If you don’t do the inner work, your limiting beliefs will control every decision that you make in life.

A lot of people shy away from inner work, for fear that facing it, will be painful.

Growth can be difficult, but it can also be transformative. Research shows that many people report psychological growth as a result of experiencing highly stressful events.

Now is the time to release yourself from the past, recondition old belief patterns, and re-write your story. Are you ready to learn 3 ways that you can transform your negative self-talk?

Watch the video below where I talk about how to be confident instantly:

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Inner work sounds daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.

It’s all a matter of perspective. We all know how powerful beliefs can be. The mind believes what it wants to believe. If you think that inner work is hard, that’s exactly what it will be. However, if you are able to reframe your experience and view self-growth as an opportunity to become a better version of yourself, the game changes. As Tony Robbins says, “Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life.”

Don’t get me wrong… inner work will challenge you to your core. The process will force you to go inward and look at yourself and your life in unfamiliar ways. If you aren’t willing to drop your ego, be vulnerable, and face your fears, there will be resistance. However, if you can open yourself to the experience, you will set yourself up for a massive internal win.

I always say that anything of value is hard work. On the other side of inner work is purposeful living and it feels damn good. There is nothing more rewarding than stepping into your power and finally living in alignment with your true self.

How do I know? I’ve been on both sides of the coin.

When I was younger, I was a shadow of my true self. I was a shy, anxious, depressed kid. Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly living the high life. Studies have linked negative self-talk with higher levels of stress, lower levels of self-esteem, and depression. I can relate to these toxic effects.

My negative self-talk was like a bad song that I played on repeat in my head. It’s fair to say that the image I held of myself was below average. One day, I looked myself dead in the mirror and I said, “Never again will I allow myself to feel less than.” I knew that the only person that was going to change me, was me. In short, I hit my emotional threshold. 

I was tired of playing small, so I made the decision that I would no longer stay stuck in one place. Living each day as if I was merely surviving didn't feel good. I was ready to thrive. The core of my inner work revolved around my beliefs about who I was. My journey from feeling like a nobody to being a somebody has had its fair share of highs and lows. However, what I have learned about myself throughout the process has been life-changing.

To this day, I continue to learn and grow because life is always changing and so am I.

I’m not perfect. I still experience moments when I feel down or experience self-doubt. However, because I have conditioned my mental muscle on a daily basis, I am now able to shift my state, almost instantly, from one that is disempowering to empowering. This is how I have overcome my shyness and social anxiety. One thing that I know for sure is that doing the inner work is the only thing that has allowed me to become the person that I am today.

I want to share with you 3 ways that you can transform your negative self-talk. I have personally used these strategies in my own life and they have allowed me to create a success-oriented mindset.

1. Become Mindful of the Words You Speak

You are where you are today, in part, because of what you have been saying to yourself. If you tell yourself that you're not enough, you will act from that belief system. Your words are strongly connected to your future self. If you think negative thoughts and speak them out loud, you attract that same energy into your life.

You can't talk about how much you lack and expect to have abundance. Eventually, this negative state of mind becomes a part of your reality. This is how the Law of Attraction works. Keep in mind that, just because a negative thought pops into your mind, it doesn't mean that you have to believe it. Don't allow negative words to prevent you from becoming the person that you were destined to be.

If you want to live a positive life, you need to think positive thoughts. This starts with learning how to reprogram your mind for positive thinking. The best way to foster a more loving relationship with your inner self is by practicing positive affirmations. As you start to speak empowering words out loud to yourself, over time you start to believe these things to be true. This is how I have been able to master my psychology. 

2. Reframe Your Thoughts 

Have you ever wondered how some people thrive through life, while others constantly struggle? It comes down to how they interpret their life's challenges. Successful people are able to effectively reframe their experiences by replacing unhelpful thoughts with more positive and adaptive ones. You may not be able to control what happens to you, but you can always transform how you feel about something.

In their book, What Went Right: Reframe Your Thinking for a Happier Now, Michael Wetter and Eileen Baley suggest that, by changing your thinking, you can unlock self-affirming feelings and actions that are needed in order to create a more empowering life story.

The next time that you find yourself spiraling into self-deprecating behaviors, stop yourself, shift your narrative, and reframe your thinking. For example, “I hate my body” can be reframed to “Yes, I may not be happy about the current state of my health, but I know that if I commit to eating healthier and going to the gym, I will get the body that I want.”

If you want to change something about your life, you've got to start by changing your beliefs first. By shifting your thoughts, you automatically put yourself into a more empowering state of mind.

3. Be A Better Best Friend To Yourself

Do you treat yourself like you would treat your best friend? A lot of people spend so much time being present for others, but they forget about themselves in the process. Instead of celebrating their wins, they beat themselves down and are overly self-critical about everything that they do. 

If you can relate to these behaviors, now is the time to change the view that you have of yourself and start appreciating the amazing person that you are. The next time that you catch your inner critic getting the best of you, check-in and stop this negative voice dead in its tracks. Ask yourself, “Would I speak to ____ in this way?” If the answer is “no,” then you certainly don't deserve it.

The most important relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself, which is why it's critical that you make it a priority to put yourself first. Being a better friend to yourself means showing yourself unconditional love and compassion. It's about learning how to love your own company. I encourage you to create a self-love ritual where you take some time every day to celebrate who you are and how far you've come.

Are your ready to start paying attention to your inner self?

Only you can begin this work. It starts with making the decision that you will no longer allow your negative self-talk to control your life. There is nothing or nobody that can give you what it is that you are seeking. Yes, inner work can be challenging, but the person that you become on the other side is well worth the journey. You will start to embody your true power and begin the process of embracing all parts of yourself.

In the words of Helen Joy Butler, “Even though this work may look and feel messy, there is so much beauty in the mess. It's incredibly liberating and life-changing if we have the courage and strength to go there.“

There is nothing that you cannot do. Do not fear the journey of self-discovery. Commit to showing up for yourself and do the work to shift your narrative. Life will take care of the rest.

Do you want to learn how you can create an empowering morning ritual? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery program!

Emotional intelligence is the best-kept secret of entrepreneurial success.

For many years “being smart” was defined based on one's intellectual intelligence, otherwise referred to as IQ. People didn't think that emotions and business went well together. However that all changed in the '90s when emotional intelligence (EQ) came onto the scene.

First developed by Mayer and Salovey, and later popularized by Ronald Goleman, the concept of emotional intelligence created a huge debate as to what was more important in determining one's success in life – street smarts or book smarts.

Decades of research now point to emotional intelligence as the critical factor that differentiates star performers from the rest of the pack. It's no longer a luxury; today's entrepreneur needs emotional intelligence if they want to succeed in business. It has become the new gold standard.

Are you ready to learn 6 reasons why emotional intelligence is a skill that you need to master?

In the video below I talk about how you can master your emotions in 3 easy steps:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Are you ready to learn strategies for how you can accelerate your online business success? CLICK HERE to join my Online Business Mastery Accelerator program!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

When you envision a successful entrepreneur, what comes to your mind? For a lot of people, the most important personality traits of an entrepreneur are things like persistence, risk-taking, and resourcefulness. Don't get me wrong… these are important. However, when it comes to creating a business that stands the test of time, developing emotional intelligence is the secret sauce.

What is emotional intelligence?

In the emotional intelligence book, The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success, Steven J. Stein, Ph.D. and Howard E. Book define EQ as “The set of skills that enable us to make our way in a complex world… It has to do with the ability to read the political and social environment, and landscape them; to intuitively grasp what others want and need, what strengths and weaknesses are; to remain unruffled by stress; and to be engaging. The kind of person others want to be around and will follow.” 

In short, EQ is all about effectively identifying and managing your own emotions and the emotions of others.

For an entrepreneur, mastering this skill can be the difference between success and failure. Those entrepreneurs that neglect to develop emotional intelligence tend to get stressed easily make more mistakes, and make reactive decisions.

Not surprisingly, they struggle to experience success.

Gary Vaynerchuck, a successful entrepreneur, author, and speaker, identifies why emotional intelligence is so important to business owners – “If I could sell a formula made up of gratitude, empathy, and self-awareness it would be my billion-dollar coconut water idea.” 

The great news is that emotional intelligence is comprised of a flexible set of skills that can be developed and improved over time. In his book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Daniel Goleman suggests that there are 5 components of emotional intelligence:

1. Self-Awareness – The ability to understand your own emotions and how they affect the people around you.

2. Self-Regulation – The ability to effectively manage and express your emotions.

3. Intrinsic Motivation – One's personal drive to improve and achieve.

4. Empathy – The ability to understand how others are feeling.

5. Social Skills – The ability to develop a strong rapport with others.

Being an entrepreneur means that you are wearing a lot of different hats, putting out fires, solving problems, fixing mistakes, selling their brand, interacting with team members, clients, and prospective customers; all while trying to understand the never-ending complexities of the business world.

Overwhelming, right? Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. This is why emotional intelligence skills play a critical role in the overall quality of our personal and professional lives.

Unlike IQ, which stays fairly stable over our lifetime, EQ is something that can be improved. It comes down to one's desire to learn and grow. Let's explore 5 ways that you can develop your emotional intelligence.

1. Increase Your Self-Awareness 

Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence. Knowing who you are, including what your strengths and weaknesses are, is critical to your success as an entrepreneur.

Korn Ferry Hay Group research found that among leaders with multiple strengths in Emotional Self-Awareness, 92% had teams with high energy and high performance. In contrast, leaders low in Emotional Self-Awareness created negative climates 78% of the time.

When you are able to express how you feel in a healthy way and have an awareness of how your emotions affect those around you, you will be better able to address problems the moment that they arise.

2. Master Your Emotions

If you are just starting your entrepreneurial journey or are already on it, then you know what I mean when I say that it isn't a walk in the park. Entrepreneurs have to deal with new challenges on a daily basis, whether that's managing team members, learning new skills, or dealing with disgruntled customers.

Sometimes it can feel like you have zero control. This is when learning how to master your emotions becomes very important. The reality is that we don't have control over anything that happens to us. The only thing that we have control over is our inside world.

In the words of John Maxwell, “Life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it.”

Instead of reacting when faced with challenges, entrepreneurs that have high emotional intelligence are proactive. They don't make emotional decisions and attack others. Rather, they carefully think about a situation before responding. Triggers are a normal part of life, especially in the world of business. It is up to you how you choose to interpret and respond to difficult situations.

3. Improve Your Communication Skills

You can be the best in your industry, but if you don't know how to effectively communicate with your customers, clients, and colleagues, then you won't be successful. In the business world, communication happens in many different ways, with many different people, whether that's face-to-face or online.

How well do you communicate with others? Studies suggest that our daily communication breakdown is as follows:

• 9 percent writing
• 16 percent reading
• 30 percent speaking
• 45 percent listening

Unfortunately, a lot of people struggle with active listening because they are either talking over someone or are too consumed with what's going on in their own head to pay attention to what the other person is saying. As Peter Drucker says, “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.”

Successful entrepreneurs who possess strong emotional intelligence value the importance of listening. They realize that, by allowing others to feel heard, it creates trust with people. Furthermore, it allows them to learn more about who their audience is and what makes them tick.

4. Show Genuine Concern For Others

Demonstrating empathy for others means that you are committed to putting yourself in someone else's shoes. It's about uncovering the deeper meaning behind why people do what they do.

The next time a client or a customer does something that doesn't feel aligned with your beliefs, ask yourself, “Why does this person feel the way he or she does?  How can I show up for him or her from a place of respect and integrity, while still honoring my truth?”

Take the time to look at situations from multiple perspectives and pay close attention to your feelings. You may be surprised what comes up for you.

Entrepreneurs with high emotional intelligence are skilled at creating strong relationships with people because they have a genuine interest and concern for their well-being. As a result, they are master influencers. People want to follow their work because they trust who they are as a person and what they stand for.

5. Create A Stress Reliever Toolkit 

Entrepreneurs know what stress feels like. It comes with the territory. In the business world, if you don't know how to effectively cope with day-to-day-stressors, you will experience burnout fast. I encourage you to create a personal toolkit of stress reliever techniques that you can practice on a daily basis.

This is why I'm such a big fan of a morning ritual. By conditioning my mindset every morning I am able to put myself into a peak mental and emotional state. Highly successful people are consistently calm, composed and focused under pressure because they are always monitoring their emotional state.

How would it feel if you could be happier, healthier and more productive on daily basis? Follow me on my #30daymorningritualchallenge. 

By committing to practicing healthy habits every single day — like meditation, yoga, or reading, — you set yourself up for success.

6. Embrace Lifelong Learning 

Successful entrepreneurs commit to a neverending process of personal growth and development. They welcome and actively seek out constructive feedback from their colleagues, mentors, coaches, peers, and team members because they want to improve themselves. Weaknesses are only seen as opportunities to grow and become more.

By adopting a growth mindset and harnessing the power of emotional intelligence, you will be better able to make your emotions work for you, instead of against you. It's important to remember that emotional intelligence requires constant improvement.

It's not a skill that you develop once and then forget about. As your business grows, you will grow with it, which means that you will have to adapt your style of relating to yourself and others.

Developing emotional intelligence is the best-kept secret for entrepreneurial success.

In the words of Daniel Goleman himself, “If your emotional abilities aren't in hand, if you don't have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can't have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.”

The only way to develop emotional intelligence is by practicing it in action. Just like any skill that you want to master, it will require that you invest time, energy, hard work, and effort into it.

Are you ready to master the art of emotional intelligence? The success of your business depends on it.

Are you ready to learn tools for how you can accelerate your online business success? CLICK HERE to join my Online Business Mastery Accelerator program!

The secret to making people like you is much easier than you think. Deep down we all have a desire to be loved and appreciated by others. It’s like oxygen for our soul.

However, in order for those feelings to be reciprocated, you need to appear likeable. We all know that first impressions are everything. It only takes a few seconds for someone to determine whether or not they like you.

There is no trick or manipulation technique to making other people like you. Rather, it’s a way of being, which will allow people to naturally gravitate towards you, with no strings attached.

Are you ready to learn the secret to making people like you?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/600402-plm-503-the-secret-to-making-people-like-you.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to succeed faster and master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

The reality is that the more people that like you, the greater the likelihood that you will attract better relationships and opportunities into your life. Imagine how much your life would change if this happened?

Being likeable is under your control, and it comes down to emotional intelligence (EQ).

The holy grail of making people like you comes down to one core trait – care more. When you show genuine compassion and love for other human beings, you have the ability to make a positive difference in the world. This is the secret to making people like you.

In order to care more, it requires that you raise your level of consciousness, shifting from egocentric, to ethnocentric, to world-centric.

Unfortunately we live in a world where a lot of people possess an egocentric level of consciousness, meaning that they only focus on themselves and their needs.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when you meet someone and all they do is talk about their life. They have no sense of self-awareness of how their communication is impacting you.

Do you know how many people come to me every day and complain about how they are not making enough money in their business. At the end of the day it’s all about them. They are so selfish and focused on themselves.

My question to them would be, “What value are you providing that makes you worthy and deserving of making money?”

The belief system that I have is more spiritual in nature. I believe that all human beings are one; we are all part of the same humanity. Adopting this mindset is what will allow you to care more, and when you care more, you shift the way that you communicate with others.

In his book, How To Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie shares that there are 6 ways to have someone like you:

Rule #1 – Become genuinely interested in other people

Rule #2 – Smile.

Rule #3 – Remember that a person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound.

Rule #4 – Be a good listener.

Rule #5 – Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.

Rule #6 – Make the other person feel important.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to caring more about other people. This is the secret to making people like you. The most respected people in this world are the ones that are living at the highest level of consciousness. This is the definition of a true leader.

Step up, expand your consciousness, and care more. It is the most attractive quality that will naturally draw people to you.

The fact of the matter is that we are all human, and because of this, we are all one. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “Our human compassion binds us to one another – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”

Are you ready to succeed faster and master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

The secret to success is aligning your mission with your nature. Your nature is your “go to” disposition; it’s the skin that you are most comfortable in.

We tend to categorize ourselves as being either introverted or extroverted. In many ways, our fast-paced, social world was designed for extroverts to thrive, leaving introverts, who prefer solitude and quiet introspection, to fend for themselves.

In her book, The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World, Marti Olsen Laney points out, “What's an introvert to do in such a hostile environment?”

What is your nature? One is not better than the other. It all comes down to your unique personality type. When you know where your strengths lie, aligning your mission with your nature is easy.

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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The reality is that few of us fit into either of these personality types. Yes, it is possible to be express qualities of both types, otherwise known as “ambiverts.”

Personality psychologist Brian Little, author of Me, Myself and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being argues that ambiverts are able to draw from the strengths of both personality types, and in doing so, have more freedom to shape their lives.

Each personality type has skills that anyone can learn. For example, by nature, I am an introvert, but I have learned extrovert skills.

However, if you take someone whose nature is not aligned with their mission, the likelihood of them sticking with it long-term is unlikely. Why? Because they will never be fulfilled in life.

For example, can an introvert be successful in a sales position? Of course. Anyone can do anything that they set their mind to, however, will they excel at it over the long-term? Probably not.

When it comes to a personal mission, some people are born knowing what it is that they are meant to do, while others figure it out over time. What is my mission in life? This is a question that we ask of ourselves in the process of discovering our ‘why’.

The first step in discovering your mission in life is to have an awareness of the characteristics that define your unique nature.

Each of us is different, based on our individual personalities. In order to thrive in your life and work, you need to tap into your strengths and find environments that allow you to leverage them.

Your strengths are the things that you do effortlessly. If money didn’t matter, what would you do with your time? When you know what you excel at, it can help you create the most effective path to aligning your mission with your nature.

Instead of overwhelming yourself with the question, “Who am I?”, ask yourself, “Which environments bring out my best qualities?”

At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if you’re an introvert, extrovert, or someone in-between. All that matters is that you are aligning your mission with your nature. In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “Align your personality with your purpose, and no one can touch you.”

Do you want to learn how to master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

Are you a people pleaser? Do you bend over backward to satisfy others, sacrificing your own needs and desires in the process? If so, you are at risk of being taken advantage of.

I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't be kind to people, but it's important that you develop healthy boundaries so that you are making your needs a priority as well.

According to Susan Newman, author of, The Book of No: 250 Ways to Say It—And Mean It and Stop People-Pleasing Forever, people-pleasers “want everyone around them to be happy and they will do whatever is asked of them to keep it that way.”

Are you ready to learn why being ‘too nice' can be dangerous, and how you can shift your people-pleasing patterns and set healthy boundaries for yourself?

Are you ready to learn how to master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

People pleasers tend to confuse pleasing people with being kind. Satisfying their own needs is deemed as ‘selfish.' When they do say no, it sends them into a spiral of anxiety and guilt, for fear that they have let others down.

As psychologist Harriet Braiker says, ‘to please is a disease.' The need to please can become an addiction that results in the neglect of your personal needs.

Oftentimes, the desire to please others comes from a deep-seeded need for social acceptance and connection from others.

Unfortunately, saying yes to everything and everybody is not a recipe for happiness or success in life. It's all about striking a balance.

The act of setting boundaries with regards to how much you're willing to do for others isn't selfish. Rather, it's healthy, and it's one of the best ways to reduce your people-pleasing habits.

Research proves that the more a person acts authentically, the more likely he or she is to be happy and experience subjective and psychological well-being.

Living from a place of authenticity is a form of self-respect. It's about listening to your gut and taking care of your needs first.

Are you a people pleaser? If so, here are 3 ways that you can break free from your people-pleasing patterns and build healthier boundaries.

1. Tune into your inner voice 

When someone asks you to do something, pay attention to how your body reacts. What does your inner voice tell you? Are you drowning it out? Why?

When you become more self-aware of the reasons why you feel the need to say yes all of the time, you will feel more empowered to make a change and stand up for yourself.

Practice taking action based on what your inner voice tells you. Just like a muscle, your inner voice becomes stronger the more that you use it.

2. Take care of yourself

People-pleasers tend to devote very little time to taking care of themselves. By putting yourself first and nourishing your higher self, it will give you the emotional energy that you need in order to be there for others.

When we treat ourselves with love and respect, others will do the same.

Sherry Pagoto, a psychologist and professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, says that, “The first step in achieving better boundaries is believing that self-care is a necessity, not a luxury.”

When you start acknowledging that your needs matter, you start making decisions from this place, and your boundaries become more clearly defined.

3. Re-evaluate Your Friendships

If the people in your life are constantly taking from you and not acknowledging your feelings, these people aren't your friends.

Oftentimes, people pleasers don't say no, for fear that they will lose friends or that people will think less of them.

Start recognizing when you are being taken advantage of. Every healthy relationship has a give-and-take dynamic. If you are always giving and someone is always taking, you need to re-evaluate that friendship or let it go entirely.

Are you a people pleaser? If so, I challenge you to build healthy boundaries so that you can break free from your people-pleasing patterns.

The result? A happier, healthier, and more balanced life where YOU are your #1 priority.

In the words of Mandy Hale, “It's not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It's necessary.”

Are you ready to learn how to master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

Are you tired of living someone else's dream? If you've always had aspirations of being your own boss, and find yourself dreading going to work every day, it's time to start building your own dream.

Why? Because life is too short not to do what you love. You are meant to do great things in this world.

Oftentimes people get stuck in their 9-5 jobs because of fear that they will fail. Having a dream is great, but nothing will ever come of it if you don't create goals and take action.

How would it feel to wake up every day with a smile on your face, knowing that you are making a difference in the world AND living your passion?

In the words of Tony Gaskins, “If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs.” If this is your reality, it's time to make a change, and start creating YOUR future today!

Do you want to receive cutting-edge online business and marketing advice every month, live? CLICK HERE to join my Online Business Mastery Accelerator program! 

I'm not suggesting that you quit your day job today and start a business tomorrow. Building a business is a long-term investment that takes hard work, commitment, time, patience, and grit.

A lot of people give up in the beginning stages when they don't see an immediate reward from their efforts; but if you stick with it, the payoff is beautiful.

Entrepreneurship is the key to financial freedom and living the life of your dreams.

What are you waiting for?

Here are three warning signs that may be proof your dreams are not your own.

1. Your Job Doesn't Align With Your Core Values

If your job doesn't motivate you to get out of bed every morning, there is a chance that it isn't aligned with your core life values.

What do you value? Does your current job allow you to focus on your core values? If not, it's time to start rethinking what is most important to you.

When you are aligned with your work you are connected to something that is meaningful to you. Something that allows you to fulfill your heart's desire. When this happens, it doesn't feel like work, because you are doing what you love.

As author Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic explains in his book, The Talent Delusion: Why Data, Not Intuition, Is the Key to Unlocking Human Potential, “When people pick jobs that fulfill basic psychological needs, motives, and values, they immerse themselves more in their work, experience higher levels of job satisfaction, and their productivity rises.”

This is the beauty of creating a business that is yours; it gives you the freedom to design your life in a way that aligns with your core values.

2. You Work Feels Meaningless

We spend a large portion of our lives working, so it is important that we engage in work that is meaningful. Unfortunately, for most, lack of meaning is the norm.

More than 40 years of research shows that people struggle to find meaning when they lack autonomy, variety, challenge, and the chance to work on a whole product or service from start to finish.

This is where the luxury of having your own business comes into play, in that you have the intellectual and emotional freedom to create meaning behind every product and service that you deliver.

When you do work that makes a difference in the lives of others, you experience a sense of fulfillment and happiness that far outweighs a paycheck. As Viktor Frankl wrote in his book, Man's Search For Meaning, “Suffering ceases to be suffering once it finds a meaning.”

The secret to true happiness and success in life is being able to wake up every day and live your purpose. If you haven't found it yet, don't stop. Are you tired of living someone else's dream? Don't just strive for a job. Dream bigger.

3. You Are Fearful Of Not Living Up To Others' Expectations

Whose life are you living? Is it one that you intentionally created for yourself, or is it based on the inflated expectations of others? If you follow someone else's path, you will end up living a life of regret. If you can relate to this, great!

This means that you have the awareness of what brought you to where you are now, and the courage to change it. If you have found yourself in someone else's story, it's time to re-write it.

Take responsibility for your life, stop seeking approval from others, and live your own dreams. There is great freedom in letting go of the expectations of others and living in alignment with who you are.

Are you tired of living someone else's dream? If so, it's time to stop and build your own! Write down your life's vision, purpose, and goals. Then start taking steps, every day, towards creating the life that you desire.

If you don’t have a plan for your life, you will be a part of someone else’s.

In the words of the late Steve Jobs, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.

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Do you work ON or IN your business? If it's the latter, it's time to make a shift. If you want to grow your business and sustain it, long-term, it is imperative that you work smart, not hard.

A lot of entrepreneurs adopt the mindset that they can do most things in their business better than anyone else. This may be true, but you can't do it all, nor should you.

When you work ON your business, you adopt the role of a “doer”, managing all of the daily operations that come with running a business.

In the words of Robert Kiyosaki, “If you're not working to get your business to operate without you, you're thinking too small.”

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Hester Taylor Clark, the founder of The Hester Group, likens managing a business to parenting. It's about having the awareness of when your child or your business has grown enough to be given freedom. Do you work ON or IN your business? Here are three strategies that you can employ to ensure that your business continues to grow:

1. Get Out Of Your Own Way

If you want to run a successful business you need to focus on your strengths. Doing so allows you to be “in the flow“, a place where you are fully engaged and working at your best. Great leaders have an awareness of their weaknesses and delegate accordingly. Yes, nobody knows your business as you do, but it's not about you. It's about your business!

If you are spending copious amounts of time focusing on tasks that take up your time and mental capacity, this means that you aren't growing your business. Drop your ego, work smart, and get help.

2. Hire The Right People

As the leader of your business, you are responsible for finding a talented team of people who can free up your time so that you can work ON your business. What are you currently doing that could be better delegated to someone on your team? Don't engage in anything that is not the best use of your time or skills.

I have a strong leadership team behind me that I trust and respect. When you hire the right people, it allows you to stop wearing so many hats so that you can focus on what matters most to your business success.

3. Create Systems and Procedures

In order to ensure that your business operations run smoothly, make sure that your business is dependent on systems and procedures, rather than people. Utilize tools that will help improve the efficiency of your business processes.

This is the best way to ensure that your team is able to job their job well, and actually accomplish the goals that they set out to achieve. Once you have a winning team of people in your corner, you also want to share your goal(s), strategy and the vision for your business with them.

Every 90 days, my team and I engage in a game-changing business ritual, that not only ensures that our business keeps growing – but it also allows me to focus on tasks that I excel at, and that is of value to my business. Do this every 90 days, and watch your business transform.

Every entrepreneur wants to grow their business, but oftentimes they get stuck because they are too busy trying to do everything. If you want to achieve success, you need to get out of your own way and adopt the role of a leader, so that you can focus solely on tasks that promote the long-term growth of your business.

Do you work ON or IN your business? One path leads to business mastery. I'll let you be the judge.

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I would like to share with you 3 ways to find your flow in life. Can you remember a moment in your life when you experienced effortless focus while doing something that you loved, that time seemed to fade away?  

Positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes this as flow, a mental state of complete absorption in one's current experience. In this state, you feel productive, happy, and 100% focused on the task at hand.

Oftentimes this experience is short-lived, but imagine how good it would feel if you could harness this feeling whenever your heart desired.

In the words of Csikszentmihalyi himself, “The flow experience has the potential to make life more rich, intense, and meaningful; it is good because it increases the strengths and complexity of the self.” 

The question is, “How do you achieve this flow state?” It's a lot easier than you think. Are you ready to learn 3 ways to find your flow in life?

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Activities that lead to a flow experience are called autotelic (from Greek: auto=self, telos=goal), because they are intrinsically motivated and gratifying. They also have an end in themselves, rather than in some other end product.

Finding your flow is about losing yourself in tasks that you are passionate about. It allows you to experience enjoyment in the progress of doing something challenging, yet rewarding.

Let's explore 3 ways to find your flow in life:

1. Calm Your Mental Chatter

Mental chatter is the inner noise that plays out in our brains every day. Before you attempt to go into a flow state, ask yourself what is going on in your mind that will prevent you from fully immersing yourself in a task.

A great way to do this is through meditation. Consciously bring attention to your thoughts, without engaging with them. Doing so will allow you to become more aware of the conditions that allow you to enter into a calm state of mind so that the experience of flow occurs naturally.

2. Find Your Zone Of Focus

We all know how discouraging it can feel to sit down, with the intention of immersing ourselves in one task, only to jump onto the next thing.

Research shows that multitasking actually drains the energy reserves of your brain. If you want to find your flow, you need train your mind to become fully immersed in one task.

Turn off all distractions until you've done nothing but the thing you set out to accomplish, for at least 20 minutes. Once you hit that point, you will tap into your flow state.

3. Do Work That You Love

If you aren't passionate about the work that you do, you will have a difficult time losing yourself in it. The best way to find your flow is to find what it is that makes you come alive inside. Invest time and effort into it, and don't settle for less.

Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, said it best: “If you’re into kite-surfing and you want to become an entrepreneur, do it with kite-surfing.”

A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that flow is highly correlated with happiness, both subjective and psychological well-being. When you utilize your talents at work and accomplish challenging goals that are meaningful to you, the outcome is full alignment with your passion and purpose in life.

These are 3 ways to find your flow in life. Knowledge about flow is great, but it's not enough. It will do nothing for you unless you take action and find ways to implement more flow into your life.

Make the effort to find that state of effortless concentration and enjoyment that makes life worth living.

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Do THIS every 90 days, then watch your life and business change. I would like to share a powerful self-improvement ritual that will ensure that your business consistently grows every year.

I am a big believer that, at the beginning of every year, you need to set goals for yourself and check in to ensure that you are making progress.

The ritual that I am going to share with you involves more than just setting goals. It’s about taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture of your business and your life.

If you want to achieve success, you need to assess the direction of your business and your life, in order to ensure that you are gaining ‘altitude’, as Eben Pagan says.

Are you ready to learn about a game-changing ritual for your business and your life? Do THIS every 90 days, then watch your life and business change.

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Every 90 days I schedule a meeting with my team, and I create a specific format for it. If it’s only you in the meeting, schedule it in the same way.

Here is the meeting format that I recommend you follow. Do THIS every 90 days, then watch your life and business change:

1. Review The Vision For Your Business

A clear vision gives a business and a team a sense of direction and inspiration. In my business, I make an effort to ensure that everyone on my team is in alignment with my vision, and that we discuss what that vision is on a regular basis.

Not only that, but if the vision changes in any way, we talk about the ways in which we will need to adapt our business processes in order to ensure that we are constantly growing and expanding.

Keep in mind that it’s important that you continually check in with people to ensure that they are still on board with your vision.

2. Review The Values For Your Business And Your Life

Values are critically important for your business. Not only that, but you want to make sure that there is alignment between the values that you adhere to in your life and the ones that you promote in your business.

What does your business stand for? If you have a team, you need to communicate to them which values are most important to you.

3. Give And Receive Feedback

Feedback is a great way to develop a sense of awareness about where we can improve, so that we are consistently making progress. A lot of people forget this step in their business because they don’t create a ritual to assess themselves and their team.

There are three people on my leadership team, including myself. These are people that I trust and whose opinions I value. Like any relationship, disagreements can come up within a team, and if they aren’t expressed openly it can cause resentment amongst team members.

Each person in the team shares what he or she feels they believe that they are good at, and what they can improve. I then reflect upon what I believe that I need to improve upon, and then I allow the other members of my team to do the same.

My job is to shut up, listen, and take notes. I want my team to be honest with me. The goal is to help each other grow and improve. This is a great trust-building team exercise.

4. Analyze Your Business

As a group, my team and I then brainstorm the areas where we feel that our business has done well. We celebrate and acknowledge our accomplishments over the last 90 days, and the areas where we think we can make improvements.

We also talk about any ideas or suggestions that the team or myself may have for moving forward into the next quarter.

5. Set Goals & Actions for Next 90 Days

Things change throughout the year, so you need to be flexible. In my team, we reassess the goals that we had during the previous quarter, and then for the next quarter we decide what we want to focus on.

I always try to make sure that my team and I have goals in multiple parts of our business, and that each individual has a goal that they are moving towards.

When everyone has a goal, it allows him or her to brainstorm creative ways that they can achieve it. I also make sure that there is always a reward for achieving a goal and make sure that the goal is S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely).

6. Inspire Personal Growth and Development

Every quarter I want to make sure that my team is learning and growing, whether that’s in the form of reading books, attending seminars, taking part in courses, etc.

These are things that I support my team with because I want to invest in them, like I invest in myself. By giving the people on my team the opportunity to develop new skills, that in turn supports the growth of my business as well.

My team then shares their ideas with the group, and then for the next quarter we determine how we are going to commit to learning. We make sure that everyone on my team has goals that they are moving towards.

I highly recommend this ritual. If you want to succeed in business, you need to work on it, not in it. Take it seriously and commit to mastery.

You need to be constantly checking-in, assessing, evaluating where you are at, and where you want to go. This is what the most successful companies in the world do.

Act as if you are bigger than you are. Do THIS every 90 days, then watch your life and business change.

Are you ready to take your life and your business to the next level? In the words of Frank Ocean, “Work hard in silence. Let your success be the noise.”

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