Archive for Stress
What Is Draining Your Resource Pool?
Posted by: | CommentsImagine that your body is a car. Your fuel is obviously the food you put inside it, much like the gasoline you pump into the tank of any Ford, Chevy or Dodge etc. This fuel is converted into energy to propel you along your life’s course, physically and mentally. The car uses the spinning motion of the engine to generate electricity for the lights, radio, power windows, power brakes, sensors, air conditioning, safety equipment and so on. When you use more and more of these pieces of equipment on your car, your fuel is depleted faster and faster. Most of us have experienced the fuel drain when driving a long distance running the air conditioning on full blast versus how much fuel is used when the air conditioning on is not on. Or the drain on the engine when climbing a steep hill with air conditioning on versus much easier the car seems to negotiate that same hill without the air conditioning on.
These same principles work on you in your daily life. As you go though your daily activities your level of energy needs rise along with your fuel consumption. If your working hard on a stressful job you use up energy quickly and your fuel level decreases. Pausing for a good meal, pumping fuel back into your ‘tank’ raises your level back up. But one thing we need to know is that it is not always what we do that has a drain on your pool of fuel.
Every action you take of course has a drain in your pool of resources. But one thing many folks do not consider is actions you do not take can have a serious drain on your fuel tank, mentally, and emotionally. Taking away energy that could be put to far more productive use. Think about if for a moment, you get up early, take an invigorating shower, and you are off to work. You listen to good music or positive motivational material on the way to work. You are feeling great as you pull up to the office. Getting to the door you open it and there it is, the disorganized room that you have been meaning to clean up for some time. This instantly has a depleting effect on your energy reserves, bringing them down. To build on this, on your way to lunch later you remember that you need to get your oil changed, more than seven hundred miles ago. More energy gets drained away.
These are only a couple simple examples. What if you have parents that live more than a thousand miles away and you realize that they are not going to be around much longer? Or, you are working on that big project and keep putting off that one task that really is not the most appealing to you, yet is critical to the completion of the project. These are just a couple more things that will drain your energy away and yet you are not ‘doing’ anything. So you can see it is not only what you do that depletes your energy, there is also what you do not do. They distract you, make you feel guilty, and siphon away at your fuel reserves. All this energy would be far better used on accomplishing your goals.
If you flip open the hood of your car you will see power cords and fuel lines connecting the engine to all the individual components of your car. This same principle works in your life, all those inactivitys have a ‘power cord’ to them draining your battery of its precious resources. Watt by watt, gallon by gallon all these power cords and fuel lines to things like unreturned phone calls, needed oil changes, disorganized desks and homes, unappealing yet necessary tasks undone, late bills etc., all of these will slowly (or often quickly) deplete your fuel tank. What you need to do is sit down and identify and eliminate all this drainage from your life. Below I am including a few things that are common drains on your energy resources:
- Spending too many hours in front of the Television
- Car needs an oil change or other service/repair
- Disorganized desk, office, home, garage
- Clothing that is tattered or in need of update
- Home décor that does not nurture your values/preferences
- Negative people
- Not being in a supportive relationship
- Being in a relationship that needs to end
- Working with people that result in you compromising your values
- Lack of proper or needed office equipment
- Overwhelmed with the mass of information that is bombarding you
- Avoiding conflict or confrontation
- Consistently stressful work leaving you exhausted/unsatisfied
- Not enjoying your job
- No personal interests that stimulate your mind
- Having a health issue that you are not getting help with from a qualified professional
- Not getting regular physical/dental check-ups
- Partaking in food that is not good for you too often
- Too much month at the end of the money
- Paying bills late
- Paying taxes late
- No plan for your financial future
- Insufficient insurance coverage (life, home, auto etc)
These are but a few examples to get you started on your own list. Once you sit down and compile your personal list of items stealing from your energy pool, count how many there are. Now do you see where a lot of your energy is going? While you may not be taking action on these, you will still be expending energy on them by way of them stealing it from you. Suppose the list above was your list and each one of them represented two watts of power. Now if you only have one hundred watts to work with each day, these twenty-three items would be stealing forty-six watts from your daily one hundred. Forty six percent of your energy is depleted as a result of your inactivity, leaving you with only fifty-four of your original one hundred watts. This will obviously have a serious impact on what you can get accomplished in your activities towards your goals, dreams and desires.
But now that you realize these are stealing away from your ability to reach your goals. You can reapply some of that stolen energy to get them accomplished and cleared off of your to-do list. The simply action of beginning to work on these items, that are distracting and draining you, will give you a tremendous relief. As you take care of these one by one you will begin to additionally feel a sense of accomplishment and a boost in your energy. This boost will be a motivating force for you to take on and clear off the next item. The action on the next item will again fuel your relief, sense of accomplishment and give you yet another resulting energy boost. Through the action on each item the cycle will begin again, until you have pulled the plug on all your energy draining items.
Imagine what you will be able to do when you go from fifty-four watts up to ninety or even your full one hundred. You will feel better, you will work more effectively and efficiently and you will get more done towards your goals. Mostly I personally believe the biggest win is that you will enjoy your life ever so much more.
Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy Brinkmann
One of Today’s TOP Motivated Coaches & Author of Sucess Atlas Programs
Change Mastery
Posted by: | CommentsThis is a time of unpredictable, unprecedented and ever rapid change. The rate of change that is befalling us however presents a new, and unique set of opportunities and challenges. For some a change will bring a new level of success, while for others, the same change can be a seedbed of negativity. If you’re the former – be sure not to let your ego get over inflated, lest another change be the pin that pops it. If you’re the latter, keep your spirits up and your humor high. I Personally, I have yet to meet a change that did not, in the long run, work out for the better for my family, my career and my future.
However, that is because I learned to handle change, and have become confident in my skills, talents and abilities. So let’s look at how we can tame the beast called change.
- Don’t Fight It.
- Give up the natural tendency to protect the familiar. Remember just because its working does not mean it doesn’t need to be fixed. The world will change with or without you. You will find yourself adapting over and over again in today’s fast paced world. If you look back 5, 10, 15 years are you the same person today you were then? Of course not because you learned, you grew, you adapted, absorbed what was superior and effective, discarded the unnecessary and changed to what you are today. Don’t fight change – you will quite probably over complicate your life in the battle. You will stress yourself out and even risk making yourself ill. It’s not worth that much to stay the same is it?
- Acceptance Doesn’t Mean You Have To Like The change.
- You will note I haven’t said you have to like the change. I am going to tell you though that you have to understand the change and go forth. If you have questions about the change, ask them. Get the big picture, study, probe, read – get yourself a good knowledge base around the change. We usually fear the unknown. As you study the change it will be less of an unknown and you’ll feel more in control. Life is not about liking – it is about doing. Taking what you have right now and building upon it.
- Be Change Wise and Defense Ready.
- Balance comes into play here. Don’t change for the sake of change, for if you do you risk valuable assets, situations and relationships. Don’t live your life a piece of clay to be molded by those around you. There are some things that should resist change – when change plainly does not translate into better results. Live your life a piece of jade, firm but shapeable in the right hands. Know what values your willing to defend against change and what values your willing to change.
- Don’t Take Life Too Seriously – Use Humor.
- Take the emotional vacation that a good sense of humor will afford you. A positively honed sense of humor will overcome pretense, put out the fire of anger and quell hostility. Using your sense of humor will keep your attitude positive, giving you the ability to take a seemingly impossible situation and make it acceptable. Once you have made it acceptable you can then seek to find the hidden nuggets that will benefit you and those around you. Use your humor positively, be spontaneous, express your feelings and encourage those around you.
Change mastery can make the difference between being inside looking out or outside looking in. Which do you prefer? Change mastery will make all the difference in the world. Is it easy? Well, to some, yes. Others have to take it step by step. But, by not fighting it, accepting/learning about the change and using your humor to keep your spirits up during those trying times – you will be able to take it head on. You will be enabling yourself to help those around you going through their own changes as well. By doing so you will indeed be making a significant difference.
Think Successfully & Take Action.
Tracy
FREE Video reveals how I went from the
Streets of LA to running my own company!
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Four Tips for Change Mastery
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5 Tips to Reduce Holiday Shopping Stress
Posted by: | CommentsMany parts of your year will be filled with heart felt, long lasting memories. But if your life (good or bad) is anything like mine – those long lasting memories quite often come with a matching level of stress. The joy of a new baby comes with the stress of getting yourself and the house ready for that bundle of joy. The pride of landing that new promotion was matched with the stress of the extra work (hours and effort) it took to get there. The thrill and deep seated pleasure of a Merry Christmas (emotionally and commercially) is matched by the stress of planning and executing that Sunbloom Santa picture of the holiday.
The number of things that cause stress during your picturesque holiday season could include but would not be limited to:
- Finances – having enough money to get the things you desire for those you care about combined with needing to know the right amount to spend on one so as to not upset another.
- Pressure – beyond the knowing the right amount example given above. There is finding IT once you know what IT is, then finding IT at the best price. Finding the time to shop in our busy work lives. Finding out what the right gift is without letting them know your trying to find out and of course the pressure bearing down on us from family, friends and the commercial machine.
- Conflict – whether inside the home, at work or in the mall it does seem that conflict can rear its ugly head in a split second and when you least expect it, even though everyone tries to have the ‘holiday spirit’ that spirit can get pushed aside by the previously mentioned finances and pressure.
These are just the three core stresses. There is just so much you are trying to get done in a very short period of time. I mean it seems like one minute you are handing out candy to the cutest little princesses and scariest little demons you have ever met. The next thing you know your planning, then eating a beautiful turkey dinner either in your home or the home of someone you love (or the family of someone you love). Hot on the heals of that sometimes dramatic dinner, now you only have four weeks to make sure you pull off a Christmas (or whichever year ending event you may celebrate) that your family will enjoy and remember all the year through. Oh, and lets not forget the year ending party to finish it all off. Whew, I’m feeling the pressure just writing about it.
So with all that said, let me try and give you five ways to lessen that stress, so you can actually let yourself create and enjoy a Happy Holiday.
Try some of these simple holiday shopping tips:
- Teamwork. Remember you do not have to do it all yourself. Whether it is a spouse, sibling, elder child or a good friend. Think about any tasks that you could delegate to someone else. This can not only relieve some of your stress but could also provide a bit of bonding opportunity for you and the other person.
- Make a List. Think about the song you hear growing up, “He’s making a list and checking it twice..” Even the best present delivery ‘man’ on Earth makes a list BEFORE he sets out in his sleigh. This is great advice. Your list will help you preplan:
- What you are going to buy
- How much you are willing to spend
- Where you need to go to get it.
Knowing these simple things will help you mentally plan the best shopping route of attack – taking a lot of the stress out of the trip(s). Don’t forgot to put incidentals like decorations and food on your list if you need it, so you can cut down on the number trips you need to make – further reducing your stress level.
- Be an Early Elf. A twist on the old saying “The early bird gets the worm.” That early bird also doesn’t stress about going hungry. Getting one item on your list done makes you feel good inside – further reducing your stress and motivating you to get the next thing done or bought. So start feeling good early and you can rid yourself of that “Oh, my gosh I only have two more days..” kind of stress. For those of you that are saying “But I will miss out on all the great last minute sales” I would ask you – have you really looked? These days retailers are starting their sales earlier – so there is always a value to be found for those Early Elfs to look.
- Surf Your Holiday. Gone are the days when you HAVE to go to a retail store to get your gifts. The internet has opened a whole new way for you to be Santa without ever having to leave the comfort of your home. Even if you do not order your items online, you could take your list and comparison shop. This is a great way to help manage your money. You could even use online maps to plan the best route from your home to all the stores you have found that have the right price for you.
- Safety 1st. No matter what holiday you are planning and buying for – always be safe during your shopping activities. After all, getting safely to the holiday would certainly be step one to it being a good one. While you are out and about always keep your credit cards stowed until it is time to actually swipe them. There are many camera toting people that would love to snap a picture of your card and use the info to make their Christmas shine and tarnish yours. Do the same thing with your cash, keep it tucked away and only bring out what you need when you need it. Flashing cash may make you feel good but it could attract the wrong kind of attention. When shopping online try and stick with trusted e-tailers. If you need to purchase from a site you are unsure of – do a little research before inputting your information. A few minutes of safe thought could save you months of stress.
So, remember your teamwork, make a list, be an early elf, try surfing some or all of your holiday and always, always remember safety first. Keep these tips in mind and I can say with a Merry heart that you will be able to cut much of your stress out of the holiday. As for decorating the tree and the house.. well that is another article in itself.
Have a VERY Happy Holiday – whatever Holiday you observe!
Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy
One of today’s Top Motivated Coaches &
Author of Success Atlas Programs
FREE Video reveals how I went from the
Streets of LA to running my own company!
View the Free Video and Learn More!
5 Ways to Survive the Holiday Shopping Season
Posted by: | CommentsDiscovering Happiness in Your Life
Posted by: | CommentsIf there is one thing that I have learned in my 40+ years on this planet, it is that: Happiness is a choice. I am serious, It is VERY true! The choice is yours – You can choose to:
- let life’s circumstances get you down
or you can choose to: - be happy no matter what challenges life brings you overcome
What I find that most people do not know is the fact that happiness is already within each and every one of us. We, as a human race, are born to be naturally happy! I mean think about it for a moment; have you ever noticed how infectious the sound of a baby’s giggle is? Or, if someone is having a serious belly laugh, you know the kind I am talking about, they are laughing so hard their eyes are watering and they can not speak. Those two simple things, bring a smile to your face – if even for a moment. However, for some reason, as we get older, we loose sight of the happiness that resides inside us, we forget where to find that happiness within ourselves and, instead, allow outside forces to determine our happiness. Forces like, our job, a spouse, a sibling, money, cars, a house or other such tangible items. Do not get me wrong all of these things can bring a level of happiness into your life, BUT if your not first looking inside for your happiness then the happiness these materialistic items will bring will be short lived – shorter than even the warranty some come with.
So, with all that said, let me give you six tips that will enable you to discover your own happiness from within:
- When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Cliché, I know, however even the cliché can be oh so true. You do not have to let the troubles in your life and problems get you so down that you forgot the good that still resides in it – no matter how small it may seem. I mean lets face it, there will always be troubles, large and small, because no one is perfect, but YOU can choose your reaction to situations. Look at the positive side of things, even if that positive is nothing more then a lesson learned. At first it you might have work hard to see the good in people and circumstances, but it will be time well spent and it will turn your perspective from one of doom and gloom to one of possibilities.
- Find something you love to do and do it. Do you have a lifelong dream or desire? If so, start working toward it – NOW, even if you have to start doing it for free. Taking baby steps towards a dream or goal will help you feel like you’re accomplishing something. This feeling of accomplishment will fuel your drive and determination to reach that goal especially when it’s something you love to do. I loved to speak in public – so I contact every service organization in my town and in the surrounding towns to offer a free speech – some said “No.” However many said yes. I shared a message I was passionate about, help educate others on the topic and built my skills – soon I was getting paid for the same thing I was doing for free. Find your passion and go for it – it will fuel your desire, drive and happiness like nothing you can imagine!
- Do you have a gift or talent you’re not using? One reason so many people are unhappy is that they’re not doing what they’re called to do with their God-given talents. Each and every one of us has a purpose in life. You have natural gifts and talents to help you achieve your purpose, so use your gifts effectively! Here is a key – your talents are something you are naturally good at even if you have not honed them yet. Do you have some thing you have a ‘nack’ for? Then perhaps that is a natural talent you need to give some attention to. Also this usually links back to #2, and it is something that you enjoy doing (even if others thing you shouldn’t be doing it).
- When you’re feeling down, don’t wallow in your sorrows alone; do something about it. Call a friend who you know is positive and cheerful. Talk about your thoughts, and feelings, ten listen to their advice. So often, people allow themselves to go deeper and deeper into self-pity or depression because they think it has to be that way. The truth is, you don’t have to be sad and you should not be. You can decide to be happy. You just have to make up your minds to do so. Again, do not get me wrong – things will happen that make you sad, and at times you need to go through those feelings. The key phrase is “to go THROUGH” the feelings – not get mired down in them. A perfect example I remember back some years ago; I had a good friend whose girl friend left him. He was quite upset and asked if I would chat with him. Of course, happily I met him down at a local restaurant and we ate a good meal has some great discussions about his relationship and what potentially went wrong. But as the evening wore on he drink another drink, and another and another. He began to share his heartbreak story with anyone that would listen, wallowing in the feelings rather than coming out the other side. Of course the next morning, he was still along, heartbroken and now he had a hang over to boot. We tried again a few days later – this time at a place with no alcohol and I’m happy to say had came through his feelings much easier then with a little coaching and support he was back in the dating scene and met a wonderful young lady a couple months later.
- Think about all the things you have to be thankful for. Often we get so caught up in what is going wrong with our life that we forget to look at what is right and working. Pause, take a step back and review on your life as a whole. How far have you come from, say, six months to a year or even five years ago?
- Do you have children, family and/or friends to be thankful for? If they are like mine, they are not always everything we would like them to be, BUT imagining a life without them empty. So, be thankful that you have them in your life.
- Do you have a job? Okay maybe it is not your dream job, but in today’s economy, those of us who have a job should be thankful for it.
- What about your health, your home, or some of the more simplistic things we often take for granted – like the ability to see. Enabling you to read this very article. To hear the birds chirp “good morning,” to speak and say “I love you” to those special people in your life.
- When you’re feeling down, journal your thoughts and feelings. Often you’ll find that just getting your feelings down on paper will allow you to work through them, helping you to feel better about yourself and your beautiful life! Also, you might notice a trend if you journal regularly. I had a friend that I was coaching and as he reviewed his journaling entries, he noticed that entries made on the day he met with an old buddy of his were far more negative then any others. His friend was jaded by all the troubles in his life and was using my friend as a venting post to offload all his troubles on my friend. This was obviously having a negative impact on my friend, so he slowly spent less and less time with this negative influence and found he days remained far more positive. Later he let his friend know that he could not spend such time with him if he was going to be a “negative Nel.”
If you’ve been prone to look at life negatively, then you’ll have to put more effort into seeing and choosing happiness. But don’t let that stop you from being happy! You, too, can learn to be happy.
Practice the steps above and train yourself and your mind to focus intensely on the positives. Never ignore the realities when focusing on the positive. Rather choose to not wallow in the negative. When you feel a negative thought coming on, or your mind gravitates toward the negative, learn to recognize it, stop it in its tracks, and then turn your attention to the more positive aspects of the situation.
Starting from this moment onward, make the conscious choice to be happy!
Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy Brinkmann
Today’s Top Motivated Coach & Author of Success Atlas Programs
http://WriteYourSuccessStory.com
Three More Ways to Stay Positive
Posted by: | Comments‘The first step of reaching a goal to is clearly define it, down to the last detail.’
– Tracy Brinkmann
The best way I have found to keep positive is to minimize the bumps in the road. One of key things you can to reduce the turbulence along your flight to success is to take the wheel on the suggestive factors in your surroundings. Take control of the things you are seeing, listening to and exposing yourself to. Insure that these factors are consistently aligned with the goals you want to achieve in your life.
1 – Learn, Learn and Learn
Gain information in areas that will move you towards your goals. Attend seminars; learn from those that have gone before you. Take additional courses and learn everything you possibly can. Find someone that has done what you want to do (or even part of what you want to do) and model them. Read their book(s), listen to them live, read their articles, write them letters. Invite them to a lunch, get their advice. You can cut months and even years off your trip to success by listening to and modeling your actions after those that have proven track records in areas that are vital to your success.
One great way of learning is audio programs. Listen to educational and motivational programs in your car. The average person drives over 12,000 miles annually. That could be from 500 to 1,000 hours per year that you spend in your car, usually listening to music or someone else’s opinion on politics, the weather and the news. You can quickly become an expert in your area of interest by simply turning off the radio and putting on some educational material instead. You are going to be in the car anyway – why not turn it into a university on wheels. I know of an interpreter then currently know 4 languages and is learning a 5th. Each of these languages he learned in his car. You can even take your audio learning one step farther and listen to them while you are doing yard work, while you are painting the fence or going for a jog.
2 – See What You Want To Be
Every evening before you lay your head down to rest, and the first thing after your pick it up, picture your goals as already reached. Imagine your goals as though they already existed. Doing this will trigger your subconscious mind to see opportunities you might otherwise miss, and afford you the control to respond rather than react when life does not go the way you want it to. However, your mind will only be activated when you feed it these affirmations and pictures in the present tense. See your goal vividly, feel it, smell it, taste it as if you were living it in that very moment before you go to sleep, then again when you wake up. Picture yourself performing at your best. While this may seem like an odd technique, it is not. This technique is used by many Olympians and pro athletes the world over. They have lived that winning shot, jump or sprint thousands of times before the first time they actually execute it. You can put this same winning technique to work for you by imagining the situation you are facing, and seeing it working out just the way you want it to.
Picture yourself living the level of success you want to enjoy. See yourself with the kind of family relationships you desire, the level of fitness you wish to enjoy. Picture yourself cruising down the road in your dream car. Pulling up to that perfect house and parking that dream car in the garage. Whatever it is your heart desires – feed it all the mental pictures of how you want it to be every night before you go to sleep, then again when you awake. This will do wonders for your attitude and for enabling your creative intellect to naturally come up with solutions that will permit your imagined picture to become a reality.
3 – Fly With Eagles
I remember having a t-shirt when I was a teenage that said “It is hard to soar with the eagles when you fly with the turkeys.” This is so very true on many levels. You need to associate primarily with like-minded, positive and success oriented people. Find a group of winners and soar with them. If you loose your job, who do you think is going to help you deal with that and find another one. The group of unemployed folks down at the local pub, complaining about the job market and their situations? Or, a group of positive success oriented people getting together to network and locate new opportunities? While the answer is obvious, many people do not take that obvious answer and make it a part of their action plan.
You can not fly with the eagles if you scratch with those turkeys. Get away from the go no where types and most certainly get away from negative people. Wean yourself as quickly as possible away from negative people. They have a way of siphoning the positive energy from you and setting you adrift on a course you would rather not be on. Associating with negative people on a regular basis is enough to lead you to a life of underachievement, failure and frustration. So, only associate with positive thinking men and women!
Time To Take Action
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Right now decide what one area or topic that you would like to increase your knowledge in. Once you have decided on the topic – find a book, seminar or course on that topic and get it. Then apply yourself to learning it. You will feel better for having done so. This will feed your desire to read the next book, attend the next seminar or take the next course. Creating an upward attitudinal spiral that you will enjoy! There is a great eCourse at http://WriteYourSuccessStory.com that will get you started on a unique way to creatively design the life you desire and deserve.
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Turn your car into automobile university. Turn off the radio more and listen to those tapes and CDs that will feed your mind and pull you towards your goals. You will more about your chosen topic and take your focus off the frustrating traffic in front of you. You can also use an MP3 player for those times your doing other tasks that would leave your mind free to absorb more educational and motivational material. Once upon a time I did not like to work in the yard – these days I pop in some Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy or any of my other favorite speakers and I’m off to happily trim the bushes and mow the lawn. Try it –it works!
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Shift your group of friends from the negative thinkers to the positive ones. Resolve to associate with optimistic people as much as you possibly can. Associate with winners and move away from those negative, criticizing, complainers that will suck the energy you need to get you to your goals. This one act can have as much impact on your life as any another other step you will ever take.
Think Successfully and Take Action!
Tracy Brinkmann
Today’s Top Motivated Coach & Author of Success Atlas Programs
http://WriteYourSuccessStory.com
http://SuccessAtlas.com
4 Ways to Staying Highly Motivated
Posted by: | CommentsWhere you are today is a direct result of the actions you have taken in your past. The degree of happiness and success you enjoy today is the fruits of your past labor. If you are not where you want to be today – then you need take action – daily and consistent action to be specific.
The level of success and happiness we all achieve is the direct result of our consistent actions. Not those actions we take every now and then. Like those actions we take towards our New Year’s resolution that usually die out by this time of year. No our success is in fact the result of our habits (consistent actions). For those habits are the rudders that steer our course of success in live. Suffice to say we all need to develop good habits if we are looking to reach our goal of success.
Unfortunately for most of us our habits are not a result of logical decision-making and conscious thought. Generally the habits we have are the reactions to our experiences (stimuli). If we have had a heavy dosage of negative experiences, then we will tend to produce negative reactions. What do you think you’ll get from those consistent negative reactions? That is right – bad habits.
A powerful tool at your disposal to help you take control of your habits is your level of motivation. If you are motivated and are driven – then your unstoppable desire for success will outstrip your fear of failure. A motivated person is far more willing to step outside their comfort zone and take that all- important life changing chance. They become more, they do more, and thus they have more.
If you are looking to build your level of motivation here are some steps that will serve you well.
- Set your Goals
Know what you want! Goals give your life purpose. Your desire to reach these goals will become a great motivator in your life. Big goals, little goals, personal, professional, financial and spiritual goals – write them all down. Long term and short term – write them down in clear and specific terms. Then set to work on them. - DAILY Action
Once you set your goals. Put in place a plan that requires you to execute at least on step each day. No matter how small or how big. A phone call, some reading, a contact, a letter, whatever just do something everyday. Each of these steps will bring you closer to your goal – and motivate you to higher achievements. Remember a habit is nothing more that a repeated behavior. Taking daily actions will form your successful habit so strongly that eventually you will be taking action without conscious thought. It will just be who you are – a successful and motivated person. - Feel it!
We are not creatures of pure logic – we are emotional creatures. While our minds will work out the most successful business plan ever conceived. It is our emotion, our desire, which moves us to execute the plan. Connect all the good feelings you have to your action. Every time you succeed, small or large, at one of your action steps, know and feel that you are now one step closer to your goal. These repeated connections shall reinforce your emotional drive to achieve your goals. Another good technique is to sit down and list all the reasons why you want to or must reach this goal – all positive reasons. Then do the flip side, list all the things you will miss out on, be forced into or dislike about your life, yourself etc. if you do not achieve your goal. Now your using both of the two primary emotions you have, desire & fear, to your advantage - Take Responsibility!
Don’t give yourself an out. Stop blaming your parents, your childhood, your kids, your wife, the economy, your boss, your dog, your postman or any other thing/person in your life. It is in fact YOUR life. Don’t say if I could I would, say I can and I will. You may have many reasons why, but only you can change them, so take responsibility. Step up and remember the words of Oprah Winfrey “My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”
Think Successfully & Take Action.
Tracy
Today’s Top Motivated Coach & Author of Success Atlas Programs
http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Changing Your Flow of Thoughts
Posted by: | CommentsWhile you are reading this I do not want you to think about your shoes (or your feet if your not wearing shoes). Through the entire article never at any time are you to think of the color, style or fit of your shoes nor the temperature or feel of your feet.
Why such a ridiculous way to start this article – well to prove a point. The first thing most of you did, of course, was think about your shoes or your feet. Even though you were specifically instructed not to, you did it for at least a moment. That is how the human mind works. When you consciously attempt not to think of a specific thought, you’ll generally think of it between 6 and 15 times in a 5-minute period.
This works in the realm of negative thoughts as well. Focusing your power on trying not to think negative thoughts can and will prompt negative thinking. View
thinking as a flowing stream of water, actually its more like a strong river. The current starts off as a trickle and builds into a rushing power that can erode the very earth it winds though. You thoughts are much like this river in that you cannot stop them. You can however change the flow to your advantage. Changing the flow of your thoughts is possible, stopping them is not. Changing the flow from negative to positive will keep that river of thought from eroding deep, dark, dismal ravines into your attitude, and into your life.
You can think discouraging, disheartening and depressing things to yourself; or you can think inspiring, motivating and rousing things to yourself, but again you will not be able to stop thinking things to yourself all together. So instead of attempting to build a dam for your river of thoughts, channel and direct them in the way you WANT them to go.
How? That is a good question, and in it hides the answer. You channel your thoughts in the direction you desire with, questions. However, your questions have to be empowering questions. You will cause yourself more harm than good by asking, “Why do I always get the projects nobody else wants?”
You want to ask a question or questions that will move you forward and empower you to take action. Like: “How can I accomplish this project and enjoy the process?” Now you have directed any negative thinking to a more positive flow. This positive flow will encourage action and give you results.
If you are tackling a big problem ask questions like, “How can I break this down into workable steps?” “How can I solve the first step, the second step and so on?” Or “What is the first action to resolving this first step and so on?”
Should you be going through a “bad” experience — if there is such a thing, for while we have experiences we don’t enjoy, are they truly BAD in the long run? Don’t we gain valuable knowledge and experience we can apply later? But I
digress. Let us get back to the topic at hand. If you are going through a “bad” experience, then channel your flow with questions like; “What can I learn from this experience?” “How can I grow from this experience?” “How can I keep this from happening to me again?” “How can I make lemonade out of this lemon?” (Remember Velcro was actually a failed experiment so was the glue that now is
used on Post-It Notes – both of these lemons have become sweet profitable lemonade for the inventors and their companies)
Now that you have asked your question(s) really let your mind run with it. Don’t just ask the question once, ask it again and again. Whenever you have a minute of spare time or when your alone driving home, seriously mull over the question and let your mind turn over to you the ideas and actions that will bring you to the positive results of changing your flow of thought.
(Oh, and remember don’t think about your shoes!)
Think Successfully & Take Action.
Tracy
http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
5 Tips to Focus on You and Get More Out of Life
Posted by: | CommentsDo you ever feel like something is missing in your life? Even if you are getting much of what you want sometimes you just get that “is this all there is feeling?” Learning to focus on you, instead of others 100% of the time may be the key you’ve been seeking!
How much time do you spend comparing yourself to others? Often when you focus on comparing yourself to others you end up coming up short. It is time to stop that destructive habit. These types of Comparisons get you nowhere. They lead to pain and discontent rather than to positive improvements.
A better choice is to focus on your own personal needs, wants, dreams and desires. After all, you are a unique individual. You deserve the personal approach of focusing on your AS a unique individual! This personal approach and focus will boost your self-image because you are focused on improving yourself and not trying to beat someone else in some uncharted race. As I have said for years: There are two ways to be the tallest building in the skyline. 1) Build yourself higher or 2) Tear down all the other buildings.
Learning to focus on you rather than everyone else around you can be a difficult task. Especially if you are the giving type of person that usually finds their way to blogs like this. Too often, we are focused on our work, families and friends that we do not even know how to begin the process of focusing on our own choices and decisions that determine and even improve the inner quality and joy of our lives.
Here are five tips to help you focus on fully enjoying your life:
- Devote time everyday “me time.” This could be fifteen minutes or an hour, but during this time, focus completely on yourself and the things you need desire and deserve to feel strong, loved and important. Reflect on what is important to you. Dream your big dreams and figure out small steps you can take to achieve them.
- “Me-Time” can be anything YOU like it to be: go for a talk, take a relaxing bubble bath, take a nap, get a manicure, read a novel, or do something else. As long as it is something that brings you pleasure simply for the sake of pleasure it qualifies as me-time.
- “Me-Time” can be anything YOU like it to be: go for a talk, take a relaxing bubble bath, take a nap, get a manicure, read a novel, or do something else. As long as it is something that brings you pleasure simply for the sake of pleasure it qualifies as me-time.
- Take care of your own physical, spiritual and health needs. Relying on someone else to meet your needs only leads to dependence and often even resentment. Do not wait for someone else to do these caring tasks for you – care for yourself. You have the power within you to meet your own needs.
- Please let me clarify here that I know some of my readers have limitations (physical or otherwise) that impact their personal care –I understand and even empathize with that. But what you do not want is to use that as a crutch for not doing what you are capable of doing to care for inner being as well as their outer body.
- Feed you mind and body good healthy fuels. You cannot expect your mind and body to function at their best if you don’t provide them with the fuels they need to work at full capacity.
- Feed your body good foods: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Drink plenty of water to keep your body fully hydrated.
- Feed your mind by reading informative, well-written books, blogs, and magazines. Choose recreational reading that builds your mind and spirit.
- Limit your TV watching and spend your time pursuing things that stimulate your thinking.
- Play board games, listen to music designed to stimulate your brain waves with binary beats.
- Spend time each day doing something you love. We all have some ‘hobby’ we are passionate about. No matter what that hobby for you, it is healthy to indulge in a creative pastime.
- Banzai tree shaping, gardening, painting, woodcarving and pottery are all hobbies that encourage your creativity while you use your hands to create something beautiful. What creative hobby do you enjoy? Be sure you spend time enjoying it!
- Start a gratitude journal. Start every day and end every day by listing five unique things you are grateful for in your life. After a very short period of time you will find that you are spending more of your time focusing on all the good things you have in your world rather than any negative obstacles you might face. (Think that might make facing those obstacles a little easier? YOU BET IT WILL!)
Focusing on you helps you take the best possible care of yourself. It allows you to replenish your batteries and regain your strength so you can be fully present and engaged in the rest of your day. Going into your days with this extra strength and charge enables you to give more to those you want to give to. Now that is a win-win situation all the way around.
Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy Brinkmann
Today’s Top Motivated Coach & Author of Success Atlas Programs
http://SuccessAtlas.com