Questioning Yourself To Successful Habit Changes ( By Scott Marcus)

Being a professional in the goal-setting field, I find it fascinating to witness some of the machinations we will go through to achieve our objectives.

There are countless apps designed to help one achieve goals, ranging from diet and exercise, to being more organized, to simply uplifting one's mood. For those less inclined to make change via an app, I've heard of some who journal, use to-do lists, or even pray and meditate on the desired outcomes. Of course, hiring a coach helps too. (Hint, hint... )

I am not judging any technique. If you're dedicated to your goals and willing to do the work, however you choose it, more power to you - especially in this ever-stressful world in which we find ourselves. That said, if you personally felt stuck and would like to make some changes; whether health-related, financial, or emotional, this four-question process is ridiculously easy to use and amazingly effective.

Question #1: Suppose I was successful; how would I know?

It seems silly to start here, but the reality is oft-times we fall short of our objectives because we've never defined the outcome clearly. We say "I want to feel better," or "I want to get more fit." Whereby those are lofty intentions, they're not concrete enough to drive us to an endpoint. Sure, they might get us started, but we'll often stall because we don't know when we've arrived and the journey feels daunting and without end.

It's more effective to state a goal such as "I will walk 30 minutes three times a week;" or "I will take time each day to write down five things for which I'm grateful.'

Being able to identify a clear change in behavior is essential to achieving goals.

Question #2: What has to happen for that objective to occur?

Obviously, if we were doing what we needed to do, we'd already be where we want to be. Since we're not yet "there," something must adjust. To that end, we have basically four options: start a new behavior; stop an existing behavior; do more of an already-existing behavior; or do less of an existing behavior.

Behavioral changes therefore might be, "put a 30-minute activity appointment in my calendar on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday;" or "reserve 10 minutes each morning to record those things for which I'm grateful."

The trick here is not to line out an entire series of changes, but to define one simple, effective adjustment you can make to move forward.

Question #3: Can I do that?

If you are not in complete control of what the behavioral change, success is left up to fate.

For example, if - in Question #2 - you stated, "Find a walking partner;" that leaves you stagnant until your find someone who shares your goal. Even if you do find a walking partner, what happens if she gets sick or decides she doesn't want to continue your joint-regimen? You're back to square one.

It doesn't mean you can't bring others along on your journey, but the path must be structured to move you forward irrespective of whether anyone else helps or hinders you.

By the way, if the answer to Question #3 is not "Yes," that means your goal in Question #1 is wrong for you. Make it smaller or rework it.

Question #4: Will I do that?

This requires brutal honesty with yourself. Sure, technically you can do that, but will you? Answers such as, "As soon as... " or "When the weather changes... " or "I'll try... " are merely fancier ways of saying, "No." There's no judgement in "No," but it highlights a truth; that truth being, "I'm not going to."

Either commit to doing it or go back to Question #1 and start again.

Repeat these four questions until you can get all the way to the end. Most times, you'll have to go through this process several times, each time whittling down your objective, until it all fits. Once that happens, the final bonus question kicks in:

Special Bonus Question: By when?

You've outlined your goal, determined what you have to do, realized it's indeed in your control, and committed to doing it. Next step is to set a deadline. By the way, "ASAP" is not a deadline as everything else will take higher priority.

Without deadlines, there's no urgency. Without urgency, there's very virtually no chance you'll move forward.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Questioning-Yourself-To-Successful-Habit-Changes&id=10329226

Living A Life Of Purpose And Passion Surely Is The Real Meaning Of Success Today

It used to be the meaning of true success meant working hard and if you were lucky then achieving success was a reward.

As humankind has awakened a tad bit more, many are realizing as perhaps you, too, that, the power of the universe is wanting to help you create the life you want, or get the life you want.

- So, what should you do?

- Give up on working hard?

- Or even worse, give up work altogether?

Of course not!

Keep on reading to discover more about how successful people grow and the habits of highly effective individuals everywhere.

Here's how to achieve goals and dreams fast by accepting the power and understanding within you for living your passion and purpose.

How can I be successful is answered and defined quite differently for everyone.

When asking yourself how to be successful, you must truly be asking what would make you thrilled and alive with purpose and passion in life.

Real success requires more than just material gain.

The Course in Miracles states, "You must learn to believe in your own perfection."

The true meaning of success is a mix of living aligned to you perfection being really happy with your personal and professional life.

In order to succeed, you need to own the key to success and want to learn how to be successful and rich from your heart, and then the universe will deliver it to you, and successful others have proved this.

There's a solution that will not only help you think like a success, but to actually become a success and live the life you want.

Follow the strategies given you here today and you'll see how to ensure your purpose and passion in life brings you success.

What's Real Success for You?

Previously I discussed more on all the helpful material available in free e-books, videos, and more that are a good source of information.

Real success is shown by wholeness, which is just experienced by positioning oneself with the requirements of your passion and purpose.

To just see meaning of success as a presentation of a particular level of product or monetary status acquired through aspiration is to just understand a little part of your inner power's capacity.

- Success comes as the spin-off of a life lived from the within out.

- The essential to living an effective life is in understanding the awareness that you suffice.

You produce the area within your awareness that permits you to straighten harmoniously with your higher self or the right mind, as soon as you accept you are good enough and deserving.

It took some time, and major truth-telling, however I quickly found I was pressing myself towards a vision of success based on cash, not wholeness.

I dedicated my complete attention towards my passions and enthusiasms, and I enjoyed being aligned to the meaning of success, my inner power's bloom, we may say, as an outcome.

The fact is you are better off knowing where you want to end up so you know how to design the map to get the life you want.

You wish to consider your way of life first and design your personal life and/or company around diving in and going deep to create the life you want.

I 'd read a piece that stuck with me but the author is unidentified:

"The meaning of success is 'half' won when one acquires the routine of setting goals and attaining them. Even the most tiresome task will end up being endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams."

(Please note I suggest searching the web for further helpful material on things like, being successful where purpose and passion is the key to success and unlocking the door.)

To happiness and success in your life!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Living-A-Life-Of-Purpose-And-Passion-Surely-Is-The-Real-Meaning-Of-Success-Today&id=9960386

Metaphors Gone Wild: Granite and Obstacles

"Looking back," talk show host Jack Paar once remarked, "my life so far seems like one long obstacle course, with me as its chief obstacle." The insight has value for those inclined to blame others or to blame life itself for their failure to achieve goals. If you are willing to acknowledge you might share Paar's comedic view of success and failure, you have taken the first step toward achieving your goals for your life.

CLARIFY YOUR GOAL 

It's been said that a problem well-defined is a problem half-solved. In the same way, a goal that has been examined from several perspectives is a goal more likely to be made a reality. Be sure your goal is a realistic one. Put time limits on it. And do periodic progress checks, noting what has been done to move you closer to your stated wish for your life.

ASK FOR FEEDBACK 

President Kennedy would often invite people who had nothing to do with politics to sit in on Cabinet meetings. Why? Because they typically viewed the situation in ways that differed from the political view. Before you make a final decision on the goal you are pursuing, subject it to the scrutiny of those you respect. Include people who have some expertise in the area associated with your goal, as well as people who know you well and can help you avoid pitfalls.

APPLY THE DOUBLE-REVERSE METHOD 

Look at your intended goal from a negative perspective. Ask, "If I wanted this goal-journey to fail, what would I do?" In other words, consider all the things that could go wrong. Once you have your list, then determine what you can do to ensure the items on the list do not become your manifest destiny.

CHIP AWAY AT THE PESSIMISM BLOCKING YOUR SUCCESS 

Optimism, self-confidence, self-reliance--these and other attitudinal elements will go a long way toward removing the obstacles you may have initially thought were holding you back from your dreams. When your spirits start to sag, when the process proves to be taking longer than you had anticipated, talk to an optimist. Or, read about the many trials a famous person had to undergo before he or she could claim success. See a movie in which hope reigns. Do whatever you can, including making notes on your progress so far, to regard obstacles as only temporary impediments.

CARLYLE'S GRANITE METAPHOR 

Thomas Carlyle wisely observed that "the block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, became a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong." Your personal and professional success may indeed depend on which metaphor you are clinging to. If you regard obstacles as surmountable blocks, you are far more likely to realize the hopes you have established. You can use that metaphoric block of granite as an actual stepping-stone. But, if you succumb to negative views and give up, you will fail to do what you are capable of doing.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Metaphors-Gone-Wild:-Granite-and-Obstacles&id=9870352

To Thine Own Self Be True

This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. - Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3

Laertes receives a great deal of advice from his father before leaving. This includes material on fiscal responsibility, the wisdom of not speaking without first giving thought to what will be said, the difference between modesty and cowardice, and the importance of friendship. Above all of these things, Polonius places the importance of being true to ones own nature.

There is a great deal which can be learned from this simple statement. Regardless of what others may think, it is necessary for each individual to follow her or his own path. This is true for the simplest of things like dress and hair style and the larger things like setting goals for ones life, education, and career. This can be one of the most difficult things to adhere to.

Every person is an individual, yet everyone has a number of different factors which influence their day to day lives. We live in a world of social pressures. We all deal with expectations placed upon us by friends and family alike. While residing inside the confluence of these varied influences, we must create our own identities. In some ways these will be similar to those around us. In other ways they may be reactions to them. In still other ways the sense of self is unique to each individual in turn.

Often we do not realize the degree to which the creation of ourselves is a reaction to those around us. We mimic, either consciously or unconsciously, those we admire while rejecting those for whom we have no admiration. People often speak of "teen-age rebellion," but this can be viewed as a societal reaction to the previous generation. In order to create their own identities, teens must decide if they will accept or reject the opinions and lifestyles of their parents. In so doing the create a common zeitgeist of clothing, hair, political opinions et. al. by which they are able to easily identify themselves as belonging to their peer group.

On a personal level, each individual must examine the opinions of their own social groups and decide which ones are in line with their own internal belief system. Life is a continual process of trying on new identities, keeping aspects of those which are comfortable, and discarding the rest.

Over time one creates ones own identity, becomes comfortable in their own lifestyle, creates and pursues their own goals. This can be extremely difficult, especially when ones choices do not fit with those of the social groups with which they must interact. These social groups can be as small as their individual family units or close group of friends to the society as a whole.

What is important is that each individual strive for those things with which they feel most comfortable. Naturally, there are some limits which are placed upon everyone. Society places sanctions on some actions for the benefit of the populous. If one achieves pleasure from setting buildings on fire, it will be necessary for the individual in question to find some way to sublimate this drive and find a more constructive outlet.

No one can live for you, neither can you live another's life. The news is filled with stories of parents who push their children to achieve goals which they themselves wish they had been able to attain at a young age. While this can create scholars, expert musicians, and star athletes, it is important for parents to recognize the importance of allowing their children to create their own identities during this crucial developmental period.

Things do not necessarily become easier once an individual has constructed their own sense of self. Everyone encounters those who do not agree with their beliefs. At this point the individual must decide whether to remain true to themselves despite the discomfort or to give in to the tide of social pressure. While it may seem easier to conform, this is a betrayal of the individual's essence. It may provide temporary relief from the unpleasantness of being regarded as "weird" or an outsider. In the long run, however, that individual will have to come to terms with the fact that he or she is not living their own life but someone else's.

In order to be truly happy, one must decide what one wants and make efforts to achieve it, regardless of the opinions of others. This may make things more difficult for a time, but when the individual achieves the goals in question, the rewards will be even greater.

This does not mean to ignore the counsel of others. As noted above, there are some actions which are proscribed in any society. Sometimes these actions are forbidden because of a long standing tradition which has since become outdated. People may then choose to ignore the societal prohibition against these actions in an effort to change the populous as a whole. For example, without those who were willing to throw off societal shackles, the United States would still be a place where only white, land-owning men had the right to vote. Difference can lead to progress.

Similarly, it is possible to learn from each person that you encounter, even if you possess wildly different opinions on a number of subjects. It may be that the person you disagree with politically shares similar religious beliefs. The person who dresses differently may be able to provide you with advice on how to achieve one of your goals. If nothing else, the person may provide reasons which validate your own opinions.

Even in the most rigid of societies, there is room for individuality. In a corporate world of gray suited people, colorful socks can be a minor sign of rebellion and individuality.

Ultimately, each person must decide for her or himself what is right for her or his life. We all must create our own personalities by viewing the world around us and deciding what is important and what is not, what is right and what is not. Once this is done, we must strive to retain our senses of self, regardless of the opinions of others. This is the only way to achieve the goals you set for yourself and to be the person you want to be. All else, as Polonius intimates, is a lie.

http://ezinearticles.com/?To-Thine-Own-Self-Be-True&id=9688374

How Motivated People Win in Life & Business

Staying Motivated to Win in Life & Business 

Motivation is not the same as enthusiasm. Enthusiastic people are energized and engaged, but those who are motivated want to achieve goals beyond the level of just being excited. They are committed to working through problems and succeeding in spite of drawbacks and issues that may occur along the way. In fact, they see drawbacks as a necessary part of the process to help them win.

Motivated individuals are, by nature, geared to win and be successful. These are people with a focus on meeting miniature objectives to maximize the achievement of the overall goal. They can strategically plan how to win, and they have a level of creativity to work around problems and to see the diverse ways to reach their goals.

Internal and External Motivation 

Learning how motivated people win involves learning a little about how they are motivated. There are two different sources of motivation. Motivation can be external, or it can be internal.

External motivation is based on rewards or, less commonly, on avoiding penalties or negative consequences. For example, winning a cash prize for the highest sales or earning a spa weekend for being voted as 'employee of the month' are sources of external motivation.

Internal motivation is something that is unique to each individual. It is the ability to challenge oneself, to strive to continually improve and grow as well as the desire to reach success as self-defined.

Internal motivation is a key factor for winning in professional and personal settings. External motivators are helpful, but they don't have the power and the sustainability of internal motivation.

Think of individuals who have overcome incredible odds. These people became winners in spite of the negativity or lack of support from external sources. Learning how to become self-motivated on an internal level is a powerful tool. Once learned, you can use this to chart your course to personal success.

Winning needs to be carefully defined. It is not always based on a specific, tangible outcome. Winning can also be in learning something new, becoming better in a given personal or professional area, or making steps towards your ultimate goal. With each success, you will find the capacity for internal motivation increases, which continues to support your efforts in the future.

Learning how to stay motivated and how motivated people win is key to finding long-term success in your personal and professional life.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Motivated-People-Win-in-Life-and-Business&id=9653676

A Resolution's Timing Problem

Goals and resolutions are very similar. Both represent desirable results we want to achieve. Why, then, do resolutions have a 97% failure rate, while goals form the foundation of most success strategies? The differences between the two, although subtle, are significant. And this article is one of several designed to explore those differences.

Law of Gestation

Both goals and resolutions are designed to lead to actions, which are supposed to generate desired results. However, the two deal with the time needed to achieve those results differently. Before I go into that difference, let me explain something called the Law of Gestation. This law states that everything needs a period of time to manifest. We can easily see this in nature; plant a seed, and it takes some period of time, usually days, before a sprout appears. The same applies to ideas and desires. After you plant a desire, you have to let enough time go by to allow that desire to manifest.

A resolution does not have this time period built in. A person forms a resolution and acts upon it; however, since a resolution does not have a time frame as part of its structure, the person does not know how long is needed for results. Given the tendency of our culture towards immediate satisfaction, the person then becomes impatient for immediate results. Seeing none, they say the resolution has failed, and forget about it.

A goal, on the other hand, has a time element built into it, if it is properly formed. (A properly formed goal has the SMART properties, of which Time is the last). So a person works towards a goal but knows that some time must elapse before manifestation occurs. This inspires patience and persistence, both of which are needed to achieve goals. Even if the time estimate is off, the person recognizes that some time must pass, and so is willing to wait for results.

Time Frames

A second problem with the lack of time awareness in resolutions is the lack of flexibility of approach. Different time frames require different approaches. A short term goal, something which is less than a year, is more action oriented. A medium term goal, which should take between one and five years, is more amenable to planning before action. And a long term goal, which includes an estimate of more than five years, lends itself to a more developmental approach.

However, resolutions are almost always immediate, which means they demand immediate actions and immediate results. The lack of planning and development inherent in the resolution making process means that any efforts towards reaching the resolution are more likely to be stopped before the necessary time passes.

Patience is Key

So how do we make resolutions more time sensitive? The key is to fight the drive towards immediacy. Take the time needed to understand the process needed to reach the desired result, making your resolutions more goal-like by incorporating an awareness of the time needed to see results, and by adapting your actions towards that time frame. A little thought about timing can have amazing effects on your success rate.

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Resolutions-Timing-Problem&id=9310661

Kaizen: Key to Money Success

The principles of lean production, a manufacturing system developed by Toyota, can improve your finances by helping you to efficiently utilise the precious resources of time and money. Lean has another feature that can be essential to your financial success -- the concept of kaizen.

Kaizen, Japanese for change (kai) for the good or better (zen), is defined in Dictionary.com as "a business philosophy based on making positive changes on a regular basis to improve productivity." It also signifies "an approach to one's personal life that focuses on continuous improvement."

The kaizen way involves making tiny incremental steps until the production process is perfected or the most efficient method is being utilised. The journey towards perfection is never really complete, however, as there will always be new ways to improve as time and technology advances.

Change is essential for growth

One of the reasons why many people struggle to achieve their goals is that their attitudes and actions are not aligned with the objectives they desire. In fact, what they think and what they do are actually hindering them from accomplishing the resolutions that they painstakingly make each year.

Writing down goals and crafting action plans to carry them out will not lead to positive results if you don't address the situations that need to be improved or removed. Like a lean operation, you must strive to discover and fix those areas which may be making you inefficient and ineffective.

Acquiring new habits of success is not an overnight process; as erasing long-held negative beliefs and behaviour can take years of dedicated work. This is why incorporating a system of continuous improvement needs to be an important element of your game plan for money success.

The road to improvement

In business, kaizen involves assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating processes to make sure that a company's operations are carried out efficiently. To boost your personal production, you also need to continually check your results and make adjustments to your actions as required.

While it's easy for us to see other people's problems which sabotage their efforts to accomplish their goals, it's usually harder to recognise our own faults. Change for the better will only come when you accept that if you are not where you want to be, you must be doing something wrong.

This acceptance must be accompanied by a willingness to find out why you might be going astray and the humility to seek corrective advice. Misplaced pride and defensive excuses will not help you to eliminate those crippling issues that have prevented you from realising your dreams in the past.

The truth will set you free

Honesty and deep introspection will be critical to applying kaizen in your life. Stop kidding yourself about the real state of your finances; don't try to justify your money problems or blame others for your lack of progress. What have you been doing that has led to your current financial position?

For example, if you're struggling to save because you overspend on the latest clothes, you need to ask yourself why looking good is more important to you than your money goals. Do you have self esteem issues to overcome, or do you really believe that you deserve to have lasting wealth?

Once you have identified the areas for improvement, then you need to decide how best to move forward. So, if unplanned expenses are wreaking havoc with your cash flow, you must prepare a detailed budget to help you manage your money and live within your means.

Kaizen should be your goal

If there is one resolution that you pledge to fulfill this year, let it be to routinely assess your progress with your objectives, see where there is room for improvement, identify and implement strategies which can help you to do better, and continue this evaluation process for the rest of your life.

Implementing kaizen in your life may not necessarily bring instantaneous or dramatic results. However, the small but potent changes that you continually make to your thoughts and actions will eventually lead to improved results and ultimately your success in accomplishing your goals.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Kaizen:-Key-to-Money-Success&id=9324566

Dreaming, Exploring and Discovering Life

Where will you go in your dreams this year? Where will I be? We have so many thoughts, a dream that sometimes really difficult to achieve. We struggle to make it. Circumstances sometimes hinder us from attaining what we imagined of. But why do these situations come? Maybe, what we fantasized of is not for us, or maybe a better one will come or maybe fate is just testing us. Imagining makes us alive. It gives us a drive to work, to achieve goals. Regardless we fail or succeed. It gives us the energy to be more positive in life. Once we don't have a dream, we are like a zombie, person without a life.

Life is too short; enjoy every moment we have with our family. We might regret it one day and we will be dreaming about spending time with our kinfolk that will never happen anymore. When I was a child, I dreamed of traveling and exploring which until now I still dreamed about. But everything changes. Now I dreamed of traveling to be successful along with my little prince. I dreamed for us to have our own house, I dreamed for us to have a complete family, I dreamed for us to travel across the globe. I have so many dreams, but my dreams are not only for myself but also for my son and my family. That one day all my visions will come true.

Dreaming is like trusting and having faith in God. We don't see him, but we trust him. We just need to trust ourselves, our journeys, and what we will explore next. Trusting in all the circumstances that comes along in our way is a risk. Following one's dream is about taking a risk. The risk that you won't know if this will be beneficial or not. A risk if you will fail or succeed. But no one can ever vision the success or failure if we take a risk to follow our dreams.

We regret at times when we didn't try to follow our dreams. And lots of what if are running in our brilliant brain. What if we I did it, What if I don't. It drives us crazy if we internalize every thought. Why don't you sit down and think? Is this his plan for me? Is this what he wants for me? We don't know the answer. Let him be the captain of your journey in succeeding to your dreams.

Keep on dreaming. Never stop to dreaming. The dream of all the places you want to be. The dream of all the success you want to have. This will keep us in pushing ourselves to be alive. This dream is what we need to be positive and be thankful for everything we have.

So I will ask you again, where you will go in your dreams this year?


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This Simple Writing Exercise Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

The bridge between having dreams and actually realizing them, according to one researcher, is just a little bit of writing.

University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson recorded what happened when 700 students did a short writing exercise over the course of two years, reports Anya Kamenetz over at NPR. Students were asked to think about important moments from their past and then, with those memories in mind, write out a plan for achieving their goals and strategies for overcoming obstacles.

What he found was shocking: "ethnic and gender-group differences in performance among the students had all but disappeared" after two years.

But how could such a simple exercise have such a profound effect on academic performance? Kamenetz offers a possible explanation:

Peterson believes that formal goal-setting can especially help minority students overcome what's often called "stereotype threat," or, in other words, to reject the damaging belief that generalizations about ethnic-group academic performance will apply to them personally.

It's powerful to be able to learn from the past, identify obstacles, and set goals — to really know what you want. But don't underestimate the "act of writing," Peterson tells NPR, as it is "more powerful than people think."

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-20778/this-simple-writing-exercise-can-help-you-achieve-your-goals.html