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I just got an interesting question… do I ever have bad days anymore? Well, everyone has a bad day now and then, but I’m fortunate that mine are pretty rare. And this might be surprising… but the reason I rarely have bad days actually has nothing to do with my business or my success. Here’s what made all the difference for me.


Video Transcript and Relevant Links

So I had this question come in from Bill Buckholtz. It says, “Thank you, Jeff. You really do add value every time you post. So, do you ever have bad days anymore?”

If the stuff I publish makes my life look perfect, I can assure you that it's not. I certainly have problems and challenges, and complications. Life is not perfect. Just because you have a successful business, just because you have a large income, just because you have achieved some level of freedom in your life doesn't mean the challenges go away.

I would say, yes I do have bad days, but I have spent a long time working on this. I would say that it's very, very rare for me to have bad days. It's more common for me to have bad hours or bad minutes, but the reality is that in almost every circumstance the situation isn't nearly as bad as you're making it in your brain. You have an immense amount of control over how you react to a situation. When you start to take control over how you react to situations, then you stop having bad days—or have many, many fewer. Did I get that right? Many fewer. So yeah, many fewer bad days.

It all comes down to framing, and it all comes down to training your brain. I started doing this in my late teens and early 20s. I started going through this process of rewiring my brain. I've been doing it intensely for the last 25 years. I personally think meditation is one of the best ways you can get yourself to be less reactive to bad things—to negative things happening. I think gratitude is an amazing practice.

I was just listening to Sam Harris, and he was talking about a time he had dinner with his family. He said they were all sitting around, and no one was in a great mood. Everyone was a bit disgruntled. Just wasn't great energy in the room. Somehow, he reflected. He's like, “If I had actually passed away, if I had died the day before that dinner happened, what would I have given to be at that dinner? How much would I have savored being with my loved ones in that situation?”

The thing is almost every situation has the seeds of something great in it. Almost every situation, every negative situation, every complication, every bit of chaos, has the seeds of an incredible learning in it, of incredible growth in it. If you just look back at the difficult times in your lives, how many times has that been something that allowed you to grow, that allowed something to open up? These are the type of games I play in my head.

Sure, it's easy enough to say, “Oh, you should just think positive. Be positive. Be happy.” And you hear someone saying that kind of stuff and you just want to punch them in the face, right? You get sick of hearing that kind of stuff, but it's so true. You're in control of your reaction. You're not in control of every situation in your life. Even when you have the kind of business I have, when you've achieved the kind of success I've had, and the kind of freedom I've had, and the kind of income I've had, you're still not in control of everything.

The world is going to throw stuff at you. There will be problems. There will be complications. There is chaos. There is chaos every day in my life, but I've learned to just deal with it, to frame it as something … to define the positive, to know that I've faced challenge, after challenge, after challenge for all these years and that I'm going to be able to get through the next one. That if I'm stuck in traffic, and I'm late for an appointment, that that's not the worst thing that's ever happened. There are far worse things that could happen to me.

Yeah, I have bad days, but it's incredibly rare. The reason it's rare is not because I have a successful business or a big income. The reason it's rare is that I've put in a lot of work to train my brain to turn the situations around.

I'm Jeff Walker. Wherever you're watching, just scroll down and leave a comment for me and let's go get 'em this week.

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32 Replies to “Do You Ever Have Bad Days?”

  1. Awesome! I’ve always recommended meditation to my students as well! Thanks for the honest and authentic value!

  2. Great post Jeff! I have been struggling with my on-line business for quite a while, but have never given up. I learn every day. Sometimes I get discouraged but turn it around by taking consistent action. I think the biggest help for me is the support of my wife in my online journey.

  3. “Almost every negative situation has the seeds of something great in it”. Wow! Those words completely changed my perspective. Thanks! I loved it!

  4. Hi Jeff, I really enjoyed this video about bad days and how one approaches them. I have worked very hard over the last 17 years to look at every problem I face as a new opportunity to do something positive. We lost our beautiful daughter very suddenly and unexpected 17 years ago. She had everything going, 3 college degrees, a job, a great loving family, and a solid religious background. Then suddenly one morning in May 2002 with no warning, we realized that she had passed away in here sleep overnight. Our world came to a stop. Since her passing, I have dived into my work of teaching guitar online. I have been teaching for over 40 years locally and online. I currently have an idea for a new guitar course but have been struggling with launching it. I would love to be able to get your proven PLF, but just can’t afford it. I’m retired on a fixed income. Would you please share any tips on how I can get my new course put together and launched. I would really appreciate it.

    • Dearest Sam, I was so touched by your message to Jeff and I wanted to reply to you. I hope this is helpful in any way for you. I am a singer-songwriter and I loved the idea of your guitar course. I am sure that so many would benefit from it and find a way to express their creativity from the instrument. ‘Done’ is better than ‘perfect’. You’ve got this and you have what it takes to launch. You can tweak and refine with each launch.

      If I was not in the position to invest in PLF today, I would first buy and study, cover-to-cover, Jeff’s book, ‘Launch’. Also watch Jeff’s video with Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi5yAxLN2Ts. She couldn’t afford PLF in the beginning, but she made her first 10K using the book and Jeff’s PLC videos. THEN, she was able to invest in PLF and took her business to the next level. You can do this Sam! I would love to know how you get along. You have so much to give. With much love to you. Adama xXx

      • I want to Thank You Adama for your comments and support. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts. I have recently purchased Jeff’s book “Launch”. I plan on getting started reading it in the next few days. I assume you have purchased Jeff’s PLF and did a Launch? I hope Jeff will see these posts and share his thoughts also. I’ll keep in touch and let you know how things go. Take care.

    • Hi Sam, deep sympathies for your loss. I’m sure your daughter is there in the sounds of your music.

      What I find helpful is actually observing Jeff and other programs and see how they do it. Get on their mailing list and see what they send out from first email onward. What are their videos and webinars like? Study the format, the outline. They are providing their formula through their output. Today I listened to a webinar on how to make retreats and as I was listening i was also taking side notes on how to write my own webinar script. There is much free content that is helpful. Just observe and learn how they do it.

      Wishing you well.

      Toni

  5. Thank you so much, Jeff, I loved this video. You have always been a huge inspiration to me. Thanks again and have a beautiful week ahead.

  6. Thanks Jeff for this awesome video. I recently received “Launch” book and really enjoy reading it. The value of the book is unbelievable.

  7. My story is eerily similar to Sam Lyons comment in your email Jeff.
    In 2002 i lost my first born child, Joshua who was only 8 yrs old, killed in an auto accident. Just like Sam, i dove into work as i sunk every penny i had into putting together a Carpet Cleaning Business as i had no more time to make anyone else wealthy. I never wanted to work for anyone trading my valuable time for a crappy paycheck.
    But I ran it by myself for 15 yrs until my health caught up to me. I had to have major back surgery which only made things worse. After all said and done i had to retire because of my back problems as i was no longer to do the kind of work i knew. Road construction, heavy equipment operator, mainly skilled physical labor. Now i have some ideas to start a Consulting business in Health and Fitness. I have an interest in copywriting, turning my words into money so to speak. List building etc. My problem is not only not having the skillset or the financing it take to launch but also not having a plan or know how to launch when i do develop those skill sets. So im in the same boat and welcome any and all the advice i can get!

    • Hi Gary, so sorry to hear about your loss. I know your pain. No parent should EVER have to bury their child. I wish you the best of luck with your product development and launch. Keep in touch and let me know how it goes. I will do the same.

  8. Meditation and gratitude brings us grace and humility, key for growth and helping us to avoid debilitating perfectionism. Thank you for reminding me to set my own agenda after quieting my mind. Have a great week and keep inspiring us.

  9. A. K. Shahi

    Reply

    Of course I too had/have/expect both good and bad days.
    Thanks and good night.

  10. jack merrin

    Reply

    I heard that when you play the victim you have no control to change your situation. When you take responsibility for your choices then you have the power to fix anything.

  11. Thank you for sharing Jeff. Its easy to look at other people’s lives and think they have no troubles when indeed we all have our struggles. That being said I appreciate your words on how to minimize those struggles.

  12. Great stuff, Jeff. Meditation, gratitude and journaling really set me up each day. It can even be as simple as, “thank you for my health.” If you’ve got your health, you can do anything. Casey

  13. You do such a great job of explaining how important it is to frame difficult situations in a way that helps us choose a positive and helpful way to respond to it. Such good information – I’m going to share this with my children also. Thank you!

  14. Hi Jeff,

    At the end of the day we ALL just want to know if someone else is going through what we are going through…like, are we the ONLY one faced with a particular problem or challenge…especially for people who are “perceived ” as an online star, or one that have reach a certain pinnacle in their lives (such as yourself).

    The average person viewing yours or my online content want to know if you are a “regular ” human being with “regular problems ” or challenges as they face.

    I just want to thank you for expressing the fact that you are a “regular ” person with regular problems like everybody else. It’s just that your business and lifestyle is not as “regular ” as many people today, but that doesn’t make you any different than anyone else. It’s how you “think” about and handle your problems that makes the difference👍

  15. Great message today! Great timing for me to hear this. Appreciate all the value you add.

  16. Hi Jeff,
    I love your videos You always appear relaxed, like you are just chatting or sharing with friends. I hope that I will learn to project that kind of confidence, authenticity, and humility.

    I try to view myself as the thermostat, rather than the thermometer. I seldom have bad days, but like everyone else, I sometimes have a few bad hours, usually because I think my life should be some other way than what it is. Then I tell myself, “You are exactly where you are meant to be.” That makes it easy for me to take the next step.
    Thank you Jeff,

  17. Awesome! Thanks , I’m going to Train my brain also , any tips for a beginner ?? Really need to get started

    Regards

  18. Spot on. The way in which we perceive a situation either opens to opportunities to develop and grow or closes to discouraging elements of stagnation and despair. Thank you.

  19. Hi Jeff,
    I really appreciated how you answered this question! It is good to know that even someone who has a booming business, an abundance lifestyle and daily self-care rituals has a bad day – let’s the pressure off the rest of us!

    I thoroughly enjoy your videos and how you lead by example.
    Thank You.

  20. Thanks for the morning ritual and good habits gem. And entrepreneur’s OCD!!! Great stuff. You caught me right in the middle of it, with my hand in the cookie jar.

    Thanks! I needed that!

  21. Thank you for the great message. I agree that meditation makes a huge difference. I also try to focus on what I’m learning when things are difficult. Some days I wish I wasn’t learning so much 🙂 but that mindset helps me to stay in control and keep moving forward.

  22. Hey Jeff! Yeah well said! Reframing is a key. And learning to adjust your expectations. I realize I get upset cuz life aint perfect and I feel it should be. It should though, shouldn‘t it? At least for me? Haha 😁✌️💕 Love ya Jeff! You’re one of my heroes!

  23. A wise mentor once shared with me ‘How you act determines how you feel, how you feel has no bearing on how you act’. There are so many day we ‘get up on the wrong side of the bed’ and allow that to affect our day. By making that conscious decision to focus on those things that shift our mindset to positive it makes life so much more fun and meaningful! Thanks for sharing this wisdom to remind me of this coaching.

  24. Fantastic reflections Jeff and thankyou for sharing. It’s great to hear that even those with as much success and achievements as you still encounter chaos on a daily basis – definitely reassuring for those hectic days!

    I recently read a quote by author, Karen Salmansohn which comfortably aligns with your perspective on hidden lessons being the silver lining in testing times. She said “The best things in life are often waiting for you at the exit ramp of your comfort zone.” and as with a lot of comments on this chain, we too are constantly learning on a daily basis. We want to see when things “don’t” work so we can refine, test and measure in order to boost our efficiencies for our clients in the digital space. Often what we feel should’ve worked, hasn’t, and after careful analysis, we’re able to establish opportunities for improvement, equipping us for the next challenge that may come our way. After all, Search Engine Marketing can be a complicated landscape to master but one which requires the mindset you are conveying in order to remain motivated to strive for better.

    It’s always encouraging to hear such a positively fresh outlook on finding the ever-present lesson in order to push for new heights on a consistent basis. Again thanks for sharing Jeff – onwards and upwards!

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