You’ve Broken Your New Year’s Resolution. Now What?

When was the last time you really thought about what you wanted to accomplish in the next 12 months? Most of us will take part in the somewhat dated ritual of coming up with New Year’s Resolutions, but do we really know what they mean? 12 months is a long time, and many people stick to a New Year’s Resolution for less than a month before they drop out.

Often times, New Year’s Resolutions are just subtly veiled attempts at fixing what you don’t like about yourself. I’m overweight, so I should resolve to go to the gym every day. I’m depressed, maybe I should try mindfulness. It’s easy to get caught up in the Christmas sugar rush and the New Year’s buzz and think that resolutions are going to be easy-peasy. But history will tell us that New Year’s Resolutions are some of the hardest things to accomplish.

Enter John Doerr and the concept of OKRs, or Objectives & Key Results. If someone sits you down and asks you to to describe your long term objectives and key result areas, would you know how to respond? Likely not, but by starting to think in this way you might start to develop an appreciation for the hard work that goes into forming long terms goals, and how much strategic thinking goes into coming up with the best ways to reach those goals.

John Doerr is a venture capitalist from Kleiner Perkins in Menlo Park, California who often speaks about the importance of setting far reaching goals tied to specific tactics and actions. In his TED Talk on the real secret to success, Doerr outlines how powerful setting specific goals and targeted actions can be to achieving long term success.

I’ve long been a fan of the OKR method, both for its simplicity and its effectiveness. If you don’t know much about it, the fine people at Google have put together a fantastic overview of how to set OKRs.

Now, if you’re looking for ways to develop more far-reaching goals for yourself or your organization, check out these four ways to identify the perfect OKRs:

1. Develop an annual outlook

Don’t try to stretch too far when you set your OKRs. Start with objectives that you can reach in a year in a stretch, rather than objectives that you MIGHT reach in 3-5 years. Breaking down objectives into the perfect size is often an art, as you don’t want to go too short (one month) or too long (2-3 years).

Goals that are too short term run the risk of not being inspiring enough to drive action, while long term objectives are harder to grasp.

“The greater danger for most of us isn’t that our aim is too high and miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” – Michelangelo

2. Focus on the purpose, mission and vision

Spend time asking yourself what the main thing is you’re talking about in this situation. What is the topic at hand? Perhaps more importantly, what is in scope, and what is out of scope? Make sure the objective is something that inspires you and your team, rather than just you.

Imagine standing up in front of a group of people and talking about the same topic, over and over again, over the space of a year. If the idea of this doesn’t excite you, it’s best to choose a topic or a theme that is better suited to your interests.

3. Break down the vision

Once you’ve defined your vision clearly, determine what it will take to get there. Take your time on this step. Define and agree on the results and the actions that are required to reach that long-term objective.

Outline 1-3 key actions and results which will drive success of the objective. If there are over 5 key actions necessary to reach success, it may be necessary to break out that large objective into multiple smaller objectives.

“We aim above the mark to hit the mark.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

4. Create a culture of check-ins and catch-ups

Get into the habit of having weekly and monthly check-ins so that people are aware of the progress being made on each objective. This is a good opportunity to get other people involved and interested in what you’re working on and share what you’ve been excited about in recent weeks. The hard part about this is maintaining consistency and making sure you don’t miss a week or two.

The power of OKRs is incredible if implemented correctly, and I would recommend them to anyone who has previously (successfully or unsuccessfully) attempted to adopt a New Year’s Resolution for the betterment of themselves and their team.

How are you going to make sure you stay on track with your resolutions for this year? Share your thoughts and advice for others below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/youve-broken-your-new-years-resolution-now-what/

3 Examples of How to Build a Strong Foundation for Your Startup

No one likes to fail. It’s a fact that every startup, however, is flirting with failure. No matter how badly you want to succeed, there’s still a possibility your business just won’t make it. The good news is, there are concrete steps you can take to make sure that doesn’t happen. A great way to ensure your success is to look at other startups that have made it, and see what they’re doing that you can emulate.

Check out these 3 startups and see what your business can learn from each of them:

1. Codeship

Codeship is a continuous development solution and support option for coders, working off of the motto “building for the builders”. They’ve worked for over 100,000 developers since 2010. Moritz Plassnig, co-founder and former CEO of Codeship, says, “A great team is the lifeblood of a fast-growing startup. I would even go so far as to say that people are the foundation of every organization, big or small, high-tech startup or huge corporate juggernaut.”

The lesson? Invest in recruiting and build your team carefully.

Hiring the right people for your team doesn’t just happen. As a startup, it is important to know how to identify the best fit candidate for each position. Design a recruitment process that will enable you to do this in the best way possible.

A highly productive team needs a combination of experience, skill, culture, and different personalities. Hiring only the ‘clever’ candidates does not guarantee outright success. Success goes beyond the books and skills. Develop a good culture for your company by setting a set of accepted values which should be followed by all. If you lead by example, the rest will follow.

Last but not least, hiring a great first team is crucial. Really take the time to select hardworking, reliable, creative individuals for your first hires. You’re setting the tone for your business’ future, take the time to do it right.

2. Anaplan

Anaplan, a cloud-based enterprise for connected business planning founded in 2006, had humble beginnings. Michael Gould, founder, started Anaplan out of a small barn on his property in York. That didn’t stop him from succeeding; Anaplan now serves more than 30,000 clients, and is called “the spreadsheet killer” since it so effectively plans for businesses across one platform.

The lesson? Find the need, be the solution.

Anaplan was started because of one simple reason: ““The tools that were out there were not really meeting the needs of businesses,” says Gould. He was frustrated with the tools of the time for online management, and decided he was going to create the solution. This approach to ideas is crucial for entrepreneurs. If you can see a need in the market and immediately fill it with an excellent service, you’ve guaranteed yourself an audience.

3. Slack

Slack is a wildly popular team management system, that allows employees to communicate across different channels. Founded in 2014, it’s “the fastest-growing business application in history.” There’s a good chance you’ve already used it or thought about using it for your team. How did Slack get so popular? Stewart Butterfield, a co-founder of this cloud-based company, shares their secret.

The lesson? Demonstrate your value.

Slack worked hard to set themselves apart from the very beginning of their entrepreneurial journey, and it shows. They actively listen to all customer feedback, and have a team entirely dedicated to solving customer problems as soon as possible. They also marketed themselves by showing what Slack can do.

Their strategy was simple. They would invite prospective clients and teach them how to use the platform. By providing free demonstrations and informative sessions, clients could try out Slack and form their own opinions, risk free.

Show your customers what makes you different. Don’t hammer them over the head with your company’s benefits; allow them to explore your service and they can see for themselves exactly why you’re excellent.

Move Your Business Forward With Confidence

Pay attention to what these businesses are doing right! Your small business will have a greater chance at success if you build an excellent foundation. By investing in recruiting, creating the solution to common problems, and demonstrating your value to potential clients, you’ll be a step ahead of your competition.

Codeship, Anaplan, and Slack didn’t just happen overnight. It takes time and careful planning to set your small business up for success, but the results are more than worth it.

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

from
https://addicted2success.com/startups/3-examples-of-how-to-build-a-strong-foundation-for-your-startup/

5 Habits You Must Give Up to Become Successful and Get What You Want From Life

Happiness, success, and fulfillment have different interpretations around the world, yet they are all labels we wish to claim. When it comes to achieving our dreams, we’re our best friend and biggest critic.

Goals are naturally challenging; the last thing we want to do is hinder our efforts with harmful habits. Each time we starve off a negative habit, we allow more room to feed a positive one. Good or bad, habits are all around us. Habits influence our days, which then shape how we live our life.

Below, are 5 of the most common destructive habits and what you can do to reclaim your success once and for all:

1. Using electronics in bed

Problem: Using electronics in bed can be the most deceiving habit of all. It’s fun, addictive, and seems harmless. After all, we are all guilty of this from time to time. We should just consider this reasonable and brush it off, right? While this excuse feels good right now, the habit will make us feel worse in the long run. Our phones steal our rest at night, and attention in the morning.

Solution: Make your phone stay on the other side of the room. It’ll tempt you with notifications and endless entertainment, but you’re better than that. Declare your bed as a phone-free zone. Not only will this make you victorious, but you’ll reclaim time and energy as a result. By the time you greet your phone to mute the alarm, you’ll be up and ready to conquer the day.

2. Procrastinating

Problem: Everyone has a few dreadful tasks on their to-do list. We all have things we know must be done, but we don’t like to do them. When we put these tasks off, we’re letting fear and anxiety win the battle. In the meantime, our dreams, hopes, and ambitions are held hostage.

Solution: Isn’t life complicated enough without additional setbacks? Life is too short to procrastinate; get to work and make things happen. Start off small and build your way up. The first step is often the most intimidating. Get past step one, and the world is yours!

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” – Abraham Lincoln

3. Eating junk food

Problem: Our body needs food to nourish our cells and get the energy we need. When we think about how food helps compose our muscles and bones over time, the adage, “you are what you eat” doesn’t fall far from the truth. Junk food is convenient, but it’s ultimately junk. The only thing junk food gives us are problems down the road.

Solution: Do yourself a favor and eat healthy food to get the energy and vitamins you need. There are thousands of recipes online, so find recipes with healthy food you enjoy and start cooking. Start off with one healthy meal per day, and go from there.

4. Thinking negative thoughts

Problem: Food fuels our body and thoughts fuel our mind. The mind is our control center for life. If we feed ourselves negative thoughts, we’ll create negative beliefs as a result.

Solution: To be successful, we have to believe in ourselves. We need to change the way we think. If you wouldn’t mistreat a friend, why would you mistreat treat yourself that way? We are not our thoughts or our past. The future is a blank slate. Fill your mind with positive moments in the present moment to give yourself the best chance to lead a bright future.

5. Staying In our comfort zone

Problem: As infants, we always try new things and explore the world around us. Once we get older, our willingness to try new things and take new adventures begins to shrink. The fear of failure looms like a dark cloud, and we retreat to our comfort zones. Our comfort zone is safe, familiar, and where we feel best.

Solution: To become our best, we have to be willing to grow and try new things. We may embrace failure, but no one is born as an expert at anything. Even the best had to start off from scratch, just like you.

Over time, things that were once outside our comfort zone will become comfortable. This is a sign we are expanding our comfort zone, but we must do this repeatedly to grow.

We don’t have to do anything extreme to step outside our comfort zone. We hear stories about people making radical changes, like quitting their job or moving overseas. We can still step outside of our comfort zone by taking small steps forward. Talk to someone new. Take a new route to the store. Try new food. See how this feels, and imagine what other possibilities are out there.

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” – Brian Tracy

Advice on your habit journey

As Elon Musk once said, “Constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.” When we apply this idea to every area of our lives, the possibilities are endless. These habits are a great way to reduce the chaos and self-sabotage in life, but it is by no means an exhaustive list.

We always need to determine what works, what doesn’t, and toss out the rest. Everyone is going to be different, so don’t be afraid to try different things and see what works best for you. Habits are powerful, use them wisely.

How do you make sure you maintain good habits? Share your thoughts with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/5-habits-you-must-give-up-to-become-successful-and-get-what-you-want-from-life/

How To Properly Define Your Passions & Purpose

Over the years, I’ve worked with many companies and found the ones with lucid and succinctly described visions are more likely to succeed than those with unclear or highly complex visions. Yet as individuals, we often don’t take the time to clearly articulate our own passions or purpose. To help you define yours, I’ve created a simple test that I call The Funnel Test.

The following is an excerpt from Your Network Is Your Net Worth: Unlock the Hidden Power of Connections for Wealth, Success, and Happiness in the Digital Age by Porter Gale, former VP of Marketing for Virgin America.

Define Your Passions & Purpose With The Below Funnel Test:

Step 1: Define your three greatest passions or a succinct set of words that clearly define your core interests

You can put a high priority on any type of passion, from family to fitness or education to the environment. For example, I watched my mother build a network based on her passions of volunteering, family, and fitness when, after having lived her entire life in Minnesota, she moved to California to be closer to her family. Within sixty days of arriving, my mother joined a master’s swim team, found a group of women who played tennis at the park, and became an alternate in a golf foursome.

If you can find activities, work, or relationships that combine two or more of your core passions, you are likely to hit the jackpot and be more effective in and excited about your actions and activities.

Next, grab a pen and make three columns, one for each passion. Make a commitment to improve, particularly where your involvement is limited. Let’s say that if you’re passionate about photography, make a commitment to go to photography exhibits several times a year and find online communities about the topic.

For example, two of my goals are to take an improvisation class as a way to nurture my interest in storytelling and to go on weekly hikes with friends to support my passion for health.

Step 2: Define your desired tone

How do you want to present yourself to the world? What is your authentic voice? Are you quiet and reserved? Witty? Bold? Irreverent? To use the example of my mom again, I’d define her tone as reserved. She’s understated and is more likely to listen first and talk second.

Now fill the space below your passion circles with a selected word for your tone. Like a funnel, where the contents flows from top to bottom, envision all of your actions being influenced by your tone. Remember, simple is good.

Step 3: Define your core purpose in twenty words or less

What do you want to accomplish in life and work? Write what is in your gut, and look at the passion words in your Funnel Test. Your goal is to write a phrase of fewer than twenty words that describes your purpose.

My recommendation is to keep this as simple as possible. Some brands and companies do this, and it also happens to be a valuable exercise for self-reflection for any individual.

Fred Reid, the founding chief executive officer of Virgin America, shared with me how the airline’s purpose, “To create an airline people love”, was born: “I had written it on a paper and had thrown it into the trash. I initially thought it was too simplistic, but that is what we wanted to do. Can you imagine? Have an airline people loved?” After some deliberation, Reid and the founding team kept coming back to the simple phrase and decided it was the perfect mantra for the start-up that faced a complicated uphill battle prior to liftoff in 2007.

Sometimes we have to make sacrifices or take baby steps in the short-term to help us get to where we want to be. However, if you don’t even know where you want to go, it will be even harder to get there.

Once you’ve defined your passions and developed a focused purpose, your networking efforts will be more effective and authentic. Use this test as a filter to help you guide your activities and meetings.

Stay optimistic, stay productive, and be the best you can be. Stay focused on your purpose, but know there is potential learning in every action.

Do you have any suggestions on how someone can define your purpose and passions? Please suggest your thoughts below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/how-to-properly-define-your-passions-purpose/

This Is How An Ordinary Person Can Make Their Country Better.

Entrepreneurs: Here’s How to Stay Balanced & Thrive While Managing Your Busy Work

Entrepreneurship: A life where you’re in control of everything from your schedule and your revenue to your team and your vacations. A life that offers so much more than the bog-standard 9-to-5 office job. A life that finally allows you to fulfill your potential and achieve your goals.

Entrepreneurship is all of these things, but it’s also a hard, hard slog. It’s working late into the night to try and finish a project. It’s waking up in the night in a cold sweat because sales are down. It’s forgoing family commitments because something just can’t wait. All told, entrepreneurship can take a real toll on your health – mentally and physically – if you don’t get the right balance. I’ve been there.

I’ve been so overwhelmed by the day-to-day running of my business that I don’t know which way to turn. I’ve let important things slide (my family) and I’ve run myself into the ground trying to juggle all aspects of my life. However, I have found balance in a few key areas, which I’ve shared with you below.

Why Do You Need Balance as an Entrepreneur?

Numerous studies highlight how entrepreneurs are more exposed to stress and mental health issues than other workers. For example, one report by the American Psychiatric Association found that 72% of entrepreneurs were directly or indirectly affected by mental health differences. They also experienced more depression (30%), bipolar disorder (11%), and substance abuse (12%) than other participants.

Unfortunately, so many entrepreneurs (myself included in the past) see downtime and time out as a failure. They see it as wasted time that they could be using more productively for their business. The truth is, when you’re working so hard and you’re not taking time out, you’re not working at your optimum level. You won’t be able to concentrate as well, you’ll get frustrated quickly, and you’ll make mistakes because you’re so tired.

Here’s how you can beat burnout and gain the right balance as an entrepreneur:

1. Enjoy Early Mornings Full of Space & Experience a Better Day

I can’t emphasize this point enough. If you wake up late and start hurrying through a pile of emails and social media posts because you’re behind, it’s going to affect your mindset in a huge way. You’re going to feel as though you’re constantly catching up and that there isn’t enough time to get things done. This will raise your stress levels (not to mention your blood pressure).

You also need to make time for yourself in the morning, too. Recently, I’d gotten into a rut of jumping into work and checking emails without taking some time out first. But now, I’m consciously taking time to breathe, meditate, and pray before I start working. And the difference I feel – all day long – is pretty amazing.

Your morning sets a precedent for the rest of the day. Make it mindful, calm, and stress-free. Don’t rush around.

2. Set Rules and Ground Limits for Family Time

Sadly, our families often take the brunt of our stresses, losing out to those last-minute deadlines or must-do projects. You have to make sure your work doesn’t take over family time. Because, if you’re anything like me, this time rejuvenates your soul, restores your mindset, and gives you focus.

I have a toddler and spending quality time with her really puts things into perspective. Your family is your priority, and while you’re building this business for your family, they shouldn’t take a backseat in the process.

So, to ensure you make this time and stick to it, set time limits for family time. Make these times so strict it’s like you’re heading to one of your meetings – you can’t be late and you can’t put minimal effort in.

“Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

3. Try Mediation and Deep-Breathing Exercises for More Grounding & Deep Thinking

Before any big event, e.g. a new product going live or an event appearance, I find meditation and deep-breathing exercises help ground me and refocus my mind. They give you that space you need to recoup your thoughts and lower your stress levels. What’s more, meditating doesn’t need to be all about incense and crystals. It can be something as simple as loading up an app on your phone for ten minutes. The one I use is called Calm.

4. Focus on Personal Growth & Delegate Monkey Work

If you want to achieve those bigger revenue numbers, you need to continue to learn and develop to see a real impact. This means you need to stop doing all of the “monkey work.” These are tasks defined as tasks that anyone can do. Delegate these so you can work on your own growth. Give yourself the time and space you need to develop a higher level of mindset.

Spend hours developing the strategy that will take your empire to the next level. Read books, listen to audiobooks or download podcasts from the greats in your industry. Some timeless authors you can find inspiration from for better, smarter entrepreneurial habits include Simon Sinek, Dale Carnegie, Donald Miller, Robert Kiyosaki, Mel Robbins, and Stephen Covey.

5. Make The Small Changes for Big Results

Entrepreneurialism takes dedication, hard work, commitment, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. That much is inevitable. But remember, a burnout can have dire consequences on your mental and physical health. So make sure you’re putting as much effort, if not more, into your work-life balance by following the aforementioned tips.

Trust me, if you do that, you’ll not only feel better in yourself but you’ll notice the positive effects in your business too.

Share with us your tips and advice for fellow readers on how to achieve a work-life balance!

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/entrepreneurs-heres-how-to-stay-balanced-thrive-while-managing-your-busy-work/

How to Get the Most Out of Your Planner and Have the Most Organized Year

If you’re anything like me, you have a busy life and an overwhelmed and forgetful mind. Between managing work, sports and/or hobbies, maybe you’re still in school as well, perhaps you have children and a family, and let’s not forget about your often overridden attempt at a social life, you probably find yourself misplacing lists and items and forgetting tasks often. As long as you haven’t forgotten to pick up the kids yet, I’d say you’re doing pretty well at managing your day-to-day routine so far. However, it’s time to admit, a little organizational help couldn’t hurt.

You’ve got pages of emails to get through, piles of notes and lists, a grocery list for later today somewhere on your desk, and there was definitely something else you were supposed to remember to do later today. Wait…what time was that conference call scheduled for? The only thing more important than an organized workspace is an organized mind; the best way to achieve an organized mind is to utilize a planner to organize it for you.

I hear and see questions all the time like, “How do you stay on task while working from home?” or “How do you keep yourself motivated?” and “How do you manage to get everything done without feeling stressed and overwhelmed?” To be honest, I do feel stressed and overwhelmed on occasion. But, my answer is always the same, I use a planner; and I actually check it multiple times a day.

So, here are a few tips, suggestions, and things to remember for utilizing your planner for everything it has to offer and living your most organized and well-planned year:

Setting Up Your Planner

Before the new year even begins, you will have the task of choosing and setting up your planner. Personally, I lean towards the planners with all the extra bells and whistles. For example, numerous “notes” sections, stickers, a yearly view (monthly and weekly views are a necessity for your planner, not an accessory), a section to add lists, to-do’s, or goals, bullet journal pages, and so on. If you don’t believe these supplementary items and pages are essential for you or you don’t think you’ll use them, go with a more simplistic or minimalist design.

After you’ve chosen your planner, the first thing you’ll want to to is flip through each month and add in birthdays, holidays, planned trips and vacations, and of course, your yearly goals. Write down your goals as a reminder. If they’re written down they’ll be more difficult to ignore.

“Productivity is never an accident. It’s the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning & focused effort.” – Paul Meyer

This “set-up process” is the perfect opportunity to add things into your accessory sections as well. Be creative and make these sections whatever you’d like. I use my notes section in the back of my planner for important usernames and passwords as well as notes like my frequent flyer and Hilton Honors number.

I have another section of twelve blank boxes which I use to write down my to-do list or goals for each month. I haven’t put anything on the bullet journal pages yet, however, I love this section because you’re free to be extremely creative and make this whatever you want. Track your budget, manage your routine, draw a map and mark places you’ve travelled to; your options are endless.

As You Go

As the days, weeks, and months go on this year, continue adding everything into your planner.

• Goals and to-do’s for the month
• Appointments and meetings
• Reminders
• Daily tasks and to-do’s (These can be household chores such as grocery shopping, cleaning, or kids’ athletic events and activities, work, or school related.)

WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN! This is the most important responsibility on your part and the sole purpose for your planner. No matter how minute a reminder or task seems, your planner can’t do its job if you don’t do yours. If you want to receive each benefit your organizer has to offer, utilize every aspect of it.

Side note: There’s nothing more motivating than checking off items on your to-do list or completing goals.

“If you have a goal, write it down. If you do not write it down, you do not have a goal, you have a wish.” – Steve Maraboli

Tips, suggestions, and other ideas to help you get the most out of your planner:

• Color-code. Travel and vacation can be one color, personal appointments another, kids’ activities another, and social events, parties, and dinners can have a designated color. Color-code in a way that is clear and easy for you to follow and comprehend.
• Add stickers, different fonts, highlight, add pictures, or drawings to emphasize certain notes and plans.
• Be very detailed. Like I mentioned before, write everything down and be extremely clear. You never know what you might remember and what might slip your mind. So, make sure you write a clear reminder of what you’re expecting from yourself.
• Utilize every section of your planner in any way that you need and will work best for you.
• Have regular (daily or weekly) planning sessions where you can write down your to-do lists, tasks, and/or goals for the day or week.
• Use a single planner for everything! Don’t try to bounce between multiple planners for school, work, etc.
• Have a routine for checking your planner and setting your planning sessions. I keep my planner next to me at my desk and refer back to it multiple times a day. I also plan my schedule for the following week every Friday.

There you have it, my secret to staying on task, productive, and motivated while successfully managing my busy schedule. You now have all the tools you need for your most productive, organized, and well-planned year. Conveniently and efficiently manage your tasks, goals, and schedule all in one place.

Do you use a planner? How has it helped you? Comment below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-planner-and-have-the-most-organized-year/