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.

 

Monday Success Tip: Beating Resistance on Goals

Happy Monday! Now that the holidays are over, today feels like the ‘official’ start of the new year. This is typically the time to start taking action on goals that are set. Getting- and keeping – motivation is the key to following through on those set action.

But, motivation can ebb and fade. It all comes down to resistance, which can look like a time when you had  a project that you needed to complete but you procrastinate, or you don’t return a phone call or, worse, not pick up the phone. There is something going on in a deeper level that is blocking you from doing the things you either want or need to do.

It really comes down to change and moving away from the comfort zones we get into; when we want to move out of this ‘zone,’ the brain and body have a way of trying to pull you back into safety which means you will continue to think and behave the way you have.

All this does is sabotage your mood, your thinking, and your success. Eventually, it will take a toll on your money and your relationships; it’s like a vortex you go down and, without addressing it, you might not get out of.

So, how do you stop and reverse this bad habit (yes, habit)? Here are three ways to do so:

  1.  I would recommend taking time to sit in deep reflection as to what you are thinking, feeling, doing when it comes to your work (it could be any task) – do you worry you won’t have enough time, money, support; do you think it won’t be ‘good enough’ or will be rejected; are you doing this task because you think it’s important or for someone else. Answering these will get to the root of the matter – now you can do something about it
  2. Changing your mindset is critical in order to change your conscious thinking; I encourage you to write down your belief and then ask yourself if you absolutely know it to true (ala The Work). Challenging your negative beliefs will help you to see that it is your belief and not that of others. If you didn’t have that thought – what would you be?
  3. Rewrite any negatives into a positive so it becomes more motivating, compelling, and easy for your brain to accept. By bringing the unconscious thought to consciousness, it loses its appeal and opens you up to coming up with all kinds of possibilities to deal with it.

I have been using these techniques and can tell you they are effective. I also would add to put some downtime – self-care and fun – in the mix as this will also open up your creative mind and level of happiness. Both are essential to moving forward and being accomplished.

See change as positive and focus on the benefits you will received when you have that goal. This is a great way to move past any resistance and develop the habit of embracing changes in your life. Doing so makes you unstoppable.

 

Your Weekly Action Plan

Begin this week to take stock of any tasks or projects, or times, that you find you are hesitating/procrastinating/avoiding doing. Use the steps above to figure out “why” and do the exercises to stop any bad habits and begin to develop ones that will lead you to the life you desire.

 

I hope you have a successful week – If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, or in developing your action plan, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started. I’d love to help you build the career and business of your dreams!

3 Ways to Set Goals for Successs

It’s so hard to believe that December is upon us and the last days of 2019. In hindsight, it seems that the year has gone by so quickly. Before you know it, a new year and decade will be upon us. This is always the time for renewed spirit and goal setting to accomplish the ‘bucket list.’

Having a plan to start off the new year will allow you to enjoy the holidays.

Now is the time to begin planning and setting goals; however, there is still 31 days  to end the year off accomplished; it’s never too late to achieve your goals and finish strong. Sometimes it’s not which goals you set but how you set them, as you want to make them so compelling that you just have to work to get them done.

Here are 3 ways to set compelling goals:

  1. Past achievements – remember a time when you did achieve   something you wanted and how you did it – we often forget that we’ve accomplished goals in the past, as they now are easy or part of our routine; do you remember the first time you tried to ride a bike? remember how ‘hard’ it was? But yet you did it. Looking back on past achievements can help you to open up and get creative in your goals
  2. Everest goals – focus on the end-result – you already have reached your goal – and then work backwards to identify all the steps it took for you to get there. I love this way of setting goals, as it gets you into futuring and tapping into your visuals so you can ‘see’ you already accomplished; I find I get more creative while this also raises my emotional level to make my goals more compelling.  Create a visual representation to keep the goal in front of you, such as drawing a map with your goal at the top and free-think actionable steps that took you there
  3. Pain-Gain – another way to set goals is by looking at the benefit you will get, and the risk for not, for having them. By looking at the gain you will get by having the goal, can help you determine the ‘strength’ of that goal, and give you the motivation you need. Also, looking at the current pain by not having the goal also gives you a differing perspective to realize what is missing, i.e. why you need that goal, which, again, makes you want to do the work needed.

However, you set goals, the important point is that you have them as there are many benefits to them. Set them for parts of your life, as well as in your job and career. Think big – don’t be afraid to be as creative as you want; in fact, make your goals so big that you have to go for them. Planning ahead will give you peace of mind while providing direction each day. Now, you can savor these last days of 2019 and end your year well!

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

8 Little Changes to Make You Feel More Energetic and Productive

Here Are 8 Great Little Changes to Make You Instantly Feel Healthier,  More Energetic, and Productive

What does optimal performance feel like? How do you feel when you’re performing ‘at your best’?

For many of us the answer would be a combination of energy, focus and good mood. If you’re interested in being healthier then you should focus on these things because not only will you feel healthier immediately, but you’ll also then have more energy and drive to stick to whatever other health programs or objectives you’re setting yourself.

In fact, a new study by Rand and Vitality, a nonprofit research company, activity is correlated with productivity, which leads to higher performance; it reduces absenteeism from health issues, in addition to improving sleep and mental health.

To achieve these kinds of small improvements, the best strategy to take is to focus on making small, cumulative changes that will build up over time. By gradually improving yourself with smaller goals you will find each change is easier to make and that you experience less resistance. These small changes then add up and provide you with more large scale success.

So what are some little changes you can make to start enjoying more energy, drive and health right now? Here are just a few:

  • Swap your coffee for a health drink – Do you drink coffee every morning on the way to work? Not only is this likely to cause tolerance and dependence for caffeine (making you groggier in the mornings) but it also means you’ll be missing out on the opportunity to get some health drinks in you. Try swapping this for a vegetable juice and see how much better you feel for all those vitamins and minerals.
  • Remove the sugar from your tea – This will not only reduce your calories and carbohydrate intake, it will also help you to get rid of your sweet tooth.
  • Set the alarm forward 10 minutes – Ten minutes more sleep makes all the difference in the world. It’s hard to convince yourself to go to bed earlier, but giving yourself an extra ten minutes in the morning can make all the difference.
  • Sit at the table when you eat – Sit at the sofa when you eat and you’ll feel lethargic and not want to get up.
  • Swap your socks – It sounds funny, but swap your socks for fresh ones halfway through the day and you feel energized!
  • Take calls outside – If you’re on your mobile why not use this opportunity to pace around a little and get some fresh air? Just a little fresh air makes a huge difference.
  • Wear brighter colors – Bright colors make others see you as more energetic, which means they treat you as more energetic, which makes you more energetic. That’s the law of attraction in process…
  • Breathe – even taking small, deep breaths will give you an instant energy booster as it calms your mind and body

Taking time to implement some of these changes will change your life overall. Not only will you have more energy but will be more accomplished as you tick off tasks on that ‘to-do’ list. I would add in there an added benefit and that is living longer – what more do you need!

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)