Keep On Pushing: The Journey From Success To Significance

The Journey From Success To significance

Success excites us!

It provides us with evidence that we are capable of achieving regardless of the obstacles we may have had to overcome. Additionally, our achievements serve as further proof that we are capable of even greater success in the future.

Needless to say, success means different things to different people.

Some think of success in terms of what they hope to get-achievement, wealth, fame, recognition, respect, feeling valued.

Others see success in terms of their ability to earn a certain income which would allow them to live in a particular neighborhood, own a particular model car and be able to take multiple vacations each year to exotic destinations.

Still for others, success represents power or status in the community.

What does success mean to you? However you may choose to define it, one thing is clear, we all clamor for it and to varying degrees, dedicate ourselves to its achievement.

Of course, that kind of success-accumulating wealth, collecting toys, enjoying prestige and status, collecting amazing experiences, etc, is incredibly rewarding but there is a different kind of success (or perhaps more accurately, a different level of success) that I would like to explore in this article. One called significance.

Significance is success which:

Takes us beyond our own imaginations of ourselves to discover our real potential.

Gives us a sense of fulfillment.

Leaves a legacy behind.

In our society today, we have allowed success to become inextricably linked to material gain and outward appearance.

But what if we redefined success?

What if success was not just about how much you can grow your bank balances but it was also about personal growth?

What if it wasn't just about your accomplishments, status and power but also about contribution to the greater good?

What if it wasn't just about self-aggrandizement but also about warm relationships, and genuine happiness?

In other words, finding purpose in everything you do.

What I am saying is that we shouldn't just strive for success as we traditionally define it but we should also seek significance.

Success says, "I will get." Significance says, "I will give."

Our lives are meant to be given away -to significant causes, to loving families, friends in need, and to lasting relationships.

And so, your challenge is to find a way to serve others with your gifts- your time, your talent and your treasure.

Keep On Pushing!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Keep-On-Pushing:-The-Journey-From-Success-To-Significance&id=9857188

Principles of Success - Definiteness of Purpose

Everyone desires to succeed in life. When you seriously want something, you can sacrifice for it. Definiteness of purpose is an unwavering desire one has in life. It is a strong wish that needs to be realised. One needs to write it down to ensure that it is firmly planted in one's subconscious mind. It is said that whatever the mind can conceive, it can achieve. Achieving such is not about how deep a person's formal education and poverty levels are. A person possesses some thing powerful to change anything in life.

Regardless of the number of times you may have failed in achieving something in life, definiteness of purpose shall help drive you achieve your desire. God the Creator has given a gift to every man, which is different from other creatures, that is, the ability to use and control the mind to achieve anything in life. You can control anything. Other creatures only follow instincts, which they do not even understand. It is, therefore, important that you describe exactly what you want. Set a goal bigger than the one you achieved before.

To very human being is placed two choices in life. That is to follow blessings or riches and curses, which are a result failure to control one's mind accordingly. You enjoy blessings if you possess and direct your mind. Failure to possess and direct the mind leads to penalties or negative consequences.

Blessings of possessing and directing the mind result in several benefits, which include sound health, peace of mind, freedom from fear and worry, positive mental attitude, and material riches of your choice and quantity.

On the other hand, failure to direct and control one's mind results in ill- health, fear and worry, indecision and doubt, frustration and discouragement throughout life, poverty and lack, a lot of evil consisting of things like anger, unforgiveness, etc.

What should you do to ensure you have definiteness of purpose?

1. Get some thing on which to write your major desire in life. It terms of achieving your desire in life, you are limited by those limits you accept or those you allow others to set for you.

2. Clearly describe what you intend to do in return to get what you desire in life. Begin doing it immediately. Always remember that there is nothing for nothing. Provide service or something of value.

3. Read and repeat the statements you have written down and memorise them. Read it the statements at least twice a day, that is, in the morning and evening.

Begin expressing gratitude for realizing your desire before holding it in your hands.

Definiteness of purpose is the first principle of success on anything you want to achieve in life. Know what you want and put it on a concise statement. It is important to determine what you can offer or provide in return to acquiring your desire. Put the two statements on paper or writing so you can read and memorize them. Read it regularly until it is part of you. Start expressing gratitude right away.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Principles-of-Success---Definiteness-of-Purpose&id=10405427

A Better Version of Myself

 "People generally fall into one of three groups: the few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, and the overwhelming majority who have no notion of what happens. Every person is either a creator of fact or a creature of circumstance. He either puts color into his environment, or, like a chameleon, takes color from his environment." Myles Munroe

This quote by the late Myles Munroe sheds light on a very interesting dynamic; it can make one reread it and that has the potential to cause you to be extremely honest with yourself or cause for retreat deeper into your denial. It is not unusual to see many people posting on their social media platforms, "living my best life" with some awesome sunset or a selfie with a spectacular background and of course, there are the vacation pictures with that same caption, "living my best life". The truth be told; most of us know that that one snapshot does not mean it is their "best" life but simply a nice picture and they want you to think it's their "best life". Here is the funny and sad thing about that; we will often find ourselves doing the same thing because hey, we have to be living our "best life" too!

We can't be the only one posting how much we hate our job; we can't post that our neighbors are driving us crazy with their stupid dog that waits until you go to bed to start barking for the next four hours! You can but, it's always better to be living our "best life" right? We can't be the only one posting about how disappointed we are with our adult children's life choices, or after spending way too much money on your child's sports gear only to find out how horrible they are and how you remained silent when the other parents started asking, "whose kid is that?" and you knew that it was not the "wow, that kid is awesome" kind of "whose kid is that?" so, we follow the crowd and post "living my best life" with a picture of you eating pizza after the game as you let everyone know that you had a great time bonding with your child at their game. Smh! Most of us aren't living our "best life" because we have no idea how to create an okay or good life, let alone a "best life!

A Better Version of Myself: Something Has to Change

There are many people who struggle to create the life that they once pictured in their head, many people often think and believe that "Life" happened while they were making plans for their future. I understand what they mean and I can relate completely; now I can say, that if I had the same understanding and knowledge that I have now, I would have made different choices. The truth is that life is always happening and it will until we die. The reality is that we didn't stick to our plans for the future, we didn't implement those plans, we didn't really plan for the future, we become afraid of failure/success so, we gave up on our plans or we had a plan but had no idea to how to implement those plans. Circumstances and situations will always have the potential to sidetrack anyone and many times poor decision making can result in giving up on our plans and dreams.

But, those things should never prevent you from achieving your hopes and dreams! I have noticed that there are plenty of people who when faced with adversity tend to use whatever the adversity is as a reason to stop going for their dreams; they squander all that they were striving for and throw in the towel. I often share in my coaching sessions the importance of evaluating one's thought processes. I can't stress enough how important it is to have someone in your life that cares enough about you that they will tell you the truth rather than telling you what you want to hear. I believe that 85% of the time, we are defeated by our own thought processes and our unwillingness to alter or change our plans when a change is needed.

Most people become upset if you see a (legit) flaw in their process and then have the nerve to share what you see. I think that what people often hear when they get feedback is that their plans aren't good; many people that hear information contrary to what they think, as a personal attack on their dreams and they dismiss things that have great value and could be the difference between success and becoming unsuccessful in achieving their dreams.

A Better Version of Myself: Lay the Foundation Once

Have you ever met or know someone who constantly makes huge plans and have big dreams but never complete one thing because they become bogged down with a million details? Do you tend to become so excited about all of the possibilities of achieving your dream that you put everything into making it materialize but, you are constantly going back to insert things that you need into your plans after you've started full speed ahead?

Do you find that as you are working towards building on your dream/goal that you become distracted or sidetracked by some new, better way of reaching your dreams? Do you have a lot of activity but zero progress and you've become frustrated because you are constantly taking four steps forward and three steps backwards. Or, there's always someone that's willing to help you with reaching your goals and after investing in whatever it is that they offer; you are no closer to your goals than when you started!

All of these things that I mentioned are indications that there is no firm foundation on which to build your dreams on! Listen, I want you to be able to experience endless possibilities as you walk in the reality of your goals and dreams but you'll have to be willing to take the time to lay the foundation first before you do anything else.

What is your strategy? How sound is your plan and is that plan written out? If it isn't written out then it doesn't exist! I strongly recommend that you write or dictate everything that comes to your mind regarding your goals and dreams. Have a notepad, use your "memo" on your phone, have a designated place to put your thoughts and ideas.

There is a dream destroying thought that a lot of people operate under and that is this; "You don't share your dream with everyone because they will try to kill it with negativity!" There's a lot of truth in that but, the problem with it is that usually we tend to share our plans with people that we know will not try to kill our plans. They aren't a threat of possible change, they aren't a threat to making you have to stop what you're doing and rethink everything that you thought was a good idea.

I don't like feedback but, and that's a BIG BUT; I know that I need it if I am to be and remain successful. I have people purposed in my life that think totally different from the way that I think. I need people in my life to help me to see what I can't, to see things in my blind spots and guess what; so do you!

A Better Version of Myself: Building My Team

I have had big dreams and an entrepreneurial spirit since I was in middle school. I was constantly creating ways to make money and I did just that-make money. As I've become somewhat mature, money is never a thought when I begin any endeavor and as a matter of fact, money typically comes into mind after I have fleshed out everything and have decided on a course of action. I have learned from a lot of pain and suffering that money cannot drive (my) plans, goals or dreams, it just can't! So, what's driving you to do what you want to do?

Do you want to know what is number one on my list after I've decided on the next step of building on my dreams? Well, thanks for asking. I immediately begin to think about who will help me in accomplishing what I want to do and if I don't know anyone for that particular project, I'll begin to ask my contacts if they know someone that can help me, yep, I ask for other people to help me and you should too.

Here's the trick, well, really, there is no trick; you have to learn how to determine who are safe and who isn't. Most of us recognize "red flags" but we choose to ignore those "red flags". We tend to sense when something or someone is on the "up and up" for the most part. The issue is we develop scenarios and conversations that haven't happened yet or think that the conversations will be too uncomfortable to have so we let things go that tend to come back to bite us you know where.

Listen, your time and money is just as valuable as the next person regardless of the amount; if you had to work for it then it's valuable! You have to know when you're the consumer or the provider. The consumer always has the upper hand because that hand holds the money. If you can't get what you want or need from one source, then move on to another source because you're the consumer and you're the one that decides who the provider is.

You are never forced to give someone your time or money but, many people act as though they have no say in the matter and get burned. After you get burned, you create thought processes to protect ourselves from getting burned again and it is that very thought process that causes you to continue to make poor choices.

Surrounding yourself with individuals that have your best interests at heart even if it's on a paid, professional basis should always be your goal. Research everything and everyone and do your due diligence. Plan your work, have other capable and knowledgeable people review it for you with the sole purpose of finding flaws or at least things that make them ask you questions. I have individuals who have different skill sets for each project that I'm working on. If I'm working on something that involves construction work or video production then I'll talk to people in those fields. This is a great benefit and it introduces you to people who know other people that may become a resource for you later.

I hope this helped you in some way. Please remember to desire change, to create a solid and tested plan or strategy and last but not least, begin to put together a team that can help you and you can become a resource for them as well. I think that this will be a good start to becoming a better version of you.

https://ezinearticles.com/?A-Better-Version-of-Myself&id=10193917

Illusions (Dreams or Reality)

Our bodies, and for that matter most living things, have special cells called sensory receptors; each sensory receptor detects its own special form of energy and transmits a signal to the brain.

The reception of the signal in the brain represents sensation. How the brain interprets these signals and makes them meaningful is called perception. Most of the time the interpretation of the received energy is consistent with it. Sometimes, however, our interpretation is incorrect. These misinterpretations are called illusions.

The lustrous and glamorous aspects of life is wanted and sought after by most human beings if not all. Imaginations run wild on how such extravagancy can be attained in the quickest position without a backlash. Illusion is something that is caused by outside influence.

Illusions can be misinterpreted as dreams and dreams as reality. A friend of yours suddenly drove in a car worth million or thousands in your currency and such was not expected of that person at that moment and you are speechless, jealous and envious reasoning how comfortable he looks and how well nourished he looks and walks at that moment you want to be like him and the illusion that it can be as easy to achieve too since he did it. What you don't know is the troubles, sleepless night, frustrations he would have had to endure silently to achieve what he did.

Being illusioned isn't always disadvantageous; it has its perks for those who know how to differentiate between illusions and reality.

Some advantages includes

1. Having a foresight into what your life could become in future

2. Establishing new goals or improving previously laid down goals

3. Setting up steps or procedures to achieving the goals no matter how impossible it might seem.

4. Knowing nothing is unattainable either in your dreams or in reality because illusions help you want to do the impossible.

5. Nothing that age, sex, culture, background have no barrier to achieving the success you crave.

Scientists are firm believers of every action having an equal and opposite reaction. Illusions has its disadvantages. Some of which are:

1. You become consumed with what the end result could be and you go through shortcuts that are not only too risky but also deadly

2. You want to achieve your end game in the quickest, fastest and easiest way possible

3. Make rash and unnecessary decisions in your haste to procuring your reality from dreams.

Illusions can be an individual's pull or push into becoming more or less but the most important is what he is she illusioned by.

Money, cars, houses, traveling around the world, being famous, a great leader, a great entrepreneur e.t.c. are luxuries everyone longs for at a certain point or all the time. Its an illusion of each individual to have a life of comfortable affluence but the illusion doesn't show you how to achieve them.

Illusions are not realities but a link between what you are presently and what you can achieve. Illusion is explained by our expectations, what life is and what life could be.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Illusions-(Dreams-or-Reality)&id=9662220

Let's Not Be the 80% Who Fail

Oh No! Is it really that time of year already?

You know... resolutions time!

That time of year where we must yank ourselves up by our own bootstraps, shake off the dust of the year left behind, and get serious.

But, get serious about what? Okay, so yes, it's been weeks, if not months of over indulging, over eating, over imbibing, and excess. Most likely it began with all that Halloween candy which led right into Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve!

Now, here I stand, in the new year wondering where those extra pounds came from, why I feel so tired, and YOWZA, how did my credit card balance get so high?!

My life's a mess - oh, and sheesh, one look around and so is my home!

Yep! It's time to get control of things and stop kidding myself. But, gosh, the list is a long one... where, oh where, do I begin?

Eat better?

Exercise more?

Spend less?

Save more?

Better self care?

Read more?

Cut down on smoking / alcohol?

Get organized and declutter?

Learn a new skill?

Find a better job?

Find true love?

It seems only fitting, doesn't it, that with the new year, there needs to be a new me, too?!

And, with the flip of the calendar, from one month to the next, somehow I must get myself to perfection. Okay, maybe not perfection, but at least closer to healthy, prosperous, organized, and out of debt.

So, I'll make a list, add affirmations to that list to insure success. Set my intentions clearly, and, oh yes, set my clock earlier, too, to insure I get up and get started.

Toss out all those cookies, candies, and half opened bottles of booze, and make a long grocery list of healthy foods to buy.

Sit down and put together a smart financial plan for the year. Cut up my credit cards so I stop using them - oh, but wait a minute, I might need those for emergencies. Let's not get too hasty.

Go to the store and buy storage bins and shelves so as to get all that clutter off the floor and organized in some manner.

Surely this is doable, isn't it?

But, let's get real. For the majority of us, this approach is a set up for failure - Massive failure. And, along with that failure is any chance that something truly important to you could happen.

So, let's get real. Who wants to be part of the statistic that says... 80 percent of people don't even make it to the end of March before going back to their old ways.

Not me. No thank you!

How about we take the sage guidance from someone who knows how we humans tick. After all, this guy has spent a lifetime studying why we succeed, and why we fail. He's known for his critical examination and frequent debunking of unusual phenomena and has studied the principles of good and bad luck.

Here's what he suggests is the best approach to making, keeping and achieving those much desired resolutions.

Prof Wiseman's top 10 tips to achieving your New Year's resolution:

Only make one resolution

Don't wait until New Year's Eve to set your goal

Don't attempt previously failed resolutions

Don't base your goal on what everyone else is doing

Break your goal into a series of time-based steps

Tell your friends and family what you're aiming tor

Regularly remind yourself of the benefits

Give yourself small rewards for achieving each step

Make your plans and your progress concrete by writing them down

Expect to have small set-backs, and don't make those a reason to give up altogether

And, let me add a bonus tip - Let's call it Joan's sage guidance from years of doing it wrong - MAKE A DECISION, NOT A RESOLUTION.

Anything you wish to achieve must begin with that... A decision.

Make a DECISION, NOT a RESOLUTION

One Resolution at a time

Let's work on that together

Single session - 1 hour

Intense focus

Create the vision

Plan of action in writing

Support and accountability

Face-to-face session via Zoom

Only $97

http://ezinearticles.com/?Lets-Not-Be-the-80%-Who-Fail&id=9863968

Failure Is the Condiment

Quote By: Truman Capote

Many of us have been taught that not achieving immediate pleasure is a need. Failure is life's way of moving us in a different way and actually letting we greet eventually achieving that success we have been endeavouring towards.

Failures have given us a true understanding of self and drove us to attain that success that we envy. Failure is not an end, it is only a beginning. That failure makes us rethink to constructs a new plan, pushing us in a direction we may have not originally planned.

FAILURE IS A BEND IN THE ROAD, NOT THE END OF THE ROAD. LEARN FROM FAILURE AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD - Roy T. Bennett

Victorious personalities relish their past failures because they consider them experiences that added value to their life. And there is nothing better than the feeling of success after years of endurance, struggles, and tribute.

Our failures do not define us, they encourage us. We can accept falling short of a goal but we could never live with ourselves if we gave up trying. Just one line in the sand on the success side of our life is worth all of those hash marks in the failure column. A few dashes of inadequacy and a sprinkling of botched attempts make that main course of success that much tastier! Failure is not the end, with the right mindset; it will catapult your success.

Failure is not the end of the road. In fact it is the beginning of a beautiful journey. Success is neither a cup of tea nor a piece of cake. It is something more than an achievement. Unfortunately many of us give up and do not like to follow the experience of failing. It's impossible to taste success in life without experiencing some kind of failure.

Nobody in this world chooses to fail, but everyone tastes the bitter cup at some point in their lives. It serves as a mirror at each end of our life. It reveals our strengths, weakness, and helps in demonstrating ourselves by strengthening our efforts.

Failure doesn't mean we quit; it means we just need to try harder. It is just an experience or lesson which drives a person to his success until he will not give up.

Failure doesn't mean that everything is over; it means that you have a chance to try something new. It doesn't mean that everything is finished; it implies that you have an opportunity to have a go at something new.

Society doesn't reward defeat, and we won't find many failures documented or written in history books.

Sometimes we don't fail. We try our effort in wrong fields. Our talents are measured in a way that are not meant to be. So it's necessary to know why you failed. Knowing you are judged in a wrong manner you have to change your forte. It's not failure, just a new beginning and this time in the correct turf

https://ezinearticles.com/?Failure-Is-the-Condiment&id=9875425

Core Values: Three Steps to Being Action Oriented and Achieving the Big-Slow Dream

Imagine reaching a level where every action taken is totally productive and efficient. Whatever task was undertaken, great results were achieved. Life is good, not a care in the world! Wait a minute, that's Disney World! In actuality, only at select times are these high levels of productivity and efficiency reached and that's for those that are at the top levels. In general, Leo Tolstoy has the right idea, "True life is lived when tiny changes occur."

A song titled Dream Small goes against the norm. A lot of research needs to take place to find a top motivational speaker agreeing with the theme of this song. The lyrics include having big dreams, but none of that happens until the small ones become a reality. So many people, including myself, start with the big dream that ends up stalling because of overwhelm and the lack of significant progress taking place.

A better description for the dream big idea is to "dream slow." My personal inspiration to try a graduate Masters program came about nine years after undergrad. Actually starting the course work took at least another two years. Add another nine years to begin the Ph.D. program. The slow dream to complete a full 140.6 triathlon took 20 years. The dilemma here is the dreams were both big and slow so the new invented Dr. Dan term is the big-slow dream.

Is there any such thing as an overnight success? Maybe you are exposed to a whole slew of unique people, but of the hundreds of successful people I've studied and read about, the common satirical statement in one way or another is, "Sure... I'm a 10-year overnight success." Reality can be harsh, but when a big-slow dream is achieved, deep satisfaction and appreciation arise, but none of it happens without the first step.

The first step to taking action is to start with a small dream that is measurable and achievable. A key part of this is completing something in a reasonable time to give some momentum and encouragement to proceed to the next step. The small dream is one of Tolstoy's tiny, but significant changes that is part of accomplishing the big-slow dream.

The second step is recognizing that an "imperfect done" is much better than a masterpiece that isn't. The reason is, there is no perfect masterpiece and even if there was, it has to be finished to be displayed. Every once in a while some outlier product or performance arises that seemingly is perfect. However, the feeling of the accomplishment being perfect is rarely determined by the author or originator of the work. The conclusion of doing excellent may have occurred, but certainly not a work or performance of perfection.

When a masterpiece does emerge, it may not be recognized until the creator has died and after numerous failures and inferior works had been done. The conclusion, instead of trying to be perfect, do the best with what is available at the time and get something done. Whatever is created can certainly be improved, but the best improvements are made by multiple exposures and upgrades to an already finished product.

The third step is keep track of progress being made especially when it's slow. Celebrate the victories along the way and learn from the defeats. Done consistently, this leads to developing systems and processes that can be formalized to increase productivity. An overall forward movement is the objective, because once the perception arises that the big-slow dream is beyond reach, the will to finish is greatly hindered.

The dream of going to Disney World for most people happens after much saving, planning, and waiting that all take time. The big dream that finally happens was really slow to come about, but the anticipation of getting there was actually fun at times.

Likewise, people undertaking a big-slow dream remain persistent because of the anticipation of the great reward of achieving it. The right big-slow dream also has inherent aspects that make the journey a learning experience and fulfilling as well. Are there any guarantees for success? Certainly not, but better to have tried and failed than to never know if it could have happened. Dream big... but slowly.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Core-Values:-Three-Steps-to-Being-Action-Oriented-and-Achieving-the-Big-Slow-Dream&id=9952444

The Road to Achieving

Having achieved and accomplished an aim or objective...

How about?

The achievement of desired visions and goals...

Then There's TED...

Feeling that tingle of excitement about what you do, sticking with what matters through hard times, living a life you can feel proud of in retrospect.

Does this sound familiar to you at all?

Yes, we're talking about "The Road to Achieving Success". Striving towards achieving success in Health, Wealth & Romance is the best path to enjoying "A Better Lifestyle".

According to some, success is simply waking up in the morning with a smile on your face. While to others, it's a measurement of one's degree of happiness with their life (or lifestyle). Yet, some say it consists of four pillars: well-being, wisdom, wonder, and giving.

The list of thoughts and definitions of success is endless. Nevertheless, when it all comes down to it, there is only one way to define your success and that's Your own way: The above definitions are unquestionable proof of that. One's status in life, rich or not so, is virtually irrelevant. Like the saying goes, "One man's rags are another man's riches".

Success need not, and should not, be defined nor limited by a person's ability to obtain the material things he/she desires in life but rather by the degree of happiness achieved in their life through all three aspects of Health, Wealth & Romance/Relationships. It's a choice, one for which You and Only You are responsible. You choose and decide what it takes to make YOU happy - no one else should do that for you.

Unfortunately, we live in an era where happiness alone will not feed you, nor pay your bills. It's easy for those who have already achieved "their" (financial) goals in abundance to promote the idea that achieving financial success does not equate to happiness in life when what they should be offering is an encouragement to those who aspire to improve their lifestyle.

Success by any definition is a journey, one in which it is more likely to encounter difficulties and obstacles, beyond the imagination, than it is to experience gratification. Enough to destroy any hope of achieving even the smallest degree of realizing your dream for A Better LifeStyle. It's not a journey you want to engage in if you're not prepared mentally, physically, and equipped with the proper tools to undertake the challenges that lie ahead. It's not a journey you wish to take if you lack the determination to pursue your dream without regard to failures you are almost certain to experience. It's not a jaunt to embark on if you are not willing to "only" look back to learn from your mistakes and failures... not to have regrets.

The road to success is not for the undecided, the insecure, nor for the weak at heart; for chances are you will face many heartbreaking & lonely moments throughout your journey.

Are You Ready to Follow YOUR "Road to Achieving Success"?

Prepare Yourself For Your Journey...

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Road-to-Achieving&id=9924844

Practice! Picture! Pull Off!

We all want to do "it". What I mean by doing "it" is achieving what we genuinely want in life and existence. We all want to be master players in our game, not spectators outside the stadium, or could-have-been types, even. Indeed, to become a winner and do "it" something is needed: persistence, perseverance, practice, picture, pull off! Call it all what you want. I consider all those qualities needed, though, if anything will be achieved. I am not just writing from opinion, I am writing about a reality I genuinely understand here.

A quote I always quote somehow in many of my articles is the 1972 Olympian Mark Spitz quote about "We all want to win, but who loves to train?" Loving to train as well as win is the life secret of anyone who "makes it" or makes it to where they want to go.

I, in this article am going to leave some thoughts seemingly incomplete to give you room to think and be creative in your thinking about how the realities of this article apply to you. (As you can already tell.) Call it "audience participation", but as philosopher Soren Kierkregard and William Clement Stone paraphrasing him once said, "Sure, when you read a book or article and get something out of it, that is it. But, when a book reads you well, that is when you really get something out of it. That is the idea I have here, I want to go beyond that, I want you to read yourself extra well. Professor Xavier in the X-Men was right when he told Logan the Wolverine, "Read your own mind and thoughts, that is where you will find your greatest insights." That is also what I am telling you, practice your success before it happens, picture your success before it happens, and use your insights to pull it off wonderfully when the success happens. Genuine understanding of yourself is the best insight you can have in life. So, stop, think, analyze yourself! You have your answers within you. They sure are not outside of you in any way.

Realistically, our expectations are realistic when we are genuinely honest with ourselves. So, I end with words from the Song of Solomon modernized: "As a person thinks in their hearts, so are they!" How much simpler can I end? We are what we think about to the tune of Earl Nightingale and reality.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Practice!-Picture!-Pull-Off!&id=10033142

Don't Live Frustrated or Unfulfilled - Do Something About It!

If you don't like something about your life you have the power to change it. You can shift your life in the direction that you want it to go in. You don't have to live an unhappy unfulfilled life. That is not why you are here on earth.

If you have been feeling like there is more to life than what you are currently experiencing then you are right. None of us have reached our greatest potential regardless of what we have been blessed to accomplish. As long as we are breathing we should still be achieving.

You are still alive at this moment so you still have a chance to do the things you dream of doing. It is not too late, and that is regardless of your age. Too many people have died with their dreams and purpose still in them, don't let that be you. I understand that it takes time and energy to pursue our dreams, and sometimes even money, but the payoff is so much greater than the sacrifice. I am a witness to that.

You don't have to live frustrated, stuck or unsatisfied. You deserve to live a prosperous life mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally, and financially. If you feel like you are lacking in any one of those areas it is time for you to do something about it. Even if it is simply deciding right now that you want to live your best life possible. Yes, even making a decision is taking action. Why? Because any transformation that happens in the life of an individual must begin with the choice to change.

Decide where you want to be 6 months from now, one year from now, and 5 years from now. How do you want your life to look? What do you want to be doing career wise? What kind of legacy do you want to leave for your family? What kind of difference do you want to be making in the lives of others? Remember you have the power to manifest your dreams into reality. It is possible. And it is not just possible for everyone else. It is possible for you!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Dont-Live-Frustrated-or-Unfulfilled---Do-Something-About-It!&id=9512839

How To Overcome Self Doubt

It is evident that learning how to overcome self-doubt and fear is one of the hardest challenges we may encounter in life. Just how good is our performance depends a lot on how much confidence we have in ourselves because insecurity is an unusual kind of inner torture that can sneak easily in.

Therefore, how do you overcome the doubts, uncertainties, and fears that are overwhelming your thoughts? What can you do to believe in yourself to achieve more? How can you conquer the self-doubt that is holding you back from succeeding?

Self-doubt is a place where we have all been but, each of us handles it differently. Doubt and fear are hard to control and usually creep in deep within our mind. A wrong decision, a mistake or even a little failure make you hesitate and question your abilities. Next thing you know, you have a lack of confidence.

When you start a business or have a concept, self-doubt often crawls in while you begin to both comparing yourself to those who succeeded before you and being crushed by the idea of how much work you have to put in. At that point, you even begin to think that there is no way you will ever be able to make it as successful people have.

But success is getting the courage to move in the direction of your dreams and on the path that your heart is taking you. Never mind if you are not making it exactly like others before you have. You have to understand that self-doubt is not a rational behavior and you can go beyond it.

A Fact about Self-Doubt

"Self-doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." - Suzy Kassem

None of us will ever be completely free of doubts. Everyone, no matter how successful, fights with it sometimes. But self-doubt can become a self-fulfilling prediction if you let it take over. You may have tried in the past to achieve some goal and decided to abandon because you faced an apparently impossible wall, but you should not give up.

It is just how life is! Goals get you out of the comfort zone, bring you into new territory and take you head-on with your doubts and fears. The concern here is not about how to escape self-doubt or fear, but how to make constructive choices that improve your self-confidence while uncertainties are present.

Too many people give up on their dreams due to self-doubt, uncertainty, lack of confidence and fear.

Going Beyond Self-Doubt and Fear

Almost all successful people have confessed they had to fight self-doubt every single day. Doubt is so toxic that it holds back countless of people from achieving beautiful things. And fear is not at all who you are, but rather a feeling that you are going through, an experience.

If you are trying to avoid doubt or fear, it does not make them go away. When you ignore these feelings, it does not make them any less painful, and if you look the other way, it does not make them vanish into thin air.

Therefore, take a deep breath. And realize that even if you are having doubts or a profound fear reaches you, you still need to take action. Stop self-doubt from overwhelming you and take the required steps to move forward in accomplishing your goals.

Overcoming Self-Doubt

How to remove doubts on the spot is always easier said than done. But below are ways so you can start overcoming self-doubt to achieve the things you have always desired.

Remove Wrong Words

You have to remove any words that seem wrong from your vocabulary. The terms, phrases, and words you use to talk to yourself have the power to blow your confidence away. Those incorrect words are often untrue.

So, eliminate and skip words such as "never," "always," "can't," "no one," "if," or "should." You will then notice how your frame of mind and self-doubt begin to change for better.

Identify Self-Doubt

You have to identify doubts which are not an easy thing to do. You might have a great idea to create a business, a website, or even an app. Yet, you might brush it off by thinking that you cannot just quit your job to jump into something else. You have a family and a loan to pay. And who will pay the bills?

Of course, there are always risks. But if you do not believe that you can be successful, guess what, you won't. So, next time you push an idea aside, sincerely think if it is self-doubt or reality that sneaked in.

Get a Dose of Inspiration

Get inspired by listening to podcasts, viewing videos, reading books, and watching movies which are optimistic. It can help you overcome any of your doubts and fears. You might also feel empowered to take action.

You can also discover some great speakers and mentors to listen to. Turn to these guys when you lack self-confidence.

Overcome Self-Doubt

Dumber people have succeeded also. You have to remind yourself that you are a capable and smart person. The reason is that there are people in this world who have achieved bigger things with less knowledge, tools, chances, and experience than you have.

You have to remind yourself that people with less advantage than you became successful. No dream or idea of yours is impossible or even unmanageable. Most of the time, the barrier you need to overcome is self-doubt.

Focus on Previous Achievements

As you wake up or during the day, are you focusing on the negative like the failures you have experienced? Or on the positive such as the victories you have achieved?

It is important because recent studies revealed that how you remember your past defines how you think about yourself today. Your thoughts about yourself have a huge impact on whatever actions you take afterwards and how well they turn out for you.

Look for Feedback

It is always good to seek feedback from others. To have a conversation with those who support you and are around you about your skills and abilities can end self-doubt right on the spot.

And above all, getting feedback helps you see both the positive and negative aspects of your abilities. As a result, you can improve some of the necessary skills.

Be aware of Doubt from Others

Self-doubt is already hard to deal with, but doubts coming from other people are just painful. When you realize that you start to get more confidence in yourself and your abilities, you might notice other people around you, often closer than you think who project their self-doubt on you.

They will undoubtedly try to shoot down your dreams or even find reasons why you should not pursue them. But let me tell you to act on your ideas anyway.

Celebrate Small Wins

At any time you are stuck in the depths of self-doubt, it consumes you. Even if in reality, it is not real, you make it accurate and turn it into a big deal in your mind. It took you a series of small actions to drop to that level.

Well, it will also take small but essential actions to get out. When you celebrate small wins, it motivates you because you see progress being made, and build momentum which adds up quickly.

More Tips to Overcome Self Doubt

• Self-doubt is challenging to overcome, but it can be done by pretty much anyone who has the will.
• Brainstorm every action, process, or a bit of effort that you think could help achieving success.
• Note all the things and skills you know how to do or that you could quickly learn.
• Start learning and implementing these new skills and abilities.
• Believe you can perform better actually to perform better.
• Draw your motivation from the right well, so focus on actions that get results.
• Get away from self-doubt by taking small actions that lead to success and build on the next one.
• Release that inner genius and ignore criticism and self-doubt.

It is quite easy not even to start or give up when other people tell you that you cannot do it, or that it is an impossible dream, or that it is unrealistic, but use their doubts as motivation for you to show them wrong.

A sign of self-doubt is when you let the opinions and self-doubt of others influence you to take action on your dream or idea. You have to choose your thoughts wisely because they become your emotions which in turn dictate your actions.

Undeniably, doubts will show up into your mind. So, to overcome self-doubt, you have to choose not to believe the thoughts that give you these doubts. Uncertainties, fears, and doubts will always be part of your life, but you are the one who chooses whether or not to believe them.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Overcome-Self-Doubt&id=9809673

Be Better Than Who You Were Yesterday

Early on in life, I discovered that you only need to try to be better than who you were yesterday and not compare yourself to anyone. But, at times, I still do, like any human being. This world is in constant flux and change. And yet, most people are comparing rather than focusing on themselves.

A ton of questions might run through your mind right now. Questions like "Why do I need to compare myself to others? How is he more successful than I am? Why am I not as lucky?"

If you are wondering; it can be out of jealousy, greed, desire, or more. It might be easy to say, but you should not envy anyone. The only person you should try to be envious of and be better than, is the person you were yesterday. If you can do this, then you become better with each day that passes.

And yes, it would be a lie if I told you that the road to being greater is easy as you try to live better each day. The truth is that it won't be easy at all. Each day is filled with its barriers and challenges, but it is also full of many different opportunities.

Try to Be Better 

As you try to be better than whom you were yesterday, you will begin to realize, appreciate and enjoy the gifts and benefits life has in store for you. And you may even start to discover various possibilities in each given challenge. So, be better than who you were yesterday, even if it happens only via one percent each day, week or month.

What I mean is that even if you make mistakes, it is your ability not to allow your errors to influence or control you. It is what makes you who you are. And if there is one thing I learned time and time again is to be better than who I was yesterday.

Therefore, if you do not do something right or you know you made a blunder for one reason or the other, do not give those mistakes power. I know that we are all going through this. So, do not let the errors you make rule your life, learn from them, move on and do not judge you or what you can do.

Be More than Yesterday 

Believe it or not, the power you acquired through all of your experiences can help you avoid many costly mistakes. You just have to learn, work, live and strive to be better than the person you were yesterday. I am not telling you to try to reach perfection but only that you do not have to live your life in the same way if you are unsatisfied with it.

After all, you have the power to make any change your heart desires. And if you make a mistake, do not blame yourself, just pick yourself up, dust away from the negative thoughts that bring you down and work at becoming a better person than who you were the day before.

If you do not believe you are capable of it, just imagine for an instant, that one day you are doing better. Would not that make you feel like some renewed confidence is soaring through you? And is not that a better use of your time than some negative feelings? By thinking that way, you will move forward and grow to be a remarkable person.

How to Be Better than Before 

Now, you are your competition; so compete only with yourself. Successful people always follow and practice this. Those individuals become successful by not slacking off and waiting for luck to come along. They instead create it! And they work hard and persist in their vision each day.

Moreover, people who are successful do not let barriers and challenges stop them from achieving their objectives. Instead, they use these encounters to make them stronger by learning from them. They look for problems to solve while others purely try to avoid problems.

Successful people also hone their skills and talent to be better than they were yesterday. They do not stop to compare themselves with others. Why? The reason is that they consider it a waste of their valuable time gone in smoke which they can instead use working on their projects.

Strive to Get Better 

Learn to strive to get better for you, and not by comparing what others do. They can be an inspiration but do not let bitterness take over by looking at what you do not have yet. Instead, appreciate the things you have right now, no matter how little, and focus on how you can make them better one day at a time.

Therefore, do not wonder if you are at the top yet, push to be better than yesterday. And I tell you, it won't be long before you become the inspiration for others to improve and work harder. Work hard. Get your mind involved in every other aspect of your life.

And yes, sometimes, errors are bound to happen but never let them define who you are. Do not be stuck in the past. Some mistakes are costly due to lack of knowledge, selfishness, pride, stupidity or foolishness. Just try to correct them if you can. And if you cannot do anything about it, learn, let go and look forward to the next opportunity by not making the same blunder again.

A Brief Recap to Be Better 

So here is a brief recap of the tips to be better than who you were yesterday.

• Work on yourself each day to improve.
• Never compare yourself to others.
• Stop being envious of other people.
• Be more present in your own life.
• Let go of the past.
• Learn from your mistakes and move on.
• Look forward to other opportunities.
• Let successful people be an inspiration to you.
• Avoid making the same mistakes again.
• Believe in your capacity to be better.
• Enjoy your victories, no matter how small.
• Rule number one for success: Belief in yourself.

You hone yourself that much. Now, go ahead and challenge yourself, and practice by being the best and success will follow. So always strive to be better than you were yesterday!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Be-Better-Than-Who-You-Were-Yesterday&id=9862366

The Wolf Climbing The Hill Is Always Hungry

Often depicted as alone, the wolf climbing the hill is referred to someone who yet did not reach the top and is always hungry in achieving his goals. This individual take control of his life, believe that he can make it and become the master of his own fate. Yet, countless people are not on that path.

What is the reason? Why are some people underestimating themselves? How can we become such a strong believer in our own fate?

The metaphor of the wolf climbing the hill is prevalent among people seeking success, as well as for me. It is the image of wanting to be a self-made person, a strong leader, a successful executive, or a man's man. But it is also a myth that conveys a deeper truth which is meant to teach or inspire.

Since eternities, the wild and dominant figure of the wolf is a powerful symbol. It has always existed, from the fear of it throughout the centuries to the wolf used today to market movies, career magazines, training services, and a seemingly endless list of other products and services.

Therefore, the wolf climbing the hill is an analogy to depict someone who is striving to succeed. Whatever they put their effort into, and can be described in one word: 'Drive.' The wolves that are still climbing are hungry for what is at the top of the hill. On the other hand, most of the wolves at the top have reached the peak of their careers and no longer have the urge to pursue greater heights.

The Wolf Climbing for More 

So, if you want real success in your life, you should understand that you did not come this far just to be the wolf climbing the hill and reach the top. I often hear people say things like: "When I make it," "when I get to the top," "when I reach my goal." But let me tell you something: there is no end.

True winners never stop. If you reach a goal, just set a bigger goal. If you get to the top of the mountain, find a bigger mountain. Of course, you need to keep working hard going uphill until you get to the summit. But as the wolf climbing the hill, it is your journey, your continuous pursuit of growth, your cost of seeking improvement, and the challenge that are what makes life great.

Then seek for more. Not more things but more growth, you should always push yourself to be better. Are you a wolf going uphill to just sit at the top afterward? If you come this far, you can be strong enough to go further and be good enough to push yourself harder.

The Wolf Seeks also Growth 

Of course, it is not easy doing it alone, but if you keep going stay true to yourself, it will be worth it in the end. For instance, as a wolf climbing the hill, I am only getting started. It is just the beginning. I am proud of my achievements, but it does not mean that I am settling for them. Are you settling for yours?

You should never be satisfied and always ready. Yes, you can be proud of what you have accomplished but keep pushing for more. But you need to push for greatness. A real winner does not seek only the title but self-growth. No one can tell you to stop because you are just getting warmed up.

So, the hardest walk you can make as a wolf climbing the hill is the steps you make alone. That is what makes you the strongest. It is not about circumstances or luck. We all get the good and the bad, and all have challenging events that arrive in our lives. That is a normal part of being human. But it is what you choose to do with those circumstances that matter.

The Wolf Climbing the Hill Keeps Going 

Therefore, the hardest battle is the challenging walk you take which in turn builds your character the most. As a wolf climbing the hill, you need to stay strong and keep going as you have to fight battles alone, and surely when you are going against the grain, fighting the naysayers.

But if the journey were not challenging, the destination would not be as rewarding. It is the challenges that make the greatness of the wolf climbing the hill. You cannot have a champion athlete without significant competitors pushing them all the way. You cannot get the first place without other winners pushing you to do better.

So, it is the 'all process' that makes the greatness of the one rising to the summit. If you reach your goal, you have to set a bigger goal. But when the wolf climbing the hill runs into barriers, he has to find another way to climb. You have to keep going when life has you on the edge of a cliff, or when everything seems to be conspiring to stop you or to hold you back.

The Wolf Going Uphill Puts Effort In 

It is always the toughest climbs that lead to the best views. If you are not a wolf among sheep, and if you show what you are made of, the right people will show up in your life. You won't be alone forever. Never settle in and do not give in when you are the wolf climbing the hill because you have qualities that most people do not possess. The reason is that if you want to be the best, you must out work the rest.

It goes without saying; the greater do work harder than the rest. The champions train harder and learn more. They put themselves through more pain, more failures, more mistakes, and more rejection. When your opponent does ten, you do eleven. If they do more, then you do higher, longer and better. Sure, some of the greatest have talent, but none of it would be realized if they did not put in the work.

On the other hand, think of all those with little talent, they have created magic with effort and belief. Energy and belief in yourself will get you whatever you want in life. What I am talking about is your fighting spirit; that heart which you know is inside of you. As a wolf climbing, you just got to let it out.

The Wolf Climbing Is Always Hungry 

You get the strength to fight back, the heart to fight through challenges, and the determination to smash through unexpected obstacles. If you want more than most, you must do more and work harder than most, smarter than most, and even learn more than most.

Do not lower your expectations to fit into the world because you were born to stand out. They say the wolf on the hill is never as hungry as a wolf climbing the hill. So you have always to be that wolf, the one wanting to reach the peak. Be always hungry for more, to grow and feed your mind.

Rise to the highest level you can take yourself, and do not look back. Do not be afraid if you have to walk alone in one direction; it is always better than to follow the herd walking in the other direction.

Your destiny is in your hands, now get out there and hunt it. So if need be, get up one more time, just more than most. And now, be the wolf climbing the hill!

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Wolf-Climbing-The-Hill-Is-Always-Hungry&id=9783597

Reason Why If You Believe in Yourself, Anything Is Possible

How many times have you wanted something but failed to reach it? Have you tried believing in yourself before achieving the very thing you wanted badly? How does it help? Read on for insights.

Anything you want is already inside you. You just need to manifest it. Now the easiest way to manifest it is by believing in yourself and taking daily actions towards it.

That way your energy aligns with your Higher Power and reaches out to the mighty COSMOS which aligns with your energy and sends you back signals, resulting in manifestation of the very thing you desired earnestly and that very desired element gets delivered to you, provided that you stay detached after letting the Universe know your intention.

Believing in yourself, when nothing else works or the people around you are unsure whether you will ever get your desired element, is often the sole solution.

I myself have tried this technique several times when everything else seemed bleak and dark and I found that it always worked. It is that powerful I should say.

As it goes, the word "Impossible" says "I'm possible", therefore there is nothing impossible in the world. Anything you want or desire badly is sure to manifest only if you can gather up all the courage to believe in yourself.

Once you have manifested on a small scale your desired element, you can start trying bigger stuff in the same way. That is because the way you do little things, you do big things. In this case, you just believe in yourself.

People will be astonished at how fast you achieve your desired elements and hence would like to know your secret. Tell them simply: Believe in yourself and it will work wonders.

From time to time, God, the Almighty will test you and knock you down hard. But in that case as well, never stop believing in yourself and everything will start to fall together once again.

I have had so many low times, disappointments and subtle challenges in my life. But I bounced back again and again just by simply believing in myself and achieving what I desired.

The magical power of believing in yourself is that great because that makes anything possible for you. Now that I have demonstrated and exemplified it, why don't you give it a shot and try it? See how it goes. I believe it's worth the effort.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Reason-Why-If-You-Believe-in-Yourself,-Anything-Is-Possible&id=9656685

Being Mindful Of Your Thoughts Can Dramatically Change Your Life

Whether one's thoughts are positive or negative, they both have a tremendous effect on one's surroundings. Negative thinking causes one to hide in an irrational fear of taking risks or trying new things, therefore disabling numerous individuals and keeping them from truly achieving the quality of life that we as human beings have been taught from a tender age to achieve. Furthermore, negative thoughts compel one to seek for confirmation from their immediate surroundings that the universe is inherently full of evil and is a stressful and terrible place. On the other hand, positive thoughts are constantly seeking confirmation that the universe is a terrific place. By having a positive mental attitude, one can overcome the somewhat unreasonable confirmations that negative thoughts bring about and naturally eliminate stress.

With regard to one's psychology, maintaining a positive mental attitude enables one to seek out, as well as, expect positive results. Unlike a negative thinker, a person with a positive mental attitude believes that most of the objects that he/she may desire are attainable. This is due to the fact that their positive attitude towards life inspires them to take the necessary actions that are needed in order for them to achieve or obtain the objects of their desire. The negative thinker, on the other hand, bases his/her actions on scarcity and fear rather than on the possibilities that have been presented to them to change their current situation.

Critics of a mindful, positive, mental attitude as a means of changing one's reality believe that those who practice this belief are only ignoring the stress of reality. Proponents of practicing positive mental attitude believe that it creates a mindset of abundance. A mindset of positivity further gives one the capability to move ahead of their grim past and look forward to a much brighter future, devoid of the numerous constraints that are brought about by negative thinking. Individuals who practice mindfulness and have become equipped with positive mental attitudes are never limited by their fear of failure. A true positive mental attitude involves maintaining the conviction that one can transform their difficult situations onto a much easier, less stressful, happier, and more successful one.

There are a few simple tips that one can follow in order to achieve and maintain a positive mental attitude.

These are:

Realizing that one can control how they react to a situation

Although one cannot always control the situations and circumstances that they so often find themselves in, it is worth noting that one can control how they react when these negative situations arise. It is up to you to decide whether or not a situation will upset and stress you or whether you will take the time to assess the situation positively.

Always live life for yourself

Although it may sound selfish, trying to constantly be a "person or people pleaser" only works to cheat you of who you truly are. Additionally, having such a mindset only cripples one as it ensures that you essentially tie your happiness and feelings of fulfillment with the reactions of your peers and friends. Remember that you cannot always make everyone happy, which means that at some time or other, you too will not be happy.

Make a comprehensive list of all the positive aspects that are in your life

Having a list of all the positive aspects of your life enables one to always clearly picture the proverbial "silver lining" that outlines every dark cloud. It can be concluded that a positive mental attitude is the main difference between most successful people and those who stagnate in negative situations and suffer a poor quality of life.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Being-Mindful-Of-Your-Thoughts-Can-Dramatically-Change-Your-Life&id=9407687

The Secret to Achieving Any Personal Growth Goal!

We all have unfulfilled desires-aspects of our lives we want to change or grow. And we all know - from experience - that having a desire, an intention, or even a plan is not enough. How many times have you wished, intended, and planned to lose weight, start meditating, write that novel, get a new job, or change a relationship pattern-only to find yourself repeating the same old habits that give you the same old results?

There is one tested and proven secret to attract and create what you desire. This secret has been used by the leaders in every field to achieve every kind of goal. It's not natural talent, perfect timing, or good fortune. It's something we all can do, no matter who we are or what we've been through.

That secret is Daily Practice - taking one action every day to engage in what you desire.

Daily Practice is the way you take life into your own hands-and invite Providence to assist you. It insures that you live your priorities and shows the Universe what's important to you. It insures that what is most important isn't pushed aside.

To create a powerful and sustainable Daily Practice - one that is both doable and effective, simply ask yourself the following 12 questions. You don't have to take a lot of time with this or give it a lot of thought-though you can, if you want. Simply ask yourself each question and see what comes to mind. Then, go on to the next question.

Are you ready?

Here we go!

QUESTION #1: What is your number one personal growth goal?

What is most important to you right now? What's your dream? Choose one thing you want to practice, no matter how big or small.

QUESTION #2: Why do you want to practice this?

What's your purpose? What do you hope to experience, gain, or contribute?

If you don't know why you are doing something, it will fall by the wayside. When you don't feel like doing it or when something else comes up, you will let it go. Knowing your "why" keeps you going strong!

QUESTION #3: What exactly will you do?

Define the actions you will take.

For instance saying "I'm going to eat healthier" and "I'm going to start exercising" are good intentions, but poorly defined practices. Instead, it would be better to say that "I'm going to stop eating fried foods and I will eat at least one cup of fresh fruit or vegetables three times a day" or "I will take a brisk walk for twenty minutes every morning." Be specific.

QUESTION #4: How often will you practice?

The recommended answer here is "daily." Daily practice establishes your practice as a part of your circadian rhythm, your 24-hour life cycle. Actions repeated daily become "grooved" faster, run deeper, and have greater effect. So, do at least one thing, every day that moves your practice forward.

QUESTION #5: When will you practice?

Set a time. Then, put it on your schedule.

If you don't schedule it, inevitably, other things will come up. Before you know it, you'll be at the end of the day. It's likely that you will feel too tired at that point. Then, you'll put it off until tomorrow. My friend, Matt Clarkson, passed along a great illustration about "tomorrow." He tells me there's a pub in England with a sign that says, "Free Beer Tomorrow."

QUESTION #6: How long will you practice?

Commit to a specific minimum. If anything, under-commit, so you'll say, "Oh that's nothing, I can do that." If you commit to too much, you're more likely to skip it or see it as "too much effort." Once you get started, you're likely to do more because you're "into it." So, start small and expand from there.

QUESTION #7: Where will you practice?

It's important to choose a place that's conducive to what you're doing. For instance, if you are starting to meditate and you try to do it in a busy or noisy place, it's not likely to work well.

To support your practice, decorate your space with appropriate pictures, quotes, or décor that signifies what you are doing and why it's important to you.

QUESTION #8: Do you need any special equipment, supplies, or support for your practice?

Some examples include: having the right food in your house for your nutrition or weight loss practice, having the right tools and materials for your creative project, setting appointments with a personal trainer for your workouts, or downloading a guided meditation to support your meditation practice.

What will help you succeed?

QUESTION #9: How will you track your practice?

Especially when starting something new, it's a great idea to keep a journal in which you define what you're doing and why, list your goals, and make notes on your experiences.

Logging your efforts makes your practice more concrete, substantial, and real. It records the work you've put in. You are more likely to stick with something that you've put a lot into it.

Making notes on your practice also enables you to review what you've done.

QUESTION #10: How often will you review and modify your program?

Check in with yourself and see what's working, what isn't, and what changes you'd like to make so your practice is more enjoyable and effective.

At first, you might want to review and modify on a weekly basis. It's likely you'll go through some trial and error. Rather than being discouraged when things don't go well, use that as information to alter your routine to make it even better.

QUESTION #11: How will you keep your practice fresh and inspiring?

The same activity will be different every day, if you stay alert, purposeful, and present with the fine details of what you are doing-rather than mindlessly going through the motions.

Become a life-long student of your practice. Read what others are doing. Experiment. If things are getting stale, mix it up. Practice in a new location, adjust your technique, or practice with someone else. Use variety to keep your mind fresh and awake.

Remember "why" your practice is important. What do you want to achieve? What are you afraid might happen if you let this go?

QUESTION #12: How will you remind yourself to practice?

Put your practice in your schedule. Post a note on your alarm, your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator, or the dashboard of your car.

Now, you're ready to go! If you've answered these 12 questions, you've set yourself up for success. Now, it's time to take action.

Remember, Daily Practice is THE PATH to achieve any personal growth goal. It's the way to engage in and live your dreams every day.

So, what will you grow in your life?

Enjoy your practice!

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Secret-to-Achieving-Any-Personal-Growth-Goal!&id=9412659