^{Steve’s Story}

Unhappy with the direction of your career?

Do you look back to a time when you felt alive, where work didn't feel like work?

Meet Steve Shelton who, up until a couple years ago, was miserable with the professional life he was living. If you were to go back and speak with 18-year-old Steve Shelton, that was not a future he dreamed about.

After life-changing mentorship in his early years, Steve was the beneficiary of a series of bad bosses, which left him defensive and angry.

Steve continued to meander through corporate life until he had enough. He started dabbling in things. He became a football coach. He got certified in yoga and started to teach.

This all led him to the life he dreamed about as a kid. Steve now operates two businesses focused on helping people realize their full potential.

Steve’s story is a journey of highs and lows. But he didn't let that stop him in pursuing a path that connected him with a time when he felt alive. And, at the end of the day, that’s what most of us are looking for. Work that makes us feel whole, like we are doing something in our lives that truly matters.

Take a listen and let me know what you think by giving TTSYS a rating on Apple Podcasts.

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I’m on the hunt for inspiring people. If you have a kick-ass story that you want to share or know someone who does, hit me up. I’m at [email protected]. Or call or text me at 415.846.7948.

Noodle on…

Three questions to contemplate after hearing Steve’s story and his journey to pursue his calling…

• What can you do today to recapture the feeling of a time when you were truly alive?

• How can you release the fears that are guarding your greatest treasures?

• What experiments can you start today to nudge you to a future that feels impossible?

Bonus material

Over the weekend, I kicked off a series of LinkedIn posts that will cover 99 things to stop doing. I plan to share 2-3 per week with the hope that I’ll get to 99 by the end of 23.

Here’s the post along #1 on the list…follow along if you are interested in the other 98.

99 Things to Stop Doing

Always adding, never subtracting.

That’s the way most of us live our lives. Sometimes forced, oftentimes of our own doing.

Lots of reasons we do this...

• Ego

• Fear

• Laziness

• Lack of awareness

• Bad habits

• Insatiable need to have more

Most importantly, we don’t know how to say no.

There’s so much attention given to goal setting, what about goal elimination? Inspired by this concept, I'm going on an adventure in 2023 to share the 99 things to stop doing. Hopefully a few will help you live a better life, giving you more time on the things that bring you joy, laughter, and fulfillment.

I'll cover mindset, lifestyle, health, work, finances, family & friends, travel, leisure & hobbies, and whatever else drifts into my head over the next year.

Let’s get the party started...

#1 on the 99 Things to Stop Doing List

Stop living like you have an infinite amount of time

Why?

Because you don’t. I’m 51 and statistically have only a 35% chance of living to 90. So I’m on the downside. And if I beat the odds and live to 90, I have about 14k days left. Sounds like a lot, but in terms of dollars, it’s about the cost of a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe with 100k miles. OK car, but ugh.

Need more convincing? Ask yourself if you know someone who has passed before their time. Do you think they saw the end coming at such an early age? Probably not.

1 thing you can do...

Get very comfortable with your own mortality. Stoics, Buddhists and even science shows that when you think about your own demise you prioritize what’s most important in life, live more fully and in the moment, savor each experience, and show more concern for others.

Convinced and want to take it to the next level? Ponder your death 5 times a day. That’s what people in Bhutan do when they think about death after waking, first meal, noon, second meal, and before sleep. Seems to be working for them. Despite being an incredibly poor country, they are pretty happy.

Check out my LinkedIn feed for updates or at #99thingstottopdoinglist