Why Your Actions Outside Work Determine Your Success

Your hustle doesn’t stop when you punch out of work;

Whether you like your job or not, you need to continue your hustle after hours if you are committed to making an impact.

You haven’t eaten anything since breakfast (you ate breakfast, right?), you’ve been putting out fires all day, a customer chewed you out, and let’s not even talk about your inbox.


Why Your Actions Outside Work Determine Your Success

It’s finally hit 5 o’clock and you’re exhausted. You want to face plant onto your bed, order a pizza, and binge on Game of Thrones for the evening. Or you hit up happy hour with friends and decompress by downing some cocktails.

It sounds easy to throw in the towel after a draining day at work. But if you’re committed to success, it’s your post-5pm grind that will make you a future leader. It’s your off-hours lifestyle that will determine your success during business hours.

1. Creating vs Consuming

We’ll browse Instagram and Facebook for entertainment and escapism. Be selective in the content you consume and use it to educate yourself. Instead of scrolling through my News Feed, I read a book on the Kindle App.

I’m educating myself during my commute, on elevators, in the doctor’s waiting room, and in a Lyft. I use this to fuel my creativity, generate ideas, and find inspiration.

There’s nothing wrong with consuming content but shift the weight in creation’s favor.


CREATE MORE THAN YOU CONSUME.

I use creationism as my escapism. In fact, I’m not creating, I’m documenting. Thanks to Gary Vaynerchuk, I’ve embarked on a journey to become a better version of myself. I am using my blog to document my journey of self-improvement.

The byproduct of my self-improvement journey is that as I become a better person, I become a better in business.


2. Learn New Skills

When I was interviewing for a job, I told the hiring manager about a marketing certification I attained. Since I was selling marketing analytics software, this certification helped me connect better with marketers.

THE HIRING MANAGER WAS SHOCKINGLY IMPRESSED. SKILLS ASIDE, GOING THE EXTRA LENGTH SHOWS PEOPLE YOUR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO SUCCESS.

The workplace is constantly changing. Jobs are being outsourced or replaced by robots. Simple tasks are being automated by software. Technology is rapidly evolving every day. The iPhone you bought yesterday will be out of date in six months.

The question is—how are you using the change in technology and the workplace to improve your value? Employees are required to wear several hats and this is going to require people to learn new skills.

Thankfully, technology is making it easier to learn technology. Udemy, Udacity, and YouTube make it simple to learn new skills. Even Harvard is offering free courses. There is no excuse not to increase your value in the workplace.

It just requires a trade-off of your time.

Do you go to happy hour? Or take those two hours to learn Python. Do you watch four straight episodes of Westworld? Or use that time to become a social media master.


3. Explore Your Hobbies

These are the things that really light you up. This is the outlet that gives you clarity on the things that are most important to you.

I love going for walks. I’ll listen to music, podcasts or TED Talks and wander the Seattle neighborhoods for hours. When I check back in with reality, I’m crystal clear on the things that are important to me. I’ll then get to work on those things that get me closer to my goals.

While you’are at it, you could benefit from exploring hobbies that will make you smarter.


4. Mind the People Around You
The garbage in, garbage out concept can also apply to the people you surround yourself with.

It’s difficult letting go of people that don’t bring you up. Your friends might be reliable and attentive, but if you’re looking to level up then you might have to distance yourself from them and find others who have similar goals.

Napoleon Hill discussed in his book, Think and Grow Rich, the mastermind group. A mastermind group is a group of people who have ambitious goals. The group members work together to encourage, support and carry out their goals.

There are meetups, Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups and forums to help you connect with other like-minded people.


5. Health

Mind, body, soul, and relationships. What are you doing to fuel your mind? Are you exercising and eating healthy food to keep your body in optimal shape? Do you have a spiritual practice to keep you centered? Are you spending time with loved ones?

After all, taking care of yourself is the most important thing you can do to keep you on your game in business. I’ve even incorporated off-hour practices into my business life.

The two practices I’ve implemented are mid-morning meditations (three minutes at my desk) and an afternoon walk (10-15 minutes). This way, in the midst of a chaotic work day, I can take a few moments to ground myself, then re-engage into my work.
Back to You

With all this being said, what are you doing outside of work to set yourself up for success at work?

Your dedication to the hustle outside of normal business hours is what will propel you forward at work. I get cases of FOMO on Friday nights when I’m at home honing my craft while friends are out partying.

While they do boozy brunches the following morning, I’m at the gym working on my body so that’s it’s ready for the mental gauntlet I put it through.

This is not going to be easy. Punching in at 9 and punching out at 5 is not enough. It will take discipline, persistence, and sacrifice. When you’re invited to a happy hour or an epic bar crawl, you’ll have to look deep inside yourself and make a tough choice.
How committed to success are you? Leave a comment below.

Plus-You Can Now Join Our FREE Mastering Success Facebook Community at www.masteringsuccess.group

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How to Connect With Influential & Successful People

Successful people are role models;

However, it hasn’t always been that easy to connect and build a strong relationship with them.

Nowadays we have so much technology on hand, such as apps like Facebook and Shapr, that help us connect with influential people a lot more easily.

Back when I first started out in business, I made the decision to reach out and build strong connections with influential people. At first, I wasn’t quite sure of how to go about it.

I didn’t exactly have much to bring to the table at the time. But I had a new business, and was seeking inspiration, guidance and advice.

I knew a lot of people who would have been able to give this to me, but expecting them to give up their time to every aspiring entrepreneur that asked is a little ridiculous.

Occasionally, people will answer a quick question, or give your stuff a share if you ask them nicely, but as the saying truly goes:

“IN LIFE, NOTHING AND NOBODY WILL HELP YOU UNTIL YOU START HELPING YOURSELF.”

So… how do you make connections with influential and successful people, who can help you elevate your life to the next level.


How to Connect With Influential People

Within this article, I’m going to be explaining how you can begin to connect with successful people, even if you don’t yet believe you’ve achieved that status.

This means showing you where to find like-minded people that you have a lot in common with. How to reach out to them, and how to build a strong relationship, which is beneficial for both parties.

Before you read any further though, make sure you read this article I wrote a while ago, which highlights all the reasons to be reaching out to people.


Step 1. Have Something to Offer

The first step to building any kind of connection with someone is by having something to offer. That’s the only reason why people naturally become friends with each other.

It doesn’t always have to be about influence. A lot of people think that because they don’t yet have a successful business, money or powerful connections, they can’t connect with those that do.

This isn’t true…

Value comes in many different forms.

Your personality, your knowledge, your loyalty, are all forms of value. When people choose others to be around, they psychologically bond with someone based on certain attributes. Maybe you’re funny, trustworthy, positive and supportive, read a lot of books… who knows.

The point being that if you are to connect with influential people, you first need to find some sort of common ground. Once you’re able to do that, you’ll know how to give value to people, and, get it back in return.


Step 2. Use Facebook & Other Apps to Find People

Once you’ve figured out how you can offer value, it’s time to find others who are interested in that value, and might just be able to send some your way in return.

Depending on where you grow up, there might not be people within your area who share similar interests and ambitions as you. This is one of the biggest things I learnt growing up in the rural countryside.

20 years ago or so; if this was the case, then you’d have to move to find people you click with. You could have always written to them… but we’re a little more fortunate these days.

Now, we can harness the power of social media.

Here’s a few places to get started:


1. Facebook

Facebook used to just be a place where I could keep in touch with my friends. A couple of years ago, I expanded to connecting with like-minded people on the platform.

Nowadays, all I have to do is login and I’m faced with amazing videos and insights by other professionals. I also started to notice the different circles people ran in, and I did my best to comment and join in on the conversation.

It’s so easy to make connections on Facebook.


2. Shapr & Similar Apps

Think of Shapr as the tinder for business professionals. Exactly the same concept, but instead of swiping for a date, your swiping to meet another awesome individual who has similar business interests as yourself.

This is an excellent way to connect with influential people, and is definitely worth testing within your area!

You can learn more about Shapr here…


3. Speaking Events & Seminars

Needless to say, a speaking event that interests you, is also going to interested anybody with the same interests as you. That means they’ll be a bunch of people all in the same room, sharing similar goals and ambitions.

And many of those people will already be incredibly successful at what they do!

Therefore it makes sense to start going to these events and meeting some of the other awesome individuals attending, right?

Most definitely! You may just create some life-long friends whilst you’re there.


Step 3. Reach out to them!
So you’ve…
Figured out the value you can offer to the world, and to the people you want to connect with.
Discovered the major places where you can find these people.

Now, all that’s left is to reach out to them and start building a strong and genuine relationship.

Before I continue, I’m sure I don’t have to explain the obvious fact that reaching out to these people and immediately asking them to do something for you, is out of the question. That won’t get you anywhere.

Being genuine is always the way to go. Check out this example:

Hey [First Name],

Hows it going?

Thanks for connecting with me. I saw we had several mutual friends and thought I’d reach out!

I love everything you’re doing right now with [Business Name], and would love to learn more about your mission and how we could potentially help one another.

Are you free for a coffee sometime?

All the best,


That wasn’t so hard, was it?

As long as you’re genuine, and you show interest in expressing how you can help the other person on his journey, you’ll receive a positive response!



Summary

Hopefully this article has helped you to connect with other influential and successful people. The steps are very simple, and can be done by anyone. As I said before, you don’t have to already be successful in order to connect with people who are.

Here’s a quick recap on the only 3 steps you need to make powerful connections with like-minded individuals:
Figure out what value you have to offer
Look for like-minded individuals where value can be exchanged
Reach out and build a genuine relationship

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What I Learnt From No One Showing At My First Workshop

I have been working with a coach to create my creative transformation business and one of the first projects was my Wildly Intimate Woman workshop.

I easily found a yoga studio to host the workshop and worked with a designer to create the perfect flyer. I loved how everything was falling into place smoothly. I imagined many people showing up at the workshop. I ran Facebook ads that received many views and likes. I thought I was on the right track.

But there was a tiny voice that whispered to me. What if no one showed up? What if what I had to say wasn’t important? What if who I was wasn’t of value?

I shivered at these whispers. My response was to ignore this voice and keep doing what I had to do to make this workshop happen, even though a funny feeling stuck in my gut.

What I Learnt From No One Showing Up At My First Workshop

A week before the workshop, I received a call from the yoga studio. The lady who had burst with excitement at my workshop idea suddenly told me in a grim voice that no one had signed up.

My blood went cold. The tiny voice became louder. I told you so.

I gathered myself and told her I would actively promote my workshop even more aggressively. I stuck fliers around college campuses in the Bay Area and put up more Facebook ads.

I told myself everyday several times a day that my workshop was going to be successful and I was of value. I wrote affirmations about it every day leading up to the workshop.

The day before the workshop, I called the yoga studio again to check. I held my breath. Surely, a couple people must have signed up by then.


“I’M SORRY, NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP, PRIYANKA,” THE LADY SAID.

My whole body became stiff. My heart beat faster. My lips trembled. I wanted to cry. But I didn’t let myself. I asked her whether I should even come on the workshop day. She advised me to come in case people would show up the day of the workshop.

The morning of the workshop, I wanted to simply cancel the workshop. I wanted to run away. The voice became louder telling me I told you so over and over. I agreed with the voice. It was a logical point she was making. What was the point of showing up if no one came? I would only embarrass myself.

But something was deeply transforming in me. Deep in my body, I knew the answer. That I had to go. I had to show up for my desire no matter the outcome. I couldn’t run away.

I jumped into the shower. As the warm water drizzled down my soft skin, I began to sob uncontrollably. I turned off the faucet. But tears still washed my face clean. My whole body throbbed and shook.

After this, everything seemed to be a blur. I threw on my clothes, had a quick bite, and stuffed the goodie gift bags I brought for the workshop participants and my laptop in my car.

I parked my car, but still didn’t have the courage to walk into the yoga studio.

So I called the lady and she told me again the same thing. No one had showed up. As I walked inside, something shifted inside me. I felt the fear melting. I handed her one of the gift bags and thanked her for being supportive throughout the process.

Afterwards, I treated myself to lunch. I feasted on a delicious sandwich and smiled. This was actually alright. I was proud of myself for facing my fear and not running away. This is why my higher self wanted me to go anyway. These are the lessons she wanted me to learn.


1. Show up fully for your desire.

When a desire bubbles in your heart, it’s because your soul wants you to expand and grow. Your heart never desires anything that it doesn’t feel is possible. Live with it. Feel it. I have always desired to be a creative person. It’s what nourishes my soul. I feel happy, alive, and joyful when I write and involve myself in other creative pursuits.

The purpose of your soul is to grow and expand. How? When? Why? That is different for every single person. Next time, a desire arises in you, do not dismiss it. Sit with it. Close your eyes. Visualize your desire.

How does it feel? Indulge all your senses. Touch. Smell. See. Hear. Taste. How does your heart feel? How is your body responding?

Give yourself the time and space to do this. It doesn’t matter how your desire will be manifested or even if it will be manifested. There is peace and beauty in just feeling the desire and it’s taking you on a path you don’t even realize at the moment.

By showing up for my workshop even though no one had showed up, my fear of being seen melted away and I’m now excited to forge forward with new ideas and workshops.

2. Face your fear, instead of running away.

Up to the day of the workshop, my standard impulse of running away from what scares and pushes my comfort zone raged. I really wanted to run away because I didn’t want to face my fear. It is uncomfortable and sweaty and sticky. But something clicked in my head.

I had to change how I was feeling inside in order to change my circumstances. Instead of viewing it as a roadblock, I saw it as an opportunity for change. Something needed to be changed inside me. There was a reason I was not living my life according to my truth.

Facing your fears allows you to see the patterns in your thinking that created your self-belief so you can flip those opportunities as moments for change and adopt a new self-belief that serves you.

Remember as Pema Chodron said:


“NOTHING EVER GOES AWAY UNTIL IT HAS TAUGHT US WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.”


3. Your self-worth and value is not determined by the outcome.

One of the most important lessons I learned from this experience that my value and self-worth are not linked to the outcome of this workshop or any external person or thing.

The fact that I showed up fully for my desire is most important and my value and true state of abundance comes from inside.

You can tap into that inner feeling and state of abundance and richness anytime and that will reflect in your external world eventually. New channels and experiences will open up and take you on an even more meaningful journey.

4. Surrender deeply to the process.
Surrendering and letting go does not mean that you are giving up in any way. It is about pouring all your energy and consciousness in the moment in front of you and releasing what happened yesterday and is to happen tomorrow.

It means you are letting your energy guide your actions. It is about being in sync with your higher self and going with the flow with a gentle trust.

This process and preparation period exists because you are not fully ready to call and accept your heart’s deepest desires. You’re not ready to call in that perfect job, relationship, or large sum of money into your life.

So you are in transition. You are going through a divine process of preparation.

It means diving in even deeper with yourself and having the patience to see the beauty of this gorgeous process. It means committing to your inner growth and evolution even more passionately.

Because when that desire does finally arrive, you will be the person you need to be to fully accept and enjoy that desire. Your higher self knew this all along. The journey and destination will be that much sweeter.


Summary
Here’s a quick recap on what I learnt from no one showing up at my first workshop:
Show up fully for your desire
Face your fear, instead of running away
Your self-worth and value is not determined by the outcome
Surrender deeply to the process
Has this article helped you? Leave a comment below.

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The Success Story of Mark Zuckerberg

Being the CEO of Facebook, now the largest social networking site in the world.

Facebook now has just over 1.3 billion active monthly users, who together share 1 million links and 3 million messages every 20 minutes. FB also earned a total revenue of $6.15 billion just in 2013 alone.

The success of Facebook, launched in 2004, has allowed Mark to live the lifestyle of a champion. He now lives in a $7 million, 5 bedroom house with his wife Priscilla.

But where did Mark Zuckerberg come from and how has he been able to become so successful?

Before the Days of Facebook

Mark had always been into computers and software even as a child. In fact, it was his father that first taught him basic programming in the 90’s. After this, his father hired a software developer (David Newman) to further advance Mark’s programming knowledge by tutoring him privately.

A lot of kids love spending their time playing video games, especially in the 90’s when gaming really took off as a form of entertainment.

However, Mark was different; he enjoyed creating and programming his own, rather than just picking them up and playing them. Mark wasn’t creating games for long though.

He soon moved onto bigger things; the first being a music player called “Synapse Media Player”, which he created under his own company name Intelligent Media Group.

The College Years

Mark’s programming projects really started to develop as soon as he became a student at Harvard, studying psychology and computer science. By this point he had quite the reputation as a programming  prodigy.

It wasn’t long before he built “CourseMatch”, a program specifically designed to help students form their own study groups and choose classes based on other’s selections. This program was followed very shortly by “FaceMash”, where students got to make a choice of the hottest person out of various photos of students on the screen.

The Creation of Facebook

Facebook was launched from Mark’s dorm room back in February 2004. It begin as a harvard exclusive website, until it started to go and Zuckerberg then decided to expand to other schools.

As Facebook began to grow Mark decided to move to California, along with several of his friends, to continue working on the site in a small house he leased to serve as an office for the company.

Soon after, Zuckerberg met with Peter Thiel, who then invested in the company. This allowed Facebook to get their first official office in 2004.

During this time they had already received various offers from other companies wanting to buy Facebook, however Mark stated that he was not in this for the money, and more for the vision that he had for social networking as a whole.

In 2009 Zuckerberg went to Peter Currie for advice on finance strategies for Facebook. A year later Facebook hit 500 million users, and Mark was set on turning this into 1 billion…

Mark Zuckerberg is successful because he loves what he does. He has a passion for programming and always has since he was a child. Too many people are in it for just the money and Zuckerberg has been able to succeed because of the completely opposite reason.

He is not in it for the money; however he has a dream, a vision and a passion for what he does. This is why he is successful and is where he is today.

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