How to Avoid False Starts and Progress Fast: Part 1

This guest post is written by InspireRobin. This is the part 2 of this series. If you haven't already please read How to Avoid False Starts and Progress Fast: Part 1.  

The primary lesson you will learn from any personal development program, tape, seminar, or any other such medium is that we all need to take responsibility. What do we need to take responsibility for? In short, everything! We need to take responsibility for where we are today, what we have today, our health, our mental wellness, and we most certainly need to take responsibility for our future. In five years, you're going to arrive. The question is where? Your job is to plot that journey, and it is a job that only you can do.

After you've taken responsibility you will find that you now have a mission. It is a logical step, and one that you must take to continue onto the next step. And the next step is to actually start improving yourself. That's what your goal is after all.

Now you'll need to get a program, book, audio tape, or take a class on some area or aspect of your life that you want to change or improve. The beautiful part is that it doesn't matter what it is, and it doesn't matter who teaches it. If you're looking to improve in an area then you will find value in just about any resource you sincerely apply to your life. You can seek to improve your personal, religious, educational, professional, or relationship skills. Starting this program is going to get the ball rolling, and it's going to have you firmly placed onto the track you desire. Momentum is an important part of our lives beyond just physics. As humans, we have a tendency to develop patterns and keep doing the "usual" but starting with personal development we're changing the usual into something far better.

You've taken responsibility. You've started a program. But now what? How do you avoid becoming one of the millions of people who start and never finish? Now that you've put together your desired program and built a little momentum our aim is to see it through. Starting and starting will not get us on the fast track to personal success. We need to become finishers.

We can help see our program through by being very real with ourselves. Our expectations are going to play a major part in our success. Furthermore, we're going to need to examine how we are doing. Just like in school, you take test after test and go through exams as you pass onto the next grade. It's very unreasonable for us to think that we can start with being a painfully shy introvert one day and wake up in a month and be the top salesman performing flawless cold calls all day long. Eventually we can get to that point, but we've got to set ourselves up for success and monitor ourselves along the way. Our teachers did that job in school, but now that we're all grown up we must carry this heavyweight, serious responsibility on our own.

Seeing Is Believing

To help you review your progress and stay on course you simply take a little time at the end of each week and put pen to paper. First, write down the positive things you did during the week towards reaching your goal and completing your self improvement program. Next, write a couple lines on areas you can improve upon in the coming week. Give yourself a realistic grade on a scale of one to ten. Once the next week concludes, do this process again but also compare notes. If you see the same problems popping up over and over then you need to kick it up a notch and change something immediately. The key to making this procedure work is to simply make sure you are doing the review session regularly. It's more than a simple writing exercise. It's a tool you use to analyze yourself, in addition to being a major player in your future success.

Welcome to the Party

Undoubtedly, if you start your program and review your progress you are now in the top 5-10% of the population. It didn't take a six-figure income and it didn't require a 140 I.Q. score. It's quite incredible, and the formula is so simple that many people simply dismiss it. Apply it to your life and you'll move from being a starter to becoming a finisher.

You too can be in the top 5%. Even better than that, you can be on this track tonight! You've got to recognize the areas in your life you want to change. Then you need to find a program to help you improve it. Remember, finding any program is the key. Avoid looking for the super-perfect-end-all program that you've never been able to find yet. Once you start the program, help yourself finish it by consciously monitoring your progress and rewarding yourself for taking these necessary, albeit completely voluntary steps toward your better self. Your contribution to your own personal development will reward everyone you associate with, and it will grant you incredible personal rewards that can only be earned by living the superior life you know you deserve.

How to Avoid False Starts and Progress Fast: Part 1

This guest post has been written by InspiredRobin.

Some people begin something but never really get started. Confused? The chances are high that you've already started your journey on a road of personal development and self improvement. That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that many people begin personal development and, well, become professional starters. You know the type. They're just "getting back into it."

You know that really great, life changing book? The professional starter knows about it too. Actually, they even started reading it. Unfortunately, they never quite finished... but they'll be quick to point out that "Oh, it's a good book!"

It can be a sad view from the outside. But from the afflicted person's viewpoint they might not know there is a problem at hand. Or if they do know there is a problem they might not know how to overcome it. That's why it's important that you learn how to start personal development sooner than later, even if you've already "started."

What's The Problem?

So, you've either started a self improvement trek or you're thinking about it. Essentially, everyone falls into needing to know how to start. Some people get right into it. Then there are those who are about to start. But it's come to me from being involved in personal development for about two years now that many, if not most people never even get started. What's the problem?

People don't start their journey and "just do it" for a number of reasons. Fear is a really, really big reason. With that said, we all have feelings of fear. But a fearless person is simply a person who feels their fear and moves through it anyways.

Another reason people don't start their personal development program is because of uncertainty. The need for certainty is probably just a form of procrastination, but dissecting it down to the core is unnecessary and a distraction. What's important is to recognize that the entire idea of certainty is an illusion. If we really looked at certainty in our lives, we would see that it is nearly nonexistent. From the food we eat to the next breath we take, all of us exhibit an incredible amount of faith that things in life just go on without being certain that they will continue to do so.

Finally, I would say that the third and last major reason that people fail to start a successful journey toward reaching the best version of themselves is because they lack necessary information. This one is pretty simple. If you don't know you can improve yourself, will you ever try? I used to think I just wasn't good at remembering names. It seemed harmless enough to live with that negative trait. But it wasn't necessary, and I learned that I could change it. I'd guess over 95% of the people today live with the disempowering attitude that they really can't change much about themselves. Fortunately for you, a lack of information will definitely not be your problem after reading this article!

Making Personal Development Happen

Now that we've established what holds people back, let's shift our focus to what you can do to use personal development resources to change your life in the shortest amount of time possible.

Accept uncertainty and accept making mistakes. One of the great quotes I've ever heard was from Tom Watson who said, "If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate." This sentiment is so fundamentally true and obvious that most people discount it. Some people just discount it because they hate the idea of failure. The reality is, your future has a lot of failures in it, just like everyone else. The difference is, however, how many successes you can parlay those failures into.

Going along with Watson's failure quote, there is another maxim I like to apply. It goes, "If something is worth doing, it's worth doing badly at first." If you can really buy into this then you'll find it has incredible power to move you toward action. After all, it just helps to demonstrate the idea that making mistakes is acceptable, and it unequivocally shows that one is taking action.

I Worked Hard to Achieve... What?

This guest post is written by Hugh DeBurgh. Author biography is at the bottom of this post. 

You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want. ~ Margaret Young

Dear Friend,

Many years ago, when I was a "kid" in college, I knew what I had to do. I was determined to be a success. And in the go-go eighties, that meant earning big bucks. But I was never foolish enough to think that I would get rich quick. And neither did I buy into the eighties culture of flashy bling and drugs that destroyed so many fortunes as fast as they formed. I knew that to be a success, I had to find a plausible path to good money, live frugally, save and invest conservatively but intelligently, and work hard.

I was focused. I worked long hours. Longer than the average person did. I "knew" that successful people lived this way. They put off pleasure, in exchange for progress. I was proud of the fact that I would be well off and comfortable in my later years, while most of those fun-loving lazy types around me would see little progress in their lives. I would be at ease while the partiers would still be grinding away.

Those thoughts kept me working while others had fun.

I did save some money. I built a nice house - no small thing for a single guy under 30. And I poured every last dime I could into paying off my mortgage. And I got married. Had four kids. And built a nice business for myself.

Only one problem, though.

I had absolutely no interest in what I did for a living. None. I did it to advance my financial position. My choices were based on anticipated financial gain. My life was the result of a mathematical formula. And it was as cold as one, too. You see, I never understood the Margaret Young quote at the beginning of this piece. I never recall ever reading it. And if I did, perhaps I just ignored it. Because it did not fit into my world view.

My life is different now.

I live on the road. My family of six travels the world in search of new adventures and experiences. Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself. I learned the hard way that saving money is no guarantee that you can keep money. The recent series of stock market crashes proved that. And the price we all pay for living a life focused on the accumulation of wealth (which never does seem to accumulate) is to sacrifice the best years of our lives.

Know who you are. Know what really matters to you. Know how you really want to spend the rest of your days. Then, focus your attention on how you will accomplish that task. That is life in a nutshell. But so few approach it in this way. Most follow the model that I followed. And, as a result, spend countless years on the wrong path.

Time is life

Time is the one resource that we cannot recover. Therefore, it should be your most jealously guarded asset. Your next best asset is knowledge. The ability to leverage what is available to you to make the best use of your time. And the best use of your time is to live the life you love. That means spending the vast majority of your life actually living, instead of preparing to live. Young people often take time for granted. They imagine that they have a limitless supply. So it is no wonder that I thought I was following a wise road back then. I was the hard working ant, storing away food while the lazy grasshopper just hung around. I knew that the grasshopper would be begging at my door in the cold wintertime, but that I would be safe and warm. But life isn't as simple as a child's fairy tale. And life isn't a series of regular, predictable summers and winters. Life is unpredictable. You may only live another week. Or you may live 200 years. You simply do not know. And until science can tell us exactly how long we have left on this Earth, we cannot afford to take any of it for granted.

So, don't make the same mistake I did. And if you already have, it's not too late to change. I have. You can change your life's direction. You can start today. Wherever you are in your life, I wish you the best possible future, doing what you love most. And simply being you.

All the best,

Hugh

Hugh DeBurgh, the passionate warrior, has dedicated his life to the achievement of the ultimate family lifestyle. You can find him writing about Creative Family Lifestyle Design over at his blog, The Way of the Passionate Warrior. Currently he is on the second leg of a worldwide travel adventure with his wife and four young children. Follow Hugh on Twitter or visit his blog to catch all the action. 

Choosing a Drug Rehab: 5 Things to consider

Deciding to stop abusing drugs is one of the most important and hardest decisions one can take. Saying no to drugs after getting addicting to, is a tough, expensive and a lifelong process. On the process of recovery, choosing the right drug rehabilitation center is crucial and it can & will affect the effectiveness and efficiency of the recovery process. To help you choose the right drug rehab center, I have gathered some of the key factors which you should consider to narrow down your search.

Here are 5 things one should consider when selecting a drug rehab center:

Value against Money

 The treatment of drug addiction is costly. Private drug rehab centers can cost anything from $5000 to upwards of $20,000 a month. So you should go deep into the actual “value” you will derive from the rehab. Does the value exceed the money expensed or will you be paying more than you will get in return? Which rehab offers the most value? Value can be translated into duration of the program, well trained doctors and stuff, residential and recreational facilities, location of the rehab (closer to home = better), treatments provided etc.

Family Participation

Family plays a big role in recovering from drug addiction. So apart from other treatments, the involvement of family in the recovery process must be considered. The drug rehab center should allow a certain degree of family participation. Do you think that the amount of family participation opportunity provided is enough at your targeted rehab?

One-on-One Therapy

One-on-one therapy with a psychologist is another major element of recovering from drug abuse. Most of the private rehab centers provide this facility. But try to find out how many sessions there are in the program and what the duration of each session is. You should also consider the ratio of nurse/doctor to patient. There are some good rehabs who offer 1 nurse or more for every 5 patients.

After Care Therapy

Sobriety is a lifelong process. And not a single rehab center can guarantee a patient that he will recover from drug addiction immediately after he completes the treatment program at their rehab. So after care or follow up programs are really very important. You should check out what are the after care facilities provided by your targeted rehabilitation center and for how long they will provide this service.

Do you feel comfortable?

But the final and deciding factor to consider is, do you really feel comfortable going with your targeted rehab? Feeling comfortable is really important because you will be staying here for a while and if you don’t feel relaxed in the atmosphere of the rehab, the treatment will take longer time. So if you have any hesitation in your mind, even if you don’t know the reason, I would advice to clear that hesitation before getting yourself admitted there.

So these are the 5 things to consider when choosing a drug rehab center for stopping drug abuse. What did you think about these points? Feel free to share your views with us.

A healthy and happy life is all I want in life for you and me. Take care of yourself and be safe.

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5 Things We Can Learn about Finances from Homeless People

There’s not much good that comes out of being homeless. Whether one loses it all as a result of addiction, mental illness or just plain ol’ bad luck, life on the streets teaches hard lessons. Some of those lessons are definitely positive ones however. Now, setting aside the unfortunate people who are on the streets due to drug or mental conditions, here are 5 things we can learn about finances from homeless people.

1. Poverty With A Smile

You might be surprised to know that there are a lot of homeless people who are quite content with their lot in life. They are happy to be out of the rat race and free of the trappings and the cost of those trappings that the rest of us have in our lives. Not only that, many homeless people remain upbeat and positive despite what life has thrown their way as far as the breaks go. Money doesn’t necessarily dictate a happy life.

2. Every Penny Counts

If you think you know how to stretch a dollar, think again. Homeless people know the value of a dollar in a way few of us can understand. And they know how to make it last. Heck, the same can be said for every quarter, dime, nickel or penny that comes their way. You won’t see a homeless person buying a $5 coffee and we could learn a thing or two about spending wisely from them.

3. Resourcefulness

We’re conditioned from a pretty early age to work 9 to 5, get that pay check, and then buy what we want. Hey, it works but homeless people don’t have this luxury and they know where every soup kitchen is, when every bakery disposes of their “day-olds” and the insides of every Good Will or Salvation Army store. Many of them get by very well without having to sit in an office all day. They feed and clothe themselves on their own initiative and savvy. We should all try to cultivate this kind of resourcefulness. It helps to out from where we can get superior value against the same amount of money.

4. Leading by Example

Being homeless is no picnic for those unfortunate enough to find themselves on the street, and that should never be forgotten. However seeing them every day can help us to be thankful for what we have and truly appreciate the roof over our heads. There are a thousand daily comforts we take for granted that homeless people never get to enjoy. We have these small luxuries and we mustn’t lose sight of that. Also, we should truly enjoy what we have because, in the end, we’re no different than anyone else, and tragedy could befall us as well. So, what are you grateful for today?

5. Perseverance Pays Off

A homeless person will stand at a corner all day begging for change or look for any kind of work. True, this is born of necessity but they tough it out for as long as it takes, every day, to get enough money to eat and maybe a bed for the night. They don’t get sick days or vacations and many of them refuse welfare handouts, choosing instead to work for every penny they get. No matter what our economic status, we should all be willing to do the same.

This article was written by Andrew Salmon. He writes for LifeCover.ca – a website with information about term life insurance.

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