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Jason Van Orden helps influencers and thoughts leaders turn their expertise and ideas into courses, content and automated systems that amplify their income and impact. He has been doing and teaching this since 2005. Knowing his own authentic best self is central to everything he does.

Jason and Jeremy Frandsen’s Internet Business Mastery course was the reason Kevin Appleby and Graham Arrowsmith got to know each other. Jason and Jeremy created a Facebook Group for course buyers and the rest is history.

If you are thinking about making the most out of the new year, then this episode is for you. Listen and find out how to leverage your own authentic best self.

11 years ago, that’s 2005, Jason and Jeremy created the first internet business podcast with Internet Business Mastery which has produced over 340 episodes. http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/internet-business-mastery-business-development-and-internet/internet-business-mastery-get-paid-to-live-your-purpose

Why Authentic Best Self?

Jason has been practising “Authentic Best Self” for some years. The phrase itself is credited to Amy Cuddy from her new book “Presence, Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges”. (Amazon UK http://amzn.to/2hmJKu4 and Amazon USA http://amzn.to/2gi39aJ

Jason sees Authentic Best Self as a continual self-awareness and understanding of the factors and strengths that contribute to YOU performing at your peak. Leading to you creating maximum value in the world, and enjoying maximum fulfilment and having maximum energy all from the work that you do.

Amy Cuddy advises that when you need to show up as your best self, if you PRECEDE that by referring to some information about your values and your strengths, and you remind yourself of that regularly, the science shows that you perform at a higher level with less stress. Hence your creativity is better and your output is better.

Authentic Best Self is an understanding and leveraging information that you are continually discovering about yourself that leads to peak performance that leads to impact in the world.

So, how does Authentic Best Self work in practice?

For Jason, it is literally a DropBox folder of stuff, of assessments that he has taken, of journal entries he has made, feedback letters from people.

How does Jason use this information? When he is faced with a business opportunity, this self-insight, acts as a sort of compass. As entrepreneurs, you are faced with lots of ideas and opportunities than you can pursue, with your limited resources – time, energy, money – than you can apply yourself to with any form of efficacy.

Jason uses these materials to remind himself that he performs best when he allows himself to work in a particular way. He can quickly assess whether the opportunity will lead to him being over-extended or stressed. It is a FILTER and a COMPASS.

One of Jason’s strengths is research. He takes in a lot of information. He looks carefully at existing systems. This is the root of his success. Alternatively, his wife is kind of the opposite.

Jason builds into his business people who will avoid him taking too long. Whether that is his wife or having a business partner who is more of a quick start person.

How would Jason advise listeners to create their ABOUT YOU understanding material?

Ask your close friends and colleagues

  • Reach out to 5, 6 or 7 people who know you well enough and whose input you trust. It might be in a conversation, sending an email or writing them a letter. Ask them “What are the things that you value in me most?”, “What are the times that you see me as the most passionate, or most effective?”, “What are the things that you can depend on me for?”.Why do this? Often, we discount our strengths. Because these things come naturally to us, so we assume doesn’t everybody operate that way? That’s why it is important for others to affirm your strengths. You can then OWN the commonalities and themes, so you know that you do stand out from others in these ways. This can create your list of values or best habits that is something you can refer back to.

Strengthsfinder 2.0

  • Find out more at http://strengths.gallup.com/110440/about-strengthsfinder-20.aspx
  • You can buy Strngthsfinder on Amazon for £12 (Amazon UK http://amzn.to/2grWeij and Amazon USA http://amzn.to/2gk3y12 )
  • It is inexpensive. It comes with a code that you use to take a 30 minutes’ assessment online. Based on that assessment, the Gallup backed research tells you which are your top 5 strengths. Your top 5 drivers, you peak performing elements. The book helps you own your true self. Or like Jason says your Authentic Best Self.
  • Jason uses Strengthsfinder to assess his clients. He can help the entrepreneur who may be inclined towards Ready Fire Aim, who may now realise they need alternative behaviours to reach their goals. By understanding himself, as a consultant, he can offer great assistance to others.
  • Jason and Kevin share some top strengths: Achiever; Relator; and Learner – all ideal strengths for a coach and consultant.

Kolbe A & Fascination Advantage

  • http://www.kolbe.com/
  • Kathy Kolbe’s assessment helps you understand how you strive and problem solve. Jason is high in follow-through. Jason gets employees to take Kolbe to avoid downstream failure at work.
  • Fascination – http://www.howtofascinate.com/
  • Sally Hogshead’s How to Fascinate tells you the ways you best gain the attention of others, particularly when you need to sell yourself

All this provides set of input. All this helps you make better decisions. Helps you with strategizing.

Jason says his creativity is very much fed by novelty. Jason needs new environments, new people. Without it his creativity slows up. So, Jason, will go to a new coffee shop. It’s all he needs to energise himself and get going.

This may help you decide WHICH CLIENTS YOU SHOULD WORK WITH.

This approach removes NEEDLESS stress. Understanding your authentic best self, helps you weed out bad stress.

The next 100 days?

  • How will you gather your information?
  • Make a list of the trusted friends.
  • Send an email.
  • Pull out the 3 or 4 top strengths.
  • Take the Strengthsfinder test.
  • Reference this to the family and friends feedback.
  • Kolbe A – take that.
  • After 100 days, you’ll have 10 to 15 factors that’ll tell you when you are at your best.
  • Remember it is going to alter a bit over time, parenting for example.

It’s about tuning in your antennae.

In 2017, Jason Van Orden wants to be more prolific.

Discover more about Jason Van Orden. http://jasonvanorden.com/

The Next 100 Days Podcast is brought to you by Graham Arrowsmith and Kevin Appleby