I seem to have lost count on how many times I’ve read and heard of celebrity marriages failing almost left, right and center. Not that I care, it seems strange that we often see movie and TV stars as flawless people, living the fairytale life of riches and glamour. I suppose we all have to stop sticking our heads in the clouds and face reality.
There are many ways to lose your sense of self-esteem despite of how trivial it could get. But whatever happens, we should all try not to lose our own sense of self.
So what does it take to be a cut above the rest? Here are some of the things you can think and improve on that should be enough for a week.
1. Know your purpose
Are you wandering through life with little direction – hoping that you’ll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your truth north every time.
This may seem tricky at first when you see yourself to be in a tight or even dead end. But there’s always that little loophole to turn things around and you can make a big difference to yourself.
2. Know your values
What do you value most? Make a list of your top 5 values. Some examples are security, freedom, family, spiritual development, learning. As you set your goals for 2010 – check your goals against your values. If the goal doesn’t align with any of your top five values – you may want to reconsider it or revise it.
The number shouldn’t discourage you, instead it should motivate you to do more than you can ever dreamed of.
3. Know your needs
Unmet needs can keep you from living authentically. Take care of yourself. Do you have a need to be acknowledged, to be right, to be in control, to be loved? There are so many people who lived their lives without realizing their dreams and most of them end up being stressed or even depressed for that matter. List your top four needs and get them met before it’s too late!
4. Know your passions
You know who you are and what you truly enjoy in life. Obstacles like doubt and lack of enthusiasm will only hinder you, but will not derail your chance to become the person you ought to be. Express yourself and honor the people who has inspired you to become the very person you wanted to be.
5. Live from the inside out
Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence. Commune with nature. Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind. For most of us city slickers it’s hard to even find the peace and quiet we want even in our own home. In my case I often just sit in a dimly lit room and play some classical music. There’s sound, yes, but music does soothe the savage beast.
6. Honor your strengths
What are your positive traits? What special talents do you have? List three – if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify these. Are you imaginative, witty, good with your hands? Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you can share what you know to others.
7. Serve others
When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, living your purpose and giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others -your spirit – your essence. The rewards for sharing your gift with those close to you is indeed rewarding, much more if it were to be the eyes of a stranger who can appreciate what you have done to them.
Self-improvement is indeed one type of work that is worth it. It shouldn’t always be within the confines of an office building, or maybe in the four corners of your own room. The difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better.
Self-improvement statistics guide in decision-making.
Statistics shows that about 75% of the people working today are unhappy with their current jobs. One reason is that their talents are wasted because it is not applicable for their current jobs.
That’s just one problem. You might have unreasonable demands placed upon you.
You have to work really long hours to get anywhere. The paths to promotion may be blocked. You can’t get to where you want to be because of the view that people have of you, your experience, or your performance in the job.
Maybe a little self-improvement will help you out with that problem. You should know how to appreciate your job if you want to succeed in life.
If you are always late to your job, maybe it will become the reason for your termination. Why don’t you try to wake up early or if you’re always experiencing traffic, try to find other route. Self-improvement of your habits will help you succeed.
There might be criticism leveled against you that isn’t just. There could be too much politics or backstabbing, you have to grease the right palms to get ahead. The job may just not be what you expected. You were promised one thing, but it turned into something else.
One thing that you should do about backstabbing is always retain your temper at the right level. Don’t try to argue with your office mates of it will be another reason for firing you.
You have to get to the root of what is causing your unhappiness about where you are and what you’re currently doing. The easiest way is The Five Whys. Ask, Why? five times.
Oh, I’m not happy. Well, why? Because I got passed for a promotion. Why was that? Because they didn’t value the project I was working on. Why not? Because management changed and they changed the objectives. Well, why was that? You really sort of drill down to the root cause and find out what the problem really is.
Once you decide that you need a change – that’s where the real fun begins. How to go about finding a new job or change careers completely.
There’s another way of looking at, the Top Ten Signs That You Need a New Job. It’s a bit like a Letterman Top Ten. They’re a bit tongue-in-cheek, but there’s a bit of truth in all of them.
10: You’re outgoings exceeds your income. You just need more money.
9: The most rewarding thing you did this week was sharpen all 12 of your pencils to the same length.
8: You’re reluctant to be a Career Day speaker at your kid’s fourth grade class.
7: Everyone in your work group got a raise except you.
5: You were late for work three times this week, but you don’t care.
4: There’s a meeting at 3:00 to talk about the upcoming reorganization, but you’re not invited.
3: Your boss keeps forgetting your name.
2: You constantly daydream about being a forest ranger.
1: Your company was recently acquired and you spent two weeks worrying that you’d be laid off. After that, you worried that you wouldn’t be.
Remember, finding a new job nowadays is really hard. So, before you decided to look for another job, always resolve your problems with your current job. Self-improvement will really help you in that.
The essential keys to self improvement and motivation!
What are the three keys to self improvement and motivation?
1. INSPIRATION.
Inspiration is critical to staying motivated and improving oneself. If you are not interested in your business, your motivation level will never be high and you will not be able to sustain interest for very long.
Take an honest look at your inspiration level. Are you excited about going to work or is it an obligation? You would be surprised at the number of people who choose a business that looks good on paper, but in reality does not interest them in the least.
These individuals will grow weary and uninterested pretty quickly because they have no inspiration or passion to sustain them during the difficult times they will encounter as a small business owner.
If you do not like your work, then think how you can re-focus your small business to better match your needs. Or consider making a change entirely. Without inspiration, there will not be motivated to even try self improvement.
2. SETTING GOALS.
Short and long-term goal setting is vital for any business owner. If you do not set goals, you would have no definite purpose on which path of self improvement to take.
How could you possibly be motivated if you were unsure about the direction of your company?
Take the time to put your goals in writing. A business plan may sound daunting, but it is really nothing more than goals, strategies, implementation and a budget. Write your own business plan and update it at least annually.
Include ‘mini-goals’ that can be accomplished in a matter of hours, days or weeks as well as the more ambitious ‘grand-goals’ that may take years to complete. Refer to this plan throughout the year.
But can a business plan really help motivate you? Of course. Written goals will make you feel more professional and certainly more connected to your business. It will also free you from having to reinvent your business goals every single day.
3. NETWORKING.
Another key factor in getting and staying motivated is networking with other small business owners. No one person knows all the knowledge.
However, when a number of people begin working together, the challenges will just be there waiting to be conquered.
In fact, the isolation of working alone is of one the most difficult parts of being an entrepreneur. You can never be on your way to self improvement without the help of others. Mutual support is motivating.
Make it easier on yourself by connecting with others either in your community or online. Even when businesses are not related, you will often find common ground and ways to work together.
Many successful entrepreneurs report that finding the right networking group was a turning point in the growth of the business. Working together, a networking group can help its members generate more qualified sales leads and solve problems faster and more efficiently.
Sharing ideas, expertise and experience is also an invaluable aspect of motivation and self improvement.
Your own personal team of business owners will help re-energize you when the burdens of running your own business seem too much.
With your networking team to rely on, you can accomplish more in less time and probably have more fun in the process. You will feel motivated to accomplish self improvement when you know you are not alone.
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The Cartoon Studio
30 Acorn Ridge, Walton, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK S42 7HE
When commissioning cartoons… Pick TWO of the three options!
Good+Fast = Expensive Choose this and I’ll postpone every other project on my drawing board, my round of golf or give up my footy match ticket and work day and night to get your job done. It WILL NOT BE CHEAP though!
Good+Cheap = Slow Choose good and cheap and I’ll still do a great job at a discounted price. But you’ll have to be patient while I fit you in after my higher paying clients, updating my web site, going down the gym, my footy matches, rounds of golf and liquid lunches!
Fast+Cheap = Inferior Choose this option at your peril. It will still be delivered on time but it will be inferior, as many corners as possible will be cut. You know the saying ‘You get what you pay for!’ The least favorable option in my opinion!
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