Ideas To Stay Focused And On Purpose 

 When you first bring your profession home and begin your stay at home business, you will soon yearn for that tiny little cubicle that you had when you were at an office working for someone else.  At least when you were in your own cubicle, you were able to turn your back on impositions and get your work done.  However, in an at home atmosphere, this does not always happen.  When working for an employer, usually it was a nine to five job where your productivity did not have that much influence on your paycheck at the end of the week.  This is not so with your own business.  Your salary is DIRECTLY proportional to your productivity.  You will need to learn early on in your business how to combat these interruptions, stay focused and on task or you will not be in business for yourself for very long.

To be able to overcome your distractions, you will need to recognize where they are coming from.  Are they self imposed or are they from family and friends?  One self-imposed distraction that can be extremely disruptive is procrastination.  It is also easy to fall off task when we have too many interests and try to do all of them at once.  This may seem like multi-tasking but really you are just spinning your wheels and exhausting yourself.  Self-inflicted distractions are the most difficult to conquer but it can be done.  By following a few simple steps, you will have no problem winning against the time wasters.

1.  Quiet Time:  It is not necessary to step into your office and become involved in the first task on hand immediately.  Take a moment to sit and look at your computer and look out of the window.  Better yet, step outside for a moment in the morning sun and clear your mind of the daily family activities.  This is what you would normally do on your commute from your home to a normal job at an office.  Take ten minutes in the morning to begin the transition from family/house life to work life.  Begin to think about the projects that are a priority for the day.

2.  Create a To Do List:  After you have spent a moment "commuting" to work, begin to create a to do list of the projects and tasks that need to be done.  It is okay to add to this list throughout the day for additional items that you might have forgotten about.  When creating your list, do not just write down a general idea of the project.  Give your task a name and break it into milestones.  This will eliminate procrastination and make the task easier to manage.  This is especially important for long-term projects.  Each time you cross off an item on your to do list, it will give you a feeling of accomplishment. 

3.  Have a Set Schedule for Tasks:  Most employees have a set time to work such as your old "nine to five" job.  It is also important to follow this same rule when working from home.  Have a set time that you will begin work and close up shop at a certain time.  Since you own the business, you can choose if you want to work ten hours straight through or break your day into two work periods of five hours each.  Also, set a fixed time to answer your email and other daily tasks.  You do not have to answer every email that comes to you within minutes of receiving it.  Sometimes it is even easier to just turn off your email program all together until your set time.

4.  Shut the Door!  With smaller children, you will need to address each issue as the need arises.  That is not so with older children.  They will understand when you tell them you need to work from x to y.  Hire an in-home babysitter for younger children or enlist an aunt or grandparent if possible.  If the phone becomes a distraction, turn the ringer off for an hour so that you can concentrate on your task.  Most of all, do not permit family and friends to distract them.  Be firm with them and let them know that you are at work and cannot be disturbed for x amount of time.  You will be glad you did.

The main key to successfully staying on task while working at home is to identify the problem that exists and nip it in the bud quickly.

by Suzette Walker

http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Ideas-To-Stay-Focused-And-On-Purpose/50838

Create Your Own Inner Sanctuary Of Peace

If given the chance, the world will consume you with cruelty and leave you believing life is unfair. Everywhere we turn nowadays, bad news is there to remind us of the terrible conditions in the world. We are living in the most opportune period of this century, yet equally the most nihilistic. News events are broadcast into our living rooms 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the rise of social media, it has become more prevalent to consume news on mobile devices. I avoid reading newspapers or watching the news because of the negativity it broadcasts. Yet, sometimes we cannot escape it. For example, there have been instances when I'm watching a television program and a breaking news bulletin seizes my attention. Immediately, I am subconsciously taken from a peaceful state to a hypervigilant one without knowing why.

Do you ever get that feeling with the news? Whilst I don't intend to criticize the media, we have a choice whether we subscribe to the information or focus on matters of greater importance in our lives. The world has a way of making us cruel because it strips us of our humanity when we focus on ourselves and not the greater good of society. We have become desensitized to human suffering, it is now a common feature in our lives. Video games perpetuate this through senseless acts of violence and young people are oblivious to it.

So what can we do about it? How can we prevent the world from making us cruel because in the long run, it means losing ourselves to the fear and hatred imposed upon us? Obviously, if you're reading this, you value your personal growth and want to become a better person. My impression is that we must focus on what is close to our hearts and make that our centerpiece. For example, if meditation, mindfulness and yoga practices are something you take part in, there are ways to shield yourself from the negativity of the world. It requires creating your own inner sanctuary of peace despite what is taking place outside you. We can still nurture the seeds of equanimity, kindness and compassion within ourselves without forsaking our values.

Our Inner Refuge Of Peace And Harmony

We needn't subscribe to the drama of modern-day life because it is a guise to distract us from what is essential: knowing our true selves. The world out there will do everything in its power to confuse us from connecting with our true selves. This is the message embodied by my mentor and acclaimed international spiritual author Dennis Merritt Jones who writes in Your Redefining Moments: Becoming Who You Were Born to Be: "The world really doesn't want you to remember who you truly are because when you begin to live from the authentic self, the world loses much of its control over you and your behavior. It will do anything in its power to keep you in a dream state wherein the source of your identity is dependent on what's "out there," on the surface of life, rather than what lies within you at your centre."

We are not any of these things because these are disempowering narratives circulated without our consent. Admittedly, we might buy into it every now and again because they have a compelling way of capturing our attention and seizing us in the moment. So when I am distracted by a breaking news event while watching television, I become concerned and entertain thoughts of fear and insecurity. But, leading up to the moment I was peaceful.

How do you find your inner sanctuary amid the chaos of everyday living? What daily practices or rituals do you take part in to ground yourself? The key is to focus on these practices and come home to them often because they are our haven for peaceful living. I don't believe the world is a cruel place since I appreciate the duality and interplay of our earthly existence. It is how we focus our attention which marks our mental landscape. We can choose fear and its accompanying states or draw on our inner refuge of peace and harmony to coalesce the negativity in the world. If there are more people tuning in to the peacefulness within, then fear has no place to live. Ultimately, it is up to us not to allow the world to make us cruel because it will pull us every which way and we won't know how we got there. We mustn't lose ourselves to the cruelty but unite with the undying magnificence of our spiritual self.

By Tony Fahkry

To live a remarkable life, you must take consistent action in spite of your fears and doubts. Download a FREE copy of my motivational eBook, NAVIGATE LIFE and embark upon your journey of greatness today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tony_Fahkry/837610

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9996839

13 Things to Avoid When Changing Habits 

“Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.” – Mark Twain

I’ve learned a lot about changing habits in the last 2 1/2 years, from quitting smoking to taking up running and GTD and vegetarianism and waking early and all that. I could go on, of course, but you get the picture.

I’ve not only learned a lot about what you should do when changing habits, but through my failures, I’ve learned about what not to do.

And trust me, I’ve had lots of failures.

I’ve found failures to be just as important as successes when trying to learn how to improve, especially when it comes to changing habits. It’s not an easy task, and I’m sure every one of us has tried to quit something and failed, or tried to do something positive and failed. The key, of course, is to not just give up after failure, but to reset your resolve, to analyze what went wrong and why, and to plan to overcome those obstacles the next time.

I’ve done that, with one failure after another, and would like to share a few things I’ve learned to avoid when trying to change a habit.

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun

1. Taking on two or more habits at once. We’ve all done this. I want to learn to wake early, and to start running, and to eat healthier, and to be more organized, and to write every day … all at once! But no matter how much enthusiasm we have for all of these goals, taking on even just two habits at once is setting ourselves up for failure. I’ve tried it. Many times. It’s certainly possible, but it’s not for those of us who have difficulty changing habits (I think that’s nearly all of us). I would estimate that you triple or even quadruple your chances of success if you focus on one habit at a time, for one month at a time. Devote all of your energy to that habit change, and once it’s on autopilot, move on to the next one. Knock ’em down one at a time.
2. Not committing a plan to paper. It’s easy to wake up, jump out of bed, and yell out loud, “I’m going to make a change today!” Who among us hasn’t done that? (Side note: if you don’t live alone, your housemates or family members might not appreciate all the yelling.) But just telling ourselves, whether out loud or quietly in our heads, that we’re going to change isn’t enough. You have to write down your goal. Write a start date. Write an end date (30 days is a good time frame). Write down exactly what you’re going to do. Write down how you’re going to be accountable, what your rewards are, what the obstacles are, what your triggers are. More on these below. Main thing: put it on paper and stick to the plan (don’t file the plan in your inbox, you piler you!).
3. Being half-committed. I’ve done this a few times myself: I will say, “I think I’ll quit smoking today.” Then I’ll throw away my pack of cigarettes (this should be in past-tense as I don’t smoke anymore, but I’m too lazy to go back and change the tense). Then I’ll go for as long as I can (often half a day!) and then cave in and go buy another pack. Then I feel guilty for a little while until I half commit to quit again. That doesn’t work. You have to commit Big Time. That means tell the world about it. Seriously — put it on your blog, tell your family, friends, co-workers, your butcher, the guy from your high school who you say hi to when you run into him at the grocery store and who you call “buddy” because you forgot his name. The more people, the better. Publish your entire plan. Put up a sign on your desk and refrigerator. Make a solemn promise to your child (this worked for me when quitting smoking).
   
4. Not having support. There will be times when you falter, almost invariably. Who will you turn to when you need encouragement? If you don’t have a good answer to this, you need to think it through. If you have a significant other, that’s a good choice, but have more than one supporter. Maybe your mom, your sister, your best friend, your boss. Maybe an online friend or three. Best yet, join a support group or an online forum full of people doing the same thing. Make the commitment to them, and ask them to help you when you hit rough spots. Make a promise to call them if you do. Put this in your written plan.
5. Not thinking through your motivation. In my experience, what people call discipline, I call motivation. Why are you disciplined enough to do something? Because you have the right motivation. When you lose the motivation, you lose the discipline. Before you start your habit change, think through your motivations. Why are you doing this? What will keep you going when you forget your reasons? Public commitment is a big motivator, of course, but you should have internal ones too. Write these down in your plan.
6. Not realizing the obstacles. Every habit change is a path littered with obstacles. Unfortunately, when we hit some of these, we often quit. Or we’ll try again, but hit the same obstacles again and again with the same result. Instead, think it through, and anticipate your obstacles. If you’ve failed before, think about what obstacle stopped you. If you’ve never done this habit change before, do some research and read about others who’ve succeeded and failed at it, and find out what obstacles you should expect. Then make a plan for what you’ll do when you face the obstacles. For example, I have a hard time eating in moderation when I go out. What will I do when I go out to eat? What are my strategies? I have to think these through before actually going out, because when the urge hits and you don’t have a plan, you’re too late.
7. Not logging your progress. You can change habits without keeping a log, but a log just increases your chances of success — and why wouldn’t you want to do that? Things are hard enough without using all the tools at your disposal. A log helps you succeed because it reminds you to be consistent. It keeps you aware of what you’re actually doing. It motivates you, because you want to write good things in that log. It helps keep you accountable before the people you’ve made a commitment to.
8. Having no accountability. Speaking of accountability, it’s the second half of the all-important public commitment. It’s not enough to make a big announcement on your blog and not follow through. For example, I announced my plans to get in shape earlier to all of you … but I also created a small training blog (or “tralog”) that will help keep me accountable. I report my progress daily, whether I fail or succeed. Take a look at my “tralog”. Even if you don’t have a blog, you have to set up a system where you remain accountable — maybe post your log up at your workplace, or email your progress to people, or just report to them daily in person.
9. Not knowing your triggers. This is an important key to changing habits. Every habit has at least one trigger — an event that immediately precedes the habit. Some habits have more than one trigger — for example, when I smoked, my triggers included waking up, eating, sex, stressful events, going out drinking, etc. Each time these events happened, almost without fail, I would smoke — either that, or I’d get the urge to do so. The more consistent the link to the trigger, the stronger the habit. So when you try to break a habit, you have to know all of your triggers (log it for a few days) and then create a positive habit to replace the negative habit for each of the triggers. Running, for example, replaced smoking when I got stressed. For positive habit changes, such as exercise, you need a trigger that will happen every day (or as often as you need it to happen). For exercise, you could exercise right after your morning coffee (if you have coffee at the same time every day already) or right after work, if you get off work at the same time every day. Put your triggers in your written plan, and be very very consistent with them — when the triggers happen, do the habit immediately, every single time. The less consistent you are with your triggers, the weaker the habit will be.
10. Not doing your reading. With every habit change, I find it important to read as much as possible about it, before and during. I will do my research, to find out strategies for success, potential obstacles, good tools that will help me be successful. And I’ll still read about it during the habit change — blogs, magazines, books, forums, success stories — to help motivate me.
11. Changing focus too soon. Often we’ll start a habit change, and within a week or two change our focus to something else. Well, the habit probably isn’t firmly ingrained by then, and so we’ve wasted all that time trying to form a new habit and then abandoning it before it’s on autopilot. Instead, stick to this habit for at least 30 days, and be consistent as possible.
12. Not being consistent. I’ve mentioned this a couple times now, but it should be addressed because it’s important. If you attach a habit to a trigger, you have to do the habit every single time, immediately following the trigger. If you do it sometimes and not others, you will not have a habit. Try not to miss a single time if possible, because once you miss once, you’ll be tempted to miss another time, and then a third, and then you’ve got nothing.
13. Quitting after failure. However, if you do miss once, or twice or three times, don’t give up. Just figure out why you missed, and plan to beat that obstacle next time. Then be as consistent as possible from then on out, until the habit is ingrained. If you quit, you’ve let the failure beat you. But if you reset your resolve, and learn from your failure, the failure then becomes a positive thing that helps you to succeed. As I’ve said before, I see failure as a stepping stone to success.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

BY LEO BABAUTA

Article source,https://zenhabits.net/13-things-to-avoid-when-changing-habits/

Personal Growth Exercise To Increase Your Attention Span

Stretching exercises for your mind to increase your attention span. That makes a difference in your life!

That's why I do certain tasks. I've created specific small exercises for myself.

These are mostly simply silly little things. Yet it makes a difference. It increases my willingness and ability to focus!

For example, I like to read.

Therefore, I've chosen to use reading as one way to stretch my mind.

That might work for you.

Do you like to read?

If so, choosing reading as a way to stretch your mind might work for you, too.

It's a good way to stretch your mind if you're enjoying yourself.

I believe it's best to choose an activity that you enjoy. Thus, if you don't experience reading as a pleasurable choice, I believe you need to choose something different for yourself.

Reading increases your ability to focus.

For example, if you read a little bit each day, your attention span will grow stronger and longer.

If you don't like to read, you can find other ways that will work for you.

Not TV!

Commercial television programs tend to reduce your attention span.

I suggest you avoid TV. Avoid it at least for this particular purpose! That kind of activity won't work.

The short scenes of commercial television are more likely to shorten your attention span. Thus, even when you cut out commercials, you're not doing yourself any favors by using commercial television as a personal growth strategy.

On the other hand, if you've got educational films, that might work.

It depends on how the film is organized. Specifically, the length of the segments that hold your attention.

The idea is to find something that has a beginning, middle and end timeframe for you.

That way you begin focusing. Once you begin, your attention stays with what you're doing. You learn to continue participating in the task of observing the film you picked.

As you approach the midpoint of your time focusing, your attention stays put.

Keeping your attention alive and real for all that time matters.

Then when you reach the end of the time you're investing in the educational program, you shift from what you've been doing to what you want to do next.

The idea? Go deep. That way you focus in a way that allows to be able to focus fully for a significant amount of time. Personal growth is your result.

While you're here, do you want to learn more about this topic? If so, download my brand new free eBook 10 Steps to Improve Your Life by clicking hereCynthia Ann Leighton is the author of Slow Self Improvement Guide, providing a message of hope and inspiration for personal growth.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cynthia_Ann_Leighton/803902

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9483737

The Balancing Act

"The average office worker receives more than 200 messages a day via snail mail, email, express mail, cell phone, landline, wireless Web, bicycle messenger, singing telegram, you name it. Taking in information these days is like trying to drink from a fire hose."  --Dr. Martha Beck

Did you know that one Sunday edition of The New York Times contains more information than all the written documents in the world during the 15th century?  Does it seem like life is spinning out of control?  The pace of life just keeps picking up!  And with it, job satisfaction is on the decline.

In an Associated Press article, Marc Greenbaum, a 50-year-old professor at Suffolk Law School, stated that "I'm personally happier but I observe more people that are more miserable. There's more pressure on them to produce, more problems with maintaining a boundary between work and family, even maintaining a boundary between work and the outside because of things like e-mail, voicemail and the Blackberry. They can't get away."

According to the Families and Work Institute, over 47% of U.S. workers surveyed feel overworked.  In addition, 59% of Americans describe their lives as very busy according to an NBC news survey.  According to Dr. Richard Swensen, author of Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, the average American will spend one year in his/her life searching through desk clutter looking for misplaced objects.  We are working harder and faster than ever.  Being more organized can help reduce stress, save time, and improve efficiency.

We celebrate National Get Organized Week the first week in October. Most people think of "getting organized" as a physical act - clearing piles of paper, putting things away, etc.  What many people overlook is the mental part of getting organized.  And I always say that organizing your physical environment without first clarifying your priorities is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic!

Here are 8 tips to help you with the mental part of getting and staying organized. I encourage you to read through the whole list, and then go back and choose two or three ideas to implement.

1. Understand the difference between URGENT and IMPORTANT.  If it's important, it may be a vital priority for you.  If it's urgent, it's time-sensitive, but it may or may not be important.  Be sure you are clear about the difference when deciding what deserves your time.  Check out the time management matrix at www.orgcoach.net/timematrix.html, which beautifully illustrates the difference.

2. Find time for yourself.  Schedule time away from your work and your family. Use this opportunity to tune in to what you want and need. Don't feel that you're being selfish; you have a responsibility to yourself to take care of your needs. Studies show that productivity dramatically increases when you are well rested.

3. Check for balance between these four vital areas of your life:


Well-being - caring for your physical, mental, spiritual, and social needs
Family relationships
Work activities
Service activities - volunteer work, being a good neighbor, practicing random acts of kindness

4. Live your life in the present! Quit saying, "I'll do this when I get around to it."  I have yet to find a person who said on their death bed, "I wish I had spent more time at the office."

5. Increase productivity by planning your week and fine-tuning your workday. Block out time to handle priorities. Important tips to remember as you plan your week:


Have unscheduled time in your calendar for handling unexpected but important tasks.
Plan to work on creative activities during the time of day when you are at your best.
Schedule "protected time" to work on projects that need your undivided attention.  If interruptions are eating you alive, close your door and ask that people come back to see you at a designated time.
Temporarily turn off the audio feature on your cell phone, pager and email account.  Pick and choose when you respond and when it's appropriate to let calls go into voice mail.
Be realistic about your expectations. Don't set yourself up for failure by planning too much in one day. 
Leave work at a reasonable hour so you have time for those other three areas of your life - self-care, family, and service to others.


6. Reduce your stress by being underwhelmed.  Here are a few tips to help you avoid getting overwhelmed:


NO is a complete sentence. Don't bite off more than you can chew. When someone makes a request, buy some time before answering.  Say, "Let me think about it," or "I'm in the middle of something right now. I'll call you back and let you know." This will give you time to evaluate the situation and decide if it's something you truly want to do.
Delegate as much as you can. Focus your time on activities that you enjoy and are best at.


7. Stay out of e-mail jail.  Here are a few tips to help:


Determine frequency of checking for e-mail messages. Some people choose to check it throughout the day and even use such devices as the Blackberry when on the road, while others only check for messages a couple times a day.  You are the only one who can determine what will work for you.
Use the F.A.T. (File, Act, Toss) method to keep your email inbox from piling up.  If a message needs to be filed for future reference, place it in the appropriate email subject or contact folder.  Place a red flag next to those items you need to act on but don't have time to do right at the moment.  Immediately toss (delete or forward) anything you don't need to keep.
Remove your name from subscription lists that do not provide value to you.


8.  Set up your work environment to keep your focus on what's most important. Here are some tips:

Arrange your workspace so you have the most commonly-used things close in.  Store things used less frequently in less accessible space.
Create a filing system that enables you to find things instantly.  The #1 reason that people pile instead of file is a fear of not being able to find it when they need it. Visit www.orgcoach.net/PaperTiger.html for some ideas.
Create a tickler file system to remind you of important follow up at the appropriate time.  The #2 reason that people pile is a fear of forgetting to do something that is out-of-sight and out-of-mind. A good tickler system reminds you to follow up on the appropriate date, and provides an alternative to that "I'll just set it here for now" pile.  Visit www.orgcoach.net/products/tickle.html#ticklerfile to see what a good tickler file system looks like.
Use the F.A.T. (File, Act, Toss) method to process your mail daily.  Review our Trim the F.A.T. tip sheet at www.orgcoach.net/trimthefat.html.
Keep only what you plan to focus on today on your desktop.  Remove visual distractions from your workspace so your attention is not pulled away from what you've chosen to work on today!  Everything else should be put away until it's time for you to focus on it.

By: Kathy Paauw
http://www.articlegeek.com/self-improvement/time_management_articles/get_organized_balancing_act.htm
Author Bio
Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of ideas to help you de-clutter your life so you can focus on what's most important?  Kathy Paauw offers simple, yet powerful ideas, on how to manage your time, space, and thoughts for a more productive and fulfilling life.  Visit www.orgcoach.net

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Brian Tracy - Science of Positive Focus - DVD Training Video Preview fro...

The One Choice That Changes Everything

There's one principle from unconscious psychology that is beyond powerful. Even if this is the only thing you learn from me, you'll quickly grow happier, wealthier, more productive and healthier.

You can use this to correct minor foibles or completely overhaul your life.

And it works in any domain - whether you're an athlete, business professional or someone looking for love.

Do this and you'll start spotting opportunities. It'll feel like magic, as if the universe is responding to your desires. These chances were always there but, for the first time, you start to pay attention.

It all comes down to a choice that anyone can make at any time.

The simplest and most powerful decision:

What do you choose to focus on right now?

Because in unconscious psychology, the Law of Attention says that whatever you focus on is what you get more of.

Pay attention to the good things and you get more of them. Focus on the bad and... well, you can get more of that, too.

This isn't some empty philosophy telling you to "think positive!"

It's solid psychology telling you to pay attention, right now, to what's working.

There are people who choose to focus on the negative. They criticise everything and everyone. An hour in their presence can make you want to punch something. They poke holes in every idea and explain how every achievement is really a failure.

And the strange thing is that these people are miserable.

Shouldn't they be happy? After all, in their minds, everything around them is broken. This makes them the lone hero, the voice of reason.

It makes them better than everyone else.

But no, they are bitter and miserable.

That's because they actively seek out (or create) negativity, so they wind up with more of it.

They focus on the bad stuff, so more bad stuff happens.

Don't be this person.

Then there are the genuinely joyful.

They see beauty and opportunity everywhere.

I'm not talking about being naïve or overly saccharine. When bad stuff happens, they accept it. But they choose to focus elsewhere.

In their mind, the world is full of amazing people doing great things. Isn't it humbling, even demoralising to live this way?

It turns out it's empowering. Focus on empowerment and that's what you get.

This choice you make with your conscious mind trains your unconscious. What you focus on teaches your mind what you want. If you pay attention to your successes in romance, then you'll follow opportunities to get more.

If you fixate on your failures, then it's time to rethink your mental strategy.

A practical strategy is to choose three times per day - morning, lunch and just before bed. Review your day and notice what worked. Pay attention to what you did right. If you made mistakes, then focus on what you can learn or what you did right within the mistake.

Do this until it becomes a habit.

Then follow the habit until it becomes your way of seeing the world.

This is the simplest mind training that you can do. Appreciate that its simplicity is a feature and do it.

It will lay the foundations for more advanced exercises.

Like those that Awakened Thought subscribers receive each month.

Take action to focus on your successes now:

Article Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?The-One-Choice-That-Changes-Everything&id=9961361

Discover Your Purpose: Follow Your Heart (5-Tips) 

What have I learned about following your heart? In short, it takes courage and faith. It's such a touchy thing because everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should or shouldn't do- even though it's your life to live. The process becomes more complex when the advice runs contrary to your desires and comes from people you respect. This article presents five tips to help you maneuver through this portion of the discovery. In my opinion, next to conducting a self-assessment, following your heart is life and death. 5 Tips


 Listen to your inner voice. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but it is essential. Answers come from within. Therefore, you must learn to hear and discern. How do you know when something is not right for you? Simply put, it feels uncomfortable down to the pit of your stomach. Every time I ignored the still small voice, I took the wrong turn. God makes moves to get you back on track; however, you can avoid the unnecessary detours.

 Seek guidance. In addition to seeking guidance from friends, family, mentors, and professionals, don't neglect to pray. The creator formed you. He knows your inner workings. Furthermore, he knows the master plan. How could you not seek or ignore his direction? The more you are in sync with Him, it becomes easier to hear the still small voice.


 Eliminate the noise. If you are determined to follow your heart, you must eliminate the noise. Where does the noise originate? The different voices, particularly those opposing your view, develop into annoying distractions. They have the capacity to confuse you, and confusion increases doubt and fear. Change the channel, listen to the inner voice, and keep moving.


 Begin where you are. Most struggle to follow their heart because the focus becomes how instead of why? In my opinion the former creates doubt and a lack of hope. With that in mind, begin by clarifying the why. Why do you want to sing? Why do you want to write books? Why do you want to build houses? Create a big enough why to sustain your drive. You'll press forward, overcome obstacles, and attract resources.


 Use what you have. Regardless of the setting or task at hand, I have consistently heard this statement: Use what you have. The first time occurred after an awkward conversation with a co-worker who questioned my qualifications for being hired. Ouch! By the time she finished raking me over the coals, my self-esteem should have diminished. Nevertheless, I was intrigued. Curiosity led me to the program coordinator's office, with a pen and notepad in hand. I questioned him about the reasons for selecting me. The response revolutionized my thinking. "We weren't concerned about what you didn't have; this is what you have and what we need you to use." At the same time, his observations had nothing to do with my experience or education; he detected an invaluable personality trait that continues to separate me from the pack.

 That's when I started promoting the inner stuff over the credentials and accolades. Several years later, another opportunity presented itself. At the conclusion of a meeting where I did not know what I was being interviewed for, the Director walked me to the elevator- with her hand on my right shoulder. Speaking softly she said, "The only thing I can tell you now is that I'm working on a program. I need you to come on board and use everything you have." Since then, I've used what I have to launch a training and consulting firm, without a large marketing budget. I facilitated free public seminars at local libraries (free meeting rooms, state of the art technology, a public relations department that creates materials for you, and daily foot traffic) to reach potential clients. In addition to getting the word out, I racked up a collection of testimonials. Most important, the participants became my foot soldiers. They enthusiastically took my brochures back to their employers, specifically the human resources department. Mission accomplished! Are you getting the point? Stop worrying about what you don't have. Be creative! Run with what's already inside you. Otherwise, you'll never follow your dream.
By Stephanie Harbin

 You're invited to visit https://www.everythingleadership.store to download for FREE copy of 7 Proclamations and Uncommon Faith Study Notes. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Stephanie_Harbin/77858 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9963119

Five Simple Steps to Create Greater Success

Here are 5 simple steps to create greater success by managing our time and getting things done in business and life that are important.

We live in a busy world where our time, priorities and energy are constantly challenged so have a game plan to help...

EVALUATE. What do I really want? Where am I headed? What am I doing now?
GET REAL. What is really important that will impact and support your long-term goals the best? What is not important? What is distracting me? What is not really supporting my long-term goal?
PLAN. What do I need to do to accomplish my goal? What are the KEY action steps? How will I do this? What schedule or strategy will keep me focused?
FOCUS. Whom do you need to be and what structures do you need to have to accomplish this (mindset, attitude, accountability)?
MONITOR/EVALUATE. Am I doing little, unimportant things? Am I procrastinating? What is working/ what is not? How could I streamline what I am doing?

The key to the success of the idea is a plan. You know the saying, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Take your idea, write a SMART goal on paper and create a plan from start to finish on how you will accomplish your goal. Then, decide if you have the time, energy, resources and desire to bring it to completion. Next, estimate HOW LONG each task will actually take. It is common to underestimate how much time each step will take and therefore it never gets done. Remember, if you are going to add something to your schedule, you must also plan to say "No!" to something else to make time to accomplish your goal.

Goal setting and accomplishment is not rocket science. The challenge is to maintain the discipline, focus, and clarity to implement these basic strategies. Evaluate your long-term goal, be realistic, plan, set structures for focus and have checkpoints to monitor. Invest your time in your plan and maintain the course once it is set. If you are serious about these goals, take action today. Ensure your success by developing an accountability system for yourself. Hire a coach as your strategic partner to run with you. Find a buddy in a similar situation.

Whatever it is, build environments to support your vision. Take the time to plan and design structures for success and you will see a difference!

Here's to you and your success! Have fun!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Christy_Geiger/2434143

By Christy Geiger 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9868819