8 Ways To Grow Mentally, Physically, Emotionally & Spiritually

By Christy Wingfield on April 18, 2014

Life these days has become so hectic that it’s very easy for us to get caught up in just try to “survive” each day. By “surviving” we’re not referring to making sure we have something to eat and drink each day; “surviving” has become so much more complicated than that. For many people, “surviving” a day means being able to accomplish what others expect of them — “others” being the boss, the spouse, children, parents, friends, and so on.

While there’s nothing wrong with meeting others’ expectations, the danger in getting to pre-occupied with doing so, you begin to lose track of the most important person in the world: ME, …… I mean YOU!

Keep in mind that you’re trying to meet other people’s expectations either because these people are instrumental in the goals you want to accomplish (such as your boss who plays the lead part in your career and financials) or because they are people you care about (such as family and friends). In both cases, you need to make sure that you’re fully armed and equipped, so that you have a lot of yourself to share with others.

So here are 8 simple self-improvement habits that you can do each day to enrich yourself in four major areas of your life:

 

8 Simple Daily Habits That Will Definitely Improve Your Life

 

MENTAL SELF IMPROVEMENT

1. Complete a challenging puzzle or solve a challenging problem early in the day.

Apart from recent findings linking it to staving off aging-related dementia, doing a mental puzzle early in the day benefits the mind like exercise benefits the body; it’s a strengthening workout, which, in the case of a mental puzzle completed early in the day, keeps the mind sharp and warms it up to prepare it to face the cognitive rigors everyone deals with daily.

Sites like theproblemsite.com feature mental puzzles that you can do daily and take up very little of your time — a simple intellectual investment that goes a long way.

 

2. Get moving on something you’ve always wanted to learn.

Whether it be knitting, baking, or computer programming, there’s always something you’ve always wanted to learn but have never found the time for because of your daily preoccupations. Well, you don’t need to wait for your next vacation just to get started on learning a new skill. Instead, you can learn it a little each day by slowly reading a book on it or enrolling in an online course that allows you to work at your own pace.

What’s important is that you’re progressing a little each time towards a new skill that you’ve always wanted to acquire. Before you know it, you’ve learned something you’ve always wanted to, and it’s time to move on to the next learning goal for your continued self-improvement.

 

PHYSICAL SELF IMPROVEMENT

3. Do a little resistance exercise.

Resistance exercise is any physical activity that involves a significant amount of exertion by your muscles. While cardiovascular exercises like walking are certainly beneficial to the health, resistance exercises, even simple ones such as climbing up the stairs or doing push ups against a wall, have the added benefit of firming up your muscles and boosting your metabolism throughout the rest of the day — certainly benefiting your health and even your appearance.

 

4. Replace unhealthy foods with your favorite fruits and vegetables.

Sometimes, leaving out unhealthy foods from your diet seems painful because the healthy alternatives just don’t seem to compare in flavor. But surely, you have your own favorite fruits and vegetables, so why not make an effort to use them to replace the unhealthy foods in your diet?

For example, replace a bag of chips with a bowl of baked carrot sticks topped with fat-free cheese. Absolutely delicious!

 

EMOTIONAL SELF IMPROVEMENT

5. Let someone know that they’re doing good.

There’s hardly anything that compares with sharing positivity and reaping your own rewards from doing so. This is what letting someone know about the good that they’re doing does for others and perhaps, more importantly, for you.

And it doesn’t have to be big accomplishments. In fact, appreciating little things like a good meal prepared or a desk neatly arranged goes a long way in making someone feel good and making you realize how easy it is for you to contribute something positive to the world.

 

6. Smile when negative feelings are trying to take control of you.

Of course negative thoughts will try to creep into your mind daily — they’re normal. However, they don’t have to consume you and take over your mood for the whole day.

Often, the simple act of smiling, even forcing yourself to smile, brings positive thoughts to the surface and allows you to get back to your pleasant and most productive you.

 

SPIRITUAL SELF IMPROVEMENT

7. Start your day by thinking about one good thing you can do for the day.

People often forget just how easy and important it is to do good. For example, it doesn’t take a lot of effort at all to segregate trash so that whatever can be recycled can be reused and not add to the world’s growing waste management problem. But why is it that so few people get around to starting the habit?

Usually, it’s just a matter of deciding to do good, and that’s what developing the habit of identifying a good deed to do each day fosters.

 

8. End your day by writing down one thing you were thankful for.

The line “It’s not about having what you want, but wanting what you have” says it all. Very often, the feeling of being unsatisfied with what you have is brought about by not realizing how valuable the things in your life already are.

If you make it a habit to write down one thing you’re thankful for each day, at that particular moment when you’re feeling unhappy or disappointed, glancing through your “grateful list” will uplift you and keep you solidly on the road to positivity and further self-improvement.

12 Ways To Turn Your Life Around In 12 Months Or Less

By Tyler Basu on April 14, 2014

The road to success is rarely straight. Anyone who has achieved success in any area of their life will likely tell you that their journey was not an easy one. Roadblocks, dead ends, disappointments, bad decisions, and failures (collectively referred to as “experience”) are often the stepping-stones that forge the path to success.

Most people who have achieved success have also hit rock bottom somewhere along the way. But it was the experience of hitting rock bottom that gave these individuals the motivation they needed to make dramatic changes in their life and propel them towards success. As the attitude and achievement expert Dr. Willie Jolley once said: “a setback is a setup for a comeback.”

If you wake up one day and realize that the life you’re living is not the life you want, don’t beat yourself up about it. Accept where you are, and more importantly, accept the responsibility for changing where you’re going to be.

You cannot change your life overnight, but you can most certainly change the direction of your life overnight.

Here are 12 things you can start doing immediately to turn your life around and get back on track to achieving success:

1. Read daily

If you want your life to get better, you need to start making better decisions. To make better decisions, you need to equip yourself with new ideas and better information. Get into the habit of reading at least 10 pages of great information every single day. At this rate, you’ll be able to finish at least 1 new book per month, for a total of 12 new books per year.

Don’t read fiction. In most cases, fiction is meant to entertain you, but not empower you. You should alternate between non-fiction categories that have a direct correlation to the areas of your life you want to improve. Examples of good categories include: health, personal finance, wealth creation, relationships, business, self-help, spirituality, productivity, success, and inspirational biographies. The wisdom and ideas you will get from these types of book will undoubtedly help you to succeed.

2. Put your goals in writing

Without question, the most successful people in the world all have goals. Their goals are the benchmark against which they measure their results. People without goals often have no direction. Like a hamster on a wheel, they move but go nowhere.

Turning your life around begins with identifying exactly what you want to achieve and then creating a strategy for achieving it. Give your goals deadlines, and identify the resources you will need and the actions you must take in order to accomplish them. Read your goals every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to sleep to ensure your mind stays focused on your objectives.

3. Dissolve relationships with people who hold you back

There may be some people in your life that you are better off not spending time with. Not everyone has habits or attitudes that are conducive to success, and unfortunately those habits and attitudes are contagious. Like crabs in a bucket, these people are the first to pull you down the moment they see you trying to climb to a higher level. You may have friends, coworkers, or even family members who fit this description.

It is not always a good idea to abruptly cut people out of your life (doing so typically arouses resentment). Some relationships should be dissolved gently. Gradually decrease the amount of time you spend with the people who you don’t want around you as you move forward. Use the time you would otherwise be spending with them to build new relationships with positive people who support and encourage your success.

4. Stay hydrated and exercise regularly

Success doesn’t come easy. It takes a lot of hard work. In order to put in the work necessary to get to the next level without burning out, you need to build up large reserves of physical and mental energy.

The first thing you can do to immediately increase your energy levels is to drink more water. Water helps replenish your system, improve digestion and eliminate waste from your body. Many people make the mistake of thinking they are tired or hungry when in reality they are just dehydrated. Drink a large glass of water as soon as you wake up, drink a few glasses throughout the day and before each meal, and drink another glass in the evening before you go to sleep.

The second thing you should do is exercise for at least 30 minutes (go for a run or go to the gym) no less than 3 times per week. Regular exercise helps strengthen your heart and lungs, improves your flexibility and strength, helps manage your weight, prevents illness, decreases stress, and it even helps you to get better sleep – all of which have positive effects on your energy levels, overall health, focus and productivity.

5. Start a savings plan

There’s an old Chinese Proverb that says: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” When it comes to saving money, this philosophy is just as valid. If you haven’t been saving a portion of your income for investment and future use, the best time to start doing so is now. Most financial planners would agree that you should be saving a minimum of 10% of your monthly income on a consistent basis. Unfortunately most people spend the majority of what they earn (sometimes more) and invest very little for the future.

Don’t make the mistake of working hard for money, and then using that money to pay everyone else except you.  Pay yourself first. If you don’t think you have the discipline to do this, go to your bank and arrange for a percentage of the income you deposit to be immediately transferred to a savings or investment account.  Learn to live off of at least 90% of your income. Your future self will thank you for it.

6. Turn your car into a classroom

If you work full-time, you probably spend somewhere between 5 and 10 hours per week commuting to and from work. Instead of listening to music or the radio during this time, start listening to inspiring and educational content. Most books have an audio version, and there are plenty of great podcasts that you can listen to for free on iTunes. With an abundance of great content on virtually every subject at your disposal, you don’t have to go back to school to get more education.

7. Stop watching TV

If you pay for a monthly cable subscription then do yourself a favor and cancel it. Seriously. Watching television is arguably one of the most toxic, unproductive, time-wasting activities of modern society. Stop wasting precious hours of your day on negative news, sports, advertisements, and reality shows that add no real value to your life. Start using the hours you waste channel surfing on activities that are more productive.

If for whatever reason you just can’t live without watching a specific game or episode, then add it to your schedule, watch it online (on Apple TV or Netflix, for example), and make it a social event by inviting friends or family to join you.

8. Practice public speaking

The ability to speak confidently and communicate articulately is one of the most valued and rewarded skills in the marketplace today. People who are good communicators are able to navigate their way through life with ease and enjoy more success than those who are not. They earn promotions, they build key relationships, they present their ideas clearly, they resolve disputes, and they typically earn the respect and admiration of the people around them. They are leaders in their organizations, their families, and their communities.

Most people are terrified of speaking in public, and they will do almost anything to avoid it. This presents a tremendous opportunity for those who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and develop this rare skill. One of the places you can go to practice your communication skills in a non-threatening, positive environment is your local Toastmasters club. Most of these clubs host weekly meetings where anyone is welcome to attend and participate. As you become a stronger communicator, people will begin to perceive you as a leader, and more opportunities will come to you as a result.

9. Stop complaining

One of the worst habits a person can have is the habit of complaining. People who complain are usually negative and pessimistic by nature. Don’t be one of them. If you encounter problems or challenges, don’t complain about them. If you catch yourself complaining about something, bite your tongue and reframe the situation. Complaining about a situation doesn’t change it. Get proactive and focus on finding a solution. A Napoleon Hill once said: “Every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.” Look for the benefit in each situation.

10. Learn a new skill

A great way to bring some more excitement into your life is to learn something new. Consider learning to play an instrument, learning to speak a new language, joining a club, taking a class, or playing a sport you’ve never played before. The purpose of doing this is to ignite your sense of wonder and creativity, while simultaneously getting you out of your comfort zone and into new experiences.

11. Start a business

If you don’t already own your own business, there is no better time to start one than right now. Advances in technology have removed virtually all barriers to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs. Anyone with an internet connection and a credit card can start a business, and there is no shortage of training and resources available to help you get started.

For about as much as it costs to stay in a hotel for a weekend, you can buy a web domain, create a website, print some business cards, place a few ads online, and start promoting yourself to the marketplace.  You could sell a service (graphic design or consulting, for example), sell your own products, or promote someone else’s products in exchange for a commission.

12. Look for opportunities  to help others

Most people think only in terms of what they can receive from others instead of what they can give to others. But the law of reciprocity teaches us that if we want to receive, we should give. Giving ignites the receiving process.

If you want to feel good, one of the simplest yet most effective ways to feel good is to do something to make someone else feel good. If you want people to treat you with more respect, start treating other people with more respect. If you want your life to get better, help someone else’s life get better. The more you do for others, the more others will want to do things for you.

Give and you shall receive.

15 Ways To Wake Up With Motivation

By Chad Howse on August 3, 2013

Through all of the stories of great successes, it’s the men and women who found theirmotivation and consistently used it as their main drive to reach success.

Motivation and excitement about your vision, your ambition, your goal, give you energy and an ability to do what others can, but won’t do. If you’re motivated, you work longer hours, but are also more productive and focused in those hours you work. But what if you’re not internally motivated day after day to hustle, work, and trudge through the daily tasks that make-up the path to your end goal?

Are you relegated to a life of mediocrity, or is motivation something that can be coached, practiced, and created?

Today we’ll look at 15 ways to find the motivation that the Tony Robbins’, Mother Teresa’s, andElon Musk’s of the world have.

 

 

15 Ways To Wake Up With Motivation

 

1. Have your biggest dreams written on a massive white board

Your dreams and audacious goals should be written where you can consistently see them. I use a big white board next to my desk. On the white board are my big goals, my weekly goals, and motivational quotes. This helps me keep the eye on the prize, maintain focus, and ward of the distractions that make their way into my day.

 

2. Focus only on TODAY

We can get lost in thinking about the future or regretting the past. What’s terrible about this is that while you’re worrying and wishing you were in a different position in life, someone else is working.

Worry does no good. If you truly want to succeed you need to learn how to focus your mind only on the present. Do what you can do in the moment, work on the project at hand, accomplish yourdaily goals and tasks, and you’ll do the same with your bigger, lifelong goals and dreams.

 

3. Have only 3 things on your to do list that MUST BE accomplished

Don’t try and fill your day with too much. Sure, you’d like to get a lot accomplished, but there should be 3 (only 3) important tasks that NEED to be accomplished. Focus on these first. When they’re completed, and only when they’re completed, are you allowed to move on to other things.

Too many people spread themselves thin. What ends up happening is they get overwhelmed, which crushes their motivation, and nothing gets done.

If you’re focused, you’ll stay motivated, you’ll get more done, and you’ll be where you want to be a lot faster.

 

4. Practice discipline

Discipline isn’t sexy, but it’s necessary. It’s in discipline that we gain freedom. We gain freedom to get more done, to improve, and to remove regret from our lives.

When you’re focused only on today, doing only what needs to be done in the now, nothing else matters. But discipline needs to be practiced everyday.

When a reporter asked two-time MVP point guard Steve Nash, how often he trained growing up, he said (and I paraphrase) Everyday. I never missed a workout, because I knew that if I missed one, I’d give myself a reason to miss another.

If you practice laziness and distraction, that is what you’ll be, and you’ll be left with nothing but regret and failure. Practice being successful by doing what successful people do everyday: they remain disciplined.

Remember, take it one day at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed with eternity when the present should be your only concern.

 

5. Create an inspiring environment

Your environment HAS TO inspire you. Surround yourself with images that motivate you, but also in a clean, clear space. Clutter truly does clutter the mind, but it can also be depressing to be in a messy area.

Pattern your work environment as you’d love it to be. Spend a little money on a nice desk if that’s your thing, but make sure your work space inspires you and motivates you. This is where the magic happens. This is where you should be spending most of your time. So make sure it affects you positively.

 

6. Have a quotes list near your desk, and your bed

It’s not the critic who counts… The famous quote by Theodore Roosevelt is always close. Be it in my notebook (one of the two), or handing from my bathroom mirror, or next to my bed, I always have inspirational quotes that keep me focused, upbeat, and aware that success isn’t immediate. That success takes hard work, dedication and much sacrifice.

If “making it” was easy, everyone would have made it. That’s why I respect all entrepreneurs, it takes guts to be in the arena.

 

7. Workout everyday

Part of staying motivated is warding off depressive thoughts. Being physically fit helps with that not only from an image and an energy aspect, but hormonally as well.

For men, being physically fit will help raise your natural levels of testosterone, which leads to diminished likelihood of depression. So get in the gym at least 4 times a week, and get outside and get active.

 

8. Set mini, measurable goals

You’ll have your big goals – and make sure they’re as clear as possible – but they need to be broken into smaller goals as well. Make these goals measurable and attainable in the near future (like “to-do’s”).

Everything should be measurable so you know where you are in relation to where you want to be (EVERYTHING).

 

9. Work in 90-120 minute intervals, interspersed with active breaks

Your work should be intense, purposeful, and focused. Studies have shown that we can do so for a 90-minute period, but tend to lose focus once that 90-minute period is finished.

One of the best ways to regain focus is to do something active. The endorphins release by a quick jog or set of sprints will help you not only gain energy, but regain focus.

 

10. Don’t work on small projects

That is, don’t set small goals that don’t excite you. You NEED TO BE excited about what you’re trying to accomplish. If it doesn’t excite you, how are you going to be motivated?

 

11. Clean once a week

Clean your house and work space once a week. Keep clutter and mess out of your life if you want to keep consistently motivated.

 

12. Take mini-vacations monthly

While the hustle and grind of creating something – i.e. the life of an entrepreneur – can be arduous and necessary, it needs “mini jolts”. Nature, for myself, is the best way to give me the jolts I need to stay focused, hustle daily, and accomplish big things.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but you should unplug once a month. Go local, but do what you gotta do to get out of your routine. You’ll not only be re-energized, but you’ll find that nature can enhance your creativity.

Bring a notebook and a book to accompany you on your adventure.

 

13. Read voraciously

Great people read. Books are their companions. Check out The Gates Notes – it’s Bill Gatespersonal website, filled with his personal notes on whatever he’s reading.

In all of my study of great people, be they politicians, entrepreneurs, or conquerors, knowledge was something they all craved. If you want greatness in your future, read in your present.

 

14. Journal daily

Spend one week making notes about when your energy levels – and motivation levels – are at their highest. There should be patterns. Use these patterns to your advantage.

Put your most important tasks in the times when your energy levels are at their height (I do all of my writing in the wee hours of the morning, or late at night, when no one is awake to bother me, and I can focus on one thing).

A journal will also help with clarity. It’s far easier to be motivated when your mind is clear, and the road to your goal is as well.

 

15. Win your mental battles

In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill consistently refers to the battles we have in our minds. The rich think a certain way, and it isn’t necessarily a greedy way, but a positive one.

The thoughts that fill your mind should only aid you in your journey, they should detract from it. Now, you may think, How can I control all of the thoughts that come in to my head. You may not be able to control what comes in, but you do have the power to control which ones you pay attention to.

Fill your mind with creative, positive, and ambitious thoughts. Don’t give energy to your fears and worries. They do nothing but move you further away from your goals.

 

Bonus: Eliminate ALL distractions

I have an app on my computer called “freedom”. It shuts down the internet and all social media for a time determined by me. I start this timer every time I sit down to write to ensure that I’m not distracted.

If social media distracts you, set up your tweets, posts, or shares with an app like Hootsuite, so your curiosity isn’t constantly getting the better of you.

If you have nothing to distract you, you have no choice but to work.

 

6 Things That Make Entrepreneurs Unique

 

By Andrew Bahlmann on January 20, 2014

I am sure that all of us have either experienced, or know someone that has experienced, a really tough 2013. I remember distinctly getting to the end of 2012 (which was a stinker as well!) and thinking 2013 can’t get any worse. Boy was I wrong!

2013 has tested me at every level and as we approach the end of the year and looking back over this tough period I have to reflect on what made me get up after every setback and keep pushing forward? This is my take on it:

1. Passion and purpose

What is your end goal? Without being passionate about what you are doing and knowing why you are going after it, you will run out of the fuel that energises you.

This is the ‘magic’ that separates entrepreneurs from merely being employed. If you do not love what you are doing what will force you to keep getting up after the endless knocks along the way?

2. Never give up

Like most entrepreneurs not making it or giving up was ever an option for me. There is always too much at stake and too many people relying on to consider giving up.

Based on economic reality finding a decent job in the market is not as easy as it sounds and to go back into an environment where I am building someone else’s dream was no longer a proposition.

3. Keep evolving

When I look back to where I started in my consulting business two years ago to what it looks like now it is on a different planet. By climbing into the market place with a far from perfect offering I quickly realised that in order to survive I had to keep changing and evolving in order to match what the market needs and what I could offer.

Easier said than done. It is the ultimate ego killer to have to keep going back to square one, but ego has no place in this space, no matter how successful you have become.

The ability to keep re-inventing yourself and your business is hugely powerful and character building. Instead of your self-confidence being destroyed it is bolstered along with business maturity

4. Do what it take to survive but always keep your eye on the ball

It would be short-sighted of me to sit here and not admit that there have been exceptionally tough financial times and my core business not being able to deliver the required returns as I was building it. I had to diversify and often take on work that was difficult.

However I always saw this as a tool or stepping stone in the right direction. I started an on-line business with a great colleague and friend of mine for two reasons. As a consultant there is the old criticism that ‘those who can’t do…teach’ and we wanted to take something we knew nothing about and build a successful business.

Secondly we need a way to earn more money to get through every month. I am proud to say that in 4 months we have built a business that is now turning over some real money.

5. Eyes wide open

Starting and running your own business is all about risk. Having come from the lending space I have learnt a lot about risk and learnt even more running my own businesses.

Always take calculated risks. Understand as much as you can before taking a leap of faith. You will however get to a point where you will experience diminishing returns.

You will reach a point where you will have to jump. Many others will not, and that separates you from the observers and ‘commentators’.

6. Action learning

What separates being a successful entrepreneur from everyone else? Well getting on and doing it. Taking failures in your stride and continuously learning and adapting.

It’s so easy to sit on the side-line and being a world champion commentator, but only a select few climb into the ring knowing that there is going to be a whole lot of pain.

We all know that if starting your own business was easy everyone would do it. There comes a time in your journey of, what seems like, endless challenges when thing start falling into place. I salute all of you who are currently in a similar boat or who are about to embark on this amazing journey. Hold your line and you will succeed.

 

 

 

 

Everyday we make thousands of decisions.

 

From what to eat for breakfast to where we’re going to invest our money. Some decisions take us a split second while others we could sleep on for days, week’s, months and sometimes even years.

So what drives us humans to make decisions? Quite simply, it’s the perception of loss or gain. We make decisions based on what we believe we will get from the outcome of our choices…and this is when it gets tricky. Sometimes we confuse ourselves, over-analyze every detail, and ponder every eventual outcome to the nth degree. The result…people spend WAY too much time thinking about the decision instead of taking ACTION!

To help with these inevitable road blocks, I want to share with you 8 straight forward ways to crack your decision making dilemma so you can take action.

 

 

1. Remove Emotion

Emotions are an essential part of all decisions but do not let them get the upper hand. Take an analytical approach when you feel emotions are getting the best of you. Write down the pros and cons and make an analytical decision based on it. Remember, people have a natural tendency to dress up decisions (good or bad) so work hard to remove emotions from your decision making process.

 

2. Take Time Out To Think

This sounds pretty simple, but often people don’t realize that in addition to a “yes or no” decision that there is a third alternative of “no decision.” Just because you are presented with a decision doesn’t mean you MUST make it! Stop and ask yourself if this is something you really want. Maybe the choice is to make no choice at all!

An example…you’re asked to join friends for either a steak dinner or Italian food. If you’re not hungry…then you don’t have to decide on either! Some decisions could be just this simple.

 

3. Flexibility Is Key

You need to be able to start new things, discontinue doing other things and be prepared for the fact that not every decision will result in the desired outcome…but an outcome of some sort is inevitable. If you build in flexibility, that is, you can adjust to any outcome of your decision then the process becomes easier because you will be able to adapt quickly.

 

4. You Will Be Wrong

This is a fact…you will, at some point in your life, make the wrong decision. On average 70% of the decisions we make will be wrong*. When this happens, you better be able to acknowledge your mistake and make the changes you need to in order to fix it. It’s amazing how many people refuse to accept that they made a mistake and continue plodding down the wrong path.

Be aware that you aren’t infallible and that you will make mistakes, but develop the ability to learn from those mistakes to make better decisions in the future!

 

5. Stop Being Cruel

When you make a bad decision, how long to you beat yourself up for it? How much time goes by where you find yourself wishing you made the right choice? 3 months? 6 months? Longer? Ask yourself – What does dwelling over it accomplish? NOTHING! It simply keeps you from making decisions in the future.

Life is about getting out there and making decisions so stop wallowing in self-pity when a bad decision is made. Pull yourself up, get over it, get your mind right and move forward. That’s the only way to succeed!

 

6. Commit and Follow Through

Once you’ve made your decision it’s crucial that you follow through with consistent and regular action to make it happen. Sometimes the decisions you make will require time and effort for the follow through to assure that the goal is achieved.

Once you commit to a choice, follow through on it and make sure things keep heading in the right direction.

 

7. Build Your Muscle

Your decision-making skills are like muscles that need to be worked, strengthened and improved. Make your decisions, move forward and you will find that your decision making “muscles” get stronger every day to the point that decisions to be made down the road are a breeze!

 

8. Help Yourself

Once you’ve committed to a decision you MUST trust yourself. Be positive and energetic around reaching your desired outcome.

Although you could have made potentially dozens of different choices, you have decided on one and you’re moving forward. It felt right, it made sense and you’re going for it. Now that you’ve done that – reach for that goal!

 

 

Sources: American management association

15 Ways to Rediscover Your Inspiration

By Chad Howse on August 9, 2013

 

Inspiration comes and goes. We’re supremely motivated and inspired at times, and in those moments we accomplish great things way faster than we do when we’re not particularly inspired to hustle, create, and impact the world in a positive way.

It’s those few who are consistently inspired by a greater purpose beyond their own gain that shape the world we live in. So how do we join these few in forging not only our own successful endeavors, but seeing such profound success that the world benefits as well?

 

 

 

15 Ways To Get Re-Inspired

 

1. Be in nature

Be in nature at least once a month. It’s in nature that we find inspiration. It’s where we remove ourselves from the noise of our day to day lives, find clarity, and focus.

If you’re constantly “in it”, you’ll find your mind will clutter, and your inspiration will flee. Venture to the great out doors and let adventure inspire you.

 

2. Surround yourself with motivated people

You are the average of the 5 people you hang out with the most. If you hang our with millionaire’s, odds are you’re one as well. If you hang out with motivated people, you’re probably a motivated person as well.

Be very cognizant of who you hang out with. Choose your friends wisely. They’re influence on you is unavoidable.

 

3. Never think you’re “there”

I’ll always think that I have to improve on my writing – and that I have a long way to go to being a good writer. It keeps me inspired to learn and grow. If I thought I was a good writer I’d not only be lying to myself, but I’d be allowing laziness to peer its head into my life.

Laziness is the devil. Don’t think you’re great, be great.

 

4. Don’t attempt insignificant feats

Do you get excited by small goals that you know you can accomplish with ease? Of course not. It’s the big, audacious, bold goals and dreams that excite you, so don’t waist your time with the small stuff. Think bigger and be bigger.

 

5. Be healthy

Be healthy and active. If you’re healthy you’ll have more energy, and if you have more energy you’ll find that you’re far more motivated and inspired than you are if you’re tired and sluggish.

Take pride in your health and your work. Being healthy is a tool that you can use to your advantage, or something that can work against you. What’s great is it’s completely up to you.

 

6. Read often

Great men have always been voracious readers. Napoleon was, as is Gates, and so was Jobs. If you want to be inspired, pick up a book, it never fails. If a paperback book slows you down then you can always listen to self development audio books.

 

7. Have tunnel vision

Don’t have a back-up plan, a floor, or a ceiling. Failure shouldn’t be an option, nor should you put a limit on your success.

Focus on one goal, and let that one goal be the only thing that matters.

 

8. Get excited by adversity

It’s in struggle that we grow. Get excited about this. Too many allow adversity crush their enthusiasm and motivation, but it shouldn’t. It’s a challenge, and challenges are exciting.

Rise to them. Don’t get pushed back by anything.

 

 

9. Love problem solving

The road to success is, essentially, one big problem you have to solve. Let that problem excite you. Don’t look at your long, arduous road to success as a negative, instead look at it as a positive journey.

Your mindset will dictate how inspired you are and whether or not you remain consistently inspired and focused.

 

10. Remove negative people from your life entirely

Negative people are the cancer of society, but they don’t need to be a negative influence on your life. Just get rid of them, and get rid of them now!

If you’re only surrounded by inspired people, you to will be inspired, motivated, and happy.

 

11. Write 3 things you’re thankful for everyday

We far too often focus only on what we don’t have, rather than everything we do have. The problem with that approach is that happiness will forever elude our grasp.

If our happiness and motivation is contingent on a future accomplishment, when we accomplish what we’ve set out to do, we’ll then make our happiness contingent on an even greater accomplishment. Thus, happiness will always be out of our grasp.

Be happy and thankful first, then let that enthusiasm and energy inspire you to accomplish greatness.

 

12. Practice success

Practice success by identifying the little goals that you accomplish in your life. Write down your accomplishments, even if they’re small like going for a run or writing an article for a publication.

Practice success everyday and you’ll live life as a successful person.

 

13. Be a fighter

I love a man who grins when he fights. Winston Churchill

I love that quote. It reminds me of the song Fighter, by Bruce Springsteen. Enjoy adversity. Welcome it. Adversity is what will make you stronger. It’s only through great adversity that great men and women reach accomplish what they’ve set out to accomplish.

If success was easy, everyone would be there. Get inspired by your struggles just like a fighter gets motivated to step into the ring and see what he’s made of.

 

14. Eat healthy

Eating unhealthy leads to depression and obesity. It’s nearly impossible to be inspired when your body is uninspiring or you’re depressed.

As a simple rule for eating healthy, eat only things that you can pick or kill. Your diet should be made up of things that come from the earth. Stay away from anything man-made or packaged.

 

15. Study greatness

There are patterns to success. The more you study great people, the more you’ll see these patterns and incorporate them in your own life. Don’t, however, merely read about great people, study their lives. If you can, read about what others close to them have said, read articles about how they accomplished greatness.

Greatness inspires. The more you see that success can, indeed, happen, the more you’ll be inspired to accomplish your own audacious goals.

You can even read inspirational quotes, that will be sure to motivate you and shift you into the right frame of mind to be openly inspired.

– See more at: http://addicted2success.com/life/15-ways-to-rediscover-your-inspiration/#sthash.lA97wXQR.dpuf

Change Your Focus – Rethink Your To-Do List

Posted by admin on Aug 05 2013

 

If we want to achieve extraordinary results and fulfillment, we need more than just time management systems. We need a new system of thinking, a way to focus immediately on the results that are most important to us in our lives. Instead of focusing on what it is we need to do, we should first focus on what it is we really want.

We must think in terms of results—the R in Anthony Robbins’ Rapid Planning Method.

Having a clear result or outcome and consistently focusing on it immediately changes your behavior.

For example, can you remember the last time you were caught up in an argument? Maybe you forgot what you were even arguing about—yet you knew inside you had to win! What if, in the middle of that argument, you asked yourself, “What result do I really want from this?” You would have realized that your outcome was not to argue, but to create a resolution. This simple shift in focus would have immediately changed the direction of the communication, and would have likely moved you from a state of arguing toward a focus on resolution.

 

Remember: Whatever you focus on, you will feel and experience at a stronger level. If you focus on why you have so many problems in your life, you will surely be able to come up with a long list of reasons. If you focus on all the activities that are keeping you busy, you’ll find yourself continuously adding more and more to your list.
Focus on the results you are committed to, and you’ll find yourself consistently moving toward the result you’re after—and very often accomplishing them with a much shorter to-do list than you expected. Want to learn more about Anthony Robbins’ Rapid Planning Method?

A result is the target you are after, the specific measurable result or outcome that you want to achieve (not the activity to get it done, but the actual result you are after).
QUESTIONS TO ASK:
1) What do I really want?
2) What is my outcome?
3) What is the specific result I’m committed to achieve?

4 Steps to Creating the Ultimate Vision for Your Life

 

Posted by admin on Jun 28 2013

 

The one trait that all successful, fulfilled people cultivate—be they great writers, teachers, artists, parents, politicians or athletes—is a passion and enthusiasm for life. We all need a compelling vision for our lives: one so powerful that we are driven to do whatever it takes to achieve it.

When we pursue something greater than the current moment, we find fulfillment and joy. The ultimate vision flows from knowing we have a special and unique purpose on this planet. So, how do you create this ultimate vision? Go to an environment that inspires you and where you won’t be interrupted (e.g. the beach, a park, an art museum), and take these steps:

 

Step 1: Write a paragraph or two answering following questions: What do you want to create for your life? If all of a sudden you had the energy again like you were a little kid and the journey had just begun, what would you be excited to tackle? What would get you up early and keep you up late at night? What would your life be about? What does that vision look like? If you had no fear about moving forward, what would you do in your life? What challenges might you be excited to overcome? What do you want to contribute to your own life and the lives of others? What do you want to give, create, be, feel or share?

“To create an extraordinary quality of life, you must create a vision that’s not only obtainable, but that is sustainable.”
— Anthony Robbins

Step 2: Make sure this vision is emotionally charged, with the power to move you to action: Your vision will provide a consistent focus, continually reminding you what it is you are committed to creating in your life, career or business.

Step 3: Add specifics: Your vision should provide some detail about what measurable results you are going to achieve in your life. This yardstick will help you assess where you are versus where you want to be.

Step 4: Don’t try to make your description perfect You aren’t writing for the Pulitzer Prize—you’re writing to create something that excites you! Try drawing or cutting out pictures that inspire you or that describe your vision. Or choose a song that becomes your theme song for your life. Get creative, as there is no right or wrong way to describe your ultimate vision.

Need more tools and strategies for finding your vision—and having that drive what you do each day? Visit http://www.tonyrobbins.com/more-time.

“Anthony Robbins knows the rhythm of the success. He is an incredible source of inspiration, and his methods have improved the quality of my life. I only work with the best and Tony is the Best.”
—Quincy Jones, Grammy Award Winning Musician and Producer

How To Think, To Get What You Want

By Laua Leigh Clarke on June 28, 2013

You’ve probably experienced this at least one time in your life already.

You meet someone who is incredibly successful and then discover they are the same age as you… (or younger!)

Or you bump into an old school friend and they have everything you’ve ever wanted. Or maybe you’ve been reading something in the media and learn about ANOTHER successful entrepreneur hitting the jackpot with an idea you’ve kicked around in the past – and you wish that it could have been you.

And it’s not like you’re short of ideas.

It’s not like you’re not driven and inspired.

It also not as if you don’t work hard, either.

So what is it?

What is it that makes the difference between those people who thrive and ALWAYS seem to get what they want, and those who struggle forever, never quite making the big time?

Well the answer is pretty straight forward really. But don’t be fooled by its simplicity. This is what takes us out of the game…

The truth about creating what you want in your world all comes down to your thoughts.

 

Successful People Think Only About What They Want

Think about it: when you have something important coming up where you want everything to go perfectly, you’ve probably also had the tendency to go through all the things that could possibly go wrong in your head. And without realising it, this very act isn’t giving you scope for a contingency plan, as you may assume… It’s actually increasing the chances of it all going wrong.

And if you do have a tendency to do this on some level – you are not alone.

Often in introductory coaching sessions I ask people what they want, and often they’ll spend a lot of time and energy telling me what they *don’t* want.

We all spend a huge amount of time, thinking about what could go wrong, pushing against it to try to will it not to happen, and fighting the outcomes that we don’t want…

And sure, we don’t want to have bad stuff happen to us, so it’s good to take reasonable precautions. But always thinking the thoughts of what we don’t want, actually pulls them into our experience.

Let me say that again… because this is important:

Thinking about what we don’t want actually makes it more likely to happen! ReTweet This

 

And then there are your subconscious thoughts too, i.e. all the thoughts that you’re not looking at! These also count towards what is created in reality.

Most of the time what we’re creating, we’re not doing it consciously… so whatever is in our subconscious is what shows up in our world… namely our fears and frustrations. Have you ever noticed how once one bad thing happens, and you dwell on those negative thoughts, something else bad happens?

And if you have a mixture of thoughts, what you end up creating is a hotch-potch of the sum total of them.

But it’s not your fault.

 

We’re Not In Control Of Our Thinking

The root cause of the problem is that most of us, most of the time, are not in control of our own thinking. We are at the mercy of programmes (the thinking habits) we’ve been running since childhood… And what is worse, we’re completely unaware of them.

Sure, maybe we’re aware on some intellectual level that we create and re-create the same situations again and again. If we have problems with our work colleagues, then moving jobs probably isn’t going to solve the problem, because we’ll still take all our programmes about victimization with us…

Maybe you’ve seen this with your relationships too?

People tend to date the same person again and again, only each time it’s a difference face with a different name. At the very least you may have noticed it with someone close to you, if not yourself.

And these programmes also keep us believing we are small.

They keep us thinking that we are at the mercy of our own internal baggage.

We believe that because we are the way we are we can’t change our internal wiring. Or any change we do eventually manage to make has to be slow and hard work.

We think thoughts habitually that keep us doubting. In fact, most of us are on a loop about what we think is possible – we have an idea of something we want to do, but we then have a number of reasons why we can’t do it, and then each time we think the thought about the thing we’d like to do, we practice the reasons why we can’t again and again, until we have boxed ourselves in with our own limiting ideas.

But there is a way out of this.

There is a way of taking control of your thinking so that you can unpick these limitations and live a bigger life.

 

The Hard Pill: You Are Creating All The Time

You mind is a creative machine – whatever thought you think, at some point will show up in your material world… unless you undo the thought or immediately think the opposite.

And this is a scary concept what with all the myriad of thoughts that slosh around our heads every second of every single day! To take on board that they are having a direct effect on our live in a tangible way is really quite a bitter pill to swallow at first.

But the only way we are going to be able to rock out this success that we lust after is if we are able to take complete and total responsibility for everything we are creating in our world – the good, the bad and the ugly.

If you like what you’re creating, then great. Keep thinking those thoughts that are creating it.

But if there are things you would rather have differently, think only the thoughts of what you want to have, and take complete responsibility for having made it like that in the first place.

Now, sometimes this cause and effect relationship between our thoughts and our experience is hard to see…

It takes a smart, aware individual to be open to the possibility… and if this is the first time you’re reading something like this, you’ll probably have to read it many more times in other places to truly be able to live it and see the Truth in it.

But that’s ok…

All learning at this level is experiential – and it’s ok to take your time to experience this for yourself and prove it to yourself rather than just accept this concept as an intellectual “theory”.

Theory does nothing to change a life.

Theory means nothing until you can apply it in practice.

So let’s talk about how you can actually use these insights to make real change in the degree of success you create…

 

How To Create What You *Actually* Want

…and not what you don’t want.

 

Step 1: You’re On The Hook!

Now that you know this, you will find yourself automatically stepping up and becoming more powerful in what you can produce. You’re now on the hook for everything that happens in your world now…

But this is great news. Because it puts you back in the driving seat.

If you created something (good or bad) you have the control over it to either create it again, or completely un-create it. It’s a good place to be. But you get there by taking responsibility for everything that shows up in your world.

 

Step 2: Get Sensitive To The Mind

Realise that every thought you think is going to manifest if not cancelled out with the opposite thought. So watch out for the thought you dwell on… Drop the ones that don’t serve you.

Dwell on the things you want to create.

 

Step 3: Know That You Are Powerful

This isn’t about wishing, hoping or daydreaming… That is what keeps us stuck.

This is about embracing the fact that what you hold in mind is what you create – so hold it in mind and expect that it will happen.

 

Gold Nugget Activator

Keep quiet – when we have to find words to explain what we want, we end up muddling things up and justifying… and doubting.

Just hold in mind what you want, and forget about convincing anyone else of what you are doing.

 

And If You Succeed?

If you can do this – not only will you master your goals, you will become massively more productive – because you’re not battling against your own thoughts and doubts all the time.

You’ll feel freer, because you’re taking control of your own mind. It isn’t situations that limit us. It is our thinking about our situations which keep us trapped and unable to push ahead.

Imagine that person you think you might be if you didn’t have all the mind chatter and doubts, right now.

That could be you, in actuality, in a surprisingly short space of time.

 

8 Important Reasons Why You Should Be More Independent

By Joel on June 17, 2013

We naturally become more independent as we progress through life. We move away from our parents, and any bonds that once sustained us from our childhood are slowly diminished as we move into “The Real World“. Some people however form a set of new bonds as they move away from home and they never actually grow to be truly independent. There are many reasons why we should be more independent. Independence here refers to all aspects of your life including financial, career, emotional, personal faith and beliefs.

So here are the 8 important reasons why you should be more independent.

 

 

8 Reasons Why You Should Be More Independent

 

1 – Personal independence boosts your confidence

Independent people naturally tend to be a little more confident on handling issues affecting their lives. This is mainly because they are more prepared to take actions and do things without having to wait for support or permission from someone else. Being independent therefore means that you will be more likely to try out new things that you want, rather than what or how you are expected to. This also means that you will have more experience than a less independent individual. This will in time build up more confidence in you with the knowledge that you can do things on your own.

For entrepreneurs, this confidence opens your mind to taking bigger risks and unbeaten paths that eventually returns bigger rewards.

 

2 – Less reliance on others

Less independent individuals tend to rely so much on others. This may be because they do not want to have to make choices for themselves or they feel too shy to go through challenges in their life without somebody by their side. This character makes you appear overly needy. Being a little more independent will be much appreciated by people and they will be willing to come to you for help. Being needed or relied upon is what many crave for; this will add some value on you and make you feel important.

 

3 – Emotional independence reduces stress and promotes happiness

Being emotionally dependent means that you can make the most of your personal decisions and go through challenging life situations without necessarily dragging other people into it. More emotional independence can also mean less suffering and disappointment, since you do not depend on others to meet you emotional needs. It is however good to understand that social support is necessary, but you can still get it without necessarily being emotionally dependent.

 

4 – Financial independence means freedom and a sense of accomplishment

When it comes to personal independence, there is no satisfaction comparable to the ability to pay your own bills. Being able to pay your way through life reduces dependence on your parents, friends, spouse or whichever person you used to lean on. Financial independence means that you control your income and expenditure and you are not answerable to anybody.

The more that you learn to become financially independent, the less stress you may have in your life as you are more in control of your financial outcome.

 

 

5 – Better decision making

Being independent makes decision making an easy task; this is because you have proven to yourself that you are the only person that will be really affected by the decisions you make. On the other hand, being dependent on other people for emotional or financial support makes it difficult to make clear and appropriate decisions; this is because you will always have to stop to think about how the other person will be affected, and how they will react to your decisions. Whereas it is a good idea to consider other people while making decisions, being scared to make choices in fear of upsetting others can greatly hold you back.

 

6 – Personal improvement and creativity

The idea of setting independence as a goal can greatly boost multiple aspects of your life. Emotional independence for example improves your personal relations with friends, family, work mates and other people you interact with. You become more in control of your emotions such as anger, over-excitement, anxiety, mood swings and so on. Having a free and independent mind gives you freedom to explore your skills and talents and will ultimately bring out the best in you.

 

7 – Broader horizons

To be more independent means being prepared and free to meet new people and try new things. This in turn means that you will develop a broader sense of the world and be open to people and new opportunities; which leads to more knowledge and understanding of the world. It is in these deeper horizons that lies opportunities for success and adventure. Less independent individuals are less likely to have such opportunities. This is in fact is what sets successful entrepreneurs apart from the rest.

 

8 – Self-value and self-esteem

Independence can help increase your self-value and self-esteem, more so if becoming independent is one of your goals. The achievement of financial, emotional, social, career and personal independence gives you a sense of accomplishment that eventually changes how you rate yourself and how others view you.

The increased self-worth that comes with this independence is a great booster to your self-esteem and personal success.

 

Below is an amazing quote about being independent by Friedrich Nietzsche. I hope you enjoy his quote as much as I did.

“It is the business of the very few to be independent; it is a privilege of the strong. And whoever attempts it, even with the best right, but without being OBLIGED to do so, proves that he is probably not only strong, but also daring beyond measure. He enters into a labyrinth, he multiplies a thousandfold the dangers which life in itself already brings with it; not the least of which is that no one can see how and where he loses his way, becomes isolated, and is torn piecemeal by some minotaur of conscience. Supposing such a one comes to grief, it is so far from the comprehension of men that they neither feel it, nor sympathize with it. And he cannot any longer go back! He cannot even go back again to the sympathy of men!”