3 Ways You Can Manage Your Negative Feelings Effectively

Emotions, like happiness or joy, have great power to get us from the bottom to the absolute top. But, what about feelings like anger or disappointment? How do these affect us? I am not going to lie to you, there were times when negativity got the best of me because I was hurt and in pain. Going on the defense immediately, without considering the consequences, seemed like the most profound decision ever.

One day it clicked. After too many embarrassing emotional outbursts or moments of fear which prevented me from making reasonable decisions, it was obvious, my own feelings were screwing me up.

As a pain-oriented achiever with a history of repeated mistakes, I was pushed to reconsider my old patterns, find the root of the problem and make changes immediately. That’s when I learned a few simple, yet powerful actions I could focus on which helped me clean up my emotional mess and take control of my decisions and actions.

Here are 3 ways you can manage your negative feelings effectively:

1. Your words and body movement

Imagine your typical day. You wake up in the morning, appreciating the sunshine and the fact that yesterday you conquered 100 push-ups. When you were about to begin working on your daily goals, you received some disappointing news that took you by surprise. The excitement and determination you felt prior is gone within minutes.  

The first emotional reaction that follows right after is crucial because it often defines how well you can handle the situation. Let’s say you start cursing or raising your voice, yet by doing that, you are supporting the emotional state you are in. There is a difference between saying “I am very angry” or “I feel a bit annoyed.” Less dramatic words will keep you calmer.

The second thing which controls your feelings is your body movement. If you are moving fast, walking from one corner of the room to another, or feeling pissed off, you are increasing the intensity of your negative emotional state. However, if you slow down and breathe, you will decrease your disempowering emotional state and have more space to simply chill out.

Here is a little exercise which can help you in stressful situations. Find a quiet place, close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Each time you inhale say “in” and when you exhale, say “out.” That’s it. These few seconds of downtime will give you the opportunity to reflect and take better control of the moment.

“When you react, you let other control you. When you respond, you are in control.” – Bohdi Sanders

2. Questions

I bet you already know that experiencing betrayal from someone you love or lacking results in your business may certainly challenge your perspective on life. It makes you trust less, lowers your excitement, and makes you doubt what you wholeheartedly believe in.

It is because of these moments emotionally challenging you that you must simply acknowledge them and change them. You want to nourish the idea that life is great and people are good in their hearts. This perspective shouldn’t change based on someone’s inability to prove it.

Here is the simplest way you can look at it. Bad feelings cause bad vibrations and attract more of what you feel – awful results or people. That’s where the power of questions comes into play.

There was nothing more powerful during my emotional transformation than proper questions. You want to choose logic over angry feelings. These are only blinding you from seeing the situation in a better light.

Here are a few examples of questions I use on a regular basis:

• What can I do, right now, to change this situation?
• What is the very next step I can take today to change the way I feel?
• What thoughts can I choose to think right now in order to create positive feelings?
• What is one simple activity which calms me down in a matter of minutes?

3. Don’t make major decisions

Once you adopt this rule, you will thank yourself for the rest of your life. Here is an affirmation you’ll want to use when you feel that you want to make a decision while in the negative emotional state. “I will never, under any circumstances, make decisions while in a negative or disempowering emotional state no matter how confident I feel about them in a given moment.”

Here is the truth: When you are in pain, you want to do something. You want to act right away because it hurts. However, decisions made under the pressure of negativity aren’t accurate since they are based on helplessness. Find your go-to person, someone you trust and ask for help if you feel that it’s too overwhelming to do it alone.

“Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.” – Brian Tracy

Conclusion

Embracing emotions and listening to them at all costs is the key to transforming your life. Your feelings are real and they matter as much as you do. Nonetheless, learning how to take better control over your actions while feeling pain will make a major difference in your life.

You will feel more in control and more certainty about your decisions and you won’t tolerate poor behaviors of other people. You are always in control and you decide how you face the situation.

By adopting these rules I shared with you, you will be on your way to master the most complex part of your life and that’s how you respond to negativity.

How do you manage your negative emotions? Do you have any tips for us? Let us know in the comments below!

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15 Fantastic Christopher Columbus Quotes

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator. From a young age, he began traveling at sea which helped him become mainly self-educated in geography, astronomy, and history.

In 1492, he set out to find a new route to India, but instead landed in the Americas. He would make a total of four voyages to the Americas and explore places such as Cuba, Trinidad, and Haiti. Columbus’s legacy rests on the fact that his expeditions opening up the Western world to European colonization.

Below are 16 of Christopher Columbus’s most interesting and powerful quotes:

1. “By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.” – Christopher Columbus

2. “Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.” – Christopher Columbus

3. “Riches don’t make a man rich, they only make him busier.” – Christopher Columbus

4. “Tomorrow morning before we depart, I intend to land and see what can be found in the neighborhood.” – Christopher Columbus

5. “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Christopher Columbus

6. “Gold is a treasure and he who possesses it does all he wishes to in this world.”– Christopher Columbus

7. “The sea will grant each man new hope, and sleep will bring dreams of home.” – Christopher Columbus

8. “No one should fear to undertake any task.”– Christopher Columbus

9. “It is easy to discover what another has discovered before.”– Christopher Columbus

10. “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” – Christopher Columbus

11. “Gold is a treasure, and he who possesses it does all he wishes to in this world, and succeeds in helping souls into paradise.”– Christopher Columbus

12. “Nothing that results in human progress is achieved with unanimous consent. Those that are enlightened before the others are condemned to pursue that light in spite of the others.”– Christopher Columbus

13. “Goals are simply tools to focus your energy in positive directions, these can be changed as your priorities change, new one added, and others dropped.” – Christopher Columbus

14. “Thus the eternal God, our Lord, gives victory to those who follow His way over apparent impossibilities.” – Christopher Columbus

15. “Life has more imagination than we carry in our dreams.” – Christopher Columbus

Which one of these quotes resonates most with you?

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3 Leadership Laws That Will Propel You to Success

Leadership is like philosophy – it was first a way of life, fully connected with action-taking and now it became an epitome of “talking, not doing.” I learned most of them the hard way but then, I reflected on that experience and read books from the world’s best leaders.

Below are 3 leadership laws that will propel you to success:

1. Lead by example

In 1956, while Martin Luther King was on his way to becoming the leader of the civil rights movement in the U.S., his house was brutally attacked. A bomb blew up on his front porch, destroying a part of it and breaking all the windows of the house. Dr. King was in the house with his wife, Corretta and his newborn child Yolanda.

An angry, African-American mob appeared in front of the house and an all White police force was also there trying to calm the situation down. The situation slowly started to escalate between the mob and the police and Dr. King saw where it was leading.

It was in that specific moment of danger, just surviving a bombing in front of his house, he went outside and addressed both groups: “If you have weapons, take them home. If not, don’t seek them here. We can’t solve this problem with violence. We must meet violence with nonviolence.”

The crowd calmed down and dispersed after that speech. He believed non-violence to be the way forward and he was willing to lead by example, showing people that it can hurt you only if ruins your character.

Leadership is all about showing the way, not telling people the way. We learn from behaviors and we copy what other people do, especially when those people are in higher hierarchical positions than us.

That’s why children become like their parents, why employees start behaving like their CEO’s, and why you take the outermost fork on the table when you have a formal dinner. Leadership is about leading by example because people follow actions, not words.

“I’m the kind of person that when I saw a lack of African Americans in the apparel business, that was something I set out to do, and I lead by example.” – Daymond John

2. Simple things radically followed

Leadership is about looking beneath that ugly, hideous stone, uncovering the harsh truth underneath it and then having the courage to deal with it. That’s exactly what happened at Alcoa, an aluminum company, while under the leadership of Paul O’Neill.

O’Neill managed to turn around Alcoa from a devastating failure into one of the most successful companies in the U.S. and snagged multiple rewards for his leadership style and effectiveness. Much of that was focused on simple things radically followed. The most important of them was security at work.

In case of any security problem at work, it was supposed to be reported to the main office in Pittsburgh within 24 hours. A minor security incident happened at one of the Alcoa plants in Mexico and O’Neill learned about that from a nun who asked about the sick people at the plant – something O’Neill didn’t know about.

After an investigation, it was discovered that there was a minor incident with the fumes inside the Alcoa plant that the manager solved within 2 days. But the problem was that it wasn’t reported to the Pittsburgh headquarters, which prevented them from fixing that specific problem at every other plant in the world.

This was a cardinal sin and the manager, Bob Barton, was fired within 2 days of O’Neill finding out. Barton was in the company for decades and was a great manager. Everyone outside the company was shocked at this decision, but inside the company, people made the comment which shows why you need to radically follow simple things “Barton fired himself when he didn’t report the accident. There wasn’t even a choice there.”

Tough decisions are tough but if you have a decision making system in place (almost everyone does), then these decisions become clear. If you want to be a successful leader, you need to radically follow through with the value system that was put in place. If you can do this, it will propel you to success.

3. Live in the present but live for the future

You need the undying faith that, in the end, you will prevail but at the same time, you need to face the brutal facts of current reality. This is known as the Stockdale Paradox. It tells us about General Stockdale who was imprisoned in a POW camp in Vietnam. He survived because he believed, without a doubt, that he would emerge victorious from the camp to  see his wife and be free again.

At the same time, he faced the brutal facts of the current situation which meant living day in and day out in the camp, never knowing when his freedom would come. With this paradox, you live in the present moment, dealing with the problems that “attack” you today but you never lose faith that you can be victorious in the future.

“Remember then: there is only one time that is important– Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.” – Leo Tolstoy

This grounds you in the present but leaves enough space for you to envision a future where things fall into place. People follow visions of the better future but they don’t follow people who only live in the clouds. You need to merge both and you will become a successful leader.

In your opinion, what is the best quality a leader can have? Let us know in the comments below!

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3 Ways to Set a Productive Schedule as an Entrepreneur

Working as an entrepreneur means being your own boss. You get to make your business plan, hire the right team for your vision, and set your own hours. It also means that you are fully responsible for your successes and failures. While the benefits are incredibly tempting, not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. Your success relies hugely on your ability to stay accountable to yourself and your customers.

How do you succeed as an entrepreneur? By setting a strict schedule and respecting it, day in and day out. You need to show up for yourself consistently, otherwise, you’re not going to be able to handle the daily pressures of running your own business.

Here are 3 ways to set a schedule that will inspire and re-energize you:

1. Set aside a space for work

This might not be an initial high priority, but if you’re working from home, you absolutely need a separate office space. It might be tempting to just set up shop at your kitchen table or couch to save some time. The Wall Street Journal reports that 80% of young professionals work from their beds most of the time. This, however, will result in compromised productivity.  

When you do this, your bedroom stops being a place of rest and becomes a place of work. This will ruin both the quality of your work and the quality of your sleep, which is crucial for wellbeing. Dedicate a space that’s solely for work, even if it’s just a simple desk. Entrepreneurs suffer from high levels of stress, and organization is key to getting your small business off the ground.

If your living space is just too small, get out of the house! Sure, you could hit up the traditional coffee shop or even your local library, but maybe you’re looking for something with some more structure. Consider a coworking space. A recent study shows that people in coworking spaces reported high levels of work satisfaction, much higher than those working in a traditional office space.

Utilizing a coworking space will let you interact with others, get out of your house, and dedicate a space to work. Even better, you’ll be able to leave your work at the “office” and enjoy your home.

“Entrepreneurs have a great ability to create change, be flexible, build companies and cultivate the kind of work environment in which they want to work.” – Tory Burch

2. Try out a few different schedules

You’ve got a lot of freedom as an entrepreneur, but you need to leverage it to your best advantage. The good news is that you can use your peak hours of productivity. It doesn’t matter if you’re an early riser or a night owl, whenever you’re feeling the most inspired is when you can crank out your ideas and content.

You can’t forget entirely about normal business hours; you’ll need to reach contacts and schedule meetings during the 9 to 5 grind. Arrange your day around those non-negotiable meetings, and use the time you have left over to get your work done. Fortunately, you can use off hours to get errands done, since most everyone else will be at the office. This freedom helps you streamline the rest of your life and keeps your work life at peak productivity.

3. Set time for breaks

Entrepreneurs are fiercely independent by nature. You have your vision, your business, and your ever growing to-do list. It can feel impossible to put work down, but constantly focusing will hurt you more in the long run. If you want to be on your grind, you absolutely need to take breaks. This is not optional. If you aren’t pacing yourself, you’re going to burnout, hard.

This is as simple as getting up every half hour to stretch. Since you’re on your own timeline, you can schedule in time to do this and more. Get your eyes off the screen. A great way to take a break is to hit the gym since it will banish stress, boost creativity, and help you reach mental and physical goals.

“As work is important for your survival, so is rest for a peaceful mind.” – Alan Cohen

By making sure you have time set aside for breaks, you are investing in your current and future wellbeing, and as an extension of that, your business. You’ll be better rested and more calm, which will lead to improved confidence. Your peers and customers will notice if you’re overworking yourself, and will be concerned or disinterested rather than impressed.

Living by a strict schedule will ensure that you work smarter, not harder. You need to find a rhythm for your workflow, a separate place to get your work done, and take time for yourself. If you do this, your work life balance and quality of life will vastly improve, allowing you to reach peak productivity.

Which one of these 3 ways of setting a schedule do you like best for you? Let us know in the comments below!

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Read This If You’re Looking for a Guaranteed Way to Reach Your Goals

There are only two fundamental measures when it comes to achieving your goals, and they are governed by the lead and lag measures. A lag measure is a measure of the end result. For most people, they set their goals as a lag measure.

For example:

• To lose weight
• To make a million dollars
• To build a successful business
• To increase sales to $500,000 this year

The above are the examples of lag measures. The problem is that the majority of people tend to set their goals according to the lag measures. Lag measures are the targets that they cannot act on or influence.

The lead measure, on the other hand, is totally different. Lead measure is something that you can act on. Something that you can influence and actually do. Here are some examples:

• To exercise for 30 minutes a day
• To write 1,000 words a day
• To call 50 prospects and propose company’s new policy
• To make 3 appointments with clients a day

Lead measures are the things that are actionable. And when you act on them, you directly move the lag measure. For instance, if your goal is to lose 10 pounds by year end, you are focusing on the lag measure.

In order to achieve this goal, you must shift your focus from the lag measure to the lead measure. You should focus on the number of exercise sessions you can take each week if you want to reach your weight loss target. If you exercise every day for 30 minutes, eventually, you will lose weight, and you will reach your goal.

The exercise session is something that you can control and something you can do. This is why you should focus on the lead measures of your goals and not the goals themselves. If you want to influence the results you get, you must work on a predictive indicator.

For example, if you want to boost your sales, focusing on the numbers will only make you lost. Instead, you should focus on things that you can act on, such as the number of calls you can make to your prospects. The more calls you make, the more sales you will get.

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” – Pablo Picasso

How to Identify Your Lead Measures

Lead measures may not be easily identifiable and sometimes, they can be too simple to catch your attention. Take losing weight as an example, the number of hours you put into exercise and your calorie intake per day are the two main lead measures, but most people don’t track or focus on them because they sound too simplistic.

When you are trying to identify your lead measure, ask yourself this question, “What is the one thing that I can do that will influence my results(goals)?” You want to find out the action that you can act on so that you will get the results you want.

Which lead measures give you the most impact

The next step you can take is to rank your lead measure according to their impact. We have only so many hours in a day and thus, it is impossible for you to focus your energy on everything. This is why you should focus on the lead measure that gives you the most impact.

If you want to grow your blog, there are a number of lead measures you can focus on. Here are some examples:

• Writing and publishing quality content.
• Create share-worthy social media posts.
• Write and submit guest articles to other blogs.
• Placing ads on social media and drive traffic to your blog.

After you have brainstormed with all the possible lead measures, rank them according to their impact and the ease to act on them.

You want to focus and work on only one or two in the beginning. You don’t want to spread yourself too thin by focusing on too many things. Just one or two as a start can quickly boost your results and get you to your goals.

Work on your lead measure

Once you have identified your lead measure, work on it. Focus and put in most of your effort there. When you work on it, you will get the results, which will eventually move you to your lag measure.

“Goals. There’s no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There’s no telling what you can do when you believe in them. And there’s no telling what will happen when you act upon them.” – Jim Rohn

Should You Neglect Your Lag Measure?

In short, the answer is no. Although the lag measure is a measure that you cannot predict and influence, having it is equally important. The reason is simple, if you act only on the lead indicator without a lag measure, it can make you feel good about being busy with a lot of work to do, but it will not provide you the answer if your business or what you do is getting you the results you want.

Therefore, you need both lead and lag measures to make things balance. A lag measure excites and drives you, such as setting a goal to lose 10 pounds, to look fit, or to build a successful online business. At the same time, you need to act on your lead measure in order to achieve your lag measure.

Most people set their goals in terms of lag measures. They want to have better ROI, they want to increase revenue, or they want to have 6-pack abs. The problem with these goals is that they are lag measures. Because of this, if you want to achieve them, you must work on the lead measures, not the lag. Act on the indicators that will directly influence the results you want.

What steps do you take to reach a goal? Let us know your process in the comments below!

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https://addicted2success.com/life/read-this-if-youre-looking-for-a-guaranteed-way-to-reach-your-goals/

12 Beautiful Truths About Life.

The 7 Secrets of High Achievers Revealed

We all have goals in life, but very few of us ever learn to consciously set, work on and see our goals through. In our naturalness bias, we marvel at those who have set and reached their goals thinking they have some esoteric abilities that we don’t. We overlook that the final product is the result of a series of mistake-ridden, unrecorded pains. What if we could learn from the process, the habits and rituals of the high achievers?

Below are the seven core habits that high achievers went through to reach mastery:

1. They made a decision

It is arguably one of the most important components of goal-setting: Making a conscious, deliberate decision to set and see your goal through. This is a singular moment, when you say; “That’s it! I have had it! I can’t take it anymore.” You decide that the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of changing. Those who have successfully reached their goals have all had those awakening moments.

Steve Jobs made the decision that he was going to make a dent in the universe after he knew he was adopted. Muhammad Ali made a decision that he was going to be a great boxer after his bike was stolen. They made a decision! Reading, watching motivational videos or even reading articles like this mean nothing without a deliberate decision to change.

2. They built on past successes

We are naturally inclined to focus on our flaws, we know everything that is bad about ourselves. We are experts at proving the “negatives.” The people who are deemed high achievers are the ones who know that they have flaws and that they also have unique talents. How many times have you found yourself saying things like; “there is nothing good about me, I screw everything up, I always have and I always will.” Those words limit your world. No one can consistently screw up everything, there is undoubtedly a time when you have succeeded at something. Find that moment, and use it as a foundation to build momentum.

“be better today than you were yesterday. Be better tomorrow than you were yesterday.” – Lorenzo Snow

3. They practiced Kaizen

Those who reached their goals know that constant improvement is the norm not the exception. They have made the Kaizen or “continuous improvement” their life philosophy. There is no room for complacency. They know in our neophiliac nature, one way to remain motivated is to learn new things that relate to our goals. Don’t compare yourself to others. In this instance, I am reminded of Steve Job’s words: “life is too short to spend it living someone else’s life.”

Comparing yourself to others can be as delusional as being complacent. High achievers know the value of mentors and role-models, but they also know that real success is how they bring their uniqueness to what they do. Have the courage to be yourself. Fail, learn and improve. This is the virtuous cycle that will guide your self-improvement journey.

4. They have a great people only group

People who succeed know the importance of social circles. They associate themselves with great people only. These are the people who they could rely on when the going gets tough. They are energy givers, they listen to you and they boost your spirit. As a matter of fact, a myriad of studies has shown that people whom you associate with can have great impacts on your overall wellbeing.

Plato, at the peak of the Greek Empire noted, “what is honored in a country will be cultivated there.” Psychologist Emma Seppälä, PhD noted “we are wired for empathy.” Our behavior, attitudes and actions are a direct reflection of whom we spend time with. Starting today, build a social village with people who share your vision.

5. They had a bias for action

It’s been a month since you said you were going to start working out. To motivate yourself, you even acquired a treadmill. Everything is set, the first day you are excited, but suddenly a friend calls, it’s urgent you have to be there. You say: “well, I will have time tomorrow.” It’s been six months now since you’ve been saying “I am going tomorrow.” Sound familiar? Taking action can be the most daunting aspect of goal-setting.

Fear of failure, procrastination and fear of embarrassment, among many others, stop us from taking action. The people who made it knew the value of taking action, they got their hands dirty. Take action! Think of a goal you have been putting off, write your next action. Don’t continue until you’ve written it down. Don’t just think it, ink it!

6. They were flexible

“Where attention goes, energy flows” is a popular saying to help us focus on our goals. However, well-intentioned it may be, some of us seem to misunderstand it. We single-mindedly focus on a goal as if it’s a must-have, that attitude may create tunnel vision that can be detrimental to our goal in the first place.

The path to effective goal-setting is more ambiguous than we may think. Some of us are fortunate to find a goal early in life, while some of us don’t. For those of us who don’t, we need to navigate different paths before we ultimately settle down on a single goal. It’s best to have both a deliberate and an emergent strategy.

While we deliberately choose a life purpose, we should keep our aperture open to opportunities. Be strategic in your goal-setting endeavor. How do you know when to change strategy? Listen to your heart.

“The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.” – Blaise Pascal

7. They were persistent

Having a clear, compelling goal does not guarantee a smooth ride nor does it exempt you from failing. The high achievers knew that great talents, inordinate amount of time and effort do not bulletproof them from temporary defeats. In order words, they knew that failure is part of the journey.

Failure is definitely an option, giving in is not. There will be times when there seems to be no way out, those moments are meant to strengthen you. Be persistent. Failure is neither pervasive nor permanent as our minds have us believe, but temporary setbacks to make us shine brighter.

High achievers ensure that every action taken is in alignment with their overarching goals. Contradictory actions will distract you from your reaching your goal. Make every day count and every single action meaningful. Keep your eyes on the prize! There is no one-size-fits-all answer. How much I succeed in writing this article depends on your willingness to be creative, flexible and bold.

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/the-7-secrets-of-high-achievers-revealed/

4 Practical Behaviors to Amplify Your Leadership Skills

I remember back in grade school after mastering the intricacies of addition and subtraction, I finally made it to the advanced mathematical concept of multiplication! I was so excited, raised my hand and told the teacher that it looks like multiplication is addition on steroids!

When I began to study more advanced concepts in mathematics, especially that of exponentiation, I realized that an exponent is multiplication on steroids. It looks to me as if exponential growth has one purpose: to keep growing.

So how can we use this concept of exponential growth to heighten and further our business and leadership career? The answer comes in what I like to call our exponential potential.

Let me give you a personal example. Many years ago, when the bulk of my leadership training was face-to-face, I found myself in a traditional sales cycle of having to cold call on various companies to generate interest. This can be a very time-consuming process, and in January and February in Northeast Pennsylvania the term “cold call” can take on a whole new meaning.

I had to figure out a way of getting a group of prospects together to show them what I could do. I started by joining a local Chamber of Commerce, however I told the executive director that I would join only if they allowed me to do a monthly lunch and learn. I would donate my time and offer a raffle at the end of the session.

The chamber charged $10 each month and between noon and 1:30, once a month, I would have anywhere between 15 and 30 people, representing anywhere between 5 and 25 companies. I would spend the better part of an hour talking about a subject such as goal setting and personal leadership, team-building, or how to develop congruency between your vision and daily activities.

At the end of the session, I would ask everybody to pull out a business card for the raffle of the CD and right a YES on the back of their card if they were interested in learning more about what my company could do for them, or NO on the back of the business card if they simply weren’t interested.

That 90 minute chamber activity brought in anywhere between 6-18 leads per month. However, I didn’t stop there because I joined a dozen chambers and did this consistently across a wide swath of what I consider to be my territory. Within the span of several months, my cold calling activity had basically stopped.

That is what I consider the exponential potential. Multiplication of activities. I think we all have that ability in our business and personal lives. The challenge is finding where those leverage points are so that we can begin to have greater output with the same level of activity.

Here are four practical behaviors that you can use to explore your own personal exponential potential:

1. Look for aggregates

They do exist but you need to find them. In every business or personal endeavor there are ways to multiply your efforts. Business lunches are a great example, because you take care of the biological necessity of eating while discussing business. Perhaps you can meet clients at the gym or for a bike ride also.

Are there processes at work that can be made more efficient by moving individual’s physical space or by allowing individuals to work remotely? What can you delegate to free up more of your valuable cognitive resources?

“Doing more and more with less and less is one form of being generous. In fact, the easiest way to become rich is by being generous.” – Robert Kiyosaki

2. Batch goals together

If you are upwardly mobile, you probably have some very stringent business goals. You may also have some physical goals to keep your body in shape. Lastly, if you are a family person, you may also want to spend time with your significant other and children. Can you see how these goals conflict?

Consequently, we may be achieving one goal but feeling guilty because the other two are not being worked on.

This causes us to think irrationally and may open us up to harbor resentment. Try this: does the possibility exist of telling your family that if you can have 90 minutes of quiet time to work on a report after dinner, you can all go for a walk together and talk about whatever comes up in conversation? Think about it, you have taken care of your business goal of working quietly for 90 minutes, the physical goal of going for a walk, and the family goal of going for the walk together.

3. Perseverance

There is no greater multiplier of successes than an attitude of, “I will not be denied!” The difference between success and failure is quite simply, “try one more time.”

Perseverance can be made into a game by asking yourself questions such as, “Why did this particular thing happen that made me miss (or hit) my goal?” Following this, analyze your answer in a playful and curious way so that that information may be hardcoded into your personal success database.

“By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” – Charles Spurgeon

4. Enjoy the journey

In other words, be happy! Whenever you are searching for the multipliers in your life you may encounter setbacks, frustrations, and downright failures. Learn to perceive the setbacks as signposts, and opportunities to change direction. In other words, be happy with the frustrations that you meet because they are assisting you in finding the correct path for your journey.

I truly hope that you find the four behaviors listed above useful! I have used them over and over again and have spoken to clients about them many times all with excellent results. These behaviors are about you. Remember that.

Which one of these practical behaviors could you use more in your daily life? Let us know in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/4-practical-behaviors-to-amplify-your-leadership-skills/

Arrogance Vs. Confidence: The Difference Can Make or Break Your Leadership

To become a successful leader, confidence is required. It is a quality that can help you to build strong relationships with others, get things done from employees, and carry on your business effectively. However, sometimes leaders can go overboard, and their confidence can become arrogance as there’s a fine line between these two personality traits.

Confident leaders believe in themselves, listen to others and accept other’s point of view. They can build great teams, motivate others and influence a positive company culture. Arrogance, on the other hand, can be defined as a lack of appreciation. It is about being full of yourself and feeling you are always right.

To be a good leader, you must walk that fine line between confidence and arrogance. Successful leaders are down-to-earth, considerate and humble in their relationships with their employees.

Leaders can cause harm to themselves and their organizations if they exhibit arrogance instead of confidence. They can drain employee motivation and lead to high turnover rates.

So, how can leaders know when their confidence is nearing arrogance? Read the 8 signs below:

1. They believe they are the smartest

Arrogant leaders have a belief that they are the smartest in the organization. When anyone goes against their opinion, they completely ignore that. They make arguments to prove themselves right. Pompous leaders belittle those who disagree with them. They don’t like being challenged or questioned.This makes the subordinates and peers accept the decision even when the leader is wrong, thus hindering innovation in the organization.

Confident leaders ask for honest feedback from co-workers, customers and others whom they work with. They have the self-assurance to take what they hear and then use it positively.

2. Unwillingness to learn

Leaders who are arrogant not only consider themselves smarter than others but are also unwilling to learn from people. They think they know everything and are capable of managing the business successfully.

However, they can’t take the inputs of others, thus they are stagnant. Confident leaders keep a learning attitude so that they can continuously improve in all the areas of their lives. They actively seek new information and believe in gaining wisdom from others.

“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” – Douglas MacArthur

3. Not admitting mistakes

Arrogant leaders don’t accept their mistakes and are quick in pointing out faults of others. They blame others when things go wrong, not taking accountability for their actions and mistakes. They don’t believe in apologizing.

Confident leaders are humble, readily admit their mistakes, learn from them and ensure they don’t reoccur. They never see their mistakes as a sign of weakness. They understand that they aren’t perfect and can get things wrong. Because of this, they tend to be role models for others in their organization.

4. Lack of listening skills

Arrogant leaders lack listening skills and are not empathetic. They are busy doing their own things instead of listening to the concerns of others, demonstrating they have more important issues to attend to than their employees.

Confident leaders are good listeners. They make their subordinates feel comfortable and at ease due to the patience, compassion, and empathy they show.

5. Self-centredness

Pompous leaders put themselves and their personal agendas ahead of organizational goals and the common good. They don’t make decisions that are beneficial to all.

Confident leaders give priority to their subordinates, supporting and inspiring them to achieve business goals. They help in the development of others, teaching them the best of what they know and motivating them to work effectively.

6. Use of condescending words

Arrogant leaders don’t mind putting others down with phrases like “that’s stupid.” Their arrogance is reflected in their communication, both verbal and non-verbal. They raise their voice when conversing with people to prove their point and they don’t mind humiliating their subordinates in front of others.

This type of arrogance leaders display turns people off, and they lose the loyalty of their team members. Confident leaders respect others and communicate politely.

7. Insecurities

Leaders who are arrogant have insecurities. They need external validations, so they try hard to convince themselves that they are the best. This leads them to be highly critical of others and find faults in them. They also compare themselves to the people around them and get satisfaction from their failures.

Confident leaders don’t look for external validations and seldom make comparisons to feel they are good enough.

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John Maxwell

8. Praising themselves

Arrogant leaders brag about themselves and their achievements. They love to talk about their goals and dreams. They don’t like to praise and give recognition when others do great work or are successful and they also can’t take it or believe others are worthy of appreciation.

Confident leaders recognize great contributions by inspiring confidence in others. They praise in public and talk to subordinates as equals.

Being confident without becoming arrogant is a challenge that leaders have to keep on their agenda at all times. In order to make sure you are confident and not pompous in the long run, you need to continuously check on yourself.

The best way a leader can demonstrate confidence is through humility. Humble leaders have high self-esteem and self-awareness and are motivated to do better.

Treat yourself kindly, acknowledge your weaknesses, hold accountability for your mistakes, learn to get your own acceptance, and avoid comparing yourself with others to not appear arrogant.

In your opinion, what qualities make a great leader? Let us know your thoughts below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/arrogance-vs-confidence-the-difference-can-make-or-break-your-leadership/

5 Mindset Shifts That Will Help You Become a Decision-Making Samurai

As entrepreneurs, we are under a lot of stress as the world is continuously moving at a faster and faster pace. Instead of slowing it down, entrepreneurs like us strive daily to outpace it. The entrepreneurs and influencers we admire seem like they have it all together, and so we try to repress our own emotions to be more like them. We believe we’ll take a breather once we’ve made it.

STOP! Unless you’re a psychopath, emotions are not only necessary, they’re your secret weapon. I’m going to walk you through five mindset shifts that will help you become the master of your emotions and harness their power to make tough decisions . . . like samurais.

See the 5 mindset shifts below:

1. Life will almost never be as bad as whatever “worst case scenario” you’ve imagined

“Negative Visualization” is a technique beloved by stoics and samurais alike. To conquer their fear of failure, samurais force themselves to imagine the worst-case scenario a lot. No, it’s not pessimistic, it’s a reality check.

Negative Visualization puts you back in control. Rather than being at the mercy of a random universe, you now know the worst that could happen. Due to this, you’ll probably discover that it wasn’t all that bad after all.

Mindset shift: “When I’m dealing with a stressful decision, I will imagine the absolute worst-case scenario. Then, I will realize that a) this is very unlikely to happen, and b) even if it does, I’m now in control and prepared.”

“In morning meditation, see yourself killed in various ways, such as being shredded by arrows, bullets, swords, and spears, being swept away by a tidal wave, burned by fire, struck by lightning, dying in an earthquake, falling from a great height, or succumbing to overwhelming sickness.” – Yamamoto Tsunetomo, 17th century samurai

2. Nobody actually knows what they’re doing and that’s okay

Everybody’s winging it. When we’re in the pit of self-doubt, facing a decision that feels impossible, we feel inadequate. We wonder if we deserve to be where we are or if we are an imposter. The truth is, nobody knows what they’re doing—not really. Sure, they can put up an impressive front on social media, but inside, even the most successful people in the world have doubts.

Mindset shift: “It’s normal to feel lost. Everybody does—especially when facing important decisions. Instead of fighting those emotions off, I’ll embrace them for what they are: a completely normal part of the entrepreneurial life.”

3. You make irrational decisions when your emotions are out of control

Wild emotions lead to irrational decisions. This may sound obvious, but so many entrepreneurs interpret it as “bury your emotions” rather than “address them.” Burying emotions flat-out doesn’t work, so stop trying.

Phrases such as “Suck it up,” “It’s not that bad,” “Everybody else can handle this better than me,” are negative self-talk which flusters and burns more of your limited cognitive energy. Instead, accept your emotional state as it is and try this Navy SEAL technique: intentional breathing.

Mindset shift: The next time I’m making an overwhelming decision, I’ll take five minutes to breathe like a SEAL:

• Inhale for 4 beats
• Hold for 4 beats
• Exhale for 4 beats
• Hold for 4 beats

4. Acting “tough” doesn’t help anyone

Many of us became entrepreneurs in the first place because we want to change the world for the better. However, if you aren’t taking care of yourself, there is no way you’re going to be able to help others effectively. If your basic needs aren’t met, you can’t support your friends, family, and clients in the way you’d like to. Because of this you must always take care of yourself.

Mindset shift: “I won’t sacrifice my wellbeing to appease others. My decision will prioritize my ability to eat right, sleep well, take breaks, meditate, have fun, work out, and check in with my emotions.”

“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” – Buddha

5. Sometimes, you need to be tough enough to ask for help

When samurais are young, masters teach them Kendo (“the way of the sword”), Zen Buddhism, the samurai moral code, and how to live according to Bushido (“the way of the warrior”).

Three-fourths of those deal directly with the inner workings of the mind. And yet, so many of us entrepreneurs today are hesitant to seek help for the problems in our own minds. If you’re happy and well-rested, you’re more likely to have a productive, positive meeting.

Mindset shift: “I accept that unclouding my mind will lead to better decision-making. To achieve that, I’ll probably need outside help: a nutritionist, a confidant, a therapist, or a trainer. Getting help doesn’t make me weak—it shows I’m willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my goals.”

Samurais don’t reject their emotions or fears, they lean into them to find the strongest way forward. So whether you are selecting your next entrepreneurial venture, deciding who to hire or fire, or determining the most productive way to spend your morning, elevate your judgment by staying grounded in reality and focusing on what you can actually control. Only then can you become a true decision-making samurai.

Which one of these mindset shifts resonates most with you at the moment? Let us know which one and why in the comments below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/5-mindset-shifts-that-will-help-you-become-a-decision-making-samurai/

14 Sir Isaac Newton Quotes Which Will Inspire You to Think and Act

Isaac Newton is one of the most influential scientists in the history of mankind. When he was a teenager, his mother pulled him out of school in order to help out at their family farm. Newton did not have an interest in being a farmer with his love for learning, thus he went back to finish school.

His masterpiece Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (which means “Mathematical principals of Natural Philosophy”) was published in 1687. It is here where he describes his famous three laws of motion along with the law of gravity. In addition to this, he invented the reflecting telescope and a new type of math called “fluxions,” which we now know as calculus.

Below are some of Newton’s most famous quotes:

1. “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” – Isaac Newton

2. “Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy” – Isaac Newton

3. “What we know is a drop, what we don’t know is an ocean.” – Isaac Newton

4. “No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.” – Isaac Newton

5. “Truth is ever to be found in the simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.” –Isaac Newton

6. “What goes up must come down.” –Isaac Newton

7. “Live your life as an Exclamation rather than an Explanation” – Isaac Newton

8. “You have to make the rules, not follow them” – Isaac Newton

9. “We build too many walls and not enough bridges.”- Isaac Newton

10. “If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been due more to patient attention, than to any other talent.”- Isaac Newton

11. “Genius is patience.”- Isaac Newton

12. “To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction.”- Isaac Newton

13. “My powers are ordinary. Only my application brings me success.”- Isaac Newton

14. “I believe the more I study science, the more I believe in God.”- Isaac Newton

Which one of these quotes resonates with you most and why? Share your thoughts below!

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https://addicted2success.com/quotes/14-sir-isaac-newton-quotes-which-will-inspire-you-to-think-and-act/

Getting Attention Doesn’t Have to Be So Problematic for Your Business

Instead of being so loud in the marketplace, it might work by simply being your true authentic self. As my hands wave furiously in the air, I’m trying to get your attention over here. Not there, here. Yet, it is so difficult at times to get your attention. Why? Look at the billions of words, pictures and GIFs that are used in the online world every single minute.

Even when you are asleep, someone on the other side of the planet is feverishly hammering out more words, more GIFs, and a brand new way to get your attention. Listen, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Nope, it is not “The Secret” because you can find that easily, well, online. This secret is pretty basic, so here it goes: You don’t have to scream, yell, stomp your feet or even curse to get someone’s attention.

Read that one more time. We are all attempting to find our niche, develop our tribe or community, and make something work together. Yet, doing that “thing” might actually be against what your own heart is calling you to do.

Leave room for some practical thought

There is room for practicality, planning, and a lot of thought too. Those are core elements and should not be forgotten. “But I have to pay the rent, back taxes, and debt collectors, man. I got to get busy and let people know I am somebody,” someone just yelped while reading these words. I understand the frustration and I also know about desperation.

Too many times in the past 6 years, in spite of having one really good year financially, frustration and desperation have led me down dead-end streets. It’s not a lot of fun moving out of your home on New Year’s Eve because you can’t come up with $500 to meet the already late rent. That turns into a larger headache, multiple hotel rooms, and a friend opening his door for three-plus months to live. Yeah, it sucks to not have your own transportation as well.

That part is looking at the glass as half-empty. Viewing it as half-full involves taking stock of what actually happened, start making amends for bad decisions, and feeling grateful and more positive about the present and future. In doing so, then I just might actually gain more attention instead of less.

Find a new path and follow it

If I am true to my heart and soul, then I am going to find a way, find a path, and follow it. As someone I have come to trust said many times, life is going to have plot twists in it. Little did I realize that I’d have 30-plus years of them.

You have the ability to turn your mess into a success. That’s not an original thought on my part. Heck, it’s been said – in different words – in so many places. Personal development books and seminars, churches, synagogues, mosques, community centers, nature circles…you name it.

Being able to do that very thing is attractive to many people. Others are currently in your own situation and looking for places to take them out of their own pit of despair. If you turn on the faucet of faith and success and let others see you rise from your ashes, then someone is going to ask you “how did you do it?”

That’s a doorway into helping them see the light. It’s attractive to that person or business. Again, you are not maniacally waving, yelling and screaming to get attention. It naturally comes to you and what you do for a living. This goes against the grain of what some big-league marketing gurus might be telling and selling these days.

Conclusion

What leads you to do something that is true to your very own heart? It’s the one thing that you have been pulled to do in your life. Simply, put your fears aside and take a step toward what you have dreamed about for a long, long time.

When I simply step in that direction, then that’s going to open up a new path for me. Intuitively, I will not have to pull and yank on your chain to get your attention. It will be done holistically, naturally, and passionately. Now that’s an attention getter, right there.

How do you go about attracting attention to your brand or business? Leave a comment below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/getting-attention-doesnt-have-to-be-so-problematic-for-your-business/

Why Judging Your Success on Criticism Won’t Get You Anywhere

“Moby Dick” is widely considered one of the best American novels ever written. It’s a behemoth of a book, long on descriptions of the ocean and its denizens. There’s an entire chapter devoted to naming and classifying the different types of whale. It’s a tough, strange read and, like so many of the novels in its literary hemisphere, cannot be fairly defined. It’s an adventure novel rolled into a revenge narrative stuck hundreds of miles off the nearest coast, and no one knew what to make of it for decades after its release.

The critics took the path common to many of us with something unknown and strange: “Moby Dick” was initially reviled, then ignored. Melville produced another unsuccessful novel, then shifted to poetry, and eventually died penniless and forgotten, his name misprinted in the obituary.

And now, some century and a half after its initial printing, Melville is a household name, his iconic story of whales and men considered in high school and college classrooms alike. Melville never knew the success of his book, all because of a few puzzled critics. This story repeats itself through the centuries, from Emily Dickinson to Edgar Allan Poe to Vincent Van Gogh to Nick Drake. Critics don’t always get it right.

The Critics

Of course, criticism isn’t always formal, and it isn’t usually directed at the likes of Melville. As highly as you might think of your art, it’s pretty unlikely that you’re the next Dickinson or Van Gogh. In this sense, criticism has its merits — the theory is sound enough.

Criticism at its most valuable points to an effort’s faults and its merits. These faults or merits can be anything as trivial as the care you took wiping a table to the decade’s long struggle you went through to write your novel. Criticism exists in all forms and should — by definition — include a studied and neutral appraisal of the effort and quality involved in a product or service. However, that definition itself summons some problems.

For instance, who is qualified to criticize? For certain mundane, everyday tasks, a workplace superior — or even a co-worker or friend — will point out faults and merits in your work. On other, more specialized subjects, finding a fair and informed critic proves problematic. On passion projects in particular, the right critic can make or break the artist. The last thing any aspiring artist wants to hear is a misguided or hateful effort to destroy their work.

“Learn to see the difference between constructive and destructive criticism. Appreciate the constructive, ignore the destructive.” – John Douglas

Taking Criticism

There are a few things that any artist ought to consider when being criticized. First: You asked for it. When you open yourself up for criticism, which usually takes the form of asking someone to read what you’ve written, look at what you’ve painted or listen to a song you’ve composed, you’re opening yourself up for them to criticize. And given that most people have different tastes and techniques for the field in which you’re creating — and given that you’ve found someone you consider worthy of offering critical insight — it’s pretty likely that some of what they contribute will be negative.

That said, criticism should be solicited (until after publication, etc.). If someone feels the need to approach you with comments on something you’ve written, and nothing designates them as a legitimately qualified critic within your field, you have no obligation to listen to a word they say.

A final form of criticism, self-criticism, is probably the hardest to judge. It’s easy being too hard on yourself, but it’s important to remember that compromising your art for the easy way out is never worth it and will make you feel significantly worse down the line. Riding that fine line is where the best art happens. Thus, the most critical limitation on criticism is this: It’s ultimately up to you when to listen and when to ignore. Pick the criticism that seems accurate and motivates you to improve.

Great critics are wrong sometimes, or misjudge a creative effort, or even entirely miss the point. Bad critics strike out of resentment, as do jealous contemporaries. Some percentage of the criticism any artist receives will be bad and needs to be ignored for the benefit of the work. Another portion of criticism is good and will ultimately benefit the profession. And a tremendous amount of the stuff is neutral, misguided or changes the fundamental composition of the work.

The lion’s share of taking criticism is sticking to your guns when you’re right and staying humble and thankful when you aren’t. After all, maybe you’re the next Melville, writing an epic masterpiece that will never be understood in your lifetime.

“There is only one way to avoid criticism: Do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” – Aristotle

Constructive criticism helps all artists to a degree, just as constructive criticism helps a child learn how to wipe the proverbial table. However, keep in mind that no critic is sitting at your desk writing or drawing or recording. They aren’t pouring hours into the project. Their perspective is a different one, often fresh and insightful after you’ve gotten used to your work, and worthy of your attention. But it’s not their work, and it never should be.

Sentimentality plagues all artists in some degree or another, and it’s no easy task to separate your love and hard work from the simple reality of what you’ve produced. That’s where the critics come in. Being able to pick out those who value the craft from those who relish crushed dreams and artists’ tears, takes a tremendous amount of faith in your abilities mixed with humility and self-awareness about the shortcomings of your work.

Putting your work out there is opening yourself up to criticism. It’s part of a contract you sign the moment you attend a critique session or email your work to someone. And it’s important to go through the trial of criticism to help polish your work. But getting depressed from a few bad critiques or comments is the exact opposite of what you want. Learn who speaks the truth — objectively, not favoring your work — and listen to what they have to say.

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/why-judging-your-success-on-criticism-wont-get-you-anywhere/

Business Networking Is Just Like Dating, Treat It That Way

Let’s be real, you can all go out and try to find a sale at the next business networking event, but unless you’re a millionaire such as Grant Cardone or Gary Vaynerchuk, what’s the real purpose of going to a business networking event? Business networking events are meant to meet like-minded individuals just like you to build a relationship whether it’s business, friendship, or (call me crazy) even romantic.

So many newbies in the entrepreneur world and seasoned entrepreneurs forget the main purpose of networking events. They just pitch, pitch, and pitch even more without building value. Think of it this way, would you pitch to a romantic interest to sell him or her on you or would you build value to show why you are a great fit for a partnership?

You Have to Be Thirsty

You’ve got to be thirsty and put yourself out there by building value. Now I’m not saying be thirsty for someone, but be thirsty enough to where you start pouring your values onto them. Ask yourself, “why should people want to work with you, let alone get to know you even more?”

As you are letting people know who you are, what you do, why you do it, and where you see yourself in 10 years, they can slowly begin to see value within you.

What makes it even better is that when you ask the same questions back to them, more value is being built, and they will begin to like you. Think of it this way, although some of us are more thirsty for a romantic interest on the entrepreneur journey, you have to act as if you are just as thirsty for success.

It all starts with building value and getting hydrated. As you are putting yourself out there more, be in the mindset to build value because the end goal should be for people to want to work with you.

You Need to Stay Consistent

You must stay consistent with networking because you’re not always going to find the person that’s going to bring value to your business at some events. If you had met someone of a romantic interest, would you stay consistent in building value with them along with showing them reasons to want to be your partner?

I’d bet that you would stay consistent in building value with them. Networking is just like that! Staying consistent in networking means being committed to the value you can bring someone  for months, if not years. You have to keep putting yourself out if you really want the opportunity.

You don’t know what you don’t know so if you want it, you have to keep putting yourself out there. Like the movie, “Field Of Dreams” says, “ if you build it, they will come.” They will come to you but, if you’re not consistent, you will lose opportunities that you’ve been seeking for a long time.

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” – Dwayne Johnson

Finding The Right Match

You got thirsty, you stayed consistent, and you found the right match. Finding the right match can lead you to a business coach or a sale for your business. However, the right match can be any group of people helping you on your journey. This is where you must begin delivering more value and create opportunities for success in your business(es).

However, don’t create opportunities just for you, but also help your right match get opportunities as well. You got to put in greatness so you can get the same results back. The power of leverage is real!

When you get the right match, pick their brain and let them pick your brain. It’s not rocket science, but this is the best way to gain success from networking. They go hand in hand and it all starts with how thirsty you are, how consistent you are willing to be, and getting the best match for your business.

Network Like You’re Dating

Remember, it’s just like dating, keep it simple and don’t make it complicated. Don’t get into your feelings because this is just business and you are there to network. Network and find the right match because if you don’t, someone else will. Be thirsty in building value as you would be thirsty for a romantic interest.

“One of the most powerful networking practices is to provide immediate value to a new connection. This means the moment you identify a way to help someone, take action.” – Lewis Howes

You can’t treat it like a one-time thing and act as if it didn’t serve you because, at the end of the day, it did. If you find someone or something, stay consistent in showing up because after all 80% of success is showing up. Last but not least, get the right match to help grow your business just like someone of a romantic interest helps you grow as a person.

Which one of these pieces of advice resonated most with you? Let us know in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/business-networking-is-just-like-dating-treat-it-that-way/

15 Typical Life Problems And How To Solve Them.

4 Lies You Keep Telling Yourself When You’re Afraid to Do Something

When’s the last time you let fear get the better of you? Whether we want to admit it or not, fear keeps us from doing a lot of the things we know we really should do to achieve our goals. Fear is especially detrimental to entrepreneurs (read ‘wantrepreneurs’) that want to launch their first big project.

With this in mind, I thought I’d share with you four lies people tend to tell themselves when they’re coming up with reasons NOT to do something. Hopefully by calling out these lies for what they are you can get your next big project started without so much delay or frustration.

Here are the 4 lies you keep telling yourself when you’re afraid to do something:

1. I’m not ready to do this

Fear is a major obstacle for many early-stage entrepreneurs or business people as they start to plan and build their first ventures. Without positive reinforcement, many people can be paralysed by that fear, and some never launch their product or service because of that fear.

They’re afraid what they have to sell is no good, and they lack the self confidence to push through the discomfort and do it anyway. But I’ve got news for you, you are ready.

Discomfort is part of the process, and it is part of the journey. Likely, you will fail or experience certain difficulties, but without regular action, you won’t achieve anything. Regular action is key, so set deadlines for yourself and get to work.

“Momentum begets momentum, and the best way to start is to start.” – Gil Penchina

2. I have so many ideas, but I should wait until I have one that is good enough to pursue

Another big barrier to entry for many young entrepreneurs is knowing where to focus their time, money and energy. Most entrepreneurs have no shortage of good ideas, but knowing which areas to focus their efforts on is key if they truly want to become successful. A jack of all trades is a master of none.

Rather than avoiding choosing one path and trying to juggle three or four ideas, narrow your idea down to one niche, and stick with it for a duration of time to understand whether or not you can gain traction with that idea. When I say traction, I mean interest from the market.

If you can ask a large enough segment of the market for their interest in a certain topic, and if they express interest in that topic (even without buying), you should consider that proof of market validation.

Finding and selecting a niche is also an art in and of itself, but not impossible to teach. You should blend your current skill set (or find something that you can easily learn) with what there is a market demand for and what you are interested in. Once you find something that overlaps in those three areas, you will find a profitable niche for yourself.

3. This has already been created, I shouldn’t bother producing one more thing that people don’t need

Another problem that people face when they consider setting up their own business is learning how to sell, not just to other people, but to themselves. Chances are, if you have an idea for a product, it can be marketed and sold effectively, and it will provide some value to those who use it.

Unfortunately, many people have a very low self-image of their own skills and knowledge, and whether or not what they have will be of value to others.

Negative self talk can be a powerful influence on the success of your future business, so beware of its influence on you and how often you find yourself slipping into this mindset.

One way to get out of this mindset is to think less of yourself and more about the customer. Get in the habit of thinking less about what skills you have (or what skills you lack) and think instead of the market and what needs those people have.

When you decide to solve people’s problems, you have gone into a mode of selfless service, which is ultimately much more profitable than sitting on your butt feeling sorry for yourself. Strange isn’t it?

“The best way to sell yourself to others is first to sell the others to yourself.” – Napoleon Hill

4. It’s too late to start working on this today, I’ll make a fresh start in the morning

Everyone knows that the first few hours of the morning tend to be the most productive. With that in mind, it makes sense to start your day with the tasks that are going to be the most challenging, followed by the tasks that are perhaps more enjoyable or less monotonous. However, that won’t work for some people.

Sometimes it’s hard to wake up first thing in the morning. Perhaps you stayed out partying too hard last night, or you were kept up watching Netflix. Maybe you got to bed at a reasonable hour but just aren’t a morning person. Whatever the case, don’t think that you have to let all of the pieces fall into the right place at the right time.

Starting now is always better than waiting. Sure, you might not send off a client deliverable to someone at 2am, but if you are up and awake and able to string two sentences together or spend 15 minutes researching a certain topic, do it. Making even small bits of progress over time can lead to lasting success.

Whatever you end up telling yourself, understand that you are still responsible for your actions. Perhaps more importantly, you are responsible for your inaction. What inaction will you be responsible for if you decide to believe the lies you tell yourself on a regular basis?

How could your life be different if you decided, starting today, you aren’t going to take no for an answer? I for one, would love to see what the new you does with that power.

How do you get yourself back on track when you’re afraid to do something? Let us know your thoughts below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/4-lies-you-keep-telling-yourself-when-youre-afraid-to-do-something/

The 21st Century Entrepreneur’s Guide to Attracting Ready to Buy Customers

Unlike some decades ago, the number one challenge entrepreneurs face is not figuring out a perfect name for their startup or getting overwhelmed at the point of bringing the startup to life. Rather, the major challenge of startup founders nowadays is attracting their first (or next) sets of qualified, always-willing-to-buy customers.

Whether you run a local e-commerce store, or offer consulting services, the need to get well-paying customers (or clients) who will appreciate your work and refer your brand to others can’t be over-emphasized.

A 2016 report by UPS Connect, show that the main focus of 72% of small business owners is increasing their revenue. And if you are among the seventy-two percent of entrepreneurs, then you need not spend hours upon hours anymore in the quest for a trusted “guidebook” with hacks and tips for attracting qualified customers. Good news is, in this article, you’ll discover four infallible, actionable steps to attracting the class of customers you desire.

Ready for the long, smooth ride? Here we go:

1.  Get a byline in relevant publications

Believe it or not, people of the 21st century aren’t always willing to take out their wallet and make a purchase from a brand that shows up out of the blue. In most cases, these potential customers would prefer to buy a product of lesser quality from a “known” brand, than to purchase that of a high quality from a brand that isn’t familiar to them.

So, to avoid being bypassed by qualified customers, you need to get your name out there on relevant publications (with a sizable number of readers) in your industry. And the good part is, as a startup founder with a long, unending to-do list, you don’t have to stress about creating these web content (or articles) yourself. Like the 64% of B2B marketers who outsource writing, you can always hire a ghostwriter to get the job done.

Whether you do the writing yourself or a paid writer does, the point here is you need to get your name out there. Although this step might seem somewhat insignificant at first, the fact remains that it’s a positive leap towards attracting the customers your startup needs.

a brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.” – Seth Godin

2. Start a blog

This is the 21st century, where the rate of internet users, smartphone users, and general web surfers have tripled (if not quadrupled!). According to HubSpot, 82% of marketers who blog, see positive ROI from their inbound marketing. Also, 45% of marketers, according to one report by SME, say blogging is their most important content strategy. So, by starting a blog, you won’t only increase your chances of gaining new, qualified customers, but also strengthen your chances of keeping the existing ones. And you don’t have to spend ages contemplating what should (and shouldn’t) get published on your blog.

Are there questions existing customers ask often? Are there challenges you feel most people experience while using your products? Or, are there video guides, case studies, infographics or other forms of content you believe might help strengthen your overall marketing effort? Then these are great ideas that could fill up your editorial calendar.

3. Make your business visible

Tons of businesses are established every single day. So, to avoid being outweighed by several other startups in your industry, you need to create a concrete social base. This doesn’t mean you should get your brand on every single, existing social media platform on the web. As a 21st century entrepreneur, all you need do is to identify a few places your ideal customers spend the most of their time.

Are you in the food & drinks, fashion & beauty, or personal development space? Then you should spend more time on places like Pinterest, Instagram and Google Plus. And if you are in the B2B industry, then you should focus on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Research by CMI show that 66% of B2C marketers agree that social media is an effective platform for content marketing. So, social media isn’t just a tool that could help keep you on the radar of potential customers. When used the right way, it could also trigger a spike in your level of engagement and sales—thus, resulting in more revenue for your startup.

“People don’t buy from a website, they buy from people. Let them see who you are.” – Mark Schaefer

4. Go the extra mile

In some cases, what’s needed on your part to attract the attention of potential customers is a “mouth-watering” deal—one your competitors can’t dare to contest! This can come in several forms. If you run an e-commerce store, for example, you could offer free shipping services to customers who opt-in for certain high-priced products. If you offer freelance services, say graphic designing, you could deliver graphic designs in various variants without demanding extra fees.

Whatever approach to which you present your “insane” deal, just make sure it’s juicy enough to entice potential customers, compel them to make a purchase, and then propel them to speak well of your brand to their friends—who have the tendency of becoming customers too.

Growing a business is never a day’s job but, unlike startup founders of past centuries, the 21st-century entrepreneurs aren’t “towel throwers.” The truth is, attracting one’s first (or next) group of qualified customers is no small task. By following the steps outlined above, your startup will, in no long time, boast of a large, solid list of loyal customers.

Which of the steps highlighted above do you intend to take first? Share it with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/the-21st-century-entrepreneurs-guide-to-attracting-ready-to-buy-customers/