The Ultimate Guide To Your Most Productive Morning Ever

There's something magical about the morning hours. This quiet, calm time of the day is unrivaled. In fact, the morning time is so unrivaled that it's the only time of day in which thousands of articles and hundreds of books are written about every year. Benjamin Franklin said one of the most quoted phrases in history about the morning time:

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

We've all heard that before. So, what's so special about mornings? Why do so many successful people give the early morning so much credit? I'm going to tell you.
This guide is going to empower you with everything you need to wake up early, be unbelievably productive and even help you understand why you should wake up early. Let's get started.

1. Why Be a Morning Person?

"Either you run the day or the day runs you." — Jim Rohn

Your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. That's great news, because you can control your mornings. You can use them to achieve your goals and accomplish some pretty amazing things. However, we all know that a bad start to your day can bring the rest of your day down with it.
Being a morning person doesn't mean you have to be disgustingly cheerful from the moment you pop out from under the covers. It simply means that you start your day on purpose, as opposed to only waking up because you have to be somewhere.
Why are mornings so great? Here are a few reasons:

• Peace and quiet. If you live with someone, especially young children, you may have a hard time finding a quiet place to do anything. Waking up before everyone else will give you the peace and quiet you need.
• Your time. You need time to yourself. For yourself. Waking up early is a great way to make that time happen. Many successful people spend the first hours of each day alone, to reflect, think, meditate and grow.
• Your happiness. Morning people are generally happier than evening people. One study showed that morning people are less likely to be depressed than people who prefer evenings to do their work.
• Accomplishing goals. Morning people are more likely to set and achieve goals. Waking up earlier allows you to plan for the day, which means you can plan to make progress towards all of your goals.

It's simple. If you wake up earlier, you're more prepared. You're not going to be rushed like you may be if you wake up just in time to be somewhere. If you're used to over sleeping, you can add several hours to your day just by waking up earlier.
That's all great to hear and it sounds wonderful, but what if you have a hard time dragging yourself out of bed each morning? I thought you might ask that. Now you know the why, here's the how…

2. How to Actually Wake Up

I used to sleep until noon everyday. It didn't matter if I went to bed early or not. Eventually, I stopped being a complete loser (not that waking up late makes you a loser, but I was definitely a lazy loser) and got a job that required me to start waking up around 8:00 am.
Once I decided to start controlling my mornings, I began waking up earlier. I started by waking up at 7:00 am, and over the years I have started waking up earlier and earlier. Now I wake up at 4:00 am. Yes, the world is in motion at 4:00 am.
This wasn't something that just happened. It was completely intentional. It had to be. It would have been impossible for me, a former noon-sleeper, to start waking up at 4:00 by some stroke of luck.  Here's what I did and what you can do to actually get out of bed each morning:

1. Make a gradual change. Like anything else, if you start this in full force tomorrow by waking up five hours earlier than you usually do, you're going to fail. Don't set yourself up for failure. Start by waking up 15 minutes earlier than normal. Then wake up 15 minutes earlier than that every few days. Slowly adopt this new habit.
2. Find your reward. Think of something you would really look forward to. It could be a steaming cup of coffee or tea. It could be a large breakfast. It could even be an early morning walk. Find something that motivates you and look forward to it every morning.
3. Start with your passion. What's your passion? Reading? Writing? Working out? As humans, we are most disciplined in the things we are most passionate about. Start your day with something you're passionate about and you'll be much more likely to get up and do it.
4. Move your alarm clock. Once you're out of bed, you're less likely to go back to sleep. Move your alarm clock to a shelf across the room. This is a great way to make sure you get out of bed. Once you're up, stay up. And wake up to a pleasant sound, not an ear-shattering beep.
5. Wake up at the same time. If you go to sleep and wake up around the same time each day, you'll condition your body to naturally be tired and wake up at those times. If this doesn't work with the hours at your job, try to stay on a schedule as much as possible.
6. Use natural light. Since you're reading this, you probably prefer waking up before the natural light of the sun is shinning through your window, but you can find a natural light alarm clock that will do the trick. Natural light helps your body to naturally feel awake.
7. Understand sleep cycles. One sleep cycle is about 90 minutes, so plan to sleep for a number of hours that's a multiple of 90. For most adults, 7.5 or 9 hours is a good goal to strive for. Worst case scenario, sleep for at least 6 hours. If you wake up just before your alarm, go ahead and get up; your sleep cycle is over. You can always try the Sleep Cycle alarm clock. It monitors your heart rate and attempts to wake you up once your sleep cycle is over.
8. Get moving. You don't have to head to your local CrossFit box or run a marathon, but get your blood pumping as soon as your get out of bed. A quick walk or a few minutes of jumping jacks will do the trick. Just do something that wakes your body up physically.
9. Change your mindset. If you dread mornings, change your mindset. Start looking forward to them and all the productivity they bring. I know it's possible to shift your mindset, because I am a self-made morning person. It wasn't natural at first, but now it is.

It's important to figure out what works for you and do it. Whatever it takes to get out of bed, it's worth it. Don't go off how you feel. It's likely that you'll feel a little groggy at first, but once you get up, even just 10 minutes earlier, you'll feel much better.
Sometimes my morning self seems to think my night self is cruel for setting the alarm so early, but a few minutes after I'm out of bed, my morning self is thankful for my responsible night self.
If you're still having a hard time rolling out of bed, you may just need a little will power. When you wake up in the morning and you don't feel like getting up, consider these 4 tips from Leo Babauta for what to do when you "don't feel like it":

1. It's on my plan, I gotta do it.
2. Past Me said to do it, and Future Me will thank me, so let's do it.
3. Once I start, I'll be glad I did. I just have to take the first small step.
4. I don't need to decide on this, or think about it. It's already decided.

If all of that somehow fails you, you can always try acupuncture to wake yourself up. Or perhaps a cold shower?

3. Your Productive Morning

Start your morning on purpose, at a specific time. And for God's sake stop hitting the snooze button. That extra nine minutes can be quite productive if you're awake and it won't help you feel better. If anything, it will make you even more tired and groggy than you were the first time the alarm went off.
Just get up. Get out of your bed. If you really want to go back to bed, promise yourself a nap later in the day. Even better, try a coffee nap later on. They're better than coffee or naps alone.
One of the most important factors to waking up early is getting enough sleep. Let's talk about sleep for a minute…

4. How to Get Better Sleep

"When I woke up this morning my girlfriend asked me, 'Did you sleep good?' I said 'No, I made a few mistakes.'" -Steven Wright

If you're not getting a good night's sleep, your not going to have a very productive morning. Here are some tips for getting better sleep:

1. Avoid caffeine and alcohol within the last eight hours of your day.
2. Get a high quality mattress and pillow. They make a difference.
3. Make sure the temperature is at a comfortable setting for you.
4. Avoid heavy meals at night. They decrease sleep quality.
5. Avoid "blue light" during the last few hours before bed.
6. Use visualizations when going to sleep. They are quite effective.
7. Use sleep technologies, such as black out curtains and sleep monitors.
8. Exercise regularly. Studies have shown that people who do, sleep better.

Now that you know how to sleep, let's move on to morning time. For many, a morning isn't complete without a cup of coffee. Should caffeine be part of your morning routine? Perhaps, but you should use caffeine strategically.

5. How to Effectively Use Caffeine

Caffeine can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you have ever had a caffeine withdrawal headache, you know what I mean about the latter. There are highly effective, healthy ways to use caffeine, but first, I have a challenge for you.
If you consume caffeine on a daily basis, try completely cutting it out for a couple weeks. At least one week. This will allow your body to reset your tolerance to caffeine, thus making it more effective when you start using it again. It is a drug after all.
Once you have cut the caffeine and are ready to add it back to your life (oh caffeine, how sweet thou art), try some of the following ideas:

1. Drink coffee or tea over a longer period of time. This will release the caffeine more steadily, over a longer period, which will help sustain your energy levels instead of spiking and crashing.
2. Drink water first, before the coffee. Hydrating your body can increase your energy and you may not even need the coffee. Or you can instead use caffeine later in the day when you start to lose energy.
3. Don't go back to drinking coffee daily (switch to decaf if you must). Use caffeine when you need it. It will be much more effective to only use caffeine when you have a big job to do or when you need an extra boost.
4. Don't be so quick to grab a second cup of coffee or tea. You may not need it, or it may be more effective to save it for later. Give the caffeine time to start working. Wait before you make the quick decision to grab another cup.
5. Eat before your coffee. Consuming caffeine on an empty stomach can be a bad thing. I admit that I like taking caffeine on an empty stomach when I really want to get a boost and it is very effective for that, but don't make it a habit. Here's why:

"Drinking coffee on an empty stomach, such as first thing in the morning, stimulates hydrochloric acid production. This can be a problem because HCl should only be produced to digest meals. If your body has to make HCl more often in response to regular cups of coffee, it may have difficulty producing enough to deal with a large meal." Source.

6. Create Your Perfect Morning

"Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have." -Lemony Snicket, The Blank Book

You will wake up about 25,000 mornings in your adult life. Make them count. There are many ways to start your day each morning. You will be most productive if you have a ritual.
I use the word ritual, because "routine" usually creates a negative, boring, mundane picture. I define a ritual as "an activity or group of activities, practiced daily, that leads you toward your goals." Doesn't that sound a lot better than some boring routine?
To maximize your productivity, you need a plan. Here's how to create your plan that creates your perfect morning:
Plan the night before.  It only takes 10 minutes to plan your morning if you do it the night before. If you wait until morning, you may still be a little groggy. Not having a plan for your morning can be enough to motivate you right back to sleep. When you wake up, you should know exactly what you need to do.

7. Creating Your Morning Ritual

"I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something." -Steve Jobs

What should be included in your morning ritual? Steve Jobs started his day with a question and then preceded to spend time with his kids and help them finish up any homework they had left. That was part of his morning ritual. Here are 12 ideas of what to include in your morning ritual:

1. Affirmations. Affirmations are a highly common way to start the day. The process is simple: remind yourself of everything you have and everything you have done and can do. Write these down and read them to yourself each day. There is power in writing these down and even more power in speaking them out loud.
2. Breakfast. Unless you're an intermittent faster, you probably eat breakfast most mornings. You've just went many hours without eating (break-fast). Eating a healthy breakfast can not only calm your appetite, it can give you plenty of energy, if you do it right.  Stick to high-energy foods like vegetables, fruit and smoothies. Protein foods are good too. Stay away from heavy grains that will make you feel tired and sluggish.
3. Exercise. Exercise gives you energy. Often we have a false sense that, when we are tired, we need more sleep. That may not be the issue. You need exercise to increase your energy levels. This goes together with eating a healthy diet. Both are important to increase your energy.
4. Family. As I mentioned above, Steve Jobs spent the mornings with his kids. Wake them up a little earlier for some early morning family time or spend some quiet time with your spouse before the kids get out of bed.
5. Gratitude. Start your day by being thankful. We all have many things to be thankful for. Even if you're an extreme pessimist, you can find something. The things we have, the things we've accomplished. Even the ability to breathe and wake up each day is something to be thankful for.
6. Meditation.  Many people swear by meditation, while others still think it's some form of voodoo.  This doesn't have to be spiritual (though it can be).  Meditation can be as simple as sitting in silence and focusing on one thing, such as your breathe, for a certain amount of time.
7. Prayer. If you're not spiritual or religious at all, this could just be a time of silence, like I mentioned above. But if you do have someone or something to pray to, it's a great way to start the day. Connecting with your spiritual senses first thing in the morning will set a positive course for your day.
8. Reading. Read something positive. A good book, non-fiction or fiction. A spiritual book. Whatever you like. But positive books are going to lead to a more positive day.  There's no better way to begin your day than growing and learning.
9. Silence. Starting your day with complete silence is a great way to set a relaxed mood for your entire day. It could be just a few minutes, but early morning silence has a huge positive impact on your entire day.
10. Visualizations. This is becoming more popular everyday. You can use visualizations in different ways. The traditional way is to visualize yourself having already achieved the goal your striving for. The more modern way has you visualize yourself doing the action it takes to reach your goals, such as writing like a madman or running as fast as you can. I prefer the modern form, but it's your ritual. Your call.
11. Water. If you don't include any of the other ideas, include this one. Drinking a liter of water, or at least a full glass, will boost energy levels and hydrate your dehydrated body. You probably don't drink water in your sleep, so you just went several hours without the most important thing your body needs. Drink water, first thing.
12. Writing. If you're a writer, this is a no-brainer for you. If you're not a writer, you may think this doesn't apply to you. It does. Even if you're not writing a book, article or blog post, simply buy a journal and start scribing. You can write about yesterday or just record your thoughts. You will grow to love this habit.

There are many ways to start your day and create your ritual. You can find an entire plan, like the Miracle Morning, or you can create your own. Either way, create a ritual so you'll know exactly what you plan to do each day. It's also important to do what you do best. You may be highly creative in the mornings. If that's the case, create something!  If you're mind doesn't work too well before 10:00, you may want to stick with more trivial tasks. Either way can be productive as long as you do what you do best, at the right time.
You're responsible for creating your morning and waking up on purpose. You've got to find your "why."  Figure out why you want to wake up early and what you want to accomplish.

"Every morning I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I'm not there, I go to work." -Robert Orben

Your goal may be to earn more money. It could be to become filthy rich. Or you may want a closer relationship with your family or your God. You may simply want to grow as a person by becoming more fit or learning something new each day.
There are thousands of reasons to get up each morning. You've got to find your reason. Once you find it, do everything in your power to make it happen. You've got thousands of mornings left. Make them count.
The post The Ultimate Guide To Your Most Productive Morning Ever appeared first on Lifehack.

16 Reasons to Reduce Your Mobile Dependence

In recent years, our reliance on our mobile devices has skyrocketed as an increasingly large number of applications are developed. Little pieces of our lives are outsourced to our smartphones in the name of efficiency and enhanced communication. Despite all of this, here are 16 reasons reduced mobile dependence can benefit your life.

1. To be engaged in conversation

You are never really present when your mind is anticipating the vibration or ping of an expected text message. Good conversation is found when two people are invested in the moment, devoting their time and attention to the other.

2. To create more than you consume

Mobile phones are more often a product of consumption rather than creation. Granted, there are exceptions for those rare individuals who produce stunning mobile photography or well-crafted written stories. However, the vast majority of casual creators are using our phones for intake. If we're consuming, we aren't creating. At some point, you need to break away and put all of that knowledge to use.

3. To relieve the mental burden

Reducing clutter–physical, spiritual, mental or otherwise–relieves a huge burden on your mind. Every item you get rid of is an item your mind doesn't have to keep up with.

4. To break your addiction

Have you ever noticed those people who pull out their phone, unlock it and tap through a few apps looking for notifications before locking it again? And then they do it all again a couple of minutes later. Though we might not recognize it, much of our society is addicted to their mobile phones. It's no surprise–we turn to our devices for shopping, directions, communication and many other conveniences of life.

5. To find value in yourself

Texts, tweets, emails, likes…they have become a social currency putting a price on attention and worth. Breaking away from that will help you find value in yourself, not in your notifications.

6. To reduce distractions

Two hours of uninterrupted time is far more productive than three hours split up into six half-hour blocks throughout the day. Each time we have to re-begin our process, we have to find that flow all over again. This takes up valuable, creative time. Turning off the notifications cuts down on the amount of distractions and interruptions in our work period.

7. To free up more time

We spend approximately two hours on our mobile devices each day. If we cut that down to 30 minutes a day, we're giving ourselves over 22 full days a year of time we could spend on projects. Of course, this obviously doesn't apply if you're a mobile phone technician or something.

8. To be aware

Awareness has a lot more to do with your mental state than simply lifting your eyes off your screen, but getting your head up is a start. Being "in the moment" is often achieved simply be taking notice of your surroundings and being acutely aware of your senses. Take out the earbuds, turn off the notifications, and be present.

9. To strengthen your mind

It is incredible how much of our life references our mobile devices. When we need to solve a math problem, we pull out the calculator app. When we need to get directions, we pull out the map app. When we need to be entertained we pull up Facebook or Twitter or the latest mobile game craze. Limiting your interactions with your phone strengthens your mind by forcing you to tackle daily problems yourself. Math, directions, entertainment… join the DIY generation.

10. To reduce petty communication and force deep face-to-face interaction

Nothing replaces in-person interactions–not text, a phone call, or even Skype. Removing the digital barrier to interactions cultivates greater opportunity for face-to-face communication with others.

11. To separate work life from home life

Stories are rampant of the spouse who gets a phone call or email concerning work after he or she has left the office. Perhaps it interrupts dinner with your wife or a relaxing evening with your husband. The lines have been blurred, in large part, by the accessibility of colleagues after-hours. Managers know that a phone call or an email notification will catch the employee's attention. By limiting mobile usage, you mute the accessibility and enact a very real boundary between work and home life.

12. To reduce drama

I can't tell you how often I have heard people complain or whine about the social media posts in their feed. But they don't stop looking for more. Social media is a drama magnet, encouraging people to hash out controversial issues through a limited medium which often results in irritation, gossip or worse. Just stop going where the drama is.

13. To learn to love books again

Books hold a wonder that few, if any, mediums possess–the stories draw you in for a long-form journey that our short attention span culture does not seem to fully appreciate any more. Moving away from the screen gives you more incentive to re-discover the magic of a good book.

14. To strengthen your eyes

Though the facts are widespread, it is evident that long amounts of time in front of a screen can weaken your eyes. Be sure to catch some off-screen time when you can!

15. To lengthen your attention span

News alerts, 140-character tweets, 500-word blog posts and text messages have all contributed to the shortened attention span. We want soundbites now, which causes us to miss out on some of the long-form content. I recently read Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis, and though I had to train myself to enjoy a story that took 90% of the book to set up, the ending was well worth the investment.

16. To force you to think/plan ahead

What if you didn't have a way to call if you broke down? What if you didn't know how to reroute if you got lost? What if you weren't able to Google something on the spot? I believe the ease and availability of the internet and smartphones has given way to a culture that doesn't plan ahead anymore. Problems are often dealt with as they come up when, perhaps with a little forward-thinking, they could have been avoided in the first place.
Featured photo credit: photo/Wilfred Ivan via unsplash.imgix.net
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10 Resources To Upgrade Your Grammar And Writing Skills

English grammar is something that is treasured by everyone. We all want to improve on our grammar skills so that we are able to communicate with some level of mastery. Being able to construct grammatically correct sentences is not only seen as a skill but as a treasure that everyone yearns for. It is because of this that grammar lovers have created online channels that can help an individual enhance their English grammar skills so that they can be fluent when they speak the language. In addition to improving your grammar, the websites can also assist you while improving on your writing skills, so that you can dazzle people with your accurate and correctly constructed sentences.

So here's a list of ten free online resources that can help an individual improve their English grammar and writing skills.

1. EssayMama's Essay Writing Guide

The writing guide is perfectly suited for young writers and the students. The user community of this site is made up of persons who are just at the beginning of their writing experience and are most likely looking to get some basic information about English grammar and writing.
With EssayMama's Essay Writing Guide you can expect to gain a lot of tips and advice that is designed to ultimately help you improve both your grammar and writing skills. You'll get practical pieces of advice that can help to boost your writing in a structural and grammatical sense. Despite the fact that the advice given is centred on essays, you can use it in any other writing and it will still work wonders.

2. Grammar Monster

From the name itself, you cannot expect anything less than exquisite grammar lessons. With this website, the grammar lessons are broken down into easy-to-use chunks so that an individual can be able to digest the content. Are you someone with a smattering of English writing and grammar knowledge and are looking forward to improving on the same? If so, then this is the ideal website that will answer all your needs.

Even if you are well advanced in your skills, you can still use this website as a platform where you can check your skills to see if indeed you are on the right track. The resource also offers users an opportunity where they get to remind themselves of some concepts that may have slipped them. The best part about this online resource is that it is available for free and can be used by both adults and children.

3. Guide to Grammar and Writing

The resource material that is available here is great. If you are looking for a much more detailed approach to your English grammar, then you need to use this particular online resource. It guarantees you accurate and helpful information on your grammar and writing skills.

The most disappointing thing about the resource is that it somehow presents individuals with difficulties in as far as navigation is concerned. This feature has only limited the usage of this resource to only the experienced learners. The fact that it is more or less like reading a book on grammar means that some people may have quite a hard time reading through. However, if you have a few hours within a week to dedicate to this online resource, you are likely to gain a lot more than by using other resources.

4. The Writing Centre for Writing Studies

As one of the most advanced online resource available for learners, The Writing Centre for Writing Studies is an ideal match for individuals who are into studying specific English styles and functions. The resource is very detailed and contains materials that are also applicable to the beginners or rather the inexperienced young writers. The resource can allow you to conduct some in-depth research about English concepts, read on the basics of speech, writing and how you can relate the two.

5. Using English

Individuals who have English as their second language are best advised to make the most of this online resource. The resource is particularly ideal when it comes to helping learners test their own skills.

Perhaps the most standout section in this entire online resource is the English reference section. The resource comes equipped with a list of English Idioms, Phrasal Verbs, Grammar Glossary, and English Irregular Verbs. For someone who is not a native speaker, these reference sections are very important when they are introduced into the language. With Using English, you get an opportunity to learn about things that your tutors are not going to teach you.

6. Exam Time

The range of quizzes is what makes this website amazing for learners. Apart from that, the rest of the website can be quite annoying. Exam Time was designed for individuals who are known to be good at revising content using quizzes. The website is designed in such a way that most of the problems found in the web page revolve around website loading and sketchy content. In case you are more of a research person, Exam Time will not cut it for you. To make the most of this website, you may opt to use it as a supplementary resource.

7. Get Revising

This website offers assistance to both the young and the older learners. The website is designed in such a way that it starts by providing information and advice to the younger students and the inexperienced group who are known to have limited English skills. From here, it goes all the way up to the persons who are studying English in college and university. The website is a hub in as far as finding new studying ways is concerned and also goes a long way in helping both the young and the old improve their English skills.

8. Study Guides and Strategies

Beginners don't have to bother themselves with this website. Study Guides and Strategies is specifically designed for individuals who are known to have plenty of English writing skills and are now looking to further improve on their skills. The website does not only focus on raw knowledge, it goes a step further and provides the learner with amazing concepts that will ultimately help them improve their learning skills.

You can learn a lot form this website which includes providing you with studying help, and helping you with classroom learning. What this resource will do for you is that it will help you become a better learner and a better writer at the same time. It adapts an unusual approach to learning which turns out to be very effective to individuals looking to succeed.

9. English Practice

The name itself suggests that you can expect to learn a lot from this website. What this website will do for you is that it will grant you full access to all the English exercises that are ideal when practicing. This is not a place where you get to learn your basic English skills; instead you can use the platform to test and improve them. Only look at this website when you are in a position where you feel like you have learned enough and are ready to get on with the exams or are in a better position of making your first novel totally correct. Use this website to identify your weak spots by testing yourself so that you can be able to improve your grammar.

10. A Research Guide

This website is perfectly suited for individuals who know how to write essays and are looking to earn some extra points on the same. The website explains to you the different sections found in an essay and shows you how you can correctly create the different sections. With A Research Guide, you are rest assured that the content you'll be creating will be in line with what your professor expects from you. In addition to that, the website also contains literature guides that normally have to be paid for.

English grammar is something that is cherished and therefore the matter should be addressed with the much needed serious level. Remember that it is only through practice that an individual can be able to perfect their English skills.

Featured photo credit: Girl Writing in a Diary via picjumbo.com
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13 Differences Between Successful and Highly Successful Individuals

Oh to be highly successful! That is the dream and desire of all but few understand the concept. In order to understand the difference between successful people and highly successful people, we must understand the meaning of success. For the sake of this article, let's define success as the ability to feel fulfilled with every aspect of one's life. So, what are the difference between successful people and highly successful people? Read on, you may be surprised to find out what they really are!

1. They live out their purpose

While most may picture someone with a nice car, house, and a corner office as a successful person, this "picture" couldn't be further from the truth. The fact that someone enjoys all the material "blessings" of life, does not make them highly successful. A highly successful person understands that success is more than just getting stuff, it's about how that stuff is gotten, meaning: how did they achieve it? Was it a fulfilling experience? Was the money earned, truly earned, or was it a sell out of one's soul to meet bills and live life without fully understanding one's purpose? Steve Jobs summed it up beautifully when he said: "don't waste your time living someone else's life."
Sure, the successful person may be filled with stuff but only by living someone else's life. The highly successful individual may not have everything but is quite fulfilled with his life and in matters of success that is truly what matters.

2. They understand the meaning of the word "balance"

You have the career, the life, you think you are successful, but, are you really? Highly successful individuals understand the importance of balance in every aspect of their lives. They believe that in order to be truly successful they must take care of themselves: physically, mentally and spiritually. This includes exercising, taking care of one's mind and living for something much greater than themselves. Balance among these three pillars of life is what makes them highly successful! They are simply well in tune with recognizing the importance of all of life's components, whether big or small.

3. They don't have time for gossip

Life is too short to be spent gossiping about others, something successful people may do when the competition strolls around. Highly successful individuals honor everyone around them and truly appreciate the gift each person brings into the world. They don't have time to dive into the dirty details of the competition; instead, they treat everyone with dignity and respect. Highly successful individuals fully understand the meaning of each moment lived and never intend on wasting it on meaningless tasks.

4. They know when it's time to rest

Every now and then we have to take a break! A highly successful individual knows when it is time to rest. He or she is more than successful, he or she is wise! He or she understands the need to take a break to recharge and re-discover one's self. It is during times of quietness and rest that highly successful individuals can re-evaluate balance in their lives, in order to remain focused on their goals.

5. They understand the value of time

We've all heard it before: "time is what life is made up of." This couldn't be more true! For the highly successful individual, time is everything. hether they are working or resting; they understand the time they have is a gift and must be spent wisely. Even while at rest, the time they spend must be time well spent! Every second is precious and every moment is enjoyed, knowing that in the end, time is the one thing no human can buy and therefore, the most precious thing of all.

6. They are all about giving back

Highly successful individuals understand that in order to live life to the fullest and enjoy the fruit of their labor, they must be willing to give back to their communities. They understand that more than a nice thought, it is their duty and responsibility to share their wealth and time with those in need. This generosity is what makes them highly successful as they remain grounded and connected to those who are less fortunate.

7. They do not compromise their integrity

Cheat to get ahead? That is never an option for the highly successful individual. Instead, they believe honor and courage are the ingredients that have led them to their success, and those are the same ingredients they will need to remain in their success and truly enjoy it. Cheap wins are never appealing to the highly successful.

8.  They are willing to mentor

Highly successful individuals thrive on helping others achieve their success. They have no problem taking someone under their wing and showing them the path they should take to achieve their goals. They do not feel threatened by the young and ambitious, instead, they believe they must guide the new generations as they will become the future.

9. They know that they don't know

Highly successful individuals are wise enough to admit what they don't know. They may have learned the hard way that they do not know everything but that is a lesson they will never forget. They seek wiser people for guidance and weigh all options before stepping out into the unknown. They know what they don't know and that is quite alright with them.

10. They never give up

Yes, this one sounds cliche-ish but the truth is that highly successful people never give up. They will press on despite the obstacles they face and that is why they succeed. While most people would give up on their third or fourth try, for the highly successful individual, failures are simply life lessons that get them one step closer to achieving the victory they seek.

11. They never indulge in pity parties

Life is throwing everything and anything in their way; all that could go wrong has in fact gone wrong, but the highly successful individual stands strong. They understand life is full of difficulties and focusing on those difficulties by throwing self-pity parties is not going to get them anywhere. Instead, they stand tall, they stand strong and courageously face life, literally affirming that they will fight back and win the battle. Victim behavior is not for the highly successful individual, it is instead for the individual that never wins.

12. They never lose hope

Even when all odds are against them, highly successful individuals never lose hope. They believe that hope is life's soul and without it, everything is truly lost. Hope that each day here on earth has the possibility of being better than the day before is what drives them. This romantic hope is what allows them to give their best in everything they do.

13. They love their enemies

Yes, you heard that right and it is true. Highly successful individuals understand the horrible implications that harboring hate in their hearts can bring into their lives. Therefore, with courage and conviction, highly successful individuals set out to spread love and kindness, even on those they can't get along with. After all, loving friends its easy, the true courage and power is in loving those that are not so easy to love.
Featured photo credit: Victor Hanacek via picjumbo.com
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Researchers Tell Us The Reason Why Some People Are Always Late

We were about to sit down for lunch but our gracious host's nephew was late. Thankfully, we did not wait for him because he turned up two hours late! This got me thinking about people who are always late, not perhaps two hours, but ten minutes, twenty minutes, half an hour and so on. There is also the element of how we define tardiness. Being ten minutes late is the same as being on time for some people! There is also a cost for all this unpunctuality. According to one survey, American CEOs are often late and the cost to the nation is about $90 billion, because of lost productivity.
Are you one of these people? Or maybe you are like me who starts to feel really bad if I am more than five minutes late? Do you get very irritated with unpunctual friends and colleagues? There must be an explanation for all this. Read on and I will try to clarify it for you.

Research on unpunctuality gives us answers

Let us start with some research on all this which will help us understand what is going on here. Researchers have come to one very simple conclusion: tardy people simply underestimate how long a task or journey is going to take – always!
The research carried out by Jeff Conte and Jerald Greenberg of the San Diego State University and published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology is interesting. They identified two types of person. Type A people are usually punctual because they have a built-in clock which estimates that a minute lasts 58 seconds. Type B people calculate a minute as lasting 77 seconds. Type B people are, of course, always late. They also tend to be pretty casual while Type A people are much more active.
More research has indicated that there may be other factors at work. Not surprisingly, colleagues with younger children are usually late. Then, other things such as job satisfaction and ADHD may also come into play. Researchers at Mindanao State University have also studied other factors which impinge on students' tardiness while following college courses.

10 tips on how to be more punctual

If you are a Type B person, you may find the following tips useful. Even if you are normally punctual, you may find something useful to enhance your time management skills even more!

1. Make a commitment to arriving early. Some people set their home clocks 15 minutes fast, because this helps them to do that.
2. Improve your time awareness skills if necessary. Maybe you are not conscious of how long certain tasks such as getting ready actually take you. Track these so that you can build this into your planning. You may also be quite shocked that certain tasks are taking you so long!
3. Travelling time. Always add 15 minutes on to how long it normally takes you and plan accordingly.
4. Forget your snooze function but continue to use your alarm clock.
5. Use alarms on your phone or your kitchen timer for when you need to start getting dressed to go out and also when you must leave the house.
6. Set timers for when you should be finishing certain tasks like checking emails, Facebook activity and keep to them. You are going to save time for other tasks.
7. Try to visualize being on time and when you are, reward yourself with a coffee and relax before meetings, exams or other appointments.
8. Maximize your morning routine to make the most of it and really set you up for the day. Saving time here will pay off handsome dividends. You might try the 24 minute routine as outlined here and see if this can work for you.
9. Remind yourself about how tardiness has cost you lost opportunities in the past. You made a bad impression at an interview or you annoyed your first date. These painful reminders will spur you to do better.
10. Learn how to say no. A great way to save time if to stop taking on far too much. You can do this graciously by letting the person know that you are under pressure, you have a deadline to meet or you may be able to help another time.

Pass these tips on to your friend, partner or colleague if they are always late and are worried about this. One suggestion is to set a limit on your friend's unpunctuality. More than 15 minutes late? OK. He or she pays for aperitifs, or dessert, or both!
Featured photo credit: Late/Evan via flickr.com
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25 Books That Will Teach The Most Powerful Leadership Lessons

You've heard the old saying right?

"All great leaders are readers."

… well, it's true. And I'm reminded of it at least once a week, when I interview an inspiring author, entrepreneur, or thought leader on my show. I ask my guests a series of questions about what contributed to their success and ability to become such great leaders. You want to know what nearly every single one of them tells me? They read books. Books are like training weights for the brain. And reading the right ones can provide you with powerful leadership lessons in a very short period of time. In this list, we're going to go over 25 powerful books on leadership. Ready? Let's dive in.

1. Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman

Primal Leadership. Cool title, eh? This is the original book on emotional intelligence, right here. Pick it up and learn classic lessons in dealing with people through empathy and understanding (it's more powerful than you think.) The depth at which the authors get into the neuroscience of influence and impact is incredibly interesting. And they become especially powerful when you connect these insights to how you lead others.

2. The Seasons of Life by Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn was one of the greagtest speakers and storytellers to have ever lived. Period. His books and teachings on leadership and business focused on the fundamentals of human behavior and how they have an impact on optimal performance, personally and professionally. My favorite thing about Jim Rohn's work is his ability to take complex ideas and simplify them such that anyone could understand and apply them for immediate results. Read this book for powerful lessons in leadership and a primer on living well.

3. The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma

"A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life." The reason why this is such a powerful leadership book is because it gets down to the nitty gritty of some of those easily overlooked qualities of leadership: modesty, consideration, empathy. When those you lead begin to see you actually living the values preached by the organization or team you're leading — that's when you can lead without a title. Because that is when you can be confident that you've gained more than mere compliance; but respect. Get the book here.

4. Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips

Lincoln On Leadership is more than just a list of tips from Honest Abe on how to lead (though you couldn't go wrong with that!) This is a powerful book about how to take some of Lincoln's most potent leadership qualities and apply them to the modern times we live in today. Read this book for classic lessons of leadership, and how to apply in the technologically-driven world of now.

5. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell

Behold, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership — follow them and people will follow you. This is a powerful set of principles written by one of the foremost minds behind modern leadership thinking, John C. Maxwell. All 21 "laws" are very easy to understand, and the stories that support them make each of them actionable for us to apply within our own lives and individual leadership roles.

6. Strengths Based Leadership by Tom Rath

Written by the people who brought you StrengthsFinder 2.0, the good folks at Gallup have also been focusing on the topic of leadership. And after studying over 1 million teams, and conducting more than 20,000 in-depth interviews with leaders, they've come out on the other end with more than just a few big ideas on leadership. Read this book to learn about great teams, and great leaders, and why people follow them.

7. Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry

Complete with a testimonial by The Dalai Lama himself, Emotional Intelligence 2.0 provides you with a modern handbook of research-driven rules on connecting with others and building relationships to help you lead. The book also comes with an emotional intelligence test to help you determine where you should focus to become a more effective and well-esteemed leader.

8. Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet

Written by an Navy officer David Marquet, Turn The Ship Around! is a compelling and powerful leadership read that's sure to get you thinking about leadership in a whole new way. "To give you an idea of what you'll find in this thought-provoking book, here's a quote from the author himself: "Leadership should mean giving control rather than taking control and creating leaders rather than forging followers." Pick this book up for true stories and first hand accounts of what it takes to turn followers into leaders. The book comes complete with a workbook filled with tips, tools, and tactics to help you take action towards your leadership goals.

9. Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

Why is it that some teams pull together, and others don't? You'll learn the difference in this superbly written book with stories peppered throughout. In Leaders Eat Last, author Simon Sinek asks us to imagine a world where almost everyone wakes up inspired to go to work, feels trusted and valued during the day, then returns home feeling fulfilled… this is not some idealistic dream, Sinek says, but something that is actually happening in various organizations across the United States. Buy the book here, get the audio summary, or text summary so you can get the key take-aways in under 20 minutes.

10. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is one of the most popular personal development books ever published. Essential reading for every leader. The subtitle says it all: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. It's true. Both in life and in business. The author, Dr. Stephen Covey, provides research-driven advice gleaned from decades of data on what it takes to become as effective as possible across every dimension of life. If I were you, I'd grab a copy of the original book and the audiobook, or if you're short on time — the 20-minute book summary by FlashNotes.

11. On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis

Essential lessons in leadership by a foremost expert in the field, Warren Bennis (also known as "The Dean of Leadership Gurus" according to Forbes), this book provides insights on why leaders are not born, but rather, that they are made. On Becoming a Leader provides us with research on the various elements and qualities that define leadership, with real-life examples to support them. Actionable insights on how to become a better letter are also outlined.

12. Good to Great by Jim Collins

Why is it that some leaders can take companies into the multi-million (or billion!) dollar level and beyond — and others struggle to lead the customer service department? Find out in Good To Great as author Jim Collins guides you through the best leadership practices deployed by the best businesses, companies, and organizations around the world.

13. Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen R. Covey

Another classic by Dr. Covey on the values and virtues of true leadership. In Principle Centered Leadership, Stephen Covey gives examples of some of the greatest leaders from around the world and what they did to become so influential. In the book, he covers how these leaders would bridge gaps amongst people who might otherwise hate each other. And he shows us how to do it through meaningful communication strategies and gentle persuasion This book is best consumed via audiobook (I've probably listened to it over 100 times, and because it's only about an hour long, you may end up doing the same thing too.) But if you prefer books, you can always go that route too.

14. Drive by Daniel H. Pink

This book is packed with some of the most powerful leadership lessons you'll ever learn. Author Daniel Pink debunks some of the biggest myths about what really motivates us at work; immediately putting Drive on every serious leader's reading list. Drive describes the characteristics of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation — and how far too many organizations rely on extrinsic motivators, even though these are often counterproductive. Instead, Pink explains how we can best motivate ourselves and others by understanding how to utilize intrinsic motivators. Bottom line? You can't lead anyone unless you know what moves and inspires them, and Drive is a cornerstone book on how to figure that out.

15. Leadership Without Easy Answers by Ronald Heifetz

Making decisions is no easy task when the buck stops at your desk. If you're the type of leader that needs to make hard decisions, then author Ronald Heifetz has the strategies to help you make them as effectively as possible. In this book, he draws on a dozen years of research from leadership professions of various degree, including: managers, officers, politicians, non-profit leaders, business leaders, and even teachers. He all this data and translates it into clear, concrete steps for anyone who needs to take the lead in — regardless of industry or title.

16. Leadership from the Inside Out by Kevin Cashman

This book teaches long-term leadership principles you'll carry with you for life. Leadership from the Inside Out is really a personal growth disguised as a business and leadership book. Packed with research, case studies, tools and strategies — this book is an excellent guide for current and aspiring leaders at every level.

17. The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker

Written by the most prolific management and leadership writer of his time (and perhaps, of all time), Peter R. Drucker, this is the definitive guide to getting the right things done that every leader needs to read. Get the book here. Or pickup the book summary here.

18. Give and Take by Adam Grant

Most people operate as either takers, matchers, or givers. Whereas takers strive to get as much as possible from others and matchers aim to trade evenly, givers are the rare breed of people who contribute to others without expecting anything in return. Adam Grant takes a deep dive into why helping others drives our success in life and business. Packed with profound and powerful lessons in how strategic giving and contribution helps us get ahead — both personally and professionally. Pick up the summary to get the actionable insights or purchase the full book.

19. A Path Appears by Nicholas D. Kristof

This is an incredibly inspiring read that will make you think hard about making a difference in the world — regardless of where you stand today. A Path Appears is a road map for anyone that wants to find and lead a life that matters. It will help you become a more effective global citizen, in your own special way. This is a book about giving and contribution — an all too forgotten leadership lesson that might be the most powerful one of them all.

10. The ONE Thing by Gary Keller

The surprisingly simple truth behind extraordinary results? Focus on your ONE thing. If you can cultivate the habit of doing this, you've already harnessed one of the most powerful leadership lessons out there. If you haven't, then go get this book. Or read the book notes for the key take-aways.

21. The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr

The authors of The Power of Full Engagement say that the real key to high performance isn't about managing your time – it's about managing your energy.  Because let's face it — no matter how powerful your leadership title says you are, you're powerless without your health and wellbeing. When you break it down to the basics — you find that this book provides us with a much needed crash course on a much needed topic: well-being.

22. The Promise of a Pencil by Adam Braun

The author of The Promise of a Pencil, Adam Braun, was on what he thought was the straight-path to financial prosperity beginning from the age of sixteen, when he began working summers at hedge funds. He'd planned on embarking on a successful Wall Street career… that is, until he traveled to India and ran into a child on the streets begging for the things that most of us take for granted. When Adam asked the boy what he wanted most in the world, he replied, "A pencil." And this is where Braun began his journey from corporate consultant to global philanthropist. This book has some unconventional — but powerful — leadership lessons to help you lead a successful and significant life.

23. Zero to One by Peter Thiel, Blake Masters

The most powerful leadership lessons in this book are about building the future without being too concerned about what people think, or feeling like you've got to mould inspiring ideas into another boring business. Zero To One is a powerful book about leading the future — both in technology and otherwise. And because of its focus on building a brighter future for humanity by way of innovation — Zero To One also makes for excellent reading for leaders looking for better answers in the world of technology and business. Pick it up here. Or go for the book summary here.

24. Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek's first book on leadership was an instant hit, because it gave easy-to-understand examples of how great leaders like MLK and the Wright Brothers defied the odds and inspired people to take action… and getting people to act, let alone inspiring them in the process, is one of the most difficult, but powerful leadership lessons anyone can learn. This book teaches you how… and why.

25. How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Who could forget this classic? How To Win Friends & Influence People will teach you some of the powerful leadership lessons in dealing with people elegantly — even when dealing with the worst of personalities. Here are three ways to enjoy Carnegie's timeless classic: get the original book, get the audiobook, or get the book summary.

Which book will you read first?

Now that you've got this list of books — and the powerful leadership lessons contained within them – there's only one question left… Which one do you read first? Should you go out and get all of them immediately? Should you read them all at once? So many options. So little time. Ultimately, it's totally your decision what you do with this list and how you apply it to your life and career. But if I may, here's what I would suggest you consider as you get started:

• Subscribe to a book summary site, like FlashNotes Book Summaries to get the key-takeaways from the books on this list.
• If you'd prefer to read an entire book, I would highly suggest that you read just ONE book at a time. Sometimes, when we see something new and exciting, we have tendency to want to do/learn/read it all at once… and as we all know, this is nearly impossible to do without stressing ourselves out. So, choose a book. And then commit to reading it from start to finish.
• If you're in a rush, try Audio books, or Audible Book Summaries.
• Finally, if you're in a super rush, checkout some YouTube video book summaries, like this one.

Featured photo credit: race via shutterstock.com
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