7 Principles for Healthy and Sustainable Success

I recently met Dave Meltzer, the CEO of Sports 1 Marketing at the NYC Business Expo. Meltzer is a public speaker and author of the bestsellers “Connected To Goodness” and “Compassionate Capitalism.” He went from being a millionaire in his twenties, a multi-millionaire in his thirties to being bankrupt. Today, he shares his principles for sustainable and healthy success.

7 principles for healthy and sustainable success:

1. Gratitude

Dave said to me “Say Thank You every morning and every night before you go to bed for 30 days straight. I bet most people can’t do it. And yet gratitude is the one thing that makes your past brilliant, your present happy and your future bright.”

Trading your expectations for gratitude is one of the most important components of reducing stress and anxiety. It helps the brain to focus on what’s working well and therefore see and create more opportunities. Typical of high-achievers is an over critical approach to life and business, which on one hand brings them to a certain level of success but on the other hand robs them from a good quality of life.

2. Empathy/Forgiveness

In Dave’s own words, he said,“There are so many mistakes being made being an innovator. It’s something that can’t be avoided. You have to forgive yourself to be happy and if you can’t forgive yourself then there is no way you’re able to forgive others.”

Being able to let go of past failures is key to moving forward and being fully focused on present challenges and possibilities. Holding on to things you regret or holding a grudge takes away mental space. Forgiving others and yourself is deeply connected with emotional intelligence and understanding why a certain action was taken – or not, and developing empathy.

3. Accountability

Dave had this to say about accountability: “You have to take responsibility for your life no matter what happens. If you are accountable you are in control. Ask yourself: What did I do to attract this situation in my life and what can I learn from it.”

The ego loves to blame others and outer circumstances for things that went wrong. Funnily enough it also loves being responsible for good results whenever possible. Leveling up your game in life and business starts with realizing that you are 100% responsible for the outcomes you create. That means to realize that you’re in control, which gives you the chance to change situations, take actions and turn things around.

“Accountability breeds response-ability.” – Stephen Covey

4. Enjoying the pursuit of your potential equals happiness

According to Dave, “It’s not about the outcome you produce, it’s about the pursuit of the potential you have that brings you fulfillment in business and in your personal life.”

No outcome will ever satisfy you if the way there didn’t challenge you. Challenges make you grow, learn, go beyond your comfort zone and develop you into a newer and better version of yourself. Only reaching goal after goal on the search for fulfillment while feeling miserable between achievements will set you up for misery. Happiness lies in the pursuit, not in the outcome.

5. Detach you happiness from the outcome

Dave said to me, “Success is not black and white. Learn to detach yourself from the outcome and enjoy the process.”

High-Achievers love to measure their results and have the tendency to tying their worth and outcomes closely together, which puts them on an emotional rollercoaster. Focus on your efforts and how you can congratulate yourself on them.

6. Good enough

In Dave’s own words, he said, “Ask yourself what you are trying to prove to yourself or the world through all the successes and goals you’re reaching. Do you feel unworthy or not good enough when you don’t create results?”

High-Achieving leaders often have the need to be accepted and approved of. If mediocrity is not an option for you, then ask yourself where your drive is coming from and if that reason serves you or is standing in your way of living a fulfilled life.

“The summit is what drives us, but the climb itself is what matters.” – Conrad Anker

7. Ego

According to Dave, “Our ego needs to be right. Our ego wants us to feel superior. It needs to feel separate and get recognition. Working on dissolving the ego creates more connection with others, the world around us and let’s us be driven by passion instead of fear and force.”

In order to discover more fulfillment, happiness and emotional well-being you need to switch your approach and go beyond reaching success! If you want to create resilience, sustainable performance and thrive, you have to let go of the idea that the outcomes you produce are making you happy.

Detach yourself from the result and enjoy the pursuit of your potential. Life is about experiences. Stop letting your ego stand in your way of feeling content and focus on how you can be grateful of your past, present and future. Gratitude is the feeling you want to carry with you no matter what. It’s the very feeling that makes you feel alive.

Which one of these principles do you need to work on? Let us know your response in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/7-principles-for-healthy-and-sustainable-success/

How to Improve Your Career in a Digital World

Nowadays more and more people decide to move online and find a job, which will give them more freedom and personal space. However, they are afraid that the digital world is not for everyone and you need to possess solid technical skills and master various tools to be able to compete in the market.

Luckily, the digital world is expanding at an enormous speed and the market is able to provide as many opportunities as you are able to grab, so don’t hesitate if you want to change your life.

Here is some practical advice to advance your online career:

1. Stay Tuned and Relevant

The digital world is the world of information, so the main thing you need to consider to start your virtual career is to how to stay updated. You will need to process huge amounts of information, so a livable and working strategy will be a must.

You should always remember that staying updated is the only way to keep up with all the changes and you don’t have a chance to neglect any aspect of the market you are going to enter. Here are some tips, which may be useful:

• Keep learning. There are lots of various online lectures, tutorials and other classes, so you can find the one which will correspond with your needs. Try to take a lesson at least once a month and you will always be aware of the latest tendencies.
• Follow experts in your area of interest through various media networks. It is useful to pay attention to their actions, words and predictions. You may get a few valuable and free lessons from them, which will greatly help in your future career.

2. Networking is a Must

It is impossible to survive in a digital world if you don’t collaborate with others. That is why you need to reach people online if you want to enter the market and find the job you are dreaming of. Luckily, social media is a free space, which equalizes every one, so you can easily contact any professional or guru simply by making a few clicks.

Use such platforms, as Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others to always stay updated. In such a way, you will not only be able to make friends with professionals in your area but also expand your skills and learn new things. This will surely open up lots of opportunities and will greatly help you to promote your skills and personality in the digital world.

“Relationships are leverage. If you give value to someone else first, you have leverage.” – Gary Vaynerchuk

3. Generate Content

Every day millions of users post hundreds of millions of photos, articles, reviews and press releases, so it is more than difficult to be noticed. However, there is a simple way to catch the attention of society and enlarge your target audience.

The key to success is to keep the content coming, which means that you need to publish data on a regular basis. Nevertheless, remember that your content should be interesting and personal. Try to be creative and fun by using a human approach and personal attachment.

In such a way, you will be able to increase your audience even if some posts will be weaker than the others.

4. Don’t be Afraid of Job Hopping

The term ‘job hopping’ is relatively new and many people still use it as a negative description of a person who is changing various jobs like gloves. However, statistics show that more and more managers decide to look for specialists, who have experience in relatively different areas and can apply their skills in any sphere of the digital market.

That is why you shouldn’t be afraid to try something new and switch jobs if you feel like you need to change the scenery and try various opportunities. Job hopping helps millennials to decide what niche to occupy and makes them multi skilled, which is a unique quality for a digital worker.

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” – Albert Einstein

5. Remain Organized

If you want to become a part of the digital world, you should always remember that being organized is the key to success. You will most likely work non-fixed hours from home, so it is more than important to keep track of all the tasks and complete every assignment on time.

The best way to stay organized is to make daily/weekly/monthly planners and notes to be able to remember all the data you need to process. It will be useful to download various time-management and organizing apps, which will help you to create lists, schedules and all other tasks you may face.

In such a way, you will be able to remember a huge amount of information, keep up with the deadlines and deliver all the assignments according to all of the demands.

With these simple but effective tips, you will be able to create a name and start your way in the digital world. Even if you still don’t know where to start or how to show all of your best qualities, being focused and organized, friendly and communicative will help you to make useful contacts, create tight bonds and find the job of your dreams!

What is some additional advice for building a career online?  Comment below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/how-to-improve-your-career-in-a-digital-world/

17 Ways To Live Like A Kid Again And Feel Invincible.

Remember when you were a kid? You had almost no worries and it was all about making the most of each day. No one could control you and you didn’t take no for an answer. If you wanted something, you just did it even if it meant breaking the rules.

You never let opinions stop you from taking action and you tried new stuff all the time. Every day you were learning crazy new things that you never knew existed.

Then you got older. Society changed your priorities. You got rich. Or you bought a house. Or you got married. Or you had a family.

Then all of a sudden, you forgot how to take the best bits of being a kid and use them in your adult life. You stopped calling the shots as much and your creativity plateaued.

Here’s how to live like a kid again:

 

Fail like you have no idea what the word means.

As a kid, you had no idea what the word failure meant. As far as you were concerned, you were going to try things no matter what to see if you liked them. There was only exploring and no dead ends. You laughed when you thought there was such thing as girl / boy germs or when you found out Santa wasn’t real.

You didn’t give up on life; you just moved onto the next thing. Get back to trying stuff again and disconnect yourself from whether or not you’re deemed to be successful by someone else’s standards.

 

Fall over and get a scab on your leg or arm.

I can remember as a kid having a scab on my arm or leg every few months. I was continuously trying outdoor activities that could see me fall over and have a minor injury. To be honest, I haven’t had a scab anywhere on my body for more than a decade.

I’m willing to bet that a lot of you have been a long time between your last scab as well. Scabs are a metaphor for exploration. You get scabs by getting out into the great outdoors and exploring new sights and new scenery. Scabs are not a medical emergency; scabs are a symbol of someone who’s given it a shot.

Go get your next scab and be proud of it. Fall over. Wipeout. Feel the pain and enjoy it.

 

Ask so many questions that it becomes annoying.

Remember seeing a magician for the first time and having an endless number of questions? Remember how you drove your parents nuts because you refused to stop asking questions until they told you how the magician did their magic?

Asking lots of questions until it becomes annoying is how you get better at asking questions. Asking questions helps you to learn and connect with people. Questions build rapport. Questions are the key to effective communication.

You can never ask too many questions as an adult. Being inquisitive is rare and all your favorite entrepreneurs do it.

 

Don’t be afraid to look dumb.

“If you ask the question that everyone is thinking, but nobody has the courage to answer out of fear they could look stupid, you’ll become the people’s champion”

There’s no such thing as being dumb. Even if something is really obvious, you may not have been exposed to it before. It’s fine to want to know about something new for the first time. Screw how you look.

 

Try a new hobby every week.

You remember the days, don’t you? One week you were collecting baseball cards. Then you were going to be a soccer star. Then it was motorbikes. Then it was model trains maybe for a bit. Then you went to a school concert and saw an awesome band and decided to grow your hair long and become a rockstar.

Then what happened as an adult? You only did one or two hobbies. You stopped trying new hobbies even though you weren’t sure about the one or two that you’d “settled” for.

Maybe the reason why you’re feeling unhappy or unfulfilled is because you settled for the wrong hobby and quit exploring too soon. Maybe you were born to do something else. You’ll never know unless you start trying new hobbies again. You might surprise yourself now that you’re an adult.

 

Let your imagination run wild.

You’d play with your toys and pretend they were real. You’d pretend you were an archaeologist for a day and dig up the backyard looking for treasure. As a small boy, I remember building huge Lego cities in the living room and pretending to be the mayor. Whatever I could dream up, my loyal Lego workers had to build for me.

I came up with crazy roads that were borderline dangerous. I’d put buildings on top of each other and create entrances that only a rock climber could reach. I’d paint the entire town blue because it was my favorite color and I didn’t give care what the citizens of Timsville wanted.

Our imaginations were wild as kids. We saw the world differently. We could see the potential in even the smallest things.

Nothing was as it seems and anything was possible.

Then slowly we were told how the world is. We were told what to think and meanings were given to everything. These meanings became fixed labels that couldn’t be changed. If you didn’t conform to the labels, then you faced a life of uncertainty and pain.

Well I say that this very adult idea is the problem. I’m here writing these words because I believe I can inspire the world and I don’t care if people think I’m nuts. Whatever your crazy idea is, let your imagination take over again.

Imagination leads to creativity and creativity has the power to solve the worlds problems.

“Businesses will pay a lot of money for someone who can see the invisible and who is creative”

 

Don’t take no for an answer.

Your mother told you that you couldn’t have the ice cream. Did you ever accept her answer?

Hell no. You kept nagging her until she said yes. No never means no. You can’t give up the first time you don’t get what you want as an adult. The child you once were would never take no for an answer. Go back to being relentless when it comes to asking for what you want.

 

Be creative once a week.

Most of our childhood was spent being creative. It’s when we did our best work and where we earned the accolades that children strive for. Painting a picture used to be cool. Making a clay statue was a superpower.

Somewhere along the way, you were told that this stuff is not important anymore. Creativity is important. Creativity will help you:

– Think big
– Get out of your head
– Come up with new ideas
– Create something new

“Schedule creativity weekly”

 

Do art again.

Paint. Draw. Do paper mache. Get your hands dirty.

 

Run around and exercise.

Remember how you played lots of sport as a kid? All of that sport created endorphins inside of you and made you feel part of something bigger. Sport got you off the couch and helped you be fit and healthy. Then you got busy and stopped moving. You became a human hermit crab.

Fall short of breath again. Run. Walk. Swim. Play.

 

Embrace nap time again.

This time of the day used to be non-negotiable. You had a nap so you could recharge and avoid being cranky. Without a nap, you became like a pissed off brat that would crack it over the smallest thing. Know any adults that still act this way today?

Nap time is good. 15-minute power naps and 10-minute breaks for meditation are good for you.

 

Go to new places and try the ice cream.

 

Did you ever always eat the same ice cream at the same store every time?

No way man! You had to have an ice cream at every spot you visited with your parents. It wasn’t about the ice cream but the fact that it was a new destination. The pursuit of ice cream was how you explored the world. Why does this need to change?

Eat ice cream in new places. Explore the world.

 

Work until you run out of energy.

I’m pretty sure as a kid you never went to bed with loads of energy. You played and worked your little butt off until you were completely exhausted. So now as an adult, why do you stop and watch YouTube after only fifteen minutes of real work?

Work like you are a kid again. I mean really work.

 

Always smile and laugh as much as you can.

Kids are so freaking happy all the time. Going to the shops is like an adventure to Egypt. Kids smile heaps and laugh at the silliest things. As an adult, you could do with a lot more of this. Smile more. Laugh at stupid jokes. Go see a comedian once in a while and let your hair down.

Laughing and smiling will give you perspective on your problems. They’re not that crucial.

 

Don’t take life too seriously all the time.

All this adult stuff has got you confused. Being serious 100% of the time is boring. Nothing matters as much as you think it does. This whole reality you live in is made up in your little mind. Your priorities probably don’t matter as much as you think they do.

Take a break from being serious as much as you can like when you were a kid. Allow yourself to enjoy life instead of just living it.

 

Believe you can do whatever you want.

Your beliefs as a kid were that you could do whatever you want and try whatever you want. Why should this change?

You can do whatever you want in your adult life. It all starts with a decision. Anything is possible and you’re in control. If you really do want to fly to space like you dreamed when you were a kid, then give Elon Musk a call. I hear he’s looking for people that want to go to space.

That could be you if you believe it could be.

 

Protect your “playtime.”

As a kid, can you remember how you felt when someone threatened your playtime? That’s right, you’d crack a tantrum because when you were a kid, you believed that playtime was essential. It was your favorite time of the day. Now you got a house and bills, playtime is missing. That’s why you get bored and procrastinate, and eat potato chips on the couch.

Playtime is where you can be free again and do stuff that’s fun. It breaks up the long patterns of work and sleep that are needed to execute on your goals.

Time to bring some of your kid like nature back to your adult life.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

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https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/17-ways-to-live-like-a-kid-again-and-feel-invincible/

32 P.T. Barnum Quotes On Succeeding In Life

P.T. Barnum, known as The Greatest Showman, was one of the most progressive entrepreneurs of the 19th Century. Co-founding Barnum and Bailey’s Circus, P.T. made a name for himself by exposing the world to oddities and a show the likes of which had never been seen before. He is recognized for creating an entertainment empire whose legacy has lasted for almost 150 years.

Here are some of P.T. Barnum’s most motivational quotes:

1. “Money is in some respect life’s fire: it is a very excellent servant, but a terrible master.” – P.T. Barnum

2. “Politeness and civility are the best capital ever invested in business.” – P.T. Barnum

3. “Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity.” – P.T. Barnum

4. “Fortune always favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself.” – P.T. Barnum

5. “Without promotion, something terrible happens…nothing!” – P.T. Barnum

6. “Unless a man enters upon the vocation intended for him by nature, and best suited to his peculiar genius, he cannot succeed. I am glad to believe that the majority of persons do find their right vocation.” – P.T. Barnum

7. “If you hesitate, some bolder hand will stretch out before you and get the prize.” – P.T. Barnum

8. “No man has a right to expect to succeed in life unless he understands his business, and nobody can understand his business thoroughly unless he learns it by personal application and experience.” – P.T. Barnum

9. “The best charity is to help those who are willing to help themselves.” – P.T. Barnum

10. “When a man is in the right path, he must persevere.” – P.T. Barnum

11. “More persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing in nothing, than by believing too much.” – P.T. Barnum

12. “The truth is, the more kind and liberal a man is, the more generous will be the patronage bestowed upon him.” – P.T. Barnum

13. “Science is the pursuit of pure truth, and the systematizing of it.” – P.T. Barnum

14. “The foundation of success in life is good health: that is the substratum fortune; it is also the basis of happiness. A person cannot accumulate a fortune very well when he is sick.” – P.T. Barnum

15. “You must exercise your caution in laying your plans, but be bold in carrying them out.” – P.T. Barnum

16. “The possession of a perfect knowledge of your business is an absolute necessity in order to insure success.” – P.T. Barnum

Like this old school entrepreneur wisdom? Check out these Henry Ford Quotes!

17. “If I shoot at the sun, I may hit a star.” – P.T. Barnum

18. “Whatever you do, do it with all your might. Work at it early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned, and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well as now.”  – P.T. Barnum

19. “Money is good for nothing unless you know the value of it by experience.”  – P.T. Barnum

20. “To me there is no picture so beautiful as smiling, bright-eyed, happy children; no music so sweet as their clear and ringing laughter.” – P.T. Barnum

21. “Energy and patience in business are two indispensable elements of success.” – P.T. Barnum

22. “Every crowd has a silver lining.” – P.T. Barnum

23. “There is no such thing in the world as luck. There never was a man who could go out in the morning and find a purse full of gold in the street today, and another tomorrow, and so on, day after day: He may do so once in his life; but so far as mere luck is concerned, he is as liable to lose it as to find it.” – P.T. Barnum

24. “To forgive heals the wound, to forget heals the scar.” – P.T. Barnum

25. “The great ambition should be to excel all others engaged in the same occupation.” – P.T. Barnum

26. “Never attempt to catch a whale with a minnow.” – P.T. Barnum

27. “The plan of ‘counting the chickens before they are hatched’ is an error of ancient date, but it does not seem to improve by age.” – P.T. Barnum

28. “Your success depends on what you do yourself, with your own means.” – P.T. Barnum

29. “Let your motto be ‘Excelsior,’ for living up to it there is no such word as fail.” – P.T. Barnum

30. “Constant hammering on one nail will generally drive it home at last, so that it can be clinched. When a man’s undivided attention is centered on one object, his mind will constantly be suggesting improvements of value, which would escape him if his brain was occupied by a dozen different subjects at once.” – P.T. Barnum

31. “The noblest art is that of making others happy.” – P.T. Barnum

32. “There is scarcely anything that drags a person down like debt.” – P.T. Barnum

Which quote resonated with you the most? Comment below!

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https://addicted2success.com/quotes/32-p-t-barnum-quotes-on-succeeding-in-life/

A Simple Guide on How to Handle Destructive Criticism

People criticized me. So I changed. But people still criticized me. So I changed more. And still people criticized me. Then finally I realized it’s what they will do, no matter what. And I changed once more, by no longer listening to those people.

Does that mean I have stopped listening to people’s advice? Of course not, I welcome it, I’m grateful for it. But there is a not-so-fine-line between those who destructively criticize, and those offering “constructive criticism” — that is, the advice that can be the most important, even and perhaps especially the tough love variety.

The difference resides in the intention of the person delivering the criticism:

• Are they someone who genuinely cares about you, and/or about the results of your actions, first of all?
• Are they saying whatever they are saying because they genuinely care about your improvement, or the improvement of whatever it is your actions are impacting, even if their words may not be the best they could have chosen?
• Are they truly speaking from an emotional place of insecurity, jealousy, guilt, anger, or hate?

Responding Versus Reacting

If you and I were purely rational beings, it would be pretty easy to routinely recognize others’ intentions, and therefore the difference between constructive versus destructive criticism. Be we too have these little things called “emotions” that can sometimes get in our way… in a big way.

So one of the most beneficial things you can learn is to “scan yourself” to recognize your own emotions at any given time. (This is a habit that serves you well in many respects of life, of course; people can get better and better at it, but no one ever perfects it.)

When it comes to determining the difference between someone giving constructive versus destructive criticism, assess if you have any emotional disturbances or walls up inside you. For example, are you feeling insecure in the face of the particular constructive criticism you are receiving, taking things personally when they are not so, and misinterpreting it as destructive?

Do you have your own internal anger or sadness about something in relation to the person who is delivering what they mean as good advice, which therefore may be tainting how you hear it? Are you simply crabby?

It is not always easy to scan and analyze your own emotions in this manner, but then little that is worth doing is ever easy. The more you can recognize your own emotions so you can respond versus react, the more strife you will avoid and growth you will achieve.

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond”

Recognizing the Destructive

If you do have your own emotions in check, then, it is typically not hard to recognize those who are destructively criticizing you. If their criticism is full of downright insults — calling you stupid and the like, implying or stating outright you’ll never amount to much, etc. — that is clearly destructive.

But also watch their facial and bodily expressions, and listen to the tone of their voices. Instead of the look and sound of care, concern, or worry, destructive criticism usually looks and feels like an attack.

Sometimes you will even sense a sort of sick delight in the person destructively criticizing you, because these “broken” people draw a temporary and false sense of strength and joy from tearing you and likely others down.

The Only Thing to Do

When you are certain a person is in the business of destructively criticizing you, the best thing or the ONLY thing you can do is let them go. Shut them off. Detach. Stop listening. Easier said than done, I know, but amongst the most important things you’ll ever do in your life. If this person is someone you can physically part from in your life, do so.

What If It’s Someone Close to You?

However, often the biggest challenge comes when someone you care about, and who “should” care about you, such as a parent, sibling, spouse, or even someone who once did care about you like an ex or old friend — turns to destructive criticism.

This can feel especially disheartening and like it just doesn’t add up. Because this is a person we ought to be able trust, and so it is extremely easy to take their criticism to heart, even if we rationally know their criticism is not well-intentioned and frankly, full of crap.

But in these cases too, difficult as it may be, you must detach. You may not be able to physically leave in some cases, but you can increasingly teach yourself to mentally and emotionally depart and NOT take any of their destructive words to heart. Yes, it takes work to do this, but believe me, the work is worth it.

“Your circle of influence dictates your path” – Oprah

By the way, if you cannot, or choose not to, physically depart from this person, do remember you cannot fix anyone else, no matter how much you love them and wish you could. You can attempt your own constructive advice to try to help them, but be prepared for extensive resistance, to say the least. The good news is that most “lost souls” do find their way back, starting with one trigger or another; the bad news is that not all do.

Only you, with your own set of values, know who it is you won’t physically leave despite their destructive criticism and negativity, or how far your lines are drawn before you must physically leave them. This is something you should assess and understand for yourself now, hard as it may be, if you don’t yet know.

Misguided Daggers

No matter what, you absolutely CAN choose who you will listen to, whose words you will let inside your head, and whose you will keep out. Even if they’re in the next office over, or in the bed right next to you.

My strong constructive advice is to choose carefully, choose wisely, and for any and all who would destructively criticize you, remember their daggers are misguided. Those who destructively criticize others have one form or another of self-loathing, and the daggers they throw at others are really meant for themselves. Do the work to ban their misguided daggers from piercing your heart.

How are you dealing with criticism? Comment below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/a-simple-guide-on-how-to-handle-destructive-criticism/

My Daily Habits: A Day In My Life.

Without having the facts, you could easily see success for what it isn’t: easy.

Success is largely made up of your habits (go figure).

What you do every day will determine what direction you head. You may be heading to Loserville, or you may be heading to Success Mansion. Where you’re heading is powered by your habits.

Here’s what my day looks like:

 

4:00 am

My phone is on the floor on the other side of the room. This trick forces me to get out of bed and turn off the chimes. I chose chimes by the way because it’s a gentler way of waking up.

 

4:05 am

Drink 500ml’s to 1 liter of water. I then rinse my face with cold water to avoid the temptation of going back to bed.

 

4:15 am

I begin editing and formatting my next blog post. Blogging is my passion, so I ensure that it’s one of the first things I do when I have the most energy. Trying to do it at the end of the day is too difficult because I don’t have the same energy levels.

 

6:00 am

Go to the kitchen and make a cold press green juice made of celery, cucumber, orange, silverbeet and carrot. This juice feels ten times better than coffee and hydrates me perfectly. It also gives me all the vitamins and minerals I need which is why I rarely get sick.

Right after the juice I then make breakfast. Usually avocado on toast or peanut butter on toast with tofu.

 

7:30 am

Walk to the train station and get some exercise. It’s about twenty minutes walk, but I feel refreshed after it (unless that Melbourne rain comes down and then it’s not as fun).

 

8:00 am

While on the train, I do 10 minutes of meditation using the calm app to prepare my mind for work and empty out my thoughts.

 

9:00 am

Once I’m in the office, the first thing I do is check my work phone. Notice how I don’t do this earlier? The reason is that I want my journey to work to be a good one.

I don’t want work to distract me when most of the time there’s nothing I can do about it until I get to the office anyway. My trip to work is always combined with a podcast from either Tim Ferriss, Gary Vee or Lewis Howes.

Important to note that this habit doesn’t occur all of the time. Nothing is ever going to be the same every day. What I’m documenting here is how it happens most of the time so you get an idea of how you can shape your own habits for success.

 

10:00 am

Time to get off the email and connect with my team. Human conversations are how stuff gets done, not emails. In fact, emails are very unproductive although they do quickly allow me to see what’s happening. Most emails get deleted within a few seconds though unless they carry value and are relevant to me.

 

11:45 am

I beat the lunch rush and have a healthy sandwich. I never make my own lunch and buy it every day. It’s my one treat every day and it gives me the energy I need to do difficult tasks. I think that’s a good investment for us all.

 

3:00pm

I take ten minutes away from work to get out of my head and just do some deep thinking. I think about my schedule. I think about my priorities. I think about the love of my life and the people I care for.

This habit helps me put the last few hours of the day into perspective. It gives me the juice I need to go the extra mile and push through any fatigue I may be experiencing.

 

6:00 pm

Arrive home and head to the gym. I do a quick workout to get rid of all the day’s stress and relax as well as fatigue my body so I can get a good night’s rest.

I also love workouts before I blog because it puts me in a positive state of mind and awakens my sometimes sleepy brain. The endorphins also make me feel happy as well.

 

7:00 pm

Dinner time is where I have lots of veggies and some protein to help give me energy for the last few activities before bed.

 

8:00 pm

I have a conversation with my other half and spend time with her. After all, what’s the point of life if you’re so busy and don’t get time with your loved ones? I make sure I’m completely focused on her and make her feel like the center of attention.

 

9:00 pm

I do more formatting and posting of articles before bed. I also prepare my social media posts for the following day and think about what I want to share with the world. I focus on what I have to say that is positive and try to put the negative thoughts of the day to rest.

“Yes, they say you shouldn’t have screen time before bed but screw that! Blogging is my passion and no BS rule is going to stop me from following my passion and inspiring the world”

 

10:00 pm

Bedtime has arrived. Without sleep, I have zero chance of crushing the next day. 7 hours does me fine although any less and I wake up like a zombie looking for its next kill. My phone is placed back on the other side of the room with the alarm set for 4 am.

 

List of weekly habits (these don’t occur every day but they occur every week).

– Couple time with my girlfriend (phone on flight mode).
– A trip to the market to buy fresh fruit and veggies.
– An entire day of blogging (typically Saturday afternoon).
– A car wash session (This helps me feel like my life is clean. It’s also very relaxing).
– Time spent reading a book on my iPad Kindle app. Education is how I grow and learn new strategies.

 

What are the daily habits I need to cut back?

Checking bitcoin and stock prices.
Checking social media notifications every 30 minutes.
Spending time worrying about the future.,

 

My list is not that over the top. Here’s what matters:

I’ve followed the success habits of people that have done cool stuff. In comparison, my list may seem mediocre and I’m okay with that. I believe that as long as your passion is prioritized in your day and you’re spending a bit of time with the people that matter to you, you’ll be successful.

The reality is that some of these habit lists you see are just plain crap. They’re not practical and the person writing them is exaggerating what they do. Every day is going to be a bit different and that’s normal. You can’t be a robot trying to follow exactly the same list of tasks every day. We need variety as humans.

Repeat habits that support your goals.
Stay healthy and keep your energy levels up.
Spend time with the people you care about.
Prioritise what is important to you and no one else.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/my-daily-habits-a-day-in-my-life/

10 Simple Steps for Self-Motivation

Renowned American motivational speaker and author, Dr. Stephen R. Covey once remarked: “Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.” How do you define motivation?

There are two distinct types of motivation:

• Intrinsic: Motivation that comes from within ourselves.
• Extrinsic: Motivation that is derived from outside source such as a friend, colleagues, seniors at workplace, religious or spiritual leaders, spouse, kids and lots more.

Briefly, motivation can be described as a reason or cause by which a person or a group of people behave in a certain manner. The cause or the reason has to be extremely strong, and it often involves self interest.

Considering you have good and healthy plans that do not conflict with any laws, rules and regulations, staying motivated is quite easy. Basically, motivation is merely a state of mind. Utilized properly, it can take you to heights you may have never dreamed of.

However, our simple steps below will guide you on how to remain motivated at all times, despite any adversities you may encounter:

1. Goal Setting

Setting a goal for yourself is a time-tested and proven method to remain motivated. However, it is important to set realistic and achievable goals. Set yourself a deadline by which you intend to achieve these goals.

There are three types of goals:

• Short term goals: These may be achieved in a few weeks or a couple of months.
• Mid-term goals: These usually take a year or two to achieve.
• Long-term goals: Here you can include your career options, plans for marriage, buying a home or anything that takes a longer span of time.

2. Money matters

Regardless whether we like it or not, money does matter in remaining motivated. Here, we are not speaking about millions of dollars. We are saying that having sufficient funds to lead a decent life is a great motivator by itself. You can start by saving a healthy portion of your income daily or monthly.

3. Shun any loans

Undoubtedly, people encumbered with loans exhibit a tendency to lose motivation. The reason is simple:  A considerable portion of your earnings will go towards servicing whatever loans or credit card dues you have. Avoid getting into loans as much as possible, unless it is for some genuine and strong reason such as buying a home.

4. Stay with positive people

Generally, people with a positive mindset and attitude are the best motivators. Regardless of your situation, they will always try and uplift your state of mind. Such positive minded people will motivate you even if you are feeling low and beaten. Further, whenever you encounter negative thoughts, speak with such people by either meeting them or on phone.

5. Appreciate yourself first

Whenever you lose motivation, think of all the positive stuff you have done in the past and reflect on great experiences you have had. Also, remember all the adverse times you have been through and how you sailed out of them unharmed. Appreciating yourself for your achievements is a great motivational tool.

“When you’re trying to motivate yourself, appreciate the fact that you’re even thinking about making a change. And as you move forward, allow yourself to be good enough.” – Alice Domar

6. Use mistakes as experiences

This means learning from your past mistakes, because as humans we are all prone to mistakes due to inherent defects or flaws in our character. Remember, mistakes are not final. They hold vital lessons for us. Most people tend to lose motivation when things go awry and desired results are not forthcoming.

7. Examine your motive

Once again, as Dr. Stephen R. Covey puts it, the key to motivation lies in the motive itself. Should your motives be good and in conformity with laws, motivation follows automatically. But beware, wrong motives can lead to misplaced motivation which can land even the most stable and sober person into deep trouble. Once your motives are positive and clear, motivation follows automatically.

8. Avoid getting over-stressed

Stress can be divided into two different categories:

1. Negative stress: That arises out of negative actions, interacting with obnoxious people and lethargy or laziness, continuing exposure to painful or unpleasant situations and loneliness.
2. Positive stress: Accrues by solving work related or domestic problems. Positive stress usually leaves you satisfied and happy once the issue has been resolved or after a hard day’s work.

Stress in daily life is imminent. Staying motivated helps you to remain motivated.

9. Choose to be happy

Now this may sound like a tall order for anyone encountering adverse situations. However, it is worthwhile to note, every bad situation always passes. Be aware that every bad circumstance will eventually vanish. Losing motivation will not help solve any problem and neither will worrying about something. You can maintain your motivation with the sheer thought that every problem is temporary.

10. Chart your map

Sadly, most people embark on a project or endeavor without much heed to the end result. Instead, you can chart your own roadmap. Take an inventory about how you want to begin and why. This in itself is a great motivational factor. Simultaneously, bear in mind what is the exact objective or the end where your endeavor should culminate. Be fearless in your pursuit of your dreams and goals.

“I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.” – Will Arnett

It is worthwhile to remember, we all lose motivation at some point of life. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be alarmed about. Analyzing cause of losing motivation, understanding and finding ways and means to counter it, works miracles indeed. Lack of motivation, left untreated, can lead to mental ailments.

How do you remain self-motivated? Let us know in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/motivation/10-simple-steps-for-self-motivation/

After Spending A Day With Gary Vaynerchuk, Here Are The Brutal, Harsh & Required Lessons You Can Learn.

Gary Vaynerchuk was in Melbourne recently and I spent the day listening to his advice. A lot of what he said was like a slap in the face combined with a bucket of cold water thrown on my head every ten minutes or so. He speaks the truth and he does not hold back.

He’s gone from just being a social media guy to someone who aims to inspire – sort of how Tony Robbins and many others that created the self-development movement did in their day.

Here’s what Gary taught me that will be instantly actionable for you:

 

Never forget the underdogs and the people who are struggling.

At these type of events where Gary was speaking, there is a class system (love it or hate it). The people that spent the most money sit at the front in the VIP section, and as you go further back in the room, the seats get cheaper and often the wealth of each individual decreases.

When question time came, lots of people put their hand up and Gary went straight to the back of the room. He did it to prove a point. The people in the front could see him after the event and they generally had already made it.

Gary’s interested in the underdogs and the up and comers. This is because he knows that they’re the people that have the most potential and he knows what it’s like to be one of them.

What this simple lessons taught me is that you should never forget the people who are or used to be just like you. How much money someone has should never be a measure of where you focus your time. If you really want to make a difference, then serve everybody.

 

7 pm – 2 am is where your dream begins.

Many people say they don’t have enough time to follow their dreams. Gary is a practitioner who is busting through people’s BS excuses and he hates people that complain. So when someone asked the question “How do I find time to work on my business in between work and family?” Gary responded with 7 pm till 2 am.

That’s the time when your dreams are executed on.

“When you come home from the office, it’s time to get to work and not drown yourself in booze and Netflix”

We all have the time; it just comes down to whether we’ll use it or make excuses for why we can’t do stuff.

For me, my time is a bit different. I practice what Gary preaches except I do it from 4 am to 7 am and from 7 pm until 10:30 pm. Do what works for you. Bottom-line, you have to work.

 

Control your expenses man!

One young man got up during Q&A and told Gary he doesn’t have enough money to start a business. Gary’s face lit up and he was ready to pounce on the poor man.

“Do you have a wife and kids?”

“Yes sir I have a wife and no kids.”

“Where do you live?”

“In a four-bedroom house close to the city.”

Gary exploded and screamed that he needs to control his expenses. Many of the so-called entrepreneurs out there make up excuses about money. When you drill down, we all have enough resources to work on our side-hustle or our dream.

The problem is that we buy useless stuff we don’t need. It comes down to priorities. If your dream matters, then as Gary says, sell your four-bedroom mansion and eat dirt for a few years by living in a one-bedroom apartment.

 

You don’t want to learn the new stuff.

Many of you got somewhere with email and landing pages and made a bit of money. Now you don’t want to learn the new channels like Alexa and Virtual Reality. What you did until now will not take you where you want to go into the future.

When you’ve got something, you tend not to put in the work to keep it. If you’ve got nothing, the time is now for you. Having nothing is in many ways your greatest asset. Having nothing gives you a sense of hunger that money can’t buy. That’s why many of you who are living this life of entitlement are drowning in your failures.

The world owes you nothing. Go out there and be phenomenal.
Embrace your vulnerability and have the courage to take massive action.

“Not wanting to learn the new stuff is making you ignorant of the success you could be happening”

 

Lives built on one pillar.

Gary spoke a lot in Melbourne about people he’s met who have their entire lives based around one pillar of success. So many people have built their lives on one knockout punch, one arbitrage, one hack, one freebie they give away.

You can’t have sustained success if you keep doing the same thing over and over. The market changes. People change. Even you change.

You need multiple pillars to your success and that will change over time. Stop complaining and become a lifelong learner. You don’t have all the answers and the game is constantly changing. Either grow and learn or die in your own success. This is brutal but true.

 

Give away your best information for free.

It’s counter-intuitive but it works. I’m living proof of it. My best work is all free and that’s how I reach millions of people per month. I can also make money as well and that works even though all my content is free. It works because people have to know you first before they’ll trust you with their time.

 

Respect people who comment.

There’s a lot of you who have online communities who take them for granted and don’t respect the people that give you their attention and their time.

Gary religiously looks at people who have a reasonable size audience and he notice’s one thing: many of you never respond to the comments you get on social media.

Obviously, you can’t respond to everyone but if you never reply to people, you’re disrespecting everyone. Learn to respect people and inspire them, and then you can be a leader in whatever field you’re in. Ignoring everybody is not good for you. Chances are your ego might be too big.

 

There’s a lot of fakepreneurs.

Gary talks a lot about entrepreneurship being the flavor of the month and he’s right. There are a lot of fakepreneurs who don’t respect the game and try to take the easy road. The beautiful thing about capitalism is that when we have a market correction (Global Financial Crisis), all the fakepreneurs who are doing it because it’s cool will go back and get a job again.

You can’t fake it. You’re either an entrepreneur or you’re not. It’s okay if you’re not. Stop pretending and get to know yourself better.

 

Just because you haven’t figured it out yet doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

“The ROI of a basketball is zero. For Lebron James, the ROI is worth billions of dollars” – Gary Vaynerchuk

If you haven’t found the answers yet, then that doesn’t mean something doesn’t work. Just because you don’t have the answer to a problem, it doesn’t mean you’re right. Trying to be right all the time is a disease that will infect every aspect of your life and screw you like the casino.

There are people succeeding somewhere in the world at whatever you’re tyring to do. Rather than complaining, go find these people and then offer them mutual value in return for their strategies.

 

Only do what you are good at.

Facebook Live is useless if you are boring or don’t know what you are talking about. The social media platform is irrelevant. You actually have to know your stuff for anyone to join your tribe. Double down on your strengths and the ROI of your time will increase.

 

We will always choose time.

You will pay money and give up your privacy for time. Uber sells time, not transport. It’s quicker to delete than it is to unsubscribe from an email list. Audio is the next big thing, says Gary, because it sells us back time.

If you are an entrepreneur looking for a channel to grow an audience from, start a podcast or any content that is centred around audio. The most basic podcast you can do is interview someone who has an audience, and then syphon their brand so you can get access to their audience.

 

Focus on creating.

The world is changing and if you’re not talking to us all via either video, text or audio, then you’ll become irrelevant very soon.

Start sharing your ideas.
Create content.
Create value for as many people as you can.

 

What happens after you get phenomenal, great advice like this?

You’ll be pumped for a few days. You might attend an event like this yourself. Then next Thursday comes and you face a massive life challenge and go back on the defense rather than living your life on the offense.

Don’t just get pumped up for a day. Keep the momentum going. Listen to podcasts from people like Gary and Tim Ferriss. Read non-fiction biographies of the greats. And most of all, keep taking action towards your goals. That’s how the pumped up feeling will last.

Thanks Gary Vaynerchuk for coming to Melbourne and inspiring us all. Much love and much respect.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/after-spending-a-day-with-gary-vaynerchuk-here-are-the-brutal-harsh-required-lessons-you-can-learn/

The Number One Investment in the New Year. Hint: It Isn’t Bitcoin or Real Estate

This is the number one investment all millionaires can agree with…Have you guessed what it is yet? The biggest investment you can make in the New Year is not a house, or a car, or a new diet program even if these are all good things.

The biggest investment you can make which all millionaires can agree with is yourself.

Surprise! Setting up yourself to succeed for the New Year isn’t always easy. I always believed that words mean nothing if it isn’t backed up with action. The more words people say, the more likely they’re not going to follow through with it. Hustle in silence. Focus on the results.

As an entrepreneur for the future, here are the top three things worth investing in every New Year’s:

Investing in your time and money

Plan your new year by the quarter. Set goals. Be realistic. Have quarterly goals and monthly goals, which include meeting new people and budgeting your finances.

Networking Goals:

Be very specific about them and ask yourself the following questions:

• What type of people do you want to meet and from what industries?
• How many people do you want to meet with whom you’d actually want to establish relationships with – with a regular follow-up in mind?

Financial Goals:

• Have a marketing budget – with an evaluated quarter-by-quarter and month-by-month basis.

• Know the exact amount of profits you want to make that is measurable in scale in comparison with the previous year.

“People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.” – Earl Nightingale

Investing in your personal development

When it comes to changing your mindset from mediocre to millionaire, it really starts with education. There’s a ton of things you can start with from reading books, to attending conferences and listening to podcasts.

Whenever you’re making a new purchase whether it’s a new book, magazine or a ticket to an event, instead of thinking ‘I can’t afford this,’ think ‘how can I afford this’. Doesn’t that sound better?

More importantly, you can think about it like this – how much am I worth? Am I worth this much to invest in for my personal development in the long run?

• Read more books. Think of it as an investment instead of a purchase. ‘I am investing in a $20 dollar book for my future that will be worth more than this.
• Reach out. Ask a mentor at a high level what they are reading. Imitate their reading habits and see where that takes you (hint: higher than the level you are now).
• Journal. Don’t forget to log those gold nuggets. Always listen and be on the lookout for what resonates with you motivationally and run with it and see how far you go.

Investing in your business growth

Investing in your personal growth can almost automatically translate to your business growth. Your personal mindset has changed, so it can now trickle down to other areas of your life including your interpersonal and professional life – which of course includes your business.

Here are the following benefits of conferences in acquiring new keys to success:

• Plan out two to three conferences – business conferences, not Comic Con. Two events that I already have planned out for the new year are these two:
  • Massive Success Breakthrough (MSB) in February
  • Thrive Conference
• Journaling – even just one takeaway, one gold nugget – that sticks with you can make your whole year.
• Networking – meeting various different people throughout the conferences can be the very people who can connect or even mentor you that can help you accomplish your goals and take them to the next level.

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.” – Melody Beattie

Bottom line guys, investing in yourself is paramount. Sure, taking action and failing forward is important. However, investing in your personal and professional growth will catapult the growth of your entrepreneurial mindset and business. Your business only grows when you grow.

How are you investing in yourself on a daily basis? Let us know in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/the-number-one-investment-in-the-new-year-hint-it-isnt-bitcoin-or-real-estate/

41 Mark Zuckerberg Quotes on Finding Success

Best known for founding the social media empire Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg went from coding in his Harvard dorm room to becoming one of the most influential and recognizable entrepreneurs of our time.  The youngest billionaire ever, Mark Zuckerberg encourages everyone to focus on the bigger picture and how to achieve success while making a change in the world & following your passion.

Here are 41 of Mark Zuckerberg’s Best Quotes:

1. “I think a simple rule of business is, if you do things that are easier first, then you can actually make a lot of progress.” – Mark Zuckerberg

2. “I started the site when I was 19. I didn’t know much about business back then.” – Mark Zuckerberg

3. “People can be really smart or have skills that are directly applicable, but if they don’t really believe in it, then they are not going to really work hard.” – Mark Zuckerberg

4. “The question I ask myself like almost every day is,’Am I doing the most important thing I could be doing?’” – Mark Zuckerberg

5. “Find that thing you are super passionate about.” – Mark Zuckerberg

6. “Simply put: we don’t build services to make money; we make money to build better services.” – Mark Zuckerberg

7. “Don’t let anyone tell you to change who you are.” – Mark Zuckerberg

8. “Our society needs more heroes who are scientists, researchers, and engineers. We need to celebrate and reward the people who cure diseases, expand our understanding of humanity and work to improve people’s lives.” – Mark Zuckerberg

9. “It takes courage to to choose hope over fear.” – Mark Zuckerberg

10. “If you just work on stuff that you like and you’re passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.” – Mark Zuckerberg

11. “Instead of building walls, we can help build bridges.” – Mark Zuckerberg

12. “So many businesses get worried about looking like they might make a mistake, they become afraid to take any risk. Companies are set up so that people judge each other on failure.” – Mark Zuckerberg

13. “People don’t care about what you say, they care about what you build.” – Mark Zuckerberg

14. “If you’re always under the pressure of real identity, I think that is somewhat of a burden.” – Mark Zuckerberg

15. “This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in a cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us latitude to go out and make big bets that excite and amaze people.” – Mark Zuckerberg

16. “Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today.” – Mark Zuckerberg

17. “Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend.” – Mark Zuckerberg

18. “My number one piece of advice is: you should learn how to program.” – Mark Zuckerberg

19. “In terms of doing work and in terms of learning and evolving as a person, you just grow more when you get people’s perspectives. I really try and live the mission of the company and keep everything else in my life extremely simple.” – Mark Zuckerberg

20. “I think that people just have this core desire to express who they are. And I think that’s always existed.” – Mark Zuckerberg

21. “Helping a billion people connect is amazing, humbling and by fare the thing I am most proud of in my life.” – Mark Zuckerberg

Like these quotes? Check out these inspirational Mark Cuban Quotes!

22. “By giving the people the power to share, we’re making the world more transparent.” – Mark Zuckerberg

23. “Advertising works most effectively when it’s in line with what people are already trying to do.” – Mark Zuckerberg

24. “Don’t let people deter you. That’s how you do it.” – Mark Zuckerberg

25. “It is important for young entrepreneurs to be adequately self-aware to know what they do not know.” – Mark Zuckerberg

26. “The most important thing that entrepreneurs should do is pick something they care about, work on it, but don’t actually commit to turning it into a company until it actually works.” – Mark Zuckerberg

27. “Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough.” – Mark Zuckerberg

28. “Connectivity is a human right.” – Mark Zuckerberg

29. “When you give everyone a voice and give people power, the system usually ends up in a really good place. So, what we view our role as, is giving people that power.” – Mark Zuckerberg

30. “By giving the people the power to share, we’re making the world more transparent.” – Mark Zuckerberg

31. “The Hack Way is an approach to building that involves continuous improvement and iteration. Hackers believe that something can always be better, and that nothing is ever complete.” – Mark Zuckerberg

32. “I’m here to build something for the long-term. Anything else is a distraction.” – Mark Zuckerberg

33. “You get a reputation for stability if you are stable for years.” – Mark Zuckerberg

34. “The question isn’t ‘what do we want to know about people?’, It’s,’What do people want to tell about themselves?’” – Mark Zuckerberg

35.“If you want to build something great, you should focus on what the change is that you want to make in the world.” – Mark Zuckerberg

36. “Entrepreneurship is about creating change, not just companies.” – Mark Zuckerberg

37. “In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” – Mark Zuckerberg

38. “Some people dream of success…while others wake up and work hard at it.” – Mark Zuckerberg

39. “People think innovation is just having a good idea but a lot of it is just moving quickly and trying a lot of things.” – Mark Zuckerberg

40. “You are better off trying something and having it not work and learning from that than not doing anything at all.” – Mark Zuckerberg

41. “The companies that work are the ones that people really care about and have a vision for the world so do something you like.” – Mark Zuckerberg

Which quote inspired you the most? Comment below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/quotes/41-mark-zuckerberg-success-quotes/

Even When You Don’t Feel Like It You Have To Keep Going.

Todays one of those days I don’t feel like blogging.

You probably have those days too where you don’t feel like it.

It’s okay because none of us are machines and there will be times when we just want to chill out and relax.

 

There’ll be times where you think “What’s the point?”

That’s that negative self-talk you have play in your mind when you sit down to work on your passion. Your brain tells you “Who’s listening anyway? What’s the point?”

And maybe sometimes your brain is right. That doesn’t mean you give up.

 

Today I didn’t want to do it and I did it anyway.

And if I feel like this again tomorrow I’m going to do the same.

“The habit is more important than the work itself.”

Staying on the path towards your goals is the hard part. Naturally, if you practice as much as you can then someday you’ll do well, and other days you’ll suck. You can’t always control the outcome but you can control the habit of practicing your craft.

 

Some of the best stuff I’ve produced has come from bad days.

The days when I suck the most have created some of my career highlights. That’s because when you’re in the “I don’t care what happens” mindset, you become your most creative. You inspire people without realizing it.

Always trying to be too purposeful can suck the creativity out of you.

Creativity comes from flow states and these can be produced on your best days and on your worst. I’ll say it again: The practice is way more crucial than any other factor.

 

If it weren’t challenging, we’d all have an Oscar.

Winning an Oscar is difficult and so it is achieving your goals. If it were easy, we’d all have an Oscar and be living in the Hollywood Hills sipping Gin N Juice with Snoop Doggy Dog. The harsh reality is that nothing comes without pain and suffering.

Now I know you think I’m preaching and saying the same old stuff, and you’re probably right. Sometimes you have to hear the truth and hear it over and over to get the message. I knew for years I needed to start exercising again and it was only until I read a book that highlighted why I should join the gym again that did I took action.

To put that in perspective, I procrastinated for 5 years on the thought of exercising properly again.

That’s why you need to hear me say again that you have to keep going even though you don’t feel like it. It’s on the days where you experience the most pain that you’ll also get the biggest growth.

Today sucks a bit for me and tomorrows a new day. I’m not going to stop blogging and you shouldn’t stop working on your dream either.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

from
https://addicted2success.com/motivation/even-when-you-dont-feel-like-it-you-have-to-keep-going/

Improve Your Focus in 9 Minutes or Less With This Morning Routine

It’s your body’s job to house and protect your brain, but did you know that you can also use your body to strengthen your mind? In this article, you’re going to learn how to use your body to ignite your day. This short morning ritual can be done in under 9 minutes (including showering), and will set you up to crush the day!

A strong mind-body connection helps you stay focused by synchronizing your thoughts with your body. When your brain and body are both on the same page, staying on task happens naturally. You’re also going to learn why your brain loves movement, and how to engage your body in a way that fuels your brain. The more movement you expose your body to, the more exercise your brain gets at processing information. In short, more movement and exercise equals a healthier brain. Let’s get after it.

Give Your Brain the Movement it Craves

The more practice your brain gets at processing incoming sensory input the better. Stick to this short 9-minute morning routine for just 5 days and feel the difference. Laser-sharp focus? Yes, please! You should notice that it’s easier to stay locked-in throughout the day when you snap your body to attention first thing in the morning.

Start taking action right now with this simple routine. You might not have the time in your schedule for a full-on workout, but we all have a few minutes to invest in ourselves. One of the best ways to jumpstart your brain is by getting an explosive start with movement. Since all healthy movement starts with quality breathing, we’ll start there first.

Here is the whole process which will take less than 9 minutes:

1. Take a Breather

This exercise borrows heavily from the Wim Hof method. An absolute force of nature, Wim Hof is a true explorer of the human condition. His personal development exploits have literally rewritten the science textbooks. Through breathing exercises and cold exposure, he’s proven in clinical settings that it’s possible to consciously control the autonomic nervous system.

How did Wim Hof prove this? He can maintain his core body temperature in freezing temperatures as well as avoid getting sick when injected with large amounts of harmful bacteria. Not only that but in one experiment, he was able to train a small group of students with no previous experience to do the same. All with breathing exercises and cold exposure therapy!

Deep breathing is a great tool for grounding yourself in moments of high stress. While you sleep, your breathing is shallow, as most sleeping positions restrict the expansion of the diaphragm, chest, and stomach. That’s why the first step in preparing for the day is to warm up your diaphragm and gain access to the full depth of your breathing.

This way, when you need to calm yourself with a deep breath, your body is ready for it. When your alarm goes off, hop right out of bed. Stand in front of the mirror, and take in thirty deep breathes, bringing as much air as you can each time, and emptying your lungs fully when you exhale. Do this at whatever pace feels comfortable.

On the final exhale, push all the air out of your lungs and hold for 10 seconds, then breathe in as fully as you can and hold for another 10 to 15 seconds. The final holding phase stretches your stomach outwards so you have better breathing mechanics throughout the day. If you find yourself having to pause to yawn, that’s a good sign; it means your brain is waking up.

Repeat 3 times. Breathing in this way improves brain chemistry by increasing the expression of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a protein critical to memory and learning.

“When you are at home, even if the chicken is a little burnt, what’s the big deal? Relax.” – Jacques Pepin

2. Test Your New and Improved Breathing with Movement

Follow-up your breathing exercise with 10 squats and 5 push-ups, all the while breathing as deeply as you can.

3. Take a Cold(ish) Shower

Now it’s time to make a quick and cold shower part of your morning routine. Tony Robbins used to do this religiously before getting cryogenic therapy installed in his homes.  Fair warning, he hated taking cold showers but took them anyway because nothing was more effective at putting him in the moment, ready for the day.

I like to take a hot shower, then blast it on freezing-cold for 10-15 seconds before flipping it back to warm. I leave feeling refreshed. It’s not as hardcore as the way Tony used to do it, but it’s easier to tolerate and build into a habit.

“Everyone who has taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it that makes a difference.” – Nolan Bushnell

Conclusion

These are all ideas for how to quickly engage your body and brain to have a more productive day. You know yourself better than anyone else, so feel free to play around with different ways to invigorate your morning with movement (you can substitute any exercise you want for push-ups and squats).

Direct your attention to your breathing, and reap the rewards of a focused mind. The more comfortable you are physically, the more relaxed you’ll be mentally, and the more receptive people will be to what you have to say. So start off the day right by synchronizing your body and mind, and strap on your seatbelt for a productive day!

How do you tend to begin your mornings? Do you think it makes for a productive day? Let us know by commenting below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/improve-your-focus-in-9-minutes-or-less-with-this-morning-routine/