Monthly Archives: December 2008

Automate, Success Machine, system

The Perfect New Year’s Resolution

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I think new years resolutions are too random- why start losing weight on January 1. It’s such a random date. I suggested you start now– whenever you are reading this. Go ahead I’ll wait.

But there is one item that makes sense to start with January 1st- gain control of of your finances. January 1st is good because you know exactly when you started your tracking. You know how to gain control of your finances, but here’s a refresher:

  • Figure out what you spend money on.
  • Determine where you can save money (I called up my cell phone company and saved $32 a month by switching to a different plan and canceling phone insurance)
  • Set up a budget- Save all you can
  • Find ways to earn more

The hardest part of this is getting started. Do you know what you spend money on? I suggest you build a system (a machine) to make this automatic. Get your bank and credit cards to automatically update your data in a personal finance program like Quicken or Money or online at a site like Mint.

There will be some setup time but in the future you’ll be able to just click a couple of buttons and you’ll know exactly where you stand financially.

Enjoy, Leadership, Motivation, Passion

How To Fight The Quality Of Life Deamons and Win

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While others are wasting time making new year’s resolutions to lose weight and fail, you can set a better new year’s resolution: to improve the quality of your life.

Say No To Others

People will always be offering you new projects (because you’re so good at your existing ones) or new social opportunities- just say no if you don’t want it.

Say No To Yourself

As a high achiever you will always want to do more. Just say no to yourself unless it directly helps you achieve your goals.

Set Aside Me Time

When you set aside time to do things you enjoy don’t give up that time. Don’t let your other tasks bleed into your time.

Watch Your Goals

At all times you want to keep on eye on your goals. In every action be mindful of what you ultimately want to accomplish.

Take Enjoyment From Everything You Do

Live in the moment. Look for opportunities to enjoy what you do.

Make The Best Of Your Situation

After years of hard work a friend was recently promoted to a senior role in his organization. Now he’s complaining the challenge is gone because the team he assembled can handle everything. So he’s thinking of going to another company so he start the fight again. Rather than moving on he should seek the challenges in his current role. Try to double revenue. Try to make the company better. Try to make the world better. With the machine he’s assembled he can achieve a lot more.

Happy New Year- beat those deamons.

Health

How To Lose Your Holiday Weight Now- Before The Holidays

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As the New Year rolls in people will make their new year’s resolution- lose the holiday weight. Here’s a safe, natural way to lose the holiday weight now- no pills, no machines no exercise- guaranteed. Best of all this solution is free. Don’t gain weight over the holiday season, then you don’t need to lose it after.

The key is preparation. Read: Eat What You Love. It tells you how to eat what you love and not worry about your weight. (It’s a quick read)

Automate, Delegate, Eliminate

The Two Minute Guide To Getting Started With Productivity

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1) Get your to do list out of our head

SAF#2The mind is for generating ideas, not storing them. Don’t keep your to do list in your head- you risk forgetting something. Plus with your mind freed from your to do list it can work on generating better ideas.

2) If It Takes Two Minutes Or Less Do It Now

If you can do something in 2 minutes or less, dont put it on any lists, just do it. You’ve already accomplished something. This is especially true for tasks you need to delegate e.g. have other people help you with.

3) Be Conscious In Whatever You Do

While working on something, even (especially) routine tasks, ask yourself, why am I doing this? How can I stop doing it? How can I do it better? Asking yourself these three questions will help you improve quality, eliminate unnecessary tasks and gives you automation opportunities.

photo credit: Roby Ferrari

Principles

Can Someone Create Automatic Wealth Without Creating A Success Making Machine

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As I scanned though my huge daily reading list I saw a title that obviously intrigued me. I eagerly read  How to Change Your Work Habits and Become a Success Machine by Michael Masterson, who has written Automatic Wealth. I enjoyed the story about how he turned into a straight A student and it was motivating but he missed one of the key features of a machine: a machine is automatic (like “Automatic Wealth”). Here’s how his machine helped him:
* once he got used to sitting in front of the class (which is conducive to learning), classroom success was automated.
* once he developed the early to rise habit he automatically maximized each day
* once he developed the learning muscle- learning more, for longer hours, wasn’t that hard
A machine is not about doing hard work. A machine turns hard work into easy or automated work.