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Change Your Mindset

Here’s Why You Need to Make Motivation Personal

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You put down your self-help book and you feel ready. You are ready to conquer any Herculean task that is standing in your way to success. You are transformed, and you cannot wait to show the world what you are capable of. The next day, you wake up early in the morning. You turn off your phone’s alarm clock with such energy you know you are going to smash the day. 

A week passes by, and you are still smashing it. People around you start to notice. You are a changed man! Another week passes by, you feel a bit drained, but you soldier on. In the third week, you feel kind of sick of anything motivation related — what happened here?

I asked myself the same question countless times, and I came to the realisation that mass-produced motivation can only last so long. What happened is that you got a boost in motivation from the self-help book, but you did not achieve sustainable motivation; the one that lasts forever.

The only way you can stay motivated is to personalise your motivation. Make it as personal as possible. You must look at motivation from a bottom-up, not top-down, perspective.

In this article, I am going to show you how to do just that. You are going to learn a few tips on how you can personalise motivation, building it from the inside out.  

1. Diagnose your strengths

The first step to personalise your motivation is to pinpoint and capitalise on your strengths.

What is your strong suit?

There are two ways to find the answer:

  • Analyse the history of your achievements
  • Ask people who know you well

For example, when I was a university student, I got the highest grade in public speaking. People also often told me that I had a good way with words (I am saying that humbly!). What does all this mean?

It means I have charisma. I am able to inspire others with my words. So, how can I use this to personalise my motivation?

Well, if I can inspire people with my words, I can inspire myself with them, too. I talk to myself every day. Whenever I run low on motivation, I use metaphors, similes and personification created from my own imagination to shake off whatever parasite that is sucking strength out of my soul. My words never failed me.

Pinpoint your strengths and capitalise on them.

2. Tap the power of personal symbolism

Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas. For example, the cross is a symbol of redemption and sacrifice.

Motivation and success are the driving forces behind everything you do, and your strengths help you smash through challenges to reach your destination. So, why do you not give all this a concrete shape?

When you give what you believe in a concrete shape, it does not just become part of who you are. It becomes who you are. This gives motivation a whole new meaning.

For example, a few of my strengths are intensity, passion, physical energy, yearn for self-expression and somewhat deeply buried anger at the idea of anyone being better than me at what I do. I decided that the sun symbol perfectly represents who I am and how I overcome my moments of weakness.

I wear my sun necklace all the time. It is part of my motivation. It shows the world my motivation, and I love it when people ask me about it.

Here are a few other ways to draw on the power of motivational symbolism:

  • Choose a symbol that best represents your motivational philosophy
  • Create your own ID card. Your picture, name, symbol of your choosing and other information that matters to you should all be there.
  • Rings, necklaces and bracelets with the symbol of your choosing are great ways to materialise your motivation
  • Tattoos are also an option, but I do not recommend them. They are not easily disposable and as you progress in your motivation journey, what motivates and what does not motivate you may change drastically. You do not want to be rigid.

“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.” – Elon Musk

3. Ritualise your motivation

Another way to make motivation who you are, not just part of who you are, is to ritualise it. Make motivation a habit, not just something that you do ‘’from time to time’’. 

Motivate yourself every day. Wake up in the morning and remind yourself of what matters to you. What you are doing is going to pay off one day. Visualise how you will feel when you achieve your goal and the things it will bring you: money, power, sex and fame. All what is between you and these things is hard and smart work.

I have my own personally-written motivation speech read every morning. The speech reflects my deepest desires. Nobody can unlock its massive power but me. I read it aloud and I feel the words reverberate in my soul.

Make motivation a habit.

4. Adapt, not adopt

While good motivation articles may provide guidance, they do not provide answers because only you can find them. People who write about motivation do not know you as well as you know yourself. Tailor mass-produced motivation articles to your own individual needs, experiences, tastes and intelligence.

For example, if a motivation article suggests that you do the task you dread the most in the morning while you are an afternoon person, you are not going to do it in the morning. You can see how a motivation article can provide you with an idea; do what you are scared of the most when you are at your best. However, ‘’when you are at your best’’ varies from individual to individual.

Adapt what you read to your uniqueness to concoct personalised motivation.

5. Take breaks and make them count

Ignoring breaks — I have been there. You would like to think that you are strong and resilient, and you probably are, but ignoring breaks is not going to get you anywhere. Just like muscles need rest to reduce lactic acid build-up after a hard workout, so does your motivation. However, you do not want to wait until you are burnt out. This mistake cost me a lot.

Make time for your break every week or every couple of weeks at max. A full day of rest is also part of your motivation because you will be looking forward to it when you are working hard.

Make your breaks count, too. No mobile phones or anything of the sort. You have been straining your eyes all this time looking at screens and documents. You need to give all of you a break on your free day. Light exercising is okay, but it should not exceed 20 minutes. Avoid anything and anyone that may deplete your will power reserves – including difficult friends.  

Take breaks and make them count. You will come back stronger.

Conclusion

Personalised motivation is the most powerful motivation. It is motivation that is deeply attached to your idiosyncratic needs, tastes, experiences and logic. Mass-produced motivation articles provide nothing more than guidance. They are a starting point, not an answer to a deeply personal question; how can I be and stay motivated?

The secret is in the ingredients, not the recipe. The most powerful ingredients grow in one and one place only; you.

The Taken for Granted is an aspiring novelist and teacher-turned-blogger. He is currently working on his debut romance novel and shares his eccentric thoughts sometimes on his blog: https://thetakenforgranted.com. You could also follow and contact him on his blog’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thetakenforgranted.

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Change Your Mindset

The Art of Convincing: 10 Persuasion Techniques That Really Work

The knack for persuading others can act as a catalyst for change, open doors, forge alliances, and effect positive change

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how to be more persuasive

Persuasion is not as complicated as it may sound. In fact, it is something that we have been practicing since childhood. Do you remember convincing your parents to let you skip school, asking your teacher not to assign homework, or persuading your boss to give you a day off? Well, these are just small examples of what persuasion looks like. (more…)

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Personal Development

5 Key Reasons Why Perfectionist’s Procrastinate

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Procrastination Perfectionist Patterns

Hey there! I’m Joel Brown, a procrastination mindset specialist. In my world, it’s all about guiding my students through repatterning exercises to break free from the shackles that prevent them from scaling new heights in life.

Now, you might hear ‘perfectionist’ and think, “Ah, they’re destined for success!” But here’s the real deal: perfectionism is far from a superpower. It’s a sneaky villain in disguise, sapping emotional and physical strength, disrupting sleep, and fueling an endless cycle of rumination—all in the pursuit of getting everything ‘just right.’ This relentless chase is what we call the ‘Obsessive Idealist‘ procrastination type.

If you don’t know which out of. the 6 procrastination types you are then you can take this quick 3 minute procrastination type quiz on my Mindstrong Academy website.

Through my fourteen years of coaching, I’ve identified six procrastination types, but my journey started with a personal revelation—I am an Obsessive Idealist. I’ve been there, constantly toggling between creation and procrastination.

And today, I invite you to explore this path with me. If you’re nodding along, thinking, “That sounds like me; I’m a perfectionist too,” then stick around.

I’m about to shed some light on why you might be stuck in this cycle.

 

Here’s a perfectionist procrastination type video here of what I’m breaking down in this article for you:

The Obsessive Idealist: Unpacking the Perfectionist’s Paradox

First things first, make sure to take the procrastination quiz: mindstrongacademy.com/quiz to see where you stand. Now, let’s dive into the world of the Obsessive Idealist. Often labeled as high achievers or perfectionists, the core of their procrastination lies in the mind’s protective pause. It’s a shield against perceived threats, pitfalls of perfectionism, and the constant battle between the now and the future in our minds.

Here’s the paradox: what seems like a strength for high achievers can become a crippling hindrance. Obsessive Idealists are in a constant struggle to avoid failure, aiming for 100% perfection. But let’s face the truth—no one is perfect. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, athlete, or any individual striving for excellence, embracing imperfections and learning from failures are crucial steps.

 

The Traps of Being an Obsessive Idealist Procrastination Type

Analysis Paralysis: Overthinking every detail to the point of inaction is a common pitfall. It’s like trying to get everything perfect, but in reality, it backfires, stalling your progress.

The Unrealistic Standards Syndrome: Setting impossibly high goals is like chasing a mirage. It’s not just about being competitive; it can lead to unfair self-criticism and unrealistic expectations of others.

The Time Trap: Believing there’s never enough time to complete a task perfectly leads to constant postponement. This selective focus on strengths, while avoiding areas of improvement, limits your true potential.

Avoidance of Criticism: Dodging feedback hinders growth. It’s essential to learn to accept constructive criticism without internalizing it as a reinforcement of the “I’m not good enough” narrative.

The All-or-Nothing Lie: Believing that you must operate at full throttle or not at all is a dangerous misconception. Embracing the middle ground, like delegating tasks and seeking mentorship, is key to balanced success.

Embracing Imperfection: The Path to True Progress

 

In the MindStrong Academy, where I teach conquering procrastination, we focus on managing these patterns effectively. Currently, we’re offering a 7-day free trial, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your mindset: MindStrongAcademy.com The Academy is more than just a course; it’s a community where you’ll find support, accountability, and tailored resources like a 31-day planner and visualization audios to realign your focus.

 

In conclusion, recognizing and managing your tendencies as an Obsessive Idealist is crucial. By addressing the deep-rooted “I’m not good enough” narrative and embracing imperfection, you can shift from a state of constant stress to one of harmonized power.

Remember, movement doesn’t always equate to progress. It’s about finding balance, embracing downtime, and allowing yourself the space to grow and learn.

I encourage you to take the quiz, join the MindStrong Academy, and start your journey towards a more balanced, successful life.

Let’s break free from the chains of perfectionism together!

 

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Change Your Mindset

Unlocking Success: Subconscious Reprogramming, Mindset, and Transformative Strategies for Improved Wellbeing and Business Performance

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brittany victoria

What if I told you that the negative thoughts or self-limiting beliefs that you may have, are not actually yours?

In this article, I will discuss subconscious programming and how it can be reprogrammed in a way that allows you to reach your greatest potential. I will also provide tips on how you can integrate this information as a leader within the workplace.

The subconscious mind is shaped before we begin forming our own conscious thoughts, and these conscious thoughts are influenced by the subconscious mind. This means that even the thoughts that you’re consciously having, are merely an extension of that pre-existing conditioning. 

When something becomes deeply ingrained within your mind through repetition, and there are other supporting thoughts that reinforce it, you will identify this information as your truth. These repeated thoughts become beliefs, and your actions will align to support and validate these beliefs.

The Importance of Observing Your Thoughts

If you continuously tell yourself that you aren’t capable or good enough, how likely are you to put in the effort to challenge this narrative? If you’ve always been a procrastinator and tell yourself that you always will be, you’re going to continue procrastinating. If you run into an obstacle and don’t believe you can overcome it, you’re not going to look for solutions or try your best to resolve it.

It’s extremely important for you to become an observer of your thoughts and understand the impacts of how those thoughts can impact your life, relationships, and overall outlook on life.

Here are some questions to help guide you:

– What are your recurring negative thoughts, and how are they impacting your performance and relationships? 


– How have these thoughts held you back from achieving your goals and living the life that you’ve always dreamed of? 


– What have these thoughts already cost you and what else will they cost you if they don’t change?

Societal conditioning, influenced by a lower level of collective consciousness, has made the experience of debilitating thoughts highly prevalent. It’s not your fault that you have them, but it is your responsibility to change them and choose better ones.

The Subconscious Must Be Reprogrammed 

Reprogramming the subconscious involves positive affirmations, visualization, and consistent repetition to replace negative beliefs with positive ones. You have to become aware of the thoughts that make you feel bad and do not serve your best interest.

What are the growth-oriented thoughts that would you rather have instead? Any time that a debilitating thought crosses your mind, always correct it with new thought that uplifts, encourages and empowers you. Be consistent, be patient and understand that your logical mind will not make this process easy for you at first.

Being Delusional vs. Consciously Creating a Better Reality for Yourself 

By definition, the term delusional means “holding false beliefs or judgments about external reality that are held despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary”. When you have held onto debilitating beliefs for so long and your previous actions have served as evidence to confirm their truth, it is inevitable that your logical mind will deem your new thoughts as delusional. This is where embracing change tends to become most challenging, as it involves confronting this resistance with unwavering commitment. 

 

What you have to understand is that your former beliefs and former actions do not dictate your future, unless they remain the same. As the old beliefs become obsolete and new beliefs take their place, there will also be new aligned actions that produce different results, and this will serve as evidence to support your new truth. That being said, the most delusional thing that anyone can do is elect to keep an unfavorable mindset that was programmed for them by external factors and willingly relinquish their own personal power as a result of it.

Success is Fundamentally Rooted in the Mindset

How we show up for ourselves and others, communicate with employees, and perform in business are deeply connected to our mindset and everything that has shaped it. Let’s delve into these interconnected aspects and explore five transformative tips that will catalyze positive change in the workplace. 

 

A growth-oriented mindset encourages resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace challenges. On the other hand, a fixed mindset hinders progress and limits potential.

Tip 1: Embrace a Growth Mindset

  • Establish the belief that abilities can be developed.
  • View challenges as opportunities for learning and improvement.
  • Cultivate a positive attitude toward continuous growth and development.

Unpacking Trauma and Navigating the Impact

Unresolved trauma can cast a long shadow over our personal and professional lives. It shapes our reactions, influences decision-making, and impacts our interactions with others. Acknowledging and addressing trauma is essential for creating a healthier, more productive work environment.

 

Tip 2: Prioritize Trauma-Informed Leadership

  • Cultivate empathy and understanding for individual experiences.
  • Provide a safe space for open communication about trauma.
  • Implement support systems and resources for employees dealing with trauma.

 

Elevate Relationships and Sales Performance

To enhance relationships, communication, and sales performance, a holistic approach that intertwines mindset and trauma-informed practices is key.

 

Tip 3: Implement Empathy-Driven Communication

  • Train teams in active listening and empathetic communication.
  • Create an environment where open dialogue is encouraged.
  • Recognize and validate diverse perspectives, creating a culture of inclusivity.

Tip 4: Invest in Professional Development

  • Offer continuous learning opportunities for employees.
  • Develop leadership skills to enhance communication and relationship-building.
  • Prioritize sales training programs that align with evolving market dynamics.

Tip 5: Maintain a Positive Work Culture

  • Create a workplace where employees feel valued and appreciated.
  • Implement recognition programs to celebrate achievements.
  • Encourage a balance between professional and personal well-being.

By embracing a growth mindset, acknowledging and addressing trauma, and implementing empathetic, integrated strategies, individuals and organizations can create a transformative ripple effect. In this interconnected web of personal and professional growth, how we show up truly matters, influencing the outcomes we achieve and the impact we leave on those around us.

 

Enjoy the Journey 

As you embark on the empowering journey of subconscious reprogramming, remember that change takes time, and self-compassion is your greatest ally. Surround yourself with positive influences, whether it be supportive friends, inspirational books, or mindfulness practices. Seek guidance from mentors who have walked a similar path and found success in reshaping their mindset. Embrace the discomfort that may arise during this process, for it signifies the shedding of old layers to make way for the new. Reflect on your progress regularly, celebrating even the smallest victories, and be patient with yourself as you navigate the intricacies of transformation. 

In the spirit of rewriting your narrative, I encourage you to take the first step today. Commit to a daily practice of positive affirmations, visualize your desired reality, and consistently challenge self-limiting beliefs. If you would like support along the way, consider joining like-minded communities, Facebook groups, and curate your social media to reflect these new changes you want to embody.

Remember, thoughts become actions, and actions reinforce beliefs. It’s never too late to embark on an empowering journey to reprogram your mind, and achieve the life you have always dreamed of!

For more tips and strategies on how to improve your mindset, follow me at @bigdivineenergy.

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Change Your Mindset

How to Let Go of Unconscious Patterns That No Longer Serve You

Spending more and more time going inward will free you to move forward.

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Image Credit: Midjourney

I was chatting with a friend of mine who was recently laid off. The experience has been overwhelming for him in a myriad of ways, including feeling inadequate and not good enough to get another job. (more…)

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