TJ Loeffler’s Audio Channel

If you're anything like me then you're probably one of those people who want to "get ahead" in life. But, if you're anything like me, then you probably also feel like you're always behind...

For much of my life I've lived under the weight of expectations I (unknowingly) placed on myself. The consequence was exhaustion from constantly striving to meet some idea of success that wasn't my own. I could summarize what that looks like with one word: Unhappiness. That's not to say I was depressed! I was just, more simply, never satisfied. Sound familiar?

In this episode I describe a fundamental shift that has happened in my mindset, and how that has led me to lead a more fulfilling life. I also share how you can do the same.

Enjoy!

In the early 2000s, USA Today did a poll and asked their readers the #1 question they could ask their creator... By and large, the overwhelming response was: "What's my purpose?" Having gone through my own journey of deep self-discovery, seeking answers to all kinds of questions like: "What am I supposed to do with my life?" to "What is my purpose, if there is one?" to "How does that look in my day-to-day, practically?" In this episode I share a very simple starting point for articulating your very own purpose statement. There is a much deeper strategy to this, but the main things you need to know are: 1. Purpose includes "being" and "doing" 2. Purpose a direction, not a destination 3. Purpose, another word for "reason", has the power to make the difference in how you experience your life. A recent article in Harvard Business Review cited research that humans having a 1 in 400-500 TRILLION chance at being born! If there was any doubt, you have a purpose! Enjoy!

We'll all go through our own fires, struggles, or challenges in life and business. When a fire appears, our first reaction is to take control and suppress it. But nature tells us why we should respond in a better, different way...

In this episode I talk about one of the oldest living things on earth, what nature can teach us about managing the fires in our own life, and why we can embrace times of difficulty as I talk about an experience from my own story. Be encouraged!

Do you have enough margin, or personal space, in your life?

Most of us have accepted being overextended as a normal way of living. The problem is we find ourselves in what seems like a never-ending cycle of waking up, snoozing the alarm clock (2x min.), rushing out the door, working 12+ hour days, scheduling plans with others (for others), and hurrying to bed so we can do it all over. But what about you? When was the last time you made time for nothing, and no one, but you?

In the last 3-5 years I've learned an incredibly valuable lesson: We can't "do" happy. We have to "be" happy. That means I've now developed a lifestyle that includes making time to "be" with me. After listening to this episode, and the reasons why margin is so important, I hope you will too. Enjoy!

Business is one of my deepest passions. I'm a student of the game. To understand how we can effectively create value by solving real problems is to understand how we can effectively create change and improve overall quality of life.

From one of my favorite coffee shops in NYC, this episode takes you behind the scenes into a conversation with another entrepreneur, and good friend of mine who is moving from NYC to SF.

At the time of our conversation, he has decided to join a start-up with a focus on health education. In this conversation we talk about business growth strategies, and lessons from advertising. Enjoy!

Is your worry useful? It's fair to say we've reached a worry epidemic. The good news is there's an easy cure...

In this episode you'll learn about what worry is, the difference between signals vs. noise, and the practical questions you can ask yourself the next time you're in that head space. Enjoy!

Do you have a personal "Board"?

In the business world, company Boards establish policies for management and help make decisions on major company issues. As you'd expect, there's a very deliberate selection process to decide who sits in those seats...

Until recently, I'd never thought of naming my mentors, friends or advisors to my own personal "Board". But it makes very practical sense to do so...

In this episode I share why that is, including a personal story about what can happen if we don't have the right people assigned with the right authority over our life.

If this resonates with you, please share with a friend who might benefit from listening. Enjoy!

What's more challenging than letting go? Knowing how to let go. In this episode I share very practical ways you can do that. You'll also learn the clear difference between what we can't control, what we can control, and what we can control but don't need to. If you've ever been known to be "controlling", this episode is for you. If you've ever felt "stuck", this episode is for you. If you've ever wanted to take more control but not known where or how to start, this episode is for you. Thanks for listening! And please write a review or share with a friend, client or family if you do get some value. I appreciate you!

If there's one thing I've learned over the last 29 years of my life, we can't "do" happy. We have to "be" happy. From an overpopulated suburb of Northern Virginia, to an overpopulated urban jungle in New York City, I've always found myself in the heart of the hustle. But a few left turns helped me realize no matter where I went, or what I accomplished, I'd always end up back in the same place. Something had to change...

In this episode I share a few critical moments and realizations I've had throughout my life. I rarely talk about some of these things, but I wanted to make this episode because our stories are meant to be shared. Be encouraged!

How do you know what your priorities are? Today's episode gives you three things to consider when you're not only identifying priorities in your life, but also what you need to do to take action on them. Share with a friend if this episode hits home for you.