Personal https://www.motivationmagazine.com/channels/personal.htm The Personal Channel delivers to you Personal MOTIVATION and proven success strategies that will aid in moving your life forward and maximizing your innate potential. en-us https://www.motivationmagazine.com/ Fight Hardest When Your Competition Is Resting! https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/fight-hardest-when-your-competition-is-resting Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   There is a story that I tell to all my executive coaching clients. It’s an old story. One you heard as a child. A hare and a tortoise decided to race. The hare had the potential, but the tortoise had the discipline. As the hare stopped for a break, the tortoise went past him and eventually won the race. When I heard this story years ago, it demonstrated the fact that we could work slowly, but if we are disciplined, we will eventually get there. We now know that we need both efficiency and discipline if we expect to make it. But let’s look at that story again. Suppose the real message from that story is “when your competition is taking a break, that’s the time to put in your best effort.” When I was in college, I had opportunity to fight on the college’s karate team. The trainer we had working with the group indicated that most of the time, fighters come out and try to “feel” the other fighter out before they do anything significant. And yet, years of experience indicate that the first part of the fight is the best time to give it your all, while your competition is still sizing up the situation. It’s a fact that the NFL Super Bowl is most often won by the team that scores first. He who draws first blood... wins. The beginning, that’s the time to really put in your best effort because you can catch them, sleeping. Now I wasn’t one of the strongest fighter’s on the team and I often made up for that by being incredibly slow. So catching my opponent sleeping sounded like a really good idea to me. Sounds like one of those ‘duh’ statements doesn’t it. The best time to get ahead is when everyone else is taking a break. If the competition has decided to take it easy, why not take advantage of the situation by putting in your best effort? Now there’s another benefit to working hard when the competition is taking a break. Your greater effort creates an impression in the minds of others. The football great Walter Payton was known for having a personal pre-season conditioning program that was simply grueling. It was a highly publicized effort that capitalized on the saying “whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Payton spent hours working hard before everyone else got to camp making sure he was ready for the season. I wonder what affect that had on would-be tacklers during the season? I wonder if they pulled up just a little before the impact with the thought “if he’d do that to himself, what’s he willing to do to me” rolling around in their heads? Your greater effort, during everyone else’s rest time will put all kinds of impressions in the minds of superiors, clients and most of all your competition. While your competition is throwing in the proverbial towel, you are going to position yourself so that when they wake up, they can’t possibly catch up. Just remember this quote that I saw recently on a t-shirt. “If you’re not the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” So let’s make a decision to be the lead dog.   Hello! Are you a business owner, sales person, leader or individual who fights hardest when your competition sleeps? Kindly share one of your effective strategies by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Art Jackson Art Jackson is a professional speaker, executive coach and the President of Eagles Nest Performance Management, Inc. He is a recognized expert in the areas of leadership, performance improvement and interpersonal skills. Art is the originator of the Purpose Centered Leadership(TM) system that has been used to improve performance in many facets of public and private life.   Click on the following link to learn more about:  Art Jackson   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/fight-hardest-when-your-competition-is-resting Maximum Thinking(TM) - Building Your Personal Brand https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/building-your-personal-brand Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   When most people hear the term “branding” the first thing that comes to their mind is a company's brand or style. What that company wants to look like or be known for. But what about you personally... what is your own personal brand telling other people about you? We all know a famous movie star or rock star that has a personal brand or a certain image that the public holds about them. It makes that person who they are in your eyes, and the opinion you may hold of that individual might be positive or negative. Take for example the American actor, Charlie Sheen. What do you think about when you hear his name? You probably think about some crazy party animal always getting in trouble and not caring too much about anyone other than himself. Then, if you look at Bill Gates, sure you may think about Microsoft. What about him as a person? Here is a man who along with his wife started the Bill and Melinda Gates Polio Foundation and has dedicated a large portion of his wealth to eliminating Polio in the world. Now, Bill Gates is a person that we think about and say to ourselves this person really cares about others and the world he lives in. If you had a choice of which of these two individuals you could do business with or spend your time with, which would you choose? And why? What is your personal brand all about? Are you really walking your talk? Do your actions match the values that you profess to the people your dealing with on a daily basis? What do people see when you don’t know they’re watching? Your words have to match your actions or your personal brand will be ruined. I this this happen all the time. I recently ran into an acquaintance who stopped me to talk. She proceeded to tell me how bad the economy was and how hard it was to get a job, she went on to tell me that she was recently at a community event and met someone who was looking for help in their business and they told her to stop by for an interview the next day. However, she didn’t get the job and couldn’t figure out why; she was more than qualified for the position. I later ran into the business owner and asked him what happened and why he didn’t hire someone who had all the qualifications she did to fill the position. The business owner proceeded to tell me that he was prepared to hire her until later that night he saw her being very rude to a group of older people at an event, and talking about how much of a pain dealing with older people can be because they move so slow and require too much attention. He then said, “I don’t need anyone with that attitude working for me. I’m 68 years old and sometimes I move slow and need a little more attention than others. I just don’t think we would be a good fit to work with each other.” It doesn’t matter if you’re a business owner, an at home parent, a teenager, or fresh out of college looking to land that new job, you need to start thinking about and building your personal brand. Make sure it's positive, healthy, and matches the values of the people who can help you and open rewarding doors for you in life. You never know who is watching, so start being truthful with yourself. If what you’re doing is not what you want to be remembered for don’t—do it. My Grandfather always told me “if you wouldn’t do it in front of your mother then you probably shouldn’t be doing it.”   Hi! Was this article helpful to you on the topic of building your personal brand? Kindly share your opinion on this article to the author by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Chris Livingston Chris Livingston has become known as America’s Maximum Thinking™ Coach. He’s the author of the book Pathways to Success: A Better Way for Your Today. His "can–do" attitude and effective ability to teach interpersonal skills that bring forth rewarding real-life results, has made him a valuable "go-to" consultant and mentor for those facing challenges in business, career and life. With over 20 years as a successful entrepreneur, Chris has helped many businesses to shift and change their company’s mindset to achieve greater success in sales, team efficiency, strategic business development, and in making excellence "The Standard." He believes in and embraces the philosophy of Dr. Wayne Dyer, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/building-your-personal-brand Getting Motivated - I'll Take You There https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/getting-motivated-i-will-take-you-there Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Ever wonder sometimes how you're going to make it to your dream, goal, or life destination? Whether you're going it alone or seemingly swimming upstream with your group, you can reset your motivational mindset in just a few simple steps. There lies within us the potential for greatness. I believe it is ever present and awaiting the dawn when we will remove our self-imposed success limitations that are not conducive to our success. But what if you are giving it your best already, yet you continue to face obstacle after obstacle? What can you do when there's seemingly no one in your corner, on your team, or by your side? Reset Your Motivational Mindset: Pump Up the Jam! Mindlessly clicking through your station in life isn't going to get you tuned into the situation you want to be. It's like late-night television. You grab the remote and click through station after station until you finally land on something just to stop the channel surfing pain. Go one better: Find your favorite song and pump it up! I love music because it can change your state of mind in an instant. Don't believe me? Sing a Song I find it interesting when someone starts to get into a song. Inevitably, someone will cheer them on and say, “Go on girl, sing!” and although the person likes the song, she sheepishly backs away from it declaring, “I can't sing.” Really? Who says you need to? In the '80s one of the most unique sounds coming from the radio was the beat box. Arguably, Biz Markie was the most unique artists of his time. He was so unique, he could make music with his mouth; I'm not talking about singing. I'm talking about his own language, his own code, dialect, inflection. He would gyrate, gesticulate, and manipulate his voice to create something so unique that no one could touch it. It was as if he could bend sound. He was beat boxing, and that was Biz's trademark. A sound so unique, only he could give it to the world. Granted, the sound wasn't for everybody, but it was for him. He chose to sing a song like no one else. Make the Music with your mouth. Bring forth your unique sound. Sing YOUR song. Everybody Dance Now What's more motivating than motion? Have you ever watched a sporting event where the game gets good? As soon as the action breaks, everyone gets up to cheer and dance, and there isn't even any music playing! Cheer yourself with a dance. It's seemingly impossible to dance to upbeat music and be depressed. Just talking about dancing tips your timidity toward temptation! Move your molecules! Walk on Sunshine Louis Armstrong said in his song, “When you're smilin', the whole world smiles at you.” Imagine what this can do for your motivational mood to have an entire block, town, or city of people reflecting back what you put out into the world. Walk on sunshine. Put a smile on your face, and some pep in your step, and watch the world accept and reflect that pep. Imagine the empowering feeling of being able to walk on sunshine. Superhero? Perhaps. Motivational magic? Definitely! Don't Stop Believin' Pursuing motivation doesn't have to be like seeking a brass ring; however, I do believe it is a journey. Like most journeys, it begins with a step within ourselves to seek out truer meaning, deeper truth, and insightful enlightenment. I've placed below a short list of motivational music: 1. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now (McFadden & Whitehead) 2. I'm Every Woman (Whitney Houston) 3. Boogie Shoes (KC and the Sunshine Band) 4. Everybody Dance Now (C & C music Factory) 5. I can see Clearly Now (Johnny Nash) 6. Don't Worry Be Happy (Bobby McFarren) 7. Don't Stop Til you Get Enough (Michael Jackson) 8. Shackles (Mary, Mary) 9. Don't Stop Believing (Journey) 10. Lovely Day (Bill Withers) 11. Let's Go Crazy (Prince) 12. Dancing on the Ceiling (Lionel Richie) 13. Whip it (Willow Smith) 14. Make the Music with your Mouth (Biz Markie) 15. Twist Again (Chubby Checker) 16. I'll Take You There (Mavis Staples) 17. Sing A Song (Earth Wind and Fire) 18. We Are Family (Sister Sledge) Although these artists represent different genres, they still share common threads. Each of them had a burning passion within them to share their song with the world. Whether individual or group, they persevered through the most difficult situations. They kept the faith, and delivered. You can make your own M.U.S.I.C., and make it motivational, too! You can Make YoUr self Shine and your spirit soar In spite of your Circumstances. Like most journeys, you often find someone along the way who helps you get to the next destination. Whether you listen to these songs, or any others that motivate you, remember this: You are not alone. You are in the company of determined and destined doers who held steadfast to their dreams, and won. They are proof that no matter how dark it may seem, there is a victory around the corner. Pump up the jam and reset your motivational mindset with your favorite unconditional supporters. Keep the faith, and remember, if you're ever running low on energy, We Are Family (Sister Sledge), and we will be here to motivate, encourage, and inspire you.   Greetings! What is one strategy you use to reset your motivational mindset? Our MOTIVATION Readers would love to learn from you too. Kindly share one of your effective strategy by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Shonn Scott Shonn Scott is a professional speaker and facilitator who has presented to small to large groups at Morgan State University, Community College of Baltimore County, Project Second Start; the State of Maryland Department of Human Resources, (DHR) and the Maryland State Department of Education, to name a few.   Click the following link to learn more about: Shonn Scott   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/getting-motivated-i-will-take-you-there Work Hard and Dream Big https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/work-hard-and-dream-big Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   You must have the ability to visualize your dreams in order to achieve them. Without a solid plan and visualization, your goals become a daydream. Daydreams may be entertaining but they rarely produce long lasting results. When most people daydream they jump immediately to the goal in life; dreaming of the HGTV dream home and not thinking, "If I work hard I will be able to afford this home one day;" dreaming of being the next American Idol, but not taking the time to learn the words to the song or practice the music. Some dream of owning a boat, but never learning how to stay on course in their career so they can afford one. You must reprogram your mind to achieve positive behavior. Visualize the goals you want. If you want a new job, then see yourself in that job. Plan your next move step-by-step, and minute-by-minute. This will build confidence and self esteem when you apply for a new position. When you see kids playing basketball on the court, they imitate the great players. They see themselves going to the hoop just like LeBron "King" James. Watching LeBron James make plays and moving the ball is more than just visualization for the young kids, it's a rehearsal. See yourself as a winner, and you'll be a winner. This is the time to start moving toward the steps of visualization. Keep in mind that if you see yourself as a failure, you'll be a failure. Be careful about poor self images that you pick and emulate. Remember, some people say, "Be careful what you pray for because it might come true."   I Have a Dream Great leaders see things not as they are but as they would like them to be. I'm quite sure if Martin Luther King would have accepted the plight of the African American and never dreamed that one day his children would be able to go to the amusement parks in Alabama with other children, or never dreamed his children would be able to sit hand-in-hand in restaurants. If he never dreamed, he would not have had the vision that he shared with others as he stood on stage and talked about "I have a dream." Deeply rooted in the American dream, Martin Luther King's dream was a visualization that could be. He saw the world for what we could make of it and the way that it should be one day.   Build Your Dream Book For What You See Is What You Get Research and plan your next step. Understand the mechanics of work and how life is but also have the ability to see life the way you want it to be. When you are able to change your vision, then you are on the road to success. Write your way to success by developing a planning book. Section your book into life chapters for improvement. The first chapter should be on building the mind. How many books should I read? What areas of improvement should I do my research? The next chapter could be on health and fitness outlining my personal goals for achievement. Do you want to run in a 5k marathon or just shape up a little to fit into that new outfit? A very popular chapter is the home improvement and you can start from the inside out. Plans from building a man cave, redecorating rooms, remodeling the kitchen, planting tress and flowers should be written in each of your chapters. The chapters should be labeled with organizational folders so you can easily add new information as you discover new ideas. Just think of the time you save by having all this information right at your finger tips. You now have a system for storing the knowledge you gain when looking through magazines, discovering a web page or picking up a brochure. Do you remember as a child you would cut and paste and draw your dreams and visions with bright colors on big paper? When you become an adult you put away your childish toys, pull them out again and write a blueprint to trace your footprints with big bold dreams. Dream it, write it, save it, and then make it happen. Promise yourself that your dreams will become your symbols of achievement. Color your dreams; paste them on the refrigerator door with magnets. Sprinkle a little water of knowledge on your dreams by going on line and researching the potential and possibilities of achievement. Understanding the degree of difficulty will give you a time frame to attach to the dream. Believe in yourself and know that you can accomplish the goals that you have set. Work hard and strive for excellence in all that you do. Be true to yourself and understand, the harder you work the luckier you get. Believe in yourself and your dreams will come true.   Hello! How has working hard and dreaming big helped you in your lifetime? Please feel free to share your strategy by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Harvey Alston Harvey Alston Considered one of the most dynamic, "high octane" speakers in America. Harvey Alston has been a full-time speaker since 1989. He has spoken to millions of people throughout the United States who have benefited not only from his knowledge, but also from the wisdom that Harvey Alston brings to the finish line. Harvey Alston's unforgettable words of individual responsibility for achievement have improved spirits, spurred growth, and changed lives. His powerful, soul-searching presentations uplift audiences to a higher standard, and to a level where they strive only for the best. Harvey Alston believes in solitary achievement, shared accomplishment and the dignity of human beings.   Click the following link to learn more about: Harvey Alston   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/work-hard-and-dream-big The Power of Forgiveness https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/the-power-of-forgiveness Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Pain, disappointment, hurt, embarrassment, and shame are emotions that are associated with all relationships; whether they are romantic or non-romantic. The most important emotion is anger. Anger, however, is a secondary emotion. No one feels angry first. Anger is a reaction to an event. For example, if your boss calls you “inadequate” aloud during a staff meeting you might feel embarrassed. Then, after your colleagues react to the statement you become angry. What if I told you it was important to forgive your boss? I can hear the mumbles now. Let me explain.   Forgiveness is important for personal growth Refusing to forgive someone can deter you from your personal goals. When you are angry with someone, that anger can consume your thoughts. Let’s continue to use the example of the boss. After the boss calls you inadequate, it may cause a negative reaction for you towards your job. You may neglect your work tasks deliberately due to your emotional state. The reason that you remain angry is due to your initial reaction. It is the embarrassment that the comments caused that still remains. As long as this goes unresolved, then the anger will remain. Your boss has total control over your emotions without having to do anything. Suppressing your emotions will only cause these emotions to be expressed in a negative way. This may cause you to direct your anger at people that were not involved in the situation.   Creating a forgiveness list helps identify those you need to forgive The purpose of a forgiveness list is to identify all the people that you need to forgive. Rank the list from most important to least important. This could be updated as more names are identified. Next to each name write the reason you need to forgive the person. Each person you do not forgive holds a specific part of you. Until you learn to forgive the person, that part of you will continue to be lost. This is a process, and not something that will be done overnight. There will be times where you progress, and other times in which you go astray. Do not give up on the process. Forgiveness is the key to your own happiness. The boss that disrespected you should be on this list. Identify the reason that you need to forgive him. The reason might be so you can be more productive at work. Discovering the reason will give you the key to forgiving the person.   Forgiving frees you from the past The past can block your present if you allow, blinding your sight from the wonderful opportunities in your future. Forgiveness helps to close the chapters of your past. Why relive past events, when new adventures are waiting to be written? All the hurt that you feel about past must be released. If the situation is severe, seeking professional counseling is suggested. In any regards, you must allow the process of forgiving to happen. This is how you will free yourself from the past. If your boss treated you negatively, it does not mean your next boss will. Forgiving will allow you to reflect about each relationship independently instead of from past references. Life is difficult enough without carrying unresolved baggage.   Forgiving prepares you for more meaningful relationships Being freed from the past, you are now ready for progress, to move on. This may be the begging of a new relationship or the repair of an old one. Now that you understand the feelings you have towards your boss, the situation could possibly be reconciled. If the situation cannot be reconciled, then at least you will be able to express your emotions in a more controlled manner. Whatever the outcome, you must forgive for  your own benefit. Forgiveness is not for the person you feel disrespected you, but it is all about you. You forgive so that you can be a better person. When you seek new relationships, you will enter them without the baggage and the hurt from your past. Everyone has emotional wounds. Forgiveness is the bandage for those wounds. You may always be able to see the scar, but the wound can heal. There is power in forgiving. Get your power back.   Greetings! What is one rule or strategy you use to forgive someone? Kindly share one of your rules or effective strategies by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author:  Dr. Terrence Z. Johnson Dr. Terrence Z. Johnson is a licensed professional counselor who currently works at Mississippi College as a clinical professor. He is also co-owner of iProgress Counseling and Consulting, LLC in Jackson, MS. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University where he obtained a bachelor degree in psychology and a master degree in counselor education, and Mississippi College where he obtained his Doctorate in Professional Counseling. He has worked with adolescent offenders, children with mental health disorders, middle, high school, and college aged students. He specializes in the areas of career, life purpose, professional development, personal development and mental health counseling.   For information on the author click on the following link:  Dr. Terrence Z. Johnson.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/the-power-of-forgiveness The Sure-Proof Way to Work Through Any Doubt https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/the-sure-proof-way-to-work-through-any-doubt Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Everyone has doubts. Yet there are so many people who are plagued by them. This article will reveal a new way to work through and eventually release any pressing doubt you may have. By adjusting the way you perceive your own doubts you will enter into an entirely new relationship with your unsettling thoughts, with those so-called traitors. All you have to do is follow three simple steps. 1. Do not believe everything that you think. Psychologists estimate that we have about sixty-thousand thoughts a day. This means that as you become more aware of yourself and your thoughts, you also realize that there are some thoughts you can agree with and others you can discard. By turning over a given thought in your mind you can look at it from multiple angles, instead of automatically believing it to be true. Some thoughts are absolutely fantastic but many are not true at all. Many believe that because they had a negative thought, it means that the thought is the truth and therefore they are a bad person. This is not the case. Thoughts are submitted to your awareness for your approval before they hold any power over you, regardless of how negative they may seem at first. If you know a thought is not helping you, take a deep breath, discard it, and replace it with a positive affirmation. You do not discard the thought by resisting it. This will only make the thought stronger. Instead, let it float into your awareness, consider it, and then fill your mind with something better. 2. Make time for yourself. This may seem obvious and easy. But the simplest answers are easiest to forget about. Taking time to relax and reflect each day will increase your productivity by an enormous amount. As you find an onslaught of doubts coming on, do not let them overcome you. Get up and do something. Be spontaneous and go explore a new area. Get lost in a good book. Watch an inspiring movie. Go for a long run. Watch the sun set. Take a long, hot shower. Listen to soothing music, such as the classics. Go to a relaxing place after work and unwind for thirty minutes. Call an old friend and ask how they are doing. Focus your mind on other things and other people. It is often when your mind is completely off your problem that your answer will come to you. The truth is that you will be of no help to others if you are tired and burned out. Yes, work hard. Yes, be disciplined and persistent with your goals. Just do not be afraid to unplug and simplify your life by taking time to yourself every day. You deserve it. 3. Embrace it. Bringing the process to completion, now you must obtain a new understanding of what your doubts mean. Throughout your life you have viewed your doubts as annoying, negative, and frustrating. Instead, be open to viewing them as signposts and guides telling you that you are on the right path and where to make course corrections. The key point is that doubts simply mean that you are expanding your comfort zone. People who lead their fields, who are green and growing, often have doubts three to four nights a week. This is because they are taking risks and moving forward. They know these doubts are a normal and natural human tendency. It is the champion, the winner, who pushes forward anyways. Think about it like this. When a plane takes off, especially on a rainy day, there is usually going to be some turbulence as it climbs through the clouds. Does a pilot, after hitting turbulence, level off below the clouds or even worse turn back and land? Of course not! The pilot makes sure to keep on climbing, eventually making it above the clouds. The sun is always shining behind the clouds. It is the same thing with your doubts. Once you push through your own doubts and self-limiting beliefs, your confidence will increase and you will reach a whole new level of living.   Hi! What is one strategy you used to work through a recent self-doubt? Please feel free to share your strategy by commenting below. Help our readers to learn and grow more on this topic. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Jeff Davis is currently living and working in Baltimore, Maryland. He is studying at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School to receive his Masters of Finance. He speaks about the advantages of small colleges. He has lived in Budapest, Hungary for an entire year and traveled all over the world. He also enjoys seeing his family in Newtown, Connecticut.   For information on the author, click on the following link:  Jeff Davis.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/the-sure-proof-way-to-work-through-any-doubt A Rebirth of a New You https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/a-rebirth-of-a-new-you Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   This month perhaps you and countless of others around the globe will take part in an annual event marking the New Year. In addition to the countdown and singing “Auld Lang Syne,” you may find yourself creating a “New to Do list,” better known as the infamous New Year's Resolution. In my early twenties, I can recall making my first New Year’s Resolution. It was December 31st, and I was bringing in the New Year with some friends. We were all having a great time and the question came up “what is your new year’s resolution?” That question hit me like a ton of bricks because I never gave it any thought. This was a new concept. When it was my turn to share, I just made it up on the fly. Some of those goals at the time were to exercise, save money and travel. As the clock was winding down we began counting in unison 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! After the celebration I went home thinking about my goals. I awoke the next morning and to my surprise NOTHING HAPPENED! Maybe I need to give this New Year’s resolution thing some more time. Several weeks and months had past and I didn’t reach my goals. I found myself consumed with mixed emotions and feeling frustrated that an entire year was wasted on “wishful thinking.” This process would play out for several years until I decided one day to try a different approach. It began with asking myself a new set of questions: Should goals be made only during New Years or can they made anytime? Revised and adjusted as I go. You can probably relate or know someone who has had a similar experience. We all have good intentions of accomplishing our goals. How can we better avoid these barriers, stay focused and accomplish whatever we set our mind on? First, get a clear picture of where you want to be and WRITE IT DOWN. If it’s out of sight it’s out of mind. Your goals should be S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.) Do you see yourself in a new position, volunteering more or running a 5K? Whatever you see yourself doing you must create a big enough WHY? For example, why should I run a 5K? To raise money for charity, get fit, raise awareness, etc. The more reasons you find, the better. Review your goals daily, once in the morning shortly after you awake and before you go to bed. Last, share your goals with other caring people who support you and your ideas. They will hold you accountable, and check in on your from time to time. It is important to create a support network and receive positive feedback. This will help to keep you motivated and driven to accomplish your ultimate goals.   Hi! What is your opinion on this article? Our readers would love to read your thoughts. Kindly share your input by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Kenny Bey Kenny Bey is a national professional development consultant and motivational keynote speaker. His humor and energy, in addition to his skills, makes him a highly successful trainer and keynote speaker. Prior to becoming successful business owner, Kenny served as a teacher and Assistant Principal. He brings experience and leadership development training and coaching to all of his clients. Outside of work, Kenny supports the community as a volunteer for raising cancer awareness. Kenny Bey is also, a dedicated father of four, who resides in Maryland.   For information on the author, click on the following link:  Kenny Bey.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/a-rebirth-of-a-new-you It's Time To Re-Boot Your Life https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/its-time-to-reboot-your-life Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   How old are you right now? 25, 35, 45, Older? No matter your age, now is the perfect time to re-boot your life. I’m sure you recognize the term re-boot if you’ve ever used a computer. Every now and then your computer has a glitch that prevents it from working. You consider calling a computer tech but quickly remember the $45 you spent for basic instructions the last time! Perhaps the service call went something like this: Tech: “Ma'am, would you please turn your computer off?" Caller: "It's turned off." Tech: "Thank you. Now, we’re going to wait a few minutes..." Tech: "Ma'am, please turn your computer back on now." Caller: "Okay... My computer is turned back on, and it's booting up." Tech: "Did that fix the problem?" Caller: "Yes, it looks like it did." Tech: "Great! What is the full name on your credit card?”   Wouldn’t it be great if life worked the same way? Well it can, minus the $45 charge! Take a moment to assess your life — what is working, what isn’t, what changes can be made today, etc. Like the computer that needed a fresh start before being able to function again, you too may be in need of a re-boot. Another example is PepsiCo North America Beverages. This company is re-evaluating its beverage portfolio to identify ways to become more profitable and productive. They have implemented an enterprise-wide innovation that could cause them to not only succeed, but lead, the beverage industry. To pull off their re-boot, they are examining products, packaging and programs to find areas that will make the most critical difference to their future growth. PepsiCo North America Beverages is also changing their perspective on how the industry works to make them more competitive in a changing environment. That alone should be interesting to you because PepsiCo is doing quite well, however they want to do better, hence the idea of a re-boot. Even if you’re doing quite well right now, it still may be a great time for a re-boot. “But my life is too big and has too much going on for me to re-boot.” I hear comments like this all the time. Here’s my thinking, if a multi-million dollar corporation like PepsiCo North America can re-boot, I’m sure you can shut down long enough to get your affairs moving in a more profitable and productive direction. If you’re like me, you’ve probably already completed several life re-boots. Since I graduated from college, I’ve been: • A military officer • A corporate executive • A consultant • A professional speaker • And now, an entrepreneur   In this article, I want to cover some of the things I do with clients that come to me needing a fresh start. A re-boot. 1. Visualize the life you want to live. To jump start your visualization, pick a role model and do some research on his or her lifestyle. Look through magazines, get information on his or her home and work life. Watch Biography shows on TV, etc. Based on what you discover, what are the up and down sides of this person’s life? Now it should be easier to create a visual of how you want to live your life. Remember, you don’t have to mimic every aspect of your role model’s life; you can modify it. I was fortunate enough to discover some things in my role model’s life that were not acceptable to him so I made sure those issues weren’t present in my visual. While you’re generating your picture, don’t miss opportunities to add to your vision. I constantly add to my vision through my dream book -- a notebook with photos of things I want in my life. I review the book several times each week and it always amazes me when something in the book shows up in my life. Seemingly without any effort on my part. While you’re visualizing, doo a passion check. One of my mentors told me years ago, “Do what you love or be prepared to always get beat by someone doing exactly the same thing you do but loving it.” In other words, where do your passions lie? What activity could you do on a daily basis that would keep you constantly jazzed up? So often we spend our lives doing things that bring us no joy at all. How can you add some great joy to your life? Visualize your life with great joy.   2. Get a picture of what your life looks like right now. Different from your dream book, get a journal and start writing down what your life looks like right now. Write the good and the not-so-good and record what you want to keep and what you’d like to get rid of. Be honest with yourself and be careful not to overlook parts of your life that may be hard to confront. Once you have this record, you’re ready to start planning your escape from where you are and your arrival to where you want to be. As you write, consider your life in four (4) areas: • Spiritual Development – Spiritual Development is working on your inner person. Your closeness to God. So ask some of the following questions. Are you as close to Deity as you’d like to be? Are you calm, centered and as much at peace as you’d like? • Personal Development – Personal Development are the activities aimed at improving your job or career related skills. So ask yourself these questions. Do you have all the training that you need to progress in your career? • Service Achievement – Service Achievement is what you do for others. Your charitable acts of kindness that make the world a better place. Ask yourself these questions. Are you doing as much for others as you could be doing? Do you sometimes feel that you could be doing more to make the world a better place? • Personal Achievement – Personal Achievement is what you do in your career. It’s your Monday through Friday work. Ask yourself these questions. Have you progressed in your career as much as you’d like? Is there a promotion in there with your name on it? Develop a picture of your life in these (4) areas. Now, you have a picture of where you are and where you are going. You next step is ‘bridging the gap’.   3. Determine what you need to do to ‘bridge the gap’. Bridging the gap means looking for actions you can take to move from where you are right now and where you want to be. It takes a lot of thinking so enlist the help of your peers, colleagues, friends, family members and work together to tackle this step. Make sure you pick individuals whose opinion you respect. Be open to the opinions and suggestions of others. Write down everything you hear and review it all later.   4. Avoid talking yourself off the ledge -- just jump! The very idea of re-booting can be scary. Remember that original example of turning the computer off and then on again? Sounds simple to do, but my biggest worry when I’m about to do it is am I going to lose some of my data when I turn it off? Don’t worry, this fresh start isn’t exactly like a computer. As you start moving forward, if you find you don’t like the new life, you can always make course corrections and try the process again. And if necessary go back to the previous life whenever you want. Let’s revisit the PepsiCo example and introduce one of their competitors, Coke. Years ago, Coke came out with ‘New Coke’ that was supposed to be a replacement for the original formula. They were surprised when people were wedded to the original taste and didn’t want to make the switch. Coke’s response was simple, “My bad. Here’s the original Coke back.”   If needed, you can always simply go back. Strangely enough though, I’ve never found anyone that went back to his or her old life. Even Coke came out with additional versions after they pulled new-Coke. Don’t talk yourself out of it. Just jump into your reboot of life. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? You’ll take some actions that just didn’t work. Well even then, you’re better off. You have discovered some actions that won’t get the job done and that discovery alone is worth the risk. So go after the life you want and wait a good long while before you wave your white surrender flag.   Hello! If you've recently conducted a re-boot on your life, what was one effective strategy you used, and why? Kindly share one of your effective strategies by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Art Jackson Art Jackson is a professional speaker, executive coach and the President of Eagles Nest Performance Management, Inc. He is a recognized expert in the areas of leadership, performance improvement and interpersonal skills. Art is the originator of the Purpose Centered Leadership(TM) system that has been used to improve performance in many facets of public and private life.   Click on the following link to learn more about:  Art Jackson   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/its-time-to-reboot-your-life Six Simple Acts of Kindness https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/6-simple-acts-of-kindness    Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Road Rage. Bullying. Bad customer service. Mudslinging politics. The economy. The price of gasoline...and on and on. The litany of what can make us angry, irritated, exhausted and disheartened seems endless, reinforced from an endless media stream that bombards us from the television, radio, internet and more. I’m sure that each of us can easily come up with a list of the top 5-10 things that lean on us in a negative way. What I propose, instead, is that we change our focus, intentionally, on things that lift - and here’s the catch - not us, but others. For starters, a handful of simple acts of kindness can go a long, long way. Six Simple Acts of Kindness for Spirit Lifting Simple Act #1. Yield. Make room in your lane for other vehicles to enter. Drive kindly. Lay off the horn. Slow down. Become the antithesis of the road rager. Do this often and endlessly. And don’t forget, there are countless new drivers on the road. Even better, give everyone the respect and patience you need to offer those rookie drivers. Simple Act #2. Turn Off Your Cell Phone. I don’t just mean in waiting rooms, theaters and in restaurants. Impossible? Try this, if you must take a call on your cell phone, apologize, step out of earshot from other people and speak quietly. If you’re with other people and not expecting a call, turn your cell phone off. Simple Act #3. Hold the Door. This is an easy one. When entering a doorway, pause—yes pause—long enough to hold the door for those who wish to enter or exit. For bonus spirit lifting, look for people with packages, small children, or strollers and gracefully move ahead of the person to get to and hold the door. For maximum spirit lifting, see someone struggling with packages while entering a neighboring office, dash out of your office, and help with the packages and the door. Simple Act #4. Greet People with a Smile. Another easy one. There should be endless opportunities throughout the day for this one. See a person, say, “Hello,” and smile. Answer the phone with a smile (it makes a difference--try it). Begin the morning at the office, with, “Good morning” and a smile. Employees and volunteers in reception areas of stores, schools, and offices can brighten people’s days with their smiles. The nice thing about smiling is that it’s good for them and good for you, too. A great gift that doesn't cost a dime. Simple Act #5. Pick up the Trash. If you see a piece of trash, pick it up. Start with this: On your way from your car to your office building, or from your house to your street, pick up any paper that has blown into your path. In addition to keeping the area attractive, this simple act tends to be contagious. Simple Act #6. Stand Up. Always a sign of respect, this simple act of kindness extends beyond a judge walking into a courtroom, the president entering a room, or a bride walking down an aisle. Stand when you shake hands, when someone joins you and you are seated, and when someone gets up from or comes back to your dinner table. We live in a world of instant information that travels fast and far and reminds us of things without easy solutions. Gun violence, homelessness, hunger, war and poverty, to name a few. It seems impossible or overwhelming at times, to make a positive difference in the face of these enormous issues. Acts of kindness and daily acts of selfless giving are within our easy reach. Moving forward, keep in mind the simple phrase, How can I help you?   Hello! Are you a person who delivers acts of kindness? If yes, what was your most recent act of kindness? And why? Kindly share the brief details of your 'Act of Kindness' by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Cathleen Hanson Cathleen Hanson is co-director and founder of The International School of Protocol, the leader in providing training and consultation services to those who want to enhance their interpersonal skills and personal effectiveness in business and social relationships. The International School of Protocol provides the highest caliber of protocol and etiquette training for businesses, corporations, colleges, schools, teachers, youth and individuals.   Click the following link to learn more about: Cathleen Hanson   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/6-simple-acts-of-kindness Leave Your DISTRACTION And Take Action https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/leave-your-distraction-and-take-action Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Now is a great time for you to take action in your life. Are you aware of the things that are holding you back from moving forward? Any circumstance that keeps you from fulfilling your purpose is a distraction. Through the word DISTRACTION we present 11 areas that you could face at anytime. The question you must answer is, what is holding you back? Is it Disappointments? In your mind do you see yourself failing over and over again? Michael Jordan who is one of the greatest basketball players of all time missed more shots than he has made. Michael went on to win 6 championships knowing that if he kept shooting great things were to come. Wake up with a winning attitude so life can appoint you instead of disappoint you. Is it Ignorance? Do you struggle because of what you don’t know? Not everyone is a genius or a walking encyclopedia. Find out what you need to know to succeed in your job or business. Learn from your mistakes and be willing to listen to your elders. Is it Selfishness? Be honest, are you the one that is not too quick to share time or resources? The one you are always running from and don’t want to be bothered with could be the one that has what you need. Think about this, if your arms are always crossed and fists balled up nothing can be put into your hands. Is it Tardiness? Are you going to be late to your own funeral? In 2012 the early bird still gets the WORM (Wisdom, Opportunities, Resources, and Money). If you work 9to5 Monday through Friday commit to be at least minutes early each day which equals to only 25 extra minutes per work week. Start showing up on time and watch what happens. Is it Relationships? Do you treat others like you want to be treated? When you leave work do you leave work at work or do you let the job rob you of family time? Are you able to keep your serious family issues out of the boardroom and off of the table topics? Before you hate on someone try to relate to someone. Is it Aim? Are you guilty of aiming low? If you are one to never look up, you may often feel and find yourself at the bottom. If you focus and aim high you will find the opportunities and rewards will be greater. Aim high for the stars and you will take yourself far. Is it Consistency? Are you good one minute and not so good the next? Everyone has ups and downs in their journey. Are you willing to practice more so people count on your performance? Find a way to win and keep winning. Is it Talent? If you were in the stands watching you would you boo? Have you ever thought that maybe your gifts are not in the right position or the opportunity is not right for your gifts? Ask others what you are good or great at? Improve or change your groove. Is it Idleness? Do you have to keep busy at all times? Are you afraid that if you take a break your life may break down? Sitting still maybe just what the doctor ordered. With a clear mind the dreams you have been chasing can begin to chase you. Is it Organization? Can you find anything? Do you know where your appointment book is or the tablet that you recently wrote down your million dollar idea in? Clutter can make your career stutter. A clear path will open visions so you can see your destiny. Is it Needs? At times are you like most and confuse what you want with what you truly need? Inventory your needs to the bare minimum and watch life take you to maximum. Begin to appreciate what you have and find ways to multiple stream your dream.   If nothing is holding you back and everything is picture perfect in your life please pass these words of encouragement on to someone else so they can leave their DISTRACTION and take action. Find what clouds are in your sky and move them out the way so your life can see more sunshine.   Hello! What is one strategy you use to leave your distractions and take action? Please feel free to share your strategy by commenting below. Help our readers to learn and grow more on this topic. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Derrick Hayes Derrick Hayes is the author of 1 WORD Is All It Takes, creator of Derricknyms, Developer of the app Motivation To Your Mobile, Nominator of Today’s Honoree, and blogs at the Encouragement Speaker.   Click on the following link to learn more about:  Derrick Hayes   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/leave-your-distraction-and-take-action Moving Forward In Spite of Your Fears https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/how-to-move-forward-in-spite-of-your-fears   Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Fear can be a major obstacle to achieving success in both your personal and professional lives. Many people become paralyzed by fear, allowing it to prevent them from moving forward with their hopes and dreams. The following purposeful action steps will reduce your fears and give you enough confidence to move forward. Positive Thinking What if I don’t succeed? What if I can’t find customers? What if they laugh at my idea? These are many of the things people say to themselves on a daily basis. If these negative thoughts go unchecked and are allowed to remain in our minds they will create enough fear to prevent us from taking the necessary steps that will propel our dreams from thought to reality. Most people would be amazed at the actual number of negative thoughts that creep into their minds on a daily basis. Being conscious of these thoughts is the first step to defeating them. Develop a method of tracking your negative thoughts and use a pattern interrupt to turn those negative thoughts into ones that are positive and promote growth. Some individuals pinch themselves whenever they have a negative thought and immediately replace it with a positive one. Others simply write down their negative thoughts throughout the day and immediately replace them with positive thoughts. Here are a few examples: • What if I don’t succeed? (Pattern Interrupt) What if I achieve massive success? • What if I can’t find customers? (Pattern Interrupt) What if I become so busy I have to hire employees? • What if they laugh at my idea? (Pattern Interrupt) What if this idea changes lives?   Avoid Fire Starters When it comes to moving past your fears and achieving your dreams, there will never be a shortage of fire starters and scare tactic commandos. These are individuals that point out every possible stumbling block when you share your ideas with them and they seldom offer encouragement or advice. Instead they ask questions like, “Did you know 50% of all restaurants fail?” “Did you know that they've never promoted a woman to that position before?” or “Joe scored higher than you and he didn't even get in!” These are individuals that have not yet found the courage to face their own fears and envy those that have. They will thrust their own fears and negative thoughts about themselves onto you in the blink of an eye. This will leave you questioning your own qualifications, intelligence, and readiness. It is not wise to share your ideas with everyone. The fire starter will create the spark that will ignite enough fear to keep you paralyzed and stuck. The scare tactic commando will tell you every story they know about someone else that failed miserably, attempting to do the same thing you’re setting out to achieve. Once you identify these people, steer clear! It is important that you share new ideas with close friend and family members that you trust. Friends that have been able move past their own personal fear and can offer you assistance based on their experience. Form a mini-mastermind group. A small, tight group of trusted individuals that you know you can meet with, call or contact to openly discuss concerns or bounce ideas around. Taking this purposeful action will minimize your contact with individuals that are not invested in your success.   Embrace Your F.E.A.R. For most people, the road to success intersects with fear. What is fear? It’s defined as a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is an emotion that we are both blessed and cursed to have. It is a blessing because it prevents us from doing things we are sure to regret later, like sticking our hand in an open fire, or waking a sleeping grizzly bear by hitting it in the head with a stick. These are healthy fears that will save lives. It is a curse because many times this emotion causes us to fear things that are not a threat to us. For example: The fear of speaking in front of a group of people, the fear of failure, or the fear of starting a new business. None of these things will cause you physical pain, yet many people fear them to the point that their lives suffer. Consequently, they are unable to move forward to greater things in their lives. Below you will find four ways that will allow you to embrace your fears while moving forward in your life.   F. Focus on the endgame. By focusing on the fear and allowing it to consume your thoughts, it takes your focus and energy away from the one thing that really matters, the endgame! When fear begins to creep into your mind ask yourself these questions. 1. What will moving past my fear afford me? 2. How will my life and the lives of my loved ones be different if I put all of my positive energy into moving forward in spite of my fears? 3. Will I have regrets later in life if I allow my fears to prevent me from moving forward?   E. Embrace your mistakes. If your fear is based on your past mistakes, it is important that you also embrace those mistake and move past them. Know that mistakes are a necessary part of achieving success. Make the mistake, learn from it and move on.   A. Ask for help. If there is anything you should never be afraid to do, it’s asking for help. Know that you are not the only person that has been afraid to take action. Seek out someone in your mini-mastermind group or someone that you personally know and trust and discuss your fears with this person. Don’t be afraid to put it all on the table. What you are really afraid of, why are you afraid, are your fears based on a past experience? By gaining a better understanding of where your fears originate you can use this knowledge to create solutions that build confidence.   R. Recognize and Redirect. Learn to recognize fear early and redirect it. The earlier you can recognize fear the sooner you can take action to prevent it from consuming you. Redirect your thoughts by reading a book, exercising or other activities that you find relaxing.   Prepare yourself for common roadblocks By researching and preparing yourself for common roadblocks, you can greatly reduce your fear and anxiety. Below you will find a four step process to accomplish this. Step One: On a piece of paper write down what you are attempting to accomplish. Example: START A BUSINESS Step Two: Research, identify, and write down the 5 most common roadblocks that people face when starting a business. Example: Lacking clear articulated goals Step Three: Underneath each roadblock write down the reason you believe this is an obstacle. Example: Not having a clear articulated goal can cause confusion, which can lead to fear. Step Four: Write down tips that will enable you to move past the roadblock. Examples: 1. Develop and write down a clear business plan 2. Identify short term, mid, and long term goals 3. Visualize the success of these goals. * Repeat this process for each of the 5 top roadblocks Taking purposeful action is imperative to helping you move past your fears and closer to the success you deserve.   Hello! What is one strategy you use to move forward in spite of your fears? Please feel free to share your strategy by commenting below. Help our readers to learn and grow more on this topic. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Ian J. Humphrey is an award winning motivational speaker. He speaks to corporations, educators, and youth about his own fears of failure and how he overcame them to become successful.   Click the following link to learn more about:  Ian Humphrey   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/how-to-move-forward-in-spite-of-your-fears Premeditated Life https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/premeditated-life-creating-passion Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Premeditated Life: Creating Passion "Getting the Most Out of Life"   There is a wonderful lesson to learn from having a Global Positioning System in the car or on your smart phone. When you activate the GPS it will login to find your current location. Based on your current location you choose or select from the guide where you would like to travel. Among some of your options are gas, entertainment, shopping, food, hotels, train, boats and planes. If you don’t see your desired choice you can enter “spell” then type in the name and it will search for the nearest location. After you have made your choice and hit the “GO” button a map will appear on the screen and the voice will give oral and visual commands as you travel to your destination. If by accident you didn’t follow the commands the voice will tell you that it is recalculating the directions and it will plot a new path based on your new location but the same destination. What if you had a built in GPS in your body and you could just type in what you wanted to be in life. Hit the go button and your road map was clear and when you were not working as hard as you should it would say “recalculating” and post a new time and distance for your arrival time. In life we do not have a clear map with suggested roads and voice commands. If you want to be a future professor, scientist, thinker and engineer who will propel civilization forward you would take physics, chemistry, calculus and classic literature. If you're having a hard time imagining what and where you would like to travel in life. Your GPS is blinking but the destination screen is blank, allow me to give you some traveling tips I've learned along the way. Combine Skills. The first thing you should learn in a course on life is how to make yourself valuable. It's unlikely that anyone can develop a world-class skill in one particular area. But it's easy to learn how to do several different things fairly well. I succeeded as a professional speaker with some speaker talent, some basic writing skills and an ordinary sense of humor and a bit of experience in education and the business world. The world has more eloquent speakers, smarter writers, funnier humorists and more experienced business people than me. The rare part is that each of those modest skills has been collected in one person. That's how I created value. “If you like to drink wine, learn how to make it.” Fail Forward. If you're taking risks, and you probably should, you can find yourself failing 90% of the time. The trick is to get paid while you're doing the failing and to use the experience to gain skills that will be useful later. Marked by my standard I failed at many of my jobs and careers on the path to success. But you'd be surprised at how many of the skills I learned in those careers that can be applied to almost any field, including professional speaking. “Failure is a process, not an obstacle.” Find the Action. Along the way to success get involved with sub-groups of the company. Find your peg and work with people with whom you have common goals and visions. Volunteer to join and work on committees related to your passion in life. “Leadership is like the game of life; A good seat should not interest you, if you came to play.” Attract Luck. You can't manage luck directly, but you can manage your career in a way that makes it easier for luck to find you. To succeed, first you must do something. And if that doesn't work, which can be 90% of the time, do something else. “Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you; Go out to meet them.” Conquer Fear. I did not take a class in public speaking in college and not one during my teaching days. I found that once you become relaxed in front of people, technique comes automatically. Over the years, I've given speeches to thousands of audiences and enjoyed every minute on stage. The point is that people can be trained to replace fear and shyness with enthusiasm. “Refuse to accept anything but the best from yourself; And very often, you’ll get it.” Write Simply. I took English classes in colleges that taught how to write direct sentences and to avoid extra words. Simplicity makes ideas powerful. Your material should be like a woman’s dress; long enough to cover the topic and short enough to keep it interesting. “Excellence is never an accident.” Learn Persuasion. Learn the art of persuasion in all its forms, including psychology, sales, marketing, negotiating, statistics and even design. Usually those skills are sprinkled across several disciplines. “Never let a-day-go by, without giving at least three people a compliment.”   Hello! Was this article helpful to you? Please feel free to share your opinion and input by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Harvey Alston Harvey Alston Considered one of the most dynamic, "high octane" speakers in America. Harvey Alston has been a full-time speaker since 1989. He has spoken to millions of people throughout the United States who have benefited not only from his knowledge, but also from the wisdom that Harvey Alston brings to the finish line. Harvey Alston's unforgettable words of individual responsibility for achievement have improved spirits, spurred growth, and changed lives. His powerful, soul-searching presentations uplift audiences to a higher standard, and to a level where they strive only for the best. Harvey Alston believes in solitary achievement, shared accomplishment and the dignity of human beings.   Click the following link to learn more about: Harvey Alston   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/premeditated-life-creating-passion 21 Strategies on How to Get and Stay Motivated https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/21-strategies-to-get-and-stay-motivated Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Have you ever woke up motivated and charged to take on the world, however, by the end of the day you wanted to pull your hair out? We all at one point or another have woken up motivated. The million dollar question is, “How do you stay motivated?” I present to you 21 proven strategies from myself and 20 of my friends that I strongly feel can help you to get and stay motivated. Strategy #1: The Literary Strategy. Reading is really important to me. It's therapeutic. I know once I open the pages I will learn something and be able to teach and discuss ideas with others. I have four kids and I challenge them to read and encourage them to write, too. ~ Derrick Hayes Strategy #2: The Find Happiness Strategy. Find a way to be Happy. A few years back I had several significant setbacks, divorce, prostate cancer, forced to leave a career of 25 years as a stock broker, on the verge of losing my home, significant financial concerns, depleted retirement savings, etc. I am however, still swinging for the bleachers in the 9th inning. ~ J. P. "Gus" Godsey Strategy #3: The Positive People Strategy. Surrounding yourself with positive people changes our perspective. After you examined who you spend time with, consider what effect you have on others. Are you the person that leaves others uplifted or not? Do you leave others feeling better or worse? ~ Kathy A. Eubanks Strategy #4: The Keep Dreaming Strategy. Not only is sleep good for you, but your dreams are too! As you drift towards sleep, ask for dreams to give you renewed energy, sense of purpose, confidence or fresh ideas. Even if you don't remember what you dream, you can feel brand new in the morning. This is called "dream programming" and I've been teaching it to clients and students for two decades. It's simple, safe, free and really works. ~ Gillian Holloway, Ph.D. Strategy #5: The Get Fit Strategy. Find ways to motivate yourself in fitness. Begin by making a conscious choice that you are going to do it. Then, set yourself a small goal. It has to be something attainable and sensible. It could be I am going to walk three times this week for 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes. ~ Denise Drake Strategy #6: The Create a Vision Strategy. If we desire to accomplish our goals, we need to see them. Our mind holds an image of where we are in our current circumstances. And because of the nature of the mind, it keeps giving us what we know. When we want to change, our subconscious must be given a vision of the life we want. ~ Cheryl Y. Price, Ph.D. Strategy #7: The Ask How Strategy. Answer the question, "How am I going to get this?" Write out as many steps and necessary resources as possible and organize in smaller chunks to be approached one by one. ~ Michele Rosenthal Strategy #8: The Eat Right Strategy. When you eat the right healthy foods you will see and feel motivation comes naturally. ~ Liana Werner-Gray Strategy #9: The Public Post Strategy. Post goals on a public platform (i.e. facebook, a blog, your desk at work); having people know your intentions really helps you stick with it so you won’t let your "audience" or yourself down. ~ Rachel Luna Strategy #10: The Set It Up Strategy. Set things up so it is inevitable that you will eventually succeed. For example, if on a diet, remove all food from the house that is not on the diet. If starting an exercise program, work with a coach. If starting to meditate, join a meditation group. ~ Geri Schneider Winters Strategy #11: The Plan Strategy. Don’t try to accomplish anything important by "flying by the seat of your pants!" This might sound cool or sexy, but you will NOT stay motivated if you don't have a PLAN! Drive down the street and glance to your left and to your right. What do you see? You know that every building you are looking at started with a blueprint. ~ Leanne Cannon Strategy #12: The Make A Game Strategy. I'm seventy-five and still alive. I make a game of figuring out how to get the most out of each day. ~ Darlene Dennis Bauer Strategy #13: The Chart Your Progress Strategy. The key to staying motivated is to chart your progress, and celebrate your small successes. Enjoy the journey as much as reaching the goal. ~ Genie Kelley Cranberry Strategy #14: The Feel Successful Strategy. My one simple strategy for success is to make it easy to feel successful every single day. The way you do this is when starting out on a big goal make the steps small and easy to achieve. When I was training for my Ironman Triathlon, I didn't start out by running half marathons. This would have stretched my ability too much and resulted in injury. ~ Warwick John Strategy #15: The Why Strategy. Write out all the reasons WHY you want to make change. Read over the list first thing in the morning & last thing at night. Identify your "BUTS", also known as obstacles (such as "I want to workout BUT I have no time") and develop a plan on how to overcome them When your "why" is bigger than your "but," you WILL stay on the right track. ~ Elizabeth Lombardo Strategy #16: The Personal Reward Strategy. One strategy I can offer is to create a personal reward for successful completion of each step in your personal development plan. For example, if you are working on controlling your temper, tie in a small reward (a treat, a movie rental, watching your favorite TV show, getting a manicure, taking a bubble bath, etc.) for each time you almost lose control - but instead are able to calm yourself and maintain your composure. ~ Lydia Whitney Strategy #17: The Contain Unpleasant Tasks Strategy. Always contain unpleasant tasks. Nothing destroys motivation like feeling that the day ahead is filled with drudgery. Instead of allowing the annoying, irritating, or infuriating tasks to fill the time available, block out chunk of time to work on them. At the end of that time, celebrate your accomplishments and move on. ~ Stephen Balzac Strategy #18: The Try Something New Strategy. The way to stay motivated is to try something new every single day in order to reach your goals. By taking a risk daily, no matter how small, you build your risk-taking muscles. Risk-taking, be it calling someone you need to speak to, or visiting a meeting you never went to, helps you learn how to overcome fear which is the main stumbling block to success. ~ Dan Sherman Strategy #19: The Mean What You Say Strategy. The only way to stay personally motivated - especially if you don't get external feedback is to really give true meaning to what you're trying to say. ~ Derrick Poremba-Brumer Strategy #20: The Mastermind Strategy. Being part of a strong mastermind group has been key for me. I never want to disappoint my group and show up on biweekly call and say that I didn't do what I said I was going to. ~ Carol Margolis Strategy #21: The Uncomfortable Strategy. When we step out of our comfort zone, even in small ways, our heart pounds. It means we are excited, nervous, alive and that we actually care about being different and doing something different. It means we are no longer committed to what we have or what we used to be. It means we are committed to moving forward and stepping onto a higher level of motivation that is fresh, rewarding and new. ~ Ann Tardy   Greetings! What is one strategy you use to get and stay motivated? Please feel free to share your strategy by commenting below. Help our readers to learn and grow more on this topic. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Derrick Hayes Derrick Hayes is the author of 1 WORD Is All It Takes, creator of Derricknyms, Developer of the app Motivation To Your Mobile, Nominator of Today’s Honoree, and blogs at the Encouragement Speaker.   Click on the following link to learn more about:  Derrick Hayes   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/21-strategies-to-get-and-stay-motivated Believe You Can — And Do It! https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/believe-you-can-and-do-it Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   "It doesn't matter how many say it cannot be done or how many people have tried it before; it's important to realize that whatever you're doing, it's your first attempt at it." ~ Wally Amos Three male teens, living on an eighty acre farm, were instructed by their grandfather to venture out early the next morning to learn and find out what being a responsible and productive man in society was all about. So, around five o’clock a.m. the three teen boys set out on their journey. Instead of taking the long winding dirt roads, the oldest of the three strongly recommend that they cut through the tall growing corn field because it would get them to town faster. About ninety minutes later, the boys arrived at the end of their grandfather’s farm only to find an eight foot high, solid wooden fence that appeared to go on forever around the boundary of the farm. The next to the youngest boy sighed and said, “Come on ya’ll, let’s go back. We will never get over this wall together.” The oldest boy mumbled disappointedly, “Hey... at least we can tell granddad we tried.” The youngest of the three teens, took off the hat he was wearing and tossed it over the fence and bellowed, “No! We can’t go back now because we now have to get my hat!” The youngest teen then looked quickly along the fence and found an extra piece of eight foot wooden board on the ground. He yelled out to the other boys, “HEY! Come help me lift this board and put it up against the fence, so we can get over the fence!” The boys did exactly that and all three got over the fence safely. The young man retrieved his hat, and the three boys journeyed to town to fulfill their granddad’s instructions. The moral of the story: Believe You Can — And Do IT! The youngest of the three boys “Believed” that he and the other two boys could get over the fence. He just had to quickly create a more pressing reason for them to continue their journey. The tossing of his hat over the fence created, in the moment, a more pressing reason. It caused him and the other boys to “Act” instead of doubting themselves, quitting, and turning back. It was Norman Vincent Peale who said, "People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success."   Believe You Can — And Do IT! Let me ask you, right here and right now: Are you a person who stops trying because someone else says it cannot be done? Are you a person who doubts that IT can be done because many other people have tried it before, and failed? Are you a person who needs to see four million, as proof, stand before yelling “I did IT! It can be done!” for you to even make a first attempt at IT? Believing that you can do it will not, in itself, get IT done. Yet believing you cannot do IT will most certainly prevent you from ever making IT happen. So the choice of what to “Believe” is clear. Believe that you can, believe that you will, and you're well on your way to making IT happen. What’s your current 'IT' that you want to get done or achieve? Is IT — * Better health * Bringing yourself closer to a Higher Power * Going back to school to obtain a degree * Starting a successful business * Finding a better career * Becoming debt free * Buying a home * Starting over * Ending a toxic relationship * Eliminating a toxic habit * Writing and publishing a book * Improving some aspect of your family * Successfully helping a loved one * Creating and living a more meaningful life   Believe You Can — And Do IT! Doubt is very easy to maintain, but it won't get very much done. See how many of your doubts you can replace with positive and empowered beliefs. If necessary, create your own “hat tossing moment” — and go after IT. Every moment of every day, your beliefs guide your actions. Believe that you can, believe that you will, and your reality will reward you time and time again. Believe You Can — And Do IT!   Hi! What is one thing someone told you that you could not accomplish and you continued forward to achieve "IT"? Kindly share your "hat tossing or celebratory moment" in a comment below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author:  Ty Howard, Founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of MOTIVATION magazine Ty Howard is an organizational development consultant and executive and manager development coach. He's an internationally recognized authority on personal, professional, relationships and success habits development. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked Untie the Knots® Process, and the author of the best-selling book Untie the Knots® That Tie Up Your Life: A Practical Guide to Freeing Yourself from Toxic Habits, Choices, People, and Relationships, as well as dozens of published articles on relationships, healthy habits development, empowerment and peak performance worldwide.   For information on the author click on the following link:  Ty Howard.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/believe-you-can-and-do-it Getting and Staying Motivated as a Teen https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/getting-and-staying-motivated-as-a-teen Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Are you an unmotivated teen or a parent of an unmotivated teen?   Even the most active and successful teen will become unmotivated at one time or another. Due to the many obstacles, responsibilities, decisions, relationship challenges, pressures and the overall impact of the world, it’s not uncommon to find a teen at a point where he/she feels blue, disinterested, disconnected, and unmotivated. Getting and staying motivated today isn’t easy. Here are a few tips that can get and keep you motivated as a teen, and ready to face the world again. 1. Give yourself a check-up from the neck up. What is your current Attitude? Why? The way to push through a period of feeling down or to lift yourself out of a slump is to change and shift your Attitude to a more positive place. Dr. Wayne Dyer said best, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Make this very moment – the moment – you change the way you’re currently looking at things so you can put both your Attitude (positive thoughts) and you on a healthier path towards higher levels of self-motivation. 2. Use positive self-talk. If you notice yourself feeling down and unmotivated, be aware of how you're talking to yourself. You may be telling yourself negative things. Negative self-talk like, “There is never anything exciting to do,” “School stinks,” or “I don’t have any friends because no one understands me.” Consider whether you would tell a friend in your situation those same things. Talk positively to yourself. Positive self-talk like, “I can get and stay motivated,” “School might be tough at times, still, I’m going to stay committed to getting the best grades possible.” Encourage yourself as you would a good friend or a younger brother or sister. 3. Focus on one goal. Sometimes when you're unmotivated, it's because you've taken on too much and are overwhelmed. Start getting out of your slump by choosing just one small goal to focus on. For instance, suppose your goal is to get a school project done. Instead of committing to getting the project done the evening before it’s due, start out researching and putting the project together a week or two weeks out by working on the project for 10 minutes a day Monday through Friday. This is a goal you can reach. You may be able to do more, but commit to only a bare minimum. Build on small wins with smart and manageable planning, and you’ll find yourself motivated and less overwhelmed. This will also help you to keep negative self-talk at bay. 4. Find a positive – motivated – role model. Often times when a person is unmotivated, he/she may not be satisfied with the images they see or the emotions that they are feeling. If this is your case, find someone who is positive and motivated, and use them to motivate you. This could be a parent, relative, teacher, friend, mentor or coach. 5. Get up, get out, and go do something YOU consider fun. If anyone sits still long enough, life will become uneventful and boring. This is where you contact a family member or friend to ask them to join you in getting up and going out to do something that is safe, positive and fun. Your only special request to your family member or friend is for the fun to be something YOU like do. 6. Watch or read something inspiring. Inspiring movies and books are always a good source for motivation, encouragement and pick-me-ups! Movies like: “Coach Carter”, “Remember the Titans”, “Freedom Writers”, and “Stand and Deliver”. Books like: Chicken Soup for the Soul, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, How to Win Friends & Influence People, Major in Success, and You Were Born to Be G.R.R.R.R.E.A.T.!!!!TM. Choose a movie or book that appeals most to you and use it to motivate you in periods where you’re unmotivated. 7. Write yourself a positive and encouraging letter. Writing yourself a positive and encouraging letter during times where you’re unmotivated can be one of the most liberating things you can do. In down times, it can be tough to speak positive words aloud or even to say encouraging words to yourself in your mind (thoughts). This is where the technique of writing a positive and encouraging letter to you comes into play. Find yourself a pen/sharpened pencil and a single sheet of lined paper. At the top of the paper in the right-hand corner write your name. Up under your name, write today’s day and date, and up under the day and date, write the current time of the day. Skip down the page three more lines and begin your letter Dear (your name), and two lines below this line write yourself a positive and encouraging letter starting with and completing the following statement: “When I Am Motivated & Excited About Life, _________________________.” You’re to write at least 3 to 4 paragraphs in your letter to yourself. 8. Ask for help. Ask for help when you get discouraged. Call a positive and caring family member or friend. Talk to a counselor or a professional therapist. It doesn't matter who you turn to, just reach out to someone positive, caring, and that you know will be supportive. Right now, throughout your whole being, see and feel how truly good life can be. Carry that positive vision with you as you move forward and create a brighter and more upbeat life. You can get and stay motivated! Life is a gift—don’t waste or miss it by staying unmotivated. Live and enjoy the beauty that is here for you now by continuously applying the above eight tips.   Hi! How have you helped your teen or a group of teens to get and stay motivated? Kindly share some of your effective strategies below. Thank you in advance for sharing. *You must register with our MOTIVATION magazine website and be signed-in to submit and leave a comment below. About the Author:  Ty Howard, Founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of MOTIVATION magazine Ty Howard is a nationally and internationally renowned success-habits development consultant, youth performance improvement expert, and motivational speaker who can connect with and inspire teens, young adults, and education professionals on all levels. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked Untie the Knots® Process, and the author of the best-selling book Untie the Knots® That Tie Up Your Life: A Practical Guide to Freeing Yourself from Toxic Habits, Choices, People, and Relationships, as well as dozens of published articles on relationships, healthy habits development, empowerment and peak performance worldwide.   For information on the author click on the following link:  Ty Howard.   To learn more information about Ty Howard's extensive teen enrichment and leadership development work, click on the following link:  Ty's Teen Empowerment website.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/getting-and-staying-motivated-as-a-teen How to Be Who You Are https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/how-to-be-who-you-are Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   What does it mean to be? What is being? How are you who you are? Also, how do you know who you are? There is no way to be who you are if you don't take action to be who you are. Who you are comes from deliberate actions you take. Thinking, visualizing, and following the image of who you are, are actions you take on purpose. Before you take an action, you are presented with a situation, event, or condition. This presentation is the first thing you experience. An experience of course, is anything absorbed into your life respective or irrespective of your personal choice to encounter it. An experience can be considered good or bad, nice or mean, happy or sad, and so forth. It is very important for you not to lose sight as a human being, that you have the power to decide or change your mind about anything, no matter what. The Bible calls it "Free Will." Decision-making is an action. When you are deciding on something, you are in the process of taking an action. This process is part of your action. During this processing period, your human mind is reflecting, comparing, associating, and binding your past experiences with your present one. When you finish the processing, you utter or provide your decision. As you know, a decision can be considered good or bad, thoughtful or reckless. This is when your Power-To-Decide or Free Will is respected, considered, and exercised by you. With respect and consideration to your Power-To-Decide, you take action which reflects your Usage-Level of your Power-To-Decide. Your Usage- Level can be 100% of your Power-To-Decide, or it can be 75%, 50%, or 25% of your Power-To-Decide. Your Power-To-Decide can be 0% only if you notify someone else to make your decision for you. In this case, you transfer 100% of your Power-To-Decide to another person, using your Innate-Power-To-Decide. In brief, your Innate-Power-To-Decide is the fabric or substance which creates, molds, and shapes you as a person. Without your Free-Will or Power-To-Decide, you are a body of creation functioning without a choice, conscience, and livelihood. Decision-making and making choices are what give you life, whether a good life or a bad one. So, your Power-To-Decide gives you the life you live, whether good or bad. Therefore, recognizing that your lifestyle is the result of your decision and choice, is the first and greatest achievement you have. At least, you have the assurance that your life is not in the hands of someone else. That's why tyranny, forced consent, slavery, oppression, abuse, among other forced establishments are crimes and offenses against you. In the free world, you choose who and what to allow or disallow in your life. As I noted earlier, an experience is something absorbed into your life with any of your senses, and it registers within your mind for recollection, reflection, purpose, and usage. That's why your life is full of experiences. Your Power-To-Decide gives you the luxury to choose what your life is full of. Your Power-To-Decide is your offense and defense mechanism which shapes your life. Decision-making is like signing a consent form. When you sign a Consent form, you agree to the terms and conditions thereof. Likewise, when you decide to allow something into your life, you welcome it and it becomes part of your life. Anything you deliberately allow into your life, whether good or bad, helps identify who you are. The more you allow things into your life, the more you identify with those things. The combination of those things create your identity and who you are. To be who you are can come with bad and good outcomes. The bad outcomes might be due to your poor decision-making actions: procrastination, excuse-making, recklessness, failure to take care of yourself, or blatant neglect on following through. The good outcomes can be a result of your healthy and positive decision-making actions: good time management, staying motivated, taking good care of yourself, eating right, exercising, embracing education, going after your aspirations, thinking positive, loving yourself, respecting yourself and others, and intentionally following through and accomplishing your personal goals in life. I conclude my article by asking you, Who are you? Where are you? Why are you? How are you? Make today the day that you boldly step up and move forward to discovering and showcasing the best "Who You Are" the world's been waiting to see!   Hi! In what way recently have you taken action to be who you are in a positive way? Kindly share one of your positive strategy by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Uchenna Nwachuku Henry Uchenna Nwachuku was born in Nigeria, West Africa. He came to the United States of America at age 11, and has lived in New York City, New York ever since. Henry was always fascinated by the variety of people and cultures he interacted with as a young boy, so he majored in Sociology in college, and earned his BA degree. His experiences have taught him that society is composed of a melting pot of unique individuals, and positively motivated individuals make both industrious and innovative movements that impact and change the world for the better.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/how-to-be-who-you-are Break and Move Beyond the Length of the Chains https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/break-and-move-beyond-the-length-of-the-chains Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Never let fear, procrastination or the longing for approval from others to take possession of your mind, they become self-forged chains. ~ Ty Howard Have you ever experienced a moment in your life where you wondered "What to do next?" Have you ever had a bolt of confidence spring into your being just as you were going to start working towards a new goal, but your comfort zone held you back? Have you ever had the feeling "It's now or never!" but you did not make a move? If you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions, you at one time wore self-forged chains. I think we all have or at least will don self-forged chains in our lives at one time or another. On that premise, we must not become enchained and paralyzed by the fears and limitations imposed on us by the world. There is an old African story that says, "If you take a baby elephant, place a chain around one of its back legs, hook the chain to a stake, and then drive that stake into the ground to restrain the baby elephant until it's big enough to fend for itself. When the caretaker removes both the stake and the chain from the elephant's back leg, the elephant will not venture out beyond the length of the chain that once restrained him. The story goes on to say that the elephant has been conditioned to accept residency in a mental prison given to him by his caretaker." We've all heard the old adage "An elephant never forgets," and this story is a prime example of how an elephant's ability to not forget can do more harm than help. Through my observation of people throughout life, the same thing happens to humans. We become conditioned to believe that we can only go a far as our chains will extend. We are conditioned to believe things like: "No one in my family ever graduated from college," "We grew up in this type of neighborhood — this is it," "I was born to fail," "I'm damaged goods," "My life is one big joke," "I'm a realist not a dream chaser. Why should I try to break free from the chains? Why should I try to pull up the stake? Why should I set myself up to fail?" I ask you, "Why not?" If failure weren't an option, would you put out more effort? If money weren't an issue, would you take more risks? Is there anyone better suited and deserving of success than you? The bestselling novelist and the unpublished writer both have the same dictionary full of words to work with. The difference is the bestselling novelist took full action while the unpublished writer went through the motions of "It was once a good thought" and chained himself to the stake. The most successful entrepreneur and the get-rich-quick visionary both have the same basic skills and resources to work with. The difference is the former is willing to work tirelessly hard to evolve through a process while the latter is looking for the next quick deal. And there is almost no visible difference between the fastest sprinter in the world and one who finishes last. They both run the race by the same rules, yet, the winner is the one committed to winning. The winner is the athlete who does what it takes to get stronger and faster. He or she trains day after day, adds a little extra effort to each workout, eats a consistently healthy diet, and visually sees themself crossing the finish line ahead of the rest. I ask you again, "Why not you?" Mahatma Gandhi said, "You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind." We all will experience different challenges and circumstances throughout life, some more demoralizing or traumatizing than others. I encourage you even in the midst of uncertainty and despair to never allow the chains of complacency or discouragement to imprison you. We must continue to lay our foundation stones, inch by inch, one after another, until the chain breaks and the stake comes up out of the ground — giving way to new birth and possibilities for our future. Malcolm X powerfully reminded us that, "Our history did not begin in chains." You have what it takes to achieve greatness in anything you desire. Within you is the potential for extraordinary accomplishment. Do not voluntarily chain yourself to the stake. If you feel like you are chained to a stake right now — pull it up, BREAK THE CHAINS, throw them away, and move forward! No one is better suited for growth and success than you. See every achievement going forward as a stepping stone to greater things. When challenges arise, and they will. Smile and say, "That's great because ________." Find a way (a positive solution) to address and 'Break the Chains!' Then continue - fearlessly and intentionally - on your life's journey. Greet your future with your eyes open, head held high, a glide in your stride, and no thoughts of regret. Continuous positive growth, good health, significant success, and the creation and living of your best life is there for you too! Remember: Sometimes you have to take action because YOU know it's the right thing to do. Because YOU choose not to succumb to limits set for you by the world. And because YOU know your life is not a dress rehearsal.   Go ahead — Break and Move Beyond the Length of the Chains!   Hello There! What do you think of this article? What will you do differently after reading the article? Please feel free to share your feedback by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author:  Ty Howard, Founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of MOTIVATION magazine Ty Howard is an organizational development consultant and executive and manager development coach. He's an internationally recognized authority on personal, professional, relationships and success habits development. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked Untie the Knots® Process, and the author of the best-selling book Untie the Knots® That Tie Up Your Life: A Practical Guide to Freeing Yourself from Toxic Habits, Choices, People, and Relationships, as well as dozens of published articles on relationships, healthy habits development, empowerment and peak performance worldwide. For information on the author click on the following link:  Ty Howard.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/break-and-move-beyond-the-length-of-the-chains From Intentions to Reality https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/from-intentions-to-reality Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Who hasn’t at some point started the year with the intention of accomplishing a goal by doing something differently than they did the year before? However, as the days turn into weeks and the weeks into months, things can happen that derail those intentions. Times become tough, people get busy, and jobs become more demanding, so the goals that have been set end up taking a back seat to life and we fall back into familiar comfort zones. Here are a few tips that you can use to increase the odds turning future intentions into reality. FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER As the title suggests this is someone you will partner with that will hold you accountable for specific things you tell them you would like to achieve. It is important that this be someone that you trust, someone that will encourage you on your journey and not be afraid to let you know when you begin to slip back into old habits. It is important that when you set your goal, you contact your accountability partner immediately and explain to them what you would like to accomplish. Stress the importance that their support will play in your success and if they are up to the task begin with a verbal agreement that suggests a timeline of completion that includes check in times. Depending on your needs and what your accountability partner is willing to do, determine whether you’ll meet once a month, once a week, or a daily phone call. These check -in times are simply pre-determined dates when your partner will check in on you to find out how you’re doing and whether or not you are remaining on task. You can meet for dinner to discuss where you are and the progress you have made or any difficulties you are having. I suggest partnering with someone else that also has a goal they are working towards and could benefit from you being their accountability partner as well. Having a team mate that will hold you accountable for goals you have set, and will increase your chances of succeeding. CREATE A SUCCESS JOURNAL Honestly tracking your progress in a journal is a necessary tool to your success and has many benefits. One benefit is that it gives you the ability to hold yourself accountable for your actions. For example, if it is your goal to exercise and eat healthier, writing down what you eat every day and what exercises you performed in the gym gives you the ability to look at what you’ve done, and if you are seeing results you know exactly what you have done, and can continue to repeat the successful process. If you aren’t seeing results, having a success journal enables you to look back at what you’ve done and make adjustments so you aren’t repeating an ineffective process. DAILY REMINDERS No matter what goal(s) you set for yourself, it is important that you remind yourself why that goal is important to you. If it’s a weight loss goal, purchase an item in the size you desire to be and leave it out where you can see it every day. Make it a routine to pick the item up before going to the gym as a reminder of where you’re headed and what you’re working towards. It’s not enough to simply create a visual reminder for yourself, you must not only see it, but physically touch it and say something to yourself that affirms what you are doing and where you are headed. If you are saving money for a trip or purchase, find pictures of the destination or item and again leave it where you can see it and make it a routine to physically touch the picture and say something to yourself that affirms what you are working towards.   Following these three simple steps will greatly improve your chances of turning intentions into reality.   Hi! Was this article helpful to you? Please feel free to share your opinion and input by commenting below. Help our readers to learn and grow more on this topic. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Ian Humphrey Ian J. Humphrey is an award winning motivational speaker. He speaks to corporations, educators, and youth about his own fears of failure and how he overcame them to become successful.   Click the following link to learn more about:  Ian Humphrey   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/from-intentions-to-reality Spring Cleaning, It's Not Just for the Garage https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/spring-cleaning-its-not-just-for-the-garage Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Aaahhhh! Spring is finally here! The green leaves are arriving, the flowers are sprouting, and the Robins are building their new nests and laying their beautiful blue eggs. However, in order for all of this to happen, Mother Nature has had to be very busy at work, doing her Spring cleaning. That’s right, if we take a look at Mother Nature we can learn a great deal from her example. For one thing, Mother Nature is not a procrastinator! She doesn’t wait until Spring has arrived to do her Spring cleaning. No indeed, she actually gets started in Autumn, when the old leaves fall off of the trees and the flowers begin to drop their seeds. She works her magic, even as the leaves are wilting away, even as the seeds are falling to the ground, and prepares the way for Spring to arrive the following year. Can you imagine Mother Nature waiting until Spring arrives to get all caught up with her "Housework"? Simply waiting and watching as the leaves drop from the trees or perhaps sitting idle, while the flowers drop their seeds back into the earth? If that were to happen, our beautiful Spring would simply become a chaotic mess. So you see, The Art of Spring Cleaning has been around for a long time, Mother Nature started this ritual eons ago. Every Spring, she teaches us that you have to let go of the things that no longer serve you. Imagine if she refused to let go of the dead leaves on the trees or the wilted flowers in the garden, what would our world look like? There would be no room for the new and wonderful bounty that the Spring Season brings. But how often do we humans follow Mother Nature's example? We have the basement or garage full of things we don’t use or need, but we refuse to let them go. We hold onto the broken down lawnmower that, some day, we may just have time to work on. It’s only been three years, but we know we’ll get to it sooner or later- right? What about the bicycle you’ve had since you were a kid? Wouldn't it be better for everyone if instead of sitting in your garage, it was donated to someone who could ride it? However, there it sits, useful to no one. Our garage and basements become so full of things that we can’t use, that there’s no room for the new things that we want and need. When we make the choice to get rid of the things we don’t need any more, it’s like the tree dropping the leaves on the forest floor. To take the analogy further, not only does the tree get rid of the old used up leaves, but this action actually opens up room for the new! There is also an added bonus, the old leaves get recycled! Those leaves are now used to help the young plants grow and the ground foliage to become more abundant! How many people could benefit from ridding themselves of their old stuff that isn’t serving them anymore? We can even take this one step further; for instance do you know anyone that is holding on to old emotional baggage and leaving no room for growth in their inner personal life? How can we move on and grow, if we are holding on to all that stuff from the past? The past isn’t there anymore, so neither should be the baggage! We have to learn to let go of all those old issues, grudges, antiquated ideas, etc. that no longer serves us. I am now inviting you to create a list of all of the projects you have started. Next go through this list of projects and ask yourself, am I really going to do that? If not, then take it off the list. As long as you leave it on the list, it’s just one more thing that you feel like you haven’t completed. On a subconscious level it tells us that we really don’t have the time to do all the other, more important things that we really want to do or that would serve us much better. There is nothing wrong with de-committing from something that we know isn’t going to get done. It actually will serve us much better, because it will free up all that time for us. Instead of wasting a half-hearted hour working on a project that you don’t want to do anymore, go ahead and put a full-hearted hour into something that you really want to do, something that you are passionate about, and that doesn’t feel like a chore. You can only have growth where there is room for it, both inside and out. This is the lesson we can certainly learn from Mother Nature. Go ahead, enjoy your Spring cleaning, and next year maybe get started a little earlier. Take Mother Nature's advice—Let it go and watch how you grow!   Hi! After reading this article, where are you now going to do some Spring Cleaning? Kindly share one or two things you are planning to clean up by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Chris Livingston Chris Livingston has become known as America’s Maximum Thinking™ Coach. He’s the author of the book Pathways to Success: A Better Way for Your Today. His "can–do" attitude and effective ability to teach interpersonal skills that bring forth rewarding real-life results, has made him a valuable "go-to" consultant and mentor for those facing challenges in business, career and life. With over 20 years as a successful entrepreneur, Chris has helped many businesses to shift and change their company’s mindset to achieve greater success in sales, team efficiency, strategic business development, and in making excellence "The Standard." He believes in and embraces the philosophy of Dr. Wayne Dyer, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." For information on the author, click on the following link:  Chris Livingston.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/spring-cleaning-its-not-just-for-the-garage The Keys to Discovering Your Intent https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/the-keys-to-discovering-your-intent Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli wrote, “I've brought myself by long meditation to the conviction that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it.” Every human being has a settled purpose or intent. Everyone showed up with something they were supposed to accomplish. The problem is, very few people spend any time exploring that intent. Therefore, few missions get accomplished and few people live intentionally. Below are the keys to discovering your intent.   Key 1 – You showed up knowing your intent. Poet Rumi wrote, "There is one thing in the world that should not be forgotten. You may forget everything else except that one thing without there being any cause for concern. If you remember everything else but forget that one thing, you will have accomplished nothing. It would be as if a king sent you into a village on a specific mission. If you went and performed a hundred other tasks but neglected to accomplish the task for which you were sent, it would be as though you had done nothing." Now assuming you understand and accept the fact that a being of infinite wisdom sent you into this life, the question remains, "Why would that being send you on a mission and not tell you what was to be done?" When I was a little boy my mother often sent me to do the grocery shopping. Not once did she say, "Here’s some money, you figure out what I want when you get there." You showed up in this life knowing your intent but you may not be aware that you know it. You need to increase your awareness.   Key 2 – Increase your awareness of your intent. Here are a few exercises that will help you become more aware of your intent. Exercise 1: Do a historical review of your life. Who made the greatest impression on you? What event made a great impact on your life? Remembering those defining moments give us a clue about our intent. Exercise 2: Write a list of 10 things you love doing. What activities bring you great joy? That’s a clue for you. Many people try to make a living and pursue their destiny doing something they truly hate doing. If they don’t hate it, they have very little interest in it. If you have little interest in a particular activity, then it’s probably not your intent. If you don’t love what you do for a living, you’ll get beat every day by others doing the same thing because they love doing it. Exercise 3: What do you like to read? What do you watch on television? What do you do when you go on vacation? Review your answers and say, “Looking at these answers, it’s clear to me that my intent is _________!” You fill in the blank. It’s just that simple.   Key 3 – Don’t worry about being wrong when you decide. I can hear you thinking but what if I choose the wrong intent? Surveys indicate that more than 70% of all the decisions we make are wrong. The point of decision-making is not to always be right but to close the gap on the right decisions. Every time you make a decision and it’s incorrect, you learn something. Brian Tracey said, “Those who have accomplished the most in our society have made decisions quickly and changed those decisions slowly.” Even if you choose poorly, you get an opportunity to choose again. Take some time and determine if your decision is a good one. You showed up with intent! Get busy pursuing it!   Hi! When was the last time you showed up with positive intent? What was the outcome? Kindly share your short story and outcome with our MOTIVATION Readers by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author: Art Jackson Art Jackson is a professional speaker, executive coach and the President of Eagles Nest Performance Management, Inc. He is a recognized expert in the areas of leadership, performance improvement and interpersonal skills. Art is the originator of the Purpose Centered Leadership(TM) system that has been used to improve performance in many facets of public and private life.   Click on the following link to learn more about:  Art Jackson   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/the-keys-to-discovering-your-intent How to Develop and Maintain a 'Green & Growing' Attitude https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/how-to-develop-and-maintain-a-green-and-growing-attitude Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   A lot of people talk about having a positive mental attitude. The phrase has almost become cliché. It is true that having a positive attitude is one of the keys to success, but how do you maintain this type of thinking? Are there specific techniques that can be learned to help keep your attitude ‘Green & Growing’? Many people desire to have a happier, more fulfilling life. The self-help industry continues to be profitable as more and more people seek ways to better their lives. Having a ‘Green & Growing’ positive attitude is not just about being cheery all the time. While there is certainly nothing wrong with being cheery, making it a habit can be a challenge. Some of the best techniques for planting and cultivating a 'Green & Growing' positive attitude on a consistent basis, include: meditation, affirmation, and visualization. Meditation Take some time daily to go apart from the noise of the world. There are different methods for meditating. A simple technique is to find a comfortable place where you will not be disturbed. Close your eyes, and take a few slow deep breaths. You can choose to not think of anything or you can focus on one central thought. It is good to mediate for thirty minutes in the morning and another thirty minutes in the evening. It may be difficult at first to still your thoughts, but after a while, you will learn how control them. Affirmations Affirmations are like prayers. They are positive and personal. An affirmation can be as simple at saying to yourself a statement such as “I am confident.” The more you continue to say affirmations, and believe with feeling what you are saying is true, the more your mind will adjust your life circumstances to make the affirmations your reality. Visualization The imagination is a powerful force. It has been called “the scissors of the mind” for its ability to form and shape the thoughts of the mind into real things and circumstances. Creative visualization is intentionally using your imagination to help create the positive circumstances of your life. You can use visualization to plan out your day or rehearse an upcoming event in your mind.   Using all of these techniques together is like continuously planting seeds in the garden of your mind. Practicing them and making them a habit is like supplying the seeds with a necessary nutrients and water to help them grow. Avoiding negative thoughts and people is like keeping weeds from taking root in your garden and strangling your growing seeds. The more you practice these positive techniques, they will help you develop and maintain a ‘Green and Growing’ positive attitude.   Hi! What is one method you use to develop and sustain a 'Green & Growing' attitude? Kindly share your strategy with our MOTIVATION readers by commenting below. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author:  Ty Howard, Founder, CEO, and Editor in Chief of MOTIVATION magazine Ty Howard is an internationally recognized authority on personal, professional, relationship and habits development. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked Untie the Knots® Process, and the author of the best-selling book Untie the Knots® That Tie Up Your Life: A Practical Guide to Freeing Yourself from Toxic Habits, Choices, People, and Relationships, as well as dozens of published articles on relationships, healthy habits development, empowerment and peak performance worldwide.   For information on the author, click on the following link:  Ty Howard.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/how-to-develop-and-maintain-a-green-and-growing-attitude The Benefits of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/the-benefits-of-intrinsic-and-extrinsic-motivation Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved. "Of course motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis." ~ Zig Ziglar   To understand the benefits of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, the definition of these terms must be first revealed. Intrinsic motivation is behavior stimulated by what comes from within an individual. For example, a person may play a sport because they enjoy playing the sport, and they like the feeling it gives them. Extrinsic motivation on the other hand, is when we are motivated to perform because of some type of reward or to avoid being punished. In the sports example, a person may play the sport only to attract the opposite sex. That is extrinsic motivation. There have been many studies to determine which type of motivation is best. While there are obvious benefits of both individually, used together in the correct proportion, they can produce amazing results.   Some benefits of intrinsic motivation I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' ~ Muhammad Ali The question isn't who's going to let me; it's who is going to stop me. ~ Ayn Rand   People who are intrinsically motivated to participate in events will typically get the best results from being involved. For instance, students who enjoy the subject of math usually do not have to be prodded to get involved with their class work. Learning about math fascinates them, and they are compelled internally to excel. Participation in the subject is rewarding internally to these students. Intrinsically motivated people have shown traits of increased self-advocacy, goal achievement, and positive self-esteem.   Some benefits of extrinsic motivation No one has ever become poor by giving. ~ Anne Frank Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people. ~ Lee Iacocca   While there are plenty of documented benefits of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation has its advantages as well. Rewarding people for performance is a very old and generally dependable form of motivation. Financial gain is one of the greatest motivators ever created! Employers routinely give out performance bonuses for a certain level of job performance. Teachers often reward students for completed extra credit assignments. Sometimes it takes these types of external motivators to achieve desired results or the people simply may not perform if they are not interested.   The benefits of combining both types of motivation My sister Venus Williams is the greatest, and anyone who is about to quit should get motivation from her. ~ Serena Williams Motivation is the fuel, necessary to keep the human engine running. ~ Zig Ziglar   There are very effective ways to achieve desired results by combining intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Identifying the source of a person's motivation is a great interpersonal skill for you to develop, and a great starting point as well. Those who are in positions to influence others can help add value to the people they are leading by learning what their primary motivations are and how to satisfy them. In the case of students, something as simple as complimenting them with "A job well done!" for good quality work is like an added bonus that can boost their self-esteem. Employers who offer "Employee of the Month" bonuses also use these types of programs to reward those who have consistent outstanding performance. Usually those employees are already enthusiastic about their job and are intrinsically motivated because they enjoy what they do. As you have read, extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation are both important to driving and influencing behavior. In order to get the highest benefits from both, we have to understand the key differences between the two, including, the overall impact each can have our mental health, performance, and daily quality of living.   Happy Greetings! How have you benefited from intrinsic and extrinsic motivation? Please feel free to share your contribution by commenting below. Help our readers to learn and grow more on this topic. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author:  Ty Howard, Founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of MOTIVATION magazine Ty Howard is an organizational development consultant and executive and manager development coach. He's an internationally recognized authority on personal, professional, relationships and success habits development. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked Untie the Knots® Process, and the author of the best-selling book Untie the Knots® That Tie Up Your Life: A Practical Guide to Freeing Yourself from Toxic Habits, Choices, People, and Relationships, as well as dozens of published articles on relationships, healthy habits development, empowerment and peak performance worldwide.   For information on the author click on the following link:  Ty Howard.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/the-benefits-of-intrinsic-and-extrinsic-motivation Five Ways to Inspire Your Day for Better Outcomes and Results https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/five-ways-to-inspire-your-day-for-better-outcomes-and-results Copyright © by MOTIVATION magazine.   All rights reserved.   In this busy, anxiety-filled world with the COVID-19 outbreak, it is becoming more difficult for many people to sustain a positive mindset and make the day inspiring and productive. Desired outcomes and results produced through inspiration and intentional living help us build our physical and mental health and stability. Jim Rohn says, "Either you run the day, or the day runs you." This quote summarizes how important it is to control and live out each day to the best of one's ability, no matter what. Even during the pandemic, current civil unrest, and uncertainty, there are endless opportunities for creating inspired and productive days, as well as there are endless opportunities to dwell in misery or a sense of hopelessness. Which will you choose? Here are five practical and uplifting ways to inspire your day for better outcomes and results. 1. Ask Uplifting questions to yourself 2. Take small steps towards your goals each day 3. Find or change your WHY and take the necessary actions to capture it 4. Gather up and listen to other positive people 5. Do not seek attention; pay it   1. Ask Uplifting questions to yourself Start your day by asking questions – Who am I? Where do I have to be? What important tasks do I have to finish by the end of the day? What three skills are essential for me to practice today? What will make and keep me happy today? If you start your day off by asking and answering questions, it will become easier for you to experience days filled with desired inspiration and productivity. 2. Take small steps towards your goals each day Your goal might be huge to achieve, or you may have more than one. So, divide your goals into smaller achievable parts. Take small productive steps towards your aim; a single small effort can make a big difference. Take out a sheet of paper with a pen, write down and list your goals for the week, and work with focus to accomplish them one by one. If you do not complete a goal within the week, curry it over into the next week until you achieve and check it off your list. 3. Find or change your WHY and take the necessary actions to capture it Sometimes, when stressed out or filled with anxiety, we tend to embrace frustration/doubt over inspiration. If you find yourself at this point on any given day, promptly go to or change your WHY. Your WHY is the significant or meaningful goal or purpose you have guiding your life. This intentional effort should re-connect you to the understanding of what’s important for you. If in doubt or fear, change your WHY into fearless confidence. Then take the necessary steps of action to get inspired and productive again. 4. Gather up and listen to other positive people It is to say that positive people have constructive advice and influence for you that can inspire and change your day for the better. They are often uplifting and willing to help you to learn and grow. Whenever you get a chance to connect with a positive person in your network or family, always listen to their advice and try to learn something new that will enrich your day. A small seed of positive advice can be the boost of inspiration you needed to move you beyond a short-lived state of doubt, misery, or hopelessness. 5. Do not seek attention; pay it Have you ever noticed that people always visit those who pay focused attention? They move slowly in going to see those who seek attention. Be the one who pays attention and listens to others' problems, ideas, and discussions with care. Make it your success habit to stay quiet when someone is having a heartfelt conversation with you about the troubles or a stressful situation. Appreciate others for who they are and refrain from judgment even if you feel their route of thinking wrong. Listen with your complete attention and give your suggestions with support and care. Your pay it forward tank of inspiration and positive outcomes and results in life increase daily each time you attentively and genuinely help others.   There you have it, five practical and uplifting ways to inspire your day for better outcomes and results.   Happy Greetings! What is one strategy you use to inspire your day for better outcomes and results? Please feel free to share your strategy by commenting below. Help our readers to learn and grow more on this topic. Thank you in advance for sharing. About the Author:  Ty Howard, Founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of MOTIVATION magazine Ty Howard is an organizational development consultant and executive and manager development coach. He's an internationally recognized authority on personal, professional, relationships and success habits development. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked Untie the Knots® Process, and the author of the best-selling book Untie the Knots® That Tie Up Your Life: A Practical Guide to Freeing Yourself from Toxic Habits, Choices, People, and Relationships, as well as dozens of published articles on relationships, healthy habits development, empowerment and peak performance worldwide.   For information on the author, click on the following link:  Ty Howard.   https://www.motivationmagazine.com/articles/five-ways-to-inspire-your-day-for-better-outcomes-and-results