35 Habits Productive People Use that Help You Get More Done (I Have 23) [Infographic]

What do productive people do to get that way? I know productivity isn’t everything in life, but it sure is important. A good friend of mine showed me this info-graphic recently. Her comment was “It made me think of you.”  I was surprised to find that I actually do 23 of the things listed here.

I can’t say that the whole list resonates with me, or that I would recommend them all.

As a coach I see several things on this list I use to work with clients. See if you can spot them. Be sure to check it out and see which ones can add value to your life. (more…)

Make Your Goals Emotionally Powerful, SMART Goals That Rock [Inforgraphic]

Frustration is probably starting to sink in. Are you one for setting New Years resolutions and goals at the beginning of the year? Had BIG ideas filled your head as the freshness of the New Year stirred your bravado? Maybe things are going well, and you’ve just gotten things rolling, or you feel in the groove with your new weight loss program or the business project you put together with your partner. If so, kudos!

As for me I sometimes wonder if I have ADD, or whatever they’re calling it. I tend to think of myself as a pretty upbeat person, always interested in getting involved in something new. It’s the getting started part that always gets me going. Then that idea needs a place to go, some landing gear, but before I know it I’m off to a new challenge. Am I the only one? (more…)

6 Steps You Can Use to Turn Your Desire into Reality

Did your parents tell you to be content with what you have, when you were growing up? Mine did and I know they meant well. Sometimes people ask, “Why can’t you just be happy with your job?” or career, income, status, etc. That desire in your gut is an often misunderstood and maligned part of the healthy you.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s essential to be content with what we have. I strongly believe showing gratitude for all the good in our lives is a must if we are continue receiving. However, it is my belief that, to quell desire on its existence alone is a mistake, if we are to grow, develop, and reach our full potential. (more…)

Why You Can’t Rely on Creative Visualization Working for You

Is all this mind stuff just a hoax? Are all these thought gurus just telling us what we want to hear and making a profit on it? I get hit with these kind of  questions too. Using mind tools, when there is so much work to be done can seem like a waste of time and an unhealthy distraction.

Being in the middle of a life direction shift and a career adjustment has got me looking at so many areas of my life. The crazy thing is that, I have had it quite good. I’ve done things I’ve enjoyed and experienced a relatively meaningful life of contribution.

Now I’m looking for more. I’m at a point were I need to grow and reach the next stage development in my life. After the age of 40 it can be hard to see how to change and shift in the new direction I feel drawn to. (more…)

3 Things I Learned from Mandela

What is Nelson Mandela’s legacy? I’ll leave writing that up, to others who definitely know better, but here are three takeaway’s from his life you can use to change your part of the world, locally or globally.

  • Believe, never stop believing in what you can do, and remember to dream big. Even if you are alone at first. Lead the way and others will follow.
  • Persist, go just beyond that point when you feel like quitting. Go on for just another 5 min, just one more day, just one more try.
  • Forgive, yes, forgive even those who are not sorry, because in the end you are freeing yourself from the prison of resentment. You cannot control what happens to you but you have complete control over how you feel and react. Who do you want to be?

Earlier this year I watched the movie Invictus, which highlighted the early days of his presidency and all I can remember is the deep impact it had on me. I was moved to tears. (more…)

Habits … Beliefs … and Eagles

What do these all have in common?

I read a story about an eagle, which had been chained so long to a stake in the ground that he had worn a rut in the ground, by going around and around it.

Photo courtesy of www.istockphoto.com

The bird was getting old. Its master felt sorry for it and thought, “I’m going to set it free!” He took the metal ring off of its foot. Then he took the eagle and tossed it into the air. What do you suppose happened? (more…)

What You Can Do About the Paradigm Holding You Back

That feeling in your gut can be terrifying. You know, the one that comes at a moment when you need to choose. “Do I want to stay where I am in life, or do I want to move on to something else?” Myself, I wanted to dance. I didn’t know how to, but I wanted to be were people were having fun. So how did I make that happen?  What keeps some people from taking that kind of a leap?

Photo courtesy of www.istockphoto.com

As I look back, I realize something. When I was young it was easier to make changes or do something new. Why? I was growing, learning, and finding out about life.

As I’ve gotten older, those choices and the decisions I’ve made, have formed into my paradigm. In our youth we are still very engaged in the process.  Then, we settle over time. (more…)

6 Simple Steps For Creating Laser Focus Using Lists

If you’re like me you probably have more things on your to-do list than you can possibly accomplish in a week much less in a day. It can be very frustrating to achieve the level of focus necessary to make consistent progress towards a goal or a dream.

Photo courtesy of www.istockphoto.com

I find that this is something a coach has helped me with a fair bit, over time. However coaching is not always available, so here’s a simple self-coaching tool you can employ for consistently creating focus in your work. It’s from a role model of mine Earl Nightingale and was first attributed to Ivy Lea who was paid $25,000 by Charles Schwab once he tried it out. (more…)