Day #157: The Best Time Is Now

Dreaming is sometimes the best way to escape reality and really identify what it is you want to be doing. We all have ambitions hidden away that we wish to pursue. The problem is, we struggle to take the first step necessary to achieve it. It may be the hardest action to do (taking the first step) but once you do, you will never regret it. The best time is now.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb

Think of it like this… An investor views trees as investments. The best time to start investing was 20 years ago. The second best time to start investing is now. “It’s not timing the market, it’s time in the market.” Time in the market basically means the longer you have investments, the longer your investments have been growing and making you money. Hence, like your dreams, the sooner you start, the sooner you learn, the sooner you grow, and the sooner you will be thriving in the big wide world. INVEST IN YOURSELF. Start today.

Still not getting it?

Here are some more things you should do to successfully take the first step:

1. Believe in your dream

2. Visualize your dream

3. Expect a hard way ahead

4. Take one bite at a time

My challenge to you is to first identify what it is you want to do, then start to work through these 4 steps.

But seriously, the only real way to get your feet off the ground is to jump and just take the plunge.

Day #156: Success Is Allowed

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton

Everyone and anyone can and should be successful and the only difference between the people who are and who are not is the simple choices we make each day. These will vary, however there are eight simple yet important traits which will fuel your success.

1. You need to stop keeping the entirety of your goals to yourself

Personally I find this one on the half-half side as I have found usually when you share your goals too early or even your end result, you automatically tell your mind that you have already achieved this and it can release the idea to your mind and limits your ability to work hard for it. I would advise, noting to someone rather than saying I am going to lose 25kgs, say I am working to lose weight this year. Regardless, this will vary per person but the point is to find one and stick to what works for you…

2. Stop expecting it all to just happen overnight

I think this one speaks for itself. It takes time and you should know this. It is going to take hard work and dedication to achieve your goals. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to be a lawyer, a teacher, a writer, or a coffee shop owner. The trials and tribulations are what make you feel successful when your dreams turn into reality.

3. Stop focusing on what isn’t working and look for the bright side!

When you are too busy focusing on the mistakes and setbacks that you are going to have to deal with and not seeing them as an opportunity to learn, you are only hurting yourself.

4. Listen to those in charge of you – your boss, parents etc…

They are where they are for a reason, so when they take the time to invest encouragement and wisdom to you, this is an opportunity that could change your life.

5. Don’t cram your schedule!

Do not keep your schedule so full that you don’t have time to think. Successful people make sure that there is time aside to eat, exercise, and unwind.

6. Don’t work to just earn, work to learn

Successful people are always looking for ways to get to the next step or stage. Instead of showing up to work to earn your hourly wage, show up as if you were learning how to run the place. Own what you do and make it fun, make it yours and do it proud.

7. Excuses will never help

Take responsibility for what you are doing, if you make a mistake or you are delayed for a deadline, don’t beat around the bush, but have a clear valid reason of why you are where you are.

8. Stop being shy of failure

Successful people will accept failure as another step closer to their success. You will fail, it is just life. But you will also have grand success. Sometimes we win sometimes we wont, but with the right skills, tools and willpower you will get there. Opportunity has many doors, you just need to keep knocking until the right one opens.

Day #155: Bucket of Proportionate Capacity

Time itself will never change, but how we utilize it will always change, based on what you decide to do. So do you have the courage to adapt to your capacity bucket of proportionate changes in life?

What even is your capacity bucket of proportionate changes?

As is our confidence, so is our capacity. – William Hazlitt

Basically it is both the mental / psychological and physical changes, pressure and intensity, in which you can handle, without spilling over your bucket. Think of it like this; you have a bucket full of water balancing on top of your head and depending on your day and what you experience, this bucket will walk with you, run with your do whatever it is you are doing. But the real trick is to manage this bucket while you do what you do and still allow it to NOT spill over. If it does, well there will be some uncomfortable moments, but there will also be some times where nothing really changes. The point is, whatever the outcome, the best thing you can do is pick it up and keep on keeping on.

The best part is, that next time this occurs you will have hopefully learned the mistakes from the first time, and this should technically deepen your bucket capacity. So if you continue to do this each day and everyday for the rest of your life, imagine by the time you settle down to retire. Imagine the wisdom, the experience and shear breadth of knowledge you should have accumulated. Most of all, imagine how deep and wide and strong and worthy your capacity bucket would be.

So how will you handle your capacity bucket today?

Day #154: The Challenge

The start of this year I set out to challenge myself to blog each day for 365 days. Why? Well for many reasons, but one of them is to challenge myself. Last year I did this successfully, however this year I wanted to challenge myself to step it up. Being able to control this obviously made it that easier however the hardest part is the daily consistency. But the consistency also is what made it easier as well. It became a routine and a part of my day – therefore it was never an inconvenience. 

The habit of embracing daily commitment is more like a quiet strength that cannot be shaken. As WH Murray said,

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.”

When you set your sights on achieving your goal, it will take some kind of sacrifice. It’s up to you to decide if you’re willing to pay the price in order to give yourself a chance to realize the best possible outcome. The persistent people, the ones who are willing to pay the price, are able to visualize the light at the end of the tunnel.

The pain is worth the effort, and this enables them to keep going.

With this all in mind just because you might not have the brainpower or talents of someone else, does not mean you won’t have what it takes. More so it gives a you chance to demonstrate your hard work. Will Smith was asked about his secret to success and this is what he said:

“I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. You may be more talented than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be better looking than me. But if we get on a treadmill together you are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked.”

The real question I have for you today is to really challenge yourself to step it up. Pick something you do now, that you know you do well or enjoy. How can you take this and make it greater or expand it or take it to the next level? What is the challenge for you?

Day #153: A Sunny Spectacle

You have chance to create opportunity each and every day. Now that winter has finally made its appearance, the lack of sunshine can have a dull effect. However, just because it is winter doesn’t mean the sun don’t shine, it just means the chances of seeing its beautiful sight are limited.  It is now up to you to be the sunny inspiration each day. 

The best part though is, you don’t need the sun to be beautiful nor do you need it to make it a sunny day! You create your own rhythm to the day and how you do that can be as simple as walking on sunshine! Yes I mean; spring out of bed, dance to some music, sing in the shower and be happy to know that today is a day worth living. Today is another day of celebration… Celebration that you my friend have the power and have the ability to do something bigger and greater to those around you. 

Yes really. 

All you need to do is smile. Stand tall and be ready to make fun out the worst and embrace a positive attitude. The day will surely throw some curves in the way, but your flexible enough to make your way around them. 

Things present themselves to you, and it’s how you choose to deal with them that reveals who you are. – Cate Blanchett

As you do this – you will not only create a sunshine type effect to yourself (bubbling through the day) but you will inspire others to embrace some fun and laughter and of course happiness through their busy day.

The best time to smile is when you feel like not. Why? Try it next time and just see what it can do. 

When life puts you in tough situations, don’t say “Why me” say “Try me”- Unknown

Day #152: Loyal To Myself

Oh yea! Monday is done and dusted, it’s Tuesday. But like I say for any day, today is the best kind of day. 

This week I want you to set it in motion with the intent to grow yourself. As opportunity comes your way, don’t be hasty to push it to the side, but embrace it and give it a go. The worst case is you will fail and end up the way you were at the start of the week… and if I am right, that won’t be too bad.

But the real struggle is to stay on the ball and maintain a consistent level of growth, let alone a level that will be challenging you. Like exercise, the more you push and the further you go the more your mind will start to challenge your body’s ability to deliver… but we both know; 

“Your body drives you to the line but your mind makes you cross it.” – Sebastian Kienle

So when you start to doubt your ability to deliver your end result, remember your mind is always going have the strongest power over your entirety. So when you feel you cannot go on anymore, go for a final push and see what you can do in the final moments. Being able to overcome your mind’s push to give up, will intensify your willpower to a new level. This way, the next time when your mind plays tricks on you to give up, you will be able to push through it, basically building a new tolerance each and every time.

So today why not continue into the week being loyal. What I mean by this can be summed up by Jarrod Kintz.

“To be loyal to myself is to allow myself to grow and change, and challenge who I am and what I think. The only thing I am for sure is unsure, and this means I’m growing, and not stagnant or shrinking.”
– Jarod Kintz

Day #151: No Stress, No Worries

When it comes to the end of the day, the only thing you should remember is:

Don’t stress. Do your best. Forget the rest. – Unknown

If you can feel comfortable, knowing you have done your best all in a days work, then you have nothing to stress about. If you have done your best you could not possibly do any better. So if you are confident in yourself and what you have done – you shouldn’t be stressing about it. You can move on and rest.

There is also a common saying of:

You can always do more. 

Well yes you can always do more, but is more going to be your best? Is more going to be productive. Is more going to bring value to whatever it is you are doing?

These are questions you should ask yourself when you are applying your skills. Even if your intention is to always do your best, remember we can not do or be our best if we are limited or hindered. However, you can always do your best with these constraints… But it just may not be your full potential, only a subset of what it should be.

So I challenge you today to reflect on how you do, what you do and try identifying if you are doing your best work, or are you simply doing it for other reasons. There is no point stressing over something you have no control over.

Let me reiterate… Do what you can and do it at your best. Then if you have done what you are supposed to do, then you will have nothing to worry about. Let alone stress about.

Day #150: Great Lessons

If it is one thing I have learned this year, it has been to thrive in the moments of stress, drama and when things get sticky. This is where lessons are learned. Not saying that’s all I do, nor do I want to be. However, each and every one of us are to encounter moments each day, weeks, months or years, which will turn our lives upside down, or send us running around trying to pull together the pieces to ensure we still have a sense of sanity let alone the ability to control and believe in what we are doing.

Like many I can use work as an example. I personally love my work. Yes it can be on the borderline of what people would call “corporate slavery” however, we all have a choice and I choose to do what I do for the challenge, the opportunity and of course to learn.

With this is mind, every day I am put to the test, to really flesh out and identify just how good my skills are. Lessons are learned and many lessons are also taught to others. But the whole point is to ensure we are growing. Growth is about taking your current state and making it more than what it was before.

There are often great lessons to be learned at the roots of stress, drama, and heartache. Don’t let the magnitude of the circumstance blind you to the value of the lesson. – Steve Maraboli

My challenge to you is: 

Find and identify what challenges you.

Find what makes you need to grow and take it on. Use it as a bouncing board to something more.

Be a little scared, but don’t be consumed by fear. Conquer the mind and you will conquer the task at hand.

Day #149: Are You Determined?

As of recently hitting the 40% completion mark of the year, we are heading full stream ahead towards meeting the mid way point of the year. The question to ask yourself is how determined are you?

Some of us have come so far, some have come further than before and some have just been along for the ride… But with still a little time left, you can still start something new before hitting the mid way point.

Why do you want to be starting something before the middle of the year?

This will give you a perfect 6 months to really flesh out and put to test your skills, attitude and ability to grow and learn. Hey, you may even start that dream you have always had… However, you need to actually identify what it is you want to change or do for the next 6 months. While at the same time – invest in your willpower and self-control to really see it through.

Maybe you want to kick-start your childhood hobby, or maybe it is a promotion, maybe you just want to learn how to play an instrument or simply pickup a consistent exercise routine. Regardless, these things will all take time, commitment and determination. But it is only you who can make the decision and make it happen.

It is never too late to make the decision to change your life! DON’T WASTE ANOTHER DAY!

Whatever you think about grows in your life. – Brian Tracy

We are not perfect human beings, nor do we have to pretend to be, but it is necessary for us to be the best version of ourselves we can be. 

Today and for the next couple of weeks you have some time to think about what it is you will do.

Don’t make excuses saying you do not have time, as you do, you just need to prioritize your time. 

Once you have really identified what it is you want to do and once you have a taste of it – I think there should be no effort required to keep you going but rather a passion to fuel your determination.

Day #148: Fresh Start 1, 2, 3

Everyday you have the chance to start fresh, to reapply your skills, your attitude and to give it all you got! Take a moment to identify what you can do better today! Take a deep breath and solider on by starting the day better than the day before! You are the one calling the shots in your life. Make them count!

With this in mind, like any day we can become tied up with the “important” things such as work or other duties and we sometimes we forget to stop and smell the flowers. Meaning, we don’t stop to identify the details. Along those lines, we also forget to celebrate the victories our efforts have created. Be proud of where you have come from and what you’ve achieved. If not earlier, then every 90 days you should review the last three months, and soak up your achievements no matter how small they are.

Have a moment of reflection and see what has been really defining you for the past 3 months or whatever the time frame is.

But remember, two things that will always define you are your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything.

So today as you do what you do remember 3 things.

One, today is a fresh start, so make it count.

Two, don’t forget to identify and realize the details of what you have done.

Three, patience and attitude will be at the core of your definition.

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Wishing is not enough; we must do.” — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe