Dealing With Disappointment

Dealing With Disappointment

Disappointment is one of those things you wish wouldn’t happen, but it always seems to find a way to rear it’s ugly head. Whether you find it coming from yourself or someone else, it has a way of disrupting your flow.

Unfortunately, disappointment is something we’re unable to avoid, but we do have the ability to work around it. Instead of trying to ignore it, be mindful and learn how to deal with it productively as possible.

What Disappoints You?

There are a million ways you can be disappointed. Deception, death, high expectations, sadness, anger, betrayal – it all falls under the umbrella of being disappointed. Whether something is unfair or not, it frustrates you.

It could be someone not showing up on time. Maybe you didn’t get the job you hoped for. Your best friend stole from you. Someone cut you off in traffic. There’s not as much money in your bank account as you thought.

Some of these disappointments are caused by other people, but some of it is caused by you. It’s important to know the difference, because you may not be able to fix other people, but you can definitely fix yourself.

Just know that other people are not you! Don’t expect them to do things the way you would do them – this is one of the easiest ways to disappoint yourself. Of course, we should all have high standards and expectations of each other, but in reality, it just doesn’t work that way.

Waking up in the morning to find there are no socks to wear can be disappointing, but you can fix that so it won’t happen again. Running out of gas while driving on the highway can make you mad, but you can fix that so it won’t happen again. These are situations that you bring upon yourself, but you can fix it. Be accountable and stop disappointing yourself.

Perspective

Think about this: do others upset you or do you allow yourself to be upset by them?

One way is blaming and the other is taking responsibility. People do crazy things – you don’t have to like it, but you don’t have to let it ruin your day, either. That’s life. You don’t have to be offended by every little thing. If you can see it from another perspective, it will help you move on with your day.

We can not stop disappointment from happening. However, it does contribute towards the building of our integrity and character. It can be annoying, but if you can see the situation from a different angle, it can possibly put you at an advantage.

Adjust your outlook so you won’t experience a high level of disappointment. It can be heartbreaking when someone lets you down, but don’t let it become distracting. Some of us are stuck on something that happened ten years ago. It’s hard to forgive and let go, but you don’t want to live in a mental prison all of your life.

Forgiveness is for you, not for them. It allows you to move forward so you can continue to make progress in your life. When you hold a grudge, the other person doesn’t feel it – you carry that burden of disappointment. If you shift your perspective, you’ll enjoy the benefit of controlling your emotions (not your emotions controlling you) and creating a more improved outcome.

It’s Okay To Feel Your Disappointment

When other things disappoint you, especially if it has nothing personal to do with you, let it go. Giving up your energy to silly things can be draining. It sounds simple in theory, but why do we make it hard to do?

Sometimes, it’s the small things that can get to us – someone looking at us the wrong way, it rained when it wasn’t supposed to or your favorite team lost the big game. These type of things will happen. You have no control over it, but you can make the choice to forget about it and keep going. Don’t carry it with you the rest of the day – unless there’s something you can do, accept it and let it go.

Other times, disappointment can be more personal and difficult to deal with. A loved one becomes terribly ill or your child is following the wrong crowd. Situations like these are unable to let go as easily. It may hurt everyday, but the best way to handle it is to be as helpful and as positive as you can.

With some disappointments, there is no concrete way of handling them – you just have to let it run it’s course and work itself out. At the same time, you don’t have to live in it. Acknowledge it, but allow yourself to look ahead and continue to pursue your future.

No matter what happens or how you feel, the world doesn’t stop. There are ways to limit your disappointments and deal with them in a productive way – just don’t let it ruin your life.

#TBT: Emotional Discipline

#TBT: Emotional Discipline

Having emotional discipline is important. Anyone can say anything to push your buttons, but you must recognize when they are doing so, in order to respond accordingly.

This is what catches most people off guard. They get so wrapped up in what others are saying, that they quickly react without thinking. Before they know it, the situation grows out of control.

When you have discipline over your emotions, it allows you to think from a calm place. You can respond instead of reacting, while your mental energy remains intact.

Some Things Don’t Deserve A Response

Realize that no response, is a response. There are some things that don’t deserve your emotional energy.

If you react to everything that happens to you, your energy will be wasted. You will tire yourself out mentally before the day is over with.

Pick your battles. Learn to stay calm and respond from a place of peace. Everything doesn’t deserve your power or acknowledgement. As soon as you give in and react, it’s out of your hands – they win.

Responding vs. Reacting

Some may think that responding and reacting are the same thing, but they carry different meanings.

Reacting is when you answer back to something instantly – it’s your first reaction to what someone has said or done to you.

The first reaction is not always the best reaction. When someone criticizes you, you instantly want to criticize them back. Now, you are in their control because you’ve given your power to them by reacting.

When you respond, you take a second to think. If someone criticizes you, you either ignore them or quietly reply with a smile. It shows that you are not bothered and no matter what they say or do, you won’t stoop down to their level.

When you are in charge of your emotions, you maintain your sense of control. As soon as someone can get you to react, they are in command of the situation.

You Don’t Have To Win Every Argument

Believe it or not, there are some people who like to argue, just for the sake of arguing. It’s like a sport – whatever you say, they will say the opposite, just to spark a reaction.

When we get into heated debates and arguments, our immediate objective is to win. We have to prove ourselves and show that we are right and they are wrong.

When you come across people who like to play ‘devil’s advocate’ for sport, let them win, or don’t participate at all. They will not let go and it will drain the energy right out of you. When they’re done, they walk away with a smile, while you are left feeling defeated, for no good reason.

Discipline Yourself

You may not have the ability to control others, but you can surely control yourself.

Remember, you don’t want to give up your control to anyone else through letting go of your emotions. Letting others successfully push your buttons is a way to break your emotional discipline.

Remain calm and hold your position. Know that some people will say things just to make you angry, but you don’t have to accept their foolishness. Learn to let it go and keep your mental energy in a positive place.

#BeGoalden

Is Revenge The Only Option?

Is Revenge The Only Option?

Thinking of revenge can be a crippling feeling. It happens – someone upsets you or gives you a hard time. They have no idea how they make things worse for you, so you want to get back at them.

You feel some kind of way. In your mind, you think of all the ways you can get even with this person. All you want to do is give them a taste of their own medicine.

We hear people say things like, “sweet revenge” or “revenge is a dish best served cold…” Is revenge really the best way to go about making things better?

Revenge Doesn’t Make You Feel Better

Of course, it feels good to get back at someone. They have no idea how much they hurt you or make things harder for you. All you want to do is get back at them and feel good about it.

Does it really make you feel better? Most people would say yes, but actually, it may have the opposite effect. When you get revenge on someone, most of the time, it makes you feel bad in the end.

In theory, you should feel better, but you don’t. Most times, you end up feeling just as bad for getting back at them. You begin to realize that’s not the person you really are and you’ve stooped down to their level.

The bigger person understands that getting even is not always the best idea. There are other ways to go about getting back at someone, but when you turn around and use the same lowdown strategy that they used on you, there’s a strong possibility that it can make things worse.

There’s Something Deeper Going On

For them, it could be fun to see someone else suffer, just to get a laugh out of the crowd or something could be bothering them on a deeper level than anyone can see.

When people are negative or disrespectful towards you, most of the time, it goes deeper than we can see. They may have some internal issues going on that they don’t know how to handle (things aren’t right at home, they lost their job or something just didn’t go right).

They need an outlet, so they take it out on an easy target. Some people don’t know what to do with their feelings, so they lash out at whoever’s in front of them. It’s a way to ease their own troubles (or so they think) and it takes that burning attention away from them.

It may seem silly, but this is a way that a lot of people escape their own reality or whatever they’re dealing with. Yes, it’s wrong and irresponsible, but know that you don’t have to be wrong back at them, just to prove a point.

Reacting is the first thing you think of when someone treats you this way. Your first thought is “how can I get back at them?” Instead, try thinking, “Something is bothering them and I’m the target.”

Let It Go

There’s no one, concrete answer on how to deal with wanting revenge, but one thing you can do is not allow it to get the best of you.

When you start to think about revenge, it can take you down a dark path. It can consume your energy and your mind. When you’re doing other things, all you can think about is how to get back at them.

You may not realize this, but this person now has control over you because you’ve given them power to get under your skin. Basically, you’re saying, “I give you the power to control how I feel and to make me feel bad all day.”

Before you know it, you’re always in a foul mood. No matter where you go or what you do, it means nothing because you’re constantly thinking about this person and how they made you feel.

They are now living in your head and you’re unable to see and enjoy what’s in front of you. That’s a lot of power to give someone who isn’t even in your space.

Control Your Own Actions

Instead, take your power back. You may not be able to control what they do, but you can control your own emotions and how you respond. Don’t give them your energy by falling into the trap they set for you.

Don’t fall into the trap of someone else having authority over your life. Live your life and be the best you can be – you can believe that they’re watching and waiting for you to fall again.

Take that power away from them and be the bigger person. Let them see you stay calm and positive. This hurts them because they see that it has no effect on you – what they’re doing to you isn’t working. Once you react to them, that’s when you give them power.

So don’t react – respond with kindness. By doing this, you’ll take away their power and they won’t know what to do. Some may continue to go on, but eventually, they’ll run out of steam. Game over – you win, without revenge.

#TBT: Attitude Is Everything

#TBT: Attitude Is Everything

Everyday, we have the chance to wake up and be our best. We don’t have to ask permission or be forced into an average mindset – we wake up as a blank slate. It’s the start of a new day and we get to choose how we go into it.

Exactly, what choice do we have? I can choose to start my day with good intentions. I can choose to start my day being sad. If something happened the night before that really angered me, I may choose to start the day mad because I remembered what happened the night before.

Once we choose how to start the day, it determines our attitude. To wake up being grateful is the perfect way to begin. Think of all the things you’re thankful for and you’ll immediately start the day with happiness.

On the other hand, if you had a bad day yesterday, try not to let it follow you into the next day. If you got a traffic ticket the day before, your attitude may not be the best. Don’t allow that attitude to carry over into the rest of the day or the following day.

A bad attitude has the ability to creep into your mind and live there. Every thought that comes into your head will be greeted with a negative vibe. You’ve already lost before you even begin to have a great personal thought.

Things happen. Your attitude is the measuring stick of your present feelings. If you’re having a great day, you have a great attitude. If you’re having a terrible day, you have a terrible attitude. Have an even, positive attitude no matter what happens. Sometimes we forget, but we do have that choice.

First, have awesome thoughts when you wake up in the morning. You will have a magnificent day – be positive about what may happen. Starting off with an angry attitude sets you up for a negative day. You may bring down a good mood in every room you walk into. Don’t be that person who sucks the energy out of a room because of a funky attitude.

Second, don’t allow a bad attitude to stick with you. Yes, it can be hard to get through the day after something has brought you down, but it doesn’t have to ruin your entire day. If someone passes away, it’s understandable that you’re sad – that’s something that will take a while to work through.

If someone is driving slow in front of you, it may be annoying, but you can adjust your attitude once the situation is over. Don’t carry it into work, lunch and into family time. It’s ridiculous because it is robbing you of an otherwise, potentially great day. Your family will see you being grumpy and it takes away from them (and it’s not even their fault!)

Also, having a terrible attitude may prevent an opportunity from coming your way. I’ve heard of many situations where someone was about to be offered an opportunity, but because of their attitude, it didn’t happen. You’ll never know when an opportunity may present itself, so always have a gracious and positive demeanor.

Another way is to know that each step you take, you’re about to walk into a different situation that deserves a fair shot. You wouldn’t want to see someone, say ‘hello’ and they just snarl at you for no particular reason. Even if you are about to do something you don’t like to do (for example, washing dishes), do it with a smile. It has to get done, so you may as well do it with a smile and make it as happy of a moment as you can.

Having a bad attitude doesn’t help anyone. If you can help it, why not have an awesome attitude whenever you can? It beats being down and giving off bad vibes. It is in your control to be the best you can be. If you don’t have to be a grump, don’t be a grump. Your day will be much better for making that impactful, small decision.

Self-Sabotage Is Holding You Back

Self-Sabotage

Self-sabotage is when you set yourself up for failure. You become unconsciously satisfied with being your own enemy.

It seems backwards – don’t you want to be successful? Why would you run away from accomplishing your goals? Who doesn’t want to work towards a good life?

Your Level of Confidence

Being your own downfall begins with your self-esteem. Throughout life, you’ve become used to coming in last, being in the background or just being non-active.

Some people are born into environments that are anti-productive. This is a situation where you can respond one of two ways: you can become the opposite of your environment, or you can fall into it’s trap.

It’s difficult to go against the grain to become who you really want to be. When your surroundings don’t reflect a path to your vision, it becomes a challenge to fight against it. Even though gravity is pulling you down, you make an intentional effort to pull yourself up.

On the other hand, it’s easy to give in to what’s around you, good or bad. When you live in an unproductive environment, it starts to look normal. It weakens your self confidence and you accept the loser mindset. Your actions begin to mirror your poor self image and it causes self-sabotage.

Leave The Past In The Past

People make mistakes and bad decisions in life. Things can happen out of your control, but it’s your choice to either react or respond.

Another thing that causes self-sabotage is holding on to the past. Whatever happened may have been terrible, but you’re only hurting yourself when you constantly relive the memory and allow it to take up valuable space in your mind.

When you forgive, you’re not giving in to the person that hurt you, you’re allowing yourself to let go of the pain and move forward. Replaying the hurt as if it happened today is what holds you back. When you forgive someone, you free yourself – you take your life back and start to breathe again.

Holding on to the past contributes to self-sabotage. You’re prohibiting yourself from making progress because you’re stuck in that place. This leads to blaming others for your position in life, when really, all you have to do is let go and move on.

Forgiving is not as easy as it sounds, but it’s the only way to give yourself peace and reclaim your life.

Self-Sabotage Can Be Prevented

These are just a couple of ways that self-sabotage can destroy your progress. It can sneak in through various forms, but if you can recognize and prevent it from occurring, you’re one step ahead.

Instead of going with the flow with everyone else, think for yourself. Your choice may not be the most popular, but at least you know it’s how you want to operate.

Do the impossible. Always reach for goals that seem right outside of your grasp. Use your energy to stretch yourself to your potential. Don’t let anyone talk you out of your dreams – continue to increase your confidence (trust yourself), strengthen your mindset (listen to motivational speeches/podcasts and read inspirational books/blogs) and take productive action (learn from your mistakes and setbacks).

Don’t allow self-sabotage to take over your life. As you can see, some people live with it, yet, they don’t know why their lives are miserable or unlucky. When you decide to leave the past in the past, you can level up your surroundings, let go of what happened and create the future you dream of!

Having Empathy Makes The World Better

Having Empathy Makes The World Better

Having empathy goes farther than getting temporary revenge, or becoming angry for the rest of the day. People will cut you off in traffic. Someone may have a hyper child in the doctor’s office. The cashier at the store was rude to you for no reason.

Are people doing these things to be mean? Is it up to you to bring it to their attention or call them out on it? Consider using empathy as a tool to keep calm and carry on.

What Is Empathy?

Empathy is the experience of the feelings, thoughts or attitudes of another person. Instead of having a bad attitude right back at the other person, you understand where they are coming from and possibly why they did what they did.

When someone cuts you off in traffic, are they doing it just because they can, or are they in a rush to the hospital? Normally, we think of other people as being rude and obnoxious – they want things their way and they don’t care who they hurt in the process.

Having empathy allows you to make room for understanding. There’s no doubt that some people are just rude and obnoxious, but not everyone. Some people have a very good reason for speeding or breaking down at work. It’s not always the case, but let’s be more considerate before we judge and react.

Empathy Is Better Than Bitterness

One day, I was in the store with my mom and sister, in the checkout line. There was a lady in the front of us, rudely talking to the cashier. “If you didn’t want to be here, you shouldn’t have came to work! Your attitude is unacceptable!”

As we approached the cashier, we could see that she looked a mess, crying and going through the motions of ringing up our items. She didn’t greet us or look at us. She didn’t even tell us our total for us to pay.

As a child, I felt bad for her because she was obviously hurting and the lady before us didn’t help the situation by creating a distraction for others to see. My mom payed for our things and as we were leaving the store, the supervisor apologized to us.

“I’m sorry about that – she’s had a rough morning. She found out that someone in her family passed away.” That explains it all.

The cashier wasn’t being impolite or disrespectful on purpose. People handle grief differently – maybe she wanted to work to take her mind off of the death in her family. The lady before us didn’t help the situation by mouthing off and being rude.

Be Mindful Of Others

Make an attempt to be empathetic before judging. Yes, there are some people out there who do things just to show off or because they feel like it, but there are others out there who are dealing with more than we know.

The same way you want others to be considerate and have empathy for you, have the same consideration and empathy for others. Again, it’s not always the case that people have a good reason for doing something out of the ordinary, but it gives you peace for yourself, as opposed to being angry for the rest of the day.

Don’t waste your good energy, when you don’t know the whole story. It’s easy to judge, but it’s hard to have empathy. Let’s be more human to each other. People look for attention in the wrong ways – sometimes, all they need is for someone to understand and listen.

Be the example and show the world what true empathy looks like.

#TBT: Adversity: How To Get Back Up

Adversity: How To Get Back Up

Things seem to be going along just fine, and then, out of nowhere – you encounter some type of adversity. Life happens and screws up your plans. You’re left wondering what went wrong, among other confusing questions.

As you can see, life doesn’t go according to your plan. There’s no doubt that it stings, but at the same time, you don’t have to sit there and take it. This is simply a new starting point, perhaps even a rebirth, of your life.

Life Happens

When things occur unexpectedly, your first reaction is emotional. Thoughts of guilt and self-pity flood your mind, as you become more and more discouraged.

It doesn’t help that your friends and family are supporting those negative feelings. They pat you on the back and tell you everything will be fine. Some will provide an escape for you – “I knew your boss didn’t like you – that car saw you coming and they still hit you…” They think it’s helping, but actually, it relieves you of the responsibility of having a more positive outlook.

Yes – responsibility. “But it wasn’t my fault…” you say. This may be true, but the responsibility of fixing it and moving on, is yours. No one else can do this for you, so you have to hold yourself accountable, even if you did nothing wrong. You can wait for someone to save you (which some people do), but then, you’d be neglecting the skills you’re about to build to become a better person.

Get away from the chatter and allow yourself some time to think things through. You know how messed up it is – you don’t need others to confirm that for you. After your emotions settle, the next step is to figure out what you’re going to do to gain some ground.

Being overly emotional never helps, even though it’s the first thing most people do. All the whimpering and whining only drags you deeper into a downward spiral of darkness. It doesn’t make the situation any better, but it makes you feel comfortable.

We think of how horrible it was and who to blame because it didn’t work out. It’s easy to point the finger at someone else. How often do we think of it as an opportunity? Not only can you start over the way you want to, but you will strengthen your skills and stretch your abilities as you go.

Facing Adversity

How do you pull through, when it seems everything is working against you? One thing you don’t want to do is work against yourself. When your emotions take over, that’s when you start to play ‘victim’.

That’s not what we’re going to do. History shows that humans are creative and resilient during times of challenge. There are plenty of examples of people who hit rock bottom, only to rise and touch the sky.

It’s been proven – if you’re human, you can do this.

First, go ahead and let your emotions out. Cry, curse, scream – do whatever it is you need to do. It’s not good to hold all of that unworthy, negative energy inside your body. It only leads to more anxiety and stress, which you certainly don’t need right now.

Here’s where it gets tricky – don’t stay in your emotions. Have your emotions, but don’t live there. This is where people get stuck, because they don’t want to face any more adversity than they have to. They stay in those ‘victim’ thoughts, only to never rebound.

Second, make a list of things you need to do in order to move forward and out of your slump. The day can easily get away from you when you don’t have it written down. Checking things off of your list gives you a sense of accomplishment and a new positive perspective on what you are capable of doing.

Third, start moving. Studies show that movement and exercise improves your mood and brain activity. It also helps tremendously with your stress levels. Once you start moving, your brain will turn on and begin generating new ideas. You’ll start to actively think, instead of being stuck in your feelings.

Fourth, take care of your responsibilities. Don’t let everything fall apart, just because of a hiccup in your life. You’re still in control and your obligations don’t stop, so continue to handle them.

The World Still Turns

You can either lay down and take it, or you can stand up and take it. It won’t be the last time you experience adversity, so it’s best to know what to do now, so you can be stronger and handle it better the next time. Be flexible, so you can make your way out of any position, good or bad.

Get used to change. The foundation of your life is still the same, it’s just that the way you’re used to going about it has shifted. There are still things that need to get done and goals that need to be reached. This is the time to build yourself into exactly who you want to be, according to your own personal blueprint.

We all fall. Everyone else thinks they know how to solve your challenges, but you have to trust yourself. Remember that this is your fight and you’re going to win. Listening to suggestions may help, but the final decision is yours.

Adversity forces you to recognize the challenge and adjust to a new way of thinking. You will either forge a new path and become successful, or you’ll sit in the same place (still wondering why), for years to come.

You’re not a tree. Get up and grow to the next level of your life.

#BeGoalden

3 Strategies For Creating A Productive Day

3 Strategies For Creating A Productive Day

Throughout the day, we experience various situations that affect us. There are things that occur out of our control, yet, we allow it to navigate our daily lives.

If you want to have a productive day, you must put forth the effort to create it. Many times, we get up in the morning and we go wherever the day takes us. There are 3 strategies that can contribute to you having a more focused and productive day.

Start Having A Productive Day

  1. Know what needs to be done and do it. Creating a schedule, or a list of things to do, will work for your benefit. If you let the day lead you, there’s no guarantee that it will be productive. Direct your day and complete the tasks that need to be done. Don’t be wasteful with your time. Things may happen out of the blue and some of it may not get done, but making a physical effort will get you farther than having no plan at all.
  2. Change your language. When we wake up in the morning, most of us are thinking, “It’s going to be a long day – I really don’t feel like going to that meeting – another day, another dollar…” That’s the language of defeat – no wonder your days haven’t been productive. Words have power, but when you give that power away with your negative language, it will work against you all day. Be grateful when you awake. Speak positive by saying things like, “Today is the day – everything will work in my favor – I will make today great!” Don’t just say it, feel it and make it happen. Be happy that you get another opportunity to enhance your life the way you want to.
  3. Adjust your emotions. Many times, we go off of our emotions when different things happen. We allow our environment to determine how we feel. If someone is mad about something, that doesn’t mean you have to be mad, too. Let it go and focus on having a good day. If you get a speeding ticket, don’t let it take over your day, or your week, by continuously being angry. You do have a choice to let the little things go by not allowing it to consume your life at the moment. Don’t let 15 minutes of bitterness hold you hostage for the rest of the day. Feel it, let it go and move on.

Playing Mental Defense

All of these strategies will take time to work into your life. When you allow outside factors to control and dictate how you move, your productivity becomes nonexistent. It’s your choice to make, whether you want to take advantage of the day ahead of you, or if you will let it flow with the wind.

Be prepared for when things happen out of your control. Play mental defense when it comes to Negative Nancy’s, social media and gossip. You know the distractions are out there and it’s going to happen, so be ready to respond constructively.

As long as you know what you need to do, change your self-talk and play productive defense, you will become successful at creating a more productive and positive day. Remember: control the day – don’t let the day control you.

#BeGoalden

How To Cope With Constructive Criticism

Constructive criticism can be hard to take. You feel like you know what you’re doing and no one else can tell you any different.

People who give unsolicited advice are just jerks. They think they know more than you and want to appear smarter. Someone’s always trying to outdo you.

This isn’t always the case. In some instances, people see you being productive and they simply want to give support and help.

Take Your Feelings Out Of It

Let’s understand something: whenever you are making a decision that’s not personal, take your emotions out of it. This is where most people mess up.

We live in a world where everyone is sensitive and you have to watch what you say. People are easily offended and it gets in the way of good business.

This is not how you should operate. Your emotions have nothing to do with your productivity or your work, so keep them out of the equation. There have been very bad outcomes because someone acted on their feelings, as opposed to being logical.

Emotions can do more harm than good. When you let your feelings dictate how you do business and go about your goals, it gets very personal and causes confusion. It may seem very cold, but you must learn to keep your personal feelings separate from your goals and business.

Constructive Criticism Is There To Help

Now that we’ve gotten our emotions under control, let’s see how we can learn how to tolerate constructive criticism.

Constructive criticism is when someone tells you how to do something another way, in order to get better results. The thing is, most people don’t like others telling them when they may be doing something wrong.

There are some people who will talk, just to be talking, but there are others who really want to help you on your journey. They see something that you may not be able to see at the moment and want to offer a suggestion.

Don’t get caught up in your emotions and start thinking, “Who are they to tell me what to do? I know what I’m doing!” Sometimes, this type of thinking will hold you back.

Keep an open mind and take heed to their advice and give it a try. If it works, that’s awesome – if it doesn’t work, don’t get mad, just keep going.

Constructive Criticism Isn’t Always Bad

It can be difficult to decide who’s really being honest with their constructive criticism. Would you want your ego to get in the way of you receiving good advice? No, so you need to be able to tell who is on your side.

Everyone communicates differently, so it can be hard to tell. For the most part, someone who is offering productive advice will take the time to speak with you in private or give you an explanation as to how you can improve. Others will say it in a way that may embarrass you or make you feel inferior.

Constructive criticism is helpful. There are good people who want to see you win. Be grateful that they are generous with their knowledge and willing to share. Don’t be the person with the big ego and learn things the hard way.

Keep An Open Mind

The one thing you don’t want to do is reject every idea. No one wants to be criticized in a negative way. It’s important that you keep an open mind and determine who is helpful and who is not.

Therefore, don’t dismiss it all as weak information. You’ll be able to tell who’s being sincere and who’s pulling your leg. Their input could be the tip you need to get to that next level.

In the end, you want to accomplish your goal, successfully. Along the way, you will encounter people who want to see you win and those who want to see you lose. Leave your emotions out of it, align yourself with those who want to support you and return the favor by helping someone else in the future.

#BeGoalden

How Emotions Can Prevent Your Journey To Success

How Emotions Can Prevent Your Journey To Success

Everyone has their emotions. Some days, we feel happy and some days we feel sad. Most of the time, we don’t really know why, we just know that we feel that way.

Your emotions play a huge part in the outcome of your goals. Results aren’t based on emotions, they are mostly based on logic. It goes back to your mindset – if you believe you can, then you can. The opposite also holds true.

Do you make decisions based off of your emotions? When was the last time you put your feelings aside in order to make things happen?

Emotions Can Get In The Way

Have you ever had to make a choice, whether to go with your head or your heart? You may go with your heart, but when it comes to results, technically, your head should win every time.

Emotions can cloud your best judgment. When you think with your feelings, you expect others to think that way, as well. You think that maybe they’ll like you more or things will go the way you want them to go. That’s not always true.

That’s because business has nothing to do with emotions. Remember, you can control your emotions – you don’t have to react to everything. No one cares how you were feeling at the time. Feelings don’t create results.

Things Just Need To Get Done

Guiding your decisions with your emotions will end up leading you down a path you didn’t want to be on. Save your feelings for baby showers and cute pets.

When it’s time to get things done, your emotions can cause you to procrastinate. You’ll sit there and contemplate on which scenario will work out better. If it doesn’t work out, then you feel even worse for not making a better, fact-based decision.

If you allow your brain to lead you, the outcome will be more solid and stable. There’s no emotions in figuring out solutions – it will either work, or it won’t. There’s no need to feel sad or angry about it. Make the adjustment and move forward. This is how things get done.

Remove Emotions, Remove Drama

When you lead with your heart, especially concerning goals and business, it almost never ends well. Basing decisions off of your emotions will lead to more drama and your feelings will get hurt (because you’re emotional).

Removing your feelings is the best way to handle things. You’re able to think clearly and be more reliable. The results will make logical sense and everything will flow more smoothly.

Also, you won’t get involved on a personal level. Once you put your feelings into a project, it becomes personal. It creates drama and friction with others. Everyone doesn’t feel the same way about everything, so just come with the facts and not your feelings.

Time Management And Emotions

Being emotional can take up so much of your time and effort. It often delays the process of taking action.

Make an attempt to simplify things. Overthinking and injecting your feelings will only waste more time. If you want things to get done, your focus should never be on how something makes you feel.

Concentrate on the results, which come from a direct mind, not an emotional mind. If you want the best outcome, don’t give in to your feelings.

Move Forward, But Without Your Feelings

If we did things whenever we felt like it, nothing would get done. We tend to get caught up in how certain things make us feel and we don’t follow through as efficiently as we should.

You’ll never lose weight if you feel like eating junk food. You’ll never be a chess champion if you feel like looking at social media all day. You’ll never be a success at anything, if you never feel like it. Stop waiting to ‘feel like it’ and just do it!

Discipline wins over emotions, every time. Think about where you want to be, put your feelings aside and put in the work. If you always operate from an emotional standpoint, you’re making things harder than they have to be.

Let’s get in the habit of making decisions from a sensible place. Don’t let your emotions prevent your success.

#BeGoalden