Category: Success

The Successful Optimist

Why the language you use makes a difference

Glass half-empty or half-full? Does it really matter? As it turns out, it does matter how you explain that glass and the world around you. Those who explain things one way are better salespeople, have less depression and are more motivated than those who see things the opposite way. The good news is that if you can recognize your language pattern, you can do something about it and actually change how you respond.

It’s about a thing called your explanatory style, and Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman has conducted more than 600 studies that prove that optimistic explanations get you the good stuff, while pessimistic ones will often end exactly how you predict them to–badly. Here are a few things essential to understanding the science around explanatory style:

Optimists make more money and are more loyal. In a study with life insurance agents, Seligman found that the most optimistic salespeople sold 88 percent more than the most pessimistic ones. The study also indicated that agents in the least optimistic quarter were three times likelier to quit than agents in the most optimistic quarter. Other studies have shown that this data is consistent with findings in other business categories.
The optimist with high reality testing is a gold mine. Optimism is not about fooling yourself and being all rosy; it is about seeing options to reality–i.e., being an “optionist.” That requires having a good lock on what is actually happening. To be a successful optimist, you must also have an accurate barometer on reality. If you are correct about reality, you can become an excellent “optionist.” Most people think of optimists as flaky nonrealists, which they can be if their perception of reality is distorted. If you are an optimist based in realism, you are statistically more likely to make more money.
Pessimists are more accurate about reality than optimists. When good things happen, pessimists are accurate. When bad things happen, again they are accurate. For the optimist, when good things happen, they are accurate; but when bad things happen, they are less accurate. Therein lies the gift they have. Optimists think that there are more options when bad things happen. So they try different things in order to get out of a jam. Serious pessimists usually give up once they think the outcome is foretold.
There is nothing wrong with being a pessimist. If your job requires high accuracy, pessimism may actually benefit you. Look out for what I explain in the next bullet before you succumb to pessimism, though.
Pessimists are more likely to become depressed than their optimistic counterparts. If an optimist loses a job, it will take, on average, four to six weeks to get back into the hunt. If a pessimist loses a job, it can take three to six months before emerging to see the light.
Optimists keep moving forward because they believe there are options. Pessimists don’t usually persist in the face of setbacks and can be prone to inertia. When salespeople are rejected again and again, it is the optimist who makes another phone call while the pessimist gets down in the mouth and gives up.

The Fix
You’re probably wondering how you go from being a pessimist to an optimist. The fix itself is simple to understand but can be difficult to execute because you’ve been practicing your explanatory style for at least a few decades now. It’s going to take a lot of dedication, a hyper-awareness of how you explain events–primarily bad ones–and a willingness to accept that maybe you are a big negative thinker who has gotten by because you keep a smile plastered on your face while predicting the end of the world. It’s time to get over that and get more out of life and work.

When bad events happen, pessimists tend to explain the calamity as:

Permanent –Behind on earnings: “We’re never going to hit our numbers.” The pessimist believes that he’s hit the iceberg, so the team is doomed. There is no point in problem-solving at this point, since the ship is going down anyway.
Pervasive –Mad at your accountant: “Accountants are such losers.” This is the tendency to explain all people or things in a category as bad if only one is bad.

A little tweak in explanatory style when bad things happen and you become an optimist:

Temporary –Behind on earnings: “This is a bad quarter, but next quarter we have a few things in the pipeline to make up for this quarter.” The optimist looks for options when things are bad, making the situation a temporary negative. This keeps them and others motivated.
Specific –Mad at your accountant: “I need to get a new accountant. This one’s not working out.” The optimist doesn’t throw all bad people and things into the same category. They are specific about who or what is bad, and then they go find a good one.

In short, you’re more pessimistic if, when something negative happens, you believe that there are no other options (permanence) or that since there is one rotten apple, all of them are rotten (pervasiveness). It doesn’t take much to see that a pessimist can get depressed in a big hurry with that kind of explanatory style. You can also see how it probably leads to inertia.

The opposite explanation style is found in optimists and pessimists when good events happen. Pessimists think that if something good happens, it’s temporary, explaining that the stars aligned perfectly and probably won’t do so again in our lifetime. On the other hand, optimists are more permanent when explaining good events. They believe that good happens because they have the right ingredients to create that positive event every time. Pessimists are specific about explaining the reason for good events, and when bad things occur, they believe it is pervasive.

It is a choice you get to make. If you don’t think you have a choice, you’re exactly right. Enjoy the misery of it all.

Contributor Scott Halford

admin May 31, 2015 No Comments

Categories: Entrepreneur Inspirational Life Lessons Managing Self Limiting Thoughts Positive Mental Attitude Positive Outlook Positive Thoughts Self Esteem Self Improvement Success Wealth

Tags: Optimism PMA Positive Language Positive Outlook Positive Thoughts

11:11 – Is it Happening to You?

Our Spirit Guides, angels, or higher selves like to speak to us through various methods, such as playing a recurring song on the radio that may have special significance, answering a prayer, flipping to a certain page in a book we’re reading, or even directing our attention to repeating numbers on a clock or sign, such as 11:11. At first, this occurrence might seem like a silly coincidence, but by looking further into it, you will find that it has a powerful spiritual message hidden within.

More and more people seem to notice these repeating numbers on the clock, on roadside billboards, signs, and other places lately, which only provides further truth that a massive shift in consciousness and awareness is taking place. This phenomenon basically occurs to remind us of the profound synchronicities and cosmic shifts occurring during this beautiful time on the planet, and also brings our attention to our present thoughts and feelings. The underlying intention of our angels bringing our awareness to 11:11 is to make us more conscious of ourselves, and remind us that we always have guidance and a greater wisdom to rely on anytime we feel stuck, scared, or frustrated.According to Doreen Virtue, a well-known angel therapist and psychic medium between the spirit world and human world, seeing repeating numbers, especially 11:11, means you should focus on keeping your thoughts positive, because your desires will manifest instantly into form. Put all your attention on what you desire instead of what you fear, and your angels will continue to reward you.The more 1’s you see on a clock, sign, or anything else with numbers, the stronger the connection between yourself and your spirit guides or angels. Millions of people all over the world can attest to seeing these numbers more often, which only suggests that more of us have begun our journeys to becoming Lightworkers, or healers for the planet. Since the Earth is in such a state of disarray outwardly, so many humans have been called upon in order to bring back peace and harmony to the planet, making our Earth a true Garden of Eden on which we can all thrive and enjoy the human experience.According to the Mayan Calendar, the turning of ages began on December 21, 2012 at 11:11, marking a New Age on our planet – a literal shift in consciousness from the Dark Age to the Golden Age. Another interesting thing about 11:11 is that the numbers add up to four, which is the number for transformation and the dissolving of the ego. Many healers and spiritual leaders on Earth interpret 11:11 to mean that the ascended masters have come back to the planet to aid us in this grand healing and help bring Earth back into alignment once again.

Any time you see numbers repeating themselves, specifically 11:11, your angels want you to know that you are on the right path, and that they will protect you no matter what adversities you face. During this time, we must become masters of ourselves, instead of succumbing to the negativity and chaos around us. We have literally created this world due to a lack of self-control, so now our masters have reminded us that we must reclaim our internal power and once again learn to govern ourselves, learning to coexist with all beings on the planet.

This is a very exciting time here on Earth, despite what you may see going on around you. As the grand healing and transformation continues to unfold, small changes will soon amount to much more significant changes as the veil is lifted and more people are awakened to our Oneness. It might seem difficult right now, but continue to trust in the angels, and know that they have your best intentions at heart.

We are all one family, and we are in this together. Don’t look outside yourself for any answers; it will only lead to more confusion and feelings of disempowerment. Trust in the power of the universe to help you heal, and anytime you notice 11:11, monitor your thoughts and make sure that your vibration matches what you want to see in your physical reality.

Admin Cymantra May 31 2015

admin May 31, 2015 No Comments

Categories: Angels Energy Folklore Inspirational Life Lessons Positive Mental Attitude Positive Outlook Positive Thoughts Psychology Self Improvement Spiritual Awareness Spiritual Energy Success Unsolved Mysteries

Tags: Angels Positive Thoughts Spiritual Awareness

Six Behaviors Business People Loathe

6 Behaviors People in Business Loathe

Image credit: SplitShire

Our success is often defined by the things that we do and less by the things that we say — I really do believe it can be that simple. This often comes down to the trust that is built by our actions when we interact with others, yet we’re constantly surrounded by people that just can’t seem to figure it out — whether intentionally or not.

I’ve taken the liberty of creating a small laundry list of actions that, if you find yourself doing, you really should stop — right now.

1. Don’t do what you say you’re going to.

Here’s the deal: If you can create one rule in your life that has the capacity to tremendously alter outcomes, it’s this one. Just do what you say you’re going to do. The benefit of this seemingly simple ask is that the vast majority of your fellow human beings just won’t or can’t. They’ll make promises and commitments that they either don’t have the intention or purely the bandwidth to follow through on — so when you do, you’ll look like a superhero.

2. Constantly looking at your phone.

Yes, we’re all guilty of this from time to time — or all the time in some extremely inconsiderate cases. The reality is, what you’re telling those around you is that they’re not important. What is important is the gadget in your hand that has you so transfixed it’s as if its mere use is extending your life by rewarding you with credits to the lost fountain of youth. Guess what, it’s not.

Do yourself a favor and put your pocket computer on silent in your pocket when you’re engaging with others — whatever is happening on Candy Crush can wait.

3. Your lack of eye contact.

I know, this is pretty simple, but I’m going to take it in a bit of different direction. I’m not referring to the first introduction, “it’s nice to meet you” type of eye contact — although that’s super important too — I’m referring to when we’re sitting at lunch and you’re having a hard time focusing, which is represented by your incessant looking about the room or at the TV behind me.

If you can’t focus on a discussion, how are you to be trusted to focus on a considerably more complicated project, task or job?

4. You talk about yourself, non-stop.

When you’re engaged in conversation and find yourself out of breath whilst deep into a series of self satisfying stories about you-know-who, what you’re really saying is that you care only about yourself and likely possess an ego that has may never be tamed. Guess what? You’ll get a lot further in life by asking a few questions, closing your yapper and just listening intently. Try it and watch magic happen.

5. You’re late.

There’s not much worse than dealing with someone that can’t keep track of their own schedule and, as a result, is late to scheduled calls or meetings. All you’re really telling the world, or at least those that are waiting for you, is that your time is more valuable than theirs and you’re completely incompetent when it comes to managing your own schedule. I know, things happen. Here’s a solution: plan accordingly.

6. Using acronyms.

Every business and industry is fraught with top-secret jargon and confusing acronyms. When you find yourself spouting them off while amongst those that aren’t in your industry or may not understand them, it’s often perceived that you’re posturing with the intent to show the world how smart you are — and by default, how stupid they are. It’s OK to use your code words, but just be sure to be conscious of those around you and take the time to explain what they mean.

What are some behaviors that you think should be stopped immediately? Let us know in the comments section below.

Adam Callinan April 16, 2015

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Categories: Do's & Don't's Entrepreneur Extraordinary People Inspirational Life Lessons Positive Mental Attitude Positive Outlook Psychology Relationships Self Improvement Success

Tags: Business Etiquette

The 4 Simple Changes that can Help you Become a Successful Entrepreneur

The 4 Changes That Won Me $2 Million

Image credit: Shutterstock

I thought, and not for the first time, about the freedom I’d lost, and craved, about the workdays that had devolved into series of to-do lists. I felt deeply that I needed to make some major changes or risk losing myself to my business.

So. . . I made those changes. And that turnabout was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Ultimately, the changes I made to take better care of myself and to value my time enabled me to land my first multimillion-dollar contract.

What were those changes? There were four that enabled my success — and they can serve any entrepreneur:

1. Stop believing in “busy” and rethink “hard work.”

I viewed my mounting task-list as a sign that I was doing well. But it was just the opposite: I had become too distracted and spread myself too thin to make any valuable progress.

To turn things around, I thought deeply about the woman I wanted to be and what I wanted my employees and clients to feel when they thought of my company. I cut anything from my schedule that didn’t align with whom I desired to be and the culture I wanted to create for my team. I began saying “no” to anything that didn’t inspire me.

I thought about Stacy Snapp-Killian, an entrepreneur, mother and member of the women’s leadership movement, who began JustUs Love. I thought about how, when she was starting her business, her mother made her promise not to date for a year.

“I didn’t understand this request until after fulfilling it,” Snapp-Killian says. “It meant sacrificing my weekends, but I was able to do so much with my extra time. In one year, my business grew into a YouTube series and social media buzz, and I published my first book.”

You can follow Snapp-Killian’s lead and not date for a year, or decide to do the exact opposite — prioritize dating and make your business secondary. The point is to align your daily mission with what’s most important to you in order to fulfill your individual definition of success.

2. Make yourself the priority.

I let my mental and physical health fall to the bottom of my priority list, and that mistake started to tear apart everything good. I experienced extreme mood swings, was short with people and constantly tried to “keep up.” Operating from that place didn’t allow me to do anything at my best.

When a coach I worked with helped me realize I had to take care of myself before I could be of service to my company, I mustered the courage to cut all unnecessary “business” from my life and make space and time for myself. Dropping some unnecessary tasks gave me the clarity to focus on and grow my business in the right way, which played an integral role in my winning that first multimillion-dollar contract.

As Mindy Lamont, founder of The Insurist, says, you have to make a habit of trimming the fat. “There are always things you can eliminate in your life to make it more efficient,” she says. It’s a practice, not a one-time thing.

3. Get creative with time management.

For a long time, I had burned myself out trying to squeeze my work into the space of “acceptable” working hours. I was going through a period in my life when my energy peaked at 8 pm. Yet had I allowed myself, I would have gotten into “the zone,” from 8 pm to 11 pm, which is when I finish some of my best work.

Once I stopped forcing myself into a typical business-hours schedule, I gave myself the freedom to design my days around my energy levels. My productivity and contributions soared.

4. Stop mindlessly chasing business.

Many entrepreneurs feel the need to chase all leads — even ones that aren’t ROI-positive and don’t fit their business model. My team used to feverishly pitch clients in any industry if an opportunity popped up. But once we focused our attention and resources on the healthcare industry, for example, we were able to win the 1-800-MEDICARE support contract, which has been one of our company’s most rewarding accomplishments.

So, take a lesson from my experience: If the current price for your business is your sanity, it’s time for a change. You may not succeed at every lofty goal you dream up, but if you’re willing to make tough decisions, eliminate distractions and clarify your focus, you’ll succeed at the things you care about most.

Contributor Sumi Krishnan May 27, 2015

admin May 28, 2015 No Comments

Categories: Entrepreneur Life Lessons Money Self Improvement Success Wealth

Tags: 4 Changes Entrepreneur Money Success

4 Roadblocks that may be stopping you from becoming a Millionaire

4 Reasons Why You'll Never Be a Millionaire, and How You Can Change That

Relaxing vacations on the French Riviera, huge donations to your favorite charity and an early retirement. These are the kinds of things people think of when they hear the word “millionaire.”

It’s unlikely you’ll ever experience that. Sorry.

Unless, of course, you can overcome the following four roadblocks stopping you from achieving millionaire status. Each roadblock below also offers an “immediate action step” to help you overcome the things holding you back. Let’s get started.

1. You don’t understand how money works.

Money is not a complicated topic, but still, few seem to really understand how it works. Do you? Sure, you can blame the school system or your parents, but the responsibility is still on you to figure out how money is made, how it is held, how it is invested and how it is preserved.

Millionaires understand that money is not something that is discovered, won, or created by chance.

As I stated in my previous column, 5 Powerful Books That Changed the Direction of My Life, wealth is not an accident, but an action. Building wealth is the world’s largest game, and if you want to win, you need to learn the rules. So start studying.

Immediate action step: Start by reading several great money books, such as:

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason

But don’t just read, internalize the knowledge. Debate it. Talk about it with your spouse, grandma and mail carrier. Personal finance can be learned, and by mastering it, you might discover that wealth is much easier to build than you previously thought.

2. You don’t value your education.

I get it: you are busy.

You have 25 hours of work to do every day and there simply isn’t enough time to get it all done. That’s the life of an entrepreneur, so something needs to be sacrificed. Chances are, you are sacrificing your continuing education, and it’s severely hurting your chances of becoming a millionaire. Wealthy people never stop learning, despite the business in their life.

In a recent interview on The Tim Ferriss Show, Noah Kagan says he takes time every morning to read, as well as setting aside time every Tuesday morning to simply learn.

When is the last time you scheduled “learning time”? Do you just try to “fit it in” when everything else is caught up?

Follow the advice of Kagan, Ferriss and other incredibly successful entrepreneurs: never stop learning, no matter how busy you are.

Immediate action step: Listen to the interview with Noah Kagan on The Tim Ferriss Show. Trust me — it’ll get you far closer to millionaire status than those TPS reports you were planning on working on today.

3. You live to your means.

What are you doing with your extra money each month?

I know, you probably don’t have any left over. Your boss doesn’t pay you enough. Your company hasn’t taken off yet. Or whatever other excuse you have. But let’s face it: you are spending too much money. I don’t care how much you make — it doesn’t matter. Everyone lives to their means. You could make $2,000 per month or $20,000 per month and you’ll still be broke.

The millionaires I know have made a conscience decision to live on less than they make. Instead of upgrading their life every time they make more money, they choose to put that extra cash to work for them through various investments, such as their business, stocks, real estate or other assets, which I’ll talk about next.

Immediate action step: Pull out your bank account statements for the past three months. Figure out where every single dollar went, organizing the entire list into categories. Then, create a solid budget for your future. If budgeting is difficult for you, I’d recommend YouNeedABudget. Also, read The Simple Action No One Does That Will Make You A Millionaire. That blog post alone might just make you a millionaire, someday.

4. You don’t collect assets.

A job will never make you rich. Neither will saving all your cash in a coffee can. So how can you build that wealth?

Start collecting assets.

An asset, as defined by Investopedia.com, is “a resource with economic value that an individual, corporation or country owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide future benefit.”

Millionaires collect assets. It’s as simple as that. Do you?

An asset could be a profitable business, a growing stock portfolio or investing in the right piece of real estate (not all real estate is a good investment. It’s what you do with it that matters.)

Your car is not an asset. That shiny new electronic gadget on your arm is not an asset. Your home might not even be an asset. These are all liabilities that are robbing you of future wealth.

Stop collecting these, and start collecting things that will make you money in the long term.

Immediate action step: Make a detailed list of all the assets in your life, as well as their current value. Are you comfortable with this list? Then, make a detailed plan to acquire more assets and make a pact with yourself to NOT buy so many liabilities.

Becoming a millionaire is not impossible. In fact, it’s relatively easy when you have time on your side and the knowledge to do so.

However, it does require overcoming hurdles, which can be tough. If you want to achieve a million dollars in net worth, or more, continue to learn about the game of money, value your education, live below your means and start collecting assets. You’ll get there soon enough!

Brandon Turner May 20, 2015

admin May 20, 2015 No Comments

Categories: Entrepreneur Money Self Limiting Practices Success Wealth

Tags: Money Roadblocks Self Limiting Practices Wealth

10 Business Lessons You can Learn at Bars

Back in college and my early 20s (when I actually had a social life), I tended to go out to parties and bars more often than I thought I “should.” My gut often told me that I should probably be studying, reading, exercising, sleeping, networking or otherwise engaging in productive activities that were more likely to directly advance my career. But I went out anyway. Those informal outings with my drinking buddies felt like a fun (and deserved) distraction from work rather than a process of self-development in and of itself.

In retrospect, I now realize how formative those years of partying really were for my career. I learned a ton of social lessons that have tremendously helped me later in life.

Of course, you do not actually have to drink alcohol or go to bars to develop these business socialization skills, but the fast-paced social environment involved in nightlife does provide a great setting for that type of personal development. This is an important lesson for passionate entrepreneurs who become such workaholics that they forget the importance of socialization.

1. Be patient yet persistent.

We’ve all experienced that frustrating moment when the bartender seems to be ignoring us in favor of other customers. Veteran bar patrons handle this impression of rejection by maintaining a visible presence and by making multiple (polite) attempts to gain the bartender’s attention.

Just like in sales or fundraising, people tend to serve our needs better when we project an air of confidence and respectful persistence. Frequent bouts of rejection and recovery build character.

2. Tip the bartender early.

Taking good care of your service providers early in the night is the fastest way to improve your quality of service as the night progresses. This same lesson goes for employees, clients and investors. Recognizing people for their performance (particularly in unexpected ways) will improve both the quality of their work and the strength of your relationship.

3. Fake it ‘til you make it.

At a trendy urban night club, it’s often easy to feel like the shortest, ugliest, poorest, worst-dressed or least cool person in the room. The dirty secret is that every partygoer has felt one of these emotions at some point. People who succeed socially (and in business) don’t necessarily possess all the desired qualities from the outset. They simply succeed in convincing themselves that they are awesome until other people start believing it too.

4. Don’t always go for the most attractive girl (or guy).

One of my favorite scenes from A Beautiful Mind was the bar scene when Russell Crowe’s character explained his game theory epiphany in the context of which woman his friends should flirt with. He cautioned them against going for the most attractive woman at the risk of alienating the other women with whom they had a better chance.

This allegory can be used to illustrate not only game theory but also the “80-20 rule.” Sometimes, rather than playing all your cards targeting the world’s best sales prospect, dating opportunity or venture capitalist, you will attain a higher return on investment by starting with targets that are more “in your league.” Impress other key players until the elites have no choice but to pay attention to you.

5. Pace yourself.

Nobody likes a rookie who drinks too much, pukes and passes out before midnight. Nor does anybody like a manager who is bouncing from one fire-drill emergency to the next, or an employee who procrastinates and then has to cram at the last minute. A more responsible and experienced partier learns to plan ahead, get some food in his or her stomach and drink a glass of water between every other adult beverage.

Moderation builds character. Personal restraint and composure are some of the traits needed to become a poised, collected manager in the face of a crisis or urgent deadline.

6. Double your expense forecasts.

Every battle plan becomes worthless once the first shot is fired. Over time, a veteran partier learns that the statement “I’m only spending $40 tonight and only staying out until midnight” is rarely a promise they can uphold.

Learning that every project ends up taking twice as long and costing twice as much as originally planned can help you choose your projects better and prepare more honest forecasts that you can adhere to. That new project — or night on the town — might not actually be worth the can of worms it might open in the first place.

7. Follow up with new relationships.

Throughout the night at a bar, party or business event, you typically have great conversations with people you’ve never met before. Each of these people could potentially become a friend or important contact — provided that you do the work to follow up.

Whenever you meet someone you like, always remember to ask for their contact info so you can follow up the next day. Send an email, tweet, text, Facebook message, LinkedIn request or whatever is appropriate for the relationship, and come up with some reason to reconnect soon (coffee, a party invite, a bike ride, a phone call, an invitation to play basketball at your local park or maybe even just virtually discussing an article that you thought they might like).

Your success in life is directly proportional to the number of awesome people with whom you are connected.

8. Fail fast.

Sometimes the current bar just isn’t the right fit. The vibe is dead, the band sucks and there’s a smell coming from the bathroom. But half of your friends are only halfway done with their drinks, and the other half figure they’ll order another round while the others finish. The cycle continues until — before you know it — you’ve spent the whole evening at that crappy bar.

A smart partygoer, and manager, can tell when the team is becoming overly committed to a dead-end initiative. She or he knows when and how to convince the group to stop investing in the current solution, before too many resources have been invested in it. “Agile” managers both have more fun and invest their resources more efficiently. They know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.

9. Take leadership when nobody else will.

There’s nothing worse than asking your friends, “What restaurant do you want to go to?” and getting the collective response “I don’t care, whatever you guys want.” This indifference can dampen a group dynamic pretty quickly. Groups actually want someone to steer decision-making to establish clarity and understanding among members.

Whether in nightlife or in business, you begin to learn that that someone can be you. Learning to take initiative is possibly the largest single contributor to success in life.

10. Designate a voice of reason in your group.

All groups need at least one designated driver to abstain from the Kool-Aid and ensure that the team members make rational decisions. Even with a great, visionary CEO to steer the bar-hopping itinerary, few groups can truly achieve greatness without a sober COO to keep everyone realistic and pragmatic.

Overall, learning to consistently have a fun, efficient and safe night out with your friends can prepare you for a lot of the challenges that can be thrown at you later in life. The best side effect is that you emerge from these youthful social activities with a network based on real friendships.

Whether you are hanging out at bars, playing in sports leagues or participating in a chess club, learning to confidently make the most of your personal relationships will help you become more successful throughout your career.

Andrew Cohen May 19, 2015

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Categories: Do's & Don't's Entrepreneur Extraordinary People Life Lessons Managing Self Limiting Thoughts Money Positive Mental Attitude Positive Outlook Self Improvement Success Wealth

How to Transform Your Life in 6 Minutes a Day

Minute 1: S is for silence.

Instead of hitting the snooze button, and then rushing through your day feeling stressed and overwhelmed, invest your first minute in sitting in purposeful silence. Sit quietly, calm and peaceful and breathe deeply. Maybe you meditate. Center yourself and create an optimum state of mind that will lead you effectively through the rest of your day.

Maybe you say a prayer of gratitude and appreciate the moment. As you sit in silence, you quiet your mind, relax your body and allow your stress to melt away. You develop a deeper sense of clarity, purpose, and direction.

Minute 2: A is for Affirmations.

Pull out and read your page of affirmations — written statements that remind you of your unlimited potential, your most important goals and the actions you must take today to achieve them. Reading over reminders of how capable you really are motivates you. Looking over which actions you must take, re-energizes you to focus on doing what’s necessary today to takeyour life to the next level.

Minute 3. V is for visualization.

Close your eyes and visualize what it will look like and feel like when you reach your goals. Seeing your ideal vision increases your belief that it’s possible and your desire to make it a reality.

Minute 4. E is for exercise.

Stand up and move your body for 60 seconds, long enough to increase the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. You could easily do a minute of jumping jacks, push-ups, or sit-ups. The point is that you raise your heart rate, generate energy and increase your ability to be alert and focused.

Minute 5. R is for reading.

Grab the self-help book you’re currently reading and read one page, maybe two. Learn a new idea, something you can incorporate into your day, which will improve your results at work or in your relationships. Discover something new that you can use to think better, feel better and live better.

Minute 6. S is for scribing.

Pull out your journal and take one minute to write down something you’re grateful for, something you’re proud of and the top one to three results that you’re committed to creating that day. In doing so, you create the clarity and motivation that you need to take action.

Start today.

How would you feel if that’s how you used the first six minutes of each day? How would the quality of your day — and your life — improve? We can all agree that investing a minimum of six minutes into becoming the person that we need to be to create the lives we truly want is not only reasonable. It’s an absolute must.

admin May 20, 2015 No Comments

Categories: Do's & Don't's Entrepreneur Inspirational Life Hacks Life Lessons Managing Self Limiting Thoughts Money Positive Mental Attitude Positive Outlook Psychology Self Improvement Spiritual Energy Success Superior State of Mind Wealth

Tags: Entrepreneur PMA

10 Truths We Forget Too Easily

Image credit: Cactusbeetroot | Flickr

Some of life’s essential truths need repeating. Keep this list handy and give it a read any time you need a boost.

1. Being Busy Does Not Equal Being Productive

Look at everyone around you. They all seem so busy—running from meeting to meeting and firing off emails. Yet how many of them are really producing, really succeeding at a high level?

Success doesn’t come from movement and activity. It comes from focus—from ensuring that your time is used efficiently and productively.

You get the same number of hours in the day as everyone else. Use yours wisely. After all, you’re the product of your output, not your effort. Make certain your efforts are dedicated to tasks that get results.

2. Great Success Is Often Preceded By Failure

You will never experience true success until you learn to embrace failure. Your mistakes pave the way for you to succeed by revealing when you’re on the wrong path.

The biggest breakthroughs typically come when you’re feeling the most frustrated and the most stuck. It’s this frustration that forces you to think differently, to look outside the box and see the solution that you’ve been missing.

Success takes patience and the ability to maintain a good attitude even while suffering for what you believe in.

3. Fear Is the No. 1 Source of Regret

When it’s all said and done, you will lament the chances you didn’t take far more than you will your failures. Don’t be afraid to take risks.

I often hear people say, “What’s the worst thing that can happen to you? Will it kill you?” Yet, death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you.

The worst thing that can happen to you is allowing yourself to die inside while you’re still alive.

4. Your Self-Worth Must Come From Within

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself to others, you are no longer the master of your own destiny. When you feel good about something that you’ve done, don’t allow anyone’s opinions or accomplishments to take that away from you.

While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain—you’re never as good or bad as they say you are.

5. You’re Only as Good as Those You Associate With

You should strive to surround yourself with people who inspire you, people who make you want to be better. And you probably do. But what about the people who drag you down? Why do you allow them to be a part of your life?

Anyone who makes you feel worthless, anxious, or uninspired is wasting your time and, quite possibly, making you more like them. Life is too short to associate with people like this. Cut them loose.

6. Life Is Short

None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. Yet, when someone dies unexpectedly it causes us to take stock of our own life: what’s really important, how we spend our time, and how we treat other people.

Loss is a raw, visceral reminder of the frailty of life. It shouldn’t be.

Remind yourself every morning when you wake up that each day is a gift and you’re bound to make the most of the blessing you’ve been given. The moment you start acting like life is a blessing is the moment it will start acting like one.

After all, a great day begins with a great mindset.

7. You Don’t Have to Wait for an Apology to Forgive

Life goes a lot smoother once you let go of grudges and forgive even those who never said they were sorry. Grudges let negative events from your past ruin today’s happiness. Hate and anger are emotional parasites that destroy your joy in life.

The negative emotions that come with holding on to a grudge create a stress response in your body, and holding on to stress can have devastating health consequences. Researchers at Emory University have shown that holding on to stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease.

When you forgive someone, it doesn’t condone their actions; it simply frees you from being their eternal victim.

8. You’re Living the Life You’ve Created

You are not a victim of circumstance. No one can force you to make decisions and take actions that run contrary to your values and aspirations.

The circumstances you’re living in today are your own—you created them. Likewise, your future is entirely up to you. If you’re feeling stuck, it’s probably because you’re afraid to take the risks necessary to achieve your goals and live your dreams.

When it’s time to take action, remember that it’s always better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than at the top of one you don’t.

9. Live in the Moment

You can’t reach your full potential until you learn to live your life in the present.

No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future. It’s impossible to be happy if you’re constantly somewhere else, unable to fully embrace the reality (good or bad) of this very moment.

To help yourself live in the moment, you must do two things:

Accept your past. If you don’t make peace with your past, it will never leave you and, in doing so, it will create your future.
Accept the uncertainty of the future. Worry has no place in the here and now. As Mark Twain once said, “Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.”

10. Change Is Inevitable — Embrace It

Only when you embrace change can you find the good in it. You need to have an open mind and open arms if you’re going to recognize, and capitalize on, the opportunities that change creates.

You’re bound to fail when you keep doing the same things you always have in the hope that ignoring change will make it go away.

After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Life doesn’t stop for anyone. When things are going well, appreciate them and enjoy them, as they are bound to change. If you are always searching for something more, something better, that you think is going to make you happy, you’ll never be present enough to enjoy the great moments before they’re gone.

Jennifer Goforth Gregory

May 14, 2015

A version of this article first appeared on TalentSmart.com.

admin May 17, 2015 No Comments

Categories: Do's & Don't's Folklore Life Hacks Life Lessons Managing Self Limiting Thoughts Positive Mental Attitude Psychology Quotes Self Improvement Spiritual Energy Success Superior State of Mind Well Being

21 Ways to Achieve Wealth and Success

In his book, Rich Habits — The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals, Tom Corley outlines several habits that distinguish the wealthy from the nonwealthy.

It got me to think, How many people operate on autopilot and don’t stop to monitor their everyday patterns? Below I’ve summarized 19 of his habits for success (nine culled from his book and the next 10 from his recent article in Success) plus two of my own. If you’re not actively engaged in these 21 things, you are, in effect, leaving money on the table.

1. Setting good daily habits.

Good habits are the foundation of wealth building. The difference between successful and unsuccessful people lies in their daily habits. Simply put, successful people have many good habits and few bad ones. If you understand that your bad habits may be preventing you from becoming wealthy, that realization will be the first step in your improving your circumstances.

In his book, Corley invites you to take out a sheet of paper and list your bad habits in one column and then invert each one to place under a new column for good habits. It should look like this:

Bad Habit/Good Habit

I watch too much TV. I limit myself to one hour of TV per day.

I don’t remember names. I write down names and remember them.

Then for 30 days, follow the guidance of your new good habits list. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish.

2. Regularly creating goals.

Successful people are goal driven. They create goals all the time. They plan their day the night before with to-do lists.

People who are headed for success think for the long term. They have daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. But what’s a goal without a plan to reach them? So not only do successful people have goals, they also come up with ways to achieve them and hold themselves accountable.

3. Engaging in self-improvement daily.

Successful people are always looking for ways to improve themselves. They read every day and are students of their profession. They don’t spend their time on activities that don’t bring them closer to their goals.

I recently attended an event hosted by author Brendon Burchard, who said he consistently blocks out time to create. Successful people like Burchard know that time is too valuable a commodity to waste. They spend their time on the things that will move the needle for them in their business: Being committed to self-improvement means you engage in activities every day that will stretch you.

Seek ways to expand your knowledge. This won’t always be easy, but people grow from things that pose a challenge. Once your knowledge grows, opportunities appear.

4. Regularly taking care of personal health.

Each and every day successful people make an effort to eat right and exercise. Eating right is of utmost importance. Exercising daily can become a regular habit, just like taking a bath. People who exercise routinely have more energy to get things done. How are you doing in this area?

5. Often making time for relationship building.

People who are successful are other-people focused. They take time out of their day to strengthen the bonds of friendship and form long-lasting relationships with others. Networking is something they do all the time. They reach out to their contacts and look for ways to help them with no expectation of in return.

The most beautiful sound on Earth, I once heard someone say, is your name. So make it a goal to learn the names of every contact you meet. Aren’t you impressed when someone remembers your name? I know I am. So stand out as different and start remembering names.

6. Doing things in moderation.

You live in a balanced way if you do activities in moderation. This means having a balanced approach to work, eating, exercise, consuming alcohol, watching television, surfing the Internet and so forth. As a result, people will enjoy your company. If people like being around you, then you will be more apt to collaborate or find the new business partner that you need to take your business to the next level.

7. Getting things done.

Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today: Accomplish things. All people have fears, but successful people push past them. They don’t procrastinate. They get the important things done, no matter the cost.

In Rich Habits, Corley explains that when the thought of putting off something enters the mind, immediately shed notion by saying, “Do it now.” He says repeat these words 100 times if necessary. Just don’t stop till the task is done.

8. Keeping a positive outlook.

Consider the most successful person you know. Is that person positive or negative? Most likely this individual is positive, enthusiastic, energetic and happy. This person chooses to see the good in others and in himself or herself. To this person, problems are just opportunities waiting to be uncovered.

Every day people are bombarded by news of bad deeds and doings. Successful people minimize their exposure to this type of thing and instead opt to fill their minds with positive ideas from books and magazines.

9. Regularly saving money.

According to Corley, successful individuals put away about 10 percent to 20 percent of their gross earnings in a savings, investment or retirement plan. Not everyone can afford to do so, but what percent are you putting away?

10. Rejecting self-limiting thoughts.

Successful people command their thoughts and emotions. As soon as bad thoughts intrude, they cast out anything that challenges their ability to succeed at the task at hand. They do not dwell on negative notions. Their self-talk is positive and not overly critical. They replace bad thoughts with good ones.

Because successful people engage in self-improvement daily and are constantly involved in positive things, they don’t allow themselves time to indulge in negative emotions.

11. Living within means.

Wealthy people avoid overspending. Among many of those struggling financially, some are living above their means. They spend more than they earn, live from paycheck to paycheck and are drowning in credit-card debt. If this is you, resolve today to turn things around for you and your family.

12. Reading daily.

Many successful people read 30 minutes or more every day. Reading can increase your knowledge and know-how. When you read, often you are seeking to improve yourself. This automatically sets you apart from your counterparts. You will stand out from the competition.

13. Limiting TV watching.

Did you know that many successful people limit the amount their TV time to one hour or less a day? How much time do you lose in front of the television that you could be spending doing something more productive?

14. Doing more than what’s required.

Successful people regularly go above and beyond the call of duty at work. Even if something is not in their job description, they will volunteer to do it. Wealthy people make themselves invaluable. As an entrepreneur, you may not have a boss. But in what ways do you go above and beyond for your clients? How do you wow them?

15. Talking less and listening more.

When you listen, you learn. And as the adage goes, that’s why people have two ears and one mouth. When you take the time to really pay attention to what another person is saying, it can truly help not only you but your bottom line as well. When you listen, you are in a better position to help others.

16. Not giving up.

Don’t give up when the going gets tough. Successful people hang in there. They pivot. They try something new. They persist. They may have to change their direction, but they keep moving forward.

17. Spending time with like-minded ones.

There’s a saying that goes, “Show me who your friends are and I’ll show you who you are.” I believe that. People are only as successful as those they choose to surround themselves with. Good associations can help you more quickly achieve your goals.

18. Finding a mentor.

Many people who have had a mentor have attributed their success to that person. Mentors can help you achieve your goals faster and keep you accountable. They can share valuable experience that can cut your learning time in half.

19. Knowing your why.

When you know why you’re doing something, you will get what you want quicker than if you don’t. Having a purpose is essential to being successful in business and in life. Why do you want to be successful? Why do you really want to be wealthy?

20. Not giving fear the upper hand.

Everyone has fears. Successful people don’t allow their fears to limit or define them. Fear inevitably keeps you in the same position and stunts your growth. Recognize your fears and seek ways to overcome them. Interview someone you admire and ask that person how he or she overcame a fear or pick up an autobiography and take notes.

21. Upgrading skills.

If you want to get ahead, there’s only one way to do it: Become better at something than you are today. What’s the one thing you can focus on for the next 30 days that will catapult you to rock-star status in your industry? Focus your attention on that. I heard John Lee Dumas from Entrepreneur on Fire define “FOCUS” like this: Follow one course until success. Will you?

admin May 6, 2015 No Comments

Categories: Managing Self Limiting Thoughts Money Personal Health Positive Outlook Relationships Self Improvement Success Wealth

Tags: Money Positive Outlook Relationships Self Improvement Success Wealth