6 Ways To Achieve Any Goal

Remember that one glorious night not too long ago when you were pumped full of champagne and big ideas? You promised yourself that this would be the year you accomplish <insert goal here>, and you resolved to make it happen. And then you shouted something inaudible above the crowd to your friends, kissed a random stranger and then danced the night away. Yep, that night.

It’s now time for a pulse check. How are you doing on <insert goal here>? Have you accomplished it? Are you at least on your way to accomplishing it? The year is about 25 percent complete by the way (pretend I said that in my most optimistic voice).
Let’s hypothetically say that you gave up on the goal you set for yourself. Or maybe you’ve since set more goals (the less vetted versions of these are called dreams) and now you’re sitting there wasting away doing nothing about them.

We set goals of all calibers for ourselves every single day (heck, this morning I set a goal to remember to eat breakfast). We’re not setting goals for our health (well, wait, some of you are), we’re setting goals because we want to become better versions of ourselves or we want to upgrade our life experiences. We have personally selected these milestones as a way to make it happen.
There’s a reason you want to accomplish these things, so respect that desire and do something about it. You can turn this train around if you commit yourself to doing it. Here are six tricks that may help.
Look at it. A goal that you can actually see is massively more powerful than a goal you write down on a checklist. This is a favorite technique of mine and it works very well if you’re a visual learner.
Every year, a friend of mine spreads magazines all over her living room and invites her girlfriends over for a “vision board” party. Vision boards are comprised of pictures (from the magazines) that motivate the creator of that board. Want to lose weight? Cut out a pic of a bikini clad model (don’t pick a model that’s totally out of your league, be realistic). Want to make more money? Cut out a pic that speaks to you on that level. You get the idea.
These days, you can even hit the interwebs for a little vision board action. If you have a goal to become a better cook at home, you can visualize (and motivate yourself) much better if you throw a few attractive recipes up on your Pinterest board. Have a goal to make it to the next level in your career? Hit up Instagram and find someone who posts quotes all day long. Or visit sites like Muffin-Topless.com (awesome name, right?) for some fitness and health inspiration.
Tell people. I was perusing Facebook recently and stumbled on my friend Jennifer’s blog post. In it, she was announcing her intentions to change her world in a big way, getting in shape and becoming that healthy mom she’s always wanted to be. She was open with her goals and descriptive in what she was aiming to accomplish.
And you know what? I firmly believe she’s going to do it.
Making yourself accountable to your friends and family is one of the best ways to reach your goals. Sure, it’s uncomfortable to share your setbacks. But when you do, you’re going to get emails from friends who have experienced the same and they’ll get your mind back on track. And when you tell them about the milestones you reach, you’re going to get applause from people wishing they were you and reaching those same goals too.

When you tell people your goals, they will jump in the boat with you and help you get there. You will be shocked by the support you’ll get from your network. You’ll be even more surprised by the people who come out of the woodwork to join you in your journey or privately cheer you on, knowing what you’re going through.

And if you’re the masochistic, egotistical type, this tactic works wonders. Just think…you’ve told everyone you know that you’re heading out to accomplish this goal. If you don’t do it, there will be some embarrassment in it for you. Hey, whatever works!
Break it up. Many people abandon goals because they’re just too dang big. If you’ve done this to yourself, stop now. Change your game plan.

Take for instance the goal of becoming your own boss. It’s a noble goal, but if you’re a cubicle dweller, it’s a hefty one. So break it up into bite-sized chunks. Start by launching a side hustle (this girl has nearly perfected her side hustle) and see where that takes you. Select milestones to get there and make each of those a tiny goal. Perhaps a percentage of traffic increase on your website, or reaching a certain number of clients or bringing in a certain amount of revenue. Breaking your big goal into small ones will make jumping off the cliff of self-employment a much more feasible option for you.
You have long dreamt of vacationing in Rome, but you never seem to have the cash when it comes time to book it. No problem. Figure out how much it will cost you and start saving small increments of cash into an account you never look at. If you’ve calculated correctly (and I can’t help you there, I write for a living), you’ll have no trouble paying for the trip when it’s time to lock down your summer plans.
Some people may refer to this tactic as “creating a plan,” but I was trying not to go too Type A on you here. I have an image to keep up.

Set a date. One of the best ways to knock out a goal is to put it on your calendar. If you put a stake in the ground and impose a date on yourself, you’re much more likely to reach it.

Do you want to run your first marathon? That’s awesome, but it’suseless if you don’t even know which one, when or where. So before you buy those pretty pink shoes, join a running team or even get off the couch, I recommend you just suck it up and sign up for the actual race. Set a date for yourself so you have something to work toward (not to mention paying for something really throws some skin in the game).

More at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/glassheel/2013/03/14/6-ways-to-achieve-any-goal/

10 Ways to Super Charge Your Motivation in 10 Minutes

You want to make waves don’t you?
Become a CEO; build a super-successful startup; write a bestseller.
But do you ever have those moments? When you doubt whether you will achieve your goals? When you wonder if it’s worth it? All your hard work, all the sacrifices you are making?
You are in good company!
Every successful entrepreneur I have known have their moments of self-doubt.
But you know what the same people do really well?
They have ways to quickly get back in the game. They shake off their self-doubt and plunge right back into the fight. Because they know that the only thing that really stands between them and their goals are their limiting beliefs. And if they want to reach the stars, they can’t waste a single minute of their time.
What if you could do the same? What if you could quickly banish your moments of self-doubt and return to your quest with renewed motivation?

Here are 10 ways to supercharge your motivation in just 10 minutes…

1. Put Jobs on the job

Watching a Steve Jobs interview is every bit as energizing as a rock concert. It makes many of us want to put our own ‘dent in the universe’.
Who are the titans that inspire you? Mark Cuban? Jack Welch? Keep a few of their interview videos or podcasts in your phone. 10 minutes of listening to their words is all you need to get back in the game.

2. Get Physical

Our bodies have an astonishing influence on our mood. Doing a few pushups or a quick round of shadow boxing will give you a rush of adrenaline and set your heart racing.
And no, you don’t need training in boxing to throw a few punches! You just need to invoke your motivation to fight. Bring out the warrior in you and clash with your challenges head on.

3. Power Song

Do you have a song that can magically lift your mood? A ‘power song’ that you just have to shake your body to? Think ‘Rocky’ or ‘Superman’ soundtracks or anything else that gets you moving.
Keep a playlist of power songs on your phone that you can switch on anytime.

4. Borrow some Energy

Motivation is contagious. Just pick up the phone and call a friend or colleague who’s doing really well.
10 minutes of hearing about their success stories is all that it will take for you to hang up and get back to work!
If they can do it, why can’t you?

5. Write down your BHAGs

You might have SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Bound), but do you have BHAGs? (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals).
Your BHAGs should stretch the limits of your potential. They are long term goals that challenge you to think way outside your comfort zone. Write your BHAGS in large letters and place the sheet where you can see it multiple times during the day.

6. Get a Quick Win

When the odds look overwhelming, get a quick win. Do a quick task from your to-do list, perhaps a task that you had kept on the backburner.
How does this work? By giving you a feeling of progress. If you are feeling stuck, a small feeling of momentum is often all that you might need to recharge your motivational batteries.

7. Rewind and Flashback

Are you ignoring your past successes? Haven’t you cracked some really tough challenges in the past?
Think about your past successes and give yourself a part on the back. You can simply visualize them or you can write them down. It might be a great idea to keep a list of achievements and milestones in your computer that you can look at occasionally.

8. Make a Movie

Why are you doing all this? What are the rewards along your journey?
Take 10 minutes to close your eyes and visualize the rewards that lie ahead. Play a mental movie visualizing yourself in the future, reaping the rewards of your adventures. The more specific details your mental movie has, the more motivated you will feel.

9. Visit the Idea Factory

When you feel stuck, a great way to feel motivated is to churn out new ideas. These ideas can pertain to the current problem that you are facing, or they can be about your business strategy as a whole. Just keep writing down as many ideas as you can in 10 minutes.
The point of this exercise is not to arrive at a groundbreaking solution. Rather, it’s to energize you and make you remember the fact that there are a million possibilities out there. Just remember that you will figure out a way to achieve your goals, no matter what!

10. Use your X-Ray Vision

This is probably the least ‘flashy’ method but this works miracles for me.
Just take a look around you right now…do you see a successful business?
A pen, a table, a phone, a computer, a building. Each of those things is made by a company which at one point of time started really small! A company which is now running successfully and is growing.
In fact, wherever you look, you will see signs of success. Often by people who may be far less intelligent and started with far fewer resources than you have.

More at:  http://addicted2success.com/motivation/10-ways-to-super-charge-your-motivation-in-10-minutes/

The Top 60 Buddhist Quotes

The Top 60 Buddhist Quotes

1. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha
2. “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.” – Buddha
3. “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” – Buddha
4. “In the end these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you live? How deeply did you let go?” – Buddha
5. “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” – Buddha
6. “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” – Buddha
7. “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” – Buddha
8. “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” – Buddha
9. “If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another.” – Buddha
10. “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” – Buddha
11. “There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.” – Buddha
12. “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” – Buddha
13. “However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?” – Buddha
14. “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” – Buddha
15. “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” – Buddha
16. “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” – Buddha
17. “To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.” – Buddha
18. “The mind is everything. What you think you become.” – Buddha
19. “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it” – Buddha
20. “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha

More at:  http://addicted2success.com/quotes/the-top-60-buddha-quotes/

4 Things That Can Break a Leader

4 Things That Can Break a Leader 

Avoid these actions, or risk weakening your leadership.

  Jim Alampi

One doesn’t need to look far or wide to find what leading entrepreneurs and business executives do to make their companies so profitable, innovative and successful. But what about all the things they avoid doing? Like kryptonite to Superman, some activities are poison to the head honcho at any business. Here are four things that smart leaders avoid at all costs.

• Attempting to make perfect decisions: “Paralysis by analysis” is a serious shortcoming for many CEOs. The mentality that you can never have enough data will only hold your company back.

• Wearing too many hats: Smart leaders do not build companies that revolve entirely around themselves. No one person can be an expert in every facet of a business. Know your specialty and stick to it.

• Attending all meetings: It can be a growth experience to have a subordinate attend a meeting in your place and then brief you on what occurred. And it saves time.

• Under-communicate: Good leaders do the opposite. Executives should not be afraid to over-communicate the same message multiple times; providing the same information via different channels increases the likelihood that employees will actually remember what you tell them.

- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/4-things-that-can-break-a-leader#sthash.shOMoTCt.dpuf

 

Finding time - Can you squeeze 100 extra minutes into each day? By Tony Jeary

 

No one has enough time, yet everyone has all they’ll ever get. What we do with our 168 hours to spend each week determines what we do with our lives.

When I was 35, I wrote a book called Finding 100 Extra Minutes a Day. Every week we (should) sleep 56 hours and perform body maintenance for 12; that leaves 100 hours. If we have 100 hours a week to use as we see fit, finding just 100 minutes each day to focus on getting ahead can lead to huge results. There are surefire ways to go about this. I’m certain you’ll find that you have been wasting more time than you ever realized.

1. You must learn to manage procrastination, and if you do feel the need to put things off, practice production before perfection (you don’t have to have all the details about a problem before you can start conceptualizing possible solutions).

2. Manage your habits effectively to eliminate time-wasters (prioritizing and delegating are vital) and look for ways to create elegant solutions (doing one thing to accomplish multiple objectives—maybe invite your kid on a business trip). You will find that you have more productive time and see more of the superior results you want.

3. You must avoid people who suck time and energy out of your day. Detox your life from anyone who isn’t good for you, wastes your time or distracts you from your goals.

If you can learn how to strategically manage your time, you can win big, both personally and professionally.

- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/finding-time#sthash.x5dTEWEy.dpuf

No one has enough time, yet everyone has all they’ll ever get. What we do with our 168 hours to spend each week determines what we do with our lives.

When I was 35, I wrote a book called Finding 100 Extra Minutes a Day. Every week we (should) sleep 56 hours and perform body maintenance for 12; that leaves 100 hours. If we have 100 hours a week to use as we see fit, finding just 100 minutes each day to focus on getting ahead can lead to huge results. There are surefire ways to go about this. I’m certain you’ll find that you have been wasting more time than you ever realized.

1. You must learn to manage procrastination, and if you do feel the need to put things off, practice production before perfection (you don’t have to have all the details about a problem before you can start conceptualizing possible solutions).

2. Manage your habits effectively to eliminate time-wasters (prioritizing and delegating are vital) and look for ways to create elegant solutions (doing one thing to accomplish multiple objectives—maybe invite your kid on a business trip). You will find that you have more productive time and see more of the superior results you want.

3. You must avoid people who suck time and energy out of your day. Detox your life from anyone who isn’t good for you, wastes your time or distracts you from your goals.

If you can learn how to strategically manage your time, you can win big, both personally and professionally.

- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/finding-time#sthash.x5dTEWEy.dpuf

Take 10 Actions to Make This Your Best Day Ever

Are you recovering from the Monday blues, or just one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days? Less-than-good days happen, but they’re not mandatory. You can have a good day—hey, even a perfect one—anytime you want. But how?

Pay attention to what you’re doing and thinking. Here are 10 positive habits to start today:

1. I will try to live and delight in the reality of being alive. My past is forever gone, my future an uncertainty, so I will be happy and thankful for each moment.

2. I will not allow negative input into my mind. Happiness is a choice, and I choose to be happy.

3. I will be thankful for my health, my loved ones, my business and my country. I will also be thankful for any pain in crisis that helps me grow personally and professionally.

4. I will take care of my body, realizing the importance of the words moderation and balance—and how much easier it will be to control my will and my actions once I’m conscious of this.

5. I will treat everyone I meet today the way I would like to be treated. I want people to like themselves more when they’re with me.

6. I will avoid gossip, jealousy and negative thinking. Most people don’t think about what they think about. But today I will make a conscious effort to hold positive thoughts in my mind.

7. I will write down my priorities, thinking of my loved ones and my responsibilities. I might not get everything done, but I will do the most productive thing possible at every given moment.

8. I will strive to humble myself around others, controlling my ego and making other people feel important.

9. I will learn how to better serve people. I know my growth in all areas is in direct proportion to how I help, how I give back.

10. I will not take rejection personally. I realize they can only reject my ideas and not me. I will keep on keepin’ on.

- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/take-10-actions-to-make-this-your-best-day-ever#sthash.ST8U3OMg.dpuf

Are you recovering from the Monday blues, or just one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days? Less-than-good days happen, but they’re not mandatory. You can have a good day—hey, even a perfect one—anytime you want. But how?
Pay attention to what you’re doing and thinking. Here are 10 positive habits to start today:
1. I will try to live and delight in the reality of being alive. My past is forever gone, my future an uncertainty, so I will be happy and thankful for each moment.
2. I will not allow negative input into my mind. Happiness is a choice, and I choose to be happy.
3. I will be thankful for my health, my loved ones, my business and my country. I will also be thankful for any pain in crisis that helps me grow personally and professionally.
4. I will take care of my body, realizing the importance of the words moderation and balance—and how much easier it will be to control my will and my actions once I’m conscious of this.
5. I will treat everyone I meet today the way I would like to be treated. I want people to like themselves more when they’re with me.
6. I will avoid gossip, jealousy and negative thinking. Most people don’t think about what they think about. But today I will make a conscious effort to hold positive thoughts in my mind.
7. I will write down my priorities, thinking of my loved ones and my responsibilities. I might not get everything done, but I will do the most productive thing possible at every given moment.
8. I will strive to humble myself around others, controlling my ego and making other people feel important.
9. I will learn how to better serve people. I know my growth in all areas is in direct proportion to how I help, how I give back.
10. I will not take rejection personally. I realize they can only reject my ideas and not me. I will keep on keepin’ on.
- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/take-10-actions-to-make-this-your-best-day-ever#sthash.ST8U3OMg.dpuf