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The New Year Is Here Again

About this time, everyone starts to think about the New Year. Things like what they’ll do different, how it’s going to be better and the countdown begins. It’s a great time where everyone is motivated and inspired to become their best selves.

Many will make resolutions, only to go back to their old habits two weeks later. How can you avoid that trap of going back to being comfortable? What can you do different that will, at least, get you through the beginning of the year?

Start Super Simple

The first mistake is everyone is thinking too much. Yes, we all should think before we do things, but overthinking is what stomps us.

It feels good when we’re all on the same page and everyone wants to do well. The issue is, we think so much, we become stuck. We want something so bad, we just continue to keep thinking about how wonderful it’s going to be once it happens.

Your expectations may be great, but it’s not going to happen on it’s own. The hardest part is starting. As they say, “stop thinking and start doing.” Thinking about losing ten pounds gives you a positive outlook, but actually cutting out certain foods and drinking water is how you’re going to get there.

Daydreaming will spark the idea, but being active and following through will create the result. Motivation is warm and comfortable. You can imagine the outcome and it’s an awesome feeling, but what about the in-between?

If you’ve started thinking about your resolutions, think and then start. There’s something you can do at this very moment to get started – you don’t have to wait for January 1st. Go to the kitchen and drink a glass of water, open the book and read chapter 1 or put on your shoes and walk out the door.

The more you think about it, the more time you waste. It’s the same challenge every year, but this upcoming year, we’re going to make it work by starting simple, today.

Adjust Your Habits

By adjusting your habits, you’re reaching a new level. How do you work on your resolution for the New Year? You build new habits.

If your current habit isn’t helping you, change it. Humans are creatures of habit, so it’s understandable that change can be a difficult task. The unexpected can be scary.

Also know that if you don’t do anything, you’ll keep getting the same results. Nothing changes if nothing changes and it starts with your habits. Get used to doing things in a different way and exercise your “change” muscle.

Hanging around losers won’t get you to the winner’s circle. Your environment has a lot to do with the direction of your life, too. Get around people who speak life into themselves. Be around those who act upon their thoughts and solutions. This gets you to think out of the box, but most of all, it pushes you to take action.

Give Yourself A New Year Head Start

The New Year may begin on January 1st, but you can start today. That warm and fuzzy feeling of anticipation is a nice way of procrastinating. When it finally gets here, you’ve been so hyped and motivated about the possibilities, you’re now mentally exhausted. At this point, you want to put it off to another start date. Don’t give in – give yourself a leg up.

This is one of those times where it’s best to start ahead of the pack. Once the New Year gets here, you’re already on pace with your goals. Sometimes, it’s better to do things without an accountability partner, because they may try to talk you out of starting when you’re supposed to. They’ll let you slide when you’re supposed to be committed.

Start now and get used to doing the work. You may see results by the 1st and you’ll inspire yourself to keep going. While everyone is focusing their energy on an official start date, you’ll already be in a new pattern and experiencing the positive outcomes.

Make the commitment and follow through. Your New Year starts now!

Mastering The Art of The Start

Getting ready to start can be a hindering activity. There are so many plans and research that goes into making it perfect, sometimes, the idea may not actually come into existence.

They say the start is always the hardest part. It can be, but if you look at starting from a different perspective, it can be productive, just as it should be.

Thinking Ahead Of Time

We often think too far ahead when we come up with our bright ideas. It’s great to think forward, but you must think forward productively.

It doesn’t help when you overthink. “What if this doesn’t work out – who’s going to help me – how long will it take me to do this?” All of these thoughts are self-defeating. They only promote procrastination and fear.

What happens when procrastination and fear become involved? Absolutely nothing. Every little fear you have contributes to the delay of your idea. It’s a comfortable place to be, but you must avoid hesitating, as this becomes a bad habit that becomes difficult to break.

Doing the opposite will save you more time and mental energy. Upon thinking of your idea, develop the habit of taking some sort of action towards it. Of course, you won’t complete the entire project in one hour, but do something to get you going in the right direction. Taking immediate action allows you to build your ambition muscle.

Excuses, Excuses

Most of the time, it’s best to keep your ideas to yourself. Unless you’re surrounded with a supportive environment, it’s best to move in silence.

As soon as you share your thoughts about your goals, most people will automatically shoot it down. They’ll say negative things like, “You can’t do that – that won’t work – who do you think you are?”

This is why you must be careful of who you have in your inner circle. People will say negative things and give you excuses all day long, just to make themselves feel better. It’s as if they’re saying, “I can’t do it, so you can’t either.”

Don’t allow yourself to become trapped in that box. It’s an easy practice to pick up – before you know it, you’re saying it to yourself and others.

As corny as repeating affirmations may sound, it’s a valuable habit. Others around you are calling you names and constantly telling you what you can’t do, but affirmations provide the foundation of accomplishing what you can do.

Words can be powerful. Start replacing those easy excuses with positive affirmations – see how your thoughts and actions increase towards success.

You Are In Control

When you make a decision to start, you’re in control. You’ve made the decision to begin a new project and you will see it through. What happens during the process can sometimes be out of your control.

This is where overthinking and excuses comes in and destroys your efforts. You may not control how it goes after you start, how far it will take you or who sees it, but you won’t regret making the attempt. Planning helps, but be able to adapt and adjust. Get in the habit of starting without expecting perfection.

Yes, we should have high standards and work towards being successful, but also realize that it’s more about building yourself in the process – the results will come. Too many people get caught up in their emotions because it didn’t turn out the way they wanted, so they give up.

The fact is, you started and did your best. If it doesn’t turn out in your favor, do it again – now, you have constructive feedback and an improved strategy to go on. As long as you start, your skills will continue to develop and get better. No one gets it right the very first time, so get over it and keep going.

Start Starting

Have you ever looked back in your life and wished you would have started something? That’s what you don’t want to happen. Regret is one of the biggest disappointments you can live with. It can be avoided, but you must start and continue to start.

Understand that the journey is what builds you. Everything from your level of discipline, focus, persistence, determination, resilience, consistency, work ethic – it all comes from constantly starting. Your idea can only advance through improvement.

The achievement will come, but first, you must master the art of the start.

#TBT: 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

Take Action, But Don’t Get Stuck On The Research

Take Action, Get It Wrong And Do It Again

The first step to taking action, for some, is doing research. There are lots of questions concerning how to get started and if it interests you enough to put in the time and effort.

It only makes sense to do some reading and asking around before you begin, but what happens when it turns into procrastination? Is there ever a right time to start?

Action Is A Verb. Be A Verb.

Let’s not make this harder than what it really is. Yes, research is designed to help you make informed decisions and to create strategic plans moving forward, but other than that, what’s stopping you?

We come up with all kinds of excuses: it’s too hot, my head hurts, I don’t have time, I’ll do it Monday, the stock market is down, it shouldn’t have happened that way, and so on.

It’s very easy to provide excuses, but what about taking action? No matter how much research you do, the wheels won’t start turning until you actually do something. Do not paralyze your actions by overthinking – simply move and adjust.

Don’t Ask For Action, Take It!

After you announce your goal, people will follow up to see if you’re following through. Did you think you would announce that you would take over the world and no one would ask about it later?

If you’re bold enough to put it out there, be bold enough to do it. We have these great ideas, yet, we never get around to them. An invisible fear creeps in and floods our imagination with all kinds of negativity and distractions.

All of a sudden, you’ve created a thousand reasons why your great idea was really a terrible idea. Others have talked you out of it by voicing their unsolicited opinions.

You do not need anyone’s permission. Don’t wait for the world’s approval, or you’ll be waiting forever. Hold yourself accountable and take responsibility for the results. The best thing about it is, you can always go back and do it better, no matter how many times you fail (which is only learning).

Do You Hide Behind Research?

Yes, a little research is sometimes needed before you dive into something. You want to know what you’re getting into and what it takes to become successful at it. At some point, you must go and do.

Some of us get stuck in the research phase. It’s comfortable because no one is expecting anything from us and we don’t have to face rejection. We feel safe from potential challenges and obstacles when we’re constantly ‘getting ready’.

Nothing happens when you continuously research. You may gain more knowledge and discover different routes to achieve your goal, but nothing happens. If nothing happens, nothing happens. It’s just that simple.

Go ahead and do your research, but do it and start. Don’t get stuck there forever – put some actionable force behind it. Instead of worrying about being perfect, be productive.

Stop Getting Ready And Just Do It!

The only way you’ll get there is if you take action. Understand that it may not be right the first or second time, but that’s how you improve and do better.

Step out of the ‘getting ready’ phase and step into the ‘now what’ phase. After you take action, think, ‘now what’? What can I do next? Can I make it better? How can I get closer to the outcome?

Success requires action, not constant procrastination through endless research. Don’t be your own worst enemy. If you take that first step and keep going, the fear will go away. The time will never be right, but the right time is now.

#BeGoalden

3 Things That Stop You Before You Get Started

What’s stopping you from becoming the magnificent person you want to be? There are 3 things that stop you before you get started and today, you’ll get past those challenges to get on the right track!

When you look in the mirror, there’s no one else there but you. You are responsible for your life and what you tolerate. Own your life – the good things, the bad things, the mistakes – take control of it all.

What’s Stopping You?

Other people. This is the most common culprit. We allow other people’s thoughts and opinions to direct our lives. If we do something that someone doesn’t like, we let it affect us. If someone else is having a bad day, we let it bleed over into our lives. Learn to separate your life from someone else’s. Your life is your own – don’t be so quick to hand it over to someone else. Have sympathy for others, but live your own life.
Excuses. Stop giving yourself an out. Giving yourself an excuse to feel better gets you no where. The entire point is to improve yourself and to become great. You deny every chance of your growth when you give excuses. Life may happen, but there’s still an opportunity to work around it. You can still choose to wake up earlier or stay up later – eat clean or eat junk food – save a few dollars or spend all you have. It all comes down to choosing an excuse or choosing that extra push.
Your inner voice. It’s not too late. You’re not too old. Just because it didn’t happen when you were 12, doesn’t mean it can’t happen when you’re 52. Don’t kill your own dreams. Anything can happen at any time. The negative chatter in your mind was put there by someone else, but you have to let it go. It only holds you back from your limitless potential. Every time you hear that negative inner voice, chase it with a positive answer.

Let’s Get It Started

Commit to yourself and your future. No one can stop you unless you allow them to stop you. Get out of your own way and make progress.

Anything can happen, but you must decide to start and take action, one step at a time. Don’t get used to turning down what you really want to do, just to satisfy someone else.

Distractions will pull your attention away from you plan. Do what it takes in order for you to be productive and move forward. Your focus will ultimately drive you towards your desired goal, so concentrate on what’s important and do your best to get it done.

The Final Outcome

Own your life without feeling guilty. It’s okay to say ‘no’ to others, so you can get started working on yourself. In the end, you are the only one accountable for your results – it’s in your hands.

Give yourself permission to start. Stop thinking that other people are right when it comes to your goals. Protect your mindset and step into your confidence. Success is earned by those who have the courage to start and focus on their plan.

#BeGoalden

How Not To Make Your Goals Harder Than They Are

Thinking about chasing our goals and dreams can seem intimidating. There are no instructions on how to get there, so you have to create your own path through trial and error. This causes us to overthink and make the task harder than it really is.

When we scroll through social media, we see endless posts of people who are supposedly successful and living their dream life. They appear to have already accomplished their goals and want to show you how awesome it is.

Living your dream can be awesome, but don’t get caught up with what you see. If you ask half of those people how they got there, most of them are unable to tell you because it’s all fake. They’re living in someone’s dream world, just not theirs.

Getting started is not as hard as you think.

Don’t make it difficult, just because you don’t have a blueprint. If you consider these 3 tips, you will be able to begin your journey and achieve your goals.

Get clear on what you are doing. Your mind is truly your best asset. Use it to think through your plans and set mini-goals along the way. Do your research and find out what you need, just enough to get started. Don’t be indecisive – you want a fair amount of information, but not too much to where you won’t begin. Once you become clear and take action, some of your journey will unfold before you and guide you to what’s next.
Being overwhelmed doesn’t have to happen. Things can seem overwhelming in your mind. When you see someone who has accomplished their goals, your mind instantly thinks, ‘how do I get there?’ You think of all of the things they had to do to get there and it seems like so much. This can lead to procrastination, but remember, if you don’t start, you won’t finish. It’s not going to happen all in one day, but the key is to take the first step.
Distractions will hinder your progress. There are a million distractions around us, waiting for you to give up your attention to them. Whatever takes your attention away from what’s in front of you is a distraction. Recognize what they are and keep them away. When you see or hear it, put it back in it’s place, somewhere where it won’t bother you. Your job is to remain focused on your task, so you can improve your chances of reaching your goal.

Success Isn’t Easy…

…but it’s not that hard, either. When you figure out what needs to be done and stop allowing your feelings and other distractions to get in your way, it’s very obtainable.

Why not think that you are able to do it? Believe in yourself and disable the negative chatter in your head. It’s just as easy to say, “I can do it, ” as it is to say, “I’ll never be able to do it.” Always put your energy towards positive thoughts.

Take Ownership Of Your Choices

Be aware of your outer environment, as well as what goes on in your head. You could be the reason why you haven’t started – it’s not always something on the outside. You are in charge. Make the right decision and believe that you can do it.

You can only blame your circumstances and your upbringing for so long. Be in control of your thoughts and know that it’s not as hard as you make it out to be.

#BeGoalden

Plant Your Seed

We all think of things we should’ve done a long time ago. Ideas seem to come too late, or do they?

Thoughts and ideas don’t come late, we respond late. When you see something, do you say, “I had that idea 2 years ago!”? It happens to all of us.

You can be mad and stuck on the fact that someone else ‘stole’ your idea and put it out to the world, or you can take the next idea you have and begin working on it.

Often, we have thoughts and ideas and our immediate reaction is, “If this worked, someone would have done it already.” Maybe the world is waiting on you to do it.

Don’t allow your ideas to slip away. Now that we have the internet, we can easily do the research and put things together more easily than before. All you have to do is gather the information you need and start the process.

This doesn’t mean it will be easy. It means you will have access to clues and various material, which gives you the opportunity to figure it out. The rest is up to you.

Of course, if you do nothing, nothing will happen. There’s just the possibility of someone else taking the time and energy to make it work and putting out the same idea.

Don’t get mad, get started.

You have a real chance at making your idea come to fruition. If you begin today, imagine where your idea would be in 5 years. Even if it doesn’t work out, you made a conscious attempt at it. You’ll never have the mental burden of ‘what-if?’.

Put yourself in the mind of being 80 years old. What would be the things you wished you would’ve done? Whatever you come up with, that’s what you should do. As said before, if it doesn’t work out, you did make an honest effort.

Spare yourself the pain of regret. Plant your seed today. If it stays in your mind, it doesn’t happen. Give it the rain and sunshine it deserves. Make it happen by taking action and putting forth a sincere and intentional effort, today.