Separating Failure From Success

What makes someone successful?

Many things help, there's no question. Seeing what other people don't. Being lucky. Having the courage to try things even when they're risky. Money. Connections. Specialised training and all the right certifications.

If you have all of these, you'll probably succeed. Then again, you might not. And if you have none of them? Well, you might just succeed anyway.

How do people do it? How does one person rise above the crowd? Is it really a matter of chance or some mysterious, undefinable X-factor?

Einstein didn't think so. He had a very clear idea on what allowed him to crack some of the greatest physics puzzles in history. And it certainly wasn't his intelligence.

It's resilience - the ability to stick with a problem. If you keep trying after everyone else gives up, you'll find the solution eventually. And when you do, people will call you a genius.

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." - Albert Einstein

I'm not saying anything new here. You already know the value of endurance. The athlete who can keep pushing a second longer will win the gold. A businessperson who can tolerate uncertainty a day longer will achieve miracles.

It's only failure when you quit. Everything else is a lesson.

How do you improve your resilience? You keep your body healthy, for a start. Light exercise and eating the right foods will fuel you and stave off illness. But your body is only half the picture. Resilience is as much a mental game.

Meditation is a great way to strengthen your mind. Metta meditation, also known as loving-kindness meditation, is so effective that just ten minutes a day can slash your stress levels. This is why everyone from soldiers to students to healthcare professionals turn to meditation. Many people from these high stress groups swear by it to keep themselves functioning.

For people who struggle with meditation, self-hypnosis is another option. It achieves a similar mental state to meditation, only some people find it easier and more effective. I recommend it - it's done wonders for my health. A paper published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice showed that it reduces stress hormones in the body in just a few weeks.

How do athletes stay focused, even under pressure? Sports psychologists like to encourage visualisations to improve performance, stop stress and even heal from injury.

Even just simple things, like staying optimistic and socialising improve everything from your mood to your immune system and healing rate. And they decrease your risk of getting sick or injured in the first place.

Want to learn how to use these techniques? The March edition of Awakened Thought focuses on resilience. This is just a taste of the techniques you can start today that will improve your resilience. You'll be happier and healthier if you do.

As a side effect, you'll succeed the way Einstein did - by sticking with his problems longer.

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Top Ten Ways to Find SYNERGY in Your Life

Have you ever experienced the difference between life flowing, everything lending itself to more, and life stuck in the mud with every move being a chore? Having synergy in your life is that great energy when all the pieces come together, compliment each other and the next steps happen easily and effortlessly. Here are a few basic points to get your life flowing...

1. Plug in. Identify what gives you ENERGY in your life. Make a list of at least 5 things that give you energy. What do you love to do? To what do you find yourself naturally attracted? Know what these are, because they are your fuel and keep you charged.

2. Clean house. What is the clutter that is slowing you down? What are you tolerating? What are the cobwebs and dust that cloud your understanding of life? Make a list of everything you can think of and then challenge yourself to make it a priority to take care of the items, one at a time. You will notice taking time to handle what you were putting off will actually give you more energy and space to do the things that are really important in life.

3. Be authentic. Get in-line with your HEART & SOUL; the part that authentically represents you. Who you are. What you stand for. Your purpose for being on earth. The gifts you have to share. List these key passions (characteristics, traits, natural God-given gifts/talents that you want to share with the world).

4. Live your values. What is important to you about life? What is important to you about living? These are the things that if you honor them in your life, everything is good. If you are not honoring them, you may get out of rhythm, anxious, frustrated, upset, etc. What are your true values? Start with listing your values and then select the top ten, and then from those, the top four. Are you living a life that supports your top four values?

5. See the vision. Establish your personal VISION. Where do you hope to be in 5 years? What do you hope is read in your obituary? You have one life to live. What are you going to do with it?

6. Plan a direction. How are you going to get there? What do you need to do to make that vision a reality? List and prioritize the main steps and then break each major point into clear baby steps.

7. Aim precisely. With your direction in mind, define your FOCUS for accomplishing the first major step. Visualize your target. See the process and evaluate the baby steps to make sure they are measurable. Put in a timeline to help hold yourself accountable and to stay on track.

8. Cultivate change. Evaluate your current position. Assess what is working? What changes and shifts would serve you better? Identify any obstacles or things that may be distracting you from your vision/focus. Make a plan for how you will address the distractions. Make sure your environment supports your plan.

9. Make it happen. Do something. Commit to the plan and take action. Tell others about it. Be held accountable. Every day take a step toward the goal. Stop and measure weekly.

10. Affirm daily. Make habits that reinforce the ideas and habits you want to cultivate in your life. Whatever you need to be most reminded of and encouraged to focus on, write it and post it where you will see it. (Tape the statement to your mirror, on the dash of your car, etc.) Make a routine to read these so they become part of your subconscious memory. Feel the success and joy of each step and celebrate them as your forge toward your dreams and goals!

BE ENCOURAGED, INSPIRED & EQUIPPED AS YOU REFLECT, ASSESS & DESIGN YOUR WORK & LEADERSHIP!

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7 Steps to Self-Fulfillment

Personal Success, Happy life, Personal Growth, Personal Success 

In a busy world, it is very easy to feel as if you are unhappy or in need of self-fulfilment. Maybe you feel as if you do not have enough money, or your relationships are not where you want them to be. You may easily catch yourself wondering, “I just had this or that, I would be happy”.

The truth is, self-fulfilment cannot always come from material things.

Fulfilment is a mindset, and happiness is found when you can reflect and find contentment.

Here are 7 steps that you can take to feel more fulfilled and happy right now.

1. Surround Yourself with Positivity

A great deal of your happiness can be affected by your environment.

If you notice that you spend much of your time with people who have a negative impact on your mood or attitude, it may be time to branch out and connect with people who make you smile and push you toward positivity.

2. Visualize Success

Give yourself goals to reach, whether in your personal or professional life. Maybe you want to lose weight, go back to school for a higher degree, or drink more water.

Whatever you ware wanting to accomplish, you are most likely to be successful if you set tangible goals.

After you have set these goals, implement a plan to achieve them step by step, and spend time visualizing what it will take to be successful. Developing a clear vision for your goals makes them more realistic and tangible.

A great tool to help visualize your future and focus on your goals is a vision board.

3. Celebrate Your Accomplishments

When you achieve success and reach your goals, it is incredibly important to celebrate those wins and reward yourself in some way. Give yourself recognition for a job well done.

This can be done by going out with friends for the night, buying that one thing you have been holding off on, spending a day treating yourself or simply doing anything to celebrate that y

4. Take Charge

It is often too easy to put others in charge of your own happiness, such as a spouse or friend.

The truth is that you are completely responsible for your own happiness and fulfilment.

Instead of blaming other people or things for your lack of happiness, take the matter into your own hands and find ways to be fulfilled no matter what comes your way or how others treat you.

Being in charge of your own destiny and self can seem challenging, but is extremely rewarding.

5. Help Others

A great way to feel fulfilled is to share what you have with others. This can include time, money, or skills.

If you are using these resources to benefit others, you are sure to not only help them out, but you will add to your own happiness.

6. Take Care of Yourself

Even though it is great to help others, it is vital that you do not overlook your own needs. Give yourself rest when you need it. Lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

If you are taking care of yourself, you will be much more able to influence others around you and will feel happier overall.

7. Find the Good

While it may seem as if there is little to cherish in your life at times, you must look within and acknowledge the things that are going right. Find the situations and people in your life for which you are grateful, and focus on these.

Focusing on the positives will not only help you to feel a greater sense of fulfilment but will also allow you to identify the areas in your life where changes could be made.

Self-fulfilment does not happen in one day, it takes time and a conscious effort, but if you follow these steps and take action to change your daily rituals, you can become more fulfilled with the simplicities of your life.

Finding happiness in yourself will reflect on everything you do, I’d like to hear what brings fulfilment to your life. Comment below and I will be sure to follow up with you. 

• Develop the powerful habit of using daily affirmations to help achieve your goals and dreams.
• Stay positive and more optimistic during inevitable setbacks, difficulties, and adversities.
• Keep your mind off of negative thoughts and what you don’t want in your life.
• Assert control over your thoughts, feelings, mind, and actions in every dimension of your life.

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