Ever have a day where you feel like absolute ape-ass? You know, the type of day that smells like sewer secretion? The kinda day where you don’t wanna go to work, you don’t wanna meet THAT person, and you definitely don’t wanna get outta the damn bed!
Yeah, me too. We can’t always completely control how we feel. That’s a fact. But what if there was a way to take your nightmare scenario and alchemize it into your dream day? What if there was a way to go from feeling your ABSOLUTE *worst* to feeling your ABSOLUTE *best* in just two hours?
Watch this video to learn:
- What to do when you don’t wanna show up to your meeting, but need to anyway!
- How to communicate with people when you’d rather punch a wall.
- How to get your heart broken like a champ. 🙂
- A story about how I was able to start working with my biggest inspirations on *THE* subjects I’m most passionate about while potentially making a huge impact on people’s lives.
PS: Me and shorty made up the next day. <3
Download (and/or print) the video’s transcription for reading. (Thanx for writing it Rebecca!)
6 Ways to Deal with Shitty Situations
Here are 6 lessons learned from this escapade. See how you can apply them in your own life.
Show up! Life is never gonna be perfect. And you’ll never be completely ready for your big opportunities. But show up anyway – even while you feel like shit! No great goal comes to fruition without enduring growing pains.
Be authentic! We all walk around with a diesel superficial shield to guard us from social norms. If you’re “lucky” enough, you’ll get hit hard and your shield will crack, presenting you with an opportunity to step into vulnerability and allow yourself to be seen for who you are. To be imperfect is to be human. Be you, and (I know it’s scary but) allow people to be empathetic!
Talk about the elephant in the room! And if the elephant dropped a deuce, don’t let the shit just sit there. It’s only gonna smell worse. Address it!
Transform fear into progress and frustration into passion! If you’re going through some shit, don’t let it suffocate your flame. Instead, use that situation as fuel for your fire! Fear is excitement without the breath. Alchemize that excessive energy into an outlet for enthusiastically expressing yourself.
Communicate your passion! Talk about the things that fire you up, *especially* to the people you admire. Do NOT let this opportunity pass!! Don’t talk for validation, but rather, because this is what most excites you. Emotional contagion spreads like wild-fire. (Just watch the above video? How ya feeling now?!)
Focus on your breathing! It’s one of THE biggest things which you can ALWAYS do that’ll increase the quality of your life. Remember: Fear is excitement without the breath. When you’re off balance, breathe baby, BREATHE!
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In those choices lie our growth and happiness. -Viktor Frankl
More information coming on the A Roadmap for Young Adults virtual conference soon (including a blog)! In the meantime…
Turning Inspiration Into Action
If this story resonates with you, and you wanna work one-on-one with me, I have a few coaching slots open. Send an email to [email protected] explaining why you’re interested in working together!
PPS: Oh yeah, a shout out to some homeys!
A big thank you to Jeff Klein for sending me his Working For Good book as well as an advanced copy of his new book, It’s Just Good Business. Very excited to be interviewing Jeff soon!
“To Jacob – Thank you for all you do + all you are in the spirit of working for good. Here’s to the journey!”
Also, thanx to Gretch Rubin’s publisher for hooking me up with a copy of her new Happier At Home book!
Thanx to Andy for this suh-weet postcard with such warm words. I’m honored!
Bearhug. 🙂
And of course, big thanx to Iris of TeamSensophy for the heartfelt letter!
Just got this last night!
So, whadja learn?
Drop a comment below and share your biggest insight! What’d you like about this story? What didn’t sit right with you? What’s one time in your life when you overcame an obstacle like this!?
16 Comments
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What resonates the most…communicating my passion. Thx Coach J – just the reminder I needed to start the week. You inspire me! – Much love, T
Much love right back! And you seem to know how to do that quite effectively. 🙂
This rocks. You rock. Nice. Thanks, J man.
Thanx Victoria! Big smiles. 🙂
Dope post. It's crazy how you transferred the energy you had into passionate energy. After I got done viewing the video I thought about channeling the energy I'm having from a bad day into my passion. Whenever things get rough, it's good to have something you are passionate about on hand in order to find some relief.
Most def, Aaron! Thrilled the video spoke to you.
I always use purpose and passion to put me back on track when i'm wondering off (or when i get a spiritual bitch slapping).
Knuck-bumps!
Jacob I had somethings go wrong at work today and I have to deal with the results tommarrow. I thinking how I can turn my lemons into lemons into lemon aid. ED
Hey Ed.
Sometimes we don't always know the answer to that right away. But you can *always* choose the meaning to give to each situation – even when it seemingly sucks! What's the lesson gonna be? 🙂
Show up authentically and drink the juice of sweet truth!
Whoa. Can't believe I've never read your blog until now. Enjoyed this a lot. What's helped me in the past was to just own my experience through transparency. Addressing that elephant in the room and being honest about how uncomfortable you feel can be such a huge relief for everyone. So I guess when the elephant drops that shit, the best way to get past it is to take a big wiff:)
Haha! Well said, Mika! 🙂
[Inhales……………………]
Ahhhhhhh.
Welcome to Sensophy! 🙂
What a story! Love to hear these kind of magical stories when life blows you away with all the opportunities you have when you're being authentic and true to yourself.
When I was a freshman in college I totally blew my first big exam. I was so overwhelmed with figuring things out on my own that I backed out and didn't even show up for the exam. So I had just started college and was already blowing things up. Brilliant. I felt horrible. Then I made a decision. I committed to prove to the world (and myself) that I could not only pass that stupid exam but get an A. BOOM! So during the next semester I studied harder than I ever had in my entire school life and guess what. I owned it 🙂 I got an A. Wohoooo!
This experience showed me that you can do anything, if you only work hard enough. Lesson learned. 🙂
Brilliant. 🙂
Thanx for sharing Iris!
[…] up authentically. I’ve wrote about it over and over, sharing über-personal stories about how getting my heart broken two hours before one of the biggest meetings of my life – and showing up anyway – led […]
Jacob this is an incredible story.
Straight up feet to the fire.
I like how you take your day and break it down like a scientist. Personal Development is a science but few are able to teach it that way :).
[…] Our success is one step past our failure. Fucking deal and SHOW UP. Worst case: You’ll have an awesome story to tell. Best case: You’ll have to show face and find out. “Do not stop thinking of life as an […]
SHAZAM ALCHEMY BABY!
PS. Love the cat drinking from your cup in the first few minutes. No wonder you have so many cat-owners in your coaching calls!