Great leadership is indeed a difficult thing to pin down and
understand. You know a great leader when you’re working for one, but
even they can have a hard time explaining the specifics of what they do
that makes their leadership so effective. Great leadership is dynamic;
it melds a variety of unique skills into an integrated whole.
Below are 12 essential behaviors that exceptional leaders rely on
every day. Give them a try and you can become a better leader today.
1. Courage
“Courage is the first virtue that makes all other virtues possible.” - Aristotle
People will wait to see if a leader is courageous before they’re
willing to follow his or her lead. People need courage in their leaders.
They need someone who can make difficult decisions and watch over the
good of the group. They need a leader who will stay the course when
things get tough. People are far more likely to show courage themselves
when their leaders do the same.
For the courageous leader adversity is a welcome test. Like a
blacksmith’s molding of a red-hot iron, adversity is a trial by fire
that refines leaders and sharpens their game. Adversity emboldens
courageous leaders and leaves them more committed to their strategic
direction.
Leaders who lack courage simply toe the company line. They follow the safest path, the path of least resistance, because they’d rather cover their backside than lead.
2. Effective Communication
“The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.” - Joseph Priestley
Communication is the real work of leadership. It’s a fundamental
element of how leaders accomplish their goals each and every day. You
simply can’t become a great leader until you are a great communicator.
Great communicators inspire people. They create a connection with
their followers that is real, emotional, and personal, regardless of any
physical distance between them. Great communicators forge this
connection through an understanding of people and an ability to speak
directly to their needs.
3. Generosity
“A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share
of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.” - John
Maxwell
Great leaders are generous. They share credit and offer enthusiastic
praise. They’re as committed to their followers’ success as they are to
their own. They want to inspire all of their employees to achieve their
personal best – not just because it will make the team more successful,
but because they care about each person as an individual.
4. Humility
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” - C.S. Lewis
Great leaders are humble. They don’t allow their position of
authority to make them feel that they are better than anyone else. As
such, they don’t hesitate to jump in and do the dirty work when needed,
and they won’t ask their followers to do anything they wouldn’t be
willing to do themselves.
5. Self-Awareness
“It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself.” - Latin Proverb
Contrary to what Dilbert might have us believe, leaders’ gaps in
self-awareness are rarely due to deceitful, Machiavellian motives, or
severe character deficits. In most cases, leaders—like everyone else—view themselves in a more favorable light than other people do.
Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence, a skill
that 90% of top performing leaders possess in abundance. Great leaders’
high self-awareness means they have a clear and accurate image not just
of their leadership style, but also of their own strengths and
weaknesses. They know where they shine and where they’re weak, and they
have effective strategies for leaning into their strengths and
compensating for their weaknesses.
6. Adherence to the Golden Rule
“The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become.” - Jon Wolfgang von Goethe
The Golden Rule – treat others as you want to be treated – assumes
that all people are the same. It assumes that, if you treat your
followers the way you would want a leader to treat you, they’ll be
happy. It ignores that people are motivated by vastly different things.
One person loves public recognition, while another loathes being the
center of attention.
Great leaders don’t treat people how they themselves want to be
treated. Instead, they take the Golden Rule a step further and treat
each person as he or she would like to be treated. Great leaders learn
what makes people tick, recognize their needs in the moment, and adapt
their leadership style accordingly.
7. Passion
“If you just work on stuff that you like and are passionate
about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play
out.” - Mark Zuckerberg
Passion and enthusiasm are contagious. So are boredom and apathy. No
one wants to work for a boss that’s unexcited about his or her job, or
even one who’s just going through the motions. Great leaders are
passionate about what they do, and they strive to share that passion
with everyone around them.
8. Infectiousness
“The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a
vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on
every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” - Reverend
Theodore Hesburgh
Great leaders know that having a clear vision isn’t enough. You have
to make that vision come alive so that your followers can see it just as
clearly as you do. Great leaders do that by telling stories and
painting verbal pictures so that everyone can understand not just where
they’re going, but what it will look and feel like when they get there.
This inspires others to internalize the vision and make it their own.
9. Authenticity
“Just be who you are and speak from your guts and heart, it’s all a man has.” - Hubert Humphrey
Authenticity refers to being honest in all things – not just what you
say and do, but who you are. When you’re authentic, your words and
actions align with who you claim to be. Your followers shouldn’t be
compelled to spend time trying to figure out if you have ulterior
motives. Any time they spend doing so erodes their confidence in you and
in their ability to execute.
Leaders who are authentic are transparent and forthcoming. They
aren’t perfect, but they earn people’s respect by walking their talk.
10. Approachability
“Management is like holding a dove in your hand. Squeeze too hard
and you kill it, not hard enough and it flies away.” - Tommy Lasorda
Great leaders make it clear that they welcome challenges, criticism,
and viewpoints other than their own. They know that an environment where
people are afraid to speak up, offer insight, and ask good questions is
destined for failure. By ensuring that they are approachable, great
leaders facilitate the flow of great ideas throughout the organization.
11. Accountability
“The ancient Romans had a tradition: Whenever one of their
engineers constructed an arch, as the capstone was hoisted into place,
the engineer assumed accountability for his work in the most profound
way possible: He stood under the arch.” - Michael Armstrong
Great leaders have their followers’ backs. They don’t try to shift
blame, and they don’t avoid shame when they fail. They’re never afraid
to say, “The buck stops here,” and they earn people’s trust by backing
them up.
12. Sense Of Purpose
“You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.” - Ken Kesey
Whereas vision is a clear idea of where you’re going, a sense of purpose refers to an understanding of why you’re
going there. People like to feel like they’re part of something bigger
than themselves. Great leaders give people that feeling.
Bringing It All Together
Becoming a great leader doesn’t mean that you have to incorporate all
of these traits at once. Focus on one or two at a time; each
incremental improvement will make you more effective. It’s okay if you
“act” some of these qualities at first. The more you practice, the more
instinctive it will become, and the more you’ll internalize your new
leadership style.
Souce: Dr. Travis Bradberry
Achieve your full potential and book a complimentary session today at Business and Life Management Coaching with Denise Dema
Get Coached Today!
How To Create Healthy Boundaries
A healthy relationship requires the space to be yourself, to maintain your personal integrity. Most people will respect your boundaries when you explain what they are and will expect that you will do the same for them; it’s a two-way street. Not so with people who don’t understand where you end and they begin. Chances are people who try to invade your space are not thinking about you or how pushing the limits of your boundaries will affect you. They clearly feel entitled to get whatever they ask for, whatever they think they need, because, of course, their needs are more important than yours.
We Are Defined By Our Thoughts So Make Them Positive
We often define ourselves by the mental chatter that goes on
constantly inside our heads. By our thoughts, we have ideas of who we
are and what everything around us means.
And the only way that you can begin to recondition your subconscious mind for success is by detaching yourself from the idea that you are your thoughts.
Feelings of success, mindfulness and happiness come from the realization that thoughts come and go of their own accord—that you are not your thoughts. You can watch as your thoughts appear in your mind, almost from thin air, and watch again as they disappear, like a soap bubble bursting. Your thoughts come and they go, and ultimately, you have a choice about whether to act on them or not.
If you have been operating on autopilot for a while, you’ve probably settled into a nice groove, and it takes some serious effort to change that. It's sort of like how you feel on a cold winter morning, while you're nestled in between your warm sheets, when the thought of getting out of bed is uncomfortable, and when doing so requires motivation and willpower.
But whenever you fully grasp the idea that you are something far greater than your thoughts—beyond words at all—you begin to understand that you have the power to choose which thoughts you will think.
Try it out:
Think of a purple banana... Got it?
Think of a flying elephant... Got it?
Think of a green bicycle... Got it?
You were able to conjure up images of these incredibly silly ideas because you have control over your mind. Your mind will do whatever you tell it to do, so altering your subconscious mind, and therefore your life, is no more difficult a task than telling your mind to do new things—new things, like complete belief in yourself and your abilities, regardless of what anyone else thinks or says.
A simple way to grasp this whole idea is to compare your mind and your thoughts to a computer. Your subconscious mind can be compared to the hard drive, the actual machine itself; your conscious mind can be compared to the programs that are loaded on the machine; and you can be compared to the programmer, who chooses the programs that are installed on the computer.
Your thoughts and beliefs are nothing but programs that are installed on your hard drive, and since they determine the course of your life, it would be wise to install the most beneficial programs you can find. All it takes to reprogram your mind is a sincere desire to do so and an indomitable persistence to stick with it day after day.
When you catch yourself thinking the following negative thoughts, replace them with these positive thoughts.
When you think this… Say this instead…
As Wayne Dyer said, “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”
Source: Success.com
And the only way that you can begin to recondition your subconscious mind for success is by detaching yourself from the idea that you are your thoughts.
Feelings of success, mindfulness and happiness come from the realization that thoughts come and go of their own accord—that you are not your thoughts. You can watch as your thoughts appear in your mind, almost from thin air, and watch again as they disappear, like a soap bubble bursting. Your thoughts come and they go, and ultimately, you have a choice about whether to act on them or not.
If you have been operating on autopilot for a while, you’ve probably settled into a nice groove, and it takes some serious effort to change that. It's sort of like how you feel on a cold winter morning, while you're nestled in between your warm sheets, when the thought of getting out of bed is uncomfortable, and when doing so requires motivation and willpower.
But whenever you fully grasp the idea that you are something far greater than your thoughts—beyond words at all—you begin to understand that you have the power to choose which thoughts you will think.
Think of a purple banana... Got it?
Think of a flying elephant... Got it?
Think of a green bicycle... Got it?
You were able to conjure up images of these incredibly silly ideas because you have control over your mind. Your mind will do whatever you tell it to do, so altering your subconscious mind, and therefore your life, is no more difficult a task than telling your mind to do new things—new things, like complete belief in yourself and your abilities, regardless of what anyone else thinks or says.
A simple way to grasp this whole idea is to compare your mind and your thoughts to a computer. Your subconscious mind can be compared to the hard drive, the actual machine itself; your conscious mind can be compared to the programs that are loaded on the machine; and you can be compared to the programmer, who chooses the programs that are installed on the computer.
Your thoughts and beliefs are nothing but programs that are installed on your hard drive, and since they determine the course of your life, it would be wise to install the most beneficial programs you can find. All it takes to reprogram your mind is a sincere desire to do so and an indomitable persistence to stick with it day after day.
When you catch yourself thinking the following negative thoughts, replace them with these positive thoughts.
When you think this… Say this instead…
- Think about the future! Enjoy the moment you’re in right now.
- Don’t do something you’ll regret! In the end, we only regret the things we didn’t get to do.
- I wish I hadn’t done that! I can’t change the past—learn and move on.
- Will things ever work out? What’s meant to be will happen.
- Why did they do that? I can’t control others but I can control how I react to it.
- Will I ever find happiness? What can I be happy about right now?
- What’s wrong with me? I am perfect exactly the way I am in this moment.
As Wayne Dyer said, “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”
Source: Success.com
10 Reasons to Hire a Business Coach Now!
10 Reasons
to Hire a Business Coach Now!
Focus.
Perspective. Skills. And those are just a few of the benefits.
No matter
what stage your business is at, a business coach can make you work harder and
progress faster than you would on your own. From providing a much-needed ego
check to helping expand your network, a business coach can give you both the
tools and perspective you need to go from point A to point B.
Based on
their own experiences, 10 successful founders from Young Entrepreneur Council
(YEC) discuss some the benefits to hiring a business coach.
1. You'll go outside your comfort zone. Especially for introverted entrepreneurs who
run online businesses, like myself, it's easy to become enmeshed in my own
business world. My business coach has helped give me the push to step outside
my comfort zone, meet new people and try new things in my business. Even
extroverted entrepreneurs can get caught in ruts -- a business coach will push
you out of them.--Dave Nevogt, Hubstaff.com
2. You'll get personal attention from
someone who knows your business inside and out. I've had a business coach
for more than five years. The one aspect that a coach brings, that group
sessions or mentors do not, is a keen awareness of your entire business and way
of being. There are few times when someone is going to focus just on you for an
entire hour, probing you about something that happened last quarter, an
employee issue you had three weeks ago or your style of leadership.--Beck
Bamberger, BAM Communications
3. You'll finally have someone who isn't
afraid of correcting you. Every great team has a coach. Think of the best
NFL and NBA teams, which all have coaches. A coach is someone who's not afraid
to confront you and tell you when you're doing something incorrectly. They have
a proven method to success and can help you take your business to the next
level.--Marc Devisse, Tri-Town Construction
4. You'll learn how to make your ideas a
reality. Business coaches have one goal: to make your ideas into a reality.
Although you may have many brilliant ideas for your company, sometimes it's
hard to know where to start and what to tackle first. Business coaches will
evaluate your plans, assess if they are realistic or will be successful and set
out a way that you can implement them correctly.--Miles Jennings, Recruiter.com
5. You'll gain a needed confidante. When
you run your own company, it's often hard to talk to people about your true
concerns. Life partners, employees, peers and friends don't get it for
different reasons. At the same time, there's a lot of noise in your head and
around you. A business coach can provide that confidential, quiet space to
focus, be a soundboard and problem-solve the priorities and challenges you
face.--Charlie Gilkey, Productive Flourishing
6. Your networking opportunities will
skyrocket. The more you are involved with successful people, the more you
will succeed. Aside from the other great points in this article, networking
opportunities skyrocket when your business coach is out being an advocate for
you. They know you and how you react in many situations. You will be top of mind
in many cases when your coach is out meeting new people.--Drew Gurley, Redbird
Advisors
7. You'll make more money. Simply, a good
business coach will help you make more money. Every good coach, whether it is
sports or business, has a process. Phil Jackson ran the Triangle Offense and
won six NBA championships with Michael Jordan. Vince Lombardi won five Super
Bowls creating what he called an Execution Strategy, combining spiritual and
military discipline. Find your coach. Find your strategy. Then cash in.--Derek
Hunter, William Roam
8. You'll develop self-confidence. The
biggest "pro" is confidence. I attribute this to experience. My coach
is 67 years old. He's lived quite a life, from owning and selling businesses to
failed partnerships, lawsuits and billion-dollar acquisitions. You name it,
he's done it. I leverage his failures and successes. He's helping me achieve my
goals, but also making sure I'm prepared for any situation that comes my
way.--Jon Tsourakis, Revital Agency, LLC
9. You'll be held accountable for what really
matters. A business coach can do wonders for busy entrepreneurs. As you run
a growing organization, everything gets complex; you get busy and sometimes
push off things you know are important. This is where a business coach comes
in. You can discuss the vital things you need to accomplish in order to achieve
your goals, and your coach will hold you accountable. That alone will make you
more effective.--Jeff Cayley, Worldwide Cyclery
10. You'll hear unbiased opinions.One great
thing about having a business coach is that he or she knows more about you than
your business and will likely have no biases without your industry or company.
This provides a great forum for unbiased advice based on your concerns as a
leader. Good business coaches can lead founders to "aha!" moments and
uncover solutions that people close to the business may overlook.--Brittany
Hodak, ZinePak
Achieve
Your Full Potential! Book a complimentary session at http://www.denisedema.com to get the support you need to excel in your
professional and personal life.
Source:INC
Why is Self-Awareness So Important?
Self-Awareness
is having a clear perception of your personality, including strengths,
weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivation, and emotions. Self-Awareness allows
you to understand other people, how they perceive you, your attitude and your
responses to them in the moment.
We might quickly assume that we are self-aware, but it is helpful to have a relative scale for awareness. If you have ever been in an auto accident you may have experienced everything happening in slow motion and noticed details of your thought process and the event. This is a state of heightened awareness. With practice we can learn to engage these types of heightened states and see new opportunities for interpretations in our thoughts, emotions, and conversations. Having awareness creates the opportunity to make changes in behavior and beliefs.
Why Develop Self Awareness?
As you develop self-awareness you are able to make changes in the thoughts and interpretations you make in your mind. Changing the interpretations in your mind allows you to change your emotions. Self-awareness is one of the attributes of Emotional Intelligence and an important factor in achieving success.
Self-awareness is the first step in creating what you want and mastering your life. Where you focus your attention, your emotions, reactions, personality and behavior determine where you go in life. Having self-awareness allows you to see where your thoughts and emotions are taking you. It also allows you to take control of your emotions, behavior, and personality so you can make changes you want. Until you are aware in the moment of your thoughts, emotions, words, and behavior, you will have difficulty making changes in the direction of your life.
Self-Awareness in Relationships
Relationships are easy until there is emotional turmoil. This is the same whether you are at work or in your personal life. When you can change the interpretation in your mind of what you think you can change your emotions and shift the emotional quality of your relationships. When you can change the emotions in your relationships you open up entirely new possibilities in your life.
Having a clear understanding of your thought and, behavior patterns helps you understand other people. This ability to empathize facilitates better personal and professional relationships.
How to Develop Self Awareness
Self-awareness is developed through practices in focusing your attention on the details of your personality and behavior. It isn’t learned from reading a book. When you read a book you are focusing your attention on the conceptual ideas in the book. You can develop an intellectual understanding of the ideas of self-awareness from a book, but this is not the same. With your attention in a book you are practicing not paying attention to your own behavior, emotions and personality.
Think of learning to be mindful and self-aware as learning to dance. When learning to dance we have to pay attention to how and where our feet move, our hands and body motion, what our partner is doing, music, beat, floor space, and other dancers. Dancing isn’t learned from books and Self- Awareness isn’t either. A dancer needs awareness of their body movements. Self-awareness is what you develop when you pay attention to your expressions of thought, emotions, and behavior. In my years of study and working with clients I have discovered many useful techniques that accelerate this learning.
In the process of these sessions I am not telling anybody what to believe, how they should think, or what they should do. I am basically sharing with people exercises in raising their self-awareness. When you become more self-aware you instinctively begin to see aspects of your personality and behavior that you didn’t notice before.
If you have an emotional reaction of anger or frustration, you notice many of the thoughts and small triggers that build up towards those emotions. You also notice moments when you can change the interpretations in your mind, or not believe what you are thinking. In this heightened awareness you instinctively make better choices in your thought process long before an emotional reaction or destructive behavior.
Making changes in your behavior is much easier to do when you catch them early in the dynamic, before the momentum of thought and emotion has gathered steam. The changes in your mind and behavior become simple and easy steps when you develop self-awareness.
We might quickly assume that we are self-aware, but it is helpful to have a relative scale for awareness. If you have ever been in an auto accident you may have experienced everything happening in slow motion and noticed details of your thought process and the event. This is a state of heightened awareness. With practice we can learn to engage these types of heightened states and see new opportunities for interpretations in our thoughts, emotions, and conversations. Having awareness creates the opportunity to make changes in behavior and beliefs.
Why Develop Self Awareness?
As you develop self-awareness you are able to make changes in the thoughts and interpretations you make in your mind. Changing the interpretations in your mind allows you to change your emotions. Self-awareness is one of the attributes of Emotional Intelligence and an important factor in achieving success.
Self-awareness is the first step in creating what you want and mastering your life. Where you focus your attention, your emotions, reactions, personality and behavior determine where you go in life. Having self-awareness allows you to see where your thoughts and emotions are taking you. It also allows you to take control of your emotions, behavior, and personality so you can make changes you want. Until you are aware in the moment of your thoughts, emotions, words, and behavior, you will have difficulty making changes in the direction of your life.
Self-Awareness in Relationships
Relationships are easy until there is emotional turmoil. This is the same whether you are at work or in your personal life. When you can change the interpretation in your mind of what you think you can change your emotions and shift the emotional quality of your relationships. When you can change the emotions in your relationships you open up entirely new possibilities in your life.
Having a clear understanding of your thought and, behavior patterns helps you understand other people. This ability to empathize facilitates better personal and professional relationships.
How to Develop Self Awareness
Self-awareness is developed through practices in focusing your attention on the details of your personality and behavior. It isn’t learned from reading a book. When you read a book you are focusing your attention on the conceptual ideas in the book. You can develop an intellectual understanding of the ideas of self-awareness from a book, but this is not the same. With your attention in a book you are practicing not paying attention to your own behavior, emotions and personality.
Think of learning to be mindful and self-aware as learning to dance. When learning to dance we have to pay attention to how and where our feet move, our hands and body motion, what our partner is doing, music, beat, floor space, and other dancers. Dancing isn’t learned from books and Self- Awareness isn’t either. A dancer needs awareness of their body movements. Self-awareness is what you develop when you pay attention to your expressions of thought, emotions, and behavior. In my years of study and working with clients I have discovered many useful techniques that accelerate this learning.
In the process of these sessions I am not telling anybody what to believe, how they should think, or what they should do. I am basically sharing with people exercises in raising their self-awareness. When you become more self-aware you instinctively begin to see aspects of your personality and behavior that you didn’t notice before.
If you have an emotional reaction of anger or frustration, you notice many of the thoughts and small triggers that build up towards those emotions. You also notice moments when you can change the interpretations in your mind, or not believe what you are thinking. In this heightened awareness you instinctively make better choices in your thought process long before an emotional reaction or destructive behavior.
Making changes in your behavior is much easier to do when you catch them early in the dynamic, before the momentum of thought and emotion has gathered steam. The changes in your mind and behavior become simple and easy steps when you develop self-awareness.
Expand
your knowledge and enlighten your mind with tools to help you excel in your
professional and personal life. Work with a Business and Life Management Coach
to achieve your full potential. Book a Complimentary Coaching Session at http://www.denisedema.com
Develop Patience and Live Your Best Life!
Patience is the ability to tolerate waiting, delay, or frustration without becoming agitated or upset. It's the ability to be able to control your emotions or impulses and proceed calmly when faced with difficulties.
It comes from the Latin word pati which means to suffer, to endure, to bear. Needless to say, patience does not come easily to most of us and it's probably harder now to be patient than historically it has ever been.
In today's world of 'instant everything', technological advancements and readily available credit have allowed us to obtain, experience, and consume practically anything we want - almost immediately. Do we even need to be patient anymore?
Well, if we want to reach our goals, have successful relationships and achieve personal peace, the answer is a resounding yes!
Anything worthwhile and of importance cannot take place right away. It takes time, dedication and effort to achieve; so even in this day and age, patience is a virtue.
The
Benefits of Developing Patience
- Reduces stress levels and makes you a happier, healthier person. When you learn and practice patience you don't get as angry, stressed or overwhelmed. You are more in control of your emotions and in a better position to deal with difficult situations with ease and poise.This promotes longevity and makes you a happier, healthier person.
- Results in better decision-making. When you're patient you take the time to assess the situation, see the big picture, and weigh any pros and cons. The chances of making a big mistake lessen because you avoid making it in haste. Taking the time to problem solve requires patience and deliberation.
- Helps develop understanding, empathy and compassion. You are automatically more understanding and compassionate with others when you yourself are patient. Patient people take the time to process what they go through and are able to determine what it takes to overcome obstacles so they are more understanding of others. This results in better, more fulfilling relationships with spouses, friends, children and bosses.
- Helps you understand and appreciate the process of growth. As mentioned earlier anything worthwhile takes time and effort to achieve. As the old saying goes "Rome wasn't built in a day." Planning, growth, evaluation and measurement all take time, and taking time takes patience.
Tips on How to Develop Patience
- Take a day where you make patience your goal for the entire day. Make a concerted effort to take your time and think about everything you do, be mindful and live in the moment. At the end of the day, observe all the ways in which you've made smarter decisions, got along better with others and actually understood what took place. Learn to do it on a daily basis. Developing patience is much like physical exercise because it requires persistence and effort.
- Slow down. If you have the tendency to rush around and try to hurry things up, want things done immediately and can't wait for things to take their natural course, STOP. Take several deep breaths before you act or make a move. For example, if you're in a long lineup at the grocery store or in heavy traffic, make the decision to pause and not get worked up. Do some isometrics, listen to the radio, or just enjoy the view. Getting impatient won't make things move along any faster, so why get worked up for nothing?
- Practice delaying gratification. When you want to reach for that dessert, second drink, or buying your tenth pair of red shoes, stop and think about it first. Maybe you don't need or want any of them that badly after all. You can save yourself some money or added calories.
- Practice thinking before you speak. At times we blurt out the first thought that comes into our heads without considering the consequences. If we're patient, pause and go over what we want to say, we can avoid hurting or offending others.
Expand your knowledge and enlighten your mind with the tools to help you excel in life. Work with a Business and Life Management Coach and book a complimentary session today at www.denisedema.com.
Source: Z. Hereford
Unlock the Power of Your Mind
When your brain is working at peak performance, it allows you to be your best because it controls the rest. Take care to feed and stimulate your brain and you will expand your mind. The two are inextricably connected. We need to see the human brain and mind with wonder, awe and inspiration.
The brain is the equivalent of a human supercomputer. It is more complicated than any computer mankind has ever made, and maximizing its ability is essential to becoming the success you want to be—because it controls who you are. It is the command center involved in and controlling absolutely everything you do, determining how you think, feel and act.
There are some basic influences on the brain that shape how it functions and how far it develops, including genes, self-talk, life experiences, stress, and study. Although these things influence the brain, they do not determine how far you can go or what you can learn. In other words, you have the incredible opportunity to go as far as you desire.
Change your beliefs.
Many people do not believe that they can learn, master knowledge or become "smart." These are deeply held beliefs for many, and ultimately, if we do not believe it, we will not achieve it.
Many people do not believe that they can learn, master knowledge or become "smart." These are deeply held beliefs for many, and ultimately, if we do not believe it, we will not achieve it.
So change your beliefs. It is up to you to do the work of changing your beliefs. And when you do, you will be opening up new worlds—literally! Feed your mind with information that will change your belief. The truth is that you have an amazing mind with a capacity for learning that is beyond your comprehension. You must believe this. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind.
Get the right knowledge.
What keeps some people from learning is that they choose not to access or do not have access to knowledge. Knowledge comes from experiences, books, people and other "knowledge dispensers." We must tap into that knowledge.
So get the right knowledge. Words if they are not true are meaningless. I hear children say, "I read it in a book." But is it true? Just because someone says it or writes it, doesn't mean it is true. As a learner, you want to get the right knowledge, not just information or opinions. It is your job to seek out information and knowledge and then test it and run it through your mind to see if it is true, and if it can be rightfully applied to your life in order to make it better and help you succeed. You need to weigh and measure what you learn in order to gain the right knowledge. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind.
Become passionate about learning.
Some people simply do not have the desire to learn. They may be lazy, or they may not see the positive impact that learning would have on them. They have no passion inside that drives them to learn.
So become passionate about learning. This will take some work, but the only way to do it is to begin learning about things that have an immediate impact in your life. When you learn about a new financial concept that helps you earn money or get out of debt, that will get you fired up. When you learn about how to interact with your family in a healthy way and your relationships get better, that will inspire you. Become passionate about learning. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind.
Discipline yourself through the hard work of study.
Gaining knowledge is hard work and takes a lifetime to master. It is an ongoing discipline that is never complete.
So discipline yourself through the hard work of study. Learning will take work. Until someone comes up with modules that can plug into your mind and give you instant access to knowledge, you are on your own, and that takes work. The process of learning is a long one. Yes, we can speed it up, but it is still a process of reading, listening, reviewing, repetition, applying the knowledge, experiencing the outcomes, readjusting, etc. Simply put, that takes time. Slowly but surely, when you discipline yourself, you gain knowledge and learn. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind.
Learning is possible, no matter what your age. You are never too young or too old. Your mind was created to learn and has a huge capacity to do so. This week, make a commitment to unlocking the potential of your mind!
Expand your knowledge and enlighten your mind with tools to help you excel in life. Work with a Business and Life Management Coach to achieve your full potential today! Book a complimentary session at www.denisedema.com
Source: Jim Rohn
Master A Successful Mindset
Whats the biggest difference between those who succeed and those who don't? Mindset!! Its a small thing that makes a big difference and is the primary catalyst driving your feelings of self-worth, competence and confidence.
Make no mistake, the most successful people have it. And if you intend to ascend to those coveted ranks, you’re going to need it, too. Are you willing to do the work and elevate your mindset to achieve uncommon success?1. Self-Talk
Ever think the only conversations that matter are the ones you have with someone else? Not quite. The conversations you have with yourself are the most important ones you will ever have. To be clear, we talk to ourselves all day, every day. Eventually, all that robust data adds up to create our individual self-concepts. Be careful what you say to yourself. Plant seeds of positivity and inspiration, rather than criticism and doubt.2. Intentions
Your intentions set the tone for how skillfully you navigate personal and professional success. Have you set yours high enough to challenge the status quo? If not, think bigger and push past your comfort zone. Get comfortable being uncomfortable, because that’s where the real growth happens. Setting your sights high and believing in the most remarkable outcomes you can attain changes the way you show up in the world. Believe me, no one has ever regretted embracing the power to think big.3. Grit
When it comes to success, world-renowned psychologist Angela Duckworth says, “Talent counts, but effort counts twice.” Got grit? If not, know this: Both passion and perseverance are vital to your long-term success. Experiencing initial excitement when deciding to pursue a New Year’s resolution is quite common. Less common and far more difficult is the sustained focus and drive—throughout long periods of time—needed to achieve it. Grit helps us push past the desire to give up, especially when things get rough. Fortunately, it can be learned and continually developed over time.4. Strategy
Declaring a goal, without more, will do little to ensure its success. Only substance and structure will successfully ignite and move it forward. Begin by chunking your goal into smaller segments to organize it, making it more manageable. Then create a strategic plan with scheduled activities and outcomes that will help to assure its success. Notice what works and be proactive about tweaking key elements where necessary. Be open to feedback and embrace innovation along the way.5. Execution
Creating a strategy is one thing, but executing it is another. Decide in advance that taking strong action will be the litmus test for your success. Sure, there will be days when you won’t feel like working or perhaps even be discouraged. No matter. Your goal is to take bite-sized pieces of the apple until it is finally consumed. Whether making a phone call, sending an email or physically maneuvering to achieve the next steps, dig deep and take action. Execution helps you build trust in yourself, as well as reflects successful past performance, bringing you one step closer to your desired outcome.Are you ready to stack the odds in your favor by mastering a successful mindset? Work with a Business and Life Management Coach to achieve your full potential. Book a complimentary session at www.denisedema.com
Source: Success.com
Have a Healthy Start To The New Year!
There’s something inspiring about the start of a new year. It’s when you promise yourself you’ll eat better, exercise more and watch less TV. But when reality sets in, it can be difficult to break less-desirable habits and embrace newer, more constructive ones.
Practice deep breathing twice a day for five minutes.
Stress is the greatest ager. Deep breathing and behavioral modification can control your reaction to stressful events.
Break the vicious cycle of stress with a productive response to any kind of stressful event: breath in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth. Place a finger on your belly button and concentrate on your finger moving in as you breathe in and out as you exhale. Deep breaths like this can act as a mini meditation.Shifting to slower breathing in times of tension can help calm you and allow you to perform better mentally and physically.
Honor sleep.
When you’re busy, it’s easy to say the thing you want to sacrifice is sleep. But you need sleep for many reasons, and one of the biggies is that it conditions your brain for optimal learning, problem-solving and memory. Shoot for 6.5 to 8.5 hours per night.
Walk 10,000 steps a day.
The sweet spot for getting the maximal health benefit for minimal work is 10,000 steps a day. Research shows it’s the number of steps that can help people lose weight and gain control of diabetes.
Try these indoor exercises when the temperature is too cold outside.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Walk a few laps around your office or home each hour.
- Do lunges or jumping jacks while you’re standing at the stove or the washing machine.
Choose your food wisely.
Pan-seared salmon. A sun-ripened pear. Stick to foods like these that you and your body love.
In a fascinating new study, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston examined the eating habits and health records of almost 55,000 women over about 26 years. Those who ate the most produce, good fats, and lean proteins—and who steered clear of things like sugary drinks, trans fat and too much alcohol—were 13 percent more likely to stay mobile and independent compared to those whose diets were less healthy.
That’s big news. More mobility means more freedom to live the life you want. It also keeps your body and mind younger while cutting your risk for heart disease, diabetes and depression.
A pro tip for healthy eating: Buy a good cooking knife.
If you invest in a high-quality knife and learn how to use it, your time savings in meal preparation will be enormous, and your desire and willingness to make delicious meals will increase exponentially.
Know your health numbers.
Keep the following in mind throughout the year:
- 120/80 or lower: A normal blood pressure reading
- 35 or less (for women) or 39 or less (for men): A healthy waist circumference measured at the belly button
- 2: The number of times weekly to build and preserve muscle with strength training.
Give your brain a workout.
We’re huge fans of puzzles that stimulate the brain. Try out sites like BrainHQ.com for stimulation designed to keep you sharp, or stick with old standbys like the daily crossword, Sudoku or a big jigsaw puzzle.
Personal growth is one of the keys to feeling happy. Focus on self-improvement daily, whether it’s taking better care of your health, doing things that give you confidence or journaling to understand yourself better.
A recent study of newly graduated college students proved focusing on happiness matters. Young adults who spent their first two years out of school pursuing materialistic goals (wealth, looks and fame) were far less happy than students who achieved more intrinsic personal goals, like getting involved in their communities or nurturing close friendships.
Expand your knowledge and enlighten your mind with tools to help you excel in life. Work with a Business and Life Management Coach to achieve your full potential today! Book a complimentary session at www.denisedema.com
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How do you know if your boundaries are being crossed? Generally, there are a few broad categories that comprise boundary violations: verbal, psychological, emotional, and physical. Ethical, spiritual, and moral boundary violations exist as well.
Verbal violations include not allowing you to speak or be heard, raising their voice and/or screaming at you, saying things that are derogatory or inflammatory about your integrity and character, gossiping about you.
Psychological and emotional boundary violations include preying upon your sense of self and self-esteem, using what you’ve told them in confidence against you, lying to you, criticizing, demeaning, judging, or manipulating you, making fun of you, your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, trying to make you feel guilty or responsible for them or a situation, making demands of your time and energy, shaming or embarrassing you, bullying you, assuring you that their thoughts and beliefs are superior to and more important than yours.
Physical violations include moving into your personal space, touching you without permission, being inappropriate or too familiar, especially sexually, (including sexual references and overtures), touching or handling things that belong to you, violating your privacy (cell phone, computer, social media contacts, personal records), damaging or destroying your personal property, threatening you with physical harm.
While admittedly it may take involvement with several different people over a period of time, eventually getting the hang of who you want in your life and understanding who respects you and your space as opposed to people who are out for themselves (and are basically otherwise toxic), here are some tips in the meantime to help you navigate your way to your goal of establishing healthy boundaries.
Know thyself. Get to know yourself as best you can. This means that you need to learn what’s really important to you, what you really value apart from anyone else. Gaining access to your inner world by becoming familiar and comfortable with your own beliefs, emotions, feelings, and ideas is essential. The intimacy you experience within yourself serves as your own personal relational barometer. The better you know yourself the better you are able to understand and choose those significant others that best mirror the kind of life experience you want to have.
Take responsibility for yourself. This means to become aware, to develop the capacity for active conscious involvement, to know what needs to be done for yourself. By setting your own boundaries, you’re telling others how you want and expect to be treated; in other words, you are setting your limits about who can come into your space and what you expect of others once they’re there--- how you want to be spoken to, touched, and treated psychologically and emotionally. Whatever you say goes, no matter what others may think, feel, or believe. A corollary of this is that you are not responsible for the feelings, actions, and beliefs of others, or for the way they react to the boundaries you’ve set.
Develop a healthy respect for yourself.
All of your experiences, including the mistakes you’ve made help to shape your character---who you are. No one beside you, no matter how persuasive they may be, can define you or try to control who you are. When you respect yourself, all of who you are, you should expect that others will treat you with respect. If they don’t, that’s a clear sign not to engage.
Heed the warning signs. Stay away from anyone who has his or her own agenda and thinks nothing of pushing the limit, of invading your space for their own end. This is not a hard thing to recognize since there’s usually not much subtlety involved. In fact, the more you resist their attempts to engage you in a way that’s best for them, the more obvious, desperate, insulting, and shrill they may become as they try to up the ante.
Don’t try to fix people. Fixing others is a way of trying to get love, attention, and/or validation. Getting love/attention/validation must mean you’re “okay”---right? It’s a waste of your time and energy to try to fix them because, bottom line, they’re not interested in becoming any other way than they are. And the fact is you certainly don’t need fixing from self-serving people who want to tell you what to do and what’s good for you.
You are in charge of your choices. You have the right to change your mind or your direction at any time. You don’t need to feel that you owe anyone anything more than you want to give with your free and conscious heart. Anyone who mistreats you, is disrespectful of your wishes, refuses to hear you, and has no intention of changing is trouble with a capital T. Be ready to walk away without fear or guilt, and don’t look back.
Separate yourself from others. It may be difficult to imagine being emotionally attached to others while remaining psychologically and intellectually detached. This means that you are able to separate your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs from others. You understand that your boundaries are different from others. This detachment creates enough room, a kind of “psychic space” between you and others that allows for personal expression while minimizing emotional and psychological entanglement. Gaining a healthy perspective of others without creating conflict within yourself is the goal.
Work on creating the boundaries that will serve your life. Book a complimentary session to achieve your full potential at www.denisedema.com
Source: Psychology Today