Category: Progress

CategoriesActionObserveProgressReframe your thoughts

People Need Encouragement

Posted on March 23, 2020

When you are having tough times, trying something new, stating an opinion or just trying to get through your day, it is always nice to have a few words of encouragement from others. People need encouragement.

It is so easy for people to criticise, condemn, chastise, laugh at and bully. It requires no interest, curiosity or understanding of the other person.

For the most part, people are trying to do their best with what they know. Give them that benefit of the doubt. Assume their intentions are good unless and until you have conclusive proof that they aren’t.

Reflect on whether you are offering enough encouragement to people. It takes so little encouragement to light a fire under someone, to build them up. Ask questions. Seek first to understand. Assume their intent is good, even if their route to get their desired outcome isn’t the one you would necessarily choose.

Seek first to understand, then to be understood

Stephen R. Covey

Remember, how many Presidents, Prime Ministers, Chief Medical Officers, Doctors etc said nothing in the 1800’s and early 1900’s about smoking. Finally someone took the initiative to speak up about the health issues of a very popular pastime. Going against the accepted wisdom is more easily done with some encouragement.

For those of you with kids or young relatives at primary school age, think about how you might talk down about people you disagree with, whether it is journalists, politicians or business people. Then think how you would feel if your children or young relatives treated other children like that. If it’s bullying when young people do it, it must be called bullying when adults do it. Is there ever really a good justification for it?

Imagine what we could do on this planet if everyone stopped criticising and bullying others, and were more curious and gave words of encouragement. Try catching yourself for the next 24 hours. If you’re honest, it is quite revealing.

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CategoriesObserveProgressReframe your thoughts

The Challenges Ahead

Posted on March 22, 2020

We have all faced significant headwinds in our lives and leaning into the challenges ahead will be similar. There will be days where you will be feeling overwhelmed and maybe beaten, but you will press on and get through this.

I am always amazed at people’s tenacity and inner strength when they decide to get through something. The absolute power that we possess inside is quite incredible. By taking each day and each hour as it comes we can get through just about anything.

There are 1,440 minutes in a day and there are 84 days in 12 weeks. So we have 120,960 minutes to enjoy or persevere through at this unique time in the UK. When it is all going well, it will go by quick. Though there will be times when you will feel like the clock has stopped. Either way, stay focused on the bright side of everything.

Enjoy every minute of this unique period in time. Amazing things will happen in your relationships and your life in general, if you stay focused and approach everything, and everyone, with the best intent.

If the challenges get too much, put yourself in a 5 minute time out. Do some slow, deep breathing and relax your mind and thoughts. Remember that in the moment, everything is super important and feels like it really matters. However, the events of that moment are unlikely to be remembered 200 years from now.

If I get too caught up in the moment, I mentally picture myself shooting up into space, all while looking down as the ground disappears below me. As I am rising up, the streets get smaller and I see other cities. As I go higher, the details blur into cities, farmland, forest and large bodies of water. Soon I’m floating in space and looking down at this little blue ball, balanced perfectly in an orbit in space, which has seen wars, peace, contagion and warmth.

In that moment, I remember how significantly insignificant what is happening probably is in the very grand scheme of things. So I breathe and smile as I return back down to earth. Refreshed with perspective, I am once again prepared for the challenges ahead. Try this a few times and let me know if it works for you.

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CategoriesObserveProgressThink About It

Stop Generalising And Get Specific

Posted on March 17, 2020

You may be frequently frustrated if you often use generalisations and the sample size of one. Using words like “they”, “the government”, “everybody” and “no one” can feel good at the time, and can help you speak more quickly, but to your detriment.

In the long run, it is to your advantage to be more precise in the words you speak.

Being more precise in your word selection and word order will make you sound like a more polished individual. You will be clearer and others will understand you better.

A particular time in life, when being specific is more beneficial, is when you are setting your goals. ‘They said I could join them to climb a mountain‘ is good but not nearly as useful as “My climbing instructor, Dave, said I could join their expedition to climb to the base camp of Everest on the 15th April 2020”.

Just for this morning, try to catch yourself each time you make sweeping generalisations. Then for each one, try to replace it with a more specific word or phrase.

(Expert level: Note also the generalisations that come out of the mouth of others and see what impact that has on you and their comments). Enjoy!

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CategoriesActionFinancialGoals, Results & New ThinkingProgressReframe your thoughtsThink About ItTime

The Coronavirus Decision: Save Lives or Livelihoods?

Posted on March 15, 2020

Do we allow up to 264 million people to die worldwide while trying to maintain livelihoods globally or do we attempt to save those people, while corporate, government and personal finances, and therefore all livelihoods, are shredded beyond recognition?

Save lives or save livelihoods? That is the big picture, tough decision that Governments, and their citizens, need to consider, and fairly quickly.

I outlined some of the key considerations in my post the other day which you can access by clicking here.

Most people will have an automatic gut reaction to what is the ‘right’ answer. Try putting that reaction on pause, gather some info, and really think through the next year of unintended consequences. Think like a President or Prime Minister who has to consider millions of others in all their different circumstances.

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CategoriesActionProgressReframe your thoughts

Rise Like A Phoenix

Posted on March 13, 2020

Life is going to throw stuff at you. There will be days filled with uncertainty, bleakness and enduring pain. Your head will spin. Your thoughts will collide.

You are not down and out. You will overcome this. Stand up and straighten your back. Lift your shoulders and your head. ‘Bring it on’, I say. You’re in this for the long run. You can handle the speed bumps of life.

Whether it is work related, your relationship, your finances, the coronavirus, your fitness levels, or perhaps all of them are crashing at once, you can still rise.

Know that you will persevere for however long it takes. You will not stop until you have risen back up and spread your wings. You will feel the sunshine on your face again and life will be wonderful.

Keep your eyes on the future. Know it gets better. Believe you can rise up from the ashes of past glories and rebuild again.

Quickly restart and soar!

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CategoriesActionProgressReframe your thoughts

Do Not Stop Until!

Posted on March 7, 2020

Do not stop until ! You reach your goal.

Your goal could be as simple as walking 10 minutes every day for the rest of your life, or as complex as developing a mission to land people on Mars before 31 December, 2024.

Today’s goal may be to make 7 phone calls. If you’ve only made 6 and the day is ending, you need to be quick and make one more. You won’t go home until the 7 calls are completed. This will help you build determination, grit and a spirit for completing things. This in turn will help you build your confidence.

Until is a powerful word, which I took more notice of when Jim Rohn used it and discussed it many years ago.

For me, I will not stop writing this blog until I have written and posted at least 365 blog posts in a row. I will write, and post, each day from 10 January 2020 until 10 January 2021. I will not stop until I have done this. I assume I will carry on after that even.

What are your daily or weekly goals for which you will not stop until? Post your replies on Twitter with #AchieveAnything

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CategoriesActionObserveProgressReframe your thoughts

Your Mind Is More Powerful Than Google – Be Very Careful

Posted on March 6, 2020

Type a question into Google and it will search, very quickly, and find the answer for you.

Your brain works the same way for questions. Your brain will search for the answer.

So be careful what question you ask it, especially out of frustration. For example, sometimes we use self talk, like, “Why am I so stupid?”, after having done something that seems a little silly to have done (Like forget our keys in the house, leave our tickets on the counter, or miss an appointment.)

Your brain is now required to search for, and find, an answer, or five, that could be correct, just like Google does. (Hopefully you don’t get 17,563,897 responses in one millisecond for that question!). Like Google, your brain tends to find answers that have been given frequently, recently or that others think is correct.

It does not mean it is correct, and the source of the answer may be a bit suspect (your sister or brother, that old boss who was a tyrant, your difficult classmate when you were eight years old, or an ineffective teacher from your past).

So please be very careful what you say, or ask, out loud, or under your breath. Your brain is compelled to give you an answer to that question. Rather, ask those slightly rhetorical questions that you would love to hear the answer to. Perhaps, “What makes me such a great friend?”, “How kind am I?”, “How can I set up my environment to succeed next time”.

Your brain is super powerful. Use it for good and to support you. Try preparing and practicing a few helpful questions right now, and then again throughout the day. Selecting better words, in a better order, and forming better questions, will be life-changing. Go on, give it a try.

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CategoriesActionHealth & FitnessProgressReframe your thoughts

Your Body Is A High Performance Machine

Posted on March 5, 2020

So treat it like one.

Make sure you eat well, and just enough. Not too little or too much.

Get enough good sleep, consistently. Seven to eight hours per day is ideal for most people.

Water it. Eight glasses per day (ish).

Exercise it. Get it to move around. Quickly. Slowly. Use all the different muscles, big and small. Use it or lose it.

Exercise your mind too. Stretch it with new ideas. Sit with thoughts that might be uncomfortable and understand why. Think good thoughts. Practice being grateful. For everything you have and are.

Your body is a high performance machine. Treat it like one.

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