Episode 46 - Hartley Alford: A Positive Mindset Drove This 10-Year-Old To Do The Thing For 60 Days

I do really believe 100% from every part of me that everyone has the capacity to be able to do the things that they want and not to be held back by the mental baggage that's in our head that we want to push through.

Welcome to the do the Thing Podcast. In each episode, we get down and personal with people who go after the things they want to make all their wildest dreams come true. Join us as we unveil and dissect a formula for what it takes to do the thing. Here is your host, Stacy Lauren.

Hey everyone. Welcome to the do the Thing podcast. This is your host, Stacy Lauren. I have had the opportunity to interview so many people doing this podcast and it has been so rewarding to get a chance to get to know the people I already know even more and also getting to know people that I haven't met yet. I've interviewed business owners, people that have traveled the world, people that have just sold their businesses, doctors, community leaders. And yesterday I even interviewed a physicist who's working on coming up with strategies for clean energy. Through these interviews, I've really been working on dissecting the do the Thing formula and really finding the common patterns that help people push past their limits to do the thing. Then I learned about Hartley. Hartley is 10 years old. Hartley's dad, Ron, was a business coach for my past company and he gave me so much valuable guidance and wisdom. Through his expertise in recruiting, sales training, and leadership coaching, he helps individuals and organizations reach their full potential. He even has a track record for shattering sales and revenue goals. While scrolling LinkedIn, I found a post her dad wrote and I had to share it with you guys because in this post he really verbalized so many pieces of the do the thing formula. OK, here it is. 60 days, no sugar. So proud of this girl. We goal set with each of the kids to start this year and talk to them about the why, not just the what or the how. Hartley said she wanted to honor the health that God has given her and do at least 60 days this year with no sugar. Well, she's already done. Now I get to buy some huge donuts and splurge with her. Two things. I'm reminded of watching her do this. Number one, the power of accountability. She posted this little countdown chart on our kitchen wall and crossed it off each day. She put it in a place where we could all see it. 2. Doing hard things bring such a sense of accomplishment and joy. Stretch, face, fears. Grow. Start today. Stay the course. Don't give up. Yes, do hard things. We'll never regret them. I love this post because you could just hear the pride in his voice. And also just knowing with her being able to accomplish a goal like this, what that's going to do for her life, to be able to learn how to set a goal for yourself and achieve it. Can you guys imagine being 10 years old and spraying off sugar? The resolve and the sheer determination you need to have to say no when it's constantly being presented to you. Especially as a kid. After I learned about Hartley, I had to interview her to learn more about how she was able to push past all of the temptations that came her way and really managed to do the thing. Hearing from a 10 year old, how she does it really exemplifies the pieces of the formula that have come from others way beyond her years. And her story really shows how following these key pieces can help you get anything you want out of life at such a young age. This girl is the perfect example of doing the thing. And not only is her dad proud of her, she's proud of herself. You can hear it in her voice. And after hearing her insightful story, I really hope you'll finally take the first step in doing the thing. It is such an honor and a pleasure to welcome Hartley Alper to the show.

Hi, I'm Hartley. I am 10 years old and I live in Washington, D.C. state.

Oh, great. Well, that's good. How long have you been living there? Have you been there your whole life?

Yeah.

And I would love for you to share what you did and why you decided to do it.

Yeah. So why I decided to do it is because I thought it was a good challenge and I thought it was a great way to help me learn, like, how to like, free labels and stuff like that. And.

Yeah, that's great. And so. And it was. No. So you basically did no sugar for 60 days, right?

Yes.

Okay. And so how did you. How did you make this plan to do it?

Well, my mom set it set up like this picture. And every day I would like color in a day. Every time I.

Completed a day.

That's amazing. Okay, so you had like a picture and then every time, every day that you did the no sugar, you basically colored it in to show that you achieved it.

Yeah.

And was there any days that you had sugar or did you do no sugar? All 60 days?

So I had sugar two times a week.

Two times a week. Okay. And was that planned or was that something else?

It was planned. That's smart. I love that. I love that. Well, how were those days the Days, you got to have sugar.

Did you?

Did you?

That's what I was wondering. No, she didn't get. She was moderate. That's what I was wondering. Oh, cool. That's great. See you. Wow. This is amazing. I just love. I think that it was funny, I just told a friend that I was going to be getting a chance to. To talk to you about this today, and she was like, I can't wait to listen because she's been eating too much sugar. And so. So, yeah. So, okay, so you had the. The goal of wanting to do it, and then one of your big goals was learning how to read labels. Did you. How did that go?

Well, at first, I was like, okay, it says no added sugar, but it says sugar right here. And I got confused, and then my parents helped me figure it out.

Oh, good. That's great. Let's see. Let me see. Oh. So how did you keep yourself motivated to stay on this challenge?

My parents motivated me, and they helped me pick the right foods to eat and. Yeah, and then my friends at school helped me, motivate me, and supported me and said, like, you shouldn't eat that because you should cross out a day and stuff like that.

So that's amazing. I was actually really curious about your friends because I think it could have gone so many different ways, you know, where your friends could be asking, like, why are you doing this? And come eat with us? But it sounds like they were really supportive and encouraging, huh?

Yeah. So at times we were like, you should just have some, and why are you doing this? It makes no sense.

And what did you say to them when they said that?

I said, well, I just took a trip to Mexico, and my parents wanted me to do some goals for the year, so that was, like, one of my top five, and I just wanted to knock it out now.

Yeah, I love that. So that's what motivated it is. You guys took a trip to Mexico, and then you have. It sounds like you might have yearly goals with your family. And then this was. One of the goals was to not like that you came up with. Basically.

Yeah. That's cool.

What kind of other goals is this? The only goal for this year. Did you have other goals that you wanted to do?

I did 20 goals. So I did. That was one. And my next one that I'm doing right now and I'm training for it is to run five miles.

Oh, wow. Are you serious?

Yeah.

That's amazing. Oh, my gosh. I'm in love with this so much. This is so cool. This is so Cool. So did you start that goal yet? Are you working on it, or are you almost there?

Yeah, I'm almost there. I started a couple of weeks ago, so.

Okay. And what. What are you doing for that? How are you going to run? Like, what's your plan? Like, what did you start doing already? And what's your plan? To run five miles?

Yeah, so I ran a mile, and then a mile, half, two miles, two miles, half three miles, four, and then five, and then right now, I just finished three miles.

Okay, and you have, like, every two weeks, you're increasing the mile or is there a certain way that you know to move up the level?

Every week?

Every week? Every week.

Wow.

Okay, so a mile, one week, then a mile and a half, then two miles. So every week you're increasing it a half a mile?

Yeah.

Okay. I think I might start that.

And then are you running. How often are you running each week?

Just working out a few days a week? Yeah.

And then one big run on the weekends?

Yeah.

Okay. So how do you. Is there other times that you don't want to do it and you're. And then you do it anyway, or how do you get yourself motivated to do that?

My parents usually run with me, like, three miles. We ran around our whole neighborhood a couple times, and then around my school.

Okay.

Yeah.

I love that. That's so great. So you guys are getting to bond as a family while you're doing this goal?

Yeah. So all doing it.

Yeah. That's great. So did the sugar. Did the sugar Challenge work the same way? Did they do that with you, or did you do that yourself?

All by myself. You did. Okay.

Yeah. So what was the hardest thing for you with the Sugar Challenge?

Like, at school, kids would have, like, birthdays, and they'd be like these giant cakes and cupcakes and donuts, candy, and I'm like, I want to eat that. And then my friends are like, well, you shouldn't, and, like, that's pretty hard. I'm like, I should just finish the day with no sugar.

Yeah. And you did. That's what you said to yourself. And then you were able to do it.

Yeah. Wow.

That's cool. It's kind of cool when you do something like that too, because then after you just feel good also, it's not like you missed anything. You know what I mean? That's kind of. It's interesting when you actually, like, hold a goal like that, and then you realize that you actually feel pretty good. Did you kind of feel that way?

Yeah, I was like, I feel Better if I didn't eat sugar and. Yeah. Yeah. Then I'd be a little crazy.

Well, what do you think is the number one thing that helped you stay motivated to stay on the challenge for the sugar challenge?

Probably my parents and family members and friends.

And what do you think they did that helped you the most?

They helped me, like, motivate me, and they helped me, you know, pick the right things to eat and what not to eat, what to eat, and they helped me keep me in a straight track and stuff.

And what do you think they did specifically that helped you, like, help motivate you the most? Like, was it something they said or something they did?

Probably what they did, like, helped me, and they gave me nice words and stuff like that.

Is there anything specific they said that made you, like, oh, this is really good?

Well, they're like, you got it now. Keep on going and stuff like that?

Yeah.

And that's what my friend said. Yeah.

I love that. So you just got encouragement. You almost had, like, a whole sphere of encouragement around you.

Yeah.

That is so cool. Well, this is really cool. I think that there's so many things in this that the listeners can take to see. The idea of setting a goal, and then also the. It sounds like the thing your mom made where you had that visual of being able to, like, every day mark something. And then I also like that you. You set yourself some, like, no sugar days, so it just made it where you had. It wasn't all or nothing. You got to do, like, a. Like a. A way to sort of keep it there but not go crazy on it, if that makes sense. And then it sounds like you just had a really supportive group around you to basically keep you motivated while you were doing it.

Yeah.

And is there anything else that we didn't just talk about that you think really helped you do this challenge?

When I usually eat sugar, I feel like, kind of like I get, like, meaner or, like, groany or I guess like that. And then when I. My first week when I didn't eat sugar, I was feeling more strong and I could do things better, and I felt nicer to other people.

Yeah. So it's almost like you had a big why for doing this? Once you saw the effects on both your behavior and how you felt in your body, you had a desire because you felt so good by how you were eating.

Yeah.

Yeah. That's great. So how's it going for you now that the challenge is over? Have you noticed a difference? Are you just more aware of it, or is it Just like, okay, cool. I did this. I feel good now I'm back.

So, like, my dad said, he said I shouldn't just eat, like, a ton of sugar. Just keep it on the limit. Don't eat sugar. You don't have to, like, eat sugar, but you can have a little each day.

Yeah, I like that. So it's almost like you develop the skills for the discipline, you know, and then now you're kind of just monitoring yourself.

Yes.

I love it. Well, this has been amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Oh, one more question. Is there anything else that I didn't ask you that you would like to share?

No, I think you got it all.

Thanks so much for coming on the show. I really appreciate it. Harley, you're awesome.

Good job.

Awesome.

So good. Oh, my gosh. I love it. Thank you.

Jahart.

Hi.

Thanks for listening to the do the Thing podcast. We hope you enjoyed the show. But even more, we hope you'll be inspired to do the thing. Do you have a burning question on Doing the Thing that you'd like answered? How about an inspiring do the Thing story of your own that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear all about it. Just leave us a voice message at dothething.

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