Stop Trying to Fit In 3 Rules You Have to Break to Live a Life of Abundance, Love, Passion and Joy

"I don't fit in, especially with my family." "I feel like an outsider.”

“I felt ok until I got to high school but then I lost my self-confidence. I didn’t belong to the popular crowd, and I did not belong to the ‘geek' clique.” “I began to feel like a loser. I knew I wasn’t a loser, that I was just different, but I felt it just the same.”

“It seems to me that all the successful people are paired up”.” Most of my college friends are married, and I’m still single.”When we get together, I come away feeling down on myself, like I just don’t fit in any more.

If you find yourself distressed about not fitting in, it may be hard for you to hear me say that it is a good thing! Not fitting in, opens your life up to amazing possibilities. First and foremost it makes an authentic life a real possibility. As a psychotherapist, it is more difficult to be of help, when a client is invested in being like others, and not interested in exploring individual uniqueness.

Most of us are somewhere on the seesaw: we may fit in some areas of life but feel insecure in others.

Where is your position on the path?

What does what fitting in look like for you?

Do you buy the illusion that if you are more like "them," family members, church members, college friends or people in our community, that somehow you will be safe and secure, with the possibility of happiness? Illusion is a metaphor for the areas of our lives whereby we act as if our faulty beliefs are the real deal, or our truth. The truth is that we are not like them, and if we pretzel our essence to try and fit, it is impossible to be happy.

When we fit in we tend to be more like those around us. I am not suggesting that you desert family and friends, but at the same time realize sometimes our loved ones have trouble supporting change and/or our differentness.

Create a visual of what your life would look like if you fit in. I've spoken to people who "fit in" describe how bored they are with the everyday sameness of their lives... Do you cling to the familiarity, rather than examine the true nature of reality?

We live in a world where there is no perfection and events are not predictable. When we try to control events the more rigid and the smaller our world becomes. So where do we start those of us who want to give up the illusions about fitting in and start being true to self? To begin, develop a new belief that “you are enough...”

What then is the truth?

We are conditioned to seek comfort and avoid discomfort. A story is told and passed down, that: It is possible to fit in, to live in an ideal world where things come easily and unpleasant experiences can be avoided. It also suggests if your life is not like this, something is wrong with you. The conditioning is very powerful and if not examined, we tend to live in little boxes without diversity.

Through powerful marketing, the media portrays others as not having to deal with the adversity of daily living. They are presented as physically perfect, never lacking love or companionship, confident and secure within themselves. Comparison of self to others is a dangerous sport, and when we compare our lives to a snapshot of an ideal, frozen in time, we are bound to come out wanting. Remember that an illusion is static.

The real problem is a belief that if we fit in, there is a possibility of a life without the inherent struggles. Faulty beliefs keep us from living in our own rich, messy ways.

When you know your authentic self, you will not settle for somebody’s idea of how you should live. Although you may not believe it at this time, your journey can be more adventurous when you don’t fit in.

In "Overcome Obstacles and Have an Incredible Life”, you are given tools, exercises and strategies to work through not 1, but 10 Universal Obstacles.

Laura’s New Offering, "Overcome Obstacles and Have an Incredible Life" offers boundless guidance, addresses doubts, fears and uncertainties that may be keeping you stuck and wondering if you have missed your chance to be happy. You have not! Read or hear more at www.laurabyoung.com

https://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/stop-trying-to-fit-in-3-rules-you-have-to-break-to-live-an-incredible-life-rule-3

Living a More Conscious Life

An excerpt from Your Ultimate Life Plan: How to Deeply Transform Your Everyday Experience and Create Changes That Last, by Dr. Jennifer Howard.

One realizes that all of existence is a manifestation of consciousness; that ultimately everything is made out of consciousness.
—A.H. Almaas

When you’re living a more conscious life, you’re being with yourself and for yourself deeply, moment by moment. No matter how attractive quick and easy solutions seem, lasting change can’t happen in the time it takes to deliver a pizza. It takes time, attention, and commitment to address and heal the layers of who we are and grow in consciousness.

So, what is conscious living?

To be conscious means to observe what’s present, and implies being awake or awakening to your deeper truth, an inner realization, or circumstance. Living a conscious life means having the willingness, curiosity, and courage to stay present to your thoughts and feelings, to the meeting point of body, emotion, mind, and spirit. It means staying present to the impact you have on others and your environment, as well as the choices available to you. To live a conscious life—to be awake and aware—is to be gloriously alive!

We experience life in degrees. You can choose where to place your attention and intention, creating a life that feels better than it does now. You can grow, change, and deepen your ability to navigate life. You can expand and illuminate your experience of consciousness. You can mature toward greater integration and wholeness.

From the deepest sense of ourselves, our inner life longs to be experienced, understood, and validated. It’s rich with nuance and complexity, and meant to be sipped and savored. It’s not meant to be swallowed a week at a time, controlled by our past programming and endless “to do” lists. Slow down, take a deep breath, and truly feel life. Every moment, even a painful one, contains gifts of wisdom and joy if we’re willing to remain conscious.

Living consciously includes uncovering, grieving, and working through your historical childhood difficulties, along with the programming they created. It’s your job to return to your blocks, those stubborn problems that keep you from experiencing your wholeness and embracing your potentials. As you identify and heal them you create change. This opens the door to the emergence of your real self.

You might be thinking, “Grieve my childhood difficulties?! Is that even possible? Won’t that take forever? Why should I go through all that effort? What problems will it solve?” To understand why it’s needed, let me ask you a few questions:

Are you living the life you’ve always dreamed of? 
Often, from a young age, we have an idea of the kind of life we want to live. We have specific goals in some areas, others we paint with broader strokes, and some goals change with time. Do you feel your life expresses your deepest desire? Are you moving toward your greatest vision of life?

Are you the person you want to be?

When you reflect on who you’re being in life, you may discover you’re sup¬pressing important qualities and traits while expressing others that don’t feel like the real you. Are you being your authentic, empowered self much of the time?

Is there a persistent complaint, pain, or longing in your life you’ve yet to heal?

Sometimes, no matter how much we work on ourselves, we encounter the same inner obstacles again and again.

Are you living and feeling fulfilled by your deepest mission in life, serving others, and making a difference?

We’re here to contribute to the world in our own unique way. Sometimes that contribution makes big waves, and sometimes our expression of service is quiet, subtle, or deeply personal. Each is as important in its own way. Are you making the difference you know you can?

Are you satisfied and fulfilled in your relationships?

This is an area in which we often compromise, give in to resignation, and feel we’ve gotten the best we can get. Are you frustrated and unfulfilled in your personal and professional relationships?

Is your work aligned with your life-path, and are you satisfied with your progress?

Are you doing what you’re burning to do? Does your professional life (your job or your business) express who you authentically are in the world? Are you achieving the results you want?

Living a conscious life changes your everyday experience in measurable ways. You’ll find greater ease, resilience, contentment, and success. As you learn to be present to physical sensations, emotional feelings, and thoughts, you’ll develop ego strength, and move more comfortably with the ups and downs of life. You’ll be well on your way to walking the conscious life path, embodying greater freedom and happiness.

You’ll relax into the most subtle and profound realms of awareness, the inner silent still point in consciousness—the silence that feeds body and soul. Father Thomas Keating, in his book Invitation to Love, said, “Silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation. In order to hear that language, we must learn to be still and to rest in God.”

Conscious Living 2.0™ 

practices can lead you into wisdom and inner silence. Some might call this opening more fully to God, Wisdom, or unified consciousness. I like to call it “enlightening-ment,” meaning that for most of us enlightenment is not a destination or graduation into a permanent higher state of consciousness, but a moment-by-moment experience constantly fluctuating between degrees of wholeness and limited consciousness.

Once we’ve experienced and embodied this enlightenment, whether for a moment or more, the time spent in this impersonal state, stillness, spaciousness, silence, or wholeness leaves its mark on us forever. You probably know what I mean, and can feel it as you read. When we travel that territory, our capacity grows. We’re a little more relaxed and a little less fearful, more compassionate toward ourselves and others. We’re more attentive to our lives and the still small voice within.

In the book Buddha Standard Time, Lama Surya Das defines enlightenment as a “deep flash of awakening to the knowledge that we are much more than our time and space-bound material selves living in a material world. Some people awaken to enlightenment by Grace, seemingly without effort, but most of us stay obsessively stuck in the past or the future, running our mental trains backward and forward in that track every minute of the day.” Yet, he goes on to say, “Each moment is intersected by a realm of infinite spaciousness and timelessness, known in Tibetan as 

shicha, the Eternal Now.”

It’s possible to be excited about life, even on a bad day, when you’re doing what you came here to do! Fulfilling your mission—the one unique to you—is possible; I’m doing it, and I’ve helped many others do it too. You can feel happier than you ever thought possible!

Article:  selfgrowth.com/articles/living-a-more-conscious-life

NO EXCUSES - Best Motivational Video

After This You'll Change How You Do Everything! - Tony Robbins

Five Secrets to Unlimited Motivation

5 secrets for unlimited Motivation
In life we need energy to live, to exist and to do things with our life and with others. Yet sometimes we can miss life through talking ourselves out of it. Just like this:

• I just can't be bothered
• It's just too much effort, I'm tired
• It's not worth it, who cares
• Sure, one of these days...
• Yes, I know that I should, but...

Sound familiar? 

If this is you, and you are saying this to yourself and or to others, you are lacking one of the key ingredients in the recipe of life, MOTIVATION:
MOTIVATION; the psychological feature that arouses an individual to action toward a wanted goal; the reason for the action

So, we can define motivation but does that help? Usually not enough! What is this thing called 'motivation'? Where do you find it? How can we get motivated?

The first secret to share here is 

Secret No.1 

'motivation is not a thing' it is not a noun. You will never trip over motivation that someone has left in the bathroom, nor will you find a chunk of it in the fridge! Has anyone ever bought a kilo of motivation from the shop? I think not!

If that is the case, then what is motivation, how can we be motivated and more importantly how can we motivate ourselves? Would you like unlimited motivation, does this interest you? If so, read on because that is the design of this article.

Motivation is a set of thinking strategies or processes that we run for ourselves... Did you notice what you just read? '...That we run ourselves! What does this mean? It means that we are responsible for how motivated or not we are! It means there is no point looking to another to provide motivation for us; in fact it is impossible for another person to motivate us, only we can decide what is or is not motivational to us. 

Secret No.2

motivation is 'we are responsible for the amount of motivation we have'. Can you start to sense the power you have over yourself when you take responsibility for you?

What is it that drives us to feel motivated? What drives motivation? Further, how does motivation drive us toward what we want, need or believe? What is this fuel? The answer brings us to 

secret No. 3 

'emotions are the fuel of motivation' and ultimately are what drive us! Let us take a look at how emotions 'drive or move us to action, the best place to start may be with the word 'emotion'.

E-motion, as we look more closely at this word we can see its structure.

'E-nergy in motion';(e motion). Our emotions are our energy. Typically we can put emotions' into three distinctive categories:
• Positive
• Neutral
• Negative

As we can define our emotions into these three simple types, then what does that also say about our energy? Well, we can make the same distinctions for our types of energy; positive, neutral and negative energy. This leads us to 

Secret No.4 

'People are motivated and can motivate themselves using these 3 different types of energy' so can you!

The affect of positive emotion often gives us the energy to move toward what we want or need, we somehow feel pulled or drawn (motivated). As we experience neutral emotions we can 'take it or leave it' and with negative emotions we experience discomfort, a form of pain and we (are motivated) try to get or move away from the cause of such. We can represent this with a diagram:

The Axis of Motivation
Whether we move away from the pain and consequences or toward the good feelings or outcomes in our life, both create energy that we put into motion to do something. This is motivation. Now what this gives us is a strategy for developing unlimited motivation for anything we want to do or have in life.

Typically, human beings have a preference to which end of the motivational axis they motivate or get motivated by. We can ask ourselves some questions to identify our own preference for getting motivated. Ask yourself the following questions and notice if you are motivated toward what you want or away from what you don't want:

I get out of bed in the morning; 1. Because I have to (away from)
2. Because I want to start the day (toward)

I take my medicine regularly; 1. Because I want to be well and live life as fully as I can (toward)
2. Because if I don't I will become ill or possibly die (away from)

When asked I will go out and socialise with others; 1. Because I like to meet and be with other people (toward)
2. Because it is rude not too and I don't want to upset anyone (away from)

I keep my home tidy; 1. Because I like it like that (toward)
2. Because I get moaned at if I don't, or someone unexpected may come round (away from)

I understand that regular exercise is healthy for you; 1. And I exercise because I want to get the health benefits from it (toward)
2. And I exercise because if I don't my health may get worse (away from)

I do things; 1. Because I can
2. Because I have to

How many 'towards' or 'away from' did you identify with? Most people will find themselves using motivation at just one end of the axis, either mainly toward or mainly away from.

Now that you have this understanding on how YOU are typically motivated, we can move to 

Secret No.5.

This secret is the one that brings all the other secrets together and will show you how to get unlimited amounts of motivation for the rest of your life! Secret No.5 says 'Combine both away from and toward energies at the same time and you will create a personal motivation that propels you into action'! By becoming aware of the other energy available to you, at the other end of the motivation axis you can ramp up the emotional motivation to get you to take action, to feel motivated and finally in control of you!

Either now or later, take 5 minutes to take yourself through the unlimited motivation pattern below. These x simple questions can be applied to anything that you need more motivation for, any time, anywhere. After you have used this pattern a couple of times you will be motivating yourself and possibly other like an expert!

The Unlimited Amounts of Motivation Pattern
1. Identify something in your life you want to have or be more motivated about (This can be anything, getting out more, going to the gym, or doing the housework, anything...)

2. Once you have identified something, write it down so you don't forget what you are working on

3. Notice your current motivation style associated with this activity, are you motivated away from or toward? If you are away from read and ask yourself part A, if you are toward, read and ask yourself part B

Part A

You are moving away from the pain or consequences, but you can put up with it for awhile. First notice how real the discomfort is, what else could be a problem or even more painful if you don't take action on this.

To add even more energy to your motivation notice what you will get that is good or pleasurable once you have taken the action or started the activity. Notice how good it feels and how good it will feel when you have completed this activity... So as you experience all of this about that activity, notice just how much energy you have for taking the step to be doing it... Go do it then!


Part B

You are moving toward the activity, but it doesn't pull on you enough to take any action. First notice just what attracts or pulls you toward it in the first place, that's right, now as you think about that, ask yourself, what is important to me about this...

What does the importance of this mean to you, how do you feel about it now, knowing this? Just imagine what it would mean if you never did this, you would never realise this meaning and its importance. It could be the start of procrastinating on other important and meaningful things in life, you wouldn't want that to be true would you? Be with this awareness, notice the heightened pleasure and possible pain if you don't act on this as soon as you can... Just now, notice HOW much energy and motivation you know have for this... Get on with it then!

Congratulate yourself on doing or starting the activity, notice how well you can motivate you to take the actions that are important to you. Notice the sense of independence and pride you have for yourself as you read this and start to take the first steps to becoming expert at developing your own motivation, imagine the possibilities you now have for your life...now.


Joseph W. Scott Managing partner @ TheCoachingRoom Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6637632

What Drives You? The Secrets To Motivating Yourself

"Your own resolution to success is more important than any other one thing." - Abraham Lincoln
Bianca rose to the sound of pigeons cooing and traffic grumbling on the street below. As she yawned and stretched, she thought about what was waiting for her that day.

She felt her motivation slowly drain away with each deadline and commitment that zipped through her thoughts. As Bianca began to wither and wilt internally, she remembered the motivation pills she had purchased last week from the Good Value Pharmacy.

There were yellow pills labeled 'Money', pink pills labeled 'Pride', green pills labeled 'Family', purple pills labeled 'Respect' and some ugly grey pills labeled 'Nagging Advice'. The chemist had told her as he dispensed the pills that some would work for her and some would not... he could never tell in advance which pills would work for which customers. With that advice in mind and a smile on her lips, Bianca reached for the one she knew would be just right for her...

One of the best things you can do for yourself on your journey of self discovery is to work out what drives you. The first step is to identify your values as they provide the fuel for your motivation and the drive behind everything you do in life. If you value something you will always find the motivation and energy to do it. If you don't value something, you will always struggle to find the motivation and energy to do it.


Values

Your values are what are important to you. They are the broad concepts that guide your decisions in life and form the basis of your character. Your values also determine how you spend your time. For example, if your most important value is health, you will spend your time quite differently from someone whose most important value is career or family.

Values also drive all your motivation. You won't pursue a course of action unless it relates to something you value at some level. Identifying your values allows you to kick-start your own motivation, set goals that are appropriate and spend time on things that are important to you.

How Your Values Are Formed

Your values come from a number of sources including your family, friends, religion, school, teachers, country and the media. They are also shaped at any time in your life by significant emotional events such as natural disasters, emotional abuse, global depression or war.

Your values change as you grow and evolve. When you change your values, you will also change some of your beliefs and the way you live life.


How To Identify Your Personal Values

Identifying your personal values helps you to:

Understand why some issues are a problem for you;
See why some things motivate you and others don't; and
Identify and overcome problem areas of your life.



For example, assume you have weight issues. You determine your personal values and find that health and fitness doesn't even rate a mention within your values. You may have found the reason why you are having weight issues, i.e. health and fitness is not something you value. While this remains the case it will be very difficult for you to lose weight and gain a greater level of health and fitness in your life as you will not have any motivation to do so.

You can identify your values by asking yourself:
What is important to me in relation to my life, career, relationships etc?
What would cause me to leave my life, career, relationships, etc?


When you have an understanding of your values, it is useful to see how they affect your motivation.


Motivation

Your values drive your motivation. If you set goals that are aligned with your values, you will have the motivation to help you achieve them. If you set goals that are not in line with your values, it will be an uphill struggle to achieve them.

When you understand your values and their impact on how you are currently motivating yourself you will have a wonderful insight into why you achieve the results that you do in life. You will also know how to motivate yourself more effectively in the future.

Motivation comes either from within you (intrinsic motivation) or from an external source (extrinsic motivation).

Extrinsic motivationis provided by some factor external to you. It can take the form of inducements (rewards) or punishments. The rewards can be tangible or intangible (such as praise).

Intrinsic motivationis evident when you engage in an activity for its own sake without any external incentive. It appears from research done by Albert Bandura that if you have more self efficacy (belief in your own abilities to control your environment) you are more highly intrinsically motivated than other people.

As intrinsic motivation is the only one you can take with you and call upon at any time, it is the most important in terms of self motivation.

Intrinsic motivation can be broken down further into 'towards' motivation and 'away from' motivation. 'Towards' motivation is motivation towards something you want and 'away from' motivation is motivation away from something you don't want.


'Away From' Motivation
'Away from' motivation is driven by pain. Pain motivated performance is not pleasant, produces inconsistent results and disappears when the pain is no longer present.

'Away from motivation' does, however, give you a strong initial motivation to move away from the thing you don't want in your life. A problem with using this type of motivation is that you wait until things are bad before you take action to change them. Another problem is that you don't have a target or goal that you are aiming for (just something you are running from) so you don't tend to achieve results.

Sophia uses 'away from' motivation in relation to her weight. As a result she is the classic yo yo dieter. Her process goes like this. Sophia looks in the mirror and sees that she is overweight. She says to herself, 'I don't want to be fat anymore'. She then goes on a diet to ensure she is no longer fat. (She is moving away from being fat). At some point she looks in the mirror and sees that she looks fantastic and is no longer fat. As she is no longer fat, she has just lost the source of her motivation (to no longer be fat). As there is no longer any motivation, she no longer stays on the diet and discards her exercise regime. She will not be motivated to do whatever she needs to stay fit and healthy. At some point in the future she will look in the mirror and again form the judgment that she is fat and the process will start all over again.

When you are motivated away from something that you don't want in life, you tend to focus upon the very thing you don't want and that is what you attract into your life. As examples:

If you constantly say to yourself, 'I don't want to be broke', your focus is upon being broke and that is where your unconscious mind will aim.
If you constantly say to yourself, "I don't want to be single", your focus is upon being single and that is where your unconscious mind will aim.

Motivation away from what you don't want can motivate you, but it doesn't do so for long and you can't be sure what results you will achieve. It can give you a fantastic initial boost of energy, but you can never guarantee where you are going to end up as you don't have a firm direction in mind, just a place you want to get away from. If you use away from motivation in your life, you will tend to create a series of crises to keep yourself motivated.


'Towards' MotivationIf you use 'towards motivation' you will take action to move towards your goal and you will achieve them more often than not.

'Towards' motivation is the best way to motivate yourself. When you are motivated towards what you want, you tend to stay consistently motivated until you achieve your goal (provided you desire it enough).

When you are motivated towards what you want, you constantly set and achieve goals each time stretching yourself further. By using motivation towards what you want you give yourself a far greater chance of achieving what you want out of life.


How Do You Know If The Motivation You Use Is 'Towards' Or 'Away From' Motivation?We now know that values drive your motivation and that motivation can be either towards what you want or away from what you don't want. Now it is time to review your values to discover whether the underlying motivation for each of your values is:


towards what you want; or
away from what you don't want.


To determine whether the underlying motivation for each value is 'towards' or 'away from' ask yourself, "Why is that value important to me?" then listen to your self-talk and note what you say to yourself. The clues to whether you are using towards or away from motivation for that value are:

You are probably using 'towards' motivation if you:talk about what you do want
don't use comparisons in your explanation (better than, worse than, more than)


You are probably using 'away from' motivation if you:talk about what you don't want
make comparisons in your explanation or use words such as 'better than', 'more than', 'less than', 'best' etc. (These show you are unhappy with where you currently are)
use words such as 'must', 'need', 'have to', 'got to' etc


As an example, assume that 'money' was your highest value in relation to your career. You then ask yourself, "Why is the value 'compensation' important to me in relation to my career?"

If your answer is, "Because I want to make a lot of money and live in luxury", the response would indicate 'towards' motivation for this value.

If your answer is, "Because I don't want to be broke and I have to be able to pay my bills", the response would indicate 'away from' motivation for this value.

Your chances of achieving goals relating to 'money' are much greater if you are using towards motivation.

If you find that you have identified 'away from' motivation in relation to any of your values, you will find:


This area of your life is one where you will experience the most difficulties;
You will not be achieving the results in this area of your life that you might wish; and
There are unresolved issues to be cleared away and healed in relation to this area of your life before you will experience the success you desire.

This is wonderful information to have as it identifies areas of your life for you to focus upon.


Problems With Motivation

We all experience problems with motivation at some point. Those times when you just can't seem to find the desire to do things you know you should. The problems can arise because:

You are low on energy. There are some easy things I'm sure you do when you are feeling 'low' to get your energy back. Remember too that sometimes in life, you need and deserve a rest.
The thing you are aiming towards is not something you value. (In this case, question whether you should be exerting your energy in that direction); or
You have a problem with your motivation strategy (see below).

If it is your motivation strategy that is causing you challenges, identify which part of the strategy is causing the problem and then use one of the following techniques to assist you to change it. If you are not motivated because:

You feel overwhelmed, break the goal down into smaller steps and do them one at a time.
You are only using 'away from' motivation, identify where you are aiming and focus upon the positive outcomes of attaining it.
You feel obliged to pursue the goal, either accept the goal is not for you and let it go or focus upon the positive outcomes you will get from achieving the goal.
You are scared, identify what could go wrong and what you would do if it did.


In Summary
If you understand your values, you will understand what motivates you and why. If you discover whether you are using towards or away from motivation in different areas of your life, you will have answers for why some parts of your life are successful and others are not. If you use one of the above techniques to overcome common motivation problems... and you take action... you should be on your way to success!


Petris Lapis, Director of Petris Lapis Pty Ltd the unique approach to personal growth, easy unconscious change, opening your heart and unlocking your potential in every aspect of life. Visit now to find the next course running near you. http://www.PetrisLapis.com


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7553765

Hard Work And A Little Faith Can Break Any Mountain, If You're Willing To Venture Into The Unknown

Become A Greater Version Of Yourself

Let's get straight to the point as I want to speak from the heart.

Sometimes, a goal or dream may seem insurmountable from where you stand.

I know what it's like.

Whilst people may consider you successful from the outside, there's a lot hidden out of sight they're unaware of.

Success is subjective because no two people share the same outlook. One must find their own measure of success and live by that ideal, instead of believing they are a failure.

For example, if I consider myself unsuccessful compared to an internationally bestselling author with millions of followers like Tony Robbins, I am likely to feel like a failure.

By this measure, comparing my success to others is not a correct representation because no two paths are the same.

The point is to create your own definition of success because it helps you know whether you are on track.

You must think with the end in mind since you are likely to achieve your goals and commit to the hard work. Moreover, you may not consider it hard work if you are passionate and committed to the journey.

Hard work requires a focused commitment to your talents, gifts and greatest strengths. It involves becoming a greater version of yourself in pursuit of your goals.

Success is the reward of a concerted effort.

It is the prize for harnessing your potential and directing it towards your goals and dreams.

Don't think it's impossible to achieve your goals from where you are now since you may be starting out or midway through the journey. Therefore, your perception is incomplete based on your assessment.

Have Faith The Finish Line Is Within Sight

I've used this metaphor in earlier articles, however it warrants being repeated.

Believing you're unable to achieve a goal or dream is comparable to building a new home and visiting the construction site midway through the project. You might conclude from your observation the house isn't finished because it is still being constructed.

In a related vein, it was a mentor who once offered a similar example by way of swimming across a channel.

He said: when you're halfway between your starting point and destination, it may look as though you will not complete the swim. However, if you continue to swim towards the finish line, you will get there eventually.

Being unable to see the finish line frightens you most. Trust the finish line is within sight and continue swimming towards it, he would often say.

This is the key to succeeding at your goals and dreams. Develop the discipline to commit to the daily tasks that move you toward your ambitions.

To abandon ship midway can be disheartening because you invest much of your time and energy to get to this point.

Giving up may not be the right call. There could be other avenues to explore before you make that choice.

The toughest decisions are those when you venture into the unknown. Contained within the uncertainty lies the greatest hope your goal will be achieved.

Faith, determination and a tenacious will are vital to achieving any goal or ambition.

Goals and dreams are meaningless were it not for the person you become.

Life Can Change At The Drop Of A Hat

Ask those who've achieved success about the lessons gained during their journey. They will tell you of the difficult times when quitting was a decision away.

I equate it to my years of long distance road cycling and hitting the wall frequently.

This is a term used to describe when an athlete runs out of energy stores in their body. The physiological effects are frightening since the individual can experience: trembling, hallucinations, shivering, slurred speech, fainting and dizziness to name a few.

When you are many miles away from home and run out of food, with no convenience stores in sight, the only thing to do is focus on small landmarks to get you to your destination.

You might focus on riding to the next lamppost or the next tree. To even contemplate the finish line is overwhelming, especially when you consider how far you have to go.

The lessons gained from these experiences are: I needn't know whether I will make it to my destination because that is not helpful at the time.

My task is to keep moving and focus on what's ahead of me.

Similarly, your undertaking is to keep moving, irrespective of the challenges and obstacles you face.

Faith requires believing in the unfolding narrative of your journey. It won't reveal itself until you take the next step.

Circumstances can change unexpectedly and that's why you should continue to move towards your goals and dreams little by little.

If you act on faith alone, you will eventually get there and gain the wisdom and personal growth along the way.

You can overcome any challenge as long as you keep moving.

Rest if you must.

Take time out if needed.

But don't give up because you can never regain what is lost if you surrender.

Sometimes, what appears as your bleakest hour can turn around and set you on the path to victory.

Work hard and savour the challenges.

Plough ahead knowing success is attainable even if it doesn't look that way.

Commit to the path, regardless of the journey getting there.

Not all roads are lined with roses, but with sometimes with thorns, roadblocks and dead ends.

If you are willing to venture into the unknown, you will eventually break that mountain that once looked formidable from a distance.

To live a remarkable life, you must take consistent action in spite of your fears and doubts. Download a FREE copy of my motivational eBook, NAVIGATE LIFE and embark upon your journey of greatness today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9949939

Learn How to Cultivate Self-Discipline As a Success Mindset

Do you understand the connection between what you think and the success you experience, or do not experience, in your job or career? If you could learn to discipline your thoughts towards an attitude of success, do you believe it is possible you could in turn become successful?

There is a well-known phrase that talks about the importance of working smarter and while there are many interpretations of what it can mean, overall it is meant to emphasize the benefits of being focused, disciplined, and working hard. Hard work is the backbone of any career but over time, and when routine work habits are established and set in, the effort that a person exerts may become conditionally based. It could be due to a person's perception of a "bad" boss, poor working conditions, not receiving a pay increase or recognition for their effort, and the list continues. While there may certainly be merit to these feelings, it serves no real purpose to make working hard a conditional characteristic of your job performance.

If you care about your career development then working hard needs to be a top priority every day. However, hard work may seem unjustified if a person's expectations are not being met and that is where self-discipline comes into play. It is a matter of always being in control of your performance and responsible for the quality of your work. It also involves making a commitment to yourself and your career, one that is not dependent upon circumstances or influenced by circumstance no matter how challenging it may seem at the time. This will allow you to become disciplined and know that your best performance depends upon consistent effort, which establishes a mindset of career success.


Why Self-Discipline Matters

The development of a disciplined mindset allows you and your job performance to shine; whereas, the lack of intentional discipline sets you up for failure. Self-discipline is based upon a logical and rational perspective, is focused on being in control, and prompts the use of productive work habits. It is proactive with regards to job duties and career development, and it requires concentrated effort rather than striving to achieve absolute perfection.

Without self-discipline a person is more likely to be impulsive and unfocused, act based upon emotional responses, and be reactive to circumstances. It is easy to begin to work on becoming self-disciplined, whether or not it is a habit now, if you start by establishing an intention and make it a goal to perform your best at all times. It does not require prolonged struggle, only career goals. You can make choices based upon what is best for your job and/or career. Self-discipline involves maintaining control over your attitude, mindset, emotions, and thoughts at all times.


Discipline and Doing Your Best

Your job has a specific description, or at least an expectation of what it is you are supposed to accomplish. Over time, and as you become familiar with the daily tasks, you can determine what the minimum amount of effort is needed to complete the required duties and that may be enough for you to feel good when the workday ends. Then there are circumstances that influence the amount of effort you put in. There may be too much work, an upcoming deadline, or person in authority who is pressuring you to take on more work. You may willingly or grudgingly do more as requested; however, when you stop to consider this job do you realize it is your career at stake?

The attitude you develop about your job will also influence the attitude you have about your career development and progress. If your job performance involves putting in the minimal effort it is usually accompanied by feelings of job dissatisfaction and that may create a negative mindset about your career. It means you view your effort from the perspective of what you get from the job rather than what you can gain from it in the long term. When you are disciplined you maintain behaviors and an attitude that bolsters your daily productivity, which also provides you with the confidence needed to excel even when circumstances are less than perfect.


Learn to Develop Purposeful Intent

How do you feel good about a job and maintain that attitude, even when circumstances cause you to dislike it? You cannot force yourself to feel positive emotions when there are events or people who prompt negativity or feelings of frustration. What you can do is to change your perspective and that is where self-discipline matters. You can decide that you are going to feel good about yourself as a professional or as an employee despite the current conditions and anchor it to a position statement that is focused on your career goals. This allows you to create a disciplined mindset with purposeful intent and focus.

Your career is a series of steps and progress will occur over time and for some it will be accomplished through more than one position or job. At the heart of this is you as a person, and it is you who has an ability to learn and grow. With purposeful intent you can view each job as a stepping stone, which provides skills, knowledge, and direction. If one job does not meet your expectations or provides difficult conditions to work in, itemize what you have gained from it, list this information on your resume, and decide upon your next step. But no matter what, always make certain you have a disciplined focus or you will venture off course in your job and career plans.


Consider How an Employer Views Your Disposition

Consider for a moment that you are a hiring manager. What is the type of candidate you would consider hiring, if you were looking at more than the job description? Is it someone whose tone displays obvious frustration and does not seem to have much to say that is positive about their current employer or existing job? That is not a likely candidate for an employer based upon their attitude alone.

Now consider a candidate who comes along and has a professional presence, demonstrates a clear understanding of their career path or goals, and can articulate what they have gained from each of the jobs they've held throughout their career. That is a candidate who will likely gain your interest, even if they are not considered for the position, because they have demonstrated a disciplined mindset.

The point of reviewing these scenarios is to show the contrast between someone who possesses an underlying feeling of career helplessness or career control, which also demonstrates the difference between a disciplined and undisciplined mindset. If would like to be the candidate who is likely to get hired, establish a goal to be highly disciplined and productive.

Your disposition will carry over into the tone you convey when you speak with potential employers, along with your overall attitude about career development. As a professional resume writer I can spot a person's disposition through their choice of words and how they describe their jobs when I talk to them. Someone who is disciplined and views all jobs as a learning experience has self-confidence about who they are and the talents they possess, regardless of job conditions or circumstances.



How to Develop Self-Discipline and Focus


Career Planning:

You can begin to develop a hard-working, self-disciplined mindset right now by first examining your career plans. If you cannot articulate the specifics of your career, now is the time to get started. At the very least, decide upon a short-term and a long-term career goal. This will give you a sense of direction, one that can help you find what can be learned instead of focusing on existing working conditions.

The purpose of developing a career plan is to provide you with an ability to create purposeful intent. When you walk into the workplace each day you can remind yourself you are able to learn from any situation, even if what you learn is that you are no longer growing or moving forward in your career.


Learning and Growth:

An important component of a disciplined mindset is maximizing your learning and growth potential. If you have developed a productive working relationship with your supervisor or manager, ask them if there is more that you can do. For example, perhaps you can take on an extra project that is based upon a departmental or business need. To some people this may seem to be counter-intuitive and an attempt to become the "teacher's pet" - or some other type of negative phrasing.

If you are asking from a perspective of having a genuine interest and seeking professional development, and the need is recognized, this will create a feeling of accomplishment within you. As you continue to work hard you may even extend the timeline that you work for this particular employer. You will also likely be viewed as valuable employee, although the ability to remain disciplined will matter most in the long term for your career.


Self-Discipline as a Success Mindset

Becoming disciplined can have a variety of descriptions, including working hard, attaining maximum productivity, or maintaining a focus on what must be accomplished every day. The most meaningful correlation between a focused mindset and effort is the development of peak performance. This working definition speaks to the heart of what working to the very best of your abilities should mean. It is striving to maximize your performance with your current skills and abilities while being open to learning and development, and putting in more than the minimum effort required.

There are going to be times when you aren't at the top of your game and that is certainly understandable. There will be some days that you find yourself working to the very best of your abilities and other days that find you putting in the best effort possible. The importance of being disciplined means that you do not allow job conditions be the reason why you are not functioning at peak productivity; whether there are new policies to adapt to, additional demands made of your job, or other circumstances.

You can always be in control of your actions and strive for peak performance as a matter of your career development. Learn to develop self-discipline as a mindset and attitude about how you work every day and watch your career continue to evolve as this sense of self is reflected in the outcomes you experience, both personally and professionally. The most effective way to be in control of your career and establish a pattern of success is to control how you think and how you work. Self-discipline is a productive state of mind and focused attitude that you can implement starting now. When your attitude is honed on performing your best, you will find yourself mentally resistant to adverse conditions and ready for new career opportunities. You are mentally disciplined and both you and your career are transformed.

Dr. Johnson specializes in distance learning, adult education, faculty development, online teaching, career management, and career development. Dr. J has a Ph.D. in Postsecondary and Adult Education, a Certificate in Training and Performance Improvement, and a Master of Business Administration, MBA.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10134381