Mike Acker's Blog, page 10
September 2, 2019
Rediscover Your Motivation When You’ve Lost Your Way
Do you ever feel lost when trying to achieve your goals, especially when progress seems so far away?
If you’ve lost your way in trying to achieve a goal, you may find it difficult to rebuild your motivation. But there’s nothing stopping you from picking yourself up again!
If you feel like you’re off track, now is the perfect time for you to gather your thoughts and move forward again. This is a perfectly achievable feat, but you must be willing to give it your all. As you work this process you will not only achieve but also enjoy the achievement. Find your way back and enjoy the journey to get there (just like the old fashioned Scavenger Hunt).
Try this strategy to rediscover your motivation:
1. Figure out where you want to be. What do you want in your life? What matters most to you right now and where do you want to go from here? Take the time to visualize your dream life. Try to envision as many details as you can so you can get a feel for what you truly desire.
2. Commit these ideas to paper. Write the details out clearly. Focus on what you do want rather than what you don’t have or don’t want. Put all of this information down on paper in a format that works for you, such as a mind map or a brainstorm cloud. You need to be able to process this information after you jot it down on paper.
3. Review your current goals. How do your current goals and aspirations relate to your dream life? Are you setting specific goals for what you really want to achieve in life? If not, then revise your goals so they’re in line with what you actually want. Your goals are only effective if they’re driving you toward the future you desire.
4. Create visual representations of your goals. It’s important to keep your goals in mind. Leave reminders for yourself on note cards, sticky notes, poster boards, dry erase boards, and anywhere else that you’ll see them and be able to think about them.
Keeping your goals in mind is essential to developing the motivation to see them through to their fruition.
5. Enlist help and support. Surround yourself with loved ones that support you and your goals. They’ll be some of the best help for relocating your motivation. Encircle yourself with people that motivate you, cheer you on, and feed you positive energy at every turn.
6. Remind yourself consistently. Why do you want these specific goals? Close your eyes and visualize your dream life often, in detail, and review your action plan to remind yourself how you’re going to get there.
When the “why” of your goals is important to you, the “how” more easily appears.
Knowing exactly what you want and how you’re going to get there brings consistent motivation. With a detailed action plan of achievable steps, you’re excited about your next step and tackle challenges with gusto to get past them and move on!
When you take decisive action to achieve your goals, you can find the strength and motivation to carry on. Avoid letting obstacles in your path prevent you from attaining the dream life that you deserve because, with hard work, the ability to bring your dreams to life is just around the corner.
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post Rediscover Your Motivation When You’ve Lost Your Way appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
August 29, 2019
How to Polish Your Small-Talk Skills
If you want to make new friends and advance in your career, learn to connect with others through small talk.
Here are 3 simple strategies for striking up conversation and making the most of networking events:
Preparation Before A Networking Event
1. Have a few topics of conversation prepared. Stay current with community and world events. Read the latest industry publications.
2. Rehearse answers to common questions. If you lack confidence then practice your responses to questions that you hear all the time. Put an interesting or amusing spin on your description of where you work or your hometown.
3. Check your body language. Above all, try to relax. Appearing confident and friendly will help you have a good time and meet more people. You’ll also help those around you to feel more at ease.
Basic Communication Principles
1. Greet people. Let your greetings make a good first impression. Take the initiative to say hello and offer your name. Smile and shake hands. Repeat the other person’s name so you’ll be more likely to remember it.
2. Ask open-ended questions. Keep the dialogue flowing with open-ended questions. Ask people about their impressions and experiences.
3. Practice active listening. Give people your full attention and show your enthusiasm. Turn off your cell phone or at least put it on vibrate if you have to take urgent calls.
4. Enter group conversations. If everyone’s already engaged, you can still find opportunities to be included. When you see two people talking, check first to avoid interrupting something personal. With larger groups, discreetly wait until there’s an opening to make an appropriate comment.
5. Keep it brief. Leave people wanting more. Learn to excuse yourself tactfully by mentioning that you need to speak with someone or get something to eat. Let people know that you appreciated meeting them or hope to see them again soon.
Special Tips for Networking Events
1. Take advantage of easy icebreakers. Networking events are designed for meeting people, so seize the opportunity. It’s natural to talk about why you came and the benefits you’re hoping to achieve. Just take an equal interest in helping others with their goals.
2. Ask for information if you’re a newcomer. If it’s your first time, ask others for their guidance. Many people will be flattered to share their knowledge. Tell the workers at the registration desk that you’re new, and they may point out people on their welcoming committee or individuals in your line of business.
3. Offer assistance if you’re a veteran. If you’re already familiar with the organization, help newcomers feel at home. You may make valuable connections and you’ll create a positive environment for everybody.
4. Exchange introductions. Broaden your network by identifying people you want to meet and mutual colleagues who can help introduce you. Be ready to reciprocate when others ask for introductions. Check the registration sheet for the names and affiliations of interesting people or use business-oriented social networks like LinkedIn to get more ideas.
5. Share business cards. When you’ve had a promising conversation, use your business cards to help make a connection. Offer your card and reiterate any specific reason for staying in touch. When someone gives you their card, use the back to jot down any details you need to remember.
Get comfortable with connecting. Improving your small talk skills will help you build your self-confidence and broaden your social and business networks.
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post How to Polish Your Small-Talk Skills appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
August 18, 2019
PART TWO: UNCOVER & CLEAN YOUR WOUND TO SPEAK WITH NO FEAR
In the last blog in this series, we spoke about uncovering the “wound” from your past which led to your fear of public speaking or presenting. By now, you would have asked yourself relevant questions to pinpoint an incident, or incidents, when you were either humiliated, mocked, made fun of, or bullied, and thrust into the spotlight unwillingly.
But it’s not enough to see your wound in the open. You have to clean it to prevent further infection and pain. But how do you clean a speaking wound? You do it by learning to repurpose the pain and looking through the bad to find the good therein.
Again, you can ask yourself some important questions about your uncovered wound. Was your past speaking experience positive or negative? If it was positive, did it simply cover the pain, or provide relief? If it was negative, did you just push it down or let it infect you further?
If it was a bad experience, look for the silver lining. It might be difficult – you might be saying, “Mike, I was booed off the stage. How can I find anything good to come from it?” Well, now you know what not to do. We often learn by the elimination method. If you know one thing that led to past failure, you can strike it off the list on focus on the next thing that might lead to future success!
Think about whether you feel your negative experience defines you as a person. Are you generalizing? Does one bad experience in the past mean all your future experiences will go the same way? We humans are capable of extraordinary change – and you are no different. If you put in the effort and clean your wound, you can and will change how your next onstage speaking event goes.
Now, picture your current self in the audience. Imagine you’re watching yourself stutter and stumble onstage and crack jokes that none of the audience members laugh at. What would you say to your past self, talking as though it’s a close friend who’s come to you for support?
Take a deep breath and let go. Chances are, you’re feeling better. You have found the good in the bad. You have embraced the possibility of growth and change.
So uncover the wound. Don’t pretend it isn’t there. Go back to revisit and relive the embarrassment, shame, failure, and fear. Now, get in there and clean it out. Take out the bad and find the good.
As you uncover the wound to clean it out, you will watch the painful cut turn into a clean scab and, eventually, a cool scar.
If you want to learn the remaining six strategies to speak with no fear, grab a copy of my bestselling book on Amazon.
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post PART TWO: UNCOVER & CLEAN YOUR WOUND TO SPEAK WITH NO FEAR appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
August 14, 2019
10 Simple Truths That Will Set You Free
Life isn’t as complicated as you might think. I’ve seen people get stuck with paralysis of analysis. I don’t want that for you.
With just a few, simple truths, you can make your life a lot easier, more productive, and more enjoyable.
Many are worried about things that don’t matter. If we could see the reality of the situation, we’d worry a lot less. We’re also making life more challenging than it needs to be.
Change your perspective with these simple truths, and your life will change, too:
1. The ‘Universe’ doesn’t care. Sometimes it seems like the sun, the moon, and the stars are plotting against you, but it’s simply not true. The ‘universe’ doesn’t play favorites. It doesn’t care. Life is life. It’s up to you to create the life you desire. (I do believe in prayer. This is not to negate faith, just don’t abscond your responsibility because you relegate responsibility to someone else. Go fo it!)
2. Ninety-nine percent of the people in your life don’t really care, either. Most people aren’t that concerned with your happiness and success. They’re too busy worrying about themselves to worry about you. So, their opinions don’t really matter.
3. In the long run, your mistakes won’t matter. If you’re worried about messing up, making an incorrect decision, or a mistake you’ve made, ask yourself if it will make a difference in a hundred years. If not, you can avoid worrying about it.
4. It’s important to be choosy with regards to friends and romantic partners. Your life is incredibly important to you. Consequently, it’s important to be incredibly selective about who you allow into your life. The people in your life can make it significantly better or worse.
5. Things beyond your control don’t deserve your attention. If you can’t affect it, what’s the point in worrying about it? Put your attention on something you can influence.
6. Happiness and success don’t have to happen at the same time. There are successful people that are miserable. There are happy people that are struggling. Becoming successful won’t necessarily make you happy. If you seem to be failing left and right, it doesn’t mean you can’t be happy.
7. Making a mediocre choice is better than making no choice. Even if you don’t make the best choice, at least you’re moving forward. When you fail to make a decision, the decision will ultimately be made for you, and it won’t be in your best interest.
8. It’s often surprising what people will do if you’ll just ask. Most people are more accommodating than you might think. Instead of trying to take on the world alone, considering asking for some help now and then. You never know if you don’t ask. If your request is refused, you’re not any worse off.
9. Make your health a priority. We’d all be better off if we had made eating nutritiously and exercising a habit in our teenage years. It’s not too late to start. The sooner, the better. Decide to make your health a priority today. If you wait for a health crisis to take your health seriously, you’ve fallen way behind.
10. How you spend your time matters. The quality of your life is determined by how you spend your time each day. Spending time on frivolous activities doesn’t add value to your life. Think about how you spend your time. If you’ll use it more productively, your life will be more fulfilling.
Understanding the basics of life makes the whole game easier. Life becomes complicated when we ignore these basic ideas. For example, if you believe the ‘universe’ is fundamentally against you, and you let just anyone into your inner circle, where is your life likely to end up?
Accept responsibility for your life, realize what matters to you, and spend your time wisely. Allow these truths to set you free.
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post 10 Simple Truths That Will Set You Free appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
August 12, 2019
Targeting Self-Regulation: Skills and Strategies
One of the most impressive signs of a truly evolved and self-aware adult is the ability to self-regulate.
This refers to the ability to make intelligent decisions regarding your thoughts, words, and actions. It’s the ability to avoid acting on poor impulses.
People who self-regulate well are less likely to have tumultuous lives, overeat, or make regretful short-term decisions.
Those with self-regulation skills also have control over their emotions.
If all this sounds attractive to you, targeting these strategies will allow you to gain real control over yourself and your life:
1. Avoid substances that are irritating or disorienting. The more natural your body’s state, the easier it will be to regulate your actions and emotions. Things that alter your physiology or consciousness create unnecessary challenges.
Some common things to avoid are alcohol, drugs, foods that irritate your body in any way, and caffeine.
Examine your diet. Note how you feel before and after eating something. Eliminate those foods that negatively alter your mood, energy levels, or perception.
2. Exercise. Exercise is great for self-regulation for a variety of reasons:
Consistently following an exercise routine creates discipline.
Exercise reduces stress and makes it easier to regulate yourself.
Exercise enhances mood and wellbeing. Both are useful for self-regulation.
3. Sleep. It’s harder to manage yourself effectively if you’re overtired or are sleeping too much. Energy and alertness will give you better control over your thoughts and behavior.Most people find the optimal amount of sleep to be between 7 and 9 hours. Experiment and see what works best for you.
4. Set goals. Goals provide a framework for making decisions. When you’re faced with multiple options, you can ask yourself how each of those choices will affect your ability to accomplish your goals.
Without goals, it’s much harder to make a decision. So, it’s also harder to regulate yourself.
5. Have standards. Having standards has a similar effect as having goals. Your standards are a powerful way of limiting and regulating your behavior. Standards are similar to values. If you know your values, it’s easy to develop your standards.
If you’ve never thought about your values, now is a great time to do it. Make a list of your values and then develop some standards for yourself. (Personally, I have values for my self, our family, and my company.)
For example, if good health is a primary value, a standard related to that value might be to never eat foods that contain added sugar. If you don’t eat foods with sugar, you’re regulating your behavior.
6. Monitor. Constantly monitor your mood and thoughts. When you drift from normal, you’ll be able to catch it quickly and subdue it before it gets out of hand.
The same goes for your behavior. If you’re doing things you normally wouldn’t do, such as yelling at someone, ask yourself what’s going on.
7. Mindfulness. Keeping your mind in the present and on the task before you is one form of self-regulation. It also makes self-regulation easier, as your mind isn’t drifting away and creating challenges for you.
Throughout the day, notice how often your mind is in the past or future. Also, notice how often your mind is thinking about things other than what you’re doing. It’s amazing that anyone manages to get anything done!
If you think about the people you know who regularly struggle with life, you’ll see that their ability to self-regulate is poor. Now, examine those you know who seem to sail through life with little difficulty. Their self-regulation skills tend to be quite high.
The ability to manage your thoughts, emotions, words, and actions can’t be overstated. Self-regulation is an important part of success.
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post Targeting Self-Regulation: Skills and Strategies appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
August 6, 2019
UNCOVER & CLEAN YOUR WOUND TO SPEAK WITH NO FEAR
Some fears are irrational. Some fears are based on superstition. And some fears have a real reason. Maybe you’re afraid of swimming in a deep pool after a near-drowning incident. Maybe you burned yourself while cooking and now fire scares you. Or maybe you embarrassed yourself onstage and now you speak with fear.
If you’re reading this, there’s a chance you’re afraid of public speaking and presenting. After all, it’s the #1 fear Americans have. So you might have a story, a reason why you have this fear.
But have you cleaned your wound yet?
As a kid, I played hard. It was common for me to get cuts on my knees, get back up, and play harder. I was a daredevil. I was an explorer. I was crazy.
Each time I injured myself, my Mom would eventually see me poking my knee, elbow, shin, or another area in pain. Her questions would lead to exposing my wound. “Mike! This is infected!” I don’t know how many times I heard that growing up. Too many! My mom would jump up and get the first aid kit. She would drag me to the bathroom and painfully clean my cut. She was merciless. She insisted on rubbing out all the dirt and sterilizing my cut. At times, she scrubbed while scolding me of the dangers of rusty metal or filthy streets. Only after she probed my pain did she apply neosporin and band-aids.
You would think I would learn, but I didn’t. I just kept injuring myself and tried to move past it.
Many people ignore their pain and run from their hurt. I see it again and again. People walk around with barely-disguised limps, bandages bleeding through, or makeup to cover infections. Some are hurt so badly that their wounds causes them to react hysterically if you get near. And just as we cover up emotional wounds, we cover up past public speaking wounds. No matter how much you cover an infected wound with bandages, clothes, or makeup, the wound will still be there. To effectively move past it, you need to clean it first.
If you want to uncover your page, ask yourself the following question: what is the root cause of your fear? Have you been embarrassed in public? Have you been put on the spot when you weren’t ready? Were you bullied? Are you concerned with being a people person? Was your most humiliating moment something to do with people noticing your mistakes, failures, or weaknesses?
My bestselling book, Speak With No Fear, gives you seven strategies to fight your speaking and presenting fears. This is the beginning of the first strategy – to uncover the wound. Otherwise, every bad experience will compound, further “infecting” the wound and making your fear heavier.
In the next blog in this series, we’ll work on cleaning your speaking wound, learning to repurpose the pain, and looking through the bad and finding the good therein.
If you haven’t bought a copy of my book already, you can do so here.
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post UNCOVER & CLEAN YOUR WOUND TO SPEAK WITH NO FEAR appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
August 4, 2019
Read This Before You Exaggerate on Your Resume
There’s a lot of pressure to embellish your resume but lying about your qualifications could be disastrous. You may be confused about where to draw the line, especially if you’re new to the job market or returning after some time off.
If so, you have plenty of company. About 46% of adults know someone who has included false information on a resume, according to a survey by the staffing firm OfficeTeam.
It’s a disturbing situation because the risks and consequences of getting caught are so high. Hiring managers may notice inconsistencies between your online profile and your application or your new boss may have a conversation with one of your former coworkers. As a result, you could lose a job offer or even be fired.
You can avoid exaggerating on your resume and still present yourself as an outstanding candidate. Try these alternative strategies for making your experience and education sound as impressive as possible without stretching the truth. Then if you want to get some feedback for your interview schedule a coaching session.
Being Honest About Your Experience:
1. Seek professional help. If you’re having trouble attracting job offers or feel like you need to market yourself more effectively, consider working with a job coach or a resume service. Someone with expertise in human resources can help you deal with weaknesses and showcase your strengths.
2. List correct dates. Gaps in employment history are common these days. Explain how you used your downtime productively with contract work or volunteering.
3. State your job title. What if you operated at a higher level than your job title suggests, or few employers would understand what it even means? Put the official label on your resume, but back it up with additional details about what you actually did.
4. Describe your role. You’ve probably been advised to focus on your impact and quantify your achievements. Use your judgement and ask others for feedback if you think you may be getting too creative. Persuading one customer to order a $20 entree instead of a $10 dish is different from doubling sales.
5. Assess your skills. Is there a long list of software programs and foreign languages at the bottom of your resume? Be sure to describe your level of proficiency and fluency accurately. You may be tested during the hiring process or on the job.
6. Consider your hobbies. Unless your pastimes are relevant to the position, you can usually leave them off. If you do mention them, pick activities you really participate in.
6. Consider your hobbies. Unless your pastimes are relevant to the position, you can usually leave them off. If you do mention them, pick activities you really participate in.
7. Do volunteer work. Supporting worthy causes is a great way to make your resume stand out. If you’ve been neglecting your charitable side, it’s easy to catch up. Call a volunteer hotline or ask your neighbors about local nonprofits they like.
8. Disclose your salary. You can get a raise without inflating your last salary. Many employers rely more on market value and their own budget in determining compensation. Practicing your negotiation skills will help too.
Being Honest About Your Education:
1. Forget about grades. Outside of academia, few employers will want to hear about your GPA. On the other hand, you might want to brag about graduating summa cum laude if the facts bear it out.
2. Declare your major. Cheer up even if the job ad specifies a different major than yours. Most companies are flexible about such matters.
3. Complete your degree. Claiming fictitious degrees can be hazardous to your career. If you need additional credentials to advance, consider going back to school or taking additional courses at a local university or online.
Honesty is the safer policy when it comes to applying for a job. Design a resume that will help you sell yourself and double check the contents to ensure you’re painting an accurate picture of your background and potential.
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post Read This Before You Exaggerate on Your Resume appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
July 29, 2019
Getting a Fresh Start on Life After the End of a Relationship
Most romantic relationships end at some point.The trick is to learn something from the experience and then springboard into a new life.
Quick Note: most of the coaching I do centers on communication, leadership, and career. However, in the past I held most relationship workshops and as clients find they can trust me they open up with this area of life too. Here is something I put together in an effort to encourage and motivate you in this more personal area.
Each relationship is a learning experience, and the information learned can be used to reinvent yourself. It’s hard when a relationship ends, but you have the opportunity to write a new chapter in your life. What will you decide to do with this opportunity?
Take your life to a new level after the end of your relationship:
1. Clean house. Take all of those photographs, love letters, mementos, gifts, and so on and pitch them in the trash. If you’re tempted to keep them for sentimental reasons, consider your ex-partner from three relationships ago. Do you still have anything remaining from that relationship?
● If you just can’t let go of those items yet, put them all in a box and put the box in the basement or garage. You can throw them away another day. Someday, you’ll be surprised that you ever wanted to keep any of it.
2. Join a gym. Make some positive changes to your body. Exercise will uplift your mood too.Lift weights, go running, join a yoga studio, or play tennis. The activity doesn’t matter as long as you get some exercise and move onward and upward.
3. Start at least one new activity. There are plenty of things you’d like to do but haven’t yet. It’s time to start doing one of them. Join a softball team or a dance studio. It doesn’t matter what the activity is, as long as you like it. Hopefully, it will be an activity that includes other people.
4. Evaluate your relationship. Take a short period of time and examine your recently failed relationship. There’s no point in repeating mistakes in the future. Figure out what went wrong and how you can avoid a similar fate.Learn from your mistakes and improve your understanding of relationships.
5. Buy some new clothes. Change things up a little bit. Get a fresh start by updating your wardrobe. You’ll feel better. It’s like a new beginning that all the world can see.
6. Reconnect with old friends. When in a romantic relationship, other relationships can suffer. It’s time to reconnect with old friends and create some new memories. Make it a point to contact everyone you’ve lost touch with. Maybe a group dinner is in order.
7. Learn something new. It’s fulfilling to grow in a meaningful way.Pick something that interests you and develop yourself. You might want to learn how to play the piano, paint, or skydive. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to ballroom dance. Make it happen.
8. Take a trip. Get away by yourself or with a friend and explore someplace new. It can be a great start to a new life. Where would you like to go? Think outside the box and be daring. Go get your passport if you don’t already have one. The world is your oyster.
9. Spend casual time with a variety of people, instead of focusing all of your energy on one person. Try dating people you normally wouldn’t. Maybe you’ve just been dating the wrong people in the past. Keep it fun and simple.
Make the most of your newfound freedom and take some time to make a few modifications to yourself and your life. Try some new activities and reach out to your old friends. Your life might just become the best it’s ever been. You won’t know until you try!
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post Getting a Fresh Start on Life After the End of a Relationship appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
June 20, 2019
You need to BELIEVE you can Speak With No Fear
Fear can often be crippling. Some amount of nervousness can in fact goad you to do a better job, but when anxiety and doubt creep in, it’s hard to believe you can move past your challenges.
Doubt deters you from taking strategies seriously. Doubt erodes confidence. Doubt makes truth seem like lies. Doubt will feed your fear and give you more speaking nightmares. So the first step to speaking with no fear is, quite plainly, believing you can speak with no fear.
Where you are isnotwhere you have to be. You can turn your speaking nightmares into living your dreams. And if you have faith in the process, in the actions you will have to take, and – most importantly – yourself, you will overcome your fear of public speaking.
Did you see Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark? In one scene, the actor Harrison Ford must cross a deep chasm with a pit below. If he turns around, he will forfeit everything. Compelled by a deeper understanding, he puts one foot over the chasm, believing that somehow he will be able to walk across. As he steps out in belief, his foot lands on an invisible yet solid bridge. His faith allows him to move forward.
My first few experiences of public speaking in middle school and high school had never gone well. I was ridiculed, made fun of, and laughed at for my stage presence. Although I learned how to manage the fear, it was still there, like a persistent itch. Things changed when my college professor invited me to join the debate team. He believed that if I pushed past my insecurities, weaknesses and fears, I could do well. He persisted for months on end, refusing to take ‘no’ for an answer. Finally, I said ‘yes’, and that has made all the difference.
Once I believed I could be great… I became great (and humble).
In my debut book, Speak With No Fear, I outline seven strategies to help you work through your fears. You can learn to enjoy presenting, selling, educating, storytelling, and speaking in public. The same strategies I used in my life, you can use in yours.
These strategies are not miraculous, but they are miracle workers. If you take action and do the assignments, you will results. If you take heart and believe in yourself, you will see how the work you do becomes the miracle you hope to see.
You can buy a copy of Speak With No Fear on Amazon. I would really appreciate if you leave a review after reading it, or share it on social media with your network.
Like Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” So go ahead, take that step. There’s no time like the present.
– Mike Acker
President of ADVANCE
The post You need to BELIEVE you can Speak With No Fear appeared first on ADVANCE, COACHING AND CONSULTING LLC.
June 6, 2019
Become a Master of Self Discipline
Self-discipline is a powerful attribute to have, yet challenging to obtain. I’m working on this and I will share what I am learning with you. Let’s start by defining the terms:
Self-discipline is the ability to do whatever it takes to overcome obstacles and reach your goals, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. It may involve saying: “no”to things you want or saying: “yes”to things you hate, but with the power of self-discipline, it becomes easier to stand up for yourself.
Most individuals would love to be more self-disciplined, yet very few people actually take action to acquire it.
Perhaps you start your day with good intentions, but veer off as the day progresses due to challenging issues, stresses, or distractions. Thankfully, there are some strategies you can incorporate into your daily life so you can become a master of self-discipline and stay on task.
Follow these techniques to strengthen your self-discipline:
1. Be committed to the cause. Are you truly unhappy being undisciplined? Is this something that you’re committed to improving? Many times people claim they want to be more self- disciplined, but the truth is, they honestly don’t mind being the way they are.
Be honest with yourself. If this is something that you definitely want to improve in your life, it may take a bit of time and effort, but it can be done.
The only way you’ll succeed is by staying committed to the cause.
2. Write it down. The process of writing your ideas and goals helps you clarify the thoughts in your mind so you can come up with an action plan that you can stick to.
Write down all the areas that you wish to improve – your finances, relationships, career, or anything in between. Include what changes you would like to see and how you believe will be the best way to make it happen.
When I wrote my book, I signed a contract to myself and kept it in front of me every day. My written contract included how I would reward myself along the way.
3. Enlist the help of others. It’s absolutely wonderful that you’ve committed to make a positive change in your life, but don’t keep it under wraps. Tell others that you want to make a change and boost your self-discipline.
Don’t be ashamed that you weren’t more self-disciplined from the beginning. The important thing is that you’re now taking positive action! Those who love you will be there to support you and help you celebrate your successes.
Your support group can also help you get through the bad days and put you back on track to achieve your goals.
4. Believe in yourself. Have faith in yourself and know that if you can master your self-discipline, you can do anything! There will be both good and bad days, but as long as you remain focused and committed, you’ll be successful in strengthening your self-discipline.
Remember to focus on the big picture and concentrate on how your body, mind, and energy will change for the better when you stay committed.
Many people admire those who are self-disciplined.
These people can stay on a schedule and never seem to lose focus on what they need to accomplish. They make more wise decisions, take action when they need to, and achieve their goals with relative ease.
Implement these strategies into your daily life and they’ll soon become habits. Self-discipline can become your way of life – if you want it!
– Mike Acker
Lead Coach & Speaker at ADVANCE
Author of the bestselling book, Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak Speak With No Fear
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