You’re probably very familiar with affirmations–speaking out, or
affirming, something that you want to be true, or something
you’re choosing to identify with.
Today I want to give you a key perspective and practical step
you can take.
As a result of a coaching call with a good friend and mentor, I
recently wrote out a few phrases I wanted to focus on each day–
not as something I was trying to “make happen” or “force” into being
by “trying really hard”, but rather simply as key thoughts I
wanted to have in front of me every day–to create a new track
for my brain to run on, particularly in some key areas I’m
wanting to shift and expand in right now.
As I look at these specifically chosen thoughts written out in front
of me throughout my day, I’m finding that they rapidly “retune” and
“refocus” my thinking…
…and how I feel…
on the spot.
And at the same time, I’m laying new “grooves” and creating new,
consiously and purposefully chosen “tracks” for my thoughts to run
on in these specific areas.
What thoughts are you choosing today?
Do you have them out in front of you where you can “retune” and
“refocus” throughout your day?
Let me know your own experience purposefully shifting your
thinking in the comments below.
Is there something you’re wanting to change, something you’re wanting to address, something new you’re wanting to bring into your life?
Maybe it’s more movement, more exercise, maybe it’s a spiritual practice or learning something new, maybe it’s journaling or reading a book that you’ve been wanting to read. Maybe it’s straightening something in your home or your desk, spending time with your wife or kids, or learning a new skill.
Many of us despise the little things, the little times. We feel that if we want to make a major change we need a major overhaul and we get so overwhelmed that we never take that first step.
So today I want you to realize the power of setting aside 10 minutes a day.
Ten minutes a day to start opening up a new space, a new channel in your life for change.
Ten minutes may not seem like a lot, but it’s not just that 10 minutes and what you get done in that 10 minutes; it’s also the fact that you’re opening up and setting aside this new space, that your attention is now going to this new arena.
The compounding of that over time is amazingly powerful.
Don’t despise the power of this—if there’s something you’re feeling the desire to add or to bring into your life, rather than feel frustrated that you haven’t done a major overhaul or don’t have more time to do it, recognize the power of 10 minutes and set aside that time.
You can grab 10 minutes a day on a break and start reading or learning something new.
You could set aside 10 minutes at the end of your day to journal, and you might not even do a whole lot, but you’ve now set that time aside–that “space” aside–to see what will come out of it, and what will come to you.
I know for me, working at home, sometimes I feel there’s always more to do, and there were times, especially in the beginning, when I kept pushing aside my family who wanted my attention.
Yes, you do want to block off focused time for work, especially if you’re working at home, which is a whole new dynamic becoming more and more common these days; but during an afternoon or on a break you can grab 10 minutes to focus on one of your kids or on your spouse—10 minutes to read a story or step outside—it may not seem like a lot, but it is—you give that undivided focused attention to somebody or to something that’s important to you, and you start to create that space that, compounded over time, creates powerful results.
Ten minutes won’t really take that much out of your day, your work, or anything you need to do, but 10 minutes given to your child on a consistent basis will make a difference to them…a big difference over time.
Ten minutes given to a new habit, 10 minutes for some quiet time, a quick walk, or journaling — will make a difference.
Plus you’re creating that new space that eventually may grow into more than 10 minutes. But even if it doesn’t, that 10 minutes itself will compound over time…and will actually have an effect on you and your day beyond the 10 minutes itself!
So now I have a question.
Take a moment…and then decide…
What’s one area you could devote 10 minutes per day to that would make a difference in your life?
How about taking action and anchoring this decision by sharing it in the comments below? And feel free to share your own experience with the power of 10 minutes a day.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Dr. Ben
P.S. If you’re currently in transition or looking to expand your income or your skills into a new arena, I invite you to explore a powerful possibility at Work with Ben
Click on the 2-minute video intro above (you’ll see me in a fun spot), then view the article below (actually by Geoffrey Colvin from 2006 but shared with me this weekend!), and come back and leave a comment on the key questions raised that are very relevant to how you approach your life, health, or business today!
Pay special attention to the example of the golfer and the bowler, and then ask yourself,
how can you apply these distinctions to your own life?
What are you wanting to be “great” in?
I recently spoke with a young man who told me his greatest dream is to “be the best
dad ever.”
Whatever you’re wanting to be great in, this article has some key insights…and raises
some key questions, that can set you further on your own path to greatness…and creating
the results you want.
Enjoy, and come back and leave your own take on:
What role does talent play?
How could “deliberate” practice, feedback, and frequent adjustment make a difference
in something you’re seeking to excel in?
What role does consistency play–and what factors have you found key to developing
long-term consistency and results?
Look forward to hearing from you, and to an intriguing discussion!
Here’s a quick but key one-minute video tip. We chuckled when we saw the seeming “antennae” I have…but the content & practice – creating a weekly time for Vision – has been key for us…Enjoy, and let me know if you have a similar practice or experience in the comments below!
Here’s a quick tip filmed at New Buffalo harbor in Michigan last weekend. Please excuse the outdoor noise & pocket camera…enjoy the content, and leave your own comments, applications, or insights in the comments below!
Had the special treat of riding the South Shore Line from
Michigan City to Chicago Thursday evening, and then walking
up the brightly lit Michigan Avenue to a special evening with
“wine-guy” and bestselling Crush It author Gary Vaynerchuk,
hosted by Kelly Olexa and a number of Chicago-area entrepreneurs.
Walking up Michigan Avenue and glancing in all the amazing
store windows, I felt like a tourist, and realized how long
it’s been since I was last there…I’ve been enjoying forests,
beaches, and sand dunes with my wife & 6 kids here in Michigan.
That evening was powerful–both because of the rather “intimate”
time with Gary, as well as the camaraderie with so many
energetic and visionary entrepreneurs, and I wanted to post
a few take-aways from the evening here, both for myself, and
for those of you fortunate enough to stumble upon this post. 🙂
First off, a comment on connecting at events like this–when
I first walked in and saw the “venue” – no chairs or sitting
down to be “presented to”…I felt a little inward groan…even
though “connecting” is a large part of why I came…
Initially I didn’t see a familiar face…
So…
The first step was to connect with a few people there…ask
a question, introduce myself, be interested in finding out
what others do and what had brought them to this event.
Along the way, I ended up encountering both people I’d
recently met at other events and begun to develop a connection
with, as well as meeting some really great “new” people and
even a few I was able to “share” the evening’s experience
with.
Now to Gary…for those of you that know anything about him,
he’s the same in person as on his videos…though one thing
that perhaps strikes you even further in person is the
wonderful combination of extreme energy and self-confidence
combined with a wonderful ability to be self-depracating
and truly connect, care, and be interested in everyone
around him–whether it’s as a group, or afterward when he’s
signing books.
It must have been a long evening for Gary, with all the traveling
he’s been doing…and he ended up forgoing food while he
spoke with us…and then the food was gone…and yet
the compassion & appreciation in his eyes as I thanked him
briefly after getting a picture with him and receiving
his signature on my book was very impactful, and I hope
you all get a chance to meet him in person someday, as well
as to learn from him “from afar.”
Gary Vaynerchuk & Ben Lo at CrushIt Chicago 11-5-09
I also took special note that during the evening
I heard several people mention specifically that they had
made decisions that had set them on a personal or business
course which they were passionate about, and which they
attributed fully to Gary and the vision and passion they
received from him at some point in the past year or two.
Very powerful to see a living example of someone living &
sharing his passion, and seeing firsthand the impact this
has on others’ lives…and I believe the cascade effect
is only just beginning as Gary and others like him live
true to who they are and inspire others to do the same.
…though Gary certainly is leading the way. In fact, Seth
Godin apparently recently sent Gary a very flattering
email that simply said, “You’re making the rest of us look
bad.”
Let me close with a few key quotes I jotted down from
Gary…and also highly encourage you to get a copy of
his book Crush It, as well as visit him at his Wine Library TV video blog
or GaryVaynerchuk.com and then ask yourself, what’s key about
the next step you take in YOUR business and in YOUR life…
…and see which quotes below trigger something in you that you
can act on or apply right away.
Gary Vaynerchuk & Kelly Olexa at CrushIt Chicgao 11-5-09
First, Gary admonished us all to really, really
appreciate this time that we’re in…he essentially
said if we can’t appreciate this time, then we’re not
paying attention.
Then telling us a bit more about himself and how he
thinks, here’s some quotes:
“I desperately want everyone to win.”
“I wrote Crush It in order to get emails from everyone
in this room in January or February saying, ‘Thank you.'”
“I have no emotional attachments to ‘converting’ anyone…
though I love when people ‘get it’.”
**Know who you are.**
“When people don’t like me, I get it. I respect people’s
opinions, and I try very hard to meet them and let people
know who I am…I outcare everyone. It’s who I’ve always
been.”
“I’ve only tried to be really good at what I’m good at
instead of focusing on what I’m bad at.”
“I’m grateful & I’m aware.”
“Your self-esteem & your positive energy is by far the
difference-maker.”
“People that are enthusiasts ARE experts.”
“I’m a very good messenger.”
“When’s the time to leave your job? The second you
can afford it. I’m extremely practical. But you
can live pretty ‘raw’ – that let’s you jump quicker.”
“The softer you sell, the better you sell.”
“Content is at a record low in being monetized & at an
all time high in value — it’s the honey that gets the
bees. You’ve got to have it.”
“If you’re not talking to the world, you are not going
to be in a positive business situation.”
And with your content–“come at it from entertainment,
education, and value — not sales.”
“You’ve got to bring value. The second you stop trying
to sell, the second you start selling better.”
“The reason people root for me to win is because I rooted
for them to win first.”
“I don’t make decisions based on the money; I make
decisions based on the brand.”
“Anything I believe in, I invest in.”
“Education is the game. You don’t win by accident.”
“Hard work, effort, & caring is going to be the game-
changer.”
Here’s to living your passion, making conscious choices
in your own life and business, and becoming one more
person who impacts others by knowing who you are and
sharing it with the world!
And thanks, Gary!
Dr. Ben
Gary Vaynerchuk & Ben Lo at CrushIt Chicago 11-5-09
P.S. If you were there that night, or have been impacted
by Gary or any of the ideas above, would love to hear
your own comments & stories below!
Been pondering something we do everyday, almost without
thinking, that powerfully affects how we feel about ourselves
and what we’re doing.
The neat thing is that as we become aware of this, we can
consciously use this tendency in a way that purposefully
benefits us.
Whether it’s with our health, our weight, our “productiveness”
and “success”, our parenting, our relationships, or something
else…
…I’ve found that how we feel in a given moment is often
directly impacted by what we choose to “compare to.”
Even just for ourselves—-are we comparing to what’s gone before,
and noting the progress we’ve made…or are we comparing to
what hasn’t happened yet, and feeling frustrated or overwhelmed,
or even a “failure”?
It’s interesting how our brains work.
Dan Ariely, a researcher formerly from my alma mater MIT, a
great TED speaker, and author of Predictably Irrational, has
pointed out that human beings tend to assign value only in
reference to something else. I once heard him give the example
of Olympic medalists, asking, “Who do you think is generally
happier with their medal – silver medalists, or bronze medalists?”
The natural thought would be that silver is better than bronze,
but his research showed that the bronze medalists were generally
happier, and his reasoning was that the silver medalists looked
at the gold and felt badly that they came so close and didn’t
“make it”, whereas the bronze medalists looked at all the others
who didn’t get a medal, and were glad they got a medal at all…
So back to us and our daily lives – now that you know your brain
is constantly looking for references to “compare to” and decide
how to feel, you can choose to compare in ways that feel good…
that inspire you to move forward…
rather than ways that overwhelm you or shut you down.
How?
Begin by finding something to appreciate…something you’ve done
well, something that’s gone well…maybe right now it’s just your
own awareness or the potential for things to be different now
that you’re thinking differently.
Next, focus on progress…compare in ways that you feel good about
the progress you’re making…if there’s no outward “progress” yet,
begin by noting that your direction is different.
Perhaps the progress is simply that you’ve held a certain focus or
direction longer than before.
In fact, what direction you’re heading is so much more important
than where you are right now. (You can read more about that here.)
In the meantime, throughout the day, ask yourself, “What am I
comparing to?” and consciously choose comparisons that inspire you
to move forward, rather than those that make you feel small or
inadequate.
Deal?
How about leaving a comment about your own comparisons and
experiences below.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Dr. Ben
P.S. Been enjoying this music from Hayley Westenra as I write this,
and thought I’d post it directly for you here. Enjoy!
Just came across Robert Anthony’s new “Secret of Deliberate
Creation” course – a more advanced and “updated” version of
his excellent “Know How To Be Rich Course” which I’ve listened
to multiple times, and which greatly aided me in my transition
into free enterprise…and the principles are applicable to
any deliberate change you want to create in your life–whether
it’s your health, finances, or some other aspect…even though
the examples given largely have to do with getting over lack
and into an experience of abundance with money.
The free report is excellent and presents a core question &
thinking that I haven’t seen presented this clearly or
succinctly before, and which directly addresses what many
leave out when applying the “Law of Attraction”…
…and the first email you’ll receive on certainty has already shifted
my thinking another level as I apply it to my own business and
cash flow.
If you’re interested in the full program, I’ve secured a
special discounted link for you…though even if not, the free
report is definitely worth a look this weekend and will only
take a few minutes:
