Hello,
Are you pretty good at making decisions? How do you know if you are or aren't? Well, some people seem to make decisions pretty quickly, and others take forever. Which method is the best? In general I believe being decisive is a good thing, in other words being able to quickly weigh your options and decide what is the best choice. Look at it this way, if you are the type of person who can never seem to make up their mind, doesn't it make your decisions that much harder and painful? So what is the real deal, is it fear of making the wrong decision maybe? I believe in most cases, that's the case.
What if you make the wrong decision and it causes problems? Well that's always possible, but not making a decision in the first place is normally worse than making a bad decision. Let me explain that, because I'm sure that doesn't sound logical. Say I put off making a choice of whether I should take a new job that a friend told me about recently. He says it would be different than what I'm doing now, although some of the same skills are involved and I do qualify in many ways for this job. Ok, I'm thinking I "kind of" like my current job, so what are the benefits of the new job that would tempt me? Well, in order to make an informed decision about anything you must weigh the benefits versus that drawbacks. Make a list, take into account your personal choices and how important different aspects of each item on the list really are. As an example of the job:
1. good thing - the pay is slightly higher
2. bad thing - it's in the city and I'm not crazy about that
3. good thing - the company is doing well, my current employer isn't
4. good thing - it's something different, shake up my life a little
5. bad thing - it's different, and I may not like doing it
Ok, you see where I'm going with this right? These are all totally hypothetical reasons which I just made up, but very possibly things you may have to decide in the future. You also have to thing about the intangibles, such as what if you don't take this job and then get laid off from your current job? Are you by nature a risk-taker or do you look for the security first in any new position? If you value security and safety, perhaps staying at your current job is more prudent because at least it's a known factor. Not knowing what is going to happen is pretty scary for a lot of people and not worth the risk. I guess if you are going to lie awake at night worrying about the job situation, it might be a bad idea.
Alright, that's just a hypothetical situation. But if you have a real problem making important decisions about your future, perhaps you need to evaluate why that is true. Some people just don't like to make decisions. If that's the case, I suggest you try to change that, since making decisions in life is a very critical skill that every adult needs to have. Are you really that afraid of making the wrong decision? What's the worst that could happen, you will have to change your mind and maybe lose a little time, money, etc. in the process. Back to reality, folks. We all have made bad decisions at one time or another! We just have to learn from them, that's all. Try to figure out why it was a bad decision, what brought you to that decision, and how you would change that next time. Did you weight all the options first? Did you go with your "gut" instinct, because usually that is the best way to go, although not always. Perhaps you have a friend that is knowledgeable about the situation you're in and asking him or her would be beneficial.
Anyway, I have a decision to make here. Whether to ramble on for another 300 words, or just cut this blog short and be done with it. Ok, one more point - sometimes it's a great idea to take a chance, take advantage of an opportunity, and just go for it. If your decision is anything about that kind of situation, I say go for it. But that's just me...
To your continued success and happiness!
Visit us often at the happiness place
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Try future-thinking for greater success
Hello friend,
Today I want to discuss a topic that is a little bit esoteric – not many people really know what I mean when I speak of “future-thinking”, but I wanted to explain because it has helped me so much that I feel I must. I’m not talking about literally predicting the future, although if you work your plan well enough that’s pretty much how it turns out. I really mean that you should not only plan for the future, but truly project yourself into the future, envisioning what your life will look like after you reach all of your major goals.
In order to do that you must first have a list of goals, which I assume you already do. (If not, please make that list pronto, it’s one of the most important things you’ll ever do to achieve success at all). Look at your list and then think about what it means to you – what are doing five, ten, twenty years from now? Where will you live, in a nice 5-bedroom home in a nearby gated community? Or maybe in that mansion by the edge of town where the millionaires live? Who will be with you, the woman/man of your dreams? Your family, if you have one already? How happy will you all be? What kind of routine will you have, working from the house for a few hours a day, or maybe in a high rise office building that accommodates the most prestigious firms in the state?
All of these details must be made clear in your mind, in order to make “future-thinking” work for you. Not only must you think of these things in great detail, you must emotionalize them, get excited about them, every day or even several times a day if possible. These are you dreams! Make them come alive, make them as real as possible for you. Use your imagination to believe that these things are happening now in your world. Then once you are clear on your goals in detail, the next step is to put your detailed plan into action.
This is one step many seem to forget about, the action and how important it is. You can have the most creative, detailed, well-thought out plan ever devised but if you don’t take action it is useless! So take that plan, and think about every little thing that you must do to make it work, every day. Even with my current plan I usually sit down several nights a week and review everything in my plan, and decide what is working and what isn’t. Am I on track to reach my goals? Some and not others, possibly? What do I need to do tomorrow, next week, next month to reach these goals. That is what you ought to be asking yourself every day. Make sure the actions you are taking are working, at least getting you in the right direction of your goals. If they aren’t, then make the necessary changes now, and take the next step. See if those changes work. If not, make some more alterations in your actions, then reassess again to make sure you are making progress. I’m sure you have heard the expression “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. That is how you must think, to take that long journey.
Just remember the goals that are in your future, if you can still keep those dreams alive every day they will feed your hunger for success and keep you motivated to continue. Think how fantastic your future will be! If you don’t get excited about that, you need to do some serious thinking about what your dreams mean to you, because they aren’t getting you very far.
I know you can do better! We all can, if we just look into the future and see how great it can be.
To your continued success and happiness!
Sincerely,
Doug Hart, CHO of GetPassionForLife.com
Don’t forget to visit us at our new blog: motivation in retirement
Today I want to discuss a topic that is a little bit esoteric – not many people really know what I mean when I speak of “future-thinking”, but I wanted to explain because it has helped me so much that I feel I must. I’m not talking about literally predicting the future, although if you work your plan well enough that’s pretty much how it turns out. I really mean that you should not only plan for the future, but truly project yourself into the future, envisioning what your life will look like after you reach all of your major goals.
In order to do that you must first have a list of goals, which I assume you already do. (If not, please make that list pronto, it’s one of the most important things you’ll ever do to achieve success at all). Look at your list and then think about what it means to you – what are doing five, ten, twenty years from now? Where will you live, in a nice 5-bedroom home in a nearby gated community? Or maybe in that mansion by the edge of town where the millionaires live? Who will be with you, the woman/man of your dreams? Your family, if you have one already? How happy will you all be? What kind of routine will you have, working from the house for a few hours a day, or maybe in a high rise office building that accommodates the most prestigious firms in the state?
All of these details must be made clear in your mind, in order to make “future-thinking” work for you. Not only must you think of these things in great detail, you must emotionalize them, get excited about them, every day or even several times a day if possible. These are you dreams! Make them come alive, make them as real as possible for you. Use your imagination to believe that these things are happening now in your world. Then once you are clear on your goals in detail, the next step is to put your detailed plan into action.
This is one step many seem to forget about, the action and how important it is. You can have the most creative, detailed, well-thought out plan ever devised but if you don’t take action it is useless! So take that plan, and think about every little thing that you must do to make it work, every day. Even with my current plan I usually sit down several nights a week and review everything in my plan, and decide what is working and what isn’t. Am I on track to reach my goals? Some and not others, possibly? What do I need to do tomorrow, next week, next month to reach these goals. That is what you ought to be asking yourself every day. Make sure the actions you are taking are working, at least getting you in the right direction of your goals. If they aren’t, then make the necessary changes now, and take the next step. See if those changes work. If not, make some more alterations in your actions, then reassess again to make sure you are making progress. I’m sure you have heard the expression “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. That is how you must think, to take that long journey.
Just remember the goals that are in your future, if you can still keep those dreams alive every day they will feed your hunger for success and keep you motivated to continue. Think how fantastic your future will be! If you don’t get excited about that, you need to do some serious thinking about what your dreams mean to you, because they aren’t getting you very far.
I know you can do better! We all can, if we just look into the future and see how great it can be.
To your continued success and happiness!
Sincerely,
Doug Hart, CHO of GetPassionForLife.com
Don’t forget to visit us at our new blog: motivation in retirement
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Develop amnesia, if you want to be happier...
Hello again,
Many times in life, things happen that are just not exactly what we really wanted – you know, bad things. They happen to everybody, whether your short or tall, rich or poor, educated or not, and there’s not a lot you can do to stop bad things from happening. Try as we may, plan all you want and get as much preparation as you possibly can, but sometimes circumstances just don’t go the way we want them to.
So what is a person supposed to do? Well, I guess it depends on the circumstances, if it’s something unexpected like someone nearly colliding with your car in traffic it’s hard to control the emotional rush of anger. That actually happened to me just today, which is one reason I’m writing this little piece. As I was slowly backing out of a parking space at the bookstore to leave, a car that had just past me suddenly stopped, put the car in reverse, and backed up very quickly towards my car. I thought there’s not way they don’t see me, right? I had zero time to react, and the car came within inches of hitting me as I watched helplessly. The car finally stopped after passing me, I guess finding the “perfect spot” to park. The driver looked over at me in shock, realizing how close she was to slamming into my car. Ooops, sorry!
Ok, did I a) calmly put my car in drive and leave b) jump out of my car screaming and shaking my fist or c) drive away, shaking with the adrenaline due to the realization I was nearly broadsided. If you picked “C” give yourself two points, but it took a good 10 minutes before I was able to calm down completely. I have to say it is one of those things that happens to me probably once a year, and I’ve only been in one really bad accident. But bad things like this happen all the time, so how do you deal with it? Well, I’ve learned to develop amnesia just for these occasions.
That may sound a little tough to do, but stay with me. Your emotions tend to take over, at least for awhile, but once you regain control you just have to forget it. Just act like it didn’t happen! Does it always work? Not immediately, but with a little practice you can forget things like this pretty quickly. That’s the main point, you must practice this. Quickly think of something else, like where was I going and what was I doing before being so rudely interrupted by this little distraction? Then, move on. Really, it’s the best thing to do for your sanity.
Not only does this work for things like near collisions, but it works for lots of bad things. Locked your keys in your car? Get over it, move on. The IRS is reviewing your taxes? Ok, fix it first then move on. Didn’t get a raise this year? Join the club, times are tough all around, it’s a bad thing but we just have to deal and move on. Your water heater just quit on you and there’s water all over your floor? Yep, been there too. Lot’s of things like these happen to all of us, some more often than others, but they happen. And we can do one of two things – either cry about and complain til’ we’re blue in the face, or just develop amnesia and forget it. I personally think the best way is to forget. Why? What good does it do to get angry, throw a fit, and stew all day when you have the ability to just say “whatever” and forget it?
Logically, you know I’m right. But you’re probably saying “I can’t do that!” – because of the whole emotional control thing. Like I said, it takes practice.
If it helps any, practice what psychologists call “changing state”. (No, don’t move to where things are much easier. There is no place like that). Changing state means to break out of whatever emotional state you happen to be in, and quickly change it to another one. For instance, in a situation where you experience a very bad scare, your heart-rate is raised and your breathing is very rapid. In order to quickly change this state, just take several slow, deep breaths. At the same time think of something else that is calming – like that day at the beach you spent with the family last summer, or giant pink elephants if it helps! Very soon you should be back on track, all calmed down and focused to do what you originally had planned. What was I going to do now? Oh, yeah. That amnesia can be tough to break.
To your continued success and happiness!
Don’t forget to visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for regular updates!
Many times in life, things happen that are just not exactly what we really wanted – you know, bad things. They happen to everybody, whether your short or tall, rich or poor, educated or not, and there’s not a lot you can do to stop bad things from happening. Try as we may, plan all you want and get as much preparation as you possibly can, but sometimes circumstances just don’t go the way we want them to.
So what is a person supposed to do? Well, I guess it depends on the circumstances, if it’s something unexpected like someone nearly colliding with your car in traffic it’s hard to control the emotional rush of anger. That actually happened to me just today, which is one reason I’m writing this little piece. As I was slowly backing out of a parking space at the bookstore to leave, a car that had just past me suddenly stopped, put the car in reverse, and backed up very quickly towards my car. I thought there’s not way they don’t see me, right? I had zero time to react, and the car came within inches of hitting me as I watched helplessly. The car finally stopped after passing me, I guess finding the “perfect spot” to park. The driver looked over at me in shock, realizing how close she was to slamming into my car. Ooops, sorry!
Ok, did I a) calmly put my car in drive and leave b) jump out of my car screaming and shaking my fist or c) drive away, shaking with the adrenaline due to the realization I was nearly broadsided. If you picked “C” give yourself two points, but it took a good 10 minutes before I was able to calm down completely. I have to say it is one of those things that happens to me probably once a year, and I’ve only been in one really bad accident. But bad things like this happen all the time, so how do you deal with it? Well, I’ve learned to develop amnesia just for these occasions.
That may sound a little tough to do, but stay with me. Your emotions tend to take over, at least for awhile, but once you regain control you just have to forget it. Just act like it didn’t happen! Does it always work? Not immediately, but with a little practice you can forget things like this pretty quickly. That’s the main point, you must practice this. Quickly think of something else, like where was I going and what was I doing before being so rudely interrupted by this little distraction? Then, move on. Really, it’s the best thing to do for your sanity.
Not only does this work for things like near collisions, but it works for lots of bad things. Locked your keys in your car? Get over it, move on. The IRS is reviewing your taxes? Ok, fix it first then move on. Didn’t get a raise this year? Join the club, times are tough all around, it’s a bad thing but we just have to deal and move on. Your water heater just quit on you and there’s water all over your floor? Yep, been there too. Lot’s of things like these happen to all of us, some more often than others, but they happen. And we can do one of two things – either cry about and complain til’ we’re blue in the face, or just develop amnesia and forget it. I personally think the best way is to forget. Why? What good does it do to get angry, throw a fit, and stew all day when you have the ability to just say “whatever” and forget it?
Logically, you know I’m right. But you’re probably saying “I can’t do that!” – because of the whole emotional control thing. Like I said, it takes practice.
If it helps any, practice what psychologists call “changing state”. (No, don’t move to where things are much easier. There is no place like that). Changing state means to break out of whatever emotional state you happen to be in, and quickly change it to another one. For instance, in a situation where you experience a very bad scare, your heart-rate is raised and your breathing is very rapid. In order to quickly change this state, just take several slow, deep breaths. At the same time think of something else that is calming – like that day at the beach you spent with the family last summer, or giant pink elephants if it helps! Very soon you should be back on track, all calmed down and focused to do what you originally had planned. What was I going to do now? Oh, yeah. That amnesia can be tough to break.
To your continued success and happiness!
Don’t forget to visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for regular updates!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Develop powerful beliefs
good day again,
When I mention beliefs, most people immediately relate this in some way to religion. That’s not the belief that I’m referring to, although that is one type of belief of course. I’m talking about what you believe to be true for yourself and your future. What you believe, deep down, about yourself internally. Our beliefs about who we are can be created by many things, mostly by our environment and how we were brought up. In addition, our experiences in life have a great impact on our beliefs. What were you taught when you were young about the possibilities for your future, what occupation you should pursue, how much income you would have?
If you’re like most people, including myself, not much was ever said so you just looked around you and made your own assumptions. If you grew up in a small town where nearly everyone worked in a coal mine, then your future looked pretty dark, literally. However if you grew up in a well-to-do area where nearly everyone was college educated and had either a solid profession or a business, then you probably saw many more possibilities for yourself. Regardless, other factors have a great impact on your beliefs.
One of the most important things that effect our beliefs is the way we talk to ourselves internally. When you are presented with a task, either at school or at your job, if you tell yourself there’s no way I’m going to get this done, then chances are you won’t! When I say “tell yourself”, that’s exactly what we do, by a method known as internal dialog. We don’t of course consciously tell ourselves, but on an almost subconscious level we have mini-conversations with ourselves every minute of every day! They are constant and never ending, and cause us to make decisions that are vital to our lives. Wouldn’t it be better if we had more control over these decisions, these thoughts that are constantly bouncing around in our heads? In order to change our actions, we must learn (through habit) to control this dialog as much as possible in order to control our actions. Internal dialog is such a major force in our lives that we must learn to change, and use it to our benefit instead of our detriment. Of course, it may be impossible to control completely, because external forces are always causing us to lose our focus in so many ways. But believe me the sooner you learn to believe in what you can do in a positive way, and block out all of the negative self-talk that floods most peoples minds, the sooner you will be on your way to reaching your goals. At the end of this book I have some exercises that will help, make sure to check those out!
Most people have other beliefs that need to be changed as well, ones that cripple us every day without our even knowing it. Limiting beliefs about not only what we can or can’t do, but also what we deserve in life. Many people unfortunately have a negative self-image that limits them in life, almost like a “governor” on a large engine that only allows 50% of the power to be used! This negative image is a constant nagging reminder that says “I’m not good enough” or “I could never make a million dollars”. Don’t believe it for one minute! The only difference between the mindset of someone that makes a million dollars and one that makes $20K a year as a sales clerk is BELIEF in what they can do. You must begin right now to tell yourself every day that you are indeed capable of becoming whatever you wish to become, whether it’s a millionaire, successful at your chosen career, an actor/actress, a writer, or whatever your goals are. Remember, if anyone can do it, you can repeat that persons success by first believing that you can do it, then following their example and modeling their behavior.
There are many ways to model another persons behavior, you can find a mentor and copy their strategies for success at whatever skill you need to learn. Even learning from a book about this person, if you can’t find a mentor that can teach you directly, will suffice. The key is to learn how others perform and duplicate their process, whether you are learning to ski, trade stocks on Wall Street, or run a business successfully. The principles need to be learned from someone who is already successful, and copying someone that’s already doing what you want to be skilled at will help speed this process.
Another very important aspect of belief is a little thing called “self-esteem”, something many people are woefully short on. The problem with building self-esteem is that our belief in what we can accomplish in life is so embedded in our minds by the time we are adults, it takes a very strong process to repair if it is damaged. You see a lot of our beliefs are formed when we are quite young, by accident or by someone simply telling us we are “stupid” or we’ll “never amount to anything”, or similar words that sink into our subconscious and take hold without our knowing it. In order to change our thoughts internally and thus our beliefs, we must change that thought process. How do we do it? By talking to our subconscious mind, repeating phrases that help to strengthen our self-esteem once again. This may sound strange to some people but try this anyway; it works and has worked for thousands of people. Write several phrases down on paper, things that you want to believe in that will improve your self-esteem, and repeat them to yourself at least twice a day in the morning and before going to bed at night. Things such as “I can accomplish anything in life I desire”, or “my success is up to me, and I chose to be successful”. From now on make sure that you have a strong conviction that anything you want in life can be accomplished, because your belief will make it so. If at first you aren’t sure you really believe it with all your heart, continue to “act” as if you do anyway. In time, your beliefs will be in step with the new you. Remember that beliefs held for a long time may change slowly, but with a powerful desire and passion to change them you are destined for success and happiness. This I assure you…
To your continued success and happiness!
Don’t forget to visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for regular updates!
When I mention beliefs, most people immediately relate this in some way to religion. That’s not the belief that I’m referring to, although that is one type of belief of course. I’m talking about what you believe to be true for yourself and your future. What you believe, deep down, about yourself internally. Our beliefs about who we are can be created by many things, mostly by our environment and how we were brought up. In addition, our experiences in life have a great impact on our beliefs. What were you taught when you were young about the possibilities for your future, what occupation you should pursue, how much income you would have?
If you’re like most people, including myself, not much was ever said so you just looked around you and made your own assumptions. If you grew up in a small town where nearly everyone worked in a coal mine, then your future looked pretty dark, literally. However if you grew up in a well-to-do area where nearly everyone was college educated and had either a solid profession or a business, then you probably saw many more possibilities for yourself. Regardless, other factors have a great impact on your beliefs.
One of the most important things that effect our beliefs is the way we talk to ourselves internally. When you are presented with a task, either at school or at your job, if you tell yourself there’s no way I’m going to get this done, then chances are you won’t! When I say “tell yourself”, that’s exactly what we do, by a method known as internal dialog. We don’t of course consciously tell ourselves, but on an almost subconscious level we have mini-conversations with ourselves every minute of every day! They are constant and never ending, and cause us to make decisions that are vital to our lives. Wouldn’t it be better if we had more control over these decisions, these thoughts that are constantly bouncing around in our heads? In order to change our actions, we must learn (through habit) to control this dialog as much as possible in order to control our actions. Internal dialog is such a major force in our lives that we must learn to change, and use it to our benefit instead of our detriment. Of course, it may be impossible to control completely, because external forces are always causing us to lose our focus in so many ways. But believe me the sooner you learn to believe in what you can do in a positive way, and block out all of the negative self-talk that floods most peoples minds, the sooner you will be on your way to reaching your goals. At the end of this book I have some exercises that will help, make sure to check those out!
Most people have other beliefs that need to be changed as well, ones that cripple us every day without our even knowing it. Limiting beliefs about not only what we can or can’t do, but also what we deserve in life. Many people unfortunately have a negative self-image that limits them in life, almost like a “governor” on a large engine that only allows 50% of the power to be used! This negative image is a constant nagging reminder that says “I’m not good enough” or “I could never make a million dollars”. Don’t believe it for one minute! The only difference between the mindset of someone that makes a million dollars and one that makes $20K a year as a sales clerk is BELIEF in what they can do. You must begin right now to tell yourself every day that you are indeed capable of becoming whatever you wish to become, whether it’s a millionaire, successful at your chosen career, an actor/actress, a writer, or whatever your goals are. Remember, if anyone can do it, you can repeat that persons success by first believing that you can do it, then following their example and modeling their behavior.
There are many ways to model another persons behavior, you can find a mentor and copy their strategies for success at whatever skill you need to learn. Even learning from a book about this person, if you can’t find a mentor that can teach you directly, will suffice. The key is to learn how others perform and duplicate their process, whether you are learning to ski, trade stocks on Wall Street, or run a business successfully. The principles need to be learned from someone who is already successful, and copying someone that’s already doing what you want to be skilled at will help speed this process.
Another very important aspect of belief is a little thing called “self-esteem”, something many people are woefully short on. The problem with building self-esteem is that our belief in what we can accomplish in life is so embedded in our minds by the time we are adults, it takes a very strong process to repair if it is damaged. You see a lot of our beliefs are formed when we are quite young, by accident or by someone simply telling us we are “stupid” or we’ll “never amount to anything”, or similar words that sink into our subconscious and take hold without our knowing it. In order to change our thoughts internally and thus our beliefs, we must change that thought process. How do we do it? By talking to our subconscious mind, repeating phrases that help to strengthen our self-esteem once again. This may sound strange to some people but try this anyway; it works and has worked for thousands of people. Write several phrases down on paper, things that you want to believe in that will improve your self-esteem, and repeat them to yourself at least twice a day in the morning and before going to bed at night. Things such as “I can accomplish anything in life I desire”, or “my success is up to me, and I chose to be successful”. From now on make sure that you have a strong conviction that anything you want in life can be accomplished, because your belief will make it so. If at first you aren’t sure you really believe it with all your heart, continue to “act” as if you do anyway. In time, your beliefs will be in step with the new you. Remember that beliefs held for a long time may change slowly, but with a powerful desire and passion to change them you are destined for success and happiness. This I assure you…
To your continued success and happiness!
Don’t forget to visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for regular updates!
Your happiness and health - related?
Good day,
If you asked someone to name the most important aspects of happiness, what do you think would be the most common answers? Let’s start with maybe the top three, that should make a little bit easier. For many people a belief in God (or a higher power) is their number one source of happiness. Others who are less inclined towards religion would probably state that their close relationships are their biggest source of happiness, especially those married with children. Even those without children may say a “loving relationship” would be near the top, which can of course be defined in different ways for different types of people. After all, we all need love, right?
After those two “biggies” that would probably leave finances in the third spot most likely, at least in most polls and studies that I’ve seen. Even if you don’t care to be rich, you still need a certain level of comfort in order to maintain a level of happiness which lasts any length of time. I’m not certain that finances wouldn’t be some peoples top choice for happiness, but of course I’m trying to base my order on reality and percentages that seem more realistic, not on the basis of a small group of money-hungry individuals. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
So what comes next on the list? Most studies and polls that I’ve read put “good health” somewhere on that list, and for good reason! No matter how great your relationships are, or how much comfort you have in life, you pretty much have to be at least somewhat healthy to enjoy them, right? Of course there are those that argue that truly enjoying life means not having to limit the food they eat, or amount of liquor they drink, because happiness for them is doing whatever they want for the joy of the moment. I don’t try to change the minds of those who express those opinions, I just don’t have the time or patience to get through to them! I do admit they have a right to their opinions.
As a nation, we are probably known for our tendency to overindulge a bit, especially when it comes to food. Are we the unhealthiest people on the planet? Possibly, quite possibly. Although the jury may be out on that one, we have to admit that we’re a little lax in this country when it comes to good health. Not everyone of course. There are those that run their marathons, trek faithfully to the gym every day, and have taken up the vegetarian or at least a healthy diet, realizing that we must take care of the only physical container for our spirit we have. Recent polls show that about half of all Americans exercise on a weekly basis or more, which isn’t all that great.
However, is that all there is to good health? Just exercise a few days a week, and watch our diet so we don’t eat too much fattening foods? I really think it’s more than that, I would go so far as to add these to the list:
1. Get regular checkups – they can warn us of any disease before it may be too late
2. Make sure you get enough vitamins and minerals in your diet, most people don’t
3. Don’t forget to relax, get a massage, or take up meditation. Stress is a real killer!
4. Get plenty of sleep; many people have problems with this. See your doctor if you can’t sleep
5. Have lots of social connections, it’s great for long-term health
6. Drink plenty of water
7. Don’t smoke! Pretty obvious…
Anyway, these are just a few tips I like to live by. We should all make an effort to live longer, happier lives and I believe that if you are taking good care of your body you are also more likely to be happy. The mind is very much linked to the body, so if one is out of balance it isn’t very long until it affects the other. So do yourself a favor and take care of both, ok?
To your continues success and happiness!
If you asked someone to name the most important aspects of happiness, what do you think would be the most common answers? Let’s start with maybe the top three, that should make a little bit easier. For many people a belief in God (or a higher power) is their number one source of happiness. Others who are less inclined towards religion would probably state that their close relationships are their biggest source of happiness, especially those married with children. Even those without children may say a “loving relationship” would be near the top, which can of course be defined in different ways for different types of people. After all, we all need love, right?
After those two “biggies” that would probably leave finances in the third spot most likely, at least in most polls and studies that I’ve seen. Even if you don’t care to be rich, you still need a certain level of comfort in order to maintain a level of happiness which lasts any length of time. I’m not certain that finances wouldn’t be some peoples top choice for happiness, but of course I’m trying to base my order on reality and percentages that seem more realistic, not on the basis of a small group of money-hungry individuals. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
So what comes next on the list? Most studies and polls that I’ve read put “good health” somewhere on that list, and for good reason! No matter how great your relationships are, or how much comfort you have in life, you pretty much have to be at least somewhat healthy to enjoy them, right? Of course there are those that argue that truly enjoying life means not having to limit the food they eat, or amount of liquor they drink, because happiness for them is doing whatever they want for the joy of the moment. I don’t try to change the minds of those who express those opinions, I just don’t have the time or patience to get through to them! I do admit they have a right to their opinions.
As a nation, we are probably known for our tendency to overindulge a bit, especially when it comes to food. Are we the unhealthiest people on the planet? Possibly, quite possibly. Although the jury may be out on that one, we have to admit that we’re a little lax in this country when it comes to good health. Not everyone of course. There are those that run their marathons, trek faithfully to the gym every day, and have taken up the vegetarian or at least a healthy diet, realizing that we must take care of the only physical container for our spirit we have. Recent polls show that about half of all Americans exercise on a weekly basis or more, which isn’t all that great.
However, is that all there is to good health? Just exercise a few days a week, and watch our diet so we don’t eat too much fattening foods? I really think it’s more than that, I would go so far as to add these to the list:
1. Get regular checkups – they can warn us of any disease before it may be too late
2. Make sure you get enough vitamins and minerals in your diet, most people don’t
3. Don’t forget to relax, get a massage, or take up meditation. Stress is a real killer!
4. Get plenty of sleep; many people have problems with this. See your doctor if you can’t sleep
5. Have lots of social connections, it’s great for long-term health
6. Drink plenty of water
7. Don’t smoke! Pretty obvious…
Anyway, these are just a few tips I like to live by. We should all make an effort to live longer, happier lives and I believe that if you are taking good care of your body you are also more likely to be happy. The mind is very much linked to the body, so if one is out of balance it isn’t very long until it affects the other. So do yourself a favor and take care of both, ok?
To your continues success and happiness!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Making money online
Hello again,
The more research I do the more ways I find to make money online - which if you haven't figured out by now is my ultimate plan, and my goal is to quit my "day job" by next year. If anybody out there is already doing it, but all means drop me a line or post your website here and I will be glad to check it out. Of course, the one of many ways to get more traffic to your site is post your web address on places like MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, etc. and let people know you exist. Upon until now, nobody knew I existed outside of my articles on many websites (go ahead, google me with "doug hart articles" and see how many you get!).
Anyway, here is my list of ways to make money online so far:
1. Write an ebook and sell it online
2. Start a blog (and write in it daily!)
3. Buy a butt-load of great domain names, and put ads on them
4. Start a website that does nothing but promote other peoples products
5. Sell products on Ebay, CraigsList, or some other auction site
6. Start a "members-only" site, using some skill that you can teach others
These are the best ways that I know of so far, after doing quite a bit of research and reading tons of newsletters, blogs, and internet marketing books. Do they all work? Yes and no. Some work better than others, but in order for ANYTHING to work you have to leverage your particular skill to make it work, and give enough time and energy to see it through. This principle is the first principle in any business, in order to make it work you have to keep at it, tweak it, see what works, drop what doesn't work and do more of what does work. Did anybody say it would be easy? Hell no, but how much would you give of yourself in order to quit your current job so you can work on your computer a few hours a day and make twice the money? Yeah, I thought so...
To your continued success and happiness!
Don't forget to visit my site at http://getpassionforlife.com and check my other products too!
3:58 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
The more research I do the more ways I find to make money online - which if you haven't figured out by now is my ultimate plan, and my goal is to quit my "day job" by next year. If anybody out there is already doing it, but all means drop me a line or post your website here and I will be glad to check it out. Of course, the one of many ways to get more traffic to your site is post your web address on places like MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, etc. and let people know you exist. Upon until now, nobody knew I existed outside of my articles on many websites (go ahead, google me with "doug hart articles" and see how many you get!).
Anyway, here is my list of ways to make money online so far:
1. Write an ebook and sell it online
2. Start a blog (and write in it daily!)
3. Buy a butt-load of great domain names, and put ads on them
4. Start a website that does nothing but promote other peoples products
5. Sell products on Ebay, CraigsList, or some other auction site
6. Start a "members-only" site, using some skill that you can teach others
These are the best ways that I know of so far, after doing quite a bit of research and reading tons of newsletters, blogs, and internet marketing books. Do they all work? Yes and no. Some work better than others, but in order for ANYTHING to work you have to leverage your particular skill to make it work, and give enough time and energy to see it through. This principle is the first principle in any business, in order to make it work you have to keep at it, tweak it, see what works, drop what doesn't work and do more of what does work. Did anybody say it would be easy? Hell no, but how much would you give of yourself in order to quit your current job so you can work on your computer a few hours a day and make twice the money? Yeah, I thought so...
To your continued success and happiness!
Don't forget to visit my site at http://getpassionforlife.com and check my other products too!
3:58 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The key to long-term happiness
In order to really secure a happiness that will last beyond the immediate “rush” of whatever is making you smile at the moment, you must find a balance between all of the major areas in your life. These are easily identified by most people, but we tend to forget how important each component is in our lives until some crisis in one area brings it back into focus. Many people associate only one or two different components in their lives as bringing them happiness: money, spirituality, relationships, or health. However, research has shown unequivocally that it really takes a measure of abundance in each of these main areas to really achieve a true, lasting happiness. In addition, I would add some more to the mix myself, which I will explain later.
Do have a really terrific relationship, but never seem to have enough money to feel secure? Perhaps you suffer from the opposite situation, plenty of money but never finding happiness or satisfaction from your relationships? Everyone would love to have success in both these areas of life, but how to achieve it is the question. I think we get caught up in the “motivation trap” of chasing one dream and tend to forget about all of the other things that make us happy. There is an old saying “he who tries to catch two rabbits, usually ends up with none”. How many people (especially men, I hate to say) are very driven in their careers and make good money, but end up in the hospital due to the neglect to their health? High blood pressure, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, they are all problems that you cannot ignore for long if you want health happiness. You might say “where do I find the time” when it comes to getting healthy?
The truth is most of us waste far more time doing little or nothing, due to our lack of focus in life. We watch TV, talk on the phone, and spend hours surfing the web (guilty as charged!). If you find you can’t exercise due to time constraints, why not fit a 30-minute workout in while the morning before work? Maybe right after work, before going home to relax and have dinner? I have found that a workout actually brings my mental energy back into focus too, which gives me more physical energy. The point is if you want to be healthy, you must find the time to exercise and the discipline to eat better food. Being a fanatic about it isn’t necessary, but some degree of attention towards our health is certainly good, right? Somewhat of a no-brainer, really.
Ok, what about the other important areas? Let’s take spirituality for example. Many people go to church or synagogue to fulfill their needs for spirituality, but do you have to in order to find true happiness? Of course not, but you may find yourself lacking a certain peace of mind if you don’t do some soul-searching once in awhile. Like a feeling that you forgot something, it will continue to gnaw at you until you fulfill this need. We all seem to have a need to believe in a higher power, and most studies show that people that have at least a belief in a higher power feel better about their lives than those that don’t. My guess is it’s a basic human desire to feel connected to this higher power, but church is also a terrific social outlet for people as well.
This brings me to another important component of happiness – relationships. I’m not just talking about husband/wife, or even the immediate family relationship (children, parents, grandparents), although those are all important, right? What about your necessity to be around others, to get out and talk with and meet new people? This is very important to a healthy personality and to happiness itself. You may know of someone that shuns social situations, and if so think about what that person’s level of happiness is. Probably not that great, I’m guessing. We all need to socialize at least some of the time, although not all people have the need as frequently as some others do.
My last pillar of happiness would have to be freedom; we all need a measure of freedom, or independence if you will, to be able to make decisions for ourselves. To feel in control of our lives at some level is quite necessary to happiness. Just think about how hard it would be for you to be happy if you had no choice about what job you could do each day, or where you could live, or what persons you were allowed to spend time with. Let alone the freedoms we take for granted like speech, freedom to leave our homes at will, and express ourselves with music, religion, taste in clothes. The list goes on forever!
I guess my conclusion is, don’t concentrate on just one area of your life thinking it will bring happiness. Sit down and make a list of the things that may need more attention, one pillar at a time, and work on bringing more abundance in that area. Your happiness level should see a definite increase!
To your continued success and happiness!
Visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for more inspiration!
Do have a really terrific relationship, but never seem to have enough money to feel secure? Perhaps you suffer from the opposite situation, plenty of money but never finding happiness or satisfaction from your relationships? Everyone would love to have success in both these areas of life, but how to achieve it is the question. I think we get caught up in the “motivation trap” of chasing one dream and tend to forget about all of the other things that make us happy. There is an old saying “he who tries to catch two rabbits, usually ends up with none”. How many people (especially men, I hate to say) are very driven in their careers and make good money, but end up in the hospital due to the neglect to their health? High blood pressure, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, they are all problems that you cannot ignore for long if you want health happiness. You might say “where do I find the time” when it comes to getting healthy?
The truth is most of us waste far more time doing little or nothing, due to our lack of focus in life. We watch TV, talk on the phone, and spend hours surfing the web (guilty as charged!). If you find you can’t exercise due to time constraints, why not fit a 30-minute workout in while the morning before work? Maybe right after work, before going home to relax and have dinner? I have found that a workout actually brings my mental energy back into focus too, which gives me more physical energy. The point is if you want to be healthy, you must find the time to exercise and the discipline to eat better food. Being a fanatic about it isn’t necessary, but some degree of attention towards our health is certainly good, right? Somewhat of a no-brainer, really.
Ok, what about the other important areas? Let’s take spirituality for example. Many people go to church or synagogue to fulfill their needs for spirituality, but do you have to in order to find true happiness? Of course not, but you may find yourself lacking a certain peace of mind if you don’t do some soul-searching once in awhile. Like a feeling that you forgot something, it will continue to gnaw at you until you fulfill this need. We all seem to have a need to believe in a higher power, and most studies show that people that have at least a belief in a higher power feel better about their lives than those that don’t. My guess is it’s a basic human desire to feel connected to this higher power, but church is also a terrific social outlet for people as well.
This brings me to another important component of happiness – relationships. I’m not just talking about husband/wife, or even the immediate family relationship (children, parents, grandparents), although those are all important, right? What about your necessity to be around others, to get out and talk with and meet new people? This is very important to a healthy personality and to happiness itself. You may know of someone that shuns social situations, and if so think about what that person’s level of happiness is. Probably not that great, I’m guessing. We all need to socialize at least some of the time, although not all people have the need as frequently as some others do.
My last pillar of happiness would have to be freedom; we all need a measure of freedom, or independence if you will, to be able to make decisions for ourselves. To feel in control of our lives at some level is quite necessary to happiness. Just think about how hard it would be for you to be happy if you had no choice about what job you could do each day, or where you could live, or what persons you were allowed to spend time with. Let alone the freedoms we take for granted like speech, freedom to leave our homes at will, and express ourselves with music, religion, taste in clothes. The list goes on forever!
I guess my conclusion is, don’t concentrate on just one area of your life thinking it will bring happiness. Sit down and make a list of the things that may need more attention, one pillar at a time, and work on bringing more abundance in that area. Your happiness level should see a definite increase!
To your continued success and happiness!
Visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for more inspiration!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
How strong is your desire?
What does it take to keep you going in the direction of your dreams? If you have a truly powerful desire to become a new person, or to accomplish something really great in your life, is that enough to get you there? Let me put it another way. We all have things in life we want, some more so than others. But true desire is not measured by mere “wishes”, is it? If you truly have desire for something, it will be on your mind nearly all the time. You cannot go one single day without thinking about it, in fact some would say you have an obsession! That is what a real desire is all about. Do you experience that on a regular basis?
I recently read a very inspirational quote relating to desire:
“Desire is the key to motivation, but it's the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek”. The reason I like it so much is that I also find desire is only the first step in achieving anything, we must also have the unrelenting persistence to keep going no matter what the circumstances. Many people start out with a strong desire to have something, or accomplish something great, but over time lose this desire due to setbacks or lack of motivation. Why is this so? No matter how strong your desire to have something, unless you develop the strongest possible attitude of determination and persistence, you are in danger of losing what you most desire.
I think that many people also feel that they don’t deserve the things they desire most – that they are somehow not worthy of great things in life. If you have that thought for even a second, do yourself a favor and punch yourself in the face. Then repeat over and over again “I am worthy of anything I desire in life” until you never have that thought again. (I’m joking, sort of ). But seriously, you must believe that anything is possible as long as you have the desire and persistence to follow through. Anything in life that is worth having is worth fighting for, and if you desire anything strong enough your happiness depends on seeing it through. There should be no question that you can have it, if your desire is strong enough. Don’t give yourself a chance to give up, or quit, for quitting is not an option. Turn your desire into the one thing in life you cannot live without, and your desire will not let you down.
To your continued success and happiness!
Visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for more inspiration!
I recently read a very inspirational quote relating to desire:
“Desire is the key to motivation, but it's the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek”. The reason I like it so much is that I also find desire is only the first step in achieving anything, we must also have the unrelenting persistence to keep going no matter what the circumstances. Many people start out with a strong desire to have something, or accomplish something great, but over time lose this desire due to setbacks or lack of motivation. Why is this so? No matter how strong your desire to have something, unless you develop the strongest possible attitude of determination and persistence, you are in danger of losing what you most desire.
I think that many people also feel that they don’t deserve the things they desire most – that they are somehow not worthy of great things in life. If you have that thought for even a second, do yourself a favor and punch yourself in the face. Then repeat over and over again “I am worthy of anything I desire in life” until you never have that thought again. (I’m joking, sort of ). But seriously, you must believe that anything is possible as long as you have the desire and persistence to follow through. Anything in life that is worth having is worth fighting for, and if you desire anything strong enough your happiness depends on seeing it through. There should be no question that you can have it, if your desire is strong enough. Don’t give yourself a chance to give up, or quit, for quitting is not an option. Turn your desire into the one thing in life you cannot live without, and your desire will not let you down.
To your continued success and happiness!
Visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for more inspiration!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
What direction is your life going?
Hello again,
Today’s topic is “what direction are you going” – is it in the direction of where you wish to go due to a predetermined thought process? Or, are you just going in the direction away from what you don’t want in life? There’s a huge difference, pick the wrong choice and you are doomed to a life of mediocrity. If you say to yourself “I just want out of this crazy job!” every day, instead of actively working on a plan to make a different path for yourself, you are focusing on the wrong thing completely.
I know we all get off track now and again, but many people I speak with aren’t really focused in any specific direction most of the time. Why is that? Either they don’t have well-defined goals, or they become too caught up in the “minutia” of daily life, the problems, and the setbacks, and lose their focus. First, you must have specific goals that you want to either accomplish in the short term, or long term (hopefully both!). If you don’t have written goals, what path are you following to get where you want to go? This is so critical, if you don’t have a list of written goals I want you to stop reading this right now and go take 20 minutes to make one. Don’t worry, I’ll wait…
Ok, glad you got that accomplished! Ok, so now that you’re focused on what you want in life, you don’t have to worry at all about the other stuff, right? Well, not exactly. When things don’t work out the way we planned due to some unexpected result or event, we have the power to either acknowledge the situation and move on, or dwell on “why this crap always happens to me”. Say I’m working on a way to get myself a promotion at work, and things are looking pretty good. I have suggested some ways to save the company money, and even implemented some plan that will accomplish it with little overhead. The boss is happy, I’m looking good. Then the plan has a setback, unexpectedly, when it looks like it may cost more to implement than I planned. Do I give up? Of course not, I’m so close I can taste it. This is just a bump in the road, and I will just put my mind to work and figure out a way to do it for less.
You see we all have problems and setbacks, but how you deal with them is the difference between success and failure in life. If you have a direction that you know in your heart is what you want, nothing can stop you except you! Dealing with the little things is a piece of cake, right? You have to get to a point where they are all “little things”, because you are so focused on what you want that nothing even slows you down from reaching your goals. Don’t ever avoid problems, become a super-hero of problem solving! After you get good at facing and solving problems, your success is that much closer since you will have so much more time and energy to focus on your goals rather than on problems. That way you will spend the majority of your time chasing dreams, rather than running away from problems!
To your continued success and happiness!
Don’t forget to visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for regular updates!
Today’s topic is “what direction are you going” – is it in the direction of where you wish to go due to a predetermined thought process? Or, are you just going in the direction away from what you don’t want in life? There’s a huge difference, pick the wrong choice and you are doomed to a life of mediocrity. If you say to yourself “I just want out of this crazy job!” every day, instead of actively working on a plan to make a different path for yourself, you are focusing on the wrong thing completely.
I know we all get off track now and again, but many people I speak with aren’t really focused in any specific direction most of the time. Why is that? Either they don’t have well-defined goals, or they become too caught up in the “minutia” of daily life, the problems, and the setbacks, and lose their focus. First, you must have specific goals that you want to either accomplish in the short term, or long term (hopefully both!). If you don’t have written goals, what path are you following to get where you want to go? This is so critical, if you don’t have a list of written goals I want you to stop reading this right now and go take 20 minutes to make one. Don’t worry, I’ll wait…
Ok, glad you got that accomplished! Ok, so now that you’re focused on what you want in life, you don’t have to worry at all about the other stuff, right? Well, not exactly. When things don’t work out the way we planned due to some unexpected result or event, we have the power to either acknowledge the situation and move on, or dwell on “why this crap always happens to me”. Say I’m working on a way to get myself a promotion at work, and things are looking pretty good. I have suggested some ways to save the company money, and even implemented some plan that will accomplish it with little overhead. The boss is happy, I’m looking good. Then the plan has a setback, unexpectedly, when it looks like it may cost more to implement than I planned. Do I give up? Of course not, I’m so close I can taste it. This is just a bump in the road, and I will just put my mind to work and figure out a way to do it for less.
You see we all have problems and setbacks, but how you deal with them is the difference between success and failure in life. If you have a direction that you know in your heart is what you want, nothing can stop you except you! Dealing with the little things is a piece of cake, right? You have to get to a point where they are all “little things”, because you are so focused on what you want that nothing even slows you down from reaching your goals. Don’t ever avoid problems, become a super-hero of problem solving! After you get good at facing and solving problems, your success is that much closer since you will have so much more time and energy to focus on your goals rather than on problems. That way you will spend the majority of your time chasing dreams, rather than running away from problems!
To your continued success and happiness!
Don’t forget to visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for regular updates!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Ten Ways to Re-motivate Yourself
Good Day,
The past few weeks have been sort of unproductive for me, mostly because of certain distractions that for the most part were beyond my control (scheduling problems, personal things that needed attention, the usual). Now I look back and say “how could let myself do this?” I feel as if I accomplished very little, and it’s time to buckle down again, put nose to the grindstone, and get some serious work done! But, how do I do it?
What I need is a way to get “super-motivated”, so I came up with a list of ways to really pile on the motivation. I came up with 10 pretty good ones, most of which I already was utilizing at least some of the time. Let me know if you have some more, I’m always trying to extend this list!
#1 – Change your routine - wake up earlier and be more productive. I usually try to get up at least one hour before l must leave for work, in order to do some quick exercises, go over my plan for the day, and make sure I’m ready to rock n’ roll first thing. I like to change this routine occasionally, so I don’t get in a rut. Even making an extra 20-25 minutes to prepare can leave you in a better mood to start the day.
#2 – Listen to motivational audio on the way to work. Or, if you work at home as I do sometimes, listen as you get ready to work. There are many motivational CD recordings out there, I use ones from Brian Tracy, Tony Robbins, or Bob Proctor, but there are many good ones out there.
#3 – List to inspirational music! I don’t know about you, but nothing gets my blood pumping faster than great music that I love, such as some good Eric Clapton, Green Day, or other hard rock. But anything you have an emotional connection with will work, it’s like magic to pick up your mood.
#4 – Utilize self-talk or affirmations. I do a whole list of affirmations in the mornings, and usually at night as well. But any kind of positive self-talk can really motivate you if used correctly, it’s what you say to yourself that makes the difference.
#5 – Stay away from negative people. This may sound kind of cruel or unkind, but hey, let’s be honest. If you any friends that are really bringing you down, you must either let them know about it and hope they change, or stay away. Life is too short to hang around negative people, and don’t’ think it won’t affect you because eventually it will!
#6 – Take a positive action. Think about what you have been meaning to start, or stop recently. Something you have been putting off, maybe? Take that trip to the gym, start that new diet, finish that book you started 6 months ago, anything really. Just taking a positive direction towards something makes you feel more in control of things, which boosts your self-confidence and self-esteem.
#7 – Start an exercise routine. Ok, I kind of covered this in the last point but it’s really important. This is critical to your physical and mental health, exercise is not an option it is a mandate. If you exercise regularly you will automatically add many years to your life and improve your outlook on life.
#8 – Try zero-based thinking. This is a simple but powerful concept to change your thought process. Is there anything in your life that you would stop doing, looking at the big picture? If you had to go back and do it again, would you? This can apply to a business, a hobby, a girlfriend/boyfriend, a choice you made on something that takes your time and energy. If you wouldn’t do it again, stop doing it now!
#9 – Reevaluate your schedule. Take a serious look at every little thing you do every day for a week. Are you wasting a significant amount of time doing something of little value? Either eliminate if from your life, or drastically cut down on this task or habit. Sometimes just rearranging your schedule can save you time as well, such as doing a “high-value” task early in the day while you’re wide awake and full of energy instead of after lunch when you’re tired.
#10 – Reward yourself. Sometimes it really helps to reward yourself after making a great effort. Why? Because psychologically a reward gives us a boost of pleasure after something that takes extra effort, which will encourage us to do it again. Sounds like “psyching” yourself out, right? Yes, you can fool yourself, although don’t take it to extremes or you will be doing more rewarding than working on moving forward.
These are just a few suggestions, I’m sure you can get creative and think of more. In fact I would encourage it! The more you can get in the habit of boosting your motivation, the more you will accomplish. In turn, you will boost your confidence in reaching the goals you have set for yourself and move faster and farther than you ever thought possible!
To your continued success and happiness!
Don’t forget to visit us at http://getpassionforlife.com for regular updates!
The past few weeks have been sort of unproductive for me, mostly because of certain distractions that for the most part were beyond my control (scheduling problems, personal things that needed attention, the usual). Now I look back and say “how could let myself do this?” I feel as if I accomplished very little, and it’s time to buckle down again, put nose to the grindstone, and get some serious work done! But, how do I do it?
What I need is a way to get “super-motivated”, so I came up with a list of ways to really pile on the motivation. I came up with 10 pretty good ones, most of which I already was utilizing at least some of the time. Let me know if you have some more, I’m always trying to extend this list!
#1 – Change your routine - wake up earlier and be more productive. I usually try to get up at least one hour before l must leave for work, in order to do some quick exercises, go over my plan for the day, and make sure I’m ready to rock n’ roll first thing. I like to change this routine occasionally, so I don’t get in a rut. Even making an extra 20-25 minutes to prepare can leave you in a better mood to start the day.
#2 – Listen to motivational audio on the way to work. Or, if you work at home as I do sometimes, listen as you get ready to work. There are many motivational CD recordings out there, I use ones from Brian Tracy, Tony Robbins, or Bob Proctor, but there are many good ones out there.
#3 – List to inspirational music! I don’t know about you, but nothing gets my blood pumping faster than great music that I love, such as some good Eric Clapton, Green Day, or other hard rock. But anything you have an emotional connection with will work, it’s like magic to pick up your mood.
#4 – Utilize self-talk or affirmations. I do a whole list of affirmations in the mornings, and usually at night as well. But any kind of positive self-talk can really motivate you if used correctly, it’s what you say to yourself that makes the difference.
#5 – Stay away from negative people. This may sound kind of cruel or unkind, but hey, let’s be honest. If you any friends that are really bringing you down, you must either let them know about it and hope they change, or stay away. Life is too short to hang around negative people, and don’t’ think it won’t affect you because eventually it will!
#6 – Take a positive action. Think about what you have been meaning to start, or stop recently. Something you have been putting off, maybe? Take that trip to the gym, start that new diet, finish that book you started 6 months ago, anything really. Just taking a positive direction towards something makes you feel more in control of things, which boosts your self-confidence and self-esteem.
#7 – Start an exercise routine. Ok, I kind of covered this in the last point but it’s really important. This is critical to your physical and mental health, exercise is not an option it is a mandate. If you exercise regularly you will automatically add many years to your life and improve your outlook on life.
#8 – Try zero-based thinking. This is a simple but powerful concept to change your thought process. Is there anything in your life that you would stop doing, looking at the big picture? If you had to go back and do it again, would you? This can apply to a business, a hobby, a girlfriend/boyfriend, a choice you made on something that takes your time and energy. If you wouldn’t do it again, stop doing it now!
#9 – Reevaluate your schedule. Take a serious look at every little thing you do every day for a week. Are you wasting a significant amount of time doing something of little value? Either eliminate if from your life, or drastically cut down on this task or habit. Sometimes just rearranging your schedule can save you time as well, such as doing a “high-value” task early in the day while you’re wide awake and full of energy instead of after lunch when you’re tired.
#10 – Reward yourself. Sometimes it really helps to reward yourself after making a great effort. Why? Because psychologically a reward gives us a boost of pleasure after something that takes extra effort, which will encourage us to do it again. Sounds like “psyching” yourself out, right? Yes, you can fool yourself, although don’t take it to extremes or you will be doing more rewarding than working on moving forward.
These are just a few suggestions, I’m sure you can get creative and think of more. In fact I would encourage it! The more you can get in the habit of boosting your motivation, the more you will accomplish. In turn, you will boost your confidence in reaching the goals you have set for yourself and move faster and farther than you ever thought possible!
To your continued success and happiness!
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