Category: INSPIRE

It’s all about having a vision outside yourself.

It all starts with this first step.

Without a bigger vision and purpose that is greater than yourself, you’ll quit at the initial stages of difficulty, as you will inevitably be knocked down. In contrast, when you’re achieving something for a purpose outside of yourself, the pressure of accountability alone will push you further than a purpose that is self-centered.

For example, if you’re learning a language in order to have a deeper connection with your life partner, you’re much more likely to persist because your relationship is on the line.

Or, if you’re trying to lose weight, think about how confident, joyful, and happy you will feel. But more importantly, think about how that will affect the loved ones around you.

Shifting from a self-centered goal to a bigger purpose that affects those you love helps you focus on what you will get out of it, instead of how hard it is.

Inside you is a giant, a bigger and better version of you. Most people accept a vision of themselves that is simply too small by conforming to the smaller visions of those around them. Becoming the best you requires having a bigger vision of who you are and of what you are capable.

Whether it’s starting a new business, learning a new language, or mastering an instrument — we love to start things without finishing. One of the biggest reasons why we never achieve our goals is due to a lack of motivation and persistence.

We start out with an abundance of optimism about the journey, without being fully prepared mentally for the inevitable obstacles ahead.

As Tony Robbins says, “Success in anything is 80% psychology, and 20% mechanics.”

Here are six powerful ways to become more persistent, so you’ll never quit again.

1. Have a vision outside of yourself

It all starts with this first step.

2. Build a support team

As the popular saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

3. Have a growth mindset

In order to achieve our goals, we often have to get out of our own way.

4. Schedule it

The most successful people in the world, including billionaire entrepreneurs, Olympic athletes, and world-class learners, all use schedules to prioritize their day.

5. Teach Others

Have you ever taught something you learned to someone and found it easier to remember in the future?

6. Have stakes

Why are we less likely to be late to a business meeting than a meeting with our friends? Because the former could get us fired. As humans, we’re naturally more motivated to commit when there is a consequence or a stake, even if it’s a friendly one.

It is time to make a choice. One that you could be proud of. One that you could tell your kids to make one day. That choice? The choice to make progress, not excuses. To pursue your dream life. To be who you really are. Isn’t now the time to be the real you? Have a go: 

• What would happen if you just went for it? – 
• Who are you? – Write down a list of what’s important to you about life
• Who are you really? – What was important to you before other people told you what was important to you?
• What’s your deepest, most secret desire?
• If you knew you couldn’t fail, what’s the benefit of not beginning?
• If not now, when?
• Who’s permission do you need?
• What’s stopping you?
• Who or what is holding you back?
• If you don’t know what you want, why on earth aren’t you trying to find out?
• When you know what you truly want, will you actually do anything about it?
• What’s important to you? – Make a list. Be honest with yourself.
• What’s really important to you? – Seriously. Be honest. Otherwise, this is pointless.
• If you wrote a list of everything that’s important to you, would you even be on it?
• If you don’t prioritize yourself, how will you ever be happy?
• What’s the excuse you use the most?
• When will you stop using your excuses?
• Do you feel good when you know you’re using excuses?
• Will you ever get what you want if you keep making excuses?
• Why won’t you just be honest with yourself?
• How long can you go on doing what you’re doing? – 6 months? 1 year? 5 years? If you don’t take action and do something different, nothing will change.
• When you’re totally honest with yourself, what will happen?
• Do you choose comfort over happiness?
• If any of these have resonated, are you gonna make an excuse or actually do something about it?

“It takes 20 years to become an overnight success” – Eddie Cantor

Whether you have noticed it already or not, individuals who tend to be blessed and luckier carry with them a unique work-ethic. You may only see the outcome of their success, but what goes on behind the scenes may make you question what it truly means to ‘work-hard’. You may have previously questioned why certain individuals seem to possess more luck than you. However, the fact is that these individuals have created each and every opportunity by following a precise process — and there is nothing stopping you from reaping these same benefits.

So how do they do it? 

• They Never Stand Still

• They Remain Positive at All Times

• They Aren’t Afraid to Fail

• They Have a WHY

• They Show Up…Every Day

Now there is a little more to it then the simplicity of the above 5 points. But these are the traits and the qualities in which the hard-working follow. If you can adopt as many of these five traits of hardworking individuals as possible, you will soon be attracting more opportunities in your daily life. 

Here are some ways we begin to limit ourselves and we don’t even realize it:

• We go looking for failure.

• We follow the crowd.

• We play it safe.

• We lack hope.  

• We stop listening to our hearts.

• We quit.

• We forget our “why.”

No matter our background, our education level, or our when we get started, holding ourselves back is a disservice to the rest of the world.  Our natural-born talents go untapped, un-shared, and hidden.  No one assigns our limits to us, we assign them to ourselves.  And in doing so, we can also reassign them.  Doing something out of the norm and unorthodox might upset the apple cart and many people will not understand your motives, believing that they are built on false pretenses.  True limits continue to grow after they have been met…as long as we don’t hold ourselves back from reaching our full potential.

Ask yourself: “What does success look like?”

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” – Booker T. Washington

Does success mean making lot of money, having a big house and a flashy car or does it mean happiness, excellent health and bringing beauty into the world? While you’re at it, you might also want to visualize the entire scene of your successful future, where you are, who is with you, what are you doing and even how are you are feeling.

Ask yourself again… What is a success to you? Is it getting up in the mornings and getting to the gym? Is it the To-Do list that you set out for yourself the day before? The purpose of defining your own success is to start living a life based on your own expectations and terms. The actions that bring you joy, a sense of accomplishment, service, and progress are where you should be investing your energy.

Regardless… if you want to be successful – Stop wasting your energy on what other people may think, or do or say, and start putting energy towards furthering yourself. You need every ounce of positive energy, encouragement, and self-esteem working for you and you alone if you want to be successful. Say no to the naysayers…even better, just ignore them and go on about your business.

The path to success usually isn’t a straight line. This is the risk. Expect to face obstacles and accept that you may fail several times along the way. The way you recover from failures will speak to your character and your ability to reach your goals. When one thing isn’t working, be willing to try something new until you succeed.

But seriously. Today is another Monday, another start of a week, another chance, another opportunity, another day in which you can decide to be positive or be negative. You may have a busy day or a day which isn’t even planned out. Regardless – how the day flows, rolls and progress are primarily based on your attitude and reaction to the events throughout the day. You are in control.

In saying all this, it is a segway to something greater. Something more and something which you need to think about. Like I said; you have a chance to own the day and make it what it is. You have this same chance for your life obviously, and the more you start doing, the more you start acting in control and the more you start proactively taking responsibility, the sooner you will find the success, the answers and the happiness you are looking and longing for.

There is no shortcut in your journey to whatever/wherever it is you are going – the only advantage you can have is stepping up and being accountable for your responsibility. It’s great that you are good at what you do! But could you be better? Could you be greater? If so and if you want it – why not go for it. Don’t make excuses that the timing is wrong, that you don’t have what it takes. If you want it – prioritize it and make it your mission. This is for anything you want to achieve. If you don’t start putting in the time – well there will be no time left and the time you have spent will be the time in which you may regret and never get back. So make the most of the time and moments you have, as one day you will wake up and you will ask yourself… why didn’t I start earlier? Why didn’t I do this or do that? Don’t wait until that moment to motivate yourself but teach yourself to be motivated now. Yes it will be tough, yes it will be hard – but in the long run, you will have it easier and better for you and the people in your life. It is a small sacrifice well worth its return.

So…

What will you do today?

Don’t get me wrong. A challenge is good. It’s good for everyone to be challenged, but don’t challenge one’s ability to succeed, if they are already doing their best. Encouragement is the answer. Whether they are new or noble – success and lifestyle are not created overnight and through the journey, there are so many obstacles and paths to be taken that things will need to be sacrificed, things will need to be put on hold and things will need to be prioritized over others. If this impacts other people… well so be it.

As at the end of the day – we all have different ambitions and we all have different priorities. So don’t suggest that because you don’t do X then you must be Y. But encourage and support and understand.  If they are however practicing in something which is harming, hurting, immoral or of wrongful ways – well yes they need to be challenged. But do not judge someone based on their priorities. Priorities will always change through the seasons of life.

If you have a priority to clean up your life, or get focused or embedded into a future path to your success. Then so be it. 

At each moment of the day, you make a decision, whether you realize it or not. It’s the result of your attitude towards life. And whatever it is—positive or negative—it affects all the events, people, relationships, and basically whatever it is that you encounter in your life.

So, if you’re living a complicated life with so many things to do and no time for yourself, it’s your fault.

If you have exactly what you’ve wanted and are thankful for it every day, you’re the one to blame.

If you’re surrounded by negative people, have a job you hate and can’t even sleep at night because of the many thoughts that pop up in your head constantly, no one else is responsible for that but you.
If you’re doing what you love, work hard but still find time for yourself and those you love, it’s due to a choice you’ve made at some point.

But there’s good news. Whatever your situation is, you can change it.

Happiness is absolutely possible at any time, it’s free, doesn’t depend on age, looks, career or income. Everyone deserves it and it doesn’t need to be found, reached, created, or anything else that requires an effort.

Three best things you can do with your life—let go of what was and will be, accept what is and be okay with it, thank for it and appreciate it.

Set your own life rules, set your boundaries, set your limits and live up to these. If you set your expectations, your limits and capabilities with others before they set their own – then you should always make them happy as you know how to meet this level. Further to this; you shouldn’t be comparing your life to others either. The only way you’ll get where you want to be is if you live life on your own terms. And you can start by:

Staying out of other people’s business

Staying away from toxic people

Using your gifts to your advantage

Not working for external rewards

Letting your work speak for you

Not holding yourself back