A Compelling Career

Success Sabotage: How to Sabotage Your Own Success

I wrote this article awhile ago but never put it on my blog. I got a lot of comments on it from people so I thought I would put it here too.

"If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother and hope your guardian genius." - Joseph Addison

Success Sabotage: How to Sabotage Your Own Success

Focus on what you do not have and what you do not want.

Do not set goals for yourself. If you do not set goals, you cannot fail to achieve them. Setting goals can be a scary proposition for some. By speaking a desire or writing it down, we own it - we are responsible for it and suddenly there is more at stake if we fail to achieve it. So, if you do not set them, you cannot fail.

Spend time worrying about what others are doing and how they do not deserve to be as successful as they are.

Spend time blaming everyone else for your troubles.

Do not plan for obstacles and once one gets in your way, consider it a brick wall you cannot penetrate.

Create illness in yourself and excuse yourself from participating in life.

Make excuses.

Act defensively.

Refuse to listen.

Justify your choices with explanations everyone is tired of hearing.

Assume you do not need anyone else.

How to Create Success in Your Life

Think about what you want and how you plan on getting it. Find people who can help you and WANT to see you succeed.

Create clearly written, measurable, and time-specific goals and get to work achieving them.

Look at other successful people and listen to what they have to teach. Be inspired by them to pursue your own path. Hire them, ask them to be your mentor. Get close to those who inspire you.

Accept complete responsibility for the situation you are in.

Become calm, clear, and focused on your goals.

Do not overvalue the opinions of others.

Stop blaming anyone for anything that may have happened, is still happening, or might happen in the future.

Do not criticize or complain about other people, ever.

Learn from others who have gone before you but develop a strategy that is yours alone.

Do not let external factors such as your boss, bills, co-workers, marriage, or childhood traumas, dictate your feelings.

Make progress.

View yourself as the primary source in your own life and accept that you are where you are and you are what you are because of the choices you have made.

Exercise for Today:

Go on a blame free, excuse free, justification free, negative free diet. Spend today making choices that move you in the the direction of success. Write down your victories and learn something about yourself so that you can do better tomorrow.

Everyone has the ability to achieve success but you must work for it. Remember what Calvin Coolidge said about success "Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

5 Ways to Train Your Mind with Intention

I was introduced to something this week that after only 6 days has had a major impact on my life. It is called “segment intending”. It is a practice described by Abraham-Hicks that involves breaking your day up into segments and then creating a particular intention for that segment. So, whether I was heading off for a hike with my daughter or digging my heels in at work, I set an intention. In both of these cases I set an intention to enjoy each moment, to give thanks for the time I was able to devote to each activity, and to be creative and as productive as possible. It was a quick exercise that took only a few moments but I quickly discovered how powerful this practice could be. I found myself committed to the here and now and armed with a mechanism to draw me back to the present if I got off track, I was able to experience and accomplish more than I ever would have without it. For instance, one morning when I was hiking with my daughter, I found my mind drifting to all of the stuff I thought I should have been doing and worrying that I was being unproductive by taking a long hike in the mountains. But, I quickly brought myself back to the moment and remembered my intention. I focused on my intention and had one of the most enjoyable hikes all week. This positive experience naturally led to a more positive day and ultimately more positive outcomes. Following are 5 ways you can train your mind with intention: