Month: June 2018

The most difficult part of a goal is starting. Starting is the challenge. It’s not the other small details within your goal’s objective, it’s taking the first step. The easiest things can be done, but you have to start.

Some things may be so easy, you don’t start. Procrastination creeps in and you begin to think, “This is so easy. I’ll do it tomorrow.” Tomorrow turns into the next day and the next day turns into next week. Before you know it, next week has slipped into next year.

Even when something is hard to do, you may put a little more thought into it, but because you think it’s hard, you put it off. Your mind goes into making excuses and complaints. “I need to do more research. I have to wait on Jane so she can show me how to do it. It rained today.” You’ll say anything to not start right now.

This happens to all of us. Once you figure out how to actually start, you’ll be able to follow through with your tasks and defeat procrastination. Here’s a few tips on how to start.

1. Eliminate all distractions. This is tough, because distractions are everywhere. Control the distractions that hinder you from starting. If you have to write a report, close out all the tabs on your laptop and start with the blinking cursor. If you want to lose weight, clean out all the junk food in the house. If you want to learn a hobby, buy the necessary items to make it happen. Whatever it is, take action that will lead to doing your task.
2. Don’t start with everyone else. People always want to start something new on Monday. I don’t know why Monday is the magic day of new beginnings, but if you don’t start this Monday, you’ll tell yourself next Monday. Instead of starting on Monday, how about starting on Saturday? Get a head start on everyone else and their Monday’s. Start your New Year’s resolutions on December 1st. Give yourself an advantage, so when that day actually comes, you’ll be ahead of the game.
3. Set up a reminder on your phone. Put a reminder on your phone. Do not turn off the notification until you have started. This may not work for everyone, but for people like me, I don’t like to see that notification bubble that says I have 10 reminders left that haven’t been done. Check those items off and feel a sense of accomplishment.
4. Just start, cold turkey. If you knew how to start, cold turkey, you probably wouldn’t be reading this. Sometimes, you just have to force yourself to fall into a rhythm. It’s hard to do, but it works, if you can do it. See if you can do a ‘hard’ start on that project one day. No complaining, no excuses, no laying around, just get up and do it.

These are just a few suggestions on how to get over that hump. What you have to remember is, it’s up to you to put one foot in front of the other. Know what you want to achieve in the end. It takes smaller steps to create the bigger picture. Don’t be hard on yourself, but know that you have to start. After you make starting a habit, you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish. Let’s get started!

Who gave the word ‘fail’ such a bad reputation? All of our lives, we’ve heard that word. It’s burned into our minds. We feel less than, because of it. The word itself carries so much weight, it can bring down the strongest person.

Let’s look at the word ‘fail’ in a different light. If you replace the word ‘fail’ with the word ‘learn,’ maybe your ego won’t be so hurt. Take a look:

• I failed the test.
• I have failed you.
• You did not succeed, you failed.
• You fail to realize that one plus one equals two.

Now, let’s use the same sentences, with the new word replacement.

• I learned the test.
• I have learned you.
• You did not succeed, you learned.
• You learned to realize that one plus one equals two.

That’s not so bad, is it? See what a little word replacement and perspective can do?

When you fail at something, it feels like you didn’t do it correctly, or you did something wrong. End of story, right? No, it’s not. When that situation happens again, you know exactly what to do to so that it turns out in your favor. You’ve gone through it and you know what to do and what to expect. You’re now one step ahead.

Failure is the process of learning.

Every time you replace the word ‘fail’ with the word ‘learn,’ it may not make perfect sense, but you get it. It’s better than allowing that other heavy word to pull you and your confidence down.

If you can make that connection in your mind, you’ll be better off when you hear it or use it. Failing is not bad. As you can see, you are learning. It happens and it’s a part of life. Don’t let it get you down.

Instead of feeling like a ‘failure,’ you should feel like a ‘learner’! That’s all it is. You didn’t lose – if you’re thinking on the right track, you’ll see that you’re actually learning.  It’s like a puzzle. Some pieces don’t fit together, but if you keep going, you’ll find the right pieces to build together. Eventually, you’ll have an entire masterpiece.

So let’s all change the narrative. Use ‘failure’ as a stepping stone to finding a better way. Make it a constructive word and not a destructive word, as it has been.

Change your perspective. You don’t fail, you learn.

Routines are a good way to increase your productivity. Once you’re in the groove, it’s like clockwork. You’re able to get more done and spend your time efficiently.

We can get so set into a routine that we are afraid to change it. Things that you do everyday in a particular manner could be done in a better way.

So you’ve been doing it like this for years and it works for you. That’s great, but did you know that technology has developed a more streamlined way of doing it? You may not like it, but give it a chance. There are lots of productive ways we could be doing things because of technology. The goal is forward movement.

Also, when you give different things a chance, it juices up your brain. You’ve been on autopilot for so long, your mind probably needs a good jolt, just to keep it in shape. Something as simple as taking another route to work will do the trick. Even if you change the type of exercise you’re doing, that will force your brain and body to improve on a new level.

Adjusting your routine will also build your confidence. When you’re successful at changing your routine, it gives you that extra boost of courage, because you mastered it. It shifted your mind and you conquered that challenge. It lets you know that you can do anything. Even if it goes left, you can handle it.

Don’t allow change to scare you. People hear that word and they freeze because no one wants to go through the hassle of adjusting to something new. Change is good – it enhances your growth and can strengthen your daily productivity. All you have to do is give it a chance.

Working towards your goals can be time consuming. Those late nights and early mornings will catch up to you after a while. You may be so deep into your work, you forget to take a break, but it’s important to take some time for yourself.

To make your dream possible, you have to put in discipline, focus and a tremendous amount of time. If you have a regular job, it makes it even harder to go into that ‘hustle’ phase, after and before work each day.

Take some time for yourself. Whether it’s a vacation or a day or two around town, taking the time to decompress is just as important as working your butt off to make things happen.

When you step away from the work, you allow yourself the space to relax. You’ve been ‘on’ for so long that it’s become a habit. That’s a good habit to have when you’re working on reaching your goals, but you need to look up every once in a while and take a breather.

Your time is valuable, so when you decide to take a break, make it count.

Get a massage, go see a movie or take a long drive to nowhere. Leave your cell phone at home and take a digital vacation. Tell everyone you’re on a break and you’ll reconnect with them at a certain time.  Give your mind a rest so when you get back to your goals, you’ll be refreshed and full of new ideas.

Yes, the other gurus will tell you to never let up and keep going because there’s always someone else trying to take your spot. Trust me, even the gurus take a break. It’s not productive to continuously wear yourself down and expect awesome results. You’ll get better results by pacing your work with your down time.

The mistake a lot of people make is, they take a break and that’s it. They never go back to working on their goals. Their break is permanent. That doesn’t work, at all. You don’t want to take a permanent break, you just want to take some well deserved time to regroup and come back stronger, mentally and physically. Have a binge day on Netflix if you want, just be sure to get back to work.

When you work hard, you allow yourself the privilege to play hard. Don’t cheat yourself by constantly being in hustle mode all of the time. It doesn’t work that way. Take a break and you will be more productive than before!

You’re working hard at completing your goal. During this time, there have been setbacks, fires for you to put out almost everyday and people who haven’t been too supportive – you know, the typical process.

Once you have successfully completed your goal, it’s celebration time! You did what you set out to do and it is, by far, one of your best achievements!

All of this is good and you deserve to celebrate what you accomplished. However, don’t celebrate too long. This is where complacency kicks in.

“I’ll just take a week off – then, I’ll get back to it.” That’s what you tell yourself. Then one week turns into two weeks and you tell yourself, “I’ll start on Monday.”

It’s catching up with you slowly and it’s starting to set in – you’re getting too comfortable and complacent. Comfortably complacent.

No big deal. It happens to the best of us. You’ve achieved your goal and you feel relieved that you can slow down for a moment. Those late nights and early mornings were starting to catch up to you.

Don’t let that comfortable feeling get in the way of your next goal. I know it feels good, but don’t let it take over. Next thing you know, it’ll be this time next year and you’ll wonder what happened.

When you find yourself becoming comfortably complacent, don’t. Start the next chapter of your goals, even if it’s just writing a blueprint of what you’re going to do within a day or so. Do something to keep up your momentum, because once you lose it, it’s hard to get back.

This is why some people advocate the ’24/7, work on your goals night and day,’ lifestyle. If you get complacent easily, that may be the best strategy for you. I’ve learned to take a few days and then, get back to work – it works for me. It’s not easy, but it can be done.

So don’t let yourself get too lazy and comfortable after you’ve successfully completed that humongous goal. Have your celebration, but don’t stay away too long. Complacency awaits you.

Your mind is everything. It is the control center of your existence. No matter what you think, you have the power to make it so.

Average thoughts will get you average results. If you’re thinking, why not think on an elevated level? If someone asks you how much money you want, would you tell them $2? No, you would tell them $2 million (or more)!

It doesn’t hurt to think small. It doesn’t hurt to think big. If you have a choice, you may as well think BIG.

Just because you think it, doesn’t mean it will automatically happen. After you think it, you must put in the work. The ideas behind your thoughts have to come to life.

This is what thinking big entails – it’s the continuous process of ideas and their outcomes. Don’t be scared and stop after the first idea didn’t work. That’s just your cue to keep going until you find what works. There will be times where you’ll need to adapt and adjust until you reach your desired result.

Your brain is a tough piece of matter. It can go on and on, thinking different ideas as long as you allow it. Don’t get sensitive and stop thinking, because something didn’t work out. Think it out and see where those thoughts take you.

Patience is key. When you’re working on your ideas, some won’t work the way you envisioned it. That is totally fine, because that eliminates what doesn’t work. Now, you can come up with another idea. It may not work. That’s two ways it didn’t work. Keep going.

You are the one in control of your own thought process.

You could stop thinking whenever you feel like it, but why would you? This is how unique and creative ideas are born and brought to light. All you have to do is allow the process to move you forward.

Don’t let your thoughts guide you in a negative direction. If you think the outcome may be bad, simply think of something else that will give you a more positive outcome. Sometimes, you may have to take a risk on your choice.

Taking a risk is like taking a gamble on your choices. That’s why it’s called a ‘risk,’ because you’re taking a chance and you’re willing to accept the outcome, whether it’s good or bad. Taking risks is a personal choice, but whatever you choose to do, be sure that you are okay with the outcome, either way it goes. Don’t take a risk if going to jail is a possibility and you know you don’t want to go to jail. If it’s something worth going to jail for, you must be okay with that, because it is a real consequence.

So, please, don’t stop thinking. If it’s a negative thought, dump it. Act on the positive thoughts. Those ‘a-ha’ moments are telling you something. Listen to them.