Rome Wasn't Built in a Day

Although it is a cliche, the old saying that Rome wasn't built in a day is an important one to remember. It can be discouraging to look at a great musician or a successful businessman because it seems like you will never be able to reach the level that they are at. We want to have everything that they have, and it can be hard to deal with the fact that that is not the way things work. If you look back into the pasts of those successful people, you will see that most of them were very average at their beginnings. They built themselves up step by step through hard work; it wasn't one single event that made them into who they are now.

Something that may help to overcome this mindset is to set more short term goals that are geared towards something you really want to improve. That way, you will be more focused on those goals and over time, those accomplishments will add up to something great.

Feel free to share any examples when you felt this way but overcame that mindset and ended up doing something you really wanted to do.

Taking Action

Sometimes when an opportunity comes along, no matter how big or how small, we choose not to act on it. Maybe we are afraid, maybe we are feeling lazy, or maybe it just doesn't sound like a good idea. However, if you have even the slightest idea that you might want to be a part of this opportunity or you want to try this "new thing": ACT.

You will never know what could have been or what might have happened if you don't take action. It is very easy to sit back and go about our normal business, but by simply taking a chance from time to time we may find that great successes or great memories occur when we choose to act. I know I have passed up on a few opportunities and have regretted them. Would you rather live a life of many successes and failures or would you rather live a "plain", but safe life? If you like the sound of the former (I know I do) then the next time something comes your way, take action. Don't pass up a chance to get involved unless you truly have a reason not to.

What do you all think? Is it worth it to take risks, or would you rather stick to what you know?

Brain Power

"The mind gives up long before the body ever will"

I have found this quote to be very true on many occasions. It is most obvious when I am out on a run. While I'm running, I feel my body slowing down, telling me to stop or to take it easy. Yet, I know that I have run harder in the past so it doesn't make sense that I should be tired already. This is simply my own mind attempting to convince me that something is impossible even though my body has already shown me that it is possible.

I think we make our greatest improvements when we push past this mental blockade and force ourselves to keep going. I think many of us suffer from this problem and it can be a difficult one to overcome continuously. Do your best to overcome this thinking; push past the barriers that you know can be broken. If you find that you are telling yourself that you can't get something done, do yourself a favor and do it anyways.

What other situations do you all find are the most difficult to overcome mentally?

Productivity

Often time we find ourselves feeling like we do not have enough time to accomplish everything in our lives. Sometimes all the little things begin to weigh down on us and we don't see a way out. What I find to be most helpful when I have a lot of things on my plate is to make a list. Make a list of EVERYTHING you need to do...from laundry, to work, to getting the car repaired. Once you have made the list, begin with the easiest tasks first. This will do two things for you.

One: It will be easier to start getting things done because the easy tasks don't feel daunting and you are more willing to start working on those.
Two: It will get you over the mental block of having "too much" to do. When you see that your list is dwindling, the bigger tasks don't see so bad because there are not as many.

Really, being productive is all about tricking yourself into getting started. Once you have started, it is easier to keep going. And I love this quote. It really seems to fit in with this topic, so I will end it with this: "Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days." -Zig Ziglar

Let your list be your direction and get started!

Live in the Now

Something that always seems to be a struggle for most people is thinking about things that have already happened. Often times we dwell on regrets or moments where we wished something else had happened. This can be a difficult thing to overcome because many of us want to feel sorry for ourselves and like to brood over how bad things have been. I have learned that this behavior only leads to even more regrets or more missed moments of opportunity. This is because we are not focused on what really matters: the present. Instead of thinking about moments that have already passed, we should be thinking about what we can do right now to improve things. The present is the only time where you can actually make changes. And once we make changes in our present, our futures will be greatly improved.

The Importance of Benefiting Others

It seems like in today’s business world, most people are only concerned about making money. This is understandable, but there is another element that I think has gotten lost over the years. B. C. Forbes said, “Business was originated to produce happiness, not to pile up millions.” Many businesses used to start up in order to provide a service or a product that would make its customer happy. Yes, this is still a part of business today, but the bottom line seems to have cast a dark shadow over this vital aspect. If a business places the majority of its focus on serving its customer, the customer will in turn reward the business with loyalty. Money is an important part of every business, but it shouldn’t be the sole focus.

Travel

I'm sorry, but we are traveling for a few days so there will probably not be any posts. Tune in Sunday for the next one!