Author: CLFurlong

To conquer yourself it is all on you to determine whether you will shine or be one with the blues. 

Sometimes it is up to you to be the sunshine you are looking for. Not just to be bright, but to make an impact! The question is… What is ‘sunshine’ to you? How you will be it and what will you do?

“They who have conquered doubt and fear have conquered failure.” – James Allen

I think the key to conquering  any day is: 

Striving to be the best YOU is a continual progress and is about conquering yourself mentally and physically.  Why is it so important?  We are always going to be our biggest motivators and critics.  When you truly learn your own self, what makes you tick, your qualities and flaws.  Then you have already started the journey to conquering yourself and NOTHING will stop you to do anything and everything you want in the world.

Just remember it may take a long time or a short time… Regardless, those dreams you have, don’t give up on them. They are your dreams and in order for them to happen, it is in your hands. If you want to do something, work towards it and see the path built ahead. Passion will always help you move faster and will also aspire you to work harder.

Results take time but progress requires commitment. Daily commitment. See the vision, set the goal and journey on! Just because it gets tough, don’t mean you are not achieving your goal! Keep making the choice to continue as you won’t only just impact yourself, but the people watching you too!

“If you conquer yourself, then you can conquer the world.” – Paulo Coelho, Aleph

Photo Credit: Instagram @s.dem_ | Location: Portugal

We all hit times when it seems like moving on is next to impossible. When you’re already overwhelmed, it’s easy to talk yourself into giving up. But don’t quite yet! Giving up too soon could cause you to miss out on success. You never know how soon you might start seeing progress if you hang in there and give it a little more time.

Here are seven good reasons you should keep at it just a little longer and don’t QUIT yet!

1. It takes many iterations for one success.

“If birds can glide for long periods of time, then… why can’t I?” – Orville Wright

2. Instant success is a myth.

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

3. Your success might matter more than you think it does.

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” – Abraham Lincoln

4. The most worthwhile things are not easy.

“Action is the foundational key to all success.” – Pablo Picasso

5. You might not have tried the right thing yet.

“If I have done the public any service, it is due to my patient thought.” – Isaac Newton

6. Tenacity matters more than talent.

“To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.” – Mark Twain

7. Your past does not determine your future.

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby

99.9 percent of the time, our first attempts were not their best and won’t be. But if stay strong and push through one bad draft after another, one business flop after another, until we learn enough and have tried enough – then we will succeed. 

Don’t quit. Success is ahead.

**inspired by lifehack

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_ | Location:  Sandy Bay, Tasmania,  Australia

Is life turning out the way you imagined? Turning your dreams into goals, then achieving every single one, no matter the size, is the only way to live the life you want. Living the way you always imagined is a sure-fire way to be truly happy every day. 

To do that, there are some steps you can take – which in theory if applied correctly you should be able to make these dreams a reality. 

Figure Out What You Want

Effective goals need to be clear. If you don’t know what you want there’s no way you’re going to achieve it. You won’t know how to start or what to do. Be clear and specific.

Do Your Homework

Sometimes our dreams remain in that state because we don’t know much about achieving them. Your dreams tend to be outside of your current world, taking you somewhere you’ve never been. Do not let lack of knowledge stall your dreams. If you want to achieve something that you’re not familiar with or don’t know where to start, get familiar. Do some research. Find out how others did it.

Set Realistic Expectations

As much as you’d like to be, you won’t be an overnight success. Once you figure out what you want, don’t convince yourself that you can get it in an instant.  You just have to be honest and reasonable with yourself when setting up expectations. Everyone wants it quickly but good things take time.

Actually, Do Something

You have to take action. Wishing and hoping isn’t going to get the job done. You need to figure out what your next step is going to be and take action immediately. Don’t wait anymore.

Take One Thing At A Time

Don’t overwhelm yourself. After everything you’ve been through the last thing you want to do is feel like another thing isn’t going to work out for you. Break the dream down into small actionable steps. Do one thing at a time and focus on just that.

How long have you been putting your dreams on hold?

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. – Colin Powell

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_ | Location:  Sandy Bay, Tasmania,  Australia

The best version of you is being YOU and doing your best at the task at hand. No more & no less. You cannot be better than your best. You can improve, but that would be your new best. Each day you should live to be you, live to be your best, by working to show, make and create your best. Whether it be the same or better than the day before. The best is the best! The best is you!

Everyone wants to become the best version of themselves, but few actually do it. Why? Because we’re our own worst enemies when it comes to achieving success, chasing our dreams, and living a life that’s filled with passion and purpose.

Some of us are self-destructive without realizing it, and others are conscious of the fact, but lack the tools and/or knowledge in order to improve. But no matter who you are, there are 6 main habits that continually get in people’s way of becoming a success.

Eliminate these 6 habits and become the best version of yourself.

1. Stop the negative self-talk

2. Stop criticizing and judging others

3. Stop the fear of failure

4. Stop the fear of success

5. Stop people pleasing

6. Stop procrastination

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. – Og Mandino

Comment below on some other ways you feel people stop themselves from becoming the best version of themselves? I’ll love to hear your responses. Comment how you work to be the best version of you each day.

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_ | Location:  Sandy Bay, Tasmania,  Australia

It is the weekend already, but next time in preparation and in the plan for the weekend ahead did you know: that what a lot of us don’t realize is that spending Saturday and Sunday binge-watching Netflix or sleeping off hangovers is a complete waste of 2/7 of our life. The most successful people know that, even if they won’t be doing much “work” over the weekend, they still have to be productive if they want to stay ahead of the rest of the population. Rather than glue themselves to the couch watching reality TV all weekend, the hardest working among us choose to do the below:

1. Plan
2. Get Up Early
3. Unplug
4. Exercise
5. Socialize
6. Follow Passions & Hobbies
7. Embrace Downtime & Reflect
8. Prepare For The Week Ahead

Monday mornings can be an incredibly stressful time. But if you’ve used your weekend wisely, and you take some time Sunday night to analyze all the errands and jobs you need to do throughout the week, let alone done at least something of the other 7 activities above… then you can wake up on Monday feeling ready to take on whatever gets thrown at you.

“It’s not the plan that’s important, it’s the planning.” Dr. Gramme Edwards

What do you do?

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_ | Location:  Sandy Bay, Tasmania,  Australia

You know that feeling? Time is ticking away… You’re motivated, excited and focused as you work toward your dreams and goals… Then, BAM! Life happens.

The initial excitement you felt fades away. What you had been working on seems to become harder and harder to capture and by the time you actually have the time to get back to your dreams and goals you are lacking the push, the urge, and the motivation… You find yourself creating excuses. Days and then weeks go by. Those ambitious goals you dreamed up are nothing but far-off fantasies dancing around in your head. You feel guilty for not following through, and you say to yourself:

• I’ll never be able to stick to my goals.
• I don’t push myself hard enough.
• I need to stop being so lazy.
• I’m a failure.

I must ask you this: If you are lacking in motivation, drive and push to chase those dreams and to make them happen – are these really your priority? And secondly, are they your priority dreams. You see – if you are passionate about something when it comes to time management and how you spend the available time you have, this reflects your priorities. Yes, I know it can be easier to just relax, but relaxing should be scheduled and not unexpected. If you have some spare and real usable time – wouldn’t you want to be using this to find the greater you and to make those dreams a reality?

So in my books, the reason why you are saying these things to yourself (as listed above) is that:

• You have bigger priorities
• You’re just not that passionate about it
• You lack the self-discipline
• You have no motivation to move forward towards these goals

So maybe you need to redefine your dreams, redefine your priorities and identify what it is you would love to do and chase. 

“Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” — Coco Chanel

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_ | Location:  Melbourne, Australia

Make it happen! Today, tomorrow and forever. No one ever said life was going to be easy. Nor that it would all just fall into place. The idea of life coming together like it was all predetermined – is never going to happen. Though we all have a purpose and a part to play – this comes down to pure raw choice. You can choose whether you will take upon yourself the grind, the hustle and the drive to be, to chase, to follow, to grow or to rise and to make a stand.

You need to make your own stand, your own ground or impact. No one else is going to do it for you simply more so because they are making their own. They may encourage, inspire or motivate you to do it, however you are ultimately the one who is responsible to make things happen. What are you waiting for?

“I believe ardently that you should drop everything and run toward your true self.” -Kyran Pittman

Don’t limit it down to the reasons of why you can’t-do this or do that – but identify the reasons why can and why you should. We all have something worth saying, doing and standing up for. It could be as simple as being a pro ice skater or even being a high-end landscaper. The point is – whatever it is you want to do, be or create. Don’t be bound by the limitations, but be launched by the reasons of why you want it to happen. If you believe in yourself and have the courage enough to go for it – well then you will find success regardless. It will just take the time and growth to get you there.

“If you want to be comfortable, don’t try to live your dreams.” -Emily Trinkaus

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_ | Location:  Melbourne, Australia

Life is a road trip. Where are you going? You are the driver. Don’t wait around for the world to deliver. You must be the one to deliver. The world will provide the vehicles but you are the skill, you are the power and you are the one that will get you from A to B or the other 25 destinations. 

Like any road trip there will be pit stops and fuel-ups along the way – so like the road trip through life, you will take some stops, some refuels but also potentially some detours, some cautionary speeds and who knows maybe you will also have a chance to zoom forward leaving others behind. The point is – the road trip of life has its unique moments. The ups and downs, like a roller-coaster, will keep you on your toes and the windy roads will remind you that while things may get a little challenging, you can still get to your destination while having a bit of fun too.

As today has arrived again – how will you travel through it? How will you plan your journey for the week ahead? Be prepared for fun, excitement, and plenty to do and see – but also be prepared for the unexpected to occur.

Life is a journey. When we stop, things don’t go right. – Pope Francis

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_ | Location:  Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Are you brave enough? Let’s skip the part where I tell you that you have what it takes – as we all do and I don’t think you need reminding. What you do need to be reminded of is that negativity & doubt is going to be the biggest elephant in the room if you don’t start taking the necessary actions to remove this scum from your life. With this said – each journey has its own set of challenges and you should soldier through these with bravery and a vision in mind. If you gave up when it got tough the first time – I am sorry but your journey won’t be very long…

Here are some small motivators/challenges to help boost your confidence and keep you on track on your mission to greatness.

• If you never try, you’ll never know.

• It’s about the journey just as much as the destination.

• It’s possible to fail at something you don’t want, so why not go after what you do want?

• Forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do will only result in unhappiness.

• You may fail a thousand times, but you’ll be that much smarter.

• When you do achieve your goal, you can silently laugh at all the haters.

Failure is a negative thing, by definition. The opportunity to learn is good, but it is by no means exclusive to failing. If you’re going to fail, you should learn from it. That’s the only context in which it is “good.” People who are searching for advice also need to stop viewing advice as their potential silver bullets. There is no silver bullet, so get to work.

“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.” –David Brinkley

As stated before – There is no silver bullet, so get to work. GET OUT THERE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. 

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_ | Location:  Post Office, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

If there is a something in the way, you go around it or move it out of the way. Do you have a boulder in the way? Success is not one simple act, it’s a summation of your habits. In today’s world, so many people want to become an overnight success. However, what you don’t realize is that the most successful people work extremely hard. For example, Jack Ma (founder of Alibaba) credits his success to hard work and dedication. NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant would wake up at 4:00 A.M. to practice free-throws by himself before official practice started with the Olympic team hours later. He literally practiced before practice!

It may be a little clichéd but perfecting and practicing is the key to crafting success. As the saying goes – practice makes perfect. While at the same time:

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryuh

The problem is we encounter some very common boulders through life which limit our ability to succeed in achieving our dreams. Bad habits. In this case, there is one in particular which is literally a time killer if not followed. Now because time is limited and bound by the buckets we create – you should use it wisely.

A Lack Of Discipline

Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, time is our most precious and limited resource. There are only 24 hours in one day. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees that you’ll wake up tomorrow. Sleeping and waking up at the same time every day is good for your body and helpful in setting a disciplined, daily routine. Besides being strict about when you wake up and go to bed, it’s also important to be protective of your time. A great tactic to do this is to designate a few days or specific hours throughout the week for “success time.”  These are blocks of time where you only focus on doing things that contribute to your personal goals and dreams, whether it’s learning a new language or working on a side business. By setting aside your “success time,” you’ll be able to focus on the things that matter most to you and will be less tempted to say “yes” to last-minute social invitations or distractions that can get in your way. You also have to be able to say “no” to committing to things that don’t interest or benefit you. Remember, the few hours you spend doing something you’re not that into are hours that you could have spent learning or growing yourself.

Being stubborn about your goals will give you the discipline and commitment you need! Stubborn is one thing, but being flexible is another. Be flexible with your goals. Stubborn enough to stay committed and not give in to being lazy and not working forward. However, you need to be flexible in how you get there. Sometimes, there will be obstacles, delays, and challenges that will require you to move forward in a different way. Just because there is an obstacle, doesn’t mean you cannot still progress. Maybe you will have setbacks, maybe it will just take longer and maybe different opportunities will come… regardless be flexible, but be committed!

If you’re not willing to be disciplined, tough and tight when it comes to managing and fixing your time to help you grow and get to the next level – then you may be stuck for a while.

Photo Credit: Instagram @canva | Location:  Unknown