Will It Change You? » Motivation

2010 – Time to Stop Being Encouraged?

Ross — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:47:56 +0000

Ok so today while I was living the hard life (sitting in Starbucks, looking out over the ocean & listening to Jazz – WHAMMY!) I came to a great decision about 2010.

Last year I think I read more encouraging posts, quotes, books & stories than anyone around. Actually that’s probably not true, I’ve read some biographies where the Author claims to have read thousands of books / stories etc. Who knows though – maybe they’re exaggerating?

Anyway, the point is…. I was over-encouraged!

“What are you talking about, you loony!?” I hear you ask.

Here it is: last year’s balance was off. I spent too much time reading mushy goo goo posts about feeling good or how ‘I can do it!’ and not enough time just getting in and giving things a go.

Don’t get me wrong, those posts can be very timely & give us that extra spark we need to push through tough times (mine was definitely Dec-Jan 09/10), but I’m definitely ready to push all that aside for the moment & dive on in!

How bout you – are you ready to take some action this year, or do you need to waste some more time gearing yourself up by reading more of the same stuff you read last year??

Now get out there and GET EM!

Happy to take any (constructive) criticism! Actually it doesn’t even need to be constructive, you can be brutally honest if you like!

(btw I’m not sure what the significance of the starfish pic is, but it definitely rocks, huh? credit to jaeWalk for that one!)

-All the best guys

A life of Passion

Ross — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:44:11 +0000

credit: Hamed Parham

Ever feel like your energy and drive in life is filled with peaks and troughs? This week has been rather turbulent for me with a few different ups and downs. Some song lyrics by the amazing Dave Matthews reminded me simply about something we forget from time to time: having passion in life.

Passion has so many dynamics and can be applied to so many things, with each one often overlapping and spreading to others. The joy and love for life that accompanies passion makes me wonder – why is it that we lose this drive sometimes?

For me, approaching life with fun, zest, passion and love is so fundamental to being happy! Although passion often refers to the smashing together of lips in the frenzied passion of lovers, this same passion and drive can be applied to so many other areas of our lives.

“Confess, your kiss still knocks me off my legs.
The first time I saw you was like a punch right
through my chest.” ~ Dave Matthews, “baby blue”

Why not be more passionate in our approach to work? To food? To money and finance? How about our fitness? Being passionate in our relationships certainly heightens our appreciation for living. Having more passion can help us appreciate our senses, our bodies, our lives a whole lot more. It can help us have a greater appreciation of our role in the world, recognising where we fit in.

So why is it that we fail sometimes?

I believe it has a lot to do with living in the minute rather than having that broader vision of life. Worrying about things that are of immediate importance to us takes away our passion, our energy. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be concerned by the here and now, just not to let it take over your life, and certainly not your love for life! Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture, I guess you could say.

Help! I want my passion back!

To be honest I think the answer to maintaining a passionate life is similar in some ways to the reason why a lot of people go to church every week. You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian, but there’s a lot to be said for being reminded regularly about certain topics, and hanging with like-minded people.

In the same way, to approach life passionately and retain that zeal, drive and focus, we need to be reminded regularly about it’s benefits and importance, make a decision to live our lives with passion, and listen to like-minded people (both in real life and in the form of books, movies, web sites etc).

What do you think?

The power of a Change of Focus

Ross — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:17:57 +0000

credit: rawheadrex

Recently I was contacted by Kelly Sonora from Select Courses who published an article containing 100 links on self-improvement and lifehacking. She says in introduction:

These days, it’s hard to get motivated enough for anything. The economy is down, your savings – if you had any to start with – have probably dwindled, and it’s still easy to get depressed about the housing market, the environment, foreign policy, and even the possibility of sending your kids to college.

But that’s exactly why we need inspiration and mood boosters at any cost. Luckily for you, these are free.

Certainly it seems she is correct in summing up the mood of many people at the moment. It’s difficult to get excited and passionate about things when other things are looming over your head, particularly when you introduce money (or the lack thereof) into the equation.

In saying this, I’m still a big believer in the concept that we are what we make of ourselves. If we don’t like our current situation, we can work hard to change things up, make things better. This might mean enduring blood, sweat and tears while we try, try and try new things, and require some thinking outside the box, but at the end of the day life really is what you make of it.

I just caught the end of a TV show when flicking the other night so am unable to credit the source, but a documentary was playing where an elderly guy was giving some advice to what I assume were his grown up sons.

He said something to the effect of:

“The earlier you focus on something that’s meaningful and fulfilling to you, the sooner you’ll become a happier individual”.

I love this statement, and what’s great about it is that this concept transcends our current worries or predicaments. Whatever situation we are in now, the sooner we change our focus on things that are meaningful and fulfilling to us, the sooner our mood (and therefore our levels of satisfaction, happiness) will improve.

As I eluded to in this article it often takes time sticking with things to see measurable results, but certainly the earlier you make a start the better.

New Year? Bring it on!

Ross — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:58:36 +0000

credit: mugley

Happy New Year!

What a great opportunity to leave the past behind and start with a clean slate!

I love this time of the year when we can reflect on previous accomplishments and failures, and commit to making some positive advancements or changes in many aspects of our lives.

How will you start off this year?
I really believe that 2009 is a great year for community and humanity.

Let me challenge you as we enter this first week that is often filled with resolutions, hopes and dreams:
As we enter 2009, Will It Change You? Or will you be right back to your old self by February?! What value can we offer to other people this year?

Have a great year, you deserve it!

Finally! A magic solution for most problems

Ross — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:40:25 +0000

credit: frozenchipmunk

Today I was reading a post on IttyBiz where a reader stated “what I need the most right now is traffic to my website. Can you help come up with ideas for that?”

The reply is titled “Do You Really Need A Business Coach”, and you really need to read the post to be able to snap up it’s full impact, but basically it suggests that many people who ask this common question are quite frankly able to find the answer themselves easily enough, and in some cases may already know what they should be doing to get results.

This is quite an interesting reply, and to me it reinforces that the solution to this and many other “can someone help me?” scenarios found in life tend to revolve more around snapping into gear, getting off your butt and making things happen, rather than waiting for someone to solve your problems for you.

“Here’s the biggest problem I see.
People want to someone to give them a magic solution..” - Naomi, Ittybiz

It was a timely post for me, as it ties in with another book I’ve been reading that discusses how many people wallow in self-pity and doubt without even realising it, looking for someone else to come along and solve all their problems.

I’ve been just as guilty as the next person in succumbing to apathy, so let me encourage you (and motivate myself) by saying:

This year it’s time to get off your butt
and work harder!

Did I make that clear enough?! I’m speaking to myself here, too! Sometimes we tend to fall into a pattern of spending so much time looking for solutions, reading ‘how-to’ manuals, that we lose focus on actually putting more time and energy into trying new things, having a go, making things happen.

Whether it’s driving more traffic to your web site, making more money, working on family and relationships, saving more, starting a business, doing charity work, giving more to others, doing things around the house…
Whatever you want in life, you can make it happen.

Get cracking, and don’t give up!

Need another prod? Check out this video as seen on A Daring Adventure…

Repetition = dull and boring? Sometimes…

Ross — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:52:14 +0000

credit: procsilas

Yesterday I read a post about zen habits, where the reader suggested the content was becoming a little dull and repetitive. This sentiment was shared by many of the commenters, and it was suggested that the tone of the posts were becoming a little preachy, or tended to have a ‘look at me and all I’ve achieved’ kind of feel.

I haven’t really found this personally with zen habits, most of the posts I’ve read have been great, and Leo has achieved great success from a web site he built from scratch. However, I can also sort of understand where some of the people were coming from. It’s one thing to aspire for great things to happen in our lives, it’s another thing to be a ‘self-help junkie’ who reads the same material over and over without taking any action.

Having sat on this fence before, I’d like to say all things in moderation. I think if you are waking up every day and reading the same type of posts over and over without implementing any of the suggested changes in your own life, I can see how the messages would become a little dull.

For those of us that are interested in taking charge of our lives and making every day count, coming across duplicate content is a regular occurrence. For example, how many times have you read about treating other people with respect, getting our attitudes right and never giving up? I would venture to say many many times before in some form or other! I’ve even fuelled this trend of repetition by posting my own thoughts on these same topics. Personally, It doesn’t really bother me when I read or revisit the same material (within reason) as evidenced by my recent series titled “So You’ve Heard It All Before”, as long as I believe in the message. Preferably it is also written in a new or fresh way, or from someone else’s perspective or personal experiences. Repetition helps instill patterns in our memory banks, but again – all things in moderation.

Sometimes it’s good to take a break from reading self help posts and live life a little. Case in point was my camping holiday last week – whilst I really love blogging and reading posts, it was uber-refreshing to have no internet access for several days! Might I suggest that zen habits and the style of posting probably isn’t the problem. There are always great tips and suggestions to be found, but they’re simply not always going to be timely and relevant for each of us all the time.

credit: *Zara

Maybe it’s better to try skimming posts from many different sites in a feed reader, and taking note of the ones that strike a chord with you. For myself I’ve found that sometimes I can relate to what’s on offer, and other times not. If you can take something away and give it a go in your own life, great! If not, no harm done.

What’s more important is concentrating on your own goals and challenges and making sure you are taking some kind of action in your life to get where you want to go, rather than just reading about how other people do it.

Quotable quotes from fellow bloggers

Ross — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:33:43 +0000

credit: TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³

Quotes are a great way to convey a point. I’ve used them in previous posts, I’ve noticed many other people do too. The fact is, they can be inspiring! Though provoking. Challenging. And sometimes a little strange!

At the risk of over-quoting, here’s a few quotes I’ve come across lately courtesy of some fellow bloggers:

From BillionareWoman:

“The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart.”
- St. Jerome

From BloggerNewbie:

“The beginning is always today.”
- Mary Wollstonecraft

From Jungle of Life:

“Never underestimate the importance of having fun. I’m dying and I’m having fun. And I’m going to keep having fun every day, because there’s no other way to play it.”
- Randy Pausch

credit: helmet13

How much value do we put in quotes from other people? Does it make any difference if we know the author? Personally I find that if I can get something out of a quote, or it makes me think, then I really don’t mind who the author is or how credible they are! In other words, it’s the quality of the content that counts.

From A Day to Share:

“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.”
-Marcus Aurelius

From Writer Dad:

“He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.”
- Clarence Budington Kelland

From Principles for Peace:

“The more you believe in something, the more you will experience it. For instance, if you think people are generally evil and the kind who will take advantage of you, well, then you will experience that! If you believe the world is mostly made up of good, honorable people, then that’s what you’ll have in your life. It’s an energy thing – like attracts like.”
- Stephen Hopson

credit: helmet13

Do quotes ever make a difference in your life? I’ve used great quotes before as wallpaper on my computer, or notes on my mobile phone so that I can re-read them and try to apply them to my life. Some people put quotes they’d like to live by up on a mirror, or in their closet for maximum exposure.

From Abundance Blog at Marelisa Online:

“You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.”
– Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Simple Sapien:

“I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.”
- Michael Jordan

From SidSavara:

“Almost everyone believes that getting what you want makes you feel good about yourself and your life. Common wisdom…says that if we reach our goals, our self esteem and satisfaction with life should consequently rise… However, people who are wildly successful in their attempts to attain money and status often remain unfulfilled once they have reached their goal.”
-Tim Kasser

credit: annia316

Are we more likely to take note of quotes that fall into a particular category, like life truths or challenges more so than personal opinions?

From Carrie & Danielle:

“The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be preserved only by the most delicate handling.”
- Thoreau

From The Positivity Blog:

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”
St. Augustine

From Lifestyle Project:

“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.”
- Lawrence J. Peter

Thanks to all those sites for providing some great, thought-provoking quotes. Here’s one of my favourites to finish off: “Life is a gift. Never take it for granted.” by Sasha Azevedo.

What are your experiences with quotes – do you have a favourite that you want to share? Or maybe there’s one from this post that you liked…

You see in your own life what you believe

Ross — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:59:10 +0000

credit: kira_westland

There are many interesting texts and posts that suggest that the limits we place on ourselves in terms of money, prosperity, happiness and more are a product of our own doing. We create the level at which we believe we should live, and subconsciously go about life in a way that results in staying close to that same level.

Billionairewoman touches on this from a finance perspective, in a recent post titled “Break Out of Your Money Box”. From the site:

“Sometimes our constraints come from our childhood, the attitudes of our family and friends, or just what we believe is possible for ourselves. Your money comfort zone affects both the amount of money you earn on a monthly basis, and your net worth.

This is something I’ll be revisiting later in much greater detail, but I’m interested to hear of people’s experiences with this. Do you think that abundance, happiness and wealth are at anyone’s fingertips if we only allow ourselves to broaden our horizons, so to speak?

There’s a great quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes that goes like this:

“Man’s mind, stretched to a new idea, never goes back to it’s original dimension”.

credit: *PaysImaginaire*

What are the limits you place on yourself?

Think about some key areas of your life:

Fitness, health and exercise, physical appearance.
Wellness, diet and food choices.
Finance, money: earnings and spending habits.
How you spend your time.
The quality of your relationships, how you interact with other people.
What you’ve achieved with work, business, jobs or studies.
Abundance and wealth.

Is it time to get real and break through some of those self-limiting barriers that are holding you back from greater things?

How to stay inspired in tough times

Ross — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:37:37 +0000

credit: Andi

We are certainly living in times of uncertainty. Many people are doing it tough financially and terms like “short term recession” are now giving way to ones like economic depression, massive unemployment and major financial panic.

It can be tough to stay motivated when it feels like your world is crashing down around you. Many people are living from week to week and struggling to make ends meet. Last night at work I spoke to a guy who was looking down – when I asked him why, he replied “I think the world news is just getting to me”.

The question is, how do you stay inspired when times are tough? What’s the best way to keep your attitude and expectations high when all around you people are doing it tough?

I’ve read two articles this week which have had particular impact on me, the first is an inspiring post by Gayla McCord from the site momgadget titled When you don’t know what to do, say a prayer and buy the book. In the article she details how her world came crashing down financially and emotionally after the devastating effects of a flood. She was able to turn things around, however – she writes:

My answer had come – I would survive – I would recover and my life and that of my family would change in such an amazing way.

In a single year, I will have sold a website, recovered the worst Midwest flood in 30 years, launched two new businesses… and paid off all my debt.

credit: kitoharna

I love reading articles like this. Every day people making extraordinary decisions that completely change their lives.

The second amazing post I read was by Lance from the Jungle of Life. He posted a video yesterday in an article titled Believe in Yourself. The video is about a man named Nick Vujicic and really has to be seen to be believed. If you are someone who has ever had thoughts like “life isn’t fair” or “other people get all the breaks”, let me encourage you to check it out – it’s a powerful video.

Stay Inspired

How do you stay inspired during troubled times?

I find that reading or hearing about people who have overcome massive adversity and challenges is a real inspiration to me, and helps put my own life into perspective a bit more.

What works for you – how do you stay inspired?

Why I’ve always hated goals

Ross — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:39:55 +0000

Are you someone who is interested in where you are heading, and what you’ve achieved? Do you take the time to sit down and focus on the specifics of what you want, or do you just have a general idea in your head of what you’re after?

credit: deritastudio

When I was in high school, we used to have a class called something like “study techniques” It was basically a chance for the teacher to give us a 45 minute pep-talk on the importance of studying, goals, and goal-setting techniques.

The class was mostly school work related, but they linked it to every day practices of goal setting in all other areas of your life. I swear, ever since this time whenever I hear the word goals it makes me wince and turn off! Something about that whole “you gotta set your goals!” thing triggers negative memories in my brain – sitting down with a piece of paper and the titles “short term goals… medium term goals… ” doesn’t make for a fun afternoon!

Why the concept prevails

As you know, there’s been a lot written on mindset and the power of your attitude. I recently watched the video the secret, and a lot of what they talk about also has to do with changing the way we think about our goals and the things we want out of life. While I may not be thrilled with labels like goals or being told you gotta set your goals! – the concept of goal setting is actually really important, and here’s why:

You’re not setting yourself up to actually achieve what you want out of life if it remains just an idea in your head
You are limiting yourself when you don’t set your targets high

credit: Richard Messenger

Lets face it – even though I hear every single week from someone at work “if my lotto numbers come up, I’m outta here!”, in reality the things that I want out of life aren’t going to drop into my lap from some magic fantasy land.

Likewise, a mindset of “it’d be nice to have that car one day” will not help you to actually get that car. If we’re really honest with ourselves, when we start thinking that way, we’re actually living a reality where the goal is not achievable. Thinking to yourself “I’d love a bigger house” is not really even a goal, it’s just a nice thought.

Set some goals!

If you’re like me and have been conditioned to baulk at the thought of “goals”, think of it another way. “What I will achieve by the end of this year…” “Things I will accomplish in the next 3 weeks..” As reluctant as I initially was to do this, it turns out the folks back at school were right (doh!) Goal setting works, if you do it right!

Thrust some reality into your goals

Here’s a couple quick tips to turn ‘nice thoughts’ into achievable goals.
1. Brainstorm about what you really want from life, really use the opportunity to think about all key areas:
  - relationships
  - money and income
  - life experiences and travel
  - material things, houses, cars
  - social life, friends
  - spirituality
2. Write it down! This is really important. Make your goals a reality, not just a concept.
3. Visualise yourself living the life you want: having more money, driving that car. See yourself actually in the position you would like to be, and begin to eliminate the mindset of living in your current reality.
4. Keep your eyes open for opportunity. When you have goals and see them as being achievable, your mind starts to shift from it’s current reality, to believing it will happen. Instead of wondering “how can I achieve these goals!”, start to see yourself already having the things you want. Don’t be afraid to give things a go – use the opportunities that present themselves.
Do you ever worry that it might be too late to do the things you want, or to have a life that’s different from your current reality?
Don’t fool yourself!

Believe that good things can happen, write down what you want from life. Stay positive, and get cracking – today is the day to start living the life you want.

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