Achieving Your Goals

Having goals is the fundamental key to success. Goals let us create our future in advance of it actually happening. Setting goals help us grow and expand, pushing ourselves to transform in ways that we never imagined. We’re willing to bet if you’re reading this blog you’ve set a goal or two in your life — but are you setting goals effectively? Will your goals transform your life in the ways you want?

Many times people think they understand how to set goals, but then they never quite achieve what they were after. One common reason is that their goals are too small and approached with avarage levels of action. You’re much more likely to put time and energy into something that excites you. Think of a goal as a dream with a deadline. 

According to Grant Cardone the author of the wildly popular motivational book The 10X Rule, “average” is a failing formula. It gets you nowhere.

Cardone believes that you need to set goals that are 10 times bigger than the average, and follow them with 10 times more action than you are taking today. That’s how you see real-world results. That’s how you make it big.

We highly recommend reading Grant Cardones book The 10X Rule.

The 10x Rule explains how to set the right level of think and the right level of action that is required to achieve your goals 

Click Here to Get Your Copy Today And Start Getting Real Results

Morning Routines

Your mornings can set the tone for your entire day. It can mean the difference between a productive day or a sluggish one and have a powerful ripple effect on your mood, happiness and focus. 

If you leave your day to chance, you'll likely get sidetracked by distractions, other people's priorities and find yourself consumed with stress.

Having a morning routine is one of the best ways to kick start your day in the most productive, positive and healthy manner and be energised and motivated throughout the whole day.

Morning routines provide a way to feel accomplished and reach new levels of success all before 8 a.m. 

There’s why many highly successful leaders from Benjamin Franklin to Oprah and Bill Gates have crafted morning rituals that maximise their energy, productivity and creativity all day long. 

Watch this short video for some simple tips and tricks and how you can develop your own morning routine, that set u up for the day

The Importance of Planning Your Day

Introducing daily planning into your routine is an easy but essential step to create balance in your life. It allows you to clearly separate the time you spend working and the time you have for everything else.

You have to start your planning by clearly defining your goals, then go on to the necessary tasks to accomplish the goals you've defined. If you’re only planning the day ahead, those will be smaller tasks but, if you’re planning your entire week, you can broaden your horizons.

It’s very important that each task has a priority level, an estimated time to be completed and, if possible, a due date that’ll allow you to better organize them all throughout your day.

If you decide to plan your week, it’s important to take a few minutes every day to evaluate your progress, and analyze the tasks you have for the rest of the day. 

We highly recommend using the 10X planner by Grant Cardone. 

The 10X planner is part schedule, part journal created for professionals who demand 10X levels of success in any area of their life.

The 10X planner schedules out every second of every day, gets your head right and keeps you goal orientated and target focused.

Click Here To Get Your Copy of The 10X Planner Today

Daily Habits of Wealthy People

What do rich people do on a daily basis that is different from other people? Can the positive daily habits of people lead to financial success over time? A study (and book) by Thomas Corley suggests that daily behavior can be one factor that contributes to economic outcomes for people.

Daily Habits of Wealthy People

They get up early. 44% of wealthy people wake up 3 hours or more before work starts vs. only 3% of poor people.

They set goals. 80% of wealthy people are focused on accomplishing some single goal. Only 12% of the poor do this. In addition, 67% of wealthy people write down their goals.

They have daily to-do lists. 81% of wealth people maintain "to-do" lists vs 19% of the poor.

They read. 88% of the wealthy read for 30 minutes or more each day for education or career reasons. Only 2% of the poor do so. 63% of rich people listen to audio books during their commute.

They network. 79% of wealthy people network five hours a month or more.

They exercise. 76% of wealth people exercise aerobically several days a week.

They avoid junk food. 70% of rich people eat less than 300 calories of junk food per day. 97% of poor people eat more than 300 junk food calories per day.

They don't gamble. Only 6% of the wealthy play the lottery vs. 77% of low-income people.

They limit their TV time. 67% of wealthy people watch one hour or less of television per day vs 23% of the poor. Only 6% of wealthy people watch reality TV vs. 78% of the poor.

They are constantly improving their skills. 86% of high income people believe in lifelong educational self-improvement.

They believe hard work and good habits lead to success. 84% of rich people believe that good habits create opportunity and luck. Only 8% of the wealthy believe that wealth comes from random good luck vs. 79% of low-income people.

Source:Thomas Corley. "Rich Habits: The daily success habits of wealthy individuals." Corley looked at hundreds of wealthy and poor people in the U.S. and examined their daily habits. Wealthy people were defined as people with incomes over $160,000 and assets of more than $3.2 million. Poor people were defined as incomes under $30,000 and assets of less than $5,000.

It is interesting how different some of the daily habit statistics are for wealthy and low- income people. It seems that individual daily habits and choices can cause different results in terms of financial success and wealth. People who work hard and are constantly learning and improving their skills often, but not always, end up having increased financial success. Some of these significant habit differences between the rich and poor raise the question of what came first, the financial success or the positive daily habits? We believe many of these daily habits came before the financial success for most people, and are one factor in helping cause their financial success. Most of our clients are successful financially, and most of their success is self-created (not inherited). Younger people (the children of our clients) who are interested in increased financial success may want to adopt some of these daily habits.

Of course, there are many reasons beyond these daily habits that can lead to financial success. Other factors might include luck, inheritance, having good parents, having access to good schools, being in the right place at the right time, career choice, and where you live, to name a few. Improving or changing your daily habits may have less of a positive impact on the wealth of people who live in a third world country or an impoverished neighborhood in a large U.S. city, for example. You may be a teacher or a social worker and have all of these positive daily habits, but because of your career choice you are unlikely to become fabulously wealthy. Adopting the positive daily habits of financially successful people will not necessarily make you rich, but it may aim you in the right direction for a healthier life and increased success (however you define success). Many people are not interested in increased financial success, do not think it is possible for them, or do not believe it would make them happier. That is OK. They may still find these positive daily habits valuable.

The Millionaire Next Door

Another excellent source of information on this topic is the book "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas Stanley. Stanley has studied hundreds of millionaires and has similar findings. He says most millionaires live below their means. They are frugal, and their spouse is equally or more frugal. 50% of the millionaires he surveyed have never spent more than $29,000 on a motor vehicle. One of the most popular vehicles owned by millionaires is the Ford pickup truck. 80% of America's millionaires are first generation rich, meaning they earned it themselves. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend. Stanley says one of the most common denominators among those who successfully build wealth is that they allocate their time, energy, and money efficiently, in ways conducive to building wealth. Millionaires believe financial independence is more important than displaying financial status. Stanley concludes that building wealth takes discipline, sacrifice, and hard work.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle


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3 Classic Books That Successful People Have Read

Desire, determination, and persistence, just to name a few, are all qualities that have made many people successful. In addition, there is one other thing you will find very common among successful people, they are all avid readers. Books have helped them, in one way or another, become the person they are. Charlie "Tremendous" Jones said,"You will be the same person in five yeas as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read." Books can play a significant role in your path to the success you seek. Although many books have been read over the years, here are 3 classic books that successful people have read.

1. Think and Grow Rich

This book has been called "one of the greatest books in personal development of all time", and continues to sell millions of copies throughout the world. Many successful people have attributed their success to the reading of this book, and they continue to read it and recommend it to anyone wanting to achieve success in their own life. Napoleon Hill, the author, commissioned by millionaire Andrew Carnegie, took over 25 years to study over 500 successful men in search of the secrets to their achievements. Mr. Hill identifies 13 principles that are necessary to attain riches. The book has changed many lives for the better, and it still does today. Read it for yourself.

2. How to Win Friends and Influence People

This book by Dale Carnegie, is mentioned in the same conversation as Think and Grow Rich. The book is called "the grandfather of all people skills books", and many successful people credit the book for helping them develop the relationship skills that has led them to where they are. He emphasizes the importance of treating other people respectful, and making them feel appreciated. Carnegie says,"You can make someone want to do what you want them to by seeing the situation from the other person's point of view and arousing in the other person an eager want." The book was an overnight hit, selling 15 million copies, and can help you get along better with other people.

3. Power of Positive Thinking

The most popular book of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Power of Positive Thinking, has sold more than 20 million copies, and has been read by many successful people everywhere. Dr. Peale, a pastor, is considered the founder of the human potential movement. The book utilizes Bible (Dr. Peale believed the Bible was the source of personal power and guidance) quotes and simple principles to teach the reader to think about situations differently. He said,"In order to gain personal power and peace, we have to be willing to go beyond the merely personal to something greater than ourselves."

Books can play an important role in your journey toward success. Many successful people will attest that they have read many books in their progress toward achievement. However, these 3 classics seem to be the common theme for having success. These 3 books cover mindset, relationships, and spiritual thinking which are essential to achieving the success you long for. If you desire to achieve success, a good start is to read the right books, and especially these 3 classic books.


Jesse Walton is a home business entrepreneur with a passion to show others how they can take control of their lives and create the freedom that they desire. If you are frustrated with your current situation, visit [http://www.thehomebusinessforu.com] for some valuable information that could change your life.

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The Power Of Positive Thinking

Positive thinking has a new advocate these days. Dr. David R. Hawkins is a leading psychiatrist who has published numerous books about the power of positive thinking as well as the power of many forms of thought and spiritual teachings. Using the findings of kinesiology, Dr. Hawkins has made it easier to determine the power of positive thinking versus negative thinking and has shown how many people can alter their lives for the better. By using certain muscle testing techniques, Dr. Hawkins kinesiological research has helped to determine that certain systems of thought are actually more powerful than others in promoting the health and well being of all people.

According to the studies done with kinesiology, various statements, teachings, teachers and subjects of interest all carry a certain energy field along with their subject matter. When these different topics are held in mind by individuals, the reactions of their muscles are then monitored and can determine various strengths and levels of power in the fields present. Through the observation of the muscles reactions, scientists can determine if the individual statements evoke a positive reaction in the muscles or not. This has been shown to be useful in determining the actual power of some statements as opposed to others and of various persons, places or things as they affect the energy meridians in the body. The research is extremely beneficial to those who have examined the findings and has even spurned more studies which are all continuing today.

Dr. Hawkins has gone even further with his research than the simple testing of statements and their relative power. He has devised a scale of consciousness which can actually be used to determine the level of power for anything anywhere and he has used the reaction of the muscles to determine those levels of power according to the science of kinesiology. First, a scale of power was set up from 0 to 1000 and tested subjects were told that zero represented the absolutely lowest level or "no power" range. The highest level at 1000 represented the most power possible level for a human being to be capable of acquiring and the scale was set up as logarithmic so that it was representative of an increase in terms of exponential increments. Many statements, patterns of thought and even teachings were all proven again and again to have a certain level of power according to their kinesiological response in the body.

In terms of the power of positive thinking, there have been many teachers and teachings which have been reported to score very high on the consciousness scale. Among some of the higher numbers were teachers such as the Buddha, Jesus and Krishna who all scored very high with all test subjects. Similarly, many Eastern teachers such as Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj and Muktananda all scored in the 600 is and 700 is in terms of the way peoples bodies reacted to the teachings. The word "Love" has consistently scored extremely high at 500 and the word "peace" was also scored at 600. These findings were astounding and have become part of a widespread study and a series of publications which are now very popular in many countries. It is clear from these findings that there is an inherent power to positive thinking which can actually have a physical affect on your body if it is repeated and made to become part of your lifestyle. The findings of Dr. Hawkins suggest a number of things, one of which is that nothing is thought to have come about as a result of an accident or a "random" occurrence. Each thing carries with it a field of energy which largely affects the outcome of its existence. With the discovery that everything carries with it a certain level of power, it is also the case that nothing can be said to be part of an accident unless we were to ignore the recently discovered designations that have been made upon these various objects or thought patterns. Individual people themselves can be tested to be holding a certain amount of energy or "power" such that the reactions of the muscles can also show this level of power in many circumstances. With this discovery, brings the obvious conclusion that, not only are certain thoughts more or less powerful but everything which is capable of being held in mind is subject to a certain test of power.

The recent discoveries by Dr. David R. Hawkins are groundbreaking and the future holds many bright possibilities for the progress of our own well being and health in this field. If you are interested in learning more about these discoveries, check out some of the most recent findings in Dr. Hawkins book Truth Vs. Falsehood; How to Tell the Difference. It will surely give you some new insights into the power of positive thinking.


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Exercise and Depression

This happens to be a topic that I am very passionate about. Aerobic exercise has been proven to be a powerful weapon against depression, more powerful than most appreciate.

There is no blood test for depression, there are many kinds, and according to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada! And now with the recession and more people out of work, there is no doubt that these #'s will continue to increase.

But there is hope! Whether you are clinically depressed, or just bummed about losing your job, there is a lot of cutting edge research that indicates you can self-create your own happiness by using exercise.

There is a clear and inverse relationship between exercise and depression, as noted by several studies including one published in 2003 by Columbia University, which surveyed over 8,000 people. (People who exercise the most are the least likely to be depressed.) But that's not all!

The issues with using drugs like Lexapro, Effexor, Etc is that the body and brain are a complex symphony of chemicals/hormones and whenever you target one chemical deficiency with an external drug, you end up messing up the balance between that chemical and the other chemicals in the brain and body.

To put it clearly, aerobic exercise, single handedly targets ALL of the neurotransmitters targeted by the entire class of anti-depressants. It better conducts the symphony of chemicals that keeps us happy, instead of adding more clarinets and throwing off the entire sound (as anti-depressants do.) This is incredibly important to understand, as many doctors and psychiatrists over prescribe anti-depressants, which as indicated by the research, do not work as effectively as aerobic exercise.

In addition, there are the endorphins from exercise, which create positive feelings and emotions (the exact opposite of depression.) As stated on Web MD:

These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain which are our body's natural pain-killers and can provide relief from some of the aches & pains which accompany depression. They also act as sedatives. They are manufactured in your brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of your body and are released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric." That feeling, known as a "runner's high," can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life.

Exercise has many psychological and emotional benefits when you have depression or anxiety. As stated on the Mayo Clinic Website, these include:

* Confidence - Being physically active gives you a sense of accomplishment. Meeting goals or challenges, no matter how small, can boost self-confidence at times when you need it most. Exercise can also make you feel better about your appearance and your self-worth.

* Distraction - When you have depression or anxiety, it's easy to dwell on how badly you feel. But dwelling interferes with your ability to problem solve and cope in a healthy way. Dwelling can also make depression more severe and longer lasting. Exercise can shift the focus away from unpleasant thoughts to something more pleasant, such as your surroundings or the music you enjoy listening to while you exercise.

* Interactions - Depression and anxiety can lead to isolation. That, in turn, can worsen your condition. Exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others, even if it's just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood.

* Healthy coping - Doing something positive to manage depression or anxiety is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol excessively, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping depression and anxiety will go away on their own aren't helpful coping strategies.

All of the benefits described above are excellent, and will help people recover from depression. But the most important aspect of cardiovascular exercise that you must keep in mind, is that it not only optimize all the "happy" chemicals produce in your brain and body, it also helps create new neurons! These neurons are created in the areas of the brain that deal with memory, learning, attention, and survival, and once created, can be utilized by the brain to create newer and happier behavior, habits, skills, and abilities.

In light of this information, it is not surprising that a study by James Blumenthal concluded exercise was as effective as medication (and I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually find out that it is MORE effective in most cases.)

Often, patients who use anti-depressants experience immediate relief, but do not FEEL happy, while exercise, as determined by Blumenthal, works better over the long term than medication. There was some evidence that the group that took exercise and the medication did not improve as much as the group that just exercised because the idea of taking medication took away some of the pride and accomplishment that the exercise only group achieved. (Perhaps the exercise only group experienced more self-efficacy.)

This alone is a very important thing to understand; when you give the power of happiness to a pill, you take away your own power to cultivate happiness. (Please understand that I am not completely against pills, and think that anti-depressants can be an important part of recovery for depression, as determined by a licensed psychiatrist.) My only issue is that we are so fast to look for solutions outside of the body and mind in this culture, and when we do that, we find solutions that are incomplete, short term and ultimately a waste of time.

According to Web MD, here are some questions you should consider before you begin an exercise program to address depression:

* What physical activities do I enjoy?

* Do I prefer group or individual activities?

* What programs best fit my schedule?

* Do I have physical conditions that limit my choice of exercise?

* What goals do I have in mind? (For example: weight loss, strengthening muscles, improving flexibility, or mood enhancement)

I would also add that you should strongly consider engaging in recreation activities, hobbies, books, or crafts that you truly enjoy after exercise because you will utilize the new neurons in your brain to further develop you skills in that activity. (Shortly after the new neurons are formed in the brain, they need to be utilized so they can be integrated and connected into the network of existing neurons, or else the new neurons are re-absorbed and are not permanent). In this way, you can use exercise to both optimize you "mood chemicals" and cultivate an activity that provides you with happiness at the same time.

Exercise Prescription for Depression:

The research indicates that burning around 1.400 calories from higher intensity cardio is very effective in preventing and treating depression. (This works out to about 3 hours of moderate intensity cardio per week for a 150lb person.) However, it is important to start slow, and gradually build up the volume (total time) of your workouts first. Once you are up to 30-45 minutes of cardio, you can begin to increase the intensity slowly, although it only takes working at a perceived exertion of about 7/10 to have the required intensity to treat depression.

Also, be sure to set yourself up for success by engaging in exercise in an environment you feel comfortable in, focusing on small goals, and sticking with the program day by day for at least 3 weeks before making any judgments. It can be tough to get started and feel the benefits right away, but our bodies and minds are built to be happiest when they are moving and healthy.

Until next time, keep your body-mind fit.

Jonathan


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