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Help! I’m Stuck: How To Increase Your Energy, Master Your Money and Control Your Time

As a senior in college, I had three jobs. Two jobs were paid and one was an internship. As a full-time college student, there was a lot on my plate.

I went to school Monday through Friday. I worked during the week and on the weekends, as well. It was a nonstop schedule, but I liked the challenge of making it work.

Back then, my energy wasn’t a problem. You wouldn’t hear the words, “I’m tired,” come from my mouth. We were college students, who had time to be tired?

When I went out with friends, I always had money – my money. I never had to wait on my parents to send me money or bug them about it. With two paying jobs, I was financially set (at least as a college student).

I had to plan my time carefully. There wasn’t any room for forgetful mistakes. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I went to class from 8am to 2pm. Afterwards, I would do homework and catch the bus by 4pm to go to work.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I had classes from 8am to 11am. I would go to my internship from noon to 4pm.

After work during the week, I would go to the library and study from 9pm until it closed at midnight.

On Saturday and Sunday, I worked from noon to 6pm. This was my schedule for an entire year.

Fast Forward To Now

When I think back on how I managed it all, it amazes me. If you asked me to do that same schedule today, it would surely be a challenge.

Things have changed over the years. Since technology has made most things easier, it seems as though life should become easier.

Instead of physically going to three jobs, seven days a week, I probably could’ve worked from my dorm on a computer. Maybe, instead of waiting for the bus, I could’ve called Uber. Going to the bank to deposit my check could have been replaced with direct deposit.

All of these things could have saved me energy, money and time. It sounds easy in theory, but we still have a tough time with these things today.

Making the Most Out of Your Energy, Money and Time

Your energy, money and time are the most important habits to develop in life. Not only can distractions take up your time and drain your energy, if you’re not careful, it can cost you money, too.

Being responsible with your energy, time and money can be beneficial. Everything you do in life, at some point, will intersect with at least one of these qualities. Having low energy, no money and no sense of time, will stall any progress you intend to make.

Also, it sets a solid foundation for your work ethic. It allows you to be dependable, trustworthy and responsible. You’ll have the ability to take on any situation, in a professional manner.

All of these qualities don’t happen on their own. Like anything else, it will take discipline and focus to reach your desired results. As you practice these skills, it will give you the confidence towards building a better you.

3 Things You Never Want To Waste

As you get older, you’ll learn there are 3 things that will slip away from you, if you aren’t careful.

Energy

Having the ability to do something for a period of time, without easily being worn down, is energy. There is physical energy and mental energy.

The good thing about both types of energy, is that it can be replenished. If you become tired, all you need to do is rest or get some sleep. Like a cell phone, you’ll charge back up and be ready to go!

You’ll want to direct your energy towards the most important things throughout the day. We experience peak energy times at various points and should take advantage of them.

Eating healthy and exercise contributes to our energy levels. Food is fuel for the body. Sometimes, we can get sidetracked by how good something tastes and indulge a little too much. This is what slows us down in our day-to-day actions.

Food is meant to give us energy. It helps to carry us through the day, even when stress is present.

Mental energy can be regulated, as well. When it comes to making decisions, our mental energy can easily become depleted. Routines and rituals can help preserve your mental energy for more difficult decisions.

Protecting your mind from negative energy is a habit that demands constant practice. It gives you a chance to improve and to become the ultimate thought leader.

Money

Being attentive to your finances will serve you well in life. The earlier you learn to control your money, the better off you’ll be.

People have different opinions about money. Some view it in a negative way, while others see the opportunity it can provide.

Money is versatile. It has the ability to support your lifestyle and to help you achieve goals. No matter how you see it, money is a resource that could help or harm any situation. In this book, we will learn how to manage it for our benefit.

The good thing about money is, if you lose it, you can always make more. As long as you apply the knowledge that guided you in the first place, you should never be broke.

Time

Time is the only resource that cannot be replaced. You can rest to restore your energy and you can replace money by working. No matter what you do, time cannot be captured, nor recovered.

The only way you can rewind or fast forward time is on a recording. It is a measurement that keeps going at a steady pace everyday, yet, it never stops.

We all depend on time. From the moment we wake up, to the moment we fall asleep, there are countless responsibilities that need to be handled. Without it, we wouldn’t be nearly as productive.

People always tend to put things off until tomorrow. Think of how much time has been wasted, every time we say that. Time doesn’t consist of ‘rollover minutes.’ Once it’s over, there’s no way to get it back. Therefore, we should learn how to use it wisely.

These are the 3 things that will carry you through all aspects of life, from beginning to end. Depending on how you respond, these habits will determine how easy or hard your journey will be.

We’ve all heard people say:

“I wish I had more energy.”

“I wish I had more money.”

“I wish I had more time.”

This doesn’t have to be you. Learn how to maximize your energy, money and time. The earlier you learn this, the better off you’ll be. Even if you’re older, you can still learn how to save it all.

Once you get these 3 habits down to a science, your quality of life will improve. The foundation you are building will make you mentally and physically stronger, financially capable and mindfully conscious. You will become the person you’ve always wanted to be.

Let’s start your journey.

Excerpt from the personal development series, “Help! I’m Stuck: How To Increase Your Energy, Master Your Money and Control Your Time.”

Available at Amazon.

How To Win the Day

When we wake up in the morning, most of us act on autopilot. We go through this routine that needs to be done and we simply go about our day, hoping it will turn out well.

If you want to have a good day, you have to make it come about. Hoping and wishing will only take you so far. There are things you can do to ensure that you win your day, before it unfolds.

Think it. Go over in your mind how you want your day to go. See your meeting being successful. Envision drinking water and having a healthy lunch. Anticipate having a productive day, where you create solutions and add value to the team. By seeing it in your mind first, you will already have a head start on how things will go. Visualizing helps to guide the outcome in your favor.
Follow through. After you ‘see’ how great your day is going to be, do it. This is where the challenge lies. You can think of having an awesome day all you want, but you have to put effort behind it. It won’t happen magically. Once you think it, you must follow up with the type of actions that will create that awesome day for you. It starts in the mind, but you have to follow through and act it out to get those results.
Give compliments and be supportive of others around you. When you have a pleasant energy about you, it spreads to others. In order to make your day great, the people around you have to be in the same boat. Although you’re unable to change anyone, you can direct the process by giving them a compliment or by helping them get over a challenge. Not only does it make you feel good, it also encourages them to have a good attitude, which leads to being more productive. It’s a win-win for everyone!

As you can see, there are many ways you can improve the outcome of your day. Allowing your day to float along without any effort from you, can lead to stressful and ineffective reactions.

Take control of your day before it begins. This allows you to have a positive start towards a positive day. As you go throughout your day, remember, you are in control of how you respond.

Winning your day starts with you. By thinking it out, following through and being supportive, you can have your best day, everyday!

#BeGoalden

How To Create Luck

We hear people say, “I got lucky.” Luck does exist to an extent, but it’s not something you want to depend on blindly to carry you through life.

They type of luck we’re talking about is built on intentional effort. You can create your own luck by having discipline, focus and being persistent. Build your foundation by creating your own luck, using these 3 characteristics:

Discipline. Being able to do things when you don’t feel like it, takes discipline. Getting up earlier than normal to put in extra work, takes discipline. Trying again after you failed 2 times before, takes discipline. Moving forward after people have criticized your efforts, takes discipline. Exercise your discipline muscle everyday – it’s the only way you will see results.
Focus. Giving strict attention to one thing is focus. It’s not jumping up to answer the phone when it rings. Your focus allows you to work on your goals fluently, without giving in to interruptions or distractions. Get focused if you want to see your luck happen.
Persistent. You can’t have luck if you give up. Being persistent is what makes luck happen. Giving in just because you’re tired is the weak approach. Persistence is continuing the process until something happens. Nothing short of death will stop you from making progress. This is what luck is made of.

As you can see, getting lucky takes hard work. No matter what your goal is, discipline, focus and persistence will create your luck, every time. No magical outside forces are needed to make it happen.

What attracts being unlucky? Mindlessly watching television, gossiping, scrolling through junk on social media and having desperate, uninspired conversation.

These things don’t contribute to luck because they don’t lead to productivity. Laying around in bed, waiting for life to happen, is a sure way to being unlucky. It doesn’t enhance your plans in any way.

It’s easy to be unlucky, but it takes positive and mindful action to become lucky. Think about your end goal and work backwards to where you are now. Take the first step. No more research, but physical action – making that phone call, eating that salad, or walking for 20 minutes.

By utilizing these 3 characteristics of luck, you can create your success many times over. Begin with baby steps.

Don’t do what everyone else is doing – whatever they’re doing isn’t going to help you. Create your own luck.

Participate In Your Life

Show up. Jump in. Fall down and get back up again.

It’s amazing the number of people who watch their life pass them by. Opportunities present themselves and they just won’t budge.

Why are you here? You get upset when someone wastes your time, but you won’t even be proactive in the life you live.

It’s your life!

You are the director and the star! You have creative control over what direction you want your movie to go in.

It’s not supposed to happen to you, you are supposed to make it happen!

Don’t let other people determine the end of your story. You can’t blame anyone but yourself if it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to.

This is all on you. Yes, it will be challenging. You will want to quit. You will see other people succeed before you. They are not your concern. That is not your movie.

Fight the negative chatter in your head. Replace it with positive affirmations. Keep moving forward. This is how you create your own outcome.

When you get a chance to do something positive, do it. That chance could turn into an opportunity to push you forward even more. Don’t get to the end of your life and wonder what would have happened if you did it. Do it so you’ll know what happens.

Make the necessary moves you need to make. Mom and Dad can only guide you so far. You must enhance your ability to grow and that only happens when you take action.

Participate in your life. It was made for you to design. Don’t hold back – do everything you wish you could do. Don’t let it pass you by.

You only get one. Make your dream come true.

Position Yourself To Win

In life, it’s easy to get caught up in the everyday normal routine. Wake up, go to work, come home, prepare dinner, watch TV, take a shower, and go to bed. Rinse and repeat.

Although the routine helps push the day along efficiently, we get so stuck in the pattern, we forget to think through most of it.

We are responsible for what happens in the situations we control. I’m not talking about when ‘life happens’ and throws us a curve ball, I’m talking about what we do to direct our own future.

No one owes you anything. Whatever happens to your goals and dreams is up to you and how bad you want to achieve it.

Position yourself to win.

One way to position yourself to win is to do more. Take those extra classes, pay the bills early, stay up a little later to finish your tasks – whatever it takes to put you ahead, do it.

If it seems like a little too much, that’s because it is. Normal people do normal things. Magnificent people do magnificent things. It’s your choice as to what type of life you want to lead.

Another way to position yourself to win is to take care of yourself. You can only operate on half a tank for so long before you give out.

There are times where you’ll need to do more than necessary to get to where you’re going, but at the same time, take care of yourself. Getting 3 hours of sleep may work for a couple of days, but to make that an everyday habit is not good for your body or your mind and will ultimately slow you down.

Eat healthy, talk a walk/run, play with the kids, get a massage – self care is how you’re able to do more. If you don’t take care of yourself, nothing will get done.

When you position yourself to win, you are prepared for anything that comes your way. It’s a good feeling to have most things taken care of. When something happens, you’ve already prepped for it to be handled. Other people would be scrambling, trying to find a solution or a band-aid to hold it together until they can manage.

It takes some sacrifice, but that’s the price of being great. When you have positioned yourself to win, things happen. Doors will open up and opportunities will begin to flow. All it takes is a little sacrifice and positioning.

If You’re Going To Quit

If you’re going to quit, then quit:

procrastinating
being hard on yourself
sabotaging your goals
accepting defeat
whining
gossiping
eating junk food
being lazy
lying to yourself
feeding your mind garbage
letting things control you
settling for less
being complacent
accepting what has always been
giving up
wasting time
listening to nonsense
being dramatic
worrying
being indecisive
feeling sorry for yourself
comparing yourself to others
making excuses
getting distracted
complaining
blaming
dodging responsibilities

By all means, go ahead and quit.

Your Achievements Are Not Mistakes

Have you ever worked really hard on a goal and you actually achieved it? Maybe you got lucky this time and things worked out – or, maybe it’s not really for you, it was a mistake – or, maybe you consistently put in the time and effort and you’re FINALLY reaping the benefits.

You’re so used to seeing other people achieve success, you begin to think that it can’t happen to you. Like a hamster on the ever-spinning wheel, you do the work, but it feels like you’re going nowhere.

“Why me?” you think. Why not you? There may be some successful people who had an advantage when they started, but it doesn’t mean that you aren’t able to see your success.

When you do become successful, you may be hesitant and think that it was a mistake. Imposter syndrome kicks in and you don’t feel like it’s really yours to hold.

You’re proud of other people and you cheer them on. What about you? You can be a fan of yourself, just as much as you are a fan for others. It doesn’t make you selfish or arrogant. We are all here on this planet to help each other, but in the process, don’t forget to help yourself, too.

It’s OK to put yourself first.

Give yourself credit for what you accomplish – don’t wait for permission to be proud. IT IS YOURS! You did it, you overcame those obstacles that tried to stop you, you fell down, but got back up, it was you that kept your faith and your focus!

Don’t minimize your success. It is not a mistake. Smile, be happy for what you did. You’re quick to be happy for others when they succeed – you need to be even happier when you succeed. Don’t downplay it. You deserve it.

At the same time, comparing your journey to someone else’s doesn’t work. Everyone is on a different path and they have different ways of getting to their destination. You don’t know what they’ve been through and they don’t know what you’ve been through. Everyone’s battle is their own.

Keep your eyes on your prize. When you reach your goal, go ahead and celebrate it! This is what you’ve worked for. The sacrifices you’ve made were worth it. The vision you’ve been imagining for so long is becoming clear, right before your eyes. This is what you committed to – this is what you wanted.

Don’t devalue yourself. It’s not a mistake. Your future is what you make it, day in and day out. Claim it and prepare for your next upcoming success.

The Sky Is the Limit

Who knows where the sky ends? It keeps going on and on – it’s final destination does not exist. Therefore, it is limitless, meaning it is without limits.

Who would be crazy enough to put a limit on a beautiful creation, such as the sky?

Yet, we place limits on ourselves all the time. We even allow others to place limits on us.

The dangerous part is: we believe it and accept it as true. Then we live it.

Do you realize how much time is wasted believing in something that is absolutely not true?

Better yet, let’s not waste time thinking about that. It’s time to move on. Become who you are. That idea that’s been in your head all this time? Let’s do the research and see if it works.

The sky is the limit. Drink some water and think it through to action.

You don’t know what you are capable of, until you remove your limited way of thinking.

Let this be the last time you utter the words, “I can’t.”

There will always be someone there to push back on every idea and thought you have. Unless you’re around the right people, it’s best to keep those ideas and thoughts to yourself.

Get around those who want to see you thrive and succeed. Learn to believe in the positive support instead of the negative trash. Don’t choose to give your energy to the bad things others say, but give your energy to the greatness that you know you possess!

There’s always room for growth. We’re all great at something. Letting others put a cap on your abilities will mentally hold you back. Don’t listen to them, as they are reflecting their insecurities on you. Just because they didn’t do it, they want to tell you that you can’t do it.

That is not you. The sky is the limit. It can be achieved, but not if you have a limited mindset. Stop allowing other people to put their issues on you. Become self-aware and know who you are. Keep doing the work, whether you’re working on your personal growth or on an outside project.

Continue to do your best. The last thing you want to say in your old age is, “I wish I would have…”

The sky is the limit.

Reacting vs. Responding

Let’s talk about reactions and responses. When there’s a situation, are you the person who reacts or responds? Being a responder is better than being a reactor. Let’s look at the example:

On your way home from work, there is a car accident that happens right before your eyes. The cars collided head on and no one, in either vehicle, is moving. You race from your car to the scene and try to assess the situation. You have called for help. This accident looks pretty bad, but you are talking to the victims, keeping them calm. You let them know that help is on the way and ask if there is anything you can do to help. The dispatcher tells you to keep the victims still, as much as possible. You are communicating back and forth with the victims and letting them know that everything is under control. There is light conversation between you all, until the ambulance arrives. They take over and the police is asking what happened and you calmly tell them what you saw.

Or, the story could go like this:

On your way home from work, there is a car accident, right before your eyes. The cars collided head on and no one, in either vehicle, is moving. You race from your car to get a closer look. “Oh, no! Look at all the blood,” you scream as you run between the two cars. “This is so bad — this is really bad. OMG! I hope you don’t die!” you exclaim. Meanwhile, the victims in the cars are crying and upset, as you run around, having a holy fit. “Somebody call for help!” one of the victims scream. “Where’s my phone?! I think I lost my phone!” you continue as you scramble around the scene. Fortunately, someone passing by has called for help. When the ambulance arrives, the victims are so emotional and confused that it’s hard to see what has happened. The police asks you questions, but he has to calm you down first. After fifteen minutes of chaos, you are calm enough to tell what happened, but now, it has all become a blur…

Between both of these stories, which one reacted and which one responded?

In the first story, you responded. You were efficient and you kept the victims calm. Your focus was completely on them and how to help the situation. It turned out well for everyone, therefore, making for better results.

In the second story, you reacted. You were frazzled and the victims were even more frazzled, after you freaked out. Nothing was done to comfort the victims and you focused more on yourself. Even though the victims were hurt, you let your emotions explode out of control, which only made them feel worse. This is what happens when your emotions take over.

As you can see, when you respond, you manage to handle the situation. Your emotions took a back seat to what was going on and you maintained a sense of normalcy, for the victims’ sake.

When you reacted, it only enhanced an already bad situation. Your emotions ballooned and your focus went out of the window, if there was any to begin with. The accident was bad, but you didn’t make it any better by announcing how bad it was and how awful it looked.

Being focused is always a strength. When you respond in any situation, it makes it easier to deal with. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, it helps to remain calm and think things through.

Try not to overreact. It can be surprising when things happen out of the blue, but as in any situation, you must remain calm. This helps promote a productive outcome.

Next, with your emotions aside, figure out how to help. Keep your feelings to yourself, because it won’t make things better.

In most situations, the calmest person becomes the leader among everyone, simply because they are constructive and appear to be in control.

Excerpt from: The Goalden Lady Presents: Help! I’m Stuck: 10 Strategies To Push You Through To Achieving Success A Personal Development Series, Book 1 by S.R. Roberts

The Driver’s Seat

Photo by Samuele Errico Piccarini on Unsplash

When you’re young, you can’t wait to drive. The thought of having your own car and going anywhere you want to go becomes the most important thing in your life. This not only applies to driving, but it also applies to life.

Being in the driver’s seat is a big responsibility. You’re the one in control. If something happens, it could affect you and possibly others around you. Believe it or not, some days you may not even feel like driving, but like life, you have to drive to get to where you want to go.

As the driver of your life, you can go where ever you please. Your destination is in your hands. There will be bumps and potholes in the road, but you have to deal with them the best that you can. It may cause temporary damage to your car (life), but you need to deal with it if you want to go on.

Once your car has been fixed, you are more careful about those potholes. You may not be able to avoid them all, but you can avoid the same ones. In life, you learn from your mistakes. There will still be potholes you may not see, but if you hit one, you can handle it. You know how to avoid the same issues. When a new one arises, you have the determination to solve it.

If you want your car to last, you must maintain it. Doing things like washing your car, getting oil changes and rotating the tires are the simple things that will keep your car running efficiently. When you’re working towards your goal, there are things you can do to continue to be your best. You can read helpful books, exercise and eat right and manage your money wisely, among other things. Keeping up these simple maintenance routines will keep you on track.

While you’re driving, the car will automatically shift gears in order to go faster or slower. When things aren’t going your way, you will need to shift your gears and adjust and adapt to different circumstances. Whether it is an obstacle or an opportunity, have the flexibility to change your mind and go in a different direction, if need be. Even if you’re going in the wrong direction, know that you can turn around and take another route. Learn to shift your gears.

Being in the driver’s seat has it’s benefits. The potholes will come and most of the time, you won’t see them, but you have the mindset and skills to overcome it. When a car sits for a long time, it will not start. Don’t let that happen to you. Get up, keep moving and be open to new adventures on the road of life.