Day #277: Conquer Your Fear – Conquer Your Comfort Zone

Fear is an illusion until conquered. But the problem with fear is it prevents us from even attempting to overcome the illusion. To break it you need just go and do it. The more you think and analyse, the more you have to convince yourself. Just like getting into a cold pool or the beach. Jump in and you’ve done it. Walk in and you feel the pain and you still think about backing out. The fear overwhelms you. 

“If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you’re not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later.” – Richard Branson

Fear of failure prevails when there is an illusive notion that successful people are on a higher plain, elevated and showered with angel dust by the success fairy who passed over the rest of us. The realization that this is a delusion becomes clear when you see professionals who lack professionalism, managers who cannot manage and executives who fail to execute. When you have a negative experience with someone at the top, it serves as a reminder that there’s room for more, including yourself in the club of success.

Once you step out of your comfort zone, this is where you will grow and this is where you will be challenged. It will be scary, it may be hard and won’t always be fun… but what I can say is, the growth will always be worth it in the end. The question is… where will you step out of your comfort zone? New Routines? New Goals? New Styles? New Challenge? What?

“We cannot expect to grow if we are too afraid or unwilling to change and face challenges. When we exit our everyday, mundane lifestyles to do something different we can experience growth, undiscovered strength, and new abilities within ourselves.” – Ashley Ormon

Day #276: Worry Less & Give It A Shot

Worry less and you will have more time to give it a go. It is all about attitude and perception for when it comes to taking action. You can jump in to test the waters, or you can jump in and make waves! Be the one to jump in making the biggest impact – giving it 110% of what you got. Even if you don’t get the final result you wanted… you still made an impact, a wave and I am sure you would have had some fun along the way!

Worry not of the day ahead, worry not of tomorrow. Not everything can be changed or controlled, but if you have made your decision to lose before even starting, how could expect to at least attempt in changing or controlling the things before you?

When you fill your mind with worry, there is no room for your greatness, your ideas and your talents to reflect. When worry takes over, take a pen and some paper and jot down a plan to track back on target, to understand what needs to be done to release this worry and be back at productive capacity!

Worry less but plan more. Take an attitude check, reevaluate and prepare yourself to be the best! Give it a shot today!

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” – Elbert Hubbard

Day #275: It Is Earned, Not Given. 90 Day Success, Make It Happen

Success isn’t given, it is earned. This is it. You have 90 Days left of the year and it is the final stretch and a chance to apply some real change in your life.

90 Day’s may still seem a long time for you – but it is not. Looking at 90 days and thinking what can I do, will enable you to think more precise as you know the time is limited – which in theory should give you that extra motivation, as it will give you the fear of missing out.

You have a real shot of changing your life and the decision is to be made today. Maybe you want to lose some weight, run further, read more, be more, start this, or achieve that. Maybe you want to grow your art skills or writing skills – so do something about it for the next 90 days. 

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” –  Wayne Gretzky

Earlier this year (Day #88: Habit + Willpower = ?) I told you that if you want results, you need to apply some action and keep momentum. While at the same time if you apply daily discipline and create a new habit through willpower to prove to yourself that you even can do it – then you will be motivated more and more by the result. 

Forming habits can be hard or really, really simple. It is all about limits, quotas and challenges. With only 90 days remaining – you have a wonderful chance to still make some noise and a big enough impact to whatever it is you wish to do. All you need to do is set yourself a daily quota to do something and this will enable you to more likely stay dedicated.

So what will you do? Grow your mind? Read more books? Develop you writing passion?

In quota terms this is how you could do it: “Do 20 math exercises a day”, “Read a chapter a day”, “Write 500 words a day”.

Make this a priority for each day for the next 90 days (starting today).

Then you need to just evaluate what this can do for you. Remember make sure you pick something realistic.

I say keep it smaller to enable consistency.

Now you want to take whatever it is and calculate the development of this daily discipline.

  • If you do 20 math problems a day, for example, after 30 days you’re 600 problems smarter. So for 90 days that’s 1800 problems solved. 
  • If you read a chapter a day, after 2 weeks you have read the entire book (based on the average book size). So for 90 days that’s roughly 6 books.
  • If you write 500 words a day, after 2 months you end up with the equivalent of a full novel. 90 days would mean the equivalent to almost 2 novels.
  • There are plenty of 30 day running plans equating to 30 miles (48kms), so how about going for 90 days and hit just shy of 150kms.

Where the real magic is found is if you improve your effort by increments every day for the next 90 days instead of not or even less.  My favorite example on this is push ups. 

Start with a baseline of 1 push up. Then increment daily by 1. The next day, do 2 and so on. So by the end of 90 days you will do 90 push ups on your final day. But think of the compounding. If you do not increment each day by 1, by the end of the year you have done 90 push ups. BUT! If you increment by 1 each day for the next 90 days. By the end of the year you have done 4094 push ups. And that’s just push ups. Imagine what you could with all your other goals! But if you can already do 50 start from there, that’s 8505.

The point is, go back to your list of goals for the year and have a look of what you have and have not done. Don’t waste any more time and pick one goal that requires action and make it your priority today. The more time you invest, yields a higher return. Remember, success is earned, never given. 

Just like when I go for a run, the final 500m is where I push the hardest, I fight for a burst of energy and a bolt of speed to wipe off some of those slacked seconds. It is my chance to finish strong, to finish on top and to come out with a smile. This is what you are doing. If you have been taking it easy this year, it is time to make the final sprint and really make it count. No you may not reach the final tip of your goal, but you will make noise and make enough effort to make you realize you have what it takes. 

With this said – this will only work if you take action and invest the little time left. Success is never given, it is only earned. 

“The biggest difference between success and failure is total time invested.” – Oliver Emberton

Day #274: Conquer The Everyday Mountain

Conquer yourself and you can conquer it all. Lessons are always valuable as long as we take from them and apply the value they provide.  Here are some all rounded life lessons – or more so suggestions that you should adopt on your journey ahead. Described in the lens of mountain climbing, this applies to your daily battles when taking on the everyday mountains. Take the path ahead and see what you are capable of…

Always Be Prepared  Just be ready for change

Remember To Breathe – Slowly exhale. Repeat this process. You’ll be okay.

A Little Discomfort Can Be Healthy – In life, it’s important to push ourselves outside our comfort zone. We grow by attempting what we think we can’t accomplish.

Appreciate The Beauty – Sometimes, we get so caught up in the destination, we forget how beautiful the journey is.

Go Your Own Pace – There’s no need to go faster than you’re comfortable going. There’s no need to belittle your accomplishments and measure them up against others.

Don’t Let Fear Stop You – Regardless of whether or not you succeed, there is beauty in the attempt. To be paralyzed by fear is to stop appreciating the beauty that surrounds us.

Just Keep Moving Forward – Take a small break. Step back, look around and appreciate how far you’ve come. If you’ve made it this far, a few more steps won’t hurt.

A Little Is Better Than Nothing – So get out there. Go for a walk. Read a book. Grab a coffee. Put on some music and shake it off.

You Gain Perspective At The Top – Once you have climbed your mountain… The hike is rigorous and harder than you expected. You’re ready to turn back, but you keep pushing forward. You’ve gained clarity and a new perspective on what is important in your life. On-wards to the next mountain!

Revel In Your Success; You’ve Earned It – Congratulations! Instead of rushing to the bottom or moving on to the next task, take a second. Realize how far you’ve come and how much you’ve accomplished. Revel in that success. You are amazing. Throw a little party for yourself. Reflect on how far you’ve come.

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. – Edmund Hillary

Day #273: Go, Be And Do What Your Heart Desires – Follow Your Passion

What are your desires? What would you like to do if money was no object? If you could get up right now – without a worry in the world, you can go, be and do anything and everything you have ever wanted. What would you do? Come away from the mindset of money and reach out and find something to work on that you can meaningfully contribute to, something you think is worthwhile, even if no one else cares. What is that?

“If you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you’ll spend your life completely wasting your time. You’ll be doing things you don’t like doing in order to go on living, that is to go on doing thing you don’t like doing, which is stupid.” – Alan Watts

Passions, dreams, goals, lifestyle, happiness, motivation and encouragement are all of a single instance – they are of the heart. Following your heart, your ultimate journey, you will go places you would have never have thought, you will become greater than you could have ever imagined and you will amaze all the people who would have never thought you could have done it. But don’t do it to impress – do it for the satisfaction knowing that you have conquered the highest mountain, the hardest challenge and the biggest critic. YOU. If you can fight yourself, beat yourself and train yourself to go, be and do the things of your dreams and turn them into a reality and into a lifestyle. You will always be happy – as if you love what you do, you will always do what you love and never have to work another day in your life.

Go now and make path of your journey ahead. Don’t wait another moment… follow your heart, follow your desires. 

“If you’re waiting until you feel talented enough to make it, you’ll never make it.” ― Criss Jami

Day #272: Sometimes A Little Selfish Growth Is Needed

No more excuses! Here are the reasons why it’s always the perfect time to be selfish with your life, in order to get to where you want to go. I mean YES, you need to think about yourself for once which help benefits you.

It Can Lead To A Positive Life

I’ll let you in on a little secret I’ve discovered about life: Life is as simple or as tough as you make it to be. Personal happiness can be achieved through working hard, always learning and achieving goals. Following whatever passion you have in life will help you determine and define your own definition of success.

It Can Help With Self Discovery

It makes total sense to want to get to know more about yourself. You are inside your own head 24 hours of the day, seven days a week, whether you like it or not. In the long run, it’s enabled me to put my best strengths to use, avoid my downfalls, find a path for myself and stick to it. The more you know yourself, the more capable you are of achieving your goals.

It Can Help You Achieve Happiness

True happiness that radiates from within is like an infectious disease; it’s simply unavoidable. I believe happiness is a choice, but the magnitude in which it is fueled and delivered is based on the passion behind it.  If you have a passion (YOU NEED TO FIND IT FIRST) and you are living it – this automatically will formulate a rich and contagious happiness from within you. People won’t have a choice but to see it.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman 

Day #271: Don’t Quit. Success Is Ahead

We all hit points when it seems like going on is next to impossible. You feel like you should quit. When you’re already overwhelmed, it’s easy to talk yourself into giving up. But 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:

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

Day #270: Conquer Yourself, Then You Can Conquer The World

We’re back to the start. Massive Monday is here and it is all on you to determine whether it will shine or come with the blues. Will you conquer?

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 Monday – let alone any day for that fact is: 

Striving to being 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 wont only just impact yourself, but the people watching you too!

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

Day #269: Are You Really Living Life 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

Day #268: Being & Creating The Best Version Of You…

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. So each day live to be you, live to be your best, by working on showing, making and creating 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