This Is Why Hard Work Is Not Essential to Achieving Success

Everyone thinks that hard work is the secret to success. But is it? What does it mean to work hard anyway? People really struggle with ways to define it. Plus there seem to be more compelling factors at play. And if you neglect those fundamental factors that contribute to your overall success, you'll end up sabotaging it. Sometimes we forget the things that shape our journey the most are largely overlooked.
Consider the following factors, which demonstrate why hard work alone is not essential to success:

1. Because working smarter is more useful that working harder

Working hard may be a waste of time, especially if you're not getting results. In fact, real estate mogul, Chris Leavitt, says that working smarter is a proactive strategy that sets pros apart. Very early in his career, he realized that time is a non-negotiable, non-renewable resource and people waste a lot of it. By working smarter, he discovered creative ways to achieve greater results without wasting time, compromising his integrity, or sacrificing the bottom-line.
"Work smarter; not harder."
Chris Leavitt, Star of Bravo's "Million Dollar Listing Miami"

2. Because you need support

Cultivating strong relationships is vital. No man is an island to himself, even when he wants to be. Serial entrepreneur, Richard Branson, says that success in business is all about making connections. And he would know. He's made a lot of great ones. Without the support of others who can help you to successfully pull projects forward, it can be very difficult to reach deadlines, relieve stress and expand your reach.
"To be successful in business, you need to connect and collaborate and delegate."
Richard Branson

3. Because you have to overcome fear

Fear can be a serious blockage to your success. How do you get around it? Learn to manage and overcome it. Real estate mogul and business expert, Barbara Corcoran, was not always the confident public speaker that she is today. When she was younger, she was terrified to speak publicly—she stuttered—and suffered extreme embarrassment. But she knew that the best way to overcome her fear was to confront it. She forced herself to accept numerous speaking engagements so that she could become better. And guess what? She did.
"Embrace your fears by confronting them."
Barbara Corcoran

4. Because your appearance matters

"Despite the established acceptance of casual attire at many companies, there has never been a business casual dress code, dress-down days, or casual Friday option at Black Enterprise," says Earl G. Graves, Sr., American entrepreneur, publisher, philanthropist, and founder of the Black Enterprise Magazine. While people don't like to admit it, your physical appearance is a reflection of your commitment to excellence and definitely influences the way that others perceive you and thus impacts your trajectory for success.
"Your appearance is still the first and most impactful way that you communicate who you are and determine how you are treated."
Earl G. Graves, Sr.

5. Because you need a compelling vision

American life coach and self-help author, Tony Robbins, famously teaches that creating and executing the ultimate vision for your life matters: These concepts are critical to how you navigate the path to success. And he would know. Despite humble beginnings and from a young age, Tony was very clear on how he wanted to live his life and created a compelling vision for how he could achieve it. It got him up early and kept him up late. His vision has translated into enormous career and financial success, as Tony has helped individuals all around the world to achieve peak performance and realize their wildest dreams. He was also named in Forbes magazine's 2007 "Celebrity 100" list, among other enviable accolades.
"To create an extraordinary quality of life, you must create a vision that's not only obtainable, but that is sustainable."
Anthony Robbins

6. Because happiness matters

Without happiness, it's pretty difficult to develop the desire to achieve anything. Success, then, rests on your capacity to embrace happiness on a visceral level. Jim Rohn, considered America's foremost business philosopher, taught strategies for improving our lives based on the principles of gratitude and happiness. He drew on guiding principles from the reality of his own life, which inspired others to embrace his insight on actuating personal development. He will always be remembered for his larger than life contributions to the industry.
"Happiness and success in life are not the result of what we have, but rather of how we live. What we do with the things we have makes the biggest difference in the quality of life."
Jim Rohn
1930-2009

7. Because you need to be consistent

Doing something once or twice—even when putting forth enormous effort—is usually not enough to yield results. But when you're consistent, more often than not, you'll see the fruits of your labor come to fruition. The Rock has mastered this principle. He knows that eating one healthy meal or doing one killer workout won't lead to the physique of your dreams. No matter what your goals may be, being consistent is the key to achieving them. There's simply no way around it.
"Succccess isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come."
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

8. Because you have to ignore the cynics

It's unfortunate, but the road to success is filled with cynics and cynicism. If you want to maintain focus and achieve a higher purpose, you cannot afford to be distracted by the muck and mire of other people's belief systems. Most important is what you believe to be true for yourself. Barack Obama, the first Black President of the United States of America, demonstrated through winning two controversial elections that ignoring the cynics was quite a powerful vehicle for success. If he hadn't, it would have been difficult to inspire the country to believe in his leadership and cast their beliefs at the ballot.
"Cynicism is a sorry kind of wisdom."
President Barack Obama

9. Because failure is part of success

No matter how committed you are to achieving success, there will setbacks, roadblocks, and challenges of varying proportion. But failures, however they show up, are not indicators of your inability to achieve. They are, however, par for the course when achievement is on the horizon. Better to embrace and learn from them than be crushed by their inescapable existence. Author, economist, and Financial Times columnist, Tim Hartford, teaches that by acknowledging and confronting our failures, we get the chance to overcome our egos and create opportunities for learning and greater success. He's lived by these principles and his success bears witness to the credibility of his journey.
"Few of our own failures are fatal."
Tim Hartford

10. Because success requires sacrifice

Everyone wants to achieve success, but few are willing to sacrifice what it takes to get it. American Olympian, Gabrielle Douglas, knows a lot about sacrifice. After all, she's spent most of her life preparing for competitive gymnastics, a feat difficult for even the best of athletes. To be at her best, she needed to follow rigorous training regimens and an equally strict diet. She also spent a significant amount of time away from her family to train before participating in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Of course she's had plenty of good days, but she's also sacrificed a lot. Are you willing to sacrifice to get to the top?
"I had to face a lot coming through this journey, a lot of sacrifices, difficulties, challenges, and injuries."
Gabrielle Douglas
While hard work may be the default measurement for achieving success, there are clearly more compelling factors at play. And they shouldn't be overlooked. What other factors have you found relevant along the path to your success?
Featured photo credit: A team of construction workers working hard to recover the economy. via shutterstock.com
The post This Is Why Hard Work Is Not Essential to Achieving Success appeared first on Lifehack.

20 Popular Life Hacks From the Internet Debunked (or Verified)

Life hacks bring the promise of making life easier, faster, and cheaper. It's a great idea that has been widely adopted. Like any movement, some ideas are more promising and useful than others. In this post, I'll walk you through 20 popular life hacks from around the Internet. You'll learn which ones are worth your effort and which to ignore.

Popular Life Hacks to Save Money

Saving money and stretching your dollar is the objective of many popular life hacks. It's an admirable impulse in many respects—cutting expenses frees up money for investing and debt repayment. Unfortunately, some money-saving life hacks aren't worth the effort (unless you have more free time than you know what to do with).

1. The Cufflinks Hack

Wearing a French-cuffs dress shirt is a great experience. For novices, selecting the right cuff links can be an expensive affair—cuff links available through Brooks Brothers range from $10 to over $500 for packages. What if you lose your cuff links or can't find them? The life hack community suggests that paper clips can be used as "emergency cuff links".
In my view, the "paper clip as cuff links" life hack has two problems. First, many people will silently wonder at your confused approach to dress: you have the style to wear a good dress shirt and then undermine the effect with improvised cuff links. Second, improvised cuff links undermine one of the chief benefits of putting on formal clothes—to feel like your best. If you cannot find your cuff links at home, it is best to switch to a different shirt.
Verdict: Debunked!

2. Vodka As Sticker Remover

Removing stickers and other unwanted materials from your glasses and other items is a pain. I have certainly gone through the process of trying to remove these by hand. It's an exercise in frustration!
This vodka life hack is simple. Pour vodka over a sticker you want to remove and then hope the alcohol makes it easier to remove the sticker. Unfortunately, this life hack fails for two reasons. First, vodka is much more expensive than actual household cleaning products. Second, items cleaned with alcohol may have an unwelcome smell.
Verdict: Debunked!

3. Plastic Bottle With Holes Watering Life Hack

Have you ever been assigned the task of watering someone's plants? If you're taking care of a friend's house, this can be a challenging task. After all, they may not have explained where they keep all their plant-care-related equipment. Yes, there is a life hack to address this challenge.
Start with an empty water bottle. Next, poke a few holes in the lid. Then fill the bottle with water. Finally, turn the bottle upside down and watch the water pour out. While water will come out, it is very difficult to aim the water. In fact, you may get water all over yourself if you're not careful. If you find yourself using the life hack more than a few times, then you owe it to yourself to get proper plant-watering equipment.
Verdict: Conditional Pass (works best with outside or balcony plants)

4. More Ketchup Life Hack

Going out for burgers and fries? From time to time, that's a fun meal. Especially if you try one of the gourmet burger places that are becoming more common. Once you sit down, you quickly use all the ketchup you could carry in your paper container.
This simple life hack increases the capacity of those paper ketchup containers. Gently stretch out the rim so that the top of the container is wider. This life hack means fewer trips back to the condiments area. So you've saved time. (And time is money!)
Verdict: Verified

5. Eliminate In-Apartment Laundry Life Hack

To attract tenants, some apartment buildings offer laundry machines directly in the apartment. No doubt, this is a great convenience.Cleaning is a lot easier when you don't have to carry everything down to a laundry room. According to Forbes, this life hack can add $50-$100 per month to your monthly rent. That's an expensive amenity.
By asking a few questions and shopping around for apartments with a close eye on amenities, you can save several hundred dollars per year. This extra money can make the difference in getting you out of debt faster (or finally putting some cash in your investment accounts).
Verdict: Verified

6. Automate Contributions to Investment Accounts

Automating key aspects of your finances is one of the most important lessons of Ramit Sethi's book and his website, I Will Teach You To Be Rich. For example, your employer may offer retirement benefits but will only do so if you take action to start an account and fill in a few forms. Yes, this is a bureaucratic hassle and may involve a few phone calls and forms. Taking these actions will dramatically improve your financial situation over the years.
The best part? Once a month, you can check your accounts and watch the balances increase over time.
Verdict: Verified

Popular Life Hacks For House and Home

The quality of our home life is a major contributor to our happiness. The better you maintain your home, the easier daily life is to manage. Consider the following household life hacks. You can learn something from each one, even the debunked ones.

7. Cold Brew on A Budget: Cooling Beer With Household Air Conditioning

Enjoying a cold beverage on a hot summer day is one of the great pleasures of life. In an ideal world, you may keep a few beers (or your beverage of choice) stocked in your refrigerator. If you run out of space in your fridge, you may be want to try the "cold brew on a budget" life hack.
This technique requires holding a beer next to an air conditioning unit, using hangers or tape to keep the beer in place. While this approach may work, it is deeply flawed. Let's consider this doomed to fail life hack. The likelihood of the beer falling off and smashing on the floor is simply too high for my liking. Instead, putting your beer in the freezer for 15 minutes is a better solution. If you have no freezer or ice available, going out for ice or a drink at a bar is a better option.
Verdict: Debunked!

8. Cable Management Hack

Over the years, many of us gradually accumulate more electronics. Once you have a computer, a printer, and mobile devices in place, you will start to feel overwhelmed with cables. Even worse, you might lose a critical cable behind your desk—a huge pain if that means you can't charge your favorite device.
Fortunately, there is a low-cost life hack to the rescue—binder clips as cable catchers. By using binder clips, you can easily keep your cables organized. Of course, you may have problems finding paper clips the right size for your desk. A search on Amazon found over 25,000 binder clips for sale available: you ought to be able to find something that meets your needs.
Verdict: Verified.

9. Binder Clips for Toothpaste

Gettign that last bit of toothpaste out is a pain. Before you toss those out, try this simple and successful life hack. Use binder clips to force the remaining toothpaste out of the tube.  For the best results, use a new and strong binder clip.
Verdict: Verified

10. Find Your Cellphone At Your Apartment With This Website

Losing your cellphone—especially if it is a smartphone!—is a distressing experience. After a few moments of searching, you may start to mentally calculate how much it will cost to replace and whether you have all your data backed up. Before you throw in the towel and give up, try a website like Where's My Cell Phone. Simply enter your phone number, click "Make It Ring" and then listen carefully.
Tip: If you left your phone set to vibrate mode, you may need to attempt this life hack a few times. For best results, carry your laptop with you and make several calls. It is possible to hear a phone "rings" on vibration mode though it does take more work.
Verdict: Verified

Life Hacks For Work

Ever since the Pareto Principle became popular, more and more people are looking for ways to make their work life easier. That's one of the reasons there are so many life hacks designed for cubicle life. Some of these ideas look more like hobbies to pass the time on a quiet Friday afternoon. It all depends on your perspective and your organization's culture.

11. Kill The Snooze Button Habit With Alarm Clock Hacks, Gentle & Harsh Editions

Sleeping in can kill your career. For many of us, sleep habits make or break our success (leadership expert Karin Hurt points out the value of getting there early for your career). When you get up early, you have time to get in some reading or exercise. In contrast, when you sleep in, you tend to feel rushed and almost feel like a victim. Consider the following life hacks for the alarm clock if you're having trouble getting up in time:
The Gentle Alarm Clock Life Hack: Put the alarm at least ten feet away so you have to get out of bed when it goes off. The act of getting up on your feet can make the difference.
The Harsh Alarm Clock Life Hack: Tape a row of thumb tacks, pins facing up, on to the alarm clock. This scary solution might help – though you might want to keep some bandages near by, just in case.
Verdict: Verified

12. Clip Based Coffee Cup Holder

Keeping your coffee supply in good order is important to many in their working lives. Just ask anyone who has spilled coffee on important notes (or even worse – a signed contract!). This life hack suggests that you can use a large clip as a portable coffee cup holder. It can be a great way to save space. Of course, details matter a great deal here. For this life hack to work, you need to find a robust cup holder and carefully choose the right location.
Verdict: Conditional Pass (depends on location and cup holder quality)

13. Organize Pens and Pencils with Corkboard

Like it or not, most offices are still years away from eliminating paper documents. Until that day arrives, you need systems and tools to keep pens and pencils on hand. In addition to reading "Getting Things Done" by David Allen (you HAVE read it, haven't you?), the right office equipment helps.
For this life hack, you start with a half dozen circle shaped cork board. Then you drill small pen size holes in the top. At first, you may think that this life hack may not hold that many pens. But how many do you really need on hand? We're not trying to increase clutter after all.
Verdict: Verified

14. Create A Laptop Stand With A Binder

Do you work on a computer all day? Is that computer a laptop? If so, you are probably looking down all day. That means a great deal of strain on your neck. Fortunately, you can solve that problem easily. Look around your desk for an old three ring binder. Voilà! Your laptop is now at eye level and your neck strain problems will rapidly decrease.
Verdict: Verified

15. Post-It Keyboard Cleaner Life Hack

Post-It Notes have all kinds of uses. You can use them as a simple bookmark (fold the sticky side in). You can also use them to write down reminders ("File that TPS report!"). My favorite life hack for Post-It Notes is to use the sticky side to clean up your keyboard. If your office is filled with Post-It Notes, this could be a good solution. Think before you use this life hack – you don't want to become known as the eccentric who wastes wasting office supplies in strange ways.
Verdict: Pass

Technology Life Hacks

There are thousands of technology life hacks available on the Internet. Many of them require experience and knowledge using power tools or the careful dissembly of electronics. What if you lack those specialized skills? I've got you covered with these five life hacks.

16. Freezing Batteries To Keep In Good Condition

Batteries are a key technology in keeping our mobile lifestyle fully operational. Many LifeHack.org readers likely have several battery powered devices they use every time. It's frustrating when those electronics run out of power – especially if you're depending on a battery powered GPS device! What about that old idea of putting batteries in the freezer?
Bad idea! Stop doing that!
To quote Duracell, one of the world's leading battery companies:

We recommend storing batteries at room temperature in a dry environment. Extreme heat or cold reduces battery performance. You'll want to avoid putting battery-powered devices in very warm places. In addition, refrigeration is not necessary or recommended.

Verdict: Debunked

17. Use A Password Manager

Internet security is serious business. According to a 2014 US News report, hacking and computer crime costs the U.S. economy over $400 billion dollars a year. In addition, many individuals suffer hours of lost time (or worse) in recovering after their accounts are hacked. So, how do you protect uyourself? A full explanation of online security is beyond the scope of this article. However, one life hack you can use is a password manager so you can use employ hard to hack passwords.
Examples of Password Managers:

• 1Password for the Mac and Windows, $49.99
• LastPass, Free and Paid ($12 per year)

Verdict: Verified

18. Hack Your Commuting Boredom With Podcasts

Do you like commuting to the office? For years, it was a tiresome task. If you drive a car, then reading a book or doing work is out of the question. If you take a train or mass transit, then you might be able to get a seat now and then. These are incomplete solutions to making use of commuting boredom. What you really need are podcasts – Internet audio and video programs on thousands of topics. You can learn about many different topics with podcasts including economics, history, marketing, sales, comedy and more.
What You Need:

• A MP3 Player: most smartphones can play MP3 sound files. That includes the iPhone and Android phones. You can also use a plain iPod or similar device.

• Podcasts to listen to: the world's largest and best directory of podcasts are listed in the iTunes Store, a free program you download to your computer. If you don't have iTunes or don't plan to use it, here are a few ideas to get you started.

BBC Radio Great Lives: Produced by the BBC, I recently discoverd this series and it is excellent. You'll learn about many different historical figures. If you enjoy biography and history, this is a great podcast.
Entrepreneur on Fire: Do you want to be an entrepreneur? I have a great news for you. Seven days a week, Entrepreneur On Fire has interviews with successful entrepreneurs. You'll find inspiration and plenty of practical ideas you use in your business.
EconTalk: During the financial crisis of 2007-2009, I became fascinated with economics. The EconTalk podcast hosted by economics professor Russ Roberts contains in depth interviews on many topics of economics. If you're tired of those 60 second soundbites about economics matters on TV, EconTalk has got you covered. (P.S. I was a history major in university and I find the podcast accessible – no math required!)

19. Speed Up iPhone Recharge Time with Airplane Mode

Is your iPhone dead out of battery again? I've had this frustrating experience more than once. If often happens when I'm about to read an email or read something interesting. In an ideal world, your iPhone would only lose battery at the end of the day – then you could let recharge while you sleep.
What if you need to recharge your iPhone fast? According to the Unofficial Apple Weblog, you can go from 1% to 50% charge in "Airplane Mode" in 45 minutes.
Use this simple hack: turn on "Airplane Mode" (i.e. which disables ALL data functions – no email, no Internet, no phone and no messages), plug in your iPhone to a charger and charge from there.
Verdict: Verified

20. Limit Screen Time Before Bed

Did you know that too much technology can be a bad for your health? Specifically, the light from computer monitors (and other devices) tells your body to stay awake. If you use your computer or TV immediately before going to bed, you will have a hard time sleeping. So, what should you do instead?
Let's see what Tim Ferriss, entrepreneur and best selling author of "The 4 Hour Work Week" recommends in his article Relax Like A Pro: 5 Steps to Hacking Your Sleep:

Do not read non-fiction prior to bed, which encourages projection into the future and preoccupation/planning. Read fiction that engages the imagination and demands present-state attention.

Verdict: Verified
Question for the comments:
What life hack have you tried and had success with?
Featured photo credit: Mark Thumbs Up/Nemo via pixabay.com
The post 20 Popular Life Hacks From the Internet Debunked (or Verified) appeared first on Lifehack.

10 Things You Need To Drop To Stay Motivated

1. You will need to drop the sense of entitlement

You are not entitled to anything in this world. We all have “started from the bottom.” Work hard to accomplish your goals. You got this.

2. You will need to drop stress

Stop stressing yourself out over things you can’t control. Reduce stress by keeping your mind, body and soul active. Exercise, play sports, get yourself a companion (animal), write, etc. We all have to deal with stress in our life. The key is how you deal with it. Learn how to ignore things that stress you out. (Read: 10 Powerful  Ways to Handle Stress)

3. You will need to drop negativity

Focus on the positive and drop negativity. Dropping negativity means that you distance yourself from negative people and negative influences. Distance yourself from people that do not care about your dream. Learn how to combat negative self-talk with positive affirmations.(Read: 12 Toxic Thoughts You Need To Drop For A Better Life..)

4. You will need to drop comparisons

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.” – Lao Tzu

Stop comparing yourself to other people. Focus on your life. Live your life. Comparisons can make you envious and jealous of others.

5. You will need to drop time management issues

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson

A lot of people struggle with time management and blame this for the lack of motivation. Drop the time management issues and learn how to manage your time better. Check out this awesome list of one-minute time hacks.

6. You will need to drop impatience

Impatient people usually do not follow through with their plans. Do not become this person. Understand that it takes time, effort and energy to stay motivated. Visualize success on a daily basis.

7. You will need to drop the lazy attitude

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain

Drop the lazy attitude and focus on your work ethic. Give 100% day in and day out. Become the person that people enjoy being around. Remind yourself that you are destined for greatness. Get up earlier. Do the harder tasks first. 

8. You will need to drop the ungrateful mindset

“An ungrateful man is like a hog under a tree eating acorns, but never looking up to see where they come from.” – Timothy Decker

Drop the ungrateful attitude and be thankful for the life that you are living. Be thankful for where you are and where you will be in the future. (Read: 15 Signs You’re Sabotaging Your Happiness
)

9. You will need to drop the serious mentality

Put a smile on your face. Laugh a little bit. Okay, so you have dealt with a few things in your life. But still, please stop being serious and live life. Enjoy the presence of others. Spend time with your family. Progress towards a bigger goal by making smaller, realistic goals.

10. You will need to drop the excuses

Drop the excuses. Nobody wants to hear them. Stop looking for people to blame. Stop pointing a finger at others and start pointing a finger at yourself. Look at the person in the mirror and address what is holding you back.

We hope you enjoyed this motivational boost. If you find this information helpful please share it with your friends and family.

What motivational drainers have you dropped during the month of July? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

BY PATRICK MCNEASE

Source: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-things-you-need-drop-stay-motivated.html

10 Things You Can Do To Increase Your Mental Power

BY MICHAEL LIGUORI
Source: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-things-you-can-increase-your-mental-power.html

So you want to be mentally tough like the Spartan Warriors from the movie 300?

Yes, the legend of the Spartan Warriors is a prime example of being persevering despite the obstacles. Having their mental strength is a trait few have obtained through years of practice and pushing through boundaries.

Chances are, you won’t be a Spartan Warrior anytime soon. But if you want to think and increase your mental power like one, here are 10 things you can do to get started.

1. Have A Positive Mindset

When the going gets tough, the tough get going (think 80′s star Billy Ocean).

Difficult times are a chance to find out what we are truly made of. To start developing strong mental power, write down your goals and what you set to accomplish. Focus on obtaining these goals and believe they can be achieved. Having a positive mindset will give you the confidence needed to overcome any challenges you may face and get what you want in life. (Read:12 Toxic Thoughts You Need To Drop For A Better Life...)

2. Focus on What You Can Do, Not What Others Can Do.

There will be people in life who will do whatever they can to hold you back. They are envious of you and want what you have. If you spend your time on what they say or do, it takes away your focus on achieving your goals. That’s what they want. Ignore their opinions and stay on track by being present. Observe what is happening right now. The past is the past and the future is unknown. By staying present, you can focus on yourself and whats important now. (Read:  10 Things You Need To Drop To Stay Motivated)

3. Develop Short Term Memory Loss

So there is no mind eraser tool from Men In Black that can magically erase every defeat we have suffered.

Practicing short term memory loss though is beneficial to better mental power. In football, a great defensive player has to develop a case of “amnesia.” Players often get beat by their opponents and in order to play at a high level, they must shake off defeat and move on to the next play. This takes practice but can be a huge advantage for you. When you get beat, forget about it. Pick yourself up, dust off and move on to the next play. There is always another play.

4. Sit in Silence

In today’s world, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with work and life. When feeling overwhelmed, a great sign of strong mental power is the ability to tune out the noise and sit in silence. It will help you view things differently with less emotion and ego. Create a space where you can sit in silence for 5 minutes a day. Turn off the electronics, sit comfortably, and focus on your breathing. You will find yourself feeling calm and relaxed during the session. As you continue to practice, work up to 30 minutes a day as you will gain more clarity and insight into your life.

Read more about the additional benefits of sitting in silence.

5. Practice Patience

They say patience is a virtue and boy it sure is. Today, we are so used to having things right now that we forget what it means to have patience and let things develop. So if you are in the middle of a project, in the beginning of dating someone, or starting a new workout program, trust the process. It’ll make it worthwhile because all good things come to those who wait.

6. Learn from Failures

We tend to see failure as the worst thing possible. But those with strong mental power see failure as a learning experience. Failure brings clarity to situations. We learn the most when we are not successful. If you have experienced failure, think about what you would have done differently and apply it to the next project.

If nothing else, everybody loves somebody who can do the worm.

7. Visualize the Win

Successful people with strong mental power are always looking to improve. They see failures as temporary setbacks, not career ending events. It starts with visualizing success. Imagine whatever you are doing whether its presenting a powerpoint deck or writing a novel and see that it will be successful. Envision giving a killer presentation or the book you wrote will be a best seller. It will boost your confidence and help you strive to achieve anything and everything you want in life.

8. Always Strive to Finish

We all have been here. We are at the gym and set the treadmill for 30 minutes but we end up jumping off halfway through because we don’t feel like finishing. We think completing half a workout is better than not doing anything at all.

Yes, it’s better to do something than nothing at all but if you want to increase mental power, you can not stop halfway through. It may not seem like a big deal but if you are finishing half way through a workout, what else are you stopping short of in other areas of your life? Next time you are headed to the gym or to work, set a goal that is obtainable. Jump on the treadmill and no matter how tired you are, finish the 30 minute session. A trademark of mentally strong people is that they never quit and finish no matter what. Always strive to finish.

9. Do Something Outside of Your Comfort Zone

We all have that one friend who is always looking for the next adventure. They suggest skydiving over the coastline, quitting your job to go backpacking in South America, or anything that brings on a rush.

And usually, we respond with this:

I don’t blame you for saying no but think about how many times you have said no to something new. While you don’t have to do something crazy like jumping out of a plane, its great for your personal growth to do something that makes you uncomfortable. A big part of increasing your mental power is pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Living comfortably can keep you from progressing as an individual and living the life you want to live.

So the next time your friend suggest a new adventure, say yes instead of no. You never know what may happen or who you will meet.

10. Enjoy the Ride

It is not about the destination but the journey. All things come to an end. What we will remember most are the hours we put into a new business idea, the time spent with friends that created memories and the struggles faced that have us sitting on top of the world.

Enjoy the ride folks. You only get to do it once.