Whatever your plans are for the coming year, your friends can help.

You might be reluctant to let them. Perhaps you feel that accepting help will lessen your own achievement – or you’re worried that your friends might laugh at your goals and ambitions. You might think that asking for help is futile: the people you know might not possess the skills or knowledge that would be valuable to you.

The truth is, no-one achieves much if they work entirely alone. And by allowing others to help, you not only increase your chances of success, you also reinforce your relationship with them.

Even if your friends can’t offer advice about your new venture, they can still support you. Here are three key ways in which friends (and family, and co-workers) can help you reach your goals.

#1: Encouragement

Friends don’t need to share your goals in order to be encouraging. Your best friend might not know much about nutrition and exercise, but he can cheer you on when you’re trying to lose weight. Your sister may have no interest in writing a novel herself, but she can ask you how yours is going.

Some friends are naturally encouraging; make sure you let them know about your plans and your progress. They’ll probably be delighted for you, and keen to find out how you’re getting on.

If you’ve got a strong friendship group online, perhaps on Twitter or Facebook, that’s a great place to turn for encouragement and for accountability. You might want to post your weekly weight loss or your weekly word count or some other meaningful metric related to your goal.

#2: Practical Support

Although encouragement can be a huge boost to your motivation, it often isn’t enough to get you to your goal. Practical support is invaluable, and may well make the difference between success and failure.

This type of support might help free up time: your friend could babysits your kids on a Thursday night so you can go to Weight Watchers, or your spouse takes care of the chores so you can study. It could also involve resources: a co-worker lends you a useful book, or your friend gives you some exercise equipment that they no longer want.

#3: Advice

This final type of help is directly related to your goal. Good advice can save you lots of time, money and energy. If you’re lucky enough to have a friend or family member who’s pursued a similar goal, or who has expertise in this area, don’t be afraid to ask them for advice.

If you’re starting up your own business, for instance, and you have a cousin who did something similar five years ago, ask them what they wish they’d known then. People will usually be very happy to talk about their experiences and to share their knowledge.

Your Wider Network

Unless your friendship circles revolve around a shared set of goals or hobbies, you’ll probably find that you have some plans that no-one seems to be able to help with. Perhaps you’re keen to go to grad school, but none of your friends and family can offer any practical support or advice, or you want to learn the guitar but don’t know where to begin.

Start to look beyond your own circle, towards friends of friends. Although you might not know anyone who can help, your friend might have a relative or a contact who can lend a hand. Tell everyone what sort of information or support you’re looking for, and ask if they know anyone who can help.

You might feel nervous about approaching friends of friends. A great way is through a short, friendly email. Be specific about how they can help. You might write something like:

“John Smith suggested that I get in touch with you. I’m starting up my own small business as a graphic designer and I’m struggling to set my rates. Would you recommend charging by the project or by the hour? Do you have any tips for giving accurate quotations? Thanks so much.”

One of the best ways to achieve your goals faster is to let others help you. Who could you turn to today for encouragement, practical support or advice?

I was having a chat with my fiancé one night recently, and burst into tears. I was bitter, sad, and angry. Why doesn’t anyone help me in return, I asked. Why is it when I am good to people and it feels like the kindness and generosity isn’t reciprocated? My fiance, with one eyebrow lifted, looked at me tenderly and said, “Perhaps because you aren’t really giving?”

I’ve always thought of myself as a kind person. When I moved from city to city with my expatriate job, I hosted many friends from Hong Kong, where I grew up, to visit. After all, who doesn’t want a free place to stay in when in Paris, Tokyo, London… ? So I would be more than happy to put them up while they traveled.

However, when these people come and board in my guest room, do I realize that they have other friends in the same city. And so, in the five days they stay with me, I see them perhaps only one night for dinner – and they don’t even attempt pay for dinner to thank me for letting them stay at my home.

The other four nights they were out with their other friends. Why did they not invite me to join them? Why did they not offer to introduce us sooner when I first arrived in the new city, a stranger to the land, so that I could make some new friends? I tried asking them, they just shrug and smile.

I did not understand why it wasn’t reflex for them, for every time I hear that someone is going somewhere I offer to connect them with people I know in that city in case they need some support. I got upset that no one seems to care about my plight.

Then I got angry. I am generous with my contacts. Even over a coffee chat and I learn about your latest venture, immediately I will skim through my address book in my head, and offer to introduce you to people whom I think could help you with your endeavors.

Yet hardly has that happened to me in reverse. Sometimes I even have to ask others whether they could introduce someone to me.

So I am bitter that the favors aren’t returned. That despite all my giving, helping, supporting every friend and acquaintance I can, it seems that no one gives back to me in return.

Almost timely. After that little episode with my fiance, I was simply bouncing from website to website, and searching for ebooks on the Internet to read. I came across Eckhart Tolle’s book, “A New Earth.” Rummaging through the free pages, I came to this line: “Whatever you think the world is withholding from you,” writes Tolle, “you are withholding from the world.”

Suddenly, the ripples cleared up and I saw a pristine reflection of the reality.

Every time I had given before, was actually not genuine giving. At the back of my mind, I was keeping an invisible tally of favors and acts of kindness I had bestowed on others, making a mental note that some day, I’d cash it back.

I didn’t give, I invested.

As with investments, I expected something in return. And with every investment there’s a risk of gain or loss. Therefore, when I didn’t receive something back, let alone something in addition, I counted it as loss. That was why I became resentful and sour.

My intentions were therefore, not pure. I was subconsciously calculating, expecting, scheming. I put myself on a high horse, as if I was doing them a good deed, and that made me a better person.

As Tolle wrote so powerfully, I lamented others for withholding from me. Yet, it was I in the first place who reserved from others, not giving fully and wholeheartedly with the best of intentions.

In the end, who became the most upset? I did.

I’m slowly changing that mindset. There is no miraculous way or 10 steps to follow.

Simply, just decide to give without expecting anything in return.

I now invite people to dinner because I enjoy their company and want to get to know them better, not because down the line I want to be invited back. When I find out that my friends decide to spend only 5 hours with me on my wedding weekend, but flit around town to see several other groups of friends – whom they’ve never introduced – those few days, I am grateful they will fly all the way for my wedding. Let it be. I’ve done what I can.

But this is just one part of it. Tolle finished the paragraph with, “You are withholding it because deep down you think you are small and that you have nothing to give.”

Indeed, it was also my insecurity with myself that I wasn’t able to let it all go, and just share my knowledge and resources. I had to make it sound like I was trying really hard to find a contact, or that they might not appreciate it. Consequently, I discounted what I had and rocked my own self-confidence.

It’s a paradox, but very real one. The more we are unsure of ourselves, the more we try to hold on to what we have, thinking we can’t lose it or let others benefit from our knowledge. So we withhold always a little for ourselves, and yet blame others and the universe for not giving to us without reservations.

Believe in who you are and what you have. Help others and give your all.

You will feel happier. Trust me on this one.

Give, don’t invest.

Raised in Hong Kong and Australia, Noch Noch was a young, overachieving executive for an international corporation, working and living in the world’s most premier cities. After seven years of living the life she dreamt of, or so she thought, she suffered a serious episode of stress-related depression that turned her life upside down. As she battles with depression, Noch Noch is on a quest to be the wake up call for others in similar plights. She strives to be true to herself, jotting down her reflections on living with depression and self-awareness at “Be Me. Be Natural.” (http://nochnoch.com).

Here are 3 ways to awaken your inner architect!

Architects Create Vision

Vision is key!

Your vision can literally serve as your blueprint for the future. Your ability to walk into the life that you crave depends on the future you see. That’s because anything exceptional that you attempt is often birthed with a vision. It’s the vision that inspires hope when the struggle gets too hard and when calamity becomes all too familiar. That’s why it’s important to not bankrupt your future with a limited vision. It’s hard to move forward confidently without having a good idea of where you are going. Powerful motivator Zig Ziglar always says if you aim for nothing, you’ll hit the mark every time.

There are numerous reasons for lack of vision. Sometimes it’s the pain of previous failures that halts our progress. In such cases, we have to remember that missteps bring experience and provide insight; moreover, our survival is a testimony of our resilience. You can experience a do over! Other times we’re blinded by complacency with past successes. However, suppose we had stopped with the telegram or the telephone?

Our lives have been so enriched by people who dared to see beyond present circumstances and innovations. These architects changed the future by elevating our visions. According to Seth Godin, they transform our “shared interest into a passionate goal and desire for change.” Just because you are not gifted in design doesn’t mean that you can’t design your life. First, your ability to create the vision for your life necessitates your commitment to learn and look inward.

Second, when you peer into the future, make sure that you are looking with a fresh pair of eyes and perspective. Tired eyes rarely see a bright future.

Third, your vision for your future may benefit from some perspective of the past. History often repeats itself, so ironically, by looking to the past, you can better anticipate the future. Fourth, draw inspiration from what you read, hear, and feel. Then, create the plan that awakens the music inside you. Remember that prosperity and wealth are not beyond your reach. Doing these things consistently will elevate your vision to new levels and give you a sound basis to design an authentic path for your future.

Architects Create Structure

Another interesting aspect of an architect’s job is that they create or restore order. During chaos, the gifted architect is perhaps most appreciated. By creating order, the architect can enhance productivity and decrease stress. In contrast, disorder is costly! For example, how many times have you been distressed and your productivity ruined due to losing your cell phone, important file, or flash drive?

Order also encompasses how we live our lives. An orderly life is one that is aligned with your skills and abilities, personality, dreams and passions. It is rare that someone else will create this authentic fit for you. However, by truly knowing yourself and patterning your life accordingly, you can align your actions with your heart.

Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art. Leonardo da Vinci

Career coach Dan Miller has great advice regarding structuring your work in this manner. He recommends work where you are strongest 80% of the time, where you are learning 15% of the time, and where you are weak 5% of the time. A practical example is if you know you are soon bored after learning something new, then structure your business (or choose a job) where your desire for new challenges is a strength rather than a weakness. For all of us, there is an environment where we function best; it’s where our differences are celebrated instead of merely tolerated. If you aren’t already there, then search for or design the environment for yourself.

Architects Oversee Development

Don’t die with your music still in you!
After he or she has created the vision and developed order, much of the architect’s “hard work” is already complete. Some say 85% of the process centers on the creative aspects, but application is still required. Unexecuted great plans mean that the potential will never be manifested, nor will the design be appreciated in its full glory. For example, before Henry Ford and James Cash Penney could give us Ford Motor Company and JC Penney department stores, respectively, they had to build infrastructure and assemble their teams.
It is the architect’s role to oversee the execution of the vision. Overseers know that productivity, or lack thereof, often depends on their recruiting the right talent, incentivizing their participation, and providing adequate resources and direction to bring the vision into fruition.
The personal application is that we must oversee our own development. We must hold ourselves accountable for acting on our visions; otherwise, they may remain pipe dreams. Often this may require enlisting the assistance of others. Perhaps you may hire a bookkeeper for a business or even your household finances to stay on track financially. Alternatively, you could engage a coach to quickly raise your performance to a much higher level. You may choose an accountability partner to call foul when your actions don’t match your words. Regardless of the steps you take, the responsibility for the product is yours. You have already been empowered, but it is what you do with that power that is key.

Closing Thoughts

As an architect, you can create beauty from chaos or resurrect a structure to its former glory. It’s your blueprint of the future that inspires hope in the face of adversity and order during disarray. It’s your seasoned insights that are relied upon to ensure the safety and progress of the project. The personal takeaway is that as the architect of your life, you have substantial power. However, with this power comes great responsibility. It is no longer acceptable to rely on past excuses for lack of achievement. You already have the components and resources needed for greatness, but the key question is: are you ready to produce?

About the Author: I’m Roshawn Watson, and I write at Watson Inc on eliminating debt, investing money, and building wealth. Get my free eBook Your Foundation to Wealth by signing up for my email updates (no spam I promise). Get my RSS feed and connect with me on http://www.twitter.com/roshawnwatson too.

We’ve all been there. We’re out of ideas and nothing new is coming to our tired and weary minds. When these moments strike, I’ve always been a fan of reading quotes to get me out of that funk, whether it’s writing a term paper or coming up with new business ventures.

You could type, “Awesome business quotes” into Google.com and waste a couple hours or if you need just a quick read, then I’ve got you covered. I’ve found several quotes from the people who actually know what they’re talking about. I hope you find one that makes you stop and think.

Direct from the titans of industry,

“As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.” – Donald Trump

“I think a smart woman can sell the average man anything,” – Leo Burnett

“I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.” Warren Buffet

“There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust. But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do. We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.” – Howard Schultz (CEO of Starbucks)

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers… The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” -Steve Jobs

“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” – Bill Gates

Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I’ll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I’ll give you a stock clerk. – J.C. Penney

These men have summed up exactly what is important when thinking of new ideas. Don’t think small, think as big as you can and don’t focus on whether it’ll be a success or a failure right away – that’ll come later. Ultimately, you have to trust yourself and your instincts. The critics out there will always find something to complain about, so there’s no reason to worry about them.

As long as you have an imagination and the will to work hard, you’ll be great! Take a deep breathe, go for a walk, just get out of the current mindset you’re in and watch as things fall into place.

Some other quotes to use for another rainy day,

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”  Maya Angelou

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”- Thomas Alva Edison

I think defining the word, “success” is one of those words that is impossible to do so. For some people, it’s having a Scrooge McDuck vault of gold coins at their disposable. For others, having money to go out to dinner twice a week is considered a success. Either way, as long as you’re happy with yourself, what you do, and how you did it, you’re a success!

You can’t beat the old standby, “try, try, try again” to get you through those tough times. But it’s so true! Even though your idea didn’t work the first time, that doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It’s really easy to get swept up in that mindset, but resist the urge and try something new the next time.

Don’t forget,

Don’t let those disastrous thoughts of not being good enough or failing at everything you try stop you. You may be right on the path towards greatness and each failed attempt is leading you closer to the successful ending you’ve been searching for.

Just keep plugging away and when you get stuck, consult these quotes and think about the person who originally said them. If they stopped at every bump in the road, they probably wouldn’t have ended up where they did. Now, go get ‘em tiger!

Amy Swanson is a part of the marketing/content department at Quality Logo Products and regularly contributes to their promotional products blog. She is a self-professed newspaper nerd, business buff, and TV enthusiast who cites Parks and Recreation as one of her favorites. But don’t ask her to put in a good word with Ron Swanson – she unfortunately can’t help you there.

Not too long ago, I set up a reminder for an event that my boss would be attending. When the day of the event came we received the reminder about three hours before the start time. I was shocked – I am usually much better at reminding him than this. We got everything taken care of and in the aftermath I started to evaluate what went wrong. Where had my focus been hiding the day before?

We’ve all had the kinds of days where we seem to float from one incomplete project to another.  We start the morning with enthusiasm and then pepper our days with trips to Facebook and Twitter. Hey, nothing wrong with it – we’re human beings and the shiny things on the internet can interfere with what we’re trying to get accomplished.

If you feel like you’re spending too much time being distracted and not enough time being focused on what you have on your to do list, try these four things to see if they help you to tick off the things on your list.

• Sleep More, Eat Less. Try going to bed thirty minutes earlier every night to increase the chance that you’ll reach the deepest sleep and wake up feeling rested.  If you’re looking at the clock to see if it’s time to go home so you can catch a cat nap that is going to be your focus for the day. Eat less at lunch because once your belly is full the productivity level will slowly go down. I’m not suggesting you skip lunch but if you chow down on that turkey dinner, we all know what is going to happen.
• Change Your Environment. Clean up the clutter on your desk or grab a notepad (yes people still use paper) and camp out somewhere for the day.  Sometimes getting out of the norm will inspire you to get down and get some things done.
• Stop Multitasking. Believe it or not, we cannot multitask. The human brain is not built like a computer and lacks the ability to focus attention on two or more things that once. Create daily tasks lists to keep track of all the things you need to get done in your day. Use the timer system to be sure you don’t get lost on the internet – for example, I’m going to spend thirty minutes commenting on blogs and then move on to the next task.
• Throw Yourself a Bone. Remember to reward yourself along the way as you get things accomplished. Not only is it good for your soul to take a moment to pat yourself on the back and say job well done, it’s also an important part of keeping yourself motivated to go on to the next project.

Have you tried any of these before? What was your success rate? I have personally found that cleaning up my desk is a huge boost to my productivity levels but I’m sure that doesn’t work for everyone.  What are some of the things you do to get yourself motivated to have a focused and fulfilling day at work?

Maranda Gibson is the quirky social media manager for all pro in beautiful Fort Worth, Texas. She gives tips and advice on productivity, time management, and staying organized on the all pro blog.

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6 Tips To Writing a Successful Life Plan

Whose permission do you need? Really, it’s not a trick question. Who needs to give you the nod of approval before you can start a business, start dating after a bitter divorce, or write the book you’ve been talking about for the past nine years? Whose approval are you desperately seeking? Your spouse, a boss, friend, or expert in your field? Unless you’re six years old, you don’t need anyone’s permission to create a better, fuller, richer life for yourself. Of course, it doesn’t always feel that way. Someone has to tell you you’re good enough and smart enough, right?

Well, no actually. We cling to the (irrational) belief that we require approval before we can achieve because it’s safe. It gives you a fabulous excuse. You can tell others, and more importantly, yourself, that it’s out of your hands. It can help you sleep because it gives you the illusion that you’re not in control. And if you’re not in control, it’s not your fault. But if you want to do more than sleep well and want to start living well, you need to make a decision. Are you going to put your success and happiness in your hands or someone else’s?

This message hit home for me last week. I presented to a roomful of actors and artists at a Screen Actors Guild event. Talk about an industry built on the need for approval. If you’re an actor, you need a casting director to tell you you’re good enough. If you’re a musician, you need a record label to give you their seal of approval. And if you’re a writer, you need an agent or publisher to recognize your genius. This is true for all actors, musicians, and writers . . . except those that have decided they don’t need to wait for anyone to tell them their art is worthy. These are the artists that don’t wait, they create. The ones such as Zak Ambrose, Craig Benzine, Christina Perri, Oren Peli, or “Born this Way” Maria.

Not an artist? Not a problem. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living. The freedom that comes from discovering you don’t need anyone’s permission is yours for the taking. But how can you break free from this destructive and limiting belief?

Get conscious. It’s time to name names. List a goal or aspiration and write down next to it all of the people for whom you are secretly waiting approval. If you’re having trouble, ask yourself this: Who needs to tell me that I am old enough, young enough, experienced enough, smart enough, attractive enough, thin enough, funny enough, or creative enough? Maybe you’ve been waiting to get a boyfriend before you travel across Europe. Why can’t you go alone? Whose permission are you seeking? What about dropping your current job and switching to a career that inspires you?

There are two truths. The first is that nobody will ever give you permission. The second is that you don’t need anyone’s permission. Success doesn’t come to those who wait for it. Success doesn’t even come to those who ask for it. Success comes to those who fight off the naysayers and push forward without a permission slip.

It can be incredibly scary (and life changing) once you realize it’s up to you. Regardless of the story you sell yourself, it always has been up to you, and it always will be. What would happen if you woke up tomorrow and decided you didn’t need anyone to give you permission? What’s the first thing you would start? Really, it’s not a trick question.

Are you ready to create more money, time, energy, and passion in your life? Learn how to live your best life now with these free resources:

Get the “Achieving Peak Performance” ebook and video now! (free for a limited time)

You can also join a community of passionate people at Richer Life who want to achieve more in life and at work. With your free membership, you can participate in conversations I have with experts, celebrities, authors, and thought leaders that are laser-focused on practical ways to drive more money, motivation, and meaning into your life. Take the first step toward creating a better life by joining Richer Life for free now!

Success. It’s something that most of us want in our lives. We might have a hazy picture of what it looks like:

• “Lots” of money
• A jet-setting lifestyle
• A great relationship
• Achieving a particular status within a career

The problem is, none of these things are easy (or even possible) to achieve. How much money is “lots”? What counts as a “great” relationship? If you chase vague definitions of success, you’re never going to be satisfied.

Plus, you might well achieve “success” in the eyes of the world … only to find that it seems hollow and empty to you.

Don’t Follow Someone Else’s Idea of “Success”

We’ve all got different values and motivations. Some people are content to work in a tedious job because it carries a good paycheck. Others would prefer to work at something creative and fulfilling (even though that means living on ramen noodles). Neither path is objectively “right” – they could each be perfect for different individuals.

It’s up to you to decide what success means in your life. Don’t get stuck following someone else’s path. For you, success could be:

• Never having to worry about money (note: this isn’t necessarily the same as “being rich”!)
• Being healthy and fit
• Playing a vital role within your family (whether that’s as a parent, sibling or child)
• Going back to college and getting a degree
• Downsizing to a home in a rural area
• Writing a book and having it published

… or almost anything!

Success doesn’t have to be about money or status.

Be Specific About Your Goals

When you’re deciding on your personal definition of success, make it as concrete as possible. If you simply want to “be rich” then you’ll struggle to ever feel like you’ve managed it. A better goal might be “make $100,000/year”.

Your success should be measurable. You might not be able to put a number to it, but look for some way to record your progress towards your goal. For instance, if your “success” means “being happy and content with my life” then you might want to journal about your thoughts and emotions regularly.

Be clear about what success means, and set specific targets to reach.

See Failure as a Step on the Path

You might be familiar with this Thomas Edison quote:

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Often, failure is just part of the path to success. If you’re starting up your first business, you might fail: that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Your early failures pave the way to later success. Think back to being a child – you failed constantly while learning to walk, to talk, to read, to write… but those failures were necessary in order for you to finally succeed.

Failure is something you do, not something you are. Sure, you might fail – again and again – before you do succeed. But isn’t that better than never even trying?

What’s your personal definition of “success”? Share it with us in the comments below.

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6 Tips To Writing a Successful Life Plan

Most of us who have been in the world of business know that a well-thought out business plan is the key to running a successful business. And yet, few of us take time to create a written life plan; a plan that details our vision for our life and what steps we are going to take to get there.  We call this Apex Lifestyle Design.

Just like in business, if you want to live a fulfilling life that exceeds all your wildest dreams, writing a life plan is the first step to success.

1. Knowing Yourself: With vision and self-knowledge, it’s kind of the chicken and the egg thing.  You must know yourself in order to discover your vision, but your vision could shape who you are.  In any case, to write a detailed plan of how you will achieve your vision, you must know who you are – your strengths and your weaknesses, your core values and beliefs.  Ask yourself hard-hitting questions that reveal your true nature like “Do I have a sense of purpose? If so, what is it?” or “When I am the happiest or feel most at peace?” These types of questions will help you determine what you truly want from life. For a list of thought-provoking questions visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Apex-Lifestyle-Design-by-Gary-Polsky/265993283423485

2. Vision: If you don’t know where you want to go, it’s almost impossible to get there.  Apex Lifestyle Designers grab vision by the horns.  They reflect on what they feel passionate about, how they can change the world, and then they create a far-reaching vision statement. This vision is the core philosophy of what you want to accomplish, on where you see yourself in one year, five years, ten years. It’s making a decision up front on how you see your life unfolding.

3. Outlook: Outlook is how you see things. Do you see an obstacle as something standing in the way from you getting what you want or as a challenge that invigorates you?  It’s kind of a glass half-full vs. glass half-empty mentality.  A good life plan will recognize that there will be challenges along the way and lay out a plan to meet them with enthusiasm like a good crossword puzzle.

4. Goals: Just like in a business plan you have to set goals to achieve the things you want from life; monthly goals, weekly goals, daily goals.  But unlike in business, these goals should encompass all areas of your life – mind, body and soul.  Apex Lifestyle Designers pursue their vision with a fiery sense of urgency, but they also set goals that keep balance in their lives.  They know that in order to perform at maximum velocity they must have periods of rest to rejuvenate the spirit.  So, when you write your goals, think in terms of what you will do to pursue your passionate abstraction, your vision, and what you will do to tend to your health, both physical and mental.

5. Collaboration: True Apex Lifestyle Designers know that reaching a purpose-driven vision of their life can’t be done alone.  You need to make connections within the world around you.  Leaders have the ability to inspire great things from those around them and part of a good life plan will include who you want to spend your time with and how you will inspire them.   For each element of your plan, you will need to attract a certain person, or group of people; we call these specialty muses.  These muses can help you take your vision to the next level.

6. Evaluation: A great life plan, just like a great business plan, will have built-in evaluation processes.  How will you know if you are on the right track to fulfilling your vision, if you don’t take time to stop and reflect on what you have accomplished? Celebrate the successes along the way and make sure that you are always driving towards that ultimate vision of your life.

Utilizing these elements be sure to take time to write a plan for your life. Only when it is written out will you be on your way to living life the way you always dreamed it.

With decades of experience in executive level health care, Gary Polsky offers inspiration for designing your life and living your passion. His dedicated work in end-of-life care has enlightened him with thought-provoking inspirations from patients and committed professional relationships on what quality-of-life truly means.  It was this experience that sparked the concept of Apex Lifestyle Design and his first book, SuperEagle. More information at http://www.apexlifestyledesign.com

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7 Concrete Steps To Reaching Your Full Potential

Mental Super Powers: How To Unleash The Full Potential Of Your Mind

People tend to forget that no man is ever born successful; rather success is the fruit of a man’s (or woman’s!) work.

So if you want success you are going to have to work for it, and you are going to have to bring some changes in your life.

These 5 tips will guide you in the right direction to mold yourself into the person you want to be.1. Change your Perspective

I can’t make you successful and neither can your family and friends. Success starts with you and this is a fundamental thing that every man and women should understand.

If you are looking from inspiration from those around you, you have to stop relying on others. You must find the persistance within in order to become self-sufficient. You alone must be accountable for all your actions – your successes, your failures and everything in between.

2. Trust Yourself  ( Self-Confidence)

The root of success comes from self-confidence. So if you can’t trust yourself and you can’t believe in yourself then you can’t achieve anything. Self-confidence is your ability to know that you are capable to do something and that you will not “mess up”.

Take pains to create this trust in yourself as this is the foundation to everything in life.

3. Passion

To be successful you must have a strong drive and hunger to get what you need. If you don’t have this perception you don’t have what it takes to be successful.

Become eager and enthusiastic to reach your goals.

4. Always be Ready to Learn

If you want to be successful, you need to always be ready to adapt and change to your surroundings. Understand that you don’t know everything and that you have weaknesses.

This is the only way that you will grow.

5. Become Proactive

Stop waiting for success to come to you, because if you continue to wait it won’t. Create your own success by going out there and taking it.

This is the only way you will have an edge over others and this is the only way you will have success.

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”  – Abraham Lincoln

Good Luck in becoming Successful!

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Osman Hameed writes about self-improvement and shares effective tips for living better life on his website www.codeofliving.com. CodeofLiving is a juicy mix of tips, tutorials and articles that are guaranteed to make your life better.

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Are your dreams secretly preventing you from living the life you REALLY desire?

Most people have dreams, but their dreams are holding them back. Dreams aren’t bad in and of themselves. In fact, dreams are great.

They only become a problem when you use them as an excuse. When you tell yourself that you could never go after your dreams, or that you don’t have the connections, money, or talent to do what you deeply desire.

Most people use their dreams as an excuse.

What you think you have to do to realize your dreams is often not the right path at all, and the dream you have right now may not even be the dream you really want.

You don’t know all the possibilities that exist, so you cannot possibly know what the best life for you is, can you?

Why Your Dreams Are Holding You Back

I have dreams.

You have dreams.

We all have dreams.

The problem is that many of the dreams we have block us from seeing all the other possibilities available to us. We put on blinders and focus only on what we think is right and we miss everything else.

Before I started my online business and began doing what I love, I had a predetermined path in my mind, and I thought it was the only way there.

The problem?

I didnít think I could walk that path, because I wasnít good enough, I didn’t have the connections necessary, and I was scared out of my mind.

Or, so I thought.

When you look at successful people, youíll often see that they got to where they are in an unconventional manner.

What’s really going on is that the concept that we call dreams is holding us back by limiting our perspective.

We have no idea of how our dreams will manifest, or if the dream we think we want is the one we’ll want five years from now.

The solution is to think smaller.

What to Do About It

Keep your dream in mind, but don’t get too attached to it. Instead, I’d like to invite you to enjoy the present moment a tad more than you have.

You have your plans, and you have your vision, which is fantastic, but now it’s time to return to the here and now.

The way you do this is by focusing on what the next smallest step is that you can take toward what you want.

You will know what the right next step is because it will feel good. For example, today I woke up and felt like writing this article. It felt good, so here I am.

Now, beware that you will sometimes be afraid of your next step. Another example from my life would be if I was creating my next product.

That generally scares me because Iím not sure if people will like it. However, the problem is that the step is too big. I need to break it down into smaller parts.

When I do that, it becomes something like this:

1. Come up with a product title
2. Research and outline the product
3. Fill in ideas in the outline

Even those steps are too big, but can you see where I’m going with this? Itís not the task that scares us, but our thoughts about it. When you break things down, you can see yourself taking action.

What If You Donít Know What Your Next Step Is?

If you don’t know what your next step is, do nothing until you feel compelled to act.

Whenever I try to force myself to do anything, it doesnít end well. I almost feel like thereís a divine timing to everything. Iím not religious, but thatís how it feels.

Instead of forcing myself, I simply allow myself to rest in that space of not knowing. Itís not always easy, and often itís frustrating as hell, but thereís not much else I can do.

I could try to force progress, but it would just make me more miserable.

Iím at a point in my life where Iíve realized that thereís no rush to get anywhere. All I have to do is to enjoy the here and now.

Happiness comes from within me, not from out there. No goals, accomplishments, or dreams will make me happier than I allow myself to be.

This realization isnít always present, because like you, Iím human. Sometimes I hate life and the perceived obstacles in front of me, but thatís just how it goes.

Some days will be better than others.

But it always comes down to what you do with them.

Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where you can get his FREE life-changing course right now:†Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less. And if you liked this article, you may like,†21 Things You Can Do to Change Your Life Forever.

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