Cringe-worthy

I was nervous and excited to hit “launch” on Episode 1 of the Just Get Started Podcast 5 years ago in 2017.

Today, I cringe a bit listening back to that first episode.

So many things I’ve learned in those 5 years.

So many accomplishments.
So many mistakes.
So much growth.

If we don’t cringe at our past work it probably means we haven’t progressed that far ahead.

But after we cringe, be grateful we took the chance on ourselves when we might not have been fully convinced this was the right choice.

There we so many unknowns but we started anyways.

We should be proud that we have the opportunity to cringe.

It means we’ve become a better version of our past selves.

We’ve scaled another summit we never knew was ahead.

Bravo!

Now, keep going!

Cringe-worthyBrian Ondrako2022-11-09T18:09:02-04:00

That Thing You Do

It’s only about doing.

Thinking is important.
Planning has relevance.
Ideation is helpful.

The “doing” becomes what matters the most.

Without the doing, nothing else matters.

Just start and keep iterating as you go.

That Thing You DoBrian Ondrako2022-11-01T19:37:10-04:00

Minecraft

Crafting well-meaning and articulate messages can take a lot of time to learn.

And that’s the rub of it.

We have to write thousands of bad messages in order to refine our skills, shorten the message, and get specific on the value.

That rationale can apply to many things we do in life. We must be comfortable being bad at something in the early stages in order to hurdle that gap from not knowing to knowing. From novice to proficient.

Once we start to “get it” and are feeling comfortable then we know we’ve acquired the correct knowledge, mostly through consistency and practice.

That’s when it might be time to look at new ways to be bad again.

To become a beginner learner in a new area.

To once again scale another mountain for growth opportunities that we haven’t yet considered.

MinecraftBrian Ondrako2022-08-23T09:01:25-04:00

A Full Revolution Begins with One Motion

I enjoyed writing for many years and would normally write in journals or random blog articles from time to time. The content structure and topics changed over time but similar messaging was at its core.

Positive Mindset. Consistency. Action. Progress.

A little over a year ago, leading into April 2021, I made a decision. I was a few years into my Just Get Started Podcast and loved doing the show and wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. But those are longer-form interviews. I wanted another medium to share my thoughts, my voice, and my perspective. Blogging, and really “micro-blogs”, were something I enjoyed. Something about dispelling a message into as few words as possible and making it relatable and enjoyable (and a little vulnerable) was intriguing to me.

So I made a commitment.

Launch a blog article every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week. I knew it was going to add some more time to my plate but it was important for me with where I wanted to go and the message I wanted to share with the world.

The message above all else is to Just Get Started.

I’m proud to say that after 12 months and over 140 blog articles later we are back in the month of April, a full year after beginning this project. I am more excited than ever to keep writing and sharing these stories and observations and I hope they have been valuable to you.

We don’t know what will happen or how it might impact us but if we believe in something or find a purpose in pursuing a meaningful project then we have to take the steps to get started and keep moving forward. Consistent action over and over again works.

Too many times I’ve sat on the sidelines and wondered and wished and never just did.

It may not work out as we want it to or we might pivot to something else but we don’t know that at first. All we know is that we want to do it.

So go do it. The only thing holding us back is ourselves.

I’ve been in the position where I sat on the sidelines because I was scared to get in the game. I didn’t believe I could do it. We all feel that from time to time. It’s when we realize that it doesn’t actually matter if we believe we can do it or not and what matters is that we try and we build on it from there. We take a leap of faith. We become brave.

Confidence breeds confidence. You only get that from being in the game and being a part of the action.

So, go do it. Whatever it is that you want to do. Start small if you want. But just start.

Whether you succeed or fail never matters, it’s that you can look back at some distant point from the future and be proud of yourself that when your number was called you suited up and checked into the game.

You weren’t going to miss this opportunity.

A Full Revolution Begins with One MotionBrian Ondrako2022-07-29T17:26:12-04:00

Comparison Matrix

It’s interesting to find comparisons in creative works that are so seemingly different from one another.

Harry Potter
The Mona Lisa
The Cat in the Hat
Red (Taylor’s Version)

What could these possibly have in common?

What we know is that each creator worked consistently over an extended period of time to create it. They made a choice to start and didn’t quit until it was finished.

Some of the greatest “potential” work of our time was probably never finished. Maybe it was barely even started.

Ideas are important, passion is needed, and a positive mindset is useful.

But, we have to believe that our project is worthy of starting.

And then, we have to keep pushing forward, pass the resistance, through the great unknown, and find a way to finish.

Comparison MatrixBrian Ondrako2022-01-18T16:45:04-04:00

Tomorrow Never Comes

The hardest time to start something is tomorrow. It appears easier to plan for it and then go full steam ahead but it doesn’t always work out that way. Something foils the well-laid plan and usually, it is ourselves.

Build momentum today in a very small dose and you’ll be better prepared for tomorrow. If you’ve already accomplished something small then doing something small again tomorrow will seem easy.

As an example, if you want to start working out there is no need to run a marathon. Do 10 pushups, walk around the block, go for a short jog, or pick your kid up and down a dozen times. You’ll feel a little energized and that will fuel the excitement for the next time.

The longer we wait to do something the harder it becomes. We build up more fear, anxiety, and worry in our heads. We sike ourselves out of it.

Start small today and you’ll thank yourself big tomorrow for getting the momentum moving, even if just an incremental amount.

Tomorrow Never ComesBrian Ondrako2021-07-07T16:58:46-04:00

F.E.E.L. Framework for Goal-Setting

If you’d like to hear the full audio version of this article on my Just Get Started Podcast click here -> The F.E.E.L Framework for Goal-setting or you can listen on any major Podcasting platform. This episode originally aired on December 24th, 2020.

Every year-end most of us take time to sit and reflect on the prior year and make an assessment of the areas we achieved in as well as the areas we came up a bit short. No judgment, just realistic truths on where we came from in order to set ourselves up for success on where we’d like to go in the future.

Oftentimes, when assessing our goals, we either completed them too quickly, not at all, or there were too many to even focus on and put the right time into them given all of the other things that come up in life.

As we sit down this year to put together our goals for 2021, I wanted to come up with a better system that would help us all create more structure around our goals and organize them in a more manageable way to be able to hit the target. I thought about the areas in my life where I always set goals as well as areas to improve that I hadn’t considered in the past that might be relevant to tie goals around.

This led me to create the F.E.E.L. Framework for Goalsetting.

Here’s how it works.

There are 4 total categories; Focus, Eliminate, Experiment, Learn, and 3 items in each category. I am trying out 3, if you’d like to try 2 or try 4 or try another number then feel free. I’d be curious to hear how it works out anyway no matter the items in each category.

Let me share more on each one.

FOCUS

This category will contain our big projects for the year. What are the key items we’d like to complete that are going to help us get further ahead and bring more fulfillment to our life? Based on our lifestyle and mission, these could be anything from writing a book to starting a Podcast to creating a garden, to whatever. What are some things that we’ve wanted to accomplish this past year that got pushed down the list or is a new idea that has become important we’d like to spend more time on. Also, this doesn’t necessarily have to be a goal that gets completed next year. This could be apart of a larger project that might take many years but completing the first part gets us to the next. Remember, each of these are our goals and our goals alone. Focus on what will make us happy and lead us to a more fulfilling life and that should make choosing much simpler.

ELIMINATE

As we begin to focus on new projects and things we enjoy, it’s also time to look at areas that are creating stress or strain in our life or are distractions that are taking us away from higher priorities. As we think through bad habits, distractions, bad relationships, etc, pick three items that can have a big impact on improving our overall happiness. If we remove happiness blockers while adding items that make us happy in these other categories we will be able to walk out of next year in a better frame of mind and attitude for the future. Examples of things to eliminate like biting our nails, excessive Social Media/TV, sugary foods, negative friend, procrastination, etc. These are just a few and as we consider our own situations there will be some that pop to mind that we can honestly say removing would be such a huge stress reliever for us.

EXPERIMENT

I’m a firm believer that we should always be trying to acquire new skills that are related to a curiosity we have or tied to something that might help us achieve our goals in the future. Sometimes, these might be new hobbies we’ve wondered about and would like to experiment with. There is no right or wrong in these categories and the parameters are to help each and every one of us put together a sound list. We can certainly go, rogue, if we feel it’s in our best interest. Experimenting (or trying) new things is always exciting but it can also come with fear, anxiety, and doubt when entering a new arena we might not have ventured into. That is part of the fun of this because it’s supposed to help us get out of our comfort zone and create new opportunities and experiences in our life. Examples of this might be learning the guitar, doing Improv, learning Karate, starting a Podcast, taking up golf, etc. Notice that we put “starting a Podcast” in both the Focus and Experiment categories. This was done to show that based on each of our situations, one of us may have Starting a Podcast as a big project while someone else may want to try it out without it being tied to a larger project-oriented goal of theirs. Everyone will have different initiatives and drivers in their life. Choose what is best for you.

LEARN

Different than the Experiment category, the Learn category is geared towards topics that we are curious about, passionate about, or would like to get a better understanding of. This is not so much about acquiring a new skill but to acquire deep knowledge of a subject versus “headline reading” or doing a cursory search of a few articles. What are some areas we’ve wanted to learn about more in depth over the years that we haven’t invested the time in? Writing it down and making it an item of focus for next year might be the catalyst we need to put more effort into that learning process. Examples could be to learn about nutrition or more specifically gut health, learn about Mars, understand our political system, learn about Stoicism, etc. The topics are vast and the most important thing is what each of us is excited to spend time learning about through books, podcasts, programming, etc.

So that’s the Framework!

Focus
Eliminate
Experiment
Learn

Organizing our goals into a more structured framework will help us create more actionable and repeatable goals that last far longer than the “new year resolution smell” that wears off weeks into the new year.

I hope we are all able to create goals that mirror our mission in life whether focusing on big projects, eliminating the bad stuff, experimenting with new skills, or learning more insight about topics that interest us. We need to hold ourselves accountable in setting time aside for these important items and not be afraid to adapt or change them as we see fit throughout the year. This is supposed to be a fun and motivating process so we need to make sure we keep a positive and optimistic mindset as we go through the year.

If you get stuck, remember this age-old quote; “Before you quit, remember why you started.”

Happy new year everyone!

Carpe Diem!

Brian

F.E.E.L. Framework for Goal-SettingBrian Ondrako2021-03-19T10:42:23-04:00

Dylan Gambardella

DYLAN GAMBARDELLA

EPISODE 109: Co-Founder / Co-CEO, Next Gen HQ

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Episode 109 features the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Next Gen HQ, Dylan Gambardella. I was grateful to meet Dylan last year as I attended their Next Gen Summit in NYC and I love what him and the team at Next Gen HQ are doing to help create momentum for young entrepreneurs on their path to achieving their mission in life.

Find Dylan Online:

Website – dylangambardella.com

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylangambardella/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/DylGambardella

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/dylangambardella/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DylanGambardella

About Dylan:

Dylan Gambardella is a 24-year-old entrepreneur, speaker, and investor. Dylan is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Next Gen HQ, a business hub empowering the world’s greatest entrepreneurs with the tools and resources to overcome obstacles and chase their dreams.

Dylan has helped leading brands including Target, Capital One, and Dell access, engage with, and influence the next generation. He has been featured in Forbes, Inc, Adweek, Entrepreneur, and USA Today for his work leading a venture-backed, scaling a startup. A graduate of Duke University (‘17), Dylan has spoken in front of tens of thousands on global stages including TEDx.

Check out Next Gen HQ:

Website – https://nextgenhq.com/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/nextgenhq/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/NextGenHQ

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/nextgenhq/

……..

If you enjoyed this interview you may also like my Just Get Started Podcast Interview with Dylan’s Co-Founder of Next Gen HQ, Justin Lafazan

Review On Apple Podcasts

If you enjoy this episode I’d be grateful if you would leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, if you believe I’ve earned it. Thanks for listening!

Leave a Review

Dylan GambardellaBrian Ondrako2020-11-01T13:07:18-04:00

The Bootstrappers Guide To Podcasting

just get started

Back in 2015 when I first began thinking of starting a podcast there were a lot of ideas in my head about what to do and how to go about it. After overthinking, making excuses, and ultimately failing at starting for two years, I finally took the leap and begun. Thus, the podcast name “Just Get Started” was born.

The reason, you might ask, as to why Just Get Started stuck with me is that I know there are a lot of people out there just like me. They have an idea and want to accomplish something bigger but for some reason, they have been pinned down by naysayers, fear of the unknown, and most of all, negative self-talk that buries your confidence and clouds your judgment. I want everyone to realize they have to take a different path than the norm to get more done then they have ever imagined. To do that, you must take the first step to overcome that fear and Just Get Started.

This won’t be a novel. This isn’t rocket science. There are a ton of great resources out there about monetizing podcasts, growing a following, and doing all sorts of crazy things with them. But, none of that matters until you start and I wanted to share one perspective on how you might go about it.

So, just like with what I struggled with, I wanted to give everyone some insight into what you might want to consider thinking about when beginning a podcast and some useful questions to ask yourself along the way. I’ll share a few tools I have used that have helped but in no way are the answer to every situation. A simple Google search would give you several options that may fit just as well and I’d encourage that. But don’t hamstring yourself with overthinking it. That’s what I did. Don’t make the mistake that you have to have everything figured out on Day 1 because you don’t.

This is not the end all be all guide to podcasting. I imagine, however, most people reading this are like me. They’ve listened to podcasts and enjoy the content and have always wanted to create their own but it seems like a ton of work and a lot of money that is needed to be spent to get started. I’m here to tell you that’s not the case at all and that you can create your own very quickly and with solid quality for minimal to no money.

You can do it BUT if you are going to do it then you have to give it everything. You have to commit to it. There are a lot of people that have started podcasts that do 6 episodes and quit. If you’re going to take the time to set this up and go through the motions then I suggest setting a minimum bar for yourself. Do at least 20 episodes and call it “Season One” or something like that. Then, sit and reassess and make sure this is something you want to commit to further. If you get past that, you’re golden!

I hope you enjoy some of my insight into podcasting and what I have learned through my experience of trial and error and figuring it out along the way. The views expressed in this ebook are my own and from over two years of being in the trenches and knocking out episodes almost weekly. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of reading as I did of writing and sharing.

Let’s get it started.