Contents

10 Things You Must Do When You’re Single.........................................................................................................3

6 Ways to Find Fitness Motivation...........................................................................................................................4
How To Motivate Yourself To Study When You’re Too Busy With Work..........................................................7
How To Motivate Yourself When You Are Overwhelmed in Life.......................................................................11
What to Do If You Don’t Want to Do Anything....................................................................................................14
5 Unique Ways to Motivate Yourself to Take Action And Achieve Your Goals.................................................14
7 Best Goal Planners To Get in 2021......................................................................................................................17
26 Future Goals Examples For Your Career And Personal Life.........................................................................19
How To Get Rid Of Your Social Media Addiction................................................................................................23
Social Media Addiction and How It Affects Health..............................................................................................23
11 Ways to Naturally Increase Your Focus...........................................................................................................26
5 Ways Meditation Improves Your Daily Focus and Concentration...................................................................29
How To Increase Focus At Work: 12 Brain Hacks...............................................................................................33
How to Make a Life Plan That Works (With a Life Plan Template)...................................................................36
10 Actionable Tips To Make Tough Decisions in Life..........................................................................................39
How to Break out of the Box and Live Life on Your Own Terms.......................................................................42
5 Reasons to Follow Your Heart to Live the Life You Want................................................................................44
How to Identify Your Strengths And Weaknesses in 5 Steps...............................................................................47
6 Steps to Understanding Your Potential and Achieving More...........................................................................52
What Are Adaptability Skills And How To Upgrade Yours................................................................................55
Why Your Attitude Is Everything: 3 Attitudes You Need To Have....................................................................59
6 Strategic Ways to Aim High and Achieve Your Goals......................................................................................61
14 Success Stories of Famous People Who Begin With Setbacks.........................................................................63
How to Work Hard the Smart Way: 4 Daily Rituals to Follow...........................................................................67
12 Scientific Ways To Learn Anything Faster And Smarter...............................................................................73
10 Tools That Make Learning At Home More Efficient.......................................................................................76
How To Ask the Right Questions For Effective Learning....................................................................................81
How to Ask the Right Questions for Effective Learning......................................................................................83
How to Be Amazingly Good at Asking Questions.................................................................................................85
How To Find Motivation To Learn Anything Outside of Comfort Zone............................................................87
10 Best Methods of Learning Smarter and Faster................................................................................................90
How to Memorize More and Faster Than Other People......................................................................................94
The SQ3R Method: How It Maximizes Your Learning Comprehension............................................................97
15 Quick Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle.............................................................................................100

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4 Things to Do When You Feel Burned Out And Tired of Life.........................................................................105
7 Ways Regular Exercise Boosts Your Mood And Energy.................................................................................109
How To Take a Cold Shower For the Best Health Benefits................................................................................113
I’m Stuck! 7 Steps to Take When You’re Feeling Stuck in Life........................................................................115
Fall Asleep Faster Using 'Cognitive Shuffling'....................................................................................................120
How to Fall Asleep After Waking Up..................................................................................................................121

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10 Things You Must Do When You’re Single
So you’re single? Whether you just got out of a relationship or have lived the single life for a
prolonged period of time, being single has its advantages and disadvantages. But no matter what
you’re feeling on your single status, one thing remains true: you are free. And if you are like most
people, it means that you will, one day, find love again. So while you’re on your journey, here are
10 things you must do when you’re single.
1. Stay single for three months.
This is mostly for the newly single, but take your time. If you just got out of a relationship,
learn to enjoy life on your own. Find the things that make you happy, do things that you’ve
wanted to do, and spend time without a significant other. Date if you want, but do so casually.
Learn what you like and dislike and give yourself a hard, firm timeline to stay single. You’ll find
that when you are content with being single, you’ll be less likely to jump into a relationship for
the wrong reasons.
2. Take a trip with your best friend.
Reconnect with your friends. Take a long weekend trip to visit your hometown, visit a new
city with old friends, or hit up the beach with your best friend. Spend time doing the things you
love doing with the people who know you best.
3. Spend a weekend with a married couple.
Find some friends with a great relationship who are around your age and hang out with
them. See what they do well and get a view of your struggles. It’s easy to romanticize
relationships and focus solely on the honeymoon stage, but take time to see what a true, long-term
commitment should be based on.
4. Travel. Visit a foreign country by yourself.
Be bold. Being in a relationship can be great, but the logistics of taking a major trip can be a
nightmare. Do it while you’re single! Visit Europe, backpack through Central America, explore
Australia, or visit the pyramids in Egypt. You’ll find it liberating and adventurous: a true, once in
a lifetime opportunity. And you’ll have great, interesting stories to tell on that first date.
5. Be picky. Don’t fall too fast.
Learn to say no. It’s much too easy to jump right back into a relationship if you’re just out of
one, or jump too quickly at the first sign of sparks when you’ve been single for a long period.
Don’t do it! Take the opportunity to find someone who truly complements you, whom you have a
deep connection with, and whom you find attractive.

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 6. Find yourself.
The easiest path to a happy, healthy relationship is understanding what you like and what
makes you happy. Take the time to find yourself while you’re single. Learn what you love,
discover your goals and ambitions, and write down your priorities. Make sure any relationship
going forward allows you the opportunity to be yourself and reach your goals. There’s always
give and take, but make sure you have a firm understanding of where to draw the line.
7. Reconnect with old friends.
Relationships, particularly difficult ones, can be very hard on friendships. While you’re
single, reconnect with old friends and create a meaningful, lasting connection that can continue no
matter what the relationship status. Don’t use friends as a crutch to fill the void of your lost
relationship, rather find ways to ensure that your friends and family can stay part of any new
relationship.
8. Get in shape.
When you’re single, you want to look and feel your best. Hit the gym and get in shape!
You’ll feel better, have more confidence, and get your next relationship off on the right foot. Find
unique ways to get in shape. Play tennis, golf, basketball, etc. You may find that you meet
someone who has the same interests.
9. Actively meet new people.
Meet new people every day, or at least learn more about the people you know. It’s easy to
sulk and feel isolated when you don’t have that special someone in your life. Don’t be scared of
online dating and use all the tools available to you to meet people on your terms. But don’t stop
there. Talking to people at your office, at the store, at the gym, etc. is a great way to stay social
with no pressure. It’s not just about finding someone new, rather it’s a chance to become a more
social, engaging person.
10. Enjoy it.
Being single can be fun. Take it as a challenge. Learn about yourself. Take chances. Go on
trips. Being single doesn’t have to be lonely or filled with late nights in bars. It’s a chance to
discover what you like, learn more about others, and take your time to find the person of your
dreams. So enjoy it.

6 Ways to Find Fitness Motivation

Are you struggling to find the motivation to stick to a workout routine? Well, you’re not
alone, whether you’re drained from a job, exhausted with a newborn, intimidated to start or
outright lazy, the truth is motivation is easily lost when life gets tough or you don’t work at it on a
regular basis.
How many new year’s resolutions did you break every February after promising yourself to
stick to an exercise plan?
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 Well, many reasons can account for breaking your promises to yourself and you’re going to
find out 6 ways to find the fitness motivation you need to get you back on track.
1. Link Exercise to Pleasure
When you hear the word exercise, your mind is most likely going to label it as a painful
experience. More so, if you engage in it irregularly.
You see, as humans we are hard wired to seek comfort and avoid pain[1] at all costs.
As you put your body through the stress of exercise, therefore, you’ll be quick to label it as a
painful experience, more so if you don’t make it a habit or set any underlying purpose behind your
exercise regime. Luckily, however, your mind can choose what you derive pleasure from and it all
boils down to tying your goal to a purpose and positive emotion.
Most of the time, people start exercising without ultimately knowing the emotional reason
behind wanting to exercise.
‘I want to lose weight’. Sure, but why do you want to lose weight?
Maybe because you want to feel great or feel strong and healthy in your own body.
Well feel those feelings. All you have to do is set yourself and maintain a strong underlying
positive purpose behind your exercise routine and your mind will start to register the positive
feelings of your vision every time you workout.
Just like any habit, the more you feel the positive feelings of the goal you want to achieve,
the more results you will see. Every time you exercise, your mind will mask out the pain as it
brings your fitness goal to the forefront, making exercise a more pleasurable experience.
So clearly set, define and feel your ultimate fitness purpose and your mind itself will
motivate you as you program it to reach your goal.
2. Find What You Like
You may have the idea that exercise is all about running on a treadmill for 30 minutes to an
hour, three times a week, until you’re covered and dripping in sweat. Let’s face it, the treadmill
isn’t exactly the most ecstatic of exercises. Beneficial? Absolutely, but I don’t blame you for
lacking the constant motivation if it feels as though you’re running on a hamster wheel.
Well, that’s some people’s cup of tea, and if it is great! BUT if it’s not yours then there are
many other options out there for you to choose from. It’s important that you like what you’re
doing if you want to find the fitness motivation to really get going.Your problem may be that
you’re simply not aware of the different ways your body can exercise. Exercise should be fun to
begin with. If it isn’t, then you are limiting yourself to the wrong activity.
There are literally hundreds of different sports and exercises to choose from. Try exploring
different fitness avenues until you find a few activities you best love doing.
3. Seek an Accountability Partner
It’s easy to miss or skip a workout when the only person you report to is yourself.
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 Chances are you’re not so likely to get up at 6am on a cold rainy day to train if you’re nicely
snuggled in bed and prone to laziness.
Why? because we’re conditioned to avoid pain if nothing challenges us.
That’s where an accountability partner or personal trainer can come in handy to you. You
see, in general, there’s something about disappointing or displeasing others that irks most people.
When you are committed to showing up and have someone waiting for you, you won’t want
the embarrassment of having to say sorry for having slept in. How’s that for fitness motivation?
4. Find a Role Model
Fitness can be tough to maintain over a longer stretch of time, though many people
successfully manage to do so.
Whether you’re a beginner who’s intimidated to get started or a regular who’s struggling to
keep consistent, looking up to a role model can be your key to fitness motivation.
In life, If there’s a goal you really want to achieve, then chances are, it means somebody has
successfully accomplished that goal before you. Not exclusively, but most of the time.
Modelling someone in the fitness space, therefore, ticking all the goal boxes you wish to
achieve can drive you to keep showing up day in/day out.
By adopting their successful daily habits and routines and applying them directly into your
daily schedule, you may find the success formula to keep you motivated and see the results you
want to see. Often it’s not the lack of intention that hampers your fitness motivation, but the
incorrect strategy and inefficient results.
Modelling the right person and strategy and seeing consistent results on a regular basis, will
almost certainly boost your morale and keep you committed to working out.
5. Brush up Your Diet
Yes, you’re always hearing about which foods are good and bad for you and why you should
try out tens of different diets to feel great.
While you don’t need to necessarily enroll on a strict restrictive diet, you do however need
to watch the foods you eat everyday.
If you have a regular habit of snacking on Doritos and ordering junk food for dinner, then
you’re most likely not going to regularly feel great in your own skin.
When you don’t feel great in your own body, your self-esteem and energy levels usually take
a dip to suboptimal levels. The result will be lower to a complete loss of fitness motivation.
Adding plenty of clean healthy foods to your diet, therefore, will help signal to the
mitochondria in each one of your cells to produce more energy.
The result will be a healthier, more vibrant you. As you feel greater and lighter in your body
and mind, you will find fitness motivation much easier to come by.

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 6. Mix it Up
Have you ever noticed that we are creatures of habit?
You may like setting a routine for yourself because you feel comfortable with what is known
and familiar to you. That’s because deep down there’s something about uncertainty that scares
you.
It’s normal, most humans are uncomfortable with uncertainty.[2]
In fact, most of your daily routines tend to follow a repetitive cycle and your exercise routine
most likely is no exception to that.
As you get used to one activity, your mind is quick to memorize it and switch on your
autopilot function every time you workout. As a result you’re unlikely to experience any new
emotional thrill or motivation. …..And since emotions run life, we need to experience change and
uncertainty to experience new positive emotions.
If you find yourself bored, therefore, or unmotivated, it’s most likely due to the lack of
change in your exercise schedule.
So try to mix up your weekly exercise habits. Once you’ve found those activities you love
doing, start incorporating a few of those into your week.
For example, if you’re used to simply jogging everyday for 30 minutes, try to cut it down to
3 times a week and on the other days fit in activities such as weight training, swimming and/or
yoga, to name a few. The choices are endless!
If after a few months that too gets stale, mix the routine up again. Either change the order
and frequency of your exercise schedule or change the schedule and exercises altogether.
Choose whatever triggers your mind to experience change and something new in your
routine.
Takeaway. So there you have it, these 6 tools will boost your confidence and fitness
motivation to generate consistent results.
Start seeing the pain of exercise as a blessing to being able to generate and create something
great. The joys of life and exercise cannot be cherished without an opposite to contrast against and
be grateful.
Remember it’s completely normal not to feel like exerting on most days and throw in the
towel. The motivation to do so, however, and remain committed is 100% in your control.
So it’s now time to take back charge of your mindset and start feeling like your most vibrant
self again. Are you ready?

How To Motivate Yourself To Study When You’re Too Busy With Work
It was just after 5 AM as I gathered my things to head to the gym. As I walked down the
hall, I noticed the light on in my daughter Kinsey’s bedroom. She isn’t typically up that early, so I

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decided to peek inside to see what was going on. As I opened the door, I saw her sitting in bed
with her laptop open and a perplexed look on her face.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m doing some last-minute studying before I take my pharmacology exam.”
“Why are you doing it so early?” I questioned.
“I need to get it done before I go to work because I have a full day, and I won’t want to do it
later.”
Kinsey is a great student, and she works full-time and goes to school, so I didn’t want to
question her actions. Still, as she responded, it hit me. This was one way she kept her motivation
to study when she was too busy with work.
I didn’t want to disturb her further, so I slowly closed the door and went on my way,
pondering the question on my own, “how does one maintain their motivation to study when they
are too busy with work?”
Motivation is an interesting topic that psychologists, sociologists, and scientists of all types
have studied for decades. Countless books and articles have been written on the subject and
continue to pop up each year. But what motivates us in certain situations? How can we stay
motivated when we have so many other things on our minds like work?
To answer these questions, we first need to understand motivation itself. More specifically,
the two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivation is an incentive to engage in a specific activity that derives from pleasure
in the activity itself rather than because of any external benefits that might be obtained.[1] It
sounds like, “I’m going to work hard to get that promotion so I can be more fulfilled at work.”
On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is an external incentive to engage in a specific
activity, especially motivation arising from the expectation of punishment or reward.[2] It sounds
like, “I really want that promotion at work to make more money.”
How we are motivated really comes down to whether the motivation is coming from within
us or outside us. We all tend to gravitate toward one more than the other, but this can depend on a
specific situation.
Let’s look at the facts from the specific situation in my example and break them down to
understand them further.
Kinsey works and goes to school like a lot of college students.
Kinsey was taking her exam very early in the morning before her usual wake-up time.
She was doing the exam before going to work. She had a busy day of work ahead.
She acknowledged that she would not want to do it later.

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 All of the facts above point to a motivated individual. What they don’t tell us specifically is,
was she motivated intrinsically or extrinsically? I would lean towards intrinsic as there doesn’t
seem to be any obvious reward.
This example provides some less apparent clues to ways that can help others like you. I’ve
compiled the secrets inspired by these clues, along with some additional wisdom I’ve learned
along the way to help you in maintaining your motivation to study.
Here are 11 tips on how to motivate yourself to study even when you’re too busy with work
1. Have a Great mindset
It all starts here, and a positive mindset can go a long way. Believe that you will achieve
your goals, and focus on the good things that you have already done. Studies show that being
optimistic leads to getting more done and having better overall mental and physical well-being.[3]
2. Visualize Success
Once your mindset is in order, then the next step is to visualize your success. Begin with a
clear vision of what you want to achieve and then experience the feeling of having that success.
For example, if you know you want to get an A on an exam, break down the steps to learning the
material to ensure success.
3. Break Your Goals Into Small Attainable Tasks
Sometimes, a goal can feel too big, like graduating college with straight A’s. Think of the
goals you have and break them down into simple, attainable steps instead.
For example, if you know you want to get an A on an exam, start with gathering the right
resources to study, and then go further to identify what you need from each resource. Once you
drill down far enough, everything becomes attainable.
4. Reward yourself
Rewards help keep you motivated as long as they are healthy. Once you’ve set a goal,
establish a small reward for achieving it. Whether it’s an edible treat you love or something bigger
like a massage, this type of external motivator can help maintain your motivation and push you
closer to your bigger goals.
5. Pomodoro for the Win
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management system that encourages you to work with
the time you have, rather than against it. Break the time you have to study into 25-minute chunks
separated by 5-minute breaks. Each interval or Pomodoro helps you resist interruptions and trains
your brain to focus. You’ll find that the sense of urgency it creates is a fantastic motivator.
6. Measure Progress
Once you start to accomplish goals and have successful Pomodoro’s, you need to measure it
all. If you do not measure and report your progress, then you’re probably not making much

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progress at all. According to Pearson’s Law, when performance is measured, it improves; when
performance is measured and reported, it improves exponentially.
7. Make It a Competition
Healthy competition is advantageous to keep you moving, and it’s great for building your
motivation to study. You can positively compete with others to push each other to succeed. If you
don’t have anyone else, then set up a competition with yourself.
For example, see how many Pomodoro’s you can do without breaking focus and looking at
your phone. Keep pushing the bar higher, and you will strive to reach it.
8. Find a Mentor
Another way for you to build and maintain your motivation to study is to find a mentor.
Having a mentor is a great way to motivate and connect with someone you admire or someone in
the field that you are studying. Having a mentor provides a double benefit in that they can provide
both assistance and encouragement to you on your road to success.
9. Get an Accountability Buddy
While this is occasionally the role of a mentor, you can also find another person studying the
same thing as you as your accountability buddy or partner. With both of you focused on the same
outcome, you can share ideas that you may not have thought of and understand the point of view
of your friend.
Studies show that publicly committing your goals to someone gives you at least a 65%
chance of completing them. Having a specific accountability partner increases your chance of
success to 95%.[4]
10. Find “Your” Time
There’s a funny line from an old movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, where a student is
disrupting class, and the teacher tells him to stop interrupting the class and do what he’s doing on
his own time. The student responds, “I’m here, you’re here, doesn’t that make it our time?”
Whether you are studying with a group or solo, you still need to find the time that works best
for your needs and your brain. For some, this is first thing in the morning, but for others, it’s after
work when they have decompressed. By measuring your success and the efficiency of your
Pomodoro’s, you can identify the optimal time for you.
11. Move
Taking the time to move is critical toward moving towards your goals. It doesn’t matter if
you study at a desk, in bed, or on the floor, you still need to move. Take short five-minute breaks
after each successful Pomodoro to stand up, stretch, and move your legs around. This increased
blood flow will help keep you awake and get oxygen to your brain.

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 After you’ve completed four consecutive sessions, then it’s time for a more extended 15 to
20-minute break. This break is the optimal time to get some fresh air and brief exercise outside.
This short amount of time will make a significant difference in your level of motivation.
Final Thoughts
Any of the above tips on their own can help with building and maintaining motivation when
put into action. Find the ones that work for you and make them a habit. Once this is done, you
won’t need the level of external motivation as you will be programmed internally for success.
I want to think that I’ve raised Kinsey with some good internal programming and her grades
indicate that as well. When she got home from work around 7 PM, she came into my office and
asked if she could use it for a while.
I said, “Sure, what do you need to do?”
“Take my pharmacology exam.”
“I thought you took it this morning.”
“I was going to, but the opening time was wrong on the exam, so it didn’t open until noon
today instead of midnight.”
“Oh, I get it now. Sure, let me get out, so you have peace and quiet.”
I closed the door and left her in the serenity of my cave, knowing she would get a good
grade on her exam. I ended up being right about the grade but not about the source of her
motivation to study that morning.
When she emerged from the office about 30 minutes later, she quickly turned on the TV. It
all came down to the fact that she didn’t want to miss the season finale of The Batchelor. I guess it
was more extrinsic than I thought.

How To Motivate Yourself When You Are Overwhelmed in Life

Like the majority of us, I imagine, I was very happy to wave farewell to 2020. Nothing much
changed on the 1st of January, of course. The Covid pandemic rages on, businesses are still
struggling, jobs are still being lost, and people are unable to see their loved ones in many corners
of the world—many people feel overwhelmed in life.
That certainly didn’t change when I woke up on the first day of a brand new year. But
there’s something about the first day of a new year that brings a renewed sense of focus. I’m
optimistic that we will see some semblance of normality return this year, and that optimism grew
as we kicked 2020 out of the door.
I’ll join millions of “resolutioners” in making promises to myself about improvements I’ll
make this year. We—those who do this every year (however long we last)—are riding on that
wave of new year optimism and the feeling of a “new start.”

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 But how do you stay motivated on anything—whether it’s resolutions, healthy eating,
running a business, or getting out for a run—when the world is practically on fire around you?
I’m no psychologist, but I like to think I’ve got plenty of experience in maintaining focus
and motivation regardless of what’s going on around me. I’ve spent years honing my productivity
skills and tried countless tactics that both succeeded and failed at helping me stay driven when I
feel overwhelmed in life.
So, let me share some of the things that I’ve found most successful to help you stay focused
on what matters to you regardless of what else is happening in the world.
List What’s Overwhelming You.
Lists are very powerful things. I often find that when I’m feeling overwhelmed in life, I lose
sight of specifically what is causing me to feel this way. When I feel like this, I list what is
making me feel overwhelmed.
The list is very often not as long as I expect it to be and often, feelings of being
overwhelmed come down to just one or two things on my mind.
What Can You Control? With a list in front of you, it’s time to take a look at what you can
influence. For example: If too many pressing deadlines is something on my list, I will speak to
clients and I will see if I can change some things, or perhaps I’ll stop taking work that month
If I’m feeling overwhelmed by non-work commitment, I work out what I can cancel and just
cancel it. On the other hand, if it’s something I cannot control (like a pandemic), I grant myself
the permission to sit with it—to just be ok with not being ok with it.
I go through my list and I take action to change anything I can change (even if it’s just an
email to delegate a task or move a deadline). It’s something that helps me feel a little more in
control, though I accept this is something that will be different for everyone.
Set Micro Goals Each Working Day
Feeling overwhelmed can really lower productivity and stop you from doing things you need
or would ordinarily want to do. One way to overcome that, I’ve found, is to set very achievable
micro-goals for each working day.
So, if one of my goals for the day is to complete a lengthy report, I will break it down into
sections and segments that might only be 30 minutes of work as opposed to a whole day of work.
I can then visibly see progress towards this goal (and I’ll be honest, I do love ticking things off a
to-do list). I’m a huge fan of micro-goals, which have consistently helped me to get through tasks
quicker and break down what seems like overwhelming tasks into smaller jobs.
Prioritize Tasks and Goals
Got too many micro-goals to complete in a day? Prioritize them. Order them by the most
important thing on that day and if you need to move some deadlines around or get some help, then
do it. Personally, I give everything a priority score from 1 to 3, with 1 being the highest priority

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and I work on my 1s first. A wider scale of priority levels might work for you or even just 2
levels.
Take Some Time for Yourself
This is the thing I always find the most counterintuitive. When you’re busy, the last thing on
your mind is probably taking time to just go and do something for yourself. But I find that getting
away from my desk and walking for 30 minutes clears my mind, and I return more focussed and
more able to be productive.
Other tactics can help you to become more productive too but certainly, a quick walk is a
useful one for me. Meditation is proven to lower stress levels.[1] It is something that can be done
wherever you happen to be, guided by online help or one of the many meditation apps available.
Some people like to run. Some like to play games on their phones. Whatever your thing is—
something that you enjoy and makes you feel better—take time out to enjoy it for yourself no
matter what’s going on and how busy it seems you are.
Stop Multitasking
Multi-tasking can reduce your productivity and increase feelings of being overwhelmed in
life.[2] The reality for most of us is that concentrating (or trying to) on multiple things at once
means we don’t really get to focus on any of them. We’re slower, more stressed, and tick less of
our to-do lists. So, tackle one thing at a time.
But What If You Have to Multitask?
Based on the above, I do not like multitasking. I’d much rather focus on a single task at
once. But I share that now 6 days into another lockdown where I live and thus, homeschooling.
Ever homeschooled a 5-year-old while his 3-year-old brother shoots Nerf bullets at him and
his baby brother tries to destroy everything in sight? I tried that last week. And I tried to finish
some 2020 performance reports over the course of the day too.
I’m not going to lie. It was a bit of a disaster. On the second day, I decided to be a little less
ambitious. I’m not going to get reports done while I’m tackling the carnage that is homeschooling.
But staying on top of my emails was a little easier to do.
I did it by working in time blocks, taking a little inspiration from the Pomodoro Technique. I
didn’t have the full 25 minutes to do complete Pomodoro blocks. But as the baby slept, I saw my
opportunity to split up the older two in separate rooms, set the younger one craft tasks, and let our
eldest continue with the school tasks set for him.
I told them I needed 10 minutes. And I worked in complete silence without any distractions
to clear my inbox over those ten minutes. I managed 6 such stints over the course of the day
around baby naps. It was enough to keep my inbox under control.
So, even though you may be multitasking, rather than trying to do multiple things at the
same time, you should try to work in blocks of as many or as few minutes as is practical for you.

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 Have an Accountability Buddy
A close friend of mine and I both embarked upon some health and fitness goals last year. We
caught up regularly on Zoom or similar to talk progress and sent one another screenshots from our
fitness apps to “report” activity.
Having an accountability buddy is very helpful in reaching goals. We encouraged one
another on those days when we just weren’t feeling it. For me, it has been one of the single most
important factors in me sticking with these changes 7 months on.
I also have similar relationships with people relating to work tasks. I’ve talked to lots of
people (many of whom are freelancers) who struggle with productivity and procrastination,
particularly since the start of the pandemic when we’re facing so many other challenges. So, I
have two people who I regularly catch up with and talk about how much of my to-do list I’m
getting through and they do with me, too.
Don’t Be Afraid to Share
Are you feeling overwhelmed in life? It’s normal and acceptable, particularly in times like
these. Talk about it, share your feelings with a trusted contact and ultimately, be kind to yourself.

What to Do If You Don’t Want to Do Anything

How often have you had these kinds of motivation problems?
Struggling to get up early to exercise…
Too tired to work on your side-business after work…
Not being “in the mood” to write your forever-in-draft-mode novel…
What’s even worse is that this feeling of “I don’t want to do anything” puts your goals on the
back burner. And in many cases, they stay there till you gain the motivation to take action on
them.
But many times, that ends up being weeks, months, or even years into the future.
Motivation Eludes Even the Best of Us. Motivation can be a tricky beast:
One the one hand, you can get a sudden inspiration to become healthy and drop everything
to go for a jog. On the other hand, hoping for out-of-nowhere boosts of motivation like this… is
definitely an unreliable method of achieving your goals.
So where exactly does that leave you?
Motivation Is Unreliable With Most Common Strategies
At the end of the day, motivation is simply an emotion. And like all emotions, it’s fickle.
It can be there one day, and then only moments later, disappear like a gust of wind.
But if motivation is finicky to work with… is it something you can ever rely on?
Can it truly get rid of the “I don’t want to do anything” feeling?

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 Well, this is where most people get motivation wrong in the first place.
It’s not enough to just look at inspiring images or read motivational quotes online. At best,
you might get a nice feeling after doing these things.
But if we’re being realistic here… it’s more likely you aren’t being productive even after
being “inspired” by those motivational methods. So it’s easy to conclude that at the very least,
those approaches aren’t something you should use.

5 Unique Ways to Motivate Yourself to Take Action And Achieve Your Goals
So how to “manufacture” motivation when you need it?
Before I dive into the 5 unique ways, you may want to get this free Worksheet For Instant
Motivation Boost, and get some ideas on how to build your own motivation engine first. Get your
free worksheet here.
Then, if you want motivation that works immediately and lasts a long time, you need
something that’s different compared to what you normally do or see. My job is to provide you
with some interesting new methods that will motivate you to change your world.
Here are five somewhat offbeat methods of motivation for you to try out. The fact that these
methods stray from the pack is a good thing. It means you’ll be mixing things up for the first time.
And just being “different” is already a motivational factor to begin with.
So try one out, or try them all out. Either way, you’re likely to find yourself more motivated
and action-taking than ever before.
1. Add “Mystery” to Your Motivation MIX
A powerful form of motivation has to do with spontaneity and unexpectedness.
And while we can’t perfectly replicate this, we can do the next best thing.
Try writing out at least 5 different rewards you can use when you take breaks or complete
tasks. A range of “reward magnitudes” is ideal, for example:
Watch a Youtube video
Eat a piece of chocolate
Play a short guitar jam session
Watch a Netflix show
Walk around the block
As you can see, each reward is different:
Some are smaller and more instant gratification.
Others are bigger and more personal to you.
Now, most of the time when you take a break, you do the same old thing each time.
(Most often it’s taking a smartphone break.)

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 But imagine you could only pick one of these rewards each time.
And going even further – you have to choose one at random as well.
Suddenly, you don’t know what you’re going to get anymore. It could be a small reward. Or
it could even be a big reward.
And that makes things interesting again.
And once things are interesting again… you are more than likely to be motivated to work
just to see what random (good or amazing) reward you’ll get next.
2. Make Your Motivation “Scary”
On the other motivation spectrum, there’s the “negative” side of things.
With this approach you focus on motivating yourself to avoid something – rather than on
being rewarded. All you’ve got to do is find suitable ways to “punish” yourself for not being
productive about whatever’s important to you.
Here’s a few simple examples you can draw ideas from:
If you don’t get up early to exercise, your spouse gets to spray you with a water bottle till
you get up
If you don’t go to the gym after work, you have to eat something you dislike (for me, this
would be a grapefruit – too bitter!)
If you don’t write a page in your novel during lunch, you have to lock all the distracting apps
on your phone for 24 hours
Ultimately, the punishment needs to be powerful enough to “make you feel it.” So these
punishments will be unique to you. But with a little creativity, you’re bound to find something
that motivates you to take action so you avoid your punishment at all costs.
3. Use Peer Pressure
This tip works well if you have family and friends who are on board with helping you
achieve your goals. All you’ve got to do is encourage your close ones to “peer pressure” you into
working on your goals whenever you’re supposed to.
So let’s say you decide to write your novel after work. Well, if the first thing you do when
you get back home from work is toss your jacket on the floor, hop on the couch, and start flipping
through channels… this is the time for your family to “strike.”
“Hey honey, wouldn’t it be amazing if you finished a page of your novel today? I know I’d
be happy.”
“Dad, I was reading a book earlier and thought about how cool it’d be if you finished yours.”
“Mom, whenever I see that you’re writing a book it makes me so proud – I can’t wait till you
finish it!”
And basically, they’d just go on and on till you get to writing or whatever your goal is.

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 The best thing about this strategy is that it’s hands-off:
Everybody else does the motivating for you. And I’ve found it tends to work no matter how
much I don’t want to do anything, either.
4. Drop Your Standards Unreasonably Low
A big motivation problem is feeling your goals are too big and hairy.
If you feel overwhelmed by any task or project you have, your motivation is going to tank
for sure. So a simple way around this is to use the “10% method:” If you ever feel the slightest
resistance to a task at hand, just say you’ll only do 10% of the original task and you can stop
there.
So if you plan on doing 20 pushups for exercise, only do 2.
If you plan on writing a page in your novel, just write a paragraph (or even a sentence)
instead. Or if you need to clean your room, just say you’ll clean 3 items only.
It’s a simple method, but VERY easy to implement. And the best part is:
Once you’ve lowered your mental resistance to the task at hand (and thereby increased your
motivation to do it), you are VERY likely to do more than just 10%.
And that’s because “startup momentum” can carry you further along the task.
5. Put Your Money on the Line
Nothing hurts like losing your money. And a simple way to use this idea tying your hard-
earned cash to the accomplishment of your goals. An easy way to do this is by involving a friend
or family member. Just grab one of them and say this:
“This is a $20 bill. If you see that I don’t:
Go to the gym after work, or:
Write a page in my novel, or:
Get up early tomorrow …Then you can have the $20 for yourself.”
You’ll see a big smile across the face of whoever’s helping you, and wonder if they’re
rooting for you to fail in the first place. Either way, you can expect your motivation to work on
your goals to skyrocket after using this tip.
The Truth Behind Motivation
Remember, motivation isn’t about feeling inspired or anything else so fluffy. The ultimate
goal is creating an urge to act towards achieving your goals.
And I’m confident that if you use some of the strategies I’ve listed here, you’ll be well on
your way to being more motivated, take more action, and transform your life forever.

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7 Best Goal Planners To Get in 2021
A few of the many obstacles to setting goals is that you either forget your goals entirely or
you put them off for so long. One of the most effective tools in handling this problem is through
having goal planners.
Goal planners are a way to put your goals to paper and allow you to focus on that goal.
These are great tools to be implementing new habits and boosting your overall productivity.
With so many of these goal planners available, our editors picked out a small sample of
some of the best goal planners that you can get.
Best Goal Planners Criteria
Through our research, all the best goal planners that we picked out meet the following
criteria:
Undated – A big issue with some planners is that they have days and years written in them.
This is problematic especially when starting out goal setting. Undated versions allow you to start,
stop, and take breaks without feeling like you’re wasting paper.
Science based – Either in their methods or in the activities these planners get you to do, these
goal planners are smartly structured to help you get the most out of your day.
Simple, clean and organized – All of these planners are clean and organized to the point that
these planners can serve as an extension of your brain. They’re able to easily organize jumbled
thoughts and help you plot out your goals.
1. Full Life Planner
Lifehack’s Full Life Planner is a planner system built around the Full Life System. It’s a
planner that helps you to organize every aspect of your life. It’s been going strong for 15 years
and provides some of Lifehack’s best practices and proven success formulas.
2. Panda Planner
The Panda Planner has been highly reviewed as another one of the best goal planners to get.
On top of it providing sections for monthly, weekly, and daily planning, it offers free videos as
well as e-books to show you all kinds of strategies to help in all kinds of aspects of your life.
3. Law of Attraction Planner
This is the planner for people that want to manifest something new or exciting in their lives.
It helps you to set goals through prompts, to-do lists, and goal-setting tools to establish habits. On
the manifestation front, it provides sections for you to show gratitude, allowing you to be thankful
for what you do have and are working towards. The planner also comes with a video to help
establish a 10-minute morning routine and various stickers to make your planner more unique.
4. Little More Daily Organizer
While it only has 328 undated pages, it offers a great focus on monthly and daily goal
setting. It’s ideal if your goals and habits that you’re invested in and really want them to be
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sticking. How it’s able to do that is through its flexible design and also providing space for you to
outline actions steps, reflect on processes, and prioritize multiple goals.
5. Erin Condren Petite Planner
Only 80 pages long, it’s efficient with its space as its packed with all kinds of features for
setting goals and stick to your plans. You’re able to describe your goal, outline a “why”, and put
together an action plan. The other page is a way for you to chunk large goals and put them into
more manageable tasks. All around it’s a fantastic planner.
6. The 100-Day Goal Journal
If setting goals for a year seems daunting, another one of the best goal planners that’s short
is the 100-day goal journal. It has monthly spreads, daily reflection pages where you’re able to
practice gratitude and check overarching goals. It even has space for you to reflect on current
challenges and offer solutions to your problems.
7. SELF Journal
The final of the best goal planners we have to offer is SELF journal. It offers daily gratitude
acknowledgement, sections to track goals on a weekly basis and also has inspirational quotes to
provide that extra push of motivation. It’s only got enough pages for 13 weeks, but it’s ideal if
you set a lot of shorter-term goals and want those small habits to stick.
Final Thoughts
All of our goals are achievable with the proper mindset and a system to support it. Planners
have been able to precisely assist those who struggle with getting started and need help in
organizing their thoughts and putting it to paper. For those who want to stick to habits, try out one
of these planners to help you with that process.

26 Future Goals Examples For Your Career And Personal Life

Most people set several goals every year, but most of them go unfulfilled. To make sure that
your dream life becomes a reality, you should take some time to learn how to create personal and
career goals that suit the life you want to create.
Of course, picking the right goal can be hard. Sometimes, a little inspiration is needed to
grease the wheels of success. So below, you’ll find many future goals examples that’ll help make
setting and achieving goals for your future a lot easier. Whether you’re looking for good old-
fashioned self-improvement or want to future your career prospects, you’re in the right place.
So, are you ready to take that all-important first step? Take a look at the following 26 future
goals examples so you can get started today. And before you know it, you’ll be well on your way
to a better, more fulfilling life.
1. Read a New Book Every Month

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 The first on this list of future goals examples is reading a new book every month. This is an
ambitious goal that’ll make you grow personally and professionally. How? By allowing you to
learn more each day than most people do in their entire lives.
Any time spent reading can be done either at home with family (or alone), during a lunch
break from work, or even before bedtime. The important thing, though, is using what you read
about to change your habits. And over time, it’s practically guaranteed to change your life for the
better.[1]
2. Build a Website and Blog
This is great because it teaches you how to find your voice, figure out what you want to say,
and share your message. You might also learn about new technologies or tools that can help work
more efficiently. It’s an opportunity to turn words into action! And this is great whether for your
personal development or career purposes as well.
Even better, you can use it to demonstrate your career expertise, which could potentially
attract more business opportunities your way.
3. Develop a More Active Lifestyle
Incorporating an active lifestyle into your routine will make you feel better, be more
energetic, and improve your health. You’ll even have a higher chance of living longer as well.
And the best part? It doesn’t need to be a difficult task. You can easily find ways to make this
happen, whether it’s by taking your dog for walks in the evening or working out with friends on
weekends.
4. Find New Passions to Explore
This goal is helpful because it gives you time to rediscover yourself. You might find this
goal sparks a whole new interest in something. If that’s the case, you can explore it for a few
months and then find another passion to pursue—or even combine two passions into one! This
gives your goals meaning and essentially, this means your life has more meaning as well.
5. Learn New Skills in Your Field
You’ll find this helpful because it allows you to keep up with trends, stay relevant in your
industry, and have something new for yourself or others. You might also get to use your new
skills in a job interview or work project, which could lead to more work opportunities and better
job prospects as well.
6. Take on New Projects at Work
Experimenting with new projects will help you grow in your career and learn more about the
goals for a company or how other teams work. It might also teach you something unexpected that
can be applied to another project as well.
7. Make Time for Friends and Family

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 This is a great way to help you feel more fulfilled with your social life. This might be
meeting up for coffee or dinner, going out on a date night, or simply taking care of your pet
together. You’ll get to catch up and share quality moments that can’t always happen when you’re
busy. And often, it’s these slow, quiet moments that stay with us the longest.
8. Do Charity Work
By taking on this kind of future goal, you’re giving back to the world and making a
difference. Even better, you might be able to meet new people and make connections with others
that share similar interests, as you’re more likely to volunteer somewhere you feel strongly about.
9. Plan One or Two Trips Per Year
Sometimes, the most important thing is to take some time away from your everyday life. By
changing scenery and exploring new destinations, you’ll get a break from work projects or other
activities that keep your mind busy. You might also meet new people while you’re away and have
a chance to explore different cultures, learn about yourself, and grow connections with new and
interesting people.
10. Learn to Cook From Scratch
It’s always useful to learn more about what goes into your favorite foods. It might also make
your kitchen feel like a less intimidating place, or give you tools to cook on the go, which could
be really convenient. And, of course, you’ll be able to make delicious and healthy meals for
yourself or your family.
11. Try Something Outside Your Comfort Zone
This goal is great for giving you the opportunity to push yourself and challenge what you
know. By living life outside of our comfort zone and making mistakes along the way, you’ll
constantly be learning something new. This could be anything from traveling somewhere new,
trying a food you’ve never had before, or even taking on something in your personal life that
would typically cause anxiety.
12. Learn How to Meditate
Meditation is helpful because it helps you be more present. It might also help with other
goals like sleep or having a better work-life balance as well. After all, you’ll feel less stressed and
have an easier time finding your zen state when you meditate regularly.[2]
13. Practice Gratitude Every Day
One of the best stress relievers is being thankful for what you have, and this can be done by
keeping a gratitude journal, reflecting on goals you’ve accomplished, or even just saying “thank
you.” The major thing is not letting negativity cloud your thoughts and remembering what is
actually good in life.
14. Treat Yourself to the Occasional Indulgence

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 Sometimes, it’s hard to take some time for yourself and enjoy life. When done responsibly,
indulgences can be beneficial to your well-being and help you feel more refreshed. Whether this is
a massage, dinner out with friends, or even just an evening at home watching TV, we must take
some time for ourselves every now and again.
15. Create a Debt-Removal Budget
One of the most stressful experiences we can experience is financial issues. And while we
might not be able to solve all of the debt problems right away, it’s important that you make goals
and start tackling some of them.
One of the major financial stressors is debt. If you can create and stick with a debt-removal
process, the level of satisfaction you experience when your debt is wiped away will be huge.
16. Take Care of Your Mental Health
All these examples of future goals mean nothing if you’re not in the right state of mind to
use them. So, it’s important to make goals for your mental health as well. This is different for
everybody, but in general, it means getting away from sources of stress and balancing them out
with activities that bring you joy or satisfaction.
Stephen Covey calls this “sharpening the saw” in his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People. Essentially, it’s what keeps you moving forward through the tough times in life.
17. Learn a New Language
It’s obvious that being able to communicate with more people is great for both personal and
career prospects. On the one hand, people prefer communicating in their native language. So, this
will make traveling and socializing more enjoyable. On the other hand, practically every company
desires multi-language speakers. It’s just good for business and will make you stand out more.
18. Take a Self-Defense Class
This may not be so obvious, but another future goal example is taking a self-defense class.
While you ideally never have to use it, learning self-defense will help you feel more empowered
and safe. And just knowing that you have the skills to protect yourself and your loved ones is a
great feeling. So, why not take advantage of it?
19. Take Up Painting
Painting is a perfect outlet for regulating emotions and gaining a sense of peace and
calmness. It’s also great for developing your creative abilities and being able to express yourself
through art. You’ll be surprised by how quickly your skills improve when you take up painting as
an activity for simple fulfillment reasons.
20. Learn to Play a Musical Instrument
Another great way to be creative is by playing an instrument. It might seem daunting at first,
but it’s surprisingly not as difficult as you think. And playing an instrument will force your brain

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to work in new ways and help with cognitive development.[3] Plus, music is great for social
reasons as you can bond over it as well.
21. Start a Side Hustle
Side hustles can be a good way to not only make more money but improve your career as
well. Any employer will be impressed by the initiative needed to start a side hustle, and not to
mention the skills needed to make it work. But the most important part is that it will give you
goals to pursue outside of your day job, which can be extremely rewarding.
22. Learn How to Garden
A great way to relieve stress while also being physically active is gardening. It’s not as hard
as you think. All you need is a small garden space and some seeds. And it’ll be good for your
mental health as well since you’re able to maintain something outside yourself even when present
circumstances are tough.
23. Aim to Be a Team Leader
The best way to move up at work is to be in a leadership position. Leaders are automatically
given respect by other people. Plus, by being a leader, you’ll stand out in people’s memory more.
This will give you more weight when new positions or projects are being considered for
employees.
24. Hire Someone From Your Network
Working with people within your network will foster better connections and opportunities.
And if you help them, they will help you. This means you’ll have an easier time finding better
positions to work towards in your career.
25. Teach or Mentor Others in Your Field
One of the best ways to stand out in your field is to teach others. Not only will it make you
more marketable, but it’ll also help you learn more about your field of expertise. It’s a great way
to give back in some ways as well.
26. Try Out Different Roles and Departments at Your Company
The last one of these future goals examples is trying out different roles in your company. If
your goal is to move up in your company, it can help to work in the various departments for even
a short time. This will help you better understand the company’s goals and culture, which is great
for networking. It’ll also give you an idea of where your strengths lie so that when new openings
arise in different departments, you’ll be able to apply successfully.
Final Thoughts
Setting goals is key for your personal life and career success. If you’ve been struggling to
achieve your goals, it might be time for a change in strategy. But you don’t have to go from zero
to hero overnight. Instead, take small steps every day that’ll lead towards your major goal.

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 You can use these future goals examples to set your own and work on them one at a time.
And before you know it, you’ll build enough momentum to make progress that changes your life
forever.

How To Get Rid Of Your Social Media Addiction

Nowadays, if you’re not on social media, you feel like you’re not truly living in the 21st
century. Everything from businesses to personal and professional relationships, social media has a
strong presence—and with that, a luring temptation to spend even more time using its features.
While it still provides platforms where we can connect with friends and family, it has
exponentially grown to an online version of the Vegas strip: advertisements, videos, and links
inviting us to turn our attention to the next latest and greatest trend or product. According to a
recent article by Forbes, having a potent social media strategy is critical for businesses and
consumers alike.[1] We make a tremendous amount of purchasing decisions based on content
provided to us via social media channels.
Likewise, we also tend to “follow the flock” when it comes to new trends, ideas, fashion,
and unfortunately, even politics. While the positive side of social media is that we now have more
freedom of expression, the shadow side is still just as present: we can easily lose our sense of
individuality.[2] It’s a slippery slope—and one that often takes a bit of time and consequence to
realize and change. This is why the term “social media addiction” has taken root in the health and
wellness industry as one of the causes of mental health issues.[3]

Social Media Addiction and How It Affects Health

How we use social media has drastically changed since the dawn of websites like Facebook.
Initially, Facebook’s platform was a simple way of connecting with friends and family and
posting cheesy pictures or status updates on Facebook’s “wall.”
Over time, however, with the emergence of a more picture-oriented platform like Instagram,
we upped the ante. This is where the slippery slope emerged, and we’re still dealing with it
presently.
Take a look at some of the most popular Instagram profiles today. You’ll likely see a pattern
of manicured photos and perfect layouts, followed by millions of users. This has become an
“Instagram goal,” and it perpetuates the idea that beautiful pictures equate to a happy user. We
know that’s simply not the case, but this mentality and desire to create a perfect life online for all
to see is feeding depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
Likewise, it’s causing us to lose our sense of authenticity and realness because the “real
world” problems don’t make for beautiful social media posts. Instead, we hide behind the beauty
that’s only covering up our sadness, grief, or loneliness. Because we’ve carefully created our
online world, we’ve stepped out of our real one. Social media addiction is this practice of
escapism.[4]
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 So, how do you take back the reins of your life and curb your time on social media (and stop
social media addiction)? Here are some steps to get started.
1. Think About Why You’d Like to Be on Social Media
Everything we do in life is about intention: why do you want to do something? What will it
bring you? The same goes for social media use. It may be silly to ask this question when thinking
about a Facebook or Instagram account, but if you want to truly control your social media (instead
of the other way around), asking this question may truly be eye-opening.
Do you want to just keep in touch with friends, or do you want to promote your business?
Getting to the crux of why you’re online will help you clearly mark your time on social media
effectively and eliminate everything else.
2. Be Meticulous About Who You Follow and what you post and share
Attention is your greatest currency. Read that again.
Everything that you click on or “like” becomes a thread in the tapestry of what comes back
to you on social media newsfeeds. You want to create the kind of information spread that works
for you, your needs, and your time. So, often, we impulsively follow people who may not be
serving our best interests.
Give yourself permission to clean those contacts out every once in a while! It’s okay to
disagree with someone. Instead of plummeting into a rabbit hole of social media thread
arguments, unfollow anyone who you don’t connect with. It’s much better for your mental health
and helps you get rid of social media addiction.
Likewise, be meticulous about what you share. Are you posting misinformation yourself?
Just like you are planning on cleaning up your contacts list, someone who follows you may be
thinking of doing the same. Make it a priority to share and post things that not only have
significance to you but also serve others.
3. Curb the Time You Spend Online
If you have a laundry list of things to get done but have spent the last three hours scrolling
your newsfeed, it’s time to close the app or the computer. Set a timer on your phone, if that’s what
it takes to solve your social media addiction.
Once you begin the practice of detaching from being online so much, you’ll notice that you
get so much time back! This time has always existed, but you were just using it poorly. It’s not
that you don’t have enough time—it’s just that you spend too much time scrolling online instead
of being productive.
4. Change Your Notification Settings
If your productivity is suffering because you’re constantly distracted by the pings from your
notifications, there are ways to turn those notifications off in your settings. Better yet, you can
always delete the apps from your phone and devices and resolve to check your social media

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notifications on your desktop. This way, you can get back to finishing your work without facing
the temptation of checking your messages.
5. Not Everything Has to Be Posted and Shared
It often feels like we’re in a perpetual case of “FOMO” when it comes to posting on social
media. If the Superbowl came and went and you didn’t post anything at all, will the world
continue to spin? Of course.
We don’t have any social obligation to our followers to keep them abreast of every single
event that happens in our life. These are choices that we must make consciously and in alignment
with our desires.
Think about the last concert (in the pre-COVID world) you went to—did you immediately
post bits of the concert to social media or snapped and uploaded a selfie of you and your friends?
These are habitual things that we don’t even think about, which brings me to the final
point…
6. It’s Okay to Put Your Phone Down and Enjoy Life
In fact, this one very simple point could truly help you cut that social media addiction!
Precious moments of your life are one in a million—like seeing a shooting star or catching the
smile of your favorite person. These moments are so fragile, and they never happen the same way
twice in your lifetime.
Don’t run towards your phone to capture that moment. Capture it instead with your eyes and
with your heart. Let it become a sweet memory. Enjoy the moment you’re so keen on sharing with
others and instead, prioritize sharing it with yourself.
Final Thoughts
Social media addiction, when left unchecked, can lead us to depression and lack of self-
worth and authenticity. If we “follow the flock” in search of creating a perfect online life, we’re
stepping further away from being ourselves. This brings about a slew of consequences, which can
snowball over time and lead to worse obstacles in our lives.
When we finally learn how to use social media, to what extent, and with what intention in
mind, we can take control over it before it takes control over us.

11 Ways to Naturally Increase Your Focus

According to a study done by Microsoft, we lose interest in just eight seconds.[1] That
means our attention span is less than that of a goldfish’s (which is nine).
The battle for our mind is very real. Never before in history have we had so many different
vehicles vying for our attention. Disney+, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok are
just some of the heavy hitters out there and unfortunately for us, they are all very good at what
they do. The good news is we can fight back.

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 As a productivity consultant, I help clients regain their focus in a number of ways. Here are
11 ways to naturally increase your focus.
1. A Good Night’s Rest
As a society, we have become obsessed with getting ahead. We come in early, stay late, put
in time on the weekends, and burn the midnight oil. We do so in order to give ourselves
advantages over our peers and competition which lead to promotions and higher salaries.
Every time a new client walks through my door (metaphorically in today’s world), I run a
time audit. I want to know how they invest their time, where the leaks are and how best I can
serve them. Inevitably, nearly every executive that comes to me, shortchanges themselves when it
comes to their sleep.
There are the sleepless elites (1 to 3 percent of the population)[2] that are able to get by on
less than five hours sleep, but most of us simply can’t. Researchers have found that we need
between seven and eight hours a night to operate at peak performance.[3] Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos,
Jack Ma and Lebron James are just a few of the people that get a good night’s rest.
A good night’s sleep allows our body to reset itself; reducing stress and alleviating muscle
wear. Our ability to focus increases and we are able to reduce our mistakes.
Solution: It isn’t rocket science – schedule your sleep as you would a meeting with an
important client. It’s that important.
2. Dust Off Your Jogging Shoes
We have become a sedentary society spending an average of ten hours a day seated. Our
body suffers as a result. To counter the effects sitting has on our body we need to move so it’s
time to dust off your jogging shoes and get out there. It doesn’t have to be jogging, but we do
need to get our blood pumping.
Martial arts such as Karate or Aikido are a great way to not only boost your stamina and
improve your focus naturally, but you develop the ability to protect yourself at the same time.
Bouldering is another excellent sport which can be done alone. What’s great about going to a
bouldering gym is you can listen to your favorite podcast or listen to lectures with your AirPods,
killing two birds with one stone.
The benefits of regular exercise are well documented. Exercise benefits everyone, from the
very young to even older adults. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), just a year
of moderate aerobic physical activity an help stop or even reverse memory loss that can occur
with aging.[4]
Most people fail when it comes to exercise because they try to do too much, too fast and
simply give up. Don’t think of your health as a sprint, but rather a marathon. Play the long game.
Experience has taught me that it’s not actually working out that’s tough, but creating the habit
that’s the real challenge.

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 Solution: Start with just five minutes of exercise a day. Everyone can find five minutes. One
the habit sticks, it’s easy enough to increase it to ten or twenty, but without the habit, your chance
of success is low.
3. Nature is Your Friend
When it comes to natural ways to improve focus, nature is a winner. Too many of us go
through our day simply moving from one screen to another. We sit in front of our laptop and work
on our upcoming PowerPoint presentation, then pick up our iPhone to skim our social media
feeds, then turning on our giant 65’ TV to catch up on our favorite shows. The strain on our eyes
is intense, and worst of all, we don’t even notice it.
The solution here is simple – put your smartphone away, and get outside. Even just a short
walk for 15 to 20 minutes can boost your concentration. Got a writer’s block? Same thing, get
outside and simply enjoy nature. A short walk around the neighborhood or wandering through a
park will do wonders to get your creative juices flowing. If you’re near a beach or river, even
better.
Any natural environment has benefits. In fact, according to research from 2014, there is
evidence to suggest that by simply adding plants to your office space increases concentration and
productivity,[5] not to mention workplace satisfaction and air quality.
It’s not just adults who benefit from natural environments either. Children with ADHD could
improve concentration from a 20-minute walk in the park over a simply walk in an urban setting.
[6]
Solution: Spend more time in nature. Here’s what happens to your brain when you walk in
nature.
4. Brain Training Activities
Sudoku, crosswords, chess, jigsaw puzzles are popular for a reason. Not just are they
challenging, but they help improve focus and patience.
Solution: Add more games to your mental diet. Here’re 8 Ways to Train Your Brain to Learn
Faster and Remember More
5. Music
Studies have shown that listening to classical music improves cognitive ability.[7] Perhaps
it’s the combination of a lack of lyrics with beautiful sounds that works so effectively. Our mind
doesn’t get caught up trying to sing along with Taylor Swift, while at the same time, creates a
sense of relaxation.
Solution: Add more classical music, nature sounds or BGM to your office space. Here’re
some options for you: Productivity Music for Focus (Recommended Playlists)
6. Noise-Cancelling Headphones

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 We live in a world of noise. Notifications, buzzes, phone calls, kids, cars, etc. Some of the
most productive times have been when I was simply sitting in a park when no one was around or
laying on a secluded beach.
Unfortunately, not all of us have that luxury. Thankfully, we can create our own quiet places
with noise-cancelling headphones. It’s not exactly a nature way to improve focus, but it’s too
important not to include.
Solution: Pick yourself up some AirPod Pros and keep the outside world out. Just be sure not
to use them when you’re cycling or in your car.
7. Tai Chi
Not quite a martial art, not quite meditation. Tai Chi is an ancient form of focusing the mind
that includes body movement often described as “medication in motion.” This low-impact, slow-
motion exercise challenges you to focus on your breathing and circular movements in which the
muscles are never tensed.
Solution: If you’ve always wanted to give martial arts a try but want a lighter version, Tai
Chi could be for you.
8. Work from Paper
Our society has become so glued to technology that most kids are more familiar with their
iPads than books. I do love my iPhone but I also know its limitations. Working from paper is one
natural way to increase focus and retention. There’s something magical about picking up a pen
and writing things down.
Typing is simply hitting a bunch of keys in a seemingly random order. Writing forces us to
create each letter (or character for languages such as Japanese and Thai). That movement
stimulates different parts of our brains and as such improves focus.
Solution: Real pros use a pen and paper in today’s digital world.
9. Caffeine
While I’m not a huge proponent of adding caffeine to your diet, I can’t deny the fact that it
can help increase focus. Most people assume that means to drink coffee, however, I suggest
people try green tea, otherwise known as matcha, instead. Not only does green tea contain
caffeine, but it also has phytochemicals that not only improve cognitive function but also promote
relaxation.
Solution: Go Japanese and turn to green tea if you need a caffeine boost.
10. Meditation
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. We live in a world of noise. Meditation is precisely
the opposite. It allows us to clear our minds. Thomas Edison once said, “When you become quiet,
it just dawns on you.”

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 Meditation isn’t for everyone. It takes time to tap into its power and some people simply
don’t have the patience for it. For those people, I suggest trying yoga instead. In many ways yoga
and meditation are intertwined. They both rely heavily on breathing exercises so if you have
trouble sitting still, yoga is a better option for you. Many athletes including Kobe Bryant were
huge practitioners of both activities and the results speak for themselves.
Solution: Try adding a healthy dose of yoga or meditations activities to your daily life.
Here’re the 5 Best Guided Morning Meditation for Energy And Motivation
11. Improve Your Diet
I like to say, “You can only be as productive as you feel.” Our condition is linked to our
mental and physical health. Much of the items on this list relate to improving our mental state, but
our physical state is just as important hence why exercise was number two on this list. However,
exercise is just one half of our physical condition. The other is our diet.
Too many of us fail to invest the time to create a healthy diet conducive to our focus and
productivity. I was one of them, and I suffered from it. Thankfully, my wife was able to right the
sinking ship and today, at age 46, I feel healthier than when I was in my 20s.
Entire books are dedicated to creating the perfect diet. I believe we don’t need nearly that
much. The key to living well is simply a more well-balanced diet. The breakdown of my seven
lunches and seven dinners each week is usually 40% chicken, 30% fish, and 30% meat. Except for
the odd burger, every meal comes with a variety of vegetables. Lastly, and most importantly, I
rarely eat till I’m full.
Solution: You don’t need to go vegan; a well-balanced diet can work wonders to improve
your focus. Check out these 15 Eating Habits to Make You Stay Productive at Work.
Bottom Line
The battle for our focus is very real. We need to fight back! The 11 ways above will help
you increase your focus naturally and boost productivity.

5 Ways Meditation Improves Your Daily Focus and Concentration

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by something that you just couldn’t focus or concentrate
on anything at all? Every so often, this also happens to me. In fact, it happens to the best of us.
And if your lifestyle is anything like mine, you work hard and play hard, always trying to perform
at peak performance, always trying to make the most out of every opportunity that comes your
way, and determined to accomplish whatever it is that you put your mind to—no matter how
many obstacles get in your way.
Nevertheless, regardless of your mental acumen and acuity—after all is said and done—you
are only human, you can only do so much and go so far without having to take a break every now
and then to recharge. Not to mention the fact that there is only so much time in the day to
accomplish everything on your to-do list.
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 I know you’re busy, but so am I. But hopefully, by this stage in your life, you would agree
that life is more like a marathon rather than a sprint. We all have to find a way to somehow pace
ourselves accordingly so that we don’t inadvertently run out of mental steam before the finish
line.
As a professional mental health interventionist and licensed psychotherapist, I have had the
unique opportunity to work with some very successful and even a few well-known clients who
have found themselves struggling in one way or another with any combination of mental health
and substance disorders, with issues that clearly transcend all socioeconomic levels. Although I
never actually plan to trade foreign currencies in London—or become a market-maker of
integrated industrial circuitry in San Francisco for that matter—I have learned a lot of practical
life lessons working with my clients.
One of the most significant lessons has been how important it is to find a way to budget your
time wisely so that you can increase your productivity while having enough time to reflect and
enjoy your desired quality of life, all somehow without the risk of burning out. In other words,
success does not have to come at the expense of your own mental health.
With that being said, fortunately, meditation happens to be one of the most powerful, easily
accessible, and cost-effective introspective tools available to help you gain the cognitive clarity
and sharpness to successfully balance your precious time. Below are five ways that meditation
helps you improve your daily focus and concentration.
1. Meditation Unclutters Your Mind
Meditation helps you improve your daily focus and concentration by uncluttering your mind.
Similar to a computer, after downloading enough large files onto the hard drive in your mind—at
one point or another—you will probably feel as though your mind has run out of free space to
store any more information, thereby potentially overloading your own unique internal operating
system.
It happens to the best of us, myself included. As a result, just like a computer, our
performance diminishes, along with our mental health. We all have our limits. Mediation
essentially provides a neurosensory pathway to archive important files while deleting obsolete and
sometimes even intrusive data.
2. Meditation Liberates Your Thoughts From Past Traumas
Meditation helps you improve your daily focus and concentration by liberating your
thoughts from past traumas. A traumatic event is usually characterized by something shocking to
witness, marked by a sense of horror, helplessness, or by the threat of serious injury or death.
Many people who have witnessed a traumatic event are negatively impacted long after the
incident occurred by a condition that is commonly known as post-traumatic stress disorder. Many
people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder experience flashbacks, insomnia, and
generalized anxiety
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 With guided meditation, you may be able to effectively work through the trauma by learning
to let go of the specific circumstances surrounding the traumatic event that has negatively
impacted your life. In essence, meditation can help you make peace with the past so that you live
in the here and now with clarity and ultimately without fear.
3. Meditation Highlights the Impact of Maladaptive Belief Systems
Meditation helps you improve your daily focus and concentration by highlighting the impact
of maladaptive belief systems. In one way or another, we are all products of our environment. Our
belief systems are built upon the world that we live in and the information that we can access.
Only through global exploration did everyone finally accept the fact that the world was not flat.
We all have the capacity to change the way we think, become more insightful, and be more
aware of our surroundings. Meditation can provide a transcendental out-of-body perspective on
any given subject with a more transparent line of sight well above the proverbial forest. Mediation
can help provide you with the mental acuity to look at any given situation from multiple
perspectives, which ultimately enhances your capacity to adapt to change.
4. Meditation Helps You Separate Yourself From Unhealthy Distractions
Meditation helps you improve your daily focus and concentration by enabling you to
separate yourself from less critical and sometimes unhealthy distractions that tend to impede your
ability to maintain healthy relationships with others and function independently.
As a professional addiction counselor, many of my clients have actually been able to use
guided meditation to effectively work through cravings to use mood-altering substances, as well
as behaviors associated with complex compulsive disorders.[2]
Through meditation, you can essentially discard unwanted thoughts—first within your
subconscious, and then in practice, when real-life conscious urges arise. Therefore, meditation can
actually help people stay sober and stable by giving them an outlet to release thoughts and
feelings that would otherwise compromise their overall mental health. In fact, studies have shown
that regular meditation can be as effective as medication in treating people with symptoms of
severe depression.[3]
5. Meditation Creates a Judgment-Free Zone
Meditation helps you improve your daily focus and concentration by creating a judgment-
free zone for you to collect your thoughts in peace and harmony before making critical and time-
sensitive decisions with clarity. As both a licensed psychotherapist and small business owner, I
have to always be on point, performing at my very best, all the while making every effort to spend
quality time with my family.
In my world, there is no room for mediocrity and wasting time. I have clients that depend on
me for counsel and a family that needs as much of my love and attention as I can possibly give—
perhaps you feel the very same way. As a result, we are constantly making important decisions
that impact a lot of people, and that’s the great thing about meditation.
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 No matter where you are in the world, no matter the time, unless you are in the middle of
surgery or perhaps flying a plane—even if only for a brief moment—meditation can provide a
transcendental portal into your very own subconscious tropical oasis of serenity and oneness
where you can clear your mind before making major decisions.
Why Meditate for Concentration?
We all want to be self-sufficient and successful in whatever we choose to do with our lives.
As humans, we are innately proud to be autonomous thinkers with the ability to resolve complex
issues and accomplish even our loftiest goals using drive and ingenuity. As a result, we need to be
able to focus and concentrate on the situation at hand with a clear mind, whether it be at work or
at home.
From a personal perspective, the decisions that we make directly impact the lives of our
loved ones. Someone once said that “no man is an island.” I firmly agree that we all need
interpersonal connections in our lives to fully participate in the human experience. Furthermore,
as entrepreneurs and independent professionals, we usually don’t have a back-office staff to help
us take care of our clients.
Although we may have confidence in others, at the end of the day, it is ultimately our
responsibility as individuals to make sure that both our loved ones—as well as our clients—feel as
though we are available and on top of things, especially the things that they have entrusted us to
take care of for them.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, many of us feel as though we just don’t have the luxury of taking a
day off. There just isn’t anyone else to open up the store, perform the service, or spend enough
quality time with loved ones eagerly waiting at home for some of our undivided attention.
Therefore, our overall interpersonal happiness and financial success may largely depend on our
ability to effectively focus and concentrate. Without enough time to refresh and recharge our
minds, we can easily burn out.
Just like an acrobat appearing to fearlessly walk across a tightrope, we may be able to
significantly improve our overall focus and level of concentration by using meditation to help us
channel all of our conscious weight to our emotional base, giving us a greater sense of balance
and clarity as we move forward in our lives.

How To Increase Focus At Work: 12 Brain Hacks

Knowledge was what once separated the rich and successful from the rest of the pack. The
internet combined with the iPhone leveled the playing field. Then came along social media and
put people in touch from all corners of the world. Now, Clubhouse is rewriting all the rules again.
While our knowledge grows exponentially, sadly, our focus doesn’t. We must learn—as Warren

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Buffet does—to “say no to almost everything”. The key to success isn’t how to learn more, but
how to increase focus.
The working-from-home model (WFH) wasn’t something many companies embraced just a
short time ago. Today, Covid-19 has made WFH ubiquitous. With it, all sorts of challenges have
arisen and companies and individuals alike are still adjusting to the new normal.
Pre-Covid, people had to deal with distractions at the office from walk-ins, colleagues
asking for assistance, office gossip, and the likes. Today’s environment, for many people, is
completely different. Isolated at home, a lack of focus can’t be blamed on your micromanaging
boss, obnoxious coworkers, or persistent customers. At home, your focus is entirely in your hands
now. So, what can you do about it?
Here are 12 different ways you can increase your focus.
1. Exercise
Get your day started right by getting the blood flowing. In Japanese, companies used to have
their employees start their mornings with some light exercise. Stretching, yoga, or easy
calisthenics are all that’s needed. Exercise does so much good for our bodies and mind.
According to the Harvard Medical School, exercise “reduces levels of the body’s stress
hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins,
chemicals in the brain that are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators.”[1]
2. Monotask
Multitasking was a cute catchphrase that sounded as if you were able to get more done in
less time. Science says that’s dead wrong. By jumping from one task to another, our brain needs
time to restart.
“multitasking is shifting focus from one task to another in rapid succession. It gives the
illusion that we’re simultaneously tasking, but we’re really not. It’s like playing tennis with three
balls.”
Therefore, to increase focus, simply monotask. By limiting your mind to a single topic, you
create a laser-like ability to cut through it.
3. Chunking
While we might not be able to multitask, we can do two activities simultaneously if they use
different parts of our brain. That’s why we can drive and listen to podcasts at the same time and
keep control of our cars—driving has become internalized. Watching TV while doing your
exercise routine is another prime example.
While chunking doesn’t qualify as something that will increase focus, what it does is free up
time that we can use for other tasks. Good time management means having the ability to do more.
When we have so much on our plate, getting through it all can be daunting. But by chunking
activities, we kill two birds with one stone.

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 4. Music
You might not think music can increase our focus, but you’d be wrong. A study from the
Stanford University School of Medicine, done in 2007, states that music, specifically classical
music, can help your brain absorb and interpret new information more easily.[2] If you’re looking
for an easy way on how to increase focus, Mozart or Beethoven have got you covered.
5. Nature
David Strayer is a cognitive psychologist at the University of Utah who specializes in
attention. He’s also an avid backpacker, and he talks about something called the “3-day effect.”
He demonstrated with a group of Outward Bound participants that after three days of a wilderness
backpacking adventure, they performed 50 percent better on creative problem-solving tasks.[3]
According to him, “on the third day, my senses recalibrate – I smell things and hear things I
didn’t hear before.” So, if you’ve been cramped up in your house during the lockdowns, a trip to
the Great Outdoors might be just what the doctor ordered.
6. Mingle
The effects the lockdowns have had on our mental health have been severe. Isolating people
isn’t good for us. We’re social animals. We need to get out and mingle. While we often view chit-
chat as a mindless, time-wasting activity, it does have its benefits. Talking to different people
exposes our minds to new and fresh ideas as well as alleviate stress. The less stress we have, the
more we can focus.
7. Sleep
The simplest and easiest way to increase focus is having good old-fashioned sleep. Too
many of us have gotten accustomed to cutting hours off our sleep to be able to watch another
episode of Game of Thrones or get to the next level in the Spiderman: Miles Morales on the
PlayStation 5.
None of us can operate at optimum levels for long periods of time without a good night’s
rest. Short term, we might be able to get away with it, but over time the effects add up. In essence,
by denying yourself sleep, you are denying your body the rest it needs to realign itself.
8. Diet
The food we eat is the fuel for our bodies. A Ferrari can only perform its best with quality
gasoline. The same can be said for our bodies, yet it seems too many people don’t connect the
two.
While the vegetarian diet is certainly healthy, I prefer to take a more balanced approach.
Fish, meat, and pork all provide us with amino acids essential for health. I compliment my
proteins with a variety of vegetables and carbohydrates. As they say, the proof is in the pudding.
Ever since I focused on creating a more balanced diet, I have not lost a day of work.
9. Cooking Timers

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 It sounds rather silly until you’ve tried it, but force yourself to work on one task for a solid
30 minutes—no interruptions of any kind. You’ll be amazed at how hard it is for us to do that. We
have gotten so used to jumping from one browser tab to another. We happily bounce around on
the internet whenever we see something that catches our eye. It’s amazing how much time we
flutter away without knowing it. A cooking timer is your commitment to give a single task your
undivided attention.
10. Switch Things Up
While I have spoken about focus, monotasking, and timers, we have to understand that there
are times when we just get stuck. It’s at moments like that we need a change of scenery. It’s no
use beating a dead horse.
There are days when our creative juices just aren’t flowing. At times like this, it’s better to
just get your mind completely off what you’re doing. Clear your mind by doing something
completely different. That breather will give your mind time to reboot itself. Playing a video
game, reading a book, or doing something completely different from what you usually do can
work. It’s amazing how, by simply switching things up, we can increase our focus.
11. Go for a Walk
Something as simple as going for a walk can be just what the doctor ordered. In fact, under
the current circumstances of work-from-home, it’s something we all need to do more of.
There were days when my wife didn’t go outside for days on end. She’d start going stir
crazy. Going for a walk—away from technology—and breathing in the fresh air can make a world
of difference to someone stuck at home.
12. Deadlines
Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the time allotted. Put simply, we adjust our
work to the time available for its completion.
Say you’re told to finish a project by next Tuesday. Most people will get it done by next
Tuesday. Unlike school where we have the eager beavers, as adults, we have so much on our plate
so we put off things that do not need our immediate attention. So, if you want to increase focus,
simply bring in the time frame.
Don’t allow yourself to put things off and instead, attack them head-on. Combined with the
other techniques and strategies outlined in this article, you’ll be able to rip right through things.
Conclusion
Focus, not knowledge, is the key to success in today’s world. Unfortunately, so many things
are competing for our focus and attention. Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and the new kid on the
block—Clubhouse—are all vying for your attention, not to mention our friends, family, and
colleagues.

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 It’s a battle for your mind, and you are in the driver’s seat. Armed with these 12 brain hacks,
you’ll be able to win more wars than you lose.

How to Make a Life Plan That Works (With a Life Plan Template)
Are you happy with where you stand in life right now? If yes, you’re extremely lucky. If not,
welcome to reality.
Humans are (almost) incapable of being 100% satisfied with their current situation, no
matter how balanced and successful others consider it to be. This is because we tend to get to
specific spots in life without any meaning, aim, or direction. To avoid this haphazard lifestyle,
you need to learn how to make a life plan.
What is a life plan? How will it give you a higher life satisfaction? If it’s so amazing, then
how do you formulate one? Well, you’re lucky because you landed on the exact page where you’ll
find answers to all these. So, hold on and let the ride of life-changing secrets begin!
What Is a Life Plan?
There’s no living human who wouldn’t have a wish or dream. There’s also a high chance
that most people consider their wishes and dreams wholly unrealistic and unachievable.
Therefore, the unproven yet giant fear of failure keeps them from trying to reach for the stars.
Guess what? If humans can get to the moon, live underwater, and fly, anything is possible.
What’s especially possible to realize is the idea that you have in your mind.
You may wonder how you can bring this idea, wish, or dream to life. The simple answer is a
life plan.[1]
So, what is a life plan? Is it a booklet with a script of how your life is supposed to be? Or is it a
defined outline of the exact steps you need to take every passing minute?
A life plan is none of these things. Instead, it is a written promise to yourself to try ticking
off the goals that you want to accomplish. It is your mind in the form of words on a piece of
paper.
But what if you’re just in your early 30s, unsure if these are the same goals you’d want in
your 50s? There’s nothing to worry about! A life plan is entirely under your control. In truth, a
good life plan is — and should be — flexible. There needs to be enough room for changes to let
you grow and succeed down the road.
Why Is Life Plan Important?
If you’re only writing down what’s on your mind, and it’s not even a fixed document, why is
it necessary at all?
Look at it this way. How many ideas do you get each day? Probably hundreds. How many
do you end up remembering, let alone implementing?

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 The only thoughts that become a reality are the ones that you transfer from your mind to a
piece of paper. From your mind into this world. That is how your ideas come to life.
Similarly, your goals, even if they are long-term, need to be brought to life. The only way to
get the opportunity to fulfill these goals practically is by taking them out of your head.
Aside from that, a life plan is sort of a commitment. It’s like signing a legal document, but
you’re the law-making authority. You’re committing to your life plan, after all. If your goals or
priorities change along the way, you have a valid reason to alter it.
But for the most part, a life plan keeps you on track. It gives you the direction that you need
to follow throughout the years. You always have your vision in front of you, so whatever you
think of doing is coherent to your long-term plans.
How to Make a Life Plan
Now, let’s move to the best part: how to make a life plan.
There’s no defined strategy or hard rule when it comes to learning how to make a life plan.
All you need to do is be true to yourself. On top of that, implement the following tips in the
process so that you can have a realistic and achievable life plan that satisfies your needs.
1. Be Aware of Your Failures
Most plans require you to start with your strengths. Things that you have achieved in life,
never messed up, are amazingly good at, etc. But that’s not the most authentic perspective of life.
The truth is, we all fail, and it happens more often than we’d like to accept. However, we
need to be more accepting of our failures as they ultimately help us grow. Failures are proof that
we’re trying.
If you start with your failures, you’ll instantly get a clear idea of which road you want to go
down in the future. For one, failures show you the route that you’re genuinely making an effort
on. Repetitive failures in one direction are a sign of your passion. On the other hand, consistently
failing after many tries and changes is a sign that you need to turn away.
When you’re aware of your failures, you’ll get a clear direction to stick to right off the bat.
Moreover, your failures will tell you precisely what you need to fix so that the rest of the journey
becomes smooth.
Here’s an interesting article about overcoming failures: Why You Have the Fear of Failure
(And How to Overcome It).
2. Identify Your Long-Term Vision and Values
Whatever you plan for the future must satisfy your morals and beliefs. Thus, before planning
anything, you need to identify your life values. Doing so will keep you from developing a life
plan that clashes with your spirituality and mental stability. Being in line with your values is
highly crucial for a happy life.[2]

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 In case you’re a firm believer in empathy, you need to ensure that your long-term plans do
not harm the people around you. An empathetic individual cannot work for a makeup
manufacturer that tests on animals, for example.
3. Evaluate Yourself
Based on your failures in the past and clear vision of the future, take a look back. Think of
the things and events that are most prominent in your memory. Learn from them by taking the
good and figuring out how to fix the bad. Know what you never want to repeat while picking up
on the things that you want to continue.
Your past should not haunt you. Therefore, an in-depth evaluation is necessary before you
head into the future.
4. Prioritize the Future
This is the time to list down your future plans chronologically. You’re not precisely devising
a goal or plan at this point; you just need to prioritize things in the order that you want to achieve
them.
For instance, if you’re currently 30 years old, getting a house within the next two years is
perhaps your first priority. You may then want to get married at 35 years old. After that, you may
want to start a new business venture.
Plan Your Goals and Structure an Action Plan. By now, you have a vision, and you’ve also
prioritized your future. It’s time to put everything in an actionable form.
Start with devising SMART goals for each of your future plans.[3] Once your goals are
finalized, make an action plan out of them.
Basically, you need to break down your goals into small actionable and practical milestones.
For example, to get a house, you need to save up money first. Your plan should include all the
ways to save more money and get a suitable place for yourself.
This guide may also help you structure your action plan: How to Create an Action Plan and
Achieve Your Personal Goals.
Ask for Support
You’re planning your life. You are the only one in charge of it, the only stakeholder in this
deal. This is exactly why you need a supportive family and group of friends around you.
These are the people who motivate you to live life to its fullest and bring you back up when
you’re exhausted. Your life plan is useless unless you are surrounded by those you want to live
for.
Life Plan Template
Fill in this template however you would like to. It will serve as a simple yet thorough life
plan:
Bottom Line
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 In the end, it all comes down to you and your motivation to improve your life. If you want to
be in a state of existence one day where you can be proud of your achievements based on your
scales of judgment, a life plan is a way to go.
You have a free, easily applicable template in front of you. You also have enough reasons to
put this template to good use. If you want, you are free to alter it to your liking and preferences.
There is no excuse to slack off anymore. Get on with your life plan right away so that you
can look back and thank yourself for this very moment a few years from now!

10 Actionable Tips To Make Tough Decisions in Life

You make decisions every day, from what you’ll eat for lunch to the route you’ll drive
through on your way to work. But when you consider the phrase “tough decisions,” your mind
probably wanders to bigger choices, like accepting a job offer, buying a home, or asking for a
raise.
Tough decisions in life can be even grander in scale including those related to health or
caring for a loved one. Planning for a safe, healthy, and financially secure future may be your
definition of tough decisions. But everyone is different. What you consider a tough decision may
be a no-brainer for your best friend.
Regardless of how each of you qualifies the level of this choice, here are some actionable
steps to help you prepare for making tough decisions in your life.
1. Visualize Preferred Outcomes
Before you even dig into the homework and data, consider what you want. Visualization is
not something mystical but rather intentional. Organizations build strategic plans around their
visions. Leaders, influencers, celebrities, and athletes (to name a few) attribute visualization to
their success. Just ask any Olympic gold medalist or a sports psychologist how visualizing the
best outcome has been critical in their success.
You certainly don’t need to be playing at that level to use this strategy for tough decisions.
So, step back a moment and take some time to think about and perhaps, journal your desired
outcome.
2. Do Your Homework
Before making any tough decision—or any decision at all—start by gathering relevant data
that will help you best ferret out your options. The devil is in the details.
Let’s say that you are considering which college or university to attend (or send your child
to). What are the placement rates, the tuition, room and board costs, campus life factors, and of
course, what is their reputation around your degree path? The data collection step is critical to
help you narrow your choices and elevate the best options. Otherwise, you are taking your
chances with very little footing.
3. Think Through Each Option
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 This may seem obvious, but you may be struggling if you’re only focusing on only one
choice. Instead, ferret out all the alternatives and the paths of each choice. Think of it as a flow
chart. If you decide one way, where might that path lead?
If you need to decide on a medical procedure, more than likely you will want to know all of
your options. Considering alternative medicine, a second opinion or a different type of procedure
or treatment may help you feel more confident about the path you ultimately choose.
4. Identify the Pros and Cons
Remember the “old school” pros and cons list? Well, it’s not as dated or inane as you may
think. Putting your options down in black and white helps you to weigh your outcomes, literally.
For example, you’ve been offered a new job and are uncertain whether you should leave
your current job for this new opportunity. Write down “stay” or “go” at the top of your page and
then under each header, write out all pros and cons of each. This is where you enter your research
data, opinions, benefits, and risks involved in each decision. Typically, the column with the
lengthier list is your better option. However, you still have a few more steps to complete that will
help you feel more confident about your tough decision.
5. Consider Others’ Opinions
Talk to people who’ve been down this road before. Come prepared to the conversation with
questions that will not only be respectful of their time but will also help you get real-time opinions
and advice. These conversations should also extend to family, friends, colleagues, mentors,
coaches, and of course, anyone who is ultimately affected by this tough decision. Not only will
they give you great insight, but they can also serve as a beacon of support and will help solidify
that you are not alone in the process.
Keep in mind that not all decisions warrant others’ input, and you’ll have to make the tough
decision by yourself. But if others will be affected by your tough decision, they’ll probably feel
better about the outcome if you include them in the process.
6. Expect Pushback
You never want to focus on negative outcomes, but any decision will have some pushback.
There will be others that disagree with the choice that you make, and they will certainly let you
know it.
Remember, you can’t please everyone, nor should you try. Otherwise, you’ll let emotions—
not facts—rule, and that can cloud your sound judgment. Even though there will some emotions
involved in every decision, you must rely on the hard work you’ve done so far and the data and
opinions you’ve collected.
When people do voice their objections, let them know that they’ve been heard and that you
respect and honor their opinion. By doing so, you should be able to assuage their concerns and
seek their counsel in the future.

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 7. Be Willing to Course Correct
If at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again. No one is perfect—you are human and mistakes
will happen. But when you own your mistake, it is much more likely that others will support you
if you need to correct your course.
Blaming others (and yourself) for mistakes is unhealthy. Instead, be proud of the work that
you did to get this. And remember, you’ve already outlined choices, paths, and outcomes that you
can try the second time around. And since you’ve already planned for course correction, this
should provide you with an added level of confidence.
8. Be Confident in Your Decision
After going through the steps thus far—and there may be others that you’ve included—
you’re ready to make your tough decision. You should feel confident about your choice. You
should also feel proud of yourself for doing all the heavy lifting to get to this point.
If you haven’t done so already, start shedding the doubt or worry about the choice you’ve
come to. If you do feel like there is more work to be done and you’re not confident about your
decision, go back to step one and visualize new outcomes.
9. Trust in Yourself
Renowned leaders, business moguls, and industry experts all share one thing in common:
trust in themselves. They believe wholeheartedly that once they’ve arrived at this point in making
a tough decision, they must trust in themselves.
You’ve heard the expression, “trust your gut.” Intuition can indeed play a critical role in
making tough decisions. Scientific evidence lays out how somatic markers—those feelings inside
the body, like elevated heart rate, that align with emotions—often guide decision-making.[1]
When the best potential outcome seems unclear, explore how each choice will ultimately
make you feel. And in some cases, like first instincts on exam answers, your gut is spot on. It’s
certainly okay to feel stressed about a tough decision but not to the point where it detracts from
your abilities to make tough decisions.
Steve Jobs has readily admitted that he didn’t always have the answers or that he made the
right decisions. But once he was ready to make the tough decision, he believed that: “You have to
trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me
down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
10. Make Your Tough Decision
While tough decisions in life are not easy, nor are they always going to be fun in the
implementation. You will feel better once the tough decision has been made. So, take a moment to
acknowledge your thorough vetting process, the hard work, and the thoughtfulness that you’ve put
into this tough decision. There is a lot that went into you arriving at this point. Therefore, you
should feel good about your journey. Now it’s time to commit and take action.

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 Final Thoughts
You will be faced with making tough decisions throughout your life, but by walking through
these steps, you’ll find the decision process much easier. Your confidence and clarity will increase
as you visualize positive outcomes and gather the intel required to vet your choices.
Remember, it’s okay to admit mistakes and course-correct along the way, but if you include
others in your decision-making process, you will have support and buy-in. Too many decisions
are made lightly without any pre-planning—but you shouldn’t. Now, you have an action plan for
making tough decisions in life. So, bring them on!

How to Break out of the Box and Live Life on Your Own Terms
Good things come in boxes. Sometimes the color of the box has us salivating in anticipation.
Tiffany Blue or Hermes Orange are iconic colors that let expectations run high, as we know a treat
awaits. So why do we want to break out of the box?
For the same reason that the Tiffany bracelet and Hermes scarf are enjoyed and utilized once
out. Neither is meant to stay there tarnishing or gathering dust without living out their purpose.
We are not meant to be in boxes. They limit us, rendering us less brilliant in all senses—less
fully developed, less the person we are meant to be.
In a box we are not only less effective and less impactful, but we get trapped. The confines
of the box restrict us to seeing ourselves, the situation, others, and the future in a rigid and narrow
way.
Box living keeps us small—our vantage point and way of doing things. It is hard to be
creative and impossible to be our full magnificent selves from inside a box. Boxes are holding
places, not creative spaces. To become ourselves, we need to always be creating.
How can we get out of the box, then?
1. Practice Self-Awareness and Inner Courage
Before you break out of the box, you must first recognize that you’re in one. This sounds
easy, but sometimes we are so caught up in the same old patterns of thinking and doing things that
we forget to stop and have a look around—to take our pulse.
If you aren’t in a groove that results from a fluid dance of your purpose and values in daily
life, you are in a box.
Here is the tell-tale sign that you are in a box: You wish for different outcomes but keep
experiencing the same ones; you feel stuck and you have lost your spark.
You might alter some minor things, but if your relationship and the end result to the thing
you are wishing to change or create stays the same, then those walls aren’t going to be coming
down anytime soon.

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 Get clear on what you wish to achieve (take the long term view) and how you wish to
achieve it. The what and the how are of equal importance. The long term view will allow you to
be less reactive and more thoughtful and innovative. When we imagine the bigger picture, our
planning and decision making has space to allow for a host of possibilities.
Possibility is all about curiosity and openness. Both lead to flexibility. None of those are the
domain of in-the-box living.
You can get curious by asking:
What matters most to me?
What do I need and want today and tomorrow?
These are about what you want your legacy to be—what you want to leave behind as your
work and/or the way you move through your days and touch others. It’s about honoring the things
that make you you.
When you align with your purpose and values and act from them, you will be able to break
out of the box. No box can hold you when you are acting in alignment and integrity.
2. Fact Check the Stories You Tell Yourself
We quickly add our opinions about why we can’t, won’t, or why something isn’t working or
will fail. Be honest with yourself. Admit what is before you and what kind of help you need.
Be lean and mean about discerning fact from fiction. Editorialize all you want as long as
what you add to the facts is going to energize you and not bring you down. That is called
dreaming.
Dreaming gets us motivated and brings in new ideas. We excite our positive emotions. Invite
those in with open arms. Create plans and goals from those dreams. Essentially, a goal is a dream
with a deadline.
To help your story telling be an awesome CEO of your life, make sure the storyteller is your
inner-sage and not your inner-judge[1].
You will know by the positivity vs. the negativity of each. The judge tires you out quickly,
and the feeling of possibility melts away. The judge is the CEO of the box you are in.
The sage comes in when you exercise empathy and that ever-important curiosity.
Don’t give yourself a hard time for having been in a box—even if it has been for a very long
time—or about what hasn’t worked. The judge will be all too happy to have you indulge in that
kind of self-criticism.
To ignite the sage through curiosity and break out of the box, ask:
What assumptions have I been making that are false or detrimental?
What assumptions am I making in general?
What do I need to take ownership of instead of blaming on someone else?

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 What do I know to be true?
What is the next right move?
Play is another way to employ your sage as your CEO. There is nothing like play to
encourage the sage’s fresh vantage point and stir up the sage’s innate creativity and endless
energy.
Play need not be physical. It’s about doing something that delights, that has an element of
surprise and lets time fly by. It just needs to not be too tightly scripted or have an attitude of
heaviness.
To add some extra box-breaking strength to this whole process, do something you haven’t
done in a long time, or try something new. Novelty is like a strong wind that rattles the sides of
your box and lets fresh air come in. Plus, that new oxygen will let you breathe bigger, deeper
breaths that will inform your dreams and actions even more.
3. Get Comfortable With Experimenting and Failing
Remember that being in a box is all about repeating what doesn’t work! Isn’t that a bigger
failure than failures that come as you experiment ways to realize your dreams? Failures are not
bad; they are information givers.
To see failure as your ally, engage your sage. That empathetic part of yourself will not beat
you up and have you feeling bad about went “wrong.” Instead, the sage will have you find the gift
in whatever unfolds and encourage you to design from there.
Final Thoughts
By getting out of any box you currently inhabit, you will start living life on your own terms.
You are liberated from the confines of limiting beliefs and actions. You will be more you since
you will not be held back from restrictive habits of mind and practices.
What does your sage—that intuitive part of yourself—say about what would be a great first
step to get out of the box that has you stuck?
One bit of freedom leads to another. Each shake-up becomes part of the revolution that will
help you fully break out of the box. It’s a revolution to bring about your evolution. To be your
evolved self is the very definition of living life on your terms!

5 Reasons to Follow Your Heart to Live the Life You Want

It’s never too late to start something you’ve always wanted to do. It doesn’t matter what you
think is holding you back; let’s just call them what they are: excuses. It shouldn’t matter if other
people are doing it already or if nobody is doing it at all. The only question that matters is whether
or not doing it would make you happy—do you follow your heart and live the life you want?
Everyone has a different personality, and we’re all drawn to different things. And the more
you allow yourself to pursue those things and follow your heart, the happier you will be in life.

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 However, you still have to be willing to work for them because dreams don’t come easily. If
you want something, you have to earn it!
Here are 5 reasons why you need to follow your heart to live the life you want.
1. The World Needs Your Voice
We all see the world differently because we all came from different places, had different
upbringings, overcame different challenges, etc. So, what you have to say and the way you say it
is going to be different from the next person.
Your values, your core beliefs, and how you share that with the world are what set you apart.
Those are the things about you that are going to make someone say, “yup. That’s them. They’re
my person, and I really appreciate the work they’re bringing into the world.”
Just imagine how many podcasts there are, not to mention they all have their own tribe of
listeners. The same goes for YouTube, blogs, etc. That goes to show that we all consume content
differently, too. So, if you’re a writer, write. If you’re a speaker, speak. If you’re a photographer,
take photographs.
We need to stop becoming more like others and start being more of ourselves.
2. People Want Your Content
There will always be people who love to consume more than they want to create because
creating something of your own is hard. Even when it’s something as simple as writing an
Instagram caption or a blog post, people are hesitant to create their own content because they
wonder if anyone is going to find it helpful, if they’re adding more value to the world or just more
noise, or if they’re writing is any good.
It’s scary to put yourself out there for the world to judge. It’s more comfortable to judge
others for putting themselves out there than it is to put yourself out there to potentially be judged.
But do it anyway. If you want to paint, then paint. If you want to start a DIY blog, start a
DIY blog. Express yourself. Share your story with the world. Be vulnerable. The world needs
more of it. So, be brave and follow your heart.
3. You Know You Want This
I’ve always wanted to have a blog, and I’ve always wanted to work at a magazine company
and/or start my own magazine. While I have not worked at a magazine company yet, I choose to
do the other two this year.
I started creating content about 3 years ago, and the feeling was amazing. I’m so glad I did it
because if I didn’t, I would still be playing the “what if” game.
But now, I get to play the “what’s next?” game, and it’s so much better. And trust me when I
say this journey hasn’t been easy. There have been (and still are) so many times when I cringe and
think, “I did that? Is that good enough?” and the good old’ “Who do I think I am to do this? What
if someone reveals what a fraud I am one day?”
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 But how will you get better if you never try or if you don’t at least start? Sure, you might fail
and fall flat on your face. But you can always, always get up again and keep going. It doesn’t have
to be perfect, but you do have to be present and consistent.
You have to ride the rollercoaster and overcome the challenges in the way. No path to
success is completely smooth. Just follow your heart, and you’ll be ready to face the challenges
along the way.
4. It’s a Whole New World
If I never started to follow my heart, I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet some of the
most amazing people that I’ve met in my life.
If I didn’t follow my heart, I wouldn’t have pushed myself out of my comfort zone, I
wouldn’t have met people who helped me push myself out of my comfort zone, and I would’ve
never known how truly encouraging and supportive the people around me are—and I’m so
grateful for every one of them.
If it weren’t for me taking a leap of faith and starting, I wouldn’t have realized how hard
other people have worked to make their dreams come true. I would’ve continued chalking it up to
“luck.” I would’ve continued making excuses, and I wouldn’t be the type of person to take
personal accountability for my actions. As harsh as it may sound, I would still be like the rest of
the world.
But now, I have so many more ideas and projects I want to do to build on what I’ve already
accomplished. I want to start a podcast and maybe a book.
There is so, so much out there for you—but you have to be willing to show up, take the first
step, and keep going. It’s not enough to just start. You have to continue what you started, too. It’s
not easy to take that first step, but it’s even tougher to keep stepping when things get tough.
But if you’re strong and follow your heart, you will open yourself up to an entirely new and
exciting world.
5. You Will Inspire Others
When you share your story with others, it sends a message. It shows other people what’s
possible when they apply the lessons to themselves. And if that doesn’t seem inspiring, then I
don’t know what is.
Whenever I start to wonder if this journey is for me, I listen to podcasts, read books, and
watch interviews. These things remind me that the people I admire the most did not get to where
they are overnight or even in a matter of months. It took them years, and they’re still showing up
to this day.
They weren’t the person they are today when they first started, just like I’m not going to be
the person I am today five years or five months from now.

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 We’re always growing and learning along the way, so share your story with others because
regardless of where you are in your journey, someone out there needs to hear it. Someone out
there wants to hear it, so share it with them. Inspire others, and you’ll also end up inspiring
yourself.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to be perfect or feel ready to start, you just have to follow your heart and be
willing to put yourself out there.—and continue putting yourself out there.
Give yourself permission to be imperfect, flawed, messy, and beautiful. Give yourself space
to learn, fall, make mistakes, and do better. Give yourself credit where credit is due and celebrate
your wins along the way.
Find and surround yourself with people who support you and who understand your journey
—ideally with people who are on the same journey as you, so you can encourage each other to
keep going. Friends who grow together stay together.
So, get out there and follow your heart. Find out where it’s going to take you!

How to Identify Your Strengths And Weaknesses in 5 Steps

Many of us have a wide range of experiences and achievements we want to have and reach
during our lifetime. The final destinations always have a bright and shiny appeal about them but
what we don’t often prepare for the twists, turns, and trials that can challenge us along the way.
Here’s where knowing our strengths and weaknesses can be incredibly useful.
With a better idea of our resourcefulness and shortfalls, we aren’t only able to develop better
plans to reach our goals, but we can also eliminate would-be challenges, experience a far more
enjoyable journey as we progress toward our targets, and inevitably grow along the way.
The best way to identify your strengths and weaknesses involves a mix of methods. Some
involve self-evaluation and others require a lending hand from others. By following these five
steps, however, you’ll be eagerly embracing opportunities to increase your awareness of your
strengths and weaknesses.
1. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses in Terms of Context
Firstly, forget drawing up a two-column table and listing your strengths on one side and
weaknesses on the other without reference to a context. Doing so will be a completely pointless
exercise. Without referencing your self-evaluation to a specific situation, you’re likely to wind up
feeling overwhelmed and directionless.
According to researchers, strengths and weaknesses are highly contextual and dependent on
the mix of our values, goals, interests, and situational factors.[1] Given this, it’s helpful to begin
by reviewing key situations in your life where you have goals for things to be better than they are.
Certain aspects of your work might require you to exercise different skills and knowledge to
varying degrees. You might be experiencing challenges in your personal or family relationships.
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Perhaps you want to master skills at playing a musical instrument, a sport, or develop a creative or
performing arts talent.
Whichever you choose, get to task on the following:
Determine what skills, knowledge, and style of application will bring the desired outcomes
and changes to fruition.
Review which of those you believe you have.
Rate how close a fit you believe what you have is a fit to what is required (e.g. 10 might be a
perfect fit and zero represents no skills, knowledge, or application capability).
For ratings you ascribe yourself above zero, ask yourself how easy or challenging it is for
you to apply the skills, knowledge, and understanding.
Ask yourself, “What did I enjoy the most?” and “What did I enjoy the least?”
It can also be more helpful and accurate to rate yourself along a continuum as opposed to
trying to identify a trait, skill, or attribute as purely strength or weakness. You might be stronger
in some regards and weaker/less strong in others.
You might also consider substituting ‘strengths’ and ‘weaknesses’ language for:
easiest to hardest
effortless to effortful
ineffective to highly effective
completely unfamiliar to familiar
Doing so lessens a tone of judgment often associated with the highly polarized strengths-
weakness dichotomy.
Self-evaluation alone is not an effective means of discovering your strengths and
weaknesses. If harboring lower self-esteem strikes a chord with you, you’re likely to be negatively
biased and a harsher critic toward yourself.
Even though this initial reflection is a step in a helpful direction, its individual and subjective
nature can do more harm than good. It’s time to engage an external evaluation tool designed to
help filter out at least some level of that negative bias.
2. Carefully Select and Use Self-Assessment Tools
Self-evaluation tools greatly help you to make sense of and organize your strengths and
weaknesses. Profiles that emerge from your answers enable you to recognize where it might be
best to direct your energy and attention to improve your knowledge and skillset.
The formerly known Values in Action survey is now recognized as VIA Character Strengths.
Despite the name change, it maintains that every individual—regardless of culture or nation—has
varying degrees of 24 character strengths that constitute the best of our personalities.[2]

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 Character strengths are defined by researchers and psychologists to be positive, trait-like
capacities for thinking, feeling, and behaving in ways that benefit oneself and others.
The VIA Institute developed the survey from a strong foundation of research indicating how
focusing on strengths has multiple benefits:
Increases in self-reported ratings of life satisfaction
Improved workplace productivity and lower staff turnover
Higher self-esteem, motivation, goal achievement, and sense of direction
As the VIA is a self-report tool, it’s important to note that your top strengths are those you
identify to be such in amongst your other characteristics. The strengths are not identified as
strengths in comparison with other individuals.
Another validated self-report tool, the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI),
helps you recognize your preferred thinking styles.[3] Categorizing how we think into four
quadrants—analytical, experimental, relational, and practical—the instrument helps deepen our
awareness of how we’re apt to think and tackle different situations and relationships.
Your results profile reflects where you might feel more at ease and where you might find
challenges more arduous. According to the Australian Hermann Brain division, 58% of
individuals completing the instrument are apt to predominantly operate from two quadrants and
34% prefer three.
There will be times you’re less apt to embrace activities and experiences willingly. More and
different types of effort are required to undertake them.
While learning these insights can be incredibly useful, you need to caution yourself from
falling into traps:
Shying away from situations because you have less aptitude for navigating through them
with ease
Making excuses to justify poor/lower effort because your natural thinking style isn’t
accommodated for
Remember, your attitude and positive psychology mental toolkit have a large influence on
your capability. So, while your brain might currently work in certain ways automatically, it is still
a neuroplastic machine.
You need to be cautious when evaluating yourself with self-assessment tools. Check to see
what the recommended application is behind the tool to start with, particularly with psychometric
tests and evaluations. Such assessments are created with different goals and intentions in mind.
So, it’s important to identify the one which is most helpful to the context in which you’re looking
to review your strengths and weaknesses.
3. Consult Qualified, Trusted Individuals

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 When we’re asked to describe the strengths we see in our friends, it’s a relatively easy task
to do. However, when asked to do this exercise for ourselves, our list of weaknesses tends to carry
far more weight than our strengths. The notion we are our own strongest (and often harshest)
critics, rings true.
Conversely, the Dunning-Kruger effect can also be at play—you might think you’re better
than you really are.
Founder of money management organization My Budget, Tammy Barton, describes how
when undertaking performance reviews with her employees, there are clear differences between
men and women. Women underreported their skillset, communicated lower self-efficacy, and shot
for lower goals than men. With men, she witnessed more reports reflective of the Dunning-Kruger
effect.
Because of these (often unconscious) biases we have, getting feedback from those qualified
to give you feedback is essential. After all, you wouldn’t ask for advice on how to run a business
from someone who has never run a business—nor would you ask your dentist to assess your
heart’s health.
Finding the right authorities who can help us develop deeper insight into our strengths and
weaknesses requires a few steps of due diligence:
Find those you believe might be qualified authorities to help you and research them.
Check the integrity of their training, skills, experience, and track record.
Be wary of testimonials as these can be orchestrated, false, and inauthentic.
Ask yourself if the authority might have their agenda in addition to helping you identify your
strengths and weaknesses.
If you have the opportunity to develop an initial rapport with the person you seek feedback
from, take time to do this so you can sense whether or not you feel you can trust their feedback.
Getting helpful feedback from others isn’t always as straightforward as it can seem.
Sometimes, paying an objective third party is a necessary step.
We must remember that others have their own biases, conscious, and unconscious. They see
the world through a different lens than us so the likelihood of projection is quite high. A weakness
they see in you may not be a weakness in the eyes of others who are also qualified to give you the
same feedback.
Look to collate feedback from a few different qualified sources and look for common
patterns and themes. Don’t stop at one source.
Also, avoid cross-contamination of feedback you’ve received from one source to another.
You want as pure and independent insight about your strengths and weaknesses as you can get.
This way, you’ll have not only a wider scope of review but also a more thorough one that be will
be more accurate.

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 4. Test Yourself
Testing ourselves is something we rarely do. We don’t naturally seek out opportunities to
have our skills, abilities, and personality characteristics scrutinized. However, this is what will
give us the purest discovery and recognition of our strengths and weaknesses.
Put yourself through a variety of assessments that test you in several ways:
Skill-based
Personality and traits
Breadth and depth of applicable knowledge
Consciously and deliberately putting yourself in situations to test your skills and knowledge
has a much higher likelihood of helping you address your weaknesses. Taking this approach is not
only considered and directed, but it is also incredibly rewarding when you start experiencing and
noticing changes you are aspiring to.
While you always have the choice to simply ‘see how things go’, there are drawbacks to
letting things organically unfold:
You miss out on opportunities to diffuse emotional and mental discomfort emerging when
your weaknesses are highlighted and emphasized.
You deny yourself the ability to step into opportunities and experiences you truly want.
You miss opportunities to recognize and capitalize on your strengths.
You remain stale and stuck.
Your mindset retains feeling a lowered agency of control to change unfavorable
circumstances.
Before you throw yourself into exercises to test yourself, check your expectations. Just as
you can feel validated and have your self-esteem reinforced, expect also that you might feel
challenged, disappointed, embarrassed, or humiliated.
Build support from different resources. Share with others you trust—qualified and
unqualified—what you are doing, how you are testing yourself, and what you might be scared of.
You don’t have to walk the vulnerable path of discovering your strengths and weaknesses alone.
Sharing your experiences and discoveries with others helps you cement whatever lessons
you learn and lessen the weight of emotional and mental discomfort that can unfold in the testing
process.
Also, pick wisely when and how you are going to test yourself. You don’t need to do them
all at the same time. Too much feedback can be mentally and emotionally overwhelming.
Personal development work is most effective when done in batches with time and space to rest in
between.

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 As your insight grows around your strengths and weaknesses, give yourself time to accept
and become familiar with what you have just discovered. Give yourself time to consider and
adjust to changes you might consider making. One by one, address those changes.
5. Repeat the Process and Re-assess
Repeatedly looking at the previous steps at different times in your life is an invaluable life
skill. The more we become adept at assessing and testing our strengths and weaknesses, the more
it becomes a normal and healthy part of our life’s journey.
Rinsing and repeating the process carries many benefits. You can progress toward your goals
faster. You improve your resilience. You can recognize opportunities that will be more enjoyable
for you versus those you can expect to feel more challenged and uncomfortable. You can also
orchestrate the times when you need to feel more in control of choosing better timing to
strategically immerse yourself into uncomfortable challenges.
The most wonderful discovery you’ll reach through repeatedly reviewing your strengths and
weaknesses over time is that there are no real strengths and no real weaknesses. It becomes more
about recognizing where and when your blend of unique skills, attributes, and knowledge are
harmonious, helpful, and appropriate and where and when they aren’t.
Final Thoughts
There are many ways that you can recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and there are
also many ways you can try to tackle them. If you’re unsure what to do, just start with these 5
steps and you’ll be good to go!

6 Steps to Understanding Your Potential and Achieving More

Whether you’re applying to a college, choosing a career path, or going through a midlife
crisis, the big question is, “What are you capable of doing?” This world may have fed you with
unrealistic expectations from the beginning, and it may be keeping you from understanding your
potential.
We’re all told there’s some hidden talent deep within us that will be our saving grace one
day. More often than not, though, you’re only wasting your time in finding your ‘talent’ instead of
spending that energy to build your potential.
If you can understand your potential, success will be knocking at your doorstep. Let’s dig in
to find out the not-so-hidden secret tips that will help you create your own empire of success!
What Is Personal Potential?
Before understanding your potential, you need to know first what personal potential really
means. There’s a high chance that you have the wrong definition in mind, but that’s not your fault
because it’s how most of us think of it.
People generally tell you that you’re naturally gifted with personal potential. Your true
potential is supposed to be an activity that you can do amazingly with minimal effort. With this
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perspective, you’re always in search of a hobby that you think you’re good at. You keep looking
for this unknown nature’s gift.
What you don’t know is that personal potential has more to do with your mental strength
than your so-called gifts. It is anything that you wish to be. Hence, even if others say that your
fashion sense is terrible all your life, you can still end up being a successful fashion icon.
What you need is willpower. With your courage and a firm intention, you can achieve
whatever personal potential you want.
Potential and talent are not the type that you need to wait for before they come to you. They
are qualities that you build within yourself with hard and smart work. There’s no magic wand that
brings out your inner potential except your own will.[1]
Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that you have to follow another successful individual’s
footsteps blindly. Yes, it’s always great to have some advice, but your potential and the path
leading to it is probably way different.
The key is to try understanding your potential instead of forcing something on yourself just
because someone you know has managed to pull it off.
How to Find Your Potential
The personal potential is all about hard work and strategy. Here are six tips that will guide
you on finding motivation and putting it to good use.
1. Identify Your Inner Voice
The first step towards success is to listen to yourself.[2] Bear in mind that you’re not looking
for your potential here but only figuring out what you truly want in life.
Your potential is ultimately what you work for. Thus, it’s best to work for the things that you
desire so that you enjoy the process.
Think of the things that you enjoy or would want to be good at. Do you aspire to be an artist,
for instance? Would you love to be a theater actor, even though you’ve never acted on stage
before?
Please make a list of your desired wishes and then downsize it realistically. It matters to
keep your inner voice in mind while doing so. Don’t aim for things that may improve your image
in society, bring you a lot of money, etc. Remember: your self-satisfaction needs to be a top
priority.
Similarly, there’s a chance that you’re great at something but despise doing it. Say, people
around you love your voice and are always ready to hear you sing. However, there’s a chance you
hate it despite the elaborate appreciation. Things like this should also be noted down so you can
recall that you want to stay away from them.
2. Make Conscious Efforts
Once you’ve planned a suitable final destination, it’s time to make an effort.
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 I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it: your personal potential will not come waltzing into your
life. You have to work hard to get to it.
Understanding your potential requires conscious efforts in the right direction. It won’t just
click one day randomly; you have to work to find the answers.
You may start experimenting now. You know that you want to either have a law firm or own
a restaurant. These are two very different career choices, so take small steps in one direction and
figure out if this is something you’re willing to put your energy and time into.
As an example, since you can’t decide between being a chef or becoming a lawyer, you try
the former first. Even after six months of showing consistent effort, though, you keep overcooking
your food. When you ask your friends to taste it, they hardly ever give you positive feedback.
Despite following the same recipe every time, your dishes taste different every time.
You’ve put in six months in this craft and tried hard enough to make a decent meal, but
there’s no sign of improvement. Of course, you need to take it a sign that cooking is most likely
not the right choice for you.
You can then work towards your other option. Discuss the situation with experienced
lawyers, get internships, research about it online, and find out whether you’ve got what it takes to
build a successful law firm.
3. Define Your Goals
SMART goals play an essential role in your life, especially when you want to accomplish
something.[3]
Defining goals will help you stay on track to understand your potential.
At this point, you’ve already figured out which route to take. It’s now time to take
systematic steps.
Assuming you know the SMART goals and how to devise them, you need to add some
additional steps to the process.
With every goal, define your intention. Please take note of whatever you think you’re aiming
for and the reason behind it. For example, your intent behind joining an SEO training workshop is
perhaps to improve your readership so that you can accomplish your passion for running a world-
famous blog one day.
Next, write down the value. What will this particular workshop do for you that you cannot
gain from other similar sources? In the example above, the workshop may be facilitated by a
person you’ve always been inspired by or is mainly for the niche that you prefer.
Lastly, think about the cost. Whatever input you have to give for achieving the value and
fulfilling your intent, bring it to the table at this point. While you shouldn’t be working at a loss,
you must be able to generate at least the same amount of money by implementing what you have
learned, primarily if you’re paying $50 for a workshop.

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 4. Set Milestones
One mistake that a lot of people make in hopes of understanding their potential is aiming for
the stars in the first go. They set their mind on the bigger picture and directly go for it.
That’s not how you get successful. As mentioned above, it’s the baby steps that take you to
your destination. Yes, it may extend the timeframe of the entire journey, but it also increases the
chances of having a practical outcome with minimal hurdles.
When you set milestones, try to break down the long-term process into smaller segments.
So, if you’re passionate about developing an advertising agency, don’t put your focus on the final
picture alone.
For your first milestone, therefore, you can enroll in a media school where you can learn all
the basics of advertising. After that, you may work for an agency to familiarize yourself with their
process. Then, get in touch with a local videographer to create an ad for a relative’s business.
Step by step, you pave the way to your big goal. You can work on the weekly or monthly
milestones that may end up contributing to the bigger picture when you divide the workload.
5. Accept Failures
Bear in mind that you’re only getting started. Even though this is your passion, you can’t
possibly be perfect at it immediately.
Failures and inconveniences are part of every success story. It’s alright to have some
unexpected issues here and there. Don’t let them demotivate you.
Failing does not mean that you have to shift your path. It only means you’re learning more,
and that will eventually help you grow beyond limits.
6. Celebrate Your Successes
It is also vital to be very appreciative of yourself. It will keep your spirits high throughout
the minor mishaps. The secret is to celebrate the little successes. Every time you accomplish a
milestone, pat yourself on the back.
Track your little achievements so that you can remember them every time you feel down and
need encouragement.
Bottom Line
Understanding your potential and unleashing your inner voice isn’t that hard. It requires
strong willpower, patience, and baby steps in the right direction.
Unfortunately, this fast-paced world has made life so complicated that the more
straightforward things like finding your potential seem almost impossible. If you’re strong enough
to keep things simple in this chaotic world, then you’re on the path to success!

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What Are Adaptability Skills And How To Upgrade Yours
There is one secret to success that no one talks about by name—it’s the power of
adaptability. And when you find how to upgrade yours, there your greatness lies. So, what are
adaptability skills, and how do you upgrade yours?
Adaptability is a reflection of your confidence, presence, and willingness to grow and
endure. As Natalie Fratto, a venture capitalist, presented in her TED Talk, “I look for signs of one
specific trait. Not IQ. Not EQ. It’s adaptability.” You can check out her full TED talk in the video
below.
Depending on who you ask, adaptability has a variety of meanings. Google defines it as “the
quality of being able to adjust to new conditions.” Natalie Fratto says it’s “how well a person
reacts to the inevitability of change and lots of it.” Then, you can include the simple flexibility
and versatility, the duo which shapes adaptability.
What if change could help you succeed in life? What if the one constant could lead to the
one skill that sets you apart from the crowd?
Keep in mind that adaptability is not something you have to like or enjoy. It’s the ability to
perform and produce from a multi-faceted perspective, giving you an expansive position on a
platform you continue to create.
What Are Adaptability Skills?
The challenge lies within the scope of habitual skills. The more skills that are rote, the less
thinking that is involved. Yet, this can lead to complacency and a lack of high performance.
Interject adaptability and see your opportunities explode in your life.
Adaptability skills, as defined by Indeed, is an overarching category that includes, but is not
limited to:[1]
Communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Problem-solving skills
Creative and strategic thinking skills
Teamwork skills
Organizational skills
These skills help you to customize your response and actions to what is necessary to impact
the life and work you love.
The Appreciation
All of these skills are essential life skills that set you up for success. And the good news is,
you can acquire them in your everyday life. Adapting to change and incorporating the ideas
effectively in your responsibilities opens the doors of possibilities in accepting new challenges.

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 Even though change is a constant, it doesn’t make it any easier to apply. For many of us,
there is a resistance to change. When change is requested, most people run and hide. It’s easier to
do what you know than learn what you don’t.
Why work harder when life can be easier? Because adaptability presents the simplicity of
what makes change a not-so-invasive hurdle. If you make space for flexibility and versatility, it all
leads to adaptability.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to bend easily without breaking and the willingness to change or
compromise. This is where you can adjust quickly and change your focus in a situation or project.
If you can be flexible in your comings and goings, your calendar, and in your every day, your
skills will exceed other’s expectations merely for the fact of your adaptability, being able to
respond with specificity to any situation or project.
Versatility
Versatility is the ability to adapt to many different functions or activities. This is best
described from the aspect of one who wears many hats. You might be experienced in the kitchen
and cook incredible foods, not because you’re a great chef but because you can follow detailed
instructions. Take this trait and use it to execute a marketing plan for a business.
Flexibility and versatility are the dynamic duos of adaptability.
Here is where success is redeemed with the hard work of simply adopting change as a
positive reflection of adaptability.
The Acquisition
Below are seven ways to develop and advance your adaptability skills. Be sure to expand
your knowledge and experiment within your own strengths and weaknesses.
1. Connection Is King
There is more than you in the world. So, be responsive to those around you. If you do not
know someone, then make an introduction. Use questions to get to know that person. As you learn
about the needs, wants, and interests, you will be able to make a connection that will allow you to
serve with genuine actions.
2. Escape Your Comfort Zone
If you are comfortable, you are living within your zone of comfort. Go beyond the feelings
of knowing and experience the freedom of growth by expanding your reach. What you see is not
always what you get. To stand out, you have to be willing to stand apart. Therefore, escape your
comfort zone, all the while inspiring yourself to serve others.
3. Cheers to the Cup Half-Full
When you look at a glass of liquid, how do you see it? Half-full or half-empty? Most people
tend to lean toward the negative, half-empty. But when you choose to see the cup half-full, that’s
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where the story changes. It’s the blend of the good and the bad with a specific outlook to the
positive. Don’t limit yourself to what you know. Stretch your perspective in seeing what’s
possible.
4. Think Outside the Box
Innovation starts in the mind. So, get out of your own way and think bigger and broader.
You can always fine-tune the focus. Broaden your horizons by trying something new and
different. Outstretch the common and embrace the uncommon. There you will discover a limitless
mindset to grow your adaptability.
5. Simulate What’s Possible, Not Probable
Positivity goes a long way when you are looking to make a change. Where there is hope,
change is more easily accepted. Be a product of positivity and simulate what’s possible. Even if it
doesn’t make sense after giving it further thought, looking at the situation or circumstance with a
positive twist allows you to continually adapt what’s possible and not limit you to what’s not.
6. Infuse a Growth Mindset
Every day can benefit from a growth mindset. But that requires the removal of seeing only
what you know—a fixed mindset. Step away from what is holding you back and lean into what
will stretch your perspective. Having a growth mindset pushes you to examine the situation or
project from all different angles. It’s not just what you know but what you can imagine beyond
what you see.
7. Unlearn to Relearn
One of the most challenging aspects of growing as an individual is unlearning to relearn.
And this is key to developing adaptability skills. It takes much effort to be willing to adjust
previous actions so you can flex your versatility muscles. Further, it unlocks the potential for
greater growth both personally and professionally.
Remember, there are always two sides to every coin. This means there is more than one way
to do something. Being too rooted and attached to your actions and responsibilities limits your
production. In all you do, make something new. Life is not about habits but embracing the change
that enacts adaptability to make every day great.
The Application
“One step at a time leads to miles of greatness.”—Kristianne Wargo
These miles of greatness come with intention.
Take a stone and just not any stone, but a smooth, sleek stone with perfectly rounded edges
that has been through some seasons. Stones are not created smooth. They are tumbled, tossed, and
twisted about in the environment. This causes the stone to appear buffed and polished due to its
adaptation to what’s around it.

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 You, too, can be the stone that changes and embraces the power of adaptability. Take the
good with the bad and learn how to be flexible and versatile to rise to the top. Leave the old
behind and celebrate the new. Change is a blessing in disguise. Don’t treat it as a disease.
Embrace it by expanding your adaptability skills. It’s here in the ocean of change that you will
rise from what was to what will be.
Adaptability is found in your presence. Getting too far ahead leaves behind what really
counts in your every day. Trying to finagle what works to your benefit and strength cancels out
what truly matters.
Be present in the ebbs and flows of life. The journey may be windy, but by upgrading your
adaptability skills, detours won’t be a surprise but a welcome expectation. Change becomes
simpler because you have become adaptable.
Do what matters with a touch of presence and adaptability. Adaptability promotes freedom
in your thoughts and mind, making way to diversify your actions in the life and work you love.

Why Your Attitude Is Everything: 3 Attitudes You Need To Have

Attitude is everything – my dad used to say those words to me when I was being a sore loser
after losing in a game or sports. As I got older and wiser, like most of us do, I started to realize
that my dad was absolutely right about that fact. And, I also started to realize that that lesson
applied to more than just sports or activities.
Having the right attitude is key in all areas of life. Keep reading to learn why that is, and a
few key attitudes that are must haves if you want to live a life of joy, fulfillment, and success.
Why Your Attitude Is So Important
“Control the controlable” – that’s a statement that makes every control freak shutter with
disdain. At its core, what it’s saying is that we need to focus our energy on controlling the things
we can actually control in some way, shape, or form, and not fret about those things that are out of
our control. And if we’re being completely honest, there aren’t many things that we can control in
life. But, one of the few things that we can always control is our attitude. And it’s vitally
important that we do so. The reason why is because your attitude influences your actions. And we
all know that it’s our actions that determine our success.
As the saying goes, “your attitude determines your altitude.” Meaning that, the type of
attitude you approach life with will significantly impact the level of success you will or will not
have. Typically, when someone has a bad attitude, it negatively affects their action. These are the
naysayers, doubters, and negative Nancies of the world. I don’t know many of those types of
people who are out there just killing it. In fact, those tend to be the people who, because of their
frustration from a lack of results and success in their own lives, troll and try to tear down those
who are trying to create success in theirs.

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 On the other hand, when you have a positive attitude and outlook, you’re much more likely
to take action and get things done. And, not only that, having a positive attitude makes you much
more likely to be supportive of others and helpful to them in whatever it is that they have going
on. So, an added benefit of a positive attitude is that you’re able to foster better relationships. I
don’t know of many millionaires or billionaires that walk around with bad attitudes. In fact, it’s
usually quite the opposite. They tend to have great attitudes and outlooks in life, which has
allowed them to create the success they’ve achieved.
Now that we know why your attitude is so important, let’s look at a few must-have attitudes
that you need in your life.
3 Must Have Attitudes in Life
1. Attitude of Positivity
Let’s take a moment to view your attitude as a pyramid – something that is systematically
built over time. At the base of the pyramid would be positivity. Positivity is the prerequisite for all
of the other attitudes you need to have in order to, as the Lifehack mission says, “live your best
life without sacrifice.”
Positivity has a direct relationship with possibilities. People who are negative tend to have a
fixed mindset, and are closed off to all of the possibility that exists in life. Negativity and a victim
mindset go hand in hand. Conversely, when someone has a positive outlook and attitude, they are
much more likely to have a growth mindset and are open to the abundance that exists within the
world.
As I mentioned above, whether you have a positive attitude or not, will affect the action you
take. When we take action and achieve a desired outcome, we further expand our mind to
possibilities, which furthers our positivity. And you’ll see why, in just a moment, that having a
positive attitude is necessary for you to be able to have the other two attitudes we’re going to
discuss.
2. Attitude of Gratitude
In this social media society that we live in, where comparison is a common trap to fall into,
it’s very easy for someone to have a negative attitude. Someone might feel angry that they didn’t
get the “lucky breaks” that the people they follow online did. Or, they may start to feel like a
victim, who’s powerless to control their own destiny and achieve the results they desire in life.
And once someone gets to that point, that’s when action becomes seemingly impossible, and
people give up on the pursuit of their goals, dreams, or aspirations.
This phenomena is prevalent in lower income or disadvantaged communities. Young people
grow up not seeing any models of success in their immediate environment. They are also fed
limiting stories, from those closest to them, about their inability to ever be able to create a great
life for themselves. So, they grow up with a fixed mindset about their potential. And those
limiting stories, which often create their reality, leave them feel jaded and like life isn’t fair. All of
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that coupled together puts them into a state of negativity, which solidifies their inability to create a
better life for themselves.
If you’re not careful, comparison will rip your life apart. That’s why an attitude of gratitude
is so important. It takes you out of focusing on what you don’t have (i.e. being stuck in
comparison mode and a negative attitude), and helps you to focus on all that you do have.
When we think about life from an energetic perspective, there’s nothing that raises our
vibration more than gratitude. Focusing on consciously adding more gratitude into your life will
be one of the most transformative things you will do, and will positively impact all areas of your
life.
3. Attitude of Greatness
One of the things about having a good attitude is that it’s a matter of choice – you have to
choose to have a good attitude. Because of the need to survive experienced by our ancestors, our
minds naturally have a bent towards the negative. It was a survival mechanism. And, although we
don’t have to worry about a saber tooth tiger jumping out of a bush anymore, our brains are still
wired that way. So we have to consciously choose to be positive.
Another thing that is a choice in life, and something that will positively impact your life, is
becoming great at something. If you take a step back and look at the relationship between a
positive attitude and becoming great at something, you’ll see that it’s a symbotic, two-way
relationship. Becoming great at something will give you a boost in confidence, which will
positively impact your attitude. Looking at it the other way, it typically takes having a positive
attitude to want to become great at something.
One key thing to add here is that you need to make sure that you’re pursuing greatness at
something that you actually enjoy and that fulfills you. Otherwise, you won’t get that two-way
benefit we just discussed. I always did really well in school, but I didn’t enjoy it much, so I didn’t
go into it with a great attitude. Luckily, I had a huge why for being successful in school, and that
carried me through. But in order to avoid that, set yourself up for success by choosing to become
great at something you enjoy.
Think of any great athlete – they aren’t walking around with a bad attitude. They may have a
chip on their shoulder, and be hyper competitive, but they tend to be positive people. And that
positivity opens them up to possibility, which deepens their drive to be great. As they continue to
pursue greatness, they become more confident, which partner fuels their beliefs about
possibilities. And the cycle continues. So, if you’re struggling with a bad attitude, seek to become
great at something and see if that doesn’t change.
Bottom Line
Your attitude is everything – don’t try to fight against that truth. Accept it, and allow it to
guide you in consciously choosing the attitude you want to have on a daily basis. In particular, be

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sure to have attitudes of positivity, gratitude, and greatness. Doing that will allow you to live a
great life.

6 Strategic Ways to Aim High and Achieve Your Goals

To aim high and achieve you goals, you must be strategic. Do these following activities,
adapt them to your field, and test and see if they work for you. The following is exactly what I do
to keep achieving high and living a life of purpose and continuous achievement.
1. Developing Small Micro Habits
You must first develop the ability to start micro habits, like curating your sphere of
influence[4].
The people you associate yourself with make a big difference in your life. Dr. Jose Valentino
Ruiz-Resto, a University of Florida Music Entrepreneurship faculty member and Multi-Grammy
and Emmy Award Winner, once said, “When you associate yourself with winners, you become a
winner.”
Who is in your immediate sphere of influence? It’s important to know the answer to this
because they will influence both your personality and path in life.
Other small but important micro habits are taking actions when others don’t, observing
patterns, and starting each day by asking: “How can I change my life today?”
2. Executing Daily Tasks
In order to aim high and succeed, you need a plan and a course of action. The goal, in my
current position as Department Chair, is to build the very best department of media production
among Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the state of Alabama. My plan is to
develop the necessary infrastructure, e.g. having modern facilities, an up-to-date media
curriculum, a place for students to congregate, etc.
In order to accomplish all of this, I must execute a variety of daily tasks, including
answering emails relating to the vision of the unit, speaking with students in order to gather
important youth insights, revising old and writing new syllabi objectives, and creating
partnerships on campus to increase cross-collaboration.
Even if you have big, long-term goals, the daily tasks that you engage in each day will
ultimately be what allows you to achieve them. Don’t get lost in big ideas and forget the
importance of small tasks.
3. Tracking Your Progress in the Long-Term
Aiming high is almost always synonymous with aiming long-term. Achieving the
extraordinary is a lifetime pursuit that takes time and must be measured against a particular
standard overtime. Malcolm Gladwell, author of the book The Tipping Point, stated that
“Researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: 10,000
hours.”[5]
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 While some scholars disagree with the actual number (10,000 hours), they do agree that a
considerable amount of time is required for expertise to be developed. Leaders who aim high and
succeed keep an up-to-date spreadsheet with data tracking the time spent on each task, along with
progress made.
Project analytics is critical in the process because when variables are measured over time,
trends (positive and negative) emerge, leading to insightful conclusions. This can help you adjust
your goals as you go.
4. Continuous Self-Improvement
Tiger Woods, in his quest for self-improvement, “would get up in the morning and run four
miles. After that, he’d go to the gym to lift weights. Then, he’d hit some balls for two or three
hours, go play around, and then work on his short game.”[6]
Some may consider his routine insane, but none disagree that Tiger Woods aimed very high
and succeeded in his golf endeavors. He has been known for always trying to improve, even after
winning multiple major open golf championships.
It’s clear to me that Tiger understood kaizen, the Japanese philosophy and practice for
continuous improvement. It’s without question a requisite for aiming high and succeeding.
5. Accumulation of Small Successes
Aiming high and succeeding starts with taking the first step and accumulating small victories
along the way. Let’s take the example of a journey to get a PhD. A PhD isn’t earned quickly or all
at once. It is achieved over time through small successes.
It starts with getting accepted to a PhD program, followed by becoming a PhD candidate,
passing coursework, to eventually being able to take “the comps” and start working on a doctoral
dissertation. It is only after the former that a candidate has the chance to complete the degree
through a dissertation defense.
Another great example comes from Chrysler. The great Lee Iacocca revived Chrysler
Corporation in the 1980’s[7] by accumulating small successes which allowed his to acquire the
Jeep Division of AMC in 1987. Great corporate leaders aim high and succeed by accumulating
small successes along the way, and you can, too.
Final Thoughts
To aim high is a philosophy worth pursuing. When implemented with sound and previously
tested strategies, success is within reach. Above are just some of the strategies you might want to
put in practice in your leadership bag of tricks. Higher standards emerge from such principles, and
success follows the results.

14 Success Stories of Famous People Who Begin With Setbacks

Do you have a favorite failure? It’s a question author Tim Ferriss asks every guest on his
podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show. Without fail, each guest can credit their success to a single
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setback or a long string of failure after failure that ultimately motivated them to improve and try
again. It’s how we learn.
As Henry Ford once said, “Failure is only the opportunity more intelligently to begin again.”
Success isn’t linear. If you zoom out on the success story of Amazon over the last twenty
years, it appears as if it has only gone up based on stock value. But if you zoom in, there were
constant ebbs and flows.
There are months where share value tanked and it looked like it would never recover.
Inevitably, those downturns were followed by tremendous gains that doubled or tripled their
losses. It’s those setbacks that are necessary to learn and allow more room for future growth.
I guarantee any celebrity or icon you look up to initially struggled in what they wanted to
accomplish. Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Beyonce—yes, Beyonce—all struggled at some
point. They thought they may fail. They probably had self-doubt in pursuing their dreams because
they sounded ridiculous. Some thought they make end up working a desk job for the rest of their
life. But through a combination of self-belief and determination, they were able to forget their
struggles, analyze what they did wrong, and understand how to change their approach to execute
flawlessly the next time around.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf once said, “The size of your dreams must always exceed your current
capacity to achieve them. If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”
What most people don’t realize is that failure acts as a stepping-stone towards success. It’s
through our failures that we learn our ability to grow in life, love, goals, and happiness. Plus,
everyone has failed at some point in their life.
To put things into perspective, here are 14 success stories of some of the most famous
people who began their careers with initial setbacks. Success doesn’t come overnight, but so long
as you don’t give up, it will be there waiting for you.
1. Steven Spielberg
Before releasing the 1975 classic, Jaws, Steven Spielberg was rejected multiple times from
USC’s School of Cinematic Hearts.[1] If he hadn’t taken those early failures to heart, we may
never have had E.T., Indiana Jones, or Jurassic Park to thank him for.
2. Chris Pratt
Actor Chris Pratt was homeless and living in a van in Hawaii when he was nineteen before
he finally made it onto the big screen.[2] His first movie only paid him $700. Twenty years of
hard work later, Pratt was paid $10 million to film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
3. Sylvester Stallone
Rocky star and writer, Sylvester Stallone was so poor at one point that he had to sell his dog
for $40 just to buy food. After receiving two Oscar bids for his script and performance in Rocky,
he was able to buy the dog back from the new owner for $15,000!

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 4. Oprah Winfrey
Probably having one of the most famous success stories, Oprah was born into deep poverty
in Mississippi, raised by a single mother living on welfare. She was physically, mentally, and
sexually abused during her childhood.
One thing not many people know about her is that she ran away from home and got pregnant
when she was only fourteen-years-old.[3] She lost the baby shortly after birth. Despite her initial
struggles as a young girl, she turned herself into one of the most successful individuals of our
time.
5. Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey is one of the funniest people on the planet. He has been the star of some of the
most successful movies of all time. But Carrey grew up extremely poor in Canada.
When he was a teenager, his family worked as janitors at a school to help pay the bills. And
during his first stand-up comedy performance, he was booed off the stage. Not shortly after, he
made it big on In Living Color and then went on to star in Dumb & Dumber, The Mask, and Ace
Ventura in the same year!
6. J.K. Rowling
Before writing one of the most successful book series in modern history, J.K. Rowling was
broke, living on welfare, and supporting a child on her own. It took her seven years to write the
first Harry Potter novel, and even then, all twelve major publishing houses at that time rejected the
book.
7. Katy Perry
Before dancing on stage with the infamous “Left Shark” at the halftime show of Super Bowl
XLIX, Katy Perry’s long journey was filled with failures. Her first record label went out of
business after her first album sold only two hundred copies. After two more labels dropped her, it
took Katy Perry over ten years of hard work before she finally had a hit in 2008 called I Kissed a
Girl.
8. Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison is not only the most famous inventor (of the phonograph, the movie camera,
alkaline storage batteries, etc.) you know, given his well-known success story, but you also
probably know him as a famous failure.
In elementary school, we were all taught that Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times when
attempting to invent a commercially-viable electric lightbulb. [4] Edison was a master of trial and
error. He was not afraid to make hundreds, or even thousands, of mistakes before figuring
something out.
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try
just one more time.” —Thomas Edison

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 9. Henry Ford
The success story of Henry Ford is one that is also well-known. Henry Ford, as you all
know, is the father of the automobile and creator of the assembly line. He helped bring
transportation to the masses in America with his Ford Model T car. But what you may not know
was that his first company went bankrupt. Even his second company also went bankrupt.
10. Beyoncé
Before Destiny’s Child, Beyonce was in a group called Girl’s Tyme. When Beyonce was
just nine years old, the group appeared on the show Star Search and lost. That group went on to
become Destiny’s Child.
But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. They had internal struggles and of the original six
members of Girl’s Tyme, only two remained in Destiny’s Child after it was formed. In 1996, they
were signed by Columbia Records, and the rest is history.
11. James Dyson
If you thought Thomas Edison’s failures were bad, let me introduce you to James Dyson, the
famous inventor of the Dyson vacuums you see all over television. Dyson developed over 5,000
failed prototypes before finding the bagless vacuum brand. Not only that, he invested his entire
savings account into his prototypes over fifteen years! Luckily, the bagless vacuum worked and
now Forbes estimates James Dyson’s net worth at over $6 billion.[5]
12. Stephen King
Before Stephen King became known as arguably the greatest living writer—having written
over 60 novels, many of which have been adapted for film and television—King was rejected over
and over again.
In his memoir, On Writing, King describes how he used to post his rejection letters on the
wall with a big spike for inspiration. His first novel, Carrie, was rejected 30 times. Just when he
was about to give up and move on to his next project, his wife found the manuscript in the trash
and asked him to try one more time. We all know what happened after that.
13. Vincent Van Gogh
The success story of Vincent Van Gogh may not be as well-known as the others, but it is still
as inspiring. Most people don’t know that Van Gogh never actually got to see how much of a
success he was. His paintings did not become popular until after his death. Of his 900 paintings,
only one was sold while he was alive.
14. Jay-Z
It’s no hidden secret that Jay-Z sold drugs in his youth—he raps about it constantly to
remind himself of his humble roots. He is in no way proud of it, but it was what he had to do to
scrape by in Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects.

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 During that time, he developed an interest in music and sold CDs out of his trunk before
starting his own label, Roc-A-Fella Records.[6] Shortly after, his career sky-rocketed into the
limelight when his album soared to number 23 on the Billboard 200 before going platinum.
Final Thoughts
Hard work is what gets you through life. The Navy SEALs developed BUD/s, known as the
most difficult training program in the U.S. military. They want to make sure the warriors they
select have the mental toughness to remain calm under pressure and never quit, regardless of the
circumstances.
The best way to do that is to expose them to extreme pressure and impossible conditions
over and over again. The more they experience setbacks, the more they can learn from them and
develop their mental and physical strategies to overcome the obstacles next time.
This is exactly what formed some of the most successful people we know of today. They
didn’t purposely put themselves in difficult situations, but the circumstances they were able to
overcome allowed them to develop the confidence in themselves to persevere and learn how to do
things better.
Self-belief is one of the strongest personal attributes that will lead to your success. So, when
you face setbacks in life, don’t get down on yourself. That’s too easy.
Instead, look at it with a smile and say to yourself, “This is why I’m here. This is my
opportunity to learn and get better.” Besides, look at how many other people have done it

How to Work Hard the Smart Way: 4 Daily Rituals to Follow

Habits are what sets an average leader apart from a great leader. We can argue that talent is
the biggest factor; we may debate how the amount of charisma sets the two apart. Yet, if you were
to show me what you believed to be a great leader, I can show you the habits that made her/him
great. Great leaders have great habits and know how to work hard the smart way.
What Is Hard Work?
So, what really is hard work? We’ve all heard it somewhere sometime that we need to work
hard if we want to achieve anything in life. I started hearing this before I even started elementary
school. However, for all the fuss about working hard, no one ever really explained to me what
hard work is. Again, what is hard work?
This is one of the questions where you don’t need a universal definition. Hard work can be
whatever you think it is. It may be in the form of putting extra hours at work, or working more
intensely, or taking a second job – I’m sure you get the point.
While there is no fixed definition for hard work, there is usually a general meaning the word
conveys. It typically means putting in extra efforts and strenuous hours for doing certain tasks.

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 Many people have had their say in what hard work is, and one thing that always resonates is
linking it to success. Consider the words of Colin Powell, “there are no secrets to success. It is the
result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
Whenever any successful person says anything about hard work, it always seems to be
linked to success. And, I can confirm it too – success usually accompanies hard work.
Keeping that in mind, I want to revise that earlier definition. Hard work is about putting in
extra efforts and strenuous hours for doing certain tasks and not giving up until you succeed.
Hard Work or Talent?
After considering the definition of hard work, the question that may pop up in the head of
many is, “so, where do you put talent?”
Well, talent is also critical. In fact, some people believe it is more important to success than
hard work. While I wouldn’t like to be drawn into any such debates, Tim Notke apparently does.
He had this to say – hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
And, quite frankly, he couldn’t have put it any better. Both are important to success in the
long run, but talent without hard work will take you absolutely nowhere.
So, the summary of all of this is – it is not “hard work or talent,”; it is “hard work and
talent.”
Benefits of Hard Work
There are tons of benefits that accompany hard work. So many that we cannot possibly fit
them all, even if we were to write a separate article. However, below are four of the most relevant
benefits of hard work to you.
Success - Yes, of course! The primary goal of working hard is to become successful, and
with the right dose of hard work and smart work, that goal is very achievable. Hard work means
not giving up and increasing efforts to complete a task. When the right tasks are in place, it is only
a matter of time before one makes an actual and true breakthrough.
According to Napoleon Hill, “some people dream of success, while others wake up and work
hard at it.” This again reiterates what you already know – you need hard work for success.
Self-Development
One underrated aspect of working hard is the mentality change that follows it. Success is
usually what everyone sees on the outside, but self-development is the part no one ever really
notices but yourself. You have that strong conviction that you are always improving, doing better
than you were some time back. As people commonly say, the only room that is never filled up is
the room for improvement – the room for self-development. Hard workplaces, you are solidly on
the right track for this.
Build Confidence

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 Hard work often brings, along with it, success, which, in turn, builds confidence. This is why
successful people take more and bigger risks than others. They already have such confidence in
their abilities that they are not afraid to make tough decisions. All of this all boils down to the
results of working hard.
New Opportunities
One thing hardworking people notice is the abundance of opportunities that come their way.
From the outside, no one really gets it. You hear side talks and murmurs of, “what is he doing
right?” “why is she so lucky?” If you find out well enough, hard work is in the mix somewhere.
Hard work will open doors of opportunities for you, setting you in a prime position to be
even more successful. Thomas Jefferson once said, “I am a greater believer in luck, and I find that
the harder I work, the more of it I have.”
Developing Great Habits is Hard Work
In my early college days, I had spent a lot of time learning how to play the trumpet. Playing
the trumpet took time and discipline. I had some natural talent, but not enough to hide my lack of
ability. My trumpet teacher was a man of discipline, and there was no doubt he had talent. What
stood to me was his work ethic. He had to be one of the hardest working mentors that I had the
privilege of working with.
One afternoon, I was in his office getting ready for my weekly trumpet lesson. As I was
preparing, my eyes scanned the room and saw that there were quotes all over his office. My eyes
rested on one quote that forever changed my thinking about my playing. It was a quote from my
high school basketball coach Tim Notke that would become popular through professional athletes
Kevin Durant and Tim Tebow:
“Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.”
Hard work trumps talent. The key to success is not found in your talent or ability. Talent and
ability are necessary, but they are not the primary factors. They are supporting roles in the story
you are writing.
Ultimately, hard work is the key to your success. A good work ethic creates the momentum
that propels you forward towards your goals.
Motivation is Not the Answer
How many times have you seen someone go to a conference, get inspired, and then come
home and do nothing?
If motivation were the answer, the world would have transformed hundreds of times over.
Yet, when we look out our doors or turn on the news, we do not see a utopian society.
We have thousands of people who become inspired but lack the work ethic to apply anything
they have learned. Time and time again frustration creeps in. We are so motivated and inspired by
what we see but fail to put in place the things that would change our lives.

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 Frustration happens when the gap between what you expect to be true and what is true gets
bigger. Motivation tends to create an expectation that is not rooted in reality. We want to take on
the world but cannot get off Netflix long enough to do so.
Motivation is not the answer, but working hard is. Good habits and routines that produce
success are the by products of a strong work ethic. The habits and routines we create and follow
are the foundation on which we build a winning life.
How to Motivate Yourself to Work Hard
Motivation, in itself, will get nothing done. You can be motivated and still not channel that
motivation rightly. However, motivating yourself to work hard can lead to you actually working
hard. And this is the beginning of success. Below are tips that can help you motivate yourself to
work hard.
Surround Yourself with Hard Workers
If you want to remain motivated to work hard, surround yourself with hard workers. “Show
me your friends, and I will tell you who you are” is the perfect phrase that illustrates this. If you
are always around lazy and unmotivated people, it is only a matter of time before it rubs on you.
Stay Focused
Stay focused on the goals. This is one of the secrets to working hard. It is easy to derail or
lose focus in the face of failure, but you need the discipline to focus on your goals. Constantly ask
yourself why you need to work hard in the first place and, more importantly, remain focused on
those goals.
Reward Yourself
Don’t be too hard on yourself every time. There are days where you just need to cool off and
appreciate where you have reached and what you have accomplished. Reward yourself. This may
be with as little as a drink in a bar or a year-long vacation – the principle remains the same.
4 Daily Rituals to Help You Work Hard And Work Smart
Here are 4 routines that will help you learn how to work hard and achieve your short term
and long term goals:
Know the outcome you desire.
Declare the outcome in specific, meaningful terms.
Write the outcome down.
Set your activity list to only do that which will complete your goals.
Let me give you an example. 15 years ago, I started speaking professionally. As a young and
naïve speaker, I thought winning meant that I had to get a reaction from the audience. If they
cheered, smiled, or cried, I considered myself a winner. The problem was my lack of
understanding of what a win looked like. As a seasoned speaker, my wins look different.

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 As of today, when I speak, I am not looking for any emotional reactions from the audience. I
win if, and only if, I clearly communicated my point so that anyone hearing the talk can take it
and apply it to their lives that day. That is how I define a win when I speak now.
Create a habit of declaring a win. When you do, you will see your productivity soar and your
encouragement increase. Pairing a hard work ethic with wise decisions creates victory. Stop being
a mouse on a wheel that goes nowhere, and start being the captain of your fleet.
1. Define What a Win Looks Like
In football, a player that crosses into the end zone gain points. In soccer, a player kicks the
ball into the net to score. Hockey, lacrosse, and basketball are all the same. The player takes the
object and moves it into the designated area to gain points. The team with the most points wins
the game. Why is it that we can define what a win looks like in sports, but we fail to do so in our
leadership, our businesses, or our homes?
Learning how to work hard without setting a target is futile. It is insanity to work hard
without having a clear direction to place your energy. I would argue that defining a win is one of
the most important routines that a leader can have. Defining a win separates superficial activity
from meaningful activity.
When I define a win, I know the goal line I have to cross[1]. Knowing where the goal line is
informs me of the activity I have to engage in to cross it. Without a clear direction, I am spinning
my wheels hoping that I will get to a destination I haven’t defined. It is like asking a GPS for
directions but failing to input the destination.
2. Evaluate Your Activity
Not all activity is equal. There are things you must do, things you need to do, and things we
can either give away or delete. The greatest challenge of a leader is understanding the difference.
Understanding what activity is busywork and what activity is mission work is pivotal.
Not only do we need to learn how to evaluate our activity, but we must make this a core
routine in our arsenal of success. Stop working so hard on everything and start learning how to
work hard on the right things.
Not every activity will move the needle forward for you. In fact, you were never meant to do
everything yourself! Once we stop trying to be a martyr in our leadership, we can start looking at
how to take things off our plates through delegation.
Based on the Eisenhower box, there are 4 things that we look at when deciding on which
activities are important:
Do now
Plan to do it later
Delegate to someone else
Delete it
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 Powerful questions are the way you discover if the activity is right or not:
Does this activity move me towards or away from my goals?
Do I have to do this activity or can I give this activity away to someone else?
Does this activity have to be now right now or can it be scheduled for later dates?
Does this activity have to be done at all?
Evaluating the type of activity you engage in should be a routine that you do daily. Learning
how to work hard should create progress. Having a system of evaluation and a routine to do it will
help.
3. Prioritize Your Calendar
If you were to show me your calendar, I could show you why you are not further along.
When you lack the routine of placing things on your calendar, two things happen.
First, what does not make it on your calendar does not get done.
It is a simple truth that is often overlooked. Your calendar contains the power to change your
life. Yet, we don’t use our calendars to their fullest potential.
“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of
your success is found in your daily routine.” -John C. Maxwell
Also, if you don’t mark you activities on your calendar, you are leaving it open to other’s
priorities.
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
-Stephen Covey
Having a routine in your life where you place things on your calendar is pivotal to your
success. This is not a routine one should overlook.
It’s time to take your leadership and business to the next level. It’s time to start putting your
daily routines on your calendar, along with your priorities.
4. Reflect on Your Day and Plan the Next
We are all about the morning routine. Whatever that looks like for you, there should be a
routine in the morning that sets you up for success.
Hard work starts when your feet hit the ground in the morning. Creating the habit of winning
starts with the first thing you accomplish that morning. If you win your morning, you will win
your day.
But how often have you heard people talk about an evening routine? Tomorrow is won the
day before it happens. When you fail to plan your day, you may put your effort toward in the
wrong things. Route replaces routine. Indecision replaces decisiveness. Losses replace wins. The
discouragement will deflate your momentum and increases the chances of procrastination. That is
why we set our schedule the night before.

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 “Every battle is won or lost before it is ever fought.” -Sun Tzu
Working hard doesn’t have to be hard work. It shouldn’t take much out of you learn how to
work hard as long as you work smart. Having a time where you reflect on the day and set your
priorities is the difference-maker.
Use these questions to reflect on your day:
What went well?
What didn’t go well?
What can I change?
What do I need to start doing?
What do I need to stop doing?
The Bottom Line
Navigating through life is hard work. Yet, the work doesn’t have to be hard when you work
smarter. When you create routines that support your mission, you create wins. Working hard, the
smart way will tip the balance in our favor.
Boxing legend Joe Frazier said:
“Champions aren’t made in the ring; they are merely recognized there.”
Champions put in the hard work behind the scenes. The world recognized them as a
champion when they saw the results of the hard work. Right now, you are doing the work of
creating a champion in yourself.
That work is setting your routines in order because you now know that success flows from
your daily routines. If you are not experiencing the success you desire, then it is time to change
things up.

12 Scientific Ways To Learn Anything Faster And Smarter

You may very well be reading this article because you’re struggling to learn something.
Maybe you’re putting off studying for that exam or frustrated with how slowly you’re learning a
new language. I’ve dug into a pile of scientific research to help you find ways to learn things
efficiently and effectively.
You may not have a photographic memory, but at least you can take some actionable steps
to speed up your learning and retain information better.
1. Try Mindfulness
Mindfulness isn’t just sitting on a yoga cushion with your eyes closed chanting “Om.” There
is indeed scientific evidence that meditation improves learning outcomes.[1] It decreases anxiety
levels and helps people experience the kind of clear-headedness necessary for effective learning.

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 But there are also other ways to experience mindfulness. You can also try mindfulness
exercises that encourage you to open your eyes and see and hear the world in a non-judgmental
way.
One of my favorite mindfulness exercises is called “Call It Like You Sees It” from Play
Your Way Sane: 120 Improv-Inspired Exercises to Help You Calm Down, Stop Spiraling, and
Embrace Uncertainty. As you’re taking a walk, simply point to things you pass and call out what
they are: “Tree, grass, frog, sidewalk.” By doing this, you’re practicing being open and present to
the world around you instead of being stressed out, anxious, or self-absorbed.
You can also just close your eyes and listen carefully to try to identify as many sounds as
possible. Slow down and deepen your breathing to try to hear as much as you can instead of
getting carried away with your overthinking.
2. Get Some Sleep
Studies also show a link between sleep deprivation and compromised academic outcome.[2]
Simply put, if you’re not getting enough sleep, your learning and retention are going to suffer.
So figure out how much sleep you need each night and stick to a consistent bedtime and
wake-up times each day. Your grades and job performance will thank me.
3. Eat Right
If you’re eating a diet that’s high in saturated fat and refined sugar—think processed foods
instead of fresh fruits and veggies—you’re not doing your brain any favors. Diets heavy in
processed food have been linked to poorer learning outcomes.[3] Researchers found that
unhealthy diets filled with saturated fats and refined sugar negatively affect the hippocampus and
memory formation, which is essential to fast and efficient learning.
So, if you’re looking for ways to learn faster and smarter, put the gas station snacks down
and switch to a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats—fresh over
frozen, natural over factory-made.
4. Exercise
Another way to learn better and faster is to make sure you’re getting some exercise
throughout the week. Just like getting enough sleep, exercising is a hippocampus booster. That
means your brain will be better able to retain information.
One study with mice showed that adding exercise after over a year of being sedentary
reversed degeneration of the hippocampus by about 50%.[4] That means even if you haven’t been
getting exercise lately, it’s not too late. Aim for at least three aerobic exercise sessions a week that
last at least 30 minutes per session to keep your hippocampus healthy.
5. Focus on One Thing at a Time
A lot of people think they’re good at multi-tasking. I hear this a lot. People think they can
listen to music and scroll through TikTok while listening to an online lecture on genetics. Turns

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out, this is wishful thinking. If you’re looking for ways to learn faster and smarter, one of the
easiest is to close all your tabs and do one thing at a time.
One way to think about this is what’s known as the cognitive bottleneck theory, which states
that we cannot attend to all of our sensory inputs at once.[5] We might have the TV on and that
online lecture and be listening to music while talking to a friend, but not all of those inputs can be
consciously attended to. There’s a bottleneck where some of the inputs just don’t make it through
to conscious thought.
In one study, the cognitive bottleneck theory was confirmed, which means that students were
not able to retain as much information or learn as efficiently when they were attempting to multi-
task.[6] So, keep it simple, limit distractions, and learn one thing at a time.
6. Don’t Worry About Learning Styles
You may have read about learning styles and how knowing your learning style can help you
learn better. Well, it turns out there isn’t actually any scientific evidence that confirms that
learning styles improve learning outcomes.[7]
Learning styles come from Neil Fleming in the 1990s and have gained in popularity in
recent decades, but that doesn’t mean the theory actually improves learning. It’s fine to know
whether you prefer visual, audio, kinesthetic, or reading/writing inputs, but don’t forget that
learning styles are just that—preferences.
Instead of trying to force yourself to learn everything with your preferred style, you should
focus more on matching the challenge with the learning style. If you’re trying to memorize
vocabulary for a written quiz, it makes the most sense to mix reading/writing with visual learning.
If you’re trying to learn how to have a conversation in a new language, you may want to stick
with audio and kinesthetic styles.
Don’t be too worried about learning styles. Instead, mix it up and try all different styles.
7. Try Spaced Repetition
Spaced repetition can help you learn better. Spaced repetition is a system where you quiz
yourself to see if you know something or not. It works great as either a physical or digital set of
flashcards—when you need to learn lots of small pieces of information.
All the information you get correct goes in one pile, and the information you don’t know
goes in another. You quiz yourself on the information you got wrong more frequently than what
you got right. Eventually, the information you keep getting correct is spaced out more and more
until it is in long-term memory. At that point, you’ve truly learned it.
Spaced repetition has been proven effective in scientific studies. It helps with memory and
problem-solving skills and leads to vast improvements in long-term learning.[8] One spaced
repetition system is called Anki, and you can find information online about how to make your
own physical Anki flashcard system or download an app that will create a digital Anki system for
you.
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 8. Try Mnemonic Devices
Another trick to learning faster and smarter is to try mnemonic devices. This is simply the
process of chunking information by using initials or acronyms.
The classic is ROYGBIV. If you can remember the mnemonic device ROYGBIV, it makes
it much easier to recall the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and
violet. The idea is that it’s easier to remember one thing than seven, and by using the first letter of
all the colors, you give yourself a clue to then recall the colors.
Research confirms that mnemonic devices help speed up retention and even improve formal
reasoning—never a bad thing.[9]
9. Gamify Your Learning
Gamification is when you turn something that’s not a game into something that’s more like a
game by adding game elements such as points, competition, and rewards or goals.[10]
One example of gamification is to turn a household chore into a game by racing against the
clock or competing against someone to see who can clean a room faster.
You can also gamify learning. Turn it into a competition. Motivate yourself by adding a
scoring system or a time limit. Studies show that gamifying learning boosts motivation and
engagement, academic achievement, and social connectivity.[11]
10. Improvise
Next is improvisation. Now, I don’t just mean make stuff up as you go. Improvisation
actually has principles to follow that help everyone be on the same page. By agreeing with each
other’s ideas and adding to the reality that’s being established, improvisers build a level of trust
with each other that has incredible benefits.
Improvising or just adding improv principles to your everyday life helps reduce anxiety and
boost creativity and collaboration.[12][13] In one study, high school students wrote more after
participating in an improv workshop[14]
So, you may want to try improv thinking to boost your learning, which means embracing
mistakes, agreeing and adding onto ideas, and not being negative or judgmental.
11. Reflect
Another strategy to learn faster and smarter is to make reflecting part of your process. In one
study, students who were prompted to reflect on their progress outperformed students who did not
integrate reflection.[15]
So, if you want to learn faster and more efficiently, make sure to reflect on your progress
periodically. Ask yourself some questions and set some achievable goals. Is your current plan
working? Why or why not? What are you still struggling with?
This way you won’t just keep repeating the same inefficient or ineffective habits. Instead,
you’ll be able to make changes, so you can improve your learning outcomes.
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 12. Seek Feedback
If you want to boost the benefits to your learning more, incorporate other people’s feedback
in addition to your own self-reflection. Research shows that when feedback is combined with
reflection, students achieve even more pronounced benefits to their learning.[16]
So, seek out a mentor or advisor who can give you honest and productive feedback, so you
can create the best plan to improve your learning.
Final Thoughts
Learning is a complex process that requires you to manage your stress, take care of your
physical health, and create and refine learning plans to achieve an optimal amount of success.
Of course, there are tricks to help you speed up your learning like using mnemonic devices
and spaced repetition. But at the end of the day, a more holistic approach to overall health and
wellbeing will get you further than a hack here and a hack there.

10 Tools That Make Learning At Home More Efficient

In a world where everybody is going more remote every day, it’s critical to keep a constant
eye on your development and growth. You can never stop learning, so it’s more critical than ever
to have the right tools for learning at your disposal and keep yourself on that path.
Whether you are a student or a professional continuing your education, the year 2020 has
proved to be a metaphorical wrench thrown in the wheels of your learning. You found yourself
physically isolated from your tribes and disconnected from your learning environments. Once
again, technology came to the rescue, and many companies put out great new tools for learning
meant to fill that very gap.
Some tools existed before, but they took off as their popularity exploded in recent years.
You should take from this that these tools are not only saving grace in dire times, but you can also
use them in your day-to-day process to make learning more efficient.
There are many aspects of learning, but in this context, I wanted to focus on four primary
areas that are critical when it comes to distance learning or learning on your own:
Reading – the basic source of knowledge
Courses – advanced learning programs
Retaining information – making learning stick
Archiving your knowledge – finding and accessing your knowledgebase easily
“Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would be in
fear of losing it.”—Confucius
Reading – The Source of Knowledge
A vast majority of learning happens through reading, and we often find sources of
inspiration for our knowledge in books. You might find it challenging to identify the books you
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should read and, sometimes, you invest in a book only to learn mid-way that you’re not enjoying
the style or that it simply doesn’t address what you need.
That’s why I believe that two apps, in particular, will come very handy to allow you to
identify what to read while also getting a few golden nuggets along the way.
These apps are also beneficial when trying to find something new to learn, perhaps
something totally outside of your comfort zone. They will help you sort through the tons of books
out there and quickly figure out what sparks your interest.
1. Blinkist
I’m an avid reader, and my biggest problem after going through the essential books on
specific topics is finding new things to learn from. Especially since self-publishing became a
thing, it’s becoming harder and harder to sort through all the options out there and pick something
that will help and that you will enjoy, too.
When I discovered Blinkist, I never looked back, and I must’ve read about fifty different
books due to that. Blinkist picks books and summarizes them in a series of short audio snippets
called blinks. Typically, a Blinkist entry takes about 15 minutes to listen to (or read, if you
prefer).
The app has a robust tagging system so you can select the books you need based on the type
or based on others you’ve already read. This app will improve your efficiency in identifying new
books to read and learn from. Also, it will help you waste a minimal amount of time finding out
what books you shouldn’t waste your time on.
2. Headway
Headway is similar to Blinkist, but it’s a newer addition to the market. Their app is clean,
and the user interface is intuitive and easy to use.
The tool is excellent at identifying your reading patterns and suggests what to read next
based on your history. Although their library is not as extensive as Blinkist’s for the time being,
they put efforts into creating summaries for new books that hit the shelves, as well as some of the
more widely known non-fiction books.
Courses – Going Deeper
The online course market is another industry that has exploded over the past few years. You
can find courses on everything for all levels. Teachers come from all walks of life, sharing their
specific knowledge through these convenient tools for learning.
I must have gone through a dozen courses in the last year, and I found them easy to digest
and consume and highly efficient. You can install these tools on your phone or tablet and use
them while driving, during your workout, or before bedtime.
Because the courses have different levels, you can start from a beginner course and see if
that works for you. Later, you can upgrade to higher levels and continue to learn on that subject.

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You’ll find it particularly effective to combine a book you’ve identified with a course available on
one of these apps in the same category.
3. Udemy
Udemy is a site and app that provides online learning through video courses. The content is
varied, and it’s geared toward personal and professional development.
The site itself is user-friendly, and finding what you need is straightforward. Because
thousands of users are using the app, you benefit from many reviews and testimonials for each
course.
The one drawback for Udemy is that they don’t have a subscription model, so if you want to
take many classes, you have to pay for each one individually. However, the app often provides
significant discounts as the company is trying to attract more students.
I love this site, and it’s one of my to-go every time I want to learn something new.
4. Coursera
Coursera is another excellent tool for learning, especially if you are looking to get a
certificate and use it to apply for a job. Unlike Udemy, Coursera is more focused on academics,
and for a fee, you can get a certificate that attests that you’ve completed the course.
It’s not surprising that Coursera offers such accreditation since two professors from Stanford
University created the platform. Currently, the site claims to have served 70 million students in
2020, with a year-over-year growth of 60%, which is a pretty impressive number.[1]
What I love about Coursera is that they provide a subscription model that gives you access to
all courses, unlimited, with certificates included. Of course, all courses are self-paced, so they are
perfectly designed for effective learning from home or on the go.
5. The Great Courses
Retaining Information – Long-Term Learning. Retaining information is a critical part of
learning. If you go through dozens of courses and read hundreds of books—although it’s good for
you—it won’t be as good if you can’t retain most of it.
Keep in mind that retaining doesn’t mean blindly memorizing everything you read or hear. It
means organizing the essential aspects of what you learn in a way that makes it easy to search and
access when you need it.
That is why it’s important to have a system in place that is always at your fingertips and
allows you to accumulate and create your personal learning database. Such tools for learning will
organize, store, and logically connect all the bits and pieces of your education. At a later time,
you’ll be able to retrieve the information and use it effectively.
6. Anki

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 Anki is a tool that will help you remember what you learn and retain information with more
precision and for a longer time. It’s a study method that mimics that of paper flashcards, but its
creators designed it to be more efficient than other traditional learning methods.
The basic idea is that the system adapts to your current level and adjusts your learning
accordingly. So, let’s say you are learning a new language, and you go through a set of flashcards.
The app registers the answers you know, and you won’t get those question cards again for two
weeks. Those that you don’t know at all will appear again tomorrow.
By focusing on the power of repetition but avoiding things you already know well, you will
learn and retain information highly efficiently.
One of the best things about Anki? It’s free. The second best thing? You can find it as a
download for both Windows and Mac, and also on mobile devices.
Anki is an excellent tool for learning that will improve your memory and save you lots of
time.
7. Quizlet
Quizlet is another app that aims to help you retain information. It’s a study aid that turns a
simplistic flashcard system into a full-fledged learning system through its intelligent features.
Quizlet is a perfect tool for learning at home at your own pace. The AI features built in the
app allow it to adapt your learning path over time by targeting those areas where you struggle and
limiting the recycling of information you’ve already got a good grip on.
At first sight, it might look like this app is limited to K-12 students. Still, it’s very well
suited for advanced learners, including university students and professionals who want to sharpen
their knowledge and skills.
Archiving and Maintaining Your Knowledge Base
No matter how good your memory is, you cannot rely exclusively on it, especially when
your goal is to optimize your efficiency. That’s why you must add a robust system to your
learning process that allows you to store what you learn and access it quickly when you need it.
The goal here is to have the notes from your courses, book highlights, videos, and audio
files, adequately organized, tagged, and labeled so that you can retrieve them with a few clicks.
8. Diigo
Diigo is a beautiful addition to your tools for learning arsenal. As the time you spend online
grows, the chances you encounter interesting information increases as well.
There are opportunities to learn all around you, but often they fly right by due to the sheer
volume and speed of information—but not if you use a tool like Diigo.
Diigo is a personal information management and organization system that allows you to
bookmark, highlight or outline, tag, and archive any information you encounter on the web. You
capture data on the go, and you put it in your learning queue for later.
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 9. Evernote
Evernote is one of the veteran apps in the note-taking universe. It started in the early 2000s
and was among the first companies to fully embrace mobile integration and cross-device
synchronization.
There are similarities between Diigo and Evernote, but the main difference is that Diigo is
focused on collecting content, whereas Evernote also allows users to create content.
You can take notes using their intuitive WYSIWYG editor, and share and organize them in
folders, by tags, or in notebooks.
Overall, I believe Evernote is a crucial app to use if you want to become more efficient in
your learning. Their apps allow you to take photo snapshots, convert them to PDF, and archive
them. If the scan can be converted to text, then it is also indexed for easy search.
10. Notion
Notion is a lot more than a note-taking app. It’s an entire system that you can set up as your
personal learning hub. At its core, Notion is a database that you can design to hold your notes
intuitively and provides you easy access to your information.
Because it works with any media, you can save video webinars, audio courses, or entire
books or PDFs. There’s almost nothing that you can’t do in Notion, and it almost sounds too good
to be true. There’s a catch, of course. Notion has a little bit of a learning curve, and most people
don’t find it easy to use from the get-go. But with a bit of practice and a little time, I think it will
do wonders for your learning, and soon you will drop all other methods of collecting knowledge.
Bonus: Brain Training – Keeping Yourself Sharp
There’s one more category I want to add as a bonus. Keeping your mind fresh and active is
vital no matter where you are in life. Your brain is like a muscle and, when it comes to learning,
consistency over intensity is critical.
Small bursts of brain activation over time will improve your creative thinking and will make
your brain more effective at learning. So, I consider these apps an integral part of your tools for
learning arsenal.
Because we are looking at improving your effectiveness, these tools are perfect because they
provide small lessons and exercises that can be practice anytime and won’t take long. You might
find yourself opening these apps while waiting in a long line at the grocery store or while waiting
to see your doctor.
Overall, they provide you with a quick and effective way to sharpen your brain, which will
improve your ability to learn and retain information over time.
Here are three excellent brain training apps to help you boost your learning.
Final Thoughts

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 Learning is not a requirement but a responsibility. The idea that you complete your learning
during school and then life follows is antiquated, and we need to change that mindset for good.
Every one of us has room to grow, and when learning falls at the bottom of our priority list,
you will plateau sooner or later. Only by allocating deliberate time for learning and showing up
every day will you be able to grow, improve yourself, and lead a happier and fulfilled life.
When you learn on your own at home, the danger is falling prey to procrastination or lacking
direction. That is why having the right tools for learning at your disposal is so critical. They will
improve your efficiency, motivate you, and help you track your progress, simulating the
classroom environment.
However, these tools for learning are just the beginning. I urge you never to stop questioning
your status quo and constantly asking yourself, “what else can I learn? Where else can I find
information that is easy to get, quick to digest, and will help me and my life?”
Happy learning!

How To Ask the Right Questions For Effective Learning

Asking the right questions is basically the magic key to any kind of personal or professional
development. Sounds pretty awesome, huh? Unfortunately, many people are afraid to ask
questions at all. They often think that they look stupid if they ask too many questions.
Well, funny enough, it’s impossible to move forward without asking questions. How are you
supposed to learn anything new if you’re never wondering, “how can I do that?” or “what is
required to achieve my desired result?”
But it’s not only about asking others. You must also master the art of asking yourself the
right questions. Yes, you read that right. The kind of questions you ask yourself can have a huge
impact on your results. And they can, in fact, make the difference between hitting your goals and
not moving forward at all.
Alright, so in this article, I’ll cover the question (you see what I mean?): how do I ask the
right questions for effective learning?
Why Is Asking the Right Questions Important for Effective Learning?
Before we look at the “how,” let’s first talk about why it’s so important to ask the right
questions for effective learning.
1. Questions Lead to Answers
As mentioned before, you can’t learn or move forward without asking questions. Just
imagine if you start a new job and you never asked anything at all. Would you ever be able to do a
good job?
Sure, you might be lucky and get all your instructions delivered on a silver platter. But even
if that’s the case, what will you do with very specific situations that weren’t covered in the
instructions? Or what will you do with constructive criticism from your boss?
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 If you just take that and then only do exactly what your boss said without ever questioning
what they really meant, will you really be able to improve your work?
Okay, I think you get the point. You need answers for effective learning and improvement.
And the only way to get them is through asking questions.
2. Asking the Right Questions Will Help You Be Successful
Asking the right questions will also significantly improve your chances of being successful.
Let’s take another example. Let’s say you want to build your own business. How do you
start? That’s right—that’s the first good question to ask yourself. After that, a lot of your success
depends on what you’re asking yourself and others.
Now, let’s compare two kinds of questions. Let’s say you get stuck in your business building
process. You could ask yourself: “why doesn’t this work for me?” Or you could ask yourself
“how can I make this work for me?”
Do you see the difference? The second question is an empowering one that will guide you to
success. Of course, you need to be relentless and motivated to actually find a solution. But simply
asking yourself this kind of question will significantly improve your chances for success.
The first question, on the other hand, is a rather disempowering one. It puts you in a victim
role where you feel sorry for yourself rather than in a position to look for a solution. And have
you ever seen someone who’s victimizing themself be successful? I sure haven’t!
3. Communication Is Key for Improvement
Now, let’s quickly look at another important aspect regarding questions addressed to other
people. Good communication is essential for improvement, good relationships, and success. And
that can literally be applied to any kind of situation. Be it your job, your business, your marriage,
or with your friends, good communication is the foundation for healthy relationships.
Effective communication requires active listening more than anything else. But what does
that mean? It means to ask questions and then actually listen to what the other person has to say.
This will not only help you improve your relationship with other people—and, therefore, help you
move forward in your professional and personal life—but it will also help you gain a lot of
knowledge, which is undoubtedly the most effective kind of learning.
People love to talk about themselves. So, you only need to find people who have the answers
to your questions and then listen in an active way. And boom, you probably just shortened your
learning curve by 50%.
What Is Effective Learning?
Okay, I’d like to quickly touch on one more important thing before we talk about how you
can ask the right questions. And that is, “what is effective learning?”
Contrary to common belief, we don’t stop learning after college. In school, we’re basically
forced to learn certain topics. But it’s actually after this period that the really interesting learning
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period starts. Once you’re out of school, you can completely choose what things you want to learn
yourself, and this is where effective learning really starts
The best example is laid out in Cal Newport’s book, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success
in a Distracted World. In his book, he explains that the only way you can move forward in today’s
economy is to learn hard things at a fast pace. He specifically talks about today’s economy
because things are changing faster than ever. You can’t stay stuck with 10-year old technology or
you’ll soon be left behind in our fast-paced world.
So, this is basically what effective learning means—learning hard and relevant things at a
fast pace.

How to Ask the Right Questions for Effective Learning

Alright, so now that you understand the importance of asking the right questions and what
effective learning means, let’s put it all together.
So, here’s how to ask the right questions for effective learning.
1. Start by Asking Yourself
As mentioned before, the most important aspect is to actually start by asking yourself the
right kind of questions. Pay attention to always ask empowering questions—meaning, questions
that are solution-oriented.
These are often “how” questions. For instance:
“How can I achieve my goal?”
“How can I make a better job?”
“How can I best use this resource?”
Avoid disempowering, victimizing questions. It’s sometimes hard to even detect those
because we’re often asking ourselves these kinds of questions without even noticing.
This usually happens when we’re frustrated with a situation. These kinds of questions focus
on why you’re in such a bad situation and absolutely ignore the possibility of a solution. These are
often “why” questions. Here are a few examples:
“Why did this happen to me?”
“Why is everyone else successful except me?”
“Why can’t I be lucky for once?”
2. Ask the Right People
Once you’ve managed to ask yourself the right questions, it’s time to focus on what to ask
other people. But it’s not only about what to ask. It’s also about whom to address it to.
To promote effective learning, you need to ask the right people. These are people who have
gone before you and who have achieved what you want to achieve. It doesn’t even need to be in
person. Reading their books and wondering “what made them successful?” is a great way to start.
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If you can, totally opt in for asking those people in person, though. These can become your
mentors or role models who will make effective learning significantly easier.
To find the right people to ask, first determine your goal for this conversation. What do you
want to learn? What do you want to achieve with that knowledge? Then, find people who have
already achieved that.
3. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Once you have found the right people, it’s important to also phrase your questions the right
way. That means asking open-ended questions.
As mentioned before, people love talking about themselves and their achievements. And by
asking open-ended questions, you allow them to share as much as possible. This is especially
great to start a conversation as it will get you a lot of information right from the get-go. Later
down the road, you can ask more specific questions to get the amount of detail you need.
Great open-ended questions are: “how did you achieve (a milestone)?”; “what are the best
tools to be successful?” “what helped you be so successful?”
Make sure to enter your specific goal or their success in those questions. For instance, you
could ask your boss, “what helped you get promoted after only working for the company for a
year?”
4. Practice Active Listening
Active listening is an insanely powerful skill. You can “extract” all of a person’s knowledge
simply by listening and asking more open-ended questions that allow them to share even more of
their experience and knowledge.
Practice it with your friends or spouse. Set an intention of just listening for 10 minutes.
During this time, only ask questions that allow them to talk about themselves. Don’t interrupt
them and only ask deeper questions after they finished answering.
After that, think about how much you just learned about the other person. Plus, you probably
made the other person feel really good and flattered. This in turn will make it easier to get even
more answers from them in the future.
Once you feel comfortable, try this with one of your mentors. Believe me, they’ll love you
for it, and you’ll get your answers much faster that way.
5. Focus on the Solution
One last point: always focus on the solution when asking any kind of question. This goes for
asking yourself but also when asking other people.
Your subconscious will automatically guide you towards what you’re focusing on.[1] If
you’re focusing on the risks or on what could go wrong, guess where you’ll end up? Right there!

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 If you focus on solutions and see struggles as opportunities to learn more, you’ll always end
up finding solutions for any kind of problem or issue. So, asking the right questions is all about
being solution-oriented and focusing on the opportunities rather than the risks.
Conclusion
Asking the right questions is not only essential for effective learning—aka learning hard
things at a fast pace—but it’s also key to improving in any personal or professional area of your
life.
There are two important aspects of asking the right questions. The first is about what kind of
questions you ask yourself. Make sure to keep them empowering and solution-oriented. This will
help guide you to success instead of keeping you stuck with a problem.
The second aspect is to ask the right kind of people to get answers that will help you achieve
your goals. Make sure to find people who have gone before you. Then, ask them open-ended
questions and practice active listening to learn as much as possible from them.

How to Be Amazingly Good at Asking Questions

“Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” ― Voltaire
Are you being judged by your questions? Not moving forward in your career, business,
marriage, or fill in the blank _______? It could be because you are not asking the right questions.
You need to be good at asking questions.
You might not be getting the feedback you need to make corrections in your behavior. You
might not be getting type of answers that you need to hear. You also might just be getting
downright wrong information.
What Do You Want?
When you ask a question, you have to know what you want for an answer. I spent quite a
few years in the military. We had intelligence reports coming in; we needed data, not someone’s
opinion. That meant we wanted strictly the information. We did not want any interpretation. Just
the facts, ma’am. When you are asking questions, make sure you put it in the right context.
Other times you might want someone’s opinion. For example, “What do you think of this
cologne?” Sometimes you want a reasoned opinion or advice. “What is the route to get from
uptown to downtown?” As you get ready to ask your question, make sure you have the right
source and they know what you want from them.
Do I need a factually correct answer?
Do I need an expert opinion?
Do I need a well-reasoned judgment?
How to Be Amazingly Good at Asking Questions

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 Once you know what kind of information you need and who to ask, you have to ask your
questions in a manner that gets the best possible information in response. Asking amazing great
questions is skill like any other skill, it takes practice. Here are some techniques to draw out what
you need to know.
1. Don’t Ask Yes or No Questions
When you ask a yes or no question, you will most often get incomplete information. Instead,
ask an open-ended question. By using an open-ended question you get insights and additional
information you might not have known existed. Questions with “would,” “should,” “is,” “are,”
and “do you think” all lead to yes or no. Questions with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “how,”
or “why” lead to people giving some thought to their answers and provide much more
information.
2. Dig Deeper
Always consider using follow-up questions. Unless you are looking strictly for the facts,
there is some sort of assumption in the answer the person gives you. Ask them a follow up
question such as, “What makes you say that?” or “Why do you think that?”
Let’s say that you are talking to a co-worker and need to know details of a project. Your co-
worker tells you that one of the suppliers has been very difficult to work on the project. You will
want to follow up on that comment. A question such as “What do you mean he is difficult to work
with?” will lead you to the real facts. It may not be because the supplier is particularly difficult to
work with but rather is not reachable for quick communications or any number of outside reasons.
Follow up questions give you insight and let you make your own opinions about things.
3. Use the Power of Silence
Start getting comfortable with asking a question, waiting for response, listening to the
response and then waiting some more. Many times the person you are questioning has more
information and will bring it out when you wait for it. You have to be comfortable with that silent
period before the dam breaks. Police and military interrogators use silence very effectively.
People feel a need to fill the holes in the conversation and often they will then bring out the
critical bit of information you seek.
4. Don’t Interrupt
Don’t interrupt the person with whom you are talking. First, it tells the person you don’t
value what they are saying. Interrupting stops their train of thought and directs the conversation
the way you want, not necessarily the way it should go. Ask your question, then let the person
answer it in full, even when you think you are not getting the answer you want. Listen fully to
what they are saying and use that to direct them back to the topic in the next question when there
is a natural pause.
If time is of the essence and the person has long strayed from the topic, then of course you
need to interrupt. Be as polite as possible when doing it. This shows the person that you do respect
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what they are saying. Say something like, “Excuse me, I want to make sure I understand you.
What I heard you say is…” and then bring them back on point to the matter at hand.
As you go forth in your quest for knowledge, remember that asking great questions takes
practice. This implies that you probably won’t get it perfect every each outing. Just get started
asking questions. Your skills will improve over time. Remember that if you want good answers,
they come from asking good questions.

How To Find Motivation To Learn Anything Outside of Comfort Zone

One of the best ways that we can make sure that we grow and develop as people is to keep
learning as much as we can. Learning teaches us some new knowledge and new skills, and it also
keeps our brains alert and active. Learning is great, but sometimes you can lose the motivation to
get on and study. This can be all the harder if you learn something outside of your comfort zone or
something that you wouldn’t usually think to learn.
The important thing to remember when it comes to learning, whether within or outside of
your comfort zone, is that motivation is yours to find. But how do you get the motivation to learn?
Here are 10 ways to help you find the motivation to learn anything outside of your comfort zone.
1. Find Out Why You Are Procrastinating
Procrastination is one of the biggest reasons why people don’t have the motivation to learn.
So, working out why you are procrastinating and putting your learning off is one of the first steps
to finding your inspiration.
There are a variety of reasons why you may be placing it on the back burner. Here are some
examples:
You are worried that you are going to fail.
You are finding the learning boring.
You are waiting for the perfect time to start.
You are feeling overwhelmed.
You are not sure where to start.
Once you know the reasons why you lack motivation, you can start to work on fixing it and
getting back out there.
2. Find Out Why You Are Doing It
As well as finding out the reasons why you keep procrastinating when it comes to your
learning, you also need to remind yourself why you are doing it in the first place. Having this end
goal in mind can be all the motivation that you need to get there in the end.
Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to learn, and you cannot say that yours is the
same as someone else’s. This means that you need to think about what matters most to you.

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 It could be simply to develop yourself, it could be to take the next step on the career ladder,
or it could be to retrain and be something else totally. No matter what reason you have for
learning, finding out why you are doing it can motivate learning that you may find you need,
helping you to get where you want to go.
3. Break It Down
Sometimes, you may lack motivation because you feel overwhelmed by how much you need
to do. It may sound obvious, but one of the best things you can do is break down the material into
more manageable chunks.
Think about how much realistically you can fit into one chunk and then assign a period to it.
This could be one day or one week, depending on your end deadline. Once you break it down, you
will see that it is not as daunting as you were worried that it would be and that you can get it done.
The important thing to remember is that you are in control of your chunks, which means you
can decide how big they are and how often you focus on them.
4. Choose a Reward
We are simple creatures by nature, and when we feel that we have done well, we will want
some kind of reward. It doesn’t matter what the task is or what we want to do, if we reward
ourselves, we will be much more inclined to try harder next time. This can help us to greatly
improve our motivation to learn.
The reward doesn’t have to be anything huge. Sometimes, it can just be your favorite
chocolate bar, some free time to read a book, or perhaps even a short session to soak in a nice hot
bath. Whatever it is, you will want to try hard if you know something positive is in the future.
5. Stick to a Routine
The idea of sticking to a routine might not sound like an exciting way to get you motivated
to learn, but the truth is that having a pattern can actually be one of the most valuable approaches
to take.
The thing about routines is that they are something that we can get used to. When you do the
same thing and the same kind of time or in the same order, then you will start to think of it as a
habit that you do rather than something that you need to put a whole lot of thought into. While
you need to focus on your learning, not having to think about the task at hand means that you
won’t need to find excuses not to do it.
6. Seek to Understand, Not Just Memorize
When it comes to learning, most of the time, you will feel somewhat like a sponge, trying to
soak all the knowledge up and keep it in your brain. Of course, this is in part true, but you must
try your very best always to understand what you are learning.
Not only will this help you to succeed in your learning, but it can also help you focus if you
are trying to make sense of the topic, rather than just reading through it and trying to memorize it.

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You will find it much more interesting, which, in turn, helps you stay motivated and push towards
your end goal.
7. Keep It Short and Sweet
The chances are, you are going to find it hard-going to study for long periods of time,
especially if you have lots of other things in your life to focus on. This means that one of the best
things that you can do to maintain motivation for learning is to keep it short and sweet.
When you study in a short burst, you will be allowing your mind to focus on that task and
then have a break. This will help you stay motivated, and you can have multiple shorter bursts of
learning but spread them out throughout the day.
8. Realize That You Can’t Stay Motivated All the Time
While you should do whatever you can to stay motivated, you also need to remember that
sometimes, you are just not going to feel it. No one—not even the most successful people out
there—will feel motivated all of the time. This doesn’t mean that they are any less dedicated to
whatever they want to do or that they stand less of a chance to get there.
When you recognize that it is okay not to be motivated all the time, you can start to
understand what you can do to get that motivation back and drive yourself forward.
9. Study With Someone
You may find that being lonely and studying alone is what is behind your lack of motivation
to learn. We are social beings, which means that we need to be around others to feel the best.
This is not only in friendships but also in learning. Having someone else to study with makes
you feel much more motivated for learning. Not only will you look forward to your time together,
but you can also bounce ideas off of one another. You will also feel somewhat obliged to study
with them, which means you will want to learn and want to find out as much as possible.
10. Look After Yourself
When you want your brain to work the best that it can, you will need to make sure that you
are taking proper care of it. Looking after yourself may sound like the simplest thing, but it can be
really worthwhile.
When you look after yourself, you are thinking about your mental health, physical health,
and any relationship issues you may have. There are so many ways you can take care of yourself,
and you should know some of the basics if you want to focus on your extra work.
The main things that you need to remember to do are to eat well and drink plenty of water
and other hydrating drinks. You also need to stay active and exercise as much as you can as being
active is known to really positively impact how well you focus.[1]
You also need to make sure that you are sleeping as much as possible because tiredness
never goes well with learning. It can make you feel sluggish and lose concentration.
Final Thoughts
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 It really is down to you to find your own motivation to learn. So, what are you waiting for?
Think about what you are studying, how much time you have, and how you can make things
that little bit easier to manage. Then, you can start to ensure that you reach those end goals,
whatever they are.

10 Best Methods of Learning Smarter and Faster

I remember my first all-nighter in college. I made a few pots of coffee with my tiny coffee
maker and read and reread my class notes. Unfortunately, this resulted in me being delusionally
tired and yet somehow still woefully unprepared for my final exam. I didn’t know it at the time,
but the methods of learning are more important than time spent learning – quality over quantity.
Reading and rereading my class notes was not a great strategy to learn the exam material. So
what are the best methods of learning? How can we work smarter and learn more efficiently?
Research on Methods of Learning
Lucky for us, there’s research that points us in the right direction. John Dunlosky, Katherine
A. Rawson, Elizabeth J. Marsh, Mitchell J. Nathan, Daniel T. Willingham published their findings
on the efficacy of ten methods of learning in their paper “Improving Students’ Learning with
Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational
Psychology.”[1]
The study breaks down how effective 10 different learning techniques are depending on
who’s doing the learning, what materials are required, and the specificity of the learning task. In
short, the researchers create a comprehensive picture of which learning techniques are most
effective when, why, and for whom.
Prior research findings are another important factor in ranking each of the ten methods of
learning from low to high utility (usefulness). If there wasn’t any research indicating a method of
learning was effective, the researchers categorize it as having low utility.
Let’s take a look at what this comprehensive analysis of learning methods found. What
should I have been doing instead of reading and rereading my notes all night?
Highly Useful Methods of Learning
We’re going to start with the most effective and useful learning methods. Only two of the
ten methods of learning were found to have high utility.
1. Practice Testing
Practice testing is low or no-stakes testing by an instructor to check for mastery. Practice
testing in this sense is not high stakes summative assessment such as final exams or state tests. It’s
a formative assessment to see what students know and don’t know.
Practice testing plays a vital role in teaching because it’s a quick way for teachers to figure
out who knows what. The other benefit of practice testing is that it demonstrates to the student
what she does and doesn’t know. This makes adjusting the learning plan simple and effective, so
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the student can spend more time studying what she doesn’t know instead of dwelling on what she
already does know.
In the study, participants remembered information 80% with practice testing as compared to
36% with reviewing the material. That’s a significant improvement in efficacy and is what puts
practice testing at the top of the methods of learning heap.
There are two reasons practice testing seems to be an especially effective learning technique:
direct effect and mediated effect. Direct effect means the act of taking a test or quiz changes how
the brain pays attention and stores information. Most people try a lot harder to retrieve
information during a test, even a formative test designed to check for understanding.
Mediators are what connect cues and targets. In the case of a practice test, the cue might be
the practice test question and the target the answer. Practice testing seems to improve these
mediators by helping the brain organize information better. So if you have to choose only one
method of learning, give practice testing a try. You can cover up the answer key and try it solo or
you can ask a friend to quiz you on the material, so you know what you do and don’t know. This
way you can focus on what you don’t know as you continue to practice test your way to true
mastery of the material.
2. Distributed Practice
How you schedule your study sessions matters. In the study, some people participated in six
study sessions back to back. Others had a day between each session, and the final group had a
month between each session. The group who binged the six sessions retained more information
earlier (after sessions two and three). However, the groups who took some time off ultimately
retained more information (after the sixth session).
So if you want to truly learn something and store it in long-term memory, give yourself
some time to digest the information between each study session. Another study showed that
participants recalled 47% of information with spaced study versus 37% with mass study
(cramming).
Schedule your study sessions accordingly. Give yourself at least 24 hours between study
sessions. Your immediate recall might suffer, but know that eventually, you’ll end up
remembering much more than if you take a one-and-done approach.
Moderately Useful Methods of Learning
The next group of learning techniques falls into the moderately useful category. Some
because not enough research has been done. Others because research has shown that these
methods of learning aren’t quite as effective or as broadly applicable as practice testing or
distributed practice.
3. Elaborative Interrogation
I have a toddler in the house, so I’m no stranger to the question, “Why?” It turns out, this is
also the first of our moderately useful methods of learning—elaborative interrogation. The key to
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elaborative interrogation is “prompting learners to generate an explanation for an explicitly stated
fact.”
In other words, getting them to answer “why?” In the study, participants were separated into
three groups. The first learned facts directly. The second read an explanation for each fact, and the
third was the elaborative interrogation group. They were prompted to explain why each fact was
so. The elaborative interrogation group was 72% accurate, while the other two groups were 37%
accurate, which means the elaborative interrogation group outperformed the others.
Elaborative interrogation appears to be effective because it activates people’s schemata,
which simply means it helps people situate new information within what they already know. That
could be the reason that elaborative interrogation is more effective for people who know more
about a topic. They can better explain why something is so and add new information to their
wealth of knowledge. So if you already know a thing or two about the topic at hand, start asking
why to boost your learning.
4. Self-Explanation
Self-explanation is when the learner is promoted to explain the principle behind something
as they’re learning. The idea is that explaining how something works helps them transfer that
principle to future problems.
In the study, participants were divided into three groups. One group received a brief
explanation of difficult problems before trying to solve practice questions. Another group was
prompted to explain their problem solving as they answered the questions, and the final group
answered all the questions and then explained their work after the fact. The two groups that were
prompted to explain their work outperformed the group that didn’t when asked to take a transfer
test that required knowledge of a similar principle.
The problem with self-explanation is that it’s not always a relevant technique. Its usefulness
depends on what you’re trying to learn. However, when explaining your work makes sense,
research shows that it helps you transfer those skills to future related problems.
5. Interleaved Practice
Interleaved practice is when you loop an old skill into a new lesson. For example, if you’re
learning how to find the volume of a triangle, you could incorporate a question from the previous
lesson on the volume of squares. It’s incorporating older material into the new material. This
creates a cumulative effect on learning and helps you find connections between different lessons.
In the study, interleaved practice didn’t help people perform better than blocked practice
(when lessons are separate from each other). However, when students were asked to take a
criterion test one week later that asked them to solve novel yet related problems, the interleaved
learners performed 43% better than the block learners.
Similar to self-explanation, interleaved learning doesn’t always make sense. Again, it
depends on what you’re trying to learn, but if you can incorporate older material into new lessons,
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interleaved learning can help you gain a higher level of understanding about the complexities and
connections between ideas. This can help you become a better problem solver going forward and
help you transfer what you’re learning to other areas.
Methods of Learning with Low Usefulness
Researchers also categorized five methods of learning as having low efficacy. Unfortunately,
these are often the ways people try to learn new material.
6. Summarizing
Summarizing material—pulling out the main points—is only as effective as your summaries
are accurate and salient. Some studies show that summarizing information helps students retain
information, but it’s not great for applying or transferring that information.
7. Highlighting
Highlighting information does not help you learn it. Research shows that highlighting, while
easy to do, does not help you learn the material.
8. Keyword Mnemonic
Mnemonics are when you create some kind of shortcut (like abbreviations or an acronym) to
remember a set of ideas. The most famous might be ROYGBIV to remember the colors of the
rainbow.
The problem with mnemonics is that they’re not efficient. It takes a lot of time and energy to
create and memorize them. They’re also particular. You can only learn certain things with
mnemonics.
But most troubling is that some research shows that rote memorization is sometimes better
for learning material long-term. Therefore, you shouldn’t rely too heavily on mnemonics.
9. Imagery Use for Text Learning
Imagery use for text learning is when you mentally picture or visualize or draw pictures as
you read. The good news is that mentally picturing as you read does help with short-term
comprehension (drawing doesn’t). The bad news is that it’s a great reading technique that doesn’t
help in many other learning contexts.
10. Rereading
Finally, there’s rereading, the study technique I resorted to far too often in college. It’s the
most common study technique. Unfortunately, it’s also among the least effective.
Retention and learning improve dramatically after rereading once. But then there’s a plateau.
Reading something more than twice does not impact the level of understanding and
comprehension much. So by all means, reread once or twice, but then spend some time with the
moderately and highly effective methods of learning.
Final Thoughts

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 Sometimes things really are too good to be true. Rereading and highlighting are extremely
easy, but they just don’t share the study benefits with the moderate and highly useful methods of
learning.
If you need to learn something and be able to integrate that new knowledge into your schema
and apply it in other contexts, you’ll have to do better than rereading. Try quizzing yourself and
spacing out your study sessions for better retention. Ask why, explain your answers, and weave
old material into the new to help yourself understand more deeply.
Learn from my mistakes. Use moderately and highly useful methods of learning and avoid
having to pull an all-nighter filled with coffee and pointless rereading.

How to Memorize More and Faster Than Other People

People like to joke that the only thing you really “learn” in school is how to memorize. As it
turns out, that’s not even the case for most of us. If you go around the room and ask a handful of
people how to memorize things quickly and how to remember things, most of them will probably
tell you that the key is repetition.
However, if you were to talk to memory athletes, you would learn that that advice is not
pointing you in the right direction. If you want to memorize something quickly and thoroughly,
repetition won’t cut it; however, recalling something will. The problem is that recalling something
requires paying attention and learning, and we all learn in different ways.
So, how can you memorize something fast?
In this article, you will learn memory techniques to master the art of recalling so that you can
start memorizing a ton of data in a short amount of time.
Before You Start, Know Your Learning Style
Before you get started, you need to establish something: are you an auditory, visual, or
experiential learner? Take this free learning style assessment and find out your learning style first!
If you’re an auditory learner, then the most effective way for you to grasp information is by
hearing it. As you can imagine, visual learners favor seeing something in order to learn it.
Experiential learning types are more likely to learn from events and experiences (or, doing
something with the material).
Most of us are a combination of at least two of these categories, but I will denote which step
is most favorable to your most agreeable learning style so that you can start to memorize things
quickly and efficiently.
Follow the steps below to start your memory training and store all of those useful pieces of
information in your long term memory.
1. Prepare
To optimize your memorization session and learn how to memorize something fast, pay
close attention to which environment you choose. For most people, this means choosing an area
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with few distractions, though some people do thrive off of learning in public areas. Figure out
what is most conducive to your learning so that you can get started.
Next, start drinking some tea. I could link you to mounds of scientific studies that confirm
green tea as a natural catalyst for improving memory. Mechanically speaking, our ability to recall
information comes down to the strength between neurons in our mind, which are connected by
synapses. The more you exercise the synapse (repetition), the stronger it is, resulting in the ability
to memorize.
As we get older, toxic chemicals will damage our neurons and synapses, leading to memory
loss and even Alzheimer’s. Green tea contains compounds that block this toxicity and keep your
brain cells working properly a lot longer.
2. Record What You’re Memorizing
This is especially useful if you’re trying to memorize information from a lecture. Use a tape
recorder to track all of the acquired facts being spoken and listen to it. If you’re doing something
more complicated, like learning a foreign language, it may be useful to make notecards of the new
words you’re trying to memorize.
If you’re trying to memorize a speech, record yourself reading the speech aloud and listen to
yourself speaking. Obviously, this is most helpful for auditory learners, but it’s also handy
because it ensures that you’re getting more context from a lecture that will help you learn the
information faster.
3. Write Everything Down
Before you start trying to recall everything from memory, write and rewrite the information.
This will help you become more familiar with what you’re trying to memorize. Of course, we said
above that repetition isn’t always the best way to memorize something, but this can be great for
visual learners as you’ll be able to see the information in front of you.
Doing this while listening to the recordings can also help you retain a lot of the data. This is
most useful for experiential learners.
4. Section Your Notes
Now that you have everything written down in one set of notes, separate them into sections.
This is ideal for visual learners, especially if you use color coding to differentiate between
subjects.
This will help you break everything down and start compartmentalizing the information
being recorded in your brain.
5. Use the Memory Palace Technique
A great way to “section off” information is through the memory palace technique[1]. This is
especially good for visual learners, but it can also work as a sort of “experience” for experiential
learners, and if you say the path out loud, it can work for auditory learners as well.

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 There are several steps to this technique, but it basically involves choosing a place you know
well, identifying it’s distinctive features, and using those features to “store” bits of information
you want to remember.
For example, if you’re working on learning how to memorize lines, you can find a place in
your memory palace for each line of text, and as you’re reciting them when the time comes, you’ll
simply have to walk through the room to pick up each line of text in the correct order. When
everything has its place, it’ll be waiting for you to retrieve it.
To learn how to apply the memory palace technique, read this article, which offers details on
each step: How to Build a Memory Palace to Remember More of Everything.
6. Apply Repetition to Cumulative Memorization
For each line of text, repeat it a few times and try to recall it without looking. As you
memorize each set of text, be cumulative by adding the new information to what you’ve just
learned. This will keep everything within your short-term memory from fading.
How does this work? It’s actually related to two distinct modes of brain functioning: System
1 and System 2. You can take a look at how these systems work if you want to improve your
memory.
Keep doing this until you have memorized that section and are able to recall the entire thing.
Do not move on to another section until you have memorized that one completely.
This is mostly visual learning, but if you are speaking aloud, then you are also applying
auditory. For a more solid method to memorize more and learn faster, join the Fast Track Class –
Spark Your Learning Genius for free and sharpen your brain power.
7. Teach It to Someone
Studies have shown that teaching information to someone is a surefire way to remember that
information as it requires you to retrieve the information from your own memory[2]. You can do
this in a variety of ways. You can lecture the knowledge to someone sitting right in front of you
(or the mirror, if you can’t convince anyone to sit through it).
If what you’ve learned needs to be recited verbatim, then do this in front of someone as well
in order to get a feel for what it will be like to recite the text to the intended audience.
My favorite method for this is creating tests for other people. Take the information and
predict what questions will come out of them. Use multiple choice, matching, and so on to present
the data in test format and see how someone else does.
All of this is experiential learning since you are actually practicing and manipulating the
concepts you’ve learned.
8. Listen to the Recordings Continuously

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 While doing unrelated tasks like laundry or driving, go over the information again by
listening to your recordings. This is certainly auditory learning, but it will still supplement
everything you’ve shoved into your short-term memory.
9. Take a Break
Finally, let your mind breathe. Go for a short time without thinking about what you just
learned and come back to it later on. Better yet, get out and take a walk while you’re on your
break in order to absorb the benefits of being in nature.
You’ll find out what you really know once you come back to the information, and this will
help you focus on the sections you might be weakest at.
Try these steps now, and you will find remembering things a lot easier, and you’ll memorize
more than a lot of other people!
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re learning how to memorize a speech, learn a new language, or cramming for
tomorrow’s exam, memory serves us in nearly every area of our lives. Once you learn how to
memorize information faster and more efficiently, you’ll put yourself ahead of the pack of those
who are still struggling to remember and recall necessary bits of information. Get started today!

The SQ3R Method: How It Maximizes Your Learning Comprehension

Diving into the learning field, you’ll be able to quickly uncover that there are many different
methods of learning and studying a subject. More methods continue to rise to the surface and gain
popularity. One among them that I have yet to talk much about is the SQ3R method.
It doesn’t take much to learn this method of studying, but by applying it in your future
learning, you’ll be able to make the most from this method. Below, I’ll tell you all about it
What Is the SQ3R Method?
Whether you’re using this as a study method or for reading, this method is a method to
study, understand and remember any written information quickly. The SQ3R method was first
mentioned in 1946 in the book Effective Study by education psychologist Francis P. Robinson,
which has since been reprinted several times over.
The focus of this method is to help learners efficiently and actively work on reading and
understanding texts with a heavy emphasis on educational texts.[1] That said, this method can be
applied to any kind of text out there if you’re looking to have a deeper understanding of
something.
Benefits of the SQ3R Method
The main and clear benefit of using this method is the optimum use of your reading time. By
using the five steps of the SQ3R method, you can actively read something and have a better
ability in remembering and explaining what the text is all about.

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 The second benefit is that from using the first step, you’ll be reading more deliberately and
focusing on the most relevant information. This will ensure that you remember the content better.
Some additional benefits include:
The ability to add an additional R to the method – Known as SQ4R, the fourth R can mean
different things like Relate, Record, or Reflect.[2] This extra step allows you to create links of
knowledge to your own personal experiences (Relate), perform a more extensive summary for
understanding(Record), or getting a deeper grasp of a topic and clarity (Reflect).
A higher awareness of what you are reading allows you to grasp if it’s worth reading or what
to be focusing on in a text – This means you’ll be reading faster and efficiently.
You’ll have better concentration and thought about the topic or material – This means that
you’re automatically entering a mindset to better absorb information. You’re reading with a
specific purpose in mind and you’re more likely to excel in that.
It gives you an easier time transferring new material to your long-term memory –
Information we take in now is stored in our short-term memory and our short-term memory is
limited and lives very briefly.[3] Having information be stored in short term and then moved to
the long-term via this method is incredible as we’re more likely to retain and use that information.
You’ll stave off information overload – This method encourages you to stretch out
information over an extended period of time. For this method to work, you can’t cram or overload
your mind with information. This is crucial for many people as information is everywhere and it’s
so easy to be overwhelmed and overloaded with information.
You’ll spend less time studying and more applying the information – Even though this
method seems like it’ll take more time to study and process, research shows that people who use
this study method spend less time studying for finals than those who don’t use this method.[4]
Outside of an academic field, this means you can process information faster than others and thus,
be able to apply what you learned faster, too.
How Do You Apply This Method?
The typical method to studying texts or self-improvement books for most people is to read
them and highlight the important passages along the way. While that’s not a bad method, it’s not
the most efficient and growth-inducing one. If you’re looking to be approaching texts with more
efficiency and effectiveness, you’ll have to use the SQ3R method.
Where the SQ3R get’s its abbreviation is from the five steps that you’ll be doing: Survey,
Question, Read, Recite, and Review.
Below is a detailed explanation of each of the five steps so you can apply the method
yourself.
1. Survey

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 The first step in the SQ3R method is surveying and in this case, you take a few minutes to
scan the entire text. The idea here isn’t to take in any specific pieces of information but rather to
get an understanding of the layout, chapters, sections, words in bold and italics as well as any
pictures or graphs that are in there.
For educational texts, this preliminary scan will give you an overview, structure, and
understanding of the general contents. For other texts, you can see this as getting a general
summary of what the author is trying to convey to you. Regardless, this step will provide you with
a foundation for when you get to reading and trying to understand the text.
2. Question
Right after you’ve surveyed the book, you’ll want to ask yourself questions based on that.
One way you can ease yourself into it is by looking at the chapter titles and turning them into
questions.
Be sure to write down these questions and then start by asking yourself what you already
know about the topics that they’re covering. It’s also crucial you ask yourself what your goal is
for reading this in the first place and comparing it to your answers. If you’re reading a book for a
specific purpose, you’ll want a book to be able to answer those questions. You’ll also get an idea
of which chapters you really need to focus on to understand fully.
The question step is all about understanding what it is that the author is trying to convey to
the readers. Also, feel free to write on the left margin questions that you have. At a later stage,
you note down answers in the right margin.
3. Read
After all that is set up, you can then get to reading but not before keeping in mind what
you’ve done in the previous steps. Keep the structure you had in step 1 and the questions from
step 2 in the back of your mind as you are reading.
While reading, pay attention to the chapters, sentences that are printed in bold, and
explanations under graphs and images. Make a point of reading actively as in writing down
additional questions as you’re reading along and actively look for answers to the previously asked
questions. This also means writing down answers and explanations in the text.
Don’t be ashamed if you have to slow down either. This step encourages you to take your
time on the more complex parts or parts that require more focus. Take the time to read it again if
you need to. At the same time, pay less attention to the unimportant information or things you
already know.
4. Recite
After reading, reciting is the next step which is taking all that information you’ve read and
compiling it into your own words. You want to use this time to ask yourself questions about the
text again and answer them based on what you’ve learned from the text. A few other angles you

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can try are things like explaining what you’ve read to someone else or someone in your own
imagination. You can also consider making a summary in your own words as extra support.
5. Review
The final step of the SQ3R method is to review. While you’d think that reciting is all that
you need to do, reviewing is an extra step in reinforcing everything. For information to retain
better, it’s important that it’s reviewed and repeated several times—regardless of it being an
educational text or a personal growth book.
In either scenario, you’re going to be having notes or takeaways from the text and it pays to
be looking back at those and build on it. The first time you’ve looked at a text, there may be
harder parts or parts that you don’t quite understand. But after studying those particular parts
again for a second or third time, you can expand on your understanding and the notes you initially
set up.
What’s also worth noting is this step can become extremely helpful if you do this final step
one day after doing the previous four steps.
Final Thoughts
The SQ3R method is a structured method that can provide you with a deeper understanding
of a text and overall improve your comprehension of a text. By using this method, you’ll be able
to remove irrelevant information and focus on the more important information. Beyond that,
you’ll be able to retain that information thanks to the various techniques the SQ3R method
enforces.

15 Quick Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

That person seems to have it all. You hate to admit it, but their effortless fitness and healthy
life drive you mad all year round! What do they have that you don’t? You’ve tried the diets.
You’ve done the workouts, what gives?
But what if you could BECOME that person too?
Don’t believe that’s possible? Let me explain.
I have always been an all or nothing type of person. There was one year where I drank
something made entirely out of veggies for dinner for a month – a month! You heard me: I’m
talking about a puke-worthy smoothie made entirely of spinach, kale, broccoli, and spinach.
Gross.
After a while, I began to realize something extremely pivotal to my fitness journey: being all
or nothing doesn’t work with having a healthy life.
Our bodies are delicate! Too few calories and too many workouts will literally spike cortisol
and prevent you from losing weight. Too many calories and too few workouts and well, we’ve all
been there.
So what am I getting at?
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 My point is that there are several secrets that these seemingly effortless fit people
incorporate, knowingly or not, that greatly contribute to their health and wellness. The good news
is, you can incorporate those things too!
Adding these “secret formulas” into my life is what helped me start losing weight, live a
healthy life, and stop running myself purposely into the ground.
Curious what those things are? You’re in luck because as it happens, that is exactly what I’m
about to show you!
1. Make It Fit Your Lifestyle!
This one I can’t stress enough!! If you find healthy food to fit into your lifestyle, you’re
already a step ahead of the rest.
The key to getting fit effortlessly is to make it fit your lifestyle in a way you LOVE!! If you
enjoy it and it’s easy, you’ll find yourself reaching your goals without even realizing it.
2. Eat Foods High in Volume and Low in Calories
The technical term is food low in caloric density, but being the casual type of person I am,
we’re going to stick to my term. So, what does this mean? It means eating foods that are low in
calories but extremely filling.
Think veggies for instance. You could eat a massive pile of veggies and likely consume no
more than a couple of hundred calories. This is where you can get creative! You can switch
noodles out for protein noodles or veggie noodles. You can swap wraps for cauliflower wraps or a
lettuce wrap.
You can essentially still enjoy all your favorite foods and still live a remarkably healthy life!
Want to hear one of my favorite tricks?
3. Jello!
This one plays into my “low density” trick. One of my greatest secrets is actually Jello! It’s
high in amino acids, extremely low in calories, and by replacing sugar with stevia, you’ll feel like
your indulging for hardly any calories at all! Who knew?
4. Vacuum
This one is for anyone looking for a tight and sucked in stomach (“sucked in,” see what I did
there?). The Vacuum is an exercise you can incorporate anywhere. You simply pull your belly
button towards your spine for a minute. Hold, and release.
This is one you can do while driving, sitting at work, or doing chores, so it’s completely
effortless. It’s a secret that bodybuilders and bikini competitors used to use for that pulled in
stomach.
5. Go Cold Turkey With Sugar

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 I know this might not seem effortless, and it’s not. But once it’s taken care of, life becomes a
whole lot more simple. According to an article by HealthLine, sugar is more addictive than
cocaine.[1] And I believe it.
Sugar becomes an entirely different barrier for this reason. While most foods you can
absolutely enjoy in moderation, a little sugar with sugar addiction can trigger poor habits. If
you’ve found that it’s impossible to slowly cut out sugar and it’s constantly causing you to
rebound, cutting it out entirely might be the way to go!
But here’s the good news – and I’m speaking from experience – once you get over the initial
detox symptoms you’re cravings will nearly disappear. This will make choosing a healthy life far
easier in the long run!
Speaking of run, I know you’re curious to hear more about workouts!
6. Incorporate HIIT
You’ve probably already heard of HIIT by now. It stands for high-intensity interval training
and is the key to short and powerful workouts. It boosts something called Excessive Post Oxygen
Consumption (EPOC), which basically keeps you burning calories throughout the whole day![2])
These workouts are insanely powerful at getting results and hardly take any time. The key is
when you are in a “working zone”, you’ve got to work it hard!
Be prepared, because on this next one I’m going to take a swing to the opposite side of the
spectrum.
7. Low Stress
I bet you didn’t expect to see stress as part of this article at all. However, it is extremely
important if you want to have a healthy life.
Some people think that the reason stress is detrimental is because it triggers overeating. But
that’s only a small picture of the truth. There is so much more to fitness than “calorie in vs calorie
out” like many would like to believe.
In truth, hormones that control our metabolism can play a major role. As this article from
Medicinenet suggests, it can be extremely difficult to stay in shape with high cortisol[3], and I can
attest to that!
Remember that season of drinking veggie smoothies I told you about? Yeah, that was
accompanied by brutal runs and workouts. Let me tell you this. I didn’t lose a single pound.
Do you know when I did? I just started relaxing and enjoying a healthy and active lifestyle!
“Work smarter, not harder” applies just as much to fitness as to any other area of life.
8. Leave Your Workout Clothes by Your Bed
I love to start the day with movement! And this is important in having a healthy life.

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 Sometimes I go to the gym or do yoga, while other days it’s a brisk walk with my favorite
podcast. Either way, the best way to get your mind prepped is by setting up your workout clothes
right by your bed for the morning.
It’s far easier to resist the urge to hit snooze when all of yesterday’s intentions are literally
staring you in the face. Another trick is to keep an inspiring photo by your bed for a quick glint of
morning inspiration.
Whether your goal is to be more energetic for your kids, get ready for an event, or just to
prove to yourself that you can, waking yourself up with a dose of purpose will get you eager to
make those goals a reality.
9. Don’t Starve
I’m sure you’re glad to hear that! I’m sure you’ve heard before that crash diets don’t work.
And that’s true, partially for the reason I mentioned above.
Your cortisol levels (the stress hormone) will spike whenever your body is stressed. That
means if you are overworking and undereating, your body will stop losing weight.[4]
Another reason is that while most people will lose weight initially, a good portion of what is
lost is muscles, which is responsible for burning more calories. That’s why many people find
themselves gaining back the weight and then some, after a diet.
One of the most important things that people forget to do is fuel themselves for workouts.
It’s ideal to eat some simple carbs before a workout, like a piece of fruit, to give you a rush of
carbs that you can instantly burn into energy. After that, you’ll want to follow up with at least 30
grams of protein and 30 grams of carbs to replenish.
I know you might be thinking “what about all my hard work burning those calories off?”
Trust me, the after-burn effect will still be working for you, and those nutrients are essential for
keeping your metabolism up and your cortisol low!
But if you want to know how to eat what you want, then you’ll love the one below!
10. Intermittent Fasting
How does this come into play when I just mentioned you shouldn’t starve yourself? Well,
Intermittent fasting has nothing to do with starving yourself! It simply has to do with eating within
a certain time frame.
The one thing to note here is that regular intermittent fasting might not be ideal if you are a
woman.[5] There are several hormones to keep in mind regarding gender. However, for the most
part, fasting can be extremely effective.
11. Eat off of a Small Blue Plate
This one sounds crazy, but it’s scientifically proven. First off, our minds can find it hard to
resist food sitting in front of us. In other words, if we have a large plate full of food, we’re more
likely to eat it all until it’s done.
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 But what does the “Blue” have to do with anything?
The color blue is actually scientifically proven to be an appetite suppressant. Essentially,
eating off of a blue plate will help reduce your cravings and make you feel satisfied much sooner!
12. Be Social
Want accountability? It might not be much farther than your phone. Hop on the social media
bandwagon and get people rooting for your goals.
There are dozens of platforms where you can reach your goals with other people just like
you. Hearing their inspiration or having them hold you accountable can be a gamechanger! Of
course, you can always find a workout buddy as well.
However, the key is to find someone who has already proven themselves consistent and
accountable to their goals. I’ve seen too many friend groups come to the gym only to give up a
couple of weeks later. It can be too hard to reach a resolution if your accountability is too flaky.
13. Drink a TON of Water!
This is probably one of the most important keys to having a healthy life. I mean it! If you
drink a lot of water, I can almost guarantee you will see crazy results! Add some tea bags or fruit
to flavor it, use lemon and stevia to make lemonade, or just guzzle it plain!
The best trick is to ALWAYS have a water bottle with you and ALWAYS be sipping. I tell
my clients to get one with a straw attached. It’s easier to just sip from a straw then risk dumping
water from an open-top bottle all over you!
One quick note though, don’t buy the “flavored water” trend. Contrary to popular belief,
most sugar substitutes will actually make you gain weight. The only ones I truly trust are stevia
and monk fruit, and even those I only use in moderation.
14. What Are You REALLY Craving?
Sometimes, a craving might be your body telling you something! Our bodies are brilliant,
and our cravings can often just be a sign that we are missing something important.
Often, people who crave chocolate are just low in magnesium. A constant need for red meat
might mean low iron. Sugar cravings could very likely just be a blood-sugar response signaling a
need for more protein and healthy fats in your diet.[6]
If you have specific cravings, then you might benefit from taking a look at the root cause of
them. Don’t ignore it when your body is trying to get your attention, but don’t give in to its first
reaction either.
Discover what your body truly needs, and fix the problem, not the symptom.
15. Enjoy the Journey
I’m going to end very similarly to how I started. Find enjoyment in a healthy and active
lifestyle, and you will get to your goals! It’s okay if you don’t like salads or running.

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 Find something that works for you! Burning calories in a fun way and eating meals that
remind you of your favorites will be a gamechanger for you! Make “copycat” recipes your best
friend so you can enjoy those indulgences healthily. And don’t freak out about the destination.
If you are consistent with the process, I promise you will reach your goals in no time.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, 15 quick tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Some of them might be
easier for you than the others, but the key is for you to be focused and determined in living a
healthy life.

4 Things to Do When You Feel Burned Out And Tired of Life

I get it, life can be tiring at times. It seems we live in a society that glorifies being busy and
normalizes being overworked, overwhelmed, and burned out!
As a former social worker and psychotherapist, it’s very easy to get caught up in the
mundane day-to-day operations of personal and professional duties or obligations. It is super easy
to become overly exhausted by our daily duties.
As an empath or helping professional, it’s also very easy to feel compassion fatigue which
can also lead to burning out quicker. Burn-out whether at home or work is avoidable if you’re
willing to prioritize some self-care, self-love, and self-maintenance. If you’re feeling tired of life,
overworked, or overwhelmed here are 4 simple things you can do today!
1. Re-evaluate Your Calendar And Quit Comparing
Being quoted as “booked, busy, and blessed” has become quite the trend. When I work with
my healing coaching clients, it’s often difficult for them to recognize when they are overworking
themselves. It’s as if any blank time or “free time” on their calendar or schedule MUST be filled
or else they feel inadequate, lazy, or under-productive.
I often tell my clients to re-evaluate their schedules. What I realize, from a psychological
standpoint, is that there is a level of comparison that occurs for them. They tend to feel as if they
are quoted, “keeping up with the Jones” by keeping a generally often filled calendar. They often
fear a sense of judgment, shame, blame, or guilt if their calendar isn’t as filled as their neighbors,
colleagues, relatives, or friends. Additionally, they feel a sense of unworthiness if they are not
meeting the perceived expectations of those around them.
I often tell them to get out of their own heads and get back into what their bodies need.
Remember, just like what we think of others is none of other’s business, it’s also none of our
business what others think of us!
Letting go of cognitive distortions that show up such as mind-reading what others think of us
can be a huge help in re-evaluating their calendars and schedules. Additionally, remembering the
quote, “comparison is the thief of joy”, can also support you. Understand that it really doesn’t

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matter what so and so is doing versus what YOU need to do for YOU! Take a hard look at your
calendar and re-evaluate what things are necessary. Reassess your wants versus needs.
I tell my clients (and myself) “you can’t try to put a buffet on a little tapas plate, right? So,
why overload your schedule for the purposes of filling in gaps in your schedule with unnecessary
tasks, events, and perceived obligations that you seriously don’t need on your plate?” This is
literally, self-induced burnout and it will manifest in not only the mental and emotional bodies but
also the physical bodies as physical conditions or ailments and cause psychosomatic symptoms
when you get too overwhelmed and overworked.
After you’re done reading this, be sure to go re-evaluate your schedule, and most
importantly, quit comparing!
2. Set Boundaries And Say No
Part of being able to re-evaluate your calendar means being able to assess your boundary-
setting skills. Remember that sometimes, we have to, “say no to good things so we can say yes to
greater things.”
When we have difficulty saying no, our schedule gets overfilled with things that are
truthfully unnecessary, don’t serve us, are not mutually beneficial, and are things we genuinely
don’t want to do.
Releasing any guilt, shame, blame, and /or judgment that shows up from saying “no” and
keeping boundaries is key. A coach like myself can help you work and sort through this or you
can use what I call “mindful mantras” or positive affirmations such as, “I know my heart and I
know my intentions”, to help support and/or release any guilt associated with saying “no”
especially with loved ones.
Remember that while setting boundaries is key, it’s also just as important (if not more
important) to reinforce your “no” and the boundaries you set- each and every time.
Unfortunately, some people will try to take an arm when we lend our one hand, so it’s very
crucial to reiterate your boundaries and keep saying no every single time!
We truly do teach people how to treat us. If you’re setting boundaries and not reinforcing
them or going against your own word, you are literally teaching people that your word is not your
bond. It’s similar to seeing the kid in the grocery store with the parent who sets boundaries stating
they are not going to get any candy near the check out line, then the kid has a tantrum, and out of
fear of judgment from others or guilt, the caregiver gives in and goes against the boundary they
initially set. That caregiver just taught that child that when they say “no” there are loopholes. This
kid now learns that “no” doesn’t really mean no.
Remember, the only people who become upset about the boundaries you set or when you say
no are the people who directly benefit from you not having a boundary in the first place! Setting
boundaries and being able to practice saying no is going to be crucial in avoiding burnout in life:
whether at work or at home.
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 3. Schedule Self-Care, Self-Love And Self-Maintenance
When we are overwhelmed, overworked, and on the verge of burning out, we need to stop
and not only re-assess what we are putting on our schedule. Also, stop and assess how much self-
care, self-love, and self-maintenance we actually have carved into our routine.
If you have ever been on airplanes, the flight attendants always advise you to put on your
oxygen mask, in case of an emergency, before you help someone else with theirs. I tell this to my
clients and remind them they can’t pour from empty cups.
With that said, what do you actually have on your schedule that is in fact filling up your cup
and serving you before you serve others? Do you have a morning routine or a night routine
dedicated to you? What are you doing daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly to tailor to self-care,
self-love, and self-maintenance? You can’t just schedule a nail salon or hair appointment and
think that alone is self-care — that’s actually self-maintenance of the physical vessel.
What are you doing to self-care for all 4 bodies: mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and
physically? Self-care can be choosing to take a mental health day or spiritual health day and take
yourself to the beach; while self-maintenance can be scheduling a manicure or a pedicure; and
self-love could be scheduling time to be compassionate with yourself, practice positive
affirmation, scheduling a good shower cry, or a yoga session for yourself where you literally hug
and kiss yourself in the last pose-savasana.
I usually challenge my clients to look at their calendars seasonally and book self-care, self-
love, and self-maintenance in advance throughout the year while also scheduling days where you
literally do nothing.
The “do nothing” days have to be treated like appointments. If your boss asks you to take on
another project that requires off-work hours, or if a friend invites you last minute to and event,
you really have to say no because on your calendar, you made a commitment to yourself to do
nothing. You must treat that appointment like a literal obligation you can’t miss or flak out on.
While you’re taking a look at your schedule, be sure to not only carve in self-care, self-love,
or self-maintenance; but in addition to this, be sure to carve out “do nothing” days. This will help
to alleviate some burnout and the long-term effects such as exacerbations of mental health
including depression, anxiety, or relying on substances to cope.
4. Sensory Deprivation
In today’s society, we are on sensory overload.[1] We sit with devices on all day long. We
overconsume things via our sight and sound.
When we are feeling overwhelmed or burned out, somatic work,[2] emotion regulation, and
distress tolerance techniques such as mindfulness-based stressed reduction practices, breathwork,
social media and digital detoxes, and literal derivation of the senses can be very helpful to calm
the onset of burn-out.
Sensory Deprivation Tank Therapy
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 Over the years, there has been an increase in wellness studios with sensory deprivation
services such as float therapy tanks that can help to support stress relief. Float tank therapy[3] is a
small tank or open pool of water with Epsom salt, which is also known to having healing
properties and health benefits. The Epsom salt in the water creates buoyancy, so no worries about
sinking. The idea is to place the body in sensory deprivation mode while floating in the water.
Some sensory deprivation or float tanks offer blue led lighting, soothing sounds, and dim
lighting to help support the decrease of external stimuli versus full sensory deprivation. The goal
is to be able to ween off the use of the over compounded senses such as the 5 senses of
feeling/touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight. While decreasing sight and sound is optional, it is
very beneficial for the body to alleviate or decrease external stimuli.
Grounding Sensory Deprivation Technique
If you’re not open to trying float tank therapy, grounding sensory deprivation technique is
another technique I would recommend in times of overwhelming feelings related to burn-out.
Here’s how to do it:
Sit quietly.
Ground down the 4 corners of your feet into mother earth or the floor beneath you.
Take some slow deep breaths.
Place one hand to heart and one hand to belly, and breathe. As you inhale and exhale, notice
your natural normal breath and the rhythm of the rise and fall of your belly and your chest.
Tune into the present moment by inviting your energy to be here and now. Invite your
energy and thoughts to be here and away from what you have to do after this and away from what
you were doing before this.
Scan your 5 senses. What do you hear, smell, see, taste, and how do you feel?
Now take the palms of your hands and slowly and place them over your ears to decrease the
use of the sense of hearing audibly while still focusing on your breath.
Allow yourself to sit here for a few slow breaths.
Now, take the palms of your hands and gently put them over your eyes without apply
pressure to the eyelids, and allow your eyes the chance to pause and rest as you sit here for a few
moments.
Continue to notice the rise and fall of your belly and chest with each inhale and exhale.
Do this as many times as you need to throughout the day. If you feel comfortable try this
activity in a quiet dark safe space for a few breaths or minutes. Feel free to set a timer.
Final Thoughts
If you’re truly feeling tired of life, I highly recommend consulting with your primary care
doctor and/or seeking support from a mental health professional to help you navigate life.

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 As always, I am here and here! Namaste.

7 Ways Regular Exercise Boosts Your Mood And Energy

Have you ever woke up tired, under the weather, feeling heavy, or feeling off? Well, your
mood and energy levels are most likely to blame. Did you know that the core of your body is
made up of pure energy? That’s right, the core of your being—like all things in the universe—is
100% energy. It’s downright important, therefore, to prioritize your energy levels, as it regulates
all other functions in your body, including your mood. And exercise, whether you like it or not, is
the activity that will help get you there.
In this article, you’re going to learn the seven ways in which regular exercise boosts your
mood and energy.
You see, the norm of society nowadays is the main culprit to lower mood and energy levels.
In a world where sitting for long stretches at a time has become the new disease, it may come as
no surprise that you feel lethargic regularly. Having said that, if you’re ready to get exercising for
a minimum of 20 minutes a day, then you’re going to find out exactly how your life can take a
turn for the better.
Now, exercise doesn’t necessarily have to be uphill sprints, running a marathon, or lifting
heavy weights at the gym. While all the above are effective ways of keeping healthy, studies have
found that a brisk walk and engaging in regular house chores can do it for you.[1]
Whatever regularly gets you off the couch is a winning strategy. Let’s dive into the ways
regular exercise boosts your mood and energy.
1. Lowers Depression
Depression is an inflammatory condition and mood disorder, which can lead to all sorts of
physical problems down the road. Luckily, studies have shown that simply an hour of low-
intensity exercise a week was sufficient to possibly prevent future depressive episodes.[2]
Now, one hour is the lower side of the spectrum. If you increase your intensity to a
moderate-to-vigorous one, such as running, or increase the time you spend exercising, your odds
of keeping depression at bay increase.
How does it alleviate depression? Well, exercise such as running is proven to be as effective
as anti-depressant medications.[3]
How so? Exercise releases “happy” brain chemicals called endorphins, which are your
body’s natural equivalent of morphine. Upon exercise, the flood of endorphins suppresses pain
and boosts your mood.
You may have heard the term “runner’s high” being thrown around a few times. Well, as
endorphins mask all pain your mind and body may be going through, you may be left with a
feeling of euphoria.
2. Improves your Sleep
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 Whether you’re struggling to get enough hours of sleep at night, wake up feeling unrested,
or suffer from broken sleep patterns, regular exercise boosts your mood and energy alright, but it
also boosts your body’s wake-sleep cycle.
As you can imagine, exercise requires substantial physical exertion by your body, more so
the more strenuous you choose to go. A moderate to vigorous run or workout, therefore, can leave
you pumped and energized for a couple of hours afterward as endorphins flood your system.
But as you physically exert and tire your body out, a signal is also sent to your body to repair
and recharge itself through sleep. Not only can the body signal to the brain a need to sleep at night
by producing melatonin, the brain chemical that induces sleep, but the regular release of stress
tension through exercise also aids and supports the release of this vital hormone.[4]
In fact, in a fast-paced, technological era, regular exercise can counter the effects of
melatonin suppression as a result of increased stress levels and screen time. Having said that, it’s
important to keep an eye on the time at which you carry out certain exercises.
For example, If you’re going for a brisk walk or engaging in house chores and other low-
intensity exercises, then the time of day is not necessarily important. However, as a rule of thumb,
if you’re going to go for a run or gym workout and engage in moderate to vigorous exercise at
night, the increased energy and endorphins post-exercise may work out against you.
Exercise late at night can disrupt rather than promote the release of melatonin as your body
remains agitated and energized for a while afterward. Hence, try to fit in your regular exercise in
the mornings for the best quality sleep at night.
3. Improves Your Self-Esteem
How does a sustainable shift in your confidence levels sound to you? Wouldn’t it feel great
to believe you’re worth and capable of handling things you never before thought you would?
That’s right, engaging in regular exercise can rewire your brain’s perception of self-respect and
boost your beliefs in your own capabilities.
The simple act of completing one workout or run can leave you feeling a short-term sense of
pride and accomplishment. Now, as you start feeling these feelings regularly through exercise,
your body and mind will quickly start to recognize this as a habit. Like all habits, the body and
mind will start to change to accommodate the new changes being experienced in your life.
It may take you a couple of months until your new weekly exercise routine starts to become
automatic, but stay consistent and remind yourself of the feel-good feelings you experience after
every workout. Once your new habit becomes hardwired into your nervous system, you’ll quickly
start to realize a positive shift in your self-esteem, which can domino into other areas of your life,
and another important area of your life worth mentioning is your diet.
Generally speaking, when you feel good and great in your body and mind, you’re more
likely to want to maintain those feel-good feelings and reach out for healthy food choices. Don’t

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worry, your body generally knows what’s best for you. Every individual responds best to different
healthy food choices.
In general, the lighter you feel, the more energy you’ll radiate and the higher your overall
sense of well-being. From a place of high self-esteem and self-respect, you’ll find yourself more
in control of your eating habits and make choices that suit your body best.
4. Increases Daily Energy
As already mentioned, your entire human body is made up of energy. It should come as no
surprise, therefore, that the simple act of moving your body can do enough to move stagnant
energies around to make you feel more alive. Regular exercise, however, can do way more than
just move your stagnant energies.
Just to give you a short biology class, every single cell of your body is responsible for
creating the energy you experience daily. This happens because each one of your cells has little
structures within them called mitochondria. It’s these structures that are responsible for generating
the energy for each one of your cells. They are in fact called the “powerhouse” of the cell.
Why is this important? Well, no energy, no life!
You see, when you exercise regularly close to physical exhaustion, your body will start
signaling to your cells that they need to generate more energy. This is done by signaling your cells
to create more mitochondria. As more mitochondria are generated, the more oxygen your cells can
absorb to accommodate your exercise routine and the more power and energy you will start to feel
daily.
If you build up enough stamina with regular exercise, you can begin to feel like you can run
an entire marathon!
Bonus Tip: Mitochondria feed off your food intake. So, keep an eye out for what you’re
putting into your body for optimal energy levels.
5. Increased Resilience to Stress
Regular exercise doesn’t only lower the cortisol levels in your blood, but it can also increase
your tolerance to the stressors in your life.
As you exercise, even at low levels, your muscles release chemicals that signal to your brain
to effect some changes. These chemicals, known as myokines, not only reduce anxiety and
depression, but they boost your mood and can also make your brain more resilient to stress.
This can be of great benefit to you if you get overwhelmed easily. The more you exercise,
the more myokines are released into your bloodstream. As they pass through the blood-brain
barrier, the more they can influence lasting structural changes in your brain for the better.
6. Better Focus and Memory
The release of endorphins in your system not only boosts your mood. Have you ever noticed
how sharp you feel after a workout?
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 Well, regular exercise can, directly and indirectly, improve your cognitive functioning over
the long term. Thanks to improved sleeping patterns and lowered stress levels in your body, your
mental capabilities become sharper, increasing your attention span as well as your short-term
memory.
In a world where our attention spans are getting shorter over the years thanks to technology,
exercise can be the perfect counterbalance. In fact, studies show that regular exercise can also
directly encourage the production and growth of new blood vessels in the brain, boosting your
thinking skills.[5]
7. Higher Consciousness
Yes, exercise can be a meditation in itself. For all of you thinking that meditation is all about
mantra chanting, it’s not. It’s actually all about connecting to yourself, connecting your mind,
body, and spirit. When you exercise, such as going for a run, you’re forced to focus on your
breath. If you don’t, you can easily tire yourself out early and get a stitch.
Focusing on your breath is partly what meditation is all about. As you control your body’s
breathing, your focus shifts off your mind and onto your body. Without knowing it, you’re
engaging in mindfulness practice.
As you begin to become more aware of your breath and the movement of your body, in time,
you’ll also come to experience the stillness of your mind. When your mind is still, it allows you to
experience higher levels of consciousness, which is the holy grail to feeling better in mood and
energy.
Higher levels of consciousness not only boost your energy but can also leave you feeling
prolonged feelings of happiness, love, and joy in your life. In other words, you’ll get to feel more
alive than you do right now.
Takeaway
So, what are you waiting for to get off the couch? You have so many benefits waiting for
you.
No matter your age, you don’t have to start any vigorous routine immediately. Simply
realizing regular exercise boosts your mood and energy and making it into a habit will allow
everything else to take care of itself.
Remember, the best investment you can make in life is in yourself. So, invest in your future
self today to truly come alive and feel great!

How To Take a Cold Shower For the Best Health Benefits

Cold showers were considered beneficial as early as 1600 B.C.[1] However, thanks in part to
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Lab on Netflix, The Wim Hof Method brought the benefits of cold
showers into mainstream American media.

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 Wim Hof, also known as The Iceman, is known for his ability to tolerate extreme
temperatures. He credits this ability to a series of breathing exercises, meditation, and exposure to
cold temperatures.[2] One study suggests that the Wim Hof Method leads to a release of brain
chemicals, which result in decreased sensitivity to cold and increased feelings of euphoria.[3]
However, the benefits of mindfulness and breathing exercises are already widely known
while less is known about the benefits of cold exposure. So, is there any merit to this particular
facet of the Wim Hof Method?
This article will focus on cold exposure—the history, benefits, and how to take a cold
shower to maximize its benefits.
Cultural Practices Related to Cold Exposure
In ancient Rome, individuals walked through multiple heated rooms that culminated in a dip
into a cold pool. This practice is called “frigidarium.” It is still practiced today in spas and saunas.
[4]
In Finland and Norway, it is also a common practice for individuals to intermittently expose
themselves to cold temperatures while sauna bathing. Individuals may do so by stepping outside
during cold weather, sitting in the snow, or taking a cold shower. In warmer weather, individuals
may step into ice-water between sunbathing. For instance, during five to fifteen minutes of
sunbathing, they may step into ice-water three to five times for five seconds or longer.[5]
In Russia, individuals celebrate an event called “Epiphany” by swimming in the cold. In the
Orthodox Calendar, Jesus was baptized on January 19th. Therefore, to recognize this date’s
significance, individuals will plunge themselves into ice-holes three times. To prepare for this,
they take cold showers every day for a week leading up to the event.[6]
Moreover, winter swimming is commonly practiced in countries such as Lithuania, Finland,
Poland, Denmark, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Latvia.[7] How is
that for an extreme sport?
The Dark History of Cold Showers
Conversely, in the early 1700s, cold showers were reserved for individuals with mental
disorders. At that time, mania was believed to be a condition that could boil the blood and the
brain, and a cool shower appeared to be the natural cure.[8]
By the 1800s, mental illness was believed to be caused by inflammation, but cold showers
remained a treatment of choice in mental asylums. Unfortunately, this resulted in treatments
designed to shock individuals with intense water pressure and prolonged cold exposure.
Fortunately, by the 1900s, these practices were abandoned, but the rising concern of hygiene
led to the development of the showers utilized today. Nearly 150 years after they were developed
for use in asylums, showers become a mainstay of modern hygiene practices.[9]
The Benefits of Cold Exposure

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 Here are three main benefits of cold exposure or taking cold showers to your overall health.
1. Fewer Sick Days
A study found that individuals who take cold showers take 29% fewer sick days than those
who do not. This shocking statistic can be achieved in as little as 30 seconds of cold water
exposure for 30 days. Nevertheless, the individuals were not sick any less, they just tolerated it
better.[10]
2. Improved Appearance of Skin and Hair
Cold showers may also help to improve the appearance of your skin and hair. How does it
work? Exposure to cold constricts blood flow, leading to a glow. Furthermore, cold water helps
keep the skin hydrated, giving it a better appearance.[11]
3. Increased Well-Being
Exposure to cold water may also have an impact on your mental health. In a case study on
cold swimming, one woman was able to decrease her use of anti-depressants and eventually
replace them entirely with cold swimming. However, this is just one example. Further research is
needed to support the use of cold therapy for the treatment of depression.[12]
Regular winter swimming is associated with decreases in fatigue, tension, and negative
mood states. It has also been linked with decreased pain for individuals diagnosed with
rheumatism, fibromyalgia, or asthma. In the general population, winter swimming is linked with
increased well-being.[13]
How to Take a Cold Shower for the Best Health Benefits
Cold showers have been around for centuries, both as a cultural and medical practice.
However, there is limited research that suggests the right way to shower to obtain the most health
benefits. Therefore, this is not a prescribed approach. This is simply a suggestion as you begin to
experiment with cold showers, and the effects may vary from individual to individual.
While the evidence is limited, there are many cultural practices in place for individuals
curious about cold showers, bathing, and swimming. Many spas may offer hot and cold water
therapies as a form of relaxation. Furthermore, many individuals around the world enjoy sitting in
hot and cold springs. Yet, one does not need to travel to experience this for themselves. Try it for
yourself: simply turn down the dial during your next shower and see how you react to cold
exposure.
Taking a Cold Shower for Fewer Sick Days
Here’s a very simple three-step guide to taking a cold shower.
Take a shower at your usual temperature.
At the end of the shower, turn the faucet to cold and remain under the cold water for at least
30 seconds.
Repeat this practice daily for at least 30 days.
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 That is it. This method may help decrease your sick days by 29%. To further increase the
odds to 54%, you could also try adding regular exercise into your routine.[14]
Contraindications
Cold showers are not an adequate replacement for mental health or medical treatment.
Furthermore, individuals with underlying medical or mental health conditions should consult their
medical professionals before engaging in cold showering.
Conclusion
Ultimately, there is no prescribed empirically-based method for the benefits of cold showers.
Research is still inconclusive when it comes to most of the major benefits of cold showers.
Nevertheless, many individuals who practice this technique swear by the benefits.
The Wim Hof Method is just one example of cold exposure gaining momentum in the health
and wellness industry. In fact, this practice has been around for centuries, and it is clearly here to
stay.
While research still needs time to catch up, there is only way one to find out what works best
for you. Give it a try, turn down the dial, and turn your shower into a day at the spa. You have as
little as 30 seconds to lose and potentially a lot more to gain!

I’m Stuck! 7 Steps to Take When You’re Feeling Stuck in Life

Life can throw curve balls your way and challenge you even when the best of conditions
have manifested in your life. Whether you are a middle-aged working parent, deep into your
retirement, or somewhere in between, there are times when we all find ourselves saying “I’m
stuck.”
I have a strong familiarity with this feeling of low energy levels, a lack of motivation to the
point where getting out of bed can be a struggle that you are fighting each morning prior to work.
I often deal with my own struggles of feeling stuck when it comes to writer’s block. At times
the words can flow out of me like lava gushing from an active volcano, but in other moments, my
motivational levels and willingness to engage in thought feel absolutely dormant.
What are some of the tools or techniques that one could lean on in these moments where you
just can’t seem to get out of the hole you feel stuck in?
One major emphasis that I’d like to make in discussing ways to beat that feeling of “I’m
stuck” is that this feeling is extremely normal. We all will experience it at some point or another
as we navigate this journey in pursuit of happiness.
Too many individuals experience this diminishment in encouragement and joy and allow it
to alienate them from the people who care about them most. This brings me to the first step in
beating that feeling of being stuck in life.
1. Embrace the Feeling of Being Stuck

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 You’ve got to recognize that this idea of “I’m stuck” is a natural feeling that we all
experience whether in our work life, a relationship, or perhaps a scholarly pursuit or business
endeavor.
You have to allow yourself to realize that life is hard and there will be days, weeks, or
months when you don’t feel like you have enough fuel in the tank to push onwards and upwards.
Whatever obstacles you face that are giving you this inability to get excited about your
weekly movements, you must first understand that these aren’t abnormal thoughts to have, and
you aren’t alone in experiencing them.
If you can allow yourself that small but vital realization, then you will be well on your way
to breaking out of the cycle of feeling stuck and unable to move forward in your life’s pursuit.
2. Identify the Source of Your Obstacles
Struggle is an obstacle that will never be fully gone no matter where you find yourself in
life. We all have to face adversity at some point.
How you handle struggle, however, is going to be a key point in managing your emotions,
temperament, and the overall outcome for your life as you try to regain your internal confidence
and start breaking out of the mental chains that you’ve found yourself in.
“We act like wind-up toys, repeatedly bumping into the same walls, never realizing there
may be an open door just to our right or our left,” Susan David, a psychologist at the Harvard
Medical School, writes in her book, Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and
Thrive in Work and Life.
Essentially, what Susan is saying, is that we often get stuck in a situation but continue the
same approaches that got us stuck in the first place, instead of searching for an alternate path
forward.
When you start saying “I’m stuck,” it’s time to start a full evaluation of your situation to try
and better understand what the source of that feeling is.
If you are feeling stuck or in a rut, try to trace back in time and determine what got you in
this mental headspace in the first place[1].
Maybe your office has a new boss who is more critical than the last, so you are feeling a lack
of confidence. Perhaps you’re considering going back to school but are stressed about the cost. It
could really be any number of things.
Knowing the why and working to understand the internal foundation for this moment of
apathy will empower you to make the changes necessary to get out of that funk and begin your
climb towards a more productive self.
3. Re-Organize Your Time
It can become all too easy to fall into a trap of negative routines or unhealthy habits that can
contribute to that lull in your life where you just don’t feel like doing much at all.
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 In working to identify the root cause of being stuck, you should start evaluating how you
utilize your time.
I often hear “I don’t have the time to work on [fill in the blank]” as an excuse to continue
down a path of unproductive behavior that will only entrench the individual further into a hole
that they never wanted to be in to start with.
For this reason, it is important to analyze your time usage. Create a budget for your time in
the same way that you should have a budget for your finances.
I don’t just want you to make your time budget for what you want to accomplish in a week. I
also think it’s important to create a time budget that accurately reflects your current week-to-week
behavior.
Seeing how you are utilizing your time in the present moment might be eye opening if you
have been over binging on Netflix shows, overly consumed with social media, or working
yourself to death.
By creating a time budget, you are establishing a plan that can help guide you through the
moments when you’ve actually had enough and don’t feel as if you can continue onwards
anymore. With more established schedule for how you will utilize your time, you can train
yourself up to be more naturally productive and block those “I’m stuck” thoughts from getting to
you again.
Take a look at this article to learn how to budget your time better: The Ultimate Guide to
Prioritizing Your Work And Life
4. Talk to Yourself Frankly
Don’t you find it interesting that we can often readily provide solid advice to a friend, family
member, or co-worker without much reservation or issue, but when it comes to our own decisions,
we often feel paralyzed and unable to make a decisive move?
I like to employ a strategy that I call talking to the mirror. Essentially, I try to step outside of
my own internal monologue or perspective and give myself the sort of advice that I’m usually
able to readily produce for a close friend or family member.
Often times, when I step outside of the confines of my own mind and feeling of being stuck,
I’m able to better gauge my perspective and whether or not it’s healthy or realistic.
By committing to such an exercise, you have the potential to increase the success of
reflecting on your path through life. You also potentially learn more about yourself and why you
may be feeling trapped where you are.
According to authors Kross & Ayduk in their study of Focusing on the Future from Afar[2]:
“Prior research indicates that self-distancing enhances adaptive self-reflection about negative
past events.”

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 Very much in line with the idea of “talking to the mirror,” you need to understand that it is
important to treat yourself with the love and compassion that you deserve as a human[3]. People
will quickly work to ensure others around them feel loved and cared for but neglect themselves in
the process.
Dr. Kristin Neff, a psychology professor at the University of Texas drew the conclusion that
“self-compassion involves treating yourself just like you would treat your friends or family
members.”
Much like the simple idea of treating others the way you’d want to be treated, it is key to
have self-compassion and build yourself up with positive self-talk rather than viewing yourself
only through a negative lens[4].
5. Distract Yourself a Bit When Necessary
I spend a lot of my time in the creative areas of my mind, working hard to create original
music for myself at home or even working on writing for my blog. It is a healthy release for me
that allows me to step outside of my normal day-to-day operation and escape.
If you are feeling stuck in a particular area of your life, try to step away from that area for a
moment and refocus your attention on another area that gives life and energy.
When I’ve been working on one song for many weeks at a time, it helps to try and write a
new song or revisit an older track to shake things up and keep them fresh.
We all have daily routines that can grow stale at times and leave us feeling frustrated.
Shaking things up and finding new ways to distract your mind is a perfect way to break out of that
mental cycle!
If you find yourself at an impasse, and you can’t break off that inability to garner up
motivation to continue forward, then taking a little side quest might be just the thing to get you
back on course.
It’s similar to an academic trying to solve an equation that just seems impossible to figure
out. Sometimes, you have to step away and zoom out.
Taking time to distract your mind with something new can give you that motivation to then
revisit what was once feeling tired and worn out, and renew your passion to pursue it! If you’re
thinking, “I’m stuck,” try taking on a new hobby, playing a sport, or trying out a new family
activity. Who knows what will change your perspective.
6. Turn That Productivity Up!
Next, try to find ways you can productively utilize your time when you feel stuck in another
pursuit.
When I’m feeling trapped at work and unable to continue with the 40+ hour work weeks, I
try to come up with some productive ways to use my time outside of work that give me something
to look forward to.

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 Sometimes that is as simple as playing with my daughter for an hour and letting go of the
stresses and anxieties of work, even if for just a brief moment.
Other times, I find projects to work on at the house, such as hiding the wires behind the TV
or building a new side table for our bedroom. It doesn’t take long for me to realize that when I
work to find more effective ways to spend my time, I feel more fulfilled and better prepared to
handle the ups and downs of life.
Productively using your time in the evenings after work helps to stave off any feelings of
apathy or laziness that might lead you down the path of that all too familiar stuck feeling.
Keeping busy with productive things in and out of the workplace in moderation can be a
great way to occupy your mind. It can also help you to establish better habits in your free time that
will be more conducive to feeling like you can achieve your goals and experience new found
levels of success and motivation.
7. Look Back and Look Forward
The last word of encouragement that I’d like to leave you with is to remember that no
change comes fast in life. I wish it were as easy as saying, “1, 2, 3!”, snapping your fingers, and
all of a sudden you feel like your best self.
But like anything worth striving towards, breaking out of a funk in your internal perspective
takes time, energy, and a strong support group of friends or family.
If you attempt to break out of your feeling of “I’m stuck” but seem to be failing after a short
amount of time, don’t give up. Keep working at it and keep trying to adopt a more positive
attitude about your situation.
I typically give myself at least 30 to 60 days to try and implement a new strategy within my
approach to life. Then, I pause to evaluate my progress or lack thereof.
The key to success isn’t just in the doing. It is also in the analysis of your actions prior to a
change, during the adoption phase of a change, and after the change has started to take root in
your life.
If you fail to reflect on where you were, then you will miss out on important insights into
your own path through life.
Journaling can be especially useful in this area as you’ll be able to look back and see exactly
where you were a week, a month, or a year ago. If you want to give it a try, check out this article.
Final Thoughts
We all move at different paces through life, and in doing so, we will all face struggles and
moments where we just want to throw in the towel. I can’t emphasize enough that these moments
are absolutely normal, and you are not alone in feeling this way!

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 I hope that these steps help you to consider your own behavior and make the necessary
adjustments to live a more fulfilled life. Instead of feeling stuck, you will feel empowered to be
the best you that you can be!

Fall Asleep Faster Using 'Cognitive Shuffling'

If you struggle to fall asleep at night, stop counting sheep and try this.
Who among us has not endured a restless night (after night after night) of sleep? When you
can’t fall asleep, all you can think about is how you can’t fall asleep. You might even be
constantly recalculating how much sleep you’ll get if only you could fall asleep right now. Or
now. While we know all that kind of thinking is hindering our ability make our dreams of sleep a
reality, how can we stop it from happening? The answer, according to one cognitive scientist,
might be a trick he calls “cognitive shuffling.”
Luc Beaudoin, of Simon Fraser University, developed a method (and an app) to help mimic
for adults the way children fall asleep. Here’s what Beaudoin writes on his website:
Adults live in a very “left-brain” world dominated by language and thinking. Young children
in contrast spend a lot of time imagining and playing. Of course, adults look at a lot of images—
videos, TV, film, photos and logos. But they tend to do so passively, and usually with lots of
chatter (whether it’s vocal or not).
Sleep researchers have found that as people fall asleep, they often experience visual images
and “micro-dreams.” The diverse images people imagine may help them fall asleep. In contrast,
continuing to think in a verbal, analytic, problem-solving mode can delay sleep onset.
In other words, we need less thinking and more imagining. Don’t imagine a bunch of
jumping sheep, though—that shit is boring and will cause your mind to wander back to why,
exactly, you are having so much trouble falling asleep in the first place. Instead, you need to allow
your brain to wander through a variety of random images—in effect, you need to create some
“micro-dreams” for yourself, and that’s where Beaudoin’s method comes in.
How to use cognitive shuffling to fall asleep fast
1. Get yourself in bed and ready for sleep.
2. Think of a random, emotionally neutral word that has at least five letters. Beaudoin
suggests “bedtime” as an example. Others might be “laptop,” “peach,” “movie,” or “lightbulb.”
(Try to choose a word that doesn’t have too many repeating letters, like “banana.”)
3. Slowly spell out the base word in your mind and then, starting with the first letter, think of
another word that also starts with that letter. Imagine the item represented by the word—if your
base word is “peach,” you’ll start with words that begin with the letter “p,” such as “puzzle,”
“pig,” or “pizza.” One at a time, imagine each item, lingering on it long enough to create a clear
picture of it in your mind before releasing it and moving on to the next “p” word.
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 4. Repeat this as many times as you can for each letter. Once you run out of “p” words (or
you get bored with “p”), move on to the next letter, which—in our example—would be “e.” Now
you’ll imagine an Easter egg, an eagle, and an eggplant.
If you have a hard time coming up with “e” words, skip it and go to the next letter. Likewise,
if you choose a word you can’t easily imagine, ditch it and move on to another one. You can also
imagine different versions of the same word. For example, if you’re imagining “bread,” you might
think of a loaf of soft white sandwich bread, and then some crusty French bread, followed by your
favorite homemade sourdough. If you make it to the end of your base word without falling asleep,
start over with a new base word.
While this is a tactic worth trying, Beaudoin says it does have its limitations. It won’t work
under these conditions:
You are too tired to conjure up words, but not drowsy enough to fall asleep. (For example,
when you wake up in the middle of the night.)
You don’t like to think deliberately when you are trying to fall asleep.
You find it difficult to come up with words that start with a given letter, despite practice.
You find spelling tedious.
But if the conditions are right and you’re simply having a hard time guiding yourself through
the practice, you can also download Beaudoin’s free mySleepButton app for iOS or Android.
Think of it like a guided sleep meditation, versus meditating in silence—it can be helpful to start
with the guided version until you’re comfortable leading the practice on your own. Sweet dreams,
hopefully.

How to Fall Asleep After Waking Up

For many people, sleeping isn’t easy. Roughly 70 million Americans suffer from some kind
of sleep disorder, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and around 100 million people in the U.S.
don’t typically get enough sleep. The problem has become even more pronounced during the
pandemic.
We are a tired nation, but even if you don’t suffer from a diagnosable sleep disorder, you’re
no doubt familiar with the experience of awaking in the middle of the night and struggling to find
sleep again. This isn’t full-blown insomnia, but rather a condition that doctors call “sleep
maintenance insomnia,” and it definitely comes with own particular brand of misery.
There are several strategies you can try out when your nights grow choppy and sleep is in
short supply. Hopefully, one of them—or a combination of a few—will make drifting back to
sleep an easier, stress-free endeavor.
Don’t fixate on the time

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 Chances are good you woke up in the middle of the night because you’re anxious about
something. Don’t compound your worry by watching the clock tick away your chances at feeling
rested the next day. That’s only going to add to the mental strain of fighting to get rest.
Instead, avoid looking at the time on your phone (you want to ignore your phone for
multiple reasons, but more on that later). If you have an alarm clock, turn it around so you can’t
see the time. What you need is tranquility, and stressing about what time it is will not help you
find it.
Limit blue light exposure and screen time before bed
While it’s nice to unwind before bed with a little casual Instagram swiping, the blue light
emitted by your phone can present a dilemma for the production of melatonin, the hormone
largely credited with controlling the human body’s sleep/wake cycle.
As Harvard Medical School explains:
While light of any kind can suppress the secretion of melatonin, blue light at night does so
more powerfully. Harvard researchers and their colleagues conducted an experiment comparing
the effects of 6.5 hours of exposure to blue light to exposure to green light of comparable
brightness. The blue light suppressed melatonin for about twice as long as the green light and
shifted circadian rhythms by twice as much (3 hours vs. 1.5 hours).
To that end, try putting your phone away for the night an hour before you plan to fall asleep
—or, at the very least, adjusting its settings to dim the screen and limit blue light emissions in the
hours before bedtime. That way, your brain will have a fighting chance of producing the
melatonin necessary to nod off naturally. Though we are tethered to our devices, putting your
phone or tablet away before bed is important, and failing to do so will likely put you at a
disadvantage when it comes to falling—and staying—asleep.
Relax your muscles and your mind
Obviously, this is the prevailing conundrum when chasing elusive slumber: You know you
need to relax, but the annoyance of waking up in the middle of the night is inherently agitating.
Against all odds, you must relax in order to drift off once more.
Try deep breathing exercises, counting backwards, or a muscle relaxation routine, among
other strategies. Per Johns Hopkins University, a good option involves “progressive muscle
relaxation,” as described below:
Work your way through the different muscle groups in your body (e.g. arms, legs, torso,
face) tensing the muscles in each group at about three-quarters strength for approximately five
seconds before releasing the tension all at once. Skip any muscles that hurt and try to isolate the
muscles as you contract them instead of, for example, tensing your chest muscles when you’re
focusing on your arms. Take slow, deep breaths in between muscle groups.
Get up and go to another room, then try sleeping again

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 Many experts advocate a 20-minute rule—that is, if you’ve been aimlessly lying in bed for
20 minutes, get up, go somewhere else in your home, and do something soothing.
You can read a book, do a crossword puzzle, leaf through a magazine, listen to an audiobook
or podcast—anything that might make you tired again. Some experts suggest deliberately
choosing an activity you find boring, since you’re more likely to fade off into a snooze if you’re
more bored than stimulated.
The key is to go into another room of the house to do this, however—staying in bed, “will
lead your brain and body to associate your bed with wakefulness instead of with sleep,” according
to Luis F. Buenaver, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins.
Don’t drink alcohol before bed
Drinking alcohol can also have an adverse effect on your chances of achieving sustained
sleep. Yes, alcohol is a depressant that slows down brain activity and makes you feel slow and
heavy, but it can have the reverse effect once you’ve actually fallen asleep.
As the neurologist Bhanu Kolla of the Mayo Clinic told CNN:
As alcohol is metabolized it forms acetaldehyde which is stimulating. Therefore if you drink
too much alcohol right before going to bed, in about four hours it is converted to aldehyde which
can disrupt sleep and wake you up.
Trying a few of these as measures, on their own or in tandem with one aother, might not
immediately take care of your nighttime wakefulness, but over time, they will help you create a
routine that will reliably get you back to sleep before the sun comes up.

How to Deal With Your Nighttime Anxiety

For some people, it happens like clockwork: Their anxiety is manageable during the day, but
as soon as their head hits the pillow, every possible bad scenario plays out in their mind. Falling
asleep is hard enough during this difficult year, but can feel impossible when you’re constantly
letting your worries occupy your full attention. But you don’t have to lie awake all night, every
night. Here’s how anxiety messes with our sleep, and how you can fight back.
We’ve previously discussed what anxiety does to your brain and what to do about it, how to
stop worrying about not being able to sleep, and how you can get a better night’s sleep in general,
but this video from the folks at DNews explains how your brain reacts to moments of anxiety,
how those moments are triggered, and what happens specifically when anxiety strikes while
you’re sleeping.
Put simply, your body can kick on that stress response that triggers anxiety at any time,
without warning. Whether you’re sitting up watching TV or you’re asleep at night, our
subconscious mind is really to blame for this increased anxiety. When you’re dealing with stress
during the waking hours—whether a looming deadline for a big work project or the general state
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of the world in 2020—your brain can mimic that pattern and send you in to a stressed, panicked
state even after you’ve been removed from the immediate stressor. The end result? We wake up in
the middle of the night, after we’ve managed to relax, stressed out about work or the anti-maskers
in line behind you at the store.
When this happens at night, though, the problem multiplies and feeds on itself—you wake
up worrying about one thing, and then you worry you’re not getting enough sleep, which makes
you worry more and the cycle continues all night, leaving you without rest.
So can do you do about it? Here are some strategies you can try to improve your chances at
restful sleep.
Get up and out of bed
We’ve mentioned this one before, but you should only stay in bed if you’re planning on
going sleep. You don’t want your brain to associate your bed with anything but the impulse to
sleep, so if you’re suffering insomnia, get up, sit in a chair, or go to another room.
Distract yourself
Try some reading by a low light, drinking a cup of warm milk (don’t drink anything with
alcohol in it), or having a light snack (nothing too heavy, mind you), watching traffic go by
outside your window—whatever works for you. The idea here is to distract yourself from the
negative thoughts or feelings that come as a result of that momentary panic. We’ve mentioned that
noticing and describing the objects around you can be both meditative and calming, so you can
also try that.
Exercise during the day
Of course, this requires planning ahead a little, but the National Sleep Foundation
recommends exercising a bit during the day to help you fall asleep at night. According to the NSF,
even a single moderate-intensity workout, like a brisk walk, can improve sleep among people with
chronic insomnia.
Write out a to-do list
If your anxiety is stemming from all the things you need to get done tomorrow or during the
week, writing out a to-do list can help, the NSF says. Instead of allowing your brain go over all
the things you’re afraid you’re going to forget, write them down so your brain can relax and let
you get some sleep.
Try to relax, and stay relaxed
This is easier said than done, of course, but key to getting back to sleep is to try to relax, let
the anxiety or panic slowly ebb away, and let your mind and body return to a semi-normal state.
Some people do this through meditation, which is always a good idea, but if that’s not your style,
just finding some way to consciously relax yourself is a good approach too. Consider trying
“havening,” a calming sensory technique, or practicing a stress-reducing breathing technique.

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 Resist the temptation to watch the clock
You may feel compelled to check the time repeatedly, but try not to. Watching the clock,
especially when it’s dark and you’re alone and awake, can backfire spectacularly, and make you
more stressed about the time that’s slipping away and the sleep you’re not getting.
However you approach it, most methods of dealing with middle-of-the-night-anxiety boil
down to one of these methods. If you have the time to take a light sedative or a melatonin tablet
and still wake normally in the morning (something you don’t want to do if you have to be up in
like four hours), go for it—just try not to rely on those pills for a good night’s sleep.
As always, if you run into serious problems sleeping through the night, or you wake up
frequently in the middle of the night, you should consult your doctor or have a sleep exam done.
There may be something else at play that, once treated, will open the door to a better night’s rest
for you.

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