Most People Have Dreams But Not Goals

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9 Tricks To Learn Everything 10 Times Faster

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8 Tricks To Largely Boost Your Memory

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Messy People Have More Creative And Productive Minds, Science Says

Many of us follow the ideology that seemingly chaotic or unorganized individuals do not perform well. Thus, we are encouraged to keep our workplace or desk organized, with an expectation of delivering better results. However, we shouldn’t be so quick to judge an unmanaged desk or workplace when it comes to creativity or productivity.

In fact, there are various studies and claims that those with messier desks can often be more productive, more creative, and more inspired than others. In this article, we will cover a number of points that support this controversial concept.

They Have Mastered The Art Of Prioritization

Messy people may appear careless or unorganized but they are often masters in the art of prioritization. They often place the most important things first while lesser aspects are temporarily left behind.

While it may appear beneficial to keep everything perfectly organized, for messy people it’s merely a hindrance when dealing with the task at hand.

Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman, authors of A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder, summarize this notion perfectly:

“Mess isn’t necessarily the absence of order. A messy desk can be a highly effective prioritizing and accessing system.

On a messy desk, the more important, urgent work tends to stay close by and near the top of the clutter, while the safely ignorable stuff tends to get buried to the bottom or near the back, which makes perfect sense.”

They Can Find Inspiration In The “Chaos”

Mark Twain was great creative mind known for his messy but highly productive workspaces. His desk was always piled with books, papers, and a seeming lack of organization. For him and many others, a cluttered desk can become a source of divine inspiration.

A study conducted by a Kathleen Vohs from the University of Minnesota at Carlson School of Management suggests that a cluttered environment helps in increasing creativity. She said:

“The creative people feel free from the limitations in messy and disorderly environments. It helps them to break the traditions and produce new insights. On the opposite side, orderly environments which resemble safe and conventional zones encourage more routine and safe work practices.”

They Are Often Braver And Faster Decision Makers

Mark Zuckerberg is a particularly big dreamer and a fast mover, also known for his slightly chaotic and less-than-conventional workspaces.

Haltiwanger clears another misconception about messier individuals. He reports they are faster decision makers and can better deal with stressful situations. When they are facing tense situations, they are more likely to step up rather than go for the backdoor strategy.

This is due to the fact they are less concerned with micro details as they focus on the larger picture before making informed decisions. They have even been shown to be more adventurous and fast moving than organized people.

They Have Proved To Be Highly Innovative Thinkers

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” — Albert Einstein

Did you know that the famous scientific genius Albert Einstein was actually quite messy a messy person? His desk was always full of seemingly disorganized papers, articles, and scrawls, yet no one could dare challenge him in the field of science. While he managed things in his own seemingly messy way, he was always able to find everything he needed.

Steve Jobs would most certainly be considered a creative genius, revolutionizing the mobile technology industry from a messy desk!

They Devote Time And Energy More Carefully

Messy people naturally save precious time and mental energy by ignoring clutter-related issues. These people understand the cost of opportunity and don’t get caught up in routine distractions that can absorb clean freaks. Sometimes, workspace tidying can even become a form of procrastination!

For those fully focused on achieving goals or striving to reach a target, keeping a workspace tidy is often the last thing on the priority list. Like many famous painters, Francis Bacon‘s workplace may have resembled a chaotic messy, but he was merely channeling all his creative energy into making great paintings.

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5 Things That Will Happen When You Wake Up Two Hours Earlier For A Month

Some of the most successful people in the world wake up early. I’m not talking about 07:00 or 08:00 o’clock. I mean so early that the average person is still fast asleep. Sure, each one of us is different – the important thing is to find a routine; find what works for your unique internal body clock.

There are many benefits to rising earlier. So, if you are playing around with your sleep routine to see what works or if you want to push yourself out of your comfort zone, why not rise a couple of hours earlier to see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised at the benefits.

1. You’ll have much more quality time for yourself

You’ll have more quality time to yourself if you wake-up earlier, free of distractions. In the early hours of the morning, no one is bothering you. People are asleep. Facebook is asleep.You can dedicate your time and energy to activities that benefit you, whether it be reading, writing, exercising or any other soul-fulfilling activity.

2. You’ll have more time to exercise

Wake up earlier and free up additional time to exercise. You’ll feel motivated to walk outside and move your body while enjoying the sunrise and nature. Exercise by its very nature is healthy for you, but more so early in the morning. It provides you with fuel to conquer the day. It boosts your focus, concentration and ultimately your productivity. This is no secret.

3. You’ll be more in sync with nature (And the birds. Yes. The birds)

Not only will you be more in sync with yourself, but also with nature and your surroundings. By waking up earlier, you’ll have greater appreciation for smaller elements of life you previously took for granted, such as the humming of the birds. Over time you’ll become more in touch with nature. You’ll become more peaceful, relaxed and you’ll think clearer. You’ll be able to plan your day ahead with absolute conviction.

4. You’ll grow exponentially

Often, after a long day’s work, all you want to do is unwind. This is normal. But how often do you find yourself on the couch, in front of the television? Or browsing through Facebook? I’m sure this happens pretty often. I too am guilty of this. What’s worse is that this often (or sometimes, depending on who you are) extends beyond your bedtime, into the late hours of the morning.

Whilst relaxation is important, such activities don’t allow for self-improvement. In fact, when you go to bed later, you wake up feeling exhausted as you’ve have spent added time glued to your screen. Wake up earlier to focus on your personal growth, distraction free. You’ll have greater clarity regarding your future plans.

5. You’ll sleep better (a lot better)

Over time, through waking up earlier, you’ll go to bed earlier. Ultimately you’ll sleep better and feel rejuvenated for the day ahead. You’ll have more energy and be a lot more productive. One study published in Springer Link found that those who go to bed later are more likely to be overwhelmed with repetitive negative thoughts.

It takes time (ease into it)

Of course, it takes time to form new habits, 21 days, in fact, research shows. As someone who has always struggled to wake up early, researching and writing this article has given me the necessary encouragement to challenge myself to do so. Why?

Firstly, there are the benefits listed above. The benefits don’t arise from creating more time in the day or cutting back on sleep. The idea is to shift your sleep routine. This is where I have struggled – and I aim to change this. Secondly, I enjoy a challenge. If you do too, why not join me?

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10 Tricks To Be Much More Productive

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Social Media Hacks: Tricks to Gain Strong Presence

Social media can be a major time consumer.

If you’re a solopreneur, running a small business, or have a side hustle, you need all the time you can get. You also need to have a strong social media presence.

So how do you do both at once? Use these social media hacks to save yourself hours.

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9 Ways To Stay Mentally Strong In Your Busy Life

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8 Challenging Tasks That Can Triple Your Chance Of Success

A common piece of fitness advice is to “find comfort in discomfort.” The basic premise is that you cannot move forward and grow without pushing yourself past the boundaries of your comfort zone and into new territory. You need to learn to recognize that being uncomfortable means positive change. This advice is beyond fitness enthusiasm: it is a mantra for achieving life success.

Our personal habits revolve around avoiding stress and discomfort at all costs. It is difficult to see the long-term benefits in short-term excursions outside of our comfort zones, especially when the hurdles to surmount are particularly distasteful. Lucky for us, our brains are hard-wired to propel us to action once we begin to feel some level of stress and discomfort. The key is finding balance: too much stress can lead to the undesirable meltdown, while not enough stress will keep us imprisoned in our comfort zones, well out of the reach of meaningful actions.

If you’re ready to push towards optimal performance — and are prepared to handle the discomfort that comes along with it — then it may be time to embrace these uncomfortable tasks.

1. Meditate daily

Meditation may sound simple, but anybody who has tried — and failed — to consciously still their mind will tell you otherwise. Take a few minutes every day in a quiet space to forget what is going on around you and find some perspective. It may not be comfortable to “do nothing”, but it will physically improve your brain by increasing density in areas responsible for self-control and focus.

2. Tackle the “impossible”

You know that list of things you keep that you’ve always wanted to do, but don’t do them for fear of failure? Get it out and start knocking off tasks. Achieving goals that you think are impossible not only challenges you, but gives you an immense sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that boosts self-esteem and overall well-being.

3. Wake up earlier

This may be your least-favorite challenge, but the benefits of early wake-ups are worth the discomfort. Waking up even an hour or two earlier gives you time to get more done in your day. You will have the opportunity to plan out your daily schedule, squeeze in some exercise, meditate, and eat a solid breakfast that will fuel the rest of your day.

4. Speak in public

If you’re one of the 74 percent of Americans who fear public speaking, then this task will be especially challenging. Even if you need to start out in a room with five audience members, any level of public speaking is a boost to your confidence and career. Tip: speak about something you are passionate about — you will feel more knowledgable and less like you don’t know what you’re doing.

5. Say no

We all need to say no at some point in our lives in order to keep from being overwhelmed. Not only does saying no honor your existing commitments, but it frees up time and energy that you could spend on more important — or enjoyable — things. Make sure your “no” is decisive, though; phrases such as I’m not certain leave room for negotiation.

6. Practice self-control

Lashing out at an irritating coworker or the inconsiderate neighbor brings short-term benefits and long-term problems. Wrecking relationships beyond repair for the sake of being right in a conflict is hardly worth it. Keeping quiet and considering the wisest move will keep your relationships and sanity intact.

7. Make new connections

Talking to unfamiliar people is a fear right up there with public speaking for most people. Even if social interaction is something that makes you uncomfortable, it is a tool for widening your professional and social networks, increasing self-confidence, and absorbing new ways of thinking.

8. Stop procrastinating

Stop putting off things that you know you should do just because they are difficult. Start with one or two things on your “must-do-but-don’t-want-to” list and get them done. The “I’ll do it tomorrow” mentality never brings about success. If you want to improve your chances of being successful, then you need to complete every task, even if it is undesirable.

Comfort zones are stagnant — you will never accomplish things within them. If you can “find comfort in discomfort” in life, then you can greatly improve your chances of success.

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Messy Environment Can Breed Creativity And Productivity

“A cluttered room is a cluttered mind.”

This sounds like something a mom would say as she wags her finger at her child’s bedroom. It’s four in the afternoon, and there’re more books and laundry on the floor than there are filed alphabetically on the shelf or hanging in the closet. The remote is long gone and if it weren’t for Find My Phone, that iPhone would be lost for good, too. Is neatness the equivalent of productivity? Sure, it is. But it isn’t the only equivalent.

There’s order to the chaos

Oftentimes, someone living in a messy apartment or has a pile mounting on their desk will have a little voice echo in their heads saying, “I should clean my room.” It sounds like a great idea. Cleaning can be a great way to release some tension, stress, and ultimately, increase pleasant endorphins that may lead to even more productivity. But that’s when the problem comes up – where did I put that book? Or, I can’t find that letter, and where in the world did I put my wallet? Trying to find things that typically are not put in a specific place is like trying to find Carmen Sandiego – a long journey in futility.

Cleaning a mess takes time

When you’re a creative person, you might not have time to clean and organize everything. A creative spends much of their time doing just that: being creative. Neatness certainly has its benefits, but it also has its cons. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Eric Abrahamson, co-author of A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder, argued that “there’s an optimal level of mess and disorder. Since people think order is good they tend to overinvest in it. If you spend 20 hours cleaning up your desk, are you going to get 20 hours back of greater efficiency? If you don’t, maybe you only spend five hours and you get it to a decent state and that’s when you’re going to get a return.”

It’s not about being lazy

For creative people, it is not an issue of being lazy. Where someone puts their things is just a flicker in a moment in time. As random as it may seem to put your headphones on top of the microwave, that person is much more likely to remember where they put something last as opposed to where it’s always supposed to be. Who needs a bowl for keys by the door when they can just keep it in the pair of jeans they typically wear? Just remember to take the keys out from those jeans when you decide to wear your trousers or that sundress (whoo, pockets!) if you don’t want to be locked out of your messy apartment.

There’s organization in the mess, and it’s tied to our memory and the proximity of things. Abrahamson goes further into detail in his book, claiming that, “Mess isn’t necessarily the absence of order. A messy desk can be a highly effective prioritizing and accessing system. On a messy desk, the more important, urgent work tends to stay close by and near the top of the clutter, while the safely ignorable stuff tends to get buried to the bottom or near the back, which makes perfect sense.”

Neatness is great, but…

Neatness does have its conventions. It promotes positive social behavior, according to a report by Kathleen Vohs, a psychological scientist at University of Michigan. Her studies, published in Psychological Science (a journal for the Association for Psychological Science), dig deep into past research. “Prior work has found that a clean setting leads people to do good things: Not engage in crime, not litter, and show more generosity.” However, her conclusions are not without comparisons to the messy types. She explains that “disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights. Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe.”

Trying to find a place for all the material things in life is already taxing enough when you don’t even know where you belong in the world. Using a chaotic environment as a muse is a viable way to encourage creativity, free-thinking, and new ideas. Who knows, that pile of blouses could be the sight you need to cue inspiration for another painting to add to the collection already hanging on your walls.

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The Best Preparation For Tomorrow Is Doing Your Best Today

We spend too much of our time, focusing on our future, meticulously planning it to the last detail and sacrificing the present moment for some illusory sense of happiness. Instead of appreciating our present, we’re too busy slaving away for that next internship to make our CV look good, or for a pay rise to afford that Europe trip that is always hovering tantalisingly on the horizon or we’re simply saving up for retirement.

Under the pretext of chasing our dreams, we destroy ourselves by neglecting our mental and physical needs and striving for happiness as a reward for our hard work.

But instead of a gorgeous life, we have to deal with depression, stress-disorders and the mountain pressure of deadlines. Not only does such an attitude take an immense toll on our health but also affects our relationships with friends and family, as we fail to make time for those who truly matter. We fail to realise that by focusing too much on the future, we completely miss the beautiful present moment which is all we’ll ever have.

Stop Planning, Start Doing

Most of us have a blueprint of the perfect life we want to lead and live life like a zombie trying to complete all the tasks on our to-do lists and belittling ourselves when we fail to reach the impossible standards we’ve set for ourselves. While making a plan of where we want to go is definitely a good idea, it is okay to steer off course a bit sometimes and simply follow the whims of our hearts. In fact, instead of planning every moment, it is more beneficial to simply throw yourself into things and go with the flow. Instead of wasting time sketching out the future and procrastinating, it is better to start doing things even if you don’t have the end in mind.
It is a lot like writing a novel. Instead of trying to work out the ending  and fates of every character from the beginning itself, it is okay to start with a rough sketch and then experiment and let intuition guide you.

How To Focus On Today And Do Your Best

If you want to be successful, then you must appreciate the importance of living in the present. Always remember, the best preparation for tomorrow, is doing your best today. Here are some tips to motivate you to make the most of the present.

1. Be Grateful For The Little Things: Start a gratitude journal or take time out to appreciate the things going well in your life, or the things you take for granted. Find the good in every situation and look for miracles in the mundane.

2. Train Yourself To Do One Thing At A Time: Don’t work on too many projects no matter how big your ambitions are. Finish one task at a time. Take it one day at a time, and soon you’ll be surprised at how much you’ve managed to accomplish.

3. Ask Yourself Questions To Be In The Present: Remind yourself of where you are by asking yourself, ‘Is this what I should be doing right now?, ‘Am I feeling happy doing this thing?’, ‘What is the one thing I can do to make today count?’ Become self-aware and listen to your feelings.

4. Schedule Some ‘Me Time’ And Make The Most Of It: Make some time out of your busy schedule to indulge in a creative hobby, enjoy the beauty of nature or simply some pop culture entertainment. Not only ll it help you relax, it will also aid you in focusing better at your tasks.

In other words, instead of waiting to get started, START NOW.

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There Is Nothing Permanent Except Change

There is nothing is permanent except change. – Heraclitus

Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher maintained that change is the only reality in nature. We’ve all made changes in our lives, both good and bad, expected and unexpected. Relationships, circumstances, and feelings change. Nobody is ever exactly the same in each moment.

But are the unplanned and unexpected changes bad? What if all changes were good by default?

Every change we make leads us somewhere new. For example, I once got fired from a job that I really needed to support my family. I was completely blindsided at first. However, there was no room for growth, and the work was boring. After the shock wore off, I found that I was actually relieved. Yes, I struggled to make ends meet, but eventually I found a job that I truly enjoyed.

Why some people won’t change

People are resistant to change. It might be out of fear or they’re just set in their ways and don’t see a need for change. However, sometimes change is inevitable to move forward in life. We all know at least one person who is set in their ways. With these people,I find it best just to let them be. Change could benefit them greatly, but they just won’t do it.

Refusal of any type of change can have negative side effects.

• The managers who refuse to change their management style and can’t keep employees
• The workaholic who loses his family because he wouldn’t make
  time for them.
• The stubborn person so set in their ways they have an old duct-taped flip phone that only makes random calls, then they complain about nobody calling them.
• The person who is always complaining about being sick, but refuses to see a doctor.

You aren’t going to change the mind of anyone who has considered making a change and decided that it won’t work for them. The more you force change on them, the more they will actively resist you. If they say they won’t change, believe them. The person may come around in time if they see how the change can help, or they never accept the change and you just deal with it.

What will happen then when you embrace changes?

1. Personal growth: We learn new things every time we make a change. We can discover new insights about life, learn life lessons, and grow. Every change is a step closer to where we wanted to be.
2. Flexibility: When we make changes often, we learn to easily adapt to new situations, new environments, and new people. As a result, we adjust to unexpected changes with ease.
3. Improvements: We’d all love to improve our lives, whether it’s finances, career, partner, house, etc. We already know that nothing improves on its own. Doing things differently will make that happen. If we don’t make changes, we can’t improve.
4. The Snowball Effect: We often give up because the thought of making a huge change is too daunting, and we are afraid we can’t accomplish it. That is when small changes come in handy. One small change at a time will eventually lead to the desired outcome.
5. Strength: Not all changes we make are good. Sometimes, bad things happen too. It’s overcoming the challenges that make us stronger.
6. Opportunities: We never know what each change will bring. When you stray from your usual path, new opportunities are waiting for you around the corner. Changes will bring new choices for happiness, progress, and bring us closer to our goals.
7. A Fresh Start: Each time we make a change, we are turning the page on one chapter, and starting a new one. Changes bring fresh excitement to our lives.

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Why We Must Do The Thing We Cannot Do

It’s easy for forget. It’s easy to be overwhelmed  fear…by

But you have to be open to being uncomfortable in order to grow. That’s not to say that you need to struggle profoundly, but you do need to be willing to learn. The process of learning is all about spending time in the ‘unknown,’ dealing with uncertainty.

We need to intentionally put ourselves in new situations where we encounter the unfamiliar

Take current health and fitness trends, for example. Chances are you’re a well-informed individual, who’s aware of fitness trends and health research. Maybe you’re even personally interested in working out in order to improve your health, achieve a personal goal or learn a new sport. In any case, you know that in order to become stronger, faster, increase agility and balance, you have to challenge your body.

If you don’t periodically switch up your routine – whether you lift weights, do yoga, or run – your level of fitness stabilizes. This is what’s known as homeostasis, a tendency toward equilibrium in the body’s physiological processes. This rule of thumb applies to our psychology as well. In order to learn, we need to intentionally put ourselves in new situations where we encounter the unfamiliar.

If you’re even remotely like the rest of us, that is, you are not an interstellar alien or mythical creature of some sort, but human and therefore fallible, you can recognize how hard it can be to try new things. Even if you embrace the new in multiple areas of your life –  trying new foods, traveling, meeting new people, and so on, you have some awareness of your own particular patterns that hold you back.

“The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Fear Itself”

Franklin D. Roosevelt said it best.

Even the most fearless among us experiences fear. It is inarguably a survival instinct, rooted in our ancestral past when we needed to be cautious in order to avoid untimely death. However, we’ve transitioned from a primitive to a more sophisticated way of living, and no longer need to fend for our lives every second of the day. It’s time to challenge the fears that haunt us.

What Will Happen When You Do Things You Couldn’t Do?

When you endeavor to do the thing you cannot do, you’re most likely to fail at least a couple of times. Failure is completely normal and it provides valuable information. If, for example, your goal is to become a competent public speaker, because you’ve been held back by performance anxiety, you’re most likely going to flounder a bit when you first begin. And that’s okay. It’s what learning is all about.

If you think about it, failure is probably the worst thing that will happen when you set out to do the thing you cannot do (yet). And when we fail, we might experience embarrassment, disappointment, even shame. This is when many of us give up on our big goals. Who wants to voluntarily feel like dirt? No one. It’s wise to plan ahead on what you’ll do when the powerful urge to save yourself from your wretched state has nearly convinced you to quit.

It may be beneficial to have a support group in place before you set out on your goal. To return to the public speaking example, you might consider attending Toastmasters International to learn presentation skills and practice in a support environment. If you want to tackle addiction, look into Alcoholics Anonymous or similar group. Having allies can be particularly important for individuals who are battling conditions like addiction.

Aside from the fact that you have nothing to lose, think about all that you might gain. Odds are good that you’ll find you’re capable of more than you thought. You will definitely learn something, perhaps that you don’t even like public speaking. Or maybe you’ll discover that you love and excel at writing speeches.

Bottom line: Do that thing you cannot do! You’ll make mistakes, even fail, but you’ll probably meet a new friend or two along the way. There’s nothing to lose.

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The Trouble Is You Think You Have Time

Yes, we all think we have time to get things done, but we always do the same thing: we procrastinate. We believe that we can do it at the last minute. Then, problems hit. All of us have dealt with this: many, many nights of trying to finish that article or design that site or copywrite that brochure or do whatever we need to do.

“But I do have time, I can get things done”. Wrong. You have no time unless you plan how to use it wisely. We keep on thinking like this, leading us to a no-end point. It is always the same. We procrastinate, we believe that we have time and we panic when we reach the deadline and have nothing done. Why? Why don’t we just finish it before it needs to be done? It is just a matter of habits.

Without a change, we are sentenced to live a life where the only time when you are calm is…never. A life with supercharged schedules, running every day. Nights without sleeping, days without rest. A life without a plan is like a ship adrift. We’ll never know our next step.

Why? Because we think we can make it, but in the middle of the day we lose direction and the whole world is against us. We must do things we don’t want to do. Time seems to run, and we are walking behind. No way to win.

We must understand that we have a limited time slot, so we must learn to manage it in order to get the most of it.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a perfect schedule and get things done at the right time? Of course! It would be a perfect world. But what happens? Why can’t we get things done? Because we need to change our mind. We must acquire the correct habit, if not, we are heading to nowhere.

Once we learn to manage our time, it changes our lives. We can take care of the most important things, we do not procrastinate, we have time to spend with our family, we can rest, we enjoy every moment. We do not run anymore. We can think, we can enjoy, we can plan, we can sleep again.

When we learn to handle our time we enjoy every moment as a new one. There is something that the vast majority of us never appreciate. The present moment, the now. This moment. This is due to our bad habit of thinking that we have time, so we waste it. But if we could only take a moment to enjoy the present, we’ll find numerous “invisible” things we had never seen before.

Let’s pretend for a while that you have only 48hs, no more. Would you still procrastinate and waste your time or you would rather find the way to experience every minute? I hope you would try to get the most of every minute. So you would plan what to do, and you would discard the nonsense topics in order to focus on the right direction. That’s the way to do it.

Focus, plan, discipline.

You have to be task-oriented, and change how you think about getting things done. You have to stop creating to-do lists and make task lists or objective lists instead.

Let me explain it: When you change your how you think to accept that you must finish a task, you’ll train yourself to get a new and healthy habit. A to-do list means nothing, just a way to write what you should remember; but a task list or objective list forces you to start a task and finish it. Nice, right?

Someone told me once “You do not need more time, you need to do the right thing at the exact moment. Once you learn to focus and to plan your day, you’ll gain free times”. And that’s the way to do it.

Should you give it a try? Do you dare to change your mind and improve your life?

Featured photo credit: Chris Florence – CC BY 2.0 License via flickr.com

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8 Things Successful People Do To Keep Themselves Motivated All The Time

We tend to think that whether we can achieve what we want depends largely on our abilities, but what is more important is whether we can stay motivated most of the time especially the critical moments because motivation can directly affect the steadiness of our performance.

So what’s stopping you from being motivated to achieve more? Is the difficulty of better achievements widening from the previous one? Or is there a brick wall too high to scale? To help you find a new and more consistent energy and how to stay motivated, you can learn to adopt these 8 things that successful people do to keep themselves motivated all the time.

1. They establish the big WHY

What if you came to work one day and your boss told you to do up a presentation slide by 3pm without giving you any reason to do so, would you feel a sense of purpose in achieving it?

But what if he told you that it’s a breakthrough presentation to a client that could send the company soaring for unprecedented sales. Would that change your perspective on the job?

It should be the same with your life. Instead of establishing to-do lists, establish the big WHY you have to do them and what’s the end goal.

2. They staying focused on the big picture

Most of us tend to lose focus on the big picture because things at work can get so repetitive and boring. Soon you’ll be passing comments with zombie references to your colleagues at the local bar. “Look at me, I’m starting to turn into a dead man walking”. You’ll start to question whether your goal is worth fighting for and guess what? 100% of the time, it’s worth it, once you’ve achieved it.

So keep your eye on the prize, all the time. Jim Carrey who once had to drop out of school to support his family at age 15 didn’t let that stop him from pursuing his ultimate goal and that is to become a well-known comedian.

3. They write their ideas down all the time

How to stay motivated to do more? Successful people do that by writing down their ideas all the time. Why? Because they understand that ideas don’t stay long in their heads and you will never know whether that one idea in your notebook could be the next revolutionary big thing.

Writing out your ideas and thoughts would also give you more clarity on the direction you’ve set yourself to take.

4. They have an extremely supportive partner

The last thing you would need to have your motivation going into a freefall plunge is an unsupportive partner. If you haven’t realised, many successful people out there always have praises for their partners for getting them where they are today.

If your partner is unsupportive on things you want to pursue, communicate to find out why he/she doesn’t like what you’re doing. The end goal is to let your partner know that you’ll put 100% effort into securing a brighter future for both of you.

There’s a famous story about Steve Jobs skipping a meeting which is unprecedented to go out with a lady who would then be his wife. Steve Job’s dedication to his wife is so admirable just because she supports him in every way during his ups and downs.

5. They Alternate between things that motivate them

I’m sure that during some point in our lives, we were motivated by some youtube video that inspired us to the bone. But watching that youtube video over and over again, it would start losing its impact gradually. Instead, try alternating between things that would motivate you, like a book, or talking to a mentor. Schedule your exposure to different motivational materials so that you’ll stay motivated at all times.

6. They read a lot

One of the most common way for successful people to keep their motivation up is to read whenever they can. Reading can fire up a motivation through countless ideas that are being communicated through books, some of which are newly found ideas and some that are a stronger reinforcement of ideas that you already know.

Bill Gates, one of the richest man on earth still manages to read a book every week because knowledge is key and it breeds new motivation.

7. They have loads of fun

If fun is not part of the plan, you would probably lose sight of your goals easier. Taking everything too seriously is a sure recipe for failure because if you simply do not enjoy doing what you do, how could you accomplish a tough goal?

Yes, you will come across daunting tasks every now and then, but surely it doesn’t hurt to put a little fun in it, does it? Adding humour and fun in your tasks can set your motivation at a high level every day.

8. They wake up really early

By waking early, you’ll be able to have ample time to plan out your day before starting work. And there’s also something about waking up early that drives super successful people to do what they do every day.

Richard Branson, the CEO of Virgin group, wakes up at 5.30am every morning to go for a run and have breakfast before going to work.

Featured photo credit: Sir Richard Branson via flic.kr

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Students Who Play Online Games Perform Better At School, Research Finds

Video games are a blast. Online games can be even more fun because of the social aspect surrounding them. You get to play with your friends and even meet new friends online. But video games aren’t just fun – research has shown there to be a correlation between online gamers and better school performance!

Note that this finding is a correlation, not a causation. This means playing video games won’t guarantee you perform well in school, it only increases your chances – as long as you don’t let them overtake your school work; all things in moderation!

The Research

A study was done in Australia involving over 12,000 high school students. They found that when it came to internet usage, students who regularly played online video games scored higher in math, reading, and science tests than students who didn’t.

“Students who play online games almost every day score 15 points above the average in maths and 17 points above the average in science,” says economist Alberto Posso from RMIT University in Melbourne. “When you play online games you’re solving puzzles to move to the next level and that involves using some of the general knowledge and skills in maths, reading, and science that you’ve been taught during the day.”

The study used Australian data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which tested students from more than 700 schools in 2012 and collected information on their personal interests and online activities. Posso suggests that students who regularly spend time playing online games are developing analytical and problem-solving skills that can also help them in their schoolwork.

“Sometimes players have to understand some of the principles of chemistry even, so they really have to understand science,” Posso told Bridget Brennan at the ABC. “Some psychologists have argued that massive online player games can be beneficial to cognitive development.”

As I said in the beginning, the study hasn’t proven causation – and Posso isn’t ready to say that gaming is what’s leading to better grades. It’s merely an association.

Why do gamers seem to get higher grades?

Posso isn’t entirely sure why they are correlated with higher grades yet. He thinks that one possibility could be some students find it easier to get their study and homework done faster. However, there are a number of potential factors, including skills associated with gaming, how students choose to fill their spare time, and family environments. Posso says it’s a promising area for future studies to investigate – and other researchers agree.

“It’s interesting that this study showed a positive correlation between online gaming and academic performance, but we really need better ways of understanding how and why people play video games before we’re able to tease apart what that correlation actually means, if anything,” biological psychologist Peter Etchells from Bath Spa University in the UK, who wasn’t involved with the research, told Samuel Gibbs at The Guardian. “A number of researchers have been trying to highlight this issue for a while,” he added, “but we really need more detailed research and nuanced data to answer these sorts of questions more confidently.”

Researchers may not be able to explain this association yet, but there is more good news for the online gamers out there. Other recent research suggests gaming is good for your learning abilities, powers of memory, motor skills – and can even potentially be used for recovering from brain injuries.

To all the online gamers out there – don’t let people tell you games are rotting your brain! Research shows games seem to do more good than harm, despite popular opinion. Keep on gaming!

If you’re interested in reading more about it, check out the findings reported in the International Journal of Communication.

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8 Signs Foretelling You’re Destined To Be Successful

It’s rough out there trying to make your mark in the world. At some point or another we come across people, situations, quotes, that inspire us. What we do with that inspiration is up to us. We can either make the choice to be average, or make the choice to become something much, much greater. We often relate success to careers or finances, but it’s much more broad than that. You define what success is to you and these traits show you’re on the right track.

1. You’re action-oriented

You’re one of those people who likes to take on a task and get things done. You’re not afraid to make mistakes along the way because in your eyes, you’d rather get things moving and adjust your approach after seeing some results. You’re a leader, you like to be in charge. Some may look at this as a bad thing, but sometimes with you, it’s an “it’s my way or the highway” kind of deal.

You may also at times find yourself being mildly stubborn in some situations. You’re the complete opposite of indecisive. You take on leadership roles with ease, and you actually enjoy the responsibility that comes along with it. What is patience? You know little to almost nothing about it. You often find yourself becoming impatient with those around you who aren’t like you.

2. You keep an open mind

One of the most important characteristics of successful people is learning to keep an open mind about literally anything and everything, but you know that already. You notice that the more you learn, you realize how little you know. This mindset allows for you to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves to you. You’re always open to new ideas, new ways of thinking, and you’re constantly challenging your own beliefs.

3. You have the habit of setting goals

Most think that setting goals means “what do I want five years from now?” But you realize the importance of setting daily, achievable goals. You understand that by sometimes setting long-term goals you can lose your vision, so you establish small daily goals that will help you achieve that vision much easier. You’re a realistic optimist.

4. You aren’t stuck in the past or failure

You know that what’s done is done and you can’t go back and change anything in the past. You use your past as a vital tool for your future. Everything from your past has brought you to the present and you don’t waste any of your time wallowing in the could’ve, should’ve, would’ve beens. You know that by getting stuck in the past you’re robbing yourself of the present and future. You’re completely adaptable and you fully embrace change. You’re comfortable with the unknown and you’re always ready to take it head on.

5. You can delay gratification

You have an uncanny ability to wait it out for the big reward for all your dedication and hard work. You take a look at what you have and what you want, and you’re able to avoid making impulsive decisions. For example, if someone told you that you could have one cookie now, or you could wait 20 minutes and receive two cookies, you’re smart enough to wait it out and reap the larger reward.

Delayed gratification truly applies to all aspects of life. Whether it be with your career, finances, relationships, health, etc. You have acquired the ability to ignore the temptations of instant gratification because you know that it is an essential element when you’re trying to reach your ultimate goal.

6. You work on maximizing your strengths

“Successful people maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. They know what they are good at.” – Alan Stein

You use your strengths as your foundation to success. You rely on the skills in which you are proficient and use them to do what you love. You’re fully aware of your weaknesses and look to others for their knowledge and skills in areas in which you lack. You know that you can’t do everything on your own so reaching out to others for assistance when needed isn’t a difficult task for you. You use your strengths as your prime resource to reach your goals.

7. You’re ambitious

You can clearly see yourself being the best of the best. You wake up every day ready to tackle anything and everything thrown your way. Why? Because you know in the long run it’s going to help you achieve your end goal. You know that it isn’t just about working longs hours and seeing a journey to its end. Ambition is truly the reason for existence. It’s your soul telling you where the meaning in life is found. You’re extremely persistent and nothing stands in your way.

8. You have passion for improvement

You have this deep desire and craving to always want to improve yourself and often times you can be too hard on yourself. You’re constantly wanting to change and improve so you can become the best version of you. You’re never satisfied and you’re your own worst critic, in every aspect of your life.

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A Strong, Positive Self-Image Is The Best Possible Preparation For Success

How do you see yourself?

One of the key determining factors in your chance for success, happiness and how others see you is your self-image. With a positive self-image, you will be ready to face all of life’s challenges. Even when things get tough, you know that you always keep your own best interests at heart and can rely on yourself as a source of love, guidance, and encouragement. Not only does a positive self-image benefit the individual, but because positivity is contagious it also benefits everyone around them.

When you have a strong and positive self-image…

You have the courage to stand by your own decisions

When you believe in yourself and have faith in your own ability to make good choices, you will find it easy to stand up for what you think is right. Whether it’s making a decision at work, at home or in your relationships, when your self-image is strong you will feel more secure and optimistic in your life choices. This will give you the confidence to work harder, to chase your ambitions, and make your dreams come true. When you have a positive self-image that reflects your authentic self, you are more likely to live in accordance with your values and goals, which is a great foundation for future contentment and life satisfaction.

You won’t think failure is scary

If you can see yourself as someone worthy and in possession of multiple talents and skills, failure won’t feel scary. Those who view themselves positively know that they have the strength to bounce back from failure, learn from their mistakes, and keep moving forwards towards a better life. In fact, those who maintain a positive self-image actively embrace the occasional failure, as they know that it isn’t the end of the world and can leave you feeling stronger and wiser than ever before.

You won’t be undermined or manipulated by toxic persons

Self-image is a powerful shield against toxic, manipulative people. When you truly accept yourself for who you are and start standing up for your right to be treated with respect, you will be less vulnerable to people who prey on the weaknesses of others. Even criticism and bullying doesn’t affect people who love and honor themselves. They realize that the attitudes and actions of others are better understood as reflecting the personality of the bully rather than the victim. They remind themselves that they do not have to put up with bad treatment, and remove themselves from the situation as quickly as possible. They are brave enough to believe that they deserve better.

You feel complete and won’t look for validation

People who are secure in their identities and trust in their innate worth do not need to be with others to feel complete or worthy. They see healthy relationships as an added bonus and a source of joy in life, but they are perfectly content to be single or to pass some time in their own company. With self-confidence and self-love comes resilience. This impacts positively upon every area of your life. When your self-image is positive, you have the confidence to be single rather than in a mediocre relationship, or to embark on a freelance career rather than settle for a life in the office.

Positive self-image is a vital component to success

Without it, you cannot hope to see a project through to the end or delay gratification in the name of reaching a long-term goal. People who see themselves in a positive light know who they are and what they want from life. As a result, they are focused on their goals and are willing to exert self-control when necessary. This ultimately creates conditions for success, which sets up a virtuous cycle. Confidence breeds confidence, and success breeds success.

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Think In The Morning. Act In The Noon. Eat In The Evening. Sleep In The Night

“Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.” – William Blake

It’s no secret that the greatest minds in any field rely heavily on routine. Because routines can make us do the right things at the right time.

Think in the Morning

When we examine the great thinkers and achievers of our field, it’s easy to think, “Wow! They must have so much willpower to be constantly working!” But this just isn’t true. The difference is that the great leaders have learned how to manage their will power.

All of us (even the geniuses) wake up each morning with a certain amount of will power. You can imagine that your will power is a battery. Every decision you make, no matter how small, drains a bit of your battery. Have you ever wonder why Steve Jobs only wore black t-shirts? Well, he eliminated that decision from his daily routine, so he could focus his will power somewhere else.

Creating, thinking, and planning are all activities that require decisions to be made over and over. They drain some of our will-power battery. That’s why they should all be done in the morning, when you still have the power to do them.

In this study, all 17 CEO’s interviews said they’re more productive when they started earlier. The quiet of the morning is the best time to plan your day and knock out the tasks that require the most thought – before anyone is up to bother you.

Act in the Noon

If you do all your thinking and planning in the morning, then you can do all your “acting” in the afternoon. This time should be saved for routine and habitual acts that you know you’re going to do one way or the other.

Is your email box crammed full? You know you’re going to read those emails today no matter what. It’s just a habit at this point! So you might as well save it for the afternoon, when your energy is lower and your will-power is becoming depleted.

The afternoon is the best time to “manage” your tasks, rather than focus on the bigger picture. You don’t need all the willpower you used in the morning to work on systems that are already in place. Plus, you’ve already planned your day (in the morning). Those decisions are already made, leaving you free to simply do them.

Eat in the Evening

A lot of people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Experts think a lot of these people are wrong. In fact, dinner may be the most important meal of the day. Obviously, you want to eat something before dinner. You need to fuel throughout the day, but dinner may help your body functions more than any other meal.

First, dinner is part of being a happy human. Social relationships are so important, and much of socializing is based around dinner.  Not only that, but families who eat dinner together on a regular basis have happier, healthier, and safer kids.  So, we know that dinner is important to our happiness, but is it also important to our health?

Absolutely.

According to Mental Healthy, it helps with sleep. In order to sleep properly, we need steady supplies of glucose throughout the night for body functions. If we aren’t eating healthy foods, the body has to use glucose reserve systems, which can cause us to wake up and have trouble falling asleep again. Which brings us to our final point on the power of daily routine…

Sleep at Night

Sleep is so important because our body performs crucial functions of recovery while asleep. We all know the feeling of waking up refreshed and ready to take on the day. We also know the feeling of waking up groggy because we didn’t sleep well. That’s because our bodies only perform regenerative functions while sleeping.

Specifically, the body uses sleep to:

• Heal damaged cells
• Boost immune system
• Recover from the day’s activities
• Recharge your heart and cardiovascular system.

And most importantly for your daily routine, sleep recharges your decision making power (also known as willpower). Good sleep is the difference between great work and poor productivity the next day.

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