Overthinking Can Be The Demise of Your Productivity

When you create a plan, are you overthinking the steps needed to reach the end goal? Does your research go on forever? Does your plan need to be perfect before you take action? Are the tasks so complicated that you just don't want to perform them?

If any of the above questions resonate with you, you may need to rethink your planning process. Perfectionism and procrastination are the enemies of productivity. There is no such thing as perfect and good enough gets the job done. Think about what motivates you - listening to music, a reward as you complete a task, inspirational quotes, whatever it is for you to stay on track to avoid procrastination.

You have an idea of something that needs to be done and you know you need a plan. A plan is a roadmap of sorts to help you get from point A-creating a plan, to point B-the end goal. It's important to have a plan. When you go on a road trip, you wouldn't begin your journey without mapping out the route, would you?

When you create a plan, you need to start with an end goal. Think about what your idea would look like if it were complete, that's the end goal. You may not understand what tasks need to be done to reach that end goal, so you start researching the idea.

The research phase may continue longer than necessary if you're overthinking what needs to be done. When you keep the plan simple, it's more likely that you will reach the end goal in a timely manner. During your research you may find several ways to accomplish the same thing. Don't linger on deciding on an option, make a decision. Set a limit on the time spent researching the options.

At the end of the research phase, you will have a list of tasks required to reach the end goal, and you should have an idea of the priority of the tasks or steps. Decide on the start date; this is when your project will begin with the first step.

The research may not have provided the amount of time needed to complete some or all of the tasks. This could be problematic if you've never performed these tasks before. This is another area where overthinking can delay getting to the implementation piece of the plan. Factor in what you believe to be a realistic time to complete each task, then add some time as a learning curve.

Schedule all of the steps in a planner - paper or electronic, whichever works best for you. Your plan, or roadmap is now ready for you to put into action to reach your end goal. If it doesn't look perfect, or you're not feeling ready to start, remember that perfectionism and procrastination are the enemies of productivity. Stop overthinking the wonderful work you just completed and take action to reach your end goal.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Overthinking-Can-Be-The-Demise-of-Your-Productivity&id=10179994

Ambiton - A Passion That Motivates

Life is a competition - a daring adventure, and success usually comes to those who are ambitious. Ambition is a deep desire for achievement, and is propelled by an internal drive to fulfill one's dreams.

"Nothing can stop a man with the right mental attitude for achieving his goals; nothing on earth can help a man with the wrong attitude," says Thomas Jefferson.

Without ambition life is as insipid as a dish without salt and spices. No matter how intelligent and talented a person is, he will not be able to achieve much without ambition. Ambition gives us a purpose in life and helps to escape mediocrity. It envisages no short cuts. Sacrifices will have to be made and oppositions overcome. But nothing can compare with the joy of achieving one's goal.

There are people who are famous today because they did not abandon their ambitions. Nobody believed that a blind boy like David Hartman would become a doctor one day. He was discouraged by family and friends. His applications for admission to various medical colleges were ignored until Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia decided to give him a chance. The obstacles that seemed insurmountable were conquered through sheer determination and David completed his course successfully. Those who doubted a blind man's ability to complete such a rigorous course had to admit that David Hartman was 'supernormal.'

Bettina Bechgaard a 19 year old Ballet dancer who was to perform at the Sadler Wells Theatre in London, was knocked down by a car that left her with multiple fractures of her limbs and in a semi-comatose condition. But her fierce determination through grinding weeks of pain set her back on her dancing feet after a long period of recuperation. Through physiotherapy, psychotherapy and counseling, Bettina was back to dancing. Her strong ambition took control of her body and enabled her to perform pirouettes and other intricate steps. Nobody even noticed the hint of a wobble at times.

Poverty did not dampen the ambitions of many famous writers, who early in life had to struggle to survive, yet never succumbed to defeat. In his autobiography "Tell the Tale," Gabriel Garcia Marquez tells how he was desperate to write and be read. He kept scraps of paper in his pocket and kept writing through his penury and hardships. He even had to borrow a typewriter to type out his manuscripts. The world cheers at his rise to fame.

Stephen King the famous author was so poor that he had to borrow clothes for his wedding. He lived in a caravan with his wife on a hand-to-mouth existence. But poverty did not turn him away from his ambition of writing. Today he is one of the best known and richest of writers.

The story of J. K. Rowling's rise to fame is unbelievable. She had to type out the manuscript of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' which was 90,0000 words long, on an old type writer. Each time she was rejected, she had to type the manuscript all over again, and the rejections were many. To her good luck the daughter of the CEO of Bloomsbury read the story and loved it. Since then Rowling has never looked back.

It is said that "The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upwards through the night."

Qualities of an ambitious person:

- He is the architect and builder of his life.

- He is organized, focused and self-motivated.

- He is persistent. "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again."

- He keeps his ears and eyes open for new ideas.

- He makes the best of the opportunities that come his way to enhance his personal development and growth.

How to stay true to one's ambition.

- Believe in the tremendous potential in every human being.

- Believe in yourself and be spurred on by your desire to excel.

- Define your values and goals.

- Chalk out workable plans to achieve your dreams.

- Never quit.

Some people have bad ambitions. They have a one-track mind to achieve wealth and power no matter on whose feet they trample and how many lives they destroy. This is not ambition but greed.

Joseph Conrad says "All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upwards on the miseries and credulities of mankind."

Oprah Winfrey who is now a famous superstar with her own TV Network is an example of somebody with ambition and drive. She fought her way through racism, sexual abuse, and obesity to educate herself and work her way to the top.

"Never envisage defeat," says Norman Vincent Peale, "Giving up is defeat of a personality." He encourages people to live by the principle "I can if I think I can."

https://ezinearticles.com/?Ambiton---A-Passion-That-Motivates&id=9844753

Ambition - A Passion That Motivates

Life is a competition - a daring adventure, and success usually comes to those who are ambitious. Ambition is a deep desire for achievement, and is propelled by an internal drive to fulfill one's dreams.

"Nothing can stop a man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goals; nothing on earth can help a man with the wrong attitude," says Thomas Jefferson.

Without ambition life is as insipid as a dish without salt and spices. No matter how intelligent and talented a person is, he will not be able to achieve much without ambition. Ambition gives us a purpose in life and helps to escape mediocrity. It envisages no short cuts. Sacrifices will have to be made and oppositions overcome. But nothing can compare with the joy of achieving one's goal.

There are people who are famous today because they did not abandon their ambitions. Nobody believed that a blind boy like David Hartman would become a doctor one day. He was discouraged by family and friends. His applications for admission to various medical colleges were ignored until Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia decided to give him a chance. The obstacles that seemed insurmountable were conquered through sheer determination and David completed his course successfully. Those who doubted a blind man's ability to complete such a rigorous course had to admit that David Hartman was 'supernormal.'

Bettina Bechgaard a 19 year old Ballet dancer who was to perform at the Sadler Wells Theatre in London, was knocked down by a car that left her with multiple fractures of her limbs and in a semi-comatose condition. But her fierce determination through grinding weeks of pain set her back on her dancing feet after a long period of recuperation. Through physiotherapy, psychotherapy and counseling, Bettina was back to dancing. Her strong ambition took control of her body and enabled her to perform pirouettes and other intricate steps. Nobody even noticed the hint of a wobble at times.

Poverty did not dampen the ambitions of many famous writers, who early in life had to struggle to survive, yet never succumbed to defeat. In his autobiography "Tell the Tale," Gabriel Garcia Marquez tells how he was desperate to write and be read. He kept scraps of paper in his pocket and kept writing through his penury and hardships. He even had to borrow a typewriter to type out his manuscripts. The world cheers at his rise to fame.

Stephen King the famous author was so poor that he had to borrow clothes for his wedding. He lived in a caravan with his wife on a hand-to-mouth existence. But poverty did not turn him away from his ambition of writing. Today he is one of the best known and richest of writers.

The story of J. K. Rowling's rise to fame is unbelievable. She had to type out the manuscript of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' which was 90,0000 words long, on an old type writer. Each time she was rejected, she had to type the manuscript all over again, and the rejections were many. To her good luck the daughter of the CEO of Bloomsbury read the story and loved it. Since then Rowling has never looked back.

It is said that "The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upwards through the night."

Qualities of an ambitious person:

- He is the architect and builder of his life.

- He is organized, focused and self-motivated.

- He is persistent. "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again."

- He keeps his ears and eyes open for new ideas.

- He makes the best of the opportunities that come his way to enhance his personal development and growth.

How to stay true to one's ambition.

- Believe in the tremendous potential in every human being.

- Believe in yourself and be spurred on by your desire to excel.

- Define your values and goals.

- Chalk out workable plans to achieve your dreams.

- Never quit.

Some people have bad ambitions. They have a one-track mind to achieve wealth and power no matter on whose feet they trample and how many lives they destroy. This is not ambition but greed.

Joseph Conrad says "All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upwards on the miseries and credulities of mankind."

Oprah Winfrey who is now a famous superstar with her own TV Network is an example of somebody with ambition and drive. She fought her way through racism, sexual abuse, and obesity to educate herself and work her way to the top.

"Never envisage defeat," says Norman Vincent Peale, "Giving up is defeat of a personality." He encourages people to live by the principle "I can if I think I can."

http://ezinearticles.com/?Ambiton---A-Passion-That-Motivates&id=9844753

10 Ideas to Help You Stay Motivated

I often wonder what motivates us to stay productive. It's one thing to produce a positive result and yet another to consistently repeat that positive action. Only motivation, which comes from two sources, can keep us consistent.

1. Our own internal drive, self-talk and attitude. How we speak to and treat ourselves affects what we are able to accomplish.

2. External influence from family, friends, leaders and other people we look up to or hold in high regard. The advice or guidance we receive from others affects what we feel about ourselves and our capabilities.

The question is, what direction does the motivation take us in? One that leads to positive, productive results or not. It is up to us to very intentionally make adjustments to what we allow into our thoughts/minds. We must make decisions about that kind of talk we entertain and learn to discard negative thoughts or words.

Below are 10 thought-provoking ideas I feel lead us in the right direction.

1. Showing up is largely a result of self-motivation.

Absolutely! If we don't motivate ourselves to get moving it's harder to show up or be present during our normal daily activities. Our motivation should discard any negative feelings that prevent us from showing up to meet our commitments.

2. A positive attitude fuels inner drive.

Try it! There's no doubt that when we're positive, we get more done with less effort.

3. There's power in words. We should speak positively about ourselves and others.

Words are powerful when used right they motivate and encourage. We must always consider the result or outcome of our words before we speak.

4. Self-discipline over a period of time yields desired results.

There are tougher challenges in pursuing self-discipline than we realize. The results however are powerful and priceless - let's stay focused.

5. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel no matter how long the tunnel.

There will be moments when we are tried and tested personally and professionally. We have to focus on where we need to be, our finish line, in order to stay motivated and productive while going through the tunnel.

6. We know we are motivated when we consistently go the extra mile.

Internal motivation coupled by the external push from supporters and those who cheer us on fuels us to keep going.

7. Creativity helps build confidence & ownership.

Thinking outside the box and curiosity drives us to greater heights.

8. To be productive and efficient we must stay informed.

Having the right information at the right time motivates us to pursue our goals. We must seek and desire to gain the knowledge consistently.

9. We experience greater satisfaction when our work speaks for itself.

Actions speak louder than words. The results of the action we take to back up our words keeps us motivated. "Well done is better than well said." ~Benjamin Franklin

10. We are motivated by leaders that are authentic and engaged.

It's important to form relationships and/or follow leaders that motivate us to be better. Strive for excellence.

http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Ideas-to-Help-You-Stay-Motivated&id=9222125

Being in Bliss Begins in Small Increments - Fed and Harvested Seeds Sow Manna and Accomplishments

***Happiness is a great feat or a big mess that you find unattainable- NONSENSE!

Happiness is a lot more than just a guess at what motivates you to feel content, satisfied, validated or justified. Even though happiness is your way of feeling peaceful, serene or good, the reason for happiness is always relative and individual. No matter what brings you happiness- It's a personal thing- Subjective and Non-negotiable.

Be wary of the way that you allow yourself to be affected by outer situations or other people's silliness. Omit or eliminate the charge that others have to push your buttons.Folks if other people don't understand what inspires or drives you to continue to place all, if not most of your focus, on your artistic expression, let it be of service in the form of a lesson to you as well as to them- What you choose to do is nobody's business. How you choose to live is what will bring you the results that you get, give and bring back to yourself.

Give yourself the chance to ignite the flames or to fan the embers of what brings you the most peace, joy or fulfils your heart the most. That is a positive way of experiencing happiness everyday. Fulfilling and inviting a soothing feeling, by the energy released through your heart beat is a great accomplishment. Don't take the expression lightly! Enjoy soothing your soul and senses, if you can make another person content through your own joy, that's the icing on your proverbial cake! Perhaps you can enjoy the melodic vibrations and intonations of music that transpires an immediate, calming energy to begin your day. Or you like deciphering the lyrics of songs from artists that you admire, it's wonderful to be able to command or flip the switch to the channel that brings happiness back to yourself- where it has always lived.

We started our lives as happy babies and happy children until we learned from others how to be discontent and angry. Having child-like joy is not so far from your hearts' origin and wish to be happy and content. Enjoy being content in the context of your life.

Experience more feelings of gratitude through the small gifts that life has given you, even if only in small increments. Reasons for being in bliss begin in small measure that when fed and harvested will sow and grow big feats or accomplishments. Know that everyday we are all sowing seeds into our own enriched, ripe,and toiled soil in preparation of a harvest. Be assured that not only farmers are responsible for the harvest that is reaped, for the manna that you are served, so are you and so are we collectively.

If you sow a harvest of deceit, cheating, lying, stalking, blocking, copying, and stealing, those are the seeds growing the roots for the harvest that you will assuredly reap and eat. You have grown the crop of your own effort for manna. Manna is another word for food or fuel that is harvested by what you invite, allow or bring to yourself, this was done through your past actions. Thoughts,acts,effort, and energy produced a harvest that was all planted by what you planted, watered, toiled and in the seeds that were sown.

Harvest a crop of healthy grains and sweet fruit. The fruit that you plant today will lead to your deeds or demons. It's not our place to understand what motivates another to be disgusting or dishonest, after all there are demons that need to be quelled everywhere. People can choose to deal with their own angels or demons as they wish. In just as much measure that there are demons, there are angels too. It's up to you to follow the ones that suit you best. Angels have higher standards. Angels are good people and acts that bring joy and happiness from hard work and perseverance. Demons are also people we emulate or through the words that we follow by our inner self-talk or guidance. This force is in contrast to our inborn energy force that if left unregulated gets corrupt. A corrupt ego, when not in balance with self-modulation, individual effort and healthy energy, creates false illusions of reality and invites shame.

We all have free will. We are individually empowered to follow who and what energy we find resonates with our personality, and the qualities that we wish to emulate. Lower forms or energy require less work and effort. People who have established a life-time of manipulation and underhanded ways to achieve their means have their own demons that won't even defend them, because that's called insanity.

After all, they have their own demons to contend with, which have been brought into their Universe by their own acts of aggrandizement and dissatisfaction. Jealousy is a messy and lousy deceiving demon that needs attention. Jealousy stems from feelings of inadequacy, incorrect assumptions, aggrandizement or entitlement at its' lowest form.

No single person owns all of the abundance on the planet- At least nobody that is still living. Thankfulness and contentment with our own life work and effort gives us a reason to be happy. Abundance, in any positive form, can enable us to climb hurdles, attaining feats of joy like we have never experienced before! I wish you abundant joy and happiness. May all of your dreams come to you, in a healthy way, with the energy of your own ideas, creativity or hard work..

***I enjoy learning from you and from others offering me knowledge continuously!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Being-in-Bliss-Begins-in-Small-Increments---Fed-and-Harvested-Seeds-Sow-Manna-and-Accomplishments&id=9628233

Create Your Best Self

Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar. One day, the morning after a party or in the evening after a few glasses of Champagne with your friends, you get this super motivated feeling. It hits you and you know that this time you're going to stick to your guns. This time, you are ready to hit the gym, eat healthy, stop drinking and put in the work to be that person... your ideal vision of you that you see when you close your eyes.

And you do, for a week or even a month. But slowly you lose your motivation and you're not as gung-ho about the ideal you. And then one evening you are pouring yourself a glass of wine and think, "why did I want to hit the gym and get healthy again"? There's that familiar feeling of guilt that you feel. You were so excited, so ready. What happened?

Life happened. Habits happened. You have a million and one things running through your head and meandering through your life: your friend is sick, your significant other pissed you off, your mom is in town.

Life will always happen. But that doesn't mean that your ideal vision of you can't ever exist. In fact, all the more reason that person should exist. You might be thinking Julia, I'm "X" years old, I've tried this over and over and it's not going to work. And I'm going to tell you that if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.

You deserve to be your ideal vision of you, your Best Self. Stay motivated. Here's how.

What's Your WHY?

What's your Why? Think about your Why as your Personal Mission Statement. When you close your eyes and see your ideal self, your happiest self, what is that person doing? Who is that person? What about that person is so ideal to you? These are super personal questions. Your answers won't be the same as any other persons in the world. They won't be the same as your best friends, or your brothers, or your twins. Ask yourself what drives you to get out of bed in the morning. What motivates you to go out in to the world and be?

It's not often that we're asked to sit down and write out who our best self is. It feels a bit selfish. It's hard to put it in to words. It's as if we're embarrassed to admit that we want to BE something, something more than what we are today. I'm not saying that who you are today is not enough. But every person I've ever known has wanted to grow and be more and do more and learn more. I'm willing to bet you want that too.

Discover What Makes Your Ideal-Self Ideal

Try this exercise. Get a piece of paper and a pen. Remember when you were in 8th grade and your Literature teacher told you to just start to write? I remember writing my name abut 20 times before words actually did come pouring out of me. Start there. Write your name over and over. Drive home that this is about you. When you write your name, what do you want it to be associated with?

Write your name and then write 10-15 words that have personal value to you. If you have to write your name in between, that's fine. But find words that move you. Strength, balance, spirituality, wealth... whatever it is. Write it.

From that list, highlight 3-4 words that seem to jump out at you. Pick the 3 that resonate with you the loudest. Maybe they all revolve around one aspect of life. Maybe health is important to your ideal self, or relationships, or what kind of energy is around you. Maybe it's a mish-mash of a few different things.

Got it?

Now, take those highlighted words and create a statement about your best self, your ideal self. Navigate your thoughts away from HOW you will get there, but rather towards where THERE is.

It might help to think about what your ideal self would be without those 3 words. As soon as you pull them away, you'll recognize why they are so important.

Write It Down.

You've formulated your Why statement. Now, Write. It. Down. Not on Google Calendar, not in a notebook, not in Word. Write your statement, your WHY, on a piece of paper.

Put that piece of paper somewhere that you are guaranteed to see it twice a day (okay, you might need to write it down twice). Stick one to the tea kettle and stick one on the book you are reading that you keep on your night stand.

Focus on That Statement Twice a Day, Every Day.

Focus is the absolute key word here. Every day, read your Why statement once in the morning when you make tea, and once in the evening when you read your book. But don't just read it and pass over it. FOCUS on it. Take ten seconds to reaffirm what it means to you. Ten seconds. That's about as long as it takes to fill the tea kettle. It takes very, very little time to do. But the consequences are enormous.

When you read your Why statement in the morning, you are starting your day by filling your head with a vision of your best-self. Your brain hasn't yet been bombarded by everything that it will be presented with throughout the day. It's fresh. By reading your affirmation first thing in the morning, you are setting the tone of your day. Think about Christmas morning. Think about how the morning, the joy of it, infuses warmth and happiness through out the rest of the day. The tone is set. You have the power to do that every day.

When you go to sleep at night, does your mind race with a thousand thoughts? What if you could realign your thoughts so that they raced around your Why statement? What if the most meaningful thing, your Why, was the thing you fell asleep to, the last thought before you start dreaming?

You are putting your Why at the very forefront of your mind. That's the place where the Why starts to take over.

Live As If You Are Your Best Self, And You Make That Reality.

You create your own reality.

That's a big thought, but let me give you an example. Jane, a busy woman with a life-long love of fast food, wants to be a healthy eater. The 3 words/phrases that she highlighted as most meaningful were long-life, feeling alive, and confidence. Jane knows that to be a person with confidence, who feels alive and who can look forward to a long-life, she must be healthy. So Jane cuts out fast-food, she starts to walk 30 minutes a day, and she eats fresh food through out the day for energy. Jane is now a healthy eater. Jane created her own reality.

The moment that you choose to live the life that your Best Self will lead, you are your Best Self.

This is a learning process. Ah, life. Your Why statement might not be perfect the first time around. Your Why statement will morph as you accomplish the things that you want to accomplish. As I mentioned before, every person I've ever known wants to grow, wants to be more. That doesn't change even if you've created your Best Self reality. There is always more. There is always drive.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Create-Your-Best-Self&id=9430447

Why Ignoring Your Strengths Is Detrimental To Your Achievement

"Know Thyself," Socrates said.

How well do you know yourself right now?

What inspires, motivates and fires you up the most?

What are your strengths, weaknesses, values, purpose, passion, preference, penchant, mission and vision in life?

Cultivating self-awareness is one of the first steps in creating what you want and mastering your life.

If you're not aware of the problems, you won't realize the need for self-improvement and there's no way your life will get better. Strengths & virtues are one of the fields.

Positive Psychologist Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson found that the happiest people are those who have #1 discovered their unique strengths & virtues and #2 use those strengths & virtues #3 for a purpose greater than their own personal goals.

So if you don't know and use your strengths & virtues, you will likely be unproductive, unfulfilling and unhappy.

A few years ago when I started to fall in love with personal development, I took an assessment called Clifton Strengths Finder by the Gallup research group. According to the results, my top 5 strengths are Learner, Intellection, Connectedness, Responsibility and Input.

While I believe that personality, passions and hobbies may change over time, strengths & weaknesses seem to be more fixated.

Yes most skills are learnable, but there are certain things that just come naturally to you while there are other things that you just can't be the best in the world no matter how hard you try.

So even though I kind of knew what I was good at, taking these strengths tests helped me a ton on clarifying & explaining my reality in an objective manner.

It helped me to realize that I have a great desire to learn and are passionate about continual improvement.

It helped me to recognize that I am the kind of introspective person who appreciates intellectual discussions.

It helped me to explain why I have such faith in seeing the underlying links among all things.

It helped me to comprehend why I have such psychological need to take ownership of what I say I will do.

It helped me to understand my craving to know more, collect more and gather more information.

So what did I do with these accurate results? I strategized how I could utilize these strengths to build my career.

Instead of following the traditional route of getting a regular job that's relevant to my law degree, I decided to research online and create my own job using my strengths, passions and self-responsibility.

That's how I found that coaching is a career that fulfills me a lot.

That's how I found that content creation is something I enjoyed doing daily.

That's how I found that online entrepreneurship is the modern best "Fastlane" to create the kind of massive impact I want while providing the financial support I need.

In short, my strengths have guided me to where I am today.

It's one of the rare cornerstones that can satisfy most of your life areas - productivity, money, happiness, achievements, and fulfillment.

Of course there are many strengths test you can take other than Gallup's one (e.g. VIA Signature Strengths).

I don't know if one is superior to another, but the point is not to get caught up on these minutiae.

Pick one you like, find out your natural strengths, and be more self-aware today!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Ignoring-Your-Strengths-Is-Detrimental-To-Your-Achievement&id=9495829

10 Questions Successful People Ask Themselves

Be all you can be, so goes the saying. So we're all pelted with problems and life feels like a drag. But should that bother or even hinder us from becoming all we ought to be? I often see myself as somewhat content with my life the way it is.

And still I yearn for something deeper and more meaningful.

What we aspired to as kids should continue to live within us, a flame inextinguishable. That same positive spirit. The playfulness, elation, joy, bliss, wonder, awe and enthusiasm. These are things that can help us hold on to the dream. Life's nothing but a journey of self-discovery? To help us on this journey we should ask ourselves the following questions from time to time:

1. What do I really want?

This one's a question for the ages. So many things you want to do with your life in so little time. Doing something that you are good at can help realize that small step towards improvement. Finding your passion is the key to knowing that it is worth it.

2. Who Am I?

Change is the only constant in life. Everything else is changing, evolving. Everything else but change, that is. In today's hi-tech multi-possibility society the definition of 'self' has taken on a new meaning. Who we are is no longer defined by our age, gender, job, income, social status etc. Instead we seek answers to questions like What is life? What does it all mean? What's our purpose? As we grapple with these deep philosophical issues, we become wiser and more mature.

3. What's the bright side in all of this?

Let's face it, we live in a chaotic world. With so much happening around us there seems to be no room for inner solace. We are always switched on, ever in a hurry. There is no pause. I believe that if people paused for a moment then they'd be forced to look within. People are terrified of what they might find. So they scurry back and forth. They keep themselves occupied so they won't have to look within and ask themselves...

4. Am I comfortable with what I'm doing?

Most people hate their jobs. They drag their lower lip to the office every morning. For 35 to 40 years. That's their routine. I don't know about you but 40 years is an awfully long time to be stuck in a job I hate. Especially if your passion lies elsewhere and you're afraid to take that leap into uncertainty. So...

5. Is there something else I'd rather be doing?

If you are passionate about something then by all means follow your heart. The biggest obstacle might be not knowing how to make a living doing what you love. Google it. Find other people who are making a decent living from it and pick their brain. Buy business books. Do it part time and then transition slowly. Discontentment is no way to lead a life. It only leads to bitterness. You'll find yourself lashing out at other people for no reason.

6. Am I where I wanted to be?

If not then what is going to take for you to get there? Take out your journal. Write a detailed map of how you're going to get there. Write down your big goals. Your goals have to be S.M.A.R.T (Specific. Measurable. Actionable. Realizable. On a Timetable). Then write down your daily action plan. Your goals and action plan do not have to be perfect. They are just to get you moving in the right direction. Then you can tweak them. Perfect them. The idea is to gain momentum. To eventually become a 600 000 ton moving freight train. An unstoppable 600 000 ton moving freight train..

7. Do I have a magnetic personality?

Are people drawn to me? Do I radiate charisma? Believe it or not charisma is the number one skill to possess. The greatest leaders in history have used it to sway millions of people into following them. Every book on leadership stresses the importance of charisma as a quality that should be inherent in every leader. If you are charismatic people will walk to the ends of the earth for you.

8. What Really Makes Me Happy?

So what makes you happy? Is it the smile on your child's face? Or is it that Sunday afternoon drive on a near-empty freeway? Or are you one of the blessed few who are always in the zone? Whatever it is happiness is our natural state. Happiness is an essential element in an individual's personal development. The key to happiness is living in the present, not in the past (that moment is already gone) or in the future (that moment is yet to come) or even in an alternate universe (daydreams). You have to live in the present because it is ALWAYS the present.

9. What motivates me?

The pursuit of any goal worth pursuing begins when the pursuer of the goal decides to take action. This is the first step. At this point the pursuer is full of enthusiasm and drive. It's easy to stay motivated. There's also some idealism thrown in there for good measure.

But then it soon becomes apparent that achieving won't be as easy as you thought it would be. Idealism turns to frustration. At this point most people just give up.

But if you're passionate about your goal then staying motivated shouldn't be hard. You should welcome obstacles because overcoming obstacles will be the most rewarding part of your journey.

10. Am I fulfilled?

Very few people are fulfilled. Even after accumulating all the material possessions they could ever hope for. True fulfilment encompasses the spiritual, emotional and material.

http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Questions-Successful-People-Ask-Themselves&id=9314321

5 Biases You Probably Have (Even If You Think You Don't)

... including why we favor more attractive people.

In cognitive psychology, there is a concept known as the "better-than-average" effect.

The basic idea of an "average" implies that 50% of people will be below average, and 50% will be above. However, when you ask people if they're below or above average when it comes to any particular skill (e.g., driving, singing), far more people will rate themselves as above average than the 50% that you might expect.

Even when we know about such cognitive biases, we often think of ourselves as being immune to them: Other people might fall into that trap, we think, but I'm too smart for that.

To optimize your thinking, let's examine those cognitive biases to which you believe you are immune. Here are 4 more: 

1. Treating more attractive people better. 

Attractive people tend to get evaluated more positively than less attractive people. If you're in a position to hire a new employee or choose a realtor or doctor, this is a good bias to be aware of. Also, since weight stigma remains very prevalent in our culture, it's useful to be aware if you're attributing any negative judgments to someone who is overweight—e.g., thinking they might be lazy. Another example might be the stereotype that someone who has tattoos might be unreliable. 

The same principle applies to treating people who are more similar to you more favorably. Even when we're aware that this general bias exists, we often don't notice when it plays out in our lives—e.g., in a class, you might find study groups organizing themselves by ethnicity or age, or in your neighborhood, you might have a friendlier relationship with neighbors who are more similar to you than those who are different.

2. Thinking bad things won't happen to you.

You might know the statistics on how many people will get cancer during their lifetime, yet still think that your personal chance of contracting it is much lower. The key is recognizing your "average" vulnerability—to the extent that it's useful and motivates positive behaviors, such as getting a pap smear, carrying appropriate health insurance, wearing a seat belt, and using sun protection. Outside of the health sphere, similar examples include taking basic precautions to secure your home or prevent your stuff getting stolen. 

3. Vulnerability to marketing and sales techniques. 

Most of us know about the common sales and marketing techniques used by brands and salespeople. For example, "upsells" that get us to pay more for unneeded extras; credit cards and loyalty programs that use rewards and bonus offers to get people to spend more than they usually would; free trials that you don't get around to cancelling; and, in stores, putting the most expensive brands at eye level.

Which types of offers do you participate in but kid yourself that you're not getting influenced by sales and marketing techniques? There may be some strategies that don't cause you to change your thinking or behavior, but you need to be able to recognize when you are being influenced. 

3. Our bias toward sticking to doing the same thing. 

The more familiar something is, the more we tend to prefer it. When do you fail to recognize that you like something mostly because you're familiar with it—e.g., wearing black every day just because you're used to it.

4. Seeing people we're in love with through rose-tinted glasses. 

When you're in a committed relationship, it's generally useful to see the best in your spouse or partner. It helps keep us happy in the relationship by convincing us that we made a good choice of partner, and it allows us to give our partner a break when they screw up—e.g., they do something stupid but we continue to see them as generally smart.

However, there can be times where we fail to recognize our partner's shortcomings when it would be useful to do so—e.g., you might allow them to talk you into something financially risky or unethical.  

At the dating stage, love and lust can blind us as well, to the extent that we make a poor choice when a new partner's negative qualities come to the surface—e.g., your partner is a superficially charming narcissist. When would it be useful to you to recognize that your partner does have a weakness in a particular area—e.g., when they overestimate their driving abilities and drive too quickly when your entire family is in the car.

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-practice/201512/5-biases-you-probably-have-even-if-you-think-you-dont