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#11. Embark on a "passion walk."
Go outside into the fresh air- the physical movement is important- and think about whatever goal is important at the moment. Walk briskly as you start vividly imagining what it would be like to accomplish that dream. It is much easier to "act" your way into feeling motivated- to pretend that you are- than to actually get yourself to act. Imagine first, and let the passion that it inspires stimulate you into doing the required task.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Procrastination......
Is procrastination one of the seven deadly sins? If not, it should be. We are all guilty of dragging our feet on occasion, well I know I am. It seems like the human thing to do, right?
I attended a very interesting and informative teleconference today. One of the topics of discussion was procrastination. I want to share the information I learned with you because I feel it is highly valuable and I think we could all benefit from it.
To start the discussion my mentor started by addressing the 4 causes of procrastination:
1.) fear
2.) the "should do"
3.) no strategy
4.) higher priorities
Lets just start with #1. FEAR. The fear of failure, the fear of embarrassment, the fear of ......well you name it. There are so many fears out there that actually cause people to not take action. Think of a middle school kid procrastinating on a presentation assignment, perhaps the procrastination is not due so much to the intelligence of the child but more so the fear of doing the presentation in front of the class.
#2. The "SHOULD DO IT" mentality is a very uninspiring feeling. When you feel like you should do something opposed to wanting to, love to, excited to, etc... things just feel like a drag. Nobody likes to feel like they are having their arm twisted into doing something and sometimes the things we "should do" feel just this way. The uninspiring feeling of "I should do this" leads to procrastination.
#3. Having NO STRATEGY is where I find myself on occasion. Lets say I/you have a mental list of 5 or 6 things I/you need to do by the end of the day. I/You know I need to get them all done and I have plenty of time to do them, but I don't get a strategy together and I don't write it on paper. I spend a third of the day trying to remember the 5 or 6 things on my mental list and another third of the day I spend trying to make sure my least favorite thing is at the end of my list, so I potentially don't have to do it, and the last third of the day is used for actually getting a few things on the mental list done. I have actually came up with a strategy system that works very well when implemented. Instead of a mental list, I get a piece of paper and a pen and write a hard copy list. I then prioritize by level of importance and flow of accomplishment. For instance, if I have to do laundry, mop the floor, do dishes, go to the grocery store, and get gas, I will start the laundry and let it wash while I do the dishes, then mop the floor. Then I put the laundry in the dryer, run to the gas station, and stop at the grocery last (so the ice cream doesn't melt). When I get home and have the groceries put away I will fold the laundry and put it away. Having a well thought out strategy always works better for me. Having a hard copy list is a must for more than one reason, first I can't trust myself to remember everything that needs to be done and second it feels good to cross of each task as it gets accomplished.
#4. Having HIGHER PRIORITIES is the last common cause of procrastination. When something ranks low on your priority list it is easy to push it aside. We have all fallen into the rut of having something better to do. The thing is if we just take a few moments and get that nagging task out of the way it would free up so much more mental energy and make us more productive in the long run.
Along with giving the 4 common causes of procrastination my mentor also went over 3 steps to putting an end to procrastination all together. They are as follows:
1.) get into action
2.) set consequences for yourself
3.) have an accountability partner
The simple act of getting into action is the most fundamental. If there is something you need to do, just do it! There will be times when I don't feel like doing the dishes, but they need to be done. After I start doing them the momentum starts going and by the time I leave the kitchen the counters and table are cleaned too. The act of just starting the process is the hard part, once you start finishing is easy.
Setting consequences for myself is new to me, but I feel it has potential. The example he used was a student of his that kept saying she wanted to start a business cleaning and organizing people's garages. She had been thinking about this business idea for approximately 3 years, but never acted on it. He asked her if she thought it was possible to find one friend, family member, or neighbor within 2 weeks time that would let her organize their garage. She said "yeah". Then he asked her teenage daughter if she would be willing to accept $200 from her mother if within 2 weeks she had not accomplished this one task, of course the daughter said "yes". The next time they spoke his student had accomplished her goal and had more garage organizing jobs lined up. It was the painful consequence that motivated her to move forward with her business idea.
Having an accountability partner sounds like a great idea. He explains an accountability partner as somebody who will hold you accountable for the things you say you are going to do by the time you say you will have them done. This does not need to be someone you know intimently and will usually work better if it's not a spouse. He says in the 7 day live events that he holds people get paired up with accountability partners. The requirements for a good accountability partner are to find someone consistent and interested in personal development. They also have to have the ability to dish out some "tough love", which means they will not except your excuses when you slack off. And of course the 2 of you have to have good chemistry, you have to at least like each other to help each other especially since you will be talking to this person everyday. He says to set a time of day (typically in the morning) where you meet on the phone for a few minutes , discuss the prior days goals and how you reached them, then discuss your goals for the day ahead. Your partner writes your goals down and you write their goals down and the next day you make sure each other accomplished the list. And so on.
I think the accountability partnership is a great idea. I want to get set up with somebody who can/will hold me accountable for my daily goals. I think it would make my days and weeks more productive. If anybody is interested let me know either by posting it in the comments section for this thread or by sending me an email (tonya.therightdirection@gmail.com). If I get a lot of people interested I can probably pair people up with partners in the same time zone so the phone calling doesn't present a problem.
Now that we all know and understand the 4 common causes of procrastination and the 3 steps to putting an end to procrastination we should all become much more productive.
I attended a very interesting and informative teleconference today. One of the topics of discussion was procrastination. I want to share the information I learned with you because I feel it is highly valuable and I think we could all benefit from it.
To start the discussion my mentor started by addressing the 4 causes of procrastination:
1.) fear
2.) the "should do"
3.) no strategy
4.) higher priorities
Lets just start with #1. FEAR. The fear of failure, the fear of embarrassment, the fear of ......well you name it. There are so many fears out there that actually cause people to not take action. Think of a middle school kid procrastinating on a presentation assignment, perhaps the procrastination is not due so much to the intelligence of the child but more so the fear of doing the presentation in front of the class.
#2. The "SHOULD DO IT" mentality is a very uninspiring feeling. When you feel like you should do something opposed to wanting to, love to, excited to, etc... things just feel like a drag. Nobody likes to feel like they are having their arm twisted into doing something and sometimes the things we "should do" feel just this way. The uninspiring feeling of "I should do this" leads to procrastination.
#3. Having NO STRATEGY is where I find myself on occasion. Lets say I/you have a mental list of 5 or 6 things I/you need to do by the end of the day. I/You know I need to get them all done and I have plenty of time to do them, but I don't get a strategy together and I don't write it on paper. I spend a third of the day trying to remember the 5 or 6 things on my mental list and another third of the day I spend trying to make sure my least favorite thing is at the end of my list, so I potentially don't have to do it, and the last third of the day is used for actually getting a few things on the mental list done. I have actually came up with a strategy system that works very well when implemented. Instead of a mental list, I get a piece of paper and a pen and write a hard copy list. I then prioritize by level of importance and flow of accomplishment. For instance, if I have to do laundry, mop the floor, do dishes, go to the grocery store, and get gas, I will start the laundry and let it wash while I do the dishes, then mop the floor. Then I put the laundry in the dryer, run to the gas station, and stop at the grocery last (so the ice cream doesn't melt). When I get home and have the groceries put away I will fold the laundry and put it away. Having a well thought out strategy always works better for me. Having a hard copy list is a must for more than one reason, first I can't trust myself to remember everything that needs to be done and second it feels good to cross of each task as it gets accomplished.
#4. Having HIGHER PRIORITIES is the last common cause of procrastination. When something ranks low on your priority list it is easy to push it aside. We have all fallen into the rut of having something better to do. The thing is if we just take a few moments and get that nagging task out of the way it would free up so much more mental energy and make us more productive in the long run.
Along with giving the 4 common causes of procrastination my mentor also went over 3 steps to putting an end to procrastination all together. They are as follows:
1.) get into action
2.) set consequences for yourself
3.) have an accountability partner
The simple act of getting into action is the most fundamental. If there is something you need to do, just do it! There will be times when I don't feel like doing the dishes, but they need to be done. After I start doing them the momentum starts going and by the time I leave the kitchen the counters and table are cleaned too. The act of just starting the process is the hard part, once you start finishing is easy.
Setting consequences for myself is new to me, but I feel it has potential. The example he used was a student of his that kept saying she wanted to start a business cleaning and organizing people's garages. She had been thinking about this business idea for approximately 3 years, but never acted on it. He asked her if she thought it was possible to find one friend, family member, or neighbor within 2 weeks time that would let her organize their garage. She said "yeah". Then he asked her teenage daughter if she would be willing to accept $200 from her mother if within 2 weeks she had not accomplished this one task, of course the daughter said "yes". The next time they spoke his student had accomplished her goal and had more garage organizing jobs lined up. It was the painful consequence that motivated her to move forward with her business idea.
Having an accountability partner sounds like a great idea. He explains an accountability partner as somebody who will hold you accountable for the things you say you are going to do by the time you say you will have them done. This does not need to be someone you know intimently and will usually work better if it's not a spouse. He says in the 7 day live events that he holds people get paired up with accountability partners. The requirements for a good accountability partner are to find someone consistent and interested in personal development. They also have to have the ability to dish out some "tough love", which means they will not except your excuses when you slack off. And of course the 2 of you have to have good chemistry, you have to at least like each other to help each other especially since you will be talking to this person everyday. He says to set a time of day (typically in the morning) where you meet on the phone for a few minutes , discuss the prior days goals and how you reached them, then discuss your goals for the day ahead. Your partner writes your goals down and you write their goals down and the next day you make sure each other accomplished the list. And so on.
I think the accountability partnership is a great idea. I want to get set up with somebody who can/will hold me accountable for my daily goals. I think it would make my days and weeks more productive. If anybody is interested let me know either by posting it in the comments section for this thread or by sending me an email (tonya.therightdirection@gmail.com). If I get a lot of people interested I can probably pair people up with partners in the same time zone so the phone calling doesn't present a problem.
Now that we all know and understand the 4 common causes of procrastination and the 3 steps to putting an end to procrastination we should all become much more productive.
Andrea's Tip of the Day
#10. Ensure that your innermost beliefs support, enhance, and further your goals.
What do you believe about yourself and your chances of reaching your goals? Do you believe that you can reach them? Will it be easy or hard? Can you do it alone, or will you need help? Will reaching your goal help you or not? Beliefs are a key part of your ability to reach your goals. Pause now, and re-affirm your belief in yourself. Take that sense of security and confidence and start again. This will enable you to successfully acomplish any job you set before yourself.
What do you believe about yourself and your chances of reaching your goals? Do you believe that you can reach them? Will it be easy or hard? Can you do it alone, or will you need help? Will reaching your goal help you or not? Beliefs are a key part of your ability to reach your goals. Pause now, and re-affirm your belief in yourself. Take that sense of security and confidence and start again. This will enable you to successfully acomplish any job you set before yourself.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Andrea's Tip of the Day
#9. Attach positive values to each of your tasks.
If you have to clean up the kitchen, realize that the accomplishment of the project will make you feel good about where you live. If you have to write a business proposal, associate it with making more money and gaining financial security. If you have to call a friend to dicuss an uncomfortable situation, think of the call as a means of gaining courage, reducing stress, and building greater trust.
If you have to clean up the kitchen, realize that the accomplishment of the project will make you feel good about where you live. If you have to write a business proposal, associate it with making more money and gaining financial security. If you have to call a friend to dicuss an uncomfortable situation, think of the call as a means of gaining courage, reducing stress, and building greater trust.
What is Your "Consuming" Thought?
We've all heard the saying "What we think about we bring about". So what is it that you've been thinking about? In your spare time are you thinking about where you want to be in five years or are you consumed with thoughts of what you don't want?
I caught myself wasting mental energy on disempowering thoughts today. I was steam cleaning the living room carpet, the machine was so loud that the only thing I could hear were my thoughts. I caught myself thinking about something that had annoyed me in the past and was totally irrelevant to today and tomorrow. I'm not even sure how long I was thinking before I realized what I was doing. When I finally did realize what I was doing I asked myself "What are you even thinking about that for? It's a waste and it doesn't even effect your life anymore". Then I went into our bedroom and looked at our vision board for a moment, which redirected my mental energy to the positive, and then I finished with the steam cleaning.
My point is anyone and everyone can and will occasionally get tangled up with a disempowering thought, the trick is to not let it consume you. When you can address it quickly and refocus your energy to the positive you will be happier. Using our vision board was the quickest and easiest way to get a new image in my mind. Looking at a picture of something you want or something that brings joy to your life stimulates your mind both visually and emotionally. This dual stimulation makes these thoughts easier to hold on to.
The next time you catch yourself thinking about something or someone that is annoying or dreadful take a moment to redirect your thinking to something happy and joyous. Remember, "What we thing about we bring about".
I caught myself wasting mental energy on disempowering thoughts today. I was steam cleaning the living room carpet, the machine was so loud that the only thing I could hear were my thoughts. I caught myself thinking about something that had annoyed me in the past and was totally irrelevant to today and tomorrow. I'm not even sure how long I was thinking before I realized what I was doing. When I finally did realize what I was doing I asked myself "What are you even thinking about that for? It's a waste and it doesn't even effect your life anymore". Then I went into our bedroom and looked at our vision board for a moment, which redirected my mental energy to the positive, and then I finished with the steam cleaning.
My point is anyone and everyone can and will occasionally get tangled up with a disempowering thought, the trick is to not let it consume you. When you can address it quickly and refocus your energy to the positive you will be happier. Using our vision board was the quickest and easiest way to get a new image in my mind. Looking at a picture of something you want or something that brings joy to your life stimulates your mind both visually and emotionally. This dual stimulation makes these thoughts easier to hold on to.
The next time you catch yourself thinking about something or someone that is annoying or dreadful take a moment to redirect your thinking to something happy and joyous. Remember, "What we thing about we bring about".
Andrea's Tip of the Day
#8. Set goals that move and inspire.
There are no unmotivated people, only unchallenging goals. Make your goals believable and exciting-
and make sure that they challenge without discouraging you. Set goals for health and vitality, and for improving relationships and character. Lackluster goals will remain on the shelf like a bad book. But powerful goals will ignite your hottest fires so that you get them done.... NOW!!
*****EMOTION = MOTION = RESULTS*****
There are no unmotivated people, only unchallenging goals. Make your goals believable and exciting-
and make sure that they challenge without discouraging you. Set goals for health and vitality, and for improving relationships and character. Lackluster goals will remain on the shelf like a bad book. But powerful goals will ignite your hottest fires so that you get them done.... NOW!!
*****EMOTION = MOTION = RESULTS*****
Friday, October 31, 2008
Andrea's Tip of the Day
#7. Become an animal.
Choose a particular animal whose stereotypical temperment would help you in succeeding at you task. Consider an eagle, lion, monkey, jaguar, dolphin, shark, panther, bear, dinosaur, kangaroo, or a squirrel. Make some kind of corresponding noise, wear a hat or some kind of clothing that reminds you of your chosen creature, or adopt its posture.Make it fun. Then take on your animal's temperment and start the project that is before you.
Choose a particular animal whose stereotypical temperment would help you in succeeding at you task. Consider an eagle, lion, monkey, jaguar, dolphin, shark, panther, bear, dinosaur, kangaroo, or a squirrel. Make some kind of corresponding noise, wear a hat or some kind of clothing that reminds you of your chosen creature, or adopt its posture.Make it fun. Then take on your animal's temperment and start the project that is before you.
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