​We also talked about Bob's recommendation for how to divide up your thoughts between living in the past, present and future. 
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If no one knows about your product, how can it help anyone?

I had a Marketing 101 lesson this week. A couple months ago, I created a YouTube channel to store all of my Minute Motivation videos and interviews. I naively thought people would find my content and subscribe to see the videos on their own. 

[Insert Crickets Noise Here]

While people viewed my videos thousands of times on Twitter, Facebook, IGTV... my YouTube views were maybe 10 or 20 (on a good day). I realized that no matter how good the content is, if no one knows where to find it, they will never see it!
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It would be wonderful to create a product and have people find it on their own, but that's not how it works. You must do the work to make sure people know about your product. If you really believe in what you are selling or sharing, it will be part of your purpose to tell others about it. 

So, here is my YouTube page. Instead of just storing all of my content and never telling anyone where to find it, I hope that it will now help some people who need an extra dose of motivation in their day. 

When you really want something, you will be endless in your pursuit to make it happen. You will find the time to get it done. You will wake up early, stay up late. Lose sleep, lose out on brunch with friends, lose your mind at times. But you push forward because it’s rooted deep in your heart to see it realized.

Me, this couch and my computer. We’ve spent all winter together working on a dream that’s been in my heart. I cannot wait to show it to you. Until then, back to work. 
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Mary Abbajay, President of Careerstone Group, isn't afraid of a challenge. When facing a fork in the road, she told me she chooses the path that excites her, but also scares her the most. One of those paths recently was writing her first book Managing Up. 

Mary joined me for a Minute Motivation conversation about how her career has developed, what motivates her and what she would tell her younger self.

Here's her story that ran on WUSA 9's Get Up DC. 

Plus, the highlights of our full conversation!
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Surround yourself with people who think differently than you. Surround yourself with people who challenge you, push you, and will ask you why... Why do you do that? Why do you say that? Why do you believe that?

If you only talk to people who are like-minded or people who only say yes to everything you do - you won't know you're full potential or the reasons behind your convictions. 
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When you’re in your own lane, there’s no traffic.

Are you every afraid that everyone else is doing the same thing as you? Do you worry that they will take your idea and do it even better than you can do it? Are you concerned that the market is saturated and it's too tough to break into it?

Then know this: there is room for you. There is a place for your story. No one else can do what you're doing because there is no one else who has lived your life.

Stay in your own lane and no one else will be able to keep up with you.
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‪No award or critique changes your work and its message. 

I loved the introduction for the award for Best Director at the Oscars on Sunday night. The presenter said no matter who's name is inside the envelope as the winner, no one will be able to change the film you created. It will be the same when you walk out of the building as it was when you walked in. 

Your work and its message does not change when it receives an award, just as it doesn't change when it is criticized. 
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You can't control everything. Some things in life are just out of your hands.

​Certain events, other people's choices, etc... you can't control all of it. No matter how much you overthink the possible outcomes, life will still happen and other people will always be free to make their own choices. 

What you do have control over is how you react in every situation. You have control over your actions and responses. You have control over the internal dialogue you have about the event or a person's choice. 

I hope you eventually get to a place where you find peace in the chaos. Whatever it is you can't control, stop giving all of your thought. Take that weight off your shoulders and remember, some things are out of your control. 
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Some days you just don't have 100% to give. (Perhaps that perfectly describes you this Monday morning?) When you are too worn down to give it your all, give it your half. Or give it your 20%.

Doing something is better than doing nothing at all.

I'm applying this to my workouts this week. Recently, I've been pretty sedentary. My excuses include working on other projects, the weather and watching our dog. (Hahaha! Even the dog is getting the blame.)

Part of my mindset says, "If I don't have time for an hour workout, I might as well not workout at all." (Insert eyeroll at yet another excuse.) 

Doing something - like taking the dog for a longer walk or doing yoga for 10 minutes in the morning - those are all very possible. Or like this morning, I walked up the six flights of steps to work instead of taking the elevator. It's better than nothing.

When you can't give it your all, just do what you can.
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There are times when I reach for my phone and my thumb automatically opens up Instagram. I scroll through a few photos before thinking, "Wait. What did I get on my phone for again?"

We are so easily distracted... and so connected. Do you also feel pressure to give an immediate response to emails, calls and text messages? Add these two together and if you are trying to get any real work done, say goodbye to your productivity.

You have to find a time of day when no one will interrupt you. For me, that's been waking up at midnight (aka: a couple hours before work). For my mom, her uninterrupted time was after she put us girls to bed. For my  colleagues, it's after the 11 pm newscast when the demands for the show are finished.

I find working intensely without interruptions for a couple hours a day creates great results. It takes discipline, but it's worth it.

Carve out time to work without interruption. 
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