Being Decisive
“Decisiveness is a characteristic of high-performing men and women. Almost any decision is better than no decision at all.” -Brian Tracy
Making decisions doesn’t come easy sometimes. It requires a lot of thought and patience. However, that should not be an excuse to prolong the decision. Check in with your self honestly. Is this delay in decision due to my fears? Usually I find that to be the case. I don’t think you can ever have enough information and sometimes it does take a bit of a leap of faith. But never making a decision is a decision not to do anything other than what you are doing and is that really working for you?
Being Creative
“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’” -George Bernard Shaw
I have heard people tell me to listen carefully not for what is being said but for what isn’t being said in order to find a solution. I have also heard it is about connecting the dots. The idea is there, it is just simply putting it together like Steve Jobs had done. Or I have heard to look outside your industry/business to see how others are doing it and see if that idea can overlay with your own. Then there are people who say just getting together with others for a good drink and discussing business leads to ideas.
Perhaps finding a great idea is a combination of all these or perhaps it comes from other situations. Wherever it comes from, putting time and effort to seek it is essential. Having a notebook at hand is helpful as ideas come and go like when lightning strikes. You gotta move quick or otherwise it will vanish.
Know Your Values
“Be studious in your profession, and you will be learned. Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich. Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy. Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy. At least you will, by such conduct, stand the be.” -Benjamin Franklin
Do you know your values? Like really know them? So if I asked you right now to tell me what your values are, would you be able to clearly tell me such as Ben Franklin had listed for himself? It would be wise to sit down and go over what your values are because as you go through your day, you check in with yourself when you make a decision. Does the action I am about to take match my values? If not, you may want to turn away and save yourself some pain.
It is no easy task do know and check yourself constantly but the payoff like with any hard work you do, is grand.
Calmness
“The pursuit, even of the best things, ought to be calm and tranquil.” -Marcus Tullius Cicero
How often do we work in a frenzy state to accomplish some tasks in our lives? Rather than focus on when it is to be done but instead focused on producing quality calmly, would our results be better produced? Watch your self-talk and watch when you need to get things done. Waiting to last minute is no win surely.
Find Courage
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” -Anais Nin
We all feel fear at some point in the day. It may be about something big or even something small. At that point we probably try to talk ourself out of it. It’s just before this point where you must learn to take action without hesitation. Learn to do this and you will grow stronger. Face your fears, that’s how you grow.
Be Humble
“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.” -Mother Teresa
It is good to be reminded from time to time to be humble. That is to look around and offer a helping hand. We are so focused on our own problems that we forget that there are people out there who probably have it worse or just going through there own hard times in their own way. If we gave back, perhaps we would gain something within.
Keep at it!
“What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.” -Johann Wolfgang
It is easy to be distracted by all the toys in the world these days. Are you taking time for yourself to figure out what you want to accomplish within this lifetime? If you are ok with just working the job and then playing with these toys, then that is great.
For most people, I suspect they have some sort of burning passion to create something, to make some sort of impact. So put some time aside each day to think about this. Once you get an idea, dwell on it some more. If it drifts off, then find a new one. If not, perhaps then take some action and follow through even if it gets tough or tiring. You can do it!
Keep at it!
“The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying.” -John C. Maxwell
More or less everyone has the same problem. It is taking that first step and then the taking consistent action part that are probably the show stoppers.
Discipline is key then.
My wife keeps lecturing me about how I hit the snooze button. “For goodness sakes, just set the alarm later from the get go then and just rise!” That’s just one approach to that problem. Personally, it was a reminder to stay true to what I set from the beginning. Now I make it a habit to wake up as planned.
Discipline takes work. You can do it if you keep at it. So, get working on your dream!