Work Through Your Elephants Without Overwhelming Yourself

Do you ever start projects and don't finish them? There was such excitement in the beginning. The ideas were flowing and you felt that once you had all the pieces you needed, this would be your best project yet. But then something happens. Anything, really. And whatever it is, now feels like a barrier to being able to follow through on your plans. And so we have another unfinished project.

Let's discuss Ways to Follow Through without Overwhelming Yourself

1. DO A SELF-INVENTORY. Before even starting the project, do an inventory of the strengths you already have that can be used in your plan. Then think about what skills you need and what it's going to take to develop it.

2. PACE YOURSELF. Don't go full throttle just yet. Imagine the man running a 5K and he sprints the first mile, powering ahead and taking an impressive lead. Before he has a chance to be too proud of himself, he realizes he still has 2.1 miles to go and he's already winded. You know what happens next - he's no longer in the lead as one by one the runners who paced themselves started pulling in front of him. Not only did he come nowhere close to winning, he had exhausted himself so much in the beginning stages that he didn't even finish the race. Disqualified by his own exhaustion. Moral of the story: don't be that guy.

3. RESPECT THE VISION BOARD. Not your thing? Make it your thing. Go old school with it and clip what appeals to you out of magazines, brochures, and any other material that can help you create a collage of your best life. Get your scissors, glue, and markers ready 3rd Grade Art Class style. (Glitter optional).

4. TALK LESS, DO MORE. I talk to my clients about an interesting habit some people have which is to talk, brainstorm, philosophize, theorize, and conceptualize. Basically do everything except for take real action. It makes them feel like they're working on things when in reality they've just been thinking about working on things. The Visioning stage should be just that, a stage. Not a place where you get stuck in your mind for years instead of moving into action phase.

5. BREAK THE ELEPHANT. Someone (I don't remember who but they must have been wise) once asked me: What's the best way to eat an elephant? To which I gave my thoughtful answer of: I don't know, how. Unknown Wise Person replied: One bite at a time. I liked it. I liked it so much I started sharing that with my clients. Like it so much I'm writing about it. Break the big tasks into bite-size pieces. As great of a multitasker I'm sure you are, take a mindful approach and focus on one thing at a time. And speaking of breaks - have some.

6. TAKE BREAKS. Not the eternal breaks where you step away from your project for awhile only to never return to it again. But legitimate breaks where you stop for a moment even before you get tired. You can take a pro-active approach to self-care. Go ahead and decide when and how long you'll put things down to let yourself regroup and refresh, then back to it.

I think the main key to completing projects is to keep working on them until they're done. That's right, there's no mind-blowing formula to it, and you probably don't need a weekend retreat to have that revelation. What you do need is stick-with-it-ness, self-motivation, and portion control as you work through your elephants.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Work-Through-Your-Elephants-Without-Overwhelming-Yourself&id=9993560

How To Deal With Daily Stress At Home

Dealing with stress, especially in this day and age of hectic schedules and little downtime, can be quite a challenge. This can be especially true at home, since most of us don't have much time to spend at home.

Your career often takes up a great deal of your free time and forces you to sometimes sacrifice activities you want to do with your families and/or friends. This can often lead to you feeling stressed out in your home life, especially if you're dating or if you have a family. As they can sometimes feel neglected if you are spending too much time toward your work and career and not that much time with them. The information below should help you to reduce the pressure you are feeling at home.

Oftentimes, we can't fit everything we want to fit into our lives because we just don't seem to have enough time in our days. This is often due to a lack of good time management, doing tasks in inefficient ways and/or doing tasks that aren't as important, while leaving more important tasks on the "back burner" to do later.

To help reduce how hectic your home life may feel, you need to become better at managing your time. When you are faced with important tasks or projects related to your work, you need to lay out a plan of how to complete these tasks and to do them within the time you have (i.e. by the stated deadlines).

This can help you plan out how much time you must devote to them each day in order to complete them on time or ahead of schedule. By doing this, you can learn how much time must be devoted to work and how much time can be devoted to your family, friends, and yourself.

This points to the fact that you must take time out for yourself and your loved ones. In this day and age of hectic schedules and working constantly for our professional careers, we get the idea that we should be working all of the time and sacrifice everything else. If we do that, we'll burn ourselves out from the undue and unnecessary tension we put ourselves under. It'll certainly lead to fallout in terms of performance and health because no one can endure long periods of great strain without serious consequences.

That's why relaxing - doing some type of activity for even ten to fifteen minutes per day (or more, say thirty to sixty minutes) is another great idea. This can be anything from working out to listening to your favorite music to watching a favorite television program to surfing the Internet. Or you may want to listen to calming sounds (such as lying down, closing your eyes, and hearing waves washing up on shore via a CD or MP3 file).

Whatever you like to do that helps you to relax, unwind, and relieve any stress and tension you're feeling, you should do for a short period of time each day. This will help you to relax, recharge, and be able to focus on the tasks that need to get done. At the same time this should also be giving you the ability to enjoy the quality time you do spend with your family and friends because you won't be stressed out, and thus, won't be irritable, annoyed, and/or depressed when you do spend time with them.

Stress at home can really take a toll on your health, your relationships with loved ones, and your quality of life. By realizing you're stressed out from work and attempting to relieve yourself via enjoying a favorite activity each day, you can help to relieve the tension you're feeling and enjoy a better quality of life and a better relationship with your loved ones.

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Deal-With-Daily-Stress-At-Home&id=9906950

Decisive Plans That Bring You Closer To Your Goals

If you don't let yourself be distracted, you make the required career changes. No longer sitting back, you're motivated to turn long-cherished plans into a promising and beneficial period for your career. If you focus on putting in place a decisive plan that brings you closer to your aims, little stands in your way.

Effective goal setting let you achieve what you want in life. However, many of us abandon our goals before we accomplish them because of lack of confidence, not having a workable plan, being unrealistic, fear of failure, and putting too much stress on ourselves to accomplish them.

In reality, we need to establish what really want to happen in our lives. If we set our mindset that we really deserve success, anything is possible. We just need to believe that we can do whatever we set our mind to. We need to believe that we can do what we set out to do and that we possess the talents and abilities for doing it. Unless we start with this crucial premise, our efforts will be thwarted and we will fall short of accomplishing what we want.

One of the biggest problems people have in setting goals effectively is not knowing what they really want. The lack of a clear idea makes it difficult to proceed. The one thing all successful people have in common is that they are extremely focused and intensely goal-oriented. Every time they set something on their minds, can really be realized through positive mental attitude.

Try to chunk down you goals into little bits because if you want to achieve all at once, you might find it daunting and overwhelming, so it's best to organize and prioritize your goals. Devise a workable plan for each goal you want to accomplish. Since careers take a lot of time and effort to establish, then, planning and organizing your moves makes good sense.

Review and update developmental goals on a regular basis to ensure they are still relevant to you and keeps you on track and taking the appropriate steps and actions. If some of your strategies aren't working, fine tune them, or devise new ones. Anticipate distractions and obstacles along the way. Plan ahead of time what you need to do to overcome them and if it's not working, try to revise and adjust your priorities.

Staying focused and motivated is one of the toughest things to do when setting goals. It is natural to fall every now and then but it is important to get back on track as soon as possible. Make it a habit to review your goals periodically to stay on track.

Effective goal setting allows us to achieve whatever we aspire in life. Without it we would drift aimlessly and waste valuable time and effort in pursuits that lead nowhere. So, what are you waiting for? So start now! Decide which among your goals are most significant to you and devise a plan to accomplish them.

Goals are what take us forward in life. t's very important that we realize the significance and importance of decisive plans that bring us closer to our goals.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Decisive-Plans-That-Bring-You-Closer-To-Your-Goals&id=9864265

Take the Pressure Off and Plan Ahead

Life doesn't tend to run smoothly, with a measured, evenly spaced flow of demands and expectations. For business people it's often a feast or famine situation, with several orders, customers and meetings to attend, frequently followed by a disconcerting lull.

Parents may have child-related fairs, festivals and parents evenings in their diaries as well as having to juggle the other areas of their lives. Plus social invitations have a habit of occurring like buses, none for ages then six arriving all at once!

At those times something has to give. Whilst we may have lots to do there's also a need for us to manage stress, look after ourselves, take the pressure off and plan ahead.

- Anticipate the busy times. You may be able to forecast when a busy period is likely to occur; it may be around holiday time, Christmas, before the school term starts or when the universities resume. You may not always guess correctly but it's helpful to prepare for an influx of different demands. It may be useful to enlist help. Taking on an apprentice or forming alliances with complementary businesses may help you manage stress and take some pressure off as you support each other during those busy times. Or outsource some domestic chores or those business tasks outside your specific skill set. It could be money well spent.

It may be appropriate to manage stress by sometimes declining work which you suspect could become excessively draining and demanding. It might be tempting to say 'yes', but's it's not always viable to accept every offer of work that comes your way. In quieter periods it may be fun, interesting and challenging to have a go and learn new skills, but it's important to pick your time well. That's where networking, making connections and getting to know local people in similar fields can become a win/win relationship for all over time.

- Plan for your health. Batch cooking so you have healthy food ready to go can stop you reaching for the take-away menu or pre-chilled dinners. When you're extra-busy is precisely the time when good nutritious food is especially important. There may be merit in sometimes declining invitations so that you go to bed a little earlier, rather than regularly collapsing exhausted in the early hours, mind racing, wondering why sleep is so elusive.

Remember to allow yourself time for fun, exercise and your important relationships. Take breaks to manage stress and have personal time. You'll return to work feeling better, often with clearer thinking. Cosset yourself regularly. Investing in your health and wellbeing will enable you to continue performing at your best.

- Anticipate the lonely times. Take the pressure off and plan ahead for when you'll potentially be bereft, alone and feeling unloved. Find out what's happening locally, maybe register on mailing lists and suggest outings to friends, neighbours and colleagues. Often free or special offers can be found for shows, concerts and restaurants.

Make and accept invitations, even if they sometimes take you out of your comfort zone. It's okay to scare yourself a little from time to time! And think how proud you'll feel afterwards, doing something different, making new friendships and keeping yourself busy.

Plan for alone time by turning it into a special indulgent time. Take the pressure off and claim that time for yourself. Buy your favourite foods, organise your reading, music or viewing. Decide to have a lovely, relaxing, candle-lit bath, put clean sheets on the bed, have a treat of 'me-time' on your own.

- Plan ahead for studying or a heavy workload. If there's a period when you need to focus and really concentrate on work or a specific project you can take the pressure off by planning ahead. Identify what's urgent, important and what can wait until another time. A timetable can help you focus, but you need to stick with it! Use those deadlines as a useful way to measure what you've done and how much more there is yet to do. A little forward planning can put you firmly in control.

Being accountable may seem like a pressure situation, but used well, having to answer to another person can be constructive. It can keep you on track by refusing to allow you to go off course or become distracted. Knowing you have to check in regularly can keep you in the zone, clear about your immediate commitments and aware of each stage of the journey.

Taking time to plan and clarify your next steps can be time well spent, enabling you to feel more in control and less pressurised as a consequence.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Take-the-Pressure-Off-and-Plan-Ahead&id=9975367

How Do I Plan for a Successful Future and Life?

Don't plan! Life is too unpredictable, big and precious to be planned!

It is true! Life or success can not be planned and managed though many people may try to convince you that it can be. A way more better approach is to start with yourself and your situation and alternate with mid term and short term goals!

1. Analyze your current strengths and situation:- What can you do well? What you like doing well? How are you placed financially? Look closely at your current status and daily activities and try and write down things that you feel are going to help you build a happy and satisfied life.
2. Dream away:- Write down your long term vision of your life? Do you want to build a business? Do you want to become a millionaire? Do you want to house in the hills? Just let your mind wander and write down whatever comes to your mind. Keep it in the same notebook that you will access regularly.
3. Build A Bridge:- Take a look at the goal notebook and see if there are any short term or mid term goals there. There may not be. Choose goals that can be converted in mid or short term goals. E.g. if you have a goal that says I want to become a millionaire and your current net worth it 30000, you need to have a goal somewhere that says that I want to get my net worth to some more reasonable number in next 5 years.
4. Start from your current situation and build a detailed plan:- Please note that this is not a life plan. This is a short term plan taking you from your current status to your mid term goals. If you want to get your net worth to a certain number, you will have to figure out how you are going to earn that much money. You will have to plan to invest, build side-businesses, passive income etc etc.
5. Execute and track:- This is a very important step. Put your current status and goals in an excel sheet. Update it every month and note down how much closer you are to your goals.
6. Enjoy the process:- Make sure you do not make the whole thing a chore. You will never be successful that way. Add fun elements to the process. Reward yourself big time when you reach the milestones.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Do-I-Plan-for-a-Successful-Future-and-Life?&id=9672828

The Importance of Consistency

As careful as we plan and would like to plan the steps that lead to a bountiful life, there still exist the opportunities for missteps. To move forward requires drive and focus, but if drive and focus is pointed in the wrong direction you will find yourself spinning your wheels and continuing to do the things that keep you trapped. There is no doubt drive and focus is keen. Let's not leave out consistency. In order to develop excellence you will have to be consistent in your approach and technique. The more you do something (If you are doing it with emphasis of doing it better every time) the better you get at it. You develop excellence, but consistency is what you got you there. Consistency allows you to move forward. It fuels you with positive energy. I've yet to see a winner that doesn't display positive energy. I have yet to meet a winner that does not want repeat that accomplishment. It is important that you understand life changes from day to day nothing stays the same. Today will soon be like yesterday, it will be the past. So improving everyday is important and it takes consistency for that to happen.

When you consistently work to improve every facet of your physical and spiritual life, you become what you are. There will be times when you feel you just don't have the energy or can't fix the problem, that's when you need to rely on consistency. You will never have magic words or will something to be better. But you can rely on what you can do about the issue. Applying the right direction, drive, focus and consistency to the issue allows you to master the situation. Mastering the situation allows you to plan and navigate through life. If you consistently make the same mistake over and over again, some will say that hinges on insanity. I say that you just need to follow a direction that will benefit from the energy and consistency that you applied when repeating the mistakes. When you actually start to experience the benefits of your efforts you develop a different perspective. I personally appreciate a person that will at least make an effort to make life better it only helps the rest of us. Circumstances are what they are. Some of the world's deepest problems are some of its oldest problems. To me that's odd since we all understand that life only advances and to become stagnate and not continue to grow only creates decay and how decay can dictate life is still a question that needs to be answered. I know my last statement may not be proper grammar but it emphasizes my point.

You can't change what is, but you can decide what you will do about it. Excellence is a habit may be cliché but is very real. When you follow your heart and your conscious, combined with common sense, you will come out ahead. Doing it consistently will strengthen your conviction, and sharpens your reasoning. Contrary to what some believe doing the right thing is not weakness its strength. The more you do it the better you get at it. You develop excellence. You can't change what is going to happen but can steer it in direction that allows you to master the problem. Steadfastness is the substance of consistency. Steadfastness allows you an opportunity to develop a strategy that will conquer the issue and a plan of action to move you past it. If you stay diligent in your pursuit of a better life and understand that your task needs consistent effort, tenacity and focus you will see the improvements and understand that your consistency has everything to do with.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Consistency&id=8601954

Five Possible Reasons That Prevent You From Achieving Your Goals

Probably no one of us started out in life saying, "I hope I'll end messing up everything." Just like everyone else, all of us have the best intentions in all areas of life: relationships, health, careers or business endeavors, as well as recreational pursuits that will contribute to our personal growth.

And yet, to leave everything to chance, or to assume that success in achieving our goals is a matter of luck, is a dangerous presumption. We are deluded if we believe that fate determines the ultimate fulfillment of our goals.

Sit back and take a good look at your life right now. Have you achieved most of your goals, or at least, gradually getting to that point? If you're feeling dissatisfied, consider the following as the possible culprits that hold you back:

(1.) Your goals lack clarity.

Before making a definite plan to go after what you want, first you need to decide what it is that you want. Different people set goals for different reasons. There is most likely an underlying motive that serves as the driving force behind every worthwhile goal.

If you only have a vague or hazy idea regarding what you want, you won't feel compelled enough to take action.

(2.) Your goals are in conflict with one another.

Some people make an effort to work on several goals at once. This is perfectly all right if each separate goal complements, or is in sync, with one another. To illustrate, let's say your goal is to learn a foreign language, like Spanish. You then make up your mind that the best way to learn is to take an intensive course in a foreign language school.

So to be able to afford the tuition fee, you take in odd jobs in addition to your nine-to-five, like waiting on tables at the Spanish restaurant near your place in order to become familiar with the cuisines.

Now, if you're a high school student and you want to qualify for an academic scholarship in college yet you spend most of your time going out with friends because you also consider a social life to be important, this can cause conflict. Make sure that if you want to get on the right track towards a scholarship, strike a balance between doing homework and finding time for friends.

(3.) Your goals are unrealistic.

While it's good to set a goal that will challenge you to stretch beyond your capacities, there are some goals that are impossible to achieve given a certain time frame. A very good example of an unrealistic goal is to aim to lose 20 pounds in just one month.

A more feasible plan of action would be to whittle away a pound or two a week, not by drastically changing your diet, but by making small sacrifices like skipping desserts, cutting back on soda, or getting up 15 minutes earlier every morning to exercise.

Your goals may also be considered unrealistic if you wish to work in a certain type of career, trade, or profession and yet, you have absolutely no talent or aptitude, or even the right credentials, to have a fighting chance to succeed in that career.

For example, a career in sales requires that a person is by nature gregarious and enjoys frequent person-to-person contact. Individuals who are introverted or have to summon up enough courage before making cold calls are not suited to be salespeople.

(4.) You have no idea if you've made progress.

Goals, in order to be effective, need to be measurable. Ask yourself, "Am I moving towards the direction that I desire?" or "Am I achieving what I'm supposed to achieve?"

Devise a system that will allow you to keep track of your progress. Assess yourself regularly to see if you've made improvement.

There are times when the results of the goals that people set aren't tangible. I've heard parents say, "I want to grow closer to my children." Closeness can never be quantified. Usually, to grow closer to their children, parents would need to schedule more quality time with them. While fathers are expected to provide, a mother may decide to give up her career, or juggle her schedule so she can come home early to join her family for dinner a couple of times a week. A father can keep most of his weekends free so he can take his kids camping or biking.

(5.) You're not fully committed.

Goal setting requires hard work, determination, and a willingness to delay gratification. Making constant excuses or relaxing your resolve when the going gets tough won't bring you to the completeness of your goals.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Possible-Reasons-That-Prevent-You-From-Achieving-Your-Goals&id=9636534

Five Ways to Be Ahead of Time

One of the greatest assets in life is time, one of the greatest delusions in life is still time and one of the greatest illusions in life is time.

The world is regulated by time, as far as life on Earth is concerned, it is timed, and every aspect of living is timed. The different categories of timing represent the diverse stages of life. In reality, time regulates seasons, seasons influence trends and trends regulate people. Thus everyone in life is either a time setter or a time checker.

Time setters are able to position themselves ahead of the time by following principles that propel them beyond the present time while time checkers follow time and are bound by the shackles of trends.

However, there are principles to follow if you desire to be ahead of time, below are five vital ones:

1) BE VISIONARY: 

What do you see? Vision is not the presence of sight, but the presence of inner sight or what you call INSIGHT. What you see for your life affects what you expect from your life and how you move in your life. Seeing beyond the present moment, gives you a glimpse of what the future can be and ultimately gives you the advantage to prepare for it. Vision propels you to move ahead of the present season and positions you ahead of the crowd.

2) PLAN. 

In advancing in life, the place of planning can never be overemphasized. You have envisioned the times ahead, then take one more step to plan your way to it. Ask crucial questions, meet strategic people, obtain the required skills and synchronize your life around your plan of the vision. Ask yourself, what does it take to get to my vision, how can I get there, where should I start, who do I need, how long will it take me to get to my vision. Be deliberate to get the right answers because they unfold your plan for the vision.

3) BE PASSIONATE. 

Passion is a fuel to purposeful living. One distinguishing factor in life is the passion we live it with. Passion keeps you moving even in the most harsh conditions. When you lose passion for living, you have lost life itself. Develop passion For the plan of your vision, and see the self limiting obstacles crumble in your face.

All through history, you will discover that the most outstanding people are the most passionate ones. These are men and women who are zealous of what they are doing, and they are not apologetic about their obsessions.

4) FORM A HABIT. 

To be ahead of the crowd, form vision sustaining habits. Be deliberate in cultivating habits that will naturally bring you closer to your vision. When you absorb great habits into your lifestyle, you automatically program your mind on what is important to you. One thing about habits are that they are hard to cultivate, and even harder to break. Consistency with these vision oriented habits gives you an edge over those that do not have them and places you on the right track for vision actualization.

5) PRAY 

Vision, plan,passion and habit are nothing without the hand of God. Prayer still remains the master key to unlocking the future. When you pray and Access God, your vision crystallizes in your spirit and you start living it out in the now. Hearing from God is an acid test to the success of every vision. Moreover, visions are birthed in the place of prayer, and prayer, brings God into every vision, plan, passion and habit. Don't make praying your last option, rather the first. Prayer simplifies complicated matters and builds your faith, which is crucial in vision actualization, especially the big ones. Therefore, the bigger the vision, the more praying is involved.

Finally, understand that life is in seasons, but you can change the season by influencing the time through these principles.

DON'T JUST WATCH TIME... 

SET YOUR DESTINY TIME...

http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Ways-to-Be-Ahead-of-Time&id=9646800

The 10 Step Goal Process

What does it take to achieve your goals? There is a process we mentally go through when we set, plan and take action on our goals. At times we think it is just about setting the goal and then getting into action. We quickly find ourselves distracted and off track. This is common, especially when the goal process is not followed. Here is a 10 step process to support you in your efforts. Good Luck!

1. OPENNESS - see opportunities and creatively explore new ways to get things done 

2. CLARITY - know what is most important and set a goal 

3. MOTIVATION - know your WHY and the benefits of doing this 

4. CAN DO ATTITUDE - decide what you will do, celebrate what you have done 

5. FOCUS - know what you want to achieve and get it done 

6. PLAN - be clear and specific with your goal and plan of what and how you will do it 

7. SET MILESTONES - create mini milestones to keep you feeling success and momentum 

8. ACTION - have a list, have a schedule and deadlines, be proactive, be flexible, do something 

9. SUPPORT - have a network or accountability to support you or keep you on track (it matters if you don't do it) 

10. RECHARGE TIME - after giving it 100%, take a break and rest and recharge

Test your goals now...

- Am I open to new ways and ideas? (fixed or closed mindset) 

- Do I have clarity on what is most important to do? 

- Am I motivated? If not, what is getting in my way and how can I remove the barrier? 

- How is my attitude? Do I see the possibilities and solutions? If I am stuck, talk to someone or write down the block and shift to thinking "what is possible?" 

- Am I focused? If there are distractions write them down to do later or set up space to reduce distractions. 

- What is my plan to get this done? What do I need to do and when will I do it? 

- What is the first milestone or significant accomplishment toward this goal? 

- What action will I take right now? 

- Who can I be accountable too and check in with? 

- What will I do to recharge and take a break?

Setting goals isn't just about the goal; it is about the process around the goal. At times these steps can seem obvious or trite however they are key actions in the process of goal achievement. If you are not reaching your goals, consider if there is a step in the process that you can sharpen and increase your goal success!

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-10-Step-Goal-Process&id=9951928

How to Take Back Your Life and Unsubscribe From the Drama of Everyday Living

An Action Plan for Your Life

We stand frozen before the drama we wish to flee from like a deer in the headlights and wonder why we don't get out of the way.

You may have taken a path in life you had little intention of choosing. You might look back and wonder if it was the right decision.

This does not mean your choices are wrong. Think of it like trying on clothes before stepping out for the evening. You might know what you will wear, yet when it comes time to get dressed, you're influenced by the weather or your mood. All of a sudden, the outfit is not to your liking.

What I'm proposing is: life doesn't know what it will become until you step into it. You cannot make mistakes other than experience the fruits of your thoughts and act accordingly.

"It turns out that one reason we wrongly predict what will make us happy in the future is that we overlook our capacity to tolerate, and even adapt to, discomfort," state authors Todd Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener in The Upside of Your Dark Side: Why Being Your Whole Self - Not Just Your "Good" Self - Drives Success and Fulfillment.

You can be dragged along by your choices or be drawn by inspiration.

These pull factors will either lead you towards a powerful future or keep you stagnant, or even cause you to slip backwards.

Few people have an action plan for their lives.

It is difficult to plan for the future let alone what to have for dinner tomorrow night.

Life often has other plans, throwing up a set of unexpected detours.

Without a plan you are likely to be controlled by external forces.

Stand up to External Distractions

Reflect on the previous week where you intended to complete a goal or project and were derailed by unimportant matters.

Few people stick to their plan without allowing trivial matters to get in the way.

You are continually being shaped by outside forces not of your choosing. You simply must stay vigilant towards your long-term commitments if you wish to realise success.

"Stuff happens." There are things we may or may not have control over, but the one thing we do have absolute control over is how we respond or react. This is the power of conscious and present-minded choice. This action alone helps shape our destiny, according to author Dennis Merritt Jones in Your Redefining Moments: Becoming Who You Were Born to Be.

If you want to take ownership of your life, prioritise what matters.

Often, this means saying no to people or situations that contradict your goals.

To illustrate this key point, as an author it is important I carve out time daily to write and hone my craft. This often means working undisturbed during the morning into lunchtime when my thoughts are conducive to being creative.

However, I am often distracted by phone calls, emails or requests from people. Yet, I resist the temptation to yield to these external forces because my priority is writing.

Stephen Pressfield, author of The War of Art offers this insight: "Resistance cannot be seen, touched, heard, or smelled. But it can be felt. We experience it as an energy field radiating from a work-in-potential... Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, and prevent us from doing our work."

Prioritise Your Time

You need to be selfish with your time. Otherwise you will diverted by unimportant matters and regret you didn't manage your time better.

Selfishness in this context means prioritising what is of value to you.

Similarly, it is important to break out of routines and habits every now and again.

Whilst habits are effective most of the time, you'll need to organise unplanned activities that bring you joy and happiness.

This may include participating in an unplanned activity at the last minute. The key is to dictate your terms and not allow others to control your time.

"... giving up our need to control events and force outcomes makes us available to the full power of flow. It can move through us and help us accomplish things even greater than we had planned," states author Charlene Belitz and Meg Lundstrom in The Power of Flow: Practical Ways to Transform Your Life with Meaningful Coincidence.

In previous articles I've spoken of the pain pleasure principle whereby people are motivated to seek pleasure or escape pain.

The problem with the latter is that this type of people seldom finds fulfilment because they run away from what they don't want, instead of leaning towards what they desire.

Therefore, commit to pursuing whatever brings you closer to pleasure through your choices and actions.

Avoid being dictated by commitments and obligation because you will regret it when life is not enjoyable anymore.

Leadership experts talk of establishing boundaries. I recommend connecting with your core principles instead since this will lead you to make choices in alignment with them.

Start the Day as You Want it to Unfold

Also of importance is how you start the day. Give attention to important matters early in the day and don't succumb to external noise.

I perform a set of rituals first thing in the morning, including reading inspirational texts from books, exercising or stretching, followed by meditation.

These rituals range anywhere from five to twenty minutes and will enhance your outlook for the rest of the day. The key is to establish a positive mindset when your feet hit the ground after waking up.

I enjoy the advice by author Bernard Roth in The Achievement Habit: Stop Wishing, Start Doing, and Take Command of Your Life: "By choosing the meaning we give to the people and things in our environment, ultimately we control our own experiences, no matter what work we are doing."

If you want a fulfilling life, do away with interference and create your experience on your terms. The start of the day is the most conducive time for priming your outlook for how the rest of the day will follow.

You are the commander of your life and the organisation called YOU. You are responsible for creating positive moods you enjoy.

Some say it is unrealistic to be positive all the time because unpleasant situations will often arise. You might experience bad moods because of these. This may be true for five to ten percent of the time.

However, barring the death of a loved one or a major illness you can create a positive attitude instead of reacting to external conditions.

I assure you it is within your power.

Be vigilant however, that you don't relinquish your power to others because they will take advantage given the opportunity. Not because they are callous, but if you are not respectful of your own time, others will know this and use it to their benefit.

Prioritise what matters or other people will make the choice for you.

I've often repeated: we coach others how to treat us.

"But, sadly, many people never tap into the vast amount of power they have to design the aspects of their lives that they can control. They drift along, leaving things to chance, and then wonder why life never seems to turn out well. And when things inevitably do go wrong, they drop their heads in defeat, accepting their misfortune, telling themselves there's nothing to be done about it," avows author Kyra Bobinet MD MPH in Well Designed Life: 10 Lessons in Brain Science & Design Thinking for a Mindful, Healthy, & Purposeful Life.

It is possible to take your life back and unsubscribe from the drama of everyday living.

It must come from a commitment to honour what is important and letting go of distractions if you wish to live passionately.

It is within your reach, so don't settle for second best because that is what you're likely to get if you pursue something less than what you are capable of.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Take-Back-Your-Life-and-Unsubscribe-From-the-Drama-of-Everyday-Living&id=9593844

Stooped, Stopped and Steadfast Claiming Your Victory

Define the goal, make a plan and set out for success; this is the customary preparation we have been trained to use when we follow a dream. Many times we stop short of success, detour somewhere else or just plain quit. What lies behind those changes that altered the course of a dream we believed in?

Obstacles and alternative opportunities are the most likely cause of a total shift in course. Obstacles are the challenges that continue to create uncomfortable bumps in the road, trenches to dig out of and stop signs that being to feel interminable. Most people relate stories about their interrupted journey that typically begin with the words, 'I was half way there and just couldn't go on.' The reasons vary from just plain tired of trying to the inability to see a clear way through an obstacle and beyond. Everyone who quits and turns around to go home has a personal story that accompanies their journey. The one thing that is immutable for every person who retreated back to where they began is the fact that they traveled the same distance back to accept defeat as the distance required to claim their victory. Half way is half way regardless of which way you decide to travel. The difference in how the story end is determined by the decision to stay the course and continue on.

The Navy Seal program is fraught with peril and incredibly difficult to complete. It is not uncommon for as many as ¾ of each class decide to ring the bell signaling they can't go on and quit. There is one rule no one is permitted to break. You can't quit until tomorrow, until you sleep on it, rest and can see clearly. For those who made it, tomorrow never came. They stayed the course and found the grit and the faith necessary to go the distance.

For everyone who continues on they usually discover that the path that was so difficult to navigate, the one that nearly broke their spirit, was filled with lessons that were required to sustain their win. The most difficult challenges were filled with things they needed to know to receive the greatest good possible. Their most difficult and painful stepping-stones assisted them in sustaining the tests that maintaining the win would present, ensuring it would be enduring and worth the training. When you stoop down to jump real high and stop you are poised to win and frozen in failure. When you feel like you are at the end of your endurance persevere and force yourself to make the jump in blind faith. Don't get stopped in the stoop!

If you accepted other easier opportunities you have simply chosen something less than the greatest glory that was your destiny. Life is always about choices. Sleep on them before you ring the bell to quit and travel the same distance back to failure or mediocrity as you could have gone forward to claim the victory.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Stooped,-Stopped-and-Steadfast-Claiming-Your-Victory&id=9767031

The Tiny Small Decisions Leading Right Up To Destiny (By Dash Trembley)

So exactly 1 year ago, I walked right into a swimming marathon competition and it was one of the best "accidental moments" of my life.

I was deciding whether to join a yoga competition for many weeks then. I participated the year before, and I really wanted to see my progress for my second year of practice. But I wasn't attached to or practicing at any affiliate studio at that time and it would be necessary to do so and my schedule did not permit me to come home early to do that.

So that Saturday morning, just two days before the yoga competition's deadline, I felt like taking a long walk to the swimming complex near my house and go for a swim and it was a really uncanny and unusual decision because I would never deliberately plan to carry out my physical routines on a weekend. It was always between Mondays to Fridays. Period.

But I knew it was inspired action so I went ahead anyway. When I arrived at the entrance, the entire complex was sealed off. There was a charity event going on and hence the 3-hour marathon was organized to attract sponsors. I guess it was no accident that I walked right into another one.

I was given 2 choices. I either sign up and join the competition and enter the pool as a competitor, or I had to turn around and go back home and not be allowed to have my swim that day. When I say I took a long walk, I really meant it in a literal way. I have taken a whole forty-five minutes walk to reach there, so of course, the choice was pretty obvious.

I even bought new goggles the day before! I haven't swam with goggles since I was 10. I always thought it jammed my eye sockets too much that I would much rather swim with my head above water or attempt to breathe under it like a fish.

This was planned for me and pre-paved before I even realize that the manifestation was taking place. So how could I possibly turn around?

At first thought, it came across a little daunting for a fleeting moment because there was going to be a full range of categories for seniors, men, women and even children swimming in 1 pool. I think I was more resistant about the amount of germs inside the pool that day, more so than countering the fear of competing.

I've done a lot of other sports back in school and my teacher always sign me up for every event. But this, by far, was the best sports challenge I've ever had in my entire life. It made the 2 sessions of back-to-back 40 degrees hot yoga I took, look and feel like fluff and icing. Even though it comes up to a duration length of 3 hours too, yoga is static in nature, swimming on the other hand, is a whole new different layer of the cake.

So instead of a 3 minute 6 postures yoga routine, I ended up swimming for 3 hours straight and completed one hundred and two laps! I went home that day with a medal and a ten-shades darker self from not having any sunscreen on, all burnt out but.. happy and fulfilled.

I practically skipped back home.

Sometimes life closes certain doors in your face but has already prepared another one for you to enter even before you can see it with your naked eye. You just got to trust the process and know that it will be revealed to you in its own perfect timing.

So the universe brought me something else on my plate.

An answer, a bigger challenge for a larger purpose.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Tiny-Small-Decisions-Leading-Right-Up-To-Destiny&id=9417479

Five Simple Steps to Create Greater Success

Here are 5 simple steps to create greater success by managing our time and getting things done in business and life that are important.

We live in a busy world where our time, priorities and energy are constantly challenged so have a game plan to help...

EVALUATE. What do I really want? Where am I headed? What am I doing now? 

GET REAL. What is really important that will impact and support your long-term goals the best? What is not important? What is distracting me? What is not really supporting my long-term goal? 

PLAN. What do I need to do to accomplish my goal? What are the KEY action steps? How will I do this? What schedule or strategy will keep me focused? 

FOCUS. Whom do you need to be and what structures do you need to have to accomplish this (mindset, attitude, accountability)? 

MONITOR/EVALUATE. Am I doing little, unimportant things? Am I procrastinating? What is working/ what is not? How could I streamline what I am doing?

The key to the success of the idea is a plan. You know the saying, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Take your idea, write a SMART goal on paper and create a plan from start to finish on how you will accomplish your goal. Then, decide if you have the time, energy, resources and desire to bring it to completion. Next, estimate HOW LONG each task will actually take. It is common to underestimate how much time each step will take and therefore it never gets done. Remember, if you are going to add something to your schedule, you must also plan to say "No!" to something else to make time to accomplish your goal.

Goal setting and accomplishment is not rocket science. The challenge is to maintain the discipline, focus, and clarity to implement these basic strategies. Evaluate your long-term goal, be realistic, plan, set structures for focus and have checkpoints to monitor. Invest your time in your plan and maintain the course once it is set. If you are serious about these goals, take action today. Ensure your success by developing an accountability system for yourself. Hire a coach as your strategic partner to run with you. Find a buddy in a similar situation.

Whatever it is, build environments to support your vision. Take the time to plan and design structures for success and you will see a difference!

Here's to you and your success! Have fun!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Simple-Steps-to-Create-Greater-Success&id=9868819

Unleash Your Skills to Pay the Bills (By Dr. Shauntel Peak-Jimenez, Ph.D)

Hey there! Thank you for clicking on this article. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to connect with you. First of all, in no way am I insinuating that you can't pay your bills. I like words that rhyme and I thought the title sounded cool (smile). Plus this article is going to actually cover information on how you can use your skills to pay the bills. And I am referring to your skills as an entrepreneur.

If you feel led to step into entrepreneurship then there is a reason for that. And that reason is probably because part of your calling is to be an entrepreneur. And if you are like how I was many years ago you might not have realized that entrepreneurship is even a calling. So if you feel that divine nudge to become an entrepreneur then you definitely need to keep reading this article.

Many years ago back in 2009 I lost my nursing job due to corporate downsizing and that is how I was introduced to the world of entrepreneurship. But for a lot of my life I felt like I was supposed to be an entrepreneur, but I felt stuck in the 9-5 cubicle life. But when I lost my job the doors of entrepreneurship swung open for me, now by no means has it been easy, but it has been extremely rewarding. And I have been blessed to use my skills to pay the bills. And guess what? The same thing can happen for you.

So now that you have determined if you feel led to entrepreneurship, what's next? Well you must have an entrepreneurship mindset. And an entrepreneurial mindset is a much different mindset than an employee mindset. Being aware of the difference and applying an entrepreneurial mindset to your business plan, goals, and action plan can be a critical factor in whether you succeed as an entrepreneur or not.

But it doesn't stop with the entrepreneurial mindset, there are some other important things related to successful entrepreneurship, like understanding how to take your divine idea and transform it into a business model, and even after that is done you must know how to turn that business model into money. And when you can manifest the money that is when you can have financial resources to help with those bills. So as you see unleashing your skills to pay the bills is totally possible for you. And guess what? It might not be as hard as you think!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Unleash-Your-Skills-to-Pay-the-Bills&id=9770967

It Always Seems Impossible Until It Is Done (By Sergei VanBellinghen)

It always seems impossible until it is done shows in its first part that our mind limits our beliefs and potential as to what we believe we can do. The second part, however, demonstrates that people, who push forward, not believing in limitation, contradict the world by making things possible.

Why do you believe things are impossible or possible? Is something that has never been done before means it is in no way possible to realize? How do you reach this possibility thinking?

Many of the things that we take as truth now were considered impossible not so long ago. In a previous time, most people thought it unlikely to take flight, walk on the moon, have a smartphone or be able to see someone on the other side of the world via video.

"So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable." - Christopher Reeve

Impossible and Possible 

During my time in the Soviet army, I remember computers being as massive as a room with cards getting perforated while running through to analyze things. A little more than 30 years passed and yet what an astonishing change!

Understand that your personal experiences create your belief system. It crafts what you believe to be impossible and possible. And just because something seems like an impossibility, it does not mean that it cannot be done. Minds are like parachutes; they only work when we open them.

Therefore, I believe that our comfort zone contradicts our way of considering that anything is possible, destroys our goals and stop us from reaching our dreams. All around the world, you can see how many successful people took bold moves to make the impossible possible.

Impossible Is Just a Word 

I am sure you have dreams and aspirations; we all do. And it does not matter if they are big or small. What matters is how important they are to you, and how you go about fulfilling and turning them into a reality. If you think it seems impossible, you will keep dreaming, and they will remain just that, dreams.

So, it is sad that instead of experiencing real pleasure and fulfillment of your dreams, you settle for average conditions in your life. You only see how impossible things seem because you create them up that way. And yes, some stuff looks not possible because, in truth, they are tough. Either way, the challenge here is to overcome it and grow.

Pursuing the Impossible 

Of course, pursuing a dream that seems impossible is hard work, but you should know that anything is possible with the right amount of belief, hard work, ability, and persistence. You also have to realize the difference between wishful thinking and possibility thinking. The latter is backed up by a plan and actions while the earliest is just a thought or idea.

You and I can dream and imagine great things. But when it comes to taking action, it is where most people fail. They usually come with excuses that it is impossible to realize without even giving themselves a chance to try.

So, to cut a long story short, many individuals disqualify themselves from the race to success before even making the first step. However, the reverse is conceivable for some people. They have an approach and boldness in believing that things are possible for them to achieve, and so pursue it with tenacity.

Making the Impossible Possible 

But what is the approach to an impossibility? The answer to that question is to develop, in your own life, the attitude of a scientist or child that discover and learn new things. Try different ways no matter how crazy they may be.

And then you have to experiment things out over and over to progress, move forward and make what seems impossible possible. The crucial element is to form a stable possibility mindset as well as a productive one. Be careful to not slide back into a wishful thinking mode.

Therefore, take actions every day, no matter how small or tiny they are. You have to get away from the belief and thinking that it is not possible. Avoid the negative self-talk such as thinking that you cannot do it or that you are not good enough. And stop believing that the time is not right or that you should have done this a long time ago.

Changing the Impossibility Thinking 

From early on as a child or as we reach adulthood, our minds learn to begin accepting impossibility thinking. It often happens from past failures and unfavorable experiences. There is also evidence of peers or real-life examples which seem to show us things seem impossible.

Therefore, you have a pre-installed defense mechanism that rationalizes your mind to think and believe that you are not the one who could make it happen or have not the abilities to succeed. And if you think you cannot, well guess what, you are right.

So today, I ask you and encourage you to accept, embrace and adopt a new version of thinking in your life. You have to admit to yourself that anything is possible until proven beyond a shred of doubt that it is impossible to do.

Tips to Overcome the Impossible 

• Be fearless and remind yourself that anything is possible.
• Have a scientist or childlike mind to discover and learn things.
• Believe in yourself and your ability to succeed even if you have not done so before.
• Go after the dream you cherish regardless of barriers.
• Write the book you want to write despite the belief of the limitations you have.
• Acquire and implement the possibility mindset and a growth approach.
• Start the business you desire by making a plan and taking action.
• Avoid assuming that something is impossible just based on your previous thoughts and ideas.
• Realize that what seems impossible is more than often possible to do.
• Change your state of mind from impossible to possible.

Remember that the enthusiasm and fear of a new challenge sparks an essential incentive and makes the experience worthwhile. The path to success is never easy, yet you should never let circumstances or obstacles restrict you. Instead, use impossible things like a drive to reach higher.

It Always Seems Impossible Until It Is Done 

Many people want success but are not ready to make what seems impossible a reality. Success usually comes with a price. If you want something better for you and your loved ones, you may have to let go of one life. It may feel quite comfy now, but it might not advantage you in the long run.

So, if your dream is to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to act and think like an entrepreneur. Even if it means giving up your current job and essential paycheck. When you want something that bad, you have to focus on what always seems impossible until done. And do it without letting anything else distract you.

If everyone thought that things were impossible, there would be no entrepreneurs and inventors who create inventions or make breakthroughs in this world. Just remember that what seems unlikely is a worthy challenge until it is done. And success does not come to the people who only dream about it but to those who will do their best to make their dreams possible.

http://ezinearticles.com/?It-Always-Seems-Impossible-Until-It-Is-Done&id=9828360

What Does the Coming of Tomorrow Mean?

The coming of tomorrow can be just another day or less frequently an unpredictable day. Yet you can have some influence over that to a great extent. How is that? Read on to find out.

For most people coming of tomorrow would mean coming another day of your routine life. But you can change the pattern to some extent because coming of tomorrow does not have to mean always that way.

You can make tomorrow a memorable or victorious day of your life if you plan ahead of time. By preparing and taking actions ahead of time you can make tomorrow a grand day be it a party day, a day to accomplish something great or just simply a day for some family time together. Even little things can bring happiness while monumental stuff will bring triumph.

What is it you desire, you have to take action and plan ahead of time to make tomorrow different. That's the sole secret.

For instance, consider throwing a grand party - you need at least one whole month prior to tomorrow to make the guest list, the shopping list, preparations for ordering food items, arrangements for sitting and decorations for your home and so on. It cannot happen in a single day.

While a family out together depending on how small your children are, it can be organized quickly within a day's notice. You just need to plan whether it's a park to play with your children you will go or to a restaurant to eat out together. Either way, it is easy to plan and organize and yet tomorrow can be a great fun day for you.

On the other hand, if you are trying to accomplish something great, say your PhD Dissertation, well that would take weeks of practice and rehearsal for best results. You have to present your presentation in front of a committee of people and other audience; you need to have your thesis compiled and assembled into a formal proper book and probably you have to burn the soft copy of your thesis on a CD or two. That way you have well planned. Additionally you have to prepare yourself well for giving proper answers to the questions posed by the audience on your dissertation day which happens to be tomorrow. If it all goes well, there you have it - you are conferred upon a PhD degree- something of great triumph.

Sometimes coming of tomorrow may be as unpredictable as losing your job, demise of someone close or simply a bad day. Try to repel the negative energies as much as you can and make it bearable for you. It always will happen once in a blue moon and therefore, you don't have much to take to heart most of the time.

On the other hand, why does it have to be routine work for another tomorrow? Simply because people don't plan to do anything special or do anything to make it special. Next time you think of tomorrow, let your creative juices flow in and plan a great day. Why does it have to be a day of boredom and drudgery? You can make it a beautiful memorable day if you only want it to be so with a burning desire. Think about it next time before tomorrow comes. It's worth giving it time and thought.

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Does-the-Coming-of-Tomorrow-Mean?&id=9626442

What Would You Attempt to Do If You Knew You Couldn't Fail? (By Rosina S Khan)

Do you know what you are good at - your skill set, expertise and competencies? If yes, and if you are at a transition point in your life, it shouldn't be hard to figure out for you what you would like to do if you knew you couldn't fail. Read on for highlights.

As for me, I am not on my regular job as a university faculty member anymore. But I know for sure if I continue my career in that area, I wouldn't fail. I have much experience and expertise so that nothing could go wrong. Yet I have some difficulties which are delaying me to fall back into the rhythm of life.

For the time being, I am writing fiction stories, self-help eBooks, articles, blogs and guides. I am growing my email list so that I can reach my products to a larger audience by participating in giveaway events. I know for sure, writing and being an author is another area I would excel which I wouldn't have known if I hadn't given up my regular job.

You should, like me, have several options in your life if you are desperately in need of a career change. Everything starts with a thought, a plan and a series of actions towards it. While you take daily small actions, your life rejuvenates and you get back the mojo of life.

While you have several options for career changes, you have to pick one and attempt to succeed. You know for sure you couldn't fail in these options. It is just a matter of making a choice.

How do you make a wise choice? Rely on your gut instinct, really feel what speaks to you and additionally weigh out the pros and cons of your option. If the pros are greater, you are good to go. Nothing can stand in your way and no one can stop you. You are going to lead a meaningful life once again and stand up for something important, which makes you an important person.

After you have made your choice wisely, hold someone close accountable for your daily actions. They will point out your mistakes and remind you to stay on the path you have chosen. It's like having a mentor giving you good advice all the time. You can also contact professional coaches and get the required help. Everything should fall together and you should be back on your way up the ladder of success.

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Would-You-Attempt-to-Do-If-You-Knew-You-Couldnt-Fail?&id=9633450

How To Achieve Your Dreams - The 3 Secret Steps To Achieve Your Dreams

It's all about goal setting. Is there something you always wanted to do or accomplish but couldn't ever seem to get it done? Have you maybe even failed every time you tried to achieve this dream? I'm here to help. It's all a process! Just like riding a bike, it's hard at first but once you got it, you got it! Achieving your goals and dreams becomes much easier to do once you understand the process. I will go over the 3 simple steps to take to accomplish your dreams or goals.

The Steps

1. Discover Your Dream - This may seem silly. However, many people set out to achieve a dream and invest a lot of time, effort, and money into it just to find out that it's not actually want they wanted to accomplish to begin with. If you want to be rich, don't just choose the first job that pays the most. Work smart! So get out a pen and a piece of paper and write down exactly what your dream is. You may need to do this a few times before you actually discover what it is you want to do.

The fact is, most people are so blinded by money, freedom, work and many other factors that they have a difficult time finding out exactly what they want to do and for what reason. If you want to be a real estate agent because you want to make a substantial amount of income, you're likely going to fail. If you want to make a substantial amount of income and think being a real estate agent is going to be your pathway to that goal or dream, understand that it will take time and there's many more things to consider such as: Will you even enjoy the job or will you even make the amount of income your originally imagined?

Be a real estate agent because you want to make a good income but also because you want to help people find the best home that fits their budget and idea. Be a real estate agent because you like to help others and see your clients happy from your work. Life is not all about money; however, if you remain ethical and help others you will likely make more money than you would if you were just doing something to make some quick cash. This may take a few days or even weeks but trust me, once you finish you will definitely see the benefits of doing so.

2. Plan! Plan! Plan! - So many of my friends have started a business and failed. Before they started their business I had told them there are things they need to learn as well as things they need to master. They responded with laughter as they proceeded to wing it. Their businesses no longer exist because of it. This may be more difficult to do than the first step, however, in the long run; it will certainly be worth it! You have to plan! Create a Blueprint step-by-step on how exactly you will get to where you want to be! So, keep that pen in your hand and grab a new sheet of paper and do this with full concentration.

However, be prepared! This list will change. Don't fear change! Accept and welcome change. Some things will work great and others will not. In order to achieve your ultimate goals or dreams you have to understand the exact steps and the best route to take in order to get there. You have to plan where to begin, how to manage it, and how to capitalize with it! Of course, when you capitalize and achieve your goals and dreams, don't think for one second that's the end of it. If you want your dream to disappear, let it be the end. But if you want your dreams or goals to continue until your last breath, continue planning! This planning process may be tedious at first but it will get easier the more you do it but be prepared to do this on a regular basis!

3. Take Action! - I can't express this step enough. Some people are dreamers, some people are doers. However, the elite top percent of those in which has accomplished their goals and dreams with a growing success rate do both! First you have to dream then you have to do! If you dream all day, you won't accomplish anything. If you do all day, you will start a bunch of things that crumble into your hands in a million little pieces. You will likely get discouraged and give up after your dreams or goals crumble a few times. So dream and then take action!

After you have found out exactly what it is that you want to do, create a blueprint to figure out exactly how you're going to do it, and then implement that blueprint. Every time it gets tough, remember your reasons! Remember your dreams and goals! Remember why you are accepting the headaches in the first place and get back to it! This is easily the most important feature that separates the achievers and the failures. I personally, take action daily! I do, however, have off days. But when I do have those off days, I make up for it by putting in an extra 50% of action the next.

This is also the hardest part of achieving your dreams or goals. This is the main reason why most people do not achieve these things and they end up working a job in which they can't stand for their entire life and eventually retire and spend the rest of their life wishing they had done something differently. That thing they wish they did differently is take action!

Make Sense?

Follow these steps and I guarantee you will see results and eventually achieve your dreams and goals. Figure out what you want to do, plan everything out, and then take action! I apologize if you thought the road to success was much more difficult than that, but it's not! Talk to any billionaire that has worked their way to the top and they will tell you the same thing that is in this article! Of course, there are plenty more little things you must do such as possibility getting some education or working for the investment or any other little thing. But in terms of the process, these 3 steps are it!

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Achieve-Your-Dreams---The-3-Secret-Steps-To-Achieve-Your-Dreams&id=9366879

Is Quitting Your Default Coping Mechanism?

Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling completely unenthusiastic about working? Have you ever felt frustrated with your job or your key relationship? Would you agree that whether it's a bad job or an unnerving relationship, there is at least one time in your life when you have considered quitting? Have you ever felt guilty for feeling that way? I am quite sure you have! And that is because we have been taught to believe that quitting is synonymous with failure. But you know what? Quitting is not necessarily a bad choice! Sometimes the work we do or the relationships that we are in are just not worth continuing.

Having said that, it is also important to make sure that we avoid quitting prematurely! And the best way to prevent taking any kind of rash decision is to try this...

1. Take a break. Have some fun. Most poor decisions can be avoided by hitting the pause button. When you are stressed, burnt out, exhausted and frustrated chances are that you may end up making some rash decisions that may prove to be unwise in the long run. So give yourself the time you need to make a wise decision. Allow your head to clear before you make a decision that changes your life. Ask yourself, "How can I use this frustration to energize myself to reach my goals?"

2. Weigh the situation carefully. Try to be objective and weigh the situation carefully. Take the help of a friend if necessary. It is a lot easier for another person to evaluate your situation accurately that you can do for yourself. Remind yourself - why you are doing what you are doing and what is your vision beyond this?

3. Think long-term. Quitting is an easy choice when you only consider the short-term consequences. You can relieve your stress almost immediately! However, when making a decision to quit, you must also consider the long-term consequences. In fact, you must reconsider quitting if the long-term consequences are too severe. A little relief now may not be worth the long-term pain. Also consider who all will be impacted by your decision. Your boss? Colleagues? Family? Just be aware that your children (if any) are always watching you. Be sure to set a good example for them to model. Consider the message that you are sending to your children. Would you advise them to react similarly to an identical situation?

4. Take a new approach. Maybe you shouldn't quit. Maybe you just need a new plan. Not getting the results you desire is not necessarily a sign that you should call it quits. Poor results indicate an ineffective process. Perhaps all you need is a tweak in your approach. Remember that major accomplishments are usually accompanied by numerous failed attempts. Believe in your ability to learn, grow, and adapt!

5. Own your story. Determine the real reason for quitting. Is it because you don't believe you can be successful? You don't have the necessary resources? You lack the ability to manage your time? You don't enjoy the job or activity any more? Sometime the reasons for quitting are justified and yet sometimes they can be totally absurd. Quitting a second job you don't need so you can spend more time with your children is a good reason to quit. Ending your marriage because your spouse won't pick up his dirty socks might be a bit extreme!

6. Learn from the past. Consider all the times you have given up in the past. How do you feel about those events today? Was quitting a good idea or do you regret it? How are you likely to feel in the future about quitting in your current situation?

7. Sometimes it is necessary to just keep going. There are times when quitting is the best choice. However, when it is not the best choice, it is necessary to be strong and keep going. Stick with that horrible job until you have something else lined up. Give counseling a try before quitting on your relationship.

Remember! If your default coping mechanism is quitting, you may never accomplish anything in life. So take a break before making any hasty decisions. Quitting isn't to be taken lightly. Before making the choice to quit, consider the consequences, consult with a trusted friend, and reflect on the past decisions. Avoid creating long-term challenges to alleviate stress in the short-term.

In the words of Lance Armstrong - "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. That surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, stays with me. So when I feel like quitting, I ask myself, which would I rather live with?" 

I Look Forward To Hearing From You!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Quitting-Your-Default-Coping-Mechanism?&id=9477221