5 Steps - From Mediocrity To Success

Today's form and structure of society is engineered so that most of us will fail. Yet most of us blindly accept this as a given and live our lives according to this structure. There is nothing worse than living a life that is engineered for you - a life that you have not chosen for yourself.

You Will Fail!

Unless you pay heed to that little inner voice, you know the one - the one that is constantly in the background. Nagging you. 'There's got to be more to life than this!'

Your story, our story, the story of this generation is filled with people who are selling themselves short. We have fallen prey to the wrongful structure that has been forced upon us right from the start. We all are born into this world with limitless capacity and talent to do what we want to do. Somewhere along the way, 'real life' gets in the way.

What if I was to say to you that this is actually backwards? Real Life is what you were born to do. What you should be doing, all day, every day!

There are ways to achieve this. Don't let others tell you differently.

Following are 5 things that can - and do happen to most of us. If you are aware of these then they can be handled appropriately and will not be a blocker on the way to achieving the life you are meant to be living.

1. Regret.

"The two most important days in a person's life are the day they were born, and the day they find out why." - John Maxwell

This has been written about ad-nauseam. By far, when people on their death beds have spoken about is that they settled on what others expected from them. They spoke about not having the courage to chase what they were after in life.

When they are about to die, they are thinking about this as one of the biggest things they regret! That alone should give you an insight into just how much this actually means to you!

The more you settle, the more regret you will eventually have.

SOLUTION: Do something each and every day that gets you closer to your dreams, not someone else's.

2. Decline in Creativity.

In one of my previous articles I wrote about how we are taught to fit in from around the time that we start our schooling. Being an individual is pretty much drummed out of you as you learn to assimilate and blend in. Conform to the rules. Original thought becomes something that is drilled out of us from an early age.

You will never be able to live life as yourself if you are forced to blend in and be another body in a world full of them. You are unique and your talents are unique. Leave a lasting impression on this world by being you.

This will never happen unless we let go of the fear that holds us back from being us.

SOLUTION: Schedule blocks of time for your mind to wander. Allow your true self to shine. Every single day work towards being YOU.

3. Living Experiences

What's the point in doing things in this life if you are not happy? Not having fun? Schedule time to ensure that you are doing things in life, living new experiences. These times will fuel the fire of your life and motivate you to move forwards in different areas.

SOLUTION: Get out and explore. It doesn't need to be a money experience. Walk around a new lake, hike a new mountain. Get out and have experiences! Just Get Out and GO!

4. Toxic Relationships.

Have you ever heard the saying 'Misery loves company'? The same holds true for being mediocre. Be on an active look out for those people around you who are mediocre. They will never be the type of person that will applaud you on your success, in actual fact they will always be trying to bring you down to their level. Whether subconsciously or not. Remove these from your life, the effect on your own level of energy, positivity and peace of mind will be immediate. Don't let fear hold you back.

SOLUTION: Re-evaluate the top five people you're around the most, and limit time or get rid of those who don't 100 percent support your vision.

5. A mediocre legacy.

"The wealthiest place on the planet is the cemetery, because it's filled with brilliant ideas and potential... all wasted.''

Tony Robbins

As we started with our deathbed, we will end this with our legacy. Don't settle for leaving a trail of mediocrity behind. Think about every single thing that you are doing today - right now, as forming part of the legacy that you will be leaving behind for others. Those others will include your own children.

When we are no longer around (may that day be very far in the future for us all!), how do you want them to remember you? That you kept a clean house? That you worked as... and were a very diligent and loyal employee?

Seventy-one percent of people hate what they do and are actively disengaged at work. It's time to step up and make a difference. Time for change. Not tomorrow or next week or when you get a pay rise, but right now.

You only get this life ONCE, so please don't spend it doing things you hate. Every action you do now is adding to the legacy that you are leaving behind.

SOLUTION: Be a role model right now to those who look up to you.

Start working toward your goals now- each and every single day. Don't keep putting things off until it's too late. Let the true you come out in this life because that's when you'll be alive and at your most creative, and happiest.

Choose to be you - don't conform to others' views on what you should be. Create the real image of yourself and let it shine. Do you, be you - each and every day.

We'd love to meet you. Why not join our FREE private Facebook Community at www.masteringsuccess.group

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What Are the Key Traits of Mentally Strong People?

For past few years, I have devoted each and every day of my life to reach closer to the below mentioned goals, which I think are the core aspect of being mentally strong.
Be like the Joker.

Do you remember Heath Ledger or Jack Nicholson playing the role of this iconic villain. His sole aim in life was to create anarchy and spread chaos. The key word here is SOLE. Monomaniacal, bloody minded, ruthless focus on a solitary goal is often the single most important quality of mentally strong people.
Focus on basics first and only then details.

 

A person was caught after many years of successful robberies and theft. When asked why was he so successful in committing these crimes, he replied, ’I always go where the money is.’ Mentally tough people stay focused on developing the essential skills. Never drifting aloof or beating around the bush. But coming directly to the point. No point in learning about how many years ago did frogs arrive on earth, if you don’t know the definition of evolution. Got what I am saying?
Don’t control what you can’t.

They never waste time, energy and resources in factors which are simply beyond their control or are extremely unpredictable.
Rejoicing success of others

Getting motivated from success of other people, without any resentment or hatred. They constantly learn from such events, in turn increasing their probability of being successful.
Embracing solitude.

Enjoying one’s company. Never fearing being left alone by everyone else. Though they may be alone, they are never lonely.
Vicarious learning.

Learning from mistakes of others, facing similar circumstances. You won’t live long enough to make all the mistakes by yourself nor can you afford to make the same mistakes again and again. So, learn from as many sources as possible and learn fast.
No dwelling on the glorious (or pathetic) past and never afraid of CHANGE.

Remember Ganguly before retirement or Yuvraj, Sehwag in current IPL. Their selection was solely based on their past records. Such reputation doesn’t mean anything to mentally strong people. Aussies success of playing 7/11 World Cup finals, is the result of their sheer mental strength and respect for current form and not past reputation.
Always in control.

Having all the power with themselves, without devolving it to anyone else. Means that being in charge all the time. And not being made vulnerable by others.
Delayed gratification: Doing the hard thing, without expecting immediate success.

They are also faced by multiple alternatives, which give them instantaneous pleasure and a kick of hedonism. But they constantly fight against this urge to give in, and they keep pushing forward.
Maximum overlap between reality and perception of reality.

Neither being pessimistic nor optimistic. Always being pragmatist and realist. It is very easy to be carried away by what ought to be than what is. Knowing what is real, how our world actually works and aligning your thought process with that, is a hallmark of being mentally strong.

I missed so many qualities as it was specifically asked to mention 10. Please comment below what you think are essential ingredients of being a mentally strong individual. Will compile all of them and share it on numerous social media platforms.

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4 Steps to Rebuilding Your Motivation

How do you defeat the self-inflicted agony that each one of us as humans have felt at some point or another? How do you work through the pain that hurts so much to the point that we don’t want to deal with it anymore? How do you not give up?


Here’s how:

Step 1—Understand that you’re not alone and the feeling isn’t permanent.

The first step towards crawling back to taking control of your life when you’re on the verge of giving up is really just remembering that you’re not the only person who has felt hopeless, all of us understand what you’re feeling and where you’re coming from. We’ve all been there, and chances are that we’ll each be there again, so it really is kind of about understanding that it happens to everyone, and even more importantly, these moods and feelings come and go in waves. Just because you feel down and without motivation right now doesn’t mean it’ll last forever. It may be gone tomorrow, it may be gone a week from now or a month from now, but it is temporary.

Step 2—Start believing in yourself.

You have the power to let go of negative beliefs about yourself. You also have the power to create positive beliefs that will empower you rather than hinder you. The point of feeling like you want to give up comes from becoming the victim of the negativity of your own internal dialogue. You want to give up because the conversation that takes place in your head tells you you aren’t good enough, you’re not competent, you don’t have it in you, and that maybe what you’re doing isn’t worth the reward you’re expecting. These are problems that we all face as humans on a daily basis simply because our minds are neurotic; they’re negative, and we believe them.

In order to start believing in yourself, you have to stop believing what your mind says. Stop believing the negativity that plays out in your mind and start to laugh at it. You have the power to let go of negative beliefs, and at the same time create positive beliefs that are self-empowering.

Step 3—Start changing your life in ways that will reflect a change in your attitude.

You are the things that you do on a daily basis. If you want your life to change, if you want your moods to change, if your attitude to get better or your motivation to be higher, you have to begin changing your daily actions in a way that will exhibit change in your life.

For me, the way I stay motivated when I’m feeling down is by starting to do daily habits that are difficult, that challenge me and help me grow my willpower. Not only do you feel accomplished when you take on challenging habits, but you are literally strengthening your willpower.

It really is about keeping your energy levels high, and challenging yourself with difficult habits. Developing these habits will help you deal with the negativity that drains you physically, mentally and emotionally.
What are these habits?

Waking up early helps me take time to enjoy my life, and focus on the actions I know are necessary to accomplish my goals. When you become a morning person, you begin to feel empowered, accomplished, and you create time for yourself while the rest of the world is still asleep and there are no distractions.

Meditating is a very important habit that really will help you understand the negative thoughts you have. It will help you begin to separate from those thoughts with the understanding that you are not your thoughts. When you believe your negative thoughts and identify with them, you have no power, you feel horrible about yourself and you will lack motivation. Start to understand your own negativity by meditating for just a few minutes a day and you will find that your motivation levels rise instantly.

Reading is another integral habit that helps keep me motivated. I read about people who have been successful in life; people who seemingly have infinite motivation within them to do everything they set out to do. There’s nothing more motivating than learning from successful individuals who have detailed accounts about what kept them going and how they were able to stay strong in difficult times. You and I are no different and we can take lessons from successful, motivated people and implement those strategies in our own lives.

Step 4—Surround yourself with people who exhibit qualities that you want to possess.
The most important thing you need to do in order to keep yourself motivated and positive is surround yourself with people who you want to be like rather than surrounding yourself with people who are just like you. We become the people we hang out with, and I like to say that we’re an average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. If you surround yourself with people that are just like you, you will never change. But if you begin to surround yourself with motivated, positive people that are go-getters, you too will become a positive person with proper motivation who is a go getter.
Conclusion

Don’t give up. When you’re about to give up is the point where its most important to show up with strength and not give into the difficulty you’re facing. Just remember, this is temporary, you’re not alone, change is possible, and you have the strength in you to live the life you want.


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5 Mistakes 90% of People Make When Searching For Motivation

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz

What is motivation?

Is the word being overused just a tad?

Whenever we’re not feeling motivated; we get up in the morning and things just aren’t clicking, we aren’t feeling the day ahead. We turn to motivational videos, speeches, articles and music to inject ourselves with that daily shot of motivation.

Much like coffee tends to act as a daily shot of energy for most people.

Every time we do this, there’s an underlying issue that’s not being reviewed. Every time we just wake up and try to inject ourselves with motivation, we’re forgetting some of the core principles of what it means to “be motivated.”



5 Mistakes People Make Searching for Motivation

This article highlights several mistakes that the majority of people will make when searching for that illusive dosage of motivation:


1. Forgetting that Love & Passion Drives Motivation

Let’s not forget the core reason for anybody ever being motivated to do anything in life. Love and passion. The passion you have for what you do in life will be the biggest source of motivation you ever come across.

This is what gives people the ability to wake up without alarm clocks.

It’s what gives them the ability to start work early, and finish work late.

They love it.

There will always be days where we just aren’t feeling it, but if you’re not waking up 6 out of 7 days a week with an unbelievable excitement to start your day, lack of passion is the problem.



So it doesn’t matter how many videos you watch, or articles you read, passion is always the biggest natural form of motivation.

Are you doing what you love every day?


2. Leaving Out Future Visualisations & Goals

After raw passion, comes future goals…

If you don’t have goals and visualisations for your future, then you’re probably not going to be all that thrilled about moving toward it.

You HAVE to have some sort of future goals that moves you. That really drives you to keep moving forward and progressing in that direction.

There’s two parts to this step:
Discovering and writing down your future goals for separate milestones; 6 months’ time, 12 months’ time, 3 years’ time & 5 years’ time.
Visualising what it’s going to be like when you achieve them. Where are you going to be? What are you going to be doing? Who’s going to be in your life?

Painting a vivid picture for exactly what you want is not only a powerful step in motivating you, but the precise definition will help you get there.


“LACK OF DIRECTION, NOT LACK OF TIME, IS THE PROBLEM. WE ALL HAVE TWENTY-FOUR HOUR DAYS.” – ZIG ZIGLAR


3. Not Tasting Your Dream Life

Visualisation is a powerful motivator. It allows you to search into your mind and see a rough picture of what your life would be like if you were to achieve your goals.

However, there’s one thing that tops it…

Which is actually experiencing what it would be like.

Once I’d decided I was interested in becoming a nomad (travelling from country to country without really being permanently based in just one), I decided to spend some time solo travelling.

I was already operating my business whilst I was moving from country to country, it just wasn’t making me a lot of money at the time, and I was living off savings.
What did this allow me to do?

It allowed me to live precisely how I’d be living if I were to achieve some of my goals in the near future. I was still working. The only difference was the money was coming from my savings, and it was only able to last 7 months.

Being able to experience your visualisations in real life before you actually achieve your goals isn’t always possible.

But if there’s a way, you can’t afford not to take advantage of it.

I had the time of my life experiencing the life I could be living, and that’s a seriously powerful thing.


4. Letting the Past Paralyze You
Your past shouldn’t paralyze you.

Many of us have unfortunate pasts, and experiences always differ for people, but it’s important to not let the experiences of your past continue you keep you down.

They should make you realize how far you’ve come from being the person you once were.

You should also be motivated to keep on pushing yourself so that you make sure you never relive that past.

Motivation from past experiences will always be different from person to person, but if you’re someone who’s struggled in one way or another in the past, don’t let it paralyze you.

Let it motivate you!


5. Disregarding the Obvious Lifestyle/Health Rituals

Those who have a powerful mind, start with feeding their body.


You know that the food we eat and the level of exercise we get plays a huge part in healthy brain function, not just body function?

I think a lot of people disregard that fact.

We forget just how powerful these things can benefit the way we feel, as well as the obvious physical bodily health benefits.

So if you wanted to feel motivated, treat your mind with the respect it deserves.

In the words of Brendan Meyers;


“IF YOU EAT RIGHT, YOU FEEL RIGHT, AND IF YOU FEEL RIGHT… YOU LOOK RIGHT! AND IF YOU LOOK RIGHT, YOU DO RIGHT, YOU DIG?”


Summary

You can listen to all the videos you want, you can read all the articles you want, people can encourage you as much as possible. However, unless you solve the underlying issues, the motivation won’t be everlasting.

Far too many people think they can get their daily motivation from all these external sources, whilst completely forgetting about passion, visualisation and goal setting.

Here’s a quick recap on the sources of motivation you SHOULD have in your life:
Love & passion
Future visualisation & goals
Getting a taste for the dream life
Past experiences
Lifestyle/health rituals
Are you one of the few people not making these mistakes? Leave a comment below.

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Letting Go: Is Life Too Short To Hold Onto The Past?

What is clear is that human beings don't live forever; there comes a point in everyone's life when their time will come to an end. When it comes to when this will be, it can depend on a number of different factors.

Due to this, it is often said that life is too short to waste time; each moment needs to be seized. Through taking this approach, one will be making the most of the life that they have been given.

A Waste

If one doesn't experience life in this way, they could feel as though they are missing out. As a result of this, not only could they end up feeling angry; they could also feel guilty.

It is then going to be a challenge for them to standstill, and they might even find it hard to sleep. Their life is not going to be something they have to endure; it is going to be something that they are here to enjoy.

Driven

One is then going to be used to feeling motivated, and this will give them the energy that they need to achieve things. In general, they won't find it hard to get out of bed; they will have the need to get things moving.

This could mean that other people see them as someone who grabs life by the horns, so to speak. And based on how they approach life, it is likely to have a passive effect on how these people experience life.

Relationships

Their intimate relationships could also be infused with this same energy, and they are unlikely to want to have someone in their life who has a different approach. The people they are intimate with are then going to add to what they already bring to the table.

Their upbeat nature could also make it easier for them to move on after a break up; they won't want to go over the experiences they shared. One could believe that they will only be wasting their time if they wallow in the past.

A Rare Occurrence

To experience life in this way could sound like a dream to most people, and this is because they can find it hard to relate to. They might find it hard to remember when they last experienced life in this way.

And while someone might believe that it is possible to experience life in this way, they could say that this is not how life works. As far as they are concerned, life could be something that has to be endured, as opposed to enjoyed.

In The middle

Or, they may say that this is how they experience life at certain times, but that's as far as it goes. It is then not going to matter how short life is, as they will have moments when the amount of time they have on this earth becomes irrelevant.

Yet, regardless of whether one rarely has moments like this or whether they have them from time to time, they will know what it is like to get stuck in the past. When this happens, it won't matter what is going on in the present moment.

Attention

Their point of focus will be on something that took place a few days ago, or it might have even been a number of years ago. This will make it a lot harder for them to make the most of the present moment.

There is the chance that this is something that will only affect them during certain times, or it could practically bring their life to a standstill. Either way, it is going to stop them from being able to move forward in life.

One Area

When it only affects them at certain times, it could be something that stops them from being able to start a new relationship, for instance. This area of their life is then going to be far from fulfilling, and they are likely to experience a lot of pain.

The pain that they experience in this a part of their life could cause them to work even harder in their career. Therefore, although one area of their life will be ignored, another area won't be.

Feedback

If one was to talk to their friends and/or family about what they are going through, they could tell them that they need to let go of the past. This could be something that they are only too aware of, or it might not have occurred to them before.

Along with this, they could say that they need to do this since life is too short to hold onto what happened. Through being told this, it might not be long until one is able to move on with their life, and to put the past behind them.

A Conscious Choice

Through deciding it was time to move on, one would have gradually been able to let go of the past. It could then be said that one used their will power to change their life, and this can show that one doesn't need to be controlled by their mind.

However, while the above can take place, it doesn't mean that it is always this simple. Instead, one could find that even though they realise life is short, it doesn't mean that they are able to just let go of the past.

Pressure

One could then find that they start to feel bad about themselves, as they should be able to let go. There is then going to be the pain they are experiencing through being caught up in the past, and the pain that is created through not being able to use their will power to move on.

Clearly, one is going through enough as it is without punishing themselves for being in this position. The trouble with the willpower approach is that letting go is not always about the mind; there can be times when it is about what is going on in the body.

Awareness

If it relates to what is taking place in their body, it might be necessary for them to put their willpower to one side. As if they are carrying an emotional build-up that needs to be processed, they will need to face how they feel.

When comes to letting go of what is taking place in their body, they may need to work with a therapist.

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Steps to Building Self Confidence

Self confidence, as the words suggest, is your inner feeling that gives you the assurance that you can achieve your desired results with a greater sense of responsibility. It is a belief in yourself that you can take up responsibilities and challenges in your life.

In order to attain this, you need to recognise your potential and know your inner strengths. Look at your achievements in your life's journey. Identify what is important to you and where you want to go. Replace any negative thoughts in your mind with positiveness and commit yourself to face challenges.

In order to cultivate and develop such a positive self-image the following needs to be enhanced:

1.Goals and Vision - Set realistic goals. Be a visionary and dream your goals. Convert your dreams into plans and plans into action. Stay focussed and persist in your efforts. Divide your goals into sub-goals and keeping work on them and lead them to your final goal.

2.Interpersonal Relationships - Participate in social activities. Join social clubs or charitable organisations. Get involved with people as this will channel and renew your energy. Share your thoughts, view, hopes and aspirations with your near ones.

3.Communication Skills - Learn to interact with people using charm in your conversation. Recognising and complimenting others for their achievements will boost your desires to achieve similar results.

4.Knowledge - Enhance your knowledge by reading as much as possible on varied subjects. Newspapers, magazines provide lot of information and updates. Watch appropriate channels and programs on television to broaden your knowledge. This will give you confidence when you meet people, make presentations etc.

It is worthwhile that whenever you achieve something, take pride in your achievements. Congratulate yourself. It will boost your morale. Reflect on your successes and consolidate your confidence.

A good way of doing this is to display in your house any certificates or awards you have won in the past as this will motivate you to win more laurels. Keep appreciating these small achievements for enhancing your positive attitudes and inner strength.

One must however be also ready to face setbacks as these are only challenges that occasionally stand between you and your goals. Persistence is the key to success. Analyse the situation and take corrective steps. Do everything possible to bounce back with much more vigor till desired results are obtained.

Self confidence is all about you and your goals. You can only draw inspiration from other sources, but action is what you have to take. Action in the right direction. When you are self confident, you do what you believe to be right even if others mock or criticize you. You take risks and go the extra mile to achieve better things.

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7 Tiny Things You Can Do To Feel Confident In Any Situation

Feeling a little jittery about an upcoming appointment or interview? Nerves can get the better of even the best among us, and therefore having a simple and effective strategy to find your way around them can be very helpful. Here are 7 simple and tiny things you can do to feel more confident in a situation.

Take a Moment before Stepping In

Before stepping into a meeting, interview or even a social gathering, right at the door take a brief pause to collect yourself and your thoughts, reaffirm your poise and gracefully move forth into the experience before you. Realigning yourself helps make sure you are more integrated and focused to meet whatever it is that lies ahead of you, no matter how expected or unexpected.

Establish Eye Contact

Body language doesn't just give hints to the confidence levels of a person, but can actually be used to reaffirm these as well. Establishing eye contact is a pivotal aspect of being self-assured and confident. Make sure to meet everyone with a bright, confident and composed look, and to maintain the eye contact through your engagement.

Smile with Your Heart

A wonderful and beaming smile can help you find your way into the heart and favors of practically anyone you meet- whether in a work situation or otherwise. But not any smile will do; only a genuine smile helps you appear calm, confident and appealing. So smile with your heart, and smile wide.

Breathe Deeply

Shallow breath usually accompanies the most panicky and challenging situations. Therefore if you are not breathing right- that is deep into your torso- then your body is bound to stay a little on edge, if not in panic. To appear more confident, relax your body and consequently your body by breathing properly.

Uncross Your Arms

Crossed arms are a clear defensive stance; but they don't just put off the other person, they also hold you back from the situation or challenge at hand. Uncross your arms and really open up to your experience and you will not only look more confident, but feel more confident as well.

Appreciate Your Self

A lot of our doubts anchor in our own self- criticism, slowly eroding away our self-esteem, confidence and belief. To perk your confidence levels up, take some time to appreciate your self- not just for the successes and results you may have enjoyed, but also for the efforts and passion you pour into your every day.

Don't Lose Perspective

It is easy to get carried away by the momentum of a moment, and to forget the bigger picture. Just how much someone else's opinion matters in the long run, or just how crucial a meeting is to the bigger picture can go a long way to making you feel more relaxed and therefore focused. Remember no matter how big it might seem today, there is always greater to accomplish and more to enjoy.

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Motivation - How to Get Motivated and Stay That Way

Getting excited about something new is human nature. Starting a new job. Opening up a new business. A new relationship. Your first day of working out. Starting meal prep. Anything new is exciting until it's not new anymore. Once you learn all the nuances of your new job, it's not exciting anymore. There's nothing fun about losing money for a few months in your new business, in fact, it's discouraging. Discovering all of your significant other's annoying quirks may make you reconsider building the relationship. Getting up at 5:00 am to go to the gym after you've been up late taking care of your sick child is difficult. Pushing through and maintaining enthusiasm about whatever it is will keep you on track.

You've made the first step. You got started. Some don't even make it that far because of fear. Congratulate yourself for making it over that hurdle. Now you find that you aren't as excited as you were in the beginning. You aren't as productive. You don't greet your customers with as much bravado as before. How do you keep up that excitement of the "new"?

Look around. Take an inventory of your life. Losing steam is the first step toward giving up. If you give up you will never realize your goals. Remember all the people cheering you on. Remember everyone who invested in you. Be it time, money, or simply encouragement. Can you handle disappointing them all if you chose not to succeed? Success is a choice we make everyday. It doesn't just happen. We choose it.

It's easy to stay excited when things are going well. The key to success is to stay excited when things are difficult. Things happen. There will be bad days at work. You will miss deadlines. Promotions will pass you by. You will have difficulties with customers. You will argue with your spouse. You will miss days at the gym. You will feel the guilt of cheating your diet. You will get rejected and face an obstacle or even failure. Know that failures are temporary only when you keep moving and continue to take action.

Maintaining enthusiasm about your project is the key to making your dreams come true. Take action everyday as if it is your first day. Keep visual reminders of what you are working toward. Keep a daily routine that promotes positive thoughts. Doing these things will allow you to stay excited about everything even when things get tough.

Be enthusiastic everyday. Don't let obstacles discourage you. Just continue. Keep visual reminders of what the results of your actions can yield to stay excited. Choose to excitement and you will stay excited.

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Do Days Just Come and Go or Do You Have a Life-Plan?

How easy is it to bounce from one event or disaster in your life to another with no life-plan, expectancy or goal? Just drifting with the wind, no plan or aim; feeling there is no use trying to change anything, or it's too much trouble; you couldn't achieve anything anyway.

You can change your life if you take control. Decide on your dreams and find a path to follow that will lead you there. Deciding what you actually want from life is probably the hardest part.

If you want something badly enough you will find a way, or maybe you don't want it enough! Think of the millionaires from humble beginnings or the immigrants from poor countries that gain an education somehow, or swim miles to escape terrorism.

Even if you don't achieve quite as much as you as your aim you will be a lot nearer with a goal to work towards than drifting with the wind.

How many years have you been on planet earth? What have you achieved? Make a list of 30 things you have achieved. They can be simple things, you have learned to walk and talk, what books have you read, do you have a job, have you learned to drive etc.?

So what else would you like to achieve in the next 10 years? What is your bucket list of things you would like to do before you die? Could you do these in the next 10 years?

Make a plan of where you want your life to head, what is your ultimate goal? What steps do you need to take to get there? Think of your plan as you would a great holiday. What is your destination, how will you raise the funds, when will it take place, who will be your companions on your journey?

Plan your life and live your plan, experience the feeling of achievement as you reach each milestone.

If you want a partner to share your life, you need to join clubs, an agency or get out there and meet the kind of people you are attracted to. Don't just wish take action. If you want to learn to paint or dance or learn a new trade take lessons. Don't just dream, make a plan and achieve it.

If you want your own business start a hobby business in your spare time, it can bring extra cash as it grows. Whatever your dream is make it happen, the first tentative steps are the hardest. Once you start taking action the momentum, excitement satisfaction and challenges will keep you interested and keep you rolling towards your goal.

I would like to wish you success and happiness in your new ventures. Congratulations on taking your first steps, you are one of the few - many people wish and grumble all their lives until with regret it is too late.

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How To Turn Fears Into Fuels

Contrary to the popular belief, it is not just our physical bodies that are a result of evolution.

Likewise, it is also our minds, our psychology and our consciousness that have been shaped by the world that we evolved in and that is where a lot of our most unusual behaviors come from.

In the past, our ancestors lived in an extremely dangerous, hazardous and hostile environment where they needed to pay attention to constant potential danger signs and avoid any possible risks.

Based on Charles Darwin's theory of the survival for the fittest, only the genes and psychological traits that made us most likely to survive were passed along from generation to generation.

Even though it's thousands if not millions years later, we still have this nature of risk aversion and that's why it's our default to survive, not to thrive.

It is most people's default to remain in the status quo, instead of disrupting the old model to build new better ones.

It is most people's default to stay in the comfort zone of mediocrity, instead of pushing themselves to be comfortable with the uncomfortable and pursue the growth zone.

It is most people's default to move themselves away from fear instead of facing fear eye-to-eye and lean towards their edges.

Why are we so afraid of uncertainty?

Well, imagine that you were living in an era back in the Stone Age.

You were out in the wild, looking at the silhouette of some kind of animal sitting on the horizon. You weren't too sure if that silhouette is of a lion or some kind of kitten, so what do you do?

The most pertinent solution in order to survive was to assume the worst.

So it was natural for us to assume it's a fierce, dangerous, life-threatening lion, so we try to freeze, fight or run away.

Those who took chances were basically idiots that were most likely to get eaten and fail to pass on their genes to the next generation.

This was a smart move in the past, but not anymore in today's world.

The chances of being eaten by wild animals alive are not even comparable to regular car accidents.

Your living environment has changed. Your circumstances have changed. Your biggest threat to your life has changed.

Nowadays, it is problems like obesity, debts, divorces, interpersonal conflicts, careers, happiness and fulfillment issues that bother us the most.

While our biggest "enemies" have changed, our biological nature hasn't evolved much and it's sabotaging your success in the modern world.

So here's the deal.

While it's unfortunate that the human biology and psychology have still remained back in the days, we still have this personal power and a short window of opportunity to choose how we perceive and respond to certain things.

We can succumb ourselves to our fears, anxieties, and imaginative worries; OR we can observe our own emotions, remain calm and cool, and be assured that we're not actually in physical danger and there's nothing to be afraid of.

In other words, it's our choice to assess any situations with our intelligence, claim ownership of our stressful feelings, and take action to transform our psychology into a more empowering state.

Be objective about the circumstances.

Let your excuses pop up and have a laugh at these mindless noises.

Take massive imperfect action immediately because you're safe and secure and action cures all.

That's exactly how you turn fears into fuels.

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How To Think Positive Thoughts - 5 Steps

Your thoughts do control your life.

You know that, right?

All the experts tell us and frankly, if you take a look at the results happening in your life, you will realize that you are getting exactly what you expect. You may think that life is happening to you but what if you are creating the life you don't want by the thoughts you allow to remain in your head?

Would it not be best to get a handle on this and start putting positive thinking to the test?

Here are 5 steps to thinking more positive thoughts..

First and foremost, you need to get aware of the fact that you are in control of your thinking. As a coach, I am surprised by the fact that a whole lot of people think that they have no control over their thoughts. They tend to think that their thoughts happen to them. Right now, choose to become aware of the fact that you have control over your thinking.

Now you are aware that you have full control of your thoughts, it is time to take full responsibility for where you are right now. You may not like what you see at the moment but as you take responsibility for everything, you recognize the power you have to turn your thoughts around. No longer can you allow yourself to keep thinking that you have no control because it is no longer your truth. The first second or so of a negative thought are sometimes out of control but when you keep thinking that thought at 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds or more, then you are deliberately relinquishing your control. Stop that.

It is time to get pretty clear on what you really do want to create. Take some time to write it down and simplify it into mini-thoughts that you can inject into your brain from time to time through the day. You want something to replace your current thought patterns. Take the time to do this.

Watch what you are listening to and exposing yourself to each day. Check your thoughts and feelings after you listen to the news, watch some TV programs, read certain books and decide whether they lift you up or pull you down. Get disciplined about what you allow into your head.

Realise that changing habits can be tough so determine that you will never give up. Getting your brain to work the way you want it to is a matter of lots of practice and brainwashing yourself into thinking only things that you choose to think.

OK, time to get to work. Start implementing these steps now and see the difference it makes to your life.

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5 Ways How To Get Motivated To Get More Done

Want to learn how to get more things done? 

Feeling no motivation to do what supposed to get done? If these are the problems that you are facing right now, don't worry as you are about to discover the 5 ways how to get motivated to get more done.

Motivation is what gets things started. Without motivation, you will never want to work on your dreams. Without motivation, you will procrastinate and never produce much result in your life. Thus, you need motivation to get things move. Below are the 5 ways how you can create motivation...

1. Listen To Uplifting Music

Music can lift us up. It has happened to everyone, regardless of who you are. When you are in a romantic restaurant, they would use romantic songs and music to enhance the environment. When you are in a business seminar, they will use fast-pace music to drive you.

Even when you are watching movie, the background music actually contribute a lot to create the desired effect and ambiance. So use music to motivate you. When you feel like no motivation, listen to songs that will drive you and music that uplift you.

2. Pep-Talk

Pep-talk is one of the easiest methods you can use to get motivated. Most people are not motivated and procrastinate on doing their tasks because they talk to themselves in the negative way. They tell themselves that they are too tired, they don't know how to do it or they can just delay the task.

If you talk to yourself this way, trust me, you will never get motivated to do what you need to get done. In sports, you can see that the athletes will gather in circle and motivate each other before the match starts. That is an example of a pep-talk. Hence, always talk to yourself positively to get driven. Sometimes you just need to tell yourself, "Yes I can do it."

3. Revisit Your Purpose

Your purpose and your reason behind what you do will drive you. If you don't feel motivated to do the things you set out to do, probably it is because your reason is not strong and emotional enough.

It is difficult to quit smoking. Until one day the health becomes an issue only then people have a strong and emotional reason to stop smoking. So always revisit your purpose. When you know exactly why you want to do something, nothing can stop you.

4. Break It Down

A huge task is difficult to tackle. Imagine if you need to write a section of a book of 10 pages, would you feel overwhelm? Most likely you will feel overwhelm. The easiest way to get motivated is to break the task into smaller items that you can act upon right away.

Ask yourself, "What is the one small thing that I can do right now?" And start doing it immediately. For instance, you can just write one single paragraph. And when you do, you will create the momentum and wanted to write more.

5. Motivation Through Fear

Imagine 3 years down the road and you are still right where you are, accomplishing nothing, is this the kind of life you want to have? Most people never feel a pinch when they think short term about procrastination. They prefer to watch TV and checkout Facebook than to work on their dreams.

It is fun to watch TV than to work on your goals. However, if you think about the long-term effect, you will notice that procrastinating on your work will create more destructive effect than positive ones. So use the fear to motivate yourself. Think long-term and look into the future to see what would happen if you did not work on your dreams now.

These are the 5 ways how to get motivated to get more done. You don't have to use all the 5 techniques here. Just apply those that you feel will work for you. As for the rest, try them out and see if they work for you.

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Six Tickets to Success

Who doesn't want to be successful? Follow each ticket to success and enjoy happiness, fulfillment, and joy.

Ticket to Success Number One: Think Big and think outside the box. Learn to be inventive in your approach to life's challenges. Where would we be if the Wright brothers, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Graham Bell accepted the status quo? We would still be going overseas on ships, reading by candlelight, and sending up smoke signals instead of flying, using light bulbs, and talking on the phone.

Ticket to Success Number two: Think about what you love to do and take action to pursue a path that reflects your strengths. What are your passions? Do you love to cook? Consider becoming a cook. Do you love to paint? You might become a professional artist. Do you enjoy writing? Take an online course on writing and publishing your book!

Number three: Learn the value of team work. No man is an island. Success is much more likely when you combine forces with others who are pursuing the same ideals and goals. Join a marketing group. Become a contributor to Rotary and Optimist clubs. Get involved in community efforts. Volunteer at your church. Roll up your sleeves and get involved.

Number Four: Exercise resolve and dedication in your efforts to become successful.When reverses hit, don't give up the ship. Learn to stay the course and keep yourself on track. Do not be deterred by frustration or obstacles in your path.

Number Five: Make a list of action plans needed to implement and achieve your desires. Be sure that this list is long and detailed. Be ready to follow through with the steps needed to bring your dreams to life.

Ticket to Success Number Six: Be sure that your plans are in line with what is currently needed. You might be really good at Oragami, but this doesn't exactly bring in the money. Nor does it fit a need. Do your goals match your vision for your life? Are they in line with your capabilities and strengths? So many people have jobs that they don't like because their jobs are not a good fit with their talents. Jobs are such an integral part of our lives. Happiness and fulfillment come from getting involved in work that blends with innate talents.

Follow these six tickets to success and your life will resonate with fulfillment.

Follow these six tickets and you will pave the road toward happiness and enrichment.







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How Successful People Stay Productive: 10 Habits to Live By

How Successful People Stay Productive: 10 Habits to Live By

What are you willing to do to be successful? If you are interested in being an average Joe, then this is not for you. However, if you want to excel in life you are going to have to stand out in positive ways.

In order to stay on top of your game and reach the level of success you want, you need to follow a certain set of self-induced rules. Success is not something that happens by accident; if you want it bad enough, you will get it. Learn the habits that successful people have given up in order to reach their own success.

They don't work in their comfort zone.

What is your comfort zone? Your comfort zone is defined as a psychological state in which a person feels familiar, at ease, in control, and experiences low anxiety. When you get outside of your comfort zone, it doesn't mean that you should strive for a constant state of anxiety and stress. It simply means that, in order to grow, you should try new things and expand your horizons.

The reason we are comfortable in our comfort zone is because we are not taking risks when we are in this state. When we live in our comfort zones, we are living life like hamsters on a wheel, going around and around in a constant cycle, but going nowhere in our lives.

Famous motivational speaker, Les Brown, said it best with, "If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness."

They don't do without first learning.

Learning is what we do best. The greatest thing about learning is the benefit that we receive in all aspects of our lives. Successful people strive to continue learning new things and expanding on things that they already know.

If we stop learning, then the only thing we can do is settle with what we already know; if we settle for that, then there is no way to expand our minds. Expansion is essential on the path to success. Since our minds require learning for expansion, we must never stop seeking new knowledge.

Imagine what would have happened if Bill Gates stopped learning and growing. The internet would be much more primitive than it is today. But because he followed his dreams and continued growing, he founded one of the biggest companies in the world and it is still flourishing and growing today.

They don't fear asking for advice.

Richard Branson, a famous entrepreneur, stated, "When you need to make hard decisions, being able to discuss your ideas with entrepreneurs and business leaders who have solved similar problems can make all the difference."

Asking for advice is not always easy. We think that we have the same opportunity as everyone else and sometimes feel insecure and dependent, so we decide not to ask for advice, and try to figure it out ourselves. But this could be greatly limiting us from reaching our full potential, because the advice we might be seeking could be something that somebody knows very well.

They don't get lost in the small details.

When life gives us seemingly endless opportunities, it is very easy to get lost in the small details. The small details are very easy for us to become focused on, thus causing us to miss out on the overall vision, also known as the "big picture".

Focusing too much on the smaller details constricts your ability to see how everything ties together. Much of our lives hinge upon the connections that we make with others and with ourselves. If we get lost in the small detail, it is like having missing pieces to a puzzle. How are we supposed to solve that?

Imagine what would have happened if Henry Ford only saw the small details. When building the company that Ford is today, he knew that he must do something different if his company was to succeed. After many people told him it couldn't be done, his company continued improving upon the smaller details until they got it right.

Henry Ford didn't focus too much on the small details, which were the hundreds of times he failed; he saw the overall goal and knew that it could be accomplished. It required seeing the bigger picture to make it happen.

They don't multitask.

Multitasking is typically viewed as a skill that only certain people possess. But truth be told, nobody actually has the ability to multitask. Multitasking is known to actually decrease productivity. Those who are successful focus on one specific task and do that task to the best of their ability without interruption.

When you multitask, you limit your ability to fully focus on one specific task at a time. Successful people utilize the talents and abilities that they have by focusing it on one task and one task only.

Emma Watson said, "I just dropped my iPhone in my soup. I think it might be time to tone down the multitasking." This demonstrates how destructive multitasking is highlighting the fact that when we multitask, we are greatly limiting ourselves.

They don't lie to themselves.

Lying to yourself is one of the easiest things for you to do. It is much more difficult to accept the problems that we have without make excuses for them. Successful people understand that we will encounter problems, both internally and externally.

But it is important to accept the problems that reside in our lives, rather than not dealing with them and lying to ourselves about them.

As Steve Maraboli said, "Stop lying to yourself. When we deny our own truth, we deny our own potential."

They don't procrastinate in asking for feedback.

Feedback is important, because it gives you a different perspective on your current situation. Sometimes you are not able to see the answer that is right in front of you. But when someone gives you feedback, it allows you to see something from the perspective of someone else.

If you procrastinate asking someone for feedback, you are missing out on time that could be put towards accomplishing your dreams. The longer you wait, the harder it is to utilize advice that others can give you.

"I think It's very important to have a feedback loop, where you´re constantly thinking about what you've done and how you could be doing it better," entrepreneur Elon Musk once said.

They don't follow, they lead.

You have probably heard the phrase "lead, follow or get out of the way." There are two types of people in this world: leaders and followers. The ones who are successful are the ones who are leading the pack.

Successful people are not successful because they got there by chance. They did not follow somebody to the finish line. They paved their own path in life to get where they needed to be.

Just as the great Robert Frost stated, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

They don't let the past dictate their future.

The past is something that we will never change, nor should we want to change it; because without it, we would not have learned the lessons we needed to learn. Therefore, we would wind up making the same mistakes over and over again until we learned the lesson that life is trying to teach us.

At one time, businessman Shahid Khan washed dishes for $1.20 an hour. His humble background did not prevent him from thinking bigger though. With a net worth of $3.8 billion dollars, he now owns Flex-N-Gate, one of the largest private companies in the U.S., the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, and Premier League soccer club Fulham.

They don't hang around negative people.

Negative people are very destructive to be around when it comes to achieving success, because there are so many situations that life throws at us and causes us to get down on ourselves or our situation. But some people like to focus on this aspect of life the majority of the time.

When you are around negative people enough, you start to see things negatively and you begin to lose sight of your dream. Success is more about mindset than anything, and if you always have a negative mindset, life will reward you with negative outcomes to deal with.

Joel Olsteen once said, "You cannot expect to live a positive life if you hang with negative people." So if you wish you be successful, don't focus on the negativity that others bring.

To be successful requires focus and determination. It seems that every successful person follows similar patterns. Therefore, it's easy to see why they are where they are. They knew what they had to do in order to achieve their dreams and they didn't let anyone or anything stop them from getting there.

You have the power in yourself to become one of those successful people you admire and look up to.

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