There are 7 habits that have changed my life for the better, and they can do the exact same for you.

Habits are the decisions that you make and the actions that you carry out on a daily basis. According to researchers at Duke University, habits account for about 40 percent of our behaviors on any given day.

I’m a big believer that your habits are a powerful tool for shaping your behavior and inevitably determining your success in life. Your life is the sum of your habits.

Step back and ask yourself, “Am I where I want to be?” If the answer is no, it’s time to make a change.

Watch the video below where I talk about why it's important to challenge yourself:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Are you ready to learn how you can start living every day with confidence, passion, and energy? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery 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!

We all have bad habits, whether it's overeating, overspending, drinking, or gossiping. However, when bad habits prevent you from accomplishing your goals, negatively impact your relationships, or threaten your health, you know you've got a problem.

Unfortunately, a lot of people are held back in life because they fall into old, conditioned patterns of behavior. When they don’t feel good, they self-sabotage and engage in activities that make them feel worse.

Breaking bad habits can be difficult to do.

Everybody has bad habits. If we know that something is bad for us then why is it so hard to stop doing it? Simple… we are creatures of habit. A lot of our behaviors are unconscious and automatic. To our brains, it feels good to engage in them, despite the fact that it isn’t.

Our unconscious habits are what allow us to breathe, get ready for work, and feed ourselves. They are designed to make our lives a lot easier, except when we have the desire to eat doughnuts every day.

In a new study, Johns Hopkins University neuroscientists found that when people see something associated with a past reward, their brain flushes with dopamine — even if they don't realize that they are paying attention to it.

Despite these findings, I still believe that anyone can condition their brain to choose a healthier response. Where people get stuck is that they attempt to make huge changes to their routine off the get-go and then wonder why they can't stick with it.

You can't change your life overnight. Developing new habits requires discipline, patience, consistency, and commitment. However, when you take small steps every single day, new habits slowly integrate into your life.

In her book, Better Than Before: Mastering the Habit Of Our Everyday Lives, Gretchen Rubin says that, “A habit is a good servant but a bad master.” 

Let's face it… if you don’t make the effort to break bad habits and learn good ones, everything in life becomes more challenging.

The question is, “How long does it take to develop a new habit?” Well, that is entirely up to you. The speed with which a habit becomes a part of your behavior is determined by how bad you want it. Sometimes people need to hit rock bottom in order to change their lives.

I've had one of these rock-bottom moments. Years ago, I was in a bad place. I had no choice but to face myself. I sat down and made a commitment that I was going to change my life, which started with breaking bad habits.

Rock bottom provided the foundation upon which I rebuilt my life. Did this change happen overnight? Absolutely not. However, I was willing to do whatever it took in order to create a more meaningful and purposeful life. That's exactly what I did.

I attribute my success to the habits that I have been practicing since I was 17 years old. Every new habit that I've adopted over the years has become a part of my identity. These habits have allowed me to transform every area of my life. In the words of Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” 

The following 7 habits have changed my life.

1. I Build A Positive Mindset

Your mind is a powerful thing. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Did you know that you are the product of your thoughts? Where you are in life today has unfolded as a result of your thoughts.

I used to live my life in a bubble of negativity. I didn't know what it meant to be positive because I had a lot of limiting beliefs about myself and the world. Here's the thing… you don't wake up one day and magically have a positive attitude. This is something that you have to work at.

It all starts with mastering your mindset.

If positivity is something you struggle with, the first step is telling yourself that you are ready for a new chapter in life. It's about becoming aware of your negative self-talk and finding more empowering beliefs to replace the ones that don't serve your highest self.

If you want to become a more positive person, you need to build habits that reinforce positivity. Engaging in activities like journaling or listening to inspiring videos are great ways to increase positive feelings. A positive mindset is a magnet for miracles. When you change your thoughts, you change your life.

2. I Develop A Morning Ritual 

Discipline is one of the biggest obstacles that prevent people from achieving success in life. If you want to build habits that stick, you need to be consistent with them. The best way to do this is by developing a morning ritual.

As many of you know, I've been religiously practicing my morning ritual since I was 17 years old. It sets the tone for my entire day. How do you start your mornings?

In my opinion, there’s no worse feeling in the morning than feeling like you are in a panic to get out the door. Unfortunately, so many operate this way. If you wake up, hit the snooze button, slam a coffee, and rush out the door to work, you will feel scattered, distracted, and unproductive for the rest of the day. If you don't believe me, try it.

The morning is your time to get grounded. This looks different for everyone. Maybe it means that you meditate, read a book, listen to music, recite affirmations, hit the gym or affirm your goals in writing.

In the beginning stages, it may feel like a chore to engage in these activities. However, if you stay committed to your ritual, over time you will find yourself looking forward to it. It will become a must-do part of your everyday life.

3. I Surround Myself With High Vibe People 

People have a huge impact on our lives. You won't be able to create success in life if you surround yourself with negative people. Take a look at your circle of friends and ask yourself, “Do these people empower or disempower me?”

If it's the latter, it's time to find new friends. This starts with identifying and stepping away from relationships that are lowering your energy and making you feel bad about yourself.

“Surround yourself with people who make you happy. People who make you laugh, who help you when you’re in need. People who genuinely care. They are the ones worth keeping in your life. Everyone else is just passing through.” – Karl Marx

A great way to elevate your standards and level up your life is to find people who have already achieved the results in life that you desire. Once you find these people, study their behaviors.

How do they connect with people? What does their daily routine look like? Where do they hang out? Once you've got a solid understanding of their patterns, start to mimic similar ones in your life. You could even go so far as to ask these people if they would be open to mentoring you.

4. I Invest In Myself

The fastest way to achieve a better quality of life is to invest in yourself. A lot of people shy away from doing this because they think it's a waste of time and money. In my opinion, this is just an excuse.

There are two reasons why people don't invest in themselves – they either don't believe in themselves or they don't want it bad enough. When you have the courage to do the work that forces you to grow and improve yourself, the Universe responds by giving you epic results. I have followed this formula for success and it's paid off.

I believe that the best way to make money is to become more valuable.

The way you do this is by improving yourself. Committing to being a lifelong learner will empower you to become a better version of yourself. Attend seminars, seek out coaches or mentors, read inspirational books – anything that will expand your mind and ignite your curiosity.

As Warren Buffett once said, “Nobody can take away what you've got in yourself, and everybody has potential they haven't used yet.” There is no greater gift that you can give yourself, your clients, your audience and the world at large.

5. I Build Mental Toughness

All of us encounter challenges and setbacks in life that test our strength. The difference between people who succeed versus those who don't is rooted in their ability to keep moving forward, no matter what. In simplest terms, this is a measure of one's resilience under fire.

In order to develop this skill, you need to get out of your comfort zone. It isn't until you do the unthinkable, face your fears, and take risks that you realize your true strength. 

Mental toughness is developed through repetition. This is why mentally tough people flex their mindset muscle on a daily basis. Just like you go to the gym and train your muscles, you need to do the exact same thing with your mind.

Doing so will allow you to weather life's storms with grace and ease, knowing that no matter what happens, you are capable of getting through difficult times.

6. I Contribute To Others

It is true what they say – happiness is found in helping others. Contributing has always been a huge part of my life. At my core is a drive to make a difference in the world. In the past, I always gave money to charitable causes, even when I had no money.

In the last few years, I've traveled to Nicaragua and Ethiopia and built homes and schools for impoverished families and their children. To this day, philanthropy is a core aspect of my business. I don't do it to feel better about myself. Rather, I do it to be of service.

That being said, trust me when I say that there is nothing more fulfilling than knowing that you have helped someone in need. Contributing is as much about making ourselves feel good as it is about helping others, and that is OK.

The beautiful thing about contribution is that it comes in many different forms. You could donate money to a cause that you are passionate about, or volunteer your time at schools, hospitals or shelters. All that matters is that you do something.

7. I Ask Myself Powerful Questions

When we are young, we are encouraged to ask a lot of questions. This is how we learned about ourselves and the world. However, somewhere along the way we lost sight of this habit and forgot about the value of being curious.

In the book, The Miniature Guide to the Art of Asking Essential Questions, Linda Elder and Richard Paul said that “The quality of our thinking, in turn, is determined by the quality of our questions, for questions are the engine, the driving force behind the thinking.”

By asking questions like, “What does happiness mean to me?” we begin to realize that we are the creators of our lives. Life doesn't happen to us. Rather, it happens for us.

It is our responsibility to go out into the world and make something of it. By thinking this way, we become more open to new opportunities and less biased in our decision-making process. In this place, the world becomes our oyster.

These 7 habits have changed my life.

If you want to be happier, healthier, and more productive, I encourage you to start building these simple habits into your daily life. Your future self is shaped by the small actions that you take every single day.

Which good habits are you going to start adopting today?

Are you ready to learn how you can start living every day with confidence, passion, and energy? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery program!

Do you want to learn 5 ways to master self discipline? CLICK HERE to read the article that I wrote on Medium!

Do you know how to be consistent, so that you are making progress towards your goals, all the time? Let’s face it, consistency is the key ingredient for success in all areas of life. Without it, you won’t be able to master anything of value.

Sure, it’s easy to get sidetracked from time to time, but if you want to take your life to the next level, you need to learn how to be consistent. Although the concept of consistency is an easy one to grasp, a lot of people struggle with it.

If you find that you get distracted easily or aren’t getting the results that you want, you aren’t alone. According to research by the University of Scranton, 92 percent of people that set New Year's goals never actually achieve them. Why? Because they haven’t learned how to be consistent. I'm here to show you how.

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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

The best way to learn how to be consistent is to get an accountability partner, whether that’s in the form of a coach, a mentor, or a mastermind group. I believe that this is one of the most effective ways to stay committed to your goals. Personally, it has been the best solution for maintaining lasting consistency in my life.

You get more out of yourself when you have other people holding you to a higher standard. Nobody wants to report back to their mentor or coach and say, “Hey, I didn’t do ANY of the things that you told me to do this week.” Letting someone down sucks. Knowing that you are accountable to someone else will motivate you to take massive action and up your game. This is the antidote for how to be consistent.

The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) did a study on accountability and found that you have a 65% chance of completing a goal if you commit to someone. Furthermore, if you have a specific accountability appointment with a person that you’ve committed to, you will increase your chance of success by up to 95%. In short, accountability + consistency = massive success.

I recommend having an accountability trio, because if you only have a buddy, and one person isn’t doing well, than he/she will be easier on the other person. That third person helps to ensure that everyone stays on track.

Your environment is a powerful playing field. It can either help or hinder your success in life. When you find an empowering ecosystem of people who expect high standards from you, it will force you to consistently live up to those standards. Tony Robbins once said, “People's lives are a direct reflection of the expectations of their peer group. If your peer group doesn't expect much, it's just a matter of time before you lower your expectations of yourself.”

Nobody expects you to be perfect and to do it all on your own. Ask for help, but be strategic with regards to whom you ask for support. This is the secret to lasting consistency. The most successful people in the world have mastered consistency, and so can you. Make the conscious decision to remain consistent, no matter what.

In closing, the best way to do this is to leverage the power of accountability, in the form of a mastermind group, a coach, or a mentor. You will surprise yourself how much faster a support system can help to accelerate your progress. If you want to get notified of my upcoming events, click here!

It’s up to you to create the environment and the people that will challenge you to level up your life and crush your goals. This is how to be consistent in your life. If you take consistent actions, every day, I promise that you will see the results that you desire. Make the commitment to yourself. Why? Because you deserve success.

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

Are you ready to learn about the goal setting formula that has allowed me to achieve my goals and take my life to the next level?

Every successful person has one thing in common – they all set goals and work extremely hard to make them a reality. However, in order to accomplish your goals, you need to know how to set them and have a goal setting strategy for doing so.

When it comes to setting goals, you want them to stretch you, without making you feel anxious. This is your sweet spot, or the optimal mental state of being in “the zone.”

Research on stretch goals shows that they can produce amazing results if people can imagine the possibility of accomplishing them.

Many people search their whole lives to find their goal setting sweet spot. Are you ready to find yours? In the words of Earl Nightingale, “People with goal succeed because they know where they are going.” 

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Do you want to learn cutting-edge strategies for mastering every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

A lot of people ask me whether their goals should be unrealistic or realistic. When it comes to this debate, there are many different schools of thought.

I have applied both type of goals in my own life and I have found a goal setting formula that works best for me, which I want to share with you.

When it comes to goal setting, I believe that you need to set both unrealistic and realistic goals.

Realistic goals are those that you know you can achieve. On the flip side, unrealistic goals are the ones that you dream about. They are long-term in their scope and connected to your larger vision.

Unfortunately, I see a lot of people set unrealistic goals in a short-time frame, like wanting to lose 30 pounds in 10 days or making $1 million in less than one year. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure.

When you feel like a failure, it causes pain, which results in you not wanting to set more goals in the future.

You should never be in a situation where you are not achieving your goals. That is telling me that you are doing something wrong, either with your process or if the goal that you set for yourself is too unrealistic.

If you keep coming up short with your goals, that’s your way of telling your brain, ”I’ve failed so many times, what is the point of even setting goals?” I believe that this is detrimental to your success because it leads to self-sabotage and learned helplessness.

When I set goals for myself, they are goals that I know and believe that i can achieve. In fact, most of my goals are inevitable, because I’m already making progressing in crushing them.

I want to share with you my goal setting formula that has allowed me to achieve so much success in life. I learned this process along time ago when I was studying the Law of Attraction.

With every goal that you set for yourself, there has to be a formula for it. I want you to take out one of your goals and assess it, using this goal setting formula:

Desire

When you build a strong desire to achieve your goals, you generate momentum to take massive action.

Whatever goal you set, on a scale from 1-10, you want your level of desire to be a 7 or above. If it’s less than a 7, than you need a new goal.

Belief

Belief is what inspires people to keep moving forward towards the achievement of their goals.

You need to believe that you can achieve your goal. It also has to be a 7 or above. For example, you may have a desire to make $1,000,000 a year, but if you have never made $50,000 a year your level of belief may be a 1 or 2. If it’s that low, this is not a good goal. You need to find your sweet spot.

If you take a look at my monthly goals reports, I achieve about 80-90% of the goals that I set for myself. Do your goals hit this sweet spot?

I don't set unrealistic goals that are beyond what I think I believe that I can achieve. I’m not taking big leaps. Rather, I’m focusing on making progress, month after month, and year after year. This is the goal setting formula that works for me.

Don’t buy into the get rich quick, unrealistic goal way of thinking that is obsessed with immediate results and instant gratification. Rather, when it comes to achieving your goals, strive to be consistent and always have a forward-thinking mindset. I believe that being slow and steady always wins the race.

In the words of Confucius, “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” Take small steps every day towards achieving your goals, and don’t forget to celebrate yourself along the way. Doing so will give you more confidence and motivation to keep growing and setting bigger goals in the future.

I challenge you to take one of your goals and apply this goal setting formula. Today is the day to start setting goals for creating an extraordinary life. Are you ready?

Do you want to learn cutting-edge strategies for mastering every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

The single parent life can be tough. Obviously you want to give your children the best life, and with one source of income that can be difficult. But it doesn't have to be! Today I want to share with you how this single Mom makes $500,000 per month on Amazon. This is more money than some people dream of making in a lifetime!

At the Amazing Seller Summit event that I attended this past year, I had the pleasure of interviewing a woman named, Angie Chacon. She is a super successful Amazon seller, who was gracious enough to take the time to share her story with me.

In just two years time, Angie went from being broke to making $500,000 per month on Amazon! We all need role models like Angie, who embodies sheer determination, grit, passion, and a commitment to succeed.

Are you ready to learn how this single Mom makes $500,000 per month on Amazon?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Do you want to receive my free Amazon training series? CLICK HERE for instant access!

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!

Here is a sneak peak of my interview with Angie Chacon:

When did you join the ASM, and can you share with us your journey since then?

Two and a half years ago I started ASM. During that time, I was broke, I had just gone through a divorce, and I was starting over, while supporting four kids. I found the ASM and I had friends who were doing it at the time. I saw it as an opportunity. I had a product idea and brand in mind, so I went that route and like most people, the beginning was rocky. At first, I picked the wrong product, but it allowed me to go through the motions and learn what worked and what didn’t work. It put the system in place so that after a month or two, I started looking at launching a second product. Consistency is key. There was no option for me to quit. My next product did well, so a month later I launched another one, and so on. At the time, I found that the magic number was having three products running at the same time. I had to be strategic and clever with how I started because I had no cash flow or credit. I was starting on a shoestring budget. It was challenging, but I just did it and made it work. I did my Amazon job, and I also had a full-time on the side that paid the bills. If you really want to expand your Amazon business you constantly need more inventory. After six months, I was making enough profit from my Amazon business so that I could quit my job and focus on it, full-time. I was making $60,000 in the first six months, and within a year I was at $100,000 and then a few months later, $200,000, and two and a half years later, I’m making $500,000 per month.

A lot of people fear failure when it comes to starting an Amazon business. What made you not give up when your first product was the wrong one?

I didn’t feel like I had a choice. I knew people who it was working for so it was inspiring for me, so I knew that it worked. I knew that if I kept persisting and following the successful actions of others, I could be successful. Some people get crazy into their first product and order a big excess of inventory, which makes the process take longer and become more complex. I started my first product, and it wasn’t awesome, but unit was readily available. That was key to my momentum.

What is so inspiring about your story is that you expressed that you were at a low point in your life when you started your Amazon business. There are a lot of women out there who are mothers that may be looking at this as an opportunity, but oftentimes it can be perceived as a limitation. What would you say to people that are in that circumstance?

It’s doable. I still had to get up and take my kids to school and run a household and cover all the bills. I didn’t take much time out to do other stuff. I fully committed to the process. I know that it takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and passion, especially when you are first starting something. Hopefully the product that you choose you are somewhat passionate about, because if you enjoy the process, you will persist and put in the work that needs to be done. If you fall off your horse, so to speak, you can get back on it easier.

How many products do you have now?

I have forty products that are all under one brand. When you have a brand it’s so much easier to create a lot of products that are under the same category, which allows you to cross-sell and promote new products to your existing customers. Once I had three to four products running, I started to get individual customers who would buy multiple products from me, and a high percentage of my sales was from that, which was awesome.

Can you share some tips for those people who want to take a leap of faith and build an Amazon business?

A lot of people have inflated expectations when it comes to getting their first product launched. They expect it to be making them a lot of money at the onset and its not realistic.

You need to have the mindset of an entrepreneur and treat it as a business. You don’t have an Amazon business, rather you have an e-commerce business, and you need to treat it as such. Amazon is just one part of it.

I hope the story of how this single Mom makes $500,000 per month on Amazon inspires you to take the leap of faith and start your Amazon business. Wouldn’t it feel great to make $500,000 per month? If she can do it, so can you!

Do you want to receive my free Amazon training series? CLICK HERE for instant access!

I would like to talk about the myth of multitasking. In today’s fast-paced world, people have convinced themselves that multitasking is the sure-fire way to accomplish their goals and achieve success.

Think again.

A recent article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) by three Stanford University researchers have proven that ‘doing it all' gets nothing done.

In their study, they found that those who rated themselves as chronic multitaskers made more mistakes, could remember fewer items, and took longer to complete a variety of focusing tasks than those self-rated as infrequent multitaskers.

If you can relate to these findings, it may be time to re-think your habits. The reality is that multitasking is simply a way to make overly stressed-out people feel as if they are being hyper-productive. Multitasking is actually slowing you down.

Are you ready to learn some tips for how you can more effectively manage tasks and maximize your productivity?

Do you want to learn how to create a morning ritual that will help you be more productive, healthier, and happier? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery program!

In his best-selling book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeown explains how the meaning of the word “priority” has shifted over time – “The word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing…Only in the 1900s did we pluralize the term and start talking about priorities. Illogically, we reasoned that by changing the word we could bend reality.”

Multitasking can be a challenging habit to break. However, with commitment and practice, anything is possible. The result? Healthier thought patterns, improved cognitive functioning, and higher productivity levels. It’s a win-win. Here are 4 tips that will help you focus on your most important tasks of the day, and be more productive as a result:

1. Focus On One Task At A Time

The solution to multitasking is single-tasking. Instead of spreading out all of your mental energy on multiple tasks, focus 100% of your attention on mastering one task.

This involves adopting a more minimalist way of thinking. Learn how to slow down and be more deliberate and thoughtful with your actions. Doing so will allow you to move throughout your day with greater ease and accomplishment.

When asked about how focusing on one thing at a time helped Apple become more effective at delivering innovative products consistently, Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple said, “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

2. Use A Notebook  

When it comes to productivity, I suggest using a tool like the Productivity Planner, which is designed to help you accomplish your most important tasks so that you don’t feel overwhelmed throughout your day.

The Productivity Planner uses a Pomodoro Technique, which is a time management method that uses a timer to break down work into intervals (25-minutes in length), separated by short breaks. This simple tool has allowed me to narrow down the most important tasks of my day so that I feel more organized and get more done in the process.

3. Tune Out Distractions  

When it comes to accomplishing tasks, the Internet has become the ultimate distraction. Do whatever it takes to eliminate all distractions when you work, whether that means turning off your phone, putting in earplugs, or logging out of social media. In 2010, researchers estimated that distracted workers were costing businesses $650 billion per year and that interruptions can take up as much as 6 hours of our day.

If you are able to give your full attention to a task at hand, you will maximize the accuracy and speed with which you accomplish it. Mastery requires consistency, commitment, and focus. In the end, if you commit to nothing, everything will appear as if it’s a distraction. 

4. Start Your Day With A Morning Ritual

I am a firm believer that the best way to achieve more during your day is by adopting a morning ritual. By establishing a routine in the morning, you train your mind to focus on doing one thing at a time.

A morning ritual is the quickest way to prime your brain for success. Take some time every morning to nurture yourself. This simple activity has transformed my entire life and it can do the same for you.

The myth of multitasking is a real thing. When you jump from task to task, you overload your brain, making it less efficient and more prone to errors. Take back your time by slowing down and focusing on one task at a time. It may feel as if you are going slower, but you are actually making more progress in the long run.

Take it from Sir Richard Cecil, who said, “The shortest ways to do many things is to do only one thing at a time.”

Do you want to learn how to create a morning ritual that will help you be more productive, healthier, and happier? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery 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!

Image courtesy of Pixabay.

I want to talk with you about when to upgrade your lifestyle. To upgrade means to raise who you are and what you do to a higher standard.

Dreaming is great, but at the end of the day, it’s the decisions you make that determine your success, health, well-being, love, and happiness in life. The more decisions that you make, the more in control of your destiny you will be.

Look back on your life to date and think about all of the decisions that you’ve made that have led you to where you are today.

If you are currently struggling in life, it is because of the choices that you have made. Stop playing the blame game. You need to take responsibility for your life. You have the power to create your own reality.

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Do you want to know the 7 proven online business models that have made me an Internet millionaire in less than 3 years? CLICK HERE to gain instant access to my free course!

I would like to answer a question that a fan named Regina recently asked me on Snapchat. She asked:

“What should I do if I want to change my life? My mother thinks I’m crazy for wanting expensive things that I cannot afford. I feel like a dabbler, but I don’t want to be one.”

Regina, first and foremost, it takes a lot of courage to reach out for help, so I commend you for being vulnerable and sharing your story.

One of the most important decisions that you will ever make is the decision to live well below your means, which means spending less than what you earn. Don’t upgrade your lifestyle if you can’t afford it.

The reason why a lot of millionaires are so successful is that they have ascribed to this way of life. They have made a series of strategic and smart decisions, with regards to their finances.

How do you expect to pay for a lifestyle that you haven’t yet earned? Financial freedom and success takes a lot of hard work, commitment, consistency, and sacrifice. It requires that you add value and create impact in the world. Strive for that, above anything else.

Upgrade your lifestyle only when you are worthy and deserving of it. At that point, you can celebrate and reward yourself.

Rather than wonder how you can upgrade your lifestyle, ask yourself this question: “What actions do I need to take in order to have what I want most in life?” Whether that’s starting a business, saving money, getting a promotion, or proving your worth.

When I was 18 years old I remember reading the book, The Wealthy Barber: Updated 3rd Edition: Everyone's Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent, which taught me about compounding, putting money aside, investing in mutual funds, etc.

I just put into action what the book told me to do. If people applied what they learned, they would get the results that they desired.

Don’t be a dabbler. Commit to mastery.

A lot of people make short-term decisions and neglect the long-term consequences. These people are known as dabblers. They start something, but they never finish it.

They think short-term, and expect instant gratification, without having to put in the work. If you operate this way, I guarantee that you will always make poor decisions in life.

I never make impulsive decisions. If anything, I’m more conservative with the decisions that I make. Sure, I take risks here and there, but for the most part, I’m hyper-aware of how I choose to spend the money that I have.

I used to live in a small apartment in downtown Vancouver and at that time, I was doing a lot of online marketing and was doing pretty well financially. In 2012 I was making $100,000/year, but you didn’t see it based on my quality of life because I was saving and investing my money.

I always focus on achieving specific milestones before I upgrade my life. It may be once I’ve saved a certain amount of money or reached a certain level of my investment portfolio.

I am continuously striving to upgrade my lifestyle, but I do so in small increments. When I master one level, I strive for the next. In doing so, I am constantly making improvements in my life and my business, which allows me to achieve and become more.

Always keep your ultimate vision for your life in mind when you make decisions. I have been able to achieve so much success in my life because I am always focusing on my future.

Regina, I challenge you to sit down and write out your vision and goals for your life, because that is what is going to determine the actions that you take, like whether or not you go to school, start a business, or get a coach.

You also need to determine what your core life values are. Dig deep and ask yourself questions. Above all, commit to investing and learning.

That is the best way to discover who you are and what is most important to you. It will give you the clarity that you need in order to make good decisions in life.

Regina, the best way to upgrade your lifestyle, is to downsize it. If you take this route, you will achieve success faster. I know that this sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true. Set goals, believe in yourself, keep growing, and take action.

In the words of Napoleon, “Action is the true measure of intelligence.” You have your whole future in front of you. Make the right decisions now, and you will set yourself up for success for the rest of your life.

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Health and fitness have always been a top priority in my life.  I believe that maintaining a healthy balanced life is essential for happiness and well-being. The best way to achieve balance is by mastering every area of your life.

That is why I wanted to invite Anand Jobanputra, a Strength and Fat Loss Coach, author, and Founder of Underdog Strength, a website dedicated to providing practical fitness, nutrition, and motivation tips, to write a guest post to talk about 5 ways that fitness can help you master all areas of life.

Take it away Anand!

I would like to share with you 5 ways that fitness can help you master all areas of life. You probably already know the importance and benefits of physical fitness for health and well-being. Given that we have become more sedentary over the years, taking care of our health has become more important than ever before.

An unhealthy body and a healthy mind simply do not go hand in hand.

Several research studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle has been associated with mental health disorders. What most people fail to see is that the benefits of pursuing a fitness goal are beyond physical.

If the benefits of fitness are so far-reaching, then why is it that so many people today are unhealthy?

In my experience, one of the biggest reasons for this is that people don’t create short and long-term fitness goals. Simply going to the gym and working out, without any goals, is not a great motivator. On the other hand, if you set specific goals with regard to your fitness regime, you will be much more motivated to achieve them.

Watch the video below:

Take my example – I used to be morbidly obese growing up, weighing over 275 lbs. I used to work out here and there, but I never achieved any long-lasting results. When I decided to set a goal of losing 100 lbs in one year, that’s when I saw the real results. Not only did I achieve my goal, I actually exceeded it by losing over 125 lbs.

You can clearly see a physical transformation here, but what most people fail to see is the mental transformation that took place. I can say, without a doubt, that my mindset has completely changed by pursuing this goal.  It has taught me some valuable life lessons, which I have been able to apply to other areas of my life. You can learn more about my transformation here.

Below are 5 ways that fitness can help you master every area of your life:

1. Fitness teaches You How To Embrace Failure 

When pursuing your fitness goals, you will inevitably deal with failure along the way. Failure can be a great opportunity to learn and adjust.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight and to look a certain way, you will hit plateaus where you are not making progress. Maybe your weight has stalled. During these times, you can make adjustments to your diet and training in order to make further progress.

The same techniques can be used when you face failure and plateaus in life. When you view failure as an opportunity to grow is when you achieve mastery in all areas of your life. Michael Jordan said it best, “I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

2. Fitness inspires You To Set and Achieve Your Goals

Fitness has given me the confidence to set goals and achieve them. There are a lot of people who set goals, but fail to achieve them because they lack the confidence to achieve them. Almost anyone can achieve small fitness goals. These small victories can be a huge confidence booster and will give you the motivation to achieve even bigger goals.

The best goals are S.M.A.R.T. goals, which stand for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound goals.

For example, if your goal is to ‘lose some weight’ then you will most likely not achieve anything significant. My personal S.M.A.R.T. goal was to lose 100 lbs. in a year. This meant that I had to lose roughly 2 lbs. per week to get there.

Let’s break it down:

Specific: The goal of losing 100 lbs. is a specific number

Measurable: I weighed myself using a weight a scale. I would also keep track of body measurements to make sure I was making progress towards my goal.

Achievable: Losing 100 lbs seems like a scary goal for most people. But if you break it down to 2 lbs. per week, it doesn’t seem that intimidating does it?

Relevant: Your goals have to be relevant to you. If you want to lose weight, you should do it because you want to, not because someone tells you to. If your goals are intrinsic, you are more likely to achieve them.

Time-Bound:  Without a deadline, your goal is just a dream. A deadline not only creates a sense of urgency but it also gives you a date to look forward to.

Once you learn how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals and achieve them, you can easily apply the same goal setting process to other areas of your life.

3. Fitness Improves Your Work Ethic

Any goal that is worthwhile requires an insane amount of work ethic. Most people underestimate how much work it actually takes to achieve a significant goal.

With fitness, you may have the best coach, training program, and supplements to support you, but you have to put in the work. No one else can do it for you.

While it’s important to have long-term goals, you have to focus on the actual process that will get you there. The hard work that you put into your fitness goals will help you develop your work ethic for life.

4. Fitness Helps You Develop Good Habits

Habits are important because they lead to success in the long term. Motivation and willpower are limited resources, which run out pretty fast. Habit is what keeps you going when they run out.

In his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, author Charles Duhigg talks about how we program our minds and bodies with the actions that we take or do not take on a regular basis.

According to the book, exercising and tracking what you eat are two of the eight ‘Keystone Habits’. Keystone Habits are those habits that are more important than other habits. This is because these habits can cause a chain reaction of other good habits, which will ultimately lead to your success.

If you exercise regularly, you will find that you also eat better, drink less, go to bed early, and increase productivity. Improving one keystone habit can help improve multiple things at the same time.

When you are new to fitness, you need a lot of motivation to go to the gym and eat healthily. Over time, if you make it a habit, it gets so ingrained in you that it doesn’t take much motivation to workout at all. In fact, you may find that it takes you willpower, not to workout and eat healthily.

5. Fitness Teaches You To Have Patience

In this era of instant gratification, patience is more valuable than ever. Even when it comes to fitness, people look for shortcuts to reach their goals. If someone wants to lose weight, they try to look for secrets or the magic pill that will help them get their dream body. We all know that these things don’t work.

Once you’re no longer a beginner, progress slows down over time. This is where patience can help you win in the long term. Most people suffer from shiny object syndrome. If they don’t see results right away, they move on to the next thing and the cycle continues.

With any fitness goal, you learn to trust the process and know that the results will come if you put in the work, one rep at a time. In the words of George Savile, “The man who is a master of patience is a master of everything else.”

These are 5 ways that fitness can help you master your life. If you want to take your life to the next level but don’t know how fitness is a great place to start!

When you pursue and achieve your fitness goals, your success will carry over into all areas of your life.

Anand is a Strength & Fat Loss Coach, Powerlifter and Author. After going through a major physical transformation, he has dedicated his life to helping many others achieve the same. He’s the Founder of Underdog Strength, a website dedicated to providing practical fitness, nutrition, and motivation tips.

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