The Obvious Choice

Doing the work worth doing is a wonderful thing.That's what I'll write about today—how doing work that makes you better as a result of the work, not because of any results you might get from it, is worth doing.Read the full article here: https://www.theptdc.com/articles/as-ai-takes-the-easy-you-must-choose-your-hardPre-order my next book "The Obvious Changes" here: https://amzn.to/3EsBKUtOrder my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/Timestamps0:00 Discover work worth doing in an AI world1:52 Choose your hard3:02 Your good work that matters is all that matters4:45 The work worth doing tests8:35 The exhaustion is satisfying

Today, I'm diving into the idea that real success isn't about chasing a finish line but about crafting systems that celebrate every little win along the way. In this video, I share my journey on how shifting from traditional goal-setting to building effective, life-affirming processes can turn your everyday efforts into triumphs.Order my book, "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/Timestamps 0:00 Most successful people set systems0:52 Figure out ways to have pleasure along the journey1:50 Change the way you look at success3:30 Example of how I apply this mindset4:43 Personal Celebrations & Milestone Experiences6:25 Building a System of Process Celebrations8:30 Conclusion: Winning with Systems Over Goals

Everyone teaching social media growth is competing for attention . . . on social media. They're forced to share what performs best, not what works best. Read the full article here: https://www.theptdc.com/articles/how-to-grow-social-media-from-nothing-or-basically-nothingOrder my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceMentioned in this video: "Viralnomics: How to Get People to Want to Talk About You" https://amzn.to/4i1x0DdNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/Timestamps0:00 Growing my social media platforms2:00 The Social Media Advice Paradox3:03 Master the Four Stages of Social Media Growth4:01 The Sea Lion Strategy5:02 Don't Create a Community—Join One Already in Progress6:00 The Sea Lion Method: Step by Step6:34 The 15-Paperclip System That Built My Community8:04 What's Working Right Now: Real Success Stories8:41 My Current Approach: The Hidden Work9:33 Connect More, Create Less9:54 Five Connection Strategies That Outperform Content15:15 The Psychology of Sharing16:30 The Three Types of Content That Drive Growth18:45 Final Practical Tips for Sustained Growth19:21 Choose Your Path: Engagement or Sales20:42 The Timeless Social Media Strategy

Books I recommended in this video:Snow Leopard by Category Pirates https://amzn.to/4ii8zBSThe Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter https://amzn.to/3QHaKmSFour Thousand Week by Oliver Burkeman https://amzn.to/4h2nxe3Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb https://amzn.to/4hjOVVnThe Humans by Matt Haig https://amzn.to/41AicWROrder my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/

It's been almost two months since The Obvious Choice was released. Lots of people have been asking me how it's been going. If I'm honest, my answer is "not great". I've been disappointed with sales and so has my publisher.I'm sharing five crucial lessons I've learned from this experience. Not to complain, but to illuminate the path for anyone bringing something valuable into a noisy world.Whether you're launching a product, sell a service, or creating art––these five lessons transcend any specific field.Read the full article here: https://www.theptdc.com/articles/my-book-launch-didnt-go-all-that-well-reallyOrder my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/Timestamps0:00 What I learned from my book launch bombing?0:49 Five crucial lessons I learned from this experience1:04 Lesson 1: Positioning: The Art of Framing Value3:42 Lesson 2: Audience: Quality over Quantity7:24 Lesson 3: Influence: The Contextual Boundaries of Your Authority10:15 Lesson 4: Mastery: The Illusion of Transferable Excellence13:06 Lesson 5: Self-Reliance: The Ultimate Liberation

Writing isn't just about putting words on a page—it's about clarifying the chaos in your mind and presenting ideas in a way others can understand. In a world where AI can write for us, mastering this inhuman skill might be the most powerful advantage for any ambitious person today."Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/

In today's episode, I'm thrilled to sit down with my long-time friend Alex Hutchinson, New York Times best-selling author of "Endure" and his new book "The Explorer's Gene." We dive into the courage it takes to explore new creative paths rather than getting typecast by your past successes, and Alex shares how his unplanned writing journey led to his most powerful work.Get my friend Alex Hutchinson's new book, The Explorer's Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the MapAlex Hutchinson is the New York Times bestselling author of Endure, a longtime columnist for Outside covering the science of endurance, and a National Magazine Award–winning journalist who has contributed to the New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications. A former long-distance runner for the Canadian national team, he holds a master’s in journalism from Columbia and a Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge, and he did his post-doctoral research with the National Security Agency. Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/Timestamps0:00 Alex Hutchinson Introduction 1:28 Discussing Alex's books, including "Endure" and "The Explorer's Gene"3:12 The evolution of book writing toward self-development and life design4:25 What exploration really means beyond physical travel5:06 The dilemma of being typecast after success6:18 The explore-exploit dilemma: balancing new ventures vs. known success7:49 "It just didn't seem fun to me" - Making career choices based on enjoyment8:50 The challenge of crossing between different professional worlds10:47 How John and Alex first met through a cold email14:00 The challenges of writing: structure vs. crafting sentences17:33 How the interludes in "Endure" evolved organically20:37 The choice not to track book sales and analytics21:23 Injecting personal experience into writing in the age of AI24:32 Writing with "your cup half full" to prepare for life's challenges28:57 - Introduction to the Wundt curve concept

In this episode, we're talking about letting your geek flag fly and how embracing your unique obsessions can be your secret weapon in business. If you're tired of blending in with everyone else online, I'm going to show you why your weird, nerdy passions are actually the key to standing out and connecting with the exact people who will become your most loyal customers.Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/Timestamps0:00 Introduction0:20 What is your geek obsession?0:50 Christina crossfit gym story02:20 Comitology and Astrology04:00 Location bias05:00 SNASA07:00 Building a vision out of your geek obsession09:40 Being different11:00 Industry norms12:30 Risks13:10 Difficulty in execution13:35 Doing too many of the right things14:20 Business model16:15 Ben Mudge story19:00 Follow your obsession

Success everywhere is a lagging indicator of becoming great somewhere.Read the full article here: https://www.theptdc.com/articles/success-everywhere-is-a-lagging-indicator-of-becoming-great-somewhereOrder my book The Obvious Choice here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceNot sure if you want to get my book, “The Obvious Choice”? Here’s a free sample to check out: https://www.theptdc.com/the-obvious-choice-free-chapterWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeGet my FREE "Jacked Nerds Reading List" here: https://www.theptdc.com/11-best-books-for-jacked-nerdsJoin my Online Trainer Mentorship program: https://onlinetrainermentorship.com/mentorship/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=OTMEvergreenFollow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscoachgoodman/X: https://x.com/itscoachgoodmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/Timestamps0:00 Most of what we're doing these days doesn't need to be done, we've just been doing it for so long that it’s become a thing that we do.1:50 The constant pursuit of greatness3:07 Finding what you're born to be great at4:12 Greatness transcends how you make money4:43 The struggle between deep work and platform growth6:47 Social media success is a lagging indicator of real-world success7:17 Ask key questions about your path9:23 Greatness requires persistent, consistent, obsessive focus11:34 The pleasure is in doing the work, not in it being done13:16 Saying no to opportunities that take you away from greatness14:53 Content strategy plan17:26 What are you optimizing for?

Welcome everybody to the Obvious Choice podcast, where today I'll be explaining some major changes coming to this show as I pursue my singular goal of becoming a truly world-class writer.I'm putting an end to the scattered approach that's been holding me back, focusing on what truly matters to me, and yes, that unfortunately means firing Ren for what must be the fifth or sixth time.Order my book "The Obvious Choice" here: https://amzn.to/4ghBzceWho Am I?Jonathan Goodman is the creator of the Personal Trainer Development Center and host of the popular Obvious Choice podcast, a top show for coaches, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Jon’s been featured in most major business and fitness publications including Men’s Health, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Robb Report, Inc., and many more. Over 200,000 coaches and small business owners in more than 120 countries have purchased business development materials from him. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter "5 Reps Friday" read by 73,000+ each week: https://www.theptdc.com/newsletter-subscribeTimestamps0:00 Opening banter; Jonathan jokes about firing Rencel again1:18 Upcoming changes to the podcast format3:10 Focusing the podcast on shorter episodes and interviews8:43 The "finite nature" of podcasting; Jonathan shares experience with Ben Greenfield11:10 Story about Men's Health and content driven by advertisers17:54 How podcasts overcomplicate health topics when simple advice often matters most24:19 Personal quest to become a world-class writer31:13 New content strategy across platforms36:19 Writing process and time management43:30 "Going pro moment" with "absurd focus"