Month: November 2016

Procrastination…Momentum Killer and Dream Stealer!

Posted on by Heath Hunsaker

We’ve all been there. Knowing what we should be doing and not doing it. Knowing what we want to do and still…not…doing…it!

Instead we are daydreaming, off in our own little universe without a care in the world. We like it there, it’s safe and comforting.

procrastination

Procrastination…it’s a momentum killer and a dream stealer. It lulls us all into a false sense of “time security.” The idea that we have all the time in the world to do whatever needs to be done. The fact is, we all have the same amount of time…24 hours (1,400 minutes or 86,400 seconds) in a day and not a second more. Scientist haven’t developed a way to give us more time and until they do, we must learn how to use the time we have to make a difference in the world we live.

Here are four simple steps to put procrastination back where it belongs and get you, me, us where we belong which is making positive movement towards the realization of our goals and dreams.

1. Determine where you want to end up…Keep it BIG!
One of the main ways procrastination creeps into our lives is that we get too bogged down in the big picture details. We have a goal or dream and then we try to figure out each step we need to take to get there. STOP! Don’t worry about all the little steps need to get there, instead focus on the what the end goal looks like. Visualize what life will be when you arrive and have faith that things will unfold in due time when you need them.

2. Prepare for the next day the night before. 
I usually get up in the morning energized and ready to face the day…then I get to my office. What do I do first? Maybe I’ll check my email…no, let me wrap up this project real quick…wait, I need to return a call I received. What actually happens is I decide to clean up my office and nothing of real importance gets done. One way to not let this type of procrastination set in is to, “Prepare for the next day the night before”. Write down a list of actionable items that you want to finish tomorrow that will help you move closer to your goals. By preparing for the next day the night before you are setting yourself up for a dose of daily success!

3. Start with one or two small tasks 
This may fly in the face of traditional wisdom, but I believe that we all like to see success early and often. It gives us the motivation to keep going and keep pushing on towards the end. Starting with one or two small tasks each day will help build up our confidence and provide the extra gumption to take on a larger task. Another benefit is it allows those who aren’t morning people to shake out the cobwebs or realize the effects of a cup of coffee before moving on to a bigger, more complex task. Think of it like a snowball rolling down a hill…at first it may not seem like much of a threat, but as it continues to roll and pick up steam and snow the more power it generates. Tasks are like a snowball, get a couple of quick wins and some success under your belt every morning then watch out world! Nothing is going to stop you now!

4. Stop starting and start finishing 
Author/Speaker David Allen has said,

”Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do.
It comes from not finishing what they’ve started.”

Often times we feel overwhelmed with what we need to do. We feel that we have too much to do in to short of time which leads to prolonged periods of procrastination. Instead of focusing on everything that needs to get done, focus on one thing at a time and knock it out! Finish it! Get it off your plate and move on! Having something 99% finished ultimately means it is 100% unfinished! Stop starting and start finishing and take another step towards achieving your goals!

Procrastination can be a momentum killer and a dream stealer but only if you let it. Take the steps to not allow it to happen, and if you feel procrastination sneaking up on you, take BOLD action and keep moving forward!

How have you battled procrastination in the past? Leave a reply in the comment section below.

Bucking the Trend: 5 Ways to Use Failure as Fuel for Your Success!

Posted on by Heath Hunsaker

What’s one word that rips at the heart of any human being? One word that stops us dead in our tracks. One word we allow all to often to identify who we are.failure

That word…FAILURE! We allow our failures, real or perceived, to stall and even stop our progress. We allow failure to define who we are and what we’ve done and even what we can do. But what if we were to look at failure in a different light? Instead of failures holding us back, why not use them as fuel to propel us to new and greater success!

Here are 5 ways to use Failure as Fuel!

1. Take Responsibility!
This may sound a bit off, but think about it. If you are always blaming someone or something else for your failures, then you have absolutely no control to change it! By accepting responsibility of you failures, you are telling yourself and the world to watch out! You are going to find out why you received the results you did and determine what you need to do in order to generate the results you desire!

2. Use failures to uncover additional opportunities!
Once you have accepted responsibility it will free your mind to look at how these failures have opened up new opportunities. Opportunities to look for different solutions in order to to achieve your desired outcomes. Don’t allow failure to limit yourself to only your way of thinking. Use failures as a catalyst to grow and expand your mind and knowledge.

3. See failures as steps in the journey to success!
Failure isn’t the end. In fact the only way you can fail is if you quit! See your failures as building blocks to greater and bigger successes for the future. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day and anything worth working for won’t be either. Use failures as a new launch pad for the next leg of your success journey.

4. Use failures as motivation to drive harder to your end goal.
Just as we view failure as one step in the success journey, use failure to motivate you to drive harder towards your end goal. Failure can be used as either a propellant or a deterrent. How you respond to failure will determine the rate at which you push towards success. Great inventors such as Thomas Edison used failure as fuel to create the light bulb.  He’s been quoted as saying:

“I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

5. Use failures as a time for honest reflection
Failures often hit you like a sucker punch in the gut. They cause you to lose your breath and take a step back. Use this time as a reflection period and have an honest discussion with yourself. Reflect on what has happened, what brought you to this point and what can you do to achieve the desired results.

Failure is inevitable. How we respond to failure is 100% up to us. Take responsibility and use failure as fuel to lead you on to success!

How have you used failures in the past as fuel for success? Leave a reply in the comment section below.

Bucking the Trend: Perfection Isn’t Perfect!

Posted on by Heath Hunsaker

Welcome to the second installment of “Bucking the Trend”. Today we talk Perfection…and how Perfection Isn’t Perfect. In fact, if we focus too much on perfection, we will most likely never accomplish all that we are capable of.

I’d love to read your comments in the comments section below.

Bucking the Trend – Part 2: Perfection Isn’t Perfect!

“I’ve almost got it perfect.”
“Just a little bit more, then it’ll be perfect and ready to post.”
“If it’s not perfect, I’m not going to share it.”

These are a few thoughts and phrases that will kill the momentum of any artist, writer, entrepreneur or business person. Striving for perfection isn’t a bad thing, but when we make perfection our sole focus we lose sight of our progress and our goals.

Entrepreneurs (myself included) struggle with this concept all the time. We want to make sure we have the perfect blog post, product or service. Our marketing has to be spot on or we believe we’ll fail miserably! Our website has to be absolutely perfect or no one will ever click. The truth is, if we never put it out there, never publish our article, never communicate our plan, NOTHING WILL EVER HAPPEN!

So how can make sure that we don’t let perfection become our first and last insurmountable mountain? Here are four steps you can take to overcome the perfection bug and start your journey to success!

1. Decide on where you want to end up, but don’t focus on the how, yet!
Decisions, decisions, decisions. We all have to make them but some struggle more than others. The key here is to decide where you want to end up. Don’t worry on how you’ll get there, decide. My kids are studying the 7 Habits and one of the habits is, “Start with the end in mind.” If you don’t know where you want to go you’ll never end up there. Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”

2. Document your first step…(Notice it’s just one step, not all!)
Now that you know where you’re headed write down the first step. Just like before you don’t need to know all the steps, just the first one. Too many times we as humans want to make sure we know everything, have everything planned out and all situations accounted for. This is impossible! If everyone knew everything, we would have already arrived at out destination. What’s your first step?

3. ACT!
Now is when the rubber meets the road. You know where you’re going and you know what the first step is. DO IT! Don’t become a victim of analysis paralysis! This is often the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We’re okay with deciding where we’re going and even pretty okay with the first step. It’s that first step that’s a killer, or so we believe. Having courage to take that step is often what separates the successful from the unsuccessful. Which camp do you want to be in?

4. Realize that progress is better than perfection
Finally, we need to realize that progress is better than perfection. We may think that we want perfection, but what would happen if we obtained it? Would we be satisfied? If not, then was it really perfect to begin with? Ultimately, it’s the progression towards perfection that drives us, not perfection itself. 

Don’t let the perfection bug paralyze you from action. Become a person of action and just get moving!