Jonathan Nation

Reflect, Thank; Dream, Plan

November 1, 2021 by jon

At this point, in 2021, my wife and I have been married for over 18 years. She is a medical professional & professor with a Doctorate. I advise leaders who impact thousands directly and millions indirectly. We have multiple business ventures. We produce a lot and help a ton of people.  We have elementary aged children, and would not have lasted together if it were not for a few of our practices we do monthly and annually. 

R,T;D,P started early in our marriage. Some years we are great, some years we sorta do it, and a few we have missed. Looking back – the years we do great are great. The years we miss … we would rather not talk about. 

This year, 2021, a book came out that dramatically adjusted this process for us, so much so an update from the 2011 post was called for. 

It’s not about goals. 

It’s not about achievements.
It’s definitely NOT about controlling your significant other.

Rather – it’s about building the best life you can together, and being able to look back and see how far you have come … be grateful. 

Reflect

The first step is to look back on the past year, or longer, and see where you have come from. What all has happened?

Focus on how you have grown in the past year & moments you would like to happen again. 

When you have gone through this previously, really focus on what gains you made over the past year. Where were you a year ago? How have you grown since then? 

Thank

Be intentional about this part. Have fun with it, and set up whatever rituals or practices work for you. 

We center this around the Thanksgiving holiday in the USA because it just fits.

Not only do I celebrate as a family but also reach out to the people who I am grateful for moments over the past year and beyond. 

This is a time of remembering life is a solo journey yet the people around us are a key in how high we can fly. 

Dream

This moves from the past & present side to the future. Dreaming what the next year or longer should be. Currently I use my model based on relationships for viewing your world, so:

– Yourself – physical, mental, spiritual, capabilities

– Family – the special relationships around you

– Business – if you are an employee – you are a business hiring out your services to your employer. If you own or desire to own one, then you have a slightly different relationship

– Society – other people who are not in your business, or family.

What are the dreams for those four big areas? What about the subparts? Can you paint a picture that you are aiming for?

This time is brainstorming – go wild. Look at different time horizons too:
25 years out

3 years out

In the next 12 months. 

What headings do you want to aim for? Big Hairy Audacious Goals?
Where do you want to travel to?
What do you want to learn?

Legacy you want to leave?

Causes you want to support? 


Who would you be thrilled to be a hero to?

Plan

Setting the vision for the next while so you can see how you grow, gain, and make giving thanks easier next year. 

Where the Dreaming time was brainstorming and coming up with options; planning is deciding what you are willing to commit to, eliminating options, and defining how you measure success. 

We have 3 things we put down on paper. The best years, this is three giant stickynotes and a number of posted notes. 

3+ years out
1 year out
Today

We need that long term where we are heading – you can choose 25 years or 3 (or have both). For this we settled on 3 because it’s about 1,000 days. We don’t need to redo the 3+ years out every year, it gives us some guidance and helps us have a staring point. 

The one year is the main focus. We can even break it down into seasons. 

When you know where you are heading in the short term and longer term, decide on what needs to grow. 

If your intention is to have 40 paid off rental houses in 25 years, it’s easy to record how many rental houses you have today, and set an intention of having a specific number in one year. 

If your intention is to be able to run a 5k in under 10 minutes, make sure you record what rate you can run a 5k in today. Then when you get a 5k under 10 minutes you record the date … and if you don’t reach that 10 min goal, you still look and celebrate your improvement next year. 

That is the key:
Being able to see where you were, and how you are better today. 

If you only record goals you will hit most and growth will happen, yet you are setting yourself up for disappointment, not joy. 

Choose joy. 

Moving forward

A while ago I was talking with one of my good friends. I mentioned – yeah, we need to finish our family budget for this month … it’s only the 14th of the month. He was shocked because his family practice was if they did not have their family budget done before the month began they just forgot about it and moved on. 

It does not matter if it’s November or April or another month. Today is the day you can give thanks, start recording what you are grateful for, and set your intention with where you are today. 



Write now, send a message to someone and tell them something you are grateful for in the past year & your commitment to go through this process starting on the upcoming first of the week or month. People have an easier time continuing something that they start on a first. 

Record what you are grateful for, and put on your calendar to set intentions for now until the end of the year on the next first. 

Filed Under: core, fb, featured, Giving Thanks, life, systems, text Tagged With: dream, Jonathan Nation, plan, reflect, rtdp, thanksgiving

Improving Thank You

March 3, 2021 by jon

Thank You.
You are welcome.

A common way to express your gratitude for someone or something, followed by an acknowledgement. 

Yet, it can be better. 

When possible, and there are times of overwhelming gratitude that all a person can say is “thank you” … you can improve your goal of connection and praise for the other person with this one tip: 

Add “for …” 

  • Thank you for sharing. 
  • Thank you for being here.
  • Thank you for listening.
  • Thank you for caring. 
  • Thank you for taking the time to go the extra mile. 
  • Thank you for your investment in my winning.
  • Thank you for doing what you do so naturally, it really helps me because I struggle with this. 

That little bit more increases the connection between yourself and the person you are grateful for. 

It also increases the odds of that person being clear on what you would like them to do more of. 


If you want to take it one step even further, add how you intend to move forward in a better way because of what the person said or did:

“Thank you for sharing that, I am going to add it to my Happy File, to pull out when I need some encouragement.”

So, with that said … 

Thank you for reading, sharing, and adding what you are grateful for when you express your thanksgiving because it amplifies what you are already grateful for.

Filed Under: core, life, mine, text Tagged With: communication, for, love, Thank You, Thank you for

Sunrise Options

May 20, 2020 by jon

The countdown is complete
Today is the day
Another cycle around the earth in this strange way

Birds are singing 
Owls are loud

The sun has not yet broken through the clouds

The past has passed
Today is a new day

How shall I measure success when I reach this moment a year away? 

Differences unfelt, yet real all the same

Birds sing of hope with this brand new day
Light grows brighter, owl flys away. 

Will I be intentional or just ride this ship today

Day by day I have this choice 
Hide in the darkness or step into the light

Own who I am, strengths and flaws 
Or aim for the shadows, darkness and fog

This spaceship is spinning faster than I realize

It will be back her in a blink of an eye 

Now is the chance
Take it or not

Build, experiment & train … or focus on snot

A day will never be the same
A question that is not

Will I be the same or will I build with what I got? 

100% safe is impossible
Unless you aim for nothing at all

Dream, again, decide and take the first step
Follow it up again and again

When the earth reaches the same spot you will have progressed with those you have brought

Celebrate now
Celebrate then
The path forward starts in your head
Accelerated with each friend

Few might get you, that is ok

Your path is different and special today. 

You choose intentional, joy & light
A life sweet as honey and ready for a fight

Obstacles are either hindrances or challenges to help you prepare
Difference is in between your ears

Countdown restarts
Another year today 

How similar will you be from the start of today? 

Aim Higher
Aim Bigger


Start with your room
Your bed
Your plate, eat better food
Move your body, weights or dance

Write down your dreams and share your plans. 

In a year, then two, five and ten. 

The earth might be in the same position yet you will never be again. 

~Jonathan Nation 
2020-05-20

Filed Under: featured, life, mine Tagged With: joy, life, path, sunrise

Wife, Leaders, & Communication – Gratitude Challenge 2014 – Day 4 of 5

August 30, 2014 by jon

Gratitude Challenge

Day 4 of 5
I really appreciate & want to express gratitude for:

1. Helen, my wife, who has empowered, pushed & inspired me so much and so often over the past roughly 15 years we have known each other.

2. people who step up & lead groups, causes, and events where I am not in the main leadership roll. Some examples from my past: Jacob, Justin, Bill, Dave, Rick, Brad, Amy, Jeff, Dave, Ed, Clay, Bill, and many more

3. Facebook Messenger – the absolute best part of Facebook. If it were not for Messenger I might have moved on from Facebook all together long ago. It is such a powerful system, both in browser & as an app. The app is even better allowing for sending audio or video.
Today I nominate Stacy

Directions: For the next 5 days, share three things you appreciate & then nominate one person to do the same. It’s nice to tag the person who challenged you too.

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Jonathan Nation - Gratitude Challenge 2014d4

Filed Under: Gratitude Challenge 2014

Children, Housemates & Podcasts – Gratitude Challenge 2014 – Day 3 of 5

August 29, 2014 by jon

Gratitude Challenge

Day 3 of 5
I really appreciate & want to express gratitude for:

1. My three children, who are amazing even at a young age & have such

 

2. My college housemates & those in other organizations around campus like Jacob, Justin, Steven, Matt, Jeff, Honey, Summer, Wayne and many more

 

3. Pocket Casts – how I listen to most of the podcasts I do, on my phone & able to sync with my tablet. Both on Android & iOS.

Today I nominate Ben

Directions: For the next 5 days, share three things you appreciate & then nominate one person to do the same. It’s nice to tag the person who challenged you too.

[All Posts in this series]

Jonathan Nation - Gratitude Challenge 2014d3

 

Filed Under: Gratitude Challenge 2014

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I am always looking to me more leaders, linchpins, and problem solvers. We need more people to take on a business owner mindset, to seek out pains and problems then find ways to provide value to others.

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~Jonathan Nation

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