Hey Bravehearts, it's great to see you! This is Dawn Damon, your Braveheart mentor, and you're listening to my podcast, The BraveHearted Woman.

In this episode, I want to encourage you just to do this one thing ~ this one thing can change your life. What is it? Well, just get 1% better every day. Just push yourself incrementally. Just a little bit every day. That's the habit that I'm offering you to think about today. So 1% better every day, what that is over a year, that would be 37.78% better next year than you were this year.

Now I'm not going to lie and act like I knew how to do that it compounds interest right there. I already had that written out. But what I am going to tell you is that I've been applying this principle to my life and I find it to be true you all that we can continue to grow to stretch to get better today than we were yesterday. Conversely, guess what, if we don't want to get better every day. Did you know that there's no such thing as just kind of staying the same, we're either moving forward, or we're slipping backward. So you get to choose. But in this episode, I just want to encourage you to push yourself go ahead and say I can push myself. I can push myself just a little bit. I can get better.

I don't want to confuse you by saying you need to beat yourself up, you're not a piňata you don't need to take a stick and start beating on yourself to get better. There's no judgment. In my words, there's no shame here. Those aren't helpful. Anyways, people that struggle with hearing messages in shaming tones, or you should have, or if you only tend to get paralyzed and do nothing at all. So that's not the point. I want you to think about the fact that well actually do have a piňata in your life, something that does need to be beat out of your way. And it's not you but something is holding the treasure that you seek that mountain in front of you that mountain that's intimidating and kind of looms in front of you and just looks like this unscalable thing that you need to get over you need somehow to get around, you're just feeling overwhelmed by the mountain of work that's in front of you, or the effort that you have to apply to get past this. And maybe it's not really a choice, maybe it's kind of an ultimatum in life like I have to do this thing and you feel overwhelmed. Just beat it just like one tiny whack with a stick every day.

Do you know what would happen if you went outside and you just hit that piňata once every day, twice every day, eventually that thing is gonna break open that piňata, not you not beating yourself but that other one that project that you have that deadline that's out there, that progress that you're supposed to be making. But you haven't even started yet just a little bit every day, if you just hit it every day, just a little bit. Eventually, that piňata is gonna break open and give you the candy that's inside you want that, don't you? Or what about just your health goals? Those things that seem so out of reach so far away? Just thinking about it can make you cry. Because you think if only I could just get there? Well, you can conquer it. You can crack it open, but you definitely will have to apply some of the things that I'm telling you today, just baby steps. Little incremental steps every day. Just think about getting 1% better each day that makes it sound a little bit more palatable doesn't it does for me. I can do 1% I mean, how about your finances? How would your finances change if you just got 1% better every day? Or if you decided? I'm going to do this in my growth and development. I'm just going to push myself to get 1% better every day or in my strength routine just a little bit. It isn't the quantum leaps that lead to success. We think that it's what we do in these big massive leaps. It's not that it's what you do on a consistent basis a little bit every day, that's going to bring you to the winner's circle. And that's where you need to be you need to have success in your life as a midlife woman, you're who I'm talking to right now. It's not the quick time it's go time.

This is the time for you to reinvent what midlife looks like to think about what you want to do with the rest of your life and where you want to go. Because if you don't keep pushing yourself if you don't have a gland for your growth and your development not just haphazardly, like a tumbleweed making your way around. But I'm talking about just a strategic plan and goal that says this is where I want to be and this is how I think I'm going to get there. Of course, the plan can shape and morph and change. But moving forward is what it takes. If you don't do that, you're going to go backward, you're going to slide backward, you're going to lose ground, you're going to lose territory. And to me that's what average is it's people who have given an average mediocre, it just takes so little in our life just to be above average that people that are happy with an average are just a little under average, below average, if you will think they've just given up on life, they don't want to push themselves anymore. They don't want to dig down deep and find that self-discipline because you're going to need the self-discipline to make yourself do what you need to do when you need to do it.

Sometimes we're good at giving ourselves permission to take a break because of that rationalization the voices that will come into our mind and our brain saying, Ah, you've done enough, it's your turn to rest just chillax. You deserve it, you earned it, your self-care, and you don't need just a day you need a year of self-care this year is for you. Well, that may be true, but you don't live there forever. At some point, you get back up at some point you wake up and say, Okay, today's a new day, what if I just got 1% better today, people who decide that average is Okay, have really actually made a decision of another kind, they've decided not to continue to improve themselves. They don't want to work hard on themselves to make changes.

Here are just a few things that statistics talk about what the average person struggles with when they stop growing, they get paralyzed by a mindset. This is I can no longer do this. They dwell on past defeats. They don't try because they're afraid of failure. They aren't confident in their abilities I used to could have once upon a time no longer they've lost confidence because they haven't stayed in control of moving their body and staying alert in their brain and their heart and their mind. They have no focus. So they jump around, they go from one activity to another because they lack focus. And because they lack focus, it doesn't really matter what they do during the day because they have no compelling vision, fooling them forward. Vision is what wakes you up in the morning, a vision of a beautiful future of something that you want to do something that you want to be the person you want to become having a picture of that in your mind is what wakes you up in the morning. It's what gives you juice to get going. It's what makes you say, Oh, it's another day, I can't wait. But people who have just given up on life, kind of just say whatever, I'm just kind of coasting. Now they're not brave enough to risk something. They're not brave enough to try and they lack the confidence now that it takes to be willing to kind of throw your hat in the ring and say I'll give it a go. I'll give it a try.

People who give up listen to those around and that are the naysayers and the pessimists and the negative nellies that are whispering and speaking in their ears. And this is what happens on a regular with an average person. They wake up late every morning, scramble out of bed every morning roll out this is what we read in statistics they don't read and they won't read if you ask a person who just living an average life. Hey, what's the last book that you read? What are you putting into yourself? What's your growing plan about? Well, those are three questions. What did you read, they will tell you they have not read, they don't read. They're not readers, they watch too much TV, and they've turned in their education for nights of binging Netflix instead. So they're just constantly filling their mind with whatever is coming across the TV to them, they waste time. And if you nudge them and ask them to kind of chart their day, how are you spending your time is so precious.

In fact, time is your most valuable commodity and money is your time, and you can't get your time back. They won't chart their time. Successful people have their day scheduled have their time charted and planned and organized. They know what they're going to do when they're going to do it for how long they're going to do it. They know what they're going to do next. I want you to be successful. Don't wake up whenever you feel like it and get up and saunter around, have a plan have a goal to have a vision that wakes you up in the morning. They don't write things down on average. People just refuse to write them down. They don't know what they're believing for. They don't have any written goals. They have nothing to aim for. And they don't commit to goals is another thing. They just like, Oh, that's too much hard work. That's too much effort. I just want to play pickleball I just want to go play golf. I'm nothing wrong with any of that. But, What are you dreaming about? What's your goal? Commit to it. Don't be afraid to say I have a goal by this time next month. I want to have accomplished this or whatever it is for me.

I just wrote the last paragraph of my brand new book I can't wait to tell you about can't give it away yet. Not quite ready. Now we go into editing and then pretty soon we go into publishing and then you will be given the opportunity to be one of the first to get this book and leave me a review. But listen, I have a goal. I said this is what I want to do. And then I broke it down into bite-size goals because writing a book can feel overwhelming. What about you? What's your goal? What do you want to do? How do you want to go about it? When do you want to start? What can you do? Can you just do one thing that just moves the needle 1% better? It's all you have to do at the end of the week, you 7% better so average people become sedentary. They sit around a lot. They don't exercise they don't move their body you know what happens when we don't move our bodies if you rest you rest and not only that we lose calm. Since about our body, we don't know what our body will do for us anymore. That's how people get hurt. I check in with my body every day, I hope you do too. Just stretching it, moving it, seeing how I feel, making sure everything is working. And I have confidence in my body that if I jump or if I dance or if I go, waterskiing, my body's gonna work for me because I'm not a stranger to my body.

But people who want to be average stop working on themselves and just become sedentary, they also become stingy. It's the fact that people that just become average, don't give or they give less, the more money they make, the less they give, you don't want that to be in you. And then they end up being in debt. They spend more than their income bravehearted women. How are you doing? Did you recognize yourself in any of these things? This couple more people who settle and become mediocre in life and don't push themselves in life, almost 100% of them admit that there are a few if not several pounds overweight, and they don't do anything about it. They don't do anything but complain about it, but not you. You're not going to succumb to average, you're not going to give into that you're going to keep pushing yourself, you're going to keep believing in yourself, you're going to keep reaching and growing and stretching. And that's the number one thing I want to make sure that you're fostering that you hear on this weekly podcast that you've got to have that growth mindset that says yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Yes, I can learn I can grow, and I can still find a way to do new things and mix them up. Our brain certainly does like familiarity. There's no doubt about that. And it likes the path of least resistance. It'll take you right back to where it's always taken you but when that happens, you're going to keep getting what you've always been getting. I'm going to challenge you to mix it up a little bit, do something different create a new morning routine for yourself that really causes you to moan and groan just a little bit like you feel it. Yeah, it's new your brain is like why what are we doing? Why are we waking up so early? This isn't what we do. And you say, Oh yes, it is because it's good for you. Because you're exerting self-discipline. You're letting your body and your mind know who's in charge. You're letting yourself say, I'm not just going to acquiesce to average and the rationalizations in the conversation in my brain. I'm taking control. I'm the boss up in here. I'm telling my body you're gonna cooperate. You know what all that apathy and that sluggishness and that laziness that's trying to creep in and get on top of me? No, I'm pushing you off. Okay, I've gone to preach it. Here's what above-average people do. This is what you do. All right, get focused, find clarity.

Do you know what you want and what you're going after? If you're not sure about that, I can help you let's do some coaching together. But here's the main thing get clear on what you're about what you're to do on this earth. What really do you love what Jazz? You find out what you hate and what you don't want to do, and learn to separate yourself from the things that you want that you don't want to do anymore. How do you want to spend the rest of your life getting passionate, finding your energy, finding your sweet spot, and going after it? What do you want? Where do you want to be this time next year? Because as Jim Rohn used to always say, “5 years, you will arrive.” Oh, yes, you will arrive where you will arrive that's yet to be seen. And it's largely up to you. Do you want to arrive at the place in the winner's circle? Do you want to be a contender in the ring? Do you want to be strong and toned and fit and alert? Do you want to be successful? Having earned income wealthy and entrepreneur? Where do you want to be? Or do you want to be that much more out of shape that much more out of touch skills, lacking sadness, feeling depressed and unfulfilled, you get to choose and then find your discipline. This isn't a popular word, but the discipline to make yourself do what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it. That kind of self-discipline. Nobody else is showing up with a whistle. They're not dragging you out of bed. They're not forcing you down into the exercise room. They're not forcing you to open that book or read your Bible. They're not going to force you to pray this morning. Nobody's showing up, you know, dragging, and if there is somebody showing up for that, I bet you don't like them. You're like quit bossing me around. I'm sure you don't appreciate it. Reach down inside, find that self-discipline, you can do it. You're not an immature baby. You're a wise woman. You can find that discipline, you can wake up early, and you can craft out some time to develop which is my next point a powerful morning routine, and include the things that are important to you.

Now for me, I love my morning routine. I don't want to go without my morning routine. I wake up at least two hours early if not three from wherever it is that I need to be because I want to read I want to journal and when I say journal, I have a whole new way of journaling. I don't just write like Dear Diary kind of stuff. I have a very strategic powerful way to journal which one of these days I'm going to teach you how to do because I am in the process of creating my journal so that I can make it available to you because a lot of people have asked about it but I love journaling. I want to have time for exercise. I also want to have time for meditation for breathing diaphragm quickly I want to take time to create and I read affirmations and I allow some space for my brain just to wake up so my morning routine prepares me for the rest of the day and I win my days because I win my morning. Are you winning your morning? If you win your morning, you'll win your day for sure. If you win your day, you're gonna win your week you win your week, you're gonna win your money. That's a winning life, not saying oh, I didn't do it again today waking up with the feeling of defeat and regret and sadness that once again, you didn't keep your promise to you and then your self-esteem begins to plummet. So wake up early, and have a powerful morning routine. That's what successful people do.

They also are readers. When was the last time you read a good book? Because leaders are readers. What kind of books are you reading? I like to read books that challenged me spiritually. I like to read books that challenged my growth and my personal development and that I'm reaching and learning new things. And then I'm finding some shadow sides of my temperament and personality that I know that need to come up a level like I need to improve in that area. I like to read books that teach me a new skill, something different that challenges my brain, I don't read books that are pointless. I don't read unless I'm on a vacation sitting on a hot beach. But really to be honest with you, I don't even do it then. But I'm not reading the romance novels. I'm not reading just maybe a few novels. But that's my personal preference. I want to read books that build my faith and grow me. And so I pray that you are going to be a reader this season of life, you should be reading a book all the time that's motivating you and building you and encouraging you. It's just pouring into just like cascading knowledge and love and personal growth and enthusiasm for your life. Just be a lifelong learner. That's what successful people do that make them above average, they just decide I'm going to keep learning, I'm not going to stop, I'm going to keep learning, I'm not going to get stagnant, I'm going to grow. I'm not going to just sit and take in television that's probably toxic and leaves me feeling depressed, totally depressed. I'm going to create an environment where I'm stimulated to grow and to become 1% better and want to use my gifts ultimately and stay a contributor in life. You got to get out of the receiving line and get into the contributing line. It's not all about what can happen for us, but it's about how we can bless others. This season of life pouring into others ministering to others. You got a lot of natural abilities, you get talents, you bring joy to so many people, and you are an encouragement to others. Eleanor Roosevelt said it this way, “When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.” And Winston Churchill said most people die in there. He said like 25 but they didn't live as long then. So let me just change it a little bit. Most people die at 40 but you're not buried till they're 80. Don't let that be you. You're going to keep going you're going to be in the winner's circle.

All right, so I want to push you to become 1% better. I want to push you to say. hey average mediocre no I'm not going to live that kind of life. I'm going to love my life. I'm going to design a life that I adore and that I wake up curious is going to be my new lens through which I look I'm going to get out of the box I'm gonna start thinking about what else is out there. How much can I grow? How far can I go stimulate myself with that shake-off of the mundane wake up become fully alive because God's got greatness for you?

That's what I have for you today. If you love this podcast episode, would you please share it with someone else? Would you also take the time to leave a review? I've left it in the show notes for you. That's how you can help me get more rankings and higher ratings and then better exposure people can find out that I'm here by getting more reviews. Would you be willing to do that? Just leave a review for me. Thank you. I appreciate you so much for doing that. I'm cheering you on. I want you to be in the winner's circle. And here's what I'm gonna do to bless you this week. I want to give you my free download of My Top 10 Growth and Development Books not that I've written but that I read one that I've written that's coming out soon. Yay! But the books that have changed my life I want to give them to you so you can click the link in the show notes and get that free download. Alright, everybody, I hope that you will have an amazing day and I'm going to leave you like I always do beautiful Bravehearted woman, it is time for you to find your brave and live your dream!