5 Insanely Simple and Effective Ways to Take a Mental Break From Work

A study conducted by Gettysburg College found that you spend one-third of your life at work. On average, a person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. This is a lot of time away from family while undergoing a lot of mental and physical stress. Overtime work starts to take priority over family and before you realize it, your productivity, creativity, mental, and physical health starts to decline. Why does this happen?

The reason is we do not give our minds time to re-charge and refocus on our priorities. We keep letting lesser priority tasks slip into our daily schedule and end up working long hours with less motivation. Then, every day starts to look like what Bill Murray experienced in the movie “Groundhog Day”. It is the same day every day!

Below is a five-step process to break this vicious cycle, reset your mind, and take a break from work:

1. Do a Mind Dump

Our minds already have all the information about our goals, interests, passion, and what motivates us. We need to tap into this rich information by strategically writing them down and making them visible. This is where the Mind Dump Exercise helps. Whenever you feel lost, not accomplishing your goals, overcommitting yourself to various tasks, feeling overwhelmed with ideas and thoughts, do this exercise, and document everything in your mind on to a piece of paper. 

The exercise helps to give more visibility into your emotions, and you can take action accordingly. There is no right or wrong way to do this exercise. The goal is to write down everything you have in your mind. Then use this to guide your actions. 

“Rest when you are weary. Refresh and Renew yourself. Your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.” – Ralph Martson

2. Write Down All of Your Accomplishments

One of the biggest problems with the human mind is it easily sways towards negative thoughts if we allow it to. We are constantly thinking about the things we haven’t accomplished and feel bad about ourselves. Let’s change that narrative in our minds.

Write down all your accomplishments in a given time frame. It could be – three months, six months, a year, or whatever you see fit. Once you start writing down all your accomplishments, it gives you a chance to appreciate the past and the present, in terms of all the items you have already completed that gives you purpose in life. Don’t think about the future alone.

I may go one step further and take a print out of all these accomplishments and stick it in a visible portion of your office to remind yourself every day that you are doing great work.

3. Write Down All of the Things You Are Grateful For

Yes, life sucks and throws you curveballs that hit you when you least expect it. But, each time you fall, you can stand up again and keep marching. One way to help do this is to write down all the things you are grateful for, like – your family, health, job, kids, friends, having money to support your family, having a roof over your head, and much more. Research conducted at UC Berkeley found a strong correlation between gratitude and well-being. It directly impacts mental and physical health.

When you observe the things you are grateful for, it helps give a different and more informed perspective on your current situation. Remember, “Tough times don’t last, tough people, do.” – Robert Schuller.

4. Give Yourself Some Grace

The problem with us as humans is that the way we treat ourselves is different than the way we treat others. We are kind to our best friend, and make sure we treat him/her with respect. But, when we mess up or do something that we do not like, we berate ourselves. We tell ourselves we are not good enough; we always mess up; we are stupid, and we do not deserve a second chance. Would you say these things to your best friend? Of course, you wouldn’t. Then, why do you treat yourself any differently?

It is unusual for people to say, “I am not going to do the best I can.” We all strive to put in our optimum effort to do what is best for our loved ones and us. So, when things aren’t going well for you, or you feel like giving up, give yourself some grace. Recognize that you are doing the best you can under the circumstances you are currently in. Sometimes things do not work out, and that is okay. There is always next time.

“Treat yourself with love and respect and you will attract people who show you love and respect.” – Rhonda Byrne

5. Do Something Fun

We get so attached to our work, that we sometimes forget life is more than just our job. Many beautiful experiences are waiting to be explored. There are fun things to do by yourself and your family. This could be as simple as spending more time with family, going on a mini-vacation, taking a staycation – where you catch up on reading, favorite TV shows, and eating great food. Detach from your busy life at work. Remember “We all have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we have only one” – Confucius.

So are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious at work? Then, it may be time to take a mental break from your job and focus on you. Follow the five-step process and give yourself the headspace you deserve.

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Life Lessons From The War of Art That Will Change Your Life

Life is chock full of both good and bad experiences. But, when times are hard, it’s, unfortunately, a natural reaction to revert into yourself as you take on the blows that life has dealt you. However, with that said, there is one simple truth that I’ve tried to stand by over the years. Instead of hiding away from the world during the tough times, always take a second to reflect on what got you to that position in the first place. 

Whether you’ve made a mistake, or something has happened that you couldn’t control, you should try to be grateful all the same. When you experience these setbacks in life, it means you’ve actively made a decision to put yourself on the line – whether that’s emotionally, financially, or physically.

Believe me, you’ll sleep much better at night in the knowledge that you’ve made the decision to actively participate in life rather than watch from the sidelines as others achieve their calling. This is something that I learned early on in my entrepreneurial career from a little book called “The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles” by Steven Pressfield. 

The author explains that the modern professional should never be under any illusion that achieving your potential is full of challenges, inequality, hardship, and lucky breaks (both good and bad). 

The book is divided into three sections; the first introduces and describes the force that keeps us from achieving our calling “Resistance”; the second teaches us how to combat this invisible foe, and the third teaches us how to move past Resistance. 

Here are some of the most important lessons I’ve learned from keeping this book close to hand.

1. Embrace Fear

Resistance feeds on fear. We all feel fear in the face of resistance, but so many of us just aren’t able to conquer it. Pressfield writes that fear is actually a pivotal moment in our journey; in other words, you either continue along the path you’re on, or you turn around and head for home. The more fearful you are of something, the more it means to you, and the more it has the potential to change your life. 

By conquering these fears, the better and stronger you become. For example, back in 2016, an interviewer for The Verge asked the actor Tom Hiddleston why he had taken on the role of legendary country music star Hank Williams, he replied: “because it scared me.” 

In most cases, the more significant a risk you take, the bigger the reward. In fact, the only real risk in life is being too afraid to take any at all. 

“Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.” ― Steven Pressfield

2. Live Your Best Life

Most of us lead two parallel lives: the one that we live now, and the one which we are too afraid to reach out and grasp for. 

This could apply to just about any walk of life; for example, perhaps are you a budding entrepreneur crippled by fear of failure? A novelist afraid of the blank sheet of paper, or an artist who can’t pick up the brush? If you can see a life on the other side of the tracks, which you’re too afraid to live then you’re suffering from the pushback of Resistance. 

Can you imagine how different our lives would be if Richard Branson hadn’t taken a leap of faith; if J.K Rowling had been too afraid to sit down and write, or if Picasso couldn’t bring himself to pick up his brushes?  

3. There’s No Room For Amateurs 

For one to be successful, you should approach your work in the way any professional would. This includes being punctual, dedicated, committed, and conscientious, while at the same time mastering your skills and humbly accepting the compensation received for the work. 

Professionals should always strive to maintain a healthy disconnect between themselves and their chosen vocation. This means not taking yourself too seriously and learning to work well with others. Whatever it is you choose to do, by embracing this perspective, you can transform yourself from amateur to professional in no time. 

4. Every Passing Second is a Missed Opportunity to Choose a Different Path

Each passing second that ticks by is another missed opportunity to make the changes you desire to create a happier and more satisfied lifestyle. 

It’s this moment where you must actively beat back Resistance as it holds you back from your important work. If left to run amok, Resistance can manifest itself in the form of negative behaviors, vices, time-wasting activity, and depression and anxiety.

The book aims to train you to recognise when Resistance it’s starting to rear its ugly head so that you can beat it down at the very first opportunity. 

5. Long-Term Activities Equals Resistance

In the book, the author has turned resistance into the antagonist, who’s only goal is to prevent us from experiencing the activities that feed curiosity and stir the soul. Resistance is at its most potent at the beginning of any long-term project that has the potential to change our lives. 

This is when our own fear is turned against us, and as we mentioned in a previous point, fear is the defining moment – will we sink under the weight or swim against the tide? 

As human beings, particularly in this day and age, we’re programmed to look for instant gratification. When we sit down to begin our long-term project, our fear that this gratification is a long way over the horizon is what sets Resistance against us.

Once you’re over that hump and you’re well on your way to your destination, that voice of Resistance begins to fade away.

“The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.” ― Steven Pressfield

6. Avoiding Procrastination 

The most potent tool of resistance is procrastination. We are always faced with a decision when posed with a task that we are too afraid to do, but continually avoiding this task will only ever lead to complete evasion. 

When you fall into the trap of procrastinating, you’re reducing your productivity and your ability to achieve your goals promptly. The book teaches us to remind ourselves that procrastination is just another side of Resistance that must be combated at all costs.

Steven Pressfield deliberately takes a stern, direct tone during his teachings in this book. Not only does he pinpoint the real reason why we are not achieving our best life, but he also shows precisely what it is we’re afraid to do. By reading, studying, and applying these simple life lessons, we have all the tools available to turn our lives into that which is both deeply fulfilling and satisfying.

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7 Entrepreneurs and Their Traits That We All Can Develop for Success

Succeeding in life and entrepreneurship takes more than just desire and passion. According to many successful entrepreneurs, life rewards people who take time to cultivate their minds for success.

If you have read Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, you might recall his idea of a mastermind alliance. In case you’re not familiar with the book — a mastermind alliance is “a friendly alliance with one or more people who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.”

Imagine what wonders you would make if you could have the most successful people as your allies. In this blog post, I have listed 7 successful entrepreneurs and their advice to develop traits for success.

1. Gary Vaynerchuk – Enthusiasm

“If you 100% enjoy the chaos and the unknown, you’re an entrepreneur.”

Running a business involves dealing with many people and shouldering several responsibilities; at times, working this hard can exhaust you to unexpected levels. That’s why entrepreneurs need to be pleasantly energetic. 

If you have watched any of Gary’s videos, you can visibly tell that his energy is on another level. Being energetic helps Gary work long hours, like 12 – 14 hours a day. Gary suggests practising natural optimism for high energy.

2. Grant Cardone – Confidence

“Comfort makes more prisoners than all the jails combined.”

Having confidence in your abilities will take you places. While on your entrepreneurial journey, people will point fingers at you for your decisions, choices and desires, but how you respond to them will depend on you.

The degree to which you have faith in your skills and vision will drive your efforts. If you have confidence in yourself, you’ll not budge from your goals. Confidence will also allow you to do more for other people. Keep doing the difficult things to build confidence, says Grant.

3. Narayana Murthy – Courage

“Progress is often equal to the difference between mind and mindset.”

Courage is the differentiating factor between successful and the rest. Entrepreneurship requires you to go out and make decisions that no one else is making. To do that, you need courage. 

Many entrepreneurs fail not because they lack skills or resources, but because they shrink when they should expand. All the stories we hear are stories of courageous decisions and not cowardice. Without courage, there is no progress in life and business. According to Murthy, openness to new ideas is what makes people and organizations courageous.

4. Mark Zuckerberg – Change

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

Change is the only constant in life and entrepreneurship, and people who realise this are usually the ones who change the world. Often we make the mistake of sticking to one way of looking at things, which hinders our progress. Learning how to move quickly and at the right time is the winning formula of the game of entrepreneurship. Mark states to move quickly, “iterate, learn from the feedback and go from there.”  

5. Bill Gates – Gratitude

“Through it all, what makes you happy?”

On your entrepreneurial journey, there will be instances where you’ll feel dissatisfied with your progress. To keep dissatisfaction at bay, practise gratitude — it’ll keep you focused on your destiny. 

Helping others to achieve their goals is one of the many ways to practice gratitude. You can also do philanthropic work to express gratitude. Practising gratitude generates a cycle of good relationships by promoting others to do generous work. Giving $41.3 billion away is how Gates expresses his gratitude.

6. Jeff Bezos – Patience

“Put the customer first. Invent. And be patient.”

Sticking to a long term vision and having patience while you build your dream is important for success. Having patience can help you stay in the present moment, and consider the big picture. If you look at Bezos’ journey, you’ll notice Amazon has been around for 26 years, but it feels like it’s been in business for 7 or 10 years, which shows how patient the multibillionaire has been in building his company.

Patience allowed Bezos to build Amazon from a suburban Seattle garage company to a multinational conglomerate. Bezos says, stay focused on long-term to be patient. 

7. Steve Jobs – Leadership

“My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to make them better.”

Leadership is the most important trait of a successful entrepreneur. When you’re at the helm of an organization, people look up to you for inspiration and effective influential decision making. The ability to influence others will help you get the best out of the people. 

Jobs has been arguably the most influential corporate leader in the last century which allowed him to build Apple from scratch. Developing leadership skills will also help you impact people and touch their lives. ‘No excuses’ is the way forward to be an effective leader.

Which piece of advice from the 7 entrepreneurs above resonated most with you & why? Share your thoughts with us below!

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5 Reasons Why Women Are Better & More Successful Entrepreneurs Than Men

Women today aren’t only homemakers; they’re money-makers, too. As each day passes, more women are dominating the business world. Companies like IBM, General Motors, and other Fortune 500 companies have female CEOs. 

But when you put all the data into context, only a small percentage of U.S. businesses are women-owned. Research shows that women-owned companies generate higher revenues than those owned by men. It also showed that women are more effective as a leader and are better at creating jobs. 

Experts at Boston Consulting Group also found that women made twice as much per dollar of investment than men. Because of that, they believe that it would be better to invest in women-owned companies than those run by men. 

Here are some of the reasons that make women better entrepreneurs than men:

1. They’re More Honest

The reality is that women are more honest than men both in business and in life in general. While men focus on discussing problems, women examine the issues closely. From there, they can extract the cause and provide solutions to address the problem. They know that the earlier they solve the problem, the sooner they can go back to focusing on their company’s growth.

Women are more talkative than men and are less restrained when it comes to verbalizing their thoughts. They are not afraid to express their feelings, making it easier for them to communicate with their peers. 

Women’s honesty also makes it easier for them to ask for help when they need it. While men think that asking for help can be a sign of weakness, for women, it’s one way of avoiding mistakes. All they care about is how they can address the issues their company is facing. This characteristic makes them better equipped in running a business.

“I want every little girl who’s been told she’s bossy to be told again she has leadership skills.” – Sheryl Sandberg

2. They’re Better at Collaborating

Women tend to be more empathetic compared to men. And because of this, they’re able to pick-up some non-verbal cues. This helps them understand the needs and wants of the team. Successful companies are not built by a single person. It is a product of collaboration and teamwork. But for them to collaborate, they need empathy. 

This is yet another reason why women make better entrepreneurs than men. Women are likely to see each person in their team as actual people rather than machines. They consider each person’s feelings and use them in creating better strategies. 

3. Women-Run Companies Generate Higher Revenues

Women-run companies generate higher revenues than firms run by men. There’s no sure way of telling why, but experts think that it’s because women target specific niches. While men look at the industry as a whole, women dig deeper into it and look at each component closely. For them, opportunities lie at every nook of each industry just waiting to be discovered. This strategy helps them expand their client base and get loyal customers.

The best part is, this is all backed up by research. Women-run companies generate a 35% higher ROI than companies managed by men. When it’s venture-backed, the number further increases by 12%. Even with the funding gap, women-run companies generated a 10% cumulative revenue within 5 years. For that reason, many investors are starting to favor women-run businesses.

4. Women are More Resilient

Women are no strangers when it comes to discrimination in the business world. They are prone to experience unfair treatment, lesser opportunities, and lower wages. But, instead of letting these bring them down, they take it as a reason to do better and succeed. 

A lot of successful women have battled the same problem in their journey towards success. Lori Greiner, a host and investor of the popular show Shark Tank, experienced a lot of obstacles throughout her career, including gender discrimination in the business. But she didn’t let that affect her. Instead, she focused on strengthening her voice to shut off the negativities. She is now a well-known TV personality and a successful entrepreneur. 

Both men and women entrepreneurs encounter discrimination at some point. Unfortunately, women experience it more often. But instead of letting it pull them down, they learned how to overcome it. These experiences taught women how to be resilient. It also taught them to persevere even in the most difficult time in their business.

5. Women Take Calculated Risks

Men and women entrepreneurs are both risk-takers. However, research shows that women are more ready to take risks compared to men. For them, ‘risk’ is just another word for opportunity. 

But women also like to make sure that the risk will produce great results. So, they assess the situation first. They take into account and weigh the advantages and disadvantages. They know better than to bet all their money on something too risky. 

“It was a risk. I had a husband and I was pregnant with my oldest son. But I don’t look at risks the way other people do. When you’re an entrepreneur, you have to go in feeling like you’re going to be successful.” – Lillian Vernon

It’s Time for Women to Shine

Despite the challenges, women continue to persevere in the business industry. They’re way past being a homemaker. Today, they continue to prove that if given the chance, they could offer more ideas on the table that will transform the entire business industry.

Women are going above and beyond the role that society expects from them. The reasons mentioned above are proof that women have all the qualities needed to run a successful business. While they may still be far from dominating the business world, the trends are showing that they’re closing in on achieving it. 

Do you have a favorite female entrepreneur? If so, share who it is with us in the comments!

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The One Mindset You Need to Focus on to Thrive in Times of Uncertainty

Whether we like it to accept it or not, life is often the result of the story we tell ourselves. It’s all about the narrative inside our mind that impacts the way we see ourselves and the world around us. For this reason alone, practicing a positive outlook (yes, it’s a skill!) can make all the difference in our life. In fact, according to science, having a positive outlook is considered one of the 4 most important aspects to cultivate if we want to experience greater wellbeing and fulfilment.

We might experience a sense of uncertainty for what is happening in the world right now and while that is understandable, it’s not the most useful approach to take. Our brain is designed to reinforce its internal belief system based on the food we feed it (our thoughts in this case), and so the more negativity and blame we channel inside our mind, the more it believes it’s the right way to think.

One of the most powerful approaches we can take to shift the way we look at our daily life, is what Carol Dweck calls a growth mindset. In her book, Dweck talks about the difference between a growth mindset and fixed mindset. A person with a fixed mindset, as the name suggests, believes that his talents are fixed, that he cannot grow further, and that receiving feedback is a sign of weakness.

A person with a growth mindset on the other hand looks at every event whether positive or negative as an opportunity for further improvement. A person with a growth mindset embraces challenges, persists in the face of setbacks, and learns from criticism. What I have experienced first-hand is that to develop this positive and expansive mindset, a great dose of self-compassion is needed. 

Our life might not always go the way we intend it but in many ways, that is the beauty of it as growth typically happens at the end of our comfort zone. While it might feel uncomfortable at times, if we learn to forgive ourselves and have more compassion for us and others, we waste less mental energy on negative thoughts while strengthening our resilience and proactivity. After all, no one judges us more than we judge ourselves and so when we move on from our limiting beliefs and transform our perceived misfortune into an opportunity for learning, our whole-body chemistry changes.

“I never lose, I either win or learn.” – Nelson Mandela 

We live in a world of constant evolution where to stay relevant we need to evolve with it. While learning about our inner world is fundamental if we want to understand how to live more fully, learning new subjects and skills is also tremendously critical. This is not only key for our professional development as most of the skills we know now will be obsolete in 7 to 10 years but for our brain health too!

Each time we learn something new and practice it, our brain will either change the structure of its neurons or increase the number of connections allowing them to send and receive information faster. Neurons that continue to activate one another in this way strengthen their connections and keep our brain healthy and stop it from ageing.

When it comes to learning, I believe there are 2 aspects we must focus on if we want to optimize the quality of our experience. The first one is to focus on having a multidisciplinary learning approach, in simple words learning disciplines from different fields. This is a great way to create new connections in our brain, along with expanding our creativity and lateral thinking abilities. Furthermore, It’s being shown that knowing or focusing so much on one domain only can actually make it more difficult to embrace or create new ideas along with adapting or finding solutions to a problem in that field. In an ever more complex world full of learning possibilities, let your mind wonder!

The second aspect to focus on is to make learning a social activity. Studies show almost 90% of our learning happens with others. What a perfect excuse to create cross opportunities for learning! 

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

As one of the most effective ways to retain valuable information is through repetition and emotional engagement, peer to peer coaching can represent a true win-win. Why? It enables us to cement what we know while also allowing us to help others. The more diverse we learn, the more we gain, and the more we gain, the more we can give. And when we can give, we are taking a powerful step towards expanding the world of our possibilities, changing the way we look and experience our daily life.

How do you deal with times of uncertainty? Do you have any tips or advice for our readers? If so, share it with everyone in the comments below!

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20 Science-Backed Ways to Stay Motivated (Infographic)

Motivation is something we all strive to have, but can also be one of those feelings that’s hard to keep. Whether we’re attempting to reach a new fitness goal or trying to stay motivated in our role at work, sometimes that motivation just isn’t there. You feel motivated for a while – you’ll listen to podcasts, read books, keep yourself accountable – but then it’s lost. You feel so much energy at the start, then feel yourself slowly losing that inspiration. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

The key to success is having that continuous motivation to keep going and reach your goals. It’s finding what works for you to keep that momentum for the long term, not just the short term. Part of the reason why people set goals and fail is because they’re too hard on themselves. They set unrealistic and unattainable goals, making it difficult to achieve.

The thing about motivation is that it doesn’t have to be hard. The good news is, you can always get it back. The goal is to develop the right outlook and mindset that can help you long-term. If you want to stay motivated, you need to discover your why. You need to find out what it is that is going to drive you closer to reaching your goals. Don’t focus too much on what it is you want to achieve, but more so how you want it to make you feel. 

“Do it, and then you will feel motivated to do it.” – Zig Ziglar

Maybe you feel like you lack purpose in your life, or maybe you’re bored with your lifestyle and routines and need something to shake it up and get that motivation back. Whatever it is, making the effort to make a change is the first step towards achieving what you want in life.

Check out this visual created by Naked Nutrition that highlights 20 science-backed motivation tips that can help reach the success you’ve always wanted:

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https://addicted2success.com/motivation/20-science-backed-ways-to-stay-motivated-infographic/

3 Secrets to Creating Confidence And Momentum Fast

Waiting until you’re ready—it’s one of the most dangerous games you can play when it comes to getting what you want out of your life and business. What most people mean when they say, “I’m not ready,” is “I want to be confident in my ability to have a successful experience.” 

The problem with that idea is that confidence is not the catalyst point of success. Confidence is the byproduct of taking action on the journey to success. Luckily, you don’t have to wait until you reach your goals to build momentum and feel confident in what you’re doing. 

Here are three ways to build your confidence quickly so you can reach your goals faster. The best part? These work even if you’ve been spinning your wheels for a while. If you’re ready to take action on these three simple steps, you can find yourself creating powerful momentum in the direction of your desires.

1. Build on Certainty

You’re likely to find yourself in at least one of these two places on your business growth journey: facing a new goal or getting stuck while trying to achieve one that you’ve been working on. One of the reasons your confidence can falter in these situations is because there’s an uncertainty that comes from doing something new, as well as a confusion that happens when old methods expire that used to work, leaving you unsure about what to do next. Whenever you don’t know what to do, you can get caught in decision paralysis. 

Here’s how to resolve that: Focus on the things you’re good at and that you’re certain about. This should be something you love or that you’re good at. This will create the right momentum because you don’t have to fight an internal battle of “but I’m not good at that” to get things to move. If you’re not sure what those actions could be, try this: 

Take out a piece of paper and fold it in half long ways to create two columns. In column one, list out all of the things that you’re good at, whether or not they have anything to do with your business. 

For example, maybe you’re really good at talking on the phone or you’re the person everyone comes to when they need some guidance. Maybe you’re really good at brainstorming solutions or creating epic IG graphics. No matter what it is, if you’re good at it or doing it brings you joy, write it down. 

In column two, list out your goals (bonus points if you break them down into smaller goal chunks). For example, if you had the goal of losing 20 pounds over the next six months, you might break that down by creating the goal of working out four days a week for the first two months and then working out five days a week after that. Looking at columns one and two together, which things in column one can help you achieve the goals you listed in column two? 

For example, if you wanted to increase your income and one of your subgoals was to have 10 additional sales conversations every month, then your skill of being the person people want to open up to and get advice from would be helpful in accomplishing that goal. It gives you a clear place to start. Use your communication and relationship building skills to book and nail those sales conversations. 

“A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement.” – Bo Bennett

2. Take Action

It’s easy to get lost in your head. When that happens, you can tense up and feel stuck. This is when you need to remember that motion creates emotion. The more you move in the direction of your goals, the faster you’ll find confidence within and build momentum. 

It’s okay if the action you’re taking isn’t even remotely on the same planet as perfect. Perfection is simply a waste of time that will keep you trailing behind the rest of the leaders in your industry. 

“Fortune favors the bold” is a powerful Latin proverb and endures for a reason. The idea isn’t to get it right and achieve all of your goals right this second by taking action. The whole point is simply to move. Here’s why. 

When you move, you receive data from your environment on what’s actually working or not working. If the action you take moves you further away from your goal, you’re likely to learn quickly and adjust. The information you receive on what not to do is just as important (if not more so) than the information you receive from what’s going well. 

Albert Einstein said, “Failure is success in progress.” You don’t learn boundaries, adaptability, and new level mastery from constant wins. Growth comes from course correcting mistakes, not avoiding them. 

It doesn’t matter how insignificant you feel the action you want to take is—just move. The faster you take one action, the faster you’ll build momentum and find yourself gaining wins (even if there are a few oopses along the way). 

3. Build Rejection Tolerance

Rejection isn’t easy for anyone. When you work for something and you believe in it, it’s hard to imagine anyone else not seeing your grand vision or wanting to be a part of it. However, no one is immune from the sting of being rejected. That being said, you can build up a powerful tolerance to it that will make you more nimble, adaptable, and knowledgeable.  

Rejection is one of the ways you can grow. If you don’t figure out what you’re bad at, you won’t find what you’re good at. And if you don’t find your areas of opportunity for growth, then you’ll be stuck at the same level, unsure of why you can’t move forward. There are lessons in loss if you’re willing to see them and learn from them. 

You see, there’s a false idea that wins will make you confident. Not true. Wins can give you a momentary glimpse of how confidence feels. But true confidence comes from your belief and trust in yourself to get back up after something has knocked you down with the full understanding that you will still reach your goals. The belief that you will find a way forward, even if you don’t know how in this moment. Because no matter what, the one thing that is always true is that your failures are simply the crucible to greater victories.

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.” – J. K. Rowling

Give yourself permission to fail so that you can take the action that will get you unstuck and eventually lead you to your success.

How do you maintain your confidence & momentum in the right direction? Share your thoughts with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/3-secrets-to-creating-confidence-momentum-fast/