Monday Success Tips: Feel Stuck? Use the Rule of 10-10-10

 

Ever feel stuck? When balancing work and life, keeping the focus on your newly set goals and desires – all the things you truly want – can be a bit frustrating in trying to keep them in your awareness and in being reachable.  It seems that we get programmed to think more on what we don’t want and we use language that speaks to this:

 

“I don’t want to have to struggle paying my bills each month”

“I want a new job but no one is hiring right now”

“I don’t like how I feel – I’ll start working out later”

 

Using words that are negative and detrimental to the psyche only will keep you down and doing the very things you don’t want to.  Here is a very easy exercise to get you out of the “muckies” and get you leaving them behind. If your situation(s) are truly frustrating you, then the answers should wake you up.

 

This is called the 10-10-10 Rule; think of your issue and the ‘pain level’ of not working on it, and ask yourself the following questions:

  1. If I don’t work on my current issue, will it make a difference in 10 minutes?
  2. If I don’t work on my current issue, will it make a difference in 10 months?
  3. If I don’t work on my current issue, will it make a difference in 10 years?

For example, if you are really unhappy in your job, and the pain level brings you sleepless nights, anxiety, anger, etc. asking these questions should help you to decide that even 10 more minutes of experiencing these symptoms is detrimental to your health and you will make the decision to look for a new job.  If you didn’t any action, do you want to be in the same place in 10 more months or 10 more years?

 

Hopefully, the answers will lead you to see that you need to make some big changes; looking at the ‘dark side’ of your situation will no longer be an option.  You now have the decision to do something about your life and the direction you want it to go.  10-10-10 is a simple but powerful tool to move you forward and get the end results you want in your life.

Your Weekly Action Plan

This week, list all the things you don’t want (job, finances, relationships, health, etc.) and assess them for importance; assign a number for the level of pain – how frustrated you are – to them.  Now, apply the 10-10-10 questions to see which one(s) pains you the most. Write out exactly what you DO want in clear terms and what steps you need to take to get it – put a date to start and to achieve.  When you feel tempted to give up because ‘it’s too hard,” keep the 10-10-10 questions in mind – they should help you remember the pain and spur you to keep taking action,

I hope you have a successful week – If you need help in your leadership role, or for your team,  why not get some help; stop the struggle and call today to get started. I’d love to help you get the confidence you need and create a culture your employees will love.

 

Time to Bring It On!

As we are starting a new day, new mo nth, and new quarter, it’s time to bring ‘it’ on; essentially, going after those unmet goals that you’ve been saying you want to achieve.

These may include:

– starting or growing a business

-getting a promotion, or a new job

– going a a vacation

– finding the love of your life

– dealing with life more effectively

Goals don’t have to be major – they can be really small things but we want them in our life. We desire them, dream and think about them – sometimes, constantly. But we also fee frustrated that we don’t have them.

If this sounds familiar, and I admit they do for me on some areas of my life, then today is a new day and new time to go after them. Don’t you think it’s time?

There is no better day to make a new start than the beginning of a new month, which just so happens to fall on a new week. To me, that brings a lot of hope and desire to define new thresholds to reach and to plan how this time will go.

You have the same ability. And, it does not take tons of time. Some quick tips (if you haven’t already done so):

  • get a monthly calendar for July – I printed one off the internet – to help with planning and get a quick ‘snapshot’
  • fill in important dates that you know you have to commit time to, such as: meetings, speaking engagements, proposals or articles due, birthdays, and the like. Once you have these, then you can fill in other actions that will bring you closer to your goal.
  • set a target goal, say a money goal, that you want to reach – now you can identify all the steps that will get you there; I like to mindmap my ideas, but just listing them will help you not only identify particular steps but it makes them more tangible
  • write each step down on the calendar – I am using a white board calendar and commit every day to write down what actions I’ve taken daily; I find that this shows me what I’ve done and it makes me accountable.  It’s an easy way to get ‘coached,’ so speak
  • identify any barriers, roadblocks (real or perceived), excuses or fears you have around what you’ve identified and then challenge each of them. Do you know that your idea won’t work? Do you know that people won’t buy from you? Do you for certain know that you will fail/aren’t good enough/will succeed, etc.?
  • have a cache of tools that will keep you motivated and positive – I have affirmation cards, read motivational quotes, journal, be around positive people, among others (self talk also works). Identify ways for you – this will keep you going when you feel scared or feel like giving up

I, personally, feel very excited for what this month holds. I am, equally,, fearful of what it will take for me to get them. But, I know that I don’t want to stay where I’ve been, which is a big driver for me. I hope you take my lead and set the direction for you business, your career, and your life today.

A good exercise is to imagine that it is now August 1 – where are you? In the same place or miles ahead??

 

 

Time to Think About 2018 Goals

Here we are, the beginning of a new month – the last one of the year at that. Amid all of the Christmas planning and activities, it’s not too early to start thinking of your goals for the new year. After all, don’t you want to hit the ground running come January 1 (I hope so)?
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I’ve begun making a list of my big goals I’d like to accomplish next year, which is a start. I’ve got some big audacious ones on there (write a book, speaking engagements, to name a few). I’m still in thinking mode, so I’m not done yet, but I’m finding that the more I write them out, the more they come. I’m not rushing the process – just yet. Neither should you.
Allowing spontaneous ideas to come takes the pressure off and helps the brain to do what it does best – think and solve problems. I learned this technique, called ‘Free Thinking’ from my chair in my doctoral program; I was hitting a road block on writing the second chapter of my dissertation. This is where you identify the problem, by giving historical, and scholarly sources, to support problem identification which, then, flows into what research will be done around the problem.
I remember sitting in my chair’s office one day, crying; I had hit a major mental roadblock in putting together the chronological path of my study. I can still remember two things my chair said that made a difference:

  • “Maybe you should think about quitting.” At first I was incredulous that she would even suggest such an idea – I’d come so far and for so many years. But she did relate that she had the same idea and took time off for three months, where all she did was knit. But it allowed her to decide to keep going on the journey. I knew the question was valid – was all the stress worth it; but I also felt she was challenging me. I told here that quitting was not an option.

The other thing she said, which really changed my whole outlook was:

  • Free Think – this is where any and all idea is welcomed; no editing allowed at this point. By just hearing this method, I was able to get my first three chapters written in a month. This changed the trajectory for my research and got me closer to completing my degree

Why do I tell you this? Because these two phrases can help you to allow your big goals to come to the surface, without pressure or activating any fears around them. Take time to go outside, or to a relaxing place, and use these methods to start the goal setting process. I’ll give suggestions next time on taking the ideas to goal planning, so stay tuned. One other suggestion, carry a small notebook or use your cell phone, to write down any ideas as they come; they may not make much sense at the time but the point of this is get into content creation mode so you don’t forget them.
Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://www.cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com. For more great tips, visit our other blog at https://allaboutcareersites.com

If Your Goals Scare You, You're on the Right Path

If you want anything in life, it starts with a goal, which is the end-result of what you desire. Goals spur us on, they motivate us and they turn our ideas and dreams into reality. You have goals, even though you might not realize it – when you got up this morning, when you left for work or opened this notice; these are all little goals. They get you through each day effortlessly.
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But what about  bigger goals; you know, the ones that scare you? These are the type of goals that, while they sound good in your head, once you put them on paper seem to put some fear in you. You get that know in the pit of your stomach and feel uneasy; so uneasy that you shun them, saying ‘this will never work.’ If you have that type of goal, then you’re on the right path.
You need to be setting goals that will stretch you out of your comfort zone, as you have more ability and strength than you realize. Pushing past the emotion and focusing in on the end-result is what will spur you on to using the strengths and abilities you possess; you’re go into more critical thinking mode to come up with the steps you need to take until you reach the end.
When those fears start to creep in, as they will, stop and listen to what they are telling you and then challenge the little voices: :I don’t know I will fail, or that someone will laugh, or yell, at me,” or whatever else lives there. Focusing in on why you want the desired goal, and the benefit you will have from having it, will keep you motivated; thinking back on a past success will keep the voices at bay.
If you really want whatever the desire is badly enough, you will work for it. Think of how good you will feel at the end. Create this picture in your mind and keep focusing on it – it will motivate you until it is achieved. “Growth demands a temporary surrender of security” (Gail Sheehy). See you at the top!
Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://www.cyscoaching.com (check out our blog) or barbara@cyscoaching.com

Goal Check-In and Your Own Olympics Competition

Happy August! Here we are at another new week and new month = plenty of time to get those goals accomplished. This is my birthday month, also – hate the numbers but am blessed to be alive another year with plenty of opportunities available for me to create.
This is also a time for other celebrations, as I have six other family members who will be celebrating birthdays in the next two weeks – watch Leo power when we all get together! Another celebration will be for my Uncle Lou, who passed away last week.
The Olympic Games will be starting this week so why not think of your goal accomplishment like your very own Olympics competition?

  • you may compete in the sprint race, where you will run to the finish line to get your goal finished;
  • you may be the archer who will laser focus on your goal to really hone in on one decisive action you can take to get it done;
  • you may be the one who runs the mile or swims the 1500 meter, where it is slow and methodical but focused on the gold at the end; or
  • you may be on the soccer or rugby team and need to have a group around you to help you get the goal done

We sometimes need to ‘trick’ our brain to make our desires more pleasurable and reward-focused so we will go after them, no matter what. Keeping the end in mind is the appeal, IF that ignites our passions and we can see, hear, feel and taste it; igniting the senses is a great way to ignite the brain into getting what we want. Begin to visualize the goal, rewrite it out in detail (include sights, noises, people, etc.) as these make it more real and attainable; track your progress to ensure you are on the right track.
I’ll be watching the Olympics and I encourage you to do the same as this is a great way to be inspired and to see the results of going after a goal; if they can, so can you. Wishing August to be productive and a success!

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