We are nerds in many different ways. One of the big things we do is get into long discussions about anime and movies. We discuss the character arcs and how they develop as people and what they do to show that in the shows. After the movies, we talk through our favorite parts and what made it memorable for us. This makes shows and moves more interesting to us.

The Bible is designed to be something you can dig through your whole life and keep finding amazing things. God gave us the Word so we would dig into it and mine out the truths and wisdom it has for us. When we approach the Bible with the attitude of digging into it, we discover greater truths and develop the way God intended us to.

We should approach the Bible with a sense of wonder, like digging for Gold. Proverbs says to seek wisdom as for silver and gold We are digging for treasure as we dig into the Bible.

• Find the obvious truths and lessons the Bible contains.
• See how all the books of the bible work together.
• The Bible is meant to be read and reread over our entire lives.
• The more knowledge of the Bible, the more we can grow in God.
• We can’t grow in God without knowing His Word.
• Prayer and the Bible go together.

• We must understand that there is more for us in the Bible rather than the surface.
• The Bible isn’t just for professionals, it's for all of us.
• As men who lead, we need wisdom for life and the Bible offers it to us.
• Misinterpretations of the Bible often come from people only reading for face value without digging, praying, and understanding the context.

• Be patient with yourself as you start the process
• Pay attention and look for the deeper truth.
• Get study materials to help you along the way
• Be willing to reflect and take the time to think about it.
• “Knowledge comes quickly, but wisdom grows slowly.”

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

Recently I learned a hack for my iPhone that I never knew. It’s one of those things that had probably always been there but I didn’t realize it. Now that I do I use it all the time.

Have you ever had something like that? You use something and then later realize some new aspect to it or something about it you never knew, making it even better for you to use. The Bible is like that. We can casually read the Bible and learn some things but when we look at the intricate ways it fits together and the amazing messages it communicates, it comes alive to us and impacts our lives.

This week on the show we are discussing why God gave us the Bible. We are looking at the main messages that the Bible communicates to us. Once you understand these, the whole Bible will come alive and help you thrive in your life.

• Consistently shows how good God is and how messed up we are.
• God creating the world shows his generous and creative nature.
• God creating man and giving man life and community with the creator.
• The Bible shows us how messed up we are.
• Throughout history, we see the messed up nature of humanity.
• This story is repeated throughout the Bible timeline.

• “The Bible is the unified story that leads to Jesus” from The Bible Project.
• There were many good people in history before Jesus, but none were perfect.
• The Bible shows us why Jesus coming was so important.
• He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves.
• Jesus’ teachings fleshed out the teaching of the OT.
• He showed us who God is, he fleshed Him out to us.

• Life is not about us, it’s about God.
• Our world is messed up because people want to be their own God.
• Look how that turns out.
• Hedonism (Slave to their appetite)
• Nihilism (Bitter against life)
• Atrocities against others
• People who are the center of their universe often mess up everyone else’s lives.

• Continue to read the Proverb of the day and look at it with the lens of “What does this say about God?”
• Then ask “What does this say about humanity (me)?”

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

Have you ever had a misconception about someone and then when you met them you found it to be wrong? We all have done that at some time or another. Many people are like that when it comes to the Bible.

The Bible is very different from any other book and too many people don’t read it for themselves or try to understand it. They often go off of things they heard or saw in a video but they don’t find out for themselves. This week’s show will dive into some of the common misconceptions people have about the Bible.

• While the Bible does contain guidelines for living a moral and ethical life, it is much more than a rulebook.
• It offers wisdom, guidance, and inspiration for navigating the complexities of human existence.
• Every law in the Bible is not a copy and paste for our lives today.
• The Bible has many narrative stories that teach us truths to apply to our lives

• The Bible is not a scientific textbook and should not be read as such.
• It was written in a pre-scientific era and uses metaphorical language to convey spiritual truths.
• The scientific lens is not always the best lens to apply to the Bible because we often have chronological snobbery
• God spoke through the worldview of the people of the day
• The Bible was not written as a self-help book

• While the Bible was written in a different time and cultural context, its messages and teachings are still relevant today.
• The Bible addresses universal human experiences and offers timeless wisdom for navigating life's challenges.
• The Bible is known as wisdom literature
• It’s goal is not to give you the video footage of every detail

By dispelling these misconceptions, we can approach the Bible with a fresh perspective and open ourselves to its transformative power.

• Don’t try to see yourself all the time as you read the Bible.
• Ask God to reveal Himself and His timeless truth to you as you continue reading Proverbs

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

We want all men to be Thriving Men. They thrive when working on the 4 fundamentals of their lives: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual. We include the spiritual because as men we are spiritual creatures. God created us this way and we flourish when we live His design.

The spiritual side of us as men is the foundation of all the other fundamentals. One of the best ways to build our spiritual side is to engage with the book designed to do that: The Bible.

Join us as we talk about the greatest book ever written and how incredible it is that God gave us a way to grow and get to know Him through it.

• You must take out the assumptions that many people have about the Bible.
• The Bible is God’s communication to us
• The Bible is the greatest teacher of how to live
• The Bible is the guide and pathway to REAL spiritual truth
• Without the Bible, we make up our spirituality

• Its a Library of books not just a book
• It is like a museum with different exhibits curated to communicate a single powerful message
• God used different authors in different periods with multiple styles of writing
• We read the different styles of books differently

• The Bible shaped many of the positive parts of the Western world
• The Bible is historically accurate
• The Bible is bigger than we are and will outlast us
• It is the key building block to a life well-lived
• Our founding fathers saw the wisdom of establishing the country on the Bible

• Read the bible yourself
• Read the Proverb of the day based on the date for July

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

Overcoming procrastination is hard because it seems like the world is working against you! Try looking at the checkout line at Wal-Mart. They don’t have protein shakes or healthy snacks, do they? No, they put candy and other stuff that makes you want them and buy impulsively.

But don’t worry, we have more tips to help you build up your procrastination muscles in this week’s episode. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode, listen to it first and then check this one out. Both of them have tips that can help you get better at overcoming procrastination.

Remember the point is not to try everything we mention. You want to start by picking the one that resonates most with you. Get better at that one and then add another one. Using that method will help you get better quicker than trying to do them all at once.

• Learn your strengths and what you are good at
• We often get into trying to do things that we aren’t good at because we are “supposed” to be good at it
• Sometimes we have to do the “suck” stuff, but if you don’t have to why are you doing it?
• It’s foolish to try to do more of what you aren’t good at if you don’t have to
• This doesn’t mean you don’t try to grow
• “Never worship your uniqueness at the expense of your growth”

• “A good well-developed routine is an onramp to productivity”
• Find things that get you in the mindset to be productive
• Large tasks can feel overwhelming and lead to procrastination so try breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps.
• This allows you to make progress and experience small wins along the way, which can boost motivation and reduce the tendency to procrastinate.

• Celebrate progress: Acknowledge and celebrate each milestone you reach.
• This can help maintain motivation and reinforce positive habits.
• Use your Calendar - Plan a celebration after a big event or project
• Find people to celebrate with

• Sometimes, overcoming procrastination requires external support and accountability.
• Procrastination is easiest when you are solo
• Surround yourself with motivated individuals:
• Find an accountability partner:
• Join a study or workgroup:
• Collaborating with others can help you stay accountable and provide opportunities for learning and growth.
• Consider professional help if procrastination is significantly impacting your life and you're unable to overcome it on your own

• Build an on-ramp in ONE area to grow in it: Weight, health, yard work, relationships
• Pick a couple of people to be a growth partner in an area for you
• Maybe a small group that meets regularly
• Recruit guys to be in it with you

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

We have worked to better understand procrastination and its negative effects over the last few weeks. Now we will explore some practical tips and techniques to overcome procrastination and boost productivity in our lives. This is a mixture of practical things we can do each day along with some mental shifts and changes that can help us beat procrastination in our lives.

How you behave is deeply influenced by where you are and what you’re surrounded by.

The environment in which we work can have a significant impact on our ability to stay focused and motivated.

You want your environment to be a tactical advantage for you.

Start by removing any potential distractions from your workspace.

• Minimize the distractions.
• Find a separate place to do deeper work

Make your workspace comfortable and visually appealing.

Goals are a tool to help you focus on moving in the right direction, not an intimidating barrier to keep you from taking a first step.

Clear goals give direction

• Without a clear sense of direction, it's easy to get overwhelmed and lose motivation.

Realistic Goals Give motivation

• Your goal can be specific, but impossible.
• We can’t mistake goals for dreams. Your goals are stepping stones toward achieving God-given dreams.
• Dreaming is good, but when it comes to focusing your actions today, you need something a bit more practical.

Great goals are scalable

• By breaking down your larger goals into smaller, more manageable projects and tasks, you can bring a sense of urgency and purpose to the behavior of today.
• When setting deadlines, be honest with yourself about how long tasks will take.
• It can be helpful to use a planner or digital calendar to schedule your tasks and deadlines.

As we said in episode 211, prioritizing your goals and tasks is not the same as procrastinating.

Life will always want more from you, so you have to learn to develop a way of filtering between worthwhile pursuits and distractions.

Effective task management is crucial for overcoming procrastination and maximizing productivity

Simple Task Management: The Eisenhower Matrix

Start by listing all your tasks and then categorize them into one of four quadrants

1. Important and urgent
2. Important but not urgent
3. Urgent but not important
4. Not urgent or important.

Focus your energy on important and urgent tasks, and delegate or eliminate tasks that are not important or urgent.

Simple Time Management when there’s no Motivation: The Pomodoro Technique

• This involves breaking your work into timed intervals, typically 25 minutes of focused work followed by a short break of 5 minutes.
• After 4 rounds of this, you take a 25-minute break.

Implement one of the 3 things first:

1. Clear and Realistic Goal Setting (For if you lack clarity in what you’re going for)
2. Scalable Goals (semester goals, weekly goals, daily tasks) (For if you’re having trouble connecting your goals with your daily activities)
3. Implement a task management or time management system and see how it works for you

• Eisenhower Matrix (If all your tasks are on the same level of importance in your mind)
• Pomodoro Technique (If you have trouble starting or pacing yourself during intense work.)

Prototype and have fun experimenting!

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

There’s always more to the story. There’s always more than meets the eye. Procrastination is no exception. We often think of procrastination as some fundamental character flaw- “Well procrastination must mean I’m a lazy bum. That’s just who I am.” The reality is very different. Procrastination is often an outward symptom of inward issues. It’s the fruit, not the root. It’s not self-contained, it's linked to other parts of our life.

When we dig deeper, we will discover that there’s a lot more to the story, and there are some surprising ways we can address procrastination without the same old mantra of “trying harder.” On today’s show, we dig deep into procrastination and look at some of the root causes behind this problem.

• One common cause of procrastination is the fear of failure.
• Unrealistic expectations often drive our fear of failure: comparing ourselves to someone online our friend, or even our dreamy ideals.
• These expectations can paralyze us and prevent us from taking action.
• Antidote: Failure is normal and everyone goes through times when they fail at something.
• Don’t take yourself too seriously. We all mess up, and the first time we try new things is often the worst.
• By understanding that failure is a normal part of the learning process, we can overcome this fear and move forward with our tasks.

• Another factor that contributes to procrastination is a lack of motivation.
• If we don't see the value or importance of a task, we often don't find the motivation to get started.
• Antidote: Connect your action with your why and connect the small picture to the big picture
• By finding meaning in the task, you can increase your motivation and reduce the tendency to procrastinate.

• Another psychological explanation for procrastination is the concept of instant gratification. This is probably one you’ve already suspected
• As humans, we are wired to seek immediate rewards and pleasure.
• When faced with a task that requires effort and delayed gratification, we are more likely to procrastinate in favor of more immediately rewarding activities, such as scrolling through social media or watching TV.
• We are surrounded by easy, appealing, and often free forms of instant gratification. In this environment, we have to be intentional about not just following our short-term cravings.
• The answer doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing, it just has to be intentional.
• By understanding this tendency, we can implement strategies to minimize distractions and increase our focus on important tasks.
• Be systematic with your boundaries

• God wired you with things you are good at and things you enjoy
• We often procrastinate in areas that are not our natural zone
• This doesn’t give us an excuse, but it is a reality we should see
• This is something we should keep in mind when making commitments

Review the sections we talked about and figure out which one is affecting you the most

• Fear of Failure
• Lack of Motivation
• Instant gratification addiction
• Working outside your natural zone

Don’t just accept guilt over procrastination. Figure out why you are procrastinating and you’ll be able to deal with it the right way.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful...

Procrastination seems to be a common theme for many men today. We’ve been coaching a small group of men from different backgrounds but all had the same issue: Procrastination!

We all procrastinate in different areas of our lives and sometimes feel the bad consequences, but procrastination isn’t always bad. In this week’s show, we talk through what procrastination is along with some of the negative side effects of it. Plus, we deal with misunderstandings about procrastination that affect many men today.

• Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions to a harmful degree.
• Many people believe that procrastination is simply a matter of laziness, but it is often a symptom of deeper underlying issues.
• We shouldn’t just accept procrastination but should look at it as a sign of something going on inside
• It could be big or small, but procrastination often shows us insight into ourselves that we shouldn’t ignore

• Procrastination can significantly affect us and the people in our lives.
• Procrastination feeds itself. Once you start, it becomes a cycle of feeling overwhelmed and unable to manage your time effectively.
• One of the main consequences of procrastination is decreased productivity.
• Procrastination also takes a toll on our mental health.

• One of the biggest problems with procrastination is that it becomes a catch-all category for any time we don’t take action.
• We have this assumption: “If I’m not doing something I could be doing right now, I’m procrastinating.”
• There is an important category we are missing: prioritizing
• Prioritizing: putting less important things on the back-burner on purpose so you can do something more valuable now.
• We have to prioritize our lives. That’s a good thing.
• Productivity isn’t our purpose the goal isn’t to cram as much as possible into the 16 hours we have awake. It’s to place the best things into the 16 hours you have awake.

• As you go throughout this week think about this question: What times am I procrastination and what times am I prioritizing?
• Look at the fruit of what you are choosing and why.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD