Earned Effort
65 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsInspired by the top characteristics of the best in their craft, Earned Effort is all about living your best life - in exactly the manner that is best for you, individually. We believe in shaping your life not through one “fix all” solution, but by focusing efforts on multiple areas: habits, mindset, positivity, faith, productivity, and health. Achieve your fully realized life.
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Episodes
65: Staying Home & Slowing Down
May 14, 2020 12:39 - 17 minutes - 22 BytesDuring this COVID-19 season, we have seen one of the most impactful times we will ever experience in life. We are used to being “busy” all the time, yet this has forced everyone to stay home and slow down. People have lost their jobs, and even worse, people have lost their lives or a loved one. Instead of rushing through the next thing on your to do list, sit down and appreciate the moments with your family and friends. When you are at work, fully be at work and be present. When you’re with ...
64: Being on Autopilot
February 20, 2020 06:00 - 11 minutes - 14 BytesWhat you do today is who you’ll become tomorrow. Be intentional with everything that you do. When we are on our phones while we are trying to hang out with friends or family, we now have half-assed two things. Make sure that when you are doing something, your full focus is on that and only that. In order to get the best results, we need to do the right things, analyze them, and make changes weekly. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Connect & Subscribe: Website: earnedeffort.com Instagram: ...
63: Looking Ahead in 2020
February 06, 2020 06:15 - 8 BytesWhat were you like in the beginning of 2010 vs. 2020. The days, weeks, months, and years go by quick. Some of us probably remember 10 years ago like it was yesterday. Each and every day is important. Do not wish away the days - be intentional with everything. The results will come with intentionality and persistence. If you are wanting to do something, go all in and do everything possible to make it happen. This year you can either become closer or further from the person you want to be. Mak...
62: Working with Less Chaos
November 21, 2019 06:00 - 17 minutes - 21 BytesWork has gradually become a place where things are supposed to be crazy. The first question most people ask is, “Did you have a busy week?” Jason Fried does a great job explaining the importance of making sure things are not crazy at work. Working 8 hours a day is enough. Taking true vacations not fakecations. Cutting out the unnecessary meetings. Being 100% focused at work. Having true work life balance. If you are in business, especially a business leader, this is a must read and a must im...
61: Changing Life & Work Paths
November 07, 2019 06:00 - 15 minutes - 18 BytesChange is apt to happen throughout your life. Although we are under the impression that change stops after college and getting married, instead the changes just become unplanned. Change is a constant part of life - in fact, the only constant part of life. Change can be good or bad. However, change is almost always stressful. The idea of not knowing what is going to happen causes stress and anxiety. Make sure you have constants in your life. Keep your relationships strong and your hobbies av...
60: Keeping Small Problems Small
October 24, 2019 05:00 - 10 minutes - 13 BytesAs you go through your day, there will likely be good things that happen along with a couple of bad things. Focus on the good things that happen. When you bring to light the bad things, they get exaggerated and become bigger than they originally were. Remember: is this something that you can control? If you can control it, control it. If you can’t control it, control how you react to it. When something bad happens at work or home, take a break, take a breath, and take a walk to analyze how t...
59: Listening to Diverse Opinions
October 10, 2019 05:00 - 13 minutes - 16 BytesYou can learn at least one thing from everyone you meet - whether it is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or a homeless man on the street. Remember, it’s important to learn practices you don’t want to adopt as well as practices you do. Being narrow minded is only going to set you back. Take the time to listen to others and truly understand their situation. Many successful board members explain that they are usually the last to talk and first to listen. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Conne...
58: Going On Walks
September 26, 2019 05:09 - 9 minutes - 11 BytesTaking walks has been something that Nik and Ryan have done since an early age. It allows you to clear your mind. When you get a number of tasks at work, a meeting stresses you out, or someone is irritating you - go outside, get some fresh air, and take a walk. Getting your blood flowing and being outside will make a dramatic impact. Make a point to go outside on a walk at least once per day for just five minutes. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Resources: -Elevation Church - “I Know How...
57: Understanding Your Breath
September 12, 2019 05:00 - 9 minutes - 12 BytesTake a break and breathe. Focusing on your breath allows your brain to receive more oxygen, slowing your heartbeat and enabling you to reset. Taking a reset multiple times per day helps you focus on the important things in life. Take a minute or two every couple hours to stop and focus on your breathing. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Resources: -State [app] -Brian Mackenzie [Instagram] -Apple Watch Breathe [app] Connect & Subscribe: Website: earnedeffort.com Instagram: instagram.com...
56: Decluttering Your Mind
August 29, 2019 05:00 - 11 minutes - 14 BytesDecluttering your mind is an ongoing process that occurs every day. Get away from social media and start spending time with your thoughts. Go for walks and analyze how things are going in your life. While you can practice meditation and intentional breathing daily, it’s important to analyze how certain situations have affected you over the past month, quarter, or year. Every so often, reevaluate your life and where you are. Then take action accordingly. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Res...
55: Scrolling Through Instagram
August 22, 2019 05:00 - 11 minutes - 14 BytesAlthough social media started with good intentions, it has now captured many of us for hours each day. We catch ourselves mindlessly scrolling through the feed with little direction. We will subconsciously compare our behind the scenes to others highlight reels. This has a substantial impact over time. What else could you be doing instead of scrolling? Read a book, hang out with friends or family, or find something you get genuine enjoyment out of. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Connect ...
54: Turning Off The News
August 15, 2019 05:00 - 10 minutes - 13 BytesHow many times do you find positivity in the news? The unfortunate reality is that news stations (including Facebook, Twitter, and other social media) use a lot of clickbait to gain your attention for longer periods of time. Instead of constantly being updated on the news throughout the day, check an RSS feed, Google News, or another unbiased news source once a day or once a week. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Resources: -Google News -The Daily: New York Times Podcast [podcast] -Feedly...
53: Putting Down Your Phone
August 08, 2019 05:00 - 15 minutes - 19 BytesThrough this series talking about limiting the use of technology, we explain the importance of putting your phone down. Most of the time we find ourselves picking up our phones and just scrolling to waste time. Instead, keep your phone in another room, get an Apple Watch, and start living life in the moment. Our phones are designed by some of the smartest engineers in the world - they have found a way to make these unimportant notifications stop us from being productive. Hosts: Ryan Gardner...
52: Removing Technology
August 01, 2019 05:00 - 21 minutes - 25 BytesCompanies like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Google, and YouTube have some of the smartest engineers in the world. They hire these individuals to make sure you are spending more time on their apps and less time on other apps. The metrics most companies are looking to improve is revenue. For these social media companies, they are paid from advertisers. In order for them to make more money, they need the users to be on their platform more often and for more time. Removing time wasting uses o...
51: Avoiding the Hustle
July 25, 2019 05:00The hustle culture today has become very toxic, with big name marketing and business executives harping on the fact that you should work 80 hours a week, skip your weekends, and not enjoy life until you have succeeded is completely wrong. We do not believe it is effective to work longer hours. Rather, we believe employees and founders should be rewarded for finding efficiencies and working smarter. While we both agree that hard work is the key to success, we do not believe that it is necess...
50: Leading People Effectively
July 18, 2019 05:00 - 18 minutes - 21 BytesLeading people is an ongoing battle. Each individual is different, so how do you lead and manage them effectively? Start with yourself. As a leader, do not point fingers at your subordinates. Take ownership of your team and constantly look to get better. If you are willing to hire someone, trust them to do the work they are supposed to be doing. That means don’t micromanage them, don’t tell them when they need to do everything, and give them the freedom to think outside the box. Giving this ...
49: Embracing Change
July 11, 2019 05:00 - 16 minutes - 20 BytesGood and bad events are going to come up in life. A common saying is, “You either just went through something, you’re currently going through something, or you’re about to go through something.” The majority of things in life that happen are not controllable. However, the way you respond is controllable. Be the best you can be in every situation and enjoy the journey through each stage of life. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Connect & Subscribe: Website: earnedeffort.com Instagram: inst...
48: Having Hobbies
June 27, 2019 05:00 - 16 minutes - 20 BytesWhat do you do for fun after work, school, or your normal day? Do you go outside for walks? Play a sport you played in high school? It is very important to do things outside of your daily life for enjoyment. Instead of meeting someone and asking what they do for work, ask them what they do for fun. This will gradually change lead you to identify yourself not by the job you have, but instead by the things you enjoy doing. If you don’t enjoy what you do for the majority of your life, work to c...
47: Pushing Yourself
June 20, 2019 05:00 - 17 minutes - 20 BytesHow hard are you really pushing yourself? When you say you are giving 100%, are you truly giving everything? Make your goals bigger than you are comfortable with and then accomplish these goals. This is when you are able to put the extra effort in to find what your true potential is. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Resources: -Maximus Body: The Physical and Mental Training Plan That Shreds Your Body, Builds Serious Strength, and Makes You Unstoppably Fit - Bobby Maximus [book] Connect ...
46: Being Patient
June 13, 2019 05:00 - 18 minutes - 23 BytesThey say it takes 8 years to build a brand. If you look at a number of bodybuilders, they are in their 30s. The big things we want in life take time to achieve. Things won’t happen overnight - they take practicing and getting better every day for years. Social media has created a mindset where people want more than they have earned. The science and money put behind companies like Facebook and Instagram is astronomical. The main metric of success is increasing the amount of time you are on th...
45: Monitoring Emotions
June 06, 2019 05:00 - 18 minutes - 22 BytesHow do you feel when you are hungry? Tired? Overworked? Immediately, we usually want to react. However, sitting back to first understand your emotions and then respond is usually much more effective. Don’t hold these emotions in. Have a good conversation with someone who is willing to listen and give feedback. When someone comes to you and is emotional, work to understand their situation. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Resources: -State [app] -Brian Mackenzie [Instagram] Connect & Subs...
44: Controlling the Controllable
May 30, 2019 05:00 - 11 minutes - 13 BytesAs a reminder, most of your life is controllable. While the events in your life may change, the way you react is the most important decision you can make. Bad weather, a long commute to work because of traffic, and your boss having a bad day are all situations completely out of your control. However, how you react to any situation is fully your responsibility. With 86,400 seconds in a day, don’t let a small portion of that ruin your entire day. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Connect & Su...
43: Working When You’re Young
May 23, 2019 05:00 - 20 minutes - 24 BytesWorking when you are young provides a number of benefits. Not only are you able to make some money, put some money in savings, and have a good time with your friends, you also learn many lessons. We have both found that through our work at a young age, we have become more efficient in what we do today. If you did not work when you were young, we would highly suggest thinking about raising your kids to work hard at a young age. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Connect & Subscribe: Website:...
42: Spreading Love
May 16, 2019 05:00 - 14 minutes - 15 BytesWhat does spreading love mean to you? To Ryan and myself, spreading love means being more Christlike. We believe that if you are Christlike, you will treat others with respect - whether they are rich or poor, similar to you or not. Having this as a core value will lead you to finding lifetime friends, building better relationships, and creating more meaningful memories. Hand in hand, empathy is incredibly important in order to love someone fully. Work to understand others’ stories. Each and ...
41: Finding Solitude
May 09, 2019 05:00 - 17 minutes - 20 BytesFinding time for yourself is very important throughout your week. Times get stressful, things come up, and we’re always moving. Take a break, get out in nature, and think about all the events that happened this week - good and bad. Spend time listening to a motivational or thought-provoking podcast or audiobook. Meditate. Think about your faith. Whatever area it is you feel you need to have a better grasp on in your life, go outside and analyze that part of your mind. Hosts: Ryan Gardner an...
40: Building Your Tribe
May 02, 2019 05:00 - 13 minutes - 16 BytesWe are true believers that having close friends is always better than having more friends. Find a group of people with similar interests, whether it is music, religion, politics, fitness, or another hobby you enjoy. Start by finding people in a nearby city on Facebook or a meetup group and then physically go meet with these people and stay in contact. Having specific people in areas of your life will help you to succeed in the areas you wish to succeed. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Res...
39: Sharing Goals
April 25, 2019 05:00 - 20 minutes - 25 BytesSharing your goals with friends, family, and others you trust is very important for accomplishing your goals in the long term. The people who you share these goals with will become your accountability partners. It is important to share these goals with specific people you believe will offer the most support. There are a number of people that will tell you that you cannot do the goal you are trying to achieve. Keep pushing and be disciplined in your actions every day. Make sure the goals you...
38: Carrying Everyday
April 18, 2019 05:00 - 7 minutes - 8 BytesEvery day you should be prepared for the unexpected to happen. Although the odds are in your favor that bad things won’t happen, you want to be prepared. In this episode Ryan lists off a number of essential tools that he carries everyday. Take some of these ideas and be more prepared. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Resources: -Everyday Carry [Instagram] -Pocket Flashlight [item] -Kershaw or Benchmade [item] Connect & Subscribe: Website: earnedeffort.com Instagram: instagram.com/earned...
37: Letting Go of Control
April 11, 2019 05:00 - 17 minutes - 21 BytesGo all in at the things you want to succeed at. However, when you have put forth all the effort that you can, realize there is a time to let go of control. A very helpful tip that we have received from others is growing our relationships with others before a time of crisis hits. Whether this is a personal, fitness, or business situation, it is important to have specific individuals to go to in times of need. There will be certain things in life you need to hold on to and others you need to ...
36: Slowing Down
April 04, 2019 05:07 - 13 minutes - 17 BytesBe present where you are today. It is very easy for many of us to be forward-thinking, focusing on the career, the family, or the fitness level we will have in 20 years. Instead, take a moment to slow down and enjoy where you are currently. Is a memory worth having if you only looked forward to it but never experienced it? Take time every day to think about what you are doing and how you feel. Stop taking all the Snapchats. Get off Instagram and Facebook. Enjoy the time that you have with ot...
35: Saying “One Day”
March 28, 2019 05:00 - 18 minutes - 23 Bytes“One day” will never happen if you keep saying it. Start thinking of one day as today. If you are able to change the mentality of when you are going to accomplish something, you will find you’re able to accomplish a lot more than you originally thought. Just go and do what you wanted to do. Don’t let the number of excuses outweigh the positive reasons you want to start. Use the 5 second rule when you are trying to complete a goal. If you are trying to wake up early, go to the gym, or start ...
34: Practicing Self-Awareness
March 21, 2019 05:00 - 18 minutes - 22 BytesWithout self awareness, it is very difficult to grow in life. If you aren’t seeing the results in an area of life you are working to get better at, you may need to analyze where you are lacking. You may not be working hard enough. You may not be putting the correct effort in. Instead of looking at how it may be someone else’s fault, find out how you could have improved yourself. Making excuses will never help you to improve where you are at today. Some of the easiest ways to analyze where y...
33: Letting Go of Before
March 14, 2019 05:00 - 16 minutes - 19 BytesLetting go of things in the past is difficult. With negativity surrounding us in the news, social media, and things that are happening at work, home, and socially, it is easy to point out the negative. Taking control of these negative thoughts is very important in order to become a happier person. Rather than reacting to events that occur in your life, work on responding. Take time to think through it and respond in an appropriate way that you would be proud of. After your day is over, talk...
32: Enjoying the Journey
March 07, 2019 06:00 - 19 minutes - 24 BytesStop constantly trying to chase the milestone if you can’t enjoy the journey throughout it. We put pressure around a number of things in life. If you don’t enjoy where you’re at, you’re not going to enjoy the destination. Do not wait to enjoy something that you could be enjoying today. Put the effort in and you’ll find out things end up working out for you. Every part of life is part of the journey. The good and the bad. Enjoy the good but also enjoy the bad. When you set goals, be realisti...
31: Doing Childhood Activities
February 28, 2019 06:00 - 19 minutes - 24 BytesWhat did you do as a child you wish you could do today? There are a number of things that we believe we can only do when we are kids. Go outside today and recreate some memories. Make a list of things that you loved doing or have always had a dream to do and go make them happen. Enjoy your life. Stop stressing the little things and enjoy every part of life. Get outside with your kids and act like a kid. It will make you feel younger. When we are children we are able to dream, but as we get ...
30: Getting Through Hard Times
February 21, 2019 06:00 - 20 minutes - 24 BytesYou either just went through something tough, are currently going through something tough, or are about to go through something tough. We can all benefit from better preparing ourselves for the situations that may arise. Understand that the hard times you have gone through are what made you the person you are today. You have become better because of hard times. What is truly the worst that can happen? Put yourself in the position of the worst case scenario and dig deep. Is it really that ba...
29: Challenging Yourself
February 14, 2019 06:00 - 21 minutes - 26 BytesNo one ever grows by staying comfortable their whole life. Life is challenging. It is supposed to be. The best things in life are usually the hardest to get. That’s okay though. Push. If you’re in the gym, push for the extra reps. This will only make you a better athlete, person, employee, sibling, or spouse. You will not grow if you do not challenge yourself. Where there is pain, there is likely going to be some to gain. Even though you may not enjoy it in the moment, realize the best is y...
28: Exercising for You
February 07, 2019 06:02 - 22 minutes - 26 BytesExercising is one of the top New Year's Resolutions. It is something that individuals love getting into, but have trouble continuing with. Why is that? You never become good or see the results as fast as you wish, so you quit. Find multiple types of workouts you may like and try them all. Commit 30 days to each one. Be consistent and have a positive mindset. Go out there and enjoy the workout with friends, family, or listen to music or podcasts. Pair something you really like with your work...
27: Exploring Faith
January 31, 2019 06:02 - 24 minutes - 30 BytesExploring our faith has become our most valuable thing in life. It has created the values that we live by everyday and helps us make important decisions. There are many people in life that constantly feel lost. They add a new thing, expecting it to be the thing that was missing, and they still feel lost. Many at this point look to faith in some capacity. Our challenge to you is to check out the resources we have provided, a religion you have always been curious of, or to talk with friends a...
26: Keeping New Year’s Resolutions
January 24, 2019 06:02 - 15 minutes - 18 BytesIt’s almost a month into the New Year. According to statistics, 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by February. Are you on the track to fail or to succeed? It takes daily discipline to succeed. If you have a goal of gaining or losing a number of pounds, you will fail quicker when you lose motivation if you go in the wrong direction by a couple pounds. Keep your habits and resolutions set on daily habits that you are able to keep. Make sure your goals are realistic in size and scale. Too man...
25: Eating Healthier
January 17, 2019 06:02 - 25 minutes - 29 BytesEating healthier doesn’t have to be as hard as many make it out to be. Start with small changes and gradually make bigger changes as you accomplish the earlier goals. When you are able to cook your own food and know what you are putting in your meals, it will be that much easier to eat healthier. It just takes a little time set aside - it can take less than 2 hours to prep most all of your meals for a week. Don’t know where to start? Start at a healthier grocery store like Trader Joe’s and ...
24: Saving Money
January 10, 2019 06:00 - 16 minutes - 20 BytesSaving money is not an easy task. There is always that new car, house, iPhone, or thing on Amazon that you “have to have.” While having things isn’t wrong, understanding what your current financial situation is very important. Once you have a really good idea on how you are spending your money, you can start saving more. At a certain point in life, hopefully, you are able to make enough money where you are able to be more financially free. Most people believe that, “when I make $X, then I’l...
23: Doing the Little Things
January 03, 2019 06:00 - 24 minutes - 30 BytesDoing the little things every day is what gets you major results down the road. As many of us know, success is not achieved overnight. It takes a thousand little steps to achieve greatness. However, a couple of small steps in the wrong direction can potentially keep you off the path for much longer than you anticipate. Be aware of when you start to step off the path you are trying to take. When we were all in high school, most of us were very similar when it came to the physical shape we we...
22: Reading More
December 20, 2018 06:00 - 14 minutesSet aside time to read. Use it as a time to relax or to learn about something new. It could be a book from your childhood or the latest business book. However, when you are reading, make sure to read about more than just what you want to get better at. Open your eyes and learn something that may be controversial. You’ll find that you will learn more about how others think, allowing you to be more empathetic. Hosts: Ryan Gardner and Nik Hall Resources: -Blinkist [app] -Who Really Controls ...
21: Taking in More Information
December 13, 2018 06:00 - 29 BytesInstead of being on social media, could you be reading, listening to a podcast, or watching an informational youtube video? Studies show that we waste an average of 4 hours a day. We are wasting almost 20% of our entire 24 hours on things that are not bettering ourselves or beneficial to our lives. Take those 4 hours and find out what you want to get better at. Your time and energy show what your priorities are. If you are spending more time at work and not enough at home, the reality is th...
20: Exploring Negatives of Technology
December 06, 2018 06:00 - 23 minutes - 29 BytesWhile there are a number of positive uses for technology, it is very easy to go down a negative path. The companies and apps you are using hire the best people out there to keep your attention. While companies are trying to convince you they have more value and in turn get you to spend more money, apps are trying to prove their value and get you to spend more of your time. Turning off your notifications is the first move to ensure you are on your phone less. We receive hundreds of notificat...
19: Exploring Positives of Technology
November 29, 2018 06:00 - 23 minutes - 28 BytesWhat apps do you have on your phone? Are they games and social media that waste your time or are you using apps to better yourself? The apps on your phone are likely a representation of how you spend your time. If you are having issues getting off your phone, set a screen time limit or delete the app entirely. There are a number of apps and programs that help you to automate your life and make your life easier. These pieces of technology are great to invest in. If it allows you to spend mor...
18: Cultivating Traits from Others
November 15, 2018 06:00 - 25 minutes - 31 BytesWe all have inspiring people that we look up to, but do we do any of the things that they are actually doing to achieve those results? We need to make sure that we are analyzing what others do while following the habits they do. Take an audit of the people around you and point out the things that you like and don’t like - then write them down. When you see the same thing repeated by individuals that you are inspired by, it is worth it to put the habit into practice for a bit to see how it im...
17: Saying "No" to Obligations
November 08, 2018 06:00 - 24 minutes - 29 BytesThis one is for the people who are constantly trying to please others. While it isn’t innately wrong to please others, it is important to make sure that you are making time for yourself. Many times we will risk our enjoyment for the enjoyment of others, giving up time or energy when we later wish we had not. Being straightforward is important and makes saying “no” much easier. If you have a time that you leave the office every day, your boss or colleague won’t question you when you are gone...
16: Having a Support System
November 01, 2018 05:04 - 24 minutes - 29 BytesGrowing your relationships with those that you are close to will add much more than a conversation to your life. The close relationships will add support and encouragement to help you excel in all areas of life. While social media makes us think that we are growing closer together with all of our friends, it can actually keep you further from them. Check in with those you want to grow closer to. Ask them how their week is or what is going on - and genuinely listen to them. Caring about othe...