Why is it that everybody gets so excited at the beginning of a new year? Simply stated, people love the idea of renewal. The mindset of: “out with the old, in with the new” is very appealing for several reasons. If the previous year has felt stressful or tedious, then the prospect of a new beginning carries the feeling of renewed hope and possibility.

If the previous year has been rewarding, then there is the anticipation of even greater rewards in the year to come. It seems to be a basic feature of human nature to be optimistic about the future. Is that how you feel? Are you looking forward to positive changes in the year to come?

The beauty of optimism

Optimism is a beautiful state of mind. When we are optimistic we become more alert to new opportunities. Optimism allows us to focus on possibility. Because we keep track of time on a calendar, the dawn of a new year has come to represent a kind of emotional rebirth. It’s a new opportunity to shed old, unwanted aspects of life, and embrace something a little closer to our perceived ideal.

Think about the thought process that most of us go through this time of year. We reflect on the last 12 months and analyze whether or not we are satisfied with the results we produced. And regardless of whether we are satisfied with those results or not, we make adjustments in an attempt to ensure that the next 12 months will be even better. Then we project that new, improved vision into our immediate future.

Making good use of optimism

Optimism alone is not enough to make positive changes in your life. That’s why most New Year’s resolutions tend to fall by the wayside after a few months. The intentions are good, but there’s a big difference between intentions and results.

If you’ve been making the same basic resolutions year after year, then obviously you didn’t produce the results you wanted. And you know what they say about doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. So, what does it really take to turn our intentions into results? Well, let me ask you this…

What do you think it takes?

Chances are you already have a pretty good idea of what it takes to turn your intentions into results. After all, it’s not some secret formula that’s been purposely hidden from the general public. It is however, a formula that often goes ignored by the general public. Why? Simply stated, because effort is required, and many people are not willing to put forth the effort.

We all like the idea of making positive changes in our lives. And when we see that others have accomplished the things that we’d like to accomplish, we are encouraged. But to produce the same results that they did, we must be willing to put forth the same amount of effort. When you combine the effort with intention you produce results. If you don’t get the results you want, you simply change the way you apply your efforts.

Could this be the year of amazing results for you?

Yes, it could! All you need to do is apply the formula. Like any formula, there are several factors involved. Let’s take a minute to review some of the more important ones in order to make sure that you have what you need to produce the results you intend.

1) Clearly defined goals. Before you can design a plan to accomplish your goals you need to be very, very clear on exactly what it is you intend to accomplish. When setting goals you need to be as specific as you possibly can. Include precise details so that you know exactly what it is you’re working toward.

2) Commitment. Never say you are going to “try” to reach your goals. The word “try” opens the door to failure. Make a commitment to see your goals through to the end, no matter what. Put a high priority on your goals, and make a determination not to allow anything to stop you from reaching them.

3) Understand your reasons. In addition to clearly defining your goals you also need to clearly define the reasons why you want to reach those goals. The underlying reason is more important than the goal itself. How will this goal affect your life in a positive way and why is that important to you? A person can accomplish just about anything if they have a good enough reason.

4) Create emotional anchors. What positive emotions are associated with your goal? Once you identify those emotions, be sure to associate them with your goal. Your goal needs to represent those emotions to your nervous system. Emotions are the horsepower of motivation. To stay motivated you need to do more than think about your goals, you need to feel them.

5) Establish some milestones. You need a way to determine whether or not you are on course toward your goals. The easiest way to do this is to identify certain notable features that you will encounter as you move toward your goal. These will be your milestones. Identifying them ahead of time will help keep you on track and provide a sense of accomplishment along the way.

6) Make a timetable. One of the biggest problems with New Year’s resolutions is that people know when they’re going to start, but they have not set a time of completion. How long will your goal take to accomplish? Having a set timetable is one of the most effective ways I know to keep you focused on the task at hand. Before you start, establish a time for completion.

7) Identify success. What will successfully reaching your goal look like? What will it feel like? How will you know when you get there? These are all questions that need to be answered before you begin. If you don’t know exactly what success looks like, and how will you know when you arrive? Don’t take this for granted. Take the time to clearly identify what success means to you before you start moving forward.

Success is not an accident

If you’ve been disappointed in your results in the past, chances are you ignored one or more of the important factors above. If you’re feeling optimistic about your future, and would truly love to make some positive changes in your life, then you should definitely capitalize on that feeling. In reality, there is no reason to wait for a new year to put this process to work for you. But it is a new year, so why not take advantage of it?

I want you to have the most rewarding, productive, result producing year of your life. I truly do! I also know that wishing won’t get it done. Yes, effort is required, but what meaningful aspect of life doesn’t require effort? Everything worthwhile in this life requires some form of effort. Now that you’ve got the formula, there is still…

One more vital element

You must take consistent, focused action. Start now, and don’t stop until you reach your goal regardless of the challenges or setbacks you may encounter. Remember, results are a combination of intention and applied effort. If you don’t get the results you want, you simply continue to change the way you apply your efforts until you produce the results you want.

If you are really serious about finally producing meaningful changes in your life, I encourage you to pick up a copy of TRUE SELF. The whole process is laid out for you in an easy to follow format that is guaranteed to help you transform your life. Instead of just making resolutions this year, why not decide to turn your intentions into tangible results?

What kind of year do you intend to have?
How serious are you about making positive changes?
The lines are open!

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As we begin yet another new calendar year, I’d like to talk to you about a very important concept that can totally change the way you experience life this year. The idea that I would like you to fully grasp is this: You can jump onto the path of success anytime you want to.

It does not matter where you are in life, and it makes no difference what you want to achieve. The moment you finally make up your mind that things are going to be different, that is the point where your life can completely change direction.

You can create that kind of decisive moment in your life anytime you choose; it is entirely up to you. You don’t need to wait for ideal circumstances to come along before you change your life. You just need to make up your mind that beginning right here and right now, you are going to claim the life that you truly desire.

When I say “make up your mind,” what do I mean?

One thing’s for sure, I am not talking about wishful thinking. Many people approach a new year wanting to make dramatic changes in their lives, but how do things usually turn out? Sad to say, they usually slip back into their familiar patterns, and fail to realize any meaningful change. That is because their good intentions were lacking some essential elements. If you want this coming year to be the best year of your life and the beginning of a whole new you, it is going to require a commitment. You need to be serious about transforming your life, and you need to be willing to take consistent, focused action toward your goals.

The truth is, creating a life of exceptional quality requires effort. I know there are those who will try and tell you that an effortless life transformation is possible. That would be nice, wouldn’t it? But I think you and I both realize that is not how things really work. Besides, what is wrong with effort? Effort is fun when it produces the results you want.

I truly want you to experience the satisfaction of reaching your goals. I want to see you reach out and claim the life you really want. Why should you settle for less? If this year didn’t turn out quite the way you were hoping, then don’t you think it might be time to shake things up a bit? After all, if you just do the same things you did last year, chances are you will get the same results. Is that what you want?

Are you willing to change your approach?

Until we are willing to adjust the way we do things, it’s unrealistic to think that we can make meaningful changes in our life. So if you want this coming year to be exceptional, start by asking yourself these three questions:

1) Am I truly ready and willing to go for it this time?
2) Am I willing to learn and apply new skills to accomplish my goals?
3) Am I willing to focus on what is important, and not allow distractions
. . .to sidetrack me?

If you can honestly answer yes to these three questions, then you need to get clear about what you want. The next step is to organize and prioritize the goals you want to accomplish, so that you know where to focus your attention. This means that you need to give some conscious consideration to what is really important to you, and what you really want to accomplish. Once you have done that, you need to write a list of goals for the coming year, and then you need to prioritize them according to their importance in your personal life.

Recognizing the crippling power of distractions

Trying to stay focused on your goals can be really challenging when your life is full of distractions. To overcome this challenge, we need to be very selective with regard to where we focus our energy. If we’re not careful, little distractions can eat up enormous amounts of time. So we need to identify those distractions and impose strict limits on how much time we will allot for them. Make a list of things that easily distract you, and then schedule them into your day ONLY after you have given attention to your priorities.

Start at the beginning

It might seem like a huge task to claim the life you really want. That is why it is so important to break it down into manageable steps. As you go through the process, visualize your desired outcome, but stay focused on doing and enjoying the task at hand. Today I have asked you to think about your willingness to create change, make a list of your goals according to priority, and identify distractions that might get in your way. That is your task at hand and it is plenty for now. It’s a great place to start.

In the weeks and months ahead, we will consider simple yet effective life skills that can help you claim the life you truly desire. However, those skills will only be valuable to you if you are willing to act on what you learn. So in the long run, it all comes back to the same question, are you willing to commit to a life of exceptional quality? Are you willing to actually do what it takes to claim that life?

How much do you want it?

If you are truly serious about transforming the quality of your life and seeing results as quickly as possible, now is the time to act. Do something affirmative starting today and get some momentum started. Yes, it will take some effort, but aren’t you worth it?

So, here we are at a new beginning. Will this be your year? Will this be the beginning of the best year of your life so far? Are you ready to ramp up the quality of your life to an unprecedented level? Many people will be making New Year’s resolutions that will never become reality. Others will make a commitment to creating positive changes and experience extraordinary results. Are you ready to go for it?

Have you decided to make this a year of action?
Do you have your priorities all lined out with a workable plan?
Care to inspire us?

If you enjoyed this article, consider email or RSS updates!

My book TRUE SELF is the fastest inexpensive way (coaching is the fastest) to make positive life changes very quickly. Want to discover your core passions, dismantle your hidden limiting beliefs, and realize your most desired goals? TRUE SELF will guide you through the process.

Did you make a list of things you intend to do in the upcoming months to move you closer to your goals? Have you got your action plan in place so you can keep track of your progress?

That’s a great start, but what about the flip side of that coin? Is it possible that there is another important aspect to successfully accomplishing your goals that you haven’t considered? I think there might be!

The hidden side of success

In addition to keeping track of what we intend to do, I think it is equally important to keep track of what not to do. I know that may seem like an odd suggestion, but knowing what to avoid can save you from wasting your valuable time and energy on worthless pursuits.

Let’s face it, life is becoming increasingly demanding with each passing year. We all have endless requests for our time and energy, and trying to do everything will pretty much derail your ability to do anything well. Let me ask you this…

*How many email lists are you on?
*How many time sensitive opportunities come your way each week?
*How easily are you sidetracked by a never ending flow of small
. . distractions from every conceivable source?

What are you going to do about it?

I have decided to make a list of things not to do because avoiding those time robbing, energy wasting distractions will go a long way toward allowing me to apply myself to the things that really matter.

I believe that tossing out the worthless things that steel your attention and prevent you from being able to focus is an excellent way to free up your inner resources.

This includes physical, emotional, and mental clutter.

It is extremely important to recognize areas where we needlessly expend ourselves emotionally and mentally. The physical time and energy wasters are fairly simple to pinpoint, but the issues that creep into our thoughts and feelings can be much more insidious. By the way, the word insidious comes from a Latin word meaning “ambush,” and refers to that which is slowly and subtly harmful.

Anything that represents an emotional drain takes a toll. If there are situations beyond our sphere of influence that fit into this category, it is in our best interest to eliminate them. The same applies mentally. If we can use our cognitive power to have a positive influence, then it’s probably worth the energy. But if all we can do is endlessly ponder a situation with no way to make a difference, then it is nothing more than a waste of energy.

Just say no!

I put together a list of 21 things that have the potential to complicate my life and yours unnecessarily. They may, or may not apply to you. Hopefully, they will at least provide some food for thought as you examine ways to eliminate physical, emotional and mental clutter from your own life, and embrace a less complicated existence. So here goes…

21 Things to avoid so you can focus on things that matter

1. Over committing your time, energy, or brain power.
2. Saying yes when you want to say no.
3. Allowing your “have to do” list overshadow your “want to do” list.
4. Letting external influences make your decisions for you.
5. Expecting others to make you feel happy, satisfied, or loved.
6. Allowing work to dominate your thoughts or conversation on days off.
7. Thinking that there’s not enough time to eat right, or get some exercise.
8. Spending your free time doing things you don’t want to do.
9. Comparing yourself to others.
10. Stressing over things you can’t control or change.
11. Obsessing over the personal decisions that others make.
12. Getting involved in things that are none of your business.
13. Focusing your conversations or thoughts on problems.
14. Projecting negative expectations.
15. Saying “I told you so” when your advice has been ignored.
16. Letting fads or trends dictate your preferences.
17. Blaming others for your current reality.
18. Buying things you don’t need just because they’re cool.
19. Inventing distractions to avoid responsibilities.
20. Signing up for more free information because you are afraid you might
. . . . miss out on something.
21. Trying to hide from or make excuses for your real feelings.

Do you have something to add to the list?
How important is it to know what to avoid?
The lines are open!

If you enjoyed this article, consider email or RSS updates!

My book TRUE SELF is the fastest inexpensive way (coaching is the fastest) to make positive life changes very quickly. Do you want to discover your core standards and personal values? Would you like to make a deeper connection with your real self? TRUE SELF will guide you smoothly through the process.

Success is one of those concepts that we all understand, and yet, in reality it means something different to each individual.  What might represent financial abundance to you might represent poverty to someone like Donald Trump.

Your concept of being physically fit is probably not the same as that of an elite Olympic athlete.  While swimming a quarter of a mile might represent your new personal best, to someone about to swim the English Channel it doesn’t mean much.

Identify what being successful means to you!

To be successful in any endeavor the first thing we need to do is to identify exactly what success in that area means to you personally. Your pattern of achievement will follow your definition. Many people focus on being successful in just one area of their life such as relationships or business. That’s probably why it is so common to see those who are very successful in one area, but struggling in others.

Another thing that can happen when pursuing success is that we choose to make a conscious trade off by neglecting one or more aspects of life in order to succeed in another. For example, workaholics don’t generally have the most meaningful family lives.  Everyone at work may see them as extremely successful, but is that how their families are likely to feel?

On the other side of the spectrum we might find a very devoted family man who excels at being a husband and father, but struggles to make ends meet. While he has succeeded in an area that a workaholic has not, his attainment probably doesn’t bring him much recognition from the business community.

A broader definition of being successful

While any level of accomplishment, in any area of life, can be gratifying, I prefer a much broader and more balanced version of being successful. I would rather raise the level of my whole life experience than pursue billionaire status while everything else falls by the wayside. Life should be viewed as a synergistic adventure where goals in one area contribute to the whole. My concept is actually one of synergistic success.

So when we think of living a truly successful life, we are really talking about having a reasonable measure of success in many different areas.  For that to be a reality, it’s absolutely vital that we establish a definition for what it means to succeed in each of those areas and then analyze how succeeding in that area can contribute to the other areas.  This is the only way that we can gauge our progress without throwing everything else out of balance.

Aspects of being synergistically successful

If you were to list the various important areas of your life that you would like to keep in balance, what would you include? The reason I am writing this article is not to give you my definition of whole life success, but to encourage you to think about what synergistic success means to you personally.

What areas of life matter most to your broader version of being successful? For you to feel like a totally successful person, what elements would need to be included? If you are willing to take the time to actually define your personal vision of a successful life, then you can design a plan that contributes to that vision. If you ignore this step, you may end up neglecting the most important areas of your life in pursuit of a mirage.

How do you measure success?

People tend to measure success by the results that they can see.  Sadly, many people consider material wealth as the most accurate indicator of a successful person.  When you look for signs of success, what do you see? Do you consider the wonderful husband and father of modest means who is well liked and appreciated by everyone he knows as successful? How about the very wealthy person who makes everyone around him miserable, but drives a Rolls Royce Phantom and lives in a 27 room mansion?

It is important to realize that successful is not so much something that we do, it’s something we become. First we succeed on the inside, in our minds, and then we can become successful on the outside. So before you go chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, why not take the time to figure out exactly what success means to you?

How much money would it take for you to feel successful?
How do you value relationships compared to income?
The lines are open!

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From a young age, you are appointed. Appointed to what and by whom? By your parents as “old enough to stay home alone.” By your institutions as “educated enough to enter the full time work force.” By your employers as “responsible enough for promotion.”

Ask yourself these important question:

1) Have you become mentally conditioned by all this external appointment?
2) Have you given your power to someone or something outside of yourself?

Could this be the invisible Great Wall of China that’s blocking you from rocketing toward your goals and reaching your full potential? For most of us, to one degree or another, the answer is “yes.”

From a young age, powerful forces within society condition you to undervalue who and what you are — so you will look to them for your own self-worth — so you will look to them for validation, power, and permission, through the appointments they bestow on you.

Yes, we have all been hypnotized into believing we are smaller than we really are. Just as a fishbowl keeps goldfish tiny … we have all to one extent or another been fooled into believing our value equals the size of our external appointments.

The question is not: Have you given your power to someone or something outside of yourself? But rather: How can you take it back?

Unlike a goldfish swimming around oblivious in a tank, you have a choice!

Power is an inside job. You do not need to import it from external sources. All you need do is peel away the lies you’ve been told — and went on to tell yourself — that  are keeping you wading around in the kiddy pool of life.

Realize our school system, government, and industries reward dependency, NOT self-reliance … conformity, NOT innovation … slavery to the status quo, NOT fearless adventure into the unknown.

Aside from the 3Rs, (reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic) what you learn through formalized education is obsolete, outdated knowledge by the time you learn it. Worse, it is designed to prepare you to become a droid in a large vertically integrated company or institution the likes of which are disintegrating daily.

The result is the inevitable stunting of your initiative, creativity, and capacity for capitalist thinking. Naturally, you fail to appoint yourself captain of the myriad entrepreneurial opportunities around you. And then you wonder why external appointment eludes you.

Please don’t limit your life with these kinds of hideous hallucinations. Expand your beliefs to encompass the life you were born for. Emerson said, “Do the thing, and you will have the power.” You don’t need anyone’s permission.

When you first set a goal it’s pretty easy to stay on track.  You’ve got a plan, you’re working the plan and your motivation is strong.

As time goes on, however, there exists the possibility of losing steam and getting off-track.  In order to develop the momentum and stamina required to achieve success, there are several qualities you’ll need to focus on:

1) Belief. For success to become a reality, it is absolutely crucial that you believe in what you’re doing.  This is easy at the beginning because you’re focused on what you stand to gain from achieving your goal.  As time goes on, you may gradually forget how excited you were and start to lose that inner fire.

To avoid this possibility, be sure to keep your vision strong and clear in your mind.  Write it out in full detail, or create a visual reminder like a vision board with drawings, paintings or magazine photos that represent your goals.  Revisit and focus on these reminders frequently.

2) Confidence. Your confidence may be strong at the start but it can quickly fade when you encounter obstacles or setbacks.  If this happens, remember that you once believed that you had the ability to achieve success.  Remind yourself why you felt that way.

In fact, you will find it helpful to write these reasons down when you first set a goal, and then keep reading them back to yourself when you feel your confidence starting to fade.  Remind yourself that any obstacles or setbacks are temporary, but a solid belief in yourself is enough to propel you through them.

3) Determination. Believing in your eventual success and your ability to achieve it is a great start, but you also have to be determined to make it happen!

Keep your determination strong by refusing to be held back by obstacles, and reminding yourself daily how important your goals are to you.  Determination is like an ember that burns in your belly, refusing to let you give up no matter how rough the going gets. Sometimes determination end up being the most important key to success.

4) Motivation. Staying motivated can also be a challenge, especially once the newness and excitement of your goals have worn off and it’s beginning to feel like “work.”

Nine times out of ten, motivation requires a simple decision to stay optimistic and inspired.  Find ways to keep your motivation high if your goal is truly important.  Read books by people who have achieved impressive results.  Talk to other successful people who have demonstrated tenacity and gone on to achieve much.  The more you pump yourself up, the stronger your motivation will stay.

5) Awareness. Finally, stay on the lookout for any signs of self-sabotaging behavior or vanishing interest.  If you notice that you’re acting in ways that don’t further your goals or support your success, get to the root of the problem quickly so you can get back on track. Be alert to any tendency to undermine your resolve and deal with it swiftly.

Trust that you can accomplish amazing things

You are capable of success in every area of your life. It’s not about talent, circumstances, or luck. It’s about learning and applying certain skills and then monitoring your results and making little adjustments in your approach.

Setting goals is something we do naturally. The trouble is, most of us have a tendency to do so almost unconsciously without taking the time to perfect the process. Then, when things don’t turn out the way we had hoped we internalize our disappointment in a way that creates doubt in our own abilities.

Become an advanced student in the school of life

Many people think that qualities like confidence, communication, creativity, motivation, focus, courage, and determination are something you are born with. I believe those qualities are learned skills that anyone can master if they are willing to apply themselves. These are advanced life skills and the better you get at them, the more successful your life will be.

When we were in school, much of what we learned was difficult to focus on because it had very little practical value. But the kinds of skills we are talking about here have enormous practical value because they can literally transform the quality of your life. TRUE SELF is a concise guide to learning and applying these skills.

If you really want to ramp up your level of success, ask yourself this question: Have I made up my mind to become an advanced student in the school of life? If you haven’t yet made that personal commitment then perhaps now would be a good time!

What helps you to focus on success in your life?
Which life skills do you think are the most important?
The lines are open!

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Do you ever feel overwhelmed because you know that you could not get everything done even if your day was 72 hours long? Do you feel ripped off because you seem to spend all your time doing what needs to get done, instead of what you would like to be doing?

Three questions come to mind:
1. Is this healthy?
2. Is it balanced?
3. Can it be changed?

We all recognize the value of living a balanced life. So why is it so incredibly easy to get out of balance, and so difficult to stay in balance? Obviously, there are several contributing factors involved, and some of them are very subtle. For instance, how often do you say or think phrases like; I have to, I need to, I don’t have any choice, or I can’t because _________?

The power of self-talk

These are common phrases, but what kind of message do they send to your subconscious? You might as well say, I am being forced to do things that I don’t want to do and I am helpless to do anything about it.

It sounds harsh, I know, but that is the message that your nervous system is dealing with. You are conditioning yourself to believe that what you want to do doesn’t really matter because you are a slave to forces beyond your control.

With this kind of mentality, your life can only become more out of balance as time goes by. You will progressively lessen the importance of the things that bring you pleasure, while the list of things that must be done continues to grow.

Of course, you will try to convince yourself that as soon as I get this last project under control I will take some time for me.

But how many times have you said that? Has it ever happened?

A balanced life is one that can embrace reality!

Don’t feel like you are the only one, we all struggle with this tendency. I think it comes from convincing ourselves that we are superhuman, that somehow we can do all these things, and still make time for us.

That will probably never happen unless we make it happen! And the only way to do that is to get a more realistic view of the situation, and make some necessary changes. What kind of changes?

Accept the fact that you have a choice

The first thing we should change is the messages we send to our subconscious about the necessary activities in our life. We are not slaves because we always have a choice. Let’s look at some more empowering ways that we can represent those necessary activities to our nervous systems to support a more balanced life.

Instead of I have to or I need to, how about I choose to? As in, I choose to go to work today. Now, the tendency here is to say, No, I really do need to go to work today because I have bills to pay. That sounds logical, but the truth is, you still have a choice. How about this, I choose to go to work today because the money I make allows me to enjoy my current lifestyle.

So what’s different?

The outcome doesn’t change, you are still going to work, but now it’s what you choose to do instead of what you have to do. Instead of being helplessly pushed around by your schedule, you are doing what you choose.

You will be amazed at the difference this kind of self-talk will have on your life. Not only will it affect your stress levels and attitude, but it will also influence the way you view the things that need to be done anyway.

The practical side

Now that we have a more balanced perspective, it’s a good idea to address the way our life is organized. We need to look for ways to actually make life more manageable and less cluttered. Try this: Write down everything you plan to do so you are not trying to remember it all. I know this seems simplistic, but it will make a big difference. In fact, here are four ways writing things down will serve you.

1. Making a list will breathe reality into your schedule. In your mind, you may have a huge list of things to do today. Once you commit that list to paper, you will quickly see the need to trim things down. That’s why daily planners are so helpful; they have the day broken into time slots. This helps you control the urge to schedule more activities than time allows for.

As you get comfortable with scheduling according to reality, you can purposely leave periodic blanks. In this way, you can systematically give yourself some meaningful space throughout the day.

2. Help you focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking is largely a myth, unless you limit it to walking and chewing gum at the same time. Try to block out enough time to make significant progress on a single task without interruption. Pick one thing from your list and devote a predetermined amount of time to it before moving to something else.

3. Provide a way to make allowances for uncompleted tasks. Don’t be obsessed over getting everything done that’s on your list. There are always unexpected delays. If something doesn’t get done simply move it to the next available time slot and let it go emotionally.

4. Help you value activities that make you feel energized. Learn to schedule time to do things that you really enjoy. Write them on your list and assign them some priority. If you include pleasurable activities in your schedule you will be more productive while feeling much less stressed out.

Adopt a more relaxed view of productivity

You are not a machine and there is no reason to try to become one. Do what you can reasonably do and call it good. A balanced life is about quality, not quantity. Life is not measured solely by productivity. Take some time to reestablish your sense of balance. Once you do, it will be much easier to enjoy the whole life experience.

Do you feel like there is too much to do?
Have you been sacrificing quality for productivity?
How do you stay balanced?

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When you think of personally successful, what kind of picture comes to mind? Do you see yourself with all the things that accompany wealth like a luxury home and fancy cars?  Do you think of the respect and prestige you’ll receive once you finally make your mark on the world?  Or perhaps you imagine the sense of pride you’ll experience when your accomplishments are acknowledged by those who doubted you.

Certainly, being successful can bring all of those benefits and more. But as great as those benefits might seem, they cannot come close to matching the greatest benefit of success.

Becoming successful  is an inside job

While being successful is often viewed as an outer process of setting and achieving goals that ultimately produce a variety of tangible assets, the greatest benefit of success is what happens to the inner person during the process. When we look at successful people there is a tendency to focus on all of the external trappings, but success is really a journey of inner discovery. It’s a journey that leads to, and grows out of, personal changes that take place on a core level.

Unfortunately, it is all too easy to get so sidetracked by the glitz and grind that we forget to appreciate what’s happening internally. When we constantly dig into our creative, problem solving resources in an effort to move toward and accomplish our goals, it changes us. We grow in many important ways as our view of what is possible continues to expand. And being aware of these changes will add another dimension to the value of success.

How to focus on internal success

If you want to make sure that you enjoy these internal benefits on your journey to success, it’s important to maintain your focus on the following:

1) Continuously expand your vision of what is possible for your life. A successful person knows that they are capable of much more than most people ever thought possible.  While they may start with smaller goals to build momentum, they know that those goals will grow in magnitude as they progressively overcome their limitations.

Be sure you are always open to unconventional and creative ways to expand your horizons.  If you keep your focus on the point just beyond where you think your capabilities might end, you’ll soon discover ways to go beyond those imaginary boundaries.

2) Stretch your comfort zone at every opportunity. In addition to believing you are capable of more, you should strive to prove it to yourself as often as you can. Don’t just dream big and plan big – act big!  Push yourself outside your comfort zone and trust that your inner resources will lead you to new and exciting opportunities.

With every step forward, your confidence will grow and so will your resourcefulness. We all have untapped abilities. The only way to access those abilities is to push ourselves into a place where we actually need those abilities. That place is almost always outside our current comfort zone.

3) Let your success show in the person you become. Rather than trying to impress others with what you can do, have done, or acquired, let your character and demeanor convey your inner success. The outer trappings of success may be impressive, but in reality, people of character care more about who you are as a person than what you have.

The inner journey is what counts

A truly successful person doesn’t need to say a word about their accomplishments because it’s part of who they are. Inner success is always evident in subtle but powerful ways.

The greatest thing about focusing on the inner journey as a successful person is that external success then becomes the natural expression of your internal state.  Of course, by then, those external things just seem like a nice bonus compared to the greatest benefit of success – who you’ve become along the way.

Do you relate to being successful as something internal?
How has your journey toward being successful changed you?
The lines are open!

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