I started talking about Personal and Professional Development (PPD) with my employees and colleagues over 20 years ago. This blog is a collection point for some of the basic information I have collected and developed, and for the further development of strategies for personal success. Dreaming about success will not make it happen. Taking action will. This blog is not a step by step guide to success, but rather a starting point for your own personal development journey.
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
The Power of Positivity: Your Key to Success
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Did you know that you had a Superpower?
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
The Power of Now
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
Success Through Minimum Effort
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
From Limited to Limitless
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
You Must Get Rid of the Good in Your Life
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Unleash your inner beast
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
The 7-Letter Word that you MUST remove from your vocabulary
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Make Failure your Friend
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
The Power of a Do-Over
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Enough with the Hacks already
I am so tired of seeing post after post for a whole host of
life hacks. 7 Hacks for financial security. 6 Hacks to improve productivity. 4
Hacks to a better body. In this world of instant gratification, I get that
people are looking for the quick and the easy. But I just need to step in here
to tell you that quick and easy rarely gets the job done.
Instead of seeking out and trying the latest hack or
shortcut, why not try something unique and effective (and old school).
Consistency and Discipline. I know, I know, how dare I rain on your “I want it
now” parade. But let’s just be totally honest here – hacks provide short term
results. I agree that there are ways to use technology to make your life easier
(save time or stay more organized for example), but hacks just don’t cut it for
major life changes or improvements.
Let’s take fitness for example. Only by controlling your
diet and consistently exercising can you ever expect to improve your fitness
level. Even just 10 minutes every day (YES, every day) can yield significant
results for your health over time. Physical health as well as mental health.
Think marathon, not sprint. You are getting fit for a better life, over the
course of your life.
What about finance hacks? Again, short term thinking. Sure,
you can come up with a side hustle that increases income but unless you are
disciplined and consistent that side hustle will not grow. And sure, you can
find items to cut in your budget, but budget cutting never leads to wealth
building or financial security. You need to develop a long-term financial plan,
have the discipline to follow it, and consistently review and adjust your course
as life events unfold (marriage, children, new job, promotion, downsized out,
etc.)
A hack will not make you successful. Success is largely
predicated on focus, discipline, and consistency. I firmly believe that
everyone can achieve the success levels they desire, but first they need to: 1)
define what success means to and looks like for them, and 2) put together a
plan of action to continually move themselves forward.
The only thing certain about life is that it will always
throw curve balls. You must build your Consistency and Discipline muscles daily
so that you have the mindset and ability to respond to the curve balls and not
just be thrown into a reactive spiral. Success is available for anyone who will
put in the effort and spend time becoming a master at their craft. Success
rarely comes to (or stays with) people just looking for or trying to use a hack
to sidestep the discipline and consistently needed for the long haul.
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Success, Satisfaction and your Soul
True success comes with deep satisfaction. If you have hit your target income level, bought the right house in the right neighborhood, have the fancy car or maybe the corner office but do not feel truly happy and satisfied with yourself or your life I would suggest that your success benchmarks are incorrect.
As Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows us, the two lowest levels
are Physiological and Safety needs. These lowest levels are important but do
not provide us with long term fulfillment, satisfaction, or happiness. The
first two levels are basic life needs, also known as deficiency needs, which need
to be met before you can move to higher levels. It is not until you move
further up Maslow’s pyramid (into growth needs) that one begins to feel a sense
of true accomplishment and satisfaction.
Everyone needs to have their Physiological needs (food, water, shelter,
clothing, sleep) and their Safety needs (personal security, employment, health,
resources) met before they can move up the pyramid into the three growth
levels.
If you really think about it, all the achievements listed at
the beginning of this article only fulfill the deficiency needs. A higher
income, nicer home, etc. certainly goes beyond basic needs and can make you
good temporarily, but they do not help meet your higher-level needs, or as I
would say – they do not feed your soul.
Your soul wants (nay – needs) you to push your growth
forward and to become the person you are destined to be. You have greatness in
you. You have the ability and the responsibility to engage and contribute to
the world around you. You must help lift others higher as you progress. True
success is not about you – it’s about what you are doing with the gifts and
talents you were born with to help others grow and achieve more than they feel
possible.
It is in helping others develop and shine that you will feel
that overwhelming sense of satisfaction with your life that you are internally
craving. Focus forward, focus on others. That is how you feed your soul. That
is how you become a true success.