Keys to Success

I have been thinking about what success is and what it means to different people. Here are some things that help us be successful in whatever we pursue.  Clarity: Eighty percent of success comes from being clear on who you are, what you believe in and what you want. Competence: You can't climb to the next rung on the ladder until you are excellent at what you do now. Constraints: Eighty percent of all obstacles to success come from within. Find out what is constraining in you or your company and deal with it. Concentration: The ability to focus on one thing single-mindedly and see it through until it's done takes more character than anything else. Creativity:  Flood you life with ideas from many sources.  Creativity needs to be exercised like a muscle.    Courage: Most in demand and least in supply, courage is the willingness to do the things you know are right. Continuous learning: Read, at the very least, one book a week on business to keep you miles ahead of the competition. And just as you eat and bathe, organize your time so you spend 30 minutes a day exploring email, sending messages, going through websites, because like exercise, it's the only way you can keep on top of technology   Igniting lives on Fire www.fraserstirling.co.nz

How strong is your desire?

Over the past few weeks I have had a number of opportunities come to me. I have had to ask myself which is moving me closer to my ideal. Whatever dream you decide to go after, whether it is a family goal or a career goal, you must consciously decide that it is your life's mission. Benjamin Disraeli said, "The secret of success is constancy to purpose." You must go at it obsessively and set high standards for yourself along the way. There is no room for compromise when you are charting a course for your life or your career. It is either moving you closer of further away from your goal. Wes Smith, wrote a humor book called Welcome to the Real World, and in it he offered advice to fresh high-school and college graduates. He had a line in the book that pertains to the situation I faced that night. It said, "Having a drink with the boys after work every night is a bad idea. Notice that the boss doesn't do it. That is why he is the boss and they are still the boys." Wes wrote that line with one particular group of hard-partying young businessmen in mind, and five years after the book came out, he ran into one of them. The guy volunteered that he'd read that line in Wes's book and decided never to go drinking after work again. It paid off, he said. He had risen to a vice-presidency at a savings and loan. So too with you. What thinks are you saying yes to that maybe limiting where you can go? Simply, are you chasing the fire within or are you getting slightly side tracked? www.fraserstirling.co.nz

HOW TO GET FOCUS AND ELIMINATE CONFUSION

A stunning article by one of my inspirations, Jack Canfield showing us how to gain clarity and focus.

We all aspire to be, do and have great things. Yet most of us simply aren’t creating the results we want. We don’t have enough money, romance, success or joy in our lives. But what we need to understand is that greatness exists in all of us. It is simply up to us to pull it out of ourselves. We all have genius. We just need to learn how to apply it.

Decide What You Want
In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want. Most people really foul up at this crucial first step because they simply can’t see how it’s possible to get what they want — so they don’t even let themselves want it.

Jack Canfield Reveals His #1 Secret (Free Video) – CLICK HERE

Don’t sabotage yourself that way!

What scientists now know about how the brain works is that you must first decide WHAT you want, before your brain can figure out HOW to get it. Once you lock-in your desires, your mind and the universe can step in.

Are you ready to get started?

Be Willing to Dream Big Dreams
As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You’ll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, they compel others to want to play big, too.

Set Goals That Will Stretch You
Another value in giving yourself permission to go after the big dreams is that big dreams require you to grow in order to achieve them. In fact, in the long run, that is the greatest benefit you will receive from pursuing your dreams — not so much the outer trappings of fulfilling the dream (an expensive car, impressive house, loads of money and philanthropic opportunities), but who you become in the process.

As I’ve seen many times over, the outer symbols of success, can all be easily lost. Houses burn down, companies go bankrupt, relationships end in divorce, cars get old, bodies age and fame wanes, but who you are, what you have learned and the new skills you have developed never go away. These are the true prizes of success. Motivational philosopher, Jim Rohn advises that “You should set a goal big enough that in the process of achieving it, you become someone worth becoming.”

Service to Others
Something else you’ll discover is that when your dreams include service to others — accomplishing something that contributes to others — it also accelerates the accomplishment of that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.

Turn Your Dreams into Goals and Objectives
Once you are clear about what you want, you must turn each item into a measurable objective. By measurable, I mean measurable in space and time — how much and by when. For instance, if you were to tell me that you wanted more money, I might pull out a dollar and give it to you, but you would probably protest, saying “No, I meant a lot more money — like $20,000!” Well, how am I supposed to know unless you tell me? Similarly, your boss, your friends, your spouse, your brain — God, the Universe — can’t figure out what you want unless you tell them specifically what it is. What do you want — exactly — and when do you want it by?

Write Your Goals Down
Write your goals down in detail, and read your list of goals every day. This will keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want. For an even more powerful approach, close your eyes and focus on each goal and ask yourself, “What is one thing I could do today to move toward the achievement of this goal?” Write down your answers and take those actions.

To help your reticular activating system begin finding YOUR wants in unexpected places, take time now to decide what you want and start writing!

Remember, don’t hold back!

Focus

What a delight when we know what we want? Too often we wander around looking for something to fill the night in with. Nothing on TV, so I will look till I find something that tickles my fancy.
Oh how much more powerful to say...I want this and or that...let me make, create and or find i. Too often we are letting oters live and make the choices for us. What am I wanting? Is that what i desire...to just sit and fill in another night. here in New Zealand the sun light hours have been moved. Therefore it is lighter later at night. Lets use this time to sow the seeds for something worth while.
It maybe a walk on the beach with a loved one. It may be a game of the back lawn with the children. It may a phone call to a distant friend. Then again it maybe you can sepend 30 minutes walking around the block rather than sitting reading the paper. This is yourlife. Stop living in yesterday and in the pitty party system. Make it happen. No one but you is going to make it happen. This is your day. This is your moment. Don't wonder what if? Make it happen. Become clear abou what you want and make it happen. Are you unsure of what to do? Then set the target closer and make small steps and as you gain momentum you can shift the target back.
We have one shot at life. Lets make it count. lets stop just filling time and space and start making it happen.
This is my day and this my life
Great Clip about focus:


Till next time.

Get up and eat for the journey is long

Its been one of those weeks where it seems like everything has been by have to...It reminded me of the ability to get one self in the right head space is the most important thing we have:

We can all persevere even when we think we can’t.

Therefore, how to increase determination and maximize motivation

We can face issues like:

•facing illness;

•keeping a family together;

•facing massive life changes after divorce;

•making a business work;

•doing a degree;

•getting into peak physical shape; or

•going for the kind of life you feel you must live;

we all need to be iron-gritted in our determination sometimes.

In the articles 7 Self-Discipline Techniques and Boost Your Self-Motivation Today, It mentions how important it is not to fall into the trap of having to constantly feel emotionally rewarded by stuff you do in order to actually get on with it.

Here are some tips for hanging in their

Tip 1: Draw inspiration from others

Actually, whilst it can be useful to draw inspiration from extraordinary individuals, research shows we draw more inspiration from reading, seeing, or thinking about a type of person rather than a one-off ‘outlier’. We become cleverer (in tests) if we see photos of ‘clever-looking people’ rather than, say, a picture of a ‘one-off genius’ like Einstein.

So consider that:

•Roman legions completed more than one-and-a-half marathons a day carrying more than half their body weight in equipment.

•Athens employed 30,000 rowers who could all exceed the achievements of modern oarsmen.

•Ancient Australian aboriginals threw hardwood spears 110 meters or more (the current world javelin record is 98.48m) (3).

•Most people in history have had to survive without healthcare, social security, or modern medicine.

•Most people in history have had to educate themselves if they wanted to improve.

Tip 2: Don’t think; just act

Thinking is vital and much of human folly happens because we don’t think. We can think ourselves out of problems, around situations, into solutions - but also out of doing what we should. “I can’t go on” is a thought that may be useful or it may be self-deception. If you have to keep on, then start to ignore these kinds of thoughts. When times are tough, sometimes we need to just keep on without thinking until the ‘nose down to the grindstone’ times have passed.

Tip 3: Strengthen your will by exercising it

I have a lazy friend. Don’t get me wrong; he’s a lovely guy, but he’s so unaccustomed to work or exertion that if you ask him to do anything, it’s a major deal. It’s much harder for him to do anything than most people. He’s healthy and fit enough, but he’s not used to work - and it shows.

Recent research showed that willpower, like a muscle, gets stronger the more you use it. So remember that even when it feels tough, it will get easier. The more you exercise your will and determination, the more naturally motivated you will begin to feel.

Tip 4: Think about what you really want

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” ~ George Bernhard Shaw

What do you want your life to be like? Are you happy living the way you are living? Take two sheets of paper. On one sheet, write down how you’d like to be living. Now take the second sheet and write down all the things you need to do to make your life as it is now more like the life you’d like to have. Every detail counts. This will be your initial blueprint. Remember that you can update this blueprint as you go. But if it seems too unreasonable to you…it might not be at all.

Tip 5: Imagine an iron centre within you

Sometimes life calls for you to be irrepressible, unassailable, resolute, and super-focused. I remember when I was a child distinctly feeling on occasion a palpable, almost physical, determination within me; a sense that my determination was a thing I could feel. Today I’ll use self-hypnosis to recapture that and get that real ‘iron core’ feeling when I really need it.

Tip 6: Never give up!

The night is always darkest just before dawn. You just don’t know how close you are to a breakthrough. If your intentions are good and you keep working, something will happen - even if it’s not exactly what you had planned. If you do nothing, nothing happens.

Dieter Dengler could have stopped walking in the jungle, Helen Keller could have stopped learning to communicate, Edmund Hillary could have stopped climbing Everest, and Thomas Edison could have given up on the light bulb.

Don’t stop.

Keep on keeping on...this is my day this is your day

Focus

I was sitting in with a group of children the other day. I was amazed at how well they were able to sit for 30 minutes without moving and or fidgetting. They didn't have to nudge and or chat and talk to the person beside them. It was like they were in a trance. Where were they? They were watching a Cartoon short show on a big screen in a hall. These same children can normally be very restless and fiddle and talk. They were like a different bunch of children today. They were the same people that are normally there. What caused the change? These children had been captervated and even though they werent engaged they were in trance like states. What a delight to see how this relates to us. We also have a choice. We too have to choose what we focus on. We too have achoice on what we will give our attention to. There may be times we have to endure something we arent too fond of. Thats fine as its not the end all and be all of it all. Just like they children were engaged. What are you engaged in today. Just as Moses did many years ago with the burning Bush. Whats has caught your attention? What are you focusing on? Choose be laser focused and move towards a fixed aima nd or purpose. This is our day. Lets focus on something worthwhile.

Clarity

It is important that we are clear about where we want to go. The more detail we can put into our mind the better. Try and describe what it will look, taste, smell, sound like and feel like at the end. Then take note of where you are today. What is different between the end picture and what you are seeing now? The clearer the image of the end product is the easier it is for you to identify what you need to do in order to reach the end product.
Stop just merely thinking about it and start getting serious and see the details. There isn't enough to merely just wish for this and that. If you are truly serious you will stat seeing yourself as the image at the end.
The time for thinking is at an end. You must start doing it. Repeatedly tell your mind that you are the best that you are a overomer, that you will achieve, that you do achieve.
It is very very important that you know where you are going. This brings clarity to your achievement.

Power of Focus

In the modern day and age it is amazing how fast paced life can get. We get so busy getting things done that we spend little time working on the things that are most important. It isnt always the big things that cause the hinderances...it can simply be the desk that is untidy. An unkempt bed. A messy car. These are all reflections of what is going on inside of us. The importance of being organised is not just the fact we are more able to focus. It saves the wasted time of looking for things.
For me my desk at home and at work is one of the places I spend a lot of time. Therefore it is important that we follow a system that works.

Here is a forumla that i have found to be very good:

Your office desk is like your second home. You stay and work there for the entire duration of your work hours. As such, you must see to it that you are comfortable and functional working there. You must see to it that it is organized.

But how do you organize your desk? How do you make it work for you? Well, the answer is as simple as the ABC: Arrange, Beautify, Clean.

Arrange

Your desk should have a certain system - and one that works for you. For instance, if you are more of the obsessive-compulsive type, then you would naturally want your items to have a proper order. For instance, all writing materials should be placed near one another and all documents and references should be on the same side.

Another way of organizing the items on your desk is by arranging them according to "frequency of use." What are the items that you frequently use? What are the things that are rarely taken out of the drawer?

Once you already have the complete list of the frequently used items (such as pens, papers, staplers, paper clips) and those that are rarely utilized (such as books, old clients' profile) then you can proceed with putting them in the right places. Make the frequently used items very accessible - and keep the seldom-used items far below your drawers.

Beautify

It's not enough to simply put the right items in the right places - as in the case of arranging the items on your desk. You also need to add aesthetics into your workstation. You can put photo frames, but just don't overdo this. You can even place a jar of candies or cookies for your guests and visitors. For a little touch of elegance, make use of desk organizers or desk business card holders.

Using minimalist lamps, earth-toned bookends and gold-plated pen holders would also be a fine way of incorporating aesthetics into your neatly-arranged desk.

Clean

Regardless of how sophisticated your desk organizer is or how efficiently arranged your desk items are, but if you don't observe cleanliness, your workstation would not be that appealing. Scattered papers and poorly arranged books and documents would always be a sore sight.

Therefore, to complete the perfect look of your desk, make it a point to keep it clean. In fact, make a habit out of cleanliness. For instance, as soon as you get in, be sure to wipe your desk with tissue and alcohol. It will give your desk a sense of freshness and cleanliness. Also, resist the urge to leave things unarranged. Regardless of how busy you are, make it a point to place them back to their respective "compartments."

By doing this, not only will you be inspired to work, but your colleagues would be more than happy to drop by your place because you have a very attractive workstation.

Organizing your desk is indeed as easy as ABC. You don't need to have complicated skills or to be


Remember that the clearer and tidier we are the better focused we are:

Fraser