E‘The coordinates point to a remote stretch of the Indonesian sea — a place etched in Liz Astor's travels, when she chased adventure beyond familiar shores.8.7°S 118.3°E captures the spirit of exploration — the scent of salt spray and sunlight, the pulse of courage, and the thrill of finding beauty in the unknown. It is both fearless and fluid, an ode to self-discovery carried on the ocean wind.Tone Wild, radiant, unbound — freedom bottled in light and sea air.Olfactory Notes Bergamot • Mandarin • Grapefruit • Clary Sage • Jasmine • Patchouli • Vetiver'From £40 for 7.6ml eau de parfumNadira No.9‘Nadira No.9 evokes the sensual hush of desert air beneath a vast night sky — where time slows and the spirit expands. It's a fragrance of reverence and reflection, born of distant travels and the quiet awe of standing beneath a thousand unfamiliar.Soft, luminous, intimate — starlight woven through spice and skin.'Amber • Musk • Night-blooming Florals • Spiced Woods'From £70 for 7.5ml parfumDiscovery Set: £25 for x3 samplesPurchase the collection for £25 — this is fully redeemable against a future purchase of any 75ml fragrance once you've chosen your favourite.https://lizastor.comElix perfume blending workshop (via Zoom)Nicole founder Elix because: ‘Scent is uniquely powerful, yet we rarely have the opportunity to play and experiment with it. After a career in product innovation and creative facilitation, I returned to my childhood dream of perfume alchemy. Artisan perfumery became my creative outlet during lockdown, and I was inspired by the joy and mindfulness it brought into my life. I founded ELIX Personal Alchemyto share that playful magic with others and make artisan personalised perfumery more accessible.'‘Our hand-crafted Eau de Toilette blending accords harmonise beautifully in endless combinations. Blend 2–4 accords together to create a range of scents that evolve with your mood, style or occasion; or enjoy them solo.Our luxury set contains everything you need to enjoy a mindful personal ritual or a shared creative experience at home.Our curated collections are inspired by some of the most-loved accord combinations created during our live workshops, and include a selection of popular blending ideas to inspire your own journey.• Up to 70% naturally derived ingredients l • Blending accords can be worn alone or combined • Two refillable atomisers with replenishable elements • Additional accords available individually • Hand-crafted and hand-packed in the U.K.'£149 Personal Alchemy Blending Kithttps://www.elixfragrance.comListener Prescription:Joanna Caccavo:Dear Suzy and Nicola,First of all, a big congratulations on the new magazine! It is absolutely mouthwatering and Suzy's prose is exquisite - I MUST read more! I am also eager for a perfume prescription for an affordable ($100 or under) very iris-forward fragrance. I'm accustomed to seeing iris perfumes raved about online, but they tend to be quite pricy. However, I recently blind-bought Zara's Romance d'Iris Elixir, which is almost an iris soliflore and about $70, and I fell head-over-heels in love! I know that iris is a note in many fragrances, both expensive and inexpensive, but in my (admittedly limited!) experience it's usually quite subtle. Surely there must be other affordable super-iris-y perfumes out there? (They needn't smell only of iris, but I'd like that to be the dominant note.) Thank you! :)Suzy suggested:Fragonard Belle de ParisComposed by Daniela Andrier (of Prada Infusion d'Iris fame!) here,;lbase notes are Musk and White Cedar Extract.‘Belle de Paris is elegantly cloaked in iris, a symbol of chic, and wears its incomparable scent.Its fruity head notes of green mandarin, neroli, and pear brighten a generous heart of iris absolute adornedwith violet and incense. Musk and white cedar form its base.'Top Notes: neroli, pear and green mandarin;Heart Notes: iris, violet and incenseBase Notes: musk and white cedar extract.€42 for 100ml eau de toilette4160 Tuesdays Hush Hush‘Imagine a secret 1920s party, the perfumes that people are wearing are the new things: violets and iris, vanilla and musks. They're wearing smart suits and straight silk dresses with beaded tassels. Someone opens a new paper packet of cigarettes, and they all whip out their elegant holders, even the women! It has a powdery feel reminiscent of early 20th Century perfumes, because we both love the violet-iris texture and aroma created by ionones and irones, including those from natural orris (slightly extravagant but worth every penny). Among the many materials assembled here to create a completely new scent, we have a smidgen of natural rose, a fair quantity of Cashmeran, woods, sparkly orange flower, bergamot, creamy ethyl vanillin and layers of musks.'£35 for 15ml eau de toilette

The Fanatical Elfz Show: The franchise QB tag isn't real. The Browns just need good QB play this season Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: A hard "No" to the Sorsby Gambling Man joining the Browns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

USA plays their first World Cup match today and we dive into fanatics that take it too far, plus a clean sweep of Minneapolis questions on Know it or Blow it for 612 day and JIM GAFFIGAN on his first concert, what ACME is so important and being the third funniest in his family. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Mini camp is a wrap! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Garrett traded and a fresh outlook on the future of the Browns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Browns OTA's in full force! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Shedeur vs. Deshaun chatter and why the fuss about Myles not being at OTA"s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Browns schedule was just released, and it's a strange one! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Novak and Colonel Rob Maness discuss the urgent escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran. The conversation centers on President Trump's rejection of Iranian peace terms as “totally unacceptable,” with both speakers characterizing the Iranian regime as a fanatical and untrustworthy force akin to historical Nazi leadership. Moving from global conflict to domestic activism, Maness promotes his new book, "What You Can Do About It," which serves as a manual for Americans to combat corruption and radicalism through organized action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Browns rookie camp begins! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Draft Day went well for Browns! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: The NFL Draft on deck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Where's Myles? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: The swing and a miss has turned into a fresh start for Watson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thre Fanatical Elfz Show: Will Myles Garrett be traded? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode of Tall Boy Radio, host Beans dives deep into the enigmatic, often polarizing, and endlessly fascinating world of Steven Patrick Morrissey. To help navigate this complex cultural landscape, Beans is joined by George and Chris, the seasoned voices behind the Morrissey and Wine podcast.The conversation is more than just a standard track-by-track breakdown; it's an exploration of the unique gravity Morrissey exerts on his audience.The trio spends a significant portion of the episode dissecting the "why" behind the "who." They explore the deep-rooted connection that fans feel toward the former Smiths frontman—a bond that often transcends music and borders on the spiritual.Key themes include:The Voice of the Outsider: How Morrissey's lyrics provided a sanctuary for the "misfits" of the 80s and continues to resonate with those who feel out of step with the modern world.The Nature of Devotion: A look at why Morrissey fans are among the most loyal (and protective) in the music industry.The Complexity of the Idol: Navigating the difficult waters of being a fan in the 21st century, balancing the artistry against the headlines.Recorded on the cusp of a new era, the episode captures the electric anticipation surrounding the upcoming album, Make-up is a Lie. Since the record had yet to drop at the time of recording, George, Chris, and Beans engage in some educated speculation and shared excitement.They discuss:What the title suggests about Morrissey's current headspace.Expectations for the sonic direction—will it be a return to jangly roots or a continuation of his grand, orchestral solo style?The significance of a new release in maintaining the momentum of his storied career.Whether you're a die-hard fan who has every B-side on vinyl or someone who is simply curious about the "Cult of Moz," this crossover event offers a balanced, witty, and insightful look at an artist who refuses to be ignored. With George and Chris providing their expert "wine-fueled" perspective and Beans steering the ship, it's a masterclass in music fandom.Listen to the Morrissey and Wine podcast on SpotifyMorrissey and Wine | Podcast on Spotifytallboyradio.com

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Browns have done some good things in free agency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Browns use free agency to bolster the offensive line Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Browns use free agency to beef up the offensive line Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mikey Weinstein of The Military Religious Freedom Foundation condemns Hegseth's latest Pentagon Christian Worship Service with Pete's personal pastor. MRFF exposes that End-Times-Happy commanders are telling troops that the Iran War is part of God's Plan to bring Jesus back. Plus US Rep from Wisconsin, Mark Pocan weighs in on illegal actions by MAGA on the world stage.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Free Agency, trades, QBs, and Myles has a problem! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: NFL Combine, Free Agency and Browns QB competition! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: NFL Combine starts Monday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cross-posted to LessWrong.Summary History's most destructive ideologies—like Nazism, totalitarian communism, and religious fundamentalism—exhibited remarkably similar characteristics: epistemic and moral certainty extreme tribalism dividing humanity into a sacred “us” and an evil “them” a willingness to use whatever means necessary, including brutal violence. Such ideological fanaticism was a major driver of eight of the ten greatest atrocities since 1800, including the Taiping Rebellion, World War II, and the regimes of Stalin, Mao, and Hitler. We focus on ideological fanaticism over related concepts like totalitarianism partly because it better captures terminal preferences, which plausibly matter most as we approach superintelligent AI and technological maturity. Ideological fanaticism is considerably less influential than in the past, controlling only a small fraction of world GDP. Yet at least hundreds of millions still hold fanatical views, many regimes exhibit concerning ideological tendencies, and the past two decades have seen widespread democratic backsliding. The long-term influence of ideological fanaticism is uncertain. Fanaticism faces many disadvantages including a weak starting position, poor epistemics, and difficulty assembling broad coalitions. But it benefits from greater willingness to use extreme measures, fervent mass followings, and a historical tendency to survive and even thrive amid technological and societal upheaval. Beyond complete victory or defeat, multipolarity may [...] ---Outline:(00:16) Summary(05:19) What do we mean by ideological fanaticism?(08:40) I. Dogmatic certainty: epistemic and moral lock-in(10:02) II. Manichean tribalism: total devotion to us, total hatred for them(12:42) III. Unconstrained violence: any means necessary(14:33) Fanaticism as a multidimensional continuum(16:09) Ideological fanaticism drove most of recent historys worst atrocities(19:24) Death tolls dont capture all harm(20:55) Intentional versus natural or accidental harm(22:44) Why emphasize ideological fanaticism over political systems like totalitarianism?(25:07) Fanatical and totalitarian regimes have caused far more harm than all other regime types(26:29) Authoritarianism as a risk factor(27:19) Values change political systems: Ideological fanatics seek totalitarianism, not democracy(29:50) Terminal values may matter independently of political systems, especially with AGI(31:02) Fanaticisms connection to malevolence (dark personality traits)(34:22) The current influence of ideological fanaticism(34:42) Historical perspective: it was much worse, but we are sliding back(37:19) Estimating the global scale of ideological fanaticism(43:57) State actors(48:12) How much influence will ideological fanaticism have in the long-term future?(48:57) Reasons for optimism: Why ideological fanaticism will likely lose(49:45) A worse starting point and historical track record(50:33) Fanatics intolerance results in coalitional disadvantages(51:53) The epistemic penalty of irrational dogmatism(54:21) The marketplace of ideas and human preferences(55:57) Reasons for pessimism: Why ideological fanatics may gain power(56:04) The fragility of democratic leadership in AI(56:37) Fanatical actors may grab power via coups or revolutions(59:36) Fanatics have fewer moral constraints(01:01:13) Fanatics prioritize destructive capabilities(01:02:13) Some ideologies with fanatical elements have been remarkably resilient and successful(01:03:01) Novel fanatical ideologies could emerge--or existing ones could mutate(01:05:08) Fanatics may have longer time horizons, greater scope-sensitivity, and prioritize growth more(01:07:15) A possible middle ground: Persistent multipolar worlds(01:08:33) Why multipolar futures seem plausible(01:10:00) Why multipolar worlds might persist indefinitely(01:15:42) Ideological fanaticism increases existential and suffering risks(01:17:09) Ideological fanaticism increases the risk of war and conflict(01:17:44) Reasons for war and ideological fanaticism(01:26:27) Fanatical ideologies are non-democratic, which increases the risk of war(01:27:00) These risks are both time-sensitive and timeless(01:27:44) Fanatical retributivism may lead to astronomical suffering(01:29:50) Empirical evidence: how many people endorse eternal extreme punishment?(01:33:53) Religious fanatical retributivism(01:40:45) Secular fanatical retributivism(01:41:43) Ideological fanaticism could undermine long-reflection-style frameworks and AI alignment(01:42:33) Ideological fanaticism threatens collective moral deliberation(01:47:35) AI alignment may not solve the fanaticism problem either(01:53:33) Prevalence of reality-denying, anti-pluralistic, and punitive worldviews(01:55:44) Ideological fanaticism could worsen many other risks(01:55:49) Differential intellectual regress(01:56:51) Ideological fanaticism may give rise to extreme optimization and insatiable moral desires(01:59:21) Apocalyptic terrorism(02:00:05) S-risk-conducive propensities and reverse cooperative intelligence(02:01:28) More speculative dynamics: purity spirals and self-inflicted suffering(02:03:00) Unknown unknowns and navigating exotic scenarios(02:03:43) Interventions(02:05:31) Societal or political interventions(02:05:51) Safeguarding democracy(02:06:40) Reducing political polarization(02:10:26) Promoting anti-fanatical values: classical liberalism and Enlightenment principles(02:13:55) Growing the influence of liberal democracies(02:15:54) Encouraging reform in illiberal countries(02:16:51) Promoting international cooperation(02:22:36) Artificial intelligence-related interventions(02:22:41) Reducing the chance that transformative AI falls into the hands of fanatics(02:27:58) Making transformative AIs themselves less likely to be fanatical(02:36:14) Using AI to improve epistemics and deliberation(02:38:13) Fanaticism-resistant post-AGI governance(02:39:51) Addressing deeper causes of ideological fanaticism(02:41:26) Supplementary materials(02:41:39) Acknowledgments(02:42:22) References --- First published: February 12th, 2026 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/EDBQPT65XJsgszwmL/long-term-risks-from-ideological-fanaticism --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO. ---Images from the article:Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Browns social media madness continues Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Super Bowl Sunday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this first Monday of the second month of the year, it's time for a gut check. First, we need to check where we are against our new year goals. Next, we need to take stock of our first month's sales performance and make adjustments. We're just a little more than 30 days away from our New Year's intentions, resolutions, and goals. A month ago, we set out into the new year with hope and ambition that this year would be our best ever and that we'd make positive lasting changes in our lives. It's Easy to Slip Off the Track You'll remember that discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most. But as time goes by and sticking with new habits gets more challenging, it's easy to forget what motivated us to make the changes in the first place. It's easy to let down our guard and go back to our comfort zone. The farther away we get from our intentions, the more likely it is that we allow our discipline to slip and get off track. It's just human nature. Small Slips in Discipline Can Add Up Quickly Let's say you kicked off the new year determined to have your best sales year ever, and you knew that meant filling your pipeline daily by getting Fanatical about Prospecting. But upon reflection, you realize that days have passed since you picked up the phone, knocked on a door, or talked with customers. You've been making excuses to avoid the very activities that move you closer to your goals. I'll admit that it happened to me just this past week. This month has been non-stop travel — 12 flights, 10 cities, 8 keynotes, 5 full days delivering training to sales teams. Toward the end of the week, I got tired, made excuses, and let my exercise and nutrition routine slide. This was something I promised myself I wouldn't do when the year started. I know that if I don't stop right now and recommit to my goals, then there is a good chance that I'll continue down this negative path — because it's easy. Revisit Your Goals and Resolutions This is exactly why NOW is a good time for a gut check and a look in the mirror. Pause and carve out time today to revisit your goals, resolutions, and intentions. Sit down and think about what you decided to achieve back in early January. Visualize what it was that motivated you. Picture what you want most and where you want to be at the end of this year. Go back and re-listen to the Money Monday episodes on building a personal business plan, reflection vs. regret, and why personal goals are essential for sales discipline. Then recommit to your goals. Remember the feelings you had when you set them, and make an intentional decision to get back on track. Evaluate Your First Month's Performance Against Your Sales Goals Next, step back and evaluate your first month's sales performance. As you do, you'll likely find one of three scenarios: You Crushed It – You had a killer month and blew your goals out of the water. You Were Average – You hit quota or did “okay,” but you know you're capable of much higher performance. You Bombed – You missed your number and ended the month worse than you hoped. Great Sales Month If You Crushed it, and you're at the top of the ranking report, fantastic, congratulations! But be very careful not to let off the gas. It's likely you worked very hard last month to achieve these results. There will be the temptation to take a breather. Trust me, if you do, this complacency will come back to bite you. Now is the time to recommit to doing the activity that fueled your success last month so you don't end up with a lackluster February and a disastrous March. In other words, you've set the foundation for a huge year, take advantage of what you have accomplished, and keep the pedal to the metal! Average Sales Month If you had an average or just OK month — maybe you hit quota, maybe you came close, but you know you've got more in the tank — then it's time for some honest self-reflection. Ask yourself: What held you back from greatness? What could you have done differently that would have resulted in higher sales productivity? Maybe you needed to prospect harder. Perhaps you could have pushed a little harder to close some of your pipeline opportunities. It could have been that your pipeline wasn't big enough from the start, and you ended up scrambling to make your numbers, but otherwise, you did everything right. It's okay, you haven't hurt yourself. You are still in a good position to have a great year. But you'll need to identify your performance gaps and plan to overcome them in February. This is a good time to sit down with your coach or mentor, break down your performance, and get guidance on where you can make tweaks and get better. If you don't have a coach and you want to talk with someone, go to https://salesgravy.com/coach to get help. Bad Sales Month If you bombed, if your month was downright awful, then you're going to need to move fast to make adjustments. Getting behind the eight ball at the beginning of the year is no fun. You don't want to chase your tail for the rest of the year. The key is taking positive action now. Rather than dwelling on the negatives — which is super easy to do — pull your head up and start breaking down what happened. Empty Pipe Did you have an empty pipeline, so you had nothing to close? That happens to a lot of salespeople in the first month of the year. Go back and listen to the How to Fix an Empty Pipeline Now Money Monday episode from a few weeks ago. Use that lesson to help you fix the problem. Closeable Opportunities that Pushed Were there closeable pipeline opportunities that simply pushed into this month? Make sure you're on top of them so they don't vanish for good. But also make sure you have the pipe to cover this month, so you're not solely depending on last month's leftovers. Shortcutting the Sales Process Is it possible that you might have been skipping steps in the sales process? This will often happen when you are in a desperate and stressed emotional state. This is a big clue that it is time to get back to the basics and fundamentals of selling— and get disciplined about following a proven sales process. This may be a very good time to take some courses on Sales Gravy University and read (or listen) to books like Sales EQ that can help you dial in your sales process. Recommit to Your Sales Goals We all slip. We all make mistakes. Discipline can waver, especially once the initial excitement of a new year fades. But you have the power to step back into your resolutions and do the daily work required to achieve your goals. Whether you crushed it, coasted, or crashed, the key to getting February off to a strong start is to recommit. Make the decision — say it out loud: “I'm going to be better in February than I was in January.” Need help setting winning Sales Goals? Check out our FREE Goal Planning Guide

On this first Monday of the second month of the year, it's time for a gut check. First, we need to check where we are against our new year goals. Next, we need to take stock of our first month’s sales performance and make adjustments. We're just a little more than 30 days away from our New Year’s intentions, resolutions, and goals. A month ago, we set out into the new year with hope and ambition that this year would be our best ever and that we'd make positive lasting changes in our lives. It's Easy to Slip Off the Track You'll remember that discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most. But as time goes by and sticking with new habits gets more challenging, it's easy to forget what motivated us to make the changes in the first place. It's easy to let down our guard and go back to our comfort zone. The farther away we get from our intentions, the more likely it is that we allow our discipline to slip and get off track. It's just human nature. Small Slips in Discipline Can Add Up Quickly Let's say you kicked off the new year determined to have your best sales year ever, and you knew that meant filling your pipeline daily by getting Fanatical about Prospecting. But upon reflection, you realize that days have passed since you picked up the phone, knocked on a door, or talked with customers. You've been making excuses to avoid the very activities that move you closer to your goals. I'll admit that it happened to me just this past week. This month has been non-stop travel — 12 flights, 10 cities, 8 keynotes, 5 full days delivering training to sales teams. Toward the end of the week, I got tired, made excuses, and let my exercise and nutrition routine slide. This was something I promised myself I wouldn't do when the year started. I know that if I don't stop right now and recommit to my goals, then there is a good chance that I'll continue down this negative path — because it's easy. Revisit Your Goals and Resolutions This is exactly why NOW is a good time for a gut check and a look in the mirror. Pause and carve out time today to revisit your goals, resolutions, and intentions. Sit down and think about what you decided to achieve back in early January. Visualize what it was that motivated you. Picture what you want most and where you want to be at the end of this year. Go back and re-listen to the Money Monday episodes on building a personal business plan, reflection vs. regret, and why personal goals are essential for sales discipline. Then recommit to your goals. Remember the feelings you had when you set them, and make an intentional decision to get back on track. Evaluate Your First Month's Performance Against Your Sales Goals Next, step back and evaluate your first month's sales performance. As you do, you'll likely find one of three scenarios: You Crushed It – You had a killer month and blew your goals out of the water. You Were Average – You hit quota or did “okay,” but you know you're capable of much higher performance. You Bombed – You missed your number and ended the month worse than you hoped. Great Sales Month If You Crushed it, and you're at the top of the ranking report, fantastic, congratulations! But be very careful not to let off the gas. It's likely you worked very hard last month to achieve these results. There will be the temptation to take a breather. Trust me, if you do, this complacency will come back to bite you. Now is the time to recommit to doing the activity that fueled your success last month so you don't end up with a lackluster February and a disastrous March. In other words, you've set the foundation for a huge year, take advantage of what you have accomplished, and keep the pedal to the metal! Average Sales Month If you had an average or just OK month — maybe you hit quota, maybe you came close, but you know you've got more in the tank — then it's time for some honest self-reflection. Ask yourself: What held you back from greatness? What could you have done differently that would have resulted in higher sales productivity? Maybe you needed to prospect harder. Perhaps you could have pushed a little harder to close some of your pipeline opportunities. It could have been that your pipeline wasn't big enough from the start, and you ended up scrambling to make your numbers, but otherwise you did everything right. It's okay, you haven't hurt yourself. You are still in a good position to have a great year. But you'll need to identify your performance gaps and plan to overcome them in February. This is a good time to sit down with your coach or mentor, break down your performance, and get guidance on where you can make tweaks and get better. If you don't have a coach and you want to talk with someone, go to https://salesgravy.com/coach to get help. Bad Sales Month If you bombed, if your month was downright awful, then you're going to need to move fast to make adjustments. Getting behind the eight ball at the beginning of the year is no fun. You don't want to chase your tail for the rest of the year. The key is taking positive action now. Rather than dwelling on the negatives — which is super easy to do — pull your head up and start breaking down what happened. Empty Pipe Did you have an empty pipeline, so you had nothing to close? That happens to a lot of salespeople in the first month of the year. Go back and listen to the How to Fix an Empty Pipeline Now Money Monday episode from a few weeks ago. Use that lesson to help you fix the problem. Closeable Opportunities that Pushed Were there closeable pipeline opportunities that simply pushed into this month? Make sure you're on top of them so they don't vanish for good. But also make sure you have the pipe to cover this month, so you're not solely depending on last month's leftovers. Shortcutting the Sales Process Is it possible that you might have been skipping steps in the sales process? This will often happen when you are in a desperate and stressed emotional state. This is a big clue that it is time to get back to the basics and fundamentals of selling— and get disciplined about following a proven sales process. This may be a very good time to take some courses on Sales Gravy University and read (or listen) to books like Sales EQ that can help you dial in your sales process. Recommit to Your Sales Goals We all slip. We all make mistakes. Discipline can waver, especially once the initial excitement of a new year fades. But you have the power to step back into your resolutions and do the daily work required to achieve your goals. Whether you crushed it, coasted, or crashed, the key to getting February off to a strong start is to recommit. Make the decision — say it out loud: “I'm going to be better in February than I was in January.” Need help setting winning Sales Goals? Check out our FREE Goal Planning Guide

Geoffrey Roberts concludes that Stalin admired American industrialism and constitutional structure while editing Soviet history, defining him as a fanatical Bolshevik intellectual driven by Marxist dogma.1896 TSAR NICHOLAS

The Fanatical Elfz Show: Schwartz or Udinski? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Glenn reacts to Rep. Jasmine Crockett's announcement that she is running for Senate. Plus: Bari Weiss chooses fanatical Israel supporter Tony Dokoupil as the CBS Evening News anchor.  ------------------------------------- Watch full episodes on Rumble, streamed LIVE 7pm ET. Become part of our Locals community Follow System Update:  Twitter Instagram TikTok Facebook  

Fanatical Elfz Postgame Show: Browns lose to Titans after heroic comeback 31-29 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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In this episode of the Official Xbox Podcast, we're visiting Obsidian Entertainment as they're getting ready to release their awesome action RPG, The Outer Worlds 2. We're diving deep into Arcadia and learning all about each faction's unique and reactive radio stations, including how the original songs, ads, skits, and eccentric DJs all add flavor, feel, guidance, and lore to this story-driven game.00:00 Introduction01:07 Walk and talk with Brandon02:24 What are you most excited for players to experience?03:04 What is Outer Worlds 2?04:19 Sitting down with Leonard and Brandon05:00 What does it mean to be a Creative Director?06:56 Radio talk and the inspiration to have it in the game08:51 What are some of the radio stations?10:56 What was it like playing the game internally and interpreting the propaganda of each radio station?12:20 What was the writing and casting process for the radio DJs?14:20 Reactivity with the radio stations18:54 The conversational Moon Man Menu21:20 What is your favorite ad, PSA, or song from Outer Worlds 2?23:59 What are you most excited to see?26:57 Outro FOLLOW XBOXFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xbox​​​ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Xbox​​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Xbox

Jonathan Speyer reports on Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and Israel, sustained by Iranian, Iraqi, Hezbollah, and even Chinese support. He describes the Houthis as fanatical, religiously and tribally motivated, aiming for "death to America, death to Israel, and curse the Jews." While cutting their supply chain and taking Hodeidah port is militarily feasible for a Western-backed force, a lack of political will currently prevents such aggressive action against their sophisticated smuggling operations. 1932