Progress Archives - Page 50 of 63

Start Small But Dream Big

Posted on April 5, 2021

The trouble at the beginning is that there may not be much there. Sometimes there is a seed or an idea. Start small but dream big.

The critical part is to start. You can make whatever fanciful dream you want, but if you don’t begin, you won’t get there. And you can’t usually do step 2 until after you’ve done step 1.

Sometimes we can use a shortcut to get somewhere. However, even shortcuts have a beginning point. Don’t try to maximise, effiency-drive everything. Every podcast started with one listener as did every Clubhouse room. There is nothing wrong with that.

Now staying that size is a problem. You should grow a little. If not, check out why. Ask around. Get some answers. And then do something about it.

It is not everyone’s destiny to become some huge big deal. But it isn’t appropriate to stay so small as to be insignificant. You should be able to build an audience. If not, you have got to ask yourself why.

Just because you start at the bottom, doesn’t mean you have to stay there. Add more value, develop a skill, practice, learn, develop.

You have it in you to do something exciting! So get on that. Take an interest in your craft.

Start small but dream big.

Action Financial Progress Think About It

Producing And Consuming

Posted on April 1, 2021

Do you consume more than you produce? It is an interesting question. Producing and consuming are both required in life. However, imbalances in your life will occur if you do one more than the other.

Producing here means providing something of value. The more you offer in value, the more productive you are being. The more the market perceives value in what you are offering the more you can charge for it.

If more people like what you offer, the larger your business will grow. This is how the world has companies valued at billions of dollars. Because of this, we also see billionaire founders and investors. This is what happens when you provide something that others find valuable, not just what you think is valuable.

What you think is valuable is what you will consume. The more value you place on a product or a service, the more you will be willing to pay for it. This payment you make will come from your own resources such as income or savings.

If the value of your consumption is more than the value of your production, you will have less money or wealth. If your production value is greater than your consumption value, you will attract and keep more money.

Producing and consuming are part of life. Which one you focus on helps determine how you spend it.

Action Observe Progress Time

Getting Distracted

Posted on March 29, 2021

What do you do when you can’t seem to focus? What is your remedy from wandering, scrolling, staring or getting distracted in some way?

This evening has seemed to be one of those times. Despite getting some things done, I did not get as many done as I could have. There were a few things on my mind, for starters. Then I got caught in an interesting scroll on Instagram for 10 minutes.

Writing out my to do list for tomorrow kept taking longer as I remembered many things that have slipped by me over the last week. While it is productive to do the list, sometimes the time taken to do it feels like wasted effort. It feels like I could have done one of the things rather than write a bunch down.

Then there was the wandering around the house to find the children and remind them it is bedtime. The third time round the house was starting to seem more like an exercise session with a stair-master. And since each round involved passing through the kitchen, there was the compulsory look in the fridge and cupboard for more food I wasn’t even hungry for.

Don’t get me started on replying to international and local text messages. I know better. Though I am also trying to reply more quickly rather than forget and take 2-3 days. Oh, the precarious balance.

Uh-oh, I’m getting distracted.

Action Progress Think About It

You Do What You Want

Posted on March 21, 2021

I notice that people will listen and then do it their way anyway. There is little interest in doing it another way. You do what you want because that is how you are programmed.

Sure we can listen. And sometimes what is said matches what we want to do. In those instances it looks like we are following the advice given. However, that is not always the case. Often enough, it just happens to be the next thing we were going to do.

What is more easily spotted is when you offer the advice and it is not taken or followed. This usually means that there is no interest in that direction or there is a speed bump.

Often enough this speed bump is some type of fear or shame. It can be overcome. And it will be overcome by those that are unstoppable. Those that are simply uncomfortable may not find the strength to get past the speed bump.

It is an ‘I think I do’ want it gap. I just don’t want it so bad that I am willing to get quite uncomfortable over it.

I like to travel in comfort but not if it is going to the wrong destination. Get clear on your vision, put the extra daily effort in and do what is best to get you there.

But you do what you want.

Action Gratitude Health & Fitness Observe Progress Reframe your thoughts

Choose Discipline Or Disaster

Posted on March 14, 2021

Discipline sounds so strict. It has echoes of an unwavering sergeant major accepting nothing but your best. She asks you to choose discipline or disaster.

I have seen this in my personal life. If I am not disciplined about something, it can turn into a disaster. Now disaster is a relative term here as there are many stops on the road to disaster, but I think you understand what I mean.

Take the early morning alarm scenario. If you are disciplined, you can wake up on the first go. Then you can get ready as planned and and be where you should be on time. Alternatively, you can hit the snooze button a few times and then find yourself late for the rest of the day. This is sometimes the beginning of many disasters.

If your sports team is not good about their discipline, they may not build up sufficient strength and stamina before a match. This lack of discipline could result in a disaster. This could be a terrible score or perhaps some unnecessary injuries.

Of course, with a bit of discipline, you can find some amazing results. You don’t have to be perfect, but consistency helps.

Choose discipline or disaster. The former has more upsides.

Gratitude Observe Progress Reframe your thoughts Think About It

How Much Is Enough?

Posted on March 9, 2021

We all start out looking for more. More air, food, water, sleep, stuff, etc. But we don’t always say what enough is. How much is enough?

Take, sleep, for example. How much sleep does one need? Many experts say 6-9 hours of sleep per night on average. But you might be chasing some amazing opportunities. Then your sleep time might go down to 2 or 3 hours per day. After a week like that, you might need a few days with 10 hours of sleep to catch up back to a normal equilibrium.

Money is a topic we discussed in a Clubhouse room on Monday. Often people will set a specific goal to achieve. But once achieved, people don’t always stop. People can get caught up in the chase and forget what they are even chasing.

If your goal is to earn $3 million, could you make $5 million? And if you can make that much, why not use those learned skills to earn more. Soon you could be on the treadmill of more more more and not stop to smell those roses.

It is a good idea to note, at the start, how much of something will be enough. Then you will know when you can let up on the chase and maybe broaden your focus.

How much is enough?

Action Progress Time

Coasting Along Is Comfortable

Posted on March 4, 2021

We’ve all done it. We’ve put our feet up and just coasted. We could put in more work or work harder but we needed a break. Coasting along is comfortable. The challenge can come when it is time to take off the cruise control.

Now being comfortable is not a bad thing. It can be quite a good thing for your physical and mental health. And coasting is all relative too. If you are used to a 100 hour work week, dropping down to 70 might seem like a massive gear shift.

Timing is also relative. If you get on cruise control for two weeks of the year, that might be fine. However, if you are still on cruise control after two or three years, there may be a problem.

We all need a rest now and then. Though, having a continual rest may not be good for mind, body or soul. The saying, ”Use it or Lose it”, springs to mind here.

So remember to kick yourself in the pants once in a while. Few people will bother to remind you. But you need to get revved up about something and attack it.

Coasting along is comfortable. Just don’t make it your lifestyle.

Action Observe Progress Think About It Time

So Now What?!

Posted on March 2, 2021

Once you reach your goal, and the celebrating is over, you may be feeling this way. I’ve finished that other thing, so now what?!

This feeling can come along very gently or can hit like a ton of bricks. Often the more significant the achievement, the more hollow the aftermath can be. Though his can be tempered by having additional goals and aspirations to pursue immediately after completing other goals.

Of course some of this comes down to how much you have hyped up the goal in the first place. If the goal was considered life changing, it could feel like a bit of a denouement when you realise that the basics of life remain the same.

Regardless, this is a good phrase to say to get your brain thinking of the next goal. Although it may be more helpful to say something like, “What will be next?” Then you can at least start the thinking process about after the event, before you get going. Make it all part of your plan.

For example, I’ve finished writing my book. It’s been edited. And now I am in production, marketing and distribution mode in March. “What will be next?”, is certainly on my mind.

So now what?!

Action Observe Progress Think About It Time

Learning A New Skill

Posted on February 28, 2021

It can take some time and energy to learn a new skill. A lot of thinking goes into this endeavour. Learning a new skill is often a longer journey than anticipated.

First you have to decide you are going to do it. Then you need to build in some decent frequency and consistency. And you have to fit this into your day somewhere. Given you are like most people, there will be little time for this type of thing. You may have to kick something out of your schedule.

Where to learn the new skill is one thing. Who will give the best material and support. Do you simply need a brochure? Or is a book more relevant to what you are trying to do? For some people and certain circumstances, a book will be enough. Then again, maybe a short webinar will provide enough information. Other people will want a team or a mastermind to be involved. Finally a course or a series of one-to-one sessions might be the most desirable or simply required.

Then you need to put in the pushups. No one can do the learning for you. You have to put the work in and make these new habits fit in your schedule.

Learning a new skill is rarely easy. Though it is simple and highly beneficial.

Action Observe Progress Reframe your thoughts

Get Into The Groove

Posted on February 18, 2021

Oh I love that feeling when you’re in that state of flow. When everything is clicking and you’re set to go go go. Get into the groove has a real feeling of being at one with something. It is not just a mid-80’s pop song.

Right now things are going very well. Not much sleep, but a lot of fun and getting a lot of interesting new things done. It is so much easier to glide through a day on little sleep when you are really enjoying things.

It is also easier to push through any challenges. Sometimes they don’t even feel like real challenges.

Getting into this state is not always easy. However, like anything else, with a little practice you can start making it happen more frequently. One of the key insights is to not try too hard to make it happen. You need to let it happen, or flow, naturally.

For me, I know that if I try to slow it down or analyse what I am doing, I make it clunky. So if I am walking with a glass of water and then think I need to be more careful, it can backfire. I can get so caught up in trying to make sure all is fine, that I can then spill it. Strange but true.

Get into the groove. And try to spend more time there.