By Jack Canfield
You are an accumulation of your habits. From how you get out of bed, how you shower, how you dress, how you shop for food and eat meals, how you exercise, how you walk, sit, and talk, how you respond to the world, how you act in front of others, and how you think; you are living out your habits.
Habits are necessary. Because they typically come naturally and automatically (“through habit”), they free up your mind so you can concentrate on how to survive day to day. You don’t have to think about how to drive your car so you can be on the lookout for danger while you are driving. You don’t have to think about how to walk so you can concentrate on where you’re going.
Unfortunately, habits can also keep you locked in self-destructive patterns, which will limit your success.
This is especially true during stressful periods, like holidays. This is when it’s far too easy to let bad habits take over and multiply with every holiday symbol that you see.
So, what’s the secret to surviving this holiday season, bring in the new year feeling fantastic—physically and emotionally—and have more confidence in the future?
You will need to drop those bad habits and develop new ones that are in line with the life you want to live. This will help you to get through the holidays cheerfully and embrace 2010 with high hopes. People don’t suddenly appear in the life they want to live, habits determine their outcome!
So ask yourself, what are the habits you have that are keeping you from achieving your goals? Which ones seem to become magnified during the end of the year, setting you up for feeling behind and lousy come January 1st?
Really be honest with yourself. Are you always running late? Do you make promises you can’t keep? Do you get enough sleep? Do you make excuses for not eating well and scheduling exercise? Do you plan out your day?
Imagine what your life would be like if all those habits were their productive counterparts.
What would your life be like if you ate healthy meals, exercised and got enough sleep? What if you saved money, stopped using credit cards and paid cash for everything? What if you stopped procrastinating, overcame your fears, and began networking with people in your field? Would your life be different? I bet it would!
So, my suggested action step for you is to write down some productive habits you could adopt and visualize in your life. Step two is to “act as if” you were living these new habits right now!
I know, you thought you wouldn’t have to do this until New Year’s, but I’d like to help you get moving toward creating more successful habits today, so you’re already in motion when 2010 lands.
I’d recommend you plan on developing four of your new success habits each year, one for each quarter. That means right this instant you can map out which four you intend to adopt in 2010, and then create a method that will support your new habits.
Here are some ideas:
You could write it down on a card that you keep with you and read several times a day. You could make it a part of your daily visualization.
You could also enlist the help of an accountability partner who has habits to change.
It’s important to make a 100% commitment to each of your new habits, so be specific about the steps that you’re willing to take in order to drop an old habit and adopt a new one.
Don’t be vague about how you will change your habits. Spell it out for yourself so you can recognize situations that motivate you to act out your new habit.
Just developing four new habits a year will dramatically shift your life to be more in line with your vision. And the more in line it becomes, the easier the other habits are to replace because your perspective is shifting and you can see more clearly how your old habits aren’t serving you anymore.
Get ready for 2010 today! Focus on habits that will launch you forward, not back.
Make the decision. Make the commitment. Then watch your new, positive life unfold!
I’ll be back in two weeks with another edition of Success Strategies. Until then, see how you can discover ways to immediately implement what you learned from today’s message!
© 2009 Jack Canfield
* * *
If you missed previous issues of Success Strategies,
I keep an archive of past issues you can always refer to.
Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Can field now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Tags: Jack Canfield, Law of Attraction, Success Coach, Success Principles
by Jack Canfield
Our world is a highly competitive and over stimulating place, and more and more concentration is needed every day just to stay focused on completing your daily tasks and pursuing your long-term goals.
With the explosion of communications technology we are more accessible to more people than ever before. Complete strangers can reach you by telephone, cell phone, pager, fax, regular mail, express mail and e-mail.
They can e-mail and instant message you at home, at work and on your hand held smart-phone. And with the explosion of social media, requests now find their way to us on our Facebook and Linked-In accounts.
It seems everyone wants a piece of you!
Your kids want rides or to borrow the car, your co-workers want your input on projects that are not your responsibility, your boss wants you to work overtime, your sister wants you to take her kids for the weekend, your child’s school wants you to bake four dozen cookies for teacher appreciation day, your mother wants you to come over and fix her screen door, your best friend wants to talk about his impending divorce, a local charity wants you to head up a committee, and your neighbor wants to borrow your van.
Not to mention the endless slews of telemarketers who want you to subscribe to the local newspaper, contribute to the nearby wildlife sanctuary or transfer all of your credit card debt over to their new card. Even your pets are clamoring for more attention!
We suffer from overload at work—taking on more than we can comfortably deliver in an unconscious desire to impress others, get ahead, and keep up with others’ expectations. Meanwhile our top priorities go unaddressed.
How much time do you waste with projects and activities that you really don’t want to do simply because you are uncomfortable saying no?
Success depends on getting good at saying no without feeling guilty. You cannot get ahead with your own goals if you are always saying yes to someone else’s projects. You can only get ahead with your desired lifestyle if you are focused on the things that will produce that lifestyle.
You will have to structure your work and life so that you are focusing your time, effort, energies, and resources only on projects, opportunities, and people that give you a huge return on your efforts. You are going to have to create stronger boundaries about what you will and won’t do.
Most of us are busy, but undisciplined. We are active, but not focused. We are moving, but not always in the right direction. By creating a stop-doing list as well as a to-do list, you will bring more discipline and focus into your life
Start by creating a stop-doing list as soon as possible! Then make the things on your list “policies.” People respond to policies. They understand a policy as a boundary. They will respect you more for being clear about what you won’t do.
For example, some of my “don’t do” policies on a personal level are:
- I never lend my car to anyone for any reason.
- I don’t lend money. I am not a bank.
- We don’t schedule outside social events on Friday night. That is our family night.
- I don’t discuss contributions over the phone. Send me something in writing.
On a business level some of my “don’t do” policies are:
- I don’t give endorsements for books of fiction.
- I have a policy of not lending my books to other people. They rarely come back, and they are the source of my livelihood, so I don’t lend them out.)
- I don’t schedule more than five talks in one month.
- I no longer co-author books with first-time authors. Their learning curve is too expensive.
- I don’t do individual counseling or coaching. There is greater leverage in working with a group.
- Except for when I am doing a new book tour, I don’t schedule more than two radio interviews in a day.
It is very easy to say what your policies are, and you don’t even have to use the word no!
People respect policies. And it’s likely that no one will take your policy personally, they’ll realize it’s a boundary you have set for all occasions.
Be brave in saying no, stay focused on your higher goals and let people know that you are committed to those goals. People will respect your clarity and drive.
Remember, just as you are in control of your feelings and attitudes, other people are in control of theirs, so if they do get upset with you for saying no…well that is a choice they make for themselves.
For more tips on Just Saying NO!, read Principle 42 in The Success Principles.
I’ll be back in two weeks with another edition of Success Strategies. Until then, see how you can discover ways to immediately implement what you learned from today’s message!
© 2009 Jack Canfield
Are you “stuck” in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly
“Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Clinic on December 1st!
www.AskJackCanfield.com
* * *
Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Can field now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Tags: Jack Canfield, Success Coach, Success Principles, success strategies
COMING SOON: The children’s book is progressing well, after an almost-disaster because my external hard drive began developing ‘bad sectors.’ After some time spent in researching the problem, I decided the most important thing to do was to save as many of my photos and files as possible. There were even some difficulties to do that, but I saved all of my photos for the book, both to my internal drive, and to a flash drive.
To read more about the story of the lost kitten, see the earlier posts of Septemeber 24, and October 15.
Look for my announcement that the book has been published; we will have it ready in time for Christmas. Be sure to leave your name and email address in the column to the right and you will be notified by email.
Tags: childrens book, kittens
by Jack Canfield
Are you someone who consistently goes the extra mile and routinely over delivers on your promises?
It’s rare these days, but it’s the hallmark of high achievers who know that exceeding expectations helps you stand above the crowd. Almost by force of habit, successful people simply do more.
As a result, they experience not only greater financial rewards for their extra efforts but also a personal transformation, becoming more self-confident, more self-reliant, and more influential with those around them.
These high achievers stand out from the crowd because of their extra efforts. They are unwilling to give up, even in the face of difficult times.
They get the promotions, they get the loyal customers, they grow their businesses twice as fast, they get financial rewards, job security, and they go home feeling satisfied.
Do you exceed expectations?
Do you surprise people with more than they were expecting from you?
Do you have the opportunity – but also the personal initiative – to go the extra mile?
To be successful you must change your thinking. You can only win by making extra efforts. People who go the extra mile always get payback. You will discover yourself becoming more self-confident, more self-reliant and more influential with those around you.
People notice the special services and all the small touches that make dealing with you so pleasurable. And when they are talking to their friends they will mention you and recommend you because you are the one who stands out.
People will see that you pay attention to detail, that you consider all the small things that really make a business successful, that you care about your image, and that you belong with all the other people who work hard to achieve. You will attract new business and new opportunities.
Listen to any success story and you will hear of someone who worked exceptionally hard to get what they wanted.
You’ll hear how they put in the extra time, did what wasn’t part of their job description, and over-delivered on what was asked of them. You’ll hear how they stuck at it until they broke through, and usually you’ll hear how it only took them a couple of years to do it.
What have you been doing for the past couple of years? Think of what you could accomplish if you made it a habit to exceed everyone’s expectations. Image what doors could be open to you if you decided to be of better service and value.
How are you willing to go the extra mile? What kind of extra service are you willing to provide in order to stand out from the rest? What areas of your life could you be giving more of your effort and time, becoming more valuable, and improving your reputation?
Be willing to treat everyone like you’d treat your dearest friend. Don’t skimp on service. Don’t be mediocre or run of the mill. Show people what you are capable of. Show them that you care about your image and reputation.
When it comes to success, the people who are willing to go the extra mile get there that much faster!
© 2009 Jack Canfield
Are you “stuck” in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly
“Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Clinic on November 4th!
www.AskJackCanfield.com
* * *
If you missed previous issues of Success Strategies,
I keep an archive of past issues you can always refer to.
Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Tags: Inspirational, Jack Canfield, Law of Attraction, Success Coach, Success Principles
Watch for my new children’s book here. It’s about a little lost kitten, and how he was found, and is sure to delight little children….and older ‘children,’ too. The adults I’ve told about it have been very enthusiastic about the story, which, by the way, is absolutely a true story. I have many photos that I’m including in the book.
This project, even though I tell my friends and family that I’m working, isn’t like work at all, as it’s just so much fun to tell the story. If you have younger children in your family who don’t read yet, this is a perfect opportunity for you to read it to them. And children love to be read to. I’ve found in my own family that my children and grandchildren always loved their nightly story time, and it’s a great way to grow the bond between you.
The book will be available online as a pdf file, so you can download it and print it for yourself, and later it will also be available as a printed copy, which can be mailed to you.
Tags: books, children's stories, kittens
Chunk-Down that Goal and Get Out of Overwhelm
by Jack Canfield
Sometimes our biggest life goals seem so overwhelming.
We rarely see them as a series of small, achievable tasks, but in reality, breaking down a large goal into smaller tasks—and accomplishing them one at a time—is exactly how any big goal gets achieved.
After you have decided what you really want, with specific deadlines, the next step is to determine all of the individual action steps you will need to take to accomplish your goal.
How to Chunk It Down
There are several ways to figure out the action steps you will need to take to accomplish any goal. One is to consult with people who have already done what you want to do and ask what steps they took. From their experience, they can give you all of the necessary steps as well as advice on what pitfalls to avoid.
Another way is to purchase a book or manual that outlines the process.
Yet another way is to start from the end and look backward. You simply close your eyes and imagine that it is now the future and you have already achieved your goal. Then just look back and see what you had to do to get to where you now are. What was the last thing you did? And then the thing before that, and then the thing before that, until you arrive at the first action you had to start with.
Remember that it is okay not to know how to do something.
It’s okay to ask for guidance and advice from those who do know. Sometimes you can get it free, and sometimes you have to pay for it. Get used to asking, “Can you tell me how to go about…?” and “What would I have to do to…?” and “How did you…?”
Keep researching and asking until you can create a realistic action plan that will get you from where you are to where you want to go.
What will you need to do? How much money will you need to save or raise? What new skills will you need to learn? What resources will you need to mobilize? Who will you need to enroll in your vision? Who will you need to ask for assistance? What new disciplines or habits will you need to build into your life?
Another valuable technique for creating an action plan for your goals is called mind mapping.
How to Use Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is a simple but powerful process for creating a detailed to-do list for achieving your goal. It lets you determine what information you’ll need to gather, who you’ll need to talk to, what small steps you’ll need to take, how much money you’ll need to earn or raise, which deadlines you’ll need to meet, and so on—for each and every goal.
When I began creating my first educational audio program—a breakthrough goal that led to extraordinary gains for me and my business—I used mind mapping to help me “chunk down” that very large goal into all the individual tasks I would need to complete to produce a finished product.
To mind-map your own goals, follow these steps as illustrated in the example:
1.) Center circle: In the center circle, jot down the name of your stated goal—in this case, Create an Audio Educational Program.
2.) Outside circles: Next, divide the goal into the major categories of tasks you’ll need to accomplish to achieve the greater goal—in this case, Title, Studio, Topics, Audience, and so on.
3.) Spokes: Then, draw spokes radiating outward from each mini-circle and label each one (such as Write Copy, Color Picture for Back Cover, and Arrange Lunch.)
On a separate line connected to the minicircle, write every single step you’ll need to take. Break down each one of the more detailed task spokes with action items to help you create your master to-do list.
Next, Make a Daily To-Do List
Once you’ve completed a mind map for your goal, convert all of the to-do items into daily action items by listing each one on your daily to-do lists and committing to a completion date for each one. Then schedule them in the appropriate order into your calendar and do whatever it takes to stay on schedule.
Do First Things First
The goal is to stay on schedule and complete the most important item first. In his excellent book, Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, Brian Tracy reveals not just how to conquer procrastination but also how to prioritize and complete all of your action items.
In his unique system, Brian advises goal-setters to identify the one to five things you must accomplish on any given day, and then pick the one you absolutely must do first. This becomes your biggest and ugliest frog.
He then suggests you accomplish that task first—in essence, eat that frog first—and, by so doing; make the rest of your day much, much easier. It’s a great strategy. But unfortunately, most of us leave the biggest and ugliest frog for last, hoping it will go away or somehow become easier. It never does. However, when you accomplish your toughest task early in the day, it sets the tone for the rest of your day.
By chunking down your goals, and then taking daily action on them, you create momentum and build your confidence, both of which move you farther and faster toward the achievement of your goals.
Now go take some action!
© 2009 Jack Canfield
Are you “stuck” in this area?
Send your most pressing question about this topic, then join in for our monthly
“Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Clinic on October 7th!
www.AskJackCanfield.com
* * *
If you missed previous issues of Success Strategies,
Jack keeps an archive of past issues you can always refer to.
Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Tags: Jack Canfield, Success Coach, Success Principles, success strategies
My new book for children, and anyone who loves kittens and cats, is being written and illustrated, and will be available soon at Evergreen Publishing. It will be available to be downloaded in PDF file as soon as it’s finished, with full illustrations.
Check Evergreen Publishing to get your copy. We plan to publish it in hardback later if you prefer to have a more permanent copy.
To give you a glimpse of the subject, it’s about a little abandoned kitten, and is sure to be loved by children of all ages. Children of second grade level and above will be able to read it themselves, but younger children will enjoy looking at the delightful pictures while an older child or adult reads it to him or her.
Acknowledge and Appreciate Yourself
by Jack Canfield
Pop Quiz: When was the last time you acknowledged and appreciated yourself?
That’s right: YOU. Not your spouse, not your children, not your boss, co-workers or friends. Just YOU!
Seriously, think about it!
And if it’s been too long since your last pat on the back, then I want you to take the time right now to acknowledge and appreciate yourself for everything you’ve accomplished today, throughout the year, and in life.
Ask yourself: How many times have you succeeded in the past month? The past year? The past 10 years? Are you able to recall your successes as easily as your failures and missteps?
This is not a selfish or egotistical act in the least. By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you’ve achieved—and perhaps learned through a few mistakes, stumbles and losses—you actually can enhance everything about you!
Self-acknowledgment and appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward higher goals and accomplishments.
In working with top leaders and thought philosophers of our time, I will tell you that among their secrets of success is a regular practice of acknowledging and appreciating what they have.It can offer an oracle into the future because it not only tells you where you are but it also helps clarify where you want to go in life. Whatever that might be. The road then becomes easier to navigate—easier to see from the distance and walk confidently step by step.
Don’t forget to think about both big and little accomplishments. Many people under-appreciate the minor things they do successfully every day . And yet they can recall in detail all the times they have failed or made mistakes. That’s because the brain remembers events more easily when they are accompanied by strong emotions.
For example, you might vividly recall a graduation, losing 10 pounds, having a child, winning an award, or landing a highly sought after position. But see if you can identify just as many minor, more subtle successes, such as your intimate conversation with your spouse last night, the re-connection you established with an estranged friend last month, the quality time you were able to spend with your children today, how you checked off all your list of To-Dos for the weekend, how you learned a new task at work, or got your kid to school on time.
These may seem like minor acts in the grand scheme of life, but they are what make us feel whole, happy, and accomplished along the journey toward those larger, and much more deeply satisfying moments.
Acknowledging your mistakes also has it pluses, but we often don’t have trouble recalling or mulling over those. The point is, if you don’t acknowledge your successes the same way you acknowledge your mistakes, you’re sure to have a memory full of blunders. And a mind stuffed with negative chatter about the gaffes of life won’t fuel your energy, nor your confidence, creativity, and motivation to keep going.
Consider this, too: if you only remember the mistakes and failures, you won’t be as ready to take risks that will lead to your successes. Build your self-esteem by recalling all the ways you have succeeded and your brain will be filled with images of you making your achievements happen again and again.
Give yourself permission to toot your own horn and don’t wait for anyone to praise you. Here are two suggestions:
1.) Record Your Personal History. Take time to write your achievements down. Start when you were very young and think of all your achievements since then. Don’t just pick the major milestones; write down all the things you take for granted. For example, if you list your college degree, write your appreciation for having the opportunity to go to college and forge friendships that will last a lifetime.
You can also create a log of success every day and review it when you are faced with a new challenge. By writing it all down daily, you’re securing it in your long-term memory and it will become a part of what makes you tick. It can even become a source of positive reminders and affirmations for when you’re feeling down, as well as a personal record of you that becomes your legacy.
2.) Celebrate Yourself with Mementos. Surround yourself with reminders of your successes. Put up pictures, articles, trophies, awards and other pieces that bring your attention to your success. Make your environment speak to you about your achievements. Be proud of them!
By the way, showing appreciation for yourself and accomplishments has many rewards that go far beyond boosting your own self-confidence.
Appreciating yourself creates a cascading affect—your heightened confidence will spill over into other aspects of your life. Watch what happens when you gain that special trust in yourself. You’ll attract opportunities, experience more fulfilling relationships, and have no trouble reaching loftier goals.
Remember, people like to be around those who have a healthy self-esteem and who are achieving their goals. Commit to acknowledging your achievements and your brain will begin to tell you the truth: that you can do anything!
© 2009 Jack Canfield
Are you “stuck” in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly
“Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Clinic on September 2nd!
www.AskJackCanfield.com
Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Tags: Jack Canfield, online business, Success Coach, Success Principles, success strategies
In October of ‘08, I wrote a post titled, “Does Correct English Matter?” In it I explained the correct use of three common errors in the use of English, and why I feel it’s important to use correct English in writing. The common errors I explained in that lesson were the use of its and it’s; their, there, and they’re; and here and hear.
Two more tips for correcting common errors are the following:
Lose and Loose.
Lose means to no longer have something or to be unable to find an item. Loose, which has several meanings generally means not held together or to untie or undo something. Notice that the two words are not pronounced exactly alike, although the pronunciation is similar, so if they’re not pronounced carefully, the person hearing may miss the meaning of your sentence.
Examples: Harry will lose his job if he’s late one more time.
The dog was let loose from his dog house.
Affect and Effect
Affect means to act upon, to influence Effect means to bring about a desired result, to accomplish.
Examples: This legislation will affect the entire country.
It will effect several changes in the auto industry.
There are many more common errors, some of which I expect to explain in another post. If you have questions about any questions you might have with common errors, please contact me.
Be sure to check out the new page I’ve added on the subject of health. It’s a page I’m establishing because it’s a subject I’m particularly interested in and have some experiences and knowledge of that I’m happy to share.
I’ll be relating some of my own experiences with healing specific dis – ease of the body and therapies that I use and have found to be successful.
Stay tuned….and check back, or sign the box to the right of this post, and I’ll send you updates. If you have specific questions, I’ll be happy to answer if I have an answer, or suggestion. Remember that I’m not a doctor, nor a trained health care professional. I’m relating only my own experiences and knowledge which comes from my research as well as my own use of various therapies. Always check with your own health care professional before trying any supplement or therapy.
I dislike spam as much as anyone else….maybe more, so I won’t release your email address to anyone!
