Kang's Black Belt Academy
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Monday, December 31, 2012 Make the Commitment to Succeed Research has shown that one of the most important keys to success
is making a commitment to succeed.But what exactly does that mean,
“commitment to succeed?” To understand that, we need to look more closely at the idea of commitment.I’m sure you have heard about the commitment involved in a ham-and egg breakfast.
While the chicken made a great contribution, the pig was totally committed to the event. To commit to something means to follow
it through to completion,
11:26 am est at all costs. A commitment to succeed is a promise to yourself to succeed, no matter what. A commitment creates a powerful force within us to fulfill it. In this case, we are talking about making a commitment to our own professional success. I learned about commitment in an art class. The instructor said, “Once your pencil is on the page, don’t lift it off the page until you are finished.”I thought, what if it doesn’t look right? I later realized it wasn’t so much a lesson on drawing as it was a lesson on commitment. Are you still not sure what being committed to succeed is all about? · It’s all about action. Action is not optional when it comes to commitment. If you are truly committed, it will show over and over through your actions. However, don’t mistake activity for achievement. If your action isn’t getting you closer to your goal, then you’re just busy. · It’s all about passion. If you are really committed to something, you are compelled to do it. You can’t live without realizing your cause or achieving your dream. Passion is relentless, persuasive and doesn’t rest. It doesn’t settle for anything less than your best. · It’s all about choices. Commitment does not come from enforced discipline. It is a choice you make to support results you care about and want to bring into being. It arises out of the clarity of your vision and is driven by desire. It is the day-to-day choices you make in support of your larger ones. · It’s all about courage. Do not be afraid of failure. Boldness has greatness in it. Embrace your fears head on. Remind yourself again and again nothing ventured, nothing gained. Make the commitment to do everything possible to make your risk pay off. Success begins just outside of your comfort zone. · It’s all about purpose. True commitment embraces and engages not only your aspirations, but also something larger than self. When you commit to achieve a result that will make a difference, things begin to come your way. You grow, others grow, your results grow and your success grows. The most important person to commit to is “you.” When you declare to yourself that you will succeed, then success can be yours. Write your own contract of commitment as your evidence that you are on a mission. Place it where you can see it and review it daily. Never give up, never surrender, and be committed to succeed!Brad Larsen is a life coach and corporate consultant from Northern Utah. He can be reached at larsenart@q.com. Reprinted with Brad Larsen’s permission. Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Get Unstuck Now — No More Procrastination! Are you a chronic procrastinator? Do you put off things until it’s too late? Nearlyeveryone procrastinates at least some of the time. The results
can range fromannoyance to misery – both
for the person doing it and those affected by it.
9:56 am est So, why do we procrastinate? Well, unlike laziness, the root cause of procrastinationmost often is fear. Fortunately, understanding the reasons why you procrastinate can help you change your behavior … and your life. The following are some of the most common causes of procrastination. Which ones apply to you? Fear of Failure — No one likes to fail! This is one of the most common reasons forprocrastination. Deep inside, those who most greatly fear failure may have their self-worth tied to their ability to succeed. Fear of Success — Everyone loves to be successful! But, sometimes, those who are successful put pressure on themselves to be wildly successful at all things. Fear of Being Ruled by Someone Else/The Need to be Defiant — For some, all of life is a constant battle for control. By completing an assigned task, those who fall into this category may believe they’re being controlled by the person who assigned the task. Thrill Seekers/Risk Takers — Some people find tasks interesting only when they’re completed last minute, leading to a sense of risk and thrill of accomplishment upon completion. Waiting until the last moment allows these individuals the opportunity to create their own drama and thrill. Determining your fears is an important first step to overcoming procrastination. Noticing which situations tend to trigger your procrastination also is an important step. Do you procrastinate most at work? With your friends? With your body or money? The specific area of life in which you procrastinate is a great clue as to where you feel the most conflicted and afraid. Break the Pattern The following steps can help you (or someone you know) break the pattern of procrastination: · Articulate what you gain by procrastinating. For example, “I don’t want to risk failure.” · Consider the problems your procrastination causes, versus what you think you get out of it. For example: “I never have to worry about failing, but I that means I rarely ever try new things.” · Start small. Get yourself rolling by completing the least offending task. Remind yourself along the way — or get a friend to help you — that the actual cost of not doing it is greater than the imagined fear of getting it done. · Help a procrastinator. Living or working with a procrastinator can be frustrating, to say the least. It’s easier to be objective about someone else’s state of mind than your own. Offer to help break the cycle of procrastination by explaining what you see happening. Are You A Chronic Procrastinator? Besides the obvious “I always put work off ‘tilthe last minute” and “I’m always late to whereverI’m going”… Do you often avoid decisions?Do you make big plans but then never carry them out?Do you avoid trying something new?Are you staying in your job despite being unhappy, for fear of making a move?Do you tend to get sick when you have a task you don’t want to do?When you don’t get something done, do you blame others for it?Do you tend to make so many fun plans that it leaves you with no time to do your work?Do you avoid arguments? If you habitually put things off and also answered“yes” to two or more of these questions, you may be a chronic procrastinator. Tackle It Now! Prioritize tasks. If everything seems like a priority, you’ll feel overwhelmed and get none of it done. And, if nothing seems important, nothing will get done. Create a to-do list, ranking tasks in order of priority. Making a specific number of hours to work and to play on your calendar also helps. Question your beliefs. Do you tell yourself that you work better under pressure? Prove it. Do one task at the last minute and one ahead. Test other myths, such as “I don’t have the ability,” and “It has to be done perfectly.” Control your impulsiveness. Most procrastinators jump from one task to the next and never finish anything. Make yourself complete one task before moving on to another. Old habits die hard. Don’t expect it to change overnight. If you change one thing a week, you are making progress, andthat progress will show you that more change is possible. Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychoanalyst in private practice, is on the faculty of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and isthe author of “Becoming Real: Defeating the Stories We Tell Ourselves That Hold Us Back” (Riverhead Books). |
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