Putting things off until tomorrow or next week will almost always turn into another tomorrow or another week—or worse yet, never.

Procrastination becomes a habitual and conditioned behavior that will destroy any chance of real achievement.

There are several ways to procrastinate:

1. You can put things off by never choosing to do anything
2. You can also put things off by choosing to do something, but never starting it.
3. You can put things off by starting something, but not continuing it.
4. You can continue, continue, continue, something, but never finish it!

Those four approaches to achievement require no time-line or accountability, and offer very little in the form of reward or success.

The fifth approach—start, continue, and finish—does require you to set a time-line, hold yourself accountable, and take massive and consistent action. In the achievement process, it is vital, even though the task may eventually get done, that you do not put off until tomorrow something that you could have done today. Doing so sends a message to your unconscious mind and the universe that “maybe you’re not really that serious about your objective. Maybe there are more important things, like e-mail, TV, or hanging with your friends.” Is that the message you want to send, or are you serious about achieving your desired outcome?

There is a caveat, however: If you find at any point in the pursuit of your goal that you’re just not falling in love with the idea of achieving it, then maybe what you’re pursuing just isn’t what you really want after all. If your goal was to learn how to play golf and it turns out you hate the game, why continue? Call the goal completed, and move on to something you are passionate about. It is not a failure –only feedback. If you continue to pursue it just because you feel like you have to finish what you start – your likely hood of procrastination will go up 10 fold.  And you will ultimately feel like you actually did fail –and with good reason.

The number one way to end procrastination forever is to do only what you are passionate about and love doing. If your goal is to lose weight but you hate going to the gym, you will continue to put off going to the gym until you wind up not going at all. If your final desired outcome is to look and feel great, and losing 20 pounds will help you achieve it, find a way to achieve your sub-goal that does not involve having to go to the gym or doing something you hate.

One of my coaching clients had just that very dilemma. He absolutely hated having to work out, especially indoors when the weather outside was beautiful. We tossed around some ideas, and he finally remembered that he loved to play volleyball as a kid. I suggested that he seek out opportunities in his community to play the game for fun or sport. As it happened, there was an outdoor volleyball court in the nearby park, and a group of people would get together to play three times each week. He watched for a couple of games and then asked if there was a chance for him to join in. Sure enough, he wound up playing three days per week for almost 90 minutes each day for the next three months. Not only was he able to lose the weight and gain the energy he wanted, but he made some really great new friends along the way.

Forcing yourself to do something you don’t enjoy or flat-out hate will almost assuredly lead to procrastination and failure.

Remember: Procrastination kills achievement.

Was Arnold Schwarzenegger just lucky or did he have a strategy for success?

Recorded live during an on-line training – In this video I share some of my goal achievement insights with a tough interviewer and a live audience and answer the question “do we really have to set goals to achieve what we want in life?”

Check out this short video and share your thoughts and your strategy for success below…

Do you know, like and trust your body? In this short training video filmed during a live teleconference we talk about the importance of “body rapport” and the brutal truth about who you are at your core.  Look and listen for the parts of the message that resonates with you and please share your thoughts.

Thanks,

~ The Achievement Mentor

Every now and then you happen to meet someone, who you may not realize at that moment but will have a profound impact on your life. A few years ago when I was working with Harv Eker at Peak Potentials I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with a gentleman (and I mean that in every sense of the word) who would later become a very dear friend.

What I did  know at that time was that Stewart Welch was one of the countries most brilliant financial minds and the owner of the prestigious Welch Group Financial Services and the author of The Complete Idiots Guide To Getting Rich and several other books on the subject.

What I didn’t know was that Stewart was also a rabid fitness enthusiast and personal development trainer who had already changed the lives of millions through his practice and philosophy.

What you’ll read bellow is one of his success strategies that has had a massive impact on my life and the energy I bring to and from each day.  I hope it has the same impact on your life.

“To become a master of change and to perfect my attitude, I thought it was only necessary to look ‘inward’. And looking inward is necessary. While looking inward, I discovered that to truly become a master of oneself, you must also reach ‘outward’. In doing so I developed a strategy I call The Power of 3² (3 squared) + 3, which has transformed my life forever. My prayer is that you’ll commit to trying this for one week…and that it will transform your life as well.” ~  Stewart Welch, III

Here’s the simple Formula:

1. List 3 blessings Before rising each day, take a moment to list 3 things that you are grateful for. What you focus on in your life will expand; therefore takes some time each day to remember the things in your life you are grateful for.

2. List 3 daily actions Before starting your day, list the 3 most important things you need to accomplish this day. At least one of those actions must be focused on one of your predetermined intentions (goals). Don’t end your day until all 3 are done.Be clear about your intentions, and then take action. The universe rewards action.

3. Uplift 3 people Commit to encouraging 3 people in a very specific way each day. You’ll know you achieved it when you see their life ‘light up’ in their eyes.

4.Celebrate 3 successes At the end of your day, identify and celebrate three ‘wins’ (positive results) for your day.

Tip: Maintaining a log book is a great way to record your successes and will serve a powerful reminder of all the good you have done when you get a little down.   To gain access to the Power of 3² + 3 Journal and learn how…

…beginning on May 30th Stewart will apply his world  famous “9 Secrets of Success” to the areas of Nutrition, Health & Fitness to see what he can achieve within 40 days.  Discover what you can achieve when you become Laser focused on your goals.  Go to The Quest

During a recent coaching call I was asked by someone who was facing a challenge that would require her to turn what she perceived to be a weakness into a strength. If she was not able to do so, it would likely lead to the inability to achieve her objective. I shared with her a story about a young Judo champion who was able to turn adversity and a perceived weakness into a gold medal strength. And since we are all faced with those challenges from time to time I thought I would share the story with you.

It’s the story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move.

“Sensei,” the boy finally said, “shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” “This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the sensei replied.

Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the sensei entered the boy in his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy artfully used his one move to win the match.

Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened.

“No,” the sensei insisted, “Let him continue.”

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.

“Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”

“You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. Second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.”

TT

This whole ego business is pretty interesting. On one hand, the ego is often responsible for not allowing us to admit our own limitations and for the cocky arrogance that is the greatest obstacle to our own success.

On the other hand, our ego is responsible for our protection and safety – in doing so it often acts like an overzealous park ranger. It sit’s up in the tower with its binoculars and shouts DANGER–LOOK OUT every time someone lights a match or a little possum pokes its head out of a hole.

The ego is also what’s responsible for our anger and rage. Think about it. The last time you got cut off on the highway or someone wouldn’t let you in the merge lane from the on ramp… “F-U – you freaking son of a bitch!”   You got pissed, didn’t you?   WHY?

What threatens your ego?

Were you really at risk of life and limb? Or was it that your space, power, and sense of control were being threatened?

I had an interesting experience tonight that put a spotlight on the part of my ego I thought I had under control. My wife and I spent the last 90 minutes alongside our two 9 month old Schnauzers at a group dog training class. I was in charge of our little female, Tootsie while Dawn had the beast, Bosco. As the training progressed and the drills got increasingly complex Tootsie began challenging me more and more. She simply refused to lie-down and getting her to stay was impossible. She knows the verbal commands but with over twenty dogs in the class I am quite sure she was as distracted – as was I.

There was one incident where we were all instructed to have our dogs lie-down and stay while we backed away. All the dogs except Tootsie complied. I must have spent 10 minutes while everyone watched trying to get her to obey the command. As the seconds ticked by I could feel myself becoming more and more frustrated and angry– (here’s the interesting part) not because she wasn’t getting it, but rather because I was being disobeyed. I could feel my power and command of the situation being challenged even taken away… in front of a group of strangers. It was that delicate part of my ego that I had long since thought I had conquered that was being threatened… by a dog no less.

What threatens your ego?

How delicate is your sense or power and control? Could a driver cutting you off, a partner rejecting your advances, the loss of a job, or some worldly possession cause you to freaking lose it? Why would something or someone else’s attempt to steel your power invoke such contempt and even rage?

As I said one of the ego’s jobs is protection and keeping you safe. It does that by maintaining the statuesque. Anything that threatens that statuesque is met with fear and often disguised as anger or rage. Whatever power it thinks you have it will fight to keep. Because we don’t recognize that power and control is nothing more than an illusion our ego can go on full action alert as soon at the illusion is threatened.

Tootsie would testify to that – if she could talk. She was able to shatter my illusion of control and power with a single “I don’t think so” attitude. As I was fighting with her and losing – it dawned on me that it was my fear, frustration, and anger that was actually causing the situation. I stopped, took a deep breath, gave Tootsie a big hug and started all over – this time from a place of love and a desire to help her learn and grow.

So what threatens your ego? Share your comment. I would love to hear from you.
TT

DR. “TOPHER” MORRISON – Settle for Excellence steps in for Bob Greene on tonight’s call.

Since 1989, Topher, has trained tens of thousands of people worldwide, as an acclaimed, dynamic presenter on topics ranging from personal growth to sales training.  

Dr. Morrison is internationally recognized for his columns on personal development, keynotes, and leadership training. 

Innovative and prolific, Topher is the creator of the Music Trance series – music specifically created for the profession of hypnotherapy.  He is the author of the best-selling book, Settle for Excellence (Stop Chasing Perfection)

Wednesday, April 8  6pm PDT / 7pm MDT / 9pm EDT click the link to get all the details INTERVIEW WITH TOPHER on tonight’s call.

Discover the ramifications of not listening to our body’s messages. Start honoring the biggest part of you by redeveloping rapport with your body.

It’s that time once again when we wipe the cob webs off our ambitions and promise to achieve more, have more, or stop doing that thing we could live with a lot less of.”This year I will…” How could you complete that statement for upcoming year?

The reality is we set goals on New Year’s Eve that we never really take ownership of or even truly expect to achieve.  Have you ever made a wish?  Of course you have, we all have. 

On Thanksgiving, we have a tradition in our home where two people clench opposing ends of the dried turkey wishbone, we quitely make a wish and pull.  As the tradition goes, after the intense conflict comes to an end the victor of the large piece of the wishbone will have his wish become real, it hardly does. Why you may ask?

We have been told that if we put a commanding enough intention out into the universe we can accomplish it. I was also taught, “If it’s God’s will, it will come to pass.” I presuppose both of those statments are true. However, for either the higher power or the universe to dash in and help you get what you long for you have to do more than just wish for it, you have to know definitely what it is that you desire first.

Let me put it this way, the last time I came up with the large end of the wishbone I prayed for a million bucks and I didn’t get it.  That might have been a good thing. Because if I had been granted my prayers, I might have been surrounded by a enormous herd of big horn sheep. Praying for a million bucks is too ambiguous to be anything more than a wish.

Notwithstanding wishes do at times come true I’m sure the majority of us would rather not bet our future on the potential outcome of a wish.

You possess what Maxwell Maltz has coined, an internal success mechanism. It’s the piece of you that will move the rest of you kicking and yelling if needed toward what you indubitably yearn for in life.

For this New Year you can start programming your internal success mechanism by turning your “New Year’s Resolution” into an exact intention for  your goal achievement. That requires getting crystal clear on precisely what you desire, why you desire it, and then writing it down as a clear and specific goal achievement statement.

The reality is your capability is bottomless. You can have everything you wish for but you have to first make it a true intention. Then you can yell to the rest of the world, “This year, I will…”

For more on the fundementals of goal achievement, go now to 7 Rules of Achievement. I have a free bonus waiting for you there.

Next time someone says, “Go Take a Flying Leap.”  You should thank them! 

There’s so much talk today about “taking the next step” or “going to the next level” that I’m tired of hearing about it. The truth is I have never gotten from where I was to where I wanted to be by taking some small step.

Granted every journey does begin with the first step… but for pete’s sake do you know how many small steps it takes to go from being broke to rich, from miserable to happy, from hopeless to triumphant? The truth is I don’t want to find out… I already l know it’s too many. I’ve taken thousands of small steps in my life that didn’t lead where I wanted to go.

But it took a giant LEAP to get to where I am today. To make a radical change or a quantum shift it takes a giant leap of faith. A young man telling his girl he loves her for the first time, an athlete pushing his or her body to the brink of disaster to achieve what “can’t be achieved”, a battered or abused wife finally leaving her abuser. All those things take a leap of faith, all of them take courage, and all of them lead to a better more fulfilling life.  (SHARE YOUR STORY)

My guess is that you are also ready for that giant LEAP in your own life.

If you’re tired of taking one step at a time only to find your true happiness has moved 3 steps further away then join me, Tom Terwilliger and warrior trainer, Aaron Huey for a life changing event that will have you ready to trade in that long slow march to who knows where for one giant LEAP to success and the life you deserve. Go to Experience the LEAP and register… it’s FREE.