Self-Motivation

What's one of the best skills to posses in life? Self-motivation.

Who is our worst enemy? Its not any other person or institution, its yourself. If you think you can't do it, no matter what others said, you can't. We hold the key. If you feel sad, its because you allowed it, not because of what others did.


How do you develop self-motivation? You need these 3 steps:

1. Know what you want to achieve.
2. Create an action plan.
3. Have a feedback or monitoring loop.

1. Know what you want to achieve.
From Alice in Wonderland:
“Which road do I take?" (Alice)
"Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then, said the cat, it doesn't matter.”
“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

First you must know what you want to achieve. Set a deadline on when you want to achieve the goals you have dedicated yourself to. Having a deadline will push your limits and put you in the mindset of achievement where your brain is subconsciously looking for solutions that can bring you closer to your desired result all the time.

2. Create an Action Plan.
Next is to create an action plan for your goal. What steps are needed for you to achieve your goal. Ask yourself right questions like "What kind of person do I have to be achieve this goal?" instead of "How can I take action when I don't know what to do?"

Imagine the type of person you have to be and then ask yourself this, "What action steps would that person take?", would he just give up or would he jump in head in and adjust as he goes forward?

3. Have a feedback or monitoring loop.
It is of vital importance that you monitor your results and adjust accordingly. Don't adjust too drastically or too many variables at one time. Doing that will invariably result in a lot uncertainty; just adjust one or two variables and monitor the results.

Have a great week ahead.

Photo Credits:

• Photo 1: "Pencils and Moleskines 04:" by Paul Worthington under a Creative Commons License.
• Photo 2: "Chesire Cat" by steve-stevens under a Creative Commons License.

3Ps for success

Bill Cosby once said: "I don't know the keys to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

So what is success? Is success measured by great achievements? Or a bigger bank account? Maybe just getting by without any hiccups along the way? Or simply just reaching home safely to be with loved ones? Success means different things to different people and some have multiple definition of success.

What is your definition of success? Before you can achieve success, you need to define what success means to you. Your vision of what success is, must be crystal clear to you; without that clarity, you cannot work towards it.

It could be in your career, health, money and across a few areas. It has to be for you, not someone else's. Always be true to yourself, if not, you just end up resenting everything.

You need to dig deep within yourself and question your values in life. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are the things that are important to you? Answer it on your own terms, not by what you think others think about you. You can then come closer to your own definition of success.

Don't take too long. Like waiting for all the lights to go green before you start your car. Life always throw a curve ball, learn how to hit it. Define your success one at a time.

In every successful person, there are 3 common characteristics. Most, if not all, know what they want (you need to find out what's yours).

All successful people have these 3 traits that are common.

1. Passion.
2. Patience.
3. Perseverance

 
Passion.
All are passionate in what they do, to almost a fault. They can talk about it non-stop. It is always the first thing in their minds and the last before they go to sleep. Their passion is their vision, and its not always about money. Money is just the side product of your vision, it is not the main thing.

I had a good insurance manager years back.

He asked,

"I have a blueprint that's guaranteed to make a success of your life, if you need $1,000,000 or whatever you dream about, it can provide, provided you follow the blueprint. How much are you willing to pay for it?"

Most of us were stumped, since we were new in the business. We thought of giving a dollar amount for it. That's wasn't the right answer.

The correct answer is to give everything that you own currently. Sell everything, including your house until you have only the clothes on your back.

Why? In what you do, you must have that high level of passion to succeed.

Patience.

Most of us aren't patient enough to wait for the fruits of our success,  All want instant gratification. When they start something, most expect it to bring in the money the next day.


How many advertisement that you came across today, promising less work and quick returns?

It doesn't work that way. It's like nature. When you plant a seed, it does not suddenly becomes a tree. It takes time. An olive tree takes 100 years before you can benefit from its fruits. What you need to do is to have lots of ideas. Let it germinate, some will be faster, others slower.


Which comes to the third trait that successful people have in common:


Perseverance.

A common saying that most have would have heard.


Thomas Edison failed more than 1,000 times when trying to create the light bulb. When asked about it, Edison replied, "I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb.


Most, if not all, successful people, stick at it. They have the vision and are willing to believe in it. They never give up on themselves, even after everyone else have left.

With that I leave you with a beautiful definition of success by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

To laugh often and much; 

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; 

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; 

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; 

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; 

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

Photo credits:

• 1st Photo: "Guest Speaker, Bill Cosby" by macten under a Creative Commons License.
• 2nd Photo: "You almost feel like you could fly without the plane..." by addicted Eyes under a Creative Commons License.
• 3rd Photo: "2000 year old Olive Tree" by austineven under a Creative Commons License.
• 4th Photo: "Warhol's Light Bulbs" by zetson under a Creative Commons License.

Monday Morning Perk up

5+1 ways to improve your life.

1. Give value first.
   That's right, you must first give, in order to receive. How do you give value? It doesn't have to be anything big, just small little things.   Teach (not preach) of things that others can learn from you. On Facebook, there is a little Notes application, write on it, if a blog sounds intimidating for you.
   
   
2. Help other people.
   Do not try to help everybody, just as many as you can and to your ability. It could be anybody, your colleagues, friends, kids and even strangers.
   
   
3. Strive to be the best at what you love to do.
   In whatever you do, do it to your best ability, on and off work. Always be a student, the day you become a master is that day that you stop being the best.
   
   
4. Establish long-term relationships with everyone.
   Think of the long-term and base every decision on it. When you do that, it''s more likely you make better decision in regards to fairness and ethics.
   
   
5. Have fun every day.
   Ah, the fun part. Its what keeps all of us sane. Doing it everyday means you're always smiling. If you don't understand it, its likely you're not having enough fun. If you love what you do, all your days are simply holidays and I wish it for you.

Plus 1 more : 

DON'T QUIT
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

when the funds are low and the debts are high,

and you want to smile but you have to sigh,

when care is pressing you down a bit -

rest if you must,

but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns.

As everyone of us sometimes learns.

And many a fellow turns about

when he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow -

you may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

it seems to a faint and faltering man;

often the struggler has given up

when he might have captured the victor's cup;

and he learned too late when the night came down,

how close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -

the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

and when you never can tell how close you are,

it may be near when it seems afar;

so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -

it's when things seem worst,

you must not quit.

by Edgar A. Guest (August 20, 1881 - August 5, 1959)

Photo by Umair Mohsin under a Creative Commons License.