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What keeps you from accomplishing your goals? Jon Acuff is passionate about answering that question and helping people to become the best versions of themselves. Recently he sat down with GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft to talk about some of the methods he uses to become one of INC’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers, how he leverages positive self-talk and how leaders can help individuals on their teams to overcome procrastination.
IN THIS EPISODE (Time stamps apply to video version)
0:00 Intro
5:30 How does Jon prepare for the different kinds of talks he gives?
10:15 Why seek out a coach?
13:45 Does Jon get nervous before he speaks?
20:45 The instrumental role that Jon’s wife Jenny has in his life and career.
22:45 Are there filters for who Jon listens to for feedback?
25:00 If there’s no one speaking into your life, what do you miss out on?
29:45 What prevents people from giving themselves permission to move forward?
35:00 What to say to people who may have the wrong dream.
43:45 Outro
LISTEN
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
STANDOUTS AND TAKEAWAYS
- See the human in every room and then customize the content to that particular audience.
- You can empathize with an audience, but do not try to mimic them.
- Great leaders accept uncertainty and simultaneously work to increase certainty. Develop intentional systems to get better, regardless of what you’re doing. You can be content and hungry at the same time.
- High-performers are never self-made. They always have wise people around them.
- Be aware of your self-talk. There’s nothing wrong with learning to like yourself.
- As a leader, fear, anger and stress will get you somewhere, but it’s not a sustainable fuel.
- If you speak unkindly to yourself, eventually you will speak unkindly to everyone else.
- People who are ahead of you in life are time machines: they have been to where you are trying to get to.
- You cannot be 100% self-aware. You need people around you to say, “I see this in you.”
- You miss out on many opportunities if you’re isolated.
- The three obstacles to accomplishing goals that people face are perfectionism, procrastination and over-thinking.
- There are four permissions we need: to dream, to plan, to do, and to review.
- Dreaming runs on optimism; planning runs on realism.
- You cannot be anything you want, but you can be the best version of you.
This episode is sponsored by Pullspark; click here for more information.
LINKS MENTIONED
- Book: Procrastination Proof: Never Get Stuck Again (April 14, 2026, Amazon.com)
- Value-Add: Get the first 8 chapters of Jon’s upcoming book here.
- Book: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less (Greg McKeown)
- Website: Global Leadership Summit 2026
- Website: Global Leadership Network
- Website: Team365
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Leadership That Lasts
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