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Chip Massey does not sound like an FBI hostage negotiator.
He is warm. Friendly. Easy with a laugh. The exact opposite of the grizzled, crime-fighting stereotype. And that, he says, is an asset — because when you negotiate anything, even in business, your first goal must be to build rapport.
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Jason Feifer
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Transformation coach and nutrition expert Charles D’Angelo will fire you up, and help you develop an empowered mindset that leads to a healthier life. Pulling tips from decades of his inspirational talks and books, Think and Grow Thin and Inner Guru, this high-energy and informative webinar will help you learn how to get the best out of yourself in.
Key Takeaways:
Discover the habits you need for a healthy life. Register now and join us on April 18th at 3:00 PM ET.
About the Speaker:
Charles is a sought-after personal coach and public speaker. He frequently provides keynotes for events and appears as a guest on TV, radio and Internet programs. He is the author of two bestselling books: Think and Grow Thin (2011) and Inner Guru (2017). He’s been endorsed by many notable individuals including President Bill Clinton, Tony Robbins, Larry King, Richard Simmons, Angela Bassett and Dr. Mark Hyman as well as notable Missouri locals including Senator Claire McCaskill, David Steward, Chairman and Founder of World Wide Technology, and Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop. He resides in St. Louis, Missouri with his greatest inspiration – his wife, Crystal – and their two cats, Leo and Theo.
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Entrepreneur Staff
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Have you ever settled for less than what you wanted, avoided risks and played it safe? Maybe you had big dreams and ambitions but later convinced yourself that they were too unrealistic or you couldn’t achieve them.
It’s normal to feel this way, but settling for less than what you genuinely want can lead to a life of regret and unfulfillment. Pursuing something you’re passionate about can be gratifying and fulfilling, even if you don’t ultimately achieve your goal.
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Stacey Stratton
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Dating apps have undoubtedly revolutionized how people find love and connect with others. 3 in 10 US adults say they have used an online dating service (website or app). The convenience and accessibility of dating apps have made it easier for individuals to meet potential partners, but it has also contributed to some negative impacts on the dating scene. In this article, we will explore why dating apps can be detrimental to the dating experience.
Research from William Chopik, an associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Psychology, and Dr. David Johnson from the University of Maryland, finds that people’s reason for swiping right is based primarily on attractiveness and the race of a potential partner and that decisions are often made in less than a second.
One of the primary criticisms of dating apps is that they tend to focus on superficial qualities rather than deeper compatibility. Users are often swiping through potential matches based on their physical appearance rather than considering their personalities or values. This can lead to a culture of shallow and superficial dating, where people are judged solely on their looks and not their character.
Related: 5 Secrets to Building a Successful Consumer App
Another issue with dating apps is that they can promote a culture of inauthenticity. Users often present an idealized version, i.e., a highlight reel of themselves online, carefully curating their profiles to showcase their best qualities. This can lead to a lack of transparency and honesty in the dating process, making it harder for people to form genuine connections.
Related: Gen Z Falls In Love With Homegrown Dating Apps
A 2020 study by Pew Research found that one-third of women using dating apps have been called an abusive name, and almost half of women had men continue to pursue them online after they said no. That’s double the rate that men experience. Dating apps can contribute to the dehumanization of potential partners.
When people are reduced to a profile picture and a short bio, it can be easy to forget that they are real human beings with complex emotions and experiences. This can lead to a lack of empathy and understanding in the dating process, making it harder for people to form meaningful connections with others.
The sheer volume of potential matches on dating apps can also lead to burnout. The 70 million adults in America that use dating apps have developed a rejection mindset that makes dating feel particularly unpromising and exhausting.
Users are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available to them, which can lead to decision fatigue and a feeling of being emotionally drained. This can make it harder for people to put effort into any one relationship, as they are constantly wondering if there might be someone better out there.
Dating apps are also notorious for catfishing and scams. Users can easily create fake profiles or misrepresent themselves online, leading to disappointment or even danger when users meet in person. This can lead to a lack of trust in the online dating process, making it harder for people to form genuine connections.
In 2019, the Columbia School of Journalism in New York City and news site ProPublica found that the Match Group, which owns around 45 dating apps, only screens for sex offenders on its paid-for apps, not free platforms like Tinder, OKCupid and Hinge. While some work has been done to correct the lack of fraud prevention in online dating, there’s a loophole in American internet law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which dictates sites can’t be held accountable for the harm that comes to third parties through their platforms.
Related: Online Dating Scammer Steals $1.8 Million from His Victims. Women ‘Fed Lie After Lie.’
Dating apps can limit communication between potential partners. Users are often limited to texting or messaging, and without the benefit of face-to-face interaction, it can be harder to gauge a person’s true character or intentions, leading to misunderstandings or miscommunications.
Finally, and perhaps the best (worst?) for last. Major dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge lack any sort of in-app advertising transparency. Users are constantly upsold on more premium features like boosting a profile for 1 hour to be seen by more members, but there’s never any reporting data on impressions made, engagement, clicks, etc. Ad performance data is available across all digital platforms, such as Google and Meta, but appears nonexistent within the dating apps space.
In conclusion, while dating apps have undoubtedly made it easier for people to meet potential partners, they have also contributed to some negative impacts on the dating scene. Superficiality, inauthenticity, dehumanization, burnout, catfishing and scams, limited communication and lack of in-app advertising transparency are all potential downsides to using dating apps.
While they can be useful for meeting people, it’s essential to approach them cautiously and be aware of their limitations. Ultimately, the best way to find a meaningful relationship is by getting to know someone in person through genuine interactions and communication.
The number one contributing factor to finding a mate is proximity, i.e., if I want to find someone interested in nonfiction books, I need to go to book readings with nonfiction book authors, or salsa classes for salsa aficionados or dog parks for dog lovers. The point is to know your values and go to places with people who share the same values as you do.
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Kevin Kaminyar
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By now, you’ve probably heard of “bare minimum Mondays” — the latest TikTok-born workplace trend that’s trying to find a way around burnout.
“Bare minimum Mondays” exemplify the ongoing “collective awareness” that employees have to start putting their mental and emotional health first — and stop accepting additional work and responsibilities without an increase in pay, Brooks E. Scott, executive coach and CEO of Merging Path, tells Entrepreneur.
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Amanda Breen
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A few months ago, I started driving F1 circuits, including Spa-Francorchamps, Monza and Suzuka. I’ve driven dozens of exotic cars from the Porsche 911 GT3 to the Alpine A220 and the Ferrari F50. That is, I’ve driven them virtually via Gran Turismo (GT7). GT7 is a racing simulator that, with the wheel and pedals, is as close as I’ll likely ever come to driving the real things. F1 teams have their own versions of this simulator (worth hundreds of thousands more, of course) that they spend countless hours training on when they’re off the track.
Nearly everything about the art of racing can be applied to business. Here are four racing lessons that can help you accelerate your career.
F1 racers know the track. They can drive it in their sleep. Indeed, they do. Here’s Red Bull’s Sergio Perez driving Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez virtually in advance of the 2022 Mexican Grand Prix with his back to the screen and his eyes shut, on a dummy steering wheel. Perez came in third at the Mexican Grand Prix. That’s how much preparation goes into each F1 race. His teammate, Max Verstappen, earned the top podium spot, finishing 17 seconds ahead of him.
When I look back at the first 30 years of my career, there is one common denominator among my most successful articles, pitches and campaigns: I was overprepared. I didn’t just wing it. I spent an abundance of time on research, asked questions, and jotted down notes and ideas. I didn’t earn gold on any of the GT7 tracks on my first try. In fact, it took about five laps around just to get a good feel for it, and then another 10 or so to get it right. Show up overprepared and your odds of success improve exponentially.
Related: 7 Tactics to Prepare Your Digital Marketing Team for 2023
“Slow in, fast out” is one of the first lessons race car drivers learn. Anybody can drive fast in a straight line; it’s how you handle the turns that make you a great racer. The long straights at Monza make it one of the fastest circuits in all of F1, but a long straight is oftentimes followed by a series of two turns (a quick left then right, for example) called a chicane. It’s here where drivers typically make up (or lose) time. Navigating a chicane is a skill in itself, as it requires driving somewhat slowly through the first half in order to take the second half at full speed.
All turns are not created equal and knowing which is most important requires a keen sense of prioritization. Slow in, fast out, is the driving equivalent of “playing big” — focusing on the bigger picture, rather than on the minutia. Slow work means more thoughtful, creative work which can help you “play big” in your career. And that ability to slow down can catapult your business when you least expect it.
Related: Should You Prioritize Growth or Profitability in a Recession?
Any racer worth their salt can tell you with pinpoint accuracy exactly where every single one of the brake points is on each turn of a circuit. For each driver, the brake points are different and depend on a multitude of variables: driver ability, the car’s capability, condition and wear on the tires, and even how much fuel they’re carrying. Finding the brake points is key to going faster and winning a race.
As a professional, you have your own break points, and these, too, are based on a variety of things: how many hours you’ve put in, how much stress you’re under, whether you’re hungry, tired, etc. Break too early, and you risk losing all of your momentum, but break too late — or not at all — and you’re likely to crash. Most of us learn this the hard way. Don’t want to crash and burn? Learn to build breaks into your schedule when you need them. It’s not only critical for your mental health but imperative for your physical health. Unless your goals include panic attacks and migraines, find your break points.
Related: How to Identify, Prevent and Avoid Burnout at Work
We all know that the white and yellow lines painted on every road are meant to keep cars from crashing into one another. What you might not know is that the optimal driving line rarely follows those painted lines. I’m not advocating that you ignore the rules of the road. But when you put an F1 driver on the road, they don’t see the paint, they see the racing line.
That’s because going as fast as possible requires going as straight as possible. The curves are the challenges the drivers must overcome. This is why you see the F1 drivers using the entire track from edge to edge.
Racers know that the best lap times result from creating the straightest possible line around the circuit. Twisting and turning costs precious time. You might temporarily get ahead, but without following the proper line, I guarantee you’ll end up at the back of the pack.
For marketers, this might mean appealing to your audience wherever they are along the buyer’s journey. For manufacturers, completing each step of the process ensures quality craftsmanship. Whatever your role, industry, or vertical, don’t succumb to shortcuts. Use the entire track (and every tool at your disposal) and follow the proper process.
You won’t beat your competitors by taking shortcuts, you’ll beat them by being a better driver. Learning how to navigate the twists and turns of your professional journey will help you stay focused, accelerate your career and position you for success.
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Beth Newton
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Getting to work daily can be exhausting, whether you’re driving solo, riding public transportation, or carpooling with colleagues. Most people dread their daily commutes and it’s easy to understand why. Who really wants to waste their precious time before and after working hours cooped up in a car, bus, or train?
Moreover, commuting is unproductive and makes work itself more challenging. The Centre for Transport & Society surveyed approximately 26,000 workers in 2020, and they found that commute length was negatively correlated with job satisfaction. In the survey, commute length was also found to be correlated with leisure-time satisfaction. In other words, the longer the commute, the less enjoyable people’s time outside of work becomes.
But do employees really dislike their commute? Well, RingCentral reports that 40% of Americans would prefer to clean their toilets than commute to a physical office.
Congested cities make the feeling worse. In a 2022 Boston.com survey, hundreds of readers expressed near-universal dismay about commuting again after COVID.
However, it doesn’t have to be this way. While commuting to work, you have the perfect opportunity to accomplish things and clear your head. To help you feel productive and proactive during those busy drives, train rides, and seemingly endless subway stops, here are the 21 productive things to do while commuting.
There are numerous psychological benefits associated with a good playlist. As well as improving your mood, music provides comfort and reduces stress. Additionally, listening to music can improve cognitive performance, memory, motivation, and endurance.
While it’s common to listen to the same playlist repeatedly, it can get monotonous and boring after a while. If you want to have something to look forward to when Monday rolls around, you should prepare a new playlist over the weekend.
If you’re a passenger, consider buying a book or downloading an audiobook instead of mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. Ideally, choosing books you’ve always wanted to read but have never had time to read will give you additional motivation.
A great way to improve your work, health, or personal life is to alternate between reading fiction books and reading nonfiction books. For aspiring entrepreneurs, I recommend the following books:
One of my favorite ways to pass the time while commuting is by listening to podcasts. Personally, it’s easy to get motivated for the workday when you listen to inspiring conversations.
Spend some time this weekend digging through podcasts and finding the ones that appeal to you. Podcasts are like TV shows. Once you discover one you love, you can’t wait to dive in.
To get you started, I recommend the following:
When you’re running a business, socializing, caring for your family, and managing your everyday life, you’re probably wondering if you’ll ever have the time or energy to start a blog.
Well, not unless you become more efficient with your commute.
The journey to and from work is a great place to work on a personal project, begin freelancing — or spend more time on your art. While commuting, think about completing things that will upgrade your skills.
Of course, commutes are only suited for smaller projects. On a busy train, juggling an easel doesn’t seem like an ideal situation.
Related: 10 of the Most Profitable Side Hustles You Can Start With Little or No Money
According to Thomas Oppong, author of Building Smarter Habits, successful people start with the end in mind.
“Start with the end in mind and focus on the process that can get you there,” he says. “Define a clear goal and work at it with all the resources you can gather. You should have a clear sense of what is important to you and get to work immediately.”
“Start your day by working on the projects that inspire you most, and you will be more productive and achieve your goal faster whilst minimizing procrastination,” he adds.
According to Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino’s 2018 research, commuting should be used for transitioning into your work role rather than relaxing or listening to music. Write down the three most important tasks for the day, visualize them, set realistic goals, and make a list of them. By doing so, you can get started right away when you get to work.
While on your commute, make a to-do list or tweak the one you already have. After all, you will be more likely to succeed if you prioritize your daily tasks and make a to-do list.
Having a mental checklist is also useful if you cannot actually write a list because you’re driving. Also, you may want to use your phone’s voice recorder or memo app. Make sure you keep your eyes on the road when doing this.
Meditation may not be the best place for you to do it on the bus or metro. It is possible, however, to practice mindfulness anywhere and at any time.
Pocket Mindfulness provides some excellent suggestions, such as observing nature carefully or considering the significance of five things you usually don’t notice. Writing in a journal is another beneficial activity. It might surprise you what you discover if you just start writing down your thoughts.
“By enrolling in an online course, you may boost your commute productivity to new heights,” writes Abby Miller for Calendar. “This method only works for people who spend a significant amount of time on the go.”
“Because you must be completely focused, or you will not learn anything,” adds Abby. “You may discover a new skill by taking a half-hour session every day for a month!”
In fact, it’s not uncommon for people to learn something new during their commute. For many, 30 minutes or an hour of commuting is the perfect amount of time to learn and practice.
Today, it is more important than ever before to have a strong and up-to-date personal brand. During your commute, brainstorm how you want your image to be perceived.
During your commute, you can:
Related: How to Build a Successful Personal Brand in 5 Simple Steps
“You can always listen to books and podcasts,” Shawn Porat, serial entrepreneur, advisor, and angel investor., tells Forbes. “However, I find that an even better way to make use of long drives is to use Google Voice or a voice assistant such as Alexa to dictate.”
You can brainstorm, plan a business strategy, or make to-do lists during your commute. It is even possible to dictate emails or blog posts. “While talking on the phone, even hands-free is distracting, I find it’s easier to keep my focus on driving if it’s just me talking,” he adds. “Even if I don’t have a specific task to complete, this is a good way to clarify my thoughts and come up with new ideas. This is a way to turn driving time into something creative and productive.”
You can use your commute time to catch up on texts and emails if your work is overflowing with them. Getting swept up in emails and texts is both easy and overwhelming. Because each message represents another demand on their time and attention, employees feel anxious and overwhelmed. They often feel stressed even when they ignore emails, and both cause their attention to be pulled away from their actual work.
In short, you’re less likely to get overwhelmed if you schedule a few hours every day to keep your inbox in check. So, go ahead and spend an hour crossing off your emails and texts in the morning and in the evening on your way home. As a result, you may find life at home and work less stressful.
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that commuters who walk or bike to work have lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and insulin levels than those who drive.
There may also be an improvement in your work. Among British employees, exercise days were associated with higher productivity than non-exercise days, according to a study out of Leeds Metropolitan University in the U.K.
For example, if you live close enough, consider biking to work — even if it’s once a week. You may also want to consider getting off a few stops earlier for a bonus 15-minute stroll if you take the bus or subway.
A study conducted at Bangor University, showed that talking out loud improved subjects’ ability to learn and successfully complete tasks. Twenty-eight participants in the study were given a set of written instructions for a task. Those who read the instructions out loud showed significantly better results. “Our results demonstrated that, even if we talk to ourselves to gain control during challenging tasks, performance substantially improves when we do it out loud,” wrote one researcher.
You probably don’t have much time for friends and family but remember you have a long commute to contend with. Having a positive conversation with friends or checking in with your nieces or nephews will give you a more positive outlook and help you forget about the long journey home.
As Williams and Hill suggest, socializing with friends and family can lead to a more positive life commute. Seriously, give it a try, and you’ll be amazed at how much more enriching your commute home will be.
Being an entrepreneur means you’re probably dealing with a lot of problems. Finding the right solution can be time-consuming and stressful. And, even worse, the stress can hamper your creativity.
You get a chance to relax and think creatively while you commute. Further, the biggest problem you need to solve that day can be discussed without interruptions from your team or customers.
The brain loves puzzles, regardless of whether they are sudoku or cryptic crosswords. The exercises strengthen brain connections, improve mental speed, and improve short-term memory. Aside from that, they’re loads of fun and easy to pick up and drop off.
Consider packing a puzzle book for your commute and watch how other parts of your life improve as a result. Or, if you prefer, you can visit Jigsaw Plant or download an app like Lumosity on your phone.
Whether it’s apps, notifications, pictures, or videos, your phone gets clogged with so much information. However, as our phones become cluttered, our minds also become cluttered.
As such, get rid of notifications for things you don’t need during your commute. If you no longer need any pictures or screenshots, you should also delete them. Also, remove any apps you don’t use.
It is also a good idea to clean out the files and folders on your phone during your commute as well.
Let’s be honest. It’s impossible to complete all your work in a day. Thankfully, while riding a train or bus, you may have the chance to read or think while you ride. And you might even be able to get a head start on some of your work.
For example, you can outline reports, prepare meeting agendas or presentations, pay bills, or schedule your team. It’s also a good time to catch up on all those industry-related articles you haven’t been reading.
Keeping track of your accomplishments is just as important as setting goals. The purpose of this? To boost both motivation and confidence. You will feel proud and motivated to keep moving forward when you see your progress.
In the words of Invajy, “Achievements of today are the stepping stones for the future ones.”
To recharge your brain, sometimes you need to take a break. After all, most entrepreneurs spend most of their days reading, listening, thinking, and interacting with others.
Sometimes you just have to put down your phone, turn off the music, and close the book. Don’t do anything. Simply sit there and embrace the moment.
Related: Why You Should Schedule Dedicated ‘Me Time’ If You Don’t Get Enough Right Now
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John Rampton
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As an entrepreneur, time management is crucial for achieving success. As an immigrant founder, I understand the importance of hard work and dedication to make your business thrive. However, it’s important to remember that working nonstop without taking breaks can lead to long-term negative effects. Studies have shown that prolonged work sessions can lead to burnout, decreased productivity and even physical and mental health issues. To be truly successful, finding a balance between working hard and taking time to rest and recharge is crucial.
We all must start taking more breaks during our work day and disconnect for a bit. Rather than following the traditional belief that you should only stop when you’re tired, I think taking small breaks before you even start to feel tired is essential.
This can help prevent burnout and increase productivity in the long run. I have seen the benefits of taking regular breaks and disconnecting from my own business, and I encourage others to do the same. It’s essential for us as successful entrepreneurs to lead by example and prioritize our well-being to continue achieving our goals.
Related: Increased Productivity Will Increase Your Happiness
It’s important to remember that everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. However, finding activities that break out of our routine and give us a glimpse of the fun and judgment-free spaces can benefit everyone. This can be anything from walking, meditating, reading a book, or even taking a quick power nap.
The key is to find something that helps you relax and recharge. It’s also important to take some time to disconnect from work and social media. This can help us to focus on ourselves and our well-being without any distractions. By finding activities that work for us and taking regular breaks, we can increase our productivity and enjoy the journey of being an entrepreneur.
Below I’m sharing the three most unique time-off break ideas I can recommend:
Taking a break from work is essential for maintaining focus and productivity. But instead of scrolling through social media or checking your phone, try something unconventional like making a coffee or washing the dishes. A recent study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that performing simple, mundane tasks such as washing dishes can positively impact our well-being. The repetitive motion of these tasks can be meditative, allowing you to focus on the present moment and release any pent-up stress or tension.
Making coffee (a favorite activity of mine, especially a good iced espresso latte) can be a great way to break the monotony of work and give yourself a bit of pleasure. Plus, it’s a great way to take care of daily tasks and disconnect from technology. The aroma and the taste of freshly cursed coffee can help to enhance our mood and decrease stress.
So, next time you need a break, try making a coffee or washing the dishes. You’ll be surprised how it can help you to relax, refresh your mind and increase your focus. There are great brands that offer a selection of decaf coffee beans and ground coffee for a more anxiety-free experience.
Related: 3 Reasons Espresso Could Be Your Shortcut to Productivity (It Works for Elon Musk)
It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of work and responsibilities, which can lead to feeling burnt out and unproductive. Taking your dog for a random walk is a unique activity that can help break the cycle and increase productivity. Not only does it give you and your furry friend some much-needed exercise and fresh air, but it also provides an opportunity to step away from your work and disconnect from technology. It’s a small change that can make a big difference in your work-life balance.
These unexpected walks can also help to return to work with a fresh perspective and renewed energy, which can increase productivity and a better work-life balance. So, next time you feel stressed or unproductive, try taking your doggy for an unexpected walk, and you’ll see the difference it makes.
Related: Why You Need More Exercise as an Entrepreneur (and 7 Creative Strategies for Getting It)
Smoking hookah is a unique activity that can be a great way to take a break from work and relax. Hookah, also known as shisha or waterpipe, is a traditional method of smoking flavored tobacco enjoyed for centuries in the Middle East, India and other parts of Asia.
Smoking hookah is often considered a social activity, and it can be a great way to bond with friends or colleagues while taking a break from work. Preparing and smoking hookah is a ritual in itself and can be a great way to disconnect from work and other stressors.
In addition to being a fun and social activity, smoking hookah also offers several benefits for your overall well-being. Here are two benefits of smoking hookah during your time off:
Smoking hookah can be a unique and enjoyable way to take a break from work and relax. Whether you are smoking alone or with friends, smoking hookah can offer several benefits for your overall well-being and help you return to work refreshed and focused.
In conclusion, taking a break from work is essential for maintaining focus and productivity. Making a coffee or washing the dishes is just one unconventional example of how to do this, but there are many other ways to break your routine and refresh your mind.
It’s essential to find activities that work for you. Take the proper time to experiment with different options and find what works best.
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Pierre Subeh
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As entrepreneurs, most of us have traveled across time zones and do so frequently for both work and leisure. And do we complain? So despite knowing that it will happen, why do many of us complain every year when the clocks spring forward by one hour for Daylight Saving Time (DST)?
I encourage you to take a different approach this year. First, the most important thing you can do is to change your attitude towards the clocks springing forward. Here’s how: Mentally prepare yourself in advance, and tell yourself and those around you that DST is nothing to complain about because we face it every year. We’re better off preparing for it and finding the silver linings and benefits of the time change.
For example, more daylight in the evening allows for after-dinner walks. Such a walk fosters family time, lowers your blood glucose level, and it’s likely a deterrent from excess evening snacking or drinking. Is that a win or a win?
I recall weekday mornings from past DST days when everyone in my house was slow to move, and nobody except for the clocks was springing forward. Friends called me to talk about their double doses of caffeine and how they yelled more at their kids to rush them out the door for school.
Research shows increased car accidents and injuries at work after DST because our already sleep-deprived country is less alert. So, while we will still feel the time change because of our circadian rhythm, the 24-hour cycle that’s governed by our body’s internal clock, below are some tips that should help make DST more manageable and help you better prepare not to fall back when the clock springs forward.
Related: How Daylight Savings Time Affects Productivity
You may not feel tired at night but try to schedule an earlier bedtime before DST. By moderately making these changes before the time change, you’ll begin daylight saving time having almost adapted to the time change.
From exercise to meals to your bedtime routine, move everything forward by 15 minutes each day. Particularly in the evening, be disciplined about washing your face, brushing your teeth, going off screens or whatever sleep routines you have earlier than normal.
I’ve never used the snooze button. I feel it’s torture and not efficient nor motivating for the morning routine you’ve set out to do, so I mentally trained myself never to snooze. Now for you snoozers, you can call me crazy but give yourself some wiggle room during the week of DST for the morning time. Most of us adjusting to the time change will be slow-moving, and rushing will lead to a stressful morning, so use the extra time to prevent this rushed and chaotic feeling.
The same goes for getting kids ready for school. Time is valuable, and the extra time will make the morning less hectic. Just please do not “snooze,” as this will keep your circadian rhythm from adjusting to the time change.
Related: Stop Hitting the Snooze Button and Start Intentionally Building Your Life and Business
Get your sunshine early, within an hour of waking if you can, even if it’s stepping outdoors for a 5-minute gratitude practice, walking the dog or looking towards the light of the day while taking deep breaths. Light is the central driver of our circadian rhythm, and this morning sunlight alone will help your body’s internal clock best acclimate to the new timing of light and dark.
I’m not a biohacker, but I do keep on top of the latest research and science in health and wellness, and I encourage you to check out this guide from Neuroscience Professor at Stanford, Dr. Andrew Huberman. Even on a cloudy day, natural light provides more brightness that helps to align the circadian rhythm than artificial indoor lighting.
Related: 6 Benefits of Unchaining Yourself From Your Desk to Take a Break Outside
I personally look forward to and need my morning workouts as they help get my body, brain and soul moving and kickstart my day. But if exercising first thing in the morning isn’t what you enjoy, plan to get outside or move every day this week, even if just a brisk mid-morning or lunchtime walk (or even a ‘sweatwork’ walk meeting), which will energize all parties involved and help everyone ease into a better night of sleep.
Added bonus? Walking as little as 2 to 5 minutes after any meal will help lower your blood glucose level, according to a 2022 study in the Journal of Sports Medicine.
Proper nutrition is directly correlated to sleep. Eliminate added sugars, stay well hydrated with water and electrolytes and focus on eating good sources of protein, carbs and fat, such as fish high in omega 3s, nuts, vegetables and fruits. Eat dinner at least a few hours before bed, and limit spicy and heavy foods.
Whenever my schedule allows, I prefer to eat what I call “linner,” meaning that it’s a combo lunch/dinner, and I eat this meal between 3-4 p.m. If this isn’t conducive to your schedule or ability to prepare a healthy meal, try making lunch the bigger meal of your day. Be aware of caffeine in beverages, including soda which is also loaded with sugar.
It’s human and forgivable that most people will be doubling and even tripling up their coffee and green tea this week just to survive. But don’t overdo it. Too much caffeine will make you crash, so aim to stop drinking caffeine after 2 p.m. And particularly for this week, plan to ease up on alcohol intake as alcohol can interfere with a good night’s sleep.
Related: Is Caffeine Boosting or Sabotaging Your Productivity?
If your boss is flexible, ask if you can get to the office a little later for a couple of days so you can take the time to happily ease into the time change and avoid sleep-deprived and frustrated commuters at rush hour.
If you lead a team or company, have a little compassion. Offer your team a slightly later start to the morning in exchange for meeting a specific deadline that week or having them agree to 15–30 minutes of fresh air early in the morning or the middle of the day. Happy employees = productive employees.
More health and wellness professionals, experts and entrepreneurs are treating themselves to power naps for rejuvenation and mental wellness. The key for napping is 30 minutes or less; otherwise, you’ll feel like you got hit by a bus when you wake up! A nap should both calm your nervous system and energize you.
Early afternoon naps are best, as naps late in the day can make it difficult to sleep. Not necessary, but if you’re curious about prioritizing a deeper night’s sleep, look into sleep tools such as weighted blankets, sleep meditation apps and light therapy.
With these tips, you should be able to spring forward along with the clocks. As human beings, and especially as entrepreneurs, we are strong, and our minds and bodies can adjust. So when the clocks spring forward, shift your mindset to when the alarm goes off at 6 a.m. on Monday morning, and think that it’s 6 a.m. instead of saying, “I can’t believe it’s really 5 a.m.!” The better we prepare, the better we position ourselves for positive outcomes and longer, brighter days full of sunshine.
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Elisette Carlson
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Between managing your business and your family, your schedule on a daily basis can be a little hectic. As a mompreneur myself for almost 30 years, I understand where you are coming from. From answering client emails to getting your kiddos snacks to completing chores, your day is full of motion. As crazy as it can get, you have a routine in place. You know what works best for everyone and you do an amazing job of juggling it all.
But then something disruptive is thrown in like a school holiday. Your carefully crafted schedule gets thrown out the window, and it’s every person for themselves. Times like spring break can be extra stressful for mompreneurs because the kids are home, you might be trying to work and some of you might even be on vacation with your families — and still working!
While I encourage you to take some much-deserved time off, I understand that is not feasible for everyone. I remember when I first started as a freelancer with my kids, I could not take time off, but I also did not want my family to miss out on vacation time. I spent many vacations — like spring break — working while traveling with small children. It was not easy, but it was worth it, which is why I want to share my tips with you for juggling everything when the kids are out of school for long vacations like spring break.
These are tried and true tips that I have learned over the years, and I hope they help you enjoy time with your children.
Related: Striking the Right Balance As a Mompreneur
When it comes to making a plan, start by figuring out how you want to divide your time between your family and business commitments. Do you want to give the kids extra attention during their break or do you want to keep your work schedule as normal as possible? Once you decide, create a schedule and stick to it. Consider setting aside specific blocks of time for each task so that you can stay on track and get everything done.
You should also make sure to leave some wiggle room in case something unexpected comes up. Finally, don’t forget to include time for yourself in your plan. As a mompreneur, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind and neglect your own needs. But taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your family and business. So make sure to carve out some time to relax and unwind.
During spring break (or any school holiday), you don’t have to drop everything and be with your children 24/7, but you should make sure that you have time to spend quality time with them. Have a conversation with your family about the expectations for the week like what activities you will do together, when you will have time to work, etc.
It’s also important to set boundaries with work. If possible, try to block off time in advance to ensure that you are able to dedicate time to your family without feeling pressure from work. This could be an hour or two each day or a specific block of time during the day or week. Make sure to communicate your plans with your colleagues or clients and let them know when you will be available and when you won’t. That way, you can enjoy your break without worrying about emails piling up or missing an important deadline.
If you know that certain days are going to be full of activities with the kids, try scheduling any necessary tasks beforehand or make up the time later on. You may also want to take advantage of the extra time your kids have off by delegating some of their chores to them while you focus on your business. Being flexible during the spring break season doesn’t mean sacrificing your business goals. Instead, it’s about finding a balance between parenting and being an entrepreneur. With a little planning and creative thinking, you can have a successful spring break season both as a mom and a business owner.
Related: Why This Mom Entrepreneur Is All About Quarterly Planning
If you need help managing the kids during spring break, don’t be afraid to ask for it! Reach out to family, friends or even childcare providers if you need assistance. You may also want to consider a babysitter or nanny who can help with activities and take the kids off your hands when you need to focus on work.
If you have the means to do so, hiring a virtual assistant to help with day-to-day tasks can free up some of your time. You can also outsource some tasks such as bookkeeping, social media management or web design. This will allow you to focus on what’s important to you and your business. Finally, don’t be afraid to lean on your support network. Ask for advice or help when you need it. It’s often easier to ask for help than you think!
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the extra demands that come with having kids out of school, so taking some time to relax and unwind can help you stay on top of your work by doing something you enjoy, like reading a book. Taking time for yourself can help refresh your energy levels and increase productivity. Finally, remember that it’s okay to take some time away from work during spring break. You don’t have to feel guilty about taking time off, as long as you plan ahead and make sure all your work is taken care of. Balance is key and taking the time to invest in yourself will help you keep up with all your responsibilities.
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Lesley Pyle
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Michael Bay has plenty of talents. He’s an incredibly successful film director and producer, known for high-budget films that draw enormous audiences eager to see stuff explode. He is not, however, a gifted public speaker.
We know this because in 2014, Bay appeared at a Samsung press conference during the Consumer Electronics Show to promote the company’s new 15-inch curved TVs. Things went awry shortly after he was introduced: He stopped mid-sentence, explaining haltingly that the teleprompter was off. It was an understandable snafu, and Samsung exec Joe Stinziano tried to throw Bay a life preserver by asking him to describe how he comes up with cinematic ideas. The director struggled to answer without the teleprompter, pacing around and sighing with frustration. It was awkward, to put it mildly.
Stinziano tried one last time to get Bay to speak off the cuff, asking how a TV format changes the way viewers experienced his films. But it was too late: The four-time MTV Movie Award winner was flustered beyond the point of return. “Excuse me…I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he muttered before spinning around and fleeing the stage.
What happened at that moment is every public speaker’s worst nightmare. Luckily for Bay, appearing at conferences isn’t his main gig, and minus a likely ding to his ego and potentially soured relations with Samsung, he walked away unscathed. Entrepreneurs can’t afford such catastrophic meltdowns, however.
Here’s how to make sure they never happen.
Related: Want to Give a Great Speech? Avoid These 5 Common Mistakes
There’s a reason you’re the person giving a presentation: You have something important to say. Since you’re an expert on a topic, there’s no reason to read stiffly from a card or have a stilted presentation memorized word for word. These techniques are guaranteed to bore an audience, and fast, explains Bell + Ivy co-founder Zach Binder in a 2020 article in Forbes. Instead, he advises simply knowing your key points and being ready to adjust if the situation calls for it. In other words, do the opposite of what Bay did.
“Audiences want to be comfortable watching a presentation and want to connect with that person,” he writes. “The easiest way to make that happen is by being yourself.”
So, rather than composing an entire speech ahead of time, write out key concepts you want to hit, the practice — using them as a focus. Because, by leaving space for flexibility, it’s easier to adjust depending on the mood of the room. If people seem to be zoning out, engage the audience with a question or joke. Making eye contact and moving around the stage is also key for maintaining dynamic interaction — both much harder if you’re frozen in place trying to remember your lines.
When you’re deep into an industry, it can be hard to divorce yourself from the jargon you know so well. But for the sake of the audience, you have to. Lengthy acronyms and dull tech speak aren’t the way to show off knowledge; more likely they will induce sleep among listeners. And like a lot of founders, I’ve been guilty of this myself, but after realizing that what I was doing simply wasn’t working, I made an effort to simplify what I was saying.
Not only does this keep things engaging for an audience, but it’s also a more effective way to show what you know. A room full of smart people can tell when someone is trying to hide behind jargon as a cover for a lack of deeper understanding.
Keeping talks as straightforward as possible is also wholeheartedly embraced by Maria Thimothy of Forbes‘ Young Entrepreneur Council. “The most important thing about a presentation,” she says, “is that it be easily understood. Keeping it simple allows you to control the flow… no matter which way it goes.”
Related: How to Dazzle Your Audience in the First 7 Seconds of Your Speech
Some people, no matter how ingenious their ideas or how knowledgeable they are about their industry, are just not natural public speakers. That’s okay because it’s a skill that can be learned.
Nerves present quite the Catch-22: You’re nervous you’ll mess up, but being so is often why you mess up. Annoying, right? The best way to ease those nerves is to practice. Yes, I know I just wrote that it’s best not to memorize a presentation, but if the idea of speaking off the cuff strikes icy terror into your heart, it may be the best route — at least until you get more comfortable.
A presentation, of course, is more than simply words. This is where developing a stage presence comes in. Writing for Harvard Business Review in 2013, TED Curator Chris Anderson says that the most common issue in unpracticed speakers is moving their bodies too much, including swaying from side to side or otherwise compulsively shifting.
“People do this naturally when they’re nervous, but it’s distracting and makes the speaker seem weak,” he explains. “Simply getting a person to keep his or her lower body motionless can dramatically improve stage presence.”
Eye contact is also important. Anderson recommends finding five or six friendly-looking faces in different parts of an audience, then making eye contact with them while you speak.
“That is incredibly powerful, and will do more than anything else to help your talk land,” he writes. “Even if you don’t have time to prepare fully and have to read from a script, looking up and making eye contact will make a huge difference.”
Finally, you don’t need to regard nerves as an enemy. Just recognize them and take some simple ameliorative steps: Taking a deep breath before going onstage, and remembering to breathe throughout, is one of the best.
Related: 3 Expert-Backed Strategies for Blowing People Away With Your First Impression
Talking in front of people, whether you’re pitching to a group of investors or giving a speech, is part of every entrepreneur’s life. Becoming comfortable with the process will make both you and your business come off as polished, professional and competent. It’s abundantly worth your while to get good at it.
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Aytekin Tank
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There’s a lot we can learn from Elon Musk, but productivity advice isn’t one of them. Here’s why.
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Ben Angel
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Our brains are lazy — but not without good reason. Comprising only 2% of the body’s mass, the brain gobbles up 20% of its energy. About 86 billion neurons fight to fulfill their staggering metabolic needs. Laziness is an energy-conserving necessity for the brain.
If we want to create powerful habits that stick, it doesn’t make sense to waste that energy. But that’s what most of us do when trying to change our habits. We scold and punish ourselves into adopting new habits. We bend over backward trying to justify unhealthy ones. These mental gymnastics deplete vital mental energy. We engage in thoughts, beliefs and actions that don’t actually support change. Instead, they stifle it.
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Leah Borski
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Boarding a plane is arguably one of the worst — and slowest — parts of travel, between the chaos of crowding beforehand and the scramble to shove luggage overhead.
Southwest Airlines is trying to change that. The carrier is experimenting with tactics to speed up boarding at four gates at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and shave five minutes off the time the plane sits between flights, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Related: How Southwest Airlines Created a Mass Market for Air Travel
Today the average “turn” is 40 minutes for Southwest‘s smaller Boeing 737s and 50 minutes for the larger ones, per WSJ.
According to research from Boeing, the majority of its standard body fleet has seen a 50% slowdown in passenger boarding time since 1970.
“We want to truly understand at its most granular level of detail how passengers move on and off our aircraft,” Angela Marano, vice president of business transformation at Southwest, told WSJ. “How can we better understand some of the human behavior that slows that process down?”
Southwest is already known for its boarding process, which forgoes assigned seats and instead assigns customers a letter and number based on when they check in for the flight. Its new attempts to accelerate boarding include playing up-tempo music, which research shows makes passengers move faster, and installing video monitors with boarding countdowns and carpeted areas in different colors to section off preboarding passengers.
Related: Frontier Airlines Just Announced Its All-You-Can-Fly Summer Pass
The airline’s behind-the-scenes strategy includes group chats between workers at the gate, on the plane and on the ground to keep things running smoothly and a designated employee with a mobile device to check oversized bags and register pets well in advance of boarding.
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Amanda Breen
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We all go through times when motivation is low. As the dead of winter sets in, the mornings are darker, the days are shorter, and you accept that the winter blues have taken their hold. Your motivation is positively starving.
So, how can you beat the magnetic pull of the couch and the law of averages? Money is a popular motivator, but it can’t be money alone. A healthier body is also a common goal, but why is it important to you in the first place? Success can light a fire under you, but what does success even look and feel like for you?
The true motivator is all of the great things that we can do with the money, the healthier body and the success. What would life be like? What trips would you go on? What great schools would you send your kids to? What beautiful home could you have? What charity or cause could you fund?
If you are feeling unmotivated, you need to have a way to remind yourself why you have goals in the first place. You need intrinsic motivation. The drive within to take daily action towards your goals out of your own interest and enjoyment where the act of doing the behavior is itself the reward.
With intrinsic motivation in mind, here is a simple action plan for getting motivated or re-motivated this winter:
Related: 7 Things to Add to Your Routine to Combat the Winter Blues
Write down all the reasons why you want to achieve your current goals. These reasons usually include a lot about other people, so be sure to include a healthy mix of these external motivators as well as your own intrinsic motivators. Examples might be the feeling of accomplishment, feeling proud of yourself, being able to pay for something you otherwise could not, keeping the promise to yourself, etc.
Every day, flip through these cards during your morning coffee, on the train, during your daily journaling session or another time when you can be mindful.
Walk yourself through your day from beginning to end. What would your days be like? Who would you be spending time with? Where would you be? What would you and your family be doing if you were the success you want to be and made the money you want to make?
Are you genuinely living a life that feeds your soul? How are your actions adding to or detracting from this dream life? Whether you are or aren’t happily living out your calling, here is an exercise to help pinpoint exactly what is holding you back and causing demotivation.
Exercise: Go through each task and put it in one of three columns entitled:
The list in the “Love” column can be celebrated and, of course, continued. The list in the “Don’t Love” column should be delegated or otherwise offloaded to turn off this energy leak. As for the “Neutral” tasks, decide if you can continue doing them while maintaining a higher level of passion and motivation. If not, delegate those as well.
Nothing can demotivate like never taking a break and edging up against burnout. Apart from enjoying your work, take time to enjoy moments and days when you aren’t working. Schedule a glass of wine after your workday, plan a massage at the end of the week, or go for a weekend walk in the country. These are all ways to celebrate the small successes and re-motivate yourself.
Of course, the best way to begin this entire journey to intrinsic motivation is just to start. Only you can do this for yourself. Follow these five steps, and not only will you beat the winter blues, but you will accomplish goals with more ease and passion than ever before.
Related: 10 Ways to Motivate Yourself When You’re Really Not Feeling It
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Jeanne Omlor
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You signed up for life insurance in an effort to provide a financial safety blanket for your loved ones after your death, but what if you don’t need it or simply can’t afford it anymore?
Did you know that it can be turned into cash while you’re still alive to get you out of a financial crisis? You could even use it to build supplemental income for your golden years.
That’s right. You can sell your life insurance policy just like any other private property. This transaction is called a life settlement.
Maybe you need the cash to cover a major (and unexpected) expense or simply want to rid yourself of paying the monthly premium. Often, a life settlement is the only lifeline for many older adults struggling to cover heaps of medical bills after they fall critically ill or need long-term care in retirement.
Those unaware of this option end up selling their cars or homes or pile up huge debts while paying for care, not knowing that their insurance policy could get them the same amount (or more) of cash than what their vehicle is worth or the total equity in their property.
If you ever think of going down the same route, please don’t. Selling your life insurance policy to an individual or entity may be a smart move, depending on your unique circumstances. Knowing how to sell it and determining if it’s even the right move for you is critical to your financial future.
Related: Life Insurance: What to Consider As a Business Owner
A life settlement is when you sell your life insurance policy to a third party for a lump sum that’s less than the net death benefit but more than the cash surrender value.
Sellers usually receive a lump sum, and afterward, the buyer assumes responsibility for the policy, paying the premiums and receiving the full death benefit when the policyholder passes away.
As the policy owner, you can avail several advantages from a life settlement. Some of these include the following:
A life settlement is also an attractive option for those who have a policy with a high cash surrender value but don’t need the death benefit. For example, you may have purchased a life insurance policy to secure the financial future of your spouse or children, who are no longer dependent on you. With them becoming financially independent, the policy may no longer be needed.
The same goes for seniors who may have purchased a policy when they were in good health, but now, with their deteriorating health, they may be struggling to afford the premiums. A life settlement can help them eliminate this burden and improve their quality of healthcare and life.
Related: Why Life Insurance Has to Be Part of Your Wealth-Building Plan
Generally, you must be 65 or older and your policy must have a minimum face value of $100,000 to qualify for a life settlement. This is because investors wouldn’t want to pay premiums on a policy for you if you could continue to live for decades.
Also, many states require you to wait at least a couple of years after a life insurance policy is issued before you can sell it. In some states, the waiting period is five years.
The only drawback of a life settlement is that you’ll no longer have life insurance coverage. But if your family’s financial future is secure and you don’t need the policy, there’s nothing to lose in a life settlement transaction.
Whether you need the cash or want to free yourself of the premiums, life settlements are a big decision.
You must carefully assess your circumstances and consider all the benefits and drawbacks of selling a life insurance policy before making the final decision. Also, make sure you fully understand the laws in your state regarding life settlements to avoid getting into trouble.
If you think a life settlement is the best way forward for you, get in touch with a life settlement broker or financial advisor to discuss your options. It really helps to shop around before sealing the deal because some companies tend to make less than lucrative offers. A professional can help you make sure you get a fair price for your policy.
As soon as a suitable prospect is found, you and the buyer will have to sign a contract outlining the terms of the sale. Once the contract has been signed, you’ll receive the agreed-upon amount in a lump sum from the buyer.
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William Schantz
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We love — no, we crave — a good origin story. Hero or villain, we want to know what circumstances lead them to where they are. Think really hard about your favorite character in a story. They probably failed at some moment along the way (it’s got to have a solid, drama-filled plot, or who’d care?) and because of it, they came out stronger. We lift these fictional stories up, and we celebrate the journey so much.
Why can’t we do this for ourselves? Failure in business can be scary, unpredictable and emotionally taxing. If you’ve started a business already, you’re aware that taking risks is an integral part of your entrepreneurial journey. And with great risk comes … great fear of the unknown! That, and many rewards. But if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that the great entrepreneurs before us have all seen their fair share of failure at some point in their careers — be it a bad initial business plan, lack of understanding of the industry or just a few bad moves (I can talk about some bad moves…). The beauty of failure is that it gives you a reason to get back up. Because, as the great Aaliyah sang, “If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.”
Now that song is in your head, here are six ways to learn and pivot from an entrepreneurial journey gone awry:
Related: Seeing Failure As An Opportunity To Learn From (And Leapfrog Into Success)
Reevaluate your business plan — or completely pivot if you have to. Was your product or service not ready for market? What type of feedback did you receive? Identify what went wrong and why, and then create actionable takeaways you can use in the future. Instead of wallowing in defeat, take constructive steps towards understanding where things went awry. Was there something you could have done differently? How heavily was luck involved? Self-reflection should be part of your quarterly, annual or semi-annual review.
This is a given, and you’ve probably heard this 1,000 times, so here’s number 1,001: Set goals that are smart and attainable. Take a look at what went wrong with the project that failed, and understand why it failed. Sometimes our failures are simply viewed as such because of the goals we set. You say, “I want 1,000 users in the first month of launching my brand!” And I wish you all the best, by the way. But that might not be realistic, especially if you haven’t planned out your marketing properly or started any outside research. A smart goal would be more along the lines of, “I want to collect enough emails or contact information from my promoted post.” From there, you build a following or brand awareness that can get you to 1,000 users much easier.
Who doesn’t love a good lesson? Is it even a good lesson if you don’t cry a little bit? After the tears have gone, it’s worth looking at the situation and considering where you can become stronger. Did you trust someone without fully vetting them? Did you not have enough money saved for your venture? Here’s the good news: It’s okay. And the better news: You’re going to be better because of it. Just remember to not make the same mistake as you move on.
Related: 10 Lessons About Failure That Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know
Sometimes we fail because we haven’t got the right skill set or we need to fine-tune our skills. Once you’ve realized the areas in which you need to either improve or sharpen, use the time to pack on more knowledge. You might even find that your entire business idea changes or evolves into something you hadn’t thought of. Be flexible with yourself. Learning new skills only broadens, it never narrows.
What motivates you? Failure has a funny way of prioritizing what really matters — or what things should matter. Chasing money, helping others, serving your community or a community in need, being the number one realtor … blah blah blah. Maybe your true purpose is hidden behind the mask of what you think a successful business looks like.
Sharing your failure story can be overwhelming and anxiety-inducing, especially if it brings back difficult memories and emotions. On the other end, sharing your story can inspire and bring hope to someone who’s struggling with the same issues.
Look, I get it. You log onto LinkedIn and see so much success happening — new jobs, new careers, new businesses. But the honest, vulnerable moments are where we can really learn something about who we are as entrepreneurs. If you’ve failed, well, join the club. I have, too. Most of us reading this have. But if you’ve had a bad venture, don’t let it define you. Dust yourself off and try again … and again. It is what defines you as a risk-taking entrepreneur.
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DeAnna Spoerl
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While habits are repeated behaviors, beliefs are repeated thoughts. Mastering both are critical to your success as an entrepreneur. By consistently engaging in beliefs and habits that support your goals and values, you can fulfill your potential and achieve your goals — whether that be in your finances and career, or in your personal development and relationships. Here are five proven habits to shape your mindset and create success:
In today’s world, it’s common to see people getting their beliefs and sense of self-worth from social media, the opinions of other people or the numbers in their bank account instead of how they show up in the world. They put too much value on what other people think of them. They don’t have a concrete sense of their morals. These people are indecisive, they don’t trust themselves, and they are easily swayed in their thoughts and beliefs.
Having a clear understanding of your principles will make you stand out in a room of entrepreneurs for multiple reasons. Understanding your moral compass helps you increase your sense of self, including your strengths and weaknesses, and it helps you understand how to leverage those for the benefit of your business. Knowing your values will help you make strategic decisions about your company, and each of these decisions will help you stay on track with your vision.
Whoever engages with you and your business will know your guiding morals and how that differentiates you from the competition. It’s going to help you attract like-minded individuals, whether that’s other business leaders, employees or even investors. Having clarity with your moral compass is one of the foundational ways to build a strong level of trust between you and your stakeholders.
Related: 11 Simple Steps for Building Habits That Guarantee Success
Successful people are enthusiastic about what they do. If you don’t feel enthusiasm in your life, start experimenting with things that will excite you. It doesn’t matter how you start — pick anything to incorporate into daily life that you feel enthusiasm for. That might be reading, going to the gym or investing time and money in hobbies or classes that spark that sense of eagerness in your life.
No matter what you’re doing, challenge yourself to seek enthusiastic environments and build relationships with other enthusiastic individuals. Once you’re in that mindset, practice sitting in that feeling of enjoyment. That enthusiasm will gain momentum, which will seep into other parts of your life — including your entrepreneurship mindset and business growth.
It’s crucial for you to identify what you want in life and define your purpose. No matter how long it takes or the price, successful people will do whatever is needed to fulfill that purpose. Clarify your major goals, and then identify smaller goals that help you get there, like rungs on a ladder to reach the top.
People without purpose take the path of least resistance. They shy away from doing difficult things, having difficult conversations or anything that takes true effort. The actions that take true effort are what actually scratch the surface of creating a better life for yourself. Finding your purpose and refining a plan to get there, especially when it includes doing those difficult things, is what will lead to exponential growth and success in any aspect of your life.
Related: 8 Proven Habits for Ultimate Success
Those who are at the pinnacle of their success have one thing in common: They don’t depend on external validation. They trust themselves and don’t let fear into the equation of their decision-making. People who have faith in their abilities and principles don’t crucify others who disagree with them or those who don’t see their vision, because they don’t need their approval in the first place.
On this journey to success, you will second-guess yourself. Prepare to be misunderstood, especially when everyone is going in a completely different direction. You will have to learn how to operate alone, and with critique, even if it means not being accepted by others. When that happens, remember to celebrate your wins, no matter how big or small. Every win serves as a mile marker on the path to your goal and reinforces your unwavering belief in yourself and your capabilities.
Your attention always has to be directed somewhere. The question is, what will you focus your attention on? Will you focus your attention on ideas and mindsets that will make your environment better or worse? Don’t waste your attention on things that don’t matter. Don’t waste your attention on negative information that distracts you from overcoming hurdles or reaching goals that you know you have the potential for.
This rule of being intentional with your attention applies to your personal and business relationships, too. Be direct in your interactions, and cut to the chase. This will not only save you time and money, but it will improve your communication and avoid potential conflicts down the road. Focusing the entirety of your attention on what really matters (your health, your self-improvement, your family, your employees and your business) will move the needle to become a better version of yourself.
What are you doing to make today’s ceiling tomorrow’s floor? Practicing these habits and holding true to your beliefs will mold you to be a person who is productive, confident and self-disciplined. This will lay a solid foundation for you to reach financial stability and grow your company. You already have the potential and the gifts to reach your definition of success. It’s a matter of doing whatever you need to do — and paying the price you need to pay — to act upon that potential.
Related: 9 Habits of Super Successful People and What You Can Learn From Them
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Trevor Cowley
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In his installation pieces, artist Michael Murphy translates renderings of flat, 2D images into three-dimensional spaces. The viewer who sees the image of an eye, for example, would totally disagree with the person viewing the same piece of art from any other perspective. In fact, leave the single spot where Murphy’s eye is visible, and the image suddenly explodes into a galaxy of floating wooden balls. Depending on which perspective you see it from or which position in the room you’re standing in, you could have an infinite number of ways to describe what one viewer so clearly saw as an eye.
This is what we do every day with the world around us. Think of how many descriptions we use to try and define people — height, weight, hair color, DNA coding — but we could never possibly identify every single dimension of their being. There could always be another way to describe them. The closest we could ever come would always be at least one dimension less. This demonstrates the limit of our perspectives but also offers unlimited possibilities for us to continue our exploration and imagination. In the same way, we could never imagine every possible approach to problem-solving, goal-setting and our own self-betterment. Everything in life is limitless — perspectives, solutions and room for improvement — but we define the quality of our lives by how much we push those limits.
Related: 6 Ways to Push Your Limits and Accomplish Things You Never Thought Possible
When I attempt to solve a problem, I approach it with three principles in mind. The first is an understanding of the incompleteness of all perspectives. If viewers of Murphy’s eye were to reconstruct what they saw depending on where they stood, and we were to combine those limited perspectives into one, even if that limit included everyone on this planet, we would still be able to find another perspective and a different view. This is related to the diverging nature of brainstorming.
The second principle allows each perspective to have any opportunity to be heard and reviewed. Each perspective is equally valid depending on the situation in which it was generated, meaning we can respect all opinions without bias. That is, however, until we confront a problem that needs to be solved, which presents the third principle — a break in that symmetry of perspectives. This is related to the converging nature of problem-solving. When facing the problem of naming his work, for example, Murphy could have brainstormed limitless solutions, but his goal was to narrow the viewer’s focus onto the same concern as his: government tracking and its watchful reach into people’s personal lives. Naming his work “Perceptual Shift” brings them closer to seeing his perspective — that many may not see the watchful eye unless they shift their perspective.
Just like the infinite number of perspectives to view his art, there were an infinite number of solutions he could have devised to name his art. But he had to narrow down his own divergent perspectives to the best possible one at that time. Even still, there could be a better name to serve his purpose more effectively if he examined the problem from one more dimension; yet another limitless pool of opportunity.
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In the same way that solutions to problems are limitless, there is a limitless amount of data available to help us improve. It would be impossible to brainstorm an exhaustive list of all the room for improvement because there can always be one more idea. The two-dimensional ways we can approach our three-dimensional world are endless to the Nth degree: There is always an N+1 to be found.
Of course, we all know there are physical limits to what the human body can do. Those who break those physical limits set world records until someone else comes along to push them even further. This is what separates elite athletes from average sports players — they push their limits to be the best in the world at what they do by practicing their skills every day.
I try to encourage my son to take this same perspective as a hockey goalie every time he lets in a goal. I tell him to reflect on each one — the angle, direction, speed and player’s movements. Even though he could never possibly come up with an exhaustive list of all dimensions for improvement, by brainstorming as many as he can conceive, he can identify infinitely more ways to protect the goal better. With hindsight, we can always learn from our mistakes and identify what works and what doesn’t to find a better solution. Leaders can apply this to their own problem-solving and encourage the same mindset in the members of their team.
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Of course, I also remind my son not to dwell on those goals he lets in. It’s a natural part of the game. Sometimes, letting in goals could be a simple matter of bad luck, just as allowing no goals involves a certain amount of positive luck. Tapping into our limitless room for improvement is our small effort to control how we reduce that unlucky probability. The best goalies become the best and let in fewer goals because they use every allowed goal as a learning opportunity to prevent the next one.
In the same way, failure is a vital part of achieving success when we use those experiences to better ourselves and fine-tune our skills. The best way of doing something today might not be the best way of doing it tomorrow. Stay open to the limitlessness of improvement. Let nothing be “too outrageous” or determine “it won’t work” before allowing it to exist as an option. Brainstorm as many ideas as possible and narrow them down to the best solution, knowing there could always be a better way and always aiming to find it.
Each time we go back to square one and brainstorm another list of solutions to find this extra dimension, we come up with answers we haven’t tried before to accomplish our goals better. Understanding the limitlessness of problem-solving as an opportunity for improvement is how we grow. The framework of these principles is universal and applicable to any scenario, from becoming a better hockey player to leading a business for better performance and everything else in between.
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Simin Cai, Ph.D.
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