4 Actionable Life Changes to Reach Your Potential

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Personal Development | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

The very fact that you’re reading this article makes me feel like you’ve run into the following problem: You always feel like you could be doing more.



I’ll bet that you’re constantly asking questions like:



<ul><li>Am I being too lazy with my job?</li><li>Should I be spending more time with my friends and family?</li><li>Are the books I’m reading good enough?</li><li>Am I progressing with my life fast enough?</li><li>Should I be spending more time relaxing?</li></ul>



These questions used to surge through my mind on an hourly basis. Why? Because I felt like I wasn’t living up to my potential. I was so obsessed with the idea that I had to be reaching my potential that I was forcing myself to relax when I didn’t want to. I was forcing myself to work harder. I was forcing myself to be stressed out about finding the answer to all these questions.



Then I started making some changes. And suddenly everything started getting incredible.



Let’s look at a few of the changes I made and explore the science behind why they are so potent.



<h2 id="h-1-spend-15-minutes-meditating-daily">1. Spend 15 minutes meditating daily.</h2>



Before I started meditating, I figured it was all a waste of time. Just sitting there, thinking. “I think all the time, why do I need to do it with my eyes closed and sitting down?” I wondered.



I was an idiot.



The most incredible change in my life thanks to meditation has been my newfound<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/how-to-train-your-brain-to-focus"> </a><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-conditions-for-deep-focus/">ability to focus</a>. Not just concentrating on something, but truly being focused on a task and allowing that task to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-science-based-mind-hacks-to-get-into-flow/">consume my very being</a>.



Whenever my mind starts to wander, instead of getting lost in a daydream, I can “catch” my brain and bring it back to the task at hand. Interestingly, Giuseppe Pagnoni, Ph.D., <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/32/15/5242" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conducted an experiment</a> with 12 zen meditators and found that meditators had more stability in the ventral posteromedial cortex (vPMC) compared to non-meditators.



The vPMC is a part of the brain with potential connections to the production of spontaneous thoughts (and therefore wandering minds). The meditators had more stability, which meant that they could more easily prevent their minds from disappearing into flights of fancy.



<h2 id="h-2-keep-a-gratitude-journal">2. Keep a gratitude journal.</h2>



One of the most frustrating things about <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/continually-reach-your-potential/">living up to your potential</a> is how unaware we are of any progress that we’re making. Emotionally, we want our lives to change fast, and when we don’t get the results quickly, we get frustrated and fall back into old habits.



For example, I’m trying to push myself to be the best I can be, and I’m very critical of myself. I brush off my achievements as How can I do this better next time? and don’t celebrate the victory, killing my motivation.



To combat this, I started writing down things that I was<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/rohn-5-ways-to-be-more-grateful-on-the-daily"> </a>grateful for each day. Every morning, I would write down a thing and a brief explanation of why I was grateful for it. For example, on April 4, I wrote, “Having a car gives me a lot of mobility options that would otherwise be very expensive.”



Focusing on what I’ve done well or what I’m grateful for keeps that motivation up and provides a record of great things in my life for when I’m feeling down. Gratitude has been proven to improve self-esteem, potentially help you sleep better and even<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12585811"> </a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-020-00261-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">improve your overall well-being</a>.



<h2 id="h-3-start-exercising-first-thing-in-the-morning">3. Start exercising first thing in the morning.</h2>



As a regular gym-goer for two years now, I can categorically say that exercising three times a week will change your life. But I’ve also realized that when you exercise is almost as important as <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-create-an-exercise-routine-that-doesnt-suck/">how you exercise</a>.



I used to exercise after work, and it was a great way to unwind. But my evenings were taken up by repeatedly lifting heavy things, and I didn’t have time to go to extracurricular activities,<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/podcast/ep-43-networking-202"> </a>networking or social events.



So, I made a tiny change. Instead of going to the gym in the evenings, I went in the mornings. Here’s what I found:



<ul><li>I completed my workout faster, as I didn’t need to wait for equipment.</li><li>It was easier to concentrate.</li><li>I had more energy for the rest of the day.</li></ul>



The first point is anecdotal and may differ depending on where you like to work out. However, for the second two, Dr. Cedric Bryant, Chief Science Officer of the American Council on Exercise, told The Huffington Post, “<a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/best-time-to-work-out_us_562e302ee4b0aac0b8fd5f29" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Morning workouts</a> result in better energy levels throughout the day and give you more mental alertness and sharpness.”



<h2 id="h-4-live-life-slower">4. Live life slower.</h2>



I’ve spoken before about<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/3-ways-to-deal-with-the-anxiety-of-being-an-entrepreneur"> </a>the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-ways-to-overcome-entrepreneurial-anxiety/">anxiety of being an entrepreneur</a>, and I realized that a huge part of my being so anxious was because I was living in the future. Not in a science fiction, flying cars and robots kind of way, but in my headspace.



I was always mentally rushing to complete things and constantly thinking about things that I needed to do that day, week and month. My head was so cluttered with tasks that I couldn’t function properly. I was working eight to 10 hours a day and rushing everywhere to make sure I could fit in everything (gym, social life, work). It was horrible.



So I slowed down.



Now, before I go to bed, I write down the tasks that I need to do the next day and focus only on completing those tasks. If I have any thoughts about what I need “future me” to do, I write them down on a piece of paper (or text file on my laptop) and push it out of my mind.



Once I’ve completed the tasks I’ve written down, I don’t write down more; I allow myself to focus on other things. If something doesn’t get finished, then it becomes something that needs to be done the next day. Simple as that.



When you’re<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/5-qualities-you-need-to-reach-your-biggest-goals"> </a>working toward a big goal, respect the fact that it’ll take a while. If you take a step closer to reaching whatever you’re working toward each day, then you’re reaching your potential.



<h2 id="h-here-s-how-i-made-these-changes-in-my-life">Here’s how I made these changes in my life.</h2>



It’s fantastic that you’re feeding your mind with articles like this and spending time learning<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/4-ways-to-turn-your-potential-into-success"> </a>how to reach your potential. Here are four things that you can start doing today to start moving closer to your goal.



<ul><li>Download <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/headspace-vs-calm-which-is-right-for-you/">Calm or Headspace</a> for your phone and learn how to meditate (both come with a free beginner’s course on meditation).</li><li>Buy a nice notebook and a fancy pen that you enjoy using, and write down three things that you’re grateful for each day. Use the formula of what you’re grateful for, then why you’re grateful for it.</li><li>Train yourself to wake up earlier and do at least 15 minutes of exercise (even if it’s just a brisk walk).</li><li>Make a list of three tasks that you have to do that day. Once they’re done, give yourself the freedom to do anything else (socializing, sitting in the sun, your hobby or even more work).</li></ul>



What are some changes you’ve made to your life that have completely changed the way you live?



This article was published in May 2017 and has been updated. Photo by hedgehog94/Shutterstock

When you’re working toward a big goal, respect the fact that it’ll take a while. If you take a step closer to reaching whatever you’re working toward each day, then you’re reaching your potential.

When you’re working toward a big goal, respect the fact that it’ll take a while. If you take a step closer to reaching whatever you’re working toward each day, then you’re reaching your potential. | SUCCESS

These 4 Small, Consistent Changes Helped Me Reach My Potential

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These 4 Small, Consistent Changes Helped Me Reach My Potential | SUCCESS

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Nate Chai is the founder of Five Years to Financial Freedom, a publication dedicated to helping you build success, wealth and freedom in your life. Head over to his free Financial Freedom Coaching group for daily motivational tips, high-value articles and entrepreneurial advice.

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Nathan Chai

How comfortable are you right now?



You might be reading this on a cramped subway shuttling to your job. You might be using this article as “research” while your bigger entrepreneurial project goes untouched. You might be looking for a quick boost to spur you on to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/rohn-these-5-questions-will-define-where-youre-going-in-life">become your version of successful</a>.



On your success journey, you’re going to be uncomfortable, and staying motivated is one of the most difficult parts of achieving something great.



These past three weeks have been emotionally tough for me—I lost a client and significant funding keeping my business afloat, among other things. But I pride myself on my stoicism and ability to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/3-keys-to-getting-motivated-when-you-feel-stuck">stay motivated</a> regardless of what is going on around me.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/11-powerful-mantras-for-those-whove-lost-motivation">11 Powerful Mantras for Those Who’ve Lost Motivation</a>
</blockquote>



So I did what I always do when I’m having a tough time. I read, and read, and read some more. I compiled the five best ways to get and stay motivated from across the web. For your reading pleasure…



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-sometimes-all-you-need-is-5-seconds">1. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/it-only-takes-5-seconds-to-change-your-life">Sometimes all you need is 5 seconds.</a></h2>



The most bizarre trait of human beings is how willing we are to stay dissatisfied with our lives. You have an incredible life-changing idea… and then think of 100 different reasons why you shouldn’t do it. Now imagine a life where each of these amazing ideas becomes reality.



<a href="https://www.melrobbins.com/">Mel Robbins</a> has a so-simple-I-can’t-believe-I-didn’t-think-of-it technique called the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/videos/youtube/the-5-second-trick-that-saved-this-mans-life">5 Second Rule</a>: “If you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within five seconds or your brain will kill it.”



Initially, your body hates the action, but it gets results. For example, I was on a train the other day and spotted a cute girl, and 5- 4- 3- 2- 1- GO! I’m sitting next to her and we’re having a great conversation. The hardest part of that entire process was turning the instinct (She looks cute) into “Hello, my name’s Nathan.”



Next time you have <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/why-your-instincts-can-help-you-achieve-your-goals">an idea or an instinct</a>, count down from five and then act. It might simply be writing down the idea, but you need to attach a physical movement to the mental impulse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-you-need-to-bathe-more-in-motivation">2. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/17-motivational-quotes-to-inspire-you-to-be-successful">You need to bathe more… in motivation.</a></h2>



When you’re working toward a goal, it’s easy to get caught up in the drudgery of getting to that finish line. You start working harder, and harder, and harder, inching ever closer to that dream… and before you know it, you’ve lost sight of what your goal was in the first place. Cut to a loss of motivation, cut to intense stress, cut to complete personal burnout.



Enter success coach and originator of the <a href="https://amzn.to/2eGI7UK" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chicken Soup for the Soul</a> series, <a href="https://jackcanfield.com/about-jack-canfield/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jack Canfield</a>. His solution? Constantly bathing in things that motivate you. How? A vision board.



A vision board is a collection of affirmations, pictures and quotes that you keep in a prominent place. You need to look at this board every day to continually remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-chunk-it-out">3. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/think-big-start-small-and-plan-for-success">Chunk it out.</a></h2>



I want to have a stock investment portfolio of $650,000. Even just writing it down seems insane. On top of shelter, food and water; on top of travel costs, socializing and adventures; on top of the sheer expenditure of just existing in one of the most expensive cities in the world, if I saved $50,000 per year, it’d still take me 13 years to reach that target.



Staying motivated when faced with a goal that large and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/use-these-mental-techniques-when-your-brain-is-overwhelmed">that feels overwhelmingly hard</a> is a tough thing to manage. Thankfully, <a href="https://www.briantracy.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brian Tracy</a>, one of the original greats of the personal development world, has a concept that simplifies the goal-setting process. I’ve lovingly labeled it “chunking.”



With any of your goals, “chunk” it down into a checklist of actions that need to be completed. Each time you complete one of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/why-this-before-that-matters-if-you-want-to-achieve-your-goals">the smaller goals</a>, you’ll feel that winning feeling of accomplishment.



Using my dream and my business as an example:



Goal: Have a stock investment portfolio of $650,000 in 5 years



Chunks:



<ul>
<li>Need to invest $130,000 each year</li>



<li>Need to invest $10,833 each month</li>



<li>Need to sell one end-to-end book writing package each month</li>



<li>Need to contact 100 warm leads per month to sell my service</li>



<li>Need to contact 25 leads per week</li>



<li>Need to contact 5 leads per day</li>
</ul>



Suddenly, my dream isn’t as scary as it once was. All I need to do is make five sales calls a day. Break down your goals into simple daily tasks and focus on consistently completing them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-play-that-funky-music">4. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/12-confidence-boosting-songs-to-pump-you-up">Play that funky music.</a></h2>



I was with one of my book-writing clients the other day and he told me that he never listens to the radio. When I asked him about this, he said “I don’t allow outside forces to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/9-mood-boosting-ways-to-inject-positivity-in-your-life">control my mood</a>.” Before we all join him in putting on our tinfoil hats, he’s got a point.



Music can control your emotions, I mean we’ve all got that “killer track” that we can’t help but move our bodies to. That’s why we include music in films, to cue the audience on what emotion they should be feeling and add to that emotional beat.



Award-winning author, record producer and neuroscientist <a href="https://daniellevitin.com/publicpage/articles/all-publications/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Daniel Levitin</a> has written much on the subject, but one of the most important points is that the right music will motivate you. Whether it’s the lyrics that speak to you, the pounding beat or that irresistibly funky bassline, it’s hard to pin down why some tracks make us feel incredible. Spend some time compiling the music that gets you fired up, and when you need a dose of motivation, press play.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-talk-to-a-you-expert">5. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/15-positive-affirmations-for-an-awesome-day">Talk to a “you expert.”</a></h2>



Who knows more about you than, well… you? One of the most painful truths that I had to realize about the world and myself is <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/4-actionable-life-changes-to-reach-your-potential">it’s up to me to change myself</a> and shape the world around me. There’s just one problem: We are terrible at knowing ourselves and our motivations.



<a href="https://halelrod.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hal Elrod</a>, creator of the hugely influential Miracle Morning program, lists positive self-talk as one of the pillars of his program. When you wake up and before you go to sleep, mentally repeat or say aloud your personal affirmations about changes you’re making in your life.



These affirmations aren’t things like I’m a happy person or I am wealthy. Hal’s brand of affirmations go deeper. He says you need to have <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/master-the-art-of-setting-goals-in-4-steps">a clearly measurable goal</a> and the driving force behind why you’re committed to the goal. For example, I am committed to become fitter over the next 12 months, increasing my weekly hours exercising from one to eight, so I can be proud of my body and dedication.



You’ll also need to include the actions that will enable you to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/5-qualities-you-need-to-reach-your-biggest-goals">reach that goal</a>. The next part of the affirmation might read, To ensure I increase my level of exercise, I will watch one less hour of TV per day and wake up 30 minutes earlier.



From five motivational masters, straight to your brain…. Let’s get motivated!



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/13-life-rules-to-keep-you-motivated">13 Life Rules to Keep You Motivated</a>
</blockquote>



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What’s your favorite motivational technique? | SUCCESS

Professional Growth

Professional Growth Archives

Professional Growth | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

As I stood in the bowels of a hotel, deep in one of its overly inoffensive conference rooms, I thought to myself, Networking doesn’t have to be like this! Strangely, though, networking as become a cliché and yet it’s vitally important to prolonged success in any area of your life.

When I think about networking, an image comes to mind: Groups of people awkwardly standing around a posh hotel, discussing topics that require the bare minimum of personality or emotional depth.

But it doesn’t have to be like that!

If you’re looking to improve yourself, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/podcast/ep-43-networking-202">you’re going to need to network</a>. If you want to change careers, find a life partner or feel a strong urge to be better, you need to meet people who can help you accomplish that goal.

Related:&nbsp;<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/8-ways-to-expand-your-network-today">8 Ways to Expand Your Network Today</a>

<h2>“Hello! My name is…”</h2>

How many people do you see in one day? If you live in a large city, you might pass hundreds (perhaps thousands) of human beings, each as complex and wrapped up in their existence as you are.

Leveraging that fact is the first step to making networking exciting.

One of the old adages in the networking manuals of old is, “It’s not who you know, it’s who you know knows.” Each person you walk by on the street likely knows someone who can help you achieve what you’re currently trying to achieve.

The secret to unlocking that power is to… <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/15-tips-to-get-better-at-small-talk">talk to them.</a>

Talking to new people makes your life exciting because it makes it unpredictable. Every single conversation you have with a new person is potentially life-changing. To <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/videos/youtube/4-reasons-you-should-be-risking-rejection">embrace the fear of a stranger rejecting you</a> is you telling yourself that the risk of rejection is worth the possibility of becoming the person you dream of being.

Realistically, it’s super inefficient to talk to random people on the street. It’s too chaotic, too unfocused. What if there were a way that we could dramatically increase our chances of meeting someone we want to meet and who does something we enjoy?

<h2>Spaghetti and meatballs, peanut butter and jelly, hobbies and jobs.</h2>

If you’re looking to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/13-simple-steps-to-land-the-job-you-want">land your dream job</a> or career, it might be worth changing up your hobbies. It might sound strange, but in my experience, people with similar jobs tend to gravitate toward similar extracurricular activities.

For example, I was in Weymouth (on the south coast of the U.K.) rock climbing with some friends. Weymouth is a kind of rock-climbing mecca, and as I spoke to the fellow climbers, I began seeing a strange pattern: They were all programmers! In fact, the friends who had driven me down were programmers, too.

The more I thought about it, the more patterns I started to see: A lot of business analysts play squash, writers go to book clubs, and middle managers for consultancy firms go road cycling.

If you’re looking to get into a profession or meet people in a specific sector:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.meetup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Go on Meetup.com.</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/7-reasons-you-should-join-a-community-of-professionals">Join a professional networking group</a> for the job or industry you are interested in.</li>
	<li><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/5-tips-for-networking-your-way-to-a-job-on-linkedin">Look at profiles</a> of other members and see what other informal meetup groups they’re involved with.</li>
</ul>

Not only will you get to meet the people you’re looking to meet, you’ll also find yourself doing activities that you never thought you’d do. Speaking of which…

<h2>Do the things you’ve always wanted to do.</h2>

The most exciting way of networking is simply to do the things you’ve always wanted to do.

You know that language you want to learn? Stop messing around with apps on your phone and head to a class. You want to become a jazz singer? It’s time to take that smooth voice out of the shower and into an open mic night. You want to fight crime? Maybe it’s time to join the Avengers.

OK, that last one was a joke, but it’s important that you start doing whatever you already do, but socially.

I’m a guitar player and I used to always play to myself in my room. When I started going to open mic gigs, people would come up to me afterward to talk about the songs I played, music projects I might like to be involved in or just to congratulate me. Thus, opening the gates for a new friendship/<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/10-questions-to-ask-yourself-for-a-successful-collaboration">business partner</a>/significant other.

Similarly, if you take a class for a thing you’ve always wanted to learn, you’ll learn a lot about the other people during your course. You’ll see who’s committed, who helps their fellow students and who the sociable people are (they’ll chat after class). After a few weeks of attending the class, you’ll have a clear idea of who you’d like to engage with in the future and who you don’t.

Moving your life forward begins by attracting new and amazing people into your life. So get out there!

Related:&nbsp;<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/introverted-use-these-tips-to-rock-networking">Introverted? Use These Tips to Rock Networking​</a>

Moving your life forward begins by attracting new people into your life. So get out there!

Moving your life forward begins by attracting new people into your life. So get out there! | SUCCESS

How to Attract Amazing People Into Your Life

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Business &amp; Branding

Business &amp; Branding Archives

Stay ahead in business: strategies and insights for success

In 2016, I decided that I was going to own my own business—I was going to become an entrepreneur.

This has been both <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/the-best-decision-i-ever-made">the best decision I’ve ever made</a> and the worst. They say “running a business is hard,” but it’s difficult for most people to conceptualize what that actually means. And when I talk to people about what I do and they say, “That sounds really hard,” they usually think the “hard” part is one of the following:

<ul>
	<li>Working long hours</li>
	<li><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/videos/youtube/ted-talks-why-you-should-talk-to-strangers">Talking to lots of strangers</a></li>
	<li>Enduring a lot of rejection</li>
</ul>

They’re partially right. The long hours aren’t really noticeable as I’m working toward something I really want, talking to strangers gets a lot easier (and fun) the more you do it, and around the 50th rejection or so, the feeling of everyone hates me and this is pointless fades.

The hardest part about being an entrepreneur is <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/how-successful-people-beat-stress">managing the anxiety</a>. Even if you’re not a particularly anxious person (which I’m not), <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/3-tips-for-overcoming-your-worried-brain">dealing with all the worries</a> about being the master of your own destiny is crippling. Things that you didn’t even consider when you were working your traditional job become huge terrifying beasts of thoughts stomping around your brain.

Related:&nbsp;<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/9-entrepreneurial-lessons-you-never-learned-in-school">9 Entrepreneurial Lessons You Never Learned in School</a>

But I learned how to slay those beasts. (All right, they’re actually still there, but I’m far less terrified of them.) Here are three techniques that have helped me deal with the anxiety of being an entrepreneur.

<h2>1. Learn how to not think.</h2>

I was fairly resistant to meditation when it was suggested to me as a method for dealing with anxiety. I assumed that it was one of those new age things reserved for hippies, mystics and the unhinged. I thought of meditation as just basic thinking… when actually it’s the opposite.

Meditation is the practice of focusing on your breathing and nothing else. When your mind drifts (and it will), you notice that it has drifted and then you drift back to focusing on your breathing. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/i-actually-tried-meditation-for-30-days-this-is-what-happened">Once I started meditating daily</a>, I became less critical of others’ actions (and mine), I stopped feeling as if everything was a major crisis, and I was able to think more clearly about my business strategy.

Despite meditation making a marked improvement in my life, I still assumed it was a placebo effect or maybe even just anecdotal to me; I was so wrong. In March 2014, Johns Hopkins University published <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1809754" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a meta-analysis of all the studies</a> on how meditation relates to well-being—here are two of the most important points:

<ul>
	<li>“We found low evidence of no effect or insufficient evidence of any effect of meditation programs on positive mood, attention, substance use, eating habits, sleep, and weight.”</li>
	<li>“Clinicians should be aware that meditation programs can result in small to moderate reductions of multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress.”</li>
</ul>

In non-academic speak, meditation does in fact reduce negative emotions and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/11-strategies-for-managing-stress">mental stress</a>.

<h2>2. Make molehills out of your mountains. </h2>

One dreary Friday morning, I woke up and everything crashed in on me at once. I tried to launch into my <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/this-7-step-morning-routine-helped-me-build-a-billion-dollar-brand">morning routine</a>, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t even move. My mind was racing with every possible thing that could go wrong, and it terrified me. I was suffering from analysis paralysis.

Once I’d finally managed to get out of bed, I found myself on the floor of my bedroom and did the only thing any self-respecting entrepreneur terrified of the future would do: I called my mom. She helped me get to the bottom of what I was really worried about and helped me realize that the reason I couldn’t do anything was because I was trying to mentally do everything at once.

Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/3-emotions-all-entrepreneurs-feel-and-how-to-keep-them-in-check">3 Emotions All Entrepreneurs Feel (and How to Keep Them in Check)</a>

By chunking down the huge goal (build a business with a million-dollar turnover) to more immediate goals (uncurl from the fetal position and get up off the bedroom floor), I felt more empowered and motivated to literally get up and do something.

Incredibly, <a href="https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2013/07/08/people-with-depression-tend-to-pursue-generalised-goals/">a 2013 study by Dr. Joanne Dickson</a> conducted at the University of Liverpool found that “having very broad and abstract goals may exacerbate depression.” When you think about your big ultimate goal, the process and idea feels abstract because you have no idea how to get to that level. By breaking your goals down into manageable actions, it helps quell the anxiety and fear.

<h2>3. Track the small wins.</h2>

Something that I’ve carried over from my days of having a boss is keeping a Wins Journal. When I worked a 9-to-5, I kept a record of all the things that I had accomplished that week. I originally did this to impress my manager, but having a record of my weekly wins acts as a motivator, too.

A curse of entrepreneurship is that we’re always looking at the next peak to climb. The problem with always focusing on the peak is that you never turn around and enjoy the view. By keeping track of your accomplishments, you’re building the view from how far you’ve come.

Professor Robert Emmons <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/pdfs/GratitudePDFs/6Emmons-BlessingsBurdens.pdf">wrote a fascinating paper</a> on the correlation between gratitude and both psychological and physical well-being. His study was based on students writing down things that they were grateful for on a daily basis. He discovered this:

“Participants in the gratitude group rated their life more favorably on these two items than did participants in the hassles group or events group…. The gratitude-group participants experienced fewer symptoms of physical illness than those in either of the other two groups. Lastly, there was a main effect for hours of exercise: People in <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/podcast/ep-38-the-power-of-gratitude">the gratitude condition</a> spent significantly more time exercising (nearly 1.5 hours more per week) than those in the hassles condition.”

Writing in a Wins Journal works on precisely the same principle, focusing you on the things you’re doing well or the achievements you’re proud of. So at the end of each day, write down three things that happened, things you’re proud of. And at the end of the week, choose your five favorites.

Courage is <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/john-addison-5-ways-to-turn-your-fear-into-fuel">acting in spite of fear</a>, and if you’ve yet to launch into your entrepreneurial journey, you’ll always feel some level of anxiety. The things I’ve shared with you in this article aren’t ways of getting rid of the anxiety, but they are ways of managing it.

Eventually your anxiety will morph into a feeling of excitement. You don’t know what’s going to happen next, you can’t control everything… and that’s part of the fun.

Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/videos/youtube/how-to-make-stress-your-friend">How to Make Stress Your Friend</a>

Calm your anxious thoughts and take back your daily control.

Calm your anxious thoughts and take back your daily control. | SUCCESS

3 Ways to Deal With the Anxiety of Being an Entrepreneur

3 Ways to Deal With the Anxiety of Being an Entrepreneur | SUCCESS

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4 Psychological Reasons You Aren’t Attracting Success Into Your Life

Five years ago, I was lounging on a hammock when my friend handed me a copy of Rhonda Byrne’s best-selling personal development book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1582701709/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479412955&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=The+Secret&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=sm0fe-20&amp;linkId=c56c2f89978ab88f37fda56e6dfdfc14">The Secret</a>.

As I delved into the book, I became frustrated—“How could anyone believe this nonsense?” I asked my friend. She told me millions of people (including herself) had read the book and found it incredibly valuable in their lives.

The core tenant of The Secret is the “Law of Attraction,” which, to put it simply, is “like attracts like.” That is, when you wish for things, cosmic forces conspire to bring whatever you wished for into your life. But I’m a man of science! I don’t have time for cosmic forces (other than gravity). 

So I began researching the concept.
Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/rohn-how-do-you-attract-opportunity-into-your-life">How Do You Attract Opportunity Into Your Life?</a>

<h2>What is the Law of Attraction?</h2>
&nbsp;
<h3 align="center">“<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/your-thoughts-create-your-beliefs">You always attract into your life the people, ideas, and resources in harmony with your dominant thoughts.</a>” —Brian Tracy</h3>
&nbsp;
Celebrated sales trainer and personal development speaker Brian Tracy is one of the more prominent believers in the Law of Attraction. He says this about the mechanics behind the law, having studied philosophy, metaphysics, religion, spiritual development, psychology and success principals for 20 years:
“Law of Attraction is one of the oldest&nbsp;Universal Laws&nbsp;known to man, and when used the right way, it's incredibly powerful.”
But that didn’t satisfy me. It didn’t explain how the law works.

In David McRaney’s book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-So-Smart/dp/1592407366/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479413609&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=You+Are+Not+So+Smart&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=sm0fe-20&amp;linkId=18a281582083eb6eda392011d17e1da4">You Are Not So Smart</a>, he writes about how we build our personal stories about how the world works. Our brain's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cognitive-biases-2015-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cognitive biases</a> shape our very perception of reality.

Cognitive biases are thought-shortcuts (thoughtcuts, as I like to call them), that we use to think quicker or process information faster. Our brains will disregard sources of information, objective truths, and instead, apply ingrained beliefs (true or false) to interpret situations.

Thanks to these thoughtcuts, it is almost impossible for us to see the world as it actually is. That is to say, we are unable to view situations without our ego, experiences and emotions getting in the way. We filter the world through our belief systems and see what we want to see. But why?

To answer that question, I accepted The Law of Attraction as fact. We need to believe that we do indeed attract things into our life simply by wishing for them.
<h2>1. Confirmation Bias</h2>
<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/science-choice/201504/what-is-confirmation-bias" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">We seek information that confirms what we already believe to be true</a>. Surprisingly, we give less weight, or even ignore, evidence that disagrees with our beliefs.

If you believe that you can manifest things into your life by wishing, you'll find evidence that confirms that belief. If you believe that someone or something has appeared in your life to help you, then it's probable that you'll look for ways that they can help you.
<h2>2. The Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy/Apophenia</h2>
The Texas Sharpshooter fallacy is explained by a man randomly shooting a barn hundreds of times. He then paints a target where the majority of shots hit. It is then perceived that he is a particularly good shot. To put it another way, <a href="https://gizmodo.com/no-celebrities-dont-die-in-threes-1622278656" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">when random coincidences happen, we effectively paint a target around the random coincidences and ignore the rest of the events</a>.

A key example from my life is that my mum’s name is Rachel and her husband's name is Phillip. A close friend of mine's mum’s name is Rachel and his Dad's name is Phillip. And we grew up in the same village of 800 people.

It’s super weird, until you realize that my friend and I are the same age. Our parents are roughly the same age. Rachel and Phillip were popular names when they were born. My friend’s family and I have similar socio-economic backgrounds that allowed our parents to move to the same location.

Related to the Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy is Apophenia, which is when <a href="https://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/09/apophenia_makes_unrelated_things_seem_connected_metaphors_paranormal_beliefs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">we assign meaning to random events</a>. For example, say you're discussing Star Wars with a friend. Then, that very same evening, you flick through the TV channels and&nbsp;Star Wars&nbsp;is playing. Unbelievable! What are the odds? you muse, assuming some sort of higher power or cosmic being granted you the boon of watching a beloved movie.

Apophenia combined with confirmation bias suggests there is some sort of meaning to random events. In reality, it’s our brain’s thoughtcuts that give the situations meaning.
<h2>3. Self-fulfilling Prophecy/Behavorial&nbsp;Confirmation</h2>
Did you know our expectations directly affect our outcomes? <a href="https://users.ox.ac.uk/~sfos0060/prophecies.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">We assign emotions and outcomes to events long before they happen</a>. It’s going to be terrible, you tell yourself when your sister invites you to a raw-vegan restaurant, and you end up feeling annoyed and hungry. But that’s only because you've spent two hours mentally mocking the restaurant.

Now think about your everyday life. When you wake up and think, It's going to be one of those days. How often do you get it right? <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/it-takes-a-positive-attitude-to-achieve-positive-results">Now think of a time when you woke up and thought, Today is my day; let’s go and be amazing! How did those days go?</a>

Semi-similar is behavorial confirmation. This is when <a href="https://www.psychology-lexicon.com/cms/glossary/35-glossary-b/69-behavioral-confirmation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">people behave in the way we expect them to</a>. For example, if we expect a certain person to be standoffish, you might unconsciously behave standoffish toward them in defense. This makes them feel like they need to act standoffish.

We create the outcome we (consciously or unconsciously) expect. Once you start assuming the best in people and assuming there will be positive outcomes in all situations, you’ll be surprised how right you can be.
<h2>4. The Baader-Meinhof&nbsp;Phenomenon/Selective Attention</h2>
<a href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/attention-models.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Selective attention suggests that we can’t absorb all the information that we experience every day</a>. The brain simply ignores most of what's going on. When you're driving, unless you really concentrate, how much are you aware of? Other than possible sources of danger, your favorite podcast and what’s for dinner, you probably didn't experience too much.

We effectively ignore anything that isn't relevant to our immediate thoughts, so our brain power can focus on what we think is important.

Think about it like this: When you’re single, how many couples do you see? They’re everywhere. When you’re driving, you know what colors the cars on the other side of the road are, but it’s only when you choose to think about it that you actually notice.

A similar thoughtcut is the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, which is what happens <a href="https://psmag.com/there-s-a-name-for-that-the-baader-meinhof-phenomenon-e5bf3ea87cd2#.f2io0lfh7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">when you learn a new word and then suddenly see it everywhere</a>. Your brain prioritizes recent information and looks for more of it.

The two core things to remember from this section are relevancy and recency. By keeping your goals in the forefront of you mind, and thinking about them often, you’ll notice more (and better) ways to achieve them.

My research led me to believe that <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/if-you-want-to-change-your-results-you-have-to-change-your-thinking-first">thoughtcuts power the Law of Attraction.</a> Cognitive biases are always present as our brain is constantly trying to process large amounts of information. Use these four tips to make your brain's cognitive biases work in your favor:
<ul>
 	<li style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Relevancy and recency: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/10-steps-to-achieve-any-goal">Keep your goals top of mind to keep them a priority for your brain.</a></li>
 	<li style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Assume your goals will have positive outcomes.</li>
 	<li style="margin-left: 0.5in;">You are in charge of assigning meaning to coincidence. Keep that in mind.</li>
 	<li style="margin-left: 0.5in;">We seek information that confirms our beliefs. So change your beliefs and you’ll change the way you experience the world.</li>
</ul>
Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/rohn-success-must-be-attracted-not-pursued">Success Must Be Attracted, Not Pursued</a>

Change your beliefs and you’ll change the way you experience the world.

Change your beliefs and you’ll change the way you experience the world. | SUCCESS

Uncovering 4 Psychological Blocks to Attracting Success

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I’m sure you’ve met people who can’t fathom why anyone should be unhappy about anything, who are unrelentingly <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/7-practical-tips-to-achieve-a-positive-mindset">committed to thinking positively</a> and the power of positive affirmations.

Positive affirmations, as you probably know, are examples of the self-talk or mantras we say to ourselves to affirm our beliefs about our identity and the world we live in. And they can be positive forces. But aside from the anecdotal evidence of “it just works,” what’s really going on in the mind with regards to affirmations?

Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/if-you-want-to-change-your-results-you-have-to-change-your-thinking-first">If You Want to Change Your Results, You Have to Change Your Thinking First</a>

<h2>Why Affirmations Work</h2>

There have been a number of studies that suggest positive affirmations can help us in a variety of ways. In 2013, the Carnegie Mellon University found that <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0062593" target="_blank" rel="noopener">students who wrote about why certain values were important to them</a> (self-affirmations) performed much better on tasks than those who didn’t.

And the University of Toronto found that “<a href="https://psp.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/03/18/0146167215577365.abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">underperformance disappears when the low-power negotiator has an opportunity to self-affirm</a>.” But how? That has yet to be determined, but we can look at the why.

A paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/104/4/591/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affirmations reminded people about the positive support network around them</a>, so they didn’t worry about their self-worth taking a hit from failing a challenge. So when you say to yourself, I am a happy person, you’re reminding yourself of all the reasons why you feel you’re a happy person.

Similarly, a 2016 brain-imaging study found that <a href="https://scan.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/11/05/scan.nsv136.abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">self-affirmations stimulated the reward areas of the brain</a>, particularly when using future-based self-affirmations. What this suggests is that when we come up with our own self-affirmations, the most effective form would be: If I [verb], then [outcome].

Most psychologists agree on why we self-affirm. <a href="https://ed.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/legacy/sites/default/files/annurev-psych-psychology_of_change_final_e2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Self-affirmation rests on the idea of self-integrity</a>. And self-integrity means that both our perceptions about the world and how the world actually is, are congruent with each other. We use our affirmations to ensure that our perceptions of the world are the same as what we think the world should be.

This manifests itself in three ways:

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;How we view or define ourselves in the world—I am a good person.</li>
	<li>How we decide if we deserve something—I provide enough value to deserve an $80,000 salary.</li>
	<li>How we feel we should act to earn praise—I am a good person, therefore <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/if-you-want-to-win-help-others-win-first">I should help others</a>.</li>
</ul>

Now, I’ve only used positive examples, but should someone’s idea of self-integrity be negative, you can see how that might drastically affect their perception of the world.

Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/rohn-how-to-stop-listening-to-the-negative-voice-in-your-head">How to Stop Listening to the Negative Voice in Your Head</a>

<h2>Why Positive Affirmations Might Be Ruining Your Life </h2>

So far, I’ve only talked about self-affirmations, not positive affirmations or negative affirmations. It’s important to understand that when we start adding values—positive or negative—to affirmations, things can get tricky.

Due to an affirmation’s role in ensuring that our outer world accurately reflects our inner world, what do you think happens when our outer world doesn’t accurately reflect what’s going on inside our brains? Our self-esteem takes a hit and <a href="https://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_3_No_6_Special_Issue_March_2013/25.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we engage in self-destructive behaviors</a>.

One of the ways people use positive affirmations is to adapt their inner world to their outer world. A common example is <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/19-calming-quotes-to-help-you-stress-less">when we’re trying to calm ourselves down</a>. We tell ourselves, You’ve done this hundreds of times before, it’s normal.

Those in the positive-thinking industry reversed that idea, instead recommending people change their inner world first to change their outer world. And it works to some degree. If you truly believe you are worth $80,000 to an organization and they offered you $50,000, you would seek employment elsewhere and keep searching until you found a way to earn that salary. Thus ensuring your inner beliefs and outer reality are congruent with each other.

With that said, Joanna Wood, professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, found that <a href="https://pss.sagepub.com/content/20/7/860" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people with low self-esteem felt worse</a> when asked to repeat this statement: I am a loveable person. Why? Because the statement was completely at odds with how they actually felt about themselves.

Many books on positive affirmations suggest that with enough repetition, we can change anything about ourselves. But if your core belief is at odds with the affirmation, you might be unintentionally nudging yourself to find reasons why you’ll never reach what your affirmations are focused on.

Similarly, Sophie Henshaw, DPsych, suggests that because positive affirmations target your conscious mind, they’re ineffective. She says “<a href="https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/03/20/why-positive-affirmations-dont-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">if what you are trying to affirm is incongruent with a deeply held negative belief, then all that results is an inner struggle</a>.” That inner struggle often leads us to act in self-destructive ways.

<h2>Are Affirmations Worth It?</h2>

The short answer is no; the long answer is maybe. There are three things people need to know about positive affirmations:

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/if-you-want-to-change-your-life-change-what-you-think">By thinking about positively changing our lives</a>, we remind ourselves of the positive aspects of our lives.</li>
	<li>Affirmations should follow this structure: If I [verb], then [outcome].</li>
	<li>If your affirmations are at complete odds with what you believe to be true about yourself, you could be causing yourself to fall deeper into depression/anxiety/low self-esteem.</li>
</ol>

Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/5-things-you-can-do-to-improve-your-mindset-in-20-minutes">5 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Mindset in 20 Minutes </a>

Positive affirmations in excess may not be as beneficial for you as you think. Here's how positive affirmations can work against you.

What you need to know about self-talk before you do it | SUCCESS

Why Positive Affirmations Could Be Ruining Your Life

Why Positive Affirmations Might Be Ruining Your Life | SUCCESS

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woman writing to-do list to influence her productivity

I don’t know about you, but I often feel an enormous amount of pressure to produce more. No matter how efficient I am, I’m always looking for ways to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/work-less-do-more/">increase the quality and quantity</a> of positive results in the workplace.



There are eight significant factors that influence your productivity, but there are ways to improve on these factors, to unlock your potential and become an unstoppable force in whatever you’re trying to achieve.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-influences-productivity">What influences productivity?</h2>



<ul>
<li>Criticism: Both positive and negative feedback have been shown to increase productivity and performance.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Stress: People who are less stressed are more productive than their stressed-out counterparts.</li>



<li>Energy: Not surprisingly, having lots of energy may result in increased productivity and alertness.</li>



<li>Technology: With the right tools and business processes, you can transform a good team into an unstoppable one.</li>



<li>Purpose: With a sense of meaning and an understanding of why you do something, you’ll be more satisfied in your workplace.</li>



<li>Attitude: Happy people perform better and see a boost in career success.</li>



<li>Personal bias: Different people work better under different conditions.</li>



<li>Distractions: Obviously.</li>
</ul>



Here are some techniques to help you increase your output while maintaining a high standard:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-criticism">1. Criticism</h3>



Criticism—both positive and negative—can influence your productivity.&nbsp;



A great rule is one my mum used to tell me: “For every mean thing you say, say 10 nice things.” Oddly enough, this may hold true when motivating your team. When you structure criticism, consider combining praise with feedback in order to soften the blow.



Present the feedback in a constructive way. For example, you could say, “I feel that this could be improved” or “I think you may find it more effective to do it like this. What are your thoughts?” Notice the emphasis on “I”—don’t take an accusatory approach that makes your employee feel like they’re being blamed. Similarly, by asking them how they’d improve upon their work, you create a dialogue that may lead to a future boost in performance.



<a href="https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/organizational-and-employee-development/pages/360-degreefeedback.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Regularly ask your team</a> what they feel you do well, what you can improve upon and what their workplace experience is like, and actually listen to and take action based on the responses. Being a leader doesn’t mean you’re perfect; it just means you make the decisions.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-stress-influences-productivity">2. Stress influences productivity</h3>



<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2802090?utm_campaign=articlePDF&amp;utm_medium=articlePDFlink&amp;utm_source=articlePDF&amp;utm_content=jamanetworkopen.2023.1860" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stress can be brutal</a> on people’s psyches. Interestingly enough, our brains have yet to evolve to realize that coming face to face with a saber-toothed tiger is not the same as completing a piece of work on time. But the brain treats both situations as the same.



During an amygdala hijack—that is, when your fight-or-flight response is activated by strong emotions, even if there’s no actual threat—or other periods of high stress, your brain may make less future-oriented decisions and find difficulty engaging in creativity and overall cognitive functioning.



A good example of this was when my friend was constantly working overtime to complete a data interpretation tool. He would code the program late into the night for weeks. One weekend, he had had enough and decided to relax. The following Monday, he went into the office, looked at his code, thought This is terrible and rewrote it in a matter of hours.



It was only after my friend’s stress levels had decreased that he could see the project’s issues.



<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/11-strategies-for-managing-stress/">To mitigate stress</a> in yourself and others, try creating and emphasizing rules and activities that may help you and your team adopt a solid work-life balance. For example, create a “no emails after 6 p.m.” rule, plan monthly work happy hours or organize frequent out-of-work activities.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-energy">3. Energy</h3>



Energy plays a huge role in influencing productivity, but you needn’t be as radical as enforcing a company-wide nap time. A better idea is to ensure you and your team have access to healthy snacks.



By “healthy” snacks, we’re talking about food that isn't overly processed. Complex carbohydrates such as legumes and whole grains are fantastic because they take longer for the body to break down, providing a consistent energy release.



Exercise has also been shown to increase both cognitive performance and energy levels. It’s unlikely your team would abuse a “go for a 30-minute stroll if you feel sleepy” policy, as it’s a perk few, if any, businesses offer.



<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/7-easy-fixes-to-fight-office-fatigue/">Your team’s energy levels</a> may peak at different times throughout the day. Use this to your advantage by getting your team to do tasks that require a lot of mental energy when they’re feeling the most energetic and productive, then ask them to do less demanding, more enjoyable tasks as they begin to flag.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-technology">4. Technology</h3>



Having a slow computer may negatively influence productivity in ways a lot of people don’t even realize. Obviously there’s the cost of being unable to work while programs open, internet pages load and data transfers. But what do you do while you’re waiting (and sometimes even while you’re working)? <a href="https://mopria.org/Documents/Mopria-Distracted-Working-Survey-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scroll mindlessly through your phone</a> or play on your computer. If your brain <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/why-youre-always-distracted-from-the-task-at-hand/">is no longer on task</a>, it must be reminded of what to focus on.



Build an upgrade schedule and include it in your budget. If you predict that you’ll need a new laptop in three years, set aside money each month now so it won’t be a surprise expense down the road.



Also, make sure your business technology and awareness are up to date. Consider things such as marketing avenues, trends in the industry and how your competitors are operating. Regularly evaluate and update your business processes—annually is fine. This may be easier to implement with a small business because everyone can have a say in what they think works and what doesn’t. However, remember that your role is to make the decisions, so listen to your team without letting them determine how to run your business.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-purpose">5. Purpose</h3>



Feeling like your actions have meaning and impact improves job satisfaction. But to achieve this, you need to ensure every member of your team knows why they do what they do.



Encourage everyone to set their own goals with a number and a time limit. Tweak their goals if you feel they aren’t reaching their full potential. Goal setting with time constraints gives them a target to aim for and will hopefully keep them committed to doing the planned amount of work in the allotted time frame.



At a more personal level, think about what you’re trying to do with your life. Spend some time reflecting on what you want and how you’re going to get it. Constantly remind yourself by writing your major goals on pieces of paper and posting them in places you will see all the time.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-attitude-influences-productivity">6. Attitude influences productivity</h3>



Attitude is one of the things you can’t directly change about someone. Realistically, the only thing you can do with people who have a negative attitude they don’t appear inclined to change, or that is harming the attitudes of others in the workplace, is get rid of them.&nbsp;



When someone says something that appears destructive, question them about it. If they can back up their statement with solid reasons, listen to them, thank them and ask what they’d do instead.



One of the ways you can influence attitude is to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/lead-by-example-4-elements-of-true-inspiration/">lead by example</a>; that is, treat people the way you’d want them to treat you. Try to do things with your team in a nonwork setting—get to know them and allow them to get to know you. You’re a team after all; act like it.



One way to create a healthy attitude in yourself is to be willing to identify holes in your knowledge and learn new things. Intellectual humility requires a willingness to “[recognize] that there are gaps in one’s knowledge and that one’s current beliefs might be incorrect,” according to a research review published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44159-022-00081-9#:~:text=Intellectual%20humility%20involves%20recognizing%20that,the%20sun%20might%20be%20shining." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Reviews Psychology</a>. The same review found that “intellectually humbler people seem to be more curious and better liked as leaders, and tend to make more thorough, well-informed decisions. Intellectually humbler people also seem to be more open to cooperating with those whose views differ from their own.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-personal-bias">7. Personal bias</h3>



There is huge variance when it comes to things such as:



<ul>
<li>Attention span</li>



<li>What stirs emotion inside us</li>



<li>Things we care about</li>



<li>Energy cycle</li>



<li>Personality</li>
</ul>



Some people work better at night and some work better in the mornings. Some people can concentrate for a long time and others can’t. Your only question should be “Are they performing their role well?”



If you want to get your team to be productive, let them decide how they work. Use their goals as a metric. If they fail to reach their goal, step in and advise them on how to improve.



Get to know people. What makes them tick? Offering a financial bonus to one team member might make them work harder, but fall flat on another. That other team member might value a paid vacation more.



Again, it’s important to figure this stuff out about yourself, too. Once you know what incentives you prefer, when your energy ebbs and how long you can concentrate for, you can start mitigating any deficits in yourself and working to your strengths.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-distractions-influence-productivity">8. Distractions influence productivity</h3>



The banes of any productive person are distraction and being interrupted when they are in the middle of doing something. A phone call, a conversation, an email marked “urgent” all take your eyes off of your work. But the nature of running a business means you can’t stop any of this from happening.



So instead of trying to stop it completely, how can leaders begin to mitigate this in the workplace?&nbsp;



Don’t pressure your team to respond to things immediately. If you need something that minute, you should’ve asked for it yesterday. Similarly, if you really, really need it, go and talk to them about it in person.



Try giving your team “quiet time” for an hour where they aren’t obligated to answer the phone or talk to anyone. Rotate the privilege around your team.



Additionally, have everyone spend 10 minutes making a to-do list for the day. That way, if a task is finished and you go to type “Facebook” into the address bar, you can reference your list and stay on track.



Increasing your and your team’s productivity is all about figuring out how people work. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to becoming more productive. Seek to understand your own processes and document how you went about it. Share that discovery process with your team and encourage them to go through their own version of the process.



Here are some questions to help you get started:



<ul>
<li>What is the best way someone can tell you to do something better?</li>



<li>What are your three favorite ways of relaxing?</li>



<li>Which nonwork activities perk you up and help you feel awake?</li>



<li>What is the single biggest technological time suck?</li>



<li>Other than financial gain, why do you do what you do?</li>



<li>How can you improve the lives of the people around you?</li>



<li>What factors help you work best?</li>
</ul>



This article was updated June 2023. Photo by Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

Are you striving to get more done each day? Look at these factors that influence productivity and make adjustments to increase your output.

Are you striving to get more done each day? Look at these factors that influence productivity and make adjustments to increase your output. | SUCCESS

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8 Things That Influence and Kill Your Productivity

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In the success and personal development sphere, there is an overwhelming sense that being positive is crucial to reaching your goals or making your dreams come true. Unfortunately, this has created a swarm of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/the-negative-side-of-positive-thinking">positivity zombies</a> that will never relinquish that smile, no matter what. They maintain that everything is “great” or “fantastic” to others, in an attempt to believe it themselves.

But it’s inhuman to never feel scared, insecure or anxious. These are essential parts of our being and need to be expressed or we risk our sanity. For me, a huge part of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/rohn-13-ways-to-improve-your-life">improving myself</a> has been discovering that I am able to share emotions with my loved ones, and they still accept me.

Sharing these emotions and thoughts is also known as emotional vulnerability, and I’m going tell you all the ways being emotionally vulnerable has skyrocketed my abilities and overall performance.

Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/5-traits-of-emotionally-wealthy-people">5 Traits of Emotionally Wealthy People</a>

<h2>What Is Emotional Vulnerability?</h2>

I was at a party recently, talking about this blog, and found a large number of people (mostly men) who had no idea what emotional vulnerability actually meant. They, like me, had heard of the term, but were slightly hazy on the definition.

At its core, emotional vulnerability is sharing parts of yourself that could potentially destroy your sense of self. For example, I have a terrible, dread-inducing, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/11-strategies-for-managing-stress">seriously-I-can’t-handle-this level of anxiety</a> whenever I begin thinking about not being able to talk to anyone for a day. The very thought sends shivers down my spine, so it’s uncomfortable to even bring up the subject of loneliness. Similarly, it’s important to my ego that I’m perceived as a confident, strong person, so showing others anything that’s contrary to that feels like I’m destroying that image and my sense of self.

To be emotionally vulnerable is to bare the parts of yourself that are most susceptible to attack.

<h2>“Know Thyself”</h2>

Emotional vulnerability gives you the strength to figure out exactly who you are. But first you need to remove the idea of “good” and “bad” from your mind. You don’t have “good” traits or “bad” traits, you just have traits. It’s all about how you frame it: “stubbornness” can be framed as “tenacious”; “cynical” can be framed as “realistic”; and “optimistic” can be framed as “dreamer.”

Just as the strengths you possess can be seen as weaknesses, so too <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/7-weaknesses-that-actually-benefit-you">can your “weaknesses” be strengths</a>. Part of my journey to increase my emotional vulnerability has been discovering more traits about myself and understanding how they relate to the outer world. Let’s go back to the example I gave of being terrified of not talking to anyone for just one day. To frame it as a weakness would be to label it as “needy” or “insecure.” Conversely, a more positive spin on it would be “outgoing” and “extroverted.”

First, identify the things that make you nervous, or that you’re scared of, or that you’re insecure about, and then look at them from an objective perspective. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/21-motivational-quotes-about-strength">It will give you strength</a>; strength from understanding that things that you presumed made you weaker can actually can be viewed as a positive quality.

Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/3-ways-to-outsmart-your-insecurities">3 Ways to Outsmart Your Insecurities</a>

It’s also easier to come up with solutions for problems that are removed from ourselves. That’s why we feel that we can offer sound advice to our friends, because we can look at their situation objectively. By learning how to view your fears and insecurities objectively, you gain the upper hand in figuring out how to deal with them.

<h2>How Emotional Vulnerability Helps You</h2>

Once you’ve identified your vulnerabilities and shared them with your loved ones, you’ll become less scared that people will be able to see through you. One of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/10-daily-habits-holding-you-back-from-success">the things that really held me back</a> was the feeling that one day everyone would wake up and magically be able to see that I’m not a supremely confident, business-genius, adult man, and instead see an insecure, inept little boy. This was almost entirely because I had things to hide. My inner world and outer world were out of sync. My outer version (the confident business genius) was fighting with my inner version (insecure and inept) to get in, and my inner self was battling to get out.

As I began to share parts of my insecure inner self with friends and family, it allowed my outer self to integrate properly internally and vice-versa. I became more honest with myself. I stopped feeling ashamed or scared of how other people saw me. Instead of feeling like I had to prove myself to be the opposite of my fears and insecurities, I understood how they were a part of me and how to use them to my advantage.

<h2>The First Steps to Emotional Vulnerability</h2>

The takeaway from this isn’t to start spewing the things that you feel are going wrong in your life with everyone. The takeaway is this: The parts of yourself that you’re scared of, when understood, can be a powerful force in your life. Being emotionally vulnerable with others will enable you to make better decisions and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/podcast/ep-25-secrets-for-a-happy-brain">become much happier with your life</a>.

It’s a difficult journey, understanding yourself, and it will be uncomfortable and frightening, but if you can push through and understand yourself completely you’ll become more powerful than you can ever imagine.

If you’d like to start today, take 20 minutes, a sheet of paper and a pen, and answer the following questions:

<ul>
	<li>List 10 situations that fill you with absolute dread.</li>
	<li>What is it, specifically, about these situations that scares you?
	<ul>
		<li>For example, are you scared that you’ll lose people’s respect? That you’ll be shunned? That people won’t want to spend time with you?</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li>In what emotional environment do you feel safest?
	<ul>
		<li>This will help you to understand what kind of space you need to create in order to share your feelings.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/rohn-the-6-emotional-enemies-inside-your-mind">Rohn: The 6 Emotional Enemies Inside Your Mind</a>

The parts of yourself that you’re scared of, when understood, can be a powerful force in your life.

The parts of yourself that you’re scared of, when understood, can be a powerful force in your life. | SUCCESS

How to Turn Your Weaknesses Into Strengths

How to Turn Your Weaknesses Into Strengths | SUCCESS

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