Time, Money, Happiness

I call these the three magic wishes. If you have time you have freedom, if you have money you have choices, if you have happiness you have it all. Being submerged in the world of self-improvement, I often wonder what the magic answer really is. Of course, there are people selling magic potions all of the world, and believe me, plenty of money is being made from these potions. Eventhough, the self-help gluttony has reached monstrous proportions, we are still starving!Its like we are sitting in front of a buffett, filling our plates, sucking back the food and proceeding on for more.

I wanted to bring an idea to the table, not new, I am sure it is just another plankton in the sea of self help. Nevertheless, I propose that one reason we are still starving is because we are filling the equivalent of a black hole. Our core values, standards, morals and day to day operations are in a vaccuum. If we don't take the time to first examine what is important to us on a deeper level and why, we are filling this never ending abyss for all the wrong reasons. Not to mention there is no real solid leverage behind the actions.

Haven't you met people from all walks of life who are not happy and you cannot for the life of you figure out why? The surgeon who wishes he had his brother's life, the actress who is depressed and lonely, the rich man who cannot find a wife, the successful CEO, who is stressed.

All of these examples are people who could fairly unanamously be considered successful by all accounts. They have opportunity to make time for themselves, they have money, they should have happiness right?

Before you buy another potion, review the following steps:

STEP ONE: LIST YOUR VALUES! Find out what you value, what is important to you, things like; Integrity, Charity, Health, Family.

STEP TWO: LIST YOUR STANDARDS: What is your current code of conduct, things you are commited to on a regular basis that make you who you are.

STEP THREE: IDENTIFY an area in your life that you have pain, stress, concern, a problem etc.

STEP FOUR: COMPARE YOUR area of pain with your values. Almost always you will see that something that is causing you pain is because it is not in line with you values~

STEP FIVE: ADD A STANDARD: Now it is time to be accountable and in control of your life, take an action. If you are not happy, if you are in pain, MAKE A CHANGE. Decide what your standard is going to be, how you will make it a standard, and put it it into action. Remember, practice makes habit so "Do or do not, there is no try~"- YODA.

At any given time you are feeling a lack of fullfillment in your life, you are not in line with your values and standards.

Now I am off to listen to Anthony Robbins for my daily potion!:>)

Questions, comments, coaching?

Contact me anytime: jennifer@level88.ca

8 WORDS OF HIGHLY SUCESSFUL PEOPLE

Passion : Do what you are passionate about


Work: Work hard and have fun


Good: Get really good at what you do


Focus: Focus, Focus, Focus


Push: Push yourself



Serve: Serve something that people need



Idea: Have an idea



Persist: Through it all persist.. remember we will all have to face



CRAP
Criticism
Rejection
A-holes
Pressure



TED; Rich St. John

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/richard_st_john_s_8_secrets_of_success.html

Forget goals, set standards!

Goal - the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behaviour intended to achieve it; "the ends justify the means."

Goals, we all have them and we all strive towards them. They give us purpose, meaning, and direction. Providing a guideline for our lives with milestones and celebrations. There is no disputing the fact that goals are an important part of human behaviour.

But what happens after we reach the goal?

what happens after we reach the finish line?

Goals by definition, must come to an end.

Take for example, one of the most common goals and struggles facing North America, weight loss. There are countless organizations making millions of dollars helping individuals reach their weight loss goals. However, America still suffers with an increase in morbid obesity and weight loss challenges.

What happens after (The Biggest Loser?).

Once the goal is achieved it must come to an end it has no choice, it is a goal.

Standards on the other hand, are the gift of habit. Practice makes habits, and good habits based on your standards live on and linger.

If my standard is to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle each and every day. My mind set is long term. It is not focused on a beginning and an end, but rather a way of life. Reaching a goal may give us the chemically released reward and high, but without the standard to begin with, it will surely be short lived.

I am not in any way saying that goals are not important, that they are not beneficial. Nor am I suggesting that standards are the answer to weight loss challenges.

Standards are based on our values, and when we create a deeply meaningful commitment, coupled by recognizing and practicing habits that are in line with our standards and values, we have a fighting chance to create long lasting sustainable change.

Think of one goal in your life you are struggling to achieve.
Now imagine that you set a standard around this goal.
Next, imagine that you ask yourself each day, are my actions in line with my standard? what can I do to ensure this?


When you add standards it is important to do the following:

 WRITE THEM DOWN

 BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC

 ADD SLOWLY_ Don’t create this mass of standards you cannot live up to you will only disappoint.

 CREATE DAILY ACTIONS-Revolving around your standards. Practice makes habit. Make sure your actions are constantly revolving around your standards. I am a vegetarian, yes this means every day I don’t eat meat, not even if you cook me Lamb~!

 COMMIT: Tell yourself it is bad luck to not meet this standard, or whatever works for you. In a way it is true, if you don’t commit to your standards your conscience will haunt you, you will ultimately fail to achieve what you want most in life. I call that pretty bad luck~!

 CELEBRATE THEM: Feel good about your standards. Look around your life and acknowledge the standards you are already meeting. Recognize how they serve you and have made your life what you want and how you want it.


PRACTICE MAKES HABIT!

"We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act but rather a habit." -Aristotle-