Tag: Project 365

Maybe it’s just me, maybe it isn’t – but I remember when I started doing 5KM runs and everytime the nerves would kick in. My mind started to ask questions and even 12 hours out from the actual run itself I was already preparing myself for what is to come. Why? Well if you don’t experience this, or maybe you do and you have no idea why… I don’t either. But what I can tell you is that these nerves and mind games can be channeled into something more and something which can enable you for the better. This is my interpretation…

Growth

To me, nerves/being nervous is a sign that growth is coming… that I am about to step outside of my comfort zone and bring on a new level, or at least try to. But how can this be for my run? Well, when I run, I run to win and what I mean by that, is I run outperform my previous run… and to do that I need to step it up (push harder) and this scares me, it makes me anxious as I am setting an expectation to achieve higher, to be greater (faster) than before. In order to get to that result, I will endure some hardship of pain and I will need to constantly fight my mind while in the progress of the run. I have to tell myself I have got this and that I can do this, that I am strong enough and by the end of it I should have beaten my goal. When I don’t… it is a disappointment… but when I do I feel like I have conquered the world. So regardless of if I beat it or not – each week I have the same mentality to get out there and own it and beat it the next time. Likewise – this is the same mentality across my broader aspects of my life. All that I do, or all that I am pursuing, I am pursuing to be better each day. Growth by each day is a life I will know I have lived to its fullest.

Breaking The Mind

Further to the point before – another reason why I am feeling nervous is that I am about to embark on a period of pain. Pain in the muscles… yes… but more so a deeper pain and battle with the mind. 12 hours before I am out there to do my best, my mind is already scared of the endurance and potential hardship it is going to have to suffer in order to get the result I want. Like when you hit yourself with a hammer… next time you will be frightened… or cringe before making the next move. Your brain automatically tries to protect you from doing something it thinks you will not want to endeavor. Maybe I don’t. But the better half of me, the one that wants to be a better me has to overcome this mindset and push through no matter. Once again – this is in reference to growth. It is all about the growth. In order to grow – one must travel through valleys, through mountains and rivers. Through the easy and through the rough. This is all part of this journey. 

A New Reality

Regardless of if I beat my run or not – to me the nerves even when not related to running imply another point. To me, they imply that change, a better chance, a lesson is coming my way. As no matter what is the result of the run or whatever it is causing the nerves, I am either going to come out happy with a new goal or a new level of achievement, or I am going to come out of it experiencing a sense of failure, but with a new fight to fight for and new poke of motivation. When we fail or make a mistake – these are to be fueled by a new energy to try again and try again harder, bigger and better than the first time. So ultimately I am always going to be coming out of the experience as a better person… sometimes it can just take longer than usual.. or that I would like.

Ultimately – these nerves are setting me up for a journey in which I will grow, that I will win battles, or create new goals and in the end, it brings me to a new level, to a new location with a new experience and result. From this, as it compounds (with runs, or whatever else it may be), I am going to continue to exponentially grow. The best part is; I am growing in many ways. I’m growing my mental state, my psychological state, my fitness, my health and also my perceptions, my experiences and my ability to conquer fear. 

So next time you feel a little nervous or even a lot. Remind yourself that this is because you are outside your comfort zone – and you need to remember that where the real magic happens, is when you are outside your comfort zone. 

One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again. – Abraham Maslow

Go on – get out there and shine. 

Photo Credit: Instagram @s.dem_| Location: Patmos Island, Greece

Staying positive has never been an easy challenge, nor should it be. This is very much the same as being optimistic. Being able to train the mind to remain calm, even when reality seems to be nothing near it… can take a bit of skill and dedication. Though it can be challenging to stay optimistic, we need to help ourselves to stay positive so that we can think more clearly and find ways to overcome our trials. So how exactly do we shift our perspective to do this?

Re-Program Your Mind

Firstly, you need to rid of those negative statements that seem to fill your mind and heart each day. Remember that your worst enemy is no one else but yourself. Each time you find yourself thinking negatively, try to counteract it by filling your mind with positive thoughts. If your problems started to fill your mind, just know that everything will be fine and that each challenge has a corresponding solution. Outweigh your negative thoughts with positive ones. 

Use Positive Affirmations

Even if you’re not aware of it, a lot of us are familiar with positive affirmations. Here are some that you can use each morning to make your day brighter and more positive:

“Life is giving me everything that’s necessary for my own good.”

“I’m facing this day with a healthy body and positive mind.”

“I see the blessings in the challenges I face.”

“I put more attention on things that are good for me.”

“I choose to be happy today.”

“I endure almost everything.”

What’s even better is affirmations on a piece of paper and post it near your bed, so that it is the last thing you see before you sleep at night and the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning. You can also create your own affirmations that match your needs.

Don’t Escape From Reality

Becoming an optimist is not an escape route to your problems. This is just one of the ways to cope with challenges, help you think more clearly, and stay calm during situations that don’t work in your favor. Just because your optimistic doesn’t mean that the problem will be solved on its own. You need to be realistic at the same time. Yes, there are things that you can’t control, but you can control your attitude towards them. Controlling your attitude will enable you to soldier through situations and subtly this will also help build your confidence. Give it a try. Be happy because you can. Smile no matter what. 

Share Positivity With Others

You should not explicitly force others to be optimistic. What you should do is simply help others see the bright side of things. Stay positive and let this attitude affect the people around you. With your happiness, your positive vibes, people will want to know how you do it, how you remain so calm… Remember that you can influence others with what you do and not so much as you say. Let your attitude be the example. 

“Learning to think positively, to be an optimist, is like strengthening a muscle.”  – Krista Weatherspoon

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

When it comes to people following their dreams or creating and finding a lifestyle which promotes their passion and enables them to do it 24/7. I am continuously surprised at how many people do not have anything in mind, or even know what it is they love to do. Whatever your dream may be, you must start with familiarity. A dream must come from deep within. A fix to a problem you’ve experienced. The fulfillment of a need which is being ignored. Ultimately, a dream that’s “career worthy” provides a solution for a better way for you and those around you.

Dreams are where personal experience, capability, and opportunity collide. – Dale Partridge

If you do have an idea, a dream in mind well there are some small tips and tricks that I would suggest applying – don’t get me wrong. I myself am still learning and growing in this area so there will be more and different ways.

Procrastination kills more dreams than failure ever will. Turning a dream into a career takes consistent small advances. Start with paper. No great idea was ever created without a transfer from mind to paper. Writing down your ideas will enable your mind in a deeper and clearer way. We experience tens of thousands of thoughts per day. The ideas floating around in our heads are seemingly boundless. To put the important ideas on paper separates them from all others.

Once you are set on your idea and know it and breathe it. Then move to the conversation. Share it with anybody who will listen. Let your mind hear the proclamation and begin to more thoroughly shape your concept. While at the same time you need to set a date, set a plan of when you will start! There is no point trying to wait for a perfect time… Your best time is now. You only have one life. Mistakes are proof that you’re trying and you’ll never regret chasing your dreams – even if it doesn’t work out.

Fear is crippling and it steals our dreams from under us. It’s a heavy voice in our minds whispering why we don’t deserve better, why we will fail, and how our ideas are impossible. But fear is wrong. – Dale Partridge

But as a bit more to this topic have a read below:

The only thing stopping you is you. You know how they say that the grass is greener on the other side. The only way you are going to find out is by going over there and having a look. Tasting and seeing if it is. What’s that? Are you scared? Are you scared?

Congratulations, you’re human. Welcome to the little game called life. You are growing up. Now take a chance, take a leap and GO.

For what it’s worth: It’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over. – F. Scott Fitzgerald

I recently read ‘People Over Profit’ – by Dale Partridge which is all about breaking the system, living with purpose and being more successful. If you haven’t read it then I highly recommend you do. Especially if you have any intention to start a business. If you have no idea about the book, then head on over to his site: http://peopleoverprofit.com/

His book teaches about 7 important lessons of business leadership, but these elements are not just important to a successful business, but these elements will help you shine personally too. My taking from this book has been the inspiration to apply these lessons to an aspiration of my own. Let’s just say this book is perfect to be reading in the process of setting up the blueprint and incubation of a new business.

With this all in mind, Dale is also the co-founder of Sevenly, which is based on a core belief that “People Matter.”  They began a journey to do their part in helping to change the world for the better. Activating the “cause art” movement worldwide, Sevenly began by creating 7-day cause campaigns, inviting customers to purchase products that gave $7 to a weekly charity.

Photo Credit: Instagram @s.dem_| Location: Queenstown, New Zealand

How we handle failure is more important than how we handle success. But how we bounce back is even more important. We are all going to experience failure at some point in our lives, and our attitude about that failure is what determines whether we bounce back or fall hard. Having a plan in advance and an attitude to bounce back – will be the key point in which separates you from the normal. Decide you want to bounce back. The power of intention is amazing, and the simple, conscious decision or desire to bounce back will make it far easier for you to do so.  Even if you have no idea how you will do it, why not start by telling yourself that you’d like to bounce back from this failure? How you speak to yourself is so important.

It’s much harder to bounce back when you take failure to heart too much and make it about your value as a person. Your importance to those who love you does not change when you fail; your potential to make a difference in the lives of those around you does not change. If anything, your potential increases with every failure experience you have, since the most painful events in life often give us the most valuable experiences and dramatic growth. Experiencing failure makes us more compassionate, and that also increases our capacity to make a difference in the world.

How can you make sure you don’t take failure too personally? Remind yourself—literally, tell yourself—that deep down, you are still you. The failure was just a thing that happened, like a hundred other things that have happened to you. Maybe you did some things that didn’t work out, but if you compare notes with every ridiculously successful person out there, you’d find they all have similar stories to tell. Since you survived, you can still thrive!

Remember to breathe! Often when we are rushed or stressed or have been through a trauma, we breathe shallowly and unevenly, which hampers our thinking and increases our anxiety. Stop from time to time and check your body to see how deeply you are breathing, and take a deep breath to reduce your stress levels and reset your brain waves.

So, when you fail, begin from exactly where you are, look for opportunities, take a deep breath and get back in the game, knowing that you are learning valuable lessons along the way, having great new experiences and living life to the fullest!

“You won’t believe what you can accomplish by attempting the impossible with the courage to repeatedly fail better.” – Tim Ferriss

Photo Credit: Instagram @_clfurlong_| Location: Melbourne

Being the best you can ultimately come down to self-investment and a high output of determination. If you want something so much – you will have determination like no other and the time spent on achieving this determined result will be due to the invested time and effort on yourself. The more you begin to see results, the more you will be motivated and the further your determination will grow. As for the investment – this will begin to compound. As the original goal may be exceeded by achievement or pre-planned due to the progress being made. With this all aside – here are a few ways you can invest in yourself to help bring out the best possible output you can bring. 

Invest In Books

• Fun Fact: People who make $35,000 or less per year read for entertainment 79% of the time. People who make $160,000 or more per year read for entertainment only 11% of the time.  People who make $160,000 or more per year read two or more books per month in areas specifically targeted to help them grow personally and/or in their careers.

Invest In A Coach/Mentor

Do you know all of the small details or the possible pitfalls? Do you know where making a tiny change could result in a huge return? Do you know where you are just beating your head against the wall and need to stop? No? But guess who does: someone who has already been there. When you hire a great coach, you will save yourself years of frustration and thousands of lost dollars. They will lead you, correct you, encourage you, and show you a vision bigger than your own.

Invest In Relationships

When you are climbing the ladder of success, don’t leave behind those you love most! Lift them into their own success and enjoy the climb together. Invest in relationships because they are worth more than the most precious of diamonds.

Invest In Health

Investing in your health has three main benefits:

• You’ll feel much better: greater energy, a zest for life, and finally enjoying how your body performs.
• You’ll inspire others
• You’ll live longer: success does you no good if you are dead. When you invest in your health, you’ll be around for more years to enjoy and share your success with those you love.

The idea that a degree and a life-long job will bring success no longer rings true. If you want success, you have to make it happen you.

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. — Thomas A. Edison

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

If you want it to happen, you need to get your butt up and make it happen. Your future. It’s on you! If you want it to happen you need to get out there and tread your own path. 

Wake up today and with the intention to prove the world that you are the capable person you are. Wake up today with the willpower to create the person you wish to be in 5 years, in 10 years and in 20 years. Don’t wait for tomorrow, don’t wait for the right time – as there is never a right time, but the time you have now. 

Dale Partridge of thedailypositive.com & startupcamp.com posted a small motivational message this morning which when reading makes you think and question what are you really doing with your life. 

The person you’ll be in 2020 is based on the books you read and the people you follow today. – Dale Partridge

He further goes on to say: 

WAKE UP. Nobody intends to have a mediocre life. It’s the end of 2015. Are you where you expected to be 5 years ago? Stop following meaningless accounts on social media. Stop dreaming about how your life could be, would be, or should be. Stop being so busy that you lose the time to learn. Remember, an average life is just a series of average choices. Here’s my advice on breaking free. Read these 3 bestselling books in the next 30 days: 1. How To Win Friends And Influence People 2. Essentialism 3. People Over Profit. Today is a chance for you to get your life on track. 

This got me thinking and to the point that what if you don’t read any books? How will this define you in 2020? He isn’t trying to say that if you don’t read that you will be a nobody – but more so the influence you follow now will most likely be the core essence of the person you are in 2020 and who you are and what you do. If this is true, you need to ask yourself… How do you want to be in 2020? What will it look like? At the end of the day you are the one in control – so don’t just spend the next 5 years and blame it on books… You need to take action, you need to create the awesomeness you are and are to be – but the books will help you get there!

If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse. — JIM ROHN

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

Maybe you doubt yourself? Maybe you lack the motivation? Maybe it all seems too hard. But do you remember how far you have come?

Can I remind you that life is a learning curve? We don’t need to be perfect. We don’t need to live free from mistakes. If you are determined to improve yourself and to become better, then you are already halfway there. You may not be happy with your career, your relationships, with who you are, but you still have the chance and the opportunity to have a brighter future. If you are doing all you can to become better, then maybe you’re doing better than you think you are.

Maybe you won’t have a better day today than yesterday, or maybe you will. However doing everything and anything you can do work towards making your day a success and better than yesterday should be your priority.  We’ve all climbed mountains we thought we’d never surpass. We’ve been confronted with challenges that have tested us on so many levels.Yet, here we are, still standing. If you’ve fallen down and picked yourself up, recognize the amount of strength that it took. Acknowledge that you’ve overcome so many adversities you once thought you couldn’t and how you’re so much stronger than you knew.

Take a step back and just reflect on the progress you have made. You may not be the best at a specific skill but you’re trying your best. You’ve made improvements and that’s what’s important. Don’t spend time comparing yourself to others – you are your own unique person with your own unique skills and talents. Compare yourself to the progress you have made. If you’re making consistent progress, then give yourself a pat on the back, because you’re already heading in the right direction and that’s what matters.

“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

Photo Credit: Instagram @s.dem_ | Location: Barcelona, Spain

When it comes to shooting for the stars and making it to the top of your climb (your journey to success). It all comes down to your expectations and the vision you have. What is it you dream of? What is it that you imagine being or doing when you are the top? Do you have an idea or an expectation? I understand when it comes to successful people can tend to think all about themselves and what they are doing – but what if having success or being successful is greater than that.

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 require having a bigger vision of who you are and of what you are capable.

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” – Michelangelo

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

Most of us are great at setting goals, but not at achieving them. How persistent are you? What did you set out to do this year and have not? Be real with yourself… I am sure you have done plenty, but did you do all that you had planned? Why not?

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.

What’s a goal or new skill you’re trying to persist through? Which of these strategies will you use to achieve it?

Photo Credit: Instagram @s.dem_ | Location: Crete, Greece.

Everyone want’s the answers to these questions as they can help set you free… But these will help you identify the real you. We want to know because that’s what being honest does. You no longer hide from yourself. However it can be a little painful at first, but what’s more painful is asking these questions of yourself now, or never asking them and risking never living the life you’ve always wanted to? The more you do it, the easier it becomes. They just become questions you ask yourself all the time and give true answers to.

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?
• Whose 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?

“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” – Jack Canfield

Photo Credit: Instagram @s.dem_ | Location: Madrid, Spain.