Here are ten fascinating insights into these hidden barriers, along with some tips to kick them to the curb:

1. Unconscious Mental Processes and Performance

Our unconscious mind is like a backstage crew, controlling much of the show without us even knowing. It’s tricky because we can’t always tell if it’s one thought or a gang of them messing with our performance.

• Why It Happens: Our brain is a multitasking machine, processing loads of info behind the scenes to keep us functioning. This can sometimes trip us up without us realizing it.
• Example: Imagine prepping for a big presentation. Despite being ready, you feel super anxious. Those jitters could be old memories of past screw-ups haunting you.
• How to Overcome It: Get into mindfulness and self-reflection. Techniques like journaling can help you spot and deal with these sneaky influences.

2. All or Nothing Thinking

Ever see things in black-and-white? That’s a cognitive distortion called all-or-nothing thinking. No gray areas, just extremes.

• Why It Happens: Our brain loves to simplify stuff, even if it means being unrealistic. It’s like a shortcut that often leads to stress.
• Example: Thinking you have to be perfect at your job or you’re a total flop. It’s all or nothing, no middle ground.
• How to Overcome It: Challenge those extreme thoughts. Find the balance and remind yourself that effort and progress matter, even if things aren’t perfect.

3. Self-Limiting Beliefs

These pesky beliefs sneak in from past experiences and hold us back. They’re like invisible chains.

• Why It Happens: Our brain likes to stick to the familiar to avoid failure. These beliefs get formed early and dig in deep.
• Example: Bombed a math test once and now think you’re doomed to suck at math forever? That’s a self-limiting belief in action.
• How to Overcome It: Spot these beliefs and question them. Replace them with positive affirmations and look for evidence that proves them wrong.

4. Habit Formation and Unconscious Behavior

We’re creatures of habit, with a lot of our actions running on autopilot.

• Why It Happens: Our brain automates routines to save energy. Handy, but not always helpful.
• Example: Procrastinating? That’s a habit that can tank your productivity and success.
• How to Overcome It: Build new, positive habits. Set small, doable goals and track your progress with habit trackers.

5. Normative Unconscious Processes

These processes keep us stuck in our comfort zones, resisting necessary changes.

• Why It Happens: Familiarity feels safe, so our brain resists change even when it’s good for us.
• Example: Sticking with a job you hate because it’s familiar, even though it’s not what you want.
• How to Overcome It: Push yourself out of your comfort zone with specific, actionable goals. Get a mentor or coach for support.

6. Violation of Social Norms

Going against the grain can be seen as abnormal, but sometimes it’s just what’s needed.

• Why It Happens: Society’s unwritten rules can be strict, and breaking them can lead to judgment.
• Example: An entrepreneur taking wild risks might seem reckless, but those risks can lead to big breakthroughs.
• How to Overcome It: Own your unique approach and find places that value diverse perspectives. Explain your rationale to others and seek support.

7. Statistical Rarity and Abnormal Behavior

Just because something is rare doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Context is key.

• Why It Happens: What’s unusual can be misunderstood, especially without considering cultural and situational factors.
• Example: Preferring solitude might seem antisocial, but in some cultures, it’s a respected trait.
• How to Overcome It: Respect cultural differences and find communities that appreciate your uniqueness.

8. Personal Distress and Behavior

Behaviors that stress you out can be markers of deeper issues, but not always.

• Why It Happens: Distress signals can be about deeper problems or just responses to tough situations.
• Example: Chronic stress from overworking can lead to burnout, tanking your performance and well-being.
• How to Overcome It: Take care of yourself. Get help if you need it and practice stress management techniques like exercise and meditation.

9. Maladaptive Behaviors

These are survival strategies gone wrong, sticking around when they’re no longer useful.

• Why It Happens: Behaviors that once helped you cope can become harmful if you keep using them in new situations.
• Example: Avoiding conflict might have been useful before, but now it hinders effective communication.
• How to Overcome It: Learn new coping strategies that fit your current situation. Practice being assertive and communicating openly.

10. Impact of Labels on Behavior

Labels can stick like glue, influencing how we see ourselves and how others see us.

• Why It Happens: Labels simplify things but can reinforce negative patterns and limit potential.
• Example: Being called “lazy” can crush your self-esteem and motivation, even if it’s not true.
• How to Overcome It: Reject negative labels and focus on your strengths. Surround yourself with people who see your potential and support your growth.

Understanding these hidden psychological barriers can help you develop better strategies for success.

Recognizing and tackling these unconscious patterns can unlock your full potential and set you on a path to personal and professional growth.

The post 10 Hidden Psychological Barriers That Are Killing Your Success appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

The subconscious mind is shaped before we begin forming our own conscious thoughts, and these conscious thoughts are influenced by the subconscious mind. This means that even the thoughts that you’re consciously having, are merely an extension of that pre-existing conditioning. 

When something becomes deeply ingrained within your mind through repetition, and there are other supporting thoughts that reinforce it, you will identify this information as your truth. These repeated thoughts become beliefs, and your actions will align to support and validate these beliefs.

The Importance of Observing Your Thoughts

If you continuously tell yourself that you aren’t capable or good enough, how likely are you to put in the effort to challenge this narrative? If you’ve always been a procrastinator and tell yourself that you always will be, you’re going to continue procrastinating. If you run into an obstacle and don’t believe you can overcome it, you’re not going to look for solutions or try your best to resolve it.

It’s extremely important for you to become an observer of your thoughts and understand the impacts of how those thoughts can impact your life, relationships, and overall outlook on life.

Here are some questions to help guide you:

– What are your recurring negative thoughts, and how are they impacting your performance and relationships? 

– How have these thoughts held you back from achieving your goals and living the life that you’ve always dreamed of? 

– What have these thoughts already cost you and what else will they cost you if they don’t change?

Societal conditioning, influenced by a lower level of collective consciousness, has made the experience of debilitating thoughts highly prevalent. It’s not your fault that you have them, but it is your responsibility to change them and choose better ones.

The Subconscious Must Be Reprogrammed 

Reprogramming the subconscious involves positive affirmations, visualization, and consistent repetition to replace negative beliefs with positive ones. You have to become aware of the thoughts that make you feel bad and do not serve your best interest.

What are the growth-oriented thoughts that would you rather have instead? Any time that a debilitating thought crosses your mind, always correct it with new thought that uplifts, encourages and empowers you. Be consistent, be patient and understand that your logical mind will not make this process easy for you at first.

Being Delusional vs. Consciously Creating a Better Reality for Yourself 

By definition, the term delusional means “holding false beliefs or judgments about external reality that are held despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary”. When you have held onto debilitating beliefs for so long and your previous actions have served as evidence to confirm their truth, it is inevitable that your logical mind will deem your new thoughts as delusional. This is where embracing change tends to become most challenging, as it involves confronting this resistance with unwavering commitment. 

What you have to understand is that your former beliefs and former actions do not dictate your future, unless they remain the same. As the old beliefs become obsolete and new beliefs take their place, there will also be new aligned actions that produce different results, and this will serve as evidence to support your new truth. That being said, the most delusional thing that anyone can do is elect to keep an unfavorable mindset that was programmed for them by external factors and willingly relinquish their own personal power as a result of it.

Success is Fundamentally Rooted in the Mindset

How we show up for ourselves and others, communicate with employees, and perform in business are deeply connected to our mindset and everything that has shaped it. Let’s delve into these interconnected aspects and explore five transformative tips that will catalyze positive change in the workplace. 

A growth-oriented mindset encourages resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace challenges. On the other hand, a fixed mindset hinders progress and limits potential.

Tip 1: Embrace a Growth Mindset

• Establish the belief that abilities can be developed.
• View challenges as opportunities for learning and improvement.
• Cultivate a positive attitude toward continuous growth and development.

Unpacking Trauma and Navigating the Impact

Unresolved trauma can cast a long shadow over our personal and professional lives. It shapes our reactions, influences decision-making, and impacts our interactions with others. Acknowledging and addressing trauma is essential for creating a healthier, more productive work environment.

Tip 2: Prioritize Trauma-Informed Leadership

• Cultivate empathy and understanding for individual experiences.
• Provide a safe space for open communication about trauma.
• Implement support systems and resources for employees dealing with trauma.

Elevate Relationships and Sales Performance

To enhance relationships, communication, and sales performance, a holistic approach that intertwines mindset and trauma-informed practices is key.

Tip 3: Implement Empathy-Driven Communication

• Train teams in active listening and empathetic communication.
• Create an environment where open dialogue is encouraged.
• Recognize and validate diverse perspectives, creating a culture of inclusivity.

Tip 4: Invest in Professional Development

• Offer continuous learning opportunities for employees.
• Develop leadership skills to enhance communication and relationship-building.
• Prioritize sales training programs that align with evolving market dynamics.

Tip 5: Maintain a Positive Work Culture

• Create a workplace where employees feel valued and appreciated.
• Implement recognition programs to celebrate achievements.
• Encourage a balance between professional and personal well-being.

By embracing a growth mindset, acknowledging and addressing trauma, and implementing empathetic, integrated strategies, individuals and organizations can create a transformative ripple effect. In this interconnected web of personal and professional growth, how we show up truly matters, influencing the outcomes we achieve and the impact we leave on those around us.

Enjoy the Journey 

As you embark on the empowering journey of subconscious reprogramming, remember that change takes time, and self-compassion is your greatest ally. Surround yourself with positive influences, whether it be supportive friends, inspirational books, or mindfulness practices. Seek guidance from mentors who have walked a similar path and found success in reshaping their mindset. Embrace the discomfort that may arise during this process, for it signifies the shedding of old layers to make way for the new. Reflect on your progress regularly, celebrating even the smallest victories, and be patient with yourself as you navigate the intricacies of transformation. 

In the spirit of rewriting your narrative, I encourage you to take the first step today. Commit to a daily practice of positive affirmations, visualize your desired reality, and consistently challenge self-limiting beliefs. If you would like support along the way, consider joining like-minded communities, Facebook groups, and curate your social media to reflect these new changes you want to embody.

Remember, thoughts become actions, and actions reinforce beliefs. It’s never too late to embark on an empowering journey to reprogram your mind, and achieve the life you have always dreamed of!

For more tips and strategies on how to improve your mindset, follow me at @bigdivineenergy.

The post Unlocking Success: Subconscious Reprogramming, Mindset, and Transformative Strategies for Improved Wellbeing and Business Performance appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

He scrolls through job postings on LinkedIn and sees jobs in his industry that might be a good fit but chooses not to apply to them. Why? It’s safer to reject himself before others have a chance to reject him.

In contrast, I have another friend who was recently laid off and she is enjoying this journey and using it as an opportunity to explore what might be next. She feels excited and ready to take on a new adventure. And, she’s having a ton of conversations with various people about what they do so she can compile a list of opportunities that would feel expansive to her.

What is the difference here? The exact same event occurred, but how these two friends are dealing with it, the thoughts, and emotions they are experiencing, and actions they are taking are so very different. 

I believe the answer can be found in the book, The myth of normal: trauma, illness & healing in a toxic culture, where author Gabor Maté MD explores two essential needs: attachment and authenticity.

The purpose of attachment, he states, “is to facilitate either caretaking or being taken care of.”

Authenticity is “the quality of being true to oneself.”

Attachment wins when we are young

When we are young, attachment wins because we need help to physically survive. Because we don’t have many tools when we’re young to help keep ourselves safe, we’ll often hide how we feel, even from ourselves. 

An example of this might be a parent who repeatedly yells at, talks down to and reprimands a child for not meeting their expectations. The parent, in so many ways, let’s the child know that they aren’t enough.

While the child may feel anger toward the parent, that’s not a safe feeling to feel because they need their help (attachment). So, they turn the anger inward – they may start being harsh with themselves each time they feel they didn’t meet an expectation. This helps protect them in a couple of ways. 

First, they don’t make the parent even angrier by showing their anger. And second, because they are taking the place of the parent, so the parent can see they are being harsh with themselves, and they can back off.

“The conscious mind determines the actions, the unconscious mind determines the reactions; and the reactions are just as important as the actions.” – E. Stanley Jones

Authenticity wins when we are older

But, as we get older, being authentic is a higher priority to us. Unfortunately, if we had to hide how we felt all those years, over time that chips away at our ability to be authentic. 

Dr. Maté states, “As these patterns get wired into our nervous system, the perceived need to be what the world demands becomes entangled with our sense of who we are and how to seek love. Inauthenticity is thereafter misidentified with survival because the two were synonymous during the formative years.”

In this example, we’ve got an adult who feels it isn’t safe to feel anger and is very hard on themselves when they feel they haven’t met an expectation. In fact, they may even decide it’s too scary to even try (like my friend who was laid off). 

And, they aren’t consciously doing it, so it’s difficult to consciously address it. All they know is they feel “stuck.”

An exercise to try if you’re feeling stuck

If you’re feeling stuck in some way, it’s likely a part of you that is working to keep you safe, day and night. So, what can be done? Go inward. Acknowledge and befriend this part. Find out what it needs. This will help you to integrate it and move forward. 

Here’s an exercise to try:

1. Find a quiet time and calm your mind.
2. Reflect on a recent event, conversation, etc. that felt uncomfortable to you. This might be a feeling of inadequacy, anxiousness, resentment, etc.
3. Identify the emotion (anger, sadness, fear, disappointment, etc.) that comes up as you reflect on the situation.
4. Identify where you feel this emotion in your body (chest, neck, stomach, throat, etc.).
5. Identify what the sensation in your body feels like (shallow breathing, heaviness, burning throat, neck pain, etc.). Simply sit with this sensation. Feel into it.
6. Thank the part for trying to protect you for so long. It only has good intentions.
7. Ask this part, “What is it that you need?” Don’t try to force thoughts – the answer won’t come from your mind. Just sit with this question and see what comes up for you.

Continuing the integration

Spending more and more time going inward will help integrate these parts, which will free you to move forward. For example, at a time in my life when I was in the middle of a career pivot, I felt exhausted and foggy – unable to get any traction. 

During this exercise, I was able to identify a part of me that didn’t want a career change because it was too scary and unstable. Instead, it wanted to stay with what was known, dependable, and safe. So, I was able to use that information to decide what to do next. 

In my case, I decided to work a few hours with former clients as well as new ones. With this mix of work (both old and new), the exhaustion and fog dissipated.

Is there an area of your life where you feel stuck or don’t know what to do? Try this exercise and see what comes up for you.

The post How to Let Go of Unconscious Patterns That No Longer Serve You appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

By focusing on personal development, we unlock our utmost potential and experience a profound influence on our overall happiness. It enables us to assume control of our lives, make constructive adjustments, and embrace new prospects. Personal growth is pivotal in enhancing our relationships, finding purpose, or bolstering our mental well-being.

Join us on this transformative journey to explore how personal development can enhance well-being.

Below, we’ll share practical strategies, valuable insights, and helpful resources to unlock your capabilities.

1. Enhanced Self-Awareness 

A fundamental aspect of personal development is the cultivation of self-awareness. Self-awareness involves consciously observing and comprehending our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It entails stepping back to reflect on our values, motivations, and ourselves. By nurturing self-awareness, we gain profound insights into our true selves, leading to a greater understanding of our needs, aspirations, and purpose.

Practices like mindfulness, journaling, and self-reflection are potent tools to foster self-awareness. Mindfulness entails being fully present at the moment and observing our thought patterns and feelings without judgment. Journaling provides a safe outlet to express ourselves, gain clarity, and track our growth journey.

Lastly, self-reflection prompts us to evaluate our actions, beliefs, and patterns, empowering us to make conscious choices that align with our authentic selves.

A deeper understanding of ourselves enables us to navigate challenges, make informed decisions, and cultivate a profound sense of fulfillment and well-being.

In recent times, there’s been a surge of interest in personal development and the behavioral sciences, making the field of applied behavior quite the buzz. It’s all about using psychological know-how in a practical way to bring about changes in behavior and lifestyle. Now, if this field tickles your fancy and you’re thinking of diving into a career here, it’s smart to arm yourself with some solid education and hands-on experience.

A master’s degree is a great starting point, but getting your feet wet through real-world experience is just as essential. The good news? You can juggle both learning and earning by hopping onto an online master’s in applied behavior analysis. This nifty online program is packed with insights on human behavior and hands you the toolkit you need to make waves in diverse environments.

2. Improved Mental Health 

Personal development plays a vital role in promoting mental well-being. By investing in self-growth, individuals can experience positive changes in their mental well-being. One way personal development improves mental health is through stress management techniques. Learning effective stress management strategies helps individuals cope with and reduce stress levels, leading to better overall mental well-being.

Positive affirmations and gratitude practices are other powerful tools within personal development that enhance mental health. Individuals can shift their mindset towards optimism and build resilience by cultivating positive self-talk and focusing on gratitude. These practices result in improved mood, increased self-esteem and foster a positive outlook on life.

Research and expert insights consistently demonstrate the positive impact of personal development on mental well-being. For example, engaging in activities such as growth workshops, therapy, or self-help books can lead to reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, increased self-awareness, and improved emotional well-being.

According to Forbes, studies have shown that personal development practices like gratitude journaling and positive affirmations can improve mental health by shifting our focus toward the positive aspects of life. 

“What holds most people back isn’t the quality of their ideas, but their lack of faith in themselves. You have to live your life as if you are already where you want to be.” – Russell Simmons

3. Increased Self-Confidence 

Personal development has a profound effect on self-confidence. Individuals actively engaging in self-improvement can hone new skills, overcome self-limiting beliefs, and set and achieve goals, all contributing to increased self-confidence. In addition, by focusing on personal growth, individuals learn to embrace their strengths, build resilience, and step outside their comfort zones.

Skill-building is an essential aspect of personal development that boosts self-confidence. As individuals acquire new skills and knowledge, they gain a sense of accomplishment and capability. This newfound expertise empowers them to take on challenges confidently.

4. Better Relationships 

Personal development not only benefits us individually but also significantly impacts our relationships. Through personal growth, we cultivate essential relationship skills such as effective communication, empathy, and emotional intelligence. These skills enable us to build healthy and meaningful connections with others. 

Forbes highlights the importance of active listening, understanding different perspectives, and expressing empathy as critical components of personal development that positively impact relationships. We become better partners, friends, and family members by continuously improving ourselves. We learn to navigate conflicts, establish boundaries, and cultivate deeper connections. 

The positive effects of personal development on relationships are evident in increased trust, mutual respect, and overall relationship satisfaction. When we prioritize our personal growth, we create a ripple effect that extends to the quality of our relationships and enhances our well-being.

5. Lifelong Learning and Growth 

Personal development is a lifelong journey of learning and growth. In a rapidly changing world, embracing unique growth opportunities and continuously acquiring new skills and knowledge is crucial. Forbes emphasizes that personal development encourages us to let go of our comfort zones and explore new challenges. We enhance our adaptability and resilience by seeking learning experiences and acquiring new skills. 

Continuous learning allows us to stay relevant in our personal and professional lives, adapt to changing circumstances, and embrace innovation. It fosters a growth mindset, which empowers us to view failures as potential opportunities for growth and challenges as stepping stones toward success. Embracing personal development opportunities nurtures our intellectual curiosity and expands our horizons. It enables us to unlock our full potential, pursue our passions, and create a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Final Words 

Personal development is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance our well-being and overall quality of life. By investing in ourselves and embracing personal growth, we can experience profound positive changes. We have explored various aspects of personal development, including enhanced self-awareness, improved mental health, increased self-confidence, better relationships, lifelong learning, and growth.

Remember, personal development is a lifelong journey. Embrace it with a willingness to explore new possibilities. Invest in yourself and commit to ongoing growth and self-improvement. Doing so can unlock your full potential and offer a life filled with purpose, joy, and well-being.

Read more personal development blogs from Addicted 2 Success! 

• A List of Affirmations to Use Right Now to Create a More Positive Life
• Unlock The Power Of Emotional Intelligence: Deepen Connections and Win More Clients
• 58 Inspirational Quotes on Victory That Will Motivate You to Win

The post 5 Ways Personal Development Boosts Your Well-Being appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

Affirmations help you bring mental images, motivate and keep you focused on accomplishing your goals. They create positive vibes and help manage your time. They reinforce your inner voice. 

They help you take a step closer to your ideal mindset with a positive, right, and strong attitude. They enhance your longevity as you enjoy living for a longer time with optimism.

They keep you happy and help you lead your personal, professional, and social life successfully. They purify your thoughts and inspire you to dream and achieve big. You begin to think that everything is possible in this world. 

Research shows that we get around 50,000 to 60,000 thoughts in a day and most of them are negative. 

Hence, it is essential to convert negative thoughts into positive thoughts through affirmations. Life becomes truly great when we can think positively and contribute constructively to make a difference in the lives of others.

Tips to Acquire Positive Affirmations

“You will be a failure until you impress the subconscious with the conviction you are a success. This is done by making an affirmation which ‘clicks.'” ―Florence Scovel Shinn 

Everything depends on your mind. Your thinking will create magical words that inspire and mesmerize the people around you. Here are some tips to affirm yourself positively: 

• Appreciate yourself. Look at the positive things within yourself. In the morning, think of the good things you will do throughout the day. In the night, think of the good things you have done through the day before you sleep.
• Use sentences such as “I can do it” or. Use the letter ‘I’ to affirm yourself. Tell yourself, “I am full of energy and that gives me joy”. Or “I forgive those who have hurt me”. These sentences bring a lot of change in your thought process and help you to calm down.
• Use present tense in your statements to become optimistic and achieve maximum outcome. That tells you, what you said is your state of mind now. It is not a future goal or a quality of the past.
• Surround yourself with motivational slogans. Take out five minutes to find a motivational quote of your choice every day. 
• To apply affirmations, remove negative thoughts from your mind and replace them with positive thoughts. For example, instead of thinking “This is going to be difficult”, think rather, “There are some challenges here and it will be fun to overcome them.”
• Prepare a few positive affirmations that suit your age, expectations, and passion. Repeat them. They will creep into your subconscious mind and convert your thought process positively. Once the messages are ingrained in your subconscious mind, your behavior will improve automatically.

Wayne Dyer remarked, “My favorite affirmation when I feel stuck or out of sorts is: Whatever I need is already here, and it is all for my highest good. Jot this down and post it conspicuously throughout your home, on the dashboard of your car, at your office, on your microwave oven, and even in front of your toilets!” Above all, look at the door that is open, not the one that is closed. 

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.” ―Buddha

Change Your Mental Vocabulary

James Allen said, “All that you accomplish or fail to accomplish with your life is the direct result of your thoughts.” Whether you want to succeed or fail, it is in your hands as your thoughts will lead to actions. When your thoughts are positive, your actions will be positive. Here are some techniques to convert your thoughts into positive action: Replace “if” with “when,” “should” with “could you,” “hopefully” with “certainly” and “I hope” with “I expect.”  Do not think about what you do not have. Think about what you have. Do not say, “Have a great day!”  but say, “Make it a great day!” Never say, “Do not worry”. Always say, “Have faith”.  Swapping a few words while speaking can convert you into an exceptional achiever.  For instance, swap “but” for “and”; and “have to” for “want to,” and you will find an amazing difference in your thinking process.

Write down your affirmations in a journal and read them before you go to bed and when you wake up. Do it regularly because it helps the affirmations enter into your subconscious mind easily giving you amazing results. 

Here are some examples of affirmations you can customize and adopt: 

1. I exercise every day and I am healthy. 
2. I always learn and grow. 
3. I always see the good in others and appreciate it. 
4. I forgive people and forget unpleasant events. I am compassionate and kind at heart. 
5. I am surrounded by healthy and positive people. 
6. I always get what I want. 
7. I become more and more prosperous every day. 
8. I attract incredible opportunities to increase my earnings and better my life. 
9. I have a continuous abundance of prosperity flowing to me. 
10. I allow all good things to come into my life and I enjoy them.
11. I am an abundant person. 
12. I have a loving family. 
13. I read great books and enjoy sharing my knowledge with the world free of charge.  
14. I am blessed with loyal fans and followers all over the world. 
15. I have an attitude of gratitude. 
16. I am blessed with affectionate and reliable friends.
17. I am happy and successful. 
18. I have a heart to serve others. 
19. I always add value to others and make a difference in the world.
20. I inspire the world.  
21. Life is great!

When you want to grow as a leader, you must create a positive and healthy thought process to build your confidence. It is essential to be equipped with positive affirmations. 

Equipping with positive affirmations would be easy when you adopt the outlined techniques. Follow the tips, tools, and techniques to acquire, equip and apply positive affirmations that would help you reach your goal. 

Read more personal development blogs from Addicted 2 Success! 

• 5 Ways Personal Development Boosts Your Well-Being
• Unlock The Power Of Emotional Intelligence: Deepen Connections and Win More Clients
• 58 Inspirational Quotes on Victory That Will Motivate You to Win

The post A List of Affirmations to Use Right Now to Create a More Positive Life appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

LEADERSHIP – Conscious Leadership

Simon Sinek, a world-renowned optimist and visionary, once stated, “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” Conscious leadership embodies this principle, prioritising awareness of the broader implications and ripple effects of decisions on the organisation, its stakeholders, and the environment.

Action Steps:

1. Leadership Training: One of the foundational steps towards conscious leadership is investing in leadership development programs that highlight ethical decision-making, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. These training programs should encompass elements such as emotional intelligence, transparency, empathy, and long-term thinking, equipping leaders to guide their teams towards sustainable growth.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: Conscious leaders also emphasise consistent and open dialogue with stakeholders. By incorporating stakeholders’ insights into decision-making processes, leaders can ensure they’re addressing the needs and concerns of those impacted by the organisation’s operations.

EVOLUTION – Adaptability

Like the ever-evolving cosmos, businesses must be capable of change and evolution. Albert Einstein’s wisdom encapsulates this requirement: “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” In the fast-paced business world, adaptability becomes an essential survival trait, fostering resilience and agility.

Action Steps:

1. Innovation Encouragement: Businesses can nurture adaptability by creating an environment that celebrates innovation, rewards creative problem-solving, and supports calculated risk-taking. This could involve implementing an open-door policy for ideas, organising brainstorming sessions, or establishing an innovation hub within the organisation.
2. Technology Integration: Keeping abreast of technological advancements and incorporating them into business processes is another critical step. This proactive approach not only optimises operations but also positions the organisation as a forward-thinking player in the industry.

GROWTH – Continuous Learning and Development

Motivational speaker and writer Leo Buscaglia said, “Change is the end result of all true learning.” In the realm of business, this translates into the equation ‘continuous learning equals continuous growth’. Organisations that champion a culture of ongoing learning and development are well-positioned to thrive.

Action Steps:

1. Employee Training: Regular training and development opportunities should be provided to employees to update their skills and stay abreast of industry trends. This can range from skills-based workshops and webinars to providing resources for self-learning and personal development.
2. Learning Culture: Promoting a culture that values learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation is crucial. This can be achieved by recognising and rewarding learning initiatives, encouraging feedback, and fostering an atmosphere of open communication.

ALIGNMENT – Holistic Approach to Business and Value-Based Marketing

Renowned systems scientist Peter Senge stated, “Alignment is the prerequisite for effectiveness.” Taking inspiration from the cosmos, where every element is harmoniously aligned, businesses should ensure all aspects of their operations align with their core mission and values.

Action Steps:

1. Internal Alignment: To ensure coherence between what a business says and does, internal processes, practices, and culture should reflect the organisation’s mission and values. This includes aligning recruitment and management practices, employee benefits, and internal communication with the organisation’s core ethos.
2. External Alignment: Similarly, marketing, customer service, and branding strategies should resonate with the organisation’s values. Authentic alignment in these areas fosters trust among stakeholders and differentiates the business in a competitive marketplace.

Ready to Learn to Unlock The Power of Emotional Intelligence and Win More Clients? 

COMMUNITY – Community Building

Civil rights activist Coretta Scott King once stated, “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” This statement holds significant relevance for modern businesses, underlining the importance of community-building among stakeholders.

Action Steps:

1. Stakeholder Inclusion: Businesses can foster community by including stakeholders in decision-making processes, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement. This can be facilitated through town-hall meetings, feedback sessions, and collaborative projects.
2. Engagement Initiatives: Launching initiatives that promote interaction and collaboration among stakeholders can further strengthen community bonds. These initiatives can range from team-building activities and social events to forums for sharing ideas and challenges.

YIELD – Sustainability and Technology Integration

Danish architect Bjarke Ingels pointed out that sustainability should not be viewed as a sacrifice but as a design challenge. Businesses, similarly, should see sustainability as an essential aspect of their design and operational strategies, not as an afterthought.

Action Steps:

1. Sustainable Practices: By incorporating sustainability into every facet of business operations, from product design and manufacturing to supply chain management and waste disposal, businesses can make a positive impact on the environment and society.
2. Tech-driven Sustainability: Technology offers a myriad of ways to enhance sustainability. By harnessing technology to optimise resource use, reduce energy consumption, or streamline processes, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices.

In conclusion, the 6 L.E.G.A.C.Y. Insights offer a holistic and actionable guide for businesses looking to navigate the complexities of today’s dynamic business landscape. By integrating conscious leadership, adaptability, continuous learning and development, alignment, community building, and sustainability into their day-to-day operations, organisations can achieve sustainable growth and contribute positively to the larger cosmic playground.

Ray Pang SH has generated over USD$1.216mil for his business using the Transformational Sales Methods he discussed above and in his other articles on A2S.

Want to work with him and become one of the 125+ business owners he has helped generate over USD$12.164mil in sales for? Go to his Instagram here and DM him the word “LEGACY” to learn how he can revolutionise your business now.

Want to Master Sales? Find out what it takes for you to become a master salesman

The post The 6 L.E.G.A.C.Y. Insights: Building A Holistic Approach To Business appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

This is because when we fail, we tend to ponder, we search for deeper meanings, and we grow in the process. Hence, do not shun failure. The key is not to avoid failure, but to learn how to manage it when it comes. 

So when you fail to reach your goals, here is the 6-step process you can use to bounce back higher:

1. Failure is just your perception

The first thing you need to understand when you fail to achieve your goals is that failure is just your perception. Like Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right.” You have to understand that there is no good news or bad news, it is just news.

Hence, when you fail, don’t treat it as a failure, instead, choose to look at it as an opportunity to learn and a lesson for growth. The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people look at things from a positive perspective while unsuccessful people look at things from a negative point of view.

When you fail, it doesn’t mean that you are a failure. You are only a failure when you choose to quit and give up. Remember, failure is just an event, not a person. Change your perception of failure and things will start to change.

2. Focus on what you can learn

The next step you need to do is to find out what you can learn from your failure. It is not easy, but once you switch your perception and look at failure as something good, things can change. A lot of people look at failure as the opposite of success, which is not true at all. Failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of it.

Tony Robbins said it wisely, “Success in life is the result of good judgment. Good judgment is usually the result of experience. Experience is usually the result of bad judgment.” Hence, when you fail to achieve your goals, ask yourself, “What does this mean and what can I learn from it?”

Focus on what you can learn and not the problem. When you treat failure as a lesson and you gained a new perspective from it, you become someone better and more worthy of the goal.

3. Remember your dream

The third step you can do is to remind yourself of your dream. When you see yourself achieving your goals and are living your ideal lifestyle, you feel motivated. This is important because one of the main reasons people fail to hit their goals is that they lose interest in what they want.

They started strong in the beginning, but as the days went by, their motivation started to fade and they were distracted by everything that is happening in their daily lives. As a result, they lose connection with their goals and eventually, they stop taking action and they give up.

Never let this happen to you. Make sure you think about your dreams and put your goals in your mind every moment.

4. Recall your purpose and rediscover your passion

The next step you should take is to recall your purpose and reignite your passion. Remember, what gets you started is your purpose and what gets you going is your purpose. And you can’t go on without both. Your purpose is the lighthouse that guides you through thick and thin. And your passion is the fuel that drives you to take action each day.

So rediscover your purpose. Why do you want to achieve the goals? Why do you want to reach your dreams? The stronger and the more emotional your purpose, the stronger the motivation.

5. Plan and recalibrate

Once you’ve reignited your passion, it is time to plan ahead once again and recalibrate your action steps. At this point, you should understand better why you fail in the first place. Maybe you are not taking enough action. Maybe your approach did not work. Or maybe you should just try again one more time.

Whatever you do, create a new plan and start over again. Never underestimate the power of planning. Like Larry Winget said: “Nobody ever wrote down a plan to be broke, fat, lazy, or stupid. Those things are what happen when you don’t have a plan.” Your plan tells you what you need to do to reach your goals. And of course, the final step is about taking action.

6. Take action and bounce back

The final step is to bounce back by taking massive action. By now, you have only two options. One, you choose to sit and do nothing. This will never get you anywhere. If you are stuck in a rut, doing nothing is not going to help at all. You need to make progress, which leads you to option two: Take massive action.

Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there. Do understand that people don’t drown by falling into the water. They drown because they stay there. This is why you need to keep moving. Therefore, take massive and consistent action according to the plan that you have created.

Use These Tools To Reach Your Goals

Failing to achieve your goals is something common. Even Thomas Edison was said to have failed over 10,000 times. However, the difference was that Edison did not give up. He knew how to manage his failures and he did not see his failures as failures. Sometimes all you need is to follow simple steps to achieve your goals and create your dream life! 

Like all successful people, Edison chose to look at failures as an opportunity to learn and grow. If you want to turn the situation around and bounce back to reach your goals, incorporate these 6 steps into your life.

Don’t let fear of failure stop you! Learn how to change your mindset to be more success-focused with Addicted 2 Success! 

The post Need Help Reaching Your Goals? This 6 Step Process Is For You appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

But, with the proper perspective, even these “negatives” can be converted into positives and, as a result, make you better instead of bitter. Here are three harsh life lessons that will make you a better person. 

1. Suffering is Part of the Human Condition

In everything we do, we’re either trying to gain pleasure or avoid pain; the irony is that pain is an inescapable part of the human experience. It’s as fixed in the human condition as the stars are in the sky. For this reason, accepting (and even embracing) it as inevitable helps you manage it better. 

Here are a few tips for embracing suffering:

• Do something hard every day: This could be as harsh as daily cold showers or as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Whatever you choose, try to incorporate hardship into your daily life; it will make you tougher and more resilient.
• Don’t self-meditate: Negative emotions are not pleasurable. But the worst thing you can do when you feel sad, anxious, depressed, etc., is self-medicate via drugs, food, alcohol, or other mind-altering substances.
• Be present: Feel your negative emotions; be present with them. Granted, this is easier said than done. However, if you become comfortable with uncomfortable emotions, you will develop mental strength when real challenges or setbacks occur. 

Why Suffering Makes You Better 

Life can be harsh; it’s filled with challenges and difficulties. You’ll be washed away under the current of adversity if you aren’t strong enough to handle the tide. Suffering develops strength within you. Ultramarathon runner, triathlete, author and retired Navy SEAL David Goggins refers to this as ‘callusing your mind.’

Suffering makes you stronger, so you can better manage life’s challenges. From this perspective, you’ll recognize that suffering is a necessary part of becoming all you can be.

“The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel change, grow or live…” — William Arthur Ward

2. Everything is Temporary

Everyone alive is going to die someday. 

Everything you and I build will eventually crumble and become dust; nothing is permanent. Don’t take this as a negative aspect of life. On the contrary, it’s the perfect reason not to take yourself or life too seriously. We’re all dust in the wind! So you might as well live as fully as possible and enjoy your brief time here!

Try these tips to enjoy your life more:

1. Set lofty goals and make progress toward them
2. Don’t take things too personally
3. Maintain connections with those who love and care about you (and vice versa)
4. Don’t compromise your values
5. Take chances in your life
6. Try not to judge yourself too harshly when you make mistakes
7. Try not to judge others too harshly when they make mistakes (we’re all doing the best we can)

How Will Knowing This Make You a Better Person?

Understanding that everything (and everyone) you know is only here for a short time may seem depressing or nihilistic. But this knowledge can actually help you enjoy what you have while you have it. It can free you from taking things and people for granted. As a result, you can enjoy your life much more deeply than you ever could otherwise. 

3. We All Have a Dark Side

In his international bestseller, The Laws of Human Nature, author Robert Greene dives deep into this concept. His book explains that every human (regardless of how “saintly” they appear) has a dark side. And underneath people’s “kind” or “polite” demeanor resides a dark personality fraught with aggression, insecurities, and self-serving compulsions they actively hide from others. Even more concerning, this dark side seeks expression. And it often seeps out in actions that will confuse or even inflict pain on you. 

20th-century philosopher and psychologist Carl Jung referred to this ugly aspect of human nature as The Shadow. 

Why Understanding This Concept Will Improve Your Life

By recognizing The Shadow in others, you can avoid naivety and protect yourself against malicious people. Better yet, by recognizing it in yourself, you can integrate it into your personality. This process makes you a more “complete” person, allowing you to accept the “ugly” parts of you that you’re either consciously or unconsciously trying to repress. 

Failure to integrate your dark side causes it to seek expression through your behavior in unexpected ways. But benefits to shadow work can include:

1. Improved creativity
2. More confidence 
3. Higher levels of self-esteem
4. Undiscovered talents/skills
5. Self-love, acceptance, and respect
6. Increased personal integrity 

There are many therapeutic services available to help with shadow work if you want to learn more.

Despite the many adversities you’ll experience, remember that with such challenges comes opportunity. Each tribulation helps you to grow and become more. And when you become more, more of life opens up to you, allowing you to enjoy and experience a broader range of what the world offers. 

The post 3 Harsh Life Lessons That’ll Make You a Better Person appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

Rather than sinking in your own guilt and self pity until you lose yourself. 

It’s ok to give yourself time to grieve and mourn whatever or whomever you have lost, but don’t let yourself reach a level where, getting back up seems impossible, there is a fine line between reality and depression and you should never cross it.

Here are some pillars to rely on whenever you feel like you have reached your limit:

1. Have faith

Sometimes when we find ourselves in difficult situations we start questioning why hard things only happen to us, however we don’t realize at that moment that everyone in the world goes through hardship in their lives, it’s just that we are too immersed in our own struggle to remember that. 

God’s plans for us are never bad ones, and our plans are not always good ones, they are not going to happen just because we want them to, especially if God doesn’t plan on them happening. That’s why If we believe that God’s plans are what’s best for us, we will feel a certain amount of relief and satisfaction whenever something happens to us because we know for sure that that would have been a bad thing for us if it was to happen..

2. Trust yourself

There is an Arabic quote that says “ The permanence of the state is of the impossible” it means no matter how long a situation takes you have to believe that sooner or later it will end. That’s why you need to prepare yourself for that time and rise from the ashes a reborn person, because if God knew that you wouldn’t survive what happened to you, you would be dead already.

3. Believe in yourself

Knowing you are able to achieve anything you set your mind on will give you a big boost of motivation. Remembering what you have accomplished so far, no matter how small they are  will empower your confidence. 

Whether it was fixing a light bulb or saving someone’s life, you have to acknowledge your actions and credit them for the sake of your self esteem and future self. I suggest making a vision board and including all the accomplishments you are proud of, it will help you stay focused on your final goal and help you keep the motivation to make it happen.

PS: just surviving your birth is the biggest accomplishment.

4. Build a strong support system

Support systems can lend a helping hand and be the push you need to get back up on your feet. One should never underestimate what a good support system can do in times of need. Saying that you don’t need anyone in your life and that you would be fine alone is a mistake that you will regret in the future. Humans are social beings by nature therefore they don’t thrive alone. 

You just need to make sure that your support system is filled with positive and good people that would actually make a difference in your life rather than put you down further into the negativity you could be in.

5. Keep working no matter what

There is a quote that I have on my laptop’s home screen that says “Results happen over time not overnight” understanding that quote will help you beat procrastination and work as hard as you can to achieve your dreams, even I am just starting out, but I plan to keep going until I can say, “Ok this is where I want to be, and how I want to be”.

“Turn every setback into a comeback” – Kobe Bryant

6. Never stop learning

Whether it’s learning from mistakes or learning new things completely, education is the key, it’s the easiest and most accessible method, especially in our modern times, just turn on youtube and you are good to go. Knowledge is the most underrated tool to face your struggles, but it can be the greatest especially if you use it wisely.

7. Work on your mental and physical health

Having a stable and strong mental and physical health is very important, especially if you have no one who can take care of you if you get sick. So you have to take care of yourself first and avoid anything that could make you weak. Always remember the blessings that you have before taking them for granted because without them, even the most underrated one like water, can make life a living hell. 

I recommend having a schedule of exercise, it doesn’t have to be heavy training and lifting weights, but just having a daily 30 minutes walk and fresh air goes a long way. 

I also suggest to avoid eating anything excessively like sugar and salt, they are very bad for your health, it’s good to have nutritious meals that consist of protein, carbs and vegetables, you can always have something sweet to eat but it’s good to limit your intake so you can have a healthy body and a good mood.

8. Never give up 

The most common mistake that people make when working for their goals is quitting halfway through, when it could have been their last step to success. That’s why the number one advice that successful people give is to never quit. 

When you look at the most successful people’s background you will see that they have been through hundreds of failures before reaching their dream, so what better example can we follow than someone who already got to where we want to go.

9. Do something that you enjoy to relieve stress

Having a hobby to have fun and blow some steam is a great way to relieve stress and start fresh the next day, especially if it’s something that you enjoy. Working hard doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t enjoy life at the same time, whether it’s playing video games or reading books, going to basketball games or watching Oprah, as long as you can unwind and recharge, you are good to go.

10. Let go of the past and work on the future

The past is gone, it’s already written, there is nothing you can do now to change what has already been done, not crying, not dwelling in sorrow, not even regretting, it will only be a waste of your time and energy, unless you can turn back time, the past is already over. So what you have to do is focus on what you can control, which is the present and work hard for your future not fall back into the same pit you were in.

Realizing that it will be hard at first will help you not get shocked or overwhelmed when you have to spend 24 hours without sleep or food to finish your task. It’s good for your mental health to always keep in mind what could go wrong or how hard things could get to not lose it when they actually do. 

But you need to know that things will start to get easier as you start getting into the rhythm and especially when you start to see results, So it’s good to always keep your target at your sight.

The post How to Bounce Back From a Crisis and Become a Better You appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

After years of pursuing my career in music, I finally caught a break last year and my single played on over 100 radio stations worldwide, which led to hundreds of interviews in 2022 and closing out the second half of the year being offered my own television show on a new network which was quickly picked up by New Jersey Television.

Of course, this whirlwind of success led to the next logical question that no one has asked me over the last 10 years of struggle; How’d you do that? 

I’m reminded of the great Chinese proverb about the Chinese bamboo tree.

The story goes that the Chinese bamboo tree does not grow at all for the first 5 years after it is planted but on the sixth year the tree grows 80 feet in just 6 six, which leads to the age old question “did the tree grow in 6 weeks or 5 years and six weeks”?

You are educated and articulate enough that I don’t need to state the obvious that it took 5 years and 6 weeks for that tree to grow, even though it didn’t look like it was growing at all for the first 5 years.

So after meeting with a new student in my course for creatives and business owners and she asked “How’d you do that”? It led me to really dig in to what has now become the whole concept for my television show as well as my courses I teach and it really does come down to one thing.

The obvious and technical answer to her question is hours of research, cold calls, rejection from radio station after radio station, some interviews that were a hit and some interviews where I logged on and the host was smoking weed (true story lol). 

But that’s the obvious answer, and it’s not what she meant, and I knew it. Yea the technical day to day transactions spark curiosity but what she and many others after her really wanted to know was how’d you DO that. How’d you stay so committed? How’d you get through the times when you felt lost? How’d you grind it out when nobody believed in you. HOW did you do it?

I journeyed back through my experience and like so many of us reflecting on life, specific memories began to stand out to me. 

Like the time I went to a music conference, waited in the lobby for all 200 attendees to take a picture with the famous music composer who was the keynote speaker, and then when it got to my turn asked if I could buy him a cup of coffee and if he ever had interns. Then asked for a job and ended up working for him in Hollywood for 3 years. 

Or the time I got fired from 4 different jobs because “I loved music” more than I was dedicated to my job. Yes JCPenney, I do love building my own empire rather than trading my time for $8 an hour. (Minimum wage back then lol).

Or the time I got pulled onto the infamous stage at SOB’s in New York City by the former President of Haiti and after the show his manager pulled me aside and said “You weren’t ready for that”. And the formerly shy, uncomfortable, awkward wallflower inside of me smiled and said, “Yea, maybe not. But I did it. Good for me”.

“The biggest difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people are not.” – Darren Hardy

So what did all these things have in common. That was the answer.

It was the willingness. 

The willingness to ask for an opportunity when it was presented to me, and not let the paralyzing fear of asking overcome the paralyzing fear of wondering what if for the rest of my life. 

The willingness to do what I love and pursue a life I love, because why the hell not. Because I understood this precious and unpredictable thing we call life for what it is, just that; unpredictable. Here today and gone tomorrow. Not in a morbid way, but in a live in every moment, soak up every sunshine sort of way.

The willingness to go for it. To take a chance. To not wait “until I was ready” but to live in the moment, and be proud of myself for pushing past limiting beliefs, worry and fear of what people might say and just going for it. 

We all define success differently, but I would argue that whether success looks like a dream job, a fat bank account, a beautiful family or all of the above, the willingness to ask and live and love and overcome and learn and grow and so many other things all stem from one thing. 

You’re right, there are MANY things it takes to be successful, but they are all just a branch on the bamboo tree of willingness.

The post There’s Only One Thing You Need for Success appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

We crave to stand in our power. 

We harbor this desire because it’s innate to us; it’s who we are at our center.

We long and desire to embody and live from this place, yet we’ve been conditioned to do the opposite. 

To shrink, to hide, to not stand out from the crowd.

The first word most babies hear is “Shh.”

As we grow, we understand fitting in is easier than standing out. 

If we step outside the norm of our group, we risk being ridiculed and judged. 

It’s better to follow the slice of lemmings than step outside the flow and forge our own path. 

Our families, friends, and society erode our potential with the slow drip of phrases like,

“Don’t be cocky.”

“You can’t do that.”

“No one likes a show-off.”

“Who do you think you are?”

“Remember where you came from.”

And many more.

Each of these unto themselves is merely a drip; collectively, they create a river, carving beliefs around how we believe we must show up to be safe. 

Because that’s all fitting in and hiding are, a bastion of safety in the “unsafe” world outside of our beliefs. 

At around the midpoint of our lives, we often find ourselves lost, frustrated, disillusioned, and longing for more, even if we’ve reached the pinnacle of professional and materialistic success. 

We begin to grasp how far we’ve traveled from our true selves and our full potential. 

We feel it growing inside, but we have no idea how to let it out. 

It lives, breathes, and rattles the cage of the self-imposed cell we’ve imprisoned it in. 

“The big challenge is to become all that you have the possibility of becoming. You cannot believe what it does to the human spirit to maximize your human potential and stretch yourself to the limit.” – Jim Rohn

Knowing there’s more to ourselves and our capabilities but not being able to access and express them is one of the most painful experiences of our shared human existence. 

It gnaws at us from the inside out, and we’ll do what we’ve been conditioned to do to fill the void.

Seize the next rung on the corporate ladder, earn more money, and buy more status and prestige. 

When none of those work and the success-sized void in our lives grows even more painful, we seek escapes.

Whether at the bottom of a bottle, mindlessly scrolling social media, consuming massive amounts of porn or binging on Netflix, even the golf course can be an escape.

The pain is numbed but never gone because nothing outside ourselves will ever fill our inner void. 

Unfortunately, far too many fall victim to the belief that this is how life is meant to be and confuse “numb” with being alive. 

Residing in the “Land of Just Enough” while our power and full potential remain unfulfilled and untapped, existing but not living. 

The amount of regret we experience at the end of our lives is directly proportional to the amount of potential we leave untapped and unexpressed. 

So how do we tap into our full potential in the next chapter of our lives, stand fully in our power, and live the lives we’ve always imagined?

We reinvent ourselves and how we show up in the world. 

Reinvention is a journey, and these are the first 3 Steps:

1. Identify Core-Values

Core values are the foundation of our full potential. 

We stand firmly in our power and potential when we identify and embody our core values. 

We know what we stand for, we know what to say “yes” to, and more importantly, what to say “no” to. 

We can identify our core values through inquiry; here are 3 powerful questions to examine.

• What truly matters?
• Who do we want to be?
• What do we want on our tombstones?

When we operate from our core values, we feel aligned with ourselves, and when we feel aligned, we kick open the door to the next step of our reinvention. 

2. Living Intentionally

We imprison our full potential when we operate from our default autopilot mode. 

We become unconscious passengers, merely coasting and existing and not fully living. 

We’ll never realize our full potential if we follow the same routine, day after day and eventually year after year. 

To access and embody our full potential, we must become intentional with our actions, which in fact, are our lives. 

Living intentionally can be as simple as breaking our routine and asking ourselves “why” we’re doing what we’re about to do. 

When we become intentional about our actions, we break free from autopilot, and our lives evolve,

“On Purpose.” 

When we live “On Purpose,” we open ourselves to cultivating and creating the most impactful way to embody our full potential and live extraordinary lives.

3. Having A Mission

We’re conditioned to pursue money, status, and titles in our 20’s and 30’s. 

It’s the blueprint we’ve been given, and we follow it diligently. 

It becomes a single-minded focus, and it’s only when we reach our 40s that the holes in this practice become known. 

We have no sense of agency. 

We have a success-sized hole in our lives.

We have no purpose, meaning, or fulfillment. 

Our relationships are stagnant or non-existent.

We’re carrying more weight around the waistline than ever before.

We become brutally aware that the days behind us are less than the days before us. 

What we need, what we crave, is a mission. 

Having a mission, something that’s bigger than ourselves is the ultimate tool to unleash our full potential. 

When we grow tired of living in that success-sized hole, we must start thinking about what mission we want to take on. 

• What’s a message you want people to know?
• What’s something that makes you come alive?
• What injustices in the world strike deep inside you?

To show up every day and make meaningful progress on our mission, we must evolve into the person who embodies their full potential; there’s no other way. 

Rewriting our next chapter so we can unleash our full potential and live the lives we’ve always imagined is a journey.

But we don’t have to give up everything we’ve worked so hard to create to make this journey. 

All it takes is committing to these practices for one hour a day.

Why one hour?

One hour makes it real. 

One hour is enough time that it requires a commitment; it stands out on our calendars. 

One hour embodies the saying, “Sawdust makes a pile.” An hour a day stretched throughout a life equals thousands of hours.

An hour, when used correctly, is enough to create massive change in our lives.

Here’s the thing:

Unleashing our full potential doesn’t require 100% of our time. However, it requires 100% of our effort for the time we commit to it. 

This is what it means to unleash our full potential.

Ready To Achieve Your Goals? Read more blogs about reaching your goals and success on Addicted 2 Success

• • • 10 Things Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals
    • 6-Step Process For Reaching Your Goals
    • Powerful Life Lessons From David And Goliath Story
    • 5 Ways To Achieve Your Goals
    • Reasons Why It Is Important To Follow Your Dreams
    • Signs That You’re Self Sabotaging
    • Why Perseverance Is A Major Key To Life
    • 6 Personal Growth Challenges To Transform Your Life
    • 11 Habits To Achieving Greatness In Your Life
    • 21-Day Rule That Can Change Your LifeReasons

The post How to Unleash Your Full Potential and Live Your Extraordinary Life appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

But don’t worry – there are some simple steps you can take to get motivated and make the most of your day.

1. Get Moving

One of the easiest and most beneficial ways to get motivated is to get up and get active. Even something as simple as taking a walk around the block or doing a few jumping jacks can help give you a much-needed boost of energy.

This is particularly helpful on days when you feel like you might not be able to muster any enthusiasm or energy.

Additionally, by exercising on a regular basis, you can improve your energy levels over the long term, allowing you to remain motivated for longer.

So, if you’re in need of a quick pick-me-up, don’t delay – go outside and get your body moving. The endorphins you release will give you the extra energy and morale boost that you need!

Benefits of exercise include:

• Improved mood and mental wellbeing
• Improved energy levels
• Improved sleep quality
• Increased confidence and self-esteem
• Improved concentration and focus

2. Stay Positive

It’s absolutely essential to maintain a positive attitude and keep your eyes on the prize, no matter how hard it may seem at times. Reminding yourself of the ultimate outcome of your efforts can be a great way to stay motivated and focused on the task at hand.

When you think about how great you will feel once the task is complete, it can often be the boost you need to stay determined and driven to reach the end goal. Visualizing the end result can be a powerful tool to help you stay on track and keep pushing forward, even when it feels like the task is too much to handle.

“Your ultimate success will be worth all the hard work, so don’t give up and you’ll be sure to achieve your desired outcome.Often people talk about how they feel ‘stuck’ in a situation. You’re never stuck! You may be a little frustrated, you may not have clear answers, but you’re not stuck. The minute you represent the situation to yourself as being stuck, though, that’s exactly how you’ll feel. We must be very careful about the metaphors we allow ourselves to use.” – Tony Robbins

3. Break Down Your Tasks

Breaking up large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks is an effective way to stay motivated, as it provides a clear plan, breaks down the task into achievable goals, and makes the task seem less daunting.

Additionally, taking things one step at a time and focusing on each step as it comes can help you to stay on track and work more efficiently.

This strategy can also help to keep you from feeling overwhelmed by the scope of the task. You can use it to break down the task into smaller, achievable goals that you can focus on one at a time.

This way, you can stay motivated and organized and work in a more efficient and productive manner, achieving your goals in less time.

Remember that you can break down every big task. Even the ones that feel impossible, so just do it and then execute on the smaller ones until you reach your goal.

By taking these simple steps, you can get back on track and stay motivated, no matter how difficult the task may seem. With a positive attitude and a clear plan, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish!

4. Change Your Environment

Sometimes it can be hard to stay motivated and productive when you’re stuck in the same routine day after day. To inject some much-needed variety into your life, why not try changing up your scenery?

If you’re feeling stagnant and uninspired, try relocating your workspace, or take a few minutes to go outside and enjoy the natural beauty that’s all around us.

The mental stimulation of a change of environment, combined with the amazing benefits of being outdoors, can help to rekindle your motivation and get you back on track.

Taking a few moments to appreciate your surroundings can also help to clear your mind, relax your body, and get your creativity flowing – all of which are essential components of a productive workday.

Whether it’s a whole new landscape or just your own backyard, getting outdoors can be a beneficial and rewarding experience that can help to bring some much-needed inspiration into your life.

5. Take a Break

If all else fails, sometimes the most beneficial course of action is to take a break. Even a few minutes of respite can be enough to help you recharge, allowing for a fresh start and a clean slate.

Taking a break can also provide much-needed downtime to give yourself the opportunity to let your mind wander and come up with new and creative solutions to any problems you might be facing, as well as reduce stress levels.

This can be as simple as taking a few minutes to sit in a quiet space, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths, or it can be something more structured such as a yoga class or a long walk.

Whatever it is, it’s important to take the time to step away from the situation, and give yourself the opportunity to reset and refocus. Not only will it help restore your energy and clarity, but it can also help you gain a new perspective on the situation, allowing you to approach it in a more creative and effective way.

If you’re feeling really overwhelmed, it might even be beneficial to take a few days off from work to give yourself the space and time you need to regroup and restart.

Conclusion

It can be difficult to get motivated, and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, but there are some simple steps you can take to get yourself going.

• Exercising, among lots of other benefits, will increase your overall mood, well-being, and motivation.
• Setting achievable goals for yourself and breaking them down into smaller, manageable tasks can help to keep you motivated and focused on your path.
• Changing your environment by moving somewhere new or different can be a great way to gain a new perspective.
• Taking a break and doing something that relaxes you, such as listening to music, will get you in the right frame of mind.
• Additionally, starting a journaling practice will help you achieve any kind of dreams you have, along with providing you with mental clarity.

With a little effort, you can make a big difference in your motivation and who you are as a person.

Ready To Achieve Your Goals? Read more blogs about reaching your goals and success on Addicted 2 Success

• • • 10 Things Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals
    • 6-Step Process For Reaching Your Goals
    • Powerful Life Lessons From David And Goliath Story
    • 5 Ways To Achieve Your Goals
    • Reasons Why It Is Important To Follow Your Dreams
    • Signs That You’re Self Sabotaging
    • Why Perseverance Is A Major Key To Life
    • 6 Personal Growth Challenges To Transform Your Life
    • 11 Habits To Achieving Greatness In Your Life
    • 21-Day Rule That Can Change Your LifeReasons

The post 5 Easy Ways to Find Motivation When You’re Feeling Stuck appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

For many entrepreneurs, defining success can be a tricky exercise. Business leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone with a career all want to be successful but rarely engage with what exactly that means. Even more challenging is the idea of setting up applicable metrics to gauge their progress toward that success.

Looking back at my own career, there were a few goalposts I aimed for when defining my own sense of success. In the early years, success meant having more control over my life and never worrying about being replaced or passed over for promotion.

However, that definition of success has changed over the years. Now, success means having less stress, enjoying more time with family and friends, and being able to travel the world. The consensus among most experienced entrepreneurs is that money doesn’t define success, at least not on its own. 

The majority of entrepreneurs point to other milestones as markers of success, but their metrics for success demonstrate some hugely varied responses — feel-good buzzwords like “making a positive impact” and “building a legacy.”

And yet, as entrepreneurs, we need tangible ways of measuring success, not just fairy-tale sentiments. That said, the entrepreneur alone defines success.

Entrepreneurs must also understand the difference between a business being successful and a person being successful. An entrepreneur might achieve a profitable business while feeling unsuccessful in their personal life, but by setting your own success metrics, you can decide when you’ve reached success.

“The secret of success in every field is redefining what success means to you. It can’t be your parent’s definition, the media’s definition, or your neighbor’s definition. Otherwise, success will never satisfy you.” – RuPaul

Why are setting success metrics necessary?

Metrics define achievements, and having tangible metrics can help recognize success when it is attained or a goal when it’s completed. These signposts help us recognize success and feel a sense of achievement.

Metrics also help us adapt our expectations for success, which often comes at various stages in life. Case in point, success for a budding entrepreneur will mean something different for someone with years of experience.

For those determined to set down their standards for success, four concepts can help entrepreneurs actualize their goals.

Drive: The drive of an entrepreneur is an overarching idea encompassing the traits that allow them to pursue their goals and dreams, even in the face of failure. Drive can also mean never settling for less or second-best. Although this can have setbacks, second place isn’t always a bad place to be. While it depends on the industry, sometimes being the highest revenue earner can mean lower profits, bloated staff counts, and burnout. Don’t allow “drive” to become your sole measurement of success.

Discipline: Of course, we all know what this means — getting up and doing the grind even when you don’t want to. It means not just doing the work when it’s fun and exciting; it’s keeping control of your emotions and vision even as challenges try to pull your focus away. Self-discipline helps entrepreneurs manage their time and resources efficiently. Discipline can also mean having the discipline to realize I can always do better.

Adaptability: Having drive and discipline is great. Even with those traits, however, you must have the ability to adapt when faced with new facts and realities. Taking a failure and turning it into success is crucial to entrepreneurial success. Many entrepreneurs have failed because they continued pushing an idea despite mounting evidence that a change was needed.

Grit: This combines drive with passion. Without grit, an entrepreneurial idea can’t succeed. However, grit must be combined with adaptability to reach its potential. Conversely, while grit may be a leading factor in the success of your business, it doesn’t necessarily lead to personal success and happiness. Take time to smell the roses: it’ll make your achievements all the sweeter.

Developing these attributes provides a solid framework for conceptualizing success and establishing achievable goals.

A different definition of success

Success is measured by having time to do what you enjoy. Consider the following example: An entrepreneur makes $100 million every year but works 60-hour weeks, 52 weeks a year. Clearly, they’ve achieved financial success; however, this entrepreneur wishes they had more time to travel with their family. Have they found success?

Instead, a better measure of success here would be to set concrete goals, such as: “My goal is to be so successful in business that I can take two months off per year to travel or only work 20 hours a week.”

However, this is only an example; there is no one-size-fits-all metric for measuring success among different entrepreneurs. But since entrepreneurs agree that money is not always the best measure, consider measuring the time available to enjoy your favorite things.

Setting up your own success metrics

With all these characteristics of a successful entrepreneur, the key here is learning to apply them. Here are three strategies that consider your drive, discipline, adaptability, and grit. These can help you move from an “I want to be successful” attitude to an “I want to achieve this specific kind of success in this timeframe” mindset.

1. Define success for yourself – The first and most important step in this process is to replace the word “successful” with a list of what you want to achieve. For example, do you want to get out of debt or have more time with your children? When exactly do you want to have these measures met in your daily life? Get specific with a timeline in which you want to achieve these goals.
2. Success doesn’t come all at once – Entrepreneurs need to understand that success comes in stages. Every several years, evaluate your current goals, update your definition of success, and then work toward it again.
3. Practice gratitude – Being content with what you’ve already achieved while still being driven to accomplish more is the key to happiness for an entrepreneur. If you aren’t content with what you have now, you won’t be content with what you have and accomplish in the future. Simply put, practicing gratitude is a must.

While the insatiable desire to do more is tantamount to what makes an entrepreneur, too many believe that success and happiness are always around the corner, never taking time to appreciate what they’ve already achieved. Without this recognition, they can become depressed, lose touch with their close relationships, and even burn out.

Don’t save the feeling of success for retirement. Entrepreneurs should strive to find a measure of personal success before they exit from the world stage. Remember, you define success for yourself.

The post 4 Key Factors to Determining Ultimate Success appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

When companies slash workers, they often place the blame on employees’ lower-than-expected productivity. But what exactly is productivity? How is it measured?

Defining Productivity

Wall Street and company CFOs have their own definition: Productivity is measured as the total output divided by total input, which includes labor. If revenue and profit drop below analysts’ expectations, especially if the company has gone on a hiring spree, productivity appears low.

Individuals, on the other hand, often think about productivity as it relates to their workflow. How fast are they completing the tasks on their to-do lists? What hacks can they use to improve their personal productivity, like the Pomodoro technique or zero-inbox?

As you can see, context matters.

According to the dictionary, productivity is defined as “the ability to generate, create, improve, or bring forth goods and services.”

Wall Street and individuals both use aspects of this definition, but they measure it differently. Wall Street looks at generating monetary wealth. Individuals, in contrast, focus on what they or their team can create: those to-do lists that ultimately lead to bringing forth goods and services.

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” – Paul J. Meyer

Every Company Can Improve Productivity by Reducing “Work about Work”

Every company can improve its productivity. (And no, I don’t expect us all to turn into robots.)

Why am I so sure? There are always inputs (think labor, resources, and attention) that don’t generate meaningful outputs.

According to Asana’s Anatomy of Work report, employees spend an average of 60% of their time on non-value-add activities that are “work about work,” such as communicating about work, searching for information, switching between apps, managing shifting priorities, and chasing status updates. Only 40% of an employee’s time is spent on skilled or strategic work.

Looking at our definition of productivity, we can see that “work about work” is a bug in the system; it cuts into the time employees could be spending on generating skilled or strategic work. Indeed, Asana’s report concluded that nearly three months of an employee’s time per year could be eliminated without negatively impacting outputs.

Let me repeat: Based on current work patterns, most employees could take the entire summer off without affecting their productivity.

According to Asana’s research:

Every week, workers are losing an average of nearly three hours on unnecessary meetings. Every day, they are bombarded with 32 emails. Every hour, their attention is fractured between disconnected tools and having to constantly switch between them.

“Work about work” is an entrenched part of modern organizations and is still the biggest barrier to productivity—one that organizations shouldn’t take lightly. Too many workers are stuck in this black hole, sucked into a world of small tasks that add up to an enormous burden.

By reducing the time you spend on “work about work,” you can immediately improve your productivity equation.

3 Practical Ways to Reduce Your “Work about Work” and Increase Your Productivity

So how can you get started?

1. Conduct a meeting audit to reduce unnecessary work communication

Review all the meetings you and your team have held over the past two weeks (or a month, if you’d like a more accurate snapshot). For each meeting, note whether it was needed and how you could change the cadence, length, or attendees to reduce the meeting’s burden. Then, experiment with these changes in the upcoming weeks.

2. Do some spring cleaning to make it easier to search for information

We all have that “junk drawer” at home. You know, the one stuffed with old restaurant takeout menus and loose change. Similarly, there may be folders or random documentation scattered on your computer desktop or in your project management tool.

Carve out some time to clean up your knowledge base, or as we call it, your “digital house.” Consider scheduling a “cleaning day” quarterly, and make sure that your documentation is up to date, with everything in the right place and with a clear owner.

3. Use templates to reclaim time spent chasing status updates or recreating the wheel.

What type of work do you repeat week after week? Maybe it’s adding a contact into the Salesforce CRM or creating a quarterly review presentation for your client. Perhaps you’re a product manager and collect the same requirements sprint after sprint.

Whatever it is, if it’s repeatable, stop reinventing the wheel. Instead, develop a plug-and-play template—once and for all—and then move on. This might mean designing a standard presentation deck, a recurring Asana task, or programming a Zapier automation. Spending the time upfront to templatize can save you and your team time and energy down the road.

The post How to Level Up Your Productivity With One Simple Change appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

“Hey, Devil Dog, it’s Don Shipley.”

A voice I had grown familiar with over several years watching retired Navy SEAL Senior Chief Petty Officer Don Shipley on one of the most popular streaming platforms in the country confront men all over the continent who fraudulently claimed to have served as U.S. Navy SEALs.

Today, this phone call wouldn’t be confrontational. He wasn’t calling to bust a phony servicemember or confront a pathological liar for stolen valor. I had asked for a few minutes of his time less than twenty-four hours prior, and he graciously obliged.

How often do you get the privilege of picking the brain of a leadership legend?

I anticipated a glimpse into a small and exclusive universe few will ever experience. I anticipated transformational leadership principles from a carefully cultivated pedigree of frogmen and elite warriors throughout the long and proud tradition and history of Naval Special Warfare. I anticipated my understanding of how to lead people to be turned on its axis. I anticipated everything that I thought I knew about building effective teams to be challenged by the touchstone acumen of a sharper and more experienced leader.

Needless to say, my mind was blown, but not how I had expected it to be.

As the conversation progressed, I grew closer towards an unexpected conclusion:

Leadership transcends trends, generations, movements, revolutions, and time.

The best stick to the basics.

A good general not only sees the way to victory; he also knows when victory is impossible. —Polybius

So, how does this elite fraternity of Navy SEALs build effective teams and lead their people under the most extreme and dangerous conditions?

The answer may amaze you with its simplicity, and the good news is, even if you can’t be a SEAL, you have everything it takes to lead like one.

Here’s how:

Be humble.

Do your absolute best.

Be accountable.

Be honest.

Be trustworthy.

Learn every chance you get.

Care about your people.

Go through challenging times together.

Learn from poor leadership experiences.

Don’t complain.

Support your people.

Elevate each other.

Don’t waste your mistakes. Learn from them.

Don recalled a survey that was conducted in the middle of the 1980s by a team of psychiatrists who evaluated several Navy SEALs past and present to determine what traits were shared in common with the men who had successfully completed the rigorous and demanding rites-of-passage to be indoctrinated into the proud brotherhood of the U.S. Navy SEALs. 

At the conclusion of the survey, it was determined that no common personality traits necessarily contributed to the collective success of the candidates who successfully completed the training. It was simply a desire to succeed, a dedication to the purpose, and putting forth the effort that carried them through. 

The unassuming who kept their focus when distraction was more attractive are the ones who reached their goals.

We can analyze leadership in a think-tank or laboratory and attempt to reinvent the wheel for the remainder of the existence of humanity.

Just like the wheel, though, the best stick to the basics.

The post How to Lead Like a U.S. Navy Seal appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

However, it is important to remember that hitting rock bottom is not the end, but rather a chance to start anew. With the right mindset and approach, it is possible to overcome this low point and achieve success. In this article, we will discuss five ways to overcome hitting rock bottom and truly succeed after turning 40.

1. Identify your goals and create a plan.

The first step in overcoming rock bottom is to determine what you want to achieve. This may involve reassessing your values and priorities and determining what is truly important to you. Once you have a clear understanding of your goals, it is time to create a plan for how to achieve them. A well-structured plan should include specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, as well as a timeline for when you hope to achieve each goal. Breaking down your goals into smaller, manageable steps can help you feel more confident and motivated in your pursuit of success.

2. Reassess your values and priorities.

Hitting rock bottom can be a wake-up call that helps you reassess your values and priorities. Take the time to reflect on what is truly important to you and make any necessary changes to align your life with your values. This can help you find direction and purpose in life and make decisions that are in line with your goals. For example, if family is a top priority, make sure you are making time for them and prioritizing their well-being. If personal growth is important, seek out new learning opportunities and invest in your personal development.

“Bottom became the solid foundation on which I built my life.” — J.K. Rowling

3. Surround yourself with positive and supportive people.

The people you surround yourself with can have a significant impact on your well-being and success. Surround yourself with positive, supportive people who believe in you and encourage you to achieve your goals. Seek out mentors who can offer guidance and support, and join communities or groups that share your interests and goals. These relationships can provide a source of inspiration and motivation, and can help you stay on track even when faced with challenges.

4. Develop a growth mindset.

Having a growth mindset means that you view challenges and failures as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as permanent setbacks. This mindset can help you overcome obstacles and achieve success. Focus on learning from your experiences, taking calculated risks, and being open to new opportunities and experiences. Embrace challenges as a chance to grow and develop, and be persistent in your pursuit of success. Cultivate a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and grow, and you will be well on your way to success.

5. Take care of yourself.

Taking care of yourself is essential for overcoming rock bottom and achieving success. This includes taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Make sure to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and get enough sleep. It is also important to take time for yourself, pursue hobbies and interests that bring you joy, and make time for self-reflection and personal growth. Neglecting your well-being can lead to burnout and hinder your ability to achieve your goals. So, make sure to prioritize self-care and prioritize your own well-being.

In conclusion, overcoming rock bottom and truly succeeding after turning 40 is possible with the right approach and mindset. By identifying your goals, reassessing your values and priorities, surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people, developing a growth mindset, and taking care of yourself, you can achieve the success you desire and

The post 5 Ways to Overcome Rock Bottom at Age 40 appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

One of the biggest lessons in life for a successful person is learning to say no. I can’t stress enough the power of the word no. 

1. You Establish Boundaries 

You indeed teach people how to treat you. The way you see the world around you is a reflection of what’s going on inside of you. When you establish firm boundaries, you protect your time and energy because you don’t allow other people to take advantage of you. Start small and work your way up over a period of time. It can be difficult to set and maintain boundaries because you’ve been conditioned since early childhood to say “yes” and agree with society.

This has been harming you, albeit unknowingly because you are now uncomfortable with saying “no.” To set and maintain boundaries, however, you must start saying no to people, places, and things that are no longer serving you or hindering your progress. If you’re not evolving, your growth is slowing and you eventually become your own worst enemy. 

2. You become more focused

Now that you’re in a routine of setting and maintaining your boundaries, you have the time and energy to focus on what matters most. The most common areas of personal development in life are work, family, health, and wealth, to name a few. If any of these are ignored, your life loses balance and you are out of alignment with purposeful living.

When you prioritize what matters most, you can budget your time, energy, and resources in these areas so you can function optimally. Having control over your own life will set your mind at ease because you’re doing the best you can with what you can control. This isn’t to say you have to live like a robot and work constantly; this knocks you out of balance because you’re ignoring the other areas of your life that need attention.

My point is that setting and maintaining boundaries allows you to be more focused and work on what matters.

“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” – Warren Buffett

3. You take back your power

Saying “no” lets you take back your power because protecting your time and energy is an act of self-discipline that sets you up to exceed in all areas of your life. Life is full of distractions, from friends who drain us of our energy, to wasting time thinking negative thoughts and obsessing over what could happen. When you discipline yourself to cut these activities out, you’re making yourself a priority because you’re doing what’s best for you.

Now, some people may try to criticize you but remember, only you know what’s best for you. The only way to combat the negative aspects of this world is to work on yourself, step up to the plate, and protect your own space so you can maintain a healthy balance in all areas of your life. Although saying “no” may not sound agreeable at first, people-pleasing is an act that will rapidly drain you before you can achieve your goals. Excessively saying “yes” to everyone and everything is only giving away your power.

You can’t pour from an empty cup, so learn to say no and take back your power.

4. Gain respect and appreciation

When people observe you set and maintain firm boundaries and you prioritize your own life, people realize they cannot take advantage of you. This reduces your risk of being an easy target for people who want to bring you down because you refuse to lower your standards for anyone else.  This will ultimately lead to people respecting you because you respect yourself, by protecting your own life and creating meaning in everything you do.

Again, it may seem uncomfortable at first, but saying no and being firm in your response communicates to others that you have priorities and you won’t allow anyone or anything to get in the way of your goals.  Choose people, places, activities and things that support you and have your best interest at heart. This may mean keeping your circle of friends small and investing more time learning a new skill after work, or sometimes just letting things be so you can relax.

When others see that you respect yourself and limit people and activities that can hinder your progress, they will respect you because you command it.  

5. You Learn Self-Empowerment

This is your life and only you can determine how far you’ll go. Parents, teachers, coaches, and bosses can guide you, only you can determine what opportunities you take and how much effort you put into them. This is because it’s your life and only you know what you truly want. It may take time and years of exploration to find your likes and dislikes, but this is part of the equation- you have to go out and try new things.

People are trained from childhood to please their parents and teachers, but learning to say “no” is one of the greatest life lessons because you’re firm in your decision to govern your own life. Parents and teachers generally want what’s best for you to live the life they may not have had, but in the end, you must determine the course of your own life.

There’s no one else in the world who is you, so cultivate your talents and apply yourself relentlessly so you can go as far as you can.

One of the biggest lessons I learned is that there should be a lot more “no’s” than “yes’s” in your life if you want to maximize your full potential. If someone or something is not moving you forward, it’s holding you back because you’re valuable and worthy of so much more. Saying no is the key to taking back your power and living a life of prosperity.  

Ready To Achieve Your Goals? Read more blogs about reaching your goals and success on Addicted 2 Success

• • • 10 Things Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals
    • 6-Step Process For Reaching Your Goals
    • Powerful Life Lessons From David And Goliath Story
    • 5 Ways To Achieve Your Goals
    • Reasons Why It Is Important To Follow Your Dreams
    • Signs That You’re Self Sabotaging
    • Why Perseverance Is A Major Key To Life
    • 6 Personal Growth Challenges To Transform Your Life
    • 11 Habits To Achieving Greatness In Your Life
    • 21-Day Rule That Can Change Your LifeReasons

The post 5 Ways Saying No Will Transform Your Life appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

As such, we seek the fastest, most efficient route to avoid and escape. 

We seek short-term fixes in lieu of long-term solutions and inner peace.

When our lives are unfulfilling, when we know we’re not filling our full potential, when we ask, “Is this all there is?” or “Aren’t I meant for more?”, we’re experiencing pain. 

Our soul’s deepest desire is to create meaning; it’s intrinsic to us. 

One of the ways we create meaning is to pursue our life’s calling, fueled by our mission. 

I delineate the two as:

A Life’s Calling is the task (writing, speaking, teaching, composing, sculpting, etc.).

The mission is the why (serving something more significant than ourselves).

Combined, they are the energy that shoots us out of bed each morning and that we’re willing to put it all on the line for. 

The pain we experience, the angst, the frustration, the disillusionment, the sense of betrayal (I did all the things I was supposed to do, WTF?), and the emptiness are products of not having a calling and mission or having a calling and mission – but being paralyzed by fear and unable to take action. 

Because our life’s calling, the reason we’re here is terrifying. 

It flies in the face of how our brains are wired. Our brains don’t give a crap about purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. 

They care about keeping us alive and do a damn good job of it. 

Unfortunately, this is to the detriment of our souls and the overall quality of our lives.

So we chase short-term fixes, which are nothing more than short-term escapes:

We escape through the superficiality of social media, alcohol, drugs, affairs, porn, and binging on Netflix.  

Something, anything, so we don’t have to confront the one person we can’t run from, the one person we can’t escape – but we try our damndest to escape:

Ourselves.

Because no matter how fast we run, we will never outrun ourselves. 

Here are 3 reasons why:

1. The short-term high from the short-term escape is, guess what? Short-term. When the high fades, when the escape fails, we’ll find ourselves facing ourselves and the truth we don’t want to confront, and we’re back to the chase. It’s the Golden Treadmill of endless escapism.  
2. Every short-term escape creates long-term, painful consequences. Think that scrolling social media is innocuous and harmless? When we waste our precious time scrolling, we will never be grateful we did when it’s time to breathe our last breath. We will die with regret. 
3. When we habitually attempt to escape our reality and ourselves through the superficial, we ignore the deepest expression of ourselves. We’re living out of alignment. 

We create a gap between who we are and who we know we want to be. 

The more significant the gap, the greater the need to escape.  

So the questions become:

• How do we stop chasing short-term escapes and begin creating long-term solutions so we can be the person we desire to be and live the lives that call to us?

• How do we let go of the superficial and rise to our full potential?

• How do we decrease the gap?

We begin with these 3 simple first steps:

Clarity: 

Remember how our brains are wired to avoid and escape pain?

Most people don’t know what they actually want in their lives. They don’t know how they want to feel, and they don’t know what they want to create. 

We don’t like not knowing; it’s painful.

Achieving clarity makes the unknown known and eliminates the pain of not knowing. 

What really matters most to you? What do you want?

Pro-tip: Be mindful not to list everything you don’t want. Be clear on what you do want. 

Break the Pattern:

Back to our brains wiring; we’ve survival machines.

Living life on autopilot is the model of efficiency and survival, but do you believe you’re here to live an efficient life?

When you do the same thing day after day, you become an unconscious passenger in your life. 

You’re existing, not living. 

A life set to autopilot is the enemy of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. 

Break your pattern, change your life. 

Experience Awe and Wonder:

You need to remind yourself of what meaning feels like in your body and mind.

But how?

You can cultivate meaning through the experiences you choose to have.

When those experiences are novel, when they ignite awe and wonder, when they’re moments of truth and beauty, you will create meaning.

Immerse yourself in nature, museums, or concerts.

Try doing the thing that you say you’d never do.

When you experience novelty, awe, wonder, truth, and beauty, you experience meaning.

You’ll ignite something inside of you.

You’ll remind yourself what it feels like to be alive.

Bonus: By experiencing awe and wonder, you’ll break patterns and facilitate clarity. 

Just because our brains are wired a certain way doesn’t mean we’re locked into that wiring forever. 

Even knowing that we’re wired this way is a step towards creating the lives we want to live. 

A friendly reminder:

The moment you decide to change the course of your life, the course of your life changes.

The post 3 Simple Steps to Rewire Your Brain to Create the Life You Want appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

It can block your way, sometimes completely, and then you walk away, probably thinking bad of yourself. But, is that a solution? Is that really something you think you should just accept (and probably experience the same when you move onto the next thing)?

It is not. Yes, sometimes it’s good to walk away for a while to clarify your thoughts and maybe it will reignite some motivation. But when you again take the leap, having high and big expectations, you will fall into that same trap once again. 

This is where you have to realize that it’s small you need to think. Don’t let it fool you when I say small, because it will give you incredible results if you apply this secret. And that is the 2-Minute Rule.

Breaking Down the 2-Minute Rule

In The 2 Minute Rule, it is stated that when you start a new habit or task, you should begin with a small action or section that takes no more than 2 minutes to complete. Really, no longer than 2 minutes. The idea behind this rule is that, by starting with a small, manageable task, it becomes much easier to build momentum, and to overcome the barrier of procrastination.

The 2 minutes make it easy to start your habits. Anyone is able to read, meditate or put a few plates away in two minutes. This is a powerful strategy, because once you have started doing the right thing, it will be much easier to continue. 

The goal in this, is to create a gateway that leads you down a road that’s more productive. It’s about taking small steps towards your goals and making it easy to initiate and stick to it over time.

Creating the Gateway

It’s important that you discover you can scale down nearly any habit into those 2 minutes and that you can map out your habit goals by categorizing them in “very easy” to “very hard”. 

Here I have some examples of tasks:

• From “Going to the gym for a 2 hour workout” to “Putting my workout clothes ready.”
• From “Reading 40 pages everyday” to “Reading one page.”
• From “Cleaning your house” to “Putting one clothing item away.” 
• From “Studying” to “Opening a study book.”
• From “Learning a new skill” to “Watching a short video about it.”

What habits can you scale down to make them qualified to the 2-Minute Rule?

What Makes it Work

Get beyond the idea that it’s weird to read just one page, or to fold one piece of clothing when there’s a wardrobe that needs organizing more or less. Building a habit is not about doing one thing, but to master the art of showing up, to show up for the bigger picture. 

What you first need before you can learn the finer details about a habit, before you can even improve something, a habit must be established in its most basic fashion. James Clear makes it clear in this statement: “You have to standardize before you can optimize.”

Those 2 minutes can be considered a secret ingredient of a family recipe, a small thing that leads to a greater experience, making you do the great stuff you want to do. By following the same ritual, you make it easier to get into the hard work of doing it. 

Not only are you working towards a solid and larger routine, those 2 minutes are also reinforcing the development of your identity and the reframing of why you’re doing it. You wouldn’t be worried about the outcome, but you’re focused on becoming the type of person who does it. You want to read, but what if you are a reader? See the difference here?

The Advantages to Grab

If I haven’t hooked you enough, here I have explained the advantages for when you start applying the 2-Minute Rule.

1. It prevents procrastination before it occurs

Longer, more comprehensive tasks have a larger chance of triggering procrastination. By escaping that time and difficulty, you avoid falling into the traps of procrastination. It simply makes you live more in the moment.

2. No system-exhaustion

With applying the 2-Minute Rule, you don’t have to deal with a complex workflow and processes to go through. It’s an immediate implementation and with a quick result.

3. It reduces overwhelm

Because you’re scaling down the habit into a small task (that is “very easy”), you allow it to become less daunting and much more actionable. Moreover, it makes it a lot more enjoyable.

4. You’re building momentum

Through all the tiny wins you’re getting, you’re creating a sense of flow and that’s your foundation to build onto those wins. Every time you do it, then every next time will be easier. When building momentum, you’re building peak performance.

In conclusion

The 2-Minute Rule is – as pressed on you enough I hope – a powerful strategy that is determined to help you in building the habit you ultimately want. No matter how small, try envisioning the person you become when you’re indulged (yes, indulged) in those 2 minutes.

And remember, small steps lead to big results, like snowflakes forming a snowball and then it has no other choice but to roll. This is your momentum.

The post The 2-Minute Rule: The Secret to Habit Success appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

The strategy is the means and mechanism through which organizations accomplish their goals and objectives. It is the process of preparing for the future by scanning the internal and external environment and weighing the strengths and weaknesses of competitors and creating the future. 

It is to reciprocate with the counter moves and actions as per the tactics of competitors to stay ahead of the game. Michael Porter defines, “Strategy is about setting yourself apart from the competition. It’s not a matter of being better at what you do – it’s a matter of being different at what you do.” 

The strategy helps identify what is holding back to reach the next higher level. It is not a popularity contest. It helps please the majority of customers, not all customers. 

The strategy is fundamentally a set of choices the leaders make across the value chain. So, leaders should not try to be the best but to be unique to stand out from the rest.

Strategy versus tactics

Corporate strategy involves a judicious blend of strategy and tactics. CEOs must work in trenches and blend strategy and tactics effectively to build successful businesses. They must keep their language simple and straight to enable a layperson to understand and implement their strategy. They must be strategic thinkers blending both strategy and tactics. 

To be a strategic thinker, you must dream bigger, think bigger, see the big picture, and understand the tactics. When you want to succeed as an entrepreneur you must combine strategy and tactics. 

Here are some differences between strategy and tactics. Strategic thinking is doing the right things while tactics are doing things right. The strategy is a long-term blueprint which is usually fixed while tactics are flexible and change as per the issue and prevailing scenario. 

The strategy emphasizes long-term solutions while tactics emphasize short-term quick-fix solutions. The strategy is proactive while tactics are reactive. The strategy is done above the shoulders while tactics are done below the shoulders. 

The strategy is unstructured and focused clearly while tactics are structured and executed effectively. 

The strategy is creative while tactics are analytical. The strategy is external-focused while tactics are internal-focused. The strategy is difficult to evaluate while tactics are easy to evaluate. 

The strategy is at the senior level while tactics are at middle-level management. The strategy is intangible while tactics are tangible. Strategy deals with general aspects while tactics deal with specific aspects. 

Tactics are a subset of strategy. Succinctly, strategy is an end while tactics are the means to accomplish the ends.

“You don’t need to be a genius or a visionary, or even a college graduate for that matter, to be successful. You just need framework and a dream.” – Michael Dell

Characteristics of strategic thinkers

Strategic thinkers are optimistic and confident. They are curious by nature and are always out of their comfort zone. They explore and experiment with new things. They don’t stick to time-tested tools and techniques because they know that what worked in the past may not work now and in the future. 

They think from multiple perspectives and change their tools and tactics from time to time. They cannot be predicted by others. They are proactive, status quo ante, and think long-term.

Strategic thinkers are part of the solution, not the problem. They look at the root of the problem and address them earnestly and effectively. They solve the problem, not the symptom. They start with the end in mind. 

They don’t wait to seek complete information on issues. They work with the existing information and utilize the tools they have without blaming circumstances and others. They neither overestimate nor underestimate their and others’ abilities. 

They remain calm during crises. They reflect a lot. They are risk-takers, embrace change wholeheartedly and thrive on uncertainty. They are curious, creative, and adaptable. They are voracious readers. They change their tools and tactics from time to time to avoid being checkmated by others and stay ahead of the race. 

They strive for excellence, not perfection. They act and don’t react to the challenges. They are persistent to resolve the challenges and are aware that it is often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock.

How to improve your strategic thinking?

Strategic thinking is a unique approach to examining challenges analytically and connecting them logically to predict the future. It involves predicting what is likely to happen and creating the future accordingly. 

It helps view issues from multiple perspectives and makes mindful decisions. It is a mindset and a way of life for leaders and CEOs within organizations. Strategic thinking skill development transforms unproductive time and activity into productive time and strategic activity. Strategic thinking is both born and bred. 

It is partly gifted through genes and partly developed by thinking strategically and through practice. It can be honed by various means including reflecting, connecting the dots, leveraging your whole brain, empathizing, and making decisions through head, heart, gut, and intuition. 

You can improve strategic thinking by avoiding preconceived notions, having an open mind, listening carefully, and asking appropriate and meaningful questions.

You must see the invisible. Build networks that help you scan the horizon. Get at the root of the issue. Be steady. Gather information from multiple sources and synthesize them to build your own perspective to make decisions. Take feedback to improve your strategic thinking.

To summarize, strategic thinking exists in all humans but only a few discover and channel it effectively to accomplish their goals. When you want to achieve big in your life, you must hone it regularly by coming out of your comfort zone.

A blueprint for CEOs to draw a disciplined strategy

Strategic thinkers see the big picture, scan the environment, and weigh the pros and cons before making decisions to create the future. 

Here is a blueprint for CEOs to create a strategy. 

Identify the forces and factors that are tangible and intangible. You can easily address the tangible forces and factors but it is a Herculean task to identify and address the intangible forces and factors. 

Therefore, CEOs must emphasize more on intangible forces to address organizational issues. It is easier said than done. They must draw a diagram dividing into tangible and intangible forces. They must divide the diagram further from tangible forces and imagine the forces that are intangible.

To conclude, there is an urgent need to improve strategic thinking at all levels of management especially at the top-level management to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness.

The post How to Think Like a CEO for Your Future Success appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

Improve Your Attitude

With the right attitude, you can achieve anything and everything in the world. In the 20th century, intensive research was done to identify the reasons behind successful people. It unveiled that attitude made them stand out from others globally. Your attitude determines your altitude of success. 

Globally attitude, knowledge, and skills are widely discussed. Among them, it is attitude that plays a crucial role to acquire knowledge, skills, and abilities. When you discuss personality, attitude, and behavior, it is the attitude that plays a crucial role to improve your personality and behavior. 

When you talk about hard skills and soft skills, it is the soft skills that matter more, and attitude is the crucial element to acquiring soft skills. In a nutshell, it is the attitude that makes your life 100 percent successful and meaningful. 

The three components of attitude are what you feel, think, and do. Your education, environment, and experience determine your attitude. Hence, ensure that you acquire ethical education and are surrounded by positive people to enable you to have positive experiences in life. 

The negative attitude results in self-doubt, low self-esteem, ill health, stress, bitterness, and resentment. Anyhow you are going to invest your energies, then why not invest your energies in building a positive attitude instead of a negative attitude. 

To acquire a positive attitude, you must think positively, surround yourself with positive friends, develop a can-do mentality, appreciate others, and above all, live in the present.

“Our visit to this planet is short, so we should use our time meaningfully, which we can do by helping others wherever possible. And if we cannot help others, at least we should try not to create pain and suffering for them.” —Dalai Lama

Tips to Focus on Constructive Activities

Whenever negative thoughts pop up in your mind, affirm repeatedly that you were born with certain gifts in life. Leverage those gifts to grow and add value to others. Here are some tips in your arsenal to focus on your goals and objectives to achieve amazing success in your life. 

• Engage your mind constructively on your goals and activities. Fix time daily on them. Avoid multitasking. 
• Create an environment with the right kind of noise. Surround yourself with friends who are positive, constructive, and healthy. Create a team of strong connections who are experts in creating ideas and taking their ideas into execution. 
• Share your personal feelings and emotions with your trusted friends. Avoid wearing your emotions on your sleeve.
• Follow your passions and hobbies. Leverage the technology. 
• Breathe in and breathe out for a few seconds to divert your mind. Remember to breathe with your stomach and through your nose. Do meditation and yoga. 
• Engage your mind on household chores. Connect with your family members. Spend considerable time with them. 
• Hold your mind continuously on your goals for 21 seconds to enable you to stay focused on your goals.  
• Undertake much bigger challenges and focus on them to resolve them. 
• Understand the fact that people are quickly glued to negative aspects than the positive aspects. 
• Stop complaining, criticizing, and condemning others. Take responsibility for your actions. 
• Focus more on your strengths and less on your weaknesses. Focus more on ideas and less on individuals and issues. 
• Overcome your apprehensions and anxieties. Stay away from superstitions.  Look at the door that is opened, not the closed one. Have an open mind to resolve issues. Find out what is bugging you. Explore solutions to overcome them. 
• Travel to unwind. Take a vacation to break from your negative thoughts. Go on a pilgrimage if you are a religious person. 
• Don’t compare with others. You are unique and a gift from God. Nobody can be like you and you cannot be like anybody in the world. 
• Be magnanimous to help others and add value to them. 
• Maintain a gratitude journal to express your gratitude every day. 
• Consult a psychologist to seek professional advice.

Strengthen your subconscious mind. Give positive commands to your subconscious mind 30 minutes before you go to your bed. These commands will have a positive impact on your mind and improve your personality, attitude, and behavior. 

Grow your potential by concentrating on your goals; improving yourself continually; forgetting your unpleasant past; living in the present; and focusing on the future.  

You are Gifted with one Life

Don’t visualize negative events in life. Don’t exaggerate them overly. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Remember that everyone has challenges in life. You are not an exception. Understand this fact and enlighten yourself to lead a pleasant and peaceful life.

In reel life (cinema), there are takes and retakes but in real life, there are only takes, and no retakes. You are on a short visit to this planet. You are gifted with one life. Ensure that you lead your life constructively to provide meaning to your life. 

Ready To Achieve Your Goals? Read more blogs about reaching your goals and success on Addicted 2 Success

• • • 10 Things Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals
    • 6-Step Process For Reaching Your Goals
    • Powerful Life Lessons From David And Goliath Story
    • 5 Ways To Achieve Your Goals
    • Reasons Why It Is Important To Follow Your Dreams
    • Signs That You’re Self Sabotaging
    • Why Perseverance Is A Major Key To Life
    • 6 Personal Growth Challenges To Transform Your Life
    • 11 Habits To Achieving Greatness In Your Life
    • 21-Day Rule That Can Change Your LifeReasons

The post How to Focus Your Mind on Your Goals in 2024 Constructively appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

What is a Grit Mindset?

Angela Duckworth coined the term “grit mindset” in her book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.” She asserts that grit is the passion and perseverance you exude to achieve your long-term goals. Gritty people tend to be more resilient under pressure and reluctant to give up. Thus, they are much more likely to achieve their goals.

Grit is an overlooked aspect of success, but it plays a critical role. Grittiness is not necessarily about how smart or talented you are. Instead, it’s about never giving up on your goals and constantly pushing yourself to challenge and improve.

Grit has the strength to keep pushing forward no matter how difficult the obstacles may be. It’s a mindset that allows you to overcome the challenges along the way by believing that achieving success will be worth it. This attribute can be developed through practice and hard work. It would be best if you made a conscious effort to sharpen this skill.

Why Grit is an Important Attribute to Have

No matter the pursuit – entrepreneurship, higher education, passing a big exam, making it onto a sports team, or mastering a new language, grit is the primary determinant. We all have goals, dreams, and aspirations, but many of us fail to realize them when things get hard or when we come face-to-face with challenges. The result of quitting or retreating is usually agony and disappointment.

But with grit, you build the necessary drive and determination to stay focused on achieving your goals, no matter how hard the journey may get. It’s essential for personal growth, as it allows you to become resilient and persevere in the face of adversity.

Grit enables us to confidently tackle our most significant challenges and thoughtfully weave our way through life’s complex problems with creative solutions. With a never-give-up attitude and a relentless commitment to persist despite any obstacle or difficulty, you will be well on your way to success.

How to Develop Grit

Developing grit is the process of developing perseverance and resilience within yourself and is essential to achieving success in any pathway we choose. Through determination, we can establish grit and make our dreams a reality by facing our fears, taking on complex tasks, and continually striving to improve ourselves.

Don’t give up too easily – keep working hard, constantly challenge yourself, and discover what you can! A resilient mindset will benefit you in all aspects of life.

“Grit has two components: passion and perseverance.” – Angela Duckworth

Here are five ways to start building up your grit today:

1. Develop a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset will help you see challenges as learning opportunities rather than obstacles in your way. Make sure to recognize the power of effort and the importance of resilience. Acknowledge that failure is part of success, and take it as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than be discouraged.

2. Set Challenging Goals

Set realistic yet challenging goals for yourself, and don’t be afraid to take on challenging tasks. Make sure your goals are specific and measurable and break them down into small steps to make them more manageable. This will help you track your progress as you go along.

3. Push Yourself out of Your Comfort Zone

Taking risks and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can help you to develop greater resilience. Try things that scare you, take on daunting challenges, and stretch yourself in ways you never thought possible. The more courage you show, the grittier you become.

4. Set Long-Term Goals

When aiming for success, it’s essential to have goals that keep you motivated and on track. Please think of the long-term picture and what it takes to get there. Break big goals into smaller steps, and celebrate the successes along the way.

5. Stay Focused on Your Goals

It’s easy to get sidetracked by distractions and other commitments. But staying focused on them is crucial to reach your goals. Make sure you’re taking action every day toward achieving your dreams and not letting anything else stand in the way.

Real-life Examples of People Who Achieved Greatness Thanks to Grit

Grit is an incredible quality for anyone in the pursuit of greatness. It should be no surprise that real-life examples of those who have achieved excellence because of their grit are everywhere. Here are a few real-life examples of people who achieved greatness due mainly to their gritty determination.

J.K. Rowling

Rowling is an excellent example of grit. After being rejected by multiple publishers, she refused to give up and pursued her dream of publishing a novel. She cashed in her life savings, borrowed money from friends, and worked tirelessly to make it happen. Her grit and determination paid off as the Harry Potter series became one of the best-selling books of all time.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is a prime example of grit and determination. After being cut from his high school basketball team, he refused to give up. He worked tirelessly on his game, practiced for hours every day, and eventually became one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is another excellent example of grit and determination. Emerging from the depths of rural Mississippi poverty and raised by a teenage single mother, she found a way to claw her way to the top. She started as a TV news anchor. Winfrey became one of the world’s most influential people thanks to her grit and perseverance. She faced numerous obstacles throughout her career, yet she never gave up on her dreams. Her dedication and hard work have paid off in a big way.

Jim Carrey

Many people don’t know that Jim Carrey used to be homeless. He was determined to make it as a comedian and did just that. He developed his own unique comedy brand and worked hard to perfect his craft. His determination paid off as he became one of the most well-known comedic actors in the world.

Grit is an invaluable quality for anyone who wants to achieve greatness. It takes dedication, determination, and a willingness to push yourself out of your comfort zone. These real-life examples show that anyone can achieve excellence with the right mindset and attitude.

It’s up to you to stay focused on your goals and never give up in the face of adversity. With enough grit and determination, anything is possible. Start building your grit today and watch yourself reach the success you’ve always dreamed of. It’s time to make greatness happen!

The post Grit: The Key to Your Ultimate Greatness appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

As an entrepreneur, you know that your team is the backbone of your business. That’s why it is important to pay attention to the dynamics between your employees and their supervisors. If you have a toxic manager on your hands, it could spell disaster for your company. Professionals leaving their job due to a poor supervisor is not just a theoretical problem; many have left their jobs because they felt disrespected. 

Don’t let a toxic leader bring down your business. Keep an eye out for these warning signs and nip them in the bud before it’s too late. Trying to replace talent is challenging in any market. Additionally, if your startup has a reputation for being a difficult workplace, it will be harder to attract and keep top talent.

The good news is that it’s possible to spot early warning signs of toxic leadership in your midst. Just remember to look beyond the obvious. It’s a piece of cake to notice a firebrand who scares direct reports or someone who’s impolite, vulgar, or rude. Yet it’s also important to watch for the following low-level indicators of negativity among your executives and managers. That way, you can intervene quickly and either coach the coachable or let go of the irredeemable.

1. They Never Take Ownership Of Errors

The blame game is a real issue in many offices. That isn’t good if you have a director or supervisor who always points fingers. It means you can never get to the root of any problem so that it can be fixed.

Many bad leaders are good at blaming people who are unfavored or not well-known. For instance, a supervisor might blame errors on newer or younger employees. These employees may not understand how to speak up for themselves and maybe gaslighted into believing they are at fault. As a result, the toxic leader skirts any responsibility and the employee feels guilty for no reason. 

To avoid allowing this kind of behavior, practice total accountability. Start by making yourself the role model, so everyone knows that making mistakes is acceptable as long as you learn from them and try to avoid making the same mistake twice. Clear transparency is important in leadership, especially when things don’t go as planned. Leaders need to take responsibility for their actions and admit when they are wrong. This allows for a culture of trust and openness within the company.

“A leader is admired, a boss is feared.“

2. They Like To Play The Gossip Game

Gossiping negatively is a destructive behavior that can be especially harmful when it comes from a manager. Not only does it spread quickly and ruin reputations, but it also does a disservice to the company. Ironically, despite their negative impact, toxic managers who engage in gossip may be well-liked because they always seem to have the latest information.

It would help if you acted when you realized that you have a gossiper in a leadership role. Gossiping pits team members against each other and allows cliques to form. This can destroy a healthy corporate culture and cause rifts between people and departments. Eventually, the rifts will impact your work on behalf of clients or customers.

Gossip can be a destructive force in the workplace, but it’s challenging to stop it once it starts. Bring attention to the issue and suggest alternative behaviors, such as expressing gratitude and appreciation. Focusing on these positive emotions can help slow the spread of negativity and mistreatment in the office.

3. They Show Their Bias Against Particular Employees

As a leader, you’ll always have employees who are better performers than others. Typically, they’re your go-to team members for important projects and you hope they’ll stick around to be tomorrow’s leaders. Yet it would help if you did more than shower them with all your attention since that’s what bad bosses do.

A poor manager will focus all coaching and mentoring efforts on one or two favorite employees and ignore the rest. While this makes sense and is natural in one way, it alienates most of the team and prevents others from stretching their wings. That’s not good. Employees may initially have steeper learning curves but eventually become superstars with enough support.

Keep a close eye on your direct reports, who are your leaders. Do they bypass other employees for assignments, including smaller tasks that could serve as learning opportunities? You may have to intervene and insist that the work be completed more fairly. Ensure the leader doesn’t sabotage your request by withholding information to prove you wrong.

Toxicity has no place in your startup. It’s that simple. When you see it, put an end to it. Thanks to your diligence, your culture and your brand will be much better off.

The post The Dark Side of Success: How to Identify and Avoid Toxic Leaders appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

It’s important to remember that achieving what you want is absolutely possible. You’ll need to fall in love with consistency and start taking a step each day toward reaching your goals.

Here are 10 things that stop you from achieving your goals:

1. Perfectionism

Many people have deep desires within themselves and want to achieve certain things in life. But they are greedy and unappreciative even before they receive them, and want much more than they deserve.

Many, for instance, want not just to be offered a good job with a high salary and work hard to make money and increase the quality of their life, but they want to be rich, and they want it now.

That’s a wrong approach.

Because, first you need to be grateful for what you already have (and no matter how little that is, believe me, others have much less and still find the will to thank for it).

Only then will you feel some abundance and will realize that you have the power to turn it into something more? And you’ll feel the need to work for that, to give something in return and to then enjoy the fruits of your labor.

That’s how you can eliminate perfectionism from your life and still achieve what you want.

2. Failure

We have a wrong perception of what failure is these days. Most people fear failure and it makes them not even try because of the chance of not succeeding. Because it can be easy to fail in many things, people become paralyzed with the fear of failure, and they end up never seeing their dreams come true.

The truth is, failure is a precious gift. It’s an inevitable step on your way to success, and a step you’ll likely need to take more than once.

Failure is proof that you’re trying, you’re doing something to get what you want, and you’re not giving up. Failure gives you the lessons and experiences you’ll need to become stronger, have more willpower, and be more focused.

If you listen to failure, it’ll guide you in the right path because failure shows you what exactly not to do next time because it didn’t work out this time. If you keep trying, eventually you’ll get there.

There’s no better example than Thomas Edison – his whole life is proof of the power of failure and how you can work with it for optimum success.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

3. Focusing on the end result

I know you’re eager to reach your goals, and it can make anyone impatient because we want it right away. We don’t want to wait and put in the work.  

It’s important to remember that things don’t work that way. The only thing to do is fall in love with the process and focus less on the end result. When you focus on doing what needs to be done day in and day out, you’ll get the end result you wanted. 

4. Taking big steps

There’s a certain path you’ll need to walk before you get there. And its purpose is to make you strong enough to handle the success that’s waiting for you.

That path consists of many steps. Small ones – because the big ones make us worry, fear and not even try.

So divide your goals into small steps, then into even smaller ones, until you have a list of simple tasks to do each day. And make them so easy and quick that it will be impossible to say no.

5. Excuses

You may often hear yourself say some of the following:

I’m not ready;
It’s not the right time;
I’m not good enough;
I’m too old/young;
I don’t have enough money/time/experience;
Most people don’t succeed anyway, neither will I;
Maybe I’m not meant to do it;
It’s too hard;
It will take too long;
I may do it wrong;
People will laugh at me.

When that happens, stop and reflect on why you’re saying this.

Realize that your mind is tricky and prefers to stay in its comfort zone, doing the same old activities and tasks on autopilot, and not try anything new. That’s why it’s making up all these excuses, which can often sound quite convincing.

Your job is to eliminate them, to even exaggerate them, and see how ridiculous they sound. Because if you choose the other option – if you believe them – you’ll never do anything different with your life and will never see the things you desire come true.

6. Procrastination

It’s another thing that stops us from taking action toward our goals. So it’s another thing we need to give up.

Keep in mind one thing: now is the best time to do what you want, any other time is later than now.

The present moment is where you create your future and the only time you can be productive and work on what you believe in.

The only cure for procrastination is to start doing something immediately, without thinking and giving your mind time to come up with excuses. Without doubting your abilities and fearing failure.
Just do a little something today that will help you move forward and get closer to your dreams.

7. Expectations

Stop expecting so much. It’s a destructive behavior that brings deep disappointment in your life.

You expect things to turn out in a certain way, you expect people to behave as you imagine them to, and whenever that doesn’t work out, you feel upset and lose any motivation to take action.

Ditch these fantasies you live in, eliminate the scenarios you play in your head of how things should be, and accept them as they are.

And meanwhile, keep doing what you know is right.

8. Distractions

There will be people who will doubt you and make you lose hope if you listen to them. There will also be many temptations on your way to success. Many of these temptations are likely to be pleasant, but time-wasting activities.

You may often feel that life is unfair because others have so much time and can eat or buy whatever they want and you can’t. But that’s not true.

It’s just that you’ve chosen to work on your goals and strive for a better life, while others prefer the easier way of living – indulging in activities that only bring temporary happiness.

9. Lack of consistency

Lack of consistency is a big one, because with whatever you do, you won’t see any progress if you don’t do it each day.

Consistency is a trait of successful people, and it becomes a habit, like everything else. But without it, you won’t get far. It’s better to do something for 15-30 minutes every single day than to only do something once a week for hours.

Stay consistent and develop that habit. 

10. Hanging out with the wrong crowd

Someone once told me that if they hung out with the people I associate myself with, they’d be able to tell me if I’d succeed. As the years have gone by, this is absolutely true.

Think about the people you’re around on a daily basis. Are they just cruising by? Are they drinkers? Are they family people? It’s important to hang out with people that’ll help elevate you. It’s also equally important that you help elevate them. 

In conclusion, I’ll tell you this about achieving your goals:

You don’t get what you want, or what you think you deserve.

Instead, you get exactly what you work for, what you focus on , what you take action upon every single day.

Ready To Achieve Your Goals? Read more blogs about reaching your goals and success on Addicted 2 Success

• • • 6-Step Process For Reaching Your Goals
    • Powerful Life Lessons From David And Goliath Story
    • 5 Ways To Achieve Your Goals
    • Reasons Why It Is Important To Follow Your Dreams
    • Signs That You’re Self Sabotaging
    • Why Perseverance Is A Major Key To Life
    • 6 Personal Growth Challenges To Transform Your Life
    • 11 Habits To Achieving Greatness In Your Life
    • 21-Day Rule That Can Change Your LifeReasons
    • Why It’s So Important To Follow Your Dreams

The post 10 Things That Stop You From Achieving Your Goals appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

Have you been feeling that inner drive to seek a higher purpose for a long time? If so, you need to take action. First, you need a trigger that will get you to that action. Try to think of an influential person. Let’s take an example: Jim Morrison. He was one of the most charismatic individuals of his time.

“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.” That’s only one of the many pieces of wisdom he gave to humanity. These are not only words. They shrink deep inside you. They make you think. They make you act.

Jim Morrison said that during an interview. Back then, motivational speeches were not a big thing. Now, great individuals are trying to make a difference through that specific method. Are you ready to start exploring the best motivational speeches that will make you act?

Here’s a list of 7 of the best motivational speeches of all time:

1. Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

This is one of the most emotional and inspiring speeches you’ll ever listen to. Although Jobs presented it way before TED talks became popular, you’ll notice it has a similar flow to an inspiring TED talk. It is relatively short, it has a theme, and it proves a point through a story.

Through this speech, Jobs tells us how we can find triumph through struggle. Jobs gave this speech one year after he was diagnosed with cancer. He had surgery and he was fine at that point. That’s the most important part of this speech: understanding our time here is limited. What are we going to do with it? That’s what matters.

2. Al Pacino’s Inch by Inch

Have you seen the movie Any Given Sunday? It’s a great one. The moment when Al Pacino gives one of the greatest speeches seen on the big screen is priceless. It’s not just a speech about football. It’s about winning. It’s about overcoming obstacles. It’s about becoming stronger. It’s about life in general!

“… In either game life or football the margin for error is so small. I mean one-half step too late or too early you don’t quite make it. One-half second too slow or too fast and you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in every break of the game, every minute, every second.” That’s only a part of this great speech. Funny enough, it starts with “I don’t know what to say, really.”

3. J.K. Rowling’s Harvard Commencement Speech

This one will make you laugh at first. J.K Rowling has a rare talent to make the listeners laugh and think at the same time. At one point, the writer gets serious and gives out the main point of this speech: sharing things she wishes she had known at her own graduation, and the important lessons she has learned between that day and the day of the speech.

There’s one aspect of this speech that makes it different from most others on our list: the talk about poverty. The writer tells the truth about it. There’s no romanticizing of poverty. As she says, only fools do that. This situation entails fear, stress, and depression… “it means a thousand petty humiliations and hardships.” However, what she feared most for herself when she was young wasn’t poverty. It was a failure.

Essentially, this is a speech about the benefits of failure. Yes, there is such thing as a benefit from failure. J.K. Rowling is a living proof for that.

4. Bill Gates’ Harvard Commencement Address 2007

“I’ve been waiting more than 30 years to say this: ‘Dad, I always told you I’d come back and get my degree.’” That’s one of the funniest parts of this speech. Gates didn’t graduate. He is Harvard’s most successful dropout. He makes a big point, though: the fact that he dropped out doesn’t make academic life less of an important experience. Gates used to sit in on classes he hadn’t even signed up for.

As he says in his speech, one of his most precious memories of Harvard is being in the midst of so much energy and intelligence. Education is important, and it is a privilege. However, getting to know the wider world is also important, even though it’s shocking for the most part.

5. Jim Carrey’s Commencement Address at the 2014 MUM Graduation

You would expect a funny speech from one of the funniest men on Earth, wouldn’t you? Well, here is a surprise: Jim Carrey is deep. This speech is enlightening, to say the least. The main message is to choose love over fear.

And yes, the speech is funny. It’s Jim Carrey, after all. However, it’s also very, very serious. “I am here to plant a seed that will inspire you to move forward in life with enthusiastic hearts and a clear sense of wholeness.”

Even if you take the safe route through, life, you might fail. If you follow your dreams, you might fail, too. But, you might achieve them – and that’s what makes the difference. In the speech, Jim shares an example: his father. He could have been a great comedian, but he made a safe choice: accounting. When Kim was 12 years old, his father lost that job that was supposed to be safe. That was the point when the actor learned the most important lesson in life: “… You can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”

If you’re in the middle of a crossroad and you’re wondering what road to choose, listen to this speech. It inspires you to choose the right thing. It inspires you to choose love over fear.

6. Will Smith’s Pursuit of Happiness Speech

If you haven’t seen The Pursuit of Happiness, go watch it right now. It’s amazing! Will Smith plays a homeless salesman doing everything he can to support his son. Will Smith gives a short but impactful speech to his son in the movie about going out and getting what you want out of life. 

He says: “Don’t ever let somebody tell you, you can’t do something. You got a dream? You gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you, you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.”

7. Sheryl Sandberg’s Commencement Address at the 2012 Harvard Business School Graduation

Sandberg offered the 2012 graduates some practical wisdom prior to them entering the business world. She urged them to remember to always communicate and practice honesty with others, which is not the norm in most workplaces. In fact, it’s likely not to norm for most people even with their friends or family.

She also talked about thinking of your career as a ‘jungle gym’ and encourages people to jump around instead of following the traditional path that most people have done. 

Hopefully this inspires you to push your own boundaries and not be afraid to restart your path, pivot your career, and find different ways of doing things.

Which of the six speeches above is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments.

The post 7 of The Best Motivational Speeches of All Time appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

I am sure you’ve been in situations where your mind wanted to accomplish something, but your body said, “Nope, not today.” It’s almost like you are fighting yourself for the very thing you said you wanted to get done.

Many of us procrastinate until we don’t want to think about the task anymore or unconsciously find something else to do to keep our minds preoccupied.

American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson is famously quoted as saying, “Do the thing, and you will get the energy to do the thing.” In translation, even if you don’t feel like writing or working out now, once you open your laptop and start typing or tie up your running shoes and walk out the door, the energy you are seeking to get it done will come after you start.

Even though this quote was said in the 1800s, science is proving what Emerson noted so many years ago.

Here’s the thing about motivation

For so long scientific research associated the dopamine neurotransmitter with pleasure; however, new research confirms that it is also responsible for motivation.

Many of us wait until we feel inspired or motivated to start a new task or habit. We patiently wait for the dopamine to be released into our brain, hoping it gives us the motivation to work out or start writing that new book. And we all know it rarely comes.

Here’s why: motivation comes after starting a task, not before. So, if you desire to start writing a book or hitting the gym after work – try focusing on what David Allen calls the “2-minute rule.”

The rule states, “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.”

So how does this work? When you want to develop a new habit, just focus on the first 2 minutes of the task, and once you do, the motivation surge comes!

If you want to read more, just focus on opening the book and reading one page. If you desire to run after work, just focus on lacing up your shoes and walking out the door. In both of these examples, you will find that once you get started, the rest of the task will flow quite easily.

The idea behind this strategy is just to start; then, your brain will start working for you, giving you the motivation you yearned for prior to starting the task.

As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, stated, the greatest amount of friction for any type of new task is in the beginning. But when you set a goal just to lace up your shoes and walk out the door or just open your laptop and start writing – you make it so easy it’s difficult for you to say no.

“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” ― Roy T. Bennett

Get clear on what you need to accomplish

Another way to instill motivation for a task you want to complete is getting clear on when you are going to complete it. Schedule the task in your day!

This has been the most significant life hack for my consistent writing and reading every day. In fact, my wife and I have this saying that “if it’s not on the calendar, then it’s not getting done.” So even when we hold family meetings, we pop calendar invites on each other’s calendars because we know how busy life can be.

We have way too many distractions and demands to “hope” you’ll find the time to complete a task. Remember this: It’s not getting done if you don’t tell your brain when.

Instead of waiting around, hoping you will find time to complete a particular task, put the task on your calendar. This tells your brain that you won’t do anything else but this task.

The truth you need to understand about motivation

You’ll find that many people never start a task or pursue a goal because they “never got around to doing it.” But if you schedule your tasks daily – it almost puts your willpower and motivation on auto-pilot regardless if you “feel like doing it or not.”

For example, if you desire to hit the gym every other day after work between 5-6 pm – overtime through each gym session, you will begin to create a routine that creates less friction. And since we are creatures of habit – you will continue to deepen the corresponding neural pathway in your brain, making it easier for this new behavior to stick.

It’s almost like your body will pull you toward the newly established habit because you are consciously ingraining a learned behavior.

Many of us allow circumstances and emotions to unconsciously influence the tasks we hope to accomplish, but if you have a consistent routine – your body will naturally fall into line, making it easier on yourself. 

So in the context of human change, motivation is less about having the sufficient energy to carry out a task. Instead, it’s more about understanding how your body develops its behaviors and actions. Once you gain knowledge of how your body works now, you can adequately guide yourself toward the desires you seek.

The post The Myth of Motivation: How to Get Unstuck appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

1. The Invisible

This is the area we know nothing about since it’s is not even on our radar. We don’t know that it exists, only when we discover (by accident) or someone else tells us that, do we move the needle from the Invisible to Impossible.

Let me give you some examples of The Invisible.

1. Ibrahim Hamato – A table tennis player with no hands. He plays using his mouth and neck, but the biggest surprise is how he serves.
2. Building a 15 story hotel in 6 days in China is an every day activity.
3. Charlie Munger reads 500 pages per day. Considering that the average book is around 250 pages, that means he reads 2 books a day or 650-700 books a year. An average American reads less than 4 a year.

The Invisible now becomes visible. You know that it’s happening somewhere out there but not here, not where you are, not in your life. So that’s why the Invisible becomes the Impossible. “Oh wow, that’s amazing. But it’s impossible for me.” So welcome to the second stage.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

2. The Impossible

This is the area of get-rich-quick schemes. This is where the hagglers mostly operate, promising to give you something that would move you from the Impossible area to the Actual area, but it doesn’t work like that in real life. You are not accustomed to that kind of lifestyle and you can’t handle the jump.

If you need a proof of that, just look at what happens to the lottery winners who go from rags to riches. The suicide and depression rate within that group is one of the largest in the country, and the paradox is that they were happier with their lives before they won the lottery.

All of the steps need to be taken in order and you can’t jump through them. You need to feel each and every single one of them and figure out how to get from one to another. From the area of the Impossible, you start questioning how. How do I get there? How do I move ahead? This asking leads you to the mindset shift (from fixed to growth mindset) needed to make something impossible, possible.

3. The Possible

When you shift your mindset from a fixed to a growth mindset, that’s when you reach the Possible area. You start believing that it is possible FOR YOU to achieve that. It is no longer something which exists out there for someone else and it’s no longer for the people you think are made from a different cloth.

You start believing (and proving to yourself) that there is no “made from a different cloth.” You realize that there is just hard work, perseverance, and belief. Now, the biggest hurdle has been jumped and it’s time to give your mindset shift complementaries. The complementaries are based in knowledge and skills. When you start working in the area of the Possible, that’s when you step into the next area of the Probable.

4. The Probable

This is where you mix your mindset shift and the belief that you can do it, with the necessary knowledge and skills to do it. This is where your Why and How gets its What.

In the area of the Probable, you learn the What of the craft. You learn how to make your dream and your vision a reality. This is the part where habits and every day (compound) actions take place. This is one of the longest periods because most skills take so much time to become second nature.

If you want to achieve your vision and dream, you need to attain mastery in the field which would bring you there. Mastery simply takes time, but don’t be discouraged, you are now on the right path and success is inevitable. Just keep on pushing, keep on working, keep on grinding and believe it will happen. When it happens, you will begin to enter the last phase.

“No one gets very far unless he accomplishes the impossible at least once a day.” – Elbert Hubbard

5. The Actual

This is where your vision and your dream becomes a reality. This is the end goal you will feel, touch, smell, and live through. But only if you believe, work for it and achieve mastery. This is the place where dreams come true but it isn’t a magical place that fell from nothing. It is a product of your beliefs and hard work you put in for years until you saw the desired results.

At that moment, the hard work and perseverance finally pay off in the best feeling in the world, the feeling of accomplishment. The moment when you conquered not the people around you or the environment, but the moment when you conquered yourself.

And because of that, you are now living your dream in the reality.

What’s next?

On to the next goal you have. The circle never stops, the only thing that changes is our position on it. I have obtained the Actual in one area of my life, but in the other one, I am still at the Probable phase so there is still a lot of work to do.

How about you? Which area of your life’s dream are you in and how would you continue your pursuit towards the Actual? Share with us below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

The post A Step by Step Process That Will Help You Make the Impossible, Possible appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

Through my first 10 years in business, I was my only salesperson. I grew my medical records business by cold calling, taking decision-makers to breakfast or lunch meetings, and more importantly, relying on word of mouth. From my very first client, I established and followed a few business guidelines. These served me well, from the time 22 years ago when I was just starting out with a copy machine at my kitchen table, to eventually providing a foundational set of values for MediCopy’s 200-plus employees across the country. 

Instinctively, I knew when I conceived the business idea that it was important to have basic common sense rules that aligned with the expectations of the customers, clients, and patients I served. These had to address the needs and desires of all three. As MediCopy grew and evolved, the rules eventually turned into our core values. They’ve proven key to the company’s success.  

Every decision made is based on our core values, whether it’s hiring or firing, bringing on new clients, choosing a vendor, or creating KPIs for our team. They guide us in what we do and how we do it.  

These seven core values have been a key to our success:

1. Maintain 100-percent accountability.

This simple, commonsense but effective rule comes down to holding ourselves and our co-workers accountable for deadlines, projects, hiring, sales, and every other element of fulfilling our company’s role. This doesn’t just apply to large projects, but extends to every simple task, such as replying to emails or returning calls in a timely manner and demonstrating/valuing urgency in business and follow through.

2. Offer open and honest communication.

Again, it’s common sense that “honesty is the best policy,” but so many people either hide the truth, lie, or are too timid to express themselves openly. Some may evade the truth for fear of hurting someone, stepping on someone’s toes, or confronting an uncomfortable situation. But dishonesty always makes a difficult situation worse. My motto is to “Live so you don’t have to explain,” and that means adhering to honesty in every situation.

3. Continue personal and professional growth.

Of all our core values, this is my favorite. It’s born out of my own realization that defining and pursuing dreams will make them come true. I believe that the only thing that’s constant is change, and if you’re not growing, you’re dying. What a great feeling to wake up every morning with a vision of what the day can be, what you can accomplish, and what action you can carry out toward fulfilling your vision!

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein

4. Build trust with clients.

After nearly 22 years in business, we still tout our stellar communication and availability in our pitches to clients. All 4,000-plus MediCopy clients have my cell phone number. Communication and accessibility provide the foundation for the trust that MediCopy has built with our clients over the years. People aren’t used to open and honest communication, accountability, and accessibility in their vendor relationships. By providing these as the basis of all our relationship with clients, we establish a rapport that’s appreciated and valued — as evidenced by the enduring allegiance of my first 10 clients throughout the company’s 22 years in business.

5. Honor and nurture staff.

The company’s employees are scattered across the country. We’re a diverse group, with 77 percent women and 49 percent BIPOC. Sixty percent of the management team is BIPOC or LGBTQ. The core value that honors the diversity among our staff is an important part of our culture. We believe it’s important to have all backgrounds at the table to voice their opinions. It’s also important to be compassionate with our team members. From time to time, we all encounter personal issues or hurdles to overcome. The way we react to those situations shows who we are as a company. Showing team members respect and support builds loyalty and makes them likely to reciprocate in kind.

6. Stand out from the competition.

From our combined core values, we’ve created a reputation for our company — what I prefer to call a personality. By living our core values, that personality shines, whether giving a sales presentation, interviewing a potential employee, networking at a tradeshow, or even receiving an award from an association. Adhering to our core values results in projecting our company personality so that, often, when my sales team and I are presenting to prospects, they’re more impressed with who we are, then what services or products we provide.

7. Donate time and resources.

Whether it’s time or money, my staff and I continually step up to provide support where it’s needed. We’ve built houses and playgrounds, we’ve served at the Nashville Rescue Mission and, on one occasion when they needed water, we sent over 3,000 bottles. Giving back to the community is the right thing to do and will always be part of our core values.

The post 7 Core Values You Need to Adopt for a Successful Business appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

One of the best examples of getting all excited for a new goal, only to quickly stray from the path is exercise. Now, not everyone will view working out or achieving a fit physique as a success, but it serves as a good example of how easy it can be to fall short of a goal. 

Growing up, my family owned a gym. Like clockwork, every January I would witness an influx of new members. They would all be highly motivated and excited, thinking this would be the year of hitting their fitness goals. Just as routine was the slimming of gym goers come February. Then in March, all that was left were the regulars who had been going to the gym for years. This pattern continued year after year. 

So what’s this mean? Are some of us doomed to fail at certain goals? No, I don’t believe so. We can all achieve any reasonable goal we set for ourselves. The reason myself and countless others have run into problems has to do with the absence of one simple word…consistency.

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” – Dwayne Johnson

How to Stay Consistent

When talking about using consistency to help you achieve a goal, I am referring to the consistent repetition of certain behaviors. A lot of the problems we run into when starting out on the journey towards a goal have to do with how big of a feat accomplishing it can seem. 

This gets worse the bigger the goal. Let’s use the exercise scenario from above as an example. If you are wanting to lose weight, your ideal body image may seem so far off that you lose the motivation to keep working. 

By focusing too much on the outcome, in this case losing the specified amount of weight, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Here is where consistency becomes so valuable. If you have the wish to achieve a larger goal, you must employ consistent action day in and day out. 

Consistency allows you to turn your focus off the outcome of the goal and put your attention on the process that will get you there. Also, by becoming consistent, you place yourself in a better position to succeed. Now the question becomes, how do we cultivate consistency? Just because we know consistent action generates results doesn’t make it easier. Well, the answer lies in habits. Habits are actions we do on a repetitive basis. These are the essence of consistency. 

When you are working towards a goal, the best thing you can do for yourself is create habits. That way, you will take a large amount of the guesswork out of the equation. Instead of wondering what you need to do, you can just trust in your habits. To show you just how powerful habits are, I want to highlight five of the greatest benefits you can expect from Implementing habits into your own journey towards a goal.  

Five Benefits of Habits

Depending on your goal, the habits you build will vary. However, the benefits will remain constant no matter what your goal is and no matter what habits you employ. Now obviously, I am referring to good habits here. These benefits are going to be seen when you create repeatable actions that you trust will put you in the best position to accomplish your goal. 

Benefit #1: Improves Focus

With habits comes incredible focus. Questioning how to accomplish a goal is one of the most distracting activities we can take part in. Continually going back over all the paths you think will get you there and wondering which one you should take only keeps you from actually moving closer to the goal. By setting habits, you generate focused effort each day. You have set activities you do, and so you can focus on performing them to the best of your abilities. Instead of questioning what you need to do in order to achieve your goal. 

Benefit #2: Creates Priorities

Sacrifice is a common occurrence when working towards a goal. You have to be willing to put certain activities above others if you wish to succeed. How to go about setting such priorities and adhering to them is often the problem. Habits are the answer to this dilemma. When you create habits for yourself, you automatically set priorities. You have decided on the activities that will be done daily to propel you towards your goal. 

Benefit #3: Builds Trust

This goes along with the previous benefit on focus. You have to start to trust yourself when working towards a goal. Action is always better than inaction, and consistent action breeds results. So, by utilizing habits, you build trust within yourself. This trust reveals itself in two ways. First, you begin to trust in the process you’ve put in place. Thus, you help to avoid overthinking and second guessing. Second, you start to trust yourself in general. You trust that you can build habits that will help you achieve your goals. 

“I’ve also found that consistency has always been the major setback in my being able to successfully reach my goal within an ideal amount of time – the more inconsistent I was, the longer it would take for me to get that check mark on my task list.” – Eric Thomas

Benefit #4: Reduces Anxiety

One of the main problems I run into when working towards a goal is anxiety. I become anxious about how I will accomplish the goal, how long it will take, and what will happen if I fail? After reading the previous three benefits, it should be clear why habits reduce this type of anxiety. First, the focus habits generate allows you to give all your attention to the tasks you are doing. 

Second, knowing what your priorities are helps you relax and know you are doing all that you can to achieve the goal. Third, the trust in yourself and the process you’ve put forward mean you can stop feeling anxious about your goal. You trust that you have a solid plan in place which will put you in the best position to succeed. 

Benefit #5: Increases Your Odds of Success

This goes with what I said earlier regarding consistency leading to success. If you wish to achieve a goal or attain any other form of success, consistent effort must be applied. You have to keep working every day until your goal is achieved. Habits make this process automatic. Once a habit is formed, you don’t really think twice about doing it. The act has become a natural part of your life. This means you will be consistently working your way towards your goals each day. 

Final Thoughts 

Once you have defined the success you are after, it’s now time to put together a plan to get there. Knowing that consistent effort is required to achieve any goal, the question then becomes how to cultivate such consistency. 

Habits are the best way you can ensure you put in the work every day. Identify what you need to do in order to achieve your goals, and then develop the habits that will help you get there. With such consistency, the chances of you attaining success greatly increase. 

Ready To Write Down Your Goals & Reach Them? Read more blogs about reaching your goals and success on Addicted 2 Success

• • • 6-Step Process For Reaching Your Goals
    • Powerful Life Lessons From David And Goliath Story
    • 5 Ways To Achieve Your Goals
    • Reasons Why It Is Important To Follow Your Dreams
    • Signs That You’re Self Sabotaging
    • 1o Things Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals
    • 6 Personal Growth Challenges To Transform Your Life
    • 11 Habits To Achieving Greatness In Your Life
    • 21-Day Rule That Can Change Your LifeReasons
    • Why It’s So Important To Follow Your Dreams

The post How To Stay Consistent When Working Towards a Goal appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

The following principles about success from it still apply as much today as they did back then.

1. We live today in a golden age with abundant opportunities

There will be more opportunity this year and next than there has been for a while. A down economy is a breeding ground for new businesses and opportunities for people to reinvent themselves if they need to. It’s time to work on that idea you’ve kept hidden in a notebook for the last few years.

2. Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal

Success is not necessarily about making a lot of money. If you find your passion and love what you do, then you found success. If following your passion leads to the creation of something valuable, making a steady income should never be a problem.

3. 95% of people forfeit success for conformity

In an age of social media where everyone needs to be online, this could not be more true. Part of the problem is that smartphones and social media have been designed to attract people and eat up all our time. That’s why you should consider doing a digital detox in order to clear your head and find a path to success.

“All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.” – Earl Nightingale

4. Instead of competing, all we have to do is create

We have more resources now for flexing our creativity. Open-source software, free YouTube tutorials, and low-cost methods of prototyping have made it very inexpensive to try inventing a new product or service. If you don’t like the idea of a 15 or 20 year race to hit C-level, focus on creating a solution to a problem instead. There’s definitely still sacrifice and long hours involved, but the rewards can be significantly greater.

5. People who set goals succeed because they know where they’re going

Nightingale makes a great analogy for setting goals in The Strangest Secret. He compares people who do or don’t set goals with ships. The ship that has its voyage mapped out with a captain and crew will arrive at its destination the majority of the time. It has a definite goal. The other ship doesn’t have its voyage mapped out, no crew, and does not know where it’s going. They send it out from a harbor and where does it go? Nowhere.

6. They both work hard

The best part of this analogy is pointing out how hard work isn’t enough. We can work really hard, but without setting the right goals, that hard work may not take us anywhere. I’ve definitely been in situations like this before. During high school, college or my professional life, it has always felt more fulfilling to be working toward a specific goal instead of going through the motions.

7. We become what we think about

This one needs some clarification. No matter how hard you think about becoming an 18-wheeler semi-truck, it probably won’t happen. What you can think about and weave deep into your brain is your goal. I know this works from personal experience. If you deliberately think about a goal right when you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night, it will start to affect your day-to-day decisions more and more. Gradually, you will end up on a clear path toward meeting that goal.

8. Believe and succeed

You can believe you’re a success and become one. There are plenty of people who have a lot of money that still don’t believe they are successful or feel unfulfilled. It’s because a lot of the time, money follows success, not the other way around. Nightingale wasn’t the first person to say this and he hasn’t been the last, either. Our mindset dictates our happiness and success, so it’s crucial that we take care of it.

“Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.” – Earl Nightingale

9. Everything worthwhile in life came to us free

Even if you were given a smartphone for free as a kid, that’s not what this means. Our friends, family, and our minds are all given to us for free. Things that cost money are very cheap and can be replaced pretty quickly. The paradox is that many people take things for granted that can’t be replaced. Whether it’s excessive drinking, drugs, neglect, or whatever – many people make worthless things a priority instead of focusing on what truly matters for finding success.

10. We must be willing to pay the price

Success will never come for free. Whether that’s having good relationships, good health, or a good financial situation. It always comes with a cost. Trying to avoid paying the price will only lead to more hardship. Once you understand this, it will make the journey infinitely easier than if you tried avoiding the hard work and discipline.

11. Ideas are worthless unless we act on them

Good ideas are a dime a dozen. I’ve had plenty and I’m sure you have, too. But ideas themselves don’t do anything. We need to take action instead of sitting around talking about how this or that would be a million-dollar idea. It seems like some people also tend to think that if they thought of something first, it belongs to them. History shows that even if you go out and file for a patent, competition can easily spring up. The only option is meeting your market with action as soon as you can, then building on that success with more.

When The Strangest Secret came out, it not only helped grow an industry of personal development but millions of individuals as well. If you take what Earl Nightingale said to heart and remain creative, set goals, think positive, and stay action-oriented, your road to success will be a lot simpler. Simple still doesn’t mean easy, but no worthwhile adventure should be.

The post 11 Principles About Success From The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.