10 Reasons You Need to Write That Book You’ve Always Thought About

I’m willing to bet that many of you out there have thought about writing a book. You may have even started jotting down a few ideas. Perhaps it’s a fiction book, the next 50 Shades of Grey, or maybe you want to write the next tell-all expose on the life and times of Donald Trump. You might even consider writing the next great self-help book, akin to “The Secret” or “How to Make Friends and Influence People”.

According to a study done nearly two decades ago in 2002, 81% of Americans feel that they had a book in them. This means that nearly 260 million people want to write books in the US alone. Approximately 600,000 books are published in the US each year, and many of those are self-published. Few sell more than a few copies (the average is around 250 copies sold).  Yet I’m here today to tell you to write that book that you’ve had on your mind, and to dive into the realm of self-publishing.

Here are 10 reasons you should take that leap and write a book already:

1. It makes you think more clearly

When you first think about writing a book, it may seem like a daunting task. It is an exciting idea, sure, but the more you consider how to actually get started, the harder it becomes. When you actually pick up the pen (or the laptop) and start typing, you will come to realise just what a clarifying effect the writing process can have on your mind.

2. It helps you channel your creativity

Writing is perhaps one of the purest forms of self expression and creativity accessible to humans. We all learn to write from an early age, yet few of us cultivate the skill of self-expression through writing long past our early childhood. Good books, nonfiction or fiction, tap into the reader’s minds by telling creative stories and tapping into psychological forces related to specific emotions. The book you write need not be dry or boring. Think about how you can make it interesting and then go full-steam ahead.

“The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.” – Ryan Holiday

3. It gives you a sense of purpose

Every November, nearly half a million people take on the challenge of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). The challenge is for writers of all ages, talents, and skill levels to set aside time out of their busy schedules to write like mad over the course of the month. The goal is to reach a ridiculous number of words (50,000) in as few days as possible. Taking on a challenge of this magnitude, or just setting a deadline for yourself in your head on a certain number of pages to write in a certain amount of time, can provide you with an incredible sense of purpose and drive.

4. It forces you to plan ahead

Most people who write books don’t do so as part of their full-time job. They don’t have large advances or massive budgets to spend on marketing and PR. Instead, they have to work on their writing, promoting and planning around their already busy lives. Deciding to write a book requires careful planning and attention to detail. It also forces you to outline a plan for when to publish your book and when to start marketing.

5. It motivates you

Once you have an outline in place for your book and a schedule for how many words you need to finish each day (or how many sections of your book you need to complete) you will be surprised by how motivated you become. Just having a set of tasks to complete which align so closely with a creative endeavour is incredibly fulfilling, and will be very motivating over the course of your writing.

6. It creates good habits

The creation of good habits is a positive byproduct of outlining, planning, and writing a book. By planning out your activities, you develop a deeper appreciation for time and the time you spend on certain tasks. You will make an effort to be more productive, to cut out things that are of less value to you, and to prioritise those things which will help you achieve your next goal or task. All positive things which lead to the development of good habits.

7. It develops new connections

Don’t mistake the process of writing a book with the process of editing a book. When you write on a schedule, you may not feel like writing, but the sheer force of will you employ to get the words out on a daily basis will be a powerful motivating force. Not only that, the more you write, the more likely it becomes that you will develop new connections, thoughts, or ideas that you’ve never had before. As you write, something may become clear to you which has been shrouded in mystery for years or decades of your life. By writing, you will uncover these new connections and change your whole way of thinking.

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.” – Thomas A. Edison

8. It makes you more interesting

Writing a book will make you more interesting. Not only will it give you something to talk about at parties, it will help you understand the challenges that many people face when it comes to motivation or challenges at work or in their personal lives. By writing a book, I would argue that you will become both more empathetic and energetic in your interactions with others.

9. It opens up more doors

When you spend a significant amount of time writing something, chances are that you are a dedicated and trustworthy individual. You are labelled a self-starter and someone who can be self-motivated to reach large goals. By telling people you’ve written a book, you will open doors you didn’t even know were doors in the first place. People will want to speak with you, have lunch with you, pick your brain, learn from you. The sky’s the limit.

10. It drives deeper understanding

Ultimately, writing a book allows you to develop a deeper understanding of yourself, of others and of the world around you. I would argue that writing a book is both a selfless and a selfish act in that it allows you to pour your heart and soul into something which may benefit the world as a whole.

In 2002, an author and professor at Northwestern University by the name of Joseph Epstein told readers in an Op-Ed in the New York Times that they should never write that book. A lot has changed since 2002, and looking at the world now I would argue strongly for the opposite. People should be spending more time thinking about, and writing the books they have buried inside. Only then will we be able to develop a truly complete view of the world and of humanity.

What book is on your mind that you haven’t started yet? Comment below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/motivation/10-reasons-you-need-to-write-that-book-youve-always-thought-about/

How To Make $2000 A Week With Nothing But Your Laptop.

10 Must Have Attributes to Be a Highly Effective Leader in the Digital World

We are heading towards a world driven by artificial intelligence, machines & technology. The digital revolution has changed the way businesses, societies and humans operate in their day to day lives. The digital world demands constant evolution, reinvention and innovation to excel. It needs highly effective leadership to steer through these transitions. Leaders in the digital world need to be agile, open minded, and collaborative to navigate the challenges.

Here we explore the 10 attributes that make highly effective leaders:

1. Empower people

The greatest leaders genuinely believe in the well being of their teams. They rise up the ladder because they empower people and create a synergy effect where the sum total of efforts helps everyone in the team accomplish more.

The job of a leader is to grow and empower people where they can rise to their best. Great leaders have empathy and sensitivity to the needs of their people. They are persistent in the pursuit of improvement for themselves and their teams.

2. Foresight and focus

Today most organisations are driven by digital technologies. The technologies are disrupting old businesses and bringing new evolutions. The best leaders are able to make the right bets. They have the foresight to understand what the future will hold for them because they are quick and adaptive but focused on what they want to achieve.

3. Global outlook

The digital world is interconnected and bereft of barriers that curtail opportunities. Today, it is relatively easier to build things and reach more people than ever. They attract opportunities by looking for global distribution models and collaboration.

Companies like Google, Apple, Netflix, Facebook and Amazon have all been driven by leadership, especially relevant to the digital age. It has resulted in enormous growth, scalability and unprecedented success for these companies.

4. Building strong relationships & trust

A Harvard Business Review survey reveals 58 percent of people say they trust strangers more than their own boss. It’s shocking, but true. The culture of trust is built by open communication. You embrace your team’s faults as well as their strengths. It is not a zero sum game; in fact you only win when your team wins.

Great leaders establish trust, because they are authentic themselves. They communicate, operate with transparency and never mislead their people. You build trust by being trustworthy yourself. 

“The glue that holds all relationships together–including the relationship between the leader and the led–is trust, and trust is based on integrity.” – Brian Tracy

5. Accomplishments, not just activity

In the digital age, getting busy doing nothing is quite common. Even the best ones are led into the trap of mistaking activity for progress. The most effective leaders are able to draw the line between activity and results. These leaders are able to set benchmarks that result in progress oriented work for their teams and themselves. They understand the value of time, prioritise stuff and get things done. They benchmark their progress with the right metrics to achieve the key result areas.

6. Develop more leaders

A great leader develops more leaders at all levels. The reason it becomes more relevant in the digital world is because decisions need to be taken at all levels. It is no longer the top down approach. For many decisions and actions, the top leaders depend on advice from those working down the ladder.

People working on actual problems should be empowered to make their own decisions. As a leader, you have to trust their knowledge and guide them to acquire more skills. The best leaders are open to new ideas and approaches. They can change their opinion to do what is in the best interest of the team.

7. Self organise, learn and grow

When opportunities are limitless, it is important to identify key focus areas beyond the hype, noise and fads. The best leaders have a knack of picking the right trends that help them in their quest for sustainable success over a period of time. They are able to build teams which have the capacity to self organise, learn, and grow together. The knowledge base keeps evolving in the digital world so it is indispensable to keep yourself updated.

8. View failures as experiments

The best leaders view failures as experimentation to learn and get things right. It takes time to get things right when you are innovating. They give space to people to fail, experiment and build incredible things. Leadership is often tested during failures. The digital world needs constant evolution, innovation and to reimagine new business models. It requires iterations and experiments to make things work.

Even the most innovative companies fail in their experiments, but they channelize learnings from these failures to build better solutions. The best leaders encourage their teams to experiment, evolve and build incredible things as a result.

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.” – Richard Branson

9. Unflinching faith and commitment

What separates great leaders from ordinary ones? It is often the courage, conviction and the unflinching faith in their mission. It is the commitment and drive towards making something happen. They give it everything.

The strong conviction and ability to bear the pain for common good is what makes them great leaders. They are driven by a higher purpose and they are ready to sacrifice things to achieve it. They think long term and they don’t give up until they’re done.

10. Stay fit to be productive & effective

When you’re energetic and ready to go, the team picks up the cues. The best leaders prioritise their health, exercise and stay fit. It helps them add more time to their day and makes them more productive. The leadership role demands intense concentration, high energy and ability to handle stress.

The truly remarkable leaders excel on emotional, intellectual, physical and mental levels. Leaders like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Richard Branson work out to stay fit. They devote time to stay at their peak.

The digital world is an age of communication, transparency and empowerment. Leaders in business today are influencing relationships with other countries. Trade is shattering boundaries between nations and creating a level playing field promoting globalism. The digital leaders are writing the rules of the game, reshaping our world, and its future.

Which one of the above 10 leadership attributes resonated most with you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/10-must-have-attributes-to-be-a-highly-effective-leader-in-the-digital-world/

How to Trust Yourself and Embrace Your Personal Power

Silencing the voice of self-doubt can be downright difficult. There are the doubters and then there are the fear mongers. What differentiates one from the other? Doubt is a deterrent. It means you are not sure the process will work, whereas, fear can totally paralyze you from moving forward.

If you want to build trust in yourself and replace the negative chatter with positive thoughts, then you have to “show up”. Showing up means taking a proactive approach towards your goals in spite of the fear, doubt and anxiety. It’s easy to believe those negative voices playing over and over again in your head preventing you from trusting yourself.

Don’t allow the chatter to get stuck on instant replay. Press stop, rewind and rewire the brain to connect with a motivating moto or positive mantra.

• I am good enough
• I am capable and equipped to handle any situation.
• am grateful for my health and I love my life.

Whatever label you attach to these positive statements, it will serve as a reminder to reaffirm your goals, how to feel in the moment and the courage to honor yourself at every level.

“Since 95 percent of the people are imitators and only 5 percent initiators, people are persuaded more by the actions of others than by any proof we can offer.” – Robert Cialdini

Making Sense of the Difficulties

Being able to get through the difficult times, make the right decisions and learn from your mistakes is key to having a fulfilling life. Is there is a decision you are struggling with? Is there something you want to do but perhaps you don’t feel confident in your abilities? If the answer is YES, how would it feel if I gave you permission to make the choice you really want!

My guess is you would feel relief. However, your immediate response may question the relief with: What If? What if I hurt someone? What if I fail? What if it isn’t the “right” decision? What if people don’t agree with me? All these “what if’s are actually keeping you a prisoner of your own fear.

They are reinforcing a limited belief that other people’s feelings or expectations are more important than your TRUTH. Let me give you an example of some questions you may ask someone else:

• Should I Change My Career?
• Should I take this College course?
• Should I leave this relationship?

What you’re doing is asking for permission. However, deep inside you already know the answer! Of course you do! You just have to believe you do. You don’t need permission to do something that your soul is already telling you. Why do we need someone else to give us approval to move forward? I want you to trust yourself and believe in you. I want you to STOP running to other people for permission.

If you are miserable at your job, you know what you need to do. If you are stuck in a toxic relationship, move on. If you have always wanted a college education, what are you waiting for? Calling someone else and asking them for the answer is not going to change your decision.  Trust your own intuition and take responsibility for your own life. You have all the power. I can’t make the decision for you, only you can. TRUST yourself.

Here are a few strategies to encourage you to believe and trust in yourself:

1. Avoid People Who Undermine Your Self-Trust

The people who undermine your self-trust are the ones who are jealous of your enthusiasm and passion. They give themselves permission to control your pleasure, your success and are the “dream smashers and naysayers.” Keep these individuals at arms-length and do not share important information with them. They may see you as a genuine threat and could sabotage your efforts.

2. Keep Promises to Yourself

Developing self-trust also includes becoming your own best friend, which includes keeping promises to yourself. You might make a commitment to take a walk every day, go to bed earlier, or visit the gym on a weekly basis. When you commit to your intentions, you are agreeing to stay focused even though it may be difficult. Building habits and working towards your goals takes effort but it’s well worth the energy.

3. Speak Words of Wisdom and Be Kind to Yourself

When you speak words of wisdom, you are acknowledging you are in control, you have the power to overcome your circumstances and are determined to trust in yourself. These declarations will reinforce the power you have to face all challenges and solve every obstacle in your path. Also, be ready to suppress the inner critic. You do not have to perfect, instead aim to improve, do a course correction and try again.

“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.” – Brandon Sanderson

4. Write A New Story

Trusting in yourself takes work and effort, however, with daily practice you will be able improve your confidence, self-esteem and have inner peace. Your job, if you choose to accept it, is to be happy in spite of your circumstances, rise above the inner critic and love yourself.

We all have a story to tell, however, today I want you to begin writing a new story about your life; one where you are grounded in confidence, self-love, commitment and courage. Start by taking action steps towards changing your story from self-defeating thoughts to thoughts that empower you to make sound decisions and trust yourself! You are more than capable to achieve your heart’s desire. I BELIEVE in you!

How do you trust yourself? Comment below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/how-to-trust-yourself-and-embrace-your-personal-power/

Achieve Jaw-Dropping Results With This Simple Method

While most people settle for average, you strive for the best. You don’t want to work at a dead-end job because you want to build a successful business. You don’t want to be unhealthy, because you want to transform your body into a muscle machine. Some days you’re proud to have set challenging goals for yourself, but on most days, you’re stressed and disappointed. You’ve been working towards your goals for months and made little progress.

The result? You question your capabilities and consider lowering your standards. But what if there was an easier way to achieve your goals? It would still require hard work, but you’d make consistent progress. Best of all, you’d start reaching your goals and gain your confidence back. So what’s the solution? The Kaizen method because it will help you achieve more and replace bad habits with effective ones. Here’s how you can use the Kaizen method to reach your goals:

Why Kaizen Is The Answer To Achieving More

The Kaizen method is a series of small steps to improve a habit. These aren’t your typical “small steps,” because they’re so small they appear insignificant at first. This might be the opposite of what you’re currently accustomed to, and where most run into trouble. Here’s why towards the early stages of any goal it’s easy to get excited. You’re able to put in long hours for the first few weeks until you burn out or lose interest.

For example, people wanting to lose weight start going to the gym 3–5 days per week when first starting out. Yet, instead of breaking down their goal into smaller steps they aim to reach their goal as fast as possible. Because they’re overworking themselves, they burn out and become frustrated.

A better approach to losing weight would be to take smaller steps and make consistent progress. Instead of going to the gym 3–5 days per week, start by power-walking during TV commercials. Following this, gradually increase your task’s difficulty as it becomes easier.

How do I know Kaizen works? I’ve used it to start a Podcast, change careers, and have experienced success. But don’t take my word for it, Toyota achieved massive success using Kaizen in their assembly line.

“There are no big problems – there are just a lot of little problems.” – Henry Ford

Less Is More When You Want To Reach Your Goals

Nothing worth accomplishing is “easy”, but it doesn’t have to feel exhausting. Here’s how Kaizen can fit into your busy schedule. Before you start working towards your goals, start asking small questions. For example, if one of your goals is to lose 10 lbs this year ask the following: “How can I burn 100 calories today?” “How can I drink 2 bottles of water today? Easy right?

Completing small tasks can feel like you’re making little to no progress, but you’ll start building positive habits. As you’re completing your tasks, track them in a journal to stay motivated and focused.

Another problem you face is your fight-or-flight response triggered by your amygdala. This is a psychological reaction our ancestors used in the past to flee harmful events. Small questions work because they avoid triggering your fight-or-flight response. With small questions you’re making it almost impossible for you to fail by working on small tasks.

Remain Committed By Rewarding Yourself

Think of your motivation as a gas tank, in the morning it’s full, but throughout the day it gets depleted. In the perfect world, you’d have 1 goal and more than enough motivation to stay committed. Nonetheless, the reality is that you have many goals and obligations that drain your motivation such as a soul-sucking job or nagging friends. By the end of the day, you’re exhausted and unmotivated to pursue your goals.

Small rewards work because they’re a form of recognition instead of a material gain. For example, take American businesses and the notion that they reward their employees with large cash rewards. This fails because employees tend to focus on ideas big enough to produce large rewards. This results in little to no progress for companies trying to solve problems.

Instead, focus on small rewards so you continue to make consistent progress. For example, after writing for 25 minutes reward yourself with a 5-minute break on YouTube. This way you’ll have an incentive to complete your tasks, and be closer to reaching your goal.

“Acknowledge all of your small victories. They will eventually add up to something great.” – Kara Goucher

Achieve Any Goal You Decide To Chase

What if you were able to achieve any goal you’d decided to pursue? You’d break down your goal into smaller tasks and follow a proven system to help you achieve it and improve your confidence. The truth is you can achieve any goal you decide to pursue, but it will take courage, sacrifice, and hard work.

Start by asking small questions to break down your goal into smaller tasks. As your making progress no matter how small it is, remember to reward yourself for your hard work. Challenge yourself to reach your biggest goals using the Kaizen method. Don’t wait until the beginning of the year to set new goals. Start today.

You have only one life to live, so tell us what big things will you achieve this year?

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/achieve-jaw-dropping-results-with-this-simple-method/

5 of the Best Tips for Starting a Business From Scratch

Starting your own business is the dream for many, but actually doing it and getting your idea off the ground can be an incredibly intimidating process. Statistics which suggest 50% of small businesses fail after five years could be enough to deter any potential entrepreneur from taking the leap from employment to self-employment. However, many entrepreneurs fall before the five-year mark due to a lack of research and a lack of experience. There’s a wealth of great tips and advice out there that if you listen to carefully, you can avoid many of the pitfalls where people tend to get stuck.

Here are a few tips to start your business from scratch:

1. Plan

It might not be one of the most exciting bits of advice, but it is one of the most crucial. As the famous Benjamin Franklin quote goes, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”, which holds very true in the world of start-ups. It can be all too easy when starting out to get carried away with your business idea and rush into the launch process.

Nonetheless, building a business plan will not only help you create a strategy for launch and the future of your business, but will also help you secure that potentially all-important investment and/or bank loan.

Your business plan will ideally cover 3-5 years of business, lay out your business objectives, market research, detailed financial forecasts, opportunities for the business in the future, highlight direct competition to your business, a marketing strategy and a business management plan. Taking time to create a plan will give you direction and goals to use as a benchmark for your success.

2. Identify What You’re Good At

Before launching your business, it is important to know what you’re good at and what you’re not good at and act accordingly. Identify your skills, such as management, bookkeeping or product design along with your weaknesses such as marketing or public speaking. This will give you a good foundation to start with.

If you are good at product design but bad at accounts, take the lead in the product development process, but find someone you can trust who can help you with the accounts side of things. Working to your skills and that of those who can help you will set you up for a much better chance of success when your business really gets going.

“Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses.” – Marilyn vos Savant

3. Be Smart About Your Finances

This might sound incredibly obvious, but with so many things to consider as an entrepreneur it can be easy to overlook the most important aspects of business. Your finances are the lifeblood of the business so it’s crucial to have someone who knows what they’re doing. Keep your financial projections realistic and monitor how likely you are or aren’t to meet them.

If you are going off target, ask yourself why, what needs to change and how you’re going to change it. There is also a lot of help out there for start-ups in the form of loans, grants and investments. Think wisely if you are to go for loans or investment – do you really need it? What is the interest rate and will you be able to afford to pay it back? How much of your company are you willing to give away?

4. Build a Marketing List

Marketing is one of the most important elements of your business – if people don’t know about you, you’ll have no business. Along with your business plan, it’s vital that you put a strong marketing strategy in place. When starting from scratch, it’s important to build brand awareness and a list of warm leads.

Capturing potential customers’ emails – with their consent – via social media marketing or on your site via contact forms, will provide you with a great way to announce your company’s official launch. Using leads in email marketing often proves to be an effective and cheap way to not only get those first few orders, but also to get your customers coming back time and time again.

“You don’t want a huge list.  You want an engaged list….the gold isn’t in the list anymore, it’s in the engagement.” – Scott Stratten

5. Find Mentors

Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely and stressful experience. However, it doesn’t have to be because there are many business mentorship programs out there along with great networking events in a huge variety of industries at which you can meet potential mentors.

Finding someone who has experience in business in the same or a similar industry to yours can prove to be priceless. A mentor is not only there as a sounding board for your ideas or frustrations, but also to foresee issues in your business which you may have overlooked, guide you in the right direction, help you to avoid the pitfalls they fell into and review your overall business plan.

No two businesses are the same and no two entrepreneurs follow the same path to success, but there are few things everyone can do to turn the odds in their favour. Planning properly in advance, making realistic financial projections, doing your market research, building a marketing list and finding successful and relevant mentors will all set you up for a much better chance at success in the future.

Which one of these tips do you think will help you more in starting a business? Let us know your thought below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

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https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/5-of-the-best-tips-for-starting-a-business-from-scratch/

4 Ways to Be Grateful and Achieve Massive Amounts of Success

There is only one thing in the world you get to control and that’s your effort. When you put a lot of effort in, and you do it consistently, you get a lot back such as more pay, more joy, better relationships, and more fitness. When you constantly exude effort, and you experience the results that make you grateful, you start automatically associating your effort with gratitude. This helps you become confident that your work will create amazing opportunities in the future.

If you want to be more grateful and successful, then start a gratitude practice. However, even more important is getting super serious about the consistency of your efforts. Otherwise, your ingratitude for the progress you aren’t making will outweigh your gratitude for what you already have.

Below are four different ways you can cement your gratitude practice and take your success to the next level:

1. Start an “Amazing Efforts” note tab

Most people stop putting in effort because they don’t have enough positive reinforcement for the work they put in. They work, but they don’t see results by the time they think they should have. Because they haven’t encouraged themselves or felt grateful for their efforts, they fizzle out. The simplest solution is to start an ongoing note tab for your amazing efforts.

This note tab will be populated with all the good decisions you make from waking up and sticking with your morning routine even when you felt like hell to taking care of your body.

You’ll have several amazing efforts to write about each day, and when you write about them, you shine a spotlight on your effort, which makes that the reward in itself. You feel grateful for doing what less motivated people wouldn’t, and you feel empowered. All of this brings you a step closer to the person you want to be and the things you want to achieve.

“For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward.” – Jim Rohn

2. Create a list of daily non-negotiables

It’s awesome to practice gratitude, but if you sit on your duff practicing gratitude when you should be busting your butt to make things happen, you won’t progress, and your gratitude practice will not be effective. How can you get up and give your best when you don’t even know what you should be doing? My solution is to draft a recurring list of daily non-negotiable goals.

Once a week, sit down with a pen and paper and think of your highest priority goals. Let’s say you want to get paid for writing, or for your design work—then writing, designing, pitching, applying for work, and studying to advance your craft should be the things you’re doing every day, no excuses.

There’s not going to be one massive action you take that gets you there, it’s going to be your daily effort towards the small-but-important goals in your non-negotiables list. If you have that list written down, and imprinted in your brain, you wake up knowing exactly what must be done to give your best effort for the day.

When you’re done with your morning routine, and feeling awesome about all the good things in your life, and excited about the great things to come, then you go out and do work. You put a ton of effort in and when you reflect on your day at night, you’re grateful that you cared enough about yourself to bust your butt. You’re grateful for the things that will come, because you know they will come.

3. Things you need to include into your non-negotiables

Along with any daily actions you need to take for your career, include your goals for health, fitness, happiness, and any kind of self-improvement that’s critical to you for the next week. For instance, meditating, journaling, practicing something you love, and exercising will probably appear on your non-negotiables list.

Don’t saddle yourself with too many goals—otherwise you’ll feel paralyzed and scared to even try. But at the same time, try to challenge yourself, and get yourself out of your comfort zone. The most important thing is that you’re putting in consistent effort towards the things that matter most.

“I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson

4. Get someone to keep you accountable to your efforts

It’s one thing to do less than what you expected of yourself, and to let yourself down. You’re not affecting anyone else, right? No one’s going to give you any guff about it, and you can rationalize your effort with any number of excuses.

But when you’ve got someone who’s as invested in your wellbeing as you are, and who’s not going to accept your lame excuses, that’s when excuses get a little painful. Your friend, your mentor or your coach will be a constant mental reminder that you’ve got a standard to uphold, and that your excuses don’t actually matter.

When you’re at a fork in the road, and you’re thinking about slacking off on an important goal, your accountability partner will appear in your head, and you’ll think, “What am I going to tell him if I don’t do this?” That thought won’t feel good, and that’s when you’ll find the motivation to do what ordinarily you would’ve made an excuse for. This will boost your self esteem through the roof.

Then, when you check in with your friend, mentor or coach, you’ll tell them about the amazing efforts that you made, and they’ll celebrate your efforts and give you a thousand times more positive reinforcement than you could experience on your own. You’ll associate your efforts with an incredible person who cares about you and who’s excited about your progress which will help you make amazing efforts no matter how you feel!

If you don’t have someone who can keep you accountable and celebrate your successes, it’s extremely important to find a mentor or coach who you can rely on.

Conclusion

If you’ve practiced gratitude only to quit, or you didn’t get the results you wanted, start putting in more effort today. Feel awesome about your efforts by starting an amazing efforts note tab,  Ensure that you’re never lacking direction by creating a weekly list of daily non-negotiable goals, and if you really want to take your efforts to the next level, get someone to keep you accountable.

Which one of the above 4 tasks will help you on your journey towards success most? Let us know your thoughts below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

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https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/4-ways-to-be-grateful-and-achieve-massive-amounts-of-success/

4 Reasons Moving Abroad Will Change Your Life for the Better

Have you ever felt the need to do and experience something greater? Does the location you live in allow you to unleash your full potential? These are only a few of the questions someone could ask when trying to find new ways to further improve themselves. In some cases, success and happiness doesn’t only depend on our motivation levels, but also many external factors like location, societal changes and even new norms.

Relocating to a different country can prove to be a great precursor to happiness and success. We may do it because we want to check out a new way of living and culture. There are even cases where people are kind of compelled to move due to unforeseen financial strains. Regardless of the reasons, moving to a new country can deliver great benefits to your mental health and overall well-being.

Let’s see the 4 reasons why moving countries can help you grow and improve your life:

1. You will escape the current norm

If you feel that your life is too ordinary, moving to another country is the ideal way to change your routine and any mundane feelings you may have. Everyday activities like going grocery shopping or for a coffee will be a little more exciting since it will be a new challenge. You’ll get the chance to experience new sights and trends which will last for more than a usual two-week holiday.

2. You will learn a new language

Did you have trouble learning a new language when in school? Well, you will soon come to realize that interacting with a new culture on a daily basis will be an easier and more enjoyable way to learn. Learning a new language will not only become a great self-rewarding experience but also an excellent skill-set that will stick and can be used for a lifetime.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela

3. You will see things from a new perspective

A stressful routine can negatively affect your mental health and output. If you feel stuck in life, moving to a new country will be an excellent way to get a fresh perspective on the things that really matter. You will soon realize that making new friends, learning more about a different culture and exploring a new part of the world will help you expand your mind more than material things ever could.

4. You will boost your confidence levels

To be honest, the process of moving to a different country is a diversity by itself. In other words, relocating will not only prove to be a daunting experience but also a great challenge for self development and growth. In turn, you will get the confidence boost you have been looking for.

New experiences and tasks will push you to learn how to manage everything once again and even learn a new way of tackling situations or issues. You will eventually reach a new level of self-reliance and assurance.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain

Conclusion

Moving abroad will indeed prove to be both a challenge and a development opportunity. You will get the chance to know more about a new culture but also become happier and more fulfilled.

Before making the decision to move away from your current country though, make sure to consider the practical implications. You may need to save up to cover shipping costs as well as any new purchases you will be making once you arrive to the new place. In addition, you would also need to extensively research the country and area you would like to move to.

Find something appealing which can help you reach your goals towards success, a calm mind and happiness. Consider your options and decide whether you are ready for such a transformative experience because it doesn’t just happen, it needs planning and action. Become the master of your own life now.

Have you live abroad? If so, where? Let us know about your experiences!

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Here Are 7 of the Best Times to Set Goals for Yourself

When is the best time to set goals? We all know goal setting is important and that it helps us achieve bigger and better things, but when should we be setting goals? Revisiting and assessing goals is something you should be doing regularly. Many people who write out their goals revisit that list weekly. Others create vision boards with visual reminders of what they are working towards. Some people even write their goals out every day.

However, when do you need to take the time out to completely reassess your goals and go through the entire goal setting process again? Or, if you don’t have any goals set for yourself yet, what could trigger you to start setting yourself goals?

Check out 7 of the best times to set goals for yourself:

1. When You Want New Results

As Newton said in his first law of motion, an object in motion stays in motion, or as the non-physicists would say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. If you realise areas of your life can be improved, this is a good indication you need to set some goals. Do you dread your commute to work? Do you wake up next to your partner without that same level of emotion?

If you look in the mirror and don’t like the person looking back, you need to set goals. You may not need to quit your job or your relationship to experience new results, but you likely need to shift your attitudes and behaviours to get better results. Write out your goals, assess where you want to go, and decide whether your current situation is supporting that.

2. When Something Unexpected Happens

Everything is perfect but suddenly, the phone rings, you get the news, and you realise immediately life isn’t going to be the same. Whether these surprises are good or bad, what is important is that we assess where we go from this point and plan accordingly.

How many times have you heard about lottery winners that lose it all and end up worse off than before? How about the person that says losing their job was the best thing that ever happened to them? If something unexpected happens, use that to your advantage and incorporate it into your journey. After all, no one said the path to success was a straight line.

“Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you.” — George Whitefield

3. When You Hit Rock Bottom

Sometimes, we end up in a place we don’t want to be. As Einstein said “we can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them” and so to get off of rock bottom, something needs to change. Those people who are able to escape often have to make big changes in their life to make this possible. Although we never want to reach rock bottom, sometimes this is exactly the momentum shift we need to really start making good things happen in our lives.

4. At School or University

When you ask kids what they want to be when they grow up, you get some pretty inspiring answers. However, as they spend longer in school, that response often gives way to shorter-term goals of passing the test next week. Somewhere between dreaming of being an astronaut and passing their final exam, the big-picture goal disappears. By regularly setting goals throughout the education process, and by creating action plans to help achieve those goals that run alongside their education, not instead of, we can nurture those dreams, rather than extinguish them.

5. After A Big Setback

Even if the momentum is all going your way, sometimes suddenly the light turns red. Although we all hope nothing bad will ever happen to us, eventually we will experience a setback. For many people, this is enough to make them throw in the towel. However, setting goals has a positive influence on your persistence and ability to deal with adversity. You will have to change your plan, no doubt, but you don’t have to let this setback stop you from reaching your goals. It is not about the cards you are dealt, it is about how you play the hand.

6. After A Big Win

Once the confetti has settled, the hangover has faded and the congratulations messages stop coming in, what next? Often, when we reach a goal, we have put so much focus and effort on getting to that point, we haven’t looked beyond it. After big wins, take a moment to reflect and decide on your next challenge. You have shown it can be done, so now turn your attention to your next goal. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the success, but this is not your destination, rather one significant stepping stone on your ultimate journey to success.

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” — Sam Levenson

7. New Year’s Resolutions

Finally, we can use the new year as a signal we should re-evaluate the direction our life is heading. Although setting goals on New Year’s Day rarely works on its own, reflecting on the previous year’s results and experiences can provide some good context for areas of life to be developed. Using an exercise such as the Wheel of Life helps you decide which areas you need to develop.

If in the previous year you fell short in some areas, those should be the focus of your resolutions. If you are going to set goals, set ones that are meaningful and work on those, rather than just joining the gym and blasting it for a week. If all the treadmills are busy in January, there must be space elsewhere to work on your other goals.

So there you have it, the 7 best times to be setting goals. Ultimately,the more often you set goals, the more your attention will be focused on the things that are important to you, the more energy you will have to pursue these goals, and the more persistence you will develop in the face of adversity. If in doubt, set goals more often rather than less often, and assess your progress regularly.

What are some of your goals? Comment below!

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https://addicted2success.com/life/here-are-7-of-the-best-times-to-set-goals-for-yourself/

Practical Thoughts On Dealing With Overwhelm.

Mastering These 5 Communications Skills Will Help You Better Understand Others and Yourself

How do you show somebody you care? In addition to being present, it’s the words you choose and the way you listen. Strengthening your communication skills gives you the opportunity to build close relationships where there is loyalty, support, and a beautiful balance of understanding. What’s more, as you understand others better, you’re able to gain insight into their reasons behind their thoughts and actions. Knowing what makes someone tick helps you predict and adapt to how he or she will react – for better or worse. Through your communication skills, you’re able to change the course of your conversations. And, by communicating well, you can improve your relationships.

Successful communicators look for patterns. Recurring themes are found when you’re reading between the lines. They know that by listening, they’ll be able to hear what is said and, also, what goes unsaid. This is because as they are listening, they are taking note as to common triggers and preparing for them. They are responding to other’s needs through their messaging and showing thoughtful consideration for their concerns.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by trying to relate better to other people, but feel like you’re not being understood or you’re not being heard, perhaps the reason lies within mutual understanding. This means that you may not be aware of something another person is feeling and by leaving this out, it is affecting your relationship. By not being relevant, your message is off the mark. It doesn’t match what matters to that person. Fortunately, there are ways to improve the way you communicate, but, in order to gain a heightened awareness of yourself and others, it does take work, and an open mind.

If you have been wondering how you can communicate better with others, these 5 skills will help you improve understanding and strengthen your relationships:

1. Framing

It’s all about the packaging! How your message is framed makes a difference when it comes to how others will respond. You’ll need to present your message in a way that is not only simple, but also clear as to what kind of response is expected. Get a feel for how others respond to similar messages beforehand so that way you can adjust if necessary. You can also help others understand your message better through visual cues and body language. Having visuals can supplement what you’re trying to convey by applying emphasis in ways that words cannot.

“All generalizations are false, including this one.” – Mark Twain

2. Mirroring

In order to understand what your audience is looking for or why they are reacting a certain way, the easiest way to investigate is through asking them. But, if you want to get a sense of what they’re thinking and feeling, a less obvious way is through mirroring. When you’re sharing a message, watch for reactions. Pay attention to visual cues and feedback.

Facial expressions and behaviors will show you whether you’re evoking any emotions. Watching for reactions will help you understand where trigger points are — whether positive or negative. Being able to figure out what’s actually reaching others gives you the ability to connect in a way that matters and you’ll know how to get a response.

You can then refine your message by adjusting your tone and the words you choose in order to provide what others are looking for. As you adjust, you’ll be able to test for reactions to see if you’re getting close. Consider why your changes are or are not working and you’ll gain a deeper understanding.

3. Functional Empathy

Empathy is the ability to see something from another person’s point-of-view and consider how they’re feeling (and why). Empathy can range from being able to feel what others feel, to understanding the reasons behind why someone feels the way they do, to relating back to others with shared experiences or thoughts. If you’re looking to communicate better, think about how others are feeling during the flow of your interaction.

By looking at where people are getting distracted or no longer engaging with you, you’ll find out what’s no longer relevant to them. This is where they stop caring. Knowing how to hold attention and avoid a drop-off is especially helpful because you can better plan your conversations, messaging and experiences.

4. Storytelling

By practicing your storytelling skills, you’re able to engage others in a way where they’re interested in hearing more. Through stories, you’re able to share anecdotes, lessons and information in a way that’s easier to connect with. It’s an excellent way to create more connection and share information that is easy-to-relate-to; not to mention, build excitement!

With so much information competing for your audience’s attention, you’ll be able to draw in and hold an audience’s attention. A compelling story can be memorable and inspire others to share their own stories. Through sharing these stories, you’ll be able to build and develop more understanding and insight into other people’s experiences.

“There is only one you for all time. Fearlessly be yourself.” – Anthony Rapp

5. Receptive Language

Take note of where the people you’re talking with are coming from. If you’re speaking about one thing, but it’s completely different from what they need, they’ll quickly check out. But by encouraging responses through selective phrasing and questions, you’ll be able to determine if you’re understanding them properly.

If they continue to stay engaged, you’re on the right track when it comes to reflecting their interests. Your language and choice in words can encourage feedback and open-ended responses. These types of responses will help you find out if your audience can relate to what you’re saying. And, using the information you gather will help you determine what resonates best. As you genuinely show you care and take interest in others, you’ll find that others appreciate your interest.

Developing these communication skills will give you the ability to better relate to others, develop more loyalty, and build stronger relationships, all while increasing internal and external awareness and uncovering underlying needs to show you care.

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/mastering-these-5-communications-skills-will-help-you-better-understand-others-and-yourself/

7 Powerful and Inspiring Words of Encouragement to Help Lift You Up

When you’re going through tough times, all you need is sympathy. You just need someone to tell you how strong you are and how you can cope with the situation. Essentially, you’re waiting for a soothing voice that can calm your inner storm and genuinely help with your troubles.

If you’re in a situation like this, then know that you’re not alone. You might be feeling low due to a reason like failing at something, breaking up with someone you dearly loved, losing your loved one, not getting a good job, or being betrayed by the person you trusted the most or anything along those lines.

Remember this; there is hope for everyone including you. You are going to come back from all of this no matter what. That’s why there is a saying, “Every dark cloud has a silver lining.”

Here are 7 powerful quotes to help lift you up in your time of need:

1. “There are only TWO days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday, and the other one is called tomorrow. Today is the right day to Love, Believe, Do and mostly Live.” – Dalai Lama

This quote said by his holy highness Dalai Lama is so compelling about life. You live in the present, neither in the past nor the future. Think about it this way, can you change what is already done or can you change what is going to be done? The answer is, no, you can’t because nobody can. It’s wise to forget the bad things from the past and do something in the present that will help improve your future.

2. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein

Have you ever thought of these beautiful words of encouragement from Sir Albert Einstein? It is so profound and practical. Sometimes we are miserable because people try to fit us into a mold where we don’t belong, and thus we too start feeling that we are useless. However, that’s not the case. We all are gifted with abilities that we overlook only because of the fear of being rejected or neglected. You are not supposed to rely on people’s perspective about you if you know what your real potential is.

“Human beings must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.” – Albert Einstein

3. “Every time you state what you want or believe, you’re the first to hear it. It’s a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don’t put a ceiling on yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey

These words of encouragement from Oprah Winfrey gave me so much strength that I couldn’t resist to quote it here. Many times we give up on our dreams and wishes only because we think it is impossible. We must believe in ourselves and tell ourselves that we CAN do it and it is possible. You shouldn’t be afraid of failures and setbacks but instead welcome them.

4. “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers

Think about this, still water is stagnant water. Even the water has to keep flowing to remain useful. If you want to become successful, you must keep lifting yourself up and keep moving. Do not let the hardships hold you down and wait for a miracle to happen. You’re already on the right track so nothing should stop you from going further in your life.

5. “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” – Mahatma Gandhi

All our activities, throughout this life, are controlled by our mind. Believe it or not, it’s true. It is correctly said that what you think you become. People around us are not always going to pull you up, and you might meet people who are going to supply negativity to your mind. However, it is up to you whom to let in your mind and whom you should never. When you are in control of your thoughts and mind, nothing and nobody can distract you.

“Be the change that you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

6. “What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” – Oscar Wilde

Difficult times are very tricky. It makes you believe that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. We don’t realize that today’s struggles are for a better tomorrow. They’re not permanent, and they’re not going to last forever. Once you are determined to change your situation then even God will help you with that. Just remember the saying, “God helps those who help themselves.”

7. “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”  – Deepak Chopra

This quote is too profound and subtle that summarizes this whole article. It might change the way you look at your problems right now. There are circumstances to knock you down, there are issues you are not able to solve, and they seem completely out of your control. It is not at all easy to keep calm at this point, however, if you learn how to be still in the midst of all the chaos, you are a winner. You have won half the battle just by doing this.

Winning and losing is just a part of life. No matter in which phase of your life you are, remember that there is a purpose behind it and you will know what that purpose is at the right time. Moreover, one day you will be grateful for all the struggles and mistakes because they will make you a stronger, better and a more beautiful human being.

Which one of these quotes inspired you the most and why? Let us know in the comments below!

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https://addicted2success.com/motivation/7-powerful-and-inspiring-words-of-encouragement-to-help-lift-you-up/

The Three P’s You Need to Master to Become a Better Leader

I have been a fan and a student of Steve Jobs, Ray Kroc and Jack Welsh for many years. It is very valuable to find similar traits in these great leaders and aggregate them, basically come up with some common denominators of their leadership success. By doing so, we can then begin to reflect their great skills into our own leadership profile. My goal here is to give you some very quick and applicable tools to modify your behavior for greater leadership skills.

Here are the 3 P’s for you to develop greater leadership skills based upon my findings:

1. Passion

If there is one thing that I found in most leaders, it is passion. They love what they do, they love talking about what they do and they love getting others involved in what they do. Passion has different ways of emoting. Some people move very quickly on stage with arms flaying, voice pitching from a diminuendo to a crescendo with 100 giant television screens behind them.

Remember Steve Jobs when the iPhone was being introduced? I’ve seen other people standing behind the podium speaking from written notes but the emotional intensity in the room grew thick and reaching the level of static discharge. I’ve seen everything in between. There is an old saying that we have a leadership theory and that is, “if you think you’re leading and you turn around and no one is following, you’re just taking a walk!” It is passion that prevents that from happening.

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller

You may be asking yourself how you can develop more passion in your life and in your leadership repertoire. The answer to that is fairly simple but the application can be somewhat deceptive in its apparent simplicity. If you wait to feel passionate before you act passionate, you’re allowing outside circumstance to control your emotions. However, if you begin to act passionate even if, by chance you don’t feel it, you will begin to. Thus, it is better for us to act our way into a new set of feelings than it is for us to feel our way into a new set of actions.

2. Planning

All leaders are planners; it’s a requirement of the job. By virtue of leading it means that you must be planning for the future. Planning can in fact be learned and is not that difficult of a process. If you want to become a better planner study chess. Notice I did not say play chess, although that will be the natural outcome of your studying. Study chess and notice how the minds of the great masters develop a strategy and implant tactics around that strategy. Chess is an amazing process to develop planning skills.

Another thing you can do is think about how you planned your last vacation, or even a weekend getaway. Think about the steps you took, the research you did based on those steps and their outcomes. Both the study of chess and personal planning will assist you in developing planning for your leadership skills.

3. Persistence

Leaders never give up! If there is something they want, they find a way around, over, or through the obstacle. Too many people never develop their full leadership birthright because of the mental script running through their minds saying, “It’s too tough for me. I Should just go home and get a good nights sleep.” Leaders know that the only possibility of failure is in giving up. If you fall down 10 times but get up on the 11th, you have not failed 10 times – you have succeeded. Period!

You may be wondering how to develop that no nonsense, I will not be denied attitude of persistence. The real question is not how do I develop persistence, but how do I develop the courage to go after what I want? Persistence is a by-product of courage! When there is something that should be yours, developing the impassioned desire to obtain that through raw courage will develop sheer persistence.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

Maybe I should’ve included a 4th P with this article. That of POWER! The best thing I can say about power is that if you want a more powerful leadership dynamic, develop a repertoire that contains passion, planning and persistence. The three of them combined will be a powerful leadership punch that should lead you to getting what you want and assisting others in believing that they should follow you because there is great value in you leading them.

How do you define a leader? Comment below!

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https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/the-three-ps-you-need-to-master-to-become-a-better-leader/

7 Rules About Small Business That Are Meant to Be Broken

Famously said by Marilyn Monroe, “If I’d observed all the rules, I’d never have got anywhere.” If you are aiming high and planning to materialize your dream by defying all barriers and killing the stereotype, then the quote mentioned above is something that will get you going. Talking of small businesses, if we look back at the history of SMEs-turned-world-changing-MNCs, some remarkable brands like Apple, HP, Google, Walt Disney, Mattel and Amazon certainly get a special mention.

Now you must be thinking what rule did Steve Jobs break or what exactly were Larry Page and Sergey Brin up to? Well, breaking the rules doesn’t necessarily mean to try out random illegal stuff that may put you behind bars. Breaking rules indicates ignoring certain stereotypes to rise above what is regular and conventional in order to turn your small business into a successful and universally recognized company someday.  

Published on Forbes, the list of small companies in America that are making it big in the industry has a count of 25 firms with revenues ranging from $3 Million to a huge $532 Million. Astonished much? Nothing really is impossible you see!

Here are the 7 conventional small business rules which are better to be broken than to follow blindly:

1. Do not rope your family and friends in the business

This perhaps is the most common and an unspoken law followed by many people in the domain of start-up businesses. It’s a misconception among us that involvement of family and friends ruins the business prosperity. Do you know your favorite café Starbucks was founded back in the year 1971 by three San Francisco University students, and the original McDonald’s restaurant in California was founded by the McDonald brothers Maurice and Richard McDonald? So it is a myth after all!

2. If you are good at something, never do it for free

You may oppose this notion of working for free but have you ever thought of it the other way around? Suppose you have a start-up business that offers online academic writing service. Declare free essay help for all as a part of your promotional campaign. Provide all interested students with free services once and pitch the premium ones eventually. At least you can have people notice your business. That’s something which is crucial to every small trade.

3. No graduation means no business prosperity

Michael Dell (Dell), Larry Ellison (Oracle), Jan Koum (WhatsApp CEO), and Evan Williams (co-founder of Twitter), are examples of successful college dropouts turned billionaire business tycoons, apart from the iconic Steve Jobs and Zuckerberg.

Nonetheless, this is no way an indication to drop your graduation plan and start a trade right away. But in case you cannot continue with the graduation program or have to leave midway, then it won’t bring any harm to your business, as long as you have the zeal to innovate and stand out. Your motivation for the day – If they can do it, so can you!

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

4. You are too young to start a business or get an internship

Sound familiar? Well, this is yet another man-made small business rule that keeps coming in between one’s aspirations and dreams. Being young has nothing to do with businesses if you have the motivation to start something on your own with a focused mindset.

Rather, a young entrepreneur has greater advantages as compared to that of the mid-aged one. As you get older, taking risks and being flexible and dynamic might be a problem, but such is not the case with the youngsters. They are agile, more liberal, open to changes and risk takers. As you know, taking risks in business is the first step towards attaining success.

5. Not all social media campaigns work well for the business

Social media is a terrific platform for all small business owners aiming to invest less and generate more revenue. On the contrary, you can’t actually be too confident about it. You never know who’s available on which platform. The internet is a big thing, and you can’t get enough of it.

Because of this, choose to make a difference, sell your ideas, promote your products in as many social media sites possible, and leave no possibilities unexplored. Remember, digital marketing costs less than the traditional methodologies.

6. You have to have a plan drafted for seamless operations

Planning is always crucial to every business, but bringing compulsion to it and not being flexible enough to think anything beyond a drafted plan can at times bring limitations. There are moments when you need to plan things up quickly and make smart decisions early in the process.

Every time you would call your team for a meeting or sit with pen and paper and spend hours brainstorming, you might lose out on opportunities that your competitors might already have grabbed with agility, confidence and smartness. At times, you need to think beyond drafted agendas. That’s all you need for a quick transmutation!

“Management is all about managing in the short term, while developing the plans for the long term.” – Jack Welch

7. Follow what your successful competitors are doing

To draw inspiration and ideas is one thing, but following them blindly is another. If you want your business products and services to be remembered with great brand recall values, then it’s time to make a move, and think beyond tried and tested strategies. Trying out the good old approaches and sticking to the conventional ideas of marketing is good, but that won’t help your target audience experience or explore something new and catchy, will it?

So, here’s your chance to try out the untried, break the unbreakable, jump beyond your boundaries, think beyond all limitations and achieve what you wish for. Your business is in your hands, make it a big one.

Do you want to start a business? If so, what would you like it to be? Let us know in the comments below!

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https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/7-rules-about-small-business-that-are-meant-to-be-broken/

How to Prevent Social Media From Stunting Your Personal Growth

Over the years, social media has taken over our lives. Our society has become so addicted to social media to where we’re not only missing out on enjoying some of life’s most precious moments, but we’re also losing valuable interpersonal skills. The introverts have become more introverted, and the extroverts are becoming more recluse.

Social media has made “Netflix & Chill” the ideal date night, replacing the traditional “dinner and a movie” where you’re getting to know each other amongst others. If people were to go out, they have a constant need to document their every move on social media instead of being truly present and enjoying themselves. What’s also worse is that I see this social media dynamic being passed on to the younger generation. More and more kids are becoming hooked on social media, causing them to place their own personal value in the hands of strangers through a “like”.

Luckily, we don’t have to allow social media to ruin our lives. Despite how addicting social media is, we have complete control on how it’s used. Here’s how I prevent social media from stunting my own personal growth.

1. Limit Your Time On Social Media

Scrolling your timeline is like diving into a black hole. Once you start scrolling on Instagram, Facebook, or even Twitter, it’s hard to stop. Even for me, I struggle putting my phone down, thus getting sucked into the “social media matrix”.

What I found to be extremely helpful is limiting my time on social media. I literally allow myself a certain amount of minutes of “scroll time” before I put my phone away to focus on something else. Because my business revolves around social media, I check my phone approximately 4 times a day, for 15 minutes at a time. During those short periods, I’m responding to any comments or DMs, and engaging with other people’s posts to keep my own personal engagement high on my profile.

“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon

2. Find New Hobbies

There was a period of time where I was very conscious of when and why I randomly start scrolling social media. What I discovered was that I was more prone to fall into the black hole of social media when I was bored.

I’m a part of the last generation to have experienced life without the internet and social media. I recall days being spent reading, wrestling with my dad, walking or riding bikes at the local park, playing sports outside with the neighborhood kids, or building small LEGO communities (remember those?). There was never a dull moment because our days were filled with hobbies.

If you let the demands of being an adult consume you, don’t be afraid to re-introduce your old hobbies back into your life.

3. Unplug With Family & Friends

There are more and more people who are spending time on social media in the company of their family and friends. Family dinners and time spent with your friends are now being interrupted by social media. As I mentioned earlier, this is typically a sign of boredom that comes across as rude to those in your presence. By not being in the moment, you could be missing out on valuable information and vital conversations that could strengthen your personal growth and interpersonal skills.

One thing I found to be helpful when in the presence of your friends and family is to designate one spot where everyone can dump their phones so that everyone is now forced to be in the moment and enjoy the company of those around them. At family dinner, I make everyone leave their phones in their room, and when my friends get together, I make them turn their phones off and place them in a small bag that I bring. It’s imperative that we unplug. You’ll find that the time spent was much more enjoyable when you’re focused on being mentally present.

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde

4. Don’t Go To Bed With Your Phone

We’re all guilty of going to bed and falling asleep with our phones in our hand. There were times where I literally fell asleep looking at my phone in the air, and it dropped and popped me in the face. That was a “wake-up call”, literally, that I needed to change my ways. Not to mention, I also noticed that I was experiencing weird dreams and sometimes nightmares because of what I was consuming before I went to sleep. All of which is not good for your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Rather than charge my phone overnight using a power outlet close to the bed, I now charge my phone overnight on the other side of the room. The first few days of doing this was rough. I was so used to falling asleep scrolling social media that it was hard to fall asleep without it. Now, I lie down and meditate until I fall asleep. After a week of light meditation prior to sleep, I noticed that I woke up feeling energized and well rested. My mind wasn’t mentally fatigued like before, and my days were much more productive. As a result, I highly recommend everyone to go to bed without their phone by their side.

Conclusion

Moderation is key when it comes to social media consumption. Social media is not bad however, like anything, too much of something can have a reverse effect. Social media is a very valuable tool, one that allowed me to connect with people of all walks of life across the world and earn a living. We don’t have to let social media take over and ruin our lives. What we can do is find balance.

How do you stay balanced? Comment below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/how-to-prevent-social-media-from-stunting-your-personal-growth/

5 Viktor Frankl Quotes to Reshape Your Perspective Today

Highly regarded as one of Viktor Frankl’s greatest works, “A Man’s Search For Meaning” highlights Dr. Frankl’s perseverance and survival through the Auschwitz concentration camp. His insights, both harrowing and enchanting, can be readily applied as a sort of spiritual compass for the modern-day man or woman.

With more distracting information than ever available today, most people quietly yearn for wisdom. Rather than fabricate a guidance system that may but probably won’t be applicable to your unique situation, I’ve leveraged one of the finest minds in recent historical memory to forge a more universal guidance system.

Here are 5 of my favorite and most applicable excerpts from one of Dr. Frankl’s most classic writings:

1. “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.”

This is where emotional agility resides. Always, even if only for a split-second, we’re given a choice in our response after an event unfolds. Things become increasingly complicated when we either forget we have a choice or don’t believe we have one (even though, in essence, you’re choosing not to believe it).

Taking five full seconds to process events prior to responding — especially the ones we’re taken aback by — shifts the balance of power back in our favor. This space between is our mental fortress — the command center for life-altering actions to be triggered. Make sure you treat it as such.

2. “The more one forgets himself — by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love — the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself.”

Some of the hardest, yet most freeing advice I’ve ever received is the statement “It’s not about you.” There are moments in life when we “do the right thing” and fill with spiritual joy. We don’t think about who may have been watching, if we’ll get credit, or how it may come back around. We just do it.

Those moments  when we get outside of ourselves and stand for a greater purpose  deliver the onset of lasting fulfillment. The times where you light up not because of the recognition you’ve received, but because you committed an act of true nobility are the one’s when you leave your mark on the world in a positive manner. The more you look to be a moon instead of the sun, the happier you will be along the way.

3. “In some way, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning.”

You’ve heard it before: “Life has no meaning except for the meaning we give it.” While this understanding does give off a grim outlook, it’s actually quite the contrary. This grants us the freedom to assign whatever we see fit. When we realized a meaning isn’t necessarily fixed, we can sift through our options until we land on what’s most empowering.

In the book, Frankl recounts a story of a boy dying an early death. He shares how the boy once saw a situation unfold where he revered a terminally ill person’s courage and dignity in handling ultimate demise. Instead of cursing the heavens upon his own diagnosis, the boy stated fate was granting him a similar opportunity.

Luckily for most of us, our everyday experiences aren’t life or death. This is the case, however, until it’s not. The fragility and beauty of life are collapsed. It’s essential we maximize our time and minimize our suffering to make the most of it. Don’t cling to the first thing that shows up when a tough situation presents itself. Scan your optional meanings and make a wise, empowering decision.

4. “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

The majority of suffering occurs today when the blueprint of someone’s life doesn’t match reality. This gap between expectation and actuality is where pain resides. We can usually do a few things to shift the occurrence of reality, but much of it is outside our locus of control. To continue closing the gap, we must change the hard expectations we have for our lives.

Immediately after, feelings of resignation may show up, like we’re compromising what we deserve. However, the lasting change can be found in our values and what we place at highest importance. For example, many people want things like love and passion in their lives, but only if it’s packaged a certain way. Perhaps other desire success, but it must be distinct type of success. Reevaluating what we want the most versus what we want right now can be a prudent “saving grace” for making the most out of difficult situations.

5. “For the world is in a bad state, but everything will become still worse unless each of us does his best.”

As Don Miguel Ruiz asserts in “The Four Agreements,” always doing your best is critical to life working for you. Who gets the pick of the litter in terms of fame and fortune is damn-near a crapshoot, but there will be far less spoils for any of us to garner unless each of us does our best. This is where a certain degree of faith is required to continue making sacrifices for the sake of your contribution to the world, even if no one is watching.

The silver lining for those of us reading this article that we get to choose. Engaging in activities we legitimately enjoy puts us in a better state, which increases the likelihood we will be kind and supportive of others as we come in contact with them.

Life is hard enough for each individual. When left to our own devices, our minds often wander into darkness – sometimes unlikely to return. It is with this in mind, we do our best. We continue getting up, helping others, and doing as much of what we love as time permits. We may not shake the world this way, but we can certainly move it.

Which one of Viktor Frankl’s quotes is your favorite and why? Let us know in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/quotes/5-viktor-frankl-quotes-to-reshape-your-perspective-today/