Action Archives - Page 107 of 121

Why It Is So Hard To Change

Posted on November 6, 2020

Common phrases like, “I keep trying”, “I can’t lose weight”, and “I’m not good enough”, hold people back. In part, this is why it is so hard to change.

When you want to change something in your life, you need to move from uncomfortable to unstoppable as quickly as you can. Part of the problem is wanting to have different results without doing things differently. Improvement usually requires a change in thoughts and actions. And these tend to make us uncomfortable, so we stop.

Think of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. It doesn’t stick a couple of wings on and fly off. It fully commits to its transformation. The caterpillar has to leave its old life behind to emerge into its new life. It is still the same ‘me’ once it is a butterfly. Though it is a different ‘me’ from before.

The butterfly has shifted from a creepy crawler to a beautiful, slim, flying machine. That is the power of the growth mindset – the will to grow into something magical and willing to leave their old life behind, never to return to it. I know it is uncomfortable at first when going through any change. However, as you shift your mindset and your body, the sooner you will be transformed.

Allow yourself to leave the the old you behind. Commit to the new you and fully embrace it.

Eliminate the number one reason why it is so hard to change.

Action Gratitude Health & Fitness Think About It

Find Something To Smile About

Posted on November 4, 2020

Depressing thoughts or simply regular, everyday things can send you in the wrong direction. But you can find something to smile about and change the direction of your day!

Think about something that can make you smile. Isolate just that moment in your mind. Transport yourself there and block out all other thoughts. Savour the moment and smile.

For example, I can think of receiving a massive hug from daughter. Other times, I will go back in time to 1979 when the Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series. As a fan of baseball, Willie Stargell, underdogs and ‘never give up, come from behind’ wins, that memory always gets a smile.

So find a few of these moments in your memory. You may have to do some searching through the past if you don’t have one easily accessible. You can also create a visualisation of a happy time you expect to have in the future. Though be careful not to create an unnecessary expectation versus reality gap that you’ll have to address later if it doesn’t happen.

Once you have those happy memories you can remember, practice accessing them every hour. This will help you develop a happiness habit that could have you smiling numerous times every day. It’s a nice circuit breaker during days that may not have the opportunity to create new smile-worthy memories.

Find something to smile about.

Action Observe Think About It

Look In The Comments

Posted on October 30, 2020

Wow! There are a lot of different perspectives in the world. It can be frightening and fascinating. Look in the comments section on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc.

One of the things I am doing these days is reading a lot of comments. Many of them are similar in general thrust though sometimes with different reasons. I do love seeing things with a fresh perspective, whether I agree with it or not. It makes me think more and consider how different everyone’s life experience is.

I often find myself commenting these days too. Sometimes I just go for the like button. Other times I cheer or congratulate. Occasionally I ask for clarification or provide some for people who might not be using the same stats.

You get a very broad view of what people are thinking and what their concerns or prioritise are. I think it can be more informative than a media piece where they interview 3 people. In that 5 minutes I can see what 30 or more actual people think.

For me to like a comment it must be positive and all good points. My comments must be positive, encouraging or best facts I can find. My experience has been that many people, when presented with the best facts I have, are pretty receptive and appreciative.

If you want to learn about the world, look in the comments.

Action Reframe your thoughts Think About It

We’re Going To Win This One!

Posted on October 29, 2020

Sometimes we start on the sidelines and sometimes we dive right in. But once the battle begins you have to think, “We’re going to win this one!”.

This is true in so many circumstances in our life. It could be as big as winning a war or getting your money back from a trip that was cancelled. Sometimes it starts off with a sport and a team we develop an interest in. Soon that can become an obsession.

You start to get emotionally involved. You start to know the details about what is going on. If a situation becomes even remotely questionable, you can fly off the handle. Sports is probably the best example of this playing out. However, it is quite similar for many other situations.

Wherever you are invested mentally over time, you will feel like you are part of the team. When there is something to win or lose, it will become more important to you. This seems to be true whether it is for contesting a £40 parking ticket or trying to win Gold at the Olympics.

It helps if you go into battle with a positive mindset. Go in confident. Set your mind to it. Charge forward and declare, “We’re going to win this one!”.

Action Observe Property

A Distracted 6 Year Old

Posted on October 25, 2020

Have you ever been distracted or lost your focus? Of course you have. People can easily go off track like a distracted 6 year old. A phone rings, a note reminds you of something, or you just walk into the kitchen and you forget what you were going to do.

This happens to everyone at some point in their life. I know this can happen to me severely times per day. Sometimes it is funny and I laugh at it. At other times, it is a little frustrating to forget something, maybe have to backtrack, or lose 15 minutes and you can’t remember how that happened.

People have good intentions to stay focused. Though there are so many things going on in our days, it can present a reasonable challenge. Remember this any time you hire someone or ask a person to get something done. Assume they are well intentioned but follow up with them. And do that more frequently than you think you should.

This is particularly true when buying a property. It is very easy for people to get distracted with other work or activities and unnecessarily shift things to tomorrow or next week. A friendly call to ensure things are on track is very useful in between milestones. It’s better than an unpleasant surprise at the end.

But maybe don’t tell your friend about a distracted 6 year old theory just before they board a plane. Especially if they’re not a keen flyer…

Action Health & Fitness Reframe your thoughts Time

The Power Of Waking Up Early

Posted on October 21, 2020

It can be so easy to lie in bed. Just hit snooze and pull the covers over. Drift off and dream. But the power of waking up early can be immense. There is something magical in it.

I used to be a night person. In fact, I could go through the whole night. Some days it can be so easy to be reading, watching something or chatting and find yourself still going at 2 am.

The challenge is when you then need to get up at 5 am. Getting only 3 hours sleep can be tough. Not always on the first day, but certainly on the second or third day as it catches up to you.

So over the past five years I have shifted to waking up between 04:30 am and 06:30 am. While training for a couple of marathons last spring, it was always between 04:30 and 05:00. At the moment it is between 05:00 and 06:00.

It feels great to be up when it is so quiet. There are no disruptions. I feel I am ahead of my day. Getting a few things done, including a run and shower before waking the kids at 06:40, is a great feeling.

It can be a challenge at times. But the power of waking up early makes me feel alive!

Action Financial Gratitude Health & Fitness Observe Reframe your thoughts Think About It Time

Looking Back At 80

Posted on October 19, 2020

How will you look back on your life? What will be in it? What will have been worth the price you paid? Looking back at 80 is an important exercise to do many times when you are younger.

Imagine you are 80 years old. Can you look back over the span of 80 years and be filled with joy and contentment? There are a lot of tough questions in there. You will have to face your expectations versus reality gap and hope there is positive gap (reality ended up better) rather than a negative one.

It raises some helpful thoughts that should be considered throughout our lives. You might ask yourself the following questions. Am I living a good life? Should I spend more time and energy on family, career, finances, mental health, physical fitness or my community? How can I do more for others or myself? What will I accept or be happy with?

Its going to be harder to achieve anything once you reach your 80’s. There are many that keep going like Warren Buffett. However, you’ll have to have good genes, stay healthy and have a little luck on your side.

You may wish you had worked harder, studied more, saved more money or maintained better fitness. There is still time to change the outcome but you’ll have to put the effort in.

Looking back at 80 should be a delightful experience.

Action Goals, Results & New Thinking Progress

MTO Goal Setting Technique

Posted on October 18, 2020

Have you ever felt worse for setting a goal and not achieving it? A fantastic way to avoid that is by setting goals using the MTO goal setting technique.

I first read about this MTO technique in a book called, “Double Your Income Doing What You Love” by Canadian author Raymond Aaron.

This is a different way to set goals. It is very useful to both get people started with smaller wins and keep their big goals in front of them. The way to do this is in the name. MTO stands for Minimum, Target and Outrageous.

To use this technique, you start by noting down the goal theme. Then you note down what the Minimum goal is, what your actual Target is and finally what an Outrageous win for you would look like.

So your theme may be to tidy your bedroom. You may seek to clear your bedside table as an easy minimum achievement. Your target goal could be to do the minimum plus clear out all your old clothes. An outrageous goal might be to to do those and get the repairs done on the wall and windows, while also getting new curtains ordered.

So now if you only achieve the easy minimum, you will still feel good about meeting a goal. And you might even crack part of the Outrageous goal.

Time to make the MTO goal setting technique a new habit.

Action Time

The Best Time Is Now

Posted on October 17, 2020

If it is important, do it now. Make the phone call. Write the letter. Speak with your spouse. Attend your child’s play. The best time is now because we do not know if we will ever have another opportunity like this.

From my experience, you never really get a second chance at the same thing. If you are uncertain, you can pause, reflect or gather additional information. However, if you feel it in you that you should be doing something, do not wait.

S/He who hesitates is lost. The origin of this truism is often traced back to the Joseph Addison play Cato from 1712. I used to think it only meant that you lose if you hesitate. For example, when the goal is near and you have the ball ready but you don’t take the shot. In that case you might lose the match or simply lose that opportunity.

As I reflect on it more though, I see it could also refer to losing confidence due to doubt. If you were thinking of calling someone to go on a date and you hesitate, doubt will begin to creep in. You might lose confidence and push back the phone call even further. You may become lost in your thoughts, mind, doubts and uncertainty.

Life is short. Act fast.

The best time is now.

Action Observe

A Crowd Attracts A Crowd

Posted on October 16, 2020

Social proof is a very real and powerful thing. This is why one or two determined people can change the world. A crowd attracts a crowd and it all starts with someone.

Have you ever noticed how one person standing around looking at something can attract another? Then two or three more wander over to see what the fuss is about. Soon you have seven, 10 and then 25 people hovering about.

This is how buskers make a living. They know how to attract a few people, keep them engaged and then more people join. This is also how people build a social media presence. And how great sandwich shops build their reputation even more.

Having to make a reservation weeks in advance is another queuing system. Whether it is for a posh restaurant, hair salon, spa or to get tickets for an event, queuing up suggests demand. Demand indicates interest. The queue symbolises scarcity. Our nature is to crave those things that are scarce. If it was abundant, we would relax a little.

If you are selling something, it helps if there is scarcity, interest, demand and a queue. Make that happen and you will be on your way.

A crowd attracts a crowd. Try to make sure it is for good reasons.