I am who I am today because of these 10 self-help hacks.

I like to think of self-care as anything that you do to nourish your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Amid a global pandemic, the need to care for your health — all aspects of it — is of the highest importance.

Showing up for yourself is the ultimate act of self-love. When you make yourself a priority, you are better able to show up for others.

Are you ready to discover the 10 self-help hacks that will improve your life? Read this!

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Self-care is not selfish… you know that, right?

We live in a society where “busyness” has become a status symbol for success. People have become addicted to being too busy because it makes them feel important.

They equate free time with a lack of success, assuming that anyone who isn't crazy busy must be lazy. Here's the thing… the opposite of busyness isn’t laziness. Rather, it's about balancing your priorities.

It's about taking control of your time so that you can lead a more purposeful life. Don't get me wrong… I'm not saying that you shouldn't be a hard worker.

However, if you operate on autopilot 24/7 and don't take care of your most important asset – YOU – you will eventually burn out. In this state, you won't be able to do much of anything (trust me, I've been there). This is why you must make yourself a priority.

These 10 self-help hacks are the ones that have benefitted my life the most. I hope they will be of benefit to you. Let's dive in!

1. Act As If You're Already The Person You Want To Be

You may already have an idea of who you want to be. What does the highest version of yourself look like? You have an opportunity to step into this role at any given moment, meaning to act AS IF you are already that person.

As Joe Dispenza says in his book, Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself, you are not hardwired to be a certain way for the rest of your life. Who you are is not who you have to be in the future.

If you want to break the mold of your current limitations, you have to act like the person you want to be. How would the person you want to be in 5-10 years from now think and act?

Practice being that person. It's not easy to do this because your current identity wants to preserve itself. Your identity doesn't want you to be anything other than what you are familiar with.

However, you must be willing to step outside of your zone of comfort and start behaving in ways that you wouldn't normally behave. 

2. Surround Yourself With People You Want To Be Like

Who you become will be determined, in large part, by the people you surround yourself with. Your environment influences you more than anything else.

If you spend time with negative and lazy people who lack goals and a vision for their life, you will become those people. Conversely, if you want to be successful, you have to surround yourself with people who already have the kind of life that you want.

In the words of Jim Rohn, “Who you spend time with is who you become.” It's not necessarily comfortable being around people who are smarter than you.  However, growth is never comfortable.

Successful people will inspire you to raise your standards. Just by being in their presence, you will start to mimic their behaviors and embody their success.

3. Set Boundaries For Yourself

We all get caught up engaging in things that don't serve us, whether that's playing video games, eating junk food, or scrolling on social media.

Get real with yourself… what behavior are you engaging in right now that is NOT allowing you to become the best version of yourself? We all need boundaries for ourselves.

The purpose of a boundary is to help you keep track of your behavior. I encourage you to make a list of everything that you do daily for one week.

With each thing that you do, ask yourself if this activity is supporting you or holding you back from becoming the person that you want to be. If it's not supporting you, limit the amount of time you spend engaging in it or eliminate it altogether.

4. Focus On Your One Thing Everyday

There is always ONE thing that is more important than everything else in your life. In his book, The One Thing, Gary Keller teaches that there are so many things that you could be doing right now.

However, not all of those actions are equal in terms of their level of importance.  The highest leverage thing that you should be doing is the very thing that you will tend to avoid.

Why?

Because it takes the most effort, or it's something that you fear. You've got to feel the fear and act despite it. Don't mistake activity with achievement. You can be ‘active' throughout your day.

However, that doesn't mean that you're necessarily achieving anything. For example, does cleaning the house and running errands help you get the results that you want in your life?

The act of getting things done on your to-do list may make you feel accomplished, but it won't transform your life. Identify which task will help you get the results that you want and make it a priority.

Big rewards require big actions. If you do one important thing every day for 30 days, you will accomplish more than most people will in an entire year.

5. Get To A Level 10 Peak State

What you do in life is dependent on how you feel. Throughout your day, you will experience different emotional states. Unfortunately, a lot of people get caught up in habitual negative emotional states.

They condition themselves to feel fearful, anxious, or overwhelmed. Not surprisingly, if you're in a lousy state, you'll be more likely to be reactive and distracted.

This is why my morning ritual is non-negotiable. It sets me up to win. Every day you have a choice… you can either be controlled by the external world or you can be the master of your emotions.

Decide to put yourself in a level 10 peak state every day. This is the best version of yourself. Maybe this means feeling confident, successful, happy, resilient, or productive.

Train and condition yourself to experience this empowering state of being. One of the ways that I like to put myself into a peak state is to listen to my favorite song first thing in the morning.

I like to turn up the speakers, jump up and down on my rebounder and recite incantations. By changing my physiology, I change my emotional experience. Instantly, I go to a level 10.

Find what works for you, whether that's exercising, meditating, or dancing. Whatever your level 10 is, commit to putting yourself into a peak state daily.

6. Practice Positive Reinforcement

Whatever gets rewarded, gets repeated. Thus, you need to give yourself positive reinforcement every time that you engage in positive behavior. Doing so allows you to link pleasure to the behavior.

In turn, you'll be motivated to perform the behavior again. Reinforcers may include hugging yourself, writing down 3 things that you celebrate about yourself, or treating yourself to a nice dinner.

The more that you celebrate your wins, the better you will feel about yourself, and the more motivated you will be to achieve more.

7. Celebrate Other People's Success

When you celebrate other people's successes, you'll be more likely to move towards that which you desire. By acknowledging others, you are reminding yourself of the success traits that you want to embody in your life.

Conversely, if you are judgmental or critical of peoples' successes, you'll create that which you don't want through a self-fulfilling prophecy. Don't operate from a place of lack.

Remember that there is enough success for everyone and that your time will come. We need examples of people who defeat the odds and accomplish amazing feats. Watching someone else achieve their goals should empower you to do the same.

8. Model Success

Whatever you want in life, there is someone who already has it. Success always leaves clues. Successful people aren't lucky, nor were they born successful. Rather, they created success.

If you download their mindset, beliefs, and behaviors, you can get similar results. Whenever I find inspirational quotes from incredible human beings throughout history, I like to write them down on flashcards. People's words are a reflection of their beliefs.

If I want to adopt someone's beliefs, I will upload their words to my brain by reciting them out loud, again and again. Doing so allows me to take on their beliefs more readily.

Don't try to reinvent the wheel. The fastest way to achieve success is through modeling other people's success. Find one person or a group of people who are further ahead than you.

Consume their knowledge and apply what it is that you learn from them. This is how you will shorten the learning curve and compress decades into days.

9. Hire A Coach To Help You Raise Your Game

When you decide to raise your standards, you change your life. Don't get me wrong… you can always do things on your own. However, if you work with a coach, they will get more out of you than you would ever be able to get from yourself.

A great coach pushes you to become more. They will be able to pinpoint your limitations and help you practice getting outside of your comfort zone. Having this kind of accountability is a game-changer.

Growth isn't comfortable, but it is the only thing that leads to lasting results. If you're ready to stop playing small and start upgrading every area of your life, invest in yourself. Your future self will thank you for it.

10. Create A Morning Ritual

How you start the day is how you end the day. The things that you do first thing in the morning either set you up for success or failure. If you wake up in the morning stressed, slam a coffee, and eat a surgery donut, you'll be more inclined to feed your mind with negativity.

In turn, you'll be reactive to anything and everything. Conversely, if you wake up and practice gratitude, read inspiring quotes and meditate, you'll feel better and perform at your best.

Take the first hour of your day to do something empowering for your mind, body, and spirit. There is no perfect morning ritual. Find what works best for you and your life.

These are 10 self-help hacks for improving your life.

Make it a priority to continuously look for ways to better yourself. If you make it a habit to practice these hacks daily, you will start seeing positive changes in yourself. Which self-help hack will you implement into your life today?

Are you ready to change your story and create new possibilities in your life?

We all have painful chapters in our lives. However, if we allow these chapters to define who we are, we risk becoming a victim of our life circumstances.

In this blog, I share a framework that will help free you from emotional pain and suffering so that you can become the creator of your life story.

You don't have to remain stuck in a story that disempowers you. At this moment, you can start writing a new narrative, with you as the hero of your life. 

If you're ready to change your story and take back control of your life, read this!

Watch the video below:

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What is your life story?

Your thoughts become your beliefs, and your beliefs create stories about who you are and what you are capable of.

Thus, how you live your life is determined by the stories that you tell yourself. If this story is disempowering, your life will be the same. The great news is that you can rewrite your life story so that you become the victor of your life.

I've been studying psychology for 15 years now. I have always been curious about how the mind works and why people think the way that they do.

I have studied many different schools of psychotherapy. Time and time again, I have found one commonality that exists amongst them.

Regardless of the therapeutic approach used, when someone shifts the meaning that they ascribe to their life circumstances, their entire life changes.

We create meanings from our life experiences. The meaning that you give to any event, interaction, or outcome will determine the emotional tone of your experience and the feelings you bring about throughout your life.

Thus, if you can reframe your experiences, you will change your story. The framework that I'm going to share with you today will help you better understand your mind so that you feel empowered to change your story. Let's dive in! 

Event vs. Story

When an event happens to us, we create a story about the event. The story is what we think or feel about the event, which gives meaning to it. When we merge the event with the story, it becomes one.

The story is where all of the pain and suffering lies. Nothing has meaning until we give it meaning. You create freedom in your life when you can separate an event from a story. This speaks to the power of reframing.

When you reframe your life experiences in a more positive light, you change the story that you tell yourself and reshape your reality. Let me give you an example of how reframing works.

Let's say that you failed a Math test when you were in elementary school. That event resulted in you creating a story that you're stupid. On top of that, maybe your parents got mad at you for failing the test, which made you feel even worse about yourself.

These comments further affirmed that you aren't a smart person. You carry this story into adulthood and sabotage every opportunity that comes your way because you have the limiting belief that you're not worthy of success. 

As long as you allow your past to dictate your future, your future will continue looking like the past. Your life will not change until you change your story.

Before you can change your story, you need to know what it is that you need to change.

What is your story and how is this story holding you back in life? Take a moment to reflect upon the events of your life that led you to create your life story. What are the meanings and core beliefs about yourself that came out of these events?

Whatever you believe about yourself, others or the world will continue to manifest itself, otherwise known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. By simply expecting something to happen, you'll inadvertently cause it to happen.

You are the creator of your life story. Thus, you have the power to rewrite narratives that no longer serve you. You don't have to carry around any more emotional pain if you don't want to. 

Changing your story can change your life. 

Your story of who you are and what you are capable of is just a story. At any given moment, you can rewrite the narrative.

Never forget that you are not limited by your past, so start creating the empowering story that your future self will thank you for. 

Are you ready to change your story and start mastering every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my monthly Life Mastery Accelerator mentoring program!

You are the sum of your habits.

Research shows that habits determine 95% of a person’s behavior. What you repeatedly do determines the person whom you become.

Everyone falls victim to bad habits now and then. However, if these habits become the ‘norm', you know it's time to reverse them.

Ready to discover how you can start new habits today that can change your life? Keep reading…

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When you change your habits, you change your life.

Before you can break destructive habits you first have to commit to change. It takes a lot of willpower and determination to stop engaging in learned behaviors. Sometimes you have to hit your emotional threshold before you're ready to change.

This is the moment at which settling no longer becomes an option. The pain of staying in the same place becomes so much to bear that you become empowered to take action. Self-awareness is the first step to changing anything in your life.

A lot of people suffer from blind spots. They aren't even aware that they are engaging in disempowering habits. In effect, they rationalize and justify their behaviors because the truth is too painful. If you want to change your life, you must be willing to get to the truth.

Who am I today is very different from my younger self. I was in a very dark place when I was a teenager. My bad habits were limiting my potential and preventing me from being the person I knew I could be. Eventually, I got to a point where I was tired of being stuck and feeling depressed. I mustered the courage to look in the mirror and be honest with myself.

The truth set me free. Now is the time to get real with yourself…. what kind of life do you want to have? Is the way you're living now leading you in the direction of your dreams? If not, it's time to change your habits because you deserve to have an abundant and prosperous life.

However, if you do not engage in daily habits that foster that state of being, you will continue to stay stuck. I think you will agree with me that being stuck gets you nowhere in life. Because habits are processed in the brain thousands of times faster than intentional behavior, the only reliable way to change a bad habit is to replace it with a good one. The mere act of engaging in a healthy habit is more important than the habit itself.

The key to forming new habits is repetition.

I'm not going to lie… integrating new habits into your daily life is really hard at first. However, when you start doing something consistently, over time it becomes automatic. A lot of people make the mistake of diving headfirst into a new habit and then wonder they it's so hard to stick with it.

You need to start by making small incremental changes. This is how you will increase your willpower and ensure that your habit sticks. One of the most effective ways to develop new habits is to commit to a 30-day challenge. I've done challenges related to my exercise routine, waking up early, planning my days, and building my business. Pretty much every aspect of my life.

If you can commit to practicing one new habit over 30 days, it will give you the momentum that you need to start making long-lasting changes in your life. Lastly, I encourage you to find people who have overcome the same thing that you are struggling with. Have them be your role model. If they were able to change their bad habits, so can you.

This is how to start new habits that can change your life.

You can change any aspect of your life. If you tried in the past to overcome bad habits with no luck, the beauty of life is that you always get a second chance to try again.

You know deep down inside what is good for you, but nothing will change unless you do. Whenever you engage in habits of success that empower your mind, body, and spirit, you will be inspired to keep doing them.

What new habit will you commit to adopting into your daily life?

Do you want to get 21-powerful morning rituals that will change your life? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE Morning Ritual Habits cheatsheet!

These are the decisions that changed my life forever.

The life that you live today is the result of the specific decisions that you've made. The external world influences your decisions.

However, at the end of the day, you are solely responsible for the choices that you make and the actions you take.

If you aren't happy with how your life looks right now, you have the power to make new decisions that serve your highest self.

Ready to discover the decisions that changed my life? Keep reading…

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Decisions shape your destiny.

The extent to which you are able to make decisions that fulfill your dreams depends on the state of your mind. Research in cognitive psychology has shown that a person’s thoughts will influence the quality of their mood as well as their life experiences and actions.

The way that you feel determines the types of decisions that you make. Think about it… if you’re angry or overwhelmed, do you think that you're going to be in a position to make sound decisions? Probably not. However, if you're feeling grounded, clear, and confident, you will be more likely to make proactive decisions.

Keep in mind that when you make a new decision you don't always see the impact right away. It may take weeks, months, or even years until you realize how that one decision drastically altered the direction of your life. Take a moment and think about a good decision that you made 5-10 years ago that led to you being where you are today.

If you're not happy with the decisions that you've made in the past that are impacting your life now, I've got great news! You have the power to make new decisions that can change your life forever. At any moment, you can walk away from something that is no longer serving you and choose a different path.

I want to share with you the biggest decisions that changed my life forever. In sharing these life decisions, I hope that you will feel empowered to make similar decisions if you have been putting off doing so.

Committing to self-development 

I discovered self-development when I was 17 years old. Before that time, I struggled with depression and anxiety. I experienced a lot of challenges as a result. If I hadn't discovered self-development, I don't know where I would be today.

Luckily, I found mentors and teachers who inspired me and gave me hope that anything was possible. Some of these people included Brian Tracy, Tony Robbins, and Wayne Dyer. I learned from them that I could be, do, and have anything that I set my mind to. I started modeling their success habits. Today, I've been able to create a 7-figure online business.

It's not only my finances that have drastically improved because of my commitment to self-development. So too have my relationships, my mind, my emotions, and my spirituality. It wasn't easy, but I'm so grateful that I made the decision to level up my life.

Recommitting my life to Jesus Christ

I grew up as a Greek Orthodox Christian. My family wasn't super religious. We went to church twice per year. It wasn't until my self-development journey began that I started to further develop my spirituality. I studied Islam, Buddhism, and Daoism to name a few.

After studying different spiritual teachings, I noticed that there were limits to the mind. I came to realize that there were aspects of my life that could only be solved with a higher power. At that moment, I experienced a massive shift in my life. A lot of people try to fill a void within themselves through money, success, and significance, at the expense of their happiness.

It's not until you surrender and call in a higher power that you feel connected to something greater than yourself. Recommitting my life to Jesus Christ has changed my life. It's made me a better person overall. I am more loving, patient, compassionate, and forgiving. It's also added a new level of richness and meaning to my life. No matter what I go through, I know that there's a purpose to everything. Everything good that has happened in my life is because of God.

Learning how to meet and attract women

The first book that I read on self-development was called, “Double your Dating” by David D'Angelo. This book changed my life. At this stage of my life, my biggest pain point was that I didn't have friends or a girlfriend. Building my self-confidence was the only thing that I cared about.

Socially, I was very behind because I was a shy video game addict. I didn't socialize with people because it made me very anxious. I used gaming as a way to escape. As a result, I got bullied which caused me a lot of pain. When I committed to learning how to improve my confidence and social skills, everything changed.

When I was 18 years old I met a group of men who I found on an online community message board. They taught me how to interact with women. I committed to going out four times per week and forced myself to have conversations with people in public places.

I'm not going to lie… I was terrified. But I acted in spite of my fear. I ended up overcoming my fear of approaching women and committed to improving my communication and social skills. In turn, I became a more attractive version of myself. Women started to become naturally more attracted to me. Today, I'm engaged to my soulmate. I would never have found her if I did not commit to becoming a better man and human being.

Starting an online business

At a young age, I knew that I didn't want to work for someone else. I hated school. I always wanted to do my own thing and be independent.  When I was 21 years old, I started a coaching business. It was called Lifestyle Transformations. The decision to become an entrepreneur was life-changing.

I had zero experience, but I learned what I needed to know in order to succeed. Eventually, I got into Internet marketing. This decision gave me financial freedom and the lifestyle that I now have. Today, I never have to worry about money. Making more money has allowed me to progress rapidly in many other areas of my life.

I have more time to devote to things that matter to me, like my health, my relationship, and my spirituality because I have more resources available to me. That being said, even if I lost all of the money that I have, I am confident that I could make it all back.

The skills and qualities that I have cultivated over the years will never go away. You can lose money, but you can never lose who you are. If you have the desire to build an online business, don't wait. Take action and start creating your dream life. 

Volunteering

Giving to others has taught me how to be a selfless and more giving person. When I was in my early 20s, I realized that I had a scarcity mentality. I was always afraid of losing money. In turn, I was limiting myself from making more money. I realized that it's not how much money you give to others that matters.

Rather, its the habit of giving money that counts. When I was young, I would give small amounts of money to homeless people every day. I was training my mind to be a giver. In my mid-20s I started going on volunteer trips to third world countries in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Kenya, and Ethiopia where I helped build schools and houses for families in need.

I've also helped fund the construction of 10+ schools in countries like India and Ecuador. To this day, giving a home to someone in need has been one of the most powerful and emotional experiences of my life. Volunteering and philanthropy have brought so much more meaning and joy to my life. As Tony Robbins says, “The secret to living is giving.”

Quitting pornography and masturbation

When I was first exposed to pornography I didn't know what the negative effects would be. I used it as a way to relieve stress and anxiety. However, once it became an addiction, I knew that I had to quit. I started experiencing performance issues, like erectile dysfunction, or I would jump from one partner to the next because I would lose attraction for women quickly.

Why? I was being aroused by a variety of women on a screen that did not exist in reality. In turn, I wasn't able to connect with or be intimate with women in real life. On top of that, masturbation was taking away my energy, drive, and motivation. I felt lazy. It was hard to feel happy.

While enjoying pornography, your dopamine levels rise to around 200% of what is normal. While this feels good in the short-term, these abnormal levels of dopamine can mess with your mood. Once I detoxed my brain from pornography, everything in my life changed.

Committing to a morning ritual

I've been practicing a morning ritual for over 16 years now. Rituals have changed my life because they've allowed me to build healthy habits. What you do every day is who you end up becoming. When you make it a priority to take time every day to nourish your mind, body, and spirit, you get so much more out of your days and your life.

Engaging in rituals like praying, journaling, reading, meditating, and reciting affirmations, has shaped me into the person I am today. My ritual is non-negotiable. I encourage you to choose rituals that align with your interests and values. When you commit to making your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual self a priority, I promise that you will experience more fulfillment, confidence, and energy in your life.

Investing

I got into investing when I was 18 years old. I read the book, The Wealthy Barber and it changed my life. It taught me about compounding and dollar-cost advertising. The sooner that you invest, the sooner that you benefit from compounding. My first investment was $500 in a Bank of Montreal mutual fund. I started paying myself first.

Ten percent of whatever I made I put aside and invested it. At 21 years old, the next investment that I made was $5,000. Over the years, I continued paying myself first and reinvesting the money that I made. As I started making more money, I got into individual stock picking and index funds. Because of the investment portfolio that I've been able to create, I could retire now and never have to work another day in my life based on the dividends that I receive from my investments.

Starting my YouTube channel

I started Project Life Mastery when I was 25 years old. However, years before that I was a public speaker and a life coach. I've received so much value from helping others. Being a Youtuber has forced me to access a better version of myself.

I've had to tap into the best version of Stefan, someone who is charismatic, articulate, and of service to others' lives. It's allowed me to further my self-development journey and create an impact on a global scale. To date, my YouTube channel has gotten over 50 million views.

I have also reached millions of people through my podcast, blog, and social media. It's mindblowing to know that so many people have consumed my content. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for my audience, who have watched my videos.

I've been able to build my coaching business through YouTube, as well as sell my online courses. It's been an incredible journey and I can't wait to see how my channel continues to evolve and grow.

These are the decisions that changed my life forever.

If you are someone who struggles to make decisions, I hope my story has inspired you to become a better decision-maker. It's the decisions that you make today that will determine what your future looks like. Every day brings with it a myriad of choices that need to be made.

What decision will you make today?

It's time to do things you keep putting off.

Do you have a goal that you want to pursue, but have been unable to take necessary action on it?

Procrastination is the enemy of success. It keeps you stuck and incapable of reaching your true potential in life.

Success doesn't come to those who wait on the sidelines. Nothing in your life will work unless you take action.

There will never be a perfect time to start anything. If you're ready to discover how to stop putting off things once and for all, keep reading.

Watch the video below:

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Curious about how to change your life? Here's how…

The longer that you procrastinate on something, the more stuck you will feel, and the less likely that you will take action. We've all procrastinated at some point in our lives. Sometimes you just want to be lazy and do nothing. That is OK. Relaxation is a great reward for hard work.

However, when procrastination becomes a bad habit it can negatively affect every area of your life. Research shows that one in five people are chronic procrastinators. Not surprisingly, these types of people dabble and aren't able to finish anything. As a result, they end up struggling in life.

If you feel like you're falling into a procrastination trap where you're continuously putting things off, now is the time to make a change. I'm going to help you break free from the never-ending cycle of delay, which only causes unnecessary stress and pain. However, before I do it's important that you understand something.

If you want to create change in your life, you have to be willing to change.

Nothing in your life will change unless you change. Let me use the example of starting an online business to prove my point. Right now there are a lot of opportunities to work from home, whether you want to start a side hustle or create financial freedom. A lot of people have the desire to start an online business but they never take action on it. Why? The answer lies in what drives human behavior.

Human beings are driven by the need to avoid pain and the desire to gain pleasure. This is otherwise referred to as procrastination. The decisions you make, the actions you take, and the habits you indulge in, are all based on this pain-pleasure principle.

Going back to my example… an online business can give you a lot of pleasure down the road, in the form of working from home, being your own boss and living the laptop lifestyle. However, you may be held back from building an online business because you associate more pain than pleasure to it.

The pain that a lot of people associate with starting an online business is that the process is hard, timely, and risky. I'm not going to sugarcoat it…. success isn't a walk in the park. There is no short-term benefit of working hard. Building a business is a long-term game. If you're not willing to do whatever it takes to achieve success, you won't get far. Yes, it's a lot more comfortable to watch Netflix versus working on building your business.

It comes down to you deciding how bad you want something.

However, it's also very important that you reinforce the pleasure principle. When you think about starting an online business or whatever it is that you've been putting off, ask yourself, “What is the benefit that it will give me if I decide to pursue it?” Write these benefits down on a piece of paper. Maybe it's your desire to travel the world, spend more time with your family, create financial freedom, or become a philanthropist.

When you feel pleasure towards something, but you know that there will still be some level of pain that you have to endure, naturally you will experience an inner conflict. This is what causes people to get stuck in analysis paralysis, which is nothing short of a productivity killer.

The real question is, “How do you trick your brain into taking action, no matter how much pain you associate with doing so?” First, you need to use your pain as motivation, meaning that you have to start linking more pain to NOT taking action than to taking action.

Jim Rohn once said, “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is that discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” Yes, there is pain involved in being disciplined.

However, trust me when I say that having regrets is much more painful. Knowing that you settled for a life of mediocrity and didn't maximize your true potential will eat away at you. It is possible for short-term pain to result in long-term pleasure. However, you have to willing to embrace the pain.

What is the consequence of not doing the thing that you've been putting off?

Make a list and write those pain points down. Going back to my online business example, maybe it's having a 9 to 5 job that doesn't pay you a lot of money, working for someone else, or living in scarcity. This is why I chose to be an entrepreneur.

When I was younger my parents went through a really bad bankruptcy. As a result, I grew up with a scarcity mentality because we didn't have a lot of money. In my mind, I linked not having money with pain. The feeling of being broke terrifies me. This is why I made a commitment to myself from an early age that I was never going to bring a child into this world until I was financially free. I used my pain as motivation to become successful.

What are the benefits associated with taking action? How would your life transform if you chose courage over comfort? What amazing life experiences would you have? Imagine a version of you who is a strong and confident leader.

Be someone who has the resourcefulness and creativity to take massive action and turn a dream into a reality. I dare you to stop putting off the things that you want to do and start playing big. If you are someone who aspires to build an online business but doesn't know where to start, check out my FREE business course where I share the 7 business models that made me an Internet millionaire in less than 3 years.

It's time to do the things you keep putting off.

In closing, I encourage you to journal and write down all of the reasons why you aren't taking action. Reflect upon the pleasure you will get from taking action and the pain you will experience from not taking action.

There is no perfect time to do anything. Sometimes you've just got to dive in and try. In the words of my mentor, Tony Robbins, “The path to success is to take massive, determined action.” Be one of the few who take action versus the many who dabble. Trust me when I say that the payoff is worth it.

Want to know which online business is best for you? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE online business quiz!

Before you can change your life, you need to learn something very important.

We've all faced dark times where we questioned whether or not we had the strength to carry on.

There was a time in my life when I was in a really bad place, to the point where I was having suicidal thoughts. Luckily, I pulled through.

Self-development saved my life. If you're not where you want to be right now, but you are ready to change your life, this blog will help you take the leap of faith.

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Are you ready to discover how you can create your own Mastermind Group of highly successful people? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE Mastermind cheatsheet!

Change is the only constant in life.

Nothing ever stays the same. Change is the one thing that you can always count on. The question is, “Are you able to embrace change and fearlessly face the unknown with an open heart?” For a lot of people, this isn't an easy feat. When everything is going great in life we assume that the good times will keep going, right? Well, at least that's what we hope.

However, life doesn't always like your plans. Challenges and adversities will happen. When this happens, life will force you to change. If you resist change, it will strike you harder and faster. However, if you embrace change and allow yourself to be open to the process, you will thrive. How you choose to respond is up to you.

Although you can never change what is going on outside of yourself, you always have the power to affect change in your own life. Change asks you to learn new things, master new skills, and develop new qualities like flexibility, optimism, courage, and persistence. This is what I discovered when I was introduced to the world of self-development.

I finally realized that I could become the master of my world. The only thing that was stopping me was me. The self-development gurus, like Tony Robbins and Wayne Dyer, gave me unwavering hope and a compelling vision for my future.

However, nobody was going to wave a magic wand and change my life for me.

If I wanted to change, I had to commit to doing the deep work to let go of everything that was no longer serving my growth and evolution. This wasn't an easy path at the beginning. However, once I started to see the rewards from my efforts, it was no longer difficult. It was at this point that I was able to transform every area of my life.

One of the most profound lessons that I've learned along my journey of personal growth is that everything you need is already inside of you. Even though I grew up shy, anxious, and introverted, there was always a confident, intelligent and resourceful person inside of me, begging to be heard and seen.

The challenge that a lot of people face is that they define their worth based on limiting beliefs. In turn, they end up living in fear. They hold themselves back from success because they don't believe that they deserve it. What we don't realize is that many of our unconscious beliefs developed during childhood, meaning that they aren't even our beliefs to begin with. If you continue to be the person who you've always been, your life will never change. You have to question your belief systems and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Being scared beyond belief is a sign that you're doing something right. 

A second challenge that I see a lot of people struggle with is the desire to meet their need for significance through self-development. We all have six human needs. These include a need for certainty, security, variety, connection/love, contribution, and significance. As long as you are driven by significance, you are always going to be comparing yourself to others. Comparison is the thief of joy.

There are always going to be people who are further ahead of you in certain areas of life. Don't concern yourself with their path. It's not yours. Stay in your lane and make it your goal to become the best version of yourself. More importantly, don't limit yourself based on others' projections of who you are. It's a losing battle and one that is not worth fighting.

This is how you change your life.

When you change, everything in your life will change for you. To become more, you have to expand yourself and be what you are not. Think empowering thoughts, face your fears, step outside your comfort zone and become the you that you've always dreamed of becoming.

In the words of Bruce Lee, “Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own.” Are you ready to step up and do whatever it takes to change your life? Tomorrow isn't promised. Take action today. Your future self will thank you for it.

Are you ready to discover how you can create your own Mastermind Group of highly successful people? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE Mastermind cheatsheet!

When you change your rituals, you change your life.

We all have unhealthy habits and behaviors that we indulge in from time to time. They seem harmless.

However, when these habits become the norm, they quickly erode your potential.

If you want to live a happy and fulfilling life, you have to break free from your bad habits and replace them with more empowering ones.

Ready to discover how to change your rituals, and in turn, change your life?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Do you want to discover 21 powerful morning rituals that will change your life? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my morning ritual habits cheatsheet!

How you start your morning sets the tone for your day.

When you woke up today, what is the first thing that you did? Did you immediately check your email, while drinking a coffee and eating a sugary danish before rushing out the door for work? Or did you wake up early, meditate, and eat a healthy breakfast before a morning workout?

No matter which path you chose, it's important to understand that the majority of the choices that we make each day are habits. By nature, we are creatures of habit. Research shows that habits emerge because the brain is constantly looking for ways to save effort.

Hence, we create habits so that we can focus our attention on tasks that require more of our mental and emotional energy. Over time, habits become rituals, meaning that a purpose is attached to our behaviors. Unfortunately, bad habits only serve to disempower you. They drag you down and destroy your happiness.

So, the question remains, “How can you identify whether a habit is disempowering or empowering your life?” Reflect upon how you feel after you indulge in a behavior. If it leaves you feeling flat, uninspired and lacking in self-esteem, you know that it's not serving your highest self.  Sometimes it's not until you experience so much inner pain and turmoil that you feel empowered to take action and change your life.

The first step towards changing anything in your life is self-awareness.

It's one of the most valuable character traits that you can have. A lot of people have blind spots, meaning that they have no idea how their behaviors are negatively impacting their happiness. In short, they don't want to admit that they have a problem. Instead, they distract themselves with disempowering habits to numb the pain that they feel. I'm here to tell you that there is nothing on the outside that will fix what is happening inside. Happiness is an inside job.

How do we change this story? One of the most effective ways that I've been able to change my life is by creating a powerful morning ritual. It is an act of self-love in and of itself. When you spend time every morning nourishing your mind, body, and soul, you are better able to step out into the world and serve others.

More importantly, you will feel a sense of joy, gratitude, and aliveness that is unexplainable. In this state, there is no challenge that will steer you off track because your willpower will be at an all-time high.

Researchers at the University of Nottingham reviewed 83 different studies on self-control and discovered humans have a finite amount of self-control. Shortly after waking up for the day, self-control is at its greatest, and this ability slowly depletes as the day unfolds. Therefore, it is important to take advantage of the energy that you have in the morning.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating a morning ritual. Choose rituals that work best for you and your life. If you can commit to spending just 15 minutes or more each morning nourishing yourself, not only will you set yourself up to win, but over time, you will start to radically transform every area of your life.

Change your rituals. Change your life.

Make yourself a priority. Give yourself the gift of time because you are worthy and deserving of it. If you can commit to a daily morning routine, I promise that you will have a successful and happy life.

What does your morning ritual look like?

Do you want to discover 21 powerful morning rituals that will change your life? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my morning ritual habits cheatsheet!

Destructive habits and behaviors have the ability to destroy your happiness.

It is extremely difficult to achieve your goals and dreams if you consistently engage in destructive habits.

Self-defeating behaviors are a universal part of the human experience. However, that doesn't mean that you can't change your habitual responses.

If you've been struggling to figure out how to overcome destructive habits in your life, keep reading!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Want to know 21 powerful morning rituals that will help you master your time, health, and energy? CLICK HERE for instant access to my FREE cheatsheet!

Destructive habits hold you back from success in life.

Luckily, you have the power to overcome bad habits and replace them with empowering ones. The challenge that a lot of people face is that destructive habits feel good. Engaging in these behaviors may feel like you are giving yourself a gift because you're receiving instant gratification from them.

However, you need to ask yourself, “How do you feel about yourself after you indulge in these destructive habits? Does your self-esteem go up or down?” Your answer may surprise you. A lot of people don't think about the long-term effects of their actions until it's too late.

Deep down inside, we all know what is right and wrong. It's called a moral compass. Whenever you do something that is empowering, you will feel good about yourself. Conversely, if you go against your values, your self-esteem will take a massive hit.

The question is, “Why is it so hard to drop destructive habits?”

Research shows that the biggest reason why habits are difficult to change is that they are ingrained behaviors. When you do things on a regular basis, your neurons are conditioned to make the action automatic. The good news is that there is a way to reprogram your mind to act in empowering ways.

Let's talk about a 3-step process for how to overcome destructive habits in your life.

1. Be honest with yourself

Awareness is the first step to changing anything in your life. This is one of the most valuable character traits that you can have. Unfortunately, a lot of people have blind spots, meaning that they aren't even aware that they are engaging in destructive habits. Even worse, they go to great lengths to justify why it's okay.

Let's face it.. it doesn't feel good to admit that you're addicted to something destructive. However, if you have the courage to be honest with yourself, that's when everything in your life can change. The truth will set you free.

2. Link pain to destructive habits and pleasure to empowering ones

You have two paths that you can take. The first is making the choice to indulge in a destructive habit. Conversely, you can think about what the positive consequence would be of taking the more empowering path. When I link a negative consequence to a destructive habit, I like to imagine the worst possible scenario.

You want to train yourself to focus on the negative aspects of your destructive habit, so much so that your brain doesn't even see that path as a viable option. It comes down to finding a purpose for why you want to take care of your mind and body. When you can do that, the empowering path feels so much more in alignment with the direction that you want your life to take.

3. Do a 30-day challenge

If you want to stop engaging in destructive habits, you have to replace them with empowering ones. In my experience, a 3o-day challenge is a great way to do this effectively. Experts say that most habits can be broken if you can go 30 days without them.

For example, let's say that smoking cigarettes decreases your anxiety. If that's the case, it's a bad idea to stop smoking altogether. Instead, you want to come up with a more empowering way of coping with your anxiety and implement that new behavior into your daily life.

The hardest part of developing a new habit is right at the beginning. That is when it will require the most discipline and willpower from you. However, it becomes a lot easier afterward and the habit will become habitual. If you can get past the first 30 days, it will be easier to maintain a new habit and build it up, long-term.

One of my favorite ways to develop new habits is through a morning ritual. If you don't have a ritual, I encourage you to create one. It's a game changer.

When I'm doing a 30-day challenge, I like to have an accountability buddy. This is someone who is on the same path as me and who wants to implement a new healthy habit into their life. It's a lot easier to stay on top of your goals and not back out when you are accountable to someone else.

This is how to overcome destructive habits in your life.

When you change your habits, you change your life. If you're struggling to believe that you can change, I encourage you to find other people who have overcome whatever it is that you're struggling with. Have these people be your role models. If they were able to overcome a destructive habit, so can you.

Whenever you feel like you're going off track, come back to this 3-step process. Don't be so hard on yourself. Focus on the progress that you've made, and whatever you do, don't give up.

What is one destructive habit that you are ready to let go of? Publically declare it and stick with it!

Want to know 21 powerful morning rituals that will help you master your time, health, and energy? CLICK HERE for instant access to my FREE cheatsheet!