Tag Archives | success

The Most Important Skill in Life is…

What do you think is the most important skill to succeed in life?

There may be many different answers. And there should be.

My answer:  Reading.

I am an avid, no, voracious, no, obsessive reader. I always have been. As a child, I always had a book on my nightstand, often volumes far beyond my years. Now, it’s not unusual to have five or six on my nightstand, and probably another 8-10 on various coffee/end tables spread throughout the house.

That’s in addition to the collection on my bookshelves. It’s as if I’m fearful that I might be caught with a few moments to spare and no book to read. Moreover, it’s my normal practice to read two or three of them concurrently.

It’s the truth. I confess I’m an addict. Addicted to reading that is…

In this case, my ability to read well and quickly has served me well. It has allowed me to become knowledgeable and well versed in a broad range of topics. It keeps me interested and curious about the world around me.

Reading has also expanded my vocabulary and improved my communication skills. Being able to read, understand, and internalize information and ideas has helped me to succeed in the world. Perhaps, most importantly, it’s a skill that I can continue to use and improve upon for the rest of my life.

Moreover, I’ll enjoy using it…

Your turn…Thoughts?

 

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Sometimes You Need to Break the Rules

I’ve been itching occasionally to share quotes or pictures that inspire and motivate me. I have hesitated for some unknown reason to post these. Perhaps I thought my readers would not find them useful, frivolous even.

Lately, however, I’ve been trying to adopt a new philosophy. “It’s OK to break the rules sometimes.” More on why we need to re-examine rules in a later post…

But, for now. It’s my blog and I can do what I want with it. If you are among the crowd that objects to being inspired to greatness or motivated to improve your life, then by all means ignore these types of posts. It’s your time and you can do what you want with it.

Moving on. Do you find that certain quotes resonate with you more than others? Have you noticed that you are drawn to different types of motivation/inspiration depending on your current mood?

Something to think about.

Do you think you can?
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4 Strategies to Overcome Any Obstacle

There are few among us, who don’t have dreams, desires, projects or goals that we haven’t been able to achieve. Or perhaps it’s a nasty habit we want to break. Often we haven’t even been able to take the first step.

I Want….

For some it’s career goals; start your own business, change or advance your career, or continue your education. For others, it may be a health goal: quit smoking, lose weight, or exercise more. So many seem to struggle with disorganization and clutter (if you have piles, you know who you are.) Financial goals can be especially difficult, as can habits of procrastination and lackluster productivity.

The good news is, we can be successful in any area. The bad news is, we do have to put in some work. Simply deciding what we want or making the decision to change a behavior is not enough.

We first need to understand, that it makes no difference what we’re trying to achieve, the process, preparation and strategy is the same. The most important step is the first; START. Just take that first step, it the most difficult. As with anything, it gets easier as you gain momentum.

Overcome Obstacles

1. Be aware of barriers – Examine past failures. It’s important to gain an understanding of what has stopped you from getting what you want or making positive changes in the past. Look back at personal failures (failure is not a dirty word, just an opportunity to learn,) as well as professional aspirations where you just couldn’t quite hit the mark.

What got in the way? Why did you stop trying?

If you want a different outcome this time, you have to eliminate the obstacles, the barriers to success.

2. Examine patterns of behavior – We are creatures of habit, easily slipping back into behaviors we have learned and practiced in the past. Unfortunately, many of these behaviors are not helpful. In fact, they may be the biggest reason we are unable to change.

Do you have a certain pattern of behavior that keeps popping up and getting in the way of your goal? Do you self-sabotage, or make excuses? Do you keep so much on your plate that there is no energy left for something new? Do you tend to give up or refuse to ask for help?

All of these are common disruptive behaviors that stand in the way of change. As the famous saying goes, we are our own worst enemy.

3. Watch out for triggers – What situations are most likely to cause a relapse? Do you slip into unhealthy habits around particular people? Are certain surroundings more difficult than others are?

If you want to quit smoking, don’t take breaks with other smokers.

Trying to lose weight; minimize eating out, especially buffets.

Is the mall a temptation to spend money? Stay away or leave credit cards at home.

4. Plan ahead – The secret is to determine what has prevented you from succeeding in the past and to plan for a different outcome. Develop a strategy to overcome obstacles before they happen. Put a strategy in place before a problem arises. That’s much more effective than trying to use willpower at the time.

If you struggle to exercise with regularity in the morning, put your clothes out the night before.

Always wanted to start a business, but just couldn’t get started? Find a mentor to walk you through, to help identify pitfalls and suggest strategies that work.

Has procrastination become a habit? Or spending too much time on Facebook? Set a timer.

Finally

Whatever your goal, get help, enlist support, find a partner, or ask someone who’s already been successful at what you want to do.

You can do it. Change is possible.

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Review: Life is a Choice

Life is a Choice. I would certainly have to agree with that perspective. Dr. David Washington, in his new book, “Life is a Choice: A Guide to Success in Life,”, presents a concise compendium of best practices for success and life fulfillment. As a respected speaker and consultant,  he shares the strategies that he has used with his clients.

A quick read, “Life is a Choice,” is a handy guide to the basics of life success. Presented in a simple, conversational style, this book offers straightforward, fundamental strategies to improve lives. Dr. Washington is earnest and heartfelt; his desire to encourage others is evident throughout the book.

While the information presented may be basic for some of the more advanced practitioners of life success, it would be a useful manual for young professionals, especially new college graduates. Those just opening their eyes to the possibilities of life or those struggling to get on the right path, would also enjoy “Life is a Choice.”

In fact, I may pass my copy along to my college age children. They could certainly use a primer on life success, since they don’t seem to want my advice…

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Want to Know the Secret to Achieving Goals?

The secret to achieving goals in life, whatever they may be lies in the attitude and level of commitment with which we approach them. We are capable of so much more if only we believe it is possible.

Whenever we approach our desired goals with a committed, unswerving attitude, no obstacle is too large and no setback too severe to overcome. Attitude and perception can be a shaping influence in how successful our individual pursuits of achievement will be because it is our mind-set that allows us to triumph over adversity.

We are more likely to pursue our dreams persistently when we trust that success will be the ultimate and foreseeable result of our efforts. Unanticipated difficulties will not deter us, prepared as we are by the expectation that our paths will be littered with the unexpected. Confident in our ability, we move forward, assured of the attainability of our goals. Our unwavering determination will enable us to achieve our goals with less stress and a more positive attitude.

What goals are you wholly committed to?

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A 2 Step Process to Generate Ideas, Cultivate Creativity, and Achieve Your Goals

The key to a successful life is to keep moving forward. When you face a challenge, but are unsure what step to take next, or seem to be standing still, unable to achieve your goals, pause and give your mind the time and space to generate solutions.

The best way to accomplish this is to set aside structured “Idea Time.” The initial inspiration for this process came from Todd Henry’s book, “The Accidental Creative.” I adapted this concept into a process that works best for me. You may need to adapt it further to suit you as well.

How to Use Your Idea Time

Step 1

Choose a question or problem to ponder.

Brainstorm possible solutions.

Contemplate potential actions.

Choose one or a few to implement.

Add these action steps to your task or goal list.

Step 2

Let your mind wander. Allow any and all ideas to float in.

Ask what else. What else could I do? What ideas or inspirations would I like to explore?

Record those ideas in your idea book (this can be an actual notebook or journal, an electronic document or mobile app.)

Decide if any of these ideas are useful or relevant now.

Leave the rest to marinate for future consideration.

The mind is most effective when we allow it to slow down and contemplate solutions. The answers to how to achieve our goals, find happiness, attain life satisfaction, and realize career success lie within us. We have an inner wisdom that we can tap into, if only we give it the time and freedom to come alive.

Try to schedule “Idea Time,” on your calendar each week. If you can’t find an hour, try 30 minutes at least.

Do you think this might benefit you? Why or why not?

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3 Simple Steps to Achieve a Higher Quality Life

It may seem fanciful, but it’s not. Studies have shown that people are more likely to be happier and find more personal and profession success as well as experience more life satisfaction, when they have a vision of what they want their future to look like. It’s simple logic really and the process is quite painless.

Make a Wish ListInclude both personal and professional wishes in every area of your life, tangible and intangible.

Some examples from my wish list:

I wish I could spend each day doing what I love.

I wish to touch the lives of those around me.

I wish for financial security so that I don’t have to worry about money.

I wish to be healthy in mind and body.

Now, make your own wish list. Maybe you want to express your creativity. Maybe you want your own business or a new car. Perhaps you want a loving relationship or better work-life balance. This list of wishes will help guide you toward what you truly want in life.

Describe Your Ideal DayAgain you may say it’s fanciful; I say it’s crucial to achieving your goals of happiness and success.

What would your ideal day look like?

Where would you be?

Whom would you be with?

What would you be doing?

What would you be feeling?

Your first inclination might be to think of a vacation or life of leisure, but though you might not believe it that would get old eventually. Instead, envision a normal day, the way you’d like it to be.

Think BackwardsIt sounds odd, but is actually necessary and practical.

What would have to happen for you to make these wishes and your ideal life a reality?

What habits, behaviors, and beliefs would you need to change?

What actions would you need to take?

What would you need to learn?

Ponder the disparity between where you are and where you want to go. It may look impossible, but it is doable, although you may discover along the way that the answers to these questions changes. I’ll leave that for a future post. Consider what small step you could take to bridge the gap and move forward towards the life you envision.

Share what’s on your wish list?

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Why You Need This Tool to Keep Your Goals on Track


GoalsOnTrack offers a thoroughly researched, well-designed system to achieving goals of any kind. Their website offers a systematic approach that has been shown to be highly effective for many users. What’s more, you don’t have to use all of the available tools to get results. Utilize the options that make the most sense for you.

As is my usual practice when recommending products or tools, I use them myself to assess their usefulness and determine if they are the right fit for my readers. I am happy to report that after having used this software, I am impressed by the system, the potential results, and the quick and easy customer support to answer any questions.

Some of the features of GoalsOnTrack

SMART Goals

Writing your goals in a SMART way makes it much more likely, that you’ll succeed. Follow the goal creation instructions to ensure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

Chunk it Down

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your long, complex, overwhelming goals into small, manageable chunks. Use Sub goal feature to chunk it down and stop procrastination

See Instant Progress

Seeing immediate progress on whatever you do is the most powerful motivation sources. That’s why some games are so addictive. Real time progress tracking features allow you to view instant progress on your goals whenever you complete a task.

Tame Your To-do List

Stop getting frustrated and overwhelmed by your to-do list. Setup your tasks for your goals, and see them automatically organized by goals, categories, and days. Use drag-n-drop features to quickly prioritize your Today’s tasks. Recurring tasks and email reminders also supported.

Use Your Time Wisely

If you don’t manage your time, you will surely waste time. Track how long you spend on tasks accurately and effortlessly, using animated, and offline time trackers no matter where you complete the task.

Day Planner On-the-go

Print out a Day Planner sheet with all your active goals and tasks for today. Take it with you wherever you go. You can check off your to-do list and know you are making progress on goals without using the software.

Visualize Your Success

Visualizing when all your goals are accomplished is a great way to motivate yourself. Upload your own pictures for goals and watch your dreams unfold before your eyes in vision board tool.

Start a New Habit

Nothing can help you reach goals quicker than a right set of great habits. Start a new habit today with Habits Builder tool.

Stick to it until It’s Formed

Tracking your habits is as simple as placing checkmarks on habits tracker calendar tool. The software remembers when and how many checkmarks you placed, and automatically track your habit strength and days to form.

Create Goal Journals

Use the goal journal tool to write down what you did for your goals, how you did it, and what lessons you learned. Not only will you have a written record of your goal journey, you’ll also gain valuable insights and grow personally in the long run.

Import & Export Tasks

See your goals and tasks in your favorite calendar tool, such as Outlook, Google Calendar, and Yahoo Calendar etc. You may also import tasks from Outlook and export them into CSV files.

Progress and Time Usage Reports

Everything you do in the system is recorded and you can create reports on them anytime you like. Create detailed PDF reports on goals, tasks, progress, and time usage. View 3D charts online.

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18 Minutes To a More Productive Day

I could not wait to read “18 Minutes,”by Peter Bregman. A longtime reader of his Harvard Business Review column, I was confident that he would be offer useful productivity tips. I had no idea that he would lay out such a simple solution to a problem that plagues most of us, too much to do, a never-ending task list, and the overwhelming struggle to master the issue of time management.

To be fair, his 18 minutes a day process alone is not the entire solution. He goes beyond daily task management, to address the larger issues that overwhelm us, not being happy and fulfilled with what we’re doing, feeling like we’re beating our heads against the wall and becoming more clear about where we want to go with our lives.

With strategies like using the Four Elements of Focus, hourly reminders and learning to pause.

“A brief pause will help you make a smarter move. Know what outcome you want before you respond.”

- Peter Bregman

Peter Bregman offers us an insightful, useful and easy to implement success program. Written in a conversation tone, he lays out step by step how combat the overwhelm, hectic busyness and lack of focus that make up the bulk of our days.  18 Minutes might be one of my favorite reads, notes in the margins, highlights on the pages, it has earned a prominent place on my bookshelf.

Let me know your thoughts on this book?

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How 1 Simple Strategy Can Change Your Life

Stairs

Image via Wikipedia

Trying to reach a goal, get organized, be successful, improve relationships or get healthy, but feeling frustrated? Our goals, projects, can appear so daunting, so unreachable. The end result seems so far away; we’re never going to get there.

This simple strategy can help anyone.

Go for the quick result, the small victory.

What does that mean exactly? A quick result is a doable action that gives you tangible results quickly. Picture a mini-goal, a small portion of a larger undertaking. It can be anything as long as it moves you toward your goals.

Some examples:

Your house is a mess – straighten and purge one closet, clean one small area or wash the windows so you can see a visible result.

Trying to get more organized – make a master list of everything you need to do, eliminate one or two piles, clear off your desk or the kitchen counter, go through old mail or clear out your email inbox.

Want to be more successful – contact one person who can help you with your project, complete one small portion, spruce up your resume, set up a LinkedIn profile.

Longing to write a book, but can’t get started – Forget about the finished manuscript; write one chapter or just create an outline.

Trying to get healthier or more fit – Don’t go on a severe diet or try to run a race out of the starting gate; plan your meals for the week so you can avoid take-out, sign up for an exercise class that interests you (and actually go,) concentrate on losing 5 pounds, or being able to run 2 miles, whatever is doable for you and that you can achieve in a short period of time.

Remember the saying. life is a marathon, not a sprint. That is also true of achieving goals and making significant changes in your life.

To give you a real life example that we can all understand; my mother struggled with her weight her entire life, fad diets, exercise attempts to no avail. One day she had a revelation; this life change could not be achieved overnight. Small steps were the answer. First step, join Weight Watchers and establish accountability. Second step, eat more vegetables, lose 5 pounds, again and again and again. Third step, walk around the block every day. This was a small victory for a 60+ woman who had never been physically active. Then walk a mile, then two, then three.

The process, small victory after small victory after small victory. 18 months later, a large victory, over 100 pounds lost, the elimination of nearly all medications, a new wardrobe and a clean bill of health.

Another example, a young woman longing to write a book. A wife, a mother, a career, too busy, no time. She decides to write an hour at a time while her children are at swimming lessons. One chapter at a time, week after week after week, small victories. The end result, The unbelievably successful Twilight Series. A string of bestselling books and movies that have grossed more than 2 billion dollars.

One small victory at a time… Imagine what you can do.

What project are you struggling to finish? What goal seems unreachable?

What small victory could you manage?

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