Inspirational

Overcoming Procrastination When you face a difficult task, it can sometimes feel like you're trying to move a mountain.

The longer you stare up at the mountain, the more overwhelming your task seems. In this situation, it's very easy to start procrastinating by finding other things to do. Procrastination is one of the major obstacles that you need to overcome in order to make your dreams a reality. The secret to overcoming procrastination is to stop looking up at the mountain and start looking down at your wheel barrow. Let me explain¼ When you look at a complex task in its entirety, it is very easy to become paralyzed by the sheer amount of work that you need to do. Your mind starts telling you that 'it's impossible' and you spiral downward into a sea of negativity.

The way to overcome this paralysis is to change your focus and stop thinking about the overall task you need to complete. Instead, just concentrate on something you know you can achieve.

Let's look at an example to see how this works in the real world. Peter is facing the 'mountain' of writing a PhD thesis. When he thinks about writing a 500 page document, it just seems too overwhelming and so day-after-day he procrastinates and avoids getting started. Each morning, Peter asks himself, "Can I write a 500 page document?" and his internal answer is "NO WAY!" so he procrastinates and looks around for other things to do - He takes his kids to school, goes to the gym, does the shopping. Anything to avoid the mountain that is sitting in his study. Finally, Peter realizes that the best way to overcome procrastination is to stop looking up at the mountain and start looking down at his wheelbarrow. Instead of asking himself, "Can I write a 500 page document?" he begins his day by asking, "Can I work on my PhD without being distracted for 1 hour?" - his internal answer to this question is "Yes - I can easily do 1 hour" Peter blocks out all distractions and works on his PhD for 1 hour. At the end of the hour he feels like he has made a small amount of progress. He asks himself again, "Can I work on my PhD without being distracted for 1 hour?" - Since he has already done this, he knows the answer is 'Yes' so he does it again.

By the end of the day, Peter has completed four hours of effective work on his PhD. He is tempted to look up at the mountain but he knows it is much better if he just focuses on moving his wheelbarrow one hour at a time. After a month of following this routine, Peter takes a look at his mountain and sees that his 1 hour blocks of action have made a dramatic impact. This gives him even more confidence and momentum to keep moving forward. Step-by-step, one hour at a time, Peter moves his mountain. If you are currently trying to move a mountain in your life, here are the steps you need to take in order to overcome procrastination and get the job done! Action Steps (1) Stop thinking about the overall task you need to complete. (2) Instead, focus on a small component of the task that you know you can achieve. (3) Ask yourself, "Can I work on this task without being distracted for 1 hour?" (4) Forget about everything else other than working hard for 1 hour. (5) At the end of the hour, ask yourself the same question again. (6) Move your mountain one hour at a time. (7) Enjoy the amazing sense of achievement that comes from completing a difficult task. _____

Where To Find Everything You Have Ever Wanted Imagine for a moment that you are about to stand up in front of two thousand people and give a presentation¼.how would you feel? We are all familiar with how it feels to step out of our 'comfort zones'. Whether it's giving a presentation, asking someone out on a date or starting a new business, the feeling in each case is very similar. If you're like most people, you feel queasy in the stomach, your mouth goes dry, your knees feel weak and your heart starts beating rapidly. Generally most people do everything they can to avoid this feeling because it feels uncomfortable. But to avoid this feeling is a mistake¼and here's why: "Everything you want in life is waiting for you outside of your comfort zone" - Anthony Fernando When we stay safe inside our comfort zones, we limit ourselves to experiencing the things that are already part of our life. The only way to change your circumstances is to venture out of your comfort zone into the Possibility Zone, because it is here that you will find everything you have ever wanted.

Whether it's better health, love, money, or a personal goal that is important to you, the life you want is waiting for you outside of your comfort zone. The only way to expand your comfort zone is to bite the bullet and step out into the possibility zone. Initially this can be uncomfortable but with repeated effort, your comfort zone will slowly expand to include the things that you really want from life. So next time you experience that queasy feeling of stepping out of your comfort zone, don't shy away from it, instead, embrace the feeling for what it truly is - An indication that you are taking a step towards creating the life of your dreams. In fact the more often you venture out of your comfort zone and experience that feeling, the faster you will make your dreams a reality. Action Steps: (1) Review your goals and identify an action that will take you out of your comfort zone. (2) Commit to taking that action as soon as possible. (3) As you take action, notice what it feels like to step out of your comfort zone. (4) Practice embracing the feeling of stepping into your possibility zone as a positive indication that you are moving closer to making your dreams a reality. _____

Seven Life Lessons You don't need to travel hundreds of miles or spend thousands of dollars to find a great life coach. In fact, you can find some of the best life coaches in the world much closer to home than you may think¼ Who are these expert life coaches?

The expert life coaches I'm talking about are - Children! Children come into the world with a positive 'can-do' mindset that we as adults can learn a lot from. In this edition of Dare To Dream I'd like to share with you seven important life lessons I've learnt from children. (1) Live In The Moment It never ceases to amaze me how quickly children can make the transition from being upset to being happy. Underlying these instantaneous mood swings is the ability to truly live in the moment. Children don't spend hours reflecting on the past or worrying about the future. They live life as it happens. As adults we often carry emotional baggage from our previous experiences as well as fears for our future. It's little wonder that we struggle to enjoy each moment simply for what it is.

Life Lesson #1 Stop analyzing the past and worrying about the future and choose to live in the moment.

(2) Give Yourself Time To Learn To put myself through University, I used to teach the clarinet and saxophone to students of all ages. One of the major differences between my young students and my adult students was that the children gave themselves time to learn. When they made a mistake, they simply laughed and moved on. The adult students on the other hand, often got worried and frustrated by their mistakes and berated themselves for not being perfect. Children understand that it takes time to become good at something and they know that making mistakes is part of the learning process.

Life Lesson #2 When you are learning a new skill or activity, give yourself time to learn. Try not to get worried or frustrated when you make mistakes, instead, try and see the humor in the situation and enjoy the journey.

(3) Believe Anything Is Possible This is an area in which children easily out do most adults. Children truly believe that anything is possible and they seem to naturally understand that belief is the secret ingredient for achieving success in every area of your life.

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Life Lesson #3 Believe in your dreams with a 'Child Like' faith

(4) Laugh Out Loud One of the things children enjoy more than anything else is to laugh and giggle. Some of my happiest memories are of laughing to the point of tears with my nephews over some silly incident or comment. For some reason, as we grow older we seem to repress our sense of fun in preference for something called 'maturity'. Personally, I would much rather laugh out loud!

Life Lesson #4 Seize every opportunity you get to laugh out loud.

(5) Don't Be Afraid To Love Children are much more likely to say, "I love you" than most adults. They do not think about or analyze the long term consequences of making this statement. When they feel a sense of love for someone, they simply let them know.

Life Lesson #5 When you love someone, let them know.

(6) Forgive Quickly And Completely Children rarely carry a grudge for very long. They may get angry or upset but when they forgive someone, they do it quickly and completely. Adults on the other hand are quite capable of carrying a grudge for many years and even when they do forgive someone, it is often a case of, "I'll forgive but I'll never forget!"

Life Lesson #6 If you're carrying a grudge - let it go and move on. A grudge gets heavier the longer you carry it.

(7) Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder Children don't take the world around them for granted. They possess a wonderful sense of curiosity and fun. A few weeks ago I was in a park with my nephew David. I was chasing him around an oak tree and each time I changed direction and caught him, he burst into a fit of giggles. Eventually we collapsed on the ground and looked up at the sunlight sparkling through the leaves. As I lay on the ground, I reached over and picked up an acorn and said, "David, did you know that this big tree grew from a little seed like this?" My nephew thought about this for a moment and then his eyes widened and he asked, "How?" I looked at the acorn in my hand and then up at the huge tree above us and the amazement that my nephew had shown suddenly hit me too!

Life Lesson #7 Take the time to stop and look at the world around you through the eyes of a child. It really is an amazing place!

Action Steps: This week, take a break from the pressures of being an adult and use the seven life lessons above to reconnect with your inner child. _____

How To Beat Self Sabotage One of the biggest obstacles on the road to success is self sabotage.

Self sabotage occurs when you know what you want to achieve but for some reason, you act in a way that moves you away from your goal instead of towards it. A common example is trying to follow a diet and then sabotaging your efforts by eating too much chocolate, cake, ice cream etc. The secret to eliminating self sabotage is to understand this important fact:

"Self sabotage does not occur because you are weak. It occurs because your dream is weak" - Anthony Fernando

Self sabotage occurs when a short term craving overrides your long term desire to achieve your dream. Imagine that you are standing between two large magnets. On one side is your dream, and on the other is a temptation that leads to self sabotage.

In order to resist the attraction of the short term temptation and avoid self sabotage, you need to increase the pulling power of your dream. Here are 10 ways to strengthen your dream in order to combat self sabotage: (1) Place a picture of your dream on the ceiling above your bed so that you see it every morning and every evening before you go to sleep. (2) Place a picture of your dream on the back of your bathroom door. (3) Carry a picture of your dream in your wallet or purse. (4) Place a picture of your dream wherever you are most likely to be tempted. For example, place a picture of your dress on the fridge door. (5) Use the power of public pressure and tell people about your dream. The more you talk about it to others, the stronger your dream becomes. (6) Hook up with a 'dream buddy' - Team up with someone who shares your dream and make a commitment to each other to make your dream a reality. (7) Join a support group - Find an online support group and work with others to create an encouraging and supportive atmosphere. (8) Keep a journal - Record your experiences in a journal or a blog. The more you write, the stronger your dream becomes.

(9) Associate your dream with a song that you find particularly inspirational. When you are tempted to give in to temptation, listen to your song to rekindle your passion for your dream. (10) When you're face-to-face with temptation, ask yourself what you really want. For example, "What do I want more, this cake or to fit into my new dress?" As you can see, all these techniques are ways to increase your level of focus on your desired outcome. The more you focus on your dream, the stronger it becomes. And the stronger the pull of your dream, the less likely you'll be to succumb to self sabotage. Action Steps: (1) Understand that self sabotage occurs not because you are weak, but rather, because your dream is weak. (2) Take action and use the techniques listed above to strengthen the pulling power of your dream in order to avoid self sabotage. _____

The Power Hour In this article I'd like to share with you a simple but incredibly effective strategy that can instantly double your productivity and help you achieve your goals as quickly as possible.

Does the following scenario sound familiar? It's 9.00am and you have a lot of work to do so you get started with the best of intentions. After you've been working for about 10 minutes, a little envelope appears on your computer screen. You open your email program just to check if it's anything important. It's an email from your best friend. After reading the email and sending a quick reply, you get back to work. Five minutes later, you realize that you're thirsty so you get a drink and bump into a friend at the drink fountain. As you get back to your desk the phone rings and you take the call. The caller asks you to email him a report, so you send off the report and notice that your friend has replied to your previous mail. You quickly type a reply to keep the conversation going. Then your mobile phone beeps to indicate an incoming text message. It's a reminder from your husband about dinner at his parent's place. You text him a quick reply to assure him you haven't forgotten. By this time, all that water you drank has kicked in and you need to take a quick bathroom break. When you get back to your desk you notice a small group of people gathered around the adjoining cubicle looking at photos of your colleague's recent trip to Maui. When you finally get back to your computer, you realize that somehow an hour has passed and you've only spent 15 minutes of that time working on your main task.

As time continues to tick by, your deadline approaches and your stress levels start to rise¼ While the details may be different, I'm sure many of you can relate to this story. These day's there is no end to the distractions that can and do take us away from completing our most important tasks. So what's the answer? The answer is something I call the 'Power Hour'. Here's how it works: Whenever you need to get an important task done, simply make the decision to have a 'Power Hour' and decide that you will not be distracted by anything during this hour. • Switch your mobile phone to silent • Divert landline calls to message bank • Turn off your email notification • Make sure that you don't need to eat, drink, or go to the bathroom • Let people know that you are not to be disturbed for the next hour Then, get started and give your total undivided attention to the task at hand. Do not pause to check out what people around you are doing or saying. Just do what you have to do. To help you with this process you can either take note of your start time on your watch, or if you get into the practice of scheduling regular Power Hours, you can use a digital egg timer. The best part about this strategy is that by working efficiently you complete the work that you need to do in the shortest possible time and minimize the need to work long hours. This in turn allows you to spend more time with the people you love doing the things you really want to do. _____

Letting Go I'm sure you've heard the saying that, "When one door closes, another opens"

This saying is true, but it comes with a hidden catch ¼ The person in the picture above is faced with a closed door, but because he refuses to let go of the door in front of him, he cannot see that a new door has opened behind him. Alexander Graham Bell summed this idea up well when he said:

"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us" - Alexander Graham Bell

What this means in the real world is that when we dwell on things that did not work out, we can often miss out on new opportunities that are waiting for us. For example, imagine that you worked hard on a business deal only to find that things didn't work out the way you anticipated. If you continue to focus on the situation instead of letting it go, you may miss new business opportunities that are waiting for you.

Similarly, when a relationship ends, we can get so caught up in analyzing what went wrong that we can miss the opportunity to develop new relationships. Of course letting go is easier said than done. When a door closes on part of our life it is natural to feel upset and disappointed. As you overcome these feelings it is important to find the courage to let go of the closed door in order to find the new door that is waiting for you. Action Steps: The next time you are faced with a closed door: (1) Give yourself time to recover and find your feet. (2) Make the decision to let go of the closed door. (3) Begin to look for the new door that will lead to the future that is waiting for you. _____

The Habit Escalator It has often been said that success in life comes from developing the right habits. For example, we all know that good health comes from developing the habits of eating well and exercising regularly. The BIG question is - "How do we develop these habits?"

Well, I have good news and bad news¼ The bad news is that developing a new habit IS hard work! The good news is that it is much easier to maintain a habit once you've established it. Here is how I like to think about developing new habits.

Imagine a staircase that has 30 stairs. At the top of the stairs is an escalator that leads to your goal. The hard part of establishing a new habit is to climb the 'stairs of change' so that you can then ride up the 'habit escalator'. What this means in the real world is that if you can make yourself do something every day for 30 days, it will become a habit, and once you've established a habit things become much easier. For example, lets say you wanted to develop the habit of getting up at 6.00am to do some exercise¼ The first morning your alarm goes off you will probably be tempted to throw your alarm clock against the wall. Think of this as climbing the 'steps of change'. If you commit yourself to taking action for 30 days in a row, you will find that things will get easier. By the 30th day, you will probably find yourself waking up just before your alarm goes off. When this happens, you have reached the top of the stairs and completed the hard work necessary to establish a new habit. At this point, your habit takes over and your action becomes almost second nature. This is the 'habit escalator' which is one of the most effective ways to reach your goals.

"We first make our habits, and Then our habits make us." - John Dryden

Unfortunately most people give up while they are still climbing the 'stairs of change' and never get to enjoy riding on the 'habit escalator'. Action Steps 1. Decide on the habits you need to develop in order to achieve your goals. 2. Commit yourself to practicing these habits for 30 days (climb the stairs of change) 3. Jump on the habit escalator and enjoy the ride to success! _____

Words Have Power Words have power, and today I'd like to share with you two words that have the power to change lives.

The two words I'm talking about are 'Thank You' In today's hectic society very few people take the time to stop and say thank-you which is unfortunate because as Mother Teresa so eloquently put it ¼

"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread" - Mother Teresa

Here is a true story that demonstrates the power of these two little words. One day I went into the bank to deposit a cheque. There was a long queue and as time ticked by the people in the queue became more and more annoyed. For some reason, there was only one counter available but despite the negative energy of the customers, the young woman behind the counter was doing a fantastic job. I watched as she greeted each customer with a genuine smile and then processed their transactions quickly and efficiently. When it was my turn, I took note of the name on her badge and thanked her for her help. I then went to the information desk and asked for a customer feedback form.

On the feedback form I wrote something along the lines of: "Today I received exceptional customer service from Michelle Hall at the QLD City branch. Michelle was friendly, efficient and very professional. I commend her on her work ethic and I believe she is a valuable asset to your company. Yours Sincerely, Anthony Fernando" A few weeks later I returned to the bank and Michelle served me once again. As she processed my transaction, she stopped, took a second look at my name and then with a huge smile told me that her manager had read out my customer feedback comments at her recent performance review and that she'd received a promotion. I was delighted to hear that my comments played a small part in her success. Taking the time to recognize excellence and say thank-you is a truly win-win exercise. The person you say thank-you to feels appreciated and at the same time, you receive a burst of positive energy from helping someone feel good about themselves and what they do. Action Steps If you notice someone doing a great job, take the time to recognize their efforts and say thank-you. Here are a couple of ideas that can really make a big impact in the life of others and at the same time will make you feel terrific. (1) Take five minutes to fill out a customer feedback form whenever you receive exceptional service. (2) Send a thank-you email to someone who has helped you at work (3) Send an email to someone just to let them know that they are doing a great job and send a carbon copy (CC) of the email to that person's manager or boss. Remember, little things make a big difference and the words 'Thank-you' can truly change lives. _____

A New Perspective Sometimes a simple change of perspective can make all the difference. It can be like the dawn of a new day.

In response to the challenges life brings us, it's easy to sometimes view the world from a perspective of survival. From this perspective we often examine situations and ask ourselves, "What can I get from this? What can I take? What can I gain?" This perspective is illustrated by the following picture:

One of the most powerful secrets for achieving success is to change this perspective and instead, examine the world from a perspective of contribution. Change the questions you ask and instead of asking, "What can I get? What can I take? What can I gain?" Ask, "What can I give? What can I share? What can I contribute?"

The most amazing thing about this change of perspective is that the more you contribute to the lives of others, the more you will receive in return.

"Life like a mirror, never gives back more than what we put into it" - author unknown

For example if you run a business, instead of focusing on "making a sale", change your focus to "helping your customers and making a positive contribution to their life". When you do this, your customers will sense your genuine desire to help them and as a result you will gain more sales. Action Steps: (1) In every situation ask yourself, "What can I give? What can I share? What can I contribute?" (2) Make a contribution to others and enjoy the benefits life sends you in return.

The Road To Success When you imagine the 'road to success', what sort of picture do you see in your mind?

Do you imagine a long road that eventually leads you to your desired destination? Today I'd like to share with you a slightly different picture of the road to success. When you understand this picture, you will be much better prepared for your journey. When you first set out on the road to success, it looks something like this:

You can see your goal glistening in the distance and it almost seems within your reach. You are excited about heading down the road and making your dream a reality.

However, a strange thing happens as soon as you take your first step down the road to success.

Suddenly, a brick wall appears out of nowhere and blocks your progress. Where these brick walls come from nobody knows, but for some reason they always appear. One of the main reasons people fail to reach their goals in life is that no one has ever told them about the brick walls! Many people are so surprised by the appearance of the wall that they simply stop and give up on their dream. When you are faced with a brick wall on the road to success, you have two options: (1) You can sit down and give up. (2) You can find a way over, around, under or through the wall. If you make it past the first wall, you may catch a glimpse of your goal and realize that it is a little closer, but then inevitably, another brick wall appears out of nowhere.

No matter what your goal is, it is important to realize that as soon as you begin your journey down the road to success, you will encounter a series of brick walls. The trick is to be prepared for the walls to appear and realize that getting past these obstacles is just part of the journey. This will help you see the brick walls for what they really are - just temporary obstacles that you need to deal with in order to reach your objective. So then - here is what the road to success really looks like.

Remember this picture and never let an obstacle stop you from moving forward.

Always remember that for every problem you encounter, there is a solution - and on the other side of that final wall, your goal is waiting for you. Action Steps (1) Realize that as soon as you start working towards a goal, obstacles will appear. (2) Understand that overcoming these obstacles is part of your journey. (3) When you encounter a brick wall - don't give up! Look for a way over, around under or through the wall and continue moving forward! _____________