Happiness is not really a destination as much as it is a state of mind. A billionaire could be miserable about what they don’t have, while a homeless dude could be happy to score a hot shower and a cooked meal at the local shelter.
Happiness is all about perspective. While goals relating to tangible things like money can prove unsatisfying quests, the search for genuine happiness is one that will help you gain a more fulfilled and serene life.
From business to interpersonal relationships, when you live life with honesty and commitment to ethical values, you’ll find that a rewarding sense of wholeness awaits you. Integrity is a goal that will help you feel like you’re making the world a better place with your presence.
You can plug away at a nine-to-five job until you retire, but chances are that’s not going to make you live life to the fullest. You’ll be one of those faceless people in the crowd who live for the weekend—then trudge back to work.
Instead, reflect on who you are, your strengths, your desires, and act accordingly. Whether it’s learning to find meaning at work, a career path that challenges you, or engaging with some satisfying hobbies, fulfillment in life is a great goal.
Human beings are social creatures, so forging good relationships is the key to thriving and feeling happy. Family, professional, and personal relationships are all crucial components to providing a sense of connectedness with the rest of humanity—so make good friendships and foster existing links with family.
At the same time, relationships do need boundaries, so learning how to create healthy interactions is also crucial for developing your sense of identity.
Nobody can be successful in life if they’re down in the dumps, so fostering a sense of self-worth is an esteemed goal that every person should pursue. There are many simple ways to do this—for example, treating yourself with dignity and respect by wearing clean clothes and practicing good hygiene.
Education is also a key component to developing a sense of worth, because with that knowledge comes better opportunities a sense of security.
Think back to a time when someone inspired you. It could be a conference you attended or saw online. You could have read a profile of someone you admired. Whatever the case, the motivation of others can strengthen how you see yourself.
You have likely read books about famous people who you admired. These often show you what they had to go through to become successful. They write about the pain they had to endure and all the challenges they faced to achieve their goals. Sometimes, the stories will shock you. It’s hard to believe that these famous people ever had to deal with adverse situations.
The internet gives us plenty of opportunities to view stories of high-profile people. Just search on YouTube, and you will find hundreds (if not thousands) of videos of these people describing their experiences. You may find books covering the same subject, but videos may have more impact on you. However, there’s usually much more detail in books rather than in a video. Therefore, you should take advantage of both. Sometimes, you will be lucky enough to meet the people who you admire. You can often meet people at conferences or meet-ups. It’s great to talk to these people and ask them questions. Most people in this position will gladly accept these questions. Of course, you want to be respectful of their time and not hog the question and answer session.
It’s great to have others who help motivate you. However, if you place them too high on a pedestal, you may find it difficult to motivate yourself. You will start to believe these people have an innate ability that you don’t possess. That is counterproductive since it places you at risk for an imposter syndrome. You need to realize they all started the same as you. Some may have had initial advantages, but even people with these advantages don;t always do right with them. Most people still need to work hard to attain their goals.
Another issue is spending too much time listening or reading about people who motivate you. At some point, you must take appropriate action to get going with your own goals. It is worthwhile to feed off the motivation of others, but you need to do more than reading books. None of that matters unless you put in the effort yourself. Once that happens, others may be coming to you one day saying how you helped motivate them.
If you believe in yourself, there is little to stop you in whatever you want to accomplish. It gives you the power to push forward and to defy the odds. You will be able to handle any roadblocks that come your way. You will also brush off the naysayers. It gives you peace of mind when you stick to your self-belief.
To keep that self-belief strong, you need to define your goals. You wouldn’t expect a general to fight a war without a map. You too need a map to guide you on how to proceed. Too many people skip this step and wonder why they aren’t getting anywhere. Goals are your guidance, but carrying through with them is only done when you believe that it’s possible.
The belief is the energy you need to take action. It helps you to focus on getting your tasks complete. You will also build confidence when you have self-belief. It’s a powerful tool as others will be attracted to that confidence. They will follow your lead, and you will help show them what is possible.
When you run into any stumbling blocks (and you will), that confidence will help you see them through. You will know how to take alternative action when necessary. The people following you will respect that as well. Several forces will try to beat you down. You may even find yourself letting it happen. You need to get centered on why you started your journey in the first place.
Use affirmations to reinforce your message. Be consistent with your affirmations.
Unfortunately, many of the negative forces are going to be from your family and friends. They will see it as helping you avoid mistakes. Many people will succumb to this negative pressure and give up. One way to prevent this is to join groups of like-minded individuals. It can be related to your business, or it can be groups that focus on self-help. These organizations exist to try and push the negative forces out. It’s great to go to meetings and get encouragement from the group. Attending these groups can sometimes lead to friendships with people where you can extend the encouragement of each other. You may even form business partnerships from these friendships. It’s good to know that you have the support of these people when these relationships form. They understand when everyone else around you doesn’t. Your self-belief will strengthen considerably from this arrangement.
Below are a few ways you can learn to strengthen you belief further with yourself:
Develop Positive Affirmations
Grab a stack of sticky notes and write down all the things you love about yourself. Then place these sticky notes in places where you will find them later. These places could be on your mirror, in your wallet, or even around your desk at work. Then every time you see them, you can be reminded of what an amazing person you are.
Quit Scrolling Social Media
Social media creates unrealistic expectations of the human body. If you feel uncomfortable in your skin because of social media, it’s time to stop participating. Instead, it would be best to find more body-positive media to engage in, such as books, music, and TV shows that make you feel great about who you are.
Even if you see yourself as a totally peaceful person, you may find yourself participating in social rivalry. And if you’re naturally competitive, you likely enjoy challenging your friends. However, by avoiding certain kinds of contests, you can create more joy in your life.
Sometimes competition is good. Playing poker or indulging in a friendly online challenge with your loved ones can be fun and relaxing. But when you start comparing yourself to others, you may find that there’s no winner, and everyone feels hurt afterward.
By avoiding social contests, you can begin to enjoy your life just as it is. In the end, you can choose to create whatever experiences you desire. Today, decide that your life will be filled with satisfaction.
Spend a few minutes today thinking about the richness your friends bring to your life and how much you share with them. When you’re tempted to compete, focus on what you have in common. Before you know it, positive thoughts will be second nature to you, and you’ll begin to love your life!
Today, choose to refrain from social comparisons and set yourself free from the ties of negativity. Next time you’re prompted to join in competition, just decline. Choose kindness and support instead. Nurture your relationships and they will stand the test of time.
Remember that you can always create more fulfilling friendships, no matter how long you may have been competing with each other.
Work On Your Body Language
Believe it or not, your body language can play a huge part in feeling comfortable in your own skin. Every time you find yourself hunched over with your arms folded, how does this make you feel? Not very good, right? Exactly. It’s time to walk with your shoulders pulled back, and your head held high—you’ll be surprised by how much this small change affects your mood.
Let’s be clear. If you have very high but rigid standards, then you might have trouble adjusting to the daily demands of life. To overcome perfectionism, it’s important to grow your mindset. Accept that you will give it your best shot instead of feeling as if you are cutting yourself short. By trying one of these seven simple productivity tips and tricks, you can motivate yourself back into action.
Give each of these tips a try over the next few weeks and find the ones that work best. You will know that they positively work for you when you suddenly realize that you are dancing in your kitchen out of pure joy. Your to-do list will be checked off automatically with no excuses. Whenever you find yourself procrastinating, needlessly postponing decisions or actions, come back to this list. Then, employ one or several of these productivity tips and tricks. Your productivity will soar.
Sure to Work Productivity Tips and Tricks
Being mindfully aware of procrastination is a skill in itself because those individuals who procrastinate can do a great job of hiding it from themselves. You might find excuses like waiting for inspiration or needing more information before tackling a project. You convince yourself with more excuses and it becomes harder to differentiate which are the true hurdles. Be honest with yourself and you will start overcoming true challenges not those which you have imagined.
1. Pick Something Small
One of the big reasons we procrastinate is because we become overwhelmed. There’s too much to do, so we choose to forget about it for a little while. It’s a coping mechanism, just not the one giving you accurate results. Instead, pick one thing, something small that you can do right now to move you in the right direction. Making small choices creates momentum and forces you to take action.
2. Set A Timer and Go
Another trick that works like a charm is to set a timer. Your cell phone has one built-in, as do most smartwatches. If you misplaced your smartphone or are procrastinating, setting the alarm, then let Alexa know that she needs to remind you. She usually replies that she didn’t get that. But no worries, Alexa understood you correctly. She’s just procrastinating like you. Repeat your command and allow double the amount you need for a particular task to complete it. For instance, if you plan for fifteen minutes to pay your bills, make that thirty. The same applies for uncluttering your closet. Again, the goal is to start and do something.
3. Bribe Yourself
Make up your own rewards. Remember there’s nothing wrong with bribing yourself if that’s what motivates you. Your boss bribes you with a paycheck, so you know this tip works to perfection. Work on a home improvement project for an hour. Then watch as someone else does the same work on an episode of Property Brothers on HGTV. Maybe promise yourself ice cream when you finish painting the living room. Just come up with something that motivates you and go for it. Remind yourself of the prize at the end of the project whenever you’re tempted to put things off for another day.
4. Find An Accountability Partner
It’s all about competitive accountability and peer pressure. First, find someone else who’s either trying to be more productive or beat procrastination themselves. Second, start check-in with each other daily. Third, share what you want to accomplish and what you will get done today. Knowing you have to report to someone else makes you take action. It’s also motivating to see the other person do the same. Accountability is the principle behind weight loss and other self-help groups. It is widely recognized as a highly effective approach.
5. Measure Your Progress
When you’re working on something long-term, such as losing thirty pounds, it can be tempting to procrastinate. Simply, it doesn’t seem like you’re making much progress. Your confident that those initial fluctuations are just changes in water weight. Instead, prove to yourself that you are getting closer and closer by tracking or measuring it. Make a chart, use a spreadsheet, keep a bullet journal. Find a way to measure your progress towards your goal and use it to motivate yourself to keep going.
6. Remind Yourself Of Your Why
There’s a reason you’ve decided to do that thing you keep putting off. Think about why you want to get it done. Is it so that you can get your tax refund? So you can find the clothes you want to wear? Find out your reason why. Write it down and then keep it front and center on a sticky note on your bathroom mirror. Look at it every day before you get ready to get to work.
7. Just Start
I’ve saved the best for last. It’s the easiest but also the most powerful. Just get started. That’s right, sometimes all you have to do is just get moving in the right direction. Do something. Do anything even if it’s something minimal. You get over that initial hump and start to build some momentum with the use of these productivity tips and tricks.
Disclaimer: Procrastination is a habit – a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior. That means that you will not just break it overnight. Habits are broken when act on not practicing them. Please use as many approaches as possible to maximize your chances of overcoming procrastination.
Don’t let your perfectionism stop you from reaching your goals
You wake up in the morning motivated and ready to tackle whatever it is you’ve been procrastinating on. Maybe you’re excited about a new project. You drink your coffee, get dressed, and get ready to get to work. Then something suddenly comes up. You are a perfectionist so you get suckered into a non-productive task because you find your to-do list not good enough or pretty enough.
Perhaps you open your Instagram and get sucked into spending the next few hours on your phone. Maybe you feel that you need to finish your binge-watch marathon on Netflix. It doesn’t matter what it is, the point is that there are things that will try to distract you into procrastinating.
Gain Mindfulness
Listen to the clip above. In less than one minute, you will gain mindfulness to overcome your challenges.
Take Action With A Simple Productivity Strategy
There’s a simple strategy you can use to keep procrastination from happening. It’s to make the important project you’ve been delaying a priority and work on it first thing every morning. The whole process starts with planning the night before. Before you call it a day, sit down, and think about the tasks you want to get done the next day. Identify what needs to get done.
Write these three tasks down in your journal.
These tasks don’t have to be long (see tip. 1). In fact, I find it helpful if they are all items I can take care of quickly. When you get up in the morning, look at your list and work on these three most important tasks before you do anything else. Don’t look at your email. Don’t text. If at all possible don’t even answer the phone or attend meetings before these three tasks are crossed off. Make them your number one priority.
Aside from that, simply being mindful of smart devices that decrease your productivity is helpful. When you find yourself putting something off, look back and see if you can pinpoint what caused it. Then take action towards preventing it from happening in the future.
Free Ebook
Do you want to be able to overcome your procrastination? Get your free ebook, Growth Mindset, and learn how to learn from your setbacks. Overcome your fears, by clicking on the link.
“There were several roads nearby, but it did not take Dorothy long to find the one paved with yellow bricks. Within a short time, she was walking briskly toward the Emerald City; her Silver Shoes tinkling merrily on the hard, yellow road-bed “.
The Wizard Of Oz
It’s difficult to become motivated when you can’t find your way on the yellow brick road. Perhaps you don’t have the job you want or the relationship, or maybe you’re not in the best financial situation. Deep inside, you probably know what you don’t want, but you haven’t figure out your goals.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a close friend of mine died of breast cancer. She was always motivated and so lively. She reminded me that in life, you need to dream and reach your goals. She studied social psychology and worked as a business coach in New York. My friend struggled with dyslexia and a learning disability. She inspired me to write this blog post since she had the habit of writing her goals in a journal. I know that she was fully committed to living life to the fullest. She always worked hard and methodically. She always had a strategy for everything.
The sky is the limit, so ask yourself– How do you envision your life? What would you need in life for it to be more fulfilling and meaningful? How will you find the yellow brick road?
Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz
If suddenly, you’re a multimillionaire, what will you do with the rest of your life? Will you continue working at your job? Will you spend more time with your family or travel to Africa? Will you start your own business or spend more time with your hobbies?
1. Dream and balance.
All of these are dreams—dreams about possibilities. There is nothing wrong with dreaming, but it’s what you do with it that matters.
According to Shelle Rose Charvet’s Words That Change Minds: The 14 Patterns for Mastering the Language of Influence, metaprograms in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) determine how we communicate with each other. A dreamer without a method is an options person. Those persons who view possibilities use modal operators such as “could” or “can.” They give you a long list of alternatives.
Many of these options persons are usually creatives, designers, and business entrepreneurs. Somehow these persons seem to gather on Instagram and sell you the dream. I’ve witnessed this “dream selling” quite often on my feed. Some Instagram influencers promise that you will attain their lifestyle easily– travel to Egypt, frolic with ponies in Iceland, ride elephants in Vietnam, and tango in Buenos Aires. These promises sell you a Hollywood ending, a dream come true. They work well for click and bait since you feel as if you know the person you follow as a friend. You watched them grow into someone special. Like them, you believe in the dream, but carrying it out is another story. You buy the webinar and find out that there are too many steps and that it requires money and connections. Before trying, you give up, which is fine because this dream is a possibility for those who run on the options metaprogram; it is not a reality. There are too many possibilities, so you move on to Tik-Tok, Youtube, or Twitch. The cycle continues over and over again.
Charvet explains that those who operate on procedures tend to be great salespeople. Take a look at Kim Kardashian’s post:
Kim K: I wake up, workout and change into fresh pajamas every day LOL, so I had to make the best, most comfy pajamas and loungewear w/@skims
Clearly, she is describing her morning routine in steps and in which she sells the pajamas. Her language is about sequential order. Hence, her success in salesmanship.
Once you balance the why (options) with the how (procedures), you can strive to evaluate your dream. The time you take to dream is time for your creativity to grow. Don’t undermine this moment; be mindful of it, accept it, and write down your dream in vivid detail.
List the things that get you out of bed in the morning. These are all the things you are willing to devote time and energy to each day.
I wrote the following list in my journal:
Faith Family Friends Finances Romantic relationships Personal growth Being healthy Being organized and using time wisely Being happy at work. Contributing to the world.
2. Prioritize.
Ask yourself what is most important, and when you are finished writing your list, take a few moments to prioritize the items. Figuring out your priorities is crucial because we often have so much “stuff” going on in our lives that we lose track of who we are and what we want out of our life. We end up moving from one crisis to another. We run around in circles with paying bills, fixing the car, or rushing to work to value the moment. It’s easy to neglect ourselves, friends, and family. Find your purpose by asking yourself a series of exploration questions.
What would inspire me to get out of bed at 5 AM on a Saturday?
What haven’t I experienced yet that I’ve always wanted to?
What haven’t I given yet that I’ve always wanted to?
What haven’t I learned that I’ve always wanted to?
What part of me haven’t I healed yet that I still need to?
What are my passions?
Am I doing now what I really want to do?
If not, do I even know what I would like to do?
What can I do to serve others?
Write down the answers to these questions and journal. These should be your honest answers–not what you should do out of obligation or what others expect you to do.
3. Combine all your answers into a life’s purpose or mission statement.
Your purpose statement will answer the question, “Why am I here? What is my true calling in life?” You get to define your mission, so what do you genuinely want to do with your life? In your journal, write, “My purpose in life is…” Then, expand on your objective, reflecting on your dreams, priorities, and the questions listed above.
My journal reads like this:
My purpose in life is to be caring, mindful, and passionate about my relationship with God, my family, and friends. I want to be motivated to help others every day to the best of my ability. I wish for those surrounding me to feel special and loved. I want to learn how to let go instead of becoming defensive when met with demands and stress.
4. Think of how you can use your passions and dreams to serve the world.
I will make the world a better place by standing for what I believe. It is essential that in times of crisis, you can stay strong in your values but, at the same time, take a non-judgmental stance.
Write down the following prompt. “I will make the world a better place by…” and elaborate. Get all of your ideas down on paper. This journaling exercise will probably take you at least 10 minutes – though it could take hours if you overthink the task. Then, go back and read the content.
Is it a wake-up call? If not then, keep writing until you find clarity.
When you do define your life’s purpose, it will feel and be an emotional awakening.
If your purpose is clear, then you can concentrate on steps to set up your main goals and become motivated. Daily motivation enables us to strive to work towards future goals and lead us to fulfill our life’s purpose.
5. Set your goals.
It worked for Dorothy when she went to see the Wizard (another options metaprogram person at best). With the help of her friends, the Tin-Man, Lion and Scarecrow, Dorothy paved her way down the Yellow Brick Road. She accomplished the goals she set out once she figured out the procedure.
The mere act of setting a goal motivates us to work to achieve success. Goals drive an individual’s daily motivation. It is best not to get overwhelmed with attaining a huge goal too quickly; instead, you should take small steps to accomplish it. Divide them up into phases to achieve your goals. Make sure that they are measurable for you to take accountability. Don’t be afraid of failure without trying. And if you do fail, then accepting defeat drives persistent motivation and problem-solving.
6. Define your attitude.
A positive attitude is a source of daily motivation. Believing that one of your goals is too difficult to achieve will eventually prevent you from achieving these goals. A negative attitude will set you back and lead you off the Yellow Brick Road towards being attacked by flying monkeys. To complete your goals, you must be able to tell yourself that every goal can be attained with effort. If you tell yourself that you can do it, most likely you will. Never underestimate the power of the mind and of creating daily motivation.
7. Focus on faith.
Spirituality and religion can also improve daily motivation. Religion – no matter what kind – encourages mindfulness and internal motivation. People often depend on their faith when life challenges them. Prayer and meditation inspire those who might otherwise turn to alcoholic beverages, doughnuts, or heroin to nurture their spirits. Religion may help some people to be more mentally and physically healthy. Even taking pleasure in nature’s beauty by hiking on a trail can trigger a sense of peace.
We all feel a little off-balance, but by focusing on routines, our balance can be restored.
Quick tips:
Limit your online time (emails, forums, instant messaging) to two hours a day.
Leave the house every day in the morning, even if you don’t need to be somewhere. You can go to a coffee shop and read the paper, visit a library or a museum, or go for a long walk or bicycle ride.
Keep regular sleeping hours. If you are having difficulty sleeping, at least assign certain hours for sleeping, resting, reading, or quiet television (if that makes you drowsy).
Save the last hour of the day for quiet and reading books or television – no phone, no computer, no work.
Step away from people who are pulling you off balance with drama or their own negativity. Usually, you only need to do this until you feel balanced again.
Occupy your thoughts and time, mostly with positive ideas and activities.
Have an assortment of healthy friends in different areas of life. You will obtain emotional support from positive friends.
If you have been watching a lot of television, limit your time to no more than 3 hours a day.
Balance the time in your day between different activities and efforts, even at work. When too much energy is placed on one task, it can make you feel more stressed or dissatisfied. Pace yourself with deadlines so that you won’t have to carry out marathon sessions to catch up.
Laugh and love yourself!
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My Sky Is The Limit 