Jon Acuff has made a career out of helping people “get unstuck”, by thinking smarter. A New York Times bestselling author of ten books including Soundtracks, Finish, and All It Takes Is a Goal, his work has sold more than a million copies and inspired audiences from Microsoft to Comedy Central to turn overthinking into action.
In All It Takes Is a Goal (Baker Books, 2023), Acuff offers a practical roadmap for moving ideas from imagination to execution. The book, backed by original research conducted with behavioural scientist Dr. Mike Peasley, explores why some goals stall while others soar. It also unpacks how anyone can tap into what he calls “guaranteed goals,” small, strategic wins that compound into lasting progress. His earlier bestseller Soundtracks (Baker Books, 2021) introduced readers to the concept of mental “soundtracks” — repetitive thoughts that shape our reality — and how replacing broken ones can transform both personal and professional performance.
Named one of Inc.’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers, Jon Acuff delivers keynotes that blend behavioural research with self-deprecating humour and real-world insight. They move from corporate goal-setting to the deeply human challenge of finishing what we start. As host of the hit podcast All It Takes Is a Goal, he continues to explore how belief drives behaviour and why finishing, not starting, defines real success. From books, podcasts to the occasional queso joke (Land O’Lakes once mailed him 24 pounds of cheese); Acuff is driven by one principle: progress is built on belief. “I believe in you and I believe in your goals,” he says. “The future belongs to finishers.”
Jon Acuff lives outside Nashville with his wife and two daughters.
