.png)
Whatever it is that you wish to accomplish, there will be many obstacles to overcome. The funny thing is, we all have similar problems to overcome.
The biggest problem for all of us?
Our limited time on this planet.
To mitigate this problem, I prioritize my day around the most important actions possible, and you should too.
Setting goals can mean the difference between living in a car or becoming the next unicorn entrepreneur. Let me explain, if you have no goals in life, that is what you are going to accomplish, nothing!
But if you write down your large audacious goals and build them backward…
You now have an actionable roadmap to your version of success. With this, you are going to be more likely to spend your time working towards your goals. And eventually, with enough determination and discipline, you will accomplish your goals.
I wrote out my long term goals for the next 10 years in the form of a story. This gives me a large image of what I want my life to be like. From these long term goals, I write out yearly and monthly goals. Then the rest falls into my daily and weekly to-do list.
This way I know that each day I am working towards weekly objectives. And these weekly objectives are striving for my monthly goals. And so on and so on.
To be able to accomplish your goals, set yourself up for success. Having a set routine for your morning is crucial. Some of the best things to focus on are: waking up at the same time, meditating, journaling, or whatever else drives you towards your goals. Go to bed at the same time each night, this will help you get a great night’s rest and you’ll be able to wake up when you plan to.
My morning routine consists of 10 reps to wake up, cleaning a few things, reviewing goals, meditating, and journaling (listed below). Then the first 1.5 hours of the day I set aside for time that is uninterrupted. Basically, after my routine, I work on the most important task of the day for an hour and a half.
Some of the other things that I always make sure to include in my schedule are working out, reading, and time with loved ones. These are all things that you too should make time for in your schedule. And be consistent about it. If it is time to work out, go do it! If it is time to lie in the hammock and read, do it!
Habits are the backbone of success. These habits will craft your future and determine if you will accomplish your goals or not.
Just because you hear about the people who stay up until 4 a.m. working, or wake up at 4 a.m. to start working does not mean that you need to do the same. We are all different, we thrive in different environments. Set yourself up in the best way possible by doing what works for you.
We all work best at different hours of the day. Personally, I am a morning guy. Some people are attracted to working when other people are asleep.
Another thing I like to do is to work 10-12 hours per day for 4 days of the week. This allows me to take 3 days off. The usual 9-5 grind makes me feel a cow, and that I am grazing through my work all the time. My schedule makes me feel more like a lion because I sprint for part of the week and take the rest of the week off.
Working remotely is amazing but comes with a different set of problems. The main things that help me to stay productive are to:
So get this, the next time you write your schedule review where your time went and how much progress you made. This way you can make adjustments to maximize your effectiveness. This is a never-ending process of bettering yourself. You will always be changing, and your schedule needs to change with you.
None of us are flying around in our underwear, wearing a cape, with a crowd of people yelling “Superman!” But what we all do from time to time is stretch ourselves to thin from over scheduling. It is ok, we have all been there and will be there again. What is not ok, is to pretend like everything is fine and neglect other areas in your life to work instead. Be brutally honest with people, and let them know what should happen to create an environment and/or schedule that will allow you to thrive.
When I work in a room by myself (or my van), I am more productive for the first few hours. But as the day goes on, I find it helpful to have people working around me, even if they are not doing anything relevant to me.
If you do not have the bandwidth to take on another project that your manager wants to give you, be honest! This way they can understand you better and you will be able to thrive. Being upfront with people will create a transparent relationship.
Over the years I have developed the attitude of “I’m never better”. This has been my number 1 mindset improvement that affects all areas of my life.
I realized that how I am doing is a choice, and why would I choose to be negative about my life?
So here’s the thing, since happiness is a choice, I choose to be joyful. Happiness is a process that is contingent upon results. Joyfulness is a constant state of mind.
Instead of going through the never-ending process of making myself happy with items or achievements, I just choose to ignore happiness altogether.
This way all of my time is spent being joyful and grateful for my life.
But I am nevertheless a human, and it can become hard to be in a perpetual state of joyfulness, especially when there are goals waiting to be crossed off of my list.
The skillset that I value the most in other people and myself is the ability to get back up no matter how hard the fall was.
To most people, failing is a weakness or shortcoming. But not to me, I view it differently.
First
Action
In
Line
When you are able to view your “failures” like this, they become learning experiences. Valuing learning experiences and not current results is what will create for a state of joyfulness.
So get this, with viewing failure in this way, I enjoy my life more and grow at a faster rate.
If you’re like me and want to successfully achieve your goals, then you are going to have to go past the first action. If you become negative towards yourself for not being successful, then you will become stuck. No one wants to be stuck, but it happens to the best of us.
Believe in yourself rain or shine, snow or drought. Your mindset and ability to forgive yourself is the most powerful asset during your journey of this game we call life. When no one else believes in you, remember that your mindset is the only thing that matters.
Set goals, follow your own daily success habits and schedule, be transparent with everyone…
And most importantly, LOVE YOURSELF!
These are the top priorities that I consider when creating my direction in life and a schedule to achieve that.