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Introduction

It has been said that opportunity is all around us. However, most of us unfortunately let opportunity slip-by every day because we are either untrained or unaware of the signals that life throws our way. Other times we see the opportunities that life presents us with, however we don’t take advantage of them simply because on the surface they appear to be nothing more than problems. And who needs more problems to deal with, right?

There is no doubt that people miss out on incredible opportunities every single day. They work hard to achieve their goals and objectives, only to sabotage their own success because they neglect to take advantage of the chances that life sends their way.

While reading Richard Branson’s autobiography* it dawned upon me that this incredibly successful entrepreneur earned billions of dollars because of his uncanny ability to spot opportunities. However, what really separated him from others and gave him the edge he needed in business and life, was his willingness to take risks on the opportunities that came his way. He wouldn’t wait for the perfect time or moment to take advantage of opportunities, instead he would take advantage of them early and quickly, making sure that he had an edge on his competitors. Of course sometimes, after taking advantage of an opportunity he didn’t quite know what his next steps were going to be. However, that didn’t matter, because he was already one step ahead of everyone else, and he figured that he would quickly work things out. The important thing was to take that initial step. He was confident that everything else would fall into place.

Using Richard Branson as our role model for opportunity, I would like to discuss how to go about spotting and seizing the opportunities that life throws your way. However, to begin with, we must first come to understand what exactly an opportunity is and how you can prepare your mind to capture it once it comes your way.

What is an Opportunity?

An opportunity is anything that provides you with a chance to change your circumstances for the better. Of course on the surface this sounds wonderful. There are obviously opportunities everywhere that I can use to help me realize more goals, right? Well… not so fast.

Many of the opportunities we come across are are actually disguised as problems or hard work. However, to the untrained eye — unable to see past the present moment — all opportunities are actually insurmountable problems that make life difficult, stressful and hard. And yet that is where we make a mistake. We see our problems as “problems”, rather than challenges that test and strengthen our resolve.

The moment you shift your perspective and begin seeing your problems as challenges, is the moment you begin training your brain to spot opportunities. Problems may very well be insurmountable. However, a challenge is something you can work with to better your current circumstances.

A challenge is therefore nothing more than an opportunity for change; an opportunity to gain experience; an opportunity to learn something about yourself and your circumstances; an opportunity to make progress and grow mentally, spiritually and emotionally.

Become a People Person

Most challenges that you will confront in your life become opportunities when you realize that people are the source of the solutions and answers you are searching for. Yes, people are the key, because it’s these people who have the necessary knowledge, skills, experience and resources you may need to help you turn a difficult situation into something that can help you move forward.

Who do I know?

Who knows me?

How strong is our relationship?

How can I enhance this relationship?

You must therefore continuously work on building and strengthening your relationships on a daily basis with key individuals in order to gain the necessary support you need to turn your challenges into opportunities to better your circumstances.

One of the best ways to gain the support of others is to give them your support, especially during difficult times. Show them that you are willing to go the extra mile, that you are more than happy to provide them with value along with the solutions and answers they need to help them improve their circumstances. The more you are willing to give to others, the more easily opportunities will come your way during difficult times.

The Opportunistic Mindset

There are certain indispensable qualities that separate a person like Richard Branson from others who struggle to take advantage of the opportunities that life throws their way. And it is these qualities that we must focus on cultivating every single day.

• Curiosity: Opportunity desires a curious mind that is always asking deeper and more insightful questions.
• Generosity: Opportunity desires a generous heart that is willing to give opportunities to others.
• Perseverance: Opportunity desires someone who has determination, who will keep persisting and persevering despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that stand in their way.
• Confidence: Opportunity desires a confident demeanor — someone who never doubts their skills, strength, resources and abilities.
• Optimism: Opportunity desires an optimistic attitude that doesn’t waver off-course if things don’t go as expected.
• Playfulness: Opportunity desires a light-hearted approach that is willing to be a little creative; willing to think outside the box, and willing to break conventional rules.
• Responsibility: Opportunity desires someone who is fully committed and responsible for their decisions, behavior and actions; someone who doesn’t make excuses or throw blame on others.
• Hindsight: Opportunity desires someone with hindsight who can see beyond this fleeting moment into the future. This “someone” understands that what might look like a problem now, might actually be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
• Gratitude: Opportunity desires a grateful spirit that is thankful for anything that life throws its way, no matter how dark or grim it might seem on the surface.

How to Identify Opportunities

It amazes me how someone can get disgruntled about how many opportunities others seem to get, while they always seem to be scraping the bottom of the barrel. However, more times than not, if you ask these people what it is they really want, they struggle to express themselves in words.

How in the world are you supposed to identify any opportunities that come your way if you are not clear about what it is you want in the first place? Unless you know exactly what it is you’re looking for, than how exactly are you supposed to find it?

What is it that I want to achieve?

What is it that I’m looking for?

What specifically does this opportunity look like?

How will I know when it presents itself?

The Obstacles Standing in Your Way

Now that you are clear about what it is you want, and have a rough idea of what kinds of opportunities you will keep an eye-out for, it’s time to pinpoint several things that may hold you back from taking advantage of the opportunities that life throws your way.

First of all take a look at your beliefs and identify if there are possibly any limiting/unhelpful beliefs that could potentially prevent you from taking advantage of opportunities:

What beliefs may prevent me from spotting and seizing opportunities?

Next, take a look at your strengths and weaknesses and evaluate how they can help or hinder you throughout this process:

What weaknesses could prevent me from discovering opportunities?

How specifically could they hinder me?

What strengths could assist me with discovering opportunities?

How specifically could they help me?

Finally, identify your risk tolerance. This is important because the more risk you are willing and able to take, than the more chances/opportunities you will be able to take advantage of.

How much am I willing to risk?

How much am I willing to potentially lose?

Your assessment of these areas will help you to better understand yourself, your motivations, your limitations, and the actions you are willing or unwilling to take when opportunities present themselves.

If you are finding yourself lacking in a number of these key areas, than it might be a “wake-up call” to begin developing new skills that will provide you with the confidence, belief and desire you need to move forward towards the achievement of your goals and objectives.

How to Spot Opportunities

Now that you are clear about what it is you want, and you understand what kind of opportunities you will be looking out for, let’s now take a look at how to spot the opportunities that life throws your way.

Be in a State of Readiness

The single most important thing to consider when looking for opportunities is to be in a state-of-readiness for any and all opportunities that may come your way. This basically means that you must be constantly on the lookout for anything that could possibly help you achieve your goals and objectives far more quickly, effectively or cheaply. It also means that you must be open to new perspectives and ideas — things that are out of the ordinary that could possibly provide you with unique understandings that will help move your goals forward or overcome the problems you are facing.

The key to this awareness lies within your willingness and ability to ask the right kinds of questions. The questions you ask will stimulate your curiosity and will force you to think about the events and circumstances of your life in a new way — which could likewise provide you with the insights you need to spot the opportunities that you might be able to take advantage of.

As you go about your day, keep a note of the following questions, and consistently run through these questions in order to keep possible opportunities at the forefront of your mind:

What is happening here, right now?

Why is this happening?

What’s interesting about this?

What does this mean?

How could I benefit from this to help me achieve my goal?

What must I do or say next to take advantage of this?

The more you ask these questions, the more curious you will become, and as a result the better questions you will ask that will help focus your mind on the right events, people, things or circumstances that can help you move forward in the best possible way.

Alternatively, if you’re not asking questions, than it’s important that you keep your mind primed and focused on possible opportunities. In such instances keep repeating to yourself the following affirmations:

Everything happens for my benefit…

Every problem brings with it an opportunity I can take advantage of…

Opportunities are abound…

A mix of questions and affirmations will provide you with the focus and concentration you need to direct your senses on whatever it is that will help move your goals forward.

Search for Clues

Once you’re in the habit of asking questions that help spark your curiosity, it’s now time to put on your detective hat and begin filtering through the clues that present themselves.

Clues that will lead you to unique opportunities can come in many forms, and will be very specific to the types of opportunities you are looking for. However, there are certain types of clues that you should keep in mind. These clues can come in the form of trends, problems that people face or things that they complain about, gaps in the market, and unusual patterns, events or circumstances.

All of these clues can provide you with an opportunity to do something different, new or unusual. They can also provide you the opportunity to see things from a unique angle and perspective that will likewise help you gain the insights you need to change your course of action, or take a chance that you never previously considered. Moreover, these clues can lead you down new paths; they can open new doors, and can potentially provide you with surprising resources, support and tools you may need to help you achieve your goals and objectives.

To help you with this process, it is recommended that you become a little like Leonardo da Vinci, and begin keeping a sketch/notebook of your random thoughts and observations as you go about your day. This sketch/notebook will help transform how you think about the events and circumstances of your life, which will likewise help shift your perspective and understanding of your life and goals as you know them.

Expanding Your Reach

In order to further improve your ability to spot opportunities, it’s critical that you expand your reach by learning new skills, by regularly networking with people who may be able to support you in your endeavors, and by acquiring new resources that will help expand your life resources list.

In addition to all this, you will naturally expose yourself to more opportunities by trying and attempting new things; by seeking out new experiences and responsibility, and by showing a willingness to tackle ever bigger problems that life throws your way.

How to Seize Opportunity

It is all well and good to spot opportunities that present themselves, however, what good are these opportunities if we are unable or not willing to take advantage of them. It’s of course true that not all opportunities are worth pursuing. I’m sure Richard Branson didn’t or simply couldn’t take advantage of all the opportunities that came his way. However, there will always be key opportunities that you will want to take a chance on, and it’s these circumstances that we must prepare for.

Within this last section I want to discuss how to capitalize on the opportunities that life presents you with to help you accomplish your goals and objectives.

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Many of the opportunities that life throws in your direction will stretch and challenge you in a variety of ways. This means that they are going to be out of your normal reach, and as such you will need to be willing to step outside your comfort zone in order to take advantage of them. This may of course mean that you have to take a few risks that you weren’t expecting to take. Each of these risks will have their own consequences, which you must weigh against the benefits and decide whether it’s a risk worth taking.

The Small Opportunities Count

It’s important to remember that not all opportunities are created equal. However, it’s not the size of the opportunity that matters, it’s rather what you do with that opportunity that makes all the difference in the end. Therefore you should never underestimate or discount what an opportunity can do for you. Who knows, a small opportunity here could very well lead to bigger opportunities in the future. You just have to be willing and ready to take advantage when the moment arrives.

Network with Creative People

I could easily say “network with all people”, however who has the time to do that these days? Instead, focus on networking with the right kinds of people who have the resources, contacts, experience and skills to help you achieve your goals and objectives.

Above-all-else, network with creative people — people who think outside the box, who Zig when others Zag, and who constantly challenge you to think differently about your life, goals, problems and circumstances.

Things to Avoid Like the Plague

When it comes to seizing the opportunities that come your way, it’s absolutely critical that you avoid doing the following at all costs:

• Following the crowd.
• Seeking security and comfort.
• Waiting for opportunities to arrive.
• Succumbing to uncertainty, to fear of rejection or fear of making mistakes.
• Pessimism and skepticism.

Following the crowd will get you quickly to mediocrity. If Richard Branson followed the crowd, would he be a billionaire today? Likewise, waiting for opportunities to arrive at your front door is like playing the lottery: it might happen, but for 99.99% of people, it never will.

Everyone suffers from fear one time or another. However, when you’re fighting for something you really want you need to take a few chances, and as such you must leave your fear at the door because this exact opportunity may never present itself again. Once come… forever gone. Life doesn’t give too many second chances.

Think BIG and Think BIGGER!

When confronted with an opportunity, thinking small will only limit your ability to take full advantage of the circumstances that you are presented with. Instead, you must think BIG and BIGGER! Think creatively and outside the box about everything that life throws your way — fully realizing that whatever you get from the opportunity is simply a reflection of what you put into it.

Take Action

The moment an opportunity presents itself you must quickly identify whether it is time-sensitive. If it is, than you only have a very small window of opportunity to work with, and you must therefore take maximum advantage of the situation or circumstances.

In such instances, you must quickly weigh the pros and cons and create a plan of action that will help you to capitalize on the circumstances you are facing.

You must however be very wary not to make any rash decisions while heavily invested in your emotions. Being invested emotionally is very dangerous and may lead you down unfortunate territory. As such, it’s therefore recommended that you consider outlining a Plan-B just in case your initial instincts are clouded by your emotions. That way you may have a way-out of the situation if things don’t pan out as expected.

Here are some questions you might want to consider asking yourself when faced with an opportunity:

What is the outcome I want to achieve?

Will this opportunity help or hinder me?

What are the benefits?

What are the drawbacks?

Is the outcome under my direct control?

If it’s not under my direct control, than who controls it, and how can I influence them?

What is the risk that I would be taking?

What is the opportunity cost? What must I potentially sacrifice to take advantage of this?

Is this the right time and place to do this?

How do I know this is the right time and place?

Do I have the necessary resources and experience to pull this off?

Who could assist me with this?

Will I get this opportunity again?

Does it feel right?

By taking the time to thoroughly work through these questions will ensure that you are moving forward with the right frame-of-mind that will help you to better take advantage of the opportunity you are attempting to work through.

Learn from Opportunity

Whether you successfully take advantage of an opportunity or not, it’s paramount that you take time to analyze what you did, what went wrong, and how you could take better advantage of similar opportunities in the future. That is the whole point of lifelong learning, and could very well be the key to success in any field of endeavor.

What went right?

What went wrong?

What can I learn from this?

How could I do better next time?

Use the Unlocking Opportunity IQ Matrix as a Reference Wall Poster

Final Thoughts

It’s difficult for me to say whether my experience is typical, however over the course of my life I’ve found that life basically comes down to the choices you make. You either choose to take advantage of an opportunity, or you choose something else. And in the end your entire life script is written on the canvas of the decisions you made. We will of course never really know if the right decisions were made at the time, however looking back at life there will always be regrets, and most of them will be because of chances (opportunities) that we DIDN’T take, rather than the ones we did.

What opportunities are you going to seize today?

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Life is a funny thing. It seems that it’s always testing us, challenging our resolve, while pushing us to the edge of what seems impossible. Most people look at these setbacks and see them as insurmountable obstacles. However, there are a few people who come across such problems and ask:

Why not me? Why not now?

These are the people who believe that no matter what life throws their way, that they will persist and persevere — eventually attaining their goals and objectives.

What follows is a short story about persistence that I think everyone will be able to relate with on some level. I hope it inspires and moves you to action.

A Short Story: Lessons in Persistence

A middle aged man who goes by the name of Oliver approaches a monastery located high atop the Himalayan Mountains. He’s tired, sad, disheartened and somewhat angry. He’s trekked here for weeks in order to find answers — answers to his struggles, and answers for the setbacks that seem to be keeping him away from his greatest accomplishments.

He enters the monastery and out of exhaustion drops to the floor. Lying there face down on the ground he thinks about his wasted life, about the problems that always seem to get in his way, and about the difficulties that he faces every single day. Life seems like an uphill battle that never ends. It seems as though he’s carrying the world on his shoulders and the burden is simply too heavy for him to bare.

A moment passes, when suddenly a dark figure approaches and helps him off the ground. Oliver looks up and sees the kind face of a Monk looking back at him. This face is familiar and welcoming.

The Monk sits him down without saying a word and just gazes into Oliver’s eyes. What he sees is heartache, defeat and despair. Oliver’s face looks very familiar, and it should, because he was in fact an orphan who was raised within this Monastery as a child.

Monk: “What brings you back here my dear friend?”

Oliver: “Master, you are all knowing, and I’ve come here searching for answers. I have all these hopes and dreams; I want to accomplish all these amazing things, however, everything I do seems to lead down a path to despair. I am a total failure, and I just don’t know what to do. I’ve experienced so many heartbreaking losses over the years that I just feel like I have no more to give.”

Monk: “Did you know that time and again, history has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed? They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeat.”

How does this defeat make me stronger?

What opportunities does it present me with?

What’s the next step I must take?

Oliver: “Yes, I’ve been there. So many obstacles, but I still haven’t triumphed. I seem to be stuck in the same place, going nowhere.”

Monk: “Yes, you may not be there yet, but you’re certainly closer than you were yesterday. You made the trek up here for answers, did you not?”

How am I closer?

What must I do next?

Oliver: “Yes.”

Monk: “Well then, you are closer than you were yesterday to finding the answers you’re searching for, are you not?”

Oliver: “Yes, but it seems as though I’ve tried everything, and nothing seems to have worked. I have a good education. My friends and family even tell me that I have the talent to achieve anything my heart desires, and I honestly believe that, but so far, nothing.”

Monk: “Oliver, please listen to my words carefully. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

Where can I try harder?

How can I push myself further?

Oliver: “Okay, I see your point, but things always seem so hard that I just feel like giving up.”

Monk: “That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved.”

What have I learned?

How have I improved?

How can this help me moving forward?

Oliver: “So what you’re saying is that through the act of persistence things will become easier. I think I get that. It’s like a skill. I persist through something and eventually I learn more about what works and doesn’t work and as a result I get better. But I’m afraid. I guess I’m afraid of making a mistakes, and of failure.”

Monk: “There is no failure for the man who realizes his power, who never knows when he is beaten; there is no failure for the determined endeavor, the conquerable will. There is no failure for the man who gets up every time he falls, who rebounds like a rubber ball, who persists when everyone else gives up, who pushes on when everyone else turns back.”

I think I can do this…

I know I can do this…

I believe I can do this…

I’m certain I can do this…

Let’s just do this…

Oliver: “Okay, I see where you’re coming from. I have to get up each time I fall down like a rubber ball. I really like that analogy. Actually on some days I’ve spent time meditating and contemplating, like you do here in the mountains. I’m hopeful that my meditations and visualizations will help me to become more aware and spot opportunities throughout the day.”

Monk: “And that is where you make a mistake my dear friend. You must stop meditating and keep moving forward, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you least expect it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down. I certainly haven’t. There’s nothing else for me to do here but to meditate. The only thing I’ll stumble across, is down a set of stairs.”

Get up! Get Moving! Just Do it!

Opportunities are everywhere. Go out and get them.

Monk: “If you get off your butt and just keep moving forward you will soon realize that you just can’t beat a person who never gives up.”

Oliver: “Do you think that is why some people succeed? Is it because they simply don’t give up?”

Monk: “Yes, of course. Even people of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don’t know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to. Their intelligence isn’t what gives them the edge. What gives them the edge is that they stay with problems longer and persist while others are quitting.”

How else could this problem be solved?

What else could I do here?

Stick with it, just a little longer…

Oliver: “But it sometimes seems as though I work so hard, spend so long on something and I just seem to be making no progress at all. Life just doesn’t seem fair. Hard work doesn’t always bring results. There must be something more to it.”

Monk: “Have you ever seen a stone-cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it? Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”

Just keep chipping away…

Oliver: “Wow, I love that. I guess you just have to have strength to keep moving on.”

Monk: “No you don’t. Strength has nothing to do with it. In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins — not through strength, but through persistence.”

How am I making progress?

What more could I do?

Oliver: “So what you’re basically saying is that success seems to be a matter of hanging on after others have let go. Is that right?”

Monk: “Yes, that is correct. And when you feel as though you’ve reached the end of your rope, simply tie a knot in it and hang on.”

Oliver: “Hang on, and don’t let go. That is good. I will use that the next time I’m facing a setback. I guess the toughest part is overcoming those really big obstacles that life tends to throw my way. They are like gigantic mountains in my path that I can’t seem to look beyond.”

Monk: “My dear Oliver. Did you not learn your lesson coming here today? Can I ask you, how many times you stumbled and fell while making the trek up this mountain to see me?”

Oliver: “Well, I guess I stumbled quite a number of times on my journey here.”

Monk: “But you kept getting back up and moving forward. You essentially bounced up like a rubber ball and made your way until you reached your destination. Is that correct?”

Oliver: “Yes, that is correct.”

Monk: “Then there is only one more lesson you need to learn. The lesson is that nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebbles that cause you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.”

Just another step forward…

I’ll eventually get there…

And with that, the Monk stood up and walked away, leaving Oliver to contemplate the lessons learned.

Click here to download a pdf copy of this iQuote Matrix

For more information about persistence and perseverance, please read the following articles:

• Never Give Up, Never Quit
• Developing Resilient Willpower
• Overcoming Insurmountable Obstacles
• The Seasons of Transformation

How to Use this iQuote Matrix

Oliver’s encounter with the Monk provides an overview of the iQuote Matrix that you can download for free at the top of this post and use as a reference poster. The story uses each of the quotes presented within the map in combination to highlight how to persist and persevere through the setbacks, obstacles and problems you may face.

This iQuote Matrix is designed with three purposes in mind:

• Firstly, the quotations are designed to help you gain a different perspective and understanding of the importance of persistence.
• Secondly, the 12 power words extending from the middle branches are designed to encourage you to shift your attitude and approach when faced with obstacles and setbacks.
• Thirdly, key questions and statements are designed to help you to think more clearly, critically, analytically and flexibly about the obstacles you are confronted with.

Designed for Printing

An iQuote Matrix is designed for printing and pinning up on a wall. In fact, it is best used as a reference wall poster to keep you focused throughout the day. Simply print it out, hang it up, and refer to it consistently. In time, the knowledge shared within, will become fully integrated into your life, habits, decisions, behavior and actions.

Click here to download a pdf copy of this iQuote Matrix

I hope you find this tool of value. Please feel free to share your thoughts, feedback and suggestions in the comments below.

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How to Eliminate Fear

It’s probably safe to say that we all experience fear of some kind throughout our lives. This fear often results from a level of uncertainty that we have about something. Moreover, it prevents us from taking the necessary actions we want to take in order to achieve a desired outcome. This consequently can diminish our levels of self-esteem, and can therefore hold us back from taking the necessary actions in other areas of our lives.

In many ways, it seems that if we are unable to effectively manage and overcome a fear that we tend to experience in particular situations, that this fear will likely spread like a virus into other areas of our lives and cripple us emotionally in many more — and sometimes unforeseen — ways.

Fears rob us of our self-esteem, self-confidence and self-belief [see: improving self-esteem]. The more we indulge in them, the deeper we plunge into the abyss of emotional turmoil and the paralysis of inaction, which can affect all areas of our lives.

Even though on the surface fears seem unhealthy, they do however serve us by revealing that we are in fact lacking in experience, knowledge and understanding.

Within this article I will take you through a five step process that you can use at any time to help you overcome the fears you experience on a daily basis. All you need to do is simply work through these steps in the sequence provided to progressively eliminate your fear. Keep in mind though, that you may need to move through this fear elimination process several times in order to gain maximum value. Let me quickly explain how this is relevant.

Dig Deep by Asking Questions

When we ask a question such as: “Why am I feeling afraid?” we are initially likely get a surface response. The first answer we receive will give us a glimpse into the reasons behind the fear, however this may not be the real reason why we are afraid. As such we need to go deeper by asking the question again, again and again. Only once the question has been asked several times will we start unveiling the real reasons why we’re afraid.

The same applies to this fear elimination process. The more you use it, the deeper insights you will gain, and the more likely you will be able to eliminate the hold that your fear has over your life.

The Five Step Process for Eliminating Fear

Here is an outline of the five step process we will work through today to help you overcome your fear:

1. Define your problem/fear and the consequences.
2. Imagine life without this fear.
3. Illuminate your past and current reality.
4. Transform your perspective and understanding of your fear.
5. Execute by taking action to overcome your fear.

Before going through these steps, it might be helpful to read how to overcome fear article I previously posted on the blog. This article will give you more information about your fears, while providing you with some tips and strategies to help you overcome them.

Below I break down each of the five fear elimination steps in a little more detail. As you work your way through this process, it might be helpful to print the mind map at the top of this page and use it as a reference poster to help guide along this journey.

1. Define

The most important step is always the first step. You must first know and understand what it is that you fear. If you are not specific and clear here, than you will struggle to gain traction with the remaining steps of the fear elimination process. Therefore, to begin with, ask yourself:

What is it that I fear?

As mentioned within the previous section, don’t just ask this question once, instead ask it several times. What might be clear on the surface might not be the real fear that’s hiding under the exterior. You may therefore like to pose a different question:

What problem am I facing?

What is the real problem I am dealing with here?

Once you are clear about your fear, you must now get a better understanding of the consequences you are experiencing resulting from this problem. Ask yourself:

What is the fear preventing me from doing?

What is the fear preventing me from becoming?

What will happen if I do nothing about it?

What is the fear costing me emotionally, spiritually, financially, and in other ways?

The reason we ask these questions is to create emotional pain [see: pain pleasure principle]. The pain is designed to provide you with enough leverage to force you to make a change. In fact, the more pain you are able to generate at this stage, the more motivation you will have, to turn your fear into a passion for change and a desire to take positive action [see: unstoppable motivation].

Finally, at this stage you may also want to ask yourself one other question:

Why must I overcome this fear?

Think of as many reasons as you can as to why you must overcome this fear today. The more legitimate reasons you come up with, the more emotional leverage you will gain to take the desired actions to eliminate your fear. However, yet again, don’t just ask the question once, but rather ask it many times. This is important, because each time you ask this question you will get a slightly different answer. And the more answers you have, the more emotional leverage you will build.

Once you have built enough emotional leverage, you are ready to move onto the next stage.

2. Imagine

Having defined your problem and identified the consequences, it’s now time to imagine a life without this fear. Take time now to ask yourself:

What am I trying to accomplish?

How will things be different once this fear is gone?

What will I be able to do, be, have and achieve?

What is important here is that you gain clarity on what it is exactly that you would like to accomplish.

It’s all well-and-good to want to overcome a fear, but in the end, you want to overcome this fear because you have a desire to achieve or accomplish a specific goal. Well, if that’s the case, than you must be very clear about what it is you would like to accomplish. You are therefore in essence setting a goal [see: smart goals and grow model].

At this stage it’s also important to let your mind run-free and imagine how extraordinary your life will be without this fear. You can do this through the process of visualization, or simply by writing out your desired reality on a sheet of paper [see: visualization and affirmation].

Within the previous stage you were building a pushing-force that pushed you away from the negative consequences of your fear. What you are doing at this stage is building a pulling-force — something that will pull you towards your desired outcome. Both these forces are necessary to build the leverage you need to help you overcome your fear.

3. Illuminate

Now, that you have enough leverage behind you to push and pull you towards your desired outcome, let’s now take a closer look at your past and current reality — this will help you to get a better understanding of your fear and how it took form.

Origin of Fear

Let’s first take a look at the origins of your fear by asking the following questions:

How did this fear originate?

When did this fear begin?

How long has this fear persisted?

These questions are important because they help you to illuminate when and where this fear cropped up in your life. Being clear here may help you to gain better insights, solutions and ideas that will assist with eliminating your fear within the later stages of the fear elimination process.

Past Experience

It’s very likely that you have probably experienced this fear before. If this is true, than ask yourself the following questions:

Have I experienced this fear before?

How did I overcome the fear?

How did I fail to overcome my fear?

It’s important to learn the lessons from your past that will help you better manage your fear in the present moment. To do this think about your successes, failures and mistakes. Think about how you approached this fear in the past, and consider what worked or didn’t work for you. The answers to these questions will provide you with valuable insights that will help you to tackle your fear in the present moment.

Now that you understand your past reality, let’s now take a look at your current reality as it relates to the fear or problem you are experiencing.

Fear Triggers

The first thing we want to look at are your triggers. Triggers are the things that set-off your fear. These triggers could be people, things, words, experiences, a particular situation, etc.

To unlock triggers, ask yourself the following questions:

When do I feel this fear?

Under what circumstances?

What specifically triggers this fear in me?

Once you are clear about what it is that sets-off your fear, it’s now time to look at how much control you have over your fears.

Level of Control

It’s important to identify how much of the circumstances surrounding the fear we actually control. At times this might be significant, while at other times we might find that we have very little control. Either way it’s important to become clear by separating real from the imagined circumstances [see: law of control]. Ask yourself:

What aspects of this fear do I control?

What aspects don’t I control?

Are these real or simply imagined?

How could I potentially gain control over these things?

The more control you have over aspects of your fear and the circumstances surrounding your fear, the more confidence you will gain, and the more likely you are to eliminate your fear during the next stage of the fear elimination process. Also keep in mind that when it comes down to it, what you control is your response to events and circumstances (triggers). And this is where change always begins — within your own psyche.

Identify Obstacles

Considering now that you understand how much control you have over your fear, let’s now take a look at the obstacles that could stand in your way as you work towards overcoming this fear. Ask yourself:

What are the biggest obstacles standing in my way?

How will I overcome these obstacles?

Many times our fears overwhelm us because we fail to plan ahead for potential challenges. These obstacles breed uncertainty and cause us to doubt ourselves and our own abilities [see: overcoming doubt]. Therefore, the more clarity you have about possible obstacles that you may come across along this journey, the more likely you are to succeed in eliminating whatever it is that you fear [see: overcoming obstacles].

Identify Resources

Finally, having clarified your triggers, levels of control and obstacles, it’s now important to identify the resources you have on hand that may help you to overcome the obstacles you will face along this journey. Ask yourself:

What resources do I have that could be of value here?

How could I use them to assist me?

Your resources may include your strengths, skills, tools, support network, etc. Use your resource list as a support mechanism to help you eliminate the fear you are experiencing [see: life resources list].

4. Transform

We now come to the best part of the fear elimination process. In my mind it’s the best part because this is where the fun begins, where we begin shifting our perspective and understanding of our fears in creative ways [see: creative thinking].

The purpose of the transformation stage is to open your mind to possibilities that you may never have considered before. It’s all about expanding your creative capacity and pushing the boundaries of what you believed was possible.

Many times, we experience fears because we have a set of limiting beliefs clinging onto each of these fears. These limiting beliefs create resistance, and prevent us from moving forward [see: limiting beliefs].

One of the best ways to overcome these limiting beliefs is to ask questions that will help you to challenge the fears you are experiencing. Ask yourself:

Does this fear make any sense?

How is this fear absolutely crazy and absurd?

As a matter a fact, what is funny about this fear that I hadn’t realized before?

Keep asking these questions over and over again to help weaken the beliefs that are supporting your fear. The more answers you are able to generate, the more likely you are to loosen the grip that your fear has over your life.

Another way to shift your perspective and transform your understanding of your fear is to utilize lenses. This basically involves putting yourself into someone (or something) else’s shoes and developing a plan of action to overcome the fear from their perspective. For instance, take your fear and ask yourself the following set of questions:

How would I approach this fear from the perspective of an artist? Politician? Entrepreneur? Scientist?

How would I approach this fear if I were Bugs Bunny? Harry Potter? James Bond? Steve Jobs? Richard Branson?

What’s the first step I would take to overcome this fear?

What’s the next step I would take?

By consciously taking time to use these lenses to shift your perspective and understanding of how to overcome your fear, you effectively free your mind from the constraints of its own limited thinking processes. As a result you will be able to think more broadly without any limitations. Moreover, any limiting beliefs that may still be holding you back, will be released and will become insignificant while you’re working through each of these lenses.

In the end it’s critical that you build a solid plan of action to move you towards your desired outcome by using one or more of these lenses [see: plan of action]. If anything, they will help you to expand your understanding of what’s possible if you commit 100% to your desired outcome.

5. Execute

The final stage of the fear elimination process is to take action. However, early on, it’s important you do this using small steps, otherwise you risk pulling yourself back into your comfort zone [see: comfort zone].

Likewise it’s important to understand that success with anything isn’t a straight path. It may in fact take several attempts, and you may often veer off course. However, as long as you stay committed to the outcome you desire to have in your life, and you have enough leverage behind you to move you to take the necessary action; sooner or later — as long as you keep moving forward — you will eliminate your fear and experience the life you desire to live.

Concluding Thoughts

There is no doubt that you will make mistakes along the way, you’re human after all. Mistakes are there to be made. As long as you learn from them, adapt and keep moving forward, you will eventually get to your desired destination.

John Maxwell once said that:

The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.

Eliminating fear from your life is possible the moment you let go of the fear of making a mistake. To do this you must understand that life is a journey of self-discovery, of new experiences and of uncertainty. The uncertainty you experience is what makes life fun, exciting and exhilarating. It’s what living is all about, and it’s the reason why our fears are not to be avoided, but rather to be understood and acted upon.

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Introduction

There are many great books you could read about success and achievement. However, who really has the time to read all these books? Sometimes we get so caught up in reading and trying to learn and retain all this information that we forget about actually “doing” and taking the necessary actions that will help us achieve our goals and objectives.

There is no denying that success requires a combination of many different elements that must come together in a specific way [see: mastermind matrix]. Without these elements we may very well struggle to overcome the setbacks and challenges that life blesses us with. It would of course be very difficult to pinpoint exactly what every single individual requires to achieve their desired outcomes since we are all unique in our own way and have very different circumstances that are specific to our personal experiences. However, there are certain factors that are absolutely essential and critical to any worthwhile cause. For the purposes of this article, we will call these factors “The Pillars of Success”.

These pillars include:

• Removing limiting beliefs that are preventing you from moving forward [see: belief transformation].
• Adopting new habits and routines that will help boost your productivity [see: habit transformation].
• Identifying and making the best use of the resources you have at your disposal [see: building resource list].
• Recognizing and utilizing your strengths and the skills you will need to achieve your objectives [see: strengths and weaknesses].
• Taking charge of your emotions in a proactive manner — making them work for you rather than against you [see: emotional mastery].
• Finding ways to motivate yourself to take the necessary actions to achieve your goals [see: unstoppable motivation].
• Setting goals and objectives consistently in the right way to help keep you on track [see: smart goals].
• Cultivating a mindset that is naturally aligned with the outcomes you want to achieve [see: qualities of success].

These are the pillars of success and the key critical factors that we must focus on in order to improve our chances of succeeding in any field of endeavor.

As with all things, it’s important to keep in mind the 80/20 Rule which states that 80% of your actions will lead to 20% of your results. Likewise, 20% of your actions will lead to 80% of your results. These pillars are not comprehensive by any stretch of the imagination, however what they represent is the 20% of actions that you must take to help you attain 80% of the results you desire to create in your life. By consistently focusing on the highest impact activities, will help you to accelerate your results in a dramatic way.

Let us now begin by breaking down the first pillar of success.

Transforming Your Beliefs

Our beliefs are so powerful that they literally blind us to other perspectives of reality. This is good news for some, however it’s very disheartening news for others who are riddled with limiting beliefs that are preventing them from achieving their goals and objectives.

Identify Your Limiting Beliefs

The first step to any transformational process is to identify and acknowledge that we are riddled with limiting beliefs.

Have a think about the ways you label yourself or how others label you. Do they label you as lazy, unreliable, as worthless or shy? What do they say about your specifically? And more importantly, what do you believe without question?

These “labels” you accept about yourself are causing you to think and act in a certain way, triggering a chain reaction of behaviors, which consequently attract the events and circumstances in your life that you are experiencing at this very moment.

Consider also personal beliefs that you have about different areas of your life. For instance, what beliefs do you have about…

• Your work and career?
• Your health and well-being?
• Your family, friends and relationships?
• Your money and finances?
• Your learning and self-development?
• Your role as a parent or partner?
• Your personal success?
• Your life in general? etc.

Simply ask:

What limiting beliefs do I have about each of these areas?

What specifically must I believe in each of these areas in order to have the life I currently live on a daily basis?

What do I believe about my relationships in order experience these arguments and conflicts?

What do I believe about my finances in order to experience all these hardships?

Spend about 30 to 60 minutes identifying all the limiting beliefs you have within these areas of your life. The more thorough you are the deeper layers you will uncover, and the greater your chances of moving beyond these beliefs in the future.

How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs

There are a number of things you can do that will help you overcome the limiting beliefs we discussed above. Here are some ideas that may assist you:

• Create doubt by questioning the validity of your beliefs: How is this belief absurd and ridiculous?
• Transform your language, thoughts and perspective about these beliefs [see: language patterns].
• Consciously control your habitual reactions and responses to events and circumstances that might trigger your beliefs.
• Identify negative long-term consequences of your beliefs in order to create enough pain to motivate you to take action [see: pain and pleasure principle].

For more information about overcoming limiting beliefs, please see the Belief Transformation IQ Matrix.

Cultivating Empowering Beliefs

Once you have weakened your limiting beliefs you’re now ready to begin cultivating empowering beliefs that will move you forward with greater momentum towards your goals and objectives. First you must ask yourself:

What empowering belief must I begin to cultivate that will make a positive difference in my life?

What must I believe in each area of my life in order to attain my goals and objectives?

What would I need to believe in order to have already achieved all my goals and objectives?

These questions will help you to identify the most important beliefs that will assist you to move forward with your life. However, to finish off this section I will leave you with 10 empowering beliefs that you might not have thought about cultivating. Each of these will help you expand what is possible in every area of your life:

• I already have all I need to succeed within me.
• I am in charge of my life and circumstances.
• Failure strengthens and empowers me.
• I can make tomorrow better than today.
• Every minute is another chance to turn it all around.
• There’s a lot of opportunity around me, always!
• I don’t need other people’s approval to succeed.
• Hard work and perseverance always pays off in the end.
• Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and grow.
• Setbacks are only temporary.

First memorize, then cultivate these beliefs as you go about your day, and you will lay down a very strong foundation that will help you breakthrough all the obstacles and challenges that life throws your way [see: overcoming obstacles].

Transforming Your Habits

Almost everything we do results from a habit or routine that we have developed over a lifetime. Some of these habits are positive and empowering, however many might very well be sabotaging your success [see: self-sabotage patterns]. Ask yourself:

Which of my daily habits are helpful and productive?

Which of my daily habits are hurtful and prevent me from getting what I want from my life?

Let’s now break down the type of habits/behaviors that we should look at cultivating on a daily basis, and the type of habits/behaviors we must avoid at all costs if we desire to achieve our goals and objectives.

Limiting Behaviors to Avoid

Here is a list of the limiting behaviors we must avoid at all costs:

• Procrastination [see: overcoming procrastination]
• Perfectionism [see: overcoming perfectionism]
• Closed mindedness
• Seeking comfort [see: expanding comfort zone]
• Indecision [see: decision making]
• Excessive eating, drinking and socializing
• Excessive TV watching
• Lack of focus
• Disorganization
• Laziness
• Making excuses [see: life of excuses]
• Instant gratification

Empowering Behaviors to Cultivate

Here is a list of empowering behaviors we must look at cultivating on a daily basis:

• Waking early
• Self-discipline
• Self-reflection
• Patience
• Persistence [see: never give up]
• Healthy eating [see: pillars of health]
• Helping people
• Sound financial management practices [see: financial management]
• Regular meditation and relaxation
• Regular exercise — especially high intensity interval training (HIIT)
• Continuous improvement by studying mentors, learning from mistakes and reading books [see: lifelong learning]
• Sleeping soundly and adequately [see: better sleep]. (certain limiting habits may interfere with this process)

Keep in mind that these lists are by no means exhaustive. In fact, please feel free to add your own limiting and empowering habits/behaviors to the lists.

Make a Decision to Change

Finally, before you make a decision to change any habit or behavior you must acknowledge that you are actually ready and willing to make a change. To do this, admit to yourself that:

• These behaviors must change…
• I must be the one to change them…
• I am capable of changing them starting today…

The moment you identify the habits/behaviors that are preventing you from living the life you want, is the moment you can begin cultivating new empowering behaviors that will lead you down a better path filled with more opportunities and fulfillment.

Building Your Resources

Once your beliefs and habits are in order, now comes time to take stock of yourself and identify the resources you have at your disposal that will help you to secure the things you want most in life [see: life resource list].

A resource is anything you can make use of to help you achieve your desired outcomes.

For the purpose of this discussion I have divided the resources into several categories. As you read over each of these categories ask yourself:

What specific resources do I have in this category?

What resources might be missing that could help me achieve my desired outcomes?

How could I go about acquiring these missing resources?

How can I make the best use of the resources I have to achieve my goals and objectives?

Resource List Categories

Here is a list of resources that you potentially have at your disposal to help you achieve your desired outcomes:

• Support from family, friends, mentors and colleagues [see: perceptual influence].
• Important skills developed over a lifetime.
• Emotional anchors that help enhance passion, creativity, persistence or motivation [see: anchoring].
• Empowering language including motivating quotes, power words, affirmations, etc [see: language patterns].
• Solution focused questions to ask yourself in times of need [see: strategic questions].
• Critical qualities or traits [see: qualities of success].
• Empowering beliefs about self, life and others [see: belief transformation].
• Access to relevant information from websites and books.
• Access to knowledge from experience and past successes and mistakes.
• Access to technology to help you achieve your goals.
• Time available to work on your goals [see: time management].

Of course knowing what goals you want to achieve is absolutely essential as you go about building your resource list. We will therefore discuss this in more detail a little later within this article.

I personally like to keep a notebook of the resources I have at my disposal. It’s somewhat a book of inspiration, where I make note of all the things that I can use to help me achieve my goals or overcome the obstacles that life throws my way [see: overcoming obstacles]. I keep adding to it on a weekly basis with relevant resources that I acquire over time. I’ve found it very helpful, and I hope it can also be helpful for you as well.

Identify Your Skills & Strengths

Having identified your resource list, it’s important now to go a little deeper and pinpoint the strengths and skills that you have at your disposal that you might like to utilize to achieve your goals and objectives. Let’s begin by taking a look at your skill-set.

Skills Required for Success

Have a think about the skills that you have at your disposal and the skills you have acquired over a lifetime that could help you move in a better direction. Ask yourself:

What specific skills do I currently have at my disposal that will help me achieve my desired outcomes?

What critical new skills must I master to achieve my goals and objectives?

How will I go about developing these skills?

Where must I begin?

Once you have asked these questions, immediately take action and start developing the skills you will need to attain your goals and objectives.

Essential Life Skills

No matter what your goals, there are certain skills that are absolutely essential and necessary. Some will of course be more applicable to your circumstances than others, however all of them are extremely useful and relevant in their own right.

As you go over each of these lists, rate your personal level of proficiency in each of these areas out of 10 and ask yourself how relevant each of these skills is to the attainment of your personal goals and objectives.

Thinking Skills

• Decision Making [see: decision making]
• Problem Solving [see: problem solving]
• Creative Thinking [see: creative thinking]
• Critical Thinking [see: critical thinking]
• Accelerated Learning [see: 7 intelligences and sensory learning]
• Memory Enhancement [see: improving memory]

Social Skills

• Personal Influence [see: personal influence]
• Persuasion [see: psychology of persuasion]
• Leadership [see: extraordinary leadership]
• Public Speaking [see: public speaking]
• Relationship Building [see: loving relationship]
• Negotiation [see: negotiation strategies]
• Networking [see: professional networking]
• Parenting [see: sensible parenting]
• Motivating People [see: unstoppable motivation]

Personal Skills

• Goal Setting [see: grow model or SMART goal setting]
• Time Management [see: time management]
• Emotional Intelligence [see: emotional mastery]
• Financial Management [see: financial intelligence or money management]
• Accelerated Reading [see: accelerated reading]
• Weight Management [see: weight-management]
• Productivity
• Organization Skills

Having read over these skills, feel free to add others to the list that are relevant to your life and circumstances.

Identifying Your Strengths

Your strengths are like the deep thick roots of a tree stump that secure it to the ground against the harsh forces of nature. Moreover, your strengths are your “superpower” abilities that you can call forth at your time of need to help you breakthrough problems and obstacles. Hence, it’s absolutely critical that you become aware and recognize your best assets because sooner or later you will need them to help you overcome the challenges that life throws your way [see: overcoming obstacles]. Ask yourself:

What are my real strengths?

What skills have I developed to a high level of proficiency?

What talents do I have that I can utilize to help me achieve my goals?

Which of my qualities have helped me overcome great odds and setbacks in the past?

What knowledge do I have that is essential in helping me achieve my desired outcomes?

What activities am I good at that could help me achieve my objectives?

What personal habits or behaviors will assist me along my journey?

All of the strengths you list here should essentially be added to the resource list we spoke about in the previous section. The more resources you add to this list, the more you will grow in confidence [see: raising self-esteem], and the more likely you are to take the necessary actions to achieve your goals and objectives.

Overcoming Your Weaknesses

On the opposite side of the coin we have our weaknesses. These are simply areas of our lives that we haven’t had an opportunity to develop or work-on. We might have neglected these areas of our lives for one reason or another, or they simply weren’t important or necessary for us to focus on at the time. As such we call them weaknesses, however they are by no means insurmountable obstacles that we simply won’t be able to overcome.

Just like with anything that we’re unfamiliar with, it simply takes a little time to learn and familiarize ourselves with a new skill or way of doing something. Over time and with a little effort it will become a habit, and subsequently maybe even a strength.

Take time now to identify your weaknesses in terms of your skills, qualities, knowledge, behaviors, etc, that are essential to the attainment of your goals. What are they specifically?

Having now identified your weaknesses, ask yourself:

How can I best overcome these limitations?

Who could possibly assist me in these areas?

What resources and knowledge might I need to help me overcome them?

What experience might I need to gain in order to become more confident in these areas?

How can I use my strengths to help me overcome my weaknesses?

What potential opportunities can be found within my weaknesses?

Keep in mind that you don’t always need to overcome your weaknesses. You simply need to build the right support mechanism that will help you gain the necessary leverage you need to move beyond areas you’ve had little to no experience. By constantly asking for help, you will eventually find the answers you are looking for [see: strengths and weaknesses].

Taking Charge of Your Emotions

To be human is to experience a plethora of incredible emotions that add to the depth of our life experience. However, many times we wrongly interpret our emotions or we are simply unable to deal with them in an effective manner, which consequently leads us down a deep dark spiral of despair [see: emotional mastery].

Emotions are nothing more than our interpretations of reality. Things don’t just happen to us. We rather interpret what happens to us in our own unique way and therefore experience a corresponding emotion. This emotion will then be perceived as bad or good, as helpful or hurtful, as productive or unproductive based on our own personal interpretations.

When it comes to our emotions there’s absolutely no doubt that they can either “make us” or “break us”. We are emotional creatures after all. However, as emotional creatures we have a responsibility to take time to learn and manage our emotional patterns accordingly so that they work for us rather than against us. Therefore don’t get caught up in events or circumstances that don’t pan out as you had hoped for. Instead take control of your emotional responses and you will soon take charge of your life.

Identifying Limiting Emotions

Here is a list of ten categories of limiting emotions that Anthony Robbins identified. Keep in mind that on the surface these emotions do seem limiting and disempowering, however it’s never the emotion that’s limiting or disempowering, it’s rather our interpretation of the emotion and how we respond accordingly.

• Hurt
• Anger [see: anger management]
• Fear [see: overcoming fear] (anxiety, panic, worry) [see: overcoming worry]
• Guilt
• Loneliness
• Frustration [see: overcoming frustration]
• Discomfort (embarrassment, impatience, boredom)
• Overwhelm [see: beating overwhelm] (grief, depression, stress) [see: stress management]
• Disappointment [see: overcoming disappointment]
• Inadequacy

Identify which of the emotions listed above you experience on a weekly basis. Once identified have a look at the Emotional Mastery IQ Matrix for suggestions on how to deal with them more effectively.

The Meaning of Your Emotions

All emotions are helpful and assist us to learn more about ourselves and the current circumstances we are dealing with. In fact, all emotions have a hidden meaning and message that if understood, can guide us in the right direction — naturally reducing friction and moving us forward to our desired outcomes.

Finally, keep in mind that all limiting emotions signify that there’s something not working, that you must change something, or that you must start thinking differently about the situation at hand. Therefore when experiencing these emotions you must immediately take action in a positive and proactive manner that moves you closer to the thing you want.

Cultivating Empowering Emotions

There are certain emotions, that if cultivated correctly can lead to a far more fulfilling and rewarding lifestyle. Here they are listed in no particular order:

• Hope
• Passion
• Joy
• Love [see: language of love]
• Fascination
• Appreciation
• Happiness [see: keys to happiness]
• Gratitude
• Excitement
• Confidence [see: boosting self-esteem]

Each day, take time to bring these emotions into your life in ways that will transform your life and the life of those around you. Not only will this bring greater pleasure to your experience, but it will also help put you in a state of mind that will assist in the achievement of your goals and objectives.

Finding Unstoppable Motivation

Motivation is an absolute necessity for long-term success. With it, the journey is much more pleasant and fun, however without it everything you do can seem like a chore that places ever heavier burden on your shoulders.

What Does Motivation Require?

In order to achieve sustained levels of motivation you need to cultivate the following qualities:

• Responsibility
• Determination [see: resilient willpower]
• Discipline
• Optimism [see: positive mental attitude]
• Enthusiasm

In addition to the above qualities, motivation also requires high levels of energy. Energy is a natural outcropping of motivation, however if we don’t look after our health for instance [see: pillars of health] or live a very destructive habitual lifestyle [see: habit transformation], than our levels of energy will be very low no matter how motivated we are to achieve our goals and objectives.

How to Enhance Your Motivation Levels

There are many things that we can do that will help us immediately enhance our levels of energy and thusly our levels of motivation [see: unstoppable motivation]. Here are five suggestions:

• Laughter [see: how to be funny]
• Diaphragmatic Breathing
• Empowering Physiology [see: physiology of excellence]
• Healthy Lifestyle/Living
• Goal Setting [see: smart goals]

How to Deplete Your Motivation Levels

There are many things we do and emotions we experience that will immediately deplete our levels of energy and thusly our levels of motivation [see: abundant energy]. Here are a number of emotions to avoid:

• Pessimism [see: murphy’s law]
• Anger [see: anger management]
• Depression [see: beating depression]
• Fear [see: overcoming fear]
• Grief
• Sadness [see: overcoming disappointment]
• Stress [see: overcoming stress]
• Resentfulness
• Loneliness
• Jealousy
• Guilt

For further guidelines on how to enhance your levels of motivation, please see the Unstoppable Motivation IQ Matrix.

Goal Setting for Success

Goal setting in the traditional sense might not be essential for success. However, goal setting of some kind is absolutely necessary as it will help you focus on the most important things that are required to achieve your desired outcomes.

I’ve already published two articles about goal setting [see: goal setting and grow model], therefore I won’t go into much detail here, but rather provide a rough outline of what is required to set goals effectively.

Set Your Goals Carefully

There are two types of goals that you should be setting. The first are your Visionary Goals [see: personal legend]. These goals are focused on your long-term objectives. They will stretch your thinking and motivate you to keep moving forward despite any problems or obstacles that may arise along the way.

The second type of goals that we must set are known as Activity Goals. These goals are focused on daily and weekly actions that you must take in order to attain your Visionary Goals. They are tasks and projects that you work on consistently in order to move you forward step-by-step towards the attainment of the bigger picture [see: thinking big].

Many times we set goals that we simply do not end up achieving. There are many reasons why this occurs including low levels of motivation, not enough resources, limiting beliefs, unhelpful habits, inferior level of skill, lack of knowledge, experience or even emotional turmoil. Literally everything we have discussed thus far can cause stagnation when it comes to goal achievement and as a result it can sabotage your success [see: self-sabotage].

However, if all the above mentioned self-sabotage sources are not responsible, than you must make sure that when you set your goals that they ALWAYS meet the following criteria:

• My goals are timed: they have a definite start and end date.
• My goals are focused: they are directed upon one main clear objective.
• My goals are optimistic: they focus me on what I want to do, be, have, and achieve.
• My goals are challenging: they stretch my capabilities, skills and talents.
• My goals are attainable: they are challenging, however given my resources and capabilities they are most definitely within my reach.
• My goals are believable: I actually believe that I can achieve them. This suggests that my goals are challenging yet attainable at the same time.
• My goals are realistic: the time frame I have stipulated for the achievement of this goals is realistic given my resources and capabilities.
• My goals are ecological: the achievement of these goals does not interfere with other goals or other areas of my life in a negative way.
• My goals are specific: I have laid out exactly what I want to achieve specifically and accurately taking all factors into consideration.
• My goals are measurable: I can consistently measure my progress and journey towards the achievement of my goals.
• My goals are written: I have clearly written down my goals on paper where I can refer to them on a daily basis.

Develop a System & Plan of Action

Once you have clearly laid out your goals, it’s now time to sit down and lay out a plan of action [see: plan of action] that you will follow in a flexible manner towards the attainment of your objectives.

Here are some important guidelines that will help you draw up a thorough plan of action:

• Focus on the BIG rocks by taking into account the most important things you need to do to achieve your desired outcomes.
• Reverse Engineer your goals by seeing yourself having already achieved your goals in the future, then working step-by-step backwards from that point until you reach the present moment. Always ask yourself: What did I do specifically to achieve this particular outcome?
• Schedule daily objectives and tasks.
• Account for possible obstacle that you could confront along the way.
• Account for possible resources that you may require.
• Identify the support you may need from others.

Above all else, make sure that you stay flexible and adapt to changing conditions and circumstances. There’s no point in drawing up an inflexible plan of action that doesn’t take into account new information or unexpected events that may take place. Therefore always be transforming your approach when required to help you get back on track. In the end it doesn’t matter how you get to your end destination, as long as you get there in the end.

In addition to the plan of action, it’s also important to develop a system for tracking the progress you make towards your goals. This is important to help motivate and keep you on track and moving in the right direction.

Find Your Motivating Forces

As discussed in the previous section, motivation is absolutely critical for long-term success. Therefore when it comes to goal setting it’s important that you keep your levels of motivation as high as possible in order to keep yourself moving forward. One way you can do this is to create an award’s system where you periodically reward yourself for reaching specific milestones along your journey.

Make Sure Goal Congruency Exists

Finally, above all else you must ensure that your goals are 100% aligned and congruent with your beliefs, priorities, lifestyle, personal standards, values [see: value transformation], and with other goals that you have set. This is absolutely critical because conflicts can lead to self-sabotage [see: self-sabotage], which can lead to sub-par results and outcomes. Ask yourself:

Do I have any limiting beliefs that conflict with the goals I want to achieve?

Given my current priorities, do I even have time to achieve my goals within the time frame I have set?

Does my current lifestyle compliment my goals, or will there be friction?

Will I need to raise my standards to new levels in order to achieve my goals?

Do any of my values conflict with the outcomes I want to achieve?

Do I have any other goals that may conflict with the achievement of these goals?

What other conflicts could potentially exist that may sabotage my progress?

Once you have identified all the conflicts, you must now decide to take action in one of three ways:

• Transform all relevant areas of your life to match your goals.
• Adjust your goals accordingly to match your lifestyle, priorities, values, standards, beliefs, etc.
• Set new goals that are more congruent and aligned with all the factors we have discussed above.

This can be a hard choice to make, however we have to be honest with ourselves, otherwise we will continue to sabotage our own success.

The Success Centered Mindset

Finally, lets discuss how to think and approach events and circumstances more effectively in ways that will help you to better achieve your goals and objectives.

How to Attract Good Fortune

Many people may very well believe that some individuals are simply more fortunate than others, and that is why they have accumulated all this wealth and achieved great success and recognition for their endeavors. I personally believe that this is nothing more than a lame excuse [see: life of excuses] that results from ignorance and misunderstanding.

Attracting good fortune into your life is not so much based on luck but rather on science — psychological science [see: luck factor]. The people who have an incredible amount of luck only seem lucky because they do the right things at the right time in the right way. Whether they realize what they’re doing or not, could very well be based on random experience or knowledge that they have gained. However, the specific things they’re doing can be modeled and replicated by anyone [see: psychological modeling] — therefore dramatically enhancing their chances of success (luck).

Here is the real reason why some people are simply luckier than others:

• They work smarter.
• They are more flexible and creative in their approach to changing conditions and circumstances.
• They take calculated risks.
• They model people who have succeeded before them.
• They build a strong network of contacts and personal relationships that last a lifetime [see: professional networking and personal influence].

This list is by no means comprehensive. In fact, it only scratches the surface. Please read the Luck Factor IQ Matrix for more information.

Asking the Right Questions

One of the most important factors that separates the highest achievers from the rest of us, comes down to the questions they ask themselves on a consistent basis [see: strategic life questions]. The highest achievers ask questions that focus them on ideal outcomes, solutions and answers [see: keys to success]. Most other people aren’t even consciously aware they are asking question. It’s a pity, because most of these questions — most of the time — are focused on what they don’t want, which for most people comes down to problems, mistakes, and their perceived “bad luck”.

In order to shift your way of thinking, you must begin by asking questions that will move you towards what you want and away from what you don’t want. For instance, when confronted with a problem or sudden setback, try asking the following questions for a change:

How can I best overcome this challenge?

How could this problem serve me?

How else can I view this situation?

What opportunities am I not seeing at the moment?

What resources could help me overcome this?

What can I learn from these circumstances?

What’s the best way forward from here?

Am I asking the right questions?

Give it a go and ask these questions the next time you’re confronted with a problem, and find out for yourself firsthand the power of effective questioning tactics.

Dealing with Adversity

The highest achievers have an uncanny ability to deal with adversity in a proactive and productive manner [see: never give up]. Not only do they keep their composure, but they also approach problems creatively [see: creative thinking] while meticulously taking into account all possible outcomes before making a final decision or taking action [see: decision making].

For more information about how to overcome adversity see Overcoming Obstacles and Resilient Willpower IQ Matrix.

Cultivating the Right Attitude

In order to achieve success we must first begin to truly appreciate everything that we have. This appreciation comes from being grateful for the smallest of things that are currently making an impact on our lives. Really take time to ask yourself what you’re most grateful for and cherish these experiences to motivate you to move forward with a positive frame of mind.

When it comes to our “attitude”, we always hear that it’s important to think positively. However, if we only think positively than we tend not to notice all the problems that are creeping their way into our lives. Therefore we must begin today by thinking optimistically yet realistically [see: attitude transformation]. This way we are always focused on solutions, however we do not blind ourselves from noticing the problems and challenges that we must deal with along our journey towards our goals and objectives.

The Language of Achievement

The words we speak aloud unlock the thoughts we cultivate on a daily basis. Likewise our thoughts reflect our attitude, and our attitude is expressed through our words and body language [see: physiology of excellence]. Therefore as our attitude shifts, we begin transforming our language in positive ways as well.

If you desire to be successful in any field of endeavor, than you must consciously begin transforming your language patterns [see: language patterns] to ensure that they’re directing you towards the outcomes you desire, and not towards an avalanche of excuses and problems [see: life of excuses].

Final Thoughts

If you’ve read this far, than I congratulate you You are one of the very few people who have had the discipline to see this article through to the end. Hopefully this also means that you are one of those rare people who also follows through on the promises you make to yourself to achieve your goals and objectives as well.

This article and accompanying mind map wasn’t meant to answer all your questions about what it takes to be a high achiever, however I do hope that you take a look at the related links scattered within the article, as they will provide you with much more relevant in-depth information and ideas that can help you along your journey.

I wish you the greatest of success and luck along your path towards your goals and objectives. But I suppose you won’t need luck, since it’s already a part of you

Please also don’t forget to download the free Pillars of Success mind map and eBook.

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Introduction

Have you ever felt miserable or depressed? At the time did you pay attention to your body? How was it moving? How was it positioned? What were your eyes focusing on? What kind of gestures did you make? How were you breathing? What sort of facial expressions did you make? Were you even conscious of these signals? Or did you simply not care to give it any attention? If you paid little to no attention to your physiology at the time, than you clearly missed out on an incredible opportunity to unlock the creation of your emotional experience.

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What is Physiology?

Your state of mind is intrinsically connected to your physiology. In fact the two are so closely intertwined that slight changes in one can lead to significant changes in the other.

Physiology is a broad term that refers to:

• Movement of the body
• Gestures made
• Posture
• Eye gaze or focus
• Rate and depth of breathing
• Level of muscle tension
• Facial expressions
• Position of limbs
• Alignment of spine and head

The Mind-Body Connection

The mind reflects your physiology by responding to its levels of tension, rate of breath, speed of movement, and to your attention and focus. Likewise your body mirrors your thoughts, feelings, mood, and responds to your state of mind, the questions you ask [see: strategic questions] and the words you speak on a daily basis [see: language patterns]. Both are intrinsically connected and intertwined in an intimate dance that lasts a lifetime.

What Does All This Mean?

If the mind and body are intrinsically connected — meaning that one has a direct affect on the other — than it poses the argument that if we directly and consciously take control of one, that it will directly influence and transform the other. Therefore by taking the time to purposefully adjust how you use your body will immediately influence your state of mind, and could likewise dramatically transform the course of your decisions and actions.

The Physiological Experiment

To prove how powerful this can be, follow along and participate in the following physiological experiment.

In a moment I will ask you to experiment by adopting two states that are on opposite sides of the emotional spectrum. The first state is depression [see: beating depression] and the second state is confidence [see: raising self-esteem]. Take time now to experience each of these states separately by adjusting your physiology accordingly with the following guidelines. Please be sure to spend at least 2 minutes experiencing each emotional state exactly as described.

Experiencing a State of Depression

• Think about your problems and mistakes.
• Speak slowly, methodically and in a monotone voice.
• Walk rigidly and slowly while shuffling your feet.
• Make sure you slouch your shoulders, sink down in your posture and feel the tension building up in your body.
• Breathe in a shallow, uneven manner using your upper chest.
• Make sure that your eyes are looking down and have a very narrow range of focus.
• Wear a disheartening frown on your face

Before switching to the next emotional state, shake your body out from head to toe for 10 seconds.

Experiencing a State of Confidence

• Think optimistically about solutions and positive outcomes.
• Speak passionately with increased volume and tempo.
• Walk quickly with purpose ensuring that your back and shoulders are straight and that you’re moving your body freely.
• Make sure to utilize gentle gestures and walk lightly on your feet.
• Breathe using your abdomen evenly and deeply.
• Make sure your eyes are looking forward and that you are utilizing your peripheral vision.
• Wear a cheeky grin on your face

Now that you have experimented with both states, what’s your verdict? How did each emotional state feel? Was there a distinct difference between the two states? What role did your body play in helping you transform your state of mind?

If you completed the experiment correctly you probably realized how small changes to your physiology can dramatically transform your state of mind. We actually make these shifts and changes all the time without even thinking about them. Maybe from this moment onwards we can do them proactively, consciously and with purpose.

Find Your Peak State

The most successful people in the world [see: success secrets], whether in business, sports or any other career path are at their best when they are working from within their optimal peak state. This “state” means different things to different people. It’s therefore important to identify the peak state that is right for you — allowing you to work to your highest potential at any one moment in time.

Here are some guidelines that will help you find your peak state:

Cultivate Awareness

Start by becoming aware of your thoughts, emotions and current frame of mind. Also pay attention to your “focus” and how you perceive things and circumstances. This awareness will help you gain deep insights into your current state of mind, while assisting you with your search for your peak optimal state.

Extend Awareness to Physical Body

Now, begin extending your awareness to your physical body. Ask yourself:

How does my body feel?

How am I sitting or standing?

What is my body doing?

This awareness will help you manage your body more effectively as you strive to maintain an optimal state of mind.

Cultivate Empowering Traits

There are certain traits and characteristics that are naturally conducive to bringing forth an optimal state of mind. For instance by taking time to cultivate charisma, passion, enthusiasm, curiosity, optimism [see: positive mental attitude], patience and persistence [see: resilient willpower] will instantly help empower your thoughts and transform how you utilize your body on a daily basis.

To begin cultivating each of these states simply ask yourself:

How would I use my body if I was filled with passion or enthusiasm?

How would I use my body if I was curious and fascinated about my problems?

How would I use my body if I had an incredible amount of patience?

How would I use my body if I was the most charismatic person alive?

What would I say to myself?

What would I focus on?

How would I focus on things?

What gestures would I make?

How would I breathe?

What would I think about?

How would I walk?

How would I talk?

How would I interact with others?

What kinds of decisions would I make?

What kinds of actions would I take?

How would I look?

Focus on the Positives

It’s very easy for us to get completely absorbed in our day-to-day problems. In such instances we tend to focus on what’s ‘not working’ or on what’s ‘difficult’. This often leads to limiting emotions and likewise physiological changes.

In order to experience our peak optimal state we need to always focus on solutions and opportunities that will naturally encourage us to keep moving forward towards our goals and objectives.

Model Successful People

In addition to everything we have discussed thus far, it’s also prudent to model the peak states of successful individuals whom you admire [see: psychological modeling]. These people are successful because of the states that they are able to maintain consistently over time that help them perform at the highest levels.

Study these people, model their states, and soon you too will begin replicating their results [see: richard branson mindset].

Writing Out Your Physiological Recipe

In the previous section we identified a number of empowering traits that are critical for success in any field of endeavor. We’ll now take a look at traits that you personally believe are absolutely critical to your success in your area of expertise. Let’s unlock your physiological recipe.

1. Select Critical Trait

Select a trait that is required to achieve your goals and objectives. It could for instance be confidence [see: boosting self-esteem], creativity [see: creative thinking], enthusiasm, passion or motivation [see: unstoppable motivation]. Choose just one empowering state that will have the greatest lasting positive impact on your life.

2. Identify Time You Experienced State

Think back to a time when you experienced this state. Reflect upon this experience and identify how you used your body and gestures, where and how you focused on things, how you breathed, what you said to yourself, etc. Go through all the reference points we discussed in the previous section and identify in detail on paper the exact psychological and physiological recipe you used to get into this particular state of mind.

Also take time to consider what events, people or circumstances might have triggered this state and how you responded at the time.

3. Adjust Your Physiology

As you think about this peak optimal state, begin shifting your physiology to match your past experience. While you’re doing this, ask yourself:

What am I thinking about?

What am I focusing on?

How am I focusing on things?

How does this affect or change my physiology?

Make a mental note how your body is responding to this emotional state. This will in essence help you unlock your physiological recipe.

4. Practice & Anchor State

Once you have unlocked your physiological recipe, now comes time to lock it away for good in the recesses of your mind. To do this, you must ensure that you form a new habit that is lasting and transforming [see: habit transformation]. This is best achieved by creating a anchor that involves physically anchoring the desired state to a part of your body [see: brain power].

As you think about this optimal state and adjust your body accordingly, lightly tug on your earlobe when you feel you are at the peak of your emotional experience. Do this several times per day over a period of a few days. If done correctly, you will establish a lasting anchor that you can utilize at any time to call forth your optimal state and physiology. Read more about creating powerful anchors here, here and here.

Rapidly Shifting Your Physiological State

When we feel disheartened and miserable it’s easy to fall prey to our emotions and very difficult to find the motivation to change our physiology and movement. However, if we want to maintain the highest levels of productivity, than we must as often as possible maintain a peak emotional state [see: emotional mastery].

Here are some quick and easy ideas that will get your body moving and help you dig yourself out of a lazy slump:

• Listen to energizing or inspirational music.
• Start dancing and moving your body to music.
• Hit a punching bag.
• Do some exercise.
• Go for a walk.
• Take a warm bath or shower.
• Sit still and breathe deeply from your abdomen.

Each of these suggestions will help you shift your physiology and improve your focus and concentration. As a result you will become more active and productive throughout the day.

Final Thoughts

Hazrat Inayat Khan once said that “Every passion, every emotion, has its effect upon the mind. Every change of mind, however slight, has its effect upon the body.”

There’s no denying that both mind and body are intertwined in a remarkable way where the fate of one lives in the hands of the other. This is probably quite unfortunate, because it means that there are no longer any excuses [see: life of excuses] that could justify cultivating a miserable heart

I hope you enjoyed reading this article, and that you took the time to download the physiology of excellence mind map which is available as a printable pdf poster from the IQ Matrix Shop. I’ve designed it as a reference guide you can use to help you understand the key concepts and ideas presented within this article. I look forward to hearing any comments or questions you might have.