Where Do You Put Your Effort To Be Successful

2016-02-152016-02-12 ~ adminlife

“Success is…
knowing your purpose in life,
growing to reach your maximum potential, and
sowing seeds that benefit others.”
― John C. Maxwell

The 80/20 Principle – Knowing Where to Put Your Effort In

Going big is often the best way to ensure your success – create enough output, take enough chances and eventually you’ll be sure to have a hit or ten under your belt which for many of us will be more than enough.

But while working hard enough is often the secret to almost guaranteed success, you mustn’t also underestimate the power of working smart.

What it Means to Work Smart

What it means to work smart is basically to be strategic in the way that you approach any problem or any ambition. In turn, this means approaching your aims in such a way that you will be able to cut corners and accomplish the most with the minimal effort. In theory, this will then allow you to combine your smart strategy with huge output in order to accomplish the best possible results. Putting in 10,000 hours is a great way to become an expert – but the quality of those 10,000 hours also makes a big difference.

The 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule, also sometimes know as the ‘Pareto Principle’, basically states that whatever it is that you do, 20% of your effort will yield 80% of your success. So if you sell 100 products, chances are that 20 of them (or even fewer) will make up the vast majority of your cash.

The moral of this story is that if you ‘throw enough paint at the wall’ some is bound to stick. We often won’t know what is going to be the most important aspect of our strategy but once we do, it’s then a good idea to focus on that smaller percentage that yields results.

In the case of a business providing a service, it will often be that the company makes the vast majority of its money from just a few clients while the others serve as nothing but a distraction really. In other cases, it might be that a small number of clients cause the vast majority of the problems.

In such a case, it would be wise for that business to lose the 20% causing the 80% of the problem and even to get rid of some of those clients that aren’t bringing much to the table. Instead, focus purely on the ones that are generating the most income and actually life will be easier and you’ll earn much more. Then you can put in huge effort and see huge rewards for both them and you!

Michael W

This book may interest you:

[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”B014175VPQ”]

Eliminate Bad Days – Follow These Tips

2015-10-14 ~ adminlife

“I take nothing for granted. I now have only good days, or great days.” – Lance Armstrong

Never Have a Bad Day Again

You have good days and bad. Wouldn’t it be great if you could eliminate most of the bad days from your life? You have the ability to make good days the norm.

What constitutes a good day is debatable. Maybe each day you’re alive could be considered a good day. It’s up to you.

What has to happen for you to label a day as “good”?

Eliminate bad days with a few strategies:

1. Refuse to have a bad day. There are many opportunities to have a bad day. You might be running late or your car decides to break down. Someone might speak unkindly to you or you spill mustard on your pants.

Having a bad day can be a lot like eating a piece of cake you know you should ignore. Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to bite.

Avoid letting a few minor mishaps ruin your day.

2. Choose to be happy, or at least content. In spite of whatever is going wrong, choose to be happy. If you can’t find any happiness, at least be content. You can choose to have a good day or a bad day. Release your expectations and try to see what’s good in each situation.

3. Spend time with someone you love. Few activities can bring your perspective back to reality more effectively than spending time with a loved one. The stress, worry, and anxiety seem to melt away.

4. Be on time. Being late creates stress. The stress begins once you realize you’re going to be late. It rarely ends until the day is over. If you’re late for one activity, you can be late for everything afterwards, too. Give yourself plenty of time to keep your schedule intact.

5. Have a morning routine. If your morning starts well, you’ll find the rest of your day goes well. A morning routine is an effective way to get the day off to a positive start.

An effective routine can include what time you wake up, a review of your to-do list, wearing the clothes you laid out the night before, affirmations, exercise, and anything else you enjoy in the morning.

Build your routine slowly and ensure it enhances your day.

6. Try doing less. Having too much to do creates many challenges that get in the way of having a good day. Reduce your schedule to the most important 3-5 tasks.

Stick to the important and urgent tasks. Reschedule the rest.

7. Complete your most important task. There are few things more frustrating than a stressful day that accomplishes little. Give yourself the gift of knowing that you completed at least one important task. That’s more than most can claim. Complete it as early in the day as possible and give yourself time to accomplish even more.

8. Be grateful. When life is wearing you down, remember all the great things in your life. Give yourself a few minutes to list all the positive people and circumstances in your life. Are you healthy? Do you have friends and family? Your life is probably much better than you think!

Consider listing those things that fill you with gratitude as part of your morning routine. Your attitude will be primed to have a good day.

Having a good day is relative. The worst day for a middle-class American might be a great day for a child in a third-world country. Only you can assign a quality label to your day. Make the conscious decision to have a great day.

Michael W

[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”B000FC1IPY”]

The Fuel For Your Life – Motivation

2015-04-30 ~ adminlife

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. ” ― Walt Disney Company

We all think we know what motivation is and how it is used in our life. But do we really understand it?

The author gives us another view on motivation as the fuel that drives us towards our destination in life.

Motivation is the fuel not the destination – by Ray Adler

Motivation, motivation what is motivation! Many people think they know what motivation is, but do they? A little research will show you that the dictionary definition of motivation is “the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behaviour”. Ask people to define motivation, very few will give such a concise response. This is because at some level, motivation is intrinsically involved with every aspect of our lives. We have to have a certain level of motivation to achieve anything from the simplest tasks such as getting out of bed or going shopping, through to life goals such as having a successful career. Unfortunately, most people see motivation, as part of the destination rather than the fuel that is needed to get us to reach our chosen destination.

Not understanding what motivation is usually leads to disappointment in life either on a spiritual or materialistic level. One of the most common areas where the lack of a clear definition of what motivation is occurs in the area of goal setting. We all know and understand the concept of setting goals and working towards them to achieve what we want in life, but if you speak to any number of people about setting and achieving goals, they will tell you that their goals motivate them to achieve what they really want out of life. This fundamental confusion over what motivation is often leads to people not achieving their goals and full potential, in fact it often leads to greater de-motivation, as after each setback the belief in the goal becomes less strong leading to a perceived lower level of motivation to achieve the goal. It becomes a vicious circle. It is a situation that many of us have faced and the difficulties that this kind of position brings. It takes a long time for us to realise that goals and motivation are not the same and we should not treat them as such.

When you set your goals you’re laying out the route and the destination you want to get to. When we are setting goals we are telling ourselves what do we want in life and how are we going to get there. What steps do we need to take? A list of goals will always allow us to move forward and give us a purpose in life, but they are not motivation in themselves.

Motivation is the fuel that inspires us to reach are goals and desires and allows us to keep getting up and moving towards our goals whenever we have a setback. Getting motivated and staying motivated gives us the energy we need to reach our goals in the shortest time possible. Motivation is required to meet our goals and goals are required to give purpose to our motivation. The two work hand in hand. If you get the motivation right you can achieve anything. So think seriously about how to get motivated and stay motivated so you can achieve whatever you desire.

Ray Adler is the owner of http://www.thesalescloser.co.uk. Ray has built up over 20 years experience in the sales arena and now delivers insights and advice on motivation and sales topics through The Sales Closer.

Michael

To discuss what a life coach can do for you and your motivation, and to schedule a session with Michael, use the contact form below.

Michael is a certified Life Optimization coach as well as a Law of Attraction and Law of Attraction Wealth coach.

Self Help Takes Action

2015-04-012015-03-29 ~ adminlife

“If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality.” ― Roopleen

We hear and read a lot about self help. In order to make self help effective, you need to take action.

The article below discusses this aspect of self help.

The Importance of Action in Self Help – By Lee P Jones

Self help is not simply a matter of understanding one’s circumstances and how they developed. It doesn’t end with the visualization of a better alternative. Self help is a fundamentally psychological matter, but that doesn’t mean that it occurs only on some sort of theoretical, “thought level.” Genuine self help methods do involve a great deal of consideration and introspection, but they also demand a subsequent action in order to reach one’s goals.

At the core of any successful self help experience, there is action.

Many critics seem suspicious of self help measures because they believe they work purely based on thought. It is true that positive thinking techniques and other thought-based strategies are popular means to self-fulfillment. However, even these entirely “mental” processes require concrete action in terms of directed thinking. Every episode of self help centers upon taking actions.

That is also why so many efforts at self improvement fail. Before we can take action, in most cases, we have to develop a clear understanding of who we are and why we behave in certain ways. That deeply introspective process can leave many people overwhelmed or “burnt out” in a hurry.

There is also the problem of habit. By and large, our limitations as individuals are the byproduct of bad behavioral habits developed over time. One of the most common problems is the habit of procrastination and other “lazy” tendencies. Even the most well-intended self help practitioners can find themselves in a difficult situation early in their journey. They have to get over the “habit hump” in order to take action. Their natural inclination to avoid that kind of effort can be a barrier to success.

However, it’s a barrier that must be conquered. Absent action, nothing changes. Regardless of one’s awareness of a need for change, things will roll along in similar fashion unless changes are actually made.

In fact, taking the first steps toward self help without following up with action can actually make matters more difficult. That’s because a heightened awareness of the need for change, coupled with inaction, can be stressful and anxiety-provoking.

Intellectualizing one’s circumstances indefinitely and procrastinating instead of taking action is really the antithesis of self help. So many people do just that, however, that some begin to question the underlying validity of self help processes. They see so many people who have seemingly embraced self help techniques without transforming their lives in any visible fashion. What those onlookers don’t realize is that a lack of action based on the knowledge gained is what is preventing success–not the technique itself.

Action matters and anyone who hopes to successfully engage in self help needs to find a way to overcome the “habit hump” that prevents it.

There’s no “one size fits all” solution for that problem…

However, there are many ways to get the job done. One popular method is to increase accountability by sharing your plans or goals with others. This tends to create a natural drive to get things started. Others find that reading, watching, or listening to particularly inspirational materials can give them the “bump” they need to get started.

Regardless of the method used to initiate the first wave of action, the good news is that, in time, the new active habit will replace the previous pattern of procrastination. Once one begins to see that happening, they will begin to truly maximize the value of their chosen self help strategy.

Do you have a plan? Have you taken the first steps to building a better future? Do you understand your goals and have an idea of what you will need to achieve them? If so, you are perfectly positioned to have a truly transformative experience. Now, all that is standing in your way is the critical last element of the self help equation-action.

Find a way to take action. Think about your goals and follow their inspiration. Seek out encouragement and energy wherever you may find it. Get the proverbial ball rolling as soon as you possibly can. Once you begin taking action, you can move toward your goals and the habit of taking control of your life and destiny will surely crowd out your previously-held “instincts” toward inactivity and procrastination.

You can get yourself Free Instant Access to 24 life changing self improvement books, audios and video, today over at http://www.mindpowers.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_P_Jones
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Action-in-Self-Help&id=1794771

Michael

To discuss what a life coach can do for you and your motivation, and to schedule a session with Michael, use the contact form below.

Michael is a certified Life Optimization coach as well as a Law of Attraction and Law of Attraction Wealth coach.

Staying Motivated

2015-03-29 ~ adminlife

“Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.” ― Lou Holtz

In our daily lives we sometimes find it hard to stay motivated. There are things that you can do to help you to motivate yourself.

The author gives some advice and methods that you can use to keep yourself motivated.

How to Stay Motivated – by Rotem Cohen

Many times we find “stuff” interfering with going after our goals and dreams. It’s hard to stay motivated, stay on track and difficult to move forward. If we allow daily distractions to interfere with our tasks at hand we are inviting in guilt, defeat and lack of purpose. Staying motivated is an art. We are going to show you how to be an artist of motivation!

There are steps to take to stay motivated. No matter what life throws at you, you’ll be able to hang in there, complete your tasks at hand and reach your goals. The exhilaration of seeing a project through to the end will give you more motivation to carry into every area of your life.

Develop the attitude of interest. Discover your passions and go after them. The happiest people, they say, are those people who do the things they love the most. It is not coincidental that they are the most motivated people as well. After all, passion and motivation go hand in hand. They are closely intertwined to create a person who is full of zest for living.

Nearly all successful people are very passionate about what they do. Why do you think Lance Armstrong, despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer, went on to win 7 consecutive Tour de France trophies? It is not only because he refused to give in to life’s cruel joke, but because he is also very passionate about cycling. We are not saying that it has to take some traumatic circumstances in our lives before we find the thing we are most passionate about. In most cases, this very thing is right in front of you. You just don’t see it and therefore cannot accept it.

Find the thing that can spark and sustain your enthusiasm. Then channel all your energies towards that passion. This sparks motivation, productivity and satisfaction.

But what do you do when you are stuck with things that you are not truly passionate about? When passion is lacking and your zeal is at its all time low, interest will suffice. Be interested in everything you do, no matter how boring, tedious or nonsensical it may seem. Find meaning in everything you take part in. Take the time to be curious and interested. Otherwise, your life will feel like a living hell.

Having said that, always find reasons to be happy about the things you do, the goals you are pursuing, the dreams you are trying to realize, and the life you are trying to live. Never lose sight of happiness and never let it slip away.

Maintain an elevated level of energy. The mere act of smiling at yourself can recharge your energy. Having no energy almost always ensures that you won’t feel as much motivated as you need to accomplish your goals. Always take the time to recharge yourself – sleep, eat, breathe deeply and consciously, relax, and rest. Do whatever it takes to always keep your energy high.

Act as if. Translate positive emotions into actions. If you are not feeling positive about anything, try to act as if you’re positive. Sometimes, despite the lack of motivation, you can still feel motivated when you deliberately act with enthusiasm. Motivation is a choice. You’ll find a peace and confidence when you choose motivation.

Visit Energy & Motivation to discover simple ways to raise your Energy & Motivation

Michael

To discuss what a life coach can do for you and your motivation, and to schedule a session with Michael, use the contact form below.

Michael is a certified Life Optimization coach as well as a Law of Attraction and Law of Attraction Wealth coach.