Sunday Night Success

I have just moved into a new home, and it is taking up quite a bit of my time and most of my energy. In fact, most of my weekly actions for the past few weeks, and probably for several more weeks to come, have consisted almost entirely of “house” stuff and related actions.

We all know how draining moving can be, even when you are excited about it. I am finding that when I do have a few minutes to myself, all I want to do is sprawl on my couch and veg out in front of my TV for some mindless down time. I admit to having been less than enthusiastic about participating in the weekly success calls these past couple of weeks…. The motivation factor to get things done, and list more things to get done was pretty weak.

But, I am glad that I have followed through anyway, and persevered in getting through most of the things on my lists. Not only am I accomplishing things that could easily be put off or fall through the cracks, and not only am I helping myself to get through the transition of moving into a new place more quickly, but I always feel better after meeting with my success group on our calls. I come away feeling more energized, more optimistic about the actions I have set for the coming week, and generally better about myself and what I am accomplishing than I would if I had bailed out and just laid around on the couch. So even though I am not always “feeling it”, I push through anyway, and am always better off for it.

-Vicky

Here at SNS we take action every week to make progress in making our dreams come true. By setting clear defined actions every week, being accountable to others and then celebrating those successes makes our progress focused, tangible and way more fun.

But there are times where we are working on something that is really difficult or we just feel down and need a pick up.  In the past I focused on adding coffee to my body to help in these times. While this is close to the right idea – making changes in your body to help the brain become more active or to help raise your emotions – it falls short.

The following are three things that I do to help myself feel happier and better focused through the day.
- Realize that you can decide how you want to feel – figure out how you want to feel, make a clear decision that you are going to feel this way and say it out loud to yourself 5 times.
- Get out of your desk and do some stretches with deep breathing.  By getting your blood flowing through your entire body every 45 mins to 1 hour you can feel refreshed and focused again.
- Change your body language - instead of being hunched over and looking down while walking try walking like John Travolta at the beginning of Saturday Night Fever.  Not only will you look cool but you will feel 10 times better. See – How to Strut

These are just the beginning.  Yoga, tai chi, meditation and many other diciplines have lots of great ideas on how to feel better that take just a moment to preform.  If you have any other ways to feel better then share them with us by commenting below.

You will have to excuse me as I need to practice my strut.

Jason

The thing about accountability is, if no one knows what it is we are putting off, no one is really harmed, beyond ourselves anyway. Its a “if a tree falls in the forest” kind of thing. I personally am always more likely, in fact driven, to get things done if I know that by not doing it I am putting someone else out, or making them fall behind, or what have you. If the only person harmed is me, however, I am much less worried if I don’t manage to get a task or action done.

I believe I actually said this very thing on a call with my success group not too long ago. I was asked why I had not put the same priority on an action that was “just for me” as opposed to an action that another person was relying on me to get done. I felt much more inclined toward completing the action that had someone else’s deadline attached than one that only had my own, even though that action was still important and would have contributed greatly to creating some much-needed balance in my life.

Why do I place greater importance, or at the very least urgency, on actions that are going to affect someone beyond myself? Why, when the only person I am answering to is me, do I feel that it is more acceptable to let myself down than someone else?

Is this the reason why our success group is so successful, for each of us as members? Would we constantly just be letting ourselves down if we did not have to own up each week to what we did or did not get done? Why is it that without having someone else to say “how come you didn’t get that action completed?” we would so readily put things off?

Let’s hear your thoughts!!

I have been experimenting with some methods to help jumpstart my motivation. One of these was a suggestion that came from Jason during the weekly discussions with the group. I was, yet again, struggling with an action that is frequently on my list, because if it wasn’t on my list I would never do it: monthly budget. Blech. I hate doing it, but it is a necessary evil in my mind, as it is obviously important for me to know what I am spending each month, where my money is going, and how much I have coming in and out. It is particularly important to me right now, as I am purchasing a home and need to be very sure as to what I can afford. As I always seem to put off doing my budget each month, mostly because I find it tedious and boring, Jason suggested that I look for the benefit in getting the action done. That meant looking for a reason more meaningful to me than just negative reinforcement (ie: I have to do _____ or else I won’t have ______).

Positive reinforcement, as it turns out, is much more motivating. As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey… By coming up with a benefit to getting my budget done, ie: if I get the budget updated, I will be more prepared to submit a mortgage application, and the sooner I’ll be able to look for my new home). As it is exciting to be looking for potential homes, just changing the focus of the action to the positive outcome it would bring me made a huge difference in my interest in getting the task done.

I also found that combining this with a previously-mentioned technique, breaking the job into baby steps, helped me to complete the action with greater ease. I began by gathering my monthly pile of receipts and simply sorted them into the appropriate categories. Once I had done that, it was easier to enter each of the piles into my budget spreadsheet, and before I knew it, I was all caught up.

Does anyone else use a similar method, focusing on the pluses, to get themselves through the tough tasks? How about the “baby steps” method? I’d like to hear your comments on what helps you get things done.

Make it a priority.

Every week that goes by I have one or two actions that are a challenge. Challenges are good things. I believe they make me stronger. I believe that pushing myself sends me closer to living the life of my dreams. The truth is that I enjoy the challenges.

But that does not make it any easier to do what you said you were going to do.

Over the past year of working actions off my list I know this one thing to be true – get the toughest one done first. Figure out how long it will take to do and do it as soon as you can. Do it right but do it soon. Having it sit on your list all week does not make it any easier.  Once the action is done all the other actions will seem much easier.

Making all your dreams come true isn’t rocket science. We all have most of the tools we need to live our dreams we just have to start applying them.

So what are you waiting for … get started!

Jason

Hey check out this other Success Post.

Within each of us lives doubt.

Within each of us lives temptation.

One of the temptations that I have seen since I started setting my weekly actions is very sinister. What happens is I get to Friday afternoon and a couple actions would not have been completed. At that point an idea would present itself – I could put “complete” next to the actions that are not completed and my success partners would be none the wiser!

Did you see what happened there?

First of all I felt doubt whether or not I was going to complete a couple actions. This doubt exists within each of us. I view this whole thought process as a good sign. I like the fact that I am challenged a bit in my actions every week. This shows that I am pushing myself and that is what I need to be doing to make my dreams come true.

Second I felt tempted to lie. And technically I am right – my success partners would not have known but I would have known. My pride was getting in my way. In turn this cheapens what it is that I am trying to do because I start to doubt myself and the program.

I learned that it is best to shove the pride and laziness away. Try my best to get the actions completed before our next meeting and if I can’t treat the people that I trust and myself with the respect that we deserve.

We are only human and these feelings are to be expected. It isn’t the fact that we have these feelings that makes us more or less it is how we respond that shows us our real value.

_________________

If you are a recovering pessimist check out this post by Jeremie.

Have you ever tried to stick to a work out regime all on your own? Most adults have tried and failed.  Excuses come up about the weather, not enough time, or other pressing commitments that were just too important to put off for another week.  Then we begin to justify – “I will work out extra hard next week” or “I had better rest my (phantom) injury” or “What difference does it make if I miss one work out?”  Soon three or four weeks of excuses and justifications have passed and we haven’t worked out even once.  We feel down and dejected.  Perhaps workout regimes are only for other people.  Maybe we will always be unfit.  Ho hum.  Then we just stop trying.

Sound familiar?

Turns out it is very very common.

So what many people do is get a work out buddy.  This is another person who is interested in getting stronger but also struggles with getting their butts out the door. They support each other.  Firstly they can help with dealing with the small excuses just by knowing that this other person depends on you and you have plans.  Secondly they can support you by getting on your case when you try to use an excuse.  Thirdly when you are struggling they can be a shoulder to lean on.

People find great success at their workout regimes by doing this.  They make great friends that last a life time. And they feel stronger not only physically but also mentally because they proved they can stick to it.

This is what we want to be to each other but instead of focusing on working out we expanded it to any actions you want in your life.

When we commit to each other and support each others action and feelings we all become stronger.

Join us – lets get stronger together.

For another great article on Action Setting check out

7 steps to using accountability for goal achievement

Setting weekly actions is pretty simple but with time we have come to discover that some ways are better than others.

1 – Make your actions clear – Make it easy for you to know exactly when you have achieved your action.  Have a clearly defined end.  For example “Give the dog a bath”.  When your dog is running around your home all wet and shaking himself off then you know that this action is complete.  One that doesn’t work is “Work hard this week on limiting negative thoughts”.  How do you know when you have finished this?

2 – Put only one action in a weekly action - Make it easier to achieve by having only one action. One that didn’t work very well for me was “Go to bank, pick up dog food, go to library and pick up pens from Staples”.  This didn’t work because the day that I went out to do these chores I ran into a big traffic snarl and did’t have time to get to the library.  So did I really achieve this action?  If I had broken this one into four actions then I would have at least achieved 3 of 4 actions which is much better than not achieving anything.

3 – Put yourself in control – Try to focus the actions on things that are only dependent on you not on others.  A good example is “Meet with my Banker”.  What if your banker is not available this week?  Then you did not achieve the goal.  Try “Contact the banker to set up meeting” instead.

There are lots of tips we can give you but these are just a few that can be used to help you in the short term.

Here is a previous post on Sunday Night Success that also has some great ideas on goal setting.  Link

Cheers.

Jason

Today’s post isn’t rocket science. In fact, it is an easy concept that you would think is obvious to everyone. However, I never did it until recently, and when I have talked with friends and family they have been equally surprised and enchanted with the whole concept:

Ask for what you want. You might just get it.

How did I come upon this ‘amazing’ truth that so few seem to use in their everyday lives?

Financial Blogs

I first came across this idea while reading posts on how to be frugal and save money on The Simple Dollar and Get Rich Slowly. Both blogs, at different times discussed the idea of haggling for discounts at stores, and the fact that you have nothing to lose. The worst thing that can happen is the sales person says no.

With these posts fresh in my mind I went on a shopping trip to Spokane and decided that every time I made a purchase I would try and get a discount on the price of the item and see what happened.

In the end, every single sales person said no, and stuck to their price. Haggling didn’t work once. However, I believe there is always something to learn from every experience, and, in this case I learned something very important:

Asking for the discount was easy, and harmless

Expanding the idea

With this new realization in mind I started thinking about my life in general and all of the times I thought about something I wanted to ask someone but never did. I had an “aha” moment:

When I didn’t ask I had absolutely no chance of getting what I wanted.
If I did ask there was a probability, even if small, that I would get what I wanted.

So, why not just start asking? (I told you this wasn’t rocket science)

A serious test

Recently I put this “groundbreaking” concept of asking for what I want to the test. Andrea Lee was offering a year long telecourse on Thomas Leonard that included classes, coaching calls, and new books of Thomas Leonard’s ideas that she would be publishing. I had just paid for my coach training with the ICA and had no money to spare on this course, but it really interested me. I decided to try out the “ask for what you want” method and sent her an email.

The email explained a bit of my background, my money situation, and why I was so interested in taking her course. Then I asked for what I wanted:

“Is there any type of work that you need done for the training or your company that I could assist with in order to “barter” for my entrance into the program? I am open to any suggestions.”

I admit I was nervous to be so bold, but I hit send. What did I have to lose?

The response

Six days passed with no response and I figured I was out of luck. Fair enough, it was a long shot and it didn’t work out. The best part was that the lack of response had no effect on me. I had lost nothing, in fact, I felt empowered because I took the chance and at least tried to get what I wanted. I felt way better about asking and not receiving than I did about just thinking about what could have been.

On day seven after sending my request I opened my email and was surprised to see a response from Andrea Lee in my inbox. I clicked it open and was amazed to read:

“Hi Jeremie, thanks for your great request. I am thinking that yes there may be something we could work out.”

The rest is history. I have been volunteering for Andrea’s Best of Thomas Project for almost two months now. The benefits I have received have been great:

1. I have gained a great deal of knowledge and insight into Thomas Leonard’s writing.
2. I have attended some interesting and powerful teleclasses.
3. I received my first two newly published books written by Thomas Leonard.
4. I made a connection with Andrea Lee, someone who is very successful in the field I am just getting my start in.
5. I have gotten to connect and work on projects with Tina Forsyth at OnlineBusinessManager.com.

It all worked out

All of this happened because I asked for what I wanted. Think about it, even if this concept only works 10% of the time, or even 1% of the time; you are ahead of where you would have been if you never asked.

It isn’t rocket science, it isn’t difficult in any way, so why have you never done it?

Do it right now. Think of something you have wanted to ask someone, write it down, commit to asking, then send the email, make the phone call, or walk up and ask that person for what you want.

You have nothing to lose, and so much to gain.

Let me know who you are going to ask, what you are going to ask, and how it turned out.

The “Think Big Manifesto” affected me. Reading it was a frantic experience: my heart was racing, my energy was up, and I kept reading faster and faster; I was pumped. So pumped that I really felt it was important to share this book with others. I decided I would write a review.

However, as I wrote the review I realized I was incapable of doing justice to the feelings I experienced while reading the book. Then a light went on: I realized that writing a book review of “The Think Big Manifesto” was small thinking, it was a common act to carry out after reading a book, I needed to think big.

My big thinking review

One of the focuses at Sunday Night Success is breaking your bigger goals into smaller, manageable pieces that can be acted on. This mixes perfectly with the ideas written in “The Think Big Manifesto”, and brought to mind a formula for success:

Think Big, Act Small, Achieve Big

Thinking big is great. Acting big is more difficult. It is easier to carry out numerous small actions towards a big idea than it is to carry out one big, general, action with numerous steps involved.

My big review idea

I am going to mail my copy of “The Think Big Manifesto” off to someone I know with the following instructions written inside:

1. Read “The Think Big Manifesto.”
2. Once finished sign and date the book, I don’t care where: in the front cover, back cover, by one of your favourite quotes; just sign it and date it.
3. Write a one sentence review of “The Think Big Manifesto”
4. Think of one of your big ideas and write it down.
5. Write down the next action you will take to start your way down the path of realizing your big idea.
6. Send your review, big idea, and the next action to jeremie@sundaynightsuccess.com
7. Pick somebody you know who has a big idea, is working on a big idea, or is in need of having a big idea.
8. Mail the book to them with a note to refer to the instructions written on the inside cover.
9. (Optional) Buy a new copy of “The Think Big Manifesto”, write these instructions inside, and send it to someone else.

The Goal

My goal is to help as many people as possible to take the next action they need to in order to start down the pathway of reaching their big idea. Once they take that action I believe they will also be ready to take the action after that, and the one after that. Acting small on big ideas builds momentum and momentum makes big ideas happen. I am also excited to see how well traveled each copy of “The Think Big Manifesto” can become, and how many big ideas and next actions I can gather on Sunday Night Success, and, perhaps help these big ideas become a reality.

Already have a copy of the book?

If you have “The Think Big Manifesto” I invite you to join in the above process. Write the instructions on the inside cover and mail it off to a friend. If enough people do this it should take no time before there is an amazing collection of reviews, big ideas, and next actions collected; a collection that could benefit everyone involved and anyone who is still trying to get started on their big idea.

Join this big idea and mail off a copy to a friend today.

After reading “The Think Big Manifesto” I wrote my own manifesto.