success mindset

Feb

2021

How to Attract Wealth Through the Law of Attraction

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In Physics we learned that everything around us is matter. Matter is anything that occupies space and has weight whether it be solid, liquid or gas. We also learned that matter is energy. Therefore, everything around us is energy. Energy vibrates at different frequencies. It can either be positive or negative. Have you noticed that sometimes, bad things happen in bundles? In fact, there is this saying that bad things come in threes. If that happens to you, it is a sign that you are in the negative frequency, that’s why you are attracting negative things to happen in your life. The good news is that you can actually use these vibrations to your advantage. You can attract success, health, happiness and even wealth through the Law of Attraction. So, how to attract wealth through the Law of Attraction?

Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is Physics.
– Albert Einstein

The Law of Attraction

The Law of Attraction states that you attract what you focus o n. It is a belief that your experiences in life are a direct result of your thoughts. Positive thoughts attract positive experiences. On the other hand, negative thoughts attract negative experiences. In a way, our thoughts are like magnets. Every second of our existence, we are attracting things based on our thoughts, feelings and emotions.

Origin

This philosophy is not new. It has been practiced for hundreds of years. It was said that it was first introduced to mankind by Buddha. Buddhism teaches that human suffering can be overcome by making the right choices in life. People have the power within them to create their own realities. Just take a look at the following teachings from Buddha:

What you think, you become. What you feel you attract. And what you imagine you create.
Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.
We are shaped by our thoughts, we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like. a shadow that never leaves.
It is wrong to think that misfortunes comes from the east or from the west; they originate within one’s mind. Therefore, it is foolish to guard against misfortunes from the external world and leave the inner mind uncontrolled.
–

Famous People Who Used the Law of Attraction

And it is not just Buddha. Other famous successful also believed and applied the Law of Attraction in their lives.

Imagination is everything; it is the preview of life’s coming attractions.
– Albert Einstein

Thoughts become things. If you see it in your mind, you will hold it in your hand.
– Bob Procter

I believe you can speak things into existence.
– Jay Z

The law of attraction states that whatever you focus on, think about, read about, and talk about intensely, you’re going to attract more into your life.
– Jack Canfield

How to Attract Wealth Through The Law of Attraction

So, if your goal is financial abundance, you can easily turn yourself into a money magnet by changing your thoughts. However, this is easier said than done. Our belief system or our personal sense of reality is a product of our experiences. How we were brought up and the environment that we belong to play a crucial role in the development of our belief system. So, changing the way we look at things should only be possible with deliberate effort on our part.

The good thing about it is that there are positive money habits that we can develop slowly to make it possible to attract wealth.

1. Ensure that You Have the Correct Mindset

Your mindset will play a crucial role in manifesting money into your life. A poverty mindset can block all blessings from coming in. So first and foremost you need to figure out what kind of mindset you have. Do you have a poverty mindset or an abundance mindset? If you have a limiting belief about money, you need to change your mindset.

2. Practice Gratitude

People who practice gratitude experience more happiness and positive things into their lives. A grateful heart focuses on the blessings rather than the problems in life. By being grateful, you are shifting your focus from the negative to the positive. This in turn will allow you to attract more positive things including money.

3. Tithe

Tithing is giving a portion, normally ten percent (10%) of income to others. The ten percent serves as an offering and an acknowledgement to a divine being that you are grateful for all your talents and blessings and that you are sharing these blessings to others. Tithing brings about more blessings. The more you give, the more you will receive.

4. Use Money Affirmations

An affirmation is a positive statement that you say over and over again until you begin to believe it to be true. Affirmations are there to challenge your current reality. They also make you feel better about yourself.

Money affirmations are positive statements about money that prepares the mind to receive the money. Through the affirmations, you are starting to believe that you are capable of producing wealth and this will in turn bring you to the correct vibration in attracting money. Examples of money affirmations include:

I am a money magnet.
Money flows freely to me.
I attract good fortune.
I am open to all the wealth that life pours unto me.
Money comes to me easily and effortlessly.

5. Visualize

Visualization is a very powerful tool in achieving the life that you desire. Visualize the life that you want. How will you describe your ideal life? What is your spring day? How much money do you want in your bank account? The clearer your dreams are, the more chances that it will come true.

Every single second is an opportunity to change your life because at any moment, you can change the way you feel.
– Rhonda Byrne

Feature Image by kalhh from Pixabay

Jan

2021

What Do You Focus On?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

You just bought a new red car over the weekend. On your way to work on Monday morning, you have noticed that suddenly there are so many red cars exactly the same as yours on the road. They were not there before! What happened? Just like you, did they decide to buy the exact same car as yours over the weekend? That’s unlikely. What happened is that your Reticular Activating System (RAS) has been activated. The red cars have always been around you. It is just that you did not notice it before.The only difference is that you are aware of them now. So, what do you focus on?

What Is The Reticular Activating System?

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a bundle of neurons in the brain. Its primary function is that it is in charge of a person’s sensation and attention. Anatomically, it is just the size of a little finger but it plays a very important role in our being because it filters the information being sent to our brain. It removes out any unnecessary information. There are millions of information out there at any given time. The brain cannot process everything so it only chooses information that it thinks is important to you.

For example, if you are in a room full of people and you heard somebody call out your name, then your first reaction is to look, right? That is because your RAS recognised the sound of your name. You are not going to even bother when somebody calls out other people’s names, are you? That’s how crucial the function of an RAS is.

How Does The RAS Know What Is Important To You?

As mentioned, the RAS filters information. It chooses only those who are important to you. But, how does it know which is important to you? It knows through what you focus on the most. It validates your beliefs. It works within the boundaries that you set into. So, if you believe in something strongly, then the RAS will focus on that.

Have you noticed people who kept on saying…

“I’m never gonna lose weight”, never loses weight
“I don’t have enough money”, never have enough money
“I’m not good at that”, never get better in that particular field

On the contrary, people who focus on the positive attract more positivity in their lives. If you focus on the good things, good things will come to you. On the other hand, If you focus on the negative things, you will attract negative things into your life. Always have a positive attitude.

What you focus on grows, what you think about expands, and what you dwell upon determines your destiny.
– Robin S. Sharma

if you want to move on from your current state and live a better tomorrow, be careful on what you focus on. Focus on your goals. If you focus on your goals, your RAS will open your eyes to information, people, opportunities and situations that will help you achieve your goals.

So, what do you focus on?

First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 02.27.2019

Photo by Maurício Mascaro from Pexels

Jan

2021

10 Symptoms of a Poverty Mindset

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Do you have a rich or a poverty mindset? Did you know that a poverty mindset can lead to financial scarcity? Yes, our belief about things can influence our decisions and behavior about money. Thus, if you want to have financial abundance, you need to start with your mindset. So, how do you know if you are suffering from a poverty mindset. What are the 10 symptoms of a poverty mindset?

Half Full or Half Empty

Look at the featured image above. Do you see the glass as half full or half empty?

Some of you will probably say it is half full while some will say it is half empty. Your answer will depend on your attitude and perception of reality.

It is amazing how a single photo can be perceived in two completely opposite points of views. This simple test is actually used by psychologists to determine whether a person is an optimist or a pessimist.

Why is our perception so important? It is important because it will affect how you live your life.

Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.
– Gautama Buddha

Our mindset greatly affects the direction of our lives. It influences our happiness, health, relationships and yes, even our finances. The financial gap between the rich and the poor is not because of the money, neither is it because of level of education, nor any other external factors; but rather it is all because of the difference in mindset.

So, if you feel like you have been working so hard all these years and yet you are being held back, maybe you are suffering from a poverty mindset.

10 Symptoms of A Poverty Mindset

To verify if you really have a poverty mindset, take a look at the following symptoms and ask yourself if you have it in you or not:

1.You Complain A Lot

You complain, complain, complain and complain. Did you know that complaining is the worst possible thing that you can do to yourself? When you complain, this means you focus on the negative aspects of your life. You focus on your problems when there are in fact a lot of things to be grateful for.

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.
– Oprah Winfrey

Your mind is like a magnet. What you focus on expands. If you focus on the negative, more bad things will happen in your life.

2.You Play The Blame Game

You blame your parents. Sometimes, you blame your siblings. At work, you blame your boss or your employers. You also blame the government. At home, you blame your spouse. Some even blame their genes. You practically blame anything and everything around you. It is always somebody else’s fault but you. You refuse to take responsibility for the undesirable things. That’s a poverty mindset.

Many people who always blame the government for their situation. Yes, that may be true. After all, governments are far from perfect. However, how come there are people who became very successful in the same environment? The difference lies in the mindset. You can either play the blame game all you want or you can begin to take responsibility in your life and do something to change your situation.

3.You Believe You Are Always Right

Do you love saying “I told you so“? Do you always have to have the last word? If you answer yes, then you are a narrow-minded person. A narrow-minded person is a person who is not open to new ideas. They believe that their opinion is always right. You will never win an argument against this kind of person. If you are this kind of person, then that is another symptom of a poverty mindset.

To become successful, you need to accept that you don’t know everything. You need to be open to new ideas and embrace new ways of thinking.

The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.

– Socrates

4. You Won’t Invest in Yourself

You have money to spend on travels, gadgets, clothes and entertainment but you don’t have a budget to spend on further studies, seminars or even to buy a book. Some argued that they simply have no time. All those things are just mere excuses. What people do not realise is that the greatest investment that they can do is to invest in themselves. Your future is largely dependent on your willingness and ability to invest in yourself.

For example, if you work in a company and you think that your salary is very small, then ask yourself this question, is there someone else in your organization that is earning more than you do? Then why do you think the company is paying that person more? The answer is simple, most of the time, your compensation is based on your knowledge and skills. You want to earn more? Then invest in yourself.

5. You Believe is That Money is the Root of All Evil

If you believe that money is the root of all evil and all rich people are greedy, then you are already unconsciously derailing your way to success. These negative beliefs about money are products of your environment. If people around you believe in this idea, then your belief and value systems were definitely influenced.

For the record the bible verse where this belief system originated did not state that money is the root of all evil.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
– 1 Timothy 6:10

The verse clearly states that it is not money per se that is evil but rather it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. Money is nothing but a tool. Money can also be use for the good of others.

6. You Avoid Your Finances

Do you know your personal net worth? Your net worth is the amount of everything that you own minus everything that you owe.

People who have a poverty mindset avoid looking at their finances or they simply don’t bother at all. Some people are even scared of looking at their monthly credit card statements. If you are scared to take a closer look and examine your finances, then that’s a symptom that you have a poverty mindset. You are scared to face reality. You keep on buying stuff you do not need and you don’t want to pay attention to where your money is going.

You need to keep track of your personal cash flow. You can only improve your financial situation if you are fully aware of your present financial situation to begin with.

7.You Focus on the Now

What are your plans 5 years from now? How about 10 to 20 years from now? If you have no idea how to answer these questions, then that is another symptom that you have a poverty mindset.

You put importance on the short-term rather than the long-term. You want everything now without considering the future consequences. You have no plan for the future. A financial goa l should be a must for everyone.

8.You Have All the Latest Trends on Credit

Take a look at all your possessions. Do you own the latest gadget? Are you a walking advertisement of signature brands? If you can afford it, then that’s a different story. However, if you have been using your credit card to pay for the purchases in monthly installments, then you have a problem. If you are this person, then that’s another symptom of a poverty mindset.

Spending on things will only make you feel better temporarily. Remember, you have nothing to prove to anyone. Don’t be so concerned in showcasing your wealth to people you don’t even like.

9.You Focused on Me, Myself and I

A poverty mentality focuses on getting rather than giving. If you are not willing to do anything for anybody without receiving anything in return, then it is a sign that you have a poverty mindset. You always think of yourself first. You always look into what’s in it for you.

For example, in business, are you more concerned about how much profit can you make rather than how much value you can add to your product or service? In a relationship, are you focused on what your partner can do for you rather than what you can do for your partner?

You need to give first before you can receive. That is the law of the universe. The most successful businesses in the world gave value to consumers first before their businesses grew.

10.You are A Consumer Rather Than An Investor

A few days before your salary, you are already thinking about what you will buy. You prioritise spending rather than investing. You spend first and save whatever is left behind. Most of the time, there is nothing left to save. So basically, you work to spend. All wealthy people save first before spending.

If you score 0 to 2, congratulations! You have a wealth mindset. It is just a matter of time before you become wealthy, if you are not one yet.

If you score 3 to 5, you are not yet there but you are on your way to overcoming your poverty mindset. Having the correct mindset is your first step towards financial freedom.

If you score 6 and above, that is a clear indication that you have a poverty mindset. Fortunately, mindsets can change. You need to deliberately immerse yourself on a growth mindset on a daily basis. That’s the only way for you to change your financial situation.

Edited Version. First Published in Pinoy Smart Living on 08.07.2018

Feature Image by Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

Jan

2021

The Power of Hope in Our Life

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The power of hope is often mentioned only in times of crisis. In fact, it is a major component in motivating us to work hard to succeed in our goals. We know that being successful is a hard process. There are a lot of sacrifices before victory is achieved. One goes through many ups and downs during the journey.

During the down times, it is always hard to keep going forward; to stop ourselves from quitting; to decide to keep going on. It is during these times that our determination matters the most. What motivates us to keep going on is our hope for better things to come.

What is Hope?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines hope as “desire accompanied by expectation of, or belief in fulfillment.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “something good that you want to happen in future, or a confident feeling about what will happen in the future.”

What these definitions have in common is the concept of hope as a desire for a better future. But in reality, we always don’t get what we hope for. Yet we still hope. We have an intrinsic belief that as long as we have hope, things will always turn out for the best.

I am prepared for the worst but hope for the best.
Benjamin Disraeli

This concept is hard to define or describe. Dr. Jerome Groopman, M.D. defines hope based on what his patients taught him as an oncologist for 30 years. He was quoted by Dr. Asa Andrew in his book The Anatomy of Health:

Hope is one of our central emotions, but we are often at a loss when asked to define it. Many of us confuse hope with optimism, a prevailing attitude that things will turn out for the best. But hope differs from optimism. Hope does not arise from being told to think positively, or from hearing an overly rosy forecast.

Hope, unlike optimism, is rooted in unalloyed reality. Although there is no uniform definition of hope, I found one that seemed to capture what my patient had taught me. Hope is the elevating feeling we experience when we see — in the mind’s eye — a path to a better future. Hope acknowledges the significant obstacles and deep pitfalls along that path. True hope has no room for delusion.
Dr. Jerome Groopman, M.D.

The Power of Hope

Hope is more than optimism or positivity. It is not just an attitude or a mindset; it is more of a belief. A belief in oneself as well as a belief in a power bigger than you. This belief also assumes that there is someone or something outside of you, that is more powerful than you, that is looking after you and helps you when you need it most. All you need is to ask and believe, and continue believing even when it seems you are being pulled in another direction.

If you read the autobiographies of many successful individuals; you will find that most of them never lost hope in times of crisis. In fact, their hope became stronger during these times. They surrender to a power beyond themselves. They believed in that power to help them get through their struggles. That is why they never gave up on their dreams. Sometimes, they didn’t get what they want. But because they kept working hard towards their goals, they always found a way to succeed; even if it wasn’t in the original way they intended to.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite the darkness.
Desmond Tutu

There are many stories to attest to the power of hope in our lives. From miracles to coincidences, serendipity, and even the sight of a beautiful sunrise; we find hope every where, every day as long as we keep believing. The power of hope is what enables us to still keep on smiling, despite the negative circumstances.

What are your hopes for this new year? What are you hopeful for each day?

Feature Image: Original Photo by Mateus Campos Felipe on Unsplash.

Dec

2020

Give Thanks in Advance

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The end of the year can be a great opportunity to give thanks in advance for the things you want to manifest in the new year. Before we turn over a new chapter in our calendars; let’s reflect on our goals and decide what wishes we want to fulfill in the future. This is one of the ways that you can have a healthy, fresh start for the new year.

Reflect On Your Goals

The first thing to do for this challenge is to sit down and review the past year. Review the goals you had for this year. How far have you come in your current goals? Are you going to continue on with some goals? Decide which goals are still worth pursuing. Recall the lessons you learned for this year. Do you have new goals? Which areas of your life have you lacked focused on this year? Try to create goals for that area that you can work on for next year. Take your time to meditate on this topic for awhile so you can do a deep reflection.

Make Your Wish List

The next step is to list down your goals. Try to categorize them according to the different areas of your life. Essentially, you are creating a bucket list of the things that you want to accomplish in the new year. Make sure that you follow the SMART method when creating your goals. This way you can measure your progress more easily.

Give Thanks in Advance

Finally, say thanks for your goals. Write down a “Thank You” statement for each of your goals on strips of paper and store it in a jar. You can also do this on a sheet of paper or on your gratitude journal if you want. The aim of this activity is to give thanks for your wishes in advance in order to manifest them faster. Try to visualize how it feels when your wish has come true as you say your thanks. If you prefer, you can also do a vision board.

Of course, you still have to work hard for you wishes to come true. But by saying “Thank You” in advance, you are giving a signal to the Universe that you are ready to receive the manifestation of your wish. It also rewires your mindset for success. Remember the mind-body connection? If your thoughts already anticipate your wishes coming true; then you will be in the mood to physically act on your goals.

As we welcome the New Year, the real challenge starts. Try to adopt an attitude of gratitude for the blessings you receive daily even as you work hard to achieve your goals. This will help you to maintain the positive vibe that will keep you always ready to receive blessings. It will also help you to attract even more blessings.

Reflect, Say Thanks, Repeat

Keep your wish jar or wish list in a safe place at home or in your room. You can also have your family put in their wishes in one jar. At the end of the year, take out the wish jar or wish list. Read them and see which ones have come true. You will be surprised at how much you have to be grateful for. You may end up saying thanks for more than what you wished for. Then, say your thanks for your fulfilled wishes and repeat this challenge for the next year. ‘Till then, let’s keep smiling to welcome the new year and each day of the year.

Featured Image: Original Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.

Dec

2020

Morning Habits of Highly Successful People

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Are you happy? Are you healthy? Do you consider yourself a highly successful person? Are you a millionaire? You are where you are today because of your habits. So, if you want to change your life for the better, you need to start changing your habits. So, what are the morning habits of highly successful people?

Habits Defined

What are habits? Habits are your usual way of behaving. They are your thoughts and actions that you repeat over and over again.

In short, everything that you repeatedly do from the moment you wake up until the time you go to sleep are habits. According to Charles Duhigg, author of best-selling book The Power of Habit, 40% to 45% of what we do each day are not conscious decisions but habits.

Habits Formation

Habits are formed through repetition on a daily basis. Some habits were developed during childhood like tying your shoelaces or brushing your teeth. Other habits like how you parallel park your car are formed each time you learn something new. Studies suggest that as an action becomes automatic, the brain shuts down. For example, you can completely concentrate on something else while brushing your teeth.

Thus, habits are very powerful. They dictate how successful or unsuccessful you will be in life. Your life today is the sum of all your habits.

Making a Choice

While luck and genetics may be contributing factors, it is the behaviours of individuals that ultimately lead to success. The good news is that new habits can be learned and old habits can be unlearned. So, if you want your life to get better, you cannot continue doing what you have been doing. You need to make some changes.

Success does not happen overnight. Rather, it is the result of all the successful habits done over time.

Success is the sum of all efforts, repeated day in and day out.
– Robert Collier

In this case, how and where to start? Brian Tracy, the most listened to speaker on the development of human potential and personal effectiveness recommends starting with your morning routine. According to him, what you do in the first few hours of the morning set the tone on how the rest of your day will turn out.

Five Morning Habits that will Change your Life

Specifically, morning habits are routine things that people do in the morning. Starting the morning right can influence how the rest of the day will turn out. Every successful person in the world out there has similar morning routines.

1. Get Up Early

Morning people are successful people. Tom Corley, author of Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals, spent five years studying 233 wealthy people and 123 poor people. According to him, self-made millionaires woke up three hours before their schedule actually begins.

Robert Iger, Disney CEO wakes up at 4:30 am.
Former US President George HW Bush would get up at 4:00 am.
Apple CEO Tim Cook gets up at around 3:45 am
Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne gets up at 3:30 am.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz gets up at around 4:30 am.
Best selling author Dan Brown wakes up at 4:00 am
Jack Dorsey, Co-founder and CEO of Twitter wakes up at 5:00 am

2. Meditate

Gone were the days where meditation is just for the monks, hippies and yogis. Science has proven that meditation has many beneficial effects on the body. Meditation reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, enhances creativity, lowers depression and improves performance. Meditation is a form of contemplative practice just like prayer and visualisation. Start your meditation with gratitude and then visualise the day ahead of you.

Ariana Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post does 20-30 minutes meditation as a part of her morning routine.
Rick Rubin, former president of Columbia records is a daily practitioner of Transcendental Meditation.
Padmasree Warrior, chief Technology and Strategy officer of Cisco Systems allots 20 minutes a day for meditation.
Jeff Weiner, CEO of Linkedin empties his mind each day to meditate.
Ophrah Winfrey, the most influential woman on media who has her own media empire, spends 20 minutes of meditation to start her day.
Jennifer Lopez meditates 20 minutes in the morning and at night.

3. Exercise

Tom Corley said that about 76% of the wealthy exercised for at least 30 minutes a day. In another study done by Psychology Today on 5,402 Finnish twin males, results revealed that the physically active twin earned about 17% more income than the less active twin. Daily exercise not only controls weight but also improves health and stimulates the brain.

Jennifer Aniston, one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, includes spin-yoga and gym workout as part of her daily morning routine.
Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, spends an hour each day on his treadmill.
Former US President Barack Obama goes to the gym at 6:45 am to do weights and cardio work-out.
Steve Rheinmund, former chairman and CEO of Pepsi does a four mile run every morning at 5 am.
Anna Wintour, Vogue editor-in-chief plays an hour of tennis at 5:45 in the morning each day.

4. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

The word breakfast came from an old English word which means to break the fast of the night. After a whole night of fasting, the body needs essential nutrients to function properly for the day. That is why, breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day.

Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the Virgin Group opts for a high fiber, high vitamin breakfast. His breakfast includes fruit salad, muesli and some kippers occasionally.
Winston Churchill, former British prime minister ate a hearty morning meal of poached eggs, toast, cold meats and grapefruit.
Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, eats two hard boiled eggs with soy sauce.
Shaquille O’Neal, former NBA star, confessed that he never drank coffee his whole life. Breakfast is normally composed of bread, omelette and a glass of fresh orange juice.
Justin Timberlake, singer songwriter and record producer eats breakfast twice daily. The first one includes waffles with flax, almond butter and scrambled egg. He eats another egg and a protein shake for his second breakfast after workout.

5. Read

According to Tom Carley, the most significant disparity between the habits of the wealthy and the poor concerns reading. About 88% of the wealthy read at least 30 minutes each day compared to only 2% of the poor. Successful people make it their business to stay informed. They read to increase their knowledge, learn new things and to stay current with events especially in their industry.

Warren Buffet, the most successful investor in the world reads the American Banker, Financial Times, New York Times, Omaha World Herald, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal every morning.
John Carney, writer and former CNBC editor reads ancient philosophy by Plato, Socrates and Xenophon.
Dave Girouard, former president of Google, reads Winston Churchill’s speeches.
Charlie Munger, vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway reads The Economist.
Fran Tankerton, former National Football League quarterback read local and national newspapers from cover to cover.

To change a bad habit, all you need to do is simply replace it with a new one. Studies show that on average, it takes 21 CONSECUTIVE days to create a new habit, although some people take a bit longer. This simply means that you need to do the habit that you want to form for at least 21 straight days preferably at the same time everyday. For example if your goal is to wake up at 5:00 am, you need to set the alarm at 5:00 am from Monday to Sunday. If you fail to do it even for a day, you need to restart on Day 1. An effective technique is to use a daily reminder or alarm and to mark an X on your calendar once you have done it for the day.

You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.
– John C. Maxwell

Feature Image by Emrah Tolu from Pexels

Oct

2020

Life-Changing Lessons from Walt Disney

Reading Time: 4 minutes

If you can dream it, you can do it.
– Walt Disney

Have you ever been to any Disneyland park around the world? If you have been there, you will probably agree that there is something magical about the place. A Disney experience is such an emotional experience. It is like being in a world of imagination where everything is joyful and blissful. It magnifies all your senses. Minus the crowd and the long lines, Disneyland will make you feel like a child again, full of laughter and dreams. Disneyland truly deserves the title as the “happiest place on earth”. But did you know that everything that you see and feel in the Disney parks all started in the imagination of one man? Yes, millions of people around the world can feel and experience the Disney magic today because one man was able to dream it and visualize it. It’s all thanks to Walt Disney. Take some inspiration on some life-changing lessons from Walt Disney.

The Story of Walt Disney

Walter Elias Disney, popularly known as Walt Disney, was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of five children. At a tender age of seven, he already started working. To help his family make ends meet, he worked as a newspaper boy. While in high school, he attended the night classes of the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. At 16 years of age, he joined the American Red Cross as an ambulance driver in France, after being rejected by the army for being underage during the first World War.

After the war, he became a night watchman. While working he began drawing animals at night. Although he wanted to become an actor at first because of his love for Charlie Chaplin, he opted to become a newspaper cartoonist instead. After his own cartoon “Laugh-O-Gram” became popular, he was able to acquire his own studio that produced a seven-minute live action and animation called Alice in Cartoonland. However, the studio went bankrupt after a few years in operation.

After some time, Walt, and his brother Roy decided to move to Hollywood to start anew. There, they created a character called Oswald the Lucky Rabbit together with cartoonist, Ub Iwerks. They were then able to strike a deal to have their cartoons distributed. Unfortunately, the rights to their cartoons were stolen by the New York Distributor.

The Birth Of Mickey Mouse

Out of desperation, they produced a new cartoon based on a character named Mickey Mouse. The audience was not impressed but the team did not give up. On the third animated film, Steamboat Willie, Mickey Mouse became an instant hit!

Video Credit: Walt Disney Animation Studios

In 1929, Disney introduced Mickey’s friends – Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto. In 1937, the first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was shown in movie theatres. The movie earned $8 million dollars despite the Great Depression happening at that time. The film made Walt Disney a millionaire.

The Birth of Disneyland

Despite the financial success brought about by the film production company, in Walt Disney’s mind, he still envisions an imaginary world of fairy tales. Unfortunately, investors were wary. Even his brother Roy, did not support him with his new idea. Still, Walt Disney persisted. After being turned down 302 times, he finally got financing for his dream in creating the Walt Disney World.

In 1955, the first Disneyland Theme Park opened in Anaheim, California. Today, there are 14 Disney Theme Parks around the world: 2 in California, 4 Disney parks and 2 water parks in Florida, 2 in Tokyo, 2 in Paris, 1 in Hong Kong and 1 in Shanghai. As of 2018, about 726 million accumulated visitors were recorded to have visited the Disney parks since they opened.

Life-Changing Lessons from Walt Disney

Walt Disney’s life story is so inspiring that there are so many life-changing lessons the we can learn and apply in our lives:

1.Nothing is Impossible

Walt Disney grew up in poverty but this did not stopped him from reaching his dreams. If he just accepted his circumstances back then, then he would have not been able to inspire millions of people around the world today.

If you are born poor, it’s not your mistake, but if you die poor it’s your mistake.
– Bill Gates

2.Stand Up After Failure

Walt Disney did not just fail once or twice. He failed multiple times on his businesses. He also was rejected 302 times before he was able to secure funding for Disneyland. What is inspiring is how he was able to stand up despite all the failures and rejections. How about you? Did you give up the first time? The second time? How about after 50 failures and rejections? How about 100? 200? Will you be able to go on? It takes a lot of courage and perseverance to be able to do what he did.

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.
– Confucius

3. Do What You Love

One of the reasons why Walt Disney stayed motivated and did not give up was because he followed his passion. It will be very difficult to continue doing what you are doing if you do not love what you are doing. Passion is your key to success. Why do you think the likes of Bill Gates, Kobe Bryant and BTS are so successful in their own fields? What’s the rule of success that these people followed?

4. Believe in Yourself

Although the odds were not on his favor, Walt Disney believed that he can do it. During that time, the first world war had just ended. And remember that it was also the time of the Great Depression. It is quite similar to what is happening right now. People lost their jobs and the world economy was in recession. They just emerged from the flu pandemic that affected one third of the world’s population. Yet, he believed in the power of his dreams.

5. Visualization Works

Everything that you see and experience in Disneyland today started on Walt Disney’s imagination. He was able to imagine a whole new world on his mind. In fact, every man-made thing that you see around you started on one’s person’s imagination. That’s how powerful the mind is. As what Walt Disney believed, if you can see it in your mind, you can do it. Pursue your dreams and turn them into reality.

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.
-Walt Disney

Updated version. First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 09.06.2018.

Feature Image by Aline Dassel from Pixabay

Jul

2020

How to Survive This Economic Crisis

Reading Time: 5 minutes

We are nowhere near the end of the Covid-19 health crisis yet we are faced again with another challenge – the economic crisis that was brought about by this pandemic. Millions of people around the world lost their jobs. Many businesses closed. It will take years before we can ever go back to the way it was before. The challenge now for many is how to survive this economic crisis?

I recently attended an webinar on Transformative Leadership. It was about developing business strategies on how to survive a crisis based on lessons from a leading conglomerate in the country. The key point is transformation. There is no way to survive this crisis without making some changes. Abandon the old model and create a new one. I found the lessons applicable on both businesses and individuals.

Here are my notes on the transformation guide and some insights and lessons on how you can apply them not only in your business but in your personal lives as well:

1. Ensure Financial Sustainability

The very foundation for everyone right now should be financial sustainability. Financial sustainability means being able to meet the cash flow requirements of the operations of the business or the monthly household expenses of the individual. There is no telling until when will this crisis last. So, liquidity is very important. It is time to cut down any unnecessary expenses and preserve cash.

For Businesses: Do you have enough cash? Do you have access to capital to continue operating your business? Do you have enough funds to continue paying your obligations? How to continue earning profit amidst the crisis?

For Individuals: How was your income affected? Do you have enough savings? Do you still have enough money to pay for your monthly household expenses? Are there already warning signs that you are living beyond your means? How to continue earning amidst the crisis?

2. Serve Customers

The customers are the foundation of any business. Knowing and understanding the customer needs at this time is essential for any business.

For Businesses: How will you be able to serve your customers without sacrificing your financial sustainability? There is no point continuing a business without profit. You also need to take into consideration that this is a health crisis. So, it is best to consider how to continue serving customers without putting their health at risk?

For Individuals: If your income was greatly affected by the crisis, it is time to look for other sources of income. Ask yourself, how can I serve others now using the skills and talent that I have? What can you offer to the community? Instead of chasing the money, focus on how you can be of help to others. Money is a by-product of the service that you rendered. The most successful businesses in the world addressed and solved an existing problem.

3. Protect Your People

The employees are the most important resource of any company. In these trying times, it is important that you have motivated and healthy people around you.

For Businesses: How do you protect your workforce? They are the ones who has a direct relationship with the customers; so, it is important that you protect your people. The success of any business heavily relies on customer satisfaction. In order to stay motivated to do their jobs, employees must first feel safe. Is their work environment safe enough?

For Individuals: Protecting your family and those who are dear to you should be one of your main concerns. It is hard to adjust to the new normal but it is the only way to stay healthy and safe during this crisis. Always remember that first and foremost, this is a health crisis.

4. Abandon the Old and Create A New Plan

Change is a necessary part of life. It is crucial for growth and success. However, it is also one of the hardest things in life. There is always that fear of the unknown. That’s why many people choose to stay in their comfort zone simply because it is familiar and comfortable.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 is here to stay. The world will not go back to 2019. Unless your industry benefited from the pandemic, it will be difficult to stay afloat and survive this economic crisis without some changes. Yes, it is ok to abandon the old plan and change to a completely different one.

For businesses: Assess your business model. Is it still applicable? If not, you need to abandon the old business model and create a new business plan for your company that will adhere to the new normal.

For individuals: Was your work greatly affected? Were your future plans and goals disrupted? Instead of merely just waiting for things to go back to normal, it is now time to reassess your goals and make some adjustments or changes. Redesign your life through a bucket list.

5. Come Up with a Transformation Recovery Plan

A total recovery will not happen overnight. Recovery would be done in stages. Without a plan, it will take longer to recover. This is also the time to have tough goals in order to make it through. Remember, your main concern now is SURVIVAL.

For Businesses: The business transformation recovery plan should include strategies and timeline. It should also include procedures and responsibilities. Tough goals include reduction in workforce, following strict schedules and time frames and coming up with new goals that are totally different from the past. Once in place, regular testing and validation should be done to make sure that the plan is working.

For Individuals: The transformation recovery plan for individuals should start by the creation of SMART goals based on the bucket list that you just made. To ensure success, your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based. Tough goals may include doing work that you have never done before.

6. Transform Corporate Culture

Corporate culture pertains to the shared values, beliefs and behaviors of a particular organization. The transformation recovery plan will only be successful if there is cooperation of all members of the organization. It is impossible to do it alone.

For Businesses: There will be a need to retrain people.You need to work hand-in-hand with your staffs. Make sure they understand. Make sure you are on the same page. You need the complete support of the organization to make it through the crisis.

For Individuals: Just like in businesses, the whole family should be in the same page. Each member of the family should understand what is going on. Everyone should do their share for the common goal.

7. Embrace Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is basically using technology to reach customers, transform processes and implement business solutions. The new normal would be heavily dependent online. That’s why, an online presence is essential for survival. Digitize what you can.

For Businesses: Do you already have on online presence? Can you reach your customers online? What part of your business processes can you digitize? Integrate digital technology in several areas in your businesses.

For individuals: Whether you are selling products or offering your services, you need to take advantage of the digital world. If you are looking into changing careers, there are lots of courses available online. The possibilities are all in your finger tips.

Good luck and let us all emerge from this economic crisis successfully!

Feature Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Images.

Jun

2020

Why You Need a Mentor for Success

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Life is exciting. We all want to create and accomplish something that we can call our own – something that we can be proud of. However, the reality is it is not always easy. Life is hard. There will be many obstacles along the way. True, we can just try to navigate it on our own and learn from the process. That is one way of doing it. But, what if there is a shortcut?

Let’s look at it this way. Both the billionaire and the average worker have 24 hours a day. Do you think the billionaire works harder than the average worker? More than simply working hard, what differentiates the two is that the billionaire has learned to work smarter. That is why you need a mentor for success.

You see, there is that long road to success but there is a better way. It is shorter but it entails you to learn from someone else, someone who has already been there. Someone who is smarter than you and someone who can teach you everything you need to know in order to succeed. This someone is what you call a mentor.

Every great achiever is inspired by a great mentor.
– Lailah Gifty Akita

By definition, a mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser. A mentor is someone who can inspire you and guide you and is an expert in that particular field. A mentor can also help you go think through challenges in life. Having the guidance and support of a mentor will do wonders to your professional and personal life.

However, it is not that easy to receive advise from others. It is difficult to follow especially if we have our own ideas and ways in doing things. That is why in order to receive coaching, you must first be open to learning. You need to accept the fact that you don’t know everything. You need a mentor for success if you want your path to be easier and faster.

The only True Wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
– Socrates

You need other people in order to succeed. Their expertise and resources will help you achieve your goals faster. Get help, support and feedback from mentors. That is how you become great.

If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.
– Isaac Newton

First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 06142019

Image Credit Tumisu from Pixabay Images

May

2020

Challenge Yourself to Show Up

Reading Time: 3 minutes

We all admire successful people. Read the life story of any man or woman you consider successful, and you will see that they all went through hardships in life. These personal struggles served as their motivation for success.

Successful people also share one trait that enabled them to overcome these struggles. They never gave up on their dreams of bettering their life and they showed it through their consistency. They consistently showed up to spend time and effort on their dream; and in the end, their efforts paid off.

Eighty percent of success is showing up.
— Woody Allen

All the greats in their fields have this trait. They show up to practice their craft even when they don’t feel like it. When there are obstacles in their path, they find a way to still do what they need to do. Finally, they get the opportunity to show off their skills and steadily, their talents and achievements gain acknowledgement.

The Show Up Challenge

Take up the same challenge for yourself. Do the Show Up Challenge by following this steps:

Pick a skill that you have neglected for a while or something new that you want to learn. Prepare everything that you need to start learning or practicing.
Make a daily schedule where you will spend at least an hour to focus on learning or practicing.
Do this for at least 30 days without missing a day. If you do miss a day, then make up for it by doubling the duration the next day.

The goal of this challenge is to encourage you to discipline yourself to be consistent in your habits. This also helps you develop a mindset for success. Even if you are just staring at a blank document on your computer screen, or a blank paper, because you can’t come up with anything to write about or draw, it’s okay. The point is to show up and to be there for the process, for the practice, for the learning.

Showing up is essential. Showing up consistently is powerful. Showing up consistently with a positive outlook is even more powerful.
— Jeff Olson

You may need to use an alarm to remind you of your schedule and that’s okay. You may need to force yourself to do it everyday by positive self-talk and that’s alright. Just do it and keep on doing it. Use your creativity to make the activity more fun and rewarding but don’t slack off. Show up consistently to do the work that needs to be done so you can succeed in your goal.

When you show up for yourself you can show up for the world more completely.
— Gabby Bernstein

Practice Makes Perfect

Success is like an iceberg. What we see is just the tip. We only see what great and successful people have already achieved. We often do not see the many struggles they had to endure to get to where they are. They spent many hours to learn and practice their craft. In short, even before they were certain that they could get to perform; they were already rehearsing.

We are all familiar with the saying, “practice makes perfect”. It sounds simple but it takes an extraordinary amount of practice to master one’s craft and perfect it.

It’s simply not enough to just show up and do your work. Superior performance is not, never has been, nor will it ever be, the by-product of ordinary efforts.
— Gary Ryan

Being successful in your field is not a matter of having innate talent either. Many talented people remain unrecognized for their talents because they did not hone it. Many people who did not have the talent, but who were willing to learn and put effort into honing their skills, have become successful in their fields.

Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just to show up.
— Brene Brown

It takes a lot of self-discipline to be successful in anything. Just like you, all the “greats” started with baby steps. The important thing is; they did not hesitate to take the first step and they kept moving forward.

Take up this challenge. Start with a small goal and keep showing up until you feel ready to take on the next step.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels