Tag Archive for: goals

Create Ultimate Leverage to Achieve Your Goals

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Everyone wants to be more “motivated”

But how do you create the motivation to take action towards achieving your goals, you ask? By leveraging people, places and things in your life!

Leveraging people, places and things can create tension and stress, which is motivation kicking in. It is the need to release or reduce the tension that fuels the motivation. Tune in and see one way to create “Ultimate Leverage” for yourself.

SHORTCUTS

[0:30] Brian Tracy and Zig Ziglar’s take on sharing your goals and why you might want to ignore their advice

[1:10] Tony Robbins’s 7 Steps of Change

[1:36] What I’m doing to create leverage for myself to achieve my goals

[3:50] Health goals update – rim to rim to rim Grand Canyon run

[5:53] How all my goals fit together and what you can do to build the energy you need to reach your own goals

[6:03] Where your focus goes, your energy flows –How I use repetition to my advantage when it comes to motivation

And as always, continue to run your race and reach out if you need any help and support!

10 Top Tips to Stay Motivated and Focused this week…

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Stay motivated with these 10 motivational tips

Ever seem a little scattered? Do your business goals seem elusive and just out of reach? Are you frustrated at the end of the day because you never completed what you needed to? Are you so scattered that you don’t even have time to read this post? If so, then here are the Top Ten Tips to stay focused this week…

10. Answer the question, “What is the specific result I am focused on achieving this week?”

Without a clear destination you can’t get where you want to go. Imagine getting in a plane and just taking off to “go somewhere.” Use the SMART goals format to define your destination. Simple & Specific, Measurable & Meaningful, As if Now & Action oriented, Reasonable & Realistic, and Timed Towards what you desire. Specific is Success!

9. Get Motivated by Listing all the emotional reasons “WHY” you want to get to your destination.

When a goal is set in place…so are the obstacles that will be needed to be overcome. This will take energy and energy lies in generating the emotional “WHY” we want it. For ourselves, our kids, our spouse; dig down deep into that well of emotion and let it all gush forth. For extra credit, link up your life purpose to the goal and your identity to really get some power.

8. Find New People:

You are where you are, in part, due to the peer group you have around you. My workout buddy in the morning is the best. We both push each other. We are doing the Insanity workout and just this morning as we were completing our workout, he asked if I wanted to get in an additional 15 minute “pump” on the weights. He pushes me even when I’m tired and am ready to be done. I reciprocate by making sure I am at the gym every morning before he is. That way, he knows he has to bring the DVD’s or he will let me down by not showing up. We both add value to each other in different ways.

7. Clear Your Clutter

Get rid of anything that isn’t supporting your success. There needs to be emptiness in order for something new to come into your life. If a woman wants a man in her life but is sleeping at night with extra pillows and her pets…there’s no room for a man in her bed. If a guy doesn’t clean out 3/4 of his closet, get an extra toothbrush, have his/hers towels, and cleans out two dresser drawers, how will there be space for a woman to come into his life? Clear out your junk and make room!

6. Define & Master a Single Core Skill

Focus on changing one specific behavior that will move you towards your goal. You can prepare to walk/run all day with the right shoes, the music, playlists, weather, timing, treadmill or outside, determining your routes, estimating your time; but in the end all you have to master is putting one foot in front of the other for an extended period of time. Master taking one 8-10 inch step at a time with good form and posture.

5. Get comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

Let’s say a person wants to reduce their weight. They will need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. When they “FEEL” uncomfortable because their stomach grumbles and they would normally go for some food, how can they start to feel comfortable with that moment and appreciate it instead of dread it? (This leads to #4)

4. Find a new, more empowering belief

Using the example above, when the stomach rumbles and they start to “FEEL” uncomfortable, insert a new belief for the old one. If the normal process is: stomach rumbles, the person says, “I’m starving to death and gotta eat” interrupt that self talk with, “excellent, that means that I must be thirsty” and then take a new action and drink water. (Sounds silly but I did that when I lost 60 lbs over 20 years ago and it still serves me to this day!)

3. Create Small Reminders

If you have a bigger goal of a trip, weight loss, business goals, etc. remember that where your focus goes your energy flows. Change your passwords to reflect your goals: ToughMudderNov2018, StBarth2017, CollegePaidinFull, Beachretirement2035, and BE CREATIVE. Put pictures on your mirror, in the shower, above your bed, in the bathroom, dash of the car, create reminders everywhere. These small reminders will help you stay focused and on track.

2. Create Quiet time to Focus

I recently read an article stating the main reason most small businesses fail is because of lack of planning. Strategic, purposeful thinking can only be done in a quiet setting and it should be done consistently (preferably a block of time weekly and even daily!) In order to create this space…find somewhere outside of your normal office, etc. (I have a client who uses a study room at his local library, no one finds him there) This will avoid the trap of the business running the person instead of the person running the business. During this scheduled quiet time see point #1.

1. Master Fear Management

I don’t care if you are the CEO of a Fortune 50 or a small solopreneur. In today’s competitive market the need to be innovative, creative and flexible creates HUGE uncertainty. Uncertainty breeds FEAR. Fear can be present due to change happening in the negative, ie going bankrupt and also the positive, ie problems that arise from rapid growth and expansion. Master Your Fears. Embrace them everyday because if you succumb to FEAR it will only lead to low self confidence, being motivated by necessity instead of possibility and worst of all, create a scarcity mentality. MASTER FEAR by doing at least one specific task everyday that you fear the most in your business. Eat Uncertainty and Fear for Breakfast to earn your dessert after dinner.

BONUS TIP:

Get an unconditional form of support to keep you on track…like an Executive Business Coach. (You know I had to plug that in!) Regardless of whether it’s me or not, no one earns a Grammy, an Emmy or an Oscar and stands on the stage during the acceptance speech and says, “I DID IT ALL MYSELF!” They all have people to thank…people who believed in them, provided support in those troubled moments of doubt, uncertainty and FEAR and pushed them to stay focused on their dreams and goals.

FOCUS!

To your continued success,

James

Which Beliefs Drive You? Harnessing Empowering Beliefs to Reach your Goals.

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Which Beliefs Drive You? Harnessing the power of empowering beliefs to reach your goals

When we look at people who have reached a goal we also aspire to achieve, we often ask ourselves the wrong question.

I recently recorded a TV documentary on the National Ironman Triathlon held in Hawaii every year. That goal is still on my bucket list, and as I watched, I found myself asking the wrong question almost immediately.

“How do they train for such an ultimate test of physical endurance?”

The answer of course, lies in hundreds of training books and online resources. The first question out of people’s mouths when I lost 60 pounds in college was “How did you do that?” As for the goals and New Year’s Resolutions that you have set, it is easy to find out “how” to do something. As a matter of fact, you can find out “How” to do almost anything in the world with today’s technology; just ask “Google”

So, if “how” is the wrong question to ask, what is the right question?

The short interview with the eighty five year old man racing in the Ironman brought me back to my senses. Before the “How?” question, I needed to ask “What or Why?”

“What drove him? or Why was he able to train for such an ultimate test of physical endurance?”

The answer was simple. He had a simple life belief: “Go anaerobic once a day.” He believed in being active and pushing himself once a day into an anaerobic state while exercising.

“What drives me to run marathons consistently, or why am did I train to run ultramarathons?” One of my beliefs is that running is the most whole and complete personal experience. It is mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually fulfilling.

I run consistently because I believe that doing something that provides a whole and complete experience makes me a better husband, father, executive coach, and person.

Buried within the “What’s and Why’s” are the BELIEFS that will bridge the gap between setting the goal and learning “How” to do it.

Everyone knows “how” to lose weight. The true challenge for people is that they are not connected enough to the “What and Why” (the beliefs and rules) that have allowed others to succeed. They have not adopted those beliefs and rules as their own.

If you have not set some goals for this year, ask yourself, “What could I accomplish this year that would be the most mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually fulfilling experience for me?”  If you have your goals, but are already struggling with sticking to those New Year’s resolutions, look at someone who has achieved those results. Put the question of “How have they accomplished it?” on pause for a minute, and instead, ask yourself the much more essential question of “What drove them?” and “Why did they achieve this goal?” Seek out the beliefs that have allowed them to succeed and make them your own.

And then, and only then ask, “How did they do it?” Once you have adopted empowering beliefs, taking action will become much easier.

Enjoy your very own Ironman!

 

Jumpstart Your Business With This 4 Step Cheat Sheet!

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Jumpstart Your Business With This 4 Step Cheat Sheet! - See more at: http://www.executivecoachinglifecoaching.com/?p=2525&preview=true#sthash.bN58vAqY.dpuf

Have you ever sat at your desk and wondered

“What can I do RIGHT NOW to boost my business and get better results?”

Follow these steps and see what happens!

1-Write your monthly goal in a very direct, brave and aggressive manner.

As silly as it sounds, I believe that most people never really write out their goals on paper. Proclaim you goal to the masses, to the universe and to people who will support you to get there. Many people are unconsciously scared of success. Writing and verbalizing your goals creates clarity, purpose, focus and paves the way for clear actions. So write your goals out by hand, and make them at least one page.

2-Answer the following question. “What am I fearing or procrastinating the most, in regards to achieving this goal?”

Resistance in business can be an indicator of where a business owner needs to take action. The greater the resistance, the greater the success on the other side. Be aware that you mind will always want to take the path of least resistance, which leads you away from the key things that will grow your business the most! Push through the fear in identifying your next action.

3-Take action immediately to get a check in the box!

Tony Robbins® always says, “A person’s success in business is directly proportional to the amount of risk and uncertainty they can manage.” In other words, you must push through your fears and take action, NOW! Forget your need for perfectionism, forget your need to learn more first, and forget your need to be able to explain “why” if you are trusting your gut-feeling. What is important is that the risk you are taking is clearly and directly leading you forward towards your desired goal.

 

If there is still uncertainty after working through steps 1 through 3 as to a clear next step?

4-Take a few minutes and get organized.

A cluttered desk, office space, or environment is a clear indication of a cluttered mind. Take a few minutes and clear your space of anything that is not needed. Have everything find a home. It is amazing how a clear, clean working environment can produce clear, clean thinking!

 

Here is your cheat sheet with my 4 Steps to Success Now:

  1. Write out your goal fearlessly and fill up an entire sheet of paper.
  2. Answer, “What am I fearing or procrastinating the most in regards to achieving this goal?”
  3. Take immediate action and never look back or question it.
  4. If needed, create a clear, clean environment and start over!

To your continued success,

James

Hurry…it’s almost February already…time to focus!

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WOW…it’s already almost February and how productive have you been in achieving  your goals? If you are like most people, the power to focus is something that is a real challenge!

So, how does a person stay away from procrastination and fear based doubt? Mastering one simple saying is all that it takes for you to have the next 11 months be the best ever. Here it is…

Where your focus goes, Your energy Flows, and Whether it is positive or negative, that is what Expands and grows.

Sound to simple or good to be true? It isn’t. Most people fail to realize that it is the small, seemingly inconsequential actions that actually ensure success. Most people quote that it took Edison over 1,000 times to create the light bulb. However, what allowed him to persevere throughout those many attempts?

I find it interesting to note that no one talks about how he would have had to laboriously set up, perform and record every attempt to prevent duplication? What was the filing system he used? How did he stay organized? How did he make sure that nothing was ever duplicated? How was he able to perform each experiment one by one, focused and intentional.

If you want to master any task to create amazing results, fighting through frustration and distraction is key. Keeping your focus and energy going into a single minded endeavor, keeping a positive outlook and repeating as needed until completion is what Mastery is all about.

Edison had in his lab the following quote by Sir Joshua Reynolds, “There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.” Distraction, immediate gratification and lack of focus destroy success and achievement.

Just for fun, how many times have you strayed from this article, if you have read this far? Building intense focus and single minded purpose is a learnable skill. Review your goals. Take a single, simple action everyday to move towards completing them. Rewrite your goals in the evening. Write out your action plan for the next day. Measure, monitor and reinforce every attempt to succeed. Feed yourself positive thoughts, focus on your goals 24/7, feed them, and act on them again and again and again. Take small simple steps everyday. Your future starts now, today.

To your continued success,

James

If you having challenges with focus and procrastination, sign up now for 30-Dyas for Success. Master the Simple Solution to focus and achieve today. www.30DaysforSuccess.com

Focus in 3-Steps: Executive Coaching John Wooden Style

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In a previous post, I talked about the acronym F.O.C.U.S.S. and how a person can create greater levels of purpose, self-confidence, and direction. Today, I’m going to approach the concept of “focus” from the perspective of one of the greatest coaches in basketball history, John Wooden.

“In 1948, I began coaching basketball at UCLA. Each hour of practice we worked very hard. Each day we worked very hard. Each week we worked very hard. Each season we worked very hard. For fourteen years we worked very hard and didn’t win a national championship. However, a national championship was won in the fifteenth year. Another in the sixteenth. And eight more in the following ten years.” ~JW

My question is this, “Did the teams develop to a point where they could finally win a national championship or did Coach Wooden develop himself into a national championship coach?”

 

First Step: Be clear who you are and what Skill you choose to pursue excellence in (internal focus).

If you are going to become a master at a skill or craft, make sure it is one that you love and will emotionally support you for the next 20 years. Then, work to be the best!

To support this assertion another quote, “I am not what I ought to be, not what I want to be, not what I am going to be, but thankful that I am not what I used to be.” ~JW   Focus on being your best now in this moment, every moment!

“For an athlete to function properly, he must be intent. There has to be a definite purpose and goal if you are to progress. If you are not intent about what you are doing, you aren’t able to resist the temptation to do something else that might be more fun at the moment.” ~JW

 

Second Step: You must set goals that align with the expression of who you want to become and the skill you are choosing to master.

Set BIG, HUGE GOALS (external)!

For example, I chose a skill set of running many years ago. After thousands of miles of mastery, there was room for growth to always set the bar higher in terms of external goals: a 10K, half marathon, marathon, Goofy Challenge, 50-Miler, 100K Ultra and the pinnacle…100-Mile Ultra. Those goals took 20+ years of focus. As I took yoga along the way to keep flexible and train, I didn’t set a goal to become a yoga guru.

Big Goals provide the impetus to learn to perfect yourself in the execution of becoming more. They create the pressure to become meticulous because every detail counts. A hot spot on your foot in a 10K or half marathon is not big deal, on a marathon it becomes a little more important but during an ultra-marathon it means the difference between success and epic failure. Large goals are critical because they provide motivation to be diligent, prudent, and sustain a heightened level of awareness; internal and external. That creates focus.

“Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.” ~JW

 

Third Step: Large goals create large obstacles to overcome.

This scares other people away from you so you have more time and energy to focus on your pursuits and not be presented with their problems.

How often during the day are we interrupted, distracted and presented with other people’s problems and life issues? People tend to conspire with others who will give them solace, empathy, and commiserate with them on their problems. The more a person commiserates with another, the more they keep coming back for more commiseration! If a heavy set person starts telling you how bad they feel, most people think it is OK to say, “I’m sorry, you know, it’s not really your fault. After all its genetics, thyroid issues, etc.” What happens when they get that response?  They keep coming back!

Granted it’s not polite to say to them, “then get off your fat buns and do something about it.” BUT, if you are setting a high goal of health for yourself, that person will naturally shy away from you. They know intuitively, as they see you pack your bag for a lunchtime workout, they won’t get much sympathy. You scare them away by setting higher standards.

 

BIG Goals scare people away because they suffer internally by comparison.

This cuts down in interruptions, distractions, and people telling you their problems. FOCUS comes from setting a higher standard than your peers. An added benefit is that the only people who will interrupt you are the people who have high standards and the exchanges will be more in the form of support, encouragement and sharing of tips that help you refine and master your craft. These can be good because they actually boost your energy, efficiency and the time spent for the interruption is time saved with what is learned by sharing.

Welcome the adversity and feelings of “being alone” in your singular pursuit. This creates focus. Here’s a supportive quote.

“When everyone is thinking the same, no one is thinking.” ~JW

 

Let’s recap these three steps:

1. Be clear on who you are and what skill you want to master (internal mindset)

2. Set Goals in that skillset that are HUGE, stretch yourself as high and far as you can go!

3. Get comfortable with scaring other people away and being alone…set a higher standard. Your only interruptions will be from others with high goals. Those interruptions will be fewer but very supportive!

 “The road to real achievement is usually bumpy and long, but you do not give up. You may have setbacks. You may have to start over. You may have to change your methods. You may have to go around, or over, or under. You may have to back up and get another start. But you do not quit. You stay the course.” ~JW

To your continued success,

James, Executive Business Coach

Learn more about Coach John Wooden here:  www.coachwooden.com

Your $$ Stress STOPS…3 Wealth Principles to Freedom!

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“Money in the bank is like toothpaste in the tube. Easy to take out, hard to put back.” ~Earl Wilson: American journalist & author

Next week is going to be Financial Week on the Evolution for Success Coaching Blog. There are 3-Simple aspects of money and next M-W-F, we will explore each one seperately. Mastery of these 3 Financial Principles will make you rich and wealthy beyond your dreams.

Most people today are living with an underlying fear of either losing their job, not having enough for retirement, or some heightened level of stress due to financial uncertainty. It is pervasive at every level of our society: from the overall US economy, to the individual state governments, to businesses offering less and less incentives along with higer workloads, to the individual families working to put food on the table.

Application and Mastery of these tools will allow you to have all you desire in life.

You can put the food on your table each week and create a secure financial blanket to wrap up in every night and sleep soundly free of stress. This will help to change the community, whichever state you currently live in and help to return this nation to freedom.

Email me at the end of the week to receive your synopsis of the principles and how YOU can put them into action to create unlimited motivation, dedication and commitment to a new financial future.

Tune in next week…you will be surprised with these rich fundamentals.

To your continued success,

James

How to manage time…1 Simple Solution

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Over the weekend a friend asked how business was going and I heard myself say, “I need the world to stop for 4 months so I can get everything done I want to…and then have it re-engage.” I got to thinking about what I said later that evening and I realized if that was truly the case…I wasn’t managing time effectively at all. How does an entrepreneur/CEO/Executive manage time better? Here is one simple solution…

First, accept the fact that you can not manage time. It isn’t time that needs to be managed but your mental focus and actions. A persons mental focus will always be in one of three places at any given time. the past, present or future and each one has a definitive purpose.

Looking back to the past allows us to reflect on successes and failures (which are just opportunities to learn). Understanding the successes and failures of the past allows a person to take useful strategies forward and find new ways to use and apply them. It also allows us to identify negative actions and behaviors and reframe them into positive “learnings” so any negative emotions disappear and new possibilities for how a person “could choose” to do things differently in the future are uncovered.

Focusing on the Future is crucial because it allows a person to focus on one of the greatest human needs…becoming more. If we are not growing we are dying, it is a fundamental law of nature. The challenge is that some people focus on growing more that is positive and some people get into the trap of growing more of what they don’t want. A positive future opens the door to possiblities, growth, and “more” of life. The negative future, signalled by statements like “I don’t know or want…” only perpetuates negativity, scarcity and disempowering emotions.

And last place your focus can be is in the present, being immersed in the exact action, thought, belief and feeling right NOW…and NOW…and NOW…and NOW…and NOW. The present is the hardest to focus on because the mind is constantly pulled between the past and future.

THE SIMPLE SOLUTION…HERE IT IS!

Future—Past—Present

Focus on exactly what you want in the future…(not what you don’t want, but what you do)
Think about what tools, strategies and resources you need to be creative, industrious and solution oriented FROM THE PAST
Combine both into ACTION NOW in the PRESENT clear of any distractions.

Oh yeah, celebrate your success from doing something different today! When applied consistently, you will find yourself more motivated, inspired, fearless, and results will start to show!

If you find yourself lacking focus, a fearless attitude, or clear direction forward…call today for your “Success-Now!” Session. (919) 792-0085.

In the month of August, email me at james@evolutionforsuccess.com with the word 30-Day Challenge. I will send you a 30-Day Success Sheet and two complimentary 15-minute checkin’s, personally with me, as my way of saying thank you for your support over the years!

To your continued success,

James

Stop the “Setting Goals” Insanity Already…

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It is that time of the year when every self-help email talks about setting goals. One thing that I have always found ironic is that everyone talks about the importance of setting goals.

Yet, 88% of people fail at their yearly goals!!!

So I have a question; why don’t people stop telling you how important it is to write goals and start writing about strategies to help you Succeed in achieving them!  It seems to me that is where people really need help! Why should I write articles to convince you to do something where 88% of you will fail?

Stop the “Setting Goals” Insanity right now!

So, let’s be thoughtful for a moment. It is important to have a goal but let’s take a look at some strategies to overcome the obstacles you put in place when you set them!

Let’s start with a couple of simple concepts. Hopefully you will find one you can try on to succeed!

Take the goal that you want and then do one of the following:

  1. Give something up. What is the one thing that is you gave it up, would ensure that you move closer to your goal? Example: if you are working to be more healthy, give up the soda!
  2. Replace what you give up with a healthier example so there isn’t scarcity. Example, when you give up the soda, start to drink bubbly water instead. No citric acid, sugar or aspartame, but you can still have the feeling of ice cold carbonation.
  3. Focus on keeping your word one-day-at-a-time. Your self-confidence depends upon it! Your word should be sacred! So only make promises to yourself you know you can keep!
  4. Create Ultimate Leverage for Yourself by telling so many people about your goals that you know where ever you go and whomever you see, they will ask you about it. You may not be congruent at first, but you eventually will have to act in accordance with your key identity and if your word means anything, you will have to adjust and make it happen!
  5. Celebrate! When it comes to change, nothing is too small to celebrate! If you don’t anchor in your success with good feelings there will be no good feelings with your success.
  6. If you really want to be an overachiever, radically do something different and follow the top four steps! For example, give up an extra hour of sleep every day to work out, write that book, read that educational material for work.
  7. LISTEN TO THIS: if you want your life to be different this year…YOU MUST DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN YOUR LIFE EVERYDAY AND ANCHOR PLEASURE TO IT!

I challenge you to sober up! Take a good look at where you were in 2012, where you are now in January of 2013 and where you want to be at the beginning of 2014.

Are you fat? Are you broke? Are you miserable with the person you are with? Is your job sucking the life out of you? Are you disgusted with the person you see in the mirror every morning? Are you tired of giving up on yourself and having the life you desire? Did you look back on 2012 with disappointment, grab a beverage to forget it and start the New Year the same as last; wishing something would change again but nothing did?

If so, I offer you a way out this year.  Again, it’s not about setting goals, it’s about using effective strategies to achieve those goals!  Call now to schedule a life changing Strategy Session to do something different for a change. You don’t deserve to have a life of pain, depression and complacency. It’s time to create a brighter future and evolve to your next level of success. Call now to begin your new life: (919) 792-0085 or (919) 745-7569.

 

Wanted: 3 Killers of Success in 2012

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“Success in 2012” was pronounced “dead at the scene” today after police discovered his twisted and broken body at the bottom of a deep ravine. What was initially thought to be a suicide, was later classified as a homicide, as physical evidence at the crime scene pointed towards signs of a struggle.

Apparently, “Success in 2012” went for a walk at Looking Toward a Brighter Future Point. While admiring the sunset, 2012 was snuck up from behind by three suspects who robbed him blind. After a brief struggle, 2012 was pushed to his limits and went over the edge of the fiscal cliff.

The police are currently looking for three suspects in the case. Be on the lookout for the following individual thoughts.

  1. The Ringleader of the gang is, “I’ll start tomorrow.” He is to be considered armed and very dangerous. You will find him lurking in the evening shadows of “No Energy” and along the “Path of Least Resistance.” He loves to sabotage success by blowing up any opportunity to do something different that will create change today. He loves finding reasons, excuses and justifications for not doing the things that matter most now. One of his favorite sayings is, “Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?”
  2. His right hand man is, “I don’t know.” I don’t know is the child of “No Self-Confidence” and can usually be found whenever there is a decision to be made that may be unpopular. He is a great deflector of responsibility, creator of complacency and absolutely detests leadership. “I Don’t Know” eats “Taking Initiative, Being Creative and Building a Life” for breakfast. He is the arch enemy of Personal Truth and a Purposeful Life.
  3. Their last known accomplice is, “It’s no big deal.” If a person is lucky enough to get past “I’ll start tomorrow” & “I don’t know,” then “No Big Deal” shows up to steal Success right out from under your nose. He is the killer of celebrating a person’s ability to overcome adversity, take risk and feel a sense of achievement. When these three personal experiences are stolen, work no longer seems worth the reward and all Hope for a Brighter Future flies right out the door.

These three criminals are responsible for the murder of Success in 2012. They are facing life in prison for the crimes they have committed against Success in 2012 and must be apprehended. It is critical for the safety of “Success in 2013.” A reward of “An Amazing Life” has been posted for anyone with information leading to their whereabouts and arrest.  Call (919) 745-7569 Immediately to claim your reward!

Success in 5 minutes or less: Time Management that works!

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Set your timers for 5 minutes and let’s get started! Successful people do several things to start their day right. They plot out in some way, shape or form where they want to be at the end of the day.

Follow these steps, and in less than 5 minutes, you too, will find success before bedtime!

  1. Remember, successful people are very quick to make decisions and very slow to change them. Sometimes it is good to be a mule, engage stubbornness (after the decision is made) and not budge.
  2. In order to figure out what the right choice is, you need to engage your whole mind into the decision process! You can’t logically talk yourself into something and expect to be committed. Take time to meditate for 1-2 minutes on what is most important. Building rapport with the unconscious mind will allow you to “trust your gut” or “follow your intuition.” Successful people rely on their “gut.”
  3. Make sure you state decisions “the way you want it to be.” How many times do people talk about everything they don’t want? Keep your mind focused in the positive. Are you focused on winning, or not losing?
  4. Use powerful, simple language for conviction and congruency: “I am…., I commit to…, or I will…” There is no try, could, should, must, may, ought to, maybe, want to or wishing about it; either do or do not.
  5. And the best for last. Take out a 3×5 card and write down your Success List for the day. Take the top 3-5 specific things you have decided to do and don’t go to bed until they are completed. Write them down, commit to them, and say them out loud. Something changes inside when you speak your truth for the day.

These 5 steps shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes. Take 1-2 minutes to meditate on your priorities, commit with conviction and congruency to what you decide to complete, write and say it out loud, and then see what happens when you head hits the pillow and you feel that success you always dreamt of!  Time management doesn’t get any simpler than this!

Share with me your successes below!

Success in Three Minutes a Day… How To Stay Focused

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Some of the most popular and famous self-help books are the ones that are short, simple and concise. Take James Allens’ classic book, “As a Man Thinketh.”  is powerful and insightful. Benjamin Franklin is remembered for his exercise around living 13 Core Values; the first ever self-help exercise.

Another short classic is a wonderful little book called, “It Works,” by RHJ. The Success Solution presented in the book is also simple, powerful and effective.

One of the greatest challenges any Executive or Entrepreneur faces when it comes to achieving goals is being focused. This process is designed to help you stay focused on achieving what you want in life and business.

 

Here are the simple steps. So, if you are ready, grab a clean journal and proceed.

1-  Write down everything you sincerely, earnestly and truthfully desire in your business and life. It is OK to have it shift from day to day or week to week as you work on figuring out what those items are. Have them be as specific as possible; use the SMART format when writing them.

2-  Go through the list at least three times a day: morning, noon and night

3-  Feel free to rewrite you list from time to time, rearrange and reprioritize it. Add and delete items as necessary. When your fears and doubts pop up in your mind, just pull out your list and reread it.

4-  Take action and don’t tell anyone what’s on your list.

5-  When items on your list start to appear, be sure and give a HUGE “THANK YOU” for them coming to fruition. Gratitude is important because it leads to true happiness in life.

6-  Repeat!

One final note, be sure that what you want will only bring on positive consequences. Remember that everything you put on the list will have both an upside and a downside that comes with it. It has to be good for you to have and also good for all of those around you.  Start with small items on your list and work your way up to the larger ones.

This simple exercise will test you to your limit because it is really an exercise in consistent, long term focus. I have to keep remembering to review, rewrite and update my list. It is fun and challenging, which means like most things that are worthwhile in life, the results will be amazing.

I would love to hear of your successes below and welcome your comments below!

If you would like more information on other classic short books that create profound results, visit: www.executivebooks.com

 

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One Word is All You Need

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I just read a great article in Success Magazine last month which was based on the principle that increasingly our most scarce resource is not our time but our attention.

These days phones, apps, tablets, computers, texts, and emails not only compete for our time, but almost more importantly, they compete for our attention.  It is great to set an appointment reminder on your phone, but when you start getting reminders, texts, and calls while you are working to achieve your goal, these things become distractions.

Clearly, there is no going backward. So, in our technologically advanced world, what is the one word to implement to increase your chance of succeeding?

Immersion. 

Immersion to me, means putting 100% of your focus into your goal.  Immersion means to put all of your Attention, Time, Learning, Action, or Reflection towards the successful completion of a single item that will move you towards your goal.

What are the areas you can Immerse yourself in to achieve your goals?   Here are four general areas for Immersion.

  • Your Mind: Immerse your mind in your goal constantly. Turn off the radio and start to listen audiobooks about information regarding your goal. Change your passwords to reflect your goal, my old one was Run100inApril. I read books and autobiographies of ultramarathon runners, browsed websites, and in every free moment immersed myself in learning and staying motivated about my goal.
  • People: As Tony Robbins says, “you will rise or fall to the level of your peer group.” If you need an upgrade on your friends, find some new ones with whom you share common interests and goals. Find a mentor who has achieved what you want and befriend him or her. The idea is to always play chess with someone better than you!
  • Places: If you are working to become sober, the last place you should hang out on weekends is at the bar! Seems obvious when talking about alcohol, but it’s just as valid with other goals.  Your environment has beliefs and norms associated with it and you will unconsciously conform and become a part of the environment you put yourself in consistently. Change your environment to change yourself. You might also kill two birds with one stone by also finding new people there!
  • Material Items: One of the tenets of Feng Shui, is that every item has an emotional association. That is why that little Teddy Bear you received on Valentine’s might have seemed great, yet once you break up it gets the stuffing ripped out and thrown in the trash! And don’t worry, nature does not like a vacuum, so anything you toss out while “clearing your clutter” will eventually be replaced by something better. Get rid of the junk in your life that no longer serves you; old clothes, pictures, books, anything that does not support your goals!

Giving your goals Consistent Time and Attention by Immersing your mind in learning as well as making sure the people, places and things in your life reflect your goals will greatly increase your chances of succeeding.  It’s hard to fail when you eat, sleep, think, live and breathe your goal!

 

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Fail-Proof Your New Year’s Resolution

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What is missing from every New Year’s resolution that fails?

I’ll give you a hint…

It is not immersion. Many people are more than willing to immerse themselves in an endeavor and really embrace it. You have seen the person with the New year’s Resolution that starts going to the gym everyday and working out for hours on end. Immersion is important to success because where your focus goes, your energy flows.

It is not learning. Many people will go out and get every book, audio cd, and podcast they can on a subject in order to learn everything they can about their new goal. Continuing to learn is also a critical component for success in achieving any goal.

It is not a positive and supportive peer group. Finding a mastermind group, set of peers, or meetup group that will support you in the high of highs and the low of lows is important, but it is not the key for total success.

So, what is it? 

It is long term commitment! When it comes to building success, wealth, and a better life for yourself and those you love there IS NO QUICK FIX!  So many people think the road to success is paved with if I just jump out of the gate and give it all NOW, I can have it all NOW! Then, when it doesn’t happen, they get frustrated and give up!

If you ask anyone who is successful in any sport, most say that they just stayed longer on the field practicing everyday than others did, day after day after day. It was a pattern they reproduced week after week, month after month, and year after year.

The reason that most people fail in their New Year’s Resolutions is simply a lack of long term commitment.  So, what are you willing to commit to every single day in 2012?  Most people overestimate what they can do in the short term and underestimate what they can do in the long term.

Lead for the Long Term, Act for the Long Term and Stay Committed to your goal for the Long Term, and you will be in a better place by the end of 2012!

What do YOU think is the essential ingredient to achieve your New Year’s Resolution?  Comment below and let me know your thoughts!

5 Ways to Not Achieve Your Goals This Year

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Since the new year is right around the corner, here are a few thoughts to make sure that no matter what your goals, dreams and aspirations are, you can fail to achieve them all.

1.  Stop Learning & Being Curious

Success comes from being curious and resourceful. There are three types of learning a person can experience. There is educational learning which gives theoretical understanding of concepts, ideas and ideologies. Take some formal classes at your local university or learning facility. Second, is experiential learning. This happens in seminars, events, and trainings that require practice scenarios, role-playing and simulations. Third, is the actual application of the concepts, theories and ideas in real-life situations. You can read a book on sales, role play scenarios and then eventually you just have to pick up the phone and start to cold call. Experience is the greatest teacher. Understanding theory and role playing helps to build the confidence to immerse yourself in the real world experience. Learn, be curious and take action to apply what you learn.

 2.  Keep distracting yourself with TV & Internet

In 2009, Neilson ratings came out with a statistic that the average American watches 153 hours a month watching television. That is almost an entire week a month with nothing to show for it! The study also revealed that Americans spend an average of 29 hours per month on the internet. If you are what you eat, then isn’t your mindset influenced by what you put into it?

 3.  Keep up the “I’ll start tomorrow” thinking

Keep thinking that all of the little changes you could make today are not worth anything and you will start tomorrow. Many people start towards their goals and as soon as they experience an obstacle, get off track, and lose momentum or motivation, think that it is no use continuing. They sabotage their success with perfectionism. Success lies not in whether or not you fall off track, because you will, but how soon you can change, re-commit to your goal and get back on track. Nothing is too small to celebrate when creating change.

4.  Keep the Negative Messages Coming into your Brain

Are you surrounded by friends, colleagues, social media or environments that are negative and unsupportive? Upgrade your external influences by changing to more supportive people, places and things in your life. As they say in Feng Shui, clear the clutter in all the areas of your life that don’t support you and your goal. Clear the clutter in your mind by practicing to “say it the way you want it to be” in your life. Stop watching the new and feed your mind some uplifting, motivational, and supportive material.

5.  Stay Comfortable, Do the Same Thing You Are Doing Now

Most people don’t achieve something because they never stop and ask themselves, “What do I need to give up in order to make a space for this new goal in my life?” For example, if you want a relationship, are you stepping out and going different places, trying new experiences, and meeting new people? In an extreme, if you want a new car, are you selling the one you have now, have you test driven cars at the dealership and talked to your bank about a new loan? Are you willing to “burn your ship?” If the answer is no, how bad do you really want to experience your dreams, aspirations and goals? You have to make space for what you want to have.

 

So there you have it, five dynamic ways to ensure that you will be a total failure with your goals in the new year. You have, of course, my sincerest wish is for you to be a contrarian!!!  I wish you continued success in all of your endeavors.

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